(AP) — A suburban Kansas City dinner theater had to cancel opening night of its play “Harvey” after a disgruntled Judge Reinhold resigned from the production.

New Theatre co-owner Richard Carrothers told The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/1dYXZfc) the “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and “Beverly Hills Cop” star had appeared increasingly unhappy with everything related to the production.

The Overland Park theater canceled its opening-night show on Wednesday after Reinhold’s abrupt departure. “Harvey” was instead opening Thursday after an afternoon matinee.

Kansas City-based actor Craig Benton was assuming the lead role in the whimsical 1944 comedy through Jan. 29, after which Los Angeles-based British actor Charles Shaughnessy takes over.

Reinhold said in an emailed statement that the theater provides “wonderful entertainment” and that the production wouldn’t be an exception even without him.

(AP) – A federal judge on Thursday granted a preliminary injunction against Missouri’s law requiring of a state license to serve as a navigator to help consumers sign up for coverage through the new health insurance marketplace.

An attorney for the St. Louis-based plaintiffs calls the ruling by U.S. District Judge Ortrie D. Smith a “huge victory.” Messages seeking comment from state officials were not immediately returned.

A new state law requires insurance counselors to receive at least 30 hours of training and pay a small fee in order to help on-line shoppers negotiate the federal insurance exchange. Missouri’s Republican-led Legislature opted against setting up a state-run exchange.

The lawsuit filed in November said the requirements conflict with the federal Affordable Care Act.

 (AP) — Life insurance and annuities provider Athene USA is closing its 200-employee Topeka office and moving the operation to Iowa.

The announcement Thursday comes after Athene Holding Ltd., a life insurance company owned primarily by private equity fund Apollo Global Management, acquired West Des Moines-based AvivaUSA last year.

Athene public relations manager Steve Carlson said in a written statement that consolidating work in West Des Moines would allow the company to more effectively serve distribution partners, agents and clients.

Carlson says most of the employees in the Topeka office will be given the choice of relocating to Iowa. The other employees will be given 60-days notice and a severance package.

(AP) — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback took a field trip to a suburban school district as he kicked off a campaign to build support for his plan to increase state funding of all-day kindergarten.

The Republican governor dined Thursday with students at Roesland Elementary School in the Shawnee Mission school district before chatting with teachers, students and parents.

Currently, district parents pay $300 per month for the all-day program. The half-day program is free.

Brownback wants to increase state funding for all-day kindergarten starting in the next budget year, providing an extra $16 million each year over five years for the state’s 286 school districts. The governor says Kansas can afford to spend the money and should to improve early learning.

Critics are wary that Kansas can sustain the investment financially.

 (AP) — Detectives believe they have found out what happened to a man who escaped from the Missouri Penitentiary 27 years ago.

They think he changed his name and lived in Gold Bar until 2012 when he died of cancer and his wife buried his body in the back yard.

Human remains discovered last week are being investigated by the medical examiner. It could take weeks to make identification, likely using DNA.

Snohomish County detectives believe Dennis “Slick” Lilly lived under the alias of Dave Murray and died at the age of 64. They say his wife Mary Lilly has been living under the name of Amanda Murray.

They moved to Gold bar in 1993 and operated a business called The Mail Station.