Weekly Connections October 5th, 2026

Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of Oct. 5.

Let's get started with project updates:

• The Texas Juvenile Justice Department broke ground on a new juvenile correctional facility in Brazoria County, the first of two HDR-designed facilities backed by a $304 million infrastructure investment.
• Howard County, Ind., has broken ground on a $132 million sheriff's office and jail in Kokomo.
• Correctional Service Canada has selected EllisDon Corporation to design and build a new 155-bed health center at the Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick.
• The Texas Department of Criminal Justice opened the Bryan Collier Leadership and Training Center in Huntsville.
• A new $83.8 million Superior Courthouse in Lakeport, Calif., has opened following two years of construction.
• The Lorain County Jail Advisory Board in Ohio has paused plans for a new $142.6 million jail until commissioners secure funding.

Moving on to legislation and funding:

• Wapello County, Iowa voters will consider a $45 million bond referendum in the Nov. 3 election to expand and renovate the county jail.
• Jefferson County, Ore., voters will decide in November whether to renew a five-year property tax levy that provides primary operating funding for the county jail.

Next, in people news:

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed former Texas Department of Criminal Justice Executive Director Bryan Collier to the Texas Juvenile Justice Board.

Now for this week's construction reports:

• Prince William County, Va., has issued an RFP for design and construction administration services for a new juvenile services center in Manassas, with proposals due Oct. 26.
• Chesterfield County, S.C., has issued an RFQ for design services for a new 250-bed County Jail, with submittals due Nov. 4.
• Cochise County, Ariz., has issued an RFQ to design-build entities for the new Cochise County Jail project, with responses due Nov. 12.

And finishing up with events:

• The American Institute of Architects Academy of Architecture for Justice Fall Conference will take place this week in Minneapolis from Oct. 7–9.