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>

Kansas Republican legislative leadership remains steadfast in opposition

PITTSBURG — Blake Benson stood in his hometown’s hospital lobby to deliver economic and health care justification for expanding Medicaid enrollment among lower-income workers in Kansas.

Benson, president of the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce and board chairman of Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, said a resolution had to be found to political conflict that left Kansas among 10 states stiff arming appeals to broaden access to health benefits of Medicaid.

Ending the blockade on expansion by Republican leaders of the Kansas Legislature would deliver $11 million annually to hospitals and clinics in Crawford County, he said.

“Expanding health care coverage to more than 1,600 uninsured employees right here in our community would create a healthier workforce and increase productivity while reducing absenteeism and employee turnover in our local businesses,” Benson said.

Benson said Medicaid expansion proposals offered by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and strategies adopted in 40 states, including the four surrounding Kansas, would deliver health insurance under the state- and federal-funded Medicaid program to people who made too much to qualify for traditional Medicaid but not enough to afford traditional private health insurance.

“Folks, these are our neighbors,” Benson said. “They work hard. They’re good people. And, they deserve access to health care.”

Kelly, who has submitted five plans for Medicaid expansion during her tenure as governor, was in Pittsburg for the third leg of her “Healthy Workers, Healthy Economy” tour to ask Kansans to contact House and Senate members to urge action on Medicaid. Her bid to ignite public interest in the issue took her previously to Winfield and Garden City. She expects to continue the statewide tour until start of the 2024 legislative session in January.

She said she would present the Legislature with her sixth plan for reforming Medicaid and declared it would be her top priority in the upcoming session.

“The reason I’m so focused on this issue is because by expanding Medicaid we’ll give thousands of working Kansans access to affordable health care,” Kelly said. “Contrary to what some would have you believe, 140,000 Kansans work but don’t have health insurance. Many hold down jobs waiting tables. They work in our child care centers. They care for our seniors. Or they’re in other industries that don’t traditionally offer employee-based health insurance.”

The governor said expansion would create thousands of jobs in Kansas, assist financially vulnerable hospitals and clinics, and allow people to have prompt, affordable access to medical care.

Under federal law, 90% of the cost for expanding Medicaid would be funded by the federal government and Kansas would be responsible for providing 10% of the funding. Kansas foregoes about $66 million in federal aid each month it didn’t take advantage of expansion provisions under the Affordable Care Act, Kelly said.

Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, both Republicans, have argued Medicaid expansion was an unwarranted overreach by Congress that ballooned federal spending and unnecessarily disturbed the health insurance market. The Legislature’s GOP leaders described the governor’s Medicaid tour as a pitch to deepen the welfare state for benefit of “able-bodied adults” who opted not to hold down a job.

In March 2017, then-Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed a bill, passed 81-44 in the House and 25-13 in the Senate, that would have added Kansas to states expanding Medicaid access. Brownback, who personally opposed Medicaid expansion, said the cost of enlarging Medicaid was “irresponsible and unsustainable.”

So far, Kelly said, Kansas had rejected $6.6 billion in federal funding that could have flowed into the state had lawmakers agreed to expand eligibility.

Kelly said expansion shouldn’t be viewed as a Republican or Democratic issue because a survey of Kansans showed 78% of participants, regardless of partisan affiliation, supported enlarging the reach of Medicaid.

She asserted expansion could have prevented closure of three southeast Kansas hospitals since 2014. She pointed to reports indicating as many as 60 rural hospitals in Kansas were in financial jeopardy.

“Trust me when I tell you that there are many Republican legislators who are just as frustrated as I am that we are unable to get this done,” Kelly said. “I refuse to give up on this fight with the Legislature.”

She said the state’s Medicaid eligibility standards were inadequate. She said rules in Kansas meant a single mother of two could qualify for Medicaid — known as KanCare in Kansas — if her annual income was less than $9,500. In other words, the governor said, a mother of two working 30 hours per week at a minimum wage job earned too much to qualify in Kansas.

Currently, 480,000 Kansans were enrolled in Medicaid. An estimated 260,000 people, including 38,000 children, go without health insurance in Kansas, Kelly said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696611748699.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly traveled to a Pittsburg hospital to encourage Kansans to pressure legislators to support expansion of Medicaid health insurance benefits to low-income working Kansans. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly traveled to a Pittsburg hospital to encourage Kansans to pressure legislators to support expansion of Medicaid health insurance benefits to low-income working Kansans. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</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><h2>Kansas Republican legislative leadership remains steadfast in opposition</h2>PITTSBURG — Blake Benson stood in his hometown’s hospital lobby to deliver economic and health care justification for expanding Medicaid enrollment among lower-income workers in Kansas.Benson, president of the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce and board chairman of Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, said a resolution had to be found to political conflict that left Kansas among 10 states stiff arming appeals to broaden access to health benefits of Medicaid.Ending the blockade on expansion by Republican leaders of the Kansas Legislature would deliver $11 million annually to hospitals and clinics in Crawford County, he said.“Expanding health care coverage to more than 1,600 uninsured employees right here in our community would create a healthier workforce and increase productivity while reducing absenteeism and employee turnover in our local businesses,” Benson said.Benson said Medicaid expansion proposals offered by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and strategies adopted in 40 states, including the four surrounding Kansas, would deliver health insurance under the state- and federal-funded Medicaid program to people who made too much to qualify for traditional Medicaid but not enough to afford traditional private health insurance.“Folks, these are our neighbors,” Benson said. “They work hard. They’re good people. And, they deserve access to health care.”Kelly, who has submitted five plans for Medicaid expansion during her tenure as governor, was in Pittsburg for the third leg of her “Healthy Workers, Healthy Economy” tour to ask Kansans to contact House and Senate members to urge action on Medicaid. Her bid to ignite public interest in the issue took her previously to Winfield and Garden City. She expects to continue the statewide tour until start of the 2024 legislative session in January.She said she would present the Legislature with her sixth plan for reforming Medicaid and declared it would be her top priority in the upcoming session.“The reason I’m so focused on this issue is because by expanding Medicaid we’ll give thousands of working Kansans access to affordable health care,” Kelly said. “Contrary to what some would have you believe, 140,000 Kansans work but don’t have health insurance. Many hold down jobs waiting tables. They work in our child care centers. They care for our seniors. Or they’re in other industries that don’t traditionally offer employee-based health insurance.”The governor said expansion would create thousands of jobs in Kansas, assist financially vulnerable hospitals and clinics, and allow people to have prompt, affordable access to medical care.Under federal law, 90% of the cost for expanding Medicaid would be funded by the federal government and Kansas would be responsible for providing 10% of the funding. Kansas foregoes about $66 million in federal aid each month it didn’t take advantage of expansion provisions under the Affordable Care Act, Kelly said.Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, both Republicans, have argued Medicaid expansion was an unwarranted overreach by Congress that ballooned federal spending and unnecessarily disturbed the health insurance market. The Legislature’s GOP leaders described the governor’s Medicaid tour as a pitch to deepen the welfare state for benefit of “able-bodied adults” who opted not to hold down a job.In March 2017, then-Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed a bill, passed 81-44 in the House and 25-13 in the Senate, that would have added Kansas to states expanding Medicaid access. Brownback, who personally opposed Medicaid expansion, said the cost of enlarging Medicaid was “irresponsible and unsustainable.”So far, Kelly said, Kansas had rejected $6.6 billion in federal funding that could have flowed into the state had lawmakers agreed to expand eligibility.Kelly said expansion shouldn’t be viewed as a Republican or Democratic issue because a survey of Kansans showed 78% of participants, regardless of partisan affiliation, supported enlarging the reach of Medicaid.She asserted expansion could have prevented closure of three southeast Kansas hospitals since 2014. She pointed to reports indicating as many as 60 rural hospitals in Kansas were in financial jeopardy.“Trust me when I tell you that there are many Republican legislators who are just as frustrated as I am that we are unable to get this done,” Kelly said. “I refuse to give up on this fight with the Legislature.”She said the state’s Medicaid eligibility standards were inadequate. She said rules in Kansas meant a single mother of two could qualify for Medicaid — known as KanCare in Kansas — if her annual income was less than $9,500. In other words, the governor said, a mother of two working 30 hours per week at a minimum wage job earned too much to qualify in Kansas.Currently, 480,000 Kansans were enrolled in Medicaid. An estimated 260,000 people, including 38,000 children, go without health insurance in Kansas, Kelly said.

Gov. Kelly parachutes into Pittsburg to advocate for Medicaid expansion

Are you ready to embark on a journey through time and history? This Saturday, an iconic piece of railroad heritage, the&nbsp;1919 Baldwin 4-6-2 “Pacific” type locomotive, Santa Fe #3415&nbsp;steam engine, will make its final run before undergoing an FRA mandatory overhaul. 

The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad invites you to participate in this historic moment as we bid farewell to this magnificent&nbsp;locomotive.

The Santa Fe #3415 steam engine is not just any train — it's a true masterpiece of engineering and a symbol of a bygone era. This locomotive has been a beloved part of our railroad's history and a cherished sight for both locals and visitors alike.

With its sleek design and powerful steam-driven heart, the Santa Fe #3415 has captured the imagination of train enthusiasts for generations. But what makes this locomotive truly special is the stories it carries. 

It has traversed countless miles of track, carrying passengers and freight, witnessing the changing landscapes and cultures along the way. Its whistle has echoed through valleys, its wheels have rolled over bridges, and its smokestack has billowed steam into the sky. 

Riding aboard the Santa Fe 3415 is like stepping into a living time capsule, offering a unique glimpse into the past.

The 1919 Baldwin 4-6-2 “Pacific” type locomotive, Santa Fe #3415, was moved to its present location at the Abilene &amp; Smoky Valley Railroad yard in April 1996 from the city park in Abilene where it had spent the last 40 years. 

Locomotive #3415 was built in 1919 and was in regular service in Santa Fe’s Argentine District out of Kansas City. The railroad donated the locomotive to the city of Abilene in 1954, and it was placed in the city park.

In 1996, the city donated it to the Abilene &amp; Smoky Valley Railroad. It was moved from the park and placed on the railroad’s tracks near the depot, where it sat on display until restoration was started in 2005. 

This is the only operating steam locomotive in the state and is one of only three operational, former Santa Fe steam locomotives. The steamer has operated about once a month on special weekends on our five-mile-long track, a former Rock Island Railroad branch, through the Smoky Hill River Valley between Abilene and Enterprise, Kansas.

On Friday, Sept. 15, 30 photographers from across the nation visited Abilene for a photography ride along the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad as a fundraiser by Dak Dillon, owner of St. Louis-based&nbsp;Hub &amp; Spoke, a boutique marketing and creative agency.

"I would call the photoshoot a kind of an extension of what the steam locomotive is for the railroad and really for the entire tourism industry in Abilene because it is its symbol. It's a symbol everywhere," said Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad volunteer Steve Smethers.&nbsp;

The event raised $10,000 toward the locomotive's complete remodel. Smethers said this would fund the first step of the $600,000 remodel.

"I think that really illustrates just the power in the draw of the steam locomotive," Smethers said.

The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad plans to host photography events in the future, even while Santa Fe #3415 undergoes its FRA mandatory overhaul.

This means it will be out of commission for the foreseeable torture until funding is available to complete this massive undertaking,&nbsp;which is essential maintenance to ensure its continued safe operation. 

This last run is your final opportunity to experience the magic of this historic steam engine before it temporarily retires from the tracks.

Passengers last chance before the overhaul will be on Oct. 7 at 10 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

You may buy tickets at the railroad’s <a href="https://asvrr.org/abilene-attractions/">website here.&nbsp;</a>

Whether you're a devoted train enthusiast or simply looking for a unique and nostalgic adventure, this is an experience you won't want to miss. Gather your friends and family, and join us for a journey through the picturesque Smoky Valley, where you'll be treated to stunning views of the Kansas countryside from the comfort of our vintage passenger cars.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696618448075.jpeg" alt="Santa Fe #3415 on Friday, Sept. 15 during the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad photography train event. Photo courtesy Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad staff member Mila Miller" />
 <figcaption>Santa Fe #3415 on Friday, Sept. 15 during the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad photography train event. Photo courtesy Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad staff member Mila Miller</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTAre you ready to embark on a journey through time and history? This Saturday, an iconic piece of railroad heritage, the&nbsp;1919 Baldwin 4-6-2 “Pacific” type locomotive, Santa Fe #3415&nbsp;steam engine, will make its final run before undergoing an FRA mandatory overhaul. The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad invites you to participate in this historic moment as we bid farewell to this magnificent&nbsp;locomotive.<h2>Why is the Santa Fe #3415 so Special?</h2>The Santa Fe #3415 steam engine is not just any train — it's a true masterpiece of engineering and a symbol of a bygone era. This locomotive has been a beloved part of our railroad's history and a cherished sight for both locals and visitors alike.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696618516574.jpeg" alt="Santa Fe #3415 on Friday, Sept. 15, during the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad photography train event. Photo courtesy Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad staff Mila Miller" />
 <figcaption>Santa Fe #3415 on Friday, Sept. 15, during the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad photography train event. Photo courtesy Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad staff Mila Miller</figcaption>
 </figure>With its sleek design and powerful steam-driven heart, the Santa Fe #3415 has captured the imagination of train enthusiasts for generations. But what makes this locomotive truly special is the stories it carries. It has traversed countless miles of track, carrying passengers and freight, witnessing the changing landscapes and cultures along the way. Its whistle has echoed through valleys, its wheels have rolled over bridges, and its smokestack has billowed steam into the sky. Riding aboard the Santa Fe 3415 is like stepping into a living time capsule, offering a unique glimpse into the past.<h2>History</h2>The 1919 Baldwin 4-6-2 “Pacific” type locomotive, Santa Fe #3415, was moved to its present location at the Abilene &amp; Smoky Valley Railroad yard in April 1996 from the city park in Abilene where it had spent the last 40 years. Locomotive #3415 was built in 1919 and was in regular service in Santa Fe’s Argentine District out of Kansas City. The railroad donated the locomotive to the city of Abilene in 1954, and it was placed in the city park.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696618554941.jpeg" alt="Santa Fe #3415 on Friday, Sept. 15, during the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad photography train event. Photo courtesy Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad staff Mila Miller" />
 <figcaption>Santa Fe #3415 on Friday, Sept. 15, during the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad photography train event. Photo courtesy Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad staff Mila Miller</figcaption>
 </figure>In 1996, the city donated it to the Abilene &amp; Smoky Valley Railroad. It was moved from the park and placed on the railroad’s tracks near the depot, where it sat on display until restoration was started in 2005. This is the only operating steam locomotive in the state and is one of only three operational, former Santa Fe steam locomotives. The steamer has operated about once a month on special weekends on our five-mile-long track, a former Rock Island Railroad branch, through the Smoky Hill River Valley between Abilene and Enterprise, Kansas.<h2>Your Last Chance to Ride</h2>On Friday, Sept. 15, 30 photographers from across the nation visited Abilene for a photography ride along the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad as a fundraiser by Dak Dillon, owner of St. Louis-based&nbsp;Hub &amp; Spoke, a boutique marketing and creative agency."I would call the photoshoot a kind of an extension of what the steam locomotive is for the railroad and really for the entire tourism industry in Abilene because it is its symbol. It's a symbol everywhere," said Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad volunteer Steve Smethers.&nbsp;The event raised $10,000 toward the locomotive's complete remodel. Smethers said this would fund the first step of the $600,000 remodel."I think that really illustrates just the power in the draw of the steam locomotive," Smethers said.The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad plans to host photography events in the future, even while Santa Fe #3415 undergoes its FRA mandatory overhaul.This means it will be out of commission for the foreseeable torture until funding is available to complete this massive undertaking,&nbsp;which is essential maintenance to ensure its continued safe operation. This last run is your final opportunity to experience the magic of this historic steam engine before it temporarily retires from the tracks.Passengers last chance before the overhaul will be on Oct. 7 at 10 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.You may buy tickets at the railroad’s <a href="https://asvrr.org/abilene-attractions/">website here.&nbsp;</a>Whether you're a devoted train enthusiast or simply looking for a unique and nostalgic adventure, this is an experience you won't want to miss. Gather your friends and family, and join us for a journey through the picturesque Smoky Valley, where you'll be treated to stunning views of the Kansas countryside from the comfort of our vintage passenger cars.

Last run for historic Kansas train before major overhaul

War: Surprise attack stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man's murder and continue asking the public for help to locate a woman as part of the investigation.

Just after 10:30 p.m. September 25, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2200 Block SW Plass Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release. First responders found a man suffering from a gunshot wound.&nbsp; The victim was transported to a local hospital with injuries considered to be life threatening.

On September 27, the victim identified as 39-year-old Durant R. Redmond of Topeka died of his injuries in the hospital.&nbsp;

Police are working to locate 31-year-old Chelsee A. Baugh (Retana) Topeka. Investigators believe she has information about the shooting and they would like to speak to her.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696031364543.png" alt="Baugh-photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Baugh-photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man's murder and continue asking the public for help to locate a woman as part of the investigation.Just after 10:30 p.m. September 25, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2200 Block SW Plass Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release. First responders found a man suffering from a gunshot wound.&nbsp; The victim was transported to a local hospital with injuries considered to be life threatening.On September 27, the victim identified as 39-year-old Durant R. Redmond of Topeka died of his injuries in the hospital.&nbsp;Police are working to locate 31-year-old Chelsee A. Baugh (Retana) Topeka. Investigators believe she has information about the shooting and they would like to speak to her.

Search continues for woman in connection with murder of Kan. man

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">JACOB FISCHLER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

WASHINGTON — The stunning ouster of U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday —&nbsp;the first time a speaker has been removed in Congress’ 234-year history —&nbsp;created a leadership vacuum in the chamber and left multiple questions about how legislative business would proceed.

North Carolina Republican Patrick McHenry ascended to the role of speaker pro tempore following the vote to unseat McCarthy. McHenry’s rise occurred under a House rule created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that allowed McCarthy to secretly choose a temporary successor in advance, in the event the speaker’s office was vacated.

The rule seems designed to keep the chamber running without an elected speaker, but in an institution governed largely by precedent, the unprecedented nature of the situation provoked a buzz of uncertainty, speculation and opinion in D.C. on the day after McCarthy’s unwilling exit.

“The only thing I’m certain about is that anyone who says that they have any certainty on this is lying,” said Josh Chafetz, a professor of law and politics at Georgetown Law. “There’s absolutely no precedents on any of this because this hasn’t happened before.”

Members were exasperated. “The House of Representatives is effectively frozen,” Rep. Garret Graves, a Louisiana Republican and McCarthy ally, told reporters Wednesday. “We’re not able to actually advance legislation. We can’t even refer bills to committee.”

McHenry has called for House members to vote on the next speaker on Oct. 11. Until then, the House is unlikely to try to conduct business —&nbsp;even as a government funding deadline approaches Nov. 17. But there’s also the possibility that the House won’t — or is unable to — choose a speaker for even longer.

Here are some questions about how the chamber moves forward in the absence of an elected speaker, with answers from legal and congressional experts.

Why does the role of speaker pro tempore exist in the U.S. House of Representatives, and what powers does that person hold?&nbsp;

Molly E. Reynolds, senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, said Wednesday during a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlhKzpLLLxQ">panel discussion</a>&nbsp;the role of speaker pro tempore was designed as a way to bolster continuity of government.

“The language of the rule itself isn’t entirely clear on what powers the speaker pro tem has — whether it’s all of the powers of the Office of the Speaker, or just authorities that allow him to effectuate a new election for speaker,” Reynolds said.

There are two schools of thought about how much power a speaker pro tempore holds, Reynolds said.

“I would put myself in the camp that the speaker pro tem, McHenry, has the full powers of the speakership with the possible exception of sitting in the line of succession.” Reynolds said.

“My logic there is that given how this rule was originally designed, which was to allow someone to act as speaker in the event of a real crisis, that you would not necessarily have wanted to develop a rule that would limit that person’s power in an actual emergency,” Reynolds said.

“The idea behind a pro tempore is: The person can act in the absence of a speaker,” Jason Roberts, a political science professor at the University of North Carolina, told States Newsroom. “So I interpret that to mean the speaker pro tempore can do basically whatever they choose to do.”

Nearly every move McHenry makes would become a precedent for future temporary speakers, Roberts said.

Tests to McHenry’s power could end up being settled by a majority of the House, experts said.

“The way that precedents in the House work when things are unprecedented is when someone does something, that becomes a precedent,” Roberts said. “If someone is unhappy with what they did, they can raise a point of order… And then the House would vote on that, and if they sustain the point of order then that would become the precedent.”

For the time being, McHenry is taking the more restrained approach to his authority as the temporary speaker of the House. He has not yet referred bills to committee or scheduled floor votes on any legislation, Reynolds said.

But that could change if Republicans cannot quickly elect another speaker.

“This is all pretty untested and it may well be the case that McHenry’s choice to act in this more limited way is a political one,” Reynolds said.

Because this has never happened before, anything McHenry does during the days or weeks to come could be used as precedent in the future if the House ever needs to lean on another speaker pro tempore, Reynolds said.

“In the kind of situation that this rule originally anticipated — a true catastrophic emergency — I think we would probably want the person acting as speaker pro tem to have more expansive powers than McHenry is at least planning at this moment to exercise,” Reynolds said.

Steven S. Smith, a professor at Arizona State University, said that if a leadership vacuum persists past next week, McHenry may have to consider a more robust approach.

“If no new speaker manages to get elected that quickly and he remains the speaker pro tem, then I’m guessing that he’ll have to start thinking about exercising the real powers of the speakership,” Smith said.

Though a temporary speaker could —&nbsp;possibly —&nbsp;use many of the official powers of the office, McHenry lacks some of the power speakers typically enjoy as the leader of the House.

McHenry would lack the power to appoint Rules Committee members, for example, which is what allows a speaker to control the House floor and makes the position as powerful as it is, Smith said.

“If McHenry ends up being, say, a medium-term speaker pro tem, it’s going to be somewhat awkward because none of the Rules Committee members owe their presence there to him,” Smith said. “And he’s not empowered to do anything about it under the conference rules.”

McHenry would also lack the power to appoint members to the steering committee, which makes appointments to every committee in the House, Smith said.

The official&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules118.house.gov/files/documents/Rules%20and%20Resources/118-House-Rules-Clerk.pdf">rules of the House</a>&nbsp;detail what the chamber should do if the speaker becomes ill for a long period of time, or if the office is vacated.

Section 8(b)(3)(A) of Rule I states: “In the case of a vacancy in the Office of Speaker, the next Member on the list described in subdivision (B) shall act as Speaker pro tempore until the election of a Speaker or a Speaker pro tempore. Pending such election the Member acting as Speaker pro tempore may exercise such authorities of the Office of the Speaker as may be necessary and appropriate to that end.”

What is “necessary and appropriate to that end” is the part that leads to some debate among experts.

What can the House do without a speaker?&nbsp;

The speaker pro tempore position was intended to allow the House to continue to function as normal, even without an elected speaker.

In practice, though, at least in the short term, it’s a major disruption to House business.

Graves blasted Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican who led the challenge to McCarthy, saying he undermined conservative goals and stripped powers from the Republican office.

“You can’t offer subpoenas, you can’t go after Hunter Biden, you can’t go after any of the controversies that this administration has carried out,” Graves said.

Experts said it was unclear how subpoena power could be affected.

If McHenry becomes more assertive as an acting speaker during a prolonged period without an elected one, the House itself would ultimately decide the extent of that position’s power.

“The most fundamental thing about the House is a majority of the House can do anything the majority wants to do,” Roberts said.

Can House committees meet for hearings or to report bills to the floor?

Nothing but political considerations would prevent committees from meeting, Smith said.

Committees’ authorities, organized under a rules package approved at the beginning of this Congress and in effect even after McCarthy’s ouster, “don’t change at all,” Roberts said.

“I can’t think of any reason why committees couldn’t meet,” Chafetz said. “Committees don’t need the permission of the speaker to hold a meeting.”

Can the House change the rules that allowed for McCarthy’s ouster?

Yes. The House can change its rules at any time, through a majority vote on the floor, Smith said.

McCarthy agreed to a rule change allowing any single member to bring a motion to vacate, the procedure that Gaetz used to trigger the speaker’s fall.

With that in mind, McCarthy’s successor may seek to add a minimum number of members who must sign on to such a motion.

Though rules packages are usually only passed at the beginning of a two-year Congress, a majority can choose to change them at any time.

The House speaker is second in the line of succession to the presidency, behind only the vice president.

With that office vacant, the president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, currently Washington Democrat Patty Murray, would move up to second in line, Roberts said. Murray holds the position by virtue of being the most senior member of the Senate’s majority party.

While McHenry could exercise most of the speaker’s powers within the House, he is not technically the speaker for the purposes of succession.

“Officially, the speaker’s office is vacant,” Roberts said.

Does the vote to remove McCarthy as speaker increase the odds of a government shutdown or spending cuts?

Reynolds from Brookings said one of the challenges for the next GOP speaker will be when and how to make trade-offs with the hard-right members of the conference or the centrists, who are most at risk of losing reelection next year.

“If you try to pass an appropriations bill that is embraced by those on the right end of the conference, you’re going to lose votes from the left end of the conference,” Reynolds said.

“So it’s a much different political struggle to manage those differences in the conference,” Reynolds said. “And that’s not going to go away for whoever is the next speaker of the House and in some ways the stakes of all of this are going to get higher the longer we go into the fiscal year.”

A provision in the debt limit law that President Joe Biden and McCarthy brokered in May would institute a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/1-cut-federal-spending-debt-limit-law-its-complicated">1% across-the-board spending cut</a>&nbsp;to defense and domestic discretionary programs next year if Congress cannot pass all 12 of the annual spending bills before the spring.

That provision wouldn’t have any real-world effects until April 30, though if any of the bills aren’t law before then, all of the departments and agencies would be forced to cut spending.

The “Sword of Damocles” provision, as Reynolds called it, will likely galvanize defense hawks in the House and Senate to broker agreement on all the bills before that deadline.

“But one thing that we should take away from this episode, is that if we think what Kevin McCarthy did over the weekend was the right thing, that does not necessarily save him, or any future speaker, from punishment from a dissident faction of his own conference, even though ultimately it may be the right choice for the government and for the country,” Reynolds said.

Matthew Green, professor of politics at Catholic University of America, said the next Republican speaker will likely have a brief time to broker bipartisan agreements without facing the same motion to vacate that McCarthy did.

“I think there is probably a small window for the next speaker to be able to get things through, even if that requires cooperating with the Democrats and the president — which it almost certainly will — that it won’t necessarily end their speakership,” Green said.

Another challenge for House Republicans is that dealing with the speakership race eats up precious time they need to pass spending bills, Smith said. A new speaker won’t take office until Oct. 11 at the earliest.

“Taking out about 25% of the remaining days before the CR expires is going to put Republicans in a pinch,” Smith said, referring to the continuing resolution that funds the government through Nov. 17.

How did the House Republican Conference get here, and what does it mean for the future?

Green, of Catholic University of America, said that changes in the GOP’s goals over time have partially led to what happened this week when eight members were able to oust a speaker who was backed by more than 210 of his Republican colleagues.

The trend can be traced back to former Speaker Newt Gingrich, and leaders before him, who Green said began shifting the goals to having power, having a majority and communicating. The central goal, he said, wasn’t always legislating.

“That objective and that way of viewing one’s political career gets certain folks elected, who may have genuine views and beliefs and political preferences — but they also don’t see Congress as a place to solve problems and legislate,” Green said. “And that’s in many ways why we are where we are today.”

Philip Wallach, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said sometimes House Republicans “get distracted from the fact that they are members of a legislature that ultimately has to pass laws with majorities of two chambers and get the signature of the president.”

How does kicking McCarthy out as speaker affect House Republicans’ fundraising prospects heading into the 2024 elections?

Kevin R. Kosar, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said that the eight Republicans who voted to remove McCarthy might have created long-lasting problems for House GOP fundraising efforts.

“He was a tremendous fundraiser. He raised gobs and gobs of money for his party, just as Pelosi had done. That’s one of the duties of the modern speaker, is to be this sort of a cash cow,” Kosar said.

“The GOP dissidents just killed that cash cow,” Kosar added. “And I wonder inside the GOP conference, how many members are seething about that because many of them are heavily reliant on the speaker to raise money for them.”

&nbsp;Ariana Figueroa contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696366148194.png" alt="A view of the House chamber during the historic vote on Tuesday-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>A view of the House chamber during the historic vote on Tuesday-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">JACOB FISCHLER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>WASHINGTON — The stunning ouster of U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday —&nbsp;the first time a speaker has been removed in Congress’ 234-year history —&nbsp;created a leadership vacuum in the chamber and left multiple questions about how legislative business would proceed.North Carolina Republican Patrick McHenry ascended to the role of speaker pro tempore following the vote to unseat McCarthy. McHenry’s rise occurred under a House rule created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that allowed McCarthy to secretly choose a temporary successor in advance, in the event the speaker’s office was vacated.The rule seems designed to keep the chamber running without an elected speaker, but in an institution governed largely by precedent, the unprecedented nature of the situation provoked a buzz of uncertainty, speculation and opinion in D.C. on the day after McCarthy’s unwilling exit.“The only thing I’m certain about is that anyone who says that they have any certainty on this is lying,” said Josh Chafetz, a professor of law and politics at Georgetown Law. “There’s absolutely no precedents on any of this because this hasn’t happened before.”Members were exasperated. “The House of Representatives is effectively frozen,” Rep. Garret Graves, a Louisiana Republican and McCarthy ally, told reporters Wednesday. “We’re not able to actually advance legislation. We can’t even refer bills to committee.”McHenry has called for House members to vote on the next speaker on Oct. 11. Until then, the House is unlikely to try to conduct business —&nbsp;even as a government funding deadline approaches Nov. 17. But there’s also the possibility that the House won’t — or is unable to — choose a speaker for even longer.Here are some questions about how the chamber moves forward in the absence of an elected speaker, with answers from legal and congressional experts.Why does the role of speaker pro tempore exist in the U.S. House of Representatives, and what powers does that person hold?&nbsp;Molly E. Reynolds, senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, said Wednesday during a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlhKzpLLLxQ">panel discussion</a>&nbsp;the role of speaker pro tempore was designed as a way to bolster continuity of government.“The language of the rule itself isn’t entirely clear on what powers the speaker pro tem has — whether it’s all of the powers of the Office of the Speaker, or just authorities that allow him to effectuate a new election for speaker,” Reynolds said.There are two schools of thought about how much power a speaker pro tempore holds, Reynolds said.“I would put myself in the camp that the speaker pro tem, McHenry, has the full powers of the speakership with the possible exception of sitting in the line of succession.” Reynolds said.“My logic there is that given how this rule was originally designed, which was to allow someone to act as speaker in the event of a real crisis, that you would not necessarily have wanted to develop a rule that would limit that person’s power in an actual emergency,” Reynolds said.Other experts agreed with that view.“The idea behind a pro tempore is: The person can act in the absence of a speaker,” Jason Roberts, a political science professor at the University of North Carolina, told States Newsroom. “So I interpret that to mean the speaker pro tempore can do basically whatever they choose to do.”Nearly every move McHenry makes would become a precedent for future temporary speakers, Roberts said.Tests to McHenry’s power could end up being settled by a majority of the House, experts said.“The way that precedents in the House work when things are unprecedented is when someone does something, that becomes a precedent,” Roberts said. “If someone is unhappy with what they did, they can raise a point of order… And then the House would vote on that, and if they sustain the point of order then that would become the precedent.”How is McHenry approaching the job?For the time being, McHenry is taking the more restrained approach to his authority as the temporary speaker of the House. He has not yet referred bills to committee or scheduled floor votes on any legislation, Reynolds said.But that could change if Republicans cannot quickly elect another speaker.“This is all pretty untested and it may well be the case that McHenry’s choice to act in this more limited way is a political one,” Reynolds said.Because this has never happened before, anything McHenry does during the days or weeks to come could be used as precedent in the future if the House ever needs to lean on another speaker pro tempore, Reynolds said.“In the kind of situation that this rule originally anticipated — a true catastrophic emergency — I think we would probably want the person acting as speaker pro tem to have more expansive powers than McHenry is at least planning at this moment to exercise,” Reynolds said.Steven S. Smith, a professor at Arizona State University, said that if a leadership vacuum persists past next week, McHenry may have to consider a more robust approach.“If no new speaker manages to get elected that quickly and he remains the speaker pro tem, then I’m guessing that he’ll have to start thinking about exercising the real powers of the speakership,” Smith said.Though a temporary speaker could —&nbsp;possibly —&nbsp;use many of the official powers of the office, McHenry lacks some of the power speakers typically enjoy as the leader of the House.McHenry would lack the power to appoint Rules Committee members, for example, which is what allows a speaker to control the House floor and makes the position as powerful as it is, Smith said.“If McHenry ends up being, say, a medium-term speaker pro tem, it’s going to be somewhat awkward because none of the Rules Committee members owe their presence there to him,” Smith said. “And he’s not empowered to do anything about it under the conference rules.”McHenry would also lack the power to appoint members to the steering committee, which makes appointments to every committee in the House, Smith said.What exactly does the rule say?The official&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules118.house.gov/files/documents/Rules%20and%20Resources/118-House-Rules-Clerk.pdf">rules of the House</a>&nbsp;detail what the chamber should do if the speaker becomes ill for a long period of time, or if the office is vacated.Section 8(b)(3)(A) of Rule I states: “In the case of a vacancy in the Office of Speaker, the next Member on the list described in subdivision (B) shall act as Speaker pro tempore until the election of a Speaker or a Speaker pro tempore. Pending such election the Member acting as Speaker pro tempore may exercise such authorities of the Office of the Speaker as may be necessary and appropriate to that end.”What is “necessary and appropriate to that end” is the part that leads to some debate among experts.What can the House do without a speaker?&nbsp;The speaker pro tempore position was intended to allow the House to continue to function as normal, even without an elected speaker.In practice, though, at least in the short term, it’s a major disruption to House business.Graves blasted Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican who led the challenge to McCarthy, saying he undermined conservative goals and stripped powers from the Republican office.“You can’t offer subpoenas, you can’t go after Hunter Biden, you can’t go after any of the controversies that this administration has carried out,” Graves said.Experts said it was unclear how subpoena power could be affected.If McHenry becomes more assertive as an acting speaker during a prolonged period without an elected one, the House itself would ultimately decide the extent of that position’s power.“The most fundamental thing about the House is a majority of the House can do anything the majority wants to do,” Roberts said.Can House committees meet for hearings or to report bills to the floor?Nothing but political considerations would prevent committees from meeting, Smith said.Committees’ authorities, organized under a rules package approved at the beginning of this Congress and in effect even after McCarthy’s ouster, “don’t change at all,” Roberts said.“I can’t think of any reason why committees couldn’t meet,” Chafetz said. “Committees don’t need the permission of the speaker to hold a meeting.”Can the House change the rules that allowed for McCarthy’s ouster?Yes. The House can change its rules at any time, through a majority vote on the floor, Smith said.McCarthy agreed to a rule change allowing any single member to bring a motion to vacate, the procedure that Gaetz used to trigger the speaker’s fall.With that in mind, McCarthy’s successor may seek to add a minimum number of members who must sign on to such a motion.Though rules packages are usually only passed at the beginning of a two-year Congress, a majority can choose to change them at any time.What about the line of succession?The House speaker is second in the line of succession to the presidency, behind only the vice president.With that office vacant, the president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, currently Washington Democrat Patty Murray, would move up to second in line, Roberts said. Murray holds the position by virtue of being the most senior member of the Senate’s majority party.While McHenry could exercise most of the speaker’s powers within the House, he is not technically the speaker for the purposes of succession.“Officially, the speaker’s office is vacant,” Roberts said.Does the vote to remove McCarthy as speaker increase the odds of a government shutdown or spending cuts?Reynolds from Brookings said one of the challenges for the next GOP speaker will be when and how to make trade-offs with the hard-right members of the conference or the centrists, who are most at risk of losing reelection next year.“If you try to pass an appropriations bill that is embraced by those on the right end of the conference, you’re going to lose votes from the left end of the conference,” Reynolds said.“So it’s a much different political struggle to manage those differences in the conference,” Reynolds said. “And that’s not going to go away for whoever is the next speaker of the House and in some ways the stakes of all of this are going to get higher the longer we go into the fiscal year.”A provision in the debt limit law that President Joe Biden and McCarthy brokered in May would institute a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/1-cut-federal-spending-debt-limit-law-its-complicated">1% across-the-board spending cut</a>&nbsp;to defense and domestic discretionary programs next year if Congress cannot pass all 12 of the annual spending bills before the spring.That provision wouldn’t have any real-world effects until April 30, though if any of the bills aren’t law before then, all of the departments and agencies would be forced to cut spending.The “Sword of Damocles” provision, as Reynolds called it, will likely galvanize defense hawks in the House and Senate to broker agreement on all the bills before that deadline.“But one thing that we should take away from this episode, is that if we think what Kevin McCarthy did over the weekend was the right thing, that does not necessarily save him, or any future speaker, from punishment from a dissident faction of his own conference, even though ultimately it may be the right choice for the government and for the country,” Reynolds said.Matthew Green, professor of politics at Catholic University of America, said the next Republican speaker will likely have a brief time to broker bipartisan agreements without facing the same motion to vacate that McCarthy did.“I think there is probably a small window for the next speaker to be able to get things through, even if that requires cooperating with the Democrats and the president — which it almost certainly will — that it won’t necessarily end their speakership,” Green said.Another challenge for House Republicans is that dealing with the speakership race eats up precious time they need to pass spending bills, Smith said. A new speaker won’t take office until Oct. 11 at the earliest.“Taking out about 25% of the remaining days before the CR expires is going to put Republicans in a pinch,” Smith said, referring to the continuing resolution that funds the government through Nov. 17.How did the House Republican Conference get here, and what does it mean for the future?Green, of Catholic University of America, said that changes in the GOP’s goals over time have partially led to what happened this week when eight members were able to oust a speaker who was backed by more than 210 of his Republican colleagues.The trend can be traced back to former Speaker Newt Gingrich, and leaders before him, who Green said began shifting the goals to having power, having a majority and communicating. The central goal, he said, wasn’t always legislating.“That objective and that way of viewing one’s political career gets certain folks elected, who may have genuine views and beliefs and political preferences — but they also don’t see Congress as a place to solve problems and legislate,” Green said. “And that’s in many ways why we are where we are today.”Philip Wallach, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said sometimes House Republicans “get distracted from the fact that they are members of a legislature that ultimately has to pass laws with majorities of two chambers and get the signature of the president.”How does kicking McCarthy out as speaker affect House Republicans’ fundraising prospects heading into the 2024 elections?Kevin R. Kosar, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said that the eight Republicans who voted to remove McCarthy might have created long-lasting problems for House GOP fundraising efforts.“He was a tremendous fundraiser. He raised gobs and gobs of money for his party, just as Pelosi had done. That’s one of the duties of the modern speaker, is to be this sort of a cash cow,” Kosar said.“The GOP dissidents just killed that cash cow,” Kosar added. “And I wonder inside the GOP conference, how many members are seething about that because many of them are heavily reliant on the speaker to raise money for them.”&nbsp;Ariana Figueroa contributed to this report.

How does a ‘frozen’ U.S. House function without a speaker?

KANSAS CITY. – A Kansas City man has been charged with three fentanyl overdose deaths in Belton, Mo., alongside six other metropolitan area residents indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that included illegal firearms and money laundering, according to the United State's Attorney.

Tiger Dean Draggoo, 23, his brother, Colt Justin Draggoo, 20, Jose Amparan, also known as “Lil Mex” and “Jose Garcia,” 20, Luis Manuel Morales, also known as “Trulu,” “Lulu,” “Luis,” and “Luis Mor,” 23, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Andrew R.A. Williams, also known as “DrewB Grittin,” 22, of Grandview, Mo.; Alexander D. Barnett, also known as “Alex” and “Cobra,” 22, of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; and Javier Armanmdo Alvarez, also known as “Mexxican,” Gomi,” and “Gummi,” 21, of Kansas City, Kan., were charged in a 13-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Sept. 27. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrest and initial court appearances of Barnett and Morales. Colt Draggoo also was arrested today and will have an initial court appearance tomorrow.

The superseding indictment replaces the original indictment returned on Feb. 7, 2023, which only charged Tiger Draggoo, and includes additional charges and defendants.

The federal indictment charges Tiger Draggoo with three counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death. Tiger Draggoo allegedly distributed fentanyl on Sept. 3, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person. Tiger Draggoo allegedly distributed fentanyl between Aug. 22 and Sept. 13, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person. Tiger Draggoo allegedly distributed fentanyl between Dec. 7 and 20, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint that was filed against Draggoo on Jan. 23, 2023, three Belton teenagers who were associated with Draggoo died from acute fentanyl intoxication. On at least three more occasions, the affidavit says, Belton police officers were called because a juvenile was under the influence of fentanyl (one of those juveniles, who turned 18 after being contacted by police officers, is among the three fentanyl deaths).

The indictment alleges that all seven defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl from Dec. 1, 2021, to May 3, 2023. The indictment also alleges that Tiger Draggoo, Alvarez, Amparan, Morales and Williams participated in a money-laundering conspiracy.

Tiger Draggoo is also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possessing an unregistered firearm. According to the indictment, Draggoo was in possession of a Jimenez Arms .380-caliber pistol, an Armscor .45-caliber pistol, a Taurus .357-caliber revolver, a Palmetto State Armory multi-caliber rifle, and a short-barreled Savage 12-gauge on Jan. 20, 2023. Those charges are related to Draggoo’s arrest on the federal complaint. Officers seized the fentanyl and firearms from Draggoo’s residence and vehicle when he was taken into custody.

Additionally, Tiger Dragoo is charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of illegally possessing machine guns. Those charges were basis of the original criminal complaint filed against Draggoo.

According to an affidavit filed in support of that complaint, police officers were conducting surveillance at an apartment complex on Sept. 22, 2022, when Tiger and Colt Draggoo left the apartment and got into a Jeep Renegade. Officers followed the Jeep and saw it commit numerous traffic violations while displaying erratic driving. A Jackson County sheriff’s deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled from the deputy.

A few minutes later, the Jeep returned to the apartment complex and Tiger and Colt Draggoo entered the apartment. Tiger Draggoo carried a large laundry bag from the apartment and placed it in the backseat of the Jeep. When a Jackson County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy drove into the parking lot, Tiger Draggoo ran back into the apartment building. When officers knocked on the door of Tiger Draggoo’s apartment, the affidavit says, his girlfriend initially told them he wasn’t there. After she allowed officers to enter the apartment, she admitted that Tiger Draggoo had run into the apartment and out the back door.

Officers searched the apartment and found 17 firearms, including two machine guns, ammunition of various calibers, $246,769 in cash, a ballistic vest with plates, a money counter, numerous pills that contained fentanyl, eight suspected LSD tabs, and marijuana. The 17 firearms included a Del-Ton 5.56-caliber rifle (converted into a machine gun), a Glock switch (used to convert a Glock pistol into a machine gun), three Marlin .22-caliber rifles, a Norinco 7.62-caliber rifle, a Mosin-Nagant rifle, an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 .223-caliber rifle, a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, an Armscorp USA .308-caliber rifle, a Century Arms 7.62-caliber rifle, a Herbert Schmidt .22-caliber revolver, a New England Firearms .22-caliber revolver, a Kimber 9mm pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol, a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, and a Metro Arms .45-caliber pistol.

Williams is also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Williams allegedly was in possession of a Springfield Armory 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a Girsan .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun on April 19, 2023.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696014760468.png" alt="Draggoo-photo Lee's Summit PD" />
 <figcaption>Draggoo-photo Lee's Summit PD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY. – A Kansas City man has been charged with three fentanyl overdose deaths in Belton, Mo., alongside six other metropolitan area residents indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that included illegal firearms and money laundering, according to the United State's Attorney.Tiger Dean Draggoo, 23, his brother, Colt Justin Draggoo, 20, Jose Amparan, also known as “Lil Mex” and “Jose Garcia,” 20, Luis Manuel Morales, also known as “Trulu,” “Lulu,” “Luis,” and “Luis Mor,” 23, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Andrew R.A. Williams, also known as “DrewB Grittin,” 22, of Grandview, Mo.; Alexander D. Barnett, also known as “Alex” and “Cobra,” 22, of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; and Javier Armanmdo Alvarez, also known as “Mexxican,” Gomi,” and “Gummi,” 21, of Kansas City, Kan., were charged in a 13-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Sept. 27. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrest and initial court appearances of Barnett and Morales. Colt Draggoo also was arrested today and will have an initial court appearance tomorrow.The superseding indictment replaces the original indictment returned on Feb. 7, 2023, which only charged Tiger Draggoo, and includes additional charges and defendants.The federal indictment charges Tiger Draggoo with three counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death. Tiger Draggoo allegedly distributed fentanyl on Sept. 3, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person. Tiger Draggoo allegedly distributed fentanyl between Aug. 22 and Sept. 13, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person. Tiger Draggoo allegedly distributed fentanyl between Dec. 7 and 20, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person.According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint that was filed against Draggoo on Jan. 23, 2023, three Belton teenagers who were associated with Draggoo died from acute fentanyl intoxication. On at least three more occasions, the affidavit says, Belton police officers were called because a juvenile was under the influence of fentanyl (one of those juveniles, who turned 18 after being contacted by police officers, is among the three fentanyl deaths).The indictment alleges that all seven defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl from Dec. 1, 2021, to May 3, 2023. The indictment also alleges that Tiger Draggoo, Alvarez, Amparan, Morales and Williams participated in a money-laundering conspiracy.Tiger Draggoo is also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possessing an unregistered firearm. According to the indictment, Draggoo was in possession of a Jimenez Arms .380-caliber pistol, an Armscor .45-caliber pistol, a Taurus .357-caliber revolver, a Palmetto State Armory multi-caliber rifle, and a short-barreled Savage 12-gauge on Jan. 20, 2023. Those charges are related to Draggoo’s arrest on the federal complaint. Officers seized the fentanyl and firearms from Draggoo’s residence and vehicle when he was taken into custody.Additionally, Tiger Dragoo is charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of illegally possessing machine guns. Those charges were basis of the original criminal complaint filed against Draggoo.According to an affidavit filed in support of that complaint, police officers were conducting surveillance at an apartment complex on Sept. 22, 2022, when Tiger and Colt Draggoo left the apartment and got into a Jeep Renegade. Officers followed the Jeep and saw it commit numerous traffic violations while displaying erratic driving. A Jackson County sheriff’s deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled from the deputy.A few minutes later, the Jeep returned to the apartment complex and Tiger and Colt Draggoo entered the apartment. Tiger Draggoo carried a large laundry bag from the apartment and placed it in the backseat of the Jeep. When a Jackson County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy drove into the parking lot, Tiger Draggoo ran back into the apartment building. When officers knocked on the door of Tiger Draggoo’s apartment, the affidavit says, his girlfriend initially told them he wasn’t there. After she allowed officers to enter the apartment, she admitted that Tiger Draggoo had run into the apartment and out the back door.Officers searched the apartment and found 17 firearms, including two machine guns, ammunition of various calibers, $246,769 in cash, a ballistic vest with plates, a money counter, numerous pills that contained fentanyl, eight suspected LSD tabs, and marijuana. The 17 firearms included a Del-Ton 5.56-caliber rifle (converted into a machine gun), a Glock switch (used to convert a Glock pistol into a machine gun), three Marlin .22-caliber rifles, a Norinco 7.62-caliber rifle, a Mosin-Nagant rifle, an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 .223-caliber rifle, a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, an Armscorp USA .308-caliber rifle, a Century Arms 7.62-caliber rifle, a Herbert Schmidt .22-caliber revolver, a New England Firearms .22-caliber revolver, a Kimber 9mm pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol, a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, and a Metro Arms .45-caliber pistol.Williams is also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Williams allegedly was in possession of a Springfield Armory 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a Girsan .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun on April 19, 2023.The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

KC-area brothers charged with  fentanyl deaths

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man has been sentenced&nbsp;to prison for the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy in 2021.&nbsp;

Last week, a judge sentenced 22-year-old Tyler Kelly to 25 years to life for first-degree murder, 43 months for aggravated burglary, and 13 months for aggravated assault, according to the Sedgwick County the District Attorney's office. Kelly is required to serve 25 years plus 56 months before being considered for parole.&nbsp; &nbsp;A jury convicted him of the murder in July of 2023.

In July of 2021, police responded to a shooting in&nbsp;the 2600 block of North Piatt Street in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson. First responders found 16-year-old&nbsp;Joseph Florence&nbsp;with a gunshot wound. EMS transported the teen to an area hospital where the boy died.

Kelly, another teen suspect and Florence knew each other and that the shooting was the result of an argument, according to police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695982338830.png" alt="Kelly-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Kelly-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man has been sentenced&nbsp;to prison for the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy in 2021.&nbsp;Last week, a judge sentenced 22-year-old Tyler Kelly to 25 years to life for first-degree murder, 43 months for aggravated burglary, and 13 months for aggravated assault, according to the Sedgwick County the District Attorney's office. Kelly is required to serve 25 years plus 56 months before being considered for parole.&nbsp; &nbsp;A jury convicted him of the murder in July of 2023.In July of 2021, police responded to a shooting in&nbsp;the 2600 block of North Piatt Street in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson. First responders found 16-year-old&nbsp;Joseph Florence&nbsp;with a gunshot wound. EMS transported the teen to an area hospital where the boy died.Kelly, another teen suspect and Florence knew each other and that the shooting was the result of an argument, according to police.

Man killed 16-year-old Kansas boy during argument 

OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, investigators and deputies with the Osage County Sheriff’s Office conducted a narcotics search warrant in the 500 block of North 4th Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

A resident of the address, Patrick D. Berner, 42, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Distribution of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696594965748.png" alt="Berner-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Berner-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, investigators and deputies with the Osage County Sheriff’s Office conducted a narcotics search warrant in the 500 block of North 4th Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.A resident of the address, Patrick D. Berner, 42, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Distribution of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

 Kan. man had meth, allegedly sold marijuana from his home

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a officer-shooting that took place at Prairie View at Village West apartments near the Legends Outlet and Kansas Speedway after an unknown suspect shot an off duty Wyandotte County Sheriff Deputy.

Just before 5:30 a.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the Prairie View apartments,&nbsp;11200 Delaware Parkway, after an off duty deputy called 911 and stated they were shot, according to a media release from police.

The deputy witnessed a burglary to a vehicle that was in progress. When the deputy confronted the suspect, the suspect fired a weapon towards the deputy striking them.

EMS transported the deputy to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696620064677.png" alt="A view of the apartment complex near Legends Outlet and and Kansas Speedway where the shooting occurred -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>A view of the apartment complex near Legends Outlet and and Kansas Speedway where the shooting occurred -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a officer-shooting that took place at Prairie View at Village West apartments near the Legends Outlet and Kansas Speedway after an unknown suspect shot an off duty Wyandotte County Sheriff Deputy.Just before 5:30 a.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the Prairie View apartments,&nbsp;11200 Delaware Parkway, after an off duty deputy called 911 and stated they were shot, according to a media release from police.The deputy witnessed a burglary to a vehicle that was in progress. When the deputy confronted the suspect, the suspect fired a weapon towards the deputy striking them.EMS transported the deputy to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.

Off-duty Kansas deputy shot by vehicle burglary suspect

Future adjustments would reflect 3-year rolling average of increase in Kansas wages

TOPEKA — A bipartisan commission led by former state lawmakers Thursday endorsed recommendations raising the base salary of House and Senate members to $43,000 per year and establishing a method of indexing annual adjustments linked to a three-year rolling average of growth in overall Kansas wages.

The commission was given authority by the 2023 Legislature to study compensation provided the state’s 165 lawmakers. The group’s proposal will be subject to public comment prior to a final vote of the commission Oct. 19 at the Capitol. Approval would forward the report to the 2024 Legislature, which could vote to block the plan or allow it to be implemented. Unlike a regular bill, Gov. Laura Kelly has no role in the decision.

“This gets the Legislature on a better course,” said former Rep. Mark Kahrs, a Republican. “We’ve reached a very good product. I’m really proud of the work we’ve done here. We represent a pretty broad political spectrum, yet we’ve worked well together.”

Former Democratic Rep. Ed McKechnie said the package forged by the commission was the product of efficient deliberations.

“Almost gives myself goose bumps,” McKechnie said. “This is how the republic was supposed to work. Commission is formed. We come in. We do our work. We go home.”

Former GOP Rep. Mark Hutton, who chaired the commission, said the core of the proposal was the move to set a base annual salary for each legislator at $43,000. It would be equivalent to one-fourth of the salary paid a member of the U.S. Congress, but would represent a 50% raise for Kansas legislators.

Hutton said the proposed salary figure was drawn from a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report of average annual wages among Kansans employed in the private and public sectors. It assumed a legislator was dedicated to the job 100% of the time for five months during the legislative session from January to May. It also assumed legislators were committed to state government duties 50% of the time in the other seven months.

The workload equivalent to 8.5 months, accounting for roughly 70% of the year, helped establish the $43,000 base salary.

Hutton suggested the commission tie annual adjustments in legislator salary to the latest yearly percentage increase or decrease in wages earned among Kansas workers. Several commissioners sought to avoid situations in which legislator pay suddenly surged or had to be cut due to economic forces.

“If the rest of Kansas takes a hit,” Hutton argued, “I don’t see any reason that a legislator shouldn’t take a hit.”

Instead, the commission decided to rely on a three-year rolling average of the statewide increase in wages reported by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. For example, the average salary earned by Kansans in 2021, 2022 and 2023 would be the basis for determining the percentage raise for legislators in 2025.

The commission said the per diem daily allowance paid legislators for lodging, meals and incidental expenditures should be unchanged at $157 per day. The per diem is available to legislators during the annual session, on special session days and for interim committee meetings.

Former Sen. Tom Hawk, a Democrat, said it was important to set a salary and calculate raises in a way viewed as fair by legislators and taxpayers.

“One of our side tasks is making sure the public thinks we did a solid job of looking at this,” Hawk said.

Commissioners included a strategy for providing salary premiums to legislative leaders of the House and Senate. The base salary of the House speaker and Senate president would be bumped 64% to $68,680. Legislators in 10 other leadership posts would earn premiums ranging from 33% to 58% of base salary.

The commission recommended members of the Legislature not receive a windfall from annual raises in salary when determining benefits for those enrolled in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System.

A plan to create a stipend for legislators with large geographic districts was discarded, despite wide variation in square miles served by House and Senate members. The idea was to provide 22% of representatives and 35% of senators a boost in annual compensation ranging from as little as $15 to as much as $3,750 per year. Overall, the provision rejected by the commission would have cost the state about $33,000 each year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696616153812.png" alt=" A special commission created by the Kansas Legislature approved a draft plan Thursday that would raise the base salary of state legislators to $43,000 and link annual raises to the three-year rolling average of increases in wages earned by Kansans in the private and public sectors. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> A special commission created by the Kansas Legislature approved a draft plan Thursday that would raise the base salary of state legislators to $43,000 and link annual raises to the three-year rolling average of increases in wages earned by Kansans in the private and public sectors. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Future adjustments would reflect 3-year rolling average of increase in Kansas wages</h2>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 — A bipartisan commission led by former state lawmakers Thursday endorsed recommendations raising the base salary of House and Senate members to $43,000 per year and establishing a method of indexing annual adjustments linked to a three-year rolling average of growth in overall Kansas wages.The commission was given authority by the 2023 Legislature to study compensation provided the state’s 165 lawmakers. The group’s proposal will be subject to public comment prior to a final vote of the commission Oct. 19 at the Capitol. Approval would forward the report to the 2024 Legislature, which could vote to block the plan or allow it to be implemented. Unlike a regular bill, Gov. Laura Kelly has no role in the decision.“This gets the Legislature on a better course,” said former Rep. Mark Kahrs, a Republican. “We’ve reached a very good product. I’m really proud of the work we’ve done here. We represent a pretty broad political spectrum, yet we’ve worked well together.”Former Democratic Rep. Ed McKechnie said the package forged by the commission was the product of efficient deliberations.“Almost gives myself goose bumps,” McKechnie said. “This is how the republic was supposed to work. Commission is formed. We come in. We do our work. We go home.”Former GOP Rep. Mark Hutton, who chaired the commission, said the core of the proposal was the move to set a base annual salary for each legislator at $43,000. It would be equivalent to one-fourth of the salary paid a member of the U.S. Congress, but would represent a 50% raise for Kansas legislators.Hutton said the proposed salary figure was drawn from a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report of average annual wages among Kansans employed in the private and public sectors. It assumed a legislator was dedicated to the job 100% of the time for five months during the legislative session from January to May. It also assumed legislators were committed to state government duties 50% of the time in the other seven months.The workload equivalent to 8.5 months, accounting for roughly 70% of the year, helped establish the $43,000 base salary.Hutton suggested the commission tie annual adjustments in legislator salary to the latest yearly percentage increase or decrease in wages earned among Kansas workers. Several commissioners sought to avoid situations in which legislator pay suddenly surged or had to be cut due to economic forces.“If the rest of Kansas takes a hit,” Hutton argued, “I don’t see any reason that a legislator shouldn’t take a hit.”Instead, the commission decided to rely on a three-year rolling average of the statewide increase in wages reported by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. For example, the average salary earned by Kansans in 2021, 2022 and 2023 would be the basis for determining the percentage raise for legislators in 2025.The commission said the per diem daily allowance paid legislators for lodging, meals and incidental expenditures should be unchanged at $157 per day. The per diem is available to legislators during the annual session, on special session days and for interim committee meetings.Former Sen. Tom Hawk, a Democrat, said it was important to set a salary and calculate raises in a way viewed as fair by legislators and taxpayers.“One of our side tasks is making sure the public thinks we did a solid job of looking at this,” Hawk said.Commissioners included a strategy for providing salary premiums to legislative leaders of the House and Senate. The base salary of the House speaker and Senate president would be bumped 64% to $68,680. Legislators in 10 other leadership posts would earn premiums ranging from 33% to 58% of base salary.The commission recommended members of the Legislature not receive a windfall from annual raises in salary when determining benefits for those enrolled in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System.A plan to create a stipend for legislators with large geographic districts was discarded, despite wide variation in square miles served by House and Senate members. The idea was to provide 22% of representatives and 35% of senators a boost in annual compensation ranging from as little as $15 to as much as $3,750 per year. Overall, the provision rejected by the commission would have cost the state about $33,000 each year.

Kansas commission recommends raising annual base salary of state legislators 

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union said Friday it will not expand&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-negotiations-progress-gm-stellantis-ford-4dc51e9f463022bc3794e9615d8a705b">its strikes</a>&nbsp;against Detroit's three automakers after General Motors made a breakthrough concession on unionizing electric vehicle battery plants.

Union President Shawn Fain told workers in a video appearance that additional plants could be added to the strikes later.

The announcement of the pause in expanding the strikes came shortly after GM agreed to bring electric vehicle battery plants into the UAW's national contract, essentially assuring that they will be unionized.

Fain said GM's move will change the future of the union and the auto industry.

He said GM made the change after the union threatened to strike at a plant in Arlington, Texas, that makes highly profitable large SUVs.

“Today, under the threat of a major financial hit, they leapfrogged the pack in terms of a just transition” from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-electric-cars-uaw-strike-d73f259bf5e9242340e912ad1e9b4aa9">combustion engines to electric vehicles</a>, he said. “Our strike is working, but we’re not there yet.”

In addition to large general pay raises, cost of living pay, restoration of pensions for new hires and other items, the union wanted to represent 10 battery factories proposed by the companies.

The companies have said the plants, mostly joint ventures with South Korean battery makers, had to be bargained separately.

Friday's change means the the four U.S. GM battery plants would now be covered under the union's master agreement and GM would bargain with the union' “which I think is a monumental development,” said Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University in Detroit.

He said the details of GM's offer, made in writing, will have to be scrutinized.

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union said Friday it will not expand&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-negotiations-progress-gm-stellantis-ford-4dc51e9f463022bc3794e9615d8a705b">its strikes</a>&nbsp;against Detroit's three automakers after General Motors made a breakthrough concession on unionizing electric vehicle battery plants.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING: <a href="https://twitter.com/GM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GM</a> has agreed in writing to place their electric battery manufacturing under the UAW&#39;s National Master Agreement. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StandUpUAW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StandUpUAW</a> <a href="https://t.co/FZcR6TV0wp">pic.twitter.com/FZcR6TV0wp</a>&mdash; AFL-CIO ✊ (@AFLCIO) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFLCIO/status/1710359460521062858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Union President Shawn Fain told workers in a video appearance that additional plants could be added to the strikes later.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fuaw.union%2Fposts%2Fpfbid021vJoPoyF3x6ScSAQhxKLbscwJJP5cC1j6rCzLMrzm19WQ2maWyfoo24rEMsjqhb9l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="298" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The announcement of the pause in expanding the strikes came shortly after GM agreed to bring electric vehicle battery plants into the UAW's national contract, essentially assuring that they will be unionized.Fain said GM's move will change the future of the union and the auto industry.He said GM made the change after the union threatened to strike at a plant in Arlington, Texas, that makes highly profitable large SUVs.“Today, under the threat of a major financial hit, they leapfrogged the pack in terms of a just transition” from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-electric-cars-uaw-strike-d73f259bf5e9242340e912ad1e9b4aa9">combustion engines to electric vehicles</a>, he said. “Our strike is working, but we’re not there yet.”In addition to large general pay raises, cost of living pay, restoration of pensions for new hires and other items, the union wanted to represent 10 battery factories proposed by the companies.The companies have said the plants, mostly joint ventures with South Korean battery makers, had to be bargained separately.Friday's change means the the four U.S. GM battery plants would now be covered under the union's master agreement and GM would bargain with the union' “which I think is a monumental development,” said Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University in Detroit.He said the details of GM's offer, made in writing, will have to be scrutinized.

🎥 Auto workers stop expanding strikes; GM makes battery plant concession

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal crash involving a bicyclist and a sport utility vehicle in Johnson County have identified the man who died as 28-year-old Eduardo Loredo-Martinez of Olathe, Kansas, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.

Just after 6a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the crash scene in the area of South Lone Elm Road and West 159th Street, according to Olathe Police. 

First responders found the bicyclist&nbsp;Loredo-Martinez .He was pronounced deceased on scene. The driver of the SUV, a 64-year-old woman, remained on scene and is cooperating with the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696515388372.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the fatal crash -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the fatal crash -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal crash involving a bicyclist and a sport utility vehicle in Johnson County have identified the man who died as 28-year-old Eduardo Loredo-Martinez of Olathe, Kansas, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.Just after 6a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the crash scene in the area of South Lone Elm Road and West 159th Street, according to Olathe Police. First responders found the bicyclist&nbsp;Loredo-Martinez .He was pronounced deceased on scene. The driver of the SUV, a 64-year-old woman, remained on scene and is cooperating with the investigation.

Police ID Kansas bicyclist killed after struck by SUV

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz is willing to listen to race promotion proposals from outside entities, but he made one thing clear, those folks will have to take on the burden.

"To become a race promoter, that's not something that we are interested in doing," Schulz said Friday. "From a staffing point, we just don't have enough staff. We are mandated by the Kansas Legislature how many people we can have. When you start looking at running these major events, you're going to have to have quite a few more people on staff and we just don't have those allocations."

There are no written proposals thus far, with a deadline for those by the end of the month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632137556905.jpeg" alt="KSF Grandstand Racetrack-Photo by Nick Gosnell" />
 <figcaption>KSF Grandstand Racetrack-Photo by Nick Gosnell</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL&nbsp;Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz is willing to listen to race promotion proposals from outside entities, but he made one thing clear, those folks will have to take on the burden."To become a race promoter, that's not something that we are interested in doing," Schulz said Friday. "From a staffing point, we just don't have enough staff. We are mandated by the Kansas Legislature how many people we can have. When you start looking at running these major events, you're going to have to have quite a few more people on staff and we just don't have those allocations."There are no written proposals thus far, with a deadline for those by the end of the month."We've had one person that has shown some interest, but we haven't seen anything in writing," Schulz said. "That's what we need is we need a full on proposal from whoever is interested in doing it, before the end of this month, postmarked or delivered by the 31st. That will give our board at least two weeks to be looking it over. Then, on the 14th of November, the board will get together, they will review the proposals and then there will be a small public input session. Location and time are all still pending, we'll be meeting this Tuesday coming up, to make all those decisions."When Schulz was in North Dakota at the Red River Valley Fair, the track up there was nearly closed."We had the fastest half mile track in the Upper Midwest," Schulz said. "That was from the World of Outlaws. That, too, was an area where, we were a non-profit. It ran most Fridays, but we were running it as our staff. People weren't attending. Our car counts were down. After my first year there, the board said to do an analysis of it. We did. We were still losing a lot of money. We decided to close it down or try finding a promoter. The Schatz family, if you follow World of Outlaws, the Schatz family is very big. They took it over, ran it for three years. They said, there's no money to be made here. They backed out. They invested over $1.5 million into it. They backed out. We put it back out for people to run it, promote it. It sat empty for two years. We had a promoter that came in and started running it. I think they are still there today, but the numbers are still touch and go."According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fargomoorhead.org/what-to-do/red-river-valley-speedway/">fargomoorhead.org</a>, even when the Schatz family put the money in, the track was reconfigured. "RRVS was reconfigured from the original 1/2 mile to a smaller 3/8 of a mile track in the spring of 2010," according to the site. "Also during that time the track switched from Friday nights to Wednesday nights. In 2012, RRVS ran it's final race on August 25th until it was re-opened again in 2016. Racing once again returned to Friday nights."It remains to be seen what proposals from the potential promoters look like and how much money they would be willing to contribute to save the track.