AP Top Kansas News at 5:45 a.m. CDT

Friday, November 13, 2009

Kansas State going for Big 12 North

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) -- Two things that weren't supposed to happen in the Big 12 North:

1. Missouri losing at home to Baylor.

2. Kansas State celebrating Bill Snyder's return by capturing the Big 12 North championship.

The first has happened. The second, even more improbably, might be about to.

Battered Missouri (5-4, 1-4 Big 12) could have something to say about that, however. A week after the long-woeful Bears handed the Tigers a 40-32 defeat in Columbia, virtually stripping them of any chance of a third straight North title, they will try to become the first visitor to win in Manhattan this season.

If Kansas State (6-4, 4-2) closes out its first unbeaten home campaign in a decade, the Wildcats will be 5-2 in the division with one game to go. Nebraska (3-2) would be their nearest pursuer with three games left and the two square off next week.

------ Nebraska not going to ease up on Reesing

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- The curious case of Todd Reesing has taken an unexpected turn, one Kansas coaches, players, even Reesing himself can't figure out.

Undersized quarterback bucks the odds, becomes a record-breaker at a BCS school, guides it an Orange Bowl victory, generates Heisman Trophy buzz -- the story had a perfect arc headed into Reesing's senior season.

After piling up more yards, records and wins in the early going, Reesing's last few games and a march toward glory went up in a puff of losses and interceptions.

Now, there's little hope of a division title, tenuous position for a bowl game and the longest losing streak of Reesing's Kansas career. This isn't how he, or anyone else, expected it to end.

"I don't have any answers," Reesing said after Saturday's 17-10 loss to Kansas State.

But with Reesing's struggle comes an opportunity.

------ Teacher shortage gives way to teacher glut

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- When Lilli Lackey started college, talk of a growing teacher shortage gave her confidence that a job would be waiting for her when she got out.

Now, six months after graduating, she considers herself lucky just to find work as a substitute.

Across the country, droves of people like Lackey are unable to find teaching jobs, in large part because the economy is forcing school systems to slash positions. The teacher shortage that many feared just a few years ago has turned into a teacher glut.

"I always thought that if I didn't find a job, I would be able to sub. And then once that started to be more difficult, it was really kind of devastating," Lackey, an art teacher, said during a career fair for educators at the University of Kansas.

Since last fall, school systems, state education agencies, technical schools and colleges have shed about 125,000 jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

At the same time, many teachers who had planned to retire or switch jobs are staying on because of the recession, and many people who have been laid off in other fields are trying to carve out second careers as teachers or applying to work as substitutes to make ends meet.

------ Lawyers want new location for Kan. abortion trial

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- Lawyers for a man who has publicly admitted killing a Kansas abortion provider have asked a judge to move his trial out of Wichita, arguing potential jurors have been subject to such vast pretrial publicity that it becomes "legal fiction" to assume jurors will presume him innocent.

Defense attorneys for Scott Roeder also said in their motion, made public Thursday, that for tactical reasons the prosecution is not seeking the admission of his "confession" at trial.

Roeder is scheduled to go on trial Jan. 11 in Sedgwick County District Court. The 51-year-old Kansas City, Mo., man is charged with first-degree murder in the May 31 shooting death of Dr. George Tiller. He also is charged with two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly threatening two ushers who tried to stop him during the melee in the foyer of the doctor's Wichita church.

"The death of George Tiller represented the confluence of controversial issues deeply ingrained into the mindset of multiple generations of Wichita residents," defense attorneys wrote, noting the "point-blank shooting of the world's most famous abortionist, accomplished in a House of Worship, set against the background of the heated, bitter debate which surrounds the act of human abortion."

His lawyers cited as an example the Wichita Eagle, which ran daily stories relating to the death of Tiller and the defendant for 11 days following the shooting. They noted Sedgwick County District Attorney Nola Foulston was widely quoted claiming the defendant was engaged in acts of American "terrorism."

Roeder said in a call from jail Thursday that his attorneys have also tried to get Foulston removed from the case, but the judge refused. There is no indication of such a move in the court record, but some motions have been filed under seal or argued during closed hearings.

------ Winner(s) of $96.6M to be revealed Friday the 13th

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- On a day usually reserved for bad luck and black cats, Kansas Lottery officials are going to introduce the lucky winner of a $96 million Powerball jackpot.

The ticket was sold in the lottery's south-central Kansas region which covers 15 counties, including the city of Wichita, lottery spokeswoman Sally Lunsford said Thursday. She declined to give any more details about the winner, or winners, until the news conference set for the afternoon of Friday the 13th

The winning numbers from Wednesday's drawing are 8-12-14-22-29, with the Powerball of 22.

"I would just tell the winner to be ready for a life-changing experience," Lunsford said.

Lottery officials also advised the winner to sign the back of the ticket and keep it in a secure location until presenting it to claim the jackpot. Lunsford also said consulting a financial or legal adviser might be a good idea. Winners have 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim the prize.

The previous largest jackpot was won in 2000 when a group of airline pilots had one of three tickets that matched a $150 million jackpot. There have been 10 Powerball jackpot winners in all from Kansas. The most recent winner was a Topeka resident in 2006 who won a $15 million prize.

------ Kan. lawmakers see push for government furloughs

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- The chairmen of the Kansas Legislature's budget committee believe furloughs of government employees are growing more likely because of the state's persistent budget problems.

Aides to Gov. Mark Parkinson declined Thursday to discuss what steps he is considering to keep the current state budget balanced, although they did not rule out unpaid leave for state workers. The Democratic governor expects announce his decisions by the end of November.

Budget Director Duane Goossen said Parkinson anticipates making nearly $260 million in cuts or other adjustments to prevent a deficit for the year ending June 30. The governor has promised the budget will be back in balance when the Republican-controlled Legislature reconvenes in January.

"I'm not going to comment on what's in the mix," Goossen said. "We're looking at a whole range of options."

Some GOP legislators, including House Appropriations Committee Chairman Kevin Yoder, suggest furloughs could prevent other cuts that would force layoffs. Other Republicans have resisted the idea, but Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jay Emler said fresh cuts could force the issue.

"It's a strong possibility at this point," said Emler, a Lindsborg Republican. "If there isn't any money, there isn't any money."

------ Sprint approves shareholder-called meetings

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) -- Sprint Nextel officials will now allow large shareholders to call special meetings of investors.

The wireless company, based in Overland Park, Kan., says its board of directors adopted the change to its bylaws. The proposal was requested during Sprint's annual shareholder meeting in May. The change was supported by 77 percent of shares voted.

Under the new rule, shareholders holding at least 10 percent of shares can request the special meetings under certain circumstances. The request also must meet certain requirements, such as the timing of similar issues or meetings already scheduled.

------ Topeka-area woman, 48, dies from swine flu

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Kansas officials say a 48-year-old woman from the Topeka area has died of swine flu, bringing to 18 the state's total deaths related to the illness.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported the death on Thursday and says the woman had no underlying health condition putting her at greater risk from the H1N1 virus.

No other information about the woman is being released. The agency says the death was reported to the state Saturday but her swine flu wasn't confirmed by lab tests until Tuesday.

Cases of swine flu have been confirmed in 89 of the state's 105 counties since late April.