WICHITA —A Kansas man is going to prison for a deadly shooting outside a private party in Haysville.

This week, District Judge David Kaufman sentenced 28-year-old Kanez Carter to just over 14-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. The prison sentence included 122 months for the murder and an additional 53 months for two earlier parole violations.&nbsp;

In October of 2022, Carter pled guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter.

The murder occurred during an October 2018,&nbsp; private party in the 1900 block of Diedrich in Haysville.&nbsp; Police found Jaylin Jacobs, 19 of Wichita, lying in the parking lot outside a club. He died a few moments later.

Carter told police he was at a party with a woman he considered to be like a sister to him and Jacobs had slapped her.

Carter had previous conviction for aggravated assault, aggravated battery and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the&nbsp; Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698282118856.png" alt="Carter-photo Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>Carter-photo Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA —A Kansas man is going to prison for a deadly shooting outside a private party in Haysville.This week, District Judge David Kaufman sentenced 28-year-old Kanez Carter to just over 14-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. The prison sentence included 122 months for the murder and an additional 53 months for two earlier parole violations.&nbsp;In October of 2022, Carter pled guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter.The murder occurred during an October 2018,&nbsp; private party in the 1900 block of Diedrich in Haysville.&nbsp; Police found Jaylin Jacobs, 19 of Wichita, lying in the parking lot outside a club. He died a few moments later.Carter told police he was at a party with a woman he considered to be like a sister to him and Jacobs had slapped her.Carter had previous conviction for aggravated assault, aggravated battery and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the&nbsp; Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas felon killed man who slapped woman friend

KANSAS CITY (AP)—United Airlines will start boarding passengers in economy class with window seats first starting next week, a move designed to reduce the time planes spend sitting on the ground.

The airline said in an internal memo that it will implement the plan on Oct. 26. The plan – called WILMA, for window, middle and aisle — was tested at several locations and deemed to shave up to two minutes off boarding time.

Variations of the WILMA approach have existed for many years.

“It spreads people out along the aisle of the airplane so that more people can put their luggage away at the same time. That's the main thing that speeds up the boarding process,” said Jason Steffen, an associate professor of physics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ac4b7ad357c94974b1e134a7ce7dbf11">designed his own boarding model</a>&nbsp;a decade ago.

The change will begin with passengers in the fourth boarding group. Customers in first class and business class will see no change in their routine, and there's also no change for those with priority-boarding privileges, including travelers with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, active-duty military, and families with children who are 2 or under.

Chicago-based United said that when multiple customers are on the same economy reservation, such as families, they will be allowed to board together.

The new policy will be used on domestic flights and some international flights.

Airlines have long searched for the perfect boarding process. Even Orville and Wilbur Wright&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/wrbr/learn/historyculture/thefirstflight.htm">flipped a coin</a>&nbsp;to see who got the lone seat on their flying machine.

United is making changes now because, it says, average boarding time has increased by two minutes since 2019.

Tinkering with the boarding process has increased since airlines began charging fees for checked bags more than a decade ago. Those fees encourage passengers to bring carry-on bags, which generally are still free except at low-cost carriers such as Spirit and Frontier.

“Any time you have to wrestle with luggage up over your head, it's going to slow things down,” Steffen said.

The push to board faster is also complicated by the airlines' desire to sell early boarding or give it to elite members of their frequent-flier programs. Only after those people are seated — generally near the front of the plane — can everyone else board, passing the priority customers on the way to their seats in the back of the cabin.

“Priority boarding is a moneymaker. Up to a certain point, that money is worth more than worrying about boarding three minutes earlier every time,” said Seth Miller, who writes about the travel experience at Paxex.aero.

Two minutes doesn't make much difference on a transatlantic flight, but on heavily trafficked shorter routes — think about the Northeast, or between the Hawaiian islands — delays tend to cascade, pushing late-day flights farther and farther behind schedule.

If a few passengers dawdle while stowing their bag and finding their seat, it can make the difference between a flight being on time or late in the government’s official statistics.

The last passengers to board face the risk that there won't be room for their carry-on bag in the overhead bins. That leads passengers in late boarding groups to crowd the gate area so they can jump in line ahead of others. Gate agents and seasoned travelers call the line jumpers “gate lice.”

KANSAS CITY (AP)—United Airlines will start boarding passengers in economy class with window seats first starting next week, a move designed to reduce the time planes spend sitting on the ground.The airline said in an internal memo that it will implement the plan on Oct. 26. The plan – called WILMA, for window, middle and aisle — was tested at several locations and deemed to shave up to two minutes off boarding time.Variations of the WILMA approach have existed for many years.“It spreads people out along the aisle of the airplane so that more people can put their luggage away at the same time. That's the main thing that speeds up the boarding process,” said Jason Steffen, an associate professor of physics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ac4b7ad357c94974b1e134a7ce7dbf11">designed his own boarding model</a>&nbsp;a decade ago.The change will begin with passengers in the fourth boarding group. Customers in first class and business class will see no change in their routine, and there's also no change for those with priority-boarding privileges, including travelers with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, active-duty military, and families with children who are 2 or under.Chicago-based United said that when multiple customers are on the same economy reservation, such as families, they will be allowed to board together.The new policy will be used on domestic flights and some international flights.Airlines have long searched for the perfect boarding process. Even Orville and Wilbur Wright&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/wrbr/learn/historyculture/thefirstflight.htm">flipped a coin</a>&nbsp;to see who got the lone seat on their flying machine.United is making changes now because, it says, average boarding time has increased by two minutes since 2019.Tinkering with the boarding process has increased since airlines began charging fees for checked bags more than a decade ago. Those fees encourage passengers to bring carry-on bags, which generally are still free except at low-cost carriers such as Spirit and Frontier.“Any time you have to wrestle with luggage up over your head, it's going to slow things down,” Steffen said.The push to board faster is also complicated by the airlines' desire to sell early boarding or give it to elite members of their frequent-flier programs. Only after those people are seated — generally near the front of the plane — can everyone else board, passing the priority customers on the way to their seats in the back of the cabin.“Priority boarding is a moneymaker. Up to a certain point, that money is worth more than worrying about boarding three minutes earlier every time,” said Seth Miller, who writes about the travel experience at Paxex.aero.Two minutes doesn't make much difference on a transatlantic flight, but on heavily trafficked shorter routes — think about the Northeast, or between the Hawaiian islands — delays tend to cascade, pushing late-day flights farther and farther behind schedule.If a few passengers dawdle while stowing their bag and finding their seat, it can make the difference between a flight being on time or late in the government’s official statistics.The last passengers to board face the risk that there won't be room for their carry-on bag in the overhead bins. That leads passengers in late boarding groups to crowd the gate area so they can jump in line ahead of others. Gate agents and seasoned travelers call the line jumpers “gate lice.”

Airline rolls out plan that lets passengers with window seats board first

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/samantha-dietel/">SAMANTHA DIETEL</a>&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>

WASHINGTON — Members of Congress shared their experiences and called for bipartisan legislative action Thursday in recognition of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Leaders of the congressional Bipartisan Women’s Caucus organized a press conference to highlight prevention and treatment of breast cancer.

“Each one of us here today are tributes to our friends, our loved ones, our family members who have fought and some that have survived, and unfortunately some have not,” said U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack, a Florida Republican and co-chair of the women’s caucus.

Cammack said that during the pandemic, many women postponed or canceled preventive screenings for breast cancer, which has now created a backlog of patients seeking care.

She encouraged women everywhere to get screened for breast cancer, as early detection is “critical.”

In the U.S., breast cancer is the second-most-common cancer among women, according to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/statistics/index.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>.

“The average risk of a woman in the United States developing breast cancer sometime in her lifetime, which we’re seeing earlier and earlier, younger and younger — it’s about 13%, or 1 in 8,” Cammack said.

Rep. Deborah Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat and breast cancer survivor, also said that early detection “is the key to survival.”

She said that if she had not been aware enough to practice a self-examination and recognize that “something felt different,” she potentially “would not be standing in front of you today.”

The representatives widely advocated for bipartisanship in their search for solutions to combat breast cancer.

U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, an Ohio Democrat and vice chair of the women’s caucus, said it is important “to find a bipartisan path.”

“This is not a red issue,” said Rep. Monica De La Cruz, a Texas Republican and vice chair of the women’s caucus. “It’s not a blue issue. This is a red, white and blue issue for all American women.”

De La Cruz said representatives must “come together and support each other in this cause for bringing awareness, supporting research and diagnosis, and supporting the family of those women who are suffering from breast cancer.”

Sykes said it is necessary to increase access to quality, affordable care, affordable prevention, early detection and treatment options.

Rep. Maxine Waters, a California Democrat, said that “too many women of color in particular” are dying because they are not aware of opportunities to have early breast cancer detection.

Sykes said Black women are more than 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women.

“And these incredible obstacles that prevent us from getting the screening, and the preventative care and the treatment are abysmal, startling and just plain wrong,” Sykes said.

Sykes referenced her support for the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sewell.house.gov/2023/3/reps-sewell-arrington-hudson-and-ruiz-introduce-the-nancy-gardner-sewell-medicare-multi-cancer-early-detection-screening-coverage-act">Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act</a>. This bill would help improve accessibility for early detection cancer screenings.

Wasserman Schultz re-introduced legislation in March that would also improve accessibility to cancer screenings. Under the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2961#:~:text=%E2%80%9COur%20Reducing%20Hereditary%20Cancer%20Act,need%20to%20live%20better%20lives.%E2%80%9D">Reducing Hereditary Cancer Act</a>, genetic testing would also be covered under Medicare.

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, an Iowa Republican, co-sponsored that legislation.

“We want to make sure that women know that there is prevention, that there is treatment, and that there is recovery,” said Miller-Meeks, who lost her aunt and sister to breast cancer.

Miller-Meeks, who is an ophthalmologist, also noted her service as the director of the Iowa Department of Public Health. She said there have been a number of advancements in prevention, treatment and recovery.

“All of our portfolio that we have to treat breast cancer has dramatically changed … and that includes genetic testing as well,” Miller-Meeks said.

In terms of recovery, Miller-Meeks said possible avenues for women may include breast reconstruction or other devices.

She said there is legislation in Congress “on all of those issues.”

Cammack said the representatives are “united in the fight against breast cancer.”

“This truly is an epidemic that we need to confront head on,” Cammack said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698458158159.png" alt="Leaders of the congressional Bipartisan Women’s Caucus organized a press conference on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, to highlight prevention and treatment of breast cancer. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Speaking is Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., and standing to her left is breast cancer survivor Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla. (Samantha Dietel/States Newsroom)." />
 <figcaption>Leaders of the congressional Bipartisan Women’s Caucus organized a press conference on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, to highlight prevention and treatment of breast cancer. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Speaking is Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., and standing to her left is breast cancer survivor Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla. (Samantha Dietel/States Newsroom).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/samantha-dietel/">SAMANTHA DIETEL</a>&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>WASHINGTON — Members of Congress shared their experiences and called for bipartisan legislative action Thursday in recognition of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.Leaders of the congressional Bipartisan Women’s Caucus organized a press conference to highlight prevention and treatment of breast cancer.“Each one of us here today are tributes to our friends, our loved ones, our family members who have fought and some that have survived, and unfortunately some have not,” said U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack, a Florida Republican and co-chair of the women’s caucus.Cammack said that during the pandemic, many women postponed or canceled preventive screenings for breast cancer, which has now created a backlog of patients seeking care.She encouraged women everywhere to get screened for breast cancer, as early detection is “critical.”In the U.S., breast cancer is the second-most-common cancer among women, according to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/statistics/index.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>.“The average risk of a woman in the United States developing breast cancer sometime in her lifetime, which we’re seeing earlier and earlier, younger and younger — it’s about 13%, or 1 in 8,” Cammack said.Rep. Deborah Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat and breast cancer survivor, also said that early detection “is the key to survival.”She said that if she had not been aware enough to practice a self-examination and recognize that “something felt different,” she potentially “would not be standing in front of you today.”<h2>‘A bipartisan path’</h2>The representatives widely advocated for bipartisanship in their search for solutions to combat breast cancer.U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, an Ohio Democrat and vice chair of the women’s caucus, said it is important “to find a bipartisan path.”“This is not a red issue,” said Rep. Monica De La Cruz, a Texas Republican and vice chair of the women’s caucus. “It’s not a blue issue. This is a red, white and blue issue for all American women.”De La Cruz said representatives must “come together and support each other in this cause for bringing awareness, supporting research and diagnosis, and supporting the family of those women who are suffering from breast cancer.”<h2>Prevention, treatment and recovery</h2>Sykes said it is necessary to increase access to quality, affordable care, affordable prevention, early detection and treatment options.Rep. Maxine Waters, a California Democrat, said that “too many women of color in particular” are dying because they are not aware of opportunities to have early breast cancer detection.Sykes said Black women are more than 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women.“And these incredible obstacles that prevent us from getting the screening, and the preventative care and the treatment are abysmal, startling and just plain wrong,” Sykes said.Sykes referenced her support for the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sewell.house.gov/2023/3/reps-sewell-arrington-hudson-and-ruiz-introduce-the-nancy-gardner-sewell-medicare-multi-cancer-early-detection-screening-coverage-act">Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act</a>. This bill would help improve accessibility for early detection cancer screenings.Wasserman Schultz re-introduced legislation in March that would also improve accessibility to cancer screenings. Under the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2961#:~:text=%E2%80%9COur%20Reducing%20Hereditary%20Cancer%20Act,need%20to%20live%20better%20lives.%E2%80%9D">Reducing Hereditary Cancer Act</a>, genetic testing would also be covered under Medicare.Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, an Iowa Republican, co-sponsored that legislation.“We want to make sure that women know that there is prevention, that there is treatment, and that there is recovery,” said Miller-Meeks, who lost her aunt and sister to breast cancer.Miller-Meeks, who is an ophthalmologist, also noted her service as the director of the Iowa Department of Public Health. She said there have been a number of advancements in prevention, treatment and recovery.“All of our portfolio that we have to treat breast cancer has dramatically changed … and that includes genetic testing as well,” Miller-Meeks said.In terms of recovery, Miller-Meeks said possible avenues for women may include breast reconstruction or other devices.She said there is legislation in Congress “on all of those issues.”Cammack said the representatives are “united in the fight against breast cancer.”“This truly is an epidemic that we need to confront head on,” Cammack said.

Women in Congress call for more action on breast cancer prevention, treatment

BEAVER COUNTY, Oklahoma—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal shooting that occurred early Sunday morning at Central Station Bar and Grill, 207 E Wyatt Earp Blvd., Dodge City, have captured a suspect, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Deputies captured 36-year-old Ricardo Cadena-Garcia of Dodge City in Oklahoma. He is believed connected to a shooting that killed two men and injured two others.

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 vehicle 1.5 miles outside of Forgan, Oklahoma. 

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 was booked into the Beaver County Jail. Formal charges are pending, according to the KBI.

FORD COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred early Sunday morning at a restaurant and bar in Dodge City, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Just after 1 a.m., 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 the suspect, 36-year-old Ricardo Johary Cadena-Garcia used a small caliber handgun to shoot and kill a 29-year-old man. 

He was pronounced dead at the scene. Cadena-Garcia fired additional rounds that struck three additional male victims, and then fled the area.

EMS responded and transported the three shooting victims to an area hospital. Soon after, a 28-year-old man was also pronounced deceased. 

The 40-year-old man was flown to a Wichita hospital with life-threatening injuries. The fourth man, who was 27-years-old, was treated and has been released from the hospital.

Authorities believe Cadena-Garcia has headed south, and is no longer in Kansas. 

He is believed to be driving a white 2011 Dodge Ram pickup with Kansas tag 731SBJ. Cadena-Garcia is a Hispanic male, approximately 6 foot 1 inch tall, weighing around 270 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes, and a large black tattoo on his neck.

Anyone who sees the suspect or this vehicle is asked to immediately call 911. He is suspected to be armed and dangerous. Any other information about the shooting can be reported to the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, the Ford County Sheriff’s Office at 620-227-4501, or the Dodge City Police Department at 620-225-8126.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698593536918.png" alt="Cadena-Garcia-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Cadena-Garcia-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>BEAVER COUNTY, Oklahoma—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal shooting that occurred early Sunday morning at Central Station Bar and Grill, 207 E Wyatt Earp Blvd., Dodge City, have captured a suspect, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.Deputies captured 36-year-old Ricardo Cadena-Garcia of Dodge City in Oklahoma. He is believed connected to a shooting that killed two men and injured two others.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 vehicle 1.5 miles outside of Forgan, Oklahoma. 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 was booked into the Beaver County Jail. Formal charges are pending, according to the KBI.--------------FORD COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred early Sunday morning at a restaurant and bar in Dodge City, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.Just after 1 a.m., 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 the suspect, 36-year-old Ricardo Johary Cadena-Garcia used a small caliber handgun to shoot and kill a 29-year-old man. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Cadena-Garcia fired additional rounds that struck three additional male victims, and then fled the area.EMS responded and transported the three shooting victims to an area hospital. Soon after, a 28-year-old man was also pronounced deceased. The 40-year-old man was flown to a Wichita hospital with life-threatening injuries. The fourth man, who was 27-years-old, was treated and has been released from the hospital.Authorities believe Cadena-Garcia has headed south, and is no longer in Kansas. He is believed to be driving a white 2011 Dodge Ram pickup with Kansas tag 731SBJ. Cadena-Garcia is a Hispanic male, approximately 6 foot 1 inch tall, weighing around 270 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes, and a large black tattoo on his neck.Anyone who sees the suspect or this vehicle is asked to immediately call 911. He is suspected to be armed and dangerous. Any other information about the shooting can be reported to the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, the Ford County Sheriff’s Office at 620-227-4501, or the Dodge City Police Department at 620-225-8126.

KBI: Deputies capture suspect wanted for deadly SW Kan. shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) —Evangelical Christian conservatives have long had allies in top Republican leadership in Congress. But never before have they had one so thoroughly embedded in their movement as new House Speaker Mike Johnson, a longtime culture warrior in the courthouse, in the classroom and in Congress.

Religious conservatives cheered Johnson's election Wednesday, after which he brought his Bible to the rostrum before taking the oath of office. “The Bible is very clear that God is the one that raises up those in authority ... each of you, all of us," he said.

“Someone asked me today in the media, ‘People are curious, what does Mike Johnson think about any issue?’” Johnson said Thursday in a Fox News interview. “I said, ’Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it. That’s my worldview.’”

But progressive faith leaders are sounding the alarm about Johnson’s opposition to LGBTQ rights and his rallying of Republicans around former President Donald Trump’s legal effort to overturn the 2020 election results. And, more broadly, they are concerned about Johnson's “desire to impose his narrow religious vision upon the rest of us," in the words of Paul Raushenbush, president of Interfaith Alliance, a broad coalition of progressive religious groups.

To be sure, Christian conservatives have held the House speakership with Republican majorities in the past, from Catholics such as Paul Ryan and John Boehner to Newt Gingrich, who was Southern Baptist when he was speaker in the 1990s and later converted to Catholicism.

In fact, the 2023 House speaker drama has been in some ways an intra-church affair starring Southern Baptists — including Johnson himself, short-term speaker Kevin McCarthy and the representative who led the revolt to oust McCarthy, Matt Gaetz.

But Johnson is a bona fide culture warrior, with a resume reading like a roadmap of powerful institutions of the religious right.

He has served as professor at the government school of Liberty University in Virginia, a Christian school and conservative bastion.

From 2004 to 2012, Johnson served on board of the policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, whose 13 million members comprise the nation's largest Protestant denomination. During his tenure with the SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, it rallied members to place strong emphasis on "values voting." Such activism helped reinforce Republicans' opposition to abortion and LGBTQ rights.

Brent Leatherwood, the commission's current president, said he met with Johnson in the early days of his own tenure. “It was clear to me he carries an abiding devotion to our convention of churches, subscribes to the principles that are dear to so many Southern Baptists, and has a deep pride in our nation," Leatherwood said.

Johnson served as an attorney with what's now known as Alliance Defending Freedom, one of the foremost legal advocates of causes valued by many on the religious right.

With the ADF, Johnson championed a 2004 Louisiana ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage, writing in the Shreveport Times that “homosexual relationships are inherently unnatural” and that society should not approve “such a dangerous lifestyle.” In 2003, after the U.S. Supreme Court nullified state laws banning same-sex sexual relations — which the ADF had urged it to retain — Johnson lamented the decision, writing that by “closing these bedroom doors, they (the justices) have opened a Pandora's box.”

Johnson's own public interest law firm, called Freedom Guard, helped win a legal battle regaining tax incentives on behalf of a Noah’s Ark theme park in Kentucky, overcoming state concerns that the project’s mission had shifted from tourism to ministry.

Johnson recently led a congressional hearing on transgender issues, saying in a statement, ”Gender affirming care’ is anything but 'affirming’ and ‘caring.’ It is adults deciding to permanently alter the bodies of children who do NOT have the capacity to make life altering decisions on their own.”

Religious conservatives embraced Johnson as one of their own as they cheered his election as speaker.

“His commitment to unity and passion for protecting freedom will benefit all Americans,” ADF president Kristen Waggoner said on X (formerly Twitter).

The Rev. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, welcomed Johnson’s speakership not only because of his conservative political record, but also because he is a “a self-consciously committed evangelical Christian.”

“He has somehow pulled off the task of being very convictional and I believe right on most of these issues, and at the same time considered to be respectful and gracious even well-liked by members of his own party, and presumably by members of the other party as well,” Mohler said on his podcast.

Johnson invoked images cherished by Christian conservatives as he ascended to the speakership, pledging “servant leadership,” leading fellow Republicans in a prayer, touting the national motto, “In God We Trust” and highlighting the Declaration of Independence's statement that humans "are endowed by their Creator” with rights.

John Fea, who studies religious conservatives and is a professor of history at Messiah University in Pennsylvania, said Johnson is a Christian nationalist, part of a movement that fuses Christian and American values, symbols and identity and sees the United States as having a divine destiny similar to the biblical Israel. Johnson has paid tribute to the “profound influence" of Wallbuilders, an organization promoting the view that America was created as a Christian nation, on his own career.

“We should not be fooled by his aw-shucks style,” Fea added in Current, an online journal. “He is a culture warrior with deep connections to the Christian Right. One might call him a happy warrior.”

Progressive faith leaders expressed alarm at Johnson‘s election, and his remarks on Wednesday evoking the Bible as saying authorities are chosen by God.

“He must remember that he was elected by the people, not by God,” Raushenbush said.

Similar concerns were expressed by the Rev. Nathan Empsall, executive director of Faithful America, an online Christian community advocating for social justice.

Empsall, in a statement, depicted Johnson as “an insurrection-supporting politician who will do anything to grab power, no matter who it hurts, simply to enforce his brand of right-wing Christianity on the rest of us.”

After the 2020 election, Johnson organized more than 100 House Republicans to file a brief supporting Trump's challenge to President Joe Biden's election — a challenge that appalled many legal observers and that the Supreme Court rejected.

On Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress prepared to certify Biden’s win and just before Trump’s supporters overran the Capitol, Johnson tweeted: “We MUST fight for election integrity, the Constitution, and the preservation of our republic! It will be my honor to help lead that fight in the Congress today.”

He later tweeted a condemnation of the rioters who beat police and broke into the Capitol. He still voted with most House Republicans to overturn Biden's victories in two states.

Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, said via email that Johnson “has an obligation to serve all Americans," those of all faiths and none.

“Johnson’s brand of Christian nationalism is bad American history and a betrayal of the historic Baptist commitment to religious freedom,” Tyler added.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698433700705.png" alt="Johnson took the Speaker's gavel on Wednesday afternoon-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Johnson took the Speaker's gavel on Wednesday afternoon-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Evangelical Christian conservatives have long had allies in top Republican leadership in Congress. But never before have they had one so thoroughly embedded in their movement as new House Speaker Mike Johnson, a longtime culture warrior in the courthouse, in the classroom and in Congress.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) addressed the U.S House of Representatives before being sworn in as Speaker of the House. <a href="https://t.co/mHMvuQIldA">pic.twitter.com/mHMvuQIldA</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1717260910954205574?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Religious conservatives cheered Johnson's election Wednesday, after which he brought his Bible to the rostrum before taking the oath of office. “The Bible is very clear that God is the one that raises up those in authority ... each of you, all of us," he said.“Someone asked me today in the media, ‘People are curious, what does Mike Johnson think about any issue?’” Johnson said Thursday in a Fox News interview. “I said, ’Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it. That’s my worldview.’”But progressive faith leaders are sounding the alarm about Johnson’s opposition to LGBTQ rights and his rallying of Republicans around former President Donald Trump’s legal effort to overturn the 2020 election results. And, more broadly, they are concerned about Johnson's “desire to impose his narrow religious vision upon the rest of us," in the words of Paul Raushenbush, president of Interfaith Alliance, a broad coalition of progressive religious groups.To be sure, Christian conservatives have held the House speakership with Republican majorities in the past, from Catholics such as Paul Ryan and John Boehner to Newt Gingrich, who was Southern Baptist when he was speaker in the 1990s and later converted to Catholicism.In fact, the 2023 House speaker drama has been in some ways an intra-church affair starring Southern Baptists — including Johnson himself, short-term speaker Kevin McCarthy and the representative who led the revolt to oust McCarthy, Matt Gaetz.But Johnson is a bona fide culture warrior, with a resume reading like a roadmap of powerful institutions of the religious right.He has served as professor at the government school of Liberty University in Virginia, a Christian school and conservative bastion.From 2004 to 2012, Johnson served on board of the policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, whose 13 million members comprise the nation's largest Protestant denomination. During his tenure with the SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, it rallied members to place strong emphasis on "values voting." Such activism helped reinforce Republicans' opposition to abortion and LGBTQ rights.Brent Leatherwood, the commission's current president, said he met with Johnson in the early days of his own tenure. “It was clear to me he carries an abiding devotion to our convention of churches, subscribes to the principles that are dear to so many Southern Baptists, and has a deep pride in our nation," Leatherwood said.Johnson served as an attorney with what's now known as Alliance Defending Freedom, one of the foremost legal advocates of causes valued by many on the religious right.With the ADF, Johnson championed a 2004 Louisiana ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage, writing in the Shreveport Times that “homosexual relationships are inherently unnatural” and that society should not approve “such a dangerous lifestyle.” In 2003, after the U.S. Supreme Court nullified state laws banning same-sex sexual relations — which the ADF had urged it to retain — Johnson lamented the decision, writing that by “closing these bedroom doors, they (the justices) have opened a Pandora's box.”Johnson's own public interest law firm, called Freedom Guard, helped win a legal battle regaining tax incentives on behalf of a Noah’s Ark theme park in Kentucky, overcoming state concerns that the project’s mission had shifted from tourism to ministry.Johnson recently led a congressional hearing on transgender issues, saying in a statement, ”Gender affirming care’ is anything but 'affirming’ and ‘caring.’ It is adults deciding to permanently alter the bodies of children who do NOT have the capacity to make life altering decisions on their own.”Religious conservatives embraced Johnson as one of their own as they cheered his election as speaker.“His commitment to unity and passion for protecting freedom will benefit all Americans,” ADF president Kristen Waggoner said on X (formerly Twitter).The Rev. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, welcomed Johnson’s speakership not only because of his conservative political record, but also because he is a “a self-consciously committed evangelical Christian.”“He has somehow pulled off the task of being very convictional and I believe right on most of these issues, and at the same time considered to be respectful and gracious even well-liked by members of his own party, and presumably by members of the other party as well,” Mohler said on his podcast.Johnson invoked images cherished by Christian conservatives as he ascended to the speakership, pledging “servant leadership,” leading fellow Republicans in a prayer, touting the national motto, “In God We Trust” and highlighting the Declaration of Independence's statement that humans "are endowed by their Creator” with rights.John Fea, who studies religious conservatives and is a professor of history at Messiah University in Pennsylvania, said Johnson is a Christian nationalist, part of a movement that fuses Christian and American values, symbols and identity and sees the United States as having a divine destiny similar to the biblical Israel. Johnson has paid tribute to the “profound influence" of Wallbuilders, an organization promoting the view that America was created as a Christian nation, on his own career.“We should not be fooled by his aw-shucks style,” Fea added in Current, an online journal. “He is a culture warrior with deep connections to the Christian Right. One might call him a happy warrior.”Progressive faith leaders expressed alarm at Johnson‘s election, and his remarks on Wednesday evoking the Bible as saying authorities are chosen by God.“He must remember that he was elected by the people, not by God,” Raushenbush said.Similar concerns were expressed by the Rev. Nathan Empsall, executive director of Faithful America, an online Christian community advocating for social justice.Empsall, in a statement, depicted Johnson as “an insurrection-supporting politician who will do anything to grab power, no matter who it hurts, simply to enforce his brand of right-wing Christianity on the rest of us.”After the 2020 election, Johnson organized more than 100 House Republicans to file a brief supporting Trump's challenge to President Joe Biden's election — a challenge that appalled many legal observers and that the Supreme Court rejected.On Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress prepared to certify Biden’s win and just before Trump’s supporters overran the Capitol, Johnson tweeted: “We MUST fight for election integrity, the Constitution, and the preservation of our republic! It will be my honor to help lead that fight in the Congress today.”He later tweeted a condemnation of the rioters who beat police and broke into the Capitol. He still voted with most House Republicans to overturn Biden's victories in two states.Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, said via email that Johnson “has an obligation to serve all Americans," those of all faiths and none.“Johnson’s brand of Christian nationalism is bad American history and a betrayal of the historic Baptist commitment to religious freedom,” Tyler added.___

🎥 Christian conservatives cheer as Mike Johnson assumes Congress' most powerful seat

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting outside a Wichita nightclub and asking the public for help to identify a suspect.

Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were monitoring at Onyx 10001&nbsp; 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.

Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation suggest that a disturbance took place inside the business leading up to the shooting. The exact circumstances leading up to this disturbance are still under active investigation. 

Detectives and officers are working diligently to determine the sequence of events. Contact detectives at 316-268-4407 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698581297158.png" alt="Security camera photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting outside a Wichita nightclub and asking the public for help to identify a suspect.Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were monitoring at Onyx 10001&nbsp; E. Kellogg when they heard multiple gunshots, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698581256538.png" alt="Security camera photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>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.Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation suggest that a disturbance took place inside the business leading up to the shooting. The exact circumstances leading up to this disturbance are still under active investigation. Detectives and officers are working diligently to determine the sequence of events. Contact detectives at 316-268-4407 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.&nbsp;

1 dead, 2 injured: Police work to ID suspect in Kan. nightclub shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and its strike group has moved through the Strait of Gibraltar, putting two American carriers in the Mediterranean Sea, a rare sight in recent years.

The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is already in the eastern Mediterranean, part of a buildup of forces as the U.S. supports Israel in its war against Hamas.

The Eisenhower sailed into the Mediterranean on Saturday and is slated to move through the Suez Canal to the U.S. Central Command region as the American forces expand their presence in the Middle East to deter Iran and its proxy militant groups from trying to widen the war.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696803172229.png" alt="The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea Oct. 18-photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea Oct. 18-photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and its strike group has moved through the Strait of Gibraltar, putting two American carriers in the Mediterranean Sea, a rare sight in recent years.The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is already in the eastern Mediterranean, part of a buildup of forces as the U.S. supports Israel in its war against Hamas.The Eisenhower sailed into the Mediterranean on Saturday and is slated to move through the Suez Canal to the U.S. Central Command region as the American forces expand their presence in the Middle East to deter Iran and its proxy militant groups from trying to widen the war.

2nd U.S. aircraft carrier group moves into Mediterranean 

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a home invasion robbery are asking for help to located a suspect.

Just before 9:30p.m. September 20, Police Officers were dispatched to the 300 block of North Penn Aveue in Salina, regarding an armed robbery.

Three victims inside the home reported two subjects entered the back door unannounced and demanded money. One of the suspects threatened the victims with a long gun, while the second suspect was in possession of a knife.

While trying to disarm the suspects, one of the victims was stabbed with the knife. The suspects fled the area prior to police arrival.

A Saline County District Court arrest warrant has been issued in this case for 41-year-old Phyroom “Thaloe” Ketkan of Salina. Salina Police are looking for information on his whereabouts as well any information on the second suspect involved.

If you have any information concerning this incident or identification of the individual involved, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS. You can also make an on—line tip at:<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#">https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#</a>. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Tipsters may also contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210, or Detective Carswell, case 2023-29225.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694180668180.png" alt="Phyroom Thaloe&nbsp;Phyroom -photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Phyroom Thaloe&nbsp;Phyroom -photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a home invasion robbery are asking for help to located a suspect.Just before 9:30p.m. September 20, Police Officers were dispatched to the 300 block of North Penn Aveue in Salina, regarding an armed robbery.Three victims inside the home reported two subjects entered the back door unannounced and demanded money. One of the suspects threatened the victims with a long gun, while the second suspect was in possession of a knife.While trying to disarm the suspects, one of the victims was stabbed with the knife. The suspects fled the area prior to police arrival.A Saline County District Court arrest warrant has been issued in this case for 41-year-old Phyroom “Thaloe” Ketkan of Salina. Salina Police are looking for information on his whereabouts as well any information on the second suspect involved.If you have any information concerning this incident or identification of the individual involved, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS. You can also make an on—line tip at:<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#">https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#</a>. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000.Tipsters may also contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210, or Detective Carswell, case 2023-29225.

Search continues for Kan. home invasion, robbery suspect

LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Friends" star Matthew Perry, the Emmy-nominated actor whose sarcastic, but lovable Chandler Bing was among television's most famous and most quotable characters, has died at 54.

The actor was found dead of an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times and celebrity website TMZ, which was the first to report the news. Both outlets cited unnamed sources confirming Perry's death.

"Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family," the company said in a statement. "The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans."

Perry's publicists and other representatives did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Asked to confirm police response to what was listed as Perry's home address, LAPD Officer Drake Madison told the AP that officers had gone to that block "for a death investigation of a male in his 50s."

Perry's 10 seasons on "Friends" made him one of Hollywood's most recognizable actors, starring opposite Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer as a friend group in New York.

As Chandler, he played the quick-witted, insecure and neurotic roommate of LeBlanc's Joey and a close friend of Schwimmer's Ross. During the show's hijinks, he could be counted on to chime in with a line like "Could this BE any more awkward?" or another well-timed quip.

Perry was open about his long and public struggle with addiction, writing at the beginning of his 2022 million-selling memoir: "Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead."

"Friends" ran from 1994 until 2004, winning one best comedy series Emmy Award in 2002. The cast notably banded together for later seasons to obtain a salary of $1 million per episode for each.

By the "Friends" finale, Chandler is married to Cox's Monica and they have a family, reflecting the journey of the core cast from single New Yorkers trying to figure their lives out to several of them married and starting families.

The series was one of television's biggest hits and has taken on a new life — and found surprising popularity with younger fans — in recent years on streaming services.

Perry described reading the "Friends" script for the first time in his memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing."

"It was as if someone had followed me around for a year, stealing my jokes, copying my mannerisms, photocopying my world-weary yet witty view of life. One character in particular stood out to me: it wasn't that I thought I could 'play' Chandler. I 'was' Chandler."

Unknown at the time was the struggle Perry had with addiction and an intense desire to please audiences.

"'Friends' was huge. I couldn't jeopardize that. I loved the script. I loved my co-actors. I loved the scripts. I loved everything about the show but I was struggling with my addictions which only added to my sense of shame," he wrote in his memoir. "I had a secret and no one could know."

"I felt like I was gonna die if the live audience didn't laugh, and that's not healthy for sure. But I could sometimes say a line and the audience wouldn't laugh and I would sweat and sometimes go into convulsions," Perry wrote. "If I didn't get the laugh I was supposed to get I would freak out. I felt that every single night. This pressure left me in a bad place. I also knew of the six people making that show, only one of them was sick."

He recalled in his memoir that Aniston confronted him about being inebriated while filming.

"I know you're drinking," he remembered her telling him once. "We can smell it," she said, in what Perry called a "kind of weird but loving way, and the plural 'we' hit me like a sledgehammer."

In the foreword to Perry's memoir, Lisa Kudrow described him as "whip smart, charming, sweet, sensitive, very reasonable, and rational." She added, "That guy, with everything he was battling, was still there."

An HBO Max reunion special in 2021 was hosted by James Corden and fed into huge interest in seeing the cast together again, although the program consisted of the actors discussing the show and was not a continuation of their characters' storylines.

Perry received one Emmy nomination for his "Friends" role and two more for appearances as an associate White House counsel on "The West Wing."

Perry also had several notable film roles, starring opposite Salma Hayek in the rom-com "Fools Rush In" and Bruce Willis in the the crime comedy "The Whole Nine Yards."

He worked consistently after "Friends," though never in a role that brought him as much attention or acclaim.

In 2015, he played Oscar for a CBS reboot of "The Odd Couple" that aired for two seasons. He told the AP that playing Oscar Madison, the character originally made famous in the 1960s series by Walter Matthau, was a "dream role." He also said he was surprised how much he enjoyed being filmed again in front of a live audience.

"I didn't realize I missed it really until it actually happened, til we actually shot the pilot and there was a studio audience there and I realized, 'Wow, I really like this. This is nice,'" he said. "You kind of ham up for the people in the audience. My performance never got better than when there was an audience there."

Perry was born Aug. 19, 1969, in Williamstown, Massachusetts. His father is actor John Bennett Perry and his mother, Suzanne, served as press secretary of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and is married to "Dateline" correspondent Keith Morrison.

Associated Press writers Alicia Rancilio, Janie Har, Hillel Italie, Ryan Pearson and Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698541233773.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Friends" star Matthew Perry, the Emmy-nominated actor whose sarcastic, but lovable Chandler Bing was among television's most famous and most quotable characters, has died at 54.The actor was found dead of an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times and celebrity website TMZ, which was the first to report the news. Both outlets cited unnamed sources confirming Perry's death."Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family," the company said in a statement. "The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans."Perry's publicists and other representatives did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.Asked to confirm police response to what was listed as Perry's home address, LAPD Officer Drake Madison told the AP that officers had gone to that block "for a death investigation of a male in his 50s."Perry's 10 seasons on "Friends" made him one of Hollywood's most recognizable actors, starring opposite Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer as a friend group in New York.As Chandler, he played the quick-witted, insecure and neurotic roommate of LeBlanc's Joey and a close friend of Schwimmer's Ross. During the show's hijinks, he could be counted on to chime in with a line like "Could this BE any more awkward?" or another well-timed quip.Perry was open about his long and public struggle with addiction, writing at the beginning of his 2022 million-selling memoir: "Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.""Friends" ran from 1994 until 2004, winning one best comedy series Emmy Award in 2002. The cast notably banded together for later seasons to obtain a salary of $1 million per episode for each.By the "Friends" finale, Chandler is married to Cox's Monica and they have a family, reflecting the journey of the core cast from single New Yorkers trying to figure their lives out to several of them married and starting families.The series was one of television's biggest hits and has taken on a new life — and found surprising popularity with younger fans — in recent years on streaming services.Perry described reading the "Friends" script for the first time in his memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.""It was as if someone had followed me around for a year, stealing my jokes, copying my mannerisms, photocopying my world-weary yet witty view of life. One character in particular stood out to me: it wasn't that I thought I could 'play' Chandler. I 'was' Chandler."Unknown at the time was the struggle Perry had with addiction and an intense desire to please audiences."'Friends' was huge. I couldn't jeopardize that. I loved the script. I loved my co-actors. I loved the scripts. I loved everything about the show but I was struggling with my addictions which only added to my sense of shame," he wrote in his memoir. "I had a secret and no one could know.""I felt like I was gonna die if the live audience didn't laugh, and that's not healthy for sure. But I could sometimes say a line and the audience wouldn't laugh and I would sweat and sometimes go into convulsions," Perry wrote. "If I didn't get the laugh I was supposed to get I would freak out. I felt that every single night. This pressure left me in a bad place. I also knew of the six people making that show, only one of them was sick."He recalled in his memoir that Aniston confronted him about being inebriated while filming."I know you're drinking," he remembered her telling him once. "We can smell it," she said, in what Perry called a "kind of weird but loving way, and the plural 'we' hit me like a sledgehammer."In the foreword to Perry's memoir, Lisa Kudrow described him as "whip smart, charming, sweet, sensitive, very reasonable, and rational." She added, "That guy, with everything he was battling, was still there."An HBO Max reunion special in 2021 was hosted by James Corden and fed into huge interest in seeing the cast together again, although the program consisted of the actors discussing the show and was not a continuation of their characters' storylines.Perry received one Emmy nomination for his "Friends" role and two more for appearances as an associate White House counsel on "The West Wing."Perry also had several notable film roles, starring opposite Salma Hayek in the rom-com "Fools Rush In" and Bruce Willis in the the crime comedy "The Whole Nine Yards."He worked consistently after "Friends," though never in a role that brought him as much attention or acclaim.In 2015, he played Oscar for a CBS reboot of "The Odd Couple" that aired for two seasons. He told the AP that playing Oscar Madison, the character originally made famous in the 1960s series by Walter Matthau, was a "dream role." He also said he was surprised how much he enjoyed being filmed again in front of a live audience."I didn't realize I missed it really until it actually happened, til we actually shot the pilot and there was a studio audience there and I realized, 'Wow, I really like this. This is nice,'" he said. "You kind of ham up for the people in the audience. My performance never got better than when there was an audience there."Perry was born Aug. 19, 1969, in Williamstown, Massachusetts. His father is actor John Bennett Perry and his mother, Suzanne, served as press secretary of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and is married to "Dateline" correspondent Keith Morrison.___Associated Press writers Alicia Rancilio, Janie Har, Hillel Italie, Ryan Pearson and Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.

Matthew Perry, Emmy-nominated 'Friends' star, dead at 54

WICHITA, KAN. – A man who fired shots into his ex-girlfriend’s house and ran her car off the road has been sentenced to prison.

 District Judge David Kaufman sentenced Nicholas Henry, 30 Wichita, to 14-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On August 1 of 2022, Henry purposely ran his ex-girlfriend’s car off the road near Maple and Richmond in Wichita. The woman’s five year old and nine year old daughters were in the car. Both little girls were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Henry was later charged with three counts of aggravated battery. 

In May of 2023, after Henry bonded out of jail, he shot into his ex-girlfriend’s house multiple times. The woman’s younger daughter received wounds to her wrist and back from bullet fragments. The girl’s older sister and mother were also in the house when Henry fired the shots. In September, Henry pled guilty to the crimes in both cases.

Tuesday afternoon, Judge Kaufman followed the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines and sentenced Henry to 32 months for running the woman’s car off the road. In the second case, Henry was sentenced to 136 months on charges of criminal discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and criminal damage to property.

&nbsp;Henry has three previous convictions for domestic battery and two for criminal threat, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684172501865.png" alt="Henry has three previous convictions for domestic battery and two for criminal threat, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Henry has three previous convictions for domestic battery and two for criminal threat, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A man who fired shots into his ex-girlfriend’s house and ran her car off the road has been sentenced to prison. District Judge David Kaufman sentenced Nicholas Henry, 30 Wichita, to 14-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On August 1 of 2022, Henry purposely ran his ex-girlfriend’s car off the road near Maple and Richmond in Wichita. The woman’s five year old and nine year old daughters were in the car. Both little girls were treated at the scene for minor injuries.Henry was later charged with three counts of aggravated battery. In May of 2023, after Henry bonded out of jail, he shot into his ex-girlfriend’s house multiple times. The woman’s younger daughter received wounds to her wrist and back from bullet fragments. The girl’s older sister and mother were also in the house when Henry fired the shots. In September, Henry pled guilty to the crimes in both cases.Tuesday afternoon, Judge Kaufman followed the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines and sentenced Henry to 32 months for running the woman’s car off the road. In the second case, Henry was sentenced to 136 months on charges of criminal discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and criminal damage to property.&nbsp;Henry has three previous convictions for domestic battery and two for criminal threat, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kan. man sentenced for drive-by shooting that injured 6-year-old

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an altercation at the sheriff's office.

Just before 3 p.m.,&nbsp; Friday a man later identified as 28-year-old Lee Shelton Leon of Great Bend entered the Barton County Sheriff’s Office administrative offices at 1416 Kansas Avenue in Great Bend carrying a rifle, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

 Leon was angry because Sheriff’s deputies had served him a “protection from abuse order” earlier in the day.

The suspect threatened Sheriff’s Office personnel and appeared to be extremely agitated. Undersheriff Steve Billinger disarmed the suspect and with the assistance of Lieutenant David Paden and Great Bend Police Department Detective Jefferson Davis, Leon was subdued and arrested. 

There were no injuries to the suspect or Sheriff’s personnel because of this incident. The weapon was later determined to be an air rifle.

Leon was booked into the Barton County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault of law enforcement officer, aggravated assault (civilian personnel) as well as other charges. He’s being held in lieu of a $50,000 bond, according to Bellendir.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698506282027.jpeg" alt="Leon Photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Leon Photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an altercation at the sheriff's office.Just before 3 p.m.,&nbsp; Friday a man later identified as 28-year-old Lee Shelton Leon of Great Bend entered the Barton County Sheriff’s Office administrative offices at 1416 Kansas Avenue in Great Bend carrying a rifle, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir. Leon was angry because Sheriff’s deputies had served him a “protection from abuse order” earlier in the day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698506048208.jpeg" alt="Photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect threatened Sheriff’s Office personnel and appeared to be extremely agitated. Undersheriff Steve Billinger disarmed the suspect and with the assistance of Lieutenant David Paden and Great Bend Police Department Detective Jefferson Davis, Leon was subdued and arrested. There were no injuries to the suspect or Sheriff’s personnel because of this incident. The weapon was later determined to be an air rifle.Leon was booked into the Barton County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault of law enforcement officer, aggravated assault (civilian personnel) as well as other charges. He’s being held in lieu of a $50,000 bond, according to Bellendir.

Angry man jailed after entering Kan. sheriff's office carrying rifle

KANSAS CITY – A Kansas, man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing methamphetamine to distribute and a firearm, according to the United State's Attorney.

Carlos Joseph Blake Gandy, 37, Galena, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool this week to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Gandy was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.

On Oct. 18, 2022, Gandy pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Gandy was arrested on Aug. 30, 2021, when a law enforcement officer saw him driving a motorcycle in Joplin, Mo., although his driver’s license was revoked. 

Gandy pulled into a restaurant parking lot and carried a black backpack with him into the restaurant. Gandy placed the backpack in a booth while he waited in line with other customers to order. A Joplin police officer placed Gandy under arrest for driving with a revoked license. When the officer asked him about the backpack, Gandy denied having a bag.

Officers found the backpack in a booth. Inside the backpack, officers found a plastic baggie that contained approximately 33.86 grams of methamphetamine, another baggie that contained approximately 3.2 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded Rock Island Armory .45-caliber pistol.

Gandy committed this federal offense while on parole or probation for two robbery convictions and a conviction for stealing a car. Gandy also has two prior felony convictions for robbery, two prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, and prior felony convictions for possessing methamphetamine, manufacturing methamphetamine, resisting arrest, possessing a chemical with the intent to create a controlled substance, and possessing a stolen vehicle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698530028970.png" alt="Gandy-photo Cherokee Co." />
 <figcaption>Gandy-photo Cherokee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – A Kansas, man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing methamphetamine to distribute and a firearm, according to the United State's Attorney.Carlos Joseph Blake Gandy, 37, Galena, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool this week to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Gandy was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.On Oct. 18, 2022, Gandy pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.Gandy was arrested on Aug. 30, 2021, when a law enforcement officer saw him driving a motorcycle in Joplin, Mo., although his driver’s license was revoked. Gandy pulled into a restaurant parking lot and carried a black backpack with him into the restaurant. Gandy placed the backpack in a booth while he waited in line with other customers to order. A Joplin police officer placed Gandy under arrest for driving with a revoked license. When the officer asked him about the backpack, Gandy denied having a bag.Officers found the backpack in a booth. Inside the backpack, officers found a plastic baggie that contained approximately 33.86 grams of methamphetamine, another baggie that contained approximately 3.2 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded Rock Island Armory .45-caliber pistol.Gandy committed this federal offense while on parole or probation for two robbery convictions and a conviction for stealing a car. Gandy also has two prior felony convictions for robbery, two prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, and prior felony convictions for possessing methamphetamine, manufacturing methamphetamine, resisting arrest, possessing a chemical with the intent to create a controlled substance, and possessing a stolen vehicle.

Kansas felon admits using a handgun while selling meth

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Former Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;on Saturday dropped his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, ending his campaign for the White House after struggling to raise money and gain traction in the polls.

“It’s become clear to me: This is not my time," Pence said at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jewish-republicans-trump-desantis-2024-45ee4b88592754dfd6ed5332612373b6">Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual gathering</a>&nbsp;in Las Vegas. “So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.”

“We always knew this would be an uphill battle, but I have no regrets," Pence went on to tell the friendly audience, which reacted with audible surprise to the announcement and gave him multiple standing ovations.

Pence is the first major candidate to leave a race that has been dominated by his former boss-turned-rival,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump,</a>&nbsp;and his struggles underscore just how much Trump has transformed the party. A former vice president would typically be seen as a formidable challenger in any primary, but Pence has struggled to find a base of support.

Pence did not immediately endorse any of his rivals, but continued to echo language he has used to criticize Trump.

“I urge all my fellow Republicans here, give our country a Republican standard-bearer that will, as Lincoln said, appeal to the better angels of our nature, and not only lead us to victory, but lead our nation with civility," he said.

Pence's decision, more than two months before the Iowa caucuses that he had staked his campaign on, saves him from accumulating additional debt, as well as the embarrassment of potentially failing to qualify for the third Republican primary debate, on Nov. 8 in Miami.

But his withdrawal is a huge blow for a politician who spent years biding his time as Trump’s most loyal lieutenant, only to be scapegoated during their final days in office when Trump became convinced that Pence somehow had the power to overturn the results of the 2020 election and keep both men in office — a power Pence did not possess.

While Pence averted a constitutional crisis by rejecting the scheme, he drew Trump’s fury, as well as the wrath of many of Trump’s supporters, who still believed his lies about the election and see Pence as a traitor.

Among Trump critics, meanwhile, Pence was seen as an enabler who defended the former president at every turn and refused to criticize even Trump's most indefensible actions time and again.

As a result, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research from August found that the majority of U.S. adults, 57%, viewed Pence negatively, with only 28% having a positive view.

Throughout his campaign, the former Indiana governor and congressman had insisted that while he was well-known by voters, he was not “known well” and set out to change that with an aggressive schedule that included numerous stops at diners and Pizza Ranch restaurants.

Pence had been betting on Iowa, a state with a large white Evangelical population that has a long history of elevating religious and socially conservative candidates such as former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Pennsylvania Rick Santorum. Pence often campaigned with his wife, Karen, a Christian school teacher, and emphasized his hard-line views on issues such as abortion, which he opposes even in cases when a pregnancy is unviable. He repeatedly called on his fellow candidates to support a minimum 15-week national ban and he pushed to ban drugs used as alternatives to surgical procedures.

He tried to confront head-on his actions on Jan. 6, 2021 , explaining to voters over and over that he had done his constitutional duty that day, knowing full well the political consequences. It was a strategy that aides believed would help defuse the issue and earn Pence the respect of a majority of Republicans, whom they were were convinced did not agree with Trump’s actions.

But even in Iowa, Pence struggled to gain traction.

He had an equally uphill climb raising money, despite yearslong relationships with donors. Pence ended September with just $1.18 million in the bank and $621,000 in debt, according to his most recent campaign filing. That debt had grown in the weeks since and adding to it would have taken Pence, who is not independently wealthy, years pay off.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-2024-election-fundraising-iowa-trump-50caaf71b004b25d866aa0dace68b1ec">The Associated Press first reported earlier this month</a>&nbsp;that people close to Pence had begun to feel that remaining a candidate risked diminishing his long-term standing in the party, given Trump’s dominating lead in the race for the 2024 nomination. While they said Pence could stick it out until the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses if he wanted — campaigning on a shoestring budget and accumulating debt — he would have to consider how that might affect his ability to remain a leading voice in the conservative movement, as he hopes.

Some said that Hamas' attack on Israel in October, which pushed foreign policy to the forefront of the campaign, had given Pence a renewed sense of purpose given his warnings throughout the campaign against the growing tide of isolationism in the Republican Party. Pence had argued that he was the race’s most experienced candidate and decried “voices of appeasement” among Republican, arguing they had emboldened groups such as Hamas.

But ultimately, Pence concluded that he could continue to speak out on the issue without continuing the campaign. He chose the Las Vegas event to announce his decision, in part, so he could address the topic one last time before formally leaving the race.

He is expected to remain engaged, in part through Advancing American Freedom, the conservative think tank he founded after leaving the vice presidency and that he envisions it as an alternative to the The Heritage Foundation.

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Former Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;on Saturday dropped his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, ending his campaign for the White House after struggling to raise money and gain traction in the polls.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Pence?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mike_Pence</a>: &quot;It&#39;s become clear to me: This is not my time. So, after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/TVVxEaPIyL">pic.twitter.com/TVVxEaPIyL</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1718341013578613090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It’s become clear to me: This is not my time," Pence said at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jewish-republicans-trump-desantis-2024-45ee4b88592754dfd6ed5332612373b6">Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual gathering</a>&nbsp;in Las Vegas. “So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.”“We always knew this would be an uphill battle, but I have no regrets," Pence went on to tell the friendly audience, which reacted with audible surprise to the announcement and gave him multiple standing ovations.Pence is the first major candidate to leave a race that has been dominated by his former boss-turned-rival,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump,</a>&nbsp;and his struggles underscore just how much Trump has transformed the party. A former vice president would typically be seen as a formidable challenger in any primary, but Pence has struggled to find a base of support.Pence did not immediately endorse any of his rivals, but continued to echo language he has used to criticize Trump.“I urge all my fellow Republicans here, give our country a Republican standard-bearer that will, as Lincoln said, appeal to the better angels of our nature, and not only lead us to victory, but lead our nation with civility," he said.Pence's decision, more than two months before the Iowa caucuses that he had staked his campaign on, saves him from accumulating additional debt, as well as the embarrassment of potentially failing to qualify for the third Republican primary debate, on Nov. 8 in Miami.But his withdrawal is a huge blow for a politician who spent years biding his time as Trump’s most loyal lieutenant, only to be scapegoated during their final days in office when Trump became convinced that Pence somehow had the power to overturn the results of the 2020 election and keep both men in office — a power Pence did not possess.While Pence averted a constitutional crisis by rejecting the scheme, he drew Trump’s fury, as well as the wrath of many of Trump’s supporters, who still believed his lies about the election and see Pence as a traitor.Among Trump critics, meanwhile, Pence was seen as an enabler who defended the former president at every turn and refused to criticize even Trump's most indefensible actions time and again.As a result, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research from August found that the majority of U.S. adults, 57%, viewed Pence negatively, with only 28% having a positive view.Throughout his campaign, the former Indiana governor and congressman had insisted that while he was well-known by voters, he was not “known well” and set out to change that with an aggressive schedule that included numerous stops at diners and Pizza Ranch restaurants.Pence had been betting on Iowa, a state with a large white Evangelical population that has a long history of elevating religious and socially conservative candidates such as former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Pennsylvania Rick Santorum. Pence often campaigned with his wife, Karen, a Christian school teacher, and emphasized his hard-line views on issues such as abortion, which he opposes even in cases when a pregnancy is unviable. He repeatedly called on his fellow candidates to support a minimum 15-week national ban and he pushed to ban drugs used as alternatives to surgical procedures.He tried to confront head-on his actions on Jan. 6, 2021 , explaining to voters over and over that he had done his constitutional duty that day, knowing full well the political consequences. It was a strategy that aides believed would help defuse the issue and earn Pence the respect of a majority of Republicans, whom they were were convinced did not agree with Trump’s actions.But even in Iowa, Pence struggled to gain traction.He had an equally uphill climb raising money, despite yearslong relationships with donors. Pence ended September with just $1.18 million in the bank and $621,000 in debt, according to his most recent campaign filing. That debt had grown in the weeks since and adding to it would have taken Pence, who is not independently wealthy, years pay off.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-2024-election-fundraising-iowa-trump-50caaf71b004b25d866aa0dace68b1ec">The Associated Press first reported earlier this month</a>&nbsp;that people close to Pence had begun to feel that remaining a candidate risked diminishing his long-term standing in the party, given Trump’s dominating lead in the race for the 2024 nomination. While they said Pence could stick it out until the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses if he wanted — campaigning on a shoestring budget and accumulating debt — he would have to consider how that might affect his ability to remain a leading voice in the conservative movement, as he hopes.Some said that Hamas' attack on Israel in October, which pushed foreign policy to the forefront of the campaign, had given Pence a renewed sense of purpose given his warnings throughout the campaign against the growing tide of isolationism in the Republican Party. Pence had argued that he was the race’s most experienced candidate and decried “voices of appeasement” among Republican, arguing they had emboldened groups such as Hamas.But ultimately, Pence concluded that he could continue to speak out on the issue without continuing the campaign. He chose the Las Vegas event to announce his decision, in part, so he could address the topic one last time before formally leaving the race.He is expected to remain engaged, in part through Advancing American Freedom, the conservative think tank he founded after leaving the vice presidency and that he envisions it as an alternative to the The Heritage Foundation.Pence's group is expected to continued to advocate for policies that he supported in his run, including pushing for more U.S. support for Ukraine’s defense against the Russian invasion and proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare to rein in the debt. Such ideas were once the bread-and-butter of Republican establishment orthodoxy but have fallen out of a favor as the party has embraced Trump’s isolationist and populist views.