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Kansas National Guard soldier Brian Lee is welcomed home by wife Kellie, daughter Keira, 4, and son Colin, 13 months after serving with the Agribusiness Development Team #2 in Afghanistan. Colin was born three days before Lee was deployed.

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Mike Hutmacher / The Wichita Eagle

Dayen Decker, 13 months, celebrates his father's homecoming with mother Jennifer Vrana. Dayen was born two days before Esteven Decker was deployed with the Kansas National Guard's Agribusiness Development Team #2 to Afghanistan.

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Mike Hutmacher / The Wichita Eagle

Heights beats Southeast 66-58 at Koch Arena Saturday night. (Jan. 8, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

People watched the inauguration ceremony of Gov. Sam Brownback on a television set while standing outside the Kansas House Chamber. (Jan 10, 2011)

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Jaime Green / The Wichita Eagle

Zach Bailor, a student at Friends University, run in the snow near the campus on Monday. (Jan. 11, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Courtney McGee, pictured with her attorney Mark Orr, was sentenced Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011, before Sedgwick County District Judge J. Patrick Walters. Under a plea agreement, McGee pleaded guilty in November to aggravated endangering of her infant son, Gerald McGee. He and his mother were living in Goddard. (Jan 12, 2011)

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Mike Hutmacher / The Wichita Eagle

Oil well workers change out drill pipe on an oil rig north of Peabody, Ks. The rig is drilling using a horizontal drilling technique, rarely used in Kansas to bring life back to old wells. (Jan. 12, 2011)

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Bo Rader / The Wichita Eagle

Kansas State's Jamar Samuels is knocked to the floor by Oklahoma's Andrew Fitzgerald during the second half on Saturday in Manhattan, Ks. (Feb. 14, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Bishop Michael Jackels, right, meets the new chef Jeff Tabares during the dedication of The Lord's Diner on South Hillside Friday. (May 13, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Washburn Rural coaches Michael Wahlmeier and Ashley Mahoney hug after they beat Olathe South in the 6A Girls tournament. (March 10, 2011)

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Jaime Green / The Wichita Eagle

A Kansas State Highway Patrol Trooper comes to the aid of a motorist on the off ramp from I-235 to Zoo Blvd. Numerous cars slid off the ice covered ramp Tuesday morning with several cars getting stuck. Troopers closed the ramp until salt trucks could treat the roadway.

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Bo Rader / The Wichita Eagle

Ben Sauceda waves an American flag in front of McConnell Air Force Base after learning that Osama bin Laden had been killed by Navy SEALS. (May 2, 2011)

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Jaime Green / The Wichita Eagle

Oklahoma's Tyler Neal can't make a basket against Kansas State's Jordan Henriquez-Roberts during the second half Saturday in Manhattan, Ks. (Feb. 14, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

WSU's Preston Springer gets congratulated by teammate T.J. McGreevy after Springer's homer in the 5th inning put WSU up 5-1 against K-State Tuesday at ck Stadium. (May 17, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Jean Wiest and Ulysses Martinez dance to the music of Little Smoke at the Nomar International Market Friday during a Cinco de Mayo celebration. (May, 6, 2011)

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Mike Hutmacher / The Wichita Eagle

A pedestrian makes his way ascoss south Topeka in the blowing snow in downtown Wichita Tuesday. (Feb. 8, 2011)

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Mike Hutmacher / The Wichita Eagle

Phap Hoa Temple celebrated its tenth anniversary on Sunday, April 17, 2011. The Jade Buddha for Universal Peace is currently on display at the temple. The 8,800 lb statue was carved in Thailand from stone found in Canada. After it's finished being shown around the world, it will reside at a temple in Australia

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Jaime Green / The Wichita Eagle

Derby's Bradley Little puts Heights' Trey Schrimscher in a hold during their 140-lb. match in the regional final at East High Saturday. (Feb. 19, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

The Wingnuts' Evan Button slides safely into 3rd under El Paso's Martin Parra for a triple in the 5th inning. Later he would score to make it 8-1 for the Wingnuts Saturday at LD Stadium. (May 21, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Kansas State coach Frank Martin gives player Curtis Kelly an earful against Texas Tech on Saturday at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan. Kansas State defeated the Red Raiders 94-60. (Jan. 15, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

WSU alumni J.D. Helms, center, and Ryan Gash, left, celebrate at the Fox and Hound Pub and Grille Thursday as WSU knocks off Alabama 66-57 to win the NIT Championship in New York. (March 31, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Wichita State loses to Southern Illinois 56-53 Tuesday night at Koch Arena.(Feb. 8, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

A baby fox rests outside of a den which is underneath an entry way to an office complex near 29th and Ridge Rd. There are six fox cubs in the den along with the mother and people in the area who have been watching them said they've been there for nearly a month. (April 28, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

WSU's aaron Ellis gets congratulated by teammate Gabe Blair after he hit the game winning shot with 1.5 seconds to go in the game Wednesday at Koch Arena. (Feb. 23, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

St. John's hospital in Joplin, Missouri was hit by a tornado on May 22, 2011.

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Jaime Green / The Wichita Eagle

Former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash performs before a crowd of 1500 at the Cotillion on Saturday night. (Jan. 21, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Natalie Etheridge, places her feet on the bronzed boots of her father, Segdwick County Sheriff Deputy Brian Etheridge, during the dedication of the new Law Enforcement Memorial of Sedgwick County outside of City Hall on Saturday. Brian Etheridge, who died in the line of duty on Sept. 28, 2009, is one of 29 law enforcement officers memorialized at the location. (April 2, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Jack Iseman hits a pile of snow while sledding near the Palace Theatre on Wednesday. Wichita received 8 inches of snow. (Feb. 9, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Brendan Seacat looks at his burned house, where his mother Vashti died in a house fire, during a candlelight vigil for her in Kingman Thursday. Holding him is his father Brett Seacat, who is being charged with the murder of his wife Vashti. (May 5, 2011).

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Sen. Pat Roberts, Governor Sam Brownback and Todd Tiahrt, right to left, joke about the good fortune for Kansas before a press conference announcing Boeing new contract with the U.S. Air Force to build the next generation of refueling jets. The contract coukd bring thousands of jobs to the Wichita area. The press conference was at Boeing's Defense, Space and Security Building Friday. (Feb. 25, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Heights' Perry Ellis slams the ball down towards in overtime against East's Ja'ln Wiiliams Tuesday night at East High. (Jan. 25, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

WSU coach Gregg Marshall holds up the NIT Championship trophy during the welcome-home celebration at Koch Arena Friday. (April 1, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

North High's Logan Lassley gets a high-five from Heights' John Moreland after winning the 100-yard free with a personal best of 47.25 seconds Thursday at the City League Championships at Northwest High. Feb. 10, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Kathleen Forrest, center, breaks down during a candlelight vigil Thursday May 5, 2011 for her sister Vashti Seacat, who died in a housefire in Kingman.

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Heights' Matt Reed celebrates his victory in the 6A-160 lb. final at the state championships at Hartman Arena Saturday. (Feb. 26, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Former heavyweight boxing champion Tommy Morrison shadow boxes in a gym in south Wichita on Thursday. Behind Morrison is a drawing of him from 1990. Morrison failed an HIV test before a 1996 heavyweight fight against Mike Tyson but now claims he doesn't have the virus. (Jan. 27, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

WSU senior J.T. Durley comes into Koch Arena with the NIT Championship trophy and get a standing ovation from the fans Friday. (April 1, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Kansas State's Jacob Pullen scores 2 of his 23 points in the first half against Kansas Monday night in Manhattan, Ks. (Feb. 14, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Jessie Medina plays keyboards with Little Smoke at the Nomar International Market Friday, May, 6, 2011, during a Cinco de Mayo celebration.

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Mike Hutmacher / The Wichita Eagle

Photos for 2011 spring fashion section. (March 1, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Wichita State beats Bradley 61-41 Saturday at Koch Arena. (Jan. 29, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Civil War reenactor James Upton plays the part of a fallen Union Soldier getting ready for battle at Old Cowtown Museum on Saturday. (April 16, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Kansas' Tyrel Reed makes a move to the basket against Kansas State Monday night in Manhattan, Ks. (Feb. 14, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

A truck drives down a county road south of Beaumont on Tuesday and just north of the Elk River Wind Farm. Legislation passed in Kansas will prohibit any more wind farms like this in the Flint Hills. (May 10, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Kansas State's Jacob Pullen walks off the court at Bramlage for the final time in a Wildcat uniform after his team defeated Iowa State 67-55 on Saturday. (March 5, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Bostic Traditional Magnet third grader Ethan Le reads during a gifted language arts class Monday, Jan. 31, 2011. Bostic is among 42 elementary schools statewide to be recognized in the fourth annual GovernorÕs Achievement Awards last December. (Jan 31, 2011)

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Mike Hutmacher / The Wichita Eagle

Flint Hills rancher Bobby Hammond sets fire to thousands of acres in the Flint Hills with no more than a match a little gas and her ATV. Hammond manages 30,000 acres as was in the middle of her annual burn this past week. Hammond stops to survey her work on the crest of a blackened hillside.

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Bo Rader / The Wichita Eagle

Kansas State's Jacob Pullen stands above a crowded court after his 38 point performance down cross-state rival, and #1 ranked, Kansas 84-68 on Monday night in Manhattan, Ks. (Feb. 14, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

The Elk River Wind Farm south of Beaumont might be the only wind power project in the Flint Hills. Legislation passed in Kansas will prohibit any more wind farms like this in the Flint Hills. (May 10, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

A woman prays during Ash Wednesday Mass at St Mary's Cathedral in downtown Wichita Wednesday. (Mar. 9, 2011).

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Mike Hutmacher / The Wichita Eagle

A jogger braves the cold and blowing snow in Central Riverside park Monday. ( Feb. 1, 2011)

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Mike Hutmacher / The Wichita Eagle

Flint Hills rancher Bobby Hammond sets fire to thousands of acres in the Flint Hills with no more than a match a little gas and her ATV. Hammond manages 30,000 acres as was in the middle of her annual burn this past week. Fires lace the ridge tops as Hammond continues her burning into the night.

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Bo Rader / The Wichita Eagle

Kansas State's Jacob Pullen is mobbed by teammates on the bench after his 38 point performance down cross-state rival, and #1 ranked, Kansas 84-68 on Monday night in Manhattan, Ks. (Feb. 14, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Dusty Hill of ZZ Top rubs his legendary beard during their performance at Intrust Bank Arena on Thursday night. (May 12, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Kansas' Marcus Morris wipes up the court against Oklahoma State during the second half Thursday in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 Tournament. (March 10, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Meredith Daley, 15, left, and Lauren Hutchinson, 15, enjoys the winter weather as they sled at College Hill Park Wednesday. (Feb., 2, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

"Stratford Diamond Jim," a Yorkshire Terrier gets the full treatment by it's dog handler Diane Ehricht before competing during The Sunflower Cluster Dog Show at the Kansas Pavilions Friday. The show continues through Sunday. (April 8, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

A man walks in the fog along the Little Arkansas River in Riverside on Wednesday morning.

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

East High senior Kaitie Shinsato, center, gets a hug from teammate Madelyn Ong after she just edged out Northwest in the 200 yard medley relay Thursday at the City League swimming championship at Northwest. (May 12, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Maize's Paige Lungwitz battles for a loose ball with Shawnee Mission West's Erin Copeland in the 2nd quarter during their 6A quarterfinal match at the state championships at Koch Arena in Wichita Thursday. (March 10, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Richard Schneider of Derby looks around at the Sunflower Swap Meet at the Kansas Coliseum on Friday. Thousands of car used car parts are for sale at the event that runs through Saturday. (Feb. 4, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

The "Keeper of the Plains" as a line of storms passes to the north and east of Wichita. (April 14, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Civil War reenactors of the 8th Kansas Volunteer Infantry gather for Memorial Day at Prairie Lawn Cemetery in Peabody, Kansas, a town founded in 1871 by Civil War veterans.

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Mike Hutmacher / The Wichita Eagle

Wisconsin's Keaton Nankivil sits on the bench bleeding after taking an elbow to the eye against Kansas State during the first half at the McKale Center in Tucson, Az., on Saturday. (March. 17, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Derek Purcell throws Natalie Etheridge in the air at Sedgwick County Park while his wife, and Natalie's mother, Sarah, looks on. Sarah was married to Sheriff deputy Brian Etheridge when we shot and killed in the line of duty in Sept of 2009. Derek Purcell, a Wichita Police Officer, and himself a survivor of a shooting while on duty, is now married to Sarah. They are expecting a baby towards the end of the year.

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Green Bay's Jenny Gilbertson, Katie Bushman, Kayla Tetschlag and Julie Wojta, left to right, celebrate after defeating Michigan State 65-56 in the second round of the 2011 NCAA Women's Basketball Championships at the Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas, Tuesday. (March 22, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Fireworks explode near the Keeper of the Plains on the opening night of the Wichita River Festival. (June 3, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

The Green Bay bench and their fans cheer as they realize they were going to beat Michigan State late in the game in the second round of the 2011 NCAA Women's Basketball Championships at the Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas, Tuesday. (March 22, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

People wait in line to ride on paddle boats and kayaks on the Arkansas River on Saturday during the Wichita River Festival. (June 4, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Wichita State's Toure Murry celebrates as the Shockers start to pull away from The College of Chaleston in the 2nd half of their NIT quarterfinal game at Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas Wednesday. WSU won 82-75.(March 23, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

A pickup truck with two rescue workers and two injured people weaved in and out of traffic to get to Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, Missouri after the town was hit by a tornado on May 22, 2011.

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Jaime Green / The Wichita Eagle

Still together after meeting 10 years ago, coach Johnny Papin and Immanuel Thompson are getting ready for Thompson second professional fight. "He's been like a father to me, Thompson said.

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Wichita State's J.T. Durley, left, and College of Charleston's Andrew Goudelock battle for a loose ball in the 2nd half of their NIT quarterfinal game at Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas Wednesday. WSU won 82-75.(March 23, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Buffalo graze at sunrise on the Z-Bar ranch. (May 12, 2011)

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Bo Rader / The Wichita Eagle

Blue Valley Northwest's Clayton Custer, left, and Dodge City's Trey Hallman go after a loose ball in the 2nd quarter during their 6A semifinal game at the state championships at Koch Arena Friday. (March 11, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Alexia Neal pulled a pot and a bottle of syrup out of the rubble that used to be her home. Her home and neighborhood near St. John's Regional Medical Center was destroyed when a tornado hit it on Sunday. (May 23, 2011)

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Jaime Green / The Wichita Eagle

Kansas' Elijah Johnson feels bad after Colorado's Alec Burks his the floor hard after Johnson fouled him during the second half Friday in the semifinal round of the Big 12 Tournament. (March 10, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Ziviante Mannie tries to blow the biggest bubble during a competition at Peterson Elementary. The school had many activities for the kids to celebrate the last day including rides and games. (May 24, 2011)

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Jaime Green / The Wichita Eagle

Cheney's Merissa Quick, back, and Kylie Patterson cry after finishing second in the Class 4A Girls state finals to Holton. (March 10, 2011)

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Jaime Green / The Wichita Eagle

Goddard's Kevin Triplett placed 4th in the 6A long jump at the 2011 Track and Field State Championships at Cessna Stadium Friday. (May 27, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Heights' Allegria Chisom, center, gets hugged by her coach Kip Pulliam and her other temamates after hitting the game winning shot to defeat Shawnee Mission West 53-51 in the 6A championship game at the state tournament at Koch Arena in Wichita Saturday. (March 12, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Andale-Garden Plain's Sydnee Eck, second from right, celebrates after tossing a no-hitter to defeat Lenexa-St. James Academy during the championship game of the 4A State softball tournment in Salina on Saturday. Andale-Garden Plain won 2-0. (May 28, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle

Residents watch firefighters extinguish a blaze at Sundance Apartments near 21st and Rock Road Wednesday, (Mar. 16, 2011).

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Mike Hutmacher / The Wichita Eagle

Trinity Morgan Burns reacts to winning the 200 meter dash at the 2011 Track and Field State Championships at Cessna Stadium Saturday. He also won the 100 and 400. (May 28, 2011)

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Fernando Salazar / The Wichita Eagle

Kansas State's Curtis Kelly, right, consoles teammate Jacob Pullen during a post-game press conference after their team lost to Wisconsin during the third round of the NCAA Tournament at the McKale Center in Tucson, Az., on Saturday. (March. 17, 2011)

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Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle