Craig Weinaug announced Thursday that he would retire Dec. 14 as Douglas County administrator after more than 26 years in the position. “It’s time,” said Weinaug, who will be 67 in January. “The average length of time a city or county administrator or manager stays in one position is between six to eight years. I’ve served here longer than any Lawrence city manager, Lawrence school superintendent or Douglas County administrator in the history of Lawrence.” ... Douglas County commissioners said Weinaug has been a dedicated public servant, committed to finding solutions to the county’s problems and improving the lives of its [...]

Some Lawrence police officers will soon begin testing body cameras in preparation for a department rollout. A memo to the City Commission from earlier this summer stated that the anticipated body camera testing period would be September through November, and police department representatives say preparations to begin testing are underway. The body camera program will be fully implemented sometime next year, according to the memo. Police Capt. Trent McKinley said in an email to the Journal-World Monday that though there is not a date yet for when testing will begin, the intention is to keep the schedule as close to the [...]

The Douglas County Commission approved ballot language Wednesday for a referendum to be placed before voters in the November general election asking for approval of a quarter-cent sales tax that would fund construction of a behavioral health campus and programming. It is the second referendum the county has advanced this year. Voters defeated Proposition 1 in May, which would have authorized the county to collect an additional half-cent sales tax to fund a $44 million jail expansion, an $11 million behavioral health campus and $5 million in behavioral health services. The campus would have included a behavioral health crisis center, a [...]