NEW YORK (AP) —Rudolph Isley, a founding member of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-a59324c730c0c56a584e560d47ae49cd">the Isley Brothers</a>&nbsp;who helped perform such raw rhythm and blues classics as “Shout" and “Twist and Shout” and the funky hits “That Lady” and “It's Your Thing,” has died at age 84.

“There are no words to express my feelings and the love I have for my brother. Our family will miss him. But I know he’s in a better place," Ronald Isley said in a statement released Thursday by an Isley Brothers publicist. Further details were not immediately available.

A Cincinnati native, Rudolph Isley began singing in church with brothers Ronald and O'Kelly (another sibling, Vernon, died at age 13) and was still in his teens when they broke through in the late 1950s with “Shout,” a secularized gospel rave that was later immortalized during the toga party scene in “Animal House.” The Isleys scored again in the early 1960s with the equally spirited “Twist and Shout,” which the Beatles liked so much they used it as the closing song on their debut album and opened with it for their famed 1965 concert at Shea Stadium.

The Isleys' other hits included “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You),” later covered by Rod Stewart, and the Grammy-winning “It's Your Thing.” In the 1970s, after younger brother Ernest and Marvin joined the group, they had even greater success with such singles as “That Lady" and “Fight the Power (Part 1)” and such million-selling albums as “The Heat Is On” and “Go for Your Guns.”

Rudolph Isley left the group in 1989, three years after the sudden death of O'Kelly Isley, to become a Christian minister. He was among the Isleys inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

NEW YORK (AP) —Rudolph Isley, a founding member of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-a59324c730c0c56a584e560d47ae49cd">the Isley Brothers</a>&nbsp;who helped perform such raw rhythm and blues classics as “Shout" and “Twist and Shout” and the funky hits “That Lady” and “It's Your Thing,” has died at age 84.“There are no words to express my feelings and the love I have for my brother. Our family will miss him. But I know he’s in a better place," Ronald Isley said in a statement released Thursday by an Isley Brothers publicist. Further details were not immediately available.A Cincinnati native, Rudolph Isley began singing in church with brothers Ronald and O'Kelly (another sibling, Vernon, died at age 13) and was still in his teens when they broke through in the late 1950s with “Shout,” a secularized gospel rave that was later immortalized during the toga party scene in “Animal House.” The Isleys scored again in the early 1960s with the equally spirited “Twist and Shout,” which the Beatles liked so much they used it as the closing song on their debut album and opened with it for their famed 1965 concert at Shea Stadium.The Isleys' other hits included “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You),” later covered by Rod Stewart, and the Grammy-winning “It's Your Thing.” In the 1970s, after younger brother Ernest and Marvin joined the group, they had even greater success with such singles as “That Lady" and “Fight the Power (Part 1)” and such million-selling albums as “The Heat Is On” and “Go for Your Guns.”Rudolph Isley left the group in 1989, three years after the sudden death of O'Kelly Isley, to become a Christian minister. He was among the Isleys inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Rudolph Isley, founding member of Isley Brothers, has died

HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a three vehicle crash and fire that shut down portions of U.S. 50 in Harvey County have identified the drivers involved.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported that just after 1:30p.m. Wednesday, a 2017 Buick Enclave driven by Mary K. Hall, 84, Newton, was eastbound on U.S. 50 one half mile east of Anderson Street.&nbsp;

The driver attempted to change lanes and struck an eastbound 2022 Peterbilt semi driven by Jose E&nbsp;Chaves-Rosales, 38,&nbsp;Canutillo, Texas.&nbsp; The impact caused the Buick to cross the median and strike a westbound 2013 Freightliner semi driven by Luis R. Simon, 60, Emporia.

After impact, the Freightliner crossed the median, entered the south ditch, traveled&nbsp; through a KDOT fence and struck a storage facility that started a fire.&nbsp;

Multiple RVs burned in the fire, and the building structure was seriously damaged, according to Newton Fire and EMS. About 25 acres on the north side of U.S. 50 burned, but crews were able to keep the fire from jumping SW 14th Street toward the residential neighborhood.

EMS transported Hall to Wesley Medical Center and Simon to Newton Medical Center.&nbsp;Chaves-Rosales was not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697051057034.jpeg" alt="Photo Newton Fire and EMS&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo Newton Fire and EMS&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a three vehicle crash and fire that shut down portions of U.S. 50 in Harvey County have identified the drivers involved.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported that just after 1:30p.m. Wednesday, a 2017 Buick Enclave driven by Mary K. Hall, 84, Newton, was eastbound on U.S. 50 one half mile east of Anderson Street.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FNewtonKSPolice%2Fposts%2Fpfbid028C69ZYUEKvDZjQBU2Sm9ZfSrcJT4pjFxfDzTWLshBVHAVersN8HwkpHXqGsj48tml&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="690" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The driver attempted to change lanes and struck an eastbound 2022 Peterbilt semi driven by Jose E&nbsp;Chaves-Rosales, 38,&nbsp;Canutillo, Texas.&nbsp; The impact caused the Buick to cross the median and strike a westbound 2013 Freightliner semi driven by Luis R. Simon, 60, Emporia.After impact, the Freightliner crossed the median, entered the south ditch, traveled&nbsp; through a KDOT fence and struck a storage facility that started a fire.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697071540357.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Multiple RVs burned in the fire, and the building structure was seriously damaged, according to Newton Fire and EMS. About 25 acres on the north side of U.S. 50 burned, but crews were able to keep the fire from jumping SW 14th Street toward the residential neighborhood.EMS transported Hall to Wesley Medical Center and Simon to Newton Medical Center.&nbsp;Chaves-Rosales was not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

KHP IDs drivers in crash, fire that destroyed multiple RVs

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military told some 1 million Palestinians on Friday to evacuate northern Gaza and head to the southern part of the besieged territory, an unprecedented order applying to almost half the population ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-military-ground-reoccupation-3e6f08a75643b21e41a498277e84b5b9">an expected ground invasion</a>&nbsp;against the ruling Hamas militant group.

The U.N. warned that so many people fleeing en masse would be calamitous. Hamas, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">staged a shocking and brutal attack</a>&nbsp;on Israel nearly a week ago and has fired thousands of rockets since, dismissed it as a ploy and called on people to stay in their homes.

The evacuation order, which includes Gaza City, home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, sparked widespread panic among civilians and aid workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-war-hamas-militants-civilians-casualites-8469bbcb566446d78f368bf2a1b49d88">already running from Israeli airstrikes</a>&nbsp;and contending with a total siege and a territory-wide blackout.

“Forget about food, forget about electricity, forget about fuel. The only concern now is just if you’ll make it, if you’re going to live,” said Nebal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent in Gaza City, as she broke into heaving sobs.

<a href="https://apnews.com/b6ea877aa1ee96303aa0870d741da777">The war</a>&nbsp;has already claimed over 2,800 lives on both sides and sent tensions soaring across the region. Israel has traded fire in recent days with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, sparking fears of an ever wider conflict, though that frontier is currently calm.

Weekly Muslim prayers brought protests in some nearby countries, and tensions ran high in Jerusalem's Old City. The Islamic endowment that manages&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-violence-jerusalem-explainer-1a269c8cc748d8e6f5eb9eabb6d9b860">a flashpoint holy site</a>&nbsp;in the city, the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, said Israeli authorities were barring all Palestinian men under the age of 50 from entering.

Israel has bombarded Gaza round-the-clock since a weekend attack in which Hamas fighters stormed into the country’s south and massacred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/52a847e489cd13ccf61b403618e61c36">hundreds, including killing children in their homes</a>&nbsp;and young people at a music festival. Militants also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-war-822b214252a77f3c3556bb71d9ce7c89">snatched some 150 people</a>&nbsp;and dragged them into Gaza.

Hamas said Israel’s bombardment has killed 13 of the hostages, including foreigners. It did not give their nationalities, saying they were killed over the last 24 hours.

Israeli military spokesperson spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari denied that airstrikes killed hostages, telling Al-Jazeera Arabic that “we have our own information and do not believe the lies of Hamas.”

The military urged all civilians in Gaza’s north to move south, according to Hagari — an order that the U.N. said affects 1.1 million people.

Israel said it needed to target Hamas’ military infrastructure, much of which is buried deep underground. Another spokesperson, Jonathan Conricus, said the military would take “extensive efforts to avoid harming civilians” and that residents would be allowed to return when the war is over.

Hamas militants operate in civilian areas, where Israel has long accused them of using Palestinians as human shields. A mass evacuation of civilians, if carried out, would leave their fighters exposed as never before.

But U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said it would be impossible to stage such an evacuation without “devastating humanitarian consequences.” He called on Israel to rescind any such orders, saying they could “transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation.”

Hamas, meanwhile, called on Palestinians to stay in their homes, saying Israel “is trying to create confusion among citizens and harm the cohesion of our internal front.” It called on Palestinians to ignore what it said was ”psychological warfare.”

Gaza’s Health Ministry said it was not possible to evacuate the many wounded from hospitals, and that hospital staff would not heed the warning.

“We have a duty and a humanitarian mission, and we cannot evacuate hospitals and leave the wounded and sick to die,” spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra said. In the event of severe Israeli strikes, he said there was simply no other place in the Gaza Strip to take and treat patients.

The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, also said it was not evacuating its schools, where hundreds of thousands have taken shelter. But it has relocated its headquarters to southern Gaza, according to spokesperson Juliette Touma.

Pressed by reporters on whether the army would protect hospitals, U.N. shelters and other civilian locations, Hagari, the Israeli military spokesperson, warned that “it’s a war zone.”

He added: “If Hamas prevents residents from evacuating, the responsibility lies with them.”

The evacuation orders were taken as a further signal of an already expected Israeli ground offensive, though Israel has not yet announced such a decision.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “crush” Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007. His government is under intense public pressure to topple the group rather than merely bottle it up in Gaza as it has for years.

A visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-military-navy-carrier-e648c53dc53a46e2e12950784ea5e8d2">shipments of U.S. weapons,</a>&nbsp;offered a powerful green light for Israel to drive ahead with its retaliation. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-us-hamas-austin-blinken-c4a39169dc5ee7256f20bc1534c4f0cb">arrived in Israel on Friday</a>.

Still, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-militants-conflict-war-b6ea877aa1ee96303aa0870d741da777">ground offensive in densely populated and impoverished Gaza</a>&nbsp;would likely bring even higher casualties on both sides in brutal house-to-house fighting.

Yasser Hassouna, an activist in Gaza City, said “everyone panicked” when they saw the U.N. staff leaving. “Hamas said it was psychological warfare, and we know there has been a lot of that. No one knows what is real and what is fake news right now.”

Farsakh, of the Palestinian Red Crescent, said there was no way so many people could be safely moved — especially those with ailments.

“What will happen to our patients?” she asked. “We have wounded, we have elderly, we have children who are in hospitals.” Farsakh said many of the medics were refusing to evacuate hospitals and abandon patients. Instead, she said, they called their colleagues to say goodbye.

Beyond the immediate fear and logistical difficulties, the order has deep resonance in Gaza, where more than half of the Palestinians are the descendants of refugees from the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation, when hundreds of thousands fled or were expelled from what is now Israel. That exodus is deeply seared into their collective memory.

Already, at least 423,000 people — nearly one in five Gazans — have been forced from their homes by Israeli airstrikes, the U.N. said Thursday.

Neighboring Egypt has meanwhile taken “unprecedented measures” to reinforce its border with Gaza and prevent any breaches, a senior Egyptian security official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.

Egypt, which made peace with Israel decades ago and has long served as a regional mediator, is staunchly opposed to resettling Palestinians on its territory, both because of the costs involved and because it would undermine their quest for an independent state. The Rafah crossing from Gaza into Egypt, the only one not controlled by Israel, has ben closed because of airstrikes.

Hamas’ unprecedented assault last Saturday, and days of heavy rocket fire since, have killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-war-live-updates">more than 1,300 people in Israel</a>, including 247 soldiers — a toll unseen in Israel for decades. The ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-war-hamas-militants-civilians-casualites-8469bbcb566446d78f368bf2a1b49d88">more than 1,530 people in Gaza</a>, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Israel says roughly 1,500 Hamas militants were killed inside Israel, and that hundreds of the dead in Gaza are Hamas members.

On Thursday, Israel said its complete siege of Gaza — which has left Palestinians desperate for food, fuel and medicine — would remain in place until Hamas militants free the hostages taken.

“Not a single electricity switch will be flipped on, not a single faucet will be turned on and not a single fuel truck will enter until the Israeli hostages are returned home,” Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said on social media.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696679013332.png" alt="Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud)" />
 <figcaption>Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud)</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military told some 1 million Palestinians on Friday to evacuate northern Gaza and head to the southern part of the besieged territory, an unprecedented order applying to almost half the population ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-military-ground-reoccupation-3e6f08a75643b21e41a498277e84b5b9">an expected ground invasion</a>&nbsp;against the ruling Hamas militant group.The U.N. warned that so many people fleeing en masse would be calamitous. Hamas, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">staged a shocking and brutal attack</a>&nbsp;on Israel nearly a week ago and has fired thousands of rockets since, dismissed it as a ploy and called on people to stay in their homes.The evacuation order, which includes Gaza City, home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, sparked widespread panic among civilians and aid workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-war-hamas-militants-civilians-casualites-8469bbcb566446d78f368bf2a1b49d88">already running from Israeli airstrikes</a>&nbsp;and contending with a total siege and a territory-wide blackout.“Forget about food, forget about electricity, forget about fuel. The only concern now is just if you’ll make it, if you’re going to live,” said Nebal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent in Gaza City, as she broke into heaving sobs.<a href="https://apnews.com/b6ea877aa1ee96303aa0870d741da777">The war</a>&nbsp;has already claimed over 2,800 lives on both sides and sent tensions soaring across the region. Israel has traded fire in recent days with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, sparking fears of an ever wider conflict, though that frontier is currently calm.Weekly Muslim prayers brought protests in some nearby countries, and tensions ran high in Jerusalem's Old City. The Islamic endowment that manages&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-violence-jerusalem-explainer-1a269c8cc748d8e6f5eb9eabb6d9b860">a flashpoint holy site</a>&nbsp;in the city, the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, said Israeli authorities were barring all Palestinian men under the age of 50 from entering.Israel has bombarded Gaza round-the-clock since a weekend attack in which Hamas fighters stormed into the country’s south and massacred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/52a847e489cd13ccf61b403618e61c36">hundreds, including killing children in their homes</a>&nbsp;and young people at a music festival. Militants also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-war-822b214252a77f3c3556bb71d9ce7c89">snatched some 150 people</a>&nbsp;and dragged them into Gaza.Hamas said Israel’s bombardment has killed 13 of the hostages, including foreigners. It did not give their nationalities, saying they were killed over the last 24 hours.Israeli military spokesperson spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari denied that airstrikes killed hostages, telling Al-Jazeera Arabic that “we have our own information and do not believe the lies of Hamas.”The military urged all civilians in Gaza’s north to move south, according to Hagari — an order that the U.N. said affects 1.1 million people.Israel said it needed to target Hamas’ military infrastructure, much of which is buried deep underground. Another spokesperson, Jonathan Conricus, said the military would take “extensive efforts to avoid harming civilians” and that residents would be allowed to return when the war is over.Hamas militants operate in civilian areas, where Israel has long accused them of using Palestinians as human shields. A mass evacuation of civilians, if carried out, would leave their fighters exposed as never before.But U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said it would be impossible to stage such an evacuation without “devastating humanitarian consequences.” He called on Israel to rescind any such orders, saying they could “transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation.”Hamas, meanwhile, called on Palestinians to stay in their homes, saying Israel “is trying to create confusion among citizens and harm the cohesion of our internal front.” It called on Palestinians to ignore what it said was ”psychological warfare.”Gaza’s Health Ministry said it was not possible to evacuate the many wounded from hospitals, and that hospital staff would not heed the warning.“We have a duty and a humanitarian mission, and we cannot evacuate hospitals and leave the wounded and sick to die,” spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra said. In the event of severe Israeli strikes, he said there was simply no other place in the Gaza Strip to take and treat patients.The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, also said it was not evacuating its schools, where hundreds of thousands have taken shelter. But it has relocated its headquarters to southern Gaza, according to spokesperson Juliette Touma.Pressed by reporters on whether the army would protect hospitals, U.N. shelters and other civilian locations, Hagari, the Israeli military spokesperson, warned that “it’s a war zone.”He added: “If Hamas prevents residents from evacuating, the responsibility lies with them.”The evacuation orders were taken as a further signal of an already expected Israeli ground offensive, though Israel has not yet announced such a decision.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “crush” Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007. His government is under intense public pressure to topple the group rather than merely bottle it up in Gaza as it has for years.A visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-military-navy-carrier-e648c53dc53a46e2e12950784ea5e8d2">shipments of U.S. weapons,</a>&nbsp;offered a powerful green light for Israel to drive ahead with its retaliation. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-us-hamas-austin-blinken-c4a39169dc5ee7256f20bc1534c4f0cb">arrived in Israel on Friday</a>.Still, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-militants-conflict-war-b6ea877aa1ee96303aa0870d741da777">ground offensive in densely populated and impoverished Gaza</a>&nbsp;would likely bring even higher casualties on both sides in brutal house-to-house fighting.Yasser Hassouna, an activist in Gaza City, said “everyone panicked” when they saw the U.N. staff leaving. “Hamas said it was psychological warfare, and we know there has been a lot of that. No one knows what is real and what is fake news right now.”Farsakh, of the Palestinian Red Crescent, said there was no way so many people could be safely moved — especially those with ailments.“What will happen to our patients?” she asked. “We have wounded, we have elderly, we have children who are in hospitals.” Farsakh said many of the medics were refusing to evacuate hospitals and abandon patients. Instead, she said, they called their colleagues to say goodbye.Beyond the immediate fear and logistical difficulties, the order has deep resonance in Gaza, where more than half of the Palestinians are the descendants of refugees from the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation, when hundreds of thousands fled or were expelled from what is now Israel. That exodus is deeply seared into their collective memory.Already, at least 423,000 people — nearly one in five Gazans — have been forced from their homes by Israeli airstrikes, the U.N. said Thursday.Neighboring Egypt has meanwhile taken “unprecedented measures” to reinforce its border with Gaza and prevent any breaches, a senior Egyptian security official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.Egypt, which made peace with Israel decades ago and has long served as a regional mediator, is staunchly opposed to resettling Palestinians on its territory, both because of the costs involved and because it would undermine their quest for an independent state. The Rafah crossing from Gaza into Egypt, the only one not controlled by Israel, has ben closed because of airstrikes.Hamas’ unprecedented assault last Saturday, and days of heavy rocket fire since, have killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-war-live-updates">more than 1,300 people in Israel</a>, including 247 soldiers — a toll unseen in Israel for decades. The ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-war-hamas-militants-civilians-casualites-8469bbcb566446d78f368bf2a1b49d88">more than 1,530 people in Gaza</a>, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.Israel says roughly 1,500 Hamas militants were killed inside Israel, and that hundreds of the dead in Gaza are Hamas members.On Thursday, Israel said its complete siege of Gaza — which has left Palestinians desperate for food, fuel and medicine — would remain in place until Hamas militants free the hostages taken.“Not a single electricity switch will be flipped on, not a single faucet will be turned on and not a single fuel truck will enter until the Israeli hostages are returned home,” Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said on social media.

Israel warns 1 million in Gaza to get out as ground offensive looms

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Regulators on Thursday gave the go-ahead for a multistate wind-energy power line to provide the equivalent of four nuclear power plants' worth of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-illinois-utilities-21076d0df54985077f6e3999bbe79bbc">energy</a>&nbsp;to Missouri consumers.

At issue is the Grain Belt Express, a power line that will carry wind energy from Kansas across Missouri and Illinois before hooking into a power grid in Indiana that serves eastern states.

Invenergy Transmission, the Chicago-based company attempting to build the Grain Belt Express, last year proposed expanding the high-voltage power line's capacity after years of complaints from Missouri farmers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/44cb00ef903f41179651e1ec65695e8e">lawmakers</a>&nbsp;worried that the line would trample property rights without providing much service to Missouri residents.

Under the new plan, approved 4-1 by Missouri's Public Service Commission, Grain Belt Express plans to bring as much as 2,500 megawatts of power to Missouri. Previously, state utility&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7b4013b6938741698d3c26e4c8447740">regulators approved</a>&nbsp;a line that would have brought only 500 megawatts of energy to the state.

Investment in the project, which would stretch about 800 miles (1287 kilometers) from Kansas to Indiana on a route crossing Missouri and Illinois, also is expected to soar to about $7 billion, Invenergy said.

Various municipal utilities in Missouri have long intended to buy power from the project, but now five times as much electricity will be delivered to the state — rising from 500 to 2,500 megawatts — compared to earlier plans.

“The approval of this transmission line and the ability to bring five times as much power to Missouri as originally planned will not only help us tap a significant source of domestic energy, but it will also help improve reliability and affordability for the Missouri business community,” said Ray McCarty, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Missouri, in a statement.

The project will help unlock $7.5 billion in energy cost savings in Missouri and Illinois, according to its developers.

Some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/illinois-wind-power-kansas-missouri-5133291a7b714523ac6d62732a1c0f29">farmers</a>&nbsp;who don’t want high-power transmission lines on their land have fought the project for years.

Commissioner Kayla Hahn, the only Missouri regulator to vote against the amended proposal Thursday, said she's worried there are not enough safeguards for farmers and other property owners, such as how compensation for damaged crops is handled.

“I want this line to benefit everyone to the maximum extent practicable,” Hahn said. “I don't think this order goes far enough.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675437301633.jpeg" alt="Map of phase one of the Grainbelt Express project showing where power will flow into from Ford County, Kansas./ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Map of phase one of the Grainbelt Express project showing where power will flow into from Ford County, Kansas./ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Regulators on Thursday gave the go-ahead for a multistate wind-energy power line to provide the equivalent of four nuclear power plants' worth of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-illinois-utilities-21076d0df54985077f6e3999bbe79bbc">energy</a>&nbsp;to Missouri consumers.At issue is the Grain Belt Express, a power line that will carry wind energy from Kansas across Missouri and Illinois before hooking into a power grid in Indiana that serves eastern states.Invenergy Transmission, the Chicago-based company attempting to build the Grain Belt Express, last year proposed expanding the high-voltage power line's capacity after years of complaints from Missouri farmers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/44cb00ef903f41179651e1ec65695e8e">lawmakers</a>&nbsp;worried that the line would trample property rights without providing much service to Missouri residents.Under the new plan, approved 4-1 by Missouri's Public Service Commission, Grain Belt Express plans to bring as much as 2,500 megawatts of power to Missouri. Previously, state utility&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7b4013b6938741698d3c26e4c8447740">regulators approved</a>&nbsp;a line that would have brought only 500 megawatts of energy to the state.Investment in the project, which would stretch about 800 miles (1287 kilometers) from Kansas to Indiana on a route crossing Missouri and Illinois, also is expected to soar to about $7 billion, Invenergy said.Various municipal utilities in Missouri have long intended to buy power from the project, but now five times as much electricity will be delivered to the state — rising from 500 to 2,500 megawatts — compared to earlier plans.“The approval of this transmission line and the ability to bring five times as much power to Missouri as originally planned will not only help us tap a significant source of domestic energy, but it will also help improve reliability and affordability for the Missouri business community,” said Ray McCarty, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Missouri, in a statement.The project will help unlock $7.5 billion in energy cost savings in Missouri and Illinois, according to its developers.Some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/illinois-wind-power-kansas-missouri-5133291a7b714523ac6d62732a1c0f29">farmers</a>&nbsp;who don’t want high-power transmission lines on their land have fought the project for years.Commissioner Kayla Hahn, the only Missouri regulator to vote against the amended proposal Thursday, said she's worried there are not enough safeguards for farmers and other property owners, such as how compensation for damaged crops is handled.“I want this line to benefit everyone to the maximum extent practicable,” Hahn said. “I don't think this order goes far enough.”

Regulators ok wind-power transmission line across Kansas and Missouri

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high-speed chase.

Just before 1p.m. Tuesday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a suspicious person on the porch of a residence in the 700 block of East 205th Street, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

While deputies were traveling to the address, the homeowner advised that the suspect made entry to the unoccupied house and then proceeded to take a truck from the residence and left the scene prior to deputies’ arrival.

Deputies immediately began canvassing the area and spotted the vehicle near West 229th and Fairlawn Road traveling westbound. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, which failed to yield, and a pursuit ensued.

The pursuit ended in a field near West 217th and Auburn Road. The suspect later identified as Kelsey N. Ritter, 28, of Burlingame then fled on foot. 

Deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol Troopers set up a perimeter. A KHP helicopter, two K-9 units, a drone, and deputies on foot were utilized in searching the wooded area. Ritter was eventually located and taken into custody.

She is being held on requested charges of Burglary of a dwelling, Felony theft, Aggravated battery on law enforcement, Interference with law enforcement, Flee or attempt to elude law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving, Criminal damage to property

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696983554969.png" alt="Ritter-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Ritter-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high-speed chase.Just before 1p.m. Tuesday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a suspicious person on the porch of a residence in the 700 block of East 205th Street, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.While deputies were traveling to the address, the homeowner advised that the suspect made entry to the unoccupied house and then proceeded to take a truck from the residence and left the scene prior to deputies’ arrival.Deputies immediately began canvassing the area and spotted the vehicle near West 229th and Fairlawn Road traveling westbound. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, which failed to yield, and a pursuit ensued.The pursuit ended in a field near West 217th and Auburn Road. The suspect later identified as Kelsey N. Ritter, 28, of Burlingame then fled on foot. Deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol Troopers set up a perimeter. A KHP helicopter, two K-9 units, a drone, and deputies on foot were utilized in searching the wooded area. Ritter was eventually located and taken into custody.She is being held on requested charges of Burglary of a dwelling, Felony theft, Aggravated battery on law enforcement, Interference with law enforcement, Flee or attempt to elude law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving, Criminal damage to property

KHP helicopter, drone help capture Kan. burglary suspect

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Steve Scalise has ended his bid to become House speaker after failing to secure the votes to win the gavel.

Scalise told GOP colleagues at a closed-door meeting late Thursday of his decision.

Next steps are uncertain as the House is essentially closed while Republicans try to elect a speaker after ousting Kevin McCarthy from the job.

“I just shared with my colleagues that I’m withdrawing my name as a candidate for speaker-designee,” Scalise said as he emerged from the closed-door meeting at the Capitol.

Scalise, R-La., said the Republican majority “still has to come together and is not there.”

He had been working furiously secure the votes after being nominated by a majority of his colleagues, but after hours of private meetings over two days and late into the evening at the Capitol it was clear lawmakers were not budging from their refusal to support him.

“There are still some people that have their own agendas,” Scalise said. "And I was very clear, we have to have everybody put their agendas on the side and focus on what this country needs.”

Frustrations mounted as the crisis deepened and Republicans lost another day without a House speaker. Scalise was trying to peel off more than 100 votes, mostly from those who backed his chief rival, Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jim-jordan">Jim Jordan</a>, the Judiciary Committee chairman favored by hard-liners, who announced he was no longer in the running and tossed his vote to Scalise.

But many hard-liners taking their cues from Donald Trump have dug in for a prolonged fight to replace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-ousted-mccarthy-3fccfca11fe61c36fe399880f2679f12">McCarthy</a>&nbsp;after his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">historic ouster from the job</a>. They argue that Majority Leader Scalise is no better choice, that he should be focusing on his health as he battles cancer and that he is not the leader they will support. No House votes were scheduled.

“We’re going to get this done,” Scalise had said after an earlier closed-door meeting at the Capitol.

Scalise said he took every question thrown his way and pledged during the two-hour session to work through the issues raised. But there is no easy endgame in sight.

“Time is of the essence,” McCarthy said when he arrived at the Capitol Thursday.

Asked if it was still possible for Scalise to find enough support, McCarthy said, “It's possible — it's a big hill, though.”

The House is entering its second week without a speaker and is essentially unable to function, and the political pressure increasingly is on Republicans to reverse course, reassert majority control and govern in Congress.

Action is needed to fund the government or face the threat of a federal shutdown in a month. Lawmakers also want Congress to deliver a strong statement of support for Israel in the war with Hamas, but a bipartisan resolution has been sidelined by the stalemate in the House. The White House is expected to soon ask for money for Israel, Ukraine and the backfill of the U.S. weapons stockpile.

The situation is not fully different from the start of the year, when McCarthy faced a similar backlash from a different group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-republican-lawmakers-house-opponents-33c7d984964916f29d548b5b1dfe508b">far-right holdouts</a>&nbsp;who ultimately gave their votes to elect him speaker, then engineered his historic downfall.

But the math this time is even more daunting. Scalise, who is seen by some colleagues as hero for having survived a 2017 shooting on lawmakers at a congressional baseball game practice, won the closed-door Republican vote 113-99. But McCarthy, R-Calif., noted that Scalise, a longtime rival, had indicated he would have 150 votes behind closed doors, but missed that mark.

Scalise would have needed 217 votes to reach a majority that likely would be needed in a floor battle with Democrats. The chamber is narrowly split 221-212, with two vacancies, meaning Scalise could lose just a few Republicans in the face of opposition from Democrats who will most certainly back their own leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. Absences heading into the weekend could lower the majority threshold needed.

Exasperated Democrats, who have been watching and waiting for the Republican majority to recover from McCarthy’s ouster, urged them to figure it out, warning the world is watching.

“The House Republicans need to end the GOP Civil War, now,” Jeffries said.

“The House Democrats have continued to make clear that we are ready, willing and able to find a bipartisan path forward,” he said, urging that the House reopen and change GOP-led rules that allowed a single lawmaker to put in motion the process to remove the speaker.

As Congress sat idle, the Republicans spent a second day behind closed doors, arguing and airing grievances but failing to follow their own party rules and unite behind the nominee.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said the meetings had been marked by “emotional” objections to voting for Scalise.

“It’s not for your personal grievances, but that’s unfortunately what I keep seeing,” he said.

Some Republicans simply took their Chick-fil-A lunches to go.

Jordan, a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus who was backed by Trump in the speaker’s race, announced he did not plan to continue running for the leadership position.

“We need to come together and support Steve,” Jordan, R-Ohio, told reporters before the closed session.

It was the most vocal endorsement yet from Jordan, who had earlier offered to give his rival a nominating speech on the floor, and privately was telling lawmakers he would vote for Scalise and was encouraging his colleagues to do the same.

But it was not enough to sway the holdouts.

Handfuls of hard-liners announced they were sticking with Jordan, McCarthy or someone other than Scalise.

Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, reaffirmed his support for Trump as speaker; the position does not need to go to a member of Congress.

Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, repeatedly discussed Scalise's health during a radio interview that aired Thursday.

“Well, I like Steve. I like both of them very much. But the problem, you know, Steve is a man that is in serious trouble, from the standpoint of his cancer,” Trump said on Fox News host Brian Kilmeade’s radio show.

Scalise has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-scalise-blood-cancer-house-republican-leader-f98d35f1d09e8c8009e180068b191daa">diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma</a>&nbsp;and is being treated.

“I think it’s going to be very hard, maybe in either case, for somebody to get,” Trump said. "And then you end up in one of these crazy stalemates. It’s a very interesting situation.”

Otherwise, Trump was expected to take a hands-off approach to the internal GOP fight once Scalise, rather than his choice of Jordan, became the nominee, according to one person familiar with Trump’s thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Many Republicans want to prevent the spectacle of a messy House floor fight like the grueling January brawl when McCarthy became speaker.

But others said it was time for Republicans to get out from behind closed doors and vote.

“Stop dragging it out,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on social media. “If Kevin McCarthy had to go 15 rounds then the next Speaker should be able to do the same or more if they have to.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697046038480.png" alt="Scalise told GOP colleagues at a closed-door meeting late Thursday of his decision.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Scalise told GOP colleagues at a closed-door meeting late Thursday of his decision.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Steve Scalise has ended his bid to become House speaker after failing to secure the votes to win the gavel.Scalise told GOP colleagues at a closed-door meeting late Thursday of his decision.Next steps are uncertain as the House is essentially closed while Republicans try to elect a speaker after ousting Kevin McCarthy from the job.“I just shared with my colleagues that I’m withdrawing my name as a candidate for speaker-designee,” Scalise said as he emerged from the closed-door meeting at the Capitol.Scalise, R-La., said the Republican majority “still has to come together and is not there.”He had been working furiously secure the votes after being nominated by a majority of his colleagues, but after hours of private meetings over two days and late into the evening at the Capitol it was clear lawmakers were not budging from their refusal to support him.“There are still some people that have their own agendas,” Scalise said. "And I was very clear, we have to have everybody put their agendas on the side and focus on what this country needs.”Frustrations mounted as the crisis deepened and Republicans lost another day without a House speaker. Scalise was trying to peel off more than 100 votes, mostly from those who backed his chief rival, Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jim-jordan">Jim Jordan</a>, the Judiciary Committee chairman favored by hard-liners, who announced he was no longer in the running and tossed his vote to Scalise.But many hard-liners taking their cues from Donald Trump have dug in for a prolonged fight to replace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-ousted-mccarthy-3fccfca11fe61c36fe399880f2679f12">McCarthy</a>&nbsp;after his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">historic ouster from the job</a>. They argue that Majority Leader Scalise is no better choice, that he should be focusing on his health as he battles cancer and that he is not the leader they will support. No House votes were scheduled.“We’re going to get this done,” Scalise had said after an earlier closed-door meeting at the Capitol.Scalise said he took every question thrown his way and pledged during the two-hour session to work through the issues raised. But there is no easy endgame in sight.“Time is of the essence,” McCarthy said when he arrived at the Capitol Thursday.Asked if it was still possible for Scalise to find enough support, McCarthy said, “It's possible — it's a big hill, though.”The House is entering its second week without a speaker and is essentially unable to function, and the political pressure increasingly is on Republicans to reverse course, reassert majority control and govern in Congress.Action is needed to fund the government or face the threat of a federal shutdown in a month. Lawmakers also want Congress to deliver a strong statement of support for Israel in the war with Hamas, but a bipartisan resolution has been sidelined by the stalemate in the House. The White House is expected to soon ask for money for Israel, Ukraine and the backfill of the U.S. weapons stockpile.The situation is not fully different from the start of the year, when McCarthy faced a similar backlash from a different group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-republican-lawmakers-house-opponents-33c7d984964916f29d548b5b1dfe508b">far-right holdouts</a>&nbsp;who ultimately gave their votes to elect him speaker, then engineered his historic downfall.But the math this time is even more daunting. Scalise, who is seen by some colleagues as hero for having survived a 2017 shooting on lawmakers at a congressional baseball game practice, won the closed-door Republican vote 113-99. But McCarthy, R-Calif., noted that Scalise, a longtime rival, had indicated he would have 150 votes behind closed doors, but missed that mark.Scalise would have needed 217 votes to reach a majority that likely would be needed in a floor battle with Democrats. The chamber is narrowly split 221-212, with two vacancies, meaning Scalise could lose just a few Republicans in the face of opposition from Democrats who will most certainly back their own leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. Absences heading into the weekend could lower the majority threshold needed.Exasperated Democrats, who have been watching and waiting for the Republican majority to recover from McCarthy’s ouster, urged them to figure it out, warning the world is watching.“The House Republicans need to end the GOP Civil War, now,” Jeffries said.“The House Democrats have continued to make clear that we are ready, willing and able to find a bipartisan path forward,” he said, urging that the House reopen and change GOP-led rules that allowed a single lawmaker to put in motion the process to remove the speaker.As Congress sat idle, the Republicans spent a second day behind closed doors, arguing and airing grievances but failing to follow their own party rules and unite behind the nominee.Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said the meetings had been marked by “emotional” objections to voting for Scalise.“It’s not for your personal grievances, but that’s unfortunately what I keep seeing,” he said.Some Republicans simply took their Chick-fil-A lunches to go.Jordan, a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus who was backed by Trump in the speaker’s race, announced he did not plan to continue running for the leadership position.“We need to come together and support Steve,” Jordan, R-Ohio, told reporters before the closed session.It was the most vocal endorsement yet from Jordan, who had earlier offered to give his rival a nominating speech on the floor, and privately was telling lawmakers he would vote for Scalise and was encouraging his colleagues to do the same.But it was not enough to sway the holdouts.Handfuls of hard-liners announced they were sticking with Jordan, McCarthy or someone other than Scalise.Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, reaffirmed his support for Trump as speaker; the position does not need to go to a member of Congress.Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, repeatedly discussed Scalise's health during a radio interview that aired Thursday.“Well, I like Steve. I like both of them very much. But the problem, you know, Steve is a man that is in serious trouble, from the standpoint of his cancer,” Trump said on Fox News host Brian Kilmeade’s radio show.Scalise has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-scalise-blood-cancer-house-republican-leader-f98d35f1d09e8c8009e180068b191daa">diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma</a>&nbsp;and is being treated.“I think it’s going to be very hard, maybe in either case, for somebody to get,” Trump said. "And then you end up in one of these crazy stalemates. It’s a very interesting situation.”Otherwise, Trump was expected to take a hands-off approach to the internal GOP fight once Scalise, rather than his choice of Jordan, became the nominee, according to one person familiar with Trump’s thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity.Many Republicans want to prevent the spectacle of a messy House floor fight like the grueling January brawl when McCarthy became speaker.But others said it was time for Republicans to get out from behind closed doors and vote.“Stop dragging it out,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on social media. “If Kevin McCarthy had to go 15 rounds then the next Speaker should be able to do the same or more if they have to.”___

GOP's Scalise drops out of race for House speaker

RILEY COUNTY–&nbsp; Law enforcement authorities are investigating attempted ATM theft in Riley County and asking the public for help to ID suspects.

The suspects are wanted in connection to an attempted theft and criminal damage to property case at Union State Bank in Randolph, according to the Riley County Police Department.

On Thursday, October 12, around 3:15 AM, surveillance video shows a 2015 Ford F150 enter the drive through at the bank. Two males wearing dark clothes and dark masks exit the truck and attempt to break into the ATM. No money was taken, but damage to the ATM is estimated to be around $15,000.&nbsp;

Just after 4a.m. Thursday, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office said around 4:11 AM, they responded to the 5400 block of Blue River Road for a report of an arson involving a Pottawatomie County Road Department F150 truck believed to be the same truck from the attempted theft. The Sheriff’s Office said in a media release they believe the truck was stolen earlier this morning near Walker and Flush Road in rural St. George.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If you have any information on the identity of those involved, please contact the Riley County Police Department at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777. Crime Stoppers allows you to stay anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000. You can submit tips online here: https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=353#

You can also contact Pottawatomie County Detective Kidd at 785-457-3353, or leave a tip on our crime-stoppers link at www.ptsheriff.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697149750006.png" alt="Photos RCPD" />
 <figcaption>Photos RCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY–&nbsp; Law enforcement authorities are investigating attempted ATM theft in Riley County and asking the public for help to ID suspects.The suspects are wanted in connection to an attempted theft and criminal damage to property case at Union State Bank in Randolph, according to the Riley County Police Department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697149981195.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday, October 12, around 3:15 AM, surveillance video shows a 2015 Ford F150 enter the drive through at the bank. Two males wearing dark clothes and dark masks exit the truck and attempt to break into the ATM. No money was taken, but damage to the ATM is estimated to be around $15,000.&nbsp;Just after 4a.m. Thursday, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office said around 4:11 AM, they responded to the 5400 block of Blue River Road for a report of an arson involving a Pottawatomie County Road Department F150 truck believed to be the same truck from the attempted theft. The Sheriff’s Office said in a media release they believe the truck was stolen earlier this morning near Walker and Flush Road in rural St. George.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you have any information on the identity of those involved, please contact the Riley County Police Department at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777. Crime Stoppers allows you to stay anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000. You can submit tips online here: https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=353#You can also contact Pottawatomie County Detective Kidd at 785-457-3353, or leave a tip on our crime-stoppers link at www.ptsheriff.com

Police ask for help to ID attempted ATM theft suspects

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged school threat and have made an arrest.

Just after 7p.m. Wednesday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office received information regarding a potential threat to the <a href="https://usd437.net/tallgrass">Tallgrass Student</a> Learning Center,&nbsp;5740 SW 61st Street in Topeka. The school is in USD 437 Auburn-Washburn.

A student made threatening comments regarding bringing a firearm to school the next day, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

The Shawnee County Criminal Investigation Division immediately contacted school administrators and the suspect identified as a 14-year-old.

At 10:30p.m., deputies arrested the 14-year-old and booked the teen into the Shawnee County Juvenile Department of Corrections on requested charges of felony criminal threat and felony interference with law enforcement.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged school threat and have made an arrest.Just after 7p.m. Wednesday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office received information regarding a potential threat to the <a href="https://usd437.net/tallgrass">Tallgrass Student</a> Learning Center,&nbsp;5740 SW 61st Street in Topeka. The school is in USD 437 Auburn-Washburn.A student made threatening comments regarding bringing a firearm to school the next day, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.The Shawnee County Criminal Investigation Division immediately contacted school administrators and the suspect identified as a 14-year-old.At 10:30p.m., deputies arrested the 14-year-old and booked the teen into the Shawnee County Juvenile Department of Corrections on requested charges of felony criminal threat and felony interference with law enforcement.

14-year-old accused of threat to bring gun to Kan. school

RUSSELL COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities have identified a Salina man as the victim of a weekend drowning at Wilson Lake, according to a media release from the Russell County Sheriff.

Just after 4p.m. Oct. 8, a woman called Russell County 911 Dispatch to report that a man identified as 58-year-old Michael Wayne Larson had fallen off a boat on the west end of Wilson Lake.&nbsp;

Authorities learned that Larson and a woman had been boating toward the west end of Wilson Lake when he fell out of the boat and possibly struck his head on the boat as he fell, according to the sheriff's office.

 On Thursday morning search crews recovered Larson's body.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks game wardens are assisting with the investigation.

RUSSELL COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities have identified a Salina man as the victim of a weekend drowning at Wilson Lake, according to a media release from the Russell County Sheriff.Just after 4p.m. Oct. 8, a woman called Russell County 911 Dispatch to report that a man identified as 58-year-old Michael Wayne Larson had fallen off a boat on the west end of Wilson Lake.&nbsp;Authorities learned that Larson and a woman had been boating toward the west end of Wilson Lake when he fell out of the boat and possibly struck his head on the boat as he fell, according to the sheriff's office. On Thursday morning search crews recovered Larson's body.The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks game wardens are assisting with the investigation.-----------

Sheriff: Body of drowning victim recovered from Kansas lake 

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit's three automakers have laid off roughly 4,800 workers at factories that are not among the plants that have been hit by the United Auto Workers strikes, which have lasted for nearly four weeks.

The companies say the strikes have nevertheless forced them to impose those layoffs. They note that the job cuts have occurred mainly at factories that make parts for assembly plants that were closed by strikes. In one case, layoffs have been imposed at a factory that uses supplies from a parts factory on strike.

The UAW rejects that argument. It contends that the layoffs are unjustified and were imposed as part of the companies' pressure campaign to persuade UAW members to accept less favorable terms in negotiations with automakers. The factories that have been affected by layoffs are in six states: Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Kansas, Indiana and New York.

Sam Fiorani, an analyst with AutoForecast Solutions, a consulting firm, said he thinks the layoffs reflect a simple reality: The automakers are losing money because of the strikes. By slowing or idling factories that are running below their capacities because of strike-related parts shortages, Fiorani said, the companies can mitigate further losses.

“It doesn’t make sense to keep running at 30% or 40% of capacity when it normally runs at 100%,” he said. “We’re not looking at huge numbers of workers relative to the ones actually being struck. But there is fallout.”

In a statement, Bryce Currie, vice president of Americas manufacturing at Ford, said: “While we are doing what we can to avoid layoffs, we have no choice but to reduce production of parts that would be destined for a plant that is on strike."

UAW President Shawn Fain countered in a statement that the automakers were using layoffs to pressure the union into settling the strike. With billions in profits, Fain argued, the companies don’t have to lay off a single employee.

The UAW began striking against General Motors, Ford and Stellantis on Sept. 15, with one assembly plant from each company. The next week, the union expanded the strike to 38 GM and Stellantis parts warehouses. Assembly plants from Ford and GM were added the week after that.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, the union&nbsp; significantly escalated its walkout by going on strike against the largest and most profitable Ford plant in the world. In a surprise move, 8,700 members left their jobs at Ford's Kentucky truck plant in Louisville.

Striking workers are receiving $500 a week from the union’s strike pay fund. By contrast, anyone who is laid off would qualify for state unemployment aid, which, depending on a variety of circumstances, could be less or more than $500 a week.

“Their plan won’t work,” Fain said. “The UAW will make sure any worker laid off in the Big Three’s latest attack will not go without an income.”

GM said it has laid off 2,330 workers, including 1,600 at a temporarily closed assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas, that makes the Chevrolet Malibu sedan and Cadillac XT4 small SUV. The plant uses metal parts produced at the GM plant in Wentzville, Missouri, which is on strike.

Other GM facilities that have been affected by layoffs are in Lockport, New York; Toledo, Ohio; Marion, Indiana; Parma, Ohio; and Lansing, Michigan.

Ford said it has laid off 1,865 workers. They include 600 auto-body and parts-stamping employees in Wayne, Michigan, who are not on strike but who have been affected by a nearby assembly plant that has been struck. Other Ford locations with layoffs include Chicago; Sterling Heights and Livonia, Michigan; and Cleveland and Lima, Ohio.

Stellantis said late Monday that it had laid off about 640 workers, including 520 at an engine factory complex in Trenton, Michigan, that supplies a Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio, that is on strike. Other locations with layoffs include a metal casting plant in Kokomo, Indiana, and a machining factory in Toledo.

Fiorani said that if the strike widens, more workers will likely be laid off at non-striking plants. Once metal stamping factories that supply multiple assembly plants have produced enough parts for non-striking facilities, the companies would likely shut them down.

“Once you've filled up the stocks for the other plants you supply," he said, “you have to lay off the workers and wait out the strike.”

Separate companies that manufacture parts for the automakers are likely to have laid off workers but might not report them publicly, said Patrick Anderson, CEO of the Anderson Economic Group in Lansing, Michigan.

A survey of parts supply companies by a trade association called MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers found that 30% of members have laid off workers and that more than 60% expect to start layoffs in mid-October.

Fiorani said that while larger parts suppliers can likely withstand the strike, smaller companies that make parts for the bigger companies might not have enough cash or the ability to borrow to outlast the job actions. Some, he said, may have a couple dozen workers “and don't have billions in value to use as collateral in loans,” he said.

Thus far, the union has decided to target a small number of plants from each company rather than have all 146,000 UAW members at the automakers go on strike at the same time.

Last week, the union reported progress in the talks and decided not to add any more plants. This came after GM agreed to bring joint-venture electric vehicle battery factories into the national master contract, almost assuring that the plants will be unionized.

Battery plants are a major point of contention in the negotiations. The UAW wants those plants to be unionized to assure jobs and top wages for workers who will be displaced by the industry's ongoing transition to electric vehicles.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697034163022.png" alt="Auto workers in the picket line in Missouri -photo UAW" />
 <figcaption>Auto workers in the picket line in Missouri -photo UAW</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — Detroit's three automakers have laid off roughly 4,800 workers at factories that are not among the plants that have been hit by the United Auto Workers strikes, which have lasted for nearly four weeks.The companies say the strikes have nevertheless forced them to impose those layoffs. They note that the job cuts have occurred mainly at factories that make parts for assembly plants that were closed by strikes. In one case, layoffs have been imposed at a factory that uses supplies from a parts factory on strike.The UAW rejects that argument. It contends that the layoffs are unjustified and were imposed as part of the companies' pressure campaign to persuade UAW members to accept less favorable terms in negotiations with automakers. The factories that have been affected by layoffs are in six states: Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Kansas, Indiana and New York.Sam Fiorani, an analyst with AutoForecast Solutions, a consulting firm, said he thinks the layoffs reflect a simple reality: The automakers are losing money because of the strikes. By slowing or idling factories that are running below their capacities because of strike-related parts shortages, Fiorani said, the companies can mitigate further losses.“It doesn’t make sense to keep running at 30% or 40% of capacity when it normally runs at 100%,” he said. “We’re not looking at huge numbers of workers relative to the ones actually being struck. But there is fallout.”In a statement, Bryce Currie, vice president of Americas manufacturing at Ford, said: “While we are doing what we can to avoid layoffs, we have no choice but to reduce production of parts that would be destined for a plant that is on strike."UAW President Shawn Fain countered in a statement that the automakers were using layoffs to pressure the union into settling the strike. With billions in profits, Fain argued, the companies don’t have to lay off a single employee.The UAW began striking against General Motors, Ford and Stellantis on Sept. 15, with one assembly plant from each company. The next week, the union expanded the strike to 38 GM and Stellantis parts warehouses. Assembly plants from Ford and GM were added the week after that.&nbsp;On Wednesday, the union&nbsp; significantly escalated its walkout by going on strike against the largest and most profitable Ford plant in the world. In a surprise move, 8,700 members left their jobs at Ford's Kentucky truck plant in Louisville.Striking workers are receiving $500 a week from the union’s strike pay fund. By contrast, anyone who is laid off would qualify for state unemployment aid, which, depending on a variety of circumstances, could be less or more than $500 a week.“Their plan won’t work,” Fain said. “The UAW will make sure any worker laid off in the Big Three’s latest attack will not go without an income.”GM said it has laid off 2,330 workers, including 1,600 at a temporarily closed assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas, that makes the Chevrolet Malibu sedan and Cadillac XT4 small SUV. The plant uses metal parts produced at the GM plant in Wentzville, Missouri, which is on strike.Other GM facilities that have been affected by layoffs are in Lockport, New York; Toledo, Ohio; Marion, Indiana; Parma, Ohio; and Lansing, Michigan.Ford said it has laid off 1,865 workers. They include 600 auto-body and parts-stamping employees in Wayne, Michigan, who are not on strike but who have been affected by a nearby assembly plant that has been struck. Other Ford locations with layoffs include Chicago; Sterling Heights and Livonia, Michigan; and Cleveland and Lima, Ohio.Stellantis said late Monday that it had laid off about 640 workers, including 520 at an engine factory complex in Trenton, Michigan, that supplies a Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio, that is on strike. Other locations with layoffs include a metal casting plant in Kokomo, Indiana, and a machining factory in Toledo.Fiorani said that if the strike widens, more workers will likely be laid off at non-striking plants. Once metal stamping factories that supply multiple assembly plants have produced enough parts for non-striking facilities, the companies would likely shut them down.“Once you've filled up the stocks for the other plants you supply," he said, “you have to lay off the workers and wait out the strike.”Separate companies that manufacture parts for the automakers are likely to have laid off workers but might not report them publicly, said Patrick Anderson, CEO of the Anderson Economic Group in Lansing, Michigan.A survey of parts supply companies by a trade association called MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers found that 30% of members have laid off workers and that more than 60% expect to start layoffs in mid-October.Fiorani said that while larger parts suppliers can likely withstand the strike, smaller companies that make parts for the bigger companies might not have enough cash or the ability to borrow to outlast the job actions. Some, he said, may have a couple dozen workers “and don't have billions in value to use as collateral in loans,” he said.Thus far, the union has decided to target a small number of plants from each company rather than have all 146,000 UAW members at the automakers go on strike at the same time.Last week, the union reported progress in the talks and decided not to add any more plants. This came after GM agreed to bring joint-venture electric vehicle battery factories into the national master contract, almost assuring that the plants will be unionized.Battery plants are a major point of contention in the negotiations. The UAW wants those plants to be unionized to assure jobs and top wages for workers who will be displaced by the industry's ongoing transition to electric vehicles.

Automakers and union spar over layoffs in Kan., 5 other states

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A youth football coach in St. Louis has been hospitalized in critical but stable condition after being shot at practice, allegedly by a father who was upset about his son’s playing time, authorities said.

Shaquille Latimore, 30, was shot multiple times Tuesday evening at Sherman Park. Daryl Clemmons, 43, later turned himself in, police said. He was charged Wednesday with first-degree assault and armed criminal action.

Clemmons does not yet have an attorney who could speak on his behalf, according to Missouri’s online court-reporting system. A call to a phone number listed for him went unanswered. He remains jailed without bond.

Relatives told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-courts/football-coach-recovering-after-being-shot-four-times-by-players-parent-at-st-louis-park/article_087cd1cc-6906-11ee-a092-6f5e1c6d1cab.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>&nbsp;that Shaquille Latimore has undergone surgery and is in good spirits.

Shaquille Latimore coaches a little league football team made up primarily of 7- and 8-year-olds, his mother, SeMiko Latimore, told the newspaper.

Shaquille Latimore told police that Clemmons was “upset with him for not starting his son," according to a probable cause statement provided Thursday by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office.

SeMiko Latimore called the shooting “senseless.”

“We’re supposed to be bringing these kids off the streets and teaching them what to do, what not to do. We’ve got all these kids traumatized because their coach was shot in front of them," she said. “He could have easily hit one of those children.”

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis is partnering with the city to offer counseling to the players and others who witnessed the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697123209562.png" alt="Clemmons-photo&nbsp; St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department" />
 <figcaption>Clemmons-photo&nbsp; St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS (AP) — A youth football coach in St. Louis has been hospitalized in critical but stable condition after being shot at practice, allegedly by a father who was upset about his son’s playing time, authorities said.Shaquille Latimore, 30, was shot multiple times Tuesday evening at Sherman Park. Daryl Clemmons, 43, later turned himself in, police said. He was charged Wednesday with first-degree assault and armed criminal action.Clemmons does not yet have an attorney who could speak on his behalf, according to Missouri’s online court-reporting system. A call to a phone number listed for him went unanswered. He remains jailed without bond.Relatives told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-courts/football-coach-recovering-after-being-shot-four-times-by-players-parent-at-st-louis-park/article_087cd1cc-6906-11ee-a092-6f5e1c6d1cab.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>&nbsp;that Shaquille Latimore has undergone surgery and is in good spirits.Shaquille Latimore coaches a little league football team made up primarily of 7- and 8-year-olds, his mother, SeMiko Latimore, told the newspaper.Shaquille Latimore told police that Clemmons was “upset with him for not starting his son," according to a probable cause statement provided Thursday by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office.SeMiko Latimore called the shooting “senseless.”“We’re supposed to be bringing these kids off the streets and teaching them what to do, what not to do. We’ve got all these kids traumatized because their coach was shot in front of them," she said. “He could have easily hit one of those children.”The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis is partnering with the city to offer counseling to the players and others who witnessed the shooting.--------------

Father shoots Mo. youth football coach over his son's playing time

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Republican attorney general asked the state's highest court to reward the GOP-controlled Legislature for following through on a decade's worth of court-mandated education funding increases by making it harder for local school districts to force higher spending in the future.

Attorney General Kris Kobach's office wants the Kansas Supreme Court to close a lawsuit that four school districts filed against the state in 2010. The request was filed Wednesday by Tony Powell, a former state Court of Appeals judge who now serves as Kobach's solicitor general.

The state Supreme Court issued seven rulings from 2013 through 2019 requiring the Legislature to increase funding for public schools and to make its formula for distributing its funds fairer to poorer areas of the state. The justices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16d63062f0a645f6a9231e22b623e9fb">said in 2019</a>&nbsp;that the Legislature had complied with their directives, but they kept the case open to ensure that lawmakers fulfilled their promises.

The state expects to provide $4.9 billion in aid to its 286 local school districts during the current school year, which would be about 39% more than the $3.5 billion it provided for the 2013-14 school year. Powell noted that the court approved a plan four years ago to phase in a series of funding increases through the previous school year and wrote that “all funding has been phased in successfully.”

Kansas has been in and out of school funding lawsuits for several decades, with lawmakers promising increases in spending and then backing off when the economy soured and state revenues became tight.

With the lawsuit still open and in the state Supreme Court's hands, the school districts can go directly to the justices each year if they don't believe lawmakers have provided enough money. If the case were closed, districts would have to file a new lawsuit in district court that likely would take several years to reach the state Supreme Court.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly opposes Kobach's request. Spokesperson Brianna Johnson described it as an “attempt to allow the Legislature to remove funding from our public schools.” She also noted that it came the same week that state education officials reported improvements in scores on standardized exams, including the best math scores since 2017.

She said, "It makes no sense to undo all the progress.”

<a href="https://kslib.info/832/Article-6-Education">The state constitution</a>&nbsp;says lawmakers “shall make suitable provision for finance” of the state’s “educational interests.” The state Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly that the language requires legislators to provide enough money and distribute it fairly enough to finance a suitable education for every child.

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Republican attorney general asked the state's highest court to reward the GOP-controlled Legislature for following through on a decade's worth of court-mandated education funding increases by making it harder for local school districts to force higher spending in the future.Attorney General Kris Kobach's office wants the Kansas Supreme Court to close a lawsuit that four school districts filed against the state in 2010. The request was filed Wednesday by Tony Powell, a former state Court of Appeals judge who now serves as Kobach's solicitor general.The state Supreme Court issued seven rulings from 2013 through 2019 requiring the Legislature to increase funding for public schools and to make its formula for distributing its funds fairer to poorer areas of the state. The justices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16d63062f0a645f6a9231e22b623e9fb">said in 2019</a>&nbsp;that the Legislature had complied with their directives, but they kept the case open to ensure that lawmakers fulfilled their promises.The state expects to provide $4.9 billion in aid to its 286 local school districts during the current school year, which would be about 39% more than the $3.5 billion it provided for the 2013-14 school year. Powell noted that the court approved a plan four years ago to phase in a series of funding increases through the previous school year and wrote that “all funding has been phased in successfully.”Kansas has been in and out of school funding lawsuits for several decades, with lawmakers promising increases in spending and then backing off when the economy soured and state revenues became tight.With the lawsuit still open and in the state Supreme Court's hands, the school districts can go directly to the justices each year if they don't believe lawmakers have provided enough money. If the case were closed, districts would have to file a new lawsuit in district court that likely would take several years to reach the state Supreme Court.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly opposes Kobach's request. Spokesperson Brianna Johnson described it as an “attempt to allow the Legislature to remove funding from our public schools.” She also noted that it came the same week that state education officials reported improvements in scores on standardized exams, including the best math scores since 2017.She said, "It makes no sense to undo all the progress.”<a href="https://kslib.info/832/Article-6-Education">The state constitution</a>&nbsp;says lawmakers “shall make suitable provision for finance” of the state’s “educational interests.” The state Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly that the language requires legislators to provide enough money and distribute it fairly enough to finance a suitable education for every child.

With funding for schools higher, Kan. AG wants to close their lawsuit

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-does-social-security-work-91e2d237d93e2ac7d2775e8b19d2a7a1">Social Security recipients</a>&nbsp;will get a 3.2% increase in their benefits in 2024, far less than this year's historic boost and reflecting moderating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-8ab5c75e191a31942f2fcf1eeb8fa44c">consumer prices</a>.

The cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, means the average recipient will receive more than $50 more every month beginning in January, the Social Security Administration said Thursday. The AARP estimated that increase at $59 per month.

“This will help millions of people keep up with expenses,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Social Security’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-b31675f4c5c286d08bc52466a2fc0165">acting commissioner</a>.

About 71 million people — including retirees, disabled people and children — receive Social Security benefits.

Thursday's announcement follows this year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-cola-increase-8778d4aa9da4102edc79762ea622196f">8.7% benefit increase</a>, brought on by record&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/inflation">40-year-high inflation</a>, which pushed up the price of consumer goods. With inflation easing, the next annual increase is markedly smaller.

Still, senior advocates applauded the annual adjustment.

“Retirees can rest a little easier at night knowing they will soon receive an increase in their Social Security checks to help them keep up with rising prices,” AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins said. “We know older Americans are still feeling the sting when they buy groceries and gas, making every dollar important."

Social Security is financed by payroll taxes collected from workers and their employers. The maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes will be $168,600 for 2024, up from $160,200 for 2023.

Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, an advocacy group for the social insurance program, said that the COLA is a “reminder of Social Security’s unique importance" and that “Congress should pass legislation to protect and expand benefits.”

But the program faces a severe financial shortfall in coming years.

The annual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicare-social-security-finances-shortfall-debt-biden-b1f45ba6dd6fdef18e741e308d8ecf12">Social Security and Medicare trustees report</a>&nbsp;released in March said the program’s trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2033. If the trust fund is depleted, the government will be able to pay only 77% of scheduled benefits,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/oact/TRSUM/">the report</a>&nbsp;said.

There have been legislative proposals to shore up Social Security, but they have not made it past committee hearings.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-medicare-cuts-ap-poll-biden-9e7395e8efeab68063d741beac6ef24b">A March poll</a>&nbsp;by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that most U.S. adults are opposed to proposals that would cut into Medicare or Social Security benefits, and 79% of people polled said they oppose reducing the size of Social Security benefits.

The COLA is calculated according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index, or CPI. But there are calls for the agency to instead use a different index, the CPI-E, which measures price changes based on the spending patterns of the elderly, like health care, food and medicine costs.

Any change to the calculation would require congressional approval. But with decades of inaction on Social Security and with the House at a standstill after the ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., seniors and their advocates say they don’t have confidence any sort of change will be approved soon.

The cost of living adjustments have a big impact for people like Alfred Mason, an 83-year-old Louisiana resident. Mason said that “any increase is welcomed, because it sustains us for what we are going through.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-does-social-security-work-91e2d237d93e2ac7d2775e8b19d2a7a1">Social Security recipients</a>&nbsp;will get a 3.2% increase in their benefits in 2024, far less than this year's historic boost and reflecting moderating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-8ab5c75e191a31942f2fcf1eeb8fa44c">consumer prices</a>.The cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, means the average recipient will receive more than $50 more every month beginning in January, the Social Security Administration said Thursday. The AARP estimated that increase at $59 per month.“This will help millions of people keep up with expenses,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Social Security’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-b31675f4c5c286d08bc52466a2fc0165">acting commissioner</a>.About 71 million people — including retirees, disabled people and children — receive Social Security benefits.Thursday's announcement follows this year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-cola-increase-8778d4aa9da4102edc79762ea622196f">8.7% benefit increase</a>, brought on by record&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/inflation">40-year-high inflation</a>, which pushed up the price of consumer goods. With inflation easing, the next annual increase is markedly smaller.Still, senior advocates applauded the annual adjustment.“Retirees can rest a little easier at night knowing they will soon receive an increase in their Social Security checks to help them keep up with rising prices,” AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins said. “We know older Americans are still feeling the sting when they buy groceries and gas, making every dollar important."Social Security is financed by payroll taxes collected from workers and their employers. The maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes will be $168,600 for 2024, up from $160,200 for 2023.Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, an advocacy group for the social insurance program, said that the COLA is a “reminder of Social Security’s unique importance" and that “Congress should pass legislation to protect and expand benefits.”But the program faces a severe financial shortfall in coming years.The annual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicare-social-security-finances-shortfall-debt-biden-b1f45ba6dd6fdef18e741e308d8ecf12">Social Security and Medicare trustees report</a>&nbsp;released in March said the program’s trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2033. If the trust fund is depleted, the government will be able to pay only 77% of scheduled benefits,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/oact/TRSUM/">the report</a>&nbsp;said.There have been legislative proposals to shore up Social Security, but they have not made it past committee hearings.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-medicare-cuts-ap-poll-biden-9e7395e8efeab68063d741beac6ef24b">A March poll</a>&nbsp;by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that most U.S. adults are opposed to proposals that would cut into Medicare or Social Security benefits, and 79% of people polled said they oppose reducing the size of Social Security benefits.The COLA is calculated according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index, or CPI. But there are calls for the agency to instead use a different index, the CPI-E, which measures price changes based on the spending patterns of the elderly, like health care, food and medicine costs.Any change to the calculation would require congressional approval. But with decades of inaction on Social Security and with the House at a standstill after the ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., seniors and their advocates say they don’t have confidence any sort of change will be approved soon.The cost of living adjustments have a big impact for people like Alfred Mason, an 83-year-old Louisiana resident. Mason said that “any increase is welcomed, because it sustains us for what we are going through.”