WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The wife of a state representative from Wichita died after being struck and dragged by a vehicle in a supermarket parking lot.

Rachel Whitten, spokeswoman for House Speaker Ray Merrick, confirmed the victim of Thursday’s accident was 60-year-old Annette Hedke, wife of Republican Dennis Hedke, a three-term state representative from Wichita.

Police say she fell near her car in a Dillons parking lot as an SUV next to her pulled out and hit her. Hedke was dragged 15 feet and pinned beneath the SUV, whose driver did not see her because she had fallen.

Lt. James Espinoza says the driver and witnesses stopped and helped her. He says it was too soon to determine what caused Hedke to fall.

Whitten says Dennis Hedke has returned to Wichita.

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 61-year-old woman is dead after being struck by a vehicle in the parking lot of a Wichita supermarket.

The Wichita Eagle reports the woman was struck just after 8:15 a.m. Thursday and taken to a local hospital with numerous injuries.

Police say the woman fell near her car and an SUV next to her pulled out and hit her. A police spokesman says the woman was dragged 15 feet and pinned beneath the SUV, whose driver did not see the her because she had fallen.

TOPEKA -Kansas Game Wardens are seeking the public’s help.

An adult bald eagle was shot and killed below Marion Reservoir’s dam sometime Wednesday morning.

Anyone with information is asked to call Operation Game Thief at 877-426-3843.

Operation Game Thief provides a toll-free line available 24/7, 365 days of the year, for citizens to report wildlife-related violations.

All calls received through the OGT line are quickly relayed to the natural resource officer nearest the violation, and callers can remain anonymous.

NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is condemning those who seek to “hijack religion for their own murderous ends.”

Watch Thursday’s replay of the National Prayer Breakfast here

Obama spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast, an annual gathering of politicians, faith leaders and dignitaries in Washington. The president called on people of faith to push back on those who seek to distort religion.

Among those attending the breakfast is the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. Obama says the Dalai Lama serves as a “powerful example of what it means to practice compassion.”

The president’s meetings with the Dalai Lama have consistently been criticized by China. Beijing sees the Dalai Lama as an anti-Chinese separatist because of his quest for greater Tibetan autonomy.

Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON — A Kansas man involved in a fatal ATV accident that killed a North Dakota man is charged with two felonies.

Nathan Clark, 31, Anthony, was charged in Reno County District Court on Thursday with involuntary manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol and failing to stop at a fatality accident.

Officials say Clark’s alcohol level was at or above the legal limit of .08.

The Reno County Sheriff’s office reported an ATV driven by Allen Hammeren, 48, Williston, ND., was traveling on South Sylvia Road on October 18, 2014.

The ATV was hit from behind by an SUV driven by Nathan Clark.

Hammeren was pinned under the ATV and pronounced dead at the scene.

Clark left the scene but later contacted authorities about his involvement in the accident.

He is jailed on a bond of $51,500.

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism

PRATT–If you’re looking to make some memories this spring turkey season but are unsure where to go for a quality hunt, explore the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s Special Hunts Program. Special Hunts provide access to public and private lands that are not open to unrestricted public access. One hundred special hunts for spring turkey will be offered this year and applications are being accepted now through 9 a.m. on Feb. 23. To obtain detailed information on all available hunts, and to download an application, visit: ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Special-Hunts-Information.

Out of the 100 hunts available, 33 are open hunts (open to all), 39 are mentor hunts (both beginner and mentor may hunt), and 28 are youth hunts (youth hunt only). These hunts will occur on a variety of private lands, wildlife areas, city and county properties, and one national wildlife refuge. There is no fee to participate and application is open to residents and non-residents.

Successful applicants will be notified shortly after the random drawing has occurred. Hunters must still purchase all licenses and permits required by law.

For information on other spring turkey hunting opportunities, visit ksoutdoors.com and click “Hunting” and “Turkey Information.”

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has fully adopted the recommendations of a panel of petroleum engineering experts on what Omaha-based Northern Natural Gas should pay for condemning nearly 9,200 acres in southern Kansas.

U.S. District Judge Monti Belot ruled Wednesday that the report from the court-appointed panel is fundamentally sound. He called it a fair resolution supported by the evidence and consistent with constitutional requirements of just compensation.

The panel had mostly sided with the gas company over what it should pay gas producers and owners of land surrounding the company’s underground storage facility. It affects property owners in Pratt, Kingman and Reno counties.

The panel had recommended the company pay $7.3 million for storage rights and for gas underlying the land, far below the more than $100 million property owners wanted.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republicans in the Kansas Senate say they’re rushing a stop-gap budget-balancing plan to passage because they want to ensure that the state keeps paying its bills on time.

Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Ty Masterson of Andover said during a Thursday morning meeting of fellow GOP senators that the bill tackles a projected $344 million shortfall in the state’s current budget by shuffling money around.

The GOP-controlled chamber was expected to pass the plan later Thursday and send it to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. The House approved it Wednesday on an 88-34 vote.

The measure mostly diverts money from highway projects and special funds to general government programs.

But tax collections fell short of expectations through January, and a deficit of $800,000 would remain on June 30.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republicans who control the Kansas Senate expect their chamber to approve a stop-gap plan for closing Kansas’ current budget deficit so that it goes to GOP Gov. Sam Brownback.

GOP senators planned to discuss the bill Thursday morning, with a vote on it by the full chamber scheduled later in the day.

The House approved the measure Wednesday on an 88-34 vote.

Republican leaders believe lawmakers need to pass the bill by Feb. 13 to ensure that the state keeps paying bills on time.

The measure attacks a projected $344 million shortfall in the current budget, mostly by diverting money from highway projects and special funds to general government programs.

But tax collections fell short of expectations through January, and a deficit of $800,000 would remain on June 30.