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Here's a summary of the day's Kansas news headlines from the Associated Press.

Here's a summary of KPR's ad-free headlines: Officials confirm two tornadoes touched down Sunday in western Kansas... advocates seek clemency for a woman convicted of killing a Lawrence businessman with whom she lived... Kansas Senator Jerry Moran worries about the possible sale of Spirit Aerosystems in Wichita and... a Wyandotte County Democrat runs for an open Kansas congressional seat. Those headlines and more, inside.

James Craig was convicted of fatally poisoning his wife of 23 years and trying to cover his tracks by asking his cellmate to kill the lead investigator. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Email: Business Discussed at KS Governor's Meetings at Cedar CrestTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An email from the manager of the Kansas governor's residence said the purpose of private dinner meetings with Republican legislators was, in part, to discuss business. The Shawnee County District Attorney is investigating seven Republican-only dinners at the governor's mansion for violations of the Kansas Open Meetings Act, which prohibits a majority of a legislative body from gathering behind closed doors to discuss business. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that among hundreds of emailed RSVPs obtained through an open records request, there's one in which Rebecca Witte, who manages Cedar Crest, told a legislator's assistant that committee members gathering for a dinner will "spend some time discussing business." Brownback's office said Witte "misinformed" the lawmaker's office, and the dinners didn't violate the Open Meetings Act."==============================Brownback Now Says Meetings Were for Agenda Discussions, but Did Not Violate Open Meetings ActTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ Governor Sam Brownback acknowledges he set up private meetings with Republican legislators at his official residence to discuss his agenda but says the events didn't violate the Kansas Open Meetings Act. Brownback said Friday that the manager at Cedar Crest, the governor's residence, made an inaccurate statement when she told a legislator's assistant in a January email that lawmakers would discuss business. But the Republican governor said he intended to talk about his legislative agenda at the gatherings - and did. Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor, a Democrat, is investigating seven meetings in January at Cedar Crest with Republicans on 13 legislative committees. Brownback said his presentations didn't violate the law and that his staff and lawmakers present monitored discussions to make sure legislators did not as well.====================================Date Change for Voter ID Law Comes Before KS Senate... AgainTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Secretary of State Kris Kobach's proposal to move up the date to require proof of citizenship for voter registration is again before the Kansas Senate. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that House members have replaced the contents of a Senate bill with Kobach's plan. Kobach said the move allows the Senate to vote on it. Opponents of the ID requirement say the legislative move -- called a "gut and go" -- is a questionable maneuver to sneak through controversial legislation. Legislators enacted a law last year requiring Kansans registering to vote for the first time to provide proof of U.S. citizenship. That law doesn't take effect until January. Kobach wants to move the date to June. Kobach's bill passed the House last month but didn't make it out of a Senate committee.=====================================Construction Firm Owner Named As New Kansas DOT SecretaryTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback has appointed the owner of a McPherson construction company to lead the Kansas Department of Transportation. Brownback introduced 52-year-old Mike King as transportation secretary during a news conference Friday. King's appointment must be confirmed by the state Senate. The governor said King has extensive experience in construction, including highway work. The new secretary has owned King Enterprise Group since 1991. King said his company isn't involved in any state highway projects and concentrates on projects for the oil and gas industry. However, he said, he will put his interests in a blind trust. He'll replace Barb Rankin, formerly KDOT's chief counsel, who became acting secretary in December following the resignation of Deb Miller. Miller stepped down after nearly nine years as secretary to take a private-sector job.================================Kansas Losing 400 T-Mobile Call Center JobsLENEXA, Kan. (AP) — Northeastern Kansas is losing 400 jobs as T-Mobile closes some of its call centers around the country. The customer care call center in Lenexa is one of seven the company announced it will close by the end of June. T-Mobile says the employees will have the option of transferring to one of the 17 remaining centers. KMBC-TV reports the 400 Lenexa workers are among 980 T-Mobile employees in Kansas. The company's nearest remaining call centers are in Wichita and in Springfield, Missouri.===============================UPDATE: Army Sgt Charged with Premeditated Murder in Afghan Shooting Rampage KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The U.S. military says Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales has been officially charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder in a shooting rampage in southern Afghanistan. Premeditated murder is a capital offense and if convicted, Bales could be sentenced to death. Colonel Gary Kolb, a spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, says Bales was also charged Friday with six counts of attempted murder and six counts of assault. The 38-year-old father of two from Lake Tapps, Washington, is accused of leaving a U.S. military post on March 11, killing nine Afghan children and eight adults and burning some of the bodies in Panjwai district of Kandahar province. Six other Afghan civilians were wounded in the attack.==========================Army: PTSD Treatable; Some Diagnosed Return to WarSAN DIEGO (AP) _ It is still not known if the soldier accused of killing 17 Afghans was ever diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. But officials say that even if Sergeant Robert Bales had been, that alone would not have prevented him from being sent back to war. The Army diagnosed more than 76,000 soldiers with PTSD between 2000 and 2011. Of those more than 65,000 were diagnosed at some stage of their deployment. The Bales case has sparked debate about whether the Army failed in detecting a soldier's mental instability or pushed him too far. The Army is reviewing all its mental health programs in light of the March 11 killings. Mental health workers say it's reasonable to consider PTSD in the case, but it was likely not the sole factor. They say that there is much that is not known about the psychological wounds of war.================================== Shots Fired in Junction City over Loud MusicJUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police in Junction City say an argument over loud music turned violent when a gunman opened fire outside an apartment building. WIBW-TV reports a resident told police he argued Thursday afternoon with a stranger who was sitting in a vehicle in the building's parking lot with loud music blaring. The stranger apparently took offense and drove away, but came back a short time later. The resident says he went outside when the music started up again. Junction City Police Chief Tim Brown says that's when the suspect fired three shots at the resident, missing him but hitting the building behind him. Police are investigating the case as an attempted homicide.===============================Oklahoma Woman Convicted in Topeka Double SlayingTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An Oklahoma woman has been convicted of fatally shooting her ex-husband and his fiancée as they slept in a Topeka duplex in 2002. A Shawnee County jury deliberated just 90 minutes yesterday (THUR) afternoon before finding 52-year-old Dana Chandler, of Duncan, Oklahoma guilty of two counts of premeditated first-degree murder. Prosecutors say Chandler was angry with her ex-husband, 47-year-old Mike Sisco. They said she drove to Topeka from Denver, where she lived at the time, after learning Sisco planned to marry 53-year-old Karen Harkness. The couple's bodies were found in a basement-level bedroom in Harkness's home. The defense described a lack of physical evidence as "overwhelming" and argued that police bungled the investigation. The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that sentencing was set for June 1st.==============================KS Boy Struck, Killed by Freight TrainRUSSELL, Kan. (AP) — Residents of a north-central Kansas community are mourning a 9-year-old boy who was struck and killed by a freight train. Details are still being gathered, but authorities in Russell said the boy was hit by a Union Pacific train on the west edge of town a little after 11am yesterday (THUR). Witnesses said the boy, whose name was not immediately released, had been playing on the railroad tracks. Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said the train was traveling east from Denver to Salina. Russell is a city of about 4,500 people, located 170 miles west of Topeka along Interstate 70.============================== Rally Planned in Topeka for Slain Florida TeenagerTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A weekend rally in Topeka is being held for the unarmed black teenager shot to death in an Orlando, Florida, suburb. Sonny Scroggins, a community activist, told The Topeka Capital-Journal that the rally is scheduled for tomorrow (SAT) at 7pm on the south side of the Statehouse. Trayvon Martin was shot to death last month in Sanford, Florida. A neighborhood watch volunteer has said he shot Martin on February 26 in self-defense. No arrests have been made. The Justice Department and FBI have opened a civil rights investigation, and the local prosecutor -- before he quit the case -- convened a grand jury April 10 to determine whether to charge the man who shot Martin. Civil rights groups have held rallies elsewhere, saying the shooting was unjustified. A similar protest rally is planned in Wichita.==============================UPDATE: Kansas Researcher Spared Prison in Conspiracy CaseTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas nurse who admitted conspiring to falsify test data on a clinical trial of an allergy medicine will be spared prison time. The U.S. attorney's office says 49-year-old Lisa Sharp, of Olathe, was sentenced Friday to one year of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $36,046. Her co-defendant, Dr. Wayne Spencer, received the same sentence earlier this month. Sharp was the lead research coordinator in the 2010 clinical trial. She pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to defraud and failing to maintain records in a clinical trial as required by the Food and Drug Administration. Sharp and Spencer worked for Lee Research Institute, which was paid by Schering-Plough to conduct the trial. Sharp's lawyer requested leniency, saying his client showed "a momentary lapse in judgment."==============================2nd Lawrence Police Officer in Fixed Ticket Case Now Off the ForceLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A second Lawrence police officer inolved in a ticket-fixing scandal is now off the job. The officer had been suspended for allegedly fixing traffic tickets for a University of Kansas athletics department employee. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Police Chief Tarik Khatib confirmed the officer's departure yesterday (THUR) but declined to give details. Lawrence officials have said another officer, who resigned last month, had a long friendship with the athletics employee and fixed at least six traffic tickets in exchange for Kansas basketball tickets. At least twice, that officer asked the second officer for help. The individual whose tickets were fixed is now in federal prison for his role in a broader ticket scandal in the athletics department. In all, seven people were convicted in the thefts of more than 17,000 Jayhawk basketball tickets and at least 2,000 football tickets.=================================Ian Naismith, Grandson of Basketball Inventor James Naismith, Dies NEW YORK (AP) — Ian Naismith, grandson of the inventor of basketball James Naismith, and who ran a foundation in the family name dedicated to promoting youth sports died Tuesday. The Naismith International Basketball Foundation announced the death on its website and listed Ian Naismith's age as 72. Naismith died of a heart attack while on a train journey from western Massachusetts that took him to New York. The NIBF says Naismith was discovered unresponsive after the train had pulled into Penn Station. The North Carolina-based foundation Naismith ran gained attention in 2010 when it sold James Naismith's original 13 rules of basketball at auction for more than $4 million to help its work.==============================Texan in Multi-State Sex Case Charged with Witness TamperingHOUSTON (AP) — A Houston man held on sex trafficking charges has now been accused of trying to intimidate witnesses and law officers. A federal grand jury in Houston has returned a nine-count indictment against 42-year-old Andre McDaniels. Investigators say McDaniels in January allegedly attempted to contact and threaten individuals who could testify against him. McDaniels is one of six people indicted last year and accused of conspiracy, sex trafficking of children and forcing and coercing adults to engage in commercial sex acts. The investigation involves modeling studios and massage parlors in Houston, with ties to Kansas, Nevada, Arizona and Florida. A witness tampering conviction carries a possible life term in prison.==============================Judge Orders KC Area Bloggers Back to SchoolKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal judge has ordered two Kansas City area high school students to return to the high school where they had been suspended for 180 days over what the school district considered offensive blog posts. The Kansas City Star reports that senior U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs issued a preliminary injunction yesterday (THUR), halting the remaining 69 days of their suspensions from Lee's Summit North High School. The 17-year-old twins haven't been identified in court documents because they're minors. Sachs said the teens' interest in returning to school outweighed the district's concerns. The school suspended the boys in December after they posted what it considered sexually offensive and racially insensitive remarks on their website. The parents sued to have the teens returned to their high school. A district lawyer declined comment.===============================Abortion Foe Randall Terry Fights to Get on KS Democratic BallotWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Anti-abortion activist Randall Terry says he'll go to court to try to get his name on the ballot in the Kansas Democratic presidential caucus. The Kansas Democratic Party determined this week that Terry is not a bona fide Democrat and won't be awarded any delegates from the party's April 14 Kansas caucuses. The Wichita Eagle reports that Terry said keeping him off the ballot is a violation of the Constitution. Democratic Party attorney Joe Sandler said Terry also failed to meet two mandatory deadlines, one for naming his state representative and another for filing a plan to encourage participation in the caucus by potential delegates. Terry said the deadlines he missed were not meaningful because he was planning to act as his own representative in Kansas.==============================Nebraska Pipeline Opponent Criticizes President ObamaOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — President Barack Obama's decision to expedite approval of an oil pipeline between Oklahoma and Texas is being criticized by Nebraska pipeline opponents. Jane Kleeb of Bold Nebraska says the president's decision is a disappointment because a fast approval could jeopardize land and water along the route. Kleeb helped organize opposition in Nebraska to TransCanada's larger proposed Keystone XL pipeline between Canada and Texas because of concerns about the Sandhills and underground Ogallala (oh-guh-LAH'-lah) aquifer. The aquifer irrigates Nebraska, Kansas and other Midwestern states. Kleeb says she hopes operator TransCanada will abandon the larger Keystone XL pipeline project if this southern section gets built. Kleeb says approving this pipeline is a departure from the president's otherwise responsible energy policy that encourages clean energy and increased efficiency.===============================Leavenworth Completes 2011 Flood CleanupLEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — The city of Leavenworth has taken down the last of the temporary fences put up at city parks during last year's flooding on the Missouri River. Crews removed the last of the barriers this week and reopened the walkway along Landing Park. The quarter-mile stretch of riverside parkway had been at least partially closed since June, when the Missouri began flowing out of its banks. Other flood-related repairs and renovations at Leavenworth parks are complete, and the city expects to open the Riverfront Park Campground as scheduled on April 1.====================================ACLU Intervenes in KC Efforts to Collect Signatures The American Civil Liberties Union says a security official was wrong to tell a woman to stop gathering signatures for ballot measures outside the Kansas City Public Library's main branch. The ACLU sent a letter Friday to the branch director saying that circulating a petition is protected speech. Attorney Doug Bonney said later Friday that library personnel told security officials to leave the signature-gatherers alone as long as they're on public sidewalks. One of the ballot measures would cap payday loan interest rates, while the other would increase the state of Missouri's minimum wage. Each petition needs roughly 105,000 valid sigantures from six Missouri congressional districts to get on a statewide ballot. City spokesman Danny Rotert says he doesn't know details about Bonney's complaint, but that the city respects the right to gather signatures. ===================================== KC Car Dealer Pleads Guilty in Federal Fraud Case KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The owner of several Kansas City-area used-car dealerships has pleaded guilty to a fraud conspiracy that the government says caused millions of dollars in losses for financial institutions. Acting U.S. Attorney David Ketchmark says 51-year-old John Hart III, of Kansas City, entered the plea Friday in federal court. Prosecutors say Hart operated the dealerships from May 2000 to February 2009. He and others obtained loans and lines of credit in connection with the vehicles involved in his car dealerships, and Hart admitted providing false information to obtain the funds. Hart also admitted obtaining multiple loans in which the same vehicle was pledged as collateral. He could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, plus restitution.==================================Santorum's Rural Appeal Keeping Him in GOP ContestWEST MONROE, La. (AP) — Republican presidential nominating contests often reveal a rural-urban split in the party, but a distinguishing feature this year is the emphasis Rick Santorum is placing on that divide. To hear Santorum tell it, front-runner Mitt Romney's ability to win in big city suburbs is a sign of ideological weakness, not political strength. Santorum says the fact that he does better in counties where Republicans do well is an indication of which candidate best reflects the party's values. But some political analysts say his relative weakness outside of rural areas raises doubts about his ability to slow Romney's march to the nomination. Santorum's aides shrug off those assessments. They say he can keep collecting delegates to the party's national convention using his current strategy.==============================KC Royals Pitcher to Have Elbow Surgery; Will Miss SeasonSURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Kansas City Royals closer Joakim Soria will undergo reconstructive elbow surgery and will miss the season. The surgery is scheduled for April 3. Soria made the decision Friday after being examined by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama for a third opinion. He had already been diagnosed with right elbow ligament damage by the Royals physicians and Dr. Lewis Yocum, who will perform the surgery in Los Angeles. Soria left the game Sunday against Cleveland with pain in his elbow. Soria, a two-time All-Star, who has 160 saves the past five seasons, also missed the 2003 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Manager Ned Yost said in Soria's absence the three candidates to close games for the Royals are Jonathan Broxton, Greg Holland and Aaron Crow. ==============================KS Gov Preparing to Name New KDOT SecretaryTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback is preparing to name a new secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation. Brownback scheduled a news conference for today (FRI), saying he would introduce his newest Cabinet secretary. His aides declined to identify the new secretary before the event. Barb Rankin, former KDOT chief attorney, became acting secretary in December following the resignation of Deb Miller. Miller stepped down after nearly nine years to take a job in the private sector. The department is two years into a 10-year, $8.2 billion program of highway, bridge and other transportation projects. KDOT has about 2,800 employees and a total budget of $1.6 billion, making it one of the state's largest agencies.**this story has been updated. See above for most recent story. ================================Army Sergeant Could Be Charged Today With Murder in Afghan KillingsFT. LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A U.S. official says Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales will be charged with 17 counts of murder in the massacre of Afghan villagers. The official says charges against Bales also include six counts of attempted murder and six counts of aggravated assault and other violations of military law. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the charges had not been announced. The 38-year-old soldier allegedly gunned down nine Afghan children and eight adults as they slept in their homes in two southern Afghanistan villages. The civilian attorney for Bales says his client has memory problems that pre-date the March 11 shootings. John Henry Browne told CBS TV that he spent 11 hours this week with Bales, who's in detention at Fort Leavenworth. Bales is expected to be formally presented today (FRI) with charges including 17 counts of murder as well as a string of other offenses. Browne said Bales had earlier suffered a "serious" concussion, and that it was not treated "for a variety of reasons," which Browne did not explain. Browne said his reaction to the government's allegations is: "Prove it." And he said he believes the government will have difficulty proving its case against Bales. He said "there is no crime scene" and a lack of important physical evidence like fingerprints.***this story has been updated. See above for most recent story.

UPDATE: Judge Puts Parts of New Kansas Abortion Restrictions on HoldTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge has temporarily blocked parts of a sweeping state anti-abortion law set to take effect next week. Shawnee County District Judge Rebecca Crotty issued her ruling Friday. She blocked a provision that would change the definition of what constitutes a medical emergency. She also blocked a requirement that abortion providers post a statement on their websites saying the state's materials on abortion are accurate. Two doctors contended the law would narrow the definition of medical emergency so much that a woman could never avoid restrictions, such as a 24-hour waiting period, even if her life were in imminent danger. Abortion opponents say that's not the case. The judge allowed other parts of the law to take effect Monday as scheduled. That includes a ban on sex-selection abortions.===============Wichita Area Cleaning Up Damage from Severe StormsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Thousands of residents in south central Kansas remain without power (FRI) after storms swept through the region, downing trees and power lines. Most of the damage from Thursday's storms was reported in Sedgwick County, where about 16,000 customers remained without power at noon Friday, down from a peak of about 21,000. The utility said it hoped to have power restored by Saturday morning. Power outages also were reported in Harvey, McPherson and Reno counties. The National Weather Service says winds topped 70 mph, knocking limbs onto cars and homes and bringing down power poles. Winds also damaged some fireworks stands set up for the upcoming holiday. The Kansas Highway Patrol says winds blew over a semi-trailer truck on the Kansas Turnpike Thursday evening. The driver was hospitalized with critical injuries.===============USDA: Wet Spring Won't Affect Predicted Corn CropDES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers will come through with the predicted corn crop despite the Midwest's wet spring that delayed planting. Kansas is down about 100,000 acres and Minnesota and Wisconsin are down, too. But some states — including Michigan, Nebraska and Texas — planted more corn than expected, which will make up for the loss in Iowa, the nation's leading corn producer. Friday's annual acreage report is based on farmer surveys, and surprised farmers, analysts and commodities traders. Many expected the number of corn acres planted to fall by about 2 million acres. The report says farmers planted 97.4 million acres and will harvest 89.1 million acres. Earlier predictions were 97.3 million acres planted and 89.5 million acres harvested. Corn prices fell rapidly as the report was released, because it indicated more corn than expected would be available on the market.===============Report: Kansas Farmers Planted Fewer Acres of CornWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A new report says Kansas farmers planted fewer acres of corn and soybeans and more acres of sorghum this spring than in 2012. The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Friday that corn growers planted 4.5 million acres this spring, down 4 percent from last year. Genetically engineered varieties were used on 91 percent of the acreage, up a percentage point from last year. Soybean plantings in Kansas were down 1 percent to 3.95 million acres with biotech varieties used on 93 percent of it. Sorghum growers planted 12 percent more this year with 2.8 million acres. Wheat seeded last fall totaled 9.4 million acres, but so many of those drought-stricken acres have been abandoned that just 8.2 million acres are expected to be harvested.===============Butler National Considering Layoffs to Cut CostsOLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Officials with Butler National Corporation say they are considering layoffs after the Olathe-based company reported its first sustained losses in more than a decade. Two of the company's top executives — Clark Stewart, president and chief executive, and chairman Warren Wagoner — have taken 40 percent pay cuts. Officials say others also might have their pay reduced. Stewart said the company would rather reduce pay than lay off employees. He said the financial problems had eased recently when some employees left voluntarily. Butler employs about 100 people who modify, repair, maintain and overhaul aircraft in Newton, Olathe and Tempe, Arizona. The Kansas City Star reports that Butler recorded a $755,000 loss in its first quarter, which led to the first nine-month loss at the company since 2001.===============Founder of Kansas-Based Brooke Corporation Pleads GuiltyKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The founder of the failed Kansas-based insurance franchising business Brooke Corporation has pleaded guilty to providing misleading information in a federal securities filing. The U.S. Attorney's office says 59-year-old Robert D. Orr of Denver entered the plea Thursday. He admitted that while he was chairman, the company submitted a 2007 annual report that made its finances appear stronger than they actually were. Prosecutors say Orr knew the report didn't include the specific number of failed Brooke Capital franchise locations or the amount of money being spent to prop up struggling franchises. Brooke was founded in the northwest Kansas town of Phillipsburg in 1986. It set out to provide insurance services for small-town banks to sell to their customers. Eventually, it moved to Overland Park, and went public in 2003.=============== New Kansas Law Will Require Registration for RoofersTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A new Kansas law taking effect Monday will require roofing contractors to register annually with the attorney general's office before they can be paid for their work. The new law was enacted this year by legislators and is designed to protect consumers. It had the support of Attorney General Derek Schmidt, AARP and the roofing industry itself. The law says that roofing contractors must obtain an annual certificate from the attorney general's office to solicit business or collect fees for residential or commercial jobs. Roofers must be at least 18 years old, and they or their companies must show that they carry $500,000 in liability insurance. The attorney general's office expects to charge a $250 annual registration fee.=============== Auction of Late State Representative's Antiques SaturdayALDEN, Kan. (AP) — The late state Representative Bob Bethell had a passion for finding antiques and built a large collection during his lifetime. Bethell accumulated so many antiques that he built a large garage near his home in Alden and planned an adjoining room to hold more. But Bethell died in a car accident in May 2012 before the project was done. His wife, Lorene, has decided to part with some of his beloved antique cars and some other items during an auction Saturday. The Hutchinson News reports that seven cars will be sold, along with Volkswagen bodies for parts. Other items up for auction include several tractors, a Pepsi machine, a traffic light and several fire hydrants. The auction starts at 10 am Saturday in Alden.=============== Report: Kansas Wheat Harvest Reaches Nebraska BorderWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas wheat harvest has now reached the Nebraska border. The industry group Kansas Wheat reported Thursday that combines are running from Norton to Marshall counties along the Nebraska border. Ag Valley Co-op in Norton says just a few thousand bushels of wheat have been brought in so far. Early test weights have been running 55 to 56 pounds per bushel. Many fields still have a green cast to them, but harvest is expected to pick up by early next week. Harvest is about halfway complete around Hoisington in central Kansas. The United Ag Service elevator in Hoisington says yields have been ranging from 20 to 50 bushels an acre there. Test weights have been coming at 56 to 62 pounds per bushel.===============NE Kansas Man Sentenced in Son's Beating DeathHIAWATHA, Kan. (AP) — A northeast Kansas man has been given the maximum sentence for the beating death of his 4-year-old son. KNZA-FM reportsthat 27-year-old Lee Davis IV, of Hiawatha, was sentenced Friday to nearly 20 years in prison. Davis was initially charged with first-degree murder but pleaded no contest in April to second-degree murder and felony child abuse. The son, who has been identified only by a set of initials, died March 5 at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. The sentence imposed by Brown County District Judge Jim Patton requires Davis to register as a violent offender for 15 years after completing his prison term. A woman who lived with Davis at the time of the killing faces a September hearing on multiple charges, including aiding and abetting second-degree murder.===============Kansas Court Orders New Trial in Day Care DeathWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a former Wichita home day care provider in the 2008 strangulation death of a 13-month-old girl. The court on Friday threw out the involuntary manslaughter conviction against Jessica Cummings. The court said it is firmly convinced that if the jury had been properly instructed, it would have reached a different verdict. At issue in the appeal was the jury instruction about the standard of proof prosecutors needed for a conviction of endangering a child. The court said it was convinced jurors had applied a potential civil liability standard. Evidence at Cummings's 2009 trial indicated the toddler slid down in the car seat where she was placed to sleep and was strangled by a strap.===============Jury Rules for KC Officer in Fatal ShootingKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Jackson County jury has ruled in favor of a Kansas City police officer who shot and killed a man after a chase in May 2008. The Kansas City Star reports that the jury on Friday rejected the claims in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the mother of 26-year-old Terry Davis. The mother, Angela Davis, argued that Officer Robert Vivona had no reason to shoot her son. The lawsuit contended that Terry Davis had dropped a handgun and raised his hands to surrender before Vivona shot him. But Vivona testified during the three-day trial that he fired only after Davis turned around during a foot chase and pointed a gun at him. Davis had jumped out of a stolen vehicle whose driver took off as police approached.===============2 Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in MissouriJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Gladstone couple has pleaded guilty in Jackson County (Missouri) to voter fraud. Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker says in a release that 60-year-old John Moretina and 61-year-old Clara Moretina pleaded guilty Friday to voter fraud. They each admitted they tried to cast an improper ballot in the August 3, 2010, Missouri House primary in the 40th district. The Kansas City Star reports that both Moretinas will pay a fine and forfeit their voting rights. State Representative J.J. Rizzo, a Democrat, is a nephew to the Moretinas. Rizzo won the August 3, 2010 primary by one vote. Kansas City police investigated the Moretinas' votes after John Moretina pleaded guilty earlier to voter fraud in federal court. Clara Moretina was not charged in the federal case.=============== Judge to Rule on Celebrity Hunter Case by End of JulyKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge in Kansas says he will rule by the end of July on whether to revoke probation for a professional Tennessee hunter accused of violating his plea deal. William "Spook" Spann was sentenced in February to three years' probation for transporting antlers from an illegally taken deer in Kansas to his home in 2007. As part of his sentence, Spann was ordered not to hunt in the U.S. for six months or break wildlife laws. Prosecutors want the 50-year-old to spend three months in jail for violating those terms after Tennessee wildlife agents claimed he hunted and illegally spread bait on his property. Spann says he didn't carry a gun or shoot anything when accompanying other hunters on his land, so he doesn't consider that hunting.===============Retirement Perks for Missouri, Kansas University Leaders Attract NoticeKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — University presidents in Kansas and Missouri have been retiring with substantial financial packages. When University of Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton retires this fall he'll direct the Brady and Anne Deaton Institute for University Leadership in International Development on the university's Columbia campus. He will be paid $200,000. According to the Kansas City Star, that kind of exit deal was uncommon a decade ago for leaders of public colleges. Kansas State University President Jon Wefald was paid $255,000 a year for two years after he retired in 2009. Since 2011, Kansas State has continued to pay Wefald about $158,000 a year as part of a five-year plan. Robert Hemenway, who retired from the University of Kansas in 2009, received about $340,000 for two years after he retired in 2009.=============== Home Where Kansas Woman Was Murdered DemolishedKINGMAN, Kan. (AP) — The house in Kingman that burned after a woman was killed has been demolished. The two-story home of Vashti Forrest-Seacat was demolished Thursday, to the relief of neighbors. It had sat damaged and unusable since Seacat was killed in April 2011. Her husband, Brett Seacat, was found guilty earlier this month of killing his wife and setting the house on fire before escaping with the couple's two young sons. He is scheduled to be sentenced August 5. No plans for the lot have been announced. Neighbor Peggy Culver told KAKE-TV that nearby residents hope the land will become a park to honor Vashti Seacat and the two boys.=============== Family Adopts Puppy Trapped in Car for WeeksKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A puppy that survived after apparently being trapped inside a car at a Kansas City tow lot for several weeks has a new home. The foster family who was has been taking care of the dog, named Kia, since she was rescued in early May decided to keep her. Tori Fugate, spokeswoman for the Kansas City Pet Project, says the adoption became final Wednesday. Kia, a terrier-schnauzer mix, is with a couple who have a young daughter. The Kansas City Star reports that the shelter will not release more information about the family. Police and tow lot employees say she apparently was in a car at the lot from April 8 until she was discovered May 6. She apparently survived by eating leftover fast food and old cigars.=============== K-State University Researchers Help Combat Wheat RustMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A scientific breakthrough could help fight a deadly wheat pathogen that's causing significant crop losses. Researchers from Kansas State University and the University of California-Davis have identified a gene that gives wheat plants resistance to one of the most deadly strains of the wheat stem rust pathogen. The rust strain first was identified in Uganda in 1999 and is spreading from Africa to the breadbaskets of Asia. Kansas State said in a news release that the hope is scientists will use the research to develop new wheat varieties. The findings from the Kansas and California researchers have been published in the journal Science alongside a study from an Australian group that identified another promising gene.=============== KU's Ben McLemore Selected in First Round of NBA DraftSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Sacramento Kings selected University of Kansas shooting guard Ben McLemore with the seventh pick in the NBA draft, the first major move under the new ownership and basketball operations team. Fans inside Sacramento's arena cheered when the Kings chose McLemore on Thursday night. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound guard gives Sacramento an elite shooter and one of the most gifted natural athletes in the draft. The second-team All-American broke Danny Manning's freshman scoring record at KU. McLemore averaged nearly 16 points on a team that went 31-6 and won a share of its ninth straight Big 12 title. It's the second straight year Sacramento used its first-round pick on a KU player. The Kings took Thomas Robinson fifth last June. Robinson struggled from the start and was traded to Houston in February.=============== Driver in Fatal Missouri Crash Sentenced to 6 YearsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man who was speeding and driving erratically before a crash that left one woman dead was sentenced to six years in prison. Jeffrey T. Jackson was sentenced Thursday for first-degree involuntary manslaughter and second-degree assault in the February 2012 accident that killed 33-year-old Ashlie Limbaugh of Oak Grove. Prosecutors say Jackson was driving erratically and going more than 100 mph when he left Interstate 70 in Blue Springs and hit four vehicles. Limbaugh was the driver of one of the vehicles stopped at a traffic light when Jackson hit them. The Kansas City Star reports that Jackson told investigators that he had smoked marijuana before the accident, and a blood sample found drugs in his system.===============Man Suspected in Colorado Rogaine Thefts ArrestedGOLDEN, Colo. (AP) — A man suspected of stealing almost $10,000 in teeth-whitening strips, weight-loss pills, condoms, Rogaine and other products from Walgreen stores in Colorado has been arrested in Idaho. Sheriff's officials in Jefferson County, Colorado said Friday that 27-year-old Curtis M. Williams also is suspected in similar thefts in Utah, Minnesota, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska and Puerto Rico. Authorities say a neatly groomed man wearing a sweater, tie and slacks would hide stolen goods in his coat, then buy a DVD before leaving the store as a cover for activating the door alarm. Sheriff's spokesman Mark Techmeyer says clerks at Walgreen stores nationwide were alerted to the suspect, and a Minnesota clerk who recognized him noted the license plate on his rental car. The suspect was arrested after arriving in Idaho. He remains jailed Friday and it isn't known if he has a lawyer.=============== Missouri Man Sentenced for Hitting HayrideOAK GROVE, Mo. (AP) — A northwest Missouri man who ran into a hayride filled with people while driving drunk was sentenced to seven years in prison. Several people were knocked off the ride and two were seriously hurt when 29-nine-year-old Kaylon J. Childers of Oak Grove ran into the hayride on Missouri Route H near Oak Grove in October 2011. Childers was sentenced Thursday to seven years on each of four counts of second-degree assault and to 100 days for driving with a revoked license. The sentences will run concurrently. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Childers's blood-alcohol content was .205 percent at the time of the accident. The Kansas City Star reports that Childers had previously been convicted of drunken driving and of driving with a revoked license.=============== Missouri Agency Updates Guidance for Student TransfersJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri education officials have updated their guidance for local schools dealing with the transfer of students from unaccredited districts. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says school districts should post on their websites a student transfer application, details about the admissions process and the current number of available slots in each grade level. That applies only for schools in the same or neighboring county as an unaccredited district. Missouri currently has three unaccredited school districts — Kansas City and the suburban St. Louis districts of Normandy and Riverview Gardens. Earlier this month, the Missouri Supreme Court upheld a 1993 state law requiring unaccredited school districts to pay for students to attend other nearby schools.=============== Ex-Kansas Airman Convicted of $55K FraudWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas Air Guard National member has been convicted of fraudulently receiving nearly $55,000 in benefits by claiming she was commuting to a Wichita base from Arizona. The U.S. Attorney's office says a jury on Thursday found 28-year-old Wichita resident Eledria Bradley guilty of one count of wire fraud. Bradley was a senior airman assigned to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita. Prosecutors said she used an online system for service members to change her address from Wichita to Chandler, Arizona which put her outside the commuting distance from McConnell. Prosecutors said the phony address allowed Bradley to collect nearly $55,000 in lodging and per diem benefits from April 2009 until April 2011. A sentencing date has not been set.=============== Judge Sets August Trial for Former Insurance AgentWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas insurance agent accused of stealing nearly $2 million from policyholders faces a late summer trial. U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten on Thursday set an August 27th trial for 41-year-old Jason Pennington of Bel Aire. A 51-count indictment accuses Pennington of defrauding policyholders and lying to beneficiaries to cover the thefts. He is charged with wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, money laundering, attempted bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. He has been released on a $25,000 bond pending trial. His 65-year-old father, James Pennington of Wichita, is charged with four counts of filing false tax returns. He is out on a $10,000 bond. The younger Pennington was a State Farm Insurance agent from June 2000 until June 2010.

Here's a look at area headlines from the Associated Press, as compiled by KPR news staffers.

Here's the weekend's Kansas and regional news headlines from the Associated Press.

Information about the mass shooting in Hesston is still emerging. Click here to see up-to-the-minute updates on what investigators have learned.

Regional headlines from the Associated Press

All three branches of the federal government had been engaged, including actors within the executive branch who saw their duty to the law more than to the chief executive who had put them in office.