ROXANA HEGEMAN

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is the latest Republican heavy-hitter to come to the aid of Sen. Pat Roberts’ struggling campaign for re-election.

COFFEYVILLE, Kan.- Two people were injured in an accident just before 11 a.m. on Monday in Montgomery County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1990 Chevy Station wagon driven by Hubert J. King, Jr., 55, Lenapah, OK., was westbound on County Road 2800 at U.S. 169. The vehicle failed to yield at a stop sign.

A northbound 2002 Buick Century driven by Judith Umlauf, 63, Independence struck the Chevy.

King, Jr., and a passenger in the Buick Elizabeth Webster, 55, Independence, were transported to Coffeyville Hospital.

The KHP reported Umlauf might have been injured but not transported.

All were properly restrained at the time of the accident.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The former secretary-treasurer of a railroad union in Kansas has pleaded guilty to embezzling from the group.

U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said in a news release that 62-year-old Dale Hull, of Herington, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of embezzling union funds.

The crime occurred while Hull was secretary-treasurer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union that represents Union Pacific employees working in the Herington terminal and the Salina hub.

Hull said that starting in 2008, he made more than $17,000 in unauthorized transfers from the union’s account to his personal checking account. He also filed reports to the U.S. Department of Labor in which he understated his earnings in his union position.

Sentencing is set for Jan. 5.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Topeka man who police say was naked and bloody before his arrest is charged with premeditated first-degree murder in this girlfriend’s death.

Shawnee County District Court records show Trevor William Adkins was also charged Friday with misdemeanor counts of endangering a child and battery. He remains jailed Monday on $1 million bond in the death of 22-year-old Lacie Atchison.

Police say they found Atchison’s body last Wednesday on the front porch of a Topeka home. A naked Adkins was arrested nearby.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports neighbors called police to report seeing a naked man covered in blood running around the street, screaming and yelling.

Court records don’t indicate that Adkins has hired an attorney.

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota says it is recalling 690,000 Tacoma pickup trucks because the rear leaf springs could break, puncture the gas tank and cause a fire.

The recall covers Tacoma Four-by-Four and Pre-Runner pickups from the 2005 through 2011 model years.

The automaker says the leaf springs can fracture due to stress and corrosion. They can move out of position and come into contact with surrounding components, including the gas tank. Toyota says it’s not aware of any fires, crashes or injuries from the problem.

Owners will be notified by mail and Toyota says dealers will fix the problem at no cost.

Owners with questions can call Toyota at (800) 331-4331.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas is hoping to attract more federal research funding from the U.S. Department of Defense.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the university has received national security clearances to pursue classified contract with all federal agencies. In fiscal year 2013, the university received $6.5 million in research funding from Defense Department agencies. That’s about 2.5 percent of the school’s research dollars.

Spokesman Kevin Boatright says research dollars from defense could increase substantially in the future. He says researchers are already working on 60 projects for defense agencies.

To publicize the research opportunities available, the Kansas Office of Research is planning a workshop on Oct. 7.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas school districts report a higher pace of teachers retiring while the number of newly licensed teachers remains flat.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports more than 2,000 teachers retired last school year. The state’s education department says that’s double the number of teachers that retired five years earlier.

Scott Myers is the department’s director of teacher education and licensure. He says the teacher retirement figures are subject to error because it’s self-reported data from school districts.

The Education Department says about 2,500 new teachers received licenses last year, which is almost the same number of those who earned licenses five years earlier.

Meanwhile, the state saw an increase of 13,400 students over the same period of time.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas education official says a new tax-credit system to fund private school tuition for low-income students is on track to start in January.

Deputy education commissioner Dale Dennis says application forms for the tuition program are nearly ready.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the program will allow businesses to donate to nonprofit organizations for scholarships for low-income children attending public schools to transfer to private schools. The businesses would receive a tax credit that subtracts 70 percent of their donation from their tax bills.

Dennis says he thinks the Legislature wanted the program ready by January and his department is working to meet that goal.

Only children who attend one of 99 Kansas public schools considered low-performing are eligible for the scholarships.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An arcane legal dispute over the lack of a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Kansas could upend a key contest in the fight for control of the Senate.

The national spotlight is on three-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts and independent challenger Greg Orman.

But a case being heard Monday by a three-judge panel in Shawnee County District Court centers on whether state law requires Democrats to pick a new candidate after Chad Taylor withdrew earlier this month.

Some Democrats pushed Taylor out. They viewed Orman as a stronger rival for Roberts and wanted to avoid a split in the anti-Roberts vote.

Republicans need to gain six seats for a Senate majority and have counted on Roberts winning.

The judges are expected to rule this week.