An agent for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation has described for jurors the condition of the badly burned body of a 14-year-old cheerleader found at an asphalt plant.

KBI agent Cory Latham explained Friday some of the crime scene photos shown at the trial of Adam Longoria. The agent said that a body curls up when it is burned. He said charred pieces of what appeared to be duct tape was found across her mouth and nose. The body appeared to have been fully clothed when it was burned.

KWCH-TV reports that an employee of the asphalt plant testified Friday that he found what initially appeared to be a mannequin with flies buzzing around it. He described it as very surreal, saying the body had no humanlike features.

Kansas legislative negotiators have agreed on a $14.1 billion state budget after settling disagreements between the House and Senate on dozens of issues.

Three senators and three House members wrapped up their talks Thursday evening. Both chambers expect to vote Friday on the compromise spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

However, negotiators left some decisions for a budget cleanup bill they’ll consider later, such as longevity bonuses for state employees. Lawmakers adjourn Friday for their annual spring break and return April 25 to wrap up the year’s business.

The compromise budget includes nearly $13 million in spending on programs for children and the disabled included by the Senate but not the House.

But the budget is likely to cut overall spending about 4 percent.

Kansas unemployment levels remained flat in February, with the jobless rate holding steady at 6.1 percent.

An economist with the state Department of Labor said Friday the seasonally adjusted rate and overall employment report did not indicate significant change from January. The jobless rate was 6.9 percent in February 2011.

The agency said eight of 11 industry sectors reported gains in the past 12 months, with the professional and business services industries adding 11,900 jobs, an 8.2 percent increase. Overall, the economy has added 21,300 private sector jobs.

Labor Secretary Karin Brownlee said the February numbers alone suggest a “lukewarm” labor market. But she says the growth over the past year has been healthy.

Initial unemployment claims were down in February, as were continuing benefit claims.

A 94-year-old Salina flower shop worker is being honored as the oldest still-working Kansan.

The Salina Journal reported that George Aden is sure there’s a worker who is older than him. But not according to the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Older Kansans Employment Program. They’ve checked the ledgers, and say he’s it.

Besides working two days a week at Designs by Cunningham, the retired bookkeeper volunteers at his church and spends time with friends at the Salina Senior Center.

Aden says he loves his job and calls the flower shop “a relaxing place.”

When he decided at the age of 85 that he was done delivering flowers, his employers switched him to processing flowers. Four years ago he cut back to handling just the roses.

A 64-year-old Wichita man has survived being struck by lightning.

The Wichita Eagle reported that the man was taken to an area hospital for what are described as non-life-threatening injuries.

Dispatchers received the call about the lighting strike at 9:26 p.m. Thursday.

The National Weather Service says the odds of being struck by lightning in a person’s lifetime are one in 10,000. Over the last 30 years, the U.S. has averaged 55 reported lightning fatalities per year.

The National Weather Service said that only about 10 percent of people who are struck by lightning are killed.

By Fred Gough ~ Hutch Post

Hutchinson Police are investigating a suspicious death after a man was found at a home at 507 East 3rd in Hutchinson.

Police Sgt., Thad Pickard says they are not ruling it a homicide, at least not yet. Details are sketchy and police are still waiting to have the body moved to the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center for an autopsy.

Police Sgt Tyson Meyers tells us a neighbor smelled a strong odor and couldn’t make contact with the individual. That person then called the landlord, but couldn’t get a hold of them, so they called police.

It’s clear that the victim had been there for sometime as the smell outside the home was extremely strong.

Police are investigating the case as suspicious, but say there are no initial signs of foul play. They say they won’t know the cause of death, until the autopsy is complete.

No name has been released with the investigation ongoing late Thursday afternoon.