FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple charges after a fight and altercation with police.

Just after 2:30p.m. Nov. 3, police were dispatched to the 900 block of N. 1st Street in Garden City for a fight in progress between three women, according to a media release.

Officers located two women fighting and separated them.The investigation revealed that 33-year-old Crystal Wettengel of Garden City and two women were hanging out when an argument ensued between Wettengel and one of the women. 

Wettengel struck the woman in the face, and the two women began fighting in the home.

The third woman attempted to break up the fight when Wettengel began attacking her.&nbsp; EMS transported Wettengel to St. Catherine Hospital for treatment of injuries. The other two women sustained minor injuries that did not require transport to the hospital.

While at the hospital, Wettengel allegedly made threats and became combative with several officers before being subdued and taken into custody. 

No officers were injured from the incident. Wettengel is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges that include Aggravated Battery, Interference Law enforcement officer, Mistreatment Elder Abuse,&nbsp; Battery, Battery of law enforcement offficer, Assault of law enforcement officer, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Criminal Threat and Criminal Damage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667581699406.png" alt="Wettengel-photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Wettengel-photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple charges after a fight and altercation with police.Just after 2:30p.m. Nov. 3, police were dispatched to the 900 block of N. 1st Street in Garden City for a fight in progress between three women, according to a media release.Officers located two women fighting and separated them.The investigation revealed that 33-year-old Crystal Wettengel of Garden City and two women were hanging out when an argument ensued between Wettengel and one of the women. Wettengel struck the woman in the face, and the two women began fighting in the home.The third woman attempted to break up the fight when Wettengel began attacking her.&nbsp; EMS transported Wettengel to St. Catherine Hospital for treatment of injuries. The other two women sustained minor injuries that did not require transport to the hospital.While at the hospital, Wettengel allegedly made threats and became combative with several officers before being subdued and taken into custody. No officers were injured from the incident. Wettengel is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges that include Aggravated Battery, Interference Law enforcement officer, Mistreatment Elder Abuse,&nbsp; Battery, Battery of law enforcement offficer, Assault of law enforcement officer, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Criminal Threat and Criminal Damage.

SW Kansas woman jailed after fight, altercation with police

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man faces felony charges after he fired a shot at a police officer, whose gun belt stopped the round and &nbsp;prevented injury to the officer, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Ryland E. Polson, 30, faces Assault 1st Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.

According to court records filed November 3, a police officer saw a disturbance involving multiple people at the BP Gas Station, 1116 South Crysler in Independence. 

Police dash cam video showed a man walking away from the disturbance. The officer eventually yelled at the man,, &nbsp;"Let me see your hands." 

The officer ordered the man to the ground, then the man pointed a handgun at the officer. He shot at the officer, who returned fire, striking the subject. 

The officer fell to the ground. The officer and bystanders pleaded with the man to drop his gun; they can be heard on the dash cam video. The man finally dropped the gun and officers rendered assistance to the man until an ambulance arrived. 

Later, it was discovered that the officer was shot, but the officer's gun belt stopped the round. His belt, handcuff case and holster were scuffed. The officer was uninjured. Prosecutors requested the defendant be held on no bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667662873897.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man faces felony charges after he fired a shot at a police officer, whose gun belt stopped the round and &nbsp;prevented injury to the officer, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Ryland E. Polson, 30, faces Assault 1st Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.According to court records filed November 3, a police officer saw a disturbance involving multiple people at the BP Gas Station, 1116 South Crysler in Independence. Police dash cam video showed a man walking away from the disturbance. The officer eventually yelled at the man,, &nbsp;"Let me see your hands." The officer ordered the man to the ground, then the man pointed a handgun at the officer. He shot at the officer, who returned fire, striking the subject. The officer fell to the ground. The officer and bystanders pleaded with the man to drop his gun; they can be heard on the dash cam video. The man finally dropped the gun and officers rendered assistance to the man until an ambulance arrived. Later, it was discovered that the officer was shot, but the officer's gun belt stopped the round. His belt, handcuff case and holster were scuffed. The officer was uninjured. Prosecutors requested the defendant be held on no bond.&nbsp;

KC-area officer's gun belt prevented injury in gunfight

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-monitor-polls-24-states-compliance-federal-voting-rights-laws">The Justice Department will send monitors</a>&nbsp;to 24 states in an effort to ensure compliance with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-releases-information-efforts-protect-right-vote-prosecute-election-fraud">federal voting rights laws</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">Tuesday's elections</a>.

The action, which occurs regularly on Election Day, comes as civil rights groups and the federal government have raised alarm over potential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-phoenix-5353cfd0774727e6dd03bdbf48c12211">voter intimidation</a>&nbsp;at some polling places and ballot boxes.

The 2022 election is playing out against the backdrop of persistent falsehoods made by former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">losing the 2020 vote</a>, a relentless campaign that will have implications as people cast their ballots.

Democrats, on the other hand, have expressed concerns over the potential for voter suppression.

The 64 jurisdictions where federal monitors — typically lawyers with the department’s civil rights division and U.S. attorney’s offices across the United States — are going include Maricopa County, Arizona, where there have been reports of people watching ballot boxes, sometimes armed or wearing ballistic vests. The Justice Department also announced it would be sending monitors to Cole County, Missouri, where&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MissouriSOS/status/1589381102095183872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">local elections officials</a>&nbsp;have said they would block the monitors.

The attorneys will be in regular touch with election officials in the locations and will watch for signs of disruption to voters’ ability to cast ballots. There is also a call-in line should voters feel they are suffering discrimination at a polling place.

The monitors are being sent to “protect the rights of voters,” as they have for decades, the Justice Department said Monday.

The monitors are lawyers who work for the U.S. government. They are not law enforcement officers or federal agents. They generally include lawyers from the Justice Department’s civil rights division and U.S. attorney’s offices across the nation. The government also sometimes brings in employees from other agencies, such as the Office of Personnel Management, who are authorized to act as monitors under a federal court order.

WHY ARE THEY BEING SENT TO WATCH ELECTION SITES?

The Justice Department has sent attorneys to monitor election sites and compliance with federal voting laws for more than five decades. The department’s civil rights lawyers are responsible for enforcing civil action tied to the voting statutes and protecting the right to vote.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/statutes-enforced-voting-section">The laws they enforce</a>&nbsp;include the Voting Rights Act, along with the National Voter Registration Act and other statutes. Prosecutors in the same division also enforce criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and efforts to suppress voting based on someone’s race, national origin or religion.

Some of the locations where they have been sent include areas where there were concerns in 2020, as well as locations where issues have already been raised this year.

WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN MARICOPA COUNTY?

The Justice Department has warned about the potential for violations of the Voting Rights Act after people, sometimes armed or wearing ballistic vests, were monitoring ballot boxes in Maricopa County. There was a lawsuit over the activity and the department filed a statement of interest in the case. Federal officials have said that while lawful poll watching can support transparency, “ballot security forces” present a significant risk of voter intimidation.

Republican election officials in Cole County have pushed back against the Justice Department’s efforts to review voting access in Missouri. Missouri’s secretary of state, Jay Ashcroft, says county clerk Steve Korsmeyer had declined the Justice Department’s efforts to monitor the polls, and Korsmeyer says he won't let them in if they show up.

Ashcroft accused the department of “trying to bully a hard working county official.”

In a Thursday email shared by Ashcroft, an assistant U.S. attorney told Korsmeyer that four Department of Justice staffers planned to visit polling sites on Election Day and briefly question poll officials as part of a review in coordination with the civil rights division.

“Rest assured that we understand that you will be administering the election and we will try to minimize the time we spend at each site,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Thomas wrote.

Reiterating his stance on Monday, Korsmeyer told The Associated Press, “The DOJ won’t be allowed into our polling locations," citing a state statue that gives him some leeway in deciding who, other than election workers, is allowed to enter polling places. But he said Justice Department officials he spoke with were “very respectful and said they wouldn’t enter our polling locations on Election Day.”

“We don’t expect any issues,” he said in an email to the AP.

The department confirmed that its monitors would remain outside.

The Justice Department plans to send the monitors to 64 jurisdictions in 24 different states.

They include: the city of Bethel, Dillingham Census Area, Kusilvak Census Area and Sitka City-Borough in Alaska; Maricopa County, Navajo County, Pima County, Pinal County and Yavapai County in Arizona; Newton County in Arkansas; Los Angeles County and Sonoma County in California; Broward County, Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County in Florida; Cobb County, Fulton County, Gwinnett County in Georgia; the town of Clinton, and the cities of Fitchburg, Leominster, Everett, Malden, Methuen, Randolph and Salem in Massachusetts; Prince George’s County in Maryland; Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Pontiac and Southfield in Michigan; Minneapolis, Hennepin and Ramsey counties in Minnesota; Cole County in Missouri; Alamance County, Columbus County, Harnett County, Mecklenburg County and Wayne County in North Carolina; Middlesex County in New Jersey Bernalillo County and San Juan County in New Mexico; Clark County and Washoe County in Nevada; the borough of Queens in New York City; Cuyahoga County in Ohio; Berks County, Centre County, Lehigh County, Luzerne County, Philadelphia County in Pennsylvania; the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; Horry County in South Carolina; Dallas County, Harris County and Waller County, Texas; San Juan County, Utah; Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park in Virginia; and Milwaukee and Racine, Wisconsin.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-monitor-polls-24-states-compliance-federal-voting-rights-laws">The Justice Department will send monitors</a>&nbsp;to 24 states in an effort to ensure compliance with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-releases-information-efforts-protect-right-vote-prosecute-election-fraud">federal voting rights laws</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">Tuesday's elections</a>.The action, which occurs regularly on Election Day, comes as civil rights groups and the federal government have raised alarm over potential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-phoenix-5353cfd0774727e6dd03bdbf48c12211">voter intimidation</a>&nbsp;at some polling places and ballot boxes.The 2022 election is playing out against the backdrop of persistent falsehoods made by former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">losing the 2020 vote</a>, a relentless campaign that will have implications as people cast their ballots.Democrats, on the other hand, have expressed concerns over the potential for voter suppression.The 64 jurisdictions where federal monitors — typically lawyers with the department’s civil rights division and U.S. attorney’s offices across the United States — are going include Maricopa County, Arizona, where there have been reports of people watching ballot boxes, sometimes armed or wearing ballistic vests. The Justice Department also announced it would be sending monitors to Cole County, Missouri, where&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MissouriSOS/status/1589381102095183872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">local elections officials</a>&nbsp;have said they would block the monitors.The attorneys will be in regular touch with election officials in the locations and will watch for signs of disruption to voters’ ability to cast ballots. There is also a call-in line should voters feel they are suffering discrimination at a polling place.The monitors are being sent to “protect the rights of voters,” as they have for decades, the Justice Department said Monday.A look at the monitors:WHO ARE THE ELECTION MONITORS?The monitors are lawyers who work for the U.S. government. They are not law enforcement officers or federal agents. They generally include lawyers from the Justice Department’s civil rights division and U.S. attorney’s offices across the nation. The government also sometimes brings in employees from other agencies, such as the Office of Personnel Management, who are authorized to act as monitors under a federal court order.___WHY ARE THEY BEING SENT TO WATCH ELECTION SITES?The Justice Department has sent attorneys to monitor election sites and compliance with federal voting laws for more than five decades. The department’s civil rights lawyers are responsible for enforcing civil action tied to the voting statutes and protecting the right to vote.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/statutes-enforced-voting-section">The laws they enforce</a>&nbsp;include the Voting Rights Act, along with the National Voter Registration Act and other statutes. Prosecutors in the same division also enforce criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and efforts to suppress voting based on someone’s race, national origin or religion.Some of the locations where they have been sent include areas where there were concerns in 2020, as well as locations where issues have already been raised this year.___WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN MARICOPA COUNTY?The Justice Department has warned about the potential for violations of the Voting Rights Act after people, sometimes armed or wearing ballistic vests, were monitoring ballot boxes in Maricopa County. There was a lawsuit over the activity and the department filed a statement of interest in the case. Federal officials have said that while lawful poll watching can support transparency, “ballot security forces” present a significant risk of voter intimidation.___WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY IN COLE COUNTY?Republican election officials in Cole County have pushed back against the Justice Department’s efforts to review voting access in Missouri. Missouri’s secretary of state, Jay Ashcroft, says county clerk Steve Korsmeyer had declined the Justice Department’s efforts to monitor the polls, and Korsmeyer says he won't let them in if they show up.Ashcroft accused the department of “trying to bully a hard working county official.”In a Thursday email shared by Ashcroft, an assistant U.S. attorney told Korsmeyer that four Department of Justice staffers planned to visit polling sites on Election Day and briefly question poll officials as part of a review in coordination with the civil rights division.“Rest assured that we understand that you will be administering the election and we will try to minimize the time we spend at each site,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Thomas wrote.Reiterating his stance on Monday, Korsmeyer told The Associated Press, “The DOJ won’t be allowed into our polling locations," citing a state statue that gives him some leeway in deciding who, other than election workers, is allowed to enter polling places. But he said Justice Department officials he spoke with were “very respectful and said they wouldn’t enter our polling locations on Election Day.”“We don’t expect any issues,” he said in an email to the AP.The department confirmed that its monitors would remain outside.___WHERE ARE THE MONITORS BEING SENT?The Justice Department plans to send the monitors to 64 jurisdictions in 24 different states.They include: the city of Bethel, Dillingham Census Area, Kusilvak Census Area and Sitka City-Borough in Alaska; Maricopa County, Navajo County, Pima County, Pinal County and Yavapai County in Arizona; Newton County in Arkansas; Los Angeles County and Sonoma County in California; Broward County, Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County in Florida; Cobb County, Fulton County, Gwinnett County in Georgia; the town of Clinton, and the cities of Fitchburg, Leominster, Everett, Malden, Methuen, Randolph and Salem in Massachusetts; Prince George’s County in Maryland; Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Pontiac and Southfield in Michigan; Minneapolis, Hennepin and Ramsey counties in Minnesota; Cole County in Missouri; Alamance County, Columbus County, Harnett County, Mecklenburg County and Wayne County in North Carolina; Middlesex County in New Jersey Bernalillo County and San Juan County in New Mexico; Clark County and Washoe County in Nevada; the borough of Queens in New York City; Cuyahoga County in Ohio; Berks County, Centre County, Lehigh County, Luzerne County, Philadelphia County in Pennsylvania; the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; Horry County in South Carolina; Dallas County, Harris County and Waller County, Texas; San Juan County, Utah; Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park in Virginia; and Milwaukee and Racine, Wisconsin.___

Justice Department to monitor voting rights across 24 states

RENO COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities arrested a Kansas felon who injured an officer while resisting on Sunday in Hutchinson.

Just after 4p.m., officers were sent to the 300 block of East 8th Street just&nbsp; for a loud music complaint.&nbsp; Gary McQueen, 45, was acting disorderly and so officers attempted to arrest him. McQueen resisted and one of the responding officers was injured.

EMS transported the officer&nbsp; to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment and he was released.

McQueen was booked on requested charges of Aggravated Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer and Interference with Law Enforcement. He has a previous conviction for driving while habitual violator, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667858228454.png" alt="McQueen has a previous conviction for driving while habitual violator, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.-photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>McQueen has a previous conviction for driving while habitual violator, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.-photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities arrested a Kansas felon who injured an officer while resisting on Sunday in Hutchinson.Just after 4p.m., officers were sent to the 300 block of East 8th Street just&nbsp; for a loud music complaint.&nbsp; Gary McQueen, 45, was acting disorderly and so officers attempted to arrest him. McQueen resisted and one of the responding officers was injured.EMS transported the officer&nbsp; to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment and he was released.McQueen was booked on requested charges of Aggravated Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer and Interference with Law Enforcement. He has a previous conviction for driving while habitual violator, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kan. officer injured while arresting felon for disorderly conduct

KANSAS CITY —Kansas City police officer Richard DuChaine saved a baby’s life last week.

On November 3, DuChaine and his officer Charles Owen, responded to a call for a 1-month-old girl who wasn’t breathing, according to a social media report from Kansas City Police.

Arriving before EMS, they sprinted into the house, where the father handed the baby over to DuChaine who began infant chest compressions followed by back thrusts. 

The baby started breathing again. DuChaine turned the baby on her side, and Officer Owen checked for obstructions.&nbsp; Later, the officers visited her in the hospital.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WbR-yM70Phg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>KANSAS CITY —Kansas City police officer Richard DuChaine saved a baby’s life last week.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667831626074.png" alt="Officer Richard DuChaine " />
 <figcaption>Officer Richard DuChaine </figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Here is the bodycam video (referenced earlier) of Officer Richard DuChaine saving the life of a 1-month-old girl. DuChaine was with his partner, Officer Charles Owen, Thursday when they were the first to arrive to a call for a baby who wasn’t breathing. Outstanding, officers! <a href="https://t.co/5o8C6r95Wp">pic.twitter.com/5o8C6r95Wp</a>&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1589706742392184832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On November 3, DuChaine and his officer Charles Owen, responded to a call for a 1-month-old girl who wasn’t breathing, according to a social media report from Kansas City Police.Arriving before EMS, they sprinted into the house, where the father handed the baby over to DuChaine who began infant chest compressions followed by back thrusts. The baby started breathing again. DuChaine turned the baby on her side, and Officer Owen checked for obstructions.&nbsp; Later, the officers visited her in the hospital.

🎥Kansas City officer saved 1-month-old baby's life

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged battery and arson involving a dispute in Riley County.

Just after 8p.m. Friday, officers filed a report for aggravated battery in the 12000 block of Blue River Hills Road, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

&nbsp;A 43-year-old man reported a 54-year-old suspect used his 2020 Dodge Ram and struck the victim's 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser that was parked on the side of the road following an argument between the two.

A few hours later at 1a.m. Saturday, officers also filed a report for arson . in the 3800 block of W. 69th Ave. after responding to a report of the Dodge Ram that hit the victim's car was on fire. Riley County Fire District #1 responded as well to extinguish the fire.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667667879206.jpeg" alt="Remnants from car fire on W 69th, photo by Wayne Goff" />
 <figcaption>Remnants from car fire on W 69th, photo by Wayne Goff</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged battery and arson involving a dispute in Riley County.Just after 8p.m. Friday, officers filed a report for aggravated battery in the 12000 block of Blue River Hills Road, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.&nbsp;A 43-year-old man reported a 54-year-old suspect used his 2020 Dodge Ram and struck the victim's 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser that was parked on the side of the road following an argument between the two.A few hours later at 1a.m. Saturday, officers also filed a report for arson . in the 3800 block of W. 69th Ave. after responding to a report of the Dodge Ram that hit the victim's car was on fire. Riley County Fire District #1 responded as well to extinguish the fire.&nbsp;

Kan. arson investigation: Suspect used pickup to damage SUV

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — When Planned Parenthood decided four years ago to open a new clinic in a medically underserved working-class neighborhood here, it envisioned a place that would save women living nearby from having to take hourslong bus rides to obtain birth control, testing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">or an abortion</a>.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">decision overturning Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;— four days before the clinic opened — changed all that. Because Kansas is one of the few states in the region where abortion remains legal, the clinic soon found itself inundated with calls not just from panicked patients in Kansas and nearby Missouri, but also in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas — even as far away as Louisiana.

This clinic and other Planned Parenthood centers in Kansas have been doing their best to help by lengthening hours, hiring staff and flying in physicians. Still, they have only been able to take about 10% to 15% of the patients seeking abortions.

"The ecosystem, it’s not even fragile. It’s broken,” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains. “I think there’s a perception that if you are seeking care, you can find it somewhere. And that’s not true.”

Haley Ruark, of Platte City, Missouri, was able to get an appointment on a recent Wednesday after a two-week wait — longer than she wanted but better than driving hundreds of miles west to Colorado.

Ruark had panicked after a series of birth control mishaps. First a condom broke and then, despite using the morning-after pill, a pregnancy test came back positive. Missouri bans abortion in all cases but medical emergencies.

“It was just idiotic for a law to be put in place that you can’t do what you feel is necessary for your body and not even your body, but your mental health also,” Ruark said.

She already balances working 12-hour shifts as a patient care technician at a hospital with caring for her 2- and 6-year-olds.

“The two kids, like they’re good, you know, ends are met,” she said. “Bringing a baby into that, I just don’t think that that would be a good idea right now.”

Ruark walked past shouting protesters to get inside the new clinic. It took her almost two hours to get the abortion pill after meeting with Dr. Elizabeth Brett Daily. By law, Daily only needed to wait 30 minutes after Ruark's arrival to dispense the medication, but the clinic was busy.

Thousands of patients likely aren't getting appointments at all, according to a national tracking effort called #WeCount, which is led by the Society of Family Planning, a nonprofit organization that promotes research on abortion and contraception.

The society's report, released in October, found 6% fewer abortions were administered nationwide in August — when many of the more-restrictive bans on abortion had taken effect — compared with the number of abortions administered nationwide in April, before Roe was overturned.

Some of the states with bans saw the number of abortions drop from as many as 2,770 in April to below 10 in August, while bordering states that still permit the procedure saw their abortion numbers ramp up, the survey found. In Kansas, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska and North Carolina, the number of abortions administered in August was at least 30% higher than the number administered in April. In Illinois, 28% more abortions were administered in August than in April.

The study had some limitations, including that only 79% of all identified abortion providers — including clinics, private medical offices and hospitals — provided data. The society says the figures represent an estimated 82% of all abortions provided nationwide.

Few outside Kansas anticipated the state would take on this larger role providing abortions, said Elizabeth Nash, principal policy associate for state issues for the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

“It’s a pretty conservative place. You know, it’s not like Colorado or Illinois where people have been thinking these will definitely be access points," Nash said.

Abortion opponents have been influential in Kansas politics since the 1991&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/66396619da3f451dabe4e996406bb4bd">Summer of Mercy</a>&nbsp;protests in Wichita, when thousands of anti-abortion activists gathered in Wichita, sparking protests that led to nearly 2,700 arrests.

The picture may be changing. Voters continue to elect large anti-abortion majorities to the Legislature, but in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">they overwhelmingly rejected</a>&nbsp;a constitutional amendment that would have cleared the way for tougher abortion restrictions or a ban.

Abortion demand in Kansas promises only to grow. While the procedure remains legal in neighboring Iowa and Nebraska, both are conservative and Nash described the states as “bans in waiting.”

Routinely, staff are turning away patients seeking appointments at the new clinic and the two other abortion clinics Planned Parenthood operates in Kansas, telling them they don’t keep a waiting list, and if they can get an appointment in Colorado or New Mexico to take it.

But there are no guarantees in those two states either, said Dr. Kristina Tocce, medical director for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

“I hypothesize that for every patient that can get to us and that we can see there are many patients who are not able to access care," Tocce said, adding that the number of out-of-state patients has soared.

Getting an appointment in Kansas City is luck of the draw. Local patients aren’t prioritized, but have an advantage because it is easier for them to make it to mid-week consultations. Planned Parenthood leaders said adding a fourth clinic is among the options under consideration to increase access, but they haven't released details.

Daily, of the new Kansas clinic, said she was drawn to the work after a stint with the Peace Corps in the West African nation of Togo. She saw sexual assault victims and “many, many" women and their babies die during childbirth.

The doctor sees horrific stories here, too. A recent abortion patient was 13, her face so bruised from the assault she endured that she could barely open one of her eyes in the waiting room.

Daily likens getting an appointment for an abortion these days to winning the lottery.

“Think about our current health care system and how hard it is just to get like a primary care visit," she said. “Times that by a thousand because that’s how hard it is for abortion care nowadays."

Among the patients Daily saw recently was a 29-year-old mother of two who asked that her name not be used because she didn't want her family and acquaintances to know. The woman said she initially had planned to carry her pregnancy to term. But then her 3-year-old daughter had a terrifying 40-minute seizure, which temporarily paralyzed her. It was her 13th major seizure in the past year.

Doctors intubated the little girl, and the woman hastily arranged for her 9-month-old son to be with his father. The couple had separated, so she sat by her daughter's bedside alone.

“I thought to myself, ‘It’s not fair, you know, to not be able to give another child my full attention."

She knows some people won’t understand her decision.

“People are just quick to judge," she said. “A lot of people have religious beliefs. ‘Oh, no. You can’t do that.' But for me, I just don’t think people take the time to get to know somebody and realize what their situation really is."

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — When Planned Parenthood decided four years ago to open a new clinic in a medically underserved working-class neighborhood here, it envisioned a place that would save women living nearby from having to take hourslong bus rides to obtain birth control, testing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">or an abortion</a>.The U.S. Supreme Court’s June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">decision overturning Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;— four days before the clinic opened — changed all that. Because Kansas is one of the few states in the region where abortion remains legal, the clinic soon found itself inundated with calls not just from panicked patients in Kansas and nearby Missouri, but also in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas — even as far away as Louisiana.This clinic and other Planned Parenthood centers in Kansas have been doing their best to help by lengthening hours, hiring staff and flying in physicians. Still, they have only been able to take about 10% to 15% of the patients seeking abortions."The ecosystem, it’s not even fragile. It’s broken,” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains. “I think there’s a perception that if you are seeking care, you can find it somewhere. And that’s not true.”Haley Ruark, of Platte City, Missouri, was able to get an appointment on a recent Wednesday after a two-week wait — longer than she wanted but better than driving hundreds of miles west to Colorado.Ruark had panicked after a series of birth control mishaps. First a condom broke and then, despite using the morning-after pill, a pregnancy test came back positive. Missouri bans abortion in all cases but medical emergencies.“It was just idiotic for a law to be put in place that you can’t do what you feel is necessary for your body and not even your body, but your mental health also,” Ruark said.She already balances working 12-hour shifts as a patient care technician at a hospital with caring for her 2- and 6-year-olds.“The two kids, like they’re good, you know, ends are met,” she said. “Bringing a baby into that, I just don’t think that that would be a good idea right now.”Ruark walked past shouting protesters to get inside the new clinic. It took her almost two hours to get the abortion pill after meeting with Dr. Elizabeth Brett Daily. By law, Daily only needed to wait 30 minutes after Ruark's arrival to dispense the medication, but the clinic was busy.Thousands of patients likely aren't getting appointments at all, according to a national tracking effort called #WeCount, which is led by the Society of Family Planning, a nonprofit organization that promotes research on abortion and contraception.The society's report, released in October, found 6% fewer abortions were administered nationwide in August — when many of the more-restrictive bans on abortion had taken effect — compared with the number of abortions administered nationwide in April, before Roe was overturned.Some of the states with bans saw the number of abortions drop from as many as 2,770 in April to below 10 in August, while bordering states that still permit the procedure saw their abortion numbers ramp up, the survey found. In Kansas, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska and North Carolina, the number of abortions administered in August was at least 30% higher than the number administered in April. In Illinois, 28% more abortions were administered in August than in April.The study had some limitations, including that only 79% of all identified abortion providers — including clinics, private medical offices and hospitals — provided data. The society says the figures represent an estimated 82% of all abortions provided nationwide.Few outside Kansas anticipated the state would take on this larger role providing abortions, said Elizabeth Nash, principal policy associate for state issues for the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.“It’s a pretty conservative place. You know, it’s not like Colorado or Illinois where people have been thinking these will definitely be access points," Nash said.Abortion opponents have been influential in Kansas politics since the 1991&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/66396619da3f451dabe4e996406bb4bd">Summer of Mercy</a>&nbsp;protests in Wichita, when thousands of anti-abortion activists gathered in Wichita, sparking protests that led to nearly 2,700 arrests.The picture may be changing. Voters continue to elect large anti-abortion majorities to the Legislature, but in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">they overwhelmingly rejected</a>&nbsp;a constitutional amendment that would have cleared the way for tougher abortion restrictions or a ban.Abortion demand in Kansas promises only to grow. While the procedure remains legal in neighboring Iowa and Nebraska, both are conservative and Nash described the states as “bans in waiting.”Routinely, staff are turning away patients seeking appointments at the new clinic and the two other abortion clinics Planned Parenthood operates in Kansas, telling them they don’t keep a waiting list, and if they can get an appointment in Colorado or New Mexico to take it.But there are no guarantees in those two states either, said Dr. Kristina Tocce, medical director for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.“I hypothesize that for every patient that can get to us and that we can see there are many patients who are not able to access care," Tocce said, adding that the number of out-of-state patients has soared.Getting an appointment in Kansas City is luck of the draw. Local patients aren’t prioritized, but have an advantage because it is easier for them to make it to mid-week consultations. Planned Parenthood leaders said adding a fourth clinic is among the options under consideration to increase access, but they haven't released details.Daily, of the new Kansas clinic, said she was drawn to the work after a stint with the Peace Corps in the West African nation of Togo. She saw sexual assault victims and “many, many" women and their babies die during childbirth.The doctor sees horrific stories here, too. A recent abortion patient was 13, her face so bruised from the assault she endured that she could barely open one of her eyes in the waiting room.Daily likens getting an appointment for an abortion these days to winning the lottery.“Think about our current health care system and how hard it is just to get like a primary care visit," she said. “Times that by a thousand because that’s how hard it is for abortion care nowadays."Among the patients Daily saw recently was a 29-year-old mother of two who asked that her name not be used because she didn't want her family and acquaintances to know. The woman said she initially had planned to carry her pregnancy to term. But then her 3-year-old daughter had a terrifying 40-minute seizure, which temporarily paralyzed her. It was her 13th major seizure in the past year.Doctors intubated the little girl, and the woman hastily arranged for her 9-month-old son to be with his father. The couple had separated, so she sat by her daughter's bedside alone.“I thought to myself, ‘It’s not fair, you know, to not be able to give another child my full attention."She knows some people won’t understand her decision.“People are just quick to judge," she said. “A lot of people have religious beliefs. ‘Oh, no. You can’t do that.' But for me, I just don’t think people take the time to get to know somebody and realize what their situation really is."

Kan. abortion clinic that opened days after Roe fell is inundated

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/06/kansas-top-election-official-predicts-1-million-voters-to-make-voices-heard-in-2022/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas election official Scott Schwab predicts turnout in 
the Tuesday general election could hit 53% given absence of an 
attention-grabbing presidential contest and competitiveness in only a 
few state and federal races on the ballot.

Schwab, who is up for reelection himself as secretary of state, said 1
 million registered Kansans would take part in this November exercise in
 democracy. That would be down from 1.37 million or 70.9% of the state’s
 registered voters who participated in 2020, a year in which President 
Donald Trump pounded Democrat Joe Biden in Kansas but lost the national 
race.

A more relevant comparison for Kansas would be the off-year election 
of 2018 when 1.05 million Kansans, or 56.4% of those registered, went to
 the polls.

In 2022, the barometer of advance voting indicated less excitement 
than in 2018. The number of requests for advance ballots in Kansas 
plummeted this year to 154,900 from 193,600 four years ago. Uninspiring 
candidates, state reform in election laws and evolving attitudes about 
mail-in and in-person early voting could be factors.

As of Friday, Schwab said, there was a 30,000-vote deficit in mail-in
 balloting. So far, 91,000 mail ballots had been returned to county 
election offices. That’s well behind the pace of 122,000 in 2018. 
However, 191,000 in-person advance votes have been cast so far in the 
2022 election. That’s more than the 180,000 in-person advance ballots 
recorded at this juncture in 2018.

Here are combined totals for advance voting by party affiliation 
ahead of the Nov. 8 election: Republicans, 137,712; Democrats, 110,691; 
and unaffiliated, 33,058.

Republicans hold a substantial registration advantage in Kansas. The 
numbers: Republicans, 883,988; Democrats, 523,317; and unaffiliated, 
544,000.

Turnout watchers know the November general election in Kansas follows
 the August primary that set a record in terms of voter interest. Heavy 
turnout was driven by the proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution 
that, if passed, would have declared women didn’t have a state 
constitutional right to end a pregnancy. In a blue-state stunner, the 
amendment failed by more than 172,000 votes.

Patrick Miller, a professor of political science at the University of
 Kansas, said Kansas voters who had strong opinions for or against Trump
 two years ago would be back in hefty numbers in 2022. It’s less certain
 the youthful voters drawn to the abortion issue in the August primary 
would take part in the November election, he said.

“Younger people are more likely to drop out of the electorate in a midterm election,” said Miller, who indicating their post-primary behavior would be tricky. “That’s not something I think we have any good data to handicap or predict that.”

Kansas voters during the fall campaign have been offered a 
gubernatorial toss-up showdown between Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and 
Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt. It’s been sprinkled the rogue
 factor of independent state Sen. Dennis Pyle, a conservative striving 
to move both Schmidt and Kelly to the right.

The rematch in the 3rd congressional district between Democratic U.S.
 Rep. Sharice Davids and Republican Amanda Adkin, as well as the 
competition for attorney general between Republican Kris Kobach and 
Democrat Chris Mann have attracted attention.

There have been few sparks in debate about retention of members of 
the judiciary and the handful of other statewide or federal offices. 
This year’s lengthy ballot also features legislative and municipal races
 that could produce localized voter surges.

“There are many important races on the ballot this election, including two constitutional amendments,” Schwab said.

His reference was to a proposed amendment placing in the Kansas 
Constitution a requirement that counties elect sheriffs with the 
exception of Riley County, which has for decades operated a consolidated
 city and county law enforcement agency. The amendment also would limit 
removal of a sheriff to recall elections or action by the state attorney
 general.

The other amendment would grant the Kansas Legislature authority to 
suspend or veto rules and regulations written by the executive branch to
 implement state laws.

Alexandra Middlewood, a Wichita State University political science 
faculty member, said constitutional amendments on state regulation and 
county sheriffs wouldn’t be magnets for first-time voters, including 
young women, who registered and expressed their view on abortion rights 
in August.

“Abortion is not directly on the ballot,” she said. “You are now taking those opinions that people have about a specific issue and trying to translate them into partisan and candidate politics. It’s not a one-to-one matchup. So, we really don’t know how this is going to turn out. And, we won’t know until people show up on Election Day.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667833818091.png" alt="Kansas voters set a record for participation in a primary due to interest in a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution removing the state right of women to end a pregnancy. The amendment failed by 172,000 votes. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas voters set a record for participation in a primary due to interest in a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution removing the state right of women to end a pregnancy. The amendment failed by 172,000 votes. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/06/kansas-top-election-official-predicts-1-million-voters-to-make-voices-heard-in-2022/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas election official Scott Schwab predicts turnout in 
the Tuesday general election could hit 53% given absence of an 
attention-grabbing presidential contest and competitiveness in only a 
few state and federal races on the ballot.Schwab, who is up for reelection himself as secretary of state, said 1
 million registered Kansans would take part in this November exercise in
 democracy. That would be down from 1.37 million or 70.9% of the state’s
 registered voters who participated in 2020, a year in which President 
Donald Trump pounded Democrat Joe Biden in Kansas but lost the national 
race.A more relevant comparison for Kansas would be the off-year election 
of 2018 when 1.05 million Kansans, or 56.4% of those registered, went to
 the polls.In 2022, the barometer of advance voting indicated less excitement 
than in 2018. The number of requests for advance ballots in Kansas 
plummeted this year to 154,900 from 193,600 four years ago. Uninspiring 
candidates, state reform in election laws and evolving attitudes about 
mail-in and in-person early voting could be factors.As of Friday, Schwab said, there was a 30,000-vote deficit in mail-in
 balloting. So far, 91,000 mail ballots had been returned to county 
election offices. That’s well behind the pace of 122,000 in 2018. 
However, 191,000 in-person advance votes have been cast so far in the 
2022 election. That’s more than the 180,000 in-person advance ballots 
recorded at this juncture in 2018.Here are combined totals for advance voting by party affiliation 
ahead of the Nov. 8 election: Republicans, 137,712; Democrats, 110,691; 
and unaffiliated, 33,058.Republicans hold a substantial registration advantage in Kansas. The 
numbers: Republicans, 883,988; Democrats, 523,317; and unaffiliated, 
544,000.<h2>Sustained youth vote?</h2>Turnout watchers know the November general election in Kansas follows
 the August primary that set a record in terms of voter interest. Heavy 
turnout was driven by the proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution 
that, if passed, would have declared women didn’t have a state 
constitutional right to end a pregnancy. In a blue-state stunner, the 
amendment failed by more than 172,000 votes.Patrick Miller, a professor of political science at the University of
 Kansas, said Kansas voters who had strong opinions for or against Trump
 two years ago would be back in hefty numbers in 2022. It’s less certain
 the youthful voters drawn to the abortion issue in the August primary 
would take part in the November election, he said.“Younger people are more likely to drop out of the electorate in a midterm election,” said Miller, who indicating their post-primary behavior would be tricky. “That’s not something I think we have any good data to handicap or predict that.”Kansas voters during the fall campaign have been offered a 
gubernatorial toss-up showdown between Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and 
Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt. It’s been sprinkled the rogue
 factor of independent state Sen. Dennis Pyle, a conservative striving 
to move both Schmidt and Kelly to the right.The rematch in the 3rd congressional district between Democratic U.S.
 Rep. Sharice Davids and Republican Amanda Adkin, as well as the 
competition for attorney general between Republican Kris Kobach and 
Democrat Chris Mann have attracted attention.There have been few sparks in debate about retention of members of 
the judiciary and the handful of other statewide or federal offices. 
This year’s lengthy ballot also features legislative and municipal races
 that could produce localized voter surges.<h2>Constitutional questions</h2>“There are many important races on the ballot this election, including two constitutional amendments,” Schwab said.His reference was to a proposed amendment placing in the Kansas 
Constitution a requirement that counties elect sheriffs with the 
exception of Riley County, which has for decades operated a consolidated
 city and county law enforcement agency. The amendment also would limit 
removal of a sheriff to recall elections or action by the state attorney
 general.The other amendment would grant the Kansas Legislature authority to 
suspend or veto rules and regulations written by the executive branch to
 implement state laws.Alexandra Middlewood, a Wichita State University political science 
faculty member, said constitutional amendments on state regulation and 
county sheriffs wouldn’t be magnets for first-time voters, including 
young women, who registered and expressed their view on abortion rights 
in August.“Abortion is not directly on the ballot,” she said. “You are now taking those opinions that people have about a specific issue and trying to translate them into partisan and candidate politics. It’s not a one-to-one matchup. So, we really don’t know how this is going to turn out. And, we won’t know until people show up on Election Day.”

Kan. top election official predicts 1M voters to make voices heard in 2022

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced&nbsp; the Honorable Mitchell S. Goldberg of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania entered a default judgment against Timothy Warren of Wichita, Kansas and his company, Titan Medical Compliance, LLC (“Titan”), in the amount of $15,270,066, for violations of the False Claims Act (“FCA”), according to the United State's Attorney.

This judgment is the latest action in the national investigation into the scheme of improper billing involving P-Stim electro-acupuncture devices. 

P-Stim is also branded as, among other things, ANSiStim, Stivax, NeuroStim, and NSS-2 Bridge. Federal healthcare programs do not reimburse for P-Stim devices, whether they are characterized as an electro-acupuncture device or as an implantable neuro-stimulator. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania has led the national Department of Justice effort to pursue and resolve various FCA cases against P-Stim providers, marketers, distributors, and coders, recovering tens of millions in the last two years.

As alleged in the Complaint, Timothy Warren, a chiropractor in Wichita, Kansas, along with his company, Titan, falsely promoted auricular electro-acupuncture devices as reimbursable by Medicare and other federal insurers, and as approved by the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). Warren promoted himself to providers as a medical reimbursement consultant, and his company, Titan, as a compliance consulting firm. As a result, various marketers and distributors of P-Stim devices paid Warren a monthly fee to provide coding recommendations to customers. Certain providers also paid Warren directly for coding guidance.

Beginning in 2014, Warren promoted P-Stim devices as reimbursable by Medicare and other federal healthcare programs and provided instructions on what codes to bill. Those codes, generating a high amount of reimbursement, however, were meant for legitimate, surgically implanted neurostimulators to manage chronic pain. P-Stim, on the other hand, could be applied in a few minutes in an office setting without anesthesia and by someone with minimal training. During this time, Warren and Titan had knowledge that the P-Stim devices were not reimbursable by federal healthcare programs, but continued to promote the non-surgical devices anyway.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed a Complaint against Warren and Titan on October 14, 2021, and has litigated the case since then, including defeating a motion by Warren and Titan to transfer the case to the District of Kansas. The United States moved for a default judgment after Warren’s and Titan’s counsel withdrew and the defendants then failed to respond. Judge Goldberg granted the motion and entered a default judgment, finding, among other things, that the United States “has stated cognizable claims under the False Claims Act against Defendants, and Defendants have failed to present any litigable defense.”

Warren and Titan are now responsible for statutory penalties totaling $15,270,066, for causing approximately 1,200 claims to be falsely submitted to the federal healthcare programs in violation of the FCA. Given inability-to-pay concerns and the default nature of the judgment, Judge Goldberg recognized this “appropriate” approach to damages in that the United States sought only minimum statutory penalties, rather than actual damages under the FCA, which were far more significant.

“This office has led the national charge to hold individuals and entities responsible for P-Stim fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “With Warren’s judgment, our office has held accountable those responsible for the tainted claims paid by federal healthcare programs. Even those who never applied P-Stim themselves can be held accountable for causing others to submit false claims through marketing and disseminating fraudulent coding advice.” She continued with a warning to other providers and medical device marketers: “If a scheme seems too good to be true, it probably is—and you should be wary.”

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced&nbsp; the Honorable Mitchell S. Goldberg of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania entered a default judgment against Timothy Warren of Wichita, Kansas and his company, Titan Medical Compliance, LLC (“Titan”), in the amount of $15,270,066, for violations of the False Claims Act (“FCA”), according to the United State's Attorney.This judgment is the latest action in the national investigation into the scheme of improper billing involving P-Stim electro-acupuncture devices. P-Stim is also branded as, among other things, ANSiStim, Stivax, NeuroStim, and NSS-2 Bridge. Federal healthcare programs do not reimburse for P-Stim devices, whether they are characterized as an electro-acupuncture device or as an implantable neuro-stimulator. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania has led the national Department of Justice effort to pursue and resolve various FCA cases against P-Stim providers, marketers, distributors, and coders, recovering tens of millions in the last two years.As alleged in the Complaint, Timothy Warren, a chiropractor in Wichita, Kansas, along with his company, Titan, falsely promoted auricular electro-acupuncture devices as reimbursable by Medicare and other federal insurers, and as approved by the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). Warren promoted himself to providers as a medical reimbursement consultant, and his company, Titan, as a compliance consulting firm. As a result, various marketers and distributors of P-Stim devices paid Warren a monthly fee to provide coding recommendations to customers. Certain providers also paid Warren directly for coding guidance.Beginning in 2014, Warren promoted P-Stim devices as reimbursable by Medicare and other federal healthcare programs and provided instructions on what codes to bill. Those codes, generating a high amount of reimbursement, however, were meant for legitimate, surgically implanted neurostimulators to manage chronic pain. P-Stim, on the other hand, could be applied in a few minutes in an office setting without anesthesia and by someone with minimal training. During this time, Warren and Titan had knowledge that the P-Stim devices were not reimbursable by federal healthcare programs, but continued to promote the non-surgical devices anyway.The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed a Complaint against Warren and Titan on October 14, 2021, and has litigated the case since then, including defeating a motion by Warren and Titan to transfer the case to the District of Kansas. The United States moved for a default judgment after Warren’s and Titan’s counsel withdrew and the defendants then failed to respond. Judge Goldberg granted the motion and entered a default judgment, finding, among other things, that the United States “has stated cognizable claims under the False Claims Act against Defendants, and Defendants have failed to present any litigable defense.”Warren and Titan are now responsible for statutory penalties totaling $15,270,066, for causing approximately 1,200 claims to be falsely submitted to the federal healthcare programs in violation of the FCA. Given inability-to-pay concerns and the default nature of the judgment, Judge Goldberg recognized this “appropriate” approach to damages in that the United States sought only minimum statutory penalties, rather than actual damages under the FCA, which were far more significant.“This office has led the national charge to hold individuals and entities responsible for P-Stim fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “With Warren’s judgment, our office has held accountable those responsible for the tainted claims paid by federal healthcare programs. Even those who never applied P-Stim themselves can be held accountable for causing others to submit false claims through marketing and disseminating fraudulent coding advice.” She continued with a warning to other providers and medical device marketers: “If a scheme seems too good to be true, it probably is—and you should be wary.”

Kansas man to pay $15M for national insurance fraud scheme

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after 4p.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.

A Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Dennis Bunker, 40, Wichita, was eastbound in the 1900 block of West MacArthur Road in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

A 2002 Saturn SL attempting to turn southbound into a private drive struck the motorcycle. First responders found Bunker unconscious. He was transported to a local hospital and pronounced deceased.

At this time, neither speed nor alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, according to Ditch. The accident remains under investigation.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after 4p.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.A Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Dennis Bunker, 40, Wichita, was eastbound in the 1900 block of West MacArthur Road in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.A 2002 Saturn SL attempting to turn southbound into a private drive struck the motorcycle. First responders found Bunker unconscious. He was transported to a local hospital and pronounced deceased.At this time, neither speed nor alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, according to Ditch. The accident remains under investigation.

Kansas man dies after car strikes a motorcycle

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Better catch the moon’s disappearing act Tuesday — there won’t be another like it for three years.

The total lunar eclipse will be visible throughout North America in the predawn hours — the farther west, the better — and across Asia, Australia and the rest of the Pacific after sunset. As an extra treat, Uranus will be visible just a finger’s width above the moon, resembling a bright star.

Totality will last nearly 1 1/2 hours — from 5:16 a.m. to 6:41 a.m. EST — as Earth passes directly between the moon and sun.

Known as a blood moon, it will appear a reddish-orange from the light of Earth’s sunsets and sunrises. At the peak of the eclipse, the moon will be 242,740 miles (390,653 kilometers) away, according to NASA scientists. Binoculars and telescopes will enhance viewing, provided the skies are clear.

South America will get a glimpse of Tuesday’s lunar eclipse, weather permitting. Striking out altogether, Africa, the Middle East and most of Europe will have to wait until 2025.

Among those providing a livestream of Tuesday’s lunar extravaganza: Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and the Italian-based Virtual Telescope Project.

It’s the second total lunar eclipse this year; the first was in May. The next one won’t be until 2025. Plenty of partial lunar eclipses will be available in the meantime.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667823609840.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;The moon is shown during a full lunar eclipse, Sunday, May 15, 2022, near Moscow, Idaho, with the reddish color caused by it passing into the shadow of the Earth. A Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 total lunar eclipse will be visible throughout North America in the predawn hours — the farther west, the better — and across Asia, Australia and the rest of the Pacific after sunset. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;The moon is shown during a full lunar eclipse, Sunday, May 15, 2022, near Moscow, Idaho, with the reddish color caused by it passing into the shadow of the Earth. A Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 total lunar eclipse will be visible throughout North America in the predawn hours — the farther west, the better — and across Asia, Australia and the rest of the Pacific after sunset. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Better catch the moon’s disappearing act Tuesday — there won’t be another like it for three years.The total lunar eclipse will be visible throughout North America in the predawn hours — the farther west, the better — and across Asia, Australia and the rest of the Pacific after sunset. As an extra treat, Uranus will be visible just a finger’s width above the moon, resembling a bright star.Totality will last nearly 1 1/2 hours — from 5:16 a.m. to 6:41 a.m. EST — as Earth passes directly between the moon and sun.Known as a blood moon, it will appear a reddish-orange from the light of Earth’s sunsets and sunrises. At the peak of the eclipse, the moon will be 242,740 miles (390,653 kilometers) away, according to NASA scientists. Binoculars and telescopes will enhance viewing, provided the skies are clear.South America will get a glimpse of Tuesday’s lunar eclipse, weather permitting. Striking out altogether, Africa, the Middle East and most of Europe will have to wait until 2025.Among those providing a livestream of Tuesday’s lunar extravaganza: Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and the Italian-based Virtual Telescope Project.It’s the second total lunar eclipse this year; the first was in May. The next one won’t be until 2025. Plenty of partial lunar eclipses will be available in the meantime.___

Last total lunar eclipse blood moon for three years arrives Tuesday

ATCHISON COUNTY—Authorities are investigating after an explosive device injured a woman outside a home in Atchison.

Just before 9:30p.m. Saturday, officers responded to the 800 block North 9th Street in Atchison where an explosion had occurred, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

First responders found a 59-year-old woman in front of a residence with injuries to a hand, arm and chest. EMS transported her to Mosaic in St. Joseph. 

Investigators determined that the victim was outside a residence going through some miscellaneous items she had obtained earlier in the evening and was holding onto what was a probable fireworks device. The victim was smoking at the time and the device ignited as she was holding it, according to Wilson.

&nbsp;The Kansas Fire Marshal’s Office assisted police at the scene and the Leavenworth Police Bomb Squad also checked the scene for additional explosive devices and none were found.

ATCHISON COUNTY—Authorities are investigating after an explosive device injured a woman outside a home in Atchison.Just before 9:30p.m. Saturday, officers responded to the 800 block North 9th Street in Atchison where an explosion had occurred, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.First responders found a 59-year-old woman in front of a residence with injuries to a hand, arm and chest. EMS transported her to Mosaic in St. Joseph. Investigators determined that the victim was outside a residence going through some miscellaneous items she had obtained earlier in the evening and was holding onto what was a probable fireworks device. The victim was smoking at the time and the device ignited as she was holding it, according to Wilson.&nbsp;The Kansas Fire Marshal’s Office assisted police at the scene and the Leavenworth Police Bomb Squad also checked the scene for additional explosive devices and none were found.

Explosive device injured woman outside Kansas home

TOPEKA (AP) —Republicans have long enjoyed a voter registration advantage in Kansas; a Democratic presidential candidate hasn’t carried the state since Lyndon Johnson in 1964, and former President Donald Trump carried it by big margins in 2016 and 2020. Yet the electorate also can have a sizeable number of independent and moderate GOP voters, and voters in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have allowed the GOP-controlled Legislature to further restrict or ban abortion.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-abortion-vote-gop-limits-cd7ec762b2567751bc4af1f7ed6f8d52">That scrambled the national conversation</a>&nbsp;on the issue.

Democrats hoped that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-voting-rights-health-d67531f2dd6856ac167ce48b3ec890ab">the energy from the August vote</a>&nbsp;would linger and help Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, while Republicans saw high inflation and worries about the economy helping Kelly’s GOP challenger, Derek Schmidt, the state’s three-term attorney general and Republican candidates down the ballot. Kelly won her first term in 2018 by 5 percentage points over two-term Secretary of State Kris Kobach, known nationally for advocating stricter immigration and election laws.

Kobach was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-voting-rights-presidential-immigration-3ec99db94c0d772465d3a7ccf015ccc6">trying for a comeback</a>&nbsp;in the attorney general’s race&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/32816d964acc49e188c9de18b9acb3b9">after losing to Kelly in 2018</a>&nbsp;and losing a U.S. Senate primary in 2020. His Democratic opponent was Chris Mann, a former police officer and local prosecutor making his first run for elective office.

A Democrat hasn’t won a U.S. Senate race in Kansas since 1932, and Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran won his 2016 race for reelection by almost 30 points. His Democratic opponent is former Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor Mark Holland.

Three of the state’s four U.S. House seats were considered relatively safe for their Republican incumbents under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-elections-legislature-kansas-topeka-e6e6dfe3cfc63ddae5492980e04a0329">new district lines</a>&nbsp;drawn this year by the Republican-controlled Legislature to balance out their populations. The lone Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation, Sharice Davids,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-voting-rights-donald-trump-49ab209fceda7313471b6f3de82563ec">has a rematch</a>&nbsp;of her Kansas City-area race in 2020 with Republican Amanda Adkins, a former health care IT company executive. Davids won the 2020 race by 10 percentage points, but redistricting divided Kansas City, Kansas, between two districts and cost Davids portions where she performed best while bringing in the bulk of three heavily Republican counties on the edge of the metro area.

In the wake of the abortion vote, legal groups and abortion rights advocates were worried about attempts to oust justices on the Kansas Supreme Court, which in 2019 ruled that the state constitution protects abortion rights. Six of the seven justices, including three Kelly appointees, face a yes-or-no vote on whether they remain on the court for another six years.

Here’s a look at what to expect on election night:

Polls close at 7 p.m. local time (8 p.m. ET). Four counties in the state are in Mountain Time Zone (9 p.m. ET).

Kansas voters can cast ballots now through Nov. 8 to decide on the next governor and other statewide offices, as well as congressional representatives to send to Washington, D.C., and state representatives to serve in Topeka. Voters in Sedgwick County and some others also will choose county commissioners.

AP will tabulate and declare winners in more than 175 contested elections in Kansas, including governor, Senate, statewide races and two ballot issues. In the 2020 general election, AP first reported results around 9:40 p.m. Eastern Time and had 100% of results at 4:40 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4.

<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/our-role-in-elections/how-we-call-races">The AP may call a statewide or U.S. House race</a>&nbsp;in which the margin between the top two candidates is 0.5% or less, if we determine the lead is too large for a recount to change the outcome.

Kansas does not require automatic recounts.

The AP will not call down-ballot races on election night if the margin between the top two candidates is less than 2% or if the leading candidate is within 2% of the 50% runoff threshold. AP will revisit those races later in the week to confirm there aren’t enough outstanding votes left to count that could change the outcome.

Schmidt’s effort to unseat Kelly in the governor’s race is complicated by the independent candidacy of state Sen. Dennis Pyle, formerly Republican, one of the Legislature’s most conservative members. Republicans fear he could take votes from Schmidt on the right.

Voters also are considering a proposed amendment to the state constitution to make it easier for the Republican-controlled Legislature to overturn state agencies’ rules.

A: Kansas made international news in the wake of the abortion vote.

Q: WHAT’S CHANGED SINCE THE PANDEMIC ELECTION OF 2020?

Q: WHAT DO TURNOUT AND ADVANCE VOTE LOOK LIKE?

A: Expected to be very high in the wake of Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. As of September, there were 1,957,576 registered voters in Kansas. Advanced voting is high, and turnout on Election Day is expected to be strong.

A: Any candidate may request a recount. If the margin between candidates is less than or equal to 0.5%, the state covers the costs. In all other instances, candidates are responsible for costs associated with the recount. Costs paid by the candidate are refunded if the recount changes the election outcome. For a recount in a single county, that request must be made by 5 p.m. on the day following the county canvass. For recounts in multiple counties, the request must be made no later than 5 p.m. on the second Friday following the election. The deadline for completion is the fifth day after the request. Partial recounts can also be requested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603281700086.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA (AP) —Republicans have long enjoyed a voter registration advantage in Kansas; a Democratic presidential candidate hasn’t carried the state since Lyndon Johnson in 1964, and former President Donald Trump carried it by big margins in 2016 and 2020. Yet the electorate also can have a sizeable number of independent and moderate GOP voters, and voters in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have allowed the GOP-controlled Legislature to further restrict or ban abortion.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-abortion-vote-gop-limits-cd7ec762b2567751bc4af1f7ed6f8d52">That scrambled the national conversation</a>&nbsp;on the issue.Democrats hoped that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-voting-rights-health-d67531f2dd6856ac167ce48b3ec890ab">the energy from the August vote</a>&nbsp;would linger and help Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, while Republicans saw high inflation and worries about the economy helping Kelly’s GOP challenger, Derek Schmidt, the state’s three-term attorney general and Republican candidates down the ballot. Kelly won her first term in 2018 by 5 percentage points over two-term Secretary of State Kris Kobach, known nationally for advocating stricter immigration and election laws.Kobach was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-voting-rights-presidential-immigration-3ec99db94c0d772465d3a7ccf015ccc6">trying for a comeback</a>&nbsp;in the attorney general’s race&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/32816d964acc49e188c9de18b9acb3b9">after losing to Kelly in 2018</a>&nbsp;and losing a U.S. Senate primary in 2020. His Democratic opponent was Chris Mann, a former police officer and local prosecutor making his first run for elective office.A Democrat hasn’t won a U.S. Senate race in Kansas since 1932, and Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran won his 2016 race for reelection by almost 30 points. His Democratic opponent is former Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor Mark Holland.Three of the state’s four U.S. House seats were considered relatively safe for their Republican incumbents under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-elections-legislature-kansas-topeka-e6e6dfe3cfc63ddae5492980e04a0329">new district lines</a>&nbsp;drawn this year by the Republican-controlled Legislature to balance out their populations. The lone Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation, Sharice Davids,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-voting-rights-donald-trump-49ab209fceda7313471b6f3de82563ec">has a rematch</a>&nbsp;of her Kansas City-area race in 2020 with Republican Amanda Adkins, a former health care IT company executive. Davids won the 2020 race by 10 percentage points, but redistricting divided Kansas City, Kansas, between two districts and cost Davids portions where she performed best while bringing in the bulk of three heavily Republican counties on the edge of the metro area.In the wake of the abortion vote, legal groups and abortion rights advocates were worried about attempts to oust justices on the Kansas Supreme Court, which in 2019 ruled that the state constitution protects abortion rights. Six of the seven justices, including three Kelly appointees, face a yes-or-no vote on whether they remain on the court for another six years.Here’s a look at what to expect on election night:ELECTION NIGHTPolls close at 7 p.m. local time (8 p.m. ET). Four counties in the state are in Mountain Time Zone (9 p.m. ET).HOW KANSAS VOTESKansas voters can cast ballots now through Nov. 8 to decide on the next governor and other statewide offices, as well as congressional representatives to send to Washington, D.C., and state representatives to serve in Topeka. Voters in Sedgwick County and some others also will choose county commissioners.DECISION NOTESAP will tabulate and declare winners in more than 175 contested elections in Kansas, including governor, Senate, statewide races and two ballot issues. In the 2020 general election, AP first reported results around 9:40 p.m. Eastern Time and had 100% of results at 4:40 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4.<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/our-role-in-elections/how-we-call-races">The AP may call a statewide or U.S. House race</a>&nbsp;in which the margin between the top two candidates is 0.5% or less, if we determine the lead is too large for a recount to change the outcome.Kansas does not require automatic recounts.The AP will not call down-ballot races on election night if the margin between the top two candidates is less than 2% or if the leading candidate is within 2% of the 50% runoff threshold. AP will revisit those races later in the week to confirm there aren’t enough outstanding votes left to count that could change the outcome.WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW?Schmidt’s effort to unseat Kelly in the governor’s race is complicated by the independent candidacy of state Sen. Dennis Pyle, formerly Republican, one of the Legislature’s most conservative members. Republicans fear he could take votes from Schmidt on the right.Voters also are considering a proposed amendment to the state constitution to make it easier for the Republican-controlled Legislature to overturn state agencies’ rules.Q: WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM THE PRIMARY?A: Kansas made international news in the wake of the abortion vote.Q: WHAT’S CHANGED SINCE THE PANDEMIC ELECTION OF 2020?A: High number of mail-in ballots.Q: WHAT DO TURNOUT AND ADVANCE VOTE LOOK LIKE?A: Expected to be very high in the wake of Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. As of September, there were 1,957,576 registered voters in Kansas. Advanced voting is high, and turnout on Election Day is expected to be strong.Q: WHAT HAPPENS AFTER TUESDAY?A: Any candidate may request a recount. If the margin between candidates is less than or equal to 0.5%, the state covers the costs. In all other instances, candidates are responsible for costs associated with the recount. Costs paid by the candidate are refunded if the recount changes the election outcome. For a recount in a single county, that request must be made by 5 p.m. on the day following the county canvass. For recounts in multiple counties, the request must be made no later than 5 p.m. on the second Friday following the election. The deadline for completion is the fifth day after the request. Partial recounts can also be requested.

Kansas: What to expect on election night

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea’s military said Monday its recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-japan-united-states-seoul-south-korea-aed56829790621f0d0abfb4fafa91aca">barrage of missile tests</a>&nbsp;were practices to “mercilessly” strike key&nbsp; U.S. and&nbsp;South Korean targets such as air bases and operation command systems with a variety of missiles that likely included nuclear-capable weapons.

The North’s announcement underscored leader Kim Jong Un’s determination not to back down in the face of his rivals’ push to expand their military exercises. But some experts say Kim also used their drills as an excuse to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-missiles-analysis-9683ee74c60b9bc132e4f342a66a9c39">modernize his nuclear arsenal</a>&nbsp;and increase his leverage in future dealings with Washington and Seoul.

North Korea fired dozens of missiles and flew warplanes toward the sea last week —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-japan-united-states-seoul-south-korea-aed56829790621f0d0abfb4fafa91aca">triggering evacuation alerts</a>&nbsp;in some South Korean and Japanese areas — in protest of massive U.S.-South Korean air force drills that the North views as an invasion rehearsal.

U.S. and South Korean officials responded they would further enhance their joint training events and warned the North that the use of nuclear weapons would result in the end of Kim’s regime.

“The recent corresponding military operations by the Korean People’s Army are a clear answer of (North Korea) that the more persistently the enemies’ provocative military moves continue, the more thoroughly and mercilessly the KPA will counter them,” the General Staff of North Korea’s military said in a statement carried by state media.

It said the weapons tests involved ballistic missiles loaded with dispersion warheads and underground infiltration warheads meant to launch strikes on enemy air bases; ground-to-air missiles designed to “annihilate” enemy aircraft at different altitudes and distances; and strategic cruise missiles that fell in international waters about 80 kilometers (50 miles) off South Korea’s southeastern costal city of Ulsan.

The North’s military said it also carried out an important test of a ballistic missile with a special functional warhead missioned with “paralyzing the operation command system of the enemy.” This could mean a simulation of electromagnetic pulse attacks, but some observers doubt whether North Korea has mastered key technologies to obtain such an attack capability.

The North's military statement didn’t explicitly mention a reported launch Thursday of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-japan-united-states-seoul-south-korea-aed56829790621f0d0abfb4fafa91aca">intercontinental ballistic missile</a>&nbsp;aimed at hitting the U.S. mainland, though its main newspaper published a photo of an ICBM-like missile as one of the weapons mobilized during last week’s testing activities.

Some experts say many other North Korean missiles launched last week were short-range nuclear-capable weapons that place key military targets in South Korea, including U.S. military bases there, within striking range.

Later Monday, South Korea’s military disputed some of the North’s accounts of its missile tests. Spokesperson Kim Jun-rak said South Korea didn’t detect the North’s cruise missile launches and that it’s also notable that North Korea didn’t mention what Seoul assessed as an abnormal flight by an ICBM.

This year’s “Vigilant Storm” air force drills between the United States and South Korea were the largest-ever for the annual fall maneuvers. The drills involved 240 warplanes including advanced F-35 fighter jets from both countries. The allies were initially supposed to run the drills for five days ending on Friday, but extended the training by another day in reaction to the North’s missile tests.

On Saturday, the final day of the air force exercises, the United States flew two B-1B supersonic bombers over South Korea in a display of strength against North Korea, the aircraft’s first such flyover since December 2017.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the participation of the B-1Bs in the joint drills demonstrated the allies’ readiness to sternly respond to North Korean provocations and the U.S. commitment to defend its ally with the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear.

After their annual meeting Thursday in Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup issued a joint statement strongly condemning the North’s recent launches and carrying Austin’s warning that any nuclear attacks against the United States or its allies and partners “is unacceptable and will result in the end of the Kim regime.” South Korea’s military has previously warned the North that using its nuclear weapons would put it on a “path of self-destruction.”

Both defense chiefs also agreed on the need to enhance combined exercises and training events to strengthen readiness against North Korean nuclear and missile threats.

Even before the “Vigilant Storm” drills, North Korea test-launched a slew of missiles in what it called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-seoul-south-korea-nuclear-weapons-north-6ce0a8da47f8eb9228d4b33223ebfa3b">simulated nuclear attacks</a>&nbsp;on U.S. and South Korean targets in protests of its rivals’ other sets of military exercises that involved a U.S. aircraft for the first time in five years. In September, North Korea also adopted a new law authorizing the preemptive use of its nuclear weapons in a broad range of situations.

South Korean and U.S. officials have steadfastly maintained their drills are defensive in nature and that they have no intentions of invading the North.

U.S. and South Korean militaries have been expanding their regular military drills since the May inauguration of conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has promised to take a tougher stance on North Korean provocations. Some of the allies’ drills had been previously downsized or canceled to support now-stalled diplomacy on North Korea’s nuclear program or to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

For months, South Korean and U.S. officials have said North Korea has completed preparations to conduct its first nuclear test in five years. On Monday, South Korean Unification Minister Kwon Youngse told lawmakers that North Korea could carry out the nuclear test at any time but there were still no signs that such a test explosion was imminent.

<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 on Thursday, 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 on Thursday, 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>SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea’s military said Monday its recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-japan-united-states-seoul-south-korea-aed56829790621f0d0abfb4fafa91aca">barrage of missile tests</a>&nbsp;were practices to “mercilessly” strike key&nbsp; U.S. and&nbsp;South Korean targets such as air bases and operation command systems with a variety of missiles that likely included nuclear-capable weapons.The North’s announcement underscored leader Kim Jong Un’s determination not to back down in the face of his rivals’ push to expand their military exercises. But some experts say Kim also used their drills as an excuse to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-missiles-analysis-9683ee74c60b9bc132e4f342a66a9c39">modernize his nuclear arsenal</a>&nbsp;and increase his leverage in future dealings with Washington and Seoul.North Korea fired dozens of missiles and flew warplanes toward the sea last week —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-japan-united-states-seoul-south-korea-aed56829790621f0d0abfb4fafa91aca">triggering evacuation alerts</a>&nbsp;in some South Korean and Japanese areas — in protest of massive U.S.-South Korean air force drills that the North views as an invasion rehearsal.U.S. and South Korean officials responded they would further enhance their joint training events and warned the North that the use of nuclear weapons would result in the end of Kim’s regime.“The recent corresponding military operations by the Korean People’s Army are a clear answer of (North Korea) that the more persistently the enemies’ provocative military moves continue, the more thoroughly and mercilessly the KPA will counter them,” the General Staff of North Korea’s military said in a statement carried by state media.It said the weapons tests involved ballistic missiles loaded with dispersion warheads and underground infiltration warheads meant to launch strikes on enemy air bases; ground-to-air missiles designed to “annihilate” enemy aircraft at different altitudes and distances; and strategic cruise missiles that fell in international waters about 80 kilometers (50 miles) off South Korea’s southeastern costal city of Ulsan.The North’s military said it also carried out an important test of a ballistic missile with a special functional warhead missioned with “paralyzing the operation command system of the enemy.” This could mean a simulation of electromagnetic pulse attacks, but some observers doubt whether North Korea has mastered key technologies to obtain such an attack capability.The North's military statement didn’t explicitly mention a reported launch Thursday of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-japan-united-states-seoul-south-korea-aed56829790621f0d0abfb4fafa91aca">intercontinental ballistic missile</a>&nbsp;aimed at hitting the U.S. mainland, though its main newspaper published a photo of an ICBM-like missile as one of the weapons mobilized during last week’s testing activities.Some experts say many other North Korean missiles launched last week were short-range nuclear-capable weapons that place key military targets in South Korea, including U.S. military bases there, within striking range.Later Monday, South Korea’s military disputed some of the North’s accounts of its missile tests. Spokesperson Kim Jun-rak said South Korea didn’t detect the North’s cruise missile launches and that it’s also notable that North Korea didn’t mention what Seoul assessed as an abnormal flight by an ICBM.This year’s “Vigilant Storm” air force drills between the United States and South Korea were the largest-ever for the annual fall maneuvers. The drills involved 240 warplanes including advanced F-35 fighter jets from both countries. The allies were initially supposed to run the drills for five days ending on Friday, but extended the training by another day in reaction to the North’s missile tests.On Saturday, the final day of the air force exercises, the United States flew two B-1B supersonic bombers over South Korea in a display of strength against North Korea, the aircraft’s first such flyover since December 2017.South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the participation of the B-1Bs in the joint drills demonstrated the allies’ readiness to sternly respond to North Korean provocations and the U.S. commitment to defend its ally with the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear.After their annual meeting Thursday in Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup issued a joint statement strongly condemning the North’s recent launches and carrying Austin’s warning that any nuclear attacks against the United States or its allies and partners “is unacceptable and will result in the end of the Kim regime.” South Korea’s military has previously warned the North that using its nuclear weapons would put it on a “path of self-destruction.”Both defense chiefs also agreed on the need to enhance combined exercises and training events to strengthen readiness against North Korean nuclear and missile threats.Even before the “Vigilant Storm” drills, North Korea test-launched a slew of missiles in what it called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-seoul-south-korea-nuclear-weapons-north-6ce0a8da47f8eb9228d4b33223ebfa3b">simulated nuclear attacks</a>&nbsp;on U.S. and South Korean targets in protests of its rivals’ other sets of military exercises that involved a U.S. aircraft for the first time in five years. In September, North Korea also adopted a new law authorizing the preemptive use of its nuclear weapons in a broad range of situations.South Korean and U.S. officials have steadfastly maintained their drills are defensive in nature and that they have no intentions of invading the North.U.S. and South Korean militaries have been expanding their regular military drills since the May inauguration of conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has promised to take a tougher stance on North Korean provocations. Some of the allies’ drills had been previously downsized or canceled to support now-stalled diplomacy on North Korea’s nuclear program or to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.For months, South Korean and U.S. officials have said North Korea has completed preparations to conduct its first nuclear test in five years. On Monday, South Korean Unification Minister Kwon Youngse told lawmakers that North Korea could carry out the nuclear test at any time but there were still no signs that such a test explosion was imminent.

North Korea: Missile tests were practice to attack U.S., So. Korea

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating a death, where an unidentified man was located in a canal.

Just before 10a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a submersion call at Lincoln and Interstate 135, according to Office Chad Ditch.

Officers arrived on the scene and located the victim believed to 34-45 years-old unresponsive and unconscious. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.

Police released no additional details late Sunday.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667787808075.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the submersion photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the submersion photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating a death, where an unidentified man was located in a canal.Just before 10a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a submersion call at Lincoln and Interstate 135, according to Office Chad Ditch.Officers arrived on the scene and located the victim believed to 34-45 years-old unresponsive and unconscious. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.Police released no additional details late Sunday.&nbsp;

Body of man found in Kansas canal

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Across America, faith leaders have squeezed in some final messages about the midterm elections during their worship services this weekend. Some passionately took stands on divisive issues such as immigration and abortion; others pleaded for an easing of the political polarization fracturing their communities and their nation.

“God has no team,” Rabbi David Wolpe told the politically diverse congregation at his Los Angeles synagogue, Sinai Temple.

“The notion that one party or faction is repository of all virtue is fatuous and dangerous,” Wolpe added. “God is greater than parties. If we catch some of that spirit, perhaps we can begin to heal the deep divisions that beset our nation and our world.”

Less than 50 miles away, at the Calvary Chapel Chino Hills megachurch, Pastor Jack Hibbs was eager to take sides in what he calls a “cultural war.” In addition to collecting ballots during Sunday worship, he urged his evangelical congregation to oppose a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-voting-rights-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-health-609602f2c648a9cafe3f8504aa7ea592">ballot measure</a>&nbsp;that would enshrine abortion rights in California’s Constitution, calling it “the death cult proposition.” He told them to be wary of local candidates who back it or receive support from groups like Planned Parenthood.

By DAVID CRARY and HOLLY MEYER&nbsp;KANSAS CITY (AP) —Across America, faith leaders have squeezed in some final messages about the midterm elections during their worship services this weekend. Some passionately took stands on divisive issues such as immigration and abortion; others pleaded for an easing of the political polarization fracturing their communities and their nation.“God has no team,” Rabbi David Wolpe told the politically diverse congregation at his Los Angeles synagogue, Sinai Temple.“The notion that one party or faction is repository of all virtue is fatuous and dangerous,” Wolpe added. “God is greater than parties. If we catch some of that spirit, perhaps we can begin to heal the deep divisions that beset our nation and our world.”Less than 50 miles away, at the Calvary Chapel Chino Hills megachurch, Pastor Jack Hibbs was eager to take sides in what he calls a “cultural war.” In addition to collecting ballots during Sunday worship, he urged his evangelical congregation to oppose a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-voting-rights-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-health-609602f2c648a9cafe3f8504aa7ea592">ballot measure</a>&nbsp;that would enshrine abortion rights in California’s Constitution, calling it “the death cult proposition.” He told them to be wary of local candidates who back it or receive support from groups like Planned Parenthood.The measure -- Proposition 1 -- is a response to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June</a>&nbsp;eliminating the longstanding constitutional right to abortion nationwide. While that ruling didn't affect access to abortion in California, Democratic politicians nonetheless sought the extra protection of a constitutional amendment.Hibbs said that whether or not California continues to receive God’s grace hangs on the fate of this measure: “We must open our mouth to defend the defenseless.”Opposition to abortion also has been an election-season priority for Mike Breininger, pastor of an evangelical church in Richland Center in Wisconsin. Breininger doesn’t shy from discussing political issues with his theologically conservative congregation at New House Richland, urging support for candidates who agree the government’s responsibility is to protect life and religious freedom.“I don’t believe that all political candidates are the same -- some are biblically more righteous than others,” said Breininger, who often votes Republican.Clergy didn’t confine their election messages to within the church walls. On Saturday, the Rev. Alyn Waller, senior pastor at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia, hosted a Black Bikers Vote rally. Motorcyclists gathered outside the church before riding through the city urging residents to vote.“We think that categorically, if you’re a good citizen, a good faith person, a good Christian, you vote,” said Waller.In a left-of-center Catholic parish in Hoboken, New Jersey, the Rev. Alex Santora exhorted his parishioners to be engaged on issues such as immigration, abortion and gun control."As Catholics we should always focus on the common good and what is best for the majority of people,“ he said in his homily at the Church of Our Lady of Grace &amp; St. Joseph.“Living in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, I reject all attempts to demonize migrants and immigrants, who have built up our country,” Santora added. “We should be magnanimous, not restrictive and unchristian.”A few miles from Hoboken, at the Community Church of New York, the Rev. Peggy Clarke, a Unitarian minister, denounced statements by some Republicans, including Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano.As a minister with a degree in Peace Studies, Clarke has often asked people to reject impulses toward division. But “there are many times in life and in history when one side is wrong and the harm being done has to stop,” she said.“Using propaganda to convince the public that an election was stolen is wrong,” she added. “Stopping teachers from educating students on uncomfortable truths about race in this country is wrong.”“In Tuesday’s election, democracy itself is on the ballot,” she said.Another New York City pastor, the Rev. Jacqui Lewis of Middle Collegiate Church, similarly stressed the urgency of the election, saying “matters of life and death are before of us.”“Jesus was political. The church has always been political,” she said. “The question is what were the politics of Jesus, and what are ours?"Lewis assailed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pennsylvania-dc54eb97f65116e52ce1022947e14cd5">Christian nationalism</a>, saying its adherents posed a threat to LGBTQ people, to people of color, and to women's right to have a safe abortion.“They believe a fake Jesus is coming back to earth to save them, with an assault rifle over one shoulder, his long blond hair held back by a camo head band, his blue eyes lit with hatred for the marginalized, including his own Jewish people,” Lewis said.The Rev. Ingrid Rasmussen, pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, also evoked Christian nationalism and partisan divisions in her sermon Sunday.“We need the communion of saints to fill in the spaces of our disbelief and doubt... to weave a fragmented people together and help us to see God’s new way,” she preached.In Texas, prominent megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress embraced confrontation, telling his First Baptist Dallas congregation he favored the imposition of “Christian values” in America.Without specifying his partisan allegiance, Jeffress urged the audience to “go out and vote against the godless values -- the pro-abortion, pro-transgender values -- of the godless left.”The Rev. Dumas A. Harshaw Jr., pastor of First Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, told his mostly Black congregation there was a crucial need to vote.“It is our righteous privilege to engage in the process of creating a better society for us all," he said.A similar message was shared with predominantly African American worshippers at Masjidullah, an Islamic community center in Philadelphia.“As Muslims, we are to be positive change agents in the world,” the resident imam, Idris Abdul-Zahir, told The Associated Press. “Voting for and working with public servants who have that interest in mind is tantamount to faith.”Voting is a priority, but so is unity at Allison Park Church in Pittsburgh, said the lead pastor, Jeff Leake, who encouraged his congregation to head to the polls: “We have the freedom to be a part of the process and to vote. Can I get an “amen” from somebody?”He advised worshippers to weigh candidates' character — as well as their abilities — when deciding how to vote.“No matter what happens on Tuesday, we believe that God is in control,” Leake saidDan Trippie, a Southern Baptist pastor at Restoration Church in Buffalo, New York, has been urging his youthful, ethnically diverse congregation to support candidates who might seek middle ground on some important issues.“No candidate or policy will ever achieve perfection in this world,” he said. “We cannot allow our idealized visions of society to prevent us from seeking workable solutions that care for the flourishing of all people.”___Members of The Associated Press' Global Religion Team — Jessie Wardarski, Deepa Bharath, Mariam Fam, Luis Andres Henao and Giovanna Dell'Orto — contributed to this report.