WASHINGTON (AP) —Republican leaders projected confidence Thursday that they will keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/trump-harris-election-updates-11-7-2024">control of the U.S. House</a>&nbsp;as more races were decided in their favor, while Democrats insisted they still see a path toward the majority and sought assurances&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-election-2024">every vote will be counted</a>.

The GOP picked up two more hard-fought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-congress-2024-election-perry-mackenzie-bresnahan-3c79f724690fb734cdcc921512165b72">seats in Pennsylvania</a>, which became a stark battlefield of Democratic losses up and down the ticket. Democrats notched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-congress-new-york-laura-gillen-93e9baf64a66f0d7172ab461cfa678af">another win in New York</a>, defeating a third Republican incumbent in that state.

Both parties in the House huddled privately on conference calls to assess the political landscape as Congress prepared to return next week to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wins-second-term-policies-de3dcf0f173b42602b258042fd7aaafb">a changed Washington</a>, where a sweep of MAGA-infused GOP power is within reach for President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.

Meanwhile, Republican Dave McCormick’s win in Pennsylvania added to his party’s Senate majority and completed their dominance in a state that was crucial to both the presidential and congressional elections.

McCormick unseated Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, giving Republicans their 53rd seat in the Senate.

Close races in Arizona and Nevada have not been called.

The GOP’s rise to a Senate majority for the first time in four years is prompting praise for Sen. Steve Daines, who chairs the Republican campaign arm, and has insisted on getting involved in primary races to help mainstream candidates.

When Trump entered the White House the first time, Republicans held a 51-seat majority and many within the party were willing to resist his plans.

Now, Trump is going back with a healthy Senate majority — at least 53 seats — and a party transformed by his MAGA movement.

A couple of Republican senators are still willing to publicly buck Trump. But there are enough GOP senators to confirm Trump’s Cabinet -- or a possible Supreme Court justice -- even if a few split.

Republican leaders say they want to keep the Senate’s filibuster rules, which require a 60-vote margin for most legislation. But they’re also looking at using a process called budget reconciliation to pass some legislation with a simple majority.

Republican lawmakers want to extend tax cuts from Trump’s first term and fund tougher border enforcement measures.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731072841127.png" alt="Image Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Image Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Republican leaders projected confidence Thursday that they will keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/trump-harris-election-updates-11-7-2024">control of the U.S. House</a>&nbsp;as more races were decided in their favor, while Democrats insisted they still see a path toward the majority and sought assurances&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-election-2024">every vote will be counted</a>.The GOP picked up two more hard-fought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-congress-2024-election-perry-mackenzie-bresnahan-3c79f724690fb734cdcc921512165b72">seats in Pennsylvania</a>, which became a stark battlefield of Democratic losses up and down the ticket. Democrats notched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-congress-new-york-laura-gillen-93e9baf64a66f0d7172ab461cfa678af">another win in New York</a>, defeating a third Republican incumbent in that state.Both parties in the House huddled privately on conference calls to assess the political landscape as Congress prepared to return next week to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wins-second-term-policies-de3dcf0f173b42602b258042fd7aaafb">a changed Washington</a>, where a sweep of MAGA-infused GOP power is within reach for President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.Meanwhile, Republican Dave McCormick’s win in Pennsylvania added to his party’s Senate majority and completed their dominance in a state that was crucial to both the presidential and congressional elections.McCormick unseated Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, giving Republicans their 53rd seat in the Senate.Close races in Arizona and Nevada have not been called.The GOP’s rise to a Senate majority for the first time in four years is prompting praise for Sen. Steve Daines, who chairs the Republican campaign arm, and has insisted on getting involved in primary races to help mainstream candidates.When Trump entered the White House the first time, Republicans held a 51-seat majority and many within the party were willing to resist his plans.Now, Trump is going back with a healthy Senate majority — at least 53 seats — and a party transformed by his MAGA movement.A couple of Republican senators are still willing to publicly buck Trump. But there are enough GOP senators to confirm Trump’s Cabinet -- or a possible Supreme Court justice -- even if a few split.Republican leaders say they want to keep the Senate’s filibuster rules, which require a 60-vote margin for most legislation. But they’re also looking at using a process called budget reconciliation to pass some legislation with a simple majority.Republican lawmakers want to extend tax cuts from Trump’s first term and fund tougher border enforcement measures.

GOP's comfortable Senate majority grows; control of House uncertain

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement and fire investigators found the body of a man after a standoff and fire at a home in Kansas City.

On Thursday afternoon police were called to a house in the 11500 block of N. Cherry on a concern of a suicidal person, according t KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

The caller was not at the residence but was concerned about a man who was inside the home and they believed he was suicidal based on contact they had with him.

Responding officers made verbal contact with a man inside the residence from a distance. They attempted to get him to come outside to check his well-being. After a short time officers heard the sound of several rounds of gunfire coming from inside the residence. Officers backed away to protect those in the surrounding area and prevent any escape. They continued to try to make contact with the man to get him to come outside with negative result. 

All indications are the man was inside the residence alone. Based on the shots being fired and the potential of danger to the surrounding area Officers called for an Operation 100 / Police Stand-off to bring additional resources and trained negotiators to the scene, according to Becchina.

Tactical officers with rescue vehicles worked to evacuate surrounding residents and a nearby school was placed on lock and teach. School staff and Clay County Sheriff’s Office Deputies worked to arrange for safe school departure for the students.&nbsp; Officers continued to hear the sound of gunfire from inside the residence.

Just after 4:30 pm officers reported seeing a small fire coming from inside the residence. The fire slowly spread and negotiators continued to make attempts to contact the man and get him to come out. Tactical officers helped arrange for fire personnel to safely deploy water onto the house from a safe distance away in an attempt to extinguish the fire.

As the house remained on fire, officers attempted to use KCFD and KCPD drone technology to get an overview of the scene.

At approximately 8:45 pm officers used robot video and drone video and approached the rear of the residence and cleared the back yard and an out-building in the rear of the residence. Officers didn’t locate the man in that area.

Fire crews moved in closer to the house to more aggressively deploy water to fight the fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;As KCFD began closer and more aggressive efforts to extinguish the fire they located the man deceased inside the front of the residence, according to Becchina. Police have not released his name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731066050296.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement and fire investigators found the body of a man after a standoff and fire at a home in Kansas City.On Thursday afternoon police were called to a house in the 11500 block of N. Cherry on a concern of a suicidal person, according t KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.The caller was not at the residence but was concerned about a man who was inside the home and they believed he was suicidal based on contact they had with him.Responding officers made verbal contact with a man inside the residence from a distance. They attempted to get him to come outside to check his well-being. After a short time officers heard the sound of several rounds of gunfire coming from inside the residence. Officers backed away to protect those in the surrounding area and prevent any escape. They continued to try to make contact with the man to get him to come outside with negative result. All indications are the man was inside the residence alone. Based on the shots being fired and the potential of danger to the surrounding area Officers called for an Operation 100 / Police Stand-off to bring additional resources and trained negotiators to the scene, according to Becchina.Tactical officers with rescue vehicles worked to evacuate surrounding residents and a nearby school was placed on lock and teach. School staff and Clay County Sheriff’s Office Deputies worked to arrange for safe school departure for the students.&nbsp; Officers continued to hear the sound of gunfire from inside the residence.Just after 4:30 pm officers reported seeing a small fire coming from inside the residence. The fire slowly spread and negotiators continued to make attempts to contact the man and get him to come out. Tactical officers helped arrange for fire personnel to safely deploy water onto the house from a safe distance away in an attempt to extinguish the fire.As the house remained on fire, officers attempted to use KCFD and KCPD drone technology to get an overview of the scene.At approximately 8:45 pm officers used robot video and drone video and approached the rear of the residence and cleared the back yard and an out-building in the rear of the residence. Officers didn’t locate the man in that area.Fire crews moved in closer to the house to more aggressively deploy water to fight the fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;As KCFD began closer and more aggressive efforts to extinguish the fire they located the man deceased inside the front of the residence, according to Becchina. Police have not released his name.

Body found in fire debris after standoff at Kansas City home

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal accident have identified the victim as&nbsp;69-year-old Joseph Weixelman.&nbsp;

Just after 10 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to report of an injury accident in the parking lot of Ace Hardware at 3110 E. Douglas in Wichita, according to Officer Andrew Ford.

First responders found Weixelman had died after a collision with the iron rod fence near the store's home and garden area.

Preliminary findings indicate that Weixelman attempted to flee in his vehicle after reportedly stealing a $15 air filter from the store, according to Ford.

 As he tried to retrieve the item after dropping it, he was partially outside the drivers side door when his vehicle continued moving, ultimately colliding with the fence and pinning him in the door frame. 

Store employees discovered him and used a forklift to free him, but despite efforts by Sedgwick County EMS and Wichita Fire to perform CPR, he was pronounced deceased at 10:41 a.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730930679068.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal accident have identified the victim as&nbsp;69-year-old Joseph Weixelman.&nbsp;Just after 10 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to report of an injury accident in the parking lot of Ace Hardware at 3110 E. Douglas in Wichita, according to Officer Andrew Ford.First responders found Weixelman had died after a collision with the iron rod fence near the store's home and garden area.Preliminary findings indicate that Weixelman attempted to flee in his vehicle after reportedly stealing a $15 air filter from the store, according to Ford. As he tried to retrieve the item after dropping it, he was partially outside the drivers side door when his vehicle continued moving, ultimately colliding with the fence and pinning him in the door frame. Store employees discovered him and used a forklift to free him, but despite efforts by Sedgwick County EMS and Wichita Fire to perform CPR, he was pronounced deceased at 10:41 a.m.

Police ID Kan. man run over by his own vehicle in store parking lot

WASHINGTON (AP) —A federal judge on Thursday struck down a Biden administration policy that aimed to ease a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens.

The program, lauded as one of the biggest presidential actions to help immigrant families in years, allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-spouses-citizenship-registration-da37d9cbdb45a4baca837f6dc2a09aba">undocumented spouses and stepchildren</a>&nbsp;of U.S. citizens to apply for a green card without first having to leave the country.

The temporary relief from deportation brought a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-biden-spouses-9b282ce79793004d43e393f75081f331">brief sense of security</a>&nbsp;to some 500,000 immigrants estimated to benefit from the program before Texas-based U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-spouses-biden-program-hault-80df0dafd913a22fd7a9074d31eeab65">put it on hold</a>&nbsp;in August, days after applicants filed their paperwork.

Barker ruled Thursday that the Biden administration had overstepped its authority by implementing the program and had stretched the legal interpretation of relevant immigration law “past its breaking point.”

The short-lived Biden administration initiative known as “Keeping Families Together” would have been unlikely to remain in place after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;took office in January. But its early termination creates greater uncertainty for immigrant families as many are bracing for Trump's return to the White House.

Trump's election victory this week sets the stage for a swift crackdown on undocumented individuals after the Republican ran on promises of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-border-asylum-mass-deportation-a681c4980ef25e2b3a7ae670c9094f4a">“mass deportation.”</a>&nbsp;The president-elect energized his supporters on the campaign trail with a litany of anti-immigrant statements, including that immigrants were “poisoning the blood” of the nation.

During his first term, Trump appointed Barker as a judge in Tyler, Texas, which lies in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a favored venue for advocates pushing conservative arguments.

Barker had placed the immigration initiative on hold after Texas and 15 other states, led by their Republican attorneys general, filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-citizen-spouse-biden-d02243b21b8490c912008b896a83bcd2">legal challenge</a>&nbsp;accusing the executive branch of bypassing Congress to help immigrant families for “blatant political purposes.”

Republicans argued the initiative created costs for their states and could draw more migrants to the U.S.

The policy would have applied to people who have been living continuously in the U.S. for at least 10 years, do not pose a security threat and have utilized the existing legal authority known as “parole in place” that offers deportation protections.

Those married to a citizen by June 17, the day before the program was announced, could pay a $580 application fee and fill out a lengthy application explaining why they deserve humanitarian parole. If approved, applicants would have three years to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-immigration-border-immigrants-11486c86ba620a04ae9dc66a3d44f346">seek permanent residency</a>&nbsp;and obtain work authorization.

It was not immediately clear Thursday whether anyone had received approval under the program, which only accepted applications for about a week before the judge placed it on hold.

Noncitizen spouses are already eligible for legal status but often have to apply from their home countries. The process typically includes a years-long wait outside of the U.S., which can separate family members with different immigration statuses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673215903534.png" alt="File Photo White House" />
 <figcaption>File Photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —A federal judge on Thursday struck down a Biden administration policy that aimed to ease a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens.The program, lauded as one of the biggest presidential actions to help immigrant families in years, allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-spouses-citizenship-registration-da37d9cbdb45a4baca837f6dc2a09aba">undocumented spouses and stepchildren</a>&nbsp;of U.S. citizens to apply for a green card without first having to leave the country.The temporary relief from deportation brought a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-biden-spouses-9b282ce79793004d43e393f75081f331">brief sense of security</a>&nbsp;to some 500,000 immigrants estimated to benefit from the program before Texas-based U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-spouses-biden-program-hault-80df0dafd913a22fd7a9074d31eeab65">put it on hold</a>&nbsp;in August, days after applicants filed their paperwork.Barker ruled Thursday that the Biden administration had overstepped its authority by implementing the program and had stretched the legal interpretation of relevant immigration law “past its breaking point.”The short-lived Biden administration initiative known as “Keeping Families Together” would have been unlikely to remain in place after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;took office in January. But its early termination creates greater uncertainty for immigrant families as many are bracing for Trump's return to the White House.Trump's election victory this week sets the stage for a swift crackdown on undocumented individuals after the Republican ran on promises of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-border-asylum-mass-deportation-a681c4980ef25e2b3a7ae670c9094f4a">“mass deportation.”</a>&nbsp;The president-elect energized his supporters on the campaign trail with a litany of anti-immigrant statements, including that immigrants were “poisoning the blood” of the nation.During his first term, Trump appointed Barker as a judge in Tyler, Texas, which lies in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a favored venue for advocates pushing conservative arguments.Barker had placed the immigration initiative on hold after Texas and 15 other states, led by their Republican attorneys general, filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-citizen-spouse-biden-d02243b21b8490c912008b896a83bcd2">legal challenge</a>&nbsp;accusing the executive branch of bypassing Congress to help immigrant families for “blatant political purposes.”Republicans argued the initiative created costs for their states and could draw more migrants to the U.S.The policy would have applied to people who have been living continuously in the U.S. for at least 10 years, do not pose a security threat and have utilized the existing legal authority known as “parole in place” that offers deportation protections.Those married to a citizen by June 17, the day before the program was announced, could pay a $580 application fee and fill out a lengthy application explaining why they deserve humanitarian parole. If approved, applicants would have three years to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-immigration-border-immigrants-11486c86ba620a04ae9dc66a3d44f346">seek permanent residency</a>&nbsp;and obtain work authorization.It was not immediately clear Thursday whether anyone had received approval under the program, which only accepted applications for about a week before the judge placed it on hold.Noncitizen spouses are already eligible for legal status but often have to apply from their home countries. The process typically includes a years-long wait outside of the U.S., which can separate family members with different immigration statuses.

Judge strikes down Biden policy for undocumented immigrant spouses 

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement and USD 430 officials were busy investigating a reported school threat on Thursday.

Just before 8a.m., Brown County sheriff's office dispatchers were alerted to a possible person with a gun at the Everest Middle School, 221 South 7th Street in Everest, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

Horton Police, the Kansas Highway Patrol, Brown County Sheriff's Office and Kickapoo police immediately responded. 

After an initial investigation was conducted, it was determined that a credible threat was never present and was a simple miscommunication.

School personnel, students and staff acted very quickly and appropriately per protocol to make sure all were safe and secure.

Merchant wrote, "We would like to remind parents and caregivers of students that USD #430and law enforcement consider the safety of your loved ones a top priority and appreciate your continued support and concerns."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731020120113.png" alt="Everest Middle School-Google image" />
 <figcaption>Everest Middle School-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement and USD 430 officials were busy investigating a reported school threat on Thursday.Just before 8a.m., Brown County sheriff's office dispatchers were alerted to a possible person with a gun at the Everest Middle School, 221 South 7th Street in Everest, according to Sheriff John Merchant.Horton Police, the Kansas Highway Patrol, Brown County Sheriff's Office and Kickapoo police immediately responded. After an initial investigation was conducted, it was determined that a credible threat was never present and was a simple miscommunication.School personnel, students and staff acted very quickly and appropriately per protocol to make sure all were safe and secure.Merchant wrote, "We would like to remind parents and caregivers of students that USD #430and law enforcement consider the safety of your loved ones a top priority and appreciate your continued support and concerns."

Sheriff's deputies investigate reported gun at Kan. middle school

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple drug allegations after an arrest.

Just after 11p.m. Nov. 4, sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 49 at the Passaic exit, approximately 25 miles east of Lacygne Kansas, according to a media release.

The Deputy made contact with the occupants and identified the two as 40-year-old Ashley C. Alexander (Burris) of Montrose and 40-year-old Amber R. Jefferies of Butler.

  During the traffic stop a K9 unit responded to the scene.  During a free air sniff of the vehicle, K9 Griff alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle.  During the subsequent search a fake soda can was located with a false compartment that contained approximately 6 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 7 grams of fentanyl.

  Several items of drug paraphernalia were also located in the vehicle.&nbsp; Under Missouri law, possession of 20 milligrams of fentanyl is considered 1st degree trafficking narcotics, a class A felony. 

  These two were in possession of over 7,000 milligrams of fentanyl.

According to <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2FDEA.gov%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0ydJB5TftUCxDiL-ojSXZ58k0BDlapXdhFnY0x0uO1b2IrPWGzxyT72Cs_aem_rxjgNOgAaim27yCOOo11XQ&amp;h=AT3oRdrUIp0F3LDhbSJIc_kdkt3GKQPKYiinnptARzTD9j9DE39jEKXdV0l_4zmeG24TT7xLNFIh429-QWSfFC1MTWrUhyzD8eSXNcXw796resals_4VSCR8mfC-vVYmziBh2HU&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT3CWTK82SnMBx7soIYY2MRx3akYX6W-iA76Yq1-JELSBAwhh3C8LKG6dvfZBo8GjpIQKDuXPEpDET_eYbJEwftWje-LYlmg_D0jBgdHCbkTkaWqf9zJCKkb-0XTWu3a1tdmnlfRnsq_12z3qiWQ1QsE3GGw5dzQ6slc7dBVA-sIlH46L67cGT5T6mmPr48ZvH61lam5WNWXbcU-8GyFYSi3bw" target="_blank">DEA.gov</a>, approximately 2 milligrams of fentanyl is fatal to the average person. Potentially, these two had enough fentanyl to kill the every person in the City of Adrian and Rich Hill combined.

 Both Jeffries and Alexander have been charged with one count of Trafficking drugs in the first degree and possession of methamphetamine.  Bonds were set at $150,000 cash only. 

  These two have an extensive criminal history related to narcotics in the region, according to the Sheriff's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730979119755.png" alt="Jeffries-photo Bates County" />
 <figcaption>Jeffries-photo Bates County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple drug allegations after an arrest.Just after 11p.m. Nov. 4, sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 49 at the Passaic exit, approximately 25 miles east of Lacygne Kansas, according to a media release.The Deputy made contact with the occupants and identified the two as 40-year-old Ashley C. Alexander (Burris) of Montrose and 40-year-old Amber R. Jefferies of Butler.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730979082801.png" alt="Alexander photo Bates Co." />
 <figcaption>Alexander photo Bates Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> During the traffic stop a K9 unit responded to the scene. During a free air sniff of the vehicle, K9 Griff alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle. During the subsequent search a fake soda can was located with a false compartment that contained approximately 6 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 7 grams of fentanyl. Several items of drug paraphernalia were also located in the vehicle.&nbsp; Under Missouri law, possession of 20 milligrams of fentanyl is considered 1st degree trafficking narcotics, a class A felony. These two were in possession of over 7,000 milligrams of fentanyl. According to <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2FDEA.gov%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0ydJB5TftUCxDiL-ojSXZ58k0BDlapXdhFnY0x0uO1b2IrPWGzxyT72Cs_aem_rxjgNOgAaim27yCOOo11XQ&amp;h=AT3oRdrUIp0F3LDhbSJIc_kdkt3GKQPKYiinnptARzTD9j9DE39jEKXdV0l_4zmeG24TT7xLNFIh429-QWSfFC1MTWrUhyzD8eSXNcXw796resals_4VSCR8mfC-vVYmziBh2HU&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT3CWTK82SnMBx7soIYY2MRx3akYX6W-iA76Yq1-JELSBAwhh3C8LKG6dvfZBo8GjpIQKDuXPEpDET_eYbJEwftWje-LYlmg_D0jBgdHCbkTkaWqf9zJCKkb-0XTWu3a1tdmnlfRnsq_12z3qiWQ1QsE3GGw5dzQ6slc7dBVA-sIlH46L67cGT5T6mmPr48ZvH61lam5WNWXbcU-8GyFYSi3bw" target="_blank">DEA.gov</a>, approximately 2 milligrams of fentanyl is fatal to the average person. Potentially, these two had enough fentanyl to kill the every person in the City of Adrian and Rich Hill combined. Both Jeffries and Alexander have been charged with one count of Trafficking drugs in the first degree and possession of methamphetamine. Bonds were set at $150,000 cash only. These two have an extensive criminal history related to narcotics in the region, according to the Sheriff's office.

Deputies found enough fentanyl to kill hundreds

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Sedgwick County Detention Deput was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of stalking, misdemeanor domestic battery, and criminal trespass, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.

Brandon Antoine, 20, has been employed with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office since July. He&nbsp;is currently suspended from duty, pending the resolution of both the criminal case and an an internal investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731000092465.png" alt="Antoine-photo Sedgwick County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Antoine-photo Sedgwick County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Sedgwick County Detention Deput was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of stalking, misdemeanor domestic battery, and criminal trespass, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.Brandon Antoine, 20, has been employed with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office since July. He&nbsp;is currently suspended from duty, pending the resolution of both the criminal case and an an internal investigation.

Kansas jail deputy accused of stalking, domestic battery

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President-elect Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has named Susie Wiles, the defacto manager of his victorious campaign, as his White House chief of staff, the first woman to hold the influential role.

Wiles is widely credited within and outside Trump’s inner circle for running what was, by far, his most disciplined and well-executed campaign, and was seen as the leading contender for the position. She largely avoided the spotlight, even refusing to take the mic to speak as Trump celebrated his victory early Wednesday morning. She resisted the formal title of campaign manager, avoiding becoming a target, given Trump’s history of cycling through people in that role.

Wiles’ hire is Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration, as he must quickly build the team that will help run the massive federal government. Wiles doesn’t bring much federal government experience to the role, but has a close relationship with the president-elect.

On the campaign, Wiles was able to do what few others have been able to: help control Trump’s impulses — not by chiding him or lecturing, but by earning his respect and showing him that he was better off when he followed her advice than flouting it.

Eight years ago, Trump tossed the careful planning of his transition team and instead hired a motley assortment of campaign aides, family members and Republican insiders who spent the better part of his first year in office engaged in infighting that dominated news coverage of the new administration. It was what many experts consider a foundational mistake that hamstrung a president who was new to Washington and government upon his swearing in.

Trump went through four chiefs of staff — including one who served in an acting capacity for a year — during his first administration, part of a record-setting personnel churn. Many top aides were cast out by Trump in his first term, who resented being made to feel managed or condescended to, while others got caught up in ideological spats within the factionalized West Wing.

Trump aides see hope that Wiles’ selection marks a sign that the president-elect is aiming to build a more cohesive team, though one that will almost certainly remain less conventional than his Democratic or Republican predecessors.

Trump, who promised in 2016 to hire “only the best people” has since repeatedly said that he believes the biggest mistake of his first term was hiring the wrong people. He was new to Washington then, he has said, and didn’t know any better. But now, Trump said, he knows the “best people” and those to avoid for roles in his administration.

“Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again," Trump said in a statement. "It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud.”

Successful chiefs of staff serve as the president’s confidant, help execute a president’s agenda and balance competing political and policy priorities. They also tend to serve as a gatekeeper, helping determine whom the president spends his time with and whom he speaks to — an effort Trump chafed under inside the White House.

The chief of staff is “absolutely critical to an effective White House,” said Chris Whipple, whose book “The Gatekeepers” details how the White House chief of staff role shapes and defines a presidency. “At the end of the day the most important thing is telling the president what he doesn’t want to hear."

“On the plus side, she’s shown that she can manage Trump, that she works with him and can sometimes tell him hard truths, and that’s really important," said Whipple. “On the minus side, she really has no White House experience and hasn’t really worked in Washington in 40 years. And that’s a real disadvantage.”

Wiles is a longtime Florida-based Republican strategist who ran Trump’s campaigns in the state in 2016 and 2020, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' successful bid for office in 2018. Before that, she ran Rick Scott’s 2010 campaign for Florida governor and briefly served as the manager of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman’s 2012 presidential campaign.

Wiles also worked in the offices of former Jacksonville mayors John Delaney and John Peyton.

Chris LaCivita, who along with Wiles served as de-facto campaign manager, described Wiles as someone who is inclusive in conversations, who seeks input from others and is steadfastly loyal.

“Susie is just functionally built differently because she has that rare commodity to be able to work on so many different important issues simultaneously,” LaCivita told The Associated Press.

Wiles was the one who was tasked with having the toughest discussions with Trump and on every pivotal conversation. She worked well with his family and developed relationships with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk that put her in position as a key conduit for Trump’s budding alliances with those men.

“She can manage really any ego that comes her way,” LaCivita said. “And she doesn’t do it by any other way other than just being very straightforward and on top of the details.”

He added: “The most important commodity in politics is honesty and loyalty and Susie has both in copious amounts.”

Wiles was seen by Trump aides as someone who could guide his moods and impulses without necessarily restraining him. Trump often referenced Wiles on the campaign trail, publicly praising her leadership of what he said he was often told was his “best-run campaign.”

“She’s incredible. Incredible,” he said at a Milwaukee rally earlier this month,

At a rally in Pennsylvania where Trump made one of his last appearances before the election, he launched into a profane and conspiracy-laden speech. Wiles was spotted standing offstage and appearing to glare at him.

Later, at a rally in Pittsburgh, Trump seemed to acknowledge his adviser's’ efforts to keep him on message.

After complaining that men aren’t allowed to call a woman “beautiful” any longer, he asked if he could strike that word from the record. “I’m allowed to do that, aren’t I, Susan Wiles?” he mused.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731020614290.png" alt="Photo courtesy Susie Wiles" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Susie Wiles</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President-elect Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has named Susie Wiles, the defacto manager of his victorious campaign, as his White House chief of staff, the first woman to hold the influential role.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731020480807.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Wiles is widely credited within and outside Trump’s inner circle for running what was, by far, his most disciplined and well-executed campaign, and was seen as the leading contender for the position. She largely avoided the spotlight, even refusing to take the mic to speak as Trump celebrated his victory early Wednesday morning. She resisted the formal title of campaign manager, avoiding becoming a target, given Trump’s history of cycling through people in that role.Wiles’ hire is Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration, as he must quickly build the team that will help run the massive federal government. Wiles doesn’t bring much federal government experience to the role, but has a close relationship with the president-elect.On the campaign, Wiles was able to do what few others have been able to: help control Trump’s impulses — not by chiding him or lecturing, but by earning his respect and showing him that he was better off when he followed her advice than flouting it.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This is great news. Susie was a huge asset to President Trump on the campaign and will be a huge asset in the White House. She&#39;s also just a really good person. Onward! <a href="https://t.co/Yj1aLYK4So">pic.twitter.com/Yj1aLYK4So</a>&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1854656937813852476?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Eight years ago, Trump tossed the careful planning of his transition team and instead hired a motley assortment of campaign aides, family members and Republican insiders who spent the better part of his first year in office engaged in infighting that dominated news coverage of the new administration. It was what many experts consider a foundational mistake that hamstrung a president who was new to Washington and government upon his swearing in.Trump went through four chiefs of staff — including one who served in an acting capacity for a year — during his first administration, part of a record-setting personnel churn. Many top aides were cast out by Trump in his first term, who resented being made to feel managed or condescended to, while others got caught up in ideological spats within the factionalized West Wing.Trump aides see hope that Wiles’ selection marks a sign that the president-elect is aiming to build a more cohesive team, though one that will almost certainly remain less conventional than his Democratic or Republican predecessors.Trump, who promised in 2016 to hire “only the best people” has since repeatedly said that he believes the biggest mistake of his first term was hiring the wrong people. He was new to Washington then, he has said, and didn’t know any better. But now, Trump said, he knows the “best people” and those to avoid for roles in his administration.“Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again," Trump said in a statement. "It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud.”Successful chiefs of staff serve as the president’s confidant, help execute a president’s agenda and balance competing political and policy priorities. They also tend to serve as a gatekeeper, helping determine whom the president spends his time with and whom he speaks to — an effort Trump chafed under inside the White House.The chief of staff is “absolutely critical to an effective White House,” said Chris Whipple, whose book “The Gatekeepers” details how the White House chief of staff role shapes and defines a presidency. “At the end of the day the most important thing is telling the president what he doesn’t want to hear."“On the plus side, she’s shown that she can manage Trump, that she works with him and can sometimes tell him hard truths, and that’s really important," said Whipple. “On the minus side, she really has no White House experience and hasn’t really worked in Washington in 40 years. And that’s a real disadvantage.”Wiles is a longtime Florida-based Republican strategist who ran Trump’s campaigns in the state in 2016 and 2020, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' successful bid for office in 2018. Before that, she ran Rick Scott’s 2010 campaign for Florida governor and briefly served as the manager of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman’s 2012 presidential campaign.Wiles also worked in the offices of former Jacksonville mayors John Delaney and John Peyton.Chris LaCivita, who along with Wiles served as de-facto campaign manager, described Wiles as someone who is inclusive in conversations, who seeks input from others and is steadfastly loyal.“Susie is just functionally built differently because she has that rare commodity to be able to work on so many different important issues simultaneously,” LaCivita told The Associated Press.Wiles was the one who was tasked with having the toughest discussions with Trump and on every pivotal conversation. She worked well with his family and developed relationships with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk that put her in position as a key conduit for Trump’s budding alliances with those men.“She can manage really any ego that comes her way,” LaCivita said. “And she doesn’t do it by any other way other than just being very straightforward and on top of the details.”He added: “The most important commodity in politics is honesty and loyalty and Susie has both in copious amounts.”Wiles was seen by Trump aides as someone who could guide his moods and impulses without necessarily restraining him. Trump often referenced Wiles on the campaign trail, publicly praising her leadership of what he said he was often told was his “best-run campaign.”“She’s incredible. Incredible,” he said at a Milwaukee rally earlier this month,At a rally in Pennsylvania where Trump made one of his last appearances before the election, he launched into a profane and conspiracy-laden speech. Wiles was spotted standing offstage and appearing to glare at him.Later, at a rally in Pittsburgh, Trump seemed to acknowledge his adviser's’ efforts to keep him on message.After complaining that men aren’t allowed to call a woman “beautiful” any longer, he asked if he could strike that word from the record. “I’m allowed to do that, aren’t I, Susan Wiles?” he mused.

History: Trump names first ever female White House chief of staff

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 7p.m. Wednesday in Wyandotte County.

Lansing law enforcement is reporting a major accident at the intersection of K-7 (Main St.) and 4H Rd. Please avoid the area so first responders can do their job.

Police in Lansing reported a coach bus was southbound on Kansas 7/ Main Street at 4H Road.&nbsp; A sedan attempted to make a left turn at the intersection and collided with the bus, according to a media release. The driver of the sedan was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no other injuries reported.

Police have not released the name of the driver who died. The crash remains under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731017739533.png" alt="First responders at the scene&nbsp; photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene&nbsp; photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 7p.m. Wednesday in Wyandotte County.Lansing law enforcement is reporting a major accident at the intersection of K-7 (Main St.) and 4H Rd. Please avoid the area so first responders can do their job.Police in Lansing reported a coach bus was southbound on Kansas 7/ Main Street at 4H Road.&nbsp; A sedan attempted to make a left turn at the intersection and collided with the bus, according to a media release. The driver of the sedan was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no other injuries reported.Police have not released the name of the driver who died. The crash remains under investigation.

Driver dies after car, bus crash on Kansas highway

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;name wasn't on the ballot, but history will likely remember&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris'</a>&nbsp;resounding defeat as his loss too.

As Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-trump-harris-election-future-5bf8bd0ca6683119a846abd446544407">pick up the pieces</a>&nbsp;after President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;decisive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">victory</a>, some of the vice president's backers are expressing frustration that Biden's decision to seek reelection until this summer — despite long-standing voter concerns about his age and unease about post-pandemic inflation as well as the U.S.-Mexico border — all but sealed his party's surrender of the White House.

“The biggest onus of this loss is on President Biden,” said Andrew Yang, who ran against Biden in 2020 for the Democratic nomination and endorsed Harris’ unsuccessful run. “If he had stepped down in January instead of July, we may be in a very different place.”

Biden will leave office after leading the United States out of the worst pandemic in a century, galvanizing international support for Ukraine after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion</a>&nbsp;and passing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">$1 trillion infrastructure bill</a>&nbsp;that will affect communities for years to come.

But having run four years ago against Trump to “restore the soul of the country,” Biden will make way after just one term for his immediate predecessor, who overcame two impeachments, a felony conviction and an insurrection launched by his supporters. Trump has pledged to radically reshape the federal government and roll back many of Biden's priorities.

“Maybe in 20 or 30 years, history will remember Biden for some of these achievements,” said Thom Reilly, co-director of the Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy at Arizona State University. “But in the shorter term, I don’t know he escapes the legacy of being the president who beat Donald Trump only to usher in another Donald Trump administration four years later.”

The president on Wednesday stayed out of sight for the second straight day, making congratulatory calls to Democratic lawmakers who won downballot races and to Trump. Biden invited Trump for a White House meeting, and the president-elect accepted.

Biden is set to deliver a Rose Garden address Thursday about the election. He issued a statement shortly after Harris delivered her concession speech Wednesday, praising Harris for running an “historic campaign” under “extraordinary circumstances.”

Some high-ranking Democrats, including three advisers to the Harris campaign, expressed deep frustration with Biden for failing to recognize earlier in the election cycle that he was not up to the challenge. The advisers spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.

Biden, 81, ended his reelection campaign in July, weeks after an abysmal debate performance sent his party into a spiral and raised questions about whether he still had the mental acuity and stamina to serve as a credible nominee.

But polling long beforehand showed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-poll-trump-2024-620e0a5cfa0039a6448f607c17c7f23e">many Americans worried about his age</a>. Some 77% of Americans said in August 2023 that Biden was too old to be effective for four more years, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-poll-trump-2024-620e0a5cfa0039a6448f607c17c7f23e">a poll</a>&nbsp;by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs.

The president&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">bowed out on July 21</a>&nbsp;after getting not-so-subtle nudges from Democratic Party powers, including former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California. Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">endorsed Harris</a>&nbsp;and handed over his campaign operation to her.

Yang argued that Democratic Party leaders also deserve blame for taking too long to push out Biden. With few exceptions, most notably Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, Democrats shied away talking publicly about Biden's age.

“Why was this not coming from any Democratic leaders?" Yang said. “It’s a lack of courage and independence and an excess of careerism, if I just keep my mouth shut, we’ll just keep on trucking along.”

The campaign was also saddled by anger among some Arab American and young voters over its approach to Israel's conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an ally of Biden and Harris, said in a statement that Democrats lost the thread on working class Americans' concerns.

“Will the big money interests and well-paid consultants who control the Democratic Party learn any real lessons from this disastrous campaign?” the Vermont independent said. “Will they understand the pain and political alienation that tens of millions of Americans are experiencing?”

Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison took to social media Thursday to push back on Sanders' critique, saying that Biden was “the most-pro worker President of my life time.”

Harris managed to spur far greater enthusiasm than Biden was generating from the party's base. But she struggled to distinguish how her administration would differ from Biden's.

Appearing on ABC’s “The View” in September, Harris&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-stern-view-colbert-60-minutes-daddy-5a2af60ba0b1099e19cca151955c9855">was not able to identify</a>&nbsp;a decision where she would have separated herself from Biden. “There is not a thing that comes to mind,” Harris said, giving the Trump campaign a sound bite it replayed through Election Day.

The strategists advising the Harris campaign said the compressed campaign timetable made it even more difficult for Harris to differentiate herself from the president.

Had Biden stepped aside early in the year, they said, it would have given Democrats enough time to hold a primary. Going through the paces of an intraparty contest would have forced Harris or another eventual nominee to more aggressively stake out differences with Biden.

The strategists acknowledged that overcoming broad dissatisfaction among the American electorate about rising costs in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic and broad concerns about the U.S. immigration system weighed heavy on the minds of voters in key states.

Still, they said that Biden had left Democrats in an untenable place.

Harris senior adviser David Plouffe in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/davidplouffe/status/1854244538036195432?s=46">a posting on X</a>&nbsp;called it a “devastating loss.” Plouffe did not assign blame and said the Harris campaign “dug out of a deep hole but not enough.” The post was later deleted.

At the vice president's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-election-ddeae9fb378530159201ef4196cba9b3">concession speech</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, some Harris supporters said they wished the vice president had had more time to make her pitch to American voters.

“I think that would have made a huge difference," said Jerushatalla Pallay, a Howard University student who attended the speech at the center of her campus.

Republicans are poised to control the White House and Senate. Control of the House has yet to be determined.

Matt Bennett, executive vice president at the Democratic-aligned group Third Way, said this moment was the most devastating the party has faced in his lifetime.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730999745270.png" alt="File image White House" />
 <figcaption>File image White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;name wasn't on the ballot, but history will likely remember&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris'</a>&nbsp;resounding defeat as his loss too.As Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-trump-harris-election-future-5bf8bd0ca6683119a846abd446544407">pick up the pieces</a>&nbsp;after President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;decisive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">victory</a>, some of the vice president's backers are expressing frustration that Biden's decision to seek reelection until this summer — despite long-standing voter concerns about his age and unease about post-pandemic inflation as well as the U.S.-Mexico border — all but sealed his party's surrender of the White House.“The biggest onus of this loss is on President Biden,” said Andrew Yang, who ran against Biden in 2020 for the Democratic nomination and endorsed Harris’ unsuccessful run. “If he had stepped down in January instead of July, we may be in a very different place.”Biden will leave office after leading the United States out of the worst pandemic in a century, galvanizing international support for Ukraine after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion</a>&nbsp;and passing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">$1 trillion infrastructure bill</a>&nbsp;that will affect communities for years to come.But having run four years ago against Trump to “restore the soul of the country,” Biden will make way after just one term for his immediate predecessor, who overcame two impeachments, a felony conviction and an insurrection launched by his supporters. Trump has pledged to radically reshape the federal government and roll back many of Biden's priorities.“Maybe in 20 or 30 years, history will remember Biden for some of these achievements,” said Thom Reilly, co-director of the Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy at Arizona State University. “But in the shorter term, I don’t know he escapes the legacy of being the president who beat Donald Trump only to usher in another Donald Trump administration four years later.”The president on Wednesday stayed out of sight for the second straight day, making congratulatory calls to Democratic lawmakers who won downballot races and to Trump. Biden invited Trump for a White House meeting, and the president-elect accepted.Biden is set to deliver a Rose Garden address Thursday about the election. He issued a statement shortly after Harris delivered her concession speech Wednesday, praising Harris for running an “historic campaign” under “extraordinary circumstances.”Some high-ranking Democrats, including three advisers to the Harris campaign, expressed deep frustration with Biden for failing to recognize earlier in the election cycle that he was not up to the challenge. The advisers spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.Biden, 81, ended his reelection campaign in July, weeks after an abysmal debate performance sent his party into a spiral and raised questions about whether he still had the mental acuity and stamina to serve as a credible nominee.But polling long beforehand showed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-poll-trump-2024-620e0a5cfa0039a6448f607c17c7f23e">many Americans worried about his age</a>. Some 77% of Americans said in August 2023 that Biden was too old to be effective for four more years, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-poll-trump-2024-620e0a5cfa0039a6448f607c17c7f23e">a poll</a>&nbsp;by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs.The president&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">bowed out on July 21</a>&nbsp;after getting not-so-subtle nudges from Democratic Party powers, including former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California. Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">endorsed Harris</a>&nbsp;and handed over his campaign operation to her.Yang argued that Democratic Party leaders also deserve blame for taking too long to push out Biden. With few exceptions, most notably Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, Democrats shied away talking publicly about Biden's age.“Why was this not coming from any Democratic leaders?" Yang said. “It’s a lack of courage and independence and an excess of careerism, if I just keep my mouth shut, we’ll just keep on trucking along.”The campaign was also saddled by anger among some Arab American and young voters over its approach to Israel's conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an ally of Biden and Harris, said in a statement that Democrats lost the thread on working class Americans' concerns.“Will the big money interests and well-paid consultants who control the Democratic Party learn any real lessons from this disastrous campaign?” the Vermont independent said. “Will they understand the pain and political alienation that tens of millions of Americans are experiencing?”Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison took to social media Thursday to push back on Sanders' critique, saying that Biden was “the most-pro worker President of my life time.”Harris managed to spur far greater enthusiasm than Biden was generating from the party's base. But she struggled to distinguish how her administration would differ from Biden's.Appearing on ABC’s “The View” in September, Harris&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-stern-view-colbert-60-minutes-daddy-5a2af60ba0b1099e19cca151955c9855">was not able to identify</a>&nbsp;a decision where she would have separated herself from Biden. “There is not a thing that comes to mind,” Harris said, giving the Trump campaign a sound bite it replayed through Election Day.The strategists advising the Harris campaign said the compressed campaign timetable made it even more difficult for Harris to differentiate herself from the president.Had Biden stepped aside early in the year, they said, it would have given Democrats enough time to hold a primary. Going through the paces of an intraparty contest would have forced Harris or another eventual nominee to more aggressively stake out differences with Biden.The strategists acknowledged that overcoming broad dissatisfaction among the American electorate about rising costs in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic and broad concerns about the U.S. immigration system weighed heavy on the minds of voters in key states.Still, they said that Biden had left Democrats in an untenable place.Harris senior adviser David Plouffe in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/davidplouffe/status/1854244538036195432?s=46">a posting on X</a>&nbsp;called it a “devastating loss.” Plouffe did not assign blame and said the Harris campaign “dug out of a deep hole but not enough.” The post was later deleted.At the vice president's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-election-ddeae9fb378530159201ef4196cba9b3">concession speech</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, some Harris supporters said they wished the vice president had had more time to make her pitch to American voters.“I think that would have made a huge difference," said Jerushatalla Pallay, a Howard University student who attended the speech at the center of her campus.Republicans are poised to control the White House and Senate. Control of the House has yet to be determined.Matt Bennett, executive vice president at the Democratic-aligned group Third Way, said this moment was the most devastating the party has faced in his lifetime.

Harris' allies blame Biden for her resounding loss to Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Thursday by a quarter-point in response to the steady decline in the once-high inflation that had angered Americans and helped drive Donald Trump’s presidential election victory this week.

The rate cut follows a larger half-point reduction in September, and it reflects the Fed’s renewed focus on supporting the job market as well as fighting inflation, which now barely exceeds the central bank’s 2% target.

Thursday's move reduces the Fed’s benchmark rate to about 4.6%, down from a four-decade high of 5.3% before September's meeting. The Fed had kept its rate that high for more than a year to fight the worst inflation streak in four decades. Annual inflation has since fallen from a 9.1% peak in mid-2022 to a 3 1/2-year low of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-cd6d9712bfd484d6e1bc4ccb958dcf23">2.4% in September</a>.

Asked at a news conference how Trump's election might affect the Fed's policymaking, Chair Jerome Powell said that "in the near term, the election will have no effects on our (interest rate) decisions.”

But Trump’s election, beyond its economic consequences, has raised the specter of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vance-federal-reserve-inflation-rates-independent-a8fc72d3d67bcd64ba54b9d086db1275">meddling</a>&nbsp;by the White House in the Fed’s policy decisions. Trump has proclaimed that as president, he should have a voice in the central bank’s interest rate decisions. The Fed has long guarded its role as an independent institution able to make difficult decisions about borrowing rates, free from political interference. Yet during his previous term in the White House, Trump publicly attacked Powell after the Fed raised rates to fight inflation, and he may do so again.

Asked at Thursday's news conference whether he would resign if Trump asked him to, Powell, who will have a year left in his second four-year term as Fed chair when Trump takes office, replied simply, “No.”

And he said that in his view, Trump could not fire or demote him: It would “not be permitted under the law,” Powell said.

In a statement after its latest meeting ended, the Fed said the “unemployment rate has moved up but remains low,” and while inflation has fallen closer to the 2% target level, it “remains somewhat elevated.”

After their rate cut in September — their first such move in more than four years — the Fed’s policymakers had projected that they would make further quarter-point cuts in November and December and four more next year. But with the economy now mostly solid and Wall Street anticipating faster growth, larger budget deficits and higher inflation under a Trump presidency, further rate cuts may have become less likely.

Powell said the Fed intends, over time, to keep reducing its key rate toward what the central bank calls “neutral” — a level that neither restricts nor stimulates growth. He and other officials have acknowledged that they don’t know exactly where the neutral rate is.

“We’re on a path to a more neutral stance,” the Fed chair said. “That has not changed at all. We’re just going to have to see where the data is.”

The economy is clouding the picture by flashing conflicting signals, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-growth-inflation-gdp-consumers-federal-reserve-6a3fbfb5790b07434d656a95865b7435">growth solid</a>&nbsp;but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-election-economy-inflation-unemployment-presidential-dcf54cd3b40f01ca78bccf86cd8e13d5">hiring weakening</a>. Consumer spending, though, has been healthy, fueling concerns that there is no need for the Fed to reduce borrowing costs and that doing so might overstimulate the economy and even re-accelerate inflation.

Financial markets are throwing yet another curve at the Fed: Investors have sharply pushed up Treasury yields since the central bank cut rates in September. The result has been higher borrowing costs throughout the economy, thereby diminishing the benefit to consumers of the Fed’s half-point cut in its benchmark rate, which it announced after its September meeting.

Broader interest rates have risen because investors are anticipating higher inflation, larger federal budget deficits, and faster economic growth under a President-elect Trump. Trump’s plan to impose at least a 10% tariff on all imports, as well as significantly higher taxes on Chinese goods, and to carry out a mass deportation of undocumented immigrants would almost certainly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inflation-tariffs-taxes-immigration-federal-reserve-a18de763fcc01557258c7f33cab375ed">boost inflation</a>. This would make it less likely that the Fed would continue cutting its key rate. Annual inflation as measured by the central bank’s preferred gauge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-election-federal-reserve-rates-economy-e4ff4b6745ea1c8badd6a0502f372f25">fell to 2.1% in September</a>.

Economists at Goldman Sachs estimate that Trump’s proposed 10% tariff, as well as his proposed taxes on Chinese imports and autos from Mexico, could send inflation back up to about 2.75% to 3% by mid-2026.

Rate cuts by the Fed typically lead to lower borrowing costs for consumers and businesses over time. Yet this time, mortgage rates fell in anticipation of rate cuts but have since bounced back up as the economy has grown briskly, fueled by consumer spending. High borrowing costs not only for mortgages but also for car loans and other major purchases, even as the Fed is reducing its benchmark rate, has set up a potential challenge for the central bank: Its effort to support the economy by lowering borrowing costs may not bear fruit if investors are acting to boost longer-term borrowing rates.

The economy grew at a solid annual rate just below 3% over the past six months, while consumer spending — fueled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-consumers-inflation-retail-spending-growth-wealth-be68f97bba5970ed4ce4fc8b8c7333af">higher-income shoppers</a>&nbsp;— rose strongly in the July-September quarter.

But companies have scaled back hiring, with many people who are out of work struggling to find jobs. Powell has suggested that the Fed is reducing its key rate in part to bolster the job market. If economic growth continues at a healthy clip and inflation climbs again, though, the central bank will come under growing pressure to slow or stop its rate cuts.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Thursday by a quarter-point in response to the steady decline in the once-high inflation that had angered Americans and helped drive Donald Trump’s presidential election victory this week.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell: &quot;Today, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> decided to take another step in reducing the degree of policy restraint by lowering our policy interest rate by a quarter percentage point.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/izLKXeJsIr">pic.twitter.com/izLKXeJsIr</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854612447262298282?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The rate cut follows a larger half-point reduction in September, and it reflects the Fed’s renewed focus on supporting the job market as well as fighting inflation, which now barely exceeds the central bank’s 2% target.Thursday's move reduces the Fed’s benchmark rate to about 4.6%, down from a four-decade high of 5.3% before September's meeting. The Fed had kept its rate that high for more than a year to fight the worst inflation streak in four decades. Annual inflation has since fallen from a 9.1% peak in mid-2022 to a 3 1/2-year low of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-cd6d9712bfd484d6e1bc4ccb958dcf23">2.4% in September</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell: &quot;In the near term, the election will have no effects on our policy decisions...in principle, it&#39;s possible that any administration&#39;s policies...could have economic effects over time that would matter for our pursuit of our dual mandate goals.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/uULaIv4Owd">pic.twitter.com/uULaIv4Owd</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854612626883354815?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Asked at a news conference how Trump's election might affect the Fed's policymaking, Chair Jerome Powell said that "in the near term, the election will have no effects on our (interest rate) decisions.”But Trump’s election, beyond its economic consequences, has raised the specter of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vance-federal-reserve-inflation-rates-independent-a8fc72d3d67bcd64ba54b9d086db1275">meddling</a>&nbsp;by the White House in the Fed’s policy decisions. Trump has proclaimed that as president, he should have a voice in the central bank’s interest rate decisions. The Fed has long guarded its role as an independent institution able to make difficult decisions about borrowing rates, free from political interference. Yet during his previous term in the White House, Trump publicly attacked Powell after the Fed raised rates to fight inflation, and he may do so again.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/vtg2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vtg2</a>: &quot;Some of the president-elect&#39;s advisers have suggested that you should resign. If he asked to leave, would you go?&quot; Fed Chair Jerome Powell: &quot;No.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/FNa2ybEo4j">pic.twitter.com/FNa2ybEo4j</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854618592295227726?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Asked at Thursday's news conference whether he would resign if Trump asked him to, Powell, who will have a year left in his second four-year term as Fed chair when Trump takes office, replied simply, “No.”And he said that in his view, Trump could not fire or demote him: It would “not be permitted under the law,” Powell said.In a statement after its latest meeting ended, the Fed said the “unemployment rate has moved up but remains low,” and while inflation has fallen closer to the 2% target level, it “remains somewhat elevated.”After their rate cut in September — their first such move in more than four years — the Fed’s policymakers had projected that they would make further quarter-point cuts in November and December and four more next year. But with the economy now mostly solid and Wall Street anticipating faster growth, larger budget deficits and higher inflation under a Trump presidency, further rate cuts may have become less likely.Powell said the Fed intends, over time, to keep reducing its key rate toward what the central bank calls “neutral” — a level that neither restricts nor stimulates growth. He and other officials have acknowledged that they don’t know exactly where the neutral rate is.“We’re on a path to a more neutral stance,” the Fed chair said. “That has not changed at all. We’re just going to have to see where the data is.”The economy is clouding the picture by flashing conflicting signals, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-growth-inflation-gdp-consumers-federal-reserve-6a3fbfb5790b07434d656a95865b7435">growth solid</a>&nbsp;but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-election-economy-inflation-unemployment-presidential-dcf54cd3b40f01ca78bccf86cd8e13d5">hiring weakening</a>. Consumer spending, though, has been healthy, fueling concerns that there is no need for the Fed to reduce borrowing costs and that doing so might overstimulate the economy and even re-accelerate inflation.Financial markets are throwing yet another curve at the Fed: Investors have sharply pushed up Treasury yields since the central bank cut rates in September. The result has been higher borrowing costs throughout the economy, thereby diminishing the benefit to consumers of the Fed’s half-point cut in its benchmark rate, which it announced after its September meeting.Broader interest rates have risen because investors are anticipating higher inflation, larger federal budget deficits, and faster economic growth under a President-elect Trump. Trump’s plan to impose at least a 10% tariff on all imports, as well as significantly higher taxes on Chinese goods, and to carry out a mass deportation of undocumented immigrants would almost certainly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inflation-tariffs-taxes-immigration-federal-reserve-a18de763fcc01557258c7f33cab375ed">boost inflation</a>. This would make it less likely that the Fed would continue cutting its key rate. Annual inflation as measured by the central bank’s preferred gauge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-election-federal-reserve-rates-economy-e4ff4b6745ea1c8badd6a0502f372f25">fell to 2.1% in September</a>.Economists at Goldman Sachs estimate that Trump’s proposed 10% tariff, as well as his proposed taxes on Chinese imports and autos from Mexico, could send inflation back up to about 2.75% to 3% by mid-2026.Rate cuts by the Fed typically lead to lower borrowing costs for consumers and businesses over time. Yet this time, mortgage rates fell in anticipation of rate cuts but have since bounced back up as the economy has grown briskly, fueled by consumer spending. High borrowing costs not only for mortgages but also for car loans and other major purchases, even as the Fed is reducing its benchmark rate, has set up a potential challenge for the central bank: Its effort to support the economy by lowering borrowing costs may not bear fruit if investors are acting to boost longer-term borrowing rates.The economy grew at a solid annual rate just below 3% over the past six months, while consumer spending — fueled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-consumers-inflation-retail-spending-growth-wealth-be68f97bba5970ed4ce4fc8b8c7333af">higher-income shoppers</a>&nbsp;— rose strongly in the July-September quarter.But companies have scaled back hiring, with many people who are out of work struggling to find jobs. Powell has suggested that the Fed is reducing its key rate in part to bolster the job market. If economic growth continues at a healthy clip and inflation climbs again, though, the central bank will come under growing pressure to slow or stop its rate cuts.

🎥 Good news for borrowers: Fed cuts interest rates again

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Chuck and Cathie Baldwin were driving in the dark early on Election Day to work a shift at their polling place in rural Missouri when floodwaters overtopped a creek and swept their vehicle off the road. The couple, married for more than half a century, were later found dead, clinging to a tree and to each other.

Wright County Sheriff Sonny Byerley said the Baldwins — who regularly volunteered to help in elections — tried to swim to dry ground but drowned, among at least five people killed Tuesday as torrential rains drenched the state.

“When I’d go to the polling locations, they were there and they were always happy to be a part of it," said Byerley, who polices the county of about 19,000 residents, 210 miles (340 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City. “They did believe in the American republic and the polling system.”

The state's highway patrol and the sheriff have not released their names, saying only that the man who died was 70 and the woman was 73. But the Baldwins' daughter, Michelle Baldwin-Bostian, of North Carolina, confirmed their identities Wednesday.

News spread fast among the couple's friends in tiny, tightknit unincorporated Manes, Missouri, where voters filled out their ballots in a music hall that regularly hosts performances by local artists.

In this heavily Republican-leaning community, the Baldwins were rare Democrats, which is why they were tapped to join a bipartisan team working the polls, said 52-year-old Patty Squirell, who worked with Cathie Baldwin at a liquor store in nearby Mountain Grove.

“Cathie was an angel here on earth,” she said. "She was so nonjudgmental and so loving and so kind. And we’re all in deep mourning.”

Tanisha Ledford, who lived on the same dirt road as the couple for a decade, remembered how they watched her children when she was working three jobs, sometimes not getting home until 3 a.m.

“You couldn’t go wrong with either one of them,” Ledford said. “Chuck stood up for the innocent, and Cathie would feed the poor. She did. I watched her do it. No one went hungry around her.”

Lindsi Snyder, a teacher at Manes Elementary, said her parents were close to the Baldwins. She described how Chuck wasn't even 18 when he met Cathie and that the besotted young couple decided very quickly that they wanted to marry.

In 2022, Cathie Baldwin marked their 52nd wedding anniversary with a Facebook post calling Chuck “the love of my life.”

The sheriff said the Baldwins were driving in the dark on a two-lane highway around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday when their car was suddenly swept away by floodwaters from the fast-rising Beaver Creek.

Three teenage boys in another car that was swept away at about the same time were able to swim to safety, and they knocked on the door of a nearby house to call 911. Byerley said the boys then returned to the surging water to try to reach the Baldwins.

“They were out of their car, clinging to a tree,” Byerley said of the couple.

But the current was too strong and the teens couldn’t get to them.

Byerley used a drone and spotted the hugging couple holding onto low-lying tree limbs, but rescuers were unable to reach them in time. Cathie and Chuck died in each other's arms, the sheriff said.

Snyder arrived at the music hall later that morning. She recalled how she and Chuck always teased each other and that she had commented to her daughter that she couldn't wait to see him at the polling place.

After she voted, she asked an election worker where Chuck was.

“And they go: ‘Lindsi, you didn’t know?’"

Snyder said she immediately burst into tears. Her friends had drowned about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the music hall.

“He would do anything for anybody," she said of Chuck, a retired construction worker. "He was just a good person. They both were.”

More than 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain has fallen on parts of the state since Sunday, and flooding has closed more than 100 roads and highways statewide. More rain is forecast for Saturday.

The fast-rising Meramec River threatened several homes and businesses on the outskirts of St. Louis, including in Pacific, Missouri, where city leaders encouraged many of its 7,500 residents to evacuate their homes. Officials canceled classes in schools in and around Pacific for the rest of the week.

The river is expected to crest Friday at a level that could lead to extensive flooding. The city was providing sand and bags for those who want to makeshift flood barriers. Authorities warned that the river could also swamp homes, and close roads and a state park in nearby Eureka, Missouri.

Missouri state Rep. Hannah Kelly, a Republican representing Wright County, said she knew the Baldwins and sometimes bumped into them at auctions.

“No matter what party line a person falls on today, no matter whether you’re sad or happy the morning after the election, I think we all can agree that it’s heart wrenching,” Kelly said.

Their former neighbor meanwhile pondered that the Baldwins died together while performing a service for the community.

“I wholeheartedly believe the Lord planned that one because neither one of them could have been without the other in any way, shape or form,” Ledford said. “They were actually made for each other. You know, people say that, but that actually happened with them.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731006344386.png" alt="photo Missouri State Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>photo Missouri State Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Chuck and Cathie Baldwin were driving in the dark early on Election Day to work a shift at their polling place in rural Missouri when floodwaters overtopped a creek and swept their vehicle off the road. The couple, married for more than half a century, were later found dead, clinging to a tree and to each other.Wright County Sheriff Sonny Byerley said the Baldwins — who regularly volunteered to help in elections — tried to swim to dry ground but drowned, among at least five people killed Tuesday as torrential rains drenched the state.“When I’d go to the polling locations, they were there and they were always happy to be a part of it," said Byerley, who polices the county of about 19,000 residents, 210 miles (340 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City. “They did believe in the American republic and the polling system.”The state's highway patrol and the sheriff have not released their names, saying only that the man who died was 70 and the woman was 73. But the Baldwins' daughter, Michelle Baldwin-Bostian, of North Carolina, confirmed their identities Wednesday.News spread fast among the couple's friends in tiny, tightknit unincorporated Manes, Missouri, where voters filled out their ballots in a music hall that regularly hosts performances by local artists.In this heavily Republican-leaning community, the Baldwins were rare Democrats, which is why they were tapped to join a bipartisan team working the polls, said 52-year-old Patty Squirell, who worked with Cathie Baldwin at a liquor store in nearby Mountain Grove.“Cathie was an angel here on earth,” she said. "She was so nonjudgmental and so loving and so kind. And we’re all in deep mourning.”Tanisha Ledford, who lived on the same dirt road as the couple for a decade, remembered how they watched her children when she was working three jobs, sometimes not getting home until 3 a.m.“You couldn’t go wrong with either one of them,” Ledford said. “Chuck stood up for the innocent, and Cathie would feed the poor. She did. I watched her do it. No one went hungry around her.”Lindsi Snyder, a teacher at Manes Elementary, said her parents were close to the Baldwins. She described how Chuck wasn't even 18 when he met Cathie and that the besotted young couple decided very quickly that they wanted to marry.In 2022, Cathie Baldwin marked their 52nd wedding anniversary with a Facebook post calling Chuck “the love of my life.”The sheriff said the Baldwins were driving in the dark on a two-lane highway around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday when their car was suddenly swept away by floodwaters from the fast-rising Beaver Creek.Three teenage boys in another car that was swept away at about the same time were able to swim to safety, and they knocked on the door of a nearby house to call 911. Byerley said the boys then returned to the surging water to try to reach the Baldwins.“They were out of their car, clinging to a tree,” Byerley said of the couple.But the current was too strong and the teens couldn’t get to them.Byerley used a drone and spotted the hugging couple holding onto low-lying tree limbs, but rescuers were unable to reach them in time. Cathie and Chuck died in each other's arms, the sheriff said.Snyder arrived at the music hall later that morning. She recalled how she and Chuck always teased each other and that she had commented to her daughter that she couldn't wait to see him at the polling place.After she voted, she asked an election worker where Chuck was.“And they go: ‘Lindsi, you didn’t know?’"Snyder said she immediately burst into tears. Her friends had drowned about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the music hall.“He would do anything for anybody," she said of Chuck, a retired construction worker. "He was just a good person. They both were.”More than 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain has fallen on parts of the state since Sunday, and flooding has closed more than 100 roads and highways statewide. More rain is forecast for Saturday.The fast-rising Meramec River threatened several homes and businesses on the outskirts of St. Louis, including in Pacific, Missouri, where city leaders encouraged many of its 7,500 residents to evacuate their homes. Officials canceled classes in schools in and around Pacific for the rest of the week.The river is expected to crest Friday at a level that could lead to extensive flooding. The city was providing sand and bags for those who want to makeshift flood barriers. Authorities warned that the river could also swamp homes, and close roads and a state park in nearby Eureka, Missouri.Missouri state Rep. Hannah Kelly, a Republican representing Wright County, said she knew the Baldwins and sometimes bumped into them at auctions.“No matter what party line a person falls on today, no matter whether you’re sad or happy the morning after the election, I think we all can agree that it’s heart wrenching,” Kelly said.Their former neighbor meanwhile pondered that the Baldwins died together while performing a service for the community.“I wholeheartedly believe the Lord planned that one because neither one of them could have been without the other in any way, shape or form,” Ledford said. “They were actually made for each other. You know, people say that, but that actually happened with them.”

Volunteer poll workers drown on a flood-washed rural highway 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has promised sweeping action in a second administration.

The former president and now president-elect often skipped over details but through more than a year of policy pronouncements and written statements outlined a wide-ranging agenda that blends traditional conservative approaches to taxes, regulation and cultural issues with a more populist bent on trade and a shift in America's international role.

Trump's agenda also would scale back federal government efforts on civil rights and expand presidential powers.

“Build the wall!” from his 2016 campaign has become creating “the largest mass deportation program in history.” Trump has called for using the National Guard and empowering domestic police forces in the effort. Still, Trump has been scant on details of what the program would look like and how he would ensure that it targeted only people in the U.S. illegally. He’s pitched “ideological screening” for would-be entrants, ending birth-right citizenship (which almost certainly would require a constitutional change), and said he’d reinstitute first-term policies such as “Remain in Mexico,” limiting migrants on public health grounds and severely limiting or banning entrants from certain majority-Muslim nations. Altogether, the approach would not just crack down on illegal migration, but curtail immigration overall.

Trump played down abortion as a second-term priority, even as he took credit for the Supreme Court ending a woman’s federal right to terminate a pregnancy and returning abortion regulation to state governments. At Trump’s insistence, the GOP platform, for the first time in decades, did not call for a national ban on abortion. Trump maintains that overturning Roe v. Wade is enough on the federal level. Trump said last month on his social media platform Truth Social that he would veto a federal abortion ban if legislation reached his desk.

But in an example of how the conservative movement might proceed with or without Trump, anti-abortion activists note that the GOP platform still asserts that a fetus should have due process protections under the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. That constitutional argument is a roadmap for conservatives to seek a national abortion ban through federal courts.

Trump’s tax policies broadly tilt toward corporations and wealthier Americans. That’s mostly due to his promise to extend his 2017 tax overhaul, with a few notable changes that include lowering the corporate income tax rate to 15% from the current 21%. That also involves rolling back Democratic President Joe Biden’s income tax hikes on the wealthiest Americans and scrapping Inflation Reduction Act levies that finance energy measures intended to combat climate change.

Those policies notwithstanding, Trump has put more emphasis on new proposals aimed at working- and middle class Americans: exempting earned tips, Social Security wages and overtime wages from income taxes. It’s noteworthy, however, that his proposal on tips, depending on how Congress might write it, could give a back-door tax break to top wage earners by allowing them to reclassify some of their pay as tip income — a prospect that at its most extreme could see hedge-fund managers or top-flight attorneys taking advantage of a policy that Trump frames as being designed for restaurant servers, bartenders and other service workers.

Trump’s posture on international trade is to distrust world markets as harmful to American interests. He proposes tariffs of 10% to 20% on foreign goods — and in some speeches has mentioned even higher percentages. He promises to reinstitute an August 2020 executive order requiring that the Food and Drug Administration buy “essential” medications only from U.S. companies. He pledges to block purchases of “any vital infrastructure” in the U.S. by Chinese buyers.

Trump has called for rolling back societal emphasis on diversity and for legal protections for LGBTQ citizens. Trump has called for ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government institutions, using federal funding as leverage.

On transgender rights, Trump promises generally to end “boys in girls’ sports,” a practice he insists, without evidence, is widespread. But his policies go well beyond standard applause lines from his rally speeches. Among other ideas, Trump would roll back the Biden administration’s policy of extending Title IX civil rights protections to transgender students, and he would ask Congress to require that only two genders can be recognized at birth.

Regulation, federal bureaucracy and presidential power

The president-elect seeks to reduce the role of federal bureaucrats and regulations across economic sectors. Trump frames all regulatory cuts as an economic magic wand. He pledges precipitous drops in U.S. households’ utility bills by removing obstacles to fossil fuel production, including opening all federal lands for exploration — even though U.S. energy production is already at record highs. Trump promises to unleash housing construction by cutting regulations — though most construction rules come from state and local government. He also says he would end “frivolous litigation from the environmental extremists.”

The approach would in many ways strengthen executive branch influence. That power would come more directly from the White House.

He would make it easier to fire federal workers by classifying thousands of them as being outside civil service protections. That could weaken the government’s power to enforce statutes and rules by reducing the number of employees engaging in the work and, potentially, impose a chilling effect on those who remain.

Trump also claims that presidents have exclusive power to control federal spending even after Congress has appropriated money. Trump argues that lawmakers’ budget actions “set a ceiling” on spending but not a floor — meaning the president’s constitutional duty to “faithfully execute the laws” includes discretion on whether to spend the money. This interpretation could set up a court battle with Congress.

As a candidate, he also suggested that the Federal Reserve, an independent entity that sets interest rates, should be subject to more presidential power. Though he has not offered details, any such move would represent a momentous change to how the U.S. economic and monetary systems work.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has promised sweeping action in a second administration.The former president and now president-elect often skipped over details but through more than a year of policy pronouncements and written statements outlined a wide-ranging agenda that blends traditional conservative approaches to taxes, regulation and cultural issues with a more populist bent on trade and a shift in America's international role.Trump's agenda also would scale back federal government efforts on civil rights and expand presidential powers.A look at what Trump has proposed:<h2>Immigration</h2>“Build the wall!” from his 2016 campaign has become creating “the largest mass deportation program in history.” Trump has called for using the National Guard and empowering domestic police forces in the effort. Still, Trump has been scant on details of what the program would look like and how he would ensure that it targeted only people in the U.S. illegally. He’s pitched “ideological screening” for would-be entrants, ending birth-right citizenship (which almost certainly would require a constitutional change), and said he’d reinstitute first-term policies such as “Remain in Mexico,” limiting migrants on public health grounds and severely limiting or banning entrants from certain majority-Muslim nations. Altogether, the approach would not just crack down on illegal migration, but curtail immigration overall.<h2>Abortion</h2>Trump played down abortion as a second-term priority, even as he took credit for the Supreme Court ending a woman’s federal right to terminate a pregnancy and returning abortion regulation to state governments. At Trump’s insistence, the GOP platform, for the first time in decades, did not call for a national ban on abortion. Trump maintains that overturning Roe v. Wade is enough on the federal level. Trump said last month on his social media platform Truth Social that he would veto a federal abortion ban if legislation reached his desk.But in an example of how the conservative movement might proceed with or without Trump, anti-abortion activists note that the GOP platform still asserts that a fetus should have due process protections under the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. That constitutional argument is a roadmap for conservatives to seek a national abortion ban through federal courts.<h2>Taxes</h2>Trump’s tax policies broadly tilt toward corporations and wealthier Americans. That’s mostly due to his promise to extend his 2017 tax overhaul, with a few notable changes that include lowering the corporate income tax rate to 15% from the current 21%. That also involves rolling back Democratic President Joe Biden’s income tax hikes on the wealthiest Americans and scrapping Inflation Reduction Act levies that finance energy measures intended to combat climate change.Those policies notwithstanding, Trump has put more emphasis on new proposals aimed at working- and middle class Americans: exempting earned tips, Social Security wages and overtime wages from income taxes. It’s noteworthy, however, that his proposal on tips, depending on how Congress might write it, could give a back-door tax break to top wage earners by allowing them to reclassify some of their pay as tip income — a prospect that at its most extreme could see hedge-fund managers or top-flight attorneys taking advantage of a policy that Trump frames as being designed for restaurant servers, bartenders and other service workers.<h2>Tariffs and trade</h2>Trump’s posture on international trade is to distrust world markets as harmful to American interests. He proposes tariffs of 10% to 20% on foreign goods — and in some speeches has mentioned even higher percentages. He promises to reinstitute an August 2020 executive order requiring that the Food and Drug Administration buy “essential” medications only from U.S. companies. He pledges to block purchases of “any vital infrastructure” in the U.S. by Chinese buyers.<h2>DEI, LGBTQ and civil rights</h2>Trump has called for rolling back societal emphasis on diversity and for legal protections for LGBTQ citizens. Trump has called for ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government institutions, using federal funding as leverage.On transgender rights, Trump promises generally to end “boys in girls’ sports,” a practice he insists, without evidence, is widespread. But his policies go well beyond standard applause lines from his rally speeches. Among other ideas, Trump would roll back the Biden administration’s policy of extending Title IX civil rights protections to transgender students, and he would ask Congress to require that only two genders can be recognized at birth.<h2>Regulation, federal bureaucracy and presidential power</h2>The president-elect seeks to reduce the role of federal bureaucrats and regulations across economic sectors. Trump frames all regulatory cuts as an economic magic wand. He pledges precipitous drops in U.S. households’ utility bills by removing obstacles to fossil fuel production, including opening all federal lands for exploration — even though U.S. energy production is already at record highs. Trump promises to unleash housing construction by cutting regulations — though most construction rules come from state and local government. He also says he would end “frivolous litigation from the environmental extremists.”The approach would in many ways strengthen executive branch influence. That power would come more directly from the White House.He would make it easier to fire federal workers by classifying thousands of them as being outside civil service protections. That could weaken the government’s power to enforce statutes and rules by reducing the number of employees engaging in the work and, potentially, impose a chilling effect on those who remain.Trump also claims that presidents have exclusive power to control federal spending even after Congress has appropriated money. Trump argues that lawmakers’ budget actions “set a ceiling” on spending but not a floor — meaning the president’s constitutional duty to “faithfully execute the laws” includes discretion on whether to spend the money. This interpretation could set up a court battle with Congress.As a candidate, he also suggested that the Federal Reserve, an independent entity that sets interest rates, should be subject to more presidential power. Though he has not offered details, any such move would represent a momentous change to how the U.S. economic and monetary systems work.<h2>Education</h2>The federal Department of Education would be targeted for elimination in a second Trump administration. That does not mean that Trump wants Washington out of classrooms. He still proposes, among other maneuvers, using federal funding as leverage to pressure K-12 school systems to abolish tenure and adopt merit pay for teachers and to scrap diversity programs at all levels of education. He calls for pulling federal funding “for any school or program pushing Critical Race Theory, gender ideology, or other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children.”In higher education, Trump proposes taking over accreditation processes for colleges, a move he describes as his “secret weapon” against the “Marxist Maniacs and lunatics” he says control higher education. Trump takes aim at higher education endowments, saying he will collect “billions and billions of dollars” from schools via “taxing, fining and suing excessively large private university endowments” at schools that do not comply with his edicts. That almost certainly would end up in protracted legal fights.As in other policy areas, Trump isn’t actually proposing limiting federal power in higher education but strengthening it. He calls for redirecting the confiscated endowment money into an online “American Academy” offering college credentials to all Americans without a tuition charges. “It will be strictly non-political, and there will be no wokeness or jihadism allowed—none of that’s going to be allowed,” Trump said on Nov. 1, 2023.<h2>Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid</h2>Trump insists he would protect Social Security and Medicare, popular programs geared toward older Americans and among the biggest pieces of the federal spending pie each year. There are questions about how his proposal not to tax tip and overtime wages might affect Social Security and Medicare. If such plans eventually involved only income taxes, the entitlement programs would not be affected. But exempting those wages from payroll taxes would reduce the funding stream for Social Security and Medicare outlays. Trump has talked little about Medicaid but his first administration, in general, defaulted to approving state requests for waivers of various federal rules and it broadly endorsed state-level work requirements for recipients.<h2>Affordable Care Act and Health Care</h2>As he has since 2015, Trump calls for repealing the Affordable Care Act and its subsidized health insurance marketplaces. But he still has not proposed a replacement: In a September debate, he insisted he had the “concepts of a plan.” In the latter stages of the campaign, Trump played up his alliance with former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of vaccines and of pesticides used in U.S. agriculture. Trump repeatedly told rally crowds that he would put Kennedy in charge of “making America healthy again."<h2>Climate and energy</h2>Trump, who claims falsely that climate change is a “hoax,” blasts Biden-era spending on cleaner energy designed to reduce U.S. reliance on fossil fuels. He proposes an energy policy – and transportation infrastructure spending – anchored to fossil fuels: roads, bridges and combustion-engine vehicles. “Drill, baby, drill!” was a regular chant at Trump rallies. Trump says he does not oppose electric vehicles but promises to end all Biden incentives to encourage EV market development. Trump also pledges to roll back Biden-era fuel efficiency standards.<h2>Workers’ rights</h2>Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance framed their ticket as favoring America’s workers. But Trump could make it harder for workers to unionize. In discussing auto workers, Trump focused almost exclusively on Biden’s push toward electric vehicles. When he mentioned unions, it was often to lump “the union bosses and CEOs” together as complicit in “this disastrous electric car scheme.” In an Oct. 23, 2023, statement, Trump said of United Auto Workers, “I’m telling you, you shouldn’t pay those dues.”<h2>National defense and America’s role in the world</h2>Trump’s rhetoric and policy approach in world affairs is more isolationist diplomatically, non-interventionist militarily and protectionist economically than the U.S. has been since World War II. But the details are more complicated. He pledges expansion of the military, promises to protect Pentagon spending from austerity efforts and proposes a new missile defense shield — an old idea from the Reagan era during the Cold War. Trump insists he can end Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war, without explaining how. Trump summarizes his approach through another Reagan phrase: “peace through strength.” But he remains critical of NATO and top U.S. military brass. “I don’t consider them leaders,” Trump said of Pentagon officials that Americans “see on television.” He repeatedly praised authoritarians like Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.