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Total Kansas Spending Would Be Flat After 2 YearsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Budget recommendations from Kansas Governor Sam Brownback would leave total state spending flat after two years. Brownback outlined proposals Wednesday for spending for the two years beginning in July. He wants to increase total spending slightly during the fiscal year that begins July 1 and reduce it the following fiscal year. He's proposing that the state spend nearly $14.6 billion during the fiscal year that begins in July. That's a total increase of $186 million, or 1.3 percent, over the current budget of about $14.4 billion. But for the fiscal year that begins in July 2014, Brownback is proposing dropping total spending back down to $14.4 billion. Under his budget proposals, spending on highway projects would fluctuate in those years, which is common.=================Kansas Governor Proposes Eliminating Mortgage Interest Deduction TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Governor Sam Brownback is proposing to eliminate a popular state income tax deduction for interest paid on home mortgages to help close a budget shortfall. Brownback on Wednesday outlined his budget proposals for the two years beginning in July. He also provided lawmakers with more details about his proposals to cut income tax rates further, following reductions last year. Documents show that he's proposing to phase in a new round of income tax cuts over three years, while keeping the state's sales tax rate at its current level, rather than letting it drop in July, as previously scheduled. His proposals provide an additional $541 million in revenues for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Lawmakers rejected the proposal to eliminate the mortgage interest deduction last year.================= Kansas Governor Seeks Modest Boost in School FundingTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Governor Sam Brownback's budget proposals would phase in a $76 million increase in aid to public schools over two years and use revenues from state-owned casinos to help fund teachers' pensions. Brownback outlined recommendations Wednesday for spending for the two years beginning in July. He proposed that the state keep its base aid for public schools at $3,838 for the fiscal year that begins in July and then increase it by $14, to $3,852 during the fiscal year that begins in July 2014. Both figures are still far short of the $4,492 in base aid per pupil ordered last week by a three-judge panel hearing an education funding lawsuit in Shawnee County. Brownback is also proposing that the state dedicate $77 million in casino revenues to teacher pensions during the next two fiscal years.=================Kansas Governor Says Merger Would Save $30M over 2 YearsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback says his proposal to merge the Kansas Turnpike Authority with the state Department of Transportation would save $30 million over the next two years. The Republican governor built those savings into the budget he released Wednesday. Brownback announced his proposal Tuesday evening during the State of the State address, saying Kansas doesn't need two transportation agencies. His goals became clearer with the release of his budget proposals. Brownback projects that the merger would save $15 million a year, and his budget recommendations assume that those dollars will be available for use elsewhere. The Department of Transportation oversees more than 10,000 miles of highway and thousands of bridges. The state created the turnpike authority in the 1950s to manage what so far is the state's only toll road.================= Kansas Governor's Plans Defy Court Order on SchoolsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Governor Sam Brownback is calling for a fresh round of aggressive cuts in Kansas income taxes and changes in the state Constitution to rein in the power of the judiciary branch. Brownback reaffirmed in his State of the State address Tuesday evening that his goal is to eventually eliminate income taxes. But his plan for further reductions is tied to keeping the state sales tax at its current rate, rather letting it drop in July as previously planned. Brownback's speech came just days after a three-member panel of trial judges ruled the state must boost its annual aid to public schools by at least $440 million. Brownback endorsed proposed constitutional amendments on education funding and the selection of judges for the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.================= Brownback Proposes $12M for Reading ImprovementTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback wants to spend $12 million to help Kansas elementary school students who struggle with reading. The governor called in his State of the State address for a three-part initiative called Kansas Reads to Succeed. Besides the funding to for programs to help struggling readers, Brownback is also proposing to require third-graders to demonstrate an ability to read as a condition of being promoted. Additional incentives would be provided to elementary schools that do the best at boosting fourth-grade reading scores. Brownback says 29 percent of Kansas fourth-graders can't read at a basic level. The governor says promoting elementary school pupils who can't read is "irresponsible and cruel."=================Legislators Open Hearing on Kansas Judicial ChangesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ Several law professors say they would favor a different system for appointing judges to the Kansas Court of Appeals and the state Supreme Court. The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony Wednesday on a proposed change in the Kansas Constitution to let the governor appoint appellate judges, with confirmation by the Senate. Voters would have to approve the constitutional change. Under the current system, the governor chooses appellate judges from slates of three finalists nominated by a special commission. The commission is made up of four non-lawyers appointed by the governor and five lawyers who belong to the Kansas Bar Association. University of Kansas law professor Stephen Ware says the current process shuts voters out from decisions on appointments to the state's highest courts.=================Senator Jerry Moran Opens Manhattan Regional OfficeMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — U.S. Senator Jerry Moran has opened a regional field office in Manhattan, giving the city two new congressional offices. Radio station KMAN reports that Moran and his wife, Robba, were on hand for a ribbon-cutting Tuesday at the new office. The couple moved to the city last year from their longtime home in Hays. Moran's fellow Kansas Republican, U.S. Representative Tim Huelskamp, recently opened his own regional office in Manhattan. The city was part of the 2nd Congressional District for decades but was moved by last year's redistricting to the sprawling 1st Congressional District. Moran is keeping his field office in Hays, along with others in Wichita, Pittsburg and Olathe.=================Kansas and Missouri Could Be Affected by Disaster Aid FightKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Some Congressional representatives from Missouri and Kansas say they support federal aid for regions hit by disasters but insist lawmakers must continue to look for corresponding cuts in federal spending. The U.S. House on Tuesday passed a $50.7 billion aid package for northeastern states pounded by Hurricane Sandy last October. Two weeks ago, Missouri Representative Sam Graves and all four House members from Kansas voted against an initial $9.7 billion for a flood insurance program to pay Hurricane Sandy claims. In general, they contend government has to stop allocating such large sums without cutting spending by a corresponding amount. The Kansas City Star reports that some representatives from the northeastern U.S. resented those comments, noting Midwestern states had received millions in federal aid for tornadoes, floods and drought.================= Kansas Officials Support Phasing Out Boat TaxesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback's administration is proposing phasing out property taxes on watercraft by 2016. Watercraft is currently taxed at 30 percent, prompting criticism that boat owners often register their watercraft in other states to avoid the high taxes. In November, about 53 percent of Kansas voters approved an initiative to allow lawmakers to reduce property taxes on watercraft. The Wichita Eagle reports that the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism announced a plan Monday to tax boats at 20 percent starting in 2014 and 10 percent in 2015. Watercraft would be exempt from property taxes beginning in 2016 and beyond. The department also proposed stricter laws for boating under the influence and requiring everyone to take boater education courses.================= Kansas State Senator Considering Run for KCK MayorTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A veteran state senator says he's considering running for mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. Kansas City Democrat David Haley says he'll make a decision by the end of the week. Last week, two-term Mayor and CEO Joe Reardon said he won't run for re-election because he wants to spend more time with his family. The mayoral primary is Feb. 26, with the general election set for April 2. The 54-year-old Haley was appointed to the Kansas House in 1994 and served there until he was elected to the Senate in 2000. He ran unsuccessfully for Kansas secretary of state in 2002 and 2006. Haley is the nephew of Alex Haley, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Roots."=================Kansas Soldier Finds Strange Woman in His HomeOGDEN, Kan. (AP) — An Army soldier called police after he found a woman in his Kansas home, possibly returning a laptop that had been stolen the day before. Riley County police say 34-year-old Christopher Soder reported his laptop was stolen from his Ogden home on Monday. On Tuesday, when Soder returned home he found a woman he didn't know in his home and saw that the laptop had been returned. A 30-year-old woman from Ogden was arrested. WIBW reports police say it's unclear what happened when Soder found the woman, partly because there apparently was a language barrier.=================Mom Accused of Binding Kids Gets ProbationLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) _ A suburban Chicago woman has been sentenced to one year of probation after two of her children were found last June bound and blindfolded in a Walmart parking lot in Lawrence. Deborah Gomez of Northlake, Illinois pleaded no contest in December to three counts of child endangerment. Her husband, Adolfo Gomez, has pleaded no contest to two counts of child abuse and three counts of child endangerment. Both parents have been in custody since they were arrested after a woman at a Lawrence Walmart reported seeing two children bound and blindfolded near the family's vehicle. Douglas County Judge Paula Martin sentenced Deborah Gomez on Wednesday to a year of probation. If she violates probation, Gomez will have to serve three years in jail. Sentencing for Adolfo Gomez is next month.=================Sex Offender, Kansas Talent Scout Accused of RapeKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A convicted rapist who co-founded a Kansas talent agency after serving 20 years in prison is now accused of raping a 14-year-old girl he took to Tennessee to participate in a talent show. Nashville police say 55-year-old Robert Lile repeatedly attacked the girl while threatening her with a knife before leaving her Sunday in a local hotel. Police say he was the girl's manager. Lile was arrested Monday in Missouri. On Wednesday, he refused to be extradited, meaning Tennessee authorities will have to seek the governor's help. He's being held on $500,000 cash-only bond. Lile wasn't on the state or national sex offender list because his conviction pre-dated the law. While in prison, he unsuccessfully challenged the Kansas sex offender rehabilitation program before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2001.=================Officer Helps Nab Burglars in Own Missouri HomeKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A northeast Kansas police officer is getting credit from Missouri colleagues for helping make quick work of a burglary case. KMBC-TV reports that the officer works for the Overland Park Police Department but lives in Kansas City, Missouri. The officer was coming home late Wednesday morning when he noticed someone inside his own house, looking out. Kansas City police say the officer parked up the street, walked to his home and held one burglary suspect at gunpoint. Two other suspects ran but were quickly taken into custody. Investigators said the burglars apparently picked the officer's home at random and were looking for weapons and electronics.=================Man Found Dead Near Wichita Railroad TracksWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police in Wichita are trying to identify a man found dead near railroad tracks in the northeastern part of the city. The Wichita Eagle reports police believe someone placed the body near the tracks — but they don't know when. Workers heading to a construction site came across the body shortly before 9 am Wednesday. Police Lieutenant Doug Nolte says an autopsy will show the cause of the death, but authorities are treating it as suspicious for now. A homeless shelter is located not far from where the body was found.=================New Wichita Abortion Clinic Draws 3 DoctorsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The new owners of the former Wichita clinic of slain abortion provider George Tiller say they expect to open the facility during the first quarter of this year with one full-time and two part-time doctors. Trust Women director Julie Burkhart told The Associated Press Tuesday the clinic will offer comprehensive obstetrical and gynecological health care services as well as abortions. The clinic has contracted with the doctors and has hired most of the nine or 10 people it plans to employ. Representatives from the Feminist Majority Foundation are in Wichita this week to assess security measures at the clinic. They are also meeting with local, state and federal law enforcement officials and building community support.=================Abortion Opponent Seeks to Shield Jail VisitsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — An anti-abortion activist accused of sending a threatening letter to a Wichita doctor training to offer abortions wants a federal court to forbid the government from prying into her jailhouse ministry with the convicted murderer of Dr. George Tiller. Angel Dillard argues in a court filing Wednesday that the information sought by the government about her inmate counseling is protected by ministerial privilege and the First Amendment. She is seeking a protective order barring disclosure of the information. Her attorney argues a dangerous precedent would be set if the Justice Department can conduct wholesale inquiry into such counseling under the guise of trial preparation in a civil case. The government argues the in jail logs, Dillard described visits to convicted murder Scott Roeder as those of a friend, not minister.================= Two Companies Agree to Pay Fines for Violating Telemarketing LawTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas attorney general's office says two companies have agreed to pay $10,000 each for violating the state's no-call telemarketing law. Attorney General Derek Schmidt identified the companies Tuesday as Prairie Life Fitness LLC, of Omaha, Nebraska, and Vandell Communications LLC, based in Illinois. Schmidt's office began investigating Prairie Life Fitness in early 2012 after an Overland Park resident complained of getting a solicitation by phone. The company acknowledged marketing its Kansas-based fitness centers to Kansas residents who had placed their numbers on the national do-not-call registry. The attorney general says Vandell Communications telephoned Kansas residents on the no-call list offering prizes on behalf of a Nevada company selling travel-related services. Schmidt says both companies agreed to pay the state $10,000 in penalties and fees for the violations.================= Judge Rules Against Former Wife of Ex-KU OfficialWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has refused to amend his finding against the ex-wife of a University of Kansas athletics department official convicted in a ticket scalping scandal. U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten on Tuesday again ruled for the government in its lawsuit against Ben Kirtland and his ex-wife, Mary Jean Kirtland, affirming that Mary Kirtland cannot keep assets fraudulently transferred to her in the couple's divorce settlement. Ben Kirtland is the former Kansas associate athletic director in charge of development. The government is now trying to collect more than $55,000 from Mary Kirtland. Marten also refused to allow her to appeal the judgment without posting any bond. Ben Kirtland was one of seven Kansas athletics officials convicted for the unlawful sale of Jayhawk football and basketball season tickets.================= University of Kansas Gets Approval for $39M ProjectLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas received approval from the Lawrence city commission to begin construction on a $39 million complex that will include track and field, soccer and softball facilities. KU athletic director Sheahon Zenger announced Tuesday that the school had received the all-clear to begin construction on the facilities west of campus. Preliminary plans call for a track and field stadium with 7,000 permanent seats and room for 3,000 temporary seats. The new home of the Kansas Relays would mean the existing track could be removed from Memorial Stadium, where the Jayhawks play football. The new soccer stadium will seat 2,500 and the softball stadium will seat 1,500. School officials hope to have the facilities ready by spring 2014.================= Kansas Man Sentenced on Bank Fraud ChargesKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Johnson County man was sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay $1.3 million in restitution for his part in a scheme to fraudulently obtain millions of dollar in mortgage loans. Federal prosecutors say 55-year-old John Bradfield, of Overland Park, was sentenced Tuesday. He admitted that he submitted fraudulent information to mortgage lenders. One co-defendant, Paul Hartfield of Overland Park, obtained $4.9 million in loans to rehabilitate more than 40 homes in the Kansas City metro area. After he stopped rehabilitating the homes in October 2006, he persuaded friends and family to buy properties he claimed to fix. Hartfield was sentenced last October to about six years in prison and ordered to pay $2.6 million restitution. Two other men were convicted in the scheme.================= Washburn's Lecture Series to Feature Author SinhaTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A professor of African-American studies at the University of Massachusetts will deliver the second installment of Washburn University's Lincoln Lecture Series. Manisha Sinha will present "Race and Equality in the Age of Lincoln" February 6 at 7 pm at the Memorial Union. Her lecture is free and open to the public. Yale University Press is publishing her soon-to-be released "To Live and Die in the Holy Cause: Abolition and the Origins of America's Interracial Democracy." She also wrote "The Counterrevolution of Slavery: Politics and Ideology in Antebellum South Carolina." Recently, Sinha was a featured commentator on "The Abolitionists," part of the "American Experience" series on PBS. The Lincoln Lecture Series is among a program of events leading up to Washburn University's sesquicentennial celebration in 2015.================= Brown v. Board Case to Be Focus of JCCC PresentationOVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — The daughter of the lead plaintiff in the Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation case will discuss the case and the 14th Amendment next month at Johnson County Community College. Cheryl Brown Henderson is scheduled to speak about the landmark desegregation case Feb. 12 at Craig Community Auditorium on the Overland Park campus. She'll speak about the 14th Amendment during an appearance the following evening at the college's Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. The Supreme Court's 1954 ruling in the Topeka case declared that separate schools for black and white children where inherently unequal. The event is sponsored by the community college's history department and the Kansas Studies Institute.================= Missouri Man Sentenced for $3.5M Fraud SchemeKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A northwest Missouri man who stole about $3.5 million from friends and neighbors in an investment fraud scheme will spend 11 years in prison with no chance of parole. A federal judge sentenced 51-year-old Daniel Meredith of Excelsior Springs on Tuesday for promising his victims high profits on investments in a purported Bolivian land scheme and fake coffee house franchises. His victims lived mostly in Missouri and Kansas. One lost millions of dollars and at least one other had to declare bankruptcy. Federal prosecutors say Meredith claimed to have connections with former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and several other government officials. Meredith spent the money at casinos, on horses and for an extravagant home. Prosecutors say Meredith conducted the schemes between serving sentences for other cons.=================Kansas Governor Outlining Budget Proposals for Lawmakers TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback is preparing to give Kansas legislators the details of how he proposes to protect core state services while making state government more efficient over the next two years. Budget Director Steve Anderson was scheduled to make separate presentations Wednesday to the House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means committees. The state must close a projected $267 million gap between anticipated revenues and existing spending commitments for the fiscal year that begins in July. The shortfall results from aggressive income tax cuts enacted last year to stimulate the economy. But Brownback's proposals will cover two fiscal years, outlining spending for state agencies through June 2015. He told legislators in his annual State of the State address that aid for public schools and key social services will be preserved.**this story has been updated. Please see above.

Eastern Kansas, Western Missouri in Line for StormsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Severe weather is in the forecast for eastern Kansas and western Missouri on Saturday, with a slight risk of tornadoes. Thunderstorms are expected late Saturday from north of St. Louis west to Kansas City and south to Springfield, Joplin and Wichita. The National Weather Service says unstable conditions are likely Saturday evening and into the night, with heavy rain and high winds possible. Forecasters say high dew points, wind speeds and general instability could create favorable conditions for super-cell thunderstorms and possibly tornadoes. The highest risk area extends from Des Moines through Kansas City and into eastern Kansas.===================Feds Remove Female Prisoners from State PrisonTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Federal officials have removed four female inmates serving federal sentences from the state-operated Topeka Correctional Facility. The Federal Bureau of Prisons arrived Thursday to take the prisoners away. The action comes after the U.S. Department of Justice released a report in September concluding there was widespread sexual abuse of inmates at the Topeka prison. However, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Corrections says federal officials didn't given any explanation for the decision to remove the inmates. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that a spokesman for the federal Bureau of Prisons declined to say why the inmates were transferred to other prisons. The Topeka prison is the only state prison for women in Kansas.===================UPDATE: Kansas Governor's Attorney Applies for Appeals Court TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Governor Sam Brownback's top staff attorney is among 21 applicants for an opening on the state's second-highest court. Brownback Chief Counsel Caleb Stegall was joined by five lower-court judges in meeting Friday's deadline to apply for the Court of Appeals. They included Sedgwick County District Judge Tony Powell of Wichita, a former Kansas House member. The applicants are seeking the seat held by Judge Christel Marquardt. She plans to retire in January after 17 years on the 13-member court. A statewide nominating commission will interview the applicants next month and send the names of two or three finalists to Brownback. It will be the conservative Republican governor's second appointment to the Court of Appeals. The court also has another vacancy because Chief Judge Richard Greene died earlier this week.===================Kansas Supreme Court Upholds Murder ConvictionTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court upheld the first-degree murder conviction of a Wichita man for the shooting death of a security guard who tried to break up a fight between gang members. The court on Friday rejected an appeal from Kamaronte D. Jones, who was convicted in the 2007 killing of Keith Peters. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that when a fight between Bloods and Crips members broke out inside a private home, Peters intervened and was shot by Jones. Jones was sentenced to a hard-25 life sentence. In his appeal, Jones's attorney argued evidence of Jones's gang activity should not have been admitted at his trial. The Supreme Court ruled that evidence of gang activity can be introduced when it helps explain the events surrounding a crime.===================Washburn University: Little Chance of Possible Campus TB Outbreak TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Washburn University officials say they are not concerned about a possible tuberculosis outbreak on campus after a student tested positive for the disease this week. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the male student is taking classes from home while he recovers. He was diagnosed by his primary doctor. Washburn's director of student health, Shirley Dinkel, says students, faculty and staff who may have had contact with the student are being notified by email. They will be offered TB blood tests next week. Dinkel says only a few faculty and students had even remote contact with the student, making it unlikely that anyone else on campus has the infectious disease. Officials say the student is expected to make a full recovery.=================== Kansas Highway Patrol Moves to Electronic CitationsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Highway Patrol troopers will be issuing electronic citations instead of written ones starting next week. The system will first be used in the northwest part of the state, with the other six regions to make the switch in a few months. District courts throughout the state support the move because it is expected to reduce lag time in getting ticket information to the courts and help law enforcement track violations. A news release from the Highway Patrol says motorists being issued a ticket won't see much of a delay, and their signature won't be required. The system also won't allow fine amounts to be changed. The patrol says no new hardware was required to implement the system in patrol vehicles.=================== Central Kansas Town of Nickerson to Drop PoliceNICKERSON, Kan. (AP) — The central Kansas town of Nickerson is dropping its police force because of budget concerns. The Hutchinson News reports that the city council made the decision in a 4-3 vote Thursday night. The last police shift in the town of about 1,000 residents will end at midnight Saturday. And the Reno County Sheriff's Office will be the primary law enforcement agency in Nickerson after Tuesday, when the department officially will be eliminated. The county already responds to about half the city's calls, and questions had been raised about the actual effect of the city's mostly part-time police staff. Mayor Jim Gladden says he would be open to reinstating the department once the city could make budget adjustments. He wants to re-evaluate the situation in six months to a year.===================Kansas Bank Robbery Suspect Makes Court AppearanceSALINA, Kan. (AP) — A central Kansas bank robbery suspect has been charged with firing at a trooper who pursued him as he fled with a woman and three children in a sport utility vehicle. The Salina Journal reported that a Saline County judge appointed a public defender Friday to represent 30-year-old Jason Michael Gleason. The public defender's office didn't immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press. Gleason is charged with attempted first-degree murder for shooting at the trooper after crashing his SUV Tuesday night near Gypsum. The officer returned fire, and two people in the SUV were injured. Authorities haven't released the ages of the children in the SUV or said why they or the woman were with Gleason. Other charges against Gleason include four counts of attempted second-degree murder.=================== Trial for Kansas Anti-Abortion Activist DelayedWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A judge has again delayed the trial of a Kansas anti-abortion activist accused of sending a threatening letter to a Wichita doctor training to perform abortions. The trial of Angel Dillard of Haysville was reset for October 29, 2013. That would be nearly three years after she is accused of sending Dr. Mila Means a letter saying people were watching and mentioning that someone could place explosives under her car. The Justice Department sued Dillard under a federal law aimed at protecting access to reproductive services. The case has languished since its filing in April 2011. The court docket shows 23 motions have sought extensions of various deadlines for filings and proceedings. Nearly all those requests were filed by the defense. One other trial delay also was granted.=================== Kansas Governor Planning 'Skills Summit' in WichitaTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback will attend an event later this month in Wichita to discuss ways to improve the state's recruiting and training of workers. The Kansas Skills Summit is scheduled for October 29 at the National Center for Aviation Training. It will be a four-hour round-table discussion. Brownback and state Commerce Secretary Pat George are planning to attend, along with representatives of various industries needing highly trained workers. The governor's office says the goal is develop ways to standardize skills among workers and develop a system for providing credentials to businesses. State official believe that such a system will help Kansas companies find skilled workers and keep them competitive.=================== Kansas Secretary of State Employee Retires at 86TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A veteran employee of the Kansas secretary of state has retired after working 29 years as a proofreader. Madeline Cowell finished her tenure with the agency on Thursday, which was also her 86th birthday. Cowell started with the office in 1983, when she was hired by Secretary of State Jack Brier as a part-time proofreader. Current Secretary of State Kris Kobach complimented Cowell for her professionalism and attention to detail during her time at the office. Her duties included reading several legal publications produced by the department, including the Kansas Register, the agency's weekly document. A cake was presented to Cowell with images of the publications she reviewed, each naming a different secretary she served. It also included two books that she wrote.=================== Kansas State Fair Saw $200K Spike in Gate ReceiptsHUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas State Fair collected 14 percent more in ticket sales this year than last year as attendance increased. Fair officials reported the $200,000 boost in gate receipts Thursday as they set the 2014 budget. The Hutchinson News reports that the fair had nearly 4,000 more fairgoers than in 2011. This year also saw the price of adult tickets bought at the gate increase by $2 to $10. Plus, advance tickets increased by $1. The 2012 event also netted the fair $1.79 million in sales, up from $1.77 million from last year. The sales category includes the percentage of sales for food, carnival and other revenues that vendors pay the fair, along with carnival space fees.=================== Kansas Jail Escapee Sentenced for CarjackingWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — An inmate who fled from a north-central Kansas jail has been sentenced to another 18 years in federal prison for carjacking. Federal prosecutors announced Thursday that 22-year-old Eric Jerome James received the sentence after pleading guilty to stealing a vehicle following his escape from the Ottawa County Jail. The Wichita Eagle reports that James escaped along with three other men who had been transferred to the jail from an overcrowded state prison. James was the last to be captured when he was arrested two days later in Omaha, Nebraska. James admitted that after escaping, he assaulted a man who was leaving his Ottawa County home for work and stole the victim's Nissan Altima. Under a plea agreement, James was not charged for the jail escape.===================Missouri Man Leads Lawrence Police on ChaseLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) _ A Missouri man with several warrants out for his arrest has crashed his vehicle in a yard while fleeing from Lawrence police. Lawrence Police Sergeant Craig Shanks says the man recently purchased the purple Dodge Intrepid he was driving. When he failed to return the tags to the owner, the owner reported the tags stolen. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the chase started Thursday night when police officers attempted to stop the vehicle. Police called off the chase before the vehicle crashed into a fence. The man then tried to run before police caught him in a nearby yard. Shanks says the man had several warrants out for his arrest, including one for burglary. He also was arrested on suspicion of reckless driving, and fleeing and eluding.==================== Man Found Guilty of 2nd-Degree Murder in Fatal CrashCAMDENTON, Mo. (AP) — A Jefferson City man has been convicted of two counts of second-degree murder for causing an accident that killed two people in August 2011. The Jefferson City News-Tribune reports a Camden County (Missouri) jury on Friday also found 41-year-old Damien Bryan guilty of driving under the influence. The victims of the crash were 58-year-old Donald Edwards of Russellville and 75-year-old Joan Hamilton of Lenexa. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says Bryan failed to yield and hit Hamilton's car, causing it to overturn into the path of Edwards's car. The accident happened in Jefferson City. Court records indicate Bryan had at least three prior guilty pleas for driving under the influence of alcohol.=================== New Wichita State President to Be InauguratedWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State University is inviting the public to the inauguration of its 13th president. John Bardo took over the job in July, replacing Donald Beggs, who stepped down after 12 years. The ceremony is scheduled for 2 pm Friday at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex in Wichita. U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren will administer the oath. Governor Sam Brownback will present the presidential medallion and give inaugural remarks. Bardo began his career at Wichita State, where he chaired the sociology and social work department from 1978 to 1983. He later worked at the University of North Florida and Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts. More recently, Bardo was chancellor of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina from 1995 to 2011. He returned to the classroom last year to teach education.=================== Sedgwick Residents Organize FundraisersWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — South-central Kansas residents are raising money to defray medical costs and funeral expenses for the family of a young mother killed in a train crash. Eighteen-year-old Taylor Sowell of Newton died October 6 when the car she was driving collided with a BNSF freight train near Walton. Her husband and brother were injured. The newlywed couple's 8-month-old daughter was with a baby-sitter. The Wichita Eagle reports that the Wichita venue Innovo will take cash and check donations at the door during a concert Saturday. Then on Sunday, a barbecue dinner and auction is planned at Sedgwick Grade School. Later in October, Sedgwick's Salon Halo is hosting a "Cut-A-Thon" to benefit the Sowell family. Donations also may be made to a memorial fund at Legacy Bank in Sedgwick.=================== KCK Middle Schooler Injured in School Bus CrashKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas City, Kansas middle school student has suffered serious injuries in a school bus crash. Broadcaster KCTV reported that an occupant in another vehicle also was injured. District spokesman David Smith says the crash happened around 5 pm Thursday as the bus was transporting students from after-school activities. Smith says the injured student was taken to a hospital but is expected to survive. The cause of the crash is under investigation.'===================Texas Men Killed in Wyoming Plane Crash IdentifiedCHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Authorities have released the names of four east Texas men killed in a plane crash in the mountains of Wyoming. Searchers looked for the plane for almost two days before they found the wreckage of the single-engine Piper plane toward sunset Thursday. There were no survivors. Albany County officials said Friday those killed were 52-year-old Charles Ford and 29-year-old James Morgan, both of Marshall, Texas; along with 21-year-old Maverick Cayce, of Longview, Texas; and 65-year-old Billy Gee of Karnack, Texas. The plane had been scheduled to land Tuesday evening at the Casper airport after taking off from Marshall, Texas, and stopping for fuel in Dodge City, Kansas. The plane went missing in foggy weather. A pilot spotted the wreckage on Laramie Peak in a remote area of southeast Wyoming. The crash is being investigated and authorities plan to remove the wreckage.=================== Arkansas City Woman Sentenced in Toddler's DeathARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A 25-year-old south-central Kansas woman was sentenced to three years of probation in the death of a 2-year-old boy who died after drinking rust remover. Jennifer Bowman of Arkansas City was sentenced Thursday for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Davin Manly. The boy died last October after he drank the rust remover while Bowman was babysitting him. Authorities said the substance was in a plastic beverage bottle. Several witnesses spoke on Bowman's behalf during Thursday's sentencing. As part of her sentence, she must undergo drug screening and mental health counseling. KSNT-TV reports the judge could have sentenced Bowman to prison, but he said that would have hurt her three children.==================== Stiles to Help Coach Benefit Basketball GameCOLDWATER, Kan. (AP) — A benefit basketball game in southwest Kansas will have some star power on the sidelines. Kansas native Jackie Stiles, a basketball star at the high school, college and professional level, will coach at the game October 26 at South Central High School in Coldwater. Other former college and women's professional basketball players also will participate in the game. The Wichita Eagle reports proceeds from the game pay for cancer screenings for women in Wilmore, Englewood, Protection, Ashland and Coldwater. Organizers say the first three games raised enough to fund more than 700 screenings. Stiles is an assistant coach at Loyola Marymount University. She starred at Claflin High before setting the women's career NCAA scoring record at Missouri State University and becoming the WNBA's rookie of the year in 2001.=================== Nebraska Collision Victim IdentifiedLEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a Lexington, Nebraska man who was killed when his vehicle was struck by a pickup being chased by a state trooper. Dawson County Attorney Elizabeth Waterman identified the victim as 68-year-old Ruben Maravilla-Cortes. He was pronounced dead early Tuesday morning at the scene along U.S. Highway 283 in Lexington. Waterman says 22-year-old Destry Swartz, of Coats, Kansas was driving the pickup being chased. He and a 17-year-old Lexington boy were not hurt in the collision. Swartz is charged with vehicular homicide while driving drunk and four other charges. A Dawson County jailer said Swartz remained in custody on Thursday, pending $500,000 bail. Online court records don't list his attorney's name.=================== Vestas Company to Lay Off Wind Turbine Workers in ColoradoBRIGHTON, Colo. (AP) — Vestas says it has laid off about 29 percent of workers at its blade factory in Windsor, Colorado, days after confirming it was laying off 75 workers at its blade factory in Brighton. The Danish wind turbine manufacturer said Thursday that the cuts in Brighton and Windsor amounted to about 18 percent of its remaining Colorado manufacturing workforce, suggesting about 200 people in Windsor lost their jobs. The company says its Colorado manufacturing workforce this year has dropped from about 1,700 employees to about 1,200 due to attrition, relocations and cuts. Vestas has blamed the slowdown in the U.S. wind industry on uncertainty about whether Congress will renew a wind production tax credit. Overall, Vestas employs about 2,600 in the U.S. and Canada, down from more than 3,400 earlier this year.=================== Driver Charged in KC Wreck That Killed PassengerKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A 19-year-old man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in an April wreck that killed his 17-year-old passenger. Court records say Dawontay D. Frazier of Kansas City recklessly caused the death of Alycia Cornelius by driving more than 100 mph in an area with a 40 mph speed limit. T he Kansas City Star reports that witnesses told police it appeared as if Frazier's car was racing another car. Ultimately, he lost control of his car, which left the road and struck two trees. The impact split the car into two sections and ejected its occupants. Frazier suffered critical injuries. Court records say he told detectives he never meant to hurt Cornelius and was sorry. Bond was set at $100,000. No attorney is listed for Frazier in online court records.=================== Man Found Guilty of Killing KC BusinessmanKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A 30-year-old Kansas City man will be sentenced November 21 for killing the owner of a tool and equipment rental company. Andre M. Broadus was convicted Thursday of second-degree murder in the May 2011 shooting death of 50-year-old David W. Bledsoe. Broadus also was convicted of robbery and two counts of armed criminal action. Bledsoe died after being shot at Bledsoe's Rental. He was shot just after two gunmen entered the store. He chased the robbers after they fled but collapsed not far from his store and died later at a hospital. The second gunman, Anthony C. Britton, is scheduled to be sentenced Monday after being convicted earlier this year of the same charges as Broadus.===================Applicants for Kansas Appeals Court Face DeadlineTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A deadline is looming for attorneys and lower court judges who hope to fill a coming vacancy on the Kansas Court of Appeals. They had until Friday to submit their applications to a statewide nominating commission. It will interview the candidates and send the names of two or three finalists to Governor Sam Brownback. The 13-member Court of Appeals is the state's second-highest court. Applications due Friday are for the seat held by Judge Christel Marquardt. She plans to retire in January after 17 years on the bench. But the court has another vacancy because Chief Judge Richard Greene died earlier this week. Since Brownback took office in January 2011, he's made one appointment to the appeals court.**this story has been updated. Please see above.

Issues With KS Voter Citizenship Rule to LingerTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers have learned that administrative issues are likely to linger from a state law requiring new voters to provide proof of their U.S. citizenship. The issue arose Monday because Department of Revenue officials told a legislative committee they don't have a timetable for requiring everyone who seeks to renew a driver's license to provide citizenship documents. People can fill out voter registration forms at driver's license offices. Some legislators assumed that people renewing driver's licenses would be required to provide citizenship documents and therefore comply at the same time with the proof-of-citizenship rule for new voters. But more than 16,600 prospective voters have their registrations on hold because they haven't provided proof of their citizenship. Many filled out registration forms at driver's license offices.============Kansas Moved Quickly to Get 'Hard 50' Fix into LawTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials took extraordinary steps to ensure that legislation fixing the state's "Hard 50" criminal sentencing law is now in effect. Spokeswoman Eileen Hawley said Monday that Governor Sam Brownback wanted the period of uncertainty surrounding the law to be as short as possible. The law allows convicted murderers to be sentenced to serve at least 50 years in prison. Previously, judges decided on imposing the sentence. But a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June said juries had to do it — and lawmakers passed the fix during a special session last week. Brownback signed it Friday when the bill was delivered to his office. The bill took effect upon its publication in the state's official weekly digest of legal notices. A special edition was published Friday.============Analysis: Kansas to Compare Court Selection MethodsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback's allies and critics have waged an intense debate over changes in picking Kansas Court of Appeals judges. But Kansans should soon have a real-world contrast between the new system and the one it replaced. The state Senate last week confirmed Brownback's chief counsel, Caleb Stegall, to a Court of Appeals seat under a law taking effect in July. He appoints the judges, subject to Senate confirmation. But the Kansas Supreme Court still falls under the old system. It has an attorney-led nominating commission screen applicants for vacancies and name three finalists, with no role for legislators after the governor's appointment. And a state Supreme Court vacancy is likely next year because Justice Nancy Moritz has been nominated to a federal appeals court.============Some Counties Charging Nonresidents Extra Fees at Driver's License OfficesHUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Some Kansas counties have started charging additional fees to out-of-county residents who've been flooding their driver's license offices to avoid long lines in larger cities. The Hutchinson News reports that Harvey and Butler counties in southeast Kansas have implemented the fees, while county treasurers in smaller counties also are considering an additional charge. Wichita resident Tammy Katzenmeier says she didn't mind paying an extra $20 last week to get her driver's license renewed in Harvey County to avoid what likely would have been several hours in a Wichita driver's license office. Instead, she was in and out of the Newton office in 10 minutes. Kansas Department of Revenue spokeswoman Jeannine Koranda says things will settle down now that the summer rush of teens taking their driver's tests is over.============Lawrence Police See Uptick in Home InvasionsLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Lawrence police say they are seeing an alarming increase in the number of home invasions, most of which involve drugs, money and young people who are seen as easy targets by criminals. The Lawrence Journal-World reports there have been at least five home invasions in the city since December, but police think there have been many more not reported. In some of the cases people who aren't involved in drugs have been terrorized after the intended target moved away. Police spokesman Sergeant Trent McKinley says other times the victims are reluctant to call police because the property that's been stolen is illegal and they don't want to tell officers the whole story. McKinley says one disturbing aspect of the home invasion trend is that firearms are more frequently involved.============Corvette Driver Carjacked in TopekaTopeka police say a man was carjacked when he took his 2012 Chevy Corvette to a car wash last (SUN) night around 10:00 pm. Police say two men, armed with a shotgun and handgun, stole the car. The Corvette was later recovered. ============5 Kansas Lakes Targeted in Health Warnings for AlgaeWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Public health warnings have been issued for five Kansas lakes because of dangerous levels of toxic blue-green algae. Less restrictive advisories have been issued for three other lakes. The warnings from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment prohibit swimming, wading, skiing or other direct contact with the water. Lakes now under warnings include Hiawatha City Lake and Mission Lake, both in Brown County; Lake Warnock in Atchison County; Logan City Lake in Phillips County; and Memorial Park Lake in Barton County. The agency posted advisories for Colwich Memorial Park Lake in Sedgwick County as well as two in Johnson County — Rose's Lake and South Park Lake. The advisories allow boating and fishing but strongly discourage direct water contact.============Fort Riley to Hold Annual 9/11 CommemorationFORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) — The names of four more soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan will be added to a monument at Fort Riley as the northeast Kansas post marks the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Wednesday's commemoration begins at 10 am at the Global War on Terrorism monument, located between the parade field and the Cavalry Museum. It's open to the public and will include remarks by Major General Paul Funk, commander of Fort Riley and the 1st Infantry Division. The monument is a small replica of the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center with a base in the shape of the Pentagon. It bears the names of all soldiers assigned to Fort Riley who died in Afghanistan and Iraq. The four new names will bring the total to 208.============3 Sentenced for Fire at Well-Known KC RestaurantKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The former part-owner of Kansas City's Hereford House restaurant has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for arranging an arson fire that destroyed the downtown landmark. The U.S. Attorney's office says 60-year-old Rodney Anderson won't be eligible for parole under the sentence he received Monday in federal court. Two men who set the October 2008 fire were also sentenced Monday — 59-year-old Vincent Pisciotta to 20 years and 47-year-old Mark Sorrentino to 15 years, both without parole. All three were convicted last year of conspiracy, arson and using fire to commit a federal crime. Anderson was also convicted of mail fraud. Prosecutors said Anderson was in debt and conspired with Pisciotta and Sorrentino to burn the restaurant and to get insurance money to rebuild.============Head-On Crash Kills 2 in SW KansasCIMARRON, Kan. (AP) — A head-on collision involving a pickup truck and a semi hauling grain has left two men dead in southwest Kansas. The Highway Patrol says the crash occurred around 6 am Monday on U.S. 50, about 10 miles west of Cimarron. The patrol identifies the victims as the pickup's driver, 20-year-old Cesar Bautista-Cruz, and his passenger, 22-year-old Jeremiah Lee. Both were from Dodge City. Troopers said the crash happened when Bautista-Cruz tried to pass a westbound vehicle making a turn at an Ingalls feedlot and collided with the eastbound tractor-trailer. The accident closed a 30-mile stretch of U.S. 50 between Garden City and Cimarron for several hours.============Report: Rain Helps Irrigated Corn; Dry Land Corn SufferingGARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — The rain that fell in parts of Kansas this summer helped irrigated corn but left dry land corn thirsty for more. John Holman, an agronomist with Kansas State University Southwest Research Extension Center, says the irrigated corn harvest is expected to be better than it has been in the past two years. He says 50 to 60 percent of the irrigated corn is in good condition, with about 30 percent in good to excellent condition. Holman told The Garden City Telegram that the dry land crop didn't profit as much from the rain. He says the dry land corn's condition improves the farther east in Kansas but 75 percent of that crop is poor to very poor.============KCMO Police Officers Overcome by Meth Fumes at Death Scene KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Five Kansas City police officers have been treated at area hospitals after being overcome by fumes from a meth lab in an apartment where they were investigating a death. The Kansas City Star reports that two people at the studio apartment called police around 9:15 pm Sunday after they noticed their friend was dead. Officers found a man who appeared to be sleeping on a mattress, and they believe he may have overdosed on drugs. Five officers at the scene complained of a reaction to fumes coming from a methamphetamine lab in the apartment's bathroom and were taken to hospitals, where they were treated and released. Meth investigators dismantled the lab and removed the hazardous chemicals. The two people at the apartment were detained for questioning.============68-Year-Old KS Man Is Homicide VictimMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Riley County police say a 68-year-old man whose body was found during a welfare check over the weekend was the victim of a homicide. Police spokesman Matthew Droge says evidence at the rural Manhattan residence Sunday afternoon indicates John Burroughs was killed. He declined to provide any other details, including cause of death. Burroughs was found around 2:30 pm. Police are asking anyone with information about what happened to him to contact the police department or Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers.============ 2 Kansas City Airports Win Federal GrantsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two Kansas City airports have won a total of $12 million in federal grants for field improvements. The Kansas City Star reported Monday that the Federal Aviation Administration awarded the grants to the Kansas City International and the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown airports. The Kansas City Aviation Department says about $5.1 million will go toward a $6.7 million repair of Taxiway A at KCK. The FAA generally funds 75 percent of airfield improvement projects at the airport, with the aviation department funding the rest. At the downtown airport, the FAA awarded a $4.2 million grant toward a $4.7 million project to upgrade the airport's taxiway system. And it provided another $2.7 million to finance most of the cost of building an aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle storage facility.============Wichita School Board to Clarify Policy on Reporting AbuseWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Wichita school district is considering revising its policy for reporting suspected abuse. The change the board will consider Monday comes more than a year after the controversial firing of a kindergarten teacher. The long-time teacher acknowledged that she delayed reporting allegations of sexual abuse for two weeks. The Wichita Eagle reports that the proposed policy would direct employees to call 911 immediately if they witness a situation "that may constitute criminal activity." The addition was prompted by concerns that the policy did not expressly direct teachers to call police, but instead required them to call district security. Kansas law requires teachers, doctors, counselors and other mandatory reporters to inform either local law enforcement or the Kansas Protection Reporting Center if they suspect a child has been abused.============ Sedgwick County Grapples with Clogged WaterwaysWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Strong wind storms followed by heavy rains this summer have piled more debris in Sedgwick County's creeks than public works deputy director Jim Weber has seen in his 31 years with the county. The Wichita Eagle reports the county's task of clearing the waterways is tougher because of a lack of manpower and tough environmental rules. Weber says a June 27th storm packing 80 mile per hour winds tossed limbs and trees into the county's waterways, and five weeks of rainfall that followed washed the debris into places where they clogged the creeks and stream. The county's stream-cleaning crew now works from a hot-spot list of 15 to 20 priority areas that need urgent attention. Weber said that alone is enough to keep his crew busy for three to five years.============ Kansas Deputies Find Body in Burned VehicleGARDNER, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are investigating after finding a body in a burning vehicle in rural Johnson County. The Johnson County Sheriff's Office says deputies made the discovery around 5:30 am Sunday while responding to a fire call in an unincorporated part of the county near Gardner. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the blaze. The identity of the victim couldn't immediately be determined.============ 2 Kansans Die in Missouri CrashDEARBORN, Mo. (AP) — A man and woman from Kansas City, Kansas have died after their vehicle went off the side of Interstate 29 and landed in a Missouri creek. The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the victims as 35-year-old Crystal Harris and 51-year-old Robert Richardson. The accident happened Saturday afternoon near the Platte County town of Dearborn, Missouri. The patrol says the driver lost control of the vehicle before swerving through a guardrail and bridge abutment. The vehicle then traveled down a steep embankment and came to rest in a creek.============Oklahoma Man Admits Robbing SE Kansas BankWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — An Oklahoma man has pleaded guilty to robbing a bank in southeast Kansas earlier this summer. The U.S. Attorney's office says 44-year-old Thomas Hass, of Quapaw, entered the plea Monday in federal court in Wichita. He faces up to 20 years in prison at sentencing November 25. Investigators said Hass entered the American Branch in Galena on July 22 and requested a loan application. He then pulled a gun and demanded money. The weapon turned out to be a pellet gun that shot rubber pellets. Hass was arrested within days after surveillance photos from a nearby convenience store brought tips from the public. One caller said Hass had approached a woman saying he had recently obtained a large amount of money and wanted to take her to Las Vegas. ============ Preservation Stalls on 1869 Lawrence BuildingLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Problems preserving a historic Lawrence building might force a glass studio with a national reputation out of business. The city has declared part of the 1869 Turnhalle building unfit for habitation because of a serious mold problem. That area of the building houses Free State Glass, which is known for handmade glass items ranging from paperweights to chandeliers. Free State Glass co-owner Dick Rector says the Lawrence Preservation Alliance, which owns the building, failed at fixing the building. But the president of the alliance says the group found there was no short-term solution to fixing a leaking roof, and work to fix the problem cannot be started until November at the earliest. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Rector says he's unsure what will happen to his company.============ 6 Former Ag Secretaries to Speak at K-StateMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A panel of six former agriculture secretaries will give the next installment of the Landon Lecture series at Kansas State University. The Manhattan Mercury reports that the October 21st event at McCain Auditorium will take the form of a question-and-answer session. The panelists will be Mike Johanns, Ann Veneman, Dan Glickman, Mike Espy, Clayton Yeutter and John Block. University chief of staff Jackie Hartman says that having six agriculture leaders share the same stage is "nothing short of monumental." The speakers were picked as the school celebrates its 150th anniversary and birth as a land-grant institution. The Landon Lecture is named for Governor Alf Landon, a Republican who was Kansas governor from 1933 to 1937. Landon lost to Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1936 presidential election.============Koch Industries Buying Molex for About $6.86BLISLE, Ill. (AP) — Koch Industries is buying electronic components and cables maker Molex for approximately $6.86 billion. Koch — run by the billionaire brothers Charles and David — said Monday that it will pay $38.50 per Molex Incorporated share. That's a 31 percent premium to the company's $29.34 Friday closing price. The companies put the deal's total value at about $7.2 billion. Molex has about 178.2 million outstanding shares, according to FactSet. It will remain headquartered in Lisle, Illinois and will keep its current management team. Molex will also keep its company name and will run as a Koch subsidiary. Koch, based in Wichita, owns a variety of businesses. Both companies' boards approved the transaction, which is expected to close by year's end. It still needs shareholder approval.===========Researchers: Clean Air Act Is Helping ForestsMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A team of university scientists has found that federal clean-air laws have helped forests recover from pollution. Kansas State University associate biology professor Jesse Nippert collaborated on the project with West Virginia University researchers. Kansas State says in a news release the researchers spent four years studying more than 100 years' worth of rings in Eastern red cedar trees in the central Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. The region is downwind of the Ohio River Valley coal power plants and experienced high amounts of acidic pollution in the 20th century. The scientists found that the trees fared better in the decades since the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970. Their findings appear in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.============ Man Escapes from Shawnee County JailTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Law enforcement officers are looking for a state prisoner who walked away from a work release program in Shawnee County. Department of Corrections spokesman Jeremy Barclay says 25-year-old David Kerth escaped Sunday morning. He is described as 5-feet-10-inches tall and about 200 pounds, with short brown hair and hazel eyes. No further details about how he escaped were released. WIBW reports that Kerth was jailed in 2007 for a Douglas County robbery and entered the state corrections system for a 2012 probation violation. He was working at a Shawnee County processing plant as part of a state work release program. The county is responsible for transporting work release inmates to and from their work.============ Authorities Arrest Man Following Long StandoffRUSSELL, Kan. (AP) — A Russell man is in custody after a standoff at a home that lasted nearly 8½ hours. Russell County Sheriff John Fletcher says the standoff began Sunday evening when the man barricaded himself in a home, and threatened either to shoot officers or commit suicide. The standoff ended early Monday. Fletcher says in a statement that officers found Clayton Becker hiding under basement stairs and he was arrested after a brief struggle. The man was wanted on several felony charges.============ Arkansas Sheriff Faces Removal from OfficeSHERIDAN, Ark. (AP) — Grant County Sheriff Ray Vance faces possible removal from office due to a 2010 misdemeanor conviction in Kansas. Vance pleaded guilty in November 2010 to false representation to secure a lifetime Kansas hunting license. Vance and his attorney declined comment — but Vance has filed an appeal of the conviction that says it was unconstitutional. Arkansas prosecutors filed a petition in February to remove Vance from office — saying the conviction is an "infamous crime." Special Prosecutor Jack McQuary told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he has pulled the petition to remove Vance rom office until the appeal is heard in Kansas. McQuary says there are "some very good constitutional questions" about the conviction — including whether he was properly warned about the dangers of representing himself in court.============ Wichita State Basketball Player Released from HospitalWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State University freshman basketball player D.J. Bowles is out of the hospital, nearly a week after he collapsed during a workout. The university says Bowles, a freshman guard, was released from Via Christi Hospital on St. Francis Sunday. Bowles collapsed during practice on Tuesday evening at Koch Arena. The university says in a news release that Bowles, from Cleveland, Tennessee, will undergo more tests to determine the cause of his collapse.============K-State Coach Writes Letter to NDSU's JensenFARGO, N.D. (AP) — Bison quarterback Brock Jensen is still picking up congratulations for the North Dakota State upset over Kansas State, including from head coach Bill Snyder. The Forum reports that Snyder sent a hand-written letter to Jensen congratulating the senior. He wrote that he was impressed with him and his teammates and that Jensen "played so very well, virtually error-free and with such poise." NDSU defeated the Wildcats 24-21 in the August 30 season opener in Manhattan. Jensen scored the game-winning touchdown with 28 seconds remaining. K-State came into that game as the defending Big 12 Conference champions.============Chiefs Off to Winning Start under Reid, SmithKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs scored more points in their season opener than they did in any game last season. They piled up six sacks, returned an interception for a touchdown and didn't allow the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars to score on offense. The result? New coach Andy Reid and quarterback Alex Smith have the Chiefs off to a 1-0 start, halfway to their win total from all of last season. The Chiefs' emphatic 28-2 result Sunday was their most lopsided season-opening win since beating Denver 59-7 in 1963. It also made Reid the first Chiefs coach to win his opener since Frank Gansz in 1987.

UPDATE: 2 Kansas Prison Escapees in Custody in MissouriEDGERTON, MO. (AP) — Two of three inmates who walked away from a northeast Kansas prison are in custody in northwest Missouri. The Platte County Sheriff's Office says the men emerged from a rural home late Friday afternoon after hours of negotiations. Captain Erik Holland says 31-year-old Allen M. Hurst and 49-year-old Scott A. Gilbert walked out from under a back deck and surrendered without incident. The pair had holed up in the house Friday morning, sometime after escaping Lansing Correctional Facility in Kansas early Friday. The whereabouts of the third escaped inmate, 57-year-old Randy A. Ridens Sr., remain unknown.=================UPDATE: Man Charged in Deaths of Woman, Her Toddler, 2 MenOTTAWA, Kan. (AP) — A criminal complaint says a 27-year-old man arrested earlier this week has been charged in the deaths of a woman and two men whose bodies were found at a rural eastern Kansas farm home. Kyle Flack also is charged in the death of the woman's young daughter, whose body hasn't been found. Authorities say they presume 18-month-old Lana Leigh Bailey is dead. The complaint released Friday says Flack is charged with capital murder in the deaths of 21-year-old Kaylie Bailey, Lana Bailey and 30-year-old Andrew Stout. He also faces multiple counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of those three as well as 31-year-old Steven White. The bodies of Kaylie Bailey, Stout and White were found earlier this week on an Ottawa-area farm. Bailey and her daughter disappeared last week.================= Search for Missing Kansas Toddler ContinuesOTTAWA, Kan. (AP) — Crews on foot, horseback and all-terrain vehicles resumed their search for an 18-month-old girl who is presumed dead after the bodies of her mother and two men were found at an eastern Kansas farm. Authorities looking for toddler Lana Bailey's remains returned to an area on Friday west of Ottawa where the other bodies were found. =================Kansas AG Defends Not Releasing Tobacco Funds ReportTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas attorney general's office says it will release information about the state's share of tobacco settlement funds in a timely manner if it can do so legally. Spokesman Don Brown said Friday that Attorney General Derek Schmidt's office still is determining whether it can release an accounting firm's report on revisions to a 1998 legal settlement between states and tobacco companies. Kansas Action for Children filed a petition Friday in Shawnee County District Court to force Schmidt's office to release the report. The group says it wants to know much the state can expect to receive in tobacco settlement funds in coming years. Schmidt announced last month that Kansas received nearly $68 million in tobacco settlement funds for the current fiscal year, almost $13 million more than expected.=================Kansas Legislators Tout Suspended License ChangesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Legislators are touting changes made to Kansas driver's license laws that they say will help poorer residents drive in limited situations while their licenses are suspended. The measure allows residents with suspended licenses to apply for a restricted permit to drive to work, school or other limited locations while they pay off traffic fines. The Wichita Eagle reports that the law was on the books four years ago and lawmakers initially didn't notice when a sunset provision took effect in 2012. They took action this session to restore the law. Two interns with Kansas Legal Services said during a ceremonial bill signing Thursday that the lapse in the law made it difficult for the working poor to stay employed so they could pay their traffic ticket fines.=================Kansas Lawmakers Want to Block Sale of Parking LotTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A committee in the Kansas Legislature is trying to prevent the sale of a parking lot for government workers near the Statehouse. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Legislature's Joint Committee on State Building Construction voted Thursday to ask the Department of Administration to reject all bids for the lot. The highest bid was $2.5 million. Some committee members said the department failed to follow the proper procedure for selling the lot because it didn't consult the committee, legislative leaders or a state Capitol-area planning group before seeking bids. But interim Administration Secretary Mark McGivern said the state owns "an abundance of parking" in the area. McGivern also says decisions about surplus property do take into account the needs of state workers.=================Veteran SE Kansas House Democrat RetiringTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A veteran southeast Kansas Democrat is announcing that he will retire from office at the end of the 2013 session. Bob Grant, a 64-year-old from Frontenac, told colleagues on Friday that he would be stepping down to spend more time with his family. Grant is known for his colorful language and casual dress, rarely wearing a tie or dress shirt under his coat during legislative session. He sported a black tuxedo and gray vest as he made his intentions known. He was first appointed to the House in 1991, the last time Democrats held a majority in either legislative chamber. He lost election in 1994 but returned in 1996. Grant said he has talked to people about filling his unexpired term.=================Kansas Representative Proposes to Girlfriend on House Chamber FloorTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Representative Phil Hermanson invited his girlfriend to the Kansas House on the pretext of helping honor a student from the Wichita area. Turns out the honor was all his. There was no student, but Hermanson dropped to one knee in the House chamber on Friday and proposed to Rhonda Riggs. Riggs accepted, much to the approval of the Wichita Republican's colleagues. Riggs and Hermanson have known each other since grade school in Goddard and dated for a while in college. They rekindled their romance in March of this year while following the Wichita State Shockers' run to the semifinals of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Riggs is a contract executive with a Wichita landscaping company. She said the couple planned to get married in early 2014.================= Kansas Oil Production Increases in 2012; Natural Gas DeclinesLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Data from the Kansas Geological Survey show oil production in Kansas last year was up over 2011, but natural gas production was down. Officials with the survey, based at the University of Kansas, report the 43.7 million barrels of oil produced last year were the most since 1995. The oil had a value of $3.7 billion. The survey also reported that Kansas natural gas production declined from 312 billion cubic feet in 2011 to slightly less than 300 billion cubic feet last year, a drop of 4 percent. The value of the gas declined 34 percent last year to about $790 million. Ellis County was the state's largest oil producer with 3.6 million barrels in 2012. Stevens County produced the most natural gas, with 40 billion cubic feet.================= Kansas National Guard Marks Tank Engine MilestoneFORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) — Kansas National Guard officials are marking a milestone for a unit that rebuilds tank engines for the U.S. military and foreign customers. The Advanced Turbine Engine Army Maintenance unit, known as the ATEAM, held a ceremony Thursday to celebrate completion of the 1,000th tank engine rebuilt at the unit's Fort Riley facilities. The program began 14 years ago and is responsible for rebuilding turbine engines used in the Army's main battle tank. Other customers of the unit include Saudi Arabia. Major General Lee Tafanelli said the ATEAM has saved taxpayers millions by rebuilding the engines each year instead of having them replaced at a higher cost. The unit employs 120 Army and Kansas National Guard soldiers with a payroll of $8.3 million.=================Salina Police Expect More Arrests in Woman's DeathSALINA, Kan. (AP) — Salina police say they expect to make more arrests in the death of a 27-year-old woman whose body was found this week after she had been missing since April 25. Officers arrested a 24-year-old Salina man Wednesday on suspicion of premeditated first-degree murder in the death of Kristin Tyler. Salina police Lieutenant Scott Siemsen said Friday the investigation is not over and more arrests are likely. Tyler's body was found Thursday in a ravine off Interstate 135 near Salina. Siemsen says Tyler might have been killed near where her body was found. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Salina police and the Saline County Sheriff's Office are investigating the case. Tyler's mother reported her missing after her daughter did not return home from running errands on the evening of April 25.=================Man Won't Get New Trial for Kansas Student's DeathTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has upheld the convictions of a man serving life in prison with no chance of parole for the murder of an El Dorado teenager who led a secret life as an Internet porn model. The justices unanimously rejected an appeal for a new trial from Israel G. Mireles. Mireles was convicted of rape and capital murder in the November 2007 stabbing and strangulation of Emily Sander. The 18-year-old Butler County Community College student was killed in an El Dorado motel room that Mireles had been renting while working in the south-central Kansas community. It was later revealed that Sander also was known on the Internet as model Zoey Zane. The court rejected Mireles's claim that grisly autopsy photos shouldn't have been admitted as evidence.=================Report: US Winter Wheat Production Forecast DownWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Agriculture Department has forecast U.S. farmers will harvest a far smaller winter wheat crop this season than a year ago, particularly for the hard red varieties used to bake bread. The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Friday that winter wheat production is forecast to be down 10 percent to 1.49 billion bushels amid fewer acres and poorer yields. Production of hard red winter wheat production is down by 23 percent nationwide to 768 million bushels. Kansas, the nation's biggest wheat producer, mostly raises hard red winter wheat. The state is forecast to harvest 299.7 million bushels. That is down from the 382.2 million bushels cut last year. It is also below the forecast of 313 million bushels estimated by participants in the Kansas wheat quality tour earlier this month.=================USDA: Despite Late Start, Record Corn Crop LikelyDES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The wet start to the corn planting season may reduce the amount each acre produces this year, but farmers are planting so much corn they're still likely to bring in a record crop. In a report released Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated farmers would bring in 14.1 billion bushels of corn this year, a billion bushels more than the previous record set in 2009. The USDA expects farmers to grow an average of 158 bushels per acre, a 3.4 percent reduction from the 163.6 bushels predicted in February. The downward adjustment is due to delayed planting caused by a cold, wet spring. Farmers are planting more than 97 million acres of corn, the most since 1936. That's why even an average yield would result in a record crop.================= Trial Set for Kansas Store Owner over Counterfeit GoodsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has set a trial date for a Kansas store owner accused of selling phony luxury goods imported from China. U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren on Thursday scheduled the trial of 54-year-old Glenda Sue Morgan for July 2 in federal court in Wichita. A three-count indictment handed down last month charges Morgan and her Wichita shop, The Fabulous Store LLC, with conspiracy and trafficking in counterfeit goods. Prosecutors allege Morgan sold handbags, wallets, sunglasses and jewelry bearing trademark designs and brand names but not made by those companies. The luxury-name goods included Prada, Coach and Chanel, among others. Prosecutors say a search warrant executed last month turned up about 400 counterfeit items that, if authentic, would have been valued at $130,000.================= Johnson County Community College Names PresidentOVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Johnson County Community College has promoted one of its administrators to president of the college. The college's trustees on Thursday named Joseph M. Sopcich the school's fifth president His is currently the college's executive vice president of administrative services. The 58-year-old Sopcich will assume the presidency this summer. He will replace President Terry Calaway, who resigned after serving as president since June 2007. The Kansas City Star reports that Sopcich signed a three-year contract with a total compensation package of $317,900 a year. His base salary will be $240,000.================= Cowley College Hires Oregon Man as New PresidentARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — An administrator at an Oregon community college will be the new president of Cowley College in Arkansas City. The college's board voted Thursday to hire Clark Williams to lead the college. He will replace Patrick McAttee, who retired at the end of 2012 after serving as Cowley's president for 25 years. The Arkansas City Traveler reports that Williams currently is the vice president and chief operating officer for Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon. Williams will begin his new job on July 8.=================KS Abortion Protester Sues Wyoming Town over 2011 ArrestCHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — An anti-abortion protester has sued the town of Jackson, Wyoming, saying it violated his rights when police arrested him as he was preaching on the town square in 2011. Mark Holick, a pastor with Kansas-based Spirit One Christian Center, filed suit in federal court in Cheyenne against the town and two town police officers on Thursday. Holick and Spirit One are seeking damages, alleging that the arrest violated their civil rights. The town of Jackson had secured a state court order barring anti-abortion protesters from appearing on the town square in 2011. The Wyoming Supreme Court ruled last year that the order violated the rights of protesters, who weren't alerted in advance that the town had requested it. The protesters had targeted Jackson because a doctor there has acknowledged performing abortions.=================Brownback Chief of Staff Says Last NBAF Cost Estimates 'Solid'TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Governor Sam Brownback's chief of staff says the latest cost estimates for a new, national biosecurity lab and commitments from federal officials about its funding are "pretty solid." Landon Fulmer sought to assure Democrats in the Kansas Senate on Thursday that the state is unlikely to face committing more funding for the project if it issues an additional $202 million in bonds. Fulmer said federal officials don't intend to ask Kansas for further commitments. Some legislators have misgivings about more bonds even though they support the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility at Kansas State University. The $1.15 billion lab will research dangerous animal diseases. The state already has authorized $105 million in bonds, but costs have escalated. President Barack Obama's latest proposed budget includes $714 million for the project.================= Kansas House Panel Advances Plan to Fund Stem Cell Research CenterTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas House committee has approved a proposal to spend $1.2 million to fund a new research center for potential medical cures with adult stem cells. The Appropriations Committee voted Thursday to direct House budget negotiators to push for the spending. Governor Sam Brownback signed a bill last month creating the new center at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. The law prohibits the new center from using money or resources on research with embryonic stem cells. Instead, the aim is to make Kansas a leader in research with adult stem cells. Three senators and three House members are negotiating the final version of a $14.5 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.=================Kansas Woman Struck, Killed by Freight TrainEMPORIA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the death of a pedestrian who was hit by a freight train in east-central Kansas. The Emporia Gazette reports police on Thursday identified the woman as 28-year-old Haylee Frazier, of Emporia. BNSF Railway says the accident happened shortly before midnight Wednesday. Frazier was found near the tracks and pronounced dead at the scene. BNSF spokesman Andy Williams says the westbound train had three locomotives and 49 cars. He adds that the accident did not happen at a crossing. It's not clear why Frazier was near the tracks. Williams says the speed limit through Emporia is 40 mph and the train was not speeding at the time.================= Kansas Doctor Denied Bail on Federal Drug ChargesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A northeast Kansas doctor accused of illegally distributing prescription drugs will remain in federal custody for now. Fifty-three-year-old Michael Schuster was indicted May 1 on multiple counts alleging he operated a pill mill from his clinic in Manhattan. U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Sebelius on Thursday denied Schuster's request to set bail, calling him a flight risk. Sebelius said Schuster and his wife had misled authorities about their assets and the whereabouts of their passports after the charges were filed. Schuster pleaded not guilty earlier this week to charges alleging he engaged in a scheme to unlawfully distribute controlled substances from April 2007 until at least August 2012. He's accused of directing and allowing staff members to dispense controlled substances in his absence, using blank, signed prescription pads he left behind when he traveled.================= Wichita Man Sentenced in Beating DeathWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A homeless man has been sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for beating another homeless man to death over cigarettes. Forty-one-year-old Patrick R. Perkins was sentenced Thursday for involuntary manslaughter and robbery in the death of 41-year-old Marshall K. Hauschulz. Police say the beating occurred as Perkins was robbing Hauschulz of cigarettes in December 2011. The Wichita Eagle reports state prison records show Perkins was paroled from prison six weeks before he killed Hauschulz. He had served time for a Reno County aggravated battery conviction and also had a 1994 Saline County conviction for aggravated robbery.=================Three Minimum Security Inmates Escape Lansing PrisonLANSING, Kan. (AP) — Law enforcement officials are looking for three inmates who walked away from the Lansing Correctional Facility. The inmates escaped early Friday from minimum security. Further details of their escape were not immediately available. The inmates are 31-year-old Allen M. Hurst and 49-year-old Scott A. Gilbert, who both were convicted in Sedgwick County in 2010 of multiple counts of burglary and theft; and 57-year-old Randy A. Ridens Sr., who was convicted in Shawnee and Douglas counties in 2010 of several burglary counts and one count of theft. Corrections officials say all escaped inmates should be considered armed and dangerous.**this story has been updated. Please see above. =================Three Escaped Kansas Inmates Holed Up in Missouri HomeEDGERTON, MO. (AP) — Three inmates who walked away from a Kansas prison are holed up in a northwest Missouri home. Kansas Department of Corrections spokesman Jeremy Barclay says the inmates escaped early Friday from the minimum security unit at the Lansing Correctional Facility. He says they ran into a home in Platte County, Missouri, on Friday. No shots have been fired. Area TV broadcasts show lines of police cars surrounding the home in a rural area near Edgerton. The escaped inmates are 31-year-old Allen M. Hurst, 49-year-old Scott A. Gilbert and 57-year-old Randy A. Ridens Sr. They were in prison for burglary and theft convictions. North Platte R-1 School District Superintendent Jeff Sumy says the district was asked to keep students inside at an Edgerton school.**this story has been updated. Please see above. =================Police: 2 Men in Missouri Home Likely Escaped KS InmatesEDGERTON, MO. (AP) — Authorities say they believe two armed men holed up in a northwest Missouri home escaped from a Kansas prison Friday. Platte County Sheriff's Department Lieutenant Erik Holland says officers began chasing the suspects in Platte City, Missouri. Holland says shots were fired at officers as the men fled in a stolen car and the men bailed at a home near Edgerton. Three inmates walked away from a minimum-security unit at the Lansing Correctional Facility in Kansas. Authorities believe the men in the Missouri house are two of the inmates. It's unclear where the third inmate is. Authorities say the homeowners said there were firearms inside. The Kansas Department of Corrections has identified the escaped inmates as 31-year-old Allen M. Hurst, 49-year-old Scott A. Gilbert and 57-year-old Randy A. Ridens Sr.**this story has been updated. Please see above.

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