[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6272343,"mediaKeyId","3027921-6da47e9ccbad5f768cb57846b3f9b82d","parentId",3027921,"title","Douglas County corrections director highlights GED graduations, staffing gains and treatment outcomes","audioSeconds",1432,"startMs",252000,"endMs",1684000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3027921-6da47e9ccbad5f768cb57846b3f9b82d&start=252&end=1684","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3027921-6da47e9ccbad5f768cb57846b3f9b82d/thumbnail_252000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6272343/Douglas-County/Nebraska/Douglas-County-corrections-director-highlights-GED-graduations-staffing-gains-and-treatment-outcomes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6272343-03ecead6e7f6757f072af52b580bf723/orig.mp4?Expires=1771007627&Signature=g6~fLT1kdVkJy0q1fK1XDnzxtkEosH4Un1kUmT~vumGVB4yqIoyOWMP0R~9dOkymckb3lkRC0e-pEjqj6t~y5Z4F3lAhFVC52kajCJLKThKyc4mhS4L0NxeEv3JuFR3GtH0NGuIe040BX5at-Wu0U9bvdJ822KcXVjibyvqCxKiL7bOC2z~ulL-3TC9bGiSAAeLrJD5dQsagxOVEhRlJAQWvhfJCi6FpVaGZzhTgILl9fkxZoyHsEy1Q3d5~UxhDboiTL4OLNOzbJImI0udkUsVutc3GMc0OsNp5LxnGz1v7V-Dg5gossQ8tWXI2t0~aFVZJacEr7tiWkcK09CR5HA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Douglas County, NE","date","2025-04-17T00:20:06.26Z","article","Douglas County Director of Corrections Michael Myers told county commissioners on April 22 that his March report showed the jail operating under budget while continuing to expand educational and treatment services.

Myers said the department was $1,267,995 under budget following the ninth month of the fiscal year and that overtime costs totaled $340,403 for the period. He added that more than $1,000,000 in bond payments were processed by the records division and that 11 officers below the rank of sergeant and one sergeant left employment in March, including one retirement. A class of 26 new cadets began the academy the day before the meeting, Myers said, which he said should improve staffing through the summer.

The corrections department also described education and reentry programming. Heather Robinson, educational and vocational supervisor, said the GED program has a waitlist of 107 people with 72 active students and that the facility’s GED program produced 36 graduates over the past year. Robinson said the department offers a Google Classroom for students who are off-site, two vocational classes (electrical safety and forklift certification), a weekly writing group and a new book club. Karen Shelton, educational and vocational specialist, called the program “so much more than just teaching academics” and described individual student progress.

Former student Jonathan Bowles told commissioners, “I’m an alcoholic and a drug addict,” and described years of addiction, homelessness and repeated incarceration before entering Douglas County’s WRAP program and drug court. Bowles said the program and local treatment services helped him regain custody contact with his children and return to steady employment. His mother, Jan Bowles, said, “If it wasn’t for all of you that were mentioned here today, I’m quite confident my son would be dead or in prison,” and urged continued funding.

Myers provided additional operational data: 272 individuals were placed on pretrial release during March; 1,293 individuals were supervised on pretrial release; 541 participated in the 24/7 sobriety program; and 87 individuals were supervised via GPS leading to an estimated 4,323 bed days saved, which Myers said translates to a theoretical savings of $734,910 in detention costs. He reported 1,460 admissions in March (an increase of about 200 from the prior month), 1,383 releases, a high count of 1,055, a low count of 980, and an average daily population of 1,012 (a decrease of five). The overall average length of stay for inmates released in March was 22.5 days.

Myers also gave health and behavioral-health figures: 1,167 intake screenings, 370 physical/health assessments, 315 initial mental-health assessments, 107 suicide precautions and 205 individuals placed on drug-and-alcohol detox protocols. He said 52.3% of the jail population had a diagnosed mental illness and that 11 people were on a waitlist for the Lincoln Regional Center.

Commissioners asked for additional financial detail. Commissioner Friend asked for a follow-up report that breaks down the county dollars invested in the programs and the per-person annual cost to house someone in the Douglas County correction center; Myers agreed to provide more detailed cost and recidivism data at a future meeting. Commissioner Friend and others also asked about contraband and the difficulty of identifying fentanyl; Myers said the department currently sends suspected samples to an outside lab and noted interest in electronic substance‑identification equipment that could reduce risk to staff and narcotics-detection dogs.

Commissioners and staff also highlighted program outcomes. Myers said the sanctions and transitional centers placed 11 people in community corrections and that 5 individuals entered therapeutic community housing units in March. He said the department welcomed comedian and recovery advocate Mark Lundholm to speak to incarcerated individuals and community-corrections clients during the month.

The director closed by saying staff were prepared to provide additional metrics and to brief commissioners on vendor implementations for pretrial-release software and other data-capture improvements.

Ending: Commissioners thanked the guests and staff. Myers and program staff remained available for follow-up questions and said they would supply requested cost and recidivism breakdowns in future reports.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of County Commissioners Douglas County Nebraska meeting April 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Douglas County Director of Corrections Michael Myers presented March operations and program data to the Board of Corrections, reporting the department was $1,267,995 under budget and highlighting education and reentry gains including 36 GED graduates in the past year.","taxTitle","Douglas County, Nebraska","taxId",2554,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6272338,"Douglas County approves trustee appointments and public approval for Nebraska Methodist bond issuances",1308,2400000,3708000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3027921-6da47e9ccbad5f768cb57846b3f9b82d&start=2400&end=3708","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3027921-6da47e9ccbad5f768cb57846b3f9b82d/thumbnail_2400000.jpg","/articles/6272338/Douglas-County/Nebraska/Douglas-County-approves-trustee-appointments-and-public-approval-for-Nebraska-Methodist-bond-issuances","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6272338-c390cad91b13168c229db95caa0d3721/orig.mp4?Expires=1771007627&Signature=fyqGde7pCb-vKzqFuF2ZiGis7PPgV8ZC6~AGL~-1p9wXLWjYlhhceGUsj6Z57ao50~Qjy-Tth90~nkOhjmMWQzo6LnPQgc6CDwSr-1Cjgp-HlwZoOgAAnayvjcTGqHdYproi869y9BlSXQFfMxK51a5ao-CRMbrPtsrJGu~t253Weldc~bZJnT-AtI8ZzdzXlnFAnBj9mzFhtcqifXKGGnhmxVU~0aejBtScgZEFNtBx-QY5Zn9TEYlmZQErTipSwLFy4GxhaUbgC7HKZyoIeEpD2QLX9fNFQgtrIH4DzvHxKkqxVTvNEVXGM2p-Qxsfuf4MtQN-612u2HJzGjqPNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Douglas County commissioners on April 22 approved appointments to Hospital Authority No. 3 and granted the public approval required under Internal Revenue Code Section 147(f) for proposed tax‑exempt revenue bond issuances to benefit the Nebraska Methodist Health System.

Joel Vandervene, bond counsel for Nebraska Methodist Health System, told commissioners the hospital authorities were organized in the 1970s under the state Hospital Authorities Act as territorial conduit issuers that issue bonds on behalf of health‑care borrowers. He said the trustees must reside in the authority’s territory and that the five nominees were proposed after petition drives that produced well over the 25 required elector signatures.

Vandervene also described the bond proposal and the tax rule that requires a public hearing. He said hospital authority No. 2 would seek bonds in an amount not to exceed $105,000,000 and authority No. 3 an amount not to exceed $245,000,000. He said the bonds would finance hospital and related health‑care facilities concentrated at Nebraska Methodist’s main campus, and emphasized that the authorities act as conduit issuers and the county does not assume repayment obligation.

Commissioner Kavanaugh asked whether appointment nominees were concentrated in the western part of the county; Vandervene replied that statutory residency in the authority territory explained the geographic clustering. The clerk confirmed petitions and signatures were properly filed. Commissioner Morgan moved to approve the appointment resolution; the motion passed 6‑0. The board also voted to provide the public approval needed for the tax‑exempt bond issuance (motion by Morgan, second by Rogers); that motion passed 6‑0.

Ending: County officials noted the approvals do not create county debt and that future agenda items may include more detail on specific bond plans and timing.","Douglas County commissioners approved trustee appointments for Hospital Authority No. 3 and provided the public approval required for proposed tax‑exempt revenue bonds to benefit the Nebraska Methodist Health System, with bond volumes capped at $105 million (Authority No. 2) and $245 million (Authority No. 3).",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6272330,"County youth‑center report: average daily population ~87 in March; new 64‑bed facility remains empty amid debate",709,4055000,4764000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3027921-6da47e9ccbad5f768cb57846b3f9b82d&start=4055&end=4764","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3027921-6da47e9ccbad5f768cb57846b3f9b82d/thumbnail_4055000.jpg","/articles/6272330/Douglas-County/Nebraska/County-youthcenter-report-average-daily-population-87-in-March-new-64bed-facility-remains-empty-amid-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6272330-c2fd7c0baa7146f7dfed47b69176aa01/orig.mp4?Expires=1771007627&Signature=ZxFWp~5nvw-WZd6Ji6XHlRC2mub10Q8ew5in~yBuLyvC1Orzv-iAEe8~KzN1YOgs7qjvMV4F6R-3vQ3E3-Zcm4ioRzNO~~qYI3jnmhTywY6qymRoiw6BwMuS29n-~Nbe5Ml83xhzbs82pWzT0O1E-1Wv2XBELaQQOcaPalWcJjqeMPtilGtfbsuA3rV9c6QSG-gMSL0gdK8I7uls4XiyjzMN1oGRP4YU3A5gFvCYwOBAZZekTLSNEn1vrDrQ22L0lbVw~EFniV8sbvCHyGNpKFsQqvrn-vXyPUjnwqrBsdA1GCPXVflg2pGN1S-8VNFhv5iTUcACgiqY4dVEyDAWyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Douglas County staff on April 22 told commissioners that the county’s youth‑detention population averaged about 87 youth in March and that placement delays and admissions trends continued to drive length of stay.

Dr. Abby Carbaugh presented the Douglas County Youth Center (DCYC) monthly report for March 2025. She said the facility’s weekly average daily population has been driven in part by youth charged as adults, which rose from about 34 in mid‑December 2024 to roughly 44 in January 2025 and has remained near that level through March. Carbaugh reported a March low of 85 and a high of 91, yielding an average daily population of about 87 for the month. Admissions in March totaled 47.

Carbaugh gave a breakdown of March admissions and case types: five admissions were on adult‑court charges, 41 on juvenile‑court charges and one from another county. Of the juvenile‑court admissions, 23 were in predisposition status, four received new charges while on probation, and 14 were admitted for reasons other than new law violations. She said eight admissions were weapons‑related (seven firearms and one other weapon), with six classified as felony‑level firearm offenses. Carbaugh also said 66% of the youth population were minorities, 14% female, and about 20% homeless or nearly homeless.

Carbaugh reported 11 youth had active court orders authorizing release once an appropriate placement was found; those youth had been awaiting placement an average of 16 days. The report listed a range of placement types sought, including foster care, group homes, PRTFs, and transfers to out‑of‑county facilities.

Commissioners and DCYC Superintendent Randy Woodard discussed facility capacity and options. Commissioners noted the county’s newly constructed facility across the street has a 64‑bed capacity but remained empty; commissioners and the public debated whether to move youth to that building, refurbish the 40‑Second‑Street facility, or keep operations as is. Woodard said the county’s team would conduct a walkthrough the next day to finalize refurbishment priorities and prepare recommendations for commissioners.

Commissioners voiced differing views. Commissioner Rogers said moving some populations to the newer building could be done on a three‑ to six‑month timeline and argued that such a move would allow the county to repurpose the existing facility and press the state to address placement issues. Commissioner Kavanaugh and others expressed concern that a direct bed‑count comparison was misleading because a large share of current detainees are adults‑charged youth who would be eligible for different placement decisions; Kavanaugh asked for more precise breakdowns before deciding on building use. Commissioner Cavanaugh criticized the empty building and said the county was spending significant ongoing funds to keep it vacant; a member of the public, Larry Storff, urged transparency.

Carbaugh and Woodard said staffing remains a concern at DCYC and that recruitment and compensation adjustments are part of the work to maintain educational continuity and services. Woodard confirmed a planned site walkthrough with facilities staff to refine project scope and cost estimates; commissioners set a public discussion on youth‑services options for May 8 at 10 a.m. in the Civic Center.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to return with costed options, including staffing and placement‑reduction strategies, and scheduled the May public session to continue the discussion.","Douglas County presenters reported an average daily youth‑detention population of about 87 in March and identified placement delays, weapons‑related admissions and demographic trends; commissioners debated opening a new 64‑bed facility that remains empty and asked staff for costed options.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6272334,"Commissioners approve special‑use permit for Burke Fields U‑pick flower farm",274,3729000,4003000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3027921-6da47e9ccbad5f768cb57846b3f9b82d&start=3729&end=4003","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3027921-6da47e9ccbad5f768cb57846b3f9b82d/thumbnail_3729000.jpg","/articles/6272334/Douglas-County/Nebraska/Commissioners-approve-specialuse-permit-for-Burke-Fields-Upick-flower-farm","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6272334-9250376fbd10ddff628b577f0d546f24/orig.mp4?Expires=1771007627&Signature=Ay21Ot4ijR1emrXecRkef0xhftkFswxZW20GY7YEbkaKUpk6s0U1SWNaxFEVJ7PI~fp-PbDDKcSj66G~yd~rDjsFLgxGEciT18aJYtkyDNSm~6UluX90Tzr-00A33TvdsHlmLEZNxHTVK08DqF1~ZxvhqMvWARG4t0b7p~-DENQFBmH2QlAV1zNo8JZos-jwDc2Whzts8pUoWtlmHtzbIXNuUG1lmKlbL7IhdKvpIvE8rqO0OfXnDR~a7UFGCjlNp7d5XFVvgoHdd9RIgQvHry~cVldLbUkTlvl1ELTX70VAZHeZqYE~jnlRM5URk6GleR40~EVjhuA1GuVjNG8j1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Douglas County commissioners on April 22 approved a special‑use permit allowing Burke Fields to operate a U‑pick flower farm and agritourism events at 1405 South 260th Street.

Laura Dietrich, planning and zoning coordinator, told the board that the Planning Commission recommended approval with conditions including seasonal operation from April through October; weekend hours of 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and Sundays; up to four evening workshops per month (6 p.m.–9:30 p.m.); all parking to be off‑street; and the submitted business plan to be a condition of the permit.

Applicant Samantha Burke described the operation as specialty flower production for bouquet making, with customers able to cut flowers on site or sign up for wrapped‑bouquet memberships. Burke said the farm sits on about 8.76 acres and the flower‑production area is roughly one acre. She said Burke Fields operates membership pickups and occasionally partners with community events such as yoga among the flowers. She provided a web address in the record: www.birkfields.com.

Commissioner Rogers moved to approve the special‑use permit; Commissioner Morgan seconded the motion. The board voted 6‑0 to approve the permit with the stated conditions.

Ending: With conditions in place, the business may operate seasonally; the permit can be amended through the county’s special‑use process if the applicant seeks changes.","The Douglas County Board granted a special‑use permit to Burke Fields to operate an agritourism “U‑pick” flower farm at 1405 South 260th Street with seasonal and operational conditions including April–October seasonal hours, weekend hours and off‑street parking; the permit passed 6‑0.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Douglas County corrections director highlights GED graduations, staffing gains and treatment outcomes

Douglas County approves trustee appointments and public approval for Nebraska Methodist bond issuances

County youth‑center report: average daily population ~87 in March; new 64‑bed facility remains empty amid debate

Commissioners approve special‑use permit for Burke Fields U‑pick flower farm