By ELLE MOXLEY

Burns & McDonnell will employ the first ten graduates of a new career and technical education program on the Kansas City International Airport project – if the city council selects their proposal, that is.

At a symposium for minority-owned businesses on Tuesday, the local engineering firm announced a new partnership with Kansas City Public Schools’ Manual Career and Technical Center to overhaul the construction trades curriculum to focus on commercial rather than residential building.

“We are going to be in a building boom in this city,” Burns & McDonnell CEO Ray Kowalik said at a news conference. “We don’t want people coming in from all over the country taking those jobs. We want to educate the people we have here, give them the skillsets and put them to work in our great city.”

Ramin Cherafat of McCownGordon and David Disney of JE Dunn – both part of the Burns & McDonnell “KCI HOMETOWN Team” vying to build a single-terminal airport – also pledged their support for the construction technology partnership.

“What we’re doing here is giving opportunity to the future generations of Kansas Citians,” Cherafat said.

Of course, there’s no guarantee Burns & McDonnell will be awarded the airport contract. Three other firms submitted proposals after the Kansas City Council opened up the bidding process.

But that hasn’t stopped Burns & McDonnell from promoting its plan. They’ve been running ads during Royals games featuring George Brett and pamphleting neighborhoods with their pledge to work with women- and minority-owned businesses in the Kansas City area.

A special group of city councilmembers and airport officials is reviewing all four proposals this week and is expected to make a decision later this month.

Then the airport question goes to voters.

Elle Moxley covers schools and politics for KCUR. You can reach her on Twitter @ellemoxley.

MARSHALL COUNTY – Two people avoided serious injury after an airplane accident just before 2p.m. Friday in Marshall County.

A 1948 Cessna 170 fixed wing aircraft piloted by Nicholas Buessing, 18, Axtel, was 600 feet above the ground with a ground speed of 90 mph in the 2900 Block of Jayhawk Road, one mile West of Axtell, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

The pilot’s side door opened unexpectedly. When the pilot reached to grab the door, he lost control of the aircraft and it struck the ground.

Buessing and a passenger Christian Buessing, 21, Axtel, were not injured.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident, according to the KHP.

NEWTON, Kan. (AP) — A 19-year-old man is jailed on $2.5 million bond after being accused of slaying his girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter.

Harvey County District Attorney David Yoder says Keith Hawkins is charged with capital and first-degree murder.

Authorities say 24-year-old Alyssa Runyon and daughter Zaylynn Paz were found dead shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday by Runyon’s ex-boyfriend in bedrooms in the victims’ duplex. Police said the girl had been fatally stabbed and that her mother strangled.

Police said Hawkins was arrested later Tuesday in Taylor, Texas, where he allegedly was found driving Runyon’s vehicle.

Hawkins was returned to Kansas on Friday.

Yoder says a possible motive in the killings has been determined, though he declined to discuss it publicly.

It’s not immediately clear if Hawkins has an attorney.

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NEWTON — A man suspected in the slayings of his girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter is now in the  Harvey County Jail. Keith Hawkins waived extradition in Texas, where he was arrested.

Harvey County Undersheriff Shawn Chapman says a team of investigators from that department brought the suspect back to Kansas on Friday. He is being held on a $250,000 bond, according to the Harvey County Jail booking web site.

Authorities say 24-year-old Alyssa Runyon and daughter Zaylynn Paz were found dead shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday by Runyon’s ex-boyfriend in bedrooms in the victims’ duplex. Police said the girl had been fatally stabbed and that her mother strangled.

Police said the Hawkins was arrested shortly before 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in Taylor, Texas, where he allegedly was found driving Runyon’s vehicle.

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on aggravated assault charges and other charges.

Just after 10a.m. on August 4, DeAnthony M. Ford allegedly confronted a female acquaintance at the City-County Building, 300 W. Ash in Salina, according to Salina Police Capt. Mike Sweeney.

The woman told police that Ford placed her infant girl in his vehicle and was preparing to drive away. She then got into the vehicle as he started to drive away.

According to Capt. Sweeney, Ford drove to the 700 block of East Elm where he allegedly brandished a handgun from under the seat, pointed it at the woman and told her to get out of the vehicle.

The victim walked back to the City-County Building, reporting the incident to authorities.

Police stopped Ford for a traffic violation in Kansas City, Mo. that afternoon. He was taken into custody for outstanding warrants. He was also in possession of a semi-automatic handgun.

Ford and the victim share joint custody of the child. The girl was placed into protective custody and picked up by her mother.

Ford was transported back to Salina Thursday and booked into the Saline County Jail for aggravated interference with parental custody, domestic battery, and aggravated assault.

CLINTON, Mo. (AP) — Police records say a man who is charged with supplying the weapon used to kill a western Missouri police officer admitted that he bought the rifle for the suspect and threw it in a creek after the shooting.

William Noble, of Clinton, was charged Thursday with felony tampering with evidence. He is accused of buying the rifle that investigators believe Ian McCarthy used in the killing of Clinton police Officer Gary Michael on Sunday.

A probable cause statement says Noble told a Missouri State Highway Patrol officer that he bought the rifle at McCarthy’s request. He says he “panicked” Monday when he saw the rifle leaning against a doorway at his home.

According to the statement, Noble threw the weapon into a creek, from where it was retrieved Thursday.

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CLINTON, Mo. (AP) — Authorities have arrested another man in connection with last weekend’s shooting death of a western Missouri police officer.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe says William Noble of Clinton was taken into custody Thursday and charged with felony tampering with evidence. Lowe says that during the course of an interview, investigators determined that the 35-year-old Noble had disposed of the rifle believed to have been used in the officer’s killing.

Lowe earlier said that a gun had been found in a creek about two miles north of Clinton.

Thirty-nine-year-old Ian McCarthy is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Clinton police Officer Gary Michael.

Lowe says the relationship between McCarthy and Noble is unclear.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an attempted armed robbery.

Just after 3:30a.m. Friday police responded to a KWIK Shop, 3440 West 6^th Street in Lawrence after report of the attempted robbery and shooting, according to a media release.

Officers made contact with a 38-year-old employee of the business.  He told police two suspects approached him outside the business, and shot him during an attempt to rob him.  The victim was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspects fled the scene on foot northbound from the business.  The first suspect is described as a black male, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10 inches tall with a red bandanna over his face and black hooded sweatshirt and pants.  The second suspect is described as approximately 6-foot 2 and wore a blue bandanna over his face and a dark hooded sweatshirt and pants.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The U.S. Marine Corps has confirmed that a Wichita man was one of three Marines lost when their aircraft crashed off the coast of Australia.

Cpl. Nathan Ordway, 21, was the crew chief of the MV-22 Osprey that crashed while trying to land during a training exercise on Aug. 5.

Ordway and two other Marines have been declared dead. A recovery mission is underway. More than 20 other passengers on the aircraft were rescued after the crash.

Ordway’s mother said Thursday that if there’s one thing she knows for sure, it’s that her son died helping others. She says her son loved being a Marine, but always looked forward to calling home and spending time with family.

SEDGWICK COUNTY – A six-year-old Kansas boy died in an accident Thursday night in Wichita.

Just after 11p.m., a Jeep driven by a 23-year-old man was westbound on 21^st Street at Rock Road, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

The vehicle crossed the double-yellow line twice and the driver overcorrected. The vehicle struck a curb and rolled multiple times into the backyard of a residence.

The driver and a six-year-old passenger were ejected from the vehicle. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

Emergency crews transported the driver to a local hospital in critical condition, according to Davidson.  He did not release names of the victims.

The accident remains under investigation.

RENO COUNTY — A Kansas man who thought it would be cool to drive into a wildfire and shoot a video for social media has now been formally charged in Reno County District Court with three counts of child endangerment.

Josh Sellers, who is already serving time at HCF, is accused of driving into the wildfire in March — along with three teens — and shooting video. The matter came to light during the fire department’s arson investigation related to the fires that destroyed a number of homes and buildings and caused mass evacuations in the county.

The video, which went on social media, became a part of that investigation. When authorities discovered three of the passengers in the vehicle were under the age of 18, formal charges were brought against Sellers.

Sellers will be back in court for another hearing Aug. 23.

HARVEY COUNTY —The community of Newton is holding a candlelight vigil Friday to remember 24-year-old Alyssa Runyon and here 4-year-old daughter. They were found murdered in their Newton home on Tuesday.

The family asked Newton Police to invite the public to the vigil scheduled for 8p.m. in the grassy space north of Roanoke Court.

On social media, police shared, “This week Newton lost two members of its community to a horribly violent act. This will be a time for our community to come together, remember, grieve, and hopefully begin the healing process.”

Friends and family established an online fund to assist the family with expenses following the murder.