BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. (AP) — Hurricane Helene's death toll&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-florida-carolinas-georgia-tennessee-8f4b65a0ca5278dbac9faaf49f1ecce6">reached 200</a>&nbsp;on Thursday and could rise higher still, as searchers made their way toward the hardest to reach places in the mountains of western North Carolina, where the storm washed out roads and knocked out electricity, water and cellular service.

Officials in Georgia and North Carolina added to their states' grim tallies, padding an overall count that has already made Helene the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hurricane-katrina">Hurricane Katrina</a>&nbsp;in 2005.

A week after the storm came ashore in Florida before carving a path of destruction through the Southeast, connections between friends, neighbors and even strangers have provided hope in the worst-affected areas.

While government cargo planes brought food and water to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-hurricane-helene-flooding-north-carolina-f49b2a6bf2b549473e0211f883332592">these areas</a>&nbsp;and rescue crews waded through creeks searching for survivors, those who made it through the storm leaned on one another for support.

Sarah Vekasi, who makes and sells pottery out of her Sarah Sunshine Pottery store in Black Mountain, North Carolina, said she’s struggling with the trauma of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/world-news/weather-general-news-domestic-news-1a071b5de822e51f741a193374a49c26">Hurricane Helene</a>&nbsp;and uncertainty about the future of her business.

“All I can say is that I’m alive. I’m not doing great. I’m not doing good. But I’m extremely grateful to be alive, especially when so many are not,” Vekasi said.

One thing that makes her feel a little better is the fellowship of the daily town meeting at the square.

“It’s incredible being able to meet in person,” said Vekasi, who was cut off by impassible roads for days. More than 150 people gathered for Wednesday's session, as local leaders stood atop a picnic table shouting updates.

Martha Sullivan took careful notes so she could share the information — roads reopened, progress in getting power restored, work on trying to get water flowing again — with others.

Sullivan, who has lived in Black Mountain for 43 years, said her children invited her to come to Charlotte after the storm, but she wants to stay in her community and look after her neighbors.

“I’m going to stay as long as I feel like I’m being useful,” Sullivan said.

Helping one another in the hardest-hit areas

In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-hurricane-helene-flooding-north-carolina-f49b2a6bf2b549473e0211f883332592">remote mountain areas,</a>&nbsp;helicopters hoisted the stranded to safety while search crews moved toppled trees so they could look door to door for survivors. In some places, homes teetered on hillsides and washed-out riverbanks.

Electricity is being slowly restored, as the number of homes and businesses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-power-outages-32958ff95f6e51e8c69e56e587de46d2">without power</a>&nbsp;dipped below 1 million for the first time since last weekend, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://poweroutage.us/">poweroutage.us</a>. Most of the outages are in the Carolinas and Georgia, where Helene struck after barreling over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-climate-change-florida-big-bend-182d68761b3d2328e56e3fb8d9cdb802">Florida’s Gulf Coast</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 26 as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-florida-georgia-mexico-42fb7cc90604b7f87179920f97627873">Category 4 hurricane.</a>&nbsp;Deaths have been reported in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, in addition to the Carolinas.

Robin Wynn lost power at her Asheville home early last Friday and was able to grab a bag of canned goods and water before getting to a shelter despite water up to her knees.

“I didn’t know where I was going, didn’t know what was going to happen next. But I got out and I’m alive,” Wynn said Wednesday.

Now that she’s back home, her neighbors have been watching out for one another. Plenty of people have come around to make sure everyone has a hot meal and water, she said.

Eric Williamson, who works at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, normally makes home visits to members who can’t physically get to church. This week, he’s their lifeline, delivering food that meets dietary restrictions and tossing out food that had spoiled.

Beyond checking in on the essentials, he says it’s important to just socialize with folks in a moment like this to help them know they aren’t alone.

He has a handwritten list of everyone he needs to visit. “They don’t have telephone service, even if they have a landline, a lot of that isn’t working,” Williamson said. "So we're bringing them food and water, but also just bringing them a smile and a prayer with them just to give them comfort.”

Volunteers in Asheville gathered Wednesday before going out to help find people who have been unreachable because of phone and internet outages. They took along boxes of drinking water and instructions to return in person with their results.

Even notifying relatives of people who died in the storm has been difficult.

“That has been our challenge, quite honestly, is no cell service, no way to reach out to next of kin,” said Avril Pinder, an official in Buncombe County where at least 61 people have died. “We have a confirmed body count, but we don’t have identifications on everyone or next-of-kin notifications.”

Thursday marked the seventh day of search and rescue operations, Pinder said, adding the county doesn’t have an official tally of people who are unaccounted for or missing.

“We’re continuing to find people. We know we have pockets of people who are isolated due to landslides and bridges out,” she said. “So they are disconnected but not missing.”

Biden meets Florida survivors and surveys damage

President Joe Biden spoke with survivors and first responders and surveyed damage Thursday in Keaton Beach, Florida, walking past mountains of splintered wood, demolished homes and massive pieces of siding crumpled like paper. Biden met with people who had lost homes; one couple was living out of a trailer near the wreckage of their home, their personal belongings strewn on the ground.

The president also was due to visit Georgia Thursday.

Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-harris-hurricane-helene-survey-damage-48baf62af5560a9617ae2032f8776d1e">flew over the devastation</a>&nbsp;in North and South Carolina on Wednesday. The administration announced a federal commitment to foot the bill for debris removal and emergency protective measures for six months in North Carolina and three months in Georgia. The money will address the impacts of landslides and flooding and cover costs of first responders, search and rescue teams, shelters, and mass feeding.

Employees at a plastics factory in rural Tennessee who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-tennessee-f7c4a460de588df7a4d5bc9efa756ecb">kept working last week</a>&nbsp;until water flooded their parking lot and power went out at the plant were among those killed. The floodwaters swept 11 workers away, and only five were rescued. Two are confirmed dead.

Tennessee state authorities said they are investigating the company that owns the factory after some employees said they weren’t allowed to leave in time to avoid the storm’s impact.

Hospitals and health care organizations in the Southeast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/helene-asheville-hospitals-southeast-recovery-3076ac4366152f19a84a004f4ccf7e9e">mostly stayed open</a>&nbsp;despite dealing with blackouts, wind damage, supply issues and flooding. Many hospitals halted elective procedures, while only a few closed completely.

In Florida, officials were turning to “low-risk” state prisoners to help clear the mountains of debris left behind.

“Department of Corrections, they do prison labor anyways. So they’re bringing them to do debris removal,” Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters on Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727712742274.png" alt="Photo Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson" />
 <figcaption>Photo Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson</figcaption>
 </figure>BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. (AP) — Hurricane Helene's death toll&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-florida-carolinas-georgia-tennessee-8f4b65a0ca5278dbac9faaf49f1ecce6">reached 200</a>&nbsp;on Thursday and could rise higher still, as searchers made their way toward the hardest to reach places in the mountains of western North Carolina, where the storm washed out roads and knocked out electricity, water and cellular service.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 Drone pilots: Do not fly your drone near or around rescue and recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene. Interfering with emergency response operations impacts search and rescue operations on the ground. For more information on temporary flight restrictions follow: <a href="https://twitter.com/FAADroneZone?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FAADroneZone</a> <a href="https://t.co/muxHefL1sH">pic.twitter.com/muxHefL1sH</a>&mdash; U.S. Department of Transportation (@USDOT) <a href="https://twitter.com/USDOT/status/1841565072360968304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Officials in Georgia and North Carolina added to their states' grim tallies, padding an overall count that has already made Helene the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hurricane-katrina">Hurricane Katrina</a>&nbsp;in 2005.A week after the storm came ashore in Florida before carving a path of destruction through the Southeast, connections between friends, neighbors and even strangers have provided hope in the worst-affected areas.While government cargo planes brought food and water to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-hurricane-helene-flooding-north-carolina-f49b2a6bf2b549473e0211f883332592">these areas</a>&nbsp;and rescue crews waded through creeks searching for survivors, those who made it through the storm leaned on one another for support.Sarah Vekasi, who makes and sells pottery out of her Sarah Sunshine Pottery store in Black Mountain, North Carolina, said she’s struggling with the trauma of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/world-news/weather-general-news-domestic-news-1a071b5de822e51f741a193374a49c26">Hurricane Helene</a>&nbsp;and uncertainty about the future of her business.“All I can say is that I’m alive. I’m not doing great. I’m not doing good. But I’m extremely grateful to be alive, especially when so many are not,” Vekasi said.One thing that makes her feel a little better is the fellowship of the daily town meeting at the square.“It’s incredible being able to meet in person,” said Vekasi, who was cut off by impassible roads for days. More than 150 people gathered for Wednesday's session, as local leaders stood atop a picnic table shouting updates.Martha Sullivan took careful notes so she could share the information — roads reopened, progress in getting power restored, work on trying to get water flowing again — with others.Sullivan, who has lived in Black Mountain for 43 years, said her children invited her to come to Charlotte after the storm, but she wants to stay in her community and look after her neighbors.“I’m going to stay as long as I feel like I’m being useful,” Sullivan said.<h2>Helping one another in the hardest-hit areas</h2>In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-hurricane-helene-flooding-north-carolina-f49b2a6bf2b549473e0211f883332592">remote mountain areas,</a>&nbsp;helicopters hoisted the stranded to safety while search crews moved toppled trees so they could look door to door for survivors. In some places, homes teetered on hillsides and washed-out riverbanks.Electricity is being slowly restored, as the number of homes and businesses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-power-outages-32958ff95f6e51e8c69e56e587de46d2">without power</a>&nbsp;dipped below 1 million for the first time since last weekend, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://poweroutage.us/">poweroutage.us</a>. Most of the outages are in the Carolinas and Georgia, where Helene struck after barreling over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-climate-change-florida-big-bend-182d68761b3d2328e56e3fb8d9cdb802">Florida’s Gulf Coast</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 26 as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-florida-georgia-mexico-42fb7cc90604b7f87179920f97627873">Category 4 hurricane.</a>&nbsp;Deaths have been reported in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, in addition to the Carolinas.Robin Wynn lost power at her Asheville home early last Friday and was able to grab a bag of canned goods and water before getting to a shelter despite water up to her knees.“I didn’t know where I was going, didn’t know what was going to happen next. But I got out and I’m alive,” Wynn said Wednesday.Now that she’s back home, her neighbors have been watching out for one another. Plenty of people have come around to make sure everyone has a hot meal and water, she said.Eric Williamson, who works at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, normally makes home visits to members who can’t physically get to church. This week, he’s their lifeline, delivering food that meets dietary restrictions and tossing out food that had spoiled.Beyond checking in on the essentials, he says it’s important to just socialize with folks in a moment like this to help them know they aren’t alone.He has a handwritten list of everyone he needs to visit. “They don’t have telephone service, even if they have a landline, a lot of that isn’t working,” Williamson said. "So we're bringing them food and water, but also just bringing them a smile and a prayer with them just to give them comfort.”Volunteers in Asheville gathered Wednesday before going out to help find people who have been unreachable because of phone and internet outages. They took along boxes of drinking water and instructions to return in person with their results.Even notifying relatives of people who died in the storm has been difficult.“That has been our challenge, quite honestly, is no cell service, no way to reach out to next of kin,” said Avril Pinder, an official in Buncombe County where at least 61 people have died. “We have a confirmed body count, but we don’t have identifications on everyone or next-of-kin notifications.”Thursday marked the seventh day of search and rescue operations, Pinder said, adding the county doesn’t have an official tally of people who are unaccounted for or missing.“We’re continuing to find people. We know we have pockets of people who are isolated due to landslides and bridges out,” she said. “So they are disconnected but not missing.”<h2>Biden meets Florida survivors and surveys damage</h2>President Joe Biden spoke with survivors and first responders and surveyed damage Thursday in Keaton Beach, Florida, walking past mountains of splintered wood, demolished homes and massive pieces of siding crumpled like paper. Biden met with people who had lost homes; one couple was living out of a trailer near the wreckage of their home, their personal belongings strewn on the ground.The president also was due to visit Georgia Thursday.Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-harris-hurricane-helene-survey-damage-48baf62af5560a9617ae2032f8776d1e">flew over the devastation</a>&nbsp;in North and South Carolina on Wednesday. The administration announced a federal commitment to foot the bill for debris removal and emergency protective measures for six months in North Carolina and three months in Georgia. The money will address the impacts of landslides and flooding and cover costs of first responders, search and rescue teams, shelters, and mass feeding.<h2>Devastation from Florida to Tennessee</h2>Employees at a plastics factory in rural Tennessee who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-tennessee-f7c4a460de588df7a4d5bc9efa756ecb">kept working last week</a>&nbsp;until water flooded their parking lot and power went out at the plant were among those killed. The floodwaters swept 11 workers away, and only five were rescued. Two are confirmed dead.Tennessee state authorities said they are investigating the company that owns the factory after some employees said they weren’t allowed to leave in time to avoid the storm’s impact.Hospitals and health care organizations in the Southeast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/helene-asheville-hospitals-southeast-recovery-3076ac4366152f19a84a004f4ccf7e9e">mostly stayed open</a>&nbsp;despite dealing with blackouts, wind damage, supply issues and flooding. Many hospitals halted elective procedures, while only a few closed completely.In Florida, officials were turning to “low-risk” state prisoners to help clear the mountains of debris left behind.“Department of Corrections, they do prison labor anyways. So they’re bringing them to do debris removal,” Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters on Wednesday.___

Helene's death toll climbs as crews try to reach remote areas hit by the storm

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Customers of Kansas’ largest natural gas utilities will see their bills rise slightly next month after regulators approved a rate increase Thursday.&nbsp;

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/tag/kansas-gas-service/">Kansas Gas Service</a>, which serves almost 650,000 residential customers, filed a request with the Kansas Corporation Commission this spring to increase rates. The requested rate increase would have boosted the utility’s revenue by $58.1 million annually.

But following negotiations with consumer advocates and staff of the KCC, which regulates monopoly utilities,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-gas-service-agrees-to-smaller-rate-hike-for-customers/#:~:text=By%3A%20Allison%20Kite%20%2D%20August%208%2C%202024%2012%3A12%20pm&amp;text=Kansas%20Gas%20Service%20agreed%20to,by%20the%20Kansas%20Corporation%20Commission.">Kansas Gas Service agreed to a $35 million increase</a>. For the average customer, that means monthly bills will increase by $3.83.&nbsp;

The three-member Kansas Corporation Commission approved the negotiated rate increase Thursday with little discussion. It takes effect Nov. 1.&nbsp;

Kansas Gas Services’ original request would have pushed bills even higher and created a tiered rate system, imposing a larger percentage increase on customers who use less gas. Customers with lower usage would have seen a 10.41% hike, or average $6.71 per month. Larger customers’ rates would have increased by 8.25%, resulting in an increase of $9.48 on their bills.

At a&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/14/theres-too-much-profit-customers-decry-proposed-natural-gas-rate-increase/">public hearing on the requested rate increase in June</a>, customers decried the requested rate increase as unnecessary and unconscionable.&nbsp;

The Citizens’ Utility Ratepayer Board, which advocates for residential and small commercial utility customers, recommended a much smaller increase in rates, to bring in $10.7 million. Staff of the KCC recommended $31.7 million before reaching the $35 million settlement.

Staff of the KCC said in a release that the settlement “strikes the proper balance between KGS’ desire for reasonable assurances that it will meet its financial obligations and the need to keep rates as low as possible for customers while still providing reliable natural gas distribution service.”&nbsp;

In an email, KGS spokeswoman Dawn Trip said the new rates would allow the utility to “recover upfront investments we made to continue providing safe and reliable service Kansans depend on.”

“We recognize that any increase in prices can be challenging for our customers,” Tripp said. “We encourage them to contact us for payment options if they have difficulty paying their natural gas bill.”

Information about financial assistance can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://kansasgasservice.com/cares" target="_blank">kansasgasservice.com/cares</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727977882596.png" alt="Kansas Gas Service customers will see an increase in their bills next month under a negotiated increase approved by the Kansas Corporation Commission. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Gas Service customers will see an increase in their bills next month under a negotiated increase approved by the Kansas Corporation Commission. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>Customers of Kansas’ largest natural gas utilities will see their bills rise slightly next month after regulators approved a rate increase Thursday.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/tag/kansas-gas-service/">Kansas Gas Service</a>, which serves almost 650,000 residential customers, filed a request with the Kansas Corporation Commission this spring to increase rates. The requested rate increase would have boosted the utility’s revenue by $58.1 million annually.But following negotiations with consumer advocates and staff of the KCC, which regulates monopoly utilities,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-gas-service-agrees-to-smaller-rate-hike-for-customers/#:~:text=By%3A%20Allison%20Kite%20%2D%20August%208%2C%202024%2012%3A12%20pm&amp;text=Kansas%20Gas%20Service%20agreed%20to,by%20the%20Kansas%20Corporation%20Commission.">Kansas Gas Service agreed to a $35 million increase</a>. For the average customer, that means monthly bills will increase by $3.83.&nbsp;The three-member Kansas Corporation Commission approved the negotiated rate increase Thursday with little discussion. It takes effect Nov. 1.&nbsp;Kansas Gas Services’ original request would have pushed bills even higher and created a tiered rate system, imposing a larger percentage increase on customers who use less gas. Customers with lower usage would have seen a 10.41% hike, or average $6.71 per month. Larger customers’ rates would have increased by 8.25%, resulting in an increase of $9.48 on their bills.At a&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/14/theres-too-much-profit-customers-decry-proposed-natural-gas-rate-increase/">public hearing on the requested rate increase in June</a>, customers decried the requested rate increase as unnecessary and unconscionable.&nbsp;The Citizens’ Utility Ratepayer Board, which advocates for residential and small commercial utility customers, recommended a much smaller increase in rates, to bring in $10.7 million. Staff of the KCC recommended $31.7 million before reaching the $35 million settlement.Staff of the KCC said in a release that the settlement “strikes the proper balance between KGS’ desire for reasonable assurances that it will meet its financial obligations and the need to keep rates as low as possible for customers while still providing reliable natural gas distribution service.”&nbsp;In an email, KGS spokeswoman Dawn Trip said the new rates would allow the utility to “recover upfront investments we made to continue providing safe and reliable service Kansans depend on.”“We recognize that any increase in prices can be challenging for our customers,” Tripp said. “We encourage them to contact us for payment options if they have difficulty paying their natural gas bill.”Information about financial assistance can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://kansasgasservice.com/cares" target="_blank">kansasgasservice.com/cares</a>.

Regulators approve rate increase for Kansas Gas Service customers

KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City man has been charged in federal court with making a hoax telephone call that led to an IRS employee being detained and the IRS office on Pershing Road being locked down.

Anthony M. Alford, 46, was charged in a criminal complaint that was filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, Sept. 27. The complaint was unsealed and made public today following Alford’s arrest and initial court appearance. Alford remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Friday, Oct. 4.

The federal criminal complaint alleges that Alford placed a hoax telephone call to emergency services, falsely claiming that an individual was armed with a firearm and was threatening to shoot people in an IRS building.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Alford called 911 on Sept. 10, 2024, and reported that a person identified in court documents as “Victim One” had a gun and was threatening to shoot up the Internal Revenue Service building at 333 W. Pershing Road in Kansas City, Mo. Victim One is an employee of the IRS.

Kansas City police officers were dispatched to the building, where they contacted IRS security and Federal Protective Service officers. Victim One had been detained and searched for weapons based on the 911 call. Following the 911 call, the B-Wing of the IRS building was locked down. The IRS announced that there was an active shooter in the building and told those in the B-Wing to stay locked down.

Victim One was unarmed. Victim One told investigators she had been dating Alford for about a month and was trying to break up with him. Alford had never been violent, she said, but had exhibited controlling, possessive, and jealous behavior. Alford had repeatedly called and messaged her the previous night, she said, and earlier that morning sent her messages threatening to involve the police.

Investigators interviewed Alford afterward, according to the affidavit, and he told them Victim One did not threaten to shoot up the IRS Building, as he had said in the 911 call. Alford stated his intention when he called 911 was to instigate trouble for Victim One at work.

KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City man has been charged in federal court with making a hoax telephone call that led to an IRS employee being detained and the IRS office on Pershing Road being locked down.Anthony M. Alford, 46, was charged in a criminal complaint that was filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, Sept. 27. The complaint was unsealed and made public today following Alford’s arrest and initial court appearance. Alford remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Friday, Oct. 4.The federal criminal complaint alleges that Alford placed a hoax telephone call to emergency services, falsely claiming that an individual was armed with a firearm and was threatening to shoot people in an IRS building.According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Alford called 911 on Sept. 10, 2024, and reported that a person identified in court documents as “Victim One” had a gun and was threatening to shoot up the Internal Revenue Service building at 333 W. Pershing Road in Kansas City, Mo. Victim One is an employee of the IRS.Kansas City police officers were dispatched to the building, where they contacted IRS security and Federal Protective Service officers. Victim One had been detained and searched for weapons based on the 911 call. Following the 911 call, the B-Wing of the IRS building was locked down. The IRS announced that there was an active shooter in the building and told those in the B-Wing to stay locked down.Victim One was unarmed. Victim One told investigators she had been dating Alford for about a month and was trying to break up with him. Alford had never been violent, she said, but had exhibited controlling, possessive, and jealous behavior. Alford had repeatedly called and messaged her the previous night, she said, and earlier that morning sent her messages threatening to involve the police.Investigators interviewed Alford afterward, according to the affidavit, and he told them Victim One did not threaten to shoot up the IRS Building, as he had said in the 911 call. Alford stated his intention when he called 911 was to instigate trouble for Victim One at work.

Hoax 911 call in KC targeted IRS employee, led to lockdown

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a scam that cost a woman hundreds of dollars.

Just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report of theft in the 3400 block of Chimney Rock Road, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 27-year-old woman reported an unknown suspect sent emails and text messages posing as the victim's boss asking her to purchase gift cards and send pictures of the gift cards. 

Total loss associated with this report is $1,200. &nbsp;

Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rileycountypolice.org/287/Crime-Stoppers">Crime Stoppers</a>. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a scam that cost a woman hundreds of dollars.Just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report of theft in the 3400 block of Chimney Rock Road, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.A 27-year-old woman reported an unknown suspect sent emails and text messages posing as the victim's boss asking her to purchase gift cards and send pictures of the gift cards. Total loss associated with this report is $1,200. &nbsp;Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rileycountypolice.org/287/Crime-Stoppers">Crime Stoppers</a>. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Police: Woman lost $1,200 in email, text message scam

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a southwest Kansas woman on charges related to drug trafficking, according to the United State's Attorney.

Nicole Rae Kiesel, 38, of Garden City is charged with one count of

possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to court documents. She remains in custody in Finney County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727887934498.png" alt="Kiesel" />
 <figcaption>Kiesel</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a southwest Kansas woman on charges related to drug trafficking, according to the United State's Attorney.Nicole Rae Kiesel, 38, of Garden City is charged with one count ofpossession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to court documents. She remains in custody in Finney County.

SW Kansas woman accused of selling fentanyl

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some manufacturers and retailers are urging President Joe Biden to invoke a 1947 law as a way to suspend a strike by 45,000 dockworkers that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dockworkers-strike-ports-ila-longshoremen-91703e4798dbc9ee82185e983f31a3f6">shut down 36 U.S. ports</a>&nbsp;from Maine to Texas.

At issue is Section 206 of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, better known as the Taft-Hartley Act. The law authorizes a president to seek a court order for an 80-day cooling-off period for companies and unions to try to resolve their differences.

Biden has said, though, that he won't intervene in the strike.

Taft-Hartley was meant to curb the power of unions

The law was introduced by two Republicans — Sen. Robert Taft of Ohio and Rep. Fred Hartley Jr. of New Jersey — in the aftermath of World War II. It followed a series of strikes in 1945 and 1946 by workers who demanded better pay and working conditions after the privations of wartime.

President Harry Truman opposed Taft-Hartley, but his veto was overridden by Congress.

In addition to authorizing a president to intervene in strikes, the law banned “closed shops," which require employers to hire only union workers. The ban allowed workers to refuse to join a union.

Taft-Hartley also barred "secondary boycotts,'' thereby making it illegal for unions to pressure neutral companies to stop doing business with an employer that was targeted in a strike.

It also required union leaders to sign affidavits declaring that they did not support the Communist Party.

Presidents can target a strike that may “imperil the national health and safety”

The president can appoint a board of inquiry to review and write a report on the labor dispute — and then direct the attorney general to ask a federal court to suspend a strike by workers or a lockout by management.

If the court issues an injunction, an 80-day cooling-off period would begin. During this period, management and unions must ”make every effort to adjust and settle their differences.''

Still, the law cannot actually force union members to accept a contract offer.

Presidents have invoked Taft-Hartley 37 times in labor disputes

According to the Congressional Research Service, about half the time that presidents have invoked Section 206 of Taft-Hartley, the parties worked out their differences. But nine times, according to the research service, the workers went ahead with a strike.

President George W. Bush invoked Taft-Hartley in 2002 after 29 West Coast ports locked out members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union in a standoff. (The two sides ended up reaching a contract.)

Biden has said he won't use Taft-Hartley to intervene

Despite lobbying by the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Retail Federation, the president has maintained that he has no plans to try to suspend the dockworkers’ strike against ports on the East and Gulf coasts.

William Brucher, a labor relations expert at Rutgers University, notes that Taft-Hartley injunctions are “widely despised, if not universally despised, by labor unions in the United States.”

And Vice President Kamala Harris is relying on support from organized labor in her presidential campaign against Donald Trump.

If the longshoremen's strike drags on long enough and causes shortages that antagonize American consumers, pressure could grow on Biden to change course and intervene. But experts like Brucher suggest that most voters have already made up their minds and that the election outcome is “really more about turnout” now.

Which means, Brucher said, that “Democrats really can’t afford to alienate organized labor.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727784864350.png" alt="Photo&nbsp; courtesy ILA" />
 <figcaption>Photo&nbsp; courtesy ILA</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Some manufacturers and retailers are urging President Joe Biden to invoke a 1947 law as a way to suspend a strike by 45,000 dockworkers that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dockworkers-strike-ports-ila-longshoremen-91703e4798dbc9ee82185e983f31a3f6">shut down 36 U.S. ports</a>&nbsp;from Maine to Texas.At issue is Section 206 of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, better known as the Taft-Hartley Act. The law authorizes a president to seek a court order for an 80-day cooling-off period for companies and unions to try to resolve their differences.Biden has said, though, that he won't intervene in the strike.<h2>Taft-Hartley was meant to curb the power of unions</h2>The law was introduced by two Republicans — Sen. Robert Taft of Ohio and Rep. Fred Hartley Jr. of New Jersey — in the aftermath of World War II. It followed a series of strikes in 1945 and 1946 by workers who demanded better pay and working conditions after the privations of wartime.President Harry Truman opposed Taft-Hartley, but his veto was overridden by Congress.In addition to authorizing a president to intervene in strikes, the law banned “closed shops," which require employers to hire only union workers. The ban allowed workers to refuse to join a union.Taft-Hartley also barred "secondary boycotts,'' thereby making it illegal for unions to pressure neutral companies to stop doing business with an employer that was targeted in a strike.It also required union leaders to sign affidavits declaring that they did not support the Communist Party.<h2>Presidents can target a strike that may “imperil the national health and safety”</h2>The president can appoint a board of inquiry to review and write a report on the labor dispute — and then direct the attorney general to ask a federal court to suspend a strike by workers or a lockout by management.If the court issues an injunction, an 80-day cooling-off period would begin. During this period, management and unions must ”make every effort to adjust and settle their differences.''Still, the law cannot actually force union members to accept a contract offer.<h2>Presidents have invoked Taft-Hartley 37 times in labor disputes</h2>According to the Congressional Research Service, about half the time that presidents have invoked Section 206 of Taft-Hartley, the parties worked out their differences. But nine times, according to the research service, the workers went ahead with a strike.President George W. Bush invoked Taft-Hartley in 2002 after 29 West Coast ports locked out members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union in a standoff. (The two sides ended up reaching a contract.)<h2>Biden has said he won't use Taft-Hartley to intervene</h2>Despite lobbying by the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Retail Federation, the president has maintained that he has no plans to try to suspend the dockworkers’ strike against ports on the East and Gulf coasts.William Brucher, a labor relations expert at Rutgers University, notes that Taft-Hartley injunctions are “widely despised, if not universally despised, by labor unions in the United States.”And Vice President Kamala Harris is relying on support from organized labor in her presidential campaign against Donald Trump.If the longshoremen's strike drags on long enough and causes shortages that antagonize American consumers, pressure could grow on Biden to change course and intervene. But experts like Brucher suggest that most voters have already made up their minds and that the election outcome is “really more about turnout” now.Which means, Brucher said, that “Democrats really can’t afford to alienate organized labor.”

Biden could invoke a 1947 law to try to suspend the dockworkers' strike

TOPEKA—The Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment together advise Kansans to be alert to the human health risk caused by unvaccinated animals, following a second detection of rabies in a cat in the last two weeks, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

The two cases were in Jewell County and Harvey County, and both involved outdoor cats which exposed multiple humans and other cats. The known human exposures have started rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, a series of five vaccinations to prevent rabies in humans.

Rabies is a viral disease transmitted by the bite or scratch from a rabid animal. There have been six positive cases of rabies in cats this year, as well as several cases in wildlife. Both of the cases this month were in unvaccinated outdoor barn cats.

“Rabies is not unusual in the wildlife population, and unfortunately this often means domestic animals that roam freely can be exposed to the virus,” said Animal Health Commissioner Justin Smith. “It is vital to vaccinate domestic animals against rabies, especially animals that interact with humans, because humans can be infected. Vaccinating pets and livestock against the virus protects both animal health and human health.”

Even if an animal is kept indoors, ensuring their vaccination against the virus is up-to-date serves as an important barrier if they are ever exposed to a wild or stray animal that could be carrying the disease. Those who have barn cats should have them vaccinated against rabies.

Many Kansas cities and counties have vaccination requirements; know what is required in your community and contact your veterinarian for more information about rabies vaccination.

Rabies attacks the brain and spinal cord and can take several weeks to months for symptoms to appear, but early treatment after an exposure can prevent rabies in both humans and pets that are up to date on vaccinations. The vaccination is highly effective.

If you notice unusual behavior in your animal, or you think your animal may have had contact with rabid wildlife, it is important to immediately contact your veterinarian to determine the next steps to take.

If you are a veterinarian, remember to always consider rabies as a potential diagnosis for neurologic animals.&nbsp;In Kansas, rabies is&nbsp;a reportable disease which requires a veterinarian to report a positive rabies test&nbsp;to the KDA Division of Animal Health.

In order to prevent the spread of rabies, people should teach children to be cautious around outdoor animals, wild or domestic, even if they look to be friendly; wash a wound from an animal encounter thoroughly with soap and water and get medical attention immediately; keep pet vaccinations current; and monitor pets when outside.

If you have concerns about rabies, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1497/Rabies">www.kdhe.ks.gov/1497/Rabies</a>&nbsp;or call the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317.

TOPEKA—The Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment together advise Kansans to be alert to the human health risk caused by unvaccinated animals, following a second detection of rabies in a cat in the last two weeks, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Agriculture.The two cases were in Jewell County and Harvey County, and both involved outdoor cats which exposed multiple humans and other cats. The known human exposures have started rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, a series of five vaccinations to prevent rabies in humans.Rabies is a viral disease transmitted by the bite or scratch from a rabid animal. There have been six positive cases of rabies in cats this year, as well as several cases in wildlife. Both of the cases this month were in unvaccinated outdoor barn cats.“Rabies is not unusual in the wildlife population, and unfortunately this often means domestic animals that roam freely can be exposed to the virus,” said Animal Health Commissioner Justin Smith. “It is vital to vaccinate domestic animals against rabies, especially animals that interact with humans, because humans can be infected. Vaccinating pets and livestock against the virus protects both animal health and human health.”Even if an animal is kept indoors, ensuring their vaccination against the virus is up-to-date serves as an important barrier if they are ever exposed to a wild or stray animal that could be carrying the disease. Those who have barn cats should have them vaccinated against rabies.Many Kansas cities and counties have vaccination requirements; know what is required in your community and contact your veterinarian for more information about rabies vaccination.Rabies attacks the brain and spinal cord and can take several weeks to months for symptoms to appear, but early treatment after an exposure can prevent rabies in both humans and pets that are up to date on vaccinations. The vaccination is highly effective.If you notice unusual behavior in your animal, or you think your animal may have had contact with rabid wildlife, it is important to immediately contact your veterinarian to determine the next steps to take.If you are a veterinarian, remember to always consider rabies as a potential diagnosis for neurologic animals.&nbsp;In Kansas, rabies is&nbsp;a reportable disease which requires a veterinarian to report a positive rabies test&nbsp;to the KDA Division of Animal Health.In order to prevent the spread of rabies, people should teach children to be cautious around outdoor animals, wild or domestic, even if they look to be friendly; wash a wound from an animal encounter thoroughly with soap and water and get medical attention immediately; keep pet vaccinations current; and monitor pets when outside.If you have concerns about rabies, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1497/Rabies">www.kdhe.ks.gov/1497/Rabies</a>&nbsp;or call the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317.

State issues health alert after recent rabies cases in Kansas 

KANSAS CITY—Health officials in Kansas City are working with school officials after a confirmed case of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/signs-symptoms/index.html">whooping cough/ pertussis, </a>was confirmed in the Blue Springs School District, according to the Jackson County Public Health Department.

Pertussis is a contagious respiratory illness similar to the common cold. However it can have very serious complications, especially for infants or for those with chronic health conditions.

&nbsp;The school district is working with county health officials to prevent the spread.&nbsp; Jackson County Health officials haved seen increased numbers of cases over the past month.

According to the CDC, symptoms typically show up within seven to 10 days of being exposed. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/signs-symptoms/index.html">Click here for </a>additional details.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727920214855.png" alt="Pertussis-CDC image" />
 <figcaption>Pertussis-CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Health officials in Kansas City are working with school officials after a confirmed case of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/signs-symptoms/index.html">whooping cough/ pertussis, </a>was confirmed in the Blue Springs School District, according to the Jackson County Public Health Department.Pertussis is a contagious respiratory illness similar to the common cold. However it can have very serious complications, especially for infants or for those with chronic health conditions.&nbsp;The school district is working with county health officials to prevent the spread.&nbsp; Jackson County Health officials haved seen increased numbers of cases over the past month.Symptoms include:<ul>
 <li>Runny nose</li><li>Mild cough that gradually gets worse</li><li>Low-grade fever</li><li>Coughing fits that can cause vomiting or gagging</li><li>Whooping sound during coughing fits</li>
 </ul>According to the CDC, symptoms typically show up within seven to 10 days of being exposed. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/signs-symptoms/index.html">Click here for </a>additional details.&nbsp;

Whooping cough case confirmed at KC area high school

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;laid the groundwork to try to overturn the 2020 election even before he lost, knowingly pushed false claims of voter fraud and “resorted to crimes” in his failed bid to cling to power, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25182568-usa-v-trump-unsealed-govt-immunity-motion-1022024">a court filing</a>&nbsp;unsealed Wednesday that offers new evidence from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">landmark criminal case</a>&nbsp;against the former president.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25182568-usa-v-trump-unsealed-govt-immunity-motion-1022024">Click here to read the new</a>&nbsp;motion ref. presidential immunity

The filing from special counsel Jack Smith's team offers the most comprehensive view to date of what prosecutors intend to prove if the case charging Trump with conspiring to overturn the election reaches trial.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">Although a months-long congressional investigation</a>&nbsp;and the indictment itself have chronicled in stark detail Trump's efforts to undo the election, the filing cites previously unknown accounts offered by Trump's closest aides to paint a portrait of an “increasingly desperate” president who, while losing his grip on the White House, “used deceit to target every stage of the electoral process.”

“So what?” the filing quotes Trump as telling an aide after being advised that his vice president, Mike Pence, had been rushed to a secure location after a crowd of violent Trump supporters stormed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 6, 2021, to try to prevent the counting of electoral votes.

“The details don't matter,” Trump said, when told by an adviser that a lawyer who was mounting his legal challenges wouldn’t be able to prove the false allegations in court, the filing states.

The brief was made public over the Trump legal team’s objections in the final month of a closely contested presidential race in which Democrats have sought to make Trump’s refusal to accept the election results four years ago central to their claims that he is unfit for office. The issue flared as recently as Tuesday night’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-walz-vice-presidential-debate-election-66ff2e5e45a8dda55b0a2242fc238fdc">vice presidential debate</a>&nbsp;when Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, lamented the violence at the Capitol while a Republican opponent, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, refused to directly answer when asked whether Trump had lost the 2020 race.

The filing was submitted, initially under seal, following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-immunity-2dc0d1c2368d404adc0054151490f542">Supreme Court opinion</a>&nbsp;that conferred broad immunity on former presidents for official acts they take in office, a decision that narrowed the scope of the prosecution and eliminated the possibility of a trial before next month's election.

The purpose of the brief is to persuade U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that the offenses charged in the indictment were undertaken in Trump's private, rather than presidential, capacity and can therefore remain part of the case as it moves forward. Chutkan permitted a redacted version to be made public,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-jan-6-jack-smith-f29a81ddd995b15afe95fcc00e928465">even though Trump's lawyers argued</a>&nbsp;that it was unfair to unseal it so close to the election.

Though the prospects of a trial are uncertain, particularly if Trump wins the presidency and a new attorney general seeks the dismissal of the case, the brief nonetheless functions as a roadmap for the testimony and evidence prosecutors would elicit before a jury. It is now up to Chutkan to decide which of Trump's acts are official conduct for which Trump is immune from prosecution and which are, in the words of Smith's team, “private crimes” on which the case can proceed.

“Although the defendant was the incumbent President during the charged conspiracies, his scheme was fundamentally a private one,” Smith’s team wrote, adding, “When the defendant lost the 2020 presidential election, he resorted to crimes to try to stay in office.”

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung called the brief “falsehood-ridden” and “unconstitutional” and repeated oft-stated allegations that Smith and Democrats were “hell-bent on weaponizing the Justice Department." Trump, in a separate post on his Truth Social platform, said the case would end with his “complete victory.”

The filing alleges that Trump “laid the groundwork” for rejecting the election results before the contest was over, telling advisers that in the event he held an early lead he would “declare victory before the ballots were counted and any winner was projected.”

Immediately after the election, prosecutors say, his advisers sought to sow chaos in the counting of votes. In one instance, a campaign employee described as a Trump co-conspirator was told that results favoring Democrat Joe Biden at a Michigan polling center appeared accurate. The person is alleged to have replied: “find a reason it isnt” and “give me options to file litigation.”

Prosecutors also alleged that Trump advanced claims of fraud despite knowing they were false, recounting how he conceded to others that allegations of election irregularities made by attorney Sidney Powell were “crazy” and referenced the science fiction series “Star Trek.” Even so, days later, he promoted on Twitter a lawsuit she was about to file.

In demonstrating his apparent indifference to the accuracy of the election fraud claims, prosecutors also cite an account of a White House staffer who after the election overheard Trump telling his wife, daughter and son-in-law on Marine One: “It doesn’t matter if you won or lost the election. You still have to fight like hell.”

The filing also includes details of conversations between Trump and Pence, including a private lunch on Nov. 12, 2020, in which Pence “reiterated a face-saving option” for Trump, telling him, “Don’t concede but recognize the process is over.”

In another lunch days later, Pence urged Trump to accept the election results and run again in 2024.

“I don’t know, 2024 is so far off,” Trump told him, the filing states.

Prosecutors say that by Dec. 5, the defendant was starting to think about Congress’ role in the process.

“For the first time, he mentioned to Pence the possibility of challenging the election results in the House of Representatives,” it says, citing a phone call.

But, prosecutors wrote, Trump “disregarded” Pence “in the same way he disregarded dozens of court decisions that unanimously rejected his and his allies’ legal claims, and that he disregarded officials in the targeted states — including those in his own party — who stated publicly that he had lost and that his specific fraud allegations were false.”

Pence chronicled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-donald-trump-14a7cef45932a38a57f2ed98601a7acd">some of his interactions with Trump</a>, and his eventual split with him, in a 2022 book called “So Help Me God.” He also was ordered to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-trump-grand-jury-2020-jan-6-9dac6db37ab8923ff1b0f09f3a9a32c8">appear before the grand jury</a>&nbsp;investigating Trump after courts rejected claims of executive privilege.

Prosecutors also argue Trump used his Twitter account to spread false claims of election fraud, attacking “those speaking the truth” about his loss and exhorting his supporters to travel to Washington for the Jan. 6, 2021, certification.

They intend to use “forensic evidence” from Trump’s iPhone to provide insight into Trump’s actions after the Capitol attack.

Of the more than 1,200 Tweets Trump sent during the weeks detailed in the indictment, prosecutors say, the vast majority were about the 2020 election, including those falsely claiming Pence could reject electors even though the vice president had told Trump that he had no such power.

That “steady stream of disinformation” culminated in his speech at the Ellipse on the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, where Trump “used these lies to inflame and motivate the large and angry crowd of his supporters to march to the Capitol and disrupt the certification proceeding,” prosecutors wrote.

His “personal desperation was at its zenith” that morning as he was “only hours from the certification proceeding that spelled the end,” prosecutors wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727719069573.png" alt="File photo Former President Trump during a visit to Georgia on Monday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo Former President Trump during a visit to Georgia on Monday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;laid the groundwork to try to overturn the 2020 election even before he lost, knowingly pushed false claims of voter fraud and “resorted to crimes” in his failed bid to cling to power, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25182568-usa-v-trump-unsealed-govt-immunity-motion-1022024">a court filing</a>&nbsp;unsealed Wednesday that offers new evidence from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">landmark criminal case</a>&nbsp;against the former president.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25182568-usa-v-trump-unsealed-govt-immunity-motion-1022024">Click here to read the new</a>&nbsp;motion ref. presidential immunity<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727903830272.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The filing from special counsel Jack Smith's team offers the most comprehensive view to date of what prosecutors intend to prove if the case charging Trump with conspiring to overturn the election reaches trial.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">Although a months-long congressional investigation</a>&nbsp;and the indictment itself have chronicled in stark detail Trump's efforts to undo the election, the filing cites previously unknown accounts offered by Trump's closest aides to paint a portrait of an “increasingly desperate” president who, while losing his grip on the White House, “used deceit to target every stage of the electoral process.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727958885785.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“So what?” the filing quotes Trump as telling an aide after being advised that his vice president, Mike Pence, had been rushed to a secure location after a crowd of violent Trump supporters stormed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 6, 2021, to try to prevent the counting of electoral votes.“The details don't matter,” Trump said, when told by an adviser that a lawyer who was mounting his legal challenges wouldn’t be able to prove the false allegations in court, the filing states.The brief was made public over the Trump legal team’s objections in the final month of a closely contested presidential race in which Democrats have sought to make Trump’s refusal to accept the election results four years ago central to their claims that he is unfit for office. The issue flared as recently as Tuesday night’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-walz-vice-presidential-debate-election-66ff2e5e45a8dda55b0a2242fc238fdc">vice presidential debate</a>&nbsp;when Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, lamented the violence at the Capitol while a Republican opponent, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, refused to directly answer when asked whether Trump had lost the 2020 race.The filing was submitted, initially under seal, following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-immunity-2dc0d1c2368d404adc0054151490f542">Supreme Court opinion</a>&nbsp;that conferred broad immunity on former presidents for official acts they take in office, a decision that narrowed the scope of the prosecution and eliminated the possibility of a trial before next month's election.The purpose of the brief is to persuade U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that the offenses charged in the indictment were undertaken in Trump's private, rather than presidential, capacity and can therefore remain part of the case as it moves forward. Chutkan permitted a redacted version to be made public,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-jan-6-jack-smith-f29a81ddd995b15afe95fcc00e928465">even though Trump's lawyers argued</a>&nbsp;that it was unfair to unseal it so close to the election.Though the prospects of a trial are uncertain, particularly if Trump wins the presidency and a new attorney general seeks the dismissal of the case, the brief nonetheless functions as a roadmap for the testimony and evidence prosecutors would elicit before a jury. It is now up to Chutkan to decide which of Trump's acts are official conduct for which Trump is immune from prosecution and which are, in the words of Smith's team, “private crimes” on which the case can proceed.“Although the defendant was the incumbent President during the charged conspiracies, his scheme was fundamentally a private one,” Smith’s team wrote, adding, “When the defendant lost the 2020 presidential election, he resorted to crimes to try to stay in office.”Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung called the brief “falsehood-ridden” and “unconstitutional” and repeated oft-stated allegations that Smith and Democrats were “hell-bent on weaponizing the Justice Department." Trump, in a separate post on his Truth Social platform, said the case would end with his “complete victory.”The filing alleges that Trump “laid the groundwork” for rejecting the election results before the contest was over, telling advisers that in the event he held an early lead he would “declare victory before the ballots were counted and any winner was projected.”Immediately after the election, prosecutors say, his advisers sought to sow chaos in the counting of votes. In one instance, a campaign employee described as a Trump co-conspirator was told that results favoring Democrat Joe Biden at a Michigan polling center appeared accurate. The person is alleged to have replied: “find a reason it isnt” and “give me options to file litigation.”Prosecutors also alleged that Trump advanced claims of fraud despite knowing they were false, recounting how he conceded to others that allegations of election irregularities made by attorney Sidney Powell were “crazy” and referenced the science fiction series “Star Trek.” Even so, days later, he promoted on Twitter a lawsuit she was about to file.In demonstrating his apparent indifference to the accuracy of the election fraud claims, prosecutors also cite an account of a White House staffer who after the election overheard Trump telling his wife, daughter and son-in-law on Marine One: “It doesn’t matter if you won or lost the election. You still have to fight like hell.”The filing also includes details of conversations between Trump and Pence, including a private lunch on Nov. 12, 2020, in which Pence “reiterated a face-saving option” for Trump, telling him, “Don’t concede but recognize the process is over.”In another lunch days later, Pence urged Trump to accept the election results and run again in 2024.“I don’t know, 2024 is so far off,” Trump told him, the filing states.Prosecutors say that by Dec. 5, the defendant was starting to think about Congress’ role in the process.“For the first time, he mentioned to Pence the possibility of challenging the election results in the House of Representatives,” it says, citing a phone call.But, prosecutors wrote, Trump “disregarded” Pence “in the same way he disregarded dozens of court decisions that unanimously rejected his and his allies’ legal claims, and that he disregarded officials in the targeted states — including those in his own party — who stated publicly that he had lost and that his specific fraud allegations were false.”Pence chronicled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-donald-trump-14a7cef45932a38a57f2ed98601a7acd">some of his interactions with Trump</a>, and his eventual split with him, in a 2022 book called “So Help Me God.” He also was ordered to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-trump-grand-jury-2020-jan-6-9dac6db37ab8923ff1b0f09f3a9a32c8">appear before the grand jury</a>&nbsp;investigating Trump after courts rejected claims of executive privilege.Prosecutors also argue Trump used his Twitter account to spread false claims of election fraud, attacking “those speaking the truth” about his loss and exhorting his supporters to travel to Washington for the Jan. 6, 2021, certification.They intend to use “forensic evidence” from Trump’s iPhone to provide insight into Trump’s actions after the Capitol attack.Of the more than 1,200 Tweets Trump sent during the weeks detailed in the indictment, prosecutors say, the vast majority were about the 2020 election, including those falsely claiming Pence could reject electors even though the vice president had told Trump that he had no such power.That “steady stream of disinformation” culminated in his speech at the Ellipse on the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, where Trump “used these lies to inflame and motivate the large and angry crowd of his supporters to march to the Capitol and disrupt the certification proceeding,” prosecutors wrote.His “personal desperation was at its zenith” that morning as he was “only hours from the certification proceeding that spelled the end,” prosecutors wrote.

Read the special counsel's new unsealed allegations against Trump 

KANSAS CITY— A Kansas City&nbsp; man has been charged in federal court with possessing hundreds of homemade devices to convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns, according to the United State's Attorney.

“Law enforcement agencies in our area and nationwide report a disturbing increase in the number of machine gun conversion devices that quickly and easily transform a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic machine gun,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “Machine gun conversion devices are often cheap and homemade, just a small piece of metal or plastic that converts a run-of-the-mill firearm into a weapon of war. These dangerously lethal and illegal weapons pose a threat to both public safety and the safety of law enforcement officers.

“Using these devices is illegal. Selling these devices is illegal. And being in possession of these devices is also illegal,” added Moore. “The Department of Justice is making it a priority to combat the spread of these deadly weapons as a focus of our strategy to drive down violent crime.”

Dalton R. Johnston, 27, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Sept. 24. That complaint was unsealed and made public today following Johnston’s arrest.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Johnston used his 3-D printer to manufacture machine gun conversion devices, which he sold in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Machine gun conversion devices, or MCDs, also known as a “switches” or “auto sears,” are used to convert semi-automatic weapons into machine guns that fire multiple shots automatically through a single pull of the trigger, enabling more rapid and often less accurate gunfire. Whether or not they are attached to a firearm, these devices constitute machine guns under federal law.

“In support of the DOJ’s newly established Action Network to Terminate Illegal Machine Gun Conversion Devices, ATF will continue to work nonstop to disrupt the manufacturing and possession of machine gun conversion devices,” said Bernard G. Hansen, ATF Special Agent in Charge, Kansas City Field Division.

“What ATF saw 10 years ago with the emergence of the ghost gun phenomena,” said Hansen, “is now what ATF is seeing with the emergence of machine gun conversion devices. These highly dangerous devices can transform a street corner into a combat zone, devastating entire communities and the brave members of law enforcement who put their lives on the line every day. Machine gun conversion devices are now the most frequently recovered type of illegal firearm. If you are manufacturing or in possession of these deadly devices, we will identify you and arrest you; we will not let up. ATF’s mission is to protect the public from violent crime, and getting these devices off the streets does just that.”

On Aug. 2, 2024, Johnston allegedly sold 10 Glock conversion devices and an AR-type conversion device for a total of $70 to an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. At the time of the transaction, the affidavit says, Johnston told the undercover agent the devices were incomplete as he did not manufacture the selector rod for them (though he later provided those to the undercover agent).

Johnston agreed to manufacture and sell 100 AR-type conversion devices for $250 after the undercover agent said he would be trafficking the devices to Chicago and selling them for a large profit. Johnston stated that he printed the machine gun conversion devices himself and it would take him approximately a week. Johnston also explained that he could manufacture AR-type firearms as well, but it would take him weeks to complete them.

On Aug. 15, 2024, Johnston met the undercover agent in a gas station parking lot on Blue Ridge Cutoff and gave him a clear vacuum-sealed package that contained 100 AR-type machine gun conversion devices. The undercover agent paid Johnston $250 for the devices. Johnston allegedly told the undercover agent he could manufacture and sell 300 AR-type conversion devices within the next two weeks for $750.

On Aug. 30, 2024, Johnston met the undercover agent in the same gas station parking lot on Blue Ridge Cutoff for the transaction. The undercover agent told Johnston he/she wanted to purchase 500 AR-type conversion devices in the next few weeks. Johnston said he could manufacture that many in approximately a week. Johnston explained that he can 3-D print 45 AR-type conversion devices at one time, and can print up to three batches per day. Johnston also told the undercover agent he could produce silencers, which he sells for $20, and agreed to manufacture a silencer for the undercover agent.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727549301701.png" alt="Johnson is being held in Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Johnson is being held in Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— A Kansas City&nbsp; man has been charged in federal court with possessing hundreds of homemade devices to convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns, according to the United State's Attorney.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727548909076.png" alt="Photo U.S. Department of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Department of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>“Law enforcement agencies in our area and nationwide report a disturbing increase in the number of machine gun conversion devices that quickly and easily transform a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic machine gun,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “Machine gun conversion devices are often cheap and homemade, just a small piece of metal or plastic that converts a run-of-the-mill firearm into a weapon of war. These dangerously lethal and illegal weapons pose a threat to both public safety and the safety of law enforcement officers.“Using these devices is illegal. Selling these devices is illegal. And being in possession of these devices is also illegal,” added Moore. “The Department of Justice is making it a priority to combat the spread of these deadly weapons as a focus of our strategy to drive down violent crime.”Dalton R. Johnston, 27, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Sept. 24. That complaint was unsealed and made public today following Johnston’s arrest.According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Johnston used his 3-D printer to manufacture machine gun conversion devices, which he sold in the Kansas City metropolitan area.Machine gun conversion devices, or MCDs, also known as a “switches” or “auto sears,” are used to convert semi-automatic weapons into machine guns that fire multiple shots automatically through a single pull of the trigger, enabling more rapid and often less accurate gunfire. Whether or not they are attached to a firearm, these devices constitute machine guns under federal law.“In support of the DOJ’s newly established Action Network to Terminate Illegal Machine Gun Conversion Devices, ATF will continue to work nonstop to disrupt the manufacturing and possession of machine gun conversion devices,” said Bernard G. Hansen, ATF Special Agent in Charge, Kansas City Field Division.“What ATF saw 10 years ago with the emergence of the ghost gun phenomena,” said Hansen, “is now what ATF is seeing with the emergence of machine gun conversion devices. These highly dangerous devices can transform a street corner into a combat zone, devastating entire communities and the brave members of law enforcement who put their lives on the line every day. Machine gun conversion devices are now the most frequently recovered type of illegal firearm. If you are manufacturing or in possession of these deadly devices, we will identify you and arrest you; we will not let up. ATF’s mission is to protect the public from violent crime, and getting these devices off the streets does just that.”On Aug. 2, 2024, Johnston allegedly sold 10 Glock conversion devices and an AR-type conversion device for a total of $70 to an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. At the time of the transaction, the affidavit says, Johnston told the undercover agent the devices were incomplete as he did not manufacture the selector rod for them (though he later provided those to the undercover agent).Johnston agreed to manufacture and sell 100 AR-type conversion devices for $250 after the undercover agent said he would be trafficking the devices to Chicago and selling them for a large profit. Johnston stated that he printed the machine gun conversion devices himself and it would take him approximately a week. Johnston also explained that he could manufacture AR-type firearms as well, but it would take him weeks to complete them.On Aug. 15, 2024, Johnston met the undercover agent in a gas station parking lot on Blue Ridge Cutoff and gave him a clear vacuum-sealed package that contained 100 AR-type machine gun conversion devices. The undercover agent paid Johnston $250 for the devices. Johnston allegedly told the undercover agent he could manufacture and sell 300 AR-type conversion devices within the next two weeks for $750.On Aug. 30, 2024, Johnston met the undercover agent in the same gas station parking lot on Blue Ridge Cutoff for the transaction. The undercover agent told Johnston he/she wanted to purchase 500 AR-type conversion devices in the next few weeks. Johnston said he could manufacture that many in approximately a week. Johnston explained that he can 3-D print 45 AR-type conversion devices at one time, and can print up to three batches per day. Johnston also told the undercover agent he could produce silencers, which he sells for $20, and agreed to manufacture a silencer for the undercover agent.

KC man accused of illegally making machine gun conversion devices 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas jury found a man guilty of kidnapping and sexual assault of a 14-year-old who was rescued from a closed in Wichita.

This week, 37-year-old David Roark of Wichita was found guilty of kidnapping, child abuse, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, criminal sodomy and sexual exploitation of a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after midnight Dec. 14, a detective with the White County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office contacted Wichita Police requesting assistance locating a missing child from their jurisdiction, according to Wichita Police Officer Chad Ditch.

&nbsp; A 14-year-old girl had left her home in Arkansas in early November and not returned.&nbsp; A follow-up investigation by White County detectives revealed she had been&nbsp;seen in a convenience store&nbsp;with a man before leaving in a vehicle with the same man later identified as 35-year-old&nbsp;David E. Roark of Wichita. Police also learned Roark was wanted on two warrants from the state of Kentucky.

Additional information provided by White County suggested that Roark was possibly in the Wichita area.

The Wichita Police Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating and located an address in the 1800 block of N. Litchfield in Wichita, where they believed Roark was staying.

Police observed Roark leaving the home and took him into custody. Officers then found the missing girl in a closet inside the house. Police took both of them for additional interviews, where it was discovered further crimes had occurred in Wichita.

A search warrant for the residence was completed, and David Roark was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;

Roark is scheduled for sentencing on November 18.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671221717558.png" alt="Roark photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Roark photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas jury found a man guilty of kidnapping and sexual assault of a 14-year-old who was rescued from a closed in Wichita.This week, 37-year-old David Roark of Wichita was found guilty of kidnapping, child abuse, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, criminal sodomy and sexual exploitation of a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671545735044.png" alt="Original charges -image Sedgwick Co. District Attorney" />
 <figcaption>Original charges -image Sedgwick Co. District Attorney</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after midnight Dec. 14, a detective with the White County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office contacted Wichita Police requesting assistance locating a missing child from their jurisdiction, according to Wichita Police Officer Chad Ditch.&nbsp; A 14-year-old girl had left her home in Arkansas in early November and not returned.&nbsp; A follow-up investigation by White County detectives revealed she had been&nbsp;seen in a convenience store&nbsp;with a man before leaving in a vehicle with the same man later identified as 35-year-old&nbsp;David E. Roark of Wichita. Police also learned Roark was wanted on two warrants from the state of Kentucky.Additional information provided by White County suggested that Roark was possibly in the Wichita area.The Wichita Police Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating and located an address in the 1800 block of N. Litchfield in Wichita, where they believed Roark was staying.Police observed Roark leaving the home and took him into custody. Officers then found the missing girl in a closet inside the house. Police took both of them for additional interviews, where it was discovered further crimes had occurred in Wichita.A search warrant for the residence was completed, and David Roark was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;Roark is scheduled for sentencing on November 18.

Jury: Kansas man guilty of abducting girl rescued from closet

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Emporia State University continues to lose students while the rest of the higher education system in Kansas reports enrollment increases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasregents.org/resources/PDF/Press/Fall_2024_Preliminary_Census_Day_Tables.pdf" target="_blank">data released Wednesday</a>&nbsp;by the Kansas Board of Regents.

The annual headcount for the fall semester shows enrollment at four-year state universities is up 2.3% overall, and systemwide enrollment — which includes two-year institutions and Washburn University — is up 4% from 2023.

But ESU, which fired tenured professors as part of plans to reshape the university’s offerings two years ago, showed a 2.2% enrollment decline. ESU’s enrolment is now down 22.5% over the past five years, while enrollment at other four-year schools is down 2.8% from pre-pandemic numbers.

The enrollment figures are based on preliminary data from the 20th day of fall classes.

Enrollment is up 5.6% at the University of Kansas, 2.8% at Kansas State University, 0.9% at Wichita State University, 0.7% at Pittsburg State University and 0.3% at Fort Hays State University. Washburn posted a 6.5% increase.

“For the second consecutive year, all sectors of the Kansas higher education system are experiencing growth,” said Kansas Board of Regents chairman Carl Ice. “These increases are an indicator that our system is improving affordability and access for Kansas families.”

The university, with Board of Regents approval, fired 30 tenured and tenure-track professors in September 2022 under the pretense of a financial emergency. The university eliminated programs and added new ones but never provided an explanation for how the moves aligned with what students want or businesses need. An American Association of University Professors investigation described ESU’s motives as “shifting and incoherent,” but the Legislature rewarded the “ESU model” with $9 million bailouts in 2023 and 2024.

ESU president Ken Hush, in emails to students and staff last month, touted the university’s efforts to recruit new students and add scholarships. He said the university’s enrollment decline would be smaller than anticipated a year ago, when the number of students dropped by 12.5%.

“As a result of lower birth rates, fewer students pursuing higher education, migration to online education and short workforce, competition for new students is at an all-time high,” Hush said.

The university awarded 2,936 scholarships for the fall semester, up from 1,216 a year ago, and extended efforts to get high schoolers enrolled in classes. ESU, the smallest state university, now has 3,325 full-time students and 4,557 total students.

KU, the largest state university, now has 23,465 full-time students and 26,887 total students, having added about 3,000 in two years.

Wichita State University reported record enrollment figures for the second year in a row. WSU now has 11,530 full-time students and a total headcount of 17,700.

“This record-breaking enrollment is a testament to our steadfast dedication to student success and achievement,” said Wichita State president Rick Muma. “It is a direct result of our relentless focus on access and affordability and our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation. By aligning our resources and efforts, we are equipping students with the skills and opportunities they need to lead in their careers and drive progress across Kansas and on the global stage.”

Community colleges reported a 5.9% increase in fall enrollment figures, while technical colleges reported a 5.3% increase.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727903097510.jpeg" alt=" Plumb Hall, the administration building at Emporia State University, shown in June 2023. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Plumb Hall, the administration building at Emporia State University, shown in June 2023. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Emporia State University continues to lose students while the rest of the higher education system in Kansas reports enrollment increases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasregents.org/resources/PDF/Press/Fall_2024_Preliminary_Census_Day_Tables.pdf" target="_blank">data released Wednesday</a>&nbsp;by the Kansas Board of Regents.The annual headcount for the fall semester shows enrollment at four-year state universities is up 2.3% overall, and systemwide enrollment — which includes two-year institutions and Washburn University — is up 4% from 2023.But ESU, which fired tenured professors as part of plans to reshape the university’s offerings two years ago, showed a 2.2% enrollment decline. ESU’s enrolment is now down 22.5% over the past five years, while enrollment at other four-year schools is down 2.8% from pre-pandemic numbers.The enrollment figures are based on preliminary data from the 20th day of fall classes.Enrollment is up 5.6% at the University of Kansas, 2.8% at Kansas State University, 0.9% at Wichita State University, 0.7% at Pittsburg State University and 0.3% at Fort Hays State University. Washburn posted a 6.5% increase.“For the second consecutive year, all sectors of the Kansas higher education system are experiencing growth,” said Kansas Board of Regents chairman Carl Ice. “These increases are an indicator that our system is improving affordability and access for Kansas families.”ESU continues to be an outlier.The university, with Board of Regents approval, fired 30 tenured and tenure-track professors in September 2022 under the pretense of a financial emergency. The university eliminated programs and added new ones but never provided an explanation for how the moves aligned with what students want or businesses need. An American Association of University Professors investigation described ESU’s motives as “shifting and incoherent,” but the Legislature rewarded the “ESU model” with $9 million bailouts in 2023 and 2024.ESU president Ken Hush, in emails to students and staff last month, touted the university’s efforts to recruit new students and add scholarships. He said the university’s enrollment decline would be smaller than anticipated a year ago, when the number of students dropped by 12.5%.“As a result of lower birth rates, fewer students pursuing higher education, migration to online education and short workforce, competition for new students is at an all-time high,” Hush said.The university awarded 2,936 scholarships for the fall semester, up from 1,216 a year ago, and extended efforts to get high schoolers enrolled in classes. ESU, the smallest state university, now has 3,325 full-time students and 4,557 total students.KU, the largest state university, now has 23,465 full-time students and 26,887 total students, having added about 3,000 in two years.Wichita State University reported record enrollment figures for the second year in a row. WSU now has 11,530 full-time students and a total headcount of 17,700.“This record-breaking enrollment is a testament to our steadfast dedication to student success and achievement,” said Wichita State president Rick Muma. “It is a direct result of our relentless focus on access and affordability and our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation. By aligning our resources and efforts, we are equipping students with the skills and opportunities they need to lead in their careers and drive progress across Kansas and on the global stage.”Community colleges reported a 5.9% increase in fall enrollment figures, while technical colleges reported a 5.3% increase.<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/plugins/sn2/republisher/assets/img/ccwhite.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Emporia State continues enrollment slide while other Kansas universities post gains

JOHNSON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident involving a dump truck and two other vehicles just before noon Wednesday in Johnson County.

The Shawnee, Kansas police reported a dump truck was&nbsp;northbound on Kansas 7 at West 47th Street. The dump truck rear-ended a sedan making a left turn. The impact pushed the sedan into another southbound vehicle.

EMS transported one person to a local hospital for treatment.

The Shawnee Fire Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, and Johnson County MED-ACT assisted Shawnee Police at the scene.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727902220497.png" alt="Photo Shawnee Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Shawnee Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident involving a dump truck and two other vehicles just before noon Wednesday in Johnson County.The Shawnee, Kansas police reported a dump truck was&nbsp;northbound on Kansas 7 at West 47th Street. The dump truck rear-ended a sedan making a left turn. The impact pushed the sedan into another southbound vehicle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727902746332.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>EMS transported one person to a local hospital for treatment.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727902277402.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Shawnee Fire Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, and Johnson County MED-ACT assisted Shawnee Police at the scene.The cause of the crash is under investigation.

1 injured in 3-vehicle Kansas crash involving a dump truck

On Wednesday, President Biden announced 1,000 active-duty troops will be immediately deployed to assist with response and recovery efforts&nbsp;for those areas affected Hurricane Helene.

President Biden and Vice President Harris continue to mobilize an intensive Federal response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. The Administration is prioritizing life-saving and life-sustaining response efforts in impacted communities, as well as ensuring people displaced from the storm have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding, according to a statement from the White House.

As part of this coordinated response, Biden announced he has directed the Department of Defense to deploy up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers to support the delivery of food, water, and other critical commodities to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. The announcement is effective immediately, and these forces will be available for deployment starting today. This action will provide additional manpower and logistics capabilities, enabling FEMA and other interagency partners to reach the hardest hit areas as quickly as possible.

This comes as the President is traveling to North Carolina and South Carolina. He will take an aerial tour of areas impacted by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina, receive operational briefings, and meet with first responders and local officials. He will also engage with first responders and officials in South Carolina. The President will also visit Florida and Georgia in the coming days. The Vice President will travel to Georgia today. She will receive operational briefings, meet with residents impacted by the storm, and provide updates to local officials on actions that are being taken to support emergency response and recovery efforts in Georgia. She will also travel to North Carolina in the coming days.

Yesterday, President Biden received a briefing from his Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall and leaders across his Administration, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, Department of Defense Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks, Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves, Department of Energy Deputy Secretary David Turk, U.S. Army Corps of Engineer LTG William H. (Butch) Graham Jr., Small Business Administration Deputy Administrator Dilawar Syed, Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Robert Bonnie, and Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Dawn O’Connell.

Additional updates on the Administration’s response efforts include:

Mobilizing Defense Department Resources to Support Prompt and Effective Hurricane Response

Today, the President is announcing he has directed the Department of Defense to deploy up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers to support response efforts. These soldiers are part of an Infantry Battalion Task Force, based out of Fort Liberty, North Carolina, which includes a Forward Support Company with the necessary support structure (fuel, water, mechanics, etc.) to conduct operations.

These soldiers are in addition to the support the Department of Defense is already providing to FEMA for the response to Hurricane Helene including:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727896281695.png" alt="Photo courtesy FEMA" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy FEMA</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, President Biden announced 1,000 active-duty troops will be immediately deployed to assist with response and recovery efforts&nbsp;for those areas affected Hurricane Helene.President Biden and Vice President Harris continue to mobilize an intensive Federal response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. The Administration is prioritizing life-saving and life-sustaining response efforts in impacted communities, as well as ensuring people displaced from the storm have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding, according to a statement from the White House.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727895882663.png" alt="Photo&nbsp;Urban Search and Rescue Team from Fairfax County Virginia" />
 <figcaption>Photo&nbsp;Urban Search and Rescue Team from Fairfax County Virginia</figcaption>
 </figure>As part of this coordinated response, Biden announced he has directed the Department of Defense to deploy up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers to support the delivery of food, water, and other critical commodities to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. The announcement is effective immediately, and these forces will be available for deployment starting today. This action will provide additional manpower and logistics capabilities, enabling FEMA and other interagency partners to reach the hardest hit areas as quickly as possible.This comes as the President is traveling to North Carolina and South Carolina. He will take an aerial tour of areas impacted by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina, receive operational briefings, and meet with first responders and local officials. He will also engage with first responders and officials in South Carolina. The President will also visit Florida and Georgia in the coming days. The Vice President will travel to Georgia today. She will receive operational briefings, meet with residents impacted by the storm, and provide updates to local officials on actions that are being taken to support emergency response and recovery efforts in Georgia. She will also travel to North Carolina in the coming days.Yesterday, President Biden received a briefing from his Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall and leaders across his Administration, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, Department of Defense Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks, Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves, Department of Energy Deputy Secretary David Turk, U.S. Army Corps of Engineer LTG William H. (Butch) Graham Jr., Small Business Administration Deputy Administrator Dilawar Syed, Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Robert Bonnie, and Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Dawn O’Connell.Additional updates on the Administration’s response efforts include:Mobilizing Defense Department Resources to Support Prompt and Effective Hurricane ResponseToday, the President is announcing he has directed the Department of Defense to deploy up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers to support response efforts. These soldiers are part of an Infantry Battalion Task Force, based out of Fort Liberty, North Carolina, which includes a Forward Support Company with the necessary support structure (fuel, water, mechanics, etc.) to conduct operations.These soldiers are in addition to the support the Department of Defense is already providing to FEMA for the response to Hurricane Helene including:<ul>
 <li>US Army and US Navy helicopters, soldiers, and sailors to provide critical capability to move personnel and supplies in areas where access via roads is not available or viable.</li><li>US Air Force aircraft, helicopters, and airmen to provide search-and-rescue capabilities.</li><li>US Army soldiers and high wheeled vehicles to move personnel and supplies over roads and terrain damaged or impassable to normal vehicles.</li><li>The Army Corps of Engineers is supporting with response efforts with Temporary Power Teams and subject matter experts to support for debris removal, water and wastewater management, and bridge inspections.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>At the President’s direction, the Department of Defense has activated 22 helicopters to aid in search and rescue operations and provided dozens of high-water vehicles. The National Guard, in its state capacity, is also aiding these efforts. 700 National Guard from North Carolina are supporting debris removal, air lifts, and search and rescue. They are accompanied by National Guard from eight additional states under Emergency Mutual Assistance Compacts, with helicopters and rescue vehicles to further assist with road clearance, commodities, transport, and search and rescue.Although not operating under Department of Defense authority, over 6,000 National Guard personnel from 12 states are spearheading the response effort across the impacted region in support of their Governors, providing critical life-saving and life-sustaining support to the victims of this unprecedented natural disaster.Supporting On-The-Ground Response and Emergency EffortsMore than 4,800 personnel from across the Federal workforce are deployed and supporting state-led response efforts across the region. FEMA and other agencies have more than 1,200 personnel in North Carolina, with more resources and staff arriving daily.Search and rescue efforts by state, local, and Federal partners are ongoing, and nearly 600 additional personnel are arriving in the region in the coming days, increasing the total number of Urban Search and Rescue personnel to over 1,250.The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra declared Public Health Emergencies for South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. These declarations give the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services’ health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. HHS has established a National Disaster Medical System medical treatment site at the Mission Hospital campus in Asheville and Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pines, North Carolina. HHS Health and Medical Task Force Teams are supporting state medical needs shelters in Hickory and Mills Springs, North Carolina. An HHS Incident Management Team is working closely with state officials to identify health care needs including in rural communities and areas which may be cut off from transportation systems. HHS has also deployed two Disaster Mortuary Assistance Team (DMAT) to assist state mortuary services in mortuary care of victim identification. HHS has made 9 DMAT teams available nationwide. Additionally, 200 Federal ambulances have been provided to North Carolina.In total, FEMA has shipped over 8.5 million meals, more than 7 million liters of water, 150 generators and over 220,000 tarps to aid response efforts for this historic storm.Restoring Power and Communications to Impacted CommunitiesPower outage numbers are improving as restoration teams from across the nation gain access to communities and debris is removed, although much more work remains to bring power back to badly impacted areas across the region. As of this morning, approximately 1.6 million customers are still without power, which is a reduction of more than 65% from the region-wide peak of 4.6 million on September 27.In addition to intensive efforts to restore power, crews are working around the clock to restore cell service and communications to impacted communities. FEMA, the FCC, and private telecommunications providers are working together to help restore temporary communications as quickly as possible by establishing temporary cell sites and allowing for roaming where possible, where a resident can connect to any network available, even if they aren’t subscribed to that network.FEMA has provided 50 Starlink satellite systems to help with responder communications and 65 satellite phones have been shipped to assist with communications.Restoring Road AccessThe Department of Transportation activated&nbsp;its 24-hour toll-free Routing Assistance Hotline to provide routing assistance for first responders conducting relief missions. The Hotline supports the movement of Federal, state, local, Tribal, and Territorial response personnel and contractors, equipment, and goods by providing recommended safe routes using a variety of data sources. To reach the&nbsp;Hotline, responders can call 511 from their mobile phones or 833–99-ROADS (833-997-6237). &nbsp;The Department of Transportation also announced that with the President’s approval of Emergency Disaster Declarations it has initiated a 14-day period of emergency regulatory relief from Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations, including maximum driving time for property- and passenger-carrying vehicles from the date of declaration. This allows truck drivers to get essential supplies to affected areas.&nbsp;Extending Housing Aid to Impacted FamiliesFollowing President Biden’s approval of a Major Disaster declaration in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) began implementing supplemental assistance, which includes a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of FHA-insured mortgages and mortgages guaranteed under the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program, as well as an automatic 90-day extension for Home Equity Conversion Mortgages.Anyone whose home has been destroyed or severely damaged&nbsp;is also eligible to apply for HUD&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/ins/203h-dft">mortgage insurance</a>. HUD is also enabling homeowners to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/203k/203k--df">finance</a>&nbsp;rehabilitation and repairs for damaged homes.To support households and communities through disaster recovery, HUD will provide Housing Counseling assistance and offer waivers and additional flexibilities to Public Housing Agencies, Tribes, and recipients of designated federal funding to allow&nbsp;communities to use existing resources to aid in response and recovery efforts.&nbsp;Additionally, HUD offered a suite of waivers and alternative requirements to allow impacted communities to use existing community development and homelessness assistance funds to aid in response and recovery efforts.&nbsp;&nbsp;Approving Additional Emergency AssistancePresident Biden has now also approved Major Disaster Declarations for Georgia and Virginia, allowing individuals in 41 counties in Georgia and 6 in Virginia to apply for FEMA assistance. Administration officials are in touch with Georgia emergency management officials, and based on their ongoing assessments of impacts on the ground, FEMA is in the process of approving federal assistance for additional counties. This is in addition to approving Major Disaster declarations for Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina earlier in the weekend.To date, more than $10 million in Individual Assistance has been provided to survivors who have been affected by Hurricane Helene, and we expect that number to increase over the coming days. In North Carolina, through the expedited Serious Needs Assistance program, FEMA has paid out more than $1 million to over 1,400 households in less than 24 hours.FEMA assistance in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia can include a one-time $750 payment to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies. After registering for disaster assistance, individuals may also qualify to receive disaster-related financial assistance to repair storm-related damage to homes and replace personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Hurricane Helene.FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are deployed to Florida and North Carolina to help survivors register for disaster assistance, visiting shelters and going door to door to help people get Federal assistance where they need it as quickly as feasible.