WRITER: Josie Heimsoth

Douglas County Treasurer's Office holds ribbon-cutting ceremony for new office on Sixth Street; it's scheduled to open Monday

Starting Monday, the Douglas County Treasurer's Office will offer services at a new location on Sixth Street, replacing the older satellite office on 31st Street, and the office held a ceremony on Friday to celebrate. The Treasurer’s office will serve the public at two locations in Lawrence: the historic County Courthouse at 1100 Massachusetts St. and the new office at 2601 W. Sixth St. Both offices will ...

Lawrence school district seeks public feedback on proposed high school boundary changes to address enrollment disparities

The Lawrence school district is looking for public input on proposed changes aimed at addressing enrollment imbalances between its two high schools, one of which currently has 350 more students than the other. Since Lawrence became a two-high-school town in the 1990s, 15th Street/Bob Billings Parkway has been the boundary that determines whether a student attends Lawrence High School or Free State High School. ...

Leaders say a new behavioral health coalition in Douglas County would make crisis response more effective and coordinated

Despite Douglas County's recent investments in mental health crisis response, leaders say there are still places to improve — especially in how first responders, care providers and other agencies work together. That's why they're proposing a new coalition on behavioral health that will make it easier for agencies to collaborate to get people the right kind of care at the right time. During a work session ...

Voters throughout Douglas County face decisions on candidates for Kansas State Board of Education

As Douglas County voters go to the polls to cast ballots for everything from president to county commissioners, they'll also be asked to elect leaders to the state's top policy-making board for public education. Voters in the Lawrence, Baldwin City, Eudora and Perry-Lecompton school districts will have competitive races to decide for the Kansas State Board of Education during the Nov. 5 general election. The ...

Food Policy Council sees $50,000 grant as a first step toward big Native American food system projects, including an Indigenous grocery store

A $50,000 grant is expected to help Douglas County's Food Policy Council study the food-related needs of Indigenous residents — a first step that could lead to a special grocery store and learning center dedicated to Indigenous foods and culinary skills. On Wednesday, the Douglas County Commission will vote on authorizing staff to accept the $50,000 Hunger Free Kansas Transformation Grant from the Kansas ...

Celebrating 150 years of hydropower: Bowersock Mills & Power Co. marks a milestone in renewable energy for Lawrence

Kansas' sole hydropower plant is in Lawrence, and this year marks 150 years of service to local residents since 1874. Sarah Hill-Nelson, the current owner and operator of Bowersock Mills & Power Co.’s hydroelectric plant that sits on the Kansas River near Massachusetts Street, is the descendant of the original owner of the plant that helped supply mechanical power to Lawrence all those years ago. It's ...