Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of Aug. 18. 

We'll kick it off with project updates: 

• A proposed joint jail and police facility for Johnson County and Iowa City, Iowa, has been estimated at $106 million. 
• Work on a two-year, $75.8 million renovation of the Stark County, Ohio, jail began on Aug. 15, with Granger-Welty serving as the CMAR. 
• In more Ohio news, Wayne County held a topping out ceremony last week for its new $60 million jail, which is expected to be completed in 2027. 

Moving over to legislation and funding: 

• In Monroe County, Ind., leaders are working on design changes to reduce the cost of a new jail, which was previously estimated at up to $280 million. 
• According to the Dodge Momentum Index, spending on non-residential construction rose significantly last month, though new tariffs on steel and aluminum have increased budgets and caused project delays. 

In hiring and people announcements: 

• ModCorr announced seven industry-changing strategic hires to deepen the modular construction company's expertise, including Alexandra Myers, Timothy Hancock, Diane Bruining, Mark Van Allen, John Malonoski, Brian Birnbauer and Mike Artman. 

Moving over to construction reports: 

• Custer County, Idaho, has issued an RFP for engineering and architectural services for a jail expansion, with proposals due Sept. 4. 
• The City of Durango, Colo., is requesting qualifications from CMAR firms for a $55 million City Hall and Police Department renovation. A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on Sept. 9, and bids are due on Oct. 2. 
• Nolensville, Tenn., has issued a preliminary report for a $12 million project to establish a new police headquarters and will soon seek competitive bids for general contractors. 

And finishing it off with events: 

• The American Correctional Association will host its 155th Congress of Corrections from Aug. 21-26 in Denver. 
• The Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators will also host its summer leadership forum in Denver Aug. 22-24. 
• The Correctional Leaders Association Summer Conference will take place in Denver, running from Aug. 21-24. 

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

correctionalnews.com/podcast.