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At least 13 countries have sent money, equipment and people to help fight wildfires that have killed at least 11 people, including four firefighters.

The actor has settled accusations that he raped a woman in a New York City hotel a decade ago. Gooding's lawyers had insisted that his encounter with the woman was consensual.

Newly released data from national test scores in reading and math show a worrisome picture of student learning loss since the pandemic.

Teen Killed in Wichita Convenience Store HoldupWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — One teenager is dead and two others are in custody following an attempted holdup at a Wichita convenience store. KWCH-TV reports a 16-year-old boy was shot and killed by a clerk shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday at KC Gas and Groceries on North Broadway. Two 19-year-olds fled but were later arrested.=====Kobach Calls Photo ID Law a SuccessTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach says fewer than expected registered voters cast provisional ballots in the November 6th general election in response to the new state photo identification law. The 2011 law requires voters to show a valid photo identification in order to receive a ballot and cast their vote.=====Vets Organization Employee Charged After Funds DisappearKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — As many as 100 World War Two veterans have missed their chance to travel to Washington D.C. to see their war's memorial after about $110,000 disappeared from a Kansas nonprofit that organized free trips for them. Fifty-seven-year-old LaVeta Miller of Great Bend, Kansas is charged with two counts of theft by deception.=====Union Steelworkers Ratfiy New ContractKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Union steelworkers will be back on the job at a Kansas City, Missouri manufacturing plant next week after approving a new contract. Nearly 200 members of United Steelworkers Local 1307 had been locked out since their previous contract with Milbank Manufacturing Company expired at 12:01 a.m. Monday. The two sides reached a tentative agreement Wednesday, and union members ratified the new contract in a vote early yesterday.

Brownback: Sales Tax to Balance Budget?Governor Sam Brownback hasn't dropped the idea of canceling a promised decrease in the state's sales tax as a budget-balancing option next year. But the proposal faces bipartisan legislative resistance. Brownback called on legislators this week to reconsider unsuccessful proposals he offered previously to offset massive income tax cuts he wanted as an economic stimulus. His ideas included keeping the sales tax at its current rate of 6.3 percent. The sales tax is scheduled to drop to 5.7 percent in July 2013. The state boosted the sales tax in 2010 to protect public schools and social services, and lawmakers pledged that most of the increase would be temporary. The increase occurred before Brownback took office. Brownback and legislators now face closing a projected $328 million budget shortfall. ================================Kansas Lawmakers Discuss Judge Selection at RetreatConservative lawmakers are discussing options for changing how Kansas' appellate and Supreme Court judges are selected. The issue came up Saturday during a legislative retreat in Topeka. University of Kansas law professor Stephen Ware says Kansas' judicial selection system is unusual and "undemocratic" in how it selects its nominating commission. The governor selects four members of the commission, and members of the Kansas Bar Association elect another five members. Ware says Kansas is alone in giving the Bar control of the majority of the commission. Ware says he favors eliminating the commission and having the governor select judges with confirmation votes by the Senate. Conservatives favor the idea, but Democrats and some moderate Republicans say that would give the governor too much power.

Alt.Latino producer Anamaria Sayre joins to share noteworthy songs from Aventura and Bad Bunny, Silvana Estrada, Rawayana and Rodrigo Amarante.

Former Joel and Emily Grover Barn, Stonebarn Terrace, Lawrence, Kan., as seen from north side. (Photo by Judy Sweets) One-hundred-and-fifty-years ago, knowing too much about it could land you in jail...or worse. But these days, the Underground Railroad is making appearances all over eastern Kansas. In part two of her two-part series, KPR news intern Justine Greve talked to some of the people researching this hidden history about their efforts to bring it to light. This Sunday, the Ritchie House in Topeka will host a free screening of Gary Jenkins' documentary "Freedom Seekers." Show times are 1:30 and 4 p.m. The Ritchie House is located at 1118 SE Madison.______________________________________________________________Part 1 - Originally Aired 3/29/12Tracing the Tracks of the Underground Railroad Through KansasRitchie House (Photo Courtesy of Gary Jenkins) The years leading up to the Civil War were full of raids and massacres, as well as tales of compassion and the fight for freedom. All of these elements came together on the Underground Railroad. In part one of a two-part series, KPR news intern Justine Greve went to learn more about the role Kansas played in this secret network north to Canada.KPR news intern Justine Greve has a degree in history from Baker University and is currently a grad student in American Studies at the University of Kansas. Join us at this time tomorrow for the second part of this two-part series.

NEW ORLEANS (AP and KPR) — Doron Lamb scored 22 points, and Kentucky won its eighth national championship, holding off Kansas for a 67-to-59 victory Monday night. The Wildcats (38-2) led by as many as 18 points in the first half and were still up 15 with 5:13 to play. But Kansas (32-7), a team which rallied from several big deficits this season, was able to cut the deficit to five in the final moments. It was 62-to-57 with 1:37 to play. Kentucky closed the game by making five of seven free throws over the final 1:11. Kentucky's Anthony Davis, only the second freshmen to be selected national player of the year, had six points on 1-of-10 shooting but finished with 16 rebounds and tied the championship-game record with six blocks. Tyshawn Taylor had 19 points for the Jayhawks, and All-America Thomas Robinson had 18 on 6-of-17 shooting and had 17 rebounds. The Wildcats' 41-27 halftime lead was one of the biggest in title game history. Kentucky's last title came in 1998 and that year the Wildcats set the record for largest halftime deficit overcome, rallying from a 41-31 deficit to beat Utah 78-69. Jayhawk Nation may be in mourning over the loss to Kentucky, but this year's team more than exceeded the expectations of many KU fans. Kansas made it through three of its five 2012 tournament wins in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion.

Kansas Lawmakers Continue Budget TalksTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators who are drafting the final version of a $14.1 billion state budget are narrowing their discussions to their biggest differences. House and Senate negotiators met for about two hours yesterday to work on the spending plan for state government for the fiscal year that begins July 1st. The negotiators plan to resume their talks tomorrow.=================================Arts Funding Still Uncertain as Commissions MergeTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will be overhauling its state arts agency this summer, but funding for arts programs remains uncertain. Kansas Citizens for the Arts spokeswoman Sarah Carkhuff Fizell said yesterday that funding remains the key issue as the state prepares to merge its Arts and Film Services commissions on July 1st. Republican Governor Sam Brownback proposed the merger and signed a bill enacting it this week.=================================Topeka Man Dies in Mowing AccidentTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An elderly Topeka man has died after his riding lawnmower slid down an embankment, overturned in a pond and pinned him. Shawnee County authorities have identified the man as 84-year-old Wilbur Johnson, who was a caretaker of the property he was mowing when the accident happened. Fire crews used a wench to free the man, who was already dead around 6:30 p.m. Friday.=================================Boy Killed in Hunting AccidentTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A boy has been killed in a hunting accident in Pottawatomie County, and investigators say there are no signs of foul play. Sheriff Greg Riat says the accident was reported around 7:15 a.m. yesterday in the northeast part of the county. The boy's identity and age weren't being released Saturday.

The holidays are here! KPR celebrates with a number of specialty programs now through the New Year! See our list of specials and plan your life accordingly.