Topeka

A strange sight on a Kansas interstate. It was Tuesday afternoon when drivers noticed an animal standing along the shoulder of I-70 west of Topeka. Not just any animal. It was a zebra. Not exactly part of the native Kansas wildlife. Turns out the zebra belongs to a local rancher, and had somehow gotten away. The rancher came to the scene and used treats to coax the zebra back into his fenced area.  

A group of Wichita parents is encouraging lawmakers to support the Parents as Teachers program. The program teaches children the developmental basics they need, like writing and interacting with adults, before they attend kindergarten. Gretchen Postiglione is a mother of two from Wichita. She says the program helped one of her daughters learn to walk when she fell behind other children in her peer group. Programs like Parents as Teachers and Head Start are facing potential funding cuts as state and local officials try to find ways to balance this year's budget.

A burglar didn't get inside a home, but he did kill the dog who kept him out. Police in Topeka say the man tried to get in the home through the backyard when he came across an 8-year-old akita named Ouji. Investigators say the burglar shot the dog twice. "He was a part of the family as far as I'm concerned, he took the life of our family member. " Says the dogs owner Chris Dykes. Police don't have a description of the suspect.

A fast-moving storm leaves behind damage in Topeka.  Homeowners are left with a mess to clean up after the storm moved through late Wednesday. Several trees were snapped and were carried across lawns, and some porches were completely ripped off. Westar Energy restored power to the neighborhood after power lines were knocked over. No injuries were reported.

While the parents flew overhead, three Peregrine Falcon chicks were given identification bands in Topeka Monday. The three chicks were born in a special nesting box atop the Westar Energy building. In addition to getting Id bands on their legs, experts also took blood samples and looked at their feet to try and determine their gender. Officials say banding of the birds is important in tracking the birds' growth and progress after they leave the nest. Westar Energy is holding a contest to name the birds; it also has a webcam on the nesting box. Click here to learn more about the contest and see the feed.

It was voted down in 2007, but now the state is looking at the issue again. The owner of the Wichita Greyhound Park is asking the state to allow slot machines to be installed. Proponents for the expansion of gambling made their case in front of a State Senate committee in Topeka Tuesday. Opponants will make their case Wednesday. If its approved, Sedgwick County residents will get to vote on it. The plan calls for 400 to 1,200 slots to be installed. Later in the week, the committee will hear arguments about the possibility of making changes to the law that allowed smoking inside state owned casinos.

Medical marijuana, some patients say it's their best medicine for pain. But opponents feel legalizing a drug will only lead to more drug abuse. Kansas lawmakers may get to decide the issue this year. A house committee will hear testimony from patients Tuesday in Topeka about a bill to legalize medical marijuana in Kansas. There are times when I hurt so bad, I can't leave the house for days at a time," said Hutchinson resident David Mulford. He's lived with chronic pain from hernias and debilitating muscle spasms for more than 20 years.

Wendell Turner loves all of his grandchildren.  But there are two who he feels need a little more protection. "Their mother had abandoned them.  And their dad just wasn't qualified to take care of them,” Turner said. The state agreed.  In 2007, his grandsons went through the foster care process.  After attending a custody meeting, Turner decided to get an attorney and fight for his grandsons.     "One of the people who was still there said it won't do you any good, because grandparents don't have any rights.  And I said, well who is going to get them?

A Topeka woman is killed after an accident in Larned Saturday night. Officials say 30-year-old Lindsay Fogelberg was going northbound on 30th avenue when she left the roadway. She over-correctd then entered a field where her vehicle rolled. She was thrown from her SUV. She was taken to the Pawnee Valley Community Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Hundreds line Topeka streets holding American flags, as a giant flag flew overhead.  All of it in honor of two police officers killed in the line of duty. Corporal David Gogian and officer Jeff Atherly died last Sunday after a man shot both during an investigation into a possible drug deal outside a grocery store. Men and women in uniform across the country gathered in Topeka today to attend the funerals for both men. Among the group, police from Wichita, Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputies, and airmen from McConnell.

A Wichita man has died in an overnight shooting in Topeka. Officers responded to the report of gunshots in the 900 block of SW Tyler around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. They found a man suffering from a life-threating gunshot wound. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died. The victim has been identified as Faustino Martinez, 22. Police say the man accused of the shooting death turned himself into authorities around 9 a.m. The Shawnee County Department of Corrections booked William Spangler, 22, on premeditated first-degree murder charges.

A Topeka business owner has admitted to writing more than 5,000 insufficient fund checks in a check kiting scheme.   John Charles Humpage, III, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. He said that in 2008 he defrauded the Educational Credit Union, Kaw Valley State Bank and Alliance Bank. Humpage did business under various names including Humpco, Inc., Crescent Limousine, Yellow Cab of Topeka and Wire and Glass Lease, LLC. He carried out a scheme to defraud the banks by exchanging and cross-depositing insufficiently funded checks between two or more of his bank accounts.

Topeka Police are searching for suspects in connection to a double-shooting that left a man dead. It happened at an apartment in the 1200 block of SW Topeka Blvd. around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday. Officers responded to a call of multiple shots fired. Once inside, they found a 35-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman suffering from gunshot wounds. The man was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died. The woman is expected to recover. Police are looking for Michael Engstrom, 33, in connection to the shooting.

The new medical marijuana bill in Topeka already appears to going nowhere. A senate committee chairwoman now says the proposal won't get a hearing this session. Supporters aren't surprised. The bill in question is the same one that was proposed last year, the year before that, and two years before that. Each time the bill is heard by a committee of lawmakers, but they never take the next step of putting the measure up for a full vote. That's why Esau Freeman with Kansasforchange.org isn't surprised by this new announcement.

Lawmakers return to Topeka to start the new legislative session. Key topics like the budget, tax cuts and school finance will top their list of issues to tackle in 2013. Before the session begins, one Wichita lawmaker is already making history twice. Susan Wagle is the first Wichitan to lead the Kansas Senate, she's also the first female Senate President in state history. "I will have increased influence," Wagle said. "But I am looking towards developing an atmosphere where everyone takes part, everyone has an equal voice and then majority rules.

Hundreds line Topeka streets holding American flags, as a giant flag flew overhead.  All of it in honor of two police officers killed in the line of duty. Corporal David Gogian and officer Jeff Atherly died last Sunday after a man shot both during an investigation into a possible drug deal outside a grocery store. Men and women in uniform across the country gathered in Topeka today to attend the funerals for both men. Among the group, police from Wichita, Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputies, and airmen from McConnell.

Flags flew at half staff in Kansas Friday and hundreds paid their final respects to two slain Topeka police officers.  Funerals are today for Corporal David Gogian and officer Jeff Atherly.  The two were killed Sunday while investigating a possible drug deal in a store parking lot.     Friday was visitation for the officers at the Kansas Expocenter in Topeka.  That's where funerals for both men will be held as well. The men's families spoke about their losses.  "Dad loved each and every member of the Topeka Police Department and he had the utmost respect for all law enforcement officers nationwide.

Hundreds of residents and law enforcement officers attended a candlelight vigil in Topeka Monday night.  They gathered in holding candles and one another to honor the two officers shot and killed in the line of duty Sunday. 50-year-old Cpl David Gogian and 29-year-old Officer Jeff Atherly were shot and killed in the parking lot of a Dillon's store in Topeka.  22-year-old David E. Tiscareno is accused of killing them.  He died after a police stand off early Monday morning. A tip from the public helped lead police to Tiscareno.  The Topeka Police Chief says he knew the public would come forward to help catch the guy who opened fire on the officers.

You could have money sitting in Topeka and not even realize it.  There are millions of dollars out there for Kansans to claim but the state is having a hard time tracking the owners down.  The state wants to give back money left in safety deposit boxes, lawsuit settlements and old bank accounts. Click To See If You Have Unclaimed Property Eyewitness News teamed up with the Treasurer's Office for an unclaimed property hotline Tuesday.  Between phone calls and people checking for themselves online, the state opened 910 potential claims.  The potential amount of money to be given back is $124,872.  The largest potential claim is worth $9,672.

It's a question many viewers have shared with us. How does the process of adding fluoride to water work? We traveled to Topeka, which treats 30 million gallons of water a day. The capital has fluoridated its water for decades. "Is there a lot of controversy around it here in Topeka?" said Bruce Northrop who runs the Topeka Water Plant. "In the 40 years I've been doing it, there has been very little controversy about adding fluoride to the drinking water. " Topeka dentist Dr. Amy Thompson says the same thing.