OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A Missouri man who killed three people at two Kansas Jewish sites last year is about to find out if he will be sentenced to death.

Frazier Glenn Miller Jr. was convicted in August of capital murder, attempted murder and other charges. The same jury that convicted him after a weeklong trial recommended the death penalty.

Johnson County District Judge Thomas Kelly Ryan will announce his ruling at a sentencing hearing Tuesday.

Miller is an avowed anti-Semite who said his intent was to kill as many Jewish people as he could on April 13, 2014, when he went to Overland Park, Kansas, and opened fire at two Jewish centers.

The 74-year-old Aurora, Missouri, man has chronic emphysema and says he doesn’t think he has much longer to live.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A video showing a photographer’s clash with University of Missouri protesters who tried to block his access in a public section of campus is fanning debate about freedom of the press.

The video involving freelance photographer Tim Tai was filmed the day the University of Missouri system’s president and the Columbia campus’ chancellor stepped down over what protesters saw as indifference to racial tensions at the school.

It shows protesters arguing with Tai and pushing him away after Tai tells them he has a right to document the event.

A woman identified as communications assistant professor Melissa Click tries to recruit “muscle” to remove the man filming the confrontation. She didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.

The video had been viewed more than 600,000 times on YouTube as of early Tuesday afternoon.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and top legislators have approved $4.2 million in emergency aid for 25 public school districts after trimming back their requests.

Brownback and eight top lawmakers reviewed the requests Monday under a school funding law enacted earlier this year.

They approved a previous round of aid in August.

The districts sought $6.5 million for greater student numbers, unexpected drops in property tax revenues or other reasons. Brownback and legislative leaders approved 66 percent of their requests.

The Wichita district sought $980,000 for additional teachers and classroom aides for an influx of refugee children. The amount was reduced to $367,000 because of uncertainty about refugee numbers.

The meeting came three days after the Kansas Supreme Court heard arguments over whether the funding law complies with the state constitution.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The chief of the Lincoln Police Department has announced he will step down from his position early next year.

Police Chief Jim Peschong said last week that he will be retiring in February after 40 years with the department. Peschong was tapped for the position in 2011.

Mayor Chris Beutler has not said how Peschong’s successor will be hired.

Public Safety Director Tom Casady noted that crime statistics, including no homicides, show that Lincoln is in good shape. But Peschong says the department he will leave behind needs more police officers to investigate crime and stay engaged with the community.

Peschong said he believes the police department has fared well in dealing with recent gang activity by having officers focus on that area and work with young people.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The University of Missouri senior vice chancellor for research and graduate studies will serve as interim chancellor for the Columbia campus after R. Bowen Loftin’s resignation takes effect at the end of the year.

Hank Foley said he has not yet met with members of Concerned Student 1950. Student members of that group have been protesting University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe’s handling of racial issues.

Wolfe and the Columbia campus Chancellor resigned Monday. Foley said he wants to make people feel included and that this is their campus.

The university plans to enact several initiatives in the next 90 days to address racial turmoil. The university system said in a news release Monday that it will appoint its first chief officer for diversity, inclusion and equity. It also plans a review of all university policies related to staff and student conduct and to provide more support to those who experience discrimination. It also pledges to work toward a more diverse faculty and staff.

Task forces addressing inclusion will be required on all four of its campuses.

Wolfe’s resignation was effective immediately. Loftin will step down at the end of the year to take another job at the school.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — One person has been arrested in a suburban Kansas City crash that killed a 16-month-old girl and injured two others.

Police identified the victim Sunday in a news release as Addilynn R. Poole. Police provided no details on what led up to Saturday’s three-vehicle crash in Overland Park, saying the investigation is ongoing. The release said one person was arrested and was being held pending charges.

An 8-year-old and 20-year-old were taken to a hospital with injuries. Both were in the same vehicle with Addilynn.

 

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita is preparing to make the case that an Army chaplain from Kansas who died in a North Korean prisoner of war camp deserves to be granted sainthood.

The Wichita Eagle reports that Bishop Carl Kemme is addressing the leadership of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome on Monday. It is the most significant moment yet in the push to have the Rev. Emil Kapaun declared a saint.

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints evaluates evidence in sainthood investigations and makes recommendations to the pope.

Kapaun is a U.S. Army chaplain and priest who grew up on a Marion County farm. Fellow prisoners of war said Kapaun was a source of inspiration and faith during their captivity.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Property taxes are expected to increase this year for patrons of most Kansas school districts.

The projected increases come as the Kansas Supreme Court considers whether public schools are underfunded.

Homeowners in most of the state’s districts saw their bills for supporting schools shrink last school year after an influx of court-ordered aid to schools. The average drop in property taxes among 286 school districts was 2 mills. This year, preliminary data from the Kansas State Department of Education indicates the average rate is expected to rise by 1.8 mills.

Some superintendents say a controversial change in the state’s financing of K through 12 education is the reason. Other school leaders in western Kansas say the oil and gas industry is a key factor.

MEDFORD, Okla. (AP) — A series of moderate earthquakes continues to shake northern Oklahoma, near the Kansas border.

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a 3.7 magnitude quake two miles west of Cushing at 1:59 p.m. Sunday, following 3.5 and 3.4 magnitude quakes nine miles northwest of Medford at 10:04 p.m. Saturday and 2:29 a.m. Sunday. Magnitude 2.9 and 2.5 temblors were also recorded Sunday near Medford.

No injuries or damage are reported.

The quakes come after 17 earthquakes were recorded in the area from Friday night through Saturday afternoon — including magnitude 4.2 and 4.1 temblors near Medford that were reported felt in Oberlin, Kansas, some 400 miles away.

The Oklahoma Geological Survey has said many recent earthquakes in the state likely were triggered by the injection of wastewater from oil and natural gas production.

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Ferguson police are vowing to park, walk the streets and talk to residents as part of an effort to repair frayed relations with the community.

About 130 people turned out Saturday for the inaugural presentation of the neighborhood policing plan. The city has been working to rebuild trust after the fatal August 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown. The shooting sparked protests and a “Black Lives Matter” movement.

The Ferguson neighborhood policing program calls for teams of officers to be assigned to a specific area, where they would build relationships with residents and businesses.

Ferguson Interim Police Chief Andre Anderson said at the meeting that police want to get the community more involved in efforts to “develop a better relationship.”