OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigitng a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 10:30a.m.&nbsp;October 29, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop at exit 160 on Interstate 35 for a traffic violation, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells.

 During the stop, the deputy found illegal drugs. Jenni E. Hardin, 40, of Olathe was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Interference with law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730215702855.png" alt="Hardin-photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Hardin-photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigitng a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 10:30a.m.&nbsp;October 29, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop at exit 160 on Interstate 35 for a traffic violation, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, the deputy found illegal drugs. Jenni E. Hardin, 40, of Olathe was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Interference with law enforcement.

Sheriff's K9 unit found illegal drugs during Kan. traffic stop

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill</a>, who dressed as a giant panda, hosted trick-or-treaters on the White House South Lawn on Wednesday for the last time.

The first lady had participated in the National Zoo’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giant-pandas-washington-zoo-china-764f8016d98c01ab579bdbb6dcc3dd6b">announcement</a>&nbsp;earlier this year that pandas would be returning to Washington.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandas-national-zoo-china-8537ae9f9be4134c795fc5f007c02064">They arrived in the nation’s capital</a>&nbsp;in mid-October and Jill Biden donned the panda suit Wednesday as a “welcoming gesture,” the White House said.

Jill Biden added an educational theme to the event and named it “Hallo-Read” to help encourage reading. She has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-jill-biden-6a025ecc48cd6efed9c99ce578fb7fb4">a teacher for 40 years.</a>&nbsp;Earlier Wednesday, she read a short story about spooky pumpkins to a group of costumed children gathered on the lawn.

She and the president later ventured outside at sunset and spent about an hour handing out treats. Biden, in a suit and tie, dropped boxes of White House Hershey’s Kisses chocolates in the kids’ tote bags while the first lady handed out copies of “10 Spooky Pumpkins.”

Up to 8,000 people, including students and children tied to the military, were expected to pass through the White House gates during the day.

A large orange moon and a sign that said “Hallow-Read at the White House” decorated the south face of the executive mansion. The decorations also included cardboard representations of Willow,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-jill-biden-cats-e3164173bf418f28495a79cd9319ce11">the family cat</a>&nbsp;who is rarely seen in public, and stacks of books. Giant pumpkin decorations flanked the door.

Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">dropped his bid for reelection</a>&nbsp;in July. He leaves office in January.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730338279283.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill</a>, who dressed as a giant panda, hosted trick-or-treaters on the White House South Lawn on Wednesday for the last time.(click below to watch the festivities)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F908720494097747%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The first lady had participated in the National Zoo’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giant-pandas-washington-zoo-china-764f8016d98c01ab579bdbb6dcc3dd6b">announcement</a>&nbsp;earlier this year that pandas would be returning to Washington.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandas-national-zoo-china-8537ae9f9be4134c795fc5f007c02064">They arrived in the nation’s capital</a>&nbsp;in mid-October and Jill Biden donned the panda suit Wednesday as a “welcoming gesture,” the White House said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730338124916.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Jill Biden added an educational theme to the event and named it “Hallo-Read” to help encourage reading. She has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-jill-biden-6a025ecc48cd6efed9c99ce578fb7fb4">a teacher for 40 years.</a>&nbsp;Earlier Wednesday, she read a short story about spooky pumpkins to a group of costumed children gathered on the lawn.She and the president later ventured outside at sunset and spent about an hour handing out treats. Biden, in a suit and tie, dropped boxes of White House Hershey’s Kisses chocolates in the kids’ tote bags while the first lady handed out copies of “10 Spooky Pumpkins.”Up to 8,000 people, including students and children tied to the military, were expected to pass through the White House gates during the day.A large orange moon and a sign that said “Hallow-Read at the White House” decorated the south face of the executive mansion. The decorations also included cardboard representations of Willow,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-jill-biden-cats-e3164173bf418f28495a79cd9319ce11">the family cat</a>&nbsp;who is rarely seen in public, and stacks of books. Giant pumpkin decorations flanked the door.Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">dropped his bid for reelection</a>&nbsp;in July. He leaves office in January.

🎥First lady dressed as a panda; Bidens host Halloween trick-or-treat event

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The city Wichita reported that Sporty, retired Wichita Fire Department Accelerant Detection K-9 passed away Wednesday morning. 

Sporty served the community from 2010-2015. Once retired, she lived at home and continued her skillset by searching for every ounce of bacon that entered the home. Sporty would have been 16 years old this December. "Rest in peace, sweet girl."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730324702942.png" alt="Sporty photo city of Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Sporty photo city of Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The city Wichita reported that Sporty, retired Wichita Fire Department Accelerant Detection K-9 passed away Wednesday morning. Sporty served the community from 2010-2015. Once retired, she lived at home and continued her skillset by searching for every ounce of bacon that entered the home. Sporty would have been 16 years old this December. "Rest in peace, sweet girl."

Retired Kansas fire department K9 has died

JOHNSON COUNTY — An Emporia State University placed&nbsp; on administrative leave following an arrest for alleged child sex crimes is due back in court Wednesday.

Last week, 72-year-old Howard Pitler was booked into the Johnson County jail on requested charges of&nbsp; electronic solicitation of a child under 14 years old, according to online jail records. He met the requirements of a $25,000 bond and is no longer in&nbsp; custody.

According to Emporia State, "Upon being made aware of the arrest of Howard Pitler, the university responded immediately and placed Pitler on administrative leave. With our rich tradition as a premier Teachers College, the care and safety of students of all ages is of the utmost importance. Pitler taught fully online master’s level courses as an associate professor of School Leadership, Middle &amp; Secondary Teacher Education in The Teachers College. He has been at ESU since 2018. Emporia State will cooperate fully with authorities. We cannot comment further on an ongoing investigation."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729898976418.png" alt="Pitler-photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Pitler-photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY — An Emporia State University placed&nbsp; on administrative leave following an arrest for alleged child sex crimes is due back in court Wednesday.Last week, 72-year-old Howard Pitler was booked into the Johnson County jail on requested charges of&nbsp; electronic solicitation of a child under 14 years old, according to online jail records. He met the requirements of a $25,000 bond and is no longer in&nbsp; custody.According to Emporia State, "Upon being made aware of the arrest of Howard Pitler, the university responded immediately and placed Pitler on administrative leave. With our rich tradition as a premier Teachers College, the care and safety of students of all ages is of the utmost importance. Pitler taught fully online master’s level courses as an associate professor of School Leadership, Middle &amp; Secondary Teacher Education in The Teachers College. He has been at ESU since 2018. Emporia State will cooperate fully with authorities. We cannot comment further on an ongoing investigation."

Emporia State professor due in court for alleged child sex crime

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Topeka.

Just after 9a.m. Wednesday, crews from the Topeka Fire Department&nbsp; responded to a medical call in the 500 block of NE Gordon Street in Topeka, according to Police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. 

Medical personnel found a man who was later pronounced deceased. Due to the nature of the incident, firefighters requested police investigators to respond.

The incident is currently being investigated as a homicide. Additional updates will be provided as the investigation allows. This is the 16th homicide investigation of 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730324449445.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Topeka.Just after 9a.m. Wednesday, crews from the Topeka Fire Department&nbsp; responded to a medical call in the 500 block of NE Gordon Street in Topeka, according to Police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. Medical personnel found a man who was later pronounced deceased. Due to the nature of the incident, firefighters requested police investigators to respond.The incident is currently being investigated as a homicide. Additional updates will be provided as the investigation allows. This is the 16th homicide investigation of 2024.

Homicide: Fire department medical call at Kansas home

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;walked down the steps of the Boeing 757 that bears his name, walked across a rain-soaked tarmac and, after twice missing the handle, climbed into the passenger seat of a white garbage truck that also carried his name.

The former president, once a reality TV star known for his showmanship, wanted to draw attention to a remark made a day earlier by his successor, Democratic President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-2024-c7d5aadbe44e51012f6fcfde374fdcc5">suggested Trump's supporters were garbage</a>. Trump has used the remark as a cudgel against his Democratic rival, Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>.

“How do you like my garbage truck?” Trump said, wearing an orange and yellow safety vest over his white dress shirt and red tie. “This is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden.”

Trump and other Republicans were facing pushback of their own for comments by a comedian at a weekend Trump rally who disparaged Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” Trump then seized on a comment Biden made on a late Wednesday call that "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”

The president tried to clarify the comment afterward, saying he had intended to say Trump's demonization of Latinos was unconscionable. But it was too late.

On Thursday, after arriving in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for an evening rally, Trump climbed into the garbage truck, carrying on a brief discussion with reporters while looking out the window — similar to what he did earlier this month during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-mcdonalds-2024-presidential-election-pennsylvania-73e55c8c1db4adc2a547b62bd5142be3">photo opportunity</a>&nbsp;he staged at a Pennsylvania McDonalds.

He again tried to distance himself from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, whose joke had set off the firestorm, but Trump did not denounce it. He also said he did not need to apologize to Puerto Ricans.

“I don’t know anything about the comedian,” Trump said. “I don’t know who he is. I’ve never seen him. I heard he made a statement, but it was a statement that he made. He’s a comedian, what can I tell you. I know nothing about him.”

A spokesperson for Trump said the joke doesn't reflect his views, but the former president has not addressed it himself.

“I love Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico loves me,” Trump said from the garbage truck.

He ended the brief appearance by telling reporters: “I hope you enjoyed this garbage truck. Thank you very much.”

When he took the stage a short time later, he was still wearing the orange vest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730336694776.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;walked down the steps of the Boeing 757 that bears his name, walked across a rain-soaked tarmac and, after twice missing the handle, climbed into the passenger seat of a white garbage truck that also carried his name.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump answers questions while sitting in a garbage truck in Green Bay, WI. <a href="https://t.co/jglxM8s1bm">pic.twitter.com/jglxM8s1bm</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1851769842686181677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The former president, once a reality TV star known for his showmanship, wanted to draw attention to a remark made a day earlier by his successor, Democratic President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-2024-c7d5aadbe44e51012f6fcfde374fdcc5">suggested Trump's supporters were garbage</a>. Trump has used the remark as a cudgel against his Democratic rival, Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>.“How do you like my garbage truck?” Trump said, wearing an orange and yellow safety vest over his white dress shirt and red tie. “This is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden.”Trump and other Republicans were facing pushback of their own for comments by a comedian at a weekend Trump rally who disparaged Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” Trump then seized on a comment Biden made on a late Wednesday call that "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”The president tried to clarify the comment afterward, saying he had intended to say Trump's demonization of Latinos was unconscionable. But it was too late.On Thursday, after arriving in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for an evening rally, Trump climbed into the garbage truck, carrying on a brief discussion with reporters while looking out the window — similar to what he did earlier this month during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-mcdonalds-2024-presidential-election-pennsylvania-73e55c8c1db4adc2a547b62bd5142be3">photo opportunity</a>&nbsp;he staged at a Pennsylvania McDonalds.He again tried to distance himself from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, whose joke had set off the firestorm, but Trump did not denounce it. He also said he did not need to apologize to Puerto Ricans.“I don’t know anything about the comedian,” Trump said. “I don’t know who he is. I’ve never seen him. I heard he made a statement, but it was a statement that he made. He’s a comedian, what can I tell you. I know nothing about him.”A spokesperson for Trump said the joke doesn't reflect his views, but the former president has not addressed it himself.“I love Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico loves me,” Trump said from the garbage truck.He ended the brief appearance by telling reporters: “I hope you enjoyed this garbage truck. Thank you very much.”When he took the stage a short time later, he was still wearing the orange vest.

🎥 Trump in a garbage truck to draw attention to Biden remark

DAMASCUS —U.S. forces conducted a series of air strikes against several known ISIS camps in Syria in the early evening of Oct. 28, resulting in up to 35 ISIS operatives killed, the U.S. Central Command reported Wednesday.

The strikes targeted multiple ISIS locations in the Syrian desert, targeting multiple ISIS senior leaders. There are no indications of civilian casualties, according to the Central Command.

The strikes will disrupt the ability of ISUS to plan, organize and conduct attacks against civilians as well as U.S. allies and partners throughout the region and beyond.

"Central Command forces alongside allies and partners in the region will continue to aggressively degrade ISUS operation capabilities to ensure its enduring defeat."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730298603773.png" alt="A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II operates over the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility." />
 <figcaption>A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II operates over the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.</figcaption>
 </figure>DAMASCUS —U.S. forces conducted a series of air strikes against several known ISIS camps in Syria in the early evening of Oct. 28, resulting in up to 35 ISIS operatives killed, the U.S. Central Command reported Wednesday.The strikes targeted multiple ISIS locations in the Syrian desert, targeting multiple ISIS senior leaders. There are no indications of civilian casualties, according to the Central Command.The strikes will disrupt the ability of ISUS to plan, organize and conduct attacks against civilians as well as U.S. allies and partners throughout the region and beyond."Central Command forces alongside allies and partners in the region will continue to aggressively degrade ISUS operation capabilities to ensure its enduring defeat."

U.S. forces conduct airstrikes against terrorist camps in Syria

JOHNSON COUNTY—A man is going to prison for the sex abuse of a nursing home patient in Olathe.

Last week, Samuel Maniu Wambugu was sentenced to a total of 208 months in prison for rape and mistreatment of dependent adult, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; &nbsp;Wambugu is also required to register as a sex offender.

The case involves a rape of an 85-year-old nursing home patient in January of 2021.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729886349958.png" alt="Wambugu photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Wambugu photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—A man is going to prison for the sex abuse of a nursing home patient in Olathe.Last week, Samuel Maniu Wambugu was sentenced to a total of 208 months in prison for rape and mistreatment of dependent adult, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; &nbsp;Wambugu is also required to register as a sex offender.The case involves a rape of an 85-year-old nursing home patient in January of 2021.

Man going to prison for sex assault of Kan. nursing home patient

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials on Wednesday reported more cases of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-quarter-pounder-a1ec3dc14636f5e713b15b32aedcd524">E. coli poisoning</a>&nbsp;among people who ate at McDonald’s, as government investigators seeking the outbreak’s source identified an “onion grower of interest” in Washington state.

The Food and Drug Administration said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o157h7-onions-october-2024">90 people across 13 states</a>&nbsp;have fallen ill in the outbreak, up from 75 at the end of last week. The number of people hospitalized increased by five, to 27 people. One death has been tied to the outbreak.

Officials have said raw, slivered onions on McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers are the likely source of the E. coli. McDonald's said the onions came from a single supplier, the California-based Taylor Farms. The company has since recalled the yellow onions it sent to McDonald's and other restaurant chains.

The FDA said Wednesday it has begun inspecting Taylor Farm’s processing center in Colorado Springs as well as an “onion grower of interest” in Washington state. It did not name the grower.

More than 80% of people with E. coli interviewed by government investigators reported eating McDonald's items containing fresh, slivered onions, the FDA noted.

McDonald’s said last week that onions from the Colorado Springs facility were distributed to approximately 900 of its restaurants, including some in transportation hubs like airports. The restaurant chain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-outbreak-e-coli-onions-beef-fe0b86b40857b09dc01c001eacea3b67">announced</a>&nbsp;that it would resume serving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-sick-onions-d4a37726f2669016decedcf9f928a9d9">Quarter Pounders</a>&nbsp;at hundreds of its restaurants after testing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-quarter-pounder-a1ec3dc14636f5e713b15b32aedcd524">ruled out beef patties</a>&nbsp;as the source of the outbreak.

The strain of E. coli behind the outbreak can cause dangerous diarrhea and lead to kidney failure and other serious problems. It causes about 74,000 infections in the U.S. annually, leading to more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

FDA officials said Wednesday the current risk of illness “is low because the onions have been recalled and should no longer be available.” They noted that all of the reported cases occurred before Taylor Farms and McDonald's removed the onions from the market.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729872051879.png" alt="Image CDC" />
 <figcaption>Image CDC</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials on Wednesday reported more cases of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-quarter-pounder-a1ec3dc14636f5e713b15b32aedcd524">E. coli poisoning</a>&nbsp;among people who ate at McDonald’s, as government investigators seeking the outbreak’s source identified an “onion grower of interest” in Washington state.The Food and Drug Administration said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o157h7-onions-october-2024">90 people across 13 states</a>&nbsp;have fallen ill in the outbreak, up from 75 at the end of last week. The number of people hospitalized increased by five, to 27 people. One death has been tied to the outbreak.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730328270903.png" alt="-This map shows where the 90 people in this E. coli outbreak lived.&nbsp;This outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people is likely much higher than the number reported.&nbsp;This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli. CDC image" />
 <figcaption>-This map shows where the 90 people in this E. coli outbreak lived.&nbsp;This outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people is likely much higher than the number reported.&nbsp;This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli. CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>Officials have said raw, slivered onions on McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers are the likely source of the E. coli. McDonald's said the onions came from a single supplier, the California-based Taylor Farms. The company has since recalled the yellow onions it sent to McDonald's and other restaurant chains.The FDA said Wednesday it has begun inspecting Taylor Farm’s processing center in Colorado Springs as well as an “onion grower of interest” in Washington state. It did not name the grower.More than 80% of people with E. coli interviewed by government investigators reported eating McDonald's items containing fresh, slivered onions, the FDA noted.McDonald’s said last week that onions from the Colorado Springs facility were distributed to approximately 900 of its restaurants, including some in transportation hubs like airports. The restaurant chain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-outbreak-e-coli-onions-beef-fe0b86b40857b09dc01c001eacea3b67">announced</a>&nbsp;that it would resume serving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-sick-onions-d4a37726f2669016decedcf9f928a9d9">Quarter Pounders</a>&nbsp;at hundreds of its restaurants after testing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-quarter-pounder-a1ec3dc14636f5e713b15b32aedcd524">ruled out beef patties</a>&nbsp;as the source of the outbreak.The strain of E. coli behind the outbreak can cause dangerous diarrhea and lead to kidney failure and other serious problems. It causes about 74,000 infections in the U.S. annually, leading to more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.FDA officials said Wednesday the current risk of illness “is low because the onions have been recalled and should no longer be available.” They noted that all of the reported cases occurred before Taylor Farms and McDonald's removed the onions from the market.

McDonald's E. coli case count continues to grow

TOPEKA —On Wednesday, Kansas Governor Laura cast her advance ballot in the 2024 general election. 

This November, we can elect commonsense leaders at the local, state, and federal levels. 

"Kansans: make your voice heard and get out to vote now!"

8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET. Kansas covers two time zones, so most of the state will start reporting results while some voters in western counties are casting ballots until 7 p.m. MT (9 p.m. ET).

President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (independent).

U.S. House, state Senate, state House and state Board of Education.

2020: Trump (R) 56%, Biden (D) 42%, AP race call: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 9:59 p.m. ET.

Registered voters: 1,994,621 (as of Sep. 2024). About 26% Democrats, about 45% Republicans, about 28% unaffiliated.

Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 71% of registered voters.

Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 61% of the total vote.

Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 40% of the total vote.

Votes cast before Election Day 2024: See AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/election-results-2024/2024-early-voting-tracker/">Advance Vote tracker</a>.

First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 8:07 p.m. ET.

By midnight ET: about 87% of total votes cast were reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730317369534.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —On Wednesday, Kansas Governor Laura cast her advance ballot in the 2024 general election. This November, we can elect commonsense leaders at the local, state, and federal levels. "Kansans: make your voice heard and get out to vote now!"<h2>Election Day</h2>Nov. 5.<h2>Poll closing time</h2>8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET. Kansas covers two time zones, so most of the state will start reporting results while some voters in western counties are casting ballots until 7 p.m. MT (9 p.m. ET).<h2>Presidential electoral votes</h2>6 awarded to statewide winner.<h2>Key races and candidates</h2>President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (independent).<h2>Other races of interest</h2>U.S. House, state Senate, state House and state Board of Education.<h2>Past presidential results</h2>2020: Trump (R) 56%, Biden (D) 42%, AP race call: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 9:59 p.m. ET.<h2>Voter registration and turnout</h2>Registered voters: 1,994,621 (as of Sep. 2024). About 26% Democrats, about 45% Republicans, about 28% unaffiliated.Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 71% of registered voters.<h2>Pre-Election Day voting</h2>Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 61% of the total vote.Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 40% of the total vote.Votes cast before Election Day 2024: See AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/election-results-2024/2024-early-voting-tracker/">Advance Vote tracker</a>.<h2>How long does vote-counting take?</h2>First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 8:07 p.m. ET.By midnight ET: about 87% of total votes cast were reported.

Kansas Governor casts her advance ballot in 2024 election

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court's conservative majority on Wednesday left in place Virginia's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-voter-rolls-lawsuit-purge-immigrant-488e9b52ae81f03b7cd1ea28bc384b69">purge voter registrations</a>&nbsp;that the state says is aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-voter-registration-noncitizens-purge-appeal-b1d174ea90a7ac6e6fb1b9c623b7402e">stopping people who are not U.S. citizens from voting</a>.

One Virginian, whose registration was canceled despite living in the state her entire life, called the purge “a very bad October surprise.”

The high court, over the dissents of the three liberal justices, granted an emergency appeal from Virginia's Republican administration led by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The court provided no rationale for its action, which is typical in emergency appeals.

The justices acted on Virginia's appeal after a federal judge found that the state illegally purged more than 1,600 voter registrations in the past two months. A federal appeals court had previously allowed the judge's order to remain in effect.

The specter of immigrants voting illegally has been a main part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-immigrants-noncitizen-trump-republicans-2024-1c65429c152c2a10514b5156eacf9ca7">political messaging</a>&nbsp;this year from former President Donald Trump and other Republicans, even though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noncitizens-voting-republicans-election-2024-immigration-09b86e6768f755fd875f3c51b0e8ea70">such voting is rare in American elections</a>.

Trump had criticized the earlier ruling, calling it “a totally unacceptable travesty” on social media. “Only U.S. Citizens should be allowed to vote,” Trump wrote.

Youngkin said voters who believe they were improperly removed from the rolls can still vote in the election because Virginia has same-day registration.

“And so there is the ultimate, ultimate safeguard in Virginia, no one is being precluded from voting, and therefore, I encourage every single citizen go vote,” Youngkin told reporters.

That option was noted also by the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for the White House.

“Every eligible voter has a right to cast their ballot and have their vote counted, and this ruling does not change that," campaign spokesman Charles Lutvak said in a statement. “Our campaign is going to make sure every eligible voter is able to vote. Voting by noncitizens remains illegal under federal law.”

Rina Shaw, 22, of Chesterfield, Virginia, said she was born in Virginia, has lived in the state her whole life and has never left the U.S.

Shaw thinks she may have forgotten to check a citizenship box on a form when she was updating her voter registration at the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles while getting her learner’s permit.

“My first reaction was that that was just ridiculous and it shouldn’t have been allowed in October, of all months. It should have been something that happened six months before the election rather than right on the eve of it,” Shaw said.

She planned to cast her ballot during early voting on Wednesday and said she still found the error troubling. Shaw said her voter registration has now been restored.

The Justice Department and a coalition of private groups sued the state earlier in October, arguing that Virginia election officials, acting on an executive order issued in August by Youngkin, were striking names from voter rolls in violation of federal election law.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/national-voter-registration-act-1993-nvra">The National Voter Registration Act</a>&nbsp;requires a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-national-voter-registration-act">90-day “quiet period” ahead of elections</a>&nbsp;for the maintenance of voter rolls so that legitimate voters are not removed from the rolls by bureaucratic errors or last-minute mistakes that cannot be quickly corrected.

Youngkin issued his order on Aug. 7, the 90th day before the Nov. 5 election. It required daily checks of data from the state Department of Motor Vehicles against voter rolls to identify people who are not U.S. citizens.

Protect Democracy, one of the groups that brought the lawsuit, cited media interviews with other voters as showing that the Youngkin administration’s purge has removed U.S. citizens from the voter rolls.

One example is Nadra Wilson, who lives in Lynchburg, Virginia, and told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/10/29/nx-s1-5169204/virginia-noncitizen-voter-purge">NPR</a>&nbsp;she got swept up in the purge. “I was born in Brooklyn, New York. I’m a citizen,” Wilson said, before showing her American passport as proof of her citizenship.

Project Democracy said in a statement that “this program removes eligible voters. Virginia has not presented any evidence of noncitizens participating in elections. Because there is none. And it’s actually eligible VA voters that have been caught in the middle of this election-subversion scheme.”

U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles said elections officials still could remove names on an individualized basis, but not through a systematic purge.

Giles had ordered the state to notify affected voters and local registrars by Wednesday that the registrations have been restored.

Virginia’s deadline to register to vote was Oct. 15, but since 2022, the state has allowed same-day registration, which allows people to register to vote in-person and immediately submit a provisional ballot after the deadline to register has passed. The state Department of Elections does not remove names from the voting rolls after the Oct. 15 deadline unless they they are names of deceased people.

Nearly 6 million Virginians are registered to vote.

In a similar lawsuit in Alabama, a federal judge this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-voter-purge-allen-secretary-state-judge-6cec74a5bc2afef14beae6827d4cf971">ordered the state</a>&nbsp;to restore eligibility for more than 3,200 voters who had been deemed ineligible noncitizens. Testimony from state officials in that case showed that roughly 2,000 of the 3,251 voters who were made inactive were actually legally registered citizens.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court's conservative majority on Wednesday left in place Virginia's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-voter-rolls-lawsuit-purge-immigrant-488e9b52ae81f03b7cd1ea28bc384b69">purge voter registrations</a>&nbsp;that the state says is aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-voter-registration-noncitizens-purge-appeal-b1d174ea90a7ac6e6fb1b9c623b7402e">stopping people who are not U.S. citizens from voting</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Great news out of Virginia today for election integrity! Only U.S. citizens should be voting in U.S. elections. <a href="https://t.co/vZ6ufCFxpI">https://t.co/vZ6ufCFxpI</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1851700155822547202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>One Virginian, whose registration was canceled despite living in the state her entire life, called the purge “a very bad October surprise.”The high court, over the dissents of the three liberal justices, granted an emergency appeal from Virginia's Republican administration led by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The court provided no rationale for its action, which is typical in emergency appeals.The justices acted on Virginia's appeal after a federal judge found that the state illegally purged more than 1,600 voter registrations in the past two months. A federal appeals court had previously allowed the judge's order to remain in effect.The specter of immigrants voting illegally has been a main part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-immigrants-noncitizen-trump-republicans-2024-1c65429c152c2a10514b5156eacf9ca7">political messaging</a>&nbsp;this year from former President Donald Trump and other Republicans, even though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noncitizens-voting-republicans-election-2024-immigration-09b86e6768f755fd875f3c51b0e8ea70">such voting is rare in American elections</a>.Trump had criticized the earlier ruling, calling it “a totally unacceptable travesty” on social media. “Only U.S. Citizens should be allowed to vote,” Trump wrote.Youngkin said voters who believe they were improperly removed from the rolls can still vote in the election because Virginia has same-day registration.“And so there is the ultimate, ultimate safeguard in Virginia, no one is being precluded from voting, and therefore, I encourage every single citizen go vote,” Youngkin told reporters.That option was noted also by the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for the White House.“Every eligible voter has a right to cast their ballot and have their vote counted, and this ruling does not change that," campaign spokesman Charles Lutvak said in a statement. “Our campaign is going to make sure every eligible voter is able to vote. Voting by noncitizens remains illegal under federal law.”Rina Shaw, 22, of Chesterfield, Virginia, said she was born in Virginia, has lived in the state her whole life and has never left the U.S.Shaw thinks she may have forgotten to check a citizenship box on a form when she was updating her voter registration at the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles while getting her learner’s permit.“My first reaction was that that was just ridiculous and it shouldn’t have been allowed in October, of all months. It should have been something that happened six months before the election rather than right on the eve of it,” Shaw said.She planned to cast her ballot during early voting on Wednesday and said she still found the error troubling. Shaw said her voter registration has now been restored.The Justice Department and a coalition of private groups sued the state earlier in October, arguing that Virginia election officials, acting on an executive order issued in August by Youngkin, were striking names from voter rolls in violation of federal election law.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/national-voter-registration-act-1993-nvra">The National Voter Registration Act</a>&nbsp;requires a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-national-voter-registration-act">90-day “quiet period” ahead of elections</a>&nbsp;for the maintenance of voter rolls so that legitimate voters are not removed from the rolls by bureaucratic errors or last-minute mistakes that cannot be quickly corrected.Youngkin issued his order on Aug. 7, the 90th day before the Nov. 5 election. It required daily checks of data from the state Department of Motor Vehicles against voter rolls to identify people who are not U.S. citizens.Protect Democracy, one of the groups that brought the lawsuit, cited media interviews with other voters as showing that the Youngkin administration’s purge has removed U.S. citizens from the voter rolls.One example is Nadra Wilson, who lives in Lynchburg, Virginia, and told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/10/29/nx-s1-5169204/virginia-noncitizen-voter-purge">NPR</a>&nbsp;she got swept up in the purge. “I was born in Brooklyn, New York. I’m a citizen,” Wilson said, before showing her American passport as proof of her citizenship.Project Democracy said in a statement that “this program removes eligible voters. Virginia has not presented any evidence of noncitizens participating in elections. Because there is none. And it’s actually eligible VA voters that have been caught in the middle of this election-subversion scheme.”U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles said elections officials still could remove names on an individualized basis, but not through a systematic purge.Giles had ordered the state to notify affected voters and local registrars by Wednesday that the registrations have been restored.Virginia’s deadline to register to vote was Oct. 15, but since 2022, the state has allowed same-day registration, which allows people to register to vote in-person and immediately submit a provisional ballot after the deadline to register has passed. The state Department of Elections does not remove names from the voting rolls after the Oct. 15 deadline unless they they are names of deceased people.Nearly 6 million Virginians are registered to vote.In a similar lawsuit in Alabama, a federal judge this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-voter-purge-allen-secretary-state-judge-6cec74a5bc2afef14beae6827d4cf971">ordered the state</a>&nbsp;to restore eligibility for more than 3,200 voters who had been deemed ineligible noncitizens. Testimony from state officials in that case showed that roughly 2,000 of the 3,251 voters who were made inactive were actually legally registered citizens.

Kan. U.S. Senator praised Supreme Court ruling on election integrity

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;said she disagrees “with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” reacting after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-supporters-garbage-puerto-rico-comic-e62ccf9108ba0ca8d1ee694f91a6867e">President Joe Biden's reference to Donald Trump's supporters and “garbage.”</a>

“I will represent all Americans, including those who don’t vote for me," the vice president said.

Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, made the comment to reporters as she prepared to campaign in three states. Her words were an attempt to blunt the controversy over Biden's rhetoric with less than a week until the end of the campaign.

The tumult began Tuesday night around the time that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-closing-argument-ellipse-washington-139a7b390dc30ceab85d9ac56fcc521d">Harris was delivering a unifying message</a>&nbsp;in a speech near the White House. Inside the building, Biden was criticizing Trump’s recent Madison Square Garden rally, where a comedian described Puerto Rico as an “island of garbage.”

“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American,” Biden said in a campaign call organized by the Hispanic advocacy group Voto Latino. “It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.”

Biden and the White House rushed to explain that the president was talking about the rhetoric on stage, not Trump’s supporters themselves. But Republicans seized on Biden’s comments, claiming they were an echo of the time when Hillary Clinton, as the Democratic nominee against Trump in 2016, said half of Trump’s supporters belong to a “basket of deplorables.”

In attacking Biden, and by extension, Harris, Republicans are glossing over Trump’s own history of insulting and demonizing rhetoric, such as calling the United States a “garbage can for the world” or describing political opponents as “the enemy within.” Trump has also described Harris as a “stupid person” and “lazy as hell,” and he’s questioned whether she was on drugs.

Trump has also refused demands to apologize for the comment about Puerto Rico at his rally, acknowledging “somebody said some bad things” but “I can’t imagine it’s a bid deal.”

Political attack lines have a history of occasionally boomeranging back on people who use them. For example, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, now Trump's running mate, once described Democrats as beholden to “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made.”

Vance's 3-year-old comments were resurfaced once he became the vice presidential nominee, energizing Harris supporters who repurposed the label as a point of pride on shirts and bumper stickers — much like Trump’s supporters once cheerfully branded themselves as “deplorables.”

On Wednesday morning, Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, downplayed Biden’s comments in television interviews.

He told “CBS Mornings” that Biden “was very clear that he’s speaking about the rhetoric we heard,” not the supporters themselves.

Walz made a similar comment on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” where he emphasized that Democrats’ inclusive message.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;said she disagrees “with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” reacting after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-supporters-garbage-puerto-rico-comic-e62ccf9108ba0ca8d1ee694f91a6867e">President Joe Biden's reference to Donald Trump's supporters and “garbage.”</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Vice President Harris responds to President Biden&#39;s &#39;garbage&#39; comments: &quot;He clarified his comments. Let me clear, I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/kmUfjIrytz">pic.twitter.com/kmUfjIrytz</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1851632924438806883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I will represent all Americans, including those who don’t vote for me," the vice president said.Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, made the comment to reporters as she prepared to campaign in three states. Her words were an attempt to blunt the controversy over Biden's rhetoric with less than a week until the end of the campaign.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> on President Biden&#39;s &#39;garbage&#39; comment: &quot;He was not calling Trump supporters garbage...He was regarding to the comedian...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/nvLs6taPso">pic.twitter.com/nvLs6taPso</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1851693129671598170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The tumult began Tuesday night around the time that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-closing-argument-ellipse-washington-139a7b390dc30ceab85d9ac56fcc521d">Harris was delivering a unifying message</a>&nbsp;in a speech near the White House. Inside the building, Biden was criticizing Trump’s recent Madison Square Garden rally, where a comedian described Puerto Rico as an “island of garbage.”“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American,” Biden said in a campaign call organized by the Hispanic advocacy group Voto Latino. “It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.”Biden and the White House rushed to explain that the president was talking about the rhetoric on stage, not Trump’s supporters themselves. But Republicans seized on Biden’s comments, claiming they were an echo of the time when Hillary Clinton, as the Democratic nominee against Trump in 2016, said half of Trump’s supporters belong to a “basket of deplorables.”In attacking Biden, and by extension, Harris, Republicans are glossing over Trump’s own history of insulting and demonizing rhetoric, such as calling the United States a “garbage can for the world” or describing political opponents as “the enemy within.” Trump has also described Harris as a “stupid person” and “lazy as hell,” and he’s questioned whether she was on drugs.Trump has also refused demands to apologize for the comment about Puerto Rico at his rally, acknowledging “somebody said some bad things” but “I can’t imagine it’s a bid deal.”Political attack lines have a history of occasionally boomeranging back on people who use them. For example, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, now Trump's running mate, once described Democrats as beholden to “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made.”Vance's 3-year-old comments were resurfaced once he became the vice presidential nominee, energizing Harris supporters who repurposed the label as a point of pride on shirts and bumper stickers — much like Trump’s supporters once cheerfully branded themselves as “deplorables.”On Wednesday morning, Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, downplayed Biden’s comments in television interviews.He told “CBS Mornings” that Biden “was very clear that he’s speaking about the rhetoric we heard,” not the supporters themselves.Walz made a similar comment on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” where he emphasized that Democrats’ inclusive message.

🎥 Harris distances herself from Biden's 'garbage' comments

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

TOPEKA — An adviser for Republican congressional candidate Derek Schmidt says the “fake newspaper” Democratic rival Nancy Boyda mailed to 160,000 households is “illegal” and “dishonest.”

Schmidt, a three-term Kansas attorney general and former state Senate majority leader, is challenging Boyda for the 2nd District seat that Boyda held from 2007 to 2009.

Boyda has repeatedly produced campaign materials this year without including the mandatory disclosure that they were paid for by her campaign. That includes two eight-page publications, which she labeled “The Kansas Voter Guide.” The latest arrived in mailboxes last week.

The publications provide Boyda-friendly mock news stories, a side-by-side comparison of the candidates on various issues, letters of endorsement for Boyda, and cartoons making fun of Schmidt.

In a statement for this story, Boyda says she mistakenly swapped a page that included the “paid for” designation with the printer at the last minute. She apologized to the voters of the 2nd District and thanked the Kansas Republican Party for calling attention to the situation in its weekly email newsletter.

“Believe me, the last thing we needed was negative press about what we believe is an excellent way to communicate directly with the voters,” Boyda said. “Again, I apologize we did not follow the letter of the law. It was never our intent.”

On Friday, the GOP newsletter complained that Boyda was “breaking federal campaign finance law” by not clearly labeling her publication as paid for by her campaign.

“Politicians who can’t adhere to even the most basic laws do not deserve your approval — or your vote,” the GOP newsletter said.

Kansas GOP chairman Mike Brown in September&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/09/20/kansas-gop-chairman-complains-about-democratic-congressional-candidates-lack-of-disclosures/">filed a complaint</a>&nbsp;with the Federal Election Commission alleging Boyda failed to include “paid for by” disclosures on billboards, videos, yard signs, campaign communications and her campaign website.

Eric Pahls, a Schmidt adviser, said Boyda was being “intentionally dishonest” by not disclosing her publication was “a paid hit piece.”

“Nancy Boyda’s fake newspaper is just the latest in her series of illegal and deceitful campaign activities that are currently under investigation,” Pahls said in a statement for this story. “She’s either incompetent or dishonest — Kansans will reject her either way.”

Boyda said she originally planned to produce three newspapers, but the printer informed the campaign that it only had the capacity to print two. She said the page that included the “paid for by” designation was “inadvertently left off” when she reworked the second and third mailers into a single publication.

She also noted that the return address on the mailing label reads “Boyda for Congress.”

“I want to be clear, that was our mistake, not the printer’s,” Boyda said. “This is an incredibly busy time for everyone and they were good partners to work with. It was our duty to get it right, not theirs.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727015582485.png" alt=" Democrat Nancy Boyda&nbsp; -photo by Grace Hills / Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption> Democrat Nancy Boyda&nbsp; -photo by Grace Hills / Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — An adviser for Republican congressional candidate Derek Schmidt says the “fake newspaper” Democratic rival Nancy Boyda mailed to 160,000 households is “illegal” and “dishonest.”Schmidt, a three-term Kansas attorney general and former state Senate majority leader, is challenging Boyda for the 2nd District seat that Boyda held from 2007 to 2009.Boyda has repeatedly produced campaign materials this year without including the mandatory disclosure that they were paid for by her campaign. That includes two eight-page publications, which she labeled “The Kansas Voter Guide.” The latest arrived in mailboxes last week.The publications provide Boyda-friendly mock news stories, a side-by-side comparison of the candidates on various issues, letters of endorsement for Boyda, and cartoons making fun of Schmidt.In a statement for this story, Boyda says she mistakenly swapped a page that included the “paid for” designation with the printer at the last minute. She apologized to the voters of the 2nd District and thanked the Kansas Republican Party for calling attention to the situation in its weekly email newsletter.“Believe me, the last thing we needed was negative press about what we believe is an excellent way to communicate directly with the voters,” Boyda said. “Again, I apologize we did not follow the letter of the law. It was never our intent.”On Friday, the GOP newsletter complained that Boyda was “breaking federal campaign finance law” by not clearly labeling her publication as paid for by her campaign.“Politicians who can’t adhere to even the most basic laws do not deserve your approval — or your vote,” the GOP newsletter said.Kansas GOP chairman Mike Brown in September&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/09/20/kansas-gop-chairman-complains-about-democratic-congressional-candidates-lack-of-disclosures/">filed a complaint</a>&nbsp;with the Federal Election Commission alleging Boyda failed to include “paid for by” disclosures on billboards, videos, yard signs, campaign communications and her campaign website.Eric Pahls, a Schmidt adviser, said Boyda was being “intentionally dishonest” by not disclosing her publication was “a paid hit piece.”“Nancy Boyda’s fake newspaper is just the latest in her series of illegal and deceitful campaign activities that are currently under investigation,” Pahls said in a statement for this story. “She’s either incompetent or dishonest — Kansans will reject her either way.”Boyda said she originally planned to produce three newspapers, but the printer informed the campaign that it only had the capacity to print two. She said the page that included the “paid for by” designation was “inadvertently left off” when she reworked the second and third mailers into a single publication.She also noted that the return address on the mailing label reads “Boyda for Congress.”“I want to be clear, that was our mistake, not the printer’s,” Boyda said. “This is an incredibly busy time for everyone and they were good partners to work with. It was our duty to get it right, not theirs.”

Kansas Republicans blast Democrat for mailing ‘voter guide’ without campaign disclosure

LABETTE COUNTY —A horse injured when an SUV rear-ended a horse and buggy on a Kansas Highway October 24, is recovering, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. Two people were also seriously injured in the crash in Labette County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Ford Escape driven by Landin Rayne Knickerbocker, 27,&nbsp;Neodesha, was eastbound on U.S. 400 two miles East of the U.S. 169 Junction.

The SUV rear-ended the Horse and Buggy that was halfway in the outside lane and shoulder.&nbsp;

&nbsp;EMS transported the driver of the buggy 35-year-old Elizabeth&nbsp; Schwartz and her passenger 16-year-old Priscilla Schwartz both of Cherryvale to Labette County Health in&nbsp; Parsons for treatment of serious injuries. 

First responders called a vet to the scene to treat the horse who suffered a gash to a hindquarter, according to KHP Lt. Himes. The horse was carefully loaded onto a trailer, transported to another vet for treatment and is recovering at home.

Knickerbocker was not injured and properly restrained, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

LABETTE COUNTY —A horse injured when an SUV rear-ended a horse and buggy on a Kansas Highway October 24, is recovering, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. Two people were also seriously injured in the crash in Labette County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Ford Escape driven by Landin Rayne Knickerbocker, 27,&nbsp;Neodesha, was eastbound on U.S. 400 two miles East of the U.S. 169 Junction.The SUV rear-ended the Horse and Buggy that was halfway in the outside lane and shoulder.&nbsp;&nbsp;EMS transported the driver of the buggy 35-year-old Elizabeth&nbsp; Schwartz and her passenger 16-year-old Priscilla Schwartz both of Cherryvale to Labette County Health in&nbsp; Parsons for treatment of serious injuries. First responders called a vet to the scene to treat the horse who suffered a gash to a hindquarter, according to KHP Lt. Himes. The horse was carefully loaded onto a trailer, transported to another vet for treatment and is recovering at home.Knickerbocker was not injured and properly restrained, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Horse injured in SUV, buggy crash on Kan. highway is recovering

ATLANTA (AP) — Two ballot drop boxes in the Pacific Northwest were damaged in a suspected arson attack just over a week before Election Day,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vote-ballot-drop-box-democracy-fire-f66c52f774955106fb9e7c8172825cff">destroying hundreds of ballots</a>&nbsp;at one location in Vancouver, Washington.

At the other, in neighboring Portland, Oregon, it appears a fire suppression system worked to contain the blaze and limited the number of ballots damaged to three. Authorities are reviewing surveillance footage as they try to identify who is responsible.

Here’s what happened, how rules and security measures about drop boxes vary across the country, and how election conspiracy theories have undermined confidence in their use.

Police said incendiary devices started the fires in the drop boxes in Portland and Vancouver. Authorities said evidence showed the fires were connected and that they also are related to an Oct. 8 incident when an incendiary device was placed at a different drop box in Vancouver.

Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott said his office was planning to contact the three voters whose ballots were damaged in Portland to help them get replacements.

In Vancouver, hundreds of ballots were lost at a ballot box at the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center when the drop box’s fire suppression system did not work as intended. Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said the box was last emptied at 11 a.m. Saturday. Voters who dropped their ballots there afterward are being urged to contact the office to get a new one.

The office will be increasing how frequently it collects ballots and changing collection times to the evening to keep ballot boxes from remaining full overnight when vandalism is more likely to occur.

Kimsey described the suspected arson as "a direct attack on democracy.”

Drop boxes have been used for years in states such as Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Washington, where ballots are mailed to all registered voters.

They grew in popularity in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, as election officials sought options for voters who wanted to avoid crowded polling places or were worried about mail delays.

In all, 27 states and the District of Columbia allow ballot drop boxes, according to data collected by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Six others don’t have a specific law but allow local communities to use them.

Placement can vary widely. In some communities, they’re located inside public buildings, available only during office hours. Elsewhere, they are outside and accessible at any hour, typically with video surveillance or someone watching.

Sporadic problems have occurred over the years.

In 2020, a few drop boxes were hit by vehicles, and one in Massachusetts was damaged by arson. In that case, most of the ballots were legible enough for voters to be identified and sent replacements. A drop box also was set on fire in Los Angeles County in 2020.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency advises state and local election officials to place drop boxes in convenient, high-traffic areas that are familiar to voters, such as libraries and community centers.

If drop boxes are not staffed, they should be secured and locked at all times, located in well-lit areas and monitored by video surveillance cameras, the guidance says. Many are bolted to the ground, surveilled with cameras or confined to public buildings during business hours, where they can be monitored.

How have conspiracy theories contributed to concerns around drop boxes?

Ballot drop boxes have been in the spotlight for the last four years, targeted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-covid-technology-health-arizona-e1b49d2311bf900f44fa5c6dac406762?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">right-wing conspiracy theories</a>&nbsp;that falsely claimed they were responsible for massive voter fraud in 2020.

A debunked film called “2,000 Mules” amplified the claims, exposing millions to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-covid-technology-health-arizona-e1b49d2311bf900f44fa5c6dac406762">a groundless theory</a>&nbsp;that a ballot harvesting operation was depositing fraudulent ballots in drop boxes in the dark of night.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-2022-midterm-elections-covid-health-wisconsin-c61fa93a12a1a51d6d9f4e0a21fa3b75?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">Associated Press survey of state election officials</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. found there were no widespread problems associated with drop boxes in 2020.

Paranoia about drop boxes continued into the 2022 midterms, when armed vigilantes began showing up to monitor them in Arizona and were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-phoenix-5353cfd0774727e6dd03bdbf48c12211">restricted by a federal judge</a>. This year, the conservative group True the Vote launched a website hosting citizen livestreams of drop boxes in various states.

In Montana, where an important U.S. Senate race is on the ballot, Republicans recently seized on an unsubstantiated ballot box tampering claim to raise money off doubts about the electoral process.

How have states responded since the 2020 election?

Republican lawmakers in several states sought to tighten rules around mail voting after the 2020 election, and much of their focus was on the use of ballot drop boxes.

Six states have since banned them: Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina and South Dakota, according to research by the Voting Rights Lab, which advocates for expanded voting access.

Other states have restricted their use. This includes Ohio and Iowa, which now permits only one drop box per county, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

In Georgia's Fulton County, which includes Atlanta and has over 1 million residents, 10 ballot drop boxes are available for this year’s presidential election. That's down from 38 four years ago under an emergency rule prompted by the pandemic. It’s the result of an election overhaul by Georgia Republicans in response to former President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">Trump’s false claims</a>&nbsp;of a stolen election.

Overall, 12 states prohibit drop boxes or do not list drop boxes as an approved method of returning a ballot, according to data collected by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Five other states do not have a state law and do not use drop boxes.

Drop boxes had been used for years in Wisconsin, one of this year's presidential battlegrounds, but support for them has split along ideological lines since 2020. In Wausau, the conservative mayor carted away the city’s lone drop box, an action that’s under investigation by the state Department of Justice. The drop box has since been returned and is in use.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730165077840.png" alt="-Photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>-Photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Two ballot drop boxes in the Pacific Northwest were damaged in a suspected arson attack just over a week before Election Day,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vote-ballot-drop-box-democracy-fire-f66c52f774955106fb9e7c8172825cff">destroying hundreds of ballots</a>&nbsp;at one location in Vancouver, Washington.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Breaking - Statement from the FBI, U.S. Attorney&#39;s Office. <a href="https://twitter.com/USAO_OR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USAO_OR</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rn0ZNjZdP2">pic.twitter.com/Rn0ZNjZdP2</a>&mdash; FBI Portland (@FBIPortland) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIPortland/status/1851407956769656968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>At the other, in neighboring Portland, Oregon, it appears a fire suppression system worked to contain the blaze and limited the number of ballots damaged to three. Authorities are reviewing surveillance footage as they try to identify who is responsible.Here’s what happened, how rules and security measures about drop boxes vary across the country, and how election conspiracy theories have undermined confidence in their use.<h2>What do we know?</h2>Police said incendiary devices started the fires in the drop boxes in Portland and Vancouver. Authorities said evidence showed the fires were connected and that they also are related to an Oct. 8 incident when an incendiary device was placed at a different drop box in Vancouver.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730151562414.png" alt="-Suspect vehicle is described as a black or dark-colored 2001-2004 Volvo S-60. The vehicle does not have a front license plate, but it does have an unknown rear plate.-photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>-Suspect vehicle is described as a black or dark-colored 2001-2004 Volvo S-60. The vehicle does not have a front license plate, but it does have an unknown rear plate.-photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott said his office was planning to contact the three voters whose ballots were damaged in Portland to help them get replacements.In Vancouver, hundreds of ballots were lost at a ballot box at the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center when the drop box’s fire suppression system did not work as intended. Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said the box was last emptied at 11 a.m. Saturday. Voters who dropped their ballots there afterward are being urged to contact the office to get a new one.The office will be increasing how frequently it collects ballots and changing collection times to the evening to keep ballot boxes from remaining full overnight when vandalism is more likely to occur.Kimsey described the suspected arson as "a direct attack on democracy.”<h2>When and where can drop boxes be used?</h2>Drop boxes have been used for years in states such as Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Washington, where ballots are mailed to all registered voters.They grew in popularity in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, as election officials sought options for voters who wanted to avoid crowded polling places or were worried about mail delays.In all, 27 states and the District of Columbia allow ballot drop boxes, according to data collected by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Six others don’t have a specific law but allow local communities to use them.Placement can vary widely. In some communities, they’re located inside public buildings, available only during office hours. Elsewhere, they are outside and accessible at any hour, typically with video surveillance or someone watching.Sporadic problems have occurred over the years.In 2020, a few drop boxes were hit by vehicles, and one in Massachusetts was damaged by arson. In that case, most of the ballots were legible enough for voters to be identified and sent replacements. A drop box also was set on fire in Los Angeles County in 2020.<h2>How should they be secured?</h2>The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency advises state and local election officials to place drop boxes in convenient, high-traffic areas that are familiar to voters, such as libraries and community centers.If drop boxes are not staffed, they should be secured and locked at all times, located in well-lit areas and monitored by video surveillance cameras, the guidance says. Many are bolted to the ground, surveilled with cameras or confined to public buildings during business hours, where they can be monitored.<h2>How have conspiracy theories contributed to concerns around drop boxes?</h2>Ballot drop boxes have been in the spotlight for the last four years, targeted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-covid-technology-health-arizona-e1b49d2311bf900f44fa5c6dac406762?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">right-wing conspiracy theories</a>&nbsp;that falsely claimed they were responsible for massive voter fraud in 2020.A debunked film called “2,000 Mules” amplified the claims, exposing millions to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-covid-technology-health-arizona-e1b49d2311bf900f44fa5c6dac406762">a groundless theory</a>&nbsp;that a ballot harvesting operation was depositing fraudulent ballots in drop boxes in the dark of night.An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-2022-midterm-elections-covid-health-wisconsin-c61fa93a12a1a51d6d9f4e0a21fa3b75?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">Associated Press survey of state election officials</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. found there were no widespread problems associated with drop boxes in 2020.Paranoia about drop boxes continued into the 2022 midterms, when armed vigilantes began showing up to monitor them in Arizona and were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-phoenix-5353cfd0774727e6dd03bdbf48c12211">restricted by a federal judge</a>. This year, the conservative group True the Vote launched a website hosting citizen livestreams of drop boxes in various states.In Montana, where an important U.S. Senate race is on the ballot, Republicans recently seized on an unsubstantiated ballot box tampering claim to raise money off doubts about the electoral process.<h2>How have states responded since the 2020 election?</h2>Republican lawmakers in several states sought to tighten rules around mail voting after the 2020 election, and much of their focus was on the use of ballot drop boxes.Six states have since banned them: Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina and South Dakota, according to research by the Voting Rights Lab, which advocates for expanded voting access.Other states have restricted their use. This includes Ohio and Iowa, which now permits only one drop box per county, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.In Georgia's Fulton County, which includes Atlanta and has over 1 million residents, 10 ballot drop boxes are available for this year’s presidential election. That's down from 38 four years ago under an emergency rule prompted by the pandemic. It’s the result of an election overhaul by Georgia Republicans in response to former President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">Trump’s false claims</a>&nbsp;of a stolen election.Overall, 12 states prohibit drop boxes or do not list drop boxes as an approved method of returning a ballot, according to data collected by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Five other states do not have a state law and do not use drop boxes.Drop boxes had been used for years in Wisconsin, one of this year's presidential battlegrounds, but support for them has split along ideological lines since 2020. In Wausau, the conservative mayor carted away the city’s lone drop box, an action that’s under investigation by the state Department of Justice. The drop box has since been returned and is in use.___

Search continues for suspect in ballot drop box fires

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused of driving a stolen vehicle that was involved in a fatal crash has been moved from a hospital to jail.&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Ford Transit Van driven by Katelyn Elizabeth&nbsp;Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was westbound in the eastbound lanes in the&nbsp;8700 block of E 29th St N in Wichita traveling in the inside lane.

The van struck an eastbound 2010 Chevy Cobalt driven by Mandy Lynn&nbsp;Buckwalter, 43, Hutchinson, head-on.

Buckwalter was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Barrioz to Wesley Medical Center for treatment. Just after 7:30p.m. Tuesday, she was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, according to online jail records.

On Monday morning, officers located an occupied stolen vehicle at the Riverwalk Apartments, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. Officers monitored the vehicle using unmarked cars, and air support was requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Around noon, the vehicle stopped at Walmart, 29th and Rock Road. Officers deployed spike strips to prevent the vehicle from leaving, successfully deflating two tires.

Despite this, the suspect fled the Walmart parking lot, striking a police vehicle.

Officers did not pursue the vehicle, but KHP air support continued to track it from above. The vehicle proceeded to a business on North Webb Road, where two individuals exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

One individual was apprehended, while another female suspect, later identified as Barrioz stole the van from the business and fled south on Webb, then west on 29th Street, according to Gupilan.

KHP Air maintained surveillance of the stolen vehicle, which, at 29th and Wilderness, collided with the Chevy Cobalt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730284905956.png" alt="Barrioz photo Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>Barrioz photo Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused of driving a stolen vehicle that was involved in a fatal crash has been moved from a hospital to jail.&nbsp;The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Ford Transit Van driven by Katelyn Elizabeth&nbsp;Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was westbound in the eastbound lanes in the&nbsp;8700 block of E 29th St N in Wichita traveling in the inside lane.The van struck an eastbound 2010 Chevy Cobalt driven by Mandy Lynn&nbsp;Buckwalter, 43, Hutchinson, head-on.Buckwalter was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Barrioz to Wesley Medical Center for treatment. Just after 7:30p.m. Tuesday, she was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, according to online jail records.On Monday morning, officers located an occupied stolen vehicle at the Riverwalk Apartments, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. Officers monitored the vehicle using unmarked cars, and air support was requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol.Around noon, the vehicle stopped at Walmart, 29th and Rock Road. Officers deployed spike strips to prevent the vehicle from leaving, successfully deflating two tires.Despite this, the suspect fled the Walmart parking lot, striking a police vehicle.Officers did not pursue the vehicle, but KHP air support continued to track it from above. The vehicle proceeded to a business on North Webb Road, where two individuals exited the vehicle and fled on foot.One individual was apprehended, while another female suspect, later identified as Barrioz stole the van from the business and fled south on Webb, then west on 29th Street, according to Gupilan.KHP Air maintained surveillance of the stolen vehicle, which, at 29th and Wilderness, collided with the Chevy Cobalt.

Driver of stolen van in crash that killed Kan. woman is now in jail

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;took a swipe against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;supporters as he reacted to the Republican presidential nominee's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-madison-square-garden-new-york-election-fcfe75be7f8281fde7bffa3adb3bba5d">weekend rally</a>&nbsp;at Madison Square Garden, which was overshadowed by crude and racist rhetoric.

In a call organized by the Hispanic advocacy group Voto Latino, Biden on Tuesday responded to&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/a%20comic">a comic</a>&nbsp;at Trump's rally who called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” Biden's initial comments were garbled.

“Just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a floating island of garbage. Well, let me tell you something, I don’t, I don’t know the Puerto Rican that I know, the Puerto Rico where I’m fr -- in my home state of Delaware. They’re good, decent honorable people,” he said.

The president then added: “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.”

White House spokesman Andrew Bates said Biden “referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as ‘garbage.’”

Biden then took to social media to personally clarify what he said.

“Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage — which is the only word I can think of to describe it,” he posted on X. “His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation.”

In referring to Trump's supporters as “garbage,” however, Biden's tone was at odds with the message that Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is seeking to present as she aims to cast a broad appeal, including to disaffected Republicans. Shortly after Biden's comments, Harris spoke from the Ellipse in Washington, vowing to be a president who would unite the country.

“I pledge to be a president for all Americans,” said Harris, who is Biden's vice president.

Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, said the campaign's message of unity was not undercut by Biden's words.

Walz said Wednesday on “CBS Mornings” that the president “was very clear that he’s speaking about the rhetoric we heard, so it doesn’t undermine it.” Walz added on ABC's “Good Morning America” that he and Harris “have made it absolutely clear that we want everyone as a part of this. Donald Trump’s divisive rhetoric is what needs to end.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730294797293.png" alt="Image courtesy Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;took a swipe against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;supporters as he reacted to the Republican presidential nominee's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-madison-square-garden-new-york-election-fcfe75be7f8281fde7bffa3adb3bba5d">weekend rally</a>&nbsp;at Madison Square Garden, which was overshadowed by crude and racist rhetoric.In a call organized by the Hispanic advocacy group Voto Latino, Biden on Tuesday responded to&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/a%20comic">a comic</a>&nbsp;at Trump's rally who called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” Biden's initial comments were garbled.“Just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a floating island of garbage. Well, let me tell you something, I don’t, I don’t know the Puerto Rican that I know, the Puerto Rico where I’m fr -- in my home state of Delaware. They’re good, decent honorable people,” he said.The president then added: “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.”White House spokesman Andrew Bates said Biden “referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as ‘garbage.’”Biden then took to social media to personally clarify what he said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump&#39;s supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage—which is the only word I can think of to describe it. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That&#39;s all I meant to say. The…&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1851436643498037614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage — which is the only word I can think of to describe it,” he posted on X. “His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation.”In referring to Trump's supporters as “garbage,” however, Biden's tone was at odds with the message that Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is seeking to present as she aims to cast a broad appeal, including to disaffected Republicans. Shortly after Biden's comments, Harris spoke from the Ellipse in Washington, vowing to be a president who would unite the country.“I pledge to be a president for all Americans,” said Harris, who is Biden's vice president.Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, said the campaign's message of unity was not undercut by Biden's words.Walz said Wednesday on “CBS Mornings” that the president “was very clear that he’s speaking about the rhetoric we heard, so it doesn’t undermine it.” Walz added on ABC's “Good Morning America” that he and Harris “have made it absolutely clear that we want everyone as a part of this. Donald Trump’s divisive rhetoric is what needs to end.”Republicans quickly highlighted Biden's remark. Trump called up Florida Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marco-rubio">Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;during his rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to recount what happened.“Moments ago Joe Biden stated that our supporters, our patriots, are garbage,” Rubio said. ”He’s talking about everyday Americans who love their country.”Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a subsequent statement, “There’s no way to spin it: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris don’t just hate President Trump, they despise the tens of millions of Americans who support him."A Trump campaign fundraising text declared, “KAMALA’S BOSS JOE BIDEN JUST CALLED ALL MY SUPPORTERS GARBAGE!” before ensuring recipients that Trump himself thinks, “YOU ARE AMAZING!”Even some prominent Democrats began distancing themselves from Biden's comments. Speaking on CNN, Pennsylvania Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/josh-shapiro">Josh Shapiro</a>&nbsp;said he would “never insult the good people of Pennsylvania or any Americans even if they chose to support a candidate that I didn't support.”The comments recalled then-Democratic presidential nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hillary-clinton">Hillary Clinton</a>&nbsp;dismissing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;supporters during a 2016 fundraiser in New York by saying that half would fit into a “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-united-states-presidential-election-97d6e5c7188845888bba36957160b675">basket of deplorables</a>.”Clinton later called that characterization “grossly generalistic.” But it became a defiant rallying cry for many Trump backers who said the insult encapsulated the elitist attitudes of Clinton and the Democrats.As reactions to Biden's reaction began to fly, meanwhile, Trump was asked in an interview Tuesday night with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity about the racist and vulgar joke at his New York rally. He responded: “Somebody said there was a comedian that joked about Puerto Rico or something. And I have no idea who he is.”The former president added, "I can’t imagine it’s a big deal.”At a rally Tuesday in Allentown, Pennsylvania, a city with a large Hispanic population, Trump repeated his claim that Biden's immigration policies have allowed other countries to treat the U.S. like “a giant garbage can.”With Election Day now just a week off, Biden has worked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-harris-2024-campaign-voting-5bc945613e702b0d92fec5881b676ed2">maintain relevance</a>, furiously promoting his administration’s accomplishments while Harris in her race against Trump.But his efforts to remain in the political spotlight might not always be so helpful for the top of the Democratic ticket he’s now promoting. That’s because, while Harris has been sharply critical of Trump for months, repeatedly calling him “unstable” and “unhinged” and even suggesting that he was “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fascism-meaning-harris-trump-kelly-fda56694feb1825dcf6477c8081a563d">fascist</a>,” she has been careful not to decry his supporters.In fact, the vice president has campaigned extensively with former Republican Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-election-2024-gop-c584f9860260f48ddff90ab2dca0433a">Liz Cheney</a>&nbsp;and other former GOP elected officials — hoping to woo conservative crossover voters. The Democratic convention — and Harris ads — have highlighted the stories of everyday Americans who talked about having voted for Trump in the past but now say they are supporting the vice president.On Tuesday’s call, Biden also said that Trump “doesn’t give a damn about the Latino community” and urged rejection of the former president even as Trump’s campaign says its support is rising among Hispanics, particularly men.“Vote to keep Donald Trump out of the White House,” Biden said. “He’s a true danger to, not just Latinos but to all people. Particularly those who are in a minority in this country.”