Today, January 11, 2021, at 8:30 a.m., Suzanne Valdez was sworn into office as Douglas County's new District Attorney. Douglas County Deputy District Attorneys Joshua Seiden and David Melton, who were both appointed by Valdez, were also sworn in.

The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council (HCC) announces that up to $200,000 in funding is available through the 2021 Natural & Cultural Grant program.

Each year, the HCC encourages applications that focus on the conservation of cultural, natural, agricultural or environmental resources or projects that produce educational programs or products on these topics. All projects must take place in Douglas County, Kansas, and be completed within two years.

To be eligible for funding, projects must fall into at least one of the following categories:

Douglas County Government’s offices will be closed Friday, Jan. 1, for New Year's Day. Additionally, the Douglas County Commission will not meet on Wednesday, Dec. 30. 

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.

SMART Recovery group meetings are available for Douglas County residents at no cost every Wednesday and Friday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Smart Recovery group meetings are for anyone who is struggling with addictive behaviors such as alcohol, opioids, amphetamines, tobacco, gambling, pornography or binge eating. The group meetings are provided through the University of Kansas Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment and The University of Kansas Medical Center Department of Family Medicine and Community Health.

A handful of participants in the Douglas County Drug Court program shared their stories with members of the Douglas County Criminal Defense Bar Association through a Zoom meeting this fall. All of them described the program as life-changing.

Douglas County launched Drug Court about a year ago in January 2020. It is a 14-month program for adults who have been arrested and charged with a non-violent felony offense and are having difficulty staying substance free.

Douglas County and its Unified Command partners announce the opening of a new hotel-based shelter for members of the public in need of isolation or quarantine following a positive COVID-19 test or confirmed exposure. Led by the Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM) and local community referral partners, the new shelter opened Nov. 24 at the Baymont Inn and Suites, 740 Iowa Street. Funding is being provided through KDEM.

Douglas County Government’s offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26-27, for the Thanksgiving holiday. Additionally, the Douglas County Commission will not meet on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

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.

Amid an unprecedented COVID-19 global pandemic, Moody’s Investors Service upgraded Douglas County’s bond rating from AA1 to the top rating of AAA, the highest possible rating an entity can receive, with a stable outlook.

According to Moody’s, the upgrade reflects the county’s trend of stable financial operations and strong operating reserves coupled with low debt and pension burdens. The strong credit factors are further supported by the county’s conservative budgeting practices that also mitigate the impact of the coronavirus crisis.

A virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony for Transitions, hosted by the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center and Douglas County, will be at noon, Friday, Nov. 20. The event will be live streamed on the Bert Nash Center Facebook page at facebook.com/bertnashcenter.

Douglas County Government’s offices will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 11, for Veterans Day. The Douglas County Commission will not have a meeting.

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.

A temporary, supported campground was set up on Nov. 3 in Woody Park. The campground will provide temporary shelter for up to 20 individuals with underlying health conditions living in unsheltered, unsafe living environments as screened and identified by the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center Homeless Outreach Team (HOT).

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Cottages at Green Lake, 930 W. Second St., will be at noon Friday, Nov. 6. The Cottages will provide permanent supportive housing for individuals with serious persistent mental illness. Supportive housing is a combination of affordable housing and supportive services designed to help vulnerable individuals and families use stable housing as a platform for health and recovery.