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KANSAS-TAXES

Kan. tax negotiators agree on 6% sales tax

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Kansas legislative negotiators have agreed on a proposal for cutting income taxes further and setting the state sales tax at 6%.

The deal emerged Friday from talks among three senators and three House members to reconcile differences between the two chambers.

House Republicans drafted the plan, and GOP senators accepted it to see whether other lawmakers would support it. The House would vote on it first, possibly Tuesday.

Republican Governor Sam Brownback wants to follow up on massive income tax cuts enacted last year without creating budget shortfalls. He proposed canceling a sales tax decrease scheduled by law for July.

The 6.3% tax is set to drop to 5.7%. GOP senators wanted to keep the tax at its current rate, but House Republicans resisted.

TAXES-GOVERNOR

Kan. gov.: Right tax policy worth lawmakers' OT

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Governor Sam Brownback says Kansas residents want their legislators to get tax policy right and are willing to accept the annual session going longer than anticipated.

The Republican governor said in a statement Friday that it's challenging for lawmakers to enact policies for improving the economy while balancing the state budget.

Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature are deadlocked on proposals to cut personal income taxes while raising new sales tax revenues to keep the budget in balance.

Both chambers have adjourned until Tuesday, guaranteeing that the legislative session will go into its 95th day.

Brownback said of Kansans, "They're interested in solutions, even if it takes some overtime."

His statement came two days after he admonished lawmakers that it was time for them to wrap up their session.

NURSE-ROYALS GAME

Nurse helps to save 14 year old girl in KC

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) -A pediatric nurse says she was in the right place at the right time to revive a 14-year-old girl who collapsed while dancing in the upper deck during a Kansas City Royals game.

Sam Sapenaro was working her second job as a member of Kaufman Stadium's K-Crew on Thursday night when someone yelled that a girl had collapsed. Sapenaro said she rushed over and began performing CPR after she couldn't detect a pulse. The girl was resuscitated, but stadium medical personnel had to resuscitate her a second time before she was taken to a hospital.

A spokeswoman for Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri said she could not provide a name or condition for the girl, citing privacy laws.

The 26-year-old Sapenaro said she was glad she could help.

WICHITA-STORM DAMAGE

Storm caused $2M in damage to Wichita schools

(Information in the following story is from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, http://www.kansas.com)

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - School district officials in Wichita say a violent storm that swept through the city last weekend caused extensive damage to several schools.

The Wichita Eagle reports district officials estimate the total damage at $2 million. Insurance is expected to cover most of the repairs, leaving the district paying only about $250,000.

The storm on Sunday brought hail and high winds.

District facilities director Julie Hedrick says several schools in northeast Wichita sustained damage to windows, siding, roofs or interior spaces. Roof damage at one school caused water to leak into the gymnasium, damaging the floor.

LAWMAN-DEADLY FIRE

Police: Kan. murder suspect said he 'bullied' wife

(Information in the following story is from: The Hutchinson (Kan.) News, http://www.hutchnews.com)

KINGMAN, Kan. (AP) - A police chief says a former Kansas police instructor admitted that he "bullied" his wife the night before she was found shot to death in the couple's fire-damaged home.

Kingman Chief Marc Holloway testified Friday in Brett Seacat's first-degree murder trial. Prosecutors allege Seacat killed his 34-year-old wife, Vashti, in April 2011 because she was divorcing him and set a fire to cover up the crime.

Seacat says his wife set the fire and killed herself. He escaped from the fire with the couple's two young children.

Holloway testified that Seacat convinced his wife to let him stay in their home for several months, despite their marital problems, by threatening to take their children to Mexico. Seacat told Holloway his wife "wasn't a fighter."

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