PICHER, Okla. (AP) — Authorities have announced a new search for the bodies of two northeast Oklahoma girls missing since 1999. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Craig County District Attorney Investigator Gary Stansill say investigators will search a cellar Friday on vacant land in the former town of Picher where a suspect in the girls' disappearance lived at the time. 

The search is for the remains of Ashley Freeman and Lauria Bible, who were 16 when they disappeared from Freeman's home near Welch on Dec. 30, 1999. 

Freeman's parents were found dead in the burned rubble of the home and Ronnie Busick of Wichita, Kansas, pleaded guilty to an accessory to murder charge in the case in August.

VINITA, Okla. (AP) — A Kansas man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with the deaths of two people and the disappearance of two teenage girls more than 20 years ago.

Ronnie Busick, 69, Wichita, was sentenced Monday i<a href="https://craigcountyso.com/inmate-search.php?FullName=busick&amp;Search=Search">n Craig County </a>on one count of accessory to murder, said Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Brook Arbeitman.

Busick, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2d867480c8bdaafe2d0f6a9db9a005fb">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;in July, could have earned a reduction in his sentence by showing authorities where the bodies of Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman were located, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2b48eaf595d69d063f23809078e3d4ff">several searches</a>&nbsp;have not recovered the teens’ remains, Arbeitman said.

Bible and Freeman, who were both 16, haven’t been seen since Dec. 30. 1999, after Freeman’s parents, Danny and Kathy Freeman, were found slain in their burned mobile home in Welch about 70 miles (113 kilometers) northeast of Tulsa.

Busick, of Wichita, Kansas, was arrested and charged in 2018, and investigators say two other suspects are now dead.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1598956739361.png" alt="Ronnie Busick, of Wichita was sentenced in Sept. 2020 for his role in the girls' disappearance.-photo Craig Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Ronnie Busick, of Wichita was sentenced in Sept. 2020 for his role in the girls' disappearance.-photo Craig Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>PICHER, Okla. (AP) — Authorities have announced a new search for the bodies of two northeast Oklahoma girls missing since 1999. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Craig County District Attorney Investigator Gary Stansill say investigators will search a cellar Friday on vacant land in the former town of Picher where a suspect in the girls' disappearance lived at the time. The search is for the remains of Ashley Freeman and Lauria Bible, who were 16 when they disappeared from Freeman's home near Welch on Dec. 30, 1999. Freeman's parents were found dead in the burned rubble of the home and Ronnie Busick of Wichita, Kansas, pleaded guilty to an accessory to murder charge in the case in August.------------VINITA, Okla. (AP) — A Kansas man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with the deaths of two people and the disappearance of two teenage girls more than 20 years ago.Ronnie Busick, 69, Wichita, was sentenced Monday i<a href="https://craigcountyso.com/inmate-search.php?FullName=busick&amp;Search=Search">n Craig County </a>on one count of accessory to murder, said Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Brook Arbeitman. Busick, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2d867480c8bdaafe2d0f6a9db9a005fb">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;in July, could have earned a reduction in his sentence by showing authorities where the bodies of Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman were located, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2b48eaf595d69d063f23809078e3d4ff">several searches</a>&nbsp;have not recovered the teens’ remains, Arbeitman said.Bible and Freeman, who were both 16, haven’t been seen since Dec. 30. 1999, after Freeman’s parents, Danny and Kathy Freeman, were found slain in their burned mobile home in Welch about 70 miles (113 kilometers) northeast of Tulsa.Busick, of Wichita, Kansas, was arrested and charged in 2018, and investigators say two other suspects are now dead.

Search continues in cold case a year after Kan. man sentenced

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Il. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday championed COVID-19 vaccination requirements, determined that the roughly 67 million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-941fcf43d9731c76c16e7354f5d5e187">unvaccinated American adults</a>&nbsp;must get the shot even as he acknowledged that mandates weren’t his “first instinct.”

Biden had ruled out such requirements before taking office in January, but they now are a tactic he feels forced into using by a stubborn slice of the public that has refused to be inoculated and has jeopardized the lives of others and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-economy-economic-growth-a35a482985d6c4b2046ba884a99319a8">the nation’s economic recovery</a>.

“There is no other way to beat the pandemic than to get the vast majority of the American people vaccinated,” Biden said in suburban Chicago at an event promoting the mandates. “While I didn’t race to do it right away, that’s why I’ve had to move toward requirements.”

In the coming weeks, more than 100 million Americans will be subject to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-executive-branch-18fb12993f05be13bf760946a6fb89be">vaccine requirements ordered by Biden</a>. And his administration is encouraging employers to take additional steps voluntarily that would push vaccines on people or subject them to onerous testing requirements.

Forcing people to do something they do not want to do is rarely a winning political strategy. Yet with the majority of the country already vaccinated and with industry on his side, Biden has emerged as an unlikely advocate of browbeating tactics to drive vaccinations.

“Look, I know that vaccination requirements are a tough medicine — unpopular to some, politics for others — but they’re lifesaving, they’re game-changing for our country,” Biden said.

But the requirements have drawn widespread public support. People are hoping to put behind a pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 700,000 in the United States, and businesses see vaccinations as a road map toward a revitalized economic.

Biden took that message to a construction site run by Clayco, a large building firm that announced a new vaccinate-or-test requirement for its workforce in conjunction with Biden’s visit. The company is taking action weeks before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-henry-mcmaster-f33acd986ad5045e48088a832c6f9903">a forthcoming rule by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration</a>&nbsp;that will require all employers with more than 100 employees to require that their staffs be vaccinated or face weekly testing for the coronavirus.

“You’re setting an example and a powerful example,” Biden told company officials. “I’m calling on more employers to act.”

Biden encouraged other businesses to follow suit by taking action before the OSHA rule and to go even further by requiring shots for their employees without offering a test-out option.

Biden also met with the CEO of United Airlines, Scott Kirby, whose company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-de26955d518a498c5ffb26160d9c623d">successfully implemented a vaccine mandate</a>, with no option for workers to be tested instead. Less than 1% have failed to comply and risk termination.

Biden’s mandates have “worked spectacularly well,” said Lawrence Gostin, a public health expert at Georgetown University’s law school. He added that the president’s rules have also had a “modeling effect” for cities, states and businesses. That’s what the White House intended.

U.S. officials began anticipating the need for a more forceful vaccination campaign by April, when the nation’s supply of shots began to outpace demand. Political conditions meant immediate steps to require shots would have likely proved counterproductive.

The idea of mandatory vaccination faced pushback from critics who argue it smacks of government overreach and takes away people’s rights to make their own medical decisions.

So first, officials engaged in a monthslong and multibillion-dollar education and incentives effort to persuade people to get the vaccines of their own accord.

By midsummer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-coronavirus-pandemic-ac6ef8534bffeec97e9dc771b7990fe6">the more transmissible delta variant</a>&nbsp;of the virus was eroding months of health and economic progress and the rate of new vaccinations had slowed to a trickle. Biden’s strategy shifted from inducement to compulsion, with a slow, and deliberate heightening of vaccination restrictions.

“It’s a good political strategy, but it also is a good public health strategy, because once you have a lot of people that have already been vaccinated. then mandates become more acceptable,” Gostin said.

It started with a vaccination requirement for federal frontline health workers serving veterans in VA hospitals. Then the military, followed in steady succession by all healthcare workers reimbursed by the government, all federal workers, and then the more than 80 million Americans who work at mid- and large-size companies.

Nearly 100 million adult Americans were unvaccinated in July. That figure has been cut by one-third since federal, state and private-sector mandates have been imposed.

“Here’s the deal: These requirements are already proving that they work,” Biden said Thursday.

In conjunction with the president’s trip to Chicago, the White House was releasing a report that outlines the early successes of vaccine mandates at driving up vaccination rates and tries to make the economic case for businesses and local governments to put mandates in place. It points to everything from reduced employee hours to diminished restaurant reservations in areas with fewer vaccinations, not to mention markedly reduced instances of serious illness and death from the virus in areas with higher vaccination rates.

Millions of workers, the White House notes, say they are still unable to work due to pandemic-related effects, because their workplaces have been shuttered or reduced service, or because they’re afraid to work or can’t get child care.

“The evidence has been overwhelmingly clear that these vaccine mandates work,” said Charlie Anderson, director of economic policy and budget for the White House COVID-19 response team. “And so now, I think it’s a good time to lift up and say, ‘Now’s the time to move, if you haven’t yet.’”

While mandates are the ultimate tool to press Americans to get vaccinated, Biden has resisted, at least thus far, requiring shots or tests for interstate or international air travel, a move that legal experts say is within his powers. Officials said it was under consideration.

“We have a track record, and I think it’s clear, that shows that we’re pulling available levers to require vaccinations,” said Jeff Zients, the White House COVID-19 coordinator. “And we’re not taking anything off the table.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633699117760.png" alt="“There is no other way to beat the pandemic than to get the vast majority of the American people vaccinated,” Biden said in suburban Chicago at an event promoting the mandates.-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>“There is no other way to beat the pandemic than to get the vast majority of the American people vaccinated,” Biden said in suburban Chicago at an event promoting the mandates.-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Il. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday championed COVID-19 vaccination requirements, determined that the roughly 67 million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-941fcf43d9731c76c16e7354f5d5e187">unvaccinated American adults</a>&nbsp;must get the shot even as he acknowledged that mandates weren’t his “first instinct.”Biden had ruled out such requirements before taking office in January, but they now are a tactic he feels forced into using by a stubborn slice of the public that has refused to be inoculated and has jeopardized the lives of others and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-economy-economic-growth-a35a482985d6c4b2046ba884a99319a8">the nation’s economic recovery</a>.“There is no other way to beat the pandemic than to get the vast majority of the American people vaccinated,” Biden said in suburban Chicago at an event promoting the mandates. “While I didn’t race to do it right away, that’s why I’ve had to move toward requirements.”In the coming weeks, more than 100 million Americans will be subject to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-executive-branch-18fb12993f05be13bf760946a6fb89be">vaccine requirements ordered by Biden</a>. And his administration is encouraging employers to take additional steps voluntarily that would push vaccines on people or subject them to onerous testing requirements.Forcing people to do something they do not want to do is rarely a winning political strategy. Yet with the majority of the country already vaccinated and with industry on his side, Biden has emerged as an unlikely advocate of browbeating tactics to drive vaccinations.“Look, I know that vaccination requirements are a tough medicine — unpopular to some, politics for others — but they’re lifesaving, they’re game-changing for our country,” Biden said.But the requirements have drawn widespread public support. People are hoping to put behind a pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 700,000 in the United States, and businesses see vaccinations as a road map toward a revitalized economic.Biden took that message to a construction site run by Clayco, a large building firm that announced a new vaccinate-or-test requirement for its workforce in conjunction with Biden’s visit. The company is taking action weeks before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-henry-mcmaster-f33acd986ad5045e48088a832c6f9903">a forthcoming rule by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration</a>&nbsp;that will require all employers with more than 100 employees to require that their staffs be vaccinated or face weekly testing for the coronavirus.“You’re setting an example and a powerful example,” Biden told company officials. “I’m calling on more employers to act.”Biden encouraged other businesses to follow suit by taking action before the OSHA rule and to go even further by requiring shots for their employees without offering a test-out option.Biden also met with the CEO of United Airlines, Scott Kirby, whose company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-de26955d518a498c5ffb26160d9c623d">successfully implemented a vaccine mandate</a>, with no option for workers to be tested instead. Less than 1% have failed to comply and risk termination.Biden’s mandates have “worked spectacularly well,” said Lawrence Gostin, a public health expert at Georgetown University’s law school. He added that the president’s rules have also had a “modeling effect” for cities, states and businesses. That’s what the White House intended.U.S. officials began anticipating the need for a more forceful vaccination campaign by April, when the nation’s supply of shots began to outpace demand. Political conditions meant immediate steps to require shots would have likely proved counterproductive.The idea of mandatory vaccination faced pushback from critics who argue it smacks of government overreach and takes away people’s rights to make their own medical decisions.So first, officials engaged in a monthslong and multibillion-dollar education and incentives effort to persuade people to get the vaccines of their own accord.It wasn’t enough.By midsummer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-coronavirus-pandemic-ac6ef8534bffeec97e9dc771b7990fe6">the more transmissible delta variant</a>&nbsp;of the virus was eroding months of health and economic progress and the rate of new vaccinations had slowed to a trickle. Biden’s strategy shifted from inducement to compulsion, with a slow, and deliberate heightening of vaccination restrictions.“It’s a good political strategy, but it also is a good public health strategy, because once you have a lot of people that have already been vaccinated. then mandates become more acceptable,” Gostin said.It started with a vaccination requirement for federal frontline health workers serving veterans in VA hospitals. Then the military, followed in steady succession by all healthcare workers reimbursed by the government, all federal workers, and then the more than 80 million Americans who work at mid- and large-size companies.Nearly 100 million adult Americans were unvaccinated in July. That figure has been cut by one-third since federal, state and private-sector mandates have been imposed.“Here’s the deal: These requirements are already proving that they work,” Biden said Thursday.In conjunction with the president’s trip to Chicago, the White House was releasing a report that outlines the early successes of vaccine mandates at driving up vaccination rates and tries to make the economic case for businesses and local governments to put mandates in place. It points to everything from reduced employee hours to diminished restaurant reservations in areas with fewer vaccinations, not to mention markedly reduced instances of serious illness and death from the virus in areas with higher vaccination rates.Millions of workers, the White House notes, say they are still unable to work due to pandemic-related effects, because their workplaces have been shuttered or reduced service, or because they’re afraid to work or can’t get child care.“The evidence has been overwhelmingly clear that these vaccine mandates work,” said Charlie Anderson, director of economic policy and budget for the White House COVID-19 response team. “And so now, I think it’s a good time to lift up and say, ‘Now’s the time to move, if you haven’t yet.’”While mandates are the ultimate tool to press Americans to get vaccinated, Biden has resisted, at least thus far, requiring shots or tests for interstate or international air travel, a move that legal experts say is within his powers. Officials said it was under consideration.“We have a track record, and I think it’s clear, that shows that we’re pulling available levers to require vaccinations,” said Jeff Zients, the White House COVID-19 coordinator. “And we’re not taking anything off the table.”

President Biden makes economic case for vaccine mandates

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged threat of violence at a Kansas middle school.

Just before 9:00 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of a possible school threat at Hadley Middle School, 1101 North Douglas in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. 

Students at the school reported seeing a post on Instagram that appeared to show someone holding a gun in what appeared to be a bathroom. The Instagram account also had posted threats, which prompted students to inform a teacher who called 911.

Officers responded, and an investigation began into who posted the image and the threats. It was later determined that the photo was not taken at Hadley Middle School.&nbsp;

Police are still working to determine who was involved and released no additional details late Thursday afternoon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633639248311.png" alt="Hadley Middle School -google image" />
 <figcaption>Hadley Middle School -google image</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged threat of violence at a Kansas middle school.Just before 9:00 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of a possible school threat at Hadley Middle School, 1101 North Douglas in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. Students at the school reported seeing a post on Instagram that appeared to show someone holding a gun in what appeared to be a bathroom. The Instagram account also had posted threats, which prompted students to inform a teacher who called 911.Officers responded, and an investigation began into who posted the image and the threats. It was later determined that the photo was not taken at Hadley Middle School.&nbsp;Police are still working to determine who was involved and released no additional details late Thursday afternoon.

Police investigate alleged threat at Kansas middle school

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has dodged a U.S. debt disaster, voting to extend the government’s borrowing authority into December and temporarily avert an unprecedented federal default that experts warned would devastate the economy and harm millions of Americans.

The party-line Democratic vote of 50-48 in support of the bill to raise the government’s debt ceiling by nearly a half-trillion dollars brought instant relief in Washington and far beyond. However, it provides only a reprieve. Assuming the House goes along with the Senate’s Thursday night vote, which it will, Republican and Democratic lawmakers will still have to tackle their deep differences on the issue once more before yearend.

That debate will take place as lawmakers also work to fund the federal government for the new fiscal year and as they keep up their bitter battling over President Joe Biden’s top domestic priorities — a bipartisan infrastructure plan with nearly $550 billion in new spending as well as a much more expansive, $3.5 trillion effort focused on health, safety net programs and the environment.

Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against the measure. In a statement from his office, Moran said, “As inflation rates continue to climb, burdening American families with higher prices at the gas station and grocery store, Congress should be working on an enduring solution to rein in federal spending, not passing short-term proposals that kick the problem down the road. I will not support the Democrats’ efforts to raise the debt limit to facilitate their out-of-control spending that is jeopardizing our economy and hurting American families.” Missouri Senator Roy Blunt voted with the majority.

Easing the crisis at hand — a disastrous default looming in just weeks — the Republican Senate leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, offered his support for allowing a short-term extension of the government’s borrowing authority after leading solid GOP opposition to a longer extension. He acted as Biden and business leaders ramped up their concerns that a default would disrupt government payments to millions of Americans and throw the nation into recession.

The GOP concession to give up its blockade for now was not popular with some members of McConnell’s Republican caucus, who complained that the nation’s debt levels are unsustainable.

“I can’t vote to raise this debt ceiling, not right now, especially given the plans at play to increase spending immediately by another $3.5 trillion,” Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said shortly before the vote.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said the Democrats had been on “a path to surrender” on the process used to lift the debt cap, “and then unfortunately, yesterday, Republicans blinked.”

But Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was among those voting to end debate and allow a vote on the bill.

“I’m not willing to let this train go off the cliff,” she said.

Eleven Republicans voted to end debate, providing the threshold needed to move the bill to a final vote. However, no Republicans sided with Democrats in the final vote for the measure. McConnell has insisted that the majority party will have to increase the debt ceiling on its own.

Congress has just days to act before the Oct. 18 deadline after which the Treasury Department has warned it will quickly run short of funds to handle the nation’s already accrued debt load.

The House is likely to approve the measure next week. After the Senate action, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced the House is being called back to session Tuesday evening for votes.

Republican leaders worked through the day to find the 10 votes they needed from their party to advance the debt limit extension to a final vote, holding a private huddle late in the afternoon. It was a long and “spirited” discussion in the room, said Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.

McConnell allowed for an airing of all views and ultimately told the senators he would be voting yes to limit debate.

The vote started with McConnell and South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the second-ranking Republican, waiting patiently as slowly, but surely, nine of their GOP colleagues came and gave the anticipated thumbs up. When Cruz voted no, McConnell joked: “I thought you were undecided. Thanks for showing up.”

The White House signaled Biden’s support, with principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying the president would sign a bill to raise the debt limit when it passed Congress. Jabbing the Republicans, she also said, “It gives us some breathing room from the catastrophic default we were approaching because of Sen. McConnell’s decision to play politics with our economy.”

Wall Street rallied modestly Thursday on news of the agreement.

The accord sets the stage for a sequel of sorts in December, when Congress will again face pressing deadlines to fund the government and raise the debt limit before heading home for the holidays.

The $480 billion increase in the debt ceiling is the level that the Treasury Department has said is needed to get safely to Dec. 3.

“I thank my Democratic colleagues for showing unity in solving this Republican-manufactured crisis,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. “Despite immense opposition from Leader McConnell and members of his conference, our caucus held together and we have pulled our country back from the cliff’s edge that Republicans tried to push us over.”

“The pathway our Democratic colleagues have accepted will spare the American people any near-term crisis, while definitively resolving the majority’s excuse that they lacked time to address the debt limit through (reconciliation),” McConnell said Thursday. “Now there will be no question: They’ll have plenty of time.

McConnell and fellow Senate Republicans still insist that the Democrats go it alone to raise the debt ceiling longer term. Further, McConnell has insisted that Democrats use the same cumbersome legislative process called reconciliation that they used to pass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill</a>&nbsp;and have been employing to try to pass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-business-us-news-ap-top-news-a6e8ed2379857b7aa9c64f6d608bb938">Biden’s $3.5 trillion measure</a>&nbsp;to boost safety net, health and environmental programs.

On Wednesday, Biden had enlisted top business leaders to push for immediately suspending the debt limit, saying the approaching deadline created the risk of a historic default that would be like a “meteor” that could crush the U.S. economy and send waves of damage worldwide.

At a White House event, the president shamed Republican senators for threatening to filibuster any suspension of the $28.4 trillion cap. He leaned into the credibility of corporate America — a group that has traditionally been aligned with the GOP on tax and regulatory issues — to drive home his point as the heads of Citi, JP Morgan Chase and Nasdaq gathered in person and virtually to say the debt limit must be lifted.

“It’s not right and it’s dangerous,” Biden said of the resistance by Senate Republicans.

Once a routine matter, raising the debt limit has become politically treacherous over the past decade or more, used by Republicans, in particular, to rail against government spending and the rising debt load.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633689181636.png" alt="The party-line Democratic vote of 50-48 in support of the bill to raise the government’s debt ceiling by nearly a half-trillion dollars brought instant relief in Washington and far beyond. The House must still approve the measure. Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The party-line Democratic vote of 50-48 in support of the bill to raise the government’s debt ceiling by nearly a half-trillion dollars brought instant relief in Washington and far beyond. The House must still approve the measure. Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has dodged a U.S. debt disaster, voting to extend the government’s borrowing authority into December and temporarily avert an unprecedented federal default that experts warned would devastate the economy and harm millions of Americans.The party-line Democratic vote of 50-48 in support of the bill to raise the government’s debt ceiling by nearly a half-trillion dollars brought instant relief in Washington and far beyond. However, it provides only a reprieve. Assuming the House goes along with the Senate’s Thursday night vote, which it will, Republican and Democratic lawmakers will still have to tackle their deep differences on the issue once more before yearend.That debate will take place as lawmakers also work to fund the federal government for the new fiscal year and as they keep up their bitter battling over President Joe Biden’s top domestic priorities — a bipartisan infrastructure plan with nearly $550 billion in new spending as well as a much more expansive, $3.5 trillion effort focused on health, safety net programs and the environment.Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against the measure. In a statement from his office, Moran said, “As inflation rates continue to climb, burdening American families with higher prices at the gas station and grocery store, Congress should be working on an enduring solution to rein in federal spending, not passing short-term proposals that kick the problem down the road. I will not support the Democrats’ efforts to raise the debt limit to facilitate their out-of-control spending that is jeopardizing our economy and hurting American families.” Missouri Senator Roy Blunt voted with the majority.Easing the crisis at hand — a disastrous default looming in just weeks — the Republican Senate leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, offered his support for allowing a short-term extension of the government’s borrowing authority after leading solid GOP opposition to a longer extension. He acted as Biden and business leaders ramped up their concerns that a default would disrupt government payments to millions of Americans and throw the nation into recession.The GOP concession to give up its blockade for now was not popular with some members of McConnell’s Republican caucus, who complained that the nation’s debt levels are unsustainable.“I can’t vote to raise this debt ceiling, not right now, especially given the plans at play to increase spending immediately by another $3.5 trillion,” Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said shortly before the vote.Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said the Democrats had been on “a path to surrender” on the process used to lift the debt cap, “and then unfortunately, yesterday, Republicans blinked.”But Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was among those voting to end debate and allow a vote on the bill.“I’m not willing to let this train go off the cliff,” she said.Eleven Republicans voted to end debate, providing the threshold needed to move the bill to a final vote. However, no Republicans sided with Democrats in the final vote for the measure. McConnell has insisted that the majority party will have to increase the debt ceiling on its own.Congress has just days to act before the Oct. 18 deadline after which the Treasury Department has warned it will quickly run short of funds to handle the nation’s already accrued debt load.The House is likely to approve the measure next week. After the Senate action, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced the House is being called back to session Tuesday evening for votes.Republican leaders worked through the day to find the 10 votes they needed from their party to advance the debt limit extension to a final vote, holding a private huddle late in the afternoon. It was a long and “spirited” discussion in the room, said Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.McConnell allowed for an airing of all views and ultimately told the senators he would be voting yes to limit debate.The vote started with McConnell and South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the second-ranking Republican, waiting patiently as slowly, but surely, nine of their GOP colleagues came and gave the anticipated thumbs up. When Cruz voted no, McConnell joked: “I thought you were undecided. Thanks for showing up.”The White House signaled Biden’s support, with principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying the president would sign a bill to raise the debt limit when it passed Congress. Jabbing the Republicans, she also said, “It gives us some breathing room from the catastrophic default we were approaching because of Sen. McConnell’s decision to play politics with our economy.”Wall Street rallied modestly Thursday on news of the agreement.The accord sets the stage for a sequel of sorts in December, when Congress will again face pressing deadlines to fund the government and raise the debt limit before heading home for the holidays.The $480 billion increase in the debt ceiling is the level that the Treasury Department has said is needed to get safely to Dec. 3.“I thank my Democratic colleagues for showing unity in solving this Republican-manufactured crisis,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. “Despite immense opposition from Leader McConnell and members of his conference, our caucus held together and we have pulled our country back from the cliff’s edge that Republicans tried to push us over.”McConnell saw it quite differently.“The pathway our Democratic colleagues have accepted will spare the American people any near-term crisis, while definitively resolving the majority’s excuse that they lacked time to address the debt limit through (reconciliation),” McConnell said Thursday. “Now there will be no question: They’ll have plenty of time.McConnell and fellow Senate Republicans still insist that the Democrats go it alone to raise the debt ceiling longer term. Further, McConnell has insisted that Democrats use the same cumbersome legislative process called reconciliation that they used to pass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-coronavirus-relief-package-33f4902ca9a2aed4e76274af6bb2ea5c">a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill</a>&nbsp;and have been employing to try to pass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-business-us-news-ap-top-news-a6e8ed2379857b7aa9c64f6d608bb938">Biden’s $3.5 trillion measure</a>&nbsp;to boost safety net, health and environmental programs.On Wednesday, Biden had enlisted top business leaders to push for immediately suspending the debt limit, saying the approaching deadline created the risk of a historic default that would be like a “meteor” that could crush the U.S. economy and send waves of damage worldwide.At a White House event, the president shamed Republican senators for threatening to filibuster any suspension of the $28.4 trillion cap. He leaned into the credibility of corporate America — a group that has traditionally been aligned with the GOP on tax and regulatory issues — to drive home his point as the heads of Citi, JP Morgan Chase and Nasdaq gathered in person and virtually to say the debt limit must be lifted.“It’s not right and it’s dangerous,” Biden said of the resistance by Senate Republicans.Once a routine matter, raising the debt limit has become politically treacherous over the past decade or more, used by Republicans, in particular, to rail against government spending and the rising debt load.------

Kan. Senators vote no as U.S Senate approves extending debt limit

BEIJING (AP) — In a relationship as fraught as America’s and China’s, just an agreement that talks were productive was a sign of progress.

Nine months into Joe Biden's presidency, the two sides finally appear to be trying to ease tensions that date from the Trump administration — though U.S. complaints about Chinese policies on trade, Taiwan and other issues are little diminished.

A closed-door meeting in Zurich on Wednesday between senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Yang Jiechi and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan was not accompanied by the public acrimony on display at earlier meetings.

After the six-hour talks, the U.S. disclosed an agreement in principle for a virtual summit between Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping by the end of the year. The two have talked by phone twice since Biden became president in January but not held a formal meeting.

Major differences divide what are by many measures the world’s two most powerful nations as they jostle for what each sees as its rightful place in the world order. Some differences over regional security and trade and technology may be irreconcilable, but successful talks could manage them and prevent any spillover that impedes cooperation in other areas such as climate change.

“I don’t think this marks the turnaround and somehow we’ll have a golden era, but maybe we’ve found the floor, or a floor, in which the relationships won’t sink any deeper,” said Drew Thompson, a former U.S. defense official who managed military-to-military relations with China, Taiwan and Mongolia.

Thompson, a visiting fellow at the National University of Singapore, said the meeting in Zurich went “spectacularly well” compared with a March meeting in Alaska that Yang and Sullivan attended and other U.S.-China meetings in the last three years.

Zhao Kejin, a professor of international relations at Tsinghua University in Beijing, described the current direction as an attempt to ease tensions and said a Xi-Biden meeting could cap those efforts.

“Compared to the tense relations during the Trump administration, the current relationship is moving toward mitigation,” he said. “As far as how far it will move, we will wait and see.”

One thorn in the relationship was removed two weeks ago when U.S. prosecutors reached a deal with a Chinese telecom executive that brought an end to prolonged extradition proceedings in Canada and allowed her to return to China.

Shortly after, two Canadians held by China for more than two years were released, and two Americans who had been blocked from leaving China were allowed to return to the United States.

And earlier this week, Chinese state media highlighted remarks by Biden's top trade official, Katherine Tai, that she plans frank conversations with her Chinese counterparts on resolving a tariff war. The U.S. administration, though, has not said whether it will accede to Chinese demands to roll back the tariffs, which were levied under former President Donald Trump.

There is little sign of any easing up in regional security, where China's territorial and strategic ambitions in the western Pacific are running into pushback from the U.S. military and its allies.

China flew a record number of military planes south of Taiwan over a four-day period in the past week, which the U.S. called risky and destabilizing. The flights came as the U.S. and five other countries carried out joint naval maneuvers with three aircraft carriers northeast of Taiwan. China describes such exercises as a provocation.

The U.S. defense relationship with Taiwan is sensitive, and while the U.S. has no military bases on the island, American special operations forces have been training with the Taiwan military for more than a year, including maritime operations with Marine commandos in recent weeks, U.S. officials said Thursday.

The training, which first surfaced publicly last year, hasn’t been officially acknowledged by the Defense Department. But in a statement, Pentagon spokesman John Supple said Thursday that U.S. military support for Taiwan is “based on an assessment of Taiwan’s defense needs and the threat posed by” China.

U.S. officials said the number of American special operations forces doing the training has fluctuated over time, but has been very small and recently was about two dozen. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations. The issue came to the forefront on Thursday when it was described in a story by The Wall Street Journal.

Supple said China “has stepped up efforts to intimidate and pressure Taiwan and other allies and partners, including increasing military activities conducted in the vicinity of Taiwan, East China Sea, and South China Sea which we believe are destabilizing and increase the risk of miscalculation.”

Biden is also under pressure from human rights activists and Republicans to maintain a firm line on China even as his administration seeks cooperation on climate change and on getting North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican and frequent critic, tweeted Wednesday that Biden is “dangerously delusional” if he thinks he can get a climate deal by playing down “great-power competition” with China.

Beijing residents were cautious about the future of relations, but some said it is better for the two sides to be talking than not. They blamed a hostile U.S. stance for the state of relations, echoing the position of the Chinese government.

“I don’t have a good impression of the U.S.," said He Taiqin. "I feel the country is overbearing and aggressive.”

By KEN MORITSUGU, Associated PressBEIJING (AP) — In a relationship as fraught as America’s and China’s, just an agreement that talks were productive was a sign of progress.Nine months into Joe Biden's presidency, the two sides finally appear to be trying to ease tensions that date from the Trump administration — though U.S. complaints about Chinese policies on trade, Taiwan and other issues are little diminished.A closed-door meeting in Zurich on Wednesday between senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Yang Jiechi and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan was not accompanied by the public acrimony on display at earlier meetings.After the six-hour talks, the U.S. disclosed an agreement in principle for a virtual summit between Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping by the end of the year. The two have talked by phone twice since Biden became president in January but not held a formal meeting.Major differences divide what are by many measures the world’s two most powerful nations as they jostle for what each sees as its rightful place in the world order. Some differences over regional security and trade and technology may be irreconcilable, but successful talks could manage them and prevent any spillover that impedes cooperation in other areas such as climate change.“I don’t think this marks the turnaround and somehow we’ll have a golden era, but maybe we’ve found the floor, or a floor, in which the relationships won’t sink any deeper,” said Drew Thompson, a former U.S. defense official who managed military-to-military relations with China, Taiwan and Mongolia.Thompson, a visiting fellow at the National University of Singapore, said the meeting in Zurich went “spectacularly well” compared with a March meeting in Alaska that Yang and Sullivan attended and other U.S.-China meetings in the last three years.Zhao Kejin, a professor of international relations at Tsinghua University in Beijing, described the current direction as an attempt to ease tensions and said a Xi-Biden meeting could cap those efforts.“Compared to the tense relations during the Trump administration, the current relationship is moving toward mitigation,” he said. “As far as how far it will move, we will wait and see.”One thorn in the relationship was removed two weeks ago when U.S. prosecutors reached a deal with a Chinese telecom executive that brought an end to prolonged extradition proceedings in Canada and allowed her to return to China.Shortly after, two Canadians held by China for more than two years were released, and two Americans who had been blocked from leaving China were allowed to return to the United States.And earlier this week, Chinese state media highlighted remarks by Biden's top trade official, Katherine Tai, that she plans frank conversations with her Chinese counterparts on resolving a tariff war. The U.S. administration, though, has not said whether it will accede to Chinese demands to roll back the tariffs, which were levied under former President Donald Trump.There is little sign of any easing up in regional security, where China's territorial and strategic ambitions in the western Pacific are running into pushback from the U.S. military and its allies.China flew a record number of military planes south of Taiwan over a four-day period in the past week, which the U.S. called risky and destabilizing. The flights came as the U.S. and five other countries carried out joint naval maneuvers with three aircraft carriers northeast of Taiwan. China describes such exercises as a provocation.The U.S. defense relationship with Taiwan is sensitive, and while the U.S. has no military bases on the island, American special operations forces have been training with the Taiwan military for more than a year, including maritime operations with Marine commandos in recent weeks, U.S. officials said Thursday.The training, which first surfaced publicly last year, hasn’t been officially acknowledged by the Defense Department. But in a statement, Pentagon spokesman John Supple said Thursday that U.S. military support for Taiwan is “based on an assessment of Taiwan’s defense needs and the threat posed by” China.U.S. officials said the number of American special operations forces doing the training has fluctuated over time, but has been very small and recently was about two dozen. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations. The issue came to the forefront on Thursday when it was described in a story by The Wall Street Journal.Supple said China “has stepped up efforts to intimidate and pressure Taiwan and other allies and partners, including increasing military activities conducted in the vicinity of Taiwan, East China Sea, and South China Sea which we believe are destabilizing and increase the risk of miscalculation.”Biden is also under pressure from human rights activists and Republicans to maintain a firm line on China even as his administration seeks cooperation on climate change and on getting North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program.U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican and frequent critic, tweeted Wednesday that Biden is “dangerously delusional” if he thinks he can get a climate deal by playing down “great-power competition” with China.Beijing residents were cautious about the future of relations, but some said it is better for the two sides to be talking than not. They blamed a hostile U.S. stance for the state of relations, echoing the position of the Chinese government.“I don’t have a good impression of the U.S.," said He Taiqin. "I feel the country is overbearing and aggressive.”___

U.S. Marine commandos in Taiwan as tensions flare with China

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; &nbsp;traffic stop incident and asking for help to locate a suspect.

Just after 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a black Chevrolet pickup truck for a registration violation near SW 21st Street and SW Auburn Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the traffic stop, the suspect reversed the pickup truck and struck the patrol vehicle before fleeing the scene. The suspect has been identified as 33-year-old Clinton Douglas Peck. 

Authorities located and recovered the pickup truck, according to Christian.&nbsp;Peck has previous convictions for theft, robbery, identity theft, aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Anyone with information on Clinton Douglas Peck is asked to contact the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633638334614.png" alt="Peck has previous convictions for theft, robbery, identity theft, aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Peck has previous convictions for theft, robbery, identity theft, aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; &nbsp;traffic stop incident and asking for help to locate a suspect.Just after 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a black Chevrolet pickup truck for a registration violation near SW 21st Street and SW Auburn Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the traffic stop, the suspect reversed the pickup truck and struck the patrol vehicle before fleeing the scene. The suspect has been identified as 33-year-old Clinton Douglas Peck. Authorities located and recovered the pickup truck, according to Christian.&nbsp;Peck has previous convictions for theft, robbery, identity theft, aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.Anyone with information on Clinton Douglas Peck is asked to contact the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office

Search continues for Kan. felon who rammed patrol vehicle

Identity theft is stressful, and it can do tremendous damage to 
your finances. It’s important to recognize the signs early. The earlier 
you notice something is amiss, the faster you can take action to 
minimize the damage. BBB recommends the following tips to help you 
recognize the signs of identity theft as soon as possible.

If you suspect you are the victim of identity theft, visit <a href="https://www.identitytheft.gov" target="_blank">identitytheft.gov</a> to report the matter and get a personalized recovery plan.

Find out more about protecting your child’s identity by reading the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/18393-bbb-tip-preventing-child-identity-theft" target="_blank">BBB Tip: Preventing Child Identity Theft</a>.

Report scams to <a href="https://www.BBB.org/ScamTracker">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBIdentity theft is stressful, and it can do tremendous damage to 
your finances. It’s important to recognize the signs early. The earlier 
you notice something is amiss, the faster you can take action to 
minimize the damage. BBB recommends the following tips to help you 
recognize the signs of identity theft as soon as possible.Common Signs of Identity Theft<ul>
 <li>You receive statements or bills in the mail for accounts you never opened. If you get a bill for <a href="https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/how-do-you-check-for-identity-theft/" target="_blank">an account you didn’t authorize</a>,
 someone may have gotten a hold of your personal information and opened 
an account in your name. Contact the company immediately to find out if 
there’s been a mistake and check your credit report for unusual 
activity. </li><li>You are surprised by being denied a loan or credit. You
 may think you have great credit, but if you apply for a credit card or 
loan and are shocked to find that you’ve been rejected, you may be the 
victim of identity theft. Thieves can open accounts in your name, run up
 the bill, and then default on payments, ruining your credit before you 
know what they’ve been up to. Check your credit report a few times a 
year to make sure no one has opened any credit accounts in your name. </li><li>Your regular bills stop showing up in the mail. If you haven’t signed up to go paperless and your <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-identity-theft#know" target="_blank">bills stop showing up in the mail</a>,
 it could be a sign that someone has changed your billing address. 
Contact your creditors and inquire if they sent the bill and if the 
address they have on file is correct. </li><li>You notice suspicious activity in your bank account. Unfamiliar charges, new accounts, and withdrawals you didn’t make are all <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16951-bbb-tip-identity-theft" target="_blank">signs of identity theft</a>. Review your bank account regularly to make sure no one has access to your funds. </li><li>You notice suspicious charges on your credit card. Scammers
 may make a small charge on your account first to test out their 
information, hoping you won’t notice. If you notice any strange charges 
on your credit card bill, report them immediately. Even a small 
inconsistency can be a sign of fraud. </li><li>You get authentication messages for accounts you didn’t set up. Scammers
 could be trying to set up a new account in your name. If you receive 
unexpected authentication messages, don’t reply. Review your bank 
accounts, credit card statements, and credit report to make sure no one 
has succeeded in making transactions in your name. </li><li>The IRS rejects your tax return. If your tax return gets rejected, someone may have filed in your name and made off with your tax refund. Contact the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/" target="_blank">IRS</a> if you suspect your tax identity has been compromised. </li><li>The IRS informs you a tax return has been filed on your behalf. Sometimes
 the IRS catches a fraudulent tax return before the fake filer succeeds 
in getting your return. When this happens, you may receive a letter from
 the IRS with instructions on how you can verify your identity and 
prevent identity thieves from using your social security number for tax 
fraud in the future. </li><li>Your credit score inexplicably improves or deteriorates. If your credit score is <a href="https://www.consumeraffairs.com/finance/how-to-check-for-identity-theft.html" target="_blank">suddenly very low</a>,
 a fraudster may have maxed out your credit without paying the bill. On 
the other hand, if your credit is improving when you haven’t done 
anything to earn it, an identity thief may be building up your credit so
 they can run through it later. </li><li>You are suddenly denied medical coverage. Scammers 
can steal your identity to use your health benefits too. If you get 
medical bills in the mail, but you haven’t been to the doctor, someone 
may be using up your benefits in your name. The same is true if you are 
unexpectedly denied coverage. Contact your insurance company to find out
 if you’ve been the victim of <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-medical-identity-theft" target="_blank">medical identity theft</a>. </li><li>Debt collectors call about debts you are unaware of. If
 you receive calls from debt collectors about money owed in you name for
 charges you never made, someone may be using your personal information.
 In some cases, con artists may even use <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22921-bbb-scam-alert-synthetic-id-theft" target="_blank">your child’s name or social security number</a>
 to rack up debts. Get as much information as you can from the debt 
collector so you can investigate the supposed charges and take action to
 correct the matter. </li>
 </ul>For More InformationIf you suspect you are the victim of identity theft, visit <a href="https://www.identitytheft.gov" target="_blank">identitytheft.gov</a> to report the matter and get a personalized recovery plan.Find out more about protecting your child’s identity by reading the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/18393-bbb-tip-preventing-child-identity-theft" target="_blank">BBB Tip: Preventing Child Identity Theft</a>.Report scams to <a href="https://www.BBB.org/ScamTracker">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

How do you know if someone stole your identity?

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — The Republican Party chair for the most populous county in Kansas has resigned following disclosure of an accusation that he forcibly kissed another local GOP leader at a pro-life group’s fundraiser this summer. 

<a href="https://jcrpks.org/leadership/">Fabian Shepard’s d</a>ecision to step down as the GOP’s Johnson County chair was confirmed Thursday by the county party’s vice chair and the Kansas Republican Party’s executive director.

Wyandotte County GOP Vice Chair Stephanie Cashion said earlier this week that she filed a battery complaint with Bonner Springs police accusing Shepard of kissing twice her without her permission at an Aug. 20  Kansans for Life event. He has denied the allegation.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Wyandotte County Republican leader has filed a battery complaint against a Republican leader in neighboring Johnson County saying he forcibly kissed her at a pro-live event in August. 

Wyandotte County Republican Party Vice Chairwoman Stephanie Cashion told the Associated Press that she made a complaint to police last month accusing Johnson County Republican Party Chairman Fabian Shepard of grabbing her and kissing her without her permission. 

 Cashion said the incident occurred at a Kansans for Life fundraising event in Bonner Springs. Shepard did not immediately respond to a request for comment but told The Kansas City Star that he denies the allegations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633653968498.png" alt="Fabian Shepard photo courtesy Johnson County GOP" />
 <figcaption>Fabian Shepard photo courtesy Johnson County GOP</figcaption>
 </figure>OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — The Republican Party chair for the most populous county in Kansas has resigned following disclosure of an accusation that he forcibly kissed another local GOP leader at a pro-life group’s fundraiser this summer. <a href="https://jcrpks.org/leadership/">Fabian Shepard’s d</a>ecision to step down as the GOP’s Johnson County chair was confirmed Thursday by the county party’s vice chair and the Kansas Republican Party’s executive director. Wyandotte County GOP Vice Chair Stephanie Cashion said earlier this week that she filed a battery complaint with Bonner Springs police accusing Shepard of kissing twice her without her permission at an Aug. 20 Kansans for Life event. He has denied the allegation.----------TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Wyandotte County Republican leader has filed a battery complaint against a Republican leader in neighboring Johnson County saying he forcibly kissed her at a pro-live event in August. Wyandotte County Republican Party Vice Chairwoman Stephanie Cashion told the Associated Press that she made a complaint to police last month accusing Johnson County Republican Party Chairman Fabian Shepard of grabbing her and kissing her without her permission. Cashion said the incident occurred at a Kansans for Life fundraising event in Bonner Springs. Shepard did not immediately respond to a request for comment but told The Kansas City Star that he denies the allegations.

Kansas county GOP chair accused of forced kissing resigns

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a murder and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 11a.m. Wednesday, deputies responded to the check the welfare of a person at a trailer home in the 15300 Block of U.S. 54, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.

At the scene, deputies saw a victim on the floor and forced entry into the residence. They found the body of 67-year-old Denyce Briet. It was very obvious to the deputies that there was blunt force trauma to the victim and that this was a homicide, according to Easter.

During the investigation, deputies responded to a related call at a home the 1000 Block of West Dayton. The same caller told deputies they believed the victim, Denyce Breit, had been injured by her son.

Investigators developed a suspect identified as 42-year-old Kyle L. Romey. He is Breit's son. Deputies located him near the area of Taft and McClain and took him into custody.

According to Easter, Romey and his family had a history of violence but investigators don't know what led to Breit's death.&nbsp; Romey had been living at the trailer home since he was paroled in April.&nbsp;Romey has had several previous convictions for criminal threat, aggravated battery; great bodily harm and felon in possession of a weapon, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Romey is being <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20045633">held on a requested charge </a>of first degree murder, according to Easter.&nbsp; An autopsy to confirm Breit's cause of death was scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Deputies will present the case to the district attorney's office on Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633632874021.png" alt="Romey was on parole and had several previous convictions for criminal threat, aggravated battery; great bodily harm and felon in possession of a weapon, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Romey was on parole and had several previous convictions for criminal threat, aggravated battery; great bodily harm and felon in possession of a weapon, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a murder and have a suspect in custody.Just after 11a.m. Wednesday, deputies responded to the check the welfare of a person at a trailer home in the 15300 Block of U.S. 54, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.At the scene, deputies saw a victim on the floor and forced entry into the residence. They found the body of 67-year-old Denyce Briet. It was very obvious to the deputies that there was blunt force trauma to the victim and that this was a homicide, according to Easter.During the investigation, deputies responded to a related call at a home the 1000 Block of West Dayton. The same caller told deputies they believed the victim, Denyce Breit, had been injured by her son.Investigators developed a suspect identified as 42-year-old Kyle L. Romey. He is Breit's son. Deputies located him near the area of Taft and McClain and took him into custody.According to Easter, Romey and his family had a history of violence but investigators don't know what led to Breit's death.&nbsp; Romey had been living at the trailer home since he was paroled in April.&nbsp;Romey has had several previous convictions for criminal threat, aggravated battery; great bodily harm and felon in possession of a weapon, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.Romey is being <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20045633">held on a requested charge </a>of first degree murder, according to Easter.&nbsp; An autopsy to confirm Breit's cause of death was scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Deputies will present the case to the district attorney's office on Friday.

Kansas man on parole accused in violent murder of his mother

TOPEKA, Kansas –&nbsp;Minimum-custody resident Elvin Eugene Morris continues on escape status since 7:50 p.m. Saturday, October 2, after he walked away from the Wichita Work Release Facility, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Morris, a 43-year-old black male, left for Walmart in the community at 4:05 p.m. and was reported missing when he did not report back to the facility following an approved community pass.

Morris is currently serving a sentence for a conviction in Sedgwick County for removing electronic monitoring equipment. Morris was last seen leaving the Wichita Work Release Facility at 400 South Emporia in Wichita, Kansas.

Morris is 5 feet 10 inches tall, 179 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. Morris was last seen wearing jeans and a long sleeved, button up, white shirt and gray sweatshirt.

Anyone with information on Morris can call the Kansas Department of Corrections at 316-265-5211, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911.

The&nbsp;escape&nbsp;is currently being investigated.&nbsp; New information will be released as it becomes available.

The Wichita Work Release Facility, a satellite unit of the Winfield Correctional Facility, is an all-male, minimum-custody state prison with a population of 250.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633225847462.png" alt="Morris has previous convictions for theft and one for aggravated robbery in addition to his conviction in Sedgwick County for removing electronic monitoring equipment, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Morris has previous convictions for theft and one for aggravated robbery in addition to his conviction in Sedgwick County for removing electronic monitoring equipment, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kansas –&nbsp;Minimum-custody resident Elvin Eugene Morris continues on escape status since 7:50 p.m. Saturday, October 2, after he walked away from the Wichita Work Release Facility, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Corrections.Morris, a 43-year-old black male, left for Walmart in the community at 4:05 p.m. and was reported missing when he did not report back to the facility following an approved community pass.Morris is currently serving a sentence for a conviction in Sedgwick County for removing electronic monitoring equipment. Morris was last seen leaving the Wichita Work Release Facility at 400 South Emporia in Wichita, Kansas.Morris is 5 feet 10 inches tall, 179 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. Morris was last seen wearing jeans and a long sleeved, button up, white shirt and gray sweatshirt.Anyone with information on Morris can call the Kansas Department of Corrections at 316-265-5211, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911.The&nbsp;escape&nbsp;is currently being investigated.&nbsp; New information will be released as it becomes available.The Wichita Work Release Facility, a satellite unit of the Winfield Correctional Facility, is an all-male, minimum-custody state prison with a population of 250.

Kan. felon still missing after walking away from work release facility

MANHATTAN —Authorities say a heat lamp near an enclosure for a pet turtle is responsible for a house fire in Manattan.

Just before 11a.m. Thursday, fire crews responded to a home at 3208 Highland Circle for a report of smoke coming from a house, according to Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Almes.

At the scene, crews found a fire in the basement of the single-story residence. Crews contained the fire within 10 minutes of arrival.&nbsp; &nbsp;A pet turtle died as a result of the fire.&nbsp; Loss is estimated at $15,000 to contents and $15,000 to the structure. ,&nbsp; The fire cause is accidental due to a heat lamp that was near the turtle enclosure, according to Almes. There were no other injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633636017433.png" alt="Crews on the scene of the Thursday morning fire-photo Manhattan Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Crews on the scene of the Thursday morning fire-photo Manhattan Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN —Authorities say a heat lamp near an enclosure for a pet turtle is responsible for a house fire in Manattan.Just before 11a.m. Thursday, fire crews responded to a home at 3208 Highland Circle for a report of smoke coming from a house, according to Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Almes.At the scene, crews found a fire in the basement of the single-story residence. Crews contained the fire within 10 minutes of arrival.&nbsp; &nbsp;A pet turtle died as a result of the fire.&nbsp; Loss is estimated at $15,000 to contents and $15,000 to the structure. ,&nbsp; The fire cause is accidental due to a heat lamp that was near the turtle enclosure, according to Almes. There were no other injuries reported.

Fire chief: Heat lamp for a pet started Kansas house fire

WICHITA —The Sedgwick County Zoo announced the sudden passing Thursday of&nbsp; 30-year-0ld Zuza, a western lowland gorilla&nbsp;

According to a statement from the zoo, Zuza woke up and had breakfast as usual Thursday morning, but was later found unresponsive when keepers returned for a routine training session. Repeated attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Medical staff are performing an animal autopsy&nbsp; to determine the cause of death.

Zuza was born Sept. 16, 1991, at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago and came to Sedgwick County Zoo in 2010.&nbsp; Zuza was a Zoo guest favorite – known to his caretakers and fans as “Zuza the Entertainer." He was a charismatic gorilla with a playful disposition and his presence will be thoroughly missed by everyone at Sedgwick County Zoo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633631870087.png" alt="Zuza -Photo Sedgwick Co. Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Zuza -Photo Sedgwick Co. Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA —The Sedgwick County Zoo announced the sudden passing Thursday of&nbsp; 30-year-0ld Zuza, a western lowland gorilla&nbsp;According to a statement from the zoo, Zuza woke up and had breakfast as usual Thursday morning, but was later found unresponsive when keepers returned for a routine training session. Repeated attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.Medical staff are performing an animal autopsy&nbsp; to determine the cause of death.Zuza was born Sept. 16, 1991, at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago and came to Sedgwick County Zoo in 2010.&nbsp; Zuza was a Zoo guest favorite – known to his caretakers and fans as “Zuza the Entertainer." He was a charismatic gorilla with a playful disposition and his presence will be thoroughly missed by everyone at Sedgwick County Zoo.

Kansas zoo mourns the death of 30-year-old gorilla

By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-10-05/kansas-wind-energy-just-turned-20-and-now-its-bracing-for-a-quarter-life-crisis">Kansas News Service</a>

MINEOLA&nbsp;— The wind farm business in Kansas has hit its
 awkward adolescence. It’s still growing 20 years in, but unsure what 
the near future might hold.

If it wants to get through those tough
 years and continue to grow, it needs to find more workers, to figure 
out what to do with the dated-but-not-obsolete turbines erected two 
decades ago and to sort out a way to carry all that wind-harvesting 
muscle beyond the state's borders.

Consider the burly, newest version of wind farming at the <a href="https://www.enelgreenpower.com/our-projects/operating/cimarron-bend-wind-project" target="_blank">Cimarron Bend wind farm</a> south of Dodge City.

“We
 just watch and listen to the towers,” said project supervisor Dewain 
Pfaff, who’s responsible for keeping about 300 turbines up and running. 
“If you can hear a noise we want to mitigate those issues as soon as 
possible.”

Standing at the base of one of the newest turbines on 
the site, he’s dwarfed by the tower that rises 300 feet into the air. 
That’s almost as tall as the Kansas State Capitol. Add in the blade when
 pointing straight up and it’s taller than the tallest building in the 
state.

That mammoth size is one way wind turbines have changed 
over the past 20 years. While the turbine is nearly 300 feet tall, the 
turbines at the very first large-scale wind farm in the state stretched 
only 200 feet above the ground.

Transporting larger towers and blades is trickier, but inevitable.

Wind turbines are relatively simple devices with only a few moving 
parts. But like all machines, they still require maintenance and 
repairs. About 35 people are on site daily at the Cimarron Bend 
projects.

Stand close to one of the turbines and the woosh of the 
blades traveling as fast as 150 mph at the tip is quite loud. Walk a 
half-mile away and you can barely hear one.

Inside the giant 
structures, once the turbines are shut down, technicians can grease 
bearings, patch blades and inspect for other mechanical or electrical 
faults.

Last year, <a href="https://emp.lbl.gov/wind-energy-growth" target="_blank">almost 450 new wind turbines</a> were erected in Kansas. Nearly as many will go up this year.

“It’s
 not just that the industry needs to hire a lot of new technicians,” 
said Kit Thompson, chair of the renewable energy program at Cloud County
 Community College, “they’re offering very, very good pay.”

The<a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/wind-turbine-technicians.htm#tab-1" target="_blank"> Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>
 says the median pay for a wind tech in 2020 was $56,000 a year. Wind 
technician is also expected to be one of the fastest-growing jobs over 
the next 10 years.

Part of thinking about the future of the 
industry is figuring out what to do when turbines start to age. Turbines
 are typically built to last 20 to 25 years, but that lifespan can be 
extended by decades through changing out parts and replacing blades. The
 energy company ENEL recently went through the process, known as 
repowering, at its wind farm in Ellsworth County.

ENEL’s head of 
sustainability, Marcus Krembs said about 85% of wind turbine components 
are fully recyclable. The giant blades, however, are not. Krembs said 
the company has committed to make sure old blades don’t end up in 
landfills.

“We’re using a handful of blades from (that project) 
and partnering with an academic consortium to utilize those blades as 
transmission poles,” he said.

Wind turbine and blade manufacturers
 are also working on ways to make the blades easier and cheaper to 
recycle. Siemens Gamesa just launched what it’s calling the <a href="https://www.siemensgamesa.com/en-int/newsroom/2021/09/launch-world-first-recyclable-wind-turbine-blade" target="_blank">world’s first fully recyclable blade</a>. It will be used on turbines being built off the shore of Germany.

But there’s another major obstacle to continued growth in the wind industry.

“There’s one word and it’s transmission,” Krembs said.

Transmission
 cables are the large wires used to transport high-voltage electricity 
from places where energy is produced, like Kansas, to the population 
centers to the east and west where it’s needed.

Alan Anderson is an attorney who helps represent renewable energy 
projects, including the proposed 800-mile-long multi-state transmission 
project known as the <a href="https://grainbeltexpress.com/overview.html" target="_blank">Grain Belt Express</a>.

“Similar
 to corn, beans and wheat, where we export,” he said, “it would be great
 if we could get the same with our renewable resources, that we can 
harvest it and get it to the marketplace to the benefit of Kansans.”

The
 Grain Belt Express has been in the works for more than a decade while 
it’s sought government approval. When completed, Anderson said, it will 
be key to unlocking more of Kansas’ renewable potential by expanding the
 potential list of buyers for the state’s wind energy.

Even with 
more transmission, he said wind energy growth in Kansas will eventually 
slow. Especially as solar and battery storage becomes more affordable.

But
 he said as long as the wind still blows in Kansas, there will be plenty
 of opportunities left to take advantage of one of the state’s most 
desired natural resources.

Brian Grimmett reports on the 
environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the 
Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633450974615.png" alt="Kansas Highway 23 divides the Gray County Wind Farm from the Ensign Wind Farm in Gray County. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Highway 23 divides the Gray County Wind Farm from the Ensign Wind Farm in Gray County. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-10-05/kansas-wind-energy-just-turned-20-and-now-its-bracing-for-a-quarter-life-crisis">Kansas News Service</a>MINEOLA&nbsp;— The wind farm business in Kansas has hit its
 awkward adolescence. It’s still growing 20 years in, but unsure what 
the near future might hold.If it wants to get through those tough
 years and continue to grow, it needs to find more workers, to figure 
out what to do with the dated-but-not-obsolete turbines erected two 
decades ago and to sort out a way to carry all that wind-harvesting 
muscle beyond the state's borders.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633449003083.png" alt="This is part 2 of a two-part series on the impact of 20 years of harvesting wind energy in Kansas. Crysta Henthorne" />
 <figcaption>This is part 2 of a two-part series on the impact of 20 years of harvesting wind energy in Kansas. Crysta Henthorne</figcaption>
 </figure>Consider the burly, newest version of wind farming at the <a href="https://www.enelgreenpower.com/our-projects/operating/cimarron-bend-wind-project" target="_blank">Cimarron Bend wind farm</a> south of Dodge City.“We
 just watch and listen to the towers,” said project supervisor Dewain 
Pfaff, who’s responsible for keeping about 300 turbines up and running. 
“If you can hear a noise we want to mitigate those issues as soon as 
possible.”Standing at the base of one of the newest turbines on 
the site, he’s dwarfed by the tower that rises 300 feet into the air. 
That’s almost as tall as the Kansas State Capitol. Add in the blade when
 pointing straight up and it’s taller than the tallest building in the 
state.That mammoth size is one way wind turbines have changed 
over the past 20 years. While the turbine is nearly 300 feet tall, the 
turbines at the very first large-scale wind farm in the state stretched 
only 200 feet above the ground.Transporting larger towers and blades is trickier, but inevitable.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633451068751.png" alt="Trucks transport blades for wind turbines in Gray County. Brian Grimmett" />
 <figcaption>Trucks transport blades for wind turbines in Gray County. Brian Grimmett</figcaption>
 </figure>Wind turbines are relatively simple devices with only a few moving 
parts. But like all machines, they still require maintenance and 
repairs. About 35 people are on site daily at the Cimarron Bend 
projects.Stand close to one of the turbines and the woosh of the 
blades traveling as fast as 150 mph at the tip is quite loud. Walk a 
half-mile away and you can barely hear one.Inside the giant 
structures, once the turbines are shut down, technicians can grease 
bearings, patch blades and inspect for other mechanical or electrical 
faults.Last year, <a href="https://emp.lbl.gov/wind-energy-growth" target="_blank">almost 450 new wind turbines</a> were erected in Kansas. Nearly as many will go up this year.“It’s
 not just that the industry needs to hire a lot of new technicians,” 
said Kit Thompson, chair of the renewable energy program at Cloud County
 Community College, “they’re offering very, very good pay.”The<a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/wind-turbine-technicians.htm#tab-1" target="_blank"> Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>
 says the median pay for a wind tech in 2020 was $56,000 a year. Wind 
technician is also expected to be one of the fastest-growing jobs over 
the next 10 years.Part of thinking about the future of the 
industry is figuring out what to do when turbines start to age. Turbines
 are typically built to last 20 to 25 years, but that lifespan can be 
extended by decades through changing out parts and replacing blades. The
 energy company ENEL recently went through the process, known as 
repowering, at its wind farm in Ellsworth County.ENEL’s head of 
sustainability, Marcus Krembs said about 85% of wind turbine components 
are fully recyclable. The giant blades, however, are not. Krembs said 
the company has committed to make sure old blades don’t end up in 
landfills.“We’re using a handful of blades from (that project) 
and partnering with an academic consortium to utilize those blades as 
transmission poles,” he said.Wind turbine and blade manufacturers
 are also working on ways to make the blades easier and cheaper to 
recycle. Siemens Gamesa just launched what it’s calling the <a href="https://www.siemensgamesa.com/en-int/newsroom/2021/09/launch-world-first-recyclable-wind-turbine-blade" target="_blank">world’s first fully recyclable blade</a>. It will be used on turbines being built off the shore of Germany.But there’s another major obstacle to continued growth in the wind industry.“There’s one word and it’s transmission,” Krembs said.Transmission
 cables are the large wires used to transport high-voltage electricity 
from places where energy is produced, like Kansas, to the population 
centers to the east and west where it’s needed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633451117772.png" alt="The base of a tower at the Cimarron Bend III wind farm south of Dodge City. Brian Grimmett" />
 <figcaption>The base of a tower at the Cimarron Bend III wind farm south of Dodge City. Brian Grimmett</figcaption>
 </figure>Alan Anderson is an attorney who helps represent renewable energy 
projects, including the proposed 800-mile-long multi-state transmission 
project known as the <a href="https://grainbeltexpress.com/overview.html" target="_blank">Grain Belt Express</a>.“Similar
 to corn, beans and wheat, where we export,” he said, “it would be great
 if we could get the same with our renewable resources, that we can 
harvest it and get it to the marketplace to the benefit of Kansans.”The
 Grain Belt Express has been in the works for more than a decade while 
it’s sought government approval. When completed, Anderson said, it will 
be key to unlocking more of Kansas’ renewable potential by expanding the
 potential list of buyers for the state’s wind energy.Even with 
more transmission, he said wind energy growth in Kansas will eventually 
slow. Especially as solar and battery storage becomes more affordable.But
 he said as long as the wind still blows in Kansas, there will be plenty
 of opportunities left to take advantage of one of the state’s most 
desired natural resources.Brian Grimmett reports on the 
environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the 
Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

Kansas wind energy turns 20, braces for quarter-life crisis

KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — A hearing about procedural issues is scheduled for Friday in the case of a Kansas City man who is seeking to be exonerated in a triple murder committed more than 40 years ago.

Judge James Welsh scheduled the hearing Tuesday during his first case management conference after being assigned the case of Kevin Strickland. Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters-Baker announced in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-06e726b7ef07be53ba7bdb6088282548">May&nbsp;</a>that new evidence indicated that Strickland did not commit the murders.

The purpose of Friday’s hearing is to determine what evidence can be admitted during a future hearing that will determine if Strickland should be freed. Welsh also will rule on the role the attorney general should play in the case.

Arguments in the case had been expected to begin this week. But last week, the Missouri Supreme Court prohibited all judges from the 16th Judicial District, based in Jackson County, from presiding over the hearing.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt had argued that judges from the district were biased in favor of Strickland. He cited a letter from the circuit’s presiding judge that said he agrees that Strickland was wrongfully convicted.

Welsh, a retired judge, was then assigned to the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620695920927.png" alt="Strickland- photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Strickland- photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — A hearing about procedural issues is scheduled for Friday in the case of a Kansas City man who is seeking to be exonerated in a triple murder committed more than 40 years ago.Judge James Welsh scheduled the hearing Tuesday during his first case management conference after being assigned the case of Kevin Strickland. Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters-Baker announced in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-06e726b7ef07be53ba7bdb6088282548">May&nbsp;</a>that new evidence indicated that Strickland did not commit the murders.The purpose of Friday’s hearing is to determine what evidence can be admitted during a future hearing that will determine if Strickland should be freed. Welsh also will rule on the role the attorney general should play in the case.Arguments in the case had been expected to begin this week. But last week, the Missouri Supreme Court prohibited all judges from the 16th Judicial District, based in Jackson County, from presiding over the hearing.Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt had argued that judges from the district were biased in favor of Strickland. He cited a letter from the circuit’s presiding judge that said he agrees that Strickland was wrongfully convicted.Welsh, a retired judge, was then assigned to the case.

Procedural hearing set in 40-year-old Kansas City triple murder

KANSAS CITY— After a stop in Kansas City, Missouri in May, the First Lady will be in Kansas City, Kansas, next week.

According to Dr. Jill Biden’s office, she is scheduled to travel to Kansas Tuesday. For security reasons, her office did not release information on what she will do during the trip.

On May 27, Dr. Biden visited a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Metropolitan Community College. The school offered free class and other incentives for students to get vaccinated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1622153299060.png" alt="Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver greet a patient waiting to get vaccinated in May -Photo courtesy Metropolitan Community College" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver greet a patient waiting to get vaccinated in May -Photo courtesy Metropolitan Community College</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— After a stop in Kansas City, Missouri in May, the First Lady will be in Kansas City, Kansas, next week.According to Dr. Jill Biden’s office, she is scheduled to travel to Kansas Tuesday. For security reasons, her office did not release information on what she will do during the trip.On May 27, Dr. Biden visited a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Metropolitan Community College. The school offered free class and other incentives for students to get vaccinated.----------

First Lady Jill Biden coming to Kansas next week

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A federal judge ordered Texas to suspend the most restrictive abortion law in the U.S., calling it an “offensive deprivation” of a constitutional right by banning most abortions in the nation’s second-most populous state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-courts-us-supreme-court-32ee7ae7eeec9bdfd1471a848c163321">since September</a>.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21079947-pitman-order" target="_blank">The order</a>&nbsp;Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman is the first legal blow to the Texas law known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-business-lawsuits-laws-8690c15ea5de5c6ed695003b7a533cb1">Senate Bill 8,</a>&nbsp;which until now had withstood a wave of early challenges. In the weeks since the restrictions took effect, Texas abortion providers say the impact has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-courts-laws-e456aeea9fcd2dd86723cf915429e594">“exactly what we feared.”</a>

In a 113-page opinion, Pitman took Texas to task over the law, saying Republican lawmakers had “contrived an unprecedented and transparent statutory scheme” by leaving enforcement solely in the hands of private citizens, who are entitled to collect $10,000 in damages if they bring successful lawsuits against abortion providers who violate the restrictions.

The law,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-health-abortion-government-and-politics-ba02cd7c3f02b1eb5c87094257ee4db2">signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May</a>, prohibits abortions once&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-laws-government-and-politics-health-77c9ba98c4f4ab46fdbd5bcc47b5b938">cardiac activity</a>&nbsp;is detected, which is usually around six weeks,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-courts-dallas-ac56b654f88471753b22e19587956c29">before some women even know they are pregnant</a>.

“From the moment S.B. 8 went into effect, women have been unlawfully prevented from exercising control over their lives in ways that are protected by the Constitution,” wrote Pitman, who was appointed to the bench by former President Barack Obama.

“That other courts may find a way to avoid this conclusion is theirs to decide; this Court will not sanction one more day of this offensive deprivation of such an important right.”

But even with the law on hold, abortion services in Texas may not instantly resume because doctors still fear that they could be sued without a more permanent legal decision. Planned Parenthood said it was hopeful the order would allow clinics to resume abortion services as soon as possible.

Texas officials swiftly told the court of their intention to seek a reversal from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which previously allowed the restrictions to take effect.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-law-court-a7961b629e913e1008f8e929c99fb310">lawsuit was brought by the Biden administration</a>, which has said the restrictions were enacted in defiance of the U.S. Constitution. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the order “a victory for women in Texas and for the rule of law.”

The law had been in effect since Sept. 1.

“For more than a month now, Texans have been deprived of abortion access because of an unconstitutional law that never should have gone into effect. The relief granted by the court today is overdue, and we are grateful that the Department of Justice moved quickly to seek it,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Texas Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion group, said the order was not unexpected.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631271480870.png" alt="Abortion-rights protest rally last month in Kansas City photo courtesy ACLU&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Abortion-rights protest rally last month in Kansas City photo courtesy ACLU&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A federal judge ordered Texas to suspend the most restrictive abortion law in the U.S., calling it an “offensive deprivation” of a constitutional right by banning most abortions in the nation’s second-most populous state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-courts-us-supreme-court-32ee7ae7eeec9bdfd1471a848c163321">since September</a>.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21079947-pitman-order" target="_blank">The order</a>&nbsp;Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman is the first legal blow to the Texas law known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-business-lawsuits-laws-8690c15ea5de5c6ed695003b7a533cb1">Senate Bill 8,</a>&nbsp;which until now had withstood a wave of early challenges. In the weeks since the restrictions took effect, Texas abortion providers say the impact has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-courts-laws-e456aeea9fcd2dd86723cf915429e594">“exactly what we feared.”</a>In a 113-page opinion, Pitman took Texas to task over the law, saying Republican lawmakers had “contrived an unprecedented and transparent statutory scheme” by leaving enforcement solely in the hands of private citizens, who are entitled to collect $10,000 in damages if they bring successful lawsuits against abortion providers who violate the restrictions.The law,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-health-abortion-government-and-politics-ba02cd7c3f02b1eb5c87094257ee4db2">signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May</a>, prohibits abortions once&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-laws-government-and-politics-health-77c9ba98c4f4ab46fdbd5bcc47b5b938">cardiac activity</a>&nbsp;is detected, which is usually around six weeks,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-courts-dallas-ac56b654f88471753b22e19587956c29">before some women even know they are pregnant</a>.“From the moment S.B. 8 went into effect, women have been unlawfully prevented from exercising control over their lives in ways that are protected by the Constitution,” wrote Pitman, who was appointed to the bench by former President Barack Obama.“That other courts may find a way to avoid this conclusion is theirs to decide; this Court will not sanction one more day of this offensive deprivation of such an important right.”But even with the law on hold, abortion services in Texas may not instantly resume because doctors still fear that they could be sued without a more permanent legal decision. Planned Parenthood said it was hopeful the order would allow clinics to resume abortion services as soon as possible.Texas officials swiftly told the court of their intention to seek a reversal from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which previously allowed the restrictions to take effect.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-law-court-a7961b629e913e1008f8e929c99fb310">lawsuit was brought by the Biden administration</a>, which has said the restrictions were enacted in defiance of the U.S. Constitution. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the order “a victory for women in Texas and for the rule of law.”The law had been in effect since Sept. 1.“For more than a month now, Texans have been deprived of abortion access because of an unconstitutional law that never should have gone into effect. The relief granted by the court today is overdue, and we are grateful that the Department of Justice moved quickly to seek it,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.Texas Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion group, said the order was not unexpected.“This is ultimately the legacy of Roe v. Wade, that you have activist judges bending over backwards, bending precedent, bending the law, in order to cater to the abortion industry,” said Kimberlyn Schwartz, a spokeswoman for the group. “These activist judges will create their conclusion first: that abortion is a so-called constitutional right and then work backwards from there.”Abortion providers say their fears have become reality in the short time the law has been in effect. Planned Parenthood says the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-lifestyle-health-travel-texas-fbc505c3db4a08af51ba409a91ea161c">number of patients</a>&nbsp;from Texas at its clinics in the state decreased by nearly 80% in the two weeks after the law took effect.Some providers have said that Texas clinics are now in danger of closing while neighboring states struggle to keep up with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/in-state-wire-abortion-or-state-wire-il-state-wire-mo-state-wire-4ced42150e3348328296e28559c2143b">surge of patients</a>&nbsp;who must drive hundreds of miles. Other women, they say, are being forced to carry pregnancies to term.Other states, mostly in the South, have passed similar laws that ban abortion within the early weeks of pregnancy, all of which judges have blocked. A 1992 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court prevented states from banning abortion before viability, the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb, around 24 weeks of pregnancy.But Texas’ version had so far outmaneuvered the courts because it leaves enforcement to private citizens to file suits, not prosecutors, which critics say amounts to a bounty.“This is not some kind of vigilante scheme,” said Will Thompson, counsel for the Texas Attorney General’s Office, while defending the law to Pitman last week. “This is a scheme that uses the normal, lawful process of justice in Texas.”The Texas law is just one that has set up the biggest test of abortion rights in the U.S. in decades, and it is part of a broader push by Republicans nationwide to impose new restrictions on abortion.On Monday, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21053670-whole-womans-health-v-jackson" target="_blank">U.S. Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;began a new term, which in December will include arguments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-courts-coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-b2399021aa925d655be3942c8e2edd2b">in Mississippi’s bid to overturn</a>&nbsp;1973’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision guaranteeing a woman’s right to an abortion.Last month, the court did not rule on the constitutionality of the Texas law in allowing it to remain in place. But abortion providers took that 5-4 vote as an ominous sign about where the court might be heading on abortion after its conservative majority was fortified with three appointees of former President Donald Trump.Ahead of the new Supreme Court term, Planned Parenthood on Friday released a report saying that if Roe v. Wade were overturned, 26 states are primed to ban abortion. This year alone, nearly 600 abortion restrictions have been introduced in statehouses nationwide, with more than 90 becoming law, according to Planned Parenthood.Texas officials argued in court filings that even if the law were put on hold temporarily, providers could still face the threat of litigation over violations that might occur in the time between a permanent ruling.At least one Texas abortion provider has admitted to violating the law and been sued — but not by abortion opponents. Former attorneys in Illinois and Arkansas say they sued a San Antonio doctor in hopes of getting a judge who would invalidate the law.