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More than 6 million job seeker accounts were compromised when hackers breached a Kansas Department of Commerce database.

The Kansas governor is now looking for ways to reach the $50 million target for cuts to the state budget.

A Winter Weather Advisory takes effect Friday for all of eastern Kansas.

(Photo credit: kansastravel.org)LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Firefighters in Lawrence are gearing up for the annual rescue of Santa Claus from a downtown rooftop. Santa is expected to "land" at 6 pm Friday on the roof of Weaver's Department Store. Firefighters then will climb up and rescue him. Once on the ground, Santa will listen to the Christmas wishes of children and pose for pictures. The event coincides with the Lawrence holiday lighting ceremony. There also will be musical performances.

With higher average yields per acre, this year's Kansas wheat harvest is expected to be nearly 20 percent larger than last year's crop.

A state court judge has ordered Kansas to stop allowing transgender people to change the listing for their sex on their driver's licenses, ahead of the first hearing in a lawsuit filed by Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach...the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Attorney General’s office have announced a new task force aimed at cracking down on fentanyl distribution...plus, KU has announced the date for its popular Late Night in the Phog pre-season basketball scrimmage. Details on these stories, and more, available here.

KS Judge Rejects Challenge to Anti-Abortion LawTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge has refused to quickly strike down a sweeping anti-abortion law enacted this year by the Legislature. Shawnee County District Judge Rebecca Crotty this week rejected arguments that lawmakers violated a provision in the Kansas Constitution requiring most legislation to address only one subject. Crotty's ruling did not resolve other issues in the lawsuit filed in June by Dr. Herbert Hodes and his daughter, Dr. Traci Nauser. Their lawyer, Rene Netherton, said Friday that challenges to individual provisions in the law will move forward. The state and the anti-abortion group Kansans for Life saw the ruling as a victory. The law blocks tax breaks for abortion providers and prohibits them from furnishing instructors or materials for public school courses on sexuality.================Shawnee County DA Exploring Run for US SenateTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A northeast Kansas prosecutor says he's considering a run for the U.S. Senate next year as a Democrat. Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor confirmed Friday to The Associated Press that he plans to form a committee to explore a bid for the seat held by veteran Republican Pat Roberts. WIBW-AM in Topeka reported earlier Friday that sources close to Taylor had said he would form the committee. Taylor plans to make a formal announcement on his 40th birthday Monday. He declined to discuss details until then, except to say the announcement stops short of declaring his candidacy. Taylor is the first Democrat to publicly announce an interest in the race. He was elected district attorney in 2008 and re-elected without opposition in 2012. Roberts has held the Senate seat since 1997. He faces opposition in the August 2014 GOP primary from Leawood radiologist Milton Wolf.================KS Appeals Court: Air Rifle Not a FirearmLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A panel of the Kansas Court of Appeals has ruled that an air rifle is not a firearm as defined by the state's criminal laws. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the court ruled Friday in the 2011 case of a man accused of pointing an air rifle at two people and threatening to shoot them. Lawrence resident Timothy Craddick was convicted of two counts of attempted aggravated assault. A Douglas County judge found that Craddick had committed the crime with a firearm, which meant a presumptive prison term. The judge ordered him to serve 11 months. But the appeals court ruled Craddick's pellet rifle was not a firearm under Kansas law because it shoots bullets by air or gas instead of an explosion or combustion. Craddick will be resentenced.================Kansas Revenues Short $18M in OctoberTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Department of Revenue says the state collected nearly $18 million less in taxes than anticipated in October. Figures released Thursday also show tax collections have been $27 million short of expectations since the fiscal year began in July. The biggest reason is a shortfall in individual income tax collections. For the month, Kansas collected $445 million in taxes, but officials had expected $463 million. Kansas has collected $1.81 billion in revenue for the fiscal year to date, instead of the $1.84 billion expected. The state anticipated $220 million in individual income collections in October but instead took in $187 million, missing the mark by 15 percent. Kansas enacted massive income tax cuts in 2012 that have contributed to the revenue declines.=============== KS Consumer Advocacy Group Opposes KCC Meetings Policies TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A consumer advocacy agency's top attorney says he'll petition the Kansas Corporation Commission to rethink new policies that would let it continue holding some discussions in private. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that David Springe of the Citizens' Utility Ratepayers Board says the new KCC policies wouldn't comply with the Kansas Open Meetings Act. CURB is a state agency that represents small businesses and residential customers before the KCC, which regulates utilities. KCC officials declined to respond to Springe's criticism. Springe objects to the new policies because the commission still could have private discussions, although any official action would have to take place in public. The commission rewrote its policies after scrutiny of a practice in which members meet individually to approve rate increases without holding a public hearing.================Washburn Makes Progress on New KBI LaboratoryTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A new Kansas Bureau of Investigation laboratory on the Washburn University campus is a step closer to construction. Washburn's Board of Regents on Thursday approved a plan to partner with the Topeka Public Building Commission to construct the laboratory. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the main obstacle to constructing the $40 million building was funding. The building commission has agreed to borrow the money to finance the construction, which the Legislature would pay back through appropriations. Washburn will eventually own the laboratory and sublease it to the KBI. University administrators hope KBI scientists will eventually teach Washburn classes and faculty members could work as consultants for the agency.================ KUMed Prof Sues, Alleging Misuse of Grant FundsWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A professor at the University of Kansas School of Medicine has sued the school, claiming it retaliated against him for complaining about misappropriation of research grants. Curtis Klaassen contends in a lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court in Kansas that the school stripped him of his position as principal investigator on research projects and placed him on administrative leave. The suit contends the school also fired most of his research assistants and killed important laboratory animals. Klaassen said Friday that the university ruined his reputation and interfered with the education of his students. In addition to the University of Kansas, the lawsuit also names the Kansas Board of Regents and several university officials. Board of Regents and university officials did not immediately respond to phone and email messages.=============== KS School Bus Topples into CreekDOUGLASS, Kan. (AP) — Ten children and a school bus driver have been rescued after the bus they were in toppled into a southern Kansas creek swollen by heavy rain. Butler County Sheriff Kelly Herzet says the children climbed through a roof hatch to await rescue Thursday afternoon as the bus lay on its side, half-submerged. County 911 director Chris Davis said the Douglass School District bus apparently went off a bridge about 4 pm Thursday. Herzet said the oldest children were 13 and helped the younger ones through the hatch. Rescuers used a line to help them to safety. The driver was taken to a hospital to be checked for hypothermia. One child was seen being put inside an ambulance, but the sheriff says all 10 were turned over to their parents.================ 1 Arrested After Shooting Death in EurekaEUREKA, Kan. (AP) — Greenwood County officials say a person is dead and another is in custody after an overnight shooting in Eureka. Sheriff's deputies responded to a call about a shooting early Friday. They found 25-year-old Michael L. Mefford dead at a Eureka home. A suspect was taken into custody a short time later. No other details have been released.===============Federal Prison Inmate Charged in Kansas SlayingTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A federal prison inmate has been charged with killing a Kansas man whose partial remains were found by a mushroom hunter south of Topeka. WIBW-TV reports the Osage and Shawnee county prosecutors announced the first-degree murder charge Thursday against James P. Harris. Harris is accused of killing 50-year-old James Gerety, who was reported missing in March 2011 by a law firm that handled his personal affairs. One year later, a woman hunting mushrooms discovered remains near Carbondale in Osage County. DNA tests recently confirmed the remains as those of Gerety. Details about Harris and the killing were not disclosed Thursday. Harris is being held in a federal prison in Texas on an unrelated crime and will be brought to Kansas in December.=============== Workshops in KS Teach Grain Dust SafetyEFFINGHAM, Kan. (AP) — Safety workshops were held this week in Kansas for people who work around combustible grain dust. The workshops in Effingham were sponsored by the Kansas City chapter of the Grain Elevator and Processing Society. More than 60 grain industry employees from the region attended the sessions. The St. Joseph News-Press reports that the classes were conducted around the second anniversary of an explosion at a Bartlett Grain facility that killed six people. A moment of silence was held in honor of the victims. Kingsly Ambrose, assistant professor in milling/grain processing at Kansas State university, said the workshops are intended to increase awareness of grain dust and its explosiveness. He says it takes the dispersal of billions of fine dust particles to create the devastating explosions.=============== Cats, Dogs Seized from Kansas City No-Kill ShelterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City and state officials seized 68 dogs and cats from a northern Kansas City no-kill animal shelter. City spokesman Chris Hernandez says the animals were taken Wednesday from Forever Friends Animal League after a member of the Humane Society investigated reports of sick animals being put up for adoption. The Kansas City Star reports that rescuers found the animals were being kept in dirty conditions. The animals, 37 dogs and 31 cats, were taken to the KC Pet Project, the city's shelter. That group's executive director says most of the animals were in fair condition but several had upper respiratory infections. The animals aren't currently up for adoption. Hernandez says the operators of Forever Friends have been cited for numerous animal control and municipal violations in the past.=============== Lyons Cancels Longtime Veterans Day ParadeLYONS, Kan. (AP) — The traditional Veterans Day parade won't happen this year in Lyons. The Hutchinson News reports that the parade scheduled for November 9 was canceled because of a lack of participation or people to coordinate the event. The parade was held in the central Kansas town for years, and was once even covered live by a radio station. After a few years off, the parade was revived in 2000 and had been held on the Saturday before November 11. Organizers say the military presence in the parade had diminished and fewer spectators attended the event in recent years. They hope to organize an indoor event to mark the day next year.=============== Elderly KS Man Killed in Farming AccidentMARION, Kan. (AP) — An 82-year-old man died after an apparent farming accident this week in east-central Kansas. Marion County authorities say Eldon Andres was working on a tractor Tuesday near Peabody when it moved forward, knocked him to the ground and stopped on top of him. KAKE-TV reports Marion County authorities had received a report that Andres was missing. While on their way to the scene, deputies learned the man's body had been found.================KC Man Charged in Deaths of 2 People Found in VanKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man has been charged in the September deaths of a man and woman whose burned bodies were found in Kansas in an abandoned van. Twenty-nine-year-old Christopher A. Canagan was charged Friday in Jackson County with two counts of first-degree murder and other charges. No attorney is listed for him in online court records. Canagan is accused of shooting 24-year-old Dennis Smith as he sat in the driver's seat. Williams and another person jumped out of the van, but Canagan is accused of forcing 22-year-old Linda Williams back into the vehicle and driving away. Court records say Canagan told police that he had sex with Williams before shooting her. Canagan then is accused of setting the van on fire in Kansas City, Kansas.================Fan Injured by Hotdog Promotion Suing KC RoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court is weighing whether a legal standard that protects sports teams from being sued over fan injuries caused by in-game events should also apply to those caused by mascots or other team personnel. The court's ruling on John Coomer's lawsuit against the Kansas City Royals could affect how major sports teams engage their fans during games. Coomer says he was hit in the eye by a foil-wrapped hotdog thrown by the Royals' mascot four years ago. The Kansas man says he's had to endure two eye surgeries and that his vision was permanently damaged. The team argues that it should be protected by the so-called "baseball rule." That legal standard holds that fans assume the risk of being struck by foul balls or stray pucks at games.===============Expert: Shutdown Hurt Midwest Business ConditionsOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A business conditions index for nine Midwest and Plains states has dropped after rising the previous two months. The overall Mid-America Business Conditions Index plunged to a growth neutral 50.0 in October from 54.8 in September. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says the partial government shutdown and slower business activity for firms tied to agriculture pushed overall economic conditions lower for the month. The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth, while a score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.=============== KS National Guard to Add 3 to Hall of FameTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Three retired members of the Kansas National Guard will be inducted into its hall of fame at a ceremony Sunday in Topeka. The honorees are Lieutenant Colonel Robert K. Webb, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Cornelius Vandermotten and Command Sergeant Major Jana L. Harrison. Webb served 31 years in the military in active duty and with the Guard, retiring in 1987. Vandermotten is a native of Glasgow, Scotland, and spent more than 40 years in uniform, including two decades in the Kansas National Guard. Harrison was the Kansas National Guard's first female command sergeant major. She is retired but serves on a training team that prepares soldiers for overseas deployments.================Kiowa County Veterans Memorial to Be DedicatedMULLINVILLE, Kan. (AP) — A new memorial commemorating Kiowa County's military veterans dating back to the Civil War is scheduled to be dedicated this weekend. Crews have placed six large engraved granite markers containing the names of about 1,800 military veterans from the county on the new memorial in Mullinville, a town of about 250 residents located about 120 miles west of Wichita. The Hutchinson News reports that the memorial will be dedicated Saturday. A group consisting of residents of Mullinville and two other area towns started The Kiowa County Veterans' Memorial Foundation a few years ago and raised more than $60,000 for the project.===============Fort Larned Civil War Exhibit Has Midwestern FocusFORT LARNED, Kan. (AP) — A temporary Civil War exhibit highlighting the contributions of soldiers from the Midwest is now on display at Fort Larned Historic Site in Kansas. The three-part exhibit highlights the importance of the region's resources and waterways to both sides during the war. It also explores the impact of the guerrilla war between the Jayhawkers in Kansas and the Bushwhackers in Missouri. After January 1, the exhibit will move to William Howard Taft National Historic Site in Cincinnati. It is part of a National Park Service commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Fort Larned National Historic Site is six miles west of Larned in central Kansas. Admission is free.=============== General Aviation Aircraft Shipments, Billings IncreaseWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The industry group for the nation's general aviation manufacturers says airplane shipments and billings rose worldwide in the first nine months of the year. The General Aviation Manufacturers Association on Thursday reported total airplane shipments rose 6.6 percent over the same period last year with 1,513 planes shipped. The group said total billings for general aviation planes reached $15.4 billion, an increase of 24.5 percent. But GAMA President Pete Bunce says in a news release that the industry still faces significant challenges, especially in the markets for small and mid-size jets. The association is working with the Federal Aviation Administration to clear the backlog of deliveries that developed during the government shutdown.================AR Woman Charged in Death of KS Pedestrian FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) — A woman from Fort Smith, Arkansas has been charged with negligent homicide in the death of a Kansas man who was struck by the woman's pickup truck. Authorities say 51-year-old Vicki Lee Fielding was making a left-hand turn in the pickup shortly before 1 am Sunday when she struck and killed 20-year-old Nathanael DeJarnett of Wellington, Kansas in the center left-turn lane of a Fort Smith street. Fielding said she did not see DeJarnett until he walked into the path of her truck. The Times Record newspaper reports that the negligent homicide charge was filed Thursday after a preliminary autopsy report listed DeJarnett's cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries.===============KC-Based Hallmark Faces Backlash over Christmas Carol Lyric EditKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Greeting card giant Hallmark says it shouldn't have changed the lyrics to "Deck the Halls" on a new holiday ornament that's stirring customer backlash online. The company took heat Thursday after it began selling a miniaturized version of a tacky holiday sweater. The ornament alters the carol's lyrics by removing the word "gay" and emblazoning the sweater with: "Don we now our FUN apparel!" Critics took to social media, accusing Hallmark of making a political statement. The Kansas City, Missouri-based company says it was surprised by the reaction and now realizes it shouldn't have changed the wording.

KS Official, Insurers to Review ACA Modification DecisionTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger and the state's largest health insurer say they're not sure yet about the implications of President Barack Obama's decision to modify part of the federal health care overhaul. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas said Thursday it's waiting for more federal guidance about Obama's decision to let insurance companies continue offering health plans that would otherwise be cancelled. The company has notified about 9,500 Kansas policy holders their coverage would not be renewed because their plans don't meet mandates under the 2010 federal health care law. Praeger said the Insurance Department is reviewing the president's decision and will have discussions with health insurance companies about its effects.==============Arizona Groups Seek to Join Voter Citizenship Case OppositionWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Several Arizona groups want to join a lawsuit opposing efforts by Kansas and Arizona to force a federal agency to help the states' enforce their proof-of-citizenship rules for new voters. A motion to intervene was filed Wednesday in federal court in Wichita by the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, the Arizona Advocacy Network, League of United Latin American Citizens of Arizona and Arizona state Senator Steve Gallardo. Kansas and Arizona are seeking a preliminary injunction at a December 13 hearing to force the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to modify a national voter registration form. The groups contend the states want to undo a victory they won before the U.S. Supreme Court this year. The court ruled states can't demand proof of citizenship from people registering to vote in federal elections.==============UPDATE: Brownback Announces Kansas Reading InitiativeTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Governor Sam Brownback is proposing a new reading initiative aimed at boosting proficiency among school children. But his plan sparked a debate even before he unveiled it during a Thursday news conference because of how he'd finance it. He wants to use $9 million in each of the next two years from federal assistance funds for low-income families. Those funds would be supplemented with private dollars. Most of the money would come from the Department for Children and Families, which would tap funds from federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program. The program typically provides cash assistance to families in poverty. A number of high-poverty urban and rural school districts would be targeted through after-school reading programs. Brownback said the program will complement existing reading programs in schools.==============KS Gov Announces Grants for Domestic Violence Victims' GroupsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback's office has awarded grants totaling more than $1 million to 22 groups that help victims of domestic violence. The governor's office said Wednesday that the grants come from federal funds and are designed to ensure that victims can receive free services around the clock. The programs provide shelter, support groups, crisis intervention and help in obtaining court orders against abusers. The grants went to groups in 21 counties. The largest grant of almost $106,000 went to Safehome in Johnson County. The YWCA of Wichita and Catholic Charities' Harbor House in Sedgwick County each received about $61,000.============== Kansas City Escalating Effort to Land 2016 GOP ConventionKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Officials in the bistate Kansas City area are stepping up a campaign to host the 2016 Republican National Convention. Officials recently submitted a letter to the Republican National Committee formalizing their intent to bid on the convention. On Wednesday, a special bid task force was announced. Members include Kansas City Mayor Sly and Pinnacle Entertainment executive Troy Stremming, who also chairs the city's Convention and Visitors Association. Members from the Kansas side include Ed Eilert, chairman of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners, and Mark Holland, mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. Kansas City officials are also working on their sales pitch. They're touting more than 30,000 hotel rooms and a $6 billion downtown redevelopment that includes the new Sprint Center arena.==============Former KU Lab Director Files Whistleblower LawsuitWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former University of Kansas lab director has filed suit claiming he was fired for reporting possible fictitious charging to federal grant funds for the use of an electron microscope and other equipment. David Moore's whistleblower lawsuit also alleges improper financial management and accountability for KU's Microscopy Analysis and Imaging Laboratory in Lawrence. The lawsuit was filed in state court in Douglas County and was made public Thursday. Defendants include the Kansas Board of Regents and the university, which did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Moore claims the university inappropriately charged administration, overhead and related expenses to the lab that did not comply with federal rules for spending grant money. He also contends the university discriminated against him as a disabled person suffering attention deficit disorder.==============Inmate Pleads Guilty in Lansing Prison EscapeLANSING, Kan. (AP) — One of the three inmates who walked away from the state prison in Lansing last May has entered a guilty plea. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that 57-year-old Randy Ridens now faces the possibility of another 10 years behind bars on top of the time he already was serving for burglary and theft. The Leavenworth County Attorney's Office says he pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated escape from custody. Ridens and two other men escaped May 10 from the Lansing Correctional Facility. Thirty-one-year-old Allen M. Hurst and 49-year-old Scott A. Gilbert surrendered in Edgerton, Missouri after several hours of negotiations with law enforcement. They were accused of trying to ambush officers who pursued them and of attempting to kidnap the Edgerton mayor. Ridens was caught later that evening as he entered Topeka.============== Accused Lawrence Man to Receive Mental EvaluationLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A 67-year-old Lawrence man accused of fatally shooting his wife last week will undergo a mental evaluation to determine if he is competent to stand trial. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Douglas County District Court Judge Michael Malone granted a request Wednesday filed by Larry Hopkins and his attorney seeking the evaluation. Hopkins is charged with first-degree murder in the November 5 slaying of his wife, 61-year-old Margaret Hopkins. Police were called to the couple's home around 8:45 am on November 5, where Hopkins was taken into custody and his wife was declared dead. Police later alleged that Hopkins shot his wife over ongoing concerns about her health. If convicted, Hopkins faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years.==============Sprint to Waive Fees for Contacting Philippines in Wake of TyphoonOVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Sprint is waiving and crediting fees for phone calls and text messages made by its U.S. customers to the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. The wireless company joins competitors AT&T and Verizon in offering free service so that customers can contact family, friends and emergency personnel in the island nation. Sprint Corporation said Wednesday that it is eliminating fees for calls made between November 8 and December 7. The Overland Park-based company also said that Sprint, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA text messages sent as part of seven mobile-donation campaigns to help victims during that time will not be charged standard text-messaging fees. Typhoon Haiyan ravaged the eastern Philippines on Friday, killing thousands. ============== KS Man Charged in MO with Smuggling Fake Botox KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted a central Kansas man on charges that he worked with an Alton, Illinois company and its owner in a $3 million scheme to sell foreign versions of Botox and Juvederm. The U.S. attorney's office in Kansas City, Missouri says 43-year-old Christopher Tozier of Hesston, Kansas was charged Thursday with smuggling goods into the U.S. and several other similar counts. The superseding indictment adding Tozier replaces an indictment in April that charged Illinois-based Orthopaedic Solutions Inc. and its owner, 48-year-old Christopher Carstens, with similar counts. The superseding indictment alleges that Carstens and his company distributed nearly 5,900 units of foreign versions of Botox and Juvederm in the U.S. between 2008 and 2011 with a retail value of more than $3 million. ============== Trial of KS Man on Prison Escape Charges to Be Moved SALINA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man will have his trial on a charge of escaping from jail held outside Saline County, in part because of public comments posted to online news articles about the defendant. The Salina Journal reports that District Judge Rene Young agreed Thursday to a change of venue for Antonio Brown. The 29-year-old Salina man was convicted last month of murder in the 2011 abuse death of 14-month- old Clayden Urbanek, the son of his former girlfriend. That trial was also held outside Saline County. Brown initially pleaded no contest in the death, but disappeared from the Saline County jail the day before his sentencing. He surrendered two days later in Wichita and withdrew the plea. Brown's attorney cited extensive pretrial publicity in seeking to move both of his trials. ==============Former Wastewater Manager to Plead over Pollution ChargesWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former northwest Kansas wastewater manager charged with lying about nitrogen levels in the city's discharges has told a federal court he plans to change his plea. The formal notice of intent was filed after a court hearing Wednesday in Wichita in the case against Charles Blair, of Hays. An August indictment charges Blair with making false statements about nitrogen levels in effluent at the Hays wastewater treatment plant. The court set a December 2 date for the formal change-of-plea hearing. Prosecutors allege Blair made false statements in discharge monitoring reports. The government also contends he lied to agents of the Environmental Protection Agency when he said he had provided accurate levels for the report.============== Topeka Officials Discuss Low-Water Dam FixTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Increasing the safety of a low-water Topeka dam where three people have drowned could cost nearly $2 million. Topeka utilities superintendent Don Rankin presented four options Wednesday to the Topeka-Shawnee County Riverfront Authority for safeguarding the Kansas River dam where a kayaker died in July 2011 and two canoers in August 2007. The dam is located near a water treatment plant. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Riverfront Authority board supported two of the options. One was a $1.4 million proposal that would only address the danger zone on the south side of the river. The second option would cost $1.9 million and would address issues on both sides of the dam. Rankin says he's soliciting stakeholder input before providing the Topeka City Council with a recommendation.==============KCK Man Dies 4 Days After Apartment FireKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A fire that displaced 30 people from a northeast Kansas apartment building earlier this week has now claimed one life. The fire department in Kansas City, Kansas says 45-year-old Darrin Walker died Thursday. Walker suffered second- and third-degree burns in the blaze Monday afternoon. No one else was injured in the fire, which heavily damaged the three-story, 12-unit building. Another tenant had rescued Walker from his second-floor apartment. Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire. Total damage was estimated at $180,000.==============2 Involved in Fatal KCMO Crash Face Gun ChargesKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two Kansas City men who were involved in a crash that killed a police crime scene technician are now facing federal firearms charges. The U.S. Attorney's office on Thursday announced the indictments of 28-year-old Larneal Davis and 25-year-old Christopher L. Murray. They're charged with illegally possessing firearms as convicted felons. Davis already faces a state charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of 29-year-old Michael Chou, whose vehicle was broadsided around 3 am on July 6 as he drove out of the police crime lab parking lot. Authorities allege Davis and Murray were in a car being chased by police at high speeds when the crash happened. Police identified Davis as the driver and Murray as a passenger. Neither man had a lawyer Thursday.==============Judge Bars Access to KS Teen's Murder CaseHUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A Reno County judge is granting a 14-year-old Hutchinson boy's request to bar public access to juvenile court proceedings over the arson deaths of his mother and younger sister. The teen is charged with first-degree murder in their deaths and with the attempted murder of his father. He also is charged with aggravated arson in the September 26 fire at the family's home. The Hutchinson News reports that Reno County Chief Judge Patricia Macke Dick also advised Wednesday that individual documents in the case may be sealed. Prosecutors didn't object to the teen's request for a "protective order," but an attorney for The Hutchinson News argued against excluding the public. A hearing was held last month. The state is seeking to prosecute the teen as an adult.============== Southwest Airlines Seeks Bigger Voice on Future of KCIKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Southwest Airlines says its costs would spike under a $1.2 billion proposal for replacing the current three-terminal configuration at Kansas City International Airport with a single terminal. The Kansas City Star reports that the top executive for the city's biggest airline was in town this week to talk to business leaders. Southwest executive vice president Ron Ricks says the single-terminal proposal would triple its costs. That's because airlines would pay much of the expense through increased landing fees and ticket surcharges. Dallas-based Southwest is KCI's anchor tenant, operating 40 percent of its flights there. Ricks says the $1.2 billion proposal would be a disincentive for airlines to service Kansas City. He says the airline is confident it could come up with something for the community at a lower cost.==============MO Man Shot by Trooper Sentenced to 30 YearsLIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A northwest Missouri man who was shot by a Highway Patrol trooper while trying to flee from a traffic stop has been sentenced to 30 years in prison. The Kansas City Star reports that 42-year-old Alan Hampton, of Liberty, was sentenced Wednesday on multiple charges including resisting arrest and possessing a controlled substance. Missouri Highway Patrol Corporal Cody Dunfee stopped Hampton for speeding in July 2012. He saw Hampton holding something and asked him to show his hands, but Hampton started driving away with the trooper clinging to the driver's window. Dunfee says he feared for his life and fired two shots, hitting Hampton in the left arm and left leg.==============Wichita Home Is Scene of Second Deadly Shooting Since 2007WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police say a man in his 20s has been shot to death in the same Wichita house that was the scene of a fatal 2007 shooting. The Wichita Eagle reports that neighbors called 911 Wednesday afternoon to report the latest shooting. Captain Rusty Leeds says police found one man lying in the street and suffering from a leg wound. Police followed a blood trail to the house where the victim was found dead. A short time later, a man suffering from an abdominal wound was located. Leed says it's possible that he was involved in the shooting. The conditions of the two wounded men weren't immediately known. Six years earlier, 22-year-old Mario Lewis was shot during a party at the home. He died later at a hospital.==============Former Teacher Sentenced for Sex with Student ABILENE, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas teacher who had sex with a 17-year-old student has been sentenced to 15 weekends in jail. Twenty-eight-year-old Amber Stroda also will be on probation for three years. She taught third grade at Solomon Elementary School and was also a dance team sponsor at Solomon High School. Stroda resigned last year. ============== Former KU Football Player Sues NCAA over Head TraumaTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former University of Kansas fullback Christopher Powell alleges in a lawsuit that the NCAA failed to adequately protect athletes from head trauma. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the suit was filed this week in the in the U.S. District Court for Western Missouri. The class action suit seeks an undetermined amount in damages for Powell and other athletes who suffered head trauma in college. Powell, of Kansas City, Missouri, said in his filing that he sustained at least four concussions while playing for Kansas from 1990 to 1994. Powell says he continues to suffer neurologic and cognitive deficits that require medical monitoring and out-of-pocket expenses. KU is not a named defendant in Powell's suit. The NCAA says it hasn't been served with the complaint yet.

KS House Panel Approves Abortion Law ChangesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas House committee has made quick work of approving abortion legislation that addresses legal issues raised in state and federal lawsuits filed by abortion providers. The Federal and State Affairs Committee's discussion of the bill Tuesday lasted only seven minutes. Abortion opponents described the measure as making only small changes in existing laws rather than setting new policy. Planned Parenthood officially is neutral. One part of the bill revises a requirement that the home pages of abortion providers' websites link to a state health department site with information about pregnancy and fetal development. Providers would no longer have to say that the state's information is accurate and objective. The bill also revises language in various provisions of state law dealing with medical emergencies in which abortion restrictions are waived.===============KS House Committee Advances Bill on Response to Gay UnionsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas House members have given first-round approval to a bill aimed at protecting people, groups and businesses that cite religious reasons for refusing to provide goods or services for gay weddings. The vote Tuesday was 72-42. The measure advanced even though critics suggested the bill would encourage widespread discrimination against gays and lesbians. The House plans to take final action on the bill Wednesday, and it's likely to pass. The bill bars government sanctions for refusing to recognize a marriage or civil union, or refusing to provide goods or services to a couple. Anti-discrimination lawsuits also would be barred. Critics have zeroed in on limited protections in the bill for individual workers and government employees even if their employers want to provide goods and services to gay couples.===============Judge to Decide Proof-of-Citizenship Voting RuleWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge says his decision in a lawsuit asking federal election officials to require proof-of-citizenship for voter registrations will be based on who gets to decide what is necessary to determine voter qualifications. U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren is hearing arguments Tuesday in a lawsuit brought by Kansas and Arizona seeking a court order to force the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to modify federal voter registration forms to require more documentation for residents of their states. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach told the court the issue is one of immense political importance that a federal agency should decide. The Justice Department argued that Congress established the federal form and gave the agency discretionary authority. The department argues the states have other ways to check applicants' citizenship status without requiring additional documentation.===============Kansas School Choice Advocates Rally at StatehouseTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Speakers at a Statehouse rally have urged Kansas lawmakers to give families more choice in where their children attend school and how they're taught. More than 50 people took part in Tuesday's gathering to promote an array of options for what is broadly called school choice. Some speakers advocated giving families tax credits or vouchers for private schools or home schooling. They also urged expansion of a Kansas law that allows for limited charter schools, which are overseen by public school districts. In addition, lawmakers voted last year to create so-called innovative school districts that would be exempt from some rules and regulations Speakers said the underlying issues are whether public schools are meeting children's needs and the extent of parents' control over how and what their children are taught.===============Bill Would Require Fines for Those Who Buy SexTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas assistant attorney general is urging state lawmakers to require mandatory $2,500 fines against anyone convicted of paying for sex, even if they receive diversion. Pat Colloton testified Monday that a state fund to help human trafficking victims is in danger of going broke because many people convicted of patronizing prostitutes are given diversion but not fined. The fines are used to fund the Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Fund. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that a bill before a Kansas House committee would require the fines, and also prevent offenders from getting a second diversion if they are convicted of the crime twice. Local courts also would be required to report all convictions and diversions for patronizing prostitutes to a central Kansas Bureau of Investigation database.===============Veteran KS Senator Faces Questions About HomeTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Pat Roberts is facing questions about whether he can claim the Kansas cow town of Dodge City as his home as he seeks a fourth Senate term. Roberts and his wife own a duplex unit there, but it has a tenant. He's registered to vote at another Dodge City address less than half a mile to the south. It's a home belonging to another couple, longtime friends and supporters, where he rents a room and a bathroom for $300 a month. The issue is getting new scrutiny after a New York Times story suggested Roberts was "desperate" to re-establish ties with his home state. Roberts says Kansas has always been his home, but primary challenger Milton Wolf says the issue shows Roberts is a creature of Washington.===============Victim of Homicide at Wichita Communications Company IdentifiedWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police say a man who was killed at a Wichita communications building worked for the company. Police identified the victim found at Steckline Communications as 25-year-old Daniel J. Flores. They say he had worked at the company for about two years. An employee of the company found Flores's body early Monday. Police say he died of blunt force trauma, and there were signs of a struggle. KAKE-TV reports that Lieutenant Todd Ojile says several doors lead into the building and police found no signs of forced entry. He says it's unclear if Flores was the intended target. Officers are still processing the scene and no one has been arrested. The company operates the Mid America Ag News Network and several radio stations.===============Bees in Popular KU Exhibit Killed by ColdLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A popular exhibit at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum is empty and quiet after all the bees in an observation hive were killed by cold weather. Bruce Sherting, director of exhibits at the museum, says the observation hive had a small opening for the bees. He says recent cold, bitter winds apparently blew directly into the hive and killed the bees. He says some bees die every the winter but it's unusual to lose an entire colony. The museum announced the bees' deaths on its Facebook page Friday, and said it is working to prevent a similar problem in the future. 6News Lawrence reports that the exhibit will now be taken apart and sterilized. The museum plans to bring in a new queen and colony in the spring.===============Spearville School Asked to Remove CrossDODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — A group wants a western Kansas school to remove a cross from the top of its building. Americans United for Separation of Church and State says the cross on Spearville Elementary School violates the First Amendment. The group wrote Superintendent Daryl Stegman and Principal Marvin Hartzler in November in response to a complaint from a resident. The USD 381 Board of Education reached an informal consensus Monday that it wouldn't take any action on the cross until a lawsuit is filed. The Dodge City Globe reports that the group requested a reply from the school district within 30 days and sent another letter January 9. The school district has chosen not to respond to the group. Spearville, a town of about 775 residents, is northeast of Dodge City.===============Plaintiffs Agree to Dismiss Claims in Fuel CaseKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Several plaintiffs have agreed to dismiss claims against 15 companies in longstanding lawsuits involving allegations that oil companies and gasoline retailers overcharged consumers by selling so-called "hot" fuel. Federal officials earlier consolidated about 50 lawsuits filed since 2006 from consumers across the country in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kansas. At issue was whether customers are shortchanged when buying gasoline that's over 60 degrees. The volume of gasoline expands, and consumers argued they got less than a gallon of fuel for a full gallon price. Plaintiffs' lawyers agreed last week to dismiss claims in Kansas federal court in 22 cases against 15 defendants, which included 7-Eleven and Circle K stores. Several larger retailers, including Costco, Wal-Mart and Valero, earlier reached settlements in their cases.===============Body of Man Found in Freezer in KCKKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Kansas City, Kansas police say the body of a man was found in a freezer in a detached garage behind a home. The body was found Sunday afternoon in a top-loading freezer. A woman who was cleaning found the body. The coroner's office said Monday the body was intact but a full autopsy could not be performed until the body thawed. The police department's major case unit is investigating the case but the death has not been ruled a homicide.===============UPDATE: Missing KS Man Found in ColoradoCHEYENNE WELLS, Colo. (AP) — A missing 66-year-old Kansas man has been found safe in Colorado following a six-county search after the man's SUV got stuck in a field over the weekend. Lieutenant Colonel Mike Daniels, spokesman for the Colorado Civil Air Patrol, said the man was found Tuesday by a pilot, who was able to direct searchers to the man's location in eastern Colorado after he wandered away from his truck. Daniels says the man was hungry and thirsty, but he had no serious injuries. Clark Nelson, of Garden City, Kansas, called 911 Sunday night from his cell phone and said he turned off on a dirt road and could not drive out. The search was launched after the man's cell phone stopped working.===============Ex-Garmin Worker Admits Theft of GPS DevicesKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A former warehouse worker at the Kansas headquarters of the Garmin International has pleaded guilty to stealing GPS devices that were later sold on eBay and elsewhere. The U.S. Attorney's office says 31-year-old Terrence Heathington pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of mail fraud. Heathington was indicted in August on 40 counts of mail fraud. The indictment alleged he caused about 165 cases of GPS devices worth more than $1 million to be shipped to his home and those of high school friends living in Atlanta, Ga. Heathington worked from March to September 2008 at Garmin in Olathe, where he lived at the time. He later moved to Atlanta. Prosecutors say Heathington faces up to 20 years in prison at sentencing, which will be scheduled later.===============Police Searching for Junction City WomanJUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police are looking for a 24-year-old woman who was last seen at a motel in Junction City. Police say Amanda Clemons was last seen Friday night leaving a room at the Budget Host Motel. Witnesses told police she was being placed in a sliver vehicle occupied by two men and two women. Clemons is described her as a light-skinned black woman standing 5-feet-7 inches tall and weighing 215 pounds. Anyone with information about Clemons is asked to contact Junction City police or Crime Stoppers.=============== Lawrence Couple Gives 165 Acres to Land InstituteSALINA, Kan. (AP) — A Lawrence couple has donated 165 acres of woodlands and pasture to the Land Institute in Salina. The land from Jim and Cindy Haines is west of Lawrence is known as the Gorrill Farmstead. The Haines also gave 65 acres to the Land Institute in July. The Land Institute is a Salina-based environmental agriculture group. It will use the new donation for research in ecology and plant genetics. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the new donation includes 50 acres of farmland and a 3,000-square-foot stone-built home listed on the Register of Historic Kansas Places. The Land Institute is forming a research consortium with the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and the Konza Prairie.=============== Director Seeking Kansas Barn for AdWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A director is looking for a barn in Kansas for a Coca-Cola commercial. Zach Lowry, film director of New York-based Flex Collective, wants to come to Kansas in May or June to shoot a Coke commercial. The Wichita Eagle reports that he first wants to find a weathered, wood barn, with a wood-shingled roof, next to or surrounded by a wheat field. The barn also has to be big enough for a 1965 Mustang to fit diagonally inside and have a ceiling 20 feet or higher and windows or side slits for light rays to show through. Marci Penner, director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, sent emails last week asking if anyone in Kansas might know of such a barn. So far, she's gotten more than 2,500 responses.===============Pharmaceutical Firm to Add 230 Jobs in Kansas CityKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A New Jersey-based life sciences company is planning a $30 million expansion in Kansas City and the addition of 230 jobs in the next five years. Catalent Pharma Solutions is involved with development of drugs, biologics and consumer health products. It has more than 1,000 scientists and 30 facilities on five continents, and works with most leading pharmaceutical and biologics marketers. The Kansas City facility now has about 50 employees, working mainly on product development and analysis and clinical supply services. Governor Jay Nixon said Tuesday the expansion would strengthen Missouri's position in biosciences. The state Department of Economic Development is offering $2.65 million of economic incentives for the company through the Quality Jobs program.===============Former Grandview Mayor Pleads Guilty to FraudKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The former mayor of Grandview has pleaded guilty to a federal charge accusing him of taking about $35,000 in contributions intended for a nonprofit. The U.S. Attorney's office says in a release that Stephen S. Dennis pleaded guilty Tuesday to wire fraud. Dennis resigned in January as mayor of Grandview, a Kansas City suburb with about 25,000 residents. Prosecutors say Dennis admitted to taking about $35,000 in contributions from International House of Prayer Forerunner Christian Fellowship, a nonprofit organization in Grandview. Prosecutors say the money was supposed to go toward a nonprofit Dennis set up called Matters of the Heart, but instead went to Dennis' personal use. Sentencing hasn't been set for Dennis, who was released on his own recognizance.===============MO House Panel Backs End to KS Business BattleJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri House committee has advanced legislation seeking to end to a tax-break battle for businesses with Kansas. The bill endorsed Monday by a special House business committee would affect four counties on each side of the Missouri-Kansas line in the Kansas City area. Missouri would stop offering tax breaks tailored for businesses to move from those four Kansas counties into one of the four Missouri counties — but only if Kansas enacts a similar moratorium through legislation or an executive order. The proposal comes after the states have waived hundreds of millions of dollars of tax revenues competing with each other for businesses in the Kansas City area. The counties at issue are Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass in Missouri, and Wyandotte, Johnson, Douglas and Miami in Kansas.===============KC Charter Considers Options After Losing SponsorKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City charter school that the state suspects of inflating attendance and encountering other academic problems isn't ready to close after losing its sponsor. Hope Academy attorney Dana Cutler said Tuesday that the school is looking into other possible sponsors and isn't giving up on having the University of Missouri-Kansas City remain as its sponsor. State law requires charter schools to have a sponsor and a valid charter agreement. Cutler's comments came one day after the State Board of Education upheld a decision by the university to withdraw sponsorship from the school. Hope Academy is focused on helping dropouts and students at risk of dropping out. The state reported discovering attendance issues during a surprise visit in October. UMKC didn't immediately return a message from The Associated Press.===============Chelsea Clinton to Speak This Month at UMKCKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chelsea Clinton is speaking this month at an event celebrating a new hall of fame that will recognize women from the Kansas City metropolitan area. The University of Missouri-Kansas City says the former first daughter is scheduled to talk to a sold-out crowd February 24 at the school's Swinney Recreation Center. The Starr Women's Hall of Fame is the work of 24 women's organization from the area. It bears the name of Martha Jane Phillips Starr, a Kansas City philanthropist who died in 2011. She was one of the first women to become a member of the UMKC Board of Trustees. The first class won't be inducted until the fall, but details about the application process, criteria and deadlines will be announced at this month's launch event.=============== KU Loses to K-State as Embiid Deals with AilmentsMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — University of Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self says that star freshman Joel Embiid could miss time with back and knee injuries, and just how much could determine whether the Jayhawks still have a shot at landing a number 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The 7-footer has been dealing with a sprained knee and back trouble. He only played 18 minutes in an 85-82 overtime loss at rival Kansas State on Monday night. Self said afterward Embiid is "going to need some time off," but he wouldn't say whether the big man would miss Saturday's game against TCU. The Jayhawks are 18-6 and 9-2 in the Big 12, good enough for a narrow lead over Texas (18-5, 7-3) in the race for the conference title.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach proposes a bill banning foreign entities from buying Kansas farmland...the Kansas Board of Regents has just released enrollment figures showing increases at most state universities, but a drop at Emporia State...and a deadline is looming for the Farm Bill. Details on these stories, and more, are here.