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Tornado watch issued for Douglas County; flood watch in effect Saturday
The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a tornado watch for Douglas County, effective through 9 p.m. Friday. Storms are also possible with up to tennis ball-size hail.
MORe Public Safety
Click here for the Lawrence police blotter — new log uploaded each day around 1 p.m.
Weather-related closures and info on road conditions in Lawrence
There’s extreme cold and snow in the forecast for Lawrence. Here are some closures and service alterations, plus where you can find info on road conditions.
Car strikes duplex in Lawrence; some families without power
A car struck a duplex near 16th Street and Haskell Avenue in Lawrence around 9 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Lawrence Police Department.
City hopes to keep Lawrence Winter Emergency Shelter open 24/7 during extreme cold snap
With dangerously cold temperatures in the forecast over the next several days, the Community Building will be open around the clock if the city can get enough volunteers.
Forecast shows less snow expected, but dangerously cold temperatures still en route to Douglas County
Douglas County likely won’t get quite as much snow as the National Weather Service in Topeka had forecast on Monday, but some snow and very dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills are still on their way.
Douglas County likely to see snow Wednesday; wind chill will be below 0°
Very cold and very snowy weather is on its way to Douglas County.
Unlike most jails in Kansas, Douglas County has found a way to lock up fewer mentally ill inmates
The number of people booked into the Douglas County jail with serious mental illness dropped from 18% in 2014 to 10% in 2022 — and hit a low of 5.5% in 2018.
Vera Institute report on Douglas County jail spotlights racial disparities, charges driving incarceration
Almost one out of every three Black men ages 25-54 living in Douglas County were booked into the jail between 2017 and 2021.
That number is among findings in a recent report by the Vera Institute of Justice examining incarceration here.
Shots fired into homes in southern Lawrence; no one injured, police say
Lawrence police are investigating after someone fired gunshots into multiple homes Monday evening, with at least one bullet striking a child’s bed. Fortunately, no one was injured.
City: ‘Best to refocus resources’ from North Lawrence camp to Winter Emergency Shelter
The City of Lawrence said Tuesday morning that people experiencing homelessness are being cleared out of the camp in North Lawrence in order to “refocus resources” to the overnight Winter Emergency Shelter.
City clearing residents out of North Lawrence camp for people experiencing homelessness
Jennifer Adams’ eyes were red Monday morning from crying off and on since Friday, from crying off and on since Friday, when the city issued a batch of eviction notices to people experiencing homelessness at the support camp in North Lawrence.