Chief John Mathis, of Douglas County Consolidated Fire District No. 1, didn’t set out to become a firefighter. 

He started as a nuclear engineering major at Texas A&M University and then later attended Louisiana State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in printmaking. In 1992, he moved to Lawrence to pursue graduate studies in fine arts at the University of Kansas.

But a serious vehicle accident a few years earlier led him toward a different career path: one grounded in purpose, community and resilience.

Life-changing experience

The Property Valuation Division of the Kansas Department of Revenue performs an annual compliance review of county appraisal offices. The review evaluates the accuracy and uniformity in the property appraisals of each county as well as compliance with Kansas laws and regulations related to the administration of the property appraisal system.

Douglas County Emergency Management is accepting registrations for its Fall 2025 CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) weekend class. The course is designed to teach individuals to be better prepared to help themselves, their families and communities before, during and after a disaster. 

The training will be Oct. 3-Oct. 5 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper St., in Flory Meeting Hall. The hours are:

The Youth Services Division of Douglas County Criminal Justice Services is offering The Parent Project, a 10-week program that gives parents, grandparents and caregivers tools to help guide their strong-willed teens (ages 10 and older) and build healthy families. 

Classes are held every Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., starting Aug. 26 and ending Oct. 28. The classes are held at 1006 New Hampshire Street in Lawrence.

The program is open to Douglas County residents, and there is no cost.

The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council, in collaboration with Coneflower Consulting, is conducting a countywide needs assessment to better understand the strengths and challenges facing local heritage organizations.

To ensure this effort reflects the values of our community, residents are encouraged to share their perspectives on local history and the organizations that preserve it, such as museums and historical societies.

The primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 5, for the Lawrence City Commission. The top four vote-getters will move on to the general election in November. Polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Advance mail-in ballots can be placed in a secure drop box at one of the following Lawrence locations:

UPDATE: Water services were restored in the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center on Thursday afternoon, July 31. The water line break was due to an old pipe.

Streamline Coffee owner Katie Hoke participated in a six-week online program called the Douglas County Foodpreneur Bootcamp last fall. The program covered licensing, food and labor cost, menu management, marketing, company culture, guest experience and ownership mindset, among other topics.

As a hot air balloon pilot, Douglas County IT employee Darrin Harrison gets to explore the countryside from a unique perspective.

“Geese fly around us. In the fall when the Monarch butterflies are migrating through, depending on where you’re at, you might find yourself in a cloud of butterflies,” he said. “People will come out when they hear the balloon burners, so you can talk to people 400 feet below you.”

The Board of County Commissioners reached a tentative agreement July 16 on an approximately $202.6 million budget for 2026. Commissioners agreed on a mill levy of 40.669 mills, a decrease of 0.629 mills from last year.

For the fourth consecutive year, the County Commission has lowered the mill levy. In 2024, the Commission approved a reduction of 2.9 mills for the 2025 budget, building on previous reductions of 2.0 mills in 2023 and 1.2 mills in 2022. These reductions total 6.7 mills over four years. One mill is one dollar per $1,000 assessed value.

Beginning Monday, July 21, a portion of U.S. 40 in Douglas County will be closed to traffic while Kansas Department of Transportation maintenance crews replace a drainage structure under the roadway.

U.S. 40 will be fully closed between mile markers 375 and 376 from Monday, July 21, until Friday, July 25, conditions permitting. The area is just east of the East 600 Road intersection.

No detours will be posted, and motorists will need to use alternate routes.

A team of archaeologists from Augustana University and the University of Kansas has launched a yearlong survey aimed at uncovering Douglas County’s historic past.

The project, which began in June, is focused on identifying and documenting archaeological sites across the county. Researchers will analyze existing artifacts and conduct field surveys to better understand the area’s history.