WASHINGTON— President Biden made a rare appearance Friday at the White House press briefing.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Biden also had terse words for&nbsp;Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, and said he didn't know whether the Israeli leader was holding up a peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

Biden, was responding to comments made by one of his allies, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who said on CNN this week that he was concerned Netanyahu had little interest in a peace deal in part because of U.S. politics.

Israel has pressed forward on two fronts, pursuing a ground incursion into Lebanon against Hezbollah that left eight Israeli soldiers dead and conducting strikes in Gaza that killed dozens, including children. And the nation has vowed to retaliate for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da">Iran’s ballistic missile attack</a>&nbsp;this week, as the region braced for further escalation.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON— President Biden made a rare appearance Friday at the White House press briefing.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Do you have confidence that it will be a free and fair election and that it will be peaceful?&quot; President Biden: &quot;I&#39;m confident it will be free and fair. I don&#39;t know whether it will be peaceful. The things that Trump has said...were very dangerous.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/HrhpaooEHe">pic.twitter.com/HrhpaooEHe</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1842271469838962742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Biden also had terse words for&nbsp;Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, and said he didn't know whether the Israeli leader was holding up a peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Do you want to re-consider dropping out of the race?&quot; President Biden jokingly, &quot;I&#39;m back in!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/WIyhRwbjjk">pic.twitter.com/WIyhRwbjjk</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1842272465117921726?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden, was responding to comments made by one of his allies, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who said on CNN this week that he was concerned Netanyahu had little interest in a peace deal in part because of U.S. politics.Israel has pressed forward on two fronts, pursuing a ground incursion into Lebanon against Hezbollah that left eight Israeli soldiers dead and conducting strikes in Gaza that killed dozens, including children. And the nation has vowed to retaliate for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da">Iran’s ballistic missile attack</a>&nbsp;this week, as the region braced for further escalation.-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

🎥President Biden said he doesn't know if the election will be peaceful

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

State issues health alert after recent rabies cases in Kansas 

KANSAS CITY—A ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday celebrated a new bridge named after a Kansas City Champion Buck O’Neil! Thanks to all who helped us celebrate, the bridge is set to open to traffic later in October.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The bridge links downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City&nbsp; and will accomodate over 50,000 vehicles daily, offers a direct connection from I-35 to US-169, a new bike/pedestrian lane, and improved access to the downtown airport, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727739430395.png" alt="Photo Missouri Governor Mike Parson" />
 <figcaption>Photo Missouri Governor Mike Parson</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday celebrated a new bridge named after a Kansas City Champion Buck O’Neil! Thanks to all who helped us celebrate, the bridge is set to open to traffic later in October.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727739732143.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;The bridge links downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City&nbsp; and will accomodate over 50,000 vehicles daily, offers a direct connection from I-35 to US-169, a new bike/pedestrian lane, and improved access to the downtown airport, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Kansas City celebrates with ribbon cutting for new Buck O’Neil Bridge 

‘Farmers will have a tighter situation … than they experienced in the last three years,’ says a University of Missouri researcher

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

The cost of fertilizer is up; crop prices are down. Farmers have struggled through drought, and ranchers sold off huge swaths of their herd.&nbsp;

To top it all off, Congress has yet to pass a new iteration of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/tag/farm-bill/">Farm Bill</a>, which expires in a matter of days. And it likely won’t take action on the wide-ranging legislation, which offers everything from nutritional assistance to farm disaster recovery aid, until late this year.

The slow action on the legislation isn’t unusual, but as farm income continues to slide, producers are struggling to make ends meet. Tim Gibbons, communications director for the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, noted it currently costs more to raise a bushel of corn than farmers make when they sell it.

The prices farmers receive for major grain crops such as corn and soybeans are down 20 to 40% from highs set in 2022 in the months after Russia invaded Ukraine, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. But that spike was an aberration, Gibbons said.

“We haven’t had really high prices for decades … that really support farmers over the long term,” Gibbons said, “so that not only can they stay on the farm, but pass that farm on to the next generations.”&nbsp;

<a href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/publications/2024-farm-income-update/?utm_campaign=577762_FAPRI%20Farm%20Income%20Report%20%28September%29&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Child%20account%20for%20The%20Curators%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Missouri&amp;dm_i=7JGU,CDSY,4NFRO6,1V77U,1" target="_blank">Researchers at the University of Missouri</a>&nbsp;expect farm income to drop by 35% by next year, compared to a high in 2022. While they still expect income to remain above what farmers saw between 2015 and 2020, it’s a steep drop.&nbsp;

“Farmers will have a tighter situation … than they experienced in the last three years, and they’ll have to be much more cognizant about having a very strategic marketing plan in order to make a good cash flow,” said Bob&nbsp;Maltsburger, a senior research economist at the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the university.&nbsp;

The “bleak” state of the farm economy — as U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, put it —&nbsp;has agricultural groups and heartland lawmakers clamoring for an updated Farm Bill. But partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C., and tension over what programs to prioritize in the enormous bill have made it difficult for lawmakers to find common ground.&nbsp;

“We need a Farm Bill in place,”&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/u-s-sen-jerry-moran-begs-colleagues-to-break-political-gridlock-on-farm-bill-legislation/?emci=071765d8-f87a-ef11-991a-6045bdee6681&amp;emdi=8993ee86-1c7b-ef11-991a-6045bdee6681&amp;ceid=116650" target="_blank">Moran said on the Senate floor earlier this month</a>, “even if it’s the current one, but the current one is insufficient to meet the needs of the disaster that is occurring in the incomes of farmers across the country.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/farmbill" target="_blank">Farm Bill</a>, the primary vehicle for food and agriculture policy in the U.S., expires Monday. While some of its banner programs — including crop insurance and nutrition assistance — will continue even if the legislation lapses, lawmakers and farm groups have said it’s essential to get assistance to struggling farmers. Moran urged colleagues to extend the existing Farm Bill while a more thorough rewrite is still pending.

The Farm Bill’s single largest chunk of spending — about 75% — supports a variety of programs to combat food insecurity, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly known as “food stamps.” Its other banner programs include crop insurance and support for farmers when crop prices are low. The legislation also provides funds to encourage conservation and more sustainable farming.&nbsp;

Prominent in this year’s debate is how to permanently increase spending on&nbsp;<a href="https://marylandmatters.org/2022/11/08/climate-funding-could-suffer-in-the-farm-bill-under-gop-control-of-congress/" target="_blank">conservation and climate-friendly practices</a>. Congress previously provided $20 billion through the Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2023, to help farmers plant cover crops and trees; alternate grazing and resting grassland and restore wetlands.&nbsp;

Andrew Lentz, who leads agriculture policy for the Environmental Defense Fund, said that funding helped more farmers participate in historically underfunded conservation programs. He said his organization hopes Congress takes advantage of the “huge opportunity” to make those funding levels permanent.&nbsp;

While Democrats want to ensure those funds are spent on practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, those requirements weren’t supported in the Republican-controlled U.S. House committee.&nbsp;

“If Congress is able to do that,” Lentz said, “they’ll be able to maintain these elevated funding levels and also maintain the climate focus of those funds in order to address the root causes of climate change and…help farmers tap new markets for lower carbon agricultural goods.”&nbsp;

But Jennifer Ifft, an associate professor at Kansas State University, said Congress can’t increase the federal deficit when it passes a new Farm Bill, creating tension between lawmakers over how to prioritize programs. Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives supported increasing funding for the farm safety net, which supports farmers when crop prices are low.

That’s hard enough to do this year, Ifft said, but it will be even more difficult to pull off next year with crop prices projected to keep declining, increasing the cost of the safety net.

“It’s probably not going to get easier to compromise,” Ifft said.

The House Republican version of the bill also cuts $30 billion from nutrition assistance, a nonstarter with Democrats.&nbsp;

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat and chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, called that bill and Senate Republicans’ “framework” for a Farm Bill “flawed,” noting it cuts the nutrition budget and “walks away from the progress we have made to address the climate crisis.”

Gibbons said the conversation is missing better options to help with crop prices. He argues managing supply and adjusting decisions to meet market needs is a lower-cost alternative to ensure farmers get a fair price for their crops. But that’s not part of the policy discussions, he said.&nbsp;

“The fight,” Gibbons said, “is once again over, ‘How hard are we going to make it for hungry people in need to get food,’”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727697603384.png" alt=" Corn sprouts in long rows in Wichita County, Kansas. With farm incomes on the decline, agricultural groups say a new federal Farm Bill is a must. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Corn sprouts in long rows in Wichita County, Kansas. With farm incomes on the decline, agricultural groups say a new federal Farm Bill is a must. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Farmers will have a tighter situation … than they experienced in the last three years,’ says a University of Missouri researcher</h2>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>The cost of fertilizer is up; crop prices are down. Farmers have struggled through drought, and ranchers sold off huge swaths of their herd.&nbsp;To top it all off, Congress has yet to pass a new iteration of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/tag/farm-bill/">Farm Bill</a>, which expires in a matter of days. And it likely won’t take action on the wide-ranging legislation, which offers everything from nutritional assistance to farm disaster recovery aid, until late this year.The slow action on the legislation isn’t unusual, but as farm income continues to slide, producers are struggling to make ends meet. Tim Gibbons, communications director for the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, noted it currently costs more to raise a bushel of corn than farmers make when they sell it.The prices farmers receive for major grain crops such as corn and soybeans are down 20 to 40% from highs set in 2022 in the months after Russia invaded Ukraine, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. But that spike was an aberration, Gibbons said.“We haven’t had really high prices for decades … that really support farmers over the long term,” Gibbons said, “so that not only can they stay on the farm, but pass that farm on to the next generations.”&nbsp;<a href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/publications/2024-farm-income-update/?utm_campaign=577762_FAPRI%20Farm%20Income%20Report%20%28September%29&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Child%20account%20for%20The%20Curators%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Missouri&amp;dm_i=7JGU,CDSY,4NFRO6,1V77U,1" target="_blank">Researchers at the University of Missouri</a>&nbsp;expect farm income to drop by 35% by next year, compared to a high in 2022. While they still expect income to remain above what farmers saw between 2015 and 2020, it’s a steep drop.&nbsp;“Farmers will have a tighter situation … than they experienced in the last three years, and they’ll have to be much more cognizant about having a very strategic marketing plan in order to make a good cash flow,” said Bob&nbsp;Maltsburger, a senior research economist at the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the university.&nbsp;The “bleak” state of the farm economy — as U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, put it —&nbsp;has agricultural groups and heartland lawmakers clamoring for an updated Farm Bill. But partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C., and tension over what programs to prioritize in the enormous bill have made it difficult for lawmakers to find common ground.&nbsp;“We need a Farm Bill in place,”&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/u-s-sen-jerry-moran-begs-colleagues-to-break-political-gridlock-on-farm-bill-legislation/?emci=071765d8-f87a-ef11-991a-6045bdee6681&amp;emdi=8993ee86-1c7b-ef11-991a-6045bdee6681&amp;ceid=116650" target="_blank">Moran said on the Senate floor earlier this month</a>, “even if it’s the current one, but the current one is insufficient to meet the needs of the disaster that is occurring in the incomes of farmers across the country.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/farmbill" target="_blank">Farm Bill</a>, the primary vehicle for food and agriculture policy in the U.S., expires Monday. While some of its banner programs — including crop insurance and nutrition assistance — will continue even if the legislation lapses, lawmakers and farm groups have said it’s essential to get assistance to struggling farmers. Moran urged colleagues to extend the existing Farm Bill while a more thorough rewrite is still pending.<h2>Competing for funds</h2>The Farm Bill’s single largest chunk of spending — about 75% — supports a variety of programs to combat food insecurity, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly known as “food stamps.” Its other banner programs include crop insurance and support for farmers when crop prices are low. The legislation also provides funds to encourage conservation and more sustainable farming.&nbsp;Prominent in this year’s debate is how to permanently increase spending on&nbsp;<a href="https://marylandmatters.org/2022/11/08/climate-funding-could-suffer-in-the-farm-bill-under-gop-control-of-congress/" target="_blank">conservation and climate-friendly practices</a>. Congress previously provided $20 billion through the Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2023, to help farmers plant cover crops and trees; alternate grazing and resting grassland and restore wetlands.&nbsp;Andrew Lentz, who leads agriculture policy for the Environmental Defense Fund, said that funding helped more farmers participate in historically underfunded conservation programs. He said his organization hopes Congress takes advantage of the “huge opportunity” to make those funding levels permanent.&nbsp;While Democrats want to ensure those funds are spent on practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, those requirements weren’t supported in the Republican-controlled U.S. House committee.&nbsp;“If Congress is able to do that,” Lentz said, “they’ll be able to maintain these elevated funding levels and also maintain the climate focus of those funds in order to address the root causes of climate change and…help farmers tap new markets for lower carbon agricultural goods.”&nbsp;But Jennifer Ifft, an associate professor at Kansas State University, said Congress can’t increase the federal deficit when it passes a new Farm Bill, creating tension between lawmakers over how to prioritize programs. Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives supported increasing funding for the farm safety net, which supports farmers when crop prices are low.That’s hard enough to do this year, Ifft said, but it will be even more difficult to pull off next year with crop prices projected to keep declining, increasing the cost of the safety net.“It’s probably not going to get easier to compromise,” Ifft said.The House Republican version of the bill also cuts $30 billion from nutrition assistance, a nonstarter with Democrats.&nbsp;U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat and chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, called that bill and Senate Republicans’ “framework” for a Farm Bill “flawed,” noting it cuts the nutrition budget and “walks away from the progress we have made to address the climate crisis.”Gibbons said the conversation is missing better options to help with crop prices. He argues managing supply and adjusting decisions to meet market needs is a lower-cost alternative to ensure farmers get a fair price for their crops. But that’s not part of the policy discussions, he said.&nbsp;“The fight,” Gibbons said, “is once again over, ‘How hard are we going to make it for hungry people in need to get food,’”

Farmers struggle with ‘bleak’ situation as Congress waffles on new Farm Bill

SEDGWICK COUNTY — The suspect involved in a shooting near a school on Monday made his first court appearance in the case.

Vincent Solomon Jr., 46,&nbsp; Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, and interference with law enforcement, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office

Just after 9a.m. Monday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.

The call was broadcast on all law enforcement radio channels. A Sedgwick County Deputy heard the call and responded. When the deputy arrived, he located Solomon who was armed with a handgun. The man made statements that the deputy would kill him while pointing the gun at the deputy, according to Sullivan.

The suspect than ran to and laid on top of a 30-year-old woman. The deputy gave commands for the man to drop his gun and observed the suspect place the gun to the woman's head.

In defense of the woman, the deputy fired his gun twice. The suspect would not let go of the woman. The deputy then attempted to disarm the man physically. It took two Wichita Police officers and the deputy to disarm Solomon.

Investigators have learned that Solomon and woman live together and have children together. The couple had an argument in a vehicle on the way to the school which led to the suspect shooting the woman multiple times. The woman ran toward the school and the Solomon chased her. A Wichita Public School staff member saw the suspect with the gun approaching the school and pulled the door of the school shut and locked it so the suspect could not get inside.

EMS transported Solomon and the woman to an area hospital for treatment.

The Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) was activated to conduct this investigation. Solomon remains jailed on a $750,000 bond. He is due back in court October 7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727347323043.png" alt="Solomon -photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Solomon -photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — The suspect involved in a shooting near a school on Monday made his first court appearance in the case.Vincent Solomon Jr., 46,&nbsp; Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, and interference with law enforcement, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's officeJust after 9a.m. Monday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727210527551.png" alt="Image from security camera shows Solomon chasing the woman, after she had been shot, as they approach the entrance to the school.- image from Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Image from security camera shows Solomon chasing the woman, after she had been shot, as they approach the entrance to the school.- image from Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The call was broadcast on all law enforcement radio channels. A Sedgwick County Deputy heard the call and responded. When the deputy arrived, he located Solomon who was armed with a handgun. The man made statements that the deputy would kill him while pointing the gun at the deputy, according to Sullivan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727106753444.png" alt="Police on the scene near the school-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene near the school-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect than ran to and laid on top of a 30-year-old woman. The deputy gave commands for the man to drop his gun and observed the suspect place the gun to the woman's head.In defense of the woman, the deputy fired his gun twice. The suspect would not let go of the woman. The deputy then attempted to disarm the man physically. It took two Wichita Police officers and the deputy to disarm Solomon.Investigators have learned that Solomon and woman live together and have children together. The couple had an argument in a vehicle on the way to the school which led to the suspect shooting the woman multiple times. The woman ran toward the school and the Solomon chased her. A Wichita Public School staff member saw the suspect with the gun approaching the school and pulled the door of the school shut and locked it so the suspect could not get inside.EMS transported Solomon and the woman to an area hospital for treatment.The Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) was activated to conduct this investigation. Solomon remains jailed on a $750,000 bond. He is due back in court October 7.

Kan. man who shot woman near a school released on bond

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

The Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, laid out more of her economic vision Wednesday during her first one-on-one cable TV interview.

Harris and former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, are laying out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/taxes-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">dueling economic agendas</a>&nbsp;this week as the two vie for the Oval Office in an extremely close race.

“I really love and am so energized by what I know to be the spirit and character of the American people — we have ambition, we have aspirations, we have dreams, we can see what’s possible, we have an incredible work ethic, but not everyone has the access to the opportunities that allow them to achieve those things, but we don’t lack for those things, but not everyone gets handed stuff on a silver platter,” Harris told MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle.

“My vision for the economy — I call it an opportunity economy — is about making sure that all Americans — wherever they start, wherever they are — have the ability to actually achieve those dreams and those ambitions, which include, for middle-class families, just being able to know that their hard work allows them to get ahead,” she said.

Earlier on Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/election-2024/harris-touts-economic-plans-in-pittsburgh-the-best-way-to-predict-the-future-is-to-invent-it/" target="_blank">Harris touted her economic plans</a>&nbsp;in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at Carnegie Mellon University. During her MSNBC interview later in the day, she reiterated her plan to cut taxes for more than 100 million Americans, including $6,000 in tax relief for new parents in the first year of their child’s life.

In that first year, Harris said these parents are going to “need help buying a crib, buying a car seat, and we all benefit when they’re actually able to do what they naturally want to do to take care of their child.”

Part of her economic agenda also includes as much as $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers and an up to $50,000 tax break for first-time small businesses.

She also took jabs at Trump when it comes to the economy, saying he’s “just not very serious about how he thinks about some of these issues.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/8760cee3-7340-4dcc-9fc5-3457aa5953bd" target="_blank">Trump campaign</a>&nbsp;clapped back at her MSNBC appearance on Wednesday, saying “it was (another) reminder why she never does interviews,” and that she’s “not competent enough — and she has no plans to offer Americans.”

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/09/24/trump-pitches-economic-plan-in-savannah-while-insulting-democrats-praising-kemp/" target="_blank">pitched his economic plan</a>&nbsp;earlier this week in Georgia, part of which includes levying tariffs on exported goods, and he vowed to place a 100% tariff on cars imported from Mexico.

Harris also touched on immigration, telling Ruhle “we do have a broken immigration system, and it needs to be fixed.”

She also said she would bring back and sign into law a major&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bleak-future-immigration-action-after-us-senate-gop-abandons-border-security-deal" target="_blank">bipartisan border security bill</a>&nbsp;from earlier this year while pinning its legislative failure on Trump.

“He killed a bill that would have actually been a solution because he wants to run on a problem instead of fixing the problem, and that’s part of what needs to be addressed,” Harris said.

The veep is set to visit the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday for the first time since becoming the Democratic nominee. Her Douglas, Arizona, visit comes as she’s faced repeated criticism and backlash from both sides of the aisle for her efforts surrounding immigration.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113193502568945796" target="_blank">Truth Social post</a>&nbsp;earlier this week regarding her upcoming visit, Trump again dubbed Harris a “border czar,” saying “what a disgrace that she waited so long, allowing millions of people to enter our Country from prisons, mental institutions, and criminal cells all over the World, not just South America, many of those coming are terrorists, and at a level never seen before!”

President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/what-know-about-vice-president-kamala-harris-endorsed-biden-his-successor" target="_blank">tapped Harris back in 2021</a>&nbsp;to help address the “root causes” of migration in Central America, but he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2024/08/trump-tv-ad-repeats-false-border-czar-illegal-immigration-claims/" target="_blank">did not give her</a>&nbsp;the title of “border czar.” The Department of Homeland Security is in charge of border security.

What’s next for Harris, Trump campaigns

Harris was set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday afternoon.

The meeting between the two leaders “serves as a reminder that the Vice President has been a champion for the United States, advancing our security and prosperity on the world stage and standing up to dictators and autocrats,” her campaign said in a Thursday press release.

This will be her seventh meeting with Zelenskyy, according to her campaign, which noted that as vice president, “she helped rally a global coalition of 50 allies and partners to help Ukraine defend itself.”

Trump is set to deliver remarks in Walker, Michigan, on Friday. Later in the day, he will also host a town hall in Warren, Michigan.

And in the thick of the college football season, Trump is set to attend the Alabama-Georgia football game on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-says-jewish-voters-would-be-partly-blame-election-loss" target="_blank">confirmed to States Newsroom last week</a>.

Harris’ running mate, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, is set to attend the Michigan-Minnesota football game Saturday in Ann Arbor, the Harris-Walz campaign announced.

He’s also slated to campaign there and will “speak with students about the power of their vote and the importance of registering to vote ahead of the November election,” per the announcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727438181004.png" alt="Vice President Harris during a White House press conference on Thursday image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Harris during a White House press conference on Thursday image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>&nbsp;The Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, laid out more of her economic vision Wednesday during her first one-on-one cable TV interview.Harris and former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, are laying out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/taxes-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">dueling economic agendas</a>&nbsp;this week as the two vie for the Oval Office in an extremely close race.“I really love and am so energized by what I know to be the spirit and character of the American people — we have ambition, we have aspirations, we have dreams, we can see what’s possible, we have an incredible work ethic, but not everyone has the access to the opportunities that allow them to achieve those things, but we don’t lack for those things, but not everyone gets handed stuff on a silver platter,” Harris told MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle.“My vision for the economy — I call it an opportunity economy — is about making sure that all Americans — wherever they start, wherever they are — have the ability to actually achieve those dreams and those ambitions, which include, for middle-class families, just being able to know that their hard work allows them to get ahead,” she said.Earlier on Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/election-2024/harris-touts-economic-plans-in-pittsburgh-the-best-way-to-predict-the-future-is-to-invent-it/" target="_blank">Harris touted her economic plans</a>&nbsp;in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at Carnegie Mellon University. During her MSNBC interview later in the day, she reiterated her plan to cut taxes for more than 100 million Americans, including $6,000 in tax relief for new parents in the first year of their child’s life.In that first year, Harris said these parents are going to “need help buying a crib, buying a car seat, and we all benefit when they’re actually able to do what they naturally want to do to take care of their child.”Part of her economic agenda also includes as much as $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers and an up to $50,000 tax break for first-time small businesses.She also took jabs at Trump when it comes to the economy, saying he’s “just not very serious about how he thinks about some of these issues.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/8760cee3-7340-4dcc-9fc5-3457aa5953bd" target="_blank">Trump campaign</a>&nbsp;clapped back at her MSNBC appearance on Wednesday, saying “it was (another) reminder why she never does interviews,” and that she’s “not competent enough — and she has no plans to offer Americans.”Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/09/24/trump-pitches-economic-plan-in-savannah-while-insulting-democrats-praising-kemp/" target="_blank">pitched his economic plan</a>&nbsp;earlier this week in Georgia, part of which includes levying tariffs on exported goods, and he vowed to place a 100% tariff on cars imported from Mexico.<h2>Harris to visit southern border&nbsp;</h2>Harris also touched on immigration, telling Ruhle “we do have a broken immigration system, and it needs to be fixed.”She also said she would bring back and sign into law a major&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bleak-future-immigration-action-after-us-senate-gop-abandons-border-security-deal" target="_blank">bipartisan border security bill</a>&nbsp;from earlier this year while pinning its legislative failure on Trump.“He killed a bill that would have actually been a solution because he wants to run on a problem instead of fixing the problem, and that’s part of what needs to be addressed,” Harris said.The veep is set to visit the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday for the first time since becoming the Democratic nominee. Her Douglas, Arizona, visit comes as she’s faced repeated criticism and backlash from both sides of the aisle for her efforts surrounding immigration.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113193502568945796" target="_blank">Truth Social post</a>&nbsp;earlier this week regarding her upcoming visit, Trump again dubbed Harris a “border czar,” saying “what a disgrace that she waited so long, allowing millions of people to enter our Country from prisons, mental institutions, and criminal cells all over the World, not just South America, many of those coming are terrorists, and at a level never seen before!”President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/what-know-about-vice-president-kamala-harris-endorsed-biden-his-successor" target="_blank">tapped Harris back in 2021</a>&nbsp;to help address the “root causes” of migration in Central America, but he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2024/08/trump-tv-ad-repeats-false-border-czar-illegal-immigration-claims/" target="_blank">did not give her</a>&nbsp;the title of “border czar.” The Department of Homeland Security is in charge of border security.<h2>What’s next for Harris, Trump campaigns</h2>Harris was set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday afternoon.The meeting between the two leaders “serves as a reminder that the Vice President has been a champion for the United States, advancing our security and prosperity on the world stage and standing up to dictators and autocrats,” her campaign said in a Thursday press release.This will be her seventh meeting with Zelenskyy, according to her campaign, which noted that as vice president, “she helped rally a global coalition of 50 allies and partners to help Ukraine defend itself.”Trump is set to deliver remarks in Walker, Michigan, on Friday. Later in the day, he will also host a town hall in Warren, Michigan.And in the thick of the college football season, Trump is set to attend the Alabama-Georgia football game on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-says-jewish-voters-would-be-partly-blame-election-loss" target="_blank">confirmed to States Newsroom last week</a>.Harris’ running mate, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, is set to attend the Michigan-Minnesota football game Saturday in Ann Arbor, the Harris-Walz campaign announced.He’s also slated to campaign there and will “speak with students about the power of their vote and the importance of registering to vote ahead of the November election,” per the announcement.

Harris pitches an ‘opportunity economy’ in debut one-on-one TV interview 

WASHINGTON —On Thursday, as part of the surge of assistance that President Biden directed ahead of his meeting with President Zelenskyy, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced a significant new security assistance package to ensure Ukraine has the tools it needs to prevail in its fight against Russian aggression, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Defense.

This security assistance package commits an additional $2.4 billion in support through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) that will provide Ukraine with additional air defense, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and air-to-ground munitions, as well as strengthen Ukraine’s defense industrial base and support its maintenance and sustainment requirements.&nbsp;

The capabilities in this announcement include:

This is the Biden Administration’s twenty-first USAI package. The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated capability coalitions to provide the support Ukraine needs to win the war.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727380260471.png" alt="Ukrainian President Zelenskyy watches as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signs bombs that will used in the war against Russia-photo Office of Gov. Shapiro" />
 <figcaption>Ukrainian President Zelenskyy watches as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signs bombs that will used in the war against Russia-photo Office of Gov. Shapiro</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —On Thursday, as part of the surge of assistance that President Biden directed ahead of his meeting with President Zelenskyy, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced a significant new security assistance package to ensure Ukraine has the tools it needs to prevail in its fight against Russian aggression, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Defense.This security assistance package commits an additional $2.4 billion in support through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) that will provide Ukraine with additional air defense, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and air-to-ground munitions, as well as strengthen Ukraine’s defense industrial base and support its maintenance and sustainment requirements.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727392281821.png" alt="-President Zelenskyy and Vice President Harris at the White House on Thursday-White House image" />
 <figcaption>-President Zelenskyy and Vice President Harris at the White House on Thursday-White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>The capabilities in this announcement include:<ul>
 <li>Munitions and support for Ukrainian air defense systems;</li><li>Air-to-ground munitions;</li><li>Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and components to support Ukrainian production of UAS;</li><li>Counter-UAS equipment;&nbsp; Unmanned surface vessels;</li><li>Secure communications equipment;</li><li>Equipment and materiel to support Ukrainian munitions production; and&nbsp;</li><li>Spare parts, maintenance and sustainment support, and other ancillary equipment.</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727380341399.png" alt="Ukraine President Zelenskyy and President Biden at the White House on Thursday-White House image" />
 <figcaption>Ukraine President Zelenskyy and President Biden at the White House on Thursday-White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>This is the Biden Administration’s twenty-first USAI package. The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated capability coalitions to provide the support Ukraine needs to win the war.

U.S. to spend another $2.4 billion on security assistance for Ukraine

JOHNSON COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement are investigating a rural Missouri couple in connection with years of alleged child sex abuse.

According to the Johnson County Sheriff 56-year-old Gregory D. Arnold and his wife 55-year-old Yvonne P. Arnold both of Chilhowee, Missouri, have been charged with Statutory Sodomy 1st Degree

The charges mark the beginning of what is anticipated to be a comprehensive and detailed investigation.&nbsp; The Johnson County Sheriff's Office is actively looking into additional potential crimes that may have been committed as early as 2005.

Investigators are working to uncover all facts and ensure justice is served&nbsp; the sheriff's office is committed to support for the victims in this case.&nbsp;Chilhowee is located approximately 65 miles southeast of Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727345833618.png" alt="Arnold photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Arnold photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement are investigating a rural Missouri couple in connection with years of alleged child sex abuse.According to the Johnson County Sheriff 56-year-old Gregory D. Arnold and his wife 55-year-old Yvonne P. Arnold both of Chilhowee, Missouri, have been charged with Statutory Sodomy 1st Degree<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727345792127.png" alt="Arnold-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Arnold-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The charges mark the beginning of what is anticipated to be a comprehensive and detailed investigation.&nbsp; The Johnson County Sheriff's Office is actively looking into additional potential crimes that may have been committed as early as 2005.Investigators are working to uncover all facts and ensure justice is served&nbsp; the sheriff's office is committed to support for the victims in this case.&nbsp;Chilhowee is located approximately 65 miles southeast of Kansas City.

Rural Missouri couple face years of child sex crime allegations

Washington D.C.&nbsp; -&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall on Wednesday called for the immediate passage of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.lee.senate.gov/2024/5/lee-and-roy-partner-on-legislation-to-secure-federal-elections">Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act</a>&nbsp;on the Senate floor.&nbsp; The SAVE Act is crucial for protecting the integrity of our elections by requiring proof of American citizenship when registering to vote. Our elections must be decided by American citizens.&nbsp;

Recently, states like&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/virginia-governor-youngkin-voter-purge-noncitizens-errors-election-rcna167925">Virginia</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-announces-over-1m-ineligible-voters-removed-voting-rolls-since-last-presidential-election">Texas</a>, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-2024-election-citizen-voter-registration-18d3c0bda65a5030cd07f1d536e39ab7">Oregon</a>&nbsp;found noncitizens had registered to vote in our elections. Requiring proof of citizenship to vote is not controversial, it’s common sense.

“Free, safe, secure and fair elections are integral to the survival of our republic. Without election integrity, the voice of American citizens, the foundation of a republic, is at risk of being silenced.”

“Unfortunately, millions of Americans have lost confidence in the security of our elections. They question whether their vote truly matters or if their vote is being diluted by noncitizens. We must ensure that the outcome of our elections is determined by our own citizens, uninfluenced by illegal ballots.”

“This shouldn't be a divisive issue. Nearly 80% of Americans - Democrats, Republicans, independents - all agree on this simple requirement, 80%. Now, again, this is common sense. You need an ID to drive, you need an ID to board a plane, you need an ID to get a fishing license. But voting is a sacred right with even a higher value than those other examples, that voting should demand the same standard.”

“Protecting this right isn't controversial, it’s common sense. Right now, due to the crisis of our open southern border, at least 11 million illegal immigrants are in the United States today. That number alone could replace the population of 36 states, almost four times the population of Kansas. Imagine what that could do to our electoral process if left unchecked.”

“Noncitizen voting is real. This isn't hypothetical. In Texas, Virginia, and Oregon, noncitizens have been found on the voting rosters. Additionally, California, Maryland, Vermont and Washington, D.C. already allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. This is an immediate threat to the future of our democracy, and it demands action.”&nbsp;

“This is a nonpartisan American issue. It's about protecting our country. Just as we reject foreign interference in our elections, we must reject noncitizen voting with equal seriousness, and this is why Congress must act, and it can act today.”

Washington D.C.&nbsp; -&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall on Wednesday called for the immediate passage of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.lee.senate.gov/2024/5/lee-and-roy-partner-on-legislation-to-secure-federal-elections">Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act</a>&nbsp;on the Senate floor.&nbsp; The SAVE Act is crucial for protecting the integrity of our elections by requiring proof of American citizenship when registering to vote. Our elections must be decided by American citizens.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Why won’t Democrats work to secure our elections and pass a policy that 80% of Americans support and does just that? Protecting election integrity is not a partisan issue—it’s an American issue. Let’s pass the SAVE Act to ensure our elections remain free, fair, &amp; secure. <a href="https://t.co/IeoTDskdZl">pic.twitter.com/IeoTDskdZl</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1839024251002622306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Recently, states like&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/virginia-governor-youngkin-voter-purge-noncitizens-errors-election-rcna167925">Virginia</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-announces-over-1m-ineligible-voters-removed-voting-rolls-since-last-presidential-election">Texas</a>, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-2024-election-citizen-voter-registration-18d3c0bda65a5030cd07f1d536e39ab7">Oregon</a>&nbsp;found noncitizens had registered to vote in our elections. Requiring proof of citizenship to vote is not controversial, it’s common sense.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In America, you need an ID to do all of the following things, yet the Democrat party finds it controversial to need an ID to participate in our electoral process. <a href="https://t.co/pJ4UBAQuwC">pic.twitter.com/pJ4UBAQuwC</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1839008515194507515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Free, safe, secure and fair elections are integral to the survival of our republic. Without election integrity, the voice of American citizens, the foundation of a republic, is at risk of being silenced.”“Unfortunately, millions of Americans have lost confidence in the security of our elections. They question whether their vote truly matters or if their vote is being diluted by noncitizens. We must ensure that the outcome of our elections is determined by our own citizens, uninfluenced by illegal ballots.”“This shouldn't be a divisive issue. Nearly 80% of Americans - Democrats, Republicans, independents - all agree on this simple requirement, 80%. Now, again, this is common sense. You need an ID to drive, you need an ID to board a plane, you need an ID to get a fishing license. But voting is a sacred right with even a higher value than those other examples, that voting should demand the same standard.”“Protecting this right isn't controversial, it’s common sense. Right now, due to the crisis of our open southern border, at least 11 million illegal immigrants are in the United States today. That number alone could replace the population of 36 states, almost four times the population of Kansas. Imagine what that could do to our electoral process if left unchecked.”“Noncitizen voting is real. This isn't hypothetical. In Texas, Virginia, and Oregon, noncitizens have been found on the voting rosters. Additionally, California, Maryland, Vermont and Washington, D.C. already allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. This is an immediate threat to the future of our democracy, and it demands action.”&nbsp;“This is a nonpartisan American issue. It's about protecting our country. Just as we reject foreign interference in our elections, we must reject noncitizen voting with equal seriousness, and this is why Congress must act, and it can act today.”

🎥Marshall: Why won't Democrats work to secure our elections?

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/"></a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Women candidates from Kansas and Missouri gathered September 19, at a Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus event in support of female power and personality in politics.

Gov. Laura Kelly, the keynote speaker, highlighted how she kept her femininity while running for office. She spoke of the advice she got on her campaign — how men told her that women should appear tough and strong while running for office.

“I’m sure of this one piece of advice: Don’t try to be something you’re not,” Kelly said. “In order to convince others you can do a certain job, you’ve got to show them that who you really are is exactly how you will do the job.”

Kelly said women possess traits that make them valuable in office — traits like being good listeners, collaborative, creative problem solvers and able to juggle multiple tasks all at once.

“You see, I believe the traits we as women come by naturally are exactly the traits that make for effective executive leaders,” Kelly said.

Kelly is one of 12 women governors, eight of whom are Democrats. Kelly said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the women governors were in “constant touch.” She said the group of women Democratic governors are close — seeking advice from each other, celebrating each other’s wins and supporting each other in difficult times. This was showcased at the Democratic National Convention, when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@demgovs/video/7405758961019850026?lang=en" target="_blank">a video of the eight women</a>&nbsp;went viral on TikTok.

“While we’re really proud that there are 12 female governors, the last time I checked, there are 50 states,” Kelly said. “So do the math. We’ve got some work to do. I believe we will prevail. I am so energized by the next generations of women coming after mine.”

Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, a Democrat from Leawood, said that women have to prove more to themselves before they run for office. When Poskin was asked to run — after she’d worked in higher education for 20 years, raised seven children, and held a membership in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mensa.org/" target="_blank">Mensa</a>&nbsp;— she responded that she should get her law degree before running. After a few more asks, she was convinced to run.

“People laughed at me, like, ‘You have everything you need! You are so ready,’ ” Poskin said. “And as it turns out, you don’t, of course, have to be a lawyer.”

A<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/09/27/views-of-obstacles-for-women-seeking-high-political-office/" target="_blank">&nbsp;2023 Pew Research study</a>&nbsp;found that the main reason women don’t run for office is because they have to do more to prove themselves than men. Rep. Melissa Oropeza, a Democrat from Kansas City, Kansas, doesn’t believe a female candidate should have to prove herself on the basis of gender.

“Is it on us to educate people in 2024? I think they have to do some soul searching on their own, and evaluation of their own beliefs,” Oropeza said.

Every candidate at the event is an abortion rights advocate. Rep. Jo Ella Hoye, a two-term Democrat from Lenexa, said she originally ran to end gun violence.

“But a lot of women candidates get told not to talk about guns and abortion,” Hoye said. “We know that those are two priority issues on voters’ minds. So keep talking, and keep winning.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727286424687.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly speaks Sept. 19, 2024, at the at a Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus event. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly speaks Sept. 19, 2024, at the at a Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus event. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/"></a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Women candidates from Kansas and Missouri gathered September 19, at a Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus event in support of female power and personality in politics.Gov. Laura Kelly, the keynote speaker, highlighted how she kept her femininity while running for office. She spoke of the advice she got on her campaign — how men told her that women should appear tough and strong while running for office.“I’m sure of this one piece of advice: Don’t try to be something you’re not,” Kelly said. “In order to convince others you can do a certain job, you’ve got to show them that who you really are is exactly how you will do the job.”Kelly said women possess traits that make them valuable in office — traits like being good listeners, collaborative, creative problem solvers and able to juggle multiple tasks all at once.“You see, I believe the traits we as women come by naturally are exactly the traits that make for effective executive leaders,” Kelly said.Kelly is one of 12 women governors, eight of whom are Democrats. Kelly said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the women governors were in “constant touch.” She said the group of women Democratic governors are close — seeking advice from each other, celebrating each other’s wins and supporting each other in difficult times. This was showcased at the Democratic National Convention, when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@demgovs/video/7405758961019850026?lang=en" target="_blank">a video of the eight women</a>&nbsp;went viral on TikTok.“While we’re really proud that there are 12 female governors, the last time I checked, there are 50 states,” Kelly said. “So do the math. We’ve got some work to do. I believe we will prevail. I am so energized by the next generations of women coming after mine.”Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, a Democrat from Leawood, said that women have to prove more to themselves before they run for office. When Poskin was asked to run — after she’d worked in higher education for 20 years, raised seven children, and held a membership in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mensa.org/" target="_blank">Mensa</a>&nbsp;— she responded that she should get her law degree before running. After a few more asks, she was convinced to run.“People laughed at me, like, ‘You have everything you need! You are so ready,’ ” Poskin said. “And as it turns out, you don’t, of course, have to be a lawyer.”A<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/09/27/views-of-obstacles-for-women-seeking-high-political-office/" target="_blank">&nbsp;2023 Pew Research study</a>&nbsp;found that the main reason women don’t run for office is because they have to do more to prove themselves than men. Rep. Melissa Oropeza, a Democrat from Kansas City, Kansas, doesn’t believe a female candidate should have to prove herself on the basis of gender.“Is it on us to educate people in 2024? I think they have to do some soul searching on their own, and evaluation of their own beliefs,” Oropeza said.Every candidate at the event is an abortion rights advocate. Rep. Jo Ella Hoye, a two-term Democrat from Lenexa, said she originally ran to end gun violence.“But a lot of women candidates get told not to talk about guns and abortion,” Hoye said. “We know that those are two priority issues on voters’ minds. So keep talking, and keep winning.”

Women candidates champion authenticity at Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus event

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A USD 259 Wichita school employee's quick reaction to close a door prevented a man with a gun, who was chasing a woman he had already shot, from entering a school building on Monday.

Just after 9a.m., Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.

The call was broadcast on all law enforcement radio channels. A Sedgwick County Deputy heard the call and responded. When the deputy arrived, he located a 46-year-old man from Wichita who was armed with a handgun. The man made statements that the deputy would kill him while pointing the gun at the deputy, according to Sullivan.

In defense of the woman, the deputy fired his gun twice. The suspect would not let go of the woman. The deputy then attempted to disarm the man physically. It took two Wichita Police officers and the deputy to disarm the suspect.

Investigators have learned that the man and woman live together and have children together. The couple had an argument in a vehicle on the way to the school which led to the suspect shooting the woman multiple times. The woman ran toward the school and the suspect chased her. A Wichita Public School staff member saw the suspect with the gun approaching the school and pulled the door of the school shut and locked it so the suspect could not get inside.

EMS transported the suspect and the woman to an area hospital. Both are expected to survive, according to Sullivan. When the suspect is released from the hospital,&nbsp; he faces charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not released the name of the suspect.

The Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) was activated to conduct this investigation. ALERT team investigators will present the facts of this case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging consideration. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727210527551.png" alt="The suspect with the gun chasing the woman who had already been shot -image from security camera image released by Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>The suspect with the gun chasing the woman who had already been shot -image from security camera image released by Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A USD 259 Wichita school employee's quick reaction to close a door prevented a man with a gun, who was chasing a woman he had already shot, from entering a school building on Monday.Just after 9a.m., Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.The call was broadcast on all law enforcement radio channels. A Sedgwick County Deputy heard the call and responded. When the deputy arrived, he located a 46-year-old man from Wichita who was armed with a handgun. The man made statements that the deputy would kill him while pointing the gun at the deputy, according to Sullivan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727106753444.png" alt="Police on the scene near the school-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene near the school-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect than ran to and laid on top of a 30-year-old woman. The deputy gave commands for the man to drop his gun and observed the suspect place the gun to the woman's head.In defense of the woman, the deputy fired his gun twice. The suspect would not let go of the woman. The deputy then attempted to disarm the man physically. It took two Wichita Police officers and the deputy to disarm the suspect.Investigators have learned that the man and woman live together and have children together. The couple had an argument in a vehicle on the way to the school which led to the suspect shooting the woman multiple times. The woman ran toward the school and the suspect chased her. A Wichita Public School staff member saw the suspect with the gun approaching the school and pulled the door of the school shut and locked it so the suspect could not get inside.EMS transported the suspect and the woman to an area hospital. Both are expected to survive, according to Sullivan. When the suspect is released from the hospital,&nbsp; he faces charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not released the name of the suspect.The Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) was activated to conduct this investigation. ALERT team investigators will present the facts of this case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging consideration.

Quick action by Kan. school employee kept gunman from entering school

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>&nbsp;

WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris said Tuesday during a radio interview that she supports changing a Senate procedure in order to codify the right to an abortion.

Vice President Harris said she is in favor of ending the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, known as the filibuster, to advance abortion rights legislation. But that task would hinge on Democrats agreeing to do so and holding on to majority control in the Senate, a difficult feat this November as&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2024/09/23/racing-toward-election-day-control-of-u-s-senate-and-house-up-for-grabs/" target="_blank">Republicans appear potentially poised to take back the upper chamber.&nbsp;</a>

“I think we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe, and get us to the point where 51 votes would be what we need to actually put back in law the protections for reproductive freedom and for the ability of every person and every woman to make decisions about their own body and not have their government tell them what to do,” she said during an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio.

Harris in 2022 said she would&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/09/10/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-at-the-2022-democratic-national-committee-summer-meeting/" target="_blank">cast a tie-breaking vote</a>&nbsp;in favor of abortion rights in her role as vice president. She has often pledged to sign into law a codification of Roe v. Wade, the constitutional right to an abortion struck down by the conservative U.S. Supreme Court in 2022.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in August that Democrats would talk about rules changes to codify abortion rights,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/chuck-schumer-outlines-2025-agenda-democrats-sweep-eying-filibuster-ch-rcna167433" target="_blank">NBC reported</a>.

<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/election-2024/trump-talks-agriculture-and-china-in-smithton-ahead-of-rally-at-iup/" target="_blank">At a Monday rally in Pennsylvania</a>, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump referred to himself as a “protector” of women. Trump said women no longer needed to think about abortion and it is “now where it always had to be, with the states.”

“All they want to do is talk about abortion,” the former president said at the rally, referring to Democrats. “It really no longer pertains because we’ve done something on abortion that no one thought was possible.”

Trump has called for Senate Republicans to dismantle the filibuster, but GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and other Republican leaders like No. 2 Sen. John Thune of South Dakota have vowed to keep the procedure in place.

Current Senate projections indicate Republicans are likely to gain control of the Senate. Republicans are also expected to pick up a seat in West Virginia, and only need to hold on to seats in Florida, Texas and Nebraska.

Democrats will need to secure wins in Arizona, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Additionally, Senate Democrats would need to break a possible 50-50 tie through a Democratic presidency — if they want to remain the majority party and change the filibuster.

If Harris wins, and Democrats hold 50 seats in the Senate, then Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, the vice presidential nominee, would be the tie-breaking vote.

During a Tuesday Senate press conference on abortion, Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington said she was supportive of Harris’ stance and that it would be a carve-out of the filibuster, rather than an elimination of it.

“What we are talking about is a simple procedure to allow, whenever rights are taken away from someone, that the U.S. Senate can, without being blocked by a filibuster, be able to restore those rights,” she said.

The Harris campaign hosted a Tuesday press call with business owner and&nbsp; “Shark Tank” investor Mark Cuban, to advocate for Harris’ economic policies.

Polls have found that voters view Trump as better for the economy.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/09/09/in-tied-presidential-race-harris-and-trump-have-contrasting-strengths-weaknesses/" target="_blank">Pew Research</a>&nbsp;found that Trump’s key advantage is the economy, with 55% of voters viewing the former president as making good economic decisions, and 45% of voters viewing Harris as making good decisions about the economy.

“In a nutshell, the vice president and her team thinks through her policies,” Cuban said. “She doesn’t just off the top of her head say what she thinks the crowd wants to hear, like the Republican nominee.”

Battleground states still the favorite spot

The candidates will continue to campaign and travel, especially around battleground states this week.

Trump is scheduled Tuesday to visit Savannah, Georgia, where he will give an afternoon campaign speech about lowering taxes for business owners.

Walz is scheduled to head back to his home state of Minnesota Tuesday&nbsp;for a campaign reception there.

Harris is heading to&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/briefs/kamala-harris-to-campaign-in-pennsylvania-on-wednesday/" target="_blank">Pennsylvania Wednesday&nbsp;</a>for a campaign rally and then she’ll travel to Arizona on Friday and Nevada on Sunday.

Trump is stopping in Mint Hill, North Carolina, on Wednesday to give remarks about the importance of making goods in the U.S. His running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, will travel to Traverse City, Michigan, on Wednesday to rally supporters.

Vance on Thursday will give a campaign speech on the economy in Macon, Georgia, and then host a voter mobilization drive in Flowery Branch, Georgia.

On Friday, Trump is scheduled to rally supporters in Walker, Michigan and in the evening hold a town hall in Warren, Michigan.

&nbsp;Jennifer Shutt contributed to this report.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727264828416.png" alt="File photo Vice President Kamala Harris during a campaign stop last week in Wisconsin -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo Vice President Kamala Harris during a campaign stop last week in Wisconsin -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>&nbsp;WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris said Tuesday during a radio interview that she supports changing a Senate procedure in order to codify the right to an abortion.Vice President Harris said she is in favor of ending the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, known as the filibuster, to advance abortion rights legislation. But that task would hinge on Democrats agreeing to do so and holding on to majority control in the Senate, a difficult feat this November as&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2024/09/23/racing-toward-election-day-control-of-u-s-senate-and-house-up-for-grabs/" target="_blank">Republicans appear potentially poised to take back the upper chamber.&nbsp;</a>“I think we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe, and get us to the point where 51 votes would be what we need to actually put back in law the protections for reproductive freedom and for the ability of every person and every woman to make decisions about their own body and not have their government tell them what to do,” she said during an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio.Harris in 2022 said she would&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/09/10/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-at-the-2022-democratic-national-committee-summer-meeting/" target="_blank">cast a tie-breaking vote</a>&nbsp;in favor of abortion rights in her role as vice president. She has often pledged to sign into law a codification of Roe v. Wade, the constitutional right to an abortion struck down by the conservative U.S. Supreme Court in 2022.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in August that Democrats would talk about rules changes to codify abortion rights,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/chuck-schumer-outlines-2025-agenda-democrats-sweep-eying-filibuster-ch-rcna167433" target="_blank">NBC reported</a>.<h2>Trump in Pennsylvania</h2><a href="https://penncapital-star.com/election-2024/trump-talks-agriculture-and-china-in-smithton-ahead-of-rally-at-iup/" target="_blank">At a Monday rally in Pennsylvania</a>, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump referred to himself as a “protector” of women. Trump said women no longer needed to think about abortion and it is “now where it always had to be, with the states.”“All they want to do is talk about abortion,” the former president said at the rally, referring to Democrats. “It really no longer pertains because we’ve done something on abortion that no one thought was possible.”Trump has called for Senate Republicans to dismantle the filibuster, but GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and other Republican leaders like No. 2 Sen. John Thune of South Dakota have vowed to keep the procedure in place.Current Senate projections indicate Republicans are likely to gain control of the Senate. Republicans are also expected to pick up a seat in West Virginia, and only need to hold on to seats in Florida, Texas and Nebraska.Democrats will need to secure wins in Arizona, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Additionally, Senate Democrats would need to break a possible 50-50 tie through a Democratic presidency — if they want to remain the majority party and change the filibuster.If Harris wins, and Democrats hold 50 seats in the Senate, then Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, the vice presidential nominee, would be the tie-breaking vote.During a Tuesday Senate press conference on abortion, Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington said she was supportive of Harris’ stance and that it would be a carve-out of the filibuster, rather than an elimination of it.“What we are talking about is a simple procedure to allow, whenever rights are taken away from someone, that the U.S. Senate can, without being blocked by a filibuster, be able to restore those rights,” she said.<h2>Harris, Trump and the economy</h2>The Harris campaign hosted a Tuesday press call with business owner and&nbsp; “Shark Tank” investor Mark Cuban, to advocate for Harris’ economic policies.Polls have found that voters view Trump as better for the economy.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/09/09/in-tied-presidential-race-harris-and-trump-have-contrasting-strengths-weaknesses/" target="_blank">Pew Research</a>&nbsp;found that Trump’s key advantage is the economy, with 55% of voters viewing the former president as making good economic decisions, and 45% of voters viewing Harris as making good decisions about the economy.“In a nutshell, the vice president and her team thinks through her policies,” Cuban said. “She doesn’t just off the top of her head say what she thinks the crowd wants to hear, like the Republican nominee.”<h2>Battleground states still the favorite spot</h2>The candidates will continue to campaign and travel, especially around battleground states this week.Trump is scheduled Tuesday to visit Savannah, Georgia, where he will give an afternoon campaign speech about lowering taxes for business owners.Walz is scheduled to head back to his home state of Minnesota Tuesday&nbsp;for a campaign reception there.Harris is heading to&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/briefs/kamala-harris-to-campaign-in-pennsylvania-on-wednesday/" target="_blank">Pennsylvania Wednesday&nbsp;</a>for a campaign rally and then she’ll travel to Arizona on Friday and Nevada on Sunday.Trump is stopping in Mint Hill, North Carolina, on Wednesday to give remarks about the importance of making goods in the U.S. His running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, will travel to Traverse City, Michigan, on Wednesday to rally supporters.Vance on Thursday will give a campaign speech on the economy in Macon, Georgia, and then host a voter mobilization drive in Flowery Branch, Georgia.On Friday, Trump is scheduled to rally supporters in Walker, Michigan and in the evening hold a town hall in Warren, Michigan.&nbsp;Jennifer Shutt contributed to this report.&nbsp;

Harris says she’d back an elimination of the filibuster to restore abortion rights

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

KANSAS CITY —A man has been charged in an August 2013 rape in Grain Valley, Missouri after he was identified by DNA testing, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Jason Dewayne Bell, 24, Grain Valley, faces Rape in the 1st Degree and Sodomy in the 1st Degree. A grand jury indicted Bell in August.

According to court records, the Missouri Highway Patrol issued a report to Grain Valley detectives alerting them that defendant's DNA was found in a sample collected from the victim in an August 2013 sexual assault. In March 2024, the victim told detectives she went to a pub in Independence with others when the defendant started driving her to a parking lot near trucks and he sexually assaulted her in the vehicle. Detectives reported the defendant had been a suspect in other sexual assault investigations.

The defendant is currently being held in custody. Anyone with more information regarding the defendant should contact Grain Valley police detective Jason Werges at 816-847-6262.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726764514816.png" alt="Bell photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Bell photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A man has been charged in an August 2013 rape in Grain Valley, Missouri after he was identified by DNA testing, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Jason Dewayne Bell, 24, Grain Valley, faces Rape in the 1st Degree and Sodomy in the 1st Degree. A grand jury indicted Bell in August.According to court records, the Missouri Highway Patrol issued a report to Grain Valley detectives alerting them that defendant's DNA was found in a sample collected from the victim in an August 2013 sexual assault. In March 2024, the victim told detectives she went to a pub in Independence with others when the defendant started driving her to a parking lot near trucks and he sexually assaulted her in the vehicle. Detectives reported the defendant had been a suspect in other sexual assault investigations.The defendant is currently being held in custody. Anyone with more information regarding the defendant should contact Grain Valley police detective Jason Werges at 816-847-6262.

DNA testing led to arrest in KC area rape investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are scrambling to ensure that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-secret-service">U.S. Secret Service</a>&nbsp;has enough money and resources to keep the nation’s presidential candidates safe amid repeated threats of violence. It’s unclear, though, how much they can do with only weeks before the election, or if additional dollars would make an immediate difference.

Days after a gunman was arrested on former President Donald Trump's golf course, the House on Friday overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation 405-0 to require the agency use the same standards when assigning agents to major presidential candidates as they do presidents and vice presidents. The agency has told Congress that it has already boosted Trump's security, but House lawmakers want it put into law.

The efforts come after an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;on former President Donald Trump at a rally in July, and after Secret Service agents arrested a man with a rifle hiding on the golf course at Trump’s Florida club over the weekend. The suspect in Florida apparently also sought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-what-to-know-564c56e167c3cdc6c50f6a2e91db9a6c">to assassinate</a>&nbsp;the GOP presidential nominee.

“In America, elections are determined at the ballot box, not by an assassin’s bullet,” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., a chief sponsor of the bill, said in floor debate ahead of the vote. “That these incidents were allowed to occur is a stain on our country."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726692527169.png" alt="House Speaker Mike Johnson with Donald Trump earlier this week-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Mike Johnson with Donald Trump earlier this week-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are scrambling to ensure that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-secret-service">U.S. Secret Service</a>&nbsp;has enough money and resources to keep the nation’s presidential candidates safe amid repeated threats of violence. It’s unclear, though, how much they can do with only weeks before the election, or if additional dollars would make an immediate difference.Days after a gunman was arrested on former President Donald Trump's golf course, the House on Friday overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation 405-0 to require the agency use the same standards when assigning agents to major presidential candidates as they do presidents and vice presidents. The agency has told Congress that it has already boosted Trump's security, but House lawmakers want it put into law.The efforts come after an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;on former President Donald Trump at a rally in July, and after Secret Service agents arrested a man with a rifle hiding on the golf course at Trump’s Florida club over the weekend. The suspect in Florida apparently also sought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-what-to-know-564c56e167c3cdc6c50f6a2e91db9a6c">to assassinate</a>&nbsp;the GOP presidential nominee.“In America, elections are determined at the ballot box, not by an assassin’s bullet,” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., a chief sponsor of the bill, said in floor debate ahead of the vote. “That these incidents were allowed to occur is a stain on our country."With the election rapidly approaching and Congress headed out of town before October, lawmakers are rushing to figure out exactly what might help, hoping to assess the agency’s most pressing needs while ensuring that they are doing everything they can in an era where political violence has become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-political-violence-america-3cbc5575e2b4c53a231e8abd9b786d22">more commonplace</a>&nbsp;and every politician is a target.“We have a responsibility here in Congress to get down to the bottom of this to figure out why these things are happening and what we can do about it,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday. “This is not a partisan issue. We have both parties working on it."House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday that “we've got to get the Secret Service into a position where its protectees are shielded in the most maximum way possible.”Democrats and Republicans have been in talks with the agency this week to find out whether additional resources are needed. Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, the Democratic chairman of the spending subcommittee that oversees the Secret Service, said Congress wants to make sure that if it is spending new dollars, “it’s going to help the situation between now and the inauguration.”Murphy said new money could go toward technology like drones, partnerships with other agencies that could provide immediate assistance and overtime pay for agents. It would likely be added to a stopgap spending bill that Congress will consider next week to keep the government running, either in the form of allowing the Secret Service to spend money more quickly or providing them with emergency dollars.“I’m confident we are going to take care of this one way or the other,” Murphy said.After the July shooting, House Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-congress-task-force-cd084a29e3a26da7eead4425e4064118">created a bipartisan task force</a>&nbsp;focused on investigating the security failures of that day, and the panel will hold its first hearing next week. The House voted Friday to expand the committee's mandate to include what happened in Florida, even though the Secret Service successfully apprehended the suspect before anyone was hurt.In a letter earlier this month, the Secret Service told lawmakers that a funding shortfall was not the reason for lapses in Trump's security when a gunman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-fbi-secret-service-a382e3ec081dd13e85eaa9e726cca02c">climbed onto an unsecured roof</a>&nbsp;on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and opened fire. But Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. said this week that the agency had “immediate needs” and that he’s talking to Congress.Secret Service officials also told lawmakers behind closed doors that they have already increased Trump’s security to the same level as Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden."There are a handful of specialized assets only the commander in chief gets, but the rest of his protection is at the same level,” Spencer Love, a Democratic spokesperson for the House task force, said after the agency briefed members on Wednesday.In the Senate, Florida Sen. Rick Scott has also introduced a bill mandating similar protection for presidential candidates. Both bills would also require regular reports to Congress on the status of the candidates’ protection. Senate leaders have not yet said whether they will consider the legislation.In a joint statement after the bill’s passage, Lawler and his co-sponsor, Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, urged the Senate to take up the bill and President Joe Biden to sign it. They thanked Biden for expanding Trump’s security but said that “without the passage and implementation of this legislation, this enhanced protection will not be codified into law and is subject to change with time.”Republicans have argued that an overhaul of the agency, and potentially reallocating agents, should be a higher priority than funding.House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican who was himself shot at a baseball practice in 2017, noted this week that the Secret Service has received regular budget increases in recent years.“It’s not about the money,” Scalise said, but “what they’re doing with the money.”Rep. Mike Waltz, a Republican on the task force, said he pushed Secret Service officials Wednesday on what new resources they needed and they said they were still evaluating.“I think it’s irresponsible to just throw money at it when they’re not even sure what exactly they need and how quickly they can get it,” the Florida lawmaker said, adding that he hopes the agency shifts to a more threat-focused approach to protecting officials and candidates.It's unclear, though, if Republicans would fight a funding boost.“It’s been made implicitly clear that they’re stretched pretty thin,” said Democratic Rep. Glenn Ivey, a member of the task force. “I know that there’s some folks who see a $3 billion budget and think that should be enough. But when you look at where all of the bodies have to go, that’s a problem.”

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