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The commission also wants the state to stop making thousands of people convicted of drug crimes check in with local sheriffs four times a year.

Kansas lawmakers are looking at legislation that would toughen penalties for drunk-driving convictions. The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony on the legislation yesterday (. As KPR’s Stephen Koranda tells us, the bill would increase penalties for refusing a breath test and for repeat offenders.00000184-7fa7-d6f8-a1cf-7fa78e390000

Eleven school employees are convicted of racketeering in a case involving high-stakes standardized testing. Here's our take on the trial.

======================Four Inmates Removed from Topeka 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. The Topeka prison is the only state prison for women in Kansas.===============Court Upholds Conviction in Security Guard ShootingTOPEKA, 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 yesterday rejected an appeal from Kamaronte 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.=================State Fair Reports Boost in Attendence, SalesHUTCHINSON, 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.==================Washburn Officials Downplay TB RiskTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Washburn University officials say they are not concerned about a possble tuberculosis outbreak on campus after a student tested positive for the disease last week. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the male student is taking classes from home while he recovers. Washburn's director of student health says students, faculty, and staff who may have had contact with the student are being notified by e-mail. They will be offered TB blood tests next week.

These area headlines are curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Kaye McIntyre, and Tom Parkinson. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays, 11 am weekends. This news summary is made possible by KPR listener-members. Become one today!

Man in Custody After Ark River RescueWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 35-year-old man is in custody after Wichita police say he resisted efforts to rescue him from the Arkansas (ar-KAN'-zuhs) River. KWCH-TV reports a witness alerted police to a man who appeared to be in distress around 8:30 a.m. yesterday as he floated down the river on an inflatable object. Police said the man had several warrants out for his arrest. He also faces possible charges for failing to obey an officer and being in the river.==========Death Sentenced for Garnett Man Convicted in Triple HomicideLIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A southeast Kansas man convicted of killing three relatives in west-central Missouri has been sentenced to death. Clay County Circuit Judge Larry Harman imposed the sentence yesterday on 47-year-old Robert Blurton of Garnett, Kansas. Blurton was convicted in June of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of his aunt and uncle, Donnie and Sharon Luetjen (LOO'-chen), and the couple's 15-year-old granddaughter, Taron Luetjen.===========Hays Man Claims $1 Million in Powerball DrawingTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A northwest Kansas resident has come forward to claim a $1 million cash prize in Wednesday's Powerball drawing. The Kansas Lottery said yesterday the person lives in Hays but has chosen to remain anonymous, as allowed by state law. The winning ticket matched the first five numbers but not the Powerball in Wednesday's drawing, which had a $425 million jackpot.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A convicted sex offender who escaped in Lawrence while being driven from Virginia to Colorado is back in custody. The Lawrence Journal-World reports police captured 22-year-old Deon Gregory Routt shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday after a chase near Memorial Stadium at the University of Kansas. A private security firm was transporting Routt when the van stopped in Lawrence around 5:30 p.m. Monday so officers could check on a prisoner. Routt to the opportunity to bolt. Routt is a registered sex offender. He was convicted last year of sexually assaulting a child in Colorado. Authorities were uncertain if Routt was shackled or handcuffed when he made his escape. Lawrence Police Sgt. Trent McKinley had few details about Tuesday's capture but said he didn't think anyone was injured.====================(PREVIOUS VERSION)LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Law enforcement officers are searching for a sex offender who escaped from a prisoner transportation van in Lawrence. Lawrence police say 22-year-old Deon Gregory Routt was being transported by a private security firm from Virginia to Colorado. He ran when the van stopped in Lawrence Monday evening to check on a prisoner. Routt was convicted in 2011 of sexually assaulting a child in Colorado and is a registered sex offender. Lawrence Police Sgt. Trent McKinley said Routt was being transported by Topeka-based Security Transport Services. The Lawrence Journal-World reports at least two employees were present during the escape, and it was unclear if Routt was shackled when he ran. Routt is black, about 5-foot-5 and weighs about 140 pounds.

Former Trump White House trade adviser Peter Navarro was convicted last year for defying a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

The statement from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton "corrects falsehoods" from critics who say death row inmate Robert Roberson was unjustifiably convicted in the death of his toddler child.

Combs was convicted on July 2 of two counts of transportation for prostitution. The music mogul had filed a request to be released on bail before his sentencing, which is scheduled for Oct. 3.