Witness’s daughter says father’s testimony true

The daughter of a key witness in a Douglas County murder trial testified Tuesday that she believed her father’s story: He was urinating by the side of the road when he saw another man pull the trigger.

“After my dad said he was off going to the bathroom, I knew my dad didn’t have no reason to lie about it,” said Heather Reece, daughter of witness Gary F. Holmes.

Gary Holmes is the only person who said he saw the defendant, Michael W. Kesselring, 42, shoot and kill Dale A. Miller in September 2000 on a bridge in Lecompton. The two men allegedly kidnapped Miller because he was suspected of stealing a stash of drugs worth up to $250,000 from a Topeka syndicate.

But Kesselring’s attorney, Martin Miller, said Holmes concocted his story to protect himself and others — including Heather Reece’s husband, Michael “Money Mike” Reece, who was second-in-command of the drug ring and has since died of cancer.

Holmes pleaded guilty to kidnapping charges on the condition that he testify against Kesselring.

The trial continues today and is expected to last throughout the week.

Property assessment forms due Monday

Signed assessment forms for boats, trailers and other taxable personal property are due Monday to the Douglas County Appraiser’s Office.

Forms should include a list of properties such as boats, trailers, mobile homes, airplanes, jet skis, large trucks, mopeds and business equipment.

Taxpayers who did not receive an assessment form by mail may pick one up at the Appraiser’s Office, located inside the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Mass. For more information, call 832-5289.

Property owners who miss the 5 p.m. Monday filing deadline will be charged a late fee, officials said.

Tax bills are scheduled to be mailed to owners in November.

Chevrolet donates to Boys & Girls Club

The Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence will receive an $8,000 check today from Crown Chevrolet-Oldsmobile and the Chevrolet Motor Division.

A $4,000 donation from the Lawrence dealership was matched by the automaker’s Reaching Out to Communities and Kids program. The money will be devoted to helping the local Boys & Girls Club provide after-school programs for area children.

Crown has supported Boys & Girls Club activities for 12 years.

The ROCK program provides matching grants to schools and organizations that coordinate activities for people 6 to 18 years old.

The check-presentation ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Crown Chevrolet-Oldsmobile, 3400 S. Iowa.

Central students advance in History Day contest

Nine Central Junior High School students are advancing to the state History Day competition for a chance for a trip to Washington, D.C.

The nine students placed first or second in the district contest in Ottawa on Saturday and will advance to the state contest April 19 in Abilene. They were among 70 Lawrence public school students that participated in the district competition.

Central students advancing to state:

• Mulligan Greenwell, Brenna Daldorph and Emma Hoyle, first in senior group performance category. Their project was “Living in Limbo: The Story of WWII Refugees of Fort Ontario.”
• Matthias Heilke, first in junior individual documentary.
• Jordan Crice and Sarah Zimmerman, first in senior group documentary.
• Hillary Spratt and Maya Weil, first in junior group documentary.
• Hannah Frydman, second place in junior individual documentary.

If they place first or second at state, the students can compete in the National History Day event in June in Washington, D.C.

County reorganization talk starts tonight

Douglas County commissioners will open public discussion tonight about a possible reorganization of county government.

But the elected officials aren’t exactly campaigning for a lot of input.

“It’s just to map out strategy,” Commissioner Charles Jones said.

Added Bob Johnson, who is pushing the issue as commission chairman: “This is not the meeting where you have to voice all your concerns or all your wishes. There will be time for that if, in fact, we get to that point.”

Commissioners are mulling the possibility of revamping the structure of county government, something that hasn’t changed since 1868.

Among the options to be considered: shifting responsibility for hiring the county’s treasurer, clerk and register of deeds from county voters to the county administrator.

The Commission’s meeting begins at 6:35 p.m. at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Mass.