Kansas Chamber hosts candidate forum as general election heats up

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/"></a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Second congressional district candidate Derek Schmidt said this could be a moment in American history when Congress could effectively push back against explosive growth in federal regulation.

Schmidt, a former Kansas attorney general who won the Republican nomination for the open seat, said serious people didn’t argue for elimination of federal agencies or for an end to government regulation. However, he said recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions throttling power of the federal bureaucracy presented an opportunity for Congress to take action to contain power of unelected officials in Washington, D.C.

“Here’s the bottom line: There is a moment to deal with this over-regulation problem that I think is enormous. I hear it everywhere I go in the 2nd District. Took us generations to get it. It’s not going to be headline-grabbing. It’s going to be down in the weeds, roll up your sleeves, do the dirty work of oversight,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt took part in a Kansas Chamber candidate forum Wednesday along with five other major party candidates for Congress. All four GOP nominees and two of four Democratic Party nominees participated in the question-and-answer program. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the 3rd District Democrat, didn’t attend. Nor did the Democrat running against U.S. Rep. Ron Estes of the 4th District in Wichita. Libertarian Party candidates for Congress didn’t take part.

Former U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, who captured the Democratic nomination in the 2nd District of eastern Kansas, spoke before her rival Schmidt closed out the event. But Boyda also argued the nation could no longer let fester a persistent problem — the relentless partisanship and division damaging the nation.

“We have so much broken trust. We are so divided,” said Boyda, who cast herself as a political centrist. “I can get the right and the left to speak to each other. That’s just what I’ve been about for 20 years.”

Boyda told members of the Kansas Chamber in the audience that they wouldn’t be fulfilling their roles if they didn’t put pressure on the Kansas congressional delegation to work in a bipartisan manner on behalf of Kansans. She made her point personal, suggesting U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, a Salina Republican who serves the 1st District, had to find common ground with Democrats in a quest to improve the lives of Kansans.

“Tracey, I expect you to work with me. I expect you to work together, and very visibly. And it will cost you politically and it will cost me,” she said.

Mann, who easily won the 1st District’s GOP nomination, said his attention was focused on underhanded acts by China, the $35 trillion U.S. federal debt and the nation’s drift away from fundamental values of “faith, family and hard work, personal responsibility.” He said the federal government had to create a safe national border and place emphasis on “innovation and not regulation.”

“We have a lot of work to do to get this country back on track,” said Mann, who serves a district ranking No. 3 nationally in terms of agriculture commerce. “I’ve been very frustrated, very vocal with this (Biden) administration’s lack of focus on trade. We’ve got to think about who should our trading partners be in 2040 and 2050, and working to build those relationships today to be less beholden to China and other countries that wish us ill.”

Mann said the Big First included 60 of the state’s 105 counties, and there were more hospitals — 58 — in his U.S. House district than any other district in Congress.

“In the western part of the state,” Mann said, “our hospitals are struggling. This is a problem today. It’s about to become a huge problem.”

He didn’t endorse expansion of eligibility for Medicaid in Kansas, which would add more than 100,000 lower-income people to the joint federal-state health care program and unleash hundreds of millions of dollars annually in federal funding for preventive health care that would have an impact on the bottom line of hospitals. The congressman did argue against the federal government imposing staff mandates on rural hospitals.

First District Democratic nominee Paul Buskirk, who worked for decades in academic counseling of students at University of Kansas, said his conversations with registered Republicans, Democrats and independents revealed deep frustration with the inability of Congress to do its fundamental job.

“They’ve lost sight of that call to service,” Buskirk said. “Politicians tell us what we want to hear. Leaders tell us what we need to know.”

Buskirk said the most important business issue of 2024 was the pledge by GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump to identify, arrest and deport everyone not legally in the United States. He said one estimate put the number of people living without proper documentation in Kansas at 62,000, but he speculated the total could be twice that figure. He said withdrawing thousands of immigrants from the state’s labor force would cause an economic calamity, especially in the southwest Kansas livestock and meatpacking industry.

“The leader of that (GOP) party believes that they can create more unity out of finding an enemy,” he said. “That could not be more ludicrous.”

Physician Prasanth Reddy, the Republican nominee in the 3rd District, said his experience immigrating to the United States from India as a child left him “very much pro-immigration.” He’s running against Davids, the incumbent.

“Immigrants are the driving engine of this country, right? We are a melting pot,” he said. “The question is: What’s the right policy? The folks who are doing it the right way (legally) are being punished, and we’re letting people kind of jump in line. We got to do better right now for the needs of this country. Work programs, right? Amnesty is not a solution. Geographic convenience shouldn’t be a moral argument for amnest either.”

Estes, the 4th District incumbent, said he filed to run for another two-year term because he was frustrated with the surging federal debt and excessive annual overspending. He said Congress had to make difficult decisions about expenditures on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps.

“At the spending level that we’re at right now, one out of every four dollars that the federal government spends is borrowed. That equates to about $80,000 a second that is being borrowed. We’re borrowing more than the median income of a Kansas household,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725648365265.png" alt=" Former Kansas Attorney General and current Republican nominee for the 2nd District seat in Congress Derek Schmidt, right, said during a Kansas Chamber forum on Wednesday there was a window of opportunity for elected officials in Washington to crack down on the growing federal bureaucracy. He faces Democrat Nancy Boyda in the November general election to decide who replaces retiring U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kansas. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Former Kansas Attorney General and current Republican nominee for the 2nd District seat in Congress Derek Schmidt, right, said during a Kansas Chamber forum on Wednesday there was a window of opportunity for elected officials in Washington to crack down on the growing federal bureaucracy. He faces Democrat Nancy Boyda in the November general election to decide who replaces retiring U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kansas. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas Chamber hosts candidate forum as general election heats up</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/"></a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Second congressional district candidate Derek Schmidt said this could be a moment in American history when Congress could effectively push back against explosive growth in federal regulation.Schmidt, a former Kansas attorney general who won the Republican nomination for the open seat, said serious people didn’t argue for elimination of federal agencies or for an end to government regulation. However, he said recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions throttling power of the federal bureaucracy presented an opportunity for Congress to take action to contain power of unelected officials in Washington, D.C.“Here’s the bottom line: There is a moment to deal with this over-regulation problem that I think is enormous. I hear it everywhere I go in the 2nd District. Took us generations to get it. It’s not going to be headline-grabbing. It’s going to be down in the weeds, roll up your sleeves, do the dirty work of oversight,” Schmidt said.Schmidt took part in a Kansas Chamber candidate forum Wednesday along with five other major party candidates for Congress. All four GOP nominees and two of four Democratic Party nominees participated in the question-and-answer program. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the 3rd District Democrat, didn’t attend. Nor did the Democrat running against U.S. Rep. Ron Estes of the 4th District in Wichita. Libertarian Party candidates for Congress didn’t take part.Former U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, who captured the Democratic nomination in the 2nd District of eastern Kansas, spoke before her rival Schmidt closed out the event. But Boyda also argued the nation could no longer let fester a persistent problem — the relentless partisanship and division damaging the nation.“We have so much broken trust. We are so divided,” said Boyda, who cast herself as a political centrist. “I can get the right and the left to speak to each other. That’s just what I’ve been about for 20 years.”Boyda told members of the Kansas Chamber in the audience that they wouldn’t be fulfilling their roles if they didn’t put pressure on the Kansas congressional delegation to work in a bipartisan manner on behalf of Kansans. She made her point personal, suggesting U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, a Salina Republican who serves the 1st District, had to find common ground with Democrats in a quest to improve the lives of Kansans.“Tracey, I expect you to work with me. I expect you to work together, and very visibly. And it will cost you politically and it will cost me,” she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725648323773.png" alt=" Paul Buskirk, a Lawrence Democrat seeking to unseat U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kansas, in the 1st District said during a Kansas Chamber event Wednesday the plan by former President Donald Trump to deport millions of people in the United States illegally was impractical and would significantly harm the Kansas economy. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Paul Buskirk, a Lawrence Democrat seeking to unseat U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kansas, in the 1st District said during a Kansas Chamber event Wednesday the plan by former President Donald Trump to deport millions of people in the United States illegally was impractical and would significantly harm the Kansas economy. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Mann frets about hospitals</h2>Mann, who easily won the 1st District’s GOP nomination, said his attention was focused on underhanded acts by China, the $35 trillion U.S. federal debt and the nation’s drift away from fundamental values of “faith, family and hard work, personal responsibility.” He said the federal government had to create a safe national border and place emphasis on “innovation and not regulation.”“We have a lot of work to do to get this country back on track,” said Mann, who serves a district ranking No. 3 nationally in terms of agriculture commerce. “I’ve been very frustrated, very vocal with this (Biden) administration’s lack of focus on trade. We’ve got to think about who should our trading partners be in 2040 and 2050, and working to build those relationships today to be less beholden to China and other countries that wish us ill.”Mann said the Big First included 60 of the state’s 105 counties, and there were more hospitals — 58 — in his U.S. House district than any other district in Congress.“In the western part of the state,” Mann said, “our hospitals are struggling. This is a problem today. It’s about to become a huge problem.”He didn’t endorse expansion of eligibility for Medicaid in Kansas, which would add more than 100,000 lower-income people to the joint federal-state health care program and unleash hundreds of millions of dollars annually in federal funding for preventive health care that would have an impact on the bottom line of hospitals. The congressman did argue against the federal government imposing staff mandates on rural hospitals.First District Democratic nominee Paul Buskirk, who worked for decades in academic counseling of students at University of Kansas, said his conversations with registered Republicans, Democrats and independents revealed deep frustration with the inability of Congress to do its fundamental job.“They’ve lost sight of that call to service,” Buskirk said. “Politicians tell us what we want to hear. Leaders tell us what we need to know.”Buskirk said the most important business issue of 2024 was the pledge by GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump to identify, arrest and deport everyone not legally in the United States. He said one estimate put the number of people living without proper documentation in Kansas at 62,000, but he speculated the total could be twice that figure. He said withdrawing thousands of immigrants from the state’s labor force would cause an economic calamity, especially in the southwest Kansas livestock and meatpacking industry.“The leader of that (GOP) party believes that they can create more unity out of finding an enemy,” he said. “That could not be more ludicrous.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725648283707.png" alt=" Republican 3rd District nominee Prasanth Reddy, who immigrated to the United States as a child, said during a Kansas Chamber forum Wednesday that Congress had a duty to embrace immigration policy that respected economic potential of people seeking to legally reside in the United States and avoided simplistic solutions that equated to amnesty for people in the country without permission. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Republican 3rd District nominee Prasanth Reddy, who immigrated to the United States as a child, said during a Kansas Chamber forum Wednesday that Congress had a duty to embrace immigration policy that respected economic potential of people seeking to legally reside in the United States and avoided simplistic solutions that equated to amnesty for people in the country without permission. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Amnesty is not a solution’</h2>Physician Prasanth Reddy, the Republican nominee in the 3rd District, said his experience immigrating to the United States from India as a child left him “very much pro-immigration.” He’s running against Davids, the incumbent.“Immigrants are the driving engine of this country, right? We are a melting pot,” he said. “The question is: What’s the right policy? The folks who are doing it the right way (legally) are being punished, and we’re letting people kind of jump in line. We got to do better right now for the needs of this country. Work programs, right? Amnesty is not a solution. Geographic convenience shouldn’t be a moral argument for amnest either.”Estes, the 4th District incumbent, said he filed to run for another two-year term because he was frustrated with the surging federal debt and excessive annual overspending. He said Congress had to make difficult decisions about expenditures on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps.“At the spending level that we’re at right now, one out of every four dollars that the federal government spends is borrowed. That equates to about $80,000 a second that is being borrowed. We’re borrowing more than the median income of a Kansas household,” he said.

Kansas congressional forum: Schmidt vows to tackle bureaucracy, Boyda calls for bipartisanship

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating a fatal house fire in Kansas City.

Just before 11:30p.m. Friday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported house fire in the 5700 block of Bales in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.&nbsp; First responders reported smoke and fire showing from the front of the home.

 The fire was quickly brought under control. During the search of the home, crews discovered the body of a man. Kansas City police homicide detectives were notified and responded to investigate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The investigation will be handled by the Kansas City Police Department with assistance from bomb and arson investigators. Police released no additional details early Saturday.

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating a fatal house fire in Kansas City.Just before 11:30p.m. Friday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported house fire in the 5700 block of Bales in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.&nbsp; First responders reported smoke and fire showing from the front of the home. The fire was quickly brought under control. During the search of the home, crews discovered the body of a man. Kansas City police homicide detectives were notified and responded to investigate.&nbsp;&nbsp;The investigation will be handled by the Kansas City Police Department with assistance from bomb and arson investigators. Police released no additional details early Saturday.

Body of a man found in Kansas City house fire

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri judge on Friday ruled that an abortion-rights campaign did not meet legal requirements to qualify for the November ballot, potentially thwarting a yearslong effort to undo the state's near-total abortion ban.

But Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh stopped short of removing the measure from the ballot. Instead, he gave the abortion-rights campaign a chance to file a last-minute appeal before Tuesday's deadline to make changes to the Missouri ballot.

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom will appeal the decision and hopes for “a swift resolution so that Missourians can vote on November 5 to protect reproductive freedom, including access to abortion, birth control and miscarriage care," campaign manager Rachel Sweet said in a statement.

“The court’s decision to block Amendment 3 from appearing on the ballot is a profound injustice to the initiative petition process and undermines the rights of the 380,000 Missourians who signed our petition demanding a voice on this critical issue,” Sweet said.

In his ruling, Limbaugh said Missourians for Constitutional Freedom did not do enough during the signature-gathering process to inform voters that the measure would undo the state’s near-total abortion ban.

“That said, this court also recognizes the gravity of the unique issues involved in this case, and the lack of direct precedent on point,” Limbaugh wrote. “The court therefore will stay execution of issuing an injunction up until September 10, 2024, the statutory deadline for the case to be heard, so that further guidance or rulings can be provided by a reviewing court.”

At least nine&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/embeds/051pI/33/">other states</a>&nbsp;will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>&nbsp;this fall — Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota. Most would guarantee a right to abortion until fetal viability and allow it later for the health of the pregnant woman, which is what the Missouri proposal would do.

New York also has a ballot measure that proponents say would protect abortion rights, though there’s a dispute about its impact.

Voters in all seven states that have had abortion questions on their ballots since 2022 have sided with abortion-rights supporters.

A group of abortion opponents last month sued to have the Missouri amendment removed from the ballot.

Plaintiff's attorney Mary Catherine Martin during a Friday bench trial said at least some voters would not have signed the petition to put the amendment on the ballot if they had known about all the laws that could be repealed.

“There is no way to know if the proponents of this radical amendment would have gathered enough signatures to place this on the ballot if the truth about the staggering scope of laws Amendment 3 invalidates had been disclosed,” the plaintiffs said in a statement following the judge’s ruling.

Loretta Haggard, a lawyer for the abortion-rights campaign, argued that it will be up to future judges to decide which abortion laws are thrown out if the amendment is adopted.

“Courts should not give ‘advisory opinions’ or speculate whether a particular proposal would, if adopted, violate the law,” lawyers for the campaign wrote in a court brief.

Missouri banned most abortions immediately after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. There is an exception for medical emergencies, but almost no abortions have occurred at Missouri facilities since then.

Missouri’s ACLU branch, local Planned Parenthoods and a group called Abortion Action in Missouri launched a campaign to legalize abortion in response to the ban. Although women who receive abortions are protected from criminal liability in Missouri, anyone who performs an abortion outside the state’s limited exceptions faces felony charges.

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom's proposed amendment would guarantee an individual’s right to get an abortion and make other reproductive health decisions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714753237039.png" alt="Photo Missourians for Constitutional Freedom&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo Missourians for Constitutional Freedom&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri judge on Friday ruled that an abortion-rights campaign did not meet legal requirements to qualify for the November ballot, potentially thwarting a yearslong effort to undo the state's near-total abortion ban.But Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh stopped short of removing the measure from the ballot. Instead, he gave the abortion-rights campaign a chance to file a last-minute appeal before Tuesday's deadline to make changes to the Missouri ballot.Missourians for Constitutional Freedom will appeal the decision and hopes for “a swift resolution so that Missourians can vote on November 5 to protect reproductive freedom, including access to abortion, birth control and miscarriage care," campaign manager Rachel Sweet said in a statement.“The court’s decision to block Amendment 3 from appearing on the ballot is a profound injustice to the initiative petition process and undermines the rights of the 380,000 Missourians who signed our petition demanding a voice on this critical issue,” Sweet said.In his ruling, Limbaugh said Missourians for Constitutional Freedom did not do enough during the signature-gathering process to inform voters that the measure would undo the state’s near-total abortion ban.“That said, this court also recognizes the gravity of the unique issues involved in this case, and the lack of direct precedent on point,” Limbaugh wrote. “The court therefore will stay execution of issuing an injunction up until September 10, 2024, the statutory deadline for the case to be heard, so that further guidance or rulings can be provided by a reviewing court.”At least nine&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/embeds/051pI/33/">other states</a>&nbsp;will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>&nbsp;this fall — Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota. Most would guarantee a right to abortion until fetal viability and allow it later for the health of the pregnant woman, which is what the Missouri proposal would do.New York also has a ballot measure that proponents say would protect abortion rights, though there’s a dispute about its impact.Voters in all seven states that have had abortion questions on their ballots since 2022 have sided with abortion-rights supporters.A group of abortion opponents last month sued to have the Missouri amendment removed from the ballot.Plaintiff's attorney Mary Catherine Martin during a Friday bench trial said at least some voters would not have signed the petition to put the amendment on the ballot if they had known about all the laws that could be repealed.“There is no way to know if the proponents of this radical amendment would have gathered enough signatures to place this on the ballot if the truth about the staggering scope of laws Amendment 3 invalidates had been disclosed,” the plaintiffs said in a statement following the judge’s ruling.Loretta Haggard, a lawyer for the abortion-rights campaign, argued that it will be up to future judges to decide which abortion laws are thrown out if the amendment is adopted.“Courts should not give ‘advisory opinions’ or speculate whether a particular proposal would, if adopted, violate the law,” lawyers for the campaign wrote in a court brief.Missouri banned most abortions immediately after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. There is an exception for medical emergencies, but almost no abortions have occurred at Missouri facilities since then.Missouri’s ACLU branch, local Planned Parenthoods and a group called Abortion Action in Missouri launched a campaign to legalize abortion in response to the ban. Although women who receive abortions are protected from criminal liability in Missouri, anyone who performs an abortion outside the state’s limited exceptions faces felony charges.Missourians for Constitutional Freedom's proposed amendment would guarantee an individual’s right to get an abortion and make other reproductive health decisions.

Missouri abortion-rights amendment could be axed from the ballot after ruling

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP) — Ukraine needs the ability to strike deep within Russia now, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told U.S. and allied military leaders Friday as Kyiv more fervently pressed the West to loosen weapons use restrictions and allow it to target Russian air bases and launch sites far from the border.

Zelenskyy made the case during an in-person meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. He appeared to make inroads with some of the defense leaders from the 50-plus partner nations who regularly gather to coordinate weapons aid for the war.

But he did not appear to sway the ally he needs most. After the talks, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pushed back on the idea that long-range strikes would be a game-changer.

“I don’t believe one capability is going to be decisive and I stand by that comment,” Austin said. The Ukrainians have other means to strike long-range targets, he said.

Zelenskyy's request comes after a series of recent deadly Russian airstrikes, including against a Ukrainian military training center that killed more than 50 and wounded hundreds this week. On Friday, the Kremlin fired five ballistic missiles at the city of Pavlohrad in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, injuring at least 50 people, regional Gov. Serhii Lysak said.

“We need to have this long-range capability, not only on the divided territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace,” Zelenskyy said. “We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need: peace or Putin.”

The question remained whether Zelenskyy could convince President Joe Biden that the U.S. should ease its restrictions as well. While Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire U.S.-provided missiles into Russia in self-defense, the distance has been largely limited to cross-border targets deemed a direct threat, out of concerns about further escalating the conflict.

At the meeting Friday, multiple countries seemed to be persuaded that Ukraine should get the green light, which could add pressure on the Biden administration.

“Many countries (are) in favor,” said Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Lithuania's defense minister. “Many, many. But the question is not the number of countries, but countries who give (those) missiles.”

By announcing Lithuania's support, Kasčiūnas said, “I hope it will help to convince other countries.”

Canada's defense minister, Bill Blair, said he hopes other Western allies also get behind the push. Canada does not have long-range munitions it could provide on its own, Blair said.

“One of the things President Zelenskyy and his ministers have made very clear to us is that they are suffering significant attacks from air bases and military installations located within Russia,” Blair said. “We support their request for permission, but it's still a decision of our allies.”

Ukraine is now in the midst of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-kursk-incursion-ca6d18d06606794580bdc779d2c98134">first offensive operations of the war</a>&nbsp;while facing a significant threat from Russian forces near a key hub in the Donbas, and Kyiv is seeing that its time is running short to shore up ongoing military support before the U.S. presidential election in November.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kursk-incursion-putin-1178b99b32b476816db3a48ffa06b11a">surprise assault inside Russia’s Kursk region</a>&nbsp;has led to the capture of about 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory and killed or injured about 6,000 Russian soldiers. But it has not drawn away President Vladimir Putin’s focus from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/donetsk-ukraine-russia-ukraine-war-c2d3cd6e501341f69e8fd05a37bf79d7">taking the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk</a>, which provides critical rail and supply links for the Ukrainian army. Losing Pokrovsk could put additional Ukrainian cities at risk.

While Kursk has put Russia on the defensive, “we know Putin’s malice runs deep,” and Moscow is pressing on, especially around Pokrovsk, Austin said.

The Pentagon chief said the U.S. will provide $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defense munitions and artillery.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement said that the new package would comprise “urgently needed weapons and equipment” and include "air defense missiles and support, munitions for rocket systems and artillery, anti-tank weapons, and Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and other armored vehicles."

“This assistance will be deployed as quickly as possible to bolster Ukraine’s defense of its territory and its people,” Blinken said.

Zelenskyy, however, said promised weapons systems have been too slow to arrive.

“The number of air defense systems that have not yet been delivered is significant,” he said.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said those systems, particularly Patriot air defense systems, need to be in Ukraine's hands so it can defend its electrical grid and infrastructure during winter fighting.

As well as resources for air defense and artillery, the meeting aimed to focus on shoring up gains in expanding Ukraine’s own defense industrial base so it could be on more solid footing as Biden's term winds down.

Western partner nations are working with Ukraine to source a substitute missile for its Soviet-era S-300 air defense systems, Austin said.

The U.S. is also focused on resourcing a variety of air-to-ground missiles that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/russia-ukraine-war-ukraine-ukraine-government-russia-united-states-government-d526336e60c042bdbcab019382ce5842">newly delivered F-16 fighter jets</a>&nbsp;can carry, including the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, which could give Ukraine a longer-range cruise missile option, said Bill LaPlante, the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer, who spoke to reporters traveling with Austin.

No decisions on the munition have been made, LaPlante said, noting that policymakers would still have to decide whether to give Ukraine the longer-range capability.

“I would just put JASSM in that category, it’s something that is always being looked at,” LaPlante said. “Anything that’s an air-to-ground weapon is always being looked at.”

For the past two years, members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group have met to resource Ukraine’s artillery and air defense needs, ranging from hundreds of millions of rounds of small arms ammunition to some of the West’s most sophisticated air defense systems, and now fighter jets. The request this month was more of the same, but it came in person from Zelenskyy.

Since 2022, the member nations together have provided about $106 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. has provided more than $56 billion of that total.

The German government said Chancellor Olaf Scholz planned to meet Zelenskyy in Frankfurt later Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725656640079.png" alt="Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and&nbsp;President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday in Germany-&nbsp;The Pentagon chief said the U.S. will provide $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defense munitions and artillery. photo Department of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and&nbsp;President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday in Germany-&nbsp;The Pentagon chief said the U.S. will provide $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defense munitions and artillery. photo Department of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP) — Ukraine needs the ability to strike deep within Russia now, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told U.S. and allied military leaders Friday as Kyiv more fervently pressed the West to loosen weapons use restrictions and allow it to target Russian air bases and launch sites far from the border.Zelenskyy made the case during an in-person meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. He appeared to make inroads with some of the defense leaders from the 50-plus partner nations who regularly gather to coordinate weapons aid for the war.But he did not appear to sway the ally he needs most. After the talks, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pushed back on the idea that long-range strikes would be a game-changer.“I don’t believe one capability is going to be decisive and I stand by that comment,” Austin said. The Ukrainians have other means to strike long-range targets, he said.Zelenskyy's request comes after a series of recent deadly Russian airstrikes, including against a Ukrainian military training center that killed more than 50 and wounded hundreds this week. On Friday, the Kremlin fired five ballistic missiles at the city of Pavlohrad in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, injuring at least 50 people, regional Gov. Serhii Lysak said.“We need to have this long-range capability, not only on the divided territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace,” Zelenskyy said. “We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need: peace or Putin.”The question remained whether Zelenskyy could convince President Joe Biden that the U.S. should ease its restrictions as well. While Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire U.S.-provided missiles into Russia in self-defense, the distance has been largely limited to cross-border targets deemed a direct threat, out of concerns about further escalating the conflict.At the meeting Friday, multiple countries seemed to be persuaded that Ukraine should get the green light, which could add pressure on the Biden administration.“Many countries (are) in favor,” said Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Lithuania's defense minister. “Many, many. But the question is not the number of countries, but countries who give (those) missiles.”By announcing Lithuania's support, Kasčiūnas said, “I hope it will help to convince other countries.”Canada's defense minister, Bill Blair, said he hopes other Western allies also get behind the push. Canada does not have long-range munitions it could provide on its own, Blair said.“One of the things President Zelenskyy and his ministers have made very clear to us is that they are suffering significant attacks from air bases and military installations located within Russia,” Blair said. “We support their request for permission, but it's still a decision of our allies.”Ukraine is now in the midst of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-kursk-incursion-ca6d18d06606794580bdc779d2c98134">first offensive operations of the war</a>&nbsp;while facing a significant threat from Russian forces near a key hub in the Donbas, and Kyiv is seeing that its time is running short to shore up ongoing military support before the U.S. presidential election in November.Zelenskyy said Ukraine's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kursk-incursion-putin-1178b99b32b476816db3a48ffa06b11a">surprise assault inside Russia’s Kursk region</a>&nbsp;has led to the capture of about 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory and killed or injured about 6,000 Russian soldiers. But it has not drawn away President Vladimir Putin’s focus from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/donetsk-ukraine-russia-ukraine-war-c2d3cd6e501341f69e8fd05a37bf79d7">taking the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk</a>, which provides critical rail and supply links for the Ukrainian army. Losing Pokrovsk could put additional Ukrainian cities at risk.While Kursk has put Russia on the defensive, “we know Putin’s malice runs deep,” and Moscow is pressing on, especially around Pokrovsk, Austin said.The Pentagon chief said the U.S. will provide $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defense munitions and artillery.Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement said that the new package would comprise “urgently needed weapons and equipment” and include "air defense missiles and support, munitions for rocket systems and artillery, anti-tank weapons, and Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and other armored vehicles."“This assistance will be deployed as quickly as possible to bolster Ukraine’s defense of its territory and its people,” Blinken said.Zelenskyy, however, said promised weapons systems have been too slow to arrive.“The number of air defense systems that have not yet been delivered is significant,” he said.German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said those systems, particularly Patriot air defense systems, need to be in Ukraine's hands so it can defend its electrical grid and infrastructure during winter fighting.As well as resources for air defense and artillery, the meeting aimed to focus on shoring up gains in expanding Ukraine’s own defense industrial base so it could be on more solid footing as Biden's term winds down.Western partner nations are working with Ukraine to source a substitute missile for its Soviet-era S-300 air defense systems, Austin said.The U.S. is also focused on resourcing a variety of air-to-ground missiles that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/russia-ukraine-war-ukraine-ukraine-government-russia-united-states-government-d526336e60c042bdbcab019382ce5842">newly delivered F-16 fighter jets</a>&nbsp;can carry, including the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, which could give Ukraine a longer-range cruise missile option, said Bill LaPlante, the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer, who spoke to reporters traveling with Austin.No decisions on the munition have been made, LaPlante said, noting that policymakers would still have to decide whether to give Ukraine the longer-range capability.“I would just put JASSM in that category, it’s something that is always being looked at,” LaPlante said. “Anything that’s an air-to-ground weapon is always being looked at.”For the past two years, members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group have met to resource Ukraine’s artillery and air defense needs, ranging from hundreds of millions of rounds of small arms ammunition to some of the West’s most sophisticated air defense systems, and now fighter jets. The request this month was more of the same, but it came in person from Zelenskyy.Since 2022, the member nations together have provided about $106 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. has provided more than $56 billion of that total.The German government said Chancellor Olaf Scholz planned to meet Zelenskyy in Frankfurt later Friday.

U.S. spending another $250 million on war in Ukraine

Butter Sculpture sponsored by Southwest Dairy Farmers | Pride of Kansas

Clothing &amp; Textile Exhibits | Domestic Arts Building

Competitive Exhibits Displays | Oz Gallery, Domestic Arts Building, Lake Talbott East, Lake Talbott West, Pride of Kansas Building

FFA/4H Exhibit Displays | 206 E 23rd Ave, Ad Astra Building

Quilts with a Story | Domestic Arts Building

Open Pigeons / Poultry Display | Poultry Building

8:00 AM 4H/FFA Beef Market Show | Prairie Pavilion

8:00 AM 4H/FFA Meat Goat Market Show | Ad Astra Building

8:00 AM 4H/FFA Sheep Show | Sheep, Swine, and Goat Building

8:00 AM 4H/FFA Swine Market Show | Sheep, Swine, and Goat Building

8:00 AM Working Equitation Show | Expo II

9:00 AM Kansas State Fair Museum | Lair White House

9:00 AM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours | Birthing Center

9:00 AM Professional Art Exhibits | Lake Talbott

9:00 AM Salina Woodcarvers Demo | Oz Gallery

10:00 AM Dr. Goddard's Lab | Education Center

10:00 AM Hedrick's Pig Races | Behind Petting Zoo

10:00 AM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours | Birthing Center

10:30 AM WIBW Live Ag Forum | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena

11:00 AM Chainsaw Woodcarvers | Lake Talbott

11:00 AM Dr. Goddard's Lab | Education Center

11:00 AM Glenda and Mike's Magic and Ventriloquism Show | Lowen Corporation Stage at Lake Talbott

11:00 AM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours | Birthing Center

1:00 PM Chainsaw Woodcarvers | Lake Talbott

1:00 PM Kevin Horner - Ventriloquist Family Fair Show | 501 23rd Terr

1:00 PM Ron Diamond Hypnotist | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena

1:00 PM Strong &amp; Amazing | Gottschalk Park

1:00 PM Butter Sculpture Contest | Pride of Kansas

1:00 PM Celebrity Grape Stomp | Gottschalk Park Gazebo

1:00 PM Kansas Kountree Kloggers | Capper Building

1:00 PM Legislative Showmanship | Prairie Pavilion

2:00 PM Dr. Goddard's Lab | Education Center

2:00 PM Hedrick's Pig Races | Behind Petting Zoo

2:00 PM Kenny Ahearn - The Family Variety Theatre | 501 23rd Terr

2:00 PM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours| Birthing Center

2:00 PM Redneck Revival | Lowen Corporation Stage at Lake Talbott

2:00 PM The Girls Next Door | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena

2:30 PM 4H/FFA Commercial Heifer Show | Prairie Pavilion

3:00 PM Chainsaw Woodcarvers | Lake Talbott

3:00 PM Dennis Laffoon - Piano Man | Lowen Corporation Stage at Lake Talbott

3:00 PM Kevin Horner - Ventriloquist Family Fair Show | 501 23rd Terr

3:00 PM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours | Birthing Center

3:00 PM Ron Diamond Hypnotist | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena

3:00 PM Strong &amp; Amazing | Gottschalk Park

3:00 PM Wilson Czech Dancers | Capper Building

4:00 PM Hedrick's Pig Races | Behind Petting Zoo

4:00 PM Kenny Ahearn - The Family Variety Theatre | 501 23rd Terr

4:00 PM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours | Birthing Center

4:00 PM Abundance Quartet | Lowen Corporation Stage at Lake Talbott

4:00 PM Cub Scout / Derby | Oz Gallery, Outside Lots

4:00 PM Draft Horse Pull Competition | Expo Center, Pride of Kansas

4:00 PM Holy Cross Catholic Mass | Encampment Building - Hansen Auditorium

5:00 PM Chainsaw Woodcarvers | Lake Talbott

5:00 PM Kevin Horner- Ventriloquist Family Fair Show | 501 23rd Terr

5:00 PM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours | Birthing Center

5:00 PM Strong &amp; Amazing| Gottschalk Park

5:00 PM Peterson Farm Brothers | Prairie Pavilion

5:00 PM Poetry Harvest: Poems at the State Fair | Capper Building

5:00 PM The Girls Next Door | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena

6:00 PM Hedrick's Pig Races | Behind Petting Zoo

6:00 PM Kenny Ahearn - The Family Variety Theatre | 501 23rd Terr

6:00 PM Ron Diamond Hypnotist | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena

6:00 PM 4H/FFA Grand Drive | Prairie Pavilion

6:00 PM Abundance Quartet | Lowen Corporation Stage at Lake Talbott

7:00 PM Great Plains Jazz Orchestra | Capper Building

7:00 PM Redneck Revival | Lowen Corporation Stage at Lake Talbott

7:00 PM The Girls Next Door | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena

7:30 PM Goo Goo Dolls | Nex-Tech Grandstand

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724172564313.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas State Fair" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas State Fair</figcaption>
 </figure>DAILY EVENTSAgriculture Exhibits | Pride of KansasAgriland | Pride of KansasButter Sculpture sponsored by Southwest Dairy Farmers | Pride of KansasBirthing Center | Birthing CenterBoy Scout Exhibits | Oz GalleryClothing &amp; Textile Exhibits | Domestic Arts BuildingCompetitive Exhibits Displays | Oz Gallery, Domestic Arts Building, Lake Talbott East, Lake Talbott West, Pride of Kansas BuildingEducation Center | Education CenterFFA/4H Exhibit Displays | 206 E 23rd Ave, Ad Astra BuildingFine Arts Exhibits | Oz GalleryFloriculture Exhibits | Pride of KansasFoods Exhibits | Domestic Arts BuildingGirl Scout Exhibits | Oz GalleryKDHE Mobile Lab | 509 Bison Blvd.Llama Exhibit | DairylandQuilts with a Story | Domestic Arts BuildingOpen Pigeons / Poultry Display | Poultry BuildingOpen Rabbit Display | Rabbit BuildingMORNING SCHEDULE8:00 AM 4H/FFA Beef Market Show | Prairie Pavilion8:00 AM 4H/FFA Meat Goat Market Show | Ad Astra Building8:00 AM 4H/FFA Sheep Show | Sheep, Swine, and Goat Building8:00 AM 4H/FFA Swine Market Show | Sheep, Swine, and Goat Building8:00 AM Working Equitation Show | Expo II9:00 AM Kansas State Fair Museum | Lair White House9:00 AM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours | Birthing Center9:00 AM Professional Art Exhibits | Lake Talbott9:00 AM Salina Woodcarvers Demo | Oz Gallery10:00 AM Dr. Goddard's Lab | Education Center10:00 AM Hedrick's Pig Races | Behind Petting Zoo10:00 AM Milking Parlor Demo | Dairyland10:00 AM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours | Birthing Center10:00 AM Draft Horse Show | Expo Center10:30 AM WIBW Live Ag Forum | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena11:00 AM Chainsaw Woodcarvers | Lake Talbott11:00 AM Dr. Goddard's Lab | Education Center11:00 AM Glenda and Mike's Magic and Ventriloquism Show | Lowen Corporation Stage at Lake Talbott11:00 AM Milking Parlor Demo | Dairyland11:00 AM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours | Birthing CenterAFTERNOON SCHEDULEAFTERNOON SCHEDULE1:00 PM Chainsaw Woodcarvers | Lake Talbott1:00 PM Kevin Horner - Ventriloquist Family Fair Show | 501 23rd Terr1:00 PM Milking Parlor Demo | Dairyland1:00 PM Ron Diamond Hypnotist | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena1:00 PM Strong &amp; Amazing | Gottschalk Park1:00 PM Butter Sculpture Contest | Pride of Kansas1:00 PM Celebrity Grape Stomp | Gottschalk Park Gazebo1:00 PM Kansas Kountree Kloggers | Capper Building1:00 PM Legislative Showmanship | Prairie Pavilion2:00 PM Dr. Goddard's Lab | Education Center2:00 PM Hedrick's Pig Races | Behind Petting Zoo2:00 PM Kenny Ahearn - The Family Variety Theatre | 501 23rd Terr2:00 PM Lady Houdini | Gottschalk Park2:00 PM Milking Parlor Demo | Dairyland2:00 PM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours| Birthing Center2:00 PM Redneck Revival | Lowen Corporation Stage at Lake Talbott2:00 PM The Girls Next Door | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena2:30 PM 4H/FFA Commercial Heifer Show | Prairie Pavilion3:00 PM Chainsaw Woodcarvers | Lake Talbott3:00 PM Dennis Laffoon - Piano Man | Lowen Corporation Stage at Lake Talbott3:00 PM Kevin Horner - Ventriloquist Family Fair Show | 501 23rd Terr3:00 PM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours | Birthing Center3:00 PM Ron Diamond Hypnotist | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena3:00 PM Strong &amp; Amazing | Gottschalk Park3:00 PM Wilson Czech Dancers | Capper Building4:00 PM Hedrick's Pig Races | Behind Petting Zoo4:00 PM Kenny Ahearn - The Family Variety Theatre | 501 23rd Terr4:00 PM Lady Houdini | Gottschalk Park4:00 PM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours | Birthing Center4:00 PM Abundance Quartet | Lowen Corporation Stage at Lake Talbott4:00 PM Cub Scout / Derby | Oz Gallery, Outside Lots4:00 PM Draft Horse Pull Competition | Expo Center, Pride of Kansas4:00 PM Holy Cross Catholic Mass | Encampment Building - Hansen Auditorium5:00 PM Chainsaw Woodcarvers | Lake Talbott5:00 PM Kevin Horner- Ventriloquist Family Fair Show | 501 23rd Terr5:00 PM Moo U-Guided Barn Tours | Birthing Center5:00 PM Strong &amp; Amazing| Gottschalk Park5:00 PM Peterson Farm Brothers | Prairie Pavilion5:00 PM Poetry Harvest: Poems at the State Fair | Capper Building5:00 PM The Girls Next Door | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena6:00 PM Hedrick's Pig Races | Behind Petting Zoo6:00 PM Kenny Ahearn - The Family Variety Theatre | 501 23rd Terr6:00 PM Lady Houdini | Gottschalk Park6:00 PM Milking Parlor Demo | Dairyland6:00 PM Ron Diamond Hypnotist | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena6:00 PM 4H/FFA Grand Drive | Prairie Pavilion6:00 PM Abundance Quartet | Lowen Corporation Stage at Lake Talbott6:00 PM Draft Horse Show | Expo Center7:00 PM Great Plains Jazz Orchestra | Capper Building7:00 PM Redneck Revival | Lowen Corporation Stage at Lake Talbott7:00 PM The Girls Next Door | Peoples Bank and Trust Arena7:30 PM Goo Goo Dolls | Nex-Tech Grandstand

Kansas State Fair schedule: Saturday, Sept. 7

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a 2016 cold case in which a 91 year-old woman was raped in her home have a suspect in custody.

Just before 6a.m. Friday Cold Case Detectives, assisted by US Marshals, attempted to serve the warrant for the arrest of&nbsp;Kyle Blake States, 27, at his residence in the 5300 block of Custer, according to a Kansas City Kansas Police.

However, when law enforcement arrived States barricaded himself in the home. Because it was believed that he was armed, KCKPD Special Operations Unit was deployed to the scene. At approximately 9:15a.m., States exited the home and was taken into custody without further incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyle Blake States is being held on a $200,000 bond on requested charges of rape/sexual intercourse without consent.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725644601913.png" alt="States photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>States photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a 2016 cold case in which a 91 year-old woman was raped in her home have a suspect in custody.Just before 6a.m. Friday Cold Case Detectives, assisted by US Marshals, attempted to serve the warrant for the arrest of&nbsp;Kyle Blake States, 27, at his residence in the 5300 block of Custer, according to a Kansas City Kansas Police.However, when law enforcement arrived States barricaded himself in the home. Because it was believed that he was armed, KCKPD Special Operations Unit was deployed to the scene. At approximately 9:15a.m., States exited the home and was taken into custody without further incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyle Blake States is being held on a $200,000 bond on requested charges of rape/sexual intercourse without consent..

Suspect accused in rape of 91-year-old Kan. woman in her home

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.&nbsp;

On August 31, a sheriff's deputy was on routine patrol in the vicinity of US 75 Highway in rural Brown County stopped a vehicle for speeding, according to Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While making contact with the driver, later identified as 45-year-old Christopher Carr of Elyria, Ohio, it was discovered he had an outstanding&nbsp; Michigan Warrant for Larceny.&nbsp;

 At the conclusion of the traffic stop, the deputies arrested Carr on a requested charge of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp; 

The passenger 29-year-old Laurie Carr of Elyria, Ohio was arrested on requested charges of Possesssion of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725569004004.png" alt="Carr photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Carr photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.&nbsp;On August 31, a sheriff's deputy was on routine patrol in the vicinity of US 75 Highway in rural Brown County stopped a vehicle for speeding, according to Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725568967606.png" alt="Carr photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Carr photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>While making contact with the driver, later identified as 45-year-old Christopher Carr of Elyria, Ohio, it was discovered he had an outstanding&nbsp; Michigan Warrant for Larceny.&nbsp; At the conclusion of the traffic stop, the deputies arrested Carr on a requested charge of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp; The passenger 29-year-old Laurie Carr of Elyria, Ohio was arrested on requested charges of Possesssion of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Michigan couple jailed in Kansas for drugs and a warrant

SUMNER COUNTY— Officials in the city of Wellington on Friday released the name of the apprentice lineman who&nbsp;died in a workplace accident at the city’s power plant.

Just before 9:30a.m. Wednesday, 20-year-old Wilson Price died after coming into contact with an energized piece of equipment, according to a media release.

In January, Price joined the Electric Distribution Department at the City of Wellington as an apprentice.

"Wilson had not been with the city long and was quickly becoming an outstanding lineman. His contributions to the reliability of our community’s electric system were invaluable."&nbsp; The entire city family deeply feels his loss, according to Assistant City Manager Jason Newberry.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-wilson-prices-family-in-their-loss">&nbsp;Click here to view the online fundraiser</a>&nbsp;friends established to assist the Price family.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725654117053.png" alt="Price -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Price -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY— Officials in the city of Wellington on Friday released the name of the apprentice lineman who&nbsp;died in a workplace accident at the city’s power plant.Just before 9:30a.m. Wednesday, 20-year-old Wilson Price died after coming into contact with an energized piece of equipment, according to a media release.In January, Price joined the Electric Distribution Department at the City of Wellington as an apprentice."Wilson had not been with the city long and was quickly becoming an outstanding lineman. His contributions to the reliability of our community’s electric system were invaluable."&nbsp; The entire city family deeply feels his loss, according to Assistant City Manager Jason Newberry.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-wilson-prices-family-in-their-loss">&nbsp;Click here to view the online fundraiser</a>&nbsp;friends established to assist the Price family.

City releases name of Kan. man who died in workplace accident

NEW YORK (AP) — Another rout hit Wall Street Friday, with formerly high-flying technology stocks again taking the brunt, after a highly anticipated update on the U.S. job market&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-federal-reserve-inflation-unemployment-economy-bac1b453d3873d5f23f2061344d28fd9">came in weak enough</a>&nbsp;to add to worries about the economy.

The S&amp;P 500 dropped 1.7% to close out its worst week since March 2023. Broadcom, Nvidia and other tech companies led the market lower as worries continue that their prices soared too high in the boom around artificial intelligence, and they dragged the Nasdaq composite down by a market-leading 2.6%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 410 points, or 1%, after erasing a morning gain of 250 points.

Sharp swings also hit the bond market, where Treasury yields tumbled, recovered and then fell again after the jobs report showed U.S. employers hired fewer workers in August than economists expected. It was billed as the most important jobs report of the year, and it showed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-unemployment-federal-reserve-inflation-22095766804d9c1532b4fcc29565be49">second straight month</a>&nbsp;where hiring came in below forecasts. It also followed recent reports showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-employment-fed-inflation-growth-aa764f4e90e3a90e892ba3fe5f649031">weakness in manufacturing</a>&nbsp;and some other areas in the economy.

Such a softening of the job market is actually just what the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell, have been trying to get in order to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">stifle high inflation</a>, “but only to a certain extent and the data is now testing Chair Powell’s stated limits,” said Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

Friday’s data raised questions about how much the Federal Reserve will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-prices-inflation-federal-reserve-economy-2cd182eb34a7d6772ff573bec0bcf64d">cut its main interest rate by</a>&nbsp;at its meeting later this month. The Fed is about to turn its focus more toward protecting the job market and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-federal-reserve-interest-rates-consumers-4fe068e15d27fad11419e1cc6a8ed943">preventing a recession</a>&nbsp;after keeping the federal funds rate at a two-decade high for more than a year.

Cuts to interest rates can boost investment prices, but the worry on Wall Street is that the Fed may be moving too late. If a recession does hit, it would undercut corporate profits and erase the benefits from lower rates.

“All is not well with the labor market,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. “The Fed wanted the labor market to come into better balance, but any balancing act is unstable.”

Still, the jobs report did include some encouraging data points. For one, the unemployment rate improved to 4.2% from 4.3% a month earlier. That was better than economists expected. And even if August’s hiring was weaker than forecast, it was still better than July’s pace.

Christopher Waller, a member of the Fed’s board of governors,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/waller20240906a.htm">said in a speech</a>&nbsp;after the jobs report’s release that “I believe we should be data dependent, but not overreact to any data point, including the latest data.”

“While the labor market has clearly cooled, based on the evidence I see, I do not believe the economy is in a recession or necessarily headed for one soon,” he said.

While Waller said he thinks a “series of reductions” to rates is appropriate given that a slowing job market now looks like the bigger threat for the economy than high inflation, he said the ultimate pace and depth of those cuts is still to be determined.

All the uncertainty sent Treasury yields on a wild ride in the bond market as traders tried to handicap the Fed’s next moves.

The two-year Treasury yield initially fell as low as 3.64% after the release of the jobs report, before quickly climbing back above 3.76%. It then dropped back to 3.66% following Waller’s comments, down from 3.74% late Thursday.

Wells Fargo Investment Institute’s Wren said he was surprised by the size of markets’ swings. While data has clearly shown a slowdown in the economy, he’s still forecasting growth to continue, “and it’s not the end of the world.” He cautioned investors against panicking and selling their investments in knee-jerk reactions.

Despite its dismal week, the S&amp;P 500 remains just 4.6% below its all-time high set in July. It’s also still up 13.4% for 2024 so far, which counts as a good year.

A big reason for Friday’s sharp drops was weakness for some big tech stocks that had been benefiting from the AI boom.

Broadcom tumbled 10.4% despite reporting profit and revenue for the latest quarter that were above analysts’ forecasts, thanks in part to AI. The chip company said it expects to make $14 billion in revenue this quarter, which was slightly below analysts’ expectations of $14.11 billion, according to FactSet.

Other chip companies also fell, including a 4.1% drop for Nvidia. After soaring earlier this year as its revenue surged on the AI frenzy, Nvidia’s stock has been shaky since mid-July as investors question whether they took it too high. That’s even though Nvidia has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-ai-earnings-stock-464d35670b6e91a698751ec7ee157532">continued to top analysts’ expectations</a>&nbsp;for growth.

“Earnings growth is going to slow from an incredibly high rate to something slower,” Wren said about Big Tech, “but it’s not going to be terrible.”

On the winning side of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which rose 4.3% after the CEO of rival Cleveland Cliffs told MSNBC that his company would still be interested in acquiring U.S. Steel if the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-steel-nippon-harris-trump-election-merger-3e277c0cea73efb80443c38b4ad6fde6">White House were to block its proposed sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel</a>.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 94.99 points to 5,408.42. The Dow dropped 410.34 to 40,345.41, and the Nasdaq composite lost 436.83 to 16,690.83.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584366201093.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Another rout hit Wall Street Friday, with formerly high-flying technology stocks again taking the brunt, after a highly anticipated update on the U.S. job market&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-federal-reserve-inflation-unemployment-economy-bac1b453d3873d5f23f2061344d28fd9">came in weak enough</a>&nbsp;to add to worries about the economy.The S&amp;P 500 dropped 1.7% to close out its worst week since March 2023. Broadcom, Nvidia and other tech companies led the market lower as worries continue that their prices soared too high in the boom around artificial intelligence, and they dragged the Nasdaq composite down by a market-leading 2.6%.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 410 points, or 1%, after erasing a morning gain of 250 points.Sharp swings also hit the bond market, where Treasury yields tumbled, recovered and then fell again after the jobs report showed U.S. employers hired fewer workers in August than economists expected. It was billed as the most important jobs report of the year, and it showed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-unemployment-federal-reserve-inflation-22095766804d9c1532b4fcc29565be49">second straight month</a>&nbsp;where hiring came in below forecasts. It also followed recent reports showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-employment-fed-inflation-growth-aa764f4e90e3a90e892ba3fe5f649031">weakness in manufacturing</a>&nbsp;and some other areas in the economy.Such a softening of the job market is actually just what the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell, have been trying to get in order to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">stifle high inflation</a>, “but only to a certain extent and the data is now testing Chair Powell’s stated limits,” said Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.Friday’s data raised questions about how much the Federal Reserve will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-prices-inflation-federal-reserve-economy-2cd182eb34a7d6772ff573bec0bcf64d">cut its main interest rate by</a>&nbsp;at its meeting later this month. The Fed is about to turn its focus more toward protecting the job market and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-federal-reserve-interest-rates-consumers-4fe068e15d27fad11419e1cc6a8ed943">preventing a recession</a>&nbsp;after keeping the federal funds rate at a two-decade high for more than a year.Cuts to interest rates can boost investment prices, but the worry on Wall Street is that the Fed may be moving too late. If a recession does hit, it would undercut corporate profits and erase the benefits from lower rates.“All is not well with the labor market,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. “The Fed wanted the labor market to come into better balance, but any balancing act is unstable.”Still, the jobs report did include some encouraging data points. For one, the unemployment rate improved to 4.2% from 4.3% a month earlier. That was better than economists expected. And even if August’s hiring was weaker than forecast, it was still better than July’s pace.Christopher Waller, a member of the Fed’s board of governors,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/waller20240906a.htm">said in a speech</a>&nbsp;after the jobs report’s release that “I believe we should be data dependent, but not overreact to any data point, including the latest data.”“While the labor market has clearly cooled, based on the evidence I see, I do not believe the economy is in a recession or necessarily headed for one soon,” he said.While Waller said he thinks a “series of reductions” to rates is appropriate given that a slowing job market now looks like the bigger threat for the economy than high inflation, he said the ultimate pace and depth of those cuts is still to be determined.All the uncertainty sent Treasury yields on a wild ride in the bond market as traders tried to handicap the Fed’s next moves.The two-year Treasury yield initially fell as low as 3.64% after the release of the jobs report, before quickly climbing back above 3.76%. It then dropped back to 3.66% following Waller’s comments, down from 3.74% late Thursday.Wells Fargo Investment Institute’s Wren said he was surprised by the size of markets’ swings. While data has clearly shown a slowdown in the economy, he’s still forecasting growth to continue, “and it’s not the end of the world.” He cautioned investors against panicking and selling their investments in knee-jerk reactions.Despite its dismal week, the S&amp;P 500 remains just 4.6% below its all-time high set in July. It’s also still up 13.4% for 2024 so far, which counts as a good year.A big reason for Friday’s sharp drops was weakness for some big tech stocks that had been benefiting from the AI boom.Broadcom tumbled 10.4% despite reporting profit and revenue for the latest quarter that were above analysts’ forecasts, thanks in part to AI. The chip company said it expects to make $14 billion in revenue this quarter, which was slightly below analysts’ expectations of $14.11 billion, according to FactSet.Other chip companies also fell, including a 4.1% drop for Nvidia. After soaring earlier this year as its revenue surged on the AI frenzy, Nvidia’s stock has been shaky since mid-July as investors question whether they took it too high. That’s even though Nvidia has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-ai-earnings-stock-464d35670b6e91a698751ec7ee157532">continued to top analysts’ expectations</a>&nbsp;for growth.“Earnings growth is going to slow from an incredibly high rate to something slower,” Wren said about Big Tech, “but it’s not going to be terrible.”On the winning side of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which rose 4.3% after the CEO of rival Cleveland Cliffs told MSNBC that his company would still be interested in acquiring U.S. Steel if the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-steel-nippon-harris-trump-election-merger-3e277c0cea73efb80443c38b4ad6fde6">White House were to block its proposed sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel</a>.All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 94.99 points to 5,408.42. The Dow dropped 410.34 to 40,345.41, and the Nasdaq composite lost 436.83 to 16,690.83.

Wall Street falls sharply to close worst week in nearly 18 months

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph Post

St. Joseph, Missouri Police Chief Paul Luster has requested the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigate an incident in which a young man shot himself while riding with a St. Joseph police officer.

The St. Joseph Police Department reports that the officer provided transportation for a 24-year-old man in a non-criminal matter shortly before 10:30 Thursday night. Shortly after the ride began the man “severely injured himself,” according to the department. The department says the officer rushed the man to the Mosaic Life Care emergency room where he was treated for a life-threatening injury.

The department reports the man is in critical condition.

Police Chief Luster asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control to investigate the matter. The St. Joseph Police Department will also conduct an internal investigation into the matter.

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph PostSt. Joseph, Missouri Police Chief Paul Luster has requested the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigate an incident in which a young man shot himself while riding with a St. Joseph police officer.The St. Joseph Police Department reports that the officer provided transportation for a 24-year-old man in a non-criminal matter shortly before 10:30 Thursday night. Shortly after the ride began the man “severely injured himself,” according to the department. The department says the officer rushed the man to the Mosaic Life Care emergency room where he was treated for a life-threatening injury.The department reports the man is in critical condition.Police Chief Luster asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control to investigate the matter. The St. Joseph Police Department will also conduct an internal investigation into the matter.