SALINA, Kan. (AP) — Three Kansas school districts have received initial approval to become special innovative districts, which would make them exempt from many state education regulations.

The Coalition of Innovative School Districts on Wednesday recommended that Kansas City, Hugoton and Blue Valley districts be designated as innovative. A fourth request, from the Santa Fe Trail District, was not approved.

The Kansas State Board of Education must approve the coalition’s recommendations.

A 2013 law allows districts to be exempt from certain state regulations involving public education if they present plans to improve student achievement.

The Salina Journal reports up to 10 percent of the state’s school districts can be members. The Concordia and McPherson districts were the first two member districts selected as part of the coalition.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The well-known Oklahoma Joe’s Bar-B-Que restaurant is changing its name to reflect that it has no ties to Oklahoma.

The restaurant, which has three locations in the Kansas City area, will be known as Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que by the end of the year.

The restaurant has made several national lists of best barbeque stops. It has attracted celebrity diners and recently served about $1,400 worth of food to Air Force One when President Barack Obama was in Kansas City.

The Kansas City Star reports  the business started in Oklahoma but hasn’t had a restaurant in that state for 17 years.

Co-owner Jeff Stehney says the company is proud of its roots but the name change reflects where it has been based for nearly two decades.

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — Fort Leavenworth is planning a groundbreaking ceremony next week for a $15.6 million battleground simulation training center.

Fort officials announce Wednesday that the ceremony Wednesday will begin construction of a Regional Simulation Center, which will house the hardware, software and technology that simulate battlefield activity.

The fort said in a news release that the center will provide train the staffs and commanders of large units, a corps or division to help improve communication, coordination and planning skills.

The Army says it will save money by consolidating the training technology, which currently is scattered at each corps and division headquarters.

The Leavenworth Times reports construction of the 36,000-square-foot building is expected to be completed by January 2016.

KANSAS CITY – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today visited Western Forms, Inc. to meet with executives and employees, and rally support for the job-creating benefits of the Export-Import Bank ahead of a crucial Senate vote this fall.

McCaskill heard from Western Forms, Inc. employees on how their company had been positively impacted by the bank, and discussed ways the bank’s funding has allowed them to create jobs in Missouri and compete in the global marketplace.

“The Export-Import Bank is one of the most important tools available to help Missouri companies create jobs and succeed in the increasingly competitive global market,” said McCaskill. “The Export-Import Bank helps Missouri companies like Western Forms, Inc. sell their goods and services to customers across the globe, and supports jobs for thousands of Missourians. That’s why it’s critical that Congress take bipartisan action this fall to renew the Export-Import Bank’s authorization—and keep this valuable tool in the hands of Missouri businesses.”

McCaskill recently sent a letter to companies in the Kansas City area who have grown their businesses with the help of Export-Import Bank resources. Without Congressional action, the authorization for the Export-Import Bank is set to expire on September 30.

The Export-Import Bank supports American jobs by helping to finance foreign sales of U.S. products through loan guarantees, direct loans, and credit insurance, all at no cost to taxpayers. Since 2009, the Export-Import Bank has supported $188 billion in U.S. exports and 1.2 million American jobs. The Export-Import Bank has supported $1 billion in exports from 96 Missouri companies since 2007. Nearly 85 percent of businesses supported by the Export-Import Bank are small and medium-sized businesses.

Since 1962, Western Forms, Inc. has manufactured aluminum forming systems that are used in residential and commercial cast-in-place concrete building construction. A third-generation Missouri family company founded in 1955, Western Forms, Inc. now has 150 employees.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams says the television show “Cops” has ended filming in Springfield early after one of the program’s employees was shot to death in Omaha, Nebraska.

Williams says crews with Langley Productions were scheduled to film in the city through the end of this week but stopped filming after the shooting in Nebraska.

The decision came after a sound mixer for the show was shot to death Tuesday by officers in Omaha who were responding to a robbery. The alleged robber also was killed.

The Springfield News-Leader reports (http://sgfnow.co/YYc2O7 ) Williams said Wednesday no problems had been reported during the show’s filming in Springfield this summer. He says the program also filmed in Springfield in 2011 and it was a positive experience that was popular with the public.

NEW YORK (AP) — The FBI says it’s working with the Secret Service to determine the scope of recently reported cyberattacks against several American financial institutions.

A report on Bloomberg.com says the FBI is investigating an incident in which Russian hackers may have retaliated against U.S. government-sponsored sanctions against their country. Bloomberg says the attack led to the loss of sensitive data. It cites security experts saying the attack appeared “far beyond the capability of ordinary criminal hackers.”

JPMorgan spokeswoman Trish Wexler says big companies experience cyberattacks nearly every day. She says they have layers of defense to counteract threats and constantly monitor fraud levels.

The FBI says combating cyberthreats and criminals remains a top priority for the U.S. government.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A new report finds that most universities aren’t offering students enough help in understanding the financial burden posed by student loans.

Two Kansas State University professors helped write the white paper, called “Financial Literacy in Higher Education: The Most Successful Models and Methods for Gaining Traction.”

The report outlines different ways to educate students, ranging from classroom-based programs to individual counseling. The paper also identified a need for financial education at universities, noting that many universities do not have a program.

Associate professor Sonya Britt says financial issues are one of the top reasons that students drop out of college. She also stressed that most incoming college students haven’t benefited from financial literacy courses in high school and lack basic money management skills.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A panel of college leaders from Pakistan will speak at Johnson County Community College about the role of education in fighting terrorism in their country.

The educators from the Sukkur Institute of Business Administration are scheduled to speak the evening of Sept. 18 at the Overland Park campus. The U.S. Embassy has provided the Kansas college a grant to work with the Pakistani school.

The event is open to the public and starts at 7 p.m. in the college’s Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. A public reception will begin at 6 p.m. in the Nerman Atrium.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted a Kansas City corporate executive on charges of child pornography and trying to entice a minor over the Internet for sex.

The U.S. attorney’s office says Wednesday’s indictment of 37-year-old Daniel C. Irwin followed a nearly eight-month investigation by an undercover Kansas City police detective.

 Prosecutors say Irwin, an assistant vice president at a financial services company, tried to persuade the undercover officer to let him have sex with the officer’s purported daughters. Irwin also is accused of sending the officer a number of images of child porn.

Irwin was arrested Aug. 8 after a search warrant was executed at his home. His attorney was not available for comment Wednesday.