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American musician Raymond Scott was one of the most important composers of the Twentieth Century because had a knack for constant innovation and writing music for emerging media. I can’t think of any other composer who was so ahead of his time while also being so recognizable.

In the 1930s the Raymond Scott Quintette played original novelty pop tunes that combined experimental textures, frenetic tempos and appropriated jazz riffs. He played regularly on radio and film; selling a lot of records in the process.

The District IV Advisory Board will conduct interviews for the interim Wichita City Council seat during a special meeting next week.

Two of the candidates are former city council members and one lost to the outgoing incumbent. The District IV seat in southwest Wichita will open on January 1 after council member Michael O'Donnell resigns on December 31. O'Donnell was elected to the Kansas State Senate in November.

New DMV system serves 2 million Kansans; Board names four candidates for open Wichita City Council seat; Ethanol spill in Lincoln County closes I-70.

New DMV System Hits 2M Mark

After delays and long lines, the new vehicle title and registration system in Kansas has processed more than 2 million transactions.

The state Department of Revenue says the new system replaced a 25-year-old mainframe system. It moved Kansas from a paper-driven process to an electronic one.

Kansas is being rewarded by the federal government for improving access to children's health coverage, and enrolling kids in low-cost insurance from the federal and state government.

The reward comes in the form of a $12 million performance bonus from CMS - the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The bonus is meant to help offset the added state costs associated with the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known in Kansas as HealthWave.

With the recent snowfall, the Wichita Postmaster is reminding customers to clear and maintain a safe, accessible path to mailboxes as soon as possible after it snows.

Wichita Postmaster Evie Tan-Todd says winter storms make mail delivery challenging for letter carriers. She says clearing a path to your mailbox will help to keep letter carriers safe and ensure mail delivery each day. Postal customers who receive door mail delivery should keep their sidewalks, steps, and access ways clear of snow and ice.

Wichita officials apologize for lack of street maintenance during city's first snow; Snow and ice are hazards for postal workers; Kansas rewarded for children's health insurance program.

Wichita City Officials Apologize For First Snow Fail

Wichita officials have apologized for failing to keep streets from icing up just before morning rush hour Thursday. The icy conditions caused dozens of accidents and slowed commutes.

Barreling relentlessly onward like some refrigerator-sized linebacker, whether we’re ready for it or not, determined to sack us many yards behind the line of scrimmage, comes Christmas.

Students at the state's six universities will pay more for room and board next year.

The Kansas Board of Regents approved rate increases for all six state schools Wednesday.

Wichita State students will see 3.5% increase in their room and board.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that increases are needed to cover rising operating expenses and to continue making facilities improvements.

Emporia State students will see the highest increase--3.7 percent--and Fort Hays State students will only pay a little over 1% more for room and board.

Topeka City Councilman Chad Manspeaker has issued an apology to Newtown, Conn.

That follows an announcement by the Westboro Baptist Church that it plans to picket the Sandy Hook Elementary School, where 20 children were killed last Friday.

"Given the situation those folks are in, obviously I feel very bad, and the whole country feels very bad for them in their time of need," says Manspeaker.

"We don't want them to think that Topekans are represented by the Phelps."

The Westboro Baptist Church is headquartered in Topeka.