Every time someone is arrested on a municipal offense and stays in the Douglas County Jail for more than four hours, the Lawrence Police Department is billed $287 a day. In 2027 that bill will be $301 a day. "The impact on our budget has been significant," Lawrence Police Chief Rich Lockhart ...
As they opened budget hearings on Monday, Douglas County commissioners were asked for $1.5 million to help close a gap in local mental health services — specifically for youth crisis care. The request from Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center is for its youth treatment center project, ...
The public is invited to a Douglas County Commission candidate forum later this month to hear candidates speak on topics of concern for local voters. The candidate forum is hosted by the Lawrence-Douglas County Chapter of Women for Kansas. It will be held on Thursday, July 16, from 6 p.m. to ...
When Douglas County commissioners gather next week for hearings on the county's 2027 budget, they'll have about 40 requests from community agencies. There's a common theme shared by nearly all of them — they're not currently included in the county's recommended budget. County commissioners ...
The Lawrence Police Department and a leader of eXplore Lawrence have been recognized for their outstanding leadership, collaboration and commitment to strengthening the community's emergency preparedness and resilience. This year, the 2026 Preparedness Partner Awards recognized one individual ...
Douglas County's new truancy program will move forward despite lingering concerns about how it will serve students and families. Since last year, the county has been working on developing a truancy program for elementary and middle school students – “EveryDay Counts” – and it will be ...