WASHINGTON —On&nbsp;Monday, the President and First Lady are hosted a Halloween event that welcomed local public school students and military-connected children to the White House for trick-or-treating.&nbsp;

A teacher for more than three decades, including years spent as a reading specialist, First Lady Jill Biden created this year’s theme, “Hallo-READ!,” with the White House’s festive décor featuring famous literary characters, ghoulish tales, and ghost story time. Dr. Biden’s theme encourages families and children to grab a flashlight, pick out their favorite Halloween book, and relish in the spooktacular thrill of reading together.&nbsp;

Children were able to trick-or-treat along the South Lawn of the White House up to the South Portico to receive both candy and books from the President and First Lady, as well as other White House friends and neighbors, including representatives from: the Department of Education, Department of Transportation, Department of State, Department of Agriculture, Department of the Treasury, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Energy, Department of Housing and Urban Development, FEMA, NASA, National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, United States Secret Service,&nbsp;White House staff, and the White House Military Office.&nbsp; Children will also get to participate in spooky story time with special guests reading their favorite books of the season.&nbsp;

Approximately 8,000 guests participated in this year’s Halloween event at the White House, with each family receiving chocolate and candy treats provided by the National Confectioners Association and its member companies.

 In a nod to this year’s “Hallo-READ!” theme, each family also received donated books from Scholastic to read and enjoy. Instacart provided overall support for the Halloween celebration, in addition to supplying Halloween tote bags and treats to each child. In the spirit of hands-on learning, the company will also distribute recipe cards to teach children and their families how to make deliciously spooky, easy Halloween-themed treats together. 

Costumed characters strolled the South Lawn for the Halloween festivities, including Clifford the Big Red Dog, Greg Heffley from&nbsp;Diary of a Wimpy Kid, as well as Disney friends Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, and Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers.

The White House was decorated with autumnal foliage, stacks of books, and multi-dimensional displays of ghoulish literary characters and tales.&nbsp; A spooky story time corner also was part of the Halloween festivities this year, featuring author Brad Meltzer and illustrator Chris Eliopoulos, author Jeff Kinney, Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, and other special guests.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698711670678.png" alt="Hallo-READ! at the White House and First lady Jill Biden read a book in the spooky story time corner. She’s dressed as Willow the cat&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Hallo-READ! at the White House and First lady Jill Biden read a book in the spooky story time corner. She’s dressed as Willow the cat&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —On&nbsp;Monday, the President and First Lady are hosted a Halloween event that welcomed local public school students and military-connected children to the White House for trick-or-treating.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Welcome to “Hallo-READ” at the White House! From famous literary tales and ghost stories to the spooktacular thrill of reading — we hope families and children pick out their favorite Halloween book, grab a flashlight, and take a moment to enjoy story time together. <a href="https://t.co/PJO0UEi8lH">pic.twitter.com/PJO0UEi8lH</a>&mdash; Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1719183997811445957?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A teacher for more than three decades, including years spent as a reading specialist, First Lady Jill Biden created this year’s theme, “Hallo-READ!,” with the White House’s festive décor featuring famous literary characters, ghoulish tales, and ghost story time. Dr. Biden’s theme encourages families and children to grab a flashlight, pick out their favorite Halloween book, and relish in the spooktacular thrill of reading together.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698713432917.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Children were able to trick-or-treat along the South Lawn of the White House up to the South Portico to receive both candy and books from the President and First Lady, as well as other White House friends and neighbors, including representatives from: the Department of Education, Department of Transportation, Department of State, Department of Agriculture, Department of the Treasury, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Energy, Department of Housing and Urban Development, FEMA, NASA, National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, United States Secret Service,&nbsp;White House staff, and the White House Military Office.&nbsp; Children will also get to participate in spooky story time with special guests reading their favorite books of the season.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698711412812.png" alt="photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Approximately 8,000 guests participated in this year’s Halloween event at the White House, with each family receiving chocolate and candy treats provided by the National Confectioners Association and its member companies. In a nod to this year’s “Hallo-READ!” theme, each family also received donated books from Scholastic to read and enjoy. Instacart provided overall support for the Halloween celebration, in addition to supplying Halloween tote bags and treats to each child. In the spirit of hands-on learning, the company will also distribute recipe cards to teach children and their families how to make deliciously spooky, easy Halloween-themed treats together. Costumed characters strolled the South Lawn for the Halloween festivities, including Clifford the Big Red Dog, Greg Heffley from&nbsp;Diary of a Wimpy Kid, as well as Disney friends Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, and Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers.The White House was decorated with autumnal foliage, stacks of books, and multi-dimensional displays of ghoulish literary characters and tales.&nbsp; A spooky story time corner also was part of the Halloween festivities this year, featuring author Brad Meltzer and illustrator Chris Eliopoulos, author Jeff Kinney, Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, and other special guests.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

First Lady welcomes Trick-or-Treaters to the White House for “Hallo-READ

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after three vehicle and a home were struck by gunfire early Sunday morning in the 1400 Block of U.S. 40 north of Lawrence known as the Tee Pee Junction, according to a media release from the Douglas County Sheriff.

Deputies responded to the disturbance just after 3a.m. Sunday. Witnesses at the scene reported shots from the parking lot appeared to be fired after two separate groups were ejected from a party on the property. Deputies recovered evidence on the scene indicating damage to the vehicle and residence.

The crowd had largely disbursed when deputies arrived. There were no injuries reported. Anyone with information on the alleged crime is asked to contact the Douglas County Sheriff.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after three vehicle and a home were struck by gunfire early Sunday morning in the 1400 Block of U.S. 40 north of Lawrence known as the Tee Pee Junction, according to a media release from the Douglas County Sheriff.Deputies responded to the disturbance just after 3a.m. Sunday. Witnesses at the scene reported shots from the parking lot appeared to be fired after two separate groups were ejected from a party on the property. Deputies recovered evidence on the scene indicating damage to the vehicle and residence.The crowd had largely disbursed when deputies arrived. There were no injuries reported. Anyone with information on the alleged crime is asked to contact the Douglas County Sheriff.

Vehicles, home hit by gunfire outside party in rural Kansas 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The golden shovels were out on Monday in Hutchinson. The groundbreaking ceremony took place with the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, Amber Hotel LLC and many community leaders who helped make the new Hilton Garden Inn project at 1715 North Waldron happen.

"This 112 room hotel is going to help fill some of the void," said chamber CEO Debra Teufel. "We hope it proves out that it will be just the first step in new investment for Raju Sheth and his development teams."

Sheth is familiar with working in Hutchinson. He helped develop the Holiday Inn Express and Fairfield Inn projects previously.

"It was a lot of back and forth," Sheth said. "It takes time. As things have changed after COVID, the process has become very long. I would have really liked to break ground six months ago, but no engineering firm would make drawings for six or seven months. Then, all the approval process with the franchise. That takes a long time, but we are glad to be here. One of the biggest things that happened to make this project possible is the financing from the bank, the First National Bank."

Darrel Miller of First National Bank spoke about his memories of when he realized just how dire the hotel situation was in Hutchinson.

"I was in a meeting on the north side of town," Miller said. "I drove back to the bank and I drove down Lorraine Street and there were crews putting plywood on a building there on Lorraine Street. I'll never forget that. I think you all know what building I'm talking about. I went back to the bank and I thought. This is a plight and it's a blight in Hutchinson, so I resolved that day that if there was ever a chance that something like this would come to Hutchinson, that we would be a part of it."

Miller also acknowledged Pat Fallon of Plains State Bank, as they are also assisting on the project.

The project goal is to finish by March of 2025, in time for the 2025 NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698705945819.jpeg" alt="Community leaders from across Hutchinson joined Amber Hotel, LLC developers and city officials, along with the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce at a groundbreaking for the new Hilton Garden Inn on October 30, 2023. Photo by Nick Gosnell." />
 <figcaption>Community leaders from across Hutchinson joined Amber Hotel, LLC developers and city officials, along with the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce at a groundbreaking for the new Hilton Garden Inn on October 30, 2023. Photo by Nick Gosnell.</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL&nbsp;Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The golden shovels were out on Monday in Hutchinson. The groundbreaking ceremony took place with the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, Amber Hotel LLC and many community leaders who helped make the new Hilton Garden Inn project at 1715 North Waldron happen."This 112 room hotel is going to help fill some of the void," said chamber CEO Debra Teufel. "We hope it proves out that it will be just the first step in new investment for Raju Sheth and his development teams."Sheth is familiar with working in Hutchinson. He helped develop the Holiday Inn Express and Fairfield Inn projects previously."It was a lot of back and forth," Sheth said. "It takes time. As things have changed after COVID, the process has become very long. I would have really liked to break ground six months ago, but no engineering firm would make drawings for six or seven months. Then, all the approval process with the franchise. That takes a long time, but we are glad to be here. One of the biggest things that happened to make this project possible is the financing from the bank, the First National Bank."Darrel Miller of First National Bank spoke about his memories of when he realized just how dire the hotel situation was in Hutchinson."I was in a meeting on the north side of town," Miller said. "I drove back to the bank and I drove down Lorraine Street and there were crews putting plywood on a building there on Lorraine Street. I'll never forget that. I think you all know what building I'm talking about. I went back to the bank and I thought. This is a plight and it's a blight in Hutchinson, so I resolved that day that if there was ever a chance that something like this would come to Hutchinson, that we would be a part of it."Miller also acknowledged Pat Fallon of Plains State Bank, as they are also assisting on the project.The project goal is to finish by March of 2025, in time for the 2025 NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament.

Ground broken on $18 million Hutchinson hotel project

WASHINGTON (AP)— The Pentagon continues to provide weapons shipments almost on a daily basis to Israel, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Monday.

Despite the rising number of civilian casualties, “we are not putting any limits on how Israel uses weapons,” Singh said. “That is really up to the Israeli Defense Force to use and how they are going to conduct their operations.”

Singh did not answer a question on whether there were concerns inside the Pentagon about the way the weapons were being used, but said that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has regularly emphasized the need for Israel to follow the laws of armed conflict and avoid civilian casualties as much as possible.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israeli ground forces are attacking Hamas militants and infrastructure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-news-10-31-2023-54ab6bd7f6861be86266770c245827e1">in northern Gaza</a>&nbsp;as warplanes strike across the sealed-off territory. Buoyed by the first successful rescue of a captive held by Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for a cease-fire and again vowed to crush the militant group’s ability to govern Gaza or threaten Israel.

More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians have fled their homes, with hundreds of thousands sheltering in packed U.N.-run schools-turned-shelters or in hospitals alongside thousands of wounded patients.

The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has reached 8,306, according to the Hamas-run&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>. In the occupied West Bank, more than 122 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.

More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, most of them civilians slain in the initial Hamas rampage that started the fighting Oct. 7. In addition, 240 hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza by the militant group. One of the captives, a female Israeli soldier,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-news-10-30-2023-131e9537aaad8e74586cc114d2668e5a">was rescued</a>&nbsp;in a special forces operation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698490072758.png" alt="Three U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotankers assigned to Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., arrive at an undisclosed location in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Oct. 23, 2023. The aircraft provide aerial refueling, as well as rapid and reliable passenger and cargo airlift and aero-medical evacuations. The KC-135 is deployed within the Centcom area of responsibility to help defend U.S. interests, promote regional security, and deter aggression in the region. Photo courtesy Air Force&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Three U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotankers assigned to Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., arrive at an undisclosed location in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Oct. 23, 2023. The aircraft provide aerial refueling, as well as rapid and reliable passenger and cargo airlift and aero-medical evacuations. The KC-135 is deployed within the Centcom area of responsibility to help defend U.S. interests, promote regional security, and deter aggression in the region. Photo courtesy Air Force&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP)— The Pentagon continues to provide weapons shipments almost on a daily basis to Israel, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Monday.Despite the rising number of civilian casualties, “we are not putting any limits on how Israel uses weapons,” Singh said. “That is really up to the Israeli Defense Force to use and how they are going to conduct their operations.”Singh did not answer a question on whether there were concerns inside the Pentagon about the way the weapons were being used, but said that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has regularly emphasized the need for Israel to follow the laws of armed conflict and avoid civilian casualties as much as possible.Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israeli ground forces are attacking Hamas militants and infrastructure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-news-10-31-2023-54ab6bd7f6861be86266770c245827e1">in northern Gaza</a>&nbsp;as warplanes strike across the sealed-off territory. Buoyed by the first successful rescue of a captive held by Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for a cease-fire and again vowed to crush the militant group’s ability to govern Gaza or threaten Israel.More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians have fled their homes, with hundreds of thousands sheltering in packed U.N.-run schools-turned-shelters or in hospitals alongside thousands of wounded patients.The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has reached 8,306, according to the Hamas-run&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>. In the occupied West Bank, more than 122 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, most of them civilians slain in the initial Hamas rampage that started the fighting Oct. 7. In addition, 240 hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza by the militant group. One of the captives, a female Israeli soldier,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-news-10-30-2023-131e9537aaad8e74586cc114d2668e5a">was rescued</a>&nbsp;in a special forces operation.

US continues to provide Israel with weapon shipments daily 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly Sunday morning shooting outside a Wichita nightclub continue the search for the shooter identified as 33-year-old Terrence Johnson. 

Police arrested him minutes after the shooting in connection with another crime involving his family. He was booked into jail for the misdemeanor and released before investigators determined he was the alleged nightclub killer.

Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were monitoring at Onyx 10001  E. Kellogg 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 the suspect now identified as 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. Police continue to ask the public for help to find him. He should be considered armed and dangerous.

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.&nbsp; Police had no information at that time Johnson was a suspect in the deadly nightclub shooting.&nbsp;

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;

Anyone with information on Johnson or where he is should call 911.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698681929650.png" alt="Johnson-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Johnson-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly Sunday morning shooting outside a Wichita nightclub continue the search for the shooter identified as 33-year-old Terrence Johnson. Police arrested him minutes after the shooting in connection with another crime involving his family. He was booked into jail for the misdemeanor and released before investigators determined he was the alleged nightclub killer.Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were monitoring at Onyx 10001 E. Kellogg 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.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698581256538.png" alt="Security camera image Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation suggest that the suspect now identified as 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. Police continue to ask the public for help to find him. He should be considered armed and dangerous.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698684116919.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>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.&nbsp; Police had no information at that time Johnson was a suspect in the deadly nightclub shooting.&nbsp;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;Anyone with information on Johnson or where he is should call 911.&nbsp;

Suspect in Kansas nightclub killing is still hiding from police

TROY, Mo. (AP) — A prosecutor has dropped and refiled the murder case against Pamela Hupp, a killing that inspired a TV miniseries.

Lincoln County, Missouri Prosecuting Attorney Mike Wood&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-michael-brown-0a8cb30de974ff20f3dd4313a349305c">charged Hupp with first-degree murder</a>&nbsp;in July 2021, accusing her of killing her friend, Betsy Faria, a decade earlier. Faria's husband, Russ, spent time in prison for the crime before his conviction was overturned.

On Friday, Wood told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/prosecutors-refile-pam-hupp-murder-case-still-aim-for-2025-trial/article_2a3ffb84-7506-11ee-82c0-83ee5039a777.html">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>&nbsp;that his office decided to refile the case to petition for a closer venue. The original case had been moved on a change of venue to Springfield, about four hours away from Lincoln County.

Wood hopes the move will ease the financial and travel burden on prosecutors, witnesses and Faria’s family.

“It was too much to ask of witnesses and Besty Faria’s loved ones,” he said.

Phone calls seeking comment Saturday from Hupp's attorney were unanswered.

Prosecutors allege Hupp fatally stabbed Faria in 2011 for the $150,000 life insurance policy that Faria had switched over to Hupp days before her death. They say Hupp staged the scene to implicate Russ Faria.

Russ Faria was sentenced in 2013 to life in prison but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-07b3b943963347bd9c74dede5e782e59">the conviction was overturned</a>&nbsp;in 2015. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department last year reached a $2 million settlement with him for the wrongful conviction.

The Faria case was the subject of an NBC miniseries last year, “The Thing About Pam,” which starred Renee Zellweger.

Hupp already is in prison for another killing. In 2019, she was sentenced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e6af4be707fd496ca1abee10016f6bb5">life in prison</a>&nbsp;without the possibility for parole for the 2016 fatal shooting of 33-year-old Louis Gumpenberger.

In that case, Hupp staged a fake kidnapping to divert attention from herself in a reinvestigation of the Faria killing, prosecutors said. They claimed she lured Gumpenberger to her home with claims she was a producer for NBC’s Dateline in need of help reenacting a 911 call. Gumpenberger had mental and physical disabilities from an accident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626115461659.png" alt="Hupp photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Hupp photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>TROY, Mo. (AP) — A prosecutor has dropped and refiled the murder case against Pamela Hupp, a killing that inspired a TV miniseries.Lincoln County, Missouri Prosecuting Attorney Mike Wood&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-michael-brown-0a8cb30de974ff20f3dd4313a349305c">charged Hupp with first-degree murder</a>&nbsp;in July 2021, accusing her of killing her friend, Betsy Faria, a decade earlier. Faria's husband, Russ, spent time in prison for the crime before his conviction was overturned.On Friday, Wood told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/prosecutors-refile-pam-hupp-murder-case-still-aim-for-2025-trial/article_2a3ffb84-7506-11ee-82c0-83ee5039a777.html">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>&nbsp;that his office decided to refile the case to petition for a closer venue. The original case had been moved on a change of venue to Springfield, about four hours away from Lincoln County.Wood hopes the move will ease the financial and travel burden on prosecutors, witnesses and Faria’s family.“It was too much to ask of witnesses and Besty Faria’s loved ones,” he said.Phone calls seeking comment Saturday from Hupp's attorney were unanswered.Prosecutors allege Hupp fatally stabbed Faria in 2011 for the $150,000 life insurance policy that Faria had switched over to Hupp days before her death. They say Hupp staged the scene to implicate Russ Faria.Russ Faria was sentenced in 2013 to life in prison but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-07b3b943963347bd9c74dede5e782e59">the conviction was overturned</a>&nbsp;in 2015. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department last year reached a $2 million settlement with him for the wrongful conviction.The Faria case was the subject of an NBC miniseries last year, “The Thing About Pam,” which starred Renee Zellweger.Hupp already is in prison for another killing. In 2019, she was sentenced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e6af4be707fd496ca1abee10016f6bb5">life in prison</a>&nbsp;without the possibility for parole for the 2016 fatal shooting of 33-year-old Louis Gumpenberger.In that case, Hupp staged a fake kidnapping to divert attention from herself in a reinvestigation of the Faria killing, prosecutors said. They claimed she lured Gumpenberger to her home with claims she was a producer for NBC’s Dateline in need of help reenacting a 911 call. Gumpenberger had mental and physical disabilities from an accident.

Prosecutor refiles case against woman accused of killing her friend

DENVER (AP) — A heavily armed man killed himself rather than carry out an apparent plan to shoot up a mountaintop amusement park in Colorado, authorities said Monday.

The 20-year-old man was found dead in a bathroom at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park by a maintenance crew on Saturday morning before it opened to the public, apparently entering the park while it was closed. He was armed with an AR-style rifle, a semi-automatic handgun and explosives and was wearing body armor and tactical clothing, similar to what a police SWAT team member might wear, authorities said.

A message saying, “I am not a killer, I just want to get into the caves,” was written on a wall of the women’s bathroom where the man was found lying on the floor, Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario said. Nearby was a handgun and explosive devices, some real and some fake, he said. The AR rifle was on a counter nearby along with a duty belt holding several ammunition magazines.

Vallario could not say for certain that the suspect left the message.

Multiple improvised explosive devices were found in the man's vehicle, police had said. Authorities searched the rest of the park for other explosives but suggested no others were found.

“Given the preparation, given the amount of weapons and ordinance he had it almost seemed very highly likely he intended to use those against the community. He chose not to,” Vallario said.

The park would likely be crowded on a fall weekend during hunting season when people go to the mountains to see the changing autumn colors, Vallario said. And given the park’s isolated location, which visitors take a gondola to normally, it would have been difficult to get any wounded to the hospital, he said.

The man, whose name has not been released, was from the nearby town of Carbondale, where he lived with his mother and brother, Vallario said. He had no known criminal history or prior encounters with law enforcement, the sheriff said.

The weapons found on the suspect were ghost guns, which do not have serial numbers and therefore cannot be traced. The man’s clothing had patches and emblems that gave the appearance of him being associated with law enforcement.

Some of the suspected explosives turned out to be fakes -- including several that looked like hand grenades -- but others were real, the sheriff said. However, there was no evidence to suggest that explosive devices had been placed elsewhere inside the park, he said.

The park is located on a mountain above the Colorado River in western Colorado. Its attractions include cave tours, an alpine coaster and a pendulum swing ride perched on the edge of a cliff that sends riders over the river canyon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630969323925.png" alt="Photo courtesy Glenwood Caverns" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Glenwood Caverns</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — A heavily armed man killed himself rather than carry out an apparent plan to shoot up a mountaintop amusement park in Colorado, authorities said Monday.The 20-year-old man was found dead in a bathroom at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park by a maintenance crew on Saturday morning before it opened to the public, apparently entering the park while it was closed. He was armed with an AR-style rifle, a semi-automatic handgun and explosives and was wearing body armor and tactical clothing, similar to what a police SWAT team member might wear, authorities said.A message saying, “I am not a killer, I just want to get into the caves,” was written on a wall of the women’s bathroom where the man was found lying on the floor, Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario said. Nearby was a handgun and explosive devices, some real and some fake, he said. The AR rifle was on a counter nearby along with a duty belt holding several ammunition magazines.Vallario could not say for certain that the suspect left the message.Multiple improvised explosive devices were found in the man's vehicle, police had said. Authorities searched the rest of the park for other explosives but suggested no others were found.“Given the preparation, given the amount of weapons and ordinance he had it almost seemed very highly likely he intended to use those against the community. He chose not to,” Vallario said.The park would likely be crowded on a fall weekend during hunting season when people go to the mountains to see the changing autumn colors, Vallario said. And given the park’s isolated location, which visitors take a gondola to normally, it would have been difficult to get any wounded to the hospital, he said.The man, whose name has not been released, was from the nearby town of Carbondale, where he lived with his mother and brother, Vallario said. He had no known criminal history or prior encounters with law enforcement, the sheriff said.The weapons found on the suspect were ghost guns, which do not have serial numbers and therefore cannot be traced. The man’s clothing had patches and emblems that gave the appearance of him being associated with law enforcement.Some of the suspected explosives turned out to be fakes -- including several that looked like hand grenades -- but others were real, the sheriff said. However, there was no evidence to suggest that explosive devices had been placed elsewhere inside the park, he said.The park is located on a mountain above the Colorado River in western Colorado. Its attractions include cave tours, an alpine coaster and a pendulum swing ride perched on the edge of a cliff that sends riders over the river canyon.

Heavily armed man found dead at Colorado amusement park

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities have identified the two men who died in a Sunday morning shooting at a bar and grill in Dodge City.

The victims were identified as 28-year=old Abraham Morales-Santos,  and 29-year-old Antonio A. Cabrera both of Dodge City, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

A 40-year-old shooting victim remains hospitalized in Wichita. His condition has improved, and he is currently stable.&nbsp;The fourth victim who was 27-years-old, was treated and released from the hospital.

The suspect Ricardo J. Cadena-Garcia, 36, of Dodge City, is being held in the Beaver County Jail in Oklahoma on a warrant for capital murder connected to the deaths of Morales-Santos and Cabrera, as well as requested charges for attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated battery. An extradition hearing is expected.&nbsp;

Just after 1 a.m., Sunday 911 calls were placed reporting shots being fired at Central Station Bar and Grill,&nbsp; 207 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., in Dodge City. When officers from the Dodge City Police Department and deputies from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office arrived they found four men who had suffered gunshot wounds.

Preliminary information indicates that an altercation occurred and&nbsp; Cadena-Garcia used a small caliber handgun to shoot and kill the two who died. He then fled the area.

Kansas authorities tracked Cadena-Garcia as he fled into Oklahoma. The Beaver County (Oklahoma) Sheriff’s Office sent deputies to search the area. They located Cadena-Garcia’s white Dodg Ram pickup 1.5 miles outside of Forgan, Oklahoma, according to the KBI.

The truck was disabled due to a blown front tire. Cadena-Garcia was waiting for assistance from an area tire shop when deputies approached his truck. He was arrested without incident.

Cadena-Garcia is being held in the the Beaver County Jail.

Any witness to this shooting who has not yet provided a statement to police is asked to contact the Dodge City Police Department at 620-225-8126. Additionally, any personal property that was left behind at the bar can be picked up at the Dodge City Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698593536918.png" alt="Cadena-Garcia-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Cadena-Garcia-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities have identified the two men who died in a Sunday morning shooting at a bar and grill in Dodge City.The victims were identified as 28-year=old Abraham Morales-Santos, and 29-year-old Antonio A. Cabrera both of Dodge City, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.A 40-year-old shooting victim remains hospitalized in Wichita. His condition has improved, and he is currently stable.&nbsp;The fourth victim who was 27-years-old, was treated and released from the hospital.The suspect Ricardo J. Cadena-Garcia, 36, of Dodge City, is being held in the Beaver County Jail in Oklahoma on a warrant for capital murder connected to the deaths of Morales-Santos and Cabrera, as well as requested charges for attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated battery. An extradition hearing is expected.&nbsp;Just after 1 a.m., Sunday 911 calls were placed reporting shots being fired at Central Station Bar and Grill,&nbsp; 207 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., in Dodge City. When officers from the Dodge City Police Department and deputies from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office arrived they found four men who had suffered gunshot wounds.Preliminary information indicates that an altercation occurred and&nbsp; Cadena-Garcia used a small caliber handgun to shoot and kill the two who died. He then fled the area.Kansas authorities tracked Cadena-Garcia as he fled into Oklahoma. The Beaver County (Oklahoma) Sheriff’s Office sent deputies to search the area. They located Cadena-Garcia’s white Dodg Ram pickup 1.5 miles outside of Forgan, Oklahoma, according to the KBI.The truck was disabled due to a blown front tire. Cadena-Garcia was waiting for assistance from an area tire shop when deputies approached his truck. He was arrested without incident.Cadena-Garcia is being held in the the Beaver County Jail.Any witness to this shooting who has not yet provided a statement to police is asked to contact the Dodge City Police Department at 620-225-8126. Additionally, any personal property that was left behind at the bar can be picked up at the Dodge City Police Department.

SW Kan. killing suspect was caught after his truck had flat tire

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER&nbsp;Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent robbery in Salina.

Just before 10p.m. Oct. 28, police responded to report of an aggravated robbery at 917 N. 13th Street in the North End Mobile Home Court, according to Police Sergeant Kyle Tonniges.

Four victims at the residence reported that four or five men entered the home and attacked the people inside.

"They made entry to the home, struck one of the victims with a hammer in the head," said Tonniges. "One person was forced into a bedroom, and one of the suspects held a knife to his neck."

After assaulting the victims inside, Tonniges said the suspects stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the home and left. Police have identified three of the four or five suspects involved in the incident and were&nbsp; still looking for them.

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER&nbsp;Salina PostSALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent robbery in Salina.Just before 10p.m. Oct. 28, police responded to report of an aggravated robbery at 917 N. 13th Street in the North End Mobile Home Court, according to Police Sergeant Kyle Tonniges.Four victims at the residence reported that four or five men entered the home and attacked the people inside."They made entry to the home, struck one of the victims with a hammer in the head," said Tonniges. "One person was forced into a bedroom, and one of the suspects held a knife to his neck."After assaulting the victims inside, Tonniges said the suspects stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the home and left. Police have identified three of the four or five suspects involved in the incident and were&nbsp; still looking for them.

Police: Suspect struck Kan. robbery victim with a hammer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge on Monday put a new state law on medication abortions on hold and blocked older restrictions that for years have spelled out what providers must tell patients and forced patients to wait 24 hours to end their pregnancies.

The ruling was another big victory for abortion rights advocates in Kansas, where a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">statewide vote in August 2022</a>&nbsp;decisively confirmed protections for abortion access under the state constitution. District Judge K. Christopher Jayaram's order suspends some restrictions that have been in effect for years. The waiting period had been in place since 1997.

“The Court has great respect for the deeply held beliefs on either side of this contentious issue,” Jayaram wrote in his 92-page order. “Nevertheless, the State’s capacity to legislate pursuant to its own moral scruples is necessarily curbed by the Kansas Constitution and its Bill of Rights.”

Jayaram's order is set to remain in effect through the trial set for the end of June 2024 for a lawsuit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kansas-waiting-period-medication-reversal-1f0f5fad64b4180997d0f32a32d047dd">filed by abortion providers,</a>&nbsp;against state officials who would enforce abortion restrictions. The providers filed their case in Johnson County in the Kansas City area, home to two clinics that provide abortions.

The legal battle highlights the importance of state courts in attempts to preserve access a little more than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">decision in Dobbs v. Jackson</a>&nbsp;ended protections under the U.S. Constitution and allowed states to ban abortion. In August,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-lawsuit-ban-exceptions-women-denied-pregnancy-d90f3bce68d86e5eafe3ba4ba5939188">a judge in Texas</a>&nbsp;ruled that the state's ban was too restrictive, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-kansas-abortion-laws-roe-wade-challenges-a1d2cd697822e103ab47d1a7aff92c56">the Utah Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;heard arguments on whether it should lift a hold on a state law there banning most abortions.

Kansas has been an outlier on abortion among states with Republican-controlled legislatures. The state Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">declared in 2019</a>&nbsp;that the Kansas Constitution protects a right to bodily autonomy and therefore access to abortion as a "fundamental" right. GOP lawmakers proposed an amendment to the state constitution to declare that it doesn't grant a right to abortion — and in the August 2022 vote, that ballot initiative lost by a wide margin, upholding abortion rights.

Republican lawmakers nevertheless argued this year that “reasonable restrictions" are still fair game.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-reversal-culture-war-kansas-b4f1ab2b807eaa36fe11756248cc08ea">A law that took effect July 1</a>&nbsp;required abortion providers to tell their patients that a medication abortion can be stopped using a regimen touted by anti-abortion groups. The state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kansas-medication-reversal-waiting-period-5e0fbd27fdd1e2937ea68b7dc1fbeec0">agreed not to enforce it</a>&nbsp;until another ruling from Jayaram.

In an August hearing, Jayaram said his reading of medical literature showed that the regimen's effectiveness is not confirmed by any valid studies. Major medical groups consider the regimen ineffective and potentially unsafe.

Providers also attacked existing laws enacted by GOP lawmakers as a way to ensure patients are properly informed before undergoing an abortion. Patients not only must receive medical information 24 hours before the procedure, but that information must also be in writing and in a specific size and style of type. It must include statements drafted by abortion opponents about fetal development and purported abortion risks that major medical groups consider debunked, false or misleading.

“I’m struggling to see why we’re singling out one specific provider type and one specific service,” Jayaram told the state’s attorneys from the bench during the recent hearing.

Attorneys for the providers have argued that the growing layers of restrictions created a biased counseling scheme designed to discourage abortion. Kansas doesn't ban most abortions until the 22nd week of pregnancy.

The providers also said challenging older restrictions became more compelling as other states banned abortion and out-of-state residents flooded them with requests for appointments. Kansas saw a 57% increase in abortions in 2022, according to state health department data.

“We feel compelled to get patients who are going to get back in the car for 15 hours medically accurate information because we know they’re scared to talk to providers at home,” Emily Wales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, told reporters after a recent court hearing.

Abortion opponents argued repeatedly before the August 2022 vote that without a change in the state constitution, all existing abortion restrictions could be at risk. The state Supreme Court is reviewing a 2015 law banning the most common second-trimester procedure and a 2011 law imposing tougher health and safety requirements only for abortion providers. Neither has been enforced because of the litigation.

Attorneys for the state and the anti-abortion Alliance for Defending Freedom argue that in suing the state this year, providers are working against their patients' interest in having as much information as possible.

“Simply giving a woman information — just like these abortion providers have done for 26 years — that's not impairing a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion one way or the other,” Denise Harle, an alliance attorney, said following the court hearing earlier this month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967437018.png" alt="Jayaram's order is set to remain in effect through the trial set for the end of June 2024 for a lawsuit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kansas-waiting-period-medication-reversal-1f0f5fad64b4180997d0f32a32d047dd">filed by abortion providers,</a>&nbsp;against state officials who would enforce abortion restrictions.-AP file photo" />
 <figcaption>Jayaram's order is set to remain in effect through the trial set for the end of June 2024 for a lawsuit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kansas-waiting-period-medication-reversal-1f0f5fad64b4180997d0f32a32d047dd">filed by abortion providers,</a>&nbsp;against state officials who would enforce abortion restrictions.-AP file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge on Monday put a new state law on medication abortions on hold and blocked older restrictions that for years have spelled out what providers must tell patients and forced patients to wait 24 hours to end their pregnancies.The ruling was another big victory for abortion rights advocates in Kansas, where a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">statewide vote in August 2022</a>&nbsp;decisively confirmed protections for abortion access under the state constitution. District Judge K. Christopher Jayaram's order suspends some restrictions that have been in effect for years. The waiting period had been in place since 1997.“The Court has great respect for the deeply held beliefs on either side of this contentious issue,” Jayaram wrote in his 92-page order. “Nevertheless, the State’s capacity to legislate pursuant to its own moral scruples is necessarily curbed by the Kansas Constitution and its Bill of Rights.”Jayaram's order is set to remain in effect through the trial set for the end of June 2024 for a lawsuit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kansas-waiting-period-medication-reversal-1f0f5fad64b4180997d0f32a32d047dd">filed by abortion providers,</a>&nbsp;against state officials who would enforce abortion restrictions. The providers filed their case in Johnson County in the Kansas City area, home to two clinics that provide abortions.The legal battle highlights the importance of state courts in attempts to preserve access a little more than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">decision in Dobbs v. Jackson</a>&nbsp;ended protections under the U.S. Constitution and allowed states to ban abortion. In August,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-lawsuit-ban-exceptions-women-denied-pregnancy-d90f3bce68d86e5eafe3ba4ba5939188">a judge in Texas</a>&nbsp;ruled that the state's ban was too restrictive, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-kansas-abortion-laws-roe-wade-challenges-a1d2cd697822e103ab47d1a7aff92c56">the Utah Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;heard arguments on whether it should lift a hold on a state law there banning most abortions.Kansas has been an outlier on abortion among states with Republican-controlled legislatures. The state Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">declared in 2019</a>&nbsp;that the Kansas Constitution protects a right to bodily autonomy and therefore access to abortion as a "fundamental" right. GOP lawmakers proposed an amendment to the state constitution to declare that it doesn't grant a right to abortion — and in the August 2022 vote, that ballot initiative lost by a wide margin, upholding abortion rights.Republican lawmakers nevertheless argued this year that “reasonable restrictions" are still fair game.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-reversal-culture-war-kansas-b4f1ab2b807eaa36fe11756248cc08ea">A law that took effect July 1</a>&nbsp;required abortion providers to tell their patients that a medication abortion can be stopped using a regimen touted by anti-abortion groups. The state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kansas-medication-reversal-waiting-period-5e0fbd27fdd1e2937ea68b7dc1fbeec0">agreed not to enforce it</a>&nbsp;until another ruling from Jayaram.In an August hearing, Jayaram said his reading of medical literature showed that the regimen's effectiveness is not confirmed by any valid studies. Major medical groups consider the regimen ineffective and potentially unsafe.Providers also attacked existing laws enacted by GOP lawmakers as a way to ensure patients are properly informed before undergoing an abortion. Patients not only must receive medical information 24 hours before the procedure, but that information must also be in writing and in a specific size and style of type. It must include statements drafted by abortion opponents about fetal development and purported abortion risks that major medical groups consider debunked, false or misleading.“I’m struggling to see why we’re singling out one specific provider type and one specific service,” Jayaram told the state’s attorneys from the bench during the recent hearing.Attorneys for the providers have argued that the growing layers of restrictions created a biased counseling scheme designed to discourage abortion. Kansas doesn't ban most abortions until the 22nd week of pregnancy.The providers also said challenging older restrictions became more compelling as other states banned abortion and out-of-state residents flooded them with requests for appointments. Kansas saw a 57% increase in abortions in 2022, according to state health department data.“We feel compelled to get patients who are going to get back in the car for 15 hours medically accurate information because we know they’re scared to talk to providers at home,” Emily Wales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, told reporters after a recent court hearing.Abortion opponents argued repeatedly before the August 2022 vote that without a change in the state constitution, all existing abortion restrictions could be at risk. The state Supreme Court is reviewing a 2015 law banning the most common second-trimester procedure and a 2011 law imposing tougher health and safety requirements only for abortion providers. Neither has been enforced because of the litigation.Attorneys for the state and the anti-abortion Alliance for Defending Freedom argue that in suing the state this year, providers are working against their patients' interest in having as much information as possible.“Simply giving a woman information — just like these abortion providers have done for 26 years — that's not impairing a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion one way or the other,” Denise Harle, an alliance attorney, said following the court hearing earlier this month.

Kansas judge puts new state law on medication abortions on hold

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;on Monday issued a sweeping <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">executive order </a>to guide the development of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;— requiring industry to develop safety and security standards, introducing new consumer protections and giving federal agencies an extensive to-do list to oversee the rapidly progressing technology.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">Click here to</a> read details of the order

The <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">order </a>reflects the government's effort to shape how AI evolves in a way that can maximize its possibilities and contain its perils. AI has been a source of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ai-artificial-intelligence-518ec2a9190cfb10db9dbcc1eaab3c4c#:~:text=Washington%20News-,In%20San%20Francisco%2C%20Biden%20talks%20with%20tech%20leaders%20about,and%20promises%20of%20artificial%20intelligence&amp;text=SAN%20FRANCISCO%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20President,enormous%20promises%E2%80%9D%20of%20artificial%20intelligence.">deep personal interest</a>&nbsp;for Biden, with its potential to affect the economy and national security.

White House chief of staff Jeff Zients recalled Biden giving his staff a directive to move with urgency on the issue, having considered the technology a top priority.

“We can’t move at a normal government pace,” Zients said the Democratic president told him. “We have to move as fast, if not faster than the technology itself.”

In Biden's view, the government was late to address the risks of social media and now U.S. youth are grappling with related mental health issues. AI has the positive ability to accelerate cancer research, model the impacts of climate change, boost economic output and improve government services among other benefits. But it could also warp basic notions of truth with false images, deepen racial and social inequalities and provide a tool to scammers and criminals.

The order builds on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-safeguards-joe-biden-kamala-harris-4caf02b94275429f764b06840897436c">voluntary commitments</a>&nbsp;already made by technology companies. It's part of a broader strategy that administration officials say also includes congressional legislation and international diplomacy, a sign of the disruptions already caused by the introduction of new AI tools such as ChatGPT that can generate new text, images and sounds.

Using the Defense Production Act, the order will require leading AI developers to share safety test results and other information with the government. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is to create standards to ensure AI tools are safe and secure before public release.

The Commerce Department is to issue guidance to label and watermark AI-generated content to help differentiate between authentic interactions and those generated by software. The order also touches on matters of privacy, civil rights, consumer protections, scientific research and worker rights.

An administration official who previewed the order on a Sunday call with reporters said the to-do lists within the order will be implemented and fulfilled over the range of 90 days to 365 days, with the safety and security items facing the earliest deadlines. The official briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, as required by the White House.

Last Thursday, Biden gathered his aides in the Oval Office to review and finalize the executive order, a 30-minute meeting that stretched to 70 minutes, despite other pressing matters including the mass shooting in Maine, the Israel-Hamas war and the selection of a new House speaker.

Biden was profoundly curious about the technology in the months of meetings that led up to drafting the order. His science advisory council focused on AI at two meetings and his Cabinet discussed it at two meetings. The president also pressed tech executives and civil society advocates about the technology's capabilities at multiple gatherings.

“He was as impressed and alarmed as anyone,” deputy White House chief of staff Bruce Reed said in an interview. “He saw fake AI images of himself, of his dog. He saw how it can make bad poetry. And he’s seen and heard the incredible and terrifying technology of voice cloning, which can take three seconds of your voice and turn it into an entire fake conversation.”

The possibility of false images and sounds led the president to prioritize the labeling and watermarking of anything produced by AI. Biden also wanted to thwart the risk of older Americans getting a phone call from someone who sounded like a loved one, only to be scammed by an AI tool.

Meetings could go beyond schedule, with Biden telling civil society advocates in a ballroom of San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel in June: “This is important. Take as long as you need.”

The president also talked with scientists and saw the upside that AI created if harnessed for good. He listened to a Nobel Prize-winning physicist talk about how AI could explain the origins of the universe. Another scientist showed how AI could model extreme weather like 100-year floods, as the past data used to assess these events has lost its accuracy because of climate change.

The issue of AI was seemingly inescapable for Biden. At Camp David one weekend, he relaxed by watching the Tom Cruise film “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.” The film's villain is a sentient and rogue AI known as “the Entity” that sinks a submarine and kills its crew in the movie's opening minutes.

“If he hadn’t already been concerned about what could go wrong with AI before that movie, he saw plenty more to worry about,” said Reed, who watched the film with the president.

With Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/schumer-artificial-intelligence-elon-musk-senate-efcfb1067d68ad2f595db7e92167943c">still in the early stages</a>&nbsp;of debating AI safeguards, Biden's order stakes out a U.S. perspective as countries around the world race to establish&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-risk-of-extinction-ai-54ea8aadc60d1503e5a65878219aad43">their own guidelines</a>. After more than two years of deliberation, the European Union is putting the final touches on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-act-artificial-intelligence-europe-regulation-94e2b38703b38fdbfabc9580f845ef9a">a comprehensive set of regulations</a>&nbsp;that targets the riskiest applications for the technology. China, a key AI rival to the U.S., has also set some rules.

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also hopes to carve out a prominent role for Britain as an AI safety hub at a summit this week that Vice President Kamala&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-ai-artificial-intelligence-db8bbdc0e726f1993cced4b298eb8aa9">Harris plans to attend</a>.

The U.S., particularly its West Coast, is home to many of the leading developers of cutting-edge AI technology, including tech giants Google, Meta and Microsoft and AI-focused startups such as OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT. The White House took advantage of that industry weight earlier this year when it secured commitments from those companies to implement safety mechanisms as they build new AI models.

But the White House also faced significant pressure from Democratic allies, including labor and civil rights groups, to make sure its policies reflected their concerns about AI's real-world harms.

The American Civil Liberties Union is among the groups that met with the White House to try to ensure "we're holding the tech industry and tech billionaires accountable” so that algorithmic tools "work for all of us and not just a few,” said ReNika Moore, director of the ACLU's racial justice program.

Suresh Venkatasubramanian, a former Biden administration official who helped craft principles for approaching AI, said one of the biggest challenges within the federal government has been what to do about law enforcement’s use of AI tools, including at U.S. borders.

“These are all places where we know that the use of automation is very problematic, with facial recognition, drone technology,” Venkatasubramanian said. Facial recognition technology has been shown to perform unevenly across racial groups, and has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mistaken-arrests-facial-recognition-technology-lawsuits-b613161c56472459df683f54320d08a7">tied to mistaken arrests</a>.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;on Monday issued a sweeping <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">executive order </a>to guide the development of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;— requiring industry to develop safety and security standards, introducing new consumer protections and giving federal agencies an extensive to-do list to oversee the rapidly progressing technology.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NEW: Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> will issue a landmark Executive Order to ensure America leads the way in seizing the promise and managing the risks of AI. Watch as <a href="https://twitter.com/WHOSTP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WHOSTP</a> Director Arati Prabhakar explains the actions we’re taking, and then head to <a href="https://t.co/BkeiXp02Rt">https://t.co/BkeiXp02Rt</a> to learn more. <a href="https://t.co/nZUiBgaVOM">pic.twitter.com/nZUiBgaVOM</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1718983691446493640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">Click here to</a> read details of the orderThe <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">order </a>reflects the government's effort to shape how AI evolves in a way that can maximize its possibilities and contain its perils. AI has been a source of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ai-artificial-intelligence-518ec2a9190cfb10db9dbcc1eaab3c4c#:~:text=Washington%20News-,In%20San%20Francisco%2C%20Biden%20talks%20with%20tech%20leaders%20about,and%20promises%20of%20artificial%20intelligence&amp;text=SAN%20FRANCISCO%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20President,enormous%20promises%E2%80%9D%20of%20artificial%20intelligence.">deep personal interest</a>&nbsp;for Biden, with its potential to affect the economy and national security.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Here’s how President Biden’s landmark Executive Order on AI will ensure America leads the way in this period of technological change while keeping Americans safe. <a href="https://t.co/SvBPxiZk3M">pic.twitter.com/SvBPxiZk3M</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1719070211188687216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>White House chief of staff Jeff Zients recalled Biden giving his staff a directive to move with urgency on the issue, having considered the technology a top priority.“We can’t move at a normal government pace,” Zients said the Democratic president told him. “We have to move as fast, if not faster than the technology itself.”In Biden's view, the government was late to address the risks of social media and now U.S. youth are grappling with related mental health issues. AI has the positive ability to accelerate cancer research, model the impacts of climate change, boost economic output and improve government services among other benefits. But it could also warp basic notions of truth with false images, deepen racial and social inequalities and provide a tool to scammers and criminals.The order builds on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-safeguards-joe-biden-kamala-harris-4caf02b94275429f764b06840897436c">voluntary commitments</a>&nbsp;already made by technology companies. It's part of a broader strategy that administration officials say also includes congressional legislation and international diplomacy, a sign of the disruptions already caused by the introduction of new AI tools such as ChatGPT that can generate new text, images and sounds.Using the Defense Production Act, the order will require leading AI developers to share safety test results and other information with the government. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is to create standards to ensure AI tools are safe and secure before public release.The Commerce Department is to issue guidance to label and watermark AI-generated content to help differentiate between authentic interactions and those generated by software. The order also touches on matters of privacy, civil rights, consumer protections, scientific research and worker rights.An administration official who previewed the order on a Sunday call with reporters said the to-do lists within the order will be implemented and fulfilled over the range of 90 days to 365 days, with the safety and security items facing the earliest deadlines. The official briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, as required by the White House.Last Thursday, Biden gathered his aides in the Oval Office to review and finalize the executive order, a 30-minute meeting that stretched to 70 minutes, despite other pressing matters including the mass shooting in Maine, the Israel-Hamas war and the selection of a new House speaker.Biden was profoundly curious about the technology in the months of meetings that led up to drafting the order. His science advisory council focused on AI at two meetings and his Cabinet discussed it at two meetings. The president also pressed tech executives and civil society advocates about the technology's capabilities at multiple gatherings.“He was as impressed and alarmed as anyone,” deputy White House chief of staff Bruce Reed said in an interview. “He saw fake AI images of himself, of his dog. He saw how it can make bad poetry. And he’s seen and heard the incredible and terrifying technology of voice cloning, which can take three seconds of your voice and turn it into an entire fake conversation.”The possibility of false images and sounds led the president to prioritize the labeling and watermarking of anything produced by AI. Biden also wanted to thwart the risk of older Americans getting a phone call from someone who sounded like a loved one, only to be scammed by an AI tool.Meetings could go beyond schedule, with Biden telling civil society advocates in a ballroom of San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel in June: “This is important. Take as long as you need.”The president also talked with scientists and saw the upside that AI created if harnessed for good. He listened to a Nobel Prize-winning physicist talk about how AI could explain the origins of the universe. Another scientist showed how AI could model extreme weather like 100-year floods, as the past data used to assess these events has lost its accuracy because of climate change.The issue of AI was seemingly inescapable for Biden. At Camp David one weekend, he relaxed by watching the Tom Cruise film “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.” The film's villain is a sentient and rogue AI known as “the Entity” that sinks a submarine and kills its crew in the movie's opening minutes.“If he hadn’t already been concerned about what could go wrong with AI before that movie, he saw plenty more to worry about,” said Reed, who watched the film with the president.With Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/schumer-artificial-intelligence-elon-musk-senate-efcfb1067d68ad2f595db7e92167943c">still in the early stages</a>&nbsp;of debating AI safeguards, Biden's order stakes out a U.S. perspective as countries around the world race to establish&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-risk-of-extinction-ai-54ea8aadc60d1503e5a65878219aad43">their own guidelines</a>. After more than two years of deliberation, the European Union is putting the final touches on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-act-artificial-intelligence-europe-regulation-94e2b38703b38fdbfabc9580f845ef9a">a comprehensive set of regulations</a>&nbsp;that targets the riskiest applications for the technology. China, a key AI rival to the U.S., has also set some rules.U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also hopes to carve out a prominent role for Britain as an AI safety hub at a summit this week that Vice President Kamala&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-ai-artificial-intelligence-db8bbdc0e726f1993cced4b298eb8aa9">Harris plans to attend</a>.The U.S., particularly its West Coast, is home to many of the leading developers of cutting-edge AI technology, including tech giants Google, Meta and Microsoft and AI-focused startups such as OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT. The White House took advantage of that industry weight earlier this year when it secured commitments from those companies to implement safety mechanisms as they build new AI models.But the White House also faced significant pressure from Democratic allies, including labor and civil rights groups, to make sure its policies reflected their concerns about AI's real-world harms.The American Civil Liberties Union is among the groups that met with the White House to try to ensure "we're holding the tech industry and tech billionaires accountable” so that algorithmic tools "work for all of us and not just a few,” said ReNika Moore, director of the ACLU's racial justice program.Suresh Venkatasubramanian, a former Biden administration official who helped craft principles for approaching AI, said one of the biggest challenges within the federal government has been what to do about law enforcement’s use of AI tools, including at U.S. borders.“These are all places where we know that the use of automation is very problematic, with facial recognition, drone technology,” Venkatasubramanian said. Facial recognition technology has been shown to perform unevenly across racial groups, and has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mistaken-arrests-facial-recognition-technology-lawsuits-b613161c56472459df683f54320d08a7">tied to mistaken arrests</a>.

🎥Biden Issues new Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence

WASHINGTON&nbsp; (AP)— Two U.S. senior defense officials briefing reporters at the Pentagon on Monday said that from Oct. 17 to Oct. 30, U.S. and coalition forces were attacked at least 14 times in Iraq and nine times in Syria by a mix of drones and rockets for a total of 23 attacks.

The officials said many of the drones and rockets were intercepted and failed to reach their targets.

Bases housing U.S. troops in Syria and Iraq have come under rocket and drone attacks over the past weeks as tensions in the region rise over the Israel-Hamas war.

Meanwhile, Israel expanded its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-news-10-30-2023-131e9537aaad8e74586cc114d2668e5a">military incursion</a>&nbsp;deeper into the northern part of the Gaza Strip on Monday as the U.N. and medical staff expressed fears over airstrikes hitting closer to hospitals, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have sought shelter alongside thousands of wounded. The largest convoy of humanitarian aid to arrive in Gaza still fell far short of needs, relief workers said.

The movements of recent days, including larger ground operations both north and east of Gaza City, point to a focus on the city.

Israel’s military said late Monday that a female soldier captured during Hamas’ wide-ranging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;inside Israel was released during its ground operation — the first such rescue since the weekslong war began.

The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has reached 8,306, according to the Hamas-run&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>. In the occupied West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.

More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, most of them civilians slain in the initial Hamas rampage that started the fighting Oct. 7. In addition, 240 hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza by the militant group.

WASHINGTON&nbsp; (AP)— Two U.S. senior defense officials briefing reporters at the Pentagon on Monday said that from Oct. 17 to Oct. 30, U.S. and coalition forces were attacked at least 14 times in Iraq and nine times in Syria by a mix of drones and rockets for a total of 23 attacks.The officials said many of the drones and rockets were intercepted and failed to reach their targets.Bases housing U.S. troops in Syria and Iraq have come under rocket and drone attacks over the past weeks as tensions in the region rise over the Israel-Hamas war.Meanwhile, Israel expanded its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-news-10-30-2023-131e9537aaad8e74586cc114d2668e5a">military incursion</a>&nbsp;deeper into the northern part of the Gaza Strip on Monday as the U.N. and medical staff expressed fears over airstrikes hitting closer to hospitals, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have sought shelter alongside thousands of wounded. The largest convoy of humanitarian aid to arrive in Gaza still fell far short of needs, relief workers said.The movements of recent days, including larger ground operations both north and east of Gaza City, point to a focus on the city.Israel’s military said late Monday that a female soldier captured during Hamas’ wide-ranging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;inside Israel was released during its ground operation — the first such rescue since the weekslong war began.The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has reached 8,306, according to the Hamas-run&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>. In the occupied West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, most of them civilians slain in the initial Hamas rampage that started the fighting Oct. 7. In addition, 240 hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza by the militant group.

US: American, coalition forces attacked 23 times in Syria, Iraq 

By TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Haven school district administrator Megan Hett knew surveys indicated Reno County was short 1,600 child care slots and it was unlikely a private business would parachute in to help a small public school district fill the gap for children and their families.

Evidence that kids who attended preschool did better academically that those that didn’t provided incentive to get creative.

“The differences were vast,” said Hett, director of learning services for the 750-student district. “In reading and math, we were seeing a big difference in students who were at benchmarks and those who weren’t coming into kindergarten.”

She said the district opened two child care centers in a collaborative effort with the cities of Haven and Yoder. The preschool unit was located in Yoder to provide 40 slots for a combined preschool and after-school program. The all-day setup was available during the academic year and the summer months. Haven, six miles down Kansas 96, became home to an infant and toddler facility with 16 slots. There’s a plan to add 10 more slots. The operation included transportation services.

“We’re excited to offer these resources to our community,” Hett said.

It was the kind of community-based answer to Kansas’ epidemic shortage of affordable, quality child care that caught the attention of U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican. He hosted a roundtable discussion by Zoom with leaders of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, Child Care Aware of Kansas and several local entities working on the issue.

“What this reminds me of is people solve problems. The federal government doesn’t solve problems,” Marshall said. “What solution might work in Great Bend, Kansas, may not work in Kansas City, Kansas, may not work in Wichita, Kansas, or Topeka, Kansas.”

Melissa Rooker serves as executive director of the Children’s Cabinet, which was created by the Legislature in 1999 to coordinate expenditure of the state’s annual payment under the national tobacco settlement. The cash has been devoted to early childhood care and education. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted infusion of supplemental federal aid that has been dedicated to the crisis in delivery of care for children.

Grant applications will be accepted by the state until Dec. 18 for a slice of $92 million, including earmarks for support for construction and renovation of child care facilities.

“We are really pleased to see communities large and small apply for the grants,” Rooker said. “We have really enjoyed seeing the variety of communities come together, not just the traditional folks around the table, but business leaders, government officials and the world of education, the world of philanthropy and, of course, child care providers.”

She said decisions about how to meet the shortage best emerged at the community level. There were state-level steps to be taken, she said, including implementation of a comprehensive set of proposed rule and regulation changes pending before the attorney general and eventually open to public comment.

Another problem in Kansas has been conflict between local zoning and state regulation on child care facilities, Rooker said.

“We want quality, but we don’t want unnecessary regulation as well,” Marshall said.

Tanya Koehn, interim executive director of nonprofit Child Care Aware of Kansas, said the organization was engaged in a pilot project with 56 child care providers in 14 counties that has enrolled 40 infants in care. The objective is to provide a $15 per hour subsidy if a facility accepted one additional infant.

“We know this is a hard age to get into child care,” she said. “So, our pilot is called Baby Steps.”

Edward Herrman, chief executive officer of Hays Medical Center, said a local task force indicated Hays had a shortage of 600 slots for children. A part of that was among employees of Hays Med, which has a staff of about 1,500. In response, the hospital’s foundation supported construction of a $1.3 million facility.

The decision was made to outsource management of the center, which would have a capacity of 77. It can only handle nine infants, Herrman said, which has created a waiting list for families trying to secure convenient care for their babies.

“That right there is probably the biggest challenge — babies,” Herrman said.

On the opposite end of the spectrum was Julie Lyon, executive director of Kiowa County Economic Development. The challenges of housing, workforce development and child care were felt statewide, she said, but a fix in a rural Kansas county of less than 2,500 people was more elusive, she said.

She said Kiowa County’s solution involved opening two licensed child care facilities capable of serving 12 children each. A subsidy of approximately $1,000 per child was available to set up turn-key centers leased by the county agency and subleased to care providers.

“People ask me: ‘How do we help rural America survive?'” Marshall said. “This is one of the challenges we have to overcome.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698492175246.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, hosted an online tow hall with organizations with innovative ideas about addressing the extreme shortage of quality, affordable child care in Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. Sen. Marshall’s livestream)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, hosted an online tow hall with organizations with innovative ideas about addressing the extreme shortage of quality, affordable child care in Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. Sen. Marshall’s livestream)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Haven school district administrator Megan Hett knew surveys indicated Reno County was short 1,600 child care slots and it was unlikely a private business would parachute in to help a small public school district fill the gap for children and their families.Evidence that kids who attended preschool did better academically that those that didn’t provided incentive to get creative.“The differences were vast,” said Hett, director of learning services for the 750-student district. “In reading and math, we were seeing a big difference in students who were at benchmarks and those who weren’t coming into kindergarten.”She said the district opened two child care centers in a collaborative effort with the cities of Haven and Yoder. The preschool unit was located in Yoder to provide 40 slots for a combined preschool and after-school program. The all-day setup was available during the academic year and the summer months. Haven, six miles down Kansas 96, became home to an infant and toddler facility with 16 slots. There’s a plan to add 10 more slots. The operation included transportation services.“We’re excited to offer these resources to our community,” Hett said.It was the kind of community-based answer to Kansas’ epidemic shortage of affordable, quality child care that caught the attention of U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican. He hosted a roundtable discussion by Zoom with leaders of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, Child Care Aware of Kansas and several local entities working on the issue.“What this reminds me of is people solve problems. The federal government doesn’t solve problems,” Marshall said. “What solution might work in Great Bend, Kansas, may not work in Kansas City, Kansas, may not work in Wichita, Kansas, or Topeka, Kansas.”<h2>The Children’s Cabinet</h2>Melissa Rooker serves as executive director of the Children’s Cabinet, which was created by the Legislature in 1999 to coordinate expenditure of the state’s annual payment under the national tobacco settlement. The cash has been devoted to early childhood care and education. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted infusion of supplemental federal aid that has been dedicated to the crisis in delivery of care for children.Grant applications will be accepted by the state until Dec. 18 for a slice of $92 million, including earmarks for support for construction and renovation of child care facilities.“We are really pleased to see communities large and small apply for the grants,” Rooker said. “We have really enjoyed seeing the variety of communities come together, not just the traditional folks around the table, but business leaders, government officials and the world of education, the world of philanthropy and, of course, child care providers.”She said decisions about how to meet the shortage best emerged at the community level. There were state-level steps to be taken, she said, including implementation of a comprehensive set of proposed rule and regulation changes pending before the attorney general and eventually open to public comment.Another problem in Kansas has been conflict between local zoning and state regulation on child care facilities, Rooker said.“We want quality, but we don’t want unnecessary regulation as well,” Marshall said.<h2>A pilot project</h2>Tanya Koehn, interim executive director of nonprofit Child Care Aware of Kansas, said the organization was engaged in a pilot project with 56 child care providers in 14 counties that has enrolled 40 infants in care. The objective is to provide a $15 per hour subsidy if a facility accepted one additional infant.“We know this is a hard age to get into child care,” she said. “So, our pilot is called Baby Steps.”Edward Herrman, chief executive officer of Hays Medical Center, said a local task force indicated Hays had a shortage of 600 slots for children. A part of that was among employees of Hays Med, which has a staff of about 1,500. In response, the hospital’s foundation supported construction of a $1.3 million facility.The decision was made to outsource management of the center, which would have a capacity of 77. It can only handle nine infants, Herrman said, which has created a waiting list for families trying to secure convenient care for their babies.“That right there is probably the biggest challenge — babies,” Herrman said.On the opposite end of the spectrum was Julie Lyon, executive director of Kiowa County Economic Development. The challenges of housing, workforce development and child care were felt statewide, she said, but a fix in a rural Kansas county of less than 2,500 people was more elusive, she said.She said Kiowa County’s solution involved opening two licensed child care facilities capable of serving 12 children each. A subsidy of approximately $1,000 per child was available to set up turn-key centers leased by the county agency and subleased to care providers.“People ask me: ‘How do we help rural America survive?'” Marshall said. “This is one of the challenges we have to overcome.”

Marshall praises baby steps toward addressing Kan. child care shortage

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly Sunday morning shooting outside a Wichita nightclub have identified the shooter as 33-year-old Terrence Johnson. Police arrested him minutes after the shooting in connection with another crime involving his family. He was booked into jail for the misdemeanor and released before investigators determined he was the alleged nightclub killer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698681929650.png" alt="Johnson-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Johnson-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly Sunday morning shooting outside a Wichita nightclub have identified the shooter as 33-year-old Terrence Johnson. Police arrested him minutes after the shooting in connection with another crime involving his family. He was booked into jail for the misdemeanor and released before investigators determined he was the alleged nightclub killer.Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were monitoring at Onyx 10001 E. Kellogg 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.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698581256538.png" alt="Security camera image Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation suggest that the suspect now identified as 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. Police continue to ask the public for help to find him. He should be considered armed and dangerous.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698684116919.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>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.&nbsp; Police had no information at that time Johnson was a suspect in the deadly nightclub shooting.&nbsp;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;Anyone with information on Johnson or where he is should call 911.&nbsp;

Suspect in deadly Kan. nightclub killing was in custody, released

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative contract agreement that could end a six-week-old strike against Detroit automakers, two people briefed on the deal said Monday.

The agreement follows the pattern set with Ford last week and Jeep maker Stellantis over the weekend.

It was reached early Monday in a meeting at the UAW headquarters in Detroit involving union President Shawn Fain, GM CEO Mary Barra and manufacturing chief Gerald Johnson, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they aren't authorized to speak publicly about the deal. The agreement was reached on Fain's 55th birthday.

The deals will last four years and eight months and include 25% general pay raises and cost of living adjustments. Combined they bring the wage increase to over 30% over the life of the contract.

The contract with GM is similar to those reached by the other two automakers, but there are some differences.

GM was the last company to reach a deal and the union added a lucrative factory in Tennessee to the strike list on Saturday to turn up the pressure.

The UAW reached&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strikes-ford-general-motors-stellantis-08a81503d72e44d4efa40549f684d5a2">tentative agreement last week with Ford</a>&nbsp;and Stellantis on Saturday, and it wasted no time in hitting GM where it hurts financially.

Nearly 4,000 unionized workers on Saturday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-gm-spring-hill-tennessee-contract-64c756ec121d7f39205fdea396d21bc0">walked out of GM's largest North American plant</a>&nbsp;in Spring Hill, Tennessee, hours after the deal with Stellantis was announced. They joined about 14,000 GM workers already striking at factories in Texas, Michigan and Missouri.

The people briefed on the matter said Barra and Johnson wanted a deal in an effort to get Spring Hill up and running on scheduled Monday morning, plus they're trying to reopen a large and profitable SUV factory in Arlington, Texas.

President Joe Biden was asked about the deal Monday, as he boarded Air Force One back to the White House. He gave a thumbs-up and said: “I think it’s great.”

Also Monday, 8,200 Stellantis workers in Canada represented by a different union, Unifor, briefly went on strike before reaching a deal that comes with base hourly wage increases of nearly 20% for production workers. General Motors and Ford workers in Canada have already voted to ratify a three-year contract agreement with the company.

Spring Hill, the plant where workers hit picket lines Saturday, produces the engines for vehicles assembled at nine plants as far afield as Mexico, including Silverado and Sierra pickups. It's a big money maker for GM that could have potentially amplified the company's financial pain after workers walked off the job last week in Arlington, Texas, where full-size SUVs including the Tahoe and Suburban are produced. Spring Hill also produces the electric Cadillac Lyriq, GMC Acadia and Cadillac crossover SUVs.

Presidents of the Ford union locals voted unanimously in Detroit on Sunday to endorse that tentative contract after UAW President Shawn Fain explained its details,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/uaw/status/1718773591972495386?s=46&amp;t=kB_Z_dm-QT0eZ5qMjDc8zA">the union tweeted.</a>

As he explained&nbsp;<a href="https://uaw.org/uaw-auto-bargaining/fordcontract/">the particulars</a>&nbsp;to the full membership in a later livestream, Fain, along with Chuck Browning, the UAW vice president, said the deal represents a “historical inflection point” for reviving union power in an America where "we were being left behind by an economy that only works for the billionaire class.”

“UAW members at Ford will receive more in straight general wage increases over the next 4 1/2 years than we have over the last 22 years combined,” Browning said.

Fain called the deal “a turning point in the class war that has been raging in this country for the past 40 years.”

The Ford and Stellantis pacts, which would run until April 30, 2028, include 25% in general wage increases for top assembly plant workers, with 11% coming once the deal is ratified.

The Ford agreement revives cost-of-living adjustments that the UAW agreed to suspend in 2009 during the Great Recession.

At Stellantis, workers get cost-of-living pay that would bring raises to a compounded 33%, with top assembly plant workers making more than $42 per hour. Top-scale workers there now make around $31 per hour.

Starting wages for new Stellantis hires will rise 67% including cost-of-living adjustments to over $30 per hour. Temporary workers will get raises of more than 165%, while workers at parts centers will get an immediate 76% increase if the contract is ratified.

Like the Ford agreement, it will take just three years for new workers to get to the top of the assembly pay scale, the union said. Similarly, the union won the right to strike over plant closures.

Bruce Baumhower, president of the local union at a large Stellantis Jeep factory in Toledo, Ohio, that had been on strike since September, said he expected workers to vote to approve the deal because of pay raises including the immediate 11% raise on ratification. "It's a historic agreement as far as I’m concerned.”

The UAW began targeted strikes against all three automakers on Sept. 15 after its contracts with the companies expired. At the peak, about 46,000 UAW workers were on strike — about one-third of the union’s 146,000 members at all three companies.

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative contract agreement that could end a six-week-old strike against Detroit automakers, two people briefed on the deal said Monday.The agreement follows the pattern set with Ford last week and Jeep maker Stellantis over the weekend.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cT9XpLEmy9U?si=-gOCq5LCG_1PlQua&amp;start=221" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>It was reached early Monday in a meeting at the UAW headquarters in Detroit involving union President Shawn Fain, GM CEO Mary Barra and manufacturing chief Gerald Johnson, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they aren't authorized to speak publicly about the deal. The agreement was reached on Fain's 55th birthday.The deals will last four years and eight months and include 25% general pay raises and cost of living adjustments. Combined they bring the wage increase to over 30% over the life of the contract.The contract with GM is similar to those reached by the other two automakers, but there are some differences.GM was the last company to reach a deal and the union added a lucrative factory in Tennessee to the strike list on Saturday to turn up the pressure.The UAW reached&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strikes-ford-general-motors-stellantis-08a81503d72e44d4efa40549f684d5a2">tentative agreement last week with Ford</a>&nbsp;and Stellantis on Saturday, and it wasted no time in hitting GM where it hurts financially.Nearly 4,000 unionized workers on Saturday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-gm-spring-hill-tennessee-contract-64c756ec121d7f39205fdea396d21bc0">walked out of GM's largest North American plant</a>&nbsp;in Spring Hill, Tennessee, hours after the deal with Stellantis was announced. They joined about 14,000 GM workers already striking at factories in Texas, Michigan and Missouri.The people briefed on the matter said Barra and Johnson wanted a deal in an effort to get Spring Hill up and running on scheduled Monday morning, plus they're trying to reopen a large and profitable SUV factory in Arlington, Texas.President Joe Biden was asked about the deal Monday, as he boarded Air Force One back to the White House. He gave a thumbs-up and said: “I think it’s great.”Also Monday, 8,200 Stellantis workers in Canada represented by a different union, Unifor, briefly went on strike before reaching a deal that comes with base hourly wage increases of nearly 20% for production workers. General Motors and Ford workers in Canada have already voted to ratify a three-year contract agreement with the company.Spring Hill, the plant where workers hit picket lines Saturday, produces the engines for vehicles assembled at nine plants as far afield as Mexico, including Silverado and Sierra pickups. It's a big money maker for GM that could have potentially amplified the company's financial pain after workers walked off the job last week in Arlington, Texas, where full-size SUVs including the Tahoe and Suburban are produced. Spring Hill also produces the electric Cadillac Lyriq, GMC Acadia and Cadillac crossover SUVs.Presidents of the Ford union locals voted unanimously in Detroit on Sunday to endorse that tentative contract after UAW President Shawn Fain explained its details,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/uaw/status/1718773591972495386?s=46&amp;t=kB_Z_dm-QT0eZ5qMjDc8zA">the union tweeted.</a>As he explained&nbsp;<a href="https://uaw.org/uaw-auto-bargaining/fordcontract/">the particulars</a>&nbsp;to the full membership in a later livestream, Fain, along with Chuck Browning, the UAW vice president, said the deal represents a “historical inflection point” for reviving union power in an America where "we were being left behind by an economy that only works for the billionaire class.”“UAW members at Ford will receive more in straight general wage increases over the next 4 1/2 years than we have over the last 22 years combined,” Browning said.Fain called the deal “a turning point in the class war that has been raging in this country for the past 40 years.”The Ford and Stellantis pacts, which would run until April 30, 2028, include 25% in general wage increases for top assembly plant workers, with 11% coming once the deal is ratified.The Ford agreement revives cost-of-living adjustments that the UAW agreed to suspend in 2009 during the Great Recession.At Stellantis, workers get cost-of-living pay that would bring raises to a compounded 33%, with top assembly plant workers making more than $42 per hour. Top-scale workers there now make around $31 per hour.Starting wages for new Stellantis hires will rise 67% including cost-of-living adjustments to over $30 per hour. Temporary workers will get raises of more than 165%, while workers at parts centers will get an immediate 76% increase if the contract is ratified.Like the Ford agreement, it will take just three years for new workers to get to the top of the assembly pay scale, the union said. Similarly, the union won the right to strike over plant closures.Bruce Baumhower, president of the local union at a large Stellantis Jeep factory in Toledo, Ohio, that had been on strike since September, said he expected workers to vote to approve the deal because of pay raises including the immediate 11% raise on ratification. "It's a historic agreement as far as I’m concerned.”The UAW began targeted strikes against all three automakers on Sept. 15 after its contracts with the companies expired. At the peak, about 46,000 UAW workers were on strike — about one-third of the union’s 146,000 members at all three companies.____

🎥 Auto Workers strike set to end as union and GM reach potential deal

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for an alleged sex crime.

Just before 7p.m. October 27, police arrested 43-year-old&nbsp;Jesse R. Kroll of Leavenworth in the 400 block South 10th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Kroll was wanted&nbsp;on a Wyandotte County warrant for rape, multiple counts of aggravated indecent liberties and violation of a protective order.&nbsp; He remains in custody on a $150,000 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698672598062.png" alt="Kroll-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Kroll-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for an alleged sex crime.Just before 7p.m. October 27, police arrested 43-year-old&nbsp;Jesse R. Kroll of Leavenworth in the 400 block South 10th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.Kroll was wanted&nbsp;on a Wyandotte County warrant for rape, multiple counts of aggravated indecent liberties and violation of a protective order.&nbsp; He remains in custody on a $150,000 bond, according to online jail records.