By Steve Bell

Kansas City, MO –

Kansas City, Mo. – Kansas City police waited for a search warrant today before examining the interior of a house in the upscale Country Club District where the homeowner was found dead this morning. Police identify him as 49 year old Michael J. Tutera. Investigators did not say by what means he was killed, except to say it is a homicide.

Police asked anyone with information to call the Crimestoppers' Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. A police spokesman said detectives were following up on what were termed, "good leads."

Leawood, Kan. – Firefighters from around the Midwest joined colleagues, friends and family of Shawnee Firefighter John Glaser today at his memorial service. Glaser was killed fighting a house fire this past weekend.

Eulogies at a Leawood, Kansas church centered on common themes: Call to duty, commitment to country and commitment to community.

John Glaser died inside a burning house as he searched for occupants. Shawnee Fire Chief Jeff Hudson came up through the ranks and knew intimately the conditions Glaser faced in the heat and smoke.

Over the last three decades, the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas in Lawrence has nearly doubled the size of its collection. Looking ahead to future expansion, the museum recently hired an internationally renowned architectural firm to create a plan.

By Laura Spencer

Kansas City, Mo. – An independent investigation into the University of Kansas Athletic Department says at least a million dollars worth of tickets were sold inappropriately over the past five years -- and it may have gone on longer than that.

The investigation conducted by a Wichita law firm showed that five KU athletics staffers and a consultant sold or used more than 17,500 basketball tickets, and more than 2,000 football tickets.

KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little told the media:

Kansas City, MO – Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser shook up city council committees again Wednesday with the unexpected removal of councilwoman Jan Marcason from all her committee assignments.

Until this week, Jan Marcason has served on two of the most powerful city council committees: Finance and Audit and Transportation and Infrastructure.

The mayor's memo to the council and the media gave no rationale for stripping Marcason of all her committee duties, but she says she did get a terse explanation in a voicemail message.

By Steve Bell

Kansas City, MO –

By Maria Carter

Kansas City, MO – Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson says he will line item veto a budget provision that would have cost higher education nearly $44 million.

A swimming beach at Smithville Lake has been temporarily closed because of a possible release of contaminants from a sewer treatment facility.

A Missouri Court of Appeals panel has rejected an appeal from the man convicted of killing a girl once known as Precious Doe.

By Steve Bell

Kansas City, MO –

St Joseph, Mo. – A never-reported liaison between Kansas City and St Joseph police more than 30 years ago led to a conviction of a serial rapist, now charged with more rapes in Kansas City. Bernard Jackson was a suspect in at least two rapes of women in the Pony Express City in 1976 and 77. There was no physical evidence to charge him there.

Current St. Joseph Detective Commander Jim Connors tells KCUR Jackson was considered in both cities.