TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials are waiting to see whether state tax collections this month met expectations.

The state Department of Revenue’s report Tuesday afternoon was coming as lawmakers worked on proposals to erase a budget shortfall projected at nearly $600 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

Tax collections for the current fiscal year through February were $38 million short of official projections, about 1 percent less than anticipated.

But the state collected $27 million more in taxes than expected for February alone.

If tax collections exceed expectations again this month, it could make closing the projected budget shortfall easier for lawmakers and Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.

The budget shortfall arose after lawmakers aggressively cut personal income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback’s urging to stimulate the economy.

BRETT ZONGKER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — After nearly 100 years, the National Park Service holds some of the most beautiful and historic places in the country. But there’s also an $11 billion backlog of unfunded maintenance and a visitor base that’s aging and mostly white.

Now the park service is preparing for its centennial in 2016 by launching a major campaign Thursday to raise support and introduce a new, more diverse generation of millennials and children to the national parks.

Michelle Obama and Laura Bush will co-chair the campaign, calling on Americans to “Find Your Park” to enjoy their public lands. Behind the scenes, officials are also working to expand their fundraising and congressional support to improve the nation’s parks.

The push to “Find Your Park” is the third major campaign in the national parks’ history.

MANHATTAN – The Kansas State University Police Department in a media release reported is  an act of violence that occurred on campus.

At approximately 1:45 p.m. Monday K-State police responded to an attempted robbery that had occurred at about noon Monday, March 30. The crime’s reported location was in the D-1 parking lot, which is by West Stadium.

The male victim reported an unknown Hispanic male, 5-feet-8-inches tall with brown hair in his late 20s, wearing a gray shirt and khakis approached the victim and demanded his property. The victim was battered by the suspect and the suspect fled the area. The victim received minor injuries and refused medical attention. No weapons were used or displayed in this robbery attempt.

The K-State Police Department asks that any witnesses to this crime call the department at 785-532-6412. Tips may also be sent to the silent witness website at https://www.ksu.edu/police/silent/, or through the Live Safe app.

It can be assumed that conditions continue to exist that may pose a threat to members and guests of the university community. It is the duty of the institution to warn of possible dangerous conditions on or near the campus and at affiliate organizations off campus. An affirmative duty exists to warn persons associated with the university of possible peril at the hands of some third party or parties.

K-State police advise members of the campus community to:

• Report crimes immediately when they occur.

• Report any suspicious activity.

• Use campus safety resources.

LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — An apple a day doesn’t necessarily keep the doctor away. That’s according to new research that found daily apple eaters had just as many doctor visits as those who ate fewer or no apples.
The findings underscore that it takes more than just one kind of food to make a healthy diet and avoid illness.

The proverb is thought to have originated in Wales in the 1800s. Apples have a long shelf life and were likely one of the few fruits that were available throughout the year.

Lead author Matthew Davis is a researcher at the University of Michigan. He says the results challenge the proverb but to really disprove it would require a more rigorous study.

The research was published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine.

By Tatiana Y. Lin, M.A., Sheena L. Smith, M.P.P., Barb J. LaClair, M.H.A., Cheng-Chung Huang, M.P.H. 

Senate Bill 191 (and its House version, HB 2404) was proposed to amend the Kansas Corporate Farming Law. Among other provisions, the bill would have removed restrictions for agribusinesses with certain forms of ownership structure (e.g., corporation, trust) to operate in Kansas.

Furthermore, the bill would have removed some requirements that farms be owned by families or that family members be active in the operation of the farms. This bill did not pass during the 2013 session, but the issue continues to be discussed and similar bills may be introduced in the future.

The purpose of the HIA was to examine how some provisions of this legislation might affect the health of Kansans, either positively or negatively. Testimony on the bill was provided by various stakeholder groups. Some indicated changes to the law would open opportunities for new agribusiness in the state, creating economic growth.

Although the testimony varied, the most commonly identified potential impact was an increase in the number and size of swine and dairy operations. This study analyzed six factors related to the expansion in the number and size of swine and dairy operations including employment, property values/taxes, population, water quantity, amount of waste produced and antibiotic use in animals. These factors can impact health.

For example, people who have access to jobs enjoy better health and have slower declines in health status over time. Read the Executive Summary that reveals the key findings and recommendations from the study.

“The health impact assessment intends to expand the policy dialogue beyond economic and constitutional issues and bring health considerations into the discussion. We hope the report’s findings and recommendations will be considered by policymakers, agencies and livestock operations in order to improve the health of Kansans,” said Tatiana Lin, M.A., senior analyst and strategy team leader for KHI’s health impact assessment work.

To read the press release, click here.

Tatiana Y. Lin, M.A., Sheena L. Smith, M.P.P., Barb J. LaClair, M.H.A., Cheng-Chung Huang, M.P.H.  for Heartland Health Monitor, a news collaboration focusing on health issues and their impact in Missouri and Kansas.