WRITER: Josie Heimsoth

Family roots run deep at Schaake’s Pumpkin Patch, which celebrates 50 years this fall

Way back before it was a fall staple in Douglas County, Schaake's Pumpkin Patch got its start with a project for the county fair and a little roadside stand. The pumpkin patch at 1791 North 1500 Road turns 50 years old this fall, and Sheila Schaake, one of its owners, recalled how it all began. The Schaakes' farm was founded by Janet and Larry Schaake, but Sheila said it was her brother Scott who had the idea ...

Online mental health platform that Douglas County provides for free has rebranded from myStrength to Teladoc Health

The free online mental health resource that Douglas County offers for its residents has been rebranded from myStrength to Teladoc Health, and will offer similar services but with some changes to the user experience, according to county and Teladoc Health staff. Douglas County had been funding the myStrength service for county residents since 2019 using revenue from a quarter-cent behavioral health sales tax, at ...

Douglas County commissioners signal support for tenants’ right to counsel; staff to begin work on proposal for program

Douglas County commissioners are interested in creating a right to counsel program for tenants facing eviction, and county staff is beginning to work on a formal proposal for them to review. The County Commission discussed the idea of a tenants’ right to counsel program during its meeting on Wednesday, continuing a conversation that's been going on across multiple meetings since August. Local advocacy group ...

Douglas County staff has questions for commissioners about whether and how to develop a right to counsel program for tenants

County staff will be asking the Douglas County Commission this week whether and how it wants to develop a right to counsel program for tenants facing eviction, although commissioners aren't taking a vote on it just yet. For the County Commission's meeting on Wednesday, staff has prepared a series of questions about such a program. These include whether commissioners are interested in incorporating tenants’ ...

Students evacuated at Lawrence High School after small fire in girls' locker room

Updated at 2:26 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29 A small fire in the girls’ locker room prompted an evacuation at Lawrence High School Monday morning, and the cause is under investigation, according to district officials. “We are grateful to report that no students, staff were harmed,” a social media post said. “The fire has been extinguished, and the situation is under control.” The post added that LHS will ...

DCCCA expects to finish its duplexes for women in recovery by next summer, and it's holding a fundraiser to furnish them

A transitional housing development by DCCCA is expected to open in early summer 2026, providing support for women in recovery and their children, and the nonprofit is hosting a fundraising event to help raise money for furnishing the new duplexes in the development. Nick McGovern, operations director of DCCCA, said what’s currently remaining in the development is the interior of each of the five duplexes. ...