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HUMAN TRAFFICKING
TOPEKA — Gov. Sam Brownback signed a new law Monday designed to strengthen efforts in Kansas to combat human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of young women. The governor was joined by Attorney General Derek Schmidt and other victim advocates during the event, saying the new provisions will provide increased criminal penalties and services for victims of sexual exploitation. The law takes effect July 1. By John Milburn.
STEM CELL CENTER
TOPEKA — Gov. Sam Brownback signed legislation Monday aimed at making Kansas the national leader in treatments using adult stem cells and umbilical cord blood by requiring the state's medical school to establish a new research center. The new Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center to be set up at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City is the brainchild of anti-abortion legislators and has the strong backing of other abortion opponents. The new law, taking effect in July, will prohibit the center from using its funds or facilities for research with embryonic stem cells or cells from fetal tissue. By Political Writer John Hanna.
US-ODD-TIGER ESCAPE
SALINA — A central Kansas woman likely won't remember her first circus for the clowns or performances — it'll be the tiger in the bathroom. The big cat had escaped briefly after its turn in the ring Saturday at the Isis Shrine Circus in Salina. Staff members blocked off the concourses at the Bicentennial Center as the tiger wandered into the bathroom, where one of the doors was blockaded.
LAWSUIT-SCHOOL BOARD
BURLINGTON — A woman who sued a Coffey County school board for $7.4 million after her contract was not renewed will take a seat on the board just days after the scheduled start of the trial. Monique Hart, who previously worked for Burlington Unified School District 244, sued superintendent Cliff Williams and the school board last May, claiming Williams gave the board false information about her before her contract was not renewed, and that the district published confidential information on her employment.
ALSO:
— BOOKS-CRASH SURVIVOR — The sole survivor of a plane crash last year in Kansas is working on a memoir. AP Photo NYET606.
— TOPEKA HOMICIDE — One of nine defendants in the shooting death of a Topeka woman during a botched robbery has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison.
— DROWNING ATTEMPT — A Kansas City, Kan., man accused of attempting to drown two children has pleaded guilty to reduced charges.
— WINFIELD-PLAYGROUND FIRE — Residents and city officials in Winfield say their town's children will have another playground.
— CHILDREN-PROTECTIVE CUSTODY — Wichita police say two boys are in protective custody and their mother is jailed on suspicion of child endangerment.
— KANSAS-ENERGY GRANT — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says a southeast Kansas electrical cooperative is getting about $15 million to make system improvements.
— STATEHOUSE RENOVATION — Gov. Sam Brownback says he's hoping Kansas will have a charity ball at the Statehouse when the building's $332 million renovation is complete.
SPORTS:
CAR--NASCAR-RESILIENT BRAD
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Brad Keselowski wasn't daunted by going a lap down Sunday at Kansas Speedway, or by having the rear end of his car ripped off after an early-lap incident. He wasn't daunted by looming NASCAR sanctions, either, which could leave his team without some of its most important pieces for nearly two months. By Sports Writer Dave Skretta.
AP Photo KSOW106.
The AP-Kansas City
