BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/suzanneking/">SUZANNE KING</a>

Janet Baker has to say “no” more often than she would like to the aging Kansas Citians her organization serves.

Even to a woman newly confined to a wheelchair who called a couple of weeks ago requesting Meals on Wheels, Baker, executive director of&nbsp;<a href="https://kcshepherdscenter.org/" target="_blank">KC Shepherd’s Center</a>, had to say “no.”

“This makes me sick,” she said. “There’s just no money in the system and it’s a little terrifying.”

Rachel Ohlhausen, director of program operations with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jfskc.org/" target="_blank">Jewish Family Services</a>, said her organization is also seeing seniors turned away because funds are scarce. Since early summer this year, seniors who need rides to doctors’ appointments or the grocery store but can’t afford them are being placed on a waiting list.

Baker and Ohlhausen said a senior tax levy that Jackson County voters will consider on Nov. 5 could help. It would raise about $8 million a year for programs that give older citizens free meals, rides and other services.

“There’s no reason,” Baker said, “that we should not be investing in seniors in our community.”

Passage of Question 1 would let Jackson County charge homeowners an additional 5 cents for every $100 of assessed property value. The tax dollars that would raise would go in a special fund spent on services — like Meals on Wheels and rides to doctors’ appointments — provided to people 60 and older.

A seven-member board appointed by the county Legislature would manage the fund.

SeniorsCount Jackson County, a coalition of senior citizen service organizations backing the new tax, estimates the cost to the average Jackson County household would be about $20 a year.

“I hate to say it’s not a huge amount,” said Jackson County Legislator Donna Peyton, who co-sponsored the ordinance to place the levy on the November ballot. “But I think we should look at it in context. …For me, the value outweighs the cost.”

Supporters of Question 1 may have a tough sell.

In April, Jackson County voters&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/04/02/jackson-county-election-results-for-the-royals-and-chiefs-funding-and-local-school-boards-elections/" target="_blank">shot down</a>&nbsp;a $2 billion sales tax to fund new sports stadiums. And last year, voters rejected a proposal to add a sales tax on online purchases.

The county’s property assessments, which determine the size of homeowners’ tax bills, jumped dramatically this year, resulting in a&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/05/10/schools-say-a-lawsuit-targeting-jackson-county-property-assessments-would-be-catastrophic/" target="_blank">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;from the state tax commission demanding that nearly all increases be thrown out.

David Stokes, a policy director with the Show-Me Institute, a Missouri anti-tax group, said property tax shouldn’t be supporting philanthropic causes.

“I’m troubled by mandating charity through taxation,” Stokes said. “We all have a responsibility to pay our taxes, and we all have a responsibility to donate to charities in our community. But mandating and mixing the two, I think, is not a great idea.”

He also questioned the timing of the ballot proposal raising property taxes to support seniors, coming so soon after the county established a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksongov.org/Government/Departments/Collection/Senior-Property-Tax-Credit-Program" target="_blank">program</a>&nbsp;to freeze property taxes for people 62 and older.

“Jackson County wins the irony award on this one,” Stokes said.

Question 1 supporters said the county’s hands were tied when it came to what kind of tax it could ask voters for. The 2003&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=67.990&amp;bid=50027&amp;hl=" target="_blank">state law</a>&nbsp;that paved the way for a senior tax states that the tax should be on property. Fifty-five of Missouri’s 115 counties have already passed a senior tax levy. That includes neighboring Clay and Platte counties.

Clay County Senior Services, which is supported by that county’s 20-year-old senior levy, brings in $2.6 million a year. The levy funds transportation to medical appointments, meals for seniors, safety modifications to homes and other services that help seniors remain connected to the community.

“Every day, you hear the impact and the gratefulness of older adults,” said Tina Uridge, executive director.

Without a source of public funding, providing all of those services would be a struggle, Uridge said.

It is a struggle in Jackson County, nonprofits said. They said federal aid that had been helping during the pandemic is drying up. Meanwhile, the charities that had supported their work aiding seniors are also going away.

Ohlhausen said Jewish Family Services and KC Shepherd’s Center saw a combined drop of $350,000 in philanthropic support last year.

And the Mid-America Regional Council, the area agency on aging serving Jackson County, in April temporarily suspended accepting new clients for its home-delivered meals service line. Those funds had gone to organizations like KC Shepherd’s Center for Meals on Wheels. MARC said the suspension is tied to declining federal dollars that had come primarily through the American Rescue Plan Act.

“Dollars that we used to expect to come down to us are harder to come across,” Ohlhausen said.

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/10/16/voters-consider-new-jackson-county-tax-question-one/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729506037387.png" alt=" A Jackson County tax that voters will consider Nov. 5 could generate funds for senior services like Meals on Wheels (Suzanne King/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption> A Jackson County tax that voters will consider Nov. 5 could generate funds for senior services like Meals on Wheels (Suzanne King/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/suzanneking/">SUZANNE KING</a>Janet Baker has to say “no” more often than she would like to the aging Kansas Citians her organization serves.Even to a woman newly confined to a wheelchair who called a couple of weeks ago requesting Meals on Wheels, Baker, executive director of&nbsp;<a href="https://kcshepherdscenter.org/" target="_blank">KC Shepherd’s Center</a>, had to say “no.”“This makes me sick,” she said. “There’s just no money in the system and it’s a little terrifying.”Rachel Ohlhausen, director of program operations with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jfskc.org/" target="_blank">Jewish Family Services</a>, said her organization is also seeing seniors turned away because funds are scarce. Since early summer this year, seniors who need rides to doctors’ appointments or the grocery store but can’t afford them are being placed on a waiting list.“It’s a growing list,” she said.Baker and Ohlhausen said a senior tax levy that Jackson County voters will consider on Nov. 5 could help. It would raise about $8 million a year for programs that give older citizens free meals, rides and other services.“There’s no reason,” Baker said, “that we should not be investing in seniors in our community.”Passage of Question 1 would let Jackson County charge homeowners an additional 5 cents for every $100 of assessed property value. The tax dollars that would raise would go in a special fund spent on services — like Meals on Wheels and rides to doctors’ appointments — provided to people 60 and older.A seven-member board appointed by the county Legislature would manage the fund.SeniorsCount Jackson County, a coalition of senior citizen service organizations backing the new tax, estimates the cost to the average Jackson County household would be about $20 a year.“I hate to say it’s not a huge amount,” said Jackson County Legislator Donna Peyton, who co-sponsored the ordinance to place the levy on the November ballot. “But I think we should look at it in context. …For me, the value outweighs the cost.”Supporters of Question 1 may have a tough sell.In April, Jackson County voters&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/04/02/jackson-county-election-results-for-the-royals-and-chiefs-funding-and-local-school-boards-elections/" target="_blank">shot down</a>&nbsp;a $2 billion sales tax to fund new sports stadiums. And last year, voters rejected a proposal to add a sales tax on online purchases.The county’s property assessments, which determine the size of homeowners’ tax bills, jumped dramatically this year, resulting in a&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/05/10/schools-say-a-lawsuit-targeting-jackson-county-property-assessments-would-be-catastrophic/" target="_blank">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;from the state tax commission demanding that nearly all increases be thrown out.David Stokes, a policy director with the Show-Me Institute, a Missouri anti-tax group, said property tax shouldn’t be supporting philanthropic causes.“I’m troubled by mandating charity through taxation,” Stokes said. “We all have a responsibility to pay our taxes, and we all have a responsibility to donate to charities in our community. But mandating and mixing the two, I think, is not a great idea.”He also questioned the timing of the ballot proposal raising property taxes to support seniors, coming so soon after the county established a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksongov.org/Government/Departments/Collection/Senior-Property-Tax-Credit-Program" target="_blank">program</a>&nbsp;to freeze property taxes for people 62 and older.“Jackson County wins the irony award on this one,” Stokes said.Question 1 supporters said the county’s hands were tied when it came to what kind of tax it could ask voters for. The 2003&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=67.990&amp;bid=50027&amp;hl=" target="_blank">state law</a>&nbsp;that paved the way for a senior tax states that the tax should be on property. Fifty-five of Missouri’s 115 counties have already passed a senior tax levy. That includes neighboring Clay and Platte counties.Clay County Senior Services, which is supported by that county’s 20-year-old senior levy, brings in $2.6 million a year. The levy funds transportation to medical appointments, meals for seniors, safety modifications to homes and other services that help seniors remain connected to the community.“Every day, you hear the impact and the gratefulness of older adults,” said Tina Uridge, executive director.Without a source of public funding, providing all of those services would be a struggle, Uridge said.It is a struggle in Jackson County, nonprofits said. They said federal aid that had been helping during the pandemic is drying up. Meanwhile, the charities that had supported their work aiding seniors are also going away.Ohlhausen said Jewish Family Services and KC Shepherd’s Center saw a combined drop of $350,000 in philanthropic support last year.And the Mid-America Regional Council, the area agency on aging serving Jackson County, in April temporarily suspended accepting new clients for its home-delivered meals service line. Those funds had gone to organizations like KC Shepherd’s Center for Meals on Wheels. MARC said the suspension is tied to declining federal dollars that had come primarily through the American Rescue Plan Act.“Dollars that we used to expect to come down to us are harder to come across,” Ohlhausen said.This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/10/16/voters-consider-new-jackson-county-tax-question-one/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

As money for senior citizens runs out, Jackson Co. voters consider a new property tax

In a rematch of last year's epic Super Bowl, it was the Kansas City Chiefs who came out on top again over the San Francisco 49ers at Levi Stadium, winning 28-18 and becoming the only team remaining across the NFL with an undefeated record.&nbsp;

Going into Week 7, the Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings were the only teams with an undefeated record.&nbsp; The Vikings fell to the Detroit Lions earlier in the day 31-29.&nbsp;

It was a sloppy day on offense for both quarterbacks in the matchup as both Patrick Mahomes and 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw no touchdowns and combined to throw five interceptions, but both teams found success in the running game.&nbsp;

After Anders Carlson, the third kicker of the year for the 49ers, put San Francisco up late in the first quarter with a 55 yard field goal, the Chiefs answered on the next drive early into the second quarter, Kareem Hunt scoring his second touchdown of the season on a one yard rush.&nbsp; Later in the quarter Hunt found the endzone again, this time on a six yard rush, putting Kansas City ahead 14-3 with 6:45 left in the half.&nbsp;

After both teams traded punts, the 49ers put together a nine play drive with 1:39 remaining, ending the first half with another field goal from 24 yards away, sending San Francisco to the locker room at the halftime break trailing 14-6.&nbsp;

The 49ers drew even closer scoring the lone touchdown of the third quarter after their defense picked off Mahomes, putting together a seven play drive that resulted in Purdy scoring with his legs rushing in from one yard out, however Carlson missed the extra point leaving San Francisco down by two points.&nbsp;

After a three and out by the Chiefs in the quarter, Purdy threw his second interception of the game to rookie&nbsp;Christian Roland-Wallace, who got some snaps in place of the injured Jaylen Watson, for the undrafted rookies first career interception.&nbsp; Kansas City went on to get points off the turnover, a one yard rushing touchdown from Mahomes, on a 13 play drive that included the longest rushing play of Mahomes' career.

Head Coach Andy Reid did show some fear following the game that the injury to Watson, which was ruled an ankle injury, could be long term.&nbsp;

“We’ll see what the MRI says, but I don’t think that’s going to be great news,” Reid said.

Following the rushing touchdown by Mahomes, Purdy threw another interception on the next drive, again to a rookie as safety&nbsp;Jaden Hicks picked him off in the endzone, also for his first career interception, setting up Kansas City to drive 80 yards in 12 plays for a rushing touchdown from wide receiver Mecole Hardman, his first of the season.&nbsp;

Purdy rushed in for the final score of the game in the fourth quarter, again from one yard away, but the Chiefs recovered the onside kick and knelt out the remaining clock for the victory.&nbsp;

Mahomes was 16 of 27 passing for 154 yards with three interceptions, rushing five times for 39 yards and a score.&nbsp; Hunt rushed 22 times for 78 yards and two touchdowns, while tight end Noah Gray was the leading receiver with four catches for 66 yards.&nbsp;

Kansas City will stay on the road next week and will head to Las Vegas for another AFC West matchup this time with the Raiders.&nbsp; Kickoff will be at 3:25pm with a 2pm pregame.&nbsp; The game will air on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) as well as Q Country 92.7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729480860581.jpeg" alt="Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) barrels his way through a defender for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a 28-18 win over the 49ers/ Photo courtesy of BBQ Chiefs on X" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) barrels his way through a defender for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a 28-18 win over the 49ers/ Photo courtesy of BBQ Chiefs on X</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostIn a rematch of last year's epic Super Bowl, it was the Kansas City Chiefs who came out on top again over the San Francisco 49ers at Levi Stadium, winning 28-18 and becoming the only team remaining across the NFL with an undefeated record.&nbsp;Going into Week 7, the Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings were the only teams with an undefeated record.&nbsp; The Vikings fell to the Detroit Lions earlier in the day 31-29.&nbsp;It was a sloppy day on offense for both quarterbacks in the matchup as both Patrick Mahomes and 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw no touchdowns and combined to throw five interceptions, but both teams found success in the running game.&nbsp;After Anders Carlson, the third kicker of the year for the 49ers, put San Francisco up late in the first quarter with a 55 yard field goal, the Chiefs answered on the next drive early into the second quarter, Kareem Hunt scoring his second touchdown of the season on a one yard rush.&nbsp; Later in the quarter Hunt found the endzone again, this time on a six yard rush, putting Kansas City ahead 14-3 with 6:45 left in the half.&nbsp;After both teams traded punts, the 49ers put together a nine play drive with 1:39 remaining, ending the first half with another field goal from 24 yards away, sending San Francisco to the locker room at the halftime break trailing 14-6.&nbsp;The 49ers drew even closer scoring the lone touchdown of the third quarter after their defense picked off Mahomes, putting together a seven play drive that resulted in Purdy scoring with his legs rushing in from one yard out, however Carlson missed the extra point leaving San Francisco down by two points.&nbsp;After a three and out by the Chiefs in the quarter, Purdy threw his second interception of the game to rookie&nbsp;Christian Roland-Wallace, who got some snaps in place of the injured Jaylen Watson, for the undrafted rookies first career interception.&nbsp; Kansas City went on to get points off the turnover, a one yard rushing touchdown from Mahomes, on a 13 play drive that included the longest rushing play of Mahomes' career.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">PUMP FAKE PATRICK 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/A3u7STewfN">pic.twitter.com/A3u7STewfN</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1848132793546805519?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Head Coach Andy Reid did show some fear following the game that the injury to Watson, which was ruled an ankle injury, could be long term.&nbsp;“We’ll see what the MRI says, but I don’t think that’s going to be great news,” Reid said.Following the rushing touchdown by Mahomes, Purdy threw another interception on the next drive, again to a rookie as safety&nbsp;Jaden Hicks picked him off in the endzone, also for his first career interception, setting up Kansas City to drive 80 yards in 12 plays for a rushing touchdown from wide receiver Mecole Hardman, his first of the season.&nbsp;Purdy rushed in for the final score of the game in the fourth quarter, again from one yard away, but the Chiefs recovered the onside kick and knelt out the remaining clock for the victory.&nbsp;Mahomes was 16 of 27 passing for 154 yards with three interceptions, rushing five times for 39 yards and a score.&nbsp; Hunt rushed 22 times for 78 yards and two touchdowns, while tight end Noah Gray was the leading receiver with four catches for 66 yards.&nbsp;Kansas City will stay on the road next week and will head to Las Vegas for another AFC West matchup this time with the Raiders.&nbsp; Kickoff will be at 3:25pm with a 2pm pregame.&nbsp; The game will air on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) as well as Q Country 92.7.

Chiefs lone unbeaten team in NFL after 28-18 win over 49ers in Super Bowl 58 rematch

Democratic and Republican nominees in 3rd District hit voters with new ads

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA —Third District congressional candidates Prasanth Reddy and Sharice Davids escalated their policy dispute on abortion rights by presenting voters with clashing campaign ads.

Davids, a Democrat seeking reelection to a fourth term in Congress, positioned her campaign to appeal to voters who rejected an amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 2022 that would have allowed more restrictive state laws on abortion. She’s worked in Congress to codify into federal law provisions of Roe v. Wade, the landmark precedent struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Davids aired an attack ad that opened with a Kansas physician saying she swore an oath to put her patients first, the same oath Reddy pledged to uphold. But, the doctor said, Reddy betrayed that vow by supporting demise of Roe v. Wade and encouraging state politicians to deny women lifesaving medical care.

It closed with the doctor declaring Reddy’s affiliation with conservative organizations and politicians seeking to ban all abortions was “wrong and dangerous.”

Zac Donley, spokesman for the Davis campaign, said the point was to highlight Reddy claimed to respect Kansas voters who defeated the constitutional amendment on abortion rights while simultaneously taking on the political cause of donors eager for Kansas to curtail access to reproductive health care.

“When Prasanth Reddy calls abortion a ‘states’ rights issue,’ he’s endorsing state politicians interfering in Kansans’ most personal health care decisions,” Donley said. “While Reddy tries to mask his extremism and cozy up to Washington politicians advocating for a national abortion ban, Sharice Davids is working to ensure health care decisions remain between a woman and her doctor — not politicians.”

Reddy, the Republican challenger, is a Johnson County physician backed by Kansans For Life’s PAC, the state’s leading anti-abortion organization. KFL helped write the failed constitutional amendment, which didn’t include exceptions for rape, incest or to save the life of a mother.

He entered the home stretch of the campaign ending Nov. 5 with a commercial, “Real Truth,” that accused Davids of misleading voters.

“You’ve seen the negative ads, but what you haven’t seen is the real truth,” Reddy said in the commercial. “Let me be clear. Sharice Davids is lying about me as a cancer physician. My patients’ wishes come first and I respect the decision Kansas made on abortion over two years ago.”

“I’m running for Congress to secure the border, stop inflation and keep fentanyl out of our communities — not ban abortion. And that’s the real truth,” he said.

During the congressional campaign, Reddy said the issue of abortion was “deeply personal and sensitive,” but no federal tax dollars should be used to finance the procedure. He promised to vote against a national ban on abortion. He welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade, because it granted states an opportunity to craft their own provisions on abortion.

Reddy said abortion legislation should include exceptions for rape, incest, to protect the health of the mother and in instances with “fetal abnormalities inconsistent with life.”

He said he didn’t cast a vote on the state constitutional amendment two years ago, because he wasn’t certain of implications of the measure passing.

The issue of abortion is complicated for Republican candidates in the five-county 3rd District, which is dominated by voter-rich Johnson County. More than two-thirds of the county’s voters opposed the 2022 abortion amendment. Amanda Adkins, a pro-life candidate who ran against Davids in 2022, lost by more than 35,000 votes after Davids linked Adkins to an effort to further limit abortion. Davids deployed the same strategy to undermine Reddy.

In September, the Johnson County Republican Party added complexity to Reddy’s campaign by posted to Facebook a statement that said the idea that abortions were medically necessary was false because “the trauma of abortion delivering a dead baby is not less than delivering a live baby.”

The Kansas Democratic Party also urged Reddy to respond to the Johnson County GOP’s claim: “As for rape and incest, how do two wrongs make a right? A woman or girl is raped, so now a murder must also occur?”

“Sharice Davids will continue fighting for the rights of all Kansans, ensuring that personal health care decisions stay between individuals and their doctors, free from political interference,” said Andriy Bilyk, executive director of the state Democratic Party.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729284170171.png" alt=" Republican 3rd District congressional candidate Prasanth Reddy criticized attacks from the campaign of Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids and alleged his views on state and federal restrictions on abortion were being distorted. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)r" />
 <figcaption> Republican 3rd District congressional candidate Prasanth Reddy criticized attacks from the campaign of Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids and alleged his views on state and federal restrictions on abortion were being distorted. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)r</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Democratic and Republican nominees in 3rd District hit voters with new ads</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —Third District congressional candidates Prasanth Reddy and Sharice Davids escalated their policy dispute on abortion rights by presenting voters with clashing campaign ads.Davids, a Democrat seeking reelection to a fourth term in Congress, positioned her campaign to appeal to voters who rejected an amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 2022 that would have allowed more restrictive state laws on abortion. She’s worked in Congress to codify into federal law provisions of Roe v. Wade, the landmark precedent struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.Davids aired an attack ad that opened with a Kansas physician saying she swore an oath to put her patients first, the same oath Reddy pledged to uphold. But, the doctor said, Reddy betrayed that vow by supporting demise of Roe v. Wade and encouraging state politicians to deny women lifesaving medical care.It closed with the doctor declaring Reddy’s affiliation with conservative organizations and politicians seeking to ban all abortions was “wrong and dangerous.”Zac Donley, spokesman for the Davis campaign, said the point was to highlight Reddy claimed to respect Kansas voters who defeated the constitutional amendment on abortion rights while simultaneously taking on the political cause of donors eager for Kansas to curtail access to reproductive health care.“When Prasanth Reddy calls abortion a ‘states’ rights issue,’ he’s endorsing state politicians interfering in Kansans’ most personal health care decisions,” Donley said. “While Reddy tries to mask his extremism and cozy up to Washington politicians advocating for a national abortion ban, Sharice Davids is working to ensure health care decisions remain between a woman and her doctor — not politicians.”Reddy, the Republican challenger, is a Johnson County physician backed by Kansans For Life’s PAC, the state’s leading anti-abortion organization. KFL helped write the failed constitutional amendment, which didn’t include exceptions for rape, incest or to save the life of a mother.He entered the home stretch of the campaign ending Nov. 5 with a commercial, “Real Truth,” that accused Davids of misleading voters.“You’ve seen the negative ads, but what you haven’t seen is the real truth,” Reddy said in the commercial. “Let me be clear. Sharice Davids is lying about me as a cancer physician. My patients’ wishes come first and I respect the decision Kansas made on abortion over two years ago.”“I’m running for Congress to secure the border, stop inflation and keep fentanyl out of our communities — not ban abortion. And that’s the real truth,” he said.During the congressional campaign, Reddy said the issue of abortion was “deeply personal and sensitive,” but no federal tax dollars should be used to finance the procedure. He promised to vote against a national ban on abortion. He welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade, because it granted states an opportunity to craft their own provisions on abortion.Reddy said abortion legislation should include exceptions for rape, incest, to protect the health of the mother and in instances with “fetal abnormalities inconsistent with life.”He said he didn’t cast a vote on the state constitutional amendment two years ago, because he wasn’t certain of implications of the measure passing.The issue of abortion is complicated for Republican candidates in the five-county 3rd District, which is dominated by voter-rich Johnson County. More than two-thirds of the county’s voters opposed the 2022 abortion amendment. Amanda Adkins, a pro-life candidate who ran against Davids in 2022, lost by more than 35,000 votes after Davids linked Adkins to an effort to further limit abortion. Davids deployed the same strategy to undermine Reddy.In September, the Johnson County Republican Party added complexity to Reddy’s campaign by posted to Facebook a statement that said the idea that abortions were medically necessary was false because “the trauma of abortion delivering a dead baby is not less than delivering a live baby.”The Kansas Democratic Party also urged Reddy to respond to the Johnson County GOP’s claim: “As for rape and incest, how do two wrongs make a right? A woman or girl is raped, so now a murder must also occur?”“Sharice Davids will continue fighting for the rights of all Kansans, ensuring that personal health care decisions stay between individuals and their doctors, free from political interference,” said Andriy Bilyk, executive director of the state Democratic Party.

Kansas congressional rivals Sharice Davids, Prasanth Reddy elevate feud on abortion rights

In the past week, U.S. forces successfully destroyed 20 one-way attack drones and Land Attack Cruise Missiles in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, according to a media release from the U.S. Central Command.

 These Iranian-supplied weapons, launched episodically by the Houthis and Iranian-Aligned Militia Groups (IAMGs) over several days during the week, posed a significant risk to United States, allies, and partner forces, as well as civilians in the region and beyond. The drones and missiles were downed by a combination of U.S. Air Force and U.S Navy assets deployed to the region.

No U.S. service members were injured in these actions. U.S. and coalition forces remain at a high level of readiness, postured to defend U.S. interests and those of our allies and partners in the region.

Here’s a general timeline of CENTCOM operational activities during the past week:

As previously released, CENTCOM forces conducted a series of airstrikes Oct. 11 against multiple known ISIS camps in Syria, resulting in at least 35 ISIS operatives killed, to include several ISIS leaders. The strikes will disrupt the ability of ISIS to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against the United States, its allies and partners, and civilians. Battle damage assessments are still underway and do not indicate civilian casualties. U.S. and partner forces continue to execute these critical operations that contribute to the enduring defeat of terrorist organizations in the CENTCOM AOR and the support of regional stability.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723583511919.png" alt="File photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>In the past week, U.S. forces successfully destroyed 20 one-way attack drones and Land Attack Cruise Missiles in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, according to a media release from the U.S. Central Command. These Iranian-supplied weapons, launched episodically by the Houthis and Iranian-Aligned Militia Groups (IAMGs) over several days during the week, posed a significant risk to United States, allies, and partner forces, as well as civilians in the region and beyond. The drones and missiles were downed by a combination of U.S. Air Force and U.S Navy assets deployed to the region.No U.S. service members were injured in these actions. U.S. and coalition forces remain at a high level of readiness, postured to defend U.S. interests and those of our allies and partners in the region.Here’s a general timeline of CENTCOM operational activities during the past week:As previously released, CENTCOM forces conducted a series of airstrikes Oct. 11 against multiple known ISIS camps in Syria, resulting in at least 35 ISIS operatives killed, to include several ISIS leaders. The strikes will disrupt the ability of ISIS to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against the United States, its allies and partners, and civilians. Battle damage assessments are still underway and do not indicate civilian casualties. U.S. and partner forces continue to execute these critical operations that contribute to the enduring defeat of terrorist organizations in the CENTCOM AOR and the support of regional stability.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728866585354.png" alt="File p hoto-A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) mobile launcher sits on display in the new Lt. Gen. C.J. LeVan THAAD Instructional Facility at Fort Sill, Oklahoma (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)" />
 <figcaption>File p hoto-A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) mobile launcher sits on display in the new Lt. Gen. C.J. LeVan THAAD Instructional Facility at Fort Sill, Oklahoma (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)</figcaption>
 </figure><ul>
 <li>On Oct. 13, at the direction of the President, the Secretary of Defense authorized the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and associated crew of U.S. military personnel to Israel to help bolster Israel’s air defenses following Iran’s unprecedented attacks against Israel on April 13 and again on Oct. 1. The THAAD battery is now integrated into the regional air defense architecture.</li><li>Separately, during the past week, CENTCOM forces conducted a successful strike against a Houthi Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) launcher and its associated radar that presented a threat to U.S. and coalition aircraft. Additionally, CENTCOM forces conducted strikes against multiple UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) used to direct Houthi OWAUAS targeting of U.S. and coalition forces against international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. For operations security reasons, we won’t discuss specific dates or locations of these self-defense strikes.</li><li>U.S. and coalition forces assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) twice came under rocket attacks from IAMGs. In both instances, the rockets were successfully intercepted. No U.S. service members were injured in either incident.</li><li>Finally, on the evening of Oct. 16 EDT, CENTCOM forces conducted multiple airstrikes on numerous Iran-backed Houthi weapons storage facilities within Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen that contained various advanced conventional weapons used to target military and civilian vessels navigating international waters throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. CENTCOM forces targeted the Houthi’s hardened underground facilities housing missiles, weapons components, and other munitions used to target military and civilian vessels throughout the region. U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy assets, including U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers, were part of the operation.</li>
 </ul>

Busy week for U.S. forces across the Middle East

(Radio Iowa) - A report from the Iowa Tourism Office finds visitors spent seven-point-three billion dollars in Iowa during 2023, an all-time record. 

The report says tourists shelled out an average of 20-million dollars -- per day -- experiencing all that Iowa has to offer. Chelsea Lerud (la-RUDE), executive director of Iowa Travel Industry Partners, says the figures represent an increase from the year before of better than five-percent. Lerud says tourism is all about importing dollars from outside the state so local residents don't have to pay for all of the services we enjoy and need. The study found travel-generated state and local tax receipts exceeded one-billion dollars last year, enough to pay the salaries of more than 19-thousand public school teachers. 

The report says tourism plays a crucial role in Iowa’s job market, supporting nearly 71-thousand jobs, which accounts for more than five-percent of all employment in the state.

(Radio Iowa) - A report from the Iowa Tourism Office finds visitors spent seven-point-three billion dollars in Iowa during 2023, an all-time record. The report says tourists shelled out an average of 20-million dollars -- per day -- experiencing all that Iowa has to offer. Chelsea Lerud (la-RUDE), executive director of Iowa Travel Industry Partners, says the figures represent an increase from the year before of better than five-percent. Lerud says tourism is all about importing dollars from outside the state so local residents don't have to pay for all of the services we enjoy and need. The study found travel-generated state and local tax receipts exceeded one-billion dollars last year, enough to pay the salaries of more than 19-thousand public school teachers. The report says tourism plays a crucial role in Iowa’s job market, supporting nearly 71-thousand jobs, which accounts for more than five-percent of all employment in the state.

Iowa tourism sets record

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The campaign opposing a sports betting constitutional amendment on Missouri’s November ballot canceled more than $1 million in television ads Thursday just as the group pushing the proposal launched new ads featuring former&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKgkOu4I0rA" target="_blank">St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Ozzie Smith</a>.

The Independent’s tracking of broadcaster reports to the Federal Communications Commission show that Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/16/statewide-candidates-in-missouri-run-cheap-campaigns-while-ballot-measures-spend-heavily/">aired or reserved almost $4 million</a>&nbsp;worth of television ads opposing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-160.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 2</a>.&nbsp;

Thursday’s cancellation took down $1.2 million of those ads, some of which had been purchased weeks ago.

The ads are being pulled so the campaign can shift to more direct contacts, saidBrooke Foster, a spokeswoman for Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment.

“While the out-of-state online gambling corporations continue to throw millions of dollars at misleading TV ads, we have decided to focus our efforts on grassroots outreach and community conversations during the two and a weeks that remain before Election Day,” she said in an email.

Since it was created Sept. 10, the committee has received $14.2 million from Caesars Entertainment-owned casinos in Missouri. In the $2.7 million of television ads that did run, the campaign has played on skepticism about how taxes from gambling are used, casting doubt on whether a promise of more than $100 million for education programs over the first five years will be fulfilled.

Caesars is the only one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mgc.dps.mo.gov/MGCwebCrystalReports/dxClassALicensee.aspx" target="_blank">six casino operators</a>&nbsp;licensed in Missouri that is actively opposing the ballot measure. One aspect the company dislikes is that online gambling platforms could be licensed without having to create a business relationship with a Missouri casino.

Winning for Missouri Education, the committee backing Amendment 2, is the best-funded ballot measure campaign in state history. The two biggest online bookmakers, FanDuel and DraftKings, have each contributed $15.8 million, and the television and radio ad campaign has cost almost $10 million so far. The ads in favor of sports wagering emphasize that the Missouri Constitution directs all revenue from gambling taxes to education programs.

Jack Cardetti, a spokesman for Winning for Missouri Education, declined to say why he believed the ads were pulled.

“That’s something you’d have to ask them about,” Cardetti said. “We’re focused on the campaign and making sure our message is getting out. We feel really good about where we are right now.”

In an August St. Louis University/YouGov poll, 50% of voters surveyed said they supported sports wagering after reading the Amendment 2 ballot language while 30% were opposed. The television ads opposing Amendment 2, which began running in the first week of September, had narrowed that lead,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/14/record-spending-fuels-missouri-campaigns-to-legalize-sports-gambling-new-casino/">Foster said last week</a>.

“It’s definitely tightened,” she said. “It’s margin of error type close, so we’re really pleased to see that.”

Winning for Missouri Education this week has increased the size of some of its television purchases and has begun emphasizing support for the measure from professional sports teams — which will be able to set up retail sports wagering locations and provide a branded online platform.

“The Amendment 2 campaign will continue to aggressively get our message out,” Cardetti said, “and ensure that Missourians know the benefits of legalizing sports betting, right up until the last hour.”

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a> The campaign opposing a sports betting constitutional amendment on Missouri’s November ballot canceled more than $1 million in television ads Thursday just as the group pushing the proposal launched new ads featuring former&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKgkOu4I0rA" target="_blank">St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Ozzie Smith</a>.The Independent’s tracking of broadcaster reports to the Federal Communications Commission show that Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/16/statewide-candidates-in-missouri-run-cheap-campaigns-while-ballot-measures-spend-heavily/">aired or reserved almost $4 million</a>&nbsp;worth of television ads opposing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-160.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 2</a>.&nbsp;Thursday’s cancellation took down $1.2 million of those ads, some of which had been purchased weeks ago.The ads are being pulled so the campaign can shift to more direct contacts, saidBrooke Foster, a spokeswoman for Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment.“While the out-of-state online gambling corporations continue to throw millions of dollars at misleading TV ads, we have decided to focus our efforts on grassroots outreach and community conversations during the two and a weeks that remain before Election Day,” she said in an email.Since it was created Sept. 10, the committee has received $14.2 million from Caesars Entertainment-owned casinos in Missouri. In the $2.7 million of television ads that did run, the campaign has played on skepticism about how taxes from gambling are used, casting doubt on whether a promise of more than $100 million for education programs over the first five years will be fulfilled.Caesars is the only one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mgc.dps.mo.gov/MGCwebCrystalReports/dxClassALicensee.aspx" target="_blank">six casino operators</a>&nbsp;licensed in Missouri that is actively opposing the ballot measure. One aspect the company dislikes is that online gambling platforms could be licensed without having to create a business relationship with a Missouri casino.Winning for Missouri Education, the committee backing Amendment 2, is the best-funded ballot measure campaign in state history. The two biggest online bookmakers, FanDuel and DraftKings, have each contributed $15.8 million, and the television and radio ad campaign has cost almost $10 million so far. The ads in favor of sports wagering emphasize that the Missouri Constitution directs all revenue from gambling taxes to education programs.Jack Cardetti, a spokesman for Winning for Missouri Education, declined to say why he believed the ads were pulled.“That’s something you’d have to ask them about,” Cardetti said. “We’re focused on the campaign and making sure our message is getting out. We feel really good about where we are right now.”In an August St. Louis University/YouGov poll, 50% of voters surveyed said they supported sports wagering after reading the Amendment 2 ballot language while 30% were opposed. The television ads opposing Amendment 2, which began running in the first week of September, had narrowed that lead,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/14/record-spending-fuels-missouri-campaigns-to-legalize-sports-gambling-new-casino/">Foster said last week</a>.“It’s definitely tightened,” she said. “It’s margin of error type close, so we’re really pleased to see that.”Winning for Missouri Education this week has increased the size of some of its television purchases and has begun emphasizing support for the measure from professional sports teams — which will be able to set up retail sports wagering locations and provide a branded online platform.“The Amendment 2 campaign will continue to aggressively get our message out,” Cardetti said, “and ensure that Missourians know the benefits of legalizing sports betting, right up until the last hour.”

Opponents of Missouri sports betting amendment pull TV ads in campaign’s homestretch

(Radio Iowa) - State tax revenue is projected to drop by more than 11-and-a-half percent over a 24-month period -- a decline the governor's budget chief says was expected due to recently-approved tax cuts. 

Kraig Paulsen, director of the Iowa Department of Management, says there is enough available revenue to fulfill the spending promises outlined in the current fiscal year's budget. Governor Reynolds says she and her fellow Republicans in the legislature believe the government has been taking in too much taxpayer money and they've fixed that by cutting taxes. 

Democrats in the legislature say these new estimates show the state will be taking in a billion dollars less in taxes. Democrats say that means more tax cuts for corporations and wealthy Iowans, while more money will be siphoned away from public schools to support the state program for private schools.

(Radio Iowa) - State tax revenue is projected to drop by more than 11-and-a-half percent over a 24-month period -- a decline the governor's budget chief says was expected due to recently-approved tax cuts. Kraig Paulsen, director of the Iowa Department of Management, says there is enough available revenue to fulfill the spending promises outlined in the current fiscal year's budget. Governor Reynolds says she and her fellow Republicans in the legislature believe the government has been taking in too much taxpayer money and they've fixed that by cutting taxes. Democrats in the legislature say these new estimates show the state will be taking in a billion dollars less in taxes. Democrats say that means more tax cuts for corporations and wealthy Iowans, while more money will be siphoned away from public schools to support the state program for private schools.

State tax revenue expected to drop 11.6% over two-year period

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The train named Big Boy was late. Anticipation and impatience built as 30 minutes passed.

Some had been on the edge of the tracks of Great Overland Station in North Topeka for hours waiting to see a piece of American history pass through town.

Just before 1 p.m., the teeth-chattering whistle of Big Boy No. 4014 announced its arrival.

The 83-year-old steam locomotive stopped briefly Thursday afternoon spewing steam in Topeka on its way from Kansas City, Missouri, to Salina while on the last leg of its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/" target="_blank">Heartland of America Tour</a>. It was met with at least 1,000 people from across Kansas, eager to catch a glimpse of the living legend.

Crowds have gathered at almost every stop on the eight-week, nine-state tour, ranging from hundreds to thousands to see the more than 1.2 million lb. locomotive, said Mike Jaixen, spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad.

“There’s a legend of the Big Boy,” he said.

The way Jaixen explains the draw of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/4014/" target="_blank">Big Boy</a>&nbsp;begins in 1941 when the first Big Boy rolled out of the factory in Schenectady, New York. It wasn’t named Big Boy then. It was going to be named after the Wasatch Mountains, through which it would travel for 20 years and more than 1 million miles between Utah and Wyoming hauling freight before retiring in 1961.

But one crew member, who was amazed at the sheer size of it, took a piece of chalk and scrawled the name “Big Boy” on the locomotive, Jaixen said. Crew members today still draw the name in chalk on the locomotive’s front.

The Big Boy No. 4014 was one of 25 manufactured exclusively for Union Pacific, and it’s now the only one in operation after it was brought out of retirement and restored between 2013 and 2019, which allowed it to reclaim its title as the largest steam locomotive in the world. It’s almost as long as two typical diesel locomotives and produces more than 6,000 horsepower.

Jeff and Lena Appenfeller of Topeka waited from behind a fence on the northeast side of the tracks. Others were sitting on the hoods and in the trunks of their cars or in pools of crowds near the station. Lena Appenfeller, a 7-year-old, had the day off from school, and it was Jeff Appenfeller’s second time seeing Big Boy No. 4014 in Topeka. The locomotive’s whistle will “rattle your teeth,” he said.

As Big Boy churned around the bend and slowly rolled into the station, railroad police and crew tried to keep excited spectators from lingering on the tracks. It stopped for about 40 minutes, and people swarmed the front of the train for photos or to get a closer look while crews performed minor maintenance work.

One couple came to watch from El Dorado, more than 100 miles away, and had plans to chase the train to Wamego, to witness it among the sparsely populated fields, they said.

Doug Edwards drove the 30 miles from Holton to see Big Boy.

Trains were a big part of his life as a kid. Now a retired electronics businessman, they remind him of the northeastern Kansas farm he grew up on, and recalling those memories made him emotional as he looked out at the tracks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729265876120.png" alt="Hundreds of Kansans greet the world’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, on Oct. 17, 2024, in North Topeka. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Hundreds of Kansans greet the world’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, on Oct. 17, 2024, in North Topeka. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The train named Big Boy was late. Anticipation and impatience built as 30 minutes passed.Some had been on the edge of the tracks of Great Overland Station in North Topeka for hours waiting to see a piece of American history pass through town.Just before 1 p.m., the teeth-chattering whistle of Big Boy No. 4014 announced its arrival.The 83-year-old steam locomotive stopped briefly Thursday afternoon spewing steam in Topeka on its way from Kansas City, Missouri, to Salina while on the last leg of its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/" target="_blank">Heartland of America Tour</a>. It was met with at least 1,000 people from across Kansas, eager to catch a glimpse of the living legend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729265844799.png" alt=" The world’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, rolls into Topeka on Oct. 17, 2024. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> The world’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, rolls into Topeka on Oct. 17, 2024. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Crowds have gathered at almost every stop on the eight-week, nine-state tour, ranging from hundreds to thousands to see the more than 1.2 million lb. locomotive, said Mike Jaixen, spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad.“There’s a legend of the Big Boy,” he said.The way Jaixen explains the draw of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/4014/" target="_blank">Big Boy</a>&nbsp;begins in 1941 when the first Big Boy rolled out of the factory in Schenectady, New York. It wasn’t named Big Boy then. It was going to be named after the Wasatch Mountains, through which it would travel for 20 years and more than 1 million miles between Utah and Wyoming hauling freight before retiring in 1961.But one crew member, who was amazed at the sheer size of it, took a piece of chalk and scrawled the name “Big Boy” on the locomotive, Jaixen said. Crew members today still draw the name in chalk on the locomotive’s front.The Big Boy No. 4014 was one of 25 manufactured exclusively for Union Pacific, and it’s now the only one in operation after it was brought out of retirement and restored between 2013 and 2019, which allowed it to reclaim its title as the largest steam locomotive in the world. It’s almost as long as two typical diesel locomotives and produces more than 6,000 horsepower.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729265799147.png" alt="Jeff and Lena Appenfeller of Topeka react to the world’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, rolling into town on Oct. 17, 2024. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Jeff and Lena Appenfeller of Topeka react to the world’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, rolling into town on Oct. 17, 2024. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Jeff and Lena Appenfeller of Topeka waited from behind a fence on the northeast side of the tracks. Others were sitting on the hoods and in the trunks of their cars or in pools of crowds near the station. Lena Appenfeller, a 7-year-old, had the day off from school, and it was Jeff Appenfeller’s second time seeing Big Boy No. 4014 in Topeka. The locomotive’s whistle will “rattle your teeth,” he said.As Big Boy churned around the bend and slowly rolled into the station, railroad police and crew tried to keep excited spectators from lingering on the tracks. It stopped for about 40 minutes, and people swarmed the front of the train for photos or to get a closer look while crews performed minor maintenance work.One couple came to watch from El Dorado, more than 100 miles away, and had plans to chase the train to Wamego, to witness it among the sparsely populated fields, they said.Doug Edwards drove the 30 miles from Holton to see Big Boy.Trains were a big part of his life as a kid. Now a retired electronics businessman, they remind him of the northeastern Kansas farm he grew up on, and recalling those memories made him emotional as he looked out at the tracks.“It’s a childhood thing,” he said.

World’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy, rattles into Topeka

KANSAS CITY —A slowly-developing La Nina is favored to influence conditions for the upcoming winter across most of the country, according to NOAA’s U.S. Winter Outlook released today by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/">Climate Prediction Center</a>&nbsp;— a division of NOAA’s National Weather Service. This outlook is for December 2024 through February 2025 and contains information on likely conditions throughout the country for temperature, precipitation and drought.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This winter, NOAA predicts wetter-than-average conditions for the entire northern tier of the continental U.S., particularly in the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes region, along with northern and western Alaska. Meanwhile, drier-than-average conditions are expected from the Four Corners region of the Southwest to the Southeast, Gulf Coast and lower mid-Atlantic states.&nbsp;

&nbsp;“In September, we announced a $100 million investment into NOAA’s high-performance computer system to advance research on weather, climate and ocean predictions because understanding our climate system is essential for making longer-term predictions like the Winter Seasonal Outlook, which provides vital information for many of our partners and the public,” said Michael Morgan, Ph.D., NOAA’s assistant secretary of commerce for observation and prediction. “We continue to innovate in this space, developing new ways to share winter forecast information with the public.”

“This winter, an emerging La Nina is anticipated to influence the upcoming winter patterns, especially our precipitation predictions,” said Jon Gottschalck, chief of the Operational Prediction Branch of the Climate Prediction Center.&nbsp;

La Nina conditions are expected to develop later this fall and typically lead to a more northerly storm track during the winter months, leaving the southern tier of the country warmer and drier. As a result, NOAA forecasters, in collaboration with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drought.gov/about">National Integrated Drought Information System</a>&nbsp;(NIDIS), expect drought conditions to persist and worsen across the central and southern Plains of the U.S.

“Unfortunately, after a brief period in the spring of 2024 with minimal drought conditions across the country, more than a quarter of the land mass in the continental U.S. is currently in at least a moderate drought,” said Brad Pugh, operational drought lead with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “And the winter precipitation outlook does not bode well for widespread relief.”

Winter forecasting tools: Here’s what’s new at NOAA&nbsp;

NOAA’s seasonal outlooks provide the likelihood that temperatures and total precipitation amounts will be above-, near- or below-average, and how drought conditions are anticipated to change in the months ahead. The outlook does not project seasonal snowfall accumulations as snow forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week in advance.&nbsp;

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center updates the three-month outlook monthly. The next update will be available November 21.&nbsp;

Seasonal outlooks help communities prepare for what is likely to come in the months ahead and minimize weather's impacts on lives and livelihoods. Resources such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drought.gov/">drought.gov</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.climate.gov/">climate.gov</a>&nbsp;provide comprehensive tools to better understand and plan for climate-driven hazards. Empowering people with actionable forecasts, seasonal predictions and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/winter">winter weather safety tips</a>&nbsp;is key to NOAA’s effort to build a more&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/wrn/">Weather</a>- and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.noaa.gov/stories/story-map-building-climate-ready-nation">Climate</a>-Ready Nation.

KANSAS CITY —A slowly-developing La Nina is favored to influence conditions for the upcoming winter across most of the country, according to NOAA’s U.S. Winter Outlook released today by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/">Climate Prediction Center</a>&nbsp;— a division of NOAA’s National Weather Service. This outlook is for December 2024 through February 2025 and contains information on likely conditions throughout the country for temperature, precipitation and drought.&nbsp;&nbsp;This winter, NOAA predicts wetter-than-average conditions for the entire northern tier of the continental U.S., particularly in the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes region, along with northern and western Alaska. Meanwhile, drier-than-average conditions are expected from the Four Corners region of the Southwest to the Southeast, Gulf Coast and lower mid-Atlantic states.&nbsp;&nbsp;“In September, we announced a $100 million investment into NOAA’s high-performance computer system to advance research on weather, climate and ocean predictions because understanding our climate system is essential for making longer-term predictions like the Winter Seasonal Outlook, which provides vital information for many of our partners and the public,” said Michael Morgan, Ph.D., NOAA’s assistant secretary of commerce for observation and prediction. “We continue to innovate in this space, developing new ways to share winter forecast information with the public.”“This winter, an emerging La Nina is anticipated to influence the upcoming winter patterns, especially our precipitation predictions,” said Jon Gottschalck, chief of the Operational Prediction Branch of the Climate Prediction Center.&nbsp;La Nina conditions are expected to develop later this fall and typically lead to a more northerly storm track during the winter months, leaving the southern tier of the country warmer and drier. As a result, NOAA forecasters, in collaboration with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drought.gov/about">National Integrated Drought Information System</a>&nbsp;(NIDIS), expect drought conditions to persist and worsen across the central and southern Plains of the U.S.“Unfortunately, after a brief period in the spring of 2024 with minimal drought conditions across the country, more than a quarter of the land mass in the continental U.S. is currently in at least a moderate drought,” said Brad Pugh, operational drought lead with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “And the winter precipitation outlook does not bode well for widespread relief.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729207977321.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Temperature</h2><ul>
 <li>Warmer-than-average temperatures are favored from the southern tier of the U.S. to the eastern Great Lakes, eastern seaboard, New England and northern Alaska. These probabilities are strongest along the Gulf Coast and for most of Texas.</li><li>Below-average temperatures are most likely in southern Alaska, with below-average temperatures slightly favored from the Pacific Northwest to the northern High Plains.</li><li>The remaining areas have equal chances of below-, near-, or above-average seasonal mean temperatures.</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729208031294.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Precipitation</h2><ul>
 <li>Wetter-than-average conditions are most likely in the Great Lakes states, and above-average precipitation is also favored in northern and western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and across the northern tier of the U.S. These probabilities&nbsp; are strongest in portions of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.</li><li>The greatest likelihood for drier-than-average conditions are in states bordering the Gulf of Mexico, as well as in Texas and southern New Mexico.</li><li>Much of California, the central Plains states and the I-95 corridor from Boston to Washington, D.C., have equal chances of below-average, near-average or above-average seasonal total precipitation.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729208085467.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Drought</h2><ul>
 <li>Widespread moderate to extreme drought continues across much of the Great Plains and in portions of the Rocky Mountains, especially farther south.</li><li>Drought conditions are expected to improve or end in the Ohio River Valley, the Great Lakes region and portions of the northwestern U.S., including eastern Washington and Oregon and northern and central Idaho.</li><li>Drought conditions are expected to persist across the Great Plains.</li><li>Drought is likely to develop or worsen across portions of the Southwest and Gulf Coast.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><h2>Winter forecasting tools: Here’s what’s new at NOAA&nbsp;</h2><ul>
 <li>Over the past year, NOAA implemented several upgrades and improvements to its forecasting tools. In late 2023, the experimental&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/wwd/wssi/prob_wssi.php">Probabilistic Winter Storm Severity Index</a>&nbsp;(WSSI-P) became operational. The product enhances communication with external partners, media and the public by visually representing the likelihood of potential societal impacts due to expected winter hazards over a 7-day period. This is complemented by an existing operational version of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/wwd/wssi/wssi.php">Winter Storm Severity Index</a>&nbsp;(WSSI), which is based on the official National Weather Service forecast of the most likely conditions over the next three days.</li><li>NOAA is simplifying its suite of cold weather products to improve messaging of these hazards and provide better decision support services. As of October 2024, the Wind Chill Watch, Warning, and Advisory products were consolidated into the Extreme Cold Watch and Warning and Cold Weather Advisory products, respectively. The Hard Freeze Watch and Warning products were consolidated into the existing Freeze Watch and Warning products, respectively. More information can be found within this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/news/243009-cold-hazard-simplification">hazard simplication project webstory</a>.</li><li>NOAA will make the Experimental Probabilistic Precipitation Portal publicly available beginning in early November. This webpage will enable users to view the Low-End, Expected and High-End amounts of snow and rain, as well as probabilities of exceeding threshold amounts of precipitation. Data will be available through an interactive map, tables and graphics to assist local partners, including emergency management, with decision support.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><h2>About NOAA's seasonal outlooks</h2>NOAA’s seasonal outlooks provide the likelihood that temperatures and total precipitation amounts will be above-, near- or below-average, and how drought conditions are anticipated to change in the months ahead. The outlook does not project seasonal snowfall accumulations as snow forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week in advance.&nbsp;NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center updates the three-month outlook monthly. The next update will be available November 21.&nbsp;Seasonal outlooks help communities prepare for what is likely to come in the months ahead and minimize weather's impacts on lives and livelihoods. Resources such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drought.gov/">drought.gov</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.climate.gov/">climate.gov</a>&nbsp;provide comprehensive tools to better understand and plan for climate-driven hazards. Empowering people with actionable forecasts, seasonal predictions and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/winter">winter weather safety tips</a>&nbsp;is key to NOAA’s effort to build a more&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/wrn/">Weather</a>- and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.noaa.gov/stories/story-map-building-climate-ready-nation">Climate</a>-Ready Nation.

NOAA  winter weather outlook doesn't say much about Missouri

(Radio Iowa) - The governor's budget director says he's been told by a top court official that the computer programming error that has improperly distributed over 53 million dollars in court fees and fines has NOT been fixed.

 Kraig Paulsen, director of the Iowa Department of Management, says he'll meet before the end of the week with the Iowa Supreme Court's chief justice to discuss the problem. The Judicial Branch has not issued a statement on the situation. Spending levels for several programs that were changed five years ago were not programmed correctly into the court's computer system. 

Paulsen says he believes the age of the computer system for Iowa courts is a factor in this, but he'll find out more when he meets with the chief justice.

(Radio Iowa) - The governor's budget director says he's been told by a top court official that the computer programming error that has improperly distributed over 53 million dollars in court fees and fines has NOT been fixed. Kraig Paulsen, director of the Iowa Department of Management, says he'll meet before the end of the week with the Iowa Supreme Court's chief justice to discuss the problem. The Judicial Branch has not issued a statement on the situation. Spending levels for several programs that were changed five years ago were not programmed correctly into the court's computer system. Paulsen says he believes the age of the computer system for Iowa courts is a factor in this, but he'll find out more when he meets with the chief justice.

Court system's pricey computer problem is not fixed

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military continues working to determine the source of mysterious drones that have been allowed to fly over U.S. bases.

Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran responded to a Wall Street Journal account of the mystery. "As drone technology continues to evolve, the tactics used against the United States grow more alarming each day, " Moran wrote on social media. 

"The recent reports of unidentified aircrafts hovering for 17 days over a U.S. military base without intervention is not just concerning, but an affront to our national security."

"This violation of our airspace highlights the threat of below-the-threshold activity that hostile actors can pose to our nation."

"Military leaders currently lack the authority to engage until there is an imminent threat posed to our men and women in uniform. I am working on legislation to provide the Department of Defense with the necessary authorities to engage drones or unidentified aircrafts that breech our military airspace before it is too late to respond."

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military continues working to determine the source of mysterious drones that have been allowed to fly over U.S. bases.Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran responded to a Wall Street Journal account of the mystery. "As drone technology continues to evolve, the tactics used against the United States grow more alarming each day, " Moran wrote on social media. "The recent reports of unidentified aircrafts hovering for 17 days over a U.S. military base without intervention is not just concerning, but an affront to our national security.""This violation of our airspace highlights the threat of below-the-threshold activity that hostile actors can pose to our nation.""Military leaders currently lack the authority to engage until there is an imminent threat posed to our men and women in uniform. I am working on legislation to provide the Department of Defense with the necessary authorities to engage drones or unidentified aircrafts that breech our military airspace before it is too late to respond."

Kan. U.S. Senator wants action on mysterious drone swarm at military base 

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack emphasized USDA’s commitment to connecting local farmers and producers with schools nationwide that serve meals to about 30 million children every school day. Vilsack, joining others across the country in celebrating National School Lunch Week and National Farm to School Month, pointed to the Department’s recent investment of $500 million for schools to purchase unprocessed foods as the latest in a series of actions to support school meals through nutritious, domestic foods.

 “A healthier future for our country starts with our children, and American farmers and producers play a critical role in ensuring kids have healthy, tasty food with homegrown flavor to nourish them through the school day,” Vilsack says. “We know the school meals supply chain is the strongest when schools have relationships with local suppliers, which is why USDA will continue to support local foods in schools for a brighter future for our children.”

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack emphasized USDA’s commitment to connecting local farmers and producers with schools nationwide that serve meals to about 30 million children every school day. Vilsack, joining others across the country in celebrating National School Lunch Week and National Farm to School Month, pointed to the Department’s recent investment of $500 million for schools to purchase unprocessed foods as the latest in a series of actions to support school meals through nutritious, domestic foods. “A healthier future for our country starts with our children, and American farmers and producers play a critical role in ensuring kids have healthy, tasty food with homegrown flavor to nourish them through the school day,” Vilsack says. “We know the school meals supply chain is the strongest when schools have relationships with local suppliers, which is why USDA will continue to support local foods in schools for a brighter future for our children.”-NAFB

Investments will strengthen school meals

Senator Tammy Baldwin called on the USDA to provide immediate assistance for Wisconsin farmers who were impacted by the sudden closure of Pure Prairie Poultry. The shutdown left the state’s poultry producers staring at crippling financial losses without feed and a processor for the birds. “Hard-working Wisconsin farmers have been left high and dry by the abrupt closure of Pure Prairie Poultry,” says Senator Baldwin.

 “Our agriculture industry is the beating heart of many of our communities, and, in the face of this dire situation, I’m calling on USDA to do everything they can for these Wisconsin farmers who face financial ruin through no fault of their own.” She also raised concerns for the animal’s well-being and the potential for this closure to exasperate the avian flu outbreak as farmers are resorting to giving away chickens by the tens of thousands. Pure Prairie Poultry filed for bankruptcy in September.

Senator Tammy Baldwin called on the USDA to provide immediate assistance for Wisconsin farmers who were impacted by the sudden closure of Pure Prairie Poultry. The shutdown left the state’s poultry producers staring at crippling financial losses without feed and a processor for the birds. “Hard-working Wisconsin farmers have been left high and dry by the abrupt closure of Pure Prairie Poultry,” says Senator Baldwin. “Our agriculture industry is the beating heart of many of our communities, and, in the face of this dire situation, I’m calling on USDA to do everything they can for these Wisconsin farmers who face financial ruin through no fault of their own.” She also raised concerns for the animal’s well-being and the potential for this closure to exasperate the avian flu outbreak as farmers are resorting to giving away chickens by the tens of thousands. Pure Prairie Poultry filed for bankruptcy in September.

Baldwin wants help for poultry growers

Two iconic St. Joseph buildings celebrate 100 years in a few
years, but the celebration ramps up beginning this weekend.

Both the Missouri Theater and City Hall turn 100 in 2027.

Chair of the centennial planning committee, Lori McAlister,
says those two buildings represent more than just two structures.

“It was really a golden era for the city,” McAlister tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post in an interview, “as far as optimism for the future,
building, planning, and then of course, the Depression came along and derailed
much of that.”

A pre-centennial celebration gets underway this weekend,
beginning Friday afternoon with the unveiling of the centennial graphics and the
telling of a few historical anecdotes at 4:30 at the 1st Christian
Church.

McAlister says the Missouri Theater and City Hall mean much
more to residents than older, historic buildings.

“Not only are these two buildings significant, but they are
landmarks in our lives,” according to McAlister. “They really represent the
city’s civics and the city’s entertainment over all these many decades.”

They also can be counted as survivors. The two still stand,
escaping the ravages of urban renewal which swept the country and took out so
many historic structures.

“So, the fact that we still have them and the fact that they
are so well cared for and still serving us as they were intended; to me that’s
just a remarkable piece of the story,” McAlister says.

For structures built in 1927, they remain very sound.

“They do not construct buildings like that anymore,” McAlister
says with a chuckle. “To say the least.”

Again, the planning committee unveils centennial graphics
created by Wendy Jane Bantam during a reception at 1st Christian
Church, 927 Faraon Street downtown, beginning at 4:30pm Friday. Historical anecdotes
will be provided by Harrison Hartley.

A writers’ workshop will be held Saturday morning at 9:30 at
the Downtown Public Library with Bantam leading participants on how to let art
inspire their work. Registration is required.

A special free community concert will be held Saturday evening
at the 1st Christian Church featuring Bantam and St. Joseph multi-instrumentalist,
Lory Lacy.

You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729177453625.jpeg" alt="The Missouri Theater/file photo" />
 <figcaption>The Missouri Theater/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostTwo iconic St. Joseph buildings celebrate 100 years in a few
years, but the celebration ramps up beginning this weekend.Both the Missouri Theater and City Hall turn 100 in 2027.Chair of the centennial planning committee, Lori McAlister,
says those two buildings represent more than just two structures.“It was really a golden era for the city,” McAlister tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post in an interview, “as far as optimism for the future,
building, planning, and then of course, the Depression came along and derailed
much of that.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729177515671.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph City Hall/file photo" />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph City Hall/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>A pre-centennial celebration gets underway this weekend,
beginning Friday afternoon with the unveiling of the centennial graphics and the
telling of a few historical anecdotes at 4:30 at the 1st Christian
Church.McAlister says the Missouri Theater and City Hall mean much
more to residents than older, historic buildings.“Not only are these two buildings significant, but they are
landmarks in our lives,” according to McAlister. “They really represent the
city’s civics and the city’s entertainment over all these many decades.”They also can be counted as survivors. The two still stand,
escaping the ravages of urban renewal which swept the country and took out so
many historic structures.“So, the fact that we still have them and the fact that they
are so well cared for and still serving us as they were intended; to me that’s
just a remarkable piece of the story,” McAlister says.For structures built in 1927, they remain very sound.“They do not construct buildings like that anymore,” McAlister
says with a chuckle. “To say the least.”Again, the planning committee unveils centennial graphics
created by Wendy Jane Bantam during a reception at 1st Christian
Church, 927 Faraon Street downtown, beginning at 4:30pm Friday. Historical anecdotes
will be provided by Harrison Hartley.A writers’ workshop will be held Saturday morning at 9:30 at
the Downtown Public Library with Bantam leading participants on how to let art
inspire their work. Registration is required.A special free community concert will be held Saturday evening
at the 1st Christian Church featuring Bantam and St. Joseph multi-instrumentalist,
Lory Lacy.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Celebrations ramp up as 2 St. Joseph buildings near milestones

(Radio Iowa) - The Iowa Attorney General's Office is proposing an update to state rules that outline the standards for nurses who are certified to conduct sexual assault examinations. 

Under the proposal, those who are not certified to collect rape kit evidence would no longer be eligible for state reimbursement for conducting the exam. Susan Krisco, the Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice, says the goal is to ensure any evidence collected is admissible in court. Krisko says an emergency room doctor typically spends between 20 and 25 minutes with a patient, while an exam to collect evidence of a sexual assault takes three to four hours. 

A spokesperson for the Iowa Nurses Association says the group appreciates the attorney general's request to increase the reimbursement fee for nurses who are certified to conduct sexual assault exams and, for the first time, provide them mileage reimbursement.

(Radio Iowa) - The Iowa Attorney General's Office is proposing an update to state rules that outline the standards for nurses who are certified to conduct sexual assault examinations. Under the proposal, those who are not certified to collect rape kit evidence would no longer be eligible for state reimbursement for conducting the exam. Susan Krisco, the Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice, says the goal is to ensure any evidence collected is admissible in court. Krisko says an emergency room doctor typically spends between 20 and 25 minutes with a patient, while an exam to collect evidence of a sexual assault takes three to four hours. A spokesperson for the Iowa Nurses Association says the group appreciates the attorney general's request to increase the reimbursement fee for nurses who are certified to conduct sexual assault exams and, for the first time, provide them mileage reimbursement.

Changes proposed to ensure rape kits are admissible in court

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>

WASHINGTON —Top advisers to the Kamala Harris presidential campaign held a Wednesday press conference including children who were separated from their parents under the highly criticized Trump administration immigration policy, as a warning of what a second term under the former president could bring for the Latino community.

The press conference in Doral, Florida, came ahead of a late Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.univision.com/univision-news/politics/how-to-see-town-hall-latinos-donald-trump-univision-interview" target="_blank">Univision town hal</a>l at which GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump will talk with undecided Latino voters.

Four children at the press conference recounted stories of being separated from a parent by immigration officials during the Trump administration and the lasting trauma it caused. Their full names and ages were not provided by the campaign.

With 20 days until Nov. 5 and early voting underway in many states, both campaigns have tried to court Latino voters, as they are the second-largest group of eligible voters.

“The Latino vote will decide this election,” Democratic Texas U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, who serves as co-chair for the Harris campaign, said at the press conference.

Harris campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said that for the next 20 days, Democrats will continue to reach out to Latinos and stress “the threat that Donald Trump is to Latino communities everywhere.”

The 2024 presidential election is essentially a dead heat between Harris and Trump. Latino voter preferences largely resemble the 2020 presidential election, when President Joe Biden defeated Trump 61% to 36% in earning the Latino vote,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/24/in-tight-u-s-presidential-race-latino-voters-preferences-mirror-2020/" target="_blank">according to the Pew Research Center.&nbsp;</a>

Harris, the Democratic nominee, currently has a smaller lead over Trump with Latinos, 57% to 39%, according to the Pew Research Center.

Escobar warned what a second Trump administration could bring to the Latino community.

“I hear a lot of Latinos who say that they want to vote for Donald Trump, that they appreciate some of his policies,” she said.

Escobar said that Trump has not only&nbsp;<a href="https://westvirginiawatch.com/2024/08/23/trump-promises-mass-deportations-of-undocumented-people-how-would-that-work/" target="_blank">promised to carry out mass deportations</a>, but go after pathways to legal immigration. She argued that architects of some of the former president’s harshest immigration policies are top level advisers, like Stephen Miller, who has proposed eliminating legal immigration like humanitarian parole programs and Temporary Protected Status.

Miller has also proposed a program to strip naturalized citizens of their U.S. citizenship — an initiative that Miller&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/StephenM/status/1712094935820780029?lang=en" target="_blank">said would be “turbocharged”</a>&nbsp;under a second Trump administration.

“For Latinos who think that when Donald Trump insults immigrants, or when he talks about mass deportation that you’re thinking he’s talking about somebody else, oh no, no, he’s talking about you,” Escobar, who represents the border town of El Paso, said.

Escobar said there would be no guardrails for a second Trump administration and programs like family separation could be implemented. The separation occurred at the border as asylum-seeking parents were put into criminal detention and sometimes deported.

“These kids who have lived through horrific trauma, through the pain of being separated from their parents, what you heard from them moments ago will be far worse if Trump gets a second term,” she said. “In Donald Trump’s first term, he had people around him who actually tried to stop him. In a second term, not only will those guardrails not exist, but those people who were there to stop him in the first place are long gone.”

Trump has declined to say whether he would resume family separations if given a second term, also known as the zero-tolerance policy.

“Well, when you have that policy, people don’t come. If a family hears that they’re going to be separated, they love their family. They don’t come. So I know it sounds harsh,” Trump said during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/11/politics/transcript-cnn-town-hall-trump/index.html" target="_blank">a CNN town hall in May 2023.&nbsp;</a>

Escobar said that she is hoping that at Wednesday night’s town hall, Trump will be pressed on whether he would reimplement his family separation policy.

The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.together.gov/" target="_blank">established a task force</a>&nbsp;to reunite the 3,881 children who were separated from their families from 2017 to 2021.

The Department of Homeland Security has reunited about 74% of those families, but there are still&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2023/02/02/fact-sheet-review-family-reunification-task-force-second-anniversary-its" target="_blank">998 children who have not been reunited</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729112192868.png" alt="File photo courtesy Harris campaign" />
 <figcaption>File photo courtesy Harris campaign</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>WASHINGTON —Top advisers to the Kamala Harris presidential campaign held a Wednesday press conference including children who were separated from their parents under the highly criticized Trump administration immigration policy, as a warning of what a second term under the former president could bring for the Latino community.The press conference in Doral, Florida, came ahead of a late Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.univision.com/univision-news/politics/how-to-see-town-hall-latinos-donald-trump-univision-interview" target="_blank">Univision town hal</a>l at which GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump will talk with undecided Latino voters.Four children at the press conference recounted stories of being separated from a parent by immigration officials during the Trump administration and the lasting trauma it caused. Their full names and ages were not provided by the campaign.With 20 days until Nov. 5 and early voting underway in many states, both campaigns have tried to court Latino voters, as they are the second-largest group of eligible voters.“The Latino vote will decide this election,” Democratic Texas U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, who serves as co-chair for the Harris campaign, said at the press conference.Harris campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said that for the next 20 days, Democrats will continue to reach out to Latinos and stress “the threat that Donald Trump is to Latino communities everywhere.”<h2>Harris looks for Latino support</h2>The 2024 presidential election is essentially a dead heat between Harris and Trump. Latino voter preferences largely resemble the 2020 presidential election, when President Joe Biden defeated Trump 61% to 36% in earning the Latino vote,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/24/in-tight-u-s-presidential-race-latino-voters-preferences-mirror-2020/" target="_blank">according to the Pew Research Center.&nbsp;</a>Harris, the Democratic nominee, currently has a smaller lead over Trump with Latinos, 57% to 39%, according to the Pew Research Center.Escobar warned what a second Trump administration could bring to the Latino community.“I hear a lot of Latinos who say that they want to vote for Donald Trump, that they appreciate some of his policies,” she said.Escobar said that Trump has not only&nbsp;<a href="https://westvirginiawatch.com/2024/08/23/trump-promises-mass-deportations-of-undocumented-people-how-would-that-work/" target="_blank">promised to carry out mass deportations</a>, but go after pathways to legal immigration. She argued that architects of some of the former president’s harshest immigration policies are top level advisers, like Stephen Miller, who has proposed eliminating legal immigration like humanitarian parole programs and Temporary Protected Status.Miller has also proposed a program to strip naturalized citizens of their U.S. citizenship — an initiative that Miller&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/StephenM/status/1712094935820780029?lang=en" target="_blank">said would be “turbocharged”</a>&nbsp;under a second Trump administration.“For Latinos who think that when Donald Trump insults immigrants, or when he talks about mass deportation that you’re thinking he’s talking about somebody else, oh no, no, he’s talking about you,” Escobar, who represents the border town of El Paso, said.Escobar said there would be no guardrails for a second Trump administration and programs like family separation could be implemented. The separation occurred at the border as asylum-seeking parents were put into criminal detention and sometimes deported.“These kids who have lived through horrific trauma, through the pain of being separated from their parents, what you heard from them moments ago will be far worse if Trump gets a second term,” she said. “In Donald Trump’s first term, he had people around him who actually tried to stop him. In a second term, not only will those guardrails not exist, but those people who were there to stop him in the first place are long gone.”Trump has declined to say whether he would resume family separations if given a second term, also known as the zero-tolerance policy.“Well, when you have that policy, people don’t come. If a family hears that they’re going to be separated, they love their family. They don’t come. So I know it sounds harsh,” Trump said during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/11/politics/transcript-cnn-town-hall-trump/index.html" target="_blank">a CNN town hall in May 2023.&nbsp;</a>Escobar said that she is hoping that at Wednesday night’s town hall, Trump will be pressed on whether he would reimplement his family separation policy.The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.together.gov/" target="_blank">established a task force</a>&nbsp;to reunite the 3,881 children who were separated from their families from 2017 to 2021.The Department of Homeland Security has reunited about 74% of those families, but there are still&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2023/02/02/fact-sheet-review-family-reunification-task-force-second-anniversary-its" target="_blank">998 children who have not been reunited</a>.

Harris campaign stresses ‘the threat that Donald Trump is to Latino communities’

Just about $1.2 million has been spent since the primary by candidates seeking offices from governor to attorney general

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

As ballot measure campaigns fill the airwaves with&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/14/record-spending-fuels-missouri-campaigns-to-legalize-sports-gambling-new-casino/">seven-figure ad wars</a>&nbsp;alongside&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/15/why-are-you-so-weird-lucas-kunce-taunts-josh-hawley-during-squabble-about-debates/">Missouri’s U.S. Senate race</a>, the state seems about to experience the cheapest campaign in years for other statewide offices.

On Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, the Republican nominee for governor, reported raising about $760,000 during September for his campaign committee and another $1.3 million for his joint-fundraising committee, American Dream PAC.&nbsp;

His Democratic opponent, state Rep. Crystal Quade, raised $425,000 and her joint fundraising committee, Crystal PAC, took in $7,000.

Quade used her modest campaign budget to start television advertising last week, spending about $165,000 so far. Kehoe has reserved time for later in the month, spending about $835,000.

In a news release, Quade said she was pleased with the fundraising result.

“I’m so grateful for the overwhelming support from everyday Missourians for this campaign,” she said. “Voters are sick of bought-and-paid for politicians who make life easier for their corporate donors and well-connected political insiders.”

<h2>Just about $1.2 million has been spent since the primary by candidates seeking offices from governor to attorney general</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>As ballot measure campaigns fill the airwaves with&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/14/record-spending-fuels-missouri-campaigns-to-legalize-sports-gambling-new-casino/">seven-figure ad wars</a>&nbsp;alongside&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/15/why-are-you-so-weird-lucas-kunce-taunts-josh-hawley-during-squabble-about-debates/">Missouri’s U.S. Senate race</a>, the state seems about to experience the cheapest campaign in years for other statewide offices.On Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, the Republican nominee for governor, reported raising about $760,000 during September for his campaign committee and another $1.3 million for his joint-fundraising committee, American Dream PAC.&nbsp;His Democratic opponent, state Rep. Crystal Quade, raised $425,000 and her joint fundraising committee, Crystal PAC, took in $7,000.Quade used her modest campaign budget to start television advertising last week, spending about $165,000 so far. Kehoe has reserved time for later in the month, spending about $835,000.In a news release, Quade said she was pleased with the fundraising result.“I’m so grateful for the overwhelming support from everyday Missourians for this campaign,” she said. “Voters are sick of bought-and-paid for politicians who make life easier for their corporate donors and well-connected political insiders.”Candidates for the other four statewide offices on the November ballot have combined to spend less than $400,000 since the primary.Four years ago, Gov. Mike Parson’s re-election campaign raised $1 million during September and his joint fundraising committee raised $2.6 million. His Democratic opponent, then-state auditor Nicole Galloway, raised $1.5 million in September 2020.And in 2016, the last time no incumbent ran for governor, Democrat Chris Koster raised $3.5 million in September, while Republican nominee Eric Greitens took in $4.2 million.In comparison, spending for and against ballot measures on this year’s ballot totals $25.3 million since May, when signatures were turned in. And in the Senate race, Democrat Lucas Kunce has spent $6 million on television ads since the end of July, with Republican incumbent Josh Hawley spending $3.9 million.Campaign reports for the period ending Sept. 30 were due Tuesday. State candidates report to the Missouri Ethics Commission, while candidates for Congress and the U.S. Senate report to the Federal Election Commission. There will be one more round of reports before the election on Nov. 5.In the U.S. Senate race, Kunce has outraised Hawley throughout the year and that trend continued in the third quarter of the year. Kunce reported raising $7.6 million between mid-July and the end of September, while Hawley reported raising $3 million in the same period.In other statewide races:<ul>
 <li>Republican candidate for lieutenant governor David Wasinger raised almost $161,000 and used $125,000 of it to start paying himself back the $2.6 million he loaned his campaign for the primary. State Rep. Richard Brown of Kansas City, the Democratic nominee, had not reported Tuesday night.</li><li>Democratic nominee for attorney general Elad Gross raised more for his campaign committee, $185,000, than incumbent Republican Andrew Bailey, who took in $165,000. But Bailey’s joint fundraising committee, Liberty and Justice PAC, raised $600,000 as well. Gross does not have a separate PAC.</li><li>State Rep. Barbara Phifer, a St. Louis Democrat, outraised state Sen. Denny Hoskins, the GOP nominee, in their race for secretary of state. Phifer took in almost $102,000, while Hoskins raised $37,000 for his campaign and $33,000 for his joint fundraising committee.</li><li>State Treasurer Vivek Malek raised $34,075 and his PAC raised $4,350 more, while Democratic opponent Mark Osmack raised $11,501.</li>
 </ul><h2>Ballot measures</h2>There are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/petitions/2024BallotMeasures" target="_blank">six statewide ballot measures</a>&nbsp;before voters this year, five constitutional amendments and a statutory change increasing the minimum wage. Total spending on all ballot measures through Sept. 30, according to the reports filed Tuesday, is $40.8 million.&nbsp;The two biggest spenders are the committee backing Amendment 2 to legalize sports wagering and the committee backing Amendment 3 to restore the right to abortion and protect other reproductive health services.Winning for Missouri Education, backing Amendment 2, reported raising $21.6 million, with $10 million more in large donations since the start of the month. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, backing Amendment 3, took in $21.8 through Sept. 30 and $3.8 million in large donations since.All the money for Winning for Missouri Education comes from two donors — Draft Kings and FanDuel. While most of the funding for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom — $18 million — comes in donations of $100,000 or more from liberal groups that don’t disclose their donors, the 1,654-page report delivered Tuesday includes thousands of donations from Missourians who gave between $20 and $500.The best-funded opposition to a ballot measure is fighting Amendment 2. Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment raised $4.2 million by mid-September and has reported $10 million in donations from Caesars Entertainment since.Groups opposing the abortion amendment are not able to match the spending in its favor. Vote No on 3 raised $456,000 by the end of September and has collected $455,000 in large donations since.The filings Tuesday show there was a change in the name on a campaign donation opposing Amendment 3 that The Independent&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/11/missouri-abortion-amendment-opposition-hunt-chiefs/">tied to the family that owns the Kansas CIty Chiefs</a>.&nbsp;A group called Leadership For America purchased a small amount of radio air time opposing Amendment 3 and donated $100,000 to Vote No on 3 after accepting a $300,000 donation from a company called Unity Hunt.Unity Hunt owns the business properties of the late Lamar Hunt, who founded the Chiefs. In the Tuesday filing, the donation was reattributed to Lamar Hunt Jr.The other ballot measure campaigns, and their funding, are:<ul>
 <li>YesOn5, which is backing Amendment 5 to allow a new casino at the Lake of the Ozarks, is funded by Bally’s Corp. and RIS, a lake-area developer, who have provided $9.4 million so far.</li><li>Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages, supporting Proposition A to raise the minimum wage and require employers to provide paid sick leave, reported raising $4.4 million for the campaign through September. The campaign has received another $1.25 million in large donations this month.</li><li>The Committee to Ensure a Future for Sheriffs &amp; Prosecutors is backing Amendment 6, to impose fees on criminal court cases to fund retirement benefits for sheriffs and prosecutors. The committee reported raising $110,425 through Sept. 30, with another $80,000 since. Those donations are $30,000 from the sheriff’s retirement fund and $50,000 from the prosecutor’s retirement fund, donations that have&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/09/missouri-sheriffs-pension-donates-30k-to-ballot-campaign-sparking-concerns/">raised questions</a>&nbsp;among lawmakers.</li>
 </ul>The only ballot measure without a committee dedicated to its passage or defeat is Amendment 7, which would ban ranked-choice voting and restate the current constitutional ban on voting by non-citizens.

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