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Watkins Museum of History in Lawrence, KS (Photo via commons.wikimedia.org)LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Lawrence museum is opening a new $300,000 exhibit as the city marks the 150th anniversary of William Clarke Quantrill's rebel guerrilla attack on the pro-union town. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the exhibit opens Saturday at the Watkins Museum of History. It features displays and artifacts from the Civil War and Bleeding Kansas eras. Among the items on display is Ernst Ulmer's 4-by-6-foot canvas painting depicting Quantrill's Raid. The loaned piece, valued at about $30,000, greets visitors as they enter the exhibit. It also features a newly constructed booth with a large touch-screen television that allows visitors to point to places on a digital map of Lawrence. Different points on the map tell different stories, both in pictures and audio.

(Flickr Photo via Jennifer Cowley) TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — With the partial government shutdown over, Kansas officials have begun issuing assistance checks again to women participating in a nutrition program. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says Thursday that local clinics could start issuing assistance checks for use in November and December. Payments were halted October 9 for the Women, Infant and Children program because of uncertainty about federal funding. The program provides financial assistance for the purchase of nutritious foods, breastfeeding support and nutrition education. The WIC program is administered through contracts with local county health clinics and serves about 70,000 residents every month.

Lawrence-based singer and musician Kelley Hunt has a new CD, titled "The Beautiful Bones." She's having a CD release party and benefit concert Saturday night at the Granada to help raise money for Just Food, the Lawrence food pantry. KPR's Tom Parkinson recently caught up with Kelley to talk about her new album. That's the sound of of Kelley Hunt. Her latest CD is called "The Beautiful Bones." She'll be performing her new music -- and some old favorites -- during a CD release party and benefit concert tomorrow night in downtown Lawrence. Doors open at 6:30 at the Granada Theater. Proceeds will benefit Just Food, the Lawrence food pantry.

The grounds of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene. (Photo credit: The National Archives)ABILENE, Kan. (AP) — Staff members at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene are gearing up for two days of activities to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landing in France. The events June 6-7 are an extension of a three-year exhibit at the complex to tell the story of World War II. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the supreme Allied commander of Europe in World War II who led the invasion in 1944 that would lead to Germany's surrender less than a year later. Karl Weissenbach, director of the Eisenhower library, says the events are meant to thank veterans for their service and to explain the significance of World War II to younger generations. He says the overall exhibit launched in 2013 has drawn interest from veterans and students alike.

A Lawrence man has fallen short in his quest to break the Guinness World Record for live-hosting a TV talk show. Mike Anderson, host of the Not So Late Show on cable Channel 6, was hoping to stay on the air for 66 hours straight, but that quest ended yesterday (SUN), when he was a little more than half way to his goal. Last week, Anderson told KPR News why he wanted to capture the Guinness world record for the longest marathon talk show.Anderson spent more than 39 hours "live" on the air before the decision was made to pull the plug on breaking the record. It's not clear yet whether he'll make another attempt in the future.

(Photo Credit: commons.wikimedia.org)HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — The recent rainfall in Kansas has shattered records across the state and has helped ease drought conditions in some sections. Mary Knapp, state climatologist, said that in the first nine days of August, 144 daily precipitation records were broken across the state. Four of those records were in Hutchinson, including a 6-inch rainfall on August 4th that broke the record for the amount of daily rainfall for any day in August. The Hutchinson News reports the previous record was set last year when 3.3 inches of rain fell on August 25, 2012. Knapp also said, however, that when the ground is dry, it can't quickly soak up the water, which increases flooding. The U.S. Drought Monitor says much of Reno County is out of the drought — for now.

(Statehouse Photo via Flickr user SgtPepperedjane)TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback is telling Kansas legislators that it's time for them to resolve their differences on tax issues and finish their work for the year. The Republican governor issued his statement Wednesday after negotiations between the House and Senate on adjusting the state sales tax hit a new snag. The legislative negotiators were unable to agree on canceling all or part of a sales tax decline scheduled for July. They planned to meet again Thursday. Brownback wants to keep the sales tax at 6.3 percent to raise revenue so that Kansas can follow the massive income-tax cuts approved last year with more income tax reductions. The governor said the Republican-controlled Legislature is positioning the state for economic growth. But he added, "It is time to wrap up the session."

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A school funding plan enacted recently in Kansas is expected to provide $12 million less than previously thought for public school classrooms. The State Department of Education is apologizing for what it says is confusion surrounding its estimates. Republican legislators pushed the plan earlier this month, and GOP Gov. Sam Brownback signed it into law last week. Supporters said it provides an additional $73 million for Kansas classrooms. The new total is $61 million. Both figures include $25 million in aid during the next school year for equipment or capital improvement projects. Supporters of the plan had relied on figures issued by the department on April 6. Those figures were revised April 17. Brownback aides said they didn't know about the revised estimates when he signed the bill.

Justin Wesley, a senior at KU and member of the Kansas Jayhawks’ men's basketball team, portrays KU Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain in the new Kevin Willmott film Jayhawkers. (Photo by Grant Fitch)A University of Kansas basketball player debuts on the silver screen tonight (FRI). Justin Wesley, a 6-foot-9 senior forward plays the part of Wilt Chamberlain in the new movie Jayhawkers, which premiers at 7 o'clock tonight (FRI) at the Lied Center. KPR's Greg Eclin has more. Jayhawkers premiers tonight (FRI) at the Lied Center, with showings at 7 and 9 p.m. Click here for ticket information.

Dyche Hall, the home of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum. (Photo via naturalhistory.ku.edu)LAWRENCE, 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 Scherting, 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 ( http://bit.ly/1lvGJAr) the exhibit will now be taken apart and sterilized. The museum plans to bring in a new queen and colony in the spring.