Robert Bieniecki has spent nearly 40 years protecting citizens through his work in the military, law enforcement and emergency management. He has flown planes during the Persian Gulf War, maintained aircraft for the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels and retired as a captain at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. Now, he is serving as director of Douglas County Emergency Management during a global pandemic.

Yet, he remains humble. “I like helping people. I think I’ve always been a helper and wanted to provide community service,” he said.

Douglas County Government’s offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 25 and 26, for the Thanksgiving holiday. There also is no County Commission meeting Wednesday, Nov. 24. 

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Dispatch Center and Criminal Justice Services will be operating. If you have an emergency, please call 911. If you have a non-emergency, call 785-843–0250.

We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday.

Douglas County District Court Judge Amy Hanley helped deliver a keynote lecture via Zoom to judges, attorneys and other legal officials in Argentina who are working to expand the use of jury trials.

Douglas County Government’s general and satellite offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 11, for Veterans Day. Thank you to our veterans and all who have served, past and present.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Dispatch Center and Criminal Justice Services will be operating. If you have an emergency, please call 911. If you have a non-emergency, call 785-843–0250.

Douglas County, in partnership with the United Way of Douglas County, would like to know what resources county residents would find most beneficial to their success. We are seeking input through a community survey at: http://dgcoks.org/resourcessurvey. The survey will be available through Dec. 17. The information will be used to better understand what barriers residents are facing and what resources are needed in Baldwin City, Eudora, Lawrence, Lecompton and rural areas of Douglas County.

Douglas County election results are available at http://dgcoks.org/election2021. Results will be unofficial until the canvass on Monday, Nov. 15. 

Women in Douglas County who have been incarcerated or under supervision in the criminal justice system are now eligible for free technology education through a partnership with the University of Kansas, Douglas County Criminal Justice Services and Douglas County Court Services.

Running means a lot to Rebecca Sudja. You can tell by how far she runs – completing a 100-miler in October 2020 in the Flint Hills and more than 80 miles earlier this month in Arkansas.

For the Re-Entry Case Manager at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, running means a chance to escape and think about what’s happening in her job, with her family or the events of her day. It has also meant connecting with a strong group of friends who are committed and support each other.

Douglas County will host a virtual Community Listening Session about the membership size of the Board of County Commissioners. The session will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, using Zoom. Individuals can also attend at the County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts Street.

County Clerk Jamie Shew will provide a presentation about the process for moving from the current three-member board to a five-member board. After the presentation, individuals will be able to ask questions and provide comment.

Douglas County is seeking applications for the 2021 Youth Virtual Entrepreneurship Challenge!

The competition - open to students in grades 6 through 12 - consists of preparing a written business plan, an executive summary, an elevator speech and a formal presentation. Students compete for $3,000 in prize money. The students’ work is judged by local entrepreneurs, teachers and community leaders. The deadline to submit an application is 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19.

The Douglas County Clerk’s office uses a third party vendor as its printer and inserter for mailing advance ballots. While processing one batch, some voters on the list were repeated, resulting in duplicate ballots being sent to some voters. There are processes in place which prevent two ballots being counted from the same voter, these measures include signature verification and an independent citizen advance board which audits the ballots received.

The City of Lawrence and Douglas County are working together to develop a Climate Action Plan, which will identify ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce risk and vulnerability to extreme weather events.