Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of September 1st.

We'll kick it off with project updates:

• A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the opening of the new $145 million Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in St. Gabriel.
• The Indiana Department of Corrections announced it will keep the current Indiana State Prison open indefinitely after the new $1.2 billion state prison opens in 2027.
• Officials in Daviess County, Kentucky are proceeding with a $40 million renovation and expansion project at the Daviess County Detention Center.
• Montana Governor Greg Gianforte introduced plans to use a portion of a $246 million prison funding bill to further renovate the Riverside Correctional Facility, adding an additional 50 to 60 beds.

Heading over to legislation and funding:

• The Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation and Reentry detailed its ongoing actions to reduce violence, including increased use of body cameras and CCTV technology.
• Monroe County, Indiana officials are considering plans for a new justice center with an almost $225 million price tag, with construction potentially starting in October of 2026.
• In Pierce County, Washington, a Juvenile Justice Task Force has convened to help craft plans for a new juvenile justice facility to replace the deteriorating Remann Hall.
• Canyon County, Idaho announced it will use $7.5 million from its 2026 budget to build the first phase of a new women's jail facility.

Now covering people news:

• Oklahoma Department of Corrections Executive Director Stephen Harpe will resign effective September 30th; Chief of Staff Justin Farris has been named as interim director.
• New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte has nominated William R. Hart as the state's Department of Corrections Commissioner.
• DLR Group recently brought on principal Mark Ryan as a member of its Justice and Civic Design Leadership Group in Phoenix.

Heading over to Construction Reports:

• The Madison County Commission in Alabama has issued an RFQ for the planning, design, and construction of a new Madison County Courthouse, with bids due on October 2nd.
• Ector County, Texas is seeking proposals for general construction work on a new $24 million juvenile justice center, with bids due on October 2nd.

And wrapping it up with events:

• The American College of Correctional Physicians will hold its 2025 National Education Conference in Providence, Rhode Island, from September 18th to the 20th.
• The Correctional Leaders Association will host its Northeast event from September 8th through the 11th in Brentwood, New Hampshire.

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