The Douglas County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) has three community member seats under the new bylaws that are open for applications. Terms are for two years. The CJCC meets bi-monthly with meetings scheduled for the second Tuesday of the following months: February, April, June, August, October and December.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has rescinded a boil water advisory for the Douglas Co. Rural Water District No. 6 public water supply system located in Douglas County. The advisory was issued because of a waterline break resulting in a loss of pressure in the distribution system.  Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has reissued a boil water advisory for Douglas Co. Rural Water District No. 6 public water supply system. This district covers the northwest area of Douglas County. It does not include the city of Lecompton or the city of Lawrence.

Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice: 

In December of 1994 DGSO Dispatcher Edna Brubaker sits at a desk in a small room equipped with a computer, radio and phone, and she punches a card to track updates for the lone Douglas County Deputy that is on duty for the shift.

The deputy has just completed a traffic stop and has provided her with a location, vehicle description and the driver’s information. She writes all of this down by hand, paying close attention to every detail to ensure it is correct. 

Douglas County has partnered with community agencies to present a screening of the award-winning documentary, “It’s Basic,” which looks at pilot programs that test the effects of giving people an extra $500 to $1,000 monthly with no strings attached.

There will be two screening events:

Douglas County is seeking applications for the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, a competition where students pitch their business ideas. The event will be 8:30 a.m.-noon Friday, Feb. 7, at The Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center, 2920 Haskell Ave., in Lawrence.

Douglas County will host a groundbreaking ceremony at 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, for the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center (JLEC) addition and renovation project as well as the Public Safety Building. The event will be on the south lawn of the JLEC, 111 E. Eleventh St.

The goal of the largest capital improvement project in the County’s history is to improve security for all users, improve operational efficiency and enhance technology availability.

Renovation of the County Commission meeting room is scheduled to be finished Jan. 13, 2025, just in time for the swearing-in ceremony of elected officials. The renovation project includes fitting the room to accommodate five commissioners and repairing water damage that occurred in October 2022 from a fire sprinkler flood. 

Kansas personal property owners are no longer required to file an annual reporting form, known as a rendition, with the County Appraiser’s Office if there have been no changes.

The Board of County Commissioners will soon consider approval of Kansas Sky Energy Center’s updated stormwater management plan and revised agrivoltaics plans for a commercial-size solar farm north of Lawrence. 

Douglas County and the Kansas Land Trust have partnered to launch the Douglas County Land Protection Program. It is a pilot program to promote and facilitate voluntary, permanent land conservation pathways for private landowners whose land provides significant public benefit in Douglas County. The program will provide funding to cover costs related to developing, establishing and upholding conservation easements, lowering the often-high cost for landowners seeking permanent conservation of their property.

Jennifer Moody and Jennifer Delisle, of the Kansas Biological Survey and Center for Ecological Research, have completed a Native Pasture Survey project that was funded through the Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council’s Natural and Cultural Heritage grant program. They received a $38,731 grant in 2022.