WRITER: Josie Heimsoth

Douglas County leaders hear funding requests for child care assistance, youth job training and other anti-poverty initiatives

Youth job training, a child care assistance fund and money that would keep a housing project for chronically homeless residents afloat: These were among the poverty-related initiatives that Douglas County commissioners reviewed funding requests for at their 2026 budget hearings on Thursday. Thursday was the County Commission’s fourth day of budget hearings, and one of the organizations commissioners heard ...

Douglas County commissioners approve plan for bigger clubhouse and additional parking at local golf facility

Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday approved a site plan for improvements to a golf complex, which will include a new and bigger clubhouse with indoor tee boxes and a restaurant. The site plan is for Twin Oaks Golf Complex, 1326 East 1900 Road, and the plans involve building a nearly 14,000-square-foot building on the site to replace the existing clubhouse, which will be demolished as part of the plans ...

Douglas County leaders express interest in not just maintaining Fire Medical service levels, but also adding a new ambulance

In anticipation of city-imposed cuts to Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, county commissioners are expressing interest in not just spending extra to maintain some emergency service levels, but to staff a new ambulance, as well. One of the topics discussed at the Douglas County Commission's 2026 budget hearings on Wednesday was county staff's proposal to include about $183,000 of extra funding for LDCFM, ...

Citing heavy caseloads, DA's Office asks Douglas County leaders for more than $215K for 2 positions

The Douglas County District Attorney’s Office wants the county to allocate more than $215,000 in its 2026 budget for two positions — positions it says are necessary to lighten the heavy caseload on its attorneys. On Tuesday, during the Douglas County Commission’s second day of budget hearings, District Attorney Dakota Loomis presented the funding requests for two full-time positions at his office. The ...

Douglas County commissioners to consider plans for expanding a local golf complex

Douglas County commissioners this week will consider a site plan for a significant expansion of a golf complex, including a bigger clubhouse with indoor tee boxes and a restaurant. On Wednesday, county commissioners will consider approving the site plan for Twin Oaks Golf Complex at 1326 East 1900 Road, the first K-10 interchange east of Lawrence. As the Journal-World reported, the plan is to build a nearly ...

Douglas County commissioners had several questions about additional funding requests from Bert Nash totaling over $2.3 million

Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center is seeking over $2.3 million in additional funding from Douglas County to maintain current service levels through 2026, but county commissioners raised several questions about the requests. Bert Nash has faced financial difficulties in 2025 and is currently projected to end the year with a loss of approximately $2.1 million. A couple of weeks ago, former CEO Patrick ...