Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of Sept. 22.
We'll start off with project updates:
- Officials in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, have released design plans for the new $900 million, 1,886-bed county jail in Garfield Heights, with groundbreaking expected this fall.
- Also in Ohio, plans for a new $300 million Franklin County Municipal Courthouse in downtown Columbus have been revealed, with construction potentially starting in November 2026.
- A major $135 million expansion at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre in Saskatchewan, Canada, is now complete, adding 312 beds.
- The removal of a construction crane marked progress on the $47 million Deschutes County Courthouse expansion project in Oregon, with completion expected by the end of summer 2026.
- A new $66.7 million justice center in Carlton County, Minn., which includes a 96-bed jail, officially opened last week.
Now covering legislation and funding:
- The Clark County Council in Washington state will seek voter input on expansion and renovation plans for the aging county jail, with cost estimates ranging from $330 million to over $471 million.
- A proposal to build a joint law enforcement facility and jail for Iowa City and Johnson County, Iowa, is now in question after the Johnson County Sheriff said he would rather pursue a standalone facility.
- The Kansas Department of Corrections recently received a $1.4 million grant to provide mental health and substance-use services to inmates in the state's juvenile detention centers.
Now covering people news:
- Last week, Nate Hayward assumed his new role as Commissioner of Corrections for the city of St. Louis.
- Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver recently announced two promotions: Katherine Wells as Superintendent at Emanuel Probation Detention Center and Martella Walker as Deputy Warden of Security at Warren State Prison.
- The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction has named Mary Locklear as Warden of the Scotland Correctional Institution.
Moving over to construction reports:
- Erie County, N.Y., has issued an RFP for architecture and engineering firms for the expansion and reconfiguration of the Erie County Correctional Facility, with proposals due Oct. 1.
- Montgomery County, N.C., is seeking general contractors to perform renovations at the county's courthouse, with bids due Oct. 29.
And finishing it off with events for the week:
- This week in San Antonio, the Association of Women Executives in Corrections will host its 29th annual training institute from Sept. 26–28.
- Looking ahead, the Correctional Leaders Association will hold its Midwest Regional Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska from Oct. 6–9.
- The International Corrections and Prisons Association's annual conference will be held Oct. 26-31 in Istanbul, Turkïye.
- Chicago Beyond will host its 2025 National Justice Convening from October 29–30.
For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.
