Gen Z voters can make a difference in a tight presidential election.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/mvasilogambros/">MATT VASILOGAMBROS</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

In the final weeks of the presidential campaign, each side is scouring swing states to get as many voters as possible, including on college campuses. But in some of those crucial states, students face new barriers to casting their ballots.

North Carolina election officials are for the first time enforcing a 2018 voter ID law in a general election this November, following court entanglements that had put the law on hold. Universities throughout the state have already been working to ensure students who want to vote have identification, but students in recent weeks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-university-digital-id-voting-39648168278fe7d5f3439b56c9abfc9b" target="_blank">found out</a>&nbsp;they can’t use the ubiquitous digital college IDs stored on their cellphones.

In states such as&nbsp;<a href="https://tucson.com/news/local/education/college/university-arizona-voting-polling-places-student-associations/article_c3a4947e-7f4b-11ef-8184-fbdb2a449781.html" target="_blank">Arizona</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/politics-elections/2024/10/03/purdue-loses-long-standing-campus-polling-place" target="_blank">Indiana</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.keranews.org/government/2024-09-09/tarrant-county-early-voting-at-colleges" target="_blank">Texas</a>, students have expressed concern over a lack of polling places on college campuses.

And in Georgia, officials at Emory University in Atlanta mistakenly gave students&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/10/03/told-its-voter-initiatives-georgia-registration-info-was-wrong-emory-to-alert-students-via-email/" target="_blank">incorrect guidance</a>&nbsp;on which campus address to provide on voter registration forms, opening the students up to having their registrations challenged when voting.

Nearly 41 million Generation Z Americans are eligible to vote in November’s election,&nbsp;<a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/index.php/latest-research/41-million-members-gen-z-will-be-eligible-vote-2024" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;the Center for Information &amp; Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, a research organization known as CIRCLE that focuses on young people. That large voting bloc could make the difference in an election that will likely be determined by small margins.

But voting laws differ by state, and access varies from campus to campus for the&nbsp;<a href="https://educationdata.org/college-enrollment-statistics" target="_blank">roughly 18 million students</a>&nbsp;in undergraduate and graduate programs. Add the complexity of last-minute changes to election laws, including an increasing number of states implementing voter ID, and that confusion can hurt participation, said Alberto Medina, a spokesperson for CIRCLE, which is housed at Tufts University.

“It’s not a matter of apathy when youth turnout is low,” he said. “There’s this perception that voting is easy and it’s straightforward and everyone should be able to figure out how to do it. And that’s not the case.”

Participation skyrocketed to 50% in the 2020 presidential election among voters who are between 18 and 29, up 11 percentage points from the 2016 presidential election, according to a CIRCLE&nbsp;<a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/2020-election-center" target="_blank">analysis</a>.

But the center’s polling&nbsp;<a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/understanding-youth-civic-engagement/dispelling-myths-about-youth-voting#myth:-young-people-just-choose-not-to-vote" target="_blank">shows</a>&nbsp;that young people still face “formidable structural barriers” to participating in the democratic process, including a lack of civic education, neglect by political parties and candidates, and complicated logistics such as not knowing how to register, missing deadlines or even finding transportation to a polling place.

Complications over voter ID in North Carolina showcases some of these barriers, Medina said.

Last month, the North Carolina Court of Appeals&nbsp;<a href="https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-09-27-Order.pdf" target="_blank">ruled</a>&nbsp;that the digital photo ID produced by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “or any other ‘image of a photo ID, either as a photocopy or a photo on a mobile device,’” was not an acceptable form of ID&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-university-digital-id-voting-39648168278fe7d5f3439b56c9abfc9b" target="_blank">to vote</a>.

A ruling so late in the election season sent a wave of confusion throughout the state, as colleges that only use digital IDs had to quickly notify students of the rules change and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2024/09/duke-university-dukecard-dukevotes-2027-voter-registration-requirement-north-carolina-state-board-of-elections-reject-mobile-id-bryan-center-plaza" target="_blank">offer</a>&nbsp;physical ID cards.

To comply with the 2018 voter ID law, which went into effect in the past year after a prolonged legal battle, campuses already were trying to spread the word and offering free physical IDs. The court ruling increased the urgency.

At Elon University, a private college 30 minutes east of Greensboro, student leaders have put up yard signs and posters, and talked to classes, sororities and fraternities about how to secure a free physical student ID that complies with the state’s election law.

Bo Dalrymple, a student coordinator for the nonpartisan civic engagement campus group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.elon.edu/u/elon-votes/" target="_blank">Elon Votes!</a>, said the messaging campaign was needed since many students are from out of state and don’t have North Carolina driver’s licenses. In most states, students&nbsp;<a href="https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting/college-student" target="_blank">can usually</a>&nbsp;choose whether to vote in their hometown or at their universities, depending on residency requirements.

“There’s a lot of confusion, there’s a lot of speculation or things that you hear,” said Dalrymple, a senior political science and international and global studies double major, who is from North Carolina. “One of our biggest jobs is just cutting through the noise and make sure that these students are informed with the correct policies and the correct rules.”

Enthusiasm is palpable at Arizona State University, said Katie Ritchie, a sophomore public policy and economics double major.

“Presidential campaign messaging toward young people on college campuses like ASU that are so large has been pretty strong,” she said, adding that down-ballot initiatives and races, such as an Arizona ballot question that would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, have also added to enthusiasm.

Ritchie and Dalrymple, at Elon University, are student ambassadors for the Andrew Goodman Foundation, a nonpartisan group that promotes civic engagement efforts on their college campuses. The foundation has ambassadors on 66 campuses across 20 states and the District of Columbia.

Arizona State University is one of 150 universities in battleground states that the Harris campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://azmirror.com/2024/08/28/harris-campaign-focuses-on-arizona-in-its-push-to-drive-gen-z-voters-to-the-polls/" target="_blank">has targeted</a>&nbsp;to mobilize Gen Z voters. Recently, cast members from “Grey’s Anatomy” spoke on the Harris campaign’s behalf on campus. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake and conservative media personality Charlie Kirk also have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statepress.com/article/2024/09/kirk-lake-greeks-for-trump" target="_blank">held events</a>&nbsp;for Trump at fraternities.

At the University of Arizona in Tucson, students&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kvoa.com/news/ua-will-not-have-vote-center-on-campus-on-election-day/article_7927a3b0-77e8-11ef-893e-d74a45d039d2.html" target="_blank">have complained</a>&nbsp;there won’t be a vote center on campus on Election Day. Though the nearest vote center will be just off campus — only 800 feet from the campus’s Old Main building — some students worried it could dampen turnout.

While the University of Arizona won’t have a vote center on campus for Election Day, Arizona State University will have one at the fitness center on the Tempe campus,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.asu.edu/20241009-sun-devil-community-voting-made-easy-campus-polling-locations-asu-students" target="_blank">along with ones on the school’s</a>&nbsp;three other campuses. Big signs are already posted outside the fitness center, encouraging students to vote early.

There also have been disputes over putting polling places on college campuses in other states, including Texas, which has a tight U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred.

Last month, the Tarrant County Commissioners Court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/12/tarrant-county-college-voting-location/" target="_blank">rejected</a>&nbsp;a GOP proposal to eliminate college early voting sites, including one at the University of Texas at Arlington.

“They are trying to silence the voice of those most marginalized communities, like young people,” said Claudia Yoli Ferla, executive director of MOVE Texas, a San Antonio-based advocacy group that fought to keep the polling place open on the campus of more than 27,000 undergraduates.

Barriers for college students are not new, said Rashawn Davis, executive director of the Andrew Goodman Foundation. Every state has work to do to make voting more inclusive for young people, he added. But he’s optimistic.

“Right now, we’re at a pivotal point where we see the voices of young people really taking root,” he said, “and some of these issues start to turn the corner.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660170013868.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Gen Z voters can make a difference in a tight presidential election.</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/mvasilogambros/">MATT VASILOGAMBROS</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>In the final weeks of the presidential campaign, each side is scouring swing states to get as many voters as possible, including on college campuses. But in some of those crucial states, students face new barriers to casting their ballots.North Carolina election officials are for the first time enforcing a 2018 voter ID law in a general election this November, following court entanglements that had put the law on hold. Universities throughout the state have already been working to ensure students who want to vote have identification, but students in recent weeks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-university-digital-id-voting-39648168278fe7d5f3439b56c9abfc9b" target="_blank">found out</a>&nbsp;they can’t use the ubiquitous digital college IDs stored on their cellphones.In states such as&nbsp;<a href="https://tucson.com/news/local/education/college/university-arizona-voting-polling-places-student-associations/article_c3a4947e-7f4b-11ef-8184-fbdb2a449781.html" target="_blank">Arizona</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/politics-elections/2024/10/03/purdue-loses-long-standing-campus-polling-place" target="_blank">Indiana</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.keranews.org/government/2024-09-09/tarrant-county-early-voting-at-colleges" target="_blank">Texas</a>, students have expressed concern over a lack of polling places on college campuses.And in Georgia, officials at Emory University in Atlanta mistakenly gave students&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/10/03/told-its-voter-initiatives-georgia-registration-info-was-wrong-emory-to-alert-students-via-email/" target="_blank">incorrect guidance</a>&nbsp;on which campus address to provide on voter registration forms, opening the students up to having their registrations challenged when voting.Nearly 41 million Generation Z Americans are eligible to vote in November’s election,&nbsp;<a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/index.php/latest-research/41-million-members-gen-z-will-be-eligible-vote-2024" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;the Center for Information &amp; Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, a research organization known as CIRCLE that focuses on young people. That large voting bloc could make the difference in an election that will likely be determined by small margins.But voting laws differ by state, and access varies from campus to campus for the&nbsp;<a href="https://educationdata.org/college-enrollment-statistics" target="_blank">roughly 18 million students</a>&nbsp;in undergraduate and graduate programs. Add the complexity of last-minute changes to election laws, including an increasing number of states implementing voter ID, and that confusion can hurt participation, said Alberto Medina, a spokesperson for CIRCLE, which is housed at Tufts University.“It’s not a matter of apathy when youth turnout is low,” he said. “There’s this perception that voting is easy and it’s straightforward and everyone should be able to figure out how to do it. And that’s not the case.”Participation skyrocketed to 50% in the 2020 presidential election among voters who are between 18 and 29, up 11 percentage points from the 2016 presidential election, according to a CIRCLE&nbsp;<a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/2020-election-center" target="_blank">analysis</a>.But the center’s polling&nbsp;<a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/understanding-youth-civic-engagement/dispelling-myths-about-youth-voting#myth:-young-people-just-choose-not-to-vote" target="_blank">shows</a>&nbsp;that young people still face “formidable structural barriers” to participating in the democratic process, including a lack of civic education, neglect by political parties and candidates, and complicated logistics such as not knowing how to register, missing deadlines or even finding transportation to a polling place.Complications over voter ID in North Carolina showcases some of these barriers, Medina said.<h2>North Carolina confusion</h2>Last month, the North Carolina Court of Appeals&nbsp;<a href="https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-09-27-Order.pdf" target="_blank">ruled</a>&nbsp;that the digital photo ID produced by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “or any other ‘image of a photo ID, either as a photocopy or a photo on a mobile device,’” was not an acceptable form of ID&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-university-digital-id-voting-39648168278fe7d5f3439b56c9abfc9b" target="_blank">to vote</a>.A ruling so late in the election season sent a wave of confusion throughout the state, as colleges that only use digital IDs had to quickly notify students of the rules change and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2024/09/duke-university-dukecard-dukevotes-2027-voter-registration-requirement-north-carolina-state-board-of-elections-reject-mobile-id-bryan-center-plaza" target="_blank">offer</a>&nbsp;physical ID cards.To comply with the 2018 voter ID law, which went into effect in the past year after a prolonged legal battle, campuses already were trying to spread the word and offering free physical IDs. The court ruling increased the urgency.At Elon University, a private college 30 minutes east of Greensboro, student leaders have put up yard signs and posters, and talked to classes, sororities and fraternities about how to secure a free physical student ID that complies with the state’s election law.Bo Dalrymple, a student coordinator for the nonpartisan civic engagement campus group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.elon.edu/u/elon-votes/" target="_blank">Elon Votes!</a>, said the messaging campaign was needed since many students are from out of state and don’t have North Carolina driver’s licenses. In most states, students&nbsp;<a href="https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting/college-student" target="_blank">can usually</a>&nbsp;choose whether to vote in their hometown or at their universities, depending on residency requirements.“There’s a lot of confusion, there’s a lot of speculation or things that you hear,” said Dalrymple, a senior political science and international and global studies double major, who is from North Carolina. “One of our biggest jobs is just cutting through the noise and make sure that these students are informed with the correct policies and the correct rules.”A ruling so late in the election season sent a wave of confusion throughout the state, as colleges that only use digital IDs had to quickly notify students of the rules change and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2024/09/duke-university-dukecard-dukevotes-2027-voter-registration-requirement-north-carolina-state-board-of-elections-reject-mobile-id-bryan-center-plaza" target="_blank">offer</a>&nbsp;physical ID cards.To comply with the 2018 voter ID law, which went into effect in the past year after a prolonged legal battle, campuses already were trying to spread the word and offering free physical IDs. The court ruling increased the urgency.At Elon University, a private college 30 minutes east of Greensboro, student leaders have put up yard signs and posters, and talked to classes, sororities and fraternities about how to secure a free physical student ID that complies with the state’s election law.Bo Dalrymple, a student coordinator for the nonpartisan civic engagement campus group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.elon.edu/u/elon-votes/" target="_blank">Elon Votes!</a>, said the messaging campaign was needed since many students are from out of state and don’t have North Carolina driver’s licenses. In most states, students&nbsp;<a href="https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting/college-student" target="_blank">can usually</a>&nbsp;choose whether to vote in their hometown or at their universities, depending on residency requirements.“There’s a lot of confusion, there’s a lot of speculation or things that you hear,” said Dalrymple, a senior political science and international and global studies double major, who is from North Carolina. “One of our biggest jobs is just cutting through the noise and make sure that these students are informed with the correct policies and the correct rules.”Enthusiasm is palpable at Arizona State University, said Katie Ritchie, a sophomore public policy and economics double major.“Presidential campaign messaging toward young people on college campuses like ASU that are so large has been pretty strong,” she said, adding that down-ballot initiatives and races, such as an Arizona ballot question that would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, have also added to enthusiasm.Ritchie and Dalrymple, at Elon University, are student ambassadors for the Andrew Goodman Foundation, a nonpartisan group that promotes civic engagement efforts on their college campuses. The foundation has ambassadors on 66 campuses across 20 states and the District of Columbia.Arizona State University is one of 150 universities in battleground states that the Harris campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://azmirror.com/2024/08/28/harris-campaign-focuses-on-arizona-in-its-push-to-drive-gen-z-voters-to-the-polls/" target="_blank">has targeted</a>&nbsp;to mobilize Gen Z voters. Recently, cast members from “Grey’s Anatomy” spoke on the Harris campaign’s behalf on campus. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake and conservative media personality Charlie Kirk also have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statepress.com/article/2024/09/kirk-lake-greeks-for-trump" target="_blank">held events</a>&nbsp;for Trump at fraternities.At the University of Arizona in Tucson, students&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kvoa.com/news/ua-will-not-have-vote-center-on-campus-on-election-day/article_7927a3b0-77e8-11ef-893e-d74a45d039d2.html" target="_blank">have complained</a>&nbsp;there won’t be a vote center on campus on Election Day. Though the nearest vote center will be just off campus — only 800 feet from the campus’s Old Main building — some students worried it could dampen turnout.While the University of Arizona won’t have a vote center on campus for Election Day, Arizona State University will have one at the fitness center on the Tempe campus,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.asu.edu/20241009-sun-devil-community-voting-made-easy-campus-polling-locations-asu-students" target="_blank">along with ones on the school’s</a>&nbsp;three other campuses. Big signs are already posted outside the fitness center, encouraging students to vote early.There also have been disputes over putting polling places on college campuses in other states, including Texas, which has a tight U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred.Last month, the Tarrant County Commissioners Court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/12/tarrant-county-college-voting-location/" target="_blank">rejected</a>&nbsp;a GOP proposal to eliminate college early voting sites, including one at the University of Texas at Arlington.“They are trying to silence the voice of those most marginalized communities, like young people,” said Claudia Yoli Ferla, executive director of MOVE Texas, a San Antonio-based advocacy group that fought to keep the polling place open on the campus of more than 27,000 undergraduates.Barriers for college students are not new, said Rashawn Davis, executive director of the Andrew Goodman Foundation. Every state has work to do to make voting more inclusive for young people, he added. But he’s optimistic.“Right now, we’re at a pivotal point where we see the voices of young people really taking root,” he said, “and some of these issues start to turn the corner.”

College students fight barriers to casting ballots as early voting begins

CHEROKEE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 4p.m. Saturday in Cherokee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Ford Explorer driven by&nbsp; Maryann E.&nbsp;Atkinson, 35, Columbus, Kansas, was westbound on Southeast Greenlawn Road at Southeast 20th Street one mile north of U.S. 166.

The driver failed to stop for the stop sign.&nbsp; A northbound 1996 Ford van driven by Charla B. King, 37, Columbus, struck the Explorer.

A passenger in the Explorer identified as Matthew C. Atkinson, 36, Columbus, Kansas, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Derfelt Funeral Home.&nbsp; &nbsp;EMS transported Atkinson to Freeman West Hospital.&nbsp; King and four juveniles in the van had minor injuries. The patrol did not report where they were treated. Atkinson was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

CHEROKEE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 4p.m. Saturday in Cherokee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Ford Explorer driven by&nbsp; Maryann E.&nbsp;Atkinson, 35, Columbus, Kansas, was westbound on Southeast Greenlawn Road at Southeast 20th Street one mile north of U.S. 166.The driver failed to stop for the stop sign.&nbsp; A northbound 1996 Ford van driven by Charla B. King, 37, Columbus, struck the Explorer.A passenger in the Explorer identified as Matthew C. Atkinson, 36, Columbus, Kansas, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Derfelt Funeral Home.&nbsp; &nbsp;EMS transported Atkinson to Freeman West Hospital.&nbsp; King and four juveniles in the van had minor injuries. The patrol did not report where they were treated. Atkinson was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kan. man dead, 2 adults and 4 children injured after van, SUV crash

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in an altercation that left&nbsp;30-year-old Marco Gonzales-Arias dead made his first court appearance on Thursday.

Armando Martinez, 22,&nbsp; is charged with second-degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just after midnight October 12, police responded to the Emery Gardens apartment complex in the the 4200 block of S. Hydraulic in Wichita.

First responders found&nbsp; Gonzales-Arias suffering from a gunshot wound. EMS transported him to a local hospital and he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

Martinez suffered stab wound and fled the scene. Police located him, took him to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Just after 7p.m. October 12, he was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. He is being held on a $500,000 bond, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729268421103.png" alt="Martinez photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Martinez photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in an altercation that left&nbsp;30-year-old Marco Gonzales-Arias dead made his first court appearance on Thursday.Armando Martinez, 22,&nbsp; is charged with second-degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just after midnight October 12, police responded to the Emery Gardens apartment complex in the the 4200 block of S. Hydraulic in Wichita.First responders found&nbsp; Gonzales-Arias suffering from a gunshot wound. EMS transported him to a local hospital and he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;Martinez suffered stab wound and fled the scene. Police located him, took him to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Just after 7p.m. October 12, he was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. He is being held on a $500,000 bond, according to the district attorney's office.

Kan. man stabbed in deadly altercation charged with murder

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a hit-and-run incident involving a bus that sent a pedestrian to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The pedestrian was inside a marked crosswalk, crossing 6th Street at Wyandotte from south to north, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

A white unknown type of passenger bus was making a left turn from southbound Wyandotte to eastbound 6th Street. The bus struck and ran over the pedestrian and then left the scene without stopping. 

EMS transported the pedestrian was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.&nbsp; Just after 6p.m. police reported the bus had been located and the driver was cooperating.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a hit-and-run incident involving a bus that sent a pedestrian to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.The pedestrian was inside a marked crosswalk, crossing 6th Street at Wyandotte from south to north, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.A white unknown type of passenger bus was making a left turn from southbound Wyandotte to eastbound 6th Street. The bus struck and ran over the pedestrian and then left the scene without stopping. EMS transported the pedestrian was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.&nbsp; Just after 6p.m. police reported the bus had been located and the driver was cooperating.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

KCPD: Bus ran over pedestrian in marked crosswalk

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Missouri woman pleaded guilty to charges related to criminal conduct connected to a federal government program intended to help small business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to court documents, Venester Fayne, 57, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.

In May 2020, Fayne applied to the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) on behalf of a company she controlled. She admitted that to receive the PPP loans, she submitted fraudulent federal income tax documents with false information about the amount of the company’s gross sales. The documents had never been filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Federal law requires borrowers to use PPP funds only for certain qualified expenses. Fayne spent most of the money she received on personal expenses like jewelry and other luxury items.

In addition to the PPP loans, Fayne fraudulently obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EDIL) loan through the U.S. Small Business Administration for a total of $600,284 in fraudulent PPP and EIDL loans.

Fayne is scheduled to be sentenced on February 18, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years n prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Missouri woman pleaded guilty to charges related to criminal conduct connected to a federal government program intended to help small business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic.According to court documents, Venester Fayne, 57, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.In May 2020, Fayne applied to the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) on behalf of a company she controlled. She admitted that to receive the PPP loans, she submitted fraudulent federal income tax documents with false information about the amount of the company’s gross sales. The documents had never been filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).Federal law requires borrowers to use PPP funds only for certain qualified expenses. Fayne spent most of the money she received on personal expenses like jewelry and other luxury items.In addition to the PPP loans, Fayne fraudulently obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EDIL) loan through the U.S. Small Business Administration for a total of $600,284 in fraudulent PPP and EIDL loans.Fayne is scheduled to be sentenced on February 18, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years n prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case.

KC woman admits using Paycheck Protection funds on jewelry, luxury items

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20SHARP%20and%20NICK%20PERRY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID SHARP and NICK PERRY &nbsp;Associated Press</a>

Some 200,000 mail carriers have reached a tentative contract deal with the U.S. Postal Service that includes backdated pay raises and a promise to provide workers with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/postal-service-next-generation-delivery-vehicle-a2ebbfc7afec0eea2e036eef93bee4d9">air-conditioned trucks</a>.

The new agreement, which still needs to be ratified by union members, runs through Nov. 2026. Letter deliverers have been working without a contract since May 2023.

Both the union and the Postal Service welcomed the agreement, which was announced Friday.

“Both sides didn’t get everything they wanted. But by bargaining in good faith, we ended with an agreement that meets our goals and rewards our members," Brian Renfroe, the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, told The Associated Press. “To make that happen, the Postal Service had to recognize the contributions of members to the Postal Service and the American people.”

Among other improvements, the deal increases the top pay and reduces the amount of time it takes new workers to reach that level, Renfroe said. He credited Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and his deputy for bargaining in good faith throughout the arduous process.

The Postal Service said the agreement supported its 10-year ‘Delivering for America’ mission to modernize operations and adapt to changing customer needs.

“This is a fair and responsible agreement that serves the best interest of our employees, our customers and the future of the Postal Service,” said Doug Tulino, the deputy postmaster general and chief human resources officer.

As part of the agreement, all city carriers will get three annual pay increases of 1.3% each by 2025, some of which will be paid retroactively from Nov. 2023. Workers will also receive retroactive and future cost-of-living adjustments.

There is also a commitment from the Postal Service to “make every effort” to provide mail trucks with air-conditioning.

The Postal Service in summer began rolling out its new electric delivery vehicles, which come equipped with air-conditioning. While the trucks won't win any beauty contests, they did get rave reviews from letter carriers accustomed to older vehicles that lack modern safety features and are prone to breaking down — and even catching fire.

Within a few years, the new delivery fleet will have expanded to 60,000, most of them electric models, serving as the Postal Service’s primary delivery truck from Maine to Hawaii.

Under the tentative contract agreement, the Postal Service must discuss with the union any plans to buy new mail trucks that don’t have air-conditioning.

This is the second contract negotiated since DeJoy was appointed postmaster general in 2020. It is expected to take several weeks for union members to ratify the contract. Rural mail deliverers aren't covered by the contract because they are represented by a different union.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20SHARP%20and%20NICK%20PERRY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID SHARP and NICK PERRY &nbsp;Associated Press</a>Some 200,000 mail carriers have reached a tentative contract deal with the U.S. Postal Service that includes backdated pay raises and a promise to provide workers with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/postal-service-next-generation-delivery-vehicle-a2ebbfc7afec0eea2e036eef93bee4d9">air-conditioned trucks</a>.The new agreement, which still needs to be ratified by union members, runs through Nov. 2026. Letter deliverers have been working without a contract since May 2023.Both the union and the Postal Service welcomed the agreement, which was announced Friday.“Both sides didn’t get everything they wanted. But by bargaining in good faith, we ended with an agreement that meets our goals and rewards our members," Brian Renfroe, the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, told The Associated Press. “To make that happen, the Postal Service had to recognize the contributions of members to the Postal Service and the American people.”Among other improvements, the deal increases the top pay and reduces the amount of time it takes new workers to reach that level, Renfroe said. He credited Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and his deputy for bargaining in good faith throughout the arduous process.The Postal Service said the agreement supported its 10-year ‘Delivering for America’ mission to modernize operations and adapt to changing customer needs.“This is a fair and responsible agreement that serves the best interest of our employees, our customers and the future of the Postal Service,” said Doug Tulino, the deputy postmaster general and chief human resources officer.As part of the agreement, all city carriers will get three annual pay increases of 1.3% each by 2025, some of which will be paid retroactively from Nov. 2023. Workers will also receive retroactive and future cost-of-living adjustments.There is also a commitment from the Postal Service to “make every effort” to provide mail trucks with air-conditioning.The Postal Service in summer began rolling out its new electric delivery vehicles, which come equipped with air-conditioning. While the trucks won't win any beauty contests, they did get rave reviews from letter carriers accustomed to older vehicles that lack modern safety features and are prone to breaking down — and even catching fire.Within a few years, the new delivery fleet will have expanded to 60,000, most of them electric models, serving as the Postal Service’s primary delivery truck from Maine to Hawaii.Under the tentative contract agreement, the Postal Service must discuss with the union any plans to buy new mail trucks that don’t have air-conditioning.This is the second contract negotiated since DeJoy was appointed postmaster general in 2020. It is expected to take several weeks for union members to ratify the contract. Rural mail deliverers aren't covered by the contract because they are represented by a different union.

Mail carriers reach tentative contract with USPS that includes pay raises 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a> State's Newsroom

WASHINGTON — The presidential debate in early September included just one mention of Social Security and three references to Medicare, making the safety net programs a minuscule part of the policy discussion, despite their importance to tens of millions of Americans.

Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump have both mentioned the programs numerous times during appearances, though neither campaign has sought to elevate the financial stability of the two programs as a core issue.

More often than not, Harris and Trump rebuke their opponent, while committing to “save” Social Security and Medicare — skipping over the details or the role Congress must play in the discussion.

How to address projected shortfalls for both the Social Security and Medicare trust funds will become an increasingly important topic for the president and Congress during the next decade.

The latest Social Security&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/oact/trsum/" target="_blank">trustees report&nbsp;</a>expects the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and the Disability Insurance trust funds will be able to pay full benefits until 2035, after which, without action by lawmakers, benefits would drop to about 83%.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/oact/tr/2024" target="_blank">trustee report&nbsp;</a>for Medicare shows the funding stream for the hospital insurance trust fund can cover all of its bills through 2036 before it would only be able to cover 89% of costs.

There are currently 67.5 million people&nbsp;<a href="https://data.cms.gov/summary-statistics-on-beneficiary-enrollment/medicare-and-medicaid-reports/medicare-monthly-enrollment" target="_blank">enrolled in Medicare</a>, which provides health insurance and prescription drug coverage for people over the age of 65 as well as younger people who have certain severe illnesses or disabilities.

Nearly 68 million people receive some level of benefit from Social Security each month, accounting for about $1.5 trillion in spending by the federal government annually, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/factsheets/basicfact-alt.pdf" target="_blank">fact sheet</a>.

While the issue is somewhat less pressing for Trump, who would be term limited to another four years, Harris could theoretically spend the next eight years in the Oval Office, making the solvency of the trust funds an issue she would likely need to address with Congress.

During the September debate, Harris brought up Social Security and Medicare following a question about how her policy beliefs on fracking, assault weapons and border security have changed over time.

“My work that is about protecting Social Security and Medicare is based on long-standing work that I have done. Protecting seniors from scams,” Harris said as part of a longer answer. “My values have not changed. And what is important is that there is a president who actually brings values and a perspective that is about lifting people up and not beating people down and name-calling.”

Harris later brought up Medicare again, noting that legislation Congress approved during Biden’s term in office allowed program administrators to negotiate certain prescription drug prices for the first time. That law, known as the Inflation Reduction Act, also capped the cost of insulin for Medicare enrollees at $35 per month.

Trump didn’t broach the subject of Social Security or Medicare during the September debate with Harris, but he did speak about the two programs during an earlier summer debate with President Joe Biden, before he stepped aside as the Democratic nominee.

During that debate, Trump claimed the Biden administration was going to “destroy” the two programs by allowing noncitizens to draw down benefits.

FactCheck&nbsp;<a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2024/04/posts-misrepresent-immigrants-eligibility-for-social-security-numbers-benefits/" target="_blank">notes on its website</a>&nbsp;that comments and viral posts about noncitizens receiving Social Security benefits don’t always represent reality and sometimes confuse different programs.

“Immigrants who are lawfully living or authorized to work in the U.S. are eligible for a Social Security number and, in some cases, Social Security benefits. But viral posts make the false claim that ‘illegal immigrants’ can receive Social Security numbers and retirement benefits, and they confuse two programs managed by the Social Security Administration.”

KFF&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/faqs/medicare-open-enrollment-faqs/can-immigrants-enroll-in-medicare/" target="_blank">writes on its website</a>&nbsp;that whether legal immigrants are eligible for Medicare depends on several factors, including how long they’ve paid into the system.

“New immigrants are not eligible for Medicare regardless of their age. Once immigrants meet the residency requirements, eligibility and enrollment work the same as they do for others.”

Trump’s comments on entitlement programs haven’t always been consistent or entirely clear, but his campaign and he both maintain they will “save” the program.

During an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/03/11/former-president-donald-trump-on-entitlements-theres-tremendous-numbers-of-things-you-can-do.html" target="_blank">interview with CNBC</a>&nbsp;in March, Trump said that there are numerous things lawmakers could do to address solvency.

“There is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting and in terms of also the theft and the bad management of entitlements,” Trump said, declining to list any of those policy proposals.

Trump’s campaign website&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/we-must-protect-medicare-and-social-security" target="_blank">posted a video</a>&nbsp;of him back in January 2023, saying Republicans “should not cut a penny” from Medicare or Social Security to pay for other legislation.

The problems facing Social Security and Medicare aren’t related to Congress reducing the amount of tax dollars flowing into the programs. Rather it is the structure for the programs lawmakers set up previously.

Without action by Congress, the trust funds won’t be able to account for benefit payments in the long term.

So the challenge for the next president won’t be preventing lawmakers from taking action related to Social Security and Medicare, but helping find a bipartisan path forward on legislation to change revenue, spending, or both.

Trump does want to end taxes on Social Security benefits,&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112881452914352595" target="_blank">writing on social media</a>&nbsp;in July that “SENIORS SHOULD NOT PAY TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY!”

Henry Aaron, the Bruce and Virginia MacLaury Chair and senior fellow in the Economic Studies Program at the Brookings Institution, wrote in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-voters-guide-to-social-security/" target="_blank">detailed&nbsp;</a>analysis of the platform that Trump’s proposal to end income tax on Social Security benefits “would accelerate trust fund depletion by about two years and deepen the long-run funding gap by more than 7%.”

Harris’&nbsp;<a href="https://kamalaharris.com/issues/" target="_blank">campaign website</a>&nbsp;says she would “protect Social Security and Medicare against relentless attacks from Donald Trump and his extreme allies.”

“She will strengthen Social Security and Medicare for the long haul by making millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share in taxes,” the policy page states. “She will always fight to ensure that Americans can count on getting the benefits they earned.”

Harris&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-rolls-out-broad-medicare-plan-provide-long-term-care-home" target="_blank">announced in early October&nbsp;</a>during an appearance on “The View” that if elected she would work toward including long-term home care for seniors enrolled in Medicare.

“There are so many people in our country who are right in the middle: They’re taking care of their kids and they’re taking care of their aging parents, and it’s just almost impossible to do it all, especially if they work,” Harris said during the live interview. “We’re finding that so many are then having to leave their job, which means losing a source of income, not to mention the emotional stress.”

The proposals would likely need partial, if not complete, buy-in from Congress to move forward and could come with a $40 billion annual price tag, though the campaign noted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25196234-harrismedicareathomeplan" target="_blank">a fact sheet&nbsp;</a>that there are pay-fors.

“These new benefits will be fully paid for and extend the life of the Medicare Trust Fund by expanding Medicare drug price negotiations, increasing the discounts drug manufacturers cover for certain brand-name drugs in Medicare and addressing Medicare fraud,” it states.

A Harris administration would also “crack down on pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs) to increase transparency, disclose more information on cost, and regulate other practices that raise prices” and “implement international tax reform” to pay for the changes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623708723138.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a> State's NewsroomWASHINGTON — The presidential debate in early September included just one mention of Social Security and three references to Medicare, making the safety net programs a minuscule part of the policy discussion, despite their importance to tens of millions of Americans.Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump have both mentioned the programs numerous times during appearances, though neither campaign has sought to elevate the financial stability of the two programs as a core issue.More often than not, Harris and Trump rebuke their opponent, while committing to “save” Social Security and Medicare — skipping over the details or the role Congress must play in the discussion.How to address projected shortfalls for both the Social Security and Medicare trust funds will become an increasingly important topic for the president and Congress during the next decade.The latest Social Security&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/oact/trsum/" target="_blank">trustees report&nbsp;</a>expects the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and the Disability Insurance trust funds will be able to pay full benefits until 2035, after which, without action by lawmakers, benefits would drop to about 83%.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/oact/tr/2024" target="_blank">trustee report&nbsp;</a>for Medicare shows the funding stream for the hospital insurance trust fund can cover all of its bills through 2036 before it would only be able to cover 89% of costs.There are currently 67.5 million people&nbsp;<a href="https://data.cms.gov/summary-statistics-on-beneficiary-enrollment/medicare-and-medicaid-reports/medicare-monthly-enrollment" target="_blank">enrolled in Medicare</a>, which provides health insurance and prescription drug coverage for people over the age of 65 as well as younger people who have certain severe illnesses or disabilities.Nearly 68 million people receive some level of benefit from Social Security each month, accounting for about $1.5 trillion in spending by the federal government annually, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/factsheets/basicfact-alt.pdf" target="_blank">fact sheet</a>.While the issue is somewhat less pressing for Trump, who would be term limited to another four years, Harris could theoretically spend the next eight years in the Oval Office, making the solvency of the trust funds an issue she would likely need to address with Congress.<h2>Protecting seniors</h2>During the September debate, Harris brought up Social Security and Medicare following a question about how her policy beliefs on fracking, assault weapons and border security have changed over time.“My work that is about protecting Social Security and Medicare is based on long-standing work that I have done. Protecting seniors from scams,” Harris said as part of a longer answer. “My values have not changed. And what is important is that there is a president who actually brings values and a perspective that is about lifting people up and not beating people down and name-calling.”Harris later brought up Medicare again, noting that legislation Congress approved during Biden’s term in office allowed program administrators to negotiate certain prescription drug prices for the first time. That law, known as the Inflation Reduction Act, also capped the cost of insulin for Medicare enrollees at $35 per month.Trump didn’t broach the subject of Social Security or Medicare during the September debate with Harris, but he did speak about the two programs during an earlier summer debate with President Joe Biden, before he stepped aside as the Democratic nominee.During that debate, Trump claimed the Biden administration was going to “destroy” the two programs by allowing noncitizens to draw down benefits.FactCheck&nbsp;<a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2024/04/posts-misrepresent-immigrants-eligibility-for-social-security-numbers-benefits/" target="_blank">notes on its website</a>&nbsp;that comments and viral posts about noncitizens receiving Social Security benefits don’t always represent reality and sometimes confuse different programs.“Immigrants who are lawfully living or authorized to work in the U.S. are eligible for a Social Security number and, in some cases, Social Security benefits. But viral posts make the false claim that ‘illegal immigrants’ can receive Social Security numbers and retirement benefits, and they confuse two programs managed by the Social Security Administration.”KFF&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/faqs/medicare-open-enrollment-faqs/can-immigrants-enroll-in-medicare/" target="_blank">writes on its website</a>&nbsp;that whether legal immigrants are eligible for Medicare depends on several factors, including how long they’ve paid into the system.“New immigrants are not eligible for Medicare regardless of their age. Once immigrants meet the residency requirements, eligibility and enrollment work the same as they do for others.”<h2>Trump on entitlement programs</h2>Trump’s comments on entitlement programs haven’t always been consistent or entirely clear, but his campaign and he both maintain they will “save” the program.During an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/03/11/former-president-donald-trump-on-entitlements-theres-tremendous-numbers-of-things-you-can-do.html" target="_blank">interview with CNBC</a>&nbsp;in March, Trump said that there are numerous things lawmakers could do to address solvency.“There is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting and in terms of also the theft and the bad management of entitlements,” Trump said, declining to list any of those policy proposals.Trump’s campaign website&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/we-must-protect-medicare-and-social-security" target="_blank">posted a video</a>&nbsp;of him back in January 2023, saying Republicans “should not cut a penny” from Medicare or Social Security to pay for other legislation.The problems facing Social Security and Medicare aren’t related to Congress reducing the amount of tax dollars flowing into the programs. Rather it is the structure for the programs lawmakers set up previously.Without action by Congress, the trust funds won’t be able to account for benefit payments in the long term.So the challenge for the next president won’t be preventing lawmakers from taking action related to Social Security and Medicare, but helping find a bipartisan path forward on legislation to change revenue, spending, or both.Trump does want to end taxes on Social Security benefits,&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112881452914352595" target="_blank">writing on social media</a>&nbsp;in July that “SENIORS SHOULD NOT PAY TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY!”Henry Aaron, the Bruce and Virginia MacLaury Chair and senior fellow in the Economic Studies Program at the Brookings Institution, wrote in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-voters-guide-to-social-security/" target="_blank">detailed&nbsp;</a>analysis of the platform that Trump’s proposal to end income tax on Social Security benefits “would accelerate trust fund depletion by about two years and deepen the long-run funding gap by more than 7%.”<h2>Harris policies</h2>Harris’&nbsp;<a href="https://kamalaharris.com/issues/" target="_blank">campaign website</a>&nbsp;says she would “protect Social Security and Medicare against relentless attacks from Donald Trump and his extreme allies.”“She will strengthen Social Security and Medicare for the long haul by making millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share in taxes,” the policy page states. “She will always fight to ensure that Americans can count on getting the benefits they earned.”Harris&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-rolls-out-broad-medicare-plan-provide-long-term-care-home" target="_blank">announced in early October&nbsp;</a>during an appearance on “The View” that if elected she would work toward including long-term home care for seniors enrolled in Medicare.“There are so many people in our country who are right in the middle: They’re taking care of their kids and they’re taking care of their aging parents, and it’s just almost impossible to do it all, especially if they work,” Harris said during the live interview. “We’re finding that so many are then having to leave their job, which means losing a source of income, not to mention the emotional stress.”The proposals would likely need partial, if not complete, buy-in from Congress to move forward and could come with a $40 billion annual price tag, though the campaign noted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25196234-harrismedicareathomeplan" target="_blank">a fact sheet&nbsp;</a>that there are pay-fors.“These new benefits will be fully paid for and extend the life of the Medicare Trust Fund by expanding Medicare drug price negotiations, increasing the discounts drug manufacturers cover for certain brand-name drugs in Medicare and addressing Medicare fraud,” it states.A Harris administration would also “crack down on pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs) to increase transparency, disclose more information on cost, and regulate other practices that raise prices” and “implement international tax reform” to pay for the changes.

Social Security and Medicare: Where do Harris and Trump stand?

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities investigating a fatal house fire on Sunday in Topeka have determined the cause of this fire was intentionally set,&nbsp;according to Topeka Fire Department spokesperson Rosie Nichols.&nbsp; The incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Law enforcement have not released the name of the victim or reported suspect details.&nbsp; &nbsp;Authorities were still working to contact the family of the victim, according to Nichols earlier this week.

 Just after 6p.m. Oct. 13, crews from the Topeka Fire Department&nbsp; responded to a reported house fire at 1640 SW Buchanan Street.

Firs responders found heavy smoke and flames coming from the two-story residence. Firefighters performed a search and found an individual on the second floor of the residence who was later pronounced deceased. 

Crews extinguished the fire. Investigators have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728296520340.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities investigating a fatal house fire on Sunday in Topeka have determined the cause of this fire was intentionally set,&nbsp;according to Topeka Fire Department spokesperson Rosie Nichols.&nbsp; The incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Law enforcement have not released the name of the victim or reported suspect details.&nbsp; &nbsp;Authorities were still working to contact the family of the victim, according to Nichols earlier this week. Just after 6p.m. Oct. 13, crews from the Topeka Fire Department&nbsp; responded to a reported house fire at 1640 SW Buchanan Street.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728296248154.png" alt="Photo WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Firs responders found heavy smoke and flames coming from the two-story residence. Firefighters performed a search and found an individual on the second floor of the residence who was later pronounced deceased. Crews extinguished the fire. Investigators have not reported an arrest.

Police have yet to release name of victim in arson fire at Kan. home

Democratic and Republican nominees in 3rd District hit voters with new ads

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

TOPEKA —Third District congressional candidates Prasanth Reddy and Sharice Davids escalated their policy dispute on abortion rights by presenting voters with clashing campaign ads.

Davids, a Democrat seeking reelection to a fourth term in Congress, positioned her campaign to appeal to voters who rejected an amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 2022 that would have allowed more restrictive state laws on abortion. She’s worked in Congress to codify into federal law provisions of Roe v. Wade, the landmark precedent struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Davids aired an attack ad that opened with a Kansas physician saying she swore an oath to put her patients first, the same oath Reddy pledged to uphold. But, the doctor said, Reddy betrayed that vow by supporting demise of Roe v. Wade and encouraging state politicians to deny women lifesaving medical care.

It closed with the doctor declaring Reddy’s affiliation with conservative organizations and politicians seeking to ban all abortions was “wrong and dangerous.”

Zac Donley, spokesman for the Davis campaign, said the point was to highlight Reddy claimed to respect Kansas voters who defeated the constitutional amendment on abortion rights while simultaneously taking on the political cause of donors eager for Kansas to curtail access to reproductive health care.

“When Prasanth Reddy calls abortion a ‘states’ rights issue,’ he’s endorsing state politicians interfering in Kansans’ most personal health care decisions,” Donley said. “While Reddy tries to mask his extremism and cozy up to Washington politicians advocating for a national abortion ban, Sharice Davids is working to ensure health care decisions remain between a woman and her doctor — not politicians.”

Reddy, the Republican challenger, is a Johnson County physician backed by Kansans For Life’s PAC, the state’s leading anti-abortion organization. KFL helped write the failed constitutional amendment, which didn’t include exceptions for rape, incest or to save the life of a mother.

He entered the home stretch of the campaign ending Nov. 5 with a commercial, “Real Truth,” that accused Davids of misleading voters.

“You’ve seen the negative ads, but what you haven’t seen is the real truth,” Reddy said in the commercial. “Let me be clear. Sharice Davids is lying about me as a cancer physician. My patients’ wishes come first and I respect the decision Kansas made on abortion over two years ago.”

“I’m running for Congress to secure the border, stop inflation and keep fentanyl out of our communities — not ban abortion. And that’s the real truth,” he said.

During the congressional campaign, Reddy said the issue of abortion was “deeply personal and sensitive,” but no federal tax dollars should be used to finance the procedure. He promised to vote against a national ban on abortion. He welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade, because it granted states an opportunity to craft their own provisions on abortion.

Reddy said abortion legislation should include exceptions for rape, incest, to protect the health of the mother and in instances with “fetal abnormalities inconsistent with life.”

He said he didn’t cast a vote on the state constitutional amendment two years ago, because he wasn’t certain of implications of the measure passing.

The issue of abortion is complicated for Republican candidates in the five-county 3rd District, which is dominated by voter-rich Johnson County. More than two-thirds of the county’s voters opposed the 2022 abortion amendment. Amanda Adkins, a pro-life candidate who ran against Davids in 2022, lost by more than 35,000 votes after Davids linked Adkins to an effort to further limit abortion. Davids deployed the same strategy to undermine Reddy.

In September, the Johnson County Republican Party added complexity to Reddy’s campaign by posted to Facebook a statement that said the idea that abortions were medically necessary was false because “the trauma of abortion delivering a dead baby is not less than delivering a live baby.”

The Kansas Democratic Party also urged Reddy to respond to the Johnson County GOP’s claim: “As for rape and incest, how do two wrongs make a right? A woman or girl is raped, so now a murder must also occur?”

“Sharice Davids will continue fighting for the rights of all Kansans, ensuring that personal health care decisions stay between individuals and their doctors, free from political interference,” said Andriy Bilyk, executive director of the state Democratic Party.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729284170171.png" alt=" Republican 3rd District congressional candidate Prasanth Reddy criticized attacks from the campaign of Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids and alleged his views on state and federal restrictions on abortion were being distorted. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)r" />
 <figcaption> Republican 3rd District congressional candidate Prasanth Reddy criticized attacks from the campaign of Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids and alleged his views on state and federal restrictions on abortion were being distorted. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)r</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Democratic and Republican nominees in 3rd District hit voters with new ads</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —Third District congressional candidates Prasanth Reddy and Sharice Davids escalated their policy dispute on abortion rights by presenting voters with clashing campaign ads.Davids, a Democrat seeking reelection to a fourth term in Congress, positioned her campaign to appeal to voters who rejected an amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 2022 that would have allowed more restrictive state laws on abortion. She’s worked in Congress to codify into federal law provisions of Roe v. Wade, the landmark precedent struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.Davids aired an attack ad that opened with a Kansas physician saying she swore an oath to put her patients first, the same oath Reddy pledged to uphold. But, the doctor said, Reddy betrayed that vow by supporting demise of Roe v. Wade and encouraging state politicians to deny women lifesaving medical care.It closed with the doctor declaring Reddy’s affiliation with conservative organizations and politicians seeking to ban all abortions was “wrong and dangerous.”Zac Donley, spokesman for the Davis campaign, said the point was to highlight Reddy claimed to respect Kansas voters who defeated the constitutional amendment on abortion rights while simultaneously taking on the political cause of donors eager for Kansas to curtail access to reproductive health care.“When Prasanth Reddy calls abortion a ‘states’ rights issue,’ he’s endorsing state politicians interfering in Kansans’ most personal health care decisions,” Donley said. “While Reddy tries to mask his extremism and cozy up to Washington politicians advocating for a national abortion ban, Sharice Davids is working to ensure health care decisions remain between a woman and her doctor — not politicians.”Reddy, the Republican challenger, is a Johnson County physician backed by Kansans For Life’s PAC, the state’s leading anti-abortion organization. KFL helped write the failed constitutional amendment, which didn’t include exceptions for rape, incest or to save the life of a mother.He entered the home stretch of the campaign ending Nov. 5 with a commercial, “Real Truth,” that accused Davids of misleading voters.“You’ve seen the negative ads, but what you haven’t seen is the real truth,” Reddy said in the commercial. “Let me be clear. Sharice Davids is lying about me as a cancer physician. My patients’ wishes come first and I respect the decision Kansas made on abortion over two years ago.”“I’m running for Congress to secure the border, stop inflation and keep fentanyl out of our communities — not ban abortion. And that’s the real truth,” he said.During the congressional campaign, Reddy said the issue of abortion was “deeply personal and sensitive,” but no federal tax dollars should be used to finance the procedure. He promised to vote against a national ban on abortion. He welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade, because it granted states an opportunity to craft their own provisions on abortion.Reddy said abortion legislation should include exceptions for rape, incest, to protect the health of the mother and in instances with “fetal abnormalities inconsistent with life.”He said he didn’t cast a vote on the state constitutional amendment two years ago, because he wasn’t certain of implications of the measure passing.The issue of abortion is complicated for Republican candidates in the five-county 3rd District, which is dominated by voter-rich Johnson County. More than two-thirds of the county’s voters opposed the 2022 abortion amendment. Amanda Adkins, a pro-life candidate who ran against Davids in 2022, lost by more than 35,000 votes after Davids linked Adkins to an effort to further limit abortion. Davids deployed the same strategy to undermine Reddy.In September, the Johnson County Republican Party added complexity to Reddy’s campaign by posted to Facebook a statement that said the idea that abortions were medically necessary was false because “the trauma of abortion delivering a dead baby is not less than delivering a live baby.”The Kansas Democratic Party also urged Reddy to respond to the Johnson County GOP’s claim: “As for rape and incest, how do two wrongs make a right? A woman or girl is raped, so now a murder must also occur?”“Sharice Davids will continue fighting for the rights of all Kansans, ensuring that personal health care decisions stay between individuals and their doctors, free from political interference,” said Andriy Bilyk, executive director of the state Democratic Party.

Kansas congressional rivals Sharice Davids, Prasanth Reddy elevate feud on abortion rights

NEW YORK (AP) — Attention,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-new-york-city-new-york-new-jersey-lifestyle-9e06f958526665df9f7c9422f67516ef">Kmart shoppers</a>, the end is near!

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-5675d21d91a44406aa71949e3f4f17ba">erstwhile retail giant</a>&nbsp;renowned for its Blue Light Specials — featuring a flashing blue orb affixed to a pole enticing shoppers to a flash sale — is shuttering its last full-scale store in the mainland United States.

The store, located in swank Bridgehampton, New York, on Long Island, is slated to close Oct. 20, according to Denise Rivera, an employee who answered the phone at the store. The manager wasn't available, she said.

That will leave only a small Kmart store in Miami. There also are a handful of stores in Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Transformco, the company that in 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/small-business-0961613b7c0849baaaf2ab9f4fca7e3f">bought the assets</a>&nbsp;of Sears and Kmart out of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-e856bf2914204989990fe4bef1d4c298">the bankruptcy of Sears Holdings</a>, did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

In its heyday, there were more than 2,000 Kmarts in the U.S.

Struggling to compete with Walmart’s low prices and Target’s trendier offerings, Kmart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early 2002 — becoming the largest U.S. retailer to take that step — and announced it would close more than 250 stores.

A few years later, hedge fund executive Edward Lampert combined Sears and Kmart and pledged to return them to their former greatness. But the 2008 recession and the rising dominance of Amazon contributed in derailing that mission.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1cbf64586e114ac38bab82a42b8be12e">Sears filed for Chapter 11 in 2018</a>&nbsp;and now has just a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-8d9e70e19df64435802e3f9d159c4068">handful of stores left</a>&nbsp;in the U.S., where it once had thousands.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727205824361.png" alt="K-Mart store in Bridgehampton, N.Y.-Google image" />
 <figcaption>K-Mart store in Bridgehampton, N.Y.-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Attention,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-new-york-city-new-york-new-jersey-lifestyle-9e06f958526665df9f7c9422f67516ef">Kmart shoppers</a>, the end is near!The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-5675d21d91a44406aa71949e3f4f17ba">erstwhile retail giant</a>&nbsp;renowned for its Blue Light Specials — featuring a flashing blue orb affixed to a pole enticing shoppers to a flash sale — is shuttering its last full-scale store in the mainland United States.The store, located in swank Bridgehampton, New York, on Long Island, is slated to close Oct. 20, according to Denise Rivera, an employee who answered the phone at the store. The manager wasn't available, she said.That will leave only a small Kmart store in Miami. There also are a handful of stores in Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.Transformco, the company that in 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/small-business-0961613b7c0849baaaf2ab9f4fca7e3f">bought the assets</a>&nbsp;of Sears and Kmart out of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-e856bf2914204989990fe4bef1d4c298">the bankruptcy of Sears Holdings</a>, did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.In its heyday, there were more than 2,000 Kmarts in the U.S.Struggling to compete with Walmart’s low prices and Target’s trendier offerings, Kmart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early 2002 — becoming the largest U.S. retailer to take that step — and announced it would close more than 250 stores.A few years later, hedge fund executive Edward Lampert combined Sears and Kmart and pledged to return them to their former greatness. But the 2008 recession and the rising dominance of Amazon contributed in derailing that mission.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1cbf64586e114ac38bab82a42b8be12e">Sears filed for Chapter 11 in 2018</a>&nbsp;and now has just a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-8d9e70e19df64435802e3f9d159c4068">handful of stores left</a>&nbsp;in the U.S., where it once had thousands.

Last full-scale Kmart in the United States to close Sunday

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) announced today that it has stopped selling the 10-year combination of hunting and fishing licenses for Kansas residents aged 65 to 74. The decision follows the discovery that the statute authorizing the department to sell the licenses at a reduced rate had expired, according to a media release from the department.

 The licenses were commonly called a Senior Lifetime Pass because after a resident reaches age 75, they are no longer required to purchase Kansas hunting and fishing licenses.

The Senior Lifetime Pass was established by the Kansas Legislature in 2012 through Senate Bill 314 (K.S.A. 32-9,100), along with several other discounted licenses for seniors. In 2023, the other discounted hunting and fishing licenses were made permanent with the passage of House Bill 2039.

“When we discovered the authorization for the Senior Lifetime Pass had lapsed, I instructed staff to stop selling them,” said KDWP Acting Secretary Christopher Kennedy. “All licenses were sold in good faith, and the Senior Lifetime Passes already issued will remain valid. While we must stop selling this pass, we are exploring regulatory and statutory options to offer additional discounted rates for seniors in the future.”

Annual senior licenses for Kansas residents ages 65 to 74 remain available at significantly discounted rates. The Resident Senior Annual Hunting License is $15; the Resident Senior Annual Fishing License is $15; and the Resident Senior Annual Combo license for hunting and fishing is $25.&nbsp;

Licenses can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fgooutdoorskansas.com%2F%3Futm_source=news%26utm_medium=press-release%26utm_campaign=seniorpass/1/01010192a1459178-60c89685-53da-4635-952e-6b4356087c6a-000000/4JvsUPaJwS_X9HfwP4S2N03Bs6huji2zkP9YvZXiwpc=375">license.gooutdoorskansas.com</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-833-587-2164. Licenses are also available at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fksoutdoors.com%2FLicense-Permits%2FLocations-to-Buy-License-Permits%3Futm_source=news%26utm_medium=press-release%26utm_campaign=seniorpass/1/01010192a1459178-60c89685-53da-4635-952e-6b4356087c6a-000000/Pv_yUCFbs-D8Pat1rM4qsbSadFZW2v0OEwjFUxHFajQ=375">various locations statewide.</a>

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) announced today that it has stopped selling the 10-year combination of hunting and fishing licenses for Kansas residents aged 65 to 74. The decision follows the discovery that the statute authorizing the department to sell the licenses at a reduced rate had expired, according to a media release from the department. The licenses were commonly called a Senior Lifetime Pass because after a resident reaches age 75, they are no longer required to purchase Kansas hunting and fishing licenses.The Senior Lifetime Pass was established by the Kansas Legislature in 2012 through Senate Bill 314 (K.S.A. 32-9,100), along with several other discounted licenses for seniors. In 2023, the other discounted hunting and fishing licenses were made permanent with the passage of House Bill 2039.“When we discovered the authorization for the Senior Lifetime Pass had lapsed, I instructed staff to stop selling them,” said KDWP Acting Secretary Christopher Kennedy. “All licenses were sold in good faith, and the Senior Lifetime Passes already issued will remain valid. While we must stop selling this pass, we are exploring regulatory and statutory options to offer additional discounted rates for seniors in the future.”Annual senior licenses for Kansas residents ages 65 to 74 remain available at significantly discounted rates. The Resident Senior Annual Hunting License is $15; the Resident Senior Annual Fishing License is $15; and the Resident Senior Annual Combo license for hunting and fishing is $25.&nbsp;Licenses can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fgooutdoorskansas.com%2F%3Futm_source=news%26utm_medium=press-release%26utm_campaign=seniorpass/1/01010192a1459178-60c89685-53da-4635-952e-6b4356087c6a-000000/4JvsUPaJwS_X9HfwP4S2N03Bs6huji2zkP9YvZXiwpc=375">license.gooutdoorskansas.com</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-833-587-2164. Licenses are also available at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fksoutdoors.com%2FLicense-Permits%2FLocations-to-Buy-License-Permits%3Futm_source=news%26utm_medium=press-release%26utm_campaign=seniorpass/1/01010192a1459178-60c89685-53da-4635-952e-6b4356087c6a-000000/Pv_yUCFbs-D8Pat1rM4qsbSadFZW2v0OEwjFUxHFajQ=375">various locations statewide.</a>

Kansas Wildlife and Parks stops the sale of Senior Lifetime Passes 

In the past week, U.S. forces successfully destroyed 20 one-way attack drones and Land Attack Cruise Missiles in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, according to a media release from the U.S. Central Command.

 These Iranian-supplied weapons, launched episodically by the Houthis and Iranian-Aligned Militia Groups (IAMGs) over several days during the week, posed a significant risk to United States, allies, and partner forces, as well as civilians in the region and beyond. The drones and missiles were downed by a combination of U.S. Air Force and U.S Navy assets deployed to the region.

No U.S. service members were injured in these actions. U.S. and coalition forces remain at a high level of readiness, postured to defend U.S. interests and those of our allies and partners in the region.

Here’s a general timeline of CENTCOM operational activities during the past week:

As previously released, CENTCOM forces conducted a series of airstrikes Oct. 11 against multiple known ISIS camps in Syria, resulting in at least 35 ISIS operatives killed, to include several ISIS leaders. The strikes will disrupt the ability of ISIS to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against the United States, its allies and partners, and civilians. Battle damage assessments are still underway and do not indicate civilian casualties. U.S. and partner forces continue to execute these critical operations that contribute to the enduring defeat of terrorist organizations in the CENTCOM AOR and the support of regional stability.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723583511919.png" alt="File photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>In the past week, U.S. forces successfully destroyed 20 one-way attack drones and Land Attack Cruise Missiles in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, according to a media release from the U.S. Central Command. These Iranian-supplied weapons, launched episodically by the Houthis and Iranian-Aligned Militia Groups (IAMGs) over several days during the week, posed a significant risk to United States, allies, and partner forces, as well as civilians in the region and beyond. The drones and missiles were downed by a combination of U.S. Air Force and U.S Navy assets deployed to the region.No U.S. service members were injured in these actions. U.S. and coalition forces remain at a high level of readiness, postured to defend U.S. interests and those of our allies and partners in the region.Here’s a general timeline of CENTCOM operational activities during the past week:As previously released, CENTCOM forces conducted a series of airstrikes Oct. 11 against multiple known ISIS camps in Syria, resulting in at least 35 ISIS operatives killed, to include several ISIS leaders. The strikes will disrupt the ability of ISIS to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against the United States, its allies and partners, and civilians. Battle damage assessments are still underway and do not indicate civilian casualties. U.S. and partner forces continue to execute these critical operations that contribute to the enduring defeat of terrorist organizations in the CENTCOM AOR and the support of regional stability.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728866585354.png" alt="File p hoto-A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) mobile launcher sits on display in the new Lt. Gen. C.J. LeVan THAAD Instructional Facility at Fort Sill, Oklahoma (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)" />
 <figcaption>File p hoto-A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) mobile launcher sits on display in the new Lt. Gen. C.J. LeVan THAAD Instructional Facility at Fort Sill, Oklahoma (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)</figcaption>
 </figure><ul>
 <li>On Oct. 13, at the direction of the President, the Secretary of Defense authorized the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and associated crew of U.S. military personnel to Israel to help bolster Israel’s air defenses following Iran’s unprecedented attacks against Israel on April 13 and again on Oct. 1. The THAAD battery is now integrated into the regional air defense architecture.</li><li>Separately, during the past week, CENTCOM forces conducted a successful strike against a Houthi Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) launcher and its associated radar that presented a threat to U.S. and coalition aircraft. Additionally, CENTCOM forces conducted strikes against multiple UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) used to direct Houthi OWAUAS targeting of U.S. and coalition forces against international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. For operations security reasons, we won’t discuss specific dates or locations of these self-defense strikes.</li><li>U.S. and coalition forces assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) twice came under rocket attacks from IAMGs. In both instances, the rockets were successfully intercepted. No U.S. service members were injured in either incident.</li><li>Finally, on the evening of Oct. 16 EDT, CENTCOM forces conducted multiple airstrikes on numerous Iran-backed Houthi weapons storage facilities within Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen that contained various advanced conventional weapons used to target military and civilian vessels navigating international waters throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. CENTCOM forces targeted the Houthi’s hardened underground facilities housing missiles, weapons components, and other munitions used to target military and civilian vessels throughout the region. U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy assets, including U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers, were part of the operation.</li>
 </ul>

Busy week for U.S. forces across the Middle East

FRANKLIN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon after a wild chase in Franklin County.

On October 14, sheriff's deputies attempted a traffic stop in the 2500 Block of East Logan Street in Ottawa, according to a media release from the Franklin County Sheriff.

The driver, later identified as 36-year-old Aaron Ayers of Wellsville, refused to stop, accelerated erratically on Kansas 68 Highway. Once Ayers reached the 3300 Block of East 68 Highway, near the Walmart Distribution Center, a deputy completed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention maneuver in an attempt to end the pursuit for the safety of the public.

This caused the vehicle to exit the north side of the road and stop briefly. However, Ayers was able to continue driving before he was taken into custody.

The vehicle traveled through a yard on private property, through a fence and into a pasture. Once Ayers began driving through private property, deputies did not follow.

Ayers continued driving to the northeast corner of the pasture, through two more fences and into a tree line where deputies lost sight of him.

Members of the Ottawa Police Department responded to assist with a perimeter and multiple drones were deployed to help locate the vehicle.&nbsp; After a lengthy search, officers located the vehicle that had crash damage in the trees. Officers responded on foot, located the driver in the truck and with the assistance of the Osage County K9 unit took Ayers into custody. 

He was offered medical attention by Franklin County EMS, transported to Advent Health for evaluation, discharged and is now in the jail on requested charges of Battery of a Law enforcement officer, driving while revoked, reckless driving, felony flee and elude and felony criminal damage to property.&nbsp; Ayers has previous conviction for drugs and theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729113080613.png" alt="Ayers photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Ayers photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKLIN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon after a wild chase in Franklin County.On October 14, sheriff's deputies attempted a traffic stop in the 2500 Block of East Logan Street in Ottawa, according to a media release from the Franklin County Sheriff.The driver, later identified as 36-year-old Aaron Ayers of Wellsville, refused to stop, accelerated erratically on Kansas 68 Highway. Once Ayers reached the 3300 Block of East 68 Highway, near the Walmart Distribution Center, a deputy completed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention maneuver in an attempt to end the pursuit for the safety of the public.This caused the vehicle to exit the north side of the road and stop briefly. However, Ayers was able to continue driving before he was taken into custody.The vehicle traveled through a yard on private property, through a fence and into a pasture. Once Ayers began driving through private property, deputies did not follow.Ayers continued driving to the northeast corner of the pasture, through two more fences and into a tree line where deputies lost sight of him.Members of the Ottawa Police Department responded to assist with a perimeter and multiple drones were deployed to help locate the vehicle.&nbsp; After a lengthy search, officers located the vehicle that had crash damage in the trees. Officers responded on foot, located the driver in the truck and with the assistance of the Osage County K9 unit took Ayers into custody. He was offered medical attention by Franklin County EMS, transported to Advent Health for evaluation, discharged and is now in the jail on requested charges of Battery of a Law enforcement officer, driving while revoked, reckless driving, felony flee and elude and felony criminal damage to property.&nbsp; Ayers has previous conviction for drugs and theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas felon captured after wild police chase

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOSH%20BOAK%20and%20GEIR%20MOULSON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOSH BOAK and GEIR MOULSON Associated Press</a>

BERLIN (AP) —Germany honored President Joe Biden for his contribution to trans-Atlantic relations on Friday, ahead of his meetings with European allies on Russia’s war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East.&nbsp;

Biden said it's important for Ukraine's Western allies to “sustain our resolve” in supporting the country as he met Friday with European partners, with the upcoming U.S. presidential election casting a long shadow over his visit to Germany.

Biden met Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Ukraine's second-biggest military supplier after the U.S. They were joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for discussions that also addressed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">conflict in the Middle East</a>.

With the election just weeks away and the race extremely tight, there are worries that a victory for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, the Republican nominee, could upset the relationships that Biden is hoping to pass on to Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>, the Democratic nominee.

Trump has an appetite for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-taxes-imports-inflation-consumers-prices-c2eef295a078a76ce2bb7fedb0c5e58c">imposing trade tariffs</a>&nbsp;on key U.S. security partners. He has expressed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ukraine-putin-zelenskyy-0f4d539aa73a943474d779716e5fe42a">indifference to the security of Ukraine</a>, refusing to say during a presidential debate if he wants the U.S. ally to win its war against Russia. He’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-foreign-aid-russia-2b8054a9fe185eec34c2c541cece655d">voiced doubts</a>&nbsp;about coming to the defense of NATO members if they come under attack.

The gathered leaders never uttered Trump's name in public, yet their remarks often hinted at the possibility that he could withdraw support from Ukraine and scorn global alliances that Biden and his counterparts view as critical.

Biden in an exchange with reporters following his meeting with the three European leaders suggested that the U.S. election was discussed in the private talks. Asked if the leaders were worried about the presidential race, Biden responded tersely, “They're interested.”

Earlier in the day Biden emphasized the need to support Ukraine.

“As Ukraine faces a tough winter, we must — we must — sustain our resolve, our effort and our support,” Biden said.

Scholz said that “we will stand beside Ukraine as long as it is necessary,” pointing to a planned $50 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-frozen-assets-loan-39d8619f083600651fabe46b4548716d">international loan package</a>&nbsp;funded by interest on profits from frozen Russian assets.

“Our position is clear: We are supporting Ukraine as strongly as possible,” he added. “At the same time, we are taking care that NATO does not become a party to the war so that this war doesn't culminate in an even bigger catastrophe.”

Scholz has indicated that he's skeptical about aspects of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-ukraine-membership-russia-7a27716d4838edf2c0ff6d97df50478d">“victory plan”</a>&nbsp;drawn up by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and says he will stand by his refusal to supply Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Kyiv.

Biden is also opposed to loosening restrictions on letting Ukraine use western weapons to strike deeper into Russia, but did not shut the door on the issue.

“In foreign policy, there’s never a ‘never will I change my mind,'” Biden said. “Right now there is no consensus on long-range weapons."

Biden didn’t want his term to end without visiting Berlin, after having been to other key allies such as Japan, South Korea, France, India, the U.K., Poland and Ukraine. The visit was a quick one, with Biden spending about 20 hours on the ground in Berlin.

Concerns about what might come next were reflected as Biden received the highest class of Germany’s Order of Merit, which was also bestowed on former U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?55572-1/german-order-merit">George H.W. Bush</a>&nbsp;in recognition of his support for German reunification.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the friendship with the U.S. is “and will always be existentially important” for Germany, but there have always been “times of proximity and greater distance.”

“Even recently, just a handful of years ago, the distance had grown so wide that we almost lost each other,” Steinmeier said, in an reference to tense relations during Trump’s earlier presidency. He said Biden “restored Europe's hope in the trans-Atlantic alliance literally overnight.”

Recalling the “wide sweep of history” he has seen in his 81 years, Biden said, “we should never underestimate the power of democracy, never underestimate the value of alliances.”

As he met Scholz, Biden said he was “grateful for Germany’s cooperation in holding Iran accountable for destabilizing policies, including providing missiles and drones to Russia to use against Ukraine.” He pointed to new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-russia-drones-missiles-iran-sanctions-78d0dee01817ca4b5feedf18a72bac31">European sanctions</a>&nbsp;against Iran's leading airlines and said that “this coordination is going to have to continue.”

Biden reiterated his call for Israel to pursue peace after the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-lebanon-hezbollah-news-10-17-2024-d12ca71945313e601cf10876072f4182">Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar</a>&nbsp;— which he described as “a moment of justice.”

“I told the prime minister of Israel yesterday, let’s also make this moment an opportunity to seek a path to peace, a better future in Gaza without Hamas,” he said.

Biden said he and the European leaders discussed the way ahead following the killing of Sinwar. He suggested that negotiating a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hezbollah could be easier than forging one between Israel and Hamas.

“We think that there is a possibility of working for a ceasefire in Lebanon and it’s going to be harder in Gaza,” Biden said. “But we agree there has to be an outcome of what happens the day after.”

Biden declined to say whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave him assurance in their Thursday phone call that the Israelis are ready to get back to negotiations on the stalled cease-fire deals.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOSH%20BOAK%20and%20GEIR%20MOULSON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOSH BOAK and GEIR MOULSON Associated Press</a>BERLIN (AP) —Germany honored President Joe Biden for his contribution to trans-Atlantic relations on Friday, ahead of his meetings with European allies on Russia’s war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0mZTyUrm9oADjY7h2YgJRGehgk6rF9JEVPadfaKPEKewJXrUexLxJR8YcQD6j76DPl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="665" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Biden said it's important for Ukraine's Western allies to “sustain our resolve” in supporting the country as he met Friday with European partners, with the upcoming U.S. presidential election casting a long shadow over his visit to Germany.Biden met Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Ukraine's second-biggest military supplier after the U.S. They were joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for discussions that also addressed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">conflict in the Middle East</a>.With the election just weeks away and the race extremely tight, there are worries that a victory for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, the Republican nominee, could upset the relationships that Biden is hoping to pass on to Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>, the Democratic nominee.Trump has an appetite for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-taxes-imports-inflation-consumers-prices-c2eef295a078a76ce2bb7fedb0c5e58c">imposing trade tariffs</a>&nbsp;on key U.S. security partners. He has expressed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ukraine-putin-zelenskyy-0f4d539aa73a943474d779716e5fe42a">indifference to the security of Ukraine</a>, refusing to say during a presidential debate if he wants the U.S. ally to win its war against Russia. He’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-foreign-aid-russia-2b8054a9fe185eec34c2c541cece655d">voiced doubts</a>&nbsp;about coming to the defense of NATO members if they come under attack.The gathered leaders never uttered Trump's name in public, yet their remarks often hinted at the possibility that he could withdraw support from Ukraine and scorn global alliances that Biden and his counterparts view as critical.Biden in an exchange with reporters following his meeting with the three European leaders suggested that the U.S. election was discussed in the private talks. Asked if the leaders were worried about the presidential race, Biden responded tersely, “They're interested.”Earlier in the day Biden emphasized the need to support Ukraine.“As Ukraine faces a tough winter, we must — we must — sustain our resolve, our effort and our support,” Biden said.Scholz said that “we will stand beside Ukraine as long as it is necessary,” pointing to a planned $50 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-frozen-assets-loan-39d8619f083600651fabe46b4548716d">international loan package</a>&nbsp;funded by interest on profits from frozen Russian assets.“Our position is clear: We are supporting Ukraine as strongly as possible,” he added. “At the same time, we are taking care that NATO does not become a party to the war so that this war doesn't culminate in an even bigger catastrophe.”Scholz has indicated that he's skeptical about aspects of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-ukraine-membership-russia-7a27716d4838edf2c0ff6d97df50478d">“victory plan”</a>&nbsp;drawn up by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and says he will stand by his refusal to supply Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Kyiv.Biden is also opposed to loosening restrictions on letting Ukraine use western weapons to strike deeper into Russia, but did not shut the door on the issue.“In foreign policy, there’s never a ‘never will I change my mind,'” Biden said. “Right now there is no consensus on long-range weapons."Biden didn’t want his term to end without visiting Berlin, after having been to other key allies such as Japan, South Korea, France, India, the U.K., Poland and Ukraine. The visit was a quick one, with Biden spending about 20 hours on the ground in Berlin.Concerns about what might come next were reflected as Biden received the highest class of Germany’s Order of Merit, which was also bestowed on former U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?55572-1/german-order-merit">George H.W. Bush</a>&nbsp;in recognition of his support for German reunification.German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the friendship with the U.S. is “and will always be existentially important” for Germany, but there have always been “times of proximity and greater distance.”“Even recently, just a handful of years ago, the distance had grown so wide that we almost lost each other,” Steinmeier said, in an reference to tense relations during Trump’s earlier presidency. He said Biden “restored Europe's hope in the trans-Atlantic alliance literally overnight.”Recalling the “wide sweep of history” he has seen in his 81 years, Biden said, “we should never underestimate the power of democracy, never underestimate the value of alliances.”As he met Scholz, Biden said he was “grateful for Germany’s cooperation in holding Iran accountable for destabilizing policies, including providing missiles and drones to Russia to use against Ukraine.” He pointed to new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-russia-drones-missiles-iran-sanctions-78d0dee01817ca4b5feedf18a72bac31">European sanctions</a>&nbsp;against Iran's leading airlines and said that “this coordination is going to have to continue.”Biden reiterated his call for Israel to pursue peace after the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-lebanon-hezbollah-news-10-17-2024-d12ca71945313e601cf10876072f4182">Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar</a>&nbsp;— which he described as “a moment of justice.”“I told the prime minister of Israel yesterday, let’s also make this moment an opportunity to seek a path to peace, a better future in Gaza without Hamas,” he said.Biden said he and the European leaders discussed the way ahead following the killing of Sinwar. He suggested that negotiating a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hezbollah could be easier than forging one between Israel and Hamas.“We think that there is a possibility of working for a ceasefire in Lebanon and it’s going to be harder in Gaza,” Biden said. “But we agree there has to be an outcome of what happens the day after.”Biden declined to say whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave him assurance in their Thursday phone call that the Israelis are ready to get back to negotiations on the stalled cease-fire deals.“We’re in the middle of discussions about that,” Biden said. “I’m not going to get into that.”Trump has said his approach will help the U.S. economy and prevent foreign countries from taking advantage of the United States. He maintains that if he were still president, Russia would never have invaded Ukraine in 2022 and Hamas would never have attacked Israel in 2023.“I will end the war in Ukraine, stop the chaos in the Middle East, and prevent World War III,” he said at a recent rally in Georgia.Harris, for her part, has voiced strong backing for Ukraine and tracks with Biden on support for Israel, while placing particular emphasis on the need to relieve the suffering of Palestinian civilians whose lives have been upended by the Hamas-Israel war.