TOPEKA (AP) — Uncertainty shadows the Kansas Legislature as it prepares to open its annual session Monday.

Lawmakers are waiting for a state Supreme Court decision on whether the state is spending enough money on its public schools.

Leaders from both parties believe education funding will be the Republican-dominated Legislature’s most pressing issue once the high court issues its decision.

Legislators also expect to wrestle with budget, pension and criminal justice issues.

But lawmakers and Gov. Sam Brownback face the possibility that the Supreme Court will conclude that spending on schools is inadequate.

A three-judge panel in Shawnee County ruled a year ago that the state must boost annual aid to school districts by at least $440 million. Such a decision threatens personal income tax cuts enacted at Brownback’s urging.

Nicodemus National Historical Site

Nicodemus — Nicodemus National Historic Site will present two programs this month honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with readings of his most famous civil rights speech and his letter from a Birmingham jail. Both were written in 1963.

Isaiah Conway will present a reading of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech Saturday, January 18, at 1:00p.m. in the Nicodemus Township Hall. King delivered his August 28, 1963, during the national March on Washington.

The second program will feature the reading of Dr. King’s 1963 letter from the Birmingham, Alabama jail. Dr. King was arrested while leading a civil rights march through Birmingham,.

His letter was written in response to several Birmingham clergymen who expressed disapproval of King when widespread violence broke out as police made arrests during the civil rights march.

Domineck Journigan and Leo Hope will present the reading of King’s letter Saturday, January 25, at 1:00p.m. in the Township Hall.

Gov. Sam Brownback on Saturday presented a proposal to improve outreach to Kansas veterans and upgrade and expand two veterans’ homes located in Fort Dodge and Winfield.

The governor was joined by House Speaker Ray Merrick, R-Stilwell, himself a veteran, Mike Neer, chair of the Kansas Commission on Veterans’ Affairs, Gregg Burden, executive director of the KCVA, and representatives of numerous veterans organizations in making today’s announcement.

“In Kansas, we honor our veterans,” Brownback said in a press release. “They have earned our respect and deserve services and facilities that match the quality of care provided to these heroes.”

Two years ago, the governor tasked the KCVA with developing a comprehensive strategic plan for the agency with one priority firmly in mind – doing what’s best for Kansas veterans.  The Governor’s FY 2015 budget submission to the Legislature will include three important elements in support of this goal: hiring four new service officers to improve outreach to Kansas veterans; providing 40 new beds by opening Triplet Hall at the Kansas Veterans Home in Winfield; and expediting renovations to the two main facilities at the Kansas Soldiers Home at Fort Dodge.

Funding for facility improvements at the Soldiers Home, a $1.4 million investment, will come from a Special Building Fund restricted to improvements at state-owned hospitals and veterans’ facilities. The Soldiers Home submitted a five-year plan for renovations which are being accelerated to be completed in two years.

The four service officers to be hired under this proposal will be stationed in strategic locations across the state to help our veterans gain access to the federal benefits to which they are entitled, such as health care, education assistance, disability compensation and home loan guarantee programs.

“I am grateful to the KCVA and the veterans’ organizations across our state for their efforts in ensuring we continue to recognize the debt we owe those who served to protect our freedom,” said Governor Brownback. “Our Kansas military are a part of our history and our service members a part of our community. I look forward to working with the Legislature on this important issue.”

Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON — A 34-year-old Hutchinson area man convicted on child sex charges after he entered pleas in the case was sentenced to six years in prison Friday afternoon by Judge Joe McCarville.

Michael Gimple entered guilty pleas to electronic solicitation and two counts of sexual exploitation of a child for trying to entice a 15-year-old girl into a sexual act through texting. He also exchanged nude photos with the girl, and also engaged in video chats where they would watch each other performing sexual acts. The alleged crimes occurring between Aug. 16 and Oct. 5.

McCarville sentenced him to the 72 months on the first charge and 32 months each on the other two, but ran all three sentences concurrent to each other for the controlling sentence of 72 months, which is the amount of time the two sides agreed on as part of a plea agreement.

The victims mother spoke prior to sentencing and told the court that she believes that Gimple has no idea what he has done to her family and her daughter. She says she fears that someone may hurt her again. She is apparently the one who discovered what was going on between her daughter and Gimple.

Gimple will be on lifetime post release supervision when he’s released from prison and will also have to register as a sex offender.

TOPEKA – Driver’s education permits are speeding up starting April 1, when the Kansas Department of Revenue will shift to an online application portal.

“Time behind the wheel with experienced drivers is an essential training component for helping teenagers become safe and responsible drivers,” said Kansas Vehicles Director Lisa Kaspar. “This new system will make sure student drivers aren’t losing valuable hands-on driving experience waiting for a piece of mail to arrive.”

Each year, the department handles about 50,000 driver’s education applications. With the current paper-driven system, permit applications can take multiple weeks to process – or even months if the student has a medical or vision issue. The delay means student drivers who sign up for a driving class last minute, or delayed sending in their application, might not have the permit slip necessary to participate in the driving portion of the class.

The online process will eliminate the need for mail to travel back and forth from driving instructors to the Kansas Department of Revenue for review then back in the mail. Instead, an instructor will fill out the online form and if there are no medial or vision issues that require an additional review, the instructor will be able to immediately print out the permit slip allowing the student to drive with an instructor or guardian.

For any student with a medial or vision issue requiring additional review, the necessary examination forms will be available within 48 hours from when the records is created by the instructor.

Because instructors are able to print off the necessary forms and permits from their computer, no time is lost waiting for paper work to traverse back and forth across the state in envelopes.

The department will be demonstrating the new portal at regional driver’s education instruction meetings, which driving instructors can register for through the Kansas Department of Education.

SALINA (AP) — Two suspects have pleaded not guilty to charges arising from the death of a 27-year-old Salina mother of four.

The Salina Journal reported 25-year-old Joel Heil and 33-year-old Dane C. DeWeese, of Abilene, entered their pleas Friday and had dates set for their trials in Saline County District Court.

The men are charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death Kristin Tyler, who was missing for two weeks before her body was found May 9 off Interstate 135 in rural Saline County.

DeWeese’s trial is set for March 24 and Heil’s trial is scheduled for May 7.

ATCHISON — A Silver Alert was issued by the Atchison Police Department on Friday, after a 70-year-old man went missing.

The APD said Garry Clyde Sandy is described as 5 feet, 8 inches and 200 pounds, balding with brown hair and blue eyes.

Sandy owns a gold 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 regular cab pickup with a long bed bearing Kansas license plate 764 CVR. There should be damage to the left front fender of the vehicle, and the left head light is missing.

Sandy is known to always wear a Kansas City Chiefs ball cap and jacket. Sandy likes to frequent casinos. He has a heart condition and is a diabetic.

Anyone with information about Sandy’s whereabouts are asked to call.(913) 367-4323.

WICHITA (AP) — The first government forecast of the growing season shows U.S. farmers planted fewer acres of winter wheat for harvest this year.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Friday the 41.9 million planted acres are down 2 percent from last year. Seeding for the 2014 winter wheat crop began in August.

Plantings of hard red winter wheat, used to make bread, were estimated to be up 2 percent at 30.1 million acres.

Significantly more hard red wheat acres were seeded in Colorado, Montana and North Dakota. Those helped offset large acreage decreases in Kansas, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Utah had a record low acreage, while North Dakota seeded a record high number of wheat acres.

Kansas planted 8.8 million acres of winter wheat, down 7 percent from a year ago.

Kansas Department of Transportation

Nearly 4 million calls later, the Kansas Department of Transportation is observing the 10-year anniversary of the Kansas 511 traveler information phone service.

Launched on Jan. 15, 2004, 511 replaced the toll-free Kansas road condition hotline. The new system offered route-specific road conditions, construction/detours, incidents and travel weather information. Kansas 511 became the 11th 511 system in the U.S. when launched. Today, 38 states provide 511 services.

“Tens of thousands of travelers have been able to access reliable road and weather information from 511 before they left for trips,” said KDOT Secretary Mike King. “This is important information for safety and efficiency, especially when weather creates hazardous travel conditions.”

The 511 system has been a work in progress since its deployment. It was expanded in December 2012 to include Kansas City metro traffic information (both sides of the state line). New features also include call transfers to transit, tourism and motorist assist across the state. Also provided is free personalized information (email/text alerts by subscription).

Similar information is also provided on the 511 map website and on mobile devices at http://511mm.ksdot.org. The websites also include camera and electronic sign images.

KDOT’s field staff enter the road condition, construction and incident/event information that feed 511. In addition, other personnel at headquarters assist with system management and operations.

For everyone’s safety, drivers should avoid distractions such as talking or texting on their cell phone or accessing travel information while driving. In addition, buckle up, don’t drink and drive, and properly secure children in safety seats.

Salina Post

SALINA — A Salina man suffered minor injuries after the car he driving was hit by a pair of locomotive engines in northeast Salina late Thursday night.

Salina Police Capt. Mike Sweeney said Darryl Tiller, 53, was eastbound on North Street near Third Street, when his P.T. Cruiser was hit by the Union Pacific locomotives moving slowly southbound about 10:25 p.m.

The locomotives pushed the car a short distance down the tracks and the car came to rest up against a fire hydrant.

Tiller suffered abrasions on a hand was taken to Salina Regional Health Center for treatment of injuries and then arrested on charges of driving under the influence, refusing a breath test, and having an open container, which was a 25-ounce can of beer.

The car had extensive damage on the left side.

The diesel-electric locomotive had minor front end damage.

WICHITA (AP) — Members of the Wichita Crime Commission are offering a $2,000 reward for the return of the wedding ring stolen last month from an unconscious woman at a fast-food restaurant.

The robbery has sparked widespread outrage. The reward announcement Friday was attended by the dying woman’s husband and Wichita leaders.

Danielle Zimmerman was pulling into a Taco Bell on Dec. 29 when she suffered a brain aneurysm. While unconscious, someone took her purse, a cellphone and wedding ring. The 43-year-old Wichita woman died the following day.

Her husband, Kris Zimmerman, said Friday that he should have been the last one holding his wife’s hand while she was dying, not someone stealing the ring off her finger. He says finding the ring would help bring closure to the family.

TOPEKA (AP) — The new guide for legislative interns at the Capitol does not contain proposed restrictions ranging from the amount of perfume and the number of earrings interns can wear.

Numerous rules suggested last week for inclusion in the 2014 intern handbook by Rep. Peggy Mast, an Emporia Republican, were edited out.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that also removed from the document was a rule asserting “inappropriate” photographs and language had to be deleted from personal social media sites.

Staff members of Democratic lawmakers raised questions about the intern fashion regulations that exceeded limits for legislators. Civil rights attorneys also took issue with the boundaries on social media expression for interns.

The interns begin work at the Statehouse on Monday.