WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded those who still need to file their 2021 tax returns that <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a> remains open until November 17 and can help those who qualify claim the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">Child Tax Credit</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc">Earned Income Tax Credit</a>.

These and other tax benefits were expanded under last year's American
 Rescue Plan Act and other recent legislation. The only way to get these
 valuable benefits, however, is to file a 2021 tax return.

Last month, the Internal Revenue Service sent letters to more than 9 
million individuals and families who appeared to qualify for a variety 
of key tax benefits but had not yet claimed them by filing a 2021 
federal income tax return.

Many in this group may be eligible to claim some or all of the 2021 
Recovery Rebate Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax 
Credit and other tax credits, depending on their personal and family 
situation. The letter, printed in both English and Spanish, provided a 
brief overview of each of these credits.

Often, individuals and families <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-for-other-dependents">can get these expanded tax benefits</a>,
 even if they have little or no income from a job, business or other 
source. This means that many people who don't normally need to file a 
tax return should do so this year, even if they haven't been required to
 file in recent years.

There's no penalty for a refund claimed on a tax return filed after 
the regular April 2022 tax deadline. The fastest and easiest way to get a
 refund is to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">file an accurate return electronically</a> and choose <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>.

To help people claim these benefits without charge, IRS Free File 
will remain open this year, until November 17, 2022. Available only at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS.gov/freefile</a>, IRS Free File lets people whose incomes are $73,000 or less to file a return online for free using brand-name software.

IRS Free File is sponsored by the Free File Alliance, a partnership 
between the IRS and the tax software industry, a public-private 
partnership that provides their brand-name products for free.

IRS Free File provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their 2021 federal income tax return online for free:

Prior year returns can be filed electronically only by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/understanding-tax-return-preparer-credentials-and-qualifications">registered tax preparers</a>&nbsp;for the two previous tax years. Otherwise, taxpayers must print, sign and mail prior year returns.

The IRS <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a>&nbsp;lists qualified local preparers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded those who still need to file their 2021 tax returns that <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a> remains open until November 17 and can help those who qualify claim the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">Child Tax Credit</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc">Earned Income Tax Credit</a>.These and other tax benefits were expanded under last year's American
 Rescue Plan Act and other recent legislation. The only way to get these
 valuable benefits, however, is to file a 2021 tax return.Last month, the Internal Revenue Service sent letters to more than 9 
million individuals and families who appeared to qualify for a variety 
of key tax benefits but had not yet claimed them by filing a 2021 
federal income tax return.Many in this group may be eligible to claim some or all of the 2021 
Recovery Rebate Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax 
Credit and other tax credits, depending on their personal and family 
situation. The letter, printed in both English and Spanish, provided a 
brief overview of each of these credits.Often, individuals and families <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-for-other-dependents">can get these expanded tax benefits</a>,
 even if they have little or no income from a job, business or other 
source. This means that many people who don't normally need to file a 
tax return should do so this year, even if they haven't been required to
 file in recent years.There's no penalty for a refund claimed on a tax return filed after 
the regular April 2022 tax deadline. The fastest and easiest way to get a
 refund is to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">file an accurate return electronically</a> and choose <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>.To help people claim these benefits without charge, IRS Free File 
will remain open this year, until November 17, 2022. Available only at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS.gov/freefile</a>, IRS Free File lets people whose incomes are $73,000 or less to file a return online for free using brand-name software.IRS Free File is sponsored by the Free File Alliance, a partnership 
between the IRS and the tax software industry, a public-private 
partnership that provides their brand-name products for free.IRS Free File provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their 2021 federal income tax return online for free:<ul>
 <li>IRS Partner Sites. Traditional IRS Free File 
provides free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner 
sites. Individual taxpayers whose adjusted gross income (AGI) is $73,000
 or less qualify for any IRS Free File partner offers. Free File lets 
individuals electronically prepare and file their federal income tax 
online using guided tax preparation.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Free Fillable Forms. For taxpayers whose AGI is greater than $73,000, there's the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">Free File Fillable Forms</a>
 option. It provides electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out
 and filed online for free. To use this option, taxpayers should know 
how to prepare their own tax return.</li>
 </ul><h2>Always start at&nbsp;IRS.gov:</h2><ul>
 <li>From the homepage, select <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">File Your Taxes for Free</a>.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Use the <a href="https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/general/">IRS Free File Lookup Tool</a> to narrow the list of providers or the <a href="https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/browse-all-offers/">Browse All Offers</a> page to see a full list of providers.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Follow the link to the chosen IRS Free File provider's website.</li>
 </ul>Prior year returns can be filed electronically only by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/understanding-tax-return-preparer-credentials-and-qualifications">registered tax preparers</a>&nbsp;for the two previous tax years. Otherwise, taxpayers must print, sign and mail prior year returns.The IRS <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a>&nbsp;lists qualified local preparers.

IRS: Free File remains open until Nov. 17

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the death of a toddler have charged his father for the crime.

Just after 10p.m. Thursday,<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18719567"> police booked </a>30-year-old Jordan W. Lien into the Sedgwick County jail. He has been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated endangering a child and use, possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia,<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18719567"> according to</a>&nbsp;the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

The murder charge&nbsp;is in connection with the death of <a href="https://www.wulfastmortuary.com/obituary/lucca-lien">14-month-old</a> <a href="https://www.wulfastmortuary.com/obituary/lucca-lien">Lucca Lien</a> in July, according to the criminal complaint.

Jordan Lien has previous convictions for drugs, criminal damage to property and criminal possession of a firearm, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. He is being held on a $500,000 bond and is due back in court November 28.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668257439843.png" alt="Lien-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Lien-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the death of a toddler have charged his father for the crime.Just after 10p.m. Thursday,<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18719567"> police booked </a>30-year-old Jordan W. Lien into the Sedgwick County jail. He has been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated endangering a child and use, possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia,<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18719567"> according to</a>&nbsp;the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.The murder charge&nbsp;is in connection with the death of <a href="https://www.wulfastmortuary.com/obituary/lucca-lien">14-month-old</a> <a href="https://www.wulfastmortuary.com/obituary/lucca-lien">Lucca Lien</a> in July, according to the criminal complaint.Jordan Lien has previous convictions for drugs, criminal damage to property and criminal possession of a firearm, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. He is being held on a $500,000 bond and is due back in court November 28.

Kansas man charged for death of his 14-month-old son

KANSAS CITY —Two Kansas City men have been charged in a Westport area beating of a man and woman after citizens helped police identify the suspects, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Collin E. London, 26, faces two counts of Assault 1st Degree and Daniel McQuarters, 26, faces two counts of Assault 1st Degree.

According to court records, on Oct. 23, police were dispatched to the 4000 block of Pennsylvania on a reported tavern disturbance. Westport Security arrived first at the scene.

They found a victim bleeding from the head and unconscious. A second victim was also unconscious.

The victims later told police detectives that they were walking along Pennsylvania Street when two men began to beat and kick them. One victim said she was pistol whipped.

The police distributed to media videos from social media of the assault. Police received information soon after from a Kansas City company that employees believed the two male suspects were employees of the company.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY —Two Kansas City men have been charged in a Westport area beating of a man and woman after citizens helped police identify the suspects, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Update: We asked you to help us identify two suspects (standing in these images) from an aggravated assault that took place near 40th &amp; Pennsylvania on Oct. 23. These suspects were taken into custody and charged in Jackson County... 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/KEfdrY9xJc">pic.twitter.com/KEfdrY9xJc</a>&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1591147280027246592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Collin E. London, 26, faces two counts of Assault 1st Degree and Daniel McQuarters, 26, faces two counts of Assault 1st Degree.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668288740311.png" alt="London-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>London-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>According to court records, on Oct. 23, police were dispatched to the 4000 block of Pennsylvania on a reported tavern disturbance. Westport Security arrived first at the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668288796261.png" alt="McQuarters-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>McQuarters-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>They found a victim bleeding from the head and unconscious. A second victim was also unconscious.The victims later told police detectives that they were walking along Pennsylvania Street when two men began to beat and kick them. One victim said she was pistol whipped.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Please Share: We are looking for the two male suspects (wearing jeans) in this aggravated assault which took place Sunday morning shortly after 3 a.m. near 40th &amp; Pennsylvania.⁰ This is video 1 of 2. Video #2 follows.⁰ You can remain anonymous at <a href="https://t.co/gULWXwQSro">https://t.co/gULWXwQSro</a>. 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/diLobPrxjM">pic.twitter.com/diLobPrxjM</a>&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1585346491492995072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The police distributed to media videos from social media of the assault. Police received information soon after from a Kansas City company that employees believed the two male suspects were employees of the company.&nbsp;

🎥Suspects charged for violent attack in KC's Westport District

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan and South Korea vowed a unified, coordinated response to North Korea's threatening nuclear and ballistic missile programs, with Biden declaring that the three-way partnership is “even more important than it's ever been” when North Korea is stepping up its provocations.

Biden met separately with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol before all three sat down together on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Cambodia.

The U.S. president began by offering condolences for a crowd surge during Halloween festivities in Seoul that killed more than 150 people, saying the U.S. had grieved with South Korea. The meeting was heavily focused on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's recent escalations, although Biden said the three leaders would also discuss strengthening supply chains and preserving peace across the Taiwan strait, while building on the countries' support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

Biden had also planned to seek input from Kishida and Yoon on managing China’s assertive posture in the Pacific region on the eve of his face-to-face with President Xi Jinping.

“We face real challenges, but our countries are more aligned than ever, more prepared to take on those challenges than ever,” Biden said. “So I look forward to deepening the bonds of cooperation between our three countries.”

Both Yoon and Kishida discussed the ongoing displays of aggression by North Korea, which has fired dozens of missiles in recent weeks. The launches include an intercontinental ballistic missile 10 days ago that triggered evacuation alerts in northern Japan, and as the allies warn of a looming risk of the isolated country conducting its seventh nuclear test in the coming weeks.

Referring to the crowd surge that occurred in the Itaewon neighborhood in Seoul, Yoon said, through an interpreter: “At a time when South Koreans are grieving in deep sorrow, North Korea pushed ahead with such provocations which lays bare the Kim Jong Un regime's true inclinations.”

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Saturday that Biden would use the meetings to strengthen the three countries' joint response to the dangers posed by North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

“What we would really like to see is enhanced trilateral security cooperation where the three countries are all coming together,” he said. “That’s acutely true with respect to the DPRK because of the common threat and challenge we all face, but it’s also true, more broadly, about our capacity to work together to enhance overall peace and stability in the region.”

Tensions on the Korean peninsula have skyrocketed in recent months as the North continues its weapons demonstrations and the U.S. and South Korea launched stepped-up joint defense exercises.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5d8f0935f50d013d7e9c375cc27456e5">Earlier this month</a>, the South Korean military said two B-1B bombers trained with four U.S. F-16 fighter jets and four South Korean F-35 jets during the last day of “Vigilant Storm” joint air force drills. It was the first time since December 2017 that the bombers were deployed to the Korean Peninsula. The exercise involved a total of roughly 240 warplanes, including advanced F-35 fighter jets from both countries.

North Korea responded with its own display of force, flying large numbers of warplanes inside its territory.

The Biden administration has said it has sent repeated requests to negotiate with North Korea without preconditions on constraining its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but that Kim Jong Un's government has not responded.

Biden has said he plans to press Xi to use China's unique sway over North Korea to curtail its aggressive behavior, as part of what is expected to be a wide-ranging meeting between the leaders on the margins of the Group of 20 gathering in Bali, Indonesia.

China "has an interest in playing a constructive role in restraining North Korea’s worst tendencies,” Sullivan said Saturday. “Whether they choose to do so or not is, of course, up to them.”

Biden told reporters on Sunday that he’s “always had straightforward discussions” with Xi, and that has prevented either of them from “miscalculations” of their intentions. Their meeting comes weeks after Xi cemented his grip on China’s political system with the conclusion of the Community Party congress in Beijing that gave him a norm-breaking third term as leader.

“His circumstances changed, to state the obvious, at home,” Biden said of Xi. Biden maintained that his own have as well, saying that after Democrats retained control of the Senate in the midterm elections, “I know I’m coming in stronger."

Monday's meeting will be the first in-person sit-down between the leaders since Biden was elected. U.S. officials in the past have expressed frustration that lower-level Chinese officials have proven unable or unwilling to speak for Xi, and are hoping the face-to-face summit will enable progress on areas of mutual concern — and, even more critically, a shared understanding of each others' limitations.

“I know him well, he knows me,” Biden said. “We’ve just got to figure out where the red lines are and what are the most important things to each of us, going into the next two years.”

As president, Biden has repeatedly taken China to task for human rights abuses against the Uyghur people and other ethnic minorities, Beijing’s crackdowns on democracy activists in Hong Kong, coercive trade practices, military provocations against self-ruled Taiwan and differences over Russia’s prosecution of its war against Ukraine.

Xi’s government has criticized the Biden administration’s posture toward Taiwan — which Beijing looks eventually to unify with the communist mainland — as undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Chinese president also has suggested that Washington wants to stifle Beijing’s growing clout as it tries to overtake the U.S. as the world’s largest economy.

Biden also spoke briefly with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has sought out his own meeting with Xi this week in an effort to ease Chinese sanctions against his country.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667483523229.png" alt="A TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile launch with file footage is seen at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022. North Korea continued its barrage of weapons tests, firing at least three missiles including a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile that forced the Japanese government to issue evacuation alerts and temporarily halt trains. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)" />
 <figcaption>A TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile launch with file footage is seen at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022. North Korea continued its barrage of weapons tests, firing at least three missiles including a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile that forced the Japanese government to issue evacuation alerts and temporarily halt trains. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)</figcaption>
 </figure>PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan and South Korea vowed a unified, coordinated response to North Korea's threatening nuclear and ballistic missile programs, with Biden declaring that the three-way partnership is “even more important than it's ever been” when North Korea is stepping up its provocations.Biden met separately with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol before all three sat down together on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Cambodia.The U.S. president began by offering condolences for a crowd surge during Halloween festivities in Seoul that killed more than 150 people, saying the U.S. had grieved with South Korea. The meeting was heavily focused on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's recent escalations, although Biden said the three leaders would also discuss strengthening supply chains and preserving peace across the Taiwan strait, while building on the countries' support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.Biden had also planned to seek input from Kishida and Yoon on managing China’s assertive posture in the Pacific region on the eve of his face-to-face with President Xi Jinping.“We face real challenges, but our countries are more aligned than ever, more prepared to take on those challenges than ever,” Biden said. “So I look forward to deepening the bonds of cooperation between our three countries.”Both Yoon and Kishida discussed the ongoing displays of aggression by North Korea, which has fired dozens of missiles in recent weeks. The launches include an intercontinental ballistic missile 10 days ago that triggered evacuation alerts in northern Japan, and as the allies warn of a looming risk of the isolated country conducting its seventh nuclear test in the coming weeks.Referring to the crowd surge that occurred in the Itaewon neighborhood in Seoul, Yoon said, through an interpreter: “At a time when South Koreans are grieving in deep sorrow, North Korea pushed ahead with such provocations which lays bare the Kim Jong Un regime's true inclinations.”U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Saturday that Biden would use the meetings to strengthen the three countries' joint response to the dangers posed by North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.“What we would really like to see is enhanced trilateral security cooperation where the three countries are all coming together,” he said. “That’s acutely true with respect to the DPRK because of the common threat and challenge we all face, but it’s also true, more broadly, about our capacity to work together to enhance overall peace and stability in the region.”Tensions on the Korean peninsula have skyrocketed in recent months as the North continues its weapons demonstrations and the U.S. and South Korea launched stepped-up joint defense exercises.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5d8f0935f50d013d7e9c375cc27456e5">Earlier this month</a>, the South Korean military said two B-1B bombers trained with four U.S. F-16 fighter jets and four South Korean F-35 jets during the last day of “Vigilant Storm” joint air force drills. It was the first time since December 2017 that the bombers were deployed to the Korean Peninsula. The exercise involved a total of roughly 240 warplanes, including advanced F-35 fighter jets from both countries.North Korea responded with its own display of force, flying large numbers of warplanes inside its territory.The Biden administration has said it has sent repeated requests to negotiate with North Korea without preconditions on constraining its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but that Kim Jong Un's government has not responded.Biden has said he plans to press Xi to use China's unique sway over North Korea to curtail its aggressive behavior, as part of what is expected to be a wide-ranging meeting between the leaders on the margins of the Group of 20 gathering in Bali, Indonesia.China "has an interest in playing a constructive role in restraining North Korea’s worst tendencies,” Sullivan said Saturday. “Whether they choose to do so or not is, of course, up to them.”Biden told reporters on Sunday that he’s “always had straightforward discussions” with Xi, and that has prevented either of them from “miscalculations” of their intentions. Their meeting comes weeks after Xi cemented his grip on China’s political system with the conclusion of the Community Party congress in Beijing that gave him a norm-breaking third term as leader.“His circumstances changed, to state the obvious, at home,” Biden said of Xi. Biden maintained that his own have as well, saying that after Democrats retained control of the Senate in the midterm elections, “I know I’m coming in stronger."Monday's meeting will be the first in-person sit-down between the leaders since Biden was elected. U.S. officials in the past have expressed frustration that lower-level Chinese officials have proven unable or unwilling to speak for Xi, and are hoping the face-to-face summit will enable progress on areas of mutual concern — and, even more critically, a shared understanding of each others' limitations.“I know him well, he knows me,” Biden said. “We’ve just got to figure out where the red lines are and what are the most important things to each of us, going into the next two years.”As president, Biden has repeatedly taken China to task for human rights abuses against the Uyghur people and other ethnic minorities, Beijing’s crackdowns on democracy activists in Hong Kong, coercive trade practices, military provocations against self-ruled Taiwan and differences over Russia’s prosecution of its war against Ukraine.Xi’s government has criticized the Biden administration’s posture toward Taiwan — which Beijing looks eventually to unify with the communist mainland — as undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Chinese president also has suggested that Washington wants to stifle Beijing’s growing clout as it tries to overtake the U.S. as the world’s largest economy.Biden also spoke briefly with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has sought out his own meeting with Xi this week in an effort to ease Chinese sanctions against his country.—-

US, Japan, SKorea vow unified response to North Korea threat

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A third railroad union has rejected its agreement with the nation's freight railroads, increasing the chances that Congress may be called upon to settle the dispute and block a strike.

The small International Brotherhood of Boilermakers union on Monday voted down the contract even though it includes the biggest raises workers have seen in more than four decades. The union represents just a few hundred of the roughly 115,000 rail workers involved in the contract dispute with Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, BNSF, Kansas City Southern, CSX and other railroads.

All 12 rail unions must approve their deals to prevent a strike, although no strike is imminent because all the unions have agreed to keep negotiating even if their members vote no, until a deadline early next month.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-congress-government-and-politics-0ac69bd8a24bbfd74787d198d7140d01">Seven other unions</a>&nbsp;have ratified the five-year deals that include 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. The focus now is on the three unions that have voted down their agreements and the remaining two that haven’t finished voting.

Workers'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality-of-life concerns</a>&nbsp;about demanding schedules and the lack of paid sick time in the industry have threatened to derail the agreements even with the sizeable raises railroads are offering.

Contract talks with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-strikes-government-and-politics-581babaeee804c37e4761424c02af21a">two unions that rejected their deals</a>&nbsp;last month remain deadlocked over the issue of paid sick time. So it is looking increasingly likely that Congress will have to step in to settle this dispute

“If we can’t improve the agreement by getting some sort of sick leave, I think Congress is going to have to intervene because I think the railroads are just too stubborn to give us what we want unless we are able to strike," Tony Cardwell, president of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union, said Monday.

The railroads have said they want these contracts to closely follow the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-norfolk-government-and-politics-eeedec386f2acba5d63181436ca03f3f">recommendations</a>&nbsp;made this summer by a special board of arbitrators that President Joe Biden appointed. Offering sick leave on top of the raises and bonuses that are already in the deal would require the railroads to spend more.

Congress is expected to block a rail strike and impose contract terms on both sides if they can't come to an agreement before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-economy-business-congress-kansas-city-southern-0daad98e345804513ca568068303cd22">next month's deadline.</a>&nbsp;That's because the stakes are so high for the economy with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-strike-impact-5eb6747b3e4b4e39d764644d6377121d">so many businesses relying</a>&nbsp;on railroads to deliver their raw materials and finished products.

When they’re not at the negotiating table, the railroads and unions will be lobbying Congress over the next few weeks about what should be included if lawmakers do decide to impose contract terms on the freight railroads.

If the two biggest unions that represent conductors and engineers also reject their deals when they release the results of their votes next Monday, that would put additional pressure on the railroads. But Cardwell said he doesn't think even that would be enough to get the railroads to budge on sick time.

The railroads declined to comment Monday on the status of the talks with the BMWED and Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen unions, but they have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">adamant</a>&nbsp;about not offering paid sick time. They say they believe the unions agreed to forego paid sick time over the years in favor of higher wages and strong short-term disability benefits.

One reason the unions object to the railroads' refusal to offer sick time is because federal contractors are required by an executive order to give that to their employees. The railroads insisted they were federal contractors last year when they required employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine but now they say the sick time requirement doesn't apply to them.

Hundreds of business groups have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b">written letters</a>&nbsp;to Biden and members of Congress urging them to be prepared to intervene in the contract dispute, if necessary. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh has said he is in daily contact with the railroads and unions urging them to work out a deal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663077336048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A third railroad union has rejected its agreement with the nation's freight railroads, increasing the chances that Congress may be called upon to settle the dispute and block a strike.The small International Brotherhood of Boilermakers union on Monday voted down the contract even though it includes the biggest raises workers have seen in more than four decades. The union represents just a few hundred of the roughly 115,000 rail workers involved in the contract dispute with Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, BNSF, Kansas City Southern, CSX and other railroads.All 12 rail unions must approve their deals to prevent a strike, although no strike is imminent because all the unions have agreed to keep negotiating even if their members vote no, until a deadline early next month.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-congress-government-and-politics-0ac69bd8a24bbfd74787d198d7140d01">Seven other unions</a>&nbsp;have ratified the five-year deals that include 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. The focus now is on the three unions that have voted down their agreements and the remaining two that haven’t finished voting.Workers'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality-of-life concerns</a>&nbsp;about demanding schedules and the lack of paid sick time in the industry have threatened to derail the agreements even with the sizeable raises railroads are offering.Contract talks with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-strikes-government-and-politics-581babaeee804c37e4761424c02af21a">two unions that rejected their deals</a>&nbsp;last month remain deadlocked over the issue of paid sick time. So it is looking increasingly likely that Congress will have to step in to settle this dispute“If we can’t improve the agreement by getting some sort of sick leave, I think Congress is going to have to intervene because I think the railroads are just too stubborn to give us what we want unless we are able to strike," Tony Cardwell, president of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union, said Monday.The railroads have said they want these contracts to closely follow the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-norfolk-government-and-politics-eeedec386f2acba5d63181436ca03f3f">recommendations</a>&nbsp;made this summer by a special board of arbitrators that President Joe Biden appointed. Offering sick leave on top of the raises and bonuses that are already in the deal would require the railroads to spend more.Congress is expected to block a rail strike and impose contract terms on both sides if they can't come to an agreement before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-economy-business-congress-kansas-city-southern-0daad98e345804513ca568068303cd22">next month's deadline.</a>&nbsp;That's because the stakes are so high for the economy with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-strike-impact-5eb6747b3e4b4e39d764644d6377121d">so many businesses relying</a>&nbsp;on railroads to deliver their raw materials and finished products.When they’re not at the negotiating table, the railroads and unions will be lobbying Congress over the next few weeks about what should be included if lawmakers do decide to impose contract terms on the freight railroads.If the two biggest unions that represent conductors and engineers also reject their deals when they release the results of their votes next Monday, that would put additional pressure on the railroads. But Cardwell said he doesn't think even that would be enough to get the railroads to budge on sick time.The railroads declined to comment Monday on the status of the talks with the BMWED and Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen unions, but they have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">adamant</a>&nbsp;about not offering paid sick time. They say they believe the unions agreed to forego paid sick time over the years in favor of higher wages and strong short-term disability benefits.One reason the unions object to the railroads' refusal to offer sick time is because federal contractors are required by an executive order to give that to their employees. The railroads insisted they were federal contractors last year when they required employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine but now they say the sick time requirement doesn't apply to them.Hundreds of business groups have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b">written letters</a>&nbsp;to Biden and members of Congress urging them to be prepared to intervene in the contract dispute, if necessary. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh has said he is in daily contact with the railroads and unions urging them to work out a deal.

Third union rejects deal with nation's freight railroads

TOPEKA —A federal grand jury in Topeka, Kansas, returned a three-count indictment, unsealed Monday, charging former Kansas City Police Department detective Roger Golubski and three other men – Cecil Brooks, LeMark Roberson and Richard Robinson – with conspiring, decades ago, to hold young women in a condition of involuntary sexual servitude, according to a media release from the United State's Attorney.

Brooks, Roberson and Robinson are also charged in a substantive count with holding a young woman, identified as Person 1, in a condition of involuntary servitude; and Brooks, Roberson and Golubski are charged in a substantive count with holding another young woman, Person 2, in a condition of involuntary servitude.

According to the indictment, from 1996 through 1998, Brooks provided a location at Delevan Apartments in Kansas City, where young women were held and where Brooks, Roberson and Robinson used physical beatings, sexual assaults and threats to compel young women to provide sexual services to men. Then detective Golubski is alleged to have accepted money from Brooks; provided protection from law enforcement for the criminal activity, including sex trafficking; and forcibly raped the young woman identified as Person 2.

The first count of the indictment charges all four men with conspiring to hold young women, including Person 1 and Person 2, in a condition of involuntary servitude; the second count &nbsp;charges Brooks, Roberson, and Robinson with holding Person 1 in involuntary servitude and forcing her to provide sexual services to Roberson; and the third count charges Brooks, Roberson and Golubski with holding Person 2 in involuntary servitude and forcing her to provide sexual services to adult men, including Brooks, Roberson and Golubski.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Golubski was previously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-kansas-city-kansas-police-department-detective-indicted-sexual-assaults">charged</a>, in a separate indictment with civil rights violations for allegedly acting under color of law to commit aggravated sexual assaults.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard for the District of Kansas and Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Kansas City Field Office investigated the case in conjunction with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting for &nbsp;the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663616484786.png" alt="Golubski-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Golubski-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —A federal grand jury in Topeka, Kansas, returned a three-count indictment, unsealed Monday, charging former Kansas City Police Department detective Roger Golubski and three other men – Cecil Brooks, LeMark Roberson and Richard Robinson – with conspiring, decades ago, to hold young women in a condition of involuntary sexual servitude, according to a media release from the United State's Attorney.Brooks, Roberson and Robinson are also charged in a substantive count with holding a young woman, identified as Person 1, in a condition of involuntary servitude; and Brooks, Roberson and Golubski are charged in a substantive count with holding another young woman, Person 2, in a condition of involuntary servitude.According to the indictment, from 1996 through 1998, Brooks provided a location at Delevan Apartments in Kansas City, where young women were held and where Brooks, Roberson and Robinson used physical beatings, sexual assaults and threats to compel young women to provide sexual services to men. Then detective Golubski is alleged to have accepted money from Brooks; provided protection from law enforcement for the criminal activity, including sex trafficking; and forcibly raped the young woman identified as Person 2.The first count of the indictment charges all four men with conspiring to hold young women, including Person 1 and Person 2, in a condition of involuntary servitude; the second count &nbsp;charges Brooks, Roberson, and Robinson with holding Person 1 in involuntary servitude and forcing her to provide sexual services to Roberson; and the third count charges Brooks, Roberson and Golubski with holding Person 2 in involuntary servitude and forcing her to provide sexual services to adult men, including Brooks, Roberson and Golubski.If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.Golubski was previously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-kansas-city-kansas-police-department-detective-indicted-sexual-assaults">charged</a>, in a separate indictment with civil rights violations for allegedly acting under color of law to commit aggravated sexual assaults.Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard for the District of Kansas and Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.The FBI Kansas City Field Office investigated the case in conjunction with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting for &nbsp;the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

Former Kansas detective, 3 others accused of sex trafficking

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/14/kansas-gop-wants-to-sanction-republicans-who-signed-pyles-gubernatorial-petition/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Independent 
gubernatorial candidate Dennis Pyle’s post-election critique of why 
Republican Derek Schmidt lost to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly did nothing
 to soothe Kansas Republican Party leaders frustrated by Pyle’s 
insurgent conservative campaign.

Kelly prevailed with 490,208 or 49% of the vote to Schmidt’s 470,243 
or 47%. Pyle claimed 19,963 and Libertarian Seth Cordell took 10,854. 
Schmidt, the state’s three-term attorney general, received 90,000 fewer 
votes for governor than the average of five Kansas Republicans who won 
statewide office Nov. 8.

“Derek Schmidt didn’t perform,” said Pyle, a state senator from 
Hiawatha. “As much as Kansas desperately needed a conservative governor,
 the Republican Party gave us a candidate that could not and did not 
win. All said, Schmidt got the anti-Kelly vote. Period. The left-wing 
endorsements for Kelly gave her the win.”

He was referring to Republican support for Kelly by former U.S. Sen. 
Nancy Kassebaum, former Govs. Mike Hayden and Bill Graves, and former 
Kansas Senate President Steve Morris. Schmidt’s campaign painted 
crossover endorsements as inconsequential, while touting backing of 
Schmidt by former President Donald Trump and potential presidential 
candidate Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor.

State Sen. Mark Steffen and state Rep. Tatum Lee, both Republicans, 
did their part to further irritate Kansas GOP leadership by insisting 
the 19,963 votes received by Pyle didn’t cost Schmidt the race. Indeed, 
the latest unofficial results from the secretary of state’s office 
showed Kelly earned 19,965 votes more than Schmidt. If Pyle’s votes 
could somehow be erased, Kelly would have won a second term as governor 
of Kansas by a mere two votes.

Steffen said the gubernatorial race was lost to Kelly due to “rudderless leadership at the top of the Kansas Republican Party.”

“Throw in a weak
 candidate and a couple of former Republican governors, who are not 
Republicans, and here is four more years of insidious undermining of our
 Kansas way of life,” Steffen said.

Lee, who asserted the Republican Party was a cesspool of 
“establishment, uniparty elitism,” said the governor’s race in Kansas 
wasn’t about Pyle. She said it was about Schmidt being “slammed down our
 throats as a conservative when we all knew he wasn’t.”

On Monday in Johnson County, the Kansas GOP will flex its 
organizational muscle by invoking provisions of the party’s “loyalty 
clause” to oust from party committees the Republicans who signed the 
petition relied upon by Pyle to qualify for the November ballot. Pyle 
has served in the Legislature as a Republican, but severed his GOP 
registration to run as an independent.

Mike Kuckelman, chairman of the Kansas GOP, said in letters to 
alleged loyalty offenders that a signature on Pyle’s petition was 
compelling evidence of support for Pyle’s candidacy and a betrayal of 
Schmidt. The party can punish party officials for “any documented public
 action” in the form of donations, contributions or endorsements of a 
candidate other than the Republican nominee, Kuckelman said.

“Your signature on the Pyle petition wrongfully provided direct 
support of a candidate other than the Republican nominee,” Kuckelman 
said.

He said the state party’s loyalty committee voted unanimously Nov. 9 
to strip offenders of membership on any party committee and to revoke 
their capacity to take part in county reorganization meetings. Kuckelman
 didn’t respond to a request for comment about the purge.

Olathe resident Brian Herr, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for 
the Kansas House in August, said he signed Pyle’s petition, received a 
sanction letter from Kuckelman and appealed the loyalty committee’s 
decision to punish him.

In his defense, Herr said he wasn’t an elected official, district 
committee member, county central committee member or precinct 
committeeman at the time he signed Pyle’s petition during the summer.

“The petition I signed … does not state that I intended on voting for
 Dennis Pyle, but only that I nominate him as a candidate, which is not 
the same as an endorsement,” Herr said in his appeal letter. “I, in 
fact, voted for Derek Schmidt and (Schmidt runningmate) Katie Sawyer.”

Herr said he didn’t embrace Pyle’s campaign through personal social 
media accounts, conversations or public social media venues. He did post
 an item to Facebook debunking a mailer that attacked Schmidt.

In a political career of more than 20 years, Schmidt won reelection 
to the Kansas Senate twice without opposition and won election as 
attorney general with margins ranging from 109,000 votes in 2010, to 
280,000 votes in 2014 and 190,000 votes in 2018.

He had anticipated a tough 2022 primary for the Republican nomination
 for governor, but former Gov. Jeff Colyer withdrew from the race due to
 health issues.

That was before Kansas voters in August surprisingly rejected a 
proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that could have opened the
 path to a ban on abortion. It was before supporters of Kelly invested 
millions of dollars on advertising linking Schmidt to former GOP Gov. 
Sam Brownback, who left office in 2018 as one of the state’s most 
unpopular chief executives.

And, it was before Pyle submitted 8,800 petition signatures of 
registered voters, more than the required 5,000, to land on the November
 ballot.

In a concession statement, Schmidt didn’t mention abortion, Brownback or Pyle.

“If there is any disappointment beyond the immediate 
sting,” Schmidt said, “it is having witnessed up close the concerning 
tendency of modern political discourse to veer away from discussing the 
great public issues we must solve together.”

He said Kansas needed to focus on outmigration of young and
 old Kansans, effective management of water resources, high state and 
local taxes and archaic methods of delivering public services. He urged 
Kansas politicians to improve the public education system and resolve a 
structural imbalance in the state budget that haf been masked over.

“Over the course of this campaign, I had the great pleasure
 to talk with thousands of my fellow Kansans one-on-one and 
face-to-face,” he said. “I know their desire to solve these and other 
difficult problems is sincere and lasting — and I will continue to be 
among those who want to make our state better, despite the gravitational
 pull of modern politics and mass communication having largely obscured 
so much of that discussion.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668447194457.png" alt="Attorney General-elect Kris Kobach, left, chats with Kansas Republican Party chairman Mike Kuckelman, who is moving to sanction GOP members who signed the petition allowing state Sen. Dennis Pyle on the ballot as an independent candidate for governor. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Attorney General-elect Kris Kobach, left, chats with Kansas Republican Party chairman Mike Kuckelman, who is moving to sanction GOP members who signed the petition allowing state Sen. Dennis Pyle on the ballot as an independent candidate for governor. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/14/kansas-gop-wants-to-sanction-republicans-who-signed-pyles-gubernatorial-petition/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Independent 
gubernatorial candidate Dennis Pyle’s post-election critique of why 
Republican Derek Schmidt lost to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly did nothing
 to soothe Kansas Republican Party leaders frustrated by Pyle’s 
insurgent conservative campaign.Kelly prevailed with 490,208 or 49% of the vote to Schmidt’s 470,243 
or 47%. Pyle claimed 19,963 and Libertarian Seth Cordell took 10,854. 
Schmidt, the state’s three-term attorney general, received 90,000 fewer 
votes for governor than the average of five Kansas Republicans who won 
statewide office Nov. 8.“Derek Schmidt didn’t perform,” said Pyle, a state senator from 
Hiawatha. “As much as Kansas desperately needed a conservative governor,
 the Republican Party gave us a candidate that could not and did not 
win. All said, Schmidt got the anti-Kelly vote. Period. The left-wing 
endorsements for Kelly gave her the win.”He was referring to Republican support for Kelly by former U.S. Sen. 
Nancy Kassebaum, former Govs. Mike Hayden and Bill Graves, and former 
Kansas Senate President Steve Morris. Schmidt’s campaign painted 
crossover endorsements as inconsequential, while touting backing of 
Schmidt by former President Donald Trump and potential presidential 
candidate Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor.State Sen. Mark Steffen and state Rep. Tatum Lee, both Republicans, 
did their part to further irritate Kansas GOP leadership by insisting 
the 19,963 votes received by Pyle didn’t cost Schmidt the race. Indeed, 
the latest unofficial results from the secretary of state’s office 
showed Kelly earned 19,965 votes more than Schmidt. If Pyle’s votes 
could somehow be erased, Kelly would have won a second term as governor 
of Kansas by a mere two votes.Steffen said the gubernatorial race was lost to Kelly due to “rudderless leadership at the top of the Kansas Republican Party.”“Throw in a weak
 candidate and a couple of former Republican governors, who are not 
Republicans, and here is four more years of insidious undermining of our
 Kansas way of life,” Steffen said.Lee, who asserted the Republican Party was a cesspool of 
“establishment, uniparty elitism,” said the governor’s race in Kansas 
wasn’t about Pyle. She said it was about Schmidt being “slammed down our
 throats as a conservative when we all knew he wasn’t.”<h2>Loyalty committee hammer</h2>On Monday in Johnson County, the Kansas GOP will flex its 
organizational muscle by invoking provisions of the party’s “loyalty 
clause” to oust from party committees the Republicans who signed the 
petition relied upon by Pyle to qualify for the November ballot. Pyle 
has served in the Legislature as a Republican, but severed his GOP 
registration to run as an independent.Mike Kuckelman, chairman of the Kansas GOP, said in letters to 
alleged loyalty offenders that a signature on Pyle’s petition was 
compelling evidence of support for Pyle’s candidacy and a betrayal of 
Schmidt. The party can punish party officials for “any documented public
 action” in the form of donations, contributions or endorsements of a 
candidate other than the Republican nominee, Kuckelman said.“Your signature on the Pyle petition wrongfully provided direct 
support of a candidate other than the Republican nominee,” Kuckelman 
said.He said the state party’s loyalty committee voted unanimously Nov. 9 
to strip offenders of membership on any party committee and to revoke 
their capacity to take part in county reorganization meetings. Kuckelman
 didn’t respond to a request for comment about the purge.Olathe resident Brian Herr, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for 
the Kansas House in August, said he signed Pyle’s petition, received a 
sanction letter from Kuckelman and appealed the loyalty committee’s 
decision to punish him.In his defense, Herr said he wasn’t an elected official, district 
committee member, county central committee member or precinct 
committeeman at the time he signed Pyle’s petition during the summer.“The petition I signed … does not state that I intended on voting for
 Dennis Pyle, but only that I nominate him as a candidate, which is not 
the same as an endorsement,” Herr said in his appeal letter. “I, in 
fact, voted for Derek Schmidt and (Schmidt runningmate) Katie Sawyer.”Herr said he didn’t embrace Pyle’s campaign through personal social 
media accounts, conversations or public social media venues. He did post
 an item to Facebook debunking a mailer that attacked Schmidt.<h2>The last word</h2>In a political career of more than 20 years, Schmidt won reelection 
to the Kansas Senate twice without opposition and won election as 
attorney general with margins ranging from 109,000 votes in 2010, to 
280,000 votes in 2014 and 190,000 votes in 2018.He had anticipated a tough 2022 primary for the Republican nomination
 for governor, but former Gov. Jeff Colyer withdrew from the race due to
 health issues.That was before Kansas voters in August surprisingly rejected a 
proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that could have opened the
 path to a ban on abortion. It was before supporters of Kelly invested 
millions of dollars on advertising linking Schmidt to former GOP Gov. 
Sam Brownback, who left office in 2018 as one of the state’s most 
unpopular chief executives.And, it was before Pyle submitted 8,800 petition signatures of 
registered voters, more than the required 5,000, to land on the November
 ballot.In a concession statement, Schmidt didn’t mention abortion, Brownback or Pyle.“If there is any disappointment beyond the immediate 
sting,” Schmidt said, “it is having witnessed up close the concerning 
tendency of modern political discourse to veer away from discussing the 
great public issues we must solve together.”He said Kansas needed to focus on outmigration of young and
 old Kansans, effective management of water resources, high state and 
local taxes and archaic methods of delivering public services. He urged 
Kansas politicians to improve the public education system and resolve a 
structural imbalance in the state budget that haf been masked over.“Over the course of this campaign, I had the great pleasure
 to talk with thousands of my fellow Kansans one-on-one and 
face-to-face,” he said. “I know their desire to solve these and other 
difficult problems is sincere and lasting — and I will continue to be 
among those who want to make our state better, despite the gravitational
 pull of modern politics and mass communication having largely obscured 
so much of that discussion.”

Kan. GOP wants to sanction Republicans who signed Pyle petition

JEFFERSON COUNTY—A member of the<a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/433231/name-released-airman-killed-vehicle-accident?fbclid=IwAR1yEN7dnfecKKLMZNvIwIVFX6nUWF4Uf0nN9lA3fdAvJL8XIYzHaBXVjJA"> Kansas Air National Guard</a> has been identified as the driver who died in an accident just after 11p.m. Saturday in Jefferson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Chevy Silverado driven by Manuel&nbsp;Enriquez, 35, Kansas City, Mo., was eastbound on U.S. 24 just west of 3rd Street.

The pickup crossed the centerline and struck a westbound 2016 Chevy Cruz driven by 23-year-old Cheyanne Louise Branson, Diana, Texas.

Branson was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Barnett Family Funeral Hone. Enriquez was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

&nbsp;Staff Sgt. Branson was assigned to 190th Air Refueling Wing, Force Support Squadron and served 4 ½ years with the Kansas Air National Guard as a Career Development Specialist, <a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/433231/name-released-airman-killed-vehicle-accident?fbclid=IwAR1yEN7dnfecKKLMZNvIwIVFX6nUWF4Uf0nN9lA3fdAvJL8XIYzHaBXVjJA">according to a media release</a> from Kansas Air National Guard.

Manuel remains in custody in Jefferson County on requested charges of DUI,&nbsp;murder in the second degree; unintentional but reckless, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668460165789.png" alt="Staff Sgt. Cheyanne Louise Branson Photo By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1659916/?fbclid=IwAR1yEN7dnfecKKLMZNvIwIVFX6nUWF4Uf0nN9lA3fdAvJL8XIYzHaBXVjJA">1st Lt. Briell Zweygardt</a>" />
 <figcaption>Staff Sgt. Cheyanne Louise Branson Photo By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1659916/?fbclid=IwAR1yEN7dnfecKKLMZNvIwIVFX6nUWF4Uf0nN9lA3fdAvJL8XIYzHaBXVjJA">1st Lt. Briell Zweygardt</a></figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON COUNTY—A member of the<a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/433231/name-released-airman-killed-vehicle-accident?fbclid=IwAR1yEN7dnfecKKLMZNvIwIVFX6nUWF4Uf0nN9lA3fdAvJL8XIYzHaBXVjJA"> Kansas Air National Guard</a> has been identified as the driver who died in an accident just after 11p.m. Saturday in Jefferson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Chevy Silverado driven by Manuel&nbsp;Enriquez, 35, Kansas City, Mo., was eastbound on U.S. 24 just west of 3rd Street.The pickup crossed the centerline and struck a westbound 2016 Chevy Cruz driven by 23-year-old Cheyanne Louise Branson, Diana, Texas.Branson was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Barnett Family Funeral Hone. Enriquez was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.&nbsp;Staff Sgt. Branson was assigned to 190th Air Refueling Wing, Force Support Squadron and served 4 ½ years with the Kansas Air National Guard as a Career Development Specialist, <a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/433231/name-released-airman-killed-vehicle-accident?fbclid=IwAR1yEN7dnfecKKLMZNvIwIVFX6nUWF4Uf0nN9lA3fdAvJL8XIYzHaBXVjJA">according to a media release</a> from Kansas Air National Guard.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668461395036.png" alt="Manuel-photo Jefferson Co." />
 <figcaption>Manuel-photo Jefferson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Manuel remains in custody in Jefferson County on requested charges of DUI,&nbsp;murder in the second degree; unintentional but reckless, according to online jail records.

Kan. airman dies in head-on crash; driver jailed for alleged DUI

LAWRENCE—University of Kansas faculty and academic staff on the Lawrence and Edwards campuses announced Monday they are organizing a union to improve working conditions for educators and learning conditions for students, according to a statement from the organization.

United Academics of the University of Kansas (UAKU) would represent over 1,500 full-time and part-time tenured and non-tenured-track faculty; teaching, research, clinical and online professors; lecturers; curators; librarians; scientists who conduct grant-funded research and other categories of faculty and academic staff. The union would be affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers and the American Association of University Professors.

“KU has long enjoyed high rankings for academics and recognition as a premier research university, but that status is at risk. Faculty and academic staff need a voice in decisions, especially when the student experience is at stake,” said Lisa-Marie Wright, an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Sociology.

UAKU pointed to several issues that prompted the organizing campaign: KU’s recent attempt to suspend tenure and its over-reliance on short-term contracts for many teaching faculty, no voice in major decisions about academic programs, stagnant wages that are not competitive with other flagship universities, and a decline in state funding that hinders the kind of world-class research that benefits all Kansans.

“A union will help us retain outstanding teachers and researchers that provide the quality of education our students deserve,” said Berl Oakley, a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences.

“Collaboration is the best way to solve problems, but that can only be accomplished when faculty and academic staff have a recognized union. With a union, we can advocate for what’s best for our students and the university as a whole,” said Stephanie Meehan, a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing.

UAKU said it has been inspired by faculty organizing efforts on campuses nationwide, most recently at Miami University of Ohio, the University of New Mexico, the University of Oregon and the University of Illinois at Chicago. 

More than 300,000 faculty and staff at universities across the country already belong to AFT and AAUP-affiliated unions. In Kansas, other faculty unions include Pittsburg State University, Fort Hays State University and Johnson County Community College.

As public employees, KU faculty and academic staff have the legal right to form a union and collectively bargain, as guaranteed by the Kansas Public Employer-Employee Relations Act.

UAKU will be collecting union authorization cards over the coming months, with a secret ballot vote to officially form a union to follow, according to the release.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668454650573.png" alt="Attendance at the union launch event Monday -Photo courtesy UAKU&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Attendance at the union launch event Monday -Photo courtesy UAKU&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE—University of Kansas faculty and academic staff on the Lawrence and Edwards campuses announced Monday they are organizing a union to improve working conditions for educators and learning conditions for students, according to a statement from the organization.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Why are faculty and academic staff at the University of Kansas forming a union? We&#39;ll let them explain 🧵 <a href="https://twitter.com/AFTunion?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AFTunion</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AAUP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AAUP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreUAKU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreUAKU</a> <a href="https://t.co/qlDTH1BdEn">pic.twitter.com/qlDTH1BdEn</a>&mdash; UAKU (@WeAreUAKU) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeAreUAKU/status/1592225853546569729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>United Academics of the University of Kansas (UAKU) would represent over 1,500 full-time and part-time tenured and non-tenured-track faculty; teaching, research, clinical and online professors; lecturers; curators; librarians; scientists who conduct grant-funded research and other categories of faculty and academic staff. The union would be affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers and the American Association of University Professors.“KU has long enjoyed high rankings for academics and recognition as a premier research university, but that status is at risk. Faculty and academic staff need a voice in decisions, especially when the student experience is at stake,” said Lisa-Marie Wright, an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Sociology.UAKU pointed to several issues that prompted the organizing campaign: KU’s recent attempt to suspend tenure and its over-reliance on short-term contracts for many teaching faculty, no voice in major decisions about academic programs, stagnant wages that are not competitive with other flagship universities, and a decline in state funding that hinders the kind of world-class research that benefits all Kansans.“A union will help us retain outstanding teachers and researchers that provide the quality of education our students deserve,” said Berl Oakley, a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences.“Collaboration is the best way to solve problems, but that can only be accomplished when faculty and academic staff have a recognized union. With a union, we can advocate for what’s best for our students and the university as a whole,” said Stephanie Meehan, a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing.UAKU said it has been inspired by faculty organizing efforts on campuses nationwide, most recently at Miami University of Ohio, the University of New Mexico, the University of Oregon and the University of Illinois at Chicago. More than 300,000 faculty and staff at universities across the country already belong to AFT and AAUP-affiliated unions. In Kansas, other faculty unions include Pittsburg State University, Fort Hays State University and Johnson County Community College.As public employees, KU faculty and academic staff have the legal right to form a union and collectively bargain, as guaranteed by the Kansas Public Employer-Employee Relations Act.UAKU will be collecting union authorization cards over the coming months, with a secret ballot vote to officially form a union to follow, according to the release.

KU faculty, academic staff launch effort to organize a union

WASHINGTON (AP )—President Joe Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-biden-plan-d9c8e18774a744187c9af634bf4eb728">plan to forgive student loan debt</a>&nbsp;for millions of borrowers lost another battle in court on Monday when a federal appeals court panel agreed to a preliminary injunction halting the program while an appeal plays out.

The ruling by the three-judge panel from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis came days after a federal judge in Texas blocked the program, saying it usurped Congress' power to make laws. The Texas case was appealed and the administration is likely to appeal the 8th Circuit ruling as well.

The debt forgiveness plan would cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, would get an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven.

The cancellation applies to federal student loans used to attend undergraduate and graduate school, along with Parent Plus loans.

A federal judge on Oct. 20 allowed the program to proceed. But the 8th Circuit temporarily put the forgiveness plan on hold Oct. 21 while it considered an effort by the states of Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas and South Carolina to block the program.

The new ruling from the panel made up of three Republican appointees — one was appointed by President George W. Bush and two were appointed by President Donald Trump — extends the hold until the issue is resolved in court.

WASHINGTON (AP )—President Joe Biden’s plan to provide millions of borrowers with up to $20,000 apiece in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-biden-plan-d9c8e18774a744187c9af634bf4eb728">federal student-loan forgiveness</a>&nbsp;has been blocked by a second federal court, leaving millions of borrowers to wonder if they'll get debt relief at all.

On Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-texas-education-donald-trump-student-loans-f2e944d85e95792089fa1e2fb9858287">U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman ruled</a>&nbsp;that the program usurped Congress’ power to make laws. The administration immediately filed a notice to appeal.

It's not the only challenge the plan faces. Last month, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/st-louis-missouri-kansas-nebraska-education-9b73de3404719e08a3910ed58e8481c7">8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals</a>&nbsp;in St. Louis put loan forgiveness on temporary hold while it considers a challenge from Kansas and five other Republican-led states.

The fate of the plan will likely eventually end up in the Supreme Court, meaning a final decision is a ways off.

The debt forgiveness plan announced in August would cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, would get an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven.

College students qualify if their loans were disbursed before July 1. The plan makes 43 million borrowers eligible for some debt forgiveness, with 20 million who could get their debt erased entirely, according to the administration.

The Congressional Budget Office has said the program will cost about $400 billion over the next three decades.

The White House said 26 million people have applied for debt relief, and 16 million people had already had their relief approved.

Pittman — an appointee of former President Donald Trump based in Fort Worth, Texas — made it clear that he felt Biden overstepped his authority. He said the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003, commonly known as the HEROES Act, did not provide the authorization for the loan forgiveness program.

The law allows the secretary of education to waive or modify terms of federal student loans in times of war or national emergency. The administration said the COVID-19 pandemic created a national emergency.

But Pittman said such a massive program required clear congressional authorization.

THE PLAN FACES MANY OTHER LEGAL CHALLENGES

In September, the Republican-led states of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and South Carolina filed suit to halt the program, arguing that the pandemic no longer qualifies as a national emergency. Justice Department attorney Brian Netter disagreed, telling U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey in October that student loan defaults have skyrocketed over the past 2 1/2 years.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/st-louis-missouri-kansas-nebraska-education-1818db4383863111b0263125d2eed73c">Autrey ruled on Oct. 20</a>&nbsp;that the states lacked standing, allowing the forgiveness plan to proceed. But the 8th Circuit temporarily halted it the next day while it considers a permanent block. That decision is still pending.

The White House on Friday discontinued accepting&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief/application">student loan forgiveness applications</a>

The plan has faced other legal challenges. In October,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/justice-barrett-rejects-appeal-over-biden-student-debt-plan/">Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett rejected an appeal</a>&nbsp;from a Wisconsin taxpayers group. A federal judge had earlier dismissed the group’s lawsuit, finding they didn’t have the legal right, or standing, to bring the case.

THE TEXAS RULING WAS A BIGGER BLOW TO THE PLAN

Pittman’s decision strikes down the underlying legal argument used to justify Biden’s plan. Previously, the White House has been able to dodge legal attacks made in lawsuits by tweaking details of the program.

One lawsuit argued that the automatic debt cancellation would leave borrowers paying heavier taxes in states that impose a tax on canceled debt. The administration responded by allowing borrowers to opt out. Another suit alleged that Biden’s plan would hurt financial institutions that earn revenue on certain kinds of federal student loans. The White House responded by carving those loans out of the plan.

The new ruling, however, argues that the HEROES Act does not grant authority for mass debt cancellation. The law grants the Education Department wide flexibility during national emergencies, but the judge ruled that it’s unclear whether debt cancellation was a necessary response to COVID-19, noting that Biden recently declared the pandemic over.

The legal situation is complicated because of the numerous lawsuits. It's likely that the Texas case and the lawsuit filed by Kansas and fiver other states will be appealed to the Supreme Court. Before it reaches that level, the 5th and 8th Circuit appeals courts — both dominated by conservative judges — will rule separately in each case.

The case before the 8th Circuit could end up in the Supreme Court soon, since the six Republican-led states have asked the appeals court to keep the program on hold while the case plays out. If the appeals court grants that request, the administration will likely ask the Supreme Court to intervene. The states also could go to the high court if their request is denied.

Likewise, the administration has signaled it will appeal the Texas ruling. If the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is asked to block Pittman’s ruling pending appeal, the losing side could then turn to the Supreme Court.

In either case, appellate courts would not issue a final ruling on the validity of the program, but on whether it can go forward while challenges proceed.

At the same time, emergency orders can signal how courts will ultimately decide a case. In January, the Supreme Court consolidated challenges to the administration’s authority to impose a vaccine-or-testing requirement on the nation’s large employers. A few days after hearing arguments, the court split 6-3 to block the requirement, saying the challengers were likely to prevail in the end. A separate vaccine mandate for most health care workers was allowed to proceed when the court concluded that a challenge to it was likely to fail.

COMMON SEARCH: ‘IS STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS CANCELED?’

Borrowers are confused about whether their debt will be canceled, or if they'll have to resume making payments on Jan. 1, when a pause prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic is set to expire.

After the Texas ruling, many hit the internet, asking Google: “Is student loan forgiveness canceled?” Overall search traffic for “student loan forgiveness” quadrupled Thursday night and had increased nearly tenfold by Friday morning, according to Google Trends data.

Some borrowers said they were skeptical they would ever see the relief, anyway.Brenna Zimmerman, who graduated from Kansas State University in 2021 with about $30,000 in debt, called the debt forgiveness “a little bit too good to be true." And even though the program would benefit her, Zimmerman, 24, now a graphics coordinator at a packaging company, wonders if it's a good idea.

“I think I’d be a fool not to apply," she said, adding, “I don’t think it’s necessarily fair, especially to people who chose not to go to school.”

Lauren Pete, a 20-year-old junior at Louisiana State University, has $10,000 in student debt and is hoping to go to graduate school. She called the benefits of the loan forgiveness program “a dream come true” that would ease the financial burden for her and for her parents, who didn’t go to college and worked hard to help her with tuition.

“All I want to do is make them proud and make this process much easier for them, especially because I have a younger brother who’s going to be starting (college) next fall,” Pete said.

When 25-year-old Hofstra University graduate Sarah Puckett heard about the plan, she couldn’t believe she might have some of her $26,000 debt forgiven.

“I was frantically calling my dad, frantically saying, what does this mean?” Puckett, now a TV producer for a true crime network, said. “Is this real? I feel like they’re going to take it away from us. I don’t believe it.”

Now, she worries that it really was too good to be true.

“I’m so excited to have applied, but you know, I’m not going to take it to the bank until I see that it’s actually happened,” Puckett said.

Frederick Bell, 30, of New Orleans, has $23,000 in student loan debt and was hopeful to be excused of all but $3,000 of that amount. The 2014 graduate of the University of Washington said being free from debt would allow him to consider furthering his education or buying a house.

“This (Texas) ruling definitely kind of like burst a lot of people’s dreams when it came to the financial freedom after this relief,” Bell said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668197313548.png" alt="The Student Loan relief web site was shut down late last week" />
 <figcaption>The Student Loan relief web site was shut down late last week</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM SALTER&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP )—President Joe Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-biden-plan-d9c8e18774a744187c9af634bf4eb728">plan to forgive student loan debt</a>&nbsp;for millions of borrowers lost another battle in court on Monday when a federal appeals court panel agreed to a preliminary injunction halting the program while an appeal plays out.The ruling by the three-judge panel from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis came days after a federal judge in Texas blocked the program, saying it usurped Congress' power to make laws. The Texas case was appealed and the administration is likely to appeal the 8th Circuit ruling as well.The debt forgiveness plan would cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, would get an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven.The cancellation applies to federal student loans used to attend undergraduate and graduate school, along with Parent Plus loans.A federal judge on Oct. 20 allowed the program to proceed. But the 8th Circuit temporarily put the forgiveness plan on hold Oct. 21 while it considered an effort by the states of Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas and South Carolina to block the program.The new ruling from the panel made up of three Republican appointees — one was appointed by President George W. Bush and two were appointed by President Donald Trump — extends the hold until the issue is resolved in court.--------------By JIM SALTER&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP )—President Joe Biden’s plan to provide millions of borrowers with up to $20,000 apiece in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-biden-plan-d9c8e18774a744187c9af634bf4eb728">federal student-loan forgiveness</a>&nbsp;has been blocked by a second federal court, leaving millions of borrowers to wonder if they'll get debt relief at all.On Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-texas-education-donald-trump-student-loans-f2e944d85e95792089fa1e2fb9858287">U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman ruled</a>&nbsp;that the program usurped Congress’ power to make laws. The administration immediately filed a notice to appeal.It's not the only challenge the plan faces. Last month, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/st-louis-missouri-kansas-nebraska-education-9b73de3404719e08a3910ed58e8481c7">8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals</a>&nbsp;in St. Louis put loan forgiveness on temporary hold while it considers a challenge from Kansas and five other Republican-led states.The fate of the plan will likely eventually end up in the Supreme Court, meaning a final decision is a ways off.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668197313548.png" alt="The Student Loan relief web site was shut down late last week" />
 <figcaption>The Student Loan relief web site was shut down late last week</figcaption>
 </figure>Here's where things stand:HOW THE FORGIVENESS PLAN WORKSThe debt forgiveness plan announced in August would cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, would get an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven.College students qualify if their loans were disbursed before July 1. The plan makes 43 million borrowers eligible for some debt forgiveness, with 20 million who could get their debt erased entirely, according to the administration.The Congressional Budget Office has said the program will cost about $400 billion over the next three decades.The White House said 26 million people have applied for debt relief, and 16 million people had already had their relief approved.THE TEXAS CASEPittman — an appointee of former President Donald Trump based in Fort Worth, Texas — made it clear that he felt Biden overstepped his authority. He said the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003, commonly known as the HEROES Act, did not provide the authorization for the loan forgiveness program.The law allows the secretary of education to waive or modify terms of federal student loans in times of war or national emergency. The administration said the COVID-19 pandemic created a national emergency.But Pittman said such a massive program required clear congressional authorization.THE PLAN FACES MANY OTHER LEGAL CHALLENGESIn September, the Republican-led states of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and South Carolina filed suit to halt the program, arguing that the pandemic no longer qualifies as a national emergency. Justice Department attorney Brian Netter disagreed, telling U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey in October that student loan defaults have skyrocketed over the past 2 1/2 years.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/st-louis-missouri-kansas-nebraska-education-1818db4383863111b0263125d2eed73c">Autrey ruled on Oct. 20</a>&nbsp;that the states lacked standing, allowing the forgiveness plan to proceed. But the 8th Circuit temporarily halted it the next day while it considers a permanent block. That decision is still pending.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668197313548.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The White House on Friday discontinued accepting&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief/application">student loan forgiveness applications</a>The plan has faced other legal challenges. In October,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/justice-barrett-rejects-appeal-over-biden-student-debt-plan/">Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett rejected an appeal</a>&nbsp;from a Wisconsin taxpayers group. A federal judge had earlier dismissed the group’s lawsuit, finding they didn’t have the legal right, or standing, to bring the case.THE TEXAS RULING WAS A BIGGER BLOW TO THE PLANPittman’s decision strikes down the underlying legal argument used to justify Biden’s plan. Previously, the White House has been able to dodge legal attacks made in lawsuits by tweaking details of the program.One lawsuit argued that the automatic debt cancellation would leave borrowers paying heavier taxes in states that impose a tax on canceled debt. The administration responded by allowing borrowers to opt out. Another suit alleged that Biden’s plan would hurt financial institutions that earn revenue on certain kinds of federal student loans. The White House responded by carving those loans out of the plan.The new ruling, however, argues that the HEROES Act does not grant authority for mass debt cancellation. The law grants the Education Department wide flexibility during national emergencies, but the judge ruled that it’s unclear whether debt cancellation was a necessary response to COVID-19, noting that Biden recently declared the pandemic over.SUPREME COURT-BOUND?The legal situation is complicated because of the numerous lawsuits. It's likely that the Texas case and the lawsuit filed by Kansas and fiver other states will be appealed to the Supreme Court. Before it reaches that level, the 5th and 8th Circuit appeals courts — both dominated by conservative judges — will rule separately in each case.The case before the 8th Circuit could end up in the Supreme Court soon, since the six Republican-led states have asked the appeals court to keep the program on hold while the case plays out. If the appeals court grants that request, the administration will likely ask the Supreme Court to intervene. The states also could go to the high court if their request is denied.Likewise, the administration has signaled it will appeal the Texas ruling. If the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is asked to block Pittman’s ruling pending appeal, the losing side could then turn to the Supreme Court.In either case, appellate courts would not issue a final ruling on the validity of the program, but on whether it can go forward while challenges proceed.At the same time, emergency orders can signal how courts will ultimately decide a case. In January, the Supreme Court consolidated challenges to the administration’s authority to impose a vaccine-or-testing requirement on the nation’s large employers. A few days after hearing arguments, the court split 6-3 to block the requirement, saying the challengers were likely to prevail in the end. A separate vaccine mandate for most health care workers was allowed to proceed when the court concluded that a challenge to it was likely to fail.COMMON SEARCH: ‘IS STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS CANCELED?’Borrowers are confused about whether their debt will be canceled, or if they'll have to resume making payments on Jan. 1, when a pause prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic is set to expire.After the Texas ruling, many hit the internet, asking Google: “Is student loan forgiveness canceled?” Overall search traffic for “student loan forgiveness” quadrupled Thursday night and had increased nearly tenfold by Friday morning, according to Google Trends data.Some borrowers said they were skeptical they would ever see the relief, anyway.Brenna Zimmerman, who graduated from Kansas State University in 2021 with about $30,000 in debt, called the debt forgiveness “a little bit too good to be true." And even though the program would benefit her, Zimmerman, 24, now a graphics coordinator at a packaging company, wonders if it's a good idea.“I think I’d be a fool not to apply," she said, adding, “I don’t think it’s necessarily fair, especially to people who chose not to go to school.”Lauren Pete, a 20-year-old junior at Louisiana State University, has $10,000 in student debt and is hoping to go to graduate school. She called the benefits of the loan forgiveness program “a dream come true” that would ease the financial burden for her and for her parents, who didn’t go to college and worked hard to help her with tuition.“All I want to do is make them proud and make this process much easier for them, especially because I have a younger brother who’s going to be starting (college) next fall,” Pete said.When 25-year-old Hofstra University graduate Sarah Puckett heard about the plan, she couldn’t believe she might have some of her $26,000 debt forgiven.“I was frantically calling my dad, frantically saying, what does this mean?” Puckett, now a TV producer for a true crime network, said. “Is this real? I feel like they’re going to take it away from us. I don’t believe it.”Now, she worries that it really was too good to be true.“I’m so excited to have applied, but you know, I’m not going to take it to the bank until I see that it’s actually happened,” Puckett said.Frederick Bell, 30, of New Orleans, has $23,000 in student loan debt and was hopeful to be excused of all but $3,000 of that amount. The 2014 graduate of the University of Washington said being free from debt would allow him to consider furthering his education or buying a house.“This (Texas) ruling definitely kind of like burst a lot of people’s dreams when it came to the financial freedom after this relief,” Bell said.___

Appeals court keeps Biden student debt plan on hold

A band in the Rock an Roll Hall of Fame is coming to Salina's Stiefel Theatre in May.

Chicago is scheduled to perform at 7:30 p.m. May 23 in the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe Avenue.

Tickets start at $93 and go on sale at noon on Friday. Buy online at www.stiefeltheatre.org or by calling the Stiefel at 785-827-1998. The Stiefel box office is open for phone or walk-up sales from noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

About Chicago as provide by the Stiefel Theatre

Hailed as one of the “most important bands in music since the dawn of the rock and roll era, the legendary rock and roll band with horns, Chicago, came in as the highest charting American band in Billboard Magazine’s Top 125 Artists Of All Time. And Chicago is the first American rock band to chart Top 40 albums in six consecutive decades.

Multi-Grammy award winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Chicago released its 38th studio album, Born for This Moment, on July 15 via BMG on the heels of the previously released single, If This is Goodbye, now climbing the charts of radio.

Featuring the signature sounds Chicago fans have come to love, Born for This Moment, produced by Joe Thomas, captures the true heart of this legendary band. Over the entire course of 14 vibrant new songs, Born for This Moment encapsulates the unique blend of award-winning and personal songwriting, multilayered harmonic vocalizations, and world-class arrangements that have been electrifying audiences across the globe for decades.

On Sept. 30, Gravitas Ventures released Chicago’s documentary The Last Band on Stage directed by Peter Curtis Pardini and narrated by the band’s longtime friend and actor Joe Mantegna. On March 14, 2020, Chicago was the last band playing in the U.S. as COVID lockdowns begin. The Last Band on Stage tells the incredible story of how the 55-year-old band survived a pandemic that stopped the world in its tracks.

“Chicago has faced many obstacles in lasting 55 years, but the pandemic was possibly their greatest challenge. I’m excited for people to see the story of how they got back to the stage to continue performing,” said director Peter Curtis Pardini. “We’re excited to be bringing The Last Band on Stage to audiences worldwide. This funny and informative documentary offers an inside look at how the legendary band Chicago were able to produce content even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Gravitas Ventures’ Acquisition Coordinator Mackenzie Maguire.

Chicago received The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the GRAMMYS. The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates performers who have made outstanding contributions of artistic significance to the field of recording. A special award ceremony and tribute concert celebrating the honorees was held in 2020.

Chicago was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. 

Chicago’s first album, Chicago Transit Authority, was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2014. Chicago managed to fuse pop, rock and jazz together perfectly in this double album.

Robert Lamm and James Pankow have become inductees of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017. These legendary songwriters wrote mega-hits such as, 25 or 6 to 4, Saturday In The Park, Feelin’ Stronger Every Day, Make Me Smile, and many others.

The International Trombone Association presented its 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award to James Pankow. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes people who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to the trombone profession over a long career.

Chicago’s lifetime achievements include two Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, Founding Artists of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Chicago street dedicated in their honor, and keys to and proclamations from an impressive list of US cities. Record sales top the 100,000,000 mark, and include 21 Top 10 singles, five consecutive No.1 albums, 11 No. 1 singles and five Gold singles. An incredible 25 of their 38 albums have been certified platinum, and the band has a total of 48 gold and platinum awards.

Chicago has toured every year since the beginning – they’ve never missed a year. The original three band members are Robert Lamm on keyboards and vocals, Lee Loughnane on trumpet and vocals and James Pankow on trombone. The band line-up also includes Wally Reyes, Jr. on drums, Tony Obrohta on guitar, Loren Gold on keyboards and vocals, Ray Herrmann on sax and flute, Neil Donell on vocals, Eric Baines on bass and Ramon “Ray” Yslas on percussion.

From the signature sound of the Chicago horns, their iconic vocalists, and a few dozen of ever-classic songs, this band’s concerts are celebrations.  2023 marks the band’s 56th consecutive year of touring!

Chicago continue to be true ambassadors for their beloved hometown, carrying the city’s name with pride and dignity around the world.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668455592156.jpeg" alt="Image courtesy Stiefel Theatre" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Stiefel Theatre</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTA band in the Rock an Roll Hall of Fame is coming to Salina's Stiefel Theatre in May.Chicago is scheduled to perform at 7:30 p.m. May 23 in the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe Avenue.Tickets start at $93 and go on sale at noon on Friday. Buy online at www.stiefeltheatre.org or by calling the Stiefel at 785-827-1998. The Stiefel box office is open for phone or walk-up sales from noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.About Chicago as provide by the Stiefel TheatreHailed as one of the “most important bands in music since the dawn of the rock and roll era, the legendary rock and roll band with horns, Chicago, came in as the highest charting American band in Billboard Magazine’s Top 125 Artists Of All Time. And Chicago is the first American rock band to chart Top 40 albums in six consecutive decades.Multi-Grammy award winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Chicago released its 38th studio album, Born for This Moment, on July 15 via BMG on the heels of the previously released single, If This is Goodbye, now climbing the charts of radio. Featuring the signature sounds Chicago fans have come to love, Born for This Moment, produced by Joe Thomas, captures the true heart of this legendary band. Over the entire course of 14 vibrant new songs, Born for This Moment encapsulates the unique blend of award-winning and personal songwriting, multilayered harmonic vocalizations, and world-class arrangements that have been electrifying audiences across the globe for decades.On Sept. 30, Gravitas Ventures released Chicago’s documentary The Last Band on Stage directed by Peter Curtis Pardini and narrated by the band’s longtime friend and actor Joe Mantegna. On March 14, 2020, Chicago was the last band playing in the U.S. as COVID lockdowns begin. The Last Band on Stage tells the incredible story of how the 55-year-old band survived a pandemic that stopped the world in its tracks.“Chicago has faced many obstacles in lasting 55 years, but the pandemic was possibly their greatest challenge. I’m excited for people to see the story of how they got back to the stage to continue performing,” said director Peter Curtis Pardini. “We’re excited to be bringing The Last Band on Stage to audiences worldwide. This funny and informative documentary offers an inside look at how the legendary band Chicago were able to produce content even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Gravitas Ventures’ Acquisition Coordinator Mackenzie Maguire.Chicago received The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the GRAMMYS. The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates performers who have made outstanding contributions of artistic significance to the field of recording. A special award ceremony and tribute concert celebrating the honorees was held in 2020.Chicago was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Chicago’s first album, Chicago Transit Authority, was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2014. Chicago managed to fuse pop, rock and jazz together perfectly in this double album.Robert Lamm and James Pankow have become inductees of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017. These legendary songwriters wrote mega-hits such as, 25 or 6 to 4, Saturday In The Park, Feelin’ Stronger Every Day, Make Me Smile, and many others.The International Trombone Association presented its 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award to James Pankow. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes people who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to the trombone profession over a long career.Chicago’s lifetime achievements include two Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, Founding Artists of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Chicago street dedicated in their honor, and keys to and proclamations from an impressive list of US cities. Record sales top the 100,000,000 mark, and include 21 Top 10 singles, five consecutive No.1 albums, 11 No. 1 singles and five Gold singles. An incredible 25 of their 38 albums have been certified platinum, and the band has a total of 48 gold and platinum awards.Chicago has toured every year since the beginning – they’ve never missed a year. The original three band members are Robert Lamm on keyboards and vocals, Lee Loughnane on trumpet and vocals and James Pankow on trombone. The band line-up also includes Wally Reyes, Jr. on drums, Tony Obrohta on guitar, Loren Gold on keyboards and vocals, Ray Herrmann on sax and flute, Neil Donell on vocals, Eric Baines on bass and Ramon “Ray” Yslas on percussion.From the signature sound of the Chicago horns, their iconic vocalists, and a few dozen of ever-classic songs, this band’s concerts are celebrations. 2023 marks the band’s 56th consecutive year of touring!Chicago continue to be true ambassadors for their beloved hometown, carrying the city’s name with pride and dignity around the world.

Chicago will play Salina's Stiefel Theatre this spring

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Ag Expo will return to Lincoln, NE on Dec. 6 to 8 for its 16th annual appearance at the Lancaster Event Center.

Spanning 9.2 acres, the Nebraska Ag Expo is the second largest indoor ag show in the United States, second only to the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, KY. More than 775 exhibitors will travel from 25 states and 6 Canadian provinces to display their latest products and services in front of Nebraskan producers.

For the first time, attendees can purchase their tickets to the Nebraska Ag Expo online in advance this year. Attendees can skip the line, pay for tickets in advance, and save $5 admission by registering online. Registration information like number of acres farmed, type(s) of livestock raised, and type(s) of crops grown is used for demographic, sponsor, and marketing purposes.

For more information, click <a href="https://nebraskaagexpo.com/">HERE</a>.

What else is new and noteworthy this year?

• Innovation Hub: Attendees will have a new centralized location called the Innovation Hub to discover the most innovative ag technology on the market today. From autonomous equipment to electric vehicles to robotics to artificial intelligence solutions and more, the Innovation Hub will be in Pavilion 3 of the Lancaster Event Center.

• ExpoEDU: Attendees will also be able to dive deeper into specific topics of interest with the new series of educational sessions called ExpoEDU. The speaker sessions will take place at the new ExpoEDU stage in Pavilion 3 of the Lancaster Event Center. ExpoEDU sessions are included with admission to the Nebraska Ag Expo.

• Career Exploration Event: The Nebraska Ag Expo will host a Career Exploration Event for middle and high school students during the show. Approximately 540 students will attend the event to learn about career opportunities available to them in the agriculture industry.

• Organic/Regenerative Ag Categories: Producers who are interested in organic farming and regenerative agriculture will now be able to find all companies in these categories in one place in Pavilion 3 in the Innovation Hub.

Regular admission is $10 at the door or $5 with advance registration. Each ticket is valid for all three days of the Nebraska Ag Expo. Children under 14 years old as well as students with a valid student ID receive free admission. Tickets purchased in advance are non-refundable.

The Nebraska Ag Expo will kick off at 8:30am on Tuesday, December 6. Hours are 8:30am-4:00pm
Tuesday and Wednesday and 8:30am-3:00pm Thursday. The Lancaster Event Center is located at 4100 N
85th Street in Lincoln, NE. Parking is free. ADA accessible parking is available close to the entrances of the
Lincoln Room, Pavilion 1, and Pavilion 3. Overnight visitors are recommended to book their stay with our
supporting hotels (visit nebraskaagexpo.com/lodging).


The Nebraska Ag Expo began in 2007 when it was known as the Nebraska Power Farming Show.
Produced by the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association (INEDA), the show was modeled after
INEDA’s successful Iowa Ag Expo, now in its 98th year.


<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668451536512.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN — The Nebraska Ag Expo will return to Lincoln, NE on Dec. 6 to 8 for its 16th annual appearance at the Lancaster Event Center.Spanning 9.2 acres, the Nebraska Ag Expo is the second largest indoor ag show in the United States, second only to the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, KY. More than 775 exhibitors will travel from 25 states and 6 Canadian provinces to display their latest products and services in front of Nebraskan producers.For the first time, attendees can purchase their tickets to the Nebraska Ag Expo online in advance this year. Attendees can skip the line, pay for tickets in advance, and save $5 admission by registering online. Registration information like number of acres farmed, type(s) of livestock raised, and type(s) of crops grown is used for demographic, sponsor, and marketing purposes.For more information, click <a href="https://nebraskaagexpo.com/">HERE</a>.What else is new and noteworthy this year?• Innovation Hub: Attendees will have a new centralized location called the Innovation Hub to discover the most innovative ag technology on the market today. From autonomous equipment to electric vehicles to robotics to artificial intelligence solutions and more, the Innovation Hub will be in Pavilion 3 of the Lancaster Event Center.• ExpoEDU: Attendees will also be able to dive deeper into specific topics of interest with the new series of educational sessions called ExpoEDU. The speaker sessions will take place at the new ExpoEDU stage in Pavilion 3 of the Lancaster Event Center. ExpoEDU sessions are included with admission to the Nebraska Ag Expo.• Career Exploration Event: The Nebraska Ag Expo will host a Career Exploration Event for middle and high school students during the show. Approximately 540 students will attend the event to learn about career opportunities available to them in the agriculture industry.• Organic/Regenerative Ag Categories: Producers who are interested in organic farming and regenerative agriculture will now be able to find all companies in these categories in one place in Pavilion 3 in the Innovation Hub.Regular admission is $10 at the door or $5 with advance registration. Each ticket is valid for all three days of the Nebraska Ag Expo. Children under 14 years old as well as students with a valid student ID receive free admission. Tickets purchased in advance are non-refundable.The Nebraska Ag Expo will kick off at 8:30am on Tuesday, December 6. Hours are 8:30am-4:00pm
Tuesday and Wednesday and 8:30am-3:00pm Thursday. The Lancaster Event Center is located at 4100 N
85th Street in Lincoln, NE. Parking is free. ADA accessible parking is available close to the entrances of the
Lincoln Room, Pavilion 1, and Pavilion 3. Overnight visitors are recommended to book their stay with our
supporting hotels (visit nebraskaagexpo.com/lodging).
The Nebraska Ag Expo began in 2007 when it was known as the Nebraska Power Farming Show.
Produced by the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association (INEDA), the show was modeled after
INEDA’s successful Iowa Ag Expo, now in its 98th year.
The timing and location of the show is ideal. Held in December, it appeals to producers and exhibitors
alike, with growers and ranchers taking advantage of year-end buying specials and exhibitors looking to
sell. Conveniently located on the eastern edge of Lincoln, the show also offers easy access without the
traffic and parking hassles typically found at urban shows.
In April 2020, the show was renamed the Nebraska Ag Expo to better reflect the evolution of agriculture
and the ag show. Growers are hungry for knowledge and eager to adopt innovation and new
technology, and that is what they will find at the Nebraska Ag Expo.
Stay up to date with the latest Nebraska Ag Expo news and events on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and
our website, NebraskaAgExpo.com.