Associated Press - February 9, 2010 5:14 AM ET

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A Kansas House committee is considering whether lawmakers should be able to grant new exemptions on state sales and property taxes. Members heard testimony yesterday about a resolution for a 3-year moratorium on the exemptions, but the panel took no vote.

MULVANE, Kan. (AP) - Officials are investigating a fire in the south-central Kansas town of Mulvane that left two young girls dead. Their father told authorities smoke kept him from getting to where the 3-year-old and 4-year-old were sleeping when the blaze broke out yesterday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A Kansas man is 1 of 3 who were convicted of selling fake diplomatic credentials and have been sentenced to federal prison. A U.S. Attorney's office says 66-year-old David Robinson of Lawrence was sentenced to just over six years.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Consolidating Kansas school districts could save millions of taxpayer dollars, according to a new report. It offers two scenarios with savings of either $18 million or $138 million. Auditors note the savings would not be immediate and would not help resolve a projected budget gap of $416 million.

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