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The Lawrence Humane Society finds itself with a surplus of cats. That's why the group is waiving cat and kitten adoption fees in an effort to find homes for more of these animals. Kayse (KAY-see) Aschenbrenner (ASH-en-brenn-ur) with Lawrence Humane says that the group almost always houses more animals as the weather grows warmer. There will still be a charge for spaying or neutering of adopted animals. The no-adoption-fee promotion will run until the shelter's cat population has stabilized. More information is available online at lawrencehumane.org.

When it was published in 1960, Harper Lee's modest novel helped Americans think differently about race. Now, 50 years later, To Kill a Mockingbird still resonates in a much-changed America. NPR's Lynn Neary examines the lasting impact of Scout Finch and her father, Atticus — a lawyer who defends a black man unjustly accused of rape.

Photo by Stephen KorandaThe Kansas Supreme Court will hear arguments tomorrow (TUE) on whether Democrat Chad Taylor should be removed from the ballot for a U.S. Senate seat.Taylor dropped out of the Senate race recently and he’s trying to get his name removed. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach says Taylor’s name should stay on the ballot.University of Kansas Political Science Professor Burdett Loomis calls the situation “extraordinarily unusual.” He can’t remember a legal battle with a high-profile candidate trying to be removed from the ballot in Kansas. Loomis says that means the situation is headed into uncharted waters.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa7d09d0000“And I think you can see that as it moves forward that nobody really knows exactly what to do here. There's no clear body of statutory law and there's no body of case law, at least in recent years,” says Loomis.Taylor filed paperwork to remove his name, but Kobach says Taylor’s paperwork doesn’t comply with state law and he’s refusing to remove Taylor’s name from the ballot.When Taylor dropped out, that left Republican Pat Roberts, independent Greg Orman and Libertarian Randall Batson in the race for the U.S. Senate seat.

The pandemic has been stressful for millions of children. If that stress isn't buffered by caring adults, it can have lifelong consequences. There's a lot schools can do to keep that from happening.

December 3, 2017: When is a cake more than just a cake? When it's at the center of this week's U.S. Supreme Court case involving religious rights and freedom of expression.

Q: Movie star Elizabeth Taylor was born in London, but her parents grew up in Kansas. Name the Kansas town where Elizabeth Taylor's parents met and grew up.

UPDATE: Kobach Taking Action to Block Taylor's Withdrawal from U.S. Senate RaceTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is taking steps to block Democrat Chad Taylor's effort to have the state's highest court remove him from the ballot in the U.S. Senate race. Kobach filed a response with the high court Wednesday to a petition filed Tuesday. Taylor asked the justices to force Kobach to remove his name from the ballot. Kobach is a Republican backing GOP Senator Pat Roberts. Taylor ended his campaign last week, potentially boosting the chances of independent candidate Greg Orman beating Roberts. Kobach's response said the case should be heard in district court because of factual disputes. He said that even if the Supreme Court takes the case and rules in Taylor's favor, it should force Democrats to find another nominee under state election laws.============================= UPDATE 2: Washington, DC Attorney Arrives to Aid Taylor in KS Ballot Fight TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An attorney for a national Democratic Party group is part of the effort to get the party's nominee off the ballot in the U.S. Senate race in Kansas against Republican Senator Pat Roberts. A Topeka attorney representing Democratic candidate Chad Taylor filed a request Wednesday with the Kansas Supreme Court, asking it to allow out-of-state attorney Marc Elias to practice before the court. Elias is a partner in a Washington law firm, and his online biography says his clients include the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment. Taylor petitioned the court Tuesday to force Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach to remove him from the ballot after Taylor ended his campaign last week. The move potentially boosted independent candidate Greg Orman.=============================KS Democrat Won't Discuss Senate Ballot LawsuitTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic nominee Chad Taylor is refusing to answer questions about his petition to the Kansas Supreme Court to have his name removed from the ballot as a candidate for the U.S. Senate. Taylor told reporters Wednesday that he wouldn't discuss the case for now. Taylor ended his campaign last week. Some fellow Democrats nudged him out of the race in an attempt to give independent Greg Orman a better chance of defeating three-term Republican Senator Pat Roberts in the November 4 election. The Democrat sent a letter of withdrawal to Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach. But Kobach said Taylor didn't comply with state election laws and has kept his name on the ballot. Taylor filed a petition Tuesday with the state Supreme Court to force Kobach to relent.

Chad Taylor speakign to reporters about the charges. (Photo by Stephen Koranda)Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor says he is filing a capital murder charge and will seek the death penalty for a man accused of killing a Topeka Police officer. Taylor says Ross Preston Lane is charged with shooting Topeka Police Corporal Jason Harwood during a traffic stop Sunday. Taylor says under state law, the premeditated killing of a police officer is one of the scenarios justifying a capital murder charge. “We fact-checked every component of this to make sure that it does fit those parameters, it clearly does. As the district attorney, I deem that filing a capital case in this situation is absolutely appropriate,” says Taylor. Taylor thanked what he called the “good Samaritans” who came to Corporal Harwood’s aid following the shooting. Another man, Randy Allen Ridens Jr., was also charged in connection with the killing. He allegedly helped Lane escape following the shooting. ==================== (VERSION TWO)Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor is filing a capital murder charge and will seek the death penalty for a man accused of killing a Topeka Police officer. Taylor says Ross Preston Lane is charged with shooting Topeka Police Corporal Jason Harwood during a traffic stop Sunday. Taylor says in cases like this he consults with the victim’s family about the charges and the possibility of pursuing the death penalty. “We have a very long discussion about what this process is going to entail and I always seek and value their input. Obviously, they're the ones who made that ultimate sacrifice of losing their family member or their loved one. But ultimately, that decision rests with me,” says Taylor. Under state law, the premeditated killing of a police officer is one of the scenarios that can justify a capital murder charge. Also arrested in connection with the killing is Randy Allen Ridens Jr. He allegedly helped Lane escape following the shooting.

Members of the Kansas Senate are being urged to preserve a state economic development agency that's currently on the budgetary chopping block. Governor Sam Brownback wants to fold the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation, or KTEC (KAY-tek), into the Department of Commerce and the Kansas Board of Regents. But Nitrite Solutions C-E-O Jeremy Jones says KTEC is worth keeping around. 00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa78f400000Governor Brownback, however, says Kansas has too many stand-alone economic development agencies. Former Governor Kathleen Sebelius also tried to give KTEC the axe, but lawmakers voted to continue funding for it.

Lawmakers are considering two very different proposals to tackle a funding problem in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, or KPERS (kay-pers). The system faces a projected 7.7 billion dollar deficit over the coming 30 years. The House bill would shift new workers to a 401(k)-style investment plan. The Senate version would keep employees in a traditional pension, but study if a 401(k) plan is a good idea. Governor Sam Brownback charged the Senate with looking into the issue, but he hasn’t said which proposal he favors.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa793de0000Both versions would have the state and employees putting more money into KPERS. For more on the two proposals, tune in later this hour.