Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announces that today in the Division Two courtroom a jury convicted Lawrence resident Ritchie L. Moore, 49, of reckless aggravated battery. 

The criminal case stems from Mr. Moore’s January 3 attack on a fellow inmate at the Douglas County Jail.  The victim exited his cell and was unaware that Mr. Moore was waiting just outside his door.  Mr. Moore repeatedly punched the victim in face.  The attack left the victim with two broken facial bones.

On June 17, 2015, the recently established Kansas County and District Attorneys Association (KCDAA) Best Practices Committee met in Wichita, Kansas to discuss options and efforts to advance positive improvements in the criminal justice system.  Representatives from fourteen counties attended. 

The Douglas County Public Works Department announces that beginning Monday, July 6, 2015, E 1750 Road between N 400 Road (Route 12; State Lake Road) and N 500 Road will be closed to through traffic.  The closure will remain in place while Route 1055 is closed to through traffic between N 400 Road and N 600 Road for construction work.  It is currently anticipated E 1750 Road will remain closed until mid-October, weather permitting.

View a cool project timeline (w/photos) on any device, subscribe for news and updates, review plan documents and read general information about the Fairgrounds Renovations Project.

E(ntrepreneur)-Accelerator is a 15 to 18-month program that started in January 2015. It is developed by Advancing Rural Prosperity, Inc. (ARPI) and offered through NetWork Kansas (parent organization of the Douglas County E-Community) that aims to strengthen the relationship between local entrepreneurs in rural Kansas and the communities in which they are located.

In Douglas County, E-Accelerator is a continuation of the work of the Douglas County E-Community and so is being facilitated in the towns of Baldwin City, Eudora, and Lecompton, the same members of the E-Community.

The Douglas County Public Works Department announces that beginning Monday, July 6, Route 1055 (E 1700 Road) will be closed to through traffic between N 500 Road and N 600 Road for initial project work to replace a large box culvert 0.1 miles north of N 500 Road and for pavement replacement and rehabilitation.  The closure will be from the north side of the N 500 Road intersection to the south side of the N 600 Road intersection.  Each intersection will remain open for this initial project work.

NEWS RELEASE AND MEDIA ADVISORY

June 15, 2015

Lawrence, Kan.—A full-scale emergency exercise will take place in Lawrence Thursday, June 18.  Participating agencies include Douglas County Emergency Management, Kansas University Public Safety, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lawrence Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, Douglas County Emergency Communications Center, Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center and Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department.  

Named in honor of Dwayne Peaslee, Peaslee Tech provides technical training to its students in a variety of training areas, including:

Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announced today former Lawrence resident Martin Miller, 56, was sentenced late yesterday afternoon in the Division Five courtroom of the Honorable Paula B. Martin following his retrial for the 2004 first degree murder of his wife, the late Mary Miller.  The retrial was a result of a February 2014 decision by the Kansas Court of Appeals that ruled Mr. Miller must be provided a new trial due to a jury instruction error during the original 2005 trial.

Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announced today that late yesterday afternoon a jury found Lawrence resident, Gabriel A. Patterson, 21, guilty of three counts of aggravated robbery and one court of aggravated burglary.

The Douglas County Administrator’s Office is hosting an open house May 14, 2015 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to review the draft site plan for renovations to the Douglas County Fairgrounds at Building 1, 2110 Harper Street, Lawrence, Kansas. County administration and engineering and architecture team will be available to respond to questions regarding the site plan and offer any clarification needed regarding the project.

The intersection of Route 1055 with N 600 Road remains closed for construction.  Completion of improvements to the intersection is delayed due to unanticipated unstable subgrade soil.  The unstable soil has been stabilized with flyash, and must cure for approximately seven days prior to laying asphalt.  We currently anticipate completing intersection improvements and opening the intersection to traffic by 5:00 PM, Friday, May 1, weather permitting.