WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Wichita School District says it plans to use bus drivers as part-time custodians as part of a pilot program to keep schools clean and costs down.

The Wichita Eagle reports Wichita school board members will consider a contract Monday with First Student to provide workers to clean cafeterias at 16 elementary schools this semester. First Student is the bus transportation provider for the school district.

According to the district’s director of operations Darren Muci, several schools moved custodians to later shifts to clean classrooms, hallways and common areas at the end of the school day. That left the schools in need of extra help at lunchtime, but Muci said there were not enough funds to hire additional custodians.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A man has been charged in the stabbing of his 74-year-old father in Wichita.

The Wichita Eagle reports 36-year-old Jay F. Howey was charged Friday with attempted first-degree murder. According to police, the victim’s wife found him with several stab wounds when she arrived at the suspect’s home on Sept. 9.

According to authorities, Howey stabbed his father multiple times after his father had arrived to help him clean. The man was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

Howey’s next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 23. It was not immediately clear if he has an attorney.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is announcing changes to the federal college aid system that are intended to help students get a better and earlier handle about whether they can afford school.

PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — Supporters of a stalled southeast Kansas casino are urging backers of the project to attend commission meetings in a county whose lawsuit prompted the delay.

The Kansas Lottery picked Kansas Crossing to run a state-owned casino in Pittsburg in Crawford County. The $70 million project was selected despite being half the size of a $145 million Castle Rock Casino proposal in Cherokee County.

The Joplin Globe reports Cherokee County and Castle Rock sued, causing construction of the Crawford County casino to be temporarily halted.

Kansas Crossing supporters sent fliers to Cherokee County residents urging them to voice their displeasure to county officials for causing local governments to lose $970 a day in gambling revenue.

Cherokee County Commissioner Pat Collins says the commission won’t be swayed by the effort.

JOHN HANNA, AP Political Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback says work on a new formula for funding Kansas’ public schools should focus on how local districts spend their money, create incentives to shift dollars into classroom instruction and encourage merit pay for teachers.

The Republican governor said during an Associated Press interview that he’d like the GOP-dominated Legislature to draft a new formula next year. It would determine how the state distributes the bulk of its aid the 286 districts, now more than $4 billion.

He said a key issue is making sure that a greater percentage of dollars go to classroom instruction, rather than administrative overhead. And he said a new formula should encourage districts to use merit pay systems to reward their best teachers.

But educators and others say the state’s spending isn’t adequate.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Firefighters put on their gear and climbed the stairs of a downtown Wichita skyscraper to honor fallen fire crews from 9/11.

The Wichita 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb was among many across the nation. It was Wichita’s first one.

The Wichita Eagle reports that 200 firefighters from 45 departments mostly in Kansas — but representing at least one from Missouri — made the ascent Saturday at the Epic Center.

Teams of six or so firefighters headed up the stairs at five-minute intervals. They climbed 20 floors five times, riding down the elevator in between before making a final 10-floor ascent.

The World Trade Center had 110 floors.

The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks killed 343 firefighters. Crews in Wichita wore badges bearing the fallen New York firefighters’ names and photos.

GREAT BEND – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Friday night shooting that killed a man in Great Bend.

Great Bend Police Department officers responded to the 2500 block of Williams Friday night after a report of a shooting.

Upon arrival, officers discovered the man who had been shot.

Efforts to revive him were not successful.
The initial investigation show that the shooting was the result of an argument between two people. A suspect has been taken into custody as the investigation continues.

The name of the victim and the suspect were not released.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Barton County Sheriff’s Office are assisting with the investigation.