WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita maintenance technician has been sent to federal prison for stealing equipment from two Wichita companies where he worked.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Kansas says 45-year-old Mark A. Lankford was sentenced Monday to 16 months. He pleaded guilty in December to two counts of wire fraud after stealing equipment from Spirit Aerosystems and Fiber Glass Systems. Prosecutors say he made more than $150,000 selling the stolen equipment.

Lankford worked for Spirit Aerosystems in Wichita from October 2010 to September 2011. Prosecutors say he stole computer parts and other items from Spirit worth about $466,000. He’s also stole about $41,000 worth of equipment from Fiber Glass Systems between March 2008 and October 2010.

U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten plans to hold a separate hearing over restitution.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators don’t appear enthusiastic this year about altering the course they’ve set in previous years for improving the long-term financial health of the state pension system.

The House Pensions and Benefits Committee rejected a bill Monday to create a 401(k)-style plan for teachers and public employees hired after 2015. The action came on a voice vote.

The committee rejected another bill to increase benefits for teachers and government workers who retired on or before July 1, 2009. It also failed on a voice vote.

Cost was an issue for both measures. The state pension system projects a $10.3 billion gap between anticipated revenues and its commitments to retirees through June 2033.

In 2011 and 2012, the state enacted laws that are expected to close the gap.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A House budget committee has accepted a subcommittee’s recommendation to increasing spending for Kansas public higher education by about $44 million over the next two years.

The report largely follows requests by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback for spending at the Kansas Board of Regents, six state universities and state community and technical colleges.

The committee voted to accept the proposal Monday and could send it to the full House in the coming weeks.

Legislators would restore some funding for salaries that were cut in the 2013 session.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Marc Rhoades, a Newton Republican, says the cuts were made in an effort to create more accountability over university spending. He questioned if university leaders had justified the need for more funding, especially in light of ongoing tuition increases.

CHICAGO (AP) — An attorney for Harold Ramis says the actor has died.

Fred Toczek tells the Associated Press that Ramis died early Monday morning from complications of autoimmune inflammatory disease. He was 69.

Ramis is best known for his roles in the comedies “Ghostbusters” and “Stripes.”

Ramis co-wrote “Ghostbusters,” in which he appeared with fellow Second City alums Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray.

He also co-wrote “National Lampoon’s Animal House” and “Meatballs” and directed such films as “Caddyshack” and “Groundhog Day.”

CINCINNATI (AP) — A Cincinnati traffic reporter has gained national attention for his dramatic on-air parody of a Disney movie song.

WKRC’s Bob Herzog changed “Let it Go,” sung by Princess Elsa in the animated movie “Frozen,” to “Just Don’t Go” to reference the winter weather.

As images of cars skidding on ice and traffic conditions play, Herzog dramatically sings lines like: “I must share what dispatchers say, all the traction’s gone. School’s closed or at least they’re on a delay.”

A YouTube video of Friday’s performance has a half-million views, and media outlets nationwide have written about it.

The parody is part of Herzog’s “Dance Party Fridays.”

He’s changed Elton John’s “Rocket Man” to “Traffic Man,” Tom Petty’s “Free Falling” to “Tree Falling” and Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana” to “Drive Indiana.”