Alva Review-Courier -

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has rejected a proposal from its top Republican leader to cut state spending by $105 million to help the state avoid a budget deficit on June 30. The vote Thursday was 33-7 against the proposal from President S...

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Three Kansas men accused of plotting to attack Somali immigrants in the state are facing a second federal conspiracy count. A revised indictment returned Thursday in Wichita against Patrick Stein, Gavin Wright and Curtis Allen o...

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Mexican national charged with killing a Kansas mother and kidnapping the victim's newborn daughter was ordered Thursday to stand trial. A Sedgwick County judge heard two hours of testimony before ordering Yesenia Sesmas, 34, t...

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials are hoping to find a permanent adoptive home for five foster care siblings after their being profiled by a newspaper drew an overwhelming response, forcing a Kansas adoption agency to pull the kids from their w...

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' highest court appeared receptive Thursday to declaring for the first time that the state constitution recognizes abortion rights, with a majority of the justices skeptical of the state's argument against the idea as it def...

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers used resolutions to honor the victims of an Olathe bar shooting being investigated as a hate crime, and Gov. Sam Brownback's proclaimed Thursday as Indian American Appreciation Day in Kansas. Brownback r...

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A 41-year-old Kansas City man has pleaded guilty to making a threatening phone call to an Overland Park synagogue. Brian Wachter pleaded guilty Thursday to making a criminal threat, which is a felony. He admitted in his plea t...

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Ranchers in northern Colorado have been helping out counterparts in southern Kansas who were affected by wildfires. The Steamboat Pilot & Today reports (http://bit.ly/2n2TVpV ) that a group of Routt County ranchers d...

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed part of a Title IX lawsuit filed against Kansas State by two women who allege they were raped at off-campus fraternity houses. The Manhattan Mercury reports (http://bit.ly/2nqOL7X ) the court d...

PARIS (AP) — A 16-year-old student who had troubled relations with his peers opened fire at a high school in southern France on Thursday, wounding three other students and the principal who tried to intervene, officials said. Police moved into the A...

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba has offered Colombia 1,000 medical school scholarships to support a peace accord in which the South American country's largest rebel army will relinquish its weapons, officials announced on Thursday. The scholarships will be d...

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have advanced a bill that would lift Nebraska's ban on public school teachers wearing religious garb such as habits, hijabs and yarmulkes in the classroom. Senators voted 41-1 Thursday to send the bill to a f...

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somali pirates who seized a Comoros-flagged oil tanker earlier this week after five years without a major hijacking in the region have released the ship and its crew without conditions, officials said late Thursday. S...

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota officials appear poised to go after the U.S. government — and thus U.S. taxpayers — to recoup more than $38 million in state expenses related to months of protests against the Dakota Access pipeline, though a longs...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Public Service Commission has decided customers who now get credit on their utility bills for electricity they generate at their homes and businesses will be able to continue at current rates for 20 years. The A...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers have given final approval to a bill increasing a fine for illegally using herbicides that damage other farmers' crops. The legislation passed the House on Thursday by a 139-18 vote after passing the S...

AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — Texas ranchers are facing at least $21 million in agricultural damages from wildfires that blackened more than 750 square miles in the Texas Panhandle last week. Damages last week included $6.1 million in lost pastureland; $6.1...

MONTGOMERY, Texas (AP) — In the heart of this small town, on a patch of grass near historic homes and antique shops, is an old shipping container. It's like ones used in the Port of Houston, hardly a sight to behold. At least not yet. Within w...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Short of votes for their health care bill, Republican congressional leaders turned to President Donald Trump on Thursday to wrangle support for the divisive legislation they hope to push through Congress before Easter. But Trump s...

WASHINGTON (AP) — What goes on the chopping block: Research into cancer or Alzheimer's? A Zika vaccine or a treatment for superbugs? Health groups say President Donald Trump's proposal to slash funds for the nation's engine of biomedical research w...

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's Health Ministry says 424 people have been infected with yellow fever in the largest outbreak the country has seen in years. Of those, 137 have died. An update published Thursday said that more than 900 other cases are u...

NEW YORK (AP) — Elderly people are suffering concussions and other brain injuries from falls at what appear to be unprecedented rates, according to a new report from U.S. government researchers. The reason for the increase isn't clear, the report's a...

BOSTON (AP) — Was it murder or a tragic public health outbreak? Prosecutors and defense attorneys in the trial of a former executive charged in a 2012 U.S. meningitis outbreak offered jurors opposing theories Thursday about a public health crisis t...

NEW YORK (AP) — Google is trying to improve the quality of its search results by directing review teams to flag content that might come across as upsetting or offensive. With the change, content with racial slurs could now get flagged under a new c...

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan said Thursday it has asked Facebook and Twitter to help it identify Pakistanis suspected of blasphemy so that it can prosecute them or pursue their extradition. Under Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws, anyone found to have i...