Beginning Monday, Feb. 16, the Douglas County Treasurer's Office will consolidate its Lawrence services at 2601 W. Sixth St. The location inside the historic courthouse will be closed. | Treasurer's Office to close courthouse location on Feb. 13, relocate staff to larger Sixth Street office | | |
The Douglas County Treasurer’s Office will close its public-facing services inside the historic Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St., at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, as part of an effort to consolidate operations and improve customer service.
Beginning at 8 a.m. Monday, Feb. 16, all motor vehicle and real estate transactions in Lawrence will be handled exclusively at the Treasurer’s Sixth Street Office, 2601 W. Sixth St.
The Treasurer’s Office will continue operating its Baldwin City location inside Baldwin City Market, 112 Eighth St., during the second full week of each month.
Treasurer Adam Rains said the move is designed to increase efficiency for both customers and staff. “Centralizing our operations is a strategic step toward improving how we serve Douglas County residents. This transition will help us work more efficiently, respond more quickly and provide a higher level of service.”
Nine employees will transfer to the Sixth Street office, allowing the location to be fully staffed and enabling new employees to work alongside experienced team members.
The Treasurer’s Office collects and distributes property tax revenue to the state and local taxing districts, including townships and school districts. It also operates the county’s motor vehicle department for the State of Kansas. The office processes more than 130,000 motor vehicle transactions each year with a staff of 21 and answers an average of 2,200 phone calls per month.
There will continue to be drop boxes located outside the courthouse and the Sixth Street office. Renewals and payments can be mailed. There are also online payment options:
| | Douglas County employees listen to facilitator Alexandria Garcia, of DCCCA, during a QPR suicide prevention training on Jan. 27 at Douglas County Consolidated Fire District No. 1. | | County employees participate in suicide prevention training offered by DCCCA | | |
Douglas County employees from across multiple departments recently participated in a one hour QPR Institute suicide prevention training that is offered by DCCCA.
QPR (Question. Persuade. Refer.) equips people with the skills to recognize warning signs, offer hope and connect someone to helpful resources. This training is designed to empower anyone — no matter their background — to make a positive difference in someone’s life.
If a faith-based group, nonprofit or business is interested in hosting a QPR training, contact Anabel at afeauto@dccca.org. The cost of the training is covered by grant funding through the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services.
If you need someone to talk to, call or text 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org. The Treatment and Recovery Center (TRC) of Douglas County, 1000 W. Second St. in Lawrence, is available 24/7, and no appointment is necessary.
| | Board of County Commissioners | | |
Douglas County Commission meetings are at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays in the historic Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St., on the second floor in the Commission meeting room. Meetings are also available on Zoom.
Commissioners took the following action on regular business agenda items in January. They unanimously approved:
- a contract with Multipass Consulting to conduct an outside financial and operational review of the Treatment and Recovery Center at a cost not to exceed $98,900.
- denying a site plan for mini- or self-storage use on 11 acres in the 1700 block of East 902 Road based on findings listed in a staff report.
- accepting dedication of rights-of-way associated with Bennett’s First Subdivision, located on about 18.5 acres in the southeast corner of the intersection of E 900 Road and N 1800 Road.
- a Black Jack Advisory Board charter and authorized staff to solicit applications from community members for the county appointments to the board.
* Recordings of County Commission meetings can be found on the Douglas County YouTube channel.
County Commissioners have work sessions to study and discuss various topics throughout the year. No action is taken during work sessions. The meetings are held at 4 p.m. Wednesdays before the business meeting. Upcoming work sessions:
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Feb. 4 – Food Systems update
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Feb. 11 – A Place for Everyone update
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Feb. 18 – Douglas County Thrives final report presentation
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Feb. 25 – Tax incentive programs
| | $250,000 in grant funding available for heritage projects in Douglas County | | |
The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council is accepting applications for the 2026 Natural and Cultural Heritage Grant Program. Up to $250,000 is available, with individual awards of as much as $60,000.
The council encourages applications for community projects focused on cultural heritage, natural heritage or historic preservation. All projects must take place in Douglas County and be completed within two years.
The program includes two grant categories:
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Seed grants. These grants support smaller-scale projects such as events, curriculum or material development, signage or planning efforts. Seed grants require a shorter application process and provide up to $5,000. A total of $40,000 is available.
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Target grants. These grants support projects expected to have a significant and lasting impact on the conservation of the county’s natural and cultural resources. Awards are available up to $60,000, with a total of $210,000 in funding.
Applications are due by 5 p.m. March 5. Applicants must discuss their project with Heritage Conservation Coordinator Kaitlyn Ammerlaan by Feb. 20 before submitting an application.
| | Youth Services offers free program to help caregivers tackle teen struggles | |
The Youth Services Division of Douglas County Criminal Justice Services is offering “The Parent Project,” a 10-week program that gives parents, grandparents and caregivers tools to guide their strong-willed youth, ages 10 and older, and build healthy families.
Classes are held every Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., starting Feb. 17 and ending April 28. The classes are held at 1006 New Hampshire Street in Lawrence.
The program is open to Douglas County residents, and there is no cost.
Parent Project is designed to tackle the hardest challenges facing youth: drugs, youth violence, depression and social media.
To sign up for the program or ask questions, email parentproject@dgcoks.gov or call 785-331-1300.
| | Chad Omitt, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Topeka, was the keynote speaker during last year's severe weather training at the University of Kansas. This year's training will be at 7 p.m. March 12 at KU's Capitol Federal Hall. | | Emergency Management to host free severe weather training March 12 at KU | | |
Douglas County Emergency Management, in partnership with KU Emergency Management and the National Weather Service - Topeka Office, is hosting a severe weather training at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at Capitol Federal Hall, 1654 Naismith Drive, on the University of Kansas campus in Room 1111.
The two-hour workshop will include information about severe thunderstorm development, identification of storm features and safety tips. The free training is open to anyone, and it is being held in conjunction with Severe Weather Preparedness Month.
Douglas County experiences an increased risk of severe weather in the spring, including damaging winds, large hail, flooding and tornadoes.
“Preparedness is the key to staying safe during severe weather events. By taking the necessary steps and staying informed, we can protect ourselves, our families, and our communities,” Emergency Management Deputy Director John Stipetich said.
| | Drinking plenty of water can help prevent heat-related illnesses. Emergency Management, along with partner agencies, will be offering more safety preparedness tips for businesses and community organizations at a workshop on March 9. | Emergency Management hosting Extreme Heat Readiness Workshop on March 9 | |
Although temperatures are below freezing, Emergency Management is encouraging local businesses and organizations to begin preparing for summer heat.
“With thousands of visitors expected in our community for World Cup events this summer, we want to make sure local organizations feel confident and prepared,” Deputy Emergency Management Director John Stipetich said. “Extreme heat is something we can plan for, and this workshop gives businesses and event organizers practical steps to keep residents and visitors safe when temperatures rise.”
Preparing for extreme heat not only helps prevent heat-related illnesses, it also reduces strain on first responders and local healthcare resources.
Emergency Management, in partnership with Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical, Douglas County Sustainability, the National Weather Service, Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, and Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture, is hosting an Extreme Heat Readiness Workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, March 9, in Flory Meeting Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper St.
The free workshop will cover how to recognize health-related illnesses, understand National Weather Service alerts, adjust operations safely and communicate effectively during periods of extreme heat.
The training is geared toward local businesses, chambers of commerce, event organizers, leaders of sporting and recreation events, and communications professionals.
The deadline to register is March 4. To reserve your spot, click here.
| Social media workshops to help businesses boost visibility ahead of World Cup events | |
The Lawrence Chamber, KU Small Business Development Center, Multistudio and Douglas County will host two free social media workshops designed to help businesses prepare for increased visibility and customer engagement.
“With a major opportunity on the horizon, we want to equip local businesses with the tools and knowledge they need to promote the amazing establishments in our community,” said Tyler Lindquist, of Multistudio and a member of economic development planning team for Lawrence 2026. “We’re offering both beginner and advanced workshops to support those new to social media as well as those who use it regularly.”
Workshop 1: Social Media 101
9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18
KU Innovation Park, 2033 Becker Ave.
This introductory session will cover the pros and cons of major platforms, cost and time considerations, marketing do’s and don’ts related to World Cup branding and tips for producing effective content.
Workshop 2: Advanced Social Media
9-11 a.m., Wednesday, March 4
KU Innovation Park, 2033 Becker Ave.
This advanced session will focus on algorithms, photography, videography and strategic considerations ahead of the World Cup.
Both workshops are free, but reservations are required. To register, visit https://members.lawrencechamber.com/events.
| | Detective Lance Flachsbarth, of the Sheriff's Office, met with residents of Brandon Woods at Alvamar on Jan. 27 to talk about preventing cyber and phone scams. | Sheriff's Office offers community presentations about how to avoid scams | |
To help prevent scams, the Sheriff's Office encourages residents to verify any unexpected calls, emails or messages.
It is common for scammers to pose as law enforcement and court and financial institution personnel to try to get people to act urgently and send funds to resolve a purported legal or financial issue.
If you are concerned about the legitimacy of a call, the Sheriff's Office advises you to:
- Let the caller know you will hang up and call back to verify their identity.
- To verify it's the Sheriff’s Office, call 785-841-0007; do not call the number they provide you.
- Make a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
If a nonprofit, senior community or community group is interested in receiving a presentation from the Sheriff's Office about how to prevent scams, contact the office at 785-841-0007.
| Deadline to apply for Citizen's Academy is Feb. 28 | |
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is now accepting applications for Citizen's Academy 2026.
The seven-week academy will begin in April and continue into May. Classes will be from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday evenings beginning on April 2 with two all-day sessions on Saturdays, April 18 and May 2. Meals will be provided. There will be a graduation ceremony on May 14.
To apply, please fill out the application at tr.ee/DGSOCitizens or on the Citizen’s Academy page. Applications will be accepted through Feb. 28, and those accepted will be notified the week of March 9.
In the latest View from 100 podcast, Sheriff Jay Armbrister sits down with Advocacy and Outreach specialist Morgan Haney and recent Citizen's Academy graduates Hannah Bolton, founder of Cardinal Housing Network, and defense attorney Matthew Fredrick to explore how the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office opens its doors to the public.
| Train Dominoes is just one of many activities offered at the Senior Resource Center for Douglas County. | Senior Resource Center offers variety of activities | |
The Senior Resource Center for Douglas County offers a variety of programs from aerobics and quilting to estate planning and technology help. Here’s just a sample of upcoming activities at the center, 745 Vermont St.:
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Train Dominoes, 1 p.m., Feb. 5 and every Thursday.
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Welcome to Medicare, 4 p.m., Feb. 11. Registration required.
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Fiber Friends, 10 a.m., Feb. 12. Open to anyone who enjoys crocheting, knitting and macraméing.
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V.I.P. (Visually Impaired Persons) Coffee, 9 a.m. Feb. 17.
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Games Theory, 1:30 p.m., Feb. 19, for those who like to participate in board games.
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The Write Time, 2 p.m., Feb. 26., open to those who enjoy writing and journaling.
To view the full list of activities or to sign up for the center's monthly Better Senior Living newsletter, visit the SRC’s webpage.
| District Court closed on Feb. 16 | |
Douglas County District Court and the District Attorney's Office will be closed on Monday, Feb. 16, in observance of President's Day.
All other Douglas County government offices and departments will be open.
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