Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of Nov. 3.

Let's get into it with project updates:

• In Boulder County, Colo., a ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the opening of the Joe Pelle Center, a new 252-bed alternative sentencing facility.
• Officials in Barren County, Ky., broke ground on the new $50 million Barren County Judicial Center project in downtown Glasgow.
• Plans for a new regional justice center in Springfield, Mass., which could cost up to $600 million, were recently unveiled by developer Monarch Enterprises.
• Construction is underway on a 60-bed behavioral healthcare center at the site of the new Oklahoma County jail.
• Montana Department of Corrections Director Brian Gootkin announced that water service has been restored to all buildings at the Montana State Prison after a service loss on Oct. 10.

Moving on to legislation and funding:

• The Wisconsin State Building Commission recently awarded $743 million for construction projects, including $15 million to begin upgrades at six state correctional facilities.
• Commissioners in Lancaster County, Pa., are looking to add a financial advisor to the consulting team for their new over $400 million county prison project.
• Officials in Sedgwick County, Kan., are applauding the Kansas Department of Corrections' decision to freeze the funding formula of the 1978 Community Corrections Act.

Next in people news:

• ModCorr recently named Hugh Lester as the company's new Senior Director of Special Projects.
• Last week, the Illinois State Senate voted to confirm Latoya Hughes as Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections.
• The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has named Damon Andrews as its new Facilities Division Director.

Moving on to construction reports:

• Construction manager J.E. Dunn is seeking bids from trade contractors for work on the remodeling of the Dunn County, N.D., Courthouse and Public Safety Center, with bids due Nov. 13.
• King County, Wash., has issued an RFP for architecture and engineering services for camera and intercom upgrades at the Maleng Regional Justice Center, with bids due Nov. 17.
• Contra Costa County in California is accepting bids for the construction of the Brookside Mental Health Rehabilitation Center, with bids due Dec. 17.

Finishing it off with this week's events:

• The Correctional Leaders Association is holding its 2025 Deputy Directors and Probation and Parole Conference in Oceanside, Calif., through Nov. 6.
• The Correctional News Annual Corrections Summit will take place in Southern Pines, N.C., from Nov. 16-19.

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