Earth Day will look a little different in Lawrence and Douglas County this year. In March, the City of Lawrence and Douglas County announced that the annual Earth Day celebration in South Park would be postponed due to safety recommendations in response to COVID-19. In lieu of the in-person event, Earth Day 2020 will be celebrated during a week of virtual events that will bring the community together — even as we remain physically apart.

The Kansas Supreme Court announced April 17  that its Office of Judicial Administration worked with judicial districts to create a process that will allow some district courts to resume issuing marriage licenses while courts remain closed to in-person contact due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Message to the community from: Dan Partridge, Director of Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health; Russ Johnson, CEO and President of LMH Health; Sarah Plinsky, Douglas County Administrator; and Craig Owens, City of Lawrence Manager

We continue to work closely together – now more than ever - to protect the health and safety of all Douglas County residents and to provide critical services during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is our top priority.

Unified Command leaders continue to strongly encourage voluntary compliance with the Kansas Governor’s Stay at Home order.

“We hope that all residents do their part to help prevent spread of COVID-19 in our community by adhering to the order and staying home unless performing an essential activity,” Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health Director Dan Partridge said. “We firmly believe voluntary compliance is vital and key to the health of our residents.”

Public Works anticipates the pavement rehabilitation project on portions of Route 438 and Route 1029 will resume Tuesday, April 7, or Wednesday, April 8. The pavement rehabilitation project began in late September 2019 and was suspended through the winter. This spring, the work will be on Route 438 (North 1800 Road; Farmers' Turnpike) from Berry Plastics to the Route 438/K-10 (SLT) intersection.

The bridge carrying East 1400 Road (old Louisiana Street alignment) over the Wakarusa River will be closed beginning Monday, March 30, 2020, for a rehabilitation project.  The bridge is located on East 1400 Road approximately ¾-mile north of North 1100 Road. Douglas County Public Works anticipates the project will be completed and the bridge reopened to traffic by June 13, 2020.

The Douglas County Treasurer’s Office is asking for your help in minimizing the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on our community and our staff. Beginning Tuesday, March 17, the Treasurer's Office will be closing its west Lawrence satellite office inside Dillons, 3000 W. Sixth Street, until further notice.

Additionally, the Treasurer’s Office will suspend all walk-in or in-person renewals at the Courthouse office, 1100 Massachusetts St., and its south Lawrence satellite office, 2000 W. 31st Street.

Using guidance from the Kansas Supreme Court and public health agencies, Chief Judge McCabria has issued several administrative orders since March 13 that will maintain critical functions of Douglas County District Court during increased concern over spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The bridge carrying East 1400 Road (old Louisiana Street alignment) over the Wakarusa River will be closed beginning March 16, 2020, for a rehabilitation project. The bridge is located on East 1400 Road approximately three-fourths of a mile north of North 1100 Road. Douglas County Public Works anticipates the project will be finished and the bridge reopened to traffic by May 30, 2020.

Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health is closely monitoring the coronavirus outbreak and is working with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Douglas County agencies, including Douglas County Emergency Management, city and county governments, schools and universities, health care providers, law enforcement and long-term nursing and skilled-care facilities. These agencies are working to help prevent spread of the disease and keep residents healthy and safe.