NEW YORK (AP) —High school students' scores on the ACT college admissions test have dropped to their lowest in more than three decades, showing a lack of student&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-math-test-help-6cca6a5e873d5aeb5e75b4f94125d48c">preparedness for college-level coursework</a>, according to the nonprofit organization that administers the test.

Scores have been falling for six consecutive years, but the trend accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in the class of 2023 whose scores were reported Wednesday were in their first year of high school when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-covid-46cb725e08110f8ad3c1b303ec9eefad">the virus reached the U.S.</a>

“The hard truth is that we are not doing enough to ensure that graduates are truly ready for postsecondary success in college and career,” said Janet Godwin, chief executive officer for the nonprofit ACT.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://leadershipblog.act.org/2023/10/act-scores-decline.html">average ACT composite score</a>&nbsp;for U.S. students was 19.5 out of 36. Last year, the average score was 19.8.

The average scores in reading, science and math all were below benchmarks the ACT says students must reach to have a high probability of success in first-year college courses. The average score in English was just above the benchmark but still declined compared to last year.

Many universities have made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sat-test-going-digital-4887adbfba984e0943de0a0262e9349e">standardized admissions tests optional</a>&nbsp;amid criticism that they favor the wealthy and put low-income students at a disadvantage. Some including the University of California system do not consider ACT or SAT scores even if submitted.

Godwin said the scores are still helpful for placing students in the right college courses and preparing academic advisors to better support students.

“In terms of college readiness, even in a test-optional environment, these kinds of objective test scores about academic readiness are incredibly important,” Godwin said.

At Denise Cabrera's high school in Hawaii, all students are required to take the ACT as juniors. She said she would have taken it anyway to improve her chances of getting into college.

“Honestly, I’m unsure why the test was ever required because colleges can look at different qualities of the students who are applying outside of just a one-time test score,” said Denise, a 17-year-old senior at Waianae High School.

She's looking at schools including the California Institute of Technology, which implemented a five-year moratorium on the standardized test score requirements during the pandemic. Denise said she knows the school is not considering scores but she doesn't want to limit her options elsewhere.

About 1.4 million students in the U.S. took the ACT this year, an increase from last year. However, the numbers have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Godwin said she doesn't believe those numbers will ever fully recover, partly because of test-optional admission policies.

Of students who were tested, only 21% met benchmarks for success in college-level classes in all subjects. Research from the nonprofit shows students who meet those benchmarks have a 50% chance of earning a B or better and nearly a 75% chance of earning a C or better in corresponding courses.

NEW YORK (AP) —High school students' scores on the ACT college admissions test have dropped to their lowest in more than three decades, showing a lack of student&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-math-test-help-6cca6a5e873d5aeb5e75b4f94125d48c">preparedness for college-level coursework</a>, according to the nonprofit organization that administers the test.Scores have been falling for six consecutive years, but the trend accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in the class of 2023 whose scores were reported Wednesday were in their first year of high school when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-covid-46cb725e08110f8ad3c1b303ec9eefad">the virus reached the U.S.</a>“The hard truth is that we are not doing enough to ensure that graduates are truly ready for postsecondary success in college and career,” said Janet Godwin, chief executive officer for the nonprofit ACT.The&nbsp;<a href="https://leadershipblog.act.org/2023/10/act-scores-decline.html">average ACT composite score</a>&nbsp;for U.S. students was 19.5 out of 36. Last year, the average score was 19.8.The average scores in reading, science and math all were below benchmarks the ACT says students must reach to have a high probability of success in first-year college courses. The average score in English was just above the benchmark but still declined compared to last year.Many universities have made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sat-test-going-digital-4887adbfba984e0943de0a0262e9349e">standardized admissions tests optional</a>&nbsp;amid criticism that they favor the wealthy and put low-income students at a disadvantage. Some including the University of California system do not consider ACT or SAT scores even if submitted.Godwin said the scores are still helpful for placing students in the right college courses and preparing academic advisors to better support students.“In terms of college readiness, even in a test-optional environment, these kinds of objective test scores about academic readiness are incredibly important,” Godwin said.At Denise Cabrera's high school in Hawaii, all students are required to take the ACT as juniors. She said she would have taken it anyway to improve her chances of getting into college.“Honestly, I’m unsure why the test was ever required because colleges can look at different qualities of the students who are applying outside of just a one-time test score,” said Denise, a 17-year-old senior at Waianae High School.She's looking at schools including the California Institute of Technology, which implemented a five-year moratorium on the standardized test score requirements during the pandemic. Denise said she knows the school is not considering scores but she doesn't want to limit her options elsewhere.About 1.4 million students in the U.S. took the ACT this year, an increase from last year. However, the numbers have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Godwin said she doesn't believe those numbers will ever fully recover, partly because of test-optional admission policies.Of students who were tested, only 21% met benchmarks for success in college-level classes in all subjects. Research from the nonprofit shows students who meet those benchmarks have a 50% chance of earning a B or better and nearly a 75% chance of earning a C or better in corresponding courses.___

ACT test scores for US students drop to new 30-year low

SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2a.m. Saturday in Sedgwick County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Harley Davidson driven by Sage Joseph Duran, 29, Wichita, was eastbound on Central Avenue from Ridge at a high rate of speed.

The driver ran the red light and struck a 2021 Dodge Ram driven by Christian Minchaca Rueda, 26, Wichita that was northbound on the ramp from Interstate 235 to westbound Central Avenue, had a green light and entered the intersection.

After impact Duran lost control of the motorcycle. It continued eastbound, struck the curb, a street sign and a telephone pole before coming to rest in the roadway.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Duran was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the Sedgwick County Coroner's Office.&nbsp; Rueda and a passenger in the pickup were not injured.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2a.m. Saturday in Sedgwick County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Harley Davidson driven by Sage Joseph Duran, 29, Wichita, was eastbound on Central Avenue from Ridge at a high rate of speed.The driver ran the red light and struck a 2021 Dodge Ram driven by Christian Minchaca Rueda, 26, Wichita that was northbound on the ramp from Interstate 235 to westbound Central Avenue, had a green light and entered the intersection.After impact Duran lost control of the motorcycle. It continued eastbound, struck the curb, a street sign and a telephone pole before coming to rest in the roadway.&nbsp;&nbsp;Duran was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the Sedgwick County Coroner's Office.&nbsp; Rueda and a passenger in the pickup were not injured.&nbsp;

Kansas man dies after motorcycle, pickup crash

TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas man of defrauding car dealerships, financial institutions, and title loan companies, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Montressa “Monty” Cunningham, 42, of Junction City was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, seven counts of bank fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and five counts of money laundering.

Beginning about December 2018, Cunningham applied for loans to purchase vehicles from Kansas dealerships. He submitted applications to financial institutions using other people’s social security numbers, false residential addresses, and counterfeit pay stubs showing fabricated monthly incomes, places of employment, and lengths of employment. 

As a result, Cunningham received seven vehicle loans totaling approximately $264,000. As part of the scheme, once Cunningham received the titles, he altered the documents to remove the lien holder’s name and address. He used the altered titles to register the vehicles in either Kansas or Georgia to receive clear titles. Cunningham then either sold the vehicles for cash or used the clear titles as collateral for cash loans. 

Title loan companies and individuals who purchased the vehicles paid Cunningham approximately $85,010 in cash.

The U.S. Secret Service and the Kansas Department of Revenue, Office of Special Investigations are investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697224806480.png" alt="The defendant received seven vehicle loans totaling approximately $264,000.-Google image" />
 <figcaption>The defendant received seven vehicle loans totaling approximately $264,000.-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas man of defrauding car dealerships, financial institutions, and title loan companies, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Montressa “Monty” Cunningham, 42, of Junction City was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, seven counts of bank fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and five counts of money laundering.Beginning about December 2018, Cunningham applied for loans to purchase vehicles from Kansas dealerships. He submitted applications to financial institutions using other people’s social security numbers, false residential addresses, and counterfeit pay stubs showing fabricated monthly incomes, places of employment, and lengths of employment. As a result, Cunningham received seven vehicle loans totaling approximately $264,000. As part of the scheme, once Cunningham received the titles, he altered the documents to remove the lien holder’s name and address. He used the altered titles to register the vehicles in either Kansas or Georgia to receive clear titles. Cunningham then either sold the vehicles for cash or used the clear titles as collateral for cash loans. Title loan companies and individuals who purchased the vehicles paid Cunningham approximately $85,010 in cash.The U.S. Secret Service and the Kansas Department of Revenue, Office of Special Investigations are investigating the case.

 Kan. man guilty of fraud scheme involving 7 vehicle loans

In honor of International Day of the Girl, First Lady Jill Biden celebrated 15 young women leaders, selected by the White House Gender Policy Council, who are leading change and shaping a brighter future in their communities across the United States. &nbsp;

As an educator for more than 30 years, Dr. Biden has continued to be a champion for young people at home and abroad.

Together with the White House Gender Policy Council, Dr. Biden hosted the first-ever “Girls Leading Change” celebration at the White House to recognize the profound impact young women are having on their communities and their efforts strengthening our country for generations to come.&nbsp;

“It is my honor to celebrate this exceptional group of “Girls Leading Change” at the White House,” said First Lady Jill Biden. “These young women are protecting and preserving the earth, writing and sharing stories that change minds, and turning their pain into purpose. Together, they represent the potential of young people across the country, and it is my hope that others can learn from the power of their innovation, strength, and hope.”

In addition, the Biden-Harris Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/11/fact-sheet-white-house-celebrates-international-day-of-the-girl-and-announces-new-actions-to-support-youth-in-the-u-s-and-abroad/" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;a series of new actions that build on the Administration’s investment in young people and expand opportunities for women and girls at home and abroad.

Since day one in office, the Administration has been committed to ensuring women and girls have the opportunities and resources they need to ensure their safety, education, health, and wellbeing.

(Montgomery, Alabama) Breanna and Brooke Bennett, age 16, are dedicated to ending period poverty and ensuring everyone has access to the menstrual supplies they need. When they were 12 years old, Breanna and Brooke were inspired to give period supplies to girls in a public housing project in Montgomery, Alabama, kicking off what became their organization, Women in Training, through which they have distributed more than 30,000 kits with sanitary pads and toiletries. Breanna and Brooke have also successfully advocated for the passage of HB 50, a state law in Alabama that provides funds for school staff to provide sanitary pads to students in need. They are committed to building on that success and eliminating period poverty at the national level.

Jazmin Cazares, age 18, is a leading activist for gun violence prevention at the state and national level. After her sister Jackie was killed in the shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, Jazmin spent her senior year of high school traveling across the country and sharing Jackie’s story. Jazmin spoke alongside March for Our Lives leaders at the Texas State Capitol and testified before lawmakers. There, she called for tighter background checks, extreme risk protection order laws, and for lawmakers to “do something” to prevent future mass shootings. Jazmin plans to obtain a master’s degree in psychology and to continue fighting for her sister’s legacy.

Mona Cho (Redondo Beach, California)

Mona Cho, age 15, is dedicated to combatting online harassment and abuse and the harm it poses to youth and teens. She serves on the Beach Cities Health District’s Youth Advisory Council and is also part of the District’s newly created Youth Health &amp; Safety Committee, where she leads a team of five students in a campaign to spread awareness on how to stay safe on social media, and to prioritize mental health online. As part of this work, she created a short film that follows real-life stories of the impact of damaged digital footprints. Through the Plan USA Youth Leadership Academy, she leads the Digital Online Safety and Empowerment Initiative. Mona hopes to continue deploying film as a tool to promote online safety and call for change.

Julia Garnett (Hendersonville, Tennessee)&nbsp;

Julia Garnett, age 17, is dedicated to fighting against book bans and promoting educational freedom in public school and county public libraries. In her school district, she advocated successfully for student representation on book review committees and served on her own high school’s committee. At the national level, Julia has provided testimony before Congress on book bans and volunteers with Student Advocates for Speech, a partnership with the National Coalition Against Censorship. She is an organizer and leader on multiple issues, planned a Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, led a student walkout in protest of gun violence, and served as the President of her school’s Gay-Straight Alliance. Julia is committed to ensuring that youth grow up free from censorship, with access to books that fully represent the diversity of their communities and the world.

Logan Hennes, age 16, is committed to combatting antisemitism in communities across the country. Through the American Jewish Committee, Logan has created and taken on a leadership role in supporting students like herself who are working to address antisemitism in their schools and communities, such as Logan’s community in New York City. As the leader of her high school’s Jewish Affinity Group, she has hosted speakers to raise awareness of rising antisemitism and supported her peers in similar organizing and advocacy work across other communities and issues. Logan plans to pursue a career in international relations and U.S. foreign policy.

Anja Herrman (River Forest, Illinois)&nbsp;

Anja Herrman, age 17, is a disability rights activist and advocate for equity and inclusion. She has led grassroots disability advocacy work, including as a member of the Personal Protective Equipment for People with Disabilities (PPE4PWD Coalition), which helped secure personal protective equipment for people with disabilities during the COVID–19 pandemic. Since 2021, she has served as the youngest appointed member of the Village of River Forest’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Group. Anja is emerging as a national leader through her research, speaking engagements, and publications. She authored a white paper that highlights the need for school shooting plans that account for the safety of students with disabilities through a fellowship program at the Disability EmpowHer Network.

Leela Marie Hidier (Yarmouth, Maine)&nbsp;

&nbsp;Leela Marie Hidier, age 18, is a climate social justice advocate and published author. Her award-winning debut novel, Changes in the Weather, features four teenagers displaced by climate change in the U.S., coming of age in a world and time of uncertainty. Leela Marie has been invited to read from her work and speak at community centers, schools, climate conferences, the Maine State House, and across her state. Currently on a gap year, she is working in the nonprofit sector in Maine before beginning college next year. She aspires to become an educator, and to continue using art as a form of activism

Elisa Martinez (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Elisa Martinez, age 17, is an organizer dedicated to civic engagement, particularly within the Latino community. She founded her school’s Latino Student Union and mobilizes students on issues such as climate justice and gun violence prevention. Elisa volunteers as a poll worker to assist Spanishspeaking voters and ensure they understand their rights. After losing her friend to a fentanyl overdose, Elisa has spoken out about beating the opioid crisis and has joined the Trial by Peers program to advocate for juveniles in the criminal justice system. Elisa hopes to become a public defender.

Gabriella Nakai (Phoenix, Arizona)

Gabriella Nakai, age 17, is a Navajo and Choctaw leader dedicated to furthering food security and sustainability, indigenous sovereignty, and youth advocacy. For her work in growing sustainable, heirloom Native produce and promoting seed saving and propagation, Gabriella was honored by the Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute as a 2023 Champion for Change. Gabriella works with Native American Connections on addressing youth homelessness and mental health in Phoenix. She founded the Native American club at her school, is a leader in her student government, and hopes to continue serving her tribal community through nonprofit work.

Zahra Rahimi (Alexandria, Virginia)

Zahra Rahimi, age 17, arrived in the U.S. four years ago from Afghanistan, and has since dedicated herself to supporting refugee resettlement in her local community, including access to English as a Second Language services in Alexandria schools. As student representative to the Alexandria City Board of Education, Zahra organized cultural events and staff trainings to ensure the school was prepared to receive new refugee families from Afghanistan. Zahra partnered with Northern Virginia Resettling Afghan Families Together to establish a special literacy program to support her largely female middle and high school peers who were reading below a second-grade level. In addition to her refugee resettlement efforts, Zahra is a passionate advocate for advancing women’s rights globally, especially in areas of conflict.

Gitanjali Rao (Highlands Ranch, Colorado)

Gitanjali Rao, age 17, is a freshman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is a scientist and inventor whose groundbreaking lead contamination detection tool won her an EPA Presidential Award and America’s Top Young Scientist by Discovery Education/3M. Her book Young Innovator’s Guide to STEM, which offers a prescriptive five-step innovation process, is used as a STEM curriculum globally in selected schools. Time Magazine’s first-ever Kid of the Year, Gitanjali is committed to not only continuing her career as a scientist and inventor, but expanding her STEM education initiative, which has already touched more than 80,000 elementary, middle, and high school students.

Avery Turner (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Avery Turner, age 17, is a high school senior and calls herself a “seasoned mover,” having moved 10 times before her father recently retired from the Air Force. Avery is committed to supporting military teens, and currently serves as the Director of Programs at Bloom, an organization started by military teens dedicated to promoting their belonging within the military community and amplifying their voices. A prolific writer, as well as a nationally-ranked competitive springboard diver, Avery writes about her experiences trying to find her place in the ever-changing landscape of military teen life in the hopes of providing connection and community.

Sandra Ukah, age 18, a freshman at the University of Florida, is committed to civic education and community organizing. She was co-founder and co-president of Seminole High School’s Black Student Union, the first Black Student Union (BSU) in Seminole County, and she later consulted with district members to establish BSU chapters in all of the county’s high schools. Sandra served on her city’s Youth Council for two years and became president, during which time she launched an initiative on civic education to teach her community about the role of local government, host voter registration drives, and connect government to the community. Sandra hopes to work in civil rights and constitutional law.

Rania Zuri (Morgantown, West Virginia)

Rania Zuri, age 18, is a third-generation West Virginian and the founder and CEO of The LiTEArary Society, a nonprofit organization focused on ending “book deserts” for disadvantaged preschool children. Since Rania founded the organization at 13 years old, it has grown to donate books to over 28,000 preschool children in federal Head Start programs across all 50 states. The organization has received funding and partnerships from Pilot Pens, Hershey’s, Scholastic, Starbucks, and others. Rania plans to continue this work with the belief in the power of reading to transform lives.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697055879681.png" alt="Together with the White House Gender Policy Council, Dr. Biden hosted the first-ever “Girls Leading Change” celebration.-photo courtesy teenvogue.com via the White House" />
 <figcaption>Together with the White House Gender Policy Council, Dr. Biden hosted the first-ever “Girls Leading Change” celebration.-photo courtesy teenvogue.com via the White House</figcaption>
 </figure>In honor of International Day of the Girl, First Lady Jill Biden celebrated 15 young women leaders, selected by the White House Gender Policy Council, who are leading change and shaping a brighter future in their communities across the United States. &nbsp;<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2QG8X9RMygQ?si=L-5Kv7O_9oJJEvmz&amp;start=190" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>As an educator for more than 30 years, Dr. Biden has continued to be a champion for young people at home and abroad.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">First Lady Jill Biden hosts the first-ever “Girls Leading Change” celebration at the White House to recognize the profound impact young women are having on their communities across the country. <a href="https://t.co/QY2nwstdw0">pic.twitter.com/QY2nwstdw0</a>&mdash; Vanessa Valdivia (@vvaldivia46) <a href="https://twitter.com/vvaldivia46/status/1712199490474586532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Together with the White House Gender Policy Council, Dr. Biden hosted the first-ever “Girls Leading Change” celebration at the White House to recognize the profound impact young women are having on their communities and their efforts strengthening our country for generations to come.&nbsp;“It is my honor to celebrate this exceptional group of “Girls Leading Change” at the White House,” said First Lady Jill Biden. “These young women are protecting and preserving the earth, writing and sharing stories that change minds, and turning their pain into purpose. Together, they represent the potential of young people across the country, and it is my hope that others can learn from the power of their innovation, strength, and hope.”In addition, the Biden-Harris Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/11/fact-sheet-white-house-celebrates-international-day-of-the-girl-and-announces-new-actions-to-support-youth-in-the-u-s-and-abroad/" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;a series of new actions that build on the Administration’s investment in young people and expand opportunities for women and girls at home and abroad. Since day one in office, the Administration has been committed to ensuring women and girls have the opportunities and resources they need to ensure their safety, education, health, and wellbeing.2023 Girl Leading Change HonoreesBreanna &amp; Brooke Bennett (Montgomery, Alabama) Breanna and Brooke Bennett, age 16, are dedicated to ending period poverty and ensuring everyone has access to the menstrual supplies they need. When they were 12 years old, Breanna and Brooke were inspired to give period supplies to girls in a public housing project in Montgomery, Alabama, kicking off what became their organization, Women in Training, through which they have distributed more than 30,000 kits with sanitary pads and toiletries. Breanna and Brooke have also successfully advocated for the passage of HB 50, a state law in Alabama that provides funds for school staff to provide sanitary pads to students in need. They are committed to building on that success and eliminating period poverty at the national level.Jazmin Cazares (Uvalde, Texas) Jazmin Cazares, age 18, is a leading activist for gun violence prevention at the state and national level. After her sister Jackie was killed in the shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, Jazmin spent her senior year of high school traveling across the country and sharing Jackie’s story. Jazmin spoke alongside March for Our Lives leaders at the Texas State Capitol and testified before lawmakers. There, she called for tighter background checks, extreme risk protection order laws, and for lawmakers to “do something” to prevent future mass shootings. Jazmin plans to obtain a master’s degree in psychology and to continue fighting for her sister’s legacy.Mona Cho (Redondo Beach, California) Mona Cho, age 15, is dedicated to combatting online harassment and abuse and the harm it poses to youth and teens. She serves on the Beach Cities Health District’s Youth Advisory Council and is also part of the District’s newly created Youth Health &amp; Safety Committee, where she leads a team of five students in a campaign to spread awareness on how to stay safe on social media, and to prioritize mental health online. As part of this work, she created a short film that follows real-life stories of the impact of damaged digital footprints. Through the Plan USA Youth Leadership Academy, she leads the Digital Online Safety and Empowerment Initiative. Mona hopes to continue deploying film as a tool to promote online safety and call for change.Julia Garnett (Hendersonville, Tennessee)&nbsp; Julia Garnett, age 17, is dedicated to fighting against book bans and promoting educational freedom in public school and county public libraries. In her school district, she advocated successfully for student representation on book review committees and served on her own high school’s committee. At the national level, Julia has provided testimony before Congress on book bans and volunteers with Student Advocates for Speech, a partnership with the National Coalition Against Censorship. She is an organizer and leader on multiple issues, planned a Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, led a student walkout in protest of gun violence, and served as the President of her school’s Gay-Straight Alliance. Julia is committed to ensuring that youth grow up free from censorship, with access to books that fully represent the diversity of their communities and the world.Logan Hennes (New York, New York) Logan Hennes, age 16, is committed to combatting antisemitism in communities across the country. Through the American Jewish Committee, Logan has created and taken on a leadership role in supporting students like herself who are working to address antisemitism in their schools and communities, such as Logan’s community in New York City. As the leader of her high school’s Jewish Affinity Group, she has hosted speakers to raise awareness of rising antisemitism and supported her peers in similar organizing and advocacy work across other communities and issues. Logan plans to pursue a career in international relations and U.S. foreign policy.Anja Herrman (River Forest, Illinois)&nbsp; Anja Herrman, age 17, is a disability rights activist and advocate for equity and inclusion. She has led grassroots disability advocacy work, including as a member of the Personal Protective Equipment for People with Disabilities (PPE4PWD Coalition), which helped secure personal protective equipment for people with disabilities during the COVID–19 pandemic. Since 2021, she has served as the youngest appointed member of the Village of River Forest’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Group. Anja is emerging as a national leader through her research, speaking engagements, and publications. She authored a white paper that highlights the need for school shooting plans that account for the safety of students with disabilities through a fellowship program at the Disability EmpowHer Network.Leela Marie Hidier (Yarmouth, Maine)&nbsp;&nbsp;Leela Marie Hidier, age 18, is a climate social justice advocate and published author. Her award-winning debut novel, Changes in the Weather, features four teenagers displaced by climate change in the U.S., coming of age in a world and time of uncertainty. Leela Marie has been invited to read from her work and speak at community centers, schools, climate conferences, the Maine State House, and across her state. Currently on a gap year, she is working in the nonprofit sector in Maine before beginning college next year. She aspires to become an educator, and to continue using art as a form of activismElisa Martinez (Las Vegas, Nevada) Elisa Martinez, age 17, is an organizer dedicated to civic engagement, particularly within the Latino community. She founded her school’s Latino Student Union and mobilizes students on issues such as climate justice and gun violence prevention. Elisa volunteers as a poll worker to assist Spanishspeaking voters and ensure they understand their rights. After losing her friend to a fentanyl overdose, Elisa has spoken out about beating the opioid crisis and has joined the Trial by Peers program to advocate for juveniles in the criminal justice system. Elisa hopes to become a public defender.Gabriella Nakai (Phoenix, Arizona)Gabriella Nakai, age 17, is a Navajo and Choctaw leader dedicated to furthering food security and sustainability, indigenous sovereignty, and youth advocacy. For her work in growing sustainable, heirloom Native produce and promoting seed saving and propagation, Gabriella was honored by the Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute as a 2023 Champion for Change. Gabriella works with Native American Connections on addressing youth homelessness and mental health in Phoenix. She founded the Native American club at her school, is a leader in her student government, and hopes to continue serving her tribal community through nonprofit work.Zahra Rahimi (Alexandria, Virginia)Zahra Rahimi, age 17, arrived in the U.S. four years ago from Afghanistan, and has since dedicated herself to supporting refugee resettlement in her local community, including access to English as a Second Language services in Alexandria schools. As student representative to the Alexandria City Board of Education, Zahra organized cultural events and staff trainings to ensure the school was prepared to receive new refugee families from Afghanistan. Zahra partnered with Northern Virginia Resettling Afghan Families Together to establish a special literacy program to support her largely female middle and high school peers who were reading below a second-grade level. In addition to her refugee resettlement efforts, Zahra is a passionate advocate for advancing women’s rights globally, especially in areas of conflict.Gitanjali Rao (Highlands Ranch, Colorado)Gitanjali Rao, age 17, is a freshman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is a scientist and inventor whose groundbreaking lead contamination detection tool won her an EPA Presidential Award and America’s Top Young Scientist by Discovery Education/3M. Her book Young Innovator’s Guide to STEM, which offers a prescriptive five-step innovation process, is used as a STEM curriculum globally in selected schools. Time Magazine’s first-ever Kid of the Year, Gitanjali is committed to not only continuing her career as a scientist and inventor, but expanding her STEM education initiative, which has already touched more than 80,000 elementary, middle, and high school students.Avery Turner (Colorado Springs, Colorado) Avery Turner, age 17, is a high school senior and calls herself a “seasoned mover,” having moved 10 times before her father recently retired from the Air Force. Avery is committed to supporting military teens, and currently serves as the Director of Programs at Bloom, an organization started by military teens dedicated to promoting their belonging within the military community and amplifying their voices. A prolific writer, as well as a nationally-ranked competitive springboard diver, Avery writes about her experiences trying to find her place in the ever-changing landscape of military teen life in the hopes of providing connection and community.Sandra Ukah (Lake Mary, Florida) Sandra Ukah, age 18, a freshman at the University of Florida, is committed to civic education and community organizing. She was co-founder and co-president of Seminole High School’s Black Student Union, the first Black Student Union (BSU) in Seminole County, and she later consulted with district members to establish BSU chapters in all of the county’s high schools. Sandra served on her city’s Youth Council for two years and became president, during which time she launched an initiative on civic education to teach her community about the role of local government, host voter registration drives, and connect government to the community. Sandra hopes to work in civil rights and constitutional law.Rania Zuri (Morgantown, West Virginia)Rania Zuri, age 18, is a third-generation West Virginian and the founder and CEO of The LiTEArary Society, a nonprofit organization focused on ending “book deserts” for disadvantaged preschool children. Since Rania founded the organization at 13 years old, it has grown to donate books to over 28,000 preschool children in federal Head Start programs across all 50 states. The organization has received funding and partnerships from Pilot Pens, Hershey’s, Scholastic, Starbucks, and others. Rania plans to continue this work with the belief in the power of reading to transform lives.

🎥 First lady announced “Girls Leading Change” honorees

JOHNSON COUNTY—A suspect accused in a fatal fentanyl overdose death has made a court appearance.

On Thursday, 20-year-old Hugo Cesar Guzman, Jr. was charged with drug distribution causing death and two counts of fentanyl distribution, according to the Johnson County District Attorneys Office.

Guzman was accused of distributing the drugs that led to the death of Wesley Howard on Feb. 20, 2022.

Guzman is being held in the Johnson County Detention Center on a $250,000 bond. He is due back in court Oct. 19, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697156695646.png" alt="Guzman-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Guzman-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—A suspect accused in a fatal fentanyl overdose death has made a court appearance.On Thursday, 20-year-old Hugo Cesar Guzman, Jr. was charged with drug distribution causing death and two counts of fentanyl distribution, according to the Johnson County District Attorneys Office.Guzman was accused of distributing the drugs that led to the death of Wesley Howard on Feb. 20, 2022.Guzman is being held in the Johnson County Detention Center on a $250,000 bond. He is due back in court Oct. 19, according to the district attorney's office.

Kan. man charged with selling fentanyl that led to fatal overdose

JOHNSON COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal hit-and-run are asking the public for assistance in locating a white Truck Tractor with silver tank trailer, according to the Overland Park Police Department.

 This vehicle was involved in the fatality hit-and-run October 9 on Interstate 435 at Metcalf Avenue.

&nbsp;The vehicle pulled over and stopped westbound Interstate 435 in the area of Antioch Road.  After a brief time, the driver continued westbound&nbsp; and then exited to southbound Interstate 35. 

Police are continuing to track the movements through the use of cameras.  Any help identifying this vehicle with markings or company names email: pdtrafficunit@opkansas.org&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697226335288.png" alt="Photo Overland Park Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Overland Park Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal hit-and-run are asking the public for assistance in locating a white Truck Tractor with silver tank trailer, according to the Overland Park Police Department. This vehicle was involved in the fatality hit-and-run October 9 on Interstate 435 at Metcalf Avenue.&nbsp;The vehicle pulled over and stopped westbound Interstate 435 in the area of Antioch Road. After a brief time, the driver continued westbound&nbsp; and then exited to southbound Interstate 35. Police are continuing to track the movements through the use of cameras. Any help identifying this vehicle with markings or company names email: pdtrafficunit@opkansas.org&nbsp;

Police looking for semi involved in fatal Kan. hit-and-run

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/kelciemoseley-morris/">KELCIE MOSELEY-MORRIS</a>

A group of more than 600 Democratic legislators from Kansas, Missouri and 47 other states have signed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court urging the justices to overturn an appellate court decision that would roll back access to mifepristone, one of two drugs used to safely terminate early pregnancies and treat miscarriages.

The amicus brief, also called a “friend of the court” brief, was organized by State Innovation Exchange’s Reproductive Freedom Leadership Council and assembled over the past week, said Jennifer Driver, the group’s senior director of reproductive rights. Driver said&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stateinnovation.org/">State Innovation Exchange</a>, also known as SiX, provides tools and resources for state legislators to advocate for progressive public policies after being elected to office.

Driver said SiX did ask Republican legislators to sign on as well, but didn’t manage to garner any bipartisan support.

Every state, with the exception of Mississippi, had Democratic legislators who signed their names to the brief, with the highest number of participants from Illinois, followed by North Carolina, New York and Colorado. Driver said 13 state representatives from Arkansas also signed on.

“This statement should say that across the country, in almost every state, there are legislators that are saying their ability to protect their community should not be interfered with,” Driver said. “Even in ruby red states, there are legislators who are still fighting for abortion access, and they understand the ramifications of what happened in Dobbs and what could happen in this case.”

Upholding 5th Circuit would mean reinstating prior restrictions on pill&nbsp;

The Supreme Court has<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-justice-department-asks-supreme-court-take-abortion-pill-case">&nbsp;not yet accepted</a>&nbsp;the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine’s case against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but the court already involved itself in April by<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-supreme-court-preserves-access-abortion-pill-lawsuit-continues">&nbsp;temporarily blocking</a>&nbsp;the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision. If the high court declines to hear the case or upholds the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/23/23-10362-CV1.pdf">&nbsp;appellate court’s ruling</a>, the FDA’s rules that allowed expanded access of mifepristone would be struck down.

That would include the ability for providers to prescribe the medication via telehealth or send the medication in the mail, and it would decrease the time limit from 10 weeks of pregnancy to seven weeks. The results of most pregnancy tests are not reliable until after an individual has already missed a period at four weeks of pregnancy.

It would also require patients to see providers at three separate clinic appointments in person, which would be especially difficult for those traveling from one of the 14 states with abortion bans to access care.

The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine is a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://clearinghouse.net/case/43886/">group</a>&nbsp;of four anti-abortion organizations and four doctors that formed in 2022 and incorporated in Amarillo, Texas. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who is in Amarillo, made the initial ruling that would have revoked mifepristone’s approval in its entirety, leading some to conclude the plaintiffs chose to incorporate there for a favorable outcome in Kacsmaryk’s court.

The plaintiffs are represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious conservative group that recruits and trains attorneys to litigate cultural issue cases, including abortion, anti-LGBTQ legislation and what they consider violations of Christian religious freedom. The same organization was also involved in the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning the constitutional right to an abortion. The attorneys have argued the FDA illegally approved mifepristone in 2000, and have repeatedly contended that the drug is unsafe and responsible for many deaths — a claim that is<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/suspect-science-and-claims-center-abortion-pill-lawsuit">&nbsp;not backed</a>&nbsp;by credible sources.

According to the FDA, 28 deaths out of an estimated 5.6 million people in 23 years have been associated with mifepristone’s regimen for terminating a pregnancy, which is a markedly lower rate than many common FDA-approved drugs, like<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-02-17/abortion-pill-mifepristone-is-safer-than-tylenol-and-almost-impossible-to-get">&nbsp;Tylenol and Viagra</a>. And as the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/media/164331/download">&nbsp;FDA notes</a>, that small number includes fatal cases “regardless of causal attribution to mifepristone,” including people who died from homicide, suicide and pulmonary emphysema.

Legislators in Minnesota, North Carolina take the lead on brief

In the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf">&nbsp;Dobbs decision</a>, written by Justice Samuel Alito and issued in June 2022, the justices in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade said the regulation of abortion should be left to the states, “in accordance with the views of its citizens,” just as it was prior to the Roe ruling in 1973.

“It is time to heed the (U.S.) Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives,” Alito wrote.

That’s one of the reasons why the legislators decided to submit the brief, said Minnesota Democratic state Sen. Erin Maye Quade, one of two lawmakers leading the effort. While the legislators who signed on aren’t saying they agree with the Dobbs decision or the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the law, the justices’ own logic for the decision demonstrates that federal courts should not come between state laws on the issue of abortion.

“This (case) gives them an opportunity to decide whether abortion is really going to be up to states or not,” Maye Quade told States Newsroom on Tuesday.

The representatives and senators also argue that elected officials rely on the FDA’s authority to approve medications on the market, and allowing the 5th Circuit’s ruling to stand would undermine that authority. In a state like Minnesota, which is almost entirely surrounded by states with abortion bans, access to mifepristone is vital, Maye Quade said. Following Texas’ implementation of its abortion ban prior to the Dobbs ruling in 2022, Minnesota started to see an increase in patients seeking care. Maye Quade said there was a 20% increase in the state in 2022, and in 2023, the numbers continue to increase.

The other lawmaker leading the case is Rep. Julie von Haefen, a Democrat in North Carolina’s General Assembly. The legislature in North Carolina passed Senate Bill 20 earlier this year, banning abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy and requiring patients to receive counseling at least 72 hours before the termination is scheduled to take place. A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.guttmacher.org/2023/10/first-month-after-north-carolinas-latest-abortion-restrictions-facility-based-abortions?utm_source=Guttmacher+Email+Alerts&amp;utm_campaign=bdacbbe2a3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_10_09_06_20&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-bdacbbe2a3-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D">report issued Wednesday</a>&nbsp;by the Guttmacher Institute showed between June and July, when the law went into effect, abortions decreased by 31%. North Carolina was an access point for many people in surrounding states, von Haefen said, and that drop was jarring.

“We just believe that the Supreme Court made this decision in Dobbs, and they have to step in and say, ‘No more, we have to leave these decisions to state legislators,’” von Haefen said.

According to the U.S. Supreme Court’s<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/23-235.html">&nbsp;docket</a>, attorneys for the plaintiffs are scheduled to file their brief in opposition to the court taking the case by Nov. 9.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967437018.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/kelciemoseley-morris/">KELCIE MOSELEY-MORRIS</a>A group of more than 600 Democratic legislators from Kansas, Missouri and 47 other states have signed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court urging the justices to overturn an appellate court decision that would roll back access to mifepristone, one of two drugs used to safely terminate early pregnancies and treat miscarriages.The amicus brief, also called a “friend of the court” brief, was organized by State Innovation Exchange’s Reproductive Freedom Leadership Council and assembled over the past week, said Jennifer Driver, the group’s senior director of reproductive rights. Driver said&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stateinnovation.org/">State Innovation Exchange</a>, also known as SiX, provides tools and resources for state legislators to advocate for progressive public policies after being elected to office.Driver said SiX did ask Republican legislators to sign on as well, but didn’t manage to garner any bipartisan support.Every state, with the exception of Mississippi, had Democratic legislators who signed their names to the brief, with the highest number of participants from Illinois, followed by North Carolina, New York and Colorado. Driver said 13 state representatives from Arkansas also signed on.“This statement should say that across the country, in almost every state, there are legislators that are saying their ability to protect their community should not be interfered with,” Driver said. “Even in ruby red states, there are legislators who are still fighting for abortion access, and they understand the ramifications of what happened in Dobbs and what could happen in this case.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697231554048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697231693781.png" alt="A group of more than 600 Democratic legislators from 49 states signed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court urging the justices to overturn an appellate court decision that would roll back access to mifepristone, one of two drugs used to safely terminate early pregnancies and treat miscarriages." />
 <figcaption>A group of more than 600 Democratic legislators from 49 states signed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court urging the justices to overturn an appellate court decision that would roll back access to mifepristone, one of two drugs used to safely terminate early pregnancies and treat miscarriages.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Upholding 5th Circuit would mean reinstating prior restrictions on pill&nbsp;</h2>The Supreme Court has<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-justice-department-asks-supreme-court-take-abortion-pill-case">&nbsp;not yet accepted</a>&nbsp;the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine’s case against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but the court already involved itself in April by<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-supreme-court-preserves-access-abortion-pill-lawsuit-continues">&nbsp;temporarily blocking</a>&nbsp;the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision. If the high court declines to hear the case or upholds the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/23/23-10362-CV1.pdf">&nbsp;appellate court’s ruling</a>, the FDA’s rules that allowed expanded access of mifepristone would be struck down.That would include the ability for providers to prescribe the medication via telehealth or send the medication in the mail, and it would decrease the time limit from 10 weeks of pregnancy to seven weeks. The results of most pregnancy tests are not reliable until after an individual has already missed a period at four weeks of pregnancy.It would also require patients to see providers at three separate clinic appointments in person, which would be especially difficult for those traveling from one of the 14 states with abortion bans to access care.The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine is a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://clearinghouse.net/case/43886/">group</a>&nbsp;of four anti-abortion organizations and four doctors that formed in 2022 and incorporated in Amarillo, Texas. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who is in Amarillo, made the initial ruling that would have revoked mifepristone’s approval in its entirety, leading some to conclude the plaintiffs chose to incorporate there for a favorable outcome in Kacsmaryk’s court.The plaintiffs are represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious conservative group that recruits and trains attorneys to litigate cultural issue cases, including abortion, anti-LGBTQ legislation and what they consider violations of Christian religious freedom. The same organization was also involved in the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning the constitutional right to an abortion. The attorneys have argued the FDA illegally approved mifepristone in 2000, and have repeatedly contended that the drug is unsafe and responsible for many deaths — a claim that is<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/suspect-science-and-claims-center-abortion-pill-lawsuit">&nbsp;not backed</a>&nbsp;by credible sources.According to the FDA, 28 deaths out of an estimated 5.6 million people in 23 years have been associated with mifepristone’s regimen for terminating a pregnancy, which is a markedly lower rate than many common FDA-approved drugs, like<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-02-17/abortion-pill-mifepristone-is-safer-than-tylenol-and-almost-impossible-to-get">&nbsp;Tylenol and Viagra</a>. And as the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/media/164331/download">&nbsp;FDA notes</a>, that small number includes fatal cases “regardless of causal attribution to mifepristone,” including people who died from homicide, suicide and pulmonary emphysema.<h2>Legislators in Minnesota, North Carolina take the lead on brief</h2>In the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf">&nbsp;Dobbs decision</a>, written by Justice Samuel Alito and issued in June 2022, the justices in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade said the regulation of abortion should be left to the states, “in accordance with the views of its citizens,” just as it was prior to the Roe ruling in 1973.“It is time to heed the (U.S.) Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives,” Alito wrote.That’s one of the reasons why the legislators decided to submit the brief, said Minnesota Democratic state Sen. Erin Maye Quade, one of two lawmakers leading the effort. While the legislators who signed on aren’t saying they agree with the Dobbs decision or the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the law, the justices’ own logic for the decision demonstrates that federal courts should not come between state laws on the issue of abortion.“This (case) gives them an opportunity to decide whether abortion is really going to be up to states or not,” Maye Quade told States Newsroom on Tuesday.The representatives and senators also argue that elected officials rely on the FDA’s authority to approve medications on the market, and allowing the 5th Circuit’s ruling to stand would undermine that authority. In a state like Minnesota, which is almost entirely surrounded by states with abortion bans, access to mifepristone is vital, Maye Quade said. Following Texas’ implementation of its abortion ban prior to the Dobbs ruling in 2022, Minnesota started to see an increase in patients seeking care. Maye Quade said there was a 20% increase in the state in 2022, and in 2023, the numbers continue to increase.The other lawmaker leading the case is Rep. Julie von Haefen, a Democrat in North Carolina’s General Assembly. The legislature in North Carolina passed Senate Bill 20 earlier this year, banning abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy and requiring patients to receive counseling at least 72 hours before the termination is scheduled to take place. A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.guttmacher.org/2023/10/first-month-after-north-carolinas-latest-abortion-restrictions-facility-based-abortions?utm_source=Guttmacher+Email+Alerts&amp;utm_campaign=bdacbbe2a3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_10_09_06_20&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-bdacbbe2a3-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D">report issued Wednesday</a>&nbsp;by the Guttmacher Institute showed between June and July, when the law went into effect, abortions decreased by 31%. North Carolina was an access point for many people in surrounding states, von Haefen said, and that drop was jarring.“We just believe that the Supreme Court made this decision in Dobbs, and they have to step in and say, ‘No more, we have to leave these decisions to state legislators,’” von Haefen said.According to the U.S. Supreme Court’s<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/23-235.html">&nbsp;docket</a>, attorneys for the plaintiffs are scheduled to file their brief in opposition to the court taking the case by Nov. 9.

Legislators in Kan., Mo. ask SCOTUS to preserve access to abortion pill

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Kansas City-area shooting have a suspect in custody.

&nbsp;The shooting occurred Wednesday at a school bus stop in the 900 Block of Imperial Lane, according to the Blue Springs Police Department.&nbsp; The victim was transported to the hospital.

On Thursday police reported the arrest of&nbsp; 24-year-old Vatece Davis of Lee’s Summit on requested charges of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Armed Criminal Action and Stealing. She is being held on a $200,000 bond.

Police have not reported an update on the condition of the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697157999338.png" alt="Security camera image Blue Springs Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image Blue Springs Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Kansas City-area shooting have a suspect in custody.&nbsp;The shooting occurred Wednesday at a school bus stop in the 900 Block of Imperial Lane, according to the Blue Springs Police Department.&nbsp; The victim was transported to the hospital.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697229669535.png" alt="Davis-photo Jackson County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Davis-photo Jackson County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday police reported the arrest of&nbsp; 24-year-old Vatece Davis of Lee’s Summit on requested charges of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Armed Criminal Action and Stealing. She is being held on a $200,000 bond.Police have not reported an update on the condition of the victim.

Police capture woman in KC-area bus stop shooting 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man charged in the museum heist of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/solen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-5d142469ad5f052f6af053d20dbf20c4">a pair of ruby slippers</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/judy-garland">Judy Garland</a>&nbsp;wore in the “The Wizard of Oz” pleaded guilty Friday in a deal that could keep him out of prison due to his failing health, but only cleared up some of the mystery that dates back 18 years.

Terry Jon Martin, 76, pleaded guilty to a single count of theft of a major artwork. The shoes were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in the late actor's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and recovered by the FBI in 2018.

No one was arrested until Martin, who lives near Grand Rapids, was charged this year. During his change-of-plea hearing in federal court in Duluth, Martin said he used a hammer to smash the glass of the museum door and display case to take the slippers. He said he thought the slippers had real rubies and that he had hoped to sell the gems. But when a fence told him the rubies were glass, he said he got rid of the slippers.

Martin did not say how he got rid of them or to whom he gave them, leaving the slippers' whereabouts during the ensuing years a mystery. He did say that the theft had nothing to do with trying to get insurance money, as some have speculated.

“Terry has no idea where they were and how they were recovered," Martin’s attorney, Dane DeKrey, said afterward. "His involvement was that two-day period in 2005.”

Under the plea agreement, DeKrey and federal prosecutor Matt Greenley recommended that Martin not face any time behind bars because of his age and poor health. Martin, who appeared in court in a wheelchair with supplemental oxygen, has advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and struggles to breathe, DeKrey said. The proposed sentence would let Martin die at home, the attorney said.

“He's basically slowly suffocating to death,” DeKrey said.

Martin, who has a 1988 conviction for receiving stolen goods, remained free on his own recognizance after the hearing. U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz, the chief federal judge for Minnesota, ordered a presentence investigation and said he'd likely schedule the sentencing for about 2 1/2 months from now.

Schiltz told Martin that he isn't legally bound by the sentencing recommendation by the defense and prosecution. According to DeKrey, the nonbinding federal sentencing guidelines recommended eight to 10 years in similar cases.

The U.S. attorney's office said it would have no comment until after Martin is sentenced.

Garland wore several pairs of ruby slippers during filming of the classic 1939 musical, but only four authentic pairs are known to remain. The stolen slippers were insured for $1 million, but federal prosecutors put the current market value at about $3.5 million.

The FBI said a man approached the insurer in 2017 and said he could help get them back. The slippers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5f15402e28f04341b6a25d179b070fc5">recovered during an FBI sting</a>&nbsp;in Minneapolis. The FBI has never disclosed how it tracked down the slippers, which remain in the agency's custody.

The slippers were on loan to the museum from Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw when Martin stole them. Three other pairs that Garland wore in the movie are held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.si.edu/object/dorothys-ruby-slippers:nmah_670130">Smithsonian Museum of American History</a>&nbsp;and a private collector.

Several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/958ee83929104907b80b387d92bb71e8">rewards were offered</a>&nbsp;over the years in hopes of figuring out who stole the slippers, which were key props in the 1939 movie. Garland’s character, Dorothy, has to click the slippers' heels three times and repeat, “There’s no place like home,” to return home to Kansas.

Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16889e9c55dd4728a45ee11a783b74de">lived in Grand Rapids,</a>&nbsp;about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Minneapolis, until she was 4, when her family moved to Los Angeles. She died in 1969.

The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.judygarlandmuseum.com/">Judy Garland Museum,</a>&nbsp;which is in the house where she lived, says it has the world’s largest collection of Garland and Wizard of Oz memorabilia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684352824766.png" alt="FILE - A pair of ruby slippers once worn by actress Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" sit on display at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Federal prosecutors say a man has been indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, on charges of stealing a pair of ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.” The FBI recovered the slippers in 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - A pair of ruby slippers once worn by actress Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" sit on display at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Federal prosecutors say a man has been indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, on charges of stealing a pair of ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.” The FBI recovered the slippers in 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man charged in the museum heist of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/solen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-5d142469ad5f052f6af053d20dbf20c4">a pair of ruby slippers</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/judy-garland">Judy Garland</a>&nbsp;wore in the “The Wizard of Oz” pleaded guilty Friday in a deal that could keep him out of prison due to his failing health, but only cleared up some of the mystery that dates back 18 years.Terry Jon Martin, 76, pleaded guilty to a single count of theft of a major artwork. The shoes were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in the late actor's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and recovered by the FBI in 2018.No one was arrested until Martin, who lives near Grand Rapids, was charged this year. During his change-of-plea hearing in federal court in Duluth, Martin said he used a hammer to smash the glass of the museum door and display case to take the slippers. He said he thought the slippers had real rubies and that he had hoped to sell the gems. But when a fence told him the rubies were glass, he said he got rid of the slippers.Martin did not say how he got rid of them or to whom he gave them, leaving the slippers' whereabouts during the ensuing years a mystery. He did say that the theft had nothing to do with trying to get insurance money, as some have speculated.“Terry has no idea where they were and how they were recovered," Martin’s attorney, Dane DeKrey, said afterward. "His involvement was that two-day period in 2005.”Under the plea agreement, DeKrey and federal prosecutor Matt Greenley recommended that Martin not face any time behind bars because of his age and poor health. Martin, who appeared in court in a wheelchair with supplemental oxygen, has advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and struggles to breathe, DeKrey said. The proposed sentence would let Martin die at home, the attorney said.“He's basically slowly suffocating to death,” DeKrey said.Martin, who has a 1988 conviction for receiving stolen goods, remained free on his own recognizance after the hearing. U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz, the chief federal judge for Minnesota, ordered a presentence investigation and said he'd likely schedule the sentencing for about 2 1/2 months from now.Schiltz told Martin that he isn't legally bound by the sentencing recommendation by the defense and prosecution. According to DeKrey, the nonbinding federal sentencing guidelines recommended eight to 10 years in similar cases.The U.S. attorney's office said it would have no comment until after Martin is sentenced.Garland wore several pairs of ruby slippers during filming of the classic 1939 musical, but only four authentic pairs are known to remain. The stolen slippers were insured for $1 million, but federal prosecutors put the current market value at about $3.5 million.The FBI said a man approached the insurer in 2017 and said he could help get them back. The slippers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5f15402e28f04341b6a25d179b070fc5">recovered during an FBI sting</a>&nbsp;in Minneapolis. The FBI has never disclosed how it tracked down the slippers, which remain in the agency's custody.The slippers were on loan to the museum from Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw when Martin stole them. Three other pairs that Garland wore in the movie are held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.si.edu/object/dorothys-ruby-slippers:nmah_670130">Smithsonian Museum of American History</a>&nbsp;and a private collector.Several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/958ee83929104907b80b387d92bb71e8">rewards were offered</a>&nbsp;over the years in hopes of figuring out who stole the slippers, which were key props in the 1939 movie. Garland’s character, Dorothy, has to click the slippers' heels three times and repeat, “There’s no place like home,” to return home to Kansas.Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16889e9c55dd4728a45ee11a783b74de">lived in Grand Rapids,</a>&nbsp;about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Minneapolis, until she was 4, when her family moved to Los Angeles. She died in 1969.The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.judygarlandmuseum.com/">Judy Garland Museum,</a>&nbsp;which is in the house where she lived, says it has the world’s largest collection of Garland and Wizard of Oz memorabilia.___

Man admits stealing 'Wizard of Oz' ruby slippers from museum 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a third homicide in Topeka since Tuesday in Topeka.

Just before 1:30 a.m. Friday, police responded to a report of a shooting victim at a local hospital, according to Topeka Police Captain Jerry Monasmith.

At the hospital, officers located 17-year-old Damayah Calhoun suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound.&nbsp; Medical personnel pronounce Calhoun deceased. 

This incident is being investigated as a homicide. Police have not indicated a connection with two other teen murders this week.

Just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka.&nbsp; First responders located&nbsp;Ra’Juan Spicer, 18, Topeka, suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound.

EMS personnel pronounced him deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

At 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the 2000 block of SE Pennsylvania Street in Topeka.

First responders located 17-year-old Victor Carlton suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest in these cases.

Friday's death is the 29th homicide in Topeka in 2023, according to Monasmith.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215827398.png" alt="Scene of the police investigation Friday morning -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Scene of the police investigation Friday morning -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a third homicide in Topeka since Tuesday in Topeka.Just before 1:30 a.m. Friday, police responded to a report of a shooting victim at a local hospital, according to Topeka Police Captain Jerry Monasmith.At the hospital, officers located 17-year-old Damayah Calhoun suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound.&nbsp; Medical personnel pronounce Calhoun deceased. This incident is being investigated as a homicide. Police have not indicated a connection with two other teen murders this week.Just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka.&nbsp; First responders located&nbsp;Ra’Juan Spicer, 18, Topeka, suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound.EMS personnel pronounced him deceased at the scene.&nbsp;At 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the 2000 block of SE Pennsylvania Street in Topeka.First responders located 17-year-old Victor Carlton suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest in these cases.Friday's death is the 29th homicide in Topeka in 2023, according to Monasmith.

Homicide: 3 Kansas teens dead in 4 days of violence

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans chose firebrand Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jim-jordan">Jim Jordan</a>&nbsp;as their new nominee for House speaker during internal voting Friday, putting the gavel within reach of the staunch ally of GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump.

Electing Jordan, a founding member of the Freedom Caucus, to the powerful position second in line to the presidency would move the GOP’s far right into a central seat of U.S. power. A groundswell of high-profile backers including Fox News’ Sean Hannity publicly pressured lawmakers to vote Jordan into the speaker’s office after the stunning ouster of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">Kevin McCarthy</a>.

Jordan, of Ohio, will now try to unite colleagues from the deeply&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-ousted-mccarthy-3fccfca11fe61c36fe399880f2679f12">divided House GOP majority</a>&nbsp;ahead of a public vote on the floor, which could push to next week. Republicans split 124-81 in Friday's private vote, though a second secret ballot nudged his tally higher.

“I think Jordan would do a great job,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said ahead of the vote. “We got to get this back on track.”

Frustrated House Republicans have been fighting bitterly over whom they should elect to replace McCarthy to lead their party after his unprecedented ouster by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-republican-lawmakers-house-opponents-33c7d984964916f29d548b5b1dfe508b">handful of hardliners</a>. The stalemate between the factions, now in its second week, has thrown the House into chaos, grinding all other business to a halt.

Attention swiftly turned to Jordan, the Judiciary Committee chairman and founder of the far-right Freedom Caucus, as the next potential candidate after Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/Handfuls%20of%20hard-liners%20announced%20they%20were%20sticking%20with%20Jordan,%20McCarthy%20or%20someone%20other%20than%20Scalise.">Steve Scalise</a>&nbsp;abruptly ended his bid when it became clear holdouts would refuse to back his nomination.

But not all Republicans want to see Jordan as speaker.

Jordan is known for his close&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-speaker-mccarthy-capitol-hill-432f89f6826b2b4f51990ae4b4d293fb">alliance with Trump</a>, particularly when the then-president was working to overturn the results of the 2020 election, leading to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

His rise would all but complete the far-rightward shift of the party, and boost its defense of Trump in four separate legal cases, including over 2020 election fraud. During Trump’s impeachment proceedings over the Jan. 6 attack, Jordan was his chief defender in Congress. Trump awarded him the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jim-jordan-impeachments-capitol-siege-eeadab127460dd5170e79608f654aca6">Medal of Freedom</a>&nbsp;days later.

The work of Congress, including next month’s Nov. 17 deadline to fund the government or risk a federal shutdown, would be almost certain to become anything but routine. Jordan’s wing of the party has already demanded severe budget cuts that he has promised to deliver, and aid to Ukraine would be seriously in doubt. Investigations into Biden and his family would push to the forefront.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries immediately gathered his party on the Capitol steps urging Republicans off giving the gavel to Jordan — an “extremist extraordinaire” — and urging GOP lawmakers to partner with them to reopen the House.

Overwhelmed and exhausted, anxious GOP lawmakers worry their House majority is being frittered away to countless rounds of infighting and some don't want to reward the speaker's gavel to Jordan's wing, which sparked the turmoil.

“If we’re going to be the majority party, we have to act like the majority party,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/64b634a91a2d4933b8bca4c95baa1309">Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.,</a>&nbsp;a former president of the “tea party” freshmen class of 2011 who posed a last-ditch challenge to Jordan.

Jordan’s tally Friday was not much better than the 113-99 vote he lost to Scalise at the start of the week, showing the long road ahead. Though the second Friday ballot pushed his tally to 152-55.

“He's got some work to do,” said veteran Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho.

While Jordan has a long list of detractors, his supporters said voting against the Trump ally during a public vote on the House floor would be tougher since he is so popular and well known among more conservative GOP voters.

Heading into a morning meeting, Jordan said, “I feel real good.”

The House, without a speaker, is essentially unable to function during a time of turmoil in the U.S. and wars overseas. The political pressure increasingly is on Republicans to reverse course, reassert majority control and govern in Congress.

With the House narrowly split 221-212, with two vacancies, any nominee can lose just a few Republicans before they fail to reach the 217 majority needed in the face of opposition from Democrats, who will most certainly back their own leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries.

Absences could lower the majority threshold needed, and Republicans were down about a dozen lawmakers as of midday Friday. No floor votes were scheduled.

Other potential speaker choices were also being floated. Some Republicans proposed simply giving Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., who was appointed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-powers-mchenry-875bebd218096a5252840cd8f52cc137">interim speaker pro tempore</a>, greater authority to lead the House for some time.

On Friday, California Republican Rep. Tom McClintock, had introduced a motion to reinstate McCarthy during the morning meeting, but it was shelved.

In announcing his decision to withdraw from the nomination, Scalise declined to throw his support behind Jordan as the bitter rivalry deepened. “It’s got to be people that aren’t doing it for themselves,” he said late Thursday.

But Jordan's allies swung into high gear at a chance for the hard-right leader to seize the gavel.

Jordan also received an important nod Friday from the Republican Party’s campaign chairman, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., who made an attempt to unify the fighting factions.

“Removing Speaker Kevin McCarthy was a mistake,” Hudson wrote on social media, saying the party found itself at a crossroads also blocking Scalise. “We must unite around one leader.”

Just as handfuls of Republicans announced they wouldn't go for Scalise, on Friday the situation flipped and holdouts were sticking with Scalise, McCarthy or someone other than Jordan.

Trump, the early front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, had announced his preference early for Jordan, and repeatedly discussed Scalise’s health during a radio interview that aired Thursday.

Scalise has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-scalise-blood-cancer-house-republican-leader-f98d35f1d09e8c8009e180068b191daa">diagnosed with a form of blood cancer</a>&nbsp;and is being treated, but he has also said he was definitely up for the speaker's job.

Jordan himself faces questions about his past. Some years ago, Jordan and his office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6fb5bfff7db9439883907efce5c119fb">denied allegations</a>&nbsp;from former wrestlers during his time as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University who accused him of knowing about claims they were inappropriately groped by an Ohio doctor. Jordan and his office have said he was never aware of any abuse.

The situation is not fully different from the start of the year, when McCarthy faced a similar backlash from a different group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-republican-lawmakers-house-opponents-33c7d984964916f29d548b5b1dfe508b">far-right holdouts</a>&nbsp;who ultimately gave their votes to elect him speaker, then engineered his historic downfall.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697233160422.png" alt="Rep. Jim Jordan-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Jim Jordan-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans chose firebrand Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jim-jordan">Jim Jordan</a>&nbsp;as their new nominee for House speaker during internal voting Friday, putting the gavel within reach of the staunch ally of GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump.Electing Jordan, a founding member of the Freedom Caucus, to the powerful position second in line to the presidency would move the GOP’s far right into a central seat of U.S. power. A groundswell of high-profile backers including Fox News’ Sean Hannity publicly pressured lawmakers to vote Jordan into the speaker’s office after the stunning ouster of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">Kevin McCarthy</a>.Jordan, of Ohio, will now try to unite colleagues from the deeply&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-ousted-mccarthy-3fccfca11fe61c36fe399880f2679f12">divided House GOP majority</a>&nbsp;ahead of a public vote on the floor, which could push to next week. Republicans split 124-81 in Friday's private vote, though a second secret ballot nudged his tally higher.“I think Jordan would do a great job,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said ahead of the vote. “We got to get this back on track.”Frustrated House Republicans have been fighting bitterly over whom they should elect to replace McCarthy to lead their party after his unprecedented ouster by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-republican-lawmakers-house-opponents-33c7d984964916f29d548b5b1dfe508b">handful of hardliners</a>. The stalemate between the factions, now in its second week, has thrown the House into chaos, grinding all other business to a halt.Attention swiftly turned to Jordan, the Judiciary Committee chairman and founder of the far-right Freedom Caucus, as the next potential candidate after Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/Handfuls%20of%20hard-liners%20announced%20they%20were%20sticking%20with%20Jordan,%20McCarthy%20or%20someone%20other%20than%20Scalise.">Steve Scalise</a>&nbsp;abruptly ended his bid when it became clear holdouts would refuse to back his nomination.But not all Republicans want to see Jordan as speaker.Jordan is known for his close&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-speaker-mccarthy-capitol-hill-432f89f6826b2b4f51990ae4b4d293fb">alliance with Trump</a>, particularly when the then-president was working to overturn the results of the 2020 election, leading to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.His rise would all but complete the far-rightward shift of the party, and boost its defense of Trump in four separate legal cases, including over 2020 election fraud. During Trump’s impeachment proceedings over the Jan. 6 attack, Jordan was his chief defender in Congress. Trump awarded him the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jim-jordan-impeachments-capitol-siege-eeadab127460dd5170e79608f654aca6">Medal of Freedom</a>&nbsp;days later.The work of Congress, including next month’s Nov. 17 deadline to fund the government or risk a federal shutdown, would be almost certain to become anything but routine. Jordan’s wing of the party has already demanded severe budget cuts that he has promised to deliver, and aid to Ukraine would be seriously in doubt. Investigations into Biden and his family would push to the forefront.House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries immediately gathered his party on the Capitol steps urging Republicans off giving the gavel to Jordan — an “extremist extraordinaire” — and urging GOP lawmakers to partner with them to reopen the House.Overwhelmed and exhausted, anxious GOP lawmakers worry their House majority is being frittered away to countless rounds of infighting and some don't want to reward the speaker's gavel to Jordan's wing, which sparked the turmoil.“If we’re going to be the majority party, we have to act like the majority party,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/64b634a91a2d4933b8bca4c95baa1309">Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.,</a>&nbsp;a former president of the “tea party” freshmen class of 2011 who posed a last-ditch challenge to Jordan.Jordan’s tally Friday was not much better than the 113-99 vote he lost to Scalise at the start of the week, showing the long road ahead. Though the second Friday ballot pushed his tally to 152-55.“He's got some work to do,” said veteran Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho.While Jordan has a long list of detractors, his supporters said voting against the Trump ally during a public vote on the House floor would be tougher since he is so popular and well known among more conservative GOP voters.Heading into a morning meeting, Jordan said, “I feel real good.”The House, without a speaker, is essentially unable to function during a time of turmoil in the U.S. and wars overseas. The political pressure increasingly is on Republicans to reverse course, reassert majority control and govern in Congress.With the House narrowly split 221-212, with two vacancies, any nominee can lose just a few Republicans before they fail to reach the 217 majority needed in the face of opposition from Democrats, who will most certainly back their own leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries.Absences could lower the majority threshold needed, and Republicans were down about a dozen lawmakers as of midday Friday. No floor votes were scheduled.Other potential speaker choices were also being floated. Some Republicans proposed simply giving Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., who was appointed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-powers-mchenry-875bebd218096a5252840cd8f52cc137">interim speaker pro tempore</a>, greater authority to lead the House for some time.On Friday, California Republican Rep. Tom McClintock, had introduced a motion to reinstate McCarthy during the morning meeting, but it was shelved.In announcing his decision to withdraw from the nomination, Scalise declined to throw his support behind Jordan as the bitter rivalry deepened. “It’s got to be people that aren’t doing it for themselves,” he said late Thursday.But Jordan's allies swung into high gear at a chance for the hard-right leader to seize the gavel.Jordan also received an important nod Friday from the Republican Party’s campaign chairman, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., who made an attempt to unify the fighting factions.“Removing Speaker Kevin McCarthy was a mistake,” Hudson wrote on social media, saying the party found itself at a crossroads also blocking Scalise. “We must unite around one leader.”Just as handfuls of Republicans announced they wouldn't go for Scalise, on Friday the situation flipped and holdouts were sticking with Scalise, McCarthy or someone other than Jordan.Trump, the early front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, had announced his preference early for Jordan, and repeatedly discussed Scalise’s health during a radio interview that aired Thursday.Scalise has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-scalise-blood-cancer-house-republican-leader-f98d35f1d09e8c8009e180068b191daa">diagnosed with a form of blood cancer</a>&nbsp;and is being treated, but he has also said he was definitely up for the speaker's job.Jordan himself faces questions about his past. Some years ago, Jordan and his office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6fb5bfff7db9439883907efce5c119fb">denied allegations</a>&nbsp;from former wrestlers during his time as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University who accused him of knowing about claims they were inappropriately groped by an Ohio doctor. Jordan and his office have said he was never aware of any abuse.The situation is not fully different from the start of the year, when McCarthy faced a similar backlash from a different group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-republican-lawmakers-house-opponents-33c7d984964916f29d548b5b1dfe508b">far-right holdouts</a>&nbsp;who ultimately gave their votes to elect him speaker, then engineered his historic downfall.___

Republicans pick Trump ally Jim Jordan as nominee for House speaker

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a deadly fire in Wyandotte County.

Just after 3:30a.m.&nbsp; Friday, crews responded to a fire at a home. First arriving crew reported heavy smoke&nbsp; flames. Firefighters found a victim whose identity has not been verified.  A 72- year-old woman is known to be an occupant of this residence.&nbsp;

Officials released no additional details Friday afternoon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697225972995.png" alt="Photo KCK Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCK Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a deadly fire in Wyandotte County.Just after 3:30a.m.&nbsp; Friday, crews responded to a fire at a home. First arriving crew reported heavy smoke&nbsp; flames. Firefighters found a victim whose identity has not been verified. A 72- year-old woman is known to be an occupant of this residence.&nbsp;Officials released no additional details Friday afternoon.

Authorities investigating deadly Kansas house fire

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kyledavidson/">KYLE DAVIDSON</a>

Four weeks into the United Auto Workers strike against the Detroit Three automakers, union President Shawn Fain announced in a livestream that the union would no longer wait until Fridays to expand its strike to new plants.

“We’re entering a new phase of this fight, and it demands a new approach,” Fain said Friday.

While Fain did not call for additional strikes against General Motors, Ford or Stellantis during the livestream, he said the UAW was prepared to call more local unions to walk out at any time.

“When I tell all you members to be ready to stand up, I mean it. We’re not waiting until Fridays anymore,” Fain said.

About 8,700 workers from Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/12/at-fords-most-lucrative-plant-strikers-say-they-dont-see-their-share-of-the-profits/">were called to join&nbsp;</a>the strike Wednesday night, with Fain saying Ford “hasn’t gotten the message” in contract negotiations.

During the stream, Fain said the company offered them the same deal the union had rejected two weeks ago, after telling the union there was more money that could be offered.

“At that point, I’d said, ‘That’s all you have for us? Our members’ lives and my handshake are worth more than that. You just cost yourself Kentucky truck plant.’…We didn’t wait ‘til Friday and we didn’t wait a minute,” Fain said.

Ford Vice President of Communications Mark Truby issued a statement calling the decision to call a strike at the company’s largest plant “grossly irresponsible but unsurprising.”

Fain criticized Ford’s statement during the stream.

“Ford made a lot of noise after we took out Kentucky truck plant. As the saying goes, a hit dog will holler,” Fain said.

“They admitted that Kentucky Truck generates $25 billion in revenue a year, that’s $48,000 a minute. Our labor at Kentucky truck generates more revenue each minute than thousands of our members make in a year,” Fain said.

Fain also accused Ford of waiting until Fridays to make progress on bargaining.

Ford thought they could sit back and not make further progress in bargaining because they thought they had the best deal on the table. Ford thought they could wait until Friday morning and then just make a better offer,” Fain said.

“They stopped being interested in reaching a fair deal now and only became interested in gaming our system of announcing strike expansions on Friday. They thought they figured out the so-called rules of the game, so we changed the rules. And now there’s only one rule: Pony up,” Fain said.

Fain said the UAW is continuing to look for a deal.

“I wish I had more updates or good news for all of you out of GM or Stellantis, but the fact is, we’re still bargaining hard with both of those companies. And they’re now on notice that we’re entering a new phase in this fight,” Fain said.

Fain also addressed criticism that he was setting UAW members too high.

“I want to be clear on this point. I didn’t raise members’ expectations. Our broken economy is what’s raising our members’ expectations. And our members are right to be angry. … Income inequality in the United States has now risen to heights not seen since the Great Depression. So I’m not the cause of raised expectations. The cause is overflowing corporate bank accounts,” Fain said.

Unless employers come to their senses and begin offering contracts that match gains on Wall Street, there will be more strikes on the horizon, Fain predicted.

There’s been a flurry of labor actions this fall.

More than 1,000 UAW Local 2500 members who work at Blue Cross Blue Shield went on strike last month. The union represents the company’s customer service call center department and other workers.

<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/12/detroit-casino-union-leader-were-calling-on-these-companies-to-stop-gambling-on-our-livelihoods/">Nearly 4,000 workers in the Detroit Casino Council</a>&nbsp;are preparing for a strike, almost 1,000 of whom are UAW members, Fain said.

Another 1,100 UAW members&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/UAW/status/1711877806047551545">working at General Dynamics</a>&nbsp;in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, voted 97% in favor of authorizing a strike. Their contract expires on Oct. 22.

Additionally,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/11/striking-mack-trucks-workers-in-pennsylvania-we-deserve-our-fair-share-too/">Mack Truck workers voted down a tentative agreement</a>, seeking better wages, job security and reinstatement of cost of living increases. The strike involves 4,000 UAW workers across three states.

“Our union is done playing defense. We’re going on offense. We’re done aiming low and settling lower. It’s time we started aiming high and seeing how close we can get to total economic and social justice,” Fain said.

“What we win isn’t up to me,” Fain said. “It isn’t up to your executive board. It isn’t up to your local president or the president of the United States. What we win, it’s up to us — all of us.”

This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/13/uaw-changes-the-rules-as-strike-drags-on-tells-members-to-prepare-for-walkouts-at-any-time/">the Michigan Advance</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695471687000.png" alt="Photo UAW" />
 <figcaption>Photo UAW</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kyledavidson/">KYLE DAVIDSON</a>Four weeks into the United Auto Workers strike against the Detroit Three automakers, union President Shawn Fain announced in a livestream that the union would no longer wait until Fridays to expand its strike to new plants.“We’re entering a new phase of this fight, and it demands a new approach,” Fain said Friday.While Fain did not call for additional strikes against General Motors, Ford or Stellantis during the livestream, he said the UAW was prepared to call more local unions to walk out at any time.“When I tell all you members to be ready to stand up, I mean it. We’re not waiting until Fridays anymore,” Fain said.About 8,700 workers from Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/12/at-fords-most-lucrative-plant-strikers-say-they-dont-see-their-share-of-the-profits/">were called to join&nbsp;</a>the strike Wednesday night, with Fain saying Ford “hasn’t gotten the message” in contract negotiations.During the stream, Fain said the company offered them the same deal the union had rejected two weeks ago, after telling the union there was more money that could be offered.“At that point, I’d said, ‘That’s all you have for us? Our members’ lives and my handshake are worth more than that. You just cost yourself Kentucky truck plant.’…We didn’t wait ‘til Friday and we didn’t wait a minute,” Fain said.Ford Vice President of Communications Mark Truby issued a statement calling the decision to call a strike at the company’s largest plant “grossly irresponsible but unsurprising.”Fain criticized Ford’s statement during the stream.“Ford made a lot of noise after we took out Kentucky truck plant. As the saying goes, a hit dog will holler,” Fain said.“They admitted that Kentucky Truck generates $25 billion in revenue a year, that’s $48,000 a minute. Our labor at Kentucky truck generates more revenue each minute than thousands of our members make in a year,” Fain said.Fain also accused Ford of waiting until Fridays to make progress on bargaining.Ford thought they could sit back and not make further progress in bargaining because they thought they had the best deal on the table. Ford thought they could wait until Friday morning and then just make a better offer,” Fain said.“They stopped being interested in reaching a fair deal now and only became interested in gaming our system of announcing strike expansions on Friday. They thought they figured out the so-called rules of the game, so we changed the rules. And now there’s only one rule: Pony up,” Fain said.Fain said the UAW is continuing to look for a deal.“I wish I had more updates or good news for all of you out of GM or Stellantis, but the fact is, we’re still bargaining hard with both of those companies. And they’re now on notice that we’re entering a new phase in this fight,” Fain said.Fain also addressed criticism that he was setting UAW members too high.“I want to be clear on this point. I didn’t raise members’ expectations. Our broken economy is what’s raising our members’ expectations. And our members are right to be angry. … Income inequality in the United States has now risen to heights not seen since the Great Depression. So I’m not the cause of raised expectations. The cause is overflowing corporate bank accounts,” Fain said.Unless employers come to their senses and begin offering contracts that match gains on Wall Street, there will be more strikes on the horizon, Fain predicted.There’s been a flurry of labor actions this fall.More than 1,000 UAW Local 2500 members who work at Blue Cross Blue Shield went on strike last month. The union represents the company’s customer service call center department and other workers.<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/12/detroit-casino-union-leader-were-calling-on-these-companies-to-stop-gambling-on-our-livelihoods/">Nearly 4,000 workers in the Detroit Casino Council</a>&nbsp;are preparing for a strike, almost 1,000 of whom are UAW members, Fain said.Another 1,100 UAW members&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/UAW/status/1711877806047551545">working at General Dynamics</a>&nbsp;in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, voted 97% in favor of authorizing a strike. Their contract expires on Oct. 22.Additionally,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/11/striking-mack-trucks-workers-in-pennsylvania-we-deserve-our-fair-share-too/">Mack Truck workers voted down a tentative agreement</a>, seeking better wages, job security and reinstatement of cost of living increases. The strike involves 4,000 UAW workers across three states.“Our union is done playing defense. We’re going on offense. We’re done aiming low and settling lower. It’s time we started aiming high and seeing how close we can get to total economic and social justice,” Fain said.“What we win isn’t up to me,” Fain said. “It isn’t up to your executive board. It isn’t up to your local president or the president of the United States. What we win, it’s up to us — all of us.”This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/13/uaw-changes-the-rules-as-strike-drags-on-tells-members-to-prepare-for-walkouts-at-any-time/">the Michigan Advance</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;