TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly this week revealed a new license plate design that is expected to be seen on Kansas roadways beginning in spring 2024.

Kansas State Representative Nick Hoheisel of Wichita heard from many of his constituents who want a different design.

The new design is part of the state’s phased approach to replacing current embossed standard plates because of safety concerns.

The new plate displays a wheat-yellow color in the background with black and midnight blue text. The design pays tribute to the state motto, “ad astra per aspera,” with “to the stars” emblazoned across the bottom of the plate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700669520769.png" alt="Additional information regarding the license replacement process will be mailed with regular renewal notices.-courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Additional information regarding the license replacement process will be mailed with regular renewal notices.-courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly this week revealed a new license plate design that is expected to be seen on Kansas roadways beginning in spring 2024.Kansas State Representative Nick Hoheisel of Wichita heard from many of his constituents who want a different design.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In response to dissatisfaction among constituents regarding the proposed new license plate design, I&#39;ve requested <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovLauraKelly</a> delay implementation until the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> reconvenes in January. This allows a thorough examination of options and ensures Kansans&#39; values are reflected. <a href="https://t.co/PG9hqPLJvs">pic.twitter.com/PG9hqPLJvs</a>&mdash; Rep. Nick Hoheisel (@RepHoheisel) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepHoheisel/status/1728128975644553477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The new design is part of the state’s phased approach to replacing current embossed standard plates because of safety concerns.The new plate displays a wheat-yellow color in the background with black and midnight blue text. The design pays tribute to the state motto, “ad astra per aspera,” with “to the stars” emblazoned across the bottom of the plate.

Kansas State Rep. asks state to reconsider license plate design

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd">convicted of murdering George Floyd</a>, was stabbed by another inmate and seriously injured Friday at a federal prison in Arizona, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

The attack happened at the Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson, a medium-security prison that has been plagued by security lapses and staffing shortages. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the attack and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity.

The Bureau of Prisons confirmed that an incarcerated person was assaulted at FCI Tucson at around 12:30 p.m. local time Friday. In a statement, the agency said responding employees contained the incident and performed “life-saving measures” before the inmate, who it did not name, was taken to a hospital for further treatment and evaluation.

No employees were injured and the FBI was notified, the Bureau of Prisons said. Visiting at the facility, which has about 380 inmates, has been suspended.

Messages seeking comment were left with Chauvin’s lawyers and the FBI.

Chauvin’s stabbing is the second high-profile attack on a federal prisoner in the last five months. In July,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/larry-nassar-gymnastics-stabbed-prison-98c5ca2052f0ebce4a785f5fa2b2ede2">disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar was stabbed by a fellow inmate</a>&nbsp;at a federal penitentiary in Florida.

It is also the second major incident at the Tucson federal prison in a little over a year. In November 2022, an inmate at the facility’s low-security prison camp&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prisons-arizona-tucson-government-and-politics-319595c5a1a393f0734641443dd46df4">pulled out a gun and attempted to shoot a visitor in the head</a>. The weapon, which the inmate shouldn’t have had, misfired and no one was hurt.

Chauvin, 47, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ahmaud-arbery-death-of-george-floyd-minnesota-minneapolis-2375e5b10ec6e2976059f1eb0e261c28">sent to FCI Tucson</a>&nbsp;from a maximum-security Minnesota state prison in August 2022 to simultaneously serve a 21-year federal sentence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-george-floyd-minneapolis-race-and-ethnicity-st-paul-a8b12b1e3e0fedc1270c659e3428134e">for violating Floyd’s civil rights</a>&nbsp;and a 22½-year state sentence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derek-chauvin-trial-live-updates-04-20-2021-955a78df9a7a51835ad63afb8ce9b5c1">for second-degree murder</a>.

Chauvin’s lawyer, Eric Nelson, had advocated for keeping him out of general population and away from other inmates, anticipating he’d be a target. In Minnesota, Chauvin was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-prisons-minnesota-minneapolis-d067afde1589c5175a7b553b68f7eef0">mainly kept in solitary confinement</a>&nbsp;“largely for his own protection,” Nelson wrote in court papers last year.

Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-george-floyd-officer-convicted-2c08301003ebb4ed83f53679e179d5e2">the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Chauvin’s appeal</a>&nbsp;of his murder conviction. Separately, Chauvin is making a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-derek-chauvin-police-murder-civil-rights-56c9768ad08c4f1a4913c93d75a00536">longshot bid to overturn his federal guilty plea</a>, claiming new evidence shows he didn’t cause Floyd’s death.

Floyd, who was Black, died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin, who is white, pressed a knee on his neck for 9½ minutes on the street outside a convenience store where Floyd was suspected of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill.

Bystander video captured Floyd’s fading cries of “I can’t breathe.” His death touched off protests worldwide, some of which turned violent, and forced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-death-anniversary-police-reform-protests-506efdec8275364db1b652cb6436339b">national reckoning with police brutality and racism</a>.

Three other former officers who were at the scene received lesser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-minneapolis-officer-tou-thou-sentencing-586deaeb4d14807ef3f2bdd0196d0b86">state and federal sentences</a>&nbsp;for their roles in Floyd’s death.

Chauvin’s stabbing comes as the federal Bureau of Prisons has faced increased scrutiny in recent years following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein’s jail suicide in 2019</a>. It's another example of the agency’s inability to keep even its highest profile prisoners safe after Nassar’s stabbing and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-kaczynski-unabomber-1197f597364b36e56bdbcaca9837bdc4">“Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski’s suicide</a>&nbsp;at a federal medical center in June.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-crime-prisons-only-on-ap-c7a1cfc4aee226570c375fc015ee322f">ongoing AP investigation</a>&nbsp;has uncovered deep, previously unreported flaws within the Bureau of Prisons, the Justice Department’s largest law enforcement agency with more than 30,000 employees, 158,000 inmates and an annual budget of about $8 billion.

AP reporting has revealed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-california-united-states-prisons-00a711766f5f3d2bd3fe6402af1e0ff8">rampant sexual abuse</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-prisons-5be574b4103a2f5420e0d9da2daf5c9c">other criminal conduct</a>&nbsp;by staff,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-prisons-prison-breaks-business-c1979d6ad6e7b3531968dab0e61eb22d">dozens of escapes</a>, chronic violence, deaths and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-prisons-government-and-politics-88fff925b1901a36a10581c28d826916">severe staffing shortages</a>&nbsp;that have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/only-on-ap-suicides-business-prisons-government-and-politics-0eba20833af541730b5e71bc4d2efbfe">hampered responses to emergencies</a>, including inmate assaults and suicides.

Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-crime-government-and-politics-prisons-treatment-of-prisoners-f1f5ee0553770dcb75783d05e4327a11">brought in last year to reform the crisis-plagued agency</a>. She vowed to change archaic hiring practices and bring new transparency, while emphasizing that the agency's mission is “to make good neighbors, not good inmates."

Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September, Peters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-prisons-colette-peters-senate-judiciary-committee-ca053cfe5170a755771392498153a420">touted steps she'd taken to overhaul problematic prisons</a>&nbsp;and beef up internal affairs investigations. This month, she told a House Judiciary subcommittee that hiring had improved and that new hires were outpacing retirements and other departures.

But Peters has also irritated lawmakers who said she reneged on her promise to be candid and open with them. In September, senators scolded her for forcing them to wait more than a year for answers to written questions and for claiming that she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-prisons-colette-peters-senate-judiciary-committee-ca053cfe5170a755771392498153a420">couldn’t answer basic questions about agency operations</a>, like how many correctional officers are on staff.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619012623324.png" alt="Derek Chauvin's booking photo following his guilty verdict in April of 2021- Minnesota Dpt. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Derek Chauvin's booking photo following his guilty verdict in April of 2021- Minnesota Dpt. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd">convicted of murdering George Floyd</a>, was stabbed by another inmate and seriously injured Friday at a federal prison in Arizona, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.The attack happened at the Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson, a medium-security prison that has been plagued by security lapses and staffing shortages. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the attack and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity.The Bureau of Prisons confirmed that an incarcerated person was assaulted at FCI Tucson at around 12:30 p.m. local time Friday. In a statement, the agency said responding employees contained the incident and performed “life-saving measures” before the inmate, who it did not name, was taken to a hospital for further treatment and evaluation.No employees were injured and the FBI was notified, the Bureau of Prisons said. Visiting at the facility, which has about 380 inmates, has been suspended.Messages seeking comment were left with Chauvin’s lawyers and the FBI.Chauvin’s stabbing is the second high-profile attack on a federal prisoner in the last five months. In July,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/larry-nassar-gymnastics-stabbed-prison-98c5ca2052f0ebce4a785f5fa2b2ede2">disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar was stabbed by a fellow inmate</a>&nbsp;at a federal penitentiary in Florida.It is also the second major incident at the Tucson federal prison in a little over a year. In November 2022, an inmate at the facility’s low-security prison camp&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prisons-arizona-tucson-government-and-politics-319595c5a1a393f0734641443dd46df4">pulled out a gun and attempted to shoot a visitor in the head</a>. The weapon, which the inmate shouldn’t have had, misfired and no one was hurt.Chauvin, 47, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ahmaud-arbery-death-of-george-floyd-minnesota-minneapolis-2375e5b10ec6e2976059f1eb0e261c28">sent to FCI Tucson</a>&nbsp;from a maximum-security Minnesota state prison in August 2022 to simultaneously serve a 21-year federal sentence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-george-floyd-minneapolis-race-and-ethnicity-st-paul-a8b12b1e3e0fedc1270c659e3428134e">for violating Floyd’s civil rights</a>&nbsp;and a 22½-year state sentence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derek-chauvin-trial-live-updates-04-20-2021-955a78df9a7a51835ad63afb8ce9b5c1">for second-degree murder</a>.Chauvin’s lawyer, Eric Nelson, had advocated for keeping him out of general population and away from other inmates, anticipating he’d be a target. In Minnesota, Chauvin was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-prisons-minnesota-minneapolis-d067afde1589c5175a7b553b68f7eef0">mainly kept in solitary confinement</a>&nbsp;“largely for his own protection,” Nelson wrote in court papers last year.Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-george-floyd-officer-convicted-2c08301003ebb4ed83f53679e179d5e2">the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Chauvin’s appeal</a>&nbsp;of his murder conviction. Separately, Chauvin is making a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-derek-chauvin-police-murder-civil-rights-56c9768ad08c4f1a4913c93d75a00536">longshot bid to overturn his federal guilty plea</a>, claiming new evidence shows he didn’t cause Floyd’s death.Floyd, who was Black, died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin, who is white, pressed a knee on his neck for 9½ minutes on the street outside a convenience store where Floyd was suspected of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill.Bystander video captured Floyd’s fading cries of “I can’t breathe.” His death touched off protests worldwide, some of which turned violent, and forced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-death-anniversary-police-reform-protests-506efdec8275364db1b652cb6436339b">national reckoning with police brutality and racism</a>.Three other former officers who were at the scene received lesser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-minneapolis-officer-tou-thou-sentencing-586deaeb4d14807ef3f2bdd0196d0b86">state and federal sentences</a>&nbsp;for their roles in Floyd’s death.Chauvin’s stabbing comes as the federal Bureau of Prisons has faced increased scrutiny in recent years following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein’s jail suicide in 2019</a>. It's another example of the agency’s inability to keep even its highest profile prisoners safe after Nassar’s stabbing and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-kaczynski-unabomber-1197f597364b36e56bdbcaca9837bdc4">“Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski’s suicide</a>&nbsp;at a federal medical center in June.An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-crime-prisons-only-on-ap-c7a1cfc4aee226570c375fc015ee322f">ongoing AP investigation</a>&nbsp;has uncovered deep, previously unreported flaws within the Bureau of Prisons, the Justice Department’s largest law enforcement agency with more than 30,000 employees, 158,000 inmates and an annual budget of about $8 billion.AP reporting has revealed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-california-united-states-prisons-00a711766f5f3d2bd3fe6402af1e0ff8">rampant sexual abuse</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-prisons-5be574b4103a2f5420e0d9da2daf5c9c">other criminal conduct</a>&nbsp;by staff,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-prisons-prison-breaks-business-c1979d6ad6e7b3531968dab0e61eb22d">dozens of escapes</a>, chronic violence, deaths and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-prisons-government-and-politics-88fff925b1901a36a10581c28d826916">severe staffing shortages</a>&nbsp;that have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/only-on-ap-suicides-business-prisons-government-and-politics-0eba20833af541730b5e71bc4d2efbfe">hampered responses to emergencies</a>, including inmate assaults and suicides.Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-crime-government-and-politics-prisons-treatment-of-prisoners-f1f5ee0553770dcb75783d05e4327a11">brought in last year to reform the crisis-plagued agency</a>. She vowed to change archaic hiring practices and bring new transparency, while emphasizing that the agency's mission is “to make good neighbors, not good inmates."Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September, Peters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-prisons-colette-peters-senate-judiciary-committee-ca053cfe5170a755771392498153a420">touted steps she'd taken to overhaul problematic prisons</a>&nbsp;and beef up internal affairs investigations. This month, she told a House Judiciary subcommittee that hiring had improved and that new hires were outpacing retirements and other departures.But Peters has also irritated lawmakers who said she reneged on her promise to be candid and open with them. In September, senators scolded her for forcing them to wait more than a year for answers to written questions and for claiming that she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-prisons-colette-peters-senate-judiciary-committee-ca053cfe5170a755771392498153a420">couldn’t answer basic questions about agency operations</a>, like how many correctional officers are on staff.

Ex-officer, convicted in George Floyd's killing, stabbed in prison

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting that occurred in Wichita's Old Town on October 29, have made their case on charges against 21-year-old Jamarcus C. Vaughn to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just before 11:30a.m. November 7,&nbsp;&nbsp;police located Vaughn and attempted to stop him during a traffic stop, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Vaughn refused to stop, and a traffic pursuit ensued, which led to the suspect colliding with another vehicle on the road.

Vaughn then fled on foot and was ultimately taken into custody by Wichita Police Officers.

The other driver involved in the crash received minor injuries and did not need immediate medical attention, according to Gupilan.

The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating the circumstances surrounding the vehicle collision, to ensure transparency.&nbsp; 

Vaughn was originally held on requested charges of aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, drug possession, flee or attempt to elude police by engaging in reckless driving and failure to stop at an accident, according to online jail records. He bonded out of jail and is due to make his initial court appearance on Nov. 27, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699459707170.png" alt="Vaughn-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Vaughn-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting that occurred in Wichita's Old Town on October 29, have made their case on charges against 21-year-old Jamarcus C. Vaughn to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just before 11:30a.m. November 7,&nbsp;&nbsp;police located Vaughn and attempted to stop him during a traffic stop, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.Vaughn refused to stop, and a traffic pursuit ensued, which led to the suspect colliding with another vehicle on the road.Vaughn then fled on foot and was ultimately taken into custody by Wichita Police Officers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699406799719.png" alt="Crash scene photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Crash scene photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The other driver involved in the crash received minor injuries and did not need immediate medical attention, according to Gupilan.The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating the circumstances surrounding the vehicle collision, to ensure transparency.&nbsp; Vaughn was originally held on requested charges of aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, drug possession, flee or attempt to elude police by engaging in reckless driving and failure to stop at an accident, according to online jail records. He bonded out of jail and is due to make his initial court appearance on Nov. 27, according to the district attorney's office.

Kan. shooting suspect out of jail after police chase, crash

BUTLER COUNTY —The 3-year-old subject of a Friday evening Amber Alert is safe, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Law enforcement authorities in Butler County have taken two suspects into custody.

BUTLER COUNTY —The 3-year-old subject of a Friday evening Amber Alert is safe, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Law enforcement authorities in Butler County have taken two suspects into custody.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKBIKansas%2Fposts%2Fpfbid025LDxKL8QqBt3Vo9xAqPcmU5qN1YhBtSwx3iokUSVghKPFQv4VwzdUqHTibwQhcfVl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="599" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

Amber Alert canceled; 3-year-old taken from Fort Riley home is safe 

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas on Friday released 24 hostages it held captive in Gaza for weeks, and Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison in the first stage of a swap under a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-what-to-know-af1cfbc9dcaa1485ed7a9efaca7ec2b7">four-day cease-fire</a>&nbsp;that offered a small glimmer of relief to both sides.

(Click below to watch&nbsp;President Biden deliver remarks on the release of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.)

Israel — wrenched by the abduction of nearly 240 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-war-hamas-attack-border-wall-aa0b0f5f3613b6c6882cf37168e8e8ed">Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;that triggered the war — cheered as 13 Israeli women and children emerged free from Gaza. Most were in their 70s or 80s, and the youngest was a 2-year-old. Also released were 10 people from Thailand and one from the Philippines.

In Gaza, the truce’s start Friday morning brought the first quiet for 2.3 million Palestinians reeling and desperate from relentless Israeli bombardment that has killed thousands,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-airstrikes-gaza-hamas-war-702f447ff7e52b03476555ec2513008b">driven three-quarters of the population</a>&nbsp;from their homes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-gaza-israel-bombing-destruction-hamas-reconstruction-f299a28410b70ee05dd764df97d8d3a0">leveled residential areas</a>. Rocket fire from Gaza militants into Israel went silent as well.

Increased supplies of food, water, medicine and fuel promised under the deal began to roll into Gaza, where U.N. officials had warned that Israel’s seal on the territory threatened to push it to starvation.

But relief has been tempered — among Israelis by the fact that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-hamas-gaza-israel-freed-6395a6113301e677bcac713f8db914b1">not all hostages will be freed</a>&nbsp;and among Palestinians by the briefness of the pause. The short truce leaves Gaza mired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-gaza-israel-bombing-destruction-hamas-reconstruction-f299a28410b70ee05dd764df97d8d3a0">in humanitarian crisis</a>&nbsp;and under the threat that fighting could soon resume.

Israel says the cease-fire could be extended if more hostages are released, but it has vowed to resume its massive offensive once the truce ends. That has clouded hopes that the deal could eventually help wind down the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">conflict,</a>&nbsp;which has fueled a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-west-bank-war-gaza-hamas-settlers-army-raid-militants-c1386ab6a633971cc18b2497169210d3">surge of violence in the occupied West Bank</a>&nbsp;and stirred fears of a wider conflagration across the Middle East.

Under the deal, Hamas is to release at least 50 hostages, and Israel 150 Palestinian prisoners over the four days. Both sides were starting with women and children. Israel said the four-day truce can be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed.

After nightfall Friday, a line of ambulances emerged from Gaza through the Rafah Crossing into Egypt carrying the freed hostages, as seen live on on Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera TV. The freed Israelis included nine women and four children 9 and under.

The released hostages were taken to three Israeli hospitals for observation. The Schneider Children’s Medical Center said it was treating eight Israelis — four children and four women — and that all appeared to be in good physical condition. The center said they were also receiving psychological treatment, adding that “these are sensitive moments” for the families.

At a plaza dubbed “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv, a crowd of Israelis celebrated at the news.

Yael Adar spotted her mother, 85-year-old Yaffa Adar, in a TV newscast of the release and was cheered to see her walking. “That was a huge concern, what would happen to her health during these almost two months,” she told Israel’s Channel 12.

But Yael’s 38-year-old son, Tamir Adar, remained in captivity. Both were kidnapped on Oct. 7 from Kibbutz Nir Oz. “Everyone needs to come back. It’s happiness locked up in grief.”

The hostages included multiple generations. Nine-year-old Ohad Munder-Zichri was freed along with his mother, Keren Munder, and grandmother Ruti Munder. The fourth-grader was abducted during a holiday visit to his grandparents at the kibbutz where about 80 people — nearly a quarter of all residents of the small community — are believed to have been taken hostage.

The plight of the hostages has raised anger among some families that the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not doing enough to bring them home.

Hours later, 24 Palestinian women and 15 teenagers held in Israeli prisons in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem were freed. In the West Bank town of Beituna, hundreds of Palestinians poured out of their homes to celebrate, honking horns and setting off fireworks that lite up the nights sky.

The teenagers had been jailed for minor offenses like throwing stones. The women included several convicted of trying to stab Israeli soldiers, and others who had been arrested at checkpoints in the West Bank.

“As a Palestinian, my heart is broken for my brothers in Gaza, so I can’t really celebrate,” said Abdulqader Khatib, a U.N. worker whose 17-year-old son, Iyas, was freed. “But I am a father. And deep inside, I am very happy.”

Iyas had been taken last year into “administrative detention,” without charges or trial and based on secret evidence. Israel often holds detainees for months without charges. Most of those who are tried are put before military courts that almost never acquit defendants and often don’t follow due process, human rights groups say.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, an advocacy group, Israel is currently holding 7,200 Palestinians, including about 2,000 arrested since the start of the war.

Friday’s halt in fighting brought Gaza’s uprooted population a moment to catch their breath after weeks of fleeing for shelter, searching for food and fearing for family.

After the truce began Friday morning, four trucks of fuel and four trucks of cooking gas entered from Egypt, as well as 200 trucks of relief supplies, Israel said.

Israel has barred all imports into Gaza throughout the war, except for a trickle of supplies from Egypt.

Its ban on fuel, which it said could be diverted to Hamas, caused a territory-wide blackout. Hospitals, water systems, bakeries and shelters have struggled to keep generators running.

During the truce, Israel agreed to allow the delivery of 130,000 liters (34,340 gallons) of fuel per day — still only a small portion of Gaza’s estimated daily needs of more than 1 million liters.

Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are crowded into the southern portion of the territory, with more than 1 million living in U.N. schools-turned-shelters. The calm brought a chance for displaced residents of the south to visit homes and retrieve some belongings.

But the hundreds of thousands who evacuated from northern Gaza to the south were warned not to return in leaflets dropped by Israel. Israeli troops hold much of the north, including Gaza City.

Still, hundreds of Palestinians tried walking north Friday. Two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-11-24-2023-f0a8acd3926fda71bd1a0c3750e3b695">were shot and killed</a>&nbsp;by Israeli troops and another 11 were wounded.

Sofian Abu Amer decided to risk checking his home in Gaza City.

“We don’t have enough clothes, food and drinks,” he said. “The situation is disastrous. It’s better for a person to die.”

Israel’s northern border with Lebanon was also quiet on Friday, a day after the militant Hezbollah group, an ally of Hamas, carried out the highest number of attacks in one day since fighting there began Oct. 8.

Hezbollah is not a party to the cease-fire agreement but was widely expected to halt its attacks.

The war erupted when several thousand Hamas militants&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">stormed into southern Israel</a>, killing at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking scores of hostages, including babies, women and older adults, as well as soldiers.

The hope is that “momentum” from the deal will lead to an “end to this violence,” said Majed al-Ansari, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Qatar, which served as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-israel-hamas-war-hostage-qatar-0126c6443a9b3b32fe97032b81eaa515">mediator along with the United States and Egypt</a>.

But hours before it came into effect, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told troops that their respite would be short and that the war would resume with intensity for at least two more months.

Netanyahu has also vowed to continue the war to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities, end its 16-year rule in Gaza and return all the hostages.

The Israeli offensive has killed more than 13,300 Palestinians, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;in the Hamas-run Gaza government. Women and minors have consistently made up around two-thirds of the dead, though the latest number was not broken down. The figure does not include updated numbers from hospitals in the north, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-health-ministry-gaza-hamas-fe30cbc76479fa437d5f5a0e96c36e52">communications</a>&nbsp;have broken down.

The ministry says some 6,000 people have been reported missing, feared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-buried-rubble-airstrikes-89c0e8d0934d573d94d2fbfeba44d933">buried under rubble</a>. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and militants in its death tolls.

Israel says it has killed thousands of Hamas fighters, without presenting evidence for its count.

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas on Friday released 24 hostages it held captive in Gaza for weeks, and Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison in the first stage of a swap under a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-what-to-know-af1cfbc9dcaa1485ed7a9efaca7ec2b7">four-day cease-fire</a>&nbsp;that offered a small glimmer of relief to both sides.(Click below to watch&nbsp;President Biden deliver remarks on the release of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F2055360164824251%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=21" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Israel — wrenched by the abduction of nearly 240 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-war-hamas-attack-border-wall-aa0b0f5f3613b6c6882cf37168e8e8ed">Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;that triggered the war — cheered as 13 Israeli women and children emerged free from Gaza. Most were in their 70s or 80s, and the youngest was a 2-year-old. Also released were 10 people from Thailand and one from the Philippines.In Gaza, the truce’s start Friday morning brought the first quiet for 2.3 million Palestinians reeling and desperate from relentless Israeli bombardment that has killed thousands,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-airstrikes-gaza-hamas-war-702f447ff7e52b03476555ec2513008b">driven three-quarters of the population</a>&nbsp;from their homes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-gaza-israel-bombing-destruction-hamas-reconstruction-f299a28410b70ee05dd764df97d8d3a0">leveled residential areas</a>. Rocket fire from Gaza militants into Israel went silent as well.Increased supplies of food, water, medicine and fuel promised under the deal began to roll into Gaza, where U.N. officials had warned that Israel’s seal on the territory threatened to push it to starvation.But relief has been tempered — among Israelis by the fact that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-hamas-gaza-israel-freed-6395a6113301e677bcac713f8db914b1">not all hostages will be freed</a>&nbsp;and among Palestinians by the briefness of the pause. The short truce leaves Gaza mired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-gaza-israel-bombing-destruction-hamas-reconstruction-f299a28410b70ee05dd764df97d8d3a0">in humanitarian crisis</a>&nbsp;and under the threat that fighting could soon resume.Israel says the cease-fire could be extended if more hostages are released, but it has vowed to resume its massive offensive once the truce ends. That has clouded hopes that the deal could eventually help wind down the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">conflict,</a>&nbsp;which has fueled a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-west-bank-war-gaza-hamas-settlers-army-raid-militants-c1386ab6a633971cc18b2497169210d3">surge of violence in the occupied West Bank</a>&nbsp;and stirred fears of a wider conflagration across the Middle East.FIRST HOSTAGES FREEDUnder the deal, Hamas is to release at least 50 hostages, and Israel 150 Palestinian prisoners over the four days. Both sides were starting with women and children. Israel said the four-day truce can be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed.After nightfall Friday, a line of ambulances emerged from Gaza through the Rafah Crossing into Egypt carrying the freed hostages, as seen live on on Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera TV. The freed Israelis included nine women and four children 9 and under.The released hostages were taken to three Israeli hospitals for observation. The Schneider Children’s Medical Center said it was treating eight Israelis — four children and four women — and that all appeared to be in good physical condition. The center said they were also receiving psychological treatment, adding that “these are sensitive moments” for the families.At a plaza dubbed “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv, a crowd of Israelis celebrated at the news.Yael Adar spotted her mother, 85-year-old Yaffa Adar, in a TV newscast of the release and was cheered to see her walking. “That was a huge concern, what would happen to her health during these almost two months,” she told Israel’s Channel 12.But Yael’s 38-year-old son, Tamir Adar, remained in captivity. Both were kidnapped on Oct. 7 from Kibbutz Nir Oz. “Everyone needs to come back. It’s happiness locked up in grief.”The hostages included multiple generations. Nine-year-old Ohad Munder-Zichri was freed along with his mother, Keren Munder, and grandmother Ruti Munder. The fourth-grader was abducted during a holiday visit to his grandparents at the kibbutz where about 80 people — nearly a quarter of all residents of the small community — are believed to have been taken hostage.The plight of the hostages has raised anger among some families that the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not doing enough to bring them home.Hours later, 24 Palestinian women and 15 teenagers held in Israeli prisons in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem were freed. In the West Bank town of Beituna, hundreds of Palestinians poured out of their homes to celebrate, honking horns and setting off fireworks that lite up the nights sky.The teenagers had been jailed for minor offenses like throwing stones. The women included several convicted of trying to stab Israeli soldiers, and others who had been arrested at checkpoints in the West Bank.“As a Palestinian, my heart is broken for my brothers in Gaza, so I can’t really celebrate,” said Abdulqader Khatib, a U.N. worker whose 17-year-old son, Iyas, was freed. “But I am a father. And deep inside, I am very happy.”Iyas had been taken last year into “administrative detention,” without charges or trial and based on secret evidence. Israel often holds detainees for months without charges. Most of those who are tried are put before military courts that almost never acquit defendants and often don’t follow due process, human rights groups say.According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, an advocacy group, Israel is currently holding 7,200 Palestinians, including about 2,000 arrested since the start of the war.CEASE-FIRE TAKES HOLDFriday’s halt in fighting brought Gaza’s uprooted population a moment to catch their breath after weeks of fleeing for shelter, searching for food and fearing for family.After the truce began Friday morning, four trucks of fuel and four trucks of cooking gas entered from Egypt, as well as 200 trucks of relief supplies, Israel said.Israel has barred all imports into Gaza throughout the war, except for a trickle of supplies from Egypt.Its ban on fuel, which it said could be diverted to Hamas, caused a territory-wide blackout. Hospitals, water systems, bakeries and shelters have struggled to keep generators running.During the truce, Israel agreed to allow the delivery of 130,000 liters (34,340 gallons) of fuel per day — still only a small portion of Gaza’s estimated daily needs of more than 1 million liters.Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are crowded into the southern portion of the territory, with more than 1 million living in U.N. schools-turned-shelters. The calm brought a chance for displaced residents of the south to visit homes and retrieve some belongings.But the hundreds of thousands who evacuated from northern Gaza to the south were warned not to return in leaflets dropped by Israel. Israeli troops hold much of the north, including Gaza City.Still, hundreds of Palestinians tried walking north Friday. Two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-11-24-2023-f0a8acd3926fda71bd1a0c3750e3b695">were shot and killed</a>&nbsp;by Israeli troops and another 11 were wounded.Sofian Abu Amer decided to risk checking his home in Gaza City.“We don’t have enough clothes, food and drinks,” he said. “The situation is disastrous. It’s better for a person to die.”Israel’s northern border with Lebanon was also quiet on Friday, a day after the militant Hezbollah group, an ally of Hamas, carried out the highest number of attacks in one day since fighting there began Oct. 8.Hezbollah is not a party to the cease-fire agreement but was widely expected to halt its attacks.A LONGER PEACE?The war erupted when several thousand Hamas militants&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">stormed into southern Israel</a>, killing at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking scores of hostages, including babies, women and older adults, as well as soldiers.The hope is that “momentum” from the deal will lead to an “end to this violence,” said Majed al-Ansari, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Qatar, which served as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-israel-hamas-war-hostage-qatar-0126c6443a9b3b32fe97032b81eaa515">mediator along with the United States and Egypt</a>.But hours before it came into effect, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told troops that their respite would be short and that the war would resume with intensity for at least two more months.Netanyahu has also vowed to continue the war to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities, end its 16-year rule in Gaza and return all the hostages.The Israeli offensive has killed more than 13,300 Palestinians, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;in the Hamas-run Gaza government. Women and minors have consistently made up around two-thirds of the dead, though the latest number was not broken down. The figure does not include updated numbers from hospitals in the north, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-health-ministry-gaza-hamas-fe30cbc76479fa437d5f5a0e96c36e52">communications</a>&nbsp;have broken down.The ministry says some 6,000 people have been reported missing, feared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-buried-rubble-airstrikes-89c0e8d0934d573d94d2fbfeba44d933">buried under rubble</a>. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and militants in its death tolls.Israel says it has killed thousands of Hamas fighters, without presenting evidence for its count.___

🎥No US citizens in first group of hostages freed as Gaza cease-fire begins

WASHINGTON (AP —U.S. health officials recalled three more brands of whole and pre-cut cantaloupes Friday as the number of people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cantaloupe-salmonella-malichita-recall-b0e630ffcab3aff0936d7c43d3c3b323">sickened by salmonella more than doubled this week</a>.

Nearly 100 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/sundsvall-11-23/map.html">32 states</a>&nbsp;have gotten sick from the contaminated fruits. Arizona, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio have the highest number of cases. Two people have died of the infections in Minnesota, and 45 people are hospitalized nationwide.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's original recall included Malichita brand whole cantaloupe, Vinyard brand pre-cut cantaloupe and ALDI whole cantaloupe and pre-cut fruit products. Rudy brand whole cantaloupes and Freshness Guaranteed brand and RaceTrac brand pre-cut cantaloupes joined the list Friday.

Health officials say anyone who bought&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/sundsvall-11-23/index.html">the recalled fruits</a>&nbsp;should throw them away and wash surfaces that touched them with hot, soapy water or in a dishwasher.

Most people infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps within six hour to six days after consuming food contaminated with the bacteria. Illnesses typically last four to seven days. Vulnerable people, including children, people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems may develop severe illnesses that require medical care or hospitalization.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700856554341.png" alt="FDA image" />
 <figcaption>FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP —U.S. health officials recalled three more brands of whole and pre-cut cantaloupes Friday as the number of people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cantaloupe-salmonella-malichita-recall-b0e630ffcab3aff0936d7c43d3c3b323">sickened by salmonella more than doubled this week</a>.Nearly 100 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/sundsvall-11-23/map.html">32 states</a>&nbsp;have gotten sick from the contaminated fruits. Arizona, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio have the highest number of cases. Two people have died of the infections in Minnesota, and 45 people are hospitalized nationwide.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's original recall included Malichita brand whole cantaloupe, Vinyard brand pre-cut cantaloupe and ALDI whole cantaloupe and pre-cut fruit products. Rudy brand whole cantaloupes and Freshness Guaranteed brand and RaceTrac brand pre-cut cantaloupes joined the list Friday.Health officials say anyone who bought&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/sundsvall-11-23/index.html">the recalled fruits</a>&nbsp;should throw them away and wash surfaces that touched them with hot, soapy water or in a dishwasher.Most people infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps within six hour to six days after consuming food contaminated with the bacteria. Illnesses typically last four to seven days. Vulnerable people, including children, people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems may develop severe illnesses that require medical care or hospitalization.

FDA expands cantaloupe recall after salmonella infections double 

AG wants licenses to reflect biological sex rather than gender identity

By TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The American Civil Liberties Union argued in a court filing Monday the state’s Republican attorney general shouldn’t be granted a temporary injunction forbidding Kansans to change driver’s licenses to affirm their gender identity.

Sharon Brett, legal director of ACLU of Kansas, argued in a 60-page document submitted to the Shawnee County District Court that Attorney General Kris Kobach’s mistaken interpretation of how a new state law applied to driver’s licenses could result in violation of rights guaranteed under the Kansas Constitution.

Kobach relied on his analysis of Senate Bill 180 when filing a lawsuit against the Kansas Department of Revenue to halt the agency’s acceptance of gender identity changes on driver’s licenses.

The ACLU intervened in the dispute centered on implications of Senate Bill 180, a vague piece of legislation labeled the Women’s Bill of Rights.

“The alleged conflict is one of petitioner’s imagination,” Brett said. “Even if SB 180 could be interpreted to require denial of driver’s licenses with accurate gender markers to transgender Kansans, which it does not, petitioner’s requested relief should still be denied because it would violate intervenor-respondents’ rights to personal autonomy, privacy and equal protection under the Kansas Constitution.”

“The balance of hardships, the public interest and irreparable harm tips overwhelmingly in favor of resuming KDOR’s gender marker policy during the remainder of this litigation,” she said.

Kobach filed suit in July against officials in the Democratic administration of Gov. Laura Kelly. The maneuver was intended to block transgender people from amending gender markers on driver’s licenses. Kobach said Kelly had no alternative to respecting laws passed by the Legislature. The governor affirmed her responsibility to follow statute, but didn’t agree with the attorney general as it related to the law’s influence on content of driver’s licenses.

“She does not possess the power that English monarchs claimed prior to the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688, namely, the power to suspend the operation of statutes,” Kobach said.

Kobach formally filed suit against Mark Burghart, the state revenue secretary, and David Harper, the agency’s director of vehicles. The attorney general secured from District Court Judge Teresa Watson a temporary restraining order forbidding the state Department of Revenue from making more gender adjustments to driver’s licenses.

In response, the revenue department halted its process of issuing licenses with gender markers associated with gender identity rather than an individual’s assignment of male or female sex at birth.

Kobach took the next step by requesting a temporary injunction, but action was delayed several months ago to give the attorney general’s office more time to prepare for oral argument with the ACLU.

He said the Department of Revenue ought to follow the “plain meaning of a law” passed by the Legislature. He also said he looked forward to rebutting the ACLU’s “novel theories” about the intersection in Kansas of constitutional rights and driver’s licenses.

Transgender people have a gender identity different from their sex assigned at birth. Gender identity referred to a person’s fundamental, internal sense of belonging to a particular gender. However, a gender marker designated on a birth certificate at the time of birth — male or female — was almost always based on a health care professional’s consideration of an infant’s external genitalia.

For cisgender people, the sex assigned at birth matched their gender identity. For transgender people, sex assigned at birth didn’t match their gender identity.

In the ACLU’s latest court filing, Brett said Kobach couldn’t prevail on merits of his lawsuit against Department of Revenue leadership.

ACLU lawyers, who represent five transgender Kansans in the lawsuit, suggested the revenue department be given authority to resume issuance of licenses to transgender Kansans aligned with the gender “they live as, are perceived as, and know themselves to be.”

“KDOR’s policies regarding the issuance of driver’s licenses to transgender Kansas citizens have worked well for over a decade without any evidence of problems or harm. Interference with KDOR’s policies, by contrast, will create a myriad of harms,” Brett said.

The district court judge is expected to conduct a hearing in January on Kobach’s proposed preliminary injunction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700581649600.png" alt=" Sharon Brett, legal director at ACLU of Kansas, said a Shawnee County judge ought to reject Attorney General Kris Kobach's request for a temporary injunction against the state to block issuance of driver's licenses with amended gender identity information about transgender motorists. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Sharon Brett, legal director at ACLU of Kansas, said a Shawnee County judge ought to reject Attorney General Kris Kobach's request for a temporary injunction against the state to block issuance of driver's licenses with amended gender identity information about transgender motorists. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>AG wants licenses to reflect biological sex rather than gender identity</h2>By TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The American Civil Liberties Union argued in a court filing Monday the state’s Republican attorney general shouldn’t be granted a temporary injunction forbidding Kansans to change driver’s licenses to affirm their gender identity.Sharon Brett, legal director of ACLU of Kansas, argued in a 60-page document submitted to the Shawnee County District Court that Attorney General Kris Kobach’s mistaken interpretation of how a new state law applied to driver’s licenses could result in violation of rights guaranteed under the Kansas Constitution.Kobach relied on his analysis of Senate Bill 180 when filing a lawsuit against the Kansas Department of Revenue to halt the agency’s acceptance of gender identity changes on driver’s licenses.The ACLU intervened in the dispute centered on implications of Senate Bill 180, a vague piece of legislation labeled the Women’s Bill of Rights.“The alleged conflict is one of petitioner’s imagination,” Brett said. “Even if SB 180 could be interpreted to require denial of driver’s licenses with accurate gender markers to transgender Kansans, which it does not, petitioner’s requested relief should still be denied because it would violate intervenor-respondents’ rights to personal autonomy, privacy and equal protection under the Kansas Constitution.”“The balance of hardships, the public interest and irreparable harm tips overwhelmingly in favor of resuming KDOR’s gender marker policy during the remainder of this litigation,” she said.Kobach filed suit in July against officials in the Democratic administration of Gov. Laura Kelly. The maneuver was intended to block transgender people from amending gender markers on driver’s licenses. Kobach said Kelly had no alternative to respecting laws passed by the Legislature. The governor affirmed her responsibility to follow statute, but didn’t agree with the attorney general as it related to the law’s influence on content of driver’s licenses.“She does not possess the power that English monarchs claimed prior to the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688, namely, the power to suspend the operation of statutes,” Kobach said.Kobach formally filed suit against Mark Burghart, the state revenue secretary, and David Harper, the agency’s director of vehicles. The attorney general secured from District Court Judge Teresa Watson a temporary restraining order forbidding the state Department of Revenue from making more gender adjustments to driver’s licenses.In response, the revenue department halted its process of issuing licenses with gender markers associated with gender identity rather than an individual’s assignment of male or female sex at birth.Kobach took the next step by requesting a temporary injunction, but action was delayed several months ago to give the attorney general’s office more time to prepare for oral argument with the ACLU.He said the Department of Revenue ought to follow the “plain meaning of a law” passed by the Legislature. He also said he looked forward to rebutting the ACLU’s “novel theories” about the intersection in Kansas of constitutional rights and driver’s licenses.Transgender people have a gender identity different from their sex assigned at birth. Gender identity referred to a person’s fundamental, internal sense of belonging to a particular gender. However, a gender marker designated on a birth certificate at the time of birth — male or female — was almost always based on a health care professional’s consideration of an infant’s external genitalia.For cisgender people, the sex assigned at birth matched their gender identity. For transgender people, sex assigned at birth didn’t match their gender identity.In the ACLU’s latest court filing, Brett said Kobach couldn’t prevail on merits of his lawsuit against Department of Revenue leadership.ACLU lawyers, who represent five transgender Kansans in the lawsuit, suggested the revenue department be given authority to resume issuance of licenses to transgender Kansans aligned with the gender “they live as, are perceived as, and know themselves to be.”“KDOR’s policies regarding the issuance of driver’s licenses to transgender Kansas citizens have worked well for over a decade without any evidence of problems or harm. Interference with KDOR’s policies, by contrast, will create a myriad of harms,” Brett said.The district court judge is expected to conduct a hearing in January on Kobach’s proposed preliminary injunction.

ACLU of Kan. argues against Kobach request for temporary injunction in driver’s license case

HARVEY COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Harvey County.

Just after 5a.m. Thanksgiving morning, crews&nbsp;&nbsp;responded to the fire at a home in Newton, according to a social media report from Harvey County Fire and Rescue. Crews were able to stop the fire as it was entering the home. 

The occupants were away from their home for Thanksgiving at the time of the fire.&nbsp; Three dogs were found deceased. No firefighters were injured during this incident. 

&nbsp;Mutual aid was provided by Sedgwick Fire, Walton Fire, and Whitewater Fire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700833417235.png" alt="Photo Newton Fire and EMS" />
 <figcaption>Photo Newton Fire and EMS</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Harvey County.Just after 5a.m. Thanksgiving morning, crews&nbsp;&nbsp;responded to the fire at a home in Newton, according to a social media report from Harvey County Fire and Rescue. Crews were able to stop the fire as it was entering the home. The occupants were away from their home for Thanksgiving at the time of the fire.&nbsp; Three dogs were found deceased. No firefighters were injured during this incident. &nbsp;Mutual aid was provided by Sedgwick Fire, Walton Fire, and Whitewater Fire.

Pets die in Thanksgiving Day fire at Kansas home

JEFFERSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 6p.m. Thursday in Jefferson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am driven by Rebecca K. Bryant, 81,&nbsp;Oskaloosa, was southbound on U.S 59 just north 118th Street.

The car traveled left of center and struck a northbound 2005 Hyundai Sonata driven by Jesse M.&nbsp; Breshears, 33, McLouth, head-on.

Bryant was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Barnett Funeral Home.&nbsp; EMS transported Breshears to KU Medical Center. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

JEFFERSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 6p.m. Thursday in Jefferson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am driven by Rebecca K. Bryant, 81,&nbsp;Oskaloosa, was southbound on U.S 59 just north 118th Street.The car traveled left of center and struck a northbound 2005 Hyundai Sonata driven by Jesse M.&nbsp; Breshears, 33, McLouth, head-on.Bryant was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Barnett Funeral Home.&nbsp; EMS transported Breshears to KU Medical Center. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dead, man hospitalized after head-on crash

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have a boy in custody.

Just before 4p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a reported shooting in the 8100 Block of Perry Street in Overland Park, according to a media release.

First responders discovered a boy who had been shot. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators learned the victim was threatened with a firearm by another boy who shot him.

Police identified the suspect, located him and took him into custody.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have a boy in custody.Just before 4p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a reported shooting in the 8100 Block of Perry Street in Overland Park, according to a media release.First responders discovered a boy who had been shot. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.Investigators learned the victim was threatened with a firearm by another boy who shot him.Police identified the suspect, located him and took him into custody.

Police: Juvenile accused of shooting boy at Kansas home

WASHINGTON (AP) — A major Iranian-backed militant group in Iraq warned it may strike additional U.S. targets after U.S. warplanes killed multiple militants in response to the first use of short-range ballistic missiles against U.S. forces at Al-Asad Air Base Monday and shot down drones over the Red Sea.

U.S. fighter jets struck a Kataib Hezbollah operations center and a Kataib Hezbollah command and control node near Al Anbar and Jurf al Saqr, south of Baghdad, on Tuesday, two defense officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to provide additional sensitive details of the attacks.

There were Kataib Hezbollah personnel at both sites at the time of the strikes, but the officials said they could not yet confirm whether anyone there was killed.

Militia officials in Iraq said the attack had killed eight Kataib Hezbollah members.

The U.S. airstrikes followed an earlier retaliatory strike by an AC-130 gunship that was in the air when the Iranian-backed militants fired two short-range ballistic missiles at Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq late Monday evening. The gunship was able to locate the origin of the missiles, and fired on several militants who had fled in a vehicle, killing several of them.

Kataib Hezbollah in a statement meanwhile said it was considering “expanding the scope of targets” if the U.S. military continues with its strikes, adding that the attack “will not go unpunished”.

The dangerous back-and-forth strikes have escalated since Iranian-backed militant groups under the umbrella group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and Syria began striking U.S. facilities Oct. 17, the date that a blast at a hospital in Gaza killed hundreds. The attacks have continued unabated since, with at least 66 rocket and missile attacks hitting U.S. facilities and wounding at least 62 service members.

The Monday attack stood out in that it was the first time militants had used ballistic missiles, and the U.S. response inside Iraq was immediate.

It was also noteworthy because the previous planned counterattacks by U.S. warplanes had focused on militant weapons caches and training centers in Syria, due to political sensitivities in Iraq.

The office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who rose to power through the backing of an Iran-backed political coalition, called the recent escalations “a dangerous development," reflecting the delicate balance the government must strike between Iranian factions and U.S. military presence.

In a statement, Sudani called the the U.S. attack a violation of the country’s sovereignty and of the U.S.-led coalition’s mission to combat Islamic State militants on Iraqi soil, given that the attack was done without giving Iraq notice. Over the past month however, the Iraqi premier has also called for the authorities to pursue the attackers of U.S. bases in Iraq, as he tries to maintain a delicate balance in maintaining positive ties with both Washington and Tehran.

On Tuesday evening, U.S. officials speaking on background said the U.S. is trying to communicate that it does not seek wider conflict, but that the Iran-backed attacks against American forces must stop and that the U.S. will take further action if needed. The U.S. has moved considerable assets to the region — two carrier groups, multiple squadrons of warplanes and U.S. personnel to try and dissuade factions from turning the crisis between Israel and Hamas into a regional war.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A major Iranian-backed militant group in Iraq warned it may strike additional U.S. targets after U.S. warplanes killed multiple militants in response to the first use of short-range ballistic missiles against U.S. forces at Al-Asad Air Base Monday and shot down drones over the Red Sea.U.S. fighter jets struck a Kataib Hezbollah operations center and a Kataib Hezbollah command and control node near Al Anbar and Jurf al Saqr, south of Baghdad, on Tuesday, two defense officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to provide additional sensitive details of the attacks.There were Kataib Hezbollah personnel at both sites at the time of the strikes, but the officials said they could not yet confirm whether anyone there was killed.Militia officials in Iraq said the attack had killed eight Kataib Hezbollah members.The U.S. airstrikes followed an earlier retaliatory strike by an AC-130 gunship that was in the air when the Iranian-backed militants fired two short-range ballistic missiles at Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq late Monday evening. The gunship was able to locate the origin of the missiles, and fired on several militants who had fled in a vehicle, killing several of them.Kataib Hezbollah in a statement meanwhile said it was considering “expanding the scope of targets” if the U.S. military continues with its strikes, adding that the attack “will not go unpunished”.The dangerous back-and-forth strikes have escalated since Iranian-backed militant groups under the umbrella group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and Syria began striking U.S. facilities Oct. 17, the date that a blast at a hospital in Gaza killed hundreds. The attacks have continued unabated since, with at least 66 rocket and missile attacks hitting U.S. facilities and wounding at least 62 service members.The Monday attack stood out in that it was the first time militants had used ballistic missiles, and the U.S. response inside Iraq was immediate.It was also noteworthy because the previous planned counterattacks by U.S. warplanes had focused on militant weapons caches and training centers in Syria, due to political sensitivities in Iraq.The office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who rose to power through the backing of an Iran-backed political coalition, called the recent escalations “a dangerous development," reflecting the delicate balance the government must strike between Iranian factions and U.S. military presence.In a statement, Sudani called the the U.S. attack a violation of the country’s sovereignty and of the U.S.-led coalition’s mission to combat Islamic State militants on Iraqi soil, given that the attack was done without giving Iraq notice. Over the past month however, the Iraqi premier has also called for the authorities to pursue the attackers of U.S. bases in Iraq, as he tries to maintain a delicate balance in maintaining positive ties with both Washington and Tehran.On Tuesday evening, U.S. officials speaking on background said the U.S. is trying to communicate that it does not seek wider conflict, but that the Iran-backed attacks against American forces must stop and that the U.S. will take further action if needed. The U.S. has moved considerable assets to the region — two carrier groups, multiple squadrons of warplanes and U.S. personnel to try and dissuade factions from turning the crisis between Israel and Hamas into a regional war.

Iranian-backed terrorists issue threat if U.S. airstrikes continue

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly stabbing and after asking for help have taken a suspect identified as 34-year-old Anthony Durking into custody.

Just before 4:30p.m. Nov. 12, a citizen transported a man to&nbsp; Fire Station #3 in Independence, Missouri, with apparent stab wounds, for medical treatment, according to a media release.

 As fire department personnel were rendering aid to the individual, he died of his injuries. 

 During the investigation, it was determined that the stabbing occurred in the area of Truman Road and Hardy Avenue, according to online jail records, Durkin is being held without bond in the Johnson County, Missouri jail.

Police had described him as having a tattoo “RESPETO” on the right side of his neck and tattoo&nbsp;“Scooby Doo”  on his right arm. Durkin in homeless, according to police. Authorities have not reported possible charges he will face.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700791850458.png" alt="Durking-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Durking-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly stabbing and after asking for help have taken a suspect identified as 34-year-old Anthony Durking into custody.Just before 4:30p.m. Nov. 12, a citizen transported a man to&nbsp; Fire Station #3 in Independence, Missouri, with apparent stab wounds, for medical treatment, according to a media release. As fire department personnel were rendering aid to the individual, he died of his injuries. During the investigation, it was determined that the stabbing occurred in the area of Truman Road and Hardy Avenue, according to online jail records, Durkin is being held without bond in the Johnson County, Missouri jail.Police had described him as having a tattoo “RESPETO” on the right side of his neck and tattoo&nbsp;“Scooby Doo” on his right arm. Durkin in homeless, according to police. Authorities have not reported possible charges he will face.

Police captured wanted murder suspect with “Scooby Doo” tattoo 

By&nbsp;RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation released amended crime statistics after discovering its original report wasn’t accurate.

The agency said a system error caused thousands of offenses to go uncounted.

“When we recognized how many offenses weren’t represented in the annual crime report, we knew we had a responsibility to let the public, the Legislature and our law enforcement partners know that what we understood about crime in Kansas had changed,” said KBI director Tony Mattivi.

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansas.gov/kbi/stats/stats_crime.shtml">amended report</a>&nbsp;for 2022 crimes was released Nov. 16. Mattivi said one trend that had changed from the new data was violent crime. The June report documented a slight decrease in violent crime statewide, but new data suggests there was actually a small increase in violent crime in 2022, up by 2.9% from the previous year.

The data used in the annual crime report comes from local law enforcement agencies across Kansas. Agencies submit reports into the Kansas Incident Based Reporting System, a system described as outdated and one with “severe constraints,” according to KBI officials. The bureau is working to complete a new statewide crime information database system.

The Wichita Police Department alerted the KBI to mistakes in the report when they reviewed their crime data in the June report.

“Upon reviewing the crime data released by the KBI, the Wichita Police Department promptly alerted KBI to the inaccuracies. Collaborating with KBI, we pinpointed the issue and rectified it,” said Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan. “Furthermore, we implemented extra checks in coordination with KBI to ensure that submitted data undergoes thorough end-to-end verification upon receipt.”

The KIBRS unit opened up 2022 submissions again, receiving 4,979 more reports from agencies that had additional crimes reported for 2022 after the deadline along with reports that hadn’t been submitted before the original deadline.

The revised data shows a total of 13,808 violent crimes, such as aggravated assault and battery, reported in Kansas in 2022.&nbsp; In 2021, 13,422 violent crimes were reported by law enforcement.

The change brings violent crime in 2022 up to 17.5% higher than the 10-year average. Reported property crimes declined by 4.1% in the year, with 65,119 reported property crimes. In 2021, there were 67,928 property crimes reported in the state.

KBI spokeswoman Melissa Underwood said the KBI has no plans to amend the agency’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansas.gov/kbi/stats/docs/pdf/DVStalking%20Rape%202022.pdf">annual state report</a>&nbsp;on domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault, despite a change in these numbers as well.&nbsp;The first report for 2022 documented 1,160 reported rapes in the state. The amended report put the number at 1,281.

Underwood said the domestic violence report didn’t need to be amended because the additional offenses were already included in the amended crime report. She said the two reports are difficult to reconcile because the assault report documents incidents and the crime report documents victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700582241832.png" alt=" KBI director Tony Mattivi says offenses that weren't included in a previous report need to be publicized. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> KBI director Tony Mattivi says offenses that weren't included in a previous report need to be publicized. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation released amended crime statistics after discovering its original report wasn’t accurate.The agency said a system error caused thousands of offenses to go uncounted.“When we recognized how many offenses weren’t represented in the annual crime report, we knew we had a responsibility to let the public, the Legislature and our law enforcement partners know that what we understood about crime in Kansas had changed,” said KBI director Tony Mattivi.The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansas.gov/kbi/stats/stats_crime.shtml">amended report</a>&nbsp;for 2022 crimes was released Nov. 16. Mattivi said one trend that had changed from the new data was violent crime. The June report documented a slight decrease in violent crime statewide, but new data suggests there was actually a small increase in violent crime in 2022, up by 2.9% from the previous year.The data used in the annual crime report comes from local law enforcement agencies across Kansas. Agencies submit reports into the Kansas Incident Based Reporting System, a system described as outdated and one with “severe constraints,” according to KBI officials. The bureau is working to complete a new statewide crime information database system.The Wichita Police Department alerted the KBI to mistakes in the report when they reviewed their crime data in the June report.“Upon reviewing the crime data released by the KBI, the Wichita Police Department promptly alerted KBI to the inaccuracies. Collaborating with KBI, we pinpointed the issue and rectified it,” said Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan. “Furthermore, we implemented extra checks in coordination with KBI to ensure that submitted data undergoes thorough end-to-end verification upon receipt.”The KIBRS unit opened up 2022 submissions again, receiving 4,979 more reports from agencies that had additional crimes reported for 2022 after the deadline along with reports that hadn’t been submitted before the original deadline.The revised data shows a total of 13,808 violent crimes, such as aggravated assault and battery, reported in Kansas in 2022.&nbsp; In 2021, 13,422 violent crimes were reported by law enforcement.The change brings violent crime in 2022 up to 17.5% higher than the 10-year average. Reported property crimes declined by 4.1% in the year, with 65,119 reported property crimes. In 2021, there were 67,928 property crimes reported in the state.KBI spokeswoman Melissa Underwood said the KBI has no plans to amend the agency’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansas.gov/kbi/stats/docs/pdf/DVStalking%20Rape%202022.pdf">annual state report</a>&nbsp;on domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault, despite a change in these numbers as well.&nbsp;The first report for 2022 documented 1,160 reported rapes in the state. The amended report put the number at 1,281.Underwood said the domestic violence report didn’t need to be amended because the additional offenses were already included in the amended crime report. She said the two reports are difficult to reconcile because the assault report documents incidents and the crime report documents victims.

KBI revised Kan. crime report for 2022, adds more than 4K new offenses

WICHITA– Thanks to quick thinking by a visitor and actions by Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center staff, a Veteran and his family will celebrate at least one more holiday season together.

On Nov. 17, Cathy Tullis came to Dole VA to pick up a family member who had been in the hospital. As she pulled up, she noticed a person lying face down near the parking lot. She jumped out of her car to check on the man. Finding him unresponsive, she immediately ran inside the building and notified a staff member.

Kristine Davis, Transportation Assistant, was that employee. Davis asked her co-worker to call the VA Police Department and then immediately went outside with Tullis to assess the situation.

“When we got to the gentleman, he was still lying face down,” said Davis. “A couple nurses from our Quality Management department happened to see us and came to help.”

The unresponsive man was turned onto his back and a quick assessment was performed, revealing the man wasn’t breathing and had no pulse. They immediately started CPR using chest compressions and continued until the hospital’s rapid response team arrived. A short time later, the man responded with a pulse and began breathing again.

Sedgwick County EMS and the Wichita Fire Department responded and helped move the patient to the Dole VA Emergency Room, where he was further stabilized before being transferred to another facility. ER staff noted the patient was awake and talking prior to transfer, a good sign after having gone through cardiac arrest.

Tullis was impressed with how calm and professional the staff were that day. “I know I saw a life saved that day,” said Tullis. “The staff were so calm, cool, and collected – it was very impressive.”

“We are very proud of the heroic actions taken by our staff last week,” said Medical Center Director Michael Payne. “We get high marks and ratings for the care we provide to our Veterans, but nothing says ‘we care’ like rushing into the parking lot to save a person’s life.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700706790724.png" alt="(L-R) RN Lacey Vogts, Transportation Specialist Kristine Davis, and RN Jessica Raub quickly responded to a call for assistance in the parking lot of Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center on Friday, Nov. 17. The three Dole VA staff members worked together to perform CPR and save the life of a Veteran who had gone into cardiac arrest and collapsed in the parking lot." />
 <figcaption>(L-R) RN Lacey Vogts, Transportation Specialist Kristine Davis, and RN Jessica Raub quickly responded to a call for assistance in the parking lot of Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center on Friday, Nov. 17. The three Dole VA staff members worked together to perform CPR and save the life of a Veteran who had gone into cardiac arrest and collapsed in the parking lot.</figcaption>
 </figure>By Jeff HerndonWICHITA– Thanks to quick thinking by a visitor and actions by Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center staff, a Veteran and his family will celebrate at least one more holiday season together.On Nov. 17, Cathy Tullis came to Dole VA to pick up a family member who had been in the hospital. As she pulled up, she noticed a person lying face down near the parking lot. She jumped out of her car to check on the man. Finding him unresponsive, she immediately ran inside the building and notified a staff member.Kristine Davis, Transportation Assistant, was that employee. Davis asked her co-worker to call the VA Police Department and then immediately went outside with Tullis to assess the situation.“When we got to the gentleman, he was still lying face down,” said Davis. “A couple nurses from our Quality Management department happened to see us and came to help.”The unresponsive man was turned onto his back and a quick assessment was performed, revealing the man wasn’t breathing and had no pulse. They immediately started CPR using chest compressions and continued until the hospital’s rapid response team arrived. A short time later, the man responded with a pulse and began breathing again.Sedgwick County EMS and the Wichita Fire Department responded and helped move the patient to the Dole VA Emergency Room, where he was further stabilized before being transferred to another facility. ER staff noted the patient was awake and talking prior to transfer, a good sign after having gone through cardiac arrest.Tullis was impressed with how calm and professional the staff were that day. “I know I saw a life saved that day,” said Tullis. “The staff were so calm, cool, and collected – it was very impressive.”“We are very proud of the heroic actions taken by our staff last week,” said Medical Center Director Michael Payne. “We get high marks and ratings for the care we provide to our Veterans, but nothing says ‘we care’ like rushing into the parking lot to save a person’s life.”

Thankful: Dole VA staff worked together to save visitor's life

NEW YORK (AP) — Retailers are kicking off the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season on Friday with a bevy of discounts and other enticements. But executives are growing concerned with a spending slowdown that could temper sales on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-friday-2023-history-holiday-shopping-308658520bbbeaaff41540078f616ca2">the day after Thanksgiving</a>&nbsp;as well as throughout the holidays.

Shoppers, powered by a solid job market and steady wage growth, had demonstrated a resilience that confounded economists and ran counter to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence">sour sentiments</a>&nbsp;expressed in opinion polls. Such spending, while cautious, came despite higher prices in the grocery aisle and higher borrowing costs.

But consumers are now coming under more pressure from dwindling savings, increased credit card debt and still stubborn inflation. In fact, shoppers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-sales-inflation-economy-spending-ad844bf1aae175204dd1e68d45ebd382">cut their buying in October</a>, ending six straight months of gains. Shoppers have gotten some relief from easing inflation, but many goods and services like meat and rent are still far higher than they were just three years ago.

The latest quarterly results from a string of retailers from Walmart to Best Buy have reported a weakening consumer. Walmart said it noticed shoppers cutting back in October and offered a muted annual sales outlook. Best Buy, the nation’s largest retailer, said shoppers are trading down to cheaper TVs. And Target said shoppers are waiting longer to buy items. For example, instead of buying sweatshirts or denim back in August or September, they held out until the weather turned cold.

“It’s clear that consumers have been remarkably resilient,” Target's CEO Brian Cornell told analysts last week. “Yet in our research, things like uncertainty, caution and managing a budget are top of mind.”

Even luxury retailers are noting their shoppers are feeling pinched.

"We’re taking a measured approach. There’s been some softening,” said Marc Metrick, CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue’s standalone online business, Saks. “I don’t think (the holiday season) is going to be some horrible business nor is it going to be some kind of explosive holiday season.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-retail-federation-holiday-season-inflation-15eea87804a392cc13c352fd58ff6347">National Retail Federation</a>, the nation’s largest retail trade group, expects shoppers will spend more this year than last year, but their pace will slow given all the economic uncertainty.

The group has forecast that U.S. holiday sales will rise 3% to 4% for November through December, compared with a 5.4% growth of a year ago. The pace is consistent with the average annual holiday increase of 3.6% from 2010 to pre-pandemic 2019. Americans ramped up spending during the pandemic, with more money in their pockets from federal relief checks and nowhere to go during lockdowns. For the holiday 2021 season, sales for the two-month period surged 12.7%.

Many retailers had already ordered fewer goods for this holiday season and have pushed holiday sales earlier in October than last year to help shoppers spread out their spending. An early shopping push appears to be a trend that only got more pronounced during the pandemic when clogs in the supply network in 2021 made people buy early for fear of not getting what they wanted.

But retailers said that many shoppers will be focusing more on deals and will likely wait until the last minute. Best Buy said it's pushing more items at opening price points, while Kohl's has simplified its deals, promoting items under a certain price point like $25 at its stores.

Barbara Lindquist, 85, from Hawthorne Woods, Illinois, said she and her husband plan to spend about $1,000 for holiday gifts for her three adult children, 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. That's about the same as last year.

But Lindquist, who continues to work as a pre-school teacher at a local church, said she’ll be more focused on deals given still high prices on meat and other staples. And she plans to buy more gift cards, which she believes will help her stick to her budget.

“I go for value,” said Lindquist, who just picked up discounted sheets and towels at Kohl's for friends who will be visiting from Panama during the holidays.

Online discounts should be better than a year ago, particularly for toys, electronics and clothing, according to Adobe Analytics, which tracks online spending. It predicts toys will be discounted on average by 35%, compared with 22% a year ago, while electronics should see 30% cuts, compared with last year's 27%. In clothing, shoppers will see an average discount of 25%, compared with 19% last year, Adobe said.

Analysts consider the five-day Black Friday weekend — which includes the Monday after the holiday known as Cyber Monday — a key barometer of shoppers’ willingness to spend. And Black Friday is expected to be once again the busiest shopping day of the year, according to Sensormatic Solutions, a firm that tracks store traffic. On average, the top 10 busiest shopping days in the U.S are expected to once again account for roughly 40% of all holiday retail traffic, Sensormatic said.

Stores have been increasingly pushing Black Friday-type deals all month, helping to perk up business.

Adobe Analytics reported that from Nov. 1 through Monday, consumers spent $63.2 billion online, up 5% compared with the year-ago period and outpacing its estimate of 4.8% for the two-month holiday period.

However, Marshal Cohen, chief retail adviser at Circana, a market research firm, said he thinks that shoppers will just stick to a list and not buy on impulse. He also believes they will take their time buying throughout the season.

NEW YORK (AP) — Retailers are kicking off the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season on Friday with a bevy of discounts and other enticements. But executives are growing concerned with a spending slowdown that could temper sales on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-friday-2023-history-holiday-shopping-308658520bbbeaaff41540078f616ca2">the day after Thanksgiving</a>&nbsp;as well as throughout the holidays.Shoppers, powered by a solid job market and steady wage growth, had demonstrated a resilience that confounded economists and ran counter to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence">sour sentiments</a>&nbsp;expressed in opinion polls. Such spending, while cautious, came despite higher prices in the grocery aisle and higher borrowing costs.But consumers are now coming under more pressure from dwindling savings, increased credit card debt and still stubborn inflation. In fact, shoppers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-sales-inflation-economy-spending-ad844bf1aae175204dd1e68d45ebd382">cut their buying in October</a>, ending six straight months of gains. Shoppers have gotten some relief from easing inflation, but many goods and services like meat and rent are still far higher than they were just three years ago.The latest quarterly results from a string of retailers from Walmart to Best Buy have reported a weakening consumer. Walmart said it noticed shoppers cutting back in October and offered a muted annual sales outlook. Best Buy, the nation’s largest retailer, said shoppers are trading down to cheaper TVs. And Target said shoppers are waiting longer to buy items. For example, instead of buying sweatshirts or denim back in August or September, they held out until the weather turned cold.“It’s clear that consumers have been remarkably resilient,” Target's CEO Brian Cornell told analysts last week. “Yet in our research, things like uncertainty, caution and managing a budget are top of mind.”Even luxury retailers are noting their shoppers are feeling pinched."We’re taking a measured approach. There’s been some softening,” said Marc Metrick, CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue’s standalone online business, Saks. “I don’t think (the holiday season) is going to be some horrible business nor is it going to be some kind of explosive holiday season.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-retail-federation-holiday-season-inflation-15eea87804a392cc13c352fd58ff6347">National Retail Federation</a>, the nation’s largest retail trade group, expects shoppers will spend more this year than last year, but their pace will slow given all the economic uncertainty.The group has forecast that U.S. holiday sales will rise 3% to 4% for November through December, compared with a 5.4% growth of a year ago. The pace is consistent with the average annual holiday increase of 3.6% from 2010 to pre-pandemic 2019. Americans ramped up spending during the pandemic, with more money in their pockets from federal relief checks and nowhere to go during lockdowns. For the holiday 2021 season, sales for the two-month period surged 12.7%.Many retailers had already ordered fewer goods for this holiday season and have pushed holiday sales earlier in October than last year to help shoppers spread out their spending. An early shopping push appears to be a trend that only got more pronounced during the pandemic when clogs in the supply network in 2021 made people buy early for fear of not getting what they wanted.But retailers said that many shoppers will be focusing more on deals and will likely wait until the last minute. Best Buy said it's pushing more items at opening price points, while Kohl's has simplified its deals, promoting items under a certain price point like $25 at its stores.Barbara Lindquist, 85, from Hawthorne Woods, Illinois, said she and her husband plan to spend about $1,000 for holiday gifts for her three adult children, 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. That's about the same as last year.But Lindquist, who continues to work as a pre-school teacher at a local church, said she’ll be more focused on deals given still high prices on meat and other staples. And she plans to buy more gift cards, which she believes will help her stick to her budget.“I go for value,” said Lindquist, who just picked up discounted sheets and towels at Kohl's for friends who will be visiting from Panama during the holidays.Online discounts should be better than a year ago, particularly for toys, electronics and clothing, according to Adobe Analytics, which tracks online spending. It predicts toys will be discounted on average by 35%, compared with 22% a year ago, while electronics should see 30% cuts, compared with last year's 27%. In clothing, shoppers will see an average discount of 25%, compared with 19% last year, Adobe said.Analysts consider the five-day Black Friday weekend — which includes the Monday after the holiday known as Cyber Monday — a key barometer of shoppers’ willingness to spend. And Black Friday is expected to be once again the busiest shopping day of the year, according to Sensormatic Solutions, a firm that tracks store traffic. On average, the top 10 busiest shopping days in the U.S are expected to once again account for roughly 40% of all holiday retail traffic, Sensormatic said.Stores have been increasingly pushing Black Friday-type deals all month, helping to perk up business.Adobe Analytics reported that from Nov. 1 through Monday, consumers spent $63.2 billion online, up 5% compared with the year-ago period and outpacing its estimate of 4.8% for the two-month holiday period.However, Marshal Cohen, chief retail adviser at Circana, a market research firm, said he thinks that shoppers will just stick to a list and not buy on impulse. He also believes they will take their time buying throughout the season.

Retailers ready for Black Friday as shoppers pull back on spending

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting that injured a 9-year-old boy have made an additional arrest of the suspect's father.

On Monday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division served a search warrant in the 1100 Block SW Glendale Drive in Topeka related to the search for 16-yeard-old Anthony Guerrero III, a subject wanted for questioning in the shooting that injured a child at a home&nbsp; November 19, in the 6700 Block SW Greencastle Drive, according to Deputy Scott Wanamaker.

During the investigation, illegal narcotics and firearms were located in the home.

On Tuesday, police arrested 38-year-old Anthony Guerrero II, father of Anthony Guerrero III, and booked in to the Shawnee County Department of Correction (SNDOC) for criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, criminal use of weapons, and possession of cocaine.

This incident and the shooting incident are still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office at (785)251-2200.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating&nbsp; a&nbsp; shooting that sent a child to the hospital have a suspect in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700667139206.png" alt="Guerrero II-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Guerrero II-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting that injured a 9-year-old boy have made an additional arrest of the suspect's father.On Monday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division served a search warrant in the 1100 Block SW Glendale Drive in Topeka related to the search for 16-yeard-old Anthony Guerrero III, a subject wanted for questioning in the shooting that injured a child at a home&nbsp; November 19, in the 6700 Block SW Greencastle Drive, according to Deputy Scott Wanamaker.During the investigation, illegal narcotics and firearms were located in the home.On Tuesday, police arrested 38-year-old Anthony Guerrero II, father of Anthony Guerrero III, and booked in to the Shawnee County Department of Correction (SNDOC) for criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, criminal use of weapons, and possession of cocaine.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700520416350.png" alt="Guerrero III photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Guerrero III photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>This incident and the shooting incident are still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office at (785)251-2200.--------------SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating&nbsp; a&nbsp; shooting that sent a child to the hospital have a suspect in custody.On Monday police asked for help to locate 16-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;Anthony Rocky Guerrero III for the Sunday evening gunfire near the 6700 Block of SW Greencastle Drive in Topeka, according to Sheriff's Lieutenant Scott Wanamaker.&nbsp;A 9-year-old&nbsp; had been struck by the gunfire. He was inside a home and was struck in his left leg. EMS transported the boy to a local hospital for treatment. There were 3 adults and 5 juveniles in the home at the time of the shooting, according to Wanamaker.After shooting at the residence the two suspects fled the area on foot, entered a silver passenger car in the 6800 Block SW Rockpost Road and fled the scene.&nbsp; &nbsp;Guerrero turned himself in and was booked into the Shawnee County Juvenile Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault, Criminal Discharge of a Firearm at an occupied dwelling and Felony Criminal Damage to Property.