Kansas Paternity DNA Testing

TOPEKA — As legislative redistricting careens toward a conclusion in the courts, the House today passed a congressional district map criticized for dividing the Democratic stronghold of Lawrence.Under the new map, dubbed Kansas Six, east Lawrence would be part of a west Kansas district and west Lawrence would be part of an east Kansas district.An earlier map, which was rejected in the state Senate, had split Topeka in much the same fashion, with the east side of the city going to the western district and west Topeka in the eastern district.Read more

Wichita’s transit advisory board voted Friday to put a quarter-cent sales tax on the ballot to prop up the city’s financially ailing bus system.The next move belongs to the Wichita City Council, which can decide to put the issue on the November ballot, put the vote off until spring or turn down the advisory board’s request.Board chairman Ron Terzian did not get the unanimous approval he wanted for the request, as board members faced off over the form and timeline the public campaign in favor of the sales tax should take.Read more

The Big 12 and Southeastern conferences have announced a five-year agreement for their football champions to meet in a postseason bowl game following the 2014 season.The champions of the two conferences will play in the matchup unless one or both are selected to take part in the NCAA's new four-team model to determine the national championship. Should that occur, another "deserving" team from the conference (or both conferences) would be selected for the game.“A new January bowl tradition is born,” SEC commissioner Mike Slive said in a statement. “This new game will provide a great matchup between the two most successful conferences in the BCS era and will complement the exciting postseason atmosphere created by the new four-team model. Most importantly, it will provide our student-athletes, coaches and fans with an outstanding bowl experience.”Read more

A Hutchinson man was killed in a one-vehicle crash Thursday night when his vehicle lost control and struck a tree according to the Hutchinson Police Department. At 10:57 p.m. George Albert Weber, 31, was driving a 1994 Jeep Cherokee and lost control and struck a tree in the 1700 block of East Fourth Avenue. Witnesses said the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the crash. Weber was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, according to Sgt. Brian Hirt with the police department’s traffic bureau. Weber was not wearing his seatbelt and alcohol was believed to have been a factor, Hirt said.Read more

Kansas Senate Majority Leader Jay Emler remains hospitalized because of high blood pressure.Emler's office confirmed Friday that he would not return to the Statehouse for the day's business. It said he remains at an area hospital, but declined to identify which one, citing his need for privacy and rest.The Lindsborg Republican has been absent from the Statehouse since Wednesday afternoon.Read more