SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a youth football game and requesting assistance in locating 23-year-old Maurice Hall of Garland, Texas.

Hall is wanted in connection to fatal Oct. 21, shooting at the Stryker Sports Complex, 2999 N. Greenwich Road in Wichita that killed 31-year-old Marquell Nolen of Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, officers responded to an unknown call for police at the Sports Complex.&nbsp; Upon officers arriving, they heard multiple gunshots, and while on the scene, Nolen arrived at an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.&nbsp;

The investigation revealed Nolen was at the Sports Complex, and a verbal argument ensued between him and Hall on the west side of the stadium bleachers.&nbsp; During the argument, Hall pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking Nolen.&nbsp; Nolen was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle by two individuals with him at the Sports Complex, and Hall fled on foot.&nbsp; No one else was injured.

This was not a random incident, and Hall and Nolen were known to each other.&nbsp; Additionally, the incident was not related to games being played or officiated.&nbsp;

Through the examination of evidence, tips provided to Crime Stoppers, and tips provided to WPD from the community, investigators learned of Hall’s involvement in the shooting, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1604002042730.png" alt="Hall-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Hall-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a youth football game and requesting assistance in locating 23-year-old Maurice Hall of Garland, Texas.Hall is wanted in connection to fatal Oct. 21, shooting at the Stryker Sports Complex, 2999 N. Greenwich Road in Wichita that killed 31-year-old Marquell Nolen of Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603385886052.png" alt="Suspect at the scene of the Oct. 21 shooting photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Suspect at the scene of the Oct. 21 shooting photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, officers responded to an unknown call for police at the Sports Complex.&nbsp; Upon officers arriving, they heard multiple gunshots, and while on the scene, Nolen arrived at an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.&nbsp;The investigation revealed Nolen was at the Sports Complex, and a verbal argument ensued between him and Hall on the west side of the stadium bleachers.&nbsp; During the argument, Hall pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking Nolen.&nbsp; Nolen was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle by two individuals with him at the Sports Complex, and Hall fled on foot.&nbsp; No one else was injured.This was not a random incident, and Hall and Nolen were known to each other.&nbsp; Additionally, the incident was not related to games being played or officiated.&nbsp;Through the examination of evidence, tips provided to Crime Stoppers, and tips provided to WPD from the community, investigators learned of Hall’s involvement in the shooting, according to Davidson.

Police ID Kansas youth football game gunman

By STEPHEN KORANDA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-10-29/what-130-letters-sent-to-one-mans-mailbox-say-about-increasing-unemployment-fraud-in-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>

STILWELL, Kansas — After Doug Reed put his elderly father’s 
Johnson County home up for sale, the mailbox started to fill up with 
letters from the Kansas Department of Labor, sometimes 25 or 30 at a 
time.

“We had two or three big batches of them, and they’ve been dribbling in ever since,” Reed said.

Within a couple weeks, about 130 letters had arrived, all bearing his father’s street address but addressed to different names.

“Something’s
 wrong and somebody needs to fix it,” Reed said. “Obviously, there’s a 
lot of time and money spent on getting these envelopes together, and 
there’s postage involved. It’s all taxpayer money.”

It’s likely 
related to the landslide of fraudulent unemployment claims the Kansas 
Department of Labor is trying to combat during the pandemic, which <a href="https://www.kcur.org/economy/2020-03-30/kansas-sees-a-1-000-surge-in-jobless-claims-as-covid-19-derails-the-economy" target="_blank">caused unemployment in Kansas (and across the country) to skyrocket.</a> So far, the agency has stopped more than 100,000 fraudulent claims since the pandemic started.

Reed
 asked the labor department what to do several times, all while leaving 
the letters unopened. After a couple weeks, the department told him to 
box up the letters and mail them to the agency.

Agency spokesperson Jerry Grasso said Reed’s situation has been forwarded to investigators, who are looking into it for fraud.

But the fraud problem is not unique to Kansas during the pandemic. Federal officials <a href="https://apnews.com/article/f8e34c8436b52e6df38f974a44403b55" target="_blank">estimated this summer</a>
 that fraud nationwide could approach $26 billion. Much of it is 
targeting a new federal program, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

Acting
 Kansas Labor Secretary Ryan Wright said in an interview earlier this 
month that it’s relatively easy to spot fraudulent claims in traditional
 unemployment. Employers can verify that a person was never laid off.

But
 the new federal unemployment program is open to segments of the 
workforce that aren’t covered by traditional unemployment, like people 
who are self employed, which has created the opening for scammers. They 
file fraudulent claims using stolen personal information to try to 
collect the payments.

“This is just identity theft that is being applied to unemployment claims,” Wright said.

Reed, who has sold his father’s home, wonders whether a scammer saw the listing online.

“If someone was going to find an address, this probably would be a good one,” Reed said.

Often, how you find out you’ve been targeted is you’ll receive a letter about an unemployment claim you did not file.

“If
 you get a letter, you have been a victim of identity theft,” Wright 
said. “This is not you may become one. You have already been a victim of
 it.”

Wright encourages anyone who receives an unexpected unemployment letter to report it through an <a href="http://reportfraud.ks.gov" target="_blank">online form</a>.
 That will generate a police report and provide more information on how 
to respond. He also suggests victims review their credit reports and 
bank accounts for any suspicious activity.

To combat the fraud, 
KDOL has put a three-day waiting period in place for new claims to give 
more time for investigation. Wright says one day the agency was 
scheduled to pay out $37 million, but investigators discovered $35 
million of it was fraudulent.

The department has struggled to 
handle the surge of unemployment claims caused by the pandemic, and it 
came to a head when the previous secretary <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-22/kansas-labor-secretary-resigns-after-slow-rollout-of-pandemic-unemployment-benefits" target="_blank">resigned in June</a>.

An aging computer system and the huge number of filings led to a backlog of <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-08-14/kansans-stuck-waiting-while-the-state-works-through-25-000-unemployment-claims" target="_blank">25,000 unemployment claims</a>,
 but additional staff have now helped cut that backlog in half. Plus, 
with the help of $20 million in mostly federal funds, the agency added 
200 temporary workers to answer phones and work through claims, which 
has allowed more full-time staff to focus on fighting fraud.

Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank"> @kprkoranda</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603988233952.png" alt="Doug Reed holds the dozens of letters from the Kansas Department of Labor that were mailed to his dad's former house and appear to be a sign of unemployment fraud. Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Doug Reed holds the dozens of letters from the Kansas Department of Labor that were mailed to his dad's former house and appear to be a sign of unemployment fraud. Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEPHEN KORANDA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-10-29/what-130-letters-sent-to-one-mans-mailbox-say-about-increasing-unemployment-fraud-in-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>STILWELL, Kansas — After Doug Reed put his elderly father’s 
Johnson County home up for sale, the mailbox started to fill up with 
letters from the Kansas Department of Labor, sometimes 25 or 30 at a 
time.“We had two or three big batches of them, and they’ve been dribbling in ever since,” Reed said.Within a couple weeks, about 130 letters had arrived, all bearing his father’s street address but addressed to different names.“Something’s
 wrong and somebody needs to fix it,” Reed said. “Obviously, there’s a 
lot of time and money spent on getting these envelopes together, and 
there’s postage involved. It’s all taxpayer money.”It’s likely 
related to the landslide of fraudulent unemployment claims the Kansas 
Department of Labor is trying to combat during the pandemic, which <a href="https://www.kcur.org/economy/2020-03-30/kansas-sees-a-1-000-surge-in-jobless-claims-as-covid-19-derails-the-economy" target="_blank">caused unemployment in Kansas (and across the country) to skyrocket.</a> So far, the agency has stopped more than 100,000 fraudulent claims since the pandemic started.Reed
 asked the labor department what to do several times, all while leaving 
the letters unopened. After a couple weeks, the department told him to 
box up the letters and mail them to the agency.Agency spokesperson Jerry Grasso said Reed’s situation has been forwarded to investigators, who are looking into it for fraud.But the fraud problem is not unique to Kansas during the pandemic. Federal officials <a href="https://apnews.com/article/f8e34c8436b52e6df38f974a44403b55" target="_blank">estimated this summer</a>
 that fraud nationwide could approach $26 billion. Much of it is 
targeting a new federal program, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.Acting
 Kansas Labor Secretary Ryan Wright said in an interview earlier this 
month that it’s relatively easy to spot fraudulent claims in traditional
 unemployment. Employers can verify that a person was never laid off.But
 the new federal unemployment program is open to segments of the 
workforce that aren’t covered by traditional unemployment, like people 
who are self employed, which has created the opening for scammers. They 
file fraudulent claims using stolen personal information to try to 
collect the payments.“This is just identity theft that is being applied to unemployment claims,” Wright said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603988292589.png" alt="A stack of unemployment letters addressed to different people but all sent to the same house in Johnson County this year." />
 <figcaption>A stack of unemployment letters addressed to different people but all sent to the same house in Johnson County this year.</figcaption>
 </figure>Reed, who has sold his father’s home, wonders whether a scammer saw the listing online.“If someone was going to find an address, this probably would be a good one,” Reed said.Often, how you find out you’ve been targeted is you’ll receive a letter about an unemployment claim you did not file.“If
 you get a letter, you have been a victim of identity theft,” Wright 
said. “This is not you may become one. You have already been a victim of
 it.”Wright encourages anyone who receives an unexpected unemployment letter to report it through an <a href="http://reportfraud.ks.gov" target="_blank">online form</a>.
 That will generate a police report and provide more information on how 
to respond. He also suggests victims review their credit reports and 
bank accounts for any suspicious activity.To combat the fraud, 
KDOL has put a three-day waiting period in place for new claims to give 
more time for investigation. Wright says one day the agency was 
scheduled to pay out $37 million, but investigators discovered $35 
million of it was fraudulent.The department has struggled to 
handle the surge of unemployment claims caused by the pandemic, and it 
came to a head when the previous secretary <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-22/kansas-labor-secretary-resigns-after-slow-rollout-of-pandemic-unemployment-benefits" target="_blank">resigned in June</a>.An aging computer system and the huge number of filings led to a backlog of <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-08-14/kansans-stuck-waiting-while-the-state-works-through-25-000-unemployment-claims" target="_blank">25,000 unemployment claims</a>,
 but additional staff have now helped cut that backlog in half. Plus, 
with the help of $20 million in mostly federal funds, the agency added 
200 temporary workers to answer phones and work through claims, which 
has allowed more full-time staff to focus on fighting fraud.Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank"> @kprkoranda</a>.

130 letters: Unemployment fraud spikes in Kansas during pandemic

HESSTON —The Harvey County Health Department, in conjunction with AGCO Corporation, has confirmed a cluster of COVID-19 cases at Plant 1 of the AGCO facility in Hesston, according to a media release.

The cluster includes 23 confirmed COVID-19 diagnoses. These individuals are isolating at home. AGCO has secured access to rapid-result antigen tests and will be administering them to all remaining Plant 1 employees Friday.

“AGCO takes our responsibility for the safety and well-being of our employees, partners, suppliers and customers very seriously,” said Seth Beytien, AGCO Hesston site leader. “We will continue to follow the guidance of the local health department to prevent the spread of COVID19 in our community. Our thoughts are with all impacted employees and their families as we hope for a quick recovery.”

AGCO suspended operations in Plant 1 at the end of its first shift on Tuesday after being notified that employees had tested positive for COVID-19. Plant 1 employees were advised to remain home until additional test results are received.

“The USW Union Board has been collaborating with AGCO throughout the pandemic to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for all Hesston employees,” said Glenn Davis, president, USW Local 11228. “I feel confident that the steps we’re taking are appropriate and are in the best interests of everyone at the Hesston facility.”

AGCO implemented several precautionary measures earlier this year, including routine daily disinfecting, temperature scanning, and dividers in many workspaces and break areas. AGCO’s policy at the Hesston plant requires all employees to wear face masks in all areas of its facilities at all times.

“Businesses have faced many challenges these past several months. They are providing essential goods and critical jobs, all while putting the health of employees first and foremost,” said Harvey County Health Department Director Lynnette Redington. “We appreciate AGCO’s focus on workplace safety by implementing COVID-19 precautions throughout the pandemic.”

The cluster will be considered active until there are 28 consecutive days – two incubation periods – without positive cases.

HESSTON —The Harvey County Health Department, in conjunction with AGCO Corporation, has confirmed a cluster of COVID-19 cases at Plant 1 of the AGCO facility in Hesston, according to a media release.The cluster includes 23 confirmed COVID-19 diagnoses. These individuals are isolating at home. AGCO has secured access to rapid-result antigen tests and will be administering them to all remaining Plant 1 employees Friday.“AGCO takes our responsibility for the safety and well-being of our employees, partners, suppliers and customers very seriously,” said Seth Beytien, AGCO Hesston site leader. “We will continue to follow the guidance of the local health department to prevent the spread of COVID19 in our community. Our thoughts are with all impacted employees and their families as we hope for a quick recovery.”AGCO suspended operations in Plant 1 at the end of its first shift on Tuesday after being notified that employees had tested positive for COVID-19. Plant 1 employees were advised to remain home until additional test results are received.“The USW Union Board has been collaborating with AGCO throughout the pandemic to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for all Hesston employees,” said Glenn Davis, president, USW Local 11228. “I feel confident that the steps we’re taking are appropriate and are in the best interests of everyone at the Hesston facility.”AGCO implemented several precautionary measures earlier this year, including routine daily disinfecting, temperature scanning, and dividers in many workspaces and break areas. AGCO’s policy at the Hesston plant requires all employees to wear face masks in all areas of its facilities at all times.“Businesses have faced many challenges these past several months. They are providing essential goods and critical jobs, all while putting the health of employees first and foremost,” said Harvey County Health Department Director Lynnette Redington. “We appreciate AGCO’s focus on workplace safety by implementing COVID-19 precautions throughout the pandemic.”The cluster will be considered active until there are 28 consecutive days – two incubation periods – without positive cases.

COVID-19 cluster at AGCO plant in Hesston

MONTGOMERY COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) released an update related to the officer-involved shooting that took place on Oct. 23.

The autopsy of 32-year-old Wesley Jordan has been completed. It indicated Jordan died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a media release from the agency. This determination is consistent with investigative findings.

Just before 1 p.m.Friday, a victim called 911 to report being robbed at gunpoint at the Regal Inn in Coffeyville, according to a media release from the KBI.

At approximately 1:15 p.m., a KHP trooper observed a vehicle near 3600 Road, in Independence, Kan., that matched the vehicle connected to the robbery. He and another KHP trooper who responded to assist, initiated a car stop on the silver 2006 Chrysler Town and Country minivan occupied by a female driver later identified as Kristina K. Smith, 26, Coffeyville, and a male passenger later identified as 32-year-old Wesley Jordan of Hot Springs, Arkansas.

As the troopers attempted the traffic stop, Jordan fired at the troopers.

A trooper returned fire and the subjects fled, prompting a police pursuit. Near the intersection of 3600 Road. and 3900 Road., a deputy from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office intercepted the minivan and fired at Jordan.

The minivan continued west on 3600 Road., another 1/4 mile, until it came to a stop. Then a KHP trooper fired at Jordan when he exited the minivan.

Jordan was pronounced deceased at the scene by Montgomery County EMS. No law enforcement officers were injured during this incident.

Deputies took Smith into custody for questioning, and she was later arrested by the Coffeyville Police Department and is being held on requested of armed w/ dangerous weapon, Attempted FelonyTheft of prop/services,&nbsp; Aggravated battery. Knowingly use physical contact in angry/rude manner w/weapon, Aggravated assault and Use of a deadly weapon, according to online booking records.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that took place Friday afternoon in rural Montgomery County.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) released an update related to the officer-involved shooting that took place on Oct. 23.The autopsy of 32-year-old Wesley Jordan has been completed. It indicated Jordan died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a media release from the agency. This determination is consistent with investigative findings.Just before 1 p.m.Friday, a victim called 911 to report being robbed at gunpoint at the Regal Inn in Coffeyville, according to a media release from the KBI.At approximately 1:15 p.m., a KHP trooper observed a vehicle near 3600 Road, in Independence, Kan., that matched the vehicle connected to the robbery. He and another KHP trooper who responded to assist, initiated a car stop on the silver 2006 Chrysler Town and Country minivan occupied by a female driver later identified as Kristina K. Smith, 26, Coffeyville, and a male passenger later identified as 32-year-old Wesley Jordan of Hot Springs, Arkansas.As the troopers attempted the traffic stop, Jordan fired at the troopers.A trooper returned fire and the subjects fled, prompting a police pursuit. Near the intersection of 3600 Road. and 3900 Road., a deputy from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office intercepted the minivan and fired at Jordan.The minivan continued west on 3600 Road., another 1/4 mile, until it came to a stop. Then a KHP trooper fired at Jordan when he exited the minivan.Jordan was pronounced deceased at the scene by Montgomery County EMS. No law enforcement officers were injured during this incident.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603551132843.png" alt="Kristina Smith-photo Montgomery County." />
 <figcaption>Kristina Smith-photo Montgomery County.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies took Smith into custody for questioning, and she was later arrested by the Coffeyville Police Department and is being held on requested of armed w/ dangerous weapon, Attempted FelonyTheft of prop/services,&nbsp; Aggravated battery. Knowingly use physical contact in angry/rude manner w/weapon, Aggravated assault and Use of a deadly weapon, according to online booking records.---------MONTGOMERY COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that took place Friday afternoon in rural Montgomery County.Just before 1 p.m.Friday, a victim called 911 to report being robbed at gunpoint at the Regal Inn in Coffeyville, according to a media release from the KBI.At approximately 1:15 p.m., a KHP trooper observed a vehicle near 3600 Road, in Independence, Kan., that matched the vehicle connected to the robbery. He and another KHP trooper who responded to assist, initiated a car stop on the silver 2006 Chrysler Town and Country minivan occupied by a female driver later identified as Kristina K. Smith, 26, Coffeyville, and a male passenger later identified as 32-year-old Wesley Jordan of Hot Springs, Arkansas.As the troopers attempted the traffic stop, Jordan fired at the troopers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603551132843.png" alt="Kristina Smith photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Kristina Smith photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>A trooper returned fire and the subjects fled, prompting a police pursuit. Near the intersection of 3600 Road. and 3900 Road., a deputy from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office intercepted the minivan and fired at Jordan.The minivan continued west on 3600 Road., another 1/4 mile, until it came to a stop. Then a KHP trooper fired at Jordan when he exited the minivan.Jordan was pronounced deceased at the scene by Montgomery County EMS. No law enforcement officers were injured during this incident.Deputies took Smith into custody for questioning, and she was later arrested by the Coffeyville Police Department and is being held on requested of armed w/ dangerous weapon, Attempted FelonyTheft of prop/services,&nbsp; Aggravated battery. Knowingly use physical contact in angry/rude manner w/weapon, Aggravated assault and Use of a deadly weapon, according to online booking records.

Update: 1 dead, 1 jailed after Kan. officer-involved shooting

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Kansas man accused in the death of a woman whose body was found at a motel made his first court appearance in the case Tuesday.

Ricky Hollins, Jr., 40, Wichita, was charged with&nbsp;first-degree murder and buying sexual relations, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. 

Just after 10a.m. October 22, police responded to a call of an unresponsive woman in a room at the Budget Motel in the 1300 Block of South Broad in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp;&nbsp;A staff member of the motel located&nbsp;33-year-old Stephanie Duran of Wichita in the room and called the police.

She was pronounced dead at the scene. The following evening, police arrested and booked Hollins into the Sedgwick County Jail, according to online jail records. He remains jailed on $200,000 bond.&nbsp;

Kansas Department of Corrections records show Hollins has prior drug convictions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603833413290.png" alt="Hollins photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Hollins photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Kansas man accused in the death of a woman whose body was found at a motel made his first court appearance in the case Tuesday.Ricky Hollins, Jr., 40, Wichita, was charged with&nbsp;first-degree murder and buying sexual relations, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. Just after 10a.m. October 22, police responded to a call of an unresponsive woman in a room at the Budget Motel in the 1300 Block of South Broad in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp;&nbsp;A staff member of the motel located&nbsp;33-year-old Stephanie Duran of Wichita in the room and called the police.She was pronounced dead at the scene. The following evening, police arrested and booked Hollins into the Sedgwick County Jail, according to online jail records. He remains jailed on $200,000 bond.&nbsp;Kansas Department of Corrections records show Hollins has prior drug convictions.

Kan. man charged for woman's murder while buying sex

Kansas City (AP) —&nbsp; The new surge of the coronavirus was evident on Thursday, with record hospitalizations in St. Louis and Columbia, and the Kansas City metropolitan area experiencing its worst month ever for COVID-19 deaths.

The number of coronavirus deaths in the metro Kansas City area, which includes Kansas City as well as counties in Missouri and Kansas, was at 176 in October, the most of any month since the onset of the pandemic.

Deaths in the region have risen sharply during the fall. The metro area recorded 80 deaths in August but 172 in September.

“We would predict that November will be worse than October,” Kansas City Health Department Director Rex Archer told the Star. “December’s going to be worse than November and January’s going to be worse than December. We will continue to set records.”

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' COVID-19 dashboard shows Missouri had the seventh-highest number of per capita deaths over the past seven days, and the 12th highest number of new cases per capita. The statewide positivity rate of 11.6% is more than twice the World Health Organization's 5% benchmark for reopening.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6b46885a2495c6b6e9503cd2a549fda2">allowed the state to reopen</a>&nbsp;in mid-June. He has urged Missourians to take personal responsibility in preventing the spread of the virus, but there is no statewide mandate for masks or social distancing. Many local jurisdictions have implemented their own requirements.

Kansas City (AP) —&nbsp; The new surge of the coronavirus was evident on Thursday, with record hospitalizations in St. Louis and Columbia, and the Kansas City metropolitan area experiencing its worst month ever for COVID-19 deaths.The number of coronavirus deaths in the metro Kansas City area, which includes Kansas City as well as counties in Missouri and Kansas, was at 176 in October, the most of any month since the onset of the pandemic.Deaths in the region have risen sharply during the fall. The metro area recorded 80 deaths in August but 172 in September.“We would predict that November will be worse than October,” Kansas City Health Department Director Rex Archer told the Star. “December’s going to be worse than November and January’s going to be worse than December. We will continue to set records.”The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' COVID-19 dashboard shows Missouri had the seventh-highest number of per capita deaths over the past seven days, and the 12th highest number of new cases per capita. The statewide positivity rate of 11.6% is more than twice the World Health Organization's 5% benchmark for reopening.Missouri Gov. Mike Parson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6b46885a2495c6b6e9503cd2a549fda2">allowed the state to reopen</a>&nbsp;in mid-June. He has urged Missourians to take personal responsibility in preventing the spread of the virus, but there is no statewide mandate for masks or social distancing. Many local jurisdictions have implemented their own requirements.

KC-area experiencing  worst month for COVID-19 deaths

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Federal agencies warned that cybercriminals are&nbsp;<a href="https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ncas/alerts/aa20-302a" target="_blank">unleashing a wave of data-scrambling extortion attempts</a>&nbsp;against the U.S. healthcare system designed to lock up hospital information systems, which could hurt patient care just as nationwide cases of COVID-19 are spiking.

In a joint alert Wednesday, the FBI and two federal agencies warned that they had “credible information of an increased and imminent cybercrime threat to U.S. hospitals and healthcare providers.” The alert said malicious groups are targeting the sector with attacks that produce “data theft and disruption of healthcare services.”

The cyberattacks involve ransomware, which scrambles data into gibberish that can only be unlocked with software keys provided once targets pay up. Independent security experts say it has already hobbled at least five U.S. hospitals this week, and could potentially impact hundreds more.

The offensive by a Russian-speaking criminal gang coincides with the U.S. presidential election, although there is no immediate indication they were motivated by anything but profit. “We are experiencing the most significant cyber security threat we’ve ever seen in the United States,” Charles Carmakal, chief technical officer of the cybersecurity firm Mandiant, said in a statement.

Alex Holden, CEO of Hold Security, which has been closely tracking the ransomware in question for more than a year, agreed that the unfolding offensive is unprecedented in magnitude for the U.S. given its timing in the heat of a contentions presidential election and the worst global pandemic in a century.

The federal alert was co-authored by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services.

The cybercriminals launching the attacks use a strain of ransomware known as Ryuk, which is seeded through a network of zombie computers called Trickbot that Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-malware-elections-crime-cybercrime-913ee5d56affa97fc5d9c639c4a284ab">began trying to counter</a>&nbsp;earlier in October. U.S. Cyber Command has also reportedly taken action against Trickbot. While Microsoft has had considerable success knocking its command-and-control servers offline through legal action, analysts say criminals have still been finding ways to spread Ryuk.

The U.S. has seen a plague of ransomware over the past 18 months or so, with major cities from Baltimore to Atlanta hit and local governments and schools hit especially hard.

In September, a ransomware attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/media-archive-21ebb97dc7b9e2a7c06244069a35b7e6">hobbled all 250 U.S. facilities</a>&nbsp;of the hospital chain Universal Health Services, forcing doctors and nurses to rely on paper and pencil for record-keeping and slowing lab work. Employees described chaotic conditions impeding patient care, including mounting emergency room waits and the failure of wireless vital-signs monitoring equipment.

Also in September, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-hacking-europe-cf8f8eee1adcec69bcc864f2c4308c94">first known fatality related to ransomware</a>&nbsp;occurred in Duesseldorf, Germany, when an IT system failure forced a critically ill patient to be routed to a hospital in another city.

Holden said he alerted federal law enforcement Friday after monitoring infection attempts at a number of hospitals, some of which may have beaten back infections. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

He said the group was demanding ransoms well above $10 million per target and that criminals involved on the dark web were discussing plans to try to infect more than 400 hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities.

“One of the comments from the bad guys is that they are expecting to cause panic and, no, they are not hitting election systems,” Holden said. “They are hitting where it hurts even more and they know it.” U.S. officials have repeatedly expressed concern about major ransomware attacks affecting the presidential election, even if the criminals are motivated chiefly by profit.

Mandiant’s Carmakal identified the criminal gang as UNC1878, saying “it is deliberately targeting and disrupting U.S. hospitals, forcing them to divert patients to other healthcare providers” and producing prolonged delays in critical care.

He called the eastern European group “one of most brazen, heartless, and disruptive threat actors I’ve observed over my career.”

While no one has proven suspected ties between the Russian government and gangs that use the Trickbot platform, Holden said he has “no doubt that the Russian government is aware of this operation — of terrorism, really.” He said dozens of different criminal groups use Ryuk, paying its architects a cut.

Dmitri Alperovitch, co-founder and former chief technical officer of the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, said there are “certainly lot of connections between Russian cyber criminals and the state,” with Kremlin-employed hackers sometimes moonlighting as cyber criminals.

Neither Holden nor Carmakal would identify the affected hospitals. Four healthcare institutions have been reported hit by ransomware so far this week, three belonging to the St. Lawrence County Health System in upstate New York and the Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Sky Lakes acknowledged the ransomware attack in an online statement, saying it had no evidence that patient information was compromised. It said emergency and urgent care “remain available” The St. Lawrence system did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.

Increasingly, ransomware criminals are stealing data from their targets before encrypting networks, using it for extortion. They often sow the malware weeks before activating it, waiting for moments when they believe they can extract the highest payments, said Brett Callow, an analyst at the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft.

A total of 59 U.S. healthcare providers/systems have been impacted by ransomware in 2020, disrupting patient care at up to 510 facilities, Callow said.

Carmakal said Mandiant had provided Microsoft on Wednesday with as much detail as it could&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2020/10/kegtap-and-singlemalt-with-a-ransomware-chaser.html" target="_blank">about the thr</a>eat so it could distribute details to its customers. A Microsoft spokesman had no immediate comment.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Federal agencies warned that cybercriminals are&nbsp;<a href="https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ncas/alerts/aa20-302a" target="_blank">unleashing a wave of data-scrambling extortion attempts</a>&nbsp;against the U.S. healthcare system designed to lock up hospital information systems, which could hurt patient care just as nationwide cases of COVID-19 are spiking.In a joint alert Wednesday, the FBI and two federal agencies warned that they had “credible information of an increased and imminent cybercrime threat to U.S. hospitals and healthcare providers.” The alert said malicious groups are targeting the sector with attacks that produce “data theft and disruption of healthcare services.”The cyberattacks involve ransomware, which scrambles data into gibberish that can only be unlocked with software keys provided once targets pay up. Independent security experts say it has already hobbled at least five U.S. hospitals this week, and could potentially impact hundreds more.The offensive by a Russian-speaking criminal gang coincides with the U.S. presidential election, although there is no immediate indication they were motivated by anything but profit. “We are experiencing the most significant cyber security threat we’ve ever seen in the United States,” Charles Carmakal, chief technical officer of the cybersecurity firm Mandiant, said in a statement.Alex Holden, CEO of Hold Security, which has been closely tracking the ransomware in question for more than a year, agreed that the unfolding offensive is unprecedented in magnitude for the U.S. given its timing in the heat of a contentions presidential election and the worst global pandemic in a century.The federal alert was co-authored by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services.The cybercriminals launching the attacks use a strain of ransomware known as Ryuk, which is seeded through a network of zombie computers called Trickbot that Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-malware-elections-crime-cybercrime-913ee5d56affa97fc5d9c639c4a284ab">began trying to counter</a>&nbsp;earlier in October. U.S. Cyber Command has also reportedly taken action against Trickbot. While Microsoft has had considerable success knocking its command-and-control servers offline through legal action, analysts say criminals have still been finding ways to spread Ryuk.The U.S. has seen a plague of ransomware over the past 18 months or so, with major cities from Baltimore to Atlanta hit and local governments and schools hit especially hard.In September, a ransomware attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/media-archive-21ebb97dc7b9e2a7c06244069a35b7e6">hobbled all 250 U.S. facilities</a>&nbsp;of the hospital chain Universal Health Services, forcing doctors and nurses to rely on paper and pencil for record-keeping and slowing lab work. Employees described chaotic conditions impeding patient care, including mounting emergency room waits and the failure of wireless vital-signs monitoring equipment.Also in September, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-hacking-europe-cf8f8eee1adcec69bcc864f2c4308c94">first known fatality related to ransomware</a>&nbsp;occurred in Duesseldorf, Germany, when an IT system failure forced a critically ill patient to be routed to a hospital in another city.Holden said he alerted federal law enforcement Friday after monitoring infection attempts at a number of hospitals, some of which may have beaten back infections. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.He said the group was demanding ransoms well above $10 million per target and that criminals involved on the dark web were discussing plans to try to infect more than 400 hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities.“One of the comments from the bad guys is that they are expecting to cause panic and, no, they are not hitting election systems,” Holden said. “They are hitting where it hurts even more and they know it.” U.S. officials have repeatedly expressed concern about major ransomware attacks affecting the presidential election, even if the criminals are motivated chiefly by profit.Mandiant’s Carmakal identified the criminal gang as UNC1878, saying “it is deliberately targeting and disrupting U.S. hospitals, forcing them to divert patients to other healthcare providers” and producing prolonged delays in critical care.He called the eastern European group “one of most brazen, heartless, and disruptive threat actors I’ve observed over my career.”While no one has proven suspected ties between the Russian government and gangs that use the Trickbot platform, Holden said he has “no doubt that the Russian government is aware of this operation — of terrorism, really.” He said dozens of different criminal groups use Ryuk, paying its architects a cut.Dmitri Alperovitch, co-founder and former chief technical officer of the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, said there are “certainly lot of connections between Russian cyber criminals and the state,” with Kremlin-employed hackers sometimes moonlighting as cyber criminals.Neither Holden nor Carmakal would identify the affected hospitals. Four healthcare institutions have been reported hit by ransomware so far this week, three belonging to the St. Lawrence County Health System in upstate New York and the Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls, Oregon.Sky Lakes acknowledged the ransomware attack in an online statement, saying it had no evidence that patient information was compromised. It said emergency and urgent care “remain available” The St. Lawrence system did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.Increasingly, ransomware criminals are stealing data from their targets before encrypting networks, using it for extortion. They often sow the malware weeks before activating it, waiting for moments when they believe they can extract the highest payments, said Brett Callow, an analyst at the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft.A total of 59 U.S. healthcare providers/systems have been impacted by ransomware in 2020, disrupting patient care at up to 510 facilities, Callow said.Carmakal said Mandiant had provided Microsoft on Wednesday with as much detail as it could&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2020/10/kegtap-and-singlemalt-with-a-ransomware-chaser.html" target="_blank">about the thr</a>eat so it could distribute details to its customers. A Microsoft spokesman had no immediate comment.—-

FBI warns of cyberattack on U.S. hospitals, facilities

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas set new state pandemic records Wednesday for reported coronavirus cases and COVID-19-related hospitalizations, and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said she hasn’t dropped the idea of calling the Republican-controlled Legislature into special session to impose a statewide mask mandate.

The state Department of Health and Environment added nearly 3,400 cases since Monday to its running tally for the pandemic, giving the state a rolling average of 1,084 new cases a day for the seven days ending Wednesday. The department said there have been 82,045 confirmed and probable cases in Kansas since the pandemic reached the state in early March.

The health department also said the state had another 106 hospitalizations related to the novel coronavirus, for a pandemic total of 3,752. The rolling average was 35 new hospitalizations a day for the seven days ending Wednesday.

Kansas also reported 31 additional COVID-19-related deaths since Monday, to bring its total to 1,007.

“We are just losing Kansans day in and day out,” Kelly said Wednesday during a Statehouse news conference. “This cannot continue.”

The health department said it switched this weekend to a new, automated system that allows new cases to be added to its count more quickly so that its figures catch up faster with what local officials are seeing.

The department said Wednesday that the change accounted for about 1,500 of the 3,369 new cases reported since Monday, but even with those factored out, the state had a record rolling seven-day average. The state’s previous record was 815 for the seven days ending Monday.

Kelly and top Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-topeka-nursing-homes-kansas-65df5c0f8dab0cddad84261daddb6e88">agreed in a private Zoom meeting</a>&nbsp;Tuesday to try for now to persuade counties that are coronavirus hot spots to impose mask mandates rather than having the state step in. Asked Wednesday how long she would give that approach, Kelly said: “Not long.”

“I don’t have a firm drop-dead date, but I’ll know it when we get there,” she said.

Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d205da04a32ace8ecffd4b5e8a6fb481">issued an order</a>&nbsp;July 2 requiring people to wear masks in public, but&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020s/b2020s/measures/documents/summary_hb_2016_2020special" target="_blank">a state law&nbsp;</a>enacted the month before allowed the state’s 105 counties to opt out, and most did. The Republican-controlled Legislature forced Kelly to accept local control over mask rules, restrictions on businesses and limits on public gatherings after she imposed a statewide stay-at-home order for five weeks, ending in early May.

Republican leaders continue to argue that local officials are in the best position to set pandemic restrictions based on local conditions, even with rural counties being hit hard in recent weeks.

Kelly this week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-kansas-topeka-e17aa8c98f333b072eb5c3431496c044">floated the idea&nbsp;</a>of calling a special session of the Legislature — possibly to strip counties of their authority to opt out of a statewide mask mandate — because lawmakers are not scheduled to reconvene until January.

Participants in Tuesday’s meeting said afterward that a special session of the Legislature appeared to be off the table. Kelly said Wednesday that’s not the case.

Top GOP lawmakers said a statewide mandate isn’t likely to get more people to wear masks if she and other officials didn’t build public support and educate local officials. Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican, said Wednesday that local officials can’t enforce a mandate vigorously even if they want to do so.

“Why don’t we have a law that says if you have emphysema, that you can’t buy cigarettes?” Longbine said Wednesday. “I don’t think we as a country, we as a population, are ready for the government to take over our health care.”

Both Kelly and Longbine said the next step is for the governor and several legislative leaders to meet with representatives of the Kansas Association of Counties and the League of Kansas Municipalities and determine why local officials resist mask mandates.

“Is it political? Is it medical? Is it science? Do they need more education?” Longbine said.

In Ford County, which has among the state’s highest total per capita cases for the pandemic, officials are wary enough about what state and federal requirements they might face that the county commission has yet to accept a grant of nearly $180,000 awarded in September for expanded coronavirus testing. The county would have to sign an agreement to follow state health department and U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines.

The CDC recommends that people wear masks in public. Ford County commissioners opted out of Kelly’s mask mandate.

“I wanted to safeguard against us losing the local control and having the individual counties — and actually individual citizens — be able to make some of those decisions for themselves,” said Commissioner Shawn Tasset, a Republican.

The state health department said Wednesday that the language would not require a local mask mandate.

But County Administrator J.D. Gilbert said: “As a local government, you don’t ever want to commit yourself to any requirements from the state government, especially in the future because you don’t know what the state government is going to do.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603920084388.png" alt="“We are just losing Kansans day in and day out,” Kelly said Wednesday during a Statehouse news conference. “This cannot continue.”" />
 <figcaption>“We are just losing Kansans day in and day out,” Kelly said Wednesday during a Statehouse news conference. “This cannot continue.”</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas set new state pandemic records Wednesday for reported coronavirus cases and COVID-19-related hospitalizations, and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said she hasn’t dropped the idea of calling the Republican-controlled Legislature into special session to impose a statewide mask mandate.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F982826705547591%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The state Department of Health and Environment added nearly 3,400 cases since Monday to its running tally for the pandemic, giving the state a rolling average of 1,084 new cases a day for the seven days ending Wednesday. The department said there have been 82,045 confirmed and probable cases in Kansas since the pandemic reached the state in early March.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603905113410.png" alt="Wednesday Oct. 28, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Oct. 28, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The health department also said the state had another 106 hospitalizations related to the novel coronavirus, for a pandemic total of 3,752. The rolling average was 35 new hospitalizations a day for the seven days ending Wednesday.Kansas also reported 31 additional COVID-19-related deaths since Monday, to bring its total to 1,007.“We are just losing Kansans day in and day out,” Kelly said Wednesday during a Statehouse news conference. “This cannot continue.”The health department said it switched this weekend to a new, automated system that allows new cases to be added to its count more quickly so that its figures catch up faster with what local officials are seeing.The department said Wednesday that the change accounted for about 1,500 of the 3,369 new cases reported since Monday, but even with those factored out, the state had a record rolling seven-day average. The state’s previous record was 815 for the seven days ending Monday.Kelly and top Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-topeka-nursing-homes-kansas-65df5c0f8dab0cddad84261daddb6e88">agreed in a private Zoom meeting</a>&nbsp;Tuesday to try for now to persuade counties that are coronavirus hot spots to impose mask mandates rather than having the state step in. Asked Wednesday how long she would give that approach, Kelly said: “Not long.”“I don’t have a firm drop-dead date, but I’ll know it when we get there,” she said.Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d205da04a32ace8ecffd4b5e8a6fb481">issued an order</a>&nbsp;July 2 requiring people to wear masks in public, but&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020s/b2020s/measures/documents/summary_hb_2016_2020special" target="_blank">a state law&nbsp;</a>enacted the month before allowed the state’s 105 counties to opt out, and most did. The Republican-controlled Legislature forced Kelly to accept local control over mask rules, restrictions on businesses and limits on public gatherings after she imposed a statewide stay-at-home order for five weeks, ending in early May.Republican leaders continue to argue that local officials are in the best position to set pandemic restrictions based on local conditions, even with rural counties being hit hard in recent weeks.Kelly this week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-kansas-topeka-e17aa8c98f333b072eb5c3431496c044">floated the idea&nbsp;</a>of calling a special session of the Legislature — possibly to strip counties of their authority to opt out of a statewide mask mandate — because lawmakers are not scheduled to reconvene until January.Participants in Tuesday’s meeting said afterward that a special session of the Legislature appeared to be off the table. Kelly said Wednesday that’s not the case.Top GOP lawmakers said a statewide mandate isn’t likely to get more people to wear masks if she and other officials didn’t build public support and educate local officials. Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican, said Wednesday that local officials can’t enforce a mandate vigorously even if they want to do so.“Why don’t we have a law that says if you have emphysema, that you can’t buy cigarettes?” Longbine said Wednesday. “I don’t think we as a country, we as a population, are ready for the government to take over our health care.”Both Kelly and Longbine said the next step is for the governor and several legislative leaders to meet with representatives of the Kansas Association of Counties and the League of Kansas Municipalities and determine why local officials resist mask mandates.“Is it political? Is it medical? Is it science? Do they need more education?” Longbine said.In Ford County, which has among the state’s highest total per capita cases for the pandemic, officials are wary enough about what state and federal requirements they might face that the county commission has yet to accept a grant of nearly $180,000 awarded in September for expanded coronavirus testing. The county would have to sign an agreement to follow state health department and U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines.The CDC recommends that people wear masks in public. Ford County commissioners opted out of Kelly’s mask mandate.“I wanted to safeguard against us losing the local control and having the individual counties — and actually individual citizens — be able to make some of those decisions for themselves,” said Commissioner Shawn Tasset, a Republican.The state health department said Wednesday that the language would not require a local mask mandate.But County Administrator J.D. Gilbert said: “As a local government, you don’t ever want to commit yourself to any requirements from the state government, especially in the future because you don’t know what the state government is going to do.”___

Gov. considers special legislative session on mask mandate

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police say a 14-year-old girl was killed and her father critically injured in a two-vehicle crash in Wichita. Television station KAKE reports that the crash happened just before noon Wednesday in northwest Wichita. 

Police say a red car being driven by the father was speeding when it hit a dip in the road, became airborne and hit a pickup truck. Police Capt. Brent Allred said the car then spun and hit a second pickup. 

Police say the 14-year-old girl died at the scene and that her 38-year-old father suffered critical injuries. Their names have not yet been released. Police say one person in one of the trucks also was treated for minor injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603978627640.png" alt="Wednesday's fatal accident photo by Nolan Roth courtesy KAKE TV" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday's fatal accident photo by Nolan Roth courtesy KAKE TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police say a 14-year-old girl was killed and her father critically injured in a two-vehicle crash in Wichita. Television station KAKE reports that the crash happened just before noon Wednesday in northwest Wichita. Police say a red car being driven by the father was speeding when it hit a dip in the road, became airborne and hit a pickup truck. Police Capt. Brent Allred said the car then spun and hit a second pickup. Police say the 14-year-old girl died at the scene and that her 38-year-old father suffered critical injuries. Their names have not yet been released. Police say one person in one of the trucks also was treated for minor injuries.

Girl killed, father critically injured in Kansas crash

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Wichita.

Just after 10:30p.m. Tuesday, a police officer on patrol in the area of 4200 East Boston in Wichita recognized a Chevy Tahoe that was part of an alert sent on Monday, according to&nbsp;Sgt. Daniel Harty with the Wichita police department's homicide division.

The alert also indicated a 38-year-old known male suspect had been involved in two incidents with police within the past couple of days.

On Saturday night, the Mulvane police department had been involved in a chase with the vehicle. During that pursuit, the suspect fired four shots at officers, according to Harty.&nbsp;

Sedgwick County Sheriff's deputies were involved in a chase with the suspect on Sunday night. At that time the suspect was able to avoid arrest.

When the officer on patrol recognized that this was the vehicle he'd read about, he attempted to make a traffic stop in the 4400 Block of East Harry in Wichita, according to Harty.

The suspect driver refused to stop, accelerated and fled. The pursuit last approximately 7 minutes in various neighborhoods in the Hilltop area at speeds of 60-70 miles per hours.

 The suspect eventually stopped in a backyard in the 4400 Block of East Bailey. He produced a handgun and fired at the officers.&nbsp; The bullet struck a home behind the officers. Five officers at the scene returned fire and the suspect was hit multiple times, according to Harty.

Officers then gave life-saving assistance, including the use of a tourniquet on the suspect's leg. EMS transported the suspect to a local hospital where he remains in stable condition, according to Harty. The suspect was alone and no officers were injured.&nbsp;As soon as the suspect is released from the hospital, he will be taken to jail.

The suspect's handgun was reported stolen during a home burglary in Sedgwick County in September.&nbsp; He has extensive criminal history, according to Harty.&nbsp; Police arrested him in 2012 on drug and gun charges after a lengthy pursuit where he fired shots at officers.&nbsp; He was on parole. Harty did not release his name. The KBI is assisting with the investigation.

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Police officers shot and wounded a man in an exchange of gunfire while attempting to arrest him because he is suspected of firing at an officer from a nearby town last week, according to Wichita Police.

Police reported on social media that the suspect fled Tuesday night before coming to a stop and firing at officers. The officers returned fire, striking the man. 

EMS transported the man to a hospital with serious injuries. No one else was in the car with the suspect, and no officers were injured. 

Police described the man as a “violent felon” and said he is suspected of shooting a Mulvane police officer during a vehicle pursuit. Police are expected to release more on the shooting investigation during a Wednesday afternoon news conference, according to officer Charley Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603914305229.png" alt="The stolen gun used in the exchange of gunfire and a diagram of the neighborhood where the shooting occurred-image Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>The stolen gun used in the exchange of gunfire and a diagram of the neighborhood where the shooting occurred-image Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Wichita.Just after 10:30p.m. Tuesday, a police officer on patrol in the area of 4200 East Boston in Wichita recognized a Chevy Tahoe that was part of an alert sent on Monday, according to&nbsp;Sgt. Daniel Harty with the Wichita police department's homicide division.The alert also indicated a 38-year-old known male suspect had been involved in two incidents with police within the past couple of days.On Saturday night, the Mulvane police department had been involved in a chase with the vehicle. During that pursuit, the suspect fired four shots at officers, according to Harty.&nbsp;Sedgwick County Sheriff's deputies were involved in a chase with the suspect on Sunday night. At that time the suspect was able to avoid arrest.When the officer on patrol recognized that this was the vehicle he'd read about, he attempted to make a traffic stop in the 4400 Block of East Harry in Wichita, according to Harty.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603903455211.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect driver refused to stop, accelerated and fled. The pursuit last approximately 7 minutes in various neighborhoods in the Hilltop area at speeds of 60-70 miles per hours. The suspect eventually stopped in a backyard in the 4400 Block of East Bailey. He produced a handgun and fired at the officers.&nbsp; The bullet struck a home behind the officers. Five officers at the scene returned fire and the suspect was hit multiple times, according to Harty.Officers then gave life-saving assistance, including the use of a tourniquet on the suspect's leg. EMS transported the suspect to a local hospital where he remains in stable condition, according to Harty. The suspect was alone and no officers were injured.&nbsp;As soon as the suspect is released from the hospital, he will be taken to jail.The suspect's handgun was reported stolen during a home burglary in Sedgwick County in September.&nbsp; He has extensive criminal history, according to Harty.&nbsp; Police arrested him in 2012 on drug and gun charges after a lengthy pursuit where he fired shots at officers.&nbsp; He was on parole. Harty did not release his name. The KBI is assisting with the investigation.---------SEDGWICK COUNTY— Police officers shot and wounded a man in an exchange of gunfire while attempting to arrest him because he is suspected of firing at an officer from a nearby town last week, according to Wichita Police.Police reported on social media that the suspect fled Tuesday night before coming to a stop and firing at officers. The officers returned fire, striking the man. EMS transported the man to a hospital with serious injuries. No one else was in the car with the suspect, and no officers were injured. Police described the man as a “violent felon” and said he is suspected of shooting a Mulvane police officer during a vehicle pursuit. Police are expected to release more on the shooting investigation during a Wednesday afternoon news conference, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Update: Suspect shot during Kan. chase, exchange of gunfire

JUNCTION CITY – A Junction City man has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years for two counts of first degree felony murder, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Dion Jamal Green, 35, was sentenced Wednesday in Geary County District Court by District Judge Steven L. Hornbaker. Green pleaded guilty to the charges in June in connection with the December 2018 deaths of Jenna Schafer, 31, of Junction City, and her unborn child. Schafer's body was found on Christmas Day in 2018.

The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Geary County Sheriff’s Office and the Junction City Police Department. Deputy Attorney General Vic Braden and Assistant Solicitor General Michael R. Serra of Schmidt's office and Assistant Geary County Attorney Jason B. Oxford prosecuted the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603936749034.png" alt="Dion Green&nbsp; Photo - Geary County" />
 <figcaption>Dion Green&nbsp; Photo - Geary County</figcaption>
 </figure>JUNCTION CITY – A Junction City man has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years for two counts of first degree felony murder, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.Dion Jamal Green, 35, was sentenced Wednesday in Geary County District Court by District Judge Steven L. Hornbaker. Green pleaded guilty to the charges in June in connection with the December 2018 deaths of Jenna Schafer, 31, of Junction City, and her unborn child. Schafer's body was found on Christmas Day in 2018.The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Geary County Sheriff’s Office and the Junction City Police Department. Deputy Attorney General Vic Braden and Assistant Solicitor General Michael R. Serra of Schmidt's office and Assistant Geary County Attorney Jason B. Oxford prosecuted the case.

Kan. man sentenced for death of woman, her unborn child 

WICHITA — As Halloween 2020 approaches, KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman wore his Colonel Sanders outfit and offered some ideas on things that you can do to celebrate safely, get creative and have fun.

In addition, AAA Kansas is raising concern for a dangerous traffic safety trifecta – increased pedestrian activity, drunk driving, and drowsy driving – all of which converge this Halloween weekend. The ghostly holiday falls on a Saturday this year, followed a few short hours later by “falling back” at the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST) at 2:00 a.m. Sunday, November 1.

Halloween festivities amid the COVID-19 pandemic will likely look different for many communities, parents, trick-or-treaters, and party goers. Traditional indoor activities, like costume parties for children and adults, can move outside in small, socially distanced settings. However those planning to celebrate should not lose sight of safety first.

A scare in good fun is expected on Halloween, but AAA Kansas warns, not when it comes to child pedestrian safety.

Creative costumes, trick-or-treating and bags full of goodies are top Halloween priorities, but safety often becomes an afterthought. Excited trick-or-treaters can forget about safety, so drivers, party-goers and parents must be even more alert, as the risk of kids being injured by moving vehicles increases.

“With an increased risk of pedestrian crashes on Halloween night, AAA Kansas urges parents to take the time to make trick-or-treaters and their costumes safer and more visible to motorists,” said Shawn Steward, AAA Kansas spokesman.&nbsp; “In addition, motorists must eliminate distractions, slow down and watch for children, as well as have a completely sober designated driver if drinking is part of a Halloween celebration.”Halloween is also a statistically dangerous night for drunk driving. The combination of drinking and increased pedestrian traffic on Halloween is a deadly combination. AAA and the&nbsp;National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) found that:

WICHITA — As Halloween 2020 approaches, KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman wore his Colonel Sanders outfit and offered some ideas on things that you can do to celebrate safely, get creative and have fun.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I love Halloween, and there are things that we can do to celebrate safely this holiday season. Get creative and have fun. Follow your county&#39;s guidelines, and find more ideas on our website: <a href="https://t.co/7KEvXPCPa6">https://t.co/7KEvXPCPa6</a>. <a href="https://t.co/E8fnwszBQy">pic.twitter.com/E8fnwszBQy</a>&mdash; Lee Norman (@SecNorman) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecNorman/status/1320748334852747264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In addition, AAA Kansas is raising concern for a dangerous traffic safety trifecta – increased pedestrian activity, drunk driving, and drowsy driving – all of which converge this Halloween weekend. The ghostly holiday falls on a Saturday this year, followed a few short hours later by “falling back” at the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST) at 2:00 a.m. Sunday, November 1.Halloween festivities amid the COVID-19 pandemic will likely look different for many communities, parents, trick-or-treaters, and party goers. Traditional indoor activities, like costume parties for children and adults, can move outside in small, socially distanced settings. However those planning to celebrate should not lose sight of safety first.A scare in good fun is expected on Halloween, but AAA Kansas warns, not when it comes to child pedestrian safety.<ul>
 <li>According to Safe Kids Worldwide,&nbsp;children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween as any other day of the year.</li><li>The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that&nbsp;Halloween is consistently one of the top three days of the year for pedestrian injuries and fatalities.</li>
 </ul>Creative costumes, trick-or-treating and bags full of goodies are top Halloween priorities, but safety often becomes an afterthought. Excited trick-or-treaters can forget about safety, so drivers, party-goers and parents must be even more alert, as the risk of kids being injured by moving vehicles increases.“With an increased risk of pedestrian crashes on Halloween night, AAA Kansas urges parents to take the time to make trick-or-treaters and their costumes safer and more visible to motorists,” said Shawn Steward, AAA Kansas spokesman.&nbsp; “In addition, motorists must eliminate distractions, slow down and watch for children, as well as have a completely sober designated driver if drinking is part of a Halloween celebration.”Halloween is also a statistically dangerous night for drunk driving. The combination of drinking and increased pedestrian traffic on Halloween is a deadly combination. AAA and the&nbsp;National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) found that:<ul>
 <li>One-fourth of all pedestrian deaths ranging in age from 5-14 occurred in the four days leading up to Halloween (October 28-31) in 2017.</li><li>On Halloween night 2017, 89 people were fatally injured in a traffic crash, with 13 percent involving alcohol.</li><li>In 2017, more than half of pedestrian fatalities on Halloween occurred with the pedestrian outside of a marked crosswalk.</li><li>From 2013 – 2017, 158 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes on Halloween night (NHTSA)</li><li>From 2013 - 2017, 22 percent of pedestrian fatalities on Halloween night involved a drunk driver. (NHTSA)</li><li>During that period, 42 percent of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes on Halloween night were in crashes involving a drunk driver. (NHTSA)</li>
 </ul><h2>AAA Halloween Safety TipsMotorists</h2><ul>
 <li>Do not use your phone while behind the wheel, so you can focus on the road and trick-or-treaters.</li><li>Slow down in residential neighborhoods and obey all traffic signs and signals. Drive at least 5 mph below the posted speed limit to give yourself extra time to react to children who may dart into the street. Broaden your scanning by looking for children left and right into yards and on front porches.</li><li>Look for children crossing the street. They may not be paying attention to traffic and may cross the street mid-block or between parked cars.</li><li>Carefully enter and exit driveways and alleys, taking extra care if you are backing up or turning.</li><li>Turn your headlights on to make yourself more visible – even in the daylight.</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://us.vocuspr.com/Publish/523962/vcsPRAsset_523962_94848_e6aa352c-2292-413f-b873-8720597d00e4_0.jpg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Parents</h2><ul>
 <li>Make sure Halloween costumes are flame-retardant and light in color to improve visibility.</li><li>Be bright at night – have trick-or-treaters use glow sticks or wear retro-reflective tape on costumes and on treat buckets.</li><li>Ensure disguises don’t obstruct vision and avoid full facemasks.</li><li>Create face masks that coordinate with costumes rather than regular costume masks.&nbsp; This won’t obstruct vision and follows health and safety guidelines for COVID-19.</li><li>&nbsp;Instead, use nontoxic face paint. Also, watch the length of billowy costumes to help avoid tripping.</li><li>Ensure any props are flexible and blunt-tipped to avoid injury from tripping or horseplay.</li><li>Ask an adult or older child to supervise children under age 12.</li><li>Instruct children to travel only in familiar areas and along established routes.</li><li>Teach children to stop only at well-lit houses and to never to enter a stranger’s home or garage.</li><li>Review trick-or-treating safety precautions, including pedestrian and traffic safety rules.</li>
 </ul><h2>Trick-or-Treaters</h2><ul>
 <li>Stay on sidewalks and avoid walking in streets if possible.</li><li>If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic.</li><li>Look both ways and listen for traffic before crossing the street.</li><li>Watch for cars turning or backing up.</li><li>Cross streets only at the corner, using traffic signals and crosswalks, and never cross between parked vehicles or mid-block.</li><li>Trick-or-treat in a group if someone older cannot go with you.</li><li>Tell your parents where you are going.</li><li>Carry a flashlight containing fresh batteries. Never shine flashlights into the eyes of oncoming drivers.</li>
 </ul><h2>Party Goers</h2><ul>
 <li>Arrange a safe ride home and/or designate a driver before partaking in any festivities.</li><li>Always designate a sober driver.</li><li>If you are drunk, take a taxi or ride share service, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.</li><li>Before leaving for a party, load ride share apps or put numbers of local cab companies or your designated driver(s) into your phone.</li><li>Walking impaired can be as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.</li><li>If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.</li><li>If you know someone who is about to drive or ride impaired, take their keys and help them make safe travel arrangements to where they are going.</li>
 </ul>

🎥 Halloween weekend safety tips from Dr. Lee Norman

LYONS, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas has man has been charged with attempted capital murder in the shooting of a central Kansas police officer, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Wednesday.

Adam Hrabik, 40, was also charged with aggravated assault after a Lyons High School teacher was seriously injured in the crossfire.

Lyons Police Sgt. Cory Ryan, 36, was critically injured when he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-police-kansas-wichita-7487584f520b84e877e95dca78ee84b7">shot</a>&nbsp;Oct. 19 when he responded to a man who reported he had been threatened with a gun, investigators said.

Two bystanders who saw the shooting drove the officer to a hospital and he was later transported to a Wichita hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ryan was recovering and preparing to leave the hospital Wednesday.

Lyons teacher Brian Friess was seriously injured when he was caught in crossfire during the confrontation, police said. His condition on Wednesday wasn’t immediately available.

After the shooting, Hrabik went inside a home and was arrested after a long standoff.

Lyons is about 81 miles northwest of Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603932778315.png" alt="Adam Hrabik photo Rice County" />
 <figcaption>Adam Hrabik photo Rice County</figcaption>
 </figure>LYONS, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas has man has been charged with attempted capital murder in the shooting of a central Kansas police officer, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Wednesday.Adam Hrabik, 40, was also charged with aggravated assault after a Lyons High School teacher was seriously injured in the crossfire.Lyons Police Sgt. Cory Ryan, 36, was critically injured when he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-police-kansas-wichita-7487584f520b84e877e95dca78ee84b7">shot</a>&nbsp;Oct. 19 when he responded to a man who reported he had been threatened with a gun, investigators said.Two bystanders who saw the shooting drove the officer to a hospital and he was later transported to a Wichita hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ryan was recovering and preparing to leave the hospital Wednesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602896609117.png" alt="Police on the scene of the standoff&nbsp; Oct. 19-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the standoff&nbsp; Oct. 19-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Lyons teacher Brian Friess was seriously injured when he was caught in crossfire during the confrontation, police said. His condition on Wednesday wasn’t immediately available.After the shooting, Hrabik went inside a home and was arrested after a long standoff.Lyons is about 81 miles northwest of Wichita.

Man charged in shooting of Lyons police officer, teacher

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A retired firefighter who is charged with threatening to kidnap and kill the mayor of Wichita because he was upset about the city’s mask ordinance had been texting an acquaintance on the city council for more than a month before his arrest, newly released court records show.

The document were released Tuesday in the case against 59-year-old Meredith Dowty, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-kansas-wichita-topeka-13c2ec68539f8ba62d0237d83a94fbb4">charged</a>&nbsp;last week three counts of criminal threat. They say Wichita City Council member James Clendenin started receiving texts from Dowty on Sept. 9, when Dowty wrote that he wanted to know where the mayor eats, sleeps and buys food and gas.

Clendenin, who voted against the mask mandate, said Dowty might have felt they were “kindred spirits” because of his stance.

Court documents say Dowty also texted about people needing to be “hung by their necks” on Sept. 24 and then described the mayor as “traitorous” in a Sept. 25 message. Clendenin said he didn’t feel the conversation went beyond “venting” until Oct. 16, when Dowty allegedly wrote that the “Mayor and all those who bankrupt us” are “viable targets for elimination.”

That’s when he reported the messages to police. Dowty said Clendenin is his friend and that he didn’t mean the texts as threats, court document say.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602897809399.png" alt="Meredith Dowty photo Sedgwick County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Meredith Dowty photo Sedgwick County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A retired firefighter who is charged with threatening to kidnap and kill the mayor of Wichita because he was upset about the city’s mask ordinance had been texting an acquaintance on the city council for more than a month before his arrest, newly released court records show.The document were released Tuesday in the case against 59-year-old Meredith Dowty, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-kansas-wichita-topeka-13c2ec68539f8ba62d0237d83a94fbb4">charged</a>&nbsp;last week three counts of criminal threat. They say Wichita City Council member James Clendenin started receiving texts from Dowty on Sept. 9, when Dowty wrote that he wanted to know where the mayor eats, sleeps and buys food and gas.Clendenin, who voted against the mask mandate, said Dowty might have felt they were “kindred spirits” because of his stance.Court documents say Dowty also texted about people needing to be “hung by their necks” on Sept. 24 and then described the mayor as “traitorous” in a Sept. 25 message. Clendenin said he didn’t feel the conversation went beyond “venting” until Oct. 16, when Dowty allegedly wrote that the “Mayor and all those who bankrupt us” are “viable targets for elimination.”That’s when he reported the messages to police. Dowty said Clendenin is his friend and that he didn’t mean the texts as threats, court document say.

Man charged in threat over masks had been texting councilman

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) —&nbsp;Sixty people have been charged in a widespread magazine telemarketing scam that authorities say netted $300 million from more than 150,000 elderly and vulnerable people nationwide, the U.S. attorney's office in&nbsp;Minnesota&nbsp;announced Wednesday.&nbsp;

U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald called the scam the largest elder fraud scheme in the country.&nbsp;

The U.S. attorney's office says the fraudulent companies were operating in Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota,&nbsp;Florida,&nbsp;Georgia,&nbsp;Mississippi,&nbsp;California,&nbsp;Iowa, Illinois,&nbsp;Colorado,&nbsp;Arizona,&nbsp;New Mexico,&nbsp;North Carolina, and&nbsp;Arkansas.

MacDonald said the 60 defendants face a host of charges, including conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and violating the Senior Citizens Against Marketing Scams Act of 1994. The defendants are from 14 states and two Canadian provinces.

“Unfortunately, we live in a world where fraudsters are willing to take advantage of seniors, who are often trusting and polite. It’s my hope that this prosecution is a call for vigilance and caution," MacDonald said in a statement.

The indictments and other court documents say that over the last 20 years, the defendants used a network of dozens of fraudulent magazine sales companies and telemarketing call centers to carry out the scam. Employees allegedly used deceptive sales scripts to trick people into making large or repeat payments to the companies.

The indictments allege that many of the defendants used a fraudulent “renewal” script in which the telemarketers falsely claimed to be calling from the victim's existing magazine subscription company with a phony offer to reduce monthly subscription costs.

In reality, the callers had no existing relationship with victims and signed them up for expensive, new magazine subscriptions. As a result, consumers ended up having multiple subscriptions with fraudulent magazine companies.

“Using a tactic like telemarketing magazine sales, these deceitful scam artists bilk hard earned money from their aging victims – leaving so many financially devastated in their retirement years and without recourse for recovery,” Michael Paul, the FBI’s special agent in charge in Minneapolis, said.

Some of the defendants are also accused of using a “cancellation” script that targeted people who had been previous victims. According to the indictments, these defendants took advantage of victims' desperation to make the subscriptions stop and offered to consolidate and cancel existing subscriptions and pay off an alleged “outstanding balance” in exchange for a large lump sum payment. In reality, victims owed no money.

The indictments charge defendants at all levels of the alleged conspiracies, including people who allegedly led the scheme, company owners, call center managers, telemarketers and others. Those who led the scheme provided the companies software programs that tracked orders, sales, and other customer information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603906433877.png" alt="U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald announced the defendants are from 14 states and two Canadian provinces." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald announced the defendants are from 14 states and two Canadian provinces.</figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) —&nbsp;Sixty people have been charged in a widespread magazine telemarketing scam that authorities say netted $300 million from more than 150,000 elderly and vulnerable people nationwide, the U.S. attorney's office in&nbsp;Minnesota&nbsp;announced Wednesday.&nbsp;U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald called the scam the largest elder fraud scheme in the country.&nbsp;The U.S. attorney's office says the fraudulent companies were operating in Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota,&nbsp;Florida,&nbsp;Georgia,&nbsp;Mississippi,&nbsp;California,&nbsp;Iowa, Illinois,&nbsp;Colorado,&nbsp;Arizona,&nbsp;New Mexico,&nbsp;North Carolina, and&nbsp;Arkansas.MacDonald said the 60 defendants face a host of charges, including conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and violating the Senior Citizens Against Marketing Scams Act of 1994. The defendants are from 14 states and two Canadian provinces.“Unfortunately, we live in a world where fraudsters are willing to take advantage of seniors, who are often trusting and polite. It’s my hope that this prosecution is a call for vigilance and caution," MacDonald said in a statement.The indictments and other court documents say that over the last 20 years, the defendants used a network of dozens of fraudulent magazine sales companies and telemarketing call centers to carry out the scam. Employees allegedly used deceptive sales scripts to trick people into making large or repeat payments to the companies.The indictments allege that many of the defendants used a fraudulent “renewal” script in which the telemarketers falsely claimed to be calling from the victim's existing magazine subscription company with a phony offer to reduce monthly subscription costs.In reality, the callers had no existing relationship with victims and signed them up for expensive, new magazine subscriptions. As a result, consumers ended up having multiple subscriptions with fraudulent magazine companies.“Using a tactic like telemarketing magazine sales, these deceitful scam artists bilk hard earned money from their aging victims – leaving so many financially devastated in their retirement years and without recourse for recovery,” Michael Paul, the FBI’s special agent in charge in Minneapolis, said.Some of the defendants are also accused of using a “cancellation” script that targeted people who had been previous victims. According to the indictments, these defendants took advantage of victims' desperation to make the subscriptions stop and offered to consolidate and cancel existing subscriptions and pay off an alleged “outstanding balance” in exchange for a large lump sum payment. In reality, victims owed no money.The indictments charge defendants at all levels of the alleged conspiracies, including people who allegedly led the scheme, company owners, call center managers, telemarketers and others. Those who led the scheme provided the companies software programs that tracked orders, sales, and other customer information.

Largest elder phone scam in the country operated in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — With next week’s election looming, the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google were scolded by Republicans at a Senate hearing Wednesday for alleged anti-conservative bias in the companies’ social media platforms and received a warning of coming restrictions from Congress.

<a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2020/10/does-section-230-s-sweeping-immunity-enable-big-tech-bad-behavior">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch a replay of the hearing and to read the opening statements.

Lawmakers of both parties are assessing the companies’ tremendous power to disseminate speech and ideas, and are looking to challenge their long-enjoyed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d3e09c4037e2fc17558492b9bdce1ecc">bedrock legal protections</a>&nbsp;for online speech.

The Trump administration, seizing on unfounded accusations of bias against conservative views, has asked Congress to strip some of the protections that have generally shielded the tech companies from legal responsibility for what people post on their platforms.

“The time has come for that free pass to end,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Wicker, R-Miss., said the laws governing online speech must be updated because “the openness and freedom of the internet are under attack.”Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey gives his opening statement to the committee Wednesday

He spoke at the opening of the hearing as Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Google’s Sundar Pichai waited to testify via video.

Wicker cited the move this month by Facebook and Twitter to limit dissemination of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-ukraine-elections-134406f28e826380924bbcf773d2c05a">unverified political story</a>&nbsp;from the conservative-leaning New York Post about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. The story, which was not confirmed by other publications, cited unverified emails from Biden’s son Hunter that were reportedly disclosed by Trump allies.

Republicans led by President Donald Trump have accused the social media platforms, without evidence, of deliberately suppressing conservative, religious and anti-abortion views.

In their prepared testimony, Dorsey, Zuckerberg and Pichai addressed the proposals for changes to a provision of a 1996 law that has served as the foundation for unfettered speech on the internet. Critics in both parties say that immunity under Section 230 enables the social media companies to abdicate their responsibility to impartially moderate content.

Zuckerberg acknowledged that Congress “should update the law to make sure it’s working as intended.”

Dorsey and Pichai urged caution in making any changes. “Undermining Section 230 will result in far more removal of online speech and impose severe limitations on our collective ability to address harmful content and protect people online,” Dorsey said.

Pichai appealed to lawmakers “to be very thoughtful about any changes to Section 230 and to be very aware of the consequences those changes might have on businesses and consumers.”

The session lacked the in-person drama of star-witness proceedings before the coronavirus. The hearing room was nearly empty except for Wicker and a few colleagues, but their questioning was sharp as tempers flared among members.

“Twitter’s conduct has by far been the most egregious,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Dorsey. Cruz cited Twitter’s limitations on the newspaper story as part of “a pattern of censorship and silencing Americans with whom Twitter disagrees.”

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, went after Republicans, saying the hearing was a “sham.”

“This is bullying,” Schatz told the CEOs. “Do not let U.S. senators bully you into carrying the water” for politicians seeking to discredit their opponents. With their questions, Schatz said, the Republicans “are trying to bully the heads of private companies into making a hit job” on political leaders

Trump earlier this year signed an executive order challenging the protections from lawsuits under the 1996 telecommunications law.

Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd told congressional leaders in a letter Tuesday that recent events have made the changes more urgent, and said the restrictions by Twitter and Facebook related to the newspaper story was “quite concerning.”

Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, an independent agency, recently announced&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-367567A1.pdf" target="_blank">plans to reexamine</a>&nbsp;the legal protections — an about-face from the agency’s previous position.

Social media giants are also under heavy scrutiny for their efforts to police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-politics-media-misinformation-7a60e1e6005c8b3b967c9ad337cb1a6a">misinformation about the election</a>. Twitter and Facebook have imposed a misinformation label on content from the president, who has about 80 million followers. Trump has raised&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-fact-check-joe-biden-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-867740a2e552b8b3d9d409c0d0ea5170">the baseless prospect of mass fraud</a>&nbsp;in the vote-by-mail process.

Starting Tuesday, Facebook didn’t accept any new political advertising. Previously booked political ads will be able to run until the polls close Nov. 3, when all political advertising will temporarily be banned. Google, which owns YouTube, also is halting political ads after the polls close. Twitter banned all political ads last year.

Democrats have focused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-race-and-ethnicity-media-misinformation-social-media-d24e3276008c938fd861696369b0766c">their criticism of social media</a>&nbsp;mainly on hate speech, misinformation and other content that can incite violence or keep people from voting. They have criticized the tech CEOs for failing to police content, homing in on the platforms’ role in hate crimes and the rise of white nationalism in the U.S.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603901595133.png" alt="Senator Moran opened his portion of the virtual hearing with a question to all three witnesses on how much money they spend and how many they employ to monitor online content.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Senator Moran opened his portion of the virtual hearing with a question to all three witnesses on how much money they spend and how many they employ to monitor online content.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With next week’s election looming, the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google were scolded by Republicans at a Senate hearing Wednesday for alleged anti-conservative bias in the companies’ social media platforms and received a warning of coming restrictions from Congress.<a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2020/10/does-section-230-s-sweeping-immunity-enable-big-tech-bad-behavior">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch a replay of the hearing and to read the opening statements.Lawmakers of both parties are assessing the companies’ tremendous power to disseminate speech and ideas, and are looking to challenge their long-enjoyed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d3e09c4037e2fc17558492b9bdce1ecc">bedrock legal protections</a>&nbsp;for online speech.The Trump administration, seizing on unfounded accusations of bias against conservative views, has asked Congress to strip some of the protections that have generally shielded the tech companies from legal responsibility for what people post on their platforms.“The time has come for that free pass to end,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Wicker, R-Miss., said the laws governing online speech must be updated because “the openness and freedom of the internet are under attack.”Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey gives his opening statement to the committee Wednesday<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603894904609.png" alt="Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey gives his opening statement to the committee Wednesday" />
 <figcaption>Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey gives his opening statement to the committee Wednesday</figcaption>
 </figure>He spoke at the opening of the hearing as Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Google’s Sundar Pichai waited to testify via video.Wicker cited the move this month by Facebook and Twitter to limit dissemination of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-ukraine-elections-134406f28e826380924bbcf773d2c05a">unverified political story</a>&nbsp;from the conservative-leaning New York Post about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. The story, which was not confirmed by other publications, cited unverified emails from Biden’s son Hunter that were reportedly disclosed by Trump allies.Republicans led by President Donald Trump have accused the social media platforms, without evidence, of deliberately suppressing conservative, religious and anti-abortion views.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603922130265.png" alt="Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during questioning from Senator Moran" />
 <figcaption>Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during questioning from Senator Moran</figcaption>
 </figure>In their prepared testimony, Dorsey, Zuckerberg and Pichai addressed the proposals for changes to a provision of a 1996 law that has served as the foundation for unfettered speech on the internet. Critics in both parties say that immunity under Section 230 enables the social media companies to abdicate their responsibility to impartially moderate content.Zuckerberg acknowledged that Congress “should update the law to make sure it’s working as intended.”Dorsey and Pichai urged caution in making any changes. “Undermining Section 230 will result in far more removal of online speech and impose severe limitations on our collective ability to address harmful content and protect people online,” Dorsey said.Pichai appealed to lawmakers “to be very thoughtful about any changes to Section 230 and to be very aware of the consequences those changes might have on businesses and consumers.”The session lacked the in-person drama of star-witness proceedings before the coronavirus. The hearing room was nearly empty except for Wicker and a few colleagues, but their questioning was sharp as tempers flared among members.“Twitter’s conduct has by far been the most egregious,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Dorsey. Cruz cited Twitter’s limitations on the newspaper story as part of “a pattern of censorship and silencing Americans with whom Twitter disagrees.”Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, went after Republicans, saying the hearing was a “sham.”“This is bullying,” Schatz told the CEOs. “Do not let U.S. senators bully you into carrying the water” for politicians seeking to discredit their opponents. With their questions, Schatz said, the Republicans “are trying to bully the heads of private companies into making a hit job” on political leadersTrump earlier this year signed an executive order challenging the protections from lawsuits under the 1996 telecommunications law.Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd told congressional leaders in a letter Tuesday that recent events have made the changes more urgent, and said the restrictions by Twitter and Facebook related to the newspaper story was “quite concerning.”Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, an independent agency, recently announced&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-367567A1.pdf" target="_blank">plans to reexamine</a>&nbsp;the legal protections — an about-face from the agency’s previous position.Social media giants are also under heavy scrutiny for their efforts to police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-politics-media-misinformation-7a60e1e6005c8b3b967c9ad337cb1a6a">misinformation about the election</a>. Twitter and Facebook have imposed a misinformation label on content from the president, who has about 80 million followers. Trump has raised&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-fact-check-joe-biden-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-867740a2e552b8b3d9d409c0d0ea5170">the baseless prospect of mass fraud</a>&nbsp;in the vote-by-mail process.Starting Tuesday, Facebook didn’t accept any new political advertising. Previously booked political ads will be able to run until the polls close Nov. 3, when all political advertising will temporarily be banned. Google, which owns YouTube, also is halting political ads after the polls close. Twitter banned all political ads last year.Democrats have focused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-race-and-ethnicity-media-misinformation-social-media-d24e3276008c938fd861696369b0766c">their criticism of social media</a>&nbsp;mainly on hate speech, misinformation and other content that can incite violence or keep people from voting. They have criticized the tech CEOs for failing to police content, homing in on the platforms’ role in hate crimes and the rise of white nationalism in the U.S.Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have scrambled to stem the tide of material that incites violence and spreads lies and baseless conspiracy theories.The companies reject accusations of bias but have wrestled with how strongly they should intervene. They have often gone out of their way not to appear biased against conservative views — a posture that some say effectively tilts them toward those viewpoints. The effort has been especially strained for Facebook, which was caught off guard in 2016, when it was used as a conduit by Russian agents to spread misinformation benefiting Trump’s presidential campaign.___WASHINGTON (AP) — The CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google are facing a grilling by senators making unfounded allegations that the tech giants show anti-conservative bias.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603894628026.png" alt="A very empty conference room at the Russell Senate Office building for Tuesday's virtual hearing -image courtesy Senate Commerce Committee." />
 <figcaption>A very empty conference room at the Russell Senate Office building for Tuesday's virtual hearing -image courtesy Senate Commerce Committee.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Senate Commerce Committee has summoned Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Google’s Sundar Pichai to testify for a hearing Wednesday.&nbsp; U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee is among Senators who will question them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603894904609.png" alt="Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey gives his opening statement to the committee Wednesday" />
 <figcaption>Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey gives his opening statement to the committee Wednesday</figcaption>
 </figure>The executives agreed to appear remotely after being threatened with subpoenas. With the election looming, Republicans led by President Donald Trump have thrown a barrage of grievances at Big Tech’s social media platforms. They accuse the platforms without evidence of deliberately suppressing conservative, religious and anti-abortion views.In March, Sen. Moran&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?id=5C11EECE-DE43-4B2B-AEDE-76504D1D6186#:~:text=The%20Consumer%20Data%20Privacy%20and%20Security%20Act%20would%3A&amp;text=provide%20consumers%20with%20control%20over,and%20responsibly%20process%20that%20data." target="_blank">introduced</a>&nbsp;landmark federal data privacy legislation to strengthen the laws that govern consumers’ personal data and create clear standards and regulations for American businesses that collect, process and use consumers’ personally identifiable data.