The Douglas County Treasurer’s Office will close its public-facing services inside the historic County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St., at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, as part of an effort to consolidate operations and improve customer service. The Courthouse location will continue to be used for internal functions.

Beginning at 8 a.m. Monday, Feb. 16, all motor vehicle and real estate transactions in Lawrence will be handled exclusively at the Treasurer’s Sixth Street Office, 2601 W. Sixth St.

Douglas County is accepting applications for three appointments to serve on a new advisory board that will help guide the future of Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park, a 38-acre property at 163 E. 2000 Road near Baldwin City. The site features the historic Robert Hall Pearson farmhouse, nature trails, Captain’s Creek, restored prairie, picnic areas and a sugar maple grove. The park is open daily from dawn to dusk.

The advisory board will make recommendations to Douglas County and the City of Baldwin City on:

The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council is accepting applications for the 2026 Natural and Cultural Heritage Grant Program. Up to $250,000 is available, with individual awards of as much as $60,000. The Board of County Commissioners allocated funding for the program as part of the county’s annual budget.

The council encourages applications for community projects focused on cultural heritage, natural heritage or historic preservation. All projects must take place in Douglas County and be completed within two years.

The program includes two grant categories:

Douglas County is accepting applications for the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, a competition where students pitch their business ideas. The event will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon Friday, Feb. 20, at The Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center, 2920 Haskell Ave., in Lawrence. The community is invited to attend.

Kansas lawmakers have approved changes to state law that will exempt several categories of personal property from taxation beginning Jan. 1, 2026. 

Douglas County Appraiser Brad Eldridge said about 38% of the county’s personal property assets will qualify for exemption under the new law

Personal property exempt from taxation starting Jan. 1, 2026:

Baldwin City and Douglas County have acquired Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park, a nationally significant site tied to the events of “Bleeding Kansas” and widely recognized as a precursor to the Civil War.

The 38-acre property, located at 163 E. 2000th Road near Baldwin City, includes the historic Robert Hall Pearson farmhouse, nature trails, Captain’s Creek, restored prairie, picnic areas and sugar maple grove. The park is open daily from dawn to dusk.

Residents and visitors alike now have a source for information related to World Cup activity in Lawrence and Douglas County.

The website lawrence2026.com is designed to be a hub for information about local events, transportation options, business resources and more as the community prepares for the worldwide men’s soccer tournament taking place in Kansas City, Missouri, in summer 2026.

Douglas County Economic Mobility Project will host a community sensemaking session on Monday, Dec. 15, to explore ways to better support low-income and single-parent families. The workshop will be from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Lied Center Pavilion, 1600 Stewart Drive.

Participants will review data and stories collected through Douglas County Thrives, a community effort that gathered perspectives from low-income and single-parent or caregiver families to inform local policy and practice. This information was collected through a survey circulated this fall.

Douglas and Jefferson counties are updating their joint Solid Waste Management Plan, which outlines how trash, recycling, organics and other materials are managed in both urban and rural areas.

The revised plan will evaluate current systems and facilities, compare existing programs with potential alternatives, identify strategies to improve efficiency and support long-term environmental sustainability.

The Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority celebrated the opening of Delmar Place Apartments with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 6. Located at 2129 Clinton Parkway, the $4.7 million development adds 32 one-bedroom apartments for low-income seniors.

Real estate and personal property tax bills will be mailed by the Douglas County Treasurer’s Office on Dec. 5. These taxes, based on property valuations and tax levies set earlier this year, fund essential community services, including schools, public safety, water, roads and other infrastructure.

The first half payment for both real estate and personal property taxes is due Dec. 22, 2025, with the second half due May 11, 2026.

There are several ways to pay taxes:

Douglas County will host an open house Thursday, Nov. 20, for residents to review and provide input on the developing Wakarusa Vision Plan. The come-and-go event will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Douglas County Public Works, 3755 E. 25th St. Refreshments will be provided.