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Emporia State, ranked No. 24 in the Division II poll, takes on top-ranked and defending national champion Northwest Missouri.

The investigation, prompted by the discovery of top-secret papers found at Mar-a-Lago, is at an early stage, a source told NPR.

A rumored plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts is raising the ire of some Kansas lawmakers. A legislative committee has begun work on the redistricting process. One plan being discussed would expand the First District in western Kansas eastward to include Wyandotte County. There are concerns that this plan would reduce the influence of Democratic voters in an area that has historically been a Democratic stronghold. Anthony Hensley, of Topeka, is the top Democrat in the Senate. He says party officials drew a test map to see if Wyandotte County could be put in the First District.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa79d6e0000Some lawmakers say Hensley is jumping the gun, because no official maps have been released. Republican House Speaker Mike O'Neal, of Hutchinson, co-chairs the redistricting committee.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa79d6e0001The committee will continue holding public hearings on redistricting next month. Lawmakers will redraw the maps during next year’s legislative session.

Legislators could soon take action aimed at slowing Governor Sam Brownback's plan to overhaul Medicaid in Kansas. That's according to Paul Davis, from Lawrence, the top Democrat in the Kansas House. Davis says he's talked to both Republicans and Democrats who have concerns about the proposal.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa7a9090000Right now it's unclear what action lawmakers would take. Governor Brownback's plan would create privatized managed-care programs, with the goal of improving patient outcomes and cutting costs. Earlier this month, the administration revealed that five companies had submitted bids. Medicaid provides health care for more than 300,000 aged, disabled and low-income Kansans.

Aerospace engineering students from the University of Kansas are cleaning up (once again) at an international aerospace design competition.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach has named a former state House member as the top elections official in one of the state's most populous counties. The appointment of 43-year-old Andrew Howell as Shawnee County election commissioner was announced Monday. Howell replaces Elizabeth Ensley Deiter, who stepped down last week to become a magistrate judge for four northeast Kansas counties. Shawnee County is home to the city of Topeka and the state Capitol. Howell runs a small home-renovation company in the Topeka area. He served in the Kansas House from 1995 through 2004. Like Kobach, Howell is a Republican. Elections in most Kansas counties are run by elected clerks. But Kansas law requires the secretary of state to appoint election commissioners for the state's four most populous counties.

The Lecompton Constitution, one of several constitutions proposed for the state of Kansas. (Photo by the Kansas Historical Society)Some lawmakers are questioning the number of constitutional amendments proposed this year. At least a half dozen amendments have been filed. They range from proposals to change the way judges are selected to putting term limits on lawmakers. The costs for publishing and public votes on the amendments could run into millions of dollars. The top Democrat in the Kansas House, Paul Davis from Lawrence, says lawmaker should only consider amending the Constitution in rare circumstances when there’s a great public need.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa7ba510000But House Speaker Ray Merrick, from Stilwell, say he doubts all the proposed amendments will pass the Legislature, meaning they wouldn't all need public votes.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa7ba510001To change the state Constitution, both chambers must pass the amendment with a two-thirds majority and it must be approved by voters.

Senate President Susan Wagle presides over the debate to confirm Caleb Stegall. (Photo by Stephen Koranda)The Kansas Senate has confirmed the nomination of Caleb Stegall to the Kansas Court of Appeals. The 32-8 vote will send Stegall to the state's second-highest court. Governor Sam Brownback chose Stegall, his administration's top attorney, for the seat. Senator Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat, said he won’t support Stegall because the other candidates weren’t made public.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa7c3fe0000But Senator Terry Bruce, a Republican from Hutchinson, said Stegall can be compared to judges appointed to other courts in Kansas.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa7c3fe0001This is the first appointment under a new system where the governor chooses nominees for the Kansas Court of Appeals. The nominees must be confirmed by the state Senate.

Some legislators are hoping for quick action to avoid some furlough days ordered for the Kansas court system. The first of five furlough day was last Friday. The chief justice of the Kansas Supreme Court ordered the closings after a budget agreement in the Legislature fell apart. The budget would have provided more than a million additional dollars to help cover a shortfall facing the courts. The Senate’s top Democrat, Anthony Hensley, of Topeka, says he hopes lawmakers will pass a solution when they return to the Statehouse later this month.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa7abef0000House Speaker Mike O’Neal, a Hutchinson Republican, has said the courts have funds available they could use to prevent furloughs. Lawmakers will return to Topeka on the 25th.

Flickr photo by Jimmy EmersonThe Kansas House has passed a map redrawing districts for the state’s 40 senators. The House broke with tradition when it rejected a map the Senate drew. Generally, chambers draw maps for their own districts without input from the other chamber. The contention this year led the top Democrat in the House, Paul Davis of Lawrence, to offer an amendment to overhaul the redistricting process. It would have created a non-partisan commission to draw redistricting maps. Davis said it would also set deadlines for the process.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa7adb20000Some House members questioned if the change is needed. Clay Aurand (ARE-and) is a Republican from Belleville.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa7adb20001The House rejected the proposal, but did approve the overall bill. That vote sends the legislation to the Senate.