Several maintenance projects costing up to $4 million could soon be coming to the Douglas County Jail. The County Commission on Wednesday will discuss a list of possible maintenance projects at the jail, including HVAC improvements that were originally to be completed alongside a now-discontinued jail expansion project. The discussion is slated to occur during a work session, which means the commissioners ...
Repeatedly relocating throughout his life made it hard for Free State High School junior Pranav Vogeti to cultivate friendships, he recalled last week. But all of that changed when his family moved to Lawrence and he joined the local Boys & Girls Club, where he has been named the 2021 Lawrence Youth of the Year. In a speech at the Boys & Girls Club's Youth of the Year event, Vogeti said his family had ...
Working a full-time job from home during the coronavirus pandemic is hard enough for Lawrence resident Ellie Heath. But trying to make sure her elementary-aged children are staying engaged with their learning while they attend school from home half the week has only added to the stress and anxiety she is facing. Heath, a parent of two children who attend Langston Hughes Elementary School, told the ...
The Lawrence school district’s use of police officers in schools aligns with a recent report of a state racial justice commission, Superintendent Anthony Lewis told the Journal-World recently. That’s partly because the district only uses a handful of school resource officers, or SROs, while it also employs dozens of behavioral health professionals, he said. In December, Gov. Laura Kelly’s Commission on ...
Douglas County’s health department recommends schools continue to use hybrid or fully in-person learning models as key indicators related to the spread of the coronavirus continue to decline. Lawrence Douglas County Public Health announced Thursday its recommendation to schools would remain in the yellow tier, which calls for schools to use hybrid or fully in-person classes. The color-coded guidance is meant ...
A new diversion program from the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office that aims to serve as another alternative to incarceration in the local criminal justice system could initially help dozens of people stay out of jail. Deputy District Attorney Joshua Seiden told the County Commission on Wednesday about a new enhanced diversion program the office is developing. It could launch in the next few weeks and ...