"Nebraska has failed to live up to the obligations under the compact, despite the assurances it gave to the States and the US Supreme Court," Attorney General Steve Six said. "This completes the non-binding arbitration phase. We will continue to fight to ensure Kansas farmers and communities receive the water they deserve."

The arbitrator found:

• Nebraska has deprived Kansas of its rightful share of the Republican River, and has violated a US Supreme Court decree by 78,960 acre-feet AF for the years 2005 and 2006.
• He agreed with Kansas in ruling that Nebraska's current plan for achieving compliance is inadequate; Nebraska must face and address the effects of its decades of overdevelopment through significant reductions in its use.
• He clearly rejected Nebraska's attempts to alter the long-established and agreed-upon methods of quantifying the water supplies and water uses in the Republican River Basin.
• As he was not satisfied with either state's damage calculations, the Arbitrator did not provide a final recommendation on amount of damages for 2005-2006 that should be awarded, leaving the final determination to a future proceedings. He did affirm that Kansas has suffered damages in the millions of dollars.
• Kansas will study the decision further and evaluate its options.

To view the full report: http://www.ksda.gov/interstate_water_issues/content/142

The letter advises that the "Kandu Challenge" operated by the Highland Gastropub & Cardroom is a "commercial gambling enterprise" and violates Kansas criminal law.  Calling the Kandu's rules a sham that do not eliminate chance, the letter demands that the Gastropub & Cardroom cease and desist from operating and advertising the illegal Kandu Challenge game or face possible legal action -- including criminal or civil action.

"The public needs to know that it is the opinion of my office, the Office of the District Attorney 18^th Judicial District, the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission and the Director of Law and City Attorney for Wichita that the Kandu Challenge is illegal," said Attorney General Steve Six.  "Kandu is a thinly-veiled illegal poker game.  Anyone participating by operating or playing this game may face criminal charges."

The Wichita Police will be monitoring the situation and act accordingly. 

Six personally prosecuted Wilson for the first-degree murder of Jeffrey Scott Noel of Portis, Kans. Wilson was also found guilty of one count aggravated burglary, one count burglary of a residence, and one count felony possession of a firearm in May 2009. Wilson was sentenced to the ‘Hard 50' for first degree murder, 136 months for aggravated burglary, 13 months for burglary, and 9 month for possession of a firearm. These sentences will be consecutive.

"Osborne County Sheriff Curtis Miner, County Attorney Paul Gregory, the KBI and all local law enforcement have done an excellent job on this case," Six said. "Kenneth Wilson is a hardened criminal who took Scott Noel's life and left his family without a dad, husband, friend and partner."

Through testimony from family members, neighbors and law enforcement, the state proved that Wilson burglarized Noel's home in Osborne County, took the victim's cell phone and $50, and fatally shot him with victim's own gun. The prosecution also presented DNA evidence matching the defendant found on a cigarette in the victim's home.

"My heart goes out to the family of Scott Noel," Six said. "I am committed to providing families in all corners of our state the best quality criminal prosecution available."

Attorney General Six is the first sitting Kansas attorney general to personally prosecute a criminal case in 34 years.

This year, I partnered with the Kansas Sunshine Coalition to host four regional training opportunities on the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) and Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA). This week, my office-along with participants from the Kansas League of Municipalities, Kansas Association of Counties, Kansas Press Association, and more-will visit Dodge City, Olathe, Topeka, and Wichita to educate government employees, media and the public about these important laws.

KORA and KOMA allow us to hold our elected officials accountable. We can review their decisions, examine documents, inspect government spending and learn more about how our government functions.

Each training will consist of an introduction to each of the acts, as well as a panel discussion focusing on the real-world successes and challenges of KORA and KOMA. The panel is diverse and represents many perspectives, including the media, city and county officials and law enforcement.

The more we understand these laws and our rights as citizens, the more likely we will become active participants in our state's government. It is the job of my office to enforce these laws, as well as educate officials and the public and make our government more accessible.

The Kansas Attorney General's Office stands ready to enforce your rights as a resident of Kansas to participate in your own governance. To learn more about Kansas open government laws, visit: http://www.ksag.org/.

"National Internet Safety Month is a chance to remind Kansans of the risks and dangers associated with the internet," Six said. "The internet can be a fun and useful tool, but it also has dangers. I encourage parents and kids to become better educated about the threats they may face online."

NetSafeKansas.com is a powerful, educational tool for the whole family. At NetSafeKansas.com, teens and kids can find information to help educate themselves about social networking safety, cyber bullying, internet predators and more.  And parents can learn how to protect their children from online predators, while learning to prevent exploitation of their own personal information.

Here are a few helpful NetSafe tips for parents:

• Keep the computer in a central location in your home instead of in a bedroom or office if at all possible.
• Know when your children are online and establish parameters for their online activity.
• Set up the Internet account in your name and maintain control of the primary screen name and controlling passwords.
• Contact your Internet Service Provider to set up any parental-control tools that allow you to block certain sites and filter content. Remember: these programs are not a substitute for parental supervision and communication about the Internet.
• Ask your children to show you what they can do online, visit their favorite sites with them and talk about what applications they are using.
• Teach your children to never give their personal information (name, address, phone number, school, hometown) to people they meet online in chat rooms or on bulletin boards.
• Ask your children about their online friends and oversee their chat areas.
• Tell your children about the danger of meeting someone in person who they "met" online. Remind them that not everything they read or see on the Internet is true.
• If you feel it is OK for your child to meet their online friends, insist they bring you along and meet in a public place.
• Talk to your children about offensive or dangerous emails or chats. Tell them to never respond to these messages. Rather than deleting such communications, tell your child to turn off the monitor and tell an adult immediately so they may contact local law enforcement.
• Talk to children about what to do if they see something that makes them feel scared, uncomfortable or confused. Emphasize that it's not their fault if they see something upsetting and that they should tell an adult immediately.
• If you suspect online "stalking" or sexual exploitation of a child, report it to your local law enforcement agency immediately.  

"I encourage parents to make internet safety a family concern all year," Six said. "Take some time to visit NetSafeKansas.com to learn more about making the internet a safe and enjoyable place for everyone."

Visit http://www.netsafekansas.com/ for more information and tips.