KU student gets five years in rape case

A Douglas County District Court judge on Wednesday sentenced a Kansas University student to nearly five years in prison for the attempted rape of his former roommate.

Judge Paula Martin denied a motion by the defense to depart from standard sentencing guidelines, despite multiple letters supporting defendant Gregory Black.

Black, who was originally charged with rape, was in September convicted by a jury of attempted rape.

The incident occurred April 6 while the victim was intoxicated and, as Martin said, was most vulnerable.

The defense asked that Black be placed on probation. But the judge instead sentenced the 22-year-old man to 59 months in prison and ordered that he register as a sex offender when released from prison.

Attorney general

School finance, water lead legal expenses

Topeka — Outside legal work on water rights and school finance litigation topped the list of $2 million in legal expenses paid by the attorney general’s office, according to a report released Tuesday.

The report covers a nearly two-year period from Jan. 13, 2003, when Atty. Gen. Phill Kline took office, to Dec. 8.

Kline put the report together, saying it was important for the public to know how its tax dollars were spent.

“Government transparency is important to the democratic process,” Kline said.

During that time, $887,404 was paid to the Santa Fe, N.M., law firm of Montgomery & Andrews in Kansas’ legal battles with Colorado and Nebraska about river flows.

And approximately $317,000 was spent to defend state officials in the school finance lawsuit, with more than $200,000 of that paid to the law firm of Lathrop & Gage, which has offices in Overland Park and Kansas City, Mo.

Pollution

EPA says Kansas meets air standards

Topeka — Kansas’ air got a clean bill of health from federal officials.

All Kansas counties exceeded federal air quality standards for particle pollution, officials said Wednesday.

EPA Administrator Michael Leavitt congratulated Kansas, saying, “your state should be proud of its progress toward clean air.”

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said the EPA report was “good news.”

Twenty states failed to meet the EPA standards, including Missouri.

County

Personal property tax forms mailed today

Douglas County taxpayers should soon receive their 2005 personal property assessment forms in the mail.

The county appraiser’s office will send out forms in the mail today. All people with taxable personal property in 2004 will be sent an assessment form.

Forms must be signed by the owner and returned to the appraiser’s office by March 15, or there will be a late filing fee.

Personal property includes items such as boats, mobile homes, large trucks, trailers, business machinery and equipment.

People who own such property but don’t receive a form should contact the appraiser’s office at 832-5289.