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Auto workers in KCK sit idle in the wake of the ongoing UAW strike... cold case detectives say they've solved two murder cases in Wyandotte County... a cyberattack in southeast Kansas disrupts jail operations... and the U.S. military works in Kansas City to maintain the nation's nukes. Those headlines and more inside.

Happy Kansas Day! Kansas became a state of January 29th, 1861, making this the state's 163rd birthday. Here are the headlines for our area, as prepared by KPR news staffers. This ad-free news summary is generally posted by 10 am Monday through Friday and updated through 7 pm. These headlines are made possible by KPR listener-members. Become one today.

UPDATE: Judge Puts Parts of New Kansas Abortion Restrictions on HoldTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge has temporarily blocked parts of a sweeping state anti-abortion law set to take effect next week. Shawnee County District Judge Rebecca Crotty issued her ruling Friday. She blocked a provision that would change the definition of what constitutes a medical emergency. She also blocked a requirement that abortion providers post a statement on their websites saying the state's materials on abortion are accurate. Two doctors contended the law would narrow the definition of medical emergency so much that a woman could never avoid restrictions, such as a 24-hour waiting period, even if her life were in imminent danger. Abortion opponents say that's not the case. The judge allowed other parts of the law to take effect Monday as scheduled. That includes a ban on sex-selection abortions.===============Wichita Area Cleaning Up Damage from Severe StormsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Thousands of residents in south central Kansas remain without power (FRI) after storms swept through the region, downing trees and power lines. Most of the damage from Thursday's storms was reported in Sedgwick County, where about 16,000 customers remained without power at noon Friday, down from a peak of about 21,000. The utility said it hoped to have power restored by Saturday morning. Power outages also were reported in Harvey, McPherson and Reno counties. The National Weather Service says winds topped 70 mph, knocking limbs onto cars and homes and bringing down power poles. Winds also damaged some fireworks stands set up for the upcoming holiday. The Kansas Highway Patrol says winds blew over a semi-trailer truck on the Kansas Turnpike Thursday evening. The driver was hospitalized with critical injuries.===============USDA: Wet Spring Won't Affect Predicted Corn CropDES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers will come through with the predicted corn crop despite the Midwest's wet spring that delayed planting. Kansas is down about 100,000 acres and Minnesota and Wisconsin are down, too. But some states — including Michigan, Nebraska and Texas — planted more corn than expected, which will make up for the loss in Iowa, the nation's leading corn producer. Friday's annual acreage report is based on farmer surveys, and surprised farmers, analysts and commodities traders. Many expected the number of corn acres planted to fall by about 2 million acres. The report says farmers planted 97.4 million acres and will harvest 89.1 million acres. Earlier predictions were 97.3 million acres planted and 89.5 million acres harvested. Corn prices fell rapidly as the report was released, because it indicated more corn than expected would be available on the market.===============Report: Kansas Farmers Planted Fewer Acres of CornWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A new report says Kansas farmers planted fewer acres of corn and soybeans and more acres of sorghum this spring than in 2012. The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Friday that corn growers planted 4.5 million acres this spring, down 4 percent from last year. Genetically engineered varieties were used on 91 percent of the acreage, up a percentage point from last year. Soybean plantings in Kansas were down 1 percent to 3.95 million acres with biotech varieties used on 93 percent of it. Sorghum growers planted 12 percent more this year with 2.8 million acres. Wheat seeded last fall totaled 9.4 million acres, but so many of those drought-stricken acres have been abandoned that just 8.2 million acres are expected to be harvested.===============Butler National Considering Layoffs to Cut CostsOLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Officials with Butler National Corporation say they are considering layoffs after the Olathe-based company reported its first sustained losses in more than a decade. Two of the company's top executives — Clark Stewart, president and chief executive, and chairman Warren Wagoner — have taken 40 percent pay cuts. Officials say others also might have their pay reduced. Stewart said the company would rather reduce pay than lay off employees. He said the financial problems had eased recently when some employees left voluntarily. Butler employs about 100 people who modify, repair, maintain and overhaul aircraft in Newton, Olathe and Tempe, Arizona. The Kansas City Star reports that Butler recorded a $755,000 loss in its first quarter, which led to the first nine-month loss at the company since 2001.===============Founder of Kansas-Based Brooke Corporation Pleads GuiltyKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The founder of the failed Kansas-based insurance franchising business Brooke Corporation has pleaded guilty to providing misleading information in a federal securities filing. The U.S. Attorney's office says 59-year-old Robert D. Orr of Denver entered the plea Thursday. He admitted that while he was chairman, the company submitted a 2007 annual report that made its finances appear stronger than they actually were. Prosecutors say Orr knew the report didn't include the specific number of failed Brooke Capital franchise locations or the amount of money being spent to prop up struggling franchises. Brooke was founded in the northwest Kansas town of Phillipsburg in 1986. It set out to provide insurance services for small-town banks to sell to their customers. Eventually, it moved to Overland Park, and went public in 2003.=============== New Kansas Law Will Require Registration for RoofersTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A new Kansas law taking effect Monday will require roofing contractors to register annually with the attorney general's office before they can be paid for their work. The new law was enacted this year by legislators and is designed to protect consumers. It had the support of Attorney General Derek Schmidt, AARP and the roofing industry itself. The law says that roofing contractors must obtain an annual certificate from the attorney general's office to solicit business or collect fees for residential or commercial jobs. Roofers must be at least 18 years old, and they or their companies must show that they carry $500,000 in liability insurance. The attorney general's office expects to charge a $250 annual registration fee.=============== Auction of Late State Representative's Antiques SaturdayALDEN, Kan. (AP) — The late state Representative Bob Bethell had a passion for finding antiques and built a large collection during his lifetime. Bethell accumulated so many antiques that he built a large garage near his home in Alden and planned an adjoining room to hold more. But Bethell died in a car accident in May 2012 before the project was done. His wife, Lorene, has decided to part with some of his beloved antique cars and some other items during an auction Saturday. The Hutchinson News reports that seven cars will be sold, along with Volkswagen bodies for parts. Other items up for auction include several tractors, a Pepsi machine, a traffic light and several fire hydrants. The auction starts at 10 am Saturday in Alden.=============== Report: Kansas Wheat Harvest Reaches Nebraska BorderWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas wheat harvest has now reached the Nebraska border. The industry group Kansas Wheat reported Thursday that combines are running from Norton to Marshall counties along the Nebraska border. Ag Valley Co-op in Norton says just a few thousand bushels of wheat have been brought in so far. Early test weights have been running 55 to 56 pounds per bushel. Many fields still have a green cast to them, but harvest is expected to pick up by early next week. Harvest is about halfway complete around Hoisington in central Kansas. The United Ag Service elevator in Hoisington says yields have been ranging from 20 to 50 bushels an acre there. Test weights have been coming at 56 to 62 pounds per bushel.===============NE Kansas Man Sentenced in Son's Beating DeathHIAWATHA, Kan. (AP) — A northeast Kansas man has been given the maximum sentence for the beating death of his 4-year-old son. KNZA-FM reportsthat 27-year-old Lee Davis IV, of Hiawatha, was sentenced Friday to nearly 20 years in prison. Davis was initially charged with first-degree murder but pleaded no contest in April to second-degree murder and felony child abuse. The son, who has been identified only by a set of initials, died March 5 at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. The sentence imposed by Brown County District Judge Jim Patton requires Davis to register as a violent offender for 15 years after completing his prison term. A woman who lived with Davis at the time of the killing faces a September hearing on multiple charges, including aiding and abetting second-degree murder.===============Kansas Court Orders New Trial in Day Care DeathWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a former Wichita home day care provider in the 2008 strangulation death of a 13-month-old girl. The court on Friday threw out the involuntary manslaughter conviction against Jessica Cummings. The court said it is firmly convinced that if the jury had been properly instructed, it would have reached a different verdict. At issue in the appeal was the jury instruction about the standard of proof prosecutors needed for a conviction of endangering a child. The court said it was convinced jurors had applied a potential civil liability standard. Evidence at Cummings's 2009 trial indicated the toddler slid down in the car seat where she was placed to sleep and was strangled by a strap.===============Jury Rules for KC Officer in Fatal ShootingKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Jackson County jury has ruled in favor of a Kansas City police officer who shot and killed a man after a chase in May 2008. The Kansas City Star reports that the jury on Friday rejected the claims in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the mother of 26-year-old Terry Davis. The mother, Angela Davis, argued that Officer Robert Vivona had no reason to shoot her son. The lawsuit contended that Terry Davis had dropped a handgun and raised his hands to surrender before Vivona shot him. But Vivona testified during the three-day trial that he fired only after Davis turned around during a foot chase and pointed a gun at him. Davis had jumped out of a stolen vehicle whose driver took off as police approached.===============2 Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in MissouriJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Gladstone couple has pleaded guilty in Jackson County (Missouri) to voter fraud. Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker says in a release that 60-year-old John Moretina and 61-year-old Clara Moretina pleaded guilty Friday to voter fraud. They each admitted they tried to cast an improper ballot in the August 3, 2010, Missouri House primary in the 40th district. The Kansas City Star reports that both Moretinas will pay a fine and forfeit their voting rights. State Representative J.J. Rizzo, a Democrat, is a nephew to the Moretinas. Rizzo won the August 3, 2010 primary by one vote. Kansas City police investigated the Moretinas' votes after John Moretina pleaded guilty earlier to voter fraud in federal court. Clara Moretina was not charged in the federal case.=============== Judge to Rule on Celebrity Hunter Case by End of JulyKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge in Kansas says he will rule by the end of July on whether to revoke probation for a professional Tennessee hunter accused of violating his plea deal. William "Spook" Spann was sentenced in February to three years' probation for transporting antlers from an illegally taken deer in Kansas to his home in 2007. As part of his sentence, Spann was ordered not to hunt in the U.S. for six months or break wildlife laws. Prosecutors want the 50-year-old to spend three months in jail for violating those terms after Tennessee wildlife agents claimed he hunted and illegally spread bait on his property. Spann says he didn't carry a gun or shoot anything when accompanying other hunters on his land, so he doesn't consider that hunting.===============Retirement Perks for Missouri, Kansas University Leaders Attract NoticeKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — University presidents in Kansas and Missouri have been retiring with substantial financial packages. When University of Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton retires this fall he'll direct the Brady and Anne Deaton Institute for University Leadership in International Development on the university's Columbia campus. He will be paid $200,000. According to the Kansas City Star, that kind of exit deal was uncommon a decade ago for leaders of public colleges. Kansas State University President Jon Wefald was paid $255,000 a year for two years after he retired in 2009. Since 2011, Kansas State has continued to pay Wefald about $158,000 a year as part of a five-year plan. Robert Hemenway, who retired from the University of Kansas in 2009, received about $340,000 for two years after he retired in 2009.=============== Home Where Kansas Woman Was Murdered DemolishedKINGMAN, Kan. (AP) — The house in Kingman that burned after a woman was killed has been demolished. The two-story home of Vashti Forrest-Seacat was demolished Thursday, to the relief of neighbors. It had sat damaged and unusable since Seacat was killed in April 2011. Her husband, Brett Seacat, was found guilty earlier this month of killing his wife and setting the house on fire before escaping with the couple's two young sons. He is scheduled to be sentenced August 5. No plans for the lot have been announced. Neighbor Peggy Culver told KAKE-TV that nearby residents hope the land will become a park to honor Vashti Seacat and the two boys.=============== Family Adopts Puppy Trapped in Car for WeeksKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A puppy that survived after apparently being trapped inside a car at a Kansas City tow lot for several weeks has a new home. The foster family who was has been taking care of the dog, named Kia, since she was rescued in early May decided to keep her. Tori Fugate, spokeswoman for the Kansas City Pet Project, says the adoption became final Wednesday. Kia, a terrier-schnauzer mix, is with a couple who have a young daughter. The Kansas City Star reports that the shelter will not release more information about the family. Police and tow lot employees say she apparently was in a car at the lot from April 8 until she was discovered May 6. She apparently survived by eating leftover fast food and old cigars.=============== K-State University Researchers Help Combat Wheat RustMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A scientific breakthrough could help fight a deadly wheat pathogen that's causing significant crop losses. Researchers from Kansas State University and the University of California-Davis have identified a gene that gives wheat plants resistance to one of the most deadly strains of the wheat stem rust pathogen. The rust strain first was identified in Uganda in 1999 and is spreading from Africa to the breadbaskets of Asia. Kansas State said in a news release that the hope is scientists will use the research to develop new wheat varieties. The findings from the Kansas and California researchers have been published in the journal Science alongside a study from an Australian group that identified another promising gene.=============== KU's Ben McLemore Selected in First Round of NBA DraftSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Sacramento Kings selected University of Kansas shooting guard Ben McLemore with the seventh pick in the NBA draft, the first major move under the new ownership and basketball operations team. Fans inside Sacramento's arena cheered when the Kings chose McLemore on Thursday night. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound guard gives Sacramento an elite shooter and one of the most gifted natural athletes in the draft. The second-team All-American broke Danny Manning's freshman scoring record at KU. McLemore averaged nearly 16 points on a team that went 31-6 and won a share of its ninth straight Big 12 title. It's the second straight year Sacramento used its first-round pick on a KU player. The Kings took Thomas Robinson fifth last June. Robinson struggled from the start and was traded to Houston in February.=============== Driver in Fatal Missouri Crash Sentenced to 6 YearsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man who was speeding and driving erratically before a crash that left one woman dead was sentenced to six years in prison. Jeffrey T. Jackson was sentenced Thursday for first-degree involuntary manslaughter and second-degree assault in the February 2012 accident that killed 33-year-old Ashlie Limbaugh of Oak Grove. Prosecutors say Jackson was driving erratically and going more than 100 mph when he left Interstate 70 in Blue Springs and hit four vehicles. Limbaugh was the driver of one of the vehicles stopped at a traffic light when Jackson hit them. The Kansas City Star reports that Jackson told investigators that he had smoked marijuana before the accident, and a blood sample found drugs in his system.===============Man Suspected in Colorado Rogaine Thefts ArrestedGOLDEN, Colo. (AP) — A man suspected of stealing almost $10,000 in teeth-whitening strips, weight-loss pills, condoms, Rogaine and other products from Walgreen stores in Colorado has been arrested in Idaho. Sheriff's officials in Jefferson County, Colorado said Friday that 27-year-old Curtis M. Williams also is suspected in similar thefts in Utah, Minnesota, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska and Puerto Rico. Authorities say a neatly groomed man wearing a sweater, tie and slacks would hide stolen goods in his coat, then buy a DVD before leaving the store as a cover for activating the door alarm. Sheriff's spokesman Mark Techmeyer says clerks at Walgreen stores nationwide were alerted to the suspect, and a Minnesota clerk who recognized him noted the license plate on his rental car. The suspect was arrested after arriving in Idaho. He remains jailed Friday and it isn't known if he has a lawyer.=============== Missouri Man Sentenced for Hitting HayrideOAK GROVE, Mo. (AP) — A northwest Missouri man who ran into a hayride filled with people while driving drunk was sentenced to seven years in prison. Several people were knocked off the ride and two were seriously hurt when 29-nine-year-old Kaylon J. Childers of Oak Grove ran into the hayride on Missouri Route H near Oak Grove in October 2011. Childers was sentenced Thursday to seven years on each of four counts of second-degree assault and to 100 days for driving with a revoked license. The sentences will run concurrently. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Childers's blood-alcohol content was .205 percent at the time of the accident. The Kansas City Star reports that Childers had previously been convicted of drunken driving and of driving with a revoked license.=============== Missouri Agency Updates Guidance for Student TransfersJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri education officials have updated their guidance for local schools dealing with the transfer of students from unaccredited districts. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says school districts should post on their websites a student transfer application, details about the admissions process and the current number of available slots in each grade level. That applies only for schools in the same or neighboring county as an unaccredited district. Missouri currently has three unaccredited school districts — Kansas City and the suburban St. Louis districts of Normandy and Riverview Gardens. Earlier this month, the Missouri Supreme Court upheld a 1993 state law requiring unaccredited school districts to pay for students to attend other nearby schools.=============== Ex-Kansas Airman Convicted of $55K FraudWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas Air Guard National member has been convicted of fraudulently receiving nearly $55,000 in benefits by claiming she was commuting to a Wichita base from Arizona. The U.S. Attorney's office says a jury on Thursday found 28-year-old Wichita resident Eledria Bradley guilty of one count of wire fraud. Bradley was a senior airman assigned to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita. Prosecutors said she used an online system for service members to change her address from Wichita to Chandler, Arizona which put her outside the commuting distance from McConnell. Prosecutors said the phony address allowed Bradley to collect nearly $55,000 in lodging and per diem benefits from April 2009 until April 2011. A sentencing date has not been set.=============== Judge Sets August Trial for Former Insurance AgentWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas insurance agent accused of stealing nearly $2 million from policyholders faces a late summer trial. U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten on Thursday set an August 27th trial for 41-year-old Jason Pennington of Bel Aire. A 51-count indictment accuses Pennington of defrauding policyholders and lying to beneficiaries to cover the thefts. He is charged with wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, money laundering, attempted bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. He has been released on a $25,000 bond pending trial. His 65-year-old father, James Pennington of Wichita, is charged with four counts of filing false tax returns. He is out on a $10,000 bond. The younger Pennington was a State Farm Insurance agent from June 2000 until June 2010.

Brownback: Davis Not Credible on Water IssuesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback is promising to finish work on a 50-year water conservation plan for Kansas if he's re-elected this fall. The Republican governor also said Democratic challenger Paul Davis has no credibility on water issues because he showed no interest in the subject as a legislator. Brownback held a news conference Wednesday on a boat ramp on the Kansas River to discuss water policy and protecting the state's natural resources. It's the last piece of his re-election campaign platform. His administration is already working on a 50-year water plan and expects to roll out pieces of it next year. The governor says his administration already plans to issue $20 million in bonds for reservoir dredging.===============================Davis Rejects Criticism on Kansas Water IssuesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic challenger Paul Davis is disputing statements from Republican Governor Sam Brownback that Davis has shown little interest in water conservation in Kansas. The Davis campaign responded Wednesday to a statement from Brownback that Davis has no credibility on water issues. Brownback promised during a news conference to finish work on a 50-year water conservation plan if he's re-elected this year. He said water is a crucial issue, and the state needs a governor who's interested in it. Davis spokesman Chris Pumpelly said the Democrat has met privately with farmers, water-rights attorneys and others to discuss water issues. Pumpelly also said funding for water conservation efforts is jeopardized by aggressive personal income tax cuts enacted at Brownback's urging in 2012 and 2013.===============================Brownback Open to Phasing Out Kansas Energy RuleTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback says he's open to proposals for phasing out a renewable energy requirement for Kansas utilities because policies aimed at nurturing the wind industry shouldn't remain in place forever. The Republican governor said Wednesday that he's not developing a proposal of his own and wants wind energy companies, critics of the requirement and other interested parties to negotiate a new policy. But Brownback said he has supported the policy because it helped develop the wind industry in Kansas but said the industry is now strong. A 2009 state law requires utilities to have wind and other renewable sources account for 15 percent of their peak capacity for generating electricity by 2016 and 20 percent by 2020. Brownback said such policies shouldn't remain in place forever.===============================Davis Predicts Kansas School Funding Cuts if Brownback WinsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic challenger Paul Davis predicts that funding for Kansas public schools will be cut if Republican Governor Sam Brownback wins re-election, but Davis is not outlining a specific education plan. Davis had a news conference Tuesday at Lowman Hill Elementary School in Topeka to criticize Brownback on education funding issues. Davis said Brownback has made cutting the state's personal income taxes his top priority, to the detriment of public schools. The Democrat said that if Brownback wins a second four-year term, Kansas will have to reduce aid to schools because of budget problems created by the tax cuts. The Legislature's nonpartisan research staff is projecting a budget shortfall of $238 million by July 2016. Brownback spokesman John Milburn said Davis is distorting the governor's record while offering no specifics.===============================Dissident Kansas GOP Group Backs Orman for SenateTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Independent U.S. Senate candidate Greg Orman has been endorsed by a group of former moderate Republicans in the Kansas Legislature who are unhappy with the state GOP's conservative leanings. Orman held a Statehouse news conference Wednesday to tout his endorsement by Traditional Republicans for Common Sense. Former state Representative Jim Yonally, of Overland Park, says the group has about 70 members who are ex-legislators. Yonally was at the news conference with former state Senator Tim Owens of Overland Park and former state Representative Rochelle Chronister of Neodesha. They said they believe electing an independent candidate will help break partisan gridlock in Washington. Orman is challenging three-term Republican Senator Pat Roberts, whose campaign suggested the announcement was a fraud. Democratic nominee Chad Taylor's campaign had no comment.===============================Electrical Problems Close Shawnee County CourthouseTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Shawnee County Courthouse is closed after flooding caused by heavy rain caused a problem with electricity. The courthouse was closed Wednesday morning after flooding in the building's subbasement near a transformer. Shawnee County Sheriff's Lieutenant Akim Reynolds says before the courthouse was closed, power was out in three public elevators and some offices. The courthouse has four floors, a basement level and a subbasement level. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the courthouse was closed for the rest of Wednesday, to allow Westar Energy to shut down power to begin repairs.===============================Man Charged in 3 Shooting Deaths in Kansas CityKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A 34-year-old man is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of three people in Kansas City. Jackson County (Missouri) prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced the charges Wednesday against Brandon Howell. He also faces charges of first-degree assault, burglary, car theft and felon in possession of a firearm for critically injuring two others. Police also said Howell assaulted three people at a north-side motel. Howell is being held in the Jackson County jail. Kansas court records show he was paroled in 2011 after a conviction for a home invasion in Johnson County, Kansas. Baker said 88-year-old Alice Hurst, 63-year-old son Darrel Hurst and 69-year-old Susan Choucroun were killed during an attempted car theft. An SUV that went missing from the scene of the shootings was found near the motel.===============================More Charges Filed Against Homicide SuspectKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The suspect in a triple homicide in Kansas City is now accused of assaulting three people at a motel several hours after the killings. The Platte County prosecutor on Wednesday charged 34-year-old Brandon Howell with burglary, three counts of assault and other offenses. Investigators said Howell punched three guests Tuesday afternoon at a Motel 6 in a section of northern Kansas City that lies in Platte County. Howell was arrested shortly before midnight Tuesday in northern Kansas City. Jackson County (Missouri) prosecutors charged him Wednesday with first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of three people in southern Kansas City. Investigators said the shootings followed a failed attempt to steal a car on a quiet residential street. Police said two of the motel guests identified Howell from a lineup.==============================Respiratory Illness Hits Hundreds of KC-Area KidsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City pediatric hospital has treated hundreds of young children for a respiratory illness that has symptoms similar to a common cold that more typically is seen during winter months. Children's Mercy Hospital spokesman Jake Jacobson says the facility has been seeing about 30 new patients a day who have been sickened by human enterovirus 68, with a total of about 450 cases as of Tuesday. While the virus hits children with underlying conditions such as asthma harder than others and has resulted in about 15 percent of the cases being placed in intensive care, most patients are simply urged to stay hydrated and sent home. The Missouri Department of Health issued a health alert saying St. Louis hospitals also have seen an increase in pediatric respiratory illnesses.===============================Feds Investigating Kansas Chemical CompanyWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Newly unsealed search warrants show federal regulators are investigating allegations that a Kansas chemical manufacturer illegally dumped fluids in a well in violation of safe drinking water laws. But the president of Sterling, Kansas-based Jacam Chemical Company says it was treating a customer's well and is cooperating with the investigation. Search warrants made public Wednesday in federal court show the Environmental Protection Agency has been conducting surveillance on Jacam and its subsidiary Jacam Manufacturing 2013 in Lyons since December 2012. The agency is investigating whether the companies discharged liquid into an underground injection well located in rural Rice County. Investigators in May seized environmental samples along with other evidence. No charges have been filed. The company makes chemicals used in the oil and gas industry.===============================Salina to Lease Hangar for Bombardier Test CenterSALINA, Kan. (AP) — The Salina Airport Authority will lease part of an oversized hangar at its airport and make improvements that will allow the Bombardier Flight Test Center of Wichita to consolidate its operation. The board voted Tuesday to offer a two-year lease to Bombardier and make $622,703 in repairs to the hangar, a taxiway and apron. Bombardier will lease about 27,000 square feet of the 130,000-square foot hangar known as "Big Bertha" in Salina. It can house aircraft with wing spans over 200 feet and tail heights up to 58 feet. The flight test center will consolidate its operations into one building. It currently leases 10 buildings in the Salina airport industrial center. The Salina Journal reports Bombardier will pay $188,100 a year for the lease, which begins October 1.===============================State Investigating Child's Death at Foster HomeWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — State officials are investigating the death of a 4-month-old girl at a foster home in a Wichita suburb. Sedgwick County officials say the girl died last Thursday at the home in Bel Aire. Sheriff Jeff Easter says the girl's 18-year-old mother was sleeping with her on a couch and apparently rolled on top of the child. He says the investigation is continuing but the girl's death appears to be an accident. Easter says a preliminary autopsy found no traumatic injuries on the girl. The Wichita Eagle reports the child was not in foster care. However, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment is investigating because the death occurred at a foster home. Placements at the home are on hold while officials review the death.===============================Kansas Group Plans Crowd Funding for Rural CommunitiesINMAN, Kan. (AP) - The Kansas Sampler Foundation is planning a new crowd funding site to support projects that help rural communities. A pilot website, called Kanstarter, is scheduled to be up and running later this month. The foundation's director, Marci Penner, says projects allowed on the website will have to be good for the community and supported by several generations. She says the projects cannot cover salaries or promote religious or political views. The Hutchinson News reports 24 proposals were submitted for the pilot project and a committee narrowed the initial list to four. Those projects are an update to the Burdett Mini Golf Course; purchasing land in Plains for a grocery store; constructing an amphitheater to replace the Wilson Opera House and construction of a recreation trail in Yates Center.===============================Lawsuit Settled in Boy's Death at Alabama AirportBIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Relatives of a Kansas boy killed by a falling sign inside Birmingham's airport are settling a wrongful death lawsuit filed over the accident. The parents and four siblings of 10-year-old Luke Bresette each will receive an undisclosed amount of money from companies that were involved in designing, making and installing the sign under an agreement approved Wednesday in Jefferson County (Alabama) Circuit Court. The boy from Overland Park, Kansas, was crushed by a flight information sign that fell inside a renovated section of Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in March 2013. His family was returning home from a trip to Florida. Mother Heather Bresette was seriously injured. Two younger brothers were hurt. The free-standing flight information board toppled over as the family walked by. The family sued contractors that worked on a renovation at Birmingham's airport.==============================Advocates Seek Kansans with Voting ProblemsLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - League of Women Voters chapters are trying to contact about 20,000 Kansans whose voter registrations are stalled because of problems proving their citizenship. The president of the Lawrence-Douglas County chapter says the work is slow because many of the potential voters do not answer telephone messages or emails from the organization. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach contends it is easy for residents to prove their citizenship before voting. He says the law is necessary to prevent illegal immigrants from voting. Dolores Furtado, president of the League of Women Voters of Kansas, said the chapters are using various methods to help local election commissioners reach people whose registrations aren't complete.==============================Pittsburg Police Seek Vandals of Public ArtPITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) - The Pittsburg Police Department says it is looking for vandals who damaged several fiberglass footballs that were part of a public art project called SEK Art Fest. Police say they have video showing people who might have vandalized one of the painted footballs on Sunday. The footballs have been on display in downtown Pittsburg since June. The Joplin Globe reports that continued vandalism prompted art festival organizers to move 20 of the 24 large painted footballs out of downtown Monday and into the Meadowbrook Mall in south Pittsburg. Four of the footballs have been damaged by vandals since July. The footballs were to remain on display downtown until October 12, and then were to be auctioned off to raise funds for future art exhibits.===============================Police Investigate Suspended Kansas TeenagersROSE HILL, Kan. (AP) - Rose Hill police say they're investigating three suspended high school athletes who allegedly urinated on another student at a party. Police Chief Bob Sage says three Rose Hill High School football players and one baseball player were drinking at an off-campus party when the alleged battery occurred. He says three of the students urinated on the fourth. The incident was recorded with a cellphone. Rose Hill Athletic Director Jim Linot says the football players will miss their season opener on Friday and the baseball player will miss his first game in March because they were drinking while underage. Authorities have not released other information about the students. No charges have been filed. Sage says he plans to turn the case over to the district attorney next week.==============================2 Injured in Kansas Crash with Empty School BusHUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) - Hutchinson authorities say two women have been injured in a three-vehicle crash that included an empty school bus. Hutchinson Fire Department officials say the crash happened Tuesday afternoon. They say an SUV collided with a car that pulled in front of it. The collision sent the car flying into a nearby school bus. Both car drivers were transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center with minor injuries. The school bus driver was uninjured. No charges have been reported.==============================Report: 7 Percent of Kansas Corn HarvestedWICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Some Kansas farmers are busy preparing for fall seeding of their winter wheat crop, while others are harvesting this season's corn crop. The latest report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service on Tuesday says about 7 percent of the corn cropsin Kansas have been cut. At this time last year none had been cut, but progress this year is closer to the 10 percent average for early September. The agency rated corn condition as 17 percent poor to very poor, 29 percent fair, 42 percent good and 12 percent excellent. About 5 percent of the sorghum crop in Kansas has now matured, and 6 percent of the soybeans have begun dropping leaves. The weekly report also said about 86 percent of the sunflower crop is blooming across Kansas.================================Wichita Zoo at Risk of Losing ElephantsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) - A Kansas zoo will lose its accreditation to have elephants if its officials can't find a way to upgrade the animals' enclosure. The Sedgwick County Zoological Society on Tuesday asked county commissioners to pay $5.3 million of a proposed $10.5 million elephant barn. Zoo officials say the commissioners have three weeks to consider the funding before they move to relocate the animals. The zoo has housed two African elephants, named Stephanie and Cinda, since 1972. The change is necessitated by guidelines passed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2011. The association requires zoos with two females to have space for at least one more elephant by September 2016. It aims to protect the social animals from living alone.==============================KU Logs Record-Setting Year for DonationsLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas says it received a record $253.2 million in donations in the fiscal year that ended June 30. The university said in a news release Tuesday that the donations compared with $174.2 million donated the previous fiscal year. The contributions to the university and the University of Kansas Hospital included $193.1 million in outright gifts and pledges, $59.1 million in deferred gifts and $1 million in contributions directly to the university. The donations allowed the university to create seven new professorship and fund 91 new scholarships and fellowships. The statement says the money also will be used to expand or build several buildings, including Capitol Federal Hall, the DeBruce Center and the Earth, Energy and Environment Center.==============================Report: Midwest Economic Index Inched Up in AugustOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly economic survey index for nine Midwestern and Plains states rose slightly in August, suggesting growth is ahead. A survey report issued Tuesday says the overall Mid-America Business Conditions Index inched up to 57.2 last month from 57.0 in July. The index had reached a three-year high of 60.6 in June. Looking six months ahead, the business confidence portion of the overall index climbed to 60.4 from 60.0 in July. It had hit 63.6 in June. The survey results from supply managers are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers at Creighton University say any score above 50 suggests economic growth, while a score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.==============================Woman to Change Plea in Kansas Adoption Scam CaseKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) _ A woman accused of pretending to be pregnant to scam prospective adoptive parents in Kansas and elsewhere has notified the court she intends to change her plea. A court notation Tuesday shows 34-year-old Chrystal Marie Rippey, of Marshall, Texas, is scheduled for a change-of-plea hearing September 17 before a federal magistrate judge in Kansas City, Kansas. Rippey was indicted in February on federal charges of mail and wire fraud. Defense attorney Thomas Bartee did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Prosecutors allege Rippey contacted adoption agencies and individuals, pretending she was pregnant and seeking to give up her unborn child for adoption. The indictment contends prospective parents bought her meals and gifts, believing she was willing to let them adopt her baby after birth.==============================Electric Bills Increasing for KCP&L CustomersJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Customers of Kansas City Power & Light Company will be paying a little more each month for their electricity. The Missouri Public Service Commission says bills will be going up starting in September to account for higher fuel costs for the Kansas City-based utility. It says typical residential customers in the Kansas City service area will pay an additional $2.44 a month while customers in the St. Joseph service area will pay an additional $1.20 a month. KCP&L's Greater Missouri Operations Company serves about 313,000 electric customers in the state.==============================Survey: KHP Workers Loyal, but FrustratedTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A survey of Kansas Highway Patrol employees found a high degree of loyalty to the organization but strong frustration with management. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the $20,000 study was done by University of Kansas researchers and was prompted by complaints of weak morale in the organization. About 83 percent of those surveyed said they cared about the fate of the organization and nearly 70 percent said they felt loyalty to the agency. But more than two-thirds said they didn't believe the highway patrol's management consistently enforced disciplinary procedures for all workers. The highway patrol's superintendent says two-thirds of civilian and uniform personnel volunteered for the survey. He says he'd received complaints in the past three years and wanted the review to identify whether the concerns were perceived or real.==============================KU Cornerback Short Withdraws from SchoolLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) _ Junior cornerback Kevin Short has withdrawn from the University of Kansas due to personal reasons, though coach Charlie Weis left open the door Tuesday to his possible return next season. Weis refused to discuss the reasons for Short's departure. The two met Monday and the backup cornerback decided then to withdraw from school and return home to Florissant, Missouri. Short said in a statement that his departure was not due to academics or behavior. Weis said that he knew Short could be unavailable, and that's part of the reason he had been running with the second team in practice. Seniors Dexter McDonald and Cassius Sendish are listed as the starters for Saturday's season opener against Southeast Missouri State.

20K State of Kansas Tax Refunds on Hold Until JulyTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — More than 20,000 tax refunds to be distributed by the state of Kansas won't go out until July. Department of Revenue spokeswoman Jeannine Koranda told The Wichita Eagle that as of this week, the department has a backlog of 20,690 individual tax refunds, which adds up to $10.1 million. This time last year, the department had 24,603 returns to send out. Koranda says the department has worked hard to get refunds out in a timely manner. She pointed to three reasons refunds checks may be late in arriving: the return was filed late, is missing paperwork or is being scrutinized for fraud. She said 5,000 returns have come in the last week, which is fairly typical.============================Kansas Leaders Release State Worker Bonus FundsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and legislative leaders have taken a formal step needed to give a promised $250 bonus to full-time state government workers in December. Brownback and eight top lawmakers on Thursday approved the distribution of $4.5 million in state funds to various agencies for the bonuses. Legislators included the bonuses in the budget for the fiscal year beginning in July, and Brownback signed the spending plan into law. But the bonus provision required another look from the governor and legislative leaders. The proposal had bipartisan support, and Brownback said in a statement that he's pleased the bonuses are coming. But Senate Minority Leader and Topeka Democrat Anthony Hensley said he thinks state workers will be insulted because the bonuses are so small and are not a pay raise.============================Kansas Speaker Criticized for 'Red Shirts' RemarkTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas House Speaker Ray Merrick is drawing criticism from the state's largest teachers union for saying he was uncomfortable with groups of people in red shirts at the Statehouse. The Kansas National Education Association said Friday that Merrick was clearly referring to protests during the legislative session against a measure ending guaranteed tenure for public school teachers. Dozens of teachers wore red T-shirts, packing galleries and hallways. But the House speaker said Friday that he was referring to British redcoats during the American Revolution, and misspoke. Merrick made the comment Thursday in response to reporters' questions about whether a new policy allowing concealed guns at the Statehouse would make some visitors uncomfortable. The Stilwell Republican said he was alluding to the history behind guarantees of the right to bear arms.============================Kansas Leaders Wrangle in Handling Cash-Flow FixTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback and Kansas legislative leaders are shifting $675 million among various state accounts so that the state can pay its bills on time over the next year. But their meeting Thursday turned into a contentious debate over the Republican governor's fiscal policies and the massive personal income tax cuts he championed to help stimulate the economy. Brownback met with eight top lawmakers — including the Legislature's two Democratic leaders — to get their approval for an internal financial move that's become an annual routine. The state credits money from various accounts to its general fund. Last year, the borrowing was $300 million, and Democratic leaders suggested the state's finances have deteriorated. But Brownback said the state has a growing economy because of the tax cuts.============================V-A Inspector General Reviewing KC Veteran's DeathKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal office responsible for overseeing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is reviewing the death of a Kansas City, Missouri, veteran who was killed by police last month after they say he pointed his weapon at them. Acting VA inspector general Richard J. Griffin told Kansas 3rd District Congressman Kevin Yoder about the review in response to Yoder's May 30 request for an investigation into the death of 26-year-old Issac Sims. Sims was killed May 25 after allegedly pointing a rifle at police officers following a five-hour standoff at his Kansas City home. A few days earlier he had been told it would be 30 days before he could get a bed at the VA Medical Center in Kansas City for court-ordered treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.============================ Hearing Set in Lawrence Businessman's DeathLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A hearing has been scheduled to determine if a confession from a 19-year-old woman accused of killing her roommate can be used as evidence in her murder trial. Sarah Brooke Gonzales McLinn is charged with premeditated first-degree murder in the death of 52-year-old Harold Sasko. Her lawyer, Carl Cornwell, has said his client will use the defense of mental disease or defect during her trial, which has been scheduled to start January 5, 2015. Sasko's body was found January 17 at the home he shared with McLinn in Lawrence. Lawrence police testified during a May hearing that McLinn confessed to the murder during an interview after her arrest. The next hearing set for July 3 will be used to determine if the confession can be used as evidence.============================Kansas Feedlot June Inventory Lowest Since 1999WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A new report shows the number of cattle in Kansas feedlots is down 2 percent for the lowest June inventory since 1999. The National Agricultural Statistics Service said Friday that Kansas feedlots contained 2.02 million cattle on feed on June 1. The report counts animals in the larger feedlots with capacities of 1,000 or more head. The low numbers come despite the fact that placements during May totaled 435,000 head, up 1 percent from May 2013. Marketings of fed cattle in May totaled 400,000 head, down 2 percent from last year. June's low feedlot count reflects the aftermath of widespread drought that sent huge numbers of livestock to slaughter last year, shrinking the size of the nation's cattle herd.============================Wichita Man Sentenced in Meth MurderWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita man has been sentenced to life in prison for the killing of another man who was tortured and injected with a lethal dose of methamphetamine. KWCH-TV reports that 38-year-old Jason Jones must serve at least 25 years before having a chance for parole under the sentence imposed Friday by a Sedgwick County judge. But the judge also gave Jones more than 13 years for kidnapping, which will follow the murder sentence. Jones was among six people charged in the death of 34-year-old Shawn Lindsey, whose body was found in a field in January 2013. Prosecutors said Lindsey had been bound and tortured by a group of men at an auto shop before getting the lethal dose of meth. A jury convicted Jones in April of first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping.============================Police ID 2 Men Found Dead in Kansas City CemeteryKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Kansas City, Kansas, police have identified the bodies of two men found near a local cemetery and are asking for help finding the killer. Police Sergeant Patrick McCallop on Friday said 25-year-old Lydell D. Irvin Jr. and 22-year-old Naythan T. Walton were killed early Thursday. Their bodies were found by passers-by around 6:30 am in a grassy area of Memorial Park Cemetery, about 30 to 40 yards away from the road. Police say the two men died of apparent gunshot wounds, and that there is no evidence pointing to a murder-suicide.============================Report: Kansas Farm Real Estate Values RisingWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A new government report shows rising farmland values across Kansas. The Agriculture Department reported Thursday that the average value of an acre of farm real estate in Kansas was $1,750 in 2013, up from $1,510 the previous year. It is also a big jump compared to 2009 when that same acre was valued at $1,010. Land used to grow crops was valued for 2013 at $1,930 per acre, up from $1,650 an acre the previous year. Irrigated cropland for 2013 was worth even more with the government pegging irrigated cropland at $2,760 an acre and non-irrigated cropland at $1,840 an acre. Kansas pasture land was valued last year at $1,150 per acre, up from $938 an acre a year earlier.============================KU to Remove Track Inside Football StadiumLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas has announced plans to remove the track from Memorial Stadium, the first step in what the school hopes to be an eventual renovation of the football facility. Earlier this year, the school unveiled the Rock Chalk Park track facility during the Kansas Relays. The new facility allowed the school to begin removal of the old track inside the stadium. KU athletic director Sheahon Zenger said an anonymous donor provided the funding for the construction, which will begin Tuesday and take about six weeks. The track will be replaced by new artificial turf that will be safer and more aesthetically-pleasing. Memorial Stadium, which opened in 1921, is among the oldest college stadiums still in use.============================Kansas Unemployment Stays at 4.8 Percent in MayTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ A new report says the Kansas jobless rate remained unchanged at 4.8 percent in May while the state saw record employment. The state Department of Labor reported Thursday that nearly 1.43 million Kansas residents were employed in May, up from both April of this year and May 2013. The agency also said that last month's unemployment rate was significantly better than the 5.6 percent seen in May 2013. Labor Market information services director Justin McFarland said the figures show rising demand for workers from employers and greater confidence in the state's economy. The department said nearly 1.13 million people held private-sector, nonfarm jobs in May, an increase of 1.3 percent from the same month last year. The most robust over-the-year growth was in construction, which saw payrolls expand nearly 9 percent.============================Expanded Liquor Sales in KS May Have Health EffectsA new report by the Kansas Health Institute lays out the potential health effects of expanding liquor licenses to grocery and convenience stores in Kansas. The study says more outlets selling alcohol may lead to increased consumption by under-aged drinkers. Tatiana Lin, who leads KHI's health impact assessment work, says making alcohol more available makes kids more likely to want to try it. Studies in other states indicate it’s easier for young people to steal alcohol when it’s sold in grocery and convenience stores. A spokesman fo the state association of convenience stores says many stores already sell beer, lottery tickets, and tobacco, requiring customers to produce ID. He says the opposition to expanded liquor sales is really about protecting liquor stores from competition. A bill to let grocery and convenience stores sell liquor died in committee again this year.============================Osage County Woman Found SafeQUENEMO, Kan. (AP) — Osage County authorities say a woman who had been missing since Thursday evening has been found safe. The Osage County Sheriff's office says 45-year-old Judy Lamberd of Quenemo was found Friday morning when someone saw her walking along the Osage-Franklin county line. She had been reported missing Thursday night after last being seen in the yard of her home. Authorities said she needed medication. Osage County Sheriff Laurie Dunn says no foul play is suspected in the woman's disappearance.============================Funeral Set for Kansas Soldier Killed in 1950's CrashCANEY, Kan. (AP) — Services are planned this weekend for a Kansas soldier who was among those killed when a military plane crashed in Alaska more than 60 years ago. Earlier this week, the Department of Defense released the identities of 17 people onboard the C-124 Globemaster, which crashed in 1952. The department was able to identify the victims after the glacier shifted two years ago, releasing the remains. Army Private Leonard Kittle of Caney was among the 52 killed. Kittle will be buried Saturday next to his mother's grave at the Sunnyside Cemetery in Caney, a town of about 2,100 people in southeast Kansas where Kittle was born and raised. His casket was flown with an Army honor guard to Tulsa on Thursday.============================Dodge City Bank of America Banks to CloseDODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — The Bank of America has added a branch in Dodge City to the list of sites it plans to close in Kansas. Spokeswoman Diana Wagner says no specific date is set for closing its branch in downtown Dodge City but it will happen in the first quarter of next year. The company announced in April that it plans to sell branches in Caney, Coffeyville, Emporia, Great Bend, Hays, Hutchinson, Independence, Lindsborg, McPherson and Salina. The Dodge City Daily Globe reports a branch in Junction City will close July 11 and two in Liberal will close Aug. 8. The bank will retain branches in Kansas City, Topeka, Wichita and Lawrence. Wagner says the closings are caused by a drop in transactions because customers are using more mobile and online banking. ============================State to Take Bids for SE Kansas CasinoTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The state will begin taking bids for a fourth state-owned casino next month. The Kansas Lottery will begin receiving applications July 14 for a casino in the southeast region, which includes Crawford and Cherokee counties. The Wichita Eagle reports the deadline for applications to the Kansas Lottery is 1 p.m. Dec. 19. State political leaders will choose a review board, which will choose the winning application. The state owns casinos in Dodge City, Mulvane and Kansas City, Kansas. But bidders lost interest in the southeast region, in part because of a required $225 million initial investment and $25 million privilege fee. During the last session, the Legislature reduced those investments to $50 million and $5.5 million in the southeast. Those provisions take effect July 1. ============================Kansas Girl Helping Turtle in Road Hit by CarLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A 16-year-old Lawrence girl is hospitalized with serious injuries after she was hit by a car while trying to help a turtle get off a road. The Douglas County Sheriff's office says the accident happened Thursday afternoon in Douglas County southeast of Lawrence. Lt. Steve Lewis says the girl was flown to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Her name was not released. Lewis says when the girl stopped to help the turtle, a vehicle driven by a 36-year-old Lawrence woman hit her. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the woman was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of driving with a suspended license and failure to provide proof of liability insurance.============================Foster Mom Faces Felony Drug ChargesBUNKER HILL, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas foster mother faces drug charges after she and foster teenagers in her care were accused of testing positive for marijuana. Russell County Attorney Daniel Krug says Pam Pertl of Bunker Hill is charged with marijuana possession, distribution of marijuana and aggravated endangerment of a child. The sheriff's department says deputies were called June 5 after a social worker reported Pertl and three of her foster teens tested positive for marijuana. Undersheriff Max Barrett, however, said Friday that Pertl and two of her foster teens tested positive. Barrett says one of the teens also told authorities Pertl and the teens drank milk mixed with bleach to interfere with the results of drug testing on their urine samples. The Kansas Department of Children and Families says children won't be placed in foster homes found to be unsafe.============================Man Faces Life in Prison in Child Sex Abuse CasePLATTE CITY, Mo. (AP) — A northwest Missouri man is facing a mandatory life sentence for child sexual abuse after he was found to be a predatory sexual offender. A Platte County jury found 50-year-old Fentress Maurice Wilson of Riverside guilty Tuesday of first-degree statutory sodomy of an 8-year-old girl. After he was convicted, prosecutors presented testimony that Wilson had a decades-long history of sex crimes against children. The Kansas City Star reports that Missouri law allows prosecutors to cite previous acts of abuse only to increase punishment after a defendant has been found guilty. Platte County Eric Zahnd is part of an effort to change the Missouri Constitution to allow prosecutors to tell jurors about a defendant's prior sex offenses before they reach a verdict. The measure will appear on the November ballot.============================Opponents Rally Against Missouri 'Right to Farm'JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Opponents of a ballot measure creating a "right to farm" in Missouri contend it could make it harder to enforce environmental regulations against corporate farms. More than 50 people rallied Thursday at the Missouri Capitol in opposition to Constitutional Amendment 1 on the August ballot. The measure asks voters whether the right "to engage in farming and ranching" should be "forever guaranteed" in the Missouri Constitution. Opponents say the vague wording could lead to lawsuits challenging the enforcement of environmental regulations against farms. The measure was referred to the ballot by the Republican-led Legislature. Supporters of the proposal have expressed fears that animal activist groups could try to impose limits on livestock farms, as they did with a 2010 ballot measure dealing with dog breeders.============================Wichita Man Going to Prison for Meth SaleWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita man is going to prison for the $20,000 sale of a pound of methamphetamine to an undercover officer. The U.S. Attorney's office says 39-year-old Patrick C. Hains was sentenced in federal court Thursday to 10 slightly more than 10 years. Hains pleaded guilty earlier to conspiracy to distribute meth and using a firearm in a drug crime. He was arrested January 14 after a Wichita police officer working undercover paid him $20,000 in cash for a pound of meth. Investigators also seized a shotgun that Hains kept to protect himself during drug transactions. One co-defendant is awaiting trial, and another will be sentenced August 1.============================Kansas Among States Affected by Velveeta Recall NEW YORK (AP) — Kraft is recalling Velveeta cheese from Walmart stores in as many as 12 states, mostly in the Midwest, because the cheese lacks the proper amount of preservatives. Insufficient levels of sorbic acid has led to the recall of 260 cases of Velveeta original pasteurized recipe cheese product because it could cause the cheese to spoil prematurely or cause food-borne illnesses. Kraft Foods Group Inc. says the cheese was sent to three Walmart distribution centers and could have been shipped to as many as 12 states: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The company says the code on the package is 021000611614.============================Grant to Fund Missouri, Kansas Pollution CleanupST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) _ The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $1.2 million in grants to clean up contaminated properties in 15 counties of northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas. The EPA said the grants announced Thursday include $200,000 to train about 40 low-income people in environmental remediation and wastewater treatment. Funds will be administered by the St. Joseph-based Mo-Kan Regional Council, a nonprofit planning and economic development organization. Mo-Kan officials said they're already aware of nearly 400 properties that could qualify for cleanup of hazardous waste or petroleum contamination. Kansas counties included in the grant are Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Jackson, Jefferson and Nemaha. The Missouri counties are Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Clinton, DeKalb, Gentry, Holt, Nodaway and Worth. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Missouri's National Resources Department will help identify and assess properties for cleanup.============================Overall Index Down in Rural Midwest Banker SurveyOMAHA, Neb. (AP) _ The overall index for a monthly economic survey of bankers in 10 Midwestern and Plains states has fallen from May but remains in positive territory, suggesting slower growth in the near future. The Rural Mainstreet Index fell to 53.6 in June from 55.6 in May. The survey indexes range from 0 to 100. Any score above 50 suggests growth in the months ahead. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey. He says June's results indicate that areas highly dependent on agriculture and energy are experiencing slower growth than a year ago. Almost half of bankers surveyed reported that higher beef and pork prices have increased overall economic activity in their area. Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.============================St. Louis Blues to Play NHL Preseason Game in Kansas CityST. LOUIS (AP) — The NHL is coming to Kansas City, Missouri — at least for one night. The St. Louis Blues announced their preseason schedule on Friday. It includes seven games — three at home, three on the road and a neutral-site game against Dallas on September 27 in Kansas City. The Blues open the preseason at Columbus on September 21, followed the next night with a game in Dallas. The home preseason opener is September 25 against Columbus. After the Kansas City game, the Blues play two home games — September 30 against Carolina and October 2 against Minnesota. The preseason concludes with a game at Minnesota on October 4. The NHL has not yet released its 2014-15 regular-season schedule.

Here's a summary of the day's Kansas news headlines from the Associated Press.

Lawmakers in the Kansas House rejected a tax plan that had the support of GOP leaders and Governor Laura Kelly, and which had been approved by the Senate earlier on Thursday...the Kansas Highway Patrol has identified three Nebraska residents killed in a head-on crash near Lawrence on Wednesday... and a Czech-based ag equipment company selects central Kansas for its new North American headquarters and manufacturing plant, investing $105 million in Rice County. Those headlines and more, inside.

Kansas Public Radio ended its successful fall membership drive with 1,807 listener pledges, surpassing its goal of raising $250,000. The ten-day campaign, which began on Sept. 6, brought in $256,512 that will go directly toward providing programming for KPR’s 115,000 listeners. The station recently received the largest budget cut in its 65-year history, with listener and corporate support now supplementing more than 72 percent of the KPR budget.

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, bestselling author Victor Villasenor (VEE-yah-sayn-YOHR) is giving a lecture tonight (MON) at the Topeka-Shawnee County Public Library. He says that his book "Rain of Gold" was inspired by a desire to tell his family history:Victor Villasenor will be at the Topeka-Shawnee County Public Library tonight (MON) and tomorrow (TUE), at 6:30 p.m. in Marvin Auditorium. His lectures on writing and Hispanic heritage are free and open to the public.==========================Author to Speak at Hispanic Heritage Month EventsMexican-American author Victor Villasenor (VEE-yah-sayn-YOHR) is scheduled to speak tonight (MON) and tomorrow (TUE) at the Topeka-Shawnee County Public Library. He's helping kick off Topeka's commemoration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Villasenor feels passionately about the importance of telling authentic stories, and embracing cultural differences: Villasenor will speak tonight (MON) at 6:30 at the T-S-C-P-L's Marvin Auditorium. The talk is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Topeka-Shawnee County Public Library webpage.

The Walk of Honor at the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial (Photo credit: theworldwar.org)One of the largest Veterans Day commemorations in the region is planned for the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City today (TUE). The free event will feature U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II and Kansas City Mayor Sly James along with players from the Kansas City Chiefs. The keynote address will be presented by Pulitzer Prize winning biographer A. Scott Berg at 6:30 this (TUE) evening.2014 marks the Centennial of the start of World War I and museum president, Dr. Matthew Naylor, says there's no place more appropriate to honor the country’s veterans. The National World War I Museum is offering free admission throughout the day and will feature a special performance from the Lyric Opera Veterans Chorus this evening at 6.Find a complete listing of today’s (TUE) special events and more information about the National World War I Museum at Liberty memorial here.