Month: January 2015

Topeka lawyer nominated to Kansas Court of Appeals

Gov. Sam Brownback today announced his nomination of Topeka attorney Kathryn Gardner to the Kansas Court of Appeals.

Gardner currently is a legal adviser and law clerk to U.S. District Judge Sam Crow. She has held the position since 2000.

After graduating from the University of Kansas School of Law, Gardner began her legal career as a research attorney at the Kansas Court of Appeals. She served as an assistant attorney general in the office of Kansas Attorney General Bob Stephan before joining a Wichita law firm.

Gardner, a Topeka resident, began her career teaching high school English and French. As an adjunct professor at Washburn University School of Law, she taught trial practice and legal writing.

“Kathryn Gardner brings tremendous qualities to the Court of Appeals,” Gov. Brownback said. “She is a gifted individual and accomplished attorney who is deeply committed to serving her community and the state. I am pleased to appoint her and look forward to the Senate’s review and confirmation.”

Gardner is active in the community, working with local charities and serving as chair of the Kansas Bar Association’s Law-Related Education Committee.

“I am deeply grateful to my family – my husband Tim, my three daughters, my mother and my two brothers for their unconditional love and support,” Gardner said. “I am grateful to all who have helped develop my character and legal abilities. And I am grateful to Governor Brownback for this opportunity to serve the citizens of Kansas.”

Sen. Pettey, Rep. Lusk introduce bill to extend concealed carry exemption

Sen. Pat Pettey, D – 6th Dist., and Rep. Nancy Lusk, D-Overland Park, introduced today a bill called the Safe Communities Amendment. It amends the Personal Family Protection Act to give municipalities the right to file for four-year exemptions from allowing concealed carry in their buildings.

“Locally elected leaders have already heard from their communities and have made the tough decisions of whether to allow guns or not in their municipal buildings or educational institutions,” Sen. Pettey said. “This legislation allows them to continue on the path of using local control to make decisions based on what is best and safest for their citizens.”

The Personal Family Protection Act passed in 2013 to allow the possession of firearms in certain governmental buildings. The law allowed a municipality to file a request with the attorney general’s office for a one-time, four-year exemption from the law along with a safety plan for every building.

“The language of the current law is included in our bill,” Rep. Lusk said. “Municipalities will still have to request the exemption from the attorney general and have to provide their security plan, but it gives local leaders the ability to decide for their communities.”

Both bills were introduced into their chamber’s Committee on Federal and State Affairs.

Three area students named to dean’s list at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Three Wyandotte County students were named to the Dean’s List for the fall semester at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The students include:

James Austin Epp , Bonner Springs, Dean’s List, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, senior in turfgrass and landscape management.

Briyannah Mebane, Kansas City, Kan., Dean’s List, College of Education and Human Sciences, sophomore in child, youth and family studies.

John Evaristo Perez III, Kansas City, Kan., Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, freshman in biological sciences.

Students in the College of Agricultural Sciences and the College of Education and Human Sciences must have achieved a 3.75 grade point average to be on the Dean’s List. Students in the College of Arts and Scciences must have achieved a 3.7 grade point average to be on the Dean’s List.