Criminal Justice Coordinator Mike Brouwer wanted to pursue a career where he could help people. “Before there was a Dr. Phil, I was going to be Dr. Phil,” he said, with a chuckle. “I was passionate about behavioral change and envisioned this idea that I would be a Freudian therapist.”

2019 Real Estate, Personal Property, Big Truck and Watercraft bills will be mailed out on November 14th.    2019 Information Sheets for all residential properties will be mailed on November 15th.  To avoid interest, payments must be postmarked December 20th.

There is an extra mill levy line on bills and information sheets this year. It is not a new levy.   School capital outlay has been separated from the original school levy.  This change affects all school districts.  

The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center will present its findings and recommendations to improve Douglas County’s justice and behavioral health systems during the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council meeting at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, in Flory Meeting Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper Street. The meeting is open to the public.

Today is Election Day! Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  If you have an advance mail-in ballot, it can be dropped off today at any polling location in Douglas County.

Find your polling location here: http://dgcoks.org/pollingplaces

The Douglas County Food Policy Council invites the community to a “Local Food System Update and Reception” 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, at the historic Santa Fe Depot in Lawrence, 413 E. Seventh St. The event is free and will feature foods from locally-owned ethnic food retailers who are participating in a research study that will be highlighted during the program.

The community meeting scheduled for tonight (Oct. 30) in Baldwin City about zoning regulations has been cancelled due to the weather forecast.

The Douglas County Zoning and Codes Department is continuing to seek feedback about proposed changes to the Zoning and Subdivision Regulations for unincorporated Douglas County. Residents can provide feedback by:

• Completing an online form.

• Emailing zoning@dgcoks.gov through Nov. 15

Douglas County is postponing the groundbreaking ceremony that is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 30, due to the weather forecast. The county is under a winter weather advisory from 9 p.m. today until 10 p.m. Wednesday. According to the National Weather Service in Topeka, a wintry mix of precipitation and accumulating snow are expected across the area.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Treatment and Recovery Campus of Douglas County has been rescheduled for noon Friday, Nov. 8. The campus is located north of the Community Health Facility at 1000 W. Second Street.

Jillian Rodrigue, Deputy Director for Douglas County Emergency Management, grew up in southern Louisiana in a small town called Berwick, which is nine miles from the Gulf of Mexico. She describes it as Cajun country and an area prone to hurricanes.

The public is invited to a groundbreaking ceremony for the Treatment and Recovery Campus of Douglas County at noon Wednesday, Oct. 30. The campus is located northeast of the Community Health Facility at 1000 W. Second Street.

The ceremony will mark the beginning of construction for two housing projects that will be located on the campus:

Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announced on Thursday an end to filing criminal cases for simple marijuana possession offenses.           

“After a careful survey of policies in other cities, including Lawrence, Wichita, and Kansas City, Missouri,” DA Branson said, “the District Attorney's Office will no longer prosecute cases of simple marijuana possession.” 

Douglas County Public Works announces that, weather permitting, E 1750 Road (North First Street in Baldwin City) between Route 12 (N 400 Road; State Lake Road in Baldwin City) and N 500 Road will be closed to through traffic beginning Monday, Oct. 7, for the start of an improvement project. Public Works anticipates the road section will remain closed through the 2019 fall season.

Voters in Douglas County, Kansas, will no longer have to pay postage to mail their advance election ballots. Advance ballot envelopes will now be marked postage paid, and a voter will be able to drop the return ballot in the mail without a stamp. Previously, voters had to affix one first-class stamp to return advance ballots by mail.

“Our job is to identify and remove potential barriers to voting. As mail advance ballots have increased so has potential confusion about how many stamps are required for returning the ballot,” Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew said.