Beginning March 6, Douglas County Commission meetings will be at 5:30 p.m. to help make it easier for the public to attend. Currently, meetings are at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Douglas County Commission meetings are held on Wednesdays on the second floor of the County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts Street. The day of the week and location will remain the same.

Public Works is accepting applications for the 2019 user-fee dust palliative program. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, March 1.

District Attorney Charles Branson announces that on Monday, February 4, 2019 a jury convicted Lawrence resident Tria L. Evans, 39, of first degree murder and other felony crimes for her part in the November 2017 murder of Joel Wales.  The jury also convicted her of conspiracy to commit first degree murder, arson, and aggravated burglary.

“Domestic violence takes many forms.  Joel Wales died as a result of domestic violence perpetrated upon him by Tria Evans.  Her choice to take Joel’s life now has robbed their child of both of her parents,” said DA Branson.

Douglas County, in partnership with the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department and Kansas Department of Health and Environment, will provide for free the MyStrength app to Douglas County residents. MyStrength offers individuals support for managing depression, anxiety, stress, sleep and other health issues. It also allows users to set health goals and track their changes over time.

The Douglas County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) will host a public presentation about the Law Enforcement Contact Study at 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, in Flory Meeting Hall at Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper St. The presentation is free and open to anyone.

Douglas County has unveiled a new look for the home page of its website: douglascountyks.org.

The center of the home page features the county’s latest news, quick links, popular services, and events and meetings.

Randy Ellis, webmaster, said the goal was to create a home page that's easier to navigate and find information. “We are always working to improve the website and keep information as up-to-date as possible,” Ellis said.

Douglas County Criminal Justice Services began using a new software program, CE Pretrial, in December to notify defendants about upcoming court dates. The system is similar to what many health care providers use to notify clients about appointments.

Clients who have a case in pretrial status receive two notifications through a phone call or text message. The first notification is sent two days before the court hearing, and the second one is sent on the day of the hearing.

Lawrence resident Patrick Kelly will be sworn in as Douglas County Commissioner during a ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday at the County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts Street. Kelly will represent the 1st District, which includes central Lawrence.

Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announces that late yesterday a jury convicted former Lawrence, now Wichita, resident Albert N. Wilson, 23, of rape by force or fear.  The jury was hung on a second rape charge.  The Court set a hearing for January 16 at 2:00 p.m. to determine if the State will retry that charge.  Wilson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty of the second charge filed in the case.  Charges are merely allegations of criminal conduct. 

Douglas County is seeking applications for the 2019 Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge!

The competition — open to students in grades 6 through 12 — consists of up to 20 teams preparing a written business plan or executive summary, a tradeshow booth, an elevator pitch and final presentation. Students compete for $3,500 in prize money.

The 2019 Legislature faces some very big challenges this year. While state finances are much improved over recent years, there are still significant challenges as the Legislature seeks to fund education as required by state law. At the same time, local governments are forced to make very difficult decisions as a result of the budget lid limitations imposed by the 2015 legislative session.

Mike Gaughan, of Lawrence, has served as Douglas County Commissioner for nearly 10 years, starting April 6, 2009. His last commission meeting will be Wednesday, Jan. 9. Gaughan said his proudest achievements as a commissioner include: investment in mental health, establishment of the Sustainability and Energy Savings Reinvestment Fund, foundation of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and opening of the Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center.

Here’s what he had to say about these initiatives: