All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/arrests">Click here for past Hays Police Department arrest logs.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/arrests">Click here for past Hays Police Department arrest logs.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724699319635.jpeg" alt="File photo/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>File photo/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/arrests">Click here for past Hays Police Department arrest logs.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729526904342.jpeg" alt="" />
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729526917750.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729526928166.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/category/arrests">Click here for past Hays Police Department arrest logs.</a>

Ellis County Jail bookings, Oct. 15-21, 2024

By RORY MOORE Special to the Hays Post

Big Boy No. 4104, the largest operating steam locomotive in the world, passed through Hays in front of a crowd of hundreds on Sunday morning.

The famous 83-year-old steam engine stopped in town before leaving for Grainfield as part of its Heartland of America Tour through nine states.

Big Boy announced its arrival when it tooted its whistle to many excited families who gathered to watch the train as it stopped on the tracks along the intersection of Ninth and Milner streets.

Many had seen it before, while others saw it for the first time.

Rick Stapleton of Dodge City had seen other iterations of Big Boy in museums but had yet to see it in motion.

“It’s a tremendous locomotive, and I’ve always wanted to see one move and feel the noise,” he said. “I’ve seen one at a museum in Denver and one on the bluffs above the Missouri River at Omaha.”

The train is one of 25 Big Boy locomotives manufactured by the American Locomotive Company and Union Pacific to transport freight across the country, primarily through the Wasatch Mountain Range in Utah and the Rocky Mountain Range in Colorado.

Introduced to the railroad industry in the 1940s, the powerful train became reliable because of its power. It is part of Union Pacific’s Heritage Fleet, which has been running a restoration project on it since 2013.B

Built in 1941, the No. 4104 locomotive weighs 1.2 million pounds and is 132 feet long. The Heritage Fleet retired it in 1961, and Union Pacific returned it to service in 2019.

Big Boy is one of the few remaining operative steam engines in the world, making the experience unique for many of its younger spectators who are used to modern trains that run on fuel and electricity.&nbsp;

“It’s really impressive with them blowing the whistle and how loud it got,” Dale Highfill of Hays said. “It kind of surprised everybody.”

People of all ages have admired the train due to its previous visits to Hays, particularly in 2019 when its appearance was illuminated by snowfall. Its popularity and yearly trips prompt many to travel out of town to observe the locomotive in person.

“I’ve talked to people that spent as much as two and a half hours to get here to see it,” Highfill said. “That’s quite a length of time just to come here to watch this, and after they do, they won’t forget it.”

For older spectators like Highfill, Big Boy’s stop in Hays brings back memories from growing up with older technology and watching it evolve.

“This kind of gives away your age,” he said. “When my great-great-grandfather and me watched these doing work down in Oklahoma, not this one but something similar. 

"He would go about how he walked, and then he was on horseback and then he was in that land rush. We got airplanes and automobiles, and he was wondering what was going to happen in our lifetime. I'm sitting here thinking we're back to the train."

Another factor driving people’s anticipation of the tour is their amazement at Big Boy’s size and appearance.

"Everybody seems a little bit surprised because I think the size gets them," Highfill said. "If you look at their faces, they've all got a grin, and they're happy. It's a big black train, so it stands out as pretty impressive to them."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729474219888.jpeg" alt="Big Boy No. 4104 blows steam as it sits on the train tracks. Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Big Boy No. 4104 blows steam as it sits on the train tracks. Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By RORY MOORE Special to the Hays PostBig Boy No. 4104, the largest operating steam locomotive in the world, passed through Hays in front of a crowd of hundreds on Sunday morning.The famous 83-year-old steam engine stopped in town before leaving for Grainfield as part of its Heartland of America Tour through nine states.Big Boy announced its arrival when it tooted its whistle to many excited families who gathered to watch the train as it stopped on the tracks along the intersection of Ninth and Milner streets.Many had seen it before, while others saw it for the first time.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729474374683.jpeg" alt="People admire the large locomotive as it sits.&nbsp;Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>People admire the large locomotive as it sits.&nbsp;Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Rick Stapleton of Dodge City had seen other iterations of Big Boy in museums but had yet to see it in motion.“It’s a tremendous locomotive, and I’ve always wanted to see one move and feel the noise,” he said. “I’ve seen one at a museum in Denver and one on the bluffs above the Missouri River at Omaha.”The train is one of 25 Big Boy locomotives manufactured by the American Locomotive Company and Union Pacific to transport freight across the country, primarily through the Wasatch Mountain Range in Utah and the Rocky Mountain Range in Colorado.Introduced to the railroad industry in the 1940s, the powerful train became reliable because of its power. It is part of Union Pacific’s Heritage Fleet, which has been running a restoration project on it since 2013.B<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729474541767.jpeg" alt="Big Boy is one of the few operating steam engines in the world.&nbsp;Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Big Boy is one of the few operating steam engines in the world.&nbsp;Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Built in 1941, the No. 4104 locomotive weighs 1.2 million pounds and is 132 feet long. The Heritage Fleet retired it in 1961, and Union Pacific returned it to service in 2019.Big Boy is one of the few remaining operative steam engines in the world, making the experience unique for many of its younger spectators who are used to modern trains that run on fuel and electricity.&nbsp;“It’s really impressive with them blowing the whistle and how loud it got,” Dale Highfill of Hays said. “It kind of surprised everybody.”People of all ages have admired the train due to its previous visits to Hays, particularly in 2019 when its appearance was illuminated by snowfall. Its popularity and yearly trips prompt many to travel out of town to observe the locomotive in person.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729474657231.jpeg" alt="Big Boy memorabilia is sold next to the train tracks.&nbsp;Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Big Boy memorabilia is sold next to the train tracks.&nbsp;Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>“I’ve talked to people that spent as much as two and a half hours to get here to see it,” Highfill said. “That’s quite a length of time just to come here to watch this, and after they do, they won’t forget it.”For older spectators like Highfill, Big Boy’s stop in Hays brings back memories from growing up with older technology and watching it evolve.“This kind of gives away your age,” he said. “When my great-great-grandfather and me watched these doing work down in Oklahoma, not this one but something similar. "He would go about how he walked, and then he was on horseback and then he was in that land rush. We got airplanes and automobiles, and he was wondering what was going to happen in our lifetime. I'm sitting here thinking we're back to the train."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729474744280.jpeg" alt="Union Pacific crewmen operate the train during the Heartland of America Tour. Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Union Pacific crewmen operate the train during the Heartland of America Tour. Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Another factor driving people’s anticipation of the tour is their amazement at Big Boy’s size and appearance."Everybody seems a little bit surprised because I think the size gets them," Highfill said. "If you look at their faces, they've all got a grin, and they're happy. It's a big black train, so it stands out as pretty impressive to them."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729474849373.jpeg" alt="Big Boy emits steam for a crowd of onlookers. Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Big Boy emits steam for a crowd of onlookers. Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729474947374.jpeg" alt="The American and Kansas flag flies on the front of the large locomotive. Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The American and Kansas flag flies on the front of the large locomotive. Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729474976271.jpeg" alt="Families of all ages gathered to watch the locomotive visit the Midwestern United States.&nbsp;Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Families of all ages gathered to watch the locomotive visit the Midwestern United States.&nbsp;Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729475062439.jpeg" alt="Big Boy leaves Hays for its next destination on its tour. Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Big Boy leaves Hays for its next destination on its tour. Photo by Rory Moore/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>

Big Boy rolls through Hays 

FEASTERVILLE-TREVOSE, Pa. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;manned the fry station at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania on Sunday before staging an impromptu news conference, answering questions through the drive-thru window.

As reporters and aides watched, an employee showed Trump how to dunk baskets of fries in oil, salt the fries and put them into boxes using a scoop. Trump, a well-known fan of fast food and a notorious germophobe, expressed amazement that he didn't have to touch the fries with his hands.

“It requires great expertise, actually, to do it right and to do it fast,” Trump said with a grin, putting away his suit jacket and wearing an apron over his shirt and tie.

The visit came as he's tried to counter Democratic nominee Kamala Harris' accounts on the campaign of working at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-doritos-collard-greens-root-beer-food-82956ec65fcf24e6c57712716845d2af">fast-food chain while in college</a>, an experience that Trump has claimed — without offering evidence — never happened.

A large crowd lined the street outside the restaurant in Feasterville-Trevose, which is part of Bucks County, a key swing voter area north of Philadelphia. The restaurant itself was closed to the public for Trump's visit. The former president later attended an evening town hall in Lancaster and the Pittsburgh Steelers home game against the New York Jets.

After serving bags of takeout to people in the drive-thru lane, Trump leaned out of the window, still wearing the apron, to take questions from the media staged outside. The former president, who has constantly promoted falsehoods about his 2020 election loss, said he would respect the results of next month's vote “if it's a fair election.”

He joked about getting one reporter ice cream and when another asked what message he had for Harris on her 60th birthday on Sunday, Trump said, “I would say, ‘Happy Birthday, Kamala,’” adding, “I think I’ll get her some flowers.”

Trump did not directly answer a question of whether he might support increased minimum wages after seeing McDonald’s employees in action but said, “These people work hard. They’re great.”

He added that “I just saw something … a process that’s beautiful.”

When aides finally urged him to wrap things up so he could hit the road to his next event, Trump offered, “Wasn’t that a strange place to do a news conference?”

Trump has long questioned Harris' story of working at McDonald's

Trump has fixated in recent weeks on the summer job Harris said she held in college, working the cash register and making fries at McDonald’s while in college. Trump says the vice president has “lied about working” there, but not offered evidence for claiming that.

Representatives for McDonald’s did not respond to a message about whether the company had employment records for one of its restaurants 40 years ago. But Harris spokesman Joseph Costello said the former president's McDonald's visit “showed exactly what we would see in a second Trump term: exploiting working people for his own personal gain.”

“Trump doesn’t understand what it’s like to work for a living, no matter how many staged photo ops he does, and his entire second term plan is to give himself, his wealthy buddies, and giant corporations another massive tax cut,” Costello said in a statement.

In an interview last month on MSNBC, the vice president pushed back on Trump’s claims, saying she did work at the fast-food chain four decades ago when she was in college.

“Part of the reason I even talk about having worked at McDonald’s is because there are people who work at McDonald’s in our country who are trying to raise a family,” she said. “I worked there as a student.”

Harris also said: “I think part of the difference between me and my opponent includes our perspective on the needs of the American people and what our responsibility, then, is to meet those needs.”

Trump has long spread groundless claims about his opponents based on their personal history, particularly women and racial minorities.

Before he ran for president, Trump was a leading voice of the “birther” conspiracy that baselessly claimed President Barack Obama was from Africa, was not an American citizen and therefore was ineligible to be president. Trump used it to raise his own political profile, demanding to see Obama’s birth certificate and five years after Obama did so, Trump finally admitted that Obama was born in the United States.

During his first run for president, Trump repeated a tabloid’s claims that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s father, who was born in Cuba, had links to President John F. Kennedy’s assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. Cruz and Trump competed for the party’s 2016 nomination.

In January of this year, when Trump was facing Nikki Haley, his former U.N. ambassador, in the Republican primary, he shared on his social media network a post with false claims that Haley’s parents were not citizens when she was born, therefore making her ineligible to be president.

Haley is the South Carolina-born daughter of Indian immigrants, making her automatically a native-born citizen and meeting the constitutional requirement to run for president.

And Trump has continued to promote baseless claims during this campaign. Trump said during his presidential debate with Harris that immigrants who had settled in Springfield, Ohio, were eating residents’ pets — a claim he suggested in an interview Saturday was still true even though he could provide no confirmation.

Trump's visit created a spectacle in Pennsylvania

“It is a fundamental value of my organization that we proudly open our doors to everyone who visits the Feasterville community,” the McDonald’s location’s owner, Derek Giacomantonio, said in a statement. “That’s why I accepted former President Trump’s request to observe the transformative working experience that 1 in 8 Americans have had: a job at McDonald’s.”

Police closed the busy streets around the McDonald’s during Trump's visit. Authorities cordoned off the restaurant as a crowd a couple blocks long gathered, sometimes 10- to 15-deep, across the street straining to catch a glimpse of Trump. Horns honked and music blared as Trump supporters waved flags, held signs and took pictures.

John Waters, of nearby Fairless Hills, had never been to a Trump rally and had hoped to see the former president so close to his house after missing other nearby rallies.

“When I drove up, all the cars, unbelievable, I was like, ‘He’s here’s, he’s coming, he’s definitely coming with this all traffic,’” Waters said.

Trump is especially partial to McDonald's Big Macs and Filet-o-Fish sandwiches. He’s talked often about how he trusts big chains more than smaller restaurants since they have big reputations to maintain, and the former president’s staff often pick up McDonald’s and serve it on his plane.

Jim Worthington, a Trump supporter and fundraiser who owns a nearby athletic complex and chaired Pennsylvania’s delegation to the Republican National Convention, said he arranged Trump’s visit to the locally owned McDonald’s franchise.

The campaign contacted him looking for a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania and Worthington started looking for one. He got in touch with Giacomantonio through a friend and talked the franchise owner through some initial nervousness.

Giacomantonio needed to know that McDonald’s corporate offices would be OK with it, first. Second, he was concerned that being seen as a Trump supporter would hurt his business or a spark boycott, Worthington said.

“He certainly had concerns, but I eased his mind, and talked to him about the benefits,” Worthington said.

Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.

FEASTERVILLE-TREVOSE, Pa. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;manned the fry station at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania on Sunday before staging an impromptu news conference, answering questions through the drive-thru window.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>’s first day of work at McDonald’s! 🍟🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/182LAiP8Uk">pic.twitter.com/182LAiP8Uk</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@margommartin) <a href="https://twitter.com/margommartin/status/1848069681254703348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>As reporters and aides watched, an employee showed Trump how to dunk baskets of fries in oil, salt the fries and put them into boxes using a scoop. Trump, a well-known fan of fast food and a notorious germophobe, expressed amazement that he didn't have to touch the fries with his hands.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump Works at McDonald&#39;s in Bucks County, PA<a href="https://t.co/mjlTiciyDF">pic.twitter.com/mjlTiciyDF</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1848087746813775948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It requires great expertise, actually, to do it right and to do it fast,” Trump said with a grin, putting away his suit jacket and wearing an apron over his shirt and tie.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> working the Drive Thru at McDonald’s! 🍟🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/pBeyYmeYFU">pic.twitter.com/pBeyYmeYFU</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@margommartin) <a href="https://twitter.com/margommartin/status/1848071378966077905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The visit came as he's tried to counter Democratic nominee Kamala Harris' accounts on the campaign of working at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-doritos-collard-greens-root-beer-food-82956ec65fcf24e6c57712716845d2af">fast-food chain while in college</a>, an experience that Trump has claimed — without offering evidence — never happened.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“Mr. President, please don’t let the United States become Brazil!” <a href="https://t.co/ZEgujQMS35">pic.twitter.com/ZEgujQMS35</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@margommartin) <a href="https://twitter.com/margommartin/status/1848073834475229510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A large crowd lined the street outside the restaurant in Feasterville-Trevose, which is part of Bucks County, a key swing voter area north of Philadelphia. The restaurant itself was closed to the public for Trump's visit. The former president later attended an evening town hall in Lancaster and the Pittsburgh Steelers home game against the New York Jets.After serving bags of takeout to people in the drive-thru lane, Trump leaned out of the window, still wearing the apron, to take questions from the media staged outside. The former president, who has constantly promoted falsehoods about his 2020 election loss, said he would respect the results of next month's vote “if it's a fair election.”He joked about getting one reporter ice cream and when another asked what message he had for Harris on her 60th birthday on Sunday, Trump said, “I would say, ‘Happy Birthday, Kamala,’” adding, “I think I’ll get her some flowers.”Trump did not directly answer a question of whether he might support increased minimum wages after seeing McDonald’s employees in action but said, “These people work hard. They’re great.”He added that “I just saw something … a process that’s beautiful.”When aides finally urged him to wrap things up so he could hit the road to his next event, Trump offered, “Wasn’t that a strange place to do a news conference?”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/YkLtEaC3OI">pic.twitter.com/YkLtEaC3OI</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1848215009689768308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Trump has long questioned Harris' story of working at McDonald's</h2>Trump has fixated in recent weeks on the summer job Harris said she held in college, working the cash register and making fries at McDonald’s while in college. Trump says the vice president has “lied about working” there, but not offered evidence for claiming that.Representatives for McDonald’s did not respond to a message about whether the company had employment records for one of its restaurants 40 years ago. But Harris spokesman Joseph Costello said the former president's McDonald's visit “showed exactly what we would see in a second Trump term: exploiting working people for his own personal gain.”“Trump doesn’t understand what it’s like to work for a living, no matter how many staged photo ops he does, and his entire second term plan is to give himself, his wealthy buddies, and giant corporations another massive tax cut,” Costello said in a statement.In an interview last month on MSNBC, the vice president pushed back on Trump’s claims, saying she did work at the fast-food chain four decades ago when she was in college.“Part of the reason I even talk about having worked at McDonald’s is because there are people who work at McDonald’s in our country who are trying to raise a family,” she said. “I worked there as a student.”Harris also said: “I think part of the difference between me and my opponent includes our perspective on the needs of the American people and what our responsibility, then, is to meet those needs.”Trump has long spread groundless claims about his opponents based on their personal history, particularly women and racial minorities.Before he ran for president, Trump was a leading voice of the “birther” conspiracy that baselessly claimed President Barack Obama was from Africa, was not an American citizen and therefore was ineligible to be president. Trump used it to raise his own political profile, demanding to see Obama’s birth certificate and five years after Obama did so, Trump finally admitted that Obama was born in the United States.During his first run for president, Trump repeated a tabloid’s claims that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s father, who was born in Cuba, had links to President John F. Kennedy’s assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. Cruz and Trump competed for the party’s 2016 nomination.In January of this year, when Trump was facing Nikki Haley, his former U.N. ambassador, in the Republican primary, he shared on his social media network a post with false claims that Haley’s parents were not citizens when she was born, therefore making her ineligible to be president.Haley is the South Carolina-born daughter of Indian immigrants, making her automatically a native-born citizen and meeting the constitutional requirement to run for president.And Trump has continued to promote baseless claims during this campaign. Trump said during his presidential debate with Harris that immigrants who had settled in Springfield, Ohio, were eating residents’ pets — a claim he suggested in an interview Saturday was still true even though he could provide no confirmation.<h2>Trump's visit created a spectacle in Pennsylvania</h2>“It is a fundamental value of my organization that we proudly open our doors to everyone who visits the Feasterville community,” the McDonald’s location’s owner, Derek Giacomantonio, said in a statement. “That’s why I accepted former President Trump’s request to observe the transformative working experience that 1 in 8 Americans have had: a job at McDonald’s.”Police closed the busy streets around the McDonald’s during Trump's visit. Authorities cordoned off the restaurant as a crowd a couple blocks long gathered, sometimes 10- to 15-deep, across the street straining to catch a glimpse of Trump. Horns honked and music blared as Trump supporters waved flags, held signs and took pictures.John Waters, of nearby Fairless Hills, had never been to a Trump rally and had hoped to see the former president so close to his house after missing other nearby rallies.“When I drove up, all the cars, unbelievable, I was like, ‘He’s here’s, he’s coming, he’s definitely coming with this all traffic,’” Waters said.Trump is especially partial to McDonald's Big Macs and Filet-o-Fish sandwiches. He’s talked often about how he trusts big chains more than smaller restaurants since they have big reputations to maintain, and the former president’s staff often pick up McDonald’s and serve it on his plane.Jim Worthington, a Trump supporter and fundraiser who owns a nearby athletic complex and chaired Pennsylvania’s delegation to the Republican National Convention, said he arranged Trump’s visit to the locally owned McDonald’s franchise.The campaign contacted him looking for a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania and Worthington started looking for one. He got in touch with Giacomantonio through a friend and talked the franchise owner through some initial nervousness.Giacomantonio needed to know that McDonald’s corporate offices would be OK with it, first. Second, he was concerned that being seen as a Trump supporter would hurt his business or a spark boycott, Worthington said.“He certainly had concerns, but I eased his mind, and talked to him about the benefits,” Worthington said.___Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.

 🎥Trump works the fry station, drive-thru at McDonald's

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board will meet at 6:30 p.m. today at the Rockwell Administration Center for a work session.

The board will hear reports on the following items:

• Early Childhood Connections • Fleet management program • The district's school improvement program • Special education funding

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays USD 489 school board will meet at 6:30 p.m. today at the Rockwell Administration Center for a work session.The board will hear reports on the following items:• Early Childhood Connections • Fleet management program • The district's school improvement program • Special education funding

Hays USD 489 BOE work session to include update on special ed funding

NEW YORK (AP) — October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which means it's the perfect time to learn how to protect yourself from scams.

“Scams have become so sophisticated now. Phishing emails, texts, spoofing caller ID, all of this technology gives scammers that edge,” said Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center.

As scammers find new ways to steal money and personal information, consumers should be more vigilant about who they trust, especially online. A quick way to remember what to do when you think you're getting scammed is to think about the three S's, said Alissa Abdullah, also known as Dr. Jay, Mastercard’s deputy chief security officer

“Stay suspicious, stop for a second (and think about it) and stay protected,” she said.

Whether it's romance scams or job scams, impersonators are looking for ways to trick you into giving them money or sharing your personal information. Here's what to know:

Three common&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scams-phishing-robocalls-facebook-marketplace-291255fc54f4bef161cb6155af562d96">tactics used by scammers</a>&nbsp;are based on fear, urgency and money, said security expert Petros Efstathopoulos. Here’s how they work:

When a scammer contacts you via phone or email, they use language that makes it seem like there is a problem that you need to solve. For example, a scammer contacts you over email telling you that your tax return has an error and if you don’t fix it you’ll get in trouble.

Because scammers are good at creating a sense of urgency, people tend to rush, which makes them vulnerable. Scammers often tell people they need to act right away, which can lead to them sharing private information such as their Social Security numbers.

Scammers use money as bait, Efstathopoulos said. They might impersonate tax professionals or the IRS saying you will get a bigger tax refund than you expect if you pay them for their services or share your personal information.

Simply being aware of typical scams can help, experts say. Robocalls in particular frequently target vulnerable individuals like seniors, people with disabilities, and people with debt.

“If you get a robocall out of the blue paying a recorded message trying to get you to buy something, just hang up,” said James Lee, chief operating officer at the Identity Theft Resource Center. “Same goes for texts — anytime you get them from a number you don’t know asking you to pay, wire, or click on something suspicious.”

Lee urges consumers to hang up and call the company or institution in question at an official number.

Scammers will also often imitate someone in authority, such as a tax or debt collector. They might pretend to be a loved one calling to request immediate financial assistance for bail, legal help, or a hospital bill.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b649b1df23254bfc923be1e5a6edcd01">So-called “romance scams”</a>&nbsp;often target lonely and isolated individuals, according to Will Maxson, assistant director of the Division of Marketing Practices at the FTC. These scams can take place over longer periods of time -- even years.

Kate Kleinart, 70, who lost tens of thousands to a romance scam over several months, said to be vigilant if a new Facebook friend is exceptionally good-looking, asks you to download WhatsApp to communicate, attempts to isolate you from friends and family, and/or gets romantic very quickly.

“If you’re seeing that picture of a very handsome person, ask someone younger in your life — a child, a grandchild, a niece or a nephew — to help you reverse-image search or identify the photo,” she said.

She said the man in pictures she received was a plastic surgeon from Spain whose photos have been stolen and used by scammers.

Kleinart had also been living under lockdown during the early pandemic when she got the initial friend request, and the companionship and communication meant a lot to her while she was cut off from family. When the scam fell apart, she missed the relationship even more than the savings.

“Losing the love was worse than losing the money,” she said.

Job scams involve a person pretending to be a recruiter or a company in order to steal money or information from a job seeker.

Scammers tend to use the name of an employee from a large company and craft a job posting that matches similar positions. An initial red flag is that scammers usually try to make the job very appealing, Velasquez said.

“They’re going to have very high salaries for somewhat low-skilled work," she said. "And they’re often saying it’s a 100% remote position because that’s so appealing to people."

Some scammers post fake jobs, but others reach out directly to job seekers through direct messages or texts. If the scammers are looking to steal your personal information, they may ask you to fill out several forms that include information like your Social Security number and driver’s license details.

The only information a legitimate employer should ask for at the beginning of the process is your skills, your work experience, and your contact information, Velasquez said.

Other details don’t generally need to be shared with an employer until after you’ve gotten an offer.

According to Lois Greisman, an associate director of marketing practices at the Federal Trade Commission,&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/pass-it-on/investment-scams">an investment scam</a>&nbsp;constitutes any get-rich-quick scheme that lures targets via social media accounts or online ads.

Investment scammers typically add different forms of “testimony,” such as from other social media accounts, to support that the “investment” works. Many of these also involve cryptocurrency. To avoid falling for these frauds, the FTC recommends independently researching the company — especially by searching the company’s name along with terms like “review” or “scam.”

When you’re using Facebook or scrolling Google results, be aware of&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/01/dont-answer-another-online-quiz-question-until-you-read">quiz scams</a>, which typically appear innocuous and ask about topics you might be interested in, such as your car or favorite TV show. They may also ask you to take a personality test.

Despite these benign-seeming questions, scammers can then use the personal information you share to respond to security questions from your accounts or hack your social media to send malware links to your contacts.

To protect your personal information,&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/01/dont-answer-another-online-quiz-question-until-you-read#:~:text=They%20use%20your%20quiz%20answers,guise%20of%20sharing%20a%20quiz.">the FTC simply recommends steering clear of online quizzes</a>. The commission also advises consumers to use random answers for security questions.

“Asked to enter your mother’s maiden name? Say it’s something else: Parmesan or another word you’ll remember,” advises Terri Miller, consumer education specialist at the FTC. “This way, scammers won’t be able to use information they find to steal your identity.”

When&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2022/07/selling-stuff-online-heres-how-avoid-scam">buying or selling products</a>&nbsp;on Instagram or Facebook Marketplace, keep in mind that not everyone that reaches out to you has the best intentions.

To avoid being scammed when selling via an online platform, the FTC recommends checking buyers’ profiles, not sharing any codes sent to your phone or email, and avoiding accepting online payments from unknown persons.

Likewise, when&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/buying-online-marketplace">buying something from an online marketplace</a>, make sure to diligently research the seller. Take a look at whether the profile is verified, what kind of reviews they have, and the terms and conditions of the purchase.

Don’t pick up if you don’t know who is calling

Scammers often reach out by phone, Ben Hoffman, Head of Strategy and Consumer Products at Fifth Third Bank recommends that you don't pick up unknown incoming calls.

“Banks don't ask your for your password,” said Hoffman. If you believe your bank is trying to reach out, give them a call at a number listed on their website.

This makes it easier to know for sure that you’re not talking to a scammer. As a general rule, banks don’t often call unless there is suspicious activity on your account or if you previously contacted them about a problem.

If you receive many unknown calls that end up being scammers or robocalls, you can use tools available on your phone to block spam. Check here for how to do this on your&nbsp;<a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/111106#:~:text=To%20turn%20on%20Silence%20Unknown,in%20your%20recent%20calls%20list.">iPhone</a>&nbsp;and here for&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/phoneapp/answer/6325463?hl=en">Android</a>.

Use all of the technology at your disposal

There are many tools are your disposal that can be used to protect yourself from scammers online.

— Use a password manager to ensure you’re utilizing a complex password that scammers can’t guess.

— Regularly checking your credit report and bank statements is a good practice since it can help you identify if someone has been using your bank account without your knowledge.

— Turn on multi-factor verification to make sure impersonators aren't able to access your social media or bank accounts.

As scams get more sophisticated, it's difficult to know who to trust or if a person is actually real, or an impersonator. If you aren't sure if a job recruiter is real or if your bank is actually asking your for information, find organizations that can help you, recommended Velasquez.

Organizations like the Identity Theft Protection Center and the AARP Fraud Watch Network offer free services for customers who need help identifying scams or knowing what to do if you've been a victim of a scam.

If you’ve taken all the necessary steps to protect yourself, you might want to help those around you. Whether you’re helping your grandparents to block unknown callers on their phones or sharing tips with your neighbors, talking with others about how to protect themselves from scams can be very effective.

NEW YORK (AP) — October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which means it's the perfect time to learn how to protect yourself from scams.“Scams have become so sophisticated now. Phishing emails, texts, spoofing caller ID, all of this technology gives scammers that edge,” said Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center.As scammers find new ways to steal money and personal information, consumers should be more vigilant about who they trust, especially online. A quick way to remember what to do when you think you're getting scammed is to think about the three S's, said Alissa Abdullah, also known as Dr. Jay, Mastercard’s deputy chief security officer“Stay suspicious, stop for a second (and think about it) and stay protected,” she said.Whether it's romance scams or job scams, impersonators are looking for ways to trick you into giving them money or sharing your personal information. Here's what to know:<h2>Know scammers’ tactics</h2>Three common&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scams-phishing-robocalls-facebook-marketplace-291255fc54f4bef161cb6155af562d96">tactics used by scammers</a>&nbsp;are based on fear, urgency and money, said security expert Petros Efstathopoulos. Here’s how they work:— FearWhen a scammer contacts you via phone or email, they use language that makes it seem like there is a problem that you need to solve. For example, a scammer contacts you over email telling you that your tax return has an error and if you don’t fix it you’ll get in trouble.— UrgencyBecause scammers are good at creating a sense of urgency, people tend to rush, which makes them vulnerable. Scammers often tell people they need to act right away, which can lead to them sharing private information such as their Social Security numbers.— MoneyScammers use money as bait, Efstathopoulos said. They might impersonate tax professionals or the IRS saying you will get a bigger tax refund than you expect if you pay them for their services or share your personal information.<h2>Know the most common scams</h2>Simply being aware of typical scams can help, experts say. Robocalls in particular frequently target vulnerable individuals like seniors, people with disabilities, and people with debt.“If you get a robocall out of the blue paying a recorded message trying to get you to buy something, just hang up,” said James Lee, chief operating officer at the Identity Theft Resource Center. “Same goes for texts — anytime you get them from a number you don’t know asking you to pay, wire, or click on something suspicious.”Lee urges consumers to hang up and call the company or institution in question at an official number.Scammers will also often imitate someone in authority, such as a tax or debt collector. They might pretend to be a loved one calling to request immediate financial assistance for bail, legal help, or a hospital bill.<h2>Romance scams</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/b649b1df23254bfc923be1e5a6edcd01">So-called “romance scams”</a>&nbsp;often target lonely and isolated individuals, according to Will Maxson, assistant director of the Division of Marketing Practices at the FTC. These scams can take place over longer periods of time -- even years.Kate Kleinart, 70, who lost tens of thousands to a romance scam over several months, said to be vigilant if a new Facebook friend is exceptionally good-looking, asks you to download WhatsApp to communicate, attempts to isolate you from friends and family, and/or gets romantic very quickly.“If you’re seeing that picture of a very handsome person, ask someone younger in your life — a child, a grandchild, a niece or a nephew — to help you reverse-image search or identify the photo,” she said.She said the man in pictures she received was a plastic surgeon from Spain whose photos have been stolen and used by scammers.Kleinart had also been living under lockdown during the early pandemic when she got the initial friend request, and the companionship and communication meant a lot to her while she was cut off from family. When the scam fell apart, she missed the relationship even more than the savings.“Losing the love was worse than losing the money,” she said.<h2>Job scams</h2>Job scams involve a person pretending to be a recruiter or a company in order to steal money or information from a job seeker.Scammers tend to use the name of an employee from a large company and craft a job posting that matches similar positions. An initial red flag is that scammers usually try to make the job very appealing, Velasquez said.“They’re going to have very high salaries for somewhat low-skilled work," she said. "And they’re often saying it’s a 100% remote position because that’s so appealing to people."Some scammers post fake jobs, but others reach out directly to job seekers through direct messages or texts. If the scammers are looking to steal your personal information, they may ask you to fill out several forms that include information like your Social Security number and driver’s license details.The only information a legitimate employer should ask for at the beginning of the process is your skills, your work experience, and your contact information, Velasquez said.Other details don’t generally need to be shared with an employer until after you’ve gotten an offer.<h2>Investment scams</h2>According to Lois Greisman, an associate director of marketing practices at the Federal Trade Commission,&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/pass-it-on/investment-scams">an investment scam</a>&nbsp;constitutes any get-rich-quick scheme that lures targets via social media accounts or online ads.Investment scammers typically add different forms of “testimony,” such as from other social media accounts, to support that the “investment” works. Many of these also involve cryptocurrency. To avoid falling for these frauds, the FTC recommends independently researching the company — especially by searching the company’s name along with terms like “review” or “scam.”<h2>Quiz scams</h2>When you’re using Facebook or scrolling Google results, be aware of&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/01/dont-answer-another-online-quiz-question-until-you-read">quiz scams</a>, which typically appear innocuous and ask about topics you might be interested in, such as your car or favorite TV show. They may also ask you to take a personality test.Despite these benign-seeming questions, scammers can then use the personal information you share to respond to security questions from your accounts or hack your social media to send malware links to your contacts.To protect your personal information,&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/01/dont-answer-another-online-quiz-question-until-you-read#:~:text=They%20use%20your%20quiz%20answers,guise%20of%20sharing%20a%20quiz.">the FTC simply recommends steering clear of online quizzes</a>. The commission also advises consumers to use random answers for security questions.“Asked to enter your mother’s maiden name? Say it’s something else: Parmesan or another word you’ll remember,” advises Terri Miller, consumer education specialist at the FTC. “This way, scammers won’t be able to use information they find to steal your identity.”<h2>Marketplace scams</h2>When&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2022/07/selling-stuff-online-heres-how-avoid-scam">buying or selling products</a>&nbsp;on Instagram or Facebook Marketplace, keep in mind that not everyone that reaches out to you has the best intentions.To avoid being scammed when selling via an online platform, the FTC recommends checking buyers’ profiles, not sharing any codes sent to your phone or email, and avoiding accepting online payments from unknown persons.Likewise, when&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/buying-online-marketplace">buying something from an online marketplace</a>, make sure to diligently research the seller. Take a look at whether the profile is verified, what kind of reviews they have, and the terms and conditions of the purchase.<h2>Don’t pick up if you don’t know who is calling</h2>Scammers often reach out by phone, Ben Hoffman, Head of Strategy and Consumer Products at Fifth Third Bank recommends that you don't pick up unknown incoming calls.“Banks don't ask your for your password,” said Hoffman. If you believe your bank is trying to reach out, give them a call at a number listed on their website.This makes it easier to know for sure that you’re not talking to a scammer. As a general rule, banks don’t often call unless there is suspicious activity on your account or if you previously contacted them about a problem.If you receive many unknown calls that end up being scammers or robocalls, you can use tools available on your phone to block spam. Check here for how to do this on your&nbsp;<a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/111106#:~:text=To%20turn%20on%20Silence%20Unknown,in%20your%20recent%20calls%20list.">iPhone</a>&nbsp;and here for&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/phoneapp/answer/6325463?hl=en">Android</a>.<h2>Use all of the technology at your disposal</h2>There are many tools are your disposal that can be used to protect yourself from scammers online.— Use a password manager to ensure you’re utilizing a complex password that scammers can’t guess.— Regularly checking your credit report and bank statements is a good practice since it can help you identify if someone has been using your bank account without your knowledge.— Turn on multi-factor verification to make sure impersonators aren't able to access your social media or bank accounts.<h2>When in doubt, call for help</h2>As scams get more sophisticated, it's difficult to know who to trust or if a person is actually real, or an impersonator. If you aren't sure if a job recruiter is real or if your bank is actually asking your for information, find organizations that can help you, recommended Velasquez.Organizations like the Identity Theft Protection Center and the AARP Fraud Watch Network offer free services for customers who need help identifying scams or knowing what to do if you've been a victim of a scam.<h2>Share what you know with loved ones</h2>If you’ve taken all the necessary steps to protect yourself, you might want to help those around you. Whether you’re helping your grandparents to block unknown callers on their phones or sharing tips with your neighbors, talking with others about how to protect themselves from scams can be very effective.<h2>Report the scam</h2>

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Here's how to stay safe from scams

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25228621-trump-assassination-attempt-independent-review-panel-report">An independent panel</a>&nbsp;investigating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/attempted-assassination-of-donald-trump">the attempted assassination</a>&nbsp;of Donald Trump at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-assassination-attempt-butler-pennsylvania/">Pennsylvania campaign rally</a>&nbsp;says the Secret Services needs fundamental reform" and that “another Butler can and will happen again” without major changes in how candidates are protected.

The review faulted the Secret Service for poor communications that day and failing to secure the building where the gunman took his shots. It also found more systemic issues at the agency such as a failure to understand the unique risks facing Trump and a culture of doing “more with less.”

The 52-page report issued Thursday took the Secret Service to task for specific problems leading up to the July 13 rally in Butler as a well as deeper one within the agency's culture. It recommended bringing in new, outside leadership and refocusing on its protective mission.

“The Secret Service as an agency requires fundamental reform to carry out its mission,” the authors wrote Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of the Homeland Security Department, the Secret Service's parent agency, in a letter accompanying their report. “Without that reform, the Independent Review Panel believes another Butler can and will happen again.”

One rallygoer was killed and two others wounded when Thomas Michael Crooks climbed onto the roof of a nearby building and opened fire as Trump spoke. The former president was wounded in the ear before being rushed off the stage by Secret Service agents. That shooting, along with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2024/5-things-to-know-about-the-apparent-assassination-attempt-on-trump/">another incident</a>&nbsp;in Florida when Trump was golfing — a gunman there never got a line of site on the president or fired a shot — has led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-assassination-attempt-e5ef28f72d61080088a0835a1b9a7d39">a crisis in confidence in</a>&nbsp;the agency.

The report by a panel of four former law enforcement officials from national and state government follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-shooting-butler-police-081e812f3569b2bdb9f3ffe322ea1619">investigations by members of Congress</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-secret-service-assassination-attempt-campaign-7dca5e30730287f46cceaa35437f0d47">the agency's own investigators</a>&nbsp;and by Homeland Security's oversight body.

A look at the report's key findings and recommendations:

Poor communications, no plan for key buildings

The panel echoed previous reports that have zeroed in on the failure to secure the building near the rally that had a clear line of site to where Trump was speaking and the multiple communications problems that hindered the ability of the Secret Service and local and state law enforcement to talk to each other.

“The failure to secure a complex of buildings, portions of which were within approximately 130 yards of the protectee and containing numerous positions carrying high-angle line of sight risk, represents a critical security failure,” the report said.

The panel faulted the planning between Secret Service and the local law enforcement, and said the Secret Service failed to ask about what was being done to secure the building: “Relying on a general understanding that ‘the locals have that area covered’ is simply not good enough and, in fact, at Butler this attitude contributed to the security failure.”

The panel also cited the fact that there were two separated command posts at the Butler rally: one with various local law enforcement and another with the Secret Service: “This created, at the highest level, a structural divide in the flow of communications.”

There were other communications problems.

The Secret Service had to switch radio channels because radio traffic of agents protecting first lady Jill Biden at an event in Pittsburgh was popping up on the channels of agents covering the Butler rally.

The panel also noted that all the law enforcement personnel on the ground were using a “chaotic mixture” of radio, cell phone, text, and e-mail throughout the day to communicate.

Also the panel said it was unclear who had ultimate command that day.

The report delved into the agency's culture and painted a picture of an agency struggling to think critically about how it carries out its mission, especially when it comes to protecting Trump.

The panel said agency personnel operated under the assumption that they effectively had to “do more with less." The report said the additional security measures taken to protect Trump after the Butler shooting should have been taken before.

"To be clear, the Panel did not identify any nefarious or malicious intent behind this phenomenon, but rather an overreliance on assigning personnel based on categories (former, candidate, nominee) instead of an individualized assessment of risk,” the panel wrote.

The panel also noted the “back-and-forth" between the Trump security detail and Secret Service headquarters regarding how many people were needed to protect him.

The panel also faulted some of the senior-level staff who were involved in the rally for what they called a “lack of ownership.” In one example, the panel said a senior agent on site who was tasked with coordinating communications didn't walk around the rally site ahead of timen and did not brief the state police counterpart before the rally about how communications would be managed.

It cited the relative inexperience of two specific agents who played a role in security for the July 13 rally. One was the site agent from Trump's detail whose job it was to coordinate with the Pittsburgh field office on security planning for the rally. The panel said the agent graduated from the Secret Service academy in 2020, and had only been on the Trump detail since 2023. Before the Butler rally the agent had only done “minimal previous site advance work or site security planning.”

Another agent assigned to operate a drone detection system had only used the technology at two prior events.

Having a unified command post at all large events where Secret Service and other law enforcement representatives are all physically in the same place; overhead surveillance for all outdoor events; security plans must include a way to mitigate line of site concerns out to 1,000 yards and who's in charge at the event; and more training on how to get protectees out of dangerous scenarios.

The panel said the agency also needs new, outside leadership and a renewed focus on its core protective mission while expressing skepticism that the agency should continue with the investigations it currently conducts. While the Secret Service is well known for what it does to protect presidents and other dignitaries, it also investigates financial crimes.

“In the Panel’s opinion, it is simply unacceptable for the Service to have anything less than a paramount focus on its protective mission, particularly while that protective mission function is presently suboptimal," the report said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720972888448.png" alt="File image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25228621-trump-assassination-attempt-independent-review-panel-report">An independent panel</a>&nbsp;investigating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/attempted-assassination-of-donald-trump">the attempted assassination</a>&nbsp;of Donald Trump at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-assassination-attempt-butler-pennsylvania/">Pennsylvania campaign rally</a>&nbsp;says the Secret Services needs fundamental reform" and that “another Butler can and will happen again” without major changes in how candidates are protected.The review faulted the Secret Service for poor communications that day and failing to secure the building where the gunman took his shots. It also found more systemic issues at the agency such as a failure to understand the unique risks facing Trump and a culture of doing “more with less.”The 52-page report issued Thursday took the Secret Service to task for specific problems leading up to the July 13 rally in Butler as a well as deeper one within the agency's culture. It recommended bringing in new, outside leadership and refocusing on its protective mission.“The Secret Service as an agency requires fundamental reform to carry out its mission,” the authors wrote Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of the Homeland Security Department, the Secret Service's parent agency, in a letter accompanying their report. “Without that reform, the Independent Review Panel believes another Butler can and will happen again.”One rallygoer was killed and two others wounded when Thomas Michael Crooks climbed onto the roof of a nearby building and opened fire as Trump spoke. The former president was wounded in the ear before being rushed off the stage by Secret Service agents. That shooting, along with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2024/5-things-to-know-about-the-apparent-assassination-attempt-on-trump/">another incident</a>&nbsp;in Florida when Trump was golfing — a gunman there never got a line of site on the president or fired a shot — has led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-assassination-attempt-e5ef28f72d61080088a0835a1b9a7d39">a crisis in confidence in</a>&nbsp;the agency.The report by a panel of four former law enforcement officials from national and state government follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-shooting-butler-police-081e812f3569b2bdb9f3ffe322ea1619">investigations by members of Congress</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-secret-service-assassination-attempt-campaign-7dca5e30730287f46cceaa35437f0d47">the agency's own investigators</a>&nbsp;and by Homeland Security's oversight body.A look at the report's key findings and recommendations:<h2>Poor communications, no plan for key buildings</h2>The panel echoed previous reports that have zeroed in on the failure to secure the building near the rally that had a clear line of site to where Trump was speaking and the multiple communications problems that hindered the ability of the Secret Service and local and state law enforcement to talk to each other.“The failure to secure a complex of buildings, portions of which were within approximately 130 yards of the protectee and containing numerous positions carrying high-angle line of sight risk, represents a critical security failure,” the report said.The panel faulted the planning between Secret Service and the local law enforcement, and said the Secret Service failed to ask about what was being done to secure the building: “Relying on a general understanding that ‘the locals have that area covered’ is simply not good enough and, in fact, at Butler this attitude contributed to the security failure.”The panel also cited the fact that there were two separated command posts at the Butler rally: one with various local law enforcement and another with the Secret Service: “This created, at the highest level, a structural divide in the flow of communications.”There were other communications problems.The Secret Service had to switch radio channels because radio traffic of agents protecting first lady Jill Biden at an event in Pittsburgh was popping up on the channels of agents covering the Butler rally.The panel also noted that all the law enforcement personnel on the ground were using a “chaotic mixture” of radio, cell phone, text, and e-mail throughout the day to communicate.Also the panel said it was unclear who had ultimate command that day.<h2>Cultural issues within the agency</h2>The report delved into the agency's culture and painted a picture of an agency struggling to think critically about how it carries out its mission, especially when it comes to protecting Trump.The panel said agency personnel operated under the assumption that they effectively had to “do more with less." The report said the additional security measures taken to protect Trump after the Butler shooting should have been taken before."To be clear, the Panel did not identify any nefarious or malicious intent behind this phenomenon, but rather an overreliance on assigning personnel based on categories (former, candidate, nominee) instead of an individualized assessment of risk,” the panel wrote.The panel also noted the “back-and-forth" between the Trump security detail and Secret Service headquarters regarding how many people were needed to protect him.The panel also faulted some of the senior-level staff who were involved in the rally for what they called a “lack of ownership.” In one example, the panel said a senior agent on site who was tasked with coordinating communications didn't walk around the rally site ahead of timen and did not brief the state police counterpart before the rally about how communications would be managed.It cited the relative inexperience of two specific agents who played a role in security for the July 13 rally. One was the site agent from Trump's detail whose job it was to coordinate with the Pittsburgh field office on security planning for the rally. The panel said the agent graduated from the Secret Service academy in 2020, and had only been on the Trump detail since 2023. Before the Butler rally the agent had only done “minimal previous site advance work or site security planning.”Another agent assigned to operate a drone detection system had only used the technology at two prior events.<h2>What did the panel recommend?</h2>Having a unified command post at all large events where Secret Service and other law enforcement representatives are all physically in the same place; overhead surveillance for all outdoor events; security plans must include a way to mitigate line of site concerns out to 1,000 yards and who's in charge at the event; and more training on how to get protectees out of dangerous scenarios.The panel said the agency also needs new, outside leadership and a renewed focus on its core protective mission while expressing skepticism that the agency should continue with the investigations it currently conducts. While the Secret Service is well known for what it does to protect presidents and other dignitaries, it also investigates financial crimes.“In the Panel’s opinion, it is simply unacceptable for the Service to have anything less than a paramount focus on its protective mission, particularly while that protective mission function is presently suboptimal," the report said.

Review says U.S. Secret Service 'complacent', needs reform

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting in Manhattan.

Just after 9p.m. Saturday, police responded to a report of shots fired in the&nbsp;700 block of N. 4th Street, according to a social media report from the Riley County Police Department.

&nbsp;Preliminary reports indicate there was one male victim. Additionally, a person of interest in the shooting has been identified. Police reported there was no threat to the public. Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting in Manhattan.Just after 9p.m. Saturday, police responded to a report of shots fired in the&nbsp;700 block of N. 4th Street, according to a social media report from the Riley County Police Department.&nbsp;Preliminary reports indicate there was one male victim. Additionally, a person of interest in the shooting has been identified. Police reported there was no threat to the public. Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Police: One victim after reported shooting in Manhattan

Gen Z voters can make a difference in a tight presidential election.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/mvasilogambros/">MATT VASILOGAMBROS</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

In the final weeks of the presidential campaign, each side is scouring swing states to get as many voters as possible, including on college campuses. But in some of those crucial states, students face new barriers to casting their ballots.

North Carolina election officials are for the first time enforcing a 2018 voter ID law in a general election this November, following court entanglements that had put the law on hold. Universities throughout the state have already been working to ensure students who want to vote have identification, but students in recent weeks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-university-digital-id-voting-39648168278fe7d5f3439b56c9abfc9b" target="_blank">found out</a>&nbsp;they can’t use the ubiquitous digital college IDs stored on their cellphones.

In states such as&nbsp;<a href="https://tucson.com/news/local/education/college/university-arizona-voting-polling-places-student-associations/article_c3a4947e-7f4b-11ef-8184-fbdb2a449781.html" target="_blank">Arizona</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/politics-elections/2024/10/03/purdue-loses-long-standing-campus-polling-place" target="_blank">Indiana</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.keranews.org/government/2024-09-09/tarrant-county-early-voting-at-colleges" target="_blank">Texas</a>, students have expressed concern over a lack of polling places on college campuses.

And in Georgia, officials at Emory University in Atlanta mistakenly gave students&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/10/03/told-its-voter-initiatives-georgia-registration-info-was-wrong-emory-to-alert-students-via-email/" target="_blank">incorrect guidance</a>&nbsp;on which campus address to provide on voter registration forms, opening the students up to having their registrations challenged when voting.

Nearly 41 million Generation Z Americans are eligible to vote in November’s election,&nbsp;<a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/index.php/latest-research/41-million-members-gen-z-will-be-eligible-vote-2024" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;the Center for Information &amp; Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, a research organization known as CIRCLE that focuses on young people. That large voting bloc could make the difference in an election that will likely be determined by small margins.

But voting laws differ by state, and access varies from campus to campus for the&nbsp;<a href="https://educationdata.org/college-enrollment-statistics" target="_blank">roughly 18 million students</a>&nbsp;in undergraduate and graduate programs. Add the complexity of last-minute changes to election laws, including an increasing number of states implementing voter ID, and that confusion can hurt participation, said Alberto Medina, a spokesperson for CIRCLE, which is housed at Tufts University.

“It’s not a matter of apathy when youth turnout is low,” he said. “There’s this perception that voting is easy and it’s straightforward and everyone should be able to figure out how to do it. And that’s not the case.”

Participation skyrocketed to 50% in the 2020 presidential election among voters who are between 18 and 29, up 11 percentage points from the 2016 presidential election, according to a CIRCLE&nbsp;<a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/2020-election-center" target="_blank">analysis</a>.

But the center’s polling&nbsp;<a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/understanding-youth-civic-engagement/dispelling-myths-about-youth-voting#myth:-young-people-just-choose-not-to-vote" target="_blank">shows</a>&nbsp;that young people still face “formidable structural barriers” to participating in the democratic process, including a lack of civic education, neglect by political parties and candidates, and complicated logistics such as not knowing how to register, missing deadlines or even finding transportation to a polling place.

Complications over voter ID in North Carolina showcases some of these barriers, Medina said.

Last month, the North Carolina Court of Appeals&nbsp;<a href="https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-09-27-Order.pdf" target="_blank">ruled</a>&nbsp;that the digital photo ID produced by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “or any other ‘image of a photo ID, either as a photocopy or a photo on a mobile device,’” was not an acceptable form of ID&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-university-digital-id-voting-39648168278fe7d5f3439b56c9abfc9b" target="_blank">to vote</a>.

A ruling so late in the election season sent a wave of confusion throughout the state, as colleges that only use digital IDs had to quickly notify students of the rules change and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2024/09/duke-university-dukecard-dukevotes-2027-voter-registration-requirement-north-carolina-state-board-of-elections-reject-mobile-id-bryan-center-plaza" target="_blank">offer</a>&nbsp;physical ID cards.

To comply with the 2018 voter ID law, which went into effect in the past year after a prolonged legal battle, campuses already were trying to spread the word and offering free physical IDs. The court ruling increased the urgency.

At Elon University, a private college 30 minutes east of Greensboro, student leaders have put up yard signs and posters, and talked to classes, sororities and fraternities about how to secure a free physical student ID that complies with the state’s election law.

Bo Dalrymple, a student coordinator for the nonpartisan civic engagement campus group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.elon.edu/u/elon-votes/" target="_blank">Elon Votes!</a>, said the messaging campaign was needed since many students are from out of state and don’t have North Carolina driver’s licenses. In most states, students&nbsp;<a href="https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting/college-student" target="_blank">can usually</a>&nbsp;choose whether to vote in their hometown or at their universities, depending on residency requirements.

“There’s a lot of confusion, there’s a lot of speculation or things that you hear,” said Dalrymple, a senior political science and international and global studies double major, who is from North Carolina. “One of our biggest jobs is just cutting through the noise and make sure that these students are informed with the correct policies and the correct rules.”

Enthusiasm is palpable at Arizona State University, said Katie Ritchie, a sophomore public policy and economics double major.

“Presidential campaign messaging toward young people on college campuses like ASU that are so large has been pretty strong,” she said, adding that down-ballot initiatives and races, such as an Arizona ballot question that would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, have also added to enthusiasm.

Ritchie and Dalrymple, at Elon University, are student ambassadors for the Andrew Goodman Foundation, a nonpartisan group that promotes civic engagement efforts on their college campuses. The foundation has ambassadors on 66 campuses across 20 states and the District of Columbia.

Arizona State University is one of 150 universities in battleground states that the Harris campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://azmirror.com/2024/08/28/harris-campaign-focuses-on-arizona-in-its-push-to-drive-gen-z-voters-to-the-polls/" target="_blank">has targeted</a>&nbsp;to mobilize Gen Z voters. Recently, cast members from “Grey’s Anatomy” spoke on the Harris campaign’s behalf on campus. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake and conservative media personality Charlie Kirk also have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statepress.com/article/2024/09/kirk-lake-greeks-for-trump" target="_blank">held events</a>&nbsp;for Trump at fraternities.

At the University of Arizona in Tucson, students&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kvoa.com/news/ua-will-not-have-vote-center-on-campus-on-election-day/article_7927a3b0-77e8-11ef-893e-d74a45d039d2.html" target="_blank">have complained</a>&nbsp;there won’t be a vote center on campus on Election Day. Though the nearest vote center will be just off campus — only 800 feet from the campus’s Old Main building — some students worried it could dampen turnout.

While the University of Arizona won’t have a vote center on campus for Election Day, Arizona State University will have one at the fitness center on the Tempe campus,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.asu.edu/20241009-sun-devil-community-voting-made-easy-campus-polling-locations-asu-students" target="_blank">along with ones on the school’s</a>&nbsp;three other campuses. Big signs are already posted outside the fitness center, encouraging students to vote early.

There also have been disputes over putting polling places on college campuses in other states, including Texas, which has a tight U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred.

Last month, the Tarrant County Commissioners Court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/12/tarrant-county-college-voting-location/" target="_blank">rejected</a>&nbsp;a GOP proposal to eliminate college early voting sites, including one at the University of Texas at Arlington.

“They are trying to silence the voice of those most marginalized communities, like young people,” said Claudia Yoli Ferla, executive director of MOVE Texas, a San Antonio-based advocacy group that fought to keep the polling place open on the campus of more than 27,000 undergraduates.

Barriers for college students are not new, said Rashawn Davis, executive director of the Andrew Goodman Foundation. Every state has work to do to make voting more inclusive for young people, he added. But he’s optimistic.

“Right now, we’re at a pivotal point where we see the voices of young people really taking root,” he said, “and some of these issues start to turn the corner.”

<figure>
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 </figure><h2>Gen Z voters can make a difference in a tight presidential election.</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/mvasilogambros/">MATT VASILOGAMBROS</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>In the final weeks of the presidential campaign, each side is scouring swing states to get as many voters as possible, including on college campuses. But in some of those crucial states, students face new barriers to casting their ballots.North Carolina election officials are for the first time enforcing a 2018 voter ID law in a general election this November, following court entanglements that had put the law on hold. Universities throughout the state have already been working to ensure students who want to vote have identification, but students in recent weeks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-university-digital-id-voting-39648168278fe7d5f3439b56c9abfc9b" target="_blank">found out</a>&nbsp;they can’t use the ubiquitous digital college IDs stored on their cellphones.In states such as&nbsp;<a href="https://tucson.com/news/local/education/college/university-arizona-voting-polling-places-student-associations/article_c3a4947e-7f4b-11ef-8184-fbdb2a449781.html" target="_blank">Arizona</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/politics-elections/2024/10/03/purdue-loses-long-standing-campus-polling-place" target="_blank">Indiana</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.keranews.org/government/2024-09-09/tarrant-county-early-voting-at-colleges" target="_blank">Texas</a>, students have expressed concern over a lack of polling places on college campuses.And in Georgia, officials at Emory University in Atlanta mistakenly gave students&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/10/03/told-its-voter-initiatives-georgia-registration-info-was-wrong-emory-to-alert-students-via-email/" target="_blank">incorrect guidance</a>&nbsp;on which campus address to provide on voter registration forms, opening the students up to having their registrations challenged when voting.Nearly 41 million Generation Z Americans are eligible to vote in November’s election,&nbsp;<a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/index.php/latest-research/41-million-members-gen-z-will-be-eligible-vote-2024" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;the Center for Information &amp; Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, a research organization known as CIRCLE that focuses on young people. That large voting bloc could make the difference in an election that will likely be determined by small margins.But voting laws differ by state, and access varies from campus to campus for the&nbsp;<a href="https://educationdata.org/college-enrollment-statistics" target="_blank">roughly 18 million students</a>&nbsp;in undergraduate and graduate programs. Add the complexity of last-minute changes to election laws, including an increasing number of states implementing voter ID, and that confusion can hurt participation, said Alberto Medina, a spokesperson for CIRCLE, which is housed at Tufts University.“It’s not a matter of apathy when youth turnout is low,” he said. “There’s this perception that voting is easy and it’s straightforward and everyone should be able to figure out how to do it. And that’s not the case.”Participation skyrocketed to 50% in the 2020 presidential election among voters who are between 18 and 29, up 11 percentage points from the 2016 presidential election, according to a CIRCLE&nbsp;<a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/2020-election-center" target="_blank">analysis</a>.But the center’s polling&nbsp;<a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/understanding-youth-civic-engagement/dispelling-myths-about-youth-voting#myth:-young-people-just-choose-not-to-vote" target="_blank">shows</a>&nbsp;that young people still face “formidable structural barriers” to participating in the democratic process, including a lack of civic education, neglect by political parties and candidates, and complicated logistics such as not knowing how to register, missing deadlines or even finding transportation to a polling place.Complications over voter ID in North Carolina showcases some of these barriers, Medina said.<h2>North Carolina confusion</h2>Last month, the North Carolina Court of Appeals&nbsp;<a href="https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-09-27-Order.pdf" target="_blank">ruled</a>&nbsp;that the digital photo ID produced by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “or any other ‘image of a photo ID, either as a photocopy or a photo on a mobile device,’” was not an acceptable form of ID&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-university-digital-id-voting-39648168278fe7d5f3439b56c9abfc9b" target="_blank">to vote</a>.A ruling so late in the election season sent a wave of confusion throughout the state, as colleges that only use digital IDs had to quickly notify students of the rules change and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2024/09/duke-university-dukecard-dukevotes-2027-voter-registration-requirement-north-carolina-state-board-of-elections-reject-mobile-id-bryan-center-plaza" target="_blank">offer</a>&nbsp;physical ID cards.To comply with the 2018 voter ID law, which went into effect in the past year after a prolonged legal battle, campuses already were trying to spread the word and offering free physical IDs. The court ruling increased the urgency.At Elon University, a private college 30 minutes east of Greensboro, student leaders have put up yard signs and posters, and talked to classes, sororities and fraternities about how to secure a free physical student ID that complies with the state’s election law.Bo Dalrymple, a student coordinator for the nonpartisan civic engagement campus group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.elon.edu/u/elon-votes/" target="_blank">Elon Votes!</a>, said the messaging campaign was needed since many students are from out of state and don’t have North Carolina driver’s licenses. In most states, students&nbsp;<a href="https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting/college-student" target="_blank">can usually</a>&nbsp;choose whether to vote in their hometown or at their universities, depending on residency requirements.“There’s a lot of confusion, there’s a lot of speculation or things that you hear,” said Dalrymple, a senior political science and international and global studies double major, who is from North Carolina. “One of our biggest jobs is just cutting through the noise and make sure that these students are informed with the correct policies and the correct rules.”A ruling so late in the election season sent a wave of confusion throughout the state, as colleges that only use digital IDs had to quickly notify students of the rules change and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2024/09/duke-university-dukecard-dukevotes-2027-voter-registration-requirement-north-carolina-state-board-of-elections-reject-mobile-id-bryan-center-plaza" target="_blank">offer</a>&nbsp;physical ID cards.To comply with the 2018 voter ID law, which went into effect in the past year after a prolonged legal battle, campuses already were trying to spread the word and offering free physical IDs. The court ruling increased the urgency.At Elon University, a private college 30 minutes east of Greensboro, student leaders have put up yard signs and posters, and talked to classes, sororities and fraternities about how to secure a free physical student ID that complies with the state’s election law.Bo Dalrymple, a student coordinator for the nonpartisan civic engagement campus group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.elon.edu/u/elon-votes/" target="_blank">Elon Votes!</a>, said the messaging campaign was needed since many students are from out of state and don’t have North Carolina driver’s licenses. In most states, students&nbsp;<a href="https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting/college-student" target="_blank">can usually</a>&nbsp;choose whether to vote in their hometown or at their universities, depending on residency requirements.“There’s a lot of confusion, there’s a lot of speculation or things that you hear,” said Dalrymple, a senior political science and international and global studies double major, who is from North Carolina. “One of our biggest jobs is just cutting through the noise and make sure that these students are informed with the correct policies and the correct rules.”Enthusiasm is palpable at Arizona State University, said Katie Ritchie, a sophomore public policy and economics double major.“Presidential campaign messaging toward young people on college campuses like ASU that are so large has been pretty strong,” she said, adding that down-ballot initiatives and races, such as an Arizona ballot question that would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, have also added to enthusiasm.Ritchie and Dalrymple, at Elon University, are student ambassadors for the Andrew Goodman Foundation, a nonpartisan group that promotes civic engagement efforts on their college campuses. The foundation has ambassadors on 66 campuses across 20 states and the District of Columbia.Arizona State University is one of 150 universities in battleground states that the Harris campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://azmirror.com/2024/08/28/harris-campaign-focuses-on-arizona-in-its-push-to-drive-gen-z-voters-to-the-polls/" target="_blank">has targeted</a>&nbsp;to mobilize Gen Z voters. Recently, cast members from “Grey’s Anatomy” spoke on the Harris campaign’s behalf on campus. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake and conservative media personality Charlie Kirk also have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statepress.com/article/2024/09/kirk-lake-greeks-for-trump" target="_blank">held events</a>&nbsp;for Trump at fraternities.At the University of Arizona in Tucson, students&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kvoa.com/news/ua-will-not-have-vote-center-on-campus-on-election-day/article_7927a3b0-77e8-11ef-893e-d74a45d039d2.html" target="_blank">have complained</a>&nbsp;there won’t be a vote center on campus on Election Day. Though the nearest vote center will be just off campus — only 800 feet from the campus’s Old Main building — some students worried it could dampen turnout.While the University of Arizona won’t have a vote center on campus for Election Day, Arizona State University will have one at the fitness center on the Tempe campus,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.asu.edu/20241009-sun-devil-community-voting-made-easy-campus-polling-locations-asu-students" target="_blank">along with ones on the school’s</a>&nbsp;three other campuses. Big signs are already posted outside the fitness center, encouraging students to vote early.There also have been disputes over putting polling places on college campuses in other states, including Texas, which has a tight U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred.Last month, the Tarrant County Commissioners Court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/12/tarrant-county-college-voting-location/" target="_blank">rejected</a>&nbsp;a GOP proposal to eliminate college early voting sites, including one at the University of Texas at Arlington.“They are trying to silence the voice of those most marginalized communities, like young people,” said Claudia Yoli Ferla, executive director of MOVE Texas, a San Antonio-based advocacy group that fought to keep the polling place open on the campus of more than 27,000 undergraduates.Barriers for college students are not new, said Rashawn Davis, executive director of the Andrew Goodman Foundation. Every state has work to do to make voting more inclusive for young people, he added. But he’s optimistic.“Right now, we’re at a pivotal point where we see the voices of young people really taking root,” he said, “and some of these issues start to turn the corner.”

College students fight barriers to casting ballots as early voting begins

The third-annual 5k and color run on Oct. 19 at Fort Hays State University, raised funds for Serena's Sunflower Memorial Fund and the Speech-Language Pathology organization.

Photos By Tony Guerrero/Hays PostThe third-annual 5k and color run on Oct. 19 at Fort Hays State University, raised funds for Serena's Sunflower Memorial Fund and the Speech-Language Pathology organization.<figure>
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Photo gallery: Serena's Sunflower 5k color run

By MICHAEL A. SMITH Insight Kansas

This year’s presidential campaign has featured shocking statements and dramatic moments, including two assassination attempts. More recently, former President Trump made alarming comments about “enemies within” that hint at the use of military force against his political opponents, while Vice President Harris is struggling with a reticence among men of color to vote for her. Despite all this, the election itself may come down to a far more traditional, pocketbook issue.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bankrate.com/personal-finance/2024-election-and-the-economy-survey/?tpt=a">new Bankrate survey</a>&nbsp;shows that 41% of Americans are concerned about inflation.&nbsp; More generally,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/651719/economy-important-issue-2024-presidential-vote.aspx">Gallup</a>&nbsp;finds that the economy is the top issue this year, with 52% of voters calling it “extremely important.”&nbsp;

Inflation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/page-one-economics/2023/08/25/the-rise-and-fall-of-inflation-during-the-early-2020s#:~:text=Economists%20suggested%20both%20supply%20and,and%20higher%20over%20this%20period.&amp;text=See%2C%20for%20example%2C%20the%20San,and%20continued%20acceleration%20in%20inflation.">surged after the covid pandemic</a>&nbsp;due a variety of factors including clogged supply chains, worker shortages, and pent-up consumer demand.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/federal-spending-was-responsible-2022-spike-inflation-research-shows">One study by MIT researchers</a>&nbsp;found that federal spending was the biggest driver.&nbsp; This included stimulus checks and support for state governments. That spending also had positive effects, likely averting a recession and possibly even a depression.&nbsp; After their spike, inflation rates today are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bankrate.com/banking/federal-reserve/latest-inflation-statistics/?tpt=a">back down to 2.4% annually,</a>&nbsp;a level last seen in February 2021.&nbsp; Most economists attribute this control primarily to the Federal Reserve’s policy of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.clevelandfed.org/center-for-inflation-research/inflation-101/why-does-the-fed-care-start">raising interest rates</a>.&nbsp; So, why are voters still upset?

First is the fact that controlling interest rates does not return prices to pre-inflationary levels.&nbsp; Instead, Fed policy has slowed the&nbsp;increase&nbsp;in prices, causing them to stabilize at a point that is 21.4% more expensive than before February 2020.&nbsp; The last time Americans experienced high inflation was in the 1970s. Many older Americans have forgotten, while many younger Americans were not around to experience it.&nbsp; Should the Fed keep going and fight inflation even harder– perhaps even starting a cycle of deflation?&nbsp; If they did, the result could be traumatic.&nbsp; When the Fed finally&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/great-inflation">brought inflation to heel in the early 1980s</a>, interest rates were far higher than they are now, unemployment was in the double digits, and the<a href="https://www.iowapbs.org/iowapathways/mypath/2422/farm-crisis-1980s">&nbsp;farm economy was absolutely devastated</a>.&nbsp; By contrast,<a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LNS14000024">&nbsp;today’s unemployment rates</a>&nbsp;are historically low.

Americans are also, specifically concerned about housing.&nbsp; Post-pandemic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/us-house-prices-are-forecast-to-rise-more-than-4-percent-next-year">demand for housing is surging</a>, but supply is not keeping up. Loosening up building restrictions and zoning codes seem like good answers, but the American system of government throws up a roadblock:&nbsp; state laws– including here in Kansas– delegate most of these regulations to local governments, creating a patchwork of codes and zoning laws that builders and rehabbers must navigate in order to create and rehabilitate more housing.&nbsp; The recent&nbsp;<a href="https://johnsoncountypost.com/2023/10/05/prairie-village-housing-timeline-214778/">rejection of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in Prairie Village</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/lenexa-city-council-votes-down-controversial-proposal-for-homeless-shelter-in-city">denial of rezoning for a homeless shelter in Lenexa</a>, are both examples of the Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) politics that keeps housing choices limited.&nbsp; In addition, when developers do move in, they often prefer to build upscale apartments or large, single-family units in exclusive neighborhoods where the profit margin is greatest, doing little to relieve the shortage of&nbsp;affordable&nbsp;homes.&nbsp; The&nbsp;<a href="https://immigrationforum.org/article/immigrant-construction-workers-in-the-united-states/">current anti-immigration political climate also contributes to the problem</a>&nbsp;by threatening to limit the number of workers in the construction industry.&nbsp; If Trump is elected and proceeds with plans for mass deportations, the problem will only worsen.&nbsp; Of course, immigrants need homes, too, but research shows that they contribute far more to&nbsp;lowering&nbsp;the cost of housing by working in construction, than they contribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jd-vance-debate-immigration-housing-prices-real-estate-federal-reserve/#:~:text=Still%2C%20there%20is%20some%20evidence,but%20although%20a%20small%20one.">raising it through increased demand.</a>&nbsp;

Inflation is a tough problem.&nbsp; Prices are not going back to pre-pandemic levels–the cost of doing so is simply too high.&nbsp; Popular policies like exclusive NIMBY zoning and anti-immigration legislation make the problem worse.&nbsp; Having been confronted with high inflation for the first time since the early 1980s, Americans are now re-learning what to do–and what not to do–in response.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700168795368.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHAEL A. SMITH Insight KansasThis year’s presidential campaign has featured shocking statements and dramatic moments, including two assassination attempts. More recently, former President Trump made alarming comments about “enemies within” that hint at the use of military force against his political opponents, while Vice President Harris is struggling with a reticence among men of color to vote for her. Despite all this, the election itself may come down to a far more traditional, pocketbook issue.A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bankrate.com/personal-finance/2024-election-and-the-economy-survey/?tpt=a">new Bankrate survey</a>&nbsp;shows that 41% of Americans are concerned about inflation.&nbsp; More generally,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/651719/economy-important-issue-2024-presidential-vote.aspx">Gallup</a>&nbsp;finds that the economy is the top issue this year, with 52% of voters calling it “extremely important.”&nbsp;Inflation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/page-one-economics/2023/08/25/the-rise-and-fall-of-inflation-during-the-early-2020s#:~:text=Economists%20suggested%20both%20supply%20and,and%20higher%20over%20this%20period.&amp;text=See%2C%20for%20example%2C%20the%20San,and%20continued%20acceleration%20in%20inflation.">surged after the covid pandemic</a>&nbsp;due a variety of factors including clogged supply chains, worker shortages, and pent-up consumer demand.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/federal-spending-was-responsible-2022-spike-inflation-research-shows">One study by MIT researchers</a>&nbsp;found that federal spending was the biggest driver.&nbsp; This included stimulus checks and support for state governments. That spending also had positive effects, likely averting a recession and possibly even a depression.&nbsp; After their spike, inflation rates today are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bankrate.com/banking/federal-reserve/latest-inflation-statistics/?tpt=a">back down to 2.4% annually,</a>&nbsp;a level last seen in February 2021.&nbsp; Most economists attribute this control primarily to the Federal Reserve’s policy of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.clevelandfed.org/center-for-inflation-research/inflation-101/why-does-the-fed-care-start">raising interest rates</a>.&nbsp; So, why are voters still upset?First is the fact that controlling interest rates does not return prices to pre-inflationary levels.&nbsp; Instead, Fed policy has slowed the&nbsp;increase&nbsp;in prices, causing them to stabilize at a point that is 21.4% more expensive than before February 2020.&nbsp; The last time Americans experienced high inflation was in the 1970s. Many older Americans have forgotten, while many younger Americans were not around to experience it.&nbsp; Should the Fed keep going and fight inflation even harder– perhaps even starting a cycle of deflation?&nbsp; If they did, the result could be traumatic.&nbsp; When the Fed finally&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/great-inflation">brought inflation to heel in the early 1980s</a>, interest rates were far higher than they are now, unemployment was in the double digits, and the<a href="https://www.iowapbs.org/iowapathways/mypath/2422/farm-crisis-1980s">&nbsp;farm economy was absolutely devastated</a>.&nbsp; By contrast,<a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LNS14000024">&nbsp;today’s unemployment rates</a>&nbsp;are historically low.Americans are also, specifically concerned about housing.&nbsp; Post-pandemic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/us-house-prices-are-forecast-to-rise-more-than-4-percent-next-year">demand for housing is surging</a>, but supply is not keeping up. Loosening up building restrictions and zoning codes seem like good answers, but the American system of government throws up a roadblock:&nbsp; state laws– including here in Kansas– delegate most of these regulations to local governments, creating a patchwork of codes and zoning laws that builders and rehabbers must navigate in order to create and rehabilitate more housing.&nbsp; The recent&nbsp;<a href="https://johnsoncountypost.com/2023/10/05/prairie-village-housing-timeline-214778/">rejection of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in Prairie Village</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/lenexa-city-council-votes-down-controversial-proposal-for-homeless-shelter-in-city">denial of rezoning for a homeless shelter in Lenexa</a>, are both examples of the Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) politics that keeps housing choices limited.&nbsp; In addition, when developers do move in, they often prefer to build upscale apartments or large, single-family units in exclusive neighborhoods where the profit margin is greatest, doing little to relieve the shortage of&nbsp;affordable&nbsp;homes.&nbsp; The&nbsp;<a href="https://immigrationforum.org/article/immigrant-construction-workers-in-the-united-states/">current anti-immigration political climate also contributes to the problem</a>&nbsp;by threatening to limit the number of workers in the construction industry.&nbsp; If Trump is elected and proceeds with plans for mass deportations, the problem will only worsen.&nbsp; Of course, immigrants need homes, too, but research shows that they contribute far more to&nbsp;lowering&nbsp;the cost of housing by working in construction, than they contribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jd-vance-debate-immigration-housing-prices-real-estate-federal-reserve/#:~:text=Still%2C%20there%20is%20some%20evidence,but%20although%20a%20small%20one.">raising it through increased demand.</a>&nbsp;Inflation is a tough problem.&nbsp; Prices are not going back to pre-pandemic levels–the cost of doing so is simply too high.&nbsp; Popular policies like exclusive NIMBY zoning and anti-immigration legislation make the problem worse.&nbsp; Having been confronted with high inflation for the first time since the early 1980s, Americans are now re-learning what to do–and what not to do–in response.&nbsp;

INSIGHT KANSAS: What is Really Going On With Inflation?

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

PITTSBURG, Kan. – In a game they led most of the way, a late turnover led to a Pittsburg State touchdown with one minute to play and the 7th-ranked Gorillas rallied for an 18-17 win over Fort Hays State Saturday afternoon in front of 9,265 at Carnie Smith Stadium.

The Tigers (5-3, 3-3 MIAA) were up 17-12 and had the ball with a little under three minutes to play when a tipped pass was intercepted and gave the Gorillas the ball at the FHSU 21. Six plays later Pitt State (6-1, 5-1 NIAA) found the endzone on third and goal from the 5-yard line to take their first lead of the game. FHSU picked up one first down on their final possession before turning the ball over on downs with 18 seconds to play.

Fort Hays State scored the first points of the game when Shane Watts broke&nbsp;free on a 54-yard touchdown run down the PSU sideline at the 3:06 mark of the first quarter. The Gorillas would counter with second quarter field goals from 49 and 27 yards to pull within 7-6 at halftime.

The Tigers extended their lead to 14-6 with an 11-play, 80-yard drive capped with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Heavner to Jayden Horace on 4th and 11. The drive chewed up 6:36 on the clock and the touchdown came at the 3:45 mark of the third quarter. Pittsburg State responded with a 32-yard rushing touchdown on fourth down to pull within 14-12. Makel Williams knocked away a pass on the 2-point conversion to keep FHSU up two heading to the fourth quarter.

Fort Hays State put its final points on the board with 8:39 to play on a 29-yard Carson Arndt field goal.

The Tiger defense played well throughout the afternoon, stopping two potential scoring drives with a fumble recovery at the one early in teh game then an interception in the endzone by Kobe Rome in the third quarter.

The Tigers held the Gorillas to 377 yards of total offense, but only produced 288 against the MIAA's top defense. Heavner threw for 173 yards, while Watts rushed for 98. Watts went over 100 all-purpose yards for the seventh time in eight games this season. Makel Williams&nbsp;led the Tiger defense with 12 tackles.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729400416105.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post PITTSBURG, Kan. – In a game they led most of the way, a late turnover led to a Pittsburg State touchdown with one minute to play and the 7th-ranked Gorillas rallied for an 18-17 win over Fort Hays State Saturday afternoon in front of 9,265 at Carnie Smith Stadium.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1938000788&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/chris-brown-postgame-interview-vs-pittsburg-state-oct-19th-24" title="Chris Brown Postgame vs. #7 Pittsburg State (Oct. 19, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Chris Brown Postgame vs. #7 Pittsburg State (Oct. 19, 2024)</a></div></div>The Tigers (5-3, 3-3 MIAA) were up 17-12 and had the ball with a little under three minutes to play when a tipped pass was intercepted and gave the Gorillas the ball at the FHSU 21. Six plays later Pitt State (6-1, 5-1 NIAA) found the endzone on third and goal from the 5-yard line to take their first lead of the game. FHSU picked up one first down on their final possession before turning the ball over on downs with 18 seconds to play.Fort Hays State scored the first points of the game when Shane Watts broke&nbsp;free on a 54-yard touchdown run down the PSU sideline at the 3:06 mark of the first quarter. The Gorillas would counter with second quarter field goals from 49 and 27 yards to pull within 7-6 at halftime.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1938001088&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/jaden-horace-postgame-interview-vs-pittsburg-state-oct-19th-24" title="Jayden Horace Postgame vs. #7 Pittsburg State (Oct. 19, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Jayden Horace Postgame vs. #7 Pittsburg State (Oct. 19, 2024)</a></div></div>The Tigers extended their lead to 14-6 with an 11-play, 80-yard drive capped with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Heavner to Jayden Horace on 4th and 11. The drive chewed up 6:36 on the clock and the touchdown came at the 3:45 mark of the third quarter. Pittsburg State responded with a 32-yard rushing touchdown on fourth down to pull within 14-12. Makel Williams knocked away a pass on the 2-point conversion to keep FHSU up two heading to the fourth quarter.Fort Hays State put its final points on the board with 8:39 to play on a 29-yard Carson Arndt field goal.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1938001748&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/makel-williams-postgame-interview-vs-pittsburg-state-oct-19th-24" title="Makel Williams Postgame vs. #7 Pittsburg State (Oct. 19, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Makel Williams Postgame vs. #7 Pittsburg State (Oct. 19, 2024)</a></div></div>The Tiger defense played well throughout the afternoon, stopping two potential scoring drives with a fumble recovery at the one early in teh game then an interception in the endzone by Kobe Rome in the third quarter.The Tigers held the Gorillas to 377 yards of total offense, but only produced 288 against the MIAA's top defense. Heavner threw for 173 yards, while Watts rushed for 98. Watts went over 100 all-purpose yards for the seventh time in eight games this season. Makel Williams&nbsp;led the Tiger defense with 12 tackles.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1937999663&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-fb-highlights-vs-pittsburg-state-oct-19th-24" title="Fort Hays State FB Highlights at #7 Pittsburg State (Oct. 19, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State FB Highlights at #7 Pittsburg State (Oct. 19, 2024)</a></div></div>UP NEXTThe Tigers return to Hays for their final home game of the season next Saturday (Oct. 26). They host Missouri Southern at 1 p.m. It will be Senior Day and the annual Hall of Fame Game.&nbsp;&nbsp;