Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of Jan. 12.

Let’s get started with project updates:

1. The Lancaster County, Pa., Board of Commissioners released preliminary designs for a new prison with cost estimates ranging from $434 million to $497 million.
2. Officials with the Acadiana Regional Juvenile Justice District in Louisiana have proposed building a new $75 million, 96-bed juvenile justice facility.
3. DLZ Architects presented conceptual renderings of a new $30 million jail to commissioners in Ashtabula County, Ohio.
4. The Cape Girardeau County, Mo., jail renovation project is on track, with renovation work expected to be completed by the fall.

Moving on to legislation and funding:

1. Commissioners in Oklahoma County, Okla., have proposed a permanent sales tax to support a new jail and other public safety operations, which could be on the April 7 election ballot.
2. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll have awarded $234,000 in grant funding to improve career and technical education programs in correctional facilities.

Next in People news:

1. Willo Products Company has promoted Russell Roberts to Chief Executive Officer.
2. JE Dunn has hired Sean Ahern as Client Solutions Director for the West Region.
3. Nadia Privara Brahms has been appointed as San Diego County’s Behavioral Health Services Director.
4. Joanne Lynds has joined the Rhode Island Department of Corrections as Assistant Director of Rehabilitative Services.

Now for construction reports:

1. Construction Manager Ajax Building Company is accepting bids for the construction of a new Judicial Justice Center in Alachua County, Fla., with bids due Jan. 29.
2. Kraus-Anderson Construction and Contegrity Group are seeking prime contractor bids for the new $308 million Stearns County Justice Center in Minnesota, with bids due Feb. 5.

And finishing it off with Events:

1. The National Commission on Correctional Health Care is accepting presentation proposals for its Correctional Mental Health Care Conference (due Feb. 13) and its National Conference on Correctional Healthcare (due March 6).
2. The American Correctional Association’s Winter Conference will take place next month in Long Beach, Calif., from February 5–8.
3. The Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators will also hold its Winter meeting in conjunction with the ACA Winter Conference.
4. Registration is open for the International Corrections and Prisons Association’s inaugural Prison Design and Technology Conference in Rabat, Morocco, from April 21–24.

1. For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.