KANSAS CITY (AP) —Cedar Fair and Six Flags are merging to create an expansive amusement park operator with operations spread across 17 U.S. states and three countries.

The combined company, worth more than $3.5 billion, will boast 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resort properties in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. It will also have entertainment partnerships and a portfolio of intellectual property including Looney Tunes, DC Comics and Peanuts.

Amusement parks have seen an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/theme-parks-disney-florida-universal-0ddc9a18397c01026551769db62913e2">uptick in revenue</a>&nbsp;but have struggled to raise attendance since the pandemic, even as other entertainment sectors have bounced back. A tie-up between two huge players is expected to at least lower costs.

Cedar Fair, which owns Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun, reported an attendance of 12.4 million guests in its third quarter, a 1% increase from a year earlier. Six Flags announced a 16% rise in its third-quarter attendance, which totaled 9.3 million guests.

But amusement parks, including Six Flags, has struggled to get people through the gates, said James Hardiman at Citi Investment Research.

“Whereas the theme park industry as a whole has been under significant pressure since the start of the pandemic, Six Flags has created additional pressure of its own, with a volatile new attendance and pricing strategy that has struggled to take root, alienating its core customers and leading to dramatic drops in visitation along the way,” Hardiman wrote.

Six Flags and Cedar Fair, which have little geographical overlap, anticipate $120 million in cost savings within two years of closing the deal.

Six Flags and Cedar Fair have talked about potential deals before, with Six Flags previously making an offer for Cedar Fair in 2019, but it was turned down.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-business-charlotte-toronto-florida-d9d0b6596fa68c5c7f14bd89e2d88987">SeaWorld</a>&nbsp;approached Cedar Fair with a bid last year, but that proposal was also rejected.

Under the agreement announced Thursday, Cedar Fair unitholders will receive one share of common stock in the combined company for each unit owned, while Six Flags shareholders will receive 0.5800 shares of stock in the combined company for each share owned.

Cedar Fair unitholders will own approximately 51.2% of the combined company, while Six Flags shareholders will own about 48.8%.

“Our merger with Six Flags will bring together two of North America’s iconic amusement park companies to establish a highly diversified footprint and a more robust operating model to enhance park offerings and performance,” Cedar Fair CEO Richard Zimmerman said in a prepared statement.

Zimmerman will be president and CEO of the combined company. Selim Bassoul, president and CEO of Six Flags, will become executive chairman.

The companies said that given their broader geographic footprint as a single company, seasonal volatility should moderate.

The company's newly formed board will include six directors from Cedar Fair and six directors from Six Flags.

The company will be headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will keep significant finance and administrative operations in Sandusky, Ohio, where Cedar Fair is based.

Six Flags is now based in Arlington, Texas.

Once the deal closes, the combined company will operate under the name Six Flags and trade under the ticker symbol “FUN” on the New York Stock Exchange.

The transaction, which was approved by both companies' boards, is targeted to close in the first half of next year. It still needs approval from Six Flags shareholders.

Shares of Six Flags Entertainment Corp. and Cedar Fair LP were essentially flat before the opening bell Thursday, but both are up more than 9% this week after rumors of a deal began to spread.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Cedar Fair and Six Flags are merging to create an expansive amusement park operator with operations spread across 17 U.S. states and three countries.The combined company, worth more than $3.5 billion, will boast 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resort properties in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. It will also have entertainment partnerships and a portfolio of intellectual property including Looney Tunes, DC Comics and Peanuts.Amusement parks have seen an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/theme-parks-disney-florida-universal-0ddc9a18397c01026551769db62913e2">uptick in revenue</a>&nbsp;but have struggled to raise attendance since the pandemic, even as other entertainment sectors have bounced back. A tie-up between two huge players is expected to at least lower costs.Cedar Fair, which owns Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun, reported an attendance of 12.4 million guests in its third quarter, a 1% increase from a year earlier. Six Flags announced a 16% rise in its third-quarter attendance, which totaled 9.3 million guests.But amusement parks, including Six Flags, has struggled to get people through the gates, said James Hardiman at Citi Investment Research.“Whereas the theme park industry as a whole has been under significant pressure since the start of the pandemic, Six Flags has created additional pressure of its own, with a volatile new attendance and pricing strategy that has struggled to take root, alienating its core customers and leading to dramatic drops in visitation along the way,” Hardiman wrote.Six Flags and Cedar Fair, which have little geographical overlap, anticipate $120 million in cost savings within two years of closing the deal.Six Flags and Cedar Fair have talked about potential deals before, with Six Flags previously making an offer for Cedar Fair in 2019, but it was turned down.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-business-charlotte-toronto-florida-d9d0b6596fa68c5c7f14bd89e2d88987">SeaWorld</a>&nbsp;approached Cedar Fair with a bid last year, but that proposal was also rejected.Under the agreement announced Thursday, Cedar Fair unitholders will receive one share of common stock in the combined company for each unit owned, while Six Flags shareholders will receive 0.5800 shares of stock in the combined company for each share owned.Cedar Fair unitholders will own approximately 51.2% of the combined company, while Six Flags shareholders will own about 48.8%.“Our merger with Six Flags will bring together two of North America’s iconic amusement park companies to establish a highly diversified footprint and a more robust operating model to enhance park offerings and performance,” Cedar Fair CEO Richard Zimmerman said in a prepared statement.Zimmerman will be president and CEO of the combined company. Selim Bassoul, president and CEO of Six Flags, will become executive chairman.The companies said that given their broader geographic footprint as a single company, seasonal volatility should moderate.The company's newly formed board will include six directors from Cedar Fair and six directors from Six Flags.The company will be headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will keep significant finance and administrative operations in Sandusky, Ohio, where Cedar Fair is based.Six Flags is now based in Arlington, Texas.Once the deal closes, the combined company will operate under the name Six Flags and trade under the ticker symbol “FUN” on the New York Stock Exchange.The transaction, which was approved by both companies' boards, is targeted to close in the first half of next year. It still needs approval from Six Flags shareholders.Shares of Six Flags Entertainment Corp. and Cedar Fair LP were essentially flat before the opening bell Thursday, but both are up more than 9% this week after rumors of a deal began to spread.

Worlds of Fun, 6 Flags merge to create a playtime powerhouse

WASHINGTON (AP) — The World Bank reported this week that oil prices could be pushed into “uncharted waters” if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-10-27-2023-af48f964636c8a2836e02e78ff01ec4c">the violence between Israel and Hamas</a>&nbsp;intensifies, which could result in increased food prices worldwide.

The World Bank’s Commodity Markets Outlook found that while the effects on oil prices should be limited if the conflict doesn’t widen, the outlook "would darken quickly if the conflict were to escalate."

The attack on Israel by the militant organization Hamas and the ensuing Israel military operation against Hamas have raised fears of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hospital-jordan-egypt-protests-590f24d154fb3cb256ec1707ec78b816">a wider Mideast conflict</a>.

And the threat of escalation looms. Israeli tanks and infantry&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-10-29-2023-de1a7d660ba2f6d80b3d7aeaae5bb0f3">pushed into Gaza over the weekend</a>&nbsp;as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a “second stage” in the war. Hamas officials have called for more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-ghazi-hamad-israel-gaza-hezbollah-iran-ee10f09cf1ffe34ab68cff7987b49f53">regional assistance from allies</a>, including Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The World Bank report simulates three scenarios for the global oil supply in the event of a small, medium or large disruption.

Effects should be limited if the conflict doesn’t widen in a “small disruption” scenario — as oil prices are expected to decline to an average of $81 a barrel next year, the World Bank estimates.

But during a “medium disruption” — equivalent to the disruptions experienced during the Iraq war — the global oil supply would decline by 3 million to 5 million barrels per day, driving oil prices up possibly by 35%.

In a “large disruption” scenario — comparable to the Arab oil embargo of 1973 — the global oil supply would shrink by 6 million to 8 million barrels per day and prices could go up by 56% to 75%, or $140 to $157 a barrel, according to the report.

Indermit Gill, the World Bank’s chief economist, said Russia's invasion of Ukraine has already had disruptive effects on the global economy “that persist to this day.”

"If the conflict were to escalate, the global economy would face a dual energy shock for the first time in decades — not just from the war in Ukraine but also from the Middle East,” Gill said.

Ayhan Kose, the World Bank’s deputy chief economist, said higher oil prices will inevitably result in higher food prices.

“If a severe oil price shock materializes, it would push up food price inflation that has already been elevated in many developing countries" as a result of Russia's Ukraine invasion, Kose said. “An escalation of the latest conflict would intensify food insecurity, not only within the region but also across the world."

Overall, oil prices have risen about 6% since the start of the conflict. And gold — a commodity that tends to rise in periods of conflict — has increased roughly 8%, according to the World Bank.

Some analysts are skeptical that the U.S. would experience massive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-oil-iran-biden-sanctions-fefaf577359e2b4920d6d0035f763d22">oil shortages</a>, since U.S. oil production is at an all-time high.

At a Bloomberg event on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Biden administration was monitoring the economic consequences of Israel’s war against Hamas carefully.

“So far, we have not yet seen much that has global consequences,” she said, but if the war spreads “of course there could be more meaningful consequences.”

International Energy Agency Executive Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/energy-renewables-climate-war-oil-7b0cf535f33a3b33a2bfd8a462850ff4">Fatih Birol</a>&nbsp;said between Russia's invasion and the latest violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, “no one can convince me that oil and gas are safe and secure energy choices for countries or consumers."

WASHINGTON (AP) — The World Bank reported this week that oil prices could be pushed into “uncharted waters” if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-10-27-2023-af48f964636c8a2836e02e78ff01ec4c">the violence between Israel and Hamas</a>&nbsp;intensifies, which could result in increased food prices worldwide.The World Bank’s Commodity Markets Outlook found that while the effects on oil prices should be limited if the conflict doesn’t widen, the outlook "would darken quickly if the conflict were to escalate."The attack on Israel by the militant organization Hamas and the ensuing Israel military operation against Hamas have raised fears of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hospital-jordan-egypt-protests-590f24d154fb3cb256ec1707ec78b816">a wider Mideast conflict</a>.And the threat of escalation looms. Israeli tanks and infantry&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-10-29-2023-de1a7d660ba2f6d80b3d7aeaae5bb0f3">pushed into Gaza over the weekend</a>&nbsp;as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a “second stage” in the war. Hamas officials have called for more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-ghazi-hamad-israel-gaza-hezbollah-iran-ee10f09cf1ffe34ab68cff7987b49f53">regional assistance from allies</a>, including Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.The World Bank report simulates three scenarios for the global oil supply in the event of a small, medium or large disruption.Effects should be limited if the conflict doesn’t widen in a “small disruption” scenario — as oil prices are expected to decline to an average of $81 a barrel next year, the World Bank estimates.But during a “medium disruption” — equivalent to the disruptions experienced during the Iraq war — the global oil supply would decline by 3 million to 5 million barrels per day, driving oil prices up possibly by 35%.In a “large disruption” scenario — comparable to the Arab oil embargo of 1973 — the global oil supply would shrink by 6 million to 8 million barrels per day and prices could go up by 56% to 75%, or $140 to $157 a barrel, according to the report.Indermit Gill, the World Bank’s chief economist, said Russia's invasion of Ukraine has already had disruptive effects on the global economy “that persist to this day.”"If the conflict were to escalate, the global economy would face a dual energy shock for the first time in decades — not just from the war in Ukraine but also from the Middle East,” Gill said.Ayhan Kose, the World Bank’s deputy chief economist, said higher oil prices will inevitably result in higher food prices.“If a severe oil price shock materializes, it would push up food price inflation that has already been elevated in many developing countries" as a result of Russia's Ukraine invasion, Kose said. “An escalation of the latest conflict would intensify food insecurity, not only within the region but also across the world."Overall, oil prices have risen about 6% since the start of the conflict. And gold — a commodity that tends to rise in periods of conflict — has increased roughly 8%, according to the World Bank.Some analysts are skeptical that the U.S. would experience massive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-oil-iran-biden-sanctions-fefaf577359e2b4920d6d0035f763d22">oil shortages</a>, since U.S. oil production is at an all-time high.At a Bloomberg event on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Biden administration was monitoring the economic consequences of Israel’s war against Hamas carefully.“So far, we have not yet seen much that has global consequences,” she said, but if the war spreads “of course there could be more meaningful consequences.”International Energy Agency Executive Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/energy-renewables-climate-war-oil-7b0cf535f33a3b33a2bfd8a462850ff4">Fatih Birol</a>&nbsp;said between Russia's invasion and the latest violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, “no one can convince me that oil and gas are safe and secure energy choices for countries or consumers."

Oil prices could reach 'uncharted waters' if the Israel-Hamas war escalates

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's administration is developing a national strategy to combat Islamophobia as the White House faces skepticism from many Muslim Americans for its staunch support of Israel's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-news-10-31-2023-54ab6bd7f6861be86266770c245827e1">military assault</a>&nbsp;on Hamas in Gaza.

Plans for the initiative, which the White House billed as the first of its kind, were announced Wednesday. It is meant to bring together lawmakers, advocacy groups and other community leaders with the administration in order to “counter the scourge of Islamophobia and hate in all its forms,” the White House said.

“Moving forward, the President, Vice President, and our entire Administration will continue working to ensure every American has the freedom to live their lives in safety and without fear for how they pray, what they believe, and who they are,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement announcing the strategy.

The White House originally was expected to announce its plans to develop the strategy last week when Biden met with Muslim leaders, but that was delayed, according to three people familiar with the matter. Two said the delay was due partly to concerns from Muslim Americans that the administration lacked credibility on the issue given its robust backing of Israel’s military, whose strikes against Hamas militants have killed thousands of civilians in Gaza. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the White House plans.

The launch of the anti-Islamophobia effort has been anticipated for months after the administration in May&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-antisemitism-strategy-jews-emhoff-da066698d55dc1e0d75722db9a3def3b">released a national strategy to combat antisemitism</a>&nbsp;that made passing reference to countering hatred against Muslims.

The new initiative is expected to take months to formalize, following a similar process to the plan to counter antisemitism that involved various government agencies. White House spokeswoman Emilie Simons said Wednesday that the interagency group's “next step is to release a strategy on Islamophobia.” She did not offer details on a timeline for the effort.

Incidences of anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate have skyrocketed in the United States and abroad since the surprise Oct. 7 attack by Hamas against Israel that killed more than 1,400 people and saw hundreds taken hostage, and Israel's response in Gaza, where it has pledged to use force to “destroy” Hamas. One of the most prominent attacks in the U.S. was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/muslim-boy-killed-chicago-landlord-will-county-5135dea218326d6e639a996564d9369e">killing of 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume</a>&nbsp;and the wounding of his mother in an attack in Illinois that prosecutors allege was driven by Islamophobia.

“This horrific act of hate has no place in America and stands against our fundamental values: freedom from fear for how we pray, what we believe, and who we are," Biden said afterward.

There had been widespread agreement among Muslim Americans on the need for a national strategy to counter Islamophobia, according to a fourth person familiar with the matter, who added that the Israel-Hamas war has made the timing of the White House announcement more complicated. The person, who was also not authorized to speak publicly about the internal deliberations, said the administration wants to keep the two issues separate, while some prominent Muslim American groups see them as interrelated.

Administration officials, during the meeting with a small group of faith leaders last week, indicated things were "in the works” for an anti-Islamophobia strategy, said Rami Nashashibi, the founder of the Inner City Muslim Action Network in Chicago and a participant in that session.

Nashashibi said he believed such an effort would be “dead on arrival” with the Muslim community until the president and administration officials forcefully condemn members of the far-right government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who have openly called for the eradication of Palestinians from Gaza and until the administration more aggressively calls out hate crimes targeting Muslims and Arab Americans.

He and other leaders also want Biden to apologize, or at least publicly clarify, his recent comments in which he said he had “no confidence” in the Palestinian death count from Israel’s retaliatory strikes, because the data comes from the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

The United Nations and other international institutions and experts, as well as Palestinian authorities in the West Bank — rivals of Hamas — say the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Gaza ministry</a>&nbsp;has long made a good-faith effort to account for the dead under the most difficult conditions. In previous wars, the ministry’s counts have held up to U.N. scrutiny, independent investigations and even Israel’s tallies.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday that the administration is “not taking the Ministry of Health at face value” but he acknowledged there have been “many thousands of civilian deaths in Gaza” in the conflict.

Nashashibi also said the White House strategy could land flat at a moment when many Muslim Americans feel that advocacy stands for Palestinian self-determination is being unfairly lumped in with those espousing antisemitism and backing of extremists.

“That conflating is in great part contributing to an atmosphere where we could see even more deadly results and more targeting,” he said. Nashashibi added, “The White House does not have the credibility to roll out an Islamophobia strategy at this moment without publicly addressing the points we explicitly raised with the president during our meeting.”

Asked if the White House had a credibility issue, Simons, the spokeswoman, said the administration would continue its outreach efforts.

“We know that communities are feeling the pain of what’s going on overseas and in a deeply personal way,” Simons said. "And so we’re going to continue to speak to these different communities underscore the work we’re doing to get aid into Gaza and the conditions we’re trying to set up to support a humanitarian pause.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697761193913.png" alt="The White House originally was expected to announce its plans to develop the strategy last week when Biden met with Muslim leaders, but that was delayed,-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The White House originally was expected to announce its plans to develop the strategy last week when Biden met with Muslim leaders, but that was delayed,-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's administration is developing a national strategy to combat Islamophobia as the White House faces skepticism from many Muslim Americans for its staunch support of Israel's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-news-10-31-2023-54ab6bd7f6861be86266770c245827e1">military assault</a>&nbsp;on Hamas in Gaza.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to combating hate and discrimination in all its forms here in America. <a href="https://t.co/A4JAp6z0Zr">pic.twitter.com/A4JAp6z0Zr</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1719859363215548578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Plans for the initiative, which the White House billed as the first of its kind, were announced Wednesday. It is meant to bring together lawmakers, advocacy groups and other community leaders with the administration in order to “counter the scourge of Islamophobia and hate in all its forms,” the White House said.“Moving forward, the President, Vice President, and our entire Administration will continue working to ensure every American has the freedom to live their lives in safety and without fear for how they pray, what they believe, and who they are,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement announcing the strategy.The White House originally was expected to announce its plans to develop the strategy last week when Biden met with Muslim leaders, but that was delayed, according to three people familiar with the matter. Two said the delay was due partly to concerns from Muslim Americans that the administration lacked credibility on the issue given its robust backing of Israel’s military, whose strikes against Hamas militants have killed thousands of civilians in Gaza. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the White House plans.The launch of the anti-Islamophobia effort has been anticipated for months after the administration in May&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-antisemitism-strategy-jews-emhoff-da066698d55dc1e0d75722db9a3def3b">released a national strategy to combat antisemitism</a>&nbsp;that made passing reference to countering hatred against Muslims.The new initiative is expected to take months to formalize, following a similar process to the plan to counter antisemitism that involved various government agencies. White House spokeswoman Emilie Simons said Wednesday that the interagency group's “next step is to release a strategy on Islamophobia.” She did not offer details on a timeline for the effort.Incidences of anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate have skyrocketed in the United States and abroad since the surprise Oct. 7 attack by Hamas against Israel that killed more than 1,400 people and saw hundreds taken hostage, and Israel's response in Gaza, where it has pledged to use force to “destroy” Hamas. One of the most prominent attacks in the U.S. was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/muslim-boy-killed-chicago-landlord-will-county-5135dea218326d6e639a996564d9369e">killing of 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume</a>&nbsp;and the wounding of his mother in an attack in Illinois that prosecutors allege was driven by Islamophobia.“This horrific act of hate has no place in America and stands against our fundamental values: freedom from fear for how we pray, what we believe, and who we are," Biden said afterward.There had been widespread agreement among Muslim Americans on the need for a national strategy to counter Islamophobia, according to a fourth person familiar with the matter, who added that the Israel-Hamas war has made the timing of the White House announcement more complicated. The person, who was also not authorized to speak publicly about the internal deliberations, said the administration wants to keep the two issues separate, while some prominent Muslim American groups see them as interrelated.Administration officials, during the meeting with a small group of faith leaders last week, indicated things were "in the works” for an anti-Islamophobia strategy, said Rami Nashashibi, the founder of the Inner City Muslim Action Network in Chicago and a participant in that session.Nashashibi said he believed such an effort would be “dead on arrival” with the Muslim community until the president and administration officials forcefully condemn members of the far-right government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who have openly called for the eradication of Palestinians from Gaza and until the administration more aggressively calls out hate crimes targeting Muslims and Arab Americans.He and other leaders also want Biden to apologize, or at least publicly clarify, his recent comments in which he said he had “no confidence” in the Palestinian death count from Israel’s retaliatory strikes, because the data comes from the Hamas-run Health Ministry.The United Nations and other international institutions and experts, as well as Palestinian authorities in the West Bank — rivals of Hamas — say the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Gaza ministry</a>&nbsp;has long made a good-faith effort to account for the dead under the most difficult conditions. In previous wars, the ministry’s counts have held up to U.N. scrutiny, independent investigations and even Israel’s tallies.White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday that the administration is “not taking the Ministry of Health at face value” but he acknowledged there have been “many thousands of civilian deaths in Gaza” in the conflict.Nashashibi also said the White House strategy could land flat at a moment when many Muslim Americans feel that advocacy stands for Palestinian self-determination is being unfairly lumped in with those espousing antisemitism and backing of extremists.“That conflating is in great part contributing to an atmosphere where we could see even more deadly results and more targeting,” he said. Nashashibi added, “The White House does not have the credibility to roll out an Islamophobia strategy at this moment without publicly addressing the points we explicitly raised with the president during our meeting.”Asked if the White House had a credibility issue, Simons, the spokeswoman, said the administration would continue its outreach efforts.“We know that communities are feeling the pain of what’s going on overseas and in a deeply personal way,” Simons said. "And so we’re going to continue to speak to these different communities underscore the work we’re doing to get aid into Gaza and the conditions we’re trying to set up to support a humanitarian pause.”

White House announces strategy to combat Islamophobia

RUSSEL COUNTY —There were no injuries from a fire at motel Thursday morning in Russell.

Crews responded just before 8a.m. to The Lodge, 901 S. Fossil, and were able to bring the fire under control around 8:30a.m., according to Fire Chief Dylan Riedel.

Crews contained the fire to the first floor laundry room. A room on the second floor had some some damage. The fire started in a laundry room dryer, according to Riedel.&nbsp; There were no injuries. Officials did not release a damage estimate.

RUSSEL COUNTY —There were no injuries from a fire at motel Thursday morning in Russell.Crews responded just before 8a.m. to The Lodge, 901 S. Fossil, and were able to bring the fire under control around 8:30a.m., according to Fire Chief Dylan Riedel.Crews contained the fire to the first floor laundry room. A room on the second floor had some some damage. The fire started in a laundry room dryer, according to Riedel.&nbsp; There were no injuries. Officials did not release a damage estimate.------------

Fire damages motel in Russell

By COLE REIFGreat Bend Post

BARTON COUNTY —Both suspects from Wednesday’s chase that resulted in a crash within Great Bend city limits have been apprehended.

Two suspects fled away from a Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputy after being pulled over for a speeding violation. Law enforcement discovered the vehicle was stolen and the chase ended when the driver crashed the vehicle trying to make a turn near the 10th Street and McKinley Street intersection.

Both suspects in the vehicle fled on foot, with one being captured and another escaping. Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir said a juvenile male turned himself in Wednesday night after a search ensued following the crash earlier that morning.

"I don't believe there was really any imminent danger to the public," said Bellendir. "These guys just wanted out of the area as quick as they could. The one that we captured only made it about a block. The other one got outside of the perimeter before we could get enough cops over there. He got away from us but he knew we were looking for him."

During the search, the officers from the Great Bend Police Department made sure nearby Eisenhower Elementary School was secure.

"I hate it when you have one flee in the city in residential areas," said Bellendir. "There are a lot more hiding places. There's also the potential for a burglary. They can be hiding in storage sheds, dog houses and every place. It's a little tougher in an urban environment rather than out in the country."

Bellendir said the juvenile was charged with obstruction to a law enforcement officer and was released to the Juvenile Justice Authority.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698859592082.jpeg" alt="Photo by Mike Courson" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Mike Courson</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIFGreat Bend PostBARTON COUNTY —Both suspects from Wednesday’s chase that resulted in a crash within Great Bend city limits have been apprehended.Two suspects fled away from a Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputy after being pulled over for a speeding violation. Law enforcement discovered the vehicle was stolen and the chase ended when the driver crashed the vehicle trying to make a turn near the 10th Street and McKinley Street intersection.Both suspects in the vehicle fled on foot, with one being captured and another escaping. Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir said a juvenile male turned himself in Wednesday night after a search ensued following the crash earlier that morning."I don't believe there was really any imminent danger to the public," said Bellendir. "These guys just wanted out of the area as quick as they could. The one that we captured only made it about a block. The other one got outside of the perimeter before we could get enough cops over there. He got away from us but he knew we were looking for him."During the search, the officers from the Great Bend Police Department made sure nearby Eisenhower Elementary School was secure."I hate it when you have one flee in the city in residential areas," said Bellendir. "There are a lot more hiding places. There's also the potential for a burglary. They can be hiding in storage sheds, dog houses and every place. It's a little tougher in an urban environment rather than out in the country."Bellendir said the juvenile was charged with obstruction to a law enforcement officer and was released to the Juvenile Justice Authority.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Juvenile suspect in central Kan. chase, crash turns himself in

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-federal-charges-updates-33667a0900271e5002459ab748d8fdc8">George Santos</a>&nbsp;easily survived a vote Wednesday to expel him from the House as most Republicans and 31 Democrats opted to withhold punishment while both his criminal trial and a House Ethics Committee investigation proceed.

The effort to kick Santos out of the House was led by his fellow New York Republicans, who are anxious to distance themselves from a colleague infamous for fabricating his life story and accused of stealing from donors, lying to Congress and receiving unemployment benefits he did not deserve.

But the resolution failed to gain the required two-thirds vote. Supporters could not even gain a simple majority, with the final vote being 179 for expulsion and 213 against. All threeGOP members of the Kansas congressional delegation voted against the measure.

To succeed, numerous Republican lawmakers would have had to break ranks with newly elected Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/johnson-house-speaker-trump-elected-ed9fd1d574eafb6373e667e110a0f989">Mike Johnson</a>, who has said Santos should get his day in court. Johnson, R-La., also recently told Fox News that if Congress is going to expel members because they are charged with a crime or accused of wrongdoing, “that's a problem.”

Some Democrats also voiced concerns about getting ahead of the Ethics Committee, which issued a rare memo the day before, citing the depth of its investigation with some 40 witnesses contacted and the issuance of 37 subpoenas. It also said the next steps of the committee's investigation would be announced by Nov. 17.

“I feel like due process is still alive. I feel like there's enough colleagues on both sides of the aisle here who understand that,” Santos said after the vote.

Congress has rarely resorted to the most extreme punishment at its disposal. The House has expelled only five members in its history — three during the Civil War and two after their convictions on public corruption charges. It would be groundbreaking for the House to kick out Santos before his case in federal court is resolved.

Some Republicans, however, said they had seen enough of Santos. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., said he believes in due process, but also thinks Santos misrepresented himself to New York voters and they never would have elected him if they had “known the true George Santos.”

“We don’t need the Santos charade all the way through the 2024 election cycle. I think the Congress needs to take action now," Womack said.

The House floor debate over whether to expel Santos was undertaken strictly by members of the New York congressional delegation. On one side, Republican Reps. Anthony D'Esposito, Nick LaLota and Mike Lawler laid out their case for expelling Santos.

“Mr. Santos is a stain on this institution and not fit to serve his constituents in the House of Representatives," D'Esposito said.

On the other side was Santos, who appealed to lawmakers to hold off on expulsion, saying that passing judgment without due process would engender mistrust.

“I'm fighting tooth and nail to clear my name in front of the entire world," Santos said. “It hasn't been easy, but I'm fighting by God's grace.”

The only Democratic lawmaker to speak during the debate was Rep. Dan Goldman. He said Santos should have been expelled in May when Democrats brought an expulsion resolution, and the only reason the New York Republicans were leading the effort now was because Santos “hangs like an albatross around the necks of every single Republican from New York.”

“They don’t care any more about integrity or morality or the reputation of this institution than they did in May when they voted to protect Mr. Santos," Goldman said. "They just care about their reelection in one year when they know that their support for George Santos is going to be a problem.”

The New York Republicans laid out in their expulsion resolution the array of charges Santos is facing in federal court, saying the charges indicated Santos engaged in serious financial fraud throughout his 2022 campaign for the House. The resolution said he deceived voters regarding his biography and is “not fit to serve his constituents as United States Representative.”

“Mr. Santos has said expelling him before he is formally charged and found guilty would create a new precedent in this body, one that could have negative consequences for generations," LaLota said. "Respectfully, Mr. Speaker, I disagree. The consequences and precedents of not expelling him for his lies and fraud has the potential to do far more damage to this institution.”

In May, Republicans under then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-congress-vote-expel-ethics-caed2b1fce3ebb86c87929f2de9fc03e">sidestepped the Democratic-led effort</a>&nbsp;to expel Santos. While 204 Democrats voted against a motion to refer the matter to the House Ethics Committee, House Republicans stood unified behind the effort that delayed action on Santos’ conduct.

Johnson, who took the speaker's gavel last week, made it clear he would prefer not to oust Santos at this point, despite the many charges against the congressman, as Johnson struggles to control a very slim majority.

“He’s only been charged. He hasn’t been found guilty of anything. We have due process in America," said GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who opposed the expulsion resolution.

Democrats were also more divided than they were during the previous expulsion effort against Santos.

“Neither the Ethics Committee nor the courts have finished adjudicating this,” tweeted Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., who voted against expulsion. “In this country, one is presumed innocent until PROVEN guilty. No exceptions.”

Rep. Marc Molinaro, a New York Republican who supported the expulsion effort, said the delegation would likely raise it again once the Ethics Committee releases the findings of its investigation.

“I suspect the report is going to come public soon, and it’s going to be clear that he should be removed from Congress,” he said.

Santos faces 23 charges in federal court. His trial has been scheduled for September next year.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-federal-charges-updates-33667a0900271e5002459ab748d8fdc8">He has pleaded not guilty</a>&nbsp;to those charges.

Also on Wednesday evening, the House voted to reject an effort to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Democrats called off an effort to censure Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698940132260.png" alt="“I feel like due process is still alive. I feel like there's enough colleagues on both sides of the aisle here who understand that,” Santos said after the vote.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>“I feel like due process is still alive. I feel like there's enough colleagues on both sides of the aisle here who understand that,” Santos said after the vote.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-federal-charges-updates-33667a0900271e5002459ab748d8fdc8">George Santos</a>&nbsp;easily survived a vote Wednesday to expel him from the House as most Republicans and 31 Democrats opted to withhold punishment while both his criminal trial and a House Ethics Committee investigation proceed.The effort to kick Santos out of the House was led by his fellow New York Republicans, who are anxious to distance themselves from a colleague infamous for fabricating his life story and accused of stealing from donors, lying to Congress and receiving unemployment benefits he did not deserve.But the resolution failed to gain the required two-thirds vote. Supporters could not even gain a simple majority, with the final vote being 179 for expulsion and 213 against. All threeGOP members of the Kansas congressional delegation voted against the measure.To succeed, numerous Republican lawmakers would have had to break ranks with newly elected Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/johnson-house-speaker-trump-elected-ed9fd1d574eafb6373e667e110a0f989">Mike Johnson</a>, who has said Santos should get his day in court. Johnson, R-La., also recently told Fox News that if Congress is going to expel members because they are charged with a crime or accused of wrongdoing, “that's a problem.”Some Democrats also voiced concerns about getting ahead of the Ethics Committee, which issued a rare memo the day before, citing the depth of its investigation with some 40 witnesses contacted and the issuance of 37 subpoenas. It also said the next steps of the committee's investigation would be announced by Nov. 17.“I feel like due process is still alive. I feel like there's enough colleagues on both sides of the aisle here who understand that,” Santos said after the vote.Congress has rarely resorted to the most extreme punishment at its disposal. The House has expelled only five members in its history — three during the Civil War and two after their convictions on public corruption charges. It would be groundbreaking for the House to kick out Santos before his case in federal court is resolved.Some Republicans, however, said they had seen enough of Santos. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., said he believes in due process, but also thinks Santos misrepresented himself to New York voters and they never would have elected him if they had “known the true George Santos.”“We don’t need the Santos charade all the way through the 2024 election cycle. I think the Congress needs to take action now," Womack said.The House floor debate over whether to expel Santos was undertaken strictly by members of the New York congressional delegation. On one side, Republican Reps. Anthony D'Esposito, Nick LaLota and Mike Lawler laid out their case for expelling Santos.“Mr. Santos is a stain on this institution and not fit to serve his constituents in the House of Representatives," D'Esposito said.On the other side was Santos, who appealed to lawmakers to hold off on expulsion, saying that passing judgment without due process would engender mistrust.“I'm fighting tooth and nail to clear my name in front of the entire world," Santos said. “It hasn't been easy, but I'm fighting by God's grace.”The only Democratic lawmaker to speak during the debate was Rep. Dan Goldman. He said Santos should have been expelled in May when Democrats brought an expulsion resolution, and the only reason the New York Republicans were leading the effort now was because Santos “hangs like an albatross around the necks of every single Republican from New York.”“They don’t care any more about integrity or morality or the reputation of this institution than they did in May when they voted to protect Mr. Santos," Goldman said. "They just care about their reelection in one year when they know that their support for George Santos is going to be a problem.”The New York Republicans laid out in their expulsion resolution the array of charges Santos is facing in federal court, saying the charges indicated Santos engaged in serious financial fraud throughout his 2022 campaign for the House. The resolution said he deceived voters regarding his biography and is “not fit to serve his constituents as United States Representative.”“Mr. Santos has said expelling him before he is formally charged and found guilty would create a new precedent in this body, one that could have negative consequences for generations," LaLota said. "Respectfully, Mr. Speaker, I disagree. The consequences and precedents of not expelling him for his lies and fraud has the potential to do far more damage to this institution.”In May, Republicans under then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-congress-vote-expel-ethics-caed2b1fce3ebb86c87929f2de9fc03e">sidestepped the Democratic-led effort</a>&nbsp;to expel Santos. While 204 Democrats voted against a motion to refer the matter to the House Ethics Committee, House Republicans stood unified behind the effort that delayed action on Santos’ conduct.Johnson, who took the speaker's gavel last week, made it clear he would prefer not to oust Santos at this point, despite the many charges against the congressman, as Johnson struggles to control a very slim majority.“He’s only been charged. He hasn’t been found guilty of anything. We have due process in America," said GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who opposed the expulsion resolution.Democrats were also more divided than they were during the previous expulsion effort against Santos.“Neither the Ethics Committee nor the courts have finished adjudicating this,” tweeted Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., who voted against expulsion. “In this country, one is presumed innocent until PROVEN guilty. No exceptions.”Rep. Marc Molinaro, a New York Republican who supported the expulsion effort, said the delegation would likely raise it again once the Ethics Committee releases the findings of its investigation.“I suspect the report is going to come public soon, and it’s going to be clear that he should be removed from Congress,” he said.Santos faces 23 charges in federal court. His trial has been scheduled for September next year.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-federal-charges-updates-33667a0900271e5002459ab748d8fdc8">He has pleaded not guilty</a>&nbsp;to those charges.Also on Wednesday evening, the House voted to reject an effort to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Democrats called off an effort to censure Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.

Kan. GOP Reps vote against effort to expel Rep. Santos from House

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City Kansas Public School Police Department reported that 17-year-old Jose Portillo, of Kansas City, has been located. He is now safe and is being reunited with family.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – At the request of the Kansas City Kansas Public School Police Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has issued an endangered persons advisory for a missing Kansas City teen.

Jose Portillo, 17, of Kansas City, Kansas, is currently missing and law enforcement requests assistance from the public to help locate him, according to a media release from the KBI.

Jose left the J.C. Harmon High School at 2400 Steele Rd., in Kansas City, on Thursday, Nov. 2, around 7:30 a.m. Around that same time, he made a statement indicating he may harm himself.

Jose was last seen around 7:40 a.m. near the Argentine Apartment Complex at 22nd and Ruby Ave. The teen was last known wearing a black hoodie, light grey pants, flip flops, and he was carrying a black backpack.

Jose is a Hispanic male, who is around 5 foot 10 inches tall, and weighs around 230 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes and wears glasses. He has an intellectual disability.

If you see Jose Portillo immediately call 911. Anyone with other information about this case is asked to call the KCK Public School Police Department at 913-627-4111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698938928914.png" alt="Jose Portillo-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Jose Portillo-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City Kansas Public School Police Department reported that 17-year-old Jose Portillo, of Kansas City, has been located. He is now safe and is being reunited with family.----------KANSAS CITY, Kan. – At the request of the Kansas City Kansas Public School Police Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has issued an endangered persons advisory for a missing Kansas City teen.Jose Portillo, 17, of Kansas City, Kansas, is currently missing and law enforcement requests assistance from the public to help locate him, according to a media release from the KBI.Jose left the J.C. Harmon High School at 2400 Steele Rd., in Kansas City, on Thursday, Nov. 2, around 7:30 a.m. Around that same time, he made a statement indicating he may harm himself.Jose was last seen around 7:40 a.m. near the Argentine Apartment Complex at 22nd and Ruby Ave. The teen was last known wearing a black hoodie, light grey pants, flip flops, and he was carrying a black backpack.Jose is a Hispanic male, who is around 5 foot 10 inches tall, and weighs around 230 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes and wears glasses. He has an intellectual disability.If you see Jose Portillo immediately call 911. Anyone with other information about this case is asked to call the KCK Public School Police Department at 913-627-4111.

KBI: Missing, endangered Kansas teen found safe

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 6p.m. Wednesday in a Kansas City residential neighborhood.

The driver of a Chevy Silverado was backing out of a residential driveway in the 2700 Block of Harrison Street, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez .

The driver did not see the woman behind the pickup. The vehicle struck and ran over her. EMS transported the woman to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, according to Gonzalez.

Prior to the collision, the woman was talking to a tow driver in regard to her vehicle breakdown. The driver of the Chevy was moving his truck so the tow driver could get to the broken-down vehicle. The driver of the Chevy truck was not injured.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the victim.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 6p.m. Wednesday in a Kansas City residential neighborhood.The driver of a Chevy Silverado was backing out of a residential driveway in the 2700 Block of Harrison Street, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez .The driver did not see the woman behind the pickup. The vehicle struck and ran over her. EMS transported the woman to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, according to Gonzalez.Prior to the collision, the woman was talking to a tow driver in regard to her vehicle breakdown. The driver of the Chevy was moving his truck so the tow driver could get to the broken-down vehicle. The driver of the Chevy truck was not injured.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the victim.

Woman run over while waiting for tow truck in Kansas City has died

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man accused in a deadly Sunday morning shooting outside a Wichita nightclub made his first court appearance Wednesday.

Terrence Johnson, 33 of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder, two counts of aggravated battery, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and a misdemeanor count of battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Police reported the arrest just before 1p.m. Tuesday. Police have not reported details on the arrest.&nbsp;

At 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were monitoring at Onyx, 10001 E. Kellogg in Wichita, when they heard multiple gunshots, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

First responders located 23-year-old Jaylon Pete of Wichita in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Two other individuals, a 26-year-old man and a 24-year-old man both of Wichita, were struck by gunfire during the shooting.&nbsp;They were transported to local area hospitals for treatment of serious non-life threatening injuries.

Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation suggest that&nbsp; Johnson was involved in a disturbance inside the club, according to Wichita Police Lt. Aaron Moses during a Monday news conference. Johnson went outside to get a handgun and attempted to re-enter the club. but was unable to do so due to safety measured implemented by the club management.

Through extensive investigation and tips from the public, police have probable cause to believe Johnson was the shooter Sunday morning, according to Lt. Moses.&nbsp;

Less than thirty minutes after the deadly shooting, police responded to a domestic violence call in the 1700 Block of North Pinecrest in Wichita. During the investigation of the call, officers arrested Johnson for alleged misdemeanor criminal damage to property.  Police had no information at that time Johnson was a suspect in the deadly nightclub shooting.

At 2:16a.m., officers booked Johnson into the Sedgwick County Jail for the criminal damage case and he bonded out just after 3:30a.m., according to online jail records. Police didn't identify him as a suspect in the nightclub killing until afternoon Sunday.&nbsp; &nbsp;They arrested him again late Tuesday morning, according to Gupilan.&nbsp;

He remains jailed on bond of one-million-500-thousand dollars, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698581256538.png" alt="Security camera image of the shooting -Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image of the shooting -Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man accused in a deadly Sunday morning shooting outside a Wichita nightclub made his first court appearance Wednesday.Terrence Johnson, 33 of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder, two counts of aggravated battery, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and a misdemeanor count of battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Police reported the arrest just before 1p.m. Tuesday. Police have not reported details on the arrest.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698841490940.png" alt="Johnson's bond is set at one-million-500-thousand dollars.-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Johnson's bond is set at one-million-500-thousand dollars.-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>At 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were monitoring at Onyx, 10001 E. Kellogg in Wichita, when they heard multiple gunshots, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.First responders located 23-year-old Jaylon Pete of Wichita in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Two other individuals, a 26-year-old man and a 24-year-old man both of Wichita, were struck by gunfire during the shooting.&nbsp;They were transported to local area hospitals for treatment of serious non-life threatening injuries.Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation suggest that&nbsp; Johnson was involved in a disturbance inside the club, according to Wichita Police Lt. Aaron Moses during a Monday news conference. Johnson went outside to get a handgun and attempted to re-enter the club. but was unable to do so due to safety measured implemented by the club management.Through extensive investigation and tips from the public, police have probable cause to believe Johnson was the shooter Sunday morning, according to Lt. Moses.&nbsp;Less than thirty minutes after the deadly shooting, police responded to a domestic violence call in the 1700 Block of North Pinecrest in Wichita. During the investigation of the call, officers arrested Johnson for alleged misdemeanor criminal damage to property. Police had no information at that time Johnson was a suspect in the deadly nightclub shooting.At 2:16a.m., officers booked Johnson into the Sedgwick County Jail for the criminal damage case and he bonded out just after 3:30a.m., according to online jail records. Police didn't identify him as a suspect in the nightclub killing until afternoon Sunday.&nbsp; &nbsp;They arrested him again late Tuesday morning, according to Gupilan.&nbsp;He remains jailed on bond of one-million-500-thousand dollars, according to the district attorney's office.

Suspect in Kan. nightclub killing makes first court appearance

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota said Wednesday it is recalling nearly 1.9 million RAV4 small SUVs in the U.S. to fix a problem with batteries that can move during forceful turns and potentially cause a fire.

The recall covers certain RAV4s from the 2013 through 2018 model years. Toyota said in a statement that some replacement 12-volt batteries used in the SUVs have smaller top dimensions than others. If the hold-down clamp is not tightened properly, the battery could move, allowing the positive terminal to contact the clamp and short circuit, the company said.

Toyota said it is still preparing a fix. When the remedy is ready, dealers will replace the hold-down clamp, battery tray and positive terminal cover with improved ones. The company said it will notify owners by late December.

Toyota declined to say if the problem had caused any fires, crashes or injuries.

Owners can <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls">click here </a>to check to see if their RAV4s are involved.

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota said Wednesday it is recalling nearly 1.9 million RAV4 small SUVs in the U.S. to fix a problem with batteries that can move during forceful turns and potentially cause a fire.The recall covers certain RAV4s from the 2013 through 2018 model years. Toyota said in a statement that some replacement 12-volt batteries used in the SUVs have smaller top dimensions than others. If the hold-down clamp is not tightened properly, the battery could move, allowing the positive terminal to contact the clamp and short circuit, the company said.Toyota said it is still preparing a fix. When the remedy is ready, dealers will replace the hold-down clamp, battery tray and positive terminal cover with improved ones. The company said it will notify owners by late December.Toyota declined to say if the problem had caused any fires, crashes or injuries.Owners can <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls">click here </a>to check to see if their RAV4s are involved.

Toyota recalls RAV4s to fix batteries that can cause a fire

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the disappearance of&nbsp;Ebony Duncan who last seen Sept. 6, around 5:00pm in the area of 19200 E. 37th Terrace in Kansas City. She was on foot and she was picked up by the vehicle. She was reported by family members when she did not show up for her shift at work on Sept. 7, according to a media release.

On Tuesday, Detectives from the Independence Police Department Criminal Investigations Unit responded to the area of 83rd and Hillcrest Road in Kansas City following up on leads in Duncan's disappearance.

 They conducted a search of the area using cadaver dogs in an attempt to locate Duncan, who was believed to be possibly deceased. One of the K9s alerted to and located a deceased person in the woods nearby. 

 The deceased person has identifiers that are consistent with those of Ebony Duncan and at this time, the deceased person is believed to be her. 

However, a positive identification will have to be made with the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office as the case continues. 

Detectives are still looking for a person of interest in this case.  42-year-old Keaira Ransberg (Jenkins) is being sought for questioning. Ransberg is described as being 5-foot-tall, 150 pounds with brown eyes Ransberg has a last known address in Kansas City. 

Anyone with information on Ransberg’s whereabouts in urged to contact the Crimestoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS, where you can remain anonymous. You can also report electronically at the KC Crimestoppers website, <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kccrimestoppers.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR30mww3WgXNkhdYLMum8Tmb_0Ksexe8_OKh-Agl0txAeTGuJsZ6TjAaFPQ&amp;h=AT1au-OUKtuQYdUkBXxc61zw99zueNzkRw1GIhZE_YnX_w_20DM0TJ9m7D7-2TmmCGXYCyWtvxza9I2hfOnNsaA4ZwBCs0-_J0XenN5vCdoTO0boz0OmrMsq_6FumRmenU_MJ9E&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT23Z3rI-FkHe5W23159jjPBDSPZJOvJe9kC208b-jAGexrnUbsLaTkCCVbd0953OI6BQAfBAo_5_HURIi88S_vTvjayrb_goBFyVruEnqgEDxPbXGgUZOY-fnbgEbYH2-2cMaq8TwerZ1gpp5oIfItJaOXzfpDqBzrv396eHiklEf-14iUP0DPSELJuLJlrofsWpgPpiTiZ" target="_blank">https://www.kccrimestoppers.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698882030410.png" alt="Jenkins is wanted for questioning in the case- photo Independence PD" />
 <figcaption>Jenkins is wanted for questioning in the case- photo Independence PD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the disappearance of&nbsp;Ebony Duncan who last seen Sept. 6, around 5:00pm in the area of 19200 E. 37th Terrace in Kansas City. She was on foot and she was picked up by the vehicle. She was reported by family members when she did not show up for her shift at work on Sept. 7, according to a media release.On Tuesday, Detectives from the Independence Police Department Criminal Investigations Unit responded to the area of 83rd and Hillcrest Road in Kansas City following up on leads in Duncan's disappearance.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698881689884.png" alt="Ebony Duncan courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Ebony Duncan courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure> They conducted a search of the area using cadaver dogs in an attempt to locate Duncan, who was believed to be possibly deceased. One of the K9s alerted to and located a deceased person in the woods nearby. The deceased person has identifiers that are consistent with those of Ebony Duncan and at this time, the deceased person is believed to be her. However, a positive identification will have to be made with the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office as the case continues. Detectives are still looking for a person of interest in this case. 42-year-old Keaira Ransberg (Jenkins) is being sought for questioning. Ransberg is described as being 5-foot-tall, 150 pounds with brown eyes Ransberg has a last known address in Kansas City. Anyone with information on Ransberg’s whereabouts in urged to contact the Crimestoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS, where you can remain anonymous. You can also report electronically at the KC Crimestoppers website, <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kccrimestoppers.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR30mww3WgXNkhdYLMum8Tmb_0Ksexe8_OKh-Agl0txAeTGuJsZ6TjAaFPQ&amp;h=AT1au-OUKtuQYdUkBXxc61zw99zueNzkRw1GIhZE_YnX_w_20DM0TJ9m7D7-2TmmCGXYCyWtvxza9I2hfOnNsaA4ZwBCs0-_J0XenN5vCdoTO0boz0OmrMsq_6FumRmenU_MJ9E&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT23Z3rI-FkHe5W23159jjPBDSPZJOvJe9kC208b-jAGexrnUbsLaTkCCVbd0953OI6BQAfBAo_5_HURIi88S_vTvjayrb_goBFyVruEnqgEDxPbXGgUZOY-fnbgEbYH2-2cMaq8TwerZ1gpp5oIfItJaOXzfpDqBzrv396eHiklEf-14iUP0DPSELJuLJlrofsWpgPpiTiZ" target="_blank">https://www.kccrimestoppers.com</a>

Police find human remains believed to be missing KC-area woman

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — President Joe Biden said he thought there should be a humanitarian “pause” in the Israel-Hamas war, after his campaign speech Wednesday evening was interrupted by a protester calling for a cease-fire.

“I think we need a pause,” Biden said.

The call was a subtle departure for Biden and top White House aides, who throughout the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Mideast crisis</a>&nbsp;have been steadfast in stating they will not dictate how the Israelis carry out their military operations in response to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;by Hamas.

But the president has faced intensifying pressure from human rights groups, fellow world leaders and even liberal members of his own Democratic Party, who say that the Israeli bombardment of Gaza is collective punishment and that it is time for a cease-fire.

In his comments, Biden was exerting pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to give Palestinians at least a brief reprieve from the relentless military operation that’s left thousands dead&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-11-1-2023-24a6ad56ff87a4154f250c708b5310dd">and mired the 141-square-mile strip in a roiling humanitarian crisis.</a>

The White House has refused to call for a cease-fire but has signaled that the Israelis should consider humanitarian pauses to allow civilians to receive aid and for foreign nationals trapped on the strip to leave Gaza.

Israeli ground troops have advanced near Gaza City in heavy fighting with militants, the military said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, hundreds of foreign nationals and dozens of seriously injured Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">more than three weeks under siege</a>.

The first people to leave Gaza — other than four hostages released by Hamas and another&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-news-10-30-2023-131e9537aaad8e74586cc114d2668e5a">rescued by Israeli forces</a>&nbsp;— crossed into Egypt, escaping even as bombings drive hundreds of thousands from their homes, and food, water and fuel run low.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said earlier on Wednesday that Biden’s newly confirmed ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, would soon be dispatched to the Middle East and would be tasked in part with “supporting U.S. efforts to create the conditions for a humanitarian pause to address the worsening humanitarian conditions facing Palestinian civilians.”

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog told “The Hill” on NewsNation Wednesday “we don’t need urging” in response to calls for more aid for Gaza.

“We are ramping up humanitarian supplies into Gaza in those areas which are away from Hamas in the southern part of Gaza. The number of truckloads doubles and is going to pick up more and more," he said. “We provide water. We provide other types of supplies.”

He said to NewsNation they were happy to see foreigners leave Gaza. "So we don’t need urging, urging in that sense. Our Cabinet discussed this week this issue and decided there are no limitations as long as we can make sure that Hamas does not put its hands on humanitarian supplies and uses them to feed its war machine. That will not happen. Short of that, everything is open.”

On Wednesday evening, Biden was speaking to a crowd of supporters in Minneapolis about his reasons for running for president in 2020 when a woman got up and yelled: “Mr. President, if you care about Jewish people, as a rabbi, I need you to call for a cease-fire."

His presence in the city drew more than 1,000 demonstrators not far from where the fundraiser was held, and they carried Palestinian flags and signs that said “Stop Bombing Children,” "Free Palestine” and “Ceasefire now."

Biden said he understood the emotions motivating the demonstrator, who was quickly shouted down by others in the room and removed. He said, when asked, that a pause "means give time to get the prisoners out.” White House officials later clarified he meant hostages and humanitarian aid.

“This is incredibly complicated for the Israelis," Biden went on. "It’s incredibly complicated for the Muslim world as well. ... I supported a two-state solution, I have from the very beginning.”

“The fact of the matter is that Hamas is a terrorist organization. A flat-out terrorist organization," he said.

But Biden noted that he's been working on humanitarian aid, saying he was the one who convinced both Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi to allow aid into Gaza.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698887862349.png" alt="Biden was speaking at a fundraiser for his 2024 reelection campaign when a protester interrupted him, calling for a ceasefire. White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden was speaking at a fundraiser for his 2024 reelection campaign when a protester interrupted him, calling for a ceasefire. White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — President Joe Biden said he thought there should be a humanitarian “pause” in the Israel-Hamas war, after his campaign speech Wednesday evening was interrupted by a protester calling for a cease-fire.“I think we need a pause,” Biden said.The call was a subtle departure for Biden and top White House aides, who throughout the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Mideast crisis</a>&nbsp;have been steadfast in stating they will not dictate how the Israelis carry out their military operations in response to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;by Hamas.But the president has faced intensifying pressure from human rights groups, fellow world leaders and even liberal members of his own Democratic Party, who say that the Israeli bombardment of Gaza is collective punishment and that it is time for a cease-fire.In his comments, Biden was exerting pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to give Palestinians at least a brief reprieve from the relentless military operation that’s left thousands dead&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-11-1-2023-24a6ad56ff87a4154f250c708b5310dd">and mired the 141-square-mile strip in a roiling humanitarian crisis.</a>The White House has refused to call for a cease-fire but has signaled that the Israelis should consider humanitarian pauses to allow civilians to receive aid and for foreign nationals trapped on the strip to leave Gaza.Israeli ground troops have advanced near Gaza City in heavy fighting with militants, the military said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, hundreds of foreign nationals and dozens of seriously injured Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">more than three weeks under siege</a>.The first people to leave Gaza — other than four hostages released by Hamas and another&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-news-10-30-2023-131e9537aaad8e74586cc114d2668e5a">rescued by Israeli forces</a>&nbsp;— crossed into Egypt, escaping even as bombings drive hundreds of thousands from their homes, and food, water and fuel run low.White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said earlier on Wednesday that Biden’s newly confirmed ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, would soon be dispatched to the Middle East and would be tasked in part with “supporting U.S. efforts to create the conditions for a humanitarian pause to address the worsening humanitarian conditions facing Palestinian civilians.”Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog told “The Hill” on NewsNation Wednesday “we don’t need urging” in response to calls for more aid for Gaza.“We are ramping up humanitarian supplies into Gaza in those areas which are away from Hamas in the southern part of Gaza. The number of truckloads doubles and is going to pick up more and more," he said. “We provide water. We provide other types of supplies.”He said to NewsNation they were happy to see foreigners leave Gaza. "So we don’t need urging, urging in that sense. Our Cabinet discussed this week this issue and decided there are no limitations as long as we can make sure that Hamas does not put its hands on humanitarian supplies and uses them to feed its war machine. That will not happen. Short of that, everything is open.”On Wednesday evening, Biden was speaking to a crowd of supporters in Minneapolis about his reasons for running for president in 2020 when a woman got up and yelled: “Mr. President, if you care about Jewish people, as a rabbi, I need you to call for a cease-fire."His presence in the city drew more than 1,000 demonstrators not far from where the fundraiser was held, and they carried Palestinian flags and signs that said “Stop Bombing Children,” "Free Palestine” and “Ceasefire now."Biden said he understood the emotions motivating the demonstrator, who was quickly shouted down by others in the room and removed. He said, when asked, that a pause "means give time to get the prisoners out.” White House officials later clarified he meant hostages and humanitarian aid.“This is incredibly complicated for the Israelis," Biden went on. "It’s incredibly complicated for the Muslim world as well. ... I supported a two-state solution, I have from the very beginning.”“The fact of the matter is that Hamas is a terrorist organization. A flat-out terrorist organization," he said.But Biden noted that he's been working on humanitarian aid, saying he was the one who convinced both Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi to allow aid into Gaza.“I'm the guy,” he said.

Biden calls for humanitarian 'pause' in Israel-Hamas war 

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State of Kansas ends October with total tax collections at $685.4 million. That is $29.1 million, or 4.1%, below the estimate. Total tax collections are down 7.4% from October 2022, according to a media release from the department of revenue.

Individual income tax collections were $298.7 million. That is $51.3 million, or 14.7% below the estimate, and down 16.5% from October 2022. Corporate income tax collections were $57.5 million. That is $27.5 million, or 91.7% higher than the estimate and up 77.2% from October 2022.

“But for the unusually high number of individual income tax refunds, the October total tax receipts would have surpassed the estimate," said Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart. “October refunds were $50.2 million more than in October 2022 and continue to reflect the influence of the SALT Parity Act, which presents a complicating variable in the revenue estimating process.”

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $306.0 million, which is $4.0 million, or 1.3% below the estimate and down $15.7 million, or 4.9%, from October 2022.&nbsp;

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State of Kansas ends October with total tax collections at $685.4 million. That is $29.1 million, or 4.1%, below the estimate. Total tax collections are down 7.4% from October 2022, according to a media release from the department of revenue.Individual income tax collections were $298.7 million. That is $51.3 million, or 14.7% below the estimate, and down 16.5% from October 2022. Corporate income tax collections were $57.5 million. That is $27.5 million, or 91.7% higher than the estimate and up 77.2% from October 2022.“But for the unusually high number of individual income tax refunds, the October total tax receipts would have surpassed the estimate," said Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart. “October refunds were $50.2 million more than in October 2022 and continue to reflect the influence of the SALT Parity Act, which presents a complicating variable in the revenue estimating process.”Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $306.0 million, which is $4.0 million, or 1.3% below the estimate and down $15.7 million, or 4.9%, from October 2022.&nbsp;

Kansas total Oct. tax collections 4.1 percent below estimate

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City woman who entered another woman's vehicle and drove off with a 1-year-old child in the back seat, has been charged with kidnapping and other felony charges, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker. The incident caused law enforcement to issue an Amber Alert.

Trenise L Reid, 31, faces Child Kidnapping, a Class A felony, as well as Vehicle Hijacking and Endangering the Welfare of a Child

According to court records, the defendant took the victim’s vehicle with a 1-year-old child in the back seat at approximately 8:00 pm, as the victim's vehicle was outside an area school. 

The victim had a one-year-old child in the backseat of the vehicle when it was taken by the defendant. Police in Lee's Summit found the stolen vehicle with the child inside at 9:41 pm; it was stopped in the middle of a road. 

Police soon after initiated an Operation 100 to take the defendant into custody. She barricaded herself inside a restaurant.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698841699440.png" alt="Reid-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Reid-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City woman who entered another woman's vehicle and drove off with a 1-year-old child in the back seat, has been charged with kidnapping and other felony charges, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker. The incident caused law enforcement to issue an Amber Alert.Trenise L Reid, 31, faces Child Kidnapping, a Class A felony, as well as Vehicle Hijacking and Endangering the Welfare of a ChildAccording to court records, the defendant took the victim’s vehicle with a 1-year-old child in the back seat at approximately 8:00 pm, as the victim's vehicle was outside an area school. The victim had a one-year-old child in the backseat of the vehicle when it was taken by the defendant. Police in Lee's Summit found the stolen vehicle with the child inside at 9:41 pm; it was stopped in the middle of a road. Police soon after initiated an Operation 100 to take the defendant into custody. She barricaded herself inside a restaurant.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KC woman charged for kidnapping that prompted Amber Alert

SEDGWICK COUNTY – The Bel Aire Police Department reported that Connie Powell, 74, was located in Bel Aire and was in good condition. The statewide silver alert is now canceled, according to a statement from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

SEDGWICK COUNTY –&nbsp;The Bel Aire Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Bel Aire woman.

The whereabouts of 74-year-old Connie Powell are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her.

Connie was last seen on foot in the area of&nbsp;45th&nbsp;and Woodlawn at approximately 6 p.m. She was last known wearing a green hoodie, jeans, and blue framed glasses.

Connie is described as a white female who is 5-feet-4 inches tall and weighs around 140 pounds. She has blonde hair and brown eyes. Connie has dementia.

If you see Connie Powell, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, please call the&nbsp;Bel Aire Police Department at (316) 744-6000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698918717586.png" alt="Powell -photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Powell -photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY – The Bel Aire Police Department reported that Connie Powell, 74, was located in Bel Aire and was in good condition. The statewide silver alert is now canceled, according to a statement from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.---------SEDGWICK COUNTY –&nbsp;The Bel Aire Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Bel Aire woman.The whereabouts of 74-year-old Connie Powell are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her.Connie was last seen on foot in the area of&nbsp;45th&nbsp;and Woodlawn at approximately 6 p.m. She was last known wearing a green hoodie, jeans, and blue framed glasses.Connie is described as a white female who is 5-feet-4 inches tall and weighs around 140 pounds. She has blonde hair and brown eyes. Connie has dementia.If you see Connie Powell, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, please call the&nbsp;Bel Aire Police Department at (316) 744-6000.

KBI: Silver Alert canceled, missing Kansas woman found 

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

BARTON COUNTY —A speeding violation west of Great Bend Wednesday morning resulted in a chase into city limits and one subject is still at large. A Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to pull over a vehicle for speeding. Once running the tags, law enforcement discovered the vehicle was stolen.

The suspects fled and eventually crashed the vehicle trying to make a turn near the intersection of 10th Street and McKinley Street in Great Bend. Following the crash, two suspects fled on foot.

Sheriff Brian Bellendir said one suspect has been apprehended while the search for the second was ongoing. During the search, law enforcement made sure nearby Eisenhower Elementary School was secure.

"We believe the suspect has probably fled the area," said Bellendir. "We wanted to do a thorough check of the school over there and have a law enforcement presence there. The Great Bend Police Department handled that for us. We don't think there is any imminent danger to the public."

Bellendir said that law enforcement is still working on a name and description of the suspect at large, but did mention the white male has one of his hands bandaged.

The suspect vehicle struck a parked vehicle during the crash at the end of the chase.

"The suspect vehicle struck it broadside, and actually went under and lifted one side of it up," said Bellendir. "It was sitting with two wheels in the air at the scene."

Bellendir said the crash did not strike the business and no one was injured.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698859592082.jpeg" alt="Photo by Mike Courson-Great Bend Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Mike Courson-Great Bend Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostBARTON COUNTY —A speeding violation west of Great Bend Wednesday morning resulted in a chase into city limits and one subject is still at large. A Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to pull over a vehicle for speeding. Once running the tags, law enforcement discovered the vehicle was stolen.The suspects fled and eventually crashed the vehicle trying to make a turn near the intersection of 10th Street and McKinley Street in Great Bend. Following the crash, two suspects fled on foot.Sheriff Brian Bellendir said one suspect has been apprehended while the search for the second was ongoing. During the search, law enforcement made sure nearby Eisenhower Elementary School was secure."We believe the suspect has probably fled the area," said Bellendir. "We wanted to do a thorough check of the school over there and have a law enforcement presence there. The Great Bend Police Department handled that for us. We don't think there is any imminent danger to the public."Bellendir said that law enforcement is still working on a name and description of the suspect at large, but did mention the white male has one of his hands bandaged.The suspect vehicle struck a parked vehicle during the crash at the end of the chase."The suspect vehicle struck it broadside, and actually went under and lifted one side of it up," said Bellendir. "It was sitting with two wheels in the air at the scene."Bellendir said the crash did not strike the business and no one was injured.&nbsp; &nbsp;

1 suspect captured after Kan. chase, crash with stolen vehicle

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Bob Knight, the brilliant and combustible coach who won three NCAA titles at Indiana and for years was the scowling face of college basketball, has died. He was 83.

<a href="https://www.bobknight.com/bob-knight-legendary-coach-dies-at-83">Knight's family made the announcement</a>&nbsp;on social media on Wednesday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698879270571.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Bob Knight, the brilliant and combustible coach who won three NCAA titles at Indiana and for years was the scowling face of college basketball, has died. He was 83.<a href="https://www.bobknight.com/bob-knight-legendary-coach-dies-at-83">Knight's family made the announcement</a>&nbsp;on social media on Wednesday night.“It is with heavy hearts that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family,” the statement said. “We are grateful for all the thoughts and prayers, and appreciate the continued respect for our privacy as Coach requested a private family gathering, which is being honored. We will continue to celebrate his life and remember him, today and forever as a beloved Husband, Father, Coach, and Friend.”Knight was among the winningest coaches in the sport, finishing his career with 902 victories in 42 seasons at Army, Indiana and Texas Tech. He also coached the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in 1984.The Hall of Famer cared little what others thought of him, choosing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” to celebrate his 880th win in 2007, then the record for a Division I men’s coach.He was nicknamed “The General” and his temper was such that in 2000 it cost him his job at Indiana. He once hit a police officer in Puerto Rico, threw a chair across the court and was accused of wrapping his hands around a player’s neck.His critics fumed relentlessly about his conduct, but his defenders were legion. There was this side of Knight as well: He took pride in his players’ high graduation rates, and during a rule-breaking era he never was accused of a major NCAA violation.At Indiana, he insisted his base salary not exceed that of other professors. At Texas Tech, he sometimes gave back his salary because he didn’t think he earned it.Knight expected players to exceed expectations on the court and in the classroom. He abided by NCAA rules even when he disagreed with them, never backed down from a dust-up and promised to take his old-school principles to the grave.His disposition and theatrics, however, often overshadowed his formidable record, tactical genius and dedication to his players and the game, leaving behind a singular resume.“He changed basketball in this state, the way you compete, the way you win,” Steve Alford, the leader of Knight’s last national championship team in 1987, once said. “It started in Indiana, but he really changed college basketball. You look at the motion offense and people everywhere used it.”Long esteemed for his strategy and often questioned for his methods, Knight reveled in constructing his best teams with overachievers. As a hard-to-please motivator, he clung to iron principles, and at 6-foot-5 was an intimidating presence for anyone who dared cross him.When Knight retired in 2008, he left with four national championships (one as a player at Ohio State) and as the Division I men’s record-holder in wins. He coached everyone from Mike Krzyzewski to Isiah Thomas to Michael Jordan. His coaching tree included Krzyzewski, who broke Knight’s wins record; Alford; Lawrence Frank, Keith Smart, Randy Wittman and Mike Woodson, Indiana’s current coach, among others.“I have molded everything we do from practices to academics to community service and even how you should represent the school from that time,” Alford said. “Coach Knight had a lot to do with that.”Robert Montgomery Knight was born Oct. 25, 1940, in Massillon, Ohio. His mother, whom Knight credited as his strongest childhood influence, was a schoolteacher and his father worked for the railroad.Hazel Knight seemed to understand her son’s temperament. Once, when Indiana was set to play Kentucky on television, two of Knight’s high school classmates ran into her at a grocery store and asked if she was excited about the game, according to his biography, “Knight: My Story.”“I just hope he behaves,” his mother remarked.He played basketball at Ohio State, where he was a reserve on three Final Four teams (1960-62). He was on the 1960 title team that featured Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek, two future Basketball Hall of Famers.After a year as a high school assistant, Knight joined the staff of Tates Locke at West Point. In 1965, he took over as head coach at age 24. In six seasons, coaching the likes of Krzyzewski and Mike Silliman, his teams won 102 games and it was off to Indiana in 1971.Knight quickly restored the Hoosiers’ basketball tradition with a revolutionary offense and an almost exclusively man-to-man defense. Most opponents struggled against his early Indiana teams, with the Hoosiers going 125-20 and winning four Big Ten Conference crowns in his first five seasons.The run concluded with Indiana’s first national championship in 23 years. That 1975-76 team went 32-0, ending a two-year span when the Hoosiers were 63-1 and captured back-to-back Big Ten championships with 18-0 records.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIoWxi1RuGQ">It remains the last time a major college men’s team finished with a perfect record.</a>&nbsp;That team was voted the greatest in college basketball history by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association in 2013.Knight won his second title in 1981, beating Dean Smith’s North Carolina team after NCAA officials decided to play the game hours after President Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded earlier in the day. His third title at Indiana came in 1987 when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/IndianaMBB/videos/keith-smart-the-shot/981988625219050/">Smart hit a baseline jumper in the closing seconds to beat Syracuse, one of the most famous shots</a>&nbsp;in tournament history.Knight spent five decades competing against and usually beating some of the game’s most revered names -- Adolph Rupp, Smith and John Wooden in the early years; Krzyzewski, Rick Pitino and Roy Williams in later years.The Olympic team he coached in Los Angeles in 1984 was the last amateur U.S. team to win gold in men’s basketball. And, to no surprise, it came with controversy. Knight kept Alford on his team while cutting the likes of future Hall of Famers Charles Barkley and John Stockton.But winning and winning big was only part of Knight’s legacy. He would do things his way.Other big-time coaches might follow the gentlemanly, buttoned-up approach, but not Knight. He dressed in plaid sport coats and red sweaters, routinely berated referees and openly challenged decisions by NCAA and Big Ten leaders. His list of transgressions ran long:-- Knight was convicted in absentia of assaulting a Puerto Rican police officer during the 1979 Pan American Games.-- He forfeited an exhibition game to the Soviet Union in 1987 when he pulled his team off the court after being called for a third technical foul.-- He told NBC’s Connie Chung in a 1988 interview, “I think that if rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy it.” Knight was answering a question about how he handled stress and later tried to explain he was talking about something beyond one’s control, not the act of rape.-- He was accused of head-butting one player and kicking his own son, Pat, during a timeout.-- At a 1980 news conference he fired a blank from a starter’s pistol at a reporter. During the 1992 NCAA Tournament, Knight playfully used a bull whip on star player Calbert Cheaney, who is Black.His most famous outburst came Feb. 23, 1985, when Purdue’s Steve Reid was about to attempt a free throw. A furious&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukpekodCQ-U">Knight picked up a red plastic chair and heaved it across the court</a>, where it landed behind the basket. Fans started throwing pennies on the court, one hitting the wife of Purdue coach Gene Keady. Reid missed three of his next six ensuing free throws.“There are times I walk into a meeting or a friend calls to say, ‘I saw you on TV last night,’” Reid said on the 20th anniversary of the incident. “I know what they’re talking about.”Knight apologized the next day, received a one-game suspension and was put on probation for two years by the Big Ten. Intent on preventing such a thing again, Indiana officials chained together the chairs for both benches.The iconic black-and-white photo of the incident remains a classic for Hoosiers fans and even became fodder for a television commercial with one of his old coaching rivals, former Notre Dame coach Digger Phelps. Knight for years joked he was merely attempting to toss the chair to a woman looking for a seat.Fifteen years after the chair toss, Knight’s temper led to his downfall in Bloomington. Video surfaced of Knight allegedly putting his hands around the neck of player Neil Reed during a 1997 practice, a charge that prompted Indiana President Myles Brand to put Knight on a zero-tolerance policy following a university investigation.Then, on Sept. 10, 2000, after winning a school-record 662 games and 11 Big Ten titles in 29 seasons, his time at Indiana came to a shocking end. While passing Knight in an Assembly Hall corridor, Indiana student Kent Harvey said, “Hey, what’s up, Knight?” Knight considered it disrespectful, grabbed Harvey’s arm and lectured him about manners. A few days later, Brand fired Knight.Students protested by tearing down a goal post at the football stadium, ripping a dolphin statue off a fountain and hanging Brand in effigy outside his home. Knight publicly condemned Brand’s leadership. Brand became NCAA president in 2002 and died in 2009 at 67 while still on the job. Neil Reed died in 2012 after collapsing in his California home. He was 36.In 2003, he lashed out profanely after an ESPN reporter asked about his relationship with Alford, then the Iowa coach. The following year Knight received a reprimand after a verbal dust-up with David Smith, then the Texas Tech chancellor, as the two men stood at a grocery store salad bar.He still won, too. In his first six years in West Texas, Knight led the Red Raiders to five 20-plus win seasons, a feat never previously achieved at the school. On Jan. 1, 2007, Knight won his 880th career game, breaking Dean Smith’s record with a win over New Mexico. Krzyzewski topped Knight’s mark in 2011, with his mentor broadcasting the game for ESPN.For nearly two decades, Indiana officials attempted to make peace. Knight refused, even skipping his induction into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.“I hope someday he will be honored at Indiana. That needs to happen. Somebody needs to make that happen,” Scott May, a starter on Knight’s 1976 championship team and an outspoken critic of Knight’s firing, pleaded as Knight stayed away. “I think they should name Assembly Hall after him.”The ice finally broke in February 2020, a few months after Knight bought a new house in Bloomington.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp2zfFMSPVQ">His first public appearance at Assembly Hall</a>&nbsp;since the firing came at halftime of the Hoosiers’ game against rival Purdue.Billed as a reunion between the coach and many of his former players, the halftime celebration became a sustained roar for The General. May and Quinn Buckner, who also played on Knight’s first title team, helped the aging coach -- no longer steady on his feet -- walk onto the court.“When he moved back here, I knew he was in a good place,” said Wittman, who played on the 1981 national champs. “I knew he was happy here, living, and I told him you belong here.”Knight didn’t speak to the crowd that day. It spoke to him.“We love you, Bobby,” one fan shouted during a brief pause from the crowd, a scene that brought the steely Knight to tears.Away from the court, Knight was an avid golfer who loved to read, especially history, and donated generously to school libraries at Indiana and Texas Tech. He would vacation in far-flung places to hunt and fish with family or friends such as baseball great Ted Williams or manager Tony La Russa.Knight also made a cameo appearance in the 2003 movie “Anger Management” with Adam Sandler. In 2006, he starred in “Knight School,” an ESPN reality show in which 16 Texas Tech students vied for the chance to walk on to his team the following season.A month after leaving Tech, Knight, who often lashed out at reporters, joined ESPN as a guest studio analyst during the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The next season, he expanded his role as a color commentator. The network parted with Knight in 2015.He returned to public view in 2016, campaigning for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2016 and kept a mostly low profile until returning to the campus where he became a household name.“I was standing there, and he was coach Knight,” Wittman said, referring to Knight’s pregame speech in February 2020. “It was like he hadn’t left that locker room. The words he gave to those players before they went out on the floor, it was fabulous.”Survivors include wife Karen and sons Tim and Pat.___