Police and loved ones of a 23-year-old man say he has been missing from Lawrence since Saturday.

Yelekal Alemu was last seen Saturday morning. Relatives say he has missed important family gatherings.

His car was found Saturday night on private property in rural Douglas County southeast of Lawrence. It was not damaged.

Zachary Luea, an attorney for Alemu’s family, said Tuesday that police had brought in a canine unit to search the area near the car.

Alemu is black, 5-foot-10 and weighs 170 pounds, with short hair and a full beard. He was last seen wearing a striped grey shirt.

An illegal immigrant from Mexico who is accused of murder in his native country has been deported from Kansas.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says 37-year-old Sergio Arturo Moreno-Perez was transferred Tuesday to Mexican law enforcement authorities.

The Wichita resident was wanted on a 2006 warrant for a homicide in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Moreno first entered the United States illegally in 1978, but later became a permanent resident. ICE says he was deported three times between 1995 and 2002 and convicted twice of illegally re-entering the U.S.

Moreno has multiple felony convictions for crimes in the Wichita area, including burglary and robbery. He was turned over to ICE upon his release from prison.

Negotiators for the Kansas House and Senate have agreed on a proposal creating a new retirement plan for teachers and government workers hired after 2014.

Three senators and three House members resolved the last of their disagreements Tuesday on the pensions legislation.

It would move away from traditional state plans that guarantee retirement benefits up front, based on a worker’s salary and years of service. But it would not go as far as 401(k) plans that tie benefits solely to the plan’s investment earnings.

The state would pay 5.25 percent interest on contributions from workers and the state to employees’ retirement benefits. Workers would get a lump sum upon retirement, which could be converted into an annuity.

A Kansas man has pleaded guilty to soliciting a friend to rob a bank, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Landon Bridgman Hedstrom, 19, Belleville, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of solicitation to commit bank robbery. In his plea, Hedstrom admitted he was working at a branch of Citizens National Bank in Concordia, Kan., when he urged a friend to rob the bank. Hedstrom planned for his friend to rob the bank while only Hedstrom and one other employee were working. Hedstrom planned to feign fear and to take the other employee aside so she could not trip the alarm too early. Hedstrom drew a map of the inside of the bank showing where the cash would be located.

Hedstrom’s friend did not try to rob the bank. He turned the information over to law enforcement.

Sentencing is set for Aug. 13. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $125,000. Grissom commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.

Gov. Sam Brownback has signed a law that expands the types of work that dental hygienists will be allowed to do.

The new law will allow dental hygienists to perform such tasks as pulling baby teeth, teeth cleaning and providing temporary fillings.

The bill was designed to address a shortage of dentists in Kansas, particularly in rural areas. But critics say it doesn’t go far enough.

The bill also requires the Board of Regents to add more slots for Kansas residents at the University of Missouri-Kansas City dental school. Those students would be required to work in underserved areas of Kansas for at least four years after graduation.

Kansas does not have a dental school.

by Laura Stroda ~ Salina Post

Protesters weren’t enough to sway the majority of minds on the Salina City Commission Monday night. Despite getting opinions in three public forums, commissioners heard from both sides of the issue for nearly four hours before finally voting to approve an ordinance that will extend equal protection rights based on a person’s sexual identity or gender identification.

Nearly 200 people showed up at the Salina Community Theatre for Monday’s commission meeting. Some were opposed to the ordinance, quoting Bible verses and discussing the moral aspects of the issue. Others were in favor, including numerous Salina youth who chose to voice their opinions.

Vice-mayor Barb Shirley and commissioners Kaye Crawford and Aaron Householter all voted in favor of the ordinance. Mayor Norm Jennings and commissioner Samantha Angell cast the dissenting votes.

“If this prohibits one youth suicide, it will be worth all of this,” Crawford said. “I was elected to make decisions, and with God as my judge.”

The issue has been a hot-button topic in Salina since being brought before the city in February by the Kansas Equality Commission. It was recommended for approval by the city’s human relations commission prior to the official city vote.

A head-on collision Monday evening injured four, including a 14-year-old girl, on US-24 in Graham County.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, at around 6:50 p.m. Monday Kevin Hazlett, 33, of Colby was westbound on US-24 near milemarker 117.5 when he veered left of center in his 2007 Dodge Dakota and struck an eastbound 2006 Chevy Silverado driven by Steven Nicholson, 45, of Penokee head-on.

Hazlett and his passenger, 20-year-old Matthew Cunningham, of Oakley, were transported to Wesley Medical Center.

Nicholson and his 14-year-old passenger, Adrianna Nicholson, of Penokee, were transported to Via Christi St. Francis Hospital.

Information on their conditions was not released.

A posting on Facebook has landed a couple of Wichita adults in hot water for allegedly supplying alcohol to minors.

Organizers of an underage drinking party used Facebook to promote the gathering. Police Lt. Doug Nolte says that someone saw the post and called 911.

Officers went to the home Saturday night and shut the party down. They also arrested a 46-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man on suspicion of furnishing alcohol to minors.

Authorities also released four juveniles to their parents. Nolte said Monday he didn’t know how many people had attended the party.

Gov. Sam Brownback has signed legislation giving more legal protection to Kansas health care providers who refuse to participate in abortions.

Brownback’s office announced the signing Monday, although it took place last week. The governor is a strong abortion opponent and had been expected to sign the measure, which takes effect in July.

Kansas law already protects doctors and hospitals from being forced to participate in abortions. This year’s measure extends the so-called “conscience” protection to other health care facilities.

The legislation also says no individuals are required to refer patients for abortion services, or to participate in administering any drug they believe terminates a pregnancy.

Abortion opponents say the measure simply updates existing law. Supporters of abortion rights predict it will restrict access to birth control.