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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City citizens advisory group has recommended replacing the existing three terminals at Kansas City International Airport with a new single terminal. The Kansas City Star reports that 19 of the KCI Terminal Advisory Group's 24 members voted in favor of a single terminal, subject to more information on cost. That decision mirrors a plan the city's Aviation Department has recommended — but which many in the public have rejected because they prefer the current distances between parking and terminal gates. The advisory group's recommendation is intended to guide the city toward one of its most important civic building projects of the next decade. The group concluded the airport has too much crumbling infrastructure, aging operating systems and insufficient gate and security space to simply do nothing.

On a day highlighted by the revival of a Border War contest between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Missouri Tigers, the end result was a disappointment for the KU softball team. The Jayhawks lost a pair of games yesterday (SAT) to drop out of the NCAA tournament. Missouri sent the Jayhawks into the loser's bracket with a 6-3 victory yesterday (SAT) afternoon. Then after upsetting Nebraska the day before, KU couldn't do it again last (SAT) night. The Huskers got by KU, 2-1, to advance to today's (SUN) regional championship game. KU ended its season with a 34-23 record. In the NCAA Division II baseball tournament, Emporia State has reached the regional championship game in Russellville, Arkansas. But the Hornets face the tough task of needing two victories today (SUN) against Minnesota-Mankato to advance to the Elite Eight. The Hornets came up with two victories yesterday (SAT), one against Arkansas Tech and the other against Augustana, to avoid elimination.

Rescue efforts continue in the city of Tainan, where a magnitude 6.4 quake struck early Saturday. News services report two of the dead are a baby and an adult man. Some 120,000 are without power.

Some Kansas and Missouri counties are still under Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories, but those weather alerts have been allowed to expire for much of the KPR listening area. Travel is still very hazardous throughout the region.

A group of Republicans, including Kinzinger, have come together in support of Harris. Kinzinger said he lost faith in Trump and experienced a “profound sorrow” after Jan. 6.

Kansas Deals with Federal ShutdownHUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — The federal government shutdown has hit Kansas, where signs have been posted at Farm Service Agency offices around the state saying the offices will reopen once Congress restores federal funding. The federal shutdown began shortly after midnight Monday, when Congress couldn't reach a budget deal. Funding for the Affordable Care Act is the main contention among lawmakers. The Hutchinson News reports that the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Chase County is also among the nation's national parks that are closed due to the lack of appropriations, as are the Cimarron National Grassland in far western Kansas and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in south-central Kansas. At Fort Larned National Historic Site, Chief Ranger George Elmore says there are 16 employees and all but he and one maintenance man are on furlough.================= Budget Shutdown Hits Kansas Army PostsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Services have been curtailed, including the closing of post commissaries as the partial federal government shutdown takes effect at Kansas military installations. Major Martin O'Donnell, spokesman for the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, says Wednesday that initially the impact isn't being noticed on the northeast Kansas post, though the effects will be felt the longer the shutdown lasts. About 1,000 civilian employees were put on emergency furlough until further notice. Functions related to the life, health and safety of soldiers and families were protected. But other activities have been altered, including the closing of the post commissary. In addition, the museum at Fort Riley will be closed during the week and open only on weekends. Another 2,300 employees were sent home at Fort Leavenworth, leaving 300 on the job.================= KS Lawmakers to Examine Medicaid ChangesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas legislative committee plans to meet next week to review issues arising from this year's overhaul of the state's Medicaid program. The October 7 meeting at the Statehouse comes amid complaints from hospitals of delays in payments for services they provide to needy Kansans who participate in the $3 billion-a-year Medicaid program. The state turned over most of the administration of Medicaid this year to three private health insurance companies. The reorganized program is now known as KanCare, and Republican Governor Sam Brownback's administration has said it is delivering better-coordinated services at a lower cost to the state. Lawmakers formed the joint committee this year to provide oversight of KanCare.=================Audit Critical of Kansas Incentive ProgramKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A new audit of a Kansas incentive program shows that counties in suburban Kansas City have been the main beneficiaries of the program. The Kansas City Star reports that the Promoting Employment Across Kansas program allows a firm creating jobs to keep 95 percent of those employees' state income taxes for up to seven years. The state auditors estimated PEAK has created 5,200 jobs in Kansas, 2,800 of them moving from outside the state, in exchange for $21 million in forgone withholding taxes through December 2012. About 1,550 jobs went to Johnson County. Four companies also moved about 1,200 jobs to Wyandotte County. Cherokee County was the only Kansas county outside the Kansas City metro area that reported any jobs relocated by PEAK during the audit period.================= Democratic Candidate to Challenge KS House LeaderEMPORIA, Kan. (AP) — A Republican-turned-Democrat has announced a bid to unseat Kansas House Speaker Pro Tem Peggy Mast in next year's general election. KVOE-AM reports former Lyon County commissioner Teresa Briggs is running in the 76th House District, which includes the city of Emporia. Mast is a Republican from Emporia and was first elected to the House in 1996. Briggs spent four years on the Lyon County Commission before moving to Reading in nearby Osage County. She works as director of the Mental Health Center's Regional Prevention Center of the Flint Hills. Briggs says she was a Republican from the time she could register to vote. She says she's running as a Democrat because she believes the party is moving close to "the values and vision that I have for this state."=================Kansas Academics Express Concern with Reaction to Prof's TweetTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — More than 100 current and former University of Kansas faculty and staff are publicly affirming the free-speech rights of a professor whose Twitter post against the National Rifle Association sparked a political firestorm. The statement issued Wednesday described the tweet by associate professor of journalism David Guth as "intemperate" but said the signers support his right to express his ideas. Retired American Studies Professor Bill Tuttle said the statement is a response to comments from conservative Republican Kansas legislators that Guth should be fired. Guth is on indefinite paid leave and declined to comment. In his tweet after the September shootings that killed 13 people at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., Guth blasted the NRA and wrote, "Next time, let it be YOUR sons and daughters."=================Kansas Makes Plans for Major Prison ExpansionsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas Department of Corrections official says it has plans for adding space for 640 inmates at the state's maximum-security prison outside El Dorado by July 2019. Director of Capital Improvements Michael Gaito discussed the department's plans during Wednesday's meeting of the Legislature's Joint Committee on State Building Construction. The department is planning two major projects at El Dorado, with a potential total cost of nearly $38 million. Gaito said the plans are driven by projected increases in the state's inmate population and added that the department might back off the projections change. One project would add two new housing units for 512 inmates by July 2016. The other would add a new mental health unit for 128 inmates by July 2019.=================New Judge Named to Kansas 10th Circuit CourtTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has appointed a new judge to lead the 10th Judicial District. The state Supreme Court said in a release Wednesday the high court appointed Judge Kevin P. Moriarty to a two-year term as Chief Judge of the 10th Judicial District. Moriarty has served as a 10th district judge since 2004. Moriarty replaces Chief Judge Thomas Foster, who will resume his role as a judge on the court without the administrative duties of the chief judge. His new position on the court starts January 1.================= Fleetwood Reappointed Top Judge in Sedgwick CountyWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has reappointed Judge James Fleetwood as chief judge for the 18th Judicial District in Sedgwick County. The announcement of the two-year appointment was made Wednesday by Chief Justice Lawton Nuss. It is effective January 1. Fleetwood has served as a district judge since 2009 in the 18th Judicial District in Sedgwick County. He is a graduate of the Washburn School of Law and was in private practice before being elected to the 11th Division in 1997. Fleetwood says in a news release the court and its staff strives to meet the challenges of budget constraints, developing technology and evolving court services. Nuss says that the state's judicial branch faces a number of challenges, particularly in the underfunding of the courts.=================Suspect Convicted of Killing 2 at Wichita Store WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 20-year-old Wichita man has been convicted of capital murder in last year's shootings of two people inside a Dollar General store. The Wichita Eagle reports that a Sedgwick County jury deliberated less than 90 minutes Wednesday before finding Marquis Marshall guilty. Prosecutors were not seeking the death penalty, meaning Marshall faces a mandatory life sentence on each of the two counts. Surveillance tapes from the November 2012 killings show a man entering the Dollar General holding a semi-automatic pistol and firing several times at 22-year-old employee Zachary Hunt and 79-year-old customer Henry Harvey. Both died at the scene. No robbery occurred, and no motive has been offered by police or by witnesses who testified in the three-day trial. Marshall was arrested two days after the killings during a traffic stop. =================Lake Search Yields No Evidence in Developer's DeathTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Divers who searched a lake found no evidence in the death of a Topeka developer. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the underwater search of Lake Shawnee was tied to the investigation into 39-year-old Corey M. Brown's death. But Topeka police said Tuesday that divers from Douglas County only found junk. Police aren't discussing what authorities were seeking. Forty-year-old Monroe Eugene Lockhart III is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his friend and business partner. Lockhart also faces a felony arson charge in Shawnee County. Lockhart already was serving a nearly 10-year sentence for a home invasion when he was charged in Brown's death. Bond in the murder case has been set at $1 million. Lockhart's attorney isn't commenting.================= Brownback Named Grand Marshal for NASCAR RaceKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Speedway officials have named Governor Sam Brownback as the grand marshal for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The Republican governor will preside over the Hollywood Casino 400, which is the fourth race in NASCAR's top series championship. Matt Kenseth is leading the championship over five-time series winner Jimmy Johnson and Kyle Busch. Johnson won last weekend's race at Dover, New Hampshire. Two other races are scheduled for the weekend at the northeast Kansas track, starting with Friday's Kansas Lottery 98.9 ARCA Racing Series. The Kansas Lottery 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race will be run Saturday.================= K-State's Currie Wins A-D of the Year AwardDALLAS (AP) — Kansas State University athletic director John Currie has been honored with the Bobby Dodd A-D of the Year Award. Currie received the award Wednesday at the annual Division I Athletics Director meetings in Dallas. Currie oversees an athletic department that has experienced tremendous success on the field and off. The Wildcats won or shared Big 12 season titles in men's basketball, football and baseball last year, and recently opened a $90 million renovation to the football stadium. The renovation was part of $125 million in facility enhancements that are either completed or underway. They include an $18 million basketball training facility, tennis facility, rowing center and other incremental upgrades to the athletic department's property. K-State football coach Bill Snyder was the winner of the 2012 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award.================= KU Endowment Gave About $120M to KULAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas University Endowment provided the University of Kansas with nearly $120 million in the fiscal year that ended June 30. The KU Endowment announced Tuesday that in the 2013 fiscal year it provided the university with $119.4 million, which was barely more than the $119.3 million the endowment provided the university during the 2012 fiscal year. The Lawrence Journal-World reportedthat of the total, only about $5 million came from unrestricted funds, while most were funds that donors earmarked for specific university functions. The total funding figure also includes $9.6 million for the University of Kansas Hospital. Other funds went to such things as student scholarships and fellowships and faculty salaries and professorships.================= Winfield Standoff Ends with Man in CustodyWINFIELD, Kan. (AP) — A man is in custody and will have a mental evaluation after a standoff that lasted nearly eight hours in south-central Kansas. KAKE-TV reports the standoff at a home in Winfield began around 8:30 am Tuesday. The man was upset with his family and fired several shots into the air, but had already gone back inside the home by the time police arrived. Officers from several police and sheriffs' departments responded, along with a Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent who lives in Winfield. The man surrendered peacefully around 4 pm. He's described as being in his 30s and possibly suffering from mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder.=================Bag of Cremated Remains Left at Wichita Liquor Store WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita businessman is trying to find the owner of a small bag of cremated remains labeled "Grandma." KAKE-TV reports that a customer left the bag about two weeks ago at Charlie's Liquor and Smoke Shop near downtown Wichita. Owner Charlie Nguyen reviewed security tapes but couldn't identify the customer. This week, he placed an ad on Craigslist hoping to connect with the bag's owner. The plastic bag holds a small amount of ashes and a piece of paper that reads "Remains of Helen K. Dapron," with "Grandma" in parentheses. It also gives apparent dates of birth and death, in October 1930 and June 2010.=================Tractor-Trailer Accident Kills Kansas DriverWASHINGTON, Kan. (AP) — A 65-year-old man has died after his pickup truck was hit by a tractor-trailer that was trying to pass on a northeast Kansas highway. The Kansas Highway Patrol says Larry Roger Mueller, of Hanover, was eastbound on U.S. 36 when the semi tried to pass his pickup. The semi couldn't complete the pass and moved back into the right lane, hitting Mueller's truck. The accident occurred near Washington, a few miles from the Nebraska border. It was the second Kansas fatality involving a tractor-trailer in two days. The patrol says that 72-year-old Marion Eastwood, of Fort Scott, was killed Monday when a semi ran a stop sign and struck his vehicle near the southeast Kansas town of Fulton.================= Lawyer: Deal Reached in Lawsuit Against Missouri Priest KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — An attorney for a girl and her parents says a lawsuit involving a western Missouri priest convicted of producing child pornography has reached a tentative settlement. Rebecca Randles, who has represented dozens of clients who claim to have been abused by Roman Catholic priests, declined Wednesday to discuss terms of the agreement. The Kansas City Star reports a spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph also declined to comment before a judge approves the deal. The lawsuit against the Reverend Shawn Ratigan, Bishop Robert Finn and the diocese was scheduled for trial Monday. A hearing on the settlement agreement is set for October 25. Ratigan pleaded guilty to five federal child pornography charges and was sentenced last month to 50 years in prison.=================WSU Marks Anniversary of Fatal CrashWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — About 200 people attended a ceremony in Wichita to commemorate the 43rd anniversary of the fatal Wichita State football plane crash. The Wichita Eagle reports that the ceremony Wednesday was led by WSU president John Bardo. The names of 31 people killed in the crash in Colorado were also read aloud. The victims included crew members, 14 players, their coach and athletic director. Also attending the anniversary service were crash survivors and other members of the 1970 Shockers, who picked up the pieces from the October 2, 1970, tragedy and resumed the season two weeks later in Arkansas. Many wore black shirts embroidered with the Shocker helmet of the era and the phrase, "Still a team." The current Shocker baseball team and coaching staff, dressed in black, stood behind them.=================KCK Burn Center Marks 40th AnniversaryKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A burn center at the University of Kansas Hospital is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The hospital says in a news release that the Burnett Burn Center is accredited for adult and pediatric burn patients. That makes it the only burn center in the region to have either accreditation. The center's staff cares for about 350 patients each year. They treat traditional burns, as well as electrical, chemical and frostbite-related burns. The program also takes care of patients with soft tissue infections and adverse drug reactions that cause skin to fall away. Caregivers, donors and patients are meeting Thursday night at the Annette Bloch Cancer Care Pavilion in Westwood to mark the anniversary.=================Man Gets Mostly Probation in Kansas Boy's ShootingOTTAWA, Kan. (AP) — An Ottawa man who accidentally shot a 4-year-old boy will serve most of his more than four-year sentence on probation. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that 40-year-old Brian K. Bruno will serve 60 days in the Franklin County Adult Detention Center. He then will serve the rest of his sentence on probation. Bruno was sentenced last month to four years and four months for aggravated battery and a concurrent one year sentence for child endangerment. But a hearing was set for this week to determine whether he would serve the sentence in prison or on probation. Authorities say the boy was shot in the leg with a handgun at his home. He survived and no one else was injured. Bruno lived with the boy but was not his father.================= PSU Student Fabricated Abduction StoryPITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a Pittsburg State University international student fabricated a story about being abducted. The Joplin Globe reports that the 26-year-old student reported that a man abducted her September 24 from outside the Overman Student Center. Law enforcement women found the woman east of Pittsburg a short time after she placed a call reporting the purported crime. She was taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries. Campus police later announced a possible link to a burglary and assault at the woman's off-campus home on August 23. Police said they were looking for a man from 20 to 30 years old and possibly from Saudi Arabia. But campus police Chief Mike McCracken said Tuesday that authorities are now confident that no abduction took place.================= Ultralight Pilot Killed in CrashLONE JACK, Mo. (AP) — The pilot of an ultralight plane has died in a crash at a private airfield southeast of Kansas City. The Kansas City Star reports that the pilot was identified Wednesday as 56-year-old Richard Scalet of Greenwood. The Jackson County (Missouri) sheriff's office was called just before 6 pm Tuesday. Investigators said Scalet was flying a Kolb FireStar Ultralight and was the only person in the plane. He was seen taking off when the aircraft took a sharp turn and crashed into a grassy field west of the runway near the town of Lone Jack.=================DC Sniper's Ex-Wife to Speak at Fort RileyFORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) — The ex-wife of the sniper who terrorized the Washington, D.C., area more than a decade ago is talking about domestic violence at Fort Riley.Mildred Muhammad will speak from 10 am to noon Thursday at the Parent Central/Kids on Site Child Care facility. The event is part of a month-long series of events scheduled to observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.After several years of silence, Muhammad has opened up about her experiences. She says John Allen Muhammad terrorized her for years through intimidation and threats. Her husband and an accomplice went on a killing spree for three weeks in 2002, killing 10 and injuring three. Muhammad was executed in 2009. ================= KC Child Still Missing After Nearly Two YearsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Almost two years have passed since a 10-month-old baby was reported missing from her Kansas City home. The Kansas City Star reports that family and supporters of Lisa Irwin's parents will hold a vigil Saturday night. Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin have said they believe someone kidnapped the baby from her crib. Jeremy Irwin said that when he returned home from a late shift on October 4, 2011, the front door was open and the baby was missing. Police and the FBI conducted extensive searches, but no one has been charged. A $100,000 reward is being offered to anyone with information that brings the child home. Police say their investigation continues, but the calls and tips have dwindled. A family attorney says a private detective continues to investigate.=================2 Injured in Wichita House FireWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A house fire in Wichita has injured two people and displaced a family of 10. The Wichita Eagle reports that the fire broke out early Wednesday at the home, where two adults and eight children lived. A 17-year-old was taken to hospital burn unit for treatment. A Sedgwick County dispatch supervisor said a second person was injured but refused treatment at the scene. The cause of the fire and a damage estimate haven't been released.================= Missouri High Court Mulls Student Transfers from KC SchoolsJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court again is considering a court challenge to a law permitting students to transfer from unaccredited school districts to other districts nearby. The court upheld the law earlier in a case from the St. Louis area. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court's focus turned to Kansas City, which has been unaccredited since 2012. Taxpayers from five surrounding districts filed suit and contend the transfer law is an unfunded mandate violating the Missouri Constitution. A Jackson County (Missouri) judge ruled in favor of the Independence, Lee's Summit and North Kansas City plaintiffs but rejected the argument for Blue Springs and Raytown. The state and some plaintiffs appealed. Transfers from Kansas City schools have been on hold, but student transfers have caused acrimony in the St. Louis area.================= KC Chiefs Begin Preparing for Titans Without Star Running BackKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) —Kansas City Chiefs were missing several key players, including Pro Bowl running back Jamaal Charles, as they began preparing for Sunday's game at Tennessee. Charles missed Wednesday's workout because of blisters on his feet. Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he believes Charles will be ready to go against the Titans. Top cornerback Brandon Flowers remained out of practice with inflammation in his knee, and starting free safety Kendrick Lewis has been dealing with a sprained ankle. Rookie right tackle Eric Fisher, the number-1 overall pick in the draft, is still undergoing evaluations from a concussion he sustained in last weekend's 31-7 win over the Giants. Even punter Dustin Colquitt was out of practice. He hurt his knee last Sunday.

Kansas Gay Marriage Opponents Seek 'Religious Freedom' Bill AgainTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators will face renewed pressure next year to provide additional legal protections to gay marriage opponents who want to avoid accommodating same-sex couples for religious reasons. A "religious freedom" measure failed in the Legislature earlier this year, even though conservative Republicans control both chambers and top GOP leaders strongly support the state constitution's gay marriage ban. A federal appeals court that has jurisdiction over Kansas struck down Utah's gay marriage ban last month. Gay marriage opponents believe Kansas's ban is now in jeopardy, though Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Jeff King noted the ruling is on hold, leaving the state's ban intact. A prominent Southern Baptist minister in Wichita and other pastors and church organizations are determined to see legislators take up the "religious freedom" issue again.==============================National Group Plans to Challenge Kansas Gun Law TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A national gun-control group says it is planning to challenge a Kansas law declaring that the federal government has no authority to regulate guns manufactured, sold and kept only in the state. The Washington-based Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence announced Monday that it would file a federal lawsuit Wednesday against the state law. The Kansas law was enacted in 2013 and makes it a felony for any U.S. government employee to attempt to enforce a federal regulation or treaty when it comes to Kansas-only firearms, ammunition or accessories. A similar law enacted in 2009 in Montana was struck down by the federal courts. Kansas Governor Sam Brownback promised a vigorous defense of the state's law.==============================Kansas GOP 4th District Congressional Candidates Appear at ForumWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The two Republicans vying for the south-central Kansas congressional seat traded barbs at their first face-to-face forum. Congressman Mike Pompeo told the Wichita Crime Commission on Monday he's on a mission in Washington to shrink the size and scope of government. He says he believes deeply in the private sector. Former congressman Todd Tiahrt said he's challenging Pompeo in the August primary to reclaim his old seat because he cannot sit by and watch all the hard work he did in Washington deteriorate. He cited what he called the "train wreck" in Washington caused by lawmakers who can't get along with each other. Tiahrt represented the 4th Congressional District for 16 years before giving it up in 2010 for an unsuccessful campaign for Senate.==============================Huelskamp Faces GOP Challenge in KS 1st DistrictLIBERAL, Kan. (AP) — The Republican congressman from the sprawling 1st District of western and central Kansas is finding himself on the defensive while campaigning back home. Incumbent U.S. Representative Tim Huelskamp is a Tea Party favorite and Kansas farmer known for his criticism of the GOP leadership. He is seeking a third two-year term. Huelskamp was stripped in 2012 of the farm state's nearly automatic seat on the House Agriculture Committee. He also told his constituents he voted against the farm bill because farmers want regulatory relief and freedom — not more handouts. He also says people should work to get food stamps. Huelskamp is challenged in this year's GOP primary by Alan LaPolice, a Clyde farmer and educator who has made Huelskamp's conflicts with other Republicans the centerpiece of his campaign.==============================Northeast Kansas Inmate Walks Away from Work DetailLANSING, Kan. (AP) — Authorities in northeast Kansas are searching for a minimum-security inmate who walked away from a work detail. Fifty-two-year-old Ronald J. Emons was being held at the Lansing Correctional Facility for violating his probation for a 2011 conviction of attempted indecent liberties with a child. KAIR Radio reports that Emons went with a work crew around 6 am Monday to a reservoir outside the prison compound's fenced area. Staff noticed him missing around 10:40 am. A spokesman for the Kansas Corrections Department says Emons could be in Atchison. He's from that area and still has family there. A judge sentenced Emons in July 2011 to probation for attempted indecent liberties with a 14- to 16-year-old child. He has been sent to Lansing twice for violating the terms of his probation.==============================Couple Pleads Guilty to Hiring Illegal WorkersKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The owners of two Overland Park hotels pleaded guilty to hiring workers who were in the country illegally and then paying them less than other workers. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom announced in a news release Monday that 53-year-old Munir Ahmad Chaudary and his 41-year-old wife, Rhonda R. Bridge, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to harbor undocumented workers for personal gain. The couple admitted they hired the workers for Clarion hotels they own in Overland Park and Kansas City, Missouri. Grissom says the illegal workers were not given Social Security, workers' compensation and unemployment insurance. A sentencing date hasn't been set. They face five years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000. Prosecutors also are seeking the forfeiture of assets gained through the couple's activities.==============================Missouri Moves to Allow Bi-State Police ResponseKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has signed legislation allowing law enforcement agencies to assist each other across state lines in the Kansas City metro area. Now, the Kansas City Metro Tactical Officers Association will try to get a similar law passed in Kansas, as required by the Missouri legislation. The measure signed by Nixon last week would let officers in nine Missouri and Kansas counties respond to requests for help across the state line for active shootings, terrorist acts or other incidents that endanger the public. Missouri counties named in the bill are Jackson, Clay, Platte, Cass and Ray. The Kansas counties are Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth and Miami. The mutual aid arrangement would be established only if the Kansas Legislature passes a similar law, or the Kansas governor issues an executive order.==============================Wichita Marijuana Advocates Collect Signatures for Pot VoteWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A group of Wichita marijuana advocates is counting petition signatures to see if there are enough to force a citywide vote on decriminalizing pot in the community. Petitioners are trying to gather nearly 3,000 valid signatures on a petition that would give voters a chance in November to ask for sharply lower punishments for marijuana possession. The current maximum criminal penalty of $2,500 and a year in jail would be reduced to a $25 civil fine. The Wichita Eagle reports supporters view marijuana possession laws as a gateway into the criminal justice system for young people, especially blacks. Among the petition's advocates is Kansas Representative Gail Finney, a Wichita Democrat who has tried unsuccessfully for years to get the Legislature to vote on a medical marijuana bill.==============================Wichita Woman Accused of Chasing People With Lit FireworksWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 39-year-old Wichita woman was arrested after police say she chased three people with large fireworks in her hand. Wichita Police say the fireworks were lit and she sprayed the three victims with sparks Friday night. Police say the woman knew the group of people and was intentionally trying to burn them. The woman was booked into jail, and authorities say they're unsure whether alcohol was a factor in the incident.==============================Revenues at Kansas Star Casino SlideWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Gambling revenues at the Kansas Star Casino south of Wichita are lagging behind figures recorded a year ago soon after the permanent casino started operating. The casino's June report to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission showed that it has won $167 million from gamblers so far this year, compared to $176.3 million a year ago at this time. General Manager Scott Cooper says a struggling economy has had an impact on revenues. He says a hotel expansion and other amenities to be added soon should boost those numbers. The Wichita Eagle reportsthe reduced revenues means Kansas has taken in about $2.1 million less in taxes on the operation than it had by this time last year.==============================Feds Reject Kansas Tribal Casino ApplicationWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The federal government has refused to accept a tract of suburban Wichita land into trust so an Indian tribe can build a casino there. The Kansas Attorney General's Office said Monday that the Interior Department rejected a request from the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma to take the land into trust. The Wyandotte Nation bought the tract in Park City in 1992. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act allows tribes to conduct gambling only on Indian lands, which are defined as land within a reservation or held in trust by the United States. But the Interior Department has found that the tribe did not have sufficient trust funds to have purchased both the Park City land and a Kansas City tract where it has already built a casino.==============================KS Ins Commish: Health Plans Cover Quitting TobaccoTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger is urging Kansans who smoke or chew tobacco to check if their insurance plans cover programs to help them quit. The U.S. Department of Labor announced in May that insurance companies and employer group health plans must cover counseling and other programs that help people quit smoking. The companies are not allowed to charge out-of-pocket costs or require prior approval for the programs. The plans must cover at least two quitting attempts per year, which includes a 90-day supply of tobacco cessation medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration and at least four counseling sessions, whether by phone, in person or in groups. Praeger says in a news release that some plans offer smoking cessation services and programs beyond those approved by the FDA.==============================Emporia Assisted Living Facility Destroyed by FireEMPORIA, Kan. (AP) — Improperly disposed of fireworks are blamed for at least three fires in Emporia, including one that destroyed an assisted living facility. KVOE reports smoldering fireworks were stored in a plastic trash can that was rolled up against Sterling House on Friday night. The resulting fire destroyed most of the assisted living residence and displaced 21 residents Firefighters were called to a house fire around 6 pm Saturday where fireworks put into a plastic trash can smoldered overnight and ignited some siding and a window sill. That fire came at the heels of a similar fire elsewhere in the city where smoldering materials were not properly handled before damaging siding of a home and forcing firefighters to tear down a ceiling to make sure the fire was put out.==============================First of 3 Fuselages Removed from Derailment SiteMISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A Montana Rail Link spokeswoman says it took about 12 hours to remove the first of three commercial airplane bodies that fell into the Clark Fork River after a train derailed. Spokeswoman Lynda Frost said Monday that specialized machines are pulling the 20-ton fuselages attached to 50-ton flatbed cars from the embankment one at a time at a rate of 20 feet per hour. Frost says the most difficult fuselage to retrieve was removed safely Sunday. Crews were working on the second fuselage Monday and plan to remove the third by Tuesday. She says crews are attempting to remove the fuselages and their flatbed cars without causing any additional damage. Three other Boeing 737 fuselages fell off the train during Thursday's derailment 50 miles west of Missoula. Boeing officials are assessing the damage. The fuselages were built by Spirit Aerosystems in Wichita.==============================2 Killed in SW Missouri CrashKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two men are dead and four others were seriously injured when their SUV overturned on a county road in southwest Missouri. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says 20-year-old Mark Harken of Prairie Village, Kansas, was he lost control of his SUV and drove off the road about 2:15 Saturday afternoon. Harken and 18-year-old Clayton Miller of Kansas City, Missouri, were killed in the crash. Four other young men from the Kansas City metropolitan area were flown to three regional hospitals in serious condition.==============================Dole Announces Stops for Next Leg of Homecoming TourOSKALOOSA, Kan. (AP) — The next leg of former U.S. Senator Bob Dole's homecoming tour is scheduled to take him to nine communities in eastern Kansas. The visits next week are the latest in a series of trips Dole is making this year from his home in Washington, D.C., year to greet old friends and supporters throughout Kansas. He spends about an hour at each stop. On July 14, Dole is to hold public gatherings in Oskaloosa, Alma, Council Grove and Marion. He plans appearances the following day in Cottonwood Falls, Eureka, Yates Center, Burlington and Osage City. Dole turns 91 on July 22.==============================Kansas Groups Seek Dental Practitioner StatusWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Several Kansas groups are seeking a new level of dental provider they say could ease a shortage of dentists across the state. A proposed bill was introduced in the last legislative session to create registered dental practitioners who would be somewhere between a hygienist and a dentist, but it didn't get a hearing. Advocates like the Kansas Dental Project say the mid-level positions would improve access to dental services like nurse practitioners and physician's assistance do in the medical community. The Wichita Eagle reports 86 of the state's 105 counties qualify as dental health professional shortage areas, including 13 counties that have no dentist at all. The Kansas Dental Association opposes dental practitioners and says they would face the same barriers preventing some dentists from practicing in rural areas.==============================Wichita Tanker Base Boosts Contractor OpportunitiesWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Preparations at McConnell Air Force Base for the arrival of the new KC-46A air refueling tankers are expected to boost contracting opportunities for businesses. A recent groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of the first $197 million in new construction projects. Congress has allotted a total of $219 million for the tanker work at the Wichita base. The Wichita Eagle reports that while most of those new contracted opportunities are construction related, officials say there are other contracting possibilities at the base. The Small Business Administration says federal contract opportunities in Kansas average between $1.5 billion and $2 billion annually. About 23 percent are open to bid by small businesses. SBA usually refers businesses starting out in contracting to the Kansas Procurement Technical Assistance Center at Wichita State University.==============================SW Kansas Reservoir a Popular DestinationJETMORE, Kan. (AP) — People from as far away as Oklahoma spent part of their holiday weekend at a 5-year-old southwest Kansas reservoir that got a big boost from steady rainfall last week. KSN-TV reportsHorseThief Reservoir near Jetmore is about 65 percent full after gaining 7 feet last week, drawing people from all around to the few big bodies of water in western Kansas. Reservoir manager Josh Hobbs says the project was met with a lot of skepticism, but it has shown it has the ability to hold water even in a prolonged drought. The reservoir is part of the Pawnee Watershed and fed by about 1 million gallons of water a day from Buckner Creek, one of the only live creeks in the region.==============================Wichita Man Trying to Recover Truck Run Over, DiesWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police say a man who was run over while trying to recover a stolen truck has died. Police said Monday that 25-year-old Shawn Palmer died Sunday from injuries he suffered over the weekend. Lieutenant Randy Reynolds said Palmer and his older brother went to a QuikTrip when they saw their father's truck was being driven by someone they didn't know. When the driver tried to flee in the truck, the brothers jumped on but were thrown off. Reynolds says a trailer being pulled by the truck ran over Shawn Palmer. The older brother was treated and released at a hospital. The driver, a 34-year-old Wichita man, was booked into the Sedgwick County jail. The Wichita Eagle reports that the pickup and trailer were recovered in a field.==============================Wichita Police Pull Dog from OverpassWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A photo of Wichita police officers rescuing a 6-month-old German shepherd from an overpass helped reunite the frightened animal with his owners. The Wichita Eagle reports an officer was writing a ticket near the overpass at Kellogg and Tyler Road on Friday night when he saw the dog, named Harley, on the overpass ledge. Police say the dog had been frightened by fireworks being shot off near its home and somehow got on the ledge, 32 feet above a highway where people sometimes drive 70 or 80 mph. Four officers managed to get the dog off the ledge, but the spooked animal ran off and had to be corralled by several police cars. A photo of the rescue was posted online, which is how its owners tracked it down.==============================Parents Work to Keep Missing Children in SpotlightST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Missouri parents whose children have been missing for years say they struggle to keep their children's cases in the public eye while dealing with the frustration of not knowing what happened. One such parent is Tammy Mack, whose 15-year-old daughter Ashley disappeared from St. Joseph 10 years ago. She says she hasn't given hope of finding out what happened to Ashley but she no longer spends hours every day online and on the phone searching for clues. She and family and friends held a candlelight vigil at the pool Sunday night. She also planted a tree near the pool in her daughter's memory. The Kansas City Star reports that a convicted felon who lived in Ashley's neighborhood is a strong suspect in her disappearance but no one has been arrested.

Kansas Income Tax Changes Take EffectTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Sweeping changes in the Kansas tax code went into effect Tuesday, with new rates for individual income taxpayers. The laws were approved by the Legislature in May and signed by GOP Governor Sam Brownback. They are part of the administration's efforts to improve the state's business climate and increase the amount of money residents keep in their paychecks. The top individual income tax rate drops to 4.9 percent from 6.45 percent. The owners of 191,000 businesses are exempt from income taxes. The changes are expected to cost the state about $4.5 billion over the next six years. Brownback hasn't ruled out keeping the sales tax rate at 6.3 percent to help with budgeting. The rate was increased in 2010 and is scheduled to drop to 5.7 percent in July.=================Kansas Chamber to Support Loosening of Liquor Sales LawsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Chamber of Commerce wants to allow the state's groceries and convenience stores to sell wine, liquor and full-strength beer. Chamber vice president Kent Eckles says the chamber will be part of a coalition urging legislators to rewrite laws on alcohol sales in the upcoming session. Kansas law allows only retail liquor stores to sell wine, liquor and full-strength beer, while groceries and convenience stores can sell only so-called weak beer, also known as cereal malt beverage. The restrictions are a holdover from a Prohibition past that included famed saloon-smasher Carrie Nation. Eckles said the chamber views the issue as one of free enterprise. Liquor store owners fear being pushed out of business by big retail chains, and proposals have failed the past two years.=================Homeland Security Signs Land Transfer for KS Biosecurity LabTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Department of Homeland Security officials have signed a land transfer agreement that will allow for the construction of a new federal animal research lab near Kansas State University in Manhattan. DHS will acquire about 46 acres of land near the north end of Kansas State for the lab. The transfer clears the way for construction to begin. Governor Sam Brownback and members of the state's congressional delegation announced Wednesday that the move indicated the federal department is committed to building the $1.14 billion National Bio- and Agro-defense Facility. Kansas was selected for the new animal research lab after a lengthy competition in 2009. The lab would replace an aging facility at Plum Island, New York, where research would be conducted on deadly animal pathogens, including foot and mouth disease.=================Lawrence Police Officer Dies in Off-Duty CrashLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A northeast Kansas police department says one of its officers has died in a one-car crash. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that 29-year-old Officer Matthew Klock was off-duty when his car hit a traffic signal pole around 2 am Wednesday. The crash happened near an intersection in the western part of Lawrence. Klock was alone in the car. The Kansas Highway Patrol's report on the accident says he was not wearing a seat belt. Klock had been a member of the Lawrence Police Department since 2007.=================2nd Sedgwick County Detention Deputy ChargedWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A second Sedgwick County detention deputy has been charged with sexual misconduct involving inmates. The Wichita Eagle reports Sheriff Jeff Easter announced Wednesday that two male inmates complained in October of being subject to "lewd fondling" at a work-release center. Two counts of unlawful sexual relations were filed in November but didn't become public until Friday when James Conklin of Wichita made a first court appearance. Conklin's lawyer, Sal Intagliata, says Conklin has 19 years of "honorable service" as a detention deputy. The attorney also says he intends to challenge the credibility of the accusers. Conklin is free on bond awaiting a January 10 preliminary hearing. A former Sedgwick County jailer, David Kendall, is charged with sex crimes involving six inmates. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 23.================= Lecompton Braces for Cut in Post Office HoursLECOMPTON, Kan. (AP) — Residents of a northeast Kansas town are upset that the hours at their post office will be reduced five weeks earlier than expected. The U.S. Postal Service recently told residents of Lecompton that it will reduce the post office hours beginning January 26. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports residents said they were told the cutbacks would begin on March 3. Postal service spokesman Pete Nowacki says Lecompton residents were told at a November meeting that March was a likely date for implementation. He says the change was made so savings could begin immediately. The Postal Service announced in May that it would cut hours of retail windows at 13,000 post offices in the country, including 362 in Kansas. The move is expected to save the service $500 million a year.================= KS Homeowner Shoots Suspect During Home InvasionNEOSHO RAPIDS, Kan. (AP) — Lyon County authorities say a homeowner shot and injured one person breaking into his home and held another suspect at gunpoint until officers arrived. Sheriff Jeff Cope says the apparent burglary attempt occurred early Wednesday at the home of Ronald Sleisher about three miles north of Neosho Rapids. Cope says Sleisher heard a pounding on his door and a window breaking and fired at the intruders. KVOE reports that one suspect, a 35-year-old man from Council Grove, was taken to a Topeka hospital, where his condition was not available. A 30-year-old man from Dunlap was arrested. Sleisher and another person in the home were not hurt. Cope says there is no indication Sleisher or the other person in the house knew the suspects.================= NE Kansas Mayor Leaving Office After 29 YearsLANSING, Kan. (AP) — The mayor of the northeast Kansas community of Lansing is preparing to leave the office he first won 29 years ago. The Leavenworth Times reports that Kenneth Bernard will retire Thursday as his successor, current City Councilman Billy Blackwell, takes the oath of office. Bernard has served as mayor of Lansing almost continuously since 1983. He took a short break from 1991 to 1993 before winning the office again. He decided against seeking another term in 2012. Blackwell was elected mayor in a three-way race in November. Bernard will be honored at a reception Thursday night in the Lansing community center. Lansing is a city of about 11,000 people, located on the Missouri River. The city is home to the Lansing Correctional Facility, formerly known as the Kansas State Penitentiary.=================18 Pounds of Marijuana Found After I-70 ChaseALMA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Highway Patrol troopers say they found 18 pounds of marijuana in a car after a dangerous chase along Interstate 70 in northeast Kansas. A 20-year-old man from Antioch, Tennessee was arrested Tuesday after a chase that mostly went east in the westbound lanes of the interstate in Wabaunsee County. Troopers say at one point the driver reversed direction and traveled west in the eastbound lanes. No one was injured. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the chase started when a trooper pulled the driver over for speeding and smelled marijuana. The man sped off and at times drove up to 130 mph. The car eventually went into a ditch near the exit for Maple Hill and St. Marys. The driver is in the Wabaunsee County Jail on $200,000 bond.================= Recent Audit Examines Sale of Surplus State PropertyLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A recent audit finds the state could do a better job of selling its unused property. The Legislative Division of Post Audit found that the Department of Administration has failed to accomplish some key tasks. The report says the division lacks the authority to independently designate what properties are surplus. The audit also says the state's central asset inventory of real property is inaccurate and incomplete. And the process for selling surplus property includes disincentives. But the Lawrence Journal-World reports that there are obstacles in selling the properties. Some of the properties need title searches, others need appraisals, and some land is being leased for other purposes. The Department of Administration says it will put many of the audit's recommendations into action and report back to legislators by April.================= State Seeks Child Support Payments from Sperm DonorTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man who answered an online ad to donate sperm to a lesbian couple is fighting the state's efforts to force him to pay child support for the girl subsequently conceived through artificial insemination. Department of Children and Families spokeswoman Angela de Rocha said Wednesday that the agency would not be pursuing payment if the state hadn't provided more than $6,000 in benefits for the child after the Topeka couple split. She says the state tries to establish a child's paternity when benefits are involved. Court records show that the sperm donor, 46-year-old William Marotta, signed an agreement in March 2009 giving up parental rights to the then-couple, Angela Bauer and Jennifer Schreiner. The agreement also absolves Marotta of financial responsibility. The state contends the agreement isn't valid.================= Kansas Boy Scout Earns All 134 Merit BadgesROSE HILL, Kan. (AP) — A southeast Kansas 18-year-old is among the elite in the Boy Scout world. Jeremy Ebert of Rose Hill is only the 180th person in the country to ever earn all 134 merit badges offered by the Scouts. His scoutmaster, Mark Esslinger, says Ebert is believed to be the first person in Kansas to earn all the badges. Ebert belongs to Troop 0626 in Rose Hill. Ebert told The Wichita Eagle that he was driven to acquire all the knowledge learned from working on the badges. He says the biggest obstacle was the archery badge because his left hand has palsy. A merit badge counselor taught him a new way to shoot an arrow at the right proficiency from about 100 feet away. Scuba-diving and water skiing were among his favorite badges.=================New US Attorney Confirmed for Western Missouri KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The U.S. Senate has confirmed the appointment of a veteran Jackson County (Missouri) prosecutor as the new U.S. attorney for the 66-county western district of Missouri. President Barack Obama nominated Angela Tammy Dickinson for the post in July. The nomination was one of dozens confirmed by the Senate on New Year's Day. The Kansas City Star reports the appointment will become official when Obama signs the necessary paperwork. Dickinson will replace David Ketchmark, who has served as acting U.S. attorney since 2011. Dickinson joined the Jackson County prosecutor's office in 1998 and has been the chief trial assistant in that office since 2002. She earned her law degree in 1998 from the University of Missouri-Columbia. The Justice Department's Western District of Missouri includes the cities of Kansas City, St. Joseph, Springfield and Columbia.================= Kansas City's Homicide Rate Drops in 2012KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City officials are crediting a new anti-violence program for a slight drop in the homicide rate in 2012. The city recorded 108 homicides last year, six fewer than 2011 but two more than in 2010. The Kansas City Star reports that the total of 108 homicides is one more than the city's average annual total for the decade ending in 2009. Police Chief Darryl Forte says he's not satisfied with a small decrease in numbers. But the city announced last month that fewer homicides are occurring in urban core neighborhoods that once accounted for more than half the city's killings. Forte credits a program that increased enforcement in those neighborhoods. He says the lower overall numbers suggest the homicides aren't just moving to other parts of the city.=================Low Water Disrupts a Kansas Tradition WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A float trip on the Arkansas River isn't much fun when your kayak scrapes the riverbed. A group called the Arkansas River Coalition has made a tradition of paddling the river in Wichita each New Year's Day. But months of drought created special challenges Tuesday. The Wichita Eagle reports this year's trip had been scheduled for the nearby Little Arkansas, where the water is deep enough for kayaks and canoes. But the Little Arkansas was frozen over, so the paddlers launched in the main Arkansas River instead — only to hit sandbars or get stuck in mud. Several had to drag their boats over the mud to a channel deep enough to float. The Arkansas dried up completely in parts of Kansas over the summer.================= New KU Curriculum to Begin in Upcoming Fall SemesterLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — University of Kansas administrators say the school is preparing to implement a new curriculum in the fall. All freshmen will be required to take the new Core Curriculum, and some upperclassmen could opt into the new requirements. The new curriculum is the first to apply to all undergraduates, regardless of their school. The university says it will provide more flexibility and focus on skills the students will develop. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the current Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of General Studies degrees include requirements that can be met by only one or a limited number of courses. Most undergraduates pursue those degrees. The Core Curriculum includes 12 skill-based requirements, which students will have a number of options for fulfilling.================= Midwest Economic Index Suggests Economic Slump to ContinueOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly economic index for nine Midwest and Plains states rose again last month but still suggests an economic slump will continue over the next three to six months. The Mid-America Business Conditions index hit 49.5 in December, up from November's 48.0 and October's 46.5. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says he's expecting only small regional increases in the job market. The survey of business leaders and supply managers uses a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth while a score below 50 suggests decline for that factor. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.================= Winter Wheat Condition Declines Due to Dry DecemberWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The condition of the Kansas winter wheat crop has deteriorated in the wake of December's limited rain and snow. Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service reports that 31 percent of the state's wheat crop ended 2012 in poor to very poor condition. Forty-five percent was rated in fair condition, with 23 percent in good shape and 1 percent in excellent condition. The agency notes that only three of the 53 reporting stations around the state received more than an inch of precipitation from December 1 through December 30. Range and pasture conditions declined as well, with 84 percent in poor to very poor shape. Supplies of stock water are also a problem for livestock producers. The agency said supplies are short to very short across 77 percent of Kansas.================= UMKC Researchers Make Insulin-Administration DiscoveryKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Researchers at the University of Missouri-Kansas City have found a way to use a beam of light instead of needles to inject insulin. They wrote about the advance for the chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie. The researchers with UMKC's School of Pharmacy call the new insulin administration method photoactivated depot. It allows insulin to be linked to an insoluble polymer by a connection that can be broken with light. The school says in a news release that insulin can then be released from the polymer by light irradiation through the skin.=================Source: KC Chiefs Interview Andy Reid for Head Coach Position KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A person familiar with Andy Reid's plans tells The Associated Press that the former Eagles coach is interviewing with the Kansas City Chiefs for their open head coaching job. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the information was not made public. ESPN.com first reported that Reid was meeting with the Chiefs. Kansas City has also interviewed Atlanta offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, but Falcons coach Mike Smith said Wednesday that Koetter signed a new contract and would not be a candidate for head coaching jobs this season. The Chiefs fired Romeo Crennel on Monday after going 2-14 in his first full season.=================Fiesta Bowl Gets Prime Matchup of Wildcats, DucksSCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) _ Kansas State and Oregon lost on the same day in November, all but ending their national championship hopes. The Wildcats and Ducks ended up with a nice consolation prize: Facing each other in the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday night. Number 5-ranked Oregon (11-1) is in its fourth straight BCS bowl, has fast and talented players, and one of the most dynamic offensive backfields in college football. Number 7-ranked Kansas State (11-1) doesn't play quite as quickly as Oregon, but meticulously grinds out yards and points. The Wildcats also have one of the nation's best players in quarterback Collin Klein, a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in his final season in Manhattan. It won't be for a national title, but this Fiesta Bowl should be fun to watch.================= K-State Flourishing Behind Snyder's "16 Goals"SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Kansas State University head football coach Bill Snyder spent his three years away from the program devising a plan for success in football and life. When he returned to the Wildcats, he had his philosophy firmed up into a thesis of sorts, calling it his "16 Goals for Success." By setting goals like commitment, leadership and responsibility, Snyder pulled off the second program resurrection of his career. Orchestrator of one of the biggest turnarounds in college football history, the 73-year-old coach has led Kansas State...currently ranked number 7 in the nation...into one of the most anticipated bowl games of the season, against number 5-ranked Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl Thursday night. If the Wildcats beat the Ducks, K-State will have its first 12-win season in school history, capping another dramatic resurrection of the program by Snyder.

During a town hall outside Miami, Trump touted his record on the economy, yet called Jan. 6 a "day of love" and would not back off false claims about Haitian migrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.

Trump touted that the soon-to-be-former Wyoming congresswoman will be heading into "political oblivion." But that's hardly true. Her focus is on making sure Trump will never be president again.