WASHINGTON&nbsp; (AP)— Two U.S. senior defense officials briefing reporters at the Pentagon on Monday said that from Oct. 17 to Oct. 30, U.S. and coalition forces were attacked at least 14 times in Iraq and nine times in Syria by a mix of drones and rockets for a total of 23 attacks.

The officials said many of the drones and rockets were intercepted and failed to reach their targets.

Bases housing U.S. troops in Syria and Iraq have come under rocket and drone attacks over the past weeks as tensions in the region rise over the Israel-Hamas war.

Meanwhile, Israel expanded its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-news-10-30-2023-131e9537aaad8e74586cc114d2668e5a">military incursion</a>&nbsp;deeper into the northern part of the Gaza Strip on Monday as the U.N. and medical staff expressed fears over airstrikes hitting closer to hospitals, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have sought shelter alongside thousands of wounded. The largest convoy of humanitarian aid to arrive in Gaza still fell far short of needs, relief workers said.

The movements of recent days, including larger ground operations both north and east of Gaza City, point to a focus on the city.

Israel’s military said late Monday that a female soldier captured during Hamas’ wide-ranging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;inside Israel was released during its ground operation — the first such rescue since the weekslong war began.

The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has reached 8,306, according to the Hamas-run&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>. In the occupied West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.

More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, most of them civilians slain in the initial Hamas rampage that started the fighting Oct. 7. In addition, 240 hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza by the militant group.

WASHINGTON&nbsp; (AP)— Two U.S. senior defense officials briefing reporters at the Pentagon on Monday said that from Oct. 17 to Oct. 30, U.S. and coalition forces were attacked at least 14 times in Iraq and nine times in Syria by a mix of drones and rockets for a total of 23 attacks.The officials said many of the drones and rockets were intercepted and failed to reach their targets.Bases housing U.S. troops in Syria and Iraq have come under rocket and drone attacks over the past weeks as tensions in the region rise over the Israel-Hamas war.Meanwhile, Israel expanded its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-news-10-30-2023-131e9537aaad8e74586cc114d2668e5a">military incursion</a>&nbsp;deeper into the northern part of the Gaza Strip on Monday as the U.N. and medical staff expressed fears over airstrikes hitting closer to hospitals, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have sought shelter alongside thousands of wounded. The largest convoy of humanitarian aid to arrive in Gaza still fell far short of needs, relief workers said.The movements of recent days, including larger ground operations both north and east of Gaza City, point to a focus on the city.Israel’s military said late Monday that a female soldier captured during Hamas’ wide-ranging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;inside Israel was released during its ground operation — the first such rescue since the weekslong war began.The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has reached 8,306, according to the Hamas-run&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>. In the occupied West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, most of them civilians slain in the initial Hamas rampage that started the fighting Oct. 7. In addition, 240 hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza by the militant group.

US: American, coalition forces attacked 23 times in Syria, Iraq 

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 — Haven school district administrator Megan Hett knew surveys indicated Reno County was short 1,600 child care slots and it was unlikely a private business would parachute in to help a small public school district fill the gap for children and their families.

Evidence that kids who attended preschool did better academically that those that didn’t provided incentive to get creative.

“The differences were vast,” said Hett, director of learning services for the 750-student district. “In reading and math, we were seeing a big difference in students who were at benchmarks and those who weren’t coming into kindergarten.”

She said the district opened two child care centers in a collaborative effort with the cities of Haven and Yoder. The preschool unit was located in Yoder to provide 40 slots for a combined preschool and after-school program. The all-day setup was available during the academic year and the summer months. Haven, six miles down Kansas 96, became home to an infant and toddler facility with 16 slots. There’s a plan to add 10 more slots. The operation included transportation services.

“We’re excited to offer these resources to our community,” Hett said.

It was the kind of community-based answer to Kansas’ epidemic shortage of affordable, quality child care that caught the attention of U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican. He hosted a roundtable discussion by Zoom with leaders of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, Child Care Aware of Kansas and several local entities working on the issue.

“What this reminds me of is people solve problems. The federal government doesn’t solve problems,” Marshall said. “What solution might work in Great Bend, Kansas, may not work in Kansas City, Kansas, may not work in Wichita, Kansas, or Topeka, Kansas.”

Melissa Rooker serves as executive director of the Children’s Cabinet, which was created by the Legislature in 1999 to coordinate expenditure of the state’s annual payment under the national tobacco settlement. The cash has been devoted to early childhood care and education. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted infusion of supplemental federal aid that has been dedicated to the crisis in delivery of care for children.

Grant applications will be accepted by the state until Dec. 18 for a slice of $92 million, including earmarks for support for construction and renovation of child care facilities.

“We are really pleased to see communities large and small apply for the grants,” Rooker said. “We have really enjoyed seeing the variety of communities come together, not just the traditional folks around the table, but business leaders, government officials and the world of education, the world of philanthropy and, of course, child care providers.”

She said decisions about how to meet the shortage best emerged at the community level. There were state-level steps to be taken, she said, including implementation of a comprehensive set of proposed rule and regulation changes pending before the attorney general and eventually open to public comment.

Another problem in Kansas has been conflict between local zoning and state regulation on child care facilities, Rooker said.

“We want quality, but we don’t want unnecessary regulation as well,” Marshall said.

Tanya Koehn, interim executive director of nonprofit Child Care Aware of Kansas, said the organization was engaged in a pilot project with 56 child care providers in 14 counties that has enrolled 40 infants in care. The objective is to provide a $15 per hour subsidy if a facility accepted one additional infant.

“We know this is a hard age to get into child care,” she said. “So, our pilot is called Baby Steps.”

Edward Herrman, chief executive officer of Hays Medical Center, said a local task force indicated Hays had a shortage of 600 slots for children. A part of that was among employees of Hays Med, which has a staff of about 1,500. In response, the hospital’s foundation supported construction of a $1.3 million facility.

The decision was made to outsource management of the center, which would have a capacity of 77. It can only handle nine infants, Herrman said, which has created a waiting list for families trying to secure convenient care for their babies.

“That right there is probably the biggest challenge — babies,” Herrman said.

On the opposite end of the spectrum was Julie Lyon, executive director of Kiowa County Economic Development. The challenges of housing, workforce development and child care were felt statewide, she said, but a fix in a rural Kansas county of less than 2,500 people was more elusive, she said.

She said Kiowa County’s solution involved opening two licensed child care facilities capable of serving 12 children each. A subsidy of approximately $1,000 per child was available to set up turn-key centers leased by the county agency and subleased to care providers.

“People ask me: ‘How do we help rural America survive?'” Marshall said. “This is one of the challenges we have to overcome.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698492175246.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, hosted an online tow hall with organizations with innovative ideas about addressing the extreme shortage of quality, affordable child care in Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. Sen. Marshall’s livestream)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, hosted an online tow hall with organizations with innovative ideas about addressing the extreme shortage of quality, affordable child care in Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. Sen. Marshall’s livestream)</figcaption>
 </figure>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 — Haven school district administrator Megan Hett knew surveys indicated Reno County was short 1,600 child care slots and it was unlikely a private business would parachute in to help a small public school district fill the gap for children and their families.Evidence that kids who attended preschool did better academically that those that didn’t provided incentive to get creative.“The differences were vast,” said Hett, director of learning services for the 750-student district. “In reading and math, we were seeing a big difference in students who were at benchmarks and those who weren’t coming into kindergarten.”She said the district opened two child care centers in a collaborative effort with the cities of Haven and Yoder. The preschool unit was located in Yoder to provide 40 slots for a combined preschool and after-school program. The all-day setup was available during the academic year and the summer months. Haven, six miles down Kansas 96, became home to an infant and toddler facility with 16 slots. There’s a plan to add 10 more slots. The operation included transportation services.“We’re excited to offer these resources to our community,” Hett said.It was the kind of community-based answer to Kansas’ epidemic shortage of affordable, quality child care that caught the attention of U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican. He hosted a roundtable discussion by Zoom with leaders of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, Child Care Aware of Kansas and several local entities working on the issue.“What this reminds me of is people solve problems. The federal government doesn’t solve problems,” Marshall said. “What solution might work in Great Bend, Kansas, may not work in Kansas City, Kansas, may not work in Wichita, Kansas, or Topeka, Kansas.”<h2>The Children’s Cabinet</h2>Melissa Rooker serves as executive director of the Children’s Cabinet, which was created by the Legislature in 1999 to coordinate expenditure of the state’s annual payment under the national tobacco settlement. The cash has been devoted to early childhood care and education. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted infusion of supplemental federal aid that has been dedicated to the crisis in delivery of care for children.Grant applications will be accepted by the state until Dec. 18 for a slice of $92 million, including earmarks for support for construction and renovation of child care facilities.“We are really pleased to see communities large and small apply for the grants,” Rooker said. “We have really enjoyed seeing the variety of communities come together, not just the traditional folks around the table, but business leaders, government officials and the world of education, the world of philanthropy and, of course, child care providers.”She said decisions about how to meet the shortage best emerged at the community level. There were state-level steps to be taken, she said, including implementation of a comprehensive set of proposed rule and regulation changes pending before the attorney general and eventually open to public comment.Another problem in Kansas has been conflict between local zoning and state regulation on child care facilities, Rooker said.“We want quality, but we don’t want unnecessary regulation as well,” Marshall said.<h2>A pilot project</h2>Tanya Koehn, interim executive director of nonprofit Child Care Aware of Kansas, said the organization was engaged in a pilot project with 56 child care providers in 14 counties that has enrolled 40 infants in care. The objective is to provide a $15 per hour subsidy if a facility accepted one additional infant.“We know this is a hard age to get into child care,” she said. “So, our pilot is called Baby Steps.”Edward Herrman, chief executive officer of Hays Medical Center, said a local task force indicated Hays had a shortage of 600 slots for children. A part of that was among employees of Hays Med, which has a staff of about 1,500. In response, the hospital’s foundation supported construction of a $1.3 million facility.The decision was made to outsource management of the center, which would have a capacity of 77. It can only handle nine infants, Herrman said, which has created a waiting list for families trying to secure convenient care for their babies.“That right there is probably the biggest challenge — babies,” Herrman said.On the opposite end of the spectrum was Julie Lyon, executive director of Kiowa County Economic Development. The challenges of housing, workforce development and child care were felt statewide, she said, but a fix in a rural Kansas county of less than 2,500 people was more elusive, she said.She said Kiowa County’s solution involved opening two licensed child care facilities capable of serving 12 children each. A subsidy of approximately $1,000 per child was available to set up turn-key centers leased by the county agency and subleased to care providers.“People ask me: ‘How do we help rural America survive?'” Marshall said. “This is one of the challenges we have to overcome.”

Marshall praises baby steps toward addressing Kan. child care shortage

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly Sunday morning shooting outside a Wichita nightclub have identified the shooter as 33-year-old Terrence Johnson. Police arrested him minutes after the shooting in connection with another crime involving his family. He was booked into jail for the misdemeanor and released before investigators determined he was the alleged nightclub killer.

Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were monitoring at Onyx 10001  E. Kellogg when they heard multiple gunshots, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

First responders located 23-year-old Jaylon Pete of Wichita in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Two other individuals, a 26-year-old man and a 24-year-old man both of Wichita, were struck by gunfire during the shooting.&nbsp;They were transported to local area hospitals for treatment of serious non-life threatening injuries.

Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation suggest that the suspect now identified as Johnson was involved in a disturbance inside the club, according to Wichita Police Lt. Aaron Moses during a Monday news conference. Johnson went outside to get a handgun and attempted to re-enter the club. but was unable to do so due to safety measured implemented by the club management.

Through extensive investigation and tips from the public, police have probable cause to believe Johnson was the shooter Sunday morning, according to Lt. Moses. Police continue to ask the public for help to find him. He should be considered armed and dangerous.

Less than thirty minutes after the deadly shooting, police responded to a domestic violence call in the 1700 Block of North Pinecrest in Wichita. During the investigation of the call, officers arrested Johnson for alleged misdemeanor criminal damage to property.&nbsp; Police had no information at that time Johnson was a suspect in the deadly nightclub shooting.&nbsp;

At 2:16a.m., officers booked Johnson into the Sedgwick County Jail for the criminal damage case and he bonded out just after 3:30a.m., according to online jail records. Police didn't identify him as a suspect in the nightclub killing until afternoon Sunday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Anyone with information on Johnson or where he is should call 911.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698681929650.png" alt="Johnson-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Johnson-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly Sunday morning shooting outside a Wichita nightclub have identified the shooter as 33-year-old Terrence Johnson. Police arrested him minutes after the shooting in connection with another crime involving his family. He was booked into jail for the misdemeanor and released before investigators determined he was the alleged nightclub killer.Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were monitoring at Onyx 10001 E. Kellogg when they heard multiple gunshots, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.First responders located 23-year-old Jaylon Pete of Wichita in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Two other individuals, a 26-year-old man and a 24-year-old man both of Wichita, were struck by gunfire during the shooting.&nbsp;They were transported to local area hospitals for treatment of serious non-life threatening injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698581256538.png" alt="Security camera image Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation suggest that the suspect now identified as Johnson was involved in a disturbance inside the club, according to Wichita Police Lt. Aaron Moses during a Monday news conference. Johnson went outside to get a handgun and attempted to re-enter the club. but was unable to do so due to safety measured implemented by the club management.Through extensive investigation and tips from the public, police have probable cause to believe Johnson was the shooter Sunday morning, according to Lt. Moses. Police continue to ask the public for help to find him. He should be considered armed and dangerous.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698684116919.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Less than thirty minutes after the deadly shooting, police responded to a domestic violence call in the 1700 Block of North Pinecrest in Wichita. During the investigation of the call, officers arrested Johnson for alleged misdemeanor criminal damage to property.&nbsp; Police had no information at that time Johnson was a suspect in the deadly nightclub shooting.&nbsp;At 2:16a.m., officers booked Johnson into the Sedgwick County Jail for the criminal damage case and he bonded out just after 3:30a.m., according to online jail records. Police didn't identify him as a suspect in the nightclub killing until afternoon Sunday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Anyone with information on Johnson or where he is should call 911.&nbsp;

Suspect in deadly Kan. nightclub killing was in custody, released

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative contract agreement that could end a six-week-old strike against Detroit automakers, two people briefed on the deal said Monday.

The agreement follows the pattern set with Ford last week and Jeep maker Stellantis over the weekend.

It was reached early Monday in a meeting at the UAW headquarters in Detroit involving union President Shawn Fain, GM CEO Mary Barra and manufacturing chief Gerald Johnson, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they aren't authorized to speak publicly about the deal. The agreement was reached on Fain's 55th birthday.

The deals will last four years and eight months and include 25% general pay raises and cost of living adjustments. Combined they bring the wage increase to over 30% over the life of the contract.

The contract with GM is similar to those reached by the other two automakers, but there are some differences.

GM was the last company to reach a deal and the union added a lucrative factory in Tennessee to the strike list on Saturday to turn up the pressure.

The UAW reached&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strikes-ford-general-motors-stellantis-08a81503d72e44d4efa40549f684d5a2">tentative agreement last week with Ford</a>&nbsp;and Stellantis on Saturday, and it wasted no time in hitting GM where it hurts financially.

Nearly 4,000 unionized workers on Saturday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-gm-spring-hill-tennessee-contract-64c756ec121d7f39205fdea396d21bc0">walked out of GM's largest North American plant</a>&nbsp;in Spring Hill, Tennessee, hours after the deal with Stellantis was announced. They joined about 14,000 GM workers already striking at factories in Texas, Michigan and Missouri.

The people briefed on the matter said Barra and Johnson wanted a deal in an effort to get Spring Hill up and running on scheduled Monday morning, plus they're trying to reopen a large and profitable SUV factory in Arlington, Texas.

President Joe Biden was asked about the deal Monday, as he boarded Air Force One back to the White House. He gave a thumbs-up and said: “I think it’s great.”

Also Monday, 8,200 Stellantis workers in Canada represented by a different union, Unifor, briefly went on strike before reaching a deal that comes with base hourly wage increases of nearly 20% for production workers. General Motors and Ford workers in Canada have already voted to ratify a three-year contract agreement with the company.

Spring Hill, the plant where workers hit picket lines Saturday, produces the engines for vehicles assembled at nine plants as far afield as Mexico, including Silverado and Sierra pickups. It's a big money maker for GM that could have potentially amplified the company's financial pain after workers walked off the job last week in Arlington, Texas, where full-size SUVs including the Tahoe and Suburban are produced. Spring Hill also produces the electric Cadillac Lyriq, GMC Acadia and Cadillac crossover SUVs.

Presidents of the Ford union locals voted unanimously in Detroit on Sunday to endorse that tentative contract after UAW President Shawn Fain explained its details,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/uaw/status/1718773591972495386?s=46&amp;t=kB_Z_dm-QT0eZ5qMjDc8zA">the union tweeted.</a>

As he explained&nbsp;<a href="https://uaw.org/uaw-auto-bargaining/fordcontract/">the particulars</a>&nbsp;to the full membership in a later livestream, Fain, along with Chuck Browning, the UAW vice president, said the deal represents a “historical inflection point” for reviving union power in an America where "we were being left behind by an economy that only works for the billionaire class.”

“UAW members at Ford will receive more in straight general wage increases over the next 4 1/2 years than we have over the last 22 years combined,” Browning said.

Fain called the deal “a turning point in the class war that has been raging in this country for the past 40 years.”

The Ford and Stellantis pacts, which would run until April 30, 2028, include 25% in general wage increases for top assembly plant workers, with 11% coming once the deal is ratified.

The Ford agreement revives cost-of-living adjustments that the UAW agreed to suspend in 2009 during the Great Recession.

At Stellantis, workers get cost-of-living pay that would bring raises to a compounded 33%, with top assembly plant workers making more than $42 per hour. Top-scale workers there now make around $31 per hour.

Starting wages for new Stellantis hires will rise 67% including cost-of-living adjustments to over $30 per hour. Temporary workers will get raises of more than 165%, while workers at parts centers will get an immediate 76% increase if the contract is ratified.

Like the Ford agreement, it will take just three years for new workers to get to the top of the assembly pay scale, the union said. Similarly, the union won the right to strike over plant closures.

Bruce Baumhower, president of the local union at a large Stellantis Jeep factory in Toledo, Ohio, that had been on strike since September, said he expected workers to vote to approve the deal because of pay raises including the immediate 11% raise on ratification. "It's a historic agreement as far as I’m concerned.”

The UAW began targeted strikes against all three automakers on Sept. 15 after its contracts with the companies expired. At the peak, about 46,000 UAW workers were on strike — about one-third of the union’s 146,000 members at all three companies.

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative contract agreement that could end a six-week-old strike against Detroit automakers, two people briefed on the deal said Monday.The agreement follows the pattern set with Ford last week and Jeep maker Stellantis over the weekend.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cT9XpLEmy9U?si=-gOCq5LCG_1PlQua&amp;start=221" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>It was reached early Monday in a meeting at the UAW headquarters in Detroit involving union President Shawn Fain, GM CEO Mary Barra and manufacturing chief Gerald Johnson, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they aren't authorized to speak publicly about the deal. The agreement was reached on Fain's 55th birthday.The deals will last four years and eight months and include 25% general pay raises and cost of living adjustments. Combined they bring the wage increase to over 30% over the life of the contract.The contract with GM is similar to those reached by the other two automakers, but there are some differences.GM was the last company to reach a deal and the union added a lucrative factory in Tennessee to the strike list on Saturday to turn up the pressure.The UAW reached&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strikes-ford-general-motors-stellantis-08a81503d72e44d4efa40549f684d5a2">tentative agreement last week with Ford</a>&nbsp;and Stellantis on Saturday, and it wasted no time in hitting GM where it hurts financially.Nearly 4,000 unionized workers on Saturday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-gm-spring-hill-tennessee-contract-64c756ec121d7f39205fdea396d21bc0">walked out of GM's largest North American plant</a>&nbsp;in Spring Hill, Tennessee, hours after the deal with Stellantis was announced. They joined about 14,000 GM workers already striking at factories in Texas, Michigan and Missouri.The people briefed on the matter said Barra and Johnson wanted a deal in an effort to get Spring Hill up and running on scheduled Monday morning, plus they're trying to reopen a large and profitable SUV factory in Arlington, Texas.President Joe Biden was asked about the deal Monday, as he boarded Air Force One back to the White House. He gave a thumbs-up and said: “I think it’s great.”Also Monday, 8,200 Stellantis workers in Canada represented by a different union, Unifor, briefly went on strike before reaching a deal that comes with base hourly wage increases of nearly 20% for production workers. General Motors and Ford workers in Canada have already voted to ratify a three-year contract agreement with the company.Spring Hill, the plant where workers hit picket lines Saturday, produces the engines for vehicles assembled at nine plants as far afield as Mexico, including Silverado and Sierra pickups. It's a big money maker for GM that could have potentially amplified the company's financial pain after workers walked off the job last week in Arlington, Texas, where full-size SUVs including the Tahoe and Suburban are produced. Spring Hill also produces the electric Cadillac Lyriq, GMC Acadia and Cadillac crossover SUVs.Presidents of the Ford union locals voted unanimously in Detroit on Sunday to endorse that tentative contract after UAW President Shawn Fain explained its details,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/uaw/status/1718773591972495386?s=46&amp;t=kB_Z_dm-QT0eZ5qMjDc8zA">the union tweeted.</a>As he explained&nbsp;<a href="https://uaw.org/uaw-auto-bargaining/fordcontract/">the particulars</a>&nbsp;to the full membership in a later livestream, Fain, along with Chuck Browning, the UAW vice president, said the deal represents a “historical inflection point” for reviving union power in an America where "we were being left behind by an economy that only works for the billionaire class.”“UAW members at Ford will receive more in straight general wage increases over the next 4 1/2 years than we have over the last 22 years combined,” Browning said.Fain called the deal “a turning point in the class war that has been raging in this country for the past 40 years.”The Ford and Stellantis pacts, which would run until April 30, 2028, include 25% in general wage increases for top assembly plant workers, with 11% coming once the deal is ratified.The Ford agreement revives cost-of-living adjustments that the UAW agreed to suspend in 2009 during the Great Recession.At Stellantis, workers get cost-of-living pay that would bring raises to a compounded 33%, with top assembly plant workers making more than $42 per hour. Top-scale workers there now make around $31 per hour.Starting wages for new Stellantis hires will rise 67% including cost-of-living adjustments to over $30 per hour. Temporary workers will get raises of more than 165%, while workers at parts centers will get an immediate 76% increase if the contract is ratified.Like the Ford agreement, it will take just three years for new workers to get to the top of the assembly pay scale, the union said. Similarly, the union won the right to strike over plant closures.Bruce Baumhower, president of the local union at a large Stellantis Jeep factory in Toledo, Ohio, that had been on strike since September, said he expected workers to vote to approve the deal because of pay raises including the immediate 11% raise on ratification. "It's a historic agreement as far as I’m concerned.”The UAW began targeted strikes against all three automakers on Sept. 15 after its contracts with the companies expired. At the peak, about 46,000 UAW workers were on strike — about one-third of the union’s 146,000 members at all three companies.____

🎥 Auto Workers strike set to end as union and GM reach potential deal

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for an alleged sex crime.

Just before 7p.m. October 27, police arrested 43-year-old&nbsp;Jesse R. Kroll of Leavenworth in the 400 block South 10th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Kroll was wanted&nbsp;on a Wyandotte County warrant for rape, multiple counts of aggravated indecent liberties and violation of a protective order.&nbsp; He remains in custody on a $150,000 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698672598062.png" alt="Kroll-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Kroll-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for an alleged sex crime.Just before 7p.m. October 27, police arrested 43-year-old&nbsp;Jesse R. Kroll of Leavenworth in the 400 block South 10th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.Kroll was wanted&nbsp;on a Wyandotte County warrant for rape, multiple counts of aggravated indecent liberties and violation of a protective order.&nbsp; He remains in custody on a $150,000 bond, according to online jail records.

Police capture Kansas man wanted for alleged rape

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

WASHINGTON — Newly elected U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has three weeks to broker an agreement with Democrats to avoid a partial government shutdown when a short-term spending law expires on Nov. 17.

The Louisiana Republican, who has leaped from relative obscurity to one of the four congressional leaders, has already spoken with his Senate counterparts and met with President Joe Biden, though it’s unclear how he’ll handle the transition from lawmaker to top U.S. leader.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said Thursday that Johnson has his support as Johnson “begins to steer the House Republican majority.”

“We have a lot of work ahead of us,” McConnell said. “House and Senate Republicans need to work together on a number of urgent priorities, beginning with supplemental appropriations for a number of our national security priorities.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said shortly before McConnell spoke that he had called Johnson to congratulate him and encouraged him to pursue bipartisanship on must-pass bills.

“Whether House Republicans like it or not, this is divided government,” Schumer said. “Bipartisanship is the only way we’ll be able to get anything done.”

The Democratic Senate and Republican House, Schumer said, must work together to provide funding for Israel and Ukraine.

“To allow (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to succeed is to endanger America’s national security and it’s alarming that a growing number of House Republicans don’t seem to care about this,” Schumer said.

Schumer also cautioned Johnson against trying to cut funding in the full-year government funding bills below the levels agreed to this summer as part of the debt limit deal.

“They’ll be dead on arrival,” Schumer said. “All they’ll do is waste more time in a moment where every day counts.”

Johnson, who&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/mike-johnson-louisiana-picked-newest-gop-nominee-us-house-speaker-8">won the Republican nomination for speaker</a>&nbsp;late Tuesday and was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/mike-johnson-louisiana-elected-speaker-us-house-after-three-weeks-stalemate">elected on the floor</a>&nbsp;Wednesday, is relatively unknown to several of his colleagues in the Senate as well as Democrats in the House.

All that will change in the coming weeks as Johnson adjusts to being one of just two powerful Republican leaders in Congress who shape policy and politics nationwide by setting the agenda for their fellow GOP lawmakers.

Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin said Thursday he is trying to find a time to have Johnson meet with GOP senators to introduce himself.

“We’re trying to get him over here, hopefully next week, because I don’t think there’s any senator over here that really knows him,” Mullin said.

Now that Johnson is speaker, Mullin said, he expects Johnson will get more information about the wars in Israel and Ukraine through classified briefings, possibly leading him to support an aid package for the two countries.

“I think as a member, he had his own positions. You can look at his vote records on that. As speaker, he has to take the conference into play,” Mullin said. “And you gotta remember he’s the No. 3 guy now and so he’s going to get read into a lot of information that he may not have had before.”

Johnson, as speaker, is the No. 3 U.S. leader, second in the line of presidential succession behind Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I think your opinion changes when you get read in at certain levels,” Mullin said, noting he’s gotten the more detailed briefings as part of his membership on the Armed Services Committee.

Johnson and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with Biden on Thursday afternoon before attending a briefing on the national security supplemental spending request, according to a White House official.

Putting aid for Israel and Ukraine on the same bill as border security may be the best path forward for the emergency spending bill in the House, Mullin said.

Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy, a senior appropriator, said his fellow member of the Louisiana delegation is controlled, confident without being arrogant and works well with others.

“In the rough and tumble world of politics, I can count on a couple of fingers the number of people I’ve ever met that didn’t like Mike,” Kennedy said. “Disliking Mike is like disliking Golden Retrievers, you know. He’s just a very nice guy.”

Kennedy said he wasn’t sure exactly how Johnson would handle the annual government funding process, or put together a bill to provide aid to Israel and Ukraine.

“I think he’ll try to convince his caucus that a partial victory is better than no victory,” Kennedy said. “Now, if that doesn’t work, you’ll go to a plan B.”

Johnson, he said, won’t “be one of these people that says ‘Oh, a shutdown will be good for the country. It’ll show we mean business.’

Arkansas Republican Rep. Steve Womack, a senior appropriator, said he hasn’t heard what the plan will be for funding the government beyond the Nov. 17 deadline, but said “those discussions are going on at the highest levels.”

“It’s just among the critical issues that the new speaker is going to have to wrestle with and it’s a bit unfair to him that he has to inherit such unfinished business, but that’s kind of par for the course around here,” Womack said.

Getting bipartisan agreement on the full-year spending bills, Womack said, will require House Republicans to reckon with their decision earlier this year to cut funding throughout many of the dozen bills below the levels set in the bipartisan debt limit deal.

“I have pushed back against that, because I think that is disrespectful to our process,” Womack said.

“To get through committee, be ready to go to the floor and then find out ‘Oh, we were just kidding on all those numbers,’” Womack said. “So this is going to have to be negotiated and there’s going to have to be some reckoning on it. And I don’t know what that’s going to look like. I’ll leave that to the speaker and his leadership team to fashion a way forward.”

One option, Womack said, would be for the top Republican and top Democrat on each of the dozen spending subcommittees to begin negotiations with their Senate counterparts.

“Those things need to happen. We need a path forward,” Womack said. “And then I’m sure that might set up the next round of potential chaos that we seem to be accustomed to having around here.”

North Carolina Republican Rep. Dan Bishop said he spoke with Johnson on Wednesday evening about the next steps for government funding and the supplemental spending request, though no decisions were made.

“I can’t really give you answers substantively, but we’re working through some stuff,” Bishop said.

Washington state Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal said she hopes the House would pass another stopgap spending bill before the Nov. 17 deadline, but hasn’t heard anything about what that bill would look like, or how the House would work out full-year bills with the Senate.

“Unfortunately, their plan is to bring bills to the floor that have no chance whatsoever of getting past the Senate,” Jayapal said. “So we’ll need a CR and I believe that we will get one.”

CR refers to continuing resolution, one of the names for the short-term government funding bill that Congress passes to avoid a shutdown when it is unable to approve all 12 full-year spending bills.

The easiest way for Congress to clear a spending bill for Israel and Ukraine, Jayapal said, would be for the Senate to send one over to the House quickly.

“But I don’t know what’s going to be in it. I don’t know if that’s going to happen. I don’t know. We just got a speaker,” Jayapal said.

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, chair of the Defense spending panel, said his goal for the supplemental is to have the aid for Israel and Ukraine move together, not individually as some Republicans have advocated.

“Actually to be honest with you, it probably wouldn’t hurt to have disaster and everything in one package, but that’s not a job for me to decide,” Tester said.

Congressional leaders, including newly elected Johnson, will have to decide on that and more in the weeks ahead.

At the top of their to-do list is passing a second stopgap spending bill that is needed to stave off a partial government shutdown when the current funding patch expires on Nov. 17.

Both chambers will then need to find agreement on the dozen annual government funding bills, a challenging task given that the House bills are only backed by Republicans while the Senate bills are broadly bipartisan.

The Biden administration has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/israel-ukraine-global-aid-and-border-funding-would-hit-106-billion-under-biden-request">sent lawmakers</a>&nbsp;a $106 billion supplemental spending request for national security issues as well as a $56 billion&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Summary-of-Funding-Request-to-Meet-Critical-Needs.pdf">request</a>&nbsp;for domestic priorities. Lawmakers will need to decide how much of that funding they are willing to provide and how they want it to move through Congress.

There are also several reauthorizations that need to clear both chambers in the months ahead, including for the Federal Aviation Administration, the annual defense policy bill and the farm bill.

While Johnson may take a different approach to spending bills as speaker, he hasn’t been especially supportive of supplemental aid, stopgap spending measures, or final full-year spending bills in the past.

Johnson&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023513?Page=2">voted against</a>&nbsp;the stopgap spending bill that Congress approved in September. That law prevented a partial government shutdown at the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, but it only lasts through Nov. 17.

Johnson&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023243">voted for</a>&nbsp;the debt limit and spending levels agreement that Congress approved with broad bipartisan support in June. That agreement was brokered after weeks of negotiations between Biden administration officials, North Carolina Rep. Patrick McHenry and Louisiana Rep. Garret Graves.

Johnson&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-approves-17-trillion-funding-package-and-sends-it-biden">voted against&nbsp;</a>the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package that Congress approved last December. The law included all 12 of the annual government funding bills. The law also included $40 billion for natural disaster recovery and $45 billion in aid for Ukraine.

Johnson voted for the first tranche of military aid to Ukraine, but he voted against the first batch of non-military aid to Ukraine. That money was included in larger spending packages that each held several other full-year government spending bills.

Johnson voted against the second and third aid packages to Ukraine. While the second bill was a stand-alone measure, the third Ukraine funding law included several other provisions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698661858829.png" alt="New U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson Photo Courtesy&nbsp; CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>New U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson Photo Courtesy&nbsp; CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>WASHINGTON — Newly elected U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has three weeks to broker an agreement with Democrats to avoid a partial government shutdown when a short-term spending law expires on Nov. 17.The Louisiana Republican, who has leaped from relative obscurity to one of the four congressional leaders, has already spoken with his Senate counterparts and met with President Joe Biden, though it’s unclear how he’ll handle the transition from lawmaker to top U.S. leader.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said Thursday that Johnson has his support as Johnson “begins to steer the House Republican majority.”“We have a lot of work ahead of us,” McConnell said. “House and Senate Republicans need to work together on a number of urgent priorities, beginning with supplemental appropriations for a number of our national security priorities.”Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said shortly before McConnell spoke that he had called Johnson to congratulate him and encouraged him to pursue bipartisanship on must-pass bills.“Whether House Republicans like it or not, this is divided government,” Schumer said. “Bipartisanship is the only way we’ll be able to get anything done.”The Democratic Senate and Republican House, Schumer said, must work together to provide funding for Israel and Ukraine.“To allow (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to succeed is to endanger America’s national security and it’s alarming that a growing number of House Republicans don’t seem to care about this,” Schumer said.Schumer also cautioned Johnson against trying to cut funding in the full-year government funding bills below the levels agreed to this summer as part of the debt limit deal.“They’ll be dead on arrival,” Schumer said. “All they’ll do is waste more time in a moment where every day counts.”<h2>An adjustment to power</h2>Johnson, who&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/mike-johnson-louisiana-picked-newest-gop-nominee-us-house-speaker-8">won the Republican nomination for speaker</a>&nbsp;late Tuesday and was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/mike-johnson-louisiana-elected-speaker-us-house-after-three-weeks-stalemate">elected on the floor</a>&nbsp;Wednesday, is relatively unknown to several of his colleagues in the Senate as well as Democrats in the House.All that will change in the coming weeks as Johnson adjusts to being one of just two powerful Republican leaders in Congress who shape policy and politics nationwide by setting the agenda for their fellow GOP lawmakers.Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin said Thursday he is trying to find a time to have Johnson meet with GOP senators to introduce himself.“We’re trying to get him over here, hopefully next week, because I don’t think there’s any senator over here that really knows him,” Mullin said.Now that Johnson is speaker, Mullin said, he expects Johnson will get more information about the wars in Israel and Ukraine through classified briefings, possibly leading him to support an aid package for the two countries.“I think as a member, he had his own positions. You can look at his vote records on that. As speaker, he has to take the conference into play,” Mullin said. “And you gotta remember he’s the No. 3 guy now and so he’s going to get read into a lot of information that he may not have had before.”Johnson, as speaker, is the No. 3 U.S. leader, second in the line of presidential succession behind Vice President Kamala Harris.“I think your opinion changes when you get read in at certain levels,” Mullin said, noting he’s gotten the more detailed briefings as part of his membership on the Armed Services Committee.Johnson and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with Biden on Thursday afternoon before attending a briefing on the national security supplemental spending request, according to a White House official.Putting aid for Israel and Ukraine on the same bill as border security may be the best path forward for the emergency spending bill in the House, Mullin said.Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy, a senior appropriator, said his fellow member of the Louisiana delegation is controlled, confident without being arrogant and works well with others.“In the rough and tumble world of politics, I can count on a couple of fingers the number of people I’ve ever met that didn’t like Mike,” Kennedy said. “Disliking Mike is like disliking Golden Retrievers, you know. He’s just a very nice guy.”Kennedy said he wasn’t sure exactly how Johnson would handle the annual government funding process, or put together a bill to provide aid to Israel and Ukraine.“I think he’ll try to convince his caucus that a partial victory is better than no victory,” Kennedy said. “Now, if that doesn’t work, you’ll go to a plan B.”Johnson, he said, won’t “be one of these people that says ‘Oh, a shutdown will be good for the country. It’ll show we mean business.’<h2>Spending discussions ongoing</h2>Arkansas Republican Rep. Steve Womack, a senior appropriator, said he hasn’t heard what the plan will be for funding the government beyond the Nov. 17 deadline, but said “those discussions are going on at the highest levels.”“It’s just among the critical issues that the new speaker is going to have to wrestle with and it’s a bit unfair to him that he has to inherit such unfinished business, but that’s kind of par for the course around here,” Womack said.Getting bipartisan agreement on the full-year spending bills, Womack said, will require House Republicans to reckon with their decision earlier this year to cut funding throughout many of the dozen bills below the levels set in the bipartisan debt limit deal.“I have pushed back against that, because I think that is disrespectful to our process,” Womack said.“To get through committee, be ready to go to the floor and then find out ‘Oh, we were just kidding on all those numbers,’” Womack said. “So this is going to have to be negotiated and there’s going to have to be some reckoning on it. And I don’t know what that’s going to look like. I’ll leave that to the speaker and his leadership team to fashion a way forward.”One option, Womack said, would be for the top Republican and top Democrat on each of the dozen spending subcommittees to begin negotiations with their Senate counterparts.“Those things need to happen. We need a path forward,” Womack said. “And then I’m sure that might set up the next round of potential chaos that we seem to be accustomed to having around here.”North Carolina Republican Rep. Dan Bishop said he spoke with Johnson on Wednesday evening about the next steps for government funding and the supplemental spending request, though no decisions were made.“I can’t really give you answers substantively, but we’re working through some stuff,” Bishop said.Washington state Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal said she hopes the House would pass another stopgap spending bill before the Nov. 17 deadline, but hasn’t heard anything about what that bill would look like, or how the House would work out full-year bills with the Senate.“Unfortunately, their plan is to bring bills to the floor that have no chance whatsoever of getting past the Senate,” Jayapal said. “So we’ll need a CR and I believe that we will get one.”CR refers to continuing resolution, one of the names for the short-term government funding bill that Congress passes to avoid a shutdown when it is unable to approve all 12 full-year spending bills.The easiest way for Congress to clear a spending bill for Israel and Ukraine, Jayapal said, would be for the Senate to send one over to the House quickly.“But I don’t know what’s going to be in it. I don’t know if that’s going to happen. I don’t know. We just got a speaker,” Jayapal said.Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, chair of the Defense spending panel, said his goal for the supplemental is to have the aid for Israel and Ukraine move together, not individually as some Republicans have advocated.“Actually to be honest with you, it probably wouldn’t hurt to have disaster and everything in one package, but that’s not a job for me to decide,” Tester said.<h2>Johnson voting record on spending</h2>Congressional leaders, including newly elected Johnson, will have to decide on that and more in the weeks ahead.At the top of their to-do list is passing a second stopgap spending bill that is needed to stave off a partial government shutdown when the current funding patch expires on Nov. 17.Both chambers will then need to find agreement on the dozen annual government funding bills, a challenging task given that the House bills are only backed by Republicans while the Senate bills are broadly bipartisan.The Biden administration has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/israel-ukraine-global-aid-and-border-funding-would-hit-106-billion-under-biden-request">sent lawmakers</a>&nbsp;a $106 billion supplemental spending request for national security issues as well as a $56 billion&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Summary-of-Funding-Request-to-Meet-Critical-Needs.pdf">request</a>&nbsp;for domestic priorities. Lawmakers will need to decide how much of that funding they are willing to provide and how they want it to move through Congress.There are also several reauthorizations that need to clear both chambers in the months ahead, including for the Federal Aviation Administration, the annual defense policy bill and the farm bill.While Johnson may take a different approach to spending bills as speaker, he hasn’t been especially supportive of supplemental aid, stopgap spending measures, or final full-year spending bills in the past.Johnson&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023513?Page=2">voted against</a>&nbsp;the stopgap spending bill that Congress approved in September. That law prevented a partial government shutdown at the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, but it only lasts through Nov. 17.Johnson&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023243">voted for</a>&nbsp;the debt limit and spending levels agreement that Congress approved with broad bipartisan support in June. That agreement was brokered after weeks of negotiations between Biden administration officials, North Carolina Rep. Patrick McHenry and Louisiana Rep. Garret Graves.Johnson&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-approves-17-trillion-funding-package-and-sends-it-biden">voted against&nbsp;</a>the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package that Congress approved last December. The law included all 12 of the annual government funding bills. The law also included $40 billion for natural disaster recovery and $45 billion in aid for Ukraine.Johnson voted for the first tranche of military aid to Ukraine, but he voted against the first batch of non-military aid to Ukraine. That money was included in larger spending packages that each held several other full-year government spending bills.Johnson voted against the second and third aid packages to Ukraine. While the second bill was a stand-alone measure, the third Ukraine funding law included several other provisions.

New House Speaker has 3-weeks to dodge a government shutdown

KANSAS CITY —The FDA issued a public health alert advising parents and caregivers not to purchase or feed WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches to toddlers and young children because they may contain elevated levels of lead, according to a statement from the agency.

The FDA was recently made aware of a developing investigation by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture &amp; Consumer Services (NCDA&amp;CS) regarding four children with elevated blood lead levels, indicating potential acute lead toxicity. The NCDHHS investigation identified WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches as a potential shared source of exposure. As part of their investigation, NCDHHS analyzed multiple lots of WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree, detecting extremely high concentrations of lead. The FDA has reviewed and supports NCDHHS’s analytical findings and found that analytical results at this level could result in acute toxicity. The FDA has shared the results with the firm whose representatives are cooperating with the FDA and have agreed to voluntarily recall all WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches regardless of expiration.

Lead is toxic to humans and can affect people of any age or health status. Protecting children from exposure to lead is important to lifelong good health. Lead exposure in children is often difficult to see. Most children have no obvious immediate symptoms. If there’s suspicion that a child may have been exposed to lead, parents should talk to their child’s healthcare provider about getting a blood test. Although lead can only be diagnosed through clinical testing, signs and symptoms of lead toxicity vary based on exposure.

Short term exposure to lead could result in the following symptoms:

Longer term exposure could result in additional symptoms:

The FDA is continuing to work with state officials and the firm, collecting additional information, and taking steps to remove all contaminated product from the market.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698669783345.png" alt="FDA image" />
 <figcaption>FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The FDA issued a public health alert advising parents and caregivers not to purchase or feed WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches to toddlers and young children because they may contain elevated levels of lead, according to a statement from the agency.The FDA was recently made aware of a developing investigation by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture &amp; Consumer Services (NCDA&amp;CS) regarding four children with elevated blood lead levels, indicating potential acute lead toxicity. The NCDHHS investigation identified WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches as a potential shared source of exposure. As part of their investigation, NCDHHS analyzed multiple lots of WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree, detecting extremely high concentrations of lead. The FDA has reviewed and supports NCDHHS’s analytical findings and found that analytical results at this level could result in acute toxicity. The FDA has shared the results with the firm whose representatives are cooperating with the FDA and have agreed to voluntarily recall all WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches regardless of expiration.Lead is toxic to humans and can affect people of any age or health status. Protecting children from exposure to lead is important to lifelong good health. Lead exposure in children is often difficult to see. Most children have no obvious immediate symptoms. If there’s suspicion that a child may have been exposed to lead, parents should talk to their child’s healthcare provider about getting a blood test. Although lead can only be diagnosed through clinical testing, signs and symptoms of lead toxicity vary based on exposure.Short term exposure to lead could result in the following symptoms:<ul>
 <li>Headache</li><li>Abdominal pain/Colic</li><li>Vomiting</li><li>Anemia</li>
 </ul>Longer term exposure could result in additional symptoms:<ul>
 <li>Irritability</li><li>Lethargy</li><li>Fatigue</li><li>Muscle aches or muscle prickling/burning</li><li>Occasional abdominal discomfort</li><li>Constipation</li><li>Difficulty concentrating/Muscular exhaustibility</li><li>Headache</li><li>Tremor</li><li>Weight loss</li>
 </ul>The FDA is continuing to work with state officials and the firm, collecting additional information, and taking steps to remove all contaminated product from the market.

FDA warning: Test children after lead found in fruit puree pouches

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the separate deaths of two woman in the Kansas City metro over the weekend.

On Saturday, police responded to a medical call, suspicious death in the&nbsp;4000 block of  E. 56th Terrace, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

First responders found a woman&nbsp;deceased inside an apartment. Detectives believe the death is likely not from natural causes.

Just before 9a.m. Sunday, detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department responded to report of a death in the 700 block of Minnesota Avenue. First responders discovered a woman outside who was deceased.This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698628658661.png" alt="Poice on the scene in the 4000 Block of E 56th&nbsp; Terrace- Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Poice on the scene in the 4000 Block of E 56th&nbsp; Terrace- Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the separate deaths of two woman in the Kansas City metro over the weekend.On Saturday, police responded to a medical call, suspicious death in the&nbsp;4000 block of E. 56th Terrace, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.First responders found a woman&nbsp;deceased inside an apartment. Detectives believe the death is likely not from natural causes.Just before 9a.m. Sunday, detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department responded to report of a death in the 700 block of Minnesota Avenue. First responders discovered a woman outside who was deceased.This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.&nbsp;

Police investigate deaths of 2 women in Kansas City

WASHINGTON —The U.S. State Department released an updated “Worldwide Travel Alert” Sunday stating that American citizens should exercise increased caution around the world due to increasing tensions in various locations and the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests.&nbsp;

<a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/worldwide-caution.html">Click here</a> for additional details from the U.S. State Department

In an alert October 19, the FBI reported the agency is continuing to monitor threats both in the United States and overseas.&nbsp;As the conflict continues, the FBI has seen an increase in reports of threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities and institutions, according to a statement from the agency.

"We take all potential threats seriously and are working closely with our law enforcement partners to determine their credibility, share information, and take appropriate&nbsp;investigative&nbsp;action.&nbsp;As always, we encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement. "

"FBI field offices across the country are communicating not just with our law enforcement partners but also with faith-based organizations and the private sector, among others. To help keep our communities safe, we are talking with leaders of all faiths, including Jewish and Muslim leaders, sharing information, and asking them to let us know if they see anything concerning."

"Through our Legal Attaché office in Tel Aviv, we are working with our Israeli and U.S. Embassy partners to identify all Americans who have been impacted in the region, including those who remain unaccounted for, and our victim services specialists are working closely with victims and their families here and abroad."

"Countering terrorism remains the FBI’s number one priority, and we will not tolerate violence motivated by hate and extremism.&nbsp;We&nbsp;will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people and pursue justice for the victims and their families."

WASHINGTON —The U.S. State Department released an updated “Worldwide Travel Alert” Sunday stating that American citizens should exercise increased caution around the world due to increasing tensions in various locations and the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698610497926.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/worldwide-caution.html">Click here</a> for additional details from the U.S. State DepartmentIn an alert October 19, the FBI reported the agency is continuing to monitor threats both in the United States and overseas.&nbsp;As the conflict continues, the FBI has seen an increase in reports of threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities and institutions, according to a statement from the agency."We take all potential threats seriously and are working closely with our law enforcement partners to determine their credibility, share information, and take appropriate&nbsp;investigative&nbsp;action.&nbsp;As always, we encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement. ""FBI field offices across the country are communicating not just with our law enforcement partners but also with faith-based organizations and the private sector, among others. To help keep our communities safe, we are talking with leaders of all faiths, including Jewish and Muslim leaders, sharing information, and asking them to let us know if they see anything concerning.""Through our Legal Attaché office in Tel Aviv, we are working with our Israeli and U.S. Embassy partners to identify all Americans who have been impacted in the region, including those who remain unaccounted for, and our victim services specialists are working closely with victims and their families here and abroad.""Countering terrorism remains the FBI’s number one priority, and we will not tolerate violence motivated by hate and extremism.&nbsp;We&nbsp;will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people and pursue justice for the victims and their families."

U.S. State Department updates worldwide travel alert

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting outside a Wichita nightclub and continue asking the public for help to identify a suspect.

Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were monitoring at Onyx 10001&nbsp; E. Kellogg when they heard multiple gunshots, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Two other individuals, a 26-year-old man and a 24-year-old man both of Wichita, were struck by gunfire during the shooting.&nbsp;They were transported to local area hospitals for treatment of serious non-life threatening.

Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation suggest that a disturbance took place inside the business leading up to the shooting. The exact circumstances leading up to this disturbance are still under active investigation. 

Detectives and officers are working diligently to determine the sequence of events. Contact detectives at 316-268-4407 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698581297158.png" alt="Security camera image Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting outside a Wichita nightclub and continue asking the public for help to identify a suspect.Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were monitoring at Onyx 10001&nbsp; E. Kellogg when they heard multiple gunshots, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698581256538.png" alt="Security camera image Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located 23-year-old Jaylon Pete of Wichita in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Two other individuals, a 26-year-old man and a 24-year-old man both of Wichita, were struck by gunfire during the shooting.&nbsp;They were transported to local area hospitals for treatment of serious non-life threatening.Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation suggest that a disturbance took place inside the business leading up to the shooting. The exact circumstances leading up to this disturbance are still under active investigation. Detectives and officers are working diligently to determine the sequence of events. Contact detectives at 316-268-4407 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.&nbsp;

Police continue search for suspect in Kan. nightclub killing

CANADIAN COUNTY, Okla. — A Kansas man is going to prison for child sex crimes.

On October 24, A Oklahoma judge sentenced 25-year-old Christian Dalmont of Wichita to twenty years in prison for&nbsp; Lewd Acts with a Child and Possession of Child Pornography, according to the Canadian County Sheriff Chris West.

In the Summer of 2022 during an undercover operation,&nbsp;Canadian County Sheriff’s Investigator arrested Dalmont tried to meet up a twelve-year-old girl, and her two-year-old female neighbor for sex.&nbsp; The case was featured on the Discovery Channels’s Undercover Underage - Season 2 earlier this year.

Investigators worked with SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse), a nonprofit organization during the undercover operation.&nbsp; SOSA provided decoys (actors) portraying themselves to be minor children in Canadian County and worked alongside Canadian County Sheriff’s Office investigators.&nbsp; Dalmont reached out to the decoys via social media and over a ten-day period arranged to meet with what he thought was a twelve-year-old girl and a neighbor, (two-year-old female) for sex.&nbsp; 

Dalmont planned to travel to Oklahoma and meet the two at the Route 66 Skate Park in Oklahoma City, near the east Canadian County line.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dalmont, before the meeting, explained to the decoys how he wanted to teach the minor children how to have sex.&nbsp; Dalmont described how he would also have sex with the two-year-old female and the steps that he would take to ensure he would be able to physically have sex with the baby.&nbsp; 

Dalmont described in detail the sex acts he planned to perform upon the two year old.&nbsp; The conversation evolved into Dalmont describing his desire to have a threesome with both children.

Dalmont also sent various nude photographs of himself and requested the decoys send nude pictures of themselves.&nbsp; Dalmont, on many occasions, tried to obtain child pornography from the decoys.&nbsp; Dalmont was told by the decoys many times he did not have to come to Oklahoma to meet them, but Dalmont insisted he wanted to meet the fictitious children anyway.

Sheriff’s Investigators arrested Dalmont on July 9, 2022, &nbsp;after he drove to the skate park east of Yukon to meet the two children for sex.&nbsp; Dalmont admitted to investigators that he drove from Kansas to the park in order to have sex with the two children.&nbsp; Dalmont was also in possession of numerous media files of child pornography of real-life child victims around the same age as the two he had groomed to meet up with.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During the sentencing hearing, evidence was presented to the District Judge on Dalmont’s actions regarding his arrest.&nbsp;&nbsp; Dalmont’s conversation with the decoys, the nude photographs he sent, and his interview were presented to the court.&nbsp; Canadian County District Judge Paul Hesse issued the maximum sentence on Dalmont, which is to serve twenty years in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for lewd acts with a child.&nbsp; Judge Hesse also sentenced Dalmont to a ten-year suspended sentence for possession of child pornography.&nbsp;&nbsp; Dalmont will also be a registered sex offender once he serves 85% of his twenty-year sentence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698344506754.png" alt="Dalmont photo Canadian Co." />
 <figcaption>Dalmont photo Canadian Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>CANADIAN COUNTY, Okla. — A Kansas man is going to prison for child sex crimes.On October 24, A Oklahoma judge sentenced 25-year-old Christian Dalmont of Wichita to twenty years in prison for&nbsp; Lewd Acts with a Child and Possession of Child Pornography, according to the Canadian County Sheriff Chris West.In the Summer of 2022 during an undercover operation,&nbsp;Canadian County Sheriff’s Investigator arrested Dalmont tried to meet up a twelve-year-old girl, and her two-year-old female neighbor for sex.&nbsp; The case was featured on the Discovery Channels’s Undercover Underage - Season 2 earlier this year.Investigators worked with SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse), a nonprofit organization during the undercover operation.&nbsp; SOSA provided decoys (actors) portraying themselves to be minor children in Canadian County and worked alongside Canadian County Sheriff’s Office investigators.&nbsp; Dalmont reached out to the decoys via social media and over a ten-day period arranged to meet with what he thought was a twelve-year-old girl and a neighbor, (two-year-old female) for sex.&nbsp; Dalmont planned to travel to Oklahoma and meet the two at the Route 66 Skate Park in Oklahoma City, near the east Canadian County line.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dalmont, before the meeting, explained to the decoys how he wanted to teach the minor children how to have sex.&nbsp; Dalmont described how he would also have sex with the two-year-old female and the steps that he would take to ensure he would be able to physically have sex with the baby.&nbsp; Dalmont described in detail the sex acts he planned to perform upon the two year old.&nbsp; The conversation evolved into Dalmont describing his desire to have a threesome with both children.Dalmont also sent various nude photographs of himself and requested the decoys send nude pictures of themselves.&nbsp; Dalmont, on many occasions, tried to obtain child pornography from the decoys.&nbsp; Dalmont was told by the decoys many times he did not have to come to Oklahoma to meet them, but Dalmont insisted he wanted to meet the fictitious children anyway.Sheriff’s Investigators arrested Dalmont on July 9, 2022, &nbsp;after he drove to the skate park east of Yukon to meet the two children for sex.&nbsp; Dalmont admitted to investigators that he drove from Kansas to the park in order to have sex with the two children.&nbsp; Dalmont was also in possession of numerous media files of child pornography of real-life child victims around the same age as the two he had groomed to meet up with.&nbsp;&nbsp;During the sentencing hearing, evidence was presented to the District Judge on Dalmont’s actions regarding his arrest.&nbsp;&nbsp; Dalmont’s conversation with the decoys, the nude photographs he sent, and his interview were presented to the court.&nbsp; Canadian County District Judge Paul Hesse issued the maximum sentence on Dalmont, which is to serve twenty years in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for lewd acts with a child.&nbsp; Judge Hesse also sentenced Dalmont to a ten-year suspended sentence for possession of child pornography.&nbsp;&nbsp; Dalmont will also be a registered sex offender once he serves 85% of his twenty-year sentence.

Kansas man tried to meet 12-year-old in Oklahoma for sex

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2:30a.m. Sunday in Wyandotte County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Chevy Silverado driven by Jerry L. Berry, 43, Kansas City, Kansas, was eastbound on Interstate 70 at the 18th Street Expressway in the right lane.

The pickup struck a pedestrian identified as Andrew W. Martsolf, 18, Kansas City, Kansas, who walked into the lane of traffic.&nbsp;

Martsolf was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. Berry was properly restrained and not injured, according to the KHP.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2:30a.m. Sunday in Wyandotte County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Chevy Silverado driven by Jerry L. Berry, 43, Kansas City, Kansas, was eastbound on Interstate 70 at the 18th Street Expressway in the right lane.The pickup struck a pedestrian identified as Andrew W. Martsolf, 18, Kansas City, Kansas, who walked into the lane of traffic.&nbsp;Martsolf was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. Berry was properly restrained and not injured, according to the KHP.

Kansas teen dies after I-70 pedestrian accident

WICHITA —A Kansas man is going to prison for a deadly shooting outside a private party in Haysville.

This week, District Judge David Kaufman sentenced 28-year-old Kanez Carter to just over 14-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. The prison sentence included 122 months for the murder and an additional 53 months for two earlier parole violations.&nbsp;

In October of 2022, Carter pled guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter.

The murder occurred during an October 2018,&nbsp; private party in the 1900 block of Diedrich in Haysville.&nbsp; Police found Jaylin Jacobs, 19 of Wichita, lying in the parking lot outside a club. He died a few moments later.

Carter told police he was at a party with a woman he considered to be like a sister to him and Jacobs had slapped her.

Carter had previous conviction for aggravated assault, aggravated battery and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the&nbsp; Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698282118856.png" alt="Carter-photo Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>Carter-photo Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA —A Kansas man is going to prison for a deadly shooting outside a private party in Haysville.This week, District Judge David Kaufman sentenced 28-year-old Kanez Carter to just over 14-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. The prison sentence included 122 months for the murder and an additional 53 months for two earlier parole violations.&nbsp;In October of 2022, Carter pled guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter.The murder occurred during an October 2018,&nbsp; private party in the 1900 block of Diedrich in Haysville.&nbsp; Police found Jaylin Jacobs, 19 of Wichita, lying in the parking lot outside a club. He died a few moments later.Carter told police he was at a party with a woman he considered to be like a sister to him and Jacobs had slapped her.Carter had previous conviction for aggravated assault, aggravated battery and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the&nbsp; Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas felon killed man who slapped woman friend

KANSAS CITY (AP)—United Airlines will start boarding passengers in economy class with window seats first starting next week, a move designed to reduce the time planes spend sitting on the ground.

The airline said in an internal memo that it will implement the plan on Oct. 26. The plan – called WILMA, for window, middle and aisle — was tested at several locations and deemed to shave up to two minutes off boarding time.

Variations of the WILMA approach have existed for many years.

“It spreads people out along the aisle of the airplane so that more people can put their luggage away at the same time. That's the main thing that speeds up the boarding process,” said Jason Steffen, an associate professor of physics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ac4b7ad357c94974b1e134a7ce7dbf11">designed his own boarding model</a>&nbsp;a decade ago.

The change will begin with passengers in the fourth boarding group. Customers in first class and business class will see no change in their routine, and there's also no change for those with priority-boarding privileges, including travelers with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, active-duty military, and families with children who are 2 or under.

Chicago-based United said that when multiple customers are on the same economy reservation, such as families, they will be allowed to board together.

The new policy will be used on domestic flights and some international flights.

Airlines have long searched for the perfect boarding process. Even Orville and Wilbur Wright&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/wrbr/learn/historyculture/thefirstflight.htm">flipped a coin</a>&nbsp;to see who got the lone seat on their flying machine.

United is making changes now because, it says, average boarding time has increased by two minutes since 2019.

Tinkering with the boarding process has increased since airlines began charging fees for checked bags more than a decade ago. Those fees encourage passengers to bring carry-on bags, which generally are still free except at low-cost carriers such as Spirit and Frontier.

“Any time you have to wrestle with luggage up over your head, it's going to slow things down,” Steffen said.

The push to board faster is also complicated by the airlines' desire to sell early boarding or give it to elite members of their frequent-flier programs. Only after those people are seated — generally near the front of the plane — can everyone else board, passing the priority customers on the way to their seats in the back of the cabin.

“Priority boarding is a moneymaker. Up to a certain point, that money is worth more than worrying about boarding three minutes earlier every time,” said Seth Miller, who writes about the travel experience at Paxex.aero.

Two minutes doesn't make much difference on a transatlantic flight, but on heavily trafficked shorter routes — think about the Northeast, or between the Hawaiian islands — delays tend to cascade, pushing late-day flights farther and farther behind schedule.

If a few passengers dawdle while stowing their bag and finding their seat, it can make the difference between a flight being on time or late in the government’s official statistics.

KANSAS CITY (AP)—United Airlines will start boarding passengers in economy class with window seats first starting next week, a move designed to reduce the time planes spend sitting on the ground.The airline said in an internal memo that it will implement the plan on Oct. 26. The plan – called WILMA, for window, middle and aisle — was tested at several locations and deemed to shave up to two minutes off boarding time.Variations of the WILMA approach have existed for many years.“It spreads people out along the aisle of the airplane so that more people can put their luggage away at the same time. That's the main thing that speeds up the boarding process,” said Jason Steffen, an associate professor of physics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ac4b7ad357c94974b1e134a7ce7dbf11">designed his own boarding model</a>&nbsp;a decade ago.The change will begin with passengers in the fourth boarding group. Customers in first class and business class will see no change in their routine, and there's also no change for those with priority-boarding privileges, including travelers with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, active-duty military, and families with children who are 2 or under.Chicago-based United said that when multiple customers are on the same economy reservation, such as families, they will be allowed to board together.The new policy will be used on domestic flights and some international flights.Airlines have long searched for the perfect boarding process. Even Orville and Wilbur Wright&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/wrbr/learn/historyculture/thefirstflight.htm">flipped a coin</a>&nbsp;to see who got the lone seat on their flying machine.United is making changes now because, it says, average boarding time has increased by two minutes since 2019.Tinkering with the boarding process has increased since airlines began charging fees for checked bags more than a decade ago. Those fees encourage passengers to bring carry-on bags, which generally are still free except at low-cost carriers such as Spirit and Frontier.“Any time you have to wrestle with luggage up over your head, it's going to slow things down,” Steffen said.The push to board faster is also complicated by the airlines' desire to sell early boarding or give it to elite members of their frequent-flier programs. Only after those people are seated — generally near the front of the plane — can everyone else board, passing the priority customers on the way to their seats in the back of the cabin.“Priority boarding is a moneymaker. Up to a certain point, that money is worth more than worrying about boarding three minutes earlier every time,” said Seth Miller, who writes about the travel experience at Paxex.aero.Two minutes doesn't make much difference on a transatlantic flight, but on heavily trafficked shorter routes — think about the Northeast, or between the Hawaiian islands — delays tend to cascade, pushing late-day flights farther and farther behind schedule.If a few passengers dawdle while stowing their bag and finding their seat, it can make the difference between a flight being on time or late in the government’s official statistics.The last passengers to board face the risk that there won't be room for their carry-on bag in the overhead bins. That leads passengers in late boarding groups to crowd the gate area so they can jump in line ahead of others. Gate agents and seasoned travelers call the line jumpers “gate lice.”