LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The mayor of Lawrence is set to join a national effort that supports marriage equality for gay couples.

The Lawrence Journal World  reports city commissioners are scheduled to authorize Mayor Jeremy Farmer to join the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry coalition at their Tuesday meeting. More than 450 members have joined the coalition, which lobbies for an end to laws that prohibit gay couples from marrying.

Farmer, who was sworn in as mayor in early April, said he is confident that such a change is supported by a majority of Lawrence residents.

Mayors are asked to sign a statement that supports same sex-marriage and affirms how a community can be enriched by diversity.

LANSING – A Kansas woman died in an accident just before 4 p.m. on Monday in Leavenworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Ford Taurus driven by Jean E. Young, 65, Kansas City, was northbound on U.S. 73.

The driver failed to stop at the red light and rear-ended a 2014 Ford Edge that was stopped for a red light on 4-H Road.

Young was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics.

The driver of the Edge Deanna L. Nicodemus, 61, and a passenger Terry L. Nicodemus, 64, both of Leavenworth, were transported to KU Medical Center.

All were properly restrained at the time of the accident according to the KHP.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The urban school’s arm of the National School Boards Association is planning an online discussion to mark the 61st anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision.

Association officials said in a news release that one school each from Baltimore, Little Rock, Arkansas, and New York are participating in Monday’s event. It’s happening one day after the anniversary of the May 17, 1954, ruling that overturned segregated education.

Students from the participating schools will talk about the effect the Brown decision has had on their lives and on our nation’s educational system. They’ll also talk about issues such as inequitable educational opportunities.

The association’s Council of Urban Boards of Education plans to put on a similar event each year. This year’s will be the first.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Widespread rains helped boost farm crops and replenish soil moisture across Kansas.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday that 70 percent of the state’s winter wheat crop has now headed.

Wheat condition was rated as 31 percent poor to very poor with 42 percent in fair condition. About 25 percent of the crop is in good and 2 percent in excellent condition.

The agency also issued a report for spring-planted corn fields. It rated corn condition as 5 percent poor, 39 percent fair, 52 percent good and 4 percent excellent.

Kansas farmers this last week also moved cattle to summer pasture.

The agency rated pasture conditions in the state as 17 percent poor, 38 percent fair, 38 percent good and 7 percent excellent.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Shawnee County Commission has unanimously passed a resolution issuing $17 million in bonds for an assisted living center in the River Hill subdivision.

The Topeka Capital-Journal  reports the industrial revenue bonds will cover the cost of constructing, equipping and maintaining a transitional care facility on 10 acres containing more than 90 beds in southwest Topeka.

Part of the bond money will be used to help fund support groups for mental health, substance abuse, sex offender and batterer’s intervention, and domestic violence.

Almost 100 people, including a full-time care coordinator, will be employed at the facility.

A time frame for when construction will begin has not been set.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas House panel is preparing to debate proposals to increase the state’s sales, gasoline and cigarette taxes.

The Taxation Committee was meeting Tuesday to continue work on plan for raising at least $406 million to close a projected budget shortfall for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

Committee members planned to consider proposals from Republican Rep. Gene Suellentrop of Wichita to raise a total of $264 million during the next fiscal year.

One proposal would increase the state’s sales tax to 6.5 percent from 6.15 percent. However, the sales tax on food would drop to 5.9 percent.

Suellentrop also is proposing to raise the state’s cigarette tax by 75 cents a pack to $1.54 and boost the gasoline tax by 5 cents a gallon, to 29 cents.