Douglas County’s cash reserves grew by $14 million in 2024, according to financial statements county commissioners will consider approving on Wednesday. According to the county’s audit report from Allen, Gibbs & Houlik LC, the county began the 2024 fiscal year with an unencumbered cash balance of $131,988,631 and ended the year with $145,867,339. The money is the amount of cash on hand that is not ...
In response to rising hostility at public meetings and threats against local leaders, a panel of Lawrence officials and community members gathered to urge a return to civility in civic discourse. A panel discussion titled “Bringing Civility Back to Civic Discourse,” was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Lawrence-Douglas County . It was held at the Lawrence Public Library on Monday with Lawrence ...
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 ...
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 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 ...
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’ ...