AP Kansas

By JOHN HANNA AP Political Writer TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A new Kansas fiscal forecast predicts that state government will be awash in cash more than enough to allow big tax cuts that Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Republican legislators already planned to pursue. The new forecast increased the projection for the state’s total tax

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid wouldn’t say Wednesday whether the reigning AFC champs were pursuing Odell Beckham Jr. Then again, he didn’t say they weren’t. Beckham became a free agent Tuesday after the wide receiver’s acrimonious split with the Browns, and the Chiefs — with

GODDARD, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas school district has stripped its library shelves of more than two dozen books that have been challenged in other school systems while it reviews them. KMUW-FM reports that Julie Cannizzo, assistant superintendent for academic affairs in Goddard, said Tuesday that one parent objected to language he found offensive in

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Former U.S. men’s national team defender Matt Besler announced his retirement Wednesday after 13 seasons in Major League Soccer. Besler was a five-time MLS All-Star. The 34-year-old spent most of his career with Sporting Kansas City before signing this season with Austin. Besler played 47 matches for the national team from

By JOHN HANNA AP Political Writer TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly plans to take a rapid COVID-19 test after a lawmaker who attended one of her public events tested positive. Kelly spokesperson Sam Coleman said the governor planned to take the test Wednesday afternoon but has had no symptoms and likely is

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the death of a 1-year-old boy in Topeka. City spokeswoman Gretchen Spiker said emergency responders were called around 11:15 a.m. Tuesday. The child then was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the boy’s name hasn’t been made public. His cause

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The largest school district in Kansas plans to open a COVID-19 immunization site after the vaccine was approved for kids aged 5-11. Wichita district spokeswoman Susan Arensman said the school system hasn’t administered any shots yet to the 5-11 group and won’t be going school-by-school with vaccines. Instead, the district will

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Tyson Etienne made a deep 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds left and Wichita State beat Jacksonville State 60-57 in a season opener. Etienne, who had 16 points, dribbled down the clock near midcourt and sank a step-back 3-pointer from the logo for the win.

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Ochai Agbaji scored a career-high 29 points and No. 3 Kansas beat Michigan State 87-74 at the Champions Classic on the opening night of college basketball. Remy Martin added 15 points and David McCormack had 10 for the Jayhawks, who returned four starters from last

By JOHN HANNA AP Political Writer TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Kansas are pushing to enact new state laws before Thanksgiving to protect workers financially if they refuse to comply with federal mandates to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Top GOP leaders called Tuesday for lawmakers to have a special session to consider proposals

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 26-year-old man who stabbed a Wichita psychiatrist more than 160 times and then ran over him with a car has been sentenced to life in prison. Umar Dutt was sentenced Tuesday for first-degree murder in the death of 57-year-old Dr. Achutha Reddy in September 2017. Dutt pleaded guilty in September.

By JIM SALTER Associated Press Security camera footage, shell casings and a small but distinctive tattoo played pivotal roles in the arrest of a man suspected in at least six killings over the past two months in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s office on Tuesday charged Perez Deshay

By JOHN HANNA AP Political Writer TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Support is growing among Republicans to call the GOP-controlled Kansas Legislature into a special session before Thanksgiving to enact new laws for protecting workers who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Senate President Ty Masterson said Tuesday that he wants lawmakers to reconvene Nov. 22

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The bizarre nature of the college football season in the Big 12 can be summed up by the fact that TCU and Texas Tech, both having already fired their coaches, could be headed to bowl games in a few short weeks. In fact, half

By JOHN HANNA AP Political Writer TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A top Republican lawmaker is pushing to protect the ability of Kansas workers to claim religious exemptions from COVID-19 vaccine mandates and to provide unemployment benefits if they won’t get inoculated. Senate President Ty Masterson outlined his proposals Tuesday during a meeting of a joint

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Department of Transportation says it is facing a staffing shortage that could slow the clearing of highways in winter storms. The department said Tuesday that it is about 30% short of being fully staffed with snowplow operators across the state. The agency said the staffing shortage is worse this

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police say a student is recovering after being stabbed outside Schlagle High School in Kansas City, Kansas. Police say the stabbing happened around 7 a.m. Tuesday on school grounds before classes began. The student was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening. Police say two

WINFIELD, Kan. (AP) — Authorities in southeastern Kansas say two people were killed when the car they were in slammed into a farm combine harvester on a road and erupted in flames. The Cowley County Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened Sunday on a county road just north of Winfield when the southbound car hit