SALINA, Kansas (AP) — A JetBlue flight from New York to San Diego landed safely in Kansas after the crew received an alert about smoke in the cargo area, authorities said. The airline said it turned out to be a false alarm.

Flight 1189, with about 130 people on board, departed Kennedy International Airport at about 4 p.m. Saturday and was headed to San Diego International Airport.

The Airbus A320 landed at Salina Regional Airport in Kansas around 6:30 p.m. local time. The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate.

No injuries were reported, and the local fire department helped people off the plane.

“The pilot came on and let us know that he was seeing an alert for smoke in the cargo bay,” said passenger Seth Odell,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/jetblue-flight-makes-emergency-landing-smoke-detected-cockpit-rcna172141">NBC News reported</a>. “Some passengers did report hearing a loud bang, too, and so we descended incredibly rapidly and landed in the extremely small airport in Salina.”

Odell said people were starting to “freak out.”

“Some people were crying. It was a little bit intense for a few minutes,” he said.

JetBlue said in a statement that the plane landed without incident.

"Upon inspection, we determined the smoke indication presented to our pilots was a false indication,” the statement said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727108413026.png" alt="-Photo by Seth Odell" />
 <figcaption>-Photo by Seth Odell</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA, Kansas (AP) — A JetBlue flight from New York to San Diego landed safely in Kansas after the crew received an alert about smoke in the cargo area, authorities said. The airline said it turned out to be a false alarm.Flight 1189, with about 130 people on board, departed Kennedy International Airport at about 4 p.m. Saturday and was headed to San Diego International Airport.The Airbus A320 landed at Salina Regional Airport in Kansas around 6:30 p.m. local time. The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate.No injuries were reported, and the local fire department helped people off the plane.“The pilot came on and let us know that he was seeing an alert for smoke in the cargo bay,” said passenger Seth Odell,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/jetblue-flight-makes-emergency-landing-smoke-detected-cockpit-rcna172141">NBC News reported</a>. “Some passengers did report hearing a loud bang, too, and so we descended incredibly rapidly and landed in the extremely small airport in Salina.”Odell said people were starting to “freak out.”“Some people were crying. It was a little bit intense for a few minutes,” he said.JetBlue said in a statement that the plane landed without incident."Upon inspection, we determined the smoke indication presented to our pilots was a false indication,” the statement said.

Jetblue flight makes emergency landing in Kansas after false alarm

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> State's Newsroom

WASHINGTON — Amid persistent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/despite-opt-outs-gop-states-debut-kids-summer-food-program-seen-success" target="_blank">child hunger and food insecurity</a>&nbsp;in the United States, lawmakers and advocates on Wednesday stressed the importance of school meal programs during a U.S. Senate Agriculture subcommittee hearing.

Hunger severely impacts&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nokidhungry.org/blog/effects-of-hunger-on-the-body" target="_blank">kids’ emotional and physical well-being</a>&nbsp;and can lead to negative outcomes in school,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.academicpedsjnl.net/article/S1876-2859(20)30426-5/fulltext" target="_blank">research has shown</a>. Last year, 47.4 million people lived in food-insecure households, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-u-s/key-statistics-graphics/" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>.

Federally funded efforts, such as the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, provide free and reduced-cost meals to students across the country.

Advocates say these programs play a crucial role in helping to reduce child hunger and urged the panel to expand them.

“School lunch should always be free and definitely free of judgment,” said Sen. John Fetterman, who chairs the Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research.

“Honestly, it shouldn’t be a conversation — it would be like asking the kids to pay for the school bus every morning or to pay for their own textbooks at school,” Fetterman said.

Fetterman and fellow Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. Bob Casey&nbsp;<a href="https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-fetterman-introduce-legislation-to-combat-student-hunger-expand-access-to-free-or-reduced-price-school-meals" target="_blank">introduced two bills</a>&nbsp;in June aiming to expand free or reduced-price meals access for kids. Part of the initiatives also call for amending the Community Eligibility Provision, which allows schools and school districts in low-income areas to offer free meal options to all students.

Fetterman also sponsored the Universal School Meals Program Act, an effort introduced by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1568/text" target="_blank">independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders</a>&nbsp;last May, which would “provide free breakfast, lunch, and dinner to every student — without demanding they prove they are poor enough to deserve help getting three meals a day,” according to Sanders’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sanders.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/Universal-School-Meals-Program-Act-of-2023_Bill-Summary.pdf" target="_blank">summary</a>&nbsp;of the bill. U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3204/text" target="_blank">a companion bill</a>.

Subcommittee ranking member Mike Braun of Indiana said he introduced the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.braun.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-braun-brown-introduce-senate-version-american-food-american-schools-act/" target="_blank">American Food for American Schools Act</a>&nbsp;last July with Ohio Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown in an effort “to better prioritize and support the use of American food in school meal programs.”

That bipartisan bill would increase requirements for school meals to include U.S. products.

Crystal FitzSimons, interim president of the Food Research &amp; Action Center, pointed out that eight states&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2024/08/29/usda-celebrates-new-school-meals-options-new-school-year-begins#:~:text=Eight%20states%20have%20taken%20permanent,Minnesota%2C%20New%20Mexico%20and%20Vermont" target="_blank">have implemented policies</a>&nbsp;that offer school meals to all students, regardless of one’s household income. Those states are California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico and Vermont.

The national nonprofit aims to reduce poverty-related hunger in the U.S. through research, advocacy and policy solutions.

“While those eight states are showing us what is possible, there are critical steps the subcommittee and Congress should take to enhance the reach and impact of school meals nationwide,” FitzSimons said.

As one piece of the puzzle, FitzSimons said Congress can “ensure that all children nationwide are hunger-free and ready to learn while they are at school by allowing all schools to offer meals to all their students at no charge” and the Universal School Meals Program Act “creates that path.”

Meg Bruening, professor and department head at Pennsylvania State University’s Department of Nutritional Sciences, said “the school meal programs in the U.S. provide a critical safety net for almost 30 million children with meals each year” — comprising 60% of children in the country.

Bruening said these school meal programs align closely with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/" target="_blank">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>, “ensuring a variety of healthy foods are offered to children while at school, where children spend most of their waking and eating hours.”

The guidelines, developed by the USDA and the Health and Human Services Department, are&nbsp;<a href="https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/dietary-guidelines" target="_blank">updated every five years</a>.

Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock underscored how child hunger increases in the summer months when kids lack access to regular meals at school.

Thirty-seven states, the District of Columbia and multiple territories and tribal nations opted in this year to a new effort, known as Summer EBT, to feed kids during the long summer months.

Also called Sun Bucks, the USDA initiative provides low-income families with school-aged children a grocery-buying benefit of $120 per child for the summer.

But 13 states,&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/08/13/georgia-dems-press-governor-to-participate-for-federal-2025-summer-feeding-program/" target="_blank">including Georgia</a>, chose not to participate in the program in 2024. The USDA said states have until Jan. 1 to submit a notice of intent if they plan to participate in the program next year.

Warnock said he hopes&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/08/13/georgia-dems-press-governor-to-participate-for-federal-2025-summer-feeding-program/" target="_blank">state leaders reverse their position</a>&nbsp;on Summer EBT.

“Unfortunately, my home state — the state of Georgia — has not opted in to Sun Bucks, with some officials saying it does not result in higher nutritional outcomes for students, and that existing programs are ‘effective,’” he said.

“I heard our state leadership say: ‘We don’t need it,’” he added. “I’m still trying to figure out who this ‘we’ is — for whom are you speaking when you say: ‘We don’t need it?’”

A spokesperson for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has said the governor has concerns about the program’s dietary standards and cost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727007674307.png" alt="Students eat lunch at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in South Salt Lake, Utah, on March 12 (Spenser Heaps/Utah News Dispatch)." />
 <figcaption>Students eat lunch at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in South Salt Lake, Utah, on March 12 (Spenser Heaps/Utah News Dispatch).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> State's Newsroom WASHINGTON — Amid persistent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/despite-opt-outs-gop-states-debut-kids-summer-food-program-seen-success" target="_blank">child hunger and food insecurity</a>&nbsp;in the United States, lawmakers and advocates on Wednesday stressed the importance of school meal programs during a U.S. Senate Agriculture subcommittee hearing.Hunger severely impacts&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nokidhungry.org/blog/effects-of-hunger-on-the-body" target="_blank">kids’ emotional and physical well-being</a>&nbsp;and can lead to negative outcomes in school,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.academicpedsjnl.net/article/S1876-2859(20)30426-5/fulltext" target="_blank">research has shown</a>. Last year, 47.4 million people lived in food-insecure households, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-u-s/key-statistics-graphics/" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>.Federally funded efforts, such as the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, provide free and reduced-cost meals to students across the country.Advocates say these programs play a crucial role in helping to reduce child hunger and urged the panel to expand them.“School lunch should always be free and definitely free of judgment,” said Sen. John Fetterman, who chairs the Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research.“Honestly, it shouldn’t be a conversation — it would be like asking the kids to pay for the school bus every morning or to pay for their own textbooks at school,” Fetterman said.Fetterman and fellow Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. Bob Casey&nbsp;<a href="https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-fetterman-introduce-legislation-to-combat-student-hunger-expand-access-to-free-or-reduced-price-school-meals" target="_blank">introduced two bills</a>&nbsp;in June aiming to expand free or reduced-price meals access for kids. Part of the initiatives also call for amending the Community Eligibility Provision, which allows schools and school districts in low-income areas to offer free meal options to all students.Fetterman also sponsored the Universal School Meals Program Act, an effort introduced by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1568/text" target="_blank">independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders</a>&nbsp;last May, which would “provide free breakfast, lunch, and dinner to every student — without demanding they prove they are poor enough to deserve help getting three meals a day,” according to Sanders’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sanders.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/Universal-School-Meals-Program-Act-of-2023_Bill-Summary.pdf" target="_blank">summary</a>&nbsp;of the bill. U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3204/text" target="_blank">a companion bill</a>.Subcommittee ranking member Mike Braun of Indiana said he introduced the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.braun.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-braun-brown-introduce-senate-version-american-food-american-schools-act/" target="_blank">American Food for American Schools Act</a>&nbsp;last July with Ohio Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown in an effort “to better prioritize and support the use of American food in school meal programs.”That bipartisan bill would increase requirements for school meals to include U.S. products.<h2>States a model</h2>Crystal FitzSimons, interim president of the Food Research &amp; Action Center, pointed out that eight states&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2024/08/29/usda-celebrates-new-school-meals-options-new-school-year-begins#:~:text=Eight%20states%20have%20taken%20permanent,Minnesota%2C%20New%20Mexico%20and%20Vermont" target="_blank">have implemented policies</a>&nbsp;that offer school meals to all students, regardless of one’s household income. Those states are California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico and Vermont.The national nonprofit aims to reduce poverty-related hunger in the U.S. through research, advocacy and policy solutions.“While those eight states are showing us what is possible, there are critical steps the subcommittee and Congress should take to enhance the reach and impact of school meals nationwide,” FitzSimons said.As one piece of the puzzle, FitzSimons said Congress can “ensure that all children nationwide are hunger-free and ready to learn while they are at school by allowing all schools to offer meals to all their students at no charge” and the Universal School Meals Program Act “creates that path.”Meg Bruening, professor and department head at Pennsylvania State University’s Department of Nutritional Sciences, said “the school meal programs in the U.S. provide a critical safety net for almost 30 million children with meals each year” — comprising 60% of children in the country.Bruening said these school meal programs align closely with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/" target="_blank">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>, “ensuring a variety of healthy foods are offered to children while at school, where children spend most of their waking and eating hours.”The guidelines, developed by the USDA and the Health and Human Services Department, are&nbsp;<a href="https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/dietary-guidelines" target="_blank">updated every five years</a>.<h2>Summer EBT&nbsp;</h2>Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock underscored how child hunger increases in the summer months when kids lack access to regular meals at school.Thirty-seven states, the District of Columbia and multiple territories and tribal nations opted in this year to a new effort, known as Summer EBT, to feed kids during the long summer months.Also called Sun Bucks, the USDA initiative provides low-income families with school-aged children a grocery-buying benefit of $120 per child for the summer.But 13 states,&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/08/13/georgia-dems-press-governor-to-participate-for-federal-2025-summer-feeding-program/" target="_blank">including Georgia</a>, chose not to participate in the program in 2024. The USDA said states have until Jan. 1 to submit a notice of intent if they plan to participate in the program next year.Warnock said he hopes&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/08/13/georgia-dems-press-governor-to-participate-for-federal-2025-summer-feeding-program/" target="_blank">state leaders reverse their position</a>&nbsp;on Summer EBT.“Unfortunately, my home state — the state of Georgia — has not opted in to Sun Bucks, with some officials saying it does not result in higher nutritional outcomes for students, and that existing programs are ‘effective,’” he said.“I heard our state leadership say: ‘We don’t need it,’” he added. “I’m still trying to figure out who this ‘we’ is — for whom are you speaking when you say: ‘We don’t need it?’”A spokesperson for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has said the governor has concerns about the program’s dietary standards and cost.

Advocates call for expanding free school meals at U.S. Senate hearing

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating six suspects including three juveniles on multiple allegations that started with a gun incident.

Just after 6:00 p.m. Sept. 14, police responded to the report of gunshots near 19th Street and SW Buchanan Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

Police found that no one had been injured, but property in the area had been damaged by gunfire.

Just before 6p.m. on September 20, as the result of this ongoing investigation, members of the Topeka Police Department served a search warrant at a home in the 1800 Block of SW Lincoln Street. During the search warrant, Individuals were taken into custody and transported to the Law Enforcement center to speak with Detectives.

As a result of the investigation, a 12-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy were transported to the Shawnee County Juvenile Detention center where they were booked on requested charges of Aggravated Assault; use of a deadly weapon, Interference with a Law Enforcement officer – Felony

A 17-year-old girl was also transported to the Shawnee County Juvenile Detention center where she was booked on requested charges of Aggravated Assault; use of a deadly weapon,&nbsp;Interference with a Law Enforcement officer – Felony and a violation of the&nbsp;Cigarette and tabaco products act.

Police also arrested three adults identified as Shannon L. Bailey, 44; Sarah E. Flynn, 40; and Baileah N. Flynn, 26; all of Topeka.

Shannon Bailey is being held on requested charges of Aggravated endangering a child, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug paraphernalia and Interference with a Law Enforcement officer – Felony.

Sarah Flynn remains jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated Assault; use of a deadly weapon, Aggravated endangering a child, Criminal Damage to property – Felony, Criminal Discharge of a firearm and Interference with a Law Enforcement officer – Felony

Baileah Flynn is jailed on requested charges of Aggravated endangering a child and&nbsp;&nbsp;Possession of Methamphetamine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726949969240.png" alt="Baileah Flynn-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Baileah Flynn-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating six suspects including three juveniles on multiple allegations that started with a gun incident.Just after 6:00 p.m. Sept. 14, police responded to the report of gunshots near 19th Street and SW Buchanan Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.Police found that no one had been injured, but property in the area had been damaged by gunfire.Just before 6p.m. on September 20, as the result of this ongoing investigation, members of the Topeka Police Department served a search warrant at a home in the 1800 Block of SW Lincoln Street. During the search warrant, Individuals were taken into custody and transported to the Law Enforcement center to speak with Detectives.As a result of the investigation, a 12-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy were transported to the Shawnee County Juvenile Detention center where they were booked on requested charges of Aggravated Assault; use of a deadly weapon, Interference with a Law Enforcement officer – FelonyA 17-year-old girl was also transported to the Shawnee County Juvenile Detention center where she was booked on requested charges of Aggravated Assault; use of a deadly weapon,&nbsp;Interference with a Law Enforcement officer – Felony and a violation of the&nbsp;Cigarette and tabaco products act.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726949856683.png" alt="Sarah Flynn photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Sarah Flynn photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Police also arrested three adults identified as Shannon L. Bailey, 44; Sarah E. Flynn, 40; and Baileah N. Flynn, 26; all of Topeka.Shannon Bailey is being held on requested charges of Aggravated endangering a child, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug paraphernalia and Interference with a Law Enforcement officer – Felony.Sarah Flynn remains jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated Assault; use of a deadly weapon, Aggravated endangering a child, Criminal Damage to property – Felony, Criminal Discharge of a firearm and Interference with a Law Enforcement officer – FelonyBaileah Flynn is jailed on requested charges of Aggravated endangering a child and&nbsp;&nbsp;Possession of Methamphetamine.

3 Kan. women, 3 teens jailed after gunfire incident

NEW YORK (AP) — Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;held a blockbuster fundraiser at Cipriani Wall Street Sunday.&nbsp; Much of the crowd stood shoulder to shoulder as Harris needled Trump for refusing to debate her again.

“My opponent seems to be looking for an excuse,” Harris told the crowd. “I feel very strongly that we owe it to the American people, to the voters, to meet once more before Election Day."

She reiterated that later, telling reporters after landing outside Washington, “We have more to discuss.”

Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rules-out-third-debate-harris-8ac8051f3247f79f6508d40fbcb138a1">rejected more debates</a>, saying Saturday that “it's just too late.”

“Voting is already started,” he said at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina. Voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/early-voting-presidential-election-trump-harris-7fb7a8ff28490f71cd15529321dfe765">cast the first in-person ballots</a>&nbsp;last week in Minnesota, South Dakota and Virginia, the states with the first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/early-voting-mail-ballots-election-97c2bd30abf227772481edb4f2cc5413">early in-person voting</a>&nbsp;opportunities. About a dozen more states will follow by mid-October.

Harris also said she would deliver a speech Wednesday outlining her economic vision, saying there is “more we can do to invest in the aspirations and ambitions of the American people while addressing the challenges they face.”

She cited the high cost of home ownership and stubbornly high grocery bills as examples.

“I grew up a middle-class kid and I will never forget where I came from,” she said.

By fleshing out her economic agenda in more detail, Harris can address an issue that's front of mind for voters after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/key-inflation-report-highest-level-in-four-decades-c0248c5b5705cd1523d3dab3771983b4">prices soared</a>&nbsp;during Biden's presidency and distance herself from the president's economic track record. Trump has criticized her for being slow to release&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-policy-economy-tips-workers-middle-class-e606b41cce817e69a38663cc68ce7ad6">detailed policy proposals</a>&nbsp;of her own since she rose to the top of the ticket.

Harris&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-issue-positions-worlds-apart-3f80a342c790da64e3de92a4f5760991">has said</a>&nbsp;she'd push for middle-class tax cuts and tax hikes on the wealthy and corporations, and she adopted Trump's proposal to end taxes on tipped wages, though she'd limit her plan to low- and middle-income taxpayers. She's also criticized Trump's plan to impose large tariffs on most imported goods, which she says would severely raise the cost of goods.

Neither Harris nor Trump has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-economy-poll-inflation-dc80ac9e5d7da42900762910d5f0a283">decisive edge</a>&nbsp;with the public on the economy, according to the latest poll by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/">The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>. The survey suggests Harris is gaining ground on an issue that was once a clear strength for Trump.

About 4 in 10 registered voters say Republican Trump would do a better job handling the economy, while a similar number say that about the Democratic vice president, according to the poll. About 1 in 10 voters don’t trust either candidate, and a similar share has equal faith in them.

The new poll found that the economy is one of the most important issues for about 8 in 10 voters as they consider which candidate to support, dwarfing other top issues like health care and crime.

NEW YORK (AP) — Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;held a blockbuster fundraiser at Cipriani Wall Street Sunday.&nbsp; Much of the crowd stood shoulder to shoulder as Harris needled Trump for refusing to debate her again.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Vice President Harris: &quot;I would like another debate….We have a lot more to discuss ... Let&#39;s have another debate.&quot;<a href="https://t.co/VcRiLabmXl">pic.twitter.com/VcRiLabmXl</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1838046507175436509?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“My opponent seems to be looking for an excuse,” Harris told the crowd. “I feel very strongly that we owe it to the American people, to the voters, to meet once more before Election Day."She reiterated that later, telling reporters after landing outside Washington, “We have more to discuss.”Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rules-out-third-debate-harris-8ac8051f3247f79f6508d40fbcb138a1">rejected more debates</a>, saying Saturday that “it's just too late.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Trump declines second CNN debate: &quot;I&#39;ve already done two...The problem with another debate is that it&#39;s just too late. Voting has already started. She&#39;s had her chance to do it with Fox. Fox invited us on, and I waited and waited. They turned it down.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/rhispm3zVZ">pic.twitter.com/rhispm3zVZ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1837633404671533326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Voting is already started,” he said at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina. Voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/early-voting-presidential-election-trump-harris-7fb7a8ff28490f71cd15529321dfe765">cast the first in-person ballots</a>&nbsp;last week in Minnesota, South Dakota and Virginia, the states with the first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/early-voting-mail-ballots-election-97c2bd30abf227772481edb4f2cc5413">early in-person voting</a>&nbsp;opportunities. About a dozen more states will follow by mid-October.Harris also said she would deliver a speech Wednesday outlining her economic vision, saying there is “more we can do to invest in the aspirations and ambitions of the American people while addressing the challenges they face.”She cited the high cost of home ownership and stubbornly high grocery bills as examples.“I grew up a middle-class kid and I will never forget where I came from,” she said.By fleshing out her economic agenda in more detail, Harris can address an issue that's front of mind for voters after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/key-inflation-report-highest-level-in-four-decades-c0248c5b5705cd1523d3dab3771983b4">prices soared</a>&nbsp;during Biden's presidency and distance herself from the president's economic track record. Trump has criticized her for being slow to release&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-policy-economy-tips-workers-middle-class-e606b41cce817e69a38663cc68ce7ad6">detailed policy proposals</a>&nbsp;of her own since she rose to the top of the ticket.Harris&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-issue-positions-worlds-apart-3f80a342c790da64e3de92a4f5760991">has said</a>&nbsp;she'd push for middle-class tax cuts and tax hikes on the wealthy and corporations, and she adopted Trump's proposal to end taxes on tipped wages, though she'd limit her plan to low- and middle-income taxpayers. She's also criticized Trump's plan to impose large tariffs on most imported goods, which she says would severely raise the cost of goods.Neither Harris nor Trump has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-economy-poll-inflation-dc80ac9e5d7da42900762910d5f0a283">decisive edge</a>&nbsp;with the public on the economy, according to the latest poll by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/">The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>. The survey suggests Harris is gaining ground on an issue that was once a clear strength for Trump.About 4 in 10 registered voters say Republican Trump would do a better job handling the economy, while a similar number say that about the Democratic vice president, according to the poll. About 1 in 10 voters don’t trust either candidate, and a similar share has equal faith in them.The new poll found that the economy is one of the most important issues for about 8 in 10 voters as they consider which candidate to support, dwarfing other top issues like health care and crime.

🎥 Harris, Trump continue to debate another debate

ARTHUR COUNTY, Nebraska — Three people died in A crash just after 12:30p.m Saturday during a poker run fundraiser in a Arthur County.

The Nebraska State Patrol reported the crash involved two motorcycles. First responders located two deceased individuals and a third person with life-threatening injuries.

Preliminary investigation has shown that the two motorcycles were traveling southbound together when one lost control and struck the other motorcycle. The rider of the first motorcycle, Jacob Byrd, 36, of Brownlee, and the passenger of the second motorcycle, Stephanie Rodriquez, 45, of North Platte, were pronounced deceased at the scene. 

The rider of the second motorcycle, Michael Laack, 52, of North Platte, was transported to Ogallala Community Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

The crash occured during the Kal-Kan and Scooter Memorial Poker Run.&nbsp;

The Nebraska State Patrol is conducting a full crash reconstruction investigation. Highway 61 was closed for approximately five hours during the on-scene investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727092078309.png" alt="Highway 61 was closed for approximately five hours during the on-scene investigation-image from Nebraska Dept. of Transportation" />
 <figcaption>Highway 61 was closed for approximately five hours during the on-scene investigation-image from Nebraska Dept. of Transportation</figcaption>
 </figure>ARTHUR COUNTY, Nebraska — Three people died in A crash just after 12:30p.m Saturday during a poker run fundraiser in a Arthur County.The Nebraska State Patrol reported the crash involved two motorcycles. First responders located two deceased individuals and a third person with life-threatening injuries.Preliminary investigation has shown that the two motorcycles were traveling southbound together when one lost control and struck the other motorcycle. The rider of the first motorcycle, Jacob Byrd, 36, of Brownlee, and the passenger of the second motorcycle, Stephanie Rodriquez, 45, of North Platte, were pronounced deceased at the scene. The rider of the second motorcycle, Michael Laack, 52, of North Platte, was transported to Ogallala Community Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.The crash occured during the Kal-Kan and Scooter Memorial Poker Run.&nbsp;The Nebraska State Patrol is conducting a full crash reconstruction investigation. Highway 61 was closed for approximately five hours during the on-scene investigation.

3 dead after motorcycles collide during poker run

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating&nbsp; a weekend homicide in Wichita.

Just before 8p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a report of a shooting in the 600 block of N. Topeka in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. 

First responders located a 50-year-old man&nbsp;lying in a parking lot, who sustained a fatal gunshot wound. The victim was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Investigators are actively pursuing leads to establish the sequence of events leading to the shooting and to identify the suspect involved. Police did not release the name of the victim.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating&nbsp; a weekend homicide in Wichita.Just before 8p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a report of a shooting in the 600 block of N. Topeka in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. First responders located a 50-year-old man&nbsp;lying in a parking lot, who sustained a fatal gunshot wound. The victim was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Investigators are actively pursuing leads to establish the sequence of events leading to the shooting and to identify the suspect involved. Police did not release the name of the victim.

Homicide: Kansas man found lying in parking lot

COWLEY COUNTY —The City of Arkansas City encountered a cybersecurity issue early Sunday involving the city Water Treatment Facilit, according to a media release from the city.

Authorities were promptly notified, and precautionary measures were taken to ensure plant operations remained secure. City Manager Randy Frazer assured residents that the water supply remains completely safe and there has been no disruption to service.

Out of caution, the Water Treatment Facility has switched to manual operations while the situation is being resolved. "Residents can rest assured that their drinking water is safe, and the City is operating under full control during this period, according to Frazer.&nbsp; 

Cybersecurity experts and government authorities are working to resolve the situation and return the facility to normal operations. Enhanced security measures are currently in place to protect the water supply, and no changes to water quality or service are expected.

COWLEY COUNTY —The City of Arkansas City encountered a cybersecurity issue early Sunday involving the city Water Treatment Facilit, according to a media release from the city.Authorities were promptly notified, and precautionary measures were taken to ensure plant operations remained secure. City Manager Randy Frazer assured residents that the water supply remains completely safe and there has been no disruption to service.Out of caution, the Water Treatment Facility has switched to manual operations while the situation is being resolved. "Residents can rest assured that their drinking water is safe, and the City is operating under full control during this period, according to Frazer.&nbsp; Cybersecurity experts and government authorities are working to resolve the situation and return the facility to normal operations. Enhanced security measures are currently in place to protect the water supply, and no changes to water quality or service are expected.

Cybersecurity incident at water treatment plant in Kansas

JOHNSON COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a duplex fire in Johnson County.

On Sunday evening, crews responded to the fire in a duplex at&nbsp;&nbsp;174th and Pflumm in Overland Park, according to a social media report.&nbsp;

The fire significantly damaged one side of the duplex. There were no injuries reported.&nbsp; Officials have not released a damage estimate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727091108081.png" alt="Image from video provided by Overland Park Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Image from video provided by Overland Park Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a duplex fire in Johnson County.On Sunday evening, crews responded to the fire in a duplex at&nbsp;&nbsp;174th and Pflumm in Overland Park, according to a social media report.&nbsp;The fire significantly damaged one side of the duplex. There were no injuries reported.&nbsp; Officials have not released a damage estimate.

Significant damage after Kansas duplex fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders announced an agreement Sunday on a short-term spending bill that will fund federal agencies for about three months, averting a possible partial government shutdown when the new budget year begins Oct. 1 and pushing final decisions until after the November election.

Temporary spending bills generally fund agencies at current levels, but an additional $231 million was included to bolster the Secret Service after the two assassination attempts against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, and additional money was added to aid with the presidential transition, among other things.

Lawmakers have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-funding-speaker-johnson-b77fc73b1474cbee5213219358985f71">struggled</a>&nbsp;to get to this point as the current budget year winds to a close at month's end. At the urging of the most conservative members of his conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had linked temporary funding with a mandate that would have compelled states to require proof of citizenship when people register to vote.

But Johnson abandoned that approach to reach an agreement, even as Trump insisted there should not be a stop-gap measure without the voting requirement.

Bipartisan negotiations began in earnest shortly after that, with leadership agreeing to extend funding into mid-December. That gives the current Congress the ability to fashion a full-year spending bill after the Nov. 5 election, rather than push that responsibility to the next Congress and president.

In a letter to Republican colleagues, Johnson said the budget measure would be “very narrow, bare-bones" and include "only the extensions that are absolutely necessary.”

“While this is not the solution any of us prefer, it is the most prudent path forward under the present circumstances," Johnson wrote. "As history has taught and current polling affirms, shutting the government down less than 40 days from a fateful election would be an act of political malpractice.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would evaluate the bill in its entirety before this week's vote, but with the agreement, “Congress is now on a bipartisan path to avoid a government shutdown that would hurt everyday Americans.”

Rep. Tom Cole, the House Appropriations Committee chairman, had said on Friday that talks were going well.

“So far, nothing has come up that we can't deal with," said Cole, R-Okla. “Most people don't want a government shutdown and they don't want that to interfere with the election. So nobody is like, ‘I’ve got to have this or we're walking.' It's just not that way.”

Johnson's earlier effort had no chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate and was opposed by the White House, but it did give the speaker a chance to show Trump and conservatives within his conference that he fought for their request.

The final result — government funding effectively on autopilot — was what many had predicted. With the election just weeks away, few lawmakers in either party had any appetite for the brinksmanship that often leads to a shutdown.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the same agreement could have been reached two weeks ago, but “Speaker Johnson chose to follow the MAGA way and wasted precious time.”

"As I have said throughout this process, there is only one way to get things done, with bipartisan, bicameral support,” Schumer said.

Now a bipartisan majority is expected to push the short-term measure over the finish line this week. The agreement on the short-term measure does not mean getting to a final spending bill will be easy in December. The election results could also influence the political calculations if one party fares much better than the other, potentially pushing the fight into early next year.

The Secret Service funding also comes with a string attached, with lawmakers making it contingent on the Department of Homeland Security providing certain information to a House task force and Senate committee investigating the assassination attempts made against Trump.

In a recent letter, the Secret Service told lawmakers that a funding shortfall was not the reason for lapses in Trump’s security when a gunman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-fbi-secret-service-a382e3ec081dd13e85eaa9e726cca02c">climbed onto an unsecured roof</a>&nbsp;on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and opened fire. But acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. said this week that the agency had “immediate needs” and that he’s talking to Congress.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726703032615.png" alt="File photo House Speaker Johnson during a press briefing last week after a failed vote on the spending deal-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo House Speaker Johnson during a press briefing last week after a failed vote on the spending deal-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders announced an agreement Sunday on a short-term spending bill that will fund federal agencies for about three months, averting a possible partial government shutdown when the new budget year begins Oct. 1 and pushing final decisions until after the November election.Temporary spending bills generally fund agencies at current levels, but an additional $231 million was included to bolster the Secret Service after the two assassination attempts against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, and additional money was added to aid with the presidential transition, among other things.Lawmakers have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-funding-speaker-johnson-b77fc73b1474cbee5213219358985f71">struggled</a>&nbsp;to get to this point as the current budget year winds to a close at month's end. At the urging of the most conservative members of his conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had linked temporary funding with a mandate that would have compelled states to require proof of citizenship when people register to vote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726692527169.png" alt="Johnson and Donald Trump during a visit last week in Florida-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Johnson and Donald Trump during a visit last week in Florida-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>But Johnson abandoned that approach to reach an agreement, even as Trump insisted there should not be a stop-gap measure without the voting requirement.Bipartisan negotiations began in earnest shortly after that, with leadership agreeing to extend funding into mid-December. That gives the current Congress the ability to fashion a full-year spending bill after the Nov. 5 election, rather than push that responsibility to the next Congress and president.In a letter to Republican colleagues, Johnson said the budget measure would be “very narrow, bare-bones" and include "only the extensions that are absolutely necessary.”“While this is not the solution any of us prefer, it is the most prudent path forward under the present circumstances," Johnson wrote. "As history has taught and current polling affirms, shutting the government down less than 40 days from a fateful election would be an act of political malpractice.”House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would evaluate the bill in its entirety before this week's vote, but with the agreement, “Congress is now on a bipartisan path to avoid a government shutdown that would hurt everyday Americans.”Rep. Tom Cole, the House Appropriations Committee chairman, had said on Friday that talks were going well.“So far, nothing has come up that we can't deal with," said Cole, R-Okla. “Most people don't want a government shutdown and they don't want that to interfere with the election. So nobody is like, ‘I’ve got to have this or we're walking.' It's just not that way.”Johnson's earlier effort had no chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate and was opposed by the White House, but it did give the speaker a chance to show Trump and conservatives within his conference that he fought for their request.The final result — government funding effectively on autopilot — was what many had predicted. With the election just weeks away, few lawmakers in either party had any appetite for the brinksmanship that often leads to a shutdown.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the same agreement could have been reached two weeks ago, but “Speaker Johnson chose to follow the MAGA way and wasted precious time.”"As I have said throughout this process, there is only one way to get things done, with bipartisan, bicameral support,” Schumer said.Now a bipartisan majority is expected to push the short-term measure over the finish line this week. The agreement on the short-term measure does not mean getting to a final spending bill will be easy in December. The election results could also influence the political calculations if one party fares much better than the other, potentially pushing the fight into early next year.The Secret Service funding also comes with a string attached, with lawmakers making it contingent on the Department of Homeland Security providing certain information to a House task force and Senate committee investigating the assassination attempts made against Trump.In a recent letter, the Secret Service told lawmakers that a funding shortfall was not the reason for lapses in Trump’s security when a gunman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-fbi-secret-service-a382e3ec081dd13e85eaa9e726cca02c">climbed onto an unsecured roof</a>&nbsp;on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and opened fire. But acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. said this week that the agency had “immediate needs” and that he’s talking to Congress.

House Speaker axes Trump voting restrictions in new gov't funding deal

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with robbing a bank in Lawrence, Kansas.

According to court documents, Alfonzo Cole, 41, of Lawrence is charged with one count of bank robbery.

Cole is accused of using force, violence, and intimidation on July 2, 2024, to take U.S. currency from an employee at a Bank of America branch on Ohio Street.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726863160188.png" alt="Photo Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with robbing a bank in Lawrence, Kansas.According to court documents, Alfonzo Cole, 41, of Lawrence is charged with one count of bank robbery.Cole is accused of using force, violence, and intimidation on July 2, 2024, to take U.S. currency from an employee at a Bank of America branch on Ohio Street.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case

Man accused of Kansas bank robbery

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas man accused in deadly incident with a gun that left his roommate dead has accepted a plea deal.

On Thursday,&nbsp;Peter McKinney, 22, of Wichita, was sentenced to nearly 5-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On July 1, McKinney accidentally shot and killed his roommate 25-year-old Sebastion Crawford while handling a loaded handgun in a bedroom of their apartment on North Rock Road in Wichita.

Just after 11a.m. July 1, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a call reporting a shooting at the&nbsp;Rockborough apartment complex, 202 N Rock Road in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.

First responders located&nbsp; Crawford of Wichita with a single gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.

McKinney was originally was charged with second-degree reckless murder. On July 23,&nbsp; he changed his plea to voluntary manslaughter. As part of the plea agreement, McKinney must also register as a violent offender for 15 years after his release.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719921077048.png" alt="McKinney photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>McKinney photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas man accused in deadly incident with a gun that left his roommate dead has accepted a plea deal.On Thursday,&nbsp;Peter McKinney, 22, of Wichita, was sentenced to nearly 5-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On July 1, McKinney accidentally shot and killed his roommate 25-year-old Sebastion Crawford while handling a loaded handgun in a bedroom of their apartment on North Rock Road in Wichita.Just after 11a.m. July 1, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a call reporting a shooting at the&nbsp;Rockborough apartment complex, 202 N Rock Road in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719885319829.png" alt="-Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>-Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located&nbsp; Crawford of Wichita with a single gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.McKinney was originally was charged with second-degree reckless murder. On July 23,&nbsp; he changed his plea to voluntary manslaughter. As part of the plea agreement, McKinney must also register as a violent offender for 15 years after his release.

Kan. man takes plea deal for mishandling gun that killed his roommate

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansans are uninsured at a rate higher than the rest of the country for a third-straight year, but the effects of Medicaid “unwinding” have yet to be seen, recent U.S. Census Bureau data shows.

More than 240,000 Kansas residents are without health insurance, which translates to an uninsured rate of 8.4%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST1Y2023.S2701?q=Kansas%20uninsured" target="_blank">American Community Survey data</a>, which was released Sept. 12.

The national uninsured rate is just below 8%, and 2023 is the third year in a row Kansas’ rate has exceeded the national one, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.khi.org/articles/kansas-uninsured-rate-holds-steady-but-remains-higher-than-the-u-s-rate/" target="_blank">Kansas Health Institute</a>, a Topeka-based nonpartisan research organization. However, the 2023 Kansas uninsured rate is an improvement from 2022, when it was at 8.6%.

“While the effects of policies such as the unwinding of the continuous enrollment provisions in Medicaid and the continuation of enhanced subsidies for the federally facilitated marketplace may have combined with other trends in 2023 to keep the uninsured rate steady for Kansans, we expect that those policy effects may not be fully seen until at least next year’s release,” said Kari Bruffett, KHI president and chief executive officer, in a news release.

COVID-19 policies required Medicaid programs to keep people continuously enrolled in their health insurance until the end of the public health emergency unless the person moved away, died or requested to end coverage. During that time, enrollment in KanCare, as Medicaid is known in Kansas, increased from 410,000 to 540,000 people.

Beginning in April 2023, states began “unwinding” these pandemic-era protections, which, in Kansas, resulted in roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/28/114k-kansans-lost-medicaid-coverage-in-post-pandemic-unwinding-review/">114,000 people losing coverage</a>&nbsp;as of August. Kansas completed its unwinding in May.

“In addition, the data tell us that wide disparities in insurance coverage continued in 2023, and data that will be released this fall will allow us to describe more completely the experiences of Kansans across the state,” Buffett said.

Latino Kansans were uninsured in 2023 at a rate of 20%, which was four percentage points higher than the national uninsured rate among Latinos. Nearly 11% of Black Kansans were uninsured in 2023 while white Kansans were uninsured at a rate of nearly 6%. People with incomes below the federal poverty threshold, which was about $30,000 annually for a family of four in 2023, were uninsured at a rate of nearly 17%, according to the survey data.

Kansas is one of 10 U.S. states that have not expanded Medicaid eligibility requirements to include most adults who make up to 138% of the federal poverty threshold. That’s $20,783 or less for an individual and no more than $43,056 for a family of four. In Kansas, the eligibility requirements to qualify for KanCare are much more stringent. Children, their parents, pregnant women, seniors and people with disabilities qualify for KanCare if their household income falls within&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/national-medicaid-chip-program-information/medicaid-childrens-health-insurance-program-basic-health-program-eligibility-levels/index.html" target="_blank">varying levels of the poverty threshold</a>. Parents qualify for coverage if their yearly earnings are less than 38% of the federal poverty threshold, which is about $11,900 or less for a family of four in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/federal-poverty-level-fpl/" target="_blank">2024</a>.&nbsp;

Nationally, the uninsured rate for those making less than 138% of the poverty threshold “significantly decreased” in 2023, but Kansas’ decrease wasn’t significant, KHI said.

In February,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/02/22/new-estimate-predicts-medicaid-expansion-would-serve-152k-at-no-cost-to-state/">KHI estimated</a>&nbsp;a Medicaid expansion plan proposed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly would provide coverage to 152,000 low-income Kansans, including 45,000 children, with no net cost to the state for eight years. The GOP-led Legislature blocked the plan from advancing.

The Kansas and national uninsured rates are both at their lowest since 2009, according to the survey data. Uninsured rates in Kansas and the rest of the country peaked in 2010 at nearly 14% and 15.5% respectively.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726771908515.jpeg" alt=" A sign held at a KanCare Medicaid expansion rally on March 15, 2023, highlights the coverage gap that makes health insurance unaffordable for many in the state. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> A sign held at a KanCare Medicaid expansion rally on March 15, 2023, highlights the coverage gap that makes health insurance unaffordable for many in the state. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a> TOPEKA — Kansans are uninsured at a rate higher than the rest of the country for a third-straight year, but the effects of Medicaid “unwinding” have yet to be seen, recent U.S. Census Bureau data shows.More than 240,000 Kansas residents are without health insurance, which translates to an uninsured rate of 8.4%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST1Y2023.S2701?q=Kansas%20uninsured" target="_blank">American Community Survey data</a>, which was released Sept. 12.The national uninsured rate is just below 8%, and 2023 is the third year in a row Kansas’ rate has exceeded the national one, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.khi.org/articles/kansas-uninsured-rate-holds-steady-but-remains-higher-than-the-u-s-rate/" target="_blank">Kansas Health Institute</a>, a Topeka-based nonpartisan research organization. However, the 2023 Kansas uninsured rate is an improvement from 2022, when it was at 8.6%.“While the effects of policies such as the unwinding of the continuous enrollment provisions in Medicaid and the continuation of enhanced subsidies for the federally facilitated marketplace may have combined with other trends in 2023 to keep the uninsured rate steady for Kansans, we expect that those policy effects may not be fully seen until at least next year’s release,” said Kari Bruffett, KHI president and chief executive officer, in a news release.COVID-19 policies required Medicaid programs to keep people continuously enrolled in their health insurance until the end of the public health emergency unless the person moved away, died or requested to end coverage. During that time, enrollment in KanCare, as Medicaid is known in Kansas, increased from 410,000 to 540,000 people.Beginning in April 2023, states began “unwinding” these pandemic-era protections, which, in Kansas, resulted in roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/28/114k-kansans-lost-medicaid-coverage-in-post-pandemic-unwinding-review/">114,000 people losing coverage</a>&nbsp;as of August. Kansas completed its unwinding in May.“In addition, the data tell us that wide disparities in insurance coverage continued in 2023, and data that will be released this fall will allow us to describe more completely the experiences of Kansans across the state,” Buffett said.Latino Kansans were uninsured in 2023 at a rate of 20%, which was four percentage points higher than the national uninsured rate among Latinos. Nearly 11% of Black Kansans were uninsured in 2023 while white Kansans were uninsured at a rate of nearly 6%. People with incomes below the federal poverty threshold, which was about $30,000 annually for a family of four in 2023, were uninsured at a rate of nearly 17%, according to the survey data.Kansas is one of 10 U.S. states that have not expanded Medicaid eligibility requirements to include most adults who make up to 138% of the federal poverty threshold. That’s $20,783 or less for an individual and no more than $43,056 for a family of four. In Kansas, the eligibility requirements to qualify for KanCare are much more stringent. Children, their parents, pregnant women, seniors and people with disabilities qualify for KanCare if their household income falls within&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/national-medicaid-chip-program-information/medicaid-childrens-health-insurance-program-basic-health-program-eligibility-levels/index.html" target="_blank">varying levels of the poverty threshold</a>. Parents qualify for coverage if their yearly earnings are less than 38% of the federal poverty threshold, which is about $11,900 or less for a family of four in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/federal-poverty-level-fpl/" target="_blank">2024</a>.&nbsp;Nationally, the uninsured rate for those making less than 138% of the poverty threshold “significantly decreased” in 2023, but Kansas’ decrease wasn’t significant, KHI said.In February,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/02/22/new-estimate-predicts-medicaid-expansion-would-serve-152k-at-no-cost-to-state/">KHI estimated</a>&nbsp;a Medicaid expansion plan proposed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly would provide coverage to 152,000 low-income Kansans, including 45,000 children, with no net cost to the state for eight years. The GOP-led Legislature blocked the plan from advancing.The Kansas and national uninsured rates are both at their lowest since 2009, according to the survey data. Uninsured rates in Kansas and the rest of the country peaked in 2010 at nearly 14% and 15.5% respectively.

Kansas uninsured rate remains worse than national average; 240K without health coverage

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20A.%20LIEB%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID A. LIEB &nbsp;Associated Press</a>

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The U.S. is divided when it comes to state and federal marijuana policy, but recent political developments could move the country toward a greater acceptance of cannabis.

Both major presidential candidates have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-trump-kamala-harris-dea-election-bdf75d4cd71fda5975fd3dcf29638499">signaled support</a>&nbsp;for a federal policy change to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, and voters in several additional states will get a say this fall on legalization.

Though still illegal under federal law, public approval of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marijuana">marijuana</a>&nbsp;has grown significantly — and so has the number of states where it's legally sold in stores.

Possessing marijuana is a federal crime punishable by fines and prison time. Selling or cultivating marijuana is a more serious federal crime, punishable by prison sentences of five years to life, depending on the quantity of the drug.

But many states have abolished their own marijuana penalties.

Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia — representing 53% of the nation's population — have legalized marijuana and now tax and regulate sales similar to alcohol, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, which supports legalizing cannabis. An additional seven states have removed jail sentences for possessing small amounts of marijuana. A total of 38 states and the District of Columbia have laws that allow the medical use of marijuana.

The Justice Department in May&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-rescheduling-drug-policy-biden-15b43441670757b0c2bfa36731e47d07">proposed to reclassify marijuana</a>&nbsp;from a Schedule I drug to a less dangerous Schedule III drug, which includes such things as ketamine and some anabolic steroids. But that switch involves a lengthy process.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has set&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-rescheduling-dea-election-5b3c7b20d67577c0a99d510b7e549dc9">a Dec. 2 hearing to take comment</a>&nbsp;on the proposal. That means a final decision could come after President Joe Biden leaves office in January.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, backs marijuana decriminalization and has said it’s “absurd” that marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD.

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-trump-kamala-harris-dea-election-bdf75d4cd71fda5975fd3dcf29638499">signaled support for the policy change</a>&nbsp;this past week. He posted on his social media platform that he would “continue to focus on research to unlock the medical uses of marijuana to a Schedule 3 drug” and said he would vote “yes” on a Florida ballot proposal to legalize recreational marijuana.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-abortion-marijuana-2024-election-supreme-court-ad831352cb90abd5bbc873f498cbf286">The Florida initiative</a>&nbsp;would allow recreational sales to people over 21 from existing medical marijuana dispensaries, with the potential for the Legislature to license additional retailers. The proposal needs at least a 60% vote to pass and would take effect six months after voter approval.

The campaign has been the costliest of nearly 160 measures on state ballots this year, attracting tens of millions of dollars of contributions primarily from supporters, according to the election tracking organization Ballotpedia. Among the opponents are the Florida Republican Party and Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has said it would reduce quality of life by leaving a marijuana stench in the air.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-dakota-marijuana-legalization-ballot-initiative-election-8f5a443e1dca69cd3ded19c4e9acb3d6">Voters in North</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-south-dakota-ballot-aea95344f3688425ce6f4dc63f29172d">South Dakota</a>&nbsp;will be asked for the third time whether to legalize marijuana beyond medical use. The measures need a simple majority to pass.

Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen has said initiatives to legalize and regulate medical marijuana appear to have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-medical-marijuana-ballot-measures-62c5f3bffa6f90f0ed0fad001741827c">enough petition signatures</a>&nbsp;to qualify for a statewide vote. He faces a Friday deadline to certify measures for the ballot.

About 70% of American adults said marijuana should be legal in&nbsp;<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/514007/grassroots-support-legalizing-marijuana-hits-record.aspx?link_id=2&amp;can_id=d2f7045307dbcbd674fa25210ee4af72&amp;source=email-gallup-more-americans-than-ever-say-marijuana-should-be-legal&amp;email_referrer=email_2106884&amp;email_subject=gallup-more-americans-than-ever-say-marijuana-should-be-legal">a Gallup poll</a>&nbsp;taken last year, the highest level recorded by the polling firm since it first asked about marijuana policy in 1969. By contrast, only about one-third of respondents supported marijuana legalization 20 years ago.

Last year's Gallup poll showed the highest support for marijuana among young voters, a key demographic in seven presidential battleground states.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.16519">analysis of national survey data</a>&nbsp;published earlier this year found that an estimated 17.7 million people reported using marijuana daily or near-daily in 2022 — up dramatically from less than 1 million people in 1992. Though alcohol is still more widely used, the report marked the first time that the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-cannabis-alcohol-drinking-daily-use-b91c2c5957fdb2d48e6616c3baa14c13">Americans who use marijuana</a>&nbsp;just about every day surpassed the number who drink that often.

As legal marijuana becomes more widespread, some state officials are battling the sale of unregulated products derived from hemp, which is federally classified as distinct from marijuana. Some of those products are sold in packaging similar to common candies or chips and contain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/delta8-marijuana-cbd-psychedelics-fda-ed31c96994d573368380b0cdf8a24acd">delta-8 THC</a>, a synthesized from of CBD that’s prevalent in hemp.

Some states have banned or restricted synthetic hemp products, including&nbsp;<a href="https://mylrc.sdlegislature.gov/api/Documents/266878.pdf">South Dakota</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2024/SF0032">Wyoming</a>, where new laws took effect July 1. Indiana authorities have warned stores to remove delta-8 THC products that they say also contain illegal amounts of the psychoactive delta-9 THC found in marijuana.

In Missouri, where marijuana was legalized in 2022, Republican Gov. Mike Parson raised concerns that certain hemp-derived products are being marketed to children and ordered a crackdown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbd-delta8-thc-marijuana-cannabis-missouri-1eee287ba548058409b6d625a6f2fc82">by the state health department</a>. He joined with Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Tuesday to announce a task force focused on unregulated psychoactive cannabis products.

“We are not the only state facing this issue and not the only state taking action,” Parson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698531124512.png" alt="&nbsp;File Photo Rebecca Rivas" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;File Photo Rebecca Rivas</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20A.%20LIEB%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID A. LIEB &nbsp;Associated Press</a>KANSAS CITY (AP) —The U.S. is divided when it comes to state and federal marijuana policy, but recent political developments could move the country toward a greater acceptance of cannabis.Both major presidential candidates have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-trump-kamala-harris-dea-election-bdf75d4cd71fda5975fd3dcf29638499">signaled support</a>&nbsp;for a federal policy change to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, and voters in several additional states will get a say this fall on legalization.Though still illegal under federal law, public approval of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marijuana">marijuana</a>&nbsp;has grown significantly — and so has the number of states where it's legally sold in stores.<h2>What does the law say?</h2>Possessing marijuana is a federal crime punishable by fines and prison time. Selling or cultivating marijuana is a more serious federal crime, punishable by prison sentences of five years to life, depending on the quantity of the drug.But many states have abolished their own marijuana penalties.Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia — representing 53% of the nation's population — have legalized marijuana and now tax and regulate sales similar to alcohol, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, which supports legalizing cannabis. An additional seven states have removed jail sentences for possessing small amounts of marijuana. A total of 38 states and the District of Columbia have laws that allow the medical use of marijuana.<h2>What’s happening in Washington?</h2>The Justice Department in May&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-rescheduling-drug-policy-biden-15b43441670757b0c2bfa36731e47d07">proposed to reclassify marijuana</a>&nbsp;from a Schedule I drug to a less dangerous Schedule III drug, which includes such things as ketamine and some anabolic steroids. But that switch involves a lengthy process.The Drug Enforcement Administration has set&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-rescheduling-dea-election-5b3c7b20d67577c0a99d510b7e549dc9">a Dec. 2 hearing to take comment</a>&nbsp;on the proposal. That means a final decision could come after President Joe Biden leaves office in January.Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, backs marijuana decriminalization and has said it’s “absurd” that marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD.Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-trump-kamala-harris-dea-election-bdf75d4cd71fda5975fd3dcf29638499">signaled support for the policy change</a>&nbsp;this past week. He posted on his social media platform that he would “continue to focus on research to unlock the medical uses of marijuana to a Schedule 3 drug” and said he would vote “yes” on a Florida ballot proposal to legalize recreational marijuana.<h2>What's on the ballot?</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-abortion-marijuana-2024-election-supreme-court-ad831352cb90abd5bbc873f498cbf286">The Florida initiative</a>&nbsp;would allow recreational sales to people over 21 from existing medical marijuana dispensaries, with the potential for the Legislature to license additional retailers. The proposal needs at least a 60% vote to pass and would take effect six months after voter approval.The campaign has been the costliest of nearly 160 measures on state ballots this year, attracting tens of millions of dollars of contributions primarily from supporters, according to the election tracking organization Ballotpedia. Among the opponents are the Florida Republican Party and Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has said it would reduce quality of life by leaving a marijuana stench in the air.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-dakota-marijuana-legalization-ballot-initiative-election-8f5a443e1dca69cd3ded19c4e9acb3d6">Voters in North</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-south-dakota-ballot-aea95344f3688425ce6f4dc63f29172d">South Dakota</a>&nbsp;will be asked for the third time whether to legalize marijuana beyond medical use. The measures need a simple majority to pass.Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen has said initiatives to legalize and regulate medical marijuana appear to have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-medical-marijuana-ballot-measures-62c5f3bffa6f90f0ed0fad001741827c">enough petition signatures</a>&nbsp;to qualify for a statewide vote. He faces a Friday deadline to certify measures for the ballot.<h2>What are people saying?</h2>About 70% of American adults said marijuana should be legal in&nbsp;<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/514007/grassroots-support-legalizing-marijuana-hits-record.aspx?link_id=2&amp;can_id=d2f7045307dbcbd674fa25210ee4af72&amp;source=email-gallup-more-americans-than-ever-say-marijuana-should-be-legal&amp;email_referrer=email_2106884&amp;email_subject=gallup-more-americans-than-ever-say-marijuana-should-be-legal">a Gallup poll</a>&nbsp;taken last year, the highest level recorded by the polling firm since it first asked about marijuana policy in 1969. By contrast, only about one-third of respondents supported marijuana legalization 20 years ago.Last year's Gallup poll showed the highest support for marijuana among young voters, a key demographic in seven presidential battleground states.An&nbsp;<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.16519">analysis of national survey data</a>&nbsp;published earlier this year found that an estimated 17.7 million people reported using marijuana daily or near-daily in 2022 — up dramatically from less than 1 million people in 1992. Though alcohol is still more widely used, the report marked the first time that the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-cannabis-alcohol-drinking-daily-use-b91c2c5957fdb2d48e6616c3baa14c13">Americans who use marijuana</a>&nbsp;just about every day surpassed the number who drink that often.<h2>What's happening with similar drugs?</h2>As legal marijuana becomes more widespread, some state officials are battling the sale of unregulated products derived from hemp, which is federally classified as distinct from marijuana. Some of those products are sold in packaging similar to common candies or chips and contain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/delta8-marijuana-cbd-psychedelics-fda-ed31c96994d573368380b0cdf8a24acd">delta-8 THC</a>, a synthesized from of CBD that’s prevalent in hemp.Some states have banned or restricted synthetic hemp products, including&nbsp;<a href="https://mylrc.sdlegislature.gov/api/Documents/266878.pdf">South Dakota</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2024/SF0032">Wyoming</a>, where new laws took effect July 1. Indiana authorities have warned stores to remove delta-8 THC products that they say also contain illegal amounts of the psychoactive delta-9 THC found in marijuana.In Missouri, where marijuana was legalized in 2022, Republican Gov. Mike Parson raised concerns that certain hemp-derived products are being marketed to children and ordered a crackdown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbd-delta8-thc-marijuana-cannabis-missouri-1eee287ba548058409b6d625a6f2fc82">by the state health department</a>. He joined with Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Tuesday to announce a task force focused on unregulated psychoactive cannabis products.“We are not the only state facing this issue and not the only state taking action,” Parson said.

Could America's divide on marijuana be coming to an end?

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

Democrat Nancy Boyda says failure to say who paid for advertisements was result of ‘clerical errors’

TOPEKA — Democratic congressional candidate Nancy Boyda failed to disclose who paid for her advertisements as required by federal election rules, according to a complaint filed by Kansas Republican Party chairman Mike Brown.

Boyda admitted to “clerical errors” but she said Republicans were trying to distract voters from the impact of her opponent’s anti-abortion views. She faces Republican Derek Schmidt in the November election for the 2nd District seat being vacated by Republican U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner.

Schmidt is a former Kansas Senate Majority Leader and three-term attorney general, and was the GOP nominee for governor in 2022. Boyda held the 2nd District seat for one term after winning a race in 2006.

Brown, who rose to GOP chairman by promoting false claims about election integrity, said he filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging Boyda failed to include “paid for by” disclosures on billboards, videos, yard signs, campaign communications, and her campaign website. He questioned whether Boyda was trying to hide dark money interests.

“It’s shocking that Nancy Boyda, who previously served in Congress, wants to go back to writing laws for the rest of us while Boyda is unable or unwilling to follow federal rules herself,” Brown said. “The law is clear.”

Under FEC rules, candidates are to include legible disclaimers on printed communications.

Boyda’s campaign, responding to an inquiry for this story, faulted Republicans for talking about “clerical errors” after reports linked Georgia’s strict abortion ban to the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/09/20/stories-of-pregnant-womens-deaths-after-georgias-strict-abortion-ban-reignite-debate-over-law/">deaths of two pregnant women</a>.

“When you run a small grass-roots campaign for Congress, mistakes happen,” Boyda said. “But I refuse to let them change the subject.”

Schmidt has said he opposes a federal abortion ban. But he supported an attempt to remove reproductive rights from the Kansas Constitution, which voters overwhelmingly rejected in August 2022, and as attorney general he was responsible for defending unconstitutional restrictions on reproductive health care that were passed by the Kansas Legislature. His campaign declined to comment for this story.

“We will fix the printing error in our signs, but we won’t stop working to ensure every Kansan knows the truth about Schmidt’s extremism,” Boyda said. “Schmidt wants to impose his extreme views on reproductive rights, even after Kansas voters resoundingly voted to trust women, not the government, to make their own health care decisions.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727015582485.png" alt="Nancy Boyda says she will fix a “printing error” after the Kanas Republican Party chairman filed a complaint over her failure to disclose who paid for campaign advertisements. (Grace Hills / Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Nancy Boyda says she will fix a “printing error” after the Kanas Republican Party chairman filed a complaint over her failure to disclose who paid for campaign advertisements. (Grace Hills / 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><h2>Democrat Nancy Boyda says failure to say who paid for advertisements was result of ‘clerical errors’</h2>TOPEKA — Democratic congressional candidate Nancy Boyda failed to disclose who paid for her advertisements as required by federal election rules, according to a complaint filed by Kansas Republican Party chairman Mike Brown.Boyda admitted to “clerical errors” but she said Republicans were trying to distract voters from the impact of her opponent’s anti-abortion views. She faces Republican Derek Schmidt in the November election for the 2nd District seat being vacated by Republican U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner.Schmidt is a former Kansas Senate Majority Leader and three-term attorney general, and was the GOP nominee for governor in 2022. Boyda held the 2nd District seat for one term after winning a race in 2006.Brown, who rose to GOP chairman by promoting false claims about election integrity, said he filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging Boyda failed to include “paid for by” disclosures on billboards, videos, yard signs, campaign communications, and her campaign website. He questioned whether Boyda was trying to hide dark money interests.“It’s shocking that Nancy Boyda, who previously served in Congress, wants to go back to writing laws for the rest of us while Boyda is unable or unwilling to follow federal rules herself,” Brown said. “The law is clear.”Under FEC rules, candidates are to include legible disclaimers on printed communications.Boyda’s campaign, responding to an inquiry for this story, faulted Republicans for talking about “clerical errors” after reports linked Georgia’s strict abortion ban to the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/09/20/stories-of-pregnant-womens-deaths-after-georgias-strict-abortion-ban-reignite-debate-over-law/">deaths of two pregnant women</a>.“When you run a small grass-roots campaign for Congress, mistakes happen,” Boyda said. “But I refuse to let them change the subject.”Schmidt has said he opposes a federal abortion ban. But he supported an attempt to remove reproductive rights from the Kansas Constitution, which voters overwhelmingly rejected in August 2022, and as attorney general he was responsible for defending unconstitutional restrictions on reproductive health care that were passed by the Kansas Legislature. His campaign declined to comment for this story.“We will fix the printing error in our signs, but we won’t stop working to ensure every Kansan knows the truth about Schmidt’s extremism,” Boyda said. “Schmidt wants to impose his extreme views on reproductive rights, even after Kansas voters resoundingly voted to trust women, not the government, to make their own health care decisions.”

Kansas GOP chairman complains about Democratic congressional candidate’s lack of disclosures

OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.

Just before noon Sept. 18, an Osage County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop at Main Street and Topeka Avenue in Carbondale, for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.

Subrina L. M. Casey-Meredith, 50, of Topeka was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726425328139.png" alt="Casey-Meredith-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Casey-Meredith-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.Just before noon Sept. 18, an Osage County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop at Main Street and Topeka Avenue in Carbondale, for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.Subrina L. M. Casey-Meredith, 50, of Topeka was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia

Kansas Sheriff's K9 found meth, marijuana during traffic stop

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Before Kansas officials revealed they had ousted Aetna Better Health as one of the providers for the state’s $4 billion Medicaid program, they destroyed documents that Aetna believes would have helped the company appeal the decision.

Aetna filed two lawsuits against the state that now await decisions ahead of an Oct. 2 deadline, by which the company must notify its beneficiaries that it will no longer provide coverage. Aetna’s attorney, Marc Kessler, encouraged Shawnee County District Judge Thomas Luedke at a hearing Tuesday to take his time in making a decision on the case, while the state’s attorney, Anthony Rupp, urged expeditious action.

“The timing is so critical here,” said Rupp.

Aetna is interested in remaining a Medicaid insurance provider in Kansas while the lawsuits are hashed out, which another provider’s attorney said would be “inviting chaos.”

The state&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/05/22/incredibly-disappointed-provider-objects-after-being-left-out-of-new-kansas-medicaid-contracts/">announced in May</a>&nbsp;that it selected three private companies other than Aetna to provide coverage under KanCare, as Medicaid is known in Kansas, beginning in January. Aetna had tied for third with Healthy Blue, which led to Aetna filing two lawsuits in Shawnee County District Court.

One, filed in July against three state departments, challenges&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/07/08/kansas-official-rejects-appeal-by-unsuccessful-bidders-on-states-4-billion-kancare-contract/">the decision</a>&nbsp;by Todd Herman, director of procurement and contracts in the Department of Administration, that denied Aetna’s appeal. The other, filed before the appeal was denied in June, challenges the same three departments and the governor’s office for records initially withheld from Aetna.

The state admits some of the documents the company requested were destroyed in March, which was before the decisions were announced and before Aetna submitted a request under the Kansas Open Records Act, according to court documents.

The destroyed records were the individual scoring notes that helped inform agency staff evaluations of each insurance provider. Judge Luedke likened them to jury notes, which are typically destroyed after a decision, like a trial verdict, has been made.

In court documents, the state called Aetna’s interest in obtaining the individual evaluation notes “a pure fishing expedition.”

But Aetna argued those notes were part of the decision-making process and should’ve been kept.

“They would’ve assisted us and pushed us over the line,” Kessler said.

At an Aug. 27 meeting of the KanCare oversight committee, legislators were concerned about the implications associated with the destruction of the scoring notes, using the words “disturbing” and “disappointing.”&nbsp;Jane Brown, Aetna president and CEO, asked the committee members to consider crafting rules to prevent future destruction of records and what she called “cherry-picking” and “arbitrary” decision making.

Sen. Renee Erickson, R-Wichita, said at the hearing Kansas’ executive branch “dropped the ball” during the award process.

“I don’t know how we legislate leadership and who should be held accountable for the lack of transparency in this process,” Erickson said.

Rep. Will Carpenter, R-El Dorado, said this procurement process will be “a stain” on Kansas’ contract processes “for years to come.”

Aetna, which has provided insurance for KanCare users for the past five years, was one of seven bidders. The winning companies — Healthy Blue, which is affiliated with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, and incumbents Sunflower State Health Plan and United Healthcare of the Midwest — all urged the judge to reject Aetna’s lawsuit.

Kessler said a lack of substantial evidence backing Aetna’s ousting amounts to an arbitrary and capricious decision. But Rupp said the record is “replete” with references to unresolved issues with Aetna in Kansas and other states.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726860685515.png" alt=" Jane Brown, president and CEO of Aetna Better Health of Kansas, speaks to the legislature’s Medicaid oversight committee on Aug. 27, 2024. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)" />
 <figcaption> Jane Brown, president and CEO of Aetna Better Health of Kansas, speaks to the legislature’s Medicaid oversight committee on Aug. 27, 2024. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Before Kansas officials revealed they had ousted Aetna Better Health as one of the providers for the state’s $4 billion Medicaid program, they destroyed documents that Aetna believes would have helped the company appeal the decision.Aetna filed two lawsuits against the state that now await decisions ahead of an Oct. 2 deadline, by which the company must notify its beneficiaries that it will no longer provide coverage. Aetna’s attorney, Marc Kessler, encouraged Shawnee County District Judge Thomas Luedke at a hearing Tuesday to take his time in making a decision on the case, while the state’s attorney, Anthony Rupp, urged expeditious action.“The timing is so critical here,” said Rupp.Aetna is interested in remaining a Medicaid insurance provider in Kansas while the lawsuits are hashed out, which another provider’s attorney said would be “inviting chaos.”The state&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/05/22/incredibly-disappointed-provider-objects-after-being-left-out-of-new-kansas-medicaid-contracts/">announced in May</a>&nbsp;that it selected three private companies other than Aetna to provide coverage under KanCare, as Medicaid is known in Kansas, beginning in January. Aetna had tied for third with Healthy Blue, which led to Aetna filing two lawsuits in Shawnee County District Court.One, filed in July against three state departments, challenges&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/07/08/kansas-official-rejects-appeal-by-unsuccessful-bidders-on-states-4-billion-kancare-contract/">the decision</a>&nbsp;by Todd Herman, director of procurement and contracts in the Department of Administration, that denied Aetna’s appeal. The other, filed before the appeal was denied in June, challenges the same three departments and the governor’s office for records initially withheld from Aetna.The state admits some of the documents the company requested were destroyed in March, which was before the decisions were announced and before Aetna submitted a request under the Kansas Open Records Act, according to court documents.The destroyed records were the individual scoring notes that helped inform agency staff evaluations of each insurance provider. Judge Luedke likened them to jury notes, which are typically destroyed after a decision, like a trial verdict, has been made.In court documents, the state called Aetna’s interest in obtaining the individual evaluation notes “a pure fishing expedition.”But Aetna argued those notes were part of the decision-making process and should’ve been kept.“They would’ve assisted us and pushed us over the line,” Kessler said.At an Aug. 27 meeting of the KanCare oversight committee, legislators were concerned about the implications associated with the destruction of the scoring notes, using the words “disturbing” and “disappointing.”&nbsp;Jane Brown, Aetna president and CEO, asked the committee members to consider crafting rules to prevent future destruction of records and what she called “cherry-picking” and “arbitrary” decision making.Sen. Renee Erickson, R-Wichita, said at the hearing Kansas’ executive branch “dropped the ball” during the award process.“I don’t know how we legislate leadership and who should be held accountable for the lack of transparency in this process,” Erickson said.Rep. Will Carpenter, R-El Dorado, said this procurement process will be “a stain” on Kansas’ contract processes “for years to come.”Aetna, which has provided insurance for KanCare users for the past five years, was one of seven bidders. The winning companies — Healthy Blue, which is affiliated with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, and incumbents Sunflower State Health Plan and United Healthcare of the Midwest — all urged the judge to reject Aetna’s lawsuit.Kessler said a lack of substantial evidence backing Aetna’s ousting amounts to an arbitrary and capricious decision. But Rupp said the record is “replete” with references to unresolved issues with Aetna in Kansas and other states.Aetna apologized to Kansas lawmakers in 2019 for failing to abide by its $1 billion contract, which stemmed from data errors, payment issues and a provider credentialing backlog,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2019/08/27/aetna-apologizes-for-failure-to-abide-by-1-billion-medicaid-contract-in-kansas/4368077007/" target="_blank">The Topeka Capital-Journal</a>&nbsp;reported.Kansas’ Medicaid system was privatized in 2013 under Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. This year’s bidding process is the third in state history and the first under a Democratic governor. The most recent shuffle took place in 2018 under Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer. The Republican-led Legislature blocked Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration in 2022 from selecting new contracts, operating on a hope that Republican Derek Schmidt would defeat Kelly in that year’s election.