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It could be well into next year before the state of Kansas hands over the final payment for a new vehicle registration system.

The state is withholding 10 percent of the payment to Minnesota-based 3M after a systems upgrade was plagued with problems. Secretary of Revenue Nick Jordan said they've worked through the major issues.

Time magazine says Ben Affleck wants to make “serious movies for serious people,” by which, if we can judge by 2010’s The Town and this year’s Argo, he means movies of the old genre type, especially semi-documentaries and films noir, featuring straightforward storytelling without a lot of emphasis on internal action and flashbacks, clear and relatively simple plot lines but a lot of suspense, characters that do not need a lot of introspection but do behave in understandable ways for understandable reasons, and in general a clear resemblance to the world we live i

A Topeka resident formally launched an effort Wednesday to recall Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, but state law creates large hurdles to force an election.

Sonny Scroggins contends Kobach has been “derelict in his duties,” partly because of Kobach’s work on immigration issues outside the state. Scroggins submitted a $100 application fee and a copy of his proposed recall petition to the office of Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer, who will determine the validity of a recall petition.

New website to take anonymous tips about school spending; ATC won't be used in assessment of KS students; Man launches campaign to recall Secretary of State Kris Kobach

ACT Scores Will Not Be Included In KS Report Card

Three school districts in Kansas have stopped using the official state assessment tests for student performance. The districts have switched to tests prepared by ACT, which is known for college entrance exams.

Three school districts in Kansas have stopped using the official state assessment tests for student performance. The districts have switched to tests prepared by ACT, which is known for college entrance exams.

The Kansas Board of Education Wednesday voted not to include the ACT test scores in the state’s official report card provided to the federal government. Including the ACT scores would lower the state’s overall grade.

“When we’re discussing assessment results, we can’t compare oranges and apples,” says board member Jana Shaver from Independence.

October Final Friday holds in store two incredible one-night-only shows that should not be missed. The first is at Diver’s Studio with a show titled Watch and Adsorb. That is adsorb with a “d” – a scientific word that refers to a surface-based process of molecules adhering together. This limitless process of surface tension sets the perfect tone for the work of James Porter and his collaborators, Franklin Ackerly and Texas artist Jeff Wheeler, for their Kansas debut exhibition.

Kansas Officials Defend Proposed Science Standards

Kansas officials involved in drafting proposed science standards have disputed an Emporia State University biology professor’s criticism of the guidelines as weak.

Matt Krehbiel is the state Department of Education official overseeing work on the standards for Kansas public schools. Krehbiel said Tuesday the goal is to concentrate on important core, scientific concepts. And State Board of Education Chair David Dennis said he thinks the work is moving in the right direction.

Kansas has unveiled a new driver’s license. The update includes new holograms and hidden images that can only be seen under an ultraviolet light. The improved security measures are aimed at fighting counterfeiters.

When you think of a fake ID, you might at first think of kids trying to buy beer. But state officials say it’s also related to other problems like human trafficking, or people working in Kansas who aren’t legally allowed to work.

State Senator Steve Abrams of Arkansas City says he plans to run for president of the Kansas Senate.

Abrams, a Republican who has represented the 32nd District since 2008, says he would champion conservative principles if he is chosen Senate president. He promised to insist on civility while working with Gov. Sam Brownback and the House to promote a conservative agenda.

State Senator Susan Wagle, a Republican from Wichita, also plans to run for Senate president, if she defeats Democrat Patrick Cantwell, also from Wichita, in the November 6 general election.

One way musicians create tension in a melody or chord progression is through use of a suspension.

Here’s a little music theory for you: the suspension. A suspension is a note that clashes with the harmony and needs to move to another note to resolve the tension. For instance, the fourth note above the root of a chord is dissonant, and likes to move to the third note, which is consonant. Here’s a 4-3 suspension on a piano; the tension in this C chord is resolved when the dissonant F moves to the consonant E:

Example 1: 4 3 suspension.piano