(AP) — Police unions across the U.S. are pushing for officers to be able to collect workers’ compensation benefits if they suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, whether they got it from the general stress of police work or from responding to a deadly shooting rampage.

But some police chiefs and municipal leaders oppose these efforts, even in states such as Connecticut and Colorado, the scenes of some of the deadliest massacres in recent years.

They say they are concerned the benefits would strain budgets and lead to frivolous claims.

Federal employees and military members can collect compensation if a psychiatrist finds PTSD symptoms. But most states require officers and firefighters to have an accompanying physical injury.

Supporters say efforts to change that are encouraging, but the push-back shows a stigma remains.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – Kansas will give its residents more information about the activities of law enforcement agencies under a new law taking effect in July.

Gov. Sam Brownback’s office announced Thursday that he had signed the measure Wednesday.

Under the new law, affidavits used to support arrest warrants and search warrants will be available upon request to the public. A decades-old statute had closed the records to the public unless a court otherwise ordered them to be unsealed.

Supporters say the new law will make law enforcement agencies more accountable.

Brownback says the new law still protects legitimate law enforcement interests. It allows prosecutors to seek to have records from arrests and search warrants sealed or redacted to protect sensitive information.

(AP) — The mother of an Omaha man killed last August has filed a claim against the state for releasing the man who killed him and three other people.

Velita Glasgow, mother of Curtis Bradford, filed a claim on May 7 seeking an unspecified amount of money for negligence in the release of Nikko Jenkins. She is also seeking money for emotional distress and funeral expenses.

Bradford was shot by Jenkins last August, days after Jenkins was released from prison. Jenkins was found guilty in April of killing Bradford and three other people after pleading no contest.

The Douglas County Board is scheduled to take up the claim at a meeting Tuesday. If the claim is not approved after six months, a lawsuit can be filed.

(AP) — A trial date has been set for a Lancaster County Board member and legislative candidate facing a drunken driving case.

A hearing was held Thursday for Brent Smoyer, and a judge set a trial date for June 18. Smoyer was not present but was represented by his lawyer.

The 32-year-old Smoyer was driving when he was stopped on April 11 by University of Nebraska-Lincoln police. A sobriety test showed his blood alcohol content was above the legal limit to drive.

Smoyer was charged with driving under the influence and disobeying a traffic control signal. A message left for his attorney was not immediately returned Thursday.

Smoyer, a Republican, will face Democrat Matt Hansen this fall to represent northeast Lincoln in the Nebraska Legislature.

(AP) — The economy appears to be gaining strength in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states.

The overall economic index for the region improved to 55.6 in May from April’s 53.2, suggesting growth in the months ahead.

The survey of bankers in the region uses indexes that range from 0 to 100, with 50 representing growth neutral. A score above 50 suggests growth in that factor in the months ahead.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey. He says the results show the economy is improving in these rural areas that depend heavily on agriculture and energy production.

Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

(AP) — A Tennessee college administrator has been chosen as the next president for Union College in the Nebraska capital of Lincoln.

The college board of trustees announced the selection of Dr. Vinita Sauder on Wednesday to succeed President John Wagner, who is retiring in June from the Seventh-day Adventist Church college.

Sauder is vice president for strategic initiatives at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee. Sauder was public relations director at Southern Adventist University (then Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists) in the early 1980s. She’s since taught in the School of Business and Management there and served as vice president for marketing and enrollment.

Union College spokesman Ryan Teller says Union’s enrollment for the 2013-14 school year was 911.

(AP) — Recent heavy rainfall has washed away or at least lessened drought conditions in swaths of Nebraska and Iowa.

A report released Thursday by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln says drenching rains led to significant improvements for areas of the two states considered to be in drought. Brian Fuchs, a climatologist at the center, says overall drought reduced last week by nearly 12 percent in Iowa and about 17 percent in Nebraska.

The report says western Iowa saw the greatest improvement in the state. Nebraska saw a substantial reduction in the east-central region, with a pocket now considered drought-free.

Fuchs says the improvements seen within the past week are noteworthy, as changes in drought status typically occur slowly.

Well-trained American Red Cross caseworkers continue to meet with homeowners in Beaver Crossing, Sutton and Cordova, to meet their immediate needs and begin to create individual family recovery plans.

American Red Cross volunteers are participating in the multi-agency resource center (MARC) at the Methodist Church in Beaver Crossing, working alongside partnering agencies including the United Methodist, Nebraska VOAD and Veteran’s Services to provide a convenient one-stop center for affected families.

“Today our Red Cross disaster workers will continue to hand out coolers of ice, snacks, waters, work gloves, trash bags, and comfort kits to Beaver Crossing residents,” said Jill Orton, Regional Disaster Officer. “Since the storm passed, the Red Cross has delivered more than 3,000 meals, snacks and drinks and handed out 114 comfort kits.”

The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and Gary Petersen, director of emergency management in Seward County, are asking volunteers who want to help, to call the Seward County Emergency Management office at (402) 643-4722 and leave their name and number. The office will coordinate matching volunteers with the work that needs to be done in the communities.

The Red Cross says it depends on the generosity of the American people to fulfill their mission. To help disaster victims please contact the American Red Cross redcross.org, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

The Olathe, Kan. Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing child/endangered runaway.

Emmaleigh A. Fleming was last seen on May 12 when she walked away from her school.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6950 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477. Click on the poster for more information.

(AP) — Two teenagers facing assault charges in connection to the fatal beating of another teen have appeared in court.

A judge on Wednesday set bail at $100,000 for the two teens. Each faces a first-degree assault charge.

The teens are accused of assaulting 16-year-old Aquilee Muse during a fight Friday. Aquilee suffered a severe head injury and died Tuesday after he was taken off of life support.

The Associated Press generally does not name minors accused of crimes.