ST. LOUIS (AP) – A St. Louis woman who embezzled $375,000 from a Webster University institute was sentenced to probation and ordered to fill out a journal.

Sixty-two-year-old Deborah Pierce also was ordered Monday to pay back the money she embezzled while director of the Confucius institute from 2007 to July 2015.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey ordered Pierce to use the journal to explain why she committed the crime, noting that she had no previous criminal background and no apparent drug or other addiction problems.

Pierce pleaded guilty in September to transporting stolen property across state lines

Prosecutors say she used the money for personal expenses of herself and relatives.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Missouri House has given initial approval to a bill that would dramatically increase penalties for misusing money intended to help the poor.

The measure, approved Monday, would create a three-strikes policy for anyone using the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. The proposal would kick people off the program for three months the first time they spent money on a prohibited item or business, such as cigarettes or a liquor store. The second infraction would result in a six-month disqualification, and the third would bring a five-year ban.

Proponents said the penalties would encourage accountability and weed out fraud. Opponents said it could hurt vulnerable families who might unwittingly violate the rules.

The bill needs to be voted on again before it heads to the Senate.

FORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) — A decade after the Pentagon began confronting rape in the ranks, the U.S. military frequently fails to provide justice to the children of service members when they are sexually assaulted by other kids on base.

An Associated Press investigation finds that sex assault cases occurring where military kids live and learn often die on the desks of prosecutors. Criminal investigators shelved an unknown number of reports.

Instead of punishment or rehabilitation, offenders may be shuffled into the civilian world.

The Pentagon doesn’t know the extent of the problem. On two bases in Kansas, records the Army acknowledges are incomplete document at least 13 sex assault cases among children or teens since 2007. Fort Riley accounted for 12, while Fort Leavenworth recorded one case.

Pentagon officials promised to take “appropriate actions.”

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Swiss agribusiness giant has agreed to a $1.5 billion settlement in a lawsuit over genetically modified corn seed variety.

Officials for Syngenta and attorneys for thousands of farmers, ethanol plants and other grain handlers announced the settlement Monday of a class action lawsuit.

The lawsuits were filed after Syngenta introduced its Viptera seed strain to the U.S. market before it was approved by China for imports. Attorneys for the plaintiffs argued that Syngenta’s decision cost U.S. corn producers and handlers access to the Chinese corn market for years.

Syngenta began selling Viptera in the U.S. for the 2011 growing season but China didn’t approve it until 2014.

The settlement covers all U.S. producers who sold corn priced after September 2013.

A federal judge still must approve the settlement.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Interfraternity Council at the University of Kansas is voluntarily imposing a temporary freeze on activities at the 24 fraternities it oversees.

Monday’s announcement comes after at least three Kansas fraternities were disciplined because of violations of university codes. Few details about the violations have been made public.

The council says it will work with university officials to improve oversight and address “systemic behavioral issues.” During the freeze, the council plans to develop a plan that will include higher standards in several areas.

During the freeze, fraternities will be allowed to have only chapter meetings, philanthropic events and service events. Fraternity members will be able to continue living in the houses.

The length of the freeze and conditions for having it lifted has not been determined.

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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A fraternity at the University of Kansas has been closed because of several health and safety violations and a failure to meet its national organization’s guidelines.

The national Sigma Alpha Epsilon organization announced Thursday that the Kansas chapter will close after 115 years at the university. The national organization didn’t elaborate on what led to the closing. All Kansas members have been suspended indefinitely.

The chapter will remain closed for no less than four years or until the last current members have graduated or left the university.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the university had placed the fraternity on probation for two years after violations of the students’ code of conduct.

Two other Kansas fraternities, Delta Upsilon and Sigma Phi Epsilon, have been suspended this year.

SEDGWICK COUNTY Law enforcement authorities continue to investigate the disappearance of a 5-year-old Kansas boy. Police in Wichita are also working with Texas EquuSearch. The volunteer organization returned to Kansas Monday to assist in the search for Lucas Hernandez, according to the organization’s web site.

Police still need the public’s help, according to officer Charley Davidson. However, instead of calling the tip line, anyone with information is encouraged to call detectives at (316)268-4407 at Crimestoppers (316) 267-2111

Davidson confirmed that they are receiving fewer tips at the number originally used that is also a number for the Emergency Operations Center.  Police decided to discontinue the tip line. That number will no longer be monitored, according to Davidson.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities have identified the Kansas man who died in an accident Saturday morning in Shawnee County.

Just before 10:30 a.m., the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, Soldier Township Fire and AMR responded to the scene of a farm implement accident at 1800 block of NW 38th Street, according to Sheriff Herman Jones.

Upon arrival a farm tractor was discovered to be on fire.

The operator of the tractor identified as Neal Tyler, 80, of Topeka. was pronounced dead at the scene.  The accident remains under investigation.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY — A Kansas man died in an accident Saturday morning in Shawnee County.

Just before 10:30 a.m., the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, Soldier Township Fire and AMR responded to the scene of a farm implement related accident at 1800 block of NW 38th Street, according to Sheriff Herman Jones. Upon arrival a farm tractor was discovered to be on fire.

The operator of the tractor was deceased upon arrival of emergency personal.  The Sheriff did not release the name of the victim.

The incident remains under investigation.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Republican Senate candidate Josh Hawley of Missouri appears to be distancing himself from the state’s embattled governor.

Hawley campaign consultant Brad Todd told reporters not to expect fellow Republican Gov. Eric Greitens on the campaign trail when the campaign Tuesday during kickoff events.

Hawley is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill.

But as Hawley works to start his campaign, Greitens is fighting for his political career.

A grand jury indicted Greitens on a felony invasion-of-privacy charge last month related to a 2015 affair. He allegedly took a nonconsensual photo of the woman, who was at least partially nude.

The Democratic Senate Majority PAC already is trying to tie Hawley to Greitens with ads launched this month.

By JIM MCLEAN

The new head of Kansas’ troubled child welfare agency got a unanimous vote of confidence from a legislative committee Friday.

Even the agency’s staunchest critics think Gina Meier-Hummel will sail through a confirmation vote from the full Senate to head the Department for Children and Families.