TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Republican attorney general told a racial justice commission two years ago that racial bias “obviously” exists in law enforcement, but he said Tuesday that he wasn't saying systemic racism exists and stood by campaign attacks on the state's Democratic governor for using that phrase.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt and fellow Republicans are portraying Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly as anti-police as Schmidt tries to unseat Kelly in the Nov. 8 election. George Floyd's death in 2020 led Kelly to form a Commission on Racial Justice and Equity to examine policing, declaring as she did, "Systemic racism within law enforcement must end.”

Schmidt argues that saying systemic racism exists is calling law enforcement officers racist. His own comments that racial bias “obviously” exists in policing came during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bofBgFjXXro">a Zoom meeting of the governor's commission</a>&nbsp;in October 2020. He told reporters Tuesday that when “a rare bad apple" commits misconduct, “There are mechanisms in place to deal with those individual problems.”

“They are two different things,” Schmidt said during an impromptu news conference following an event at the Kansas Bureau of Investigation's forensics center in Topeka. “I certainly don’t argue that there is systemic racism in law enforcement, and I think the governor’s decision to appoint an entire separate commission to focus on that problem was ill-advised.”

Both parties expect the Kansas governor's race to be close, and Schmidt has joined other Republican candidates across the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-police-covid-campaigns-13d5f83a6604df1bc6a33779fa159e93">in pivoting to crime</a>&nbsp;as a big issue as he tries to win back independent and moderate Republican voters who backed Kelly in 2018. Part of his strategy is painting Kelly as antagonistic toward the police.

Kelly's campaign responded Tuesday with the same statement it issued last week, saying Schmidt is engaged in “false smears” and that Kelly has delivered “historic investments” in law enforcement. Since Kelly took office in January 2019, spending on the prison system and Kansas Highway Patrol has grown by nearly 33%, though funding for the KBI under Schmidt’s control has remained flat.

Kelly formed her racial justice commission in June 2020 after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derek-chauvin-trial-live-updates-04-20-2021-955a78df9a7a51835ad63afb8ce9b5c1">the police killing of Floyd</a>&nbsp;in Minneapolis. In a column she wrote afterward, Kelly said she wanted the panel to recommend “meaningful and lasting change.”

“Racial inequality and injustice have been part of our nation's history from the beginning,” Kelly wrote. “Communities of color do not have the luxury of time for leaders to ignore these issues any longer."

The commission’s numerous recommendations in 2020 and 2021 included ensuring robust anti-bias training, prohibiting fired officers from working again in law enforcement, and revising local policies on the use of force. Despite Kelly's call for lasting change,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-ahmaud-arbery-politics-fa050ad76069e35ae20c6e114492d437">her administration did not push</a>&nbsp;the Republican-controlled Legislature to enact them.

Schmidt said that although if he were governor, he would have condemned Floyd's death and called on Minnesota to deal with officers' conduct, he also would have condemned violence during protests over Floyd's death and suggested that some leaders then were “elevating this issue in an inflammatory manner.”

During his Zoom presentation to Kelly's racial justice commission in October 2020, Schmidt briefed members on the role of the attorney general's office and the state Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training in reviewing allegations of racial bias against officers. CPOST certifies and disciplines law enforcement officers.

During the meeting, commission member Mark McCormick asked Schmidt, “To what degree do you think racial bias exists in our system here in the state?"

Schmidt replied: “You know, Mark, I mean, obviously, it does exist. It exists in human relations, and so it therefore exists in the subset of human relations that include law enforcement interactions with people.”

Schmidt added that he believes that the CPOST and individual law enforcement agencies take complaints of racial bias “quite seriously” and that “it’s not an also-ran consideration.”

He told reporters Tuesday that law enforcement officers “overwhelmingly are honorable" and that it's a disservice to them for the governor to suggest that policing is “systemically racist.”

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Republican attorney general told a racial justice commission two years ago that racial bias “obviously” exists in law enforcement, but he said Tuesday that he wasn't saying systemic racism exists and stood by campaign attacks on the state's Democratic governor for using that phrase.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I will always Back the Blue. I have as your attorney general and I will as your governor. It’s the most important thing we can do to keep Kansas families safe. <a href="https://t.co/EQVuZAp35N">pic.twitter.com/EQVuZAp35N</a>&mdash; Derek Schmidt (@DerekSchmidtKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/DerekSchmidtKS/status/1578406642093285379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Attorney General Derek Schmidt and fellow Republicans are portraying Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly as anti-police as Schmidt tries to unseat Kelly in the Nov. 8 election. George Floyd's death in 2020 led Kelly to form a Commission on Racial Justice and Equity to examine policing, declaring as she did, "Systemic racism within law enforcement must end.”Schmidt argues that saying systemic racism exists is calling law enforcement officers racist. His own comments that racial bias “obviously” exists in policing came during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bofBgFjXXro">a Zoom meeting of the governor's commission</a>&nbsp;in October 2020. He told reporters Tuesday that when “a rare bad apple" commits misconduct, “There are mechanisms in place to deal with those individual problems.”“They are two different things,” Schmidt said during an impromptu news conference following an event at the Kansas Bureau of Investigation's forensics center in Topeka. “I certainly don’t argue that there is systemic racism in law enforcement, and I think the governor’s decision to appoint an entire separate commission to focus on that problem was ill-advised.”Both parties expect the Kansas governor's race to be close, and Schmidt has joined other Republican candidates across the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-police-covid-campaigns-13d5f83a6604df1bc6a33779fa159e93">in pivoting to crime</a>&nbsp;as a big issue as he tries to win back independent and moderate Republican voters who backed Kelly in 2018. Part of his strategy is painting Kelly as antagonistic toward the police.Kelly's campaign responded Tuesday with the same statement it issued last week, saying Schmidt is engaged in “false smears” and that Kelly has delivered “historic investments” in law enforcement. Since Kelly took office in January 2019, spending on the prison system and Kansas Highway Patrol has grown by nearly 33%, though funding for the KBI under Schmidt’s control has remained flat.Kelly formed her racial justice commission in June 2020 after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derek-chauvin-trial-live-updates-04-20-2021-955a78df9a7a51835ad63afb8ce9b5c1">the police killing of Floyd</a>&nbsp;in Minneapolis. In a column she wrote afterward, Kelly said she wanted the panel to recommend “meaningful and lasting change.”“Racial inequality and injustice have been part of our nation's history from the beginning,” Kelly wrote. “Communities of color do not have the luxury of time for leaders to ignore these issues any longer."The commission’s numerous recommendations in 2020 and 2021 included ensuring robust anti-bias training, prohibiting fired officers from working again in law enforcement, and revising local policies on the use of force. Despite Kelly's call for lasting change,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-ahmaud-arbery-politics-fa050ad76069e35ae20c6e114492d437">her administration did not push</a>&nbsp;the Republican-controlled Legislature to enact them.Schmidt said that although if he were governor, he would have condemned Floyd's death and called on Minnesota to deal with officers' conduct, he also would have condemned violence during protests over Floyd's death and suggested that some leaders then were “elevating this issue in an inflammatory manner.”During his Zoom presentation to Kelly's racial justice commission in October 2020, Schmidt briefed members on the role of the attorney general's office and the state Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training in reviewing allegations of racial bias against officers. CPOST certifies and disciplines law enforcement officers.During the meeting, commission member Mark McCormick asked Schmidt, “To what degree do you think racial bias exists in our system here in the state?"Schmidt replied: “You know, Mark, I mean, obviously, it does exist. It exists in human relations, and so it therefore exists in the subset of human relations that include law enforcement interactions with people.”Schmidt added that he believes that the CPOST and individual law enforcement agencies take complaints of racial bias “quite seriously” and that “it’s not an also-ran consideration.”He told reporters Tuesday that law enforcement officers “overwhelmingly are honorable" and that it's a disservice to them for the governor to suggest that policing is “systemically racist.”____

Talk about police bias scrutinized in Kansas governor's race

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on Tuesday urged President Biden to stop depleting the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which is at its lowest point in four decades, and unleash American energy production.

“Given that the United States consumes nearly twenty million barrels of oil per day, the recent decision to release another ten million barrels from the SPR is not only reckless, but it will have a minimal effect on lowering prices at the pump,”&nbsp;wrote Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Draining our emergency supplies is a short-sighted and dangerous choice that imperils our energy security at a critical time of global uncertainty.” “The concerning announcement by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to reduce oil production underlines the importance of American energy independence,”&nbsp;continued. Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“The United States can no longer stand by as OPEC continues to consolidate power over the world’s energy markets. Now is the time to unleash the domestic oil and gas industry to lower prices, support American jobs, and decrease our persistent reliance on adversaries for our energy.” The full letter can be found&nbsp;and below. October 11, 2022 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden President

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. 20500 President Biden, I write to express my concern regarding the continued release of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), now at its lowest point in four decades. Given that the United States consumes nearly twenty million barrels of oil per day, the recent decision to release another ten million barrels from the SPR is not only reckless, but it will have a minimal effect on lowering prices at the pump.&nbsp; Draining our emergency supplies is a short-sighted and dangerous choice that imperils our energy security at a critical time of global uncertainty. Furthermore, the concerning announcement by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to reduce oil production underlines the importance of American energy independence. The OPEC decision should result in your administration working to increase domestic oil and gas production, not continuing to tap the SPR at unsustainable levels or easing sanctions on oppressive governments in countries like Venezuela. The current geopolitical turmoil requires robust exploration and production of oil to boost American energy security. Rather than support American energy production, the Department of the Interior (DOI) announced it would raise royalty rates for onshore leases and cut acreage available for leasing by 80 percent.&nbsp; Even after the emergency oil reserves had been depleted, DOI’s proposed five-year offshore oil and gas leasing plan opened the door to allowing zero lease sales through 2028, an unprecedented policy.&nbsp; With this program now lapsed, and many other offshore leases canceled, your administration is jeopardizing our nation’s ability to use our vast resources for energy independence. In turn, I urge you to replenish the SPR with increased domestic oil production instead of draining our emergency reserves. The United States can no longer stand by as OPEC continues to consolidate power over the world’s energy markets. Now is the time to unleash the domestic oil and gas industry to lower prices, support American jobs, and decrease our persistent reliance on adversaries for our energy. Sincerely,

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on Tuesday urged President Biden to stop depleting the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which is at its lowest point in four decades, and unleash American energy production.“Given that the United States consumes nearly twenty million barrels of oil per day, the recent decision to release another ten million barrels from the SPR is not only reckless, but it will have a minimal effect on lowering prices at the pump,”&nbsp;wrote Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Draining our emergency supplies is a short-sighted and dangerous choice that imperils our energy security at a critical time of global uncertainty.” “The concerning announcement by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to reduce oil production underlines the importance of American energy independence,”&nbsp;continued. Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“The United States can no longer stand by as OPEC continues to consolidate power over the world’s energy markets. Now is the time to unleash the domestic oil and gas industry to lower prices, support American jobs, and decrease our persistent reliance on adversaries for our energy.” The full letter can be found&nbsp;and below. October 11, 2022 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden President1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. 20500 President Biden, I write to express my concern regarding the continued release of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), now at its lowest point in four decades. Given that the United States consumes nearly twenty million barrels of oil per day, the recent decision to release another ten million barrels from the SPR is not only reckless, but it will have a minimal effect on lowering prices at the pump.&nbsp; Draining our emergency supplies is a short-sighted and dangerous choice that imperils our energy security at a critical time of global uncertainty. Furthermore, the concerning announcement by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to reduce oil production underlines the importance of American energy independence. The OPEC decision should result in your administration working to increase domestic oil and gas production, not continuing to tap the SPR at unsustainable levels or easing sanctions on oppressive governments in countries like Venezuela. The current geopolitical turmoil requires robust exploration and production of oil to boost American energy security. Rather than support American energy production, the Department of the Interior (DOI) announced it would raise royalty rates for onshore leases and cut acreage available for leasing by 80 percent.&nbsp; Even after the emergency oil reserves had been depleted, DOI’s proposed five-year offshore oil and gas leasing plan opened the door to allowing zero lease sales through 2028, an unprecedented policy.&nbsp; With this program now lapsed, and many other offshore leases canceled, your administration is jeopardizing our nation’s ability to use our vast resources for energy independence. In turn, I urge you to replenish the SPR with increased domestic oil production instead of draining our emergency reserves. The United States can no longer stand by as OPEC continues to consolidate power over the world’s energy markets. Now is the time to unleash the domestic oil and gas industry to lower prices, support American jobs, and decrease our persistent reliance on adversaries for our energy. Sincerely,Jerry Moran

Moran calls on Biden to stop depleting strategic petroleum reserve

FRANKLIN COUNTY —A Missouri woman died in an accident just after 3p.m. Tuesday in Franklin County.

The Kansas Highway&nbsp; Patrol reported a 2014 Kia Sorento driven by Tina M. Milburn, 50, Sedalia, Missouri, was southbound on Kansas 33 just north of Pawnee Road.

The Kia crossed the center line and into oncoming traffic and sideswiped a northbound 2010 Dodge truck pulling a Razor on a trailer and driven by Joe R. Bowen, Jr., 50, Paola.

&nbsp;After impact the Kia rotated and came to rest in the west ditch. The Dodge and continued north and traveled into the east ditch.

Milburn was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics. Bowen and a passenger were not transported for treatment of minor injuries. Milburn, Bowen and the passenger in the Dodge were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

FRANKLIN COUNTY —A Missouri woman died in an accident just after 3p.m. Tuesday in Franklin County. The Kansas Highway&nbsp; Patrol reported a 2014 Kia Sorento driven by Tina M. Milburn, 50, Sedalia, Missouri, was southbound on Kansas 33 just north of Pawnee Road.The Kia crossed the center line and into oncoming traffic and sideswiped a northbound 2010 Dodge truck pulling a Razor on a trailer and driven by Joe R. Bowen, Jr., 50, Paola.&nbsp;After impact the Kia rotated and came to rest in the west ditch. The Dodge and continued north and traveled into the east ditch.Milburn was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics. Bowen and a passenger were not transported for treatment of minor injuries. Milburn, Bowen and the passenger in the Dodge were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Woman dies after SUV sideswipes truck, trailer on Kan. highway

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is reevaluating America's relationship with Saudi Arabia as the Riyadh-led OPEC+ alliance moves to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-inflation-health-germany-elections-d873521f8b165774de3902439dd5a6ee">cut oil production</a>&nbsp;and Democratic lawmakers call for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-middle-east-business-saudi-arabia-jamal-khashoggi-6a5e19fb72f176c320bf727591f46d4b">freeze on cooperation</a>&nbsp;with the Saudis.

John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council at the White House, said Tuesday that Biden believes “it’s time to take another look at this relationship and make sure that it’s serving our national security interests.”

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Rep. Ro Khanna of California on Tuesday introduced legislation that would immediately pause all U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia for one year. This pause would also halt sales of spare and repair parts, support services and logistical support.

But it remains to be seen how far Biden is willing to go in showing his displeasure with the Saudis, a vital but complicated ally in the Middle East. Biden came into office vowing to recalibrate the U.S. relationship because of Saudi Arabia's human rights record but then paid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-middle-east-saudi-arabia-83c27ca7357e41efedaa2318da59d0ab">a visit to the kingdom earlier this year.</a>

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday the White House has no timeline for its review nor has the president appointed an adviser to serve as point person.

Meanwhile, officials underscore the central role that Saudi Arabia plays in addressing broader national security concerns in the Middle East.

Blumenthal and Khanna unveiled their legislation one day after Sen. Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, said it was unacceptable that OPEC+ had moved to cut oil production and effectively bolster Russian coffers as Moscow prosecutes its war on Ukraine. Menendez promised to use his position as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to block any future arms sales to the Saudis.

At the White House, Kirby said, “We’re going to take a look at this relationship seriously as well as taking seriously the concerns of members of Congress.”

Menendez did not warn the White House before announcing his intention to block future Saudi arms sales, Kirby said.

OPEC+, which includes Russia as well as Saudi Arabia, announced last week it would cut production by 2 million barrels a day, which will help prop up oil prices that are allowing Russian President Vladimir Putin to keep paying for his eight-month invasion of Ukraine. The production cut also hurts U.S.-led efforts to make the war financially unsustainable for Russia, threatens a global economy already destabilized by the Ukraine conflict and risks saddling Biden and Democrats with newly rising gasoline prices just ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.

Biden and European leaders have urged more oil production to ease gasoline prices and punish Moscow for its aggression in Ukraine. Putin has been accused of using energy as a weapon against countries opposing Russia's invasion.

“They are certainly aligning themselves with Russia," Jean-Pierre said. "This is not a time to be aligning with Russia”

As for the Saudis, Sen. Blumenthal said, “We cannot continue selling highly sensitive arms technology to a nation aligned with an abhorrent terrorist adversary.”

However, the White House takes note that its weapon sales to Riyadh serve, in part, as an important counterweight in the region to Iran, which is quickly moving toward becoming a nuclear power.

“There’s 70,000 Americans living in Saudi Arabia right now, not to mention all the other troops we have throughout the region,” Kirby said. "So, it’s not only in our interest that missile defense in the region become more integrated and cooperative. It’s in the interest of our allies and partners in that part of the world as well."

Still, the pressure is mounting for Biden. As a candidate for the White House, he vowed that Saudi rulers would “pay the price” under his watch for the 2018 killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the kingdom's leadership. Biden said that he'd look to make the oil-rich country a “pariah."

But in July, amid rising prices at the pump around the globe, Biden decided to pay a visit to Saudi Arabia. During the visit, he met with the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, who he once shunned as a killer for the death of Khashoggi. The U.S. intelligence community determined that the crown prince, often referred to by his initials MBS,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-saudi-crown-prince-khashoggi-killing-26c37f6d603737de7509f5ee09ae7f9d">likely approved the killing of Khashoggi</a>&nbsp;inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. MBS denies he was involved.

The Saudis have also drawn international criticism for airstrikes killing civilians in the years-long war between the kingdom and Houthi rebels in Yemen — as well as for embargoes that exacerbated hunger and pushed Yemen to the brink of famine.

“Saudi Arabia’s disastrous decision to slash oil production by two million barrels a day makes it clear that Riyadh is seeking to harm the U.S. and reaffirms the need to reassess the U.S.-Saudi relationship," Rep. Khanna said. “There is no reason for the U.S. to kowtow to a regime that has massacred countless civilians in Yemen, hacked to death a Washington-based journalist and is now extorting Americans at the pump.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657900907332.png" alt="Follow the subdued airport greeting in July, a fist bump between President Biden and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Al Salam Royal Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Follow the subdued airport greeting in July, a fist bump between President Biden and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Al Salam Royal Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is reevaluating America's relationship with Saudi Arabia as the Riyadh-led OPEC+ alliance moves to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-inflation-health-germany-elections-d873521f8b165774de3902439dd5a6ee">cut oil production</a>&nbsp;and Democratic lawmakers call for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-middle-east-business-saudi-arabia-jamal-khashoggi-6a5e19fb72f176c320bf727591f46d4b">freeze on cooperation</a>&nbsp;with the Saudis.John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council at the White House, said Tuesday that Biden believes “it’s time to take another look at this relationship and make sure that it’s serving our national security interests.”Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Rep. Ro Khanna of California on Tuesday introduced legislation that would immediately pause all U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia for one year. This pause would also halt sales of spare and repair parts, support services and logistical support.But it remains to be seen how far Biden is willing to go in showing his displeasure with the Saudis, a vital but complicated ally in the Middle East. Biden came into office vowing to recalibrate the U.S. relationship because of Saudi Arabia's human rights record but then paid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-middle-east-saudi-arabia-83c27ca7357e41efedaa2318da59d0ab">a visit to the kingdom earlier this year.</a>Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday the White House has no timeline for its review nor has the president appointed an adviser to serve as point person.Meanwhile, officials underscore the central role that Saudi Arabia plays in addressing broader national security concerns in the Middle East.Blumenthal and Khanna unveiled their legislation one day after Sen. Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, said it was unacceptable that OPEC+ had moved to cut oil production and effectively bolster Russian coffers as Moscow prosecutes its war on Ukraine. Menendez promised to use his position as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to block any future arms sales to the Saudis.At the White House, Kirby said, “We’re going to take a look at this relationship seriously as well as taking seriously the concerns of members of Congress.”Menendez did not warn the White House before announcing his intention to block future Saudi arms sales, Kirby said.OPEC+, which includes Russia as well as Saudi Arabia, announced last week it would cut production by 2 million barrels a day, which will help prop up oil prices that are allowing Russian President Vladimir Putin to keep paying for his eight-month invasion of Ukraine. The production cut also hurts U.S.-led efforts to make the war financially unsustainable for Russia, threatens a global economy already destabilized by the Ukraine conflict and risks saddling Biden and Democrats with newly rising gasoline prices just ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.Biden and European leaders have urged more oil production to ease gasoline prices and punish Moscow for its aggression in Ukraine. Putin has been accused of using energy as a weapon against countries opposing Russia's invasion.“They are certainly aligning themselves with Russia," Jean-Pierre said. "This is not a time to be aligning with Russia”As for the Saudis, Sen. Blumenthal said, “We cannot continue selling highly sensitive arms technology to a nation aligned with an abhorrent terrorist adversary.”However, the White House takes note that its weapon sales to Riyadh serve, in part, as an important counterweight in the region to Iran, which is quickly moving toward becoming a nuclear power.“There’s 70,000 Americans living in Saudi Arabia right now, not to mention all the other troops we have throughout the region,” Kirby said. "So, it’s not only in our interest that missile defense in the region become more integrated and cooperative. It’s in the interest of our allies and partners in that part of the world as well."Still, the pressure is mounting for Biden. As a candidate for the White House, he vowed that Saudi rulers would “pay the price” under his watch for the 2018 killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the kingdom's leadership. Biden said that he'd look to make the oil-rich country a “pariah."But in July, amid rising prices at the pump around the globe, Biden decided to pay a visit to Saudi Arabia. During the visit, he met with the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, who he once shunned as a killer for the death of Khashoggi. The U.S. intelligence community determined that the crown prince, often referred to by his initials MBS,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-saudi-crown-prince-khashoggi-killing-26c37f6d603737de7509f5ee09ae7f9d">likely approved the killing of Khashoggi</a>&nbsp;inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. MBS denies he was involved.The Saudis have also drawn international criticism for airstrikes killing civilians in the years-long war between the kingdom and Houthi rebels in Yemen — as well as for embargoes that exacerbated hunger and pushed Yemen to the brink of famine.“Saudi Arabia’s disastrous decision to slash oil production by two million barrels a day makes it clear that Riyadh is seeking to harm the U.S. and reaffirms the need to reassess the U.S.-Saudi relationship," Rep. Khanna said. “There is no reason for the U.S. to kowtow to a regime that has massacred countless civilians in Yemen, hacked to death a Washington-based journalist and is now extorting Americans at the pump.”

Biden reevaluating US-Saudi relationship after oil production cuts

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects after a chase and crash in a reported stolen vehicle.

Just after 3a.m. Monday, a sheriff's deputy attempted to stop a 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander near 134th and U.S. Highway 75 when a pursuit ensued, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. 

The driver, later identified as&nbsp; Nathan Allan Hurteau, 19, of Holton, allegedly attempted to elude the deputy on gravel roads near Mayetta. 

The deputy lost sight of the vehicle on 166th and then found the car wrecked between T. and S. Roads.

The driver and a passenger later identified as Emory Michael Murillo, 18, of Holton, fled the crash scene. 

They took an additional vehicle, a 2005 Toyota 4Runner from 16436 S. Road, according to Morse. 

Just after 5:30a.m., deputies found the Toyota overturned near 142nd and U.S. Highway 75.

With the help of a Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter and PBPN Police, deputies found the suspects on U.S. Highway 75 and 174th Road about 6a.m.

Hurteau is being held on requested charges of interference with law enforcement, driving under the influence, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, theft and possession of stolen property, according to Morse. Michael Murillo is jailed on requested charges of interference with law enforcement, transporting an open container, and minor in possession of alcohol.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665510649400.png" alt="Murillo-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Murillo-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects after a chase and crash in a reported stolen vehicle.Just after 3a.m. Monday, a sheriff's deputy attempted to stop a 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander near 134th and U.S. Highway 75 when a pursuit ensued, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The driver, later identified as&nbsp; Nathan Allan Hurteau, 19, of Holton, allegedly attempted to elude the deputy on gravel roads near Mayetta. The deputy lost sight of the vehicle on 166th and then found the car wrecked between T. and S. Roads.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665510603001.png" alt="Hurteau-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Hurteau-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The driver and a passenger later identified as Emory Michael Murillo, 18, of Holton, fled the crash scene. They took an additional vehicle, a 2005 Toyota 4Runner from 16436 S. Road, according to Morse. Just after 5:30a.m., deputies found the Toyota overturned near 142nd and U.S. Highway 75.With the help of a Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter and PBPN Police, deputies found the suspects on U.S. Highway 75 and 174th Road about 6a.m.Hurteau is being held on requested charges of interference with law enforcement, driving under the influence, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, theft and possession of stolen property, according to Morse. Michael Murillo is jailed on requested charges of interference with law enforcement, transporting an open container, and minor in possession of alcohol.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Kan. suspects captured after chase, crash of 2 vehicles

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man and woman for alleged burglary and theft.

On August 24, police investigated a theft of a financial card from a residence in the 400 block Mound in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Just after 6p.m. Oct. 9, police arrested 32-year-old Mary C. McDonald and 30-year-old Jacob Camp both of Atchison.

McDonald is accused of unlawful entry into that residence and taking a financial card belonging to a 70-year-old victim.

Camp is being held on requested charge that involves unlawfully using that financial card at several area retail stores in amounts totaling around $850.&nbsp;

She is being held on a District Court warrant for aggravated burglary and a requested charge of theft by deception, according to Wilson. In 2016 and in July of 2020, police arrested McDonald on requested charges of domestic battery and interference with law enforcement.

She remains jailed on a $30,000 bond, according to online jail records. He remains in custody on a $15,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665417972139.png" alt="Camp-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Camp-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man and woman for alleged burglary and theft.On August 24, police investigated a theft of a financial card from a residence in the 400 block Mound in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.Just after 6p.m. Oct. 9, police arrested 32-year-old Mary C. McDonald and 30-year-old Jacob Camp both of Atchison.McDonald is accused of unlawful entry into that residence and taking a financial card belonging to a 70-year-old victim.Camp is being held on requested charge that involves unlawfully using that financial card at several area retail stores in amounts totaling around $850.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665416860919.png" alt="McDonald-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>McDonald-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>She is being held on a District Court warrant for aggravated burglary and a requested charge of theft by deception, according to Wilson. In 2016 and in July of 2020, police arrested McDonald on requested charges of domestic battery and interference with law enforcement.She remains jailed on a $30,000 bond, according to online jail records. He remains in custody on a $15,000 bond.

Kansas couple accused of burglary, using stolen credit card

WASHINGTON (AP) — A lawyer for former president Donald Trump who signed a letter stating that a&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763.48.0_1.pdf">“diligent search”</a>&nbsp;for classified records had been conducted and that all such documents had been given back to the government has spoken with the FBI, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Christina Bobb told federal investigators during the interview that she had not drafted the letter but that another Trump lawyer who she said actually prepared it had asked her to sign it in her role as a designated custodian of Trump's records, said the person, who insisted on anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

The process is of interest to investigators because the Justice Department says the letter was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-1fef158c3a66bfc0ba6224570753ba47">untrue in asserting that all classified records sought by the government</a>&nbsp;had been located and returned. Though the letter, and 38 documents bearing classification markings, were presented to FBI and Justice Department officials during a June 3 visit to Mar-a-Lago, agents returned to the Florida estate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-fbi-search-99097089194e736315c366a0e8fbafee">with a search warrant on Aug. 8 and seized about 100 additional classified records.</a>

According to an August&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763.48.0_1.pdf">court filing,</a>&nbsp;the signed certification letter was presented to investigators who visited Mar-a-Lago on June 3 to collect additional classified material from the home. The Justice Department had weeks earlier issued a subpoena for the records after it says it developed evidence that more classified documents remained at the estate beyond those contained in 15 boxes recovered in January by the National Archives and Records Administration.

The letter produced for investigators asserted that, in response to the subpoena, “a diligent search was conducted of the boxes that were moved from the White House to Florida" and that “any and all responsive documents accompany this certification.” The letter also included the caveat that the statements in it were true “based upon the information that has been provided to me.”

At the time,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-criminal-investigations-government-and-politics-4ee554f467252929f96c70d42a93a05d">the FBI was presented with an envelope</a>&nbsp;containing 38 documents with classification markings, including at the top-secret level. But agents began to suspect that they had not received the entire stash of records, and returned two months later with a warrant.

Bobb told the FBI that the letter was actually drafted and prepared by another of Trump's lawyers, M. Evan Corcoran, and that he had asked her to sign it in her capacity as custodian of the records, according to the person.

Corcoran did not immediately return an email and phone message on Tuesday. Spokespeople for the FBI and Justice Department declined to comment, and Bobb did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

The interview was first reported by NBC News. The person familiar with it said it was a voluntary discussion with investigators and did not take place before a grand jury, and that she is not regarded as a target of the investigation.

The Justice Department has said that, beyond investigating possible crimes in the retention of the documents themselves, it is also investigating whether anyone sought to obstruct its probe. It is not clear if anyone will be charged.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661941600753.jpeg" alt="This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The Justice Department says it has uncovered efforts to obstruct its investigation into the discovery of classified records at former President Donald Trump's Florida estate. (Department of Justice via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The Justice Department says it has uncovered efforts to obstruct its investigation into the discovery of classified records at former President Donald Trump's Florida estate. (Department of Justice via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A lawyer for former president Donald Trump who signed a letter stating that a&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763.48.0_1.pdf">“diligent search”</a>&nbsp;for classified records had been conducted and that all such documents had been given back to the government has spoken with the FBI, according to a person familiar with the matter.Christina Bobb told federal investigators during the interview that she had not drafted the letter but that another Trump lawyer who she said actually prepared it had asked her to sign it in her role as a designated custodian of Trump's records, said the person, who insisted on anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.The process is of interest to investigators because the Justice Department says the letter was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-1fef158c3a66bfc0ba6224570753ba47">untrue in asserting that all classified records sought by the government</a>&nbsp;had been located and returned. Though the letter, and 38 documents bearing classification markings, were presented to FBI and Justice Department officials during a June 3 visit to Mar-a-Lago, agents returned to the Florida estate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-fbi-search-99097089194e736315c366a0e8fbafee">with a search warrant on Aug. 8 and seized about 100 additional classified records.</a>According to an August&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763.48.0_1.pdf">court filing,</a>&nbsp;the signed certification letter was presented to investigators who visited Mar-a-Lago on June 3 to collect additional classified material from the home. The Justice Department had weeks earlier issued a subpoena for the records after it says it developed evidence that more classified documents remained at the estate beyond those contained in 15 boxes recovered in January by the National Archives and Records Administration.The letter produced for investigators asserted that, in response to the subpoena, “a diligent search was conducted of the boxes that were moved from the White House to Florida" and that “any and all responsive documents accompany this certification.” The letter also included the caveat that the statements in it were true “based upon the information that has been provided to me.”At the time,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-criminal-investigations-government-and-politics-4ee554f467252929f96c70d42a93a05d">the FBI was presented with an envelope</a>&nbsp;containing 38 documents with classification markings, including at the top-secret level. But agents began to suspect that they had not received the entire stash of records, and returned two months later with a warrant.Bobb told the FBI that the letter was actually drafted and prepared by another of Trump's lawyers, M. Evan Corcoran, and that he had asked her to sign it in her capacity as custodian of the records, according to the person.Corcoran did not immediately return an email and phone message on Tuesday. Spokespeople for the FBI and Justice Department declined to comment, and Bobb did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.The interview was first reported by NBC News. The person familiar with it said it was a voluntary discussion with investigators and did not take place before a grand jury, and that she is not regarded as a target of the investigation.The Justice Department has said that, beyond investigating possible crimes in the retention of the documents themselves, it is also investigating whether anyone sought to obstruct its probe. It is not clear if anyone will be charged.---------------

Trump lawyer who vouched for documents meets with FBI

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman was held captive in a basement room for about a month and was raped repeatedly before she was able to escape, according to charging documents filed Tuesday.

The suspect, 39-year-old Timothy M. Haslett of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, was arrested Friday. He is charged with first-degree rape or attempted rape, first-degree kidnapping and second-degree assault. He is jailed on $500,000 bond and does not yet have a listed attorney.

The victim was found early Friday, wearing latex lingerie and a metal collar with what appeared to be a padlock on the front, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article267140221.html">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;reported. The woman told police she had been been picked up in early September, then taken to a home and kept in a small room in the suspect's basement.

Police removed the lock which they said was restricting the woman’s breathing. She pointed out the home where she was held as she was being driven to the hospital, according to a probable cause statement from a detective.

“He kept her restrained in handcuffs on her wrists and ankles. She was able to get free when he took his child to school,” the probable cause statement said. The woman told police that Haslett whipped and raped her frequently.

Police are still trying to determine if there are other victims. The Star reported that since Haslett's arrest, police have carried large bags of evidence from the ranch-style home. They've used a cadaver dog — which can track the missing or dead — to examine the yard and Haslett's truck.

Excelsior Springs, a town of 11,600 residents, is 30 miles northeast of Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665352038142.png" alt="-Haslett-photo Clay County" />
 <figcaption>-Haslett-photo Clay County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman was held captive in a basement room for about a month and was raped repeatedly before she was able to escape, according to charging documents filed Tuesday.The suspect, 39-year-old Timothy M. Haslett of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, was arrested Friday. He is charged with first-degree rape or attempted rape, first-degree kidnapping and second-degree assault. He is jailed on $500,000 bond and does not yet have a listed attorney.The victim was found early Friday, wearing latex lingerie and a metal collar with what appeared to be a padlock on the front, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article267140221.html">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;reported. The woman told police she had been been picked up in early September, then taken to a home and kept in a small room in the suspect's basement.Police removed the lock which they said was restricting the woman’s breathing. She pointed out the home where she was held as she was being driven to the hospital, according to a probable cause statement from a detective.“He kept her restrained in handcuffs on her wrists and ankles. She was able to get free when he took his child to school,” the probable cause statement said. The woman told police that Haslett whipped and raped her frequently.Police are still trying to determine if there are other victims. The Star reported that since Haslett's arrest, police have carried large bags of evidence from the ranch-style home. They've used a cadaver dog — which can track the missing or dead — to examine the yard and Haslett's truck.Excelsior Springs, a town of 11,600 residents, is 30 miles northeast of Kansas City.

Police: Woman held captive near KC for a month, repeatedly raped

NEW YORK (AP) — Angela Lansbury, the scene-stealing British actor who kicked up her heels in the Broadway musicals “Mame” and “Gypsy” and solved endless murders as crime novelist Jessica Fletcher in the long-running TV series “Murder, She Wrote,” has died. She was 96.

Lansbury died Tuesday at her home in Los Angeles, according to a statement from her three children. She died five days shy of her 97th birthday.

Lansbury won five Tony Awards for her Broadway performances and a lifetime achievement award. She earned Academy Award nominations as supporting actress for two of her first three films, “Gaslight” (1945) and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (1946), and was nominated again in 1962 for “The Manchurian Candidate” and her deadly portrayal of a Communist agent and the title character’s mother.

Her mature demeanor prompted producers to cast her much older than her actual age. In 1948, when she was 23, her hair was streaked with gray so she could play a fortyish newspaper publisher with a yen for Spencer Tracy in “State of the Union.”

Her stardom came in middle age when she became the hit of the New York theater, winning Tony Awards for “Mame” (1966), “Dear World” (1969), “Gypsy” (1975) and “Sweeney Todd” (1979).

She was back on Broadway and got another Tony nomination in 2007 in Terrence McNally’s “Deuce,” playing a scrappy, brash former tennis star, reflecting with another ex-star as she watches a modern-day match from the stands. In 2009 she collected her fifth Tony, for best featured actress in a revival of Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit” and in 2015 won an Olivier Award in the role.

Broadway royalty paid their respects. Audra McDonald tweeted: “She was an icon, a legend, a gem, and about the nicest lady you’d ever want to meet.” Leslie Uggams on Twitter wrote: “Dame Angela was so sweet to me when I made my Broadway debut. She was a key person in welcoming me to the community. She truly lived, lived, lived!”

But Lansbury’s widest fame began in 1984 when she launched “Murder, She Wrote” on CBS. Based loosely on Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple stories, the series centered on Jessica Fletcher, a middle-aged widow and former substitute school teacher living in the seaside village of Cabot Cove, Maine. She had achieved notice as a mystery novelist and amateur sleuth.

The actor found the first series season exhausting.

“I was shocked when I learned that had to work 12-15 hours a day, relentlessly, day in, day out,” she recalled. “I had to lay down the law at one point and say `Look, I can’t do these shows in seven days; it will have to be eight days.‘”

CBS and the production company, Universal Studio, agreed, especially since “Murder, She Wrote” had become a Sunday night hit. Despite the long days — she left her home at Brentwood in West Los Angeles at 6 a.m. and returned after dark — and reams of dialogue to memorize, Lansbury maintained a steady pace. She was pleased that Jessica Fletcher served as an inspiration for older women.

“Women in motion pictures have always had a difficult time being role models for other women,” she observed. “They’ve always been considered glamorous in their jobs.”

In the series’ first season, Jessica wore clothes that were almost frumpy. Then she acquired smartness, Lansbury reasoning that, as a successful woman, Jessica should dress the part.

“Murder, She Wrote” stayed high in the ratings through its 11th year. Then CBS, seeking a younger audience for Sunday night, shifted the series to a less favorable midweek slot. Lansbury protested vigorously to no avail. As expected, the ratings plummeted and the show was canceled. For consolation, CBS contracted for two-hour movies of “Murder, She Wrote” and other specials starring Lansbury.

“Murder, She Wrote” and other television work brought her 18 Emmy nominations but she never won one. She holds the record for the most Golden Globe nominations and wins for best actress in a television drama series and the most Emmy nominations for lead actress in a drama series.

In a 2008 Associated Press interview, Lansbury said she still welcomed the right script but did not want to play “old, decrepit women,” she said. “I want women my age to be represented the way they are, which is vital, productive members of society.”

“I’m astonished at the amount of stuff I managed to pack into the years that I have been in the business. And I’m still here!”

She was given the name Angela Brigid Lansbury when she was born in London on Oct. 16, 1925. Her family was distinguished: a grandfather who was the fiery head of the Labour Party; her father the owner of a veneer factory; her mother a successful actor, Moyna MacGill.

“I was terribly shy, absolutely incapable of coming out of my shell,” Lansbury remembered of her youth. “It took me years to get over that.”

The Depression forced her father’s factory into bankruptcy, and for a few years the family lived on money her mother had saved from her theater career. Angela suffered a shattering blow when her beloved father died in 1935. The tragedy forced her to become self-reliant — “almost a surrogate husband to my mother.”

When England was threatened with German bombings in 1940, Moyna Lansbury struggled through red tape and won passage to America for her family. With the help of two sponsoring families, they settled in New York and lived on $150 a month. To add to their income, Angela at 16 landed a nightclub job in Montreal doing impersonations and songs.

“The only thing I ever had confidence in is my ability to perform,” she said. “That has been the grace note in my sonata of life, the thing that has absolutely seen me through thick and thin.”

Moyna moved the family to Hollywood, hoping to find acting work. Failing that, she and Angela wrapped packages and sold clothing at a department store. An actor friend suggested Angela would be ideal for the role of Sybil Vane in “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” which was being prepared at MGM. She tested, and studio boss Louis B. Mayer ordered: “Sign that girl!”

She was just 19 when her first film, “Gaslight,” earned her an Oscar nomination, but MGM didn’t know what to do with the new contract player. She appeared as Elizabeth Taylor’s older sister in “National Velvet,” Judy Garland’s nemesis in “The Harvey Girls,” Walter Pidgeon’s spiteful wife in “If Winter Comes,” Queen Anne in “The Three Musketeers.”

Tired of playing roles twice her own age, she left MGM to freelance but the results were much the same: the mother of Warren Beatty in “All Fall Down,” of Elvis Presley in “Blue Hawaii,” of Carroll Baker in “Harlow,” and of Laurence Harvey in “The Manchurian Candidate,” in which she unforgettably manipulates her son and helps set off a killing spree.

In the mid-1940s, Lansbury had a disastrous nine-month marriage to Richard Cromwell, a soulful young star of the 1930s. In 1949, she married Peter Shaw, a Briton who had been under an acting contract to MGM, then became a studio executive and agent. He assumed the role of Lansbury’s manager. They had two children, Peter and Deirdre; he had a son David by a previous marriage.

The 1950s were a troubled time for the Shaws. Angela’s career slowed down; her mother died after a battle with cancer; Peter underwent a hip operation; the children were on drugs; the family house in Malibu burned to the ground.

Lansbury later said of the fire: “It’s like cutting off a branch, a big, luscious branch of your life and sealing it off with a sealer so it doesn’t bleed, That’s what you do. That’s how the human mind deals with those things. You have to pick up the pieces and go on.”

Weary of 20 years of typecasting, Lansbury tried her luck on Broadway. Her first two shows — “Anyone Can Whistle” and “Hotel Paradiso” (with Bert Lahr) — flopped.

Then came “Mame.” Rosalind Russell declined to repeat her classic role as Patrick Dennis’s dizzy aunt in a musical version. So did Mary Martin and Ethel Merman. Others considered: Bette Davis, Lauren Bacall, Judy Garland, Beatrice Lillie, Judy Garland. Composer Jerry Herman chose Lansbury.

The opening on May 24, 1966, was a sensation. One critic wondered that “the movies’ worn, plump old harridan with a snakepit for a mouth” could turn out to be “the liveliest dame to kick up her heels since Carol Channing in ‘Hello, Dolly.‘”

After her “Sweeney Todd” triumph, Lansbury returned to Hollywood to try television. She was offered a sitcom with Charles Durning or “Murder, She Wrote.” The producers had wanted Jean Stapleton, who declined. Lansbury accepted.

During the series’ long run, she managed to star in TV movies, to be host of Emmy and Tony shows and even to provide the voice for a Disney animated feature. She played Mrs. Potts in “Beauty and the Beast” and sang the title song. “This was really a breakthrough for me,” she said of her young following. “It acquainted me with a generation that I possibly couldn’t have contacted.”

In 2000, Lansbury withdrew from a planned Broadway musical, “The Visit,” because she needed to help her husband recover from heart surgery. “The kind of commitment required of an artist carrying a multimillion-dollar production has to be 100%,” she said in a letter to the producers.

She was back on Broadway in 2012 in a revival of “The Best Man,” sharing a stage with James Earl Jones, John Larroquette, Candice Bergen, Eric McCormack, Michael McKean and Kerry Butler. She also recently co-starred in Emma Thompson’s “Nanny McPhee” and with Jim Carrey in “Mr. Popper’s Penguins.”

At the 2022 Tony Awards, Len Cariou — her “Sweeney Todd” co-star — accepted the lifetime Tony given to Lansbury. “There is no one with whom I’d rather run a cutthroat business with,” Cariou said.

In 1990, Lansbury philosophized: “I have sometimes drawn back from my career. To what? Home. Home is the counterweight to the work.”

In addition to her three children, Anthony, Deirdre and David, she is survived by three grandchildren, Peter, Katherine and Ian, plus five great grandchildren and her brother, producer Edgar Lansbury.

NEW YORK (AP) — Angela Lansbury, the scene-stealing British actor who kicked up her heels in the Broadway musicals “Mame” and “Gypsy” and solved endless murders as crime novelist Jessica Fletcher in the long-running TV series “Murder, She Wrote,” has died. She was 96.Lansbury died Tuesday at her home in Los Angeles, according to a statement from her three children. She died five days shy of her 97th birthday.Lansbury won five Tony Awards for her Broadway performances and a lifetime achievement award. She earned Academy Award nominations as supporting actress for two of her first three films, “Gaslight” (1945) and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (1946), and was nominated again in 1962 for “The Manchurian Candidate” and her deadly portrayal of a Communist agent and the title character’s mother.Her mature demeanor prompted producers to cast her much older than her actual age. In 1948, when she was 23, her hair was streaked with gray so she could play a fortyish newspaper publisher with a yen for Spencer Tracy in “State of the Union.”Her stardom came in middle age when she became the hit of the New York theater, winning Tony Awards for “Mame” (1966), “Dear World” (1969), “Gypsy” (1975) and “Sweeney Todd” (1979).She was back on Broadway and got another Tony nomination in 2007 in Terrence McNally’s “Deuce,” playing a scrappy, brash former tennis star, reflecting with another ex-star as she watches a modern-day match from the stands. In 2009 she collected her fifth Tony, for best featured actress in a revival of Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit” and in 2015 won an Olivier Award in the role.Broadway royalty paid their respects. Audra McDonald tweeted: “She was an icon, a legend, a gem, and about the nicest lady you’d ever want to meet.” Leslie Uggams on Twitter wrote: “Dame Angela was so sweet to me when I made my Broadway debut. She was a key person in welcoming me to the community. She truly lived, lived, lived!”But Lansbury’s widest fame began in 1984 when she launched “Murder, She Wrote” on CBS. Based loosely on Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple stories, the series centered on Jessica Fletcher, a middle-aged widow and former substitute school teacher living in the seaside village of Cabot Cove, Maine. She had achieved notice as a mystery novelist and amateur sleuth.The actor found the first series season exhausting.“I was shocked when I learned that had to work 12-15 hours a day, relentlessly, day in, day out,” she recalled. “I had to lay down the law at one point and say `Look, I can’t do these shows in seven days; it will have to be eight days.‘”CBS and the production company, Universal Studio, agreed, especially since “Murder, She Wrote” had become a Sunday night hit. Despite the long days — she left her home at Brentwood in West Los Angeles at 6 a.m. and returned after dark — and reams of dialogue to memorize, Lansbury maintained a steady pace. She was pleased that Jessica Fletcher served as an inspiration for older women.“Women in motion pictures have always had a difficult time being role models for other women,” she observed. “They’ve always been considered glamorous in their jobs.”In the series’ first season, Jessica wore clothes that were almost frumpy. Then she acquired smartness, Lansbury reasoning that, as a successful woman, Jessica should dress the part.“Murder, She Wrote” stayed high in the ratings through its 11th year. Then CBS, seeking a younger audience for Sunday night, shifted the series to a less favorable midweek slot. Lansbury protested vigorously to no avail. As expected, the ratings plummeted and the show was canceled. For consolation, CBS contracted for two-hour movies of “Murder, She Wrote” and other specials starring Lansbury.“Murder, She Wrote” and other television work brought her 18 Emmy nominations but she never won one. She holds the record for the most Golden Globe nominations and wins for best actress in a television drama series and the most Emmy nominations for lead actress in a drama series.In a 2008 Associated Press interview, Lansbury said she still welcomed the right script but did not want to play “old, decrepit women,” she said. “I want women my age to be represented the way they are, which is vital, productive members of society.”“I’m astonished at the amount of stuff I managed to pack into the years that I have been in the business. And I’m still here!”She was given the name Angela Brigid Lansbury when she was born in London on Oct. 16, 1925. Her family was distinguished: a grandfather who was the fiery head of the Labour Party; her father the owner of a veneer factory; her mother a successful actor, Moyna MacGill.“I was terribly shy, absolutely incapable of coming out of my shell,” Lansbury remembered of her youth. “It took me years to get over that.”The Depression forced her father’s factory into bankruptcy, and for a few years the family lived on money her mother had saved from her theater career. Angela suffered a shattering blow when her beloved father died in 1935. The tragedy forced her to become self-reliant — “almost a surrogate husband to my mother.”When England was threatened with German bombings in 1940, Moyna Lansbury struggled through red tape and won passage to America for her family. With the help of two sponsoring families, they settled in New York and lived on $150 a month. To add to their income, Angela at 16 landed a nightclub job in Montreal doing impersonations and songs.“The only thing I ever had confidence in is my ability to perform,” she said. “That has been the grace note in my sonata of life, the thing that has absolutely seen me through thick and thin.”Moyna moved the family to Hollywood, hoping to find acting work. Failing that, she and Angela wrapped packages and sold clothing at a department store. An actor friend suggested Angela would be ideal for the role of Sybil Vane in “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” which was being prepared at MGM. She tested, and studio boss Louis B. Mayer ordered: “Sign that girl!”She was just 19 when her first film, “Gaslight,” earned her an Oscar nomination, but MGM didn’t know what to do with the new contract player. She appeared as Elizabeth Taylor’s older sister in “National Velvet,” Judy Garland’s nemesis in “The Harvey Girls,” Walter Pidgeon’s spiteful wife in “If Winter Comes,” Queen Anne in “The Three Musketeers.”Tired of playing roles twice her own age, she left MGM to freelance but the results were much the same: the mother of Warren Beatty in “All Fall Down,” of Elvis Presley in “Blue Hawaii,” of Carroll Baker in “Harlow,” and of Laurence Harvey in “The Manchurian Candidate,” in which she unforgettably manipulates her son and helps set off a killing spree.In the mid-1940s, Lansbury had a disastrous nine-month marriage to Richard Cromwell, a soulful young star of the 1930s. In 1949, she married Peter Shaw, a Briton who had been under an acting contract to MGM, then became a studio executive and agent. He assumed the role of Lansbury’s manager. They had two children, Peter and Deirdre; he had a son David by a previous marriage.The 1950s were a troubled time for the Shaws. Angela’s career slowed down; her mother died after a battle with cancer; Peter underwent a hip operation; the children were on drugs; the family house in Malibu burned to the ground.Lansbury later said of the fire: “It’s like cutting off a branch, a big, luscious branch of your life and sealing it off with a sealer so it doesn’t bleed, That’s what you do. That’s how the human mind deals with those things. You have to pick up the pieces and go on.”Weary of 20 years of typecasting, Lansbury tried her luck on Broadway. Her first two shows — “Anyone Can Whistle” and “Hotel Paradiso” (with Bert Lahr) — flopped.Then came “Mame.” Rosalind Russell declined to repeat her classic role as Patrick Dennis’s dizzy aunt in a musical version. So did Mary Martin and Ethel Merman. Others considered: Bette Davis, Lauren Bacall, Judy Garland, Beatrice Lillie, Judy Garland. Composer Jerry Herman chose Lansbury.The opening on May 24, 1966, was a sensation. One critic wondered that “the movies’ worn, plump old harridan with a snakepit for a mouth” could turn out to be “the liveliest dame to kick up her heels since Carol Channing in ‘Hello, Dolly.‘”After her “Sweeney Todd” triumph, Lansbury returned to Hollywood to try television. She was offered a sitcom with Charles Durning or “Murder, She Wrote.” The producers had wanted Jean Stapleton, who declined. Lansbury accepted.During the series’ long run, she managed to star in TV movies, to be host of Emmy and Tony shows and even to provide the voice for a Disney animated feature. She played Mrs. Potts in “Beauty and the Beast” and sang the title song. “This was really a breakthrough for me,” she said of her young following. “It acquainted me with a generation that I possibly couldn’t have contacted.”In 2000, Lansbury withdrew from a planned Broadway musical, “The Visit,” because she needed to help her husband recover from heart surgery. “The kind of commitment required of an artist carrying a multimillion-dollar production has to be 100%,” she said in a letter to the producers.Her husband died in 2003.She was back on Broadway in 2012 in a revival of “The Best Man,” sharing a stage with James Earl Jones, John Larroquette, Candice Bergen, Eric McCormack, Michael McKean and Kerry Butler. She also recently co-starred in Emma Thompson’s “Nanny McPhee” and with Jim Carrey in “Mr. Popper’s Penguins.”At the 2022 Tony Awards, Len Cariou — her “Sweeney Todd” co-star — accepted the lifetime Tony given to Lansbury. “There is no one with whom I’d rather run a cutthroat business with,” Cariou said.In 1990, Lansbury philosophized: “I have sometimes drawn back from my career. To what? Home. Home is the counterweight to the work.”In addition to her three children, Anthony, Deirdre and David, she is survived by three grandchildren, Peter, Katherine and Ian, plus five great grandchildren and her brother, producer Edgar Lansbury.

Angela Lansbury, Broadway and TV star, dead at 96

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis is commemorating the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, the landmark meetings that brought the 2,000-year-old Catholic Church into the modern era, amid continued disagreement about what the council taught that divides the faithful today.

Francis celebrated a Mass on Tuesday in honor of St. John XXIII, who convened the council and presided over its opening sessions. Tuesday’s commemoration opens with a reading of John’s inaugural speech and ends with a re-enactment of the candle-lit procession that lit up St. Peter’s Square on the night of Oct. 11, 1962.

On that night, the “good pope” came to the window of the Apostolic Palace and delivered his famous “moonlight speech” to the thousands of people who had gathered below. Whereas pre-Vatican II popes usually spoke in formal terms, John surprised the crowd with an impromptu, pastoral speech urging the faithful to go home to their children and give them a hug and tell them “this is the caress of the pope.”

The council would last for another three years and outlive John, who died in 1963 of stomach cancer. But when it was over, council fathers had agreed to major changes in the life of the church, such as allowing Mass to be celebrated in local languages rather than Latin and strengthening the role of laity in the everyday life of the church. The council also encouraged efforts to improve relations among Christians and revolutionized the church’s relations with Jews, including the step to remove the phrase “perfidious Jews” from the liturgy.

Francis, 85, is the first pope to have been ordained after the council, and his priorities are very much inspired by it.

“Above all peace, above all the poor church,” said Vatican II historian Alberto Melloni. In a telephone interview, Melloni also pointed to Francis' insistence on a “synodal” or decentralized church, with an emphasis on laity. The latter is clearly evident in his decision to allow laypeople, including women, to head Vatican offices and in the the two-year “synod” process in which ordinary Catholic faithful have contributed their thoughts on the life and mission of the church.

But Vatican II still very much divides the church, with progressives seeing it as a break from the past and conservatives seeing it as fully in line with church tradition and chafing at the “spirit of Vatican II” progressive read of it. Francis has in some ways exacerbated those divisions by re-imposing restrictions on the celebration of the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass.

“John XXIII did not convoke Vatican II to reinvent Catholicism,” writes church historian George Weigel in his new book “To Sanctify the World: The Vital Legacy of Vatican II.”

“As he put it in his opening address, the council’s ‘greatest concern’ must be the more effective presentation of Catholic truth in full” through a new language and vocabulary that could be understood in the modern world, Weigel wrote in excerpts recently published in the Wall Street Journal.

Vatican II coincided with the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the United States and Russia came as close as they ever had to nuclear war. Looking ahead to Tuesday’s anniversary of Vatican II, Francis noted over the weekend that Russia is threatening to use its nuclear arsenal in its war in Ukraine.

“Why can’t we learn from history?” Francis asked. “Even in those times, there was grave conflict and tensions, but they chose the path of peace.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603292366279.png" alt="Pope Francis celebrated a Mass on Tuesday in honor of St. John XXIII, who convened the council and presided over its opening sessions.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Pope Francis celebrated a Mass on Tuesday in honor of St. John XXIII, who convened the council and presided over its opening sessions.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — Pope Francis is commemorating the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, the landmark meetings that brought the 2,000-year-old Catholic Church into the modern era, amid continued disagreement about what the council taught that divides the faithful today.Francis celebrated a Mass on Tuesday in honor of St. John XXIII, who convened the council and presided over its opening sessions. Tuesday’s commemoration opens with a reading of John’s inaugural speech and ends with a re-enactment of the candle-lit procession that lit up St. Peter’s Square on the night of Oct. 11, 1962.On that night, the “good pope” came to the window of the Apostolic Palace and delivered his famous “moonlight speech” to the thousands of people who had gathered below. Whereas pre-Vatican II popes usually spoke in formal terms, John surprised the crowd with an impromptu, pastoral speech urging the faithful to go home to their children and give them a hug and tell them “this is the caress of the pope.”The council would last for another three years and outlive John, who died in 1963 of stomach cancer. But when it was over, council fathers had agreed to major changes in the life of the church, such as allowing Mass to be celebrated in local languages rather than Latin and strengthening the role of laity in the everyday life of the church. The council also encouraged efforts to improve relations among Christians and revolutionized the church’s relations with Jews, including the step to remove the phrase “perfidious Jews” from the liturgy.Francis, 85, is the first pope to have been ordained after the council, and his priorities are very much inspired by it.“Above all peace, above all the poor church,” said Vatican II historian Alberto Melloni. In a telephone interview, Melloni also pointed to Francis' insistence on a “synodal” or decentralized church, with an emphasis on laity. The latter is clearly evident in his decision to allow laypeople, including women, to head Vatican offices and in the the two-year “synod” process in which ordinary Catholic faithful have contributed their thoughts on the life and mission of the church.But Vatican II still very much divides the church, with progressives seeing it as a break from the past and conservatives seeing it as fully in line with church tradition and chafing at the “spirit of Vatican II” progressive read of it. Francis has in some ways exacerbated those divisions by re-imposing restrictions on the celebration of the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass.“John XXIII did not convoke Vatican II to reinvent Catholicism,” writes church historian George Weigel in his new book “To Sanctify the World: The Vital Legacy of Vatican II.”“As he put it in his opening address, the council’s ‘greatest concern’ must be the more effective presentation of Catholic truth in full” through a new language and vocabulary that could be understood in the modern world, Weigel wrote in excerpts recently published in the Wall Street Journal.Vatican II coincided with the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the United States and Russia came as close as they ever had to nuclear war. Looking ahead to Tuesday’s anniversary of Vatican II, Francis noted over the weekend that Russia is threatening to use its nuclear arsenal in its war in Ukraine.“Why can’t we learn from history?” Francis asked. “Even in those times, there was grave conflict and tensions, but they chose the path of peace.”

Pope marks 60th anniversary of Second Vatican Council

WASHINGTON (AP) — When it comes to reassuring Americans about an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/economy">economy</a>&nbsp;that's an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">election-year</a>&nbsp;challenge for his party, President Joe Biden is telling the country to hold on.

It's a message of patience as voters are buffeted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-881c8411bad80180f025e138f0bd444e">persistent inflation</a>, fears of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/is-us-economy-in-recession-8be54810a122a2f84f0f7b3329ab1c9e">recession</a>&nbsp;and the prospect of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-inflation-health-germany-elections-d873521f8b165774de3902439dd5a6ee">rising energy prices</a>&nbsp;in the closing weeks of the campaign season when they will determine the fate of vulnerable Democrats and control of Congress.

The $25 trillion-plus economy is veering in two radically different directions.

Growth has fallen for two straight quarters, raising the specter of recession. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-technology-democracy-congress-government-and-politics-46c5be6252376e5018163d6647f2cfe8">job gains</a>&nbsp;have rolled on, including 263,000 more in September as a sign of economic health. Nonetheless, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jobs-report-september-2022-b91e272b3e56b1f70ef558f6029f97c5">latest jobs report</a>&nbsp;sent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-asia-sydney-tokyo-stock-markets-e2a789a50fddb88881bbd6931a99a134">stocks plummeting</a>&nbsp;Friday on renewed worries that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-unemployment-8bbad9288d524bf30b2087d79b71597c">Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;will have to continue aggressive interest rate increases to temper rising consumer prices.

Biden argued that the newest numbers are solid and have slowed in recent months in a way that points toward inflation easing. Major oil-producing countries led by Saudi Arabia and Russia dealt him a “disappointment” with their decision last week to cut production, but the U.S. government forecasts that domestic output should increase by an average of roughly 840,000 barrels a day next year.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/10/07/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-economy-and-the-september-jobs-report/">Speaking at a Volvo drivetrain factory</a>&nbsp;in Hagerstown, Maryland, Biden tried to make the case once more that lots more factory jobs were on the horizon.

“This is the progress we need to see,” the president said. “In the short term, the transition to a more stable growth that continues to deliver for workers and families while bringing inflation down. In the long term, the economy built on a firmer foundation. We still have a lot of work to do. We’re building a different economy than before, a better one, a stronger one.”

Yet polls show Biden consistently with poor marks for his handling of the economy, and people in the United States broadly view the country as headed in the wrong direction.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-approval-rating-poll-bf41fe8b0016bf8aaf144e7310c6539f">A September poll</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found just 38% of those surveyed approve of Biden's economic leadership. Twenty-nine percent of U.S. adults said the economy is in good shape, while 71% say it’s doing poorly. That was better than in June, when 20% said conditions were good and 79% said they were bad.

While Biden is not on the ballot Nov. 8, Democratic candidates are facing relentless criticism from Republicans who want to make the election a referendum on the president's performance. With GOP ads citing inflation and high gas prices, there is growing pressure for the White House to address the public's concerns about the economy before Election Day.

Jason Furman, who led the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama, said the jobs numbers were a political win for Biden, but also a warning of the economic hardship to come as the Fed faces pressure to raise rates to tackle inflation.

“The price level is still high and headline inflation is likely to have picked up every month from July through October due to the dynamics of gas prices,” Furman said. Curtailing that, he said, “unfortunately will take a lot of time, and potentially a lot of pain, for them to succeed.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/political-issues-3c8e1dd27e93b995b930035a7ead3cb6">Nowhere is Biden’s messaging challenge more pronounced than on gas prices.</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/political-issues-3c8e1dd27e93b995b930035a7ead3cb6">For 99 straight days</a>, the White House highlighted declining prices after their peak in June. But they started ticking up last month, and they have shot up more since OPEC and its partners announced severe production cuts Wednesday.

The U.S. national average is now $3.91 a gallon, according to AAA. That’s below the June high of $5.02, but higher than a month ago ($3.74) and a year ago ($3.27).

At the end of March, Biden ordered the release 1 million barrels of oil a day for six months from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-europe-3e1808077371b88ae043c86584763afd">U.S. strategic reserve</a>&nbsp;to help lower prices. The White House now says the administration is weighing further&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-prices-ae5200310e3d3c0390d9e1cbb3c5a964">releases</a>&nbsp;to offset the OPEC cuts. It has also tried to shame oil companies into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-covid-health-f73c882b0664a5d5dd62635a9a65364c">increasing production and cutting their profit margins</a>.

Meanwhile, the Fed expects that bringing inflation closer to the central bank's target of no more than 2% a year —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-881c8411bad80180f025e138f0bd444e">it was 8.3% higher in September than a year earlier</a>&nbsp;— will require a contraction in the labor market that could put at least a million people out of work.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-jerome-powell-unemployment-government-and-politics-96092b0d276a604b3c1e83f44b8e2ec9">Fed officials indicated last month</a>&nbsp;that the unemployment rate would climb next year to 4.4% — up nearly a full percentage point — if inflation were to fall below 3%. The hiring Biden that cheered on Friday might soon give way to losses.

OPEC's production cut could mean that it will be even harder to lower inflation, with more expensive gas requiring the Fed to take more drastic measures to bring down prices, costing even more jobs.

Investment bank Goldman Sachs on Thursday suggested that oil prices will reach $110 a barrel toward the end of this year, compared with its prior forecast of $100 a barrel. That would translate into higher prices at the pump and has given Republicans more evidence to say he's put the economy at risk.

“The president is in denial that America is experiencing a dangerous wage-price spiral that will drive high inflation for years, that we are in stagflation, and that we are either in, or on the verge of, a harsh recession — all that he created by bungling the recovery,” said Texas Rep. Kevin Brady, the top Republican on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665363754200.png" alt="<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/10/07/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-economy-and-the-september-jobs-report/">Speaking at a Volvo drivetrain factory</a>&nbsp;in Hagerstown, Maryland, Biden tried to make the case once more that lots more factory jobs were on the horizon-White House photo" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/10/07/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-economy-and-the-september-jobs-report/">Speaking at a Volvo drivetrain factory</a>&nbsp;in Hagerstown, Maryland, Biden tried to make the case once more that lots more factory jobs were on the horizon-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — When it comes to reassuring Americans about an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/economy">economy</a>&nbsp;that's an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">election-year</a>&nbsp;challenge for his party, President Joe Biden is telling the country to hold on.It's a message of patience as voters are buffeted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-881c8411bad80180f025e138f0bd444e">persistent inflation</a>, fears of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/is-us-economy-in-recession-8be54810a122a2f84f0f7b3329ab1c9e">recession</a>&nbsp;and the prospect of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-inflation-health-germany-elections-d873521f8b165774de3902439dd5a6ee">rising energy prices</a>&nbsp;in the closing weeks of the campaign season when they will determine the fate of vulnerable Democrats and control of Congress.The $25 trillion-plus economy is veering in two radically different directions.Growth has fallen for two straight quarters, raising the specter of recession. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-technology-democracy-congress-government-and-politics-46c5be6252376e5018163d6647f2cfe8">job gains</a>&nbsp;have rolled on, including 263,000 more in September as a sign of economic health. Nonetheless, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jobs-report-september-2022-b91e272b3e56b1f70ef558f6029f97c5">latest jobs report</a>&nbsp;sent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-asia-sydney-tokyo-stock-markets-e2a789a50fddb88881bbd6931a99a134">stocks plummeting</a>&nbsp;Friday on renewed worries that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-unemployment-8bbad9288d524bf30b2087d79b71597c">Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;will have to continue aggressive interest rate increases to temper rising consumer prices.Biden argued that the newest numbers are solid and have slowed in recent months in a way that points toward inflation easing. Major oil-producing countries led by Saudi Arabia and Russia dealt him a “disappointment” with their decision last week to cut production, but the U.S. government forecasts that domestic output should increase by an average of roughly 840,000 barrels a day next year.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/10/07/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-economy-and-the-september-jobs-report/">Speaking at a Volvo drivetrain factory</a>&nbsp;in Hagerstown, Maryland, Biden tried to make the case once more that lots more factory jobs were on the horizon.“This is the progress we need to see,” the president said. “In the short term, the transition to a more stable growth that continues to deliver for workers and families while bringing inflation down. In the long term, the economy built on a firmer foundation. We still have a lot of work to do. We’re building a different economy than before, a better one, a stronger one.”Yet polls show Biden consistently with poor marks for his handling of the economy, and people in the United States broadly view the country as headed in the wrong direction.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-approval-rating-poll-bf41fe8b0016bf8aaf144e7310c6539f">A September poll</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found just 38% of those surveyed approve of Biden's economic leadership. Twenty-nine percent of U.S. adults said the economy is in good shape, while 71% say it’s doing poorly. That was better than in June, when 20% said conditions were good and 79% said they were bad.While Biden is not on the ballot Nov. 8, Democratic candidates are facing relentless criticism from Republicans who want to make the election a referendum on the president's performance. With GOP ads citing inflation and high gas prices, there is growing pressure for the White House to address the public's concerns about the economy before Election Day.Jason Furman, who led the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama, said the jobs numbers were a political win for Biden, but also a warning of the economic hardship to come as the Fed faces pressure to raise rates to tackle inflation.“The price level is still high and headline inflation is likely to have picked up every month from July through October due to the dynamics of gas prices,” Furman said. Curtailing that, he said, “unfortunately will take a lot of time, and potentially a lot of pain, for them to succeed.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/political-issues-3c8e1dd27e93b995b930035a7ead3cb6">Nowhere is Biden’s messaging challenge more pronounced than on gas prices.</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/political-issues-3c8e1dd27e93b995b930035a7ead3cb6">For 99 straight days</a>, the White House highlighted declining prices after their peak in June. But they started ticking up last month, and they have shot up more since OPEC and its partners announced severe production cuts Wednesday.The U.S. national average is now $3.91 a gallon, according to AAA. That’s below the June high of $5.02, but higher than a month ago ($3.74) and a year ago ($3.27).At the end of March, Biden ordered the release 1 million barrels of oil a day for six months from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-europe-3e1808077371b88ae043c86584763afd">U.S. strategic reserve</a>&nbsp;to help lower prices. The White House now says the administration is weighing further&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-prices-ae5200310e3d3c0390d9e1cbb3c5a964">releases</a>&nbsp;to offset the OPEC cuts. It has also tried to shame oil companies into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-covid-health-f73c882b0664a5d5dd62635a9a65364c">increasing production and cutting their profit margins</a>.Meanwhile, the Fed expects that bringing inflation closer to the central bank's target of no more than 2% a year —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-881c8411bad80180f025e138f0bd444e">it was 8.3% higher in September than a year earlier</a>&nbsp;— will require a contraction in the labor market that could put at least a million people out of work.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-jerome-powell-unemployment-government-and-politics-96092b0d276a604b3c1e83f44b8e2ec9">Fed officials indicated last month</a>&nbsp;that the unemployment rate would climb next year to 4.4% — up nearly a full percentage point — if inflation were to fall below 3%. The hiring Biden that cheered on Friday might soon give way to losses.OPEC's production cut could mean that it will be even harder to lower inflation, with more expensive gas requiring the Fed to take more drastic measures to bring down prices, costing even more jobs.Investment bank Goldman Sachs on Thursday suggested that oil prices will reach $110 a barrel toward the end of this year, compared with its prior forecast of $100 a barrel. That would translate into higher prices at the pump and has given Republicans more evidence to say he's put the economy at risk.“The president is in denial that America is experiencing a dangerous wage-price spiral that will drive high inflation for years, that we are in stagflation, and that we are either in, or on the verge of, a harsh recession — all that he created by bungling the recovery,” said Texas Rep. Kevin Brady, the top Republican on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.

Biden preaches patience to voters spooked by economic tumult

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Funeral arrangements have been announced for Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy Sidnee Carter who died in an accident on Friday.&nbsp;

The funeral is scheduled for 11a.m. Friday at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 861 N Socora Street in Wichita, according to a statement from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office.

Graveside services will follow at Resthaven Cemetery, 11800 US-54, Wichita.&nbsp;

Deputy Carter, 22, Bel Aire, was southbound in a 2016 Dodge Charger on 135th Street at 29th Street north one mile west of Northwest Wichita and Maize responding to a disturbance, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter. 

A westbound 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Kelvin W. Burgett, 28, Prescott Valley, Arizona, failed to stop at a stop sign and struck the drivers side of the Dodge Charger, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

 Deputy Carter was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported Burgett to a local hospital.

Deputy Carter had only worked in the field alone for a week, according to Sheriff Easter. She began field training this summer and completed that training Oct. 1.&nbsp;

Deputy Carter had served the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for one and a half years in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility before transferring to the Law Enforcement Bureau in February 2022. She graduated the Law Enforcement Academy on July 21, 2022.&nbsp;

Deputy Carter is survived by her parents, sisters and brothers.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665249753989.png" alt="Deputy Sidnee Carter-photo courtesy Sedgwick Co. Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Deputy Sidnee Carter-photo courtesy Sedgwick Co. Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Funeral arrangements have been announced for Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy Sidnee Carter who died in an accident on Friday.&nbsp;The funeral is scheduled for 11a.m. Friday at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 861 N Socora Street in Wichita, according to a statement from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office.Graveside services will follow at Resthaven Cemetery, 11800 US-54, Wichita.&nbsp;Deputy Carter, 22, Bel Aire, was southbound in a 2016 Dodge Charger on 135th Street at 29th Street north one mile west of Northwest Wichita and Maize responding to a disturbance, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter. A westbound 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Kelvin W. Burgett, 28, Prescott Valley, Arizona, failed to stop at a stop sign and struck the drivers side of the Dodge Charger, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. Deputy Carter was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported Burgett to a local hospital.Deputy Carter had only worked in the field alone for a week, according to Sheriff Easter. She began field training this summer and completed that training Oct. 1.&nbsp;Deputy Carter had served the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for one and a half years in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility before transferring to the Law Enforcement Bureau in February 2022. She graduated the Law Enforcement Academy on July 21, 2022.&nbsp;Deputy Carter is survived by her parents, sisters and brothers.&nbsp;

Funeral arrangements for Kansas deputy who died in crash

KANSAS CITY —In 2021, the Kansas City zoo announced an extraordinary procedure that saved one of the gorilla residents – a blood transfusion from Charlie to his critically-ill brother Curtis, according to a media release from the zoo. Both are Western lowland gorillas and recovered well, but that turned out to be just the beginning of Curtis’ health journey. 

On Monday, the zoo shared the heartbreaking news that 28-year-old Curtis was euthanized on Oct. 1 due to congestive heart failure. 

Curtis and Charlie arrived in Kansas City in March 2020. In February 2021, however, Curtis presented symptoms including vomiting, abdominal discomfort, lack of appetite, and lethargy.

 A CT scan revealed blood in his abdomen stemming from hemorrhage in his left kidney that was putting extreme pressure on the organ. As is often the case, the cause was unknown. It was determined that a blood transfusion was the only option. 

Several months later, though, Curtis presented similar symptoms and it was determined that the only chance to save him was removal of the affected kidney. Charlie was again immobilized to provide blood to transfuse his brother. Without it, Curtis would certainly have died during the intricate 7-hour surgery.

 An incredible team of specialists assembled and the kidney was successfully removed. Following surgery, Curtis recovered slowly but surely, regaining his appetite and eventually, his playfulness. Throughout Curtis’ ordeal, he was under the dedicated care of the Zoo’s veterinary health team as well as the gorilla troop’s animal care specialists. In addition, local, national, and international medical and veterinary doctors consulted on the case, providing expertise, loaning medical equipment, and even helping to perform surgery. 

Curtis won the hearts of everyone that met him with his easy-going and inquisitive nature. Even on days he didn’t feel his best, Curtis remained gentle and trusting of those trying to help him.  While the entire Zoo family mourns, we take comfort knowing the groundbreaking care Curtis received will help many other animals. Curtis gave his illness a great fight and everything that was learned from his situation will be passed on to other facilities.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665501522146.png" alt="photo courtesy Kansas City Zoo" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Kansas City Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —In 2021, the Kansas City zoo announced an extraordinary procedure that saved one of the gorilla residents – a blood transfusion from Charlie to his critically-ill brother Curtis, according to a media release from the zoo. Both are Western lowland gorillas and recovered well, but that turned out to be just the beginning of Curtis’ health journey. On Monday, the zoo shared the heartbreaking news that 28-year-old Curtis was euthanized on Oct. 1 due to congestive heart failure. Curtis and Charlie arrived in Kansas City in March 2020. In February 2021, however, Curtis presented symptoms including vomiting, abdominal discomfort, lack of appetite, and lethargy. A CT scan revealed blood in his abdomen stemming from hemorrhage in his left kidney that was putting extreme pressure on the organ. As is often the case, the cause was unknown. It was determined that a blood transfusion was the only option. Several months later, though, Curtis presented similar symptoms and it was determined that the only chance to save him was removal of the affected kidney. Charlie was again immobilized to provide blood to transfuse his brother. Without it, Curtis would certainly have died during the intricate 7-hour surgery. An incredible team of specialists assembled and the kidney was successfully removed. Following surgery, Curtis recovered slowly but surely, regaining his appetite and eventually, his playfulness. Throughout Curtis’ ordeal, he was under the dedicated care of the Zoo’s veterinary health team as well as the gorilla troop’s animal care specialists. In addition, local, national, and international medical and veterinary doctors consulted on the case, providing expertise, loaning medical equipment, and even helping to perform surgery. Curtis won the hearts of everyone that met him with his easy-going and inquisitive nature. Even on days he didn’t feel his best, Curtis remained gentle and trusting of those trying to help him. While the entire Zoo family mourns, we take comfort knowing the groundbreaking care Curtis received will help many other animals. Curtis gave his illness a great fight and everything that was learned from his situation will be passed on to other facilities.

Kansas City Zoo mourns death of popular 28-year-old gorilla 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal crash on Monday in Sedgwick County have identified the victim as 57-year-old David Carden of Wichita, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

Just after 7a.m., a 2012 Chevy Silverado driven by Carden was westbound on 55th Street West at Kansas Highway 15.

A southbound 2013 Subaru SUV driven by a 30-year-old man struck the pickup. First responders pronounced Carden dead at the scene.

EMS transported the driver of the Subaru to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries

Stop signs are posted for east and westbound traffic on 55th Street South at highway K-15, according to Blick. The circumstances of the collision remain under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665405732367.png" alt="WICHway camera view of the crash scene" />
 <figcaption>WICHway camera view of the crash scene</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal crash on Monday in Sedgwick County have identified the victim as 57-year-old David Carden of Wichita, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.Just after 7a.m., a 2012 Chevy Silverado driven by Carden was westbound on 55th Street West at Kansas Highway 15.A southbound 2013 Subaru SUV driven by a 30-year-old man struck the pickup. First responders pronounced Carden dead at the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665426190467.png" alt="Stop signs are posted for east and westbound traffic on 55th Street South at highway K-15, according to&nbsp; Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick. photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Stop signs are posted for east and westbound traffic on 55th Street South at highway K-15, according to&nbsp; Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick. photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>EMS transported the driver of the Subaru to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuriesStop signs are posted for east and westbound traffic on 55th Street South at highway K-15, according to Blick. The circumstances of the collision remain under investigation.

Sheriff IDs Kansas man who died in SUV, pickup crash

SALINE COUNTY —Just before 7a.m. Tuesday, the Kansas Highway Patrol responded to a rolled semi on southbound Interstate 135 just north of the Kansas Highway 4 exit in southern Saline county, according to a social media report from the KHP.

First responders shut down the right lane of the highway for recovery of the semi and a lot of beer that fell from the vehicle.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665494633334.png" alt="Photos Kansas Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photos Kansas Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Just before 7a.m. Tuesday, the Kansas Highway Patrol responded to a rolled semi on southbound Interstate 135 just north of the Kansas Highway 4 exit in southern Saline county, according to a social media report from the KHP.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665494603168.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>First responders shut down the right lane of the highway for recovery of the semi and a lot of beer that fell from the vehicle.&nbsp;The KHP reported no injuries.

Semi overturns, spills load of beer on Kansas highway

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/10/poll-72-of-kansans-back-medicaid-reform-stalled-by-gop-legislators-since-2017/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A majority of Kansans across the political spectrum endorse 
expansion of eligibility for Medicaid in a statewide survey also 
indicating nine in 10 registered voters believe a candidate’s position 
on health care influenced votes at the polls.

Kansas is among a dozen states declining to broaden access among 
lower-income people to affordable health coverage under Medicaid. 
Expansion legislation in Kansas was vetoed in 2017 by Republican Gov. 
Sam Brownback and the GOP-led Senate blocked a vote on a House-passed 
bill in 2019. Expansion states include Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado and 
Nebraska.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665436712310.png" alt="New polling says 72% of Kansans support expansion of Medicaid eligibility. In the governor’s race, Democrat Laura Kelly backs reform adding more than 120,000 lower-income Kansans to the health program, while Republican Derek Schmidt stands opposed to broad enrollment growth. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>New polling says 72% of Kansans support expansion of Medicaid eligibility. In the governor’s race, Democrat Laura Kelly backs reform adding more than 120,000 lower-income Kansans to the health program, while Republican Derek Schmidt stands opposed to broad enrollment growth. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/10/poll-72-of-kansans-back-medicaid-reform-stalled-by-gop-legislators-since-2017/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A majority of Kansans across the political spectrum endorse 
expansion of eligibility for Medicaid in a statewide survey also 
indicating nine in 10 registered voters believe a candidate’s position 
on health care influenced votes at the polls.Kansas is among a dozen states declining to broaden access among 
lower-income people to affordable health coverage under Medicaid. 
Expansion legislation in Kansas was vetoed in 2017 by Republican Gov. 
Sam Brownback and the GOP-led Senate blocked a vote on a House-passed 
bill in 2019. Expansion states include Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado and 
Nebraska.The issue emerged in the campaign for Kansas governor with Gov. Laura
 Kelly promising to introduce a fifth Medicaid expansion proposal in 
January if reelected. Republican gubernatorial nominee Derek Schmidt 
spoke in opposition to substantive enhancement of eligibility for 
Medicaid.The poll released by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action 
Network, or ACSCAN, of 500 likely Kansas voters showed support to be 
almost universal among Democrats with backing from majorities of both 
Republicans and independents.In the poll, 72% of Kansans favored expanding opportunities for 
Kansans to participate in KanCare, the state’s Medicaid program. The 
political breakdown in terms of those favoring reform: Democrats, 98%; 
independents, 64%; and Republicans, 56%.The poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research 
Associates showed 87% of respondents considered health care a pivotal 
issue in political elections. The poll for ACSCAN had a 4.3% margin of 
error.“Kansans clearly understand the importance of affordable health 
coverage and want their lawmakers to take action to expand KanCare,” 
said Megan Word, who works for ACSCAN. “Voters want Kansas to join the 
38 other states who have expanded their Medicaid program and they are 
paying close attention this election season.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665436780082.png" alt="Attorney General Derek Schmidt, Republican candidate for governor, objects to expansion of Medicaid in Kansas. Gov. Laura Kelly plans to propose another expansion bill consistent with a poll showing 72% of Kansas support the reform. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Attorney General Derek Schmidt, Republican candidate for governor, objects to expansion of Medicaid in Kansas. Gov. Laura Kelly plans to propose another expansion bill consistent with a poll showing 72% of Kansas support the reform. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The number of Kansans potentially benefitting from a state law 
deepening eligibility for the Affordable Care Act has ranged from 
120,000 to 150,000. The federal government would be obligated to pay 90%
 of the increased cost in Kansas.In the poll, 81% said all Kansans regardless of income, location, 
race, gender or immigration status ought to have affordable health care.Kelly, who is seeking a second term in the Nov. 8 election, said 
during the latest gubernatorial debate in Overland Park that expansion 
of Medicaid to the underserved would be the most significant health 
policy change she could champion as governor.“I have proposed four different expansion approaches,” said Kelly, 
who claimed Republicans undermined Medicaid bills because the reform was
 among her top priorities as governor. “I will propose my fifth in 
January. I think the fact that I never will be on the ballot again can 
take politics out of it.”Schmidt said conservative leadership of the House and Senate wouldn’t
 step aside to allow a Medicaid expansion bill reach Kelly’s desk. He 
also criticized Kelly for not convincing a GOP majority in the 
Legislature to approve expansion in her first term.“It makes a good thing to talk about in the middle of an election,” 
Schmidt said of Kelly’s advocacy. “At the end of the day, the Kansas 
Legislature, if anything like its current composition, is not going to 
go that direction in terms of public policy.”He said Kansas should focus on retaining the three for-profit 
insurance companies under contract to operate the privatized KanCare 
system during a period of inflation in the national economy. He said he 
would consider modest changes to KanCare such as the 2022 bill signed by
 Kelly extending Medicaid coverage to new mothers.