SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help to locate a suspect who didn't show up for a scheduled sentencing hearing for his role in a homicide that occurred in 2023.

According to Wichita Police, 64-year-old&nbsp;Kevin Harris was out on bond&nbsp; and&nbsp; cut off his ankle monitor.

In August of 2023, police arrested Harris of Lawrence after a 16-hour standoff in Lawrence for the death of&nbsp;51-year-old Jose Lumbreras of Wichita.

Just after 11 p.m. August 22, police learned Harris had fled Wichita and was believed to be inside an apartment in the 1400 block of Bristol Terrace in Lawrence, according to Police Sgt. Drew Fennelly

While working to gather more information from Wichita, officers in Lawrence set up a perimeter on the apartment building, and gathered information that led investigators to believe Harris was there.

The Lawrence Police Crisis Response Team was activated and responded to the area, as well our Crisis Response Negotiators and&nbsp; the Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle team.

Crisis Negotiators were able to establish contact with people in the apartment and verified Harris was there. The Lawrence Police tactical team then began methodically evacuating the apartment building when it was clear the suspect was not going to come out, and was allegedly armed.

After multiple hours of discussion, negotiators were able to convince Harris to allow a woman in the apartment to leave.&nbsp; Following multiple additional hours of discussion, negotiators convinced Harris to also leave the apartment and he peacefully surrendered at&nbsp;3:30 p.m., according to Fennelly.

If you know Harris or know where he is call police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723748372094.png" alt="Harris photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Harris photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help to locate a suspect who didn't show up for a scheduled sentencing hearing for his role in a homicide that occurred in 2023.According to Wichita Police, 64-year-old&nbsp;Kevin Harris was out on bond&nbsp; and&nbsp; cut off his ankle monitor.In August of 2023, police arrested Harris of Lawrence after a 16-hour standoff in Lawrence for the death of&nbsp;51-year-old Jose Lumbreras of Wichita.Just after 11 p.m. August 22, police learned Harris had fled Wichita and was believed to be inside an apartment in the 1400 block of Bristol Terrace in Lawrence, according to Police Sgt. Drew FennellyWhile working to gather more information from Wichita, officers in Lawrence set up a perimeter on the apartment building, and gathered information that led investigators to believe Harris was there.The Lawrence Police Crisis Response Team was activated and responded to the area, as well our Crisis Response Negotiators and&nbsp; the Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle team.Crisis Negotiators were able to establish contact with people in the apartment and verified Harris was there. The Lawrence Police tactical team then began methodically evacuating the apartment building when it was clear the suspect was not going to come out, and was allegedly armed.After multiple hours of discussion, negotiators were able to convince Harris to allow a woman in the apartment to leave.&nbsp; Following multiple additional hours of discussion, negotiators convinced Harris to also leave the apartment and he peacefully surrendered at&nbsp;3:30 p.m., according to Fennelly.If you know Harris or know where he is call police.

Kan. man who cut off ankle monitor, skipped sentencing is still at large

JERUSALEM —U.S. forces in the the middle east continue to face almost daily threats.

On Sunday, forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed terrorist drone in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

In addition since August 13, U.S. forces&nbsp;successfully destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi vessels and on&nbsp; Iranian-backed Houthi unmanned surface vessel  in the Red Sea and destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi ground control station in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.

U.S. officials determined the weapons or ground control stations presented an imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701138062166.png" alt="File photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM —U.S. forces in the the middle east continue to face almost daily threats.On Sunday, forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed terrorist drone in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.In addition since August 13, U.S. forces&nbsp;successfully destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi vessels and on&nbsp; Iranian-backed Houthi unmanned surface vessel in the Red Sea and destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi ground control station in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.U.S. officials determined the weapons or ground control stations presented an imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.

U.S. forces make more defensive strikes in the Red Sea, Yemen

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating the dead of a Kansas City man after the body of 23-year-old Breyden Hensley was located Sunday evening near 29th and Summit, according to the Kansas City Police.

On Wednesday, police reported Hensley missing and was last known to be in the area of Walmart at 11601 East 40 Highway August 11, around 6p.m.

The cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner, however there appear to be no signs of foul play.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724033653204.png" alt="Hensley courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Hensley courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating the dead of a Kansas City man after the body of 23-year-old Breyden Hensley was located Sunday evening near 29th and Summit, according to the Kansas City Police.On Wednesday, police reported Hensley missing and was last known to be in the area of Walmart at 11601 East 40 Highway August 11, around 6p.m.The cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner, however there appear to be no signs of foul play.

Death investigation: Body of missing man located in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident that occurred just before 1a.m. Sunday in Kansas City.

A&nbsp; Ford Fusion was stopped at the red traffic signal, from northbound U.S. 169 Highway exit ramp at Barry Road, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

As the light turned green, the car&nbsp; moved forward. An eastbound Harley Davidson motorcycle, traveling at a very high rate of speed, according to Becchina, failed to stop at the red traffic signal. The motorcycle struck the left side of the car. The motorcycle rider was ejected over the top of the car.&nbsp;&nbsp;

EMS transported the rider to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries. He died a few hours later, according to Becchina. The driver and passenger in the car were not injured. The name of the motorcycle rider has not been released. He was not wearing a helmet, according to Becchina.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident that occurred just before 1a.m. Sunday in Kansas City.A&nbsp; Ford Fusion was stopped at the red traffic signal, from northbound U.S. 169 Highway exit ramp at Barry Road, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.As the light turned green, the car&nbsp; moved forward. An eastbound Harley Davidson motorcycle, traveling at a very high rate of speed, according to Becchina, failed to stop at the red traffic signal. The motorcycle struck the left side of the car. The motorcycle rider was ejected over the top of the car.&nbsp;&nbsp;EMS transported the rider to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries. He died a few hours later, according to Becchina. The driver and passenger in the car were not injured. The name of the motorcycle rider has not been released. He was not wearing a helmet, according to Becchina.

KCPD: Man injured in motorcycle, car crash has died

EVART, Mich. (AP) — Alison Smith stared at the virtually empty dairy barn inside the Osceola County Fairgrounds, once bustling with teens and preteens preparing to show their prized animals but now eerily silent as an invisible virus once again interfered with a cherished summertime rite.

Smith, a 16-year-old from the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area, had invested a significant amount of time over the past year preparing two heifers, Evergreen and Perfect, for competition at the fair. But like hundreds of fairs nationwide, a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bird-flu">bird flu outbreak</a>, now spreading among mammals, forced significant changes — or outright cancellations — of the livestock contests that are a hallmark of summer fairs.

“Normally, we have a million cows in here,” Smith said. “And just a lot of people talking and having fun catching up in the dairy barn.”

States have tightened restrictions on dairy cows following the bird flu outbreak that has spread to millions of poultry flocks nationwide and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/hpai-confirmed-cases-livestock">nearly 200 dairy herds</a>&nbsp;across 13 U.S. states since March.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spotlights/ah5n1-response-update.html">More than a dozen farmworkers</a>&nbsp;also have been infected this year, with all experiencing relatively mild symptoms.

The risk to humans from the bird flu virus remains low, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The virus has further strained businesses already battered by pandemic disruptions, leading to millions of dollars in losses and worker layoffs. Michigan’s largest egg producer, Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, laid off close to 400 employees following an outbreak of bird flu at their farms.

It also has disrupted long-standing family traditions, such as those cherished by Smith, who has been exhibiting heifers, cows, pigs and dairy steers at fairs for a decade.

"Unfortunately, this will be my second year that I haven’t been able to show because of COVID in 2020. And then this year the bird flu,” Smith said.

When Jacob Stieg, the Osceola 4-H coordinator, sent out an email detailing the state’s limits on showing lactating cattle at fairs, Smith’s reaction was, “Oh, my gosh. This is another year that I can’t show.”

“It’s kind of sad, really. I miss it a lot and all the memories we’ve made in this barn,” Smith added, pointing to the now-empty stall where her cow, Extraordinaire, was housed last year. She won the Supreme Grand Champion award a year ago at the fair held just under three hours northwest of Detroit.

“I was trying to think of the positives,” she said. “I couldn’t really find any.”

Michigan has been among the hardest-hit states, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-cows-michigan-e409aa93e7fa8c637785048bc04dad47">two farmworkers</a>&nbsp;infected and 27 livestock herds affected.

The state ordered strict testing and public health measures, including banning the exhibition of lactating dairy cattle and those in the final two months of pregnancy until Michigan dairy cows have gone 60 consecutive days without new bird flu cases. All other cattle must test negative within seven days before being shown.

The restrictions didn’t outright ban dairy cattle shows at fairs, but some in the state opted to cancel the competitions, according to Kendra Van Order, the 4-H dairy science educator for Michigan State University Extension.

Fairs in other states have made changes to try to lessen the chances of flu spreading among livestock, or to people.

In some states, including Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, lactating dairy cows are still allowed at fairs, but only if they have proof of negative flu tests in the week before they arrive.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-minnesota-cows-c3bbc5719c9132609f9d7499ead3e0dd">“Miracle of Birth Center”</a>&nbsp;at the Minnesota State Fair excluded birthing cows and newborn calves from the popular exhibit as a precaution against bird flu. Iowa’s state fair canceled two attractions, a milking parlor and an “I Milked a Cow” experience that let people interact with lactating cows.

In July,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/guidance-help-prevent-spread-flu-agricultural-fairs.html">the CDC suggested</a>&nbsp;fair exhibitors and organizers take steps to protect livestock and people, including limiting animals' time at fairs and avoiding direct contact with animals when possible. That came on the heels of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/guidance-dairy-cattle-livestock-exhibition.pdf">guidance from the U.S. Agriculture Department</a>&nbsp;stressing testing and biosecurity measures.

Van Order, who coordinates with fairs through her role at Michigan State, grew up exhibiting beef cattle and sheep at local, state and national gatherings. Caring for livestock requires daily commitment, “whether it snows, it rains, or if they’re sick," she said.

Owning and exhibiting livestock "teaches young people to care for things other than themselves,” Van Order said. “A lot goes into it. And just that drive of wanting to be competitive and do something that you really love to do, to have that opportunity maybe not be there can be very heartbreaking.”

But part of life, Van Order said, is about dealing with disappointment. Working with fairs across the state, she and her team developed a list of alternative activities that local fairs could offer in place of traditional showings. They include quiz bowls, photography contests and recorded showmanship.

Though the alternative activities helped bring competitors together, it’s “not the same,” Smith noted. Youth can participate in 4-H activities up until age 19 and with only a few years left before she ages out, Smith hopes 2025 will be different.

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen next year. I assume they’ll have a better idea of what to do about the dairy, and hopefully, they’ll let us come back, but it’s probably going to be around next year,” she said. “So, just like COVID, I don’t know what next year’s going to hold.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723943922399.png" alt="Osceola County Fair" />
 <figcaption>Osceola County Fair</figcaption>
 </figure>EVART, Mich. (AP) — Alison Smith stared at the virtually empty dairy barn inside the Osceola County Fairgrounds, once bustling with teens and preteens preparing to show their prized animals but now eerily silent as an invisible virus once again interfered with a cherished summertime rite.Smith, a 16-year-old from the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area, had invested a significant amount of time over the past year preparing two heifers, Evergreen and Perfect, for competition at the fair. But like hundreds of fairs nationwide, a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bird-flu">bird flu outbreak</a>, now spreading among mammals, forced significant changes — or outright cancellations — of the livestock contests that are a hallmark of summer fairs.“Normally, we have a million cows in here,” Smith said. “And just a lot of people talking and having fun catching up in the dairy barn.”States have tightened restrictions on dairy cows following the bird flu outbreak that has spread to millions of poultry flocks nationwide and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/hpai-confirmed-cases-livestock">nearly 200 dairy herds</a>&nbsp;across 13 U.S. states since March.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spotlights/ah5n1-response-update.html">More than a dozen farmworkers</a>&nbsp;also have been infected this year, with all experiencing relatively mild symptoms.The risk to humans from the bird flu virus remains low, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The virus has further strained businesses already battered by pandemic disruptions, leading to millions of dollars in losses and worker layoffs. Michigan’s largest egg producer, Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, laid off close to 400 employees following an outbreak of bird flu at their farms.It also has disrupted long-standing family traditions, such as those cherished by Smith, who has been exhibiting heifers, cows, pigs and dairy steers at fairs for a decade."Unfortunately, this will be my second year that I haven’t been able to show because of COVID in 2020. And then this year the bird flu,” Smith said.When Jacob Stieg, the Osceola 4-H coordinator, sent out an email detailing the state’s limits on showing lactating cattle at fairs, Smith’s reaction was, “Oh, my gosh. This is another year that I can’t show.”“It’s kind of sad, really. I miss it a lot and all the memories we’ve made in this barn,” Smith added, pointing to the now-empty stall where her cow, Extraordinaire, was housed last year. She won the Supreme Grand Champion award a year ago at the fair held just under three hours northwest of Detroit.“I was trying to think of the positives,” she said. “I couldn’t really find any.”Michigan has been among the hardest-hit states, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-cows-michigan-e409aa93e7fa8c637785048bc04dad47">two farmworkers</a>&nbsp;infected and 27 livestock herds affected.The state ordered strict testing and public health measures, including banning the exhibition of lactating dairy cattle and those in the final two months of pregnancy until Michigan dairy cows have gone 60 consecutive days without new bird flu cases. All other cattle must test negative within seven days before being shown.The restrictions didn’t outright ban dairy cattle shows at fairs, but some in the state opted to cancel the competitions, according to Kendra Van Order, the 4-H dairy science educator for Michigan State University Extension.Fairs in other states have made changes to try to lessen the chances of flu spreading among livestock, or to people.In some states, including Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, lactating dairy cows are still allowed at fairs, but only if they have proof of negative flu tests in the week before they arrive.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-minnesota-cows-c3bbc5719c9132609f9d7499ead3e0dd">“Miracle of Birth Center”</a>&nbsp;at the Minnesota State Fair excluded birthing cows and newborn calves from the popular exhibit as a precaution against bird flu. Iowa’s state fair canceled two attractions, a milking parlor and an “I Milked a Cow” experience that let people interact with lactating cows.In July,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/guidance-help-prevent-spread-flu-agricultural-fairs.html">the CDC suggested</a>&nbsp;fair exhibitors and organizers take steps to protect livestock and people, including limiting animals' time at fairs and avoiding direct contact with animals when possible. That came on the heels of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/guidance-dairy-cattle-livestock-exhibition.pdf">guidance from the U.S. Agriculture Department</a>&nbsp;stressing testing and biosecurity measures.Van Order, who coordinates with fairs through her role at Michigan State, grew up exhibiting beef cattle and sheep at local, state and national gatherings. Caring for livestock requires daily commitment, “whether it snows, it rains, or if they’re sick," she said.Owning and exhibiting livestock "teaches young people to care for things other than themselves,” Van Order said. “A lot goes into it. And just that drive of wanting to be competitive and do something that you really love to do, to have that opportunity maybe not be there can be very heartbreaking.”But part of life, Van Order said, is about dealing with disappointment. Working with fairs across the state, she and her team developed a list of alternative activities that local fairs could offer in place of traditional showings. They include quiz bowls, photography contests and recorded showmanship.Though the alternative activities helped bring competitors together, it’s “not the same,” Smith noted. Youth can participate in 4-H activities up until age 19 and with only a few years left before she ages out, Smith hopes 2025 will be different.“I’m not sure what’s going to happen next year. I assume they’ll have a better idea of what to do about the dairy, and hopefully, they’ll let us come back, but it’s probably going to be around next year,” she said. “So, just like COVID, I don’t know what next year’s going to hold.”___

Bird flu restrictions cause heartache for 4-H kids unable to show off livestock at fairs across US

KANSAS CITY —A 41-year-0ld St. Joseph man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for the non-fatal shooting of another man, a shooting in Kansas City that was observed by a passing police officer, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Matthew Whitmill, during his trial earlier this month on several felony charges related to the shooting, offered to prosecutors to plea to the assault. Both prosecution and defense had just rested their cases in the trial when the plea negotiations began.&nbsp;

On Thursday, a Jackson County judge accepted Whitmill's pleas of guilt to Assault in the 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action. The judge sentenced Whitmill to 15 years on the Assault conviction and 3 years on Armed Criminal Action. His total sentence was 18 years.

According to court records, in August of 2023, a&nbsp; Kansas City police sergeant was in his marked vehicle when he observed a man later identified as Whitmill holding a gun and pointing it at another individual. Surveillance video also captured the shooting. Whitmill jumped into a vehicle and attempted to flee, but stop sticks prevented his escape.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724029874403.png" alt="Whitmill photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Whitmill photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A 41-year-0ld St. Joseph man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for the non-fatal shooting of another man, a shooting in Kansas City that was observed by a passing police officer, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Matthew Whitmill, during his trial earlier this month on several felony charges related to the shooting, offered to prosecutors to plea to the assault. Both prosecution and defense had just rested their cases in the trial when the plea negotiations began.&nbsp;On Thursday, a Jackson County judge accepted Whitmill's pleas of guilt to Assault in the 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action. The judge sentenced Whitmill to 15 years on the Assault conviction and 3 years on Armed Criminal Action. His total sentence was 18 years.According to court records, in August of 2023, a&nbsp; Kansas City police sergeant was in his marked vehicle when he observed a man later identified as Whitmill holding a gun and pointing it at another individual. Surveillance video also captured the shooting. Whitmill jumped into a vehicle and attempted to flee, but stop sticks prevented his escape.

Man sentenced in shooting witnessed by KCPD officer on patrol

KANSAS CITY — A Kansas City man is going to prison for a deadly shooting in the Westport area of Kansas City.

Last week, a judge sentenced 24-year-old Kershmire Ralls, 24, of Kansas City, to 20 years in prison, according to the Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney's office.

Ralls pled guilty to second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection to the 2021 shooting death of Jabraughn James Jr.&nbsp; Additional charges were dismissed.

In December 2021, Ralls followed and chased the three victims, who he saw earlier at a bar in Westport.&nbsp; He eventually used an alley, waited for the victims to walk toward him and opened fire, according to police.&nbsp;

First responders found Jabraughn James when they arrived. He later died of his injuries at a hospital.

One of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries and the third was shot in the leg.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645141035888.png" alt="Ralls photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Ralls photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — A Kansas City man is going to prison for a deadly shooting in the Westport area of Kansas City.Last week, a judge sentenced 24-year-old Kershmire Ralls, 24, of Kansas City, to 20 years in prison, according to the Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney's office.Ralls pled guilty to second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection to the 2021 shooting death of Jabraughn James Jr.&nbsp; Additional charges were dismissed.In December 2021, Ralls followed and chased the three victims, who he saw earlier at a bar in Westport.&nbsp; He eventually used an alley, waited for the victims to walk toward him and opened fire, according to police.&nbsp;First responders found Jabraughn James when they arrived. He later died of his injuries at a hospital.One of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries and the third was shot in the leg.

Kansas City man chased victims in deadly shooting

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations.

On August 15, Sheriff’s Deputies served a search warrant on a residence at&nbsp;22321 Q. Road south of Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As a result of the investigation, deputies arrested&nbsp;Duncan Orion Benedict, 39 and Jade Graf, 32, both of Holton. They were booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of distribution of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia and&nbsp;interference with law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723815842155.png" alt="Benedict photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Benedict photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations.On August 15, Sheriff’s Deputies served a search warrant on a residence at&nbsp;22321 Q. Road south of Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723815810117.png" alt="Graf photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Graf photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>As a result of the investigation, deputies arrested&nbsp;Duncan Orion Benedict, 39 and Jade Graf, 32, both of Holton. They were booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of distribution of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia and&nbsp;interference with law enforcement.

Sheriff: Couple were selling meth from Kansas home

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thinking of buying a home with the help of a real estate agent? You can no longer take it for granted that a seller will cover the cost of your agent’s commission.

Home sellers have traditionally offered a blanket commission to a buyer’s agent when they listed their home on the market. But that will no longer be allowed as of this weekend, when various changes to U.S. real estate industry practices are set to take effect.

A homebuyer may still try to negotiate such an offer from the seller. But if they decline, that would leave the homebuyer on the hook for paying for their agent’s services.

The National Association of Realtors is behind the policy changes, which stem from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-association-of-realtors-agent-commissions-lawsuits-d62a66cb80639be3c4c3b429053a22c5">$418 million settlement earlier this year</a>&nbsp;of federal class-action lawsuits that claimed U.S. homeowners were forced to pay artificially inflated real estate agent commissions when they sold their home.

Companies behind several major real estate brokerage brands, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/keller-williams-real-estate-agent-commissions-lawsuits-657a285857a77a6618d65499c69985b5">Keller Williams</a>, Anywhere Real Estate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/real-estate-commission-lawsuit-homeservices-warren-buffett-f933f5997d8e1e1d90549c00af84493e">HomeServices of America</a>, Re/Max and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redfin-real-estate-agent-commissions-lawsuits-settlement-ecd69fdf2711308fd6812d418296b2e9">Redfin</a>, also agreed to pay millions and make policy changes to make home seller lawsuits go away.

The new rules, which go into effect nationally on Saturday, apply to brokers and agents representing clients looking to buy or sell a home advertised on a multiple listing service, or MLS, affiliated with the NAR.

They boil down to two significant changes: Blanket offers of compensation on behalf of sellers to buyers’ agents will no longer be included in listings posted on the MLS, though they can still be made through other means. And homebuyers will be required to sign detailed representation agreements when they hire an agent.

It remains to be seen whether the policy overhaul will lead to lower agent commissions or fewer sellers opting not to offer to cover the buyer’s agent fees.

But the changes are likely to have the biggest impact on home shoppers — especially first-time buyers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/home-sales-spring-homebuying-season-mortgage-rates-bdd1399e1726e2ca17b622ea48067541">already facing</a>&nbsp;elevated mortgage rates, a shortage of properties on the market and record-high home prices. They will now have to factor in the cost of hiring an agent if a seller isn’t willing to cover it.

“This will have a negative impact on a buyer’s ability to purchase a home, and so there are going to be quite a few large scale changes in the buyer’s process,” said Bret Weinstein, CEO of Guide Real Estate, a brokerage in Denver.

Home shoppers who want to work with an agent will have to sign an agreement upfront that details the services that agent will provide and how much they will be paid, including whether it’s through a commission split with a seller’s agent.

Generally, an agent who represents a buyer typically receives around 2.5%-3% commission based on the purchase price of the home. Agents then share part of their commission with their brokerage.

Similar buyer representation agreements are already required in roughly 20 states. However, the new rules require that buyer agreements be completed before an agent begins working on a client’s behalf. That includes before the agent takes a buyer to tour a home, whether in person or virtually. A buyer can still go to an open house without signing a representation agreement.

“The big change now is that we are required to ask the buyer to commit to us early and hire us early in the process,” said Andrea Ratcliff, a Redfin agent in Indianapolis, where the policy changes were rolled out July 1.

One home shopper she spoke with was put off by the changes and the prospect of covering an agent’s fees, she said.

“They definitely weren’t ready to commit to me — weren’t ready commit to any agent, because they weren’t prepared to take on that cost,” Ratcliff said.

Removing buyer-agent compensation offers from home listings

Traditionally, a buyer’s agent’s commission has been paid by the seller. Agents who work with homeowners to market and sell their home would list the property on an MLS and include how much their client was offering to pay a buyer’s agent, a practice known as an offer of “cooperative compensation.” That’s when a seller agrees in advance to offer a commission on the sale of their home to be split between their agent and the buyer’s representative, typically around 2.5%-3% each.

The home sellers behind the lawsuits against the NAR and others argued sellers have had little choice but to offer to cover the buyer’s agent’s compensation in order to ensure their listing was shown to as many prospective buyers as possible.

To address this, homes listed on an MLS will no longer include a seller’s offer to cover the cost of a buyer’s agent’s services. However, they will still be allowed to advertise them practically anywhere else, including the agent’s own website, a display at an open house, or when communicating directly with an agent representing a prospective homebuyer.

Sellers may still elect to pay for a buyer’s agent’s compensation, but without the pressure of making a public, blanket offer on the MLS. Some may opt to pocket the savings and only cover their own agent’s commission.

“If there’s not a clear offer of cooperative compensation from the seller through their broker to the buyer’s broker, then yeah, it’s going to be part of (the) negotiation,” said Kevin Sears, president of the National Association of Realtors. “I think that will be something that we see changing in the marketplace.”

Where does this leave buyers and sellers?

Much of how the industry policy changes play out for buyers and sellers will depend largely on the state of the local housing market.

In a sluggish housing market where homes are taking longer to move and sellers are having to lower prices, it’s more likely that a buyer will be able to negotiate for the seller to cover their agent’s commission. In a hotter market, where properties are selling fast and receiving multiple offers, sellers will have the leverage to accept an offer from a buyer who isn’t asking for them to cover their agent’s fees.

While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-d66607490a93fd51ac9074735261e440">sales of previously occupied U.S. homes have been in a slump</a>&nbsp;since 2022, years of underbuilding and other factors have kept the inventory of homes for sale at near all-time lows. That’s pushed up prices and fueled multiple offers for many homes, giving a clear edge to sellers in most markets.

Still, real estate agents say sellers should keep offering to cover the buyer’s agent commission.

“We’ve advised that it would be wise for sellers to continue to be open to covering some or all of the buyer’s costs, because the last thing you want to do when you are selling something is to make it complicated for someone to buy it or to limit the number of people who can buy it,” said Alex McEwen, associate broker with Selling Utah in Orem, Utah.

As for homebuyers, they will have to budget for the possibility that a seller won’t cover their agent’s fees. Those who can’t afford to do so may have to come to an arrangement with their agent to only pursue listings where the seller is offering buyer’s agent compensation.

It’s unclear whether the policy changes will spur sellers or buyers to negotiate lower broker commissions, and whether they’ll succeed if they do.

Buyer-agent commissions have eased somewhat this year: The average buyer’s agent commission fell nationally from 2.62% at the beginning of the year to 2.55% through July 14, according to an analysis by Redfin. However, because home prices have kept rising this year, the average commission paid to a buyer’s agent in dollar terms has risen about 1.7% since January to $15,377.

Stephen Brobeck, senior fellow at Consumer Federation of America, expects that more sellers will be encouraged to negotiate with their agent lower their commission by at least half a percentage point.

“That represents, over the course of a year in the housing market, a very large sum of money,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659001075252.jpeg" alt="Photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;ALEX VEIGALOS ANGELES (AP) — Thinking of buying a home with the help of a real estate agent? You can no longer take it for granted that a seller will cover the cost of your agent’s commission.Home sellers have traditionally offered a blanket commission to a buyer’s agent when they listed their home on the market. But that will no longer be allowed as of this weekend, when various changes to U.S. real estate industry practices are set to take effect.A homebuyer may still try to negotiate such an offer from the seller. But if they decline, that would leave the homebuyer on the hook for paying for their agent’s services.The National Association of Realtors is behind the policy changes, which stem from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-association-of-realtors-agent-commissions-lawsuits-d62a66cb80639be3c4c3b429053a22c5">$418 million settlement earlier this year</a>&nbsp;of federal class-action lawsuits that claimed U.S. homeowners were forced to pay artificially inflated real estate agent commissions when they sold their home.Companies behind several major real estate brokerage brands, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/keller-williams-real-estate-agent-commissions-lawsuits-657a285857a77a6618d65499c69985b5">Keller Williams</a>, Anywhere Real Estate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/real-estate-commission-lawsuit-homeservices-warren-buffett-f933f5997d8e1e1d90549c00af84493e">HomeServices of America</a>, Re/Max and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redfin-real-estate-agent-commissions-lawsuits-settlement-ecd69fdf2711308fd6812d418296b2e9">Redfin</a>, also agreed to pay millions and make policy changes to make home seller lawsuits go away.The new rules, which go into effect nationally on Saturday, apply to brokers and agents representing clients looking to buy or sell a home advertised on a multiple listing service, or MLS, affiliated with the NAR.They boil down to two significant changes: Blanket offers of compensation on behalf of sellers to buyers’ agents will no longer be included in listings posted on the MLS, though they can still be made through other means. And homebuyers will be required to sign detailed representation agreements when they hire an agent.It remains to be seen whether the policy overhaul will lead to lower agent commissions or fewer sellers opting not to offer to cover the buyer’s agent fees.But the changes are likely to have the biggest impact on home shoppers — especially first-time buyers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/home-sales-spring-homebuying-season-mortgage-rates-bdd1399e1726e2ca17b622ea48067541">already facing</a>&nbsp;elevated mortgage rates, a shortage of properties on the market and record-high home prices. They will now have to factor in the cost of hiring an agent if a seller isn’t willing to cover it.“This will have a negative impact on a buyer’s ability to purchase a home, and so there are going to be quite a few large scale changes in the buyer’s process,” said Bret Weinstein, CEO of Guide Real Estate, a brokerage in Denver.<h2>Homebuyer representation agreements</h2>Home shoppers who want to work with an agent will have to sign an agreement upfront that details the services that agent will provide and how much they will be paid, including whether it’s through a commission split with a seller’s agent.Generally, an agent who represents a buyer typically receives around 2.5%-3% commission based on the purchase price of the home. Agents then share part of their commission with their brokerage.Similar buyer representation agreements are already required in roughly 20 states. However, the new rules require that buyer agreements be completed before an agent begins working on a client’s behalf. That includes before the agent takes a buyer to tour a home, whether in person or virtually. A buyer can still go to an open house without signing a representation agreement.“The big change now is that we are required to ask the buyer to commit to us early and hire us early in the process,” said Andrea Ratcliff, a Redfin agent in Indianapolis, where the policy changes were rolled out July 1.One home shopper she spoke with was put off by the changes and the prospect of covering an agent’s fees, she said.“They definitely weren’t ready to commit to me — weren’t ready commit to any agent, because they weren’t prepared to take on that cost,” Ratcliff said.<h2>Removing buyer-agent compensation offers from home listings</h2>Traditionally, a buyer’s agent’s commission has been paid by the seller. Agents who work with homeowners to market and sell their home would list the property on an MLS and include how much their client was offering to pay a buyer’s agent, a practice known as an offer of “cooperative compensation.” That’s when a seller agrees in advance to offer a commission on the sale of their home to be split between their agent and the buyer’s representative, typically around 2.5%-3% each.The home sellers behind the lawsuits against the NAR and others argued sellers have had little choice but to offer to cover the buyer’s agent’s compensation in order to ensure their listing was shown to as many prospective buyers as possible.To address this, homes listed on an MLS will no longer include a seller’s offer to cover the cost of a buyer’s agent’s services. However, they will still be allowed to advertise them practically anywhere else, including the agent’s own website, a display at an open house, or when communicating directly with an agent representing a prospective homebuyer.Sellers may still elect to pay for a buyer’s agent’s compensation, but without the pressure of making a public, blanket offer on the MLS. Some may opt to pocket the savings and only cover their own agent’s commission.“If there’s not a clear offer of cooperative compensation from the seller through their broker to the buyer’s broker, then yeah, it’s going to be part of (the) negotiation,” said Kevin Sears, president of the National Association of Realtors. “I think that will be something that we see changing in the marketplace.”<h2>Where does this leave buyers and sellers?</h2>Much of how the industry policy changes play out for buyers and sellers will depend largely on the state of the local housing market.In a sluggish housing market where homes are taking longer to move and sellers are having to lower prices, it’s more likely that a buyer will be able to negotiate for the seller to cover their agent’s commission. In a hotter market, where properties are selling fast and receiving multiple offers, sellers will have the leverage to accept an offer from a buyer who isn’t asking for them to cover their agent’s fees.While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-d66607490a93fd51ac9074735261e440">sales of previously occupied U.S. homes have been in a slump</a>&nbsp;since 2022, years of underbuilding and other factors have kept the inventory of homes for sale at near all-time lows. That’s pushed up prices and fueled multiple offers for many homes, giving a clear edge to sellers in most markets.Still, real estate agents say sellers should keep offering to cover the buyer’s agent commission.“We’ve advised that it would be wise for sellers to continue to be open to covering some or all of the buyer’s costs, because the last thing you want to do when you are selling something is to make it complicated for someone to buy it or to limit the number of people who can buy it,” said Alex McEwen, associate broker with Selling Utah in Orem, Utah.As for homebuyers, they will have to budget for the possibility that a seller won’t cover their agent’s fees. Those who can’t afford to do so may have to come to an arrangement with their agent to only pursue listings where the seller is offering buyer’s agent compensation.<h2>Will commissions come down?</h2>It’s unclear whether the policy changes will spur sellers or buyers to negotiate lower broker commissions, and whether they’ll succeed if they do.Buyer-agent commissions have eased somewhat this year: The average buyer’s agent commission fell nationally from 2.62% at the beginning of the year to 2.55% through July 14, according to an analysis by Redfin. However, because home prices have kept rising this year, the average commission paid to a buyer’s agent in dollar terms has risen about 1.7% since January to $15,377.Stephen Brobeck, senior fellow at Consumer Federation of America, expects that more sellers will be encouraged to negotiate with their agent lower their commission by at least half a percentage point.“That represents, over the course of a year in the housing market, a very large sum of money,” he said.

Home buyers may now need to factor in the cost of their agent’s commission

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH Associated Press</a>

Christina Westman dreamed of working with Parkinson’s disease and stroke patients as a music therapist when she started studying at St. Cloud State University.

But her schooling was upended in May when administrators at the Minnesota college announced a plan to eliminate its music department as it slashes 42 degree programs and 50 minors.

It’s part of a wave of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-university-academic-faculty-cuts-245527c044cc2cfe80bcbe8c2eda7e98">program cuts</a>&nbsp;in recent months, as U.S. colleges large and small try to make ends meet. Among their budget challenges: Federal COVID relief money is now gone, operational costs are rising and fewer high school graduates are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/skipping-college-student-loans-trade-jobs-efc1f6d6067ab770f6e512b3f7719cc0">going straight to college</a>.

The cuts mean more than just savings, or even job losses. Often, they create&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-closing-university-of-arts-philadelphia-7c884439f16f24d99a61544381f49c23">turmoil for students</a>&nbsp;who chose a campus because of certain degree programs and then wrote checks or signed up for student loans.

“For me, it’s really been anxiety-ridden,” said Westman, 23, as she began the effort that ultimately led her to transfer to Augsburg University in Minneapolis. “It’s just the fear of the unknown.”

At St. Cloud State, most students will be able to finish their degrees before cuts kick in, but Westman’s music therapy major was a new one that hadn’t officially started. She has spent the past three months in a mad dash to find work in a new city and sublet her apartment in St. Cloud after she had already signed a lease. She was moving into her new apartment Friday.

For years, many colleges held off making cuts, said Larry Lee, who was acting president of St. Cloud State but left last month to lead Blackburn College in Illinois.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-race-and-ethnicity-coronavirus-pandemic-phoenix-b2e2ec55b3ed43c4b64c192b0eced089">College enrollment declined</a>&nbsp;during the pandemic, but officials hoped the figures would recover to pre-COVID levels and had used federal relief money to prop up their budgets in the meantime, he said.

“They were holding on, holding on,” Lee said, noting colleges must now face their new reality.

Higher education made up some ground last fall and in the spring semester, largely as community college enrollment&nbsp;<a href="https://nscresearchcenter.org/current-term-enrollment-estimates/">began to rebound</a>, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center data showed.

But the trend for four-year colleges remains worrisome. Even without growing concerns about the cost of college and the long-term burden of student debt, the pool of young adults is shrinking.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/census-demographics-population-age-race-ethnicity-3bf63785a69db2a96a13eb70767c5f5e">Birth rates fell</a>&nbsp;during the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009 and never recovered. Now those smaller classes are preparing to graduate and head off to college.

“It’s very difficult math to overcome,” said Patrick Lane, vice president at the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, a leading authority on student demographics.

Complicating the situation: the federal government’s chaotic overhaul of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c0ca9199237bb12cd8313b060f90d40f">financial aid application</a>. Millions of students entered summer break still wondering where they were going to college this fall and how they would pay for it. With jobs still plentiful, although&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-unemployment-federal-reserve-inflation-22095766804d9c1532b4fcc29565be49">not as much as last year</a>, some experts fear students&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/skipping-college-student-loans-trade-jobs-efc1f6d6067ab770f6e512b3f7719cc0">won’t bother to enroll at all</a>.

“This year going into next fall, it’s going to be bad,” said Katharine Meyer, a fellow in the Governance Studies program for the Brown Center on Education Policy at the nonprofit Brookings Institution. “I think a lot of colleges are really concerned they’re not going to make their enrollment targets.”

Many colleges like St. Cloud State already had started plowing through their budget reserves. The university’s enrollment rose to around 18,300 students in fall 2020 before steadily falling to about 10,000 students in fall 2023.

St. Cloud State’s student population has now stabilized, Lee said, but spending was far too high for the reduced number of students. The college’s budget shortfall totaled $32 million over the past two years, forcing the sweeping cuts.

Some colleges have taken more extreme steps,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-closing-university-of-arts-philadelphia-7c884439f16f24d99a61544381f49c23">closing</a>&nbsp;their doors. That happened at the 1,000-student&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/birmingham-southern-college-closure-alabama-60639f073d7f22bbbc2a1b44a891aa54">Birmingham-Southern College</a>&nbsp;in Alabama, the 900-student&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fontbonne-university-to-close-2025-c2397d8ff4120d4533bc08c16dfb15a3">Fontbonne University</a>&nbsp;in Missouri, the 350-student Wells College in New York and the 220-student Goddard College in Vermont.

Cuts, however, appear to be more commonplace. Two of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unc-board-of-governors-degree-staff-cuts-a936a0cec9162971d6b3b32debf4535f">North Carolina’s public universities</a>&nbsp;got the green light last month to eliminate more than a dozen degree programs ranging from ancient Mediterranean studies to&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/I%20updated%20this%20and%20added%20a%20hyperlink%20to%20the%20story%20we%20had%20when%20the%20cuts%20were%20finalized.">physics</a>.

Arkansas State University announced last fall it was phasing out nine programs. Three of the 64 colleges in the State University of New York system have cut programs amid low enrollment and budget woes.

Other schools slashing and phasing out programs include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-university-program-cuts-budget-tuition-db0aea1508668ae6653247a740f62b4d">West Virginia University</a>, Drake University in Iowa, the University of Nebraska campus in Kearney, North Dakota State University and, on the other side of the state, Dickinson State University.

Experts say it’s just the beginning. Even schools that aren’t immediately making cuts are reviewing their degree offerings. At Pennsylvania State University, officials are looking for duplicative and under-enrolled academic programs as the number of students shrinks at its branch campuses.

Particularly affected are students in smaller programs and those in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-university-academic-faculty-cuts-245527c044cc2cfe80bcbe8c2eda7e98">humanities</a>, which now&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/(((Students%20also%20appear%20to%20be%20turning%20away%20from%20the%20humanities:%20Data%20from%20the%20U.S.%20Department%20of%20Education%E2%80%99s%20National%20Center%20for%20Education%20Statistics%20shows%20that%20the%20percentage%20of%20bachelor%E2%80%99s%20degrees%20conferred%20by%20four-year%20institutions%20in%20the%20humanities%20dropped%20from%2016.8%%20of%20all%20degrees%20in%20the%202010-11%20school%20year%20to%2012.8%%20in%202020-2021.))))">graduate</a>&nbsp;a smaller share of students than 15 years ago.

“It’s a humanitarian disaster for all of the faculty and staff involved, not to mention the students who want to pursue this stuff,” said Bryan Alexander, a Georgetown University senior scholar who has written on higher education. “It’s an open question to what extent colleges and universities can cut their way to sustainability.”

For Terry Vermillion, who just retired after 34 years as a music professor at St. Cloud State, the cuts are hard to watch. The nation’s music programs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/online-school-covid-learning-loss-7c162ec1b4ce4d5219d5210aaac8f1ae">took a hit during the pandemic</a>, he said, with Zoom band nothing short of “disastrous” for many public school programs.

“We were just unable to really effectively teach music online, so there’s a gap,” he said. “And, you know, we’re just starting to come out of that gap and we’re just starting to rebound a little bit. And then the cuts are coming.”

For St. Cloud State music majors such as Lilly Rhodes, the biggest fear is what will happen as the program is phased out. New students won’t be admitted to the department and her professors will look for new jobs.

“When you suspend the whole music department, it’s awfully difficult to keep ensembles alive,” she said. “There’s no musicians coming in, so when our seniors graduate, they go on, and our ensembles just keep getting smaller and smaller.

“It’s a little difficult to keep going if it’s like this,” she said.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH Associated Press</a>Christina Westman dreamed of working with Parkinson’s disease and stroke patients as a music therapist when she started studying at St. Cloud State University.But her schooling was upended in May when administrators at the Minnesota college announced a plan to eliminate its music department as it slashes 42 degree programs and 50 minors.It’s part of a wave of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-university-academic-faculty-cuts-245527c044cc2cfe80bcbe8c2eda7e98">program cuts</a>&nbsp;in recent months, as U.S. colleges large and small try to make ends meet. Among their budget challenges: Federal COVID relief money is now gone, operational costs are rising and fewer high school graduates are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/skipping-college-student-loans-trade-jobs-efc1f6d6067ab770f6e512b3f7719cc0">going straight to college</a>.The cuts mean more than just savings, or even job losses. Often, they create&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-closing-university-of-arts-philadelphia-7c884439f16f24d99a61544381f49c23">turmoil for students</a>&nbsp;who chose a campus because of certain degree programs and then wrote checks or signed up for student loans.“For me, it’s really been anxiety-ridden,” said Westman, 23, as she began the effort that ultimately led her to transfer to Augsburg University in Minneapolis. “It’s just the fear of the unknown.”At St. Cloud State, most students will be able to finish their degrees before cuts kick in, but Westman’s music therapy major was a new one that hadn’t officially started. She has spent the past three months in a mad dash to find work in a new city and sublet her apartment in St. Cloud after she had already signed a lease. She was moving into her new apartment Friday.For years, many colleges held off making cuts, said Larry Lee, who was acting president of St. Cloud State but left last month to lead Blackburn College in Illinois.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-race-and-ethnicity-coronavirus-pandemic-phoenix-b2e2ec55b3ed43c4b64c192b0eced089">College enrollment declined</a>&nbsp;during the pandemic, but officials hoped the figures would recover to pre-COVID levels and had used federal relief money to prop up their budgets in the meantime, he said.“They were holding on, holding on,” Lee said, noting colleges must now face their new reality.Higher education made up some ground last fall and in the spring semester, largely as community college enrollment&nbsp;<a href="https://nscresearchcenter.org/current-term-enrollment-estimates/">began to rebound</a>, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center data showed.But the trend for four-year colleges remains worrisome. Even without growing concerns about the cost of college and the long-term burden of student debt, the pool of young adults is shrinking.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/census-demographics-population-age-race-ethnicity-3bf63785a69db2a96a13eb70767c5f5e">Birth rates fell</a>&nbsp;during the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009 and never recovered. Now those smaller classes are preparing to graduate and head off to college.“It’s very difficult math to overcome,” said Patrick Lane, vice president at the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, a leading authority on student demographics.Complicating the situation: the federal government’s chaotic overhaul of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c0ca9199237bb12cd8313b060f90d40f">financial aid application</a>. Millions of students entered summer break still wondering where they were going to college this fall and how they would pay for it. With jobs still plentiful, although&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-unemployment-federal-reserve-inflation-22095766804d9c1532b4fcc29565be49">not as much as last year</a>, some experts fear students&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/skipping-college-student-loans-trade-jobs-efc1f6d6067ab770f6e512b3f7719cc0">won’t bother to enroll at all</a>.“This year going into next fall, it’s going to be bad,” said Katharine Meyer, a fellow in the Governance Studies program for the Brown Center on Education Policy at the nonprofit Brookings Institution. “I think a lot of colleges are really concerned they’re not going to make their enrollment targets.”Many colleges like St. Cloud State already had started plowing through their budget reserves. The university’s enrollment rose to around 18,300 students in fall 2020 before steadily falling to about 10,000 students in fall 2023.St. Cloud State’s student population has now stabilized, Lee said, but spending was far too high for the reduced number of students. The college’s budget shortfall totaled $32 million over the past two years, forcing the sweeping cuts.Some colleges have taken more extreme steps,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-closing-university-of-arts-philadelphia-7c884439f16f24d99a61544381f49c23">closing</a>&nbsp;their doors. That happened at the 1,000-student&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/birmingham-southern-college-closure-alabama-60639f073d7f22bbbc2a1b44a891aa54">Birmingham-Southern College</a>&nbsp;in Alabama, the 900-student&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fontbonne-university-to-close-2025-c2397d8ff4120d4533bc08c16dfb15a3">Fontbonne University</a>&nbsp;in Missouri, the 350-student Wells College in New York and the 220-student Goddard College in Vermont.Cuts, however, appear to be more commonplace. Two of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unc-board-of-governors-degree-staff-cuts-a936a0cec9162971d6b3b32debf4535f">North Carolina’s public universities</a>&nbsp;got the green light last month to eliminate more than a dozen degree programs ranging from ancient Mediterranean studies to&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/I%20updated%20this%20and%20added%20a%20hyperlink%20to%20the%20story%20we%20had%20when%20the%20cuts%20were%20finalized.">physics</a>.Arkansas State University announced last fall it was phasing out nine programs. Three of the 64 colleges in the State University of New York system have cut programs amid low enrollment and budget woes.Other schools slashing and phasing out programs include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-university-program-cuts-budget-tuition-db0aea1508668ae6653247a740f62b4d">West Virginia University</a>, Drake University in Iowa, the University of Nebraska campus in Kearney, North Dakota State University and, on the other side of the state, Dickinson State University.Experts say it’s just the beginning. Even schools that aren’t immediately making cuts are reviewing their degree offerings. At Pennsylvania State University, officials are looking for duplicative and under-enrolled academic programs as the number of students shrinks at its branch campuses.Particularly affected are students in smaller programs and those in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-university-academic-faculty-cuts-245527c044cc2cfe80bcbe8c2eda7e98">humanities</a>, which now&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/(((Students%20also%20appear%20to%20be%20turning%20away%20from%20the%20humanities:%20Data%20from%20the%20U.S.%20Department%20of%20Education%E2%80%99s%20National%20Center%20for%20Education%20Statistics%20shows%20that%20the%20percentage%20of%20bachelor%E2%80%99s%20degrees%20conferred%20by%20four-year%20institutions%20in%20the%20humanities%20dropped%20from%2016.8%%20of%20all%20degrees%20in%20the%202010-11%20school%20year%20to%2012.8%%20in%202020-2021.))))">graduate</a>&nbsp;a smaller share of students than 15 years ago.“It’s a humanitarian disaster for all of the faculty and staff involved, not to mention the students who want to pursue this stuff,” said Bryan Alexander, a Georgetown University senior scholar who has written on higher education. “It’s an open question to what extent colleges and universities can cut their way to sustainability.”For Terry Vermillion, who just retired after 34 years as a music professor at St. Cloud State, the cuts are hard to watch. The nation’s music programs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/online-school-covid-learning-loss-7c162ec1b4ce4d5219d5210aaac8f1ae">took a hit during the pandemic</a>, he said, with Zoom band nothing short of “disastrous” for many public school programs.“We were just unable to really effectively teach music online, so there’s a gap,” he said. “And, you know, we’re just starting to come out of that gap and we’re just starting to rebound a little bit. And then the cuts are coming.”For St. Cloud State music majors such as Lilly Rhodes, the biggest fear is what will happen as the program is phased out. New students won’t be admitted to the department and her professors will look for new jobs.“When you suspend the whole music department, it’s awfully difficult to keep ensembles alive,” she said. “There’s no musicians coming in, so when our seniors graduate, they go on, and our ensembles just keep getting smaller and smaller.“It’s a little difficult to keep going if it’s like this,” she said.

US colleges are cutting majors and slashing programs after years of putting it off

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">JACOB FISCHLER</a>&nbsp;

Democrats will gather in Chicago for their once-every-four-years convention, beginning Monday. Here’s a rundown.

National political conventions are large gatherings of party officeholders, candidates and allies. They meet every four years to officially nominate candidates for president and vice president; to adopt a party platform, the list of policy proposals most party members agree on; and to celebrate and network.

This year, Vice President Kamala Harris has already been officially nominated through a virtual roll call vote earlier this month. A ceremonial roll call is still expected to be a part of the convention, and Harris will officially accept the nomination.

The convention runs from Monday, Aug. 19 to Thursday, Aug. 22.

Major news networks and a host of streaming platforms will broadcast the nightly events — usually speeches from high-profile members of the party —&nbsp;live. The prime-time program runs from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Full schedules for prime-time speeches have not been disclosed, but the vice presidential candidate usually accepts the nomination on Wednesday night and the presidential nominee’s acceptance speech closes out the convention on Thursday night.

Former presidents and presidential nominees are also likely to have speaking roles.

During the day, delegates and party officials will hold various events and meetings, only some of which will be broadcast or even open to reporters, as the convention doubles as a huge networking event for Democratic politicians, strategists, activists and others.

Network and cable news TV stations generally air the prime-time programming from start to finish.

National Public Radio will also broadcast much of the convention.

Convention organizers will also be livestreaming the event on a host of platforms, including YouTube, X and TikTok. A full list of official livestreams is available&nbsp;<a href="https://demconvention.com/news/press-releases/how-to-watchdemocratic-national-convention-announces-streaming-partners-and-first-ever-vertical-streaming-platforms/" target="_blank">here</a>.

Chicago is hosting the Democratic convention for the 12th time, the most of any city.

The major addresses in the evening will be at the United Center, an arena that fits tens of thousands for the city’s professional basketball and hockey teams, concerts or other events.

Daytime activities will be more spread out, with locations at McCormick Place, about 6 miles southeast of the United Center, and the River North neighborhood, about 2 ½ miles to the northeast.

About 5,000 Democratic delegates, who have the formal duty of voting to approve the nominees for president and vice president, are expected to attend.

A total of about 50,000 people could be in town for the event, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://chicago2024.com/faqs/" target="_blank">the city</a>.

The 2016 Democratic National Convention — the last in-person convention Democrats held, since they moved the 2020 version online in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic —&nbsp;that nominated Hillary Clinton featured celebrities including singer Katy Perry and screenwriter/actor Lena Dunham.

The Republican National Convention in July included appearances by musical artist Kid Rock and professional wrestler Hulk Hogan during prime time.

A full list of participants for the Democratic convention this year has not yet been shared, but that has not stopped some fans of major music acts from&nbsp;<a href="https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/taylor-swift-and-beyonce-to-perform-together-at-the-dnc-convention-and-formally-support-harris" target="_blank">wishing</a>&nbsp;they’ll see their favorites at the event.

Where can I find fair, fearless and free reporting about the convention?

<a href="http://newsfromthestates.com/" target="_blank">Right here!</a>&nbsp;And from your state’s newsroom, which you can find on&nbsp;<a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/newsrooms/" target="_blank">this map.&nbsp;</a>States Newsroom is sending multiple reporters to cover the convention and will have in-depth coverage of the major events and more.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723944718302.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">JACOB FISCHLER</a>&nbsp;Democrats will gather in Chicago for their once-every-four-years convention, beginning Monday. Here’s a rundown.<h2>What is it?</h2>National political conventions are large gatherings of party officeholders, candidates and allies. They meet every four years to officially nominate candidates for president and vice president; to adopt a party platform, the list of policy proposals most party members agree on; and to celebrate and network.This year, Vice President Kamala Harris has already been officially nominated through a virtual roll call vote earlier this month. A ceremonial roll call is still expected to be a part of the convention, and Harris will officially accept the nomination.<h2>When should I tune in?</h2>The convention runs from Monday, Aug. 19 to Thursday, Aug. 22.Major news networks and a host of streaming platforms will broadcast the nightly events — usually speeches from high-profile members of the party —&nbsp;live. The prime-time program runs from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.Full schedules for prime-time speeches have not been disclosed, but the vice presidential candidate usually accepts the nomination on Wednesday night and the presidential nominee’s acceptance speech closes out the convention on Thursday night.Former presidents and presidential nominees are also likely to have speaking roles.During the day, delegates and party officials will hold various events and meetings, only some of which will be broadcast or even open to reporters, as the convention doubles as a huge networking event for Democratic politicians, strategists, activists and others.<h2>How can I watch?</h2>Network and cable news TV stations generally air the prime-time programming from start to finish.National Public Radio will also broadcast much of the convention.Convention organizers will also be livestreaming the event on a host of platforms, including YouTube, X and TikTok. A full list of official livestreams is available&nbsp;<a href="https://demconvention.com/news/press-releases/how-to-watchdemocratic-national-convention-announces-streaming-partners-and-first-ever-vertical-streaming-platforms/" target="_blank">here</a>.<h2>Where is the convention this year?</h2>Chicago is hosting the Democratic convention for the 12th time, the most of any city.The major addresses in the evening will be at the United Center, an arena that fits tens of thousands for the city’s professional basketball and hockey teams, concerts or other events.Daytime activities will be more spread out, with locations at McCormick Place, about 6 miles southeast of the United Center, and the River North neighborhood, about 2 ½ miles to the northeast.<h2>How many people will be there?</h2>About 5,000 Democratic delegates, who have the formal duty of voting to approve the nominees for president and vice president, are expected to attend.A total of about 50,000 people could be in town for the event, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://chicago2024.com/faqs/" target="_blank">the city</a>.<h2>Will any celebrities be there?</h2>The 2016 Democratic National Convention — the last in-person convention Democrats held, since they moved the 2020 version online in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic —&nbsp;that nominated Hillary Clinton featured celebrities including singer Katy Perry and screenwriter/actor Lena Dunham.The Republican National Convention in July included appearances by musical artist Kid Rock and professional wrestler Hulk Hogan during prime time.A full list of participants for the Democratic convention this year has not yet been shared, but that has not stopped some fans of major music acts from&nbsp;<a href="https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/taylor-swift-and-beyonce-to-perform-together-at-the-dnc-convention-and-formally-support-harris" target="_blank">wishing</a>&nbsp;they’ll see their favorites at the event.<h2>Where can I find fair, fearless and free reporting about the convention?</h2><a href="http://newsfromthestates.com/" target="_blank">Right here!</a>&nbsp;And from your state’s newsroom, which you can find on&nbsp;<a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/newsrooms/" target="_blank">this map.&nbsp;</a>States Newsroom is sending multiple reporters to cover the convention and will have in-depth coverage of the major events and more.

What to know about the Democratic National Convention

KANSAS CITY —A man has been charged in the fatal shooting on Wednesday of another man outside a apartment building in Midtown Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Eryn D. Holt, 21, Independence, Missouri, faces felony charges of Murder in the 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records,&nbsp; Kansas City police officers were dispatched to an apartment building in Midtown Kansas City on a reported shooting. 

Upon arrival they observed emergency responders preparing the victim, identified as 22-year-old Adrian Terry, for transport. 

Terry had suffered a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased the hospital a short time later. 

One live .40 caliber round and one spent casing were found at the scene. A witness reported Terry and Holt had been in an altercation outside the front doors of the building. Then Holt shot the Terry.

Holt walked back into the building lobby and collapsed. Other witnesses told police they also observed the shooting. Surveillance video also captured the shooting. Holt was observed to have nothing in his hands. &nbsp;

Prosecutors asked for a $200,000 cash bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723769695180.png" alt="Holt -photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Holt -photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A man has been charged in the fatal shooting on Wednesday of another man outside a apartment building in Midtown Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Eryn D. Holt, 21, Independence, Missouri, faces felony charges of Murder in the 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723718390903.png" alt="photo by Grace Smith courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>photo by Grace Smith courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>According to court records,&nbsp; Kansas City police officers were dispatched to an apartment building in Midtown Kansas City on a reported shooting. Upon arrival they observed emergency responders preparing the victim, identified as 22-year-old Adrian Terry, for transport. Terry had suffered a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased the hospital a short time later. One live .40 caliber round and one spent casing were found at the scene. A witness reported Terry and Holt had been in an altercation outside the front doors of the building. Then Holt shot the Terry.Holt walked back into the building lobby and collapsed. Other witnesses told police they also observed the shooting. Surveillance video also captured the shooting. Holt was observed to have nothing in his hands. &nbsp;Prosecutors asked for a $200,000 cash bond.

Killing outside KC apartment building captured on security cameras

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/christopher-rugaber">CHRISTOPHER RUGABER</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) —With inflation and high grocery prices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumers-price-gouging-spending-economy-999e81e2f869a0151e2ee6bbb63370af">still frustrating many voters</a>, Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-economy-taxes-homes-food-prices-insurance-e1ad3f26f2ce8e6cb365a4ffe2ca3e6b">proposed</a>&nbsp;a ban on “price gouging” by food suppliers and grocery stores, as part of a broader agenda aimed at lowering the cost of housing, medicine, and food.

It’s an attempt to tackle a clear&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-harris-biden-election-prices-wages-d4dc87e150e5c0b76b664ad7525e05a4">vulnerability</a>&nbsp;of Harris’ head-on: Under the Biden-Harris administration, grocery prices have shot up 21%, part of an inflation surge that has raised overall costs by about 19% and soured many Americans on the economy, even as unemployment fell to historic lows. Wages have also risen sharply since the pandemic, and have outpaced prices for more than a year. Still, surveys find Americans continue to struggle with higher costs.

“We all know that prices went up during the pandemic when the supply chains shut down and failed,” Harris said Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina. “But our supply chains have now improved and prices are still too high.”

Will her proposals do much to lower prices? And what even is “price gouging”? The answers to those and other questions are below:

There is no strict definition that economists would agree on, but it generally refers to spikes in prices that typically follow a disruption in supply, such as after a hurricane or other natural disaster. Consumer advocates charge that gouging occurs when retailers sharply increase prices, particularly for necessities, under such circumstances.

Several states&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/stories/details/65dc8844bb41159d76886f752b6cab28.-1.0.json?type=new" target="_blank">already restrict</a>&nbsp;price gouging, but there is no federal-level ban.

There are federal restrictions on related but different practices, such as price-fixing laws that bar companies from agreeing to not compete against each other and set higher prices.

Will Harris’ proposal lower grocery prices?

Most economists would say no, though her plan could have an impact on future crises. For one thing, it’s unclear how much price gouging is going on right now.

Grocery prices are still painfully high compared to four years ago, but they increased just 1.1% in July compared with a year earlier, according to the most&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf" target="_blank">recent inflation report</a>. That is in line with pre-pandemic increases.

President Joe Biden said Wednesday that inflation has been defeated after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">Wednesday’s inflation report</a>&nbsp;showed that it fell to 2.9% in July, the smallest increase in three years.

“There’s some dissonance between claiming victory on the inflation front in one breath and then arguing that there’s all this price gouging happening that is leading consumers to face really high prices in another breath,” said Michael Strain, an economist at the American Enterprise Institute.

In general, after an inflationary spike, it’s very hard to return prices to where they were. Sustained price declines typically only happen in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-deflation-prices-economy-eggs-cars-consumers-e3c816373344d54b2e6bdb4be5ed999a">steep, protracted recessions</a>. Instead, economists generally argue that the better approach is for wages to keep rising enough so that Americans can handle the higher costs.

Probably because inflation remains a highly salient issue politically. And plenty of voters do blame grocery stores, fast food chains, and food and packaged goods makers for the surge of inflation in the past three years. Corporate profits soared in 2021 and 2022.

“It could be that they’re looking at opinion polls that show that the number one concern facing voters is inflation and that a large number of voters blame corporations for inflation,” Strain said.

At the same time, even if prices aren’t going up as much, as Harris noted, they remain high, even as supply chain kinks have been resolved.

Elizabeth Pancotti, a policy analyst at Roosevelt Forward, a progressive advocacy group, points to the wood pulp used in diapers. The price of wood pulp has fallen by half from its post-pandemic peak, yet diaper prices haven’t.

“So that just increases the (profit) margins for both the manufacturers and the retailers,” she said.

Most economists would say no, that it was a more straightforward case of supply and demand. When the pandemic hit, meat processing plants were occasionally closed after COVID-19 outbreaks, among other disruptions to supply. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine lifted the cost of wheat and other grains on global markets. Auto prices rose as carmakers were unable to get all the semiconductors they needed from Taiwan to manufacture cars, and many car plants shut down temporarily.

At the same time, several rounds of stimulus checks fattened Americans’ bank accounts, and after hunkering down during the early phase of the pandemic, so-called “revenge spending” took over. The combination of stronger demand and reduced supply was a recipe for rising prices.

Still, some economists have argued that large food and consumer goods companies took advantage of pandemic-era disruptions. Consumers saw empty store shelves and heard numerous stories about disrupted supply chains, and at least temporarily felt they had little choice but to accept the higher prices.

Economist Isabella Weber at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, called it “seller’s inflation.” Others referred to it as “greedflation.”

“What a lot of corporations did was exploit consumers’ willingness” to accept the disruptions from the pandemic, Pancotti said.

Is banning price gouging like instituting price controls?

During the last spike of inflation in the 1970s, both Democratic and Republican presidential administrations at times imposed price controls, which specifically limited what companies could charge for goods and services. They were widely blamed for creating shortages and long lines for gas.

Some economists say Harris’ proposal would have a similar impact.

“It’s a heavy-handed socialist policy that I don’t think any economist would support,” said Kevin Hassett, a former top economic adviser in the Trump White House.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723902737706.png" alt="Vice President Kamala Harris during her Friday campaign event in North Carolina- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Kamala Harris during her Friday campaign event in North Carolina- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/christopher-rugaber">CHRISTOPHER RUGABER</a>WASHINGTON (AP) —With inflation and high grocery prices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumers-price-gouging-spending-economy-999e81e2f869a0151e2ee6bbb63370af">still frustrating many voters</a>, Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-economy-taxes-homes-food-prices-insurance-e1ad3f26f2ce8e6cb365a4ffe2ca3e6b">proposed</a>&nbsp;a ban on “price gouging” by food suppliers and grocery stores, as part of a broader agenda aimed at lowering the cost of housing, medicine, and food.It’s an attempt to tackle a clear&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-harris-biden-election-prices-wages-d4dc87e150e5c0b76b664ad7525e05a4">vulnerability</a>&nbsp;of Harris’ head-on: Under the Biden-Harris administration, grocery prices have shot up 21%, part of an inflation surge that has raised overall costs by about 19% and soured many Americans on the economy, even as unemployment fell to historic lows. Wages have also risen sharply since the pandemic, and have outpaced prices for more than a year. Still, surveys find Americans continue to struggle with higher costs.“We all know that prices went up during the pandemic when the supply chains shut down and failed,” Harris said Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina. “But our supply chains have now improved and prices are still too high.”Will her proposals do much to lower prices? And what even is “price gouging”? The answers to those and other questions are below:<h2>What is price gouging?</h2>There is no strict definition that economists would agree on, but it generally refers to spikes in prices that typically follow a disruption in supply, such as after a hurricane or other natural disaster. Consumer advocates charge that gouging occurs when retailers sharply increase prices, particularly for necessities, under such circumstances.<h2>Is it already illegal?</h2>Several states&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/stories/details/65dc8844bb41159d76886f752b6cab28.-1.0.json?type=new" target="_blank">already restrict</a>&nbsp;price gouging, but there is no federal-level ban.There are federal restrictions on related but different practices, such as price-fixing laws that bar companies from agreeing to not compete against each other and set higher prices.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My plan to lower costs and expand opportunity for working and middle-class Americans. <a href="https://t.co/MIW7Ujd9kS">pic.twitter.com/MIW7Ujd9kS</a>&mdash; Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1824520327180722673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Will Harris’ proposal lower grocery prices?</h2>Most economists would say no, though her plan could have an impact on future crises. For one thing, it’s unclear how much price gouging is going on right now.Grocery prices are still painfully high compared to four years ago, but they increased just 1.1% in July compared with a year earlier, according to the most&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf" target="_blank">recent inflation report</a>. That is in line with pre-pandemic increases.President Joe Biden said Wednesday that inflation has been defeated after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">Wednesday’s inflation report</a>&nbsp;showed that it fell to 2.9% in July, the smallest increase in three years.“There’s some dissonance between claiming victory on the inflation front in one breath and then arguing that there’s all this price gouging happening that is leading consumers to face really high prices in another breath,” said Michael Strain, an economist at the American Enterprise Institute.In general, after an inflationary spike, it’s very hard to return prices to where they were. Sustained price declines typically only happen in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-deflation-prices-economy-eggs-cars-consumers-e3c816373344d54b2e6bdb4be5ed999a">steep, protracted recessions</a>. Instead, economists generally argue that the better approach is for wages to keep rising enough so that Americans can handle the higher costs.<h2>So why is Harris talking about this now?</h2>Probably because inflation remains a highly salient issue politically. And plenty of voters do blame grocery stores, fast food chains, and food and packaged goods makers for the surge of inflation in the past three years. Corporate profits soared in 2021 and 2022.“It could be that they’re looking at opinion polls that show that the number one concern facing voters is inflation and that a large number of voters blame corporations for inflation,” Strain said.At the same time, even if prices aren’t going up as much, as Harris noted, they remain high, even as supply chain kinks have been resolved.Elizabeth Pancotti, a policy analyst at Roosevelt Forward, a progressive advocacy group, points to the wood pulp used in diapers. The price of wood pulp has fallen by half from its post-pandemic peak, yet diaper prices haven’t.“So that just increases the (profit) margins for both the manufacturers and the retailers,” she said.<h2>Did price gouging cause inflation?</h2>Most economists would say no, that it was a more straightforward case of supply and demand. When the pandemic hit, meat processing plants were occasionally closed after COVID-19 outbreaks, among other disruptions to supply. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine lifted the cost of wheat and other grains on global markets. Auto prices rose as carmakers were unable to get all the semiconductors they needed from Taiwan to manufacture cars, and many car plants shut down temporarily.At the same time, several rounds of stimulus checks fattened Americans’ bank accounts, and after hunkering down during the early phase of the pandemic, so-called “revenge spending” took over. The combination of stronger demand and reduced supply was a recipe for rising prices.Still, some economists have argued that large food and consumer goods companies took advantage of pandemic-era disruptions. Consumers saw empty store shelves and heard numerous stories about disrupted supply chains, and at least temporarily felt they had little choice but to accept the higher prices.Economist Isabella Weber at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, called it “seller’s inflation.” Others referred to it as “greedflation.”“What a lot of corporations did was exploit consumers’ willingness” to accept the disruptions from the pandemic, Pancotti said.<h2>Is banning price gouging like instituting price controls?</h2>During the last spike of inflation in the 1970s, both Democratic and Republican presidential administrations at times imposed price controls, which specifically limited what companies could charge for goods and services. They were widely blamed for creating shortages and long lines for gas.Some economists say Harris’ proposal would have a similar impact.“It’s a heavy-handed socialist policy that I don’t think any economist would support,” said Kevin Hassett, a former top economic adviser in the Trump White House.But Pancotti disagreed. She argued that it was closer to a consumer protection measure. Under Harris’ proposal, the government wouldn’t specify prices, but the Federal Trade Commission could investigate price spikes.“The proposal is really about protecting consumers from unscrupulous corporate actors that are trying to just rip the consumer off because they know they can,” she said.