HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann was in Hutchinson on Saturday at the Kansas State Fair, and he talked to Hutch Post about the work that still needs to be done before the end of the federal fiscal year on Sept. 30.

"We go back for votes in D.C. this week," Mann said. "The House is in session the next three weeks here in September. It looks like there is momentum to do some kind of an extension. We'll know a lot more once we get to Washington D.C. this week and talk about what the plan is and what we do to fund the government moving forward."

Also up at the end of the fiscal year is the extension to the five-year farm bill that has now gone through a sixth, will it see a seventh? Quite possibly, according to Mann.

"I've been frustrated at how slow this farm bill process has been," Mann said. "I've been to the floor 33 times imploring members of Congress to get serious about getting a five-year farm bill done. It looks like, potentially, there'll be an extension. The House passed a really good version out of the House Ag Committee, that still needs to go to the floor and we need to conference with the Senate. Unfortunately, there's still a long way to go on the farm bill."

The political question is will the House Ag Committee continue under Republican control of the gavel? In other words, will Republicans still be in the House majority come January 2025?

"We're going to find out in November," Mann said. "Elections have consequences. It sure seems like Republicans are going to continue to have the majority in the House. I'm optimistic they will in the Senate as well, and win the White House, but we'll have to see what happens in November."

The most likely scenario at this point for all of this pending work is that it gets extended until at least the next Congress is seated, so that those who have tough elections on both sides of the aisle can come home and campaign.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725719231298.jpeg" alt="The sun rises on the Kansas State Fairgrounds on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Photo by Nick Gosnell." />
 <figcaption>The sun rises on the Kansas State Fairgrounds on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Photo by Nick Gosnell.</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann was in Hutchinson on Saturday at the Kansas State Fair, and he talked to Hutch Post about the work that still needs to be done before the end of the federal fiscal year on Sept. 30."We go back for votes in D.C. this week," Mann said. "The House is in session the next three weeks here in September. It looks like there is momentum to do some kind of an extension. We'll know a lot more once we get to Washington D.C. this week and talk about what the plan is and what we do to fund the government moving forward."Also up at the end of the fiscal year is the extension to the five-year farm bill that has now gone through a sixth, will it see a seventh? Quite possibly, according to Mann."I've been frustrated at how slow this farm bill process has been," Mann said. "I've been to the floor 33 times imploring members of Congress to get serious about getting a five-year farm bill done. It looks like, potentially, there'll be an extension. The House passed a really good version out of the House Ag Committee, that still needs to go to the floor and we need to conference with the Senate. Unfortunately, there's still a long way to go on the farm bill."The political question is will the House Ag Committee continue under Republican control of the gavel? In other words, will Republicans still be in the House majority come January 2025?"We're going to find out in November," Mann said. "Elections have consequences. It sure seems like Republicans are going to continue to have the majority in the House. I'm optimistic they will in the Senate as well, and win the White House, but we'll have to see what happens in November."The most likely scenario at this point for all of this pending work is that it gets extended until at least the next Congress is seated, so that those who have tough elections on both sides of the aisle can come home and campaign.

Rep. Mann discusses farm bill issues at the Kansas State Fair

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a chase and crash.

Just after 1:30a.m. Aug. 31,&nbsp; sheriff's deputies responded to a vehicle chase in progress that initiated in the city of Horton, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

. The suspect vehicle left Horton northbound on U.S. 73 Highway at a high rate of speed.&nbsp; A Brown County deputy made contact with the vehicle near US 73 and 210.&nbsp; The vehicle made it's way into Hiawatha and the driver lost control near Farm and Home where Horton and Hiawatha Police as well as Brown County sheriff's deputies located the suspect later identified as 24-year-old Montez Rodriguez of Independence, Missouri who&nbsp; ran into a tree line.&nbsp; He was ultimately arrested on Horton police department charges and is not longer in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725568535181.png" alt="Rodriguez-photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Rodriguez-photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a chase and crash.Just after 1:30a.m. Aug. 31,&nbsp; sheriff's deputies responded to a vehicle chase in progress that initiated in the city of Horton, according to Sheriff John Merchant.. The suspect vehicle left Horton northbound on U.S. 73 Highway at a high rate of speed.&nbsp; A Brown County deputy made contact with the vehicle near US 73 and 210.&nbsp; The vehicle made it's way into Hiawatha and the driver lost control near Farm and Home where Horton and Hiawatha Police as well as Brown County sheriff's deputies located the suspect later identified as 24-year-old Montez Rodriguez of Independence, Missouri who&nbsp; ran into a tree line.&nbsp; He was ultimately arrested on Horton police department charges and is not longer in custody.

Sheriff: Suspect caught hiding in trees after Kansas chase, crash

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges for a series of crimes on August 21, in the&nbsp; area of the 3300 block of Linwood Boulevard in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2414/LJohnsonRedacted">Click here to read t</a>he charging documents.

Lorenzo Johnson, 31, faces Murder in the 2nd Degree, Robbery in the 1st Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Resisting Arrest and three Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court records, on the evening of Aug. 21, Kansas City Police Department officers were dispatched to a shooting at the BP Gas Station in the 3300 block of Linwood Blvd. Officers found the victim at the gas pumps. He had been wounded by a gunshot and Johnson then backed the victim's car over him.

The Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide. Hours earlier the suspect had committed robberies in the area. Johnson took the victim's vehicle after the shooting. Officers later forced the stolen vehicle off the road while the suspect was driving. He attempted to flee on foot and officers took him into custody. He had the victim's vehicle title in his pocket. Johnson remains in custody and is being held on no bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724866518643.png" alt="Johnson photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges for a series of crimes on August 21, in the&nbsp; area of the 3300 block of Linwood Boulevard in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2414/LJohnsonRedacted">Click here to read t</a>he charging documents.Lorenzo Johnson, 31, faces Murder in the 2nd Degree, Robbery in the 1st Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Resisting Arrest and three Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court records, on the evening of Aug. 21, Kansas City Police Department officers were dispatched to a shooting at the BP Gas Station in the 3300 block of Linwood Blvd. Officers found the victim at the gas pumps. He had been wounded by a gunshot and Johnson then backed the victim's car over him.The Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide. Hours earlier the suspect had committed robberies in the area. Johnson took the victim's vehicle after the shooting. Officers later forced the stolen vehicle off the road while the suspect was driving. He attempted to flee on foot and officers took him into custody. He had the victim's vehicle title in his pocket. Johnson remains in custody and is being held on no bond.

KC robbery suspect shot and then backed car over victim at gas station

EDITOR'S NOTE: On Monday police updated the information.&nbsp; Michael Sanchez is 47-year-old not 35 as they originally reported.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 47-year-old Michael Sanchez, according to Topeka Police Lieutenant Ronnie Connell.

Just before 9a.m. Friday, police responded to the 1300 block of SW Western in Topeka on a report of an individual down, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.

First responders located Sanchez suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene. 

Police have not reported any suspect details or reported an arrest.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725645926163.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation-Photo Courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation-Photo Courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>EDITOR'S NOTE: On Monday police updated the information.&nbsp; Michael Sanchez is 47-year-old not 35 as they originally reported.----------------SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 47-year-old Michael Sanchez, according to Topeka Police Lieutenant Ronnie Connell.Just before 9a.m. Friday, police responded to the 1300 block of SW Western in Topeka on a report of an individual down, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.First responders located Sanchez suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene. Police have not reported any suspect details or reported an arrest.&nbsp;

Police ID man who died in shooting outside Kansas home

KANSAS CITY (AP)—A hospitalized patient in Missouri was infected with bird flu despite having had no known contact with dairy cows or other animals associated with an ongoing outbreak, health officials said Friday.

This is the 14th person in the U.S. sickened with bird flu since March, when the virus was detected in cows, after infecting wild birds and mammals worldwide. One other person was infected in 2022.

The risk to the general public remains low, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said in a statement. No unusual flu activity has been detected in the U.S., including in Missouri, officials said.

The latest case was confirmed after the person, an adult, was hospitalized on Aug. 22 with other medical conditions, officials with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said in a statement.

The person tested positive for influenza A, and CDC officials later confirmed it to be bird flu. The person received antiviral medication and has since recovered and gone home, health officials said. It's not clear whether the hospitalization was caused by the bird flu infection or the person's existing health conditions, said Lisa Cox, a spokesperson for the Missouri health department.

Health officials didn't release the person's name, age or hometown. No close contacts of the person have been infected, CDC officials said.

The case raises questions about how the person was exposed to the virus. All the previous U.S. infections were among people who worked around cows and poultry.

Bird flu has been detected in nearly 200 dairy herds in 14 states, but not in Missouri, according to the Agriculture Department. Bird flu has also been found in commercial and backyard flocks and in wild birds. The person did not report drinking raw milk, which can contain live virus, Cox said.

The investigation is continuing, officials said.

It’s the first case detected through routine influenza surveillance rather than through targeted efforts to identify people infected with bird flu through exposure to infected cows and poultry, officials said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725718440042.png" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP)—A hospitalized patient in Missouri was infected with bird flu despite having had no known contact with dairy cows or other animals associated with an ongoing outbreak, health officials said Friday.This is the 14th person in the U.S. sickened with bird flu since March, when the virus was detected in cows, after infecting wild birds and mammals worldwide. One other person was infected in 2022.The risk to the general public remains low, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said in a statement. No unusual flu activity has been detected in the U.S., including in Missouri, officials said.The latest case was confirmed after the person, an adult, was hospitalized on Aug. 22 with other medical conditions, officials with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said in a statement.The person tested positive for influenza A, and CDC officials later confirmed it to be bird flu. The person received antiviral medication and has since recovered and gone home, health officials said. It's not clear whether the hospitalization was caused by the bird flu infection or the person's existing health conditions, said Lisa Cox, a spokesperson for the Missouri health department.Health officials didn't release the person's name, age or hometown. No close contacts of the person have been infected, CDC officials said.The case raises questions about how the person was exposed to the virus. All the previous U.S. infections were among people who worked around cows and poultry.Bird flu has been detected in nearly 200 dairy herds in 14 states, but not in Missouri, according to the Agriculture Department. Bird flu has also been found in commercial and backyard flocks and in wild birds. The person did not report drinking raw milk, which can contain live virus, Cox said.The investigation is continuing, officials said.It’s the first case detected through routine influenza surveillance rather than through targeted efforts to identify people infected with bird flu through exposure to infected cows and poultry, officials said.___

First case of bird flu without known animal contact detected

HUTCHINSON —Kansas State Highway Patrol troopers are busy at the Kansas State Fair.

On Friday night troopers responded to a subject brandishing a weapon on the fairgrounds, according to a social media report from Trooper Tod Hileman.

The subject was placed under arrest for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possession of a firearm while intoxicated.&nbsp; The KHP released no additional details including the name of the suspect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725735460237.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON —Kansas State Highway Patrol troopers are busy at the Kansas State Fair.On Friday night troopers responded to a subject brandishing a weapon on the fairgrounds, according to a social media report from Trooper Tod Hileman.The subject was placed under arrest for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possession of a firearm while intoxicated.&nbsp; The KHP released no additional details including the name of the suspect.

KHP makes gun arrest at the Kansas State Fair 

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;scored a pair of legal victories Friday in the battleground states of North Carolina and Michigan, and a setback in Wisconsin, in his quest to get his name off of the ballots in some states after he suspended his campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump.

North Carolina’s intermediate-level Court of Appeals issued an order granting Kennedy’s request to halt the mailing of ballots that included his name, upending plans in the state just as officials were about to begin sending out the nation’s first absentee ballots for the Nov. 5 presidential election.

The court — a three-judge panel ruling unanimously — also told a trial judge to order the State Board of Elections to distribute ballots without Kennedy’s name on them. No legal explanation was given.

In Michigan, its intermediate-level Court of Appeals ruled that Kennedy should be removed from the ballot,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-michigan-ballot-daac0d6ab5dd1abd29b6e40cdaa044e6">reversing a decision</a>&nbsp;made earlier this week by a lower court judge.

And in Wisconsin, a Dane County circuit court judge denied Kennedy's request for a temporary restraining order to put on hold the state elections commission's decision to keep him on the ballot.

“A matter of such consequence deserves a full development of the record with appropriate briefing by all sides,” Judge Stephen Ehlke wrote. He set a scheduling conference for Wednesday, a week before the deadline for the printing of ballots.

In separate statements, a Kennedy attorney praised the North Carolina and Michigan rulings, saying they uphold state elections laws and support ballot integrity by ensuring no one must vote for a candidate no longer running in their state.

A favorable outcome for Kennedy could assist Trump’s efforts to win North Carolina, Michigan and Wisconsin.

North Carolina law required the first absentee ballots to be mailed or transmitted to those already asking for them no later than 60 days before the general election, making Friday the deadline. The process of reprinting and assembling ballot packages likely would take more than two weeks, state attorneys have said.

The State Board of Elections formally asked the state Supreme Court late Friday to reverse the Court of Appeals decision. State lawyers asked the justices to act quickly before adjustments to the ballots ordered earlier Friday is complete — likely in a few days. Five of the seven Supreme Court justices are registered Republicans.

Kennedy, the nominee of the We The People party in North Carolina, had sued last week to get off the state's ballots after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-trump-speech-arizona-a2638f89ddcb5de03edbe4574ca17d45">he suspended his campaign</a>&nbsp;and endorsed Trump. But the Democratic majority on the State Board of Elections rejected the request, saying it was too late in the process of printing ballots and coding tabulation machines. Kennedy then sued.

Wake County Superior Court Judge Rebecca Holt on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-ballot-rfk-lawsuit-823b4e93686561e66fd085a540a40665">denied Kennedy's effort</a>&nbsp;to keep his name off ballots, prompting his appeal. In the meantime, Holt had told election officials to hold back sending absentee ballots until noon Friday.

More than 136,300 people — military and overseas workers and in-state civilian residents — have requested North Carolina absentee ballots so far, the State Board of Elections said late Friday.

In an email, state board Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell told election directors in all 100 counties to preserve current ballots and coding in case rulings revert to keeping Kennedy on the ballot. More than 2.9 million absentee and in-person ballots with Kennedy's name on them had been printed. Counties would have to pay for the cost of reprinting ballots.

With Friday's deadline not met, North Carolina election officials still are faced with meeting a federal law requiring absentee ballots go to military and overseas voters by Sept. 21. They may try to seek a waiver if new ballots can't be produced in time.

Friday’s ruling in North Carolina didn’t include the names of Court of Appeals judges who considered Kennedy’s request — the court releases the names after 90 days. The court has 15 judges — 11 registered Republicans and four Democrats. Names usually have been withheld from such orders to discourage “judge shopping,” or purposefully seeking out a judge who’s likely to rule in your favor, the court has said.

Kennedy sued Democratic Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on Aug. 30 to get off the ballot. He filed suit in Wisconsin on Wednesday.

Friday's ruling from Michigan said that while Kennedy’s request was made close to the deadline to give notice to local election officials, it wasn’t so unreasonable as to deny relief to him. Benson's office will appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court, a spokesperson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715712591224.png" alt="File photo Robert F. Kennedy Jr." />
 <figcaption>File photo Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</figcaption>
 </figure>RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;scored a pair of legal victories Friday in the battleground states of North Carolina and Michigan, and a setback in Wisconsin, in his quest to get his name off of the ballots in some states after he suspended his campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump.North Carolina’s intermediate-level Court of Appeals issued an order granting Kennedy’s request to halt the mailing of ballots that included his name, upending plans in the state just as officials were about to begin sending out the nation’s first absentee ballots for the Nov. 5 presidential election.The court — a three-judge panel ruling unanimously — also told a trial judge to order the State Board of Elections to distribute ballots without Kennedy’s name on them. No legal explanation was given.In Michigan, its intermediate-level Court of Appeals ruled that Kennedy should be removed from the ballot,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-michigan-ballot-daac0d6ab5dd1abd29b6e40cdaa044e6">reversing a decision</a>&nbsp;made earlier this week by a lower court judge.And in Wisconsin, a Dane County circuit court judge denied Kennedy's request for a temporary restraining order to put on hold the state elections commission's decision to keep him on the ballot.“A matter of such consequence deserves a full development of the record with appropriate briefing by all sides,” Judge Stephen Ehlke wrote. He set a scheduling conference for Wednesday, a week before the deadline for the printing of ballots.In separate statements, a Kennedy attorney praised the North Carolina and Michigan rulings, saying they uphold state elections laws and support ballot integrity by ensuring no one must vote for a candidate no longer running in their state.A favorable outcome for Kennedy could assist Trump’s efforts to win North Carolina, Michigan and Wisconsin.North Carolina law required the first absentee ballots to be mailed or transmitted to those already asking for them no later than 60 days before the general election, making Friday the deadline. The process of reprinting and assembling ballot packages likely would take more than two weeks, state attorneys have said.The State Board of Elections formally asked the state Supreme Court late Friday to reverse the Court of Appeals decision. State lawyers asked the justices to act quickly before adjustments to the ballots ordered earlier Friday is complete — likely in a few days. Five of the seven Supreme Court justices are registered Republicans.Kennedy, the nominee of the We The People party in North Carolina, had sued last week to get off the state's ballots after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-trump-speech-arizona-a2638f89ddcb5de03edbe4574ca17d45">he suspended his campaign</a>&nbsp;and endorsed Trump. But the Democratic majority on the State Board of Elections rejected the request, saying it was too late in the process of printing ballots and coding tabulation machines. Kennedy then sued.Wake County Superior Court Judge Rebecca Holt on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-ballot-rfk-lawsuit-823b4e93686561e66fd085a540a40665">denied Kennedy's effort</a>&nbsp;to keep his name off ballots, prompting his appeal. In the meantime, Holt had told election officials to hold back sending absentee ballots until noon Friday.More than 136,300 people — military and overseas workers and in-state civilian residents — have requested North Carolina absentee ballots so far, the State Board of Elections said late Friday.In an email, state board Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell told election directors in all 100 counties to preserve current ballots and coding in case rulings revert to keeping Kennedy on the ballot. More than 2.9 million absentee and in-person ballots with Kennedy's name on them had been printed. Counties would have to pay for the cost of reprinting ballots.With Friday's deadline not met, North Carolina election officials still are faced with meeting a federal law requiring absentee ballots go to military and overseas voters by Sept. 21. They may try to seek a waiver if new ballots can't be produced in time.Friday’s ruling in North Carolina didn’t include the names of Court of Appeals judges who considered Kennedy’s request — the court releases the names after 90 days. The court has 15 judges — 11 registered Republicans and four Democrats. Names usually have been withheld from such orders to discourage “judge shopping,” or purposefully seeking out a judge who’s likely to rule in your favor, the court has said.Kennedy sued Democratic Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on Aug. 30 to get off the ballot. He filed suit in Wisconsin on Wednesday.Friday's ruling from Michigan said that while Kennedy’s request was made close to the deadline to give notice to local election officials, it wasn’t so unreasonable as to deny relief to him. Benson's office will appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court, a spokesperson said.___

RFK Jr. notches pair of legal victories in effort to get off ballots

SEDGWICK COUNTY- A Kansas will be sentenced next month for her role in a deadly shooting outside of a Wichita strip club.

Last week, a jury found 33-year-old Autumn Metcalf guilty of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit first-degree murder in the death of 33-year-old Joe Wheeler III, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney' office.

In August of 2020, police responded to a shooting at Baby Dolls in the 4900 Block of North Arkansas in&nbsp; Wichita and found Wheeler dead in his vehicle,&nbsp;according to Wichita Police Captain Jason Stephens.

Investigators learned there was a disturbance in the club that spilled out into the parking lot.  Wheeler was shot while inside his car which was parked in the back business parking area, according to Stephens.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664314804304.png" alt="Metcalf-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Metcalf-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY- A Kansas will be sentenced next month for her role in a deadly shooting outside of a Wichita strip club.Last week, a jury found 33-year-old Autumn Metcalf guilty of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit first-degree murder in the death of 33-year-old Joe Wheeler III, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney' office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725719889284.png" alt="-Police on the scene of the Aug. 2020 shooting investigation outside a Wichita night club-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>-Police on the scene of the Aug. 2020 shooting investigation outside a Wichita night club-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>In August of 2020, police responded to a shooting at Baby Dolls in the 4900 Block of North Arkansas in&nbsp; Wichita and found Wheeler dead in his vehicle,&nbsp;according to Wichita Police Captain Jason Stephens.Investigators learned there was a disturbance in the club that spilled out into the parking lot. Wheeler was shot while inside his car which was parked in the back business parking area, according to Stephens.&nbsp;

Jury: Kansas woman guilty in killing outside gentlemen’s club 

Kansas Chamber hosts candidate forum as general election heats up

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/"></a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Second congressional district candidate Derek Schmidt said this could be a moment in American history when Congress could effectively push back against explosive growth in federal regulation.

Schmidt, a former Kansas attorney general who won the Republican nomination for the open seat, said serious people didn’t argue for elimination of federal agencies or for an end to government regulation. However, he said recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions throttling power of the federal bureaucracy presented an opportunity for Congress to take action to contain power of unelected officials in Washington, D.C.

“Here’s the bottom line: There is a moment to deal with this over-regulation problem that I think is enormous. I hear it everywhere I go in the 2nd District. Took us generations to get it. It’s not going to be headline-grabbing. It’s going to be down in the weeds, roll up your sleeves, do the dirty work of oversight,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt took part in a Kansas Chamber candidate forum Wednesday along with five other major party candidates for Congress. All four GOP nominees and two of four Democratic Party nominees participated in the question-and-answer program. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the 3rd District Democrat, didn’t attend. Nor did the Democrat running against U.S. Rep. Ron Estes of the 4th District in Wichita. Libertarian Party candidates for Congress didn’t take part.

Former U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, who captured the Democratic nomination in the 2nd District of eastern Kansas, spoke before her rival Schmidt closed out the event. But Boyda also argued the nation could no longer let fester a persistent problem — the relentless partisanship and division damaging the nation.

“We have so much broken trust. We are so divided,” said Boyda, who cast herself as a political centrist. “I can get the right and the left to speak to each other. That’s just what I’ve been about for 20 years.”

Boyda told members of the Kansas Chamber in the audience that they wouldn’t be fulfilling their roles if they didn’t put pressure on the Kansas congressional delegation to work in a bipartisan manner on behalf of Kansans. She made her point personal, suggesting U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, a Salina Republican who serves the 1st District, had to find common ground with Democrats in a quest to improve the lives of Kansans.

“Tracey, I expect you to work with me. I expect you to work together, and very visibly. And it will cost you politically and it will cost me,” she said.

Mann, who easily won the 1st District’s GOP nomination, said his attention was focused on underhanded acts by China, the $35 trillion U.S. federal debt and the nation’s drift away from fundamental values of “faith, family and hard work, personal responsibility.” He said the federal government had to create a safe national border and place emphasis on “innovation and not regulation.”

“We have a lot of work to do to get this country back on track,” said Mann, who serves a district ranking No. 3 nationally in terms of agriculture commerce. “I’ve been very frustrated, very vocal with this (Biden) administration’s lack of focus on trade. We’ve got to think about who should our trading partners be in 2040 and 2050, and working to build those relationships today to be less beholden to China and other countries that wish us ill.”

Mann said the Big First included 60 of the state’s 105 counties, and there were more hospitals — 58 — in his U.S. House district than any other district in Congress.

“In the western part of the state,” Mann said, “our hospitals are struggling. This is a problem today. It’s about to become a huge problem.”

He didn’t endorse expansion of eligibility for Medicaid in Kansas, which would add more than 100,000 lower-income people to the joint federal-state health care program and unleash hundreds of millions of dollars annually in federal funding for preventive health care that would have an impact on the bottom line of hospitals. The congressman did argue against the federal government imposing staff mandates on rural hospitals.

First District Democratic nominee Paul Buskirk, who worked for decades in academic counseling of students at University of Kansas, said his conversations with registered Republicans, Democrats and independents revealed deep frustration with the inability of Congress to do its fundamental job.

“They’ve lost sight of that call to service,” Buskirk said. “Politicians tell us what we want to hear. Leaders tell us what we need to know.”

Buskirk said the most important business issue of 2024 was the pledge by GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump to identify, arrest and deport everyone not legally in the United States. He said one estimate put the number of people living without proper documentation in Kansas at 62,000, but he speculated the total could be twice that figure. He said withdrawing thousands of immigrants from the state’s labor force would cause an economic calamity, especially in the southwest Kansas livestock and meatpacking industry.

“The leader of that (GOP) party believes that they can create more unity out of finding an enemy,” he said. “That could not be more ludicrous.”

Physician Prasanth Reddy, the Republican nominee in the 3rd District, said his experience immigrating to the United States from India as a child left him “very much pro-immigration.” He’s running against Davids, the incumbent.

“Immigrants are the driving engine of this country, right? We are a melting pot,” he said. “The question is: What’s the right policy? The folks who are doing it the right way (legally) are being punished, and we’re letting people kind of jump in line. We got to do better right now for the needs of this country. Work programs, right? Amnesty is not a solution. Geographic convenience shouldn’t be a moral argument for amnest either.”

Estes, the 4th District incumbent, said he filed to run for another two-year term because he was frustrated with the surging federal debt and excessive annual overspending. He said Congress had to make difficult decisions about expenditures on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps.

“At the spending level that we’re at right now, one out of every four dollars that the federal government spends is borrowed. That equates to about $80,000 a second that is being borrowed. We’re borrowing more than the median income of a Kansas household,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725648365265.png" alt=" Former Kansas Attorney General and current Republican nominee for the 2nd District seat in Congress Derek Schmidt, right, said during a Kansas Chamber forum on Wednesday there was a window of opportunity for elected officials in Washington to crack down on the growing federal bureaucracy. He faces Democrat Nancy Boyda in the November general election to decide who replaces retiring U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kansas. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Former Kansas Attorney General and current Republican nominee for the 2nd District seat in Congress Derek Schmidt, right, said during a Kansas Chamber forum on Wednesday there was a window of opportunity for elected officials in Washington to crack down on the growing federal bureaucracy. He faces Democrat Nancy Boyda in the November general election to decide who replaces retiring U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kansas. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas Chamber hosts candidate forum as general election heats up</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/"></a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Second congressional district candidate Derek Schmidt said this could be a moment in American history when Congress could effectively push back against explosive growth in federal regulation.Schmidt, a former Kansas attorney general who won the Republican nomination for the open seat, said serious people didn’t argue for elimination of federal agencies or for an end to government regulation. However, he said recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions throttling power of the federal bureaucracy presented an opportunity for Congress to take action to contain power of unelected officials in Washington, D.C.“Here’s the bottom line: There is a moment to deal with this over-regulation problem that I think is enormous. I hear it everywhere I go in the 2nd District. Took us generations to get it. It’s not going to be headline-grabbing. It’s going to be down in the weeds, roll up your sleeves, do the dirty work of oversight,” Schmidt said.Schmidt took part in a Kansas Chamber candidate forum Wednesday along with five other major party candidates for Congress. All four GOP nominees and two of four Democratic Party nominees participated in the question-and-answer program. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the 3rd District Democrat, didn’t attend. Nor did the Democrat running against U.S. Rep. Ron Estes of the 4th District in Wichita. Libertarian Party candidates for Congress didn’t take part.Former U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, who captured the Democratic nomination in the 2nd District of eastern Kansas, spoke before her rival Schmidt closed out the event. But Boyda also argued the nation could no longer let fester a persistent problem — the relentless partisanship and division damaging the nation.“We have so much broken trust. We are so divided,” said Boyda, who cast herself as a political centrist. “I can get the right and the left to speak to each other. That’s just what I’ve been about for 20 years.”Boyda told members of the Kansas Chamber in the audience that they wouldn’t be fulfilling their roles if they didn’t put pressure on the Kansas congressional delegation to work in a bipartisan manner on behalf of Kansans. She made her point personal, suggesting U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, a Salina Republican who serves the 1st District, had to find common ground with Democrats in a quest to improve the lives of Kansans.“Tracey, I expect you to work with me. I expect you to work together, and very visibly. And it will cost you politically and it will cost me,” she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725648323773.png" alt=" Paul Buskirk, a Lawrence Democrat seeking to unseat U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kansas, in the 1st District said during a Kansas Chamber event Wednesday the plan by former President Donald Trump to deport millions of people in the United States illegally was impractical and would significantly harm the Kansas economy. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Paul Buskirk, a Lawrence Democrat seeking to unseat U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kansas, in the 1st District said during a Kansas Chamber event Wednesday the plan by former President Donald Trump to deport millions of people in the United States illegally was impractical and would significantly harm the Kansas economy. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Mann frets about hospitals</h2>Mann, who easily won the 1st District’s GOP nomination, said his attention was focused on underhanded acts by China, the $35 trillion U.S. federal debt and the nation’s drift away from fundamental values of “faith, family and hard work, personal responsibility.” He said the federal government had to create a safe national border and place emphasis on “innovation and not regulation.”“We have a lot of work to do to get this country back on track,” said Mann, who serves a district ranking No. 3 nationally in terms of agriculture commerce. “I’ve been very frustrated, very vocal with this (Biden) administration’s lack of focus on trade. We’ve got to think about who should our trading partners be in 2040 and 2050, and working to build those relationships today to be less beholden to China and other countries that wish us ill.”Mann said the Big First included 60 of the state’s 105 counties, and there were more hospitals — 58 — in his U.S. House district than any other district in Congress.“In the western part of the state,” Mann said, “our hospitals are struggling. This is a problem today. It’s about to become a huge problem.”He didn’t endorse expansion of eligibility for Medicaid in Kansas, which would add more than 100,000 lower-income people to the joint federal-state health care program and unleash hundreds of millions of dollars annually in federal funding for preventive health care that would have an impact on the bottom line of hospitals. The congressman did argue against the federal government imposing staff mandates on rural hospitals.First District Democratic nominee Paul Buskirk, who worked for decades in academic counseling of students at University of Kansas, said his conversations with registered Republicans, Democrats and independents revealed deep frustration with the inability of Congress to do its fundamental job.“They’ve lost sight of that call to service,” Buskirk said. “Politicians tell us what we want to hear. Leaders tell us what we need to know.”Buskirk said the most important business issue of 2024 was the pledge by GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump to identify, arrest and deport everyone not legally in the United States. He said one estimate put the number of people living without proper documentation in Kansas at 62,000, but he speculated the total could be twice that figure. He said withdrawing thousands of immigrants from the state’s labor force would cause an economic calamity, especially in the southwest Kansas livestock and meatpacking industry.“The leader of that (GOP) party believes that they can create more unity out of finding an enemy,” he said. “That could not be more ludicrous.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725648283707.png" alt=" Republican 3rd District nominee Prasanth Reddy, who immigrated to the United States as a child, said during a Kansas Chamber forum Wednesday that Congress had a duty to embrace immigration policy that respected economic potential of people seeking to legally reside in the United States and avoided simplistic solutions that equated to amnesty for people in the country without permission. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Republican 3rd District nominee Prasanth Reddy, who immigrated to the United States as a child, said during a Kansas Chamber forum Wednesday that Congress had a duty to embrace immigration policy that respected economic potential of people seeking to legally reside in the United States and avoided simplistic solutions that equated to amnesty for people in the country without permission. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Amnesty is not a solution’</h2>Physician Prasanth Reddy, the Republican nominee in the 3rd District, said his experience immigrating to the United States from India as a child left him “very much pro-immigration.” He’s running against Davids, the incumbent.“Immigrants are the driving engine of this country, right? We are a melting pot,” he said. “The question is: What’s the right policy? The folks who are doing it the right way (legally) are being punished, and we’re letting people kind of jump in line. We got to do better right now for the needs of this country. Work programs, right? Amnesty is not a solution. Geographic convenience shouldn’t be a moral argument for amnest either.”Estes, the 4th District incumbent, said he filed to run for another two-year term because he was frustrated with the surging federal debt and excessive annual overspending. He said Congress had to make difficult decisions about expenditures on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps.“At the spending level that we’re at right now, one out of every four dollars that the federal government spends is borrowed. That equates to about $80,000 a second that is being borrowed. We’re borrowing more than the median income of a Kansas household,” he said.

Kansas congressional forum: Schmidt vows to tackle bureaucracy, Boyda calls for bipartisanship

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating a fatal house fire in Kansas City.

Just before 11:30p.m. Friday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported house fire in the 5700 block of Bales in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.&nbsp; First responders reported smoke and fire showing from the front of the home.

 The fire was quickly brought under control. During the search of the home, crews discovered the body of a man. Kansas City police homicide detectives were notified and responded to investigate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The investigation will be handled by the Kansas City Police Department with assistance from bomb and arson investigators. Police released no additional details early Saturday.

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating a fatal house fire in Kansas City.Just before 11:30p.m. Friday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported house fire in the 5700 block of Bales in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.&nbsp; First responders reported smoke and fire showing from the front of the home. The fire was quickly brought under control. During the search of the home, crews discovered the body of a man. Kansas City police homicide detectives were notified and responded to investigate.&nbsp;&nbsp;The investigation will be handled by the Kansas City Police Department with assistance from bomb and arson investigators. Police released no additional details early Saturday.

Body of a man found in Kansas City house fire

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri judge on Friday ruled that an abortion-rights campaign did not meet legal requirements to qualify for the November ballot, potentially thwarting a yearslong effort to undo the state's near-total abortion ban.

But Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh stopped short of removing the measure from the ballot. Instead, he gave the abortion-rights campaign a chance to file a last-minute appeal before Tuesday's deadline to make changes to the Missouri ballot.

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom will appeal the decision and hopes for “a swift resolution so that Missourians can vote on November 5 to protect reproductive freedom, including access to abortion, birth control and miscarriage care," campaign manager Rachel Sweet said in a statement.

“The court’s decision to block Amendment 3 from appearing on the ballot is a profound injustice to the initiative petition process and undermines the rights of the 380,000 Missourians who signed our petition demanding a voice on this critical issue,” Sweet said.

In his ruling, Limbaugh said Missourians for Constitutional Freedom did not do enough during the signature-gathering process to inform voters that the measure would undo the state’s near-total abortion ban.

“That said, this court also recognizes the gravity of the unique issues involved in this case, and the lack of direct precedent on point,” Limbaugh wrote. “The court therefore will stay execution of issuing an injunction up until September 10, 2024, the statutory deadline for the case to be heard, so that further guidance or rulings can be provided by a reviewing court.”

At least nine&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/embeds/051pI/33/">other states</a>&nbsp;will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>&nbsp;this fall — Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota. Most would guarantee a right to abortion until fetal viability and allow it later for the health of the pregnant woman, which is what the Missouri proposal would do.

New York also has a ballot measure that proponents say would protect abortion rights, though there’s a dispute about its impact.

Voters in all seven states that have had abortion questions on their ballots since 2022 have sided with abortion-rights supporters.

A group of abortion opponents last month sued to have the Missouri amendment removed from the ballot.

Plaintiff's attorney Mary Catherine Martin during a Friday bench trial said at least some voters would not have signed the petition to put the amendment on the ballot if they had known about all the laws that could be repealed.

“There is no way to know if the proponents of this radical amendment would have gathered enough signatures to place this on the ballot if the truth about the staggering scope of laws Amendment 3 invalidates had been disclosed,” the plaintiffs said in a statement following the judge’s ruling.

Loretta Haggard, a lawyer for the abortion-rights campaign, argued that it will be up to future judges to decide which abortion laws are thrown out if the amendment is adopted.

“Courts should not give ‘advisory opinions’ or speculate whether a particular proposal would, if adopted, violate the law,” lawyers for the campaign wrote in a court brief.

Missouri banned most abortions immediately after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. There is an exception for medical emergencies, but almost no abortions have occurred at Missouri facilities since then.

Missouri’s ACLU branch, local Planned Parenthoods and a group called Abortion Action in Missouri launched a campaign to legalize abortion in response to the ban. Although women who receive abortions are protected from criminal liability in Missouri, anyone who performs an abortion outside the state’s limited exceptions faces felony charges.

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom's proposed amendment would guarantee an individual’s right to get an abortion and make other reproductive health decisions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714753237039.png" alt="Photo Missourians for Constitutional Freedom&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo Missourians for Constitutional Freedom&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri judge on Friday ruled that an abortion-rights campaign did not meet legal requirements to qualify for the November ballot, potentially thwarting a yearslong effort to undo the state's near-total abortion ban.But Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh stopped short of removing the measure from the ballot. Instead, he gave the abortion-rights campaign a chance to file a last-minute appeal before Tuesday's deadline to make changes to the Missouri ballot.Missourians for Constitutional Freedom will appeal the decision and hopes for “a swift resolution so that Missourians can vote on November 5 to protect reproductive freedom, including access to abortion, birth control and miscarriage care," campaign manager Rachel Sweet said in a statement.“The court’s decision to block Amendment 3 from appearing on the ballot is a profound injustice to the initiative petition process and undermines the rights of the 380,000 Missourians who signed our petition demanding a voice on this critical issue,” Sweet said.In his ruling, Limbaugh said Missourians for Constitutional Freedom did not do enough during the signature-gathering process to inform voters that the measure would undo the state’s near-total abortion ban.“That said, this court also recognizes the gravity of the unique issues involved in this case, and the lack of direct precedent on point,” Limbaugh wrote. “The court therefore will stay execution of issuing an injunction up until September 10, 2024, the statutory deadline for the case to be heard, so that further guidance or rulings can be provided by a reviewing court.”At least nine&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/embeds/051pI/33/">other states</a>&nbsp;will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>&nbsp;this fall — Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota. Most would guarantee a right to abortion until fetal viability and allow it later for the health of the pregnant woman, which is what the Missouri proposal would do.New York also has a ballot measure that proponents say would protect abortion rights, though there’s a dispute about its impact.Voters in all seven states that have had abortion questions on their ballots since 2022 have sided with abortion-rights supporters.A group of abortion opponents last month sued to have the Missouri amendment removed from the ballot.Plaintiff's attorney Mary Catherine Martin during a Friday bench trial said at least some voters would not have signed the petition to put the amendment on the ballot if they had known about all the laws that could be repealed.“There is no way to know if the proponents of this radical amendment would have gathered enough signatures to place this on the ballot if the truth about the staggering scope of laws Amendment 3 invalidates had been disclosed,” the plaintiffs said in a statement following the judge’s ruling.Loretta Haggard, a lawyer for the abortion-rights campaign, argued that it will be up to future judges to decide which abortion laws are thrown out if the amendment is adopted.“Courts should not give ‘advisory opinions’ or speculate whether a particular proposal would, if adopted, violate the law,” lawyers for the campaign wrote in a court brief.Missouri banned most abortions immediately after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. There is an exception for medical emergencies, but almost no abortions have occurred at Missouri facilities since then.Missouri’s ACLU branch, local Planned Parenthoods and a group called Abortion Action in Missouri launched a campaign to legalize abortion in response to the ban. Although women who receive abortions are protected from criminal liability in Missouri, anyone who performs an abortion outside the state’s limited exceptions faces felony charges.Missourians for Constitutional Freedom's proposed amendment would guarantee an individual’s right to get an abortion and make other reproductive health decisions.

Missouri abortion-rights amendment could be axed from the ballot after ruling

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP) — Ukraine needs the ability to strike deep within Russia now, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told U.S. and allied military leaders Friday as Kyiv more fervently pressed the West to loosen weapons use restrictions and allow it to target Russian air bases and launch sites far from the border.

Zelenskyy made the case during an in-person meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. He appeared to make inroads with some of the defense leaders from the 50-plus partner nations who regularly gather to coordinate weapons aid for the war.

But he did not appear to sway the ally he needs most. After the talks, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pushed back on the idea that long-range strikes would be a game-changer.

“I don’t believe one capability is going to be decisive and I stand by that comment,” Austin said. The Ukrainians have other means to strike long-range targets, he said.

Zelenskyy's request comes after a series of recent deadly Russian airstrikes, including against a Ukrainian military training center that killed more than 50 and wounded hundreds this week. On Friday, the Kremlin fired five ballistic missiles at the city of Pavlohrad in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, injuring at least 50 people, regional Gov. Serhii Lysak said.

“We need to have this long-range capability, not only on the divided territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace,” Zelenskyy said. “We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need: peace or Putin.”

The question remained whether Zelenskyy could convince President Joe Biden that the U.S. should ease its restrictions as well. While Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire U.S.-provided missiles into Russia in self-defense, the distance has been largely limited to cross-border targets deemed a direct threat, out of concerns about further escalating the conflict.

At the meeting Friday, multiple countries seemed to be persuaded that Ukraine should get the green light, which could add pressure on the Biden administration.

“Many countries (are) in favor,” said Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Lithuania's defense minister. “Many, many. But the question is not the number of countries, but countries who give (those) missiles.”

By announcing Lithuania's support, Kasčiūnas said, “I hope it will help to convince other countries.”

Canada's defense minister, Bill Blair, said he hopes other Western allies also get behind the push. Canada does not have long-range munitions it could provide on its own, Blair said.

“One of the things President Zelenskyy and his ministers have made very clear to us is that they are suffering significant attacks from air bases and military installations located within Russia,” Blair said. “We support their request for permission, but it's still a decision of our allies.”

Ukraine is now in the midst of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-kursk-incursion-ca6d18d06606794580bdc779d2c98134">first offensive operations of the war</a>&nbsp;while facing a significant threat from Russian forces near a key hub in the Donbas, and Kyiv is seeing that its time is running short to shore up ongoing military support before the U.S. presidential election in November.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kursk-incursion-putin-1178b99b32b476816db3a48ffa06b11a">surprise assault inside Russia’s Kursk region</a>&nbsp;has led to the capture of about 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory and killed or injured about 6,000 Russian soldiers. But it has not drawn away President Vladimir Putin’s focus from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/donetsk-ukraine-russia-ukraine-war-c2d3cd6e501341f69e8fd05a37bf79d7">taking the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk</a>, which provides critical rail and supply links for the Ukrainian army. Losing Pokrovsk could put additional Ukrainian cities at risk.

While Kursk has put Russia on the defensive, “we know Putin’s malice runs deep,” and Moscow is pressing on, especially around Pokrovsk, Austin said.

The Pentagon chief said the U.S. will provide $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defense munitions and artillery.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement said that the new package would comprise “urgently needed weapons and equipment” and include "air defense missiles and support, munitions for rocket systems and artillery, anti-tank weapons, and Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and other armored vehicles."

“This assistance will be deployed as quickly as possible to bolster Ukraine’s defense of its territory and its people,” Blinken said.

Zelenskyy, however, said promised weapons systems have been too slow to arrive.

“The number of air defense systems that have not yet been delivered is significant,” he said.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said those systems, particularly Patriot air defense systems, need to be in Ukraine's hands so it can defend its electrical grid and infrastructure during winter fighting.

As well as resources for air defense and artillery, the meeting aimed to focus on shoring up gains in expanding Ukraine’s own defense industrial base so it could be on more solid footing as Biden's term winds down.

Western partner nations are working with Ukraine to source a substitute missile for its Soviet-era S-300 air defense systems, Austin said.

The U.S. is also focused on resourcing a variety of air-to-ground missiles that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/russia-ukraine-war-ukraine-ukraine-government-russia-united-states-government-d526336e60c042bdbcab019382ce5842">newly delivered F-16 fighter jets</a>&nbsp;can carry, including the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, which could give Ukraine a longer-range cruise missile option, said Bill LaPlante, the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer, who spoke to reporters traveling with Austin.

No decisions on the munition have been made, LaPlante said, noting that policymakers would still have to decide whether to give Ukraine the longer-range capability.

“I would just put JASSM in that category, it’s something that is always being looked at,” LaPlante said. “Anything that’s an air-to-ground weapon is always being looked at.”

For the past two years, members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group have met to resource Ukraine’s artillery and air defense needs, ranging from hundreds of millions of rounds of small arms ammunition to some of the West’s most sophisticated air defense systems, and now fighter jets. The request this month was more of the same, but it came in person from Zelenskyy.

Since 2022, the member nations together have provided about $106 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. has provided more than $56 billion of that total.

The German government said Chancellor Olaf Scholz planned to meet Zelenskyy in Frankfurt later Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725656640079.png" alt="Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and&nbsp;President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday in Germany-&nbsp;The Pentagon chief said the U.S. will provide $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defense munitions and artillery. photo Department of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and&nbsp;President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday in Germany-&nbsp;The Pentagon chief said the U.S. will provide $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defense munitions and artillery. photo Department of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP) — Ukraine needs the ability to strike deep within Russia now, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told U.S. and allied military leaders Friday as Kyiv more fervently pressed the West to loosen weapons use restrictions and allow it to target Russian air bases and launch sites far from the border.Zelenskyy made the case during an in-person meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. He appeared to make inroads with some of the defense leaders from the 50-plus partner nations who regularly gather to coordinate weapons aid for the war.But he did not appear to sway the ally he needs most. After the talks, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pushed back on the idea that long-range strikes would be a game-changer.“I don’t believe one capability is going to be decisive and I stand by that comment,” Austin said. The Ukrainians have other means to strike long-range targets, he said.Zelenskyy's request comes after a series of recent deadly Russian airstrikes, including against a Ukrainian military training center that killed more than 50 and wounded hundreds this week. On Friday, the Kremlin fired five ballistic missiles at the city of Pavlohrad in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, injuring at least 50 people, regional Gov. Serhii Lysak said.“We need to have this long-range capability, not only on the divided territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace,” Zelenskyy said. “We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need: peace or Putin.”The question remained whether Zelenskyy could convince President Joe Biden that the U.S. should ease its restrictions as well. While Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire U.S.-provided missiles into Russia in self-defense, the distance has been largely limited to cross-border targets deemed a direct threat, out of concerns about further escalating the conflict.At the meeting Friday, multiple countries seemed to be persuaded that Ukraine should get the green light, which could add pressure on the Biden administration.“Many countries (are) in favor,” said Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Lithuania's defense minister. “Many, many. But the question is not the number of countries, but countries who give (those) missiles.”By announcing Lithuania's support, Kasčiūnas said, “I hope it will help to convince other countries.”Canada's defense minister, Bill Blair, said he hopes other Western allies also get behind the push. Canada does not have long-range munitions it could provide on its own, Blair said.“One of the things President Zelenskyy and his ministers have made very clear to us is that they are suffering significant attacks from air bases and military installations located within Russia,” Blair said. “We support their request for permission, but it's still a decision of our allies.”Ukraine is now in the midst of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-kursk-incursion-ca6d18d06606794580bdc779d2c98134">first offensive operations of the war</a>&nbsp;while facing a significant threat from Russian forces near a key hub in the Donbas, and Kyiv is seeing that its time is running short to shore up ongoing military support before the U.S. presidential election in November.Zelenskyy said Ukraine's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kursk-incursion-putin-1178b99b32b476816db3a48ffa06b11a">surprise assault inside Russia’s Kursk region</a>&nbsp;has led to the capture of about 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory and killed or injured about 6,000 Russian soldiers. But it has not drawn away President Vladimir Putin’s focus from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/donetsk-ukraine-russia-ukraine-war-c2d3cd6e501341f69e8fd05a37bf79d7">taking the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk</a>, which provides critical rail and supply links for the Ukrainian army. Losing Pokrovsk could put additional Ukrainian cities at risk.While Kursk has put Russia on the defensive, “we know Putin’s malice runs deep,” and Moscow is pressing on, especially around Pokrovsk, Austin said.The Pentagon chief said the U.S. will provide $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defense munitions and artillery.Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement said that the new package would comprise “urgently needed weapons and equipment” and include "air defense missiles and support, munitions for rocket systems and artillery, anti-tank weapons, and Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and other armored vehicles."“This assistance will be deployed as quickly as possible to bolster Ukraine’s defense of its territory and its people,” Blinken said.Zelenskyy, however, said promised weapons systems have been too slow to arrive.“The number of air defense systems that have not yet been delivered is significant,” he said.German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said those systems, particularly Patriot air defense systems, need to be in Ukraine's hands so it can defend its electrical grid and infrastructure during winter fighting.As well as resources for air defense and artillery, the meeting aimed to focus on shoring up gains in expanding Ukraine’s own defense industrial base so it could be on more solid footing as Biden's term winds down.Western partner nations are working with Ukraine to source a substitute missile for its Soviet-era S-300 air defense systems, Austin said.The U.S. is also focused on resourcing a variety of air-to-ground missiles that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/russia-ukraine-war-ukraine-ukraine-government-russia-united-states-government-d526336e60c042bdbcab019382ce5842">newly delivered F-16 fighter jets</a>&nbsp;can carry, including the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, which could give Ukraine a longer-range cruise missile option, said Bill LaPlante, the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer, who spoke to reporters traveling with Austin.No decisions on the munition have been made, LaPlante said, noting that policymakers would still have to decide whether to give Ukraine the longer-range capability.“I would just put JASSM in that category, it’s something that is always being looked at,” LaPlante said. “Anything that’s an air-to-ground weapon is always being looked at.”For the past two years, members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group have met to resource Ukraine’s artillery and air defense needs, ranging from hundreds of millions of rounds of small arms ammunition to some of the West’s most sophisticated air defense systems, and now fighter jets. The request this month was more of the same, but it came in person from Zelenskyy.Since 2022, the member nations together have provided about $106 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. has provided more than $56 billion of that total.The German government said Chancellor Olaf Scholz planned to meet Zelenskyy in Frankfurt later Friday.

U.S. spending another $250 million on war in Ukraine

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a 2016 cold case in which a 91 year-old woman was raped in her home have a suspect in custody.

Just before 6a.m. Friday Cold Case Detectives, assisted by US Marshals, attempted to serve the warrant for the arrest of&nbsp;Kyle Blake States, 27, at his residence in the 5300 block of Custer, according to a Kansas City Kansas Police.

However, when law enforcement arrived States barricaded himself in the home. Because it was believed that he was armed, KCKPD Special Operations Unit was deployed to the scene. At approximately 9:15a.m., States exited the home and was taken into custody without further incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyle Blake States is being held on a $200,000 bond on requested charges of rape/sexual intercourse without consent.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725644601913.png" alt="States photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>States photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a 2016 cold case in which a 91 year-old woman was raped in her home have a suspect in custody.Just before 6a.m. Friday Cold Case Detectives, assisted by US Marshals, attempted to serve the warrant for the arrest of&nbsp;Kyle Blake States, 27, at his residence in the 5300 block of Custer, according to a Kansas City Kansas Police.However, when law enforcement arrived States barricaded himself in the home. Because it was believed that he was armed, KCKPD Special Operations Unit was deployed to the scene. At approximately 9:15a.m., States exited the home and was taken into custody without further incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyle Blake States is being held on a $200,000 bond on requested charges of rape/sexual intercourse without consent..

Suspect accused in rape of 91-year-old Kan. woman in her home

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.&nbsp;

On August 31, a sheriff's deputy was on routine patrol in the vicinity of US 75 Highway in rural Brown County stopped a vehicle for speeding, according to Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While making contact with the driver, later identified as 45-year-old Christopher Carr of Elyria, Ohio, it was discovered he had an outstanding&nbsp; Michigan Warrant for Larceny.&nbsp;

 At the conclusion of the traffic stop, the deputies arrested Carr on a requested charge of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp; 

The passenger 29-year-old Laurie Carr of Elyria, Ohio was arrested on requested charges of Possesssion of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725569004004.png" alt="Carr photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Carr photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.&nbsp;On August 31, a sheriff's deputy was on routine patrol in the vicinity of US 75 Highway in rural Brown County stopped a vehicle for speeding, according to Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725568967606.png" alt="Carr photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Carr photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>While making contact with the driver, later identified as 45-year-old Christopher Carr of Elyria, Ohio, it was discovered he had an outstanding&nbsp; Michigan Warrant for Larceny.&nbsp; At the conclusion of the traffic stop, the deputies arrested Carr on a requested charge of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp; The passenger 29-year-old Laurie Carr of Elyria, Ohio was arrested on requested charges of Possesssion of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Michigan couple jailed in Kansas for drugs and a warrant

SUMNER COUNTY— Officials in the city of Wellington on Friday released the name of the apprentice lineman who&nbsp;died in a workplace accident at the city’s power plant.

Just before 9:30a.m. Wednesday, 20-year-old Wilson Price died after coming into contact with an energized piece of equipment, according to a media release.

In January, Price joined the Electric Distribution Department at the City of Wellington as an apprentice.

"Wilson had not been with the city long and was quickly becoming an outstanding lineman. His contributions to the reliability of our community’s electric system were invaluable."&nbsp; The entire city family deeply feels his loss, according to Assistant City Manager Jason Newberry.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-wilson-prices-family-in-their-loss">&nbsp;Click here to view the online fundraiser</a>&nbsp;friends established to assist the Price family.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725654117053.png" alt="Price -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Price -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY— Officials in the city of Wellington on Friday released the name of the apprentice lineman who&nbsp;died in a workplace accident at the city’s power plant.Just before 9:30a.m. Wednesday, 20-year-old Wilson Price died after coming into contact with an energized piece of equipment, according to a media release.In January, Price joined the Electric Distribution Department at the City of Wellington as an apprentice."Wilson had not been with the city long and was quickly becoming an outstanding lineman. His contributions to the reliability of our community’s electric system were invaluable."&nbsp; The entire city family deeply feels his loss, according to Assistant City Manager Jason Newberry.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-wilson-prices-family-in-their-loss">&nbsp;Click here to view the online fundraiser</a>&nbsp;friends established to assist the Price family.

City releases name of Kan. man who died in workplace accident

NEW YORK (AP) — Another rout hit Wall Street Friday, with formerly high-flying technology stocks again taking the brunt, after a highly anticipated update on the U.S. job market&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-federal-reserve-inflation-unemployment-economy-bac1b453d3873d5f23f2061344d28fd9">came in weak enough</a>&nbsp;to add to worries about the economy.

The S&amp;P 500 dropped 1.7% to close out its worst week since March 2023. Broadcom, Nvidia and other tech companies led the market lower as worries continue that their prices soared too high in the boom around artificial intelligence, and they dragged the Nasdaq composite down by a market-leading 2.6%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 410 points, or 1%, after erasing a morning gain of 250 points.

Sharp swings also hit the bond market, where Treasury yields tumbled, recovered and then fell again after the jobs report showed U.S. employers hired fewer workers in August than economists expected. It was billed as the most important jobs report of the year, and it showed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-unemployment-federal-reserve-inflation-22095766804d9c1532b4fcc29565be49">second straight month</a>&nbsp;where hiring came in below forecasts. It also followed recent reports showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-employment-fed-inflation-growth-aa764f4e90e3a90e892ba3fe5f649031">weakness in manufacturing</a>&nbsp;and some other areas in the economy.

Such a softening of the job market is actually just what the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell, have been trying to get in order to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">stifle high inflation</a>, “but only to a certain extent and the data is now testing Chair Powell’s stated limits,” said Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

Friday’s data raised questions about how much the Federal Reserve will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-prices-inflation-federal-reserve-economy-2cd182eb34a7d6772ff573bec0bcf64d">cut its main interest rate by</a>&nbsp;at its meeting later this month. The Fed is about to turn its focus more toward protecting the job market and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-federal-reserve-interest-rates-consumers-4fe068e15d27fad11419e1cc6a8ed943">preventing a recession</a>&nbsp;after keeping the federal funds rate at a two-decade high for more than a year.

Cuts to interest rates can boost investment prices, but the worry on Wall Street is that the Fed may be moving too late. If a recession does hit, it would undercut corporate profits and erase the benefits from lower rates.

“All is not well with the labor market,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. “The Fed wanted the labor market to come into better balance, but any balancing act is unstable.”

Still, the jobs report did include some encouraging data points. For one, the unemployment rate improved to 4.2% from 4.3% a month earlier. That was better than economists expected. And even if August’s hiring was weaker than forecast, it was still better than July’s pace.

Christopher Waller, a member of the Fed’s board of governors,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/waller20240906a.htm">said in a speech</a>&nbsp;after the jobs report’s release that “I believe we should be data dependent, but not overreact to any data point, including the latest data.”

“While the labor market has clearly cooled, based on the evidence I see, I do not believe the economy is in a recession or necessarily headed for one soon,” he said.

While Waller said he thinks a “series of reductions” to rates is appropriate given that a slowing job market now looks like the bigger threat for the economy than high inflation, he said the ultimate pace and depth of those cuts is still to be determined.

All the uncertainty sent Treasury yields on a wild ride in the bond market as traders tried to handicap the Fed’s next moves.

The two-year Treasury yield initially fell as low as 3.64% after the release of the jobs report, before quickly climbing back above 3.76%. It then dropped back to 3.66% following Waller’s comments, down from 3.74% late Thursday.

Wells Fargo Investment Institute’s Wren said he was surprised by the size of markets’ swings. While data has clearly shown a slowdown in the economy, he’s still forecasting growth to continue, “and it’s not the end of the world.” He cautioned investors against panicking and selling their investments in knee-jerk reactions.

Despite its dismal week, the S&amp;P 500 remains just 4.6% below its all-time high set in July. It’s also still up 13.4% for 2024 so far, which counts as a good year.

A big reason for Friday’s sharp drops was weakness for some big tech stocks that had been benefiting from the AI boom.

Broadcom tumbled 10.4% despite reporting profit and revenue for the latest quarter that were above analysts’ forecasts, thanks in part to AI. The chip company said it expects to make $14 billion in revenue this quarter, which was slightly below analysts’ expectations of $14.11 billion, according to FactSet.

Other chip companies also fell, including a 4.1% drop for Nvidia. After soaring earlier this year as its revenue surged on the AI frenzy, Nvidia’s stock has been shaky since mid-July as investors question whether they took it too high. That’s even though Nvidia has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-ai-earnings-stock-464d35670b6e91a698751ec7ee157532">continued to top analysts’ expectations</a>&nbsp;for growth.

“Earnings growth is going to slow from an incredibly high rate to something slower,” Wren said about Big Tech, “but it’s not going to be terrible.”

On the winning side of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which rose 4.3% after the CEO of rival Cleveland Cliffs told MSNBC that his company would still be interested in acquiring U.S. Steel if the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-steel-nippon-harris-trump-election-merger-3e277c0cea73efb80443c38b4ad6fde6">White House were to block its proposed sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel</a>.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 94.99 points to 5,408.42. The Dow dropped 410.34 to 40,345.41, and the Nasdaq composite lost 436.83 to 16,690.83.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584366201093.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Another rout hit Wall Street Friday, with formerly high-flying technology stocks again taking the brunt, after a highly anticipated update on the U.S. job market&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-federal-reserve-inflation-unemployment-economy-bac1b453d3873d5f23f2061344d28fd9">came in weak enough</a>&nbsp;to add to worries about the economy.The S&amp;P 500 dropped 1.7% to close out its worst week since March 2023. Broadcom, Nvidia and other tech companies led the market lower as worries continue that their prices soared too high in the boom around artificial intelligence, and they dragged the Nasdaq composite down by a market-leading 2.6%.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 410 points, or 1%, after erasing a morning gain of 250 points.Sharp swings also hit the bond market, where Treasury yields tumbled, recovered and then fell again after the jobs report showed U.S. employers hired fewer workers in August than economists expected. It was billed as the most important jobs report of the year, and it showed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-unemployment-federal-reserve-inflation-22095766804d9c1532b4fcc29565be49">second straight month</a>&nbsp;where hiring came in below forecasts. It also followed recent reports showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-employment-fed-inflation-growth-aa764f4e90e3a90e892ba3fe5f649031">weakness in manufacturing</a>&nbsp;and some other areas in the economy.Such a softening of the job market is actually just what the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell, have been trying to get in order to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">stifle high inflation</a>, “but only to a certain extent and the data is now testing Chair Powell’s stated limits,” said Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.Friday’s data raised questions about how much the Federal Reserve will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-prices-inflation-federal-reserve-economy-2cd182eb34a7d6772ff573bec0bcf64d">cut its main interest rate by</a>&nbsp;at its meeting later this month. The Fed is about to turn its focus more toward protecting the job market and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-federal-reserve-interest-rates-consumers-4fe068e15d27fad11419e1cc6a8ed943">preventing a recession</a>&nbsp;after keeping the federal funds rate at a two-decade high for more than a year.Cuts to interest rates can boost investment prices, but the worry on Wall Street is that the Fed may be moving too late. If a recession does hit, it would undercut corporate profits and erase the benefits from lower rates.“All is not well with the labor market,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. “The Fed wanted the labor market to come into better balance, but any balancing act is unstable.”Still, the jobs report did include some encouraging data points. For one, the unemployment rate improved to 4.2% from 4.3% a month earlier. That was better than economists expected. And even if August’s hiring was weaker than forecast, it was still better than July’s pace.Christopher Waller, a member of the Fed’s board of governors,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/waller20240906a.htm">said in a speech</a>&nbsp;after the jobs report’s release that “I believe we should be data dependent, but not overreact to any data point, including the latest data.”“While the labor market has clearly cooled, based on the evidence I see, I do not believe the economy is in a recession or necessarily headed for one soon,” he said.While Waller said he thinks a “series of reductions” to rates is appropriate given that a slowing job market now looks like the bigger threat for the economy than high inflation, he said the ultimate pace and depth of those cuts is still to be determined.All the uncertainty sent Treasury yields on a wild ride in the bond market as traders tried to handicap the Fed’s next moves.The two-year Treasury yield initially fell as low as 3.64% after the release of the jobs report, before quickly climbing back above 3.76%. It then dropped back to 3.66% following Waller’s comments, down from 3.74% late Thursday.Wells Fargo Investment Institute’s Wren said he was surprised by the size of markets’ swings. While data has clearly shown a slowdown in the economy, he’s still forecasting growth to continue, “and it’s not the end of the world.” He cautioned investors against panicking and selling their investments in knee-jerk reactions.Despite its dismal week, the S&amp;P 500 remains just 4.6% below its all-time high set in July. It’s also still up 13.4% for 2024 so far, which counts as a good year.A big reason for Friday’s sharp drops was weakness for some big tech stocks that had been benefiting from the AI boom.Broadcom tumbled 10.4% despite reporting profit and revenue for the latest quarter that were above analysts’ forecasts, thanks in part to AI. The chip company said it expects to make $14 billion in revenue this quarter, which was slightly below analysts’ expectations of $14.11 billion, according to FactSet.Other chip companies also fell, including a 4.1% drop for Nvidia. After soaring earlier this year as its revenue surged on the AI frenzy, Nvidia’s stock has been shaky since mid-July as investors question whether they took it too high. That’s even though Nvidia has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-ai-earnings-stock-464d35670b6e91a698751ec7ee157532">continued to top analysts’ expectations</a>&nbsp;for growth.“Earnings growth is going to slow from an incredibly high rate to something slower,” Wren said about Big Tech, “but it’s not going to be terrible.”On the winning side of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which rose 4.3% after the CEO of rival Cleveland Cliffs told MSNBC that his company would still be interested in acquiring U.S. Steel if the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-steel-nippon-harris-trump-election-merger-3e277c0cea73efb80443c38b4ad6fde6">White House were to block its proposed sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel</a>.All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 94.99 points to 5,408.42. The Dow dropped 410.34 to 40,345.41, and the Nasdaq composite lost 436.83 to 16,690.83.

Wall Street falls sharply to close worst week in nearly 18 months

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph Post

St. Joseph, Missouri Police Chief Paul Luster has requested the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigate an incident in which a young man shot himself while riding with a St. Joseph police officer.

The St. Joseph Police Department reports that the officer provided transportation for a 24-year-old man in a non-criminal matter shortly before 10:30 Thursday night. Shortly after the ride began the man “severely injured himself,” according to the department. The department says the officer rushed the man to the Mosaic Life Care emergency room where he was treated for a life-threatening injury.

The department reports the man is in critical condition.

Police Chief Luster asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control to investigate the matter. The St. Joseph Police Department will also conduct an internal investigation into the matter.

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph PostSt. Joseph, Missouri Police Chief Paul Luster has requested the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigate an incident in which a young man shot himself while riding with a St. Joseph police officer.The St. Joseph Police Department reports that the officer provided transportation for a 24-year-old man in a non-criminal matter shortly before 10:30 Thursday night. Shortly after the ride began the man “severely injured himself,” according to the department. The department says the officer rushed the man to the Mosaic Life Care emergency room where he was treated for a life-threatening injury.The department reports the man is in critical condition.Police Chief Luster asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control to investigate the matter. The St. Joseph Police Department will also conduct an internal investigation into the matter.