TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The state of Kansas plans to change the way it notifies motorists that they need to renew vehicle tags.

Residents will receive postcards, rather than letters, from the Kansas Division of Vehicles. The move is designed to save the state money.

The Hutchinson News reports  the state estimates the change will save nearly $562,000 a year.

Reno County Treasurer Jan Hull says the state is giving counties the option to send the traditional letters. But Hull estimated that would cost her county $35,000 a year, so she will use the state’s postcards.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Federal officials say four American Indian tribes in northeast Kansas will split $1.7 million in funds for affordable housing.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Wednesday the money for Kansas tribes is part of a $651 million allocation of Indian Housing Block Grants to 636 Native American tribes in the U.S.

The Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas will receive $846,597, The Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska will get $426,141, Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation gets $249,430 and the Sac and Fox Nation will receive $212,772.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the department says the funds can be used for housing development, assistance to existing housing, housing management and crime prevention and safety.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office says a Wichita man has pleaded guilty to several charges in connection to the 2013 death of an Arkansas man.

Dallas Guy pleaded guilty Tuesday to involuntary manslaughter, robbery and attempted distribution of a controlled substance. He was one of four men charged in Paul Danny Khmabounheuang’s death during a robbery at a rental house.

The Wichita Eagle reports the victim was visiting a relative in Wichita when he was killed.

Two of the other men, Orville Smith and Dijon Thomas, have already pleaded guilty in the incident.

Corey Pollard was convicted of first-degree felony murder and aggravated robbery after a weeklong trial in December.

MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of products are being pulled from store shelves after traces of peanut were found in cumin spice — a life-threatening danger to people with peanut allergies.

The recall has been ongoing since December, as more retailers identify products that contain the cumin. The Food and Drug Administration is now warning all people with peanut allergies to avoid cumin and products that contain cumin.

While such large allergy-related recalls are rare, undeclared allergens like peanuts are the leading cause of food recalls in the United States.

According to the group Food Allergy Research and Education, or FARE, 15 million Americans have food allergies, including 1 in 13 children. Eight foods account for more than 90 percent of the allergies — peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators have been urged to reject Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s proposal to increase alcohol taxes by beer and liquor industry lobbyists and even one of his former budget directors.

The House Taxation Committee had a hearing Wednesday on Brownback’s proposal to raise the state’s tax on packaged liquor, wine and beer to 12 percent from 8 percent.

The proposal is included in a bill that also would boost tobacco taxes, raising the cigarette tax to $2.29 a pack from 79 cents.

Former Budget Director Steve Anderson says the state should look at cutting spending first. Liquor and beer industry lobbyists say the alcohol tax increase would hurt businesses and consumers.

House Speaker Ray Merrick said before the hearing that he opposes the tax increases.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas House Speaker Ray Merrick says he opposes Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s proposals to increase tobacco and alcohol taxes to help close a projected budget shortfall.

Merrick said Wednesday that he opposes all tax increases. The Stilwell Republican added that lawmakers should look to trim spending first before they consider higher taxes.

The speaker made his comments as the House Taxation Committee opened two days of hearings on a bill containing the governor’s proposals. They’re a key part of Brownback’s plan for eliminating a projected shortfall of nearly $600 million in the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

The bill would boost the cigarette tax to $2.29 a pack from 79 cents and raise the tax on alcoholic beverages to 12 percent from 8 percent.

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 20 years after his death, there is still plenty of news about Dr. Seuss.

Random House Children’s Books said Wednesday it will publish a recently discovered manuscript with illustrations called “What Pet Should I Get” on July 28. The publisher plans at least two more books, based on materials found in 2013 in the author’s home in La Jolla, California, by his widow and secretary.

The author whose real name was Theodor Geisel died in 1991.

Random House associate publishing director Cathy Goldsmith says “What Pet Should I Get?” was likely written between 1958 and 1962. The book features the same brother and sister seen in Dr. Seuss’ 1960 classic “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.”

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has filed a widely expected appeal of a ruling that found the state isn’t spending enough money on its public schools to provide a suitable education.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced Wednesday that the appeal had been filed after vowing last month to challenge the ruling.

The Shawnee County District Court panel declared in its December ruling that the current funding is “inadequate from any rational perspective of the evidence.” The panel said the evidence suggests base state aid should increase to at least $4,654 per student — which would amount to about $548 million a year. However, the panel also suggested the figure could be much higher.

Kansas is facing a shortfall of nearly $600M in the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.