Charges reduced in sex assault case

Charges have been reduced dramatically for a 22-year-old Lawrence man initially charged with raping a Eudora woman in the 2400 block of Alabama Street.

Eduardo G. Gonzalez entered a plea today in Douglas County District Court to misdemeanor criminal restraint and battery. Judge Paula Martin sentenced him to 12 months’ probation.

A 20-year-old co-defendant is scheduled to enter a plea next week to a lower-level felony and a misdemeanor.

Prosecutors in Dist. Atty. Charles Branson’s office initially charged the men with rape and aggravated kidnapping in the June 22 incident, which happened at their apartment in the 2400 block of Alabama.

The woman told police she met the men while walking nearby and went back to their apartment to use their telephone. Once inside, they began groping her and wouldn’t let her leave, she told police.

The men, however, claim that they thought they were paying the woman for sex and that she tried to leave after taking their money.

Courts

Trials ordered in meth seizure incident

A Douglas County judge on Thursday ordered two women to stand trial on charges related to a search warrant and drug seizure in May at their west Lawrence townhome, but he dismissed a charge against one of the defendants.

Police said they took three children into protective custody and arrested the two women May 22 after seizing methamphetamine from their duplex in the 4000 block of Overland Drive.

But on Thursday, District Court Judge Michael Malone ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove that 24-year-old Kelly M. Martin, the children’s nanny, was ever in possession of the drug. Her attorney argued in a hearing Thursday that she was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Still, Malone scheduled a September trial for Martin on misdemeanor child-endangerment charges.

The judge found there was probable cause to believe Mary D. Reed, 31, possessed methamphetamine. She is scheduled for trial in September on the drug charge and on child-endangerment charges.

Auction

KU plans to sell spare equipment

Kansas University is looking to get rid of some of its spare office equipment, tractors, mowers and shop equipment.

The university will hold a surplus auction beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday in a maintenance building at 1851 Westbrooke.

Among the items on the sale bill: tables, chairs, lockers, file cabinets, car parts, microwave ovens, tractors, mowers, snow blowers, vacuums and dry-erase boards.

For a full list of the items, visit www.kansasauctions.net/paxton/ from drug case slated.

Grants to fund WWII oral history project

The Kansas State Historical Society will administer a new grant program that will fund efforts to record oral histories of World War II veterans. The 2005 Kansas Legislature appropriated $150,000 for the project.

That amount could be reduced if cuts are imposed on the 2006 budget.

Grants may be awarded to the following organizations: nonprofit organizations that have tax exempt status; a state educational institution defined by state statute; a degree or certificate granting private college in the state; a local, municipal or state historical agency.

The deadline for applications is Aug. 15. All projects must be completed by May 1, 2007, and all funds must be expended by the end of the project.

Application materials and guidelines are available online at www.kshs.org/involved/technical/wwiioralhistorygrants.htm. For more information, contact Pat Michaelis at (785) 272-8681 ext. 270 or at pmichaelis@kshs.org.