Mental health crisis line, resources available

Douglas County recently released a video about how to access mental health services in Douglas County. The video was created in partnership with Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, HeadQuarters Kansas and Heartland RADAC.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or would like to talk, please call or text 988. You can also call the Douglas County Crisis Line at 785-841-2345. Highly-trained counselors are standing by to help, and Douglas County now has a variety of resources available, including a Mobile Crisis Team and Treatment & Recovery Center.

“Please don’t be afraid to reach out. It is perfectly OK to not be OK,” Director of Behavioral Health Projects Bob Tryanski said. “Here in Douglas County, we have a lot of resources to get people the help that they need and to provide the right care, in the right place at the right time.”

Courthouse construction project underway

A construction project is underway at the historic Courthouse to waterproof the existing foundation.

When the building was constructed in 1904, the waterproofing of stone foundations was not common practice; therefore, the building has endured significant water infiltration through the exterior foundation walls. The project will correct the wall permeability issues and prevent further stone foundation deterioration while improving conditions inside the basement level of the courthouse.

The foundation work will occur in three phases. Tentative dates and the main areas where work will be taking place:

• Phase 1 – One-hour parking lot just south of the Courthouse, Sept. 19 through mid-October. The parking lot will be closed during this time.
• Phase 2 – West side of the building with some construction on the south and north ends of the building, mid-October through the end of December.
• Phase 3 – East side of the building with some construction on the south and north ends of the building, January 2024 through March 2024.

Sidewalks and entrances to the building will be open and available throughout the project. The following departments and services are housed in the building: Administration, Appraiser’s Office, Clerk’s Office, Register of Deeds Office and Treasurer’s Office. All services will be available throughout the project.

Douglas County has a contract with Lawrence-based B.A. Green Construction Co., Inc. for $1.1 million for the construction work. The total project is estimated to cost $1.5 million. 

Douglas County Appraisal Analyst August Dettbarn, left, receives a Fellows award from the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO). He is pictured with IAAO President Patrick Alesandrini on Aug. 30, 2023, at the annual conference in Salt Lake City.

Appraisal Analyst August Dettbarn receives prestigious Fellows honor

Douglas County Appraisal Analyst August Dettbarn recently received a Fellows award from the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO). The IAAO Board created the Fellows program to recognize individuals who have dedicated their career to the development of the assessment profession and made exceptional contributions to the IAAO and the assessment industry. The program recognizes the best of the best within the assessment profession.

Dettbarn has spent the past 38 years as a dedicated member of the County Appraiser’s team. During that time, he has worked tirelessly on data and analysis used in the county’s appraisals as well as ensured stability of the computer environment used in the valuation process. Dettbarn has many skills, but really shines in the areas of statistical analysis and data management. He is the resident historian on all things associated with Lawrence and Douglas County. 

• More about Dettbarn's career

County Clerk Jamie Shew, right, is sworn in by The Honorable James R. McCabria during a ceremony in January 2021 in the County Courthouse.

Kansas Supreme Court renews appointment of McCabria as Chief Judge

The Kansas Supreme Court has renewed the appointment of The Honorable James R. McCabria as Chief Judge of the Seventh Judicial District. The two-year term runs from Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2025. It will be the third two-year term for McCabria to serve as Chief Judge.

The Kansas Supreme Court appoints one judge in each district to serve as chief judge. A chief judge has, in addition to his or her judicial responsibilities, general control over case assignments within the district and general supervisory authority over the clerical and administrative functions of the court. The Seventh Judicial District is the state District Court for Douglas County.

“On behalf of the Kansas Supreme Court, thank you for your continued service and leadership as Chief Judge,” Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert said in a letter to McCabria.

• Douglas County District Court website

The Douglas County Elections Office is located at 711 W. 23rd St., Suite 1.

Key dates for voting in the Nov. 7 general election

The last day to register to vote is Tuesday, Oct. 17, for the Nov. 7 general election. The ballot includes nominations for Lawrence City Commission and the Lawrence (USD 497) School Board.

Here are some key dates:

• Oct. 18 — Advance voting by mail and in person begins.
• Oct. 31 — Deadline to request an advance ballot to be mailed.
• Nov. 6 — Advance voting closes at noon.
• Nov. 7 — General election. Polls will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

About your Board of County Commissioners

Chair Patrick Kelly

Vice Chair Karen Willey

Shannon Reid

Douglas County Commissioners typically meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays in the County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts Street, on the second floor in the Commission meeting room. Meetings are also available on Zoom. The meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 4, has been cancelled due to a lack of agenda items.

County Commissioners took the following action on regular business agenda items in September. They unanimously approved:

• the 2024 operating budget for Consolidated Fire District No. 1.
• a request from Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center for one-time funds of $427,000 for the purchase of land for permanent supportive housing.
• a special event permit request from Garrett’s Entertainment LLC to allow an outdoor Halloween-themed festival and a zombie paintball hunt between Sept. 27 and Oct. 31 on property at 1387 E 1650 Road.
• a temporary business-use permit to allow the continuance of outdoor vehicle storage on property located at 1036 E 1000 Road.
• their support to submit a pre-application proposal to use federal Home Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan funds awarded to the state of Kansas.
• County’s participation in a 15-year, 95% Neighborhood Revitalization Area for a mixed-use, affordable senior housing building at approximately 1000 New Hampshire St., 
• a conditional-use permit for equipment storage at 1805 E. 200 Road.
• a Douglas County Lived Experience Compensation Policy.
• the 2022 financial statement and audit report 
• a site plan for a contractor’s shop/yard at 1749 E. 1500 Road.

** Recordings of the meetings can be found on the Douglas County YouTube channel.

Work sessions

County Commissioners also have work sessions to study and discuss various topics throughout the year. No action is taken during work sessions. If there's a work session, they are held at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays before the business meeting. Here’s the schedule for work sessions in October; however, it may change. So, please check the agenda before attending.

• Oct. 11 — Statewide Homeless Coalition 2022 Gap Assessment
• Oct. 18 — Rural Preservation report
• Oct. 25 — Open Space Plan update

Community invited to Open House on Oct. 26 about Open Space Plan

The Douglas County Open Space Plan team will host an Open House on Thursday, Oct. 26, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Union Pacific Depot, 402 N. Second St., in North Lawrence. Douglas County is seeking the community’s input on draft elements of the Open Space Plan, including the guiding community values and preliminary recommendations. It’s a come-and-go event where individuals can meet with team members and provide feedback.

On Wednesday, Oct. 25, the Open Space Plan team will meet with County Commissioners during a work session at 4 p.m. in the County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St. The team will provide an overview of the project and answer questions from Commissioners. The public is welcome to attend in person or by Zoom.

A draft document of the values and preliminary recommendations will be posted on the Open Space Plan website — dgcoks.org/openspace — during the week of Oct. 9 as well as an online questionnaire for community feedback.

The Douglas County Food Policy Council is reviewing the permitting processes, fees and requirements for mobile food vendors in Douglas County.

The Food Policy Council’s goal is to facilitate conversations to help create equitable and fair regulations, provide sufficient resources and offer efficient systems and processes for food truck owners to operate in the community.

Council members are engaging interested and affected groups in Douglas County through tabling events at markets and a community survey that was prepared by research partner Dr. Susan Harvey, associate professor in the School of Education and Human Sciences. The survey will be open through Oct. 15.

Sheriff's Office warns of financial scams

The Sheriff’s Office recently received a fake letter, which illustrates the hallmark signs of a phishing scam where someone misuses symbols and information to represent a legitimate agency in order to try and trick you into offering personal or financial information. The letter contains poor grammar, misspellings and confusing information.

Additionally, Douglas County residents have reported receiving calls from a spoofed number from someone reporting to be a deputy or detective, directing the caller to visit the Sheriff’s Office to resolve a warrant.

If you are contacted about something like this, the Sheriff's Office advises you to:

• Let the caller know you will hang up and call right back to verify their identity.
• Call the Sheriff's Office main office number (785-841-0007 or 785-843-0250) to verify their name and if they have indeed contacted you; do NOT call the number they provide you.
• Do not offer any personal or financial information to them over the phone.

To report fraud, visit: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov

Deputies participated in training in late August on a closed course at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka.

Sheriff's Office trains deputies, other law enforcement in tactical-vehicle interventions

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office frequently is seen as a leader and accepts requests from officers and deputies of other agencies on training for tactical-vehicle interventions, which are used to slow down and disable suspect vehicles with the goal of safely ending pursuits that offer danger to the public.

“It’s just like anything else. It’s cautious optimism. It’s fun, and it’s fun when you do it right. But the risk is always there, which is why you want to be good at it. That is why we train and practice,” Sheriff Jay Armbrister said.

Our website has a new look, search tools

Have you seen our website lately? We have a refreshed design that includes more photos and new navigation tools. Our focus is to make it easier for you to find information. We will continue to add functionality to the website. We hope you like it as much as we do!



Let us know what you think: https://douglascountyks.org

Community invited to hear award-winning storyteller Kevin Kling on Oct. 19

The community is invited to attend a performance of Emmy Award-winning storyteller Kevin Kling at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St. There is no cost to attend.

Kevin Kling is a nationally-recognized storyteller, playwright and NPR commentator from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He delivers hilarious, often tender tales about growing up in the Midwest, hopping freight trains, getting hit by lightning, and eating things before knowing what they are. 

Like many of us, Kevin is no stranger to adversity, trauma, and loss. He was born with one disabled arm; a midlife motorcycle accident paralyzed the other, and learning how to navigate chronic pain and complex PTSD became a daily feature of his life. But for Kevin, being able-bodied is always only a temporary condition, and while a broken heart may never be fully repaired, it can heal. 

Kevin’s stories offer insights about growing into loss, finding humor in the face of suffering, and maintaining a spirit of love and connection as we struggle to move forward.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with resource tables from the following behavioral health partners: Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, NAMI Douglas County, DCCCA Inc., Peer Support Specialists, Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health and Kansas Suicide Prevention Headquarters.

Kaw Valley Farm Tour offers opportunity to visit local farms, vineyards

The Kaw Valley Farm Tour is Oct. 7 and Oct. 8. It’s a great opportunity to visit farms, wineries and vineyards in Douglas County and the surrounding area. Participants can sample and buy products and participate in fun activities.

Tickets are $10 per vehicle and good for both days. The self-guided tour is:

• 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7
• 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8

More information, visit: www.kawvalleyfarmtour.org

Judicial and Law Enforcement Center:

111 East 11th Street

Lawrence, KS 66044