DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad has called for a single statewide minimum wage, rather than a hodgepodge of wages that vary by county, and a new Republican majority in the Legislature could give him a clear path to enact uniform pay rates.

That worries some supporters of higher minimum wages who fear the state could couple an insignificant wage increase with a ban on local jurisdictions approving their own higher wages, as four counties have already done.

More than a dozen states have passed similar so-called pre-emption laws regarding minimum wage.

Branstad said in October that a single minimum wage was better because businesses are being negatively affected. Some county officials say any legislation challenging local control must include a meaningful raise to the minimum wage.

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say an inmate has turned himself in after walking away from a minimum-security federal prison camp in Leavenworth.

The U.S. Bureau of Prisons said in a release Sunday that 41-year-old Timothy Taylor turned himself in late Saturday night, and is back in the Bureau of Prisons’ custody. The department did not provide details about how or where Taylor surrendered.

Taylor was found missing from the Federal Prison Camp at Leavenworth late Friday night. The department says Taylor was serving a 10-year sentence on a drug charge out of the western federal district of Missouri.

There were no details about how Taylor managed to leave the Leavenworth site, which has about 400 male inmates.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Legislature’s Republican leaders say passing a right-to-work law will be a top priority under the next governor.

House Speaker Todd Richardson and Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard both say barring mandatory union fees and restricting liability lawsuits to help businesses are goals next session.

The GOP-led Legislature has struggled to enact those policies under current Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon.

But Republican Gov.-elect Eric Greitens says he supports right to work and tort reform. That could smooth the path for lawmakers.

Greitens pledged to ban all lobbyist gifts while campaigning. Legislative support for that appears less solid. Richardson says the House will try to “restrict or ban” gifts.

A gift ban died in the Senate this year. Richard says Greitens must work to get senators on board.

WASHINGTON (AP)€” President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has launched a new website and Twitter account as the Republican prepares to take office.

Visitors to greatagain.gov can find information on Trump’s polices as well as biographical information about the Republican. The website also includes a notice that it’s looking to fill 4,000 slots for presidential appointees, but doesn’t have instructions on how to apply for positions.

The transition team’s Twitter account, @transition2017, posted its first tweet Wednesday night. It reads: “Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream.”

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is leading Trump’s transition team.

SAN DIEGO (AP)€” Donald Trump is scheduled to face trial this month in a class-action lawsuit against him and his now-defunct Trump University, potentially taking the witness stand weeks before his inauguration as president of the United States.

U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, the Indiana-born jurist who was accused of bias by Trump during the campaign for his Mexican heritage, will hold a hearing Thursday on jury instructions and what evidence to allow at trial.

Among the flurry of requests from both sides to be considered Thursday is a highly unusual petition by Trump’s attorneys to exclude any statements made by or about their client during the presidential campaign.

The trial begins Nov. 28.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ secretary of state says he’s serving on President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team.

Kris Kobach, a conservative Republican, told various Kansas media outlets Wednesday he has no expectation of a role in Trump’s eventual administration. But he says he’s open to working for Trump, if offered.

As part of his unpaid role with the transition team, Kobach will help advise Trump on policy matters leading up to his January inauguration.

Kobach previously advised Trump on immigration policy during the campaign, successfully adding to the Republican Party’s platform Trump’s plan to build a wall along the U.S.’s southern border with Mexico.

Kobach also has served as counsel to Attorney General John Ashcroft during the President George W. Bush’s administration.

KENNETT, Mo. (AP) — A southeast Missouri woman has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of her husband.

The Poplar Bluff Daily American Republic reports that 51-year-old Victoria Lee Isaac of Puxico entered the plea Monday after prosecutors amended the original charge of first-degree murder. Sentencing is Dec. 15.

Isaac’s husband, 43-year-old Chris Isaac, was fatally shot in the head on May 14, 2013. Isaac told authorities that something told her to “end him.” Chris Isaac was asleep on the couch when he was killed.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say a school bus has struck and seriously injured a child in Kansas City.

Police said in a news release that the accident happened around 8 a.m. Thursday after the driver loaded children at a bus stop. After closing the bus door and pulling away from the stop, a child ran in front of the bus, tripped and fell. The bus then struck the child.

The child was taken to a hospital. Police described the child’s injury as serious but not life threatening.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Authorities say dozens of people have been treated in downtown St. Louis over several days after apparently overdosing on a synthetic cannabis-like drug.

St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson tells the St. Louis Post-Dispatch most of the people appeared to be homeless and were in the areas of New Life Evangelistic Center or the nearby Central Library branch. Jenkerson says 18 people were treated Monday, eight people were treated Tuesday along with more on Wednesday.

Authorities say some were found standing and walking around in a confused state, and others were found lying in the streets and on sidewalks.

Mayor Francis Slay’s chief of staff, Mary Ellen Ponder, says police and other city officials have talked with some of those who overdosed and believe they have a strong lead on who sold the drugs.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Westar Energy says it is quickly filling subscriptions for a new 1 megawatt “community solar installation” west of Hutchinson.

The utility says in a news release that construction on the installation will begin in December and the plant is expected to be in service early next year. The plant will include 3,400 panels.

Westar officials say in a news release that 90 percent of the available subscriptions to use the plant have been filled.

Plans for the plant were announced early this year. Westar spokeswoman Gina Penzig said about 900 customers had signed up as of early Thursday.

Participants can choose to lock in their energy price for five to 20 years.