Search results for

Kansas Group, Voters Sue over Registration RulesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach faces a lawsuit aimed at blocking him from imposing a new registration policy as he attempts to enforce a proof-of-citizenship law. The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Shawnee County District Court by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the gay-rights group Equality Kansas and two prospective voters. It seeks to prevent Kobach from creating a "dual'' registration system under which some voters could cast ballots only in federal races. The different treatment would apply to people using a national registration form, which doesn't require proof of citizenship. People using a Kansas form could vote in any race by providing a birth certificate, passport or other papers. Kobach has said Kansas could be forced to adopt such a system.================ 'Dreamlifter' Finally Reaches Intended DestinationWICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ A cargo-hauling jumbo jet that was mistakenly landed at a small Kansas airport has safely reached its intended destination. The "Dreamlifter'' took off from Jabara Airport in Wichita Thursday afternoon, hours after it landed eight miles away from McConnell Air Force Base where it was supposed to land. It touched down at McConnell a few minutes later. It's still not clear why the plane went to the wrong airport Wednesday night. The pilot sounded confused in his exchanges with air traffic control, according to audio provided by LiveATC.net. The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate whether the pilot followed controllers' instructions or violated any federal regulations. Boeing owns the plane, but it is operated by Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, a New York-based cargo-hauler that also provides crews or planes to companies that need them.================ KCC Approves $30.7M Westar Rate IncreaseTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ The Kansas Corporation Commission has formally approved Westar Energy's rate increase request, signing off on a $30.7 million settlement reached in September. Regulators announced the unanimous approval of the settlement Thursday. The deal was brokered by Westar, KCC staff and the Citizens' Utility Ratepayer Board. The increases in electric utility bills will take effect December 1. Westar applied for the rate increase mostly to pay for required environmental upgrades at its La Cygne power plant in eastern Kansas. Under terms of the settlement, residential customers will get the biggest increase, $18 million, followed by small businesses with a $12.7 million increase. Westar is the largest utility company in Kansas with nearly 700,000 customers and 7,200 megawatts of electricity generating capacity.================Kansas Congressman Seeks End to Wind Energy Tax CreditTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ A Kansas congressman is pushing for an end to a federal tax credit that has helped make the state a leader in the wind energy development industry. Republican Representative Mike Pompeo of Wichita says he is urging his colleagues to let the wind production tax credit expire at the end of the year, saying the tax code shouldn't be picking winners and losers. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Pompeo's position on the credits is counter to that of some fellow Republicans, including Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and the state's two senators. Brownback was part of a national coalition last year that successfully pressed for preservation of the tax benefit. Senator Jerry Moran says the tax credit makes the nation safer, while Senator Pat Roberts also has supported extending the credit.================Number of On-Hold KS Voter Registrations RisingTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ The number of voter registrations on hold in Kansas because of the state's proof-of-citizenship requirement is rising again. Secretary of State Kris Kobach's office said Wednesday that almost 17,700 registrations were on hold because new voters hadn't provided a birth certificate, passport or other papers documenting their U.S. citizenship to election officials. The figure peaked at about 18,500 in October but dropped to fewer than 17,200. That decline occurred in late October. The state Department of Revenue sent election officials information about 6,000 people who had presented one of several required documents when obtaining or renewing a driver's license. The proof-of-citizenship requirement took effect in January, and Kobach argues that it prevents election fraud. Critics say it suppresses voter turnout.================Mental Health Evaluation in Slaying Pushed Back LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) _ A mental competency hearing for a Lawrence man accused of fatally shooting his wife has been pushed back until next week because his attorney had a scheduling conflict. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that 67-year-old Larry Hopkins was supposed to have a hearing Wednesday, but that has been delayed until next Tuesday. Judge Michael Malone granted the defense's request for a mental health evaluation last week. Hopkins is charged with first-degree murder in the November 5 shooting death of his 61-year-old wife, Margaret Hopkins, in the couple's Lawrence Home. Police say Hopkins shot his wife because of her ongoing health concerns. If he is found incompetent to stand trial, he will be taken to the state hospital in Larned for rehabilitation and be re-evaluated in 90 days. ================ Reward Increased to $5,775 in Jogger's DeathRAYTOWN, Mo. (AP) _ The reward has been increased for information in the death of Kansas City area man who was shot and killed while he was jogging. The Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers said in a release Thursday that a family member has donated more money to the reward fund for information in the death of 60-year-old Harry Stone. Crime Stoppers says the total possible reward is up to $5,775.00. Police say Stone was shot and killed May 13 as he jogged in Raytown. Police are looking for a dark, four-door car with at least two occupants who fled the scene.================ Board Closes Elementary School; 3 Members ResignCHEROKEE, Kan. (AP) _ A school board in one of Kansas's smallest and poorest districts voted to close an elementary school after three of the board members resigned their positions. The board of the Unified School District 247, which covers 326 square miles of rural Crawford and Cherokee counties, voted Wednesday night to close the school in McCune, which has 39 students in grades one, two and four. Students in kindergarten, third and fifth grades were bused this year to Weir and Cherokee because the class sizes were too small. The Joplin Globe reports that the vote came after three board members resigned. One said he was moving out of the district's boundaries but the other two cited the decision to close the school in their resignations.================ Kansas Man Pleads Guilty in 1980 MN Stabbing DeathMINNEAPOLIS (AP) _ A cold case revived by Minneapolis police with newly discovered DNA evidence has resulted in a guilty plea to a 1980 murder. Robert Skogstad has entered the plea in the fatal stabbing of 22-year-old Mary Steinhardt at a Minneapolis apartment building where he was a caretaker. A Minneapolis police detective working on a cold case project in 2010 found additional DNA samples in archive files that had not been tested. She submitted those samples and additional profiles were recovered. Those profiles were entered into local and national databases and a match was made to Skogstad, a sex offender. Prosecutors say his profile matched DNA evidence recovered from the victim. The 58-year-old Skogstad was living in Edgerton, Kansas. He will be sentenced January 3 on a second-degree murder conviction.================ Distracted Teen Injured After Walking into TrafficTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ A 15-year-old Topeka boy was in stable condition after walking into traffic while talking on his cellphone and being hit by a car. Police spokesman Lieutenant Mike Cross says the Hayden High School student was hit around 3:35 pm Wednesday after walking in front of a car whose driver didn't have time to react. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that witnesses told authorities the boy had just pushed the button on a lighted crosswalk and "didn't even wait a half a second'' before stepping into oncoming traffic. The woman driving the vehicle and three young children in the car weren't injured. Cross says there has been a big push against driving while distracted, but pedestrians also are part of the roadway and need to pay attention to what they're doing.================ New Executive Director Chosen for Lied CenterLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) _ The University of Kansas has chosen an executive of the Lincoln Center in New York City as the new executive director of the Lied Center. The university announced Derek Kwan's appointment on Wednesday. He previously was vice president of concerts and touring at Jazz at the Lincoln Center. He will take over in January, replacing Tim Van Leer, who is retiring. Robert Walzel, dean of the university's School of Music, said he hopes Kwan can attract students to the Lied by giving them a more active role in programming. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that when Kwan starts in January, a priority will be finalizing programming for the 2014-15 year. ================ KU Business Center Hires New President, COO LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) _ The University of Kansas has hired a new president and chief operating officer for its Bioscience and Technology Business Center. The university announced Wednesday that G.R. Underwood has taken the position after working as CEO for a company spun out of the University of Texas that specialized in software for the oil and gas industry. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Underwood served as vice president of client services for the Lawrence Regional Technology Center from 2007 to 2010. Underwood has a master's degree in business administration from the University of Oklahoma. The center provides offices, lab space and professional services for startups and small companies in the area.================ Fund Created for Widow of Wichita Man Killed in FireWICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ A fund has been set up to help the widow of the 95-year-old Wichita man killed in a recent house fire. The Wichita Eagle reports that Charlie Adams died in the fire at his home Friday. His wife, 58-year-old Pat Adams, already had left for work as a school bus driver when the fire broke out. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but Fire Captain Stuart Bevis says investigators suspect an electrical malfunction sparked the blaze. Friends say Pat Adams has found a place to live and is receiving help from the Red Cross and her church congregation. But additional help can be provided through the Charlie Adams Memorial Fund, which has been set up at the Capitol Federal Credit Union in Wichita.================Military High Court to Hear Kansas HIV Assault CaseWICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ The highest U.S. armed forces court will hear oral arguments next month in the appeal of a Kansas airman convicted of assault for exposing multiple sex partners to HIV at swinger parties in Wichita. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces has set arguments for December 16 in the case of David Gutierrez. Gutierrez was a sergeant serving at McConnell Air Force Base when he was sentenced in 2011 to eight years in prison and stripped of his rank for aggravated assault. The court also will consider whether the evidence supports his adultery conviction, since his wife participated with him in the "swinger's lifestyle." Defense attorney Kevin McDermott says in an emailed statement the case has the potential to impact HIV testing and prosecution in the military.================ Group Wants Hotel Removed from National Register MINNEAPOLIS, Kan. (AP) _ The Kansas Historic Sites Board of Review has asked that a prominent structure that partially collapsed earlier this year be removed from the National Register of Historic Places. The two-story Parker House Hotel in Minneapolis, Kansas, was built in 1887 and partially collapsed June 7. The Salina Journal reports that some of the debris hit a natural gas riser and forced the evacuation of downtown Minneapolis. The City Council voted later to pay $76,800 to have the hotel torn down. Staff from the National Register in Washington, D.C., will consider the request. ================ 10 KS Sites Nominated for National ListTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ Ten sites have been nominated by a board of the Kansas Historical Society to be added to the National Register of Historic Places. The list announced Wednesday includes an eastern portion of the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence and two locations where the Oregon and California trials converged in Kansas. Other sites include two buildings in Kansas City, Kansas that have ties to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, a former school in rural Douglas County, the City Square Park Bandstand in Humboldt, and a youth cabin in Manhattan constructed during the Great Depression. The list will be forwarded to Office of the Keeper of the National Historic Places in Washington, D.C., for evaluation.================ KS Man Struck and Killed by Car After AccidentCOLUMBUS, Kan. (AP) _ An elderly man from southeast Kansas died after he was hit by a car when he got out of another vehicle that had hit a deer. The Cherokee County Sheriff's Department says 90-year-old Louis Nicoletti of Columbus was struck Tuesday as he crossed U.S. 160 about three miles east of Columbus. He died later at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin. Nicoletti was walking across the highway after a car he was riding in had hit a deer. Neither Nicoletti or his wife, who was driving the car, was injured in that accident. ================ KS Woman Won't Pay Total Restitution Ordered in Horse CaseHUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) _ A judge has ordered a Hutchinson woman to pay half of the restitution the state sought from her after she was found guilty of neglecting several horses. LindaSue Adams was ordered Wednesday to pay $4,500 in restitution for the care of the horses. The state had sought $8,369 to pay Reno County for caring for 13 horses seized from Adams's property. Reno County Magistrate Judge Randall McEwen said the reasonable efforts were not made to assess the horses' value. When the horses were taken from Adams' home, many were malnourished and needed medical care. Reno County Sheriff's deputies also found three dead horses on her property in April. The Hutchinson News reports that a recent civil injunction will prevent Adams from owning horses ever again.================ Slow Growth Likely in Rural Parts of 10 StatesOMAHA, Neb. (AP) _ The overall index in a new monthly survey matches the previous index and also suggests the economy will continue growing at a slow pace in rural areas of 10 Midwest and Plains states. The report for the Rural Mainstreet Index was released Thursday and says the index remained unchanged at 54.3 in November. The index is based on surveys of rural bankers in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. It ranges from 0 to 100, with 50 representing growth neutral. A score above 50 suggests growth in that factor in the months ahead. The confidence index, which reflects expectations for the economy six months out, rose to a still weak 48.3 from 44.7 in October.================ Lenexa Teacher Pleads Guilty in Teen Sex CaseOLATHE, Kan. (AP) _ A former Johnson County high school teacher pleaded guilty to having sexual contact with two teenage boys he met through online ads. Forty-three-year-old Jeremy John Way, of Shawnee, entered the plea Wednesday to two counts of criminal sodomy with the boys. The boys did not attend St. James Academy in Lenexa, where Way taught science until the allegations against him surfaced in February. Before going to St. James in 2008, Way taught at Mill Valley High School in Shawnee. The Kansas City Star reports that the investigation began when the parents of a 14-year-old boy called police after discovering sexually explicit emails on his cellphone. Police traced phone records to Way and during the investigation learned about the second boy. Sentencing is scheduled for January 21. ================ Buchanan County Deputies Cleared in Shooting DeathGOWER, Mo. (AP) _ Two Buchanan County (Missouri) deputies involved in a fatal shooting on Halloween night will not be charged. Andrew Country Prosecutor Steven Stevenson said Wednesday the deputies acted lawfully when 28-year-old Eric Christopher Auxier of Gower was shot to death after a pursuit. The deputies, William Miller and William Fisher, began chasing Auxier's car after seeing it go the wrong way on a St. Joseph street. Auxier's car reached speeds of 70 to 90 mph into Andrew County and the pursuit ended near Amazonia. The St. Joseph News-Press reports that when the deputies got out of the car, Auxier backed his car, pinning Miller's legs between the vehicles. Fisher heard Miller screaming but couldn't see him and fired six shots into Auxier's car. Auxier was pronounced dead at the scene. ================ Wichita Man Sentenced in Death of ChildWICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ A Wichita man has been sentenced to nearly 23 years in prison for the stray-bullet killing of an 8-year-old girl as she slept in a mobile home. The Wichita Eagle reports that 25-year-old Zachary Gaston pleaded guilty last month to reckless second-degree murder for the death of Kimbra Moore in September 2012. A judge gave Gaston the maximum sentence of 22 years and eight months. Police have said the gunfire followed a nearby dispute between a group of four men and a man in a stolen car. Gaston was accused of shooting at the car while chasing it into the mobile home park. A bullet pierced the wall of Kimbra's mobile home, killing her. A second shot grazed a neighbor's head.================ 2 Killed in Western KS CrashTRIBUNE, Kan. (AP) _ Two men have been killed in a single-vehicle crash in western Kansas. The Kansas Highway Patrol says 25-year-old Christopher Jones and 27-year-old Matthew Bender died in the crash early Thursday outside Tribune. Both men were from Tribune. The patrol says the crash occurred when the truck Jones and Bender were in left a Greeley County road, hit a power pole and rolled. KAKE-TV reports another passenger in the truck was hospitalized. The patrol says no one in the truck was using a seat belt.================ Group Named to Find Replacement for FHSU PresidentHAYS, Kan. (AP) _ A search committee has been appointed to find candidates to replace the president of Fort Hays State University. The Kansas Board of Regents has appointed the search committee to recommend candidates to replace Fort Hays State University President Ed Hammond, who's retiring. Hammond will retire as president in June 2014 after 27 years in the position. The Lawrence Journal-World reports Denis Miller, president of the FHSU Foundation, will chair the search committee. The committee will also include members of the student body and faculty, as well as Robba Moran, a regent from Manhattan, former regent Janie Perkins of Garden City, and Andy Tompkins, president and chief executive officer of the regents. The search committee will select three to five candidates by April 22, 2014, for the board to consider.================ Arts Panel Voices Concerns on Eisenhower MemorialWASHINGTON (AP) _ A powerful arts panel that must approve designs for memorials in the nation's capital is again objecting to plans for a memorial honoring President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Architect Frank Gehry designed a memorial park framed by large metal tapestries depicting the Kansas landscape of Eisenhower's boyhood home. Statues of Ike as president and World War II hero would stand at the center. Several members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts said Thursday that they object to the towering columns and side tapestries in the design. They raised similar concerns about the large scale in July but voted to approve the general concept. No further action was taken this week. The commission will provide written comments to the group working to build the memorial and will meet again next year.=============== KC City Council Approves Streetcar StudyKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The City Council in Kansas City has approved studying several corridors as the next phases for a city streetcar system. The Kansas City Star reports that the city council approved the study Thursday. The evaluation, which should be completed by April, would set the stage to build the next eight to 10 miles of streetcar line over the next decade. City officials say any streetcar system would be part of a larger transportation network that would also be linked together by buses. A 10-mile streetcar expansion is projected to cost up to $400 million, and the funding method hasn't been set. Leaders hope federal and state dollars and other money could provide half the cost. Local dollars may have to cover up to 50 percent of the cost.================ Bullet Fired into KCK Elementary School KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) _ Kansas City, Kansas police are investigating after a shot was fired into an elementary school as students were preparing to be dismissed. Police say no one was injured in the incident Wednesday afternoon at Whittier Elementary School. Police believe the bullet came from a drive-by incident about a block-and-a-half away. The Kansas City Star reports that the school was preparing to dismiss students when staff heard gunshots in the neighborhood. The district's chief of staff, David Smith, said staff made sure all doors were locked and everyone was kept inside. After about 20 minutes, police told school officials the threat had been cleared and it was safe to dismiss the students.

Topeka Temperatures Set New July 9 RecordTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The year's first triple-digit temperatures prove to be a record-breaker in Topeka, where the thermometer hit 105 degrees to eclipse the previous high for July 9 set in 1980. National Weather Service meteorologist Kris Craven tells the Topeka Capital-Journal that Tuesday's heat index topped out at 109 degrees at the weather service's office near Philip Billard Municipal Airport. It was the first time since September 3 that temperatures reached 100 degrees. Temperatures in Topeka hit the century mark 25 times in both 2011 and 2012. That's less than half of the city's record of 59 100-degree days set in 1936.===========UPDATE: Shots Fired in Wichita Kmart Store; No InjuriesWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A police SWAT team has surrounded an apartment complex where the suspect in a shooting at Kmart store in south Wichita is believed to be holed up. Early reports indicate the man went to the pharmacy and demanded prescription drugs before pulling out a gun. Police say the robbery suspect fired some shots in the store and then fired back toward the building as he fled the scene. Lieutenant Doug Nolte says authorities believe a woman who was in the store fainted, but she was not shot. KWCH-TV reports that witnesses described panic as customers and employees ran to the back of the store after the shots rang out. About 70 people were inside the store at the time.===========Inmate Attacks Kansas Prosecutor at HearingHUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A 27-year-old Hutchinson man who sexually assaulted a 4-month-old girl has attacked a Reno County prosecutor while appealing his life sentence. The attack happened Wednesday while Michael Sherman was objecting to being sentenced under Jessica's Law. The statute mandates a life sentence with no possibility of parole for 25 years for adults convicted of certain sex crimes against children younger than 14. Sherman had performed oral sodomy on the infant and then turned himself in. Reno County Sheriff Randy Henderson says that after the judge upheld the original sentence, Sherman jumped on top of prosecutor Keith Schroeder. The sheriff says the shackled Sherman was immediately subdued, and information will be forwarded to the Kansas attorney general's office for possible charges. Schroeder sustained a slight abrasion to his forehead.===========Kansas Reports 12 Drowning Deaths Since MayTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — State parks officials say a dozen people have drowned in Kansas waters since mid-May. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism said Tuesday the 12 drowning deaths include four during the extended Fourth of July weekend. The department notes that only one of the victims was wearing a life jacket. And nine of the 12 deaths occurred when the victims were swimming or wading, rather than in boats. Major Dan Hesket, boating law administrator for the department, says everyone should wear a life jacket while boating or swimming. And he says people should be aware that Kansas lakes have underwater obstacles, sudden drop-offs and soft bottoms, while rivers often have strong currents. Hesket also notes waterways are murky, making finding someone underwater difficult.===========Kansas Concealed Carry Permits Set Record in 2012TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Applications for permits to carry concealed weapons in Kansas set a record in the fiscal year ending June 30, more than doubling the record set in the previous year. Attorney General Derek Schmidt says Wednesday that 25,340 applications for permits were filed with the state between July 1, 2012 and June 30. The old mark was 12,408 applications in the fiscal year 2012. Kansas has been issuing permits since 2007 with 63,455 active licenses in the state as of July 1, an increase of nearly 20,000 from the previous year. New changes taking effect July 1 expand the number of public places where concealed guns are permitted, including state and municipal buildings, unless adequate safety measures such as guards and metal detectors are installed.=========== Koch Plans $200,000 Media Ad Campaign in WichitaWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wealthy industrialist Charles Koch is planning a $200,000 ad campaign in Wichita focused on political issues. The chairman of Wichita-based Koch Industries told The Wichita Eagle that the four-week media campaign that begins Wednesday will laud economic freedom and warn about government overreach. It is funded by the Charles Koch Foundation. Koch said if people like it, he might expand the campaign to other cities. Koch told the Eagle that he believes his ideas on economics will help disadvantaged people. He contends government regulations, including the minimum wage, tend to hold everyone back. The campaign promotes the idea that countries with economic freedom have the most wealth. Koch acknowledged the move will draw fire from people who criticized him for his campaign spending last year.=========== Grant Boosts Efforts to Modernize Kansas CourtsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — An infusion of federal grant money is expected to improve access to court records and reduce expenses by expanding electronic case filing to more Kansas district courts. Chief Justice Lawton R. Nuss announced Wednesday that the Kansas Supreme Court was awarded a $205,152 grant via the Kansas Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. The money will be used to fund installation of electronic district court case filings in Wyandotte, Butler, Reno, Saline, Finney and Geary counties. Pilot programs are already in place at the Kansas Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, as well as in Leavenworth, Douglas and Sedgwick counties. Some 443,779 cases were filed in Kansas district courts last year, and with the grant 65 percent of the state's caseload will now be documented in the e-filing system.=========== Wichita Woman Arrested After Leaving Kids in CarWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police arrested a 26-year-old woman after she left her three young children in the car alone on a day when the heat index reached 110 degrees. A bystander called police Tuesday after noticing the children in the car for six to seven minutes with the windows rolled down. The mother left a 6-year-old girl and boys ages 3 and 1 while she went into a nearby business. The children were placed with relatives. The temperature reached 107 in Wichita Tuesday, the hottest day in the city so far this year. =========== Kansas Considers Licensing for Out-of-State TeachersLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Department of Education wants to study a proposal to make it easier for out-of-state teachers to become licensed in Kansas. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that a national organization of state education agency officials issued a report listing 10 recommendations for how states could improve the teaching profession. One of those calls for allowing reciprocity across state lines. That organization is now making grants available to states to study implementing the recommendations. Kansas Education Commissioner Diane DeBacker says the education department is applying for one of those grants. She says the grant application would not commit the state to changing any of its licensing regulations.=========== Kansas Veteran Faces Trial in Explosives CaseWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas veteran accused of illegally possessing explosives faces trial next week while attorneys wrangle over what evidence jurors will hear. U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten on Tuesday set a hearing for July 16 in the case against Alfred Dutton. The Army and Marine veteran from Eureka faces trial later that day for unlawful possession of unregistered destructive devices. His attorney is seeking to bar evidence about computer documents and photos of fireworks, chemicals and firearms. Federal prosecutors say Dutton possessed one or more grenade bodies and the necessary parts to convert them into a destructive device. The defense contends the inert grenades are not destructive devices, portraying the veteran as a collector of military items who was preparing to sell the collectible vintage hand grenades on eBay.===========KCK Police Still Trying to Identify RemainsKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities in Kansas City, Kansas are working to identify human remains found this week in a vacant lot. Police said the remains of a decomposed body were found Tuesday in the northeastern part of the city. Police spokesman Tom Tomasic said in a release Wednesday that the victim was likely a white man older than 40, with possible facial hair, dentures and a surgical plate in his right ankle. The victim also may have served in the military and has likely been missing for several months. Tomasic says police are encouraging people with possible information about the victim to call police.=========== Railroad Worker Loses Legs in AccidentWELLINGTON, Kan. (AP) — A Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway worker has lost both of his legs after getting pinned beneath a railroad car in south-central Kansas. The Wichita Eagle reports that the man was found around 2:20 am Tuesday in Wellington, 35 miles south of Wichita. It took paramedics 45 minutes to extract the man from beneath the railcar's wheels as emergency crews used a jack to lift the car off him. The victim, who has not been identified, was airlifted from an area hospital to Wichita in critical condition. Wellington Fire Chief Tim Hay says both of his legs were removed.===========Sentencing Hearings Set in KC Hereford House FireKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Three men convicted in the 2008 arson that destroyed a landmark Kansas City restaurant will be sentenced in September. The Kansas City Star reports that Rodney J. Anderson, Vincent Pisciotta and Mark Sorrentino will be sentenced on September 9 for setting the fire at the Hereford House restaurant. The three men were convicted in 2012 of conspiracy, arson and using fire to commit a federal crime. Anderson, a part owner of the restaurant, also was convicted of mail fraud. Prosecutors said Anderson was in debt and conspired with Pisciotta and Sorrentino to burn the business and to get insurance money to rebuild. A federal arson conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years, and using fire to commit a federal crime carries a minimum 10-year consecutive sentence.=========== Saline County Moves to Take Control of Health DepartmentSALINA, Kan. (AP) — A Saline County commissioner says the county is moving ahead with a proposal to take over the Salina-Saline County Health Department. County commissioners presented a proposal Tuesday to Salina city commissioners requesting that the city pay $500,000 toward the $1 million cost of roof repairs at the health department building. The Salina Journal reports that the proposal also noted the city's involvement with the health department would stop at the end of the year. County Commission Chairman Randy Duncan says the county is considering increasing the property tax levy to pay for the loss of city funding for the department. The city and county currently each pay about $720,000 a year to operate the department. City Commissioner Aaron Householter says the city will take the county's latest proposal under consideration.=========== Hearing Set in Salina on Westar Rate Hike RequestSALINA, Kan. (AP) — A public hearing is scheduled for this week in Salina on Westar Energy's proposed increase in electric rates. The Salina Journal reports that the hearing is set for Thursday evening at the Salina College Center at Kansas State University-Salina. Westar has applied to the Kansas Corporation Commission for a 1.7 percent increase worth $31.7 million. The utility company says it needs the increase to meet federal requirements. Westar also wants to readjust rates so residential and small-business customers pay more while industrial consumers pay less. Under the proposal, residential bills will increase nearly 9 percent, or about $7.50 a month for 900 kilowatt hours of usage. Bills for large industrial companies would drop about 8 percent. Utility bills for public schools would also drop more than 7 percent.=========== Wichita Council Won't Issue Bonds for LibraryWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita City Council members agree the city's current downtown library needs improvements but they say the money isn't available to pay for a new one. The council voted Tuesday to solicit proposals for architectural plans for a proposed $29 million library. But the council opposed issuing bonds to pay for the project. Instead, the council directed the city's library board to find alternative funding. Officials said the city could not afford to issue more bonds while it is considering water, sewer and road projects. No one disputes the city's current library, which was built in 1965, has problems. It does not have enough space for its books and offers too few computers. Some of the alternative funding ideas include a two-year quarter-cent sales tax, donations and public-private partnerships.=========== Pittsburg to Vote on Half-Cent Sales Tax IncreasePITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — Pittsburg residents will vote in September on a proposed half-cent sales tax increase to help fund police and fire operations. The Pittsburg City Commission voted Tuesday night to put the issue up for a vote on September 17. If the proposal is approved, the tax would take effect on Jan. 1, 2014. Police Chief Mendy Hulvey said the police department is understaffed and the city "sorely needs" a narcotics unit. The Joplin Globe reports that the increase would provide about $1.2 million to fund 10 additional officers and updated technology. The increase also would fund five officers in an investigative unit. And Fire Chief Michael Simons said the tax revenues would fund a new pumper and other gear, as well as provide money for training.=========== Larned State Hospital Plans Mental Health ConferenceLARNED, Kan. (AP) — The state hospital for the mentally ill in western Kansas plans to hold its 10th annual conference on mental health next month. Larned State Hospital's event is scheduled for August 12-15 at the Larned Community Center. Superintendent Tom Kinlen says the conference provides professional development for psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and corrections officials but is open to anyone who's interested in mental health issues. Topics to be addressed at the conference include suicide prevention and advances in the diagnosis and treatment of depression.=========== Photographer Arrested After Flying over FeedlotGARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — Finney County authorities say a freelance photographer working for National Geographic was arrested and briefly detained after he shot pictures of a feedlot near Garden City while on a paraglider. George Steinmetz, of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, and his paraglider instructor, Wei Zhang, of Beijing, China, were arrested for misdemeanor criminal trespass on June 28 after flying over the feedlot. The Hutchinson News reports that the two were held briefly in the Finney County jail before each paid a $270 bond and were released. Finney County Sheriff Kevin Bascue says Steinmetz and Zhang didn't have permission to launch their paraglider from private property and they didn't tell anyone they were going to take photos from the air. National Geographic spokeswoman Beth Foster says the organization doesn't believe Steinmetz broke the law.

In an exclusive interview with NPR, the attorney general says he won't avoid cases related to the Capitol riot probe that are political, controversial or sensitive.

All over the country, a rise in crime is influencing messaging behind political runs. In Atlanta, Kasim Reed, a former two-term mayor, is running again saying that he can lower the city's crime rate.

From health care to climate change to immigration, GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has found himself at odds with conservatives over the years. But will Republican voters overlook those issues if they think he can beat President Obama?

Comey has nearly seven years left on his term but became a divisive figure during the presidential campaign. The Trump team is also considering how to fill critical Justice Department vacancies.

With her well-researched, beautifully written book, Rachel Monroe addresses the desire to consume stories of murder and mayhem — and what it reflects about us and the world around us.

A new biography of the African-American playwright shows that she was so much more than her most famous work: A Raisin in the Sun.

The former FTX CEO, who is accused of orchestrating one of the largest financial frauds in history, plans to testify in his own criminal trial in a major gamble to avoid prison time.

A growing body of research shows that climbing high, running fast and conquering fears can improve children's physical and mental health and help them get along with peers.