Sheriff Jay Armbrister says he realizes the idea of a law enforcement agency operating a drone over the skies of Douglas County could make people uncomfortable, and he says that’s why the sheriff’s office is trying to be upfront about its drone program and how it’s being used. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office began the program in December and has since used the drone 46 times, including to help catch a fleeing suspect, document the scenes of traffic accidents and aid in fire-fighting strategy, Armbrister said. He told the Journal-World that his office knows the public can view a drone as extremely intrusive and a possible violation of privacy, but that’s not what the program is about.
Source: LJWorld.com.

City leaders will soon discuss whether to eventually end a program created at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic that has allowed restaurants to expand their outdoor dining into parking stalls or to consider making the program permanent. In June 2020, the city created a temporary right-of-way or “parklet” program that has allowed downtown businesses to repurpose sidewalks and parking stalls directly in front of their storefronts for outdoor dining and other uses. The program was initially set to expire after four months, but as the pandemic persisted the commission later extended the program through the end of this year.
Source: LJWorld.com.