(AP) — Ford is recalling the Escape small SUV to fix oil and fuel leaks that can cause fires.

The hot-selling SUV has been recalled seven times since it was redesigned and went on sale in the spring of 2012.

The first of two recalls announced Tuesday affects more than 161,000 Escapes worldwide from the 2013 model year with 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines.

Ford says the cylinder heads can overheat and crack, causing oil leaks.

Of those SUVs, fuel lines on about 12,000 may have been installed wrong. They could become chafed and leak gas. Many were repaired under a previous recall.

Ford says the oil leaks caused 13 fires but no injuries.

Dealers will fix cooling and control systems or inspect and replace fuel lines for free. The recalls start in January.

(AP) — President Barack Obama’s health care law is headed for a new Supreme Court showdown over companies’ religious objections to the law’s birth-control mandate.

Amid the troubled rollout of the health law, and 17 months after the justices upheld it, the Obama administration is defending a provision that requires most employers that offer health insurance to their workers to provide a range of preventive health benefits, including contraception.

Roughly 40 for-profit companies have sued, arguing they should not be forced to cover some or all forms of birth control because doing so would violate their religious beliefs.

Both sides want the justices to settle an issue that has divided lower courts. The high court could announce its decision whether to consider the topic as early as Tuesday, following its closed-door meeting.

(AP) — A language arts teacher at Leavenworth High School is the 2014 Kansas Teacher of the Year.

Jeff Baxter won the honor during ceremonies Saturday night in Wichita.

As Teacher of the Year, Baxter receives a $4,000 cash award from Security Benefit Life, a major sponsor of the Kansas Teacher of the Year program. He’ll also receive an educational technology package valued at $7,250 from SMART Technologies ULC of Canada.

The other seven finalists were Jenny Nash of the Paola school district, Katie Perez of the Hutchinson district, Mary Lonker of the Wamego district, Brandi Leggett of the De Soto district, Jennifer Smith of the Blue Valley district, Marney Hay of the Maize district and Jennifer Bailey of the Valley Center district.

The finalists each get a $2,000 cash award.

(AP) — A teenager and his biological mother have been charged in the shootings of the teen’s adoptive parents at the couple’s home near Wichita.

Eighteen-year-old Anthony Bluml was charged Monday with first-degree murder in the death of 53-year-old Melissa Bluml in Valley Center. He’s also charged with attempted first-degree murder in the Nov. 15 shooting of Roger Bluml, who suffered a critical head wound.

The teen is also charged with aggravated robbery, burglary and theft of items authorities say were taken from the home.

Bluml’s 35-year-old biological mother, San Diego resident Kisha Schaberg, faces the same charges, as do two 18-year-old men from Park City, Kan.

All four had first appearances via video hookups Monday in Sedgwick County District Court.

Defense attorneys had no comment or had not yet been assigned.

(AP) — Health officials in Sedgwick County are reporting an unusually high number of cases of whooping cough.

The county health department said Monday it has received 27 reported cases of the illness so far this month. That’s more than in any month in the past five years.

Whooping cough — also known as pertussis — is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It’s highly contagious and causes violent, rapid coughing.

Health officials say babies are especially at risk because they’re too young to be vaccinated. The department is urging families to be careful about passing babies around during holiday gatherings.

Officials say good hand-washing habits can reduce the chances of transmitting whooping cough.

(AP) —A new study says the United States is spewing 50 percent more methane than the federal government estimates. Much of it is coming from just three states: Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Scientists say that means methane may be a bigger global warming issue than they thought. Methane is 21 times more potent at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the most abundant global warming gas, although it doesn’t stay in the air as long.

Much of that extra methane seems to be coming from the belches, flatulence and manure of livestock, and leaks from refining and drilling for oil and gas. The study is published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

The study figures that in 2008 the U.S. gave off 49 million tons of methane.

Damage is estimated at $2,500 for two gunshot holes found in a stained glass window at a rural Saline County Church.

The damage was apparently done between November 20th and November 22nd at the Salemsborg Church, at 3831 Salemsborg Road.

Sheriff Glen Kochanowski said one slug was found on the floor next to a pew in the balcony of the church.

The holes in the window were located about 24 feet off of the ground. The caliber of gun used has not yet been determined.

(AP) — The Kansas Turnpike Authority has identified the pedestrian who was killed when he was struck by a tractor-trailer along the highway.

The KTA says 21-year-old Adrian Trotter was struck by the semi along Interstate-335 outside Topeka on Friday night.

The KTA says the vehicle Trotter had been driving had earlier hit the median wall about 10 miles south of the South Topeka toll plaza. Trotter and his passenger got out of the vehicle and ran.

Multiple vehicles struck Trotter’s unoccupied car, and Trotter stepped out into northbound traffic where he was struck and killed by the semi.

Police are investigating  a shooting incident  that reportedly occurred in Reno County on Monday.

According to police, two 17-year-old’s from Wichita were on their way to Hutchinson. One had a gun in a waist band. He was driving the vehicle and the gun went off striking him in the leg.

The passenger then started driving and took his friend to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment.

That’s where police got involved. The teens reportedly did not tell authorities the entire story.

According to Hutchinson Police Captain Troy Hoover, the accidental shooting occurring on Mayfield Road, east of Hutchinson. The suspects also may have thrown some evidence out of their car along Airport Road north of 11th.

Police  have been searching that area for evidence.

The 17-year-old wounded in the leg did have surgery according to Hoover,

Both will have some explaining to do when they talk with police about  giving false information. That includes statements that caused police to put out information that other officers should be on the lookout for another vehicle.

The names of the teens has not been released.