BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>

Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled a plan Tuesday that would strengthen Medicare coverage to include long-term care for seniors in their homes, tackling one of the biggest challenges in U.S. health care.

The Democratic presidential nominee revealed the proposal while on “The View” — one of several high-profile media appearances this week as she and the GOP presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, sprint to the November finish line.

“There are so many people in our country who are right in the middle: They’re taking care of their kids and they’re taking care of their aging parents, and it’s just almost impossible to do it all, especially if they work,” Harris said during the live interview. “We’re finding that so many are then having to leave their job, which means losing a source of income, not to mention the emotional stress.”

Harris is focusing on the “sandwich generation,” which refers to Americans who are caring for their children while also caring for aging parents.

Under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25196234-harrismedicareathomeplan" target="_blank">the plan</a>, Medicare — the nation’s health insurance program for people 65 and older and some under 65 with certain disabilities or conditions — would cover an at-home health benefit for those enrolled in the program, as well as hearing and vision benefits, according to her campaign in a Tuesday fact sheet.

Medicare for the most part now does not cover long-term care services like home health aides.

The benefits would be funded by “expanding Medicare drug price negotiations, increasing the discounts drug manufacturers cover for certain brand-name drugs in Medicare, and addressing Medicare fraud,” per her campaign.

Harris also plans to “crack down on pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs) to increase transparency, disclose more information on costs, and regulate other practices that raise prices,” according to her campaign, which said she will also “implement international tax reform.”

The campaign did not cite a price tag but noted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-home-care-benefit-for-medicare/" target="_blank">similar plans</a>&nbsp;have been estimated to cost $40 billion annually, “before considering ​​savings from avoiding hospitalizations and more expensive institutional care, or the additional revenues that would generate from more unpaid family caregivers going back to work if they need to.”

The proposal comes along with the nominee’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-pitches-opportunity-economy-debut-one-one-tv-interview" target="_blank">sweeping economic plan</a>, part of which involves cutting taxes for more than 100 million Americans, including $6,000 in tax relief for new parents in the first year of their child’s life.

In response to the proposal, the Trump campaign said the former president “will always fight for America’s senior citizens — who have been left behind by Kamala Harris,” per a Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/3da13bf5-4a2d-47e9-bfaf-69cc77f14bbc" target="_blank">news release</a>.

The campaign also cited Medicare Advantage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-changes-medicare-advantage-and-part-d-provide-better-coverage-and" target="_blank">policies</a>&nbsp;extended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Trump’s first term.

The campaign reiterated the&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?_nlid=m5eUxFGPUe&amp;_nhids=RmedtdnxlK" target="_blank">2024 GOP platform</a>’s chapter on protecting seniors, saying Trump will “prioritize home care benefits by shifting resources back to at-home senior care, overturning disincentives that lead to care worker shortages, and supporting unpaid family caregivers through tax credits and reduced red tape.”

While appearing live on “The Howard Stern Show” on Tuesday shortly after “The View,” Harris dubbed Trump an “unserious man,” saying the consequences of him serving another term are “brutally serious.”

She also again criticized Trump for nominating three of the five members to the U.S. Supreme Court who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022 — a reversal that ended nearly half a century of the constitutional right to abortion.

“And it’s not about abortion, you have basically now a system that says you as an individual do not have the right to make a decision about your own body. The government has the right to make that decision for you,” she said.

Harris, who said she would appoint a Republican to her Cabinet if elected, was asked whether she would choose former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney.

Cheney was the vice chair of the U.S. House Jan. 6 committee tasked with investigating the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Harris did not disclose a preference, but said Cheney is “smart,” “remarkable” and a “dedicated public servant.”

Cheney is among some prominent Republicans to endorse Harris. She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democrats-flaunt-republican-endorsements-harris-presidential-bid" target="_blank">campaigned with the veep in Ripon, Wisconsin</a>&nbsp;— the birthplace of the Republican Party — just last week.

Meanwhile, Trump said Harris is “grossly incompetent” during an interview that aired Tuesday on “The Ben Shapiro Show.”

“Biden was incompetent, she is equally incompetent and in a certain way, she’s more incompetent,” Trump told Shapiro, a conservative political commentator and co-founder of The Daily Wire, referring to President Joe Biden.

Trump also criticized Harris’ Monday interview on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-60-minutes-says-congress-would-work-her-president-if-shes-elected" target="_blank">CBS News’ “60 Minutes,”</a>&nbsp;saying the veep “answers questions like a child.”

“She’s answering questions in the most basic way and getting killed over it,” Trump added.

Harris was also set to also appear on CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Tuesday night. She will also appear at a Univision town hall in Las Vegas, Nevada, that airs Thursday.

Trump was slated to participate in a roundtable with Latino leaders and a Univision town hall on Tuesday in Miami, but both events were postponed due to Hurricane Milton.

Trump is set to give remarks Wednesday in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Later that day, he will continue campaigning in the Keystone State with a rally in Reading.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623708723138.jpeg" alt="-&nbsp;The Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday announced a proposal on long-term care under Medicare focused on the “sandwich generation,” which refers to Americans who are caring for their children while also caring for aging parents.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>-&nbsp;The Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday announced a proposal on long-term care under Medicare focused on the “sandwich generation,” which refers to Americans who are caring for their children while also caring for aging parents.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled a plan Tuesday that would strengthen Medicare coverage to include long-term care for seniors in their homes, tackling one of the biggest challenges in U.S. health care.The Democratic presidential nominee revealed the proposal while on “The View” — one of several high-profile media appearances this week as she and the GOP presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, sprint to the November finish line.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">I took care of my mother when she was sick with cancer—I know that caregiving is about dignity. My plan will allow Medicare to cover in-home health care, which will lower costs and reduce the financial and emotional stress for families across the country. <a href="https://t.co/NR5ROKCzfl">pic.twitter.com/NR5ROKCzfl</a>&mdash; Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1843716356069327005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“There are so many people in our country who are right in the middle: They’re taking care of their kids and they’re taking care of their aging parents, and it’s just almost impossible to do it all, especially if they work,” Harris said during the live interview. “We’re finding that so many are then having to leave their job, which means losing a source of income, not to mention the emotional stress.”Harris is focusing on the “sandwich generation,” which refers to Americans who are caring for their children while also caring for aging parents.Under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25196234-harrismedicareathomeplan" target="_blank">the plan</a>, Medicare — the nation’s health insurance program for people 65 and older and some under 65 with certain disabilities or conditions — would cover an at-home health benefit for those enrolled in the program, as well as hearing and vision benefits, according to her campaign in a Tuesday fact sheet.Medicare for the most part now does not cover long-term care services like home health aides.The benefits would be funded by “expanding Medicare drug price negotiations, increasing the discounts drug manufacturers cover for certain brand-name drugs in Medicare, and addressing Medicare fraud,” per her campaign.Harris also plans to “crack down on pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs) to increase transparency, disclose more information on costs, and regulate other practices that raise prices,” according to her campaign, which said she will also “implement international tax reform.”The campaign did not cite a price tag but noted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-home-care-benefit-for-medicare/" target="_blank">similar plans</a>&nbsp;have been estimated to cost $40 billion annually, “before considering ​​savings from avoiding hospitalizations and more expensive institutional care, or the additional revenues that would generate from more unpaid family caregivers going back to work if they need to.”The proposal comes along with the nominee’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-pitches-opportunity-economy-debut-one-one-tv-interview" target="_blank">sweeping economic plan</a>, part of which involves cutting taxes for more than 100 million Americans, including $6,000 in tax relief for new parents in the first year of their child’s life.<h2>Trump responds</h2>In response to the proposal, the Trump campaign said the former president “will always fight for America’s senior citizens — who have been left behind by Kamala Harris,” per a Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/3da13bf5-4a2d-47e9-bfaf-69cc77f14bbc" target="_blank">news release</a>.The campaign also cited Medicare Advantage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-changes-medicare-advantage-and-part-d-provide-better-coverage-and" target="_blank">policies</a>&nbsp;extended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Trump’s first term.The campaign reiterated the&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?_nlid=m5eUxFGPUe&amp;_nhids=RmedtdnxlK" target="_blank">2024 GOP platform</a>’s chapter on protecting seniors, saying Trump will “prioritize home care benefits by shifting resources back to at-home senior care, overturning disincentives that lead to care worker shortages, and supporting unpaid family caregivers through tax credits and reduced red tape.”<h2>Harris and Howard Stern</h2>While appearing live on “The Howard Stern Show” on Tuesday shortly after “The View,” Harris dubbed Trump an “unserious man,” saying the consequences of him serving another term are “brutally serious.”She also again criticized Trump for nominating three of the five members to the U.S. Supreme Court who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022 — a reversal that ended nearly half a century of the constitutional right to abortion.“And it’s not about abortion, you have basically now a system that says you as an individual do not have the right to make a decision about your own body. The government has the right to make that decision for you,” she said.Harris, who said she would appoint a Republican to her Cabinet if elected, was asked whether she would choose former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney.Cheney was the vice chair of the U.S. House Jan. 6 committee tasked with investigating the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.Harris did not disclose a preference, but said Cheney is “smart,” “remarkable” and a “dedicated public servant.”Cheney is among some prominent Republicans to endorse Harris. She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democrats-flaunt-republican-endorsements-harris-presidential-bid" target="_blank">campaigned with the veep in Ripon, Wisconsin</a>&nbsp;— the birthplace of the Republican Party — just last week.<h2>Trump talks with Ben Shapiro</h2>Meanwhile, Trump said Harris is “grossly incompetent” during an interview that aired Tuesday on “The Ben Shapiro Show.”“Biden was incompetent, she is equally incompetent and in a certain way, she’s more incompetent,” Trump told Shapiro, a conservative political commentator and co-founder of The Daily Wire, referring to President Joe Biden.Trump also criticized Harris’ Monday interview on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-60-minutes-says-congress-would-work-her-president-if-shes-elected" target="_blank">CBS News’ “60 Minutes,”</a>&nbsp;saying the veep “answers questions like a child.”“She’s answering questions in the most basic way and getting killed over it,” Trump added.<h2>Look ahead for Harris, Trump campaigns</h2>Harris was also set to also appear on CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Tuesday night. She will also appear at a Univision town hall in Las Vegas, Nevada, that airs Thursday.Trump was slated to participate in a roundtable with Latino leaders and a Univision town hall on Tuesday in Miami, but both events were postponed due to Hurricane Milton.Trump is set to give remarks Wednesday in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Later that day, he will continue campaigning in the Keystone State with a rally in Reading.

Harris rolls out broad Medicare plan to provide long-term care in the home

The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $88,000 in refunds to consumers who bought Chinese-made measuring cups marketed as “Made in USA” by Instant Brands, the maker of Pyrex-brand kitchen and home products, according to a media release.

The FTC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/01/ftc-order-requires-pyrex-glass-manufacturer-pay-falsely-claiming-chinese-products-were-made-usa">took action against Instant Brands</a>&nbsp;in 2023 charging that the company claimed that all its popular glass measuring cups were made in the United States, despite some measuring cups actually being imported from China. All told, more than 110,000 units of Chinese-made measuring cup sets were sold to U.S. consumers while being marketed as “Made in USA.” Instant Brands agreed to a settlement with the FTC that stopped the company from making deceptive claims about products being “Made in USA” and required them to pay a monetary judgment.

The FTC is sending checks to 10,259 consumers. Recipients should cash their checks within 90 days, as indicated on the check. Consumers who have questions about their payment should contact the refund administrator, Simpluris, at 833-244-7320, or visit the FTC website to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/recent-ftc-cases-resulting-refunds/refund-programs-frequently-asked-questions">view frequently asked questions</a>&nbsp;about the refund process. The Commission never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a refund.

The Commission’s&nbsp;<a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/federal.trade.commission/viz/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase">interactive dashboards for refund data</a>&nbsp;provide a state-by-state breakdown of refunds in FTC cases. In 2023,&nbsp;FTC actions led to $330 million in refunds to consumers across the country.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. &nbsp;The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Learn more about consumer topics at&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">consumer.ftc.gov</a>, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Follow the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/stay-connected/social-media">FTC on social media</a>, read&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts">consumer alerts</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog">business blog</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/stay-connected">sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts</a>.

The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $88,000 in refunds to consumers who bought Chinese-made measuring cups marketed as “Made in USA” by Instant Brands, the maker of Pyrex-brand kitchen and home products, according to a media release.The FTC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/01/ftc-order-requires-pyrex-glass-manufacturer-pay-falsely-claiming-chinese-products-were-made-usa">took action against Instant Brands</a>&nbsp;in 2023 charging that the company claimed that all its popular glass measuring cups were made in the United States, despite some measuring cups actually being imported from China. All told, more than 110,000 units of Chinese-made measuring cup sets were sold to U.S. consumers while being marketed as “Made in USA.” Instant Brands agreed to a settlement with the FTC that stopped the company from making deceptive claims about products being “Made in USA” and required them to pay a monetary judgment.The FTC is sending checks to 10,259 consumers. Recipients should cash their checks within 90 days, as indicated on the check. Consumers who have questions about their payment should contact the refund administrator, Simpluris, at 833-244-7320, or visit the FTC website to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/recent-ftc-cases-resulting-refunds/refund-programs-frequently-asked-questions">view frequently asked questions</a>&nbsp;about the refund process. The Commission never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a refund.The Commission’s&nbsp;<a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/federal.trade.commission/viz/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase">interactive dashboards for refund data</a>&nbsp;provide a state-by-state breakdown of refunds in FTC cases. In 2023,&nbsp;FTC actions led to $330 million in refunds to consumers across the country.The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. &nbsp;The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Learn more about consumer topics at&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">consumer.ftc.gov</a>, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Follow the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/stay-connected/social-media">FTC on social media</a>, read&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts">consumer alerts</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog">business blog</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/stay-connected">sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts</a>.

Pyrex refund for glass products falsely advertised as ‘Made in USA’

Justices reject Kimberly Younger’s claim that her rights were violated when the judge in her original trial allowed a defendant to testify remotely via videoconference

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

The Kansas Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a woman who orchestrated the murder of a couple working at a traveling carnival during a stop in Barton County.

Kimberly Younger had claimed that her Constitutional rights were violated in the original trial when a witness was allowed to testify remotely via videoconference. Both the U.S. and Kansas constitutions guarantee defendants’ rights to confront witnesses to criminal cases.

In oral arguments before the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/tag/kansas-supreme-court/">Kansas Supreme Court</a>, Younger’s defense attorney, Clayton Jay Perkins, said Younger had been “convicted of capital murder without having killed anyone.”

“Her conviction rests on the troubling foundation of the credibility of co-defendants,” Perkins said, “including the actual killers that received reduced or lesser convictions and had incentives to place culpability on Miss Younger — and whose testimony was propped up by numerous Constitutional and legal errors.”

Attorneys for Younger declined to comment, saying Younger had not signed a release allowing them to speak with media.&nbsp;

Younger was convicted in 2021 and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for her role in the murders of Alfred and Pauline Carpenter, an elderly couple from Wichita that sold merchandise from a camper at county fairs.&nbsp;

Younger — who also used the names Myrna Khan, Jenna Roberts and Tiffany Jones — is in her 50s and worked as a truck driver and ticket seller at the carnival, which in the summer of 2018, stopped at the Barton County Fair.&nbsp;

At the carnival, Younger shared a unit in the bunkhouse with her significant other — and possible husband —&nbsp;Michael Fowler. Younger was known to Fowler as Jenna.&nbsp;

The court ruling outlines an elaborate story she told police about how a competing carnival owner with mafia ties instructed her and others to kill the Carpenters and dispose of their bodies in Arkansas.&nbsp;

Fellow employees Rusty Frasier and Christine Tenney were given instructions by Younger to help Fowler with the killing.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://kscourts.gov/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/Opinions/124601.pdf?ext=.pdf" target="_blank">According to the Kansas Supreme Court ruling</a>, in July 2018, Younger asked Alfred Carpenter out of the camper to talk about buying his&nbsp;business as he and Pauline Carpenter were preparing to retire. The plan was for&nbsp;Fowler to then slit his throat. Carpenter fought back, and Frasier rushed in and stabbed him. Then, Fowler shot Alfred Carpenter and entered the trailer and shot Pauline.&nbsp;

The group then drove the trailer with the bodies for more than six hours to Van Buren, Arkansas, and stayed with Fowler’s daughter and son-in-law. They then drove to Ozark National Forest where Fowler’s son-in-law and his other daughter’s boyfriend helped them put the bodies in a ravine and cover them with a mattress, rocks and dirt.&nbsp;

During the Van Buren police’s investigation, Younger initially identified herself as Tiffany Jones. When she became “belligerent,” she was arrested and put in the police car where she was recorded without her knowledge and made incriminating statements.&nbsp;

At the police station, the gun used to kill the Carpenters was found in her backpack. While she was interviewed, “the others started cooperating with law enforcement almost immediately,” the Supreme Court ruling says.

First, Younger denied the murders, but “she eventually told an elaborate version of what had happened, blaming the events on a crime syndicate.” She was charged in December&nbsp;2018.

Fowler, Frasier and Tenney all pleaded guilty to various charges and testified against her at trial.&nbsp;

At trial in September 2021, Younger claimed another traveling carnival owner, Frank Zaitshik, “ran a criminal enterprise, paid her to transport drugs and guns around the country, and hired bodyguards to shadow Fowler and protect him from a supposed hitman.” She said Zaitshik put the group up to the murders.

Zaitshik was called as a witness and allowed —&nbsp;over Younger’s objections — to testify remotely via videoconference because of his concerns about COVID-19. He said that “he had no connections with criminal enterprises, he had no idea who Fowler or Younger …&nbsp;were, he had never directed anyone to commit murders, and he did not have Italian ancestry.”&nbsp;

Younger’s counsel claimed the judge’s decision to allow Zaitshik to testify remotely violated her right to confront witnesses, guaranteed by both the U.S. and Kansas constitutions.

But the justices cited case law saying the “right to a face-to-face confrontation with an adversarial witness is not absolute and is subject to narrow exceptions when necessary to further important public policies.”

The witness’ underlying health issues and concern about contracting COVID-19, the justices said, “suffice to allow an at-risk witness to testify remotely.”&nbsp;

Younger’s lawyers also attempted to have her conviction overturned on the grounds that she made incriminating statements before being informed of her right to remain silent and to request counsel.&nbsp;

But the court found Younger had made incriminating statements voluntarily while in the back of the police car. They found that despite requesting counsel at the police station, she voluntarily re-initiated an interrogation with police, who had stopped questioning her while they waited for an attorney.&nbsp;

“She repeatedly said she wanted to talk,” the ruling says. “She even showed impatience at delays in the interview when she outright asked whether they even wanted to hear what she had to say. There is little indication of coercive conduct by the police.”&nbsp;

Younger’s attorneys also sought, unsuccessfully, to suppress evidence found in Younger’s backpack, which she gave written consent for police to search.&nbsp;

While the Kansas Supreme Court upheld Younger’s convictions, it overturned portions of the restitution she was ordered to pay, finding that the court didn’t have enough evidence to justify the claim. It remanded the restitution issue back to the trial court for correction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728381811046.png" alt="Kimberly Younger-photo Kanas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Kimberly Younger-photo Kanas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Justices reject Kimberly Younger’s claim that her rights were violated when the judge in her original trial allowed a defendant to testify remotely via videoconference</h2>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>The Kansas Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a woman who orchestrated the murder of a couple working at a traveling carnival during a stop in Barton County.Kimberly Younger had claimed that her Constitutional rights were violated in the original trial when a witness was allowed to testify remotely via videoconference. Both the U.S. and Kansas constitutions guarantee defendants’ rights to confront witnesses to criminal cases.In oral arguments before the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/tag/kansas-supreme-court/">Kansas Supreme Court</a>, Younger’s defense attorney, Clayton Jay Perkins, said Younger had been “convicted of capital murder without having killed anyone.”“Her conviction rests on the troubling foundation of the credibility of co-defendants,” Perkins said, “including the actual killers that received reduced or lesser convictions and had incentives to place culpability on Miss Younger — and whose testimony was propped up by numerous Constitutional and legal errors.”Attorneys for Younger declined to comment, saying Younger had not signed a release allowing them to speak with media.&nbsp;Younger was convicted in 2021 and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for her role in the murders of Alfred and Pauline Carpenter, an elderly couple from Wichita that sold merchandise from a camper at county fairs.&nbsp;Younger — who also used the names Myrna Khan, Jenna Roberts and Tiffany Jones — is in her 50s and worked as a truck driver and ticket seller at the carnival, which in the summer of 2018, stopped at the Barton County Fair.&nbsp;At the carnival, Younger shared a unit in the bunkhouse with her significant other — and possible husband —&nbsp;Michael Fowler. Younger was known to Fowler as Jenna.&nbsp;The court ruling outlines an elaborate story she told police about how a competing carnival owner with mafia ties instructed her and others to kill the Carpenters and dispose of their bodies in Arkansas.&nbsp;Fellow employees Rusty Frasier and Christine Tenney were given instructions by Younger to help Fowler with the killing.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kscourts.gov/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/Opinions/124601.pdf?ext=.pdf" target="_blank">According to the Kansas Supreme Court ruling</a>, in July 2018, Younger asked Alfred Carpenter out of the camper to talk about buying his&nbsp;business as he and Pauline Carpenter were preparing to retire. The plan was for&nbsp;Fowler to then slit his throat. Carpenter fought back, and Frasier rushed in and stabbed him. Then, Fowler shot Alfred Carpenter and entered the trailer and shot Pauline.&nbsp;The group then drove the trailer with the bodies for more than six hours to Van Buren, Arkansas, and stayed with Fowler’s daughter and son-in-law. They then drove to Ozark National Forest where Fowler’s son-in-law and his other daughter’s boyfriend helped them put the bodies in a ravine and cover them with a mattress, rocks and dirt.&nbsp;During the Van Buren police’s investigation, Younger initially identified herself as Tiffany Jones. When she became “belligerent,” she was arrested and put in the police car where she was recorded without her knowledge and made incriminating statements.&nbsp;At the police station, the gun used to kill the Carpenters was found in her backpack. While she was interviewed, “the others started cooperating with law enforcement almost immediately,” the Supreme Court ruling says.First, Younger denied the murders, but “she eventually told an elaborate version of what had happened, blaming the events on a crime syndicate.” She was charged in December&nbsp;2018.Fowler, Frasier and Tenney all pleaded guilty to various charges and testified against her at trial.&nbsp;At trial in September 2021, Younger claimed another traveling carnival owner, Frank Zaitshik, “ran a criminal enterprise, paid her to transport drugs and guns around the country, and hired bodyguards to shadow Fowler and protect him from a supposed hitman.” She said Zaitshik put the group up to the murders.Zaitshik was called as a witness and allowed —&nbsp;over Younger’s objections — to testify remotely via videoconference because of his concerns about COVID-19. He said that “he had no connections with criminal enterprises, he had no idea who Fowler or Younger …&nbsp;were, he had never directed anyone to commit murders, and he did not have Italian ancestry.”&nbsp;Younger’s counsel claimed the judge’s decision to allow Zaitshik to testify remotely violated her right to confront witnesses, guaranteed by both the U.S. and Kansas constitutions.But the justices cited case law saying the “right to a face-to-face confrontation with an adversarial witness is not absolute and is subject to narrow exceptions when necessary to further important public policies.”The witness’ underlying health issues and concern about contracting COVID-19, the justices said, “suffice to allow an at-risk witness to testify remotely.”&nbsp;Younger’s lawyers also attempted to have her conviction overturned on the grounds that she made incriminating statements before being informed of her right to remain silent and to request counsel.&nbsp;But the court found Younger had made incriminating statements voluntarily while in the back of the police car. They found that despite requesting counsel at the police station, she voluntarily re-initiated an interrogation with police, who had stopped questioning her while they waited for an attorney.&nbsp;“She repeatedly said she wanted to talk,” the ruling says. “She even showed impatience at delays in the interview when she outright asked whether they even wanted to hear what she had to say. There is little indication of coercive conduct by the police.”&nbsp;Younger’s attorneys also sought, unsuccessfully, to suppress evidence found in Younger’s backpack, which she gave written consent for police to search.&nbsp;While the Kansas Supreme Court upheld Younger’s convictions, it overturned portions of the restitution she was ordered to pay, finding that the court didn’t have enough evidence to justify the claim. It remanded the restitution issue back to the trial court for correction.

Kan. court upholds woman’s conviction in 2018 county fair murders

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;American Red Cross communication manager Logan Wright.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dobDNgOSMGA?si=lCBhPu7U5MDOzuTO" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;American Red Cross communication manager Logan Wright.

🎤Forward Ever: American Red Cross communication manager Logan Wright

WASHINGTON —The United States will provide nearly $157 million in new U.S. humanitarian&nbsp;assistance&nbsp;to support populations affected by conflict in Lebanon and the region, according to a statement from the U..S Department of State.

&nbsp;This funding will address new and existing needs of internally displaced persons and refugee populations inside Lebanon and the communities that host them.&nbsp; The assistance will also support those fleeing to neighboring Syria.&nbsp;

This life-saving assistance from the American people includes nearly $82 million immediately available through the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and $75 million through the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.&nbsp; 

Of this total, USAID has already deployed $11.5 million, and working with Congress plans to make another $63.5 million available in the coming weeks, to ensure that vital humanitarian assistance can continue to reach the most vulnerable communities in need.&nbsp;&nbsp;This&nbsp;emergency food, shelter, blankets, hygiene kits, protection, water, and sanitation assistance will be a critical lifeline for those who have endured unimaginable hardships.

The United States provided nearly $386 million over the last year to support vulnerable populations in Lebanon and Syria impacted by the increase in conflict.&nbsp; This new humanitarian assistance comes at a time of devastating humanitarian crisis for Lebanon, with more than a million people displaced from their homes. &nbsp;The United States is committed to helping those most vulnerable in Lebanon and throughout the region. &nbsp;We&nbsp;urge other donors to join us in stepping up to contribute to these new humanitarian needs.

WASHINGTON —The United States will provide nearly $157 million in new U.S. humanitarian&nbsp;assistance&nbsp;to support populations affected by conflict in Lebanon and the region, according to a statement from the U..S Department of State.&nbsp;This funding will address new and existing needs of internally displaced persons and refugee populations inside Lebanon and the communities that host them.&nbsp; The assistance will also support those fleeing to neighboring Syria.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The people of Lebanon are facing an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. I am concerned about the security and well-being of civilians suffering in Lebanon and will continue working to help meet the needs of all civilians there. To that end, the United States will provide…&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1842710797241434259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>This life-saving assistance from the American people includes nearly $82 million immediately available through the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and $75 million through the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.&nbsp; Of this total, USAID has already deployed $11.5 million, and working with Congress plans to make another $63.5 million available in the coming weeks, to ensure that vital humanitarian assistance can continue to reach the most vulnerable communities in need.&nbsp;&nbsp;This&nbsp;emergency food, shelter, blankets, hygiene kits, protection, water, and sanitation assistance will be a critical lifeline for those who have endured unimaginable hardships.The United States provided nearly $386 million over the last year to support vulnerable populations in Lebanon and Syria impacted by the increase in conflict.&nbsp; This new humanitarian assistance comes at a time of devastating humanitarian crisis for Lebanon, with more than a million people displaced from their homes. &nbsp;The United States is committed to helping those most vulnerable in Lebanon and throughout the region. &nbsp;We&nbsp;urge other donors to join us in stepping up to contribute to these new humanitarian needs.

US to give $157 million in aid in response to Lebanon crisis

WASHINGTON— President Biden made a rare appearance Friday at the White House press briefing.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Biden also had terse words for&nbsp;Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, and said he didn't know whether the Israeli leader was holding up a peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

Biden, was responding to comments made by one of his allies, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who said on CNN this week that he was concerned Netanyahu had little interest in a peace deal in part because of U.S. politics.

Israel has pressed forward on two fronts, pursuing a ground incursion into Lebanon against Hezbollah that left eight Israeli soldiers dead and conducting strikes in Gaza that killed dozens, including children. And the nation has vowed to retaliate for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da">Iran’s ballistic missile attack</a>&nbsp;this week, as the region braced for further escalation.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON— President Biden made a rare appearance Friday at the White House press briefing.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Do you have confidence that it will be a free and fair election and that it will be peaceful?&quot; President Biden: &quot;I&#39;m confident it will be free and fair. I don&#39;t know whether it will be peaceful. The things that Trump has said...were very dangerous.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/HrhpaooEHe">pic.twitter.com/HrhpaooEHe</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1842271469838962742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Biden also had terse words for&nbsp;Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, and said he didn't know whether the Israeli leader was holding up a peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Do you want to re-consider dropping out of the race?&quot; President Biden jokingly, &quot;I&#39;m back in!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/WIyhRwbjjk">pic.twitter.com/WIyhRwbjjk</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1842272465117921726?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden, was responding to comments made by one of his allies, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who said on CNN this week that he was concerned Netanyahu had little interest in a peace deal in part because of U.S. politics.Israel has pressed forward on two fronts, pursuing a ground incursion into Lebanon against Hezbollah that left eight Israeli soldiers dead and conducting strikes in Gaza that killed dozens, including children. And the nation has vowed to retaliate for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da">Iran’s ballistic missile attack</a>&nbsp;this week, as the region braced for further escalation.-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

🎥President Biden said he doesn't know if the election will be peaceful

RILEY COUNTY —The family of a woman injured&nbsp; in an&nbsp;incident that occurred near the Aggieville district in the early morning hours of Friday, August 30, are offering an additional $10,000 reward for information in the case, according to the Riley County Police Department.

The initial report received by police indicated the young woman identified as 22-year-old Kenna Hibbs, was found in the 800 block of Laramie Street after walking home from a local establishment.

&nbsp;Police are reviewing surveillance footage from Aggieville and surrounding areas and are following up on any leads to determine the cause of her injuries. Police encourage anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has any information to come forward and assist with the investigation. 

Tips may be called in directly to RCPD using 785-537-2112 or you can always contact Crime Stoppers at 785-539-7777 or toll-free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous.

In a media release on September 3, police said,&nbsp;"We understand the concerns that have been raised on social media regarding the safety of our community. It is important to note that based on the information available at this time, there is no evidence to suggest there is an ongoing threat to the public."&nbsp;

"While we take all reports seriously, it is critical to rely on verified information rather than speculation."&nbsp;

"At this time, we want to clarify that this incident is under investigation and we are working diligently to gather all relevant information."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727977325305.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —The family of a woman injured&nbsp; in an&nbsp;incident that occurred near the Aggieville district in the early morning hours of Friday, August 30, are offering an additional $10,000 reward for information in the case, according to the Riley County Police Department.The initial report received by police indicated the young woman identified as 22-year-old Kenna Hibbs, was found in the 800 block of Laramie Street after walking home from a local establishment.&nbsp;Police are reviewing surveillance footage from Aggieville and surrounding areas and are following up on any leads to determine the cause of her injuries. Police encourage anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has any information to come forward and assist with the investigation. Tips may be called in directly to RCPD using 785-537-2112 or you can always contact Crime Stoppers at 785-539-7777 or toll-free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous.In a media release on September 3, police said,&nbsp;"We understand the concerns that have been raised on social media regarding the safety of our community. It is important to note that based on the information available at this time, there is no evidence to suggest there is an ongoing threat to the public."&nbsp;"While we take all reports seriously, it is critical to rely on verified information rather than speculation."&nbsp;"At this time, we want to clarify that this incident is under investigation and we are working diligently to gather all relevant information."

Family of woman injured in Manhattan offers reward for information

TOPEKA—The Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment together advise Kansans to be alert to the human health risk caused by unvaccinated animals, following a second detection of rabies in a cat in the last two weeks, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

The two cases were in Jewell County and Harvey County, and both involved outdoor cats which exposed multiple humans and other cats. The known human exposures have started rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, a series of five vaccinations to prevent rabies in humans.

Rabies is a viral disease transmitted by the bite or scratch from a rabid animal. There have been six positive cases of rabies in cats this year, as well as several cases in wildlife. Both of the cases this month were in unvaccinated outdoor barn cats.

“Rabies is not unusual in the wildlife population, and unfortunately this often means domestic animals that roam freely can be exposed to the virus,” said Animal Health Commissioner Justin Smith. “It is vital to vaccinate domestic animals against rabies, especially animals that interact with humans, because humans can be infected. Vaccinating pets and livestock against the virus protects both animal health and human health.”

Even if an animal is kept indoors, ensuring their vaccination against the virus is up-to-date serves as an important barrier if they are ever exposed to a wild or stray animal that could be carrying the disease. Those who have barn cats should have them vaccinated against rabies.

Many Kansas cities and counties have vaccination requirements; know what is required in your community and contact your veterinarian for more information about rabies vaccination.

Rabies attacks the brain and spinal cord and can take several weeks to months for symptoms to appear, but early treatment after an exposure can prevent rabies in both humans and pets that are up to date on vaccinations. The vaccination is highly effective.

If you notice unusual behavior in your animal, or you think your animal may have had contact with rabid wildlife, it is important to immediately contact your veterinarian to determine the next steps to take.

If you are a veterinarian, remember to always consider rabies as a potential diagnosis for neurologic animals.&nbsp;In Kansas, rabies is&nbsp;a reportable disease which requires a veterinarian to report a positive rabies test&nbsp;to the KDA Division of Animal Health.

In order to prevent the spread of rabies, people should teach children to be cautious around outdoor animals, wild or domestic, even if they look to be friendly; wash a wound from an animal encounter thoroughly with soap and water and get medical attention immediately; keep pet vaccinations current; and monitor pets when outside.

If you have concerns about rabies, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1497/Rabies">www.kdhe.ks.gov/1497/Rabies</a>&nbsp;or call the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317.

TOPEKA—The Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment together advise Kansans to be alert to the human health risk caused by unvaccinated animals, following a second detection of rabies in a cat in the last two weeks, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Agriculture.The two cases were in Jewell County and Harvey County, and both involved outdoor cats which exposed multiple humans and other cats. The known human exposures have started rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, a series of five vaccinations to prevent rabies in humans.Rabies is a viral disease transmitted by the bite or scratch from a rabid animal. There have been six positive cases of rabies in cats this year, as well as several cases in wildlife. Both of the cases this month were in unvaccinated outdoor barn cats.“Rabies is not unusual in the wildlife population, and unfortunately this often means domestic animals that roam freely can be exposed to the virus,” said Animal Health Commissioner Justin Smith. “It is vital to vaccinate domestic animals against rabies, especially animals that interact with humans, because humans can be infected. Vaccinating pets and livestock against the virus protects both animal health and human health.”Even if an animal is kept indoors, ensuring their vaccination against the virus is up-to-date serves as an important barrier if they are ever exposed to a wild or stray animal that could be carrying the disease. Those who have barn cats should have them vaccinated against rabies.Many Kansas cities and counties have vaccination requirements; know what is required in your community and contact your veterinarian for more information about rabies vaccination.Rabies attacks the brain and spinal cord and can take several weeks to months for symptoms to appear, but early treatment after an exposure can prevent rabies in both humans and pets that are up to date on vaccinations. The vaccination is highly effective.If you notice unusual behavior in your animal, or you think your animal may have had contact with rabid wildlife, it is important to immediately contact your veterinarian to determine the next steps to take.If you are a veterinarian, remember to always consider rabies as a potential diagnosis for neurologic animals.&nbsp;In Kansas, rabies is&nbsp;a reportable disease which requires a veterinarian to report a positive rabies test&nbsp;to the KDA Division of Animal Health.In order to prevent the spread of rabies, people should teach children to be cautious around outdoor animals, wild or domestic, even if they look to be friendly; wash a wound from an animal encounter thoroughly with soap and water and get medical attention immediately; keep pet vaccinations current; and monitor pets when outside.If you have concerns about rabies, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1497/Rabies">www.kdhe.ks.gov/1497/Rabies</a>&nbsp;or call the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317.

State issues health alert after recent rabies cases in Kansas 

KANSAS CITY—A ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday celebrated a new bridge named after a Kansas City Champion Buck O’Neil! Thanks to all who helped us celebrate, the bridge is set to open to traffic later in October.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The bridge links downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City&nbsp; and will accomodate over 50,000 vehicles daily, offers a direct connection from I-35 to US-169, a new bike/pedestrian lane, and improved access to the downtown airport, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727739430395.png" alt="Photo Missouri Governor Mike Parson" />
 <figcaption>Photo Missouri Governor Mike Parson</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday celebrated a new bridge named after a Kansas City Champion Buck O’Neil! Thanks to all who helped us celebrate, the bridge is set to open to traffic later in October.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727739732143.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;The bridge links downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City&nbsp; and will accomodate over 50,000 vehicles daily, offers a direct connection from I-35 to US-169, a new bike/pedestrian lane, and improved access to the downtown airport, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Kansas City celebrates with ribbon cutting for new Buck O’Neil Bridge 

‘Farmers will have a tighter situation … than they experienced in the last three years,’ says a University of Missouri researcher

The cost of fertilizer is up; crop prices are down. Farmers have struggled through drought, and ranchers sold off huge swaths of their herd.&nbsp;

To top it all off, Congress has yet to pass a new iteration of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/tag/farm-bill/">Farm Bill</a>, which expires in a matter of days. And it likely won’t take action on the wide-ranging legislation, which offers everything from nutritional assistance to farm disaster recovery aid, until late this year.

The slow action on the legislation isn’t unusual, but as farm income continues to slide, producers are struggling to make ends meet. Tim Gibbons, communications director for the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, noted it currently costs more to raise a bushel of corn than farmers make when they sell it.

The prices farmers receive for major grain crops such as corn and soybeans are down 20 to 40% from highs set in 2022 in the months after Russia invaded Ukraine, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. But that spike was an aberration, Gibbons said.

“We haven’t had really high prices for decades … that really support farmers over the long term,” Gibbons said, “so that not only can they stay on the farm, but pass that farm on to the next generations.”&nbsp;

<a href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/publications/2024-farm-income-update/?utm_campaign=577762_FAPRI%20Farm%20Income%20Report%20%28September%29&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Child%20account%20for%20The%20Curators%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Missouri&amp;dm_i=7JGU,CDSY,4NFRO6,1V77U,1" target="_blank">Researchers at the University of Missouri</a>&nbsp;expect farm income to drop by 35% by next year, compared to a high in 2022. While they still expect income to remain above what farmers saw between 2015 and 2020, it’s a steep drop.&nbsp;

“Farmers will have a tighter situation … than they experienced in the last three years, and they’ll have to be much more cognizant about having a very strategic marketing plan in order to make a good cash flow,” said Bob&nbsp;Maltsburger, a senior research economist at the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the university.&nbsp;

The “bleak” state of the farm economy — as U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, put it —&nbsp;has agricultural groups and heartland lawmakers clamoring for an updated Farm Bill. But partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C., and tension over what programs to prioritize in the enormous bill have made it difficult for lawmakers to find common ground.&nbsp;

“We need a Farm Bill in place,”&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/u-s-sen-jerry-moran-begs-colleagues-to-break-political-gridlock-on-farm-bill-legislation/?emci=071765d8-f87a-ef11-991a-6045bdee6681&amp;emdi=8993ee86-1c7b-ef11-991a-6045bdee6681&amp;ceid=116650" target="_blank">Moran said on the Senate floor earlier this month</a>, “even if it’s the current one, but the current one is insufficient to meet the needs of the disaster that is occurring in the incomes of farmers across the country.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/farmbill" target="_blank">Farm Bill</a>, the primary vehicle for food and agriculture policy in the U.S., expires Monday. While some of its banner programs — including crop insurance and nutrition assistance — will continue even if the legislation lapses, lawmakers and farm groups have said it’s essential to get assistance to struggling farmers. Moran urged colleagues to extend the existing Farm Bill while a more thorough rewrite is still pending.

The Farm Bill’s single largest chunk of spending — about 75% — supports a variety of programs to combat food insecurity, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly known as “food stamps.” Its other banner programs include crop insurance and support for farmers when crop prices are low. The legislation also provides funds to encourage conservation and more sustainable farming.&nbsp;

Prominent in this year’s debate is how to permanently increase spending on&nbsp;<a href="https://marylandmatters.org/2022/11/08/climate-funding-could-suffer-in-the-farm-bill-under-gop-control-of-congress/" target="_blank">conservation and climate-friendly practices</a>. Congress previously provided $20 billion through the Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2023, to help farmers plant cover crops and trees; alternate grazing and resting grassland and restore wetlands.&nbsp;

Andrew Lentz, who leads agriculture policy for the Environmental Defense Fund, said that funding helped more farmers participate in historically underfunded conservation programs. He said his organization hopes Congress takes advantage of the “huge opportunity” to make those funding levels permanent.&nbsp;

While Democrats want to ensure those funds are spent on practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, those requirements weren’t supported in the Republican-controlled U.S. House committee.&nbsp;

“If Congress is able to do that,” Lentz said, “they’ll be able to maintain these elevated funding levels and also maintain the climate focus of those funds in order to address the root causes of climate change and…help farmers tap new markets for lower carbon agricultural goods.”&nbsp;

But Jennifer Ifft, an associate professor at Kansas State University, said Congress can’t increase the federal deficit when it passes a new Farm Bill, creating tension between lawmakers over how to prioritize programs. Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives supported increasing funding for the farm safety net, which supports farmers when crop prices are low.

That’s hard enough to do this year, Ifft said, but it will be even more difficult to pull off next year with crop prices projected to keep declining, increasing the cost of the safety net.

“It’s probably not going to get easier to compromise,” Ifft said.

The House Republican version of the bill also cuts $30 billion from nutrition assistance, a nonstarter with Democrats.&nbsp;

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat and chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, called that bill and Senate Republicans’ “framework” for a Farm Bill “flawed,” noting it cuts the nutrition budget and “walks away from the progress we have made to address the climate crisis.”

Gibbons said the conversation is missing better options to help with crop prices. He argues managing supply and adjusting decisions to meet market needs is a lower-cost alternative to ensure farmers get a fair price for their crops. But that’s not part of the policy discussions, he said.&nbsp;

“The fight,” Gibbons said, “is once again over, ‘How hard are we going to make it for hungry people in need to get food,’”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727697603384.png" alt=" Corn sprouts in long rows in Wichita County, Kansas. With farm incomes on the decline, agricultural groups say a new federal Farm Bill is a must. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Corn sprouts in long rows in Wichita County, Kansas. With farm incomes on the decline, agricultural groups say a new federal Farm Bill is a must. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Farmers will have a tighter situation … than they experienced in the last three years,’ says a University of Missouri researcher</h2>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>The cost of fertilizer is up; crop prices are down. Farmers have struggled through drought, and ranchers sold off huge swaths of their herd.&nbsp;To top it all off, Congress has yet to pass a new iteration of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/tag/farm-bill/">Farm Bill</a>, which expires in a matter of days. And it likely won’t take action on the wide-ranging legislation, which offers everything from nutritional assistance to farm disaster recovery aid, until late this year.The slow action on the legislation isn’t unusual, but as farm income continues to slide, producers are struggling to make ends meet. Tim Gibbons, communications director for the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, noted it currently costs more to raise a bushel of corn than farmers make when they sell it.The prices farmers receive for major grain crops such as corn and soybeans are down 20 to 40% from highs set in 2022 in the months after Russia invaded Ukraine, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. But that spike was an aberration, Gibbons said.“We haven’t had really high prices for decades … that really support farmers over the long term,” Gibbons said, “so that not only can they stay on the farm, but pass that farm on to the next generations.”&nbsp;<a href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/publications/2024-farm-income-update/?utm_campaign=577762_FAPRI%20Farm%20Income%20Report%20%28September%29&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Child%20account%20for%20The%20Curators%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Missouri&amp;dm_i=7JGU,CDSY,4NFRO6,1V77U,1" target="_blank">Researchers at the University of Missouri</a>&nbsp;expect farm income to drop by 35% by next year, compared to a high in 2022. While they still expect income to remain above what farmers saw between 2015 and 2020, it’s a steep drop.&nbsp;“Farmers will have a tighter situation … than they experienced in the last three years, and they’ll have to be much more cognizant about having a very strategic marketing plan in order to make a good cash flow,” said Bob&nbsp;Maltsburger, a senior research economist at the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the university.&nbsp;The “bleak” state of the farm economy — as U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, put it —&nbsp;has agricultural groups and heartland lawmakers clamoring for an updated Farm Bill. But partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C., and tension over what programs to prioritize in the enormous bill have made it difficult for lawmakers to find common ground.&nbsp;“We need a Farm Bill in place,”&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/u-s-sen-jerry-moran-begs-colleagues-to-break-political-gridlock-on-farm-bill-legislation/?emci=071765d8-f87a-ef11-991a-6045bdee6681&amp;emdi=8993ee86-1c7b-ef11-991a-6045bdee6681&amp;ceid=116650" target="_blank">Moran said on the Senate floor earlier this month</a>, “even if it’s the current one, but the current one is insufficient to meet the needs of the disaster that is occurring in the incomes of farmers across the country.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/farmbill" target="_blank">Farm Bill</a>, the primary vehicle for food and agriculture policy in the U.S., expires Monday. While some of its banner programs — including crop insurance and nutrition assistance — will continue even if the legislation lapses, lawmakers and farm groups have said it’s essential to get assistance to struggling farmers. Moran urged colleagues to extend the existing Farm Bill while a more thorough rewrite is still pending.<h2>Competing for funds</h2>The Farm Bill’s single largest chunk of spending — about 75% — supports a variety of programs to combat food insecurity, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly known as “food stamps.” Its other banner programs include crop insurance and support for farmers when crop prices are low. The legislation also provides funds to encourage conservation and more sustainable farming.&nbsp;Prominent in this year’s debate is how to permanently increase spending on&nbsp;<a href="https://marylandmatters.org/2022/11/08/climate-funding-could-suffer-in-the-farm-bill-under-gop-control-of-congress/" target="_blank">conservation and climate-friendly practices</a>. Congress previously provided $20 billion through the Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2023, to help farmers plant cover crops and trees; alternate grazing and resting grassland and restore wetlands.&nbsp;Andrew Lentz, who leads agriculture policy for the Environmental Defense Fund, said that funding helped more farmers participate in historically underfunded conservation programs. He said his organization hopes Congress takes advantage of the “huge opportunity” to make those funding levels permanent.&nbsp;While Democrats want to ensure those funds are spent on practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, those requirements weren’t supported in the Republican-controlled U.S. House committee.&nbsp;“If Congress is able to do that,” Lentz said, “they’ll be able to maintain these elevated funding levels and also maintain the climate focus of those funds in order to address the root causes of climate change and…help farmers tap new markets for lower carbon agricultural goods.”&nbsp;But Jennifer Ifft, an associate professor at Kansas State University, said Congress can’t increase the federal deficit when it passes a new Farm Bill, creating tension between lawmakers over how to prioritize programs. Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives supported increasing funding for the farm safety net, which supports farmers when crop prices are low.That’s hard enough to do this year, Ifft said, but it will be even more difficult to pull off next year with crop prices projected to keep declining, increasing the cost of the safety net.“It’s probably not going to get easier to compromise,” Ifft said.The House Republican version of the bill also cuts $30 billion from nutrition assistance, a nonstarter with Democrats.&nbsp;U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat and chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, called that bill and Senate Republicans’ “framework” for a Farm Bill “flawed,” noting it cuts the nutrition budget and “walks away from the progress we have made to address the climate crisis.”Gibbons said the conversation is missing better options to help with crop prices. He argues managing supply and adjusting decisions to meet market needs is a lower-cost alternative to ensure farmers get a fair price for their crops. But that’s not part of the policy discussions, he said.&nbsp;“The fight,” Gibbons said, “is once again over, ‘How hard are we going to make it for hungry people in need to get food,’”

Farmers struggle with ‘bleak’ situation as Congress waffles on new Farm Bill

SEDGWICK COUNTY — The suspect involved in a shooting near a school on Monday made his first court appearance in the case.

Vincent Solomon Jr., 46,&nbsp; Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, and interference with law enforcement, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office

Just after 9a.m. Monday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.

The call was broadcast on all law enforcement radio channels. A Sedgwick County Deputy heard the call and responded. When the deputy arrived, he located Solomon who was armed with a handgun. The man made statements that the deputy would kill him while pointing the gun at the deputy, according to Sullivan.

The suspect than ran to and laid on top of a 30-year-old woman. The deputy gave commands for the man to drop his gun and observed the suspect place the gun to the woman's head.

In defense of the woman, the deputy fired his gun twice. The suspect would not let go of the woman. The deputy then attempted to disarm the man physically. It took two Wichita Police officers and the deputy to disarm Solomon.

Investigators have learned that Solomon and woman live together and have children together. The couple had an argument in a vehicle on the way to the school which led to the suspect shooting the woman multiple times. The woman ran toward the school and the Solomon chased her. A Wichita Public School staff member saw the suspect with the gun approaching the school and pulled the door of the school shut and locked it so the suspect could not get inside.

EMS transported Solomon and the woman to an area hospital for treatment.

The Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) was activated to conduct this investigation. Solomon remains jailed on a $750,000 bond. He is due back in court October 7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727347323043.png" alt="Solomon -photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Solomon -photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — The suspect involved in a shooting near a school on Monday made his first court appearance in the case.Vincent Solomon Jr., 46,&nbsp; Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, and interference with law enforcement, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's officeJust after 9a.m. Monday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727210527551.png" alt="Image from security camera shows Solomon chasing the woman, after she had been shot, as they approach the entrance to the school.- image from Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Image from security camera shows Solomon chasing the woman, after she had been shot, as they approach the entrance to the school.- image from Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The call was broadcast on all law enforcement radio channels. A Sedgwick County Deputy heard the call and responded. When the deputy arrived, he located Solomon who was armed with a handgun. The man made statements that the deputy would kill him while pointing the gun at the deputy, according to Sullivan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727106753444.png" alt="Police on the scene near the school-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene near the school-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect than ran to and laid on top of a 30-year-old woman. The deputy gave commands for the man to drop his gun and observed the suspect place the gun to the woman's head.In defense of the woman, the deputy fired his gun twice. The suspect would not let go of the woman. The deputy then attempted to disarm the man physically. It took two Wichita Police officers and the deputy to disarm Solomon.Investigators have learned that Solomon and woman live together and have children together. The couple had an argument in a vehicle on the way to the school which led to the suspect shooting the woman multiple times. The woman ran toward the school and the Solomon chased her. A Wichita Public School staff member saw the suspect with the gun approaching the school and pulled the door of the school shut and locked it so the suspect could not get inside.EMS transported Solomon and the woman to an area hospital for treatment.The Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) was activated to conduct this investigation. Solomon remains jailed on a $750,000 bond. He is due back in court October 7.

Kan. man who shot woman near a school released on bond

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>&nbsp;

The Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, laid out more of her economic vision Wednesday during her first one-on-one cable TV interview.

Harris and former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, are laying out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/taxes-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">dueling economic agendas</a>&nbsp;this week as the two vie for the Oval Office in an extremely close race.

“I really love and am so energized by what I know to be the spirit and character of the American people — we have ambition, we have aspirations, we have dreams, we can see what’s possible, we have an incredible work ethic, but not everyone has the access to the opportunities that allow them to achieve those things, but we don’t lack for those things, but not everyone gets handed stuff on a silver platter,” Harris told MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle.

“My vision for the economy — I call it an opportunity economy — is about making sure that all Americans — wherever they start, wherever they are — have the ability to actually achieve those dreams and those ambitions, which include, for middle-class families, just being able to know that their hard work allows them to get ahead,” she said.

Earlier on Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/election-2024/harris-touts-economic-plans-in-pittsburgh-the-best-way-to-predict-the-future-is-to-invent-it/" target="_blank">Harris touted her economic plans</a>&nbsp;in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at Carnegie Mellon University. During her MSNBC interview later in the day, she reiterated her plan to cut taxes for more than 100 million Americans, including $6,000 in tax relief for new parents in the first year of their child’s life.

In that first year, Harris said these parents are going to “need help buying a crib, buying a car seat, and we all benefit when they’re actually able to do what they naturally want to do to take care of their child.”

Part of her economic agenda also includes as much as $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers and an up to $50,000 tax break for first-time small businesses.

She also took jabs at Trump when it comes to the economy, saying he’s “just not very serious about how he thinks about some of these issues.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/8760cee3-7340-4dcc-9fc5-3457aa5953bd" target="_blank">Trump campaign</a>&nbsp;clapped back at her MSNBC appearance on Wednesday, saying “it was (another) reminder why she never does interviews,” and that she’s “not competent enough — and she has no plans to offer Americans.”

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/09/24/trump-pitches-economic-plan-in-savannah-while-insulting-democrats-praising-kemp/" target="_blank">pitched his economic plan</a>&nbsp;earlier this week in Georgia, part of which includes levying tariffs on exported goods, and he vowed to place a 100% tariff on cars imported from Mexico.

Harris also touched on immigration, telling Ruhle “we do have a broken immigration system, and it needs to be fixed.”

She also said she would bring back and sign into law a major&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bleak-future-immigration-action-after-us-senate-gop-abandons-border-security-deal" target="_blank">bipartisan border security bill</a>&nbsp;from earlier this year while pinning its legislative failure on Trump.

“He killed a bill that would have actually been a solution because he wants to run on a problem instead of fixing the problem, and that’s part of what needs to be addressed,” Harris said.

The veep is set to visit the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday for the first time since becoming the Democratic nominee. Her Douglas, Arizona, visit comes as she’s faced repeated criticism and backlash from both sides of the aisle for her efforts surrounding immigration.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113193502568945796" target="_blank">Truth Social post</a>&nbsp;earlier this week regarding her upcoming visit, Trump again dubbed Harris a “border czar,” saying “what a disgrace that she waited so long, allowing millions of people to enter our Country from prisons, mental institutions, and criminal cells all over the World, not just South America, many of those coming are terrorists, and at a level never seen before!”

President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/what-know-about-vice-president-kamala-harris-endorsed-biden-his-successor" target="_blank">tapped Harris back in 2021</a>&nbsp;to help address the “root causes” of migration in Central America, but he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2024/08/trump-tv-ad-repeats-false-border-czar-illegal-immigration-claims/" target="_blank">did not give her</a>&nbsp;the title of “border czar.” The Department of Homeland Security is in charge of border security.

What’s next for Harris, Trump campaigns

Harris was set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday afternoon.

The meeting between the two leaders “serves as a reminder that the Vice President has been a champion for the United States, advancing our security and prosperity on the world stage and standing up to dictators and autocrats,” her campaign said in a Thursday press release.

This will be her seventh meeting with Zelenskyy, according to her campaign, which noted that as vice president, “she helped rally a global coalition of 50 allies and partners to help Ukraine defend itself.”

Trump is set to deliver remarks in Walker, Michigan, on Friday. Later in the day, he will also host a town hall in Warren, Michigan.

And in the thick of the college football season, Trump is set to attend the Alabama-Georgia football game on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-says-jewish-voters-would-be-partly-blame-election-loss" target="_blank">confirmed to States Newsroom last week</a>.

Harris’ running mate, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, is set to attend the Michigan-Minnesota football game Saturday in Ann Arbor, the Harris-Walz campaign announced.

He’s also slated to campaign there and will “speak with students about the power of their vote and the importance of registering to vote ahead of the November election,” per the announcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727438181004.png" alt="Vice President Harris during a White House press conference on Thursday image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Harris during a White House press conference on Thursday image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>&nbsp;The Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, laid out more of her economic vision Wednesday during her first one-on-one cable TV interview.Harris and former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, are laying out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/taxes-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">dueling economic agendas</a>&nbsp;this week as the two vie for the Oval Office in an extremely close race.“I really love and am so energized by what I know to be the spirit and character of the American people — we have ambition, we have aspirations, we have dreams, we can see what’s possible, we have an incredible work ethic, but not everyone has the access to the opportunities that allow them to achieve those things, but we don’t lack for those things, but not everyone gets handed stuff on a silver platter,” Harris told MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle.“My vision for the economy — I call it an opportunity economy — is about making sure that all Americans — wherever they start, wherever they are — have the ability to actually achieve those dreams and those ambitions, which include, for middle-class families, just being able to know that their hard work allows them to get ahead,” she said.Earlier on Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/election-2024/harris-touts-economic-plans-in-pittsburgh-the-best-way-to-predict-the-future-is-to-invent-it/" target="_blank">Harris touted her economic plans</a>&nbsp;in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at Carnegie Mellon University. During her MSNBC interview later in the day, she reiterated her plan to cut taxes for more than 100 million Americans, including $6,000 in tax relief for new parents in the first year of their child’s life.In that first year, Harris said these parents are going to “need help buying a crib, buying a car seat, and we all benefit when they’re actually able to do what they naturally want to do to take care of their child.”Part of her economic agenda also includes as much as $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers and an up to $50,000 tax break for first-time small businesses.She also took jabs at Trump when it comes to the economy, saying he’s “just not very serious about how he thinks about some of these issues.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/8760cee3-7340-4dcc-9fc5-3457aa5953bd" target="_blank">Trump campaign</a>&nbsp;clapped back at her MSNBC appearance on Wednesday, saying “it was (another) reminder why she never does interviews,” and that she’s “not competent enough — and she has no plans to offer Americans.”Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/09/24/trump-pitches-economic-plan-in-savannah-while-insulting-democrats-praising-kemp/" target="_blank">pitched his economic plan</a>&nbsp;earlier this week in Georgia, part of which includes levying tariffs on exported goods, and he vowed to place a 100% tariff on cars imported from Mexico.<h2>Harris to visit southern border&nbsp;</h2>Harris also touched on immigration, telling Ruhle “we do have a broken immigration system, and it needs to be fixed.”She also said she would bring back and sign into law a major&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bleak-future-immigration-action-after-us-senate-gop-abandons-border-security-deal" target="_blank">bipartisan border security bill</a>&nbsp;from earlier this year while pinning its legislative failure on Trump.“He killed a bill that would have actually been a solution because he wants to run on a problem instead of fixing the problem, and that’s part of what needs to be addressed,” Harris said.The veep is set to visit the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday for the first time since becoming the Democratic nominee. Her Douglas, Arizona, visit comes as she’s faced repeated criticism and backlash from both sides of the aisle for her efforts surrounding immigration.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113193502568945796" target="_blank">Truth Social post</a>&nbsp;earlier this week regarding her upcoming visit, Trump again dubbed Harris a “border czar,” saying “what a disgrace that she waited so long, allowing millions of people to enter our Country from prisons, mental institutions, and criminal cells all over the World, not just South America, many of those coming are terrorists, and at a level never seen before!”President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/what-know-about-vice-president-kamala-harris-endorsed-biden-his-successor" target="_blank">tapped Harris back in 2021</a>&nbsp;to help address the “root causes” of migration in Central America, but he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2024/08/trump-tv-ad-repeats-false-border-czar-illegal-immigration-claims/" target="_blank">did not give her</a>&nbsp;the title of “border czar.” The Department of Homeland Security is in charge of border security.<h2>What’s next for Harris, Trump campaigns</h2>Harris was set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday afternoon.The meeting between the two leaders “serves as a reminder that the Vice President has been a champion for the United States, advancing our security and prosperity on the world stage and standing up to dictators and autocrats,” her campaign said in a Thursday press release.This will be her seventh meeting with Zelenskyy, according to her campaign, which noted that as vice president, “she helped rally a global coalition of 50 allies and partners to help Ukraine defend itself.”Trump is set to deliver remarks in Walker, Michigan, on Friday. Later in the day, he will also host a town hall in Warren, Michigan.And in the thick of the college football season, Trump is set to attend the Alabama-Georgia football game on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-says-jewish-voters-would-be-partly-blame-election-loss" target="_blank">confirmed to States Newsroom last week</a>.Harris’ running mate, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, is set to attend the Michigan-Minnesota football game Saturday in Ann Arbor, the Harris-Walz campaign announced.He’s also slated to campaign there and will “speak with students about the power of their vote and the importance of registering to vote ahead of the November election,” per the announcement.

Harris pitches an ‘opportunity economy’ in debut one-on-one TV interview 

WASHINGTON —On Thursday, as part of the surge of assistance that President Biden directed ahead of his meeting with President Zelenskyy, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced a significant new security assistance package to ensure Ukraine has the tools it needs to prevail in its fight against Russian aggression, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Defense.

This security assistance package commits an additional $2.4 billion in support through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) that will provide Ukraine with additional air defense, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and air-to-ground munitions, as well as strengthen Ukraine’s defense industrial base and support its maintenance and sustainment requirements.&nbsp;

The capabilities in this announcement include:

This is the Biden Administration’s twenty-first USAI package. The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated capability coalitions to provide the support Ukraine needs to win the war.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727380260471.png" alt="Ukrainian President Zelenskyy watches as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signs bombs that will used in the war against Russia-photo Office of Gov. Shapiro" />
 <figcaption>Ukrainian President Zelenskyy watches as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signs bombs that will used in the war against Russia-photo Office of Gov. Shapiro</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —On Thursday, as part of the surge of assistance that President Biden directed ahead of his meeting with President Zelenskyy, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced a significant new security assistance package to ensure Ukraine has the tools it needs to prevail in its fight against Russian aggression, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Defense.This security assistance package commits an additional $2.4 billion in support through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) that will provide Ukraine with additional air defense, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and air-to-ground munitions, as well as strengthen Ukraine’s defense industrial base and support its maintenance and sustainment requirements.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727392281821.png" alt="-President Zelenskyy and Vice President Harris at the White House on Thursday-White House image" />
 <figcaption>-President Zelenskyy and Vice President Harris at the White House on Thursday-White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>The capabilities in this announcement include:<ul>
 <li>Munitions and support for Ukrainian air defense systems;</li><li>Air-to-ground munitions;</li><li>Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and components to support Ukrainian production of UAS;</li><li>Counter-UAS equipment;&nbsp; Unmanned surface vessels;</li><li>Secure communications equipment;</li><li>Equipment and materiel to support Ukrainian munitions production; and&nbsp;</li><li>Spare parts, maintenance and sustainment support, and other ancillary equipment.</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727380341399.png" alt="Ukraine President Zelenskyy and President Biden at the White House on Thursday-White House image" />
 <figcaption>Ukraine President Zelenskyy and President Biden at the White House on Thursday-White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>This is the Biden Administration’s twenty-first USAI package. The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated capability coalitions to provide the support Ukraine needs to win the war.

U.S. to spend another $2.4 billion on security assistance for Ukraine

JOHNSON COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement are investigating a rural Missouri couple in connection with years of alleged child sex abuse.

According to the Johnson County Sheriff 56-year-old Gregory D. Arnold and his wife 55-year-old Yvonne P. Arnold both of Chilhowee, Missouri, have been charged with Statutory Sodomy 1st Degree

The charges mark the beginning of what is anticipated to be a comprehensive and detailed investigation.&nbsp; The Johnson County Sheriff's Office is actively looking into additional potential crimes that may have been committed as early as 2005.

Investigators are working to uncover all facts and ensure justice is served&nbsp; the sheriff's office is committed to support for the victims in this case.&nbsp;Chilhowee is located approximately 65 miles southeast of Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727345833618.png" alt="Arnold photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Arnold photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement are investigating a rural Missouri couple in connection with years of alleged child sex abuse.According to the Johnson County Sheriff 56-year-old Gregory D. Arnold and his wife 55-year-old Yvonne P. Arnold both of Chilhowee, Missouri, have been charged with Statutory Sodomy 1st Degree<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727345792127.png" alt="Arnold-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Arnold-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The charges mark the beginning of what is anticipated to be a comprehensive and detailed investigation.&nbsp; The Johnson County Sheriff's Office is actively looking into additional potential crimes that may have been committed as early as 2005.Investigators are working to uncover all facts and ensure justice is served&nbsp; the sheriff's office is committed to support for the victims in this case.&nbsp;Chilhowee is located approximately 65 miles southeast of Kansas City.

Rural Missouri couple face years of child sex crime allegations

Washington D.C.&nbsp; -&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall on Wednesday called for the immediate passage of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.lee.senate.gov/2024/5/lee-and-roy-partner-on-legislation-to-secure-federal-elections">Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act</a>&nbsp;on the Senate floor.&nbsp; The SAVE Act is crucial for protecting the integrity of our elections by requiring proof of American citizenship when registering to vote. Our elections must be decided by American citizens.&nbsp;

Recently, states like&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/virginia-governor-youngkin-voter-purge-noncitizens-errors-election-rcna167925">Virginia</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-announces-over-1m-ineligible-voters-removed-voting-rolls-since-last-presidential-election">Texas</a>, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-2024-election-citizen-voter-registration-18d3c0bda65a5030cd07f1d536e39ab7">Oregon</a>&nbsp;found noncitizens had registered to vote in our elections. Requiring proof of citizenship to vote is not controversial, it’s common sense.

“Free, safe, secure and fair elections are integral to the survival of our republic. Without election integrity, the voice of American citizens, the foundation of a republic, is at risk of being silenced.”

“Unfortunately, millions of Americans have lost confidence in the security of our elections. They question whether their vote truly matters or if their vote is being diluted by noncitizens. We must ensure that the outcome of our elections is determined by our own citizens, uninfluenced by illegal ballots.”

“This shouldn't be a divisive issue. Nearly 80% of Americans - Democrats, Republicans, independents - all agree on this simple requirement, 80%. Now, again, this is common sense. You need an ID to drive, you need an ID to board a plane, you need an ID to get a fishing license. But voting is a sacred right with even a higher value than those other examples, that voting should demand the same standard.”

“Protecting this right isn't controversial, it’s common sense. Right now, due to the crisis of our open southern border, at least 11 million illegal immigrants are in the United States today. That number alone could replace the population of 36 states, almost four times the population of Kansas. Imagine what that could do to our electoral process if left unchecked.”

“Noncitizen voting is real. This isn't hypothetical. In Texas, Virginia, and Oregon, noncitizens have been found on the voting rosters. Additionally, California, Maryland, Vermont and Washington, D.C. already allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. This is an immediate threat to the future of our democracy, and it demands action.”&nbsp;

“This is a nonpartisan American issue. It's about protecting our country. Just as we reject foreign interference in our elections, we must reject noncitizen voting with equal seriousness, and this is why Congress must act, and it can act today.”

Washington D.C.&nbsp; -&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall on Wednesday called for the immediate passage of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.lee.senate.gov/2024/5/lee-and-roy-partner-on-legislation-to-secure-federal-elections">Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act</a>&nbsp;on the Senate floor.&nbsp; The SAVE Act is crucial for protecting the integrity of our elections by requiring proof of American citizenship when registering to vote. Our elections must be decided by American citizens.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Why won’t Democrats work to secure our elections and pass a policy that 80% of Americans support and does just that? Protecting election integrity is not a partisan issue—it’s an American issue. Let’s pass the SAVE Act to ensure our elections remain free, fair, &amp; secure. <a href="https://t.co/IeoTDskdZl">pic.twitter.com/IeoTDskdZl</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1839024251002622306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Recently, states like&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/virginia-governor-youngkin-voter-purge-noncitizens-errors-election-rcna167925">Virginia</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-announces-over-1m-ineligible-voters-removed-voting-rolls-since-last-presidential-election">Texas</a>, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-2024-election-citizen-voter-registration-18d3c0bda65a5030cd07f1d536e39ab7">Oregon</a>&nbsp;found noncitizens had registered to vote in our elections. Requiring proof of citizenship to vote is not controversial, it’s common sense.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In America, you need an ID to do all of the following things, yet the Democrat party finds it controversial to need an ID to participate in our electoral process. <a href="https://t.co/pJ4UBAQuwC">pic.twitter.com/pJ4UBAQuwC</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1839008515194507515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Free, safe, secure and fair elections are integral to the survival of our republic. Without election integrity, the voice of American citizens, the foundation of a republic, is at risk of being silenced.”“Unfortunately, millions of Americans have lost confidence in the security of our elections. They question whether their vote truly matters or if their vote is being diluted by noncitizens. We must ensure that the outcome of our elections is determined by our own citizens, uninfluenced by illegal ballots.”“This shouldn't be a divisive issue. Nearly 80% of Americans - Democrats, Republicans, independents - all agree on this simple requirement, 80%. Now, again, this is common sense. You need an ID to drive, you need an ID to board a plane, you need an ID to get a fishing license. But voting is a sacred right with even a higher value than those other examples, that voting should demand the same standard.”“Protecting this right isn't controversial, it’s common sense. Right now, due to the crisis of our open southern border, at least 11 million illegal immigrants are in the United States today. That number alone could replace the population of 36 states, almost four times the population of Kansas. Imagine what that could do to our electoral process if left unchecked.”“Noncitizen voting is real. This isn't hypothetical. In Texas, Virginia, and Oregon, noncitizens have been found on the voting rosters. Additionally, California, Maryland, Vermont and Washington, D.C. already allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. This is an immediate threat to the future of our democracy, and it demands action.”&nbsp;“This is a nonpartisan American issue. It's about protecting our country. Just as we reject foreign interference in our elections, we must reject noncitizen voting with equal seriousness, and this is why Congress must act, and it can act today.”

🎥Marshall: Why won't Democrats work to secure our elections?

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/"></a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Women candidates from Kansas and Missouri gathered September 19, at a Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus event in support of female power and personality in politics.

Gov. Laura Kelly, the keynote speaker, highlighted how she kept her femininity while running for office. She spoke of the advice she got on her campaign — how men told her that women should appear tough and strong while running for office.

“I’m sure of this one piece of advice: Don’t try to be something you’re not,” Kelly said. “In order to convince others you can do a certain job, you’ve got to show them that who you really are is exactly how you will do the job.”

Kelly said women possess traits that make them valuable in office — traits like being good listeners, collaborative, creative problem solvers and able to juggle multiple tasks all at once.

“You see, I believe the traits we as women come by naturally are exactly the traits that make for effective executive leaders,” Kelly said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727286424687.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly speaks Sept. 19, 2024, at the at a Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus event. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly speaks Sept. 19, 2024, at the at a Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus event. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/"></a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Women candidates from Kansas and Missouri gathered September 19, at a Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus event in support of female power and personality in politics.Gov. Laura Kelly, the keynote speaker, highlighted how she kept her femininity while running for office. She spoke of the advice she got on her campaign — how men told her that women should appear tough and strong while running for office.“I’m sure of this one piece of advice: Don’t try to be something you’re not,” Kelly said. “In order to convince others you can do a certain job, you’ve got to show them that who you really are is exactly how you will do the job.”Kelly said women possess traits that make them valuable in office — traits like being good listeners, collaborative, creative problem solvers and able to juggle multiple tasks all at once.“You see, I believe the traits we as women come by naturally are exactly the traits that make for effective executive leaders,” Kelly said.Kelly is one of 12 women governors, eight of whom are Democrats. Kelly said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the women governors were in “constant touch.” She said the group of women Democratic governors are close — seeking advice from each other, celebrating each other’s wins and supporting each other in difficult times. This was showcased at the Democratic National Convention, when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@demgovs/video/7405758961019850026?lang=en" target="_blank">a video of the eight women</a>&nbsp;went viral on TikTok.“While we’re really proud that there are 12 female governors, the last time I checked, there are 50 states,” Kelly said. “So do the math. We’ve got some work to do. I believe we will prevail. I am so energized by the next generations of women coming after mine.”Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, a Democrat from Leawood, said that women have to prove more to themselves before they run for office. When Poskin was asked to run — after she’d worked in higher education for 20 years, raised seven children, and held a membership in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mensa.org/" target="_blank">Mensa</a>&nbsp;— she responded that she should get her law degree before running. After a few more asks, she was convinced to run.“People laughed at me, like, ‘You have everything you need! You are so ready,’ ” Poskin said. “And as it turns out, you don’t, of course, have to be a lawyer.”A<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/09/27/views-of-obstacles-for-women-seeking-high-political-office/" target="_blank">&nbsp;2023 Pew Research study</a>&nbsp;found that the main reason women don’t run for office is because they have to do more to prove themselves than men. Rep. Melissa Oropeza, a Democrat from Kansas City, Kansas, doesn’t believe a female candidate should have to prove herself on the basis of gender.“Is it on us to educate people in 2024? I think they have to do some soul searching on their own, and evaluation of their own beliefs,” Oropeza said.Every candidate at the event is an abortion rights advocate. Rep. Jo Ella Hoye, a two-term Democrat from Lenexa, said she originally ran to end gun violence.“But a lot of women candidates get told not to talk about guns and abortion,” Hoye said. “We know that those are two priority issues on voters’ minds. So keep talking, and keep winning.”

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