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One of the country's most celebrated photographers, Gordon Parks used his camera as a weapon against racial injustice. Howard University has recently acquired more than 250 of Parks' images.

From downgrading your technology to leaving your phone on silent, Life Kit listeners share their best tips for taking a break from the internet.

Ahead of the March primary, local elections officials in Texas are starting to deal with the effects of a new GOP-backed voting law.

Here's a summary of the day's Kansas news headlines from the Associated Press, compiled by KPR staff.

Independent Candidate Joins Kansas Senate RaceTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Greg Orman is now officially on the November ballot as an independent candidate in the U.S. Senate race. The Kansas Secretary of State's office said yesterday (FRI) it has certified enough signatures on Orman's campaign petition to qualify him for the general election. Orman is trying to unseat Republican incumbent Pat Roberts, who is seeking a fourth, six-year term. The Democratic nominee is Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor. Orman is an Olathe businessman and the co-founder of a business capital and management services firm. He says in a news release that his candidacy offers voters a choice between partisan politics of the past and an independent approach that focuses on practical problem-solving. Orman is on an eight-day, 18-stop bus tour around the state.=========Kansas Man Sentenced for Shooting at MotelWESTMORELAND, Kan. (AP) — A man who was wounded by police after firing shots at a Kansas motel has been sentenced to 18 months in prison. The Manhattan Mercury reports 34-year-old Dustin Monroe of Wamego told the judge at Thursday's proceeding that he was ashamed of himself. Monroe pleaded no contest in May to charges including aggravated assault on an officer. Police were called to the Quality Inn in Manhattan last December 10th and found Monroe outside, firing a shotgun into the air and at the building. Officers shot Monroe several times after he fired at them. No one else was injured. A defense witness said Thursday that Monroe had been suffering from a drug-related delusion that he was being pursued by the "Mexican mafia" and was firing shots to attract police attention.==========Lawrence Man Sentenced for Child RapeLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A 19-year-old Lawrence man will go to prison for raping a 13-year-old girl with whom he said he had consensual sex. Mackenzie Lottinville was accused of having sex with the girl last October after sneaking her into the trailer where he lived with his parents. The Lawrence Journal-World reports he pleaded guilty in June to one count of raping a child younger than 14. A Douglas County judge sentenced Lottinville to nearly 13 years in prison yesterday (FRI). Lottinville told the judge that he had simply been hoping to make a new friend and "have some fun." He also said the sex was consensual but that he understood he was guilty. Lottinville worked as a night custodian in Lawrence schools from late January until his arrest in February.==========Royals Edge Twins 6-5MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Josh Willingham returned to Target Field and hit a bases-clearing double in Kansas City's five-run fourth inning, and the surging Royals hung on to beat the Minnesota Twins 6-5 last (FRI) night. Danny Dufy (8-10) allowed three runs in 5 1-3 innings to win his third straight start. Kansas City has won 11 of 12 and sits atop the AL Central. Oswaldo Arcia hit an RBI double in the ninth and pinch-hitter Chris Parmelee drove him in with a groundout to cut the Royals' lead to 6-5. But Greg Holland struck out Danny Santana for his 37th save in 39 chances. After Minnesota took a 2-0 lead in the third, the first six Royals hitters reached base to start the fourth off Ricky Nolasco (5-8).

Lawrence Man Dies While WorkingLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Westar spokeswoman says a 54-year-old Lawrence man was likely electrocuted while working on a historic building in Lawrence. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the man, who hasn't been identified, was repairing guttering at the historic Turnhalle building yesterday (FRI) morning when a co-worker found him on the ground. Police say the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Gina Penzig, spokeswoman for Westar Energy in Topeka, says the victim came in contact with an overhead power line and was likely electrocuted. But she says the coroner won't be able to verify the cause of death until Monday. The Turnhalle building is one of the Lawrence Preservation Alliance's projects. Construction on the building was nearing completion at the time of the man's death.=========Roberts Won't Debate Wolf Before Kansas PrimaryLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts won't debate tea party challenger Milton Wolf ahead of the state's Aug. 5 Republican primary. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Roberts executive campaign manager Leroy Towns said yesterday (FRI) that Wolf has failed to outline positions beyond what Towns called vague rhetoric and false attacks on the senator. Wolf campaign spokesman Ben Hartman said it's unbecoming for Roberts to duck debates and noted that Roberts previously had promised publicly to have them. The 78-year-old Roberts is seeking his fourth, six-year term in the Senate. Wolf is a 43-year-old radiologist making his first run for public office. Two lesser-known candidates also are on the GOP ballot. Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor and Lawrence attorney Patrick Wiesner are seeking the Democratic nomination.=========Junction City Starts Voluntary Water RestrictionsJUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — Junction City is asking residents to cut back on water usage after a continuous increase in water over the last week. The city said in a release yesterday (FRI) that the voluntary use restrictions are effective immediately because recent usage has exceeded the limits set by the city's conservation plan. The city's asking residents to wash full loads of laundry rather than partial loads, keep faucets from running unnecessarily, look for leaks and curtail lawn watering. The city says the voluntary restrictions are intended to heighten public awareness, maintain the integrity of the water supply system and delay or avoid implementing mandatory restrictions. Junction City has about 24,000 resident and is located in northeast Kansas.==========Ed Group to be Led by Ex-Wichita Chamber ChairmanTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The former chairman of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce will serve as the leader of a new Kansas commission established to find efficiencies within the state's public school system. The K-12 Student Performance and Efficiency Commission elected Sam Williams as its chairman during its first meeting Friday. Williams is a retired partner in the Sullivan Higdon and Sink advertising and marketing firm. The commission also named Superintendent Jim Hinson of the Shawnee Mission district in Johnson County as its vice chairman. Williams said he begins as chairman without a personal belief on whether schools are over or underfunded and added that the panel will need to examine schools' results along with potential financial efficiencies. The commission was created by a law enacted earlier this year.

KS Lawmaker to Challenge Jenkins in PrimaryWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A conservative Kansas state senator is challenging Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins in the Republican primary. State Senator Steve Fitzgerald of Leavenworth announced Saturday at the GOP's annual convention in Wichita that he's running in the 2nd District of eastern Kansas. Democrat and Lawrence attorney Margie Wakefield also is running Fitzgerald said he believes congressional Republicans need to replace Ohio's John Boehner as House speaker. Jenkins is vice chairwoman of the House Republican conference, making her the GOP's fifth-highest leader. Jenkins spokesman Bill Roe said the congresswoman has a conservative voting record and is confident voters will support her. Fitzgerald was elected to the state Senate in 2012. He's a retired Army lieutenant colonel. Jenkins has faced a primary challenger in each of her congressional races. She won her seat in 2008.==========Lawrence Police Seeking Info on Man's DeathLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Lawrence police are still seeking information about the recent death of a 52-year-old man and the apparent disappearance of a 19-year-old woman who had been living at the man's home.Harold Sasko was found dead in his Lawrence home Jan. 17. Police had gone to the house looking for Sarah Brooke Gonzales McLinn, who had been reported missing and hasn't yet been found.Officials say Police haven't named anyone as a suspect and it's unclear how many people were present when Sasko was killed.Sasko owned three pizza restaurants in Topeka and Lawrence.==========GOP Upbeat About Re-ElectionWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback and Kansas Republican activists are sounding mostly upbeat notes about his chances for re-election during the state GOP's biggest annual meeting.Hundreds of Republicans gathered Saturday in Wichita for the second and final day of a statewide convention that both celebrated the party's traditional strength in Kansas politics and prepared the party for this year's elections.In seeking re-election, Brownback is facing a spirited challenge from Kansas House Democratic Leader Paul Davis.Davis raised $1 million for his campaign in less than five months last year. Brownback raised $1.1 million during the year, and his campaign received a $500,000 loan from running mate Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer.But several activists and leaders said they think Brownback isn't in serious trouble because of the state's conservative leanings.==========Ford County Finds it Tough to Retain EMTsDODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — A western Kansas county is paying advance tuition for two emergency medical technicians seeking paramedic certification in a bid to hire and retain qualified workers.Fire and EMS Chief Jay Taylor told the Ford County Commission the department has had a hard time retaining EMTs because it's difficult to find employees who can adjust to the relative lack of urban amenities in rural western Kansas. He says the goal is to have at least one paramedic on every truck that heads to a scene, or have a paramedic en route.The Dodge City Globe reports the commission approved the $10,000 expenditure with the stipulation that the two paramedic students pass the certification exam and sign a contract to work for the county department for at least two years.

Jake Paul won a unanimous decision over Mike Tyson as the hits didn't match the hype in a fight between a young YouTuber-turned-boxer and the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion.

Kansas Budget Gaps Have Lawmakers Mulling TaxesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Projected budget shortfalls in Kansas have some Republican legislators weighing proposals to backtrack on tax-cutting policies championed by GOP Governor Sam Brownback. But House Appropriations Committee chairman and Wichita Republican Gene Suellentrop said Tuesday that such measures should be a last resort. Brownback and the Republican-dominated Legislature must close shortfalls in the current and next state budgets totaling more than $714 million after lawmakers open their annual session in January. Legislators aggressively cut personal income taxes at Brownback's urging in 2012 and 2013 to stimulate the economy. Overland Park Republican Senator Jim Denning said he wants to "smooth out" tax cuts lawmakers already have promised for the future. He also proposed taking away part of an exemption from personal income taxes granted to the owners of 191,000 businesses.==============================UPDATE: Kansas Supreme Court Allows More Gay MarriagesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has cleared the way for additional gay marriages in the state. The court on Tuesday evening lifted its hold on marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Johnson County. The justices last month blocked such licenses while reviewing a petition from Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt. But the Kansas court did not address whether the state's ban on gay marriage is constitutional and said it wouldn't consider the issue until the federal courts resolve a lawsuit filed month on behalf of two lesbian couples. The U.S. Supreme Court last week told the state it couldn't continue enforcing its gay-marriage ban while the ACLU's lawsuit makes its way through the federal courts. Since then, local officials have had different policies on marriage licenses to gay couples.==============================Report: Fewer Immigrants Living Illegally in KansasWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A new study shows Kansas is among 14 states with a big decline in the number of immigrants who are living illegally in the United States. A Pew Research Center report released Tuesday estimates 20,000 unauthorized immigrants left Kansas between 2009 and 2012. The group estimates that 75,000 immigrants were living unlawfully in Kansas in 2012. The report attributes the immigrant population decreases in states like Kansas to a decline in the number of Mexican-born immigrants. Pew estimates unauthorized immigrants account 3.5 percent of the Kansas labor force and 2.6 percent of the state's population. About 7 percent of elementary and secondary school children in Kansas have a parent who is unlawfully in the United States. The undocumented immigrant population rose in seven states and leveled off nationally.==============================14 Couples Wed in Courthouse Ceremony in WichitaWICHITA, Kan. (AP) - A Wichita church has married 14 gay and lesbian couples on the steps of a historic courthouse building downtown. About 100 people attended the ceremony Monday evening by the First Metropolitan Community Church outside the old Sedgwick County courthouse. Among the couples were Scott and Raymond Tholl of Wichita, who've been together 12 years. Scott Tholl said they wanted to be part of something historic. The ceremony was briefly interrupted by a heckler who shouted, "God said, 'No.'" Several men removed the heckler and the crowd shouted, "God said, 'Yes." The ceremony came less than a week after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request from the state to continue enforcing its ban on gay marriage while a lawsuit challenging it is reviewed by the federal courts.==============================Kansas Court Has 2 Substitutes for Marriage CaseTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The Kansas Supreme Court has two substitutes participating in its discussions about allowing gay marriage in the state. Court spokeswoman Lisa Taylor said Monday that retired Douglas County District Judge Michael Malone and retiring Linn County District Judge Richard Smith are sitting with the court. The court is reviewing a petition from Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt seeking to block counties from issuing gay marriage licenses until a final U.S. Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of state gay-marriage bans. The Kansas Supreme Court has seven members, but one spot is vacant because the new Justice Caleb Stegall doesn't take his seat until December 5. Malone is taking his spot. Justice Lee Johnson removed himself from the case, without stating a reason. Smith is filling in for him.==============================3 Kansas Counties Denying Same-Sex Marriage LicensesEL DORADO, Kan. (AP) - Three south-central Kansas counties are denying applications for marriage licenses from same-sex couples. Chief District Court Judge David Ricke said in a statement Monday that Butler, Elk and Greenwood counties will keep complying with a ban on gay marriage in Kansas law and the state constitution. The counties make up the 13th Judicial District. Ricke says the district will continue to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples until he is convinced it falls under a binding court order that "clearly and unequivocally" requires its district court clerks to issue them. The U.S. Supreme Court refused last week to allow the state to keep enforcing its ban while a federal lawsuit proceeds.==============================Same-Sex Marriages on Hold in 2 North-Central Kansas CountiesSALINA, Kan. (AP) — District court clerks in two north-central Kansas counties are accepting applications for marriage licenses from same-sex couples but not approving them. Court Administrator Todd Heitschmidt said Monday that Chief District Judge Jerome Hellmer has directed that no action be taken on such applications in Ottawa and Saline counties until the Kansas Supreme Court decides whether gay marriages can go forward. Ottawa and Saline counties make up the 28th Judicial District. Heitschmidt said Saline county received four applications last week from same-sex couples. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that gay marriages could go forward while the federal courts review a lawsuit over the denial of marriage licenses to lesbian couples in Douglas and Sedgwick County. But the Kansas Supreme Court has yet to rule on its own gay-marriage case.=============================Judge Orders Clerks to Issue Marriage Licenses in Southeast KSPITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) - The chief state district judge for three southeast Kansas counties has directed court clerks to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. Chief Judge A.J. Wachter issued an order Monday covering the 11th Judicial District of Cherokee, Crawford and Labette counties. Wachter said in his order that two same-sex couples have applied for licenses in the district. His order is a response to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last week allowing same-sex marriages while the federal courst consider a lawsuit challenging the state's gay-marriage ban. Wachter said the U.S. Supreme Court's decision is binding. He acknowledged that the Kansas Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the state's ban, but said he doesn't expect a conflicting decision. Wachter also said there's no reason the gay couples should wait for a license.===============================Shawnee County Panel OKs $150K to Pay ProsecutionTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Officials in a northeastern Kansas county have made additional money available to help finance the prosecution of three capital murder cases. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports district attorney Chad Taylor told the Shawnee County Commission in a recent memo that prosecution of the capital cases was stretching his office's resources. He said the capital murder cases would require overtime work for his office's support staff. He asked for the $150,000 in county contingency funds. Commissions budgeted $500,000 for that purpose this year. The panel voted 3-0 to approve the Taylor's request. Taylor wasn't at the commission's Monday meeting. County financial administrator Betty Greiner appeared on his behalf. Greiner said Taylor was busy working on one of the capital murder cases.==============================Defense Seeks Disclosures in Suicide Bomb CaseWICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Attorneys for a Kansas man accused with plotting a suicide bombing at a Wichita airport are asking a judge to order the government to disclose whether mass surveillance first led authorities to the avionics technician. The U.S. attorney's office declined to comment Monday on the latest court filing in the case of Terry Loewen, an avionics technician facing terrorism-related charges. Loewen has been jailed since his December arrest for allegedly trying to bring a van filled with inert explosives onto the tarmac at Mid-Continent Airport. His attorneys argued in a court filing Friday that prosecutors have given them no evidence indicating how Loewen first came to the attention of the FBI. The dispute is important because the defense wants to suppress evidence obtained or derived from any unlawful electronic surveillance.===============================$2,500 Reward Offered in Wichita AttackWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A $2,500 reward is being offered for any information leading to an arrest in the rape and burning of a Wichita woman. The victim of Friday's attack remained in critical condition Tuesday. No new information about the victim or the attack was released Tuesday. Police say the 36-year-old woman was raped, beaten and set on fire in Fairmount Park. She was burned over 55 percent of her body. The park is a block south of Wichita State University's main campus but investigators have said the victim is not a student and the crime was not associated with the university. Despite that, the university held a safety forum Tuesday and police have increased patrols on university properties.===============================Victim in Jerusalem Attack Was Kansas City NativeKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — One of four people killed in an attack at a crowded Israeli synagogue was a native of Kansas City, Missouri. Fifty-five-year-old Rabbi Cary William Levine died when Palestinian attackers armed with meat cleavers and a gun burst into a synagogue in Jerusalem during prayers Tuesday morning. A man who answered the door Tuesday afternoon at the Kansas City address listed for Levine's parents said the family didn't want to talk. At least three people arrived at the home during a 15-minute period, including a woman who also declined to comment. Levine attended Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy in Overland Park, Kansas, before leaving the area in his 20s for Israel. The school said it was gathering information and planned a news conference later Tuesday.===============================Relative: Attack Victim Devoted Life to IsraelBOULDER, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado brother-in-law of a victim of the deadly attack in a Jerusalem synagogue says he dedicated his life to the people and land of Israel. Jonathan Bein of Boulder said 55-year-old Rabbi Cary William Levine had lived in Israel since his 20s and taught at a seminary there. Levine's sister, Shelley Levine of Boulder, and family were grieving Tuesday. Levine was one of four people killed in a grisly attack during morning prayers. The two attackers were killed by police. Levine was a native of Kansas City, Missouri, who studied religion at the University of Southern California before leaving for Israel. Bein said Levine had nine children and five grandchildren.==============================Judge: Expelled KU Student Must Be Re-AdmittedLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - A Douglas County judge has ruled that a University of Kansas student who was expelled over tweets to an ex-girlfriend must be allowed to re-enroll. But Judge Robert Fairchild issued a stay of his ruling Monday to allow the university to appeal. The university says it expelled Navid Yeasin last November because he violated an order not to contact the ex-girlfriend by sending the tweets. Fairchild ruled in September that the university had not followed its own rules of student conduct because it did not show that Yeasin posted the tweets while he was on campus. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Yeasin, a senior in petroleum engineering, said no other school in the state offers the program he needs to graduate and he does not want to pay out-of-state tuition.===============================KU Fraternity Wants Suspension EndedLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - A University of Kansas fraternity that was suspended over alleged sexual assaults says it wants the suspension lifted. Kappa Sigma representatives say the organization is not a danger to the campus. They contend an investigation into the alleged sexual assaults in late September is taking too long. Fraternity representatives plan to attend a hearing next week to ask that the suspension be lifted. Kappa Sigma has been on interim suspension since September 30, after the university received reports of "multiple instances of sexual misconduct" at the chapter house on or about September 27. The university's typical 60-day investigation time period would end by December 1, but the university has said it needs more time because the investigation is complex.==============================Kansas City Group Rescues Puppies from ColdKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A Kansas City nonprofit group has rescued a litter of six stray puppies from the wintry weather. KMBC-TV reports Chain of Hope removed the black and brown puppies on Monday before temperatures reached as low as 15 degrees. The puppies are barely old enough to open their eyes and were found under a tarp in a wooded area. Director Kate Quigley says the group has unsuccessfully tried to trap the mother, who wouldn't leave her babies. She hopes they can capture the mother using fresh food now that her puppies have been rescued. Quigley says a bystander alerted the group to the animals. She says the puppies will be adopted when they're older.================================Charges Dropped Against Missouri WomanKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Jackson County prosecutors have dropped charges against a woman who spent six days in jail after police said she injured an officer during a traffic stop. The 21-year-old woman was released over the weekend. Her mother says her daughter was at home asleep during the incident and that her temporary license tag had been stolen. Kansas City police say a silver Nissan struck the officer as its driver fled the traffic stop on November 8. Investigators linked the woman to the incident using the tag. The woman's mother says her daughter shouldn't have been charged without a "proper investigation." The extent of the officer's injuries is unclear.==============================Son of KC Mob Boss Sentenced for Theft from ATMsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The son of a former Kansas City mob boss has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for stealing more than $330,000 from automated teller machines he was hired to maintain. U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson says 47-year-old Anthony T. Civella Jr. of Kansas City was sentenced Tuesday and ordered to pay $70,000 in restitution on top of restitution already paid. Civella pleaded guilty in February to bank larceny and money laundering. Prosecutors say he owned a company that serviced 35 ATMs in the Kansas City metropolitan area, and that he moved money between the machines to conceal the theft. His father was Anthony "Tony Ripe" Civella, who died in 2006. He is the brother of Nick Civella, who is serving time in federal prison, and Carl and Vincent Civella.=============================Request to Demolish Vacant Salina Hospital Building DeniedSALINA, Kan. (AP) - A former hospital in Salina will not be demolished anytime soon. Salina City Commissioners on Monday denied a request by Salina Regional Health Center to demolish the former St. John's Hospital facility. KSAL reports the request was denied after a protest was filed suggesting that other uses could be found for the hospital campus. The St. John's campus has been vacant since 2010. The commission was told a previous plan to convert the hospital campus to affordable senior housing has been dropped. St. John's was started in 1914 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia and operated by the Wichita-based Sisters of St. Joseph until 1995. The vote does not mean the hospital won't be demolished. The health center can reapply to have the campus torn down.==============================Kansas Winter Wheat Crop Looks Good So FarWICHITA, Kan. (AP) - The latest government report shows most of the newly planted Kansas winter wheat crop is faring well so far. The National Agricultural Statistics Service rates 6 percent of the wheat crop in excellent condition and 56 percent as good. About 35 percent is in fair condition and just 3 percent is rated as poor. About 92 percent of the wheat crop has emerged. Growers in the state have now harvested 96 percent of the corn, 81 percent of the sorghum and 92 percent of the soybeans.===============================Chinese Company, Dairy Farmers Plan Kansas PlantKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A Chinese company and the Dairy Farmers of America say they are planning a $100 million plant somewhere in Kansas but details are sketchy. The Dairy Farmers of America, a cooperative owned by 13,000 dairy farmers based, is based in Kansas City. It is working with the Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group. The two groups formed a partnership two years ago. The Kansas City Star reports the plant's location was not disclosed but it is likely to be in western Kansas, where most of the state's milk production occurs. The plant would produce up to 88,000 tons of milk powder a year. Rick Smith, president and CEO of Dairy Farmers of America, said Yili is a fitting partner because it is a leading Chinese dairy processor.==========================Kansas Governor's Campaign Spokesman Gets New JobTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The spokesman for Republican Governor Sam Brownback's successful re-election campaign has taken a similar job at the Kansas Department of Administration. Brownback's office said that John Milburn began work Monday as the department's communications director. Milburn is replacing Todd Fertig, who is moving to the state Department for Children and Families. The Department of Administration oversees contracting, personnel services and computer systems for state agencies under the governor's control and manages state office buildings. Milburn joined Brownback's campaign in July after working as a Statehouse reporter in Topeka for The Associated Press.===========================Man, 79, Charged in Pot Bust Challenges SearchBOSTON (AP) - A 2013 traffic stop in Junction City, Kansas, led police to Massachusetts and Arizona, where they found $15 million in cash, nearly 400 pounds of marijuana and ledgers they say detail drug deals going back to 1992. The driver, Marshall Dion, is now facing federal marijuana trafficking charges in Boston. The 79-year-old has had trouble with the law for decades. In 1985, Dion crashed a single-engine plane in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. The government seized nearly $112,000 in cash seized from the crash site after a judge found the money was likely drug proceeds. In 1989, he was convicted of trafficking charges after Boston police found more than 100 pounds of marijuana in his car. Dion's lawyer is arguing that the 2013 traffic stop was illegal and all the evidence seized should be thrown out.==============================Washburn Plans New Residence Hall to Meet DemandTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Washburn University's capital improvement plans now include a new $30 million residence hall and dining area. The hall will offer 350 beds in apartment-like settings on the Topeka campus. It will also include a dining area for about 300 people. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports 9 percent of undergraduate and graduate students live on campus and the university wants to increase that number. The residence hall is expected to be ready for students in the 2016-17 academic year. It is the latest in several capital improvement projects included in a new master plan, such as law school, recital hall, Welcome Center and indoor sports facility. And a new Kansas Bureau of Investigation lab on the campus is expected to open next year.===============================Kansas State Beats UMKC 83-73MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State beat Missouri-Kansas City 83-73 in the opening mainland round of the EA Sports Maui Invitational Monday. Trailing 45-39 early in the second half, Kansas State made three consecutive 3-pointers to take a 48-46 lead. UMKC's biggest first half lead, 26-15, came off of a 3-pointer with 9:48 left before the break, but Kansas State answered with an 11-4 run.============================KC to Host Regional NCAA Games in 2017INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Brooklyn, New York, and Des Moines, Iowa, will host NCAA men's basketball tournament games for the first time in 2016. The NCAA announced Monday that the other 2016 preliminary round sites are Providence, St. Louis, Raleigh, North Carolina, Oklahoma City, Denver and Spokane, Washington. Regionals will be played in Philadelphia, Chicago, Louisville, Kentucky, and Anaheim, California. The 2017 tourney games will be played in Buffalo, New York; Indianapolis; New York; Greensboro, North Carolina; Milwaukee; Orlando, Florida; Salt Lake City; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Sacramento, California. Regionals will be in Kansas City; San Jose, California; Memphis, Tennessee; and New York. The 2018 early round games will be hosted by Boise, Idaho; Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas; Detroit; Nashville, Tennessee; Pittsburgh; San Diego; and Wichita, Kansas. Regionals will be in Boston; Omaha, Nebraska; Los Angeles and Atlanta. Dayton, Ohio will host the First Four all three years.

These are the regional headlines for Monday, February 6, 2012. ================================================================== Kansas Governor Submits Order Reorganizing 3 AgenciesTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has formally submitted an executive order to legislators to reorganize three state agencies that deal with social services. The order signed today by Brownback is part of his administration's plan to overhaul the state's $2.9 billion Medicaid program, which provides health coverage for the poor, disabled and elderly. The changes sought by Brownback will take effect July 1, unless one chamber votes to reject his order by April 6. The order would shrink the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services so it would focus on services to children and families, removing it from involvement with Medicaid. Services for disabled and mentally ill would move from SRS into the Department on Aging, which also would pick up some regulatory responsibilities from the Department of Health and Environment.==================================================================Legislators Begins Hearings on Proposed School Finance Formula TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Legislators are beginning to hear from the public about Governor Sam Brownback's plan to revamp the way Kansas funds public schools. The Senate Education Committee held the first of several days of hearings on today into the Republican governor's proposal, which includes changes in the way technical and vocational education courses are taught, as well as a new system for evaluating teachers. Brownback outlined his proposal during his State of the State address in January. The governor wants to change the funding formula to allow local districts more flexibility in how they raise and spend money. Members of the House Education Committee are also hearing testimony on parts of the plan this week. Legislators are hoping to have bills debated in the House and Senate by the end of February.================================================================== Shawnee County D-A Seeks to Expedite Review of Disputed MeetingsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas prosecutor says he isn't looking for a confrontation with state legislators as he investigates the legality of meetings they had last month with Governor Sam Brownback at his official residence. Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor, a Democrat, said today he's hoping to finish his investigation quickly. Brownback had seven meetings in January for fellow Republicans who serve on 13 legislative committees, and he and top aides have said they're confident the meetings didn't violate the Kansas Open Meetings Act. Taylor sent a letter to Brownback's office and all legislators, directing them to preserve records and electronic files that could be potential evidence. But House Speaker Mike O'Neal, a Hutchinson Republican, has criticized Taylor's tactics and wants to provide a single response from all lawmakers.==================================================================Panel endorses Kansas House proposalTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas House committee is signing off on a proposal to redraw the chamber's 125 districts to reflect changes in the 2010 census. The reapportionment committee took less than 10 minutes today to approve the map, endorsing it on a bipartisan, voice vote. There were no amendments offered to the plan, which would collapse three current House districts and create three new ones in the Kansas City metropolitan area. One district each would be lost in southeast, southwest and central Kansas, reflecting the population gains over the past decade in Johnson and Wyandotte counties. House Speaker Mike O'Neal, chairman of the redistricting committee, said the decision was quicker than he anticipated, but that it is possible that the full House could debate the proposal yet this week.==================================================================Kansas Lawmakers Say Issues Arose at Cedar Crest EventsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Several Kansas legislators say Governor Sam Brownback raised issues such as tax cuts and water policy in private meetings with them at his official residence. But their accounts of the meetings differed today. Some Republican legislators who attended one or more of the gatherings with the GOP governor described them as purely social events. But several lawmakers interviewed by The Associated Press said Brownback made remarks about substantive issues. Brownback had seven meetings in January for Republicans on 13 legislative committees. He planned gathering planned Monday evening for a bipartisan group of lawmakers. Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor, a Democrat, is investigating whether the gatherings violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act. Brownback spokeswoman Sherriene Jones-Sontag said the administration remains confident that the gatherings did not violate the law.==================================================================Brownback Issues No Pardons in 2011LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansans who were denied pardons by Governor Sam Brownback in 2011 ranged from convicted murderers to alleged traffic law violators. Brownback denied all 39 pardon requests last year. The Lawrence Journal-World submitted an open records request to Brownback's office, which provided the letters from the governor's office to pardon applicants. The Kansas Prison Review Board, which reviews pardons before sending them to the governor, denied the open records request for the full pardon applications, citing an exemption in the Kansas Open Records Act. The pardon requests include 10 people convicted of murder or manslaughter and a 63-year-old Wichita man who says he was wrongly convicted of a right-of-way traffic violation. Eddie Mendia operates the nonprofit Homeless Search Corp., and says he was pulled over because of his Mexican heritage.================================================================== Google Begins High-Speed Internet Construction in KCKKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Google is scheduled to begin construction today on its long-awaited super-speed Internet service in Kansas City, Kansas. The Kansas City Star reports that Kevin Lo, the Google executive heading up the project, announced the start of construction on the company's Google Fiber blog. Google plans to install the fiber infrastructure first and then connect Google Fiber into homes across Kansas City. Work to erect a network had been held up over issues about where Google would attach its fiber optic cables on utility poles owned by the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities. The 1 gigabit-per-second Internet connections is expected to offer steady downloads about 100 times faster than most Americans can get in their homes with existing broadband services.================================================================== Suspect Killed after Firing on KS OfficersGODDARD, Kan. (AP) — A carjacking suspect has been killed after exchanging gunfire with law enforcement in south-central Kansas. The Hutchinson News reported that the suspect allegedly took a vehicle around 12:45 this afternoon in west Wichita. The pursuit began after police in Goddard tried to pull the vehicle over for a traffic violation. Reno County Sheriff Randy Henderson says the suspect left the vehicle north of Cheney Lake and started firing on officers. He was killed around 1 pm. The name of the suspect wasn't immediately released.==================================================================New Northeast Kansas Casino Opening Stirs Gambling ConcernsLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The new casino at the Kansas Speedway may bring big money to northeast Kansas. But social services experts say they're keeping an eye out for gambling's less desirable consequences. Doors opened Friday on phase one of the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, carrying with it the promise of 1,000 jobs and an estimated economic impact of $220 million. Greg Kindle, president of the Wyandotte Economic Development Council, says that the casino symbolizes the county's growing economic muscle. But as in most areas where casinos open, there's concern about the toll gambling takes on social services, particular in the treatment of gambling addiction. Treatment providers say they're bracing for an uptick in the treatment of addicted gamblers.==================================================================Topeka Woman Dies from Injuries Sustained in House ExplosionTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An 81-year-old Topeka woman has died after being injured in a natural gas explosion at her home. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Lucinia Tolliver died on Friday. Tolliver had been admitted to The University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas after the explosion last Monday. Topeka Fire Department Investigator Mike Martin said a contractor excavating last Monday in a nearby yard hit a natural gas service line and caused it to separate from the main line about 6 feet underground. Martin said because the breach occurred deep underground, the gas could have entered Tolliver's home via such routes as a pipe, sewer line or cracks in the dirt.==================================================================Douglas County Judges Using iPads for WarrantsLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Douglas County judges have been getting a lot of use out of their new iPads. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that a main reason the county's six judges began using the iPads is because county prosecutors have cracked down on suspected drunken drivers who refuse to submit to tests. Prosecutors now have law enforcement automatically seek a judge's search warrant to draw blood from the suspect within two hours of the traffic stop. In the past, officers brought the paperwork to the judge to sign. But that created problems because officers would often have to find another officer to leave a suspect with or even bring the person in tow to a judge's neighborhood. Now, the judges can take care of the paperwork remotely through their iPads.==================================================================KDHE seeking source of gas smell in LeboLEBO, Kan. (AP) — State health officials have been investigating a strong scent of gasoline in a southeast Kansas town. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says it's trying to determine the cause of the odor in Lebo. Coffey County emergency departments have also been working on finding the cause of the odor. KDHE says the odor is not a health hazard. The smell was reported January 26 by Lebo's city superintendent. KDHE says the department planned to cap an old sewer line that could be the pathway for the odor to get into buildings. The agency says crews have also been working to find the source of the odor.================================================================== Slaughterhouse Workers Granted Class-Action Status for Lawsuit WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has granted conditional class-action status to a lawsuit filed on behalf of an estimated 700 workers at a slaughterhouse in south-central Kansas. U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren ruled today that the class would include all hourly production employees subjected to allegedly unfair compensation practices at Creekstone Farms Premium Beef in Arkansas City for the past three years. The workers claim the company hasn't been paying employees for all the time they spend working. Creekstone contends it has paid employees for all time worked and any overtime they were entitled to get. Melgren ordered the company to give the plaintiffs the names and contact information for each member of the class and to post notice of the lawsuit in both English and Spanish at its facility.==================================================================Pope Names Bishop for Salina DioceseVATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI has named a new bishop for the Salina diocese. The Vatican said today that the pontiff selected Monsignor Edward John Weisenburger for the post. the 51-year-old Weisenburger has been serving as vicar general and rector of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral in the Oklahoma City diocese. A native of Illinois, Weisenburger was ordained in 1987. He has studied theology in Belgium and canon, or church, law at St. Paul University in Ottawa, Canada.==================================================================Kansas Woman Takes Parking Ticket to Appeals CourtJUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Junction City woman has taken a $55 parking ticket all the way to the Kansas Court of Appeals — and won. Mary Somrak got the ticket for parking over the line in her parking space at a townhome complex. Somrak said she fought the ticket through three courts and almost two years because she didn't think it was right for the city to write tickets in a private parking lot at 2 am — especially when the car she parked too close to was her own second car. The Wichita Eagle reports Somrak also fought the ticket because her neighbors got similar tickets and many of them are military dependents. Local courts said she didn't file her appeal notice in time, but the appeals court ruled she did.==================================================================Hearing Scheduled in Hutchinson Woman's DeathHUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A preliminary hearing is scheduled for two men charged with killing a 27-year-old Hutchinson woman. The Hutchinson News reports that the hearing for 48-year-old Billy Joe Craig Junior and 32-year-old Charles Logsdon is scheduled to begin today in Reno County court. Craig and Logsdon are charged with first-degree murder in the death last June of Jennifer Heckel. The judge in the hearing has to determine if there's probable cause that Craig and Logsdon committed the crime. If he finds probable cause, the case moves to trial and a date is set for arraignments, when pleas will be entered. Heckel was shot to death in her home on the north side of Hutchinson. Her 5-year-old son was in the home when the shooting occurred and alerted neighbors.==================================================================KC Suburb Sets Homicide Record in 2011OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Olathe had six homicides last year, setting a record for the Kansas City suburb. The Kansas City Star reports there were 11 homicides in Johnson County in 2011, and six were in Olathe, which the 2010 Census said is also the fastest growing city in Kansas. The most homicides in Olathe since 1996 — the oldest records available — were four in 2010 and four in 2002. Officials say seven of the 11 Johnson County homicides, including five in Olathe, involved domestic violence. Olathe Police Sgt. Grant Allen said none of the six killings in Olathe was the random murder of a stranger, and it's not clear why the numbers are increasing.==================================================================TAM 111 Top Wheat Variety in KansasWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service says a variety of wheat called TAM 111 is the most popular of all those planted in Kansas. The agency says TAM 111 has been seeded on 12.6 percent of the state's 2012 wheat acres. Coming in second in Kansas is the variety known as Everest, which is planted on 8 percent of the acreage. The variety called Armour moved up to third place, accounting for 7.5 percent of the state's acreage. Varieties of hard white wheat accounted for 2.2 percent of the state's acreage. Most of the white wheat in Kansas is planted in the southwestern portion of the state.================================================================== Analysis: Kansas Governor Snared in Debate over MeetingsTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback cites the "Road Map for Kansas" he outlined during his campaign as the template for his administration. It contains a promise to reform state government, declaring it should be accountable and transparent. But there are questions about the Brownback administration's commitment to transparency because of private meetings he's had at his official residence with fellow Republicans who hold majorities on specific legislative committees. The Shawnee County district attorney is investigating whether the gatherings violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act. Brownback and his top aides are confident the gatherings were legal. But details haven't fully emerged, and some accounts from legislators have differed. The dispute isn't likely to disappear soon because the district attorney expects his office to question dozens of legislators by Valentine's Day.==================================================================Leader of KC Diocese Review Board Resignin gKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The chairman of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Catholic Diocese review board dealing with sex abuse allegations has announced his resignation. The Kansas City Star reports that Jim Caccamo's resignation is effective February 22. Caccamo headed the diocese's Independent Review Board during a period that included a priest charged with child pornography and Bishop Robert Finn indicted for allegedly failing to report suspected child abuse. The board assesses child sexual abuse allegations and makes recommendations to the bishop on how they should be handled. The Reverend Shawn Ratigan has been charged with possession of child pornography. A grand jury in October indicted Finn and the diocese on misdemeanor counts of failing to report suspected child abuse in the case. Caccamo says he'll stay on until a replacement is named.==================================================================Pittsburg Hospital Adds Protective Window Film for SafetyA close call with one of the dealiest tornadoes on record has led officials at a southeastern Kansas hospital to invest in a special window film designed to protect against flying glass. Nearly every window at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin, Missouri was shattered when an EF-5 tornado struck the city last May 22. Winds of more than 200 mph propelled millions of glass shards into rooms and hallways. The Joplin Globe reports that tornado sirens also sounded in nearby Pittsburg. Officials at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg decided to protect its windows with security film. The film won't stop windows from shattering in tornadic winds, but it will catch and hold bits of glass. Hospital officials say the cost of the film for 88 windows came to $54,000.==================================================================McCaskill in Kansas City to Discuss Postal ProposalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill seeks to avoid closing rural post offices under her proposal to maintain six-day mail delivery. The Missouri Democrat will be in Kansas City today to discuss the proposals she wants incorporated into the 21st Century Postal Service Act. She provided details of her plan in advance to The Associated Press. The U.S. Postal Service is expected to lose a record $14.1 billion this year as increased Internet use reduces mail volume. A plan to close mail centers and post offices has been put on hold until mid-May. McCaskill is proposing cutting costs by reducing agency payments that fund future retiree health benefits. She's also asking for a new business model that would return the agency to financial health within a year.