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Kansas.com: State
News, sports, and entertainment from Kansas.com

• EPA: Kansas must cut greenhouse gases
  TOPEKA — Federal officials told Kansas legislators Thursday that the state will be expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions as it considers air quality permits for power plants, large factories and oil refineries. If it refuses, the Environmental Protection Agency could step in.Regional EPA Administrator Karl Brooks said the state must revise its permitting program to cover manmade greenhouse gas emissions, which are blamed for global climate change. And Mark Smith, the regional office's air permitting and compliance chief, said the EPA could impose changes if the state doesn't comply.They made the statements during a meeting of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Energy and Environmental Policy. While Brooks defended the new rules, taking effect Jan. 2, as "commonsense" standards for limiting greenhouse gas emissions, lawmakers vented their frustration about their inability to prevent the upcoming changes.Read more
• Boy safe; police search for truck thief
  The 2-year-old Garden City boy who was the subject of an Amber Alert early Thursday morning was found alive and safe not far from where he was abducted, police said. Issiah Martinez was found in his mother's Dodge Durango by a relative at about 9:15 a.m. Thursday, Garden City police Sgt. Mike Reagle said. The truck had been abandoned in an alley about 10 blocks from where Issiah was taken.The Durango was parked in a nearby alley, he said. Read more
• Vote for your top famous Kansans
  The 24 finalists for the 8 Wonders of Kansas People contest were announced Thursday, the latest in a series of contests aimed at promoting Kansas pride. The series began in the spring of 2007 by asking people to list what they treasured most about their home state. Since then, the 8 Wonders contests have asked Kansans to name their favorite Kansas art, architecture, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history, and now people.The series ends just as Kansas gears up for the 150th anniversary of its statehood in January.Read more
• Volunteers don't sit down on job
  Joseph Boggess, 8, has been a volunteer for quite a while.At home, he volunteers to wash the dishes and take out the trash.But Thursday evening Joseph saw an expanded version of volunteering.Read more
• Kansas Libertarians hope to reach 'major party' status in November
  Gubernatorial candidates Sam Brownback and Tom Holland will debate Saturday at the Kansas State Fair, but Libertarian candidate Andrew Gray will be stuck eyeing the corn dogs like everybody else.It's a familiar role for third-party candidates in Kansas, who often find themselves passing out fliers while the big-party candidates enjoy the spotlight. But Gray has a plan to ensure this is the last time he's left outside looking in.Thanks to record disgust with the two major parties and the likelihood of a lop-sided governor's race, Gray thinks he can win 5 percent of the vote — enough to secure the Libertarians "major party" status in Kansas.Read more
• LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL DROPS BAN ON DISABLED STUDENTS ON HOMECOMING COURT
  LAWRENCE — The Homecoming Court at Free State High School will be larger than ever this year, after the school dropped a policy that banned students with disabilities from being nominated for the court.The current administration of the high school in Lawrence was unaware of the policy until students mounted a petition drive last week to have it changed.Seniors last week elected eight boys and eight girls for the court. That's when friends of Owen Phariss, a senior with Down syndrome, learned that he had been denied a spot on the ballot.Read more
• American Legion in Garden City to close
  GARDEN CITY — A club in an American Legion post that has provided refuge to veterans since the 1930s will close because of a lack of money, and officials say a smoking ban and new state casino are partially to blame.The club in the basement of the Harry H. Renick American Legion Post No. 9 in Garden City will close Saturday because it isn't making enough money to cover costs, said Donald Nevin, the Legion's commander.The crowd began dwindling when the city imposed a smoking ban in 2007 that included private clubs such as the American Legion, Nevin said. Some of the club's Saturday night bingo players — who heavily subsidized the operation — have begun traveling to play at the Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City, where they can smoke while they gamble, Nevin said.Read more
• Johnson County city issues 'driveway tax'
  After a week or so of fine-tuning, the city of Mission on Wednesday released the final transportation fees that will be levied against commercial properties to help finance a 10-year, $38 million road plan. City officials have been meeting with property owners during the past week to get a better fix on how the so-called "driveway tax" would be applied to 3,278 properties. The fees were submitted to Johnson County so they could be attached to the property tax bills that will go out at the end of the year.Read more
• Decision clears Hartman to enter race as Libertarian
  TOPEKA — The Secretary of State's Office denied an objection to a Libertarian's withdrawal from the 4th Congressional District race Wednesday, clearing the way for businessman Wink Hartman to run instead.The office determined there was no basis in state law for one person to object to a candidate's declaration of incapability, said Tyler Longpine, spokesman for Secretary of State Chris Biggs.David Moffett, who had been the party's pick, filed a statement with the Secretary of State's Office on Sept. 2, declaring he was "incapable of fulfilling the duties of the office if elected."Read more
• Garden City reopens debate on smoking ban
  Garden City commissioners have reopened a debate on a citywide ordinance that went into effect in 2007 banning smoking in all public places. A commission vote to amend a uniform public offense code, including local smoking ban policies, ended in a 2-2 stalemate during Tuesday's commission meeting following a disagreement about whether smoking should or should not be allowed in private clubs and fraternal organizations. The city votes annually to make changes, if necessary, to a uniform public offense code instituted by the League of Kansas Municipalities based on the enactment of new state laws, according to City Attorney Randy Grisell. Read more