Douglas County Public Works announces that E 300 Road from north of N 450 Road to south of N 600 Road (Route 460) will be closed to through traffic beginning Monday, July 19, weather permitting, for a bridge replacement project. The project location is 0.8 miles north of N 450 Road. Public Works anticipates construction will be completed by Thanksgiving 2021. No signed detour will be provided.
A public hearing will be conducted beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday, August 8, in the main auditorium of the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St., to consider the potential opening of an adult felony public defender office in Douglas County.
The Board of County Commissioners reached a tentative agreement July 7 on an approximately $148.5 million budget for 2022. They agreed on a 1.008 mill levy increase, which brings the mill levy to 47.438 mills. The increase would cost the owner of a $200,000 home about $23 more a year.
The mill levy increase will cover $2.3 million in a cost transfer of ongoing expenses associated with the joint cooperation agreement between the City of Lawrence and Douglas County to finance the operation and maintenance of Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical.
For the past 30 plus years, Richard (Rich) Failla has made the mental health field his life’s work. He will bring that wealth of experience to his new role as executive director of the crisis recovery center, which is part of the Treatment and Recovery Campus of Douglas County.
Behavioral Health Partners, Inc., a nonprofit partnership between the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center and LMH Health, announced the hiring of Failla. He will begin his new duties later this month.
Douglas County offers an online tool called myStrength that is available 24/7. It's free and confidential! MyStrength offers a variety of programs, including: mindfulness and meditation, improving sleep, reducing stress, controlling anxiety, managing depression, balancing intense emotions, facing racism and discrimination, and coping with COVID-19.
To sign up for myStrength, visit https://mystrength.com and use access code: Douglas County.
Courthouse:
1100 Massachusetts Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
Judicial and Law Enforcement Center:
111 East 11th Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
