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Federal Sequester Leads to Wichita HCS FurloughsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Officials with Wichita's Housing and Community Services department say 59 employees will be furloughed on 13 days this year because of the automatic federal budget cuts. The agency announced the forced days off on Wednesday, citing the federal sequester. The salaries of all 59 workers are funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Wichita department will be closed Friday, on the first day of the furloughs, and on 12 more Fridays through early December. HUD is one of seven federal agencies required by the budget cuts to furlough employees. HUD's own employees and offices are also affected.=================Kansas Agriculture Agency Rethinks Scale ChangesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials are rethinking new regulations on checking the accuracy of large scales used to weigh agricultural products, recycling materials and scrap metal. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the state Agriculture Department has delayed enforcement of the new rules, which were scheduled to take effect July 1. The biggest change would require private scale technicians have new installations reviewed by competitors and certified for accuracy. Many technicians around the state objected, saying the practice could void a manufacturer's warranty. The head of the Agriculture Department's Division of Weights and Measures wrote to scale technicians last week recognizing those concerns.================= Central Kansas Farmers Report Bountiful Wheat HarvestWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Farmers are hauling bountiful winter wheat crops into elevators in central Kansas, but the drought has decimated yields in the western part of the state. The Wichita Eagle reports that yields in some central Kansas fields are reaching a rare 100 bushels an acre. The Mid-Kansas Co-op in Moundridge says its elevators from Sedgwick County to north of Abilene have been taking in 10 percent more than expected and 50 percent more than their average. Harvest is about 90 percent complete in south-central Kansas and more than 60 percent done statewide. The trade group Kansas Wheat reports quality and yields drop off about halfway heading west across the state. Yields are only about 25 bushels per acre around Dodge City and 20 bushels an acre around Garden City.================= Kansas Teen Charged with Killing FatherSHAWNEE, Kan. (AP) — A 14-year-old northeast Kansas boy is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of his father during a custody exchange with the man's ex-wife. The Kansas City Star reports that the teen was charged in the juvenile division of Johnson County District Court on Wednesday, one day after the shooting outside a business in Shawnee. Police and prosecutors have not commented on a possible motive. The boy's appointed attorney declined to comment while he continued gathering information. Authorities have said the boy's mother and stepfather brought him to the business Tuesday afternoon to exchange custody with the 46-year-old father. Investigators say the boy approached his father's car and shot him with a handgun. The Associated Press is not naming the father because of the boy's age. =================Weather Cooperates with Hutchinson CelebrationHUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — The Fourth of July fireworks show will go on at the State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson after a close brush with postponement due to windy weather. The Hutchinson News reports that Fire Chief Kim Forbes made the decision Thursday afternoon. Forbes had said earlier in the week the extravaganza scheduled for 9:45 pm Thursday might be postponed if winds topped 22 to 25 mph. Gusts were up to 18 mph early Thursday afternoon, but the National Weather Service predicted they would subside by evening. Hutchinson officials didn't want to take any chances after last year's Fourth of July, when fireworks were blamed for 30 grass fires and a $500,000 house fire. Forbes was concerned that windy weather this year could propel embers from the big fireworks show into surrounding neighborhoods.=================Northeast Kansas Veteran Mulling US Senate RaceTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A military veteran who formed the Moderate Party of Kansas is considering a run for U.S. Senate as an independent candidate against Republican incumbent Pat Roberts. Aaron Estabrook, of Manhattan, is the first potential candidate to publicly confirm an interest in challenging Roberts. Estabrook told The Topeka Capital-Journal that he's forming an exploratory committee and would run as the candidate of the Moderate Party, which he founded last November. Roberts has served in the Senate since 1997 and is expected to win re-election easily next year in GOP-leaning Kansas. But his spokeswoman, Sarah Little, says Roberts will take any challenger seriously. Estabrook says he's considering a Senate bid partly because he wants to help his fellow veterans.=================Northeast Kansas Man Accused in Theft of Cattle PanelsHOLTON, Kan. (AP) — A northeast Kansas man is accused of stealing thousands of dollars' worth of cattle panels from a farm in rural Hoyt. KMZA-FM reports that Jackson County (Kansas) deputies arrested the 32-year-old Mayetta man on Wednesday. Sheriff Tim Morse says the theft occurred sometime after June 20. Investigators later obtained a photo of a man believed to be the suspect with the missing panels at a Topeka scrap yard. The man is accused of taking 23 cattle panels, which are used for pens and corrals, along with a gate and a frame. The loss to the farmer was estimated at more than $4,000. Authorities also impounded a 1989 pickup truck they believe was used in connection with the crime. The sheriff says that's part of a new tactic to help deter metal thefts.=================Body of SE Kansas Man Recovered in Neosho RiverOSWEGO, Kan. (AP) — A two-day search for a southeast Kansas man who disappeared in the Neosho River while fishing has ended with the recovery of his body. KOAM-TV reports that a Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter crew spotted the body of 24-year-old Oswego resident Blake Chavez in the river Wednesday afternoon. Labette County Sheriff Robert Sims says Chavez was one of two men who fell into the river below a dam on Monday evening. A 27-year-old man was able to swim to safety. The dam is located below Riverside Park in Oswego. The sheriff says it's a popular spot for swimming and fishing, but the current is deceptively swift.=================Terrorists Dupe KC al-Qaida Supporter, 2 OthersKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Court documents suggest three naturalized American citizens who thought they were contributing money toward global jihad instead were lining the pockets of two Yemeni al-Qaida leaders. The Kansas City Star reports that Kansas City resident Khalid Ouazzani and two others thought the tens of thousands of dollars they sent overseas would eventually land them in Somalia, Iraq or Afghanistan. Instead, their contributions got them arrested by federal agents who say they intended to help al-Qaida regardless of how the money actually was spent. Ouazzani and two New York men have pleaded guilty to terror-related charges and are expected to be sentenced this summer.=================Broke KC Charter School Struggles to Pay TeachersKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Teachers at a Kansas City charter school that recently closed are still waiting for their final paychecks. The Kansas City Star reports that teachers at the Derrick Thomas Academy received a memo instead of their last check. The memo explained that there was no money available because of a dispute between the bondholder for the school and its management company, Edison Learning Inc. For now, money that could go toward salaries is tied up in court. School attorney James Tippin says there are limited options to help the teachers and that no one on the school's board of directors is happy about the situation. The academy announced last fall it would close after its university sponsor refused to renew its charter, citing poor management and low test scores.================= Parties Agree to Delay in KCC LawsuitTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas prosecutor has agreed to delay his lawsuit against the Kansas Corporation Commission over alleged open meetings violations while the utility regulatory board reviews its policies. Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor said Wednesday he filed a motion in state court agreeing to a 120-day stay while the KCC conducts a voluntary audit of its procedures. Taylor's June 19th lawsuit alleges the three-member commission violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act by taking binding action on a Salina water rate increase without convening in public to vote. Taylor's office says the motion was filed Tuesday in Shawnee County District Court.=================White House: Westboro Protests 'Reprehensible'WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says it can't fulfill a request to deem a group that protests at soldiers' funerals a hate group. But it says President Barack Obama believes such actions are reprehensible. The Obama administration is responding to petitions through the White House website to label the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church a hate group and revoke its tax-exempt status. Almost 700,000 people signed five related petitions. The group claims when American troops die, it's God's punishment for America tolerating homosexuality and abortion. The White House says the federal government doesn't maintain a list of hate groups. But it's releasing a map showing where the petition-signers come from. The map shows high density in Kansas, where the Westboro group is based, and Connecticut, where church members threatened to picket Newtown victims' funerals.================= Kansas Child Recovering After Pit Bull MaulingHOISINGTON, Kan. (AP) — A central Kansas boy is in a Wichita hospital after being mauled by a neighbor's pit bull. KAKE-TV reports the 4-year-old from Hoisington was in critical condition Wednesday. Hoisington police say the boy was playing a backyard Monday afternoon when the dog jumped a fence and attacked him. The boy was taken first to a Barton County hospital, then transferred to Wichita due to the severity of his injuries. The pit bull was euthanized and tested negative for rabies.=================1 Killed, 2 Injured in Southern Kansas House FireCALDWELL, Kan. (AP) — One person was killed and two people were injured in a house fire in south-central Kansas. The Wichita Eagle reports the fire was reported early Wednesday at the home in Sumner County. Caldwell Fire Chief Pat York says when firefighters arrived the single-family home was fully engulfed in flames. The names of the victim and the injured people were not released. York says the state fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.=================New KU Program Aims to Fill Social Worker ShortageLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas is starting a new program to address a shortage of social workers in western Kansas. Data collected by the university's School of Social Welfare shows that fewer than 200 of the state's 4,000 licensed social workers live in the western half of the state. Last month, the school launched a new yearlong Master of Social Work program based in western Kansas. It's the state's first such program west of Wichita. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that students will complete some work online. They'll also go to class every other weekend at either Fort Hays State University or Garden City Community College. Their instructors will be experienced local social workers. University of Kansas faculty will set the curriculum and provide training.=================Avon Selling Jewelry Unit Back to Former OwnersNEW YORK (AP) — Beauty products company Avon is selling the jewelry company Silpada back to the company's co-founders and their families for $85 million for a fraction of what it paid for the company three years ago. Avon announced earlier this year that it was reviewing strategic options for the business which sells sterling silver jewelry at home parties. Avon purchased Silpada Designs in July 2010 for $650 million. The families of co-founders Jerry and Bonnie Kelly and Tom and Teresa Walsh, through their company Rhinestone Holdings Inc., were the highest bidders in an auction process. Avon said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday that the transaction also includes up to $15 million more if Silpada hits certain earnings targets over the next two years. The Walshes have connections to the University of Kansas. Tom Walsh is a KU alumnus. The couple and their family’s foundation made a $2 million donation to the University of Kansas Cancer Center in 2011.=================Royals' Gordon Feeling Better After Head InjuryKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Royals outfielder Alex Gordon told manager Ned Yost on Thursday that he was feeling better after sustaining a possible concussion the previous night against the Cleveland Indians. Gordon was tracking a fly ball off the bat of Jason Kipnis when he got turned around near the fencing of the Royals bullpen. The Gold Glove outfielder banged into the fence and then landed hard on the warning track dirt, where he remained motionless for several minutes. Gordon eventually walked off the field with what the team called a possible concussion and a bruised right hip. He said afterward that he didn't remember whether he lost consciousness. Yost said before Thursday's series finale that Gordon was feeling better, but he wasn't sure whether he'll go on the seven-day concussion disabled list that was created two years ago.

UPDATE: CDC Confirms Kansas Patient Does Not Have EbolaKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A second lab has confirmed that a Kansas City, Kansas, man who came to University of Kansas Hospital this week with Ebola-like symptoms does not have the deadly disease. The hospital announced Wednesday that the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta had confirmed negative results from a Nebraska lab, and that the patient had been moved to lower-level isolation. Dr. Lee Norman said Monday the man was a medic on a commercial ship off Africa's west coast and had treated patients for all kinds of illnesses, including typhoid fever. The man became ill while on the ship and flew back to Kansas last week. He was placed in tight isolation at the Kansas City hospital because he had been working in an area where the Ebola virus had broken out.==============================U.S. Senate Candidates in Kansas Meet for Final DebateWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — U.S. Senator Pat Roberts could face questions about missed agriculture committee meetings as the Kansas Republican and independent challenger Greg Orman square off in Wichita for their third and final debate. The candidates have debated twice before since Democrat Chad Taylor withdrew from a race, leaving Roberts vulnerable in what had been a reliably red state. The contest has catapulted Kansas into the national spotlight amid a tight race with national implications for control of the Senate. The Topeka Capital-Journal reported this week that Roberts has attended barely one-third of all Senate Agriculture Committee meetings during the last 15 years. A Roberts campaign spokesman calls the senator a "tireless warrior for Kansas agriculture," pointing to endorsements from the Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kanas Agribusiness Retailers Association.===============================Kansas Democrats Suspend Staffer for Online InsultTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Democratic Party has suspended its communications director over an online posting deriding three towns in the state's southeast corner in crude language. State Democratic Chairman Joan Wagnon said Wednesday that party spokesman Dakota Loomis was suspended without pay until Monday, when she will re-evaluate his status. Republican state Senators Jeff King of Independence and Jake LaTurner of Pittsburg said Loomis should be fired over his posting about Cherryvale, Columbus and Galena. The since-deleted comment called them leading contenders for "most craphole small towns in Kansas." The Pittsburg Morning Sun reported that Loomis posted the comment on a site dedicated to University of Kansas basketball. Loomis did not immediately return a cell phone message seeking comment. Wagnon and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Paul Davis called the comment inappropriate. ===============================Kotich Says He Will Defend Gay Marriage BanTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ A week after the first same-sex marriage in Kansas, some candidates for statewide office are insisting that they will defend Kansas's constitutional ban on same-sex marriages. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Democratic candidate for attorney general, A.J. Kotich, told a forum organized by the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce Monday night that he will defend the state's prohibition against same-sex marriage if elected. Last week, Kotich discussed the issue in an interview with Kansas Information Network and said that, while it's part of the attorney general's job to defend the state constitution, he believes that the gay marriage ban is ultimately, a losing proposition. "There's two things you defend," Kotich said, " the Kansas Constitution and the United States Constitution and I believe in equal protection under the law. But, at the end of the day, if we defend that statute, we have a good possibility of losing." The current attorney general, Republican Derek Schmidt, has already been actively fighting the legalization of same-sex marriage in Kansas. Last week Johnson County issued a same-sex marriage license, but the Kansas Supreme Court halted any more licenses from being issued after Schmidt asked the high court to intervene. A hearing has been set for November 6.==============================Kansas to Spend $10M on Rural BridgesWICHITA, Kan. (AP) - The Kansas Department of Transportation says more than $10 million in state funds will be spent on 77 rural bridges listed as deficient. The Wichita Eagle reports the bridges, rated deficient because they aren't able to handle legal load limits, are in 75 counties. State funds will be used to fix or replace the passages. According to the Transportation Department, some of the reasons why a bridge wouldn't be able to handle legal loads is because of their outdated design or deterioration. Transportation officials say of the nearly 25,000 bridges in Kansas, less than 10 percent, or 2,390, are considered structurally deficient. Not all were eligible for state funding. To get funding, a bridge had to have a daily vehicle count of less than 100 and have a length between 20 and 50 feet.==============================Vote on Snake's Status Could Change Kansas PolicySALINA, Kan. (AP) - Conservationists are concerned that a Kansas commission's vote on the status of a snake species could be the first time in 40 years that the future of a threatened species is determined by politics rather than science. The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission will decide Thursday whether the redbelly snake should continue to be listed as a threatened species in the state. A task force has recommended that the species retain its listing. Some Kansas lawmakers wanted it removed from the list because it has stalled some developments in northeast Kansas. Wildlife and Parks secretary Robin Jennison acknowledges the snakes' population is dwindling. But he wants the snake to lose its protection so the Legislature won't take more drastic action on threatened or endangered species.===============================Death Penalty Sought in Adoptive Parents KillingWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors have announced plans to seek the death penalty against a man charged with killing his adoptive parents with the help of his biological mother and two friends. KSNW-TV reports that the Sedgwick County district attorney made the announcement Wednesday after Anthony Bluml pleaded not guilty. He is charged with capital murder in the November 15 shootings of Roger and Melissa Bluml outside the couple's rural Valley Center home. Melissa Bluml died the next day, while her husband died about five weeks later. The defense lawyer requested a separate sentencing from Bluml's co-defendants. One co-defendant agreed earlier this month to testify against Bluml, his biological mother and a friend of Bluml in exchange for facing a reduced charge. The trial date is set for November 17.===============================Woman Admits Embezzling from Air Force BaseWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita woman who worked as a civilian at McConnell Air Force Base has admitted embezzling more than $54,000 in public funds. The U.S. Attorney's office says 44-year-old Deidra Sanders pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of theft of government money. Sanders worked at the Wichita installation as a deputy dispersing officer for the Air Force. She admitted stealing from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Fund between March 2013 and April of this year. Sanders faces up to five years in federal prison at her sentencing, scheduled for January 6.==============================Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Endorses Brownback, RobertsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The former CEO of Hewlett-Packard is urging Republicans to support the re-election of Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and Senator Pat Roberts, saying now is not the time for a protest vote. Carly Fiorina spoke to about 450 people Tuesday in Wichita at an event hosted by Women for Brownback and the Republican House Campaign Committee. She said Americans are losing a sense of limitless possibilities. Brownback touted his own economic tax policies aimed at helping small businesses grow. The governor said the best way to help something grow is to not tax it. Fiorina stepped down from Hewlett-Packard in 2005 amid upheaval about the company's performance following her decision to buy computer maker Compaq Computer.===============================Textron and Machinists to Resume NegotiationsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Officials with Textron and the Machinists Union are resuming contract negotiations. The talks ended Sunday when Textron officials refused to put in writing that it would keep jobs in Wichita. But officials with both sides put out a news release Tuesday saying they will return to negotiations Wednesday. The Wichita Eagle reports if negotiators agree on a proposal, union members could vote on it Friday. Negotiators are trying to combine two separate local unions of Beechcraft Corp. and Cessna Aircraft under a single labor agreement. Textron, Cessna's parent company, bought Beechcraft in March and formed Textron Aviation. Beechcraft's current contract ends in 2016, while Cessna's agreement expires in 2017.===============================Arrest Made in Fatal Fight at Packing PlantLIBERAL, Kan. (AP) — Police in southwest Kansas have arrested a packing plant employee for the death of a co-worker after a fight last week. Emergency crews found 25-year-old Abdukadir Mohamed Dahir unconscious Friday morning at the National Beef plant in Liberal. Dahir died Saturday at a Wichita hospital of what a preliminary autopsy showed was blunt force injury to his head. A 31-year-old co-worker was arrested Tuesday by Liberal police on suspicion of second-degree murder. The case has been forwarded to the Seward County attorney.===============================Anti-Immigration Group Starts Ads in 10 StatesWASHINGTON (AP) — An anti-immigration group is running more than $1 million in ads criticizing lawmakers for not stopping the flow of new workers into the United States. NumbersUSA on Wednesday began a 10-state ad buy that pointedly asks viewers whether Americans or immigrants should get new jobs. The 30-second ad says immigrants are the ones finding work, while longtime residents are struggling to win jobs. The ads will air in states with competitive Senate races: Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire and North Carolina. NumbersUSA bills itself as a non-partisan grassroots group that wants to reduce the number of immigrants in order to help American workers. The group operates under part of the tax code that allows it to keep its donors' identities secret.===============================Deal Brings to Close 30 Lawsuits Against DioceseKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — An 11-day civil trial against the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph has ended with a nearly $10 million settlement covering a lawsuit filed by a former altar boy and 29 other cases of alleged sexual abuse by priests. The Kansas City Star reports that the deal announced Tuesday evening brings the amount the diocese has paid to plaintiffs in civil cases to $17 million in the past 15 months. The settlement came as attorneys prepared to give their closing arguments on Wednesday. The 30 lawsuits were filed from September 2010 through February 2014, involving 13 current and former priests and alleged sexual abuse from 1963 to 1987. Twelve of those lawsuits contained allegations against Monsignor Thomas O'Brien, who died last year.==============================Kansas Teen to Be Tried as Adult in Fatal FireHUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A judge has ruled that a Hutchinson teenager will be tried as an adult in a fatal fire that killed his mother and sister. Reno County Judge Patti Macke-Dick made the ruling Tuesday in the case of 15-year-old Sam Vonachen, who was 14 when the fire occurred at the family home in September 2013. Prosecutors allege Vonachen set the fire by pouring gasoline throughout the house. His 47-year-old mother, Karla Jo Vonachen, and his 7-year-old sister, Audrey, died. The boy's father escaped the fire. Vonachen faced two counts of first-degree murder and other charges in juvenile court. The judge's ruling means the juvenile case is dismissed and new charges will be filed in adult court.==============================Opponents Seek to Overturn Missouri 'Right to Farm' AmendmentJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Opponents of a new Missouri constitutional amendment shielding farmers from federal consumer safety and environmental regulations have asked the state Supreme Court to overturn the election results. The legal challenge filed Tuesday contends the ballot summary presented to voters on the August ballot was misleading and inaccurate. Constitutional Amendment 1 passed by a margin of just over 2,000 votes out of nearly 1 million cast in the election. It makes Missouri the second state besides North Dakota to place farming rights in its constitution. The ballot said the measure ensures "the right of Missouri citizens to engage in agricultural production and ranching practices." The legal challenge says that was misleading because the protections could apply to foreign-owned corporations.==============================Kansas Names 3 New Innovative School DistrictsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The Kansas State Board of Education has added three school districts to a program that allows them to operate with less regulation in hopes of boosting student performance. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the board approved innovative-district applications from the Hugoton, Blue Valley and Kansas City, Kansas, districts. The board previously approved applications from the McPherson and Concordia districts under a 2013 law aimed at allowing districts to pursue creative strategies for improving student achievement. For example, the Blue Valley district in Johnson County sought an exemption from some teacher licensing requirements. But it's still not clear how free of regulation the five districts will be, because the state board and the districts have adopted bylaws for the innovative schools program.==============================Winter Wheat Planting, Fall Harvest ProgressingWICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Rain across most of Kansas in the past week slowed the harvest of fall crops, but farmers still made progress. The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Tuesday that Kansas farmers were still busy harvesting row crops, seeding wheat and marketing livestock. Winter wheat planting in the state is now 67 percent complete. About 42 percent of the crop has emerged. Corn harvest in the state is 56 percent finished. Sorghum harvest is 15 percent done, while the soybean harvest is at the 18 percent mark. About 7 percent of the sunflower crop has also been cut.==============================Wichita Man Sentenced to Prison in Meth CaseWICHITA, Kan. (AP) - A Wichita man has been sentenced to seven years and eight months in federal prison for selling methamphetamine. A federal prosecutor says 46-year-old Michael Ortega-Alvarez pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth. Ortega-Alvarez admitted to selling an ounce of the drug to an undercover Wichita police officer in April. Police stopped his truck in May and found a pound of meth in a cooler.==============================Wichita Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal ShootingWICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Wichita police say they've arrested a 54-year-old man in connection to a fatal shooting last week. The man was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder. He hasn't been charged. Police say 36-year-old Nathaniel Jackson was found shot multiple times at a north-central Wichita home on Thursday. He was taken to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The suspect is being held on $500,000 bond. Police are expected to present their case to prosecutors on Wednesday to determine whether charges will be filed.==============================Oklahoma Man Pleads Guilty in Kansas Heroin CaseWICHITA, Kan. (AP) - An Oklahoma man who Wichita police caught with more than a pound of heroin has pleaded guilty to a federal drug charge. A federal prosecutor says Nestor Duenas-Vazquez of Glenpool, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession with intent to distribute. A Wichita police officer on June 26 found 496 grams of heroin hidden in a detergent bucket in the trunk of a car during a traffic stop. Duenas-Vazquez was a passenger in the car and was traveling to Oklahoma from Denver. Duenas-Vazquez faces up to 40 years in federal prison when he is sentenced in January. Another defendant convicted in the case is scheduled for sentencing in December.===============================Kansas Woman, Child Killed in Car AccidentWAVERLY, Kan. (AP) — A woman and small boy were killed when the vehicle they were in rolled over on Interstate 35. The Kansas Highway Patrol says the accident happened Tuesday evening four miles north of Waverly in Coffey County. The patrol says a vehicle driven by 26-year-old Krystal Smith of New Strawn went onto a median in the interstate and Smith overcorrected, causing the SUV to roll several times. Smith and Cory Sheppard, also of New Strawn, died in the accident. The patrol said Cory was about 4 but his exact age was not immediately known. A 9-year-old and 6-year-old in the vehicle were injured. It was not immediately clear how the people were related.===============================Police: Century-Old Urn Stolen in TopekaTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Topeka police are searching for whoever stole a century-old bronze urn from an area cemetery. Police say the 3-foot tall and 3-foot wide urn was taken Sunday night or Monday morning. It was placed at the cemetery between 1912 and 1917 to mark the grave of Bell Hurley. The urn stood on top of a hill next to a 40-foot obelisk honoring her husband, James Hurley. A historian tells the Topeka Capital-Journal the urn and obelisk have been major sights at the cemetery and were meant to memorialize the couple that contributed to the Santa Fe Railroad. James Hurley was a general manager of the railroad and employees raised money for two years to help purchase the obelisk and urn. Police are investigating and have asked for the public's assistance.==============================Apparent Deal in Works in Spirit AeroSystems SuitWICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ A lawsuit filed by the Machinists union against Wichita aircraft parts maker Spirit AeroSystems appears headed for an out-of-court resolution. A filing Tuesday in federal court in Kansas City, Kansas, indicates the parties have reached a conditional resolution. It notes the union has agreed to withdraw its motion for an injunction to block Spirit from selling off its fabrication operations or laying off workers pending arbitration. The filing indicates the union plans to dismiss its lawsuit. The lawsuit contends the Machinists gave up the right to strike and accepted pay cuts and smaller wage increases in a 10-year contract negotiated in 2010. In exchange, Spirit agreed to maintain major manufacturing operations in Wichita. It is unclear from the filing what the conditional agreement entails. A hearing was held last week.==============================Fatal Police Shooting of Kansas Teen Ruled JustifiedOTTAWA, Kan. (AP) - A county attorney says police and sheriff's deputies were justified in the fatal shooting of an unarmed eastern Kansas teenager. KSHB-TV reports that Franklin County Attorney Stephen Hunting issued his ruling Tuesday in the death of 18-year-old Ottawa resident Joseph Jennings on August 25. The shooting took place in a parking lot after police received a 911 call about a man waving a handgun and putting the weapon in his waistband. The caller turned out to be Jennings. The responding officers told him to raise his hands. Instead, the county attorney's report says, Jennings pulled a dark item from his waistband and pointed it toward some officers, who opened fire. The item turned out to be sunglasses. Relatives have said Jennings was depressed and may have wanted to goad police into killing him.===============================Court Hears Water Dispute Between Kansas, NebraskaWASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is considering how to resolve a long-running legal fight between Kansas and Nebraska over the use of water from the Republican River. The justices on Tuesday appeared to agree with recommendations of a special master who found Nebraska should pay $3.7 million in damages to Kansas for using more than its legal share of the river's water in 2005 and 2006. But they were more doubtful about making Nebraska pay a $1.8 million penalty that exceeds Kansas' actual damages. The justices also seemed skeptical about Nebraska's push to change the formula for measuring water consumption. Nebraska says the formula is unfair. The dispute centers on a 1943 compact that allocates 49 percent of the river's water to Nebraska, 40 percent to Kansas and 11 percent to Colorado.==============================Royals Edge Orioles 2-1 to Take 3-0 Lead in ALCSKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals are one win away from a trip to the World Series after a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday night. Kansas City now has a commanding 3-0 lead in the AL Championship Series. Third baseman Mike Moustakas made two marvelous plays as the Royals won their 10th straight postseason game, including all seven this year. Kansas City will send Jason Vargas to the mound for Game 4 this (WED) afternoon needing just one more win to reach their first World Series since 1985. Baltimore Pitcher Miguel Gonzalez will try to help the Orioles stave off elimination.===============================Royals' Guthrie Apologizes for Post-Game T-ShirtKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals pitcher Jeremy Guthrie apologized on Twitter to the Orioles for wearing a T-shirt to his post-game news conference Tuesday night that read, "These O's Ain't Royal." Guthrie wore the shirt, a twist on the Chris Brown song "Loyal," after Kansas City beat his former team 2-1 to take a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven AL Championship Series. The shirt touched off an avalanche of criticism toward Guthrie. Along with offending many Orioles fans, the shirt also ignited controversy across social media platforms because of the vulgar and derogatory nature of the song's original lyrics. Guthrie, a prolific user of social media, said in his apology early Wednesday that he did not consider the reaction the shirt might generate and did not intend to offend.===============================K-State Wildcats Hope to Repeat Winning Trip to NormanMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Oklahoma has been nearly unbeatable at home under Bob Stoops. The program has rarely lost a Big 12 game in the frenzied, friendly confines of Memorial Stadium. In fact, only once have the Sooners lost to a ranked conference team at home. That was Kansas State. That was two years ago. Now, the No. 14 Wildcats are preparing to head back to Norman, Oklahoma, to face the 11th-ranked Sooners on Saturday. And while the faces on the team have largely changed, the players on the Kansas State roster firmly believe they can repeat the feat.

Governor Nominates Top Lawyer for Kansas Appeals CourtTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has nominated his chief counsel for the state Court of Appeals. Brownback announced the nomination of Caleb Stegall Tuesday. The Senate must confirm the nomination. It will convene for a special legislative session September 3. Stegall is best known for defending American missionaries who were detained in Haiti after trying to remove 33 children they mistakenly believed had been orphaned in the country's 2010 earthquake. His nomination to the state's second-highest court is likely to draw criticism from the governor's opponents, especially as it is Brownback's first appointment to a judgeship without screening by lawyers. Brownback's office released endorsement letters from a bipartisan group of lawyers, including former Kansas Attorney General Steve Six, a Democrat who faced Stegall in abortion-related litigation.================= Stegall Notes Support from Kansas DemocratsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Governor Sam Brownback's choice to fill a vacancy on the Kansas Court of Appeals is thanking Democrats for supporting his nomination to the bench. Caleb Stegall, a Republican, says Tuesday he received support from prominent Democrats, including former Attorney General Steve Six and Lawrence attorney Dan Watkins. Six and Stegall have been on opposite sides of abortion litigation. Stegall was introduced by Brownback during a Statehouse news conference. The Senate will have to confirm his nomination. Last year the nominating commission passed over Stegall for two vacancies on the Court of Appeals. When lawmakers created a 14th judgeship on the court this year, speculation immediately centered on Stegall as the leading candidate.================= Brownback Defends Process for Selecting Appeals Court JudgeTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback is defending the new process for selecting Kansas Court of Appeals judges, saying it involves more people and encourages the best candidates to apply. Brownback says Tuesday that the old system that put the power to select judges in the hands of a nominating commission left elected officials with little involvement, except when the governor made the final selection. He says his nomination of Caleb Stegall to fill an opening on the Court of Appeals will involve the executive branch and the Kansas Senate, increasing the amount of scrutiny that nominees must face. Kansas changed the process for selecting appeals court judges earlier this year, moving to a federal model where the governor accepts applicants and advances a nominee for Senate confirmation.================= Key Democrat Eyes Kansas Court Nominee HearingTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee says plans to ask Governor Sam Brownback's nominee to the Kansas Court of Appeals how the courts can remain independent under the new judicial selection process. Senator David Haley of Kansas City says he doesn't have any predetermined opinions about the choice of Caleb Stegall to fill a vacancy on the court. Haley says the two have only exchanged greetings in the Statehouse but never had conversations of any substance. Haley says he wants to know Stegall's financial and political ties to Brownback may influence Stegall's rulings on cases. Haley says those concerns factored into his opposition to the changes in the judicial nominating process legislators approved this spring.================= Topeka Changing Firefighter Overtime PolicyTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top officers in the Topeka Fire Department will stop qualifying for overtime pay in November after a city official revised the compensation policy. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that City Manager Jim Colson issued a release Tuesday saying the practice of paying overtime to battalion chiefs and shift commanders will end November 9. Those positions will be considered exempt slots under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and not eligible for overtime. The Capital-Journal reported last week that 11 battalion chiefs and shift commanders earned a collective $145,000 in overtime in 2012. Colson also says he'll work with city leaders to review compensation policies and recommend any changes within the next six months.=================Unilever to Expand Northeast Kansas Margarine PlantOLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Global consumer products maker Unilever is planning a $152 million expansion of its margarine and spreads plant in northeast Kansas. The Kansas City Star reports that the project announced Tuesday will double the size of the plant at the New Century AirCenter industrial park in Olathe. About 170 people now work at the plant, which makes such products as Country Crock, Promise, Imperial spreads. Unilever says it will hire 100 additional employees when the expansion is complete. Unilever makes personal care, home care and food products, including Axe deodorants, Lipton tea and Ben & Jerry's ice cream. The company is headquartered in London and the Netherlands and has more than 173,000 employees worldwide, including 10,000 in the U.S.=================Suspect in Manhattan Sexual Assault Found DeadMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Police say the suspect in a reported sexual assault in Manhattan has been found dead. The assault occurred early on the morning of August 11 near the campus of Kansas State University, prompting authorities to caution students and the general public against walking alone at night. Riley County police said Monday that investigators had located a 26-year-old suspect outside their jurisdiction, but the man had died before officers arrived to make an arrest over the weekend. The man was from northeast Kansas, but police declined to be more precise or to release any details about the death. Police also said the man was not suspected in any other crimes in the Riley County area.=================Ex-Soldier on Trial in Manhattan HomicideMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Opening statements are due Tuesday morning in the trial of a former Fort Riley soldier in the shooting death of a Kansas National Guardsman outside a Manhattan motorcycle club. WIBW-TV reports that a jury was chosen Monday in Riley County District Court for the first-degree murder trial of Daniel Parker. Parker is accused of killing 21-year-old Frederick Beverly, who suffered a fatal head wound early on New Year's Day of 2012 while manning the gate at the "Assassin Street Rydaz" motorcycle club. Prosecutors say Parker opened fire from a passing car following a disagreement earlier in the night with a member of the club.=================Wichita Police Turn to Facebook in Sex Crime ProbeWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police have turned to Facebook in search of two men who are believed to have committed crimes of a sexual nature in public places. KAKE-TV reports it's the first time the department has used social media to seek help in solving a sex crime. Police aren't saying exactly what the two men are accused of doing, other than to say it's not rape. Police say one reason they're staying vague is that revealing too much too soon could hurt their case. They also say they have to be more careful what they say when dealing with sex crimes. Spokesman Lieutenant Doug Nolte says Facebook has become one of the department's best crime-fighting tools since it joined the site in 2009.=================Lawrence Groups Seeking Policy on Drones in City LimitsLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Lawrence leaders say the city doesn't have any drones nor is planning to get any, but five area civil rights groups and political organizations are pushing for a policy limiting their use, just in case. Ben Jones heads the Lawrence-based group Kansans for Responsible Drone Use, which asked city commissioners in May to consider a local policy. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the issue hasn't come up for discussion since then, so Jones now has gotten the support of four other groups seeking a Lawrence policy. Douglas County Republican Party chairwoman Jana Rea says the idea of a local policy makes sense in light of national news about the federal government's surveillance programs. Among other limitations, the groups want any policy to ban the city from ever using weaponized drones.=================Ex-Army Doc Pleads Not Guilty in Texas Fraud CaseSAN ANTONIO (AP) — A former military physician in South Texas has pleaded not guilty in a $7 million Army medical equipment contract fraud and bribery investigation. The San Antonio Express-News reports that Dr. Heidi Webster, who is from Manhattan, Kansas, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and bribery. Webster was freed on a $100,000 unsecured bond following her initial appearance in federal court in San Antonio. The radiologist once worked at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. A co-defendant who worked with Webster, retired Army Master Sergeant Lawrence Peter Fenti of New Braunfels, faces the same charges and earlier pleaded not guilty. Both were named in a 40-count indictment returned in July.=================Bulletin Board Detailing Islamic Beliefs Removed from Wichita SchoolWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita elementary school has removed a bulletin board explaining the Five Pillars of Islam after concerns arose when a picture of the display was posted on Facebook. The Minneha Core Knowledge Magnet Elementary school removed the bulletin board Monday. The school says the bulletin board was part of its students' study of major religions of the world. It says students study the historical context of religions. The Wichita Eagle reports that a photograph of the bulletin board was posted over the weekend on a Facebook page titled "Prepare to Take America Back." The post claimed the school had banned all forms of Christian prayer, which the school says is not true. The school said the bulletin board was taken down until the unit is taught later this fall.================= FBI Says Suspicious Package on KC-Area Bus a HoaxKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Federal investigators say a suspicious package found on a suburban Kansas City bus late last week was a hoax designed to look like an improvised explosive device. KSHB-TV reports investigators were on the scene in Blue Summit for more than 10 hours Friday after a bus driver for First Transit found the package. Special federal agents, the National Guard and ATF were called to investigate, and a robot was used to handle the package, which was taken apart and removed by late Friday night. FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton said Monday investigators were extremely cautious because the package was made to look like an IED. She says creation of a hoax device is a federal crime. Patton says the federal investigation continues.================= SW Kansas Man Dies After Severe BeatingLIBERAL, Kan. (AP) — A 51-year-old southwest Kansas man is dead after being severely beaten in a rural Seward County home over the weekend. The High Plains Daily Leader reports that Seward County deputies were called at 8:30 pm Saturday in the northwest part of the county on a report of an unresponsive man. They found Thomas Miller of Garden City, who was flown to a Wichita hospital where he died early Sunday morning. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is helping the sheriff's office investigate the death, which is considered a homicide. Seward County Undersheriff Gene Ward says nobody has been arrested but people were being interviewed. An autopsy was performed Monday morning.=================Man Charged with Animal Cruelty After Puppy Found DeadWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police responding to a reported burglary instead found a puppy that had been beaten to death with a baseball bat. KWCH-TV reports that someone called police Monday night to report a burglary, but when police arrived they found the dead dog. The 27-year-old man who lives at the home was arrested on a charge of cruelty to animals. A neighbor says she thinks the dog belonged to the man who was arrested. She says man had lived in the home for only a couple months. Police spokesman Lieutenant Doug Nolte says he did not know the age or the breed of the dog.=================Judge Delays Sentencing in Kansas Hunting Camp CaseWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has again delayed the resentencing of two Texas brothers convicted of running a Kansas hunting camp where hunters paid thousands of dollars to illegally shoot deer. U.S. District Judge Monti Belot postponed sentencing of James and Marlin Butler until October 28. The brothers had been scheduled for sentencing in September. A federal appeals court last year threw out their initial sentences, ruling the district court mistakenly based them on the full price of a guided hunt instead of the value of the animals taken. The Butlers, of Martinsville, Texas, ran Camp Lone Star near Coldwater. James Butler was sentenced in 2011 to 41 months in prison plus $50,000 in fines and restitution. His brother was sentenced to 27 months plus $20,000 in fines and restitution.=================Kansas College Plans Ag Learning CenterDODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — Dodge City Community College is planning to build an agriculture learning center in hope of attracting more students and filling unmet needs in southwestern Kansas. The Dodge City Daily Globe reports that the project is in its earliest stages, as officials consider financing and a location. A report by college president Don Woodburn says the center would initially include classrooms, offices and a student equestrian stable. Later additions would include barns, a breeding stable, greenhouses and an outdoor arena. Officials envision the center also hosting 4-H and FFA events as well as college judging camps and contests. They also believe the center would make Dodge City more attractive to prospective community college students, possibly attracting as many as 200 more each year.=================Beechcraft's Light Attack Aircraft Takes FlightWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Beechcraft is celebrating the inaugural flight of its first production AT-6 light attack aircraft. The Wichita-based aircraft maker commemorated the event Tuesday at its headquarters as it tries to market the new military plane among U.S. partner nations. CEO Bill Boisture says the company has seen a growing interest in the plane from the defense establishment around the world. The company is trying to move on and find other markets for the AT-6 after losing a bitter competition earlier this year for an Air Force contract worth more than $427 million. The plane was initially designed to compete for that contract. Beechcraft is now touting the 1,600 hours already logged on its AT-6 test aircraft as it tries to market the aircraft to other countries.=================Missouri Officials Report Fifth Cyclospora InfectionJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — State health officials say a fifth case of cyclospora infection has been confirmed in Missouri. The Department of Health and Senior Services said Tuesday the latest report came from a health provider in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The agency says the source of the illnesses has not been confirmed, and it's not known whether the Missouri cases are connected to those in other states. Previously, cases of cyclospora infections have been reported in the Kansas City metro area and in Jackson, Taney and Miller counties in Missouri. Cyclospora infections are mostly found in tropical or subtropical countries. Symptoms include diarrhea, severe stomach cramps or nausea.=================Arrest Made in Slaying of Former Oklahoma Police OfficerPONCA CITY, Okla. (AP) — Police in Ponca City have arrested a co-worker of a man wanted for murder in the stabbing death of a former Blackwell, Oklahoma police officer. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation says 25-year-old Neshia Niemeyer was arrested Monday as an accessory to murder in the death of 29-year-old Janett Reyna. Online court records do not list an attorney for Niemeyer, but show she's being held on $25,000 bond. A first-degree murder warrant has been issued for Luis Frias for Reyna's death. Investigators believe Frias stabbed Reyna to death on August 8 at her home in Blackwell and called Niemeyer for help in leaving town. Niemeyer later told authorities that she didn't know where Frias was. Agents say Frias has been tracked to Wichita, but has not been found.=================Victims of Plane Crash IdentifiedKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Jackson County (Missouri) Coroner says the victims of a single-engine plane crash at the downtown Kansas City airport were a couple from Ohio. John and Diana Lallo, of Girard, Ohio, died when their plane crashed shortly after taking off Sunday afternoon from the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport. No one else was on board and no other injuries were reported when the aircraft went down just south of the main runway. The couple's daughter, Melissa Lallo-Johnson of Kansas City, told The Kansas City Star that her parents were in Kansas City to visit family. She says her father was an avid pilot. The Lallo family owns McRoyal Industries, which provides products to the food service industry. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.================= 400 Parcels of Junction City Land Up for AuctionJUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — The Geary County Sheriff's Department says it plans to auction off up to 400 parcels of land, some of it complete with infrastructure. WIBW reports that the lots were seized after owners failed to pay delinquent taxes. Sheriff Tony Wolf says the properties were partially developed during a real estate boom, but they were never finished by developers. He says some of the land already has infrastructure such as streets, curbs, sewer, water and electricity. The tax sale will take place August 28 at Brown Auction Service in Junction City, starting at 9 am.=================2 Accused of Moving into Garage of Vacant HomeWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police say a 29-year-old woman who was checking on a house she owns found that a couple had moved into the garage and were doing drugs inside. The Wichita Eagle reports that the woman went to check on her house shortly after 7:30 pm Sunday when she heard people in the garage. Police spokesman Lieutenant Doug Nolte says the woman called 911 and officers arrested a 32-year-old man and 35-year-old woman when they came out. Nolte says it looks like the two had moved into the garage. A police report indicates the two broke windows and knocked down an inside wall while there. The suspects were booked on suspicion of criminal damage, doing meth and other drugs, and possessing drug paraphernalia. The 35-year-old woman also was wanted on an outstanding warrant.=================KS Woman Who Scammed SD Man Sent to PrisonSIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A Kansas woman who scammed a Sioux Falls man out of $161,000 has been sentenced to 1 ½ years in prison. The Argus (South Dakota) Leader reports that Holly Foster told federal Judge Karen Schreier that her actions took place in a "cloud of addiction," but the judge and Foster's victim rejected that reasoning. Authorities say the 34-year-old Foster, of Derby, Kansas scammed the father of her then-boyfriend in 2011 and 2012 with a bogus story that she had stomach cancer and could repay his financial help out of a pending $5.3 million inheritance. The victim cashed in his retirement account, borrowed money from friends, and took out title loans on two vehicles and a second mortgage on his home to support Foster. Schreier ordered Foster to pay back the money.=================State of Missouri to Increase Oversight of Unaccredited SchoolsJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The State Board of Education is increasing its oversight of Missouri's unaccredited schools and hiring a consultant to help develop an improvement plan. The board's action Tuesday comes in advance of an August 28 effective date for a new law allowing the state to more quickly intervene in unaccredited schools. Three districts currently lack accreditation — Kansas City and the suburban St. Louis systems of Normandy and Riverview Gardens. State Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro says state personnel will increase their classroom visits and interaction with local education officials. The board also approved a contract with The Cities for Education Entrepreneurship Trust to analyze the reasons for failure in the Kansas City School District and make recommendations to improve it. The suggestions also could be used for other schools.

The Israeli military says it "eliminated" a top Hezbollah commander in a suburb of Lebanon's capital in retaliation for a deadly rocket attack in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.

The governor and top emergency official in Texas are both members of a council advising the Trump administration on options for eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

NPR asks Sen. Jack Reed, top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, why he wants an investigation into whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared classified intelligence in a Signal chat.

The NPR education team brings you 25 books with minority characters and authors.

Arguments over money and big-time college athletics are more fiery than usual these days. We asked Donna Shalala, president of the University of Miami, and our readers if athletes should be paid.

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Activists occupied four of London's landmarks and thoroughfares and, on Wednesday, targeted the city's rail service. The organizers want a zero-carbon Britain by 2025.