Washington County Prosecutor Josh Hedgecorth last week filed a motion to vacate conviction in the case of Michael Politte, saying there was "clear and convincing evidence" that Politte was erroneously convicted of killing his mother.

After a leaked U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the landmark case that promised women the right to abortion, an August vote to amend the Kansas Constitution over abortion has taken on heightened importance.

Shawn Lynn Parcells, 42, faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on Aug. 25.

Although Johnson County stays intact, the district now includes more rural, Republican-leaning areas that could make it harder for incumbent Rep. Sharice Davids, the only Kansas Democrat in Congress, to keep her seat.

Federal officials are responding to Tuesday’s mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas, the second-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. Many Democrats have called for more restrictions on gun access. While Republican lawmakers have condemned the shooting, critics were quick to point out the tight relationships these lawmakers have held with the NRA.

For small towns with dwindling populations and shrinking tax bases, luring travelers to stop and spend a few dollars is a matter of community survival. Some turn to quirky roadside tourist attractions. And the community pride these offbeat sites generate can be just as valuable as the money they bring in.

Publishers Weekly, an international news website of book publishing and bookselling, selected the Raven as this year's best bookstore out of five finalists.

Independence Mayor Rory Rowland signed an ordinance Wednesday approving the development of a 1,200 acre industrial park in eastern Jackson County. Construction is expected to begin in August.

Missouri environmental groups are decrying proposed state rules that would allow power plants to discharge contaminants like coal ash into groundwater through a general permit for multiple facilities. Power plants currently have individual, site-specific permits.