The Office of Kansas Attorney General

TOPEKA – Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt today released his proposal for signage that may be used to restrict the carrying of firearms – open, concealed or both – into buildings, in compliance with a new law passed by the Kansas Legislature earlier this year.

“After consulting with representatives of affected groups, and gathering their input, our office is proposing a set of signs that will make clear to gun owners what is and isn’t allowed in individual buildings,” Schmidt said. “The stakeholders asked for the signs to be as simple and clear as possible and also wanted to minimize the need for buildings already posted with a no-guns sign to change their existing signage. We believe these signs accomplish that and comply with the legislature’s intent.”

The proposed signs do not yet have the force of law. Along with the accompanying temporary regulations, the proposed signs were submitted this week to the State Rules and Regulations Board for approval. If approved, these regulations would take effect July 1. Schmidt also submitted proposed permanent regulations adopting the signs. The public will have the opportunity to offer comments on the proposed permanent regulations for at least 60 days. A public hearing on the proposed permanent regulations will also be announced at a later time.

The proposed signs and regulations are available on the attorney general’s website atwww.ag.ks.gov.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A 16-year-old Lawrence girl is hospitalized with serious injuries after she was hit by a car while trying to help a turtle get off a road.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s office says the accident happened Thursday afternoon in Douglas County southeast of Lawrence.

Lt. Steve Lewis says the girl was flown to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Her name was not released.

Lewis says when the girl stopped to help the turtle, a vehicle driven by a 36-year-old Lawrence woman hit her.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports the woman was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of driving with a suspended license and failure to provide proof of liability insurance.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The state will begin taking bids for a fourth state-owned casino next month.

The Kansas Lottery will begin receiving applications July 14 for a casino in the southeast region, which includes Crawford and Cherokee counties.

The Wichita Eagle reports the deadline for applications to the Kansas Lottery is 1 p.m. Dec. 19. State political leaders will choose a review board, which will choose the winning application.

The state owns casinos in Dodge City, Mulvane and Kansas City, Kansas. But bidders lost interest in the southeast region, in part because of a required $225 million initial investment and $25 million privilege fee.

During the last session, the Legislature reduced those investments to $50 million and $5.5 million in the southeast. Those provisions take effect July 1.

QUENEMO, Kan. (AP) — Osage County authorities are searching for a woman who hasn’t been seen since Thursday evening.

The Osage County Sheriff’s office says 45-year-old Judy Lamberd of Quenemo was last seen in her yard. She reportedly does not have medication that she needs.

WIBW-TV reports that Lamberd is white, 5-feet-7-inches, and around 300 pounds. She has green eyes and dark brown hair.

Air and ground searches ended about 3:45 a.m. Friday but were to resume later in the morning.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A new government report shows rising farmland values across Kansas.

The Agriculture Department reported Thursday that the average value of an acre of farm real estate in Kansas was $1,750 in 2013, up from $1,510 the previous year. It is also a big jump compared to 2009 when that same acre was valued at $1,010.

Land used to grow crops was valued for 2013 at $1,930 per acre, up from $1,650 an acre the previous year.

Irrigated cropland for 2013 was worth even more with the government pegging irrigated cropland at $2,760 an acre and non-irrigated cropland at $1,840 an acre.

Kansas pasture land was valued last year at $1,150 per acre, up from $938 an acre a year earlier.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and legislative leaders have taken a formal step needed to give a promised $250 bonus to full-time state government workers in December.

Brownback and eight top lawmakers on Thursday approved the distribution of $4.5 million in state funds to various agencies for the bonuses.

Legislators included the bonuses in the budget for the fiscal year beginning in July, and Brownback signed the spending plan into law. But the bonus provision required another look from the governor and legislative leaders.

The proposal had bipartisan support, and Brownback said in a statement that he’s pleased the bonuses are coming.

But Senate Minority Leader and Topeka Democrat Anthony Hensley said he thinks state workers will be insulted because the bonuses are so small and are not a pay raise.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The trial for a 19-year-old Kansas woman accused of killing a 52-year-old Lawrence businessman has been pushed back to early next year.

6NEWSLawrence reports Sarah Gonzales McLinn appeared Thursday in Douglas County Court, where the trial previously scheduled for Aug. 4 was moved to Jan. 5.

McLinn is charged with first-degree murder in the January death of Harold Sasko at the home they shared. McLinn told police she drugged Sasko by putting sleeping pills in his beer and cut his throat with a large hunting knife.

Police say she stole Sasko’s car after killing him and drove to Texas so she could see the ocean. She was arrested Jan. 25 after a security officer at Everglades National Park in Florida found her asleep in Sasko’s car.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A new report says the Kansas jobless rate remained unchanged at 4.8 percent in May while the state saw record employment.

The state Department of Labor reported Thursday that nearly 1.43 million Kansas residents were employed in May, up from both April of this year and May 2013.

The agency also said that last month’s unemployment rate was significantly better than the 5.6 percent seen in May 2013.

Labor Market information services director Justin McFarland said the figures show rising demand for workers from employers and greater confidence in the state’s economy.

The department said nearly 1.13 million people held private-sector, nonfarm jobs in May, an increase of 1.3 percent from the same month last year.

The most robust over-the-year growth was in construction, which saw payrolls expand nearly 9 percent.