OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — The family of two people fatally shot outside the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park has settled a lawsuit with Walmart over one of the guns used in the shooting.

The Kansas City Star reports the settlement’s terms between Walmart and the family of William Corporon and his grandson, Reat Underwood, are confidential.

The two were killed in April 2014 by F. Glenn Miller Jr., who was trying to kill Jews. He also killed Terri LaManno at a nearby care center. None of the victims was Jewish.

The lawsuit contends at least one Walmart employee was present when another man bought the shotgun used to kill Corporon and Underwood at a Walmart in Republic, Missouri. Miller could not buy a gun because he was a felon.

A similar lawsuit filed by LaManno’s family is pending.

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN

A state senator is pushing for a legislative investigation of recent uprisings and disturbances at a 1,500-inmate prison near Wichita.

Sen. Laura Kelly, a Topeka Democrat, on Monday proposed having legislative auditors look into incidents at the El Dorado Correctional Facility on at least four separate days in May, June and July.

Accounts from the state employees’ union and news reports from the Wichita Eagle, the Kansas City Star and The Associated Press indicate incidents took place that involved inmates refusing to return to their cells or even taking over parts of the state-run facility. The Star found evidence of one inmate having a weapon and prisoners starting a fire during one of the incidents.

“I think that we need some more transparency in the Department of Corrections,” Kelly said. “There have been a number of incidents that have occurred … at our facilities that have gone unreported until others found out — I think particularly the media.”

Todd Fertig, spokesman for the corrections department, said the agency has “never had a lack of transparency.”

Additionally, he indicated agency officials aren’t opposed to an audit.

“We’re doing all that we can to make sure that all of our facilities are run in a safe and secure manner both for the staff and for the offenders that live there,” Fertig said.

Because the panel of lawmakers that makes auditing decisions doesn’t meet often, it is not expected to vote on whether to proceed with the audit until October.

The news of disturbances at the El Dorado prison comes amid reports of a staffing shortage. The state employees’ union has expressed concern the shortage makes for unsafe conditions.

Fertig said Monday that “recruitment efforts are ongoing” and the staffing situation has improved from 87 vacant uniformed staff positions on July 5 to 73 such vacancies on July 24. The department also emptied a cell house by moving inmates to other facilities across Kansas, he said, freeing up 14 staff for assignment elsewhere.

“These adjustments, combined with continued recruitment efforts that have produced a group of incoming staff, have greatly relieved some of the staffing shortage felt earlier in the summer,” he said. “The incoming staff are still in training, and their additions will show in staffing numbers in coming weeks.”

The agency also revealed in recent days that El Dorado warden James Heimgartner has accepted a different job within the department.

Meanwhile, legislative auditors on Monday called into question the department’s estimate of costs related to proposed construction at Lansing Correctional Facility.

The auditors concluded — contrary to estimates from the department — that it would be cheaper for the state to issue bonds for the project rather than have a private company build and operate the facility. In the latter scenario, the state would eventually purchase the facility after 20 years of leasing.

The auditors’ conclusions contradict presentations that department officials made to lawmakers during the 2017 session. Auditors said the agency’s estimates “were missing key variables and used inconsistent assumptions that tended to favor a lease-purchase option.”

At issue are plans for a new complex to replace and consolidate two buildings at Lansing that the department says need to be modernized, in part to allow for less staff-intensive prisoner monitoring.

The agency predicts it would be able to reduce staffing from 686 to 392 employees while increasing inmate capacity from about 2,400 to about 2,600.

Kelly described the audit findings as part of a “pattern” at the department that includes the agency withholding information about disturbances at El Dorado.

“They don’t report incidents that happen at their facilities, and when they put the (Lansing) proposal forward they didn’t give us the correct information,” she said, adding that she believes the department wants to lease from a private company. “That really was their push. They wanted us to choose that option or allow them to choose that option.”

The chairman of the legislative audit committee, Abilene Republican Rep. John Barker, said the results of the Lansing audit will be helpful for making decisions. But he rejected any notion that it calls the department’s credibility into question.

“I don’t have any concerns about that,” he said. “Good people always can differ.”

Fertig said his agency appreciates the auditors’ work.

“The real cost of funding the project, and the best means for funding it, won’t be known until the bids are received from potential builders,” he said. “The agency’s stance remains what it always has been, which is that we are open to whichever funding option is the best for the state.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen is a reporter for the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics. You can reach her on Twitter @Celia_LJ.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is seeking to avoid answering questions under oath about plans to change U.S. election law.

The Kansas Republican filed a notice late Monday saying he is appealing to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals an order to submit to a deposition by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The ALCU called Kobach’s appeal of the deposition order “bizarre.”

Two federal judges have each twice ruled Kobach misled the court about the contents of documents he took into a November meeting with then-President-elect Donald Trump and a separate draft amendment to the National Voter Registration Act.

The court fined Kobach $1,000 and ordered him to testify on Thursday about the documents.

Kobach is vice chairman of Trump’s Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity.

SHAWNEE COUNTY  —Law enforcement authorities are investigating  a series of vehicle break-ins and have arrested

Just after 2 a.m. Tuesday, police stopped three suspicious suspects near SW 14^th and Boswell in Topeka. The suspects admitted breaking into numerous vehicle near SW 17^th and Washburn, according to a media release.

Police found several items taken in the burglaries with the suspects.  They booked Shane Lesley Brooks II,18, Topeka, and two juveniles on burglary, theft and improper use of a highway.

Just after 3a.m., police stopped two additional suspicious suspects near SW 17^th and Wayne in Topeka. Police arrested and booked the two juveniles on numerous charges of burglary, theft and criminal damage.

Police reported at least ten victims of these crimes and additional property has yet to be claimed.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Two people died in a small plane crash just after 8p.m. Monday in Shawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the 1965 Piper PA-30 Fixed Wing Multi-Engine Airplane piloted by William M. Leeds, 76, Mission, was traveling southeast to northwest. The aircraft appeared to miss the runway at Billard Municipal Airport in Topeka

The aircraft struck the ground at a high rate of speed, turned approximately 180 degrees and came to rest in a grass field in between the runway and the taxi road to the airport terminal.

Leeds and co-pilot James K. Bergman, 55, Leawood, died in the crash, according to the KHP.

The FAA is investigating the crash.

SUMNER COUNTY – A second earthquake this week shook south-central Kansas Monday morning.

The quake just before 1:30 a.m. measured 3.4 and was centered ten miles northwest of Caldwell, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Officials reported a 2.6 quake Sunday afternoon in the same area.

Tuesday’s quake is the first in August. The USGS reported eight quakes in Kansas in July, 18 Kansas earthquakes in June, 9 in May, a dozen in April, 7 in March and 6 in February.

There are no reports of damage or injury from Tuesday’s quake, according to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Department.

RILEY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are alerting the public to  conflicting information circulating about a serial rapist who is believed to have attacked more than a dozen women from 2000 to 2008 in Manhattan and Lawrence.

According to a social media report from Riley County Police there is a composite sketch going around on a Kansas Missing and Unsolved flyer giving out inaccurate information.

“We want to be clear — this sketch on the flyer is not connected to the sexual assault cases stretching from October 2000 to July 2015.” The organization held a press conference on this investigation last week.

“That composite sketch in question came from another organization’s press release involving a rape case that occurred in August of 2009 that is not connected to the other assaults.”

Officials have said the suspect is usually armed and covers his face. He’s also believed to have conducted some sort of surveillance before the attacks.

Police expressed appreciation in getting the word out about these cases in an effort to gain information that may lead to an arrest. We would like to thank you for sharing facts from trusted sources like the Riley County Police Department and the Lawrence Police Department.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas men have pleaded guilty to federal charges related to their scheme to pilfer items from Wichita mailboxes.

Thirty-eight-year-old Shalan Hiatt of Wichita pleaded guilty Monday to one count each of mail theft and possession of a counterfeit mailbox master key. Thirty-three-year-old Jason Farner of Leavenworth pleaded guilty to two counts of mail theft.

Authorities say Hiatt and Farner admitted they were members of a group of people in Wichita who used counterfeited mailbox keys to steal mail containing checks and forms of identification.

Sentencing for both men is scheduled for Oct. 19.  Hiatt has previous convictions for theft and criminal damage, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

FINNEY COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on alleged DUI charges after a crash.

Just before 9a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a one car injury accident in the 400 block of W. Fulton Street in Garden City involving a Silver 2011 Chevy Cobalt and a utility pole.

When Officers arrived on the scene, they identified the driver of the vehicle as Justin Cruz, 26, Broomfield Colorado. Cruz was uninjured and exhibiting signs of impaired driving.

The investigation revealed Cruz was traveling west on Fulton St. when he allegedly fell asleep at the wheel. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a utility pole on the on the northeast corner of 11th and Fulton Street.

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY- A man is recovering from injuries sustained in an accident on the Kansas River in Pottawatomie County over the weekend.

On Saturday afternoon Game Wardens were dispatched to a report of a man with a possible broken leg on the River. Wardens along with a paramedic, launched a department rescue airboat and located the group between Wamego and St George, according to a social media report.

Upon arrival, it was learned that the man’s injuries were worse than reported. Authorities administering an IV, paramedic and wardens loaded the victim on a spine board and he was transported by airboat back to the Wamego boat ramp where EMS took over.

Officials released no additional details on the accident.