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Voters in Kansas City, Missouri will decide tomorrow (TUE) whether to approve a nearly $1 billion project to build a new terminal at Kansas City International Airport.

The Tiny Desk series producer shares his favorite records of the year.

UPDATE: Kansas Governor Signs 'Hard 50' BillTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback has signed legislation revising the Kansas law allowing convicted murderers to be sentenced to at least 50 years in prison. Lawmakers approved the measure this week during a two-day special session. Brownback signed it Friday and delivered it to the secretary of state's office. The law will take effect September 12 when it is printed in the Kansas register, the state's official digest for legal notices, which is published each Thursday. The measure provides for juries rather than judges to determine whether a defendant convicted of premeditated, first-degree murder gets the "Hard 50" sentence. Kansas judges have traditionally made the decision, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled earlier this year in a Virginia case that juries must do so.=============Kansas Court Revives Suit Filed by Ex-House SpeakerTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Court of Appeals has reinstated a 2010 lawsuit over a state budget-balancing move filed by then-House speaker Mike O'Neal as a private attorney for businesses, insurance funds and trade groups. Friday's ruling by a three-judge panel sent the case back to Shawnee County District Court for a trial. The lawsuit alleged that the Legislature exceed limits in the state constitution in diverting regulatory fee revenues to general government programs in 2009. The lower court said the complaining parties didn't have legal standing to sue. The appeals court disagreed. The lawsuit received an unusual amount of attention at the time because of O'Neal's involvement. Democrats filed a complaint against the Hutchinson Republican, but a House investigating committee dismissed it.=============Kansas Childhood Poverty Group Releases ReportTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A panel appointed by Kansas Governor Sam Brownback is recommending several strategies for reducing childhood poverty, including strengthening marriages, improving educational opportunities and reforming welfare-to-work programs. The Governor's Task Force on Reducing Childhood Poverty released its report Friday, calling its recommendations a starting point for policymakers. The report urges more targeted use of public funds to reduce high school dropout rates, help low-income residents get off government assistance and provide counseling to couples before marriage. Task force members noted the recommendations follow traditional strategies for reducing childhood poverty. They said federal and state government efforts have historically been unsuccessful. The Republican governor created the task force in November 2012. It was chaired by Phyllis Gilmore, secretary of the state Department for Children and Families.=============SE Kansas House Representative Bideau Dies at HomeTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas House Speaker Ray Merrick's office says southeast Kansas Representative Ed Bideau has died at his home in Chanute a day after the Legislature ended a two-day special session. Rachel Witten, spokeswoman for the speaker, says Friday that the 62-year-old Bideau died Thursday. She declined to give a cause of death, citing family privacy. Information about funeral services was not available Friday. Bideau was an attorney in Chanute and was elected to the House in 2012. He previously served in the House from 1985 to 1988 before leaving office to establish his law practice. According to his official campaign website, Bideau graduated from Chanute High School and Neosho County Community College. He earned business and law degrees from Washburn University in Topeka. He was elected county attorney in Neosho County in 1976.=============UPDATE: Suspect Charged with Trying to Kill KS DeputyEL DORADO, Kan. (AP) — A man captured after a four-day search across southern Kansas has been charged with attempted capital murder in the shooting of a Butler County sheriff's deputy. Forty-one-year-old Jan Tracy Kilbourne made a first appearance Friday afternoon in Butler County District Court. The Wichita Eagle reports that his court-appointed lawyer did not object when the state requested he be held on $1 million bond. Kilbourne had been sought since early Monday, when the deputy was shot in the shoulder during a traffic stop near Augusta. The deputy is recovering at home. Wichita police found Kilbourne around 3 am Friday in a car outside a home. He was arrested without resistance. The Butler County prosecutor cited Kilbourne's previous criminal convictions in asking for the high bond. Kilbourne declined to speak in court.=============4 Arrested in NW Kansas Methamphetamine BustHAYS, Kan. (AP) — Four people are behind bars following a drug bust in a northwest Kansas county where officers reported seizing more than 2.5 pounds of crystal meth. KAYS-AM reports that officers from Ellis County and the cities of Hays and Ellis executed search warrants Thursday at four homes in the two communities. The warrants were part of a continuing investigation of drug trafficking in the area. Authorities did not place a value on the methamphetamine, but the drug can sell for several thousand dollars a pound. Three men and one woman were booked into the Ellis County jail. Officials expect charges to be filed later.============= Lawrence Police Unit Taking Aim at Unruly PartiersLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — University of Kansas students say a special Lawrence police detail set up to curb dangerous behavior among partiers downtown is unfairly targeting them as a way to raise revenue for the city. But police say the special patrols that began August 14 are meant to protect students and the rest of the public from problems typically associated with alcohol consumption. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the special detail has cited more than 180 people for offenses ranging from possession of alcohol by a minor to using a fake ID. Fourteen have been arrested, including several for driving under the influence. Sergeant Trent McKinley says it's unclear how long extra officers will be assigned downtown, but he says it's not a permanent unit.=============Report: More Kansas Wheat Graded Top Quality in 2013WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Newly released sampling data from 51 Kansas counties show slightly more of this year's wheat graded as top quality. The National Agricultural Statistics Service said Friday in its annual wheat quality report that 85 percent of the samples graded as No. 1 wheat, compared with 83 percent last year. About 14 percent of the samples graded as No. 2 and 1 percent graded as No. 3 or below. Protein content for the Kansas crop statewide was 12.2 percent, down slightly from 12.4 percent a year ago. Southwest Kansas had the highest levels with samples averaging 13.2 percent protein. Data from 16,143 samples found an average test weight of 60.9 pounds per bushel. Last year's crop averaged 61.1 pounds per bushel.=============Kansas Court of Appeals to Hear Cases in ManhattanMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Judges of the Kansas Court of Appeals will hear arguments in four cases in Manhattan as part of Kansas State University's observance of Constitution Day. The panel will convene in the Student Union on September 17, the day the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1787. On the docket are the denial of tenure for a University of Kansas professor; a prosecutor's appeal of an order granting a new trial in a Salina murder case; and two cases involving the rights of people stopped on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. The arguments will be heard by Court of Appeals Judges Patrick McAnany, Anthony Powell and Steve Leben, as well as Riley County District Judge David Stutzman.=============Kansas Deputy Arrested After Inmate ComplaintWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Sedgwick County detention deputy is accused of stealing an inmate's debit card and using it to buy $50 worth of items at a store. Sheriff Jeff Easter said Friday the deputy was arrested the previous day on suspicion of theft and criminal use of a financial card. The deputy bonded out of jail and is now on administrative leave. Easter says an investigation began when the inmate complained that his $50 debit card was missing after he had been transported to a work release facility August 22. Surveillance video from a store shows a uniformed detention deputy using the card about eight hours after the inmate's transfer. The case will be presented to prosecutors within a few days for a decision on charges.=============Trial Set for Ex-Wastewater Manager for Lying on ReportsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has set a fall trial date for the former Hays wastewater manager charged with lying about nitrogen levels in the city's discharges. Court records show the case against 57-year-old Charles L. Blair was scheduled Thursday to go before a federal jury on November 5. A four-count indictment charges Blair with making false statements about nitrogen levels in effluent at the city's wastewater treatment plant. Three counts relate to statements made in discharge monitoring reports. One count charges him with lying to agents of the Environmental Protection Agency when he said he had provided accurate levels for the report. Blair has denied lying. He is free on a $10,000 bond after a brief court appearance Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Wichita.============= Leavenworth VA Hospital Adding 2 BuildingsLEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — The Eisenhower VA Medical Center in northeastern Kansas is expanding to meet new needs and standards. The Leavenworth Times reports that construction is underway on a $2.75 million women's health clinic. Meanwhile, bidding on a construction contract for a stand-alone, 27,000-square-foot nursing home closed Thursday. Jim Gleisberg, a spokesman for the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System, says the medical center already offers health services for women. But the number of female veterans has grown, Gleisberg says, and the new, 4,700-square-foot clinic will be able to serve more women. The Eisenhower VA Medical Center also has an existing Community Living Center, as the nursing home is called. But it's located on the third floor of a building, and current standards call for such facilities to be on the ground floor.============= Ex-Kansas Firefighter Pleads Guilty to 3 ArsonsHUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A former volunteer firefighter in Reno County pleaded guilty to setting three grass fires after prosecutors agreed to drop 11 other charges. Nineteen-year-old Cody Knox, of Arlington, was a volunteer for Reno County Fire District No. 4, which covers Arlington, Langdon, Plevna and Abbyville. The Hutchinson News reports that Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder previously said Knox used a cigarette lighter to set the fires, all of which occurred near Arlington last October and November. At the time of the fires, Knox was studying fire science at Hutchinson Community College.============= Kansas City Airport Will Get Expedited ScreeningKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Security checks at the Kansas City International Airport will soon move more quickly for some passengers. The Transportation Security Agency announced Thursday that KCI will be among 60 U.S. airports that will install its PreCheck expedited screening program, beginning October 1. The expedited screening allows qualified passengers to avoid removing shoes, belt and outerwear such as a jacket. They also won't have to remove laptops or quart-sized plastic bag for gels, liquids and aerosols from their luggage. The Kansas City Star reports that KCI will limit the process at first to Terminal B, which is used by Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines. Delta will start the program in October and Southwest in November.============= KCUR Receives $320K GrantKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The National Public Radio station in Kansas City has received a $320,000 grant so it can take on more reporting projects that get its listeners involved. A news release says KCUR-FM will use the two-year grant from the William T. Kemper Foundation to hire a three-person community engagement team. The former program director for Detroit radio station WDET, Ron Jones, will lead the effort. KCUR also is hiring a reporter and a social media producer. The community engagement team will focus on topics that include the arts, entrepreneurship, neighborhoods and community diversity. The goal is to coordinate community conversations about important issues on-air, online and in person.============= Agreement Reached to Improve Capacity of Redmond ReservoirWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — An agreement between Kansas and a federal agency will increase the capacity of the John Redmond Reservoir by nearly 30 percent. State officials say the agreement signed Thursday would alleviate a sediment problem at the reservoir near Emporia. The federally-owned reservoir provides water source the cooling lake at Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant. It currently is 40 percent silted in. The Wichita Eagle reports that the agreement between the state and the U.S. Corps of Army Engineers will raise the reservation's elevation from 1,039 feet to 1,041 feet. And it increases the number of gallons available in storage from 16 billion to 22 billion. The second step to improving Redmond's capacity will be dredging the silt and strengthening the banks of the Neosho River to reduce the flow sediment.=============KC Federal Reserve President Urges Slowdown of Bond PurchasesWASHINGTON (AP) — Two voting members of the Federal Reserve panel that sets interest rates are expressing clashing views over when the Fed should reduce its $85 billion a month in bond purchases. Esther George, president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, suggests that the Fed should slow the purchases after it meets September 17-18. She says she could support an initial reduction of $15 billion a month. Charles Evans, president of the Chicago Fed, says he isn't confident enough that the economy is gaining momentum or that inflation is rising. The Fed's bond purchases have been intended to keep borrowing rates ultra-low Evans spoke before the government issued a subpar August jobs report — a report the Fed will weigh in deciding whether to slow its bond buying. George spoke afterward.=============Man Charged in Derby Death, Attack on Victim's SonDERBY, Kan. (AP) — A man suspected of killing a Derby woman and stabbing her son earlier this week has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. Forty-year-old Charles Alfred Beck Jr. was charged Thursday. He is accused in the Sunday death of 44-year-old Lonnie Staggs and attempting to strangle and stabbing her 15-year-old son. The woman's 11-year-old daughter was also in the home but was not injured. Beck was arrested Sunday night in Texas County, Missouri after he turned himself in. During a hearing Thursday, Beck requested a court-appointed attorney. His preliminary hearing was scheduled for September 19. Beck was released August 28 from parole for convictions on drug possession and violating a protection order.============= Researchers Using Overland Park Data to Study Disaster RecoveryROLLA, Mo. (AP) — If a massive tornado ever strikes Overland Park, researchers at the Missouri University of Science and Technology have created a model that could speed the city's recovery. The researchers gathered data from the Kansas City suburb on water, sewer lines, transportation, communication and electricity. They also worked with meteorologists to determine the average width, direction and path of an EF-5 tornado. Researchers also know the average size of the devastation and collateral damage zones. The model also includes information about the availability of raw materials and the number of skilled workers who would be needed to get Overland Park back on its feet. Next up, the team plans to model what would happen in the St. Louis area if a severe earthquake occurred along the New Madrid fault.============= UPDATE: MO Teacher Accused of Threat Faces Drug Charges MARYVILLE, Mo. (AP) — An instructor at Northwest Missouri State University accused of writing on Facebook that he might climb to the campus bell tower with weapons has a different problem after authorities searched his home. The Kansas City Star reports Nodaway County officials said Friday that 57-year-old Matthew Rouch won't be charged with making a terrorist threat. Instead, the prosecutor charged him with producing and possessing marijuana. Prosecutor Bob Rice says an "elaborate growing operation" was found at Rouch's Maryville home. The operation included marijuana plants growing beneath heated lights. The search was conducted after Rouch claimed he was joking in the Facebook post and said all he had was a pellet gun. No attorney is listed for Rouch in online court records. He is being held on $25,000 bond.=============Fed Official Promotes $20M KC Streetcar GrantKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx is coming to Kansas City to promote a $20 million federal grant to help build a two-mile downtown streetcar route. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver and Mayor Sly James announced Thursday that Foxx is scheduled to speak at 9:15 am Friday at Union Station. Plans call for streetcars to start running from Union Station to the River Market area in 2015. The project has an estimated cost of about $100 million. Voters previously approved a 1-cent sales tax increase and property tax increases to help pay for the streetcars. Supporters hope it will be the first leg of a more extensive public rail system. James said in a news release that the grant announcement is worth celebrating "because it sets Kansas City apart from other cities."============= Wichita's Bid for Rail Line Grant RejectedWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita lost its first bid for a federal grant to help bring an Amtrak line to downtown but city officials say they'll try again. The city had sought a $12.7 million grant to complete the planning for a possible extension of Amtrak's Heartland Flyer line to Wichita and Newton. The Wichita Eagle reports that the plan would connect the Heartland Flyer with the Southwest Chief line to close a rail line gap between Wichita and Oklahoma City. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on Thursday announced 52 grants in 37 states from the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, program. Wichita Vice Mayor Pete Meitzner says the city will work with Kansas Department of Transportation to improve its grant application for the future.============= KSU Professor Uses 'The Office' in Economics ClassMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — The NBC workplace comedy "The Office" is being used as a teaching tool. Kansas State University director of economic undergraduate studies Dan Kuester says fictional manager Michael Scott and employees of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company provide numerous examples of economics principles. Kuester worked with two other people to create a website called "The Economics of The Office" containing 35 clips from the show. While it may be useful in some high schools, its primary use is in entry-level college economics classes. To illustrate supply and demand, teachers can play a short clip of office oddball Dwight buying the remaining inventory of a popular Christmas toy, Princess Unicorn dolls. Dwight then sells the dolls at a profit. But more often than not the characters provide examples of what not to do.=============Man Killed by Hit-and-Run Driver Near Lee's SummitLEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. (AP) — Police in the Kansas City suburb of Lee's Summit are looking for the driver of a vehicle that hit and killed a pedestrian. Police say 34-year-old Edward Moody of Lee's Summit died Thursday evening when he was struck while trying to cross Highway 50. Moody was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses said the vehicle was a four-door that was "boxy." Debris found at the scene indicated it was an Oldsmobile Cutlass, Oldsmobile Achieva or Chevrolet Malibu. Police say it would be damaged on the left side front end.=============Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Child AbuseSALINA, Kan. (AP) — A former Salina man will serve decades in prison after being sentenced for his second conviction of sexually abusing a young girl. Forty-year-old Shawn T. Vogan was sentenced Thursday to life in prison with a minimum of 40 years. He pleaded guilty in July to aggravated indecent liberties with a child after admitting he abused a girl who was 8 years old when the abuse began. The Salina Journal reported the sentence is to be served after Vogan completes a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years that he is currently serving for the 2009 Sedgwick County rape of a girl younger than 14. Prosecutor Christina Trocheck said the Saline County girl was sexually abused by Vogan before his Sedgwick County conviction, but didn't tell anyone until last year.

Here's a look at area headlines from the Associated Press, as compiled by KPR news staffers.

Many of the students at Mount Sinai's medical school in New York majored in English or history, and never took the MCAT. The school sees that diversity among its students as a great strength.

Under the Biden administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule barring medical debt from appearing on credit reports. Now, the agency is siding with the credit industry groups suing to have the rule vacated.

The state ended the fiscal year with $70 million more than anticipated.

Cheney, vice chair of the House select committee, will make a statement at Thursday's primetime hearing and lead the questioning of witnesses. Breaking with her party may cost Cheney her House seat.

KanCare Acting Inspector General Resigns Amid QuestionsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The new acting inspector general for the state's privatized Medicaid program has abruptly resigned amid questions about his appointment and lack of confirmation by the Kansas Senate. Kansas Department of Health and Environment spokeswoman Sara Belfry said Phil Hermanson stepped down Friday afternoon. Belfry said Hermanson submitted a resignation letter, but KDHE has declined to release it. Hermanson did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment. Hermanson began work in April, charged with identifying fraud in the state's Medicaid system known as KanCare. He has no investigatory or auditing expertise. But his duties in the $77,000-a-year job were limited because he hasn't been confirmed. The Legislature is out of session until next year, but a Senate committee can give the go-ahead for appointees to serve until lawmakers convene again.==============================Kansas Union to Challenge Part of Education LawTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The largest teachers' union in Kansas says it will mount a legal challenge to parts of a new law that will end guaranteed tenure in public schools and encourage corporate funding for private school scholarships. The Kansas National Education Association announced Friday that it would have a news conference at 11 am Monday at its Topeka headquarters. The announcement said the legal challenge would cover "aspects" of an education law approved this year by the Republican-dominated Legislature. It was not more specific, and KNEA officials wouldn't comment. The new law boosts aid to poor school districts, but starting in July, it will end guaranteed teacher tenure. It also grants up to $10 million in tax credits a year to corporations that bankroll private-school scholarships for at-risk children.==============================Kansas Joins Call for State Power to Review VA SitesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Governor Sam Brownback says allowing states to inspect U.S. Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics would help the federal agency with what he calls credibility problems. Brownback also said Thursday that giving vouchers to veterans who've been waiting for care at VA facilities so they could get care elsewhere is the best way to deal with backlogs. The governor made his comments a day after an official at the VA medical center in Wichita confirmed it had an unauthorized list of 385 veterans who were waiting for care, some of them for more than 90 days. On Tuesday, Brownback joined fellow Republican governors from five other states in sending a letter to Democratic President Barack Obama. The letter called for state reviews of VA sites and federal vouchers for veterans.==============================Kansas Congressmen Demanding Answers on VA IssuesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas congressmen Mike Pompeo and Tim Huelskamp are demanding answers from the U.S. Veterans Affairs medical center in Wichita about its unauthorized waiting list for care. Pompeo sent a letter Thursday to medical center Director Francisco Vazquez, asking who allowed the center to create its unauthorized list and when. Medical Center Executive Secretary Diane Henderson said Wednesday that 385 veterans had been on the list, some longer than 90 days. But she declined further comment Thursday. Pompeo also asked whether employees responsible for the list's creation had been disciplined. Pompeo's 4th District includes Wichita. Huelskamp represents the 1st District of western and central Kansas and serves on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. He traveled to the Wichita medical center Wednesday. He said Thursday he received few answers then.==============================Missouri Senator: Kansas City VA Had Secret ListST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri U.S. Senator Roy Blunt says the Veterans Affairs medical center in Kansas City, Missouri, has been maintaining a secret waiting list of veterans, the latest of several centers around the country to maintain such an unauthorized list. Blunt spokeswoman Amber Marchand says the list contains the names of 37 patients. Blunt's office said Thursday that the Kansas City VA confirmed the list hours after Blunt sent a letter asking if the secret list existed. Blunt told reporters in a teleconference earlier Thursday that such a list allows VA centers to skew statistics and give misleading information about how quickly veterans are getting treatment. The Kansas City VA Medical Center says in a statement that its top priority is addressing the problem of veterans waiting for health care.==============================Senate VA Bill Could Mean New Clinic in KansasWASHINGTON (AP) — A bill winning approval from U.S. senators to resolve problems in the troubled Veterans Affairs system would create new health facilities, including one in Johnson County in Kansas. Under the larger bill agreed to by senior senators Thursday, the measure authorizes the VA to lease 26 new walk-in health facilities in 18 states and spend $500 million to hire more doctors and nurses. One of those proposed facilities would be in Johnson County. It's uncertain when the bill would come to a vote. The Senate bill is a response to a building national uproar over veterans' health care following allegations that as many as 40 veterans may have died while waiting an average 115 days for appointments at the Phoenix VA hospital or its walk-in clinics.==============================Some Still Without Power After Storms Pound KansasTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ Thunderstorms pounded sections of central Kansas with baseball-size hail, high winds and heavy rains early Thursday morning The National Weather Service says winds estimated up to 80 mph swept through the area and that rainfall amounts varied from more than 1 inch in northeast Wichita, to more than 2 inches in McPherson. Hail measuring more than 3 inches in diameter was reported in McPherson, and hail about 2.75 inches in diameter was reported south of Galva.The heavy storms also snapped tree limbs and downed power lines. More than 1,000 Westar customers were without electricity in Saline County early Thursday, and nearly that many were also without power in Sedgwick County. Westar says some residents around Salina and Topeka who lost power after Thursday's storms might have to spend another day without electricity. The utility said in a news release that the storms knocked down 24 power poles in Salina, and it could be about 7 pm Friday before power is restored to about 2,000 customers. About 1,200 customers might be in the same situation until Friday evening in Topeka, where high winds blew down numerous power lines. Westar says the storms knocked out power to more than 12,000 customers, and power was restored to about 75 percent of those residents on Thursday. Westar has asked utilities in Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma for assistance.==============================Senate Must Confirm New KanCare InspectorTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ The state's new inspector general for its privatized Medicaid program can't conduct oversight work until he is confirmed by the Kansas Senate, which isn't in session. Phil Hermanson began work in April as inspector general, charged with identifying fraud in the state's Medicaid system known as KanCare. The former Kansas House member has no investigatory or auditing expertise, a DUI conviction and business bankruptcy, and personal finance and campaign ethics problems. A spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment says Hermanson is technically only ``acting'' inspector general until he is confirmed. Sara Belfry says he can be involved in training programs, but cannot conduct oversight work. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports an interim Senate committee could take up Hermanson's appointment, although no hearing has been set.==============================Defendant's Comments at Issue in Kansas Murder CaseOTTAWA, Kan. (AP) — Lawyers for a Kansas man accused of killing four people will get more time to respond to prosecutors' attempts to use comments the defendant made to police. Kyle Flack is accused of killing Kaylie Bailey, her 18-month-old daughter, Lana-Leigh; Andrew Adam Stout and Steven Eugene White last spring in Franklin County. He's charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Stout and White. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Flack for the deaths of Kaylie Bailey and her daughter. The Lawrence Journal-World reports a detective testified that Flack told him he killed White. Flack's lawyers contend the statement shouldn't be used during trial because he made it after asking if he needed a lawyer. A judge Friday set an August 29 hearing to consider the issue.============================== Man on Witness List in Jewish Sites Deaths ChargedKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal weapons charge has been filed against a witness in the case against a 73-year-old man accused of fatally shooting three people at suburban Kansas City Jewish sites. A May 7 grand jury indictment shows John Mark Reidle is accused of lying about buying a Remington shotgun at a Walmart in southwest Missouri on April 9. Reidle has pleaded not guilty to the charge of importing/manufacturing firearms. The Kansas City Star first reported that Reidle is among witnesses listed on the Johnson County, Kansas, complaint against Frazier Glenn Cross Jr. Cross is charged with killing three people in attacks at the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park, Kansas, and the nearby Village Shalom senior care facility. The indictment does not link the shotgun purchase to the April 13 shootings.==============================Free Fishing Day Scheduled for Saturday in Missouri, KansasKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Anglers get to fish for free in Missouri and Kansas this weekend. The Kansas City Star reports that Saturday is a Free Fishing Day in the two states, which means anglers won't need a permit, trout stamp or trout park daily tag at most reservoirs and state fishing lakes. But other regulations on such things as size and creel limits will still be in place, and some private fishing areas may also still require permits. The annual promotion is part of National Fishing Day.==============================Retrial in 2004 Lawrence Death Set for DecemberLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) _ A retrial in the 2004 death of a Lawrence woman is scheduled for December, although it might be moved out of Douglas County. Martin Miller is charged with killing his wife, 46-year-old Mary Miller, in July 2004. He was convicted of first-degree murder in 2005 but the Kansas Supreme Court overturned the conviction in February, citing incorrect jury instructions. Prosecutors allege he strangled his wife at their home because he was having an affair and wanted to collect $300,000 in life insurance. During a hearing Thursday, Miller's attorney, Richard Ney, said he might seek a change of venue because of the publicity surrounding the case. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the defense has until August 22 to file the venue motion. Miller is out of jail while awaiting the retrial.==============================Kansas City Blast Linked to Fireworks ProductionKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Investigators looking into a powerful explosion at a house in Kansas City say they suspect fireworks production as the cause. The blast Wednesday morning knocked the house in southeast Kansas City off its foundation and sent four people to hospitals, including a 52-year-old man who lost both legs and an arm. KCTV reports part of the home had to be demolished before agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives could safely get inside. The investigators said Friday they found evidence that led them to believe someone was illegally making fireworks in the basement. The ATF has referred the case to the U.S. attorney's office for determination of any criminal charges. Two of four dogs that were also in the house at the time were killed.=================================Kansas Man Convicted in Death of Iraq War VeteranLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A northeast Kansas man who admitted hitting an Iraq War veteran with a beer bottle during a house party brawl has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the man's death. The Lawrence Journal-World reports a lawyer for 23-year-old Justin Gonzalez said she would appeal Thursday's conviction on the basis of jury instructions and excluded evidence. Gonzalez, of Mission, testified he struck 27-year-old Nicholas Sardina at a Lawrence house party in February 2012. Gonzalez said he acted after Sardina punched one of his friends. Prosecutors said Gonzalez used excessive force in striking Sardina, who later died from his injury. Sardina, originally from Clarence, New York, was a sergeant in the Kansas National Guard and had served three tours in Iraq. He had also taken classes at the University of Kansas.==============================Kansas AG to Help Lead Anti-Trafficking GroupTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has been named by his colleagues across the country as the vice chairman of their national Human Trafficking Committee. The Kansas Republican successfully pushed legislation in 2013 aimed at strengthening state laws against human trafficking and providing better support for victims. The committee of the National Association of Attorneys General studies anti-human trafficking efforts throughout the country to share best practices. Schmidt also will serve as vice chairman for the group's Midwest region. The national association had its summer meeting this week on Mackinac Island, Michigan.==============================Kansas Gun Dealer, Glock Execs Face IndictmentTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas firearms distributor and two high-ranking officials with Glock Inc. are among five people indicted by a federal grand jury on charges involving bribes and kickbacks to gain preferential treatment. Federal prosecutors say 40-year-old Olathe gun dealer John Sullivan Ralph III paid more than $1 million to 42-year-old James "Craig" Dutton of Acworth, Georgia, and 65-year-old Welcome D. "Bo" Wood Jr. of Oviedo, Florida, from 2003 to 2011. The Kansas City Star reports Ralph did business as OMB Guns and is accused of funneling the money through businesses created by the wives of Dutton and Wood. Both of the couples also are charged. The indictment says the two company officials steered potential customers to OMB Guns and helped Ralph sell guns intended for law enforcement to commercial businesses.==============================Fort Riley Warns of Increased Noise LevelsFORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) - Neighbors of Fort Riley can expect more noise than usual as the northeast Kansas post observes the 70th anniversary of D-Day and marks the founding of the Army's 1st Infantry Division. Events were scheduled to start with cannon fire between 6:30 and 7 a.m. Friday to honor soldiers who died in the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division, also known as the Big Red One, were among the first to go ashore that day. The annual Victory Week celebration marking the 1917 creation of the Big Red One starts Saturday, with music and fireworks. There's also a concert by country music's Brett Eldredge on Monday night, and a live-fire exercise involving aircraft and ground forces June 11. ============================== Porcupine Gives Pup Faceful of Quills GODDARD, Kan. (AP) — A boxer puppy in suburban Wichita has learned a painful lesson about porcupines: Leave them alone. KWCH-TV reports that a showdown with a porcupine left the pup, named Tatum, with a faceful of white quills. There were so many, in fact, that owner Gary Koenigs initially thought Tatum had a beard of chicken feathers. The Goddard man says he pulled out about 50 quills Thursday morning, then took Tatum to Wichita for treatment at Animal Hospital of Auburn Hills. There, Dr. Gary Stamps removed more than 200 quills in a half-hour surgery. Stamps said he's only treated three other pets in similar situations during 23 years as a veterinarian. Koenigs said Tatum is recovering at home, resting well. Stamps let the Koenigs family keep the quills as a keepsake. ====================================Kansas City Primps for 2016 GOP ConventionKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The chairman of the Republican National Committee says Kansas City may have an edge over some other cities working to host the 2016 Republican National Convention. RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said Thursday that Kansas City "has a nice little advantage" by being able to host the event in either June or July. Priebus and the RNC site selection committee arrived in Kansas City on Wednesday to look over the facilities that would be used during the convention. The committee, which leaves Kansas City on Friday, visited Cleveland earlier this week and travels next to Dallas and Denver before making a final selection, likely in August. Priebus says the start date of the convention is likely to get underway on either June 27 or July 18, but a final decision hasn't been made.==============================Dole Announces Schedule for Next KS TourGARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — Former U.S. Senator Bob Dole returns to Kansas next week for the fourth of several trips planned this year to his home state. The 90-year-old Russell native lives in Washington, D.C., and is making the homecoming tour to greet longtime friends and supporters throughout the state. Dole spends an hour at each stop, chatting with fans and old acquaintances. Aides said Thursday that next week's trip will begin Monday evening in Garden City. On Tuesday, Dole is to visit Lakin, Syracuse, Tribune, Leoti and Scott City. The schedule for Wednesday has stops in Dighton, Ness City, LaCrosse and Great Bend. Dole's tour concludes Thursday, June 12, with visits to Lyons, St. John, Larned and Hanston.==============================Students Lose Prime KU Basketball Seats to DonorsLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - Kansas athletics officials say they will offer a prime section of seats for basketball games at Allen Fieldhouse to donors, rather than to students who traditionally sat there.The 120 seats in Section U are just beyond the baseline, at floor level, near the tunnel where the Jayhawks enter and leave the Fieldhouse. It has been part of the university's student section for years. Beginning next season, the seats will be offered to Williams Education Fund donors instead. The Lawrence Journal-World reportsthat spokesman Jim Marchiony says the move is in response to a student government-led effort to lower the students' athletic fee from $25 per student per semester to $7. He says the change will not reduce the total number of student seats during the games.==============================Kansas City's Union Station Gets $4M GiftKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Hall Family Foundation has donated $4 million to help fund capital improvement projects at Union Station in Kansas City. Union Station officials announced the gift Thursday, saying the money would go toward improvements to Science City and other projects, such as a pedestrian bridge and a new lower-level entrance. The Missouri Development Finance Board last year awarded Union Station $2.25 million in state tax credits for the project, allowing contributors to deduct 50 percent of their donations from their state taxes. The Kansas City Star reports that the Hall Family Foundation is making an outright gift of $3 million to Union Station, which uses $1.5 million in tax credits and leaves $750,000 in credits available for other donors.

What happens to a Kansas town when its only hospital closes? It's the final chapters of "Where It Hurts," exploring the closing of Mercy Hospital and its effect on Fort Scott, Kansas.