JOAN LOWY, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government is proposing a $12 million civil fine against Southwest Airlines for failing to comply in three separate cases with safety regulations related to repairs on Boeing 737 jetliners.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that beginning in 2006 Southwest made “extreme makeover” alterations to eliminate potential cracking of the aluminum skin on 44 jetliners.

The FAA said an investigation determined that Southwest’s contractor, Aviation Technical Services Inc. of Everett, Washington, failed to follow proper procedures for replacing the fuselage as well as other work on the planes. The agency said all of the work was done under the supervision of Southwest Airlines.

The statement said Southwest returned the planes to service when they were not in compliance with regulations.

Southwest has 30 days to reply to the proposed fine.

ST. LOUIS (AP) – The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures. A proposed Missouri constitutional amendment would explicitly extend those legal protections to text messages, emails and other electronic communications.

The Amendment 9 ballot measure would require police to first obtain a warrant in order to search or seize “electronic communications and data.” Supporters say the legal protection is needed despite a recent federal Supreme Court ruling that upheld privacy protections against police cellphone searches.

Legislators who referred the measure to the Aug. 5 ballot say a state constitutional provision could help guard against excessive government intrusion, such as the recent National Security Agency eavesdropping scandal. The amendment also has the support of the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A northeast Kansas businessman says his vigorous campaign for the U.S. Senate as an independent candidate makes him the true alternative to Republican incumbent Pat Roberts.

Greg Orman of Olathe said Monday during a Statehouse news conference that his supporters gathered signatures from more than 10,000 registered voters to get him on the November general election ballot. He needs 5,000 valid signatures to qualify and plans to submit them Tuesday.

Orman said his ability to gather signatures and raise campaign funds shows he’s more viable as a candidate than Democratic hopeful Chad Taylor.

Taylor campaign manager Brandon Naylor says Orman has no solid political base.

Roberts faces tea party challenger Milton Wolf in the Aug. 5 GOP primary. Taylor faces Lawrence attorney Patrick Wiesner in the Democratic contest.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A southwest Missouri fair is offering elephant rides one year after a zookeeper was crushed by one of the animals nearby.
The Springfield News-Leader reports elephants from Larry Carden’s farm near Springfield are giving rides at the Ozark Empire Fair for the first time.

Zookeeper John Bradford was crushed to death last year by an elephant at Springfield’s Dickerson Park Zoo, which stopped offering elephant rides in the late 1990s.

Former zoo director Mike Crocker says the main reason the elephant rides were stopped was liability. He says there’s a certain amount of risk for staff members and fair guests that the zoo was no longer willing to accept.

CARROLLTON- A Kansas man was injured in a motorcycle accident on Sunday in Carroll County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1985 Yamaha driven by Brooke L. Babiuch, 22, Olathe, was traveling on Route C at County Road 167. The driver failed to negotiate a curve.

The vehicle overturned and hit a tree. Babiuch was ejected.
He was transported to Carroll County Memorial Hospital. The MSHP reported he was not wearing a helmet.

Little Apple Post

MANHATTAN — Police are currently looking for an inmate from the Riley County Jail who was approved for work release and failed to return after his work shift.

Officers initiated the investigation July 26 after Jason Leonard, 38, Manhattan, failed to return to the Riley County jail.

Leonard, who is serving time for a probation violation stemming from a felony burglary and misdemeanor theft case, is described as a black male, approximately 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighing approximately 170 pounds.

Those with information about his whereabouts are encouraged to contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers.

TOPEKA -A fatal accident just before 1:30 a.m. on Saturday in Shawnee County is still under investigation.

The Shawnee County Sheriff’s office reported a 2003 Chevy Impala and a 2014 Chevy Camaro were southbound on U.S. 75 just north of Topeka when the collision occurred. The Impala went into a ditch and hit trees.

Four people in the Impala were transported to the hospital for treatment. Desiree Rias, 59, Topeka, was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The driver of the Camaro John J. Tumino, 40, Leavenworth was not injured.

LENEXA- A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 7:30 a.m. on Monday in Johnson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Mercury Sable driven by Hassan D. Dean, 21, Lawrence, was eastbound on K10 at Lenexa. The vehicle went off the roadway to the left and struck a legally parked unoccupied 2001 GMC Safari van.

Dean was transported to Overland Park Regional Medical Center.

The KHP reported he was properly restrained at the time of the accident.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The number of Kansas children in state custody has risen to all-time highs as the number of child abuse and neglect complaints also is climbing.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports about 7,000 children were in state custody at the beginning of June, including 6,168 in out-of-home foster care placement.

Kansas Children’s Alliance executive director Bruce Linhos says workers and government officials are struggling to find a cause for the increase.

An in-depth report by the Kansas Health Institute last month included comments from some advocates blaming state policies for straining poor families.

But a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department for Children and Families attributes the increase to heightened awareness and reporting of child abuse and neglect.