TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been sentenced to life in prison for setting a house fire that killed his girlfriend and their two daughters.

Kyle Tyler, 33, won’t be eligible for parole until he serves at least 25 years of his life sentence for first-degree murder in the commission of a felony. On top of that, he was sentenced Wednesday to an additional 11 years for two arson charges,&nbsp;The Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;reported.

Firefighters found Tyler, along with a butane torch lighter, on a rear deck when they rushed to a burning Topeka home&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a84602f1180a03e6fa56276316cfec10">in January 2023</a>. They then extinguished a pair of blazes that were determined to be intentionally set in the living room and basement.

His girlfriend, 30-year-old Genny Fitzpatrick, and their 1-year-old daughter, Kourtney Tyler, were found dead on the second floor. His 9-year-old daughter, Peyton Tyler, died after being taken from her first-floor bedroom to a Topeka hospital, the affidavit said.

All three victims’ deaths were likely due to smoke inhalation, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said.

In exchange for entering a guilty plea in August, prosecutors dismissed two other murder charges, along with two aggravated child endangerment counts, court records show.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674225989378.png" alt="First responding crews found heavy smoke and flames coming from the two-story house.-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>First responding crews found heavy smoke and flames coming from the two-story house.-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been sentenced to life in prison for setting a house fire that killed his girlfriend and their two daughters.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729873597201.png" alt="Genny Fitzpatrick and her two children&nbsp;Peyton Tyler and Kourtney Tyler-photo Mercer Funeral Home" />
 <figcaption>Genny Fitzpatrick and her two children&nbsp;Peyton Tyler and Kourtney Tyler-photo Mercer Funeral Home</figcaption>
 </figure>Kyle Tyler, 33, won’t be eligible for parole until he serves at least 25 years of his life sentence for first-degree murder in the commission of a felony. On top of that, he was sentenced Wednesday to an additional 11 years for two arson charges,&nbsp;The Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;reported.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674361780426.png" alt="Tyler photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Tyler photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>Firefighters found Tyler, along with a butane torch lighter, on a rear deck when they rushed to a burning Topeka home&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a84602f1180a03e6fa56276316cfec10">in January 2023</a>. They then extinguished a pair of blazes that were determined to be intentionally set in the living room and basement.His girlfriend, 30-year-old Genny Fitzpatrick, and their 1-year-old daughter, Kourtney Tyler, were found dead on the second floor. His 9-year-old daughter, Peyton Tyler, died after being taken from her first-floor bedroom to a Topeka hospital, the affidavit said.All three victims’ deaths were likely due to smoke inhalation, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said.In exchange for entering a guilty plea in August, prosecutors dismissed two other murder charges, along with two aggravated child endangerment counts, court records show.

Kansas man sentenced in fire that killed 2 children and his girlfriend

JOHNSON COUNTY — Emporia State University placed a professor on administrative leave following an arrest for alleged child sex crimes.

On Wednesday Howard Pitler, 72, 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."

Pitler is scheduled to return to court October 31, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

<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 — Emporia State University placed a professor on administrative leave following an arrest for alleged child sex crimes.On Wednesday Howard Pitler, 72, 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."Pitler is scheduled to return to court October 31, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Emporia State University professor accused of child sex crime

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel pounded Iran with a series of airstrikes early Saturday, saying it was targeting military targets in retaliation for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da">barrage of ballistic missiles</a>&nbsp;the Islamic Republic fired upon Israel earlier this month. Explosions could be heard in the Iranian capital, Tehran, though there was no immediate information on damage or casualties.

The attack risks pushing the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-one-year-anniversary-cf123f95609051e8e8eaf6aebe661b6a">spiraling violence across the Middle East</a>, where militant groups backed by Iran – including Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah in Lebanon – are already at war with Israel.

The Israeli military said Saturday it had launched “precise strikes on military targets” and, according to two Israeli officials, it was not targeting nuclear or oil facilities. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the ongoing operation with the media.

“The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since Oct. 7 ... including direct attacks from Iranian soil,” Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a prerecorded video statement early Saturday. “Like every other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and the duty to respond.”

Initially, nuclear facilities and oil installations all had been seen as possible targets for Israel’s response to Iran’s Oct. 1 attack, but in mid-October the Biden administration believed it had won&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-oil-nuclear-sites-biden-f5dd702de7d990dd1d00f665e1484dee">assurances from Israel</a>&nbsp;that it would not hit such targets.

Iran’s state-run media acknowledged blasts that could be heard in Tehran and said some of the sounds came from air defense systems around the city.

But beyond a brief reference, Iranian state television offered no other details and even began showing what it described as live footage of men loading trucks at a vegetable market in Tehran in an attempt to downplay the assault.

A Tehran resident told The Associated Press that at least seven explosions could be heard, which rattled the surrounding area. The resident spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

People in Tehran could see what appeared to be tracer fire light up the sky as the blasts could be heard. Other footage showed what appeared to be surface-to-air missiles launching up to the sky and other detonations.

Iran closed the country’s airspace early Saturday, and flight-tracking data analyzed by the Associated Press showed commercial airlines had broadly left the skies over Iran, and across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

The White House said President Joe Biden had been briefed and would continue to receive updates.

In Syria, the state news agency SANA, citing an unnamed military official, reported missile fire targeting military sites in the country’s central and southern region. It said that Syria’s air defenses had shot some of the missiles down. There was no immediate information on casualties.

Iran has launched two ballistic missile attacks on Israel in recent months amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip that began with the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. That initial attack killed some 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage back to the seaside enclave.

In the time since, more than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to local health officials who don’t delineate between civilians and combatants. The U.N. has said hundreds of thousands of people have been trapped with little food or supplies as Israeli forces close in on the northern Gaza town of Jabaliya, while food and other aid remains scarce in the enclave. Israeli military operations in the West Bank in the time since have killed hundreds more.

Israel also has launched a ground invasion of Lebanon and a series of punishing airstrikes that have rattled that country.

The strike Saturday happened just as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was arriving back in the U.S. after a tour of the Middle East where he and other U.S. officials had warned Israel to tender a response that would not further escalate the conflict in the region and exclude nuclear sites in Iran.

White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement that “we understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran” and referred reporters to the Israeli government for more details on their operation.

Two U.S. officials said the U.S. was notified by Israel in advance of the strikes. They said there was no U.S. involvement in the operation. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing operation.

Israel had vowed to hit Iran hard following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da">massive Iranian missile barrage</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 1. Iran said its barrage was in response to deadly Israeli&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-conflict-military-strategy-cce53839bbcf0a9a36af45ed2fa7dbb4">attacks against its proxy in Lebanon,</a>&nbsp;Hezbollah, and it has promised to respond to any retaliatory strikes.

Israel and Iran have been bitter foes since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Israel considers Iran to be its greatest threat, citing its leaders’ calls for Israel’s destruction, their support for anti-Israel militant groups and the country’s nuclear program.

Israel and Iran have been locked in a yearslong shadow war. A suspected Israeli assassination campaign has killed top Iranian nuclear scientists. Iranian nuclear installations have been hacked or sabotaged, all in mysterious attacks blamed on Israel. Meanwhile, Iran has been blamed for a series of attacks on shipping in the Middle East in recent years, which later grew into the attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on shipping through the Red Sea corridor.

But since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, the battle has increasingly moved into the open. Israel has recently turned its attention to Hezbollah, which has been firing rockets into Israel since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the war in Gaza</a>&nbsp;began. Throughout the year, a number of top Iranian military figures have been killed in Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon.

Iran fired a wave of missiles and drones at Israel last April after two Iranian generals were killed in an apparent Israeli airstrike in Syria on an Iranian diplomatic post. The missiles and drones caused minimum damage, and Israel — under pressure from Western countries to show restraint — responded with a limited strike.

But after Iran’s early October missile strike, Israel promised a tougher response.

Meanwhile Friday, Israeli strikes on residential areas in southern Gaza killed 38 people, including 13 children from the same extended family, Palestinian health officials said.

In northern Gaza, health officials reported that Israeli forces had raided Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of the few medical facilities still functioning in the area. Israel has renewed its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">offensive against Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the north in recent weeks, and aid groups are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-israel-generals-plan-eiland-gaza-219d7eb9a3050e281ccc032d5a56263c">sounding the alarm</a>&nbsp;over dire humanitarian conditions.

In Lebanon, Israeli strikes on the country’s southeast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/journalists-killed-lebanon-israel-c89cf1109daaf3e6e7b766584710234d">killed three journalists</a>&nbsp;working for news outlets that are considered to be aligned with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-lebanon-hezbollah-news-10-08-2024-0bc0a8970c066c048ee1875bcdc8df79">Hezbollah</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713493747235.png" alt="Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel pounded Iran with a series of airstrikes early Saturday, saying it was targeting military targets in retaliation for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da">barrage of ballistic missiles</a>&nbsp;the Islamic Republic fired upon Israel earlier this month. Explosions could be heard in the Iranian capital, Tehran, though there was no immediate information on damage or casualties.The attack risks pushing the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-one-year-anniversary-cf123f95609051e8e8eaf6aebe661b6a">spiraling violence across the Middle East</a>, where militant groups backed by Iran – including Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah in Lebanon – are already at war with Israel.The Israeli military said Saturday it had launched “precise strikes on military targets” and, according to two Israeli officials, it was not targeting nuclear or oil facilities. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the ongoing operation with the media.“The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since Oct. 7 ... including direct attacks from Iranian soil,” Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a prerecorded video statement early Saturday. “Like every other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and the duty to respond.”Initially, nuclear facilities and oil installations all had been seen as possible targets for Israel’s response to Iran’s Oct. 1 attack, but in mid-October the Biden administration believed it had won&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-oil-nuclear-sites-biden-f5dd702de7d990dd1d00f665e1484dee">assurances from Israel</a>&nbsp;that it would not hit such targets.Iran’s state-run media acknowledged blasts that could be heard in Tehran and said some of the sounds came from air defense systems around the city.But beyond a brief reference, Iranian state television offered no other details and even began showing what it described as live footage of men loading trucks at a vegetable market in Tehran in an attempt to downplay the assault.A Tehran resident told The Associated Press that at least seven explosions could be heard, which rattled the surrounding area. The resident spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.People in Tehran could see what appeared to be tracer fire light up the sky as the blasts could be heard. Other footage showed what appeared to be surface-to-air missiles launching up to the sky and other detonations.Iran closed the country’s airspace early Saturday, and flight-tracking data analyzed by the Associated Press showed commercial airlines had broadly left the skies over Iran, and across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.The White House said President Joe Biden had been briefed and would continue to receive updates.In Syria, the state news agency SANA, citing an unnamed military official, reported missile fire targeting military sites in the country’s central and southern region. It said that Syria’s air defenses had shot some of the missiles down. There was no immediate information on casualties.Iran has launched two ballistic missile attacks on Israel in recent months amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip that began with the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. That initial attack killed some 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage back to the seaside enclave.In the time since, more than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to local health officials who don’t delineate between civilians and combatants. The U.N. has said hundreds of thousands of people have been trapped with little food or supplies as Israeli forces close in on the northern Gaza town of Jabaliya, while food and other aid remains scarce in the enclave. Israeli military operations in the West Bank in the time since have killed hundreds more.Israel also has launched a ground invasion of Lebanon and a series of punishing airstrikes that have rattled that country.The strike Saturday happened just as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was arriving back in the U.S. after a tour of the Middle East where he and other U.S. officials had warned Israel to tender a response that would not further escalate the conflict in the region and exclude nuclear sites in Iran.White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement that “we understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran” and referred reporters to the Israeli government for more details on their operation.Two U.S. officials said the U.S. was notified by Israel in advance of the strikes. They said there was no U.S. involvement in the operation. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing operation.Israel had vowed to hit Iran hard following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da">massive Iranian missile barrage</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 1. Iran said its barrage was in response to deadly Israeli&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-conflict-military-strategy-cce53839bbcf0a9a36af45ed2fa7dbb4">attacks against its proxy in Lebanon,</a>&nbsp;Hezbollah, and it has promised to respond to any retaliatory strikes.Israel and Iran have been bitter foes since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Israel considers Iran to be its greatest threat, citing its leaders’ calls for Israel’s destruction, their support for anti-Israel militant groups and the country’s nuclear program.Israel and Iran have been locked in a yearslong shadow war. A suspected Israeli assassination campaign has killed top Iranian nuclear scientists. Iranian nuclear installations have been hacked or sabotaged, all in mysterious attacks blamed on Israel. Meanwhile, Iran has been blamed for a series of attacks on shipping in the Middle East in recent years, which later grew into the attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on shipping through the Red Sea corridor.But since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, the battle has increasingly moved into the open. Israel has recently turned its attention to Hezbollah, which has been firing rockets into Israel since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the war in Gaza</a>&nbsp;began. Throughout the year, a number of top Iranian military figures have been killed in Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon.Iran fired a wave of missiles and drones at Israel last April after two Iranian generals were killed in an apparent Israeli airstrike in Syria on an Iranian diplomatic post. The missiles and drones caused minimum damage, and Israel — under pressure from Western countries to show restraint — responded with a limited strike.But after Iran’s early October missile strike, Israel promised a tougher response.Meanwhile Friday, Israeli strikes on residential areas in southern Gaza killed 38 people, including 13 children from the same extended family, Palestinian health officials said.In northern Gaza, health officials reported that Israeli forces had raided Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of the few medical facilities still functioning in the area. Israel has renewed its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">offensive against Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the north in recent weeks, and aid groups are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-israel-generals-plan-eiland-gaza-219d7eb9a3050e281ccc032d5a56263c">sounding the alarm</a>&nbsp;over dire humanitarian conditions.In Lebanon, Israeli strikes on the country’s southeast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/journalists-killed-lebanon-israel-c89cf1109daaf3e6e7b766584710234d">killed three journalists</a>&nbsp;working for news outlets that are considered to be aligned with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-lebanon-hezbollah-news-10-08-2024-0bc0a8970c066c048ee1875bcdc8df79">Hezbollah</a>.

Israel launches attack on Iran, risking escalation in Mideast wars

SALINE COUNTY—A 10-year-old girl is on the road to recovery after a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in August, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.

The incident occurred on August 9, at a residence on Leland Way in Salina. The girl was initially transported to Salina Regional Health Center before she was sent to a hospital in Wichita and then to a facility in Kansas City for further treatment.

Officers arrived at the scene between 9 and 9:30 p.m. after receiving a call from the child's parent. According to Feldman, officers secured the scene before medical personnel arrived to assist.&nbsp;

Officers collected the firearm involved, believed to be a 9mm, as evidence. The firearm was not in a safe or secure location.&nbsp; Feldman confirmed that the firearm was resting on a table shortly before the incident occurred.&nbsp;

Feldman stated that no charges have been filed at this time, despite the potential case for child endangerment. He also mentioned that not all individuals involved have been interviewed, even though the shooting occurred in August.

"We also look at what you have is a misdemeanor. The most you can have is a misdemeanor, and then you have to balance what the family's going through," Feldman said. "Is that effective in establishing what you want to do?"

Kansas does not have a firearm storage statute, which might have applied to this case. Feldman noted that a city ordinance coverning firearm storage was reppealed.

Police did not make the incident public until this week, more than two months after it occurred. When asked about the delay in reporting the case to the media, Feldman acknowledged that the public might raise concern but said the department is focused on completing the investigation.

SALINE COUNTY—A 10-year-old girl is on the road to recovery after a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in August, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.The incident occurred on August 9, at a residence on Leland Way in Salina. The girl was initially transported to Salina Regional Health Center before she was sent to a hospital in Wichita and then to a facility in Kansas City for further treatment.Officers arrived at the scene between 9 and 9:30 p.m. after receiving a call from the child's parent. According to Feldman, officers secured the scene before medical personnel arrived to assist.&nbsp;Officers collected the firearm involved, believed to be a 9mm, as evidence. The firearm was not in a safe or secure location.&nbsp; Feldman confirmed that the firearm was resting on a table shortly before the incident occurred.&nbsp;Feldman stated that no charges have been filed at this time, despite the potential case for child endangerment. He also mentioned that not all individuals involved have been interviewed, even though the shooting occurred in August."We also look at what you have is a misdemeanor. The most you can have is a misdemeanor, and then you have to balance what the family's going through," Feldman said. "Is that effective in establishing what you want to do?"Kansas does not have a firearm storage statute, which might have applied to this case. Feldman noted that a city ordinance coverning firearm storage was reppealed.Police did not make the incident public until this week, more than two months after it occurred. When asked about the delay in reporting the case to the media, Feldman acknowledged that the public might raise concern but said the department is focused on completing the investigation.

Police: Kan. girl recovering from self-inflicted gunshot wound

WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – was alerted by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of a problem with an electronic fax system that resulted in 875 files sent to the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System from community care providers to go missing, according to a media release from Moran's office.

These files dated as far back as June 11, 2024, and contained medical documentation, care referrals, authorizations for care and other information needed for the coordination of veteran health care.

“I have asked VA to quickly review every file and take all appropriate actions to mitigate patient harm that has or may result from this system failure,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“I have also asked VA to quickly review each of the other 27 health care systems across the Veterans Health Administration that use this same electronic fax system in order to identify similar issues and assist any patients whose care has been negatively impacted. My office will remain in contact with VA until the full scope of this problem is known and all necessary corrective actions are taken.”

Any veteran concerned this issue may have caused a delay in their care should contact their VA care team. If a veteran needs further assistance, they should reach out to Sen. Moran’s office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/federal-agency-assistance">and Click Here</a>.

WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – was alerted by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of a problem with an electronic fax system that resulted in 875 files sent to the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System from community care providers to go missing, according to a media release from Moran's office.These files dated as far back as June 11, 2024, and contained medical documentation, care referrals, authorizations for care and other information needed for the coordination of veteran health care.“I have asked VA to quickly review every file and take all appropriate actions to mitigate patient harm that has or may result from this system failure,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“I have also asked VA to quickly review each of the other 27 health care systems across the Veterans Health Administration that use this same electronic fax system in order to identify similar issues and assist any patients whose care has been negatively impacted. My office will remain in contact with VA until the full scope of this problem is known and all necessary corrective actions are taken.”Any veteran concerned this issue may have caused a delay in their care should contact their VA care team. If a veteran needs further assistance, they should reach out to Sen. Moran’s office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/federal-agency-assistance">and Click Here</a>.

Moran alerts veterans to system failure at VA in Kansas

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Phil Lesh, a classically trained violinist and jazz trumpeter who found his true calling reinventing the role of rock bass guitar as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/grateful-dead-musicares-person-of-year-2025-40485ea37550db218ce9b6e4f858c6dc">founding member of the Grateful Dead,</a>&nbsp;died Friday at age 84.

Lesh’s death was announced on his Instagram account. Lesh was the oldest and one of the longest surviving members of the band that came to define the acid rock sound emanating from San Francisco in the 1960s.

“Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of The Grateful Dead, passed peacefully this morning. He was surrounded by his family and full of love. Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him and leaves behind a legacy of music and love,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DBjvWcHPbQB/?igsh=ZW1jYm1kZTQxMWY2" target="_blank">the Instagram statement</a>&nbsp;reads in part.

The statement did not cite a specific cause of death and attempts to reach representatives for additional details were not immediately successful. Lesh had previously survived bouts of prostate cancer, bladder cancer and a 1998 liver transplant necessitated by the debilitating effects of a hepatitis C infection and years of heavy drinking.

Although he kept a relatively low public profile, rarely granting interviews or speaking to the audience, fans and fellow band members recognized Lesh as a critical member of the Grateful Dead whose thundering lines on the six-string electric bass provided a brilliant counterpoint to lead guitarist Jerry Garcia’s soaring solos and anchored the band’s famous marathon jams.

“When Phil’s happening the band’s happening,” Garcia once said.

Drummer Mickey Hart called him the group’s intellectual who brought a classical composer’s mind-set and skills to a five-chord rock ‘n’ roll band.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729887107817.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Phil Lesh, a classically trained violinist and jazz trumpeter who found his true calling reinventing the role of rock bass guitar as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/grateful-dead-musicares-person-of-year-2025-40485ea37550db218ce9b6e4f858c6dc">founding member of the Grateful Dead,</a>&nbsp;died Friday at age 84.Lesh’s death was announced on his Instagram account. Lesh was the oldest and one of the longest surviving members of the band that came to define the acid rock sound emanating from San Francisco in the 1960s.“Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of The Grateful Dead, passed peacefully this morning. He was surrounded by his family and full of love. Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him and leaves behind a legacy of music and love,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DBjvWcHPbQB/?igsh=ZW1jYm1kZTQxMWY2" target="_blank">the Instagram statement</a>&nbsp;reads in part.The statement did not cite a specific cause of death and attempts to reach representatives for additional details were not immediately successful. Lesh had previously survived bouts of prostate cancer, bladder cancer and a 1998 liver transplant necessitated by the debilitating effects of a hepatitis C infection and years of heavy drinking.Although he kept a relatively low public profile, rarely granting interviews or speaking to the audience, fans and fellow band members recognized Lesh as a critical member of the Grateful Dead whose thundering lines on the six-string electric bass provided a brilliant counterpoint to lead guitarist Jerry Garcia’s soaring solos and anchored the band’s famous marathon jams.“When Phil’s happening the band’s happening,” Garcia once said.Drummer Mickey Hart called him the group’s intellectual who brought a classical composer’s mind-set and skills to a five-chord rock ‘n’ roll band.

Phil Lesh, bassist for the Grateful Dead, dies at 84

LAVEEN VILLAGE, Ariz. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;on Friday formally apologized to Native Americans for the “sin” of a government-run boarding school system that for decades forcibly separated Indian children from their parents, calling it “blot on American history” in his first visit to Native Country.

“It's a sin on our soul,” said Biden, his voice full of anger and emotion. “Quite frankly, there’s no excuse that this apology took 50 years to make.”

Biden spoke of the abuses and deaths of native children that resulted from the federal government's policies, as he noted that the shameful history remained unknown and needed to be told. The president detailed how his policies have sought to support Native Americans with jobs and new infrastructure.

Democrats hope Biden's visit to the Gila River Indian Community’s land on the outskirts of metro Phoenix in Arizona will also provide a boost to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Vice President Kamala Harris'</a>&nbsp;turnout effort in a key battleground state.

Biden, whose presidency is winding down, had promised tribal leaders nearly two years ago that he would make a visit to Indian Country.

The president, in an exchange with reporters Thursday before departing for Arizona, said an apology for the U.S. government’s role in the abuse and neglect of Native children was “something that should have been done a long time ago." For decades, federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/native-american-boarding-schools-legacy-map-b649ea0a2d616ec65c454232842a0a7a">boarding schools</a>&nbsp;were used to assimilate children into white society, according to the White House.

The moment will also give Biden a chance to spotlight his and Harris' support for tribal nations, a group that historically has favored Democrats, in a state he won just by 10,000 votes in 2020.

The race between Harris and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is expected to be similarly close, and both campaigns are doing whatever they can to improve turnout among bedrock supporters.

“The race is now a turnout grab,” said Mike O’Neil, a non-partisan pollster based in Arizona. “The trendlines throughout have been remarkably steady. The question is which candidate is going to be able to turn out their voters in a race that seems to be destined to be decided by narrow margins.”

Biden has been used sparingly on the campaign trail by Harris and other Democrats since he ended his reelection campaign in July.

But analysts say Biden could help Harris in her appeal with Native American voters — a group that has trailed others in turnout rates.

In 2020, there was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/native-american-votes-helped-secure-bidens-win-in-arizona-fa452fbd546fa00535679d78ac40b890">surge in voter turnout</a>&nbsp;on some tribal land in Arizona as Biden beat Trump and became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the state since Bill Clinton in 1996.

Biden is making the visit in his official capacity, and a formal apology — something tribes have long sought — seems certain to garner attention among Native Americans across the country.

At least 973 Native American children died in the U.S. government’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-native-americans-south-dakota-762797ee44f94d06e2f7776599bef374">abusive boarding school system</a>&nbsp;over a 150-year period that ended in 1969, according to an Interior Department investigation that called for a U.S. government apology.

At least 18,000 children, some as young as 4, were taken from their parents and forced to attend schools that sought to assimilate them.

“President Biden deserves credit for finally putting attention on the issue and other issues impacting the community,” said Ramona Charette Klein, 77, a boarding school survivor and an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. “I do think that will reflect well on Vice President Harris, and I hope this momentum will continue.”

She added that whoever is the next president must follow up with concrete action and begin making amends for the devastation the boarding schools wrought on tribes.

Democrats have stepped up outreach to Native American communities.

Both Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tim-walz">Tim Walz</a>, met with tribal leaders in Arizona and Nevada this month. And Clinton, who has been serving as a surrogate for Harris, last week met in North Carolina with the chairman of the Lumbee Tribe.

The Democratic National Committee recently&nbsp;<a href="https://democrats.org/news/dnc-marks-indigenous-peoples-day-with-a-six-figure-ad-campaign-reaching-native-voters/">launched</a>&nbsp;a six-figure ad campaign targeting Native American voters in Arizona, North Carolina, Montana and Alaska through digital, print and radio ads.

Democratic Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ruben-gallego">Ruben Gallego</a>, who is locked in a competitive race with Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kari-lake">Kari Lake</a>&nbsp;for Arizona's open Senate seat, has visited all 22 of Arizona's federally recognized tribes.

Harris started a recent campaign rally in Chandler, near where the Gila River reservation is located, with a shoutout to the tribe's leader.

She also reminded the crowd that she was the first vice president to visit the reservation. She and husband Doug Emhoff visited the community last year.

“I strongly believe that the relationship between tribal nations and the United States is sacred ... and that we must honor tribal sovereignty, embrace our trust in treaty obligations, and ensure tribal self-determination,” Harris said.

The White House says Biden and Harris have built a substantial track record with Native Americans over the last four years.

He designated the sacred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-travel-mountains-arizona-las-vegas-ca156c74cf5b1d5778dda292e52fa57e">Avi Kwa Ame,</a>&nbsp;a desert mountain in Nevada and Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni-Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon in Arizona as national monuments and restored the boundaries for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-lifestyle-business-environment-1d8b5a0ff3814f78c5e8bc97c37fc32e">Bears Ears National Monument</a>&nbsp;in Utah.

In addition, the administration has directed nearly $46 billion in federal spending to tribal nations. The money has helped bring electricity to a reservation that never had electricity, expand access to high-speed internet, improve water sanitation, build roadways and more.

Biden picked former New Mexico Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/debra-haaland">Deb Haaland</a>&nbsp;to serve as his Interior secretary, the first Native American to be appointed to a Cabinet position. Haaland is a member of Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico.

She, in turn, ordered the comprehensive review in June 2021 of the troubled legacy of the federal government's boarding school policies that is leading Biden to deliver the formal apology.

“He made commitments to Indian Country, and he has followed through on every single one of those commitments,” Haaland said.

Thom Reilly, co-director of the Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy at Arizona State University, said both Harris' and Trump's campaigns — and their allies — have put a remarkable amount of effort into micro-targeting in Arizona.

Harris, Reilly noted, has also focused on whittling away at Trump's advantage among Mormon voters in the state, a group that historically has favored Republicans. Trump, meanwhile, has put special focus on young men as the campaign tries to narrow Democrats' advantage with younger voters.

“They are pulling out every stop just to see if they could wrangle a few more votes here and there,” Reilly said. “The Indian community is one of those groups that Harris is hoping will overperform and help make the difference.”

LAVEEN VILLAGE, Ariz. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;on Friday formally apologized to Native Americans for the “sin” of a government-run boarding school system that for decades forcibly separated Indian children from their parents, calling it “blot on American history” in his first visit to Native Country.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden on treatment of Native Americans in Federal Indian Boarding Schools: &quot;The federal government has never apologized for what happened, until today. I formally apologize as President of the United States for what we did. I formally apologize and it&#39;s long overdue.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/tc23qr79Go">pic.twitter.com/tc23qr79Go</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1849875930501513537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It's a sin on our soul,” said Biden, his voice full of anger and emotion. “Quite frankly, there’s no excuse that this apology took 50 years to make.”Biden spoke of the abuses and deaths of native children that resulted from the federal government's policies, as he noted that the shameful history remained unknown and needed to be told. The president detailed how his policies have sought to support Native Americans with jobs and new infrastructure.Democrats hope Biden's visit to the Gila River Indian Community’s land on the outskirts of metro Phoenix in Arizona will also provide a boost to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Vice President Kamala Harris'</a>&nbsp;turnout effort in a key battleground state.Biden, whose presidency is winding down, had promised tribal leaders nearly two years ago that he would make a visit to Indian Country.The president, in an exchange with reporters Thursday before departing for Arizona, said an apology for the U.S. government’s role in the abuse and neglect of Native children was “something that should have been done a long time ago." For decades, federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/native-american-boarding-schools-legacy-map-b649ea0a2d616ec65c454232842a0a7a">boarding schools</a>&nbsp;were used to assimilate children into white society, according to the White House.The moment will also give Biden a chance to spotlight his and Harris' support for tribal nations, a group that historically has favored Democrats, in a state he won just by 10,000 votes in 2020.The race between Harris and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is expected to be similarly close, and both campaigns are doing whatever they can to improve turnout among bedrock supporters.“The race is now a turnout grab,” said Mike O’Neil, a non-partisan pollster based in Arizona. “The trendlines throughout have been remarkably steady. The question is which candidate is going to be able to turn out their voters in a race that seems to be destined to be decided by narrow margins.”Biden has been used sparingly on the campaign trail by Harris and other Democrats since he ended his reelection campaign in July.But analysts say Biden could help Harris in her appeal with Native American voters — a group that has trailed others in turnout rates.In 2020, there was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/native-american-votes-helped-secure-bidens-win-in-arizona-fa452fbd546fa00535679d78ac40b890">surge in voter turnout</a>&nbsp;on some tribal land in Arizona as Biden beat Trump and became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the state since Bill Clinton in 1996.Biden is making the visit in his official capacity, and a formal apology — something tribes have long sought — seems certain to garner attention among Native Americans across the country.At least 973 Native American children died in the U.S. government’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-native-americans-south-dakota-762797ee44f94d06e2f7776599bef374">abusive boarding school system</a>&nbsp;over a 150-year period that ended in 1969, according to an Interior Department investigation that called for a U.S. government apology.At least 18,000 children, some as young as 4, were taken from their parents and forced to attend schools that sought to assimilate them.“President Biden deserves credit for finally putting attention on the issue and other issues impacting the community,” said Ramona Charette Klein, 77, a boarding school survivor and an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. “I do think that will reflect well on Vice President Harris, and I hope this momentum will continue.”She added that whoever is the next president must follow up with concrete action and begin making amends for the devastation the boarding schools wrought on tribes.Democrats have stepped up outreach to Native American communities.Both Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tim-walz">Tim Walz</a>, met with tribal leaders in Arizona and Nevada this month. And Clinton, who has been serving as a surrogate for Harris, last week met in North Carolina with the chairman of the Lumbee Tribe.The Democratic National Committee recently&nbsp;<a href="https://democrats.org/news/dnc-marks-indigenous-peoples-day-with-a-six-figure-ad-campaign-reaching-native-voters/">launched</a>&nbsp;a six-figure ad campaign targeting Native American voters in Arizona, North Carolina, Montana and Alaska through digital, print and radio ads.Democratic Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ruben-gallego">Ruben Gallego</a>, who is locked in a competitive race with Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kari-lake">Kari Lake</a>&nbsp;for Arizona's open Senate seat, has visited all 22 of Arizona's federally recognized tribes.Harris started a recent campaign rally in Chandler, near where the Gila River reservation is located, with a shoutout to the tribe's leader.She also reminded the crowd that she was the first vice president to visit the reservation. She and husband Doug Emhoff visited the community last year.“I strongly believe that the relationship between tribal nations and the United States is sacred ... and that we must honor tribal sovereignty, embrace our trust in treaty obligations, and ensure tribal self-determination,” Harris said.The White House says Biden and Harris have built a substantial track record with Native Americans over the last four years.He designated the sacred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-travel-mountains-arizona-las-vegas-ca156c74cf5b1d5778dda292e52fa57e">Avi Kwa Ame,</a>&nbsp;a desert mountain in Nevada and Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni-Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon in Arizona as national monuments and restored the boundaries for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-lifestyle-business-environment-1d8b5a0ff3814f78c5e8bc97c37fc32e">Bears Ears National Monument</a>&nbsp;in Utah.In addition, the administration has directed nearly $46 billion in federal spending to tribal nations. The money has helped bring electricity to a reservation that never had electricity, expand access to high-speed internet, improve water sanitation, build roadways and more.Biden picked former New Mexico Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/debra-haaland">Deb Haaland</a>&nbsp;to serve as his Interior secretary, the first Native American to be appointed to a Cabinet position. Haaland is a member of Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico.She, in turn, ordered the comprehensive review in June 2021 of the troubled legacy of the federal government's boarding school policies that is leading Biden to deliver the formal apology.“He made commitments to Indian Country, and he has followed through on every single one of those commitments,” Haaland said.Thom Reilly, co-director of the Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy at Arizona State University, said both Harris' and Trump's campaigns — and their allies — have put a remarkable amount of effort into micro-targeting in Arizona.Harris, Reilly noted, has also focused on whittling away at Trump's advantage among Mormon voters in the state, a group that historically has favored Republicans. Trump, meanwhile, has put special focus on young men as the campaign tries to narrow Democrats' advantage with younger voters.“They are pulling out every stop just to see if they could wrangle a few more votes here and there,” Reilly said. “The Indian community is one of those groups that Harris is hoping will overperform and help make the difference.”

🎥Biden apologizes for forced Native American boarding school system

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>

WASHINGTON — Nearly 30 million Americans by Thursday had cast their ballots ahead of Election Day, with 13 million choosing to vote in person at early voting centers and another 17 million submitting mail-in ballots, according to data from the University of Florida’s election lab.

The total number of early votes is expected to increase significantly in the days leading up to Election Day on Nov. 5.

Voters will determine whether Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris or Republican candidate Donald Trump occupies the Oval Office for the next four years. On the national level, they’ll also decide which political party controls the U.S. House and U.S. Senate for the next two years.

The nonpartisan Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics say the presidential race is still very much up for grabs, rating the battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as toss-ups.

Early voting is higher in several of those purple states than some of their counterparts, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://election.lab.ufl.edu/early-vote/2024-early-voting/" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;from the University of Florida’s election lab.

Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia have each received at least 1.2 million early ballots, while California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas have all received at least 2 million early votes.

The University of Florida data shows that among states that disclose party breakdowns, Democrats have cast nearly 42% of ballots while Republicans have submitted 35% and other voters have sent in about 23%.

Sabato’s Crystal Ball projects that Republicans are at least slightly favored to win 212 House seats, with Democrats holding onto at least 209 seats in that chamber. Another 14 races are rated as toss-ups, meaning control of the chamber is still far from decided.

“Overall, our ratings show just 7 Republican-held Toss-ups and 7 Democratic-held Toss-ups, for 14 total,” Managing Editor Kyle Kondik and Associate Editor J. Miles Coleman&nbsp;<a href="https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/rating-changes-pushing-house-toss-ups-nebraska-senate-to-leans-republican/" target="_blank">wrote in the latest update</a>, released Thursday morning.

“Splitting the Toss-ups down the middle would produce a 219-216 Republican House, so the ratings technically have the Republicans very narrowly ahead—but neither side is favored in the race for the House majority, even at this late stage,” they wrote.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairwoman Suzan DelBene of Washington state told reporters Thursday the organization has several voter protection efforts underway to ensure Americans who want to vote have an opportunity to do so.

Those efforts won’t stop when the polls close on Election Day, but will continue as absentee ballots are counted, she said in a virtual meeting with the Regional Reporters Association.

“So this is obviously a priority for us, and some of these races are very, very close, so we want to make sure we’re there to help make sure ballots are counted across the country,” DelBene said.

Control of the House might not be announced on election night, or for several days afterward. It took more than a week after the 2022 midterm elections before The<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede" target="_blank">&nbsp;Associated Press called control&nbsp;</a>for the GOP.

The Senate is leaning slightly toward Republican control, with GOP candidates on track to pick up seats in West Virginia and Montana.

Sabato’s has, however, moved Nebraska’s rating from likely Republican to leans Republican, “as the Republican cavalry has had to ride in to help” incumbent GOP Sen. Deb Fischer maintain her seat against independent challenger Dan Osborn.

“Unlike Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rick Scott (R-FL), the only other two GOP incumbents in races that we rate as something other than Safe Republican, Fischer has, arguably, never had to run in a legitimately competitive statewide general election,” Kondik and Coleman wrote.

<a href="https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting#earlyvoting" target="_blank">Early in-person voting</a>&nbsp;as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting#mail-absentee" target="_blank">who is eligible for mail-in ballots</a>&nbsp;is determined by each state, meaning when and where voters can cast early ballots varies considerably.

All states are required to host in-person voting on Election Day, scheduled for Nov. 5. More information about voting can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vote.gov/" target="_blank">here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729870329996.png" alt="Voters in line this week in Sedgwick County-photos courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Voters in line this week in Sedgwick County-photos courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>WASHINGTON — Nearly 30 million Americans by Thursday had cast their ballots ahead of Election Day, with 13 million choosing to vote in person at early voting centers and another 17 million submitting mail-in ballots, according to data from the University of Florida’s election lab.The total number of early votes is expected to increase significantly in the days leading up to Election Day on Nov. 5.Voters will determine whether Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris or Republican candidate Donald Trump occupies the Oval Office for the next four years. On the national level, they’ll also decide which political party controls the U.S. House and U.S. Senate for the next two years.The nonpartisan Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics say the presidential race is still very much up for grabs, rating the battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as toss-ups.Early voting is higher in several of those purple states than some of their counterparts, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://election.lab.ufl.edu/early-vote/2024-early-voting/" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;from the University of Florida’s election lab.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729870269518.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia have each received at least 1.2 million early ballots, while California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas have all received at least 2 million early votes.The University of Florida data shows that among states that disclose party breakdowns, Democrats have cast nearly 42% of ballots while Republicans have submitted 35% and other voters have sent in about 23%.<h2>U.S. House control up in the air</h2>Sabato’s Crystal Ball projects that Republicans are at least slightly favored to win 212 House seats, with Democrats holding onto at least 209 seats in that chamber. Another 14 races are rated as toss-ups, meaning control of the chamber is still far from decided.“Overall, our ratings show just 7 Republican-held Toss-ups and 7 Democratic-held Toss-ups, for 14 total,” Managing Editor Kyle Kondik and Associate Editor J. Miles Coleman&nbsp;<a href="https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/rating-changes-pushing-house-toss-ups-nebraska-senate-to-leans-republican/" target="_blank">wrote in the latest update</a>, released Thursday morning.“Splitting the Toss-ups down the middle would produce a 219-216 Republican House, so the ratings technically have the Republicans very narrowly ahead—but neither side is favored in the race for the House majority, even at this late stage,” they wrote.Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairwoman Suzan DelBene of Washington state told reporters Thursday the organization has several voter protection efforts underway to ensure Americans who want to vote have an opportunity to do so.Those efforts won’t stop when the polls close on Election Day, but will continue as absentee ballots are counted, she said in a virtual meeting with the Regional Reporters Association.“So this is obviously a priority for us, and some of these races are very, very close, so we want to make sure we’re there to help make sure ballots are counted across the country,” DelBene said.Control of the House might not be announced on election night, or for several days afterward. It took more than a week after the 2022 midterm elections before The<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede" target="_blank">&nbsp;Associated Press called control&nbsp;</a>for the GOP.<h2>U.S. Senate tilts toward GOP</h2>The Senate is leaning slightly toward Republican control, with GOP candidates on track to pick up seats in West Virginia and Montana.Sabato’s has, however, moved Nebraska’s rating from likely Republican to leans Republican, “as the Republican cavalry has had to ride in to help” incumbent GOP Sen. Deb Fischer maintain her seat against independent challenger Dan Osborn.“Unlike Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rick Scott (R-FL), the only other two GOP incumbents in races that we rate as something other than Safe Republican, Fischer has, arguably, never had to run in a legitimately competitive statewide general election,” Kondik and Coleman wrote.<a href="https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting#earlyvoting" target="_blank">Early in-person voting</a>&nbsp;as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting#mail-absentee" target="_blank">who is eligible for mail-in ballots</a>&nbsp;is determined by each state, meaning when and where voters can cast early ballots varies considerably.All states are required to host in-person voting on Election Day, scheduled for Nov. 5. More information about voting can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vote.gov/" target="_blank">here</a>.

Millions of Americans flock to early voting, in person and via mail

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a rural Kansas burglary and have three suspects in custody.

Just before 9p.m. October 19, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a burglary in progress in the 13000 Block of 162nd Road near Mayetta, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

  Jackson County Deputies and the Hoyt Police Department responded to the area.

Three subjects were located and arrested by law enforcement.  Tanner Reese Brooke, 19; Dustin James Brooke, 20 and Jon Alan Wilson, 21, all of Topeka were all arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of burglary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729624206116.png" alt="Dustin Brooke photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Dustin Brooke photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a rural Kansas burglary and have three suspects in custody.Just before 9p.m. October 19, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a burglary in progress in the 13000 Block of 162nd Road near Mayetta, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729624274729.png" alt="Wilson photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Wilson photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Jackson County Deputies and the Hoyt Police Department responded to the area.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729624156916.png" alt="Tammer Brooke photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Tammer Brooke photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Three subjects were located and arrested by law enforcement. Tanner Reese Brooke, 19; Dustin James Brooke, 20 and Jon Alan Wilson, 21, all of Topeka were all arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of burglary.

Sheriff: 3 captured during rural Kansas burglary

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JONEL%20ALECCIA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JONEL ALECCIA &nbsp;AP Health Writer</a>

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-sick-onions-d4a37726f2669016decedcf9f928a9d9">deadly outbreak of E. coli poisoning</a>&nbsp;tied to McDonald's Quarter Pounders has expanded, with at least 75 people sick in 13 states, federal health officials said Friday.

Twenty-two people have been hospitalized, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Two people developed a dangerous kidney disease complication, and one person died.

No source of the outbreak has been identified, officials with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. But investigators have focused on slivered onions used on the burgers, as well as beef patties.

McDonald's officials have said that a California-based produce grower,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-outbreak-e-coli-onions-2bc3fc2d4198d9a5bad52c0028316165">Taylor Farms, supplied yellow onions</a>&nbsp;that have been recalled for possible E. coli contamination. McDonald's pulled the burger from menus in several states on Tuesday when the outbreak was announced.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729871594276.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JONEL%20ALECCIA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JONEL ALECCIA &nbsp;AP Health Writer</a>A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-sick-onions-d4a37726f2669016decedcf9f928a9d9">deadly outbreak of E. coli poisoning</a>&nbsp;tied to McDonald's Quarter Pounders has expanded, with at least 75 people sick in 13 states, federal health officials said Friday.Twenty-two people have been hospitalized, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Two people developed a dangerous kidney disease complication, and one person died.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729872051879.png" alt="Image McDonalds" />
 <figcaption>Image McDonalds</figcaption>
 </figure>No source of the outbreak has been identified, officials with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. But investigators have focused on slivered onions used on the burgers, as well as beef patties.McDonald's officials have said that a California-based produce grower,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-outbreak-e-coli-onions-2bc3fc2d4198d9a5bad52c0028316165">Taylor Farms, supplied yellow onions</a>&nbsp;that have been recalled for possible E. coli contamination. McDonald's pulled the burger from menus in several states on Tuesday when the outbreak was announced.

CDC: E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders expands 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds is recovering from two gunshot wounds after he and another man were fired upon following a visit to a strip club last week.

“Josh Reynolds was a victim of a shooting on Friday in Denver and received treatment for minor injuries,” the Broncos said in a statement to The Associated Press. “Out of respect for the legal process, we will defer further comment on this matter to the authorities.”

Denver&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/DenverPolice/status/1849276540808270066/photo/1">police said they have arrested two men</a>&nbsp;— Luis Mendoza, 35, and Burr Charlesworth, 42 — in connection with the shootings, which occurred around 3 a.m. on Oct. 18 along a stretch of Interstate 25 south of downtown.

The men were being held for investigation of attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault. Police said they were trying to identify possible additional suspects and “therefore the arrest reports are sealed to protect the integrity of the investigation.”

<a href="https://www.9news.com/article/news/investigations/denver-bronco-josh-reynolds-shot/73-f51bf502-5129-4dd1-bad8-a4495be20909">NBC affiliate KUSA-TV</a>&nbsp;in Denver, the Broncos' flagship station, which first reported the shooting, said Reynolds was shot once in his left arm and once in the back of his head. The station said Reynolds and the other man were followed after leaving a strip club called Shotgun Willies.

Reynolds is on injured reserve with a broken finger and didn't travel with the Broncos to New Orleans for their Thursday night game on Oct. 17. The shooting happened a few hours after the Broncos beat the Saints.

Reynolds has been working out on a side field during the Broncos' practices this week. Players on IR aren't available to speak with reporters.

Reynolds is in his ninth NFL season and his first in Denver after signing a two-year, $9 million contract last offseason. He's played in five games with one start and has caught 12 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown.

He spent the last three seasons with Detroit. He's also played for the Titans and the Rams, who drafted him in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft out of Texas A&amp;M.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729864438289.jpeg" alt="Denver Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds (11) celebrates his 9-yard reception for a touchdown with teammate wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)" />
 <figcaption>Denver Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds (11) celebrates his 9-yard reception for a touchdown with teammate wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)</figcaption>
 </figure>ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds is recovering from two gunshot wounds after he and another man were fired upon following a visit to a strip club last week.“Josh Reynolds was a victim of a shooting on Friday in Denver and received treatment for minor injuries,” the Broncos said in a statement to The Associated Press. “Out of respect for the legal process, we will defer further comment on this matter to the authorities.”Denver&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/DenverPolice/status/1849276540808270066/photo/1">police said they have arrested two men</a>&nbsp;— Luis Mendoza, 35, and Burr Charlesworth, 42 — in connection with the shootings, which occurred around 3 a.m. on Oct. 18 along a stretch of Interstate 25 south of downtown.The men were being held for investigation of attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault. Police said they were trying to identify possible additional suspects and “therefore the arrest reports are sealed to protect the integrity of the investigation.”<a href="https://www.9news.com/article/news/investigations/denver-bronco-josh-reynolds-shot/73-f51bf502-5129-4dd1-bad8-a4495be20909">NBC affiliate KUSA-TV</a>&nbsp;in Denver, the Broncos' flagship station, which first reported the shooting, said Reynolds was shot once in his left arm and once in the back of his head. The station said Reynolds and the other man were followed after leaving a strip club called Shotgun Willies.Reynolds is on injured reserve with a broken finger and didn't travel with the Broncos to New Orleans for their Thursday night game on Oct. 17. The shooting happened a few hours after the Broncos beat the Saints.Reynolds has been working out on a side field during the Broncos' practices this week. Players on IR aren't available to speak with reporters.Reynolds is in his ninth NFL season and his first in Denver after signing a two-year, $9 million contract last offseason. He's played in five games with one start and has caught 12 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown.He spent the last three seasons with Detroit. He's also played for the Titans and the Rams, who drafted him in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft out of Texas A&amp;M.

Broncos receiver shot after visit to strip club, 2 suspects in custody

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

TOPEKA — Turnover on the Kansas Board of Education after the November election could tip the board’s balance of power in favor of conservative members.

Half of the board’s 10 seats are up for election. Republicans currently outnumber Democrats seven to three, but some moderate board members aren’t running for reelection, positioning the board for a potential ideological shake-up. All five races are contested, and the 12 candidates are differentiating themselves on such central issues as parental rights, public school funding and school safety ahead of Nov. 5.

The board is tasked with oversight of the Kansas Department of Education and supervision of public schools, but it has little control over funding, a responsibility of the legislative branch.

Two incumbents are running for reelection, and a pair of three-way races could split conservative votes. Many of this election’s Republican candidates align with the current board’s conservative faction on issues like religion in schools, arming teachers and parental involvement in instructional and functional decisions.

At an Oct. 6 forum in Lawrence, a candidate for the northeastern 4th District, Kris Meyer, criticized the four conservative members on the current board who she believes are “seeking to sow distrust across the state of Kansas in our public schools.”

Those four board members — Danny Zeck, Michelle Dombrosky, Cathy Hopkins and Dennis Hershberger — are not up for reelection until 2026.

In the 2nd District, which represents school districts in Johnson and Wyandotte counties, incumbent Melanie Haas, a Democrat and tech executive, is seeking to retain her seat in a three-way race. She is up against Republican challenger Fred Postlewait and an independent, Kiel Corkran. Haas was first elected in 2020 and is the board’s current chair. She was endorsed by the Kansas National Education Association, the state’s public educator union, and she has defended fully funding public schools.

Postlewait, a retired computer systems manager, was inspired to run for the board to address declining ACT scores, which have been on a downward trend since 2014 but saw a sharp drop in 2020.

“The train is off the tracks,” he wrote on his campaign website.

Corkran does not have a campaign website and didn’t respond to Kansas Reflector’s requests for an interview.

In the 4th District in northeastern Kansas, Democrat Ann Mah is vacating her seat on the board after eight years. Republican Connie O’Brien, a former teacher and state representative, and Democrat Meyer, a longtime public school educator and principal, are vying for the position.

O’Brien beat out two other Republican hopefuls in the August Primary after Attorney General Kris Kobach gave her his endorsement, urging conservatives to vote for her.

She said in a video posted to YouTube she’ll focus on changes to vocational and technical education, supporting parental rights and supporting teachers.

O’Brien, who did not respond to Kansas Reflector’s requests for comment, said at the Oct. 6 candidate forum at the Lawrence Public Library she does not support vouchers, adding that private school and home school parents “don’t want government in their face.”

“But you have to wonder why parents march up to the capital every year and ask for those things,” she said.

Meyer told Kansas Reflector she’ll focus on fully funding public education, particularly special education, addressing teacher shortages and retention woes and bolstering student mental health support.

“I want to ensure the state board continues to set clear standards and advocate for policies and funding that guarantee all students receive a quality education,” she said. “This includes pushing back on legislative overreach that could hinder the state board’s constitutional duty.”

In the 6th District, Republican Deena Horst isn’t running for reelection. Democrat Beryl Ann New, a retired director of personnel and equity at Topeka Public Schools, and Republican Bruce Schultz, a retired professor of anatomy and physiology at Kansas State University, are running to represent school districts in north-central and northeastern Kansas, including the cities of Lawrence and Topeka.

If elected, New told Kansas Reflector, her goal is to address poor student performance and safety in schools in her first year.

“I will collaborate with board members to ensure that resources are provided to schools whose students are yet below grade level in reading comprehension, provide funding to ensure that Kansas schools remain safe and secure, and solidly support the full funding of all Kansas schools with 100% of funds going solely to public schools,” New said.

She also said she supports vetted alternative teaching programs to address teacher retention and shortages. At the Oct. 6 forum in Lawrence, New said the principal reason she’s seen teachers leave the profession was inadequate compensation.

Schultz, who didn’t respond to Kansas Reflector’s inquiries, said at the forum he doesn’t think boosting teacher salaries is the right answer to teacher retention issues and shortages. Instead, he favors an approach that builds persistence in teaching, he said.

“We need to reform the system to allow and promote greater community engagement,” he said.

Schultz has campaigned on prioritizing parent involvement in school decisions, focusing education on math, science, language arts and financial literacy and budget efficiency, according to his campaign website.

In the Wichita-area 8th District, Democratic incumbent Betty Arnold, a former Wichita school board member, seeks to hold on to the position she has occupied since 2021. She’s aiming to reevaluate performance measures and outcomes, increase teacher compensation and prioritize student safety.

“I believe in public education and I will continue to support it,” Arnold said in an email. “As the focus shifts away from the support of public education, it is vital to have an advocate that understands public education is a must if we want to continue with all children having access to an education.”

Arnold’s opponent, Republican Jason Carmichael, did not respond to Kansas Reflector’s requests for comment. He&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/12/in-kansas-school-board-races-voters-reject-candidates-pushing-culture-war-issues/" target="_blank">lost a bid for a sea</a>t on the Unified School District 259 board in Wichita in 2023. During that election, he ran on the premise that “parents’ rights are the cornerstone” of society,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/politics/2023-10-19/2023-wichita-school-board-where-do-candidates-stand-on-the-issues" target="_blank">KMUW reported</a>. Carmichael believes in eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, supports teachers who are authorized to carry guns in order to combat an active shooter and opposes mandated vaccination requirements, according to a questionnaire he completed for&nbsp;<a href="https://ivoterguide.com/" target="_blank">iVoterGuide</a>, which is affiliated with Christian political nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://afaaction.net/mission" target="_blank">AFA Action</a>.

The 10th District in south-central Kansas is contested in a three-way race. Jeffrey Jarman, a Democrat, Debby Potter, a Republican, and Kent Rowe, an independent, are vying for the position being vacated by moderate Republican Jim McNiece.

Jarman, a communications professor at Wichita State University and member of the Maize public school board, said in an email he will advocate for stable funding and against school vouchers if elected.

“While the Legislature appropriates the funds, there is an important role for the board in advocating for stable funding,” he said. “The current funding formula finally meets the minimum required by the state constitution, but it will expire in 2027. I strongly support extending the formula to provide stability to school districts.”

Jarman said he hopes to support local districts by bettering educational achievement outcomes and allocating existing funds to programs that assist the “most vulnerable students,” he said.

“But,” he added, “the board is divided and decisions about how to best support our students unfortunately are politicized.”

Potter, who did not respond to Kansas Reflector’s requests for comment, homeschooled her own children, and she said she was inspired to run when she considered her grandchildren.

“I want them not to be indoctrinated away from their faith and away from their parents, and I feel like there’s a lot of undermining of the families going on,” she said at a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub1MbGf7FXI" target="_blank">candidate forum</a>&nbsp;hosted by Republican Women United of Sedgwick County ahead of the August primary election.

She defeated another Republican hopeful in the primary. God is her campaign manager, she said at the forum.

Potter considers herself to be “very conservative, ” she wrote in answers for an iVoterGuide questionnaire. She supports arming licensed teachers, eradicating the federal department of education and is a strong advocate for parental involvement in schools.

“While I believe private education provides a better result for less money, the general public has determined that public education is in the public’s best interest,” she wrote. “To that end, my hope will be to involve parents and teachers to take more control (as would be the case in private education) through informing them and encouraging their increased participation with their local school boards.”

Rowe, who didn’t respond to Kansas Reflector’s inquiries, is a member of the Kansas Green Party, according to his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kentforkansasboe.com/kent-s-platform/" target="_blank">campaign website</a>. His priorities include retaining funding for rural public schools, preventing book bans in high schools and addressing student mental health issues. He is a retired professor of aeronautical science for the U.S. Air Force and the former mayor of Longton, which is in Elk County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729860959890.png" alt="Five seats on the Kansas Board of Education are up for grabs in the 2024 general election, and the outcome will determine whether the board shifts to a conservative majority. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Five seats on the Kansas Board of Education are up for grabs in the 2024 general election, and the outcome will determine whether the board shifts to a conservative majority. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Turnover on the Kansas Board of Education after the November election could tip the board’s balance of power in favor of conservative members.Half of the board’s 10 seats are up for election. Republicans currently outnumber Democrats seven to three, but some moderate board members aren’t running for reelection, positioning the board for a potential ideological shake-up. All five races are contested, and the 12 candidates are differentiating themselves on such central issues as parental rights, public school funding and school safety ahead of Nov. 5.The board is tasked with oversight of the Kansas Department of Education and supervision of public schools, but it has little control over funding, a responsibility of the legislative branch.Two incumbents are running for reelection, and a pair of three-way races could split conservative votes. Many of this election’s Republican candidates align with the current board’s conservative faction on issues like religion in schools, arming teachers and parental involvement in instructional and functional decisions.At an Oct. 6 forum in Lawrence, a candidate for the northeastern 4th District, Kris Meyer, criticized the four conservative members on the current board who she believes are “seeking to sow distrust across the state of Kansas in our public schools.”Those four board members — Danny Zeck, Michelle Dombrosky, Cathy Hopkins and Dennis Hershberger — are not up for reelection until 2026.In the 2nd District, which represents school districts in Johnson and Wyandotte counties, incumbent Melanie Haas, a Democrat and tech executive, is seeking to retain her seat in a three-way race. She is up against Republican challenger Fred Postlewait and an independent, Kiel Corkran. Haas was first elected in 2020 and is the board’s current chair. She was endorsed by the Kansas National Education Association, the state’s public educator union, and she has defended fully funding public schools.Postlewait, a retired computer systems manager, was inspired to run for the board to address declining ACT scores, which have been on a downward trend since 2014 but saw a sharp drop in 2020.“The train is off the tracks,” he wrote on his campaign website.Corkran does not have a campaign website and didn’t respond to Kansas Reflector’s requests for an interview.In the 4th District in northeastern Kansas, Democrat Ann Mah is vacating her seat on the board after eight years. Republican Connie O’Brien, a former teacher and state representative, and Democrat Meyer, a longtime public school educator and principal, are vying for the position.O’Brien beat out two other Republican hopefuls in the August Primary after Attorney General Kris Kobach gave her his endorsement, urging conservatives to vote for her.She said in a video posted to YouTube she’ll focus on changes to vocational and technical education, supporting parental rights and supporting teachers.O’Brien, who did not respond to Kansas Reflector’s requests for comment, said at the Oct. 6 candidate forum at the Lawrence Public Library she does not support vouchers, adding that private school and home school parents “don’t want government in their face.”“But you have to wonder why parents march up to the capital every year and ask for those things,” she said.Meyer told Kansas Reflector she’ll focus on fully funding public education, particularly special education, addressing teacher shortages and retention woes and bolstering student mental health support.“I want to ensure the state board continues to set clear standards and advocate for policies and funding that guarantee all students receive a quality education,” she said. “This includes pushing back on legislative overreach that could hinder the state board’s constitutional duty.”In the 6th District, Republican Deena Horst isn’t running for reelection. Democrat Beryl Ann New, a retired director of personnel and equity at Topeka Public Schools, and Republican Bruce Schultz, a retired professor of anatomy and physiology at Kansas State University, are running to represent school districts in north-central and northeastern Kansas, including the cities of Lawrence and Topeka.If elected, New told Kansas Reflector, her goal is to address poor student performance and safety in schools in her first year.“I will collaborate with board members to ensure that resources are provided to schools whose students are yet below grade level in reading comprehension, provide funding to ensure that Kansas schools remain safe and secure, and solidly support the full funding of all Kansas schools with 100% of funds going solely to public schools,” New said.She also said she supports vetted alternative teaching programs to address teacher retention and shortages. At the Oct. 6 forum in Lawrence, New said the principal reason she’s seen teachers leave the profession was inadequate compensation.Schultz, who didn’t respond to Kansas Reflector’s inquiries, said at the forum he doesn’t think boosting teacher salaries is the right answer to teacher retention issues and shortages. Instead, he favors an approach that builds persistence in teaching, he said.“We need to reform the system to allow and promote greater community engagement,” he said.Schultz has campaigned on prioritizing parent involvement in school decisions, focusing education on math, science, language arts and financial literacy and budget efficiency, according to his campaign website.In the Wichita-area 8th District, Democratic incumbent Betty Arnold, a former Wichita school board member, seeks to hold on to the position she has occupied since 2021. She’s aiming to reevaluate performance measures and outcomes, increase teacher compensation and prioritize student safety.“I believe in public education and I will continue to support it,” Arnold said in an email. “As the focus shifts away from the support of public education, it is vital to have an advocate that understands public education is a must if we want to continue with all children having access to an education.”Arnold’s opponent, Republican Jason Carmichael, did not respond to Kansas Reflector’s requests for comment. He&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/12/in-kansas-school-board-races-voters-reject-candidates-pushing-culture-war-issues/" target="_blank">lost a bid for a sea</a>t on the Unified School District 259 board in Wichita in 2023. During that election, he ran on the premise that “parents’ rights are the cornerstone” of society,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/politics/2023-10-19/2023-wichita-school-board-where-do-candidates-stand-on-the-issues" target="_blank">KMUW reported</a>. Carmichael believes in eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, supports teachers who are authorized to carry guns in order to combat an active shooter and opposes mandated vaccination requirements, according to a questionnaire he completed for&nbsp;<a href="https://ivoterguide.com/" target="_blank">iVoterGuide</a>, which is affiliated with Christian political nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://afaaction.net/mission" target="_blank">AFA Action</a>.The 10th District in south-central Kansas is contested in a three-way race. Jeffrey Jarman, a Democrat, Debby Potter, a Republican, and Kent Rowe, an independent, are vying for the position being vacated by moderate Republican Jim McNiece.Jarman, a communications professor at Wichita State University and member of the Maize public school board, said in an email he will advocate for stable funding and against school vouchers if elected.“While the Legislature appropriates the funds, there is an important role for the board in advocating for stable funding,” he said. “The current funding formula finally meets the minimum required by the state constitution, but it will expire in 2027. I strongly support extending the formula to provide stability to school districts.”Jarman said he hopes to support local districts by bettering educational achievement outcomes and allocating existing funds to programs that assist the “most vulnerable students,” he said.“But,” he added, “the board is divided and decisions about how to best support our students unfortunately are politicized.”Potter, who did not respond to Kansas Reflector’s requests for comment, homeschooled her own children, and she said she was inspired to run when she considered her grandchildren.“I want them not to be indoctrinated away from their faith and away from their parents, and I feel like there’s a lot of undermining of the families going on,” she said at a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub1MbGf7FXI" target="_blank">candidate forum</a>&nbsp;hosted by Republican Women United of Sedgwick County ahead of the August primary election.She defeated another Republican hopeful in the primary. God is her campaign manager, she said at the forum.Potter considers herself to be “very conservative, ” she wrote in answers for an iVoterGuide questionnaire. She supports arming licensed teachers, eradicating the federal department of education and is a strong advocate for parental involvement in schools.“While I believe private education provides a better result for less money, the general public has determined that public education is in the public’s best interest,” she wrote. “To that end, my hope will be to involve parents and teachers to take more control (as would be the case in private education) through informing them and encouraging their increased participation with their local school boards.”Rowe, who didn’t respond to Kansas Reflector’s inquiries, is a member of the Kansas Green Party, according to his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kentforkansasboe.com/kent-s-platform/" target="_blank">campaign website</a>. His priorities include retaining funding for rural public schools, preventing book bans in high schools and addressing student mental health issues. He is a retired professor of aeronautical science for the U.S. Air Force and the former mayor of Longton, which is in Elk County.

Kansas Board of Education races could shift power to conservative bloc

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas teen involved in road rage killing of a Kansas grandmother is going to prison.

On Thursday afternoon, Judge Jeff Goering sentenced 20-year-old Daryon Boone to nearly 27-years in prison for the shooting death of 69-year-old Norma Williams last year, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In August, Boone, who was 19 at the time of the killing, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder in the death of&nbsp; Williams.

Just before 10 p.m. Sept. 1, 2023, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 11200 block of East Central Avenue, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Officers arrived on the scene and located Williams of Wichita unconscious and not breathing with a gunshot wound to her upper body.

Officers began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived. Mrs. Williams was transported to a local area hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

During the investigation, officers learned that Mrs. Williams was the front passenger of a 2021 Honda Ridgeline traveling northbound on Greenwich, approaching the eastbound lanes of Kellogg Drive.

When they reached the intersection a group of motorcycles riding eastbound ran the red light and one of the motorcycles driven Boone of Wichita struck their vehicle. Following the incident, Boone followed the vehicle, ultimately producing a handgun and shooting into the vehicle, which fatally injured Williams.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/norma-williams?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet-first-launch&amp;utm_medium=copy_link&amp;utm_source=customer">Click here to read the</a>&nbsp;online fundraiser for the Williams family.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693697348233.png" alt="Boone photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Boone photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas teen involved in road rage killing of a Kansas grandmother is going to prison.On Thursday afternoon, Judge Jeff Goering sentenced 20-year-old Daryon Boone to nearly 27-years in prison for the shooting death of 69-year-old Norma Williams last year, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693841905672.png" alt="Norma Williams was shot and killed on the way home from a Friday night ballgame in Wichita -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Norma Williams was shot and killed on the way home from a Friday night ballgame in Wichita -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>In August, Boone, who was 19 at the time of the killing, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder in the death of&nbsp; Williams.Just before 10 p.m. Sept. 1, 2023, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 11200 block of East Central Avenue, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Officers arrived on the scene and located Williams of Wichita unconscious and not breathing with a gunshot wound to her upper body.Officers began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived. Mrs. Williams was transported to a local area hospital where she was pronounced deceased.During the investigation, officers learned that Mrs. Williams was the front passenger of a 2021 Honda Ridgeline traveling northbound on Greenwich, approaching the eastbound lanes of Kellogg Drive.When they reached the intersection a group of motorcycles riding eastbound ran the red light and one of the motorcycles driven Boone of Wichita struck their vehicle. Following the incident, Boone followed the vehicle, ultimately producing a handgun and shooting into the vehicle, which fatally injured Williams.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/norma-williams?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet-first-launch&amp;utm_medium=copy_link&amp;utm_source=customer">Click here to read the</a>&nbsp;online fundraiser for the Williams family.