WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Wichita school district is considering a program that would offer free breakfast and lunch for all students at six schools next year.

The Community Eligibility and Provision program gives schools in high-poverty areas the option of serving the meals to all students, regardless of their families’ economic situation.

David Paul, director of nutrition services for the district, says the program might be used next year at Hamilton Middle School and at Gardiner, Harry Street, Park, Stanley and Washington elementary schools.

The Wichita Eagle reports the program was available to Kansas schools for the first time this year. A few districts, including Topeka and Kansas City, Kansas, are participating.

Supporters say the program helps ensure that more low-income students have access to healthy meals during the day.

MICHELLE R. SMITH, Associated Press

FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) — Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez has been found guilty of first-degree murder.

A Massachusetts jury on Wednesday found Hernandez killed Odin Lloyd on June 17, 2013. Lloyd was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiancee. He was found shot six times in an industrial park less than a mile from Hernandez’s home.

At the time, Hernandez had a $40 million contract with the Patriots.

Hernandez’s lawyer acknowledged during closing arguments that he was there when Lloyd was killed. But he pinned the shooting on Hernandez’s two friends, saying his client was a 23-year-old kid who didn’t know what to do.

Prosecutors said Hernandez planned the killing and then helped cover it up.

The conviction carries a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

MARANA, Ariz. (AP) — Police in a Tucson suburb have released a video showing an officer using his cruiser to ram an armed suspect.
The footage from two different police cruisers shows the suspect walking down a street and firing a weapon into the air. A police officer can be heard telling his colleagues to stay back. Within seconds, a different officer uses his cruiser to ram the suspect. Video from that car shows his windshield breaking as the suspect flips in the air.

Watch the video here.
Marana police told KVOA-TV the man who was hit is Mario Valencia, who survived the Feb. 19 incident. Police say Valencia is a suspect in a string of crimes in Tucson and that he stole a rifle from a Wal-Mart. Valencia is charged with several felonies.

By Julee Cobb

SALINA -Kansas State University will enhance its support of St. John’s Military School after signing a partnership agreement with the institution on April 14 to assist the school’s students in preparing for higher education.

At a ceremony on the St. John’s campus, Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz and St. John’s Military School President Andrew England sealed the collaboration with their signatures in front of community members, St. John’s alumni, staff from both institutions and the school’s cadets.

“Salina is very important to the K-State family because we have one of our campuses here and we are thrilled to be working very closely with St. John’s Military School, creating great opportunities for its students,” Schulz said. “We are looking forward to a lasting relationship that will benefit the state of Kansas, St. John’s and certainly the community.”

The partnership between the university and St. John’s Military School is designed to provide collegiate academic orientation, preparation and career advisement for cadets in the second semester of their junior year and their senior year. Approximately 92 percent of all of St. John’s graduates advance to higher-learning opportunities and this collaboration will allow the cadets to slowly begin the evolution from high school to an independent collegiate life.

“We, as a school, recognized years ago that a lot of our boys were ready to go to college, but that college was a big world for them when they left the support that St. John’s offers,” England said. “We now have the ability to provide a transitional step for them with this partnership, and our boys are going to gain immensely from their exposure to the K-State programs.”

The academic offerings between Kansas State University and St. John’s Military School, such as concurrent college credit courses and professional development, will begin in fall 2015.