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"Impeachment talk" becomes the political conversation and an object of obsessive fascination for the news media. Whatever else is happening, impeachment talk is guaranteed airtime and clicks.

Officials involved in Jan. 6 prosecutions say the Trump administration isn't protecting them from threats. "We don't think they'll care — unless and until one of us gets killed," an official told NPR.

Richard Glossip has had nine execution dates set over the years. He's eaten his last meal three times. He was tried twice and has had multiple appeals, including one at the Supreme Court.

Here's the latest Kansas and regional news from the Assciated Press, compiled by KPR staff.

The idea is to make it easy for Facebook users to beef up their own preparedness and strengthen their social connections in case something goes really wrong, such as a pandemic or serious earthquake.

KS Governor Signs KS Tax LegislationTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback is preparing to sign legislation making additional cuts to Kansas income taxes over the next five years. The Republican governor has scheduled a signing ceremony today (THUR) in Overland Park, with another ceremony later in the day in Wichita. The changes in income tax rates include an adjustment in the standard deduction for personal income taxes. The legislation also addresses the state sales tax, which had been scheduled to drop in July from 6.3 percent to 5.7 percent. Lawmakers voted instead to trim the rate slightly, to 6.15 percent, which will raise an estimated $777 million over five years. Legislators approved the measure this year after passing massive income tax cuts in 2012. Brownback has said he hopes eventually to eliminate the state income tax entirely.==============================GAO Rejects Beechcraft's Protest of Lost ContractWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal agency has rejected Wichita-based Beechcraft's protest of the award of an Air Force contract for light air support planes to Sierra Nevada Corp. and its Brazil-based partner, Embraer. Both companies issued statements Thursday announcing the decision by the Government Accountability Office. It's the latest development in a high-stakes competition that has taken nearly three years with legal challenges from both sides. The contract for 20 planes for use in Afghanistan is worth more than $427 million. It could be worth as much as $1 billion, depending on future orders. Sierra Nevada and Embraer lauded the decision as a win for U.S. forces and allies in Afghanistan. But Beechcraft is calling for Congress to step in and limit the purchase to only the portion covered by the first delivery order.==============================Wichita Boy Wounded by Shots Fired Outside HomeWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police believe the shooter who fired on a home and struck a sleeping 4-year-old boy targeted the wrong address. The shooting happened around 3 a.m. Thursday. Police say the boy and his mother were asleep in a bedroom of a duplex at the time. The 4-year-old was taken to St. Francis Hospital with a gunshot wound in his back. Police said he was in stable condition after surgery and is expected to recover. Police said five shots were fired from outside the home. A search for suspects continued Thursday afternoon.==============================Cousin Testifies in Zoey Belcher HearingKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Texas woman seeking custody of her slain cousin's baby says she doesn't blame the family of Kansas City Chiefs player Javon Belcher for shootings that left the little girl an orphan. Belcher fatally shot Kasandra Perkins, with whom he had a 9-month-old daughter, on Dec. 1 before killing himself. His mother, Cheryl Shepherd, is vying with Sophie Perkins, Kasandra Perkins' cousin, for custody of little Zoey Belcher. Perkins lives near Austin, Texas. Shepherd is from West Babylon, N.Y. Perkins testified Thursday as a three-day custody hearing was scheduled to conclude in Jackson County probate court. But probate commissioner Daniel Wheeler has said he won't make an immediate ruling.==============================Federal Grant will Help Topeka School be BilingualTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A federal grant has three Topeka elementary schools making big plans for the future. The Scott Dual-Language Magnet, Ross Elementary and Quincy Elementary learned recently that they will receive a total of more than $2.5 million in federal school improvement grants for the next school year. The schools will receive more federal money in the following two academic years if Congress provides the funding. Deborah Perbeck, a district administrator, said the money will pay for everything from new employees to iPads. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Scott Dual-Language Magnet expects to receive ends of thousands of dollars for Spanish-language materials. The school is transitioning into a fully bilingual program. At Ross and Quincy, the money will help introduce a program that targets children who need extra help getting to college.============================== Judge Appoints New Attorney in Porn CaseTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Topeka man who faces more than 100 child pornography charges will get a new attorney. A Shawnee County judge on Wednesday appointed a new attorney for Jason W. Hachmeister, who said he no longer trusted attorney Napoleon Crews, of Lawrence. The 39-year-old Hachmeister is charged with 108 counts of sexual exploitation of a child. His trial is scheduled to start June 24. Hachmeister is charged in another case with killing his mother in 2011. Prosecutors say the child pornography was found on Hachmeister's personal computer during an investigation into the September 2011 killing of 58-year-old Sheila R. Hachmeister of Topeka. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports jury selection in the murder trial is scheduled to start Sept. 9.==============================Kansas Winter Wheat Harvest Getting Slow StartWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The winter wheat harvest is off to a slow, tentative start in south-central Kansas. Steve Inslee, general manager at the OK Co-op in Kiowa, said Thursday that local farmers have cut a few acres and the grain elevator has taken a couple of loads of wheat. He doesn't look for the area's harvest to begin in earnest until Sunday or Monday. Inslee expects the elevator to take in just 1 million bushels this season because of the drought. That would be one-third of what it received last year. The industry group Kansas Wheat says it knows of no other harvest activity besides Kiowa. Group spokesman Bill Spiegel says the Kansas harvest was about 70 percent complete at this time last year.============================== Lawrence Man Gets Life Sentence for Child RapeLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man will spend at least 25 years in prison for the rape of a young girl who told police she was repeatedly abused over a period of years. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that a Douglas County judge gave Robert Leo Hill two life sentences yesterday (WED) -- one for rape, the other for aggravated indecent liberties. The 42-year-old Lawrence man pleaded no contest to the charges last month. Prosecutors dropped eight other counts in exchange for Hill's acceptance of the life sentences. The sentences will run together, and Hill will be eligible for parole after 25 years. Hill told the judge he was "very, very, very sorry" and never meant to harm the victim, who is now 12 years old and has moved out of Kansas.==============================4-Year-Old Wichita Boy Shot in Drive-By ShootingWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police say a 4-year-old boy is in stable condition at St. Francis Hospital after he was shot while sleeping in his home. Police say the boy and his mother were sleeping early Thursday when someone fired at least five shots into their home. The boy was hit the back and is expected to recover from his injuries. Police are still investigating and do not currently have any suspects.==============================Amid Fire Danger, Western KS Bakes in Record HeatGARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — Record-breaking heat is settling in over parts of western Kansas, and there's concern that gusting winds could create a fire hazard. The Garden City Telegram reports high temperatures in that city broke long-standing records Monday and Tuesday. The mercury hit 108 both days, and Wednesday's high was expected to reach 101. The heat is being joined by winds gusting to as high as 36 miles per hour. It's a combination that put much of southwest Kansas under a red flag warning, meaning that conditions are favorable for fires. Garden City and other spots around the western half of Kansas are expected to be at or near 100 through Friday, with cooler — but still hot — temperatures arriving this weekend along with a chance for isolated storms.==============================Institute: Old KS Science Standards Were BetterTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An educational think tank says Kansas is replacing some of the nation's strongest science standards for public schools with weaker, multistate guidelines. The Thomas B. Fordham Institute's report on the new standards was released today (THUR). two days after their adoption by the Kansas State Board of Education. The new standards were drafted by 26 states and the National Research Council. Educators and officials have praised them as a major improvement, partly because they emphasize hands-on projects. But Fordham Institute gave the multistate standards a "C'' grade. And the institute last year gave Kansas' old standards a "B." Only seven states and the District of Columbia received higher grades. The institute says the newest standards scrimp on detail about the key concepts students are supposed to learn.==============================Kansas Tribes Get Federal Housing GrantsHORTON, Kan. (AP) — A federal agency has awarded grants totaling more than $1 million to two American Indian tribes in northeast Kansas for affordable housing. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the grants Wednesday. The Kickapoo Tribe, based in Horton, will receive about $820,000. HUD also said the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska was awarded about $394,000. The Iowa Tribe has offices in White Cloud, Kansas. Federal officials said in a news release that the grants may be used to build affordable housing, or for programs that contribute to housing availability and public safety. The grants to the Kansas tribes were part of $563 million being distributed this year to 353 American Indian and Alaskan Native agencies.==============================3 More Dodge City Gang Members Plead Guilty to Various ChargesWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Three more members of a Dodge City gang targeted in a federal racketeering crackdown have pleaded guilty to criminal charges. The U.S. Attorney's office says the pleas were entered by 27-year-old Angel Cerda, 29-year-old Jesus Torres and 26-year-old Fabian Neave (nay-AH'-vay). Cerda admitted being involved in a 2008 shooting in which two people were wounded. The charges against Torres involved the stabbings of two people in August 2011. Neave admitted taking part in robbery, attempted murder and drug trafficking. Federal prosecutors obtained racketeering indictments against 23 gang members in the Dodge City area in May 2011, accusing them of victimizing immigrants who were in the U.S. illegally. Several of those charged have now pleaded guilty.==============================Charges Dismissed against KS Killer's Wife in Death of Patricia KimmiTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A woman whose husband was convicted of killing a Kansas woman is no longer facing charges of helping him avoid arrest. Charges were dismissed Wednesday against Rebecca Hollister, wife of Roger Hollister, who was convicted of killing 58-year-old Patricia Kimmi of Rural Horton in 2009. Rebecca Hollister, of Topeka, was charged in March with aiding a felon. Prosecutors had alleged she tried to help her husband avoid arrest and conviction after Kimmi's death. Roger Hollister died in March while serving a life sentence in the El Dorado Correctional Facility. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Nemaha County Attorney Brad Lippert said in his motion to dismiss that an essential state witness had died, making it difficult to prosecute Rebecca Hollister.==============================Judge Appoints New Attorney in Topeka Porn CaseTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Topeka man who faces more than 100 child pornography charges will get a new attorney. A Shawnee County judge has appointed a new attorney for Jason W. Hachmeister, who said he no longer trusted attorney Napoleon Crews, of Lawrence. The 39-year-old Hachmeister is charged with 108 counts of sexual exploitation of a child. His trial is scheduled to start June 24. Hachmeister is charged in another case with killing his mother in 2011. Prosecutors say the child pornography was found on Hachmeister's personal computer during an investigation into the September 2011 killing of 58-year-old Sheila R. Hachmeister of Topeka. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that jury selection in the murder trial is scheduled to start September 9.==============================KS Wheat Outlook Improving Amid Spring RainsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A new government forecast for the size of the 2013 Kansas winter wheat crop reflects improvements amid the state's wet spring weather. The National Agricultural Statistics Service has revised its Kansas production estimate to 307.8 million bushels. That's up 3 percent from last month's forecast but would still be down 21 percent from last year's crop. The agency also revised its average yield estimate to 38 bushels an acre. That is up 1 bushel from what had been expected just a month ago, but 4 bushels per acre fewer than what Kansas growers were cutting last year. The 8.1 million wheat acres anticipated to be harvested in Kansas this year remain unchanged from last month's estimate. It is down 11 percent from a year ago.==============================Holcomb to Delay New State Concealed Carry LawHOLCOMB, Kan. (AP) — Holcomb city officials have voted to delay implementing a new state law that allows concealed weapons in public buildings. The law takes effect July 1 but local governments are allowed to seek a delay until January 1, 2014. The law requires local governments to allow concealed weapons in public buildings unless they have an adequate plan for security at the buildings. The Holcomb City Council voted Wednesday to seek the delay. City administrator Robin Pena said the six-month extension will give Holcomb time to create a plan to keep everyone safe. The Garden City Telegram reports that council members said the extension also would give them time to watch how other local governments address the issue, and to see if some questions about the law are clarified.==============================Judge Rules against Claims by Former Kansas City DetectiveWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has rejected claims by a former Kansas City, Kansas, police detective that he was punished for refusing to conceal a motorist's beating by federal agents. U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten issued a summary judgment Wednesday for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, the sheriff and an undersheriff in the 2011 lawsuit brought by Max Seifert. Seifert alleged he suffered retaliation for investigating Drug Enforcement Administration agents involved in a 2003 road-rage incident that left a man with permanent brain damage. Marten ruled Seifert failed to prove that his testimony in that case led to the suspension of his duties as an investigator and the termination of his reserve commission. The judge said the defendants presented "credible evidence" they were motivated by concerns from prosecutors about Seifert's credibility.==============================

WaKeeney Man Charged with Murder in Fetus' DeathWAKEENEY, Kan. (AP) _ The Kansas attorney general has filed a first-degree murder charge against a 30-year-old western Kansas man accused of killing an 8- to 10-week-old fetus. The Salina Journal reports that Scott Robert Bollig of WaKeeney has been charged with first-degree murder. The criminal complaint filed in Trego County accuses Bollig of putting a crushed medication used to end pregnancies on a pancake for a pregnant woman to eat. The incident allegedly occurred January 26. The complaint doesn't name the medication or say when the fetus died. Bollig's lawyer (Daniel Walter) says he'll challenge the statute used to charge Bollig. The statute makes it illegal to kill or wound an unborn child during an attack on the mother. ==============================Bill to open Kansas Police Records AdvancesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas House has approved and sent to the Senate a bill that allows more access to police documents about the reason behind arrests. The bill also would make affidavits justifying search warrants open to the parties involved. The bill advanced 113-10 on Thursday as the House finished work on dozens of bills ahead of the first major legislative deadline of the session. A tougher fight for the bill is expected in the Senate. As written, individuals whose homes are searched would have 30 days to request documentation explaining the reason for the search. Kansas is one of the few states that seal probable-cause affidavits. Prosecutors have raised concerns that opening the records could jeopardize the safety and privacy of victims and witnesses.==============================Third Person Charged in Salina HomicideSALINA, Kan. (AP) — A third person has been charged in the 2013 death of a 27-year-old Salina woman. The Salina Journal reports that 21-year-old Megan V. Wells is charged in Saline County with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. She's being held on $1 million bail. Two men, 25-year-old Joel Heil and 33-year-old Dane C. DeWeese, of Abilene, have pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Kristin Tyler, who was missing for two weeks before her body was found May 9 in rural Saline County. DeWeese's trial is set for March 24, and Heil's trial is scheduled for May 7. A lawyer for Wells didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.==============================Northeast KS Prosecutor Running for US SenateTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A northeast Kansas prosecutor has decided to run for the U.S. Senate and is the first Democratic candidate to publicly declare an interest in the race. Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor confirmed Thursday that he'll seek the seat held by three-term Republican incumbent Pat Roberts. Roberts is seeking re-election but faces a GOP primary challenge from Leawood radiologist Milton Wolf. Taylor said he will discuss his reasons for running during a Friday morning news conference at the Kansas secretary of state's office. Taylor formed an exploratory committee in November, saying people were urging him to run because of their frustrations with gridlock in Washington. Taylor was first elected district attorney in the county that includes Topeka in 2008 and was re-elected in 2012.==============================Kansas Senate Passes Bill Ending Lawmaker PACsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has passed a bill abolishing political action committees formed by legislative leaders in both parties after a bitter partisan debate. Republicans used their supermajority to push the bill through the chamber Thursday on a 31-6 vote, sending the measure to the House. Democrats opposed the measure, seeing it as an attempt by GOP majorities to hamstring the minority party's fundraising efforts in a Republican-leaning state. GOP senators said the bill is a good-government measure. Senate Democrats and House Democrats have leadership PACs. There's a Senate Republican PAC, but it's controlled by GOP moderates, who once led the Senate but were ousted from power in 2012. House Republicans have no PAC. A 2000 law prohibited legislators from forming new PACs, but it didn't abolish existing ones.==============================Missouri Senate Passes Business Truce with KansasJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri senators have passed legislation proposing a truce with Kansas in the battle for businesses in the Kansas City area. The bill approved 30-2 Thursday would end offers of special tax incentives for businesses to relocate from one side of the border to the other in the metropolitan region. The measure now goes to the Missouri House. But the truce also would need approval from the Kansas Legislature or governor to take effect. Over the past five years, Missouri and Kansas have collectively waived hundreds of millions of dollars of tax revenues for businesses that moved across the state line. The Missouri legislation would bar incentives for businesses moving between the Missouri counties of Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass and the Kansas counties of Wyandotte, Johnson, Douglas and Miami.==============================Tea Party PAC Backs Wolf in Kansas US Senate RaceWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A national tea party group is endorsing Milton Wolf in the Kansas physician's bid to unseat three-term U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts in the state's Republican primary. The Tea Party Express announced its backing for Wolf during a rally Thursday in Wichita. The group also planned rallies with Wolf in Topeka and Overland Park. The California-based group describes itself as the nation's largest tea party political action committee and is involved in Senate and congressional races across the nation. Wolf already has backing from Kansas tea party groups. He recently has faced criticism about posting graphic images from X-rays of victims of gunshot wounds and other medical injuries on Facebook page several years ago. Wolf has apologized, but Roberts is running statewide cable-television and radio ads attacking Wolf on the issue.==============================Bill Would Raise Kansas Limits on Lawsuit DamagesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has approved a bill that increases the state's limits on some damages in lawsuits but makes other changes in evidence rules. The Senate's 32-8 vote Thursday sends the measure to the House. The bill is partly a response to a 2012 Kansas Supreme Court ruling in a medical malpractice lawsuit. The court upheld the state's $250,000 limit on non-economic damages such as pain and suffering in personal injury lawsuits. But the court also suggested that the limit might not remain constitutional because of inflation. The bill would boost the cap to $300,000 in July and $350,000 in July 2022. The increase is tied to changes in evidence rules sought by the Kansas Chamber of Commerce. One change gives judges greater discretion to limit expert testimony.==============================Kansas House OKs Official State FossilsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two ancient giants that once roamed the area now known as Kansas have earned approval from the House to be designated as the state's official fossils. Legislators voted 96-27 on Thursday to name the tylosaurus and the pteranodon (TEAR-un-don) as the official fossils. The creatures join the western meadowlark, ornate box turtle and bison as official state animals and reptiles. The tylosaurus was a large sea creature that hunted the ocean that covered Kansas more than 80 million years ago. While it patrolled the waters, the pteranodon roamed the skies. Fossils have been found in the chalk hills in western Kansas. Examples of the tylosaurus are on display at museums in Hays and Lawrence. Supporters say the designation boosts the state's tradition of being a paleontology treasure trove.==============================KS GOP Senators Defend Closed Caucus MeetingsDemocrats in the Kansas Senate have put forth a proposal that would require all legislative party caucus meetings to be open to the public. But Republican senators have rejected the measure. The GOP-dominated Senate voted 30-8 yesterday (WED) against the proposal from Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, of Topeka. Only one Republican, Carolyn McGinn of Sedgwick, supported his measure. The Kansas Open Meetings Act generally requires government meetings to be open to the public. But it has an exception for the Legislature, so that Republicans and Democrats in each chamber can close their daily caucus meetings. The meetings are rarely closed, though Senate Republicans have done so at least twice over the past decade. Hensley said all caucus meetings should be open. ==============================KS Bill Offers Convicted Vets Mental TreatmentTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ Some military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress who are convicted of low-level crimes could be ordered by Kansas courts to receive treatment as a condition of their sentence. A bill advancing Wednesday in the Kansas House would allow veterans who meet strict criteria to receive treatment for their mental illness, provided the sentence for their crime doesn't require time in prison. The bill's aimed at helping veterans who are coping with PTSD and other mental illness as a result of their combat service. The treatment would be ordered at the time of the court conviction or before sentencing to veterans who have received a general or honorable military discharge. Supporters say the measure is a first step in helping veterans address their mental health needs and seek proper treatment. ==============================KBI: Amber Alert for Texas Girl MisdirectedTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says an Amber alert issued earlier this week was a mistake. The alert suggested that a teenager missing from Texas might be in the Kansas City area, but that was an error caused by miscalculating the location of her cellphone ping. The alert was sent around 9:30 Tuesday night. But the KBI says it appears the ping was read wrong and there's no evidence the girl's phone was ever in the area. Velazquez has since been found safe in Lubbock, Texas. A 28-year-old construction worker has been taken into custody. No word yet on whether he's been charged.=============================Two KS Schools Selected for "Innovative Status"TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ The Concordia and McPherson school districts have been granted "innovative status," freeing them from state laws as they pursue certain education goals. They will be allowed to operate similar to charter schools but are still accountable to local boards of education and the State Board of Education. Eight Kansas districts applied for the status to Governor Sam Brownback, and the chairs of the House and Senate education committees.==============================KU to Start Construction on New DormsLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) _ The University of Kansas is ready to begin construction of two five-story halls that will house 350 students. Groundbreaking for the $47.8 million project is scheduled for next Wednesday. The new residence halls will include two- and four-person suites. Construction is expected to be completed by July 2015, with the first students moving in that August. The nearly 50-year-old McCollum Hall will be torn down in the summer of 2015. Beginning in September, students will be able to sign up online to live in the new halls.==============================KS Woman Guilty of Stealing from Gov't ProgramsKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) _ A Kansas woman has pleaded guilty to defrauding federal need-based programs out of more than $43,000. Fifty-seven-year-old Wanda Herdman of Kansas City admitted yesterday that she stole from the Supplemental Security Income, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance and Medicaid programs. In her plea, Herman said she didn't report her spouse's Department of Veterans Affairs income.==============================10-year-old Springfield girl laid to rest SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) _ A flag-waving crowd gathered outside the funeral of a 10-year-old Springfield girl who was abducted and killed last week, chanting her name and wearing her favorite colors of pink and purple. The funeral for Hailey Owens was held yesterday (WED) at Ridgecrest Baptist Church. The fourth-grader was killed February 18th after being abducted in her own neighborhood. Forty-five-year-old Craig Michael Wood is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and armed criminal action in her death. The middle-school football coach is being held without bond in Greene County Jail. The Springfield News-Leader reports that about 100 people formed a human wall outside the church's entrance.==============================KS House Seeks to Expand Rural Economic ZonesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ Kansas House members are preparing to approve a bill that would add four southern counties to a program that seeks to boost population and economic development in rural areas. The House will vote Thursday on a bill that would add Cherokee, Labette, Montgomery and Sumner counties to the existing list of 73 counties currently eligible for designation as rural opportunity zones. Legislators created the program to boost rural growth in 2011, primarily in counties that had seen double-digit population declines during the last federal census period. The program offers income tax exemptions for new residents moving to those counties, as well as the repayment of a portion of outstanding college loans with participation by county governments. Program supporters say the incentives have been helpful in attracting residents and business activity.==============================Two Charged in Wichita Shooting WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ Two men have been charged in the fatal shooting death of a Wichita concrete company worker. The Wichita Eagle reports 40-year-old Deon Hale, and 33-year-old Donnie Lalonde are charged with first-degree premeditated murder in the death last week of of Efren Villarreal-Alvarado, a 44-year-old employee of Santana Concrete. Hale and Lalonde also each face a count of aggravated robbery in connection with the death. It's unclear if the defendants have lawyers. Co-workers found Villarreal-Alvarado alive with a gunshot wound to his chest when they arrived at the concrete company Friday morning. He was in his truck in the business's parking lot. Bond for each man was set at $1.5 million in the case. They are due back in court March 12th. ============================== Plan Would Raise Kansas Limits on Lawsuit Damages TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ The Kansas Senate has given first-round approval to a bill increasing the state's limits on some damages in lawsuits but makes other changes in evidence rules. The Senate's voice vote Wednesday advanced the bill to a final vote Thursday, when approval would send the measure to the House. The bill is partly a response to a 2012 Kansas Supreme Court ruling in a medical malpractice lawsuit. The court upheld the state's $250,000 limit on non-economic damages such as pain and suffering in personal injury lawsuits. But the court also suggested that the limit might not remain constitutional because of inflation. The bill would boost the cap to $300,000 in July and $350,000 in July 2022. The increase is tied to changes in evidence rules sought by business groups. ==============================

Appeals Court Revives Kansas School Funding CaseOVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — An appeals court has revived a school finance lawsuit filed by some northeast Kansas parents. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver on Thursday reversed a lower court dismissal of a lawsuit filed by parents in the Shawnee Mission School District. The parents want a judge to lift a state cap on local option school budgets so district patrons can raise their taxes to support local schools. U.S. District Judge John Lungstrum dismissed the lawsuit in March 2011. He agreed with state officials, who argued that ending the cap on local option taxes would cause the state's school funding system to collapse. The Kansas City Star reports the appellate court ruled the court must hear the case to determine if the cap is constitutional.===================== Kansas Democratic Leader Knocks Brownback School Waste Tipster EffortTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A leading Kansas Democrat is criticizing efforts by Republican Governor Sam Brownback to solicit anonymous tips about inefficient use by schools of their state funding. House Minority Leader Paul Davis says a new website where people can offer tips and suggestions amounts to an online forum for criticizing schools. A task force on school efficiency appointed by Brownback launched the website this week. Brownback spokeswoman Sherriene Jones-Sontag said the governor wants to make Kansas a leader in education and get more dollars into instruction. Davis says the state should instead discuss innovative ways that schools have done more with less because of past reductions in base state aid. Davis also said the state should celebrate schools by restoring some of the lost aid.=====================Kansas Unemployment Rate Drops to 5.9 Percent in SeptemberTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A new report says the Kansas jobless rate dropped below 6 percent in September for the first time in almost four years. The state Labor Department said Thursday that seasonally adjusted unemployment fell last month to 5.9 percent from 6.2 percent in August. It was also down from 6.7 percent in September 2011. Kansas last had a jobless rate below 6 percent in December 2008. The department also said Kansas continues to see modest growth in private, non-farm employment. The state had nearly 1.1 million such jobs last month, an increase of 1.2 percent from September 2011.===================== Boy Scout 'Perversion Files' Contain 14 Kansas CasesKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Confidential files kept for years by Boy Scouts of America detailing allegations of sexual abuse against boys include 14 cases from Kansas. Six of the 14 cases detailed in files released Thursday were from troops in Wichita. Other cases were from Olathe, Arkansas City, Manhattan, Newton, Kansas City, Hoisington and two from Leavenworth. The Boy Scouts released about 14,500 pages of what are being called "perversion files" on cases across the country dating from 1959 to 1985. A Portland law firm that made the files available stressed that simply because a case is on the list does not mean the allegations are true. Some of the national cases resulted in court sentences but others have not been substantiated or were dropped.The files also included 46 cases from Missouri, mostly in and around St. Louis and kansas City. ====================== Life Sentences in 1993 Topeka Death UpheldTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court upheld two life sentences for a man convicted in 1993 execution-style slaying in Topeka. The court on Friday rejected Jason Wade Schaeffer's argument that the Shawnee County judge who sentenced him was biased against him. Schaeffer and Joshua Kaiser were convicted in 1994 of killing 33-year-old Timothy Riley, who was abducted from his home, forced into a car trunk and driven around before Schaeffer eventually shot him in the head. While sentencing Schaeffer, Judge Thomas Conklin, among other things, called Schaeffer "grossly wicked" and said he wished he could impose a longer sentence. The court called Conklin's statements excessive and ill-advised but said they were not enough to set aside Schaeffer's sentences. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports a different judge gave Kaiser two life sentences.=====================Kansas Inmate Granted Hearing on DNA TestingSALINA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has given a man convicted in a 1982 rape and murder the chance to argue for new DNA testing. The Salina Journal reports the high court ruled Friday in favor of Robert H. Lackey. The court ordered a hearing on his DNA testing request in Saline County District Court, which had earlier turned him down. Lackey was convicted in 2002 of first-degree murder and rape in the death of Sara Ann Brecheisen, a 22-year-old college student from Salina. Brecheisen was a volunteer in 1982 at the Gospel Mission, a men's homeless shelter now known as the Salina Rescue Mission. Lackey lived at the shelter and worked there as a cook, going by the name Bob Moore.===================== TransCanada Temporarily Shuts Keystone PipelineKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal agency says TransCanada Corporation has temporarily shut down its existing Keystone pipeline after tests showed "possible safety issues." The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration says TransCanada reported shutting down the approximately 2,100-mile pipeline, which moves about 500,000 barrels of crude a day from Alberta, Canada, to facilities in Illinois and Oklahoma. The pipeline passes through Kansas en route to Cushing, Oklahoma. Jeannie Layson, spokeswoman for PHMSA, says the possible safety issues were found on part of the pipeline that extends between Missouri and Illinois. Layson says in an email that an agency inspector has been sent to review the test results, observe repairs and follow any necessary safety activities. She says TransCanada hasn't reported any leaks on the system. TransCanada spokesman Grady Semmens says the pipeline was shut down Wednesday and is expected to resume operations Saturday.===================== Interstate in North Oklahoma Reopens Following Dust StormBLACKWELL, Okla. (AP) — Transportation officials say a stretch of Interstate 35 in northern Oklahoma is open again after a massive dust storm triggered a multi-vehicle accident. Oklahoma Department of Transportation spokesman Cole Hackett said the 8-mile stretch of Interstate 35 reopened Thursday evening. Transportation workers had been called in earlier Thursday to close the highway between U.S. 60 and Oklahoma 11. The area just south of the Kansas state line remained closed for several hours as crews cleared debris from the crash and waited for winds to die down. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said visibility was less than 10 feet as gusts as high as 55 mph blew dust over the roadway Thursday afternoon. No one was killed in the multi-vehicle accident, though Blackwell, Oklahoma Police Chief Fred LeValley said nine people were injured.===================== Kansas Girl Files Lawsuit to Force CO2 RestrictionsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 14-year-old northeast Kansas girl has sued Governor Sam Brownback's administration in hopes of forcing it to impose limits on carbon dioxide emissions. Samantha Farb of Lecompton filed the lawsuit Thursday through her parents in Shawnee County District Court. It's part of a campaign launched last year by environmentalists to file such lawsuits in all 50 states. The effort is led by a nonprofit Oregon group called Our Children's Trust. The Kansas girl's lawsuit argues there's a public trust for the state in protecting the atmosphere and fighting global warming from manmade greenhouse gases such as CO2. Named as defendants are Brownback, the state Department of Health and Environment and the agency's secretary. A KDHE spokeswoman said the agency has not seen the lawsuit.=====================Olathe Man Convicted in Caregiver's DeathOLATHE, Kan. (AP) — An Olathe man has been found guilty of killing his wife's live-in caretaker. Sixty-year-old Stephen M. Collier was convicted Friday of second-degree murder in the December killing of 54-year-old Susanne Goslin. Goslin cared for Molly Collier, who suffered from several health issues. The Kansas City Star reports Collier testified that Goslin was holding a gun to her head and it went off when he tried to take the weapon from her. But a doctor who conducted the autopsy testified that he did not find powder residue that should have been on Goslin if she had shot herself.===================== Economic Index Jumps for Midwest, Western StatesOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An index of economic conditions in 10 Midwest and Western states jumped this month after three months of drought-induced doldrums. The Rural Mainstreet survey of rural bankers rose to 56.6 for October from 48.3 in September. It was the first time since June that the index rose above a growth-neutral measurement of 50. Survey organizers say any score above 50 on the 100-point scale suggests the economy will grow in the months ahead. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says the effects of the drought are being more than offset by high incomes from high agriculture and energy prices. The survey covers Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.===================== Presidential Libraries Team Up with Ike and Harry ProgramABILENE, Kan. (AP) — Two experts on Dwight Eisenhower and Harry Truman will speak next week in Kansas about the paths the two Midwesterners took to the White House and their legacies as president. Tim Rives is deputy director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene. Sam Rushay is the supervisory archivist at the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri. They'll speak Tuesday night at the Eisenhower Library about the lives and times and legacies of the two presidents. Truman, a Democrat, was president in the final months of World War II while Eisenhower was serving as Allied commander in Europe. Truman was elected to a full term in 1948. Eisenhower, a Republican, defeated Adlai Stevenson in 1952 to win the first of his two terms as president.=====================Driver Distracted by Balloons Hits Topeka HotelTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A young Topeka driver distracted by balloons lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a hotel, narrowly missing a woman inside one of the hotel's rooms. Topeka police say the helium balloons inside the car were obstructing 17-year-old Kelli Young's vision while she drove Thursday night. When she tried to push them out of the way, her SUV crashed through a perimeter fence, a fire hydrant and hit two vehicles in the parking lot of the Value Place hotel. The Topeka Capital-Journal reportsYoung's vehicle eventually ended up halfway into hotel room. Twenty-eight-year-old Michelle Williams of El Dorado was staying in the room. She says the vehicle stopped about 3 inches from her. No one was injured. Charges have not been filed.===================== Kansas Man Found Not Guilty of Molesting Young BoyLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A 31-year-old Lawrence man has been found not guilty of sexually abusing the 5-year-old son of a woman with whom he was living. The Lawrence Journal-World reports a Douglas County jury acquitted the man Thursday of aggravated criminal sodomy. He could have faced up to life in prison if convicted. A prosecution witness testified the boy's DNA was found on the man's genitals, which were swabbed by police shortly after the alleged incident in April. But the man told police the boy had touched him while he was using a toilet next to a tub where the boy was taking a bath. The man isn't being named because he was not convicted.=====================Father Arrested After Chase with 5 Kids in SUVWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police say a 35-year-old man who led officers on a short chase had his five young children in his vehicle, none of them in safety restraints. The Wichita Eagle reports that the man was booked into jail Thursday night on suspicion of several offenses, including child endangerment. Police said the man was wanted on warrants over child support and was driving with a suspended license. Police Lieutenant Doug Nolte says the incident began when officers spotted an SUV with dark tinted windows that was going too fast. Police said the driver ran several stop signs during the chase, then stopped in a store parking lot. Nolte says officers heard children screaming inside. Relatives were called to pick up the children, who were 3 to 10 years old.=====================Planners Consider Site for All-in-One KCI TerminalKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Officials considering transforming Kansas City International Airport are reaching consensus on the best place to locate an all-in-one terminal to replace the current three terminals. On Thursday, Aviation Director Mark VanLoh updated City Council members on months of studies and planning. The Kansas City Star reported that the preferred choice is to build a new terminal where the current Terminal A is located. He says a potential site just south of the existing airport is too expensive to be a viable option. Many passengers praise the current design for its convenience. But critics say the three-terminal layout creates security challenges. The final recommendation isn't expected until January. Even then, the Federal Aviation Administration and the City Council would need to sign off on it.=====================Farmers Planted Most of Land Flooded in 2011KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers this spring were able to plant all but a few thousand acres of the land that was deluged by last year's flooding along on the Missouri River. When farmers can't plant their crops because of flooding or other weather conditions, they're able to collect "prevented planting" payments through their insurance. USDA numbers show that farmers received the payments for only about 4,900 acres of unplanted Missouri River cropland in about 20 counties in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa. The Missouri River basin land was flooded after record runoff forced massive releases of water from upstream reservoirs. The USDA data also shows farmers planted most of the land inundated after the intentional breaching of the Birds Point levee in southeast Missouri.=====================Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Endangering ChildKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A 35-year-old Kansas City man has pleaded guilty to endangering his girlfriend's malnourished 10-year-old daughter, who was kept in an apartment closet. Jackson County, Missouri prosecutor Jean Peters Baker says Marcus Benson will spend five years on probation and has agreed to spend seven years in prison if he violates terms that sentence. As part of the plea deal, a second count of child endangerment was dropped. Authorities responding to a child abuse hotline call June 22 found the 32-pound girl barricaded inside a closet that reeked of urine. Neighbors say the girls 2- and 8-year-old half-sisters were well cared for, but they didn't know about the 10-year-old. The victim's mother is scheduled for trial in June on assault, child abuse and child endangerment charges.===================== Plan to Sell Plum Island Questioned in New York, ConnecticutGREENPORT, N.Y. (AP) — Environmentalists in New York are joining colleagues in Connecticut in questioning the proposed sale of Plum Island, the site of the country's only laboratory that studies infectious animal diseases. The federal government plans to sell the 840-acre island off the eastern tip of Long Island and move research operations to a $1.14 billion laboratory in Kansas. Elected officials on both sides of Long Island Sound have cited federal studies that question the wisdom of placing a lab that would study foot-and-mouth disease in the heart of the nation's so-called Beef Belt. Thursday night's public hearing, as well as one held Wednesday in Connecticut, did not address the issue of moving the lab. Instead, it focused on a draft environmental impact statement for the proposed sale of the island. Environmentalists say their preference is that if the island is sold it be kept as a nature preserve.=========================Kahne Takes Top Qualifying Spot for Cup Race at Kansas SpeedwayKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — NASCAR Championship contender Kasey Kahne shattered the track record at a repaved Kansas Speedway on Friday, turning a lap of 191.360 mph to take the pole for Sunday's race. Michael Waltrip Racing teammates Mark Martin and Clint Bowyer were next fastest. All 43 cars in the field broke the previous record of 180.856 mph, set by Matt Kenseth in 2005. Bowyer, a Kansas native, is coming off a win last week at Charlotte that put him back in the championship picture. He trails leader Brad Keselowski by 28 points. Keselowski will start 25th after a disappointing qualifying run. Of the drivers participating in the Chase, only three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart logged a worse qualifying time. He'll start in 33rd position. Regan Smith qualified 40th in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car.======================Hamlin: '100 Percent and Good to Go' after CrashKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Denny Hamlin says he feels "100 percent and good to go" after a hard crash at Kansas Speedway. Hamlin was back in the car Friday, a day after hitting the wall at 202 mph during testing on the repaved surface. He's third behind Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson in the Chase standings entering Sunday's race. Hamlin was only a few laps into Thursday's test session when he crashed entering Turn 1. He was examined at the infield care center, and then had another series of evaluations an hour later, before he was finally cleared to resume testing. Driver safety has been in the spotlight recently after Dale Earnhardt Jr. took himself out of his car following two concussions in a six-week span.====================== No. 4 K-State, No. 17 WVU Play This Weekend in Big 12 BattleMORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Collin Klein vs. Geno Smith. A showcase of Heisman Trophy contenders. A share of Big 12 supremacy at stake. Number 4-ranked Kansas State at number 17 West Virginia has implications on several fronts. The Wildcats (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) can keep first place to themselves on Saturday night in Morgantown while maintaining their national championship hopes. The Mountaineers (5-1, 2-1) had similar dreams dashed last week, but they still have BCS aspirations and will try to create a three-way tie atop the conference. Smith might need one of his typical big passing games to get it done. Standing in his way is Klein, the mobile Kansas State quarterback who has climbed into the Heisman Trophy discussion alongside Smith.====================== No. 10 Oklahoma Aims for Big Win Against Unranked KUNORMAN, Okla. (AP) — At Oklahoma, there's no feeling quite like plopping the Golden Hat trophy on your head and walking off the Cotton Bowl field with a victory against rival Texas in hand. Even so, the 10th-ranked Sooners (4-1, 2-1 Big 12) know it can get much better than that. When Bob Stoops has his teams playing at their best, a Red River Rivalry win often means there's a championship in store when the end of the season comes. It didn't happen that way after last year's Red River Rivalry blowout, with the Sooners scuffling through a win at the University of Kansas that foreshadowed three losses in the second half of the season. They want to reverse that trend when the Jayhawks (1-5, 0-3)...in last place in the Big 12... visit Norman on Saturday night after this year's Red River rout.===================== Punter Dustin Colquitt a Bright Spot for ChiefsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — In what will come as a huge relief to worried, frustrated, restive and angry Kansas City fans, Dustin Colquitt sounds like he has no desire to leave the Chiefs. If Colquitt does sign a new contract, it also will be one less criticism that embattled general manager Scott Pioli has to dodge. Colquitt has become a deadeye master of directional punting, providing the Chiefs with hundreds of yards of valuable field position. He's clearly one of the finest punters in the NFL as well as one of the finest players, period, on an underachieving Chiefs roster. Freed of nagging injuries, the 30-year-old Colquitt is enjoying perhaps his best season, even though the 1-5 Chiefs skidded into their bye week on the heels of one of their worst stretches in decades.

Report: Kansas School Finance Talks 'Unsuccessful'TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Attorneys seeking a settlement over a lawsuit challenging the state's school finance system say two days of talks have been unsuccessful. The parties filed a status report Wednesday with the Kansas Supreme Court. Attorneys representing the state and plaintiff school districts and parents met for mediation Monday and Tuesday. A three-judge panel in Shawnee County District Court ruled in January that the state's system for funding public schools was unconstitutional. The ruling suggested the state was shortchanging public schools by at least $440 million. The case is set for hearing before the justices on October 8 and a ruling is expected around the start of 2014. Republican Governor Sam Brownback and Attorney General Derek Schmidt, also a Republican, asked the court to approve mediation in hopes of settling the case.================Kansas April Revenues Close to ExpectationsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas revenue officials say the state collected nearly what was expected for April, missing projections by less than $5 million. The monthly report released Tuesday showed that Kansas collected $764.8 million in taxes. The state expected to collect $769.2 million for the month. The estimate was based on new projections calculated April 19 by a group of researchers and economists. Revenue Secretary Nick Jordan said Kansas collected $25 million more in individual income taxes in April 2013 compared to April 2012. Jordan said collections indicate the state is seeing economic growth as a result of tax cuts enacted in 2012. For the fiscal year that began July 1, 2012, Kansas has collected $5.018 billion in taxes, or about $4.4 million short of the $5.022 billion projected.================ Kansas Ordered to Pay $389K in Fees in Remap LawsuitTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Three federal judges have ordered Kansas to cover $389,000 worth of attorneys' fees and expenses for parties involved in a lawsuit last year over political redistricting. The three-judge panel ruled Tuesday that 15 people involved in the lawsuit were entitled to have at least some attorneys' fees and expenses covered. The Legislature failed last year to approve any plans for redrawing the state's political boundaries to ensure equal representation, and the three-judge panel imposed new lines itself. The lawsuit was filed by a Republican precinct committee member from Olathe before lawmakers adjourned their annual session, but the judges allowed 26 other individuals to intervene. A majority wanted attorneys' fees and expenses of about $671,000 covered. The Kansas attorney general's office had objected to covering most of the requests.================Kansas Pilot Injured When Ultralight Plane CrashesLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A small airplane has crashed in northeast Kansas, and its pilot was taken by helicopter to an area hospital with serious injuries. Kansas Highway Patrol spokesman Casey Simoneau says the pilot took off from a private residence in an ultralight aircraft around 12:40 pm Wednesday, lost control of the plane and crashed into a tree. The plane went down in Douglas County, southeast of Lawrence. The pilot's name wasn't immediately available. He was taken to the University of Kansas Medical Center, where Simoneau says he was in serious condition.================Salina Police Investigating Missing Woman ReportSALINA, Kan. (AP) — Salina police are investigating the apparent disappearance of a 27-year-old woman who's been missing nearly a week. Kristin Tyler's car was found Tuesday in Salina. Lieutenant Scott Siemsen of the Salina Police Department says the car appeared to be in normal condition and was towed to the police department. Tyler was last seen April 25. Police say they consider her disappearance suspicious because it's unlike Tyler to leave without contacting family for long periods of time. Police also say they're following a number of leads in Tyler's disappearance.================Federal Grand Jury Indicts Kansas DoctorWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The U.S. attorney's office for Kansas says a federal grand jury has returned a four-count indictment against a Kansas physician accused of unlawfully distributing prescription drugs. Michael Schuster of Manhattan was indicted Wednesday on one count each of conspiracy to illegally distribute controlled substances, drug distribution, unlawfully distributing drugs to a person under 21 years old and using and maintaining a premise for drug distribution. Prosecutors are seeking forfeiture of money and property linked to the crimes. Schuster's attorney didn't immediately respond to phone or email messages. The 53-year-old doctor was initially charged April 23 in a criminal complaint that linked his clinic to drug overdoses by active-duty Fort Riley soldiers. The indictment does not allege overdose deaths and doesn't reference soldiers. Schuster remains jailed pending a detention hearing Tuesday.================Kansans Turned in 5 Tons of Unused Meds in National EventTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas attorney general says Kansas residents turned in a record five tons of unused medications in the National Drug Take-Back Day. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says law enforcement officials collected about 10,000 pounds of medications at 101 locations across the state during the event Saturday. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the event was sponsored nationwide by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, which collects and then destroys the medications. The DEA says medicines that languish in home cabinets can be misused, and discarding them in the trash or sewer systems can create health hazards. Since the program's inception in 2010, Kansas has collected 17 tons of unused medications.================ Early Results from Kansas Wheat Tour Show Varied YieldsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Participants in the Kansas winter wheat tour are finding less freeze damage than had been expected during the first leg of the 2013 event. The tour started in Manhattan on Monday, when cars fanned out along six routes across the heart of wheat country. Aaron Harries, director of marketing at Kansas Wheat, took a route from Manhattan to Colby along Highway 36 where the wheat looked very nice. But further west in the much drier Smith County the group found thin stands. Harries says the wheat is so far behind that the freeze burned just the tips of the leaves. Extension wheat specialist Jim Shroyer says the crop could still do well if it rains.================K-State Employees Consider Leaving Civil ServiceTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Hundreds of classified employees of Kansas State University are discussing whether to no longer be civil service employees. The employees are scheduled to meet this week to discuss the move, which would remove them from the control of the Legislature. A vote would not come until November. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that similar committees of classified employees have formed at Wichita State and Emporia State universities. The Kansas State employees will consider becoming university support staff, giving the school authority to make decisions on pay and other job-related issues. Nearly 1,800 classified employees at Kansas State include custodial staff and some administrative and supervisory workers. Those employees receive hourly wages and don't have contracts. Classified employees at the University of Kansas made a similar move two years ago.================ Fort Riley Aviation Unit Changing LeadershipFORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) — A change of command ceremony is scheduled for Thursday at Fort Riley for the 1st Infantry Division's Combat Aviation Brigade. Colonel John M. Morgan, commander of the brigade since the summer of 2011, will hand over leadership to Colonel Matthew R. Lewis. A ceremony will be held on the Fort Riley Cavalry Parade Field. During Morgan's tenure the brigade has added new aviation equipment, including the Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system and an updated version of the Army's Apache helicopters. Lewis has recently been at Harvard, where he served as a national security fellow and senior military fellow in Harvard's Future Diplomacy Project. Fort Riley is home to the 1st Infantry Division and located about 60 miles west of Topeka.================Judge Orders Restitution from Topeka AttackerTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 50-year-old man convicted of attacking four employees at a Topeka TV station has to pay restitution in the case. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Shawnee County District Court Judge Evelyn Wilson ordered Ray Anthony Miles on Wednesday to pay more than $4,500 to the station and an insurance company. Miles was sentenced April 24 to a eight years and four months for felony battery and other charges after he attacked four employees of WIBW-TV last May. Miles broke into the station and assaulted the employees because he said they refused to report on a problem he was having with the Department of Veterans Affairs. He stabbed, kicked, bit and punched the employees before they were able to subdue him.================US Attorney for Kansas Touts Civil Rights ProtectionsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom says if law enforcement officials violate someone's civil rights while investigating terrorism then the government becomes as bad as the people making the terrorist threats. Grissom, the top federal prosecutor in Kansas, made the comments Wednesday during a Wichita State University event commemorating Law Day in Kansas. Grissom's talk was about protecting public safety and human rights. Grissom told the more than 30 students who attended that the government monitors hate groups such as white supremacists without violating anyone's rights. He also said that to his knowledge the federal government has not used the expanded Patriot Act powers in Kansas. Grissom oversees about 49 assistant U.S. attorneys in Kansas. He was nominated by President Barack Obama in 2010.================Feds Charge 3 in Brazen Freight Theft ConspiracyWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged three people with a brazen freight trucking scheme that spanned the country. An indictment unsealed Wednesday in federal court in Wichita alleges the three men tried in 2011 to steal a trailer load of packaged beef worth $82,700 from the Tyson plant at Holcomb. Prosecutors say they posed as a freight hauler and dropped off a refrigerated trailer so it could be loaded. Oganes Nagapetian, Tigran Nagapetian and Larisa Nagapetian are charged with conspiracy to violate U.S. laws. Other charges include wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession and production of false documents. They are also accused of stealing trailer loads of almonds worth $76,000, shoes worth $236,700, and electric heaters worth $65,000 from various locations. Records do not indicate whether they have attorneys.================ Saline County Juvenile Center Might Close PermanentlySALINA, Kan. (AP) — Saline County commissioners say the county's juvenile detention center will be closed through the end of the year, and might close permanently. Saline County Sheriff Glen Kochanowski shut down the center on Monday, but said he hoped to reopen it by July. But on Tuesday, the commissioners said closing the center will save the county money, although they were still studying how much the savings would be. When he closed the center, Kochanowski said it was unsafe because of a staff shortage and overcrowding. The juveniles are being taken to a center in Junction City, at a cost of $150 a day per inmate. The Salina Journal reports that commissioners will discuss the juvenile center's future during its 2014 budget study sessions.================ 6 Possible Arson Fires in Rural Saline CountySALINA, Kan. (AP) — Volunteer firefighters in a Saline County fire district reported extinguishing a half of dozen grass fires in the county within two hours. KAKE-TV reports that the fires were reported between 11 pm Monday and 1 am Tuesday Saline County Fire District #5. Battalion Chief David Turner says the fires apparently were arson. He says all the blazes started within two hours, they were all close together and no natural cause, such as lightning, was found. No one was hurt in any of the fires, which occurred in fields or ditches.================ Haskell's School of Education Receives National AccreditationLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Haskell Indian Nations University says its School of Education has received national accreditation. The school in Lawrence says the National Council of Teacher Education recently accredited the education school after an on-campus visit last fall. 6News Lawrence reports that Haskell is the first tribal college in the United States to receive this type of accreditation. Jacqueline Boyd, chairwoman of the School of Education, says the school passed five of six standards involved in the accreditation. The sixth standard is in the area of assessment standards. The national council's accreditation team will visit the campus in the fall of 2014 to address the area of assessment standards. The School of Education will have to renew the national accreditation every seven years.================Girl's Up-Close Meeting with Camel Draws National AttentionSPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A 3-year-old Olathe girl is ready to return to a Springfield, MIssouri animal park, where her close encounter with a camel brought her family national attention. Aliyah Inzer was visiting the Wild Animal Safari near Springfield recently with her parents, Tyler and Marcie Inzer, and her baby sister. People feed the animals as they drive through the park in their cars, and Aliyah was sitting on her dad's lap handing out treats. One camel, not satisfied with his treat, put his face completely into the car and briefly put his mouth on Aliyah's head. Her dad pushed the camel's head away but Aliyah started giggling. Taking their cues from Aliyah, the family played along. KCTV5 reports a video of the encounter went viral after being posted to YouTube.================ Attorney Once Convicted of Murder Returns to Law PracticeKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City attorney once convicted of killing his law partner has his law license back. The Missouri Supreme Court announced Tuesday that it has reinstated the law license of Richard Buchli II. He was convicted of killing his law partner, Richard Armitage, in 2002. A court set aside Buchli's conviction six years ago after finding evidence was withheld at his trial. Prosecutors dismissed the case last year, after a judge threw out all the state's evidence. The Kansas City Star reports that Buchli will be on probation for three years. He is required to report quarterly to a probation "monitor" on the status of his law practice, and about any criminal or civil actions against him. He also must undergo a mental health evaluation within 60 days.================Body Found in Sedgwick County Farm FieldWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities in south-central Kansas are investigating the discovery of body found in a farm field. The Wichita Eagle reports that a farmer found the man's body Wednesday in a cotton field he leases in southeast Sedgwick County. Sedgwick County sheriff's Lieutenant David Mattingly says authorities haven't identified the body, and are unsure how long it had been in the field. He says deputies are checking missing person cases in Wichita and the surrounding suburbs as part of the investigation.================ KC Police Seeking Suspect in Couple's DeathsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City police are searching for a man who shot and killed a couple as their two young children sat in a nearby vehicle. Police say Qwentelia Vanzant and Jaron Syrus, both 25, of Blue Springs were shot Monday night in the parking lot of a convenience store. When the couple stopped at the store, they encountered people with whom they had an ongoing dispute. Police say a fight began and a man arguing with the couple shot the victims before fleeing in a vehicle. The Kansas City Star reports that the victims' 3-year-old son and Vanzant's 7-year-old daughter were inside their vehicle during the shooting. They were released to a relative after the shooting.================ Sedgwick County Jury Acquits Man of MurderWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Sedgwick County jury has found a 32-year-old man not guilty of all charges in a 2012 shooting death. The Wichita Eagle reports that the jury deliberated about four hours Tuesday before finding Dustin Cheever not guilty of charges that included second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in the shooting death of 49-year-old Robert Gammon. Defense lawyer Steve Mank said jurors told him they only seriously considered the charge of involuntary manslaughter before settling on the not guilty verdict. Gammon's brother, Jim Gammon of West Plains, Missouri said he didn't understand why Cheever wasn't tried and convicted of first-degree murder. During the preliminary hearing, the victim's 23-year-old son, Shelby Gammon, testified that the shooting happened after a friend argued with Cheever about the theft of some gasoline.================Life Sentence for Missouri Man in Student's DeathLIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A 31-year-old northwest Missouri man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing a 19-year-old student. Marcus D. Smith of Kansas City was convicted in Clay County in February of second-degree murder and three other charges in the August 2011 death of Samir Clark. Smith was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday. The Kansas City Star reports that police said Clark was visiting a relative when a neighbor knocked on the door and asked for help. Clark and his relative took the woman and her children in. Smith fired several shots into the apartment, hitting Clark in the neck. Investigators said Smith had argued with several people before the shooting. Relatives said Clark was to leave for Tennessee State University in Nashville later that week.================Topeka Man Sentenced for Home InvasionTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 39-year-old Topeka man has been sentenced to about 10 years in prison for a November 2011 home invasion in which he burned a woman with a heated knife blade. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Monroe Lockhart III was sentenced Tuesday in Shawnee County court. He was convicted earlier of aggravated burglary, aggravated assault and aggravated battery. Assistant district attorney Chris Biggs had asked that Lockhart receive a total sentence of 11 years, 6 months. Defense attorney Linda Eckelman sought concurrent sentences of about five years. Lockhart will be credited for the 15 months he has served since he was arrested on February 2, 2012.================ Kansas Men Sentenced to 10 Years for Robbing BankWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 41-year-old Wichita man has been sentenced to 10 years for robbing a bank in Wichita. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said Tuesday in a release that Christopher A. Vangessel was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. Grissom says Vangessel admitted to robbing a UMB Bank branch on February 28, 2012, when he gave a teller a note demanding money. A parole officer identified Vangessel after authorities released surveillance photos taken during the robbery.================ Topeka 5K to Benefit Girl, 6, with CancerTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two Topeka schools are teaming up to help a kindergartner with brain cancer. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Karis Selk, a kindergartener at Randolph Elementary School, was diagnosed at age 5 with a common type of childhood brain cancer. Karis recently began radiation therapy to her brain and spine along with weekly chemotherapy. A 5k race will be held Friday at Eisenhower Middle School, where Karis's mother, Stephanie Selk, is a nurse. Entry fees for the run are $10 per person or $25 per family. Events will include the fun run/walk, raffle prizes and T-shirt sales, and all proceeds go to the Selk family to help with medical expenses.================ Washburn University Honors Health-Conscious EmployeesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Washburn University's jogging president is among the employees the Topeka school is honoring with Living Well awards. The school says President Jerry Farley averages around eight miles a day, fitting in his fitness routine around his administrative duties. Farley also was praised for promoting a culture of health at the university. Four other employees also were recognized: assistant psychology professor Jenna Glover practices and teaches meditation; secretary Toni Lewis has stopped smoking and has run two marathons; system and network administrator Clayton Peters plays in wheelchair basketball and softball leagues, and assistant sports information marketing director Jeremy Wrangler has shed more than 80 pounds.================Midwest, Plains Economic Survey Index DipsOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly economic survey index for nine Midwest and Plains states dropped last month but continues to suggest improving economic growth for the region. The Mid-America Business Conditions index hit 56.8 in April, compared with 58.2 in March. The confidence index rose to 59.9 last month from 58.2 in March. Creighton University economics professor Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says the supply managers surveyed "expect the upturn in housing to remain an important ingredient of the economic expansion." The survey uses a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth while a score below 50 suggests decline for that factor. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.================ KC District to Celebrate High School Seniors' College ChoicesKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City school district is encouraging students to go to college and recognizing those who are with so-called "Decision Day" events. The festivities mimic the fanfare that occurs when a student athlete signs with a college. College representatives will talk to students Thursday at Northeast High School. There also will be music and a snack bar. On Friday at the Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts, there will be a picnic lunch, and announcements will be made about each student's postsecondary plan. A speaker with the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute will talk to students on May 7 at East High School. At the final event on May 10 at the Central Academy of Excellence, there will be a radio DJ and presentation by district leaders.

Within the Federal Bureau of Prisons, inmates are asked to "voluntarily" agree to electronic monitoring in order to use the bureau's email system. But critics say there's nothing voluntary about it.