WRITER: Josie Heimsoth

Ticks and their diseases are increasing in Kansas; KU researchers partner to address lack of data and solutions

A peaceful walk with her dog led to Sandra Issa acquiring a tick bite — and, ultimately, to her having to stay away from red meat and dairy products. “I removed the tick and didn’t think too much about it, and then I was having stomach problems,” Issa said. “ … And then on the Fourth of July I ate part of a hamburger,” she said. “As the evening went on, I started thinking, ‘Wow, I don’t ...

Douglas County commissioners approve measures to maximize the impact of unspent ARPA funds

Douglas County commissioners learned on Wednesday that only around 72% of the federal funding they distributed through the American Rescue Plan Act has been utilized, and they approved measures to maximize the money's impact before the end-of-the-year deadline to spend it. In July 2022, the county awarded $23,747,378 in ARPA funding — which is emergency funding to help state and local governments respond to ...

Group will share video presentation on supporting Douglas County's entrepreneurs of color later this month at the Lied Center

Updated at 2:40 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 In 2023, the entrepreneurship group Forward Cities visited Douglas County with a big question: What can the community do to better support its entrepreneurs of color? Now, more than a year after talking with local Black, Indigenous and people of color who run their own businesses here, Forward Cities is back, and it plans to share its results in a special video ...

Douglas County Commissioners to discuss Wakarusa River Corridor conservation plan to protect resources for future generations

A plan will soon be developed for conserving the Wakarusa River Corridor and protecting resources in the area for future generations, and Douglas County commissioners will hear more on Wednesday about how that effort is going. The presentation from open space leaders will focus on the conservation of the Wakarusa River Corridor, from the Clinton Lake dam to Eudora. The conservation plan will be called the ...

Democrat Erica Anderson wins County Commission's District 5 seat, wants collaborative leadership and increased community engagement

Democrat Erica Anderson came out on top among the three candidates who competed for the Douglas County Commission's new District 5 seat. Anderson had garnered 5,149 votes as of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday to win District 5, which includes a small portion of south Lawrence, southern Wakarusa Township, Baldwin City and Palmyra Township. Republican Rich Lorenzo and Libertarian Kirsten Kuhn, Anderson’s opponents, received ...

Democrat Gene Dorsey wins County Commission's new District 4 seat, vowing increased transparency and community outreach

Gene Dorsey will be representing the newly established District 4 seat on the Douglas County Commission after defeating two other candidates. Dorsey received 5,849 votes to Republican Vice Mayor of Eudora Timothy Bruce's 3,557 votes and Libertarian Steve Jacob's 719 votes. District 4 includes a small portion of southeastern Lawrence, Eudora and Eudora Township and the small portion of Wakarusa Township located ...