HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Creighton University economist Ernie Goss saw the latest inflation numbers as further evidence that the Federal Reserve will continue to try to apply the brakes to the American economy.

"The inflation rate is declining, but not as fast as we expected," Goss said. "With the Federal Reserve raising rates fairly dramatically and likely to continue that on November 2, I expected inflation rates to come down even faster."

The increase in short term interest rates will be relatively large again this next time, most likely.

"The governors that do the rate increase, those governors tell us that they are going to be raising rates more dramatically than I think is appropriate," Goss said. "November 2, we're likely to see a 75 basis point, that's three-quarters of one percentage point rate increase then and probably another one in December. It may not be a 75 basis point increase in December, but, nonetheless, we're talking about the prime interest rate will go up by three quarters of a percent on November 3 and probably again in December."

This does not necessarily mean long term rates will go up, though they have been rising, too.

"The Fed sets short term rates, not long term rates," Goss said. "They do influence them, there's no doubt. They probably are headed higher, even if the Fed pulls back or stops raising. What's happening on the long term interest rates, the Federal Reserve is actually selling off and allowing some of their bonds to mature. Long term interest rates are rising for a different set of policies by the Federal Reserve and also the market investors."&nbsp;

Freddie Mac reported last week the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reaching its highest level since&nbsp;April of 2002. Goss sees a longer-term policy change potentially on the horizon for the Fed.

"The Fed is going to change their target, I believe," Goss said. "Their target is two percent on the inflation front. They are likely to raise that a bit, from two to two and a half, maybe as high as three percent on the inflation front. In my judgment, that would be a good thing. We need to accept a bit more inflation."

Some economists believe a slowly increasing price level keeps businesses profitable and prevents consumers from waiting for lower prices before making purchases.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622642233344.jpeg" alt="Creighton Professor Ernie Goss, PhD" />
 <figcaption>Creighton Professor Ernie Goss, PhD</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNEL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Creighton University economist Ernie Goss saw the latest inflation numbers as further evidence that the Federal Reserve will continue to try to apply the brakes to the American economy."The inflation rate is declining, but not as fast as we expected," Goss said. "With the Federal Reserve raising rates fairly dramatically and likely to continue that on November 2, I expected inflation rates to come down even faster."The increase in short term interest rates will be relatively large again this next time, most likely."The governors that do the rate increase, those governors tell us that they are going to be raising rates more dramatically than I think is appropriate," Goss said. "November 2, we're likely to see a 75 basis point, that's three-quarters of one percentage point rate increase then and probably another one in December. It may not be a 75 basis point increase in December, but, nonetheless, we're talking about the prime interest rate will go up by three quarters of a percent on November 3 and probably again in December."This does not necessarily mean long term rates will go up, though they have been rising, too."The Fed sets short term rates, not long term rates," Goss said. "They do influence them, there's no doubt. They probably are headed higher, even if the Fed pulls back or stops raising. What's happening on the long term interest rates, the Federal Reserve is actually selling off and allowing some of their bonds to mature. Long term interest rates are rising for a different set of policies by the Federal Reserve and also the market investors."&nbsp;Freddie Mac reported last week the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reaching its highest level since&nbsp;April of 2002. Goss sees a longer-term policy change potentially on the horizon for the Fed."The Fed is going to change their target, I believe," Goss said. "Their target is two percent on the inflation front. They are likely to raise that a bit, from two to two and a half, maybe as high as three percent on the inflation front. In my judgment, that would be a good thing. We need to accept a bit more inflation."Some economists believe a slowly increasing price level keeps businesses profitable and prevents consumers from waiting for lower prices before making purchases.

Goss: Fed will continue to apply the brakes, may change target

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug and theft allegations.

Just before 11a.m. Thursday, a K9 unit conducted a traffic stop on a 2003 Ford F150 pickup truck, that was reported stolen out of Lawrence, in the 2200 blockof SE Market Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, illegal narcotics were located.

Deputies arrested the driver, James C. Robinson, 47, of Lawrence, and the passenger, Tara M. Williams, 36, of Topeka.

They were booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665696289509.png" alt="Robinson" />
 <figcaption>Robinson</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug and theft allegations.Just before 11a.m. Thursday, a K9 unit conducted a traffic stop on a 2003 Ford F150 pickup truck, that was reported stolen out of Lawrence, in the 2200 blockof SE Market Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, illegal narcotics were located.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665776645515.png" alt="Williams-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Williams-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested the driver, James C. Robinson, 47, of Lawrence, and the passenger, Tara M. Williams, 36, of Topeka.They were booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kansas couple jailed after drugs found in reported stolen pickup

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two teen in connection with multiple vehicle burglaries and stolen vehicle cases in Salina.

Between Oct. 3 and October 13, police investigated 24 vehicle burglaries and several vehicle thefts, according to a media release from police.

Most, if not all, of the burglaries and thefts were from unlocked vehicles. The keys were left in most of the stolen vehicles.

The vehicle burglaries and thefts were not isolated to one area of Salina, the department added. According to reports, items taken from the vehicle burglaries included handguns, keys, wallets, purses, credit cards, debit cards, cash, change, work tools, hunting equipment, an Apple watch, air pods, and checkbooks. 

Just after 10:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a suspicious activity call in the 2200 block of Roach Street. The reporting party noted a dome light on inside a vehicle.

Four vehicles in that area had been illegally entered. Additionally, officers located a person inside a vehicle in the 2100 block of Nottingham Drive. That person was detained and taken to the Salina Police department for questioning. 

Detectives then served two search warrants, one in the 700 block of N. Fifth Street and the 800 block of W. Ash Stree. Another person was detained during the execution of the search warrants.&nbsp; As a result of the investigation and and the search warrants, police were able to establish probable cause for the following eight vehicle burglary cases and three stolen vehicle cases.

Also as a result of the investigation, police arrested two teens. Ethan&nbsp; Runyan, 18, of Salina, is being held on requested charges that include Four counts of vehicle burglary/theft, Four counts of vehicle burglary/firearms theft and Three counts of felony theft/automobile.

Dalton R. Gimeson-Smith, 18, Salina, is being held on requested charges that include two counts of vehicle burglary/theft and Four counts of vehicle burglary/firearms theft.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665790991976.jpeg" alt="Dalton Gimeson-Smith -photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Dalton Gimeson-Smith -photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two teen in connection with multiple vehicle burglaries and stolen vehicle cases in Salina. Between Oct. 3 and October 13, police investigated 24 vehicle burglaries and several vehicle thefts, according to a media release from police.Most, if not all, of the burglaries and thefts were from unlocked vehicles. The keys were left in most of the stolen vehicles.The vehicle burglaries and thefts were not isolated to one area of Salina, the department added. According to reports, items taken from the vehicle burglaries included handguns, keys, wallets, purses, credit cards, debit cards, cash, change, work tools, hunting equipment, an Apple watch, air pods, and checkbooks. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665790939670.jpeg" alt="Ethan DKauth Runyan. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Ethan DKauth Runyan. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 10:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a suspicious activity call in the 2200 block of Roach Street. The reporting party noted a dome light on inside a vehicle.Four vehicles in that area had been illegally entered. Additionally, officers located a person inside a vehicle in the 2100 block of Nottingham Drive. That person was detained and taken to the Salina Police department for questioning. Detectives then served two search warrants, one in the 700 block of N. Fifth Street and the 800 block of W. Ash Stree. Another person was detained during the execution of the search warrants.&nbsp; As a result of the investigation and and the search warrants, police were able to establish probable cause for the following eight vehicle burglary cases and three stolen vehicle cases.Also as a result of the investigation, police arrested two teens. Ethan&nbsp; Runyan, 18, of Salina, is being held on requested charges that include Four counts of vehicle burglary/theft, Four counts of vehicle burglary/firearms theft and Three counts of felony theft/automobile.Dalton R. Gimeson-Smith, 18, Salina, is being held on requested charges that include two counts of vehicle burglary/theft and Four counts of vehicle burglary/firearms theft.

Two Kan. teens accused in series of burglaries, vehicle thefts

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman died in an accident just after noon Saturday in Sedgwick County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a white Chevy pickup was eastbound on Kansas 96 just west of 279th Street in lane one.

The pickup moved into lane two, causing a 2007 Harley Davidson&nbsp;Electra Glide Ultra Classic driven by Ann Marie&nbsp;Tournear, 43, Great Bend, in lane two to make an avoidance maneuver from lane two in an attempt to avoid a collision. 

Tournear lost control of the motorcycle, causing it to roll and strike a 2021 Harley Davidson Road Glide driven by Gregory L&nbsp;Tournear, 47, Great Bend.

EMS transported Ann Marie Tournear to St. Francis where she died. Gregory Tournear was not injured. Both were wearing helmets, according to the KHP.

The accident remains under investigation.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman died in an accident just after noon Saturday in Sedgwick County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a white Chevy pickup was eastbound on Kansas 96 just west of 279th Street in lane one.The pickup moved into lane two, causing a 2007 Harley Davidson&nbsp;Electra Glide Ultra Classic driven by Ann Marie&nbsp;Tournear, 43, Great Bend, in lane two to make an avoidance maneuver from lane two in an attempt to avoid a collision. Tournear lost control of the motorcycle, causing it to roll and strike a 2021 Harley Davidson Road Glide driven by Gregory L&nbsp;Tournear, 47, Great Bend.EMS transported Ann Marie Tournear to St. Francis where she died. Gregory Tournear was not injured. Both were wearing helmets, according to the KHP.The accident remains under investigation.

Kansas woman dies after motorcycles collide 

Auburn-Washburn district says parents are confused by billing practice

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/14/parents-at-odds-with-kansas-school-district-over-pandemic-era-enrollment-fees/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Parents in the 
Auburn-Washburn school district south of Topeka say they have been 
unfairly served debt collection letters after confusion over billing 
during the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

During the 2021-2022 school year, 
schools operated with a different financial assistance process. 
Normally, students qualify for financial assistance through the free and
 reduced lunch program. With the federal government providing free meals
 for everyone, the Auburn-Washburn school district used a household 
economic survey instead. Students who qualify for free lunch get waived 
fees, and students who qualified for reduced lunch prices are supposed 
to get reduced fees.

Melissa Wescott said she was shocked 
by the amount she was charged. She and her husband were served with debt
 collection letters for her two step-children and her son, who has 
special needs, for the last school year.

Wescott’s family qualified for fee 
reduction, but she said none of their charges were reduced. Wescott said
 the district told her in the 2021-2022 school year that the amount owed
 would be automatically updated in the school district’s online system, 
which didn’t happen. When she contacted the school, they told her that 
everything would be updated before the upcoming school year.&nbsp;

“As far as I’m concerned, I did my 
due diligence there, you know, I have all my paperwork,” Wescott said. 
“Next thing we know we get a collection letter in the mail for each 
child. And we’re like, what, the school turned us to collections? They 
didn’t even call us or write to us, or warn us or anything like that.”

The Wescotts sent another letter disputing the charges and have not heard back.

Martin Weishaar, communications 
director for the district, said the district was trying to work with 
families as much as possible on billing issues.

“The vast majority of fees are paid 
by families in a timely manner,” Weishaar said in a statement to Kansas 
Reflector. “Fees are typically paid as they incur but all fees must be 
paid by the end of the school year. The Auburn-Washburn School District 
has been and continues to be willing to work with families who have 
questions or documentation indicating a discrepancy with outstanding fee
 balances.”

Wescott said she felt frustrated by 
the situation, especially since school officials could not explain the 
discrepancy. This year, all of the children in their household qualify 
for free meals and waived enrollment fees.&nbsp;

“That’s great, but why would we owe 
the full enrollment fees for last year? Even with documented proof it 
should be reduced?” Wescott said. “I feel like getting an attorney, but 
then you know, it’s kind of ridiculous to hire an attorney and pay 
$1,500 for like a $400 bill. I think they know that. So they just kind 
of do what they want. That’s really how it feels.”

Amy Burns, another mother in the 
school district, said her children qualified for free or reduced 
lunches, but she has received multiple debt collection notices for the 
full amount since about 2018. While she said she usually contacts the 
school about the billing, she always ends up paying the full amount. 
Because she works full-time, Burns said, she didn’t have time to go to 
court over the issue.&nbsp;

“You’re expecting not to get billed 
and then all of a sudden you do, and then you call trying to follow up 
on it and you don’t get any response,” Burns said. “Then the next thing 
you know, you have a collection agency coming after you. I’ve been 
through a lot in my life. It took me a long time to get where I am and 
have my credit where it’s at. So for them to now potentially ruin that 
is frustrating when I was told that I don’t have to pay anything from 
the get go.”&nbsp;

Weishaar said parents were likely confused by the lull in billing.

The communications director said by 
the end of the 2021-2022 school year, the district had $250,000 in 
outstanding fee balances accumulated between the 2019-2022 school years.
 The district paused debt collection during the onset of the pandemic 
and didn’t send outstanding fees to a collection agency for the 
2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years.

“Now that meals are again required to
 be paid, we believe that families will have a better awareness of their
 school balances,” Weishaar said. “We are also committed to reviewing 
our notification process so that we make sure parents are well informed 
of their balance status.”

Kansas Association of School Boards 
spokeswoman Kristin Magette said the organization didn’t track 
fee-related issues, but it was unaware of fee rates or collection 
changes in Kansas districts after the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

“Kansas schools have been collecting 
fees for decades to supplement state funding and meet the budgetary 
needs for student learning and operations,” Magette said in an email. 
“There is no statewide standard for school fees, as local needs and 
budgets vary greatly.”

The Kansas State Department of Education does not track school district fees or school district fee debt either.

Wescott said the 2021-2022 school 
year was the only time she and her husband had been charged these fees. 
Every other year, they have been waived.&nbsp;

“It was that one year where everybody
 ate for free that we had to pay for everything — other than food of 
course,” she said. “So it’s just like this one year we had to pay these 
enrollment fees. Never had to pay in the past and we’re not paying for 
this year. Nobody can explain to me or tell me why that year was so 
different.”&nbsp;

Wescott said she has talked to other 
parents with similar charges, and believes the district is focusing on 
people who don’t have the time or money to fight.&nbsp;

“It seems as though they target a 
certain demographic of people, and it typically is lower-income women, 
single women with children,” Wescott said. “So it’s like they know that 
they’re probably going to be pressed for money. And not able to pay it. 
And so therefore they’re going to get that money in full and plus 
interest on top of that.”&nbsp;

<h2>Auburn-Washburn district says parents are confused by billing practice</h2>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/14/parents-at-odds-with-kansas-school-district-over-pandemic-era-enrollment-fees/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Parents in the 
Auburn-Washburn school district south of Topeka say they have been 
unfairly served debt collection letters after confusion over billing 
during the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;During the 2021-2022 school year, 
schools operated with a different financial assistance process. 
Normally, students qualify for financial assistance through the free and
 reduced lunch program. With the federal government providing free meals
 for everyone, the Auburn-Washburn school district used a household 
economic survey instead. Students who qualify for free lunch get waived 
fees, and students who qualified for reduced lunch prices are supposed 
to get reduced fees.Melissa Wescott said she was shocked 
by the amount she was charged. She and her husband were served with debt
 collection letters for her two step-children and her son, who has 
special needs, for the last school year.Wescott’s family qualified for fee 
reduction, but she said none of their charges were reduced. Wescott said
 the district told her in the 2021-2022 school year that the amount owed
 would be automatically updated in the school district’s online system, 
which didn’t happen. When she contacted the school, they told her that 
everything would be updated before the upcoming school year.&nbsp;“As far as I’m concerned, I did my 
due diligence there, you know, I have all my paperwork,” Wescott said. 
“Next thing we know we get a collection letter in the mail for each 
child. And we’re like, what, the school turned us to collections? They 
didn’t even call us or write to us, or warn us or anything like that.”The Wescotts sent another letter disputing the charges and have not heard back.Martin Weishaar, communications 
director for the district, said the district was trying to work with 
families as much as possible on billing issues.“The vast majority of fees are paid 
by families in a timely manner,” Weishaar said in a statement to Kansas 
Reflector. “Fees are typically paid as they incur but all fees must be 
paid by the end of the school year. The Auburn-Washburn School District 
has been and continues to be willing to work with families who have 
questions or documentation indicating a discrepancy with outstanding fee
 balances.”Wescott said she felt frustrated by 
the situation, especially since school officials could not explain the 
discrepancy. This year, all of the children in their household qualify 
for free meals and waived enrollment fees.&nbsp;“That’s great, but why would we owe 
the full enrollment fees for last year? Even with documented proof it 
should be reduced?” Wescott said. “I feel like getting an attorney, but 
then you know, it’s kind of ridiculous to hire an attorney and pay 
$1,500 for like a $400 bill. I think they know that. So they just kind 
of do what they want. That’s really how it feels.”Amy Burns, another mother in the 
school district, said her children qualified for free or reduced 
lunches, but she has received multiple debt collection notices for the 
full amount since about 2018. While she said she usually contacts the 
school about the billing, she always ends up paying the full amount. 
Because she works full-time, Burns said, she didn’t have time to go to 
court over the issue.&nbsp;“You’re expecting not to get billed 
and then all of a sudden you do, and then you call trying to follow up 
on it and you don’t get any response,” Burns said. “Then the next thing 
you know, you have a collection agency coming after you. I’ve been 
through a lot in my life. It took me a long time to get where I am and 
have my credit where it’s at. So for them to now potentially ruin that 
is frustrating when I was told that I don’t have to pay anything from 
the get go.”&nbsp;Weishaar said parents were likely confused by the lull in billing.The communications director said by 
the end of the 2021-2022 school year, the district had $250,000 in 
outstanding fee balances accumulated between the 2019-2022 school years.
 The district paused debt collection during the onset of the pandemic 
and didn’t send outstanding fees to a collection agency for the 
2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years.“Now that meals are again required to
 be paid, we believe that families will have a better awareness of their
 school balances,” Weishaar said. “We are also committed to reviewing 
our notification process so that we make sure parents are well informed 
of their balance status.”Kansas Association of School Boards 
spokeswoman Kristin Magette said the organization didn’t track 
fee-related issues, but it was unaware of fee rates or collection 
changes in Kansas districts after the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;“Kansas schools have been collecting 
fees for decades to supplement state funding and meet the budgetary 
needs for student learning and operations,” Magette said in an email. 
“There is no statewide standard for school fees, as local needs and 
budgets vary greatly.”The Kansas State Department of Education does not track school district fees or school district fee debt either.Wescott said the 2021-2022 school 
year was the only time she and her husband had been charged these fees. 
Every other year, they have been waived.&nbsp;“It was that one year where everybody
 ate for free that we had to pay for everything — other than food of 
course,” she said. “So it’s just like this one year we had to pay these 
enrollment fees. Never had to pay in the past and we’re not paying for 
this year. Nobody can explain to me or tell me why that year was so 
different.”&nbsp;Wescott said she has talked to other 
parents with similar charges, and believes the district is focusing on 
people who don’t have the time or money to fight.&nbsp;“It seems as though they target a 
certain demographic of people, and it typically is lower-income women, 
single women with children,” Wescott said. “So it’s like they know that 
they’re probably going to be pressed for money. And not able to pay it. 
And so therefore they’re going to get that money in full and plus 
interest on top of that.”&nbsp;Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Kan. parents sent collection notices after confusing pandemic-era fees

By DAVE BERGMEIER <a href="https://www.hpj.com/ag_news/driverless-tractors-machinery-finding-their-way-onto-fields/article_beb709ec-4640-11ed-8044-373be8fca6b5.html">High Plains Journal</a>

In recent years few innovations have caught the fancy of farmers more than autonomous tractors.

Automation
 is technologically advanced and a farmer can put a driverless tractor 
into a field. Specialty crop production has included autonomous orchard 
harvesters and strawberry harvesters, said Austin Gellings, agriculture 
services manager for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

There are some autonomous 
machines available in the marketplace and experts believe that will 
continue to accelerate. Experts say operators have to make a decision 
based on their own situation.

“The
 agriculture industry is challenged with feeding, clothing and providing
 fuel for an ever-growing population with less land, less resources and 
less inputs,” said Christopher Murray, marketing manager at John Deere, 
Moline, Illinois. “Artificial intelligence has bridged the gap from the 
days of doing more with more, to getting more with less.”

“These
 challenges represent opportunities for our customers. At John Deere, we
 have been focused on integrating technology over the last 30 years into
 our machines that help us enable farmers to feed, clothe and fuel the 
world. We see advanced technology growing up in farming operations to 
meet the ever-growing needs from the world population.”

Manufacturers
 have been incorporating some level of autonomy into machinery dating 
back to the 1990s with technology such as Autosteer, Gellings said. 
“Since then we have seen numerous other aspects of farm machinery 
becoming automated and over the last few years begun to see more and 
more fully autonomous solutions. However, there are industries like 
mining that have been operating fully autonomous for quite some time and
 have a stellar track record with it.”

By
 deploying an autonomous machine in agriculture, farmers will be able to
 tend to priority jobs while that machine handles other work the farmer 
may not have time or available labor to do, Murray said. Autonomous 
gives farmers back valuable time they can use to spend getting other 
jobs done or spending time with family and friends.

“It
 could be the difference between a farmer working through the evening or
 getting home to enjoy a warm meal with their family,” Murray said. 
“Deploying an autonomous machine benefits farmers’ bottom line, their 
livelihoods and the world at large as food demand and hunger increase.”

The drive for using autonomous 
machines in production agriculture makes sense to Gellings, who says it 
offers benefits such as taking operators out of harm’s way and with 
increased efficiency the machines could run for many more hours and one 
person could monitor several machines at once. Autonomous equipment does
 take someone who has technical savvy, Gellings said. Anyone who has 
proficiency in running a farm, incorporating Autosteer and other 
technologies that require a user interface may already have a level of 
familiarity.

“From a 
mechanical maintenance standpoint most aspects of the machine are 
similar to other conventional machines,” Gellings said.

As
 farmers update their fleet of equipment, they should consider how the 
new piece of equipment and the available technology will help increase 
productivity, performance, yields, sustainability, and quality of life, 
Murray said.

“At John 
Deere, our technology stack allows farmers to meet their goals and 
stretch further into automation with each piece of John Deere 
equipment,” he said. “Our John Deere dealers have helped farmers realize
 the value of technology, from the core hardware and software that 
customer use such as AutoTrac, yield documentation, and John Deere 
Operations Center, to our most advanced technology available in our 
automation packages.”

Many
 customers choose to order Deere equipment with automation packages that
 automate many of the functions on the piece of the equipment, Murray 
said. For example, with Tractor Automation 4.0, the customer gets 
AutoTrac Turn Automation, AutoPath, AutoTrac Implement Guidance and 
Machine Sync. The technologies build upon the core technology to make 
the farmer more productive and increase yields throughout each 
production step—field preparation, planting, fertilizer application, and
 during harvest.

“All these available 
technologies are valuable building blocks to autonomy,” Murray said. 
“The farmers using our most advanced technologies today will be able to 
easily make the next step into autonomy once it is available to the 
industry.”

Case IH, 
Racine, Wisconsin, has also been a pioneer in autonomous machinery 
market, and company officials said are continuing to build on a 
portfolio that meets the needs of growers.

During
 the recent Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, Case IH and Raven 
Industries introduced an autonomous spreader—the Case IH Trident 5550 
applicator with Raven Autonomy. The technology stack is powered by 
guidance and steering propulsion control, perception and path planning 
software developed by Raven.

According to the companies, 
from a mobile device operators can plan and complete an entire field 
operation based on mapped field boundaries. Through a series of advanced
 cameras and radar systems, the Raven Autonomy perception system is 
constantly sensing a 360-degree environment around the machine for 
obstacles and motion initiation while operating. With artificial 
intelligence, Raven’s perception controller processes the continuous 
stream of images, which interprets and detects obstacles. The remove 
operator can view the cameras through the mobile device at any time.

While
 costs may be higher the savings in labor can make autonomous machinery 
closer to a reality, Gellings said. “This is not just an investment to 
improve one’s current operation, but it is also a pathway to engage the 
next generation of farmers who are more interested in technology.”

Gellings
 said broadband limitations may not be as major of an obstacle for 
growers but are a key factor in being able to use equipment to its 
fullest potential both from an autonomy standpoint and being able to 
fully use other aspects such as data-driven decisions.

While
 much of the attention has been on large scale tractors there is also a 
demand for other pieces of autonomous equipment, he said. They include 
orchard and strawberry harvesters, Gellings said.

John Deere announced the autonomy for tillage at the Consumer Electronics Show this past January.

“Autonomy
 will open the door for us to continue to innovate more solutions to 
keep serving our customers in new ways and for the tasks that are most 
demanding on them,” Murray said. “We will prioritize autonomy for the 
jobs that occur at the busiest times of the year—like during planting 
and harvesting—when farmers must contend with limited labor, lots of 
variables and show windows of times to get things done.”

Farmers,
 just like any business are always looking to innovate to meet their 
goals that help increase productivity, performance yields, 
sustainability, and quality of life, he said. With those goals in mind 
Deere expects further automation with machinery, further learning about 
machines, more artificial intelligence, and more autonomy.

“Technology
 has helped farmers get closer to meeting their goals and will continue 
to push boundaries in the future,” Murray said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665753318832.png" alt="The Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy allows for one or more driverless machines in the field without an operator present in the cab, providing the flexibility of full control in or out of the cab. (Courtesy photo.)" />
 <figcaption>The Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy allows for one or more driverless machines in the field without an operator present in the cab, providing the flexibility of full control in or out of the cab. (Courtesy photo.)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE BERGMEIER <a href="https://www.hpj.com/ag_news/driverless-tractors-machinery-finding-their-way-onto-fields/article_beb709ec-4640-11ed-8044-373be8fca6b5.html">High Plains Journal</a>In recent years few innovations have caught the fancy of farmers more than autonomous tractors.Automation
 is technologically advanced and a farmer can put a driverless tractor 
into a field. Specialty crop production has included autonomous orchard 
harvesters and strawberry harvesters, said Austin Gellings, agriculture 
services manager for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin.There are some autonomous 
machines available in the marketplace and experts believe that will 
continue to accelerate. Experts say operators have to make a decision 
based on their own situation.“The
 agriculture industry is challenged with feeding, clothing and providing
 fuel for an ever-growing population with less land, less resources and 
less inputs,” said Christopher Murray, marketing manager at John Deere, 
Moline, Illinois. “Artificial intelligence has bridged the gap from the 
days of doing more with more, to getting more with less.”“These
 challenges represent opportunities for our customers. At John Deere, we
 have been focused on integrating technology over the last 30 years into
 our machines that help us enable farmers to feed, clothe and fuel the 
world. We see advanced technology growing up in farming operations to 
meet the ever-growing needs from the world population.”<h2>Early roots</h2>Manufacturers
 have been incorporating some level of autonomy into machinery dating 
back to the 1990s with technology such as Autosteer, Gellings said. 
“Since then we have seen numerous other aspects of farm machinery 
becoming automated and over the last few years begun to see more and 
more fully autonomous solutions. However, there are industries like 
mining that have been operating fully autonomous for quite some time and
 have a stellar track record with it.”By
 deploying an autonomous machine in agriculture, farmers will be able to
 tend to priority jobs while that machine handles other work the farmer 
may not have time or available labor to do, Murray said. Autonomous 
gives farmers back valuable time they can use to spend getting other 
jobs done or spending time with family and friends.“It
 could be the difference between a farmer working through the evening or
 getting home to enjoy a warm meal with their family,” Murray said. 
“Deploying an autonomous machine benefits farmers’ bottom line, their 
livelihoods and the world at large as food demand and hunger increase.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665753409090.png" alt="John Deere’s autonomous tractor has six pairs of stereo cameras, which enables 360-degree obstacle detection and the calculation of distance. Images captured by the cameras are passed through a deep neural network that classifies each pixel in approximately 100 milliseconds and determines if the machine continues to move or stops, depending on if an obstacle is detected. The autonomous tractor is also continuously checking its position relative to a geofence, ensuring it is operating where it is supposed to, and is accurate to within less than 1 inch. (Courtesy photo.)" />
 <figcaption>John Deere’s autonomous tractor has six pairs of stereo cameras, which enables 360-degree obstacle detection and the calculation of distance. Images captured by the cameras are passed through a deep neural network that classifies each pixel in approximately 100 milliseconds and determines if the machine continues to move or stops, depending on if an obstacle is detected. The autonomous tractor is also continuously checking its position relative to a geofence, ensuring it is operating where it is supposed to, and is accurate to within less than 1 inch. (Courtesy photo.)</figcaption>
 </figure>The drive for using autonomous 
machines in production agriculture makes sense to Gellings, who says it 
offers benefits such as taking operators out of harm’s way and with 
increased efficiency the machines could run for many more hours and one 
person could monitor several machines at once. Autonomous equipment does
 take someone who has technical savvy, Gellings said. Anyone who has 
proficiency in running a farm, incorporating Autosteer and other 
technologies that require a user interface may already have a level of 
familiarity.“From a 
mechanical maintenance standpoint most aspects of the machine are 
similar to other conventional machines,” Gellings said.As
 farmers update their fleet of equipment, they should consider how the 
new piece of equipment and the available technology will help increase 
productivity, performance, yields, sustainability, and quality of life, 
Murray said.“At John 
Deere, our technology stack allows farmers to meet their goals and 
stretch further into automation with each piece of John Deere 
equipment,” he said. “Our John Deere dealers have helped farmers realize
 the value of technology, from the core hardware and software that 
customer use such as AutoTrac, yield documentation, and John Deere 
Operations Center, to our most advanced technology available in our 
automation packages.”<h2>Features familiarity</h2>Many
 customers choose to order Deere equipment with automation packages that
 automate many of the functions on the piece of the equipment, Murray 
said. For example, with Tractor Automation 4.0, the customer gets 
AutoTrac Turn Automation, AutoPath, AutoTrac Implement Guidance and 
Machine Sync. The technologies build upon the core technology to make 
the farmer more productive and increase yields throughout each 
production step—field preparation, planting, fertilizer application, and
 during harvest.“All these available 
technologies are valuable building blocks to autonomy,” Murray said. 
“The farmers using our most advanced technologies today will be able to 
easily make the next step into autonomy once it is available to the 
industry.”Case IH, 
Racine, Wisconsin, has also been a pioneer in autonomous machinery 
market, and company officials said are continuing to build on a 
portfolio that meets the needs of growers.During
 the recent Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, Case IH and Raven 
Industries introduced an autonomous spreader—the Case IH Trident 5550 
applicator with Raven Autonomy. The technology stack is powered by 
guidance and steering propulsion control, perception and path planning 
software developed by Raven.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665753460991.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>According to the companies, 
from a mobile device operators can plan and complete an entire field 
operation based on mapped field boundaries. Through a series of advanced
 cameras and radar systems, the Raven Autonomy perception system is 
constantly sensing a 360-degree environment around the machine for 
obstacles and motion initiation while operating. With artificial 
intelligence, Raven’s perception controller processes the continuous 
stream of images, which interprets and detects obstacles. The remove 
operator can view the cameras through the mobile device at any time.<h2>Technical reality</h2>While
 costs may be higher the savings in labor can make autonomous machinery 
closer to a reality, Gellings said. “This is not just an investment to 
improve one’s current operation, but it is also a pathway to engage the 
next generation of farmers who are more interested in technology.”Gellings
 said broadband limitations may not be as major of an obstacle for 
growers but are a key factor in being able to use equipment to its 
fullest potential both from an autonomy standpoint and being able to 
fully use other aspects such as data-driven decisions.While
 much of the attention has been on large scale tractors there is also a 
demand for other pieces of autonomous equipment, he said. They include 
orchard and strawberry harvesters, Gellings said.John Deere announced the autonomy for tillage at the Consumer Electronics Show this past January.“Autonomy
 will open the door for us to continue to innovate more solutions to 
keep serving our customers in new ways and for the tasks that are most 
demanding on them,” Murray said. “We will prioritize autonomy for the 
jobs that occur at the busiest times of the year—like during planting 
and harvesting—when farmers must contend with limited labor, lots of 
variables and show windows of times to get things done.”Farmers,
 just like any business are always looking to innovate to meet their 
goals that help increase productivity, performance yields, 
sustainability, and quality of life, he said. With those goals in mind 
Deere expects further automation with machinery, further learning about 
machines, more artificial intelligence, and more autonomy.“Technology
 has helped farmers get closer to meeting their goals and will continue 
to push boundaries in the future,” Murray said.Republished with permission

Driverless tractors, machinery finding their way onto fields

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kris Kobach, the Kansan with a national reputation as a hardline provocateur on immigration and voter ID laws, is trying to rebrand himself as a calmer, steadier voice in his comeback bid for elective office.

Republicans hope the candidate for Kansas attorney general is a “new” Kobach. Many of them say he's staying more on message with a better organized campaign after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/32816d964acc49e188c9de18b9acb3b9">losing the 2018 race for Kansas governor</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-top-news-religion-kansas-politics-6646c990bce8bd3d93e2722015de87f0">a 2020 U.S. Senate primary.</a>&nbsp;Both of those losses were chalked up to disorganized campaigns and Kobach being too abrasive even for very Republican Kansas voters.

The former Kansas secretary of state built a national profile — and created lasting political foes — as the go-to adviser for state and local officials wanting to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-84a552fa0a464c6d9dae4bc36bb7c1fb">crack down on illegal immigration.</a>&nbsp;But his platform this year doesn't mention immigration. The signature prop of his campaign for governor four years ago was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/618684029df54c9f8705a6b8ea08cbc5">a jeep painted with a U.S. flag design and equipped with a replica machine gun,</a>&nbsp;and it's nowhere to be seen this year.

“There’s been some learning, trial and error, over time, and I think Kobach as a candidate has grown and become more disciplined,” said Moriah Day, a Republican and gun-rights activist who once worked for Kobach in the secretary of state’s office. “There are certainly advisers and others who have pushed hard for that discipline, and some of them have been together for a few cycles now.”

Kobach’s Democratic opponent in the Nov. 8 election is Chris Mann, who is making his first run for elective office. While Republicans have won 80% of statewide down-ballot races over the past 50 years, both parties see the Kobach-Mann contest as a toss-up because of Kobach’s political baggage.

Some of the baggage comes from Kobach advocating strict immigration laws years before Donald Trump ran for president in 2016 and upsetting not only immigrant rights advocates but GOP-leaning business and agricultural groups.

Kobach also pushed the idea that droves of people could be voting illegally and championed a tough prove-your-citizenship rule for new Kansas voters, only to see the federal courts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-ut-state-wire-courts-voter-registration-politics-816aaaa51ff9ca49a173ec7e60417d83">strike it down</a>&nbsp;and order the state to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-voting-courts-kansas-topeka-f264c21e04af2b6d8c22fadfcaf15641">pay voting rights attorneys $1.4 million.</a>

Kobach served as co-chairman of Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/67f6a7741a534b629184e4e8f939bbb3">short-lived</a>&nbsp;presidential advisory commission on “election integrity” and promoted Trump’s lies about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9e34eca33c9f43359680dfa46fa3def8">widespread voter fraud.</a>&nbsp;At the time, The Associated Press reported that Kobach oversaw an election system in Kansas that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-elections-a369ae2a8087463abddd85990270806c">threw out at least three times as many ballots</a>&nbsp;in the 2016 election as any similarly sized state did, fueling concerns about massive voter suppression should its practices become the national standard.

Then there was his brand in his 2018 and 2020 races, the fighter who was even willing to take on GOP leaders. While Republicans across the U.S. have embraced a combative persona in Trump and other candidates, and Trump carried Kansas twice by wide margins, the state's voters more often have favored candidates with an aw-shucks demeanor.

The jeep with the machine gun became a symbol of how Kobach seemed not to care that he annoyed or angered some voters. He mocked what he called the “snowflake meltdown” the first time he rode it in a parade in 2018.

Some are skeptical that Kobach has changed in any substantive way, and say he is not always on message. For example, his comments during campaign appearances sometimes veer into his plan to slowly and quietly maneuver to ban abortion.

Kansas voters in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would have cleared the way for the Republican Legislature to tighten abortion restrictions or ban the procedure. Kobach backed the measure, which was GOP lawmakers' response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;declaring access to abortion a “fundamental” right under the state's Bill of Rights.

Kobach advocates amending the state constitution to elect Supreme Court justices rather than have governors appoint them. Eventually new, more conservative justices would overturn the 2019 ruling, he argues.

Backers argue that Kobach's views on abortion are well-known enough that he can't backpedal now.

But he's pitching a proposal that faces big political hurdles, and some Republicans fear that talking about abortion will keep moderate Republicans and independents riled and boost Democratic turnout. Kobach has said he'll defend existing abortion restrictions as attorney general, but his critics worry that he'll hunt for new ways to curb access if he's elected.

“I thought we had a representative form of government, but it looks like Kris Kobach will certainly be willing to subvert the wishes of the voters when he has a chance,” said former Kansas House Majority Leader Don Hineman, a moderate Republican and western Kansas farmer.

Democrat Mann, 46, was a police officer in his early 20s in the northeastern Kansas city of Lawrence, where he now lives. An on-duty accident involving a drunken driver ended his career in uniform and he then served as a prosecutor in nearby Kansas City, Kansas, as a state securities regulator and on the board of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

“I’m not in this to chase the spotlight or to grab attention like my opponent, and that’s all he’s going to do,” Mann said during an interview.

Kobach, 56, said he's learned from past campaigns and is delegating more tasks. For this year’s race, he hired Axiom Strategies, a prominent Kansas City-area GOP firm, and his chief consultant is a conservative state senator, J.R. Claeys, in good standing with top Kansas Republicans.

And that jeep with the replica machine gun from four years ago?

“That was a different time,” Kobach said, chuckling, noting that four years ago was “right in the middle” of Trump’s high-drama administration.

Kobach's lower-key campaign appeals to William Hendrix, a 21-year-old Topeka resident who is treasurer for a local Young Republicans group. He predicted that as attorney general, Kobach would “cool down on the campaign-trail rhetoric."

“He’ll see the limitations of the office and also at the same time, what he can do with what he has,” Hendrix said.

But Kobach also might appear more measured than in the past because if he loses this year, "it really could be, possibly, the end,” said Bob Beatty, a political science professor at Washburn University in Topeka.

Patrick Miller, an associate University of Kansas professor of political science, wondered whether Kobach seems less provocative because the attorney general's race can't command the same kind of attention his 2018 and 2020 races did.

“All of that attention given to him in 2018 was an invitation for him to be very flamboyant as a politician,” Miller said. “Maybe losing had an effect on that and maybe he’s more cautious. Maybe, he’s more calculating.”

Kobach has promised to spend each breakfast thinking about potential lawsuits against the Democratic president's administration and during one Topeka event urged the crowd to chant, “Sue Biden.”

The candidate himself goes back and forth on whether there's a new Kobach. He says there is a little truth in the GOP buzz but some exaggeration, too.

“I’m still my old self in the sense that I stick to my guns,” Kobach said. “I don’t back down.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665797870248.png" alt="Kobach on the campaign trail -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kobach on the campaign trail -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kris Kobach, the Kansan with a national reputation as a hardline provocateur on immigration and voter ID laws, is trying to rebrand himself as a calmer, steadier voice in his comeback bid for elective office.Republicans hope the candidate for Kansas attorney general is a “new” Kobach. Many of them say he's staying more on message with a better organized campaign after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/32816d964acc49e188c9de18b9acb3b9">losing the 2018 race for Kansas governor</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-top-news-religion-kansas-politics-6646c990bce8bd3d93e2722015de87f0">a 2020 U.S. Senate primary.</a>&nbsp;Both of those losses were chalked up to disorganized campaigns and Kobach being too abrasive even for very Republican Kansas voters.The former Kansas secretary of state built a national profile — and created lasting political foes — as the go-to adviser for state and local officials wanting to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-84a552fa0a464c6d9dae4bc36bb7c1fb">crack down on illegal immigration.</a>&nbsp;But his platform this year doesn't mention immigration. The signature prop of his campaign for governor four years ago was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/618684029df54c9f8705a6b8ea08cbc5">a jeep painted with a U.S. flag design and equipped with a replica machine gun,</a>&nbsp;and it's nowhere to be seen this year.“There’s been some learning, trial and error, over time, and I think Kobach as a candidate has grown and become more disciplined,” said Moriah Day, a Republican and gun-rights activist who once worked for Kobach in the secretary of state’s office. “There are certainly advisers and others who have pushed hard for that discipline, and some of them have been together for a few cycles now.”Kobach’s Democratic opponent in the Nov. 8 election is Chris Mann, who is making his first run for elective office. While Republicans have won 80% of statewide down-ballot races over the past 50 years, both parties see the Kobach-Mann contest as a toss-up because of Kobach’s political baggage.Some of the baggage comes from Kobach advocating strict immigration laws years before Donald Trump ran for president in 2016 and upsetting not only immigrant rights advocates but GOP-leaning business and agricultural groups.Kobach also pushed the idea that droves of people could be voting illegally and championed a tough prove-your-citizenship rule for new Kansas voters, only to see the federal courts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-ut-state-wire-courts-voter-registration-politics-816aaaa51ff9ca49a173ec7e60417d83">strike it down</a>&nbsp;and order the state to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-voting-courts-kansas-topeka-f264c21e04af2b6d8c22fadfcaf15641">pay voting rights attorneys $1.4 million.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665797828566.png" alt="Kobach, 56, said he's learned from past campaigns and is delegating more tasks.-courtesy photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kobach, 56, said he's learned from past campaigns and is delegating more tasks.-courtesy photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Kobach served as co-chairman of Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/67f6a7741a534b629184e4e8f939bbb3">short-lived</a>&nbsp;presidential advisory commission on “election integrity” and promoted Trump’s lies about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9e34eca33c9f43359680dfa46fa3def8">widespread voter fraud.</a>&nbsp;At the time, The Associated Press reported that Kobach oversaw an election system in Kansas that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-elections-a369ae2a8087463abddd85990270806c">threw out at least three times as many ballots</a>&nbsp;in the 2016 election as any similarly sized state did, fueling concerns about massive voter suppression should its practices become the national standard.Then there was his brand in his 2018 and 2020 races, the fighter who was even willing to take on GOP leaders. While Republicans across the U.S. have embraced a combative persona in Trump and other candidates, and Trump carried Kansas twice by wide margins, the state's voters more often have favored candidates with an aw-shucks demeanor.The jeep with the machine gun became a symbol of how Kobach seemed not to care that he annoyed or angered some voters. He mocked what he called the “snowflake meltdown” the first time he rode it in a parade in 2018.Some are skeptical that Kobach has changed in any substantive way, and say he is not always on message. For example, his comments during campaign appearances sometimes veer into his plan to slowly and quietly maneuver to ban abortion.Kansas voters in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would have cleared the way for the Republican Legislature to tighten abortion restrictions or ban the procedure. Kobach backed the measure, which was GOP lawmakers' response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;declaring access to abortion a “fundamental” right under the state's Bill of Rights.Kobach advocates amending the state constitution to elect Supreme Court justices rather than have governors appoint them. Eventually new, more conservative justices would overturn the 2019 ruling, he argues.Backers argue that Kobach's views on abortion are well-known enough that he can't backpedal now.But he's pitching a proposal that faces big political hurdles, and some Republicans fear that talking about abortion will keep moderate Republicans and independents riled and boost Democratic turnout. Kobach has said he'll defend existing abortion restrictions as attorney general, but his critics worry that he'll hunt for new ways to curb access if he's elected.“I thought we had a representative form of government, but it looks like Kris Kobach will certainly be willing to subvert the wishes of the voters when he has a chance,” said former Kansas House Majority Leader Don Hineman, a moderate Republican and western Kansas farmer.Democrat Mann, 46, was a police officer in his early 20s in the northeastern Kansas city of Lawrence, where he now lives. An on-duty accident involving a drunken driver ended his career in uniform and he then served as a prosecutor in nearby Kansas City, Kansas, as a state securities regulator and on the board of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.“I’m not in this to chase the spotlight or to grab attention like my opponent, and that’s all he’s going to do,” Mann said during an interview.Kobach, 56, said he's learned from past campaigns and is delegating more tasks. For this year’s race, he hired Axiom Strategies, a prominent Kansas City-area GOP firm, and his chief consultant is a conservative state senator, J.R. Claeys, in good standing with top Kansas Republicans.And that jeep with the replica machine gun from four years ago?“That was a different time,” Kobach said, chuckling, noting that four years ago was “right in the middle” of Trump’s high-drama administration.Kobach's lower-key campaign appeals to William Hendrix, a 21-year-old Topeka resident who is treasurer for a local Young Republicans group. He predicted that as attorney general, Kobach would “cool down on the campaign-trail rhetoric."“He’ll see the limitations of the office and also at the same time, what he can do with what he has,” Hendrix said.But Kobach also might appear more measured than in the past because if he loses this year, "it really could be, possibly, the end,” said Bob Beatty, a political science professor at Washburn University in Topeka.Patrick Miller, an associate University of Kansas professor of political science, wondered whether Kobach seems less provocative because the attorney general's race can't command the same kind of attention his 2018 and 2020 races did.“All of that attention given to him in 2018 was an invitation for him to be very flamboyant as a politician,” Miller said. “Maybe losing had an effect on that and maybe he’s more cautious. Maybe, he’s more calculating.”Kobach has promised to spend each breakfast thinking about potential lawsuits against the Democratic president's administration and during one Topeka event urged the crowd to chant, “Sue Biden.”The candidate himself goes back and forth on whether there's a new Kobach. He says there is a little truth in the GOP buzz but some exaggeration, too.“I’m still my old self in the sense that I stick to my guns,” Kobach said. “I don’t back down.”

Republicans hope for a 'new' Kris Kobach in Kansas AG race

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in a restaurant drive-through.

Just after 11:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the 3600 block of East Harry for a shooting, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

Officers arrived on the scene and located 35-year-old Pleasure Coleman of Wichita unconscious and not breathing. 

Police began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived. Coleman was pronounced deceased on the scene.

The investigation revealed that Coleman had a verbal altercation in a local drive-through with a 31-year-old man. That argument would turn physical at which point Coleman and the 31-year-old man exchanged gunfire at each other. Coleman was struck in his upper body.

Police took the 31-year-old man&nbsp; into custody on the scene. Coleman and the other man are not known to each other, according to Ditch. Police released no additional details early Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665849663762.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in a restaurant drive-through.Just after 11:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the 3600 block of East Harry for a shooting, according to Officer Chad Ditch.Officers arrived on the scene and located 35-year-old Pleasure Coleman of Wichita unconscious and not breathing. Police began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived. Coleman was pronounced deceased on the scene.The investigation revealed that Coleman had a verbal altercation in a local drive-through with a 31-year-old man. That argument would turn physical at which point Coleman and the 31-year-old man exchanged gunfire at each other. Coleman was struck in his upper body.Police took the 31-year-old man&nbsp; into custody on the scene. Coleman and the other man are not known to each other, according to Ditch. Police released no additional details early Saturday.

Police: Kan. man dead after restaurant drive-through gunfight

Abbott is initiating a proactive, voluntary recall of certain lots of 2 fluid ounce/ 59 milliliter bottles of Ready-to-Feed liquid products for infants and children, including the brands Similac®&nbsp;Pro-Total ComfortTM, Similac®&nbsp;360 Total Care®, Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive, Similac®&nbsp;Special Care®&nbsp;24, Similac Stage 1, Similac®&nbsp;NeoSure®, Similac Water (Sterilized) and Pedialyte Electrolyte Solution. The products included in the recall were manufactured at our Columbus, Ohio, manufacturing facility, according to a statement from the company.

These products are being recalled because a small percentage of bottles (less than 1%) in the recalled lots have bottle caps that may not have sealed completely, which could result in spoilage. If spoiled product is consumed, gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting may occur.

This recall does not include any other liquid or powder formula brands or other nutrition products produced in our Columbus facility or elsewhere within our global nutrition manufacturing network. It also does not include any amino acid-based formulas or metabolic nutrition formulas.

This recall equates to less than one day's worth of the total number of ounces of infant formula fed in the U.S. and is not expected to impact the overall U.S. infant formula supply. Abbott is continuing production of Similac 2 fluid ounce/59 milliliter Ready-to-Feed liquid formula products for hospitals and healthcare providers' offices on a different production line. Similac infant formula will continue to be produced in alternative product sizes and formats for delivery to retail locations, in addition to increased production throughout our global manufacturing network.

The products included in the recall were distributed primarily to hospitals and to some doctors’ offices, distributors and retailers in the U.S., including Puerto Rico; one lot of products was sent to Barbados, Bermuda, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Croix and St. Thomas; and two lots were sent to Canada, Curacao, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago.

What Parents and Caregivers Should Do

If a product is included in the recall,&nbsp;do not use the product.&nbsp;For all feeding-related questions or questions about your child’s health, contact a healthcare professional.

To identify if your product is included, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html?utm_campaign=abb-rcl-liquid-recall&amp;utm_medium=tag-referral&amp;utm_source=abb-rcl-link-sim-com&amp;utm_content=abb-2022-sim-dot-come-rcl-link-to-recall-site-oct&amp;utm_term=please-visit-recall-oct" target="_blank">similacrecall.com</a>&nbsp;to view a list of impacted lot numbers or use the lot number checker on the webpage.

"We take our responsibility to deliver high-quality products very seriously," said Joe Manning, executive vice president, nutritional products, Abbott. "We internally identified the issue, are addressing it, and will work with our customers to minimize inconvenience and get them the products they need."

If you have questions, please contact Abbott's Consumer Relations hotline 1-800-986-8540

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665842624320.png" alt="photo courtesy Abbot" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Abbot</figcaption>
 </figure>Abbott is initiating a proactive, voluntary recall of certain lots of 2 fluid ounce/ 59 milliliter bottles of Ready-to-Feed liquid products for infants and children, including the brands Similac®&nbsp;Pro-Total ComfortTM, Similac®&nbsp;360 Total Care®, Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive, Similac®&nbsp;Special Care®&nbsp;24, Similac Stage 1, Similac®&nbsp;NeoSure®, Similac Water (Sterilized) and Pedialyte Electrolyte Solution. The products included in the recall were manufactured at our Columbus, Ohio, manufacturing facility, according to a statement from the company. These products are being recalled because a small percentage of bottles (less than 1%) in the recalled lots have bottle caps that may not have sealed completely, which could result in spoilage. If spoiled product is consumed, gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting may occur. This recall does not include any other liquid or powder formula brands or other nutrition products produced in our Columbus facility or elsewhere within our global nutrition manufacturing network. It also does not include any amino acid-based formulas or metabolic nutrition formulas. This recall equates to less than one day's worth of the total number of ounces of infant formula fed in the U.S. and is not expected to impact the overall U.S. infant formula supply. Abbott is continuing production of Similac 2 fluid ounce/59 milliliter Ready-to-Feed liquid formula products for hospitals and healthcare providers' offices on a different production line. Similac infant formula will continue to be produced in alternative product sizes and formats for delivery to retail locations, in addition to increased production throughout our global manufacturing network. The products included in the recall were distributed primarily to hospitals and to some doctors’ offices, distributors and retailers in the U.S., including Puerto Rico; one lot of products was sent to Barbados, Bermuda, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Croix and St. Thomas; and two lots were sent to Canada, Curacao, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago.What Parents and Caregivers Should DoIf a product is included in the recall,&nbsp;do not use the product.&nbsp;For all feeding-related questions or questions about your child’s health, contact a healthcare professional.To identify if your product is included, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html?utm_campaign=abb-rcl-liquid-recall&amp;utm_medium=tag-referral&amp;utm_source=abb-rcl-link-sim-com&amp;utm_content=abb-2022-sim-dot-come-rcl-link-to-recall-site-oct&amp;utm_term=please-visit-recall-oct" target="_blank">similacrecall.com</a>&nbsp;to view a list of impacted lot numbers or use the lot number checker on the webpage. "We take our responsibility to deliver high-quality products very seriously," said Joe Manning, executive vice president, nutritional products, Abbott. "We internally identified the issue, are addressing it, and will work with our customers to minimize inconvenience and get them the products they need." If you have questions, please contact Abbott's Consumer Relations hotline 1-800-986-8540

Abbott launches new infant formula recall at another plant

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — In the days since Dane Partridge was fatally wounded while serving as a volunteer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-business-united-nations-70ab5d4fc3a308e560d3812433e85718">soldier in Ukraine</a>, his sister has found moments of comfort in surprising places: First, a misplaced baseball cap discovered in her laundry room, then in a photo of a battered pickup truck with only one tire intact.

The 34-year-old Idaho man died Tuesday from injuries sustained during during a Russian attack in Luhansk.&nbsp;At least four other U.S. citizens have been killed while fighting in Ukraine, based on reports from their families and the U.S. State Department.

A former U.S. Army infantryman, Partridge felt “spiritually called” to volunteer with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukranian military</a>&nbsp;as they defend the country from invading Russian forces, his sister Jenny Corry said. He flew to Poland on a one-way ticket in April, his rucksack packed with body armor, a helmet and other tactical gear.

“Made it to the embassy, getting on a bus for the border,” Partridge wrote on his Facebook page on April 27. “From this point on I will not likely be giving locations or actions for opsec reasons. I will let you all know I’m alive.”

Partridge joined a military unit that included several volunteers from other countries, Corry said, the men mostly relying on interpreters to communicate. Partridge and his fellow soldiers were in Severodonetsk, a city in the Luhansk region, when he was hit in the head with shrapnel during an attack by Russian fighting vehicles, Corry said.

The unit had no stretchers and was still under attack, Corry said, but Partridge's fellow soldiers carried him out on a blanket and loaded him and other injured colleagues into a drab-painted pickup truck to rush them to safety.

“I have a picture of the truck,” Corry said in a phone interview Friday. The photo shows a drab-painted pickup with shredded rubber hanging off the wheel hubs. All but one of the tires were destroyed in the grim rush to safety.

“As a family, we really like that picture of the vehicle — it speaks to the bravery of how they tried to save their men, and the way they pushed that vehicle to its last leg just to get to the hospital,” she said. “It speaks volumes.”

Partridge leaves behind five young children. Corry deflected questions about the children and some other parts of Partridge's life, saying the family had jointly agreed to focus on his military service out of respect to those “who are still living and still affected by his personal life.”

“We want to just focus on the good that he did and don't want to mention any personal things,” Corry said in a phone interview Friday.

Military service has been a large part of Partridge's life. He was the youngest of five kids, and his father was a member of the U.S. Air Force. As a child, Partridge liked to dress up in his dad's oversized camouflage uniform and play “army guy” in the dirt, Corry said.

By the time he'd graduated high school, Partridge had grown into a gregarious man with a booming voice and a joking personality, she said.

“When he showed up, you knew he was there. He had a bigger personality,” she said. “If somebody was sad, he was going to make sure he cheered them up. He liked to spend quality time with people.”

He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2006 and served in Baghdad as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2007 to 2009 before leaving the military in 2012.

He didn't talk a lot about his experiences in Iraq, but she knew some of it weighed heavily on him throughout his life.

“He was a Humvee driver, and when he was training they told him that as the driver if he tried to save himself his men would likely be killed, but if he saved his men then he would most likely be killed,” Corry said her brother told her. “That was something that sat deeply with him.”

Still, it was the battlefield where Partridge thrived. Corry believed the adrenaline, the sense of purpose and the heightened feeling of service is what drew him in.

“It was almost as if he could tell he had a greater purpose to fulfill,” she said. “Sometimes it was harder for him to mesh in the civilian world."

When Russia invaded Ukraine, Partridge felt a need to help the Ukranians. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and believed that he was being spiritually called to join the fight, she said.

“He believed it with every fiber of his being, and he wanted to honor his God," she said.

He stayed with Corry for a time before he made the trip to Ukraine. After she left, she found his camouflage baseball cap had been left in her laundry room. It was strange, she said, because he was very neat and organized, and never left things lying around.

“I just kind of set it to the side, and it sat there for a while,” she said, pausing for a shaky breath. “And the day I decided to pick it up and wear it because I wanted to feel close to him is the day that he died.”

Partridge's family knew he might not come home. A few encouraged him to think on his decision a little longer, but Partridge was intent on serving, she said.

“We're sad, but because of the circumstances it was already a thought that he could pass away. It wasn't like we were blindsided,” Corry said. “In a way, it was something that we had to understand when he went over there.”

Partridge was in a coma and on life support for eight days before he died. Family members had a chance to say goodbye, long-distance, before he passed, she said.

The family is raising money to try to bring Partridge's remains back home to be buried in Blackfoot, Idaho. They also hope to raise money to replace the truck his unit used to bring Partridge to the hospital, and to purchase other vital supplies for his unit, she said.

“We just want to do something to pay the men back,” Corry said.

&nbsp;The Ukrainian government has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-d0243a1708a3115e5ad0ac40aed99b9f">recruited people with military experience</a>&nbsp;to join the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — In the days since Dane Partridge was fatally wounded while serving as a volunteer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-business-united-nations-70ab5d4fc3a308e560d3812433e85718">soldier in Ukraine</a>, his sister has found moments of comfort in surprising places: First, a misplaced baseball cap discovered in her laundry room, then in a photo of a battered pickup truck with only one tire intact.The 34-year-old Idaho man died Tuesday from injuries sustained during during a Russian attack in Luhansk.&nbsp;At least four other U.S. citizens have been killed while fighting in Ukraine, based on reports from their families and the U.S. State Department.A former U.S. Army infantryman, Partridge felt “spiritually called” to volunteer with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukranian military</a>&nbsp;as they defend the country from invading Russian forces, his sister Jenny Corry said. He flew to Poland on a one-way ticket in April, his rucksack packed with body armor, a helmet and other tactical gear.“Made it to the embassy, getting on a bus for the border,” Partridge wrote on his Facebook page on April 27. “From this point on I will not likely be giving locations or actions for opsec reasons. I will let you all know I’m alive.”Partridge joined a military unit that included several volunteers from other countries, Corry said, the men mostly relying on interpreters to communicate. Partridge and his fellow soldiers were in Severodonetsk, a city in the Luhansk region, when he was hit in the head with shrapnel during an attack by Russian fighting vehicles, Corry said.The unit had no stretchers and was still under attack, Corry said, but Partridge's fellow soldiers carried him out on a blanket and loaded him and other injured colleagues into a drab-painted pickup truck to rush them to safety.“I have a picture of the truck,” Corry said in a phone interview Friday. The photo shows a drab-painted pickup with shredded rubber hanging off the wheel hubs. All but one of the tires were destroyed in the grim rush to safety.“As a family, we really like that picture of the vehicle — it speaks to the bravery of how they tried to save their men, and the way they pushed that vehicle to its last leg just to get to the hospital,” she said. “It speaks volumes.”Partridge leaves behind five young children. Corry deflected questions about the children and some other parts of Partridge's life, saying the family had jointly agreed to focus on his military service out of respect to those “who are still living and still affected by his personal life.”“We want to just focus on the good that he did and don't want to mention any personal things,” Corry said in a phone interview Friday.Military service has been a large part of Partridge's life. He was the youngest of five kids, and his father was a member of the U.S. Air Force. As a child, Partridge liked to dress up in his dad's oversized camouflage uniform and play “army guy” in the dirt, Corry said.By the time he'd graduated high school, Partridge had grown into a gregarious man with a booming voice and a joking personality, she said.“When he showed up, you knew he was there. He had a bigger personality,” she said. “If somebody was sad, he was going to make sure he cheered them up. He liked to spend quality time with people.”He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2006 and served in Baghdad as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2007 to 2009 before leaving the military in 2012.He didn't talk a lot about his experiences in Iraq, but she knew some of it weighed heavily on him throughout his life.“He was a Humvee driver, and when he was training they told him that as the driver if he tried to save himself his men would likely be killed, but if he saved his men then he would most likely be killed,” Corry said her brother told her. “That was something that sat deeply with him.”Still, it was the battlefield where Partridge thrived. Corry believed the adrenaline, the sense of purpose and the heightened feeling of service is what drew him in.“It was almost as if he could tell he had a greater purpose to fulfill,” she said. “Sometimes it was harder for him to mesh in the civilian world."When Russia invaded Ukraine, Partridge felt a need to help the Ukranians. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and believed that he was being spiritually called to join the fight, she said.“He believed it with every fiber of his being, and he wanted to honor his God," she said.He stayed with Corry for a time before he made the trip to Ukraine. After she left, she found his camouflage baseball cap had been left in her laundry room. It was strange, she said, because he was very neat and organized, and never left things lying around.“I just kind of set it to the side, and it sat there for a while,” she said, pausing for a shaky breath. “And the day I decided to pick it up and wear it because I wanted to feel close to him is the day that he died.”Partridge's family knew he might not come home. A few encouraged him to think on his decision a little longer, but Partridge was intent on serving, she said.“We're sad, but because of the circumstances it was already a thought that he could pass away. It wasn't like we were blindsided,” Corry said. “In a way, it was something that we had to understand when he went over there.”Partridge was in a coma and on life support for eight days before he died. Family members had a chance to say goodbye, long-distance, before he passed, she said.The family is raising money to try to bring Partridge's remains back home to be buried in Blackfoot, Idaho. They also hope to raise money to replace the truck his unit used to bring Partridge to the hospital, and to purchase other vital supplies for his unit, she said.“We just want to do something to pay the men back,” Corry said.&nbsp;The Ukrainian government has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-d0243a1708a3115e5ad0ac40aed99b9f">recruited people with military experience</a>&nbsp;to join the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine.

Fifth U.S. citizen dies while fighting as volunteer in Ukraine

HOUSTON (AP) — A federal judge ruled Friday that the current version of a federal policy that prevents the deportation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">hundreds of thousands of immigrants</a>&nbsp;brought to the U.S. as children can continue, at least temporarily.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen — who last year declared the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program illegal — said that the policy, which is set to proceed under new regulations at the end of the month, can continue with limitations that he previously set. Those limitations say there can be no new applicants for DACA and that those who are already in the program can continue to be in it and renew their application.

Hanen ordered attorneys in the case to provide more information and said he expects additional legal arguments related to the new rule, but there was no timetable set for future hearings. It’s also unclear when Hanen will give his final decision on the case, which is expected to end up at the U.S. Supreme Court.

The current version of DACA, which the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-immigration-government-and-politics-ba1233662ca743358c77ce5e0d037674">Biden administration created</a>&nbsp;to improve its chances of surviving legal scrutiny, is set to take effect Oct. 31.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-united-states-immigration-government-and-politics-b05499ef2d0d999c045079204d42be84">The case went back to Hanen</a>&nbsp;after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans said last week he should take another look at DACA following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-immigration-government-and-politics-ba1233662ca743358c77ce5e0d037674">revisions adopted</a>&nbsp;by the Biden administration.

Before the hearing Friday morning, a group of about 30 community activists gathered in support of DACA at a park next to the federal courthouse. They held up signs that said, “Judge Hanen Do the Right Thing Protect DACA” and “Immigrants Are Welcomed.” They chanted as many of them marched into the courthouse to attend the hearing.

Hanen last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-f01fc0f485a8983b5f072e7af324c43f">declared DACA illegal</a>&nbsp;after Texas and eight other Republican-leaning states filed a lawsuit claiming they are harmed financially, incurring hundreds of millions of dollars in health care, education and other costs, when immigrants are allowed to remain in the country illegally. They also argued that the White House overstepped its authority by granting immigration benefits that are for Congress to decide.

“Only Congress has the ability to write our nation’s immigration laws," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Thursday in a statement.

Hanen found DACA had not been subjected to public notice and comment periods required under the federal Administrative Procedures Act. But he left the Obama-era program intact for those already benefiting from it, pending the appeal. There were 611,270 people enrolled in DACA at the end of March.

A three-judge panel of the New Orleans-based appeals court upheld Hanen’s initial finding but sent the case back to Hanen so he could review the impact of the federal government’s new DACA regulation.

The new rule’s 453 pages are largely technical and represent little substantive change from the 2012 memo that created DACA, but it was subject to public comments as part of a formal rule-making process.

But even if Hanen were to issue a positive ruling on the new DACA regulation, the judge might still decide the program is illegal because it was not created by Congress, Perales said.

“Which is why so many right now are calling on Congress to act," she said.

After last week’s appeals court ruling, President Joe Biden and advocacy groups renewed their calls for Congress to pass permanent protections for “Dreamers," which is what people protected by DACA are commonly called. Congress has failed multiple times to pass proposals called the DREAM Act to protect DACA recipients.

Whatever Hanen decides, DACA is expected to go to the Supreme Court for a third time. In 2016, the Supreme Court deadlocked 4-4 over an expanded DACA and a version of the program for parents of DACA recipients. In 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-courts-immigration-4901a69e2fb198705ab4f5370b28810a">the high court ruled</a>&nbsp;5-4 that the Trump administration improperly ended DACA, allowing it to stay in place.

HOUSTON (AP) — A federal judge ruled Friday that the current version of a federal policy that prevents the deportation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">hundreds of thousands of immigrants</a>&nbsp;brought to the U.S. as children can continue, at least temporarily.U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen — who last year declared the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program illegal — said that the policy, which is set to proceed under new regulations at the end of the month, can continue with limitations that he previously set. Those limitations say there can be no new applicants for DACA and that those who are already in the program can continue to be in it and renew their application.Hanen ordered attorneys in the case to provide more information and said he expects additional legal arguments related to the new rule, but there was no timetable set for future hearings. It’s also unclear when Hanen will give his final decision on the case, which is expected to end up at the U.S. Supreme Court.The current version of DACA, which the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-immigration-government-and-politics-ba1233662ca743358c77ce5e0d037674">Biden administration created</a>&nbsp;to improve its chances of surviving legal scrutiny, is set to take effect Oct. 31.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-united-states-immigration-government-and-politics-b05499ef2d0d999c045079204d42be84">The case went back to Hanen</a>&nbsp;after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans said last week he should take another look at DACA following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-immigration-government-and-politics-ba1233662ca743358c77ce5e0d037674">revisions adopted</a>&nbsp;by the Biden administration.Before the hearing Friday morning, a group of about 30 community activists gathered in support of DACA at a park next to the federal courthouse. They held up signs that said, “Judge Hanen Do the Right Thing Protect DACA” and “Immigrants Are Welcomed.” They chanted as many of them marched into the courthouse to attend the hearing.Hanen last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-f01fc0f485a8983b5f072e7af324c43f">declared DACA illegal</a>&nbsp;after Texas and eight other Republican-leaning states filed a lawsuit claiming they are harmed financially, incurring hundreds of millions of dollars in health care, education and other costs, when immigrants are allowed to remain in the country illegally. They also argued that the White House overstepped its authority by granting immigration benefits that are for Congress to decide.“Only Congress has the ability to write our nation’s immigration laws," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Thursday in a statement.Hanen found DACA had not been subjected to public notice and comment periods required under the federal Administrative Procedures Act. But he left the Obama-era program intact for those already benefiting from it, pending the appeal. There were 611,270 people enrolled in DACA at the end of March.A three-judge panel of the New Orleans-based appeals court upheld Hanen’s initial finding but sent the case back to Hanen so he could review the impact of the federal government’s new DACA regulation.The new rule’s 453 pages are largely technical and represent little substantive change from the 2012 memo that created DACA, but it was subject to public comments as part of a formal rule-making process.But even if Hanen were to issue a positive ruling on the new DACA regulation, the judge might still decide the program is illegal because it was not created by Congress, Perales said.“Which is why so many right now are calling on Congress to act," she said.After last week’s appeals court ruling, President Joe Biden and advocacy groups renewed their calls for Congress to pass permanent protections for “Dreamers," which is what people protected by DACA are commonly called. Congress has failed multiple times to pass proposals called the DREAM Act to protect DACA recipients.Whatever Hanen decides, DACA is expected to go to the Supreme Court for a third time. In 2016, the Supreme Court deadlocked 4-4 over an expanded DACA and a version of the program for parents of DACA recipients. In 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-courts-immigration-4901a69e2fb198705ab4f5370b28810a">the high court ruled</a>&nbsp;5-4 that the Trump administration improperly ended DACA, allowing it to stay in place.

Judge rules new DACA program can continue temporarily

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have apprehended the subject of a law enforcement alert from Texas and discovered a deceased individual in the trunk of a car. The discovery came after troopers located and pursued a vehicle suspected to be involved in a homicide in Texas.

At approximately 2:45 p.m. Friday, NSP was alerted by authorities with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in Texas that a vehicle believed to be involved in a homicide was traveling in Nebraska. Troopers were able to locate the vehicle, a Mazda 3, less than 15 minutes later as it was traveling westbound on Interstate 80 near Grand Island.

A trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the driver of the vehicle fled at a high rate of speed. The trooper initiated a pursuit. The suspect vehicle continued westbound with speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour.

After approximately nine miles, the Mazda attempted to slow down, but struck the rear of a semi, left the roadway, and struck a tree in the ditch near mile marker 299. Troopers were on scene immediately and located the driver with severe injuries. Troopers then located a deceased woman in the trunk of the car. NSP is currently working to positively identify the victim.

The driver is a 17-year-old male from Texas. The driver has been transported to St. Francis Hospital in Grand Island with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.

NEBRASKA STATE PATROLTroopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have apprehended the subject of a law enforcement alert from Texas and discovered a deceased individual in the trunk of a car. The discovery came after troopers located and pursued a vehicle suspected to be involved in a homicide in Texas.At approximately 2:45 p.m. Friday, NSP was alerted by authorities with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in Texas that a vehicle believed to be involved in a homicide was traveling in Nebraska. Troopers were able to locate the vehicle, a Mazda 3, less than 15 minutes later as it was traveling westbound on Interstate 80 near Grand Island.A trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the driver of the vehicle fled at a high rate of speed. The trooper initiated a pursuit. The suspect vehicle continued westbound with speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour.After approximately nine miles, the Mazda attempted to slow down, but struck the rear of a semi, left the roadway, and struck a tree in the ditch near mile marker 299. Troopers were on scene immediately and located the driver with severe injuries. Troopers then located a deceased woman in the trunk of the car. NSP is currently working to positively identify the victim.The driver is a 17-year-old male from Texas. The driver has been transported to St. Francis Hospital in Grand Island with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.

Neb. troopers find body in trunk; Texas homicide suspect arrested

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a New York woman after locating more than 100 pounds of suspected marijuana during a traffic stop on Interstate 80 near Sunol.

At approximately 10:15 p.m. MT Thursday, a trooper observed an eastbound Mazda CX9 speeding on I-80 near mile marker 70. During the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity.

A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 103 pounds of suspected marijuana, concealed in luggage in the rear of the vehicle. The driver, Victoria Chin, 48, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested for possession of marijuana – more than one pound and possession with intent to distribute. She was lodged in Cheyenne County jail.

North Platte PostTroopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a New York woman after locating more than 100 pounds of suspected marijuana during a traffic stop on Interstate 80 near Sunol.At approximately 10:15 p.m. MT Thursday, a trooper observed an eastbound Mazda CX9 speeding on I-80 near mile marker 70. During the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity.A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 103 pounds of suspected marijuana, concealed in luggage in the rear of the vehicle. The driver, Victoria Chin, 48, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested for possession of marijuana – more than one pound and possession with intent to distribute. She was lodged in Cheyenne County jail.

Troopers: New York woman busted with 100+ pounds of pot in western Neb.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man has been sentenced back to prison for a violent attack on his girlfriend in 2020.

On Wednesday, Judge Seth Rundle sentenced 28-year-old Kealan Dixon to just over 11-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665602593843.png" alt="Dixon-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Dixon-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man has been sentenced back to prison for a violent attack on his girlfriend in 2020.On Wednesday, Judge Seth Rundle sentenced 28-year-old Kealan Dixon to just over 11-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In September <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=391068">Dixon pled</a> guilty to two counts of aggravated battery, aggravated domestic battery and criminal threat, according to the district attorney's office.&nbsp;In December of 2020, police responded to a domestic violence call at a home in the 1800 block of South Estelle in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson. At the scene, police found a woman with injuries.&nbsp;Investigators learned the victim's boyfriend identified as Dixon became upset, battered, strangled and threatened her.&nbsp; Police <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=391068">arrested him </a>at the scene without further incident, according to Davidson.Dixon has eight previous convictions that include theft, burglary and criminal possession of a firearm, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.