JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer shooting during a standoff in Johnson County.

&nbsp;Just after 2 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to the 6100 block of Marty reference a physical altercation, according to a media release.

 Officers determined the altercation between man and woman acquaintances resulted in serious bodily harm to a woman.

 The victim was able to exit the apartment, called 911 and informed police the man was armed. EMS transported her a local hospital with serious non-life-threatening injuries.

Officers formed a perimeter outside the apartment.  At one point, the suspect exited the apartment building, and when ordered to stop, he reached into his waistband and displayed what appeared to be a firearm. 

 An officer fired one round at the suspect, who retreated into the apartment building through a second door. 

 After several hours of negotiations, the suspect exited the apartment and was taken into custody without incident.  The suspect was uninjured. A firearm was recovered on the premises. Police have not released the suspect's name or possible charges.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer shooting during a standoff in Johnson County.&nbsp;Just after 2 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to the 6100 block of Marty reference a physical altercation, according to a media release. Officers determined the altercation between man and woman acquaintances resulted in serious bodily harm to a woman. The victim was able to exit the apartment, called 911 and informed police the man was armed. EMS transported her a local hospital with serious non-life-threatening injuries.Officers formed a perimeter outside the apartment. At one point, the suspect exited the apartment building, and when ordered to stop, he reached into his waistband and displayed what appeared to be a firearm. An officer fired one round at the suspect, who retreated into the apartment building through a second door. After several hours of negotiations, the suspect exited the apartment and was taken into custody without incident. The suspect was uninjured. A firearm was recovered on the premises. Police have not released the suspect's name or possible charges.

Kan. officer fired shot after assault suspect reached for a gun

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are working to identify a suspect who robbed a bank in Springfield, Missouri on Sept. 29.

Just before 1p.m. the suspect entered the Legacyi Bank and Trust, 4108 South Nation Avenue, approached a teller and presented a demand note, according to the FBI in Kansas City.

The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5-foot-10 and weighing 300 pounds. He was wearing a blue Superman t-shirt and blue shorts. He fled the bank on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. He did not display a weapon.

Call 816-512-8200 or local law enforcement if you have any inforomation on the suspect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696370723850.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are working to identify a suspect who robbed a bank in Springfield, Missouri on Sept. 29.Just before 1p.m. the suspect entered the Legacyi Bank and Trust, 4108 South Nation Avenue, approached a teller and presented a demand note, according to the FBI in Kansas City.The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5-foot-10 and weighing 300 pounds. He was wearing a blue Superman t-shirt and blue shorts. He fled the bank on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. He did not display a weapon.Call 816-512-8200 or local law enforcement if you have any inforomation on the suspect.

FBI: Bank robbery suspect wore a Superman t-shirt

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Some 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers walked off the job Wednesday in multiple states, kicking off a major health care strike in an extraordinary year for U.S. labor organizing and work stoppages.

Kaiser Permanente is one of the country’s larger insurers and health care system operators, serving nearly 13 million people. The nonprofit company, based in Oakland, California, said its 39 hospitals, including emergency rooms, will remain open during the picketing, though appointments and non-urgent procedures could be delayed.

The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, representing about 85,000 of the health system's employees nationally, approved a strike for three days in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, and for one day in Virginia and Washington, D.C.

“They’re not listening to the frontline health care workers,” said Mikki Fletchall, a licensed vocational nurse based in a Kaiser medical office in Camarillo, California. “We’re striking because of our patients.”

Early Wednesday, workers at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center cheered as the strike deadline arrived. The strikers include licensed vocational nurses, home health aides and ultrasound sonographers, as well as technicians in the radiology, X-ray, surgical, pharmacy and emergency departments.

Brittany Everidge, a ward clerk transcriber in the medical center's maternal child health department, was among those on the picket line. She said because of staffing shortages, pregnant people in active labor can be stuck waiting for hours to be checked in. Other times, too few transcribers can lead to delays in creating and updating charts for new babies.

“We don’t ever want to be in a situation where the nurses have to do our job," she said.

Doctors are not participating in the strike, and Kaiser said it was bringing in thousands of temporary workers.

The strike comes in a year when there have been work stoppages within multiple industries, including,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ups-strike-union-contract-negotiations-deadline-7be8c3d04e043d6b653f563075a6a39f">transportation</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-deal-hollywood-vote-actors-d3119d670a4fd3449773bf8f4026fb2b">entertainment</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-hotel-workers-strike-unite-here-0858937937766b75a1bfd10e9e41525f">hospitality</a>.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-new-york-city-nursing-care-strikes-covid-4c1c337dbd9727118be6975cf868a626">health care</a>&nbsp;industry alone has been hit by several strikes this year as it confronts burnout from heavy workloads — problems that were exacerbated greatly by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unions representing Kaiser workers in August asked for a $25 hourly minimum wage, as well as increases of 7% each year in the first two years and 6.25% each year in the two years afterward.

Union members say understaffing is boosting the hospital system’s profits but hurting patients, and executives have been bargaining in bad faith during negotiations.

Tonya Harris, who was on the picket line in Irvine, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Los Angeles in Orange County, said medical assistants like her are often asked to double up with doctors – each of whom has up to 20 patients – instead of working one-to-one.

“You’re running around and you’re trying to basically keep up with the flow,” she said, wearing her strike captain vest over her scrubs.

The single mother with two kids going into college said she also can’t afford to live in Orange County on her current pay.

Kaiser has proposed minimum hourly wages of between $21 and $23 next year depending on the location.

Since 2022, the hospital system has hired 51,000 workers and has plans to add 10,000 more people by the end of the month.

Kaiser Permanente reported $2.1 billion in net income for this year’s second quarter on more than $25 billion in operating revenue. But the company said it still was dealing with cost headwinds and challenges from inflation and labor shortages.

Kaiser executive Michelle Gaskill-Hames defended the company and said its practices, compensation and retention are better than its competitors, even as the entire sector faces the same challenges.

“Our focus, for the dollars that we bring in, are to keep them invested in value-based care,” said Gaskill-Hames, president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals of Southern California and Hawaii.

She added that Kaiser only faces 7% turnover compared to the industry standard of 21%, despite the effects of the pandemic.

“I think coming out of the pandemic, health care workers have been completely burned out," she said. "The trauma that was felt caring for so many COVID patients, and patients that died, was just difficult.”

The workers’ last contract was negotiated in 2019, before the pandemic.

Hospitals generally have struggled in recent years with high labor costs, staffing shortages and rising levels of uncompensated care, according to Rick Gundling, a senior vice president with the Healthcare Financial Management Association, a nonprofit that works with health care finance executives.

Most of their revenue is fixed, coming from government-funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid, Gundling noted. He said that means revenue growth is “only possible by increasing volumes, which is difficult even under the best of circumstances.”

Meanwhile, workers calling for higher wages, better working conditions and job security, especially since the end of the pandemic, have been increasingly willing to walk out on the job as employers face a greater need for workers.

The California legislature has sent Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom a bill that would increase the minimum wage for the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fast-food-health-care-workers-wage-increase-3c1e3b2815523816b5e5d1ffc535aaad">455,000 health care workers to $25 per hour</a>&nbsp;over the next decade. The governor has until Oct. 14 to decide whether to sign or veto it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696442008096.png" alt="photo courtesy SEIU" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy SEIU</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Some 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers walked off the job Wednesday in multiple states, kicking off a major health care strike in an extraordinary year for U.S. labor organizing and work stoppages.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">To all healthcare workers on ULP strike to demand Kaiser bargain in good faith: we have your backs! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SolidaritySeason?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SolidaritySeason</a> ✊ <a href="https://t.co/seL2vCsehE">pic.twitter.com/seL2vCsehE</a>&mdash; Mary Kay Henry (@MaryKayHenry) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryKayHenry/status/1709556729191731327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kaiser Permanente is one of the country’s larger insurers and health care system operators, serving nearly 13 million people. The nonprofit company, based in Oakland, California, said its 39 hospitals, including emergency rooms, will remain open during the picketing, though appointments and non-urgent procedures could be delayed.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“Today, we stand in solidarity with the 75,000 members of our union family who are on strike at Kaiser. Whether you work in a hospital, or behind a desk, or on an assembly line, your fight is our fight. We all deserve dignity on and off the job. We all deserve a future for our… <a href="https://t.co/Fd5MiLzNBN">pic.twitter.com/Fd5MiLzNBN</a>&mdash; UAW (@UAW) <a href="https://twitter.com/UAW/status/1709620453365465594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, representing about 85,000 of the health system's employees nationally, approved a strike for three days in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, and for one day in Virginia and Washington, D.C.“They’re not listening to the frontline health care workers,” said Mikki Fletchall, a licensed vocational nurse based in a Kaiser medical office in Camarillo, California. “We’re striking because of our patients.”Early Wednesday, workers at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center cheered as the strike deadline arrived. The strikers include licensed vocational nurses, home health aides and ultrasound sonographers, as well as technicians in the radiology, X-ray, surgical, pharmacy and emergency departments.Brittany Everidge, a ward clerk transcriber in the medical center's maternal child health department, was among those on the picket line. She said because of staffing shortages, pregnant people in active labor can be stuck waiting for hours to be checked in. Other times, too few transcribers can lead to delays in creating and updating charts for new babies.“We don’t ever want to be in a situation where the nurses have to do our job," she said.Doctors are not participating in the strike, and Kaiser said it was bringing in thousands of temporary workers.The strike comes in a year when there have been work stoppages within multiple industries, including,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ups-strike-union-contract-negotiations-deadline-7be8c3d04e043d6b653f563075a6a39f">transportation</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-deal-hollywood-vote-actors-d3119d670a4fd3449773bf8f4026fb2b">entertainment</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-hotel-workers-strike-unite-here-0858937937766b75a1bfd10e9e41525f">hospitality</a>.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-new-york-city-nursing-care-strikes-covid-4c1c337dbd9727118be6975cf868a626">health care</a>&nbsp;industry alone has been hit by several strikes this year as it confronts burnout from heavy workloads — problems that were exacerbated greatly by the COVID-19 pandemic.Unions representing Kaiser workers in August asked for a $25 hourly minimum wage, as well as increases of 7% each year in the first two years and 6.25% each year in the two years afterward.Union members say understaffing is boosting the hospital system’s profits but hurting patients, and executives have been bargaining in bad faith during negotiations.Tonya Harris, who was on the picket line in Irvine, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Los Angeles in Orange County, said medical assistants like her are often asked to double up with doctors – each of whom has up to 20 patients – instead of working one-to-one.“You’re running around and you’re trying to basically keep up with the flow,” she said, wearing her strike captain vest over her scrubs.The single mother with two kids going into college said she also can’t afford to live in Orange County on her current pay.Kaiser has proposed minimum hourly wages of between $21 and $23 next year depending on the location.Since 2022, the hospital system has hired 51,000 workers and has plans to add 10,000 more people by the end of the month.Kaiser Permanente reported $2.1 billion in net income for this year’s second quarter on more than $25 billion in operating revenue. But the company said it still was dealing with cost headwinds and challenges from inflation and labor shortages.Kaiser executive Michelle Gaskill-Hames defended the company and said its practices, compensation and retention are better than its competitors, even as the entire sector faces the same challenges.“Our focus, for the dollars that we bring in, are to keep them invested in value-based care,” said Gaskill-Hames, president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals of Southern California and Hawaii.She added that Kaiser only faces 7% turnover compared to the industry standard of 21%, despite the effects of the pandemic.“I think coming out of the pandemic, health care workers have been completely burned out," she said. "The trauma that was felt caring for so many COVID patients, and patients that died, was just difficult.”The workers’ last contract was negotiated in 2019, before the pandemic.Hospitals generally have struggled in recent years with high labor costs, staffing shortages and rising levels of uncompensated care, according to Rick Gundling, a senior vice president with the Healthcare Financial Management Association, a nonprofit that works with health care finance executives.Most of their revenue is fixed, coming from government-funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid, Gundling noted. He said that means revenue growth is “only possible by increasing volumes, which is difficult even under the best of circumstances.”Meanwhile, workers calling for higher wages, better working conditions and job security, especially since the end of the pandemic, have been increasingly willing to walk out on the job as employers face a greater need for workers.The California legislature has sent Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom a bill that would increase the minimum wage for the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fast-food-health-care-workers-wage-increase-3c1e3b2815523816b5e5d1ffc535aaad">455,000 health care workers to $25 per hour</a>&nbsp;over the next decade. The governor has until Oct. 14 to decide whether to sign or veto it.___

🎥US health care workers on strike in multiple states over wages, staff shortages

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the brutal death of a child have identified the victim as 5-year-old Zoey Felix of Topeka, according to a statement of Topeka Police.

Just before 6 p.m. Monday, police responded to a medical call at the Dillon’s fuel pumps located at 2010 SE 29th Street in Topeka.

Upon arrival, police found Topeka Fire Department crews working to save the girl.&nbsp; She was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was later pronounced deceased.

Investigators determined that circumstances around the death were suspicious and quickly identified a suspect and arrested 25-year-old Mickel W. Cherry, 25, Topeka, who is known to the victim.

Mickel is being held on requested charges of Murder in the 1st degree; In the commission of a felony, and rape; offender is 18 or older and victim is under the age of 14.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not released details on the girl's cause of death or how the suspect knew her.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696342029742.png" alt="Cherry-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Cherry-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the brutal death of a child have identified the victim as 5-year-old Zoey Felix of Topeka, according to a statement of Topeka Police.Just before 6 p.m. Monday, police responded to a medical call at the Dillon’s fuel pumps located at 2010 SE 29th Street in Topeka.Upon arrival, police found Topeka Fire Department crews working to save the girl.&nbsp; She was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was later pronounced deceased.Investigators determined that circumstances around the death were suspicious and quickly identified a suspect and arrested 25-year-old Mickel W. Cherry, 25, Topeka, who is known to the victim.Mickel is being held on requested charges of Murder in the 1st degree; In the commission of a felony, and rape; offender is 18 or older and victim is under the age of 14.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not released details on the girl's cause of death or how the suspect knew her.

Police ID 5-year-old Kan. girl who died in alleged violent assault

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 2a.m. September 30, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a black 2009 Mercury Milan without an operable tag lamp and with an obscured license plate in the 3800 block of NE Seward Avenue, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, illegal narcotics and open containers of alcohol were located. The driver, Jessica D. Orange, 42, of Topeka, was arrested, booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of a stimulant, possession of drug paraphernalia, aggravated endangering a child, driving under the influence while child present, driving while license revoked, transporting an open container of liquor, license plate cover clear or opaque and defective tag lamps.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696272865938.png" alt="Orange-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Orange-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 2a.m. September 30, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a black 2009 Mercury Milan without an operable tag lamp and with an obscured license plate in the 3800 block of NE Seward Avenue, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, illegal narcotics and open containers of alcohol were located. The driver, Jessica D. Orange, 42, of Topeka, was arrested, booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of a stimulant, possession of drug paraphernalia, aggravated endangering a child, driving under the influence while child present, driving while license revoked, transporting an open container of liquor, license plate cover clear or opaque and defective tag lamps.

Kansas woman caught driving with drugs, kids in the car

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue&nbsp; investigating a suspect in connection with Sept. 24,&nbsp; hit-and-run accident that left a bicyclist in critical condition.

Montez Glasgow, 30, Wichita, is charged with leaving the scene of an accident, no valid driver’s license and fail to yield right of way on a left turn.  The license crime is a misdemeanor, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just before 7p.m. Sept. 24, police were dispatched to a hit-and-run involving a car and a bicyclist at the intersection of McCormick and Meridian, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

First responders located the bicyclist lying on the street with critical injuries. EMS transported the bicyclist to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries. Police had no update on the victim Monday.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect later identified as 30-year-old&nbsp; Montrez Glasgow was driving west on McCormick and turned south onto Meridian striking the bicyclist.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=260277"> Glasgow </a>left the scene prior to the officer’s arrival.

While officers and detectives were on the scene investigating, Glasgow returned and was arrested. He is no longer in custody but is scheduled for a preliminary hearing&nbsp; October 10, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695671550419.png" alt="Glasgow-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Glasgow-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue&nbsp; investigating a suspect in connection with Sept. 24,&nbsp; hit-and-run accident that left a bicyclist in critical condition.Montez Glasgow, 30, Wichita, is charged with leaving the scene of an accident, no valid driver’s license and fail to yield right of way on a left turn. The license crime is a misdemeanor, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just before 7p.m. Sept. 24, police were dispatched to a hit-and-run involving a car and a bicyclist at the intersection of McCormick and Meridian, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695724649977.png" alt="Police on the scene of the crash -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the crash -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located the bicyclist lying on the street with critical injuries. EMS transported the bicyclist to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries. Police had no update on the victim Monday.Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect later identified as 30-year-old&nbsp; Montrez Glasgow was driving west on McCormick and turned south onto Meridian striking the bicyclist.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=260277"> Glasgow </a>left the scene prior to the officer’s arrival.While officers and detectives were on the scene investigating, Glasgow returned and was arrested. He is no longer in custody but is scheduled for a preliminary hearing&nbsp; October 10, according to the district attorney's office.

Police: Kan. driver who struck bicyclist did not have driver's license

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Kevin McCarthy was voted out of the job Tuesday in an extraordinary showdown, a first in U.S. history, The 216-210 vote, forced by a contingent of hard-right conservatives, throws the House and its Republican leadership into chaos.

Missouri Republican members of the House all voted against the resolution to oust McCarthy. Missouri 5th District representative Emmanuel Cleaver, a democrat, voted for the motion.&nbsp;First District Rep. Cori Bush did not cast a vote.

Kansas Republican members of the House all voted against the resolution to oust McCarthy. Kansas 3rd District representative Sharice Davids, a democrat, voted for the motion.&nbsp;

McCarthy’s chief rival, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, forced the vote on the “motion to vacate,” drawing together more than a handful of conservative Republican critics of the speaker and many Democrats who say he is unworthy of leadership.

Next steps are uncertain, but there is no obvious successor to lead the House Republican majority.

Stillness fell as the presiding officer gaveled the vote closed, 216-210, saying the office of the speaker "is hereby declared vacant.”

Moments later, a top McCarthy ally, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., took the gavel and, according to House rules, was named speaker pro tempore, to serve in the office until a new speaker is chosen.

The House then briskly recessed so lawmakers could meet and discuss the path forward.

It was a stunning moment for the battle-tested McCarthy, a punishment fueled by growing grievances but sparked by his weekend decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8">to work with Democrats to keep the federal government open</a>&nbsp;rather than risk a shutdown.

An earlier vote was 218-208 against tabling the motion, with 11 Republicans allowing it to advance.

The House then opened a floor debate, unseen in modern times, ahead of the next round of voting.

McCarthy, of California, insisted he would not cut a deal with Democrats to remain in power — not that he could have relied on their help even if he had asked.

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a letter to colleagues that he wants to work with Republicans, but he was unwilling to provide the votes needed to save McCarthy.

“It is now the responsibility of the GOP members to end the House Republican Civil War,” Jeffries said, announcing the Democratic leadership would vote for the motion to oust the speaker.

As the House fell silent, Gaetz, a top ally of Donald Trump, rose to offer his motion. Gaetz is a leader of the hard-right Republicans who fought in January against McCarthy in his prolonged battle to gain the gavel.

“It's a sad day,” Republican Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma said as debate got underway, urging his colleagues not to plunge the House Republican majority "into chaos."

But Gaetz shot back during the debate, "Chaos is Speaker McCarthy."

McCarthy's fate was deeply uncertain as the fiery debate unfolded, with much of the complaints against the speaker revolving around his truthfulness and his ability to keep the promises he has made since January to win the gavel.

But a long line of McCarthy supporters, including Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a founding leader of the conservative Freedom Caucus, stood up for him: “I think he has kept his word.” And some did so passionately. Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., waved his cellphone, saying it was “disgusting” that hard-right colleagues were fundraising off the move in text messages seeking donations.

At the Capitol, both Republicans and Democrats met privately ahead of the historic afternoon vote.

Behind closed doors, McCarthy told fellow Republicans: Let’s get on with it.

“If I counted how many times someone wanted to knock me out, I would have been gone a long time ago,” McCarthy said at the Capitol after the morning meeting.

McCarthy insisted he had not reached across the aisle to the Democratic leader Jeffries for help with votes to stay in the job, nor had they demanded anything in return.

During the hourlong meeting in the Capitol basement, McCarthy invoked Republican Speaker Joseph Cannon, who more than 100 years ago confronted his critics head-on by calling their bluff and setting the vote himself on his ouster. Cannon survived that takedown attempt, which was the first time the House had actually voted to consider removing its speaker. A more recent threat, in 2015, didn't make it to a vote.

McCarthy received three standing ovations during the private meeting — one when he came to the microphone to speak, again during his remarks and finally when he was done, according a Republican at the meeting who was granted anonymity to discuss it.

At one point, there was a show of hands in support of McCarthy and it was “overwhelming,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a member of the House Freedom Caucus.

Gaetz was in attendance, but he did not address the room.

Across the way in the Capitol, Democrats lined up for a long discussion and unified around one common point: McCarthy cannot be trusted, several lawmakers in the room said.

“I think it’s safe to say there’s not a lot of good will in that room for Kevin McCarthy,” said Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass.

“At the end of the day, the country needs a speaker that can be relied upon,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. "We don’t trust him. Their members don’t trust him. And you need a certain degree of trust to be the speaker.”

Removing the speaker launches the House Republicans into chaos, as they try to find a new leader. It took McCarthy himself 15 rounds in January over multiple days of voting before he secured the support from his colleagues to gain the gavel. There is no obvious GOP successor.

Trump, the former president who is the Republican front-runner in the 2024 race to challenge Biden, weighed in to complain about the chaos. “Why is it that Republicans are always fighting among themselves," he asked on social media.

One key McCarthy ally, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., took to social media urging support for “our speaker” and an end to the chaos that has roiled the Republican majority.

Republicans were upset that McCarthy relied on Democratic votes Saturday to approve the temporary measure to keep the government running until Nov. 17. Some would have preferred a government shutdown as they fight for deeper spending cuts.

But Democrats were also upset with McCarthy for walking away from the debt deal that he made with Biden earlier this year that already set federal spending levels, as he emboldened his right flank to push for steep spending reductions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696366148194.png" alt="View of members of the House during the historic vote-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>View of members of the House during the historic vote-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Kevin McCarthy was voted out of the job Tuesday in an extraordinary showdown, a first in U.S. history, The 216-210 vote, forced by a contingent of hard-right conservatives, throws the House and its Republican leadership into chaos.Missouri Republican members of the House all voted against the resolution to oust McCarthy. Missouri 5th District representative Emmanuel Cleaver, a democrat, voted for the motion.&nbsp;First District Rep. Cori Bush did not cast a vote.Kansas Republican members of the House all voted against the resolution to oust McCarthy. Kansas 3rd District representative Sharice Davids, a democrat, voted for the motion.&nbsp;McCarthy’s chief rival, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, forced the vote on the “motion to vacate,” drawing together more than a handful of conservative Republican critics of the speaker and many Democrats who say he is unworthy of leadership.Next steps are uncertain, but there is no obvious successor to lead the House Republican majority.Stillness fell as the presiding officer gaveled the vote closed, 216-210, saying the office of the speaker "is hereby declared vacant.”Moments later, a top McCarthy ally, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., took the gavel and, according to House rules, was named speaker pro tempore, to serve in the office until a new speaker is chosen.The House then briskly recessed so lawmakers could meet and discuss the path forward.It was a stunning moment for the battle-tested McCarthy, a punishment fueled by growing grievances but sparked by his weekend decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8">to work with Democrats to keep the federal government open</a>&nbsp;rather than risk a shutdown.An earlier vote was 218-208 against tabling the motion, with 11 Republicans allowing it to advance.The House then opened a floor debate, unseen in modern times, ahead of the next round of voting.McCarthy, of California, insisted he would not cut a deal with Democrats to remain in power — not that he could have relied on their help even if he had asked.Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a letter to colleagues that he wants to work with Republicans, but he was unwilling to provide the votes needed to save McCarthy.“It is now the responsibility of the GOP members to end the House Republican Civil War,” Jeffries said, announcing the Democratic leadership would vote for the motion to oust the speaker.As the House fell silent, Gaetz, a top ally of Donald Trump, rose to offer his motion. Gaetz is a leader of the hard-right Republicans who fought in January against McCarthy in his prolonged battle to gain the gavel.“It's a sad day,” Republican Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma said as debate got underway, urging his colleagues not to plunge the House Republican majority "into chaos."But Gaetz shot back during the debate, "Chaos is Speaker McCarthy."McCarthy's fate was deeply uncertain as the fiery debate unfolded, with much of the complaints against the speaker revolving around his truthfulness and his ability to keep the promises he has made since January to win the gavel.But a long line of McCarthy supporters, including Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a founding leader of the conservative Freedom Caucus, stood up for him: “I think he has kept his word.” And some did so passionately. Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., waved his cellphone, saying it was “disgusting” that hard-right colleagues were fundraising off the move in text messages seeking donations.At the Capitol, both Republicans and Democrats met privately ahead of the historic afternoon vote.Behind closed doors, McCarthy told fellow Republicans: Let’s get on with it.“If I counted how many times someone wanted to knock me out, I would have been gone a long time ago,” McCarthy said at the Capitol after the morning meeting.McCarthy insisted he had not reached across the aisle to the Democratic leader Jeffries for help with votes to stay in the job, nor had they demanded anything in return.During the hourlong meeting in the Capitol basement, McCarthy invoked Republican Speaker Joseph Cannon, who more than 100 years ago confronted his critics head-on by calling their bluff and setting the vote himself on his ouster. Cannon survived that takedown attempt, which was the first time the House had actually voted to consider removing its speaker. A more recent threat, in 2015, didn't make it to a vote.McCarthy received three standing ovations during the private meeting — one when he came to the microphone to speak, again during his remarks and finally when he was done, according a Republican at the meeting who was granted anonymity to discuss it.At one point, there was a show of hands in support of McCarthy and it was “overwhelming,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a member of the House Freedom Caucus.Gaetz was in attendance, but he did not address the room.Across the way in the Capitol, Democrats lined up for a long discussion and unified around one common point: McCarthy cannot be trusted, several lawmakers in the room said.“I think it’s safe to say there’s not a lot of good will in that room for Kevin McCarthy,” said Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass.“At the end of the day, the country needs a speaker that can be relied upon,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. "We don’t trust him. Their members don’t trust him. And you need a certain degree of trust to be the speaker.”Removing the speaker launches the House Republicans into chaos, as they try to find a new leader. It took McCarthy himself 15 rounds in January over multiple days of voting before he secured the support from his colleagues to gain the gavel. There is no obvious GOP successor.Trump, the former president who is the Republican front-runner in the 2024 race to challenge Biden, weighed in to complain about the chaos. “Why is it that Republicans are always fighting among themselves," he asked on social media.One key McCarthy ally, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., took to social media urging support for “our speaker” and an end to the chaos that has roiled the Republican majority.Republicans were upset that McCarthy relied on Democratic votes Saturday to approve the temporary measure to keep the government running until Nov. 17. Some would have preferred a government shutdown as they fight for deeper spending cuts.But Democrats were also upset with McCarthy for walking away from the debt deal that he made with Biden earlier this year that already set federal spending levels, as he emboldened his right flank to push for steep spending reductions.

History: McCarthy ousted as House Speaker; Mo. GOP lawmakers vote no

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting and have made an arrest.

Just before 3:30 p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting call at the intersection of Broadway Avenue and 3rd Street in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebilledo. 

The calling party reported seeing a slow-moving vehicle hit a pole and several people exiting the vehicle and running in different directions.

First responders located&nbsp; 18-year-old Jaqualen Dupree of Wichita.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;inside the vehicle he was driving unconscious and with an apparent gunshot wound to his upper body. Officers and EMS personnel began providing life-saving efforts. Dupree was transported to a local hospital in critical condition where he was later pronounced deceased by medical staff.

On Tuesday, police reported the arrest of an 18-year-old man on requested charges of second-degree murder, according to Rebolledo. The investigators are still working to fully determine what led up to the fatal shoot

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696349576450.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting and have made an arrest.Just before 3:30 p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting call at the intersection of Broadway Avenue and 3rd Street in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebilledo. The calling party reported seeing a slow-moving vehicle hit a pole and several people exiting the vehicle and running in different directions.First responders located&nbsp; 18-year-old Jaqualen Dupree of Wichita.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;inside the vehicle he was driving unconscious and with an apparent gunshot wound to his upper body. Officers and EMS personnel began providing life-saving efforts. Dupree was transported to a local hospital in critical condition where he was later pronounced deceased by medical staff.On Tuesday, police reported the arrest of an 18-year-old man on requested charges of second-degree murder, according to Rebolledo. The investigators are still working to fully determine what led up to the fatal shoot

Suspect arrested for deadly shooting of Kan. 16-year-old

By CASEY QUINLAN,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/19/rural-hospitals-gird-for-unwinding-of-pandemic-medicaid-coverage/">States Newsroom</a>

Complaints about student debt relief scams are increasing as the date approaches for borrowers to restart payment on their student loans after more than a three-year pause.

Consumer protection advocates say that the Biden administration’s student debt relief efforts, the subsequent halting of those policies by the courts, and the restart of student loan payments have bred confusion that allow companies to take advantage of borrowers.

“There is sort of this perfect storm out there that I think is allowing these fraudsters to prey on people,” said Dan Zibel, vice president, chief counsel, and co-founder of Student Defense, a nonprofit focused on student rights.

Zibel said that there has been a lot of policy and legal news on student debt relief for borrowers to absorb in a couple years.

“There is news about repayment plans, news about cancellation, different types of cancellation, whether it’s public service loan forgiveness or fraud-based cancellation, the COVID pause, and then the courts get involved. Debt forgiveness is happening. Debt forgiveness is not happening. There’s new debt forgiveness,” he said. “ … I think that sows confusion for a lot of people.”

And with 44 million owing more than $1.7 trillion — the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/pro-take-auto-loans-pass-student-loans-in-consumer-debt-load-fed-data-shows-b3a4a53#:~:text=Auto%20loans%20have%20squeaked%20past,the%20largest%20debt%20for%20consumers.">third highest consumer debt</a>&nbsp;in the U.S.&nbsp;— the appetite for relief is great and makes many easy prey for scammers.

Many of the debt relief scams often start with a telemarketing call where borrowers are promised debt relief if they pay a regular fee. The callers ask for sensitive personal information, and mislead borrowers about being affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education and student loan servicers. Some mention “Biden Loan Forgiveness.”

The number of complaints coming to the FTC about student debt relief scams has steadily risen in the past few months as the restart of student loan payments approaches, from 385 in June to 562 in July and 610 in August. And the FTC and Department of Justice&nbsp; have been cracking down on the scammers. In August, the agencies returned $9 million to people who paid up to $800 in upfront fees to Ameritech Financial, to take part in what they thought was a federal loan assistance program. The scam also led borrowers to believe that their membership fees would help pay their student loan balance. Arete Financial Group, which said it was affiliated with the Department of Education, had a similar scam that convinced people to make upfront payments. The FTC sent $3.3 million to those consumers in June.

The FTC also has started working with law enforcement agencies and attorneys general to stop illegal telemarketing calls. Some telemarketing campaigns have included scammers pretending to be the government or businesses, luring unsuspecting student loan borrowers.

The Biden administration has undertaken a number of policy efforts in the past few years to reduce the burden of student loan debt, including a program announced in August 2022 that borrowers who qualified could have up to $20,000 of federal student loans canceled.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/27/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-releases-new-data-showing-26-million-people-in-all-50-states-applied-or-were-automatically-eligible-for-one-time-student-debt-relief/">Twenty-six million people</a>&nbsp;applied or sent enough information to the U.S. Department of Education applying for the relief. However, the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/us/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-biden.html">ruled against</a>&nbsp;the plan in June of this year, finding that the administration did not have the authority to cancel the debt. Since then, the administration returned with the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/08/22/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-administration-launches-the-save-plan-the-most-affordable-student-loan-repayment-plan-ever-to-lower-monthly-payments-for-millions-of-borrowers/#:~:text=Bring%20many%20borrowers%27%20loan%20payments%20to%20%240%20per%20month.&amp;text=The%20Department%20of%20Education%20estimates,needs%20instead%20of%20loan%20payments.">SAVE Plan</a>, a new income-driven repayment plan that allows some lower-income borrowers to pay nothing each month and lets some receive early student loan cancellation, among other benefits. Students who have been defrauded by for-profit colleges are also continuing to receive&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-admin-canceling-130m-students-ripped-off-colorado/story?id=101643434">student loan cancellation</a>.

Zibel said that student debt relief scams tend to target borrowers who are the most vulnerable, whether they’re struggling economically or have language barriers that could make people less able to identify fraud.

But anyone could potentially be tricked by these schemes, said Kyra Taylor, staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. She said scammers are getting more sophisticated.

“I’ve heard reports from borrowers that scammers spoofed their student loan servicers email. And the only way you could tell that it was a spoof was by rolling your mouse over the links,” she said. “The scammers are so sophisticated and because the student loan system is so complicated, anyone could be vulnerable, especially if you’re getting an email that looks like it’s from your (student loan) servicer on its face. I think it’s getting harder and harder to tell.”

Taylor offers some advice to borrowers who may find themselves wondering whether they’re being scammed. For example, she tells borrowers not to provide sensitive information such as a Social Security number to someone they believe is a student loan servicer.

“We’re getting closer to restarting payment and people are expecting that their servicer is going to reach out to them. The servicer could be calling you but if they’re asking for personally identifiable information, I would hang up and call them back just to make sure that you’re talking to the right person,” she said. “The other piece is that it’s very unusual for the Department of Education to call folks. Any time you’re getting a call from someone saying they’re from the Department of Education, I think folks should be more skeptical.”

Mark Kantrowitz, an expert on financial aid and author of “How to Appeal for More College Financial Aid” told States Newsroom in an email that it’s a bad idea to share your financial student aid ID, which is your username and password, with a third party, because they can make changes you may not be aware of and will end up being responsible for. When borrowers log in, the federal student aid website makes it clear that the use of this information by a third party “for purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain” is prohibited and subject to criminal prosecution, he added.

Taylor and Zibel said there are things the government can do to reduce the damage done by student debt relief scams. Taylor said that if the government automated relief to borrowers, scammers would have fewer opportunities to insert themselves into the process. Zibel said that the government should continue to educate people as return to payment begins on where to find legitimate sources of information on their student loans.

The FTC also offers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/08/dont-pay-help-your-federal-student-loans">advice</a>&nbsp;on how to spot scams. The agency says it’s a red flag if someone tries to charge you for debt relief services before they have done anything for you as a borrower. Ari Lazarus, a consumer education specialist at the FTC,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/08/dont-pay-help-your-federal-student-loans">explained in</a>&nbsp;an August&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/08/dont-pay-help-your-federal-student-loans">blog</a>, “ …Nobody but a scammer will ever offer you quick loan forgiveness.” Experts on these scams also remind borrowers that no one has to pay for help with student loan relief and advise borrowers to look at the federal student loan website.

Janet Yuen learned too late that she did not have to pay for help. In 2019, after receiving a phone call from A Better Solution Student Loans, or ABS Student Loans, she agreed to pay the company $33 a month to lower her debt.

Yuen, a social worker in Southern California, told States Newsroom that she quit making payments on her student loans because she thought ABS Student Loans was doing so on her behalf. Yuen said she paid $33 a month from October 2019 to November 2021 to ABS Student Loans and provided the company with the username and password to her student loan website.

She has about $263,600 in student loan debt and is out almost $900 —&nbsp; the money she paid ABS Student Loans that she said would have otherwise been spent on financial needs such as paying medical bills.

Yuen said she has contacted the FTC but the agency could not tell States Newsroom whether it is investigating the company because it does not make investigations public.

There is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Communications/2023/09/06_StudentLoanDebt.asp#:~:text=Attorney%20General%20Ellison%20opens%20investigation,student%2Dloan%20debt%2Drelief%20companies&amp;text=September%206%2C%202023%20(SAINT%20PAUL,suspected%20of%20violating%20Minnesota%20law.">at least one</a>&nbsp;government investigation into ABS Student Loans through Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office. On Sept. 6, Ellison announced that 52 student debt relief companies are suspected of violating state law by not registering before offering debt settlement services and possibly misrepresenting fees and services, including ABS Student Loans. Deputy chief of staff for the attorney general, John Stiles, told States Newsroom that the office has asked ABS Student Loans how many customers it has in the state but the company has not yet responded.

ABS Student Loans’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://absstudentloans.com/privacy.html">website</a>&nbsp;includes information that it is not affiliated with a government agency and that borrowers do not have to use a third party to apply for student debt relief under a link to its privacy policy at the bottom of its website. The California-based company did not respond to States Newsroom’s multiple requests for information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677600500744.png" alt="Student debt relief advocates gather outside the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023.&nbsp;The Supreme Court’s decision that the Biden administration didn’t have the authority to cancel student debt helped sow confusion that scammers are using to their advantage. -White House image" />
 <figcaption>Student debt relief advocates gather outside the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023.&nbsp;The Supreme Court’s decision that the Biden administration didn’t have the authority to cancel student debt helped sow confusion that scammers are using to their advantage. -White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>By CASEY QUINLAN,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/19/rural-hospitals-gird-for-unwinding-of-pandemic-medicaid-coverage/">States Newsroom</a>Complaints about student debt relief scams are increasing as the date approaches for borrowers to restart payment on their student loans after more than a three-year pause.Consumer protection advocates say that the Biden administration’s student debt relief efforts, the subsequent halting of those policies by the courts, and the restart of student loan payments have bred confusion that allow companies to take advantage of borrowers.“There is sort of this perfect storm out there that I think is allowing these fraudsters to prey on people,” said Dan Zibel, vice president, chief counsel, and co-founder of Student Defense, a nonprofit focused on student rights.Zibel said that there has been a lot of policy and legal news on student debt relief for borrowers to absorb in a couple years.“There is news about repayment plans, news about cancellation, different types of cancellation, whether it’s public service loan forgiveness or fraud-based cancellation, the COVID pause, and then the courts get involved. Debt forgiveness is happening. Debt forgiveness is not happening. There’s new debt forgiveness,” he said. “ … I think that sows confusion for a lot of people.”And with 44 million owing more than $1.7 trillion — the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/pro-take-auto-loans-pass-student-loans-in-consumer-debt-load-fed-data-shows-b3a4a53#:~:text=Auto%20loans%20have%20squeaked%20past,the%20largest%20debt%20for%20consumers.">third highest consumer debt</a>&nbsp;in the U.S.&nbsp;— the appetite for relief is great and makes many easy prey for scammers.Many of the debt relief scams often start with a telemarketing call where borrowers are promised debt relief if they pay a regular fee. The callers ask for sensitive personal information, and mislead borrowers about being affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education and student loan servicers. Some mention “Biden Loan Forgiveness.”The number of complaints coming to the FTC about student debt relief scams has steadily risen in the past few months as the restart of student loan payments approaches, from 385 in June to 562 in July and 610 in August. And the FTC and Department of Justice&nbsp; have been cracking down on the scammers. In August, the agencies returned $9 million to people who paid up to $800 in upfront fees to Ameritech Financial, to take part in what they thought was a federal loan assistance program. The scam also led borrowers to believe that their membership fees would help pay their student loan balance. Arete Financial Group, which said it was affiliated with the Department of Education, had a similar scam that convinced people to make upfront payments. The FTC sent $3.3 million to those consumers in June.The FTC also has started working with law enforcement agencies and attorneys general to stop illegal telemarketing calls. Some telemarketing campaigns have included scammers pretending to be the government or businesses, luring unsuspecting student loan borrowers.<h2>How we got here</h2>The Biden administration has undertaken a number of policy efforts in the past few years to reduce the burden of student loan debt, including a program announced in August 2022 that borrowers who qualified could have up to $20,000 of federal student loans canceled.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/27/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-releases-new-data-showing-26-million-people-in-all-50-states-applied-or-were-automatically-eligible-for-one-time-student-debt-relief/">Twenty-six million people</a>&nbsp;applied or sent enough information to the U.S. Department of Education applying for the relief. However, the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/us/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-biden.html">ruled against</a>&nbsp;the plan in June of this year, finding that the administration did not have the authority to cancel the debt. Since then, the administration returned with the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/08/22/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-administration-launches-the-save-plan-the-most-affordable-student-loan-repayment-plan-ever-to-lower-monthly-payments-for-millions-of-borrowers/#:~:text=Bring%20many%20borrowers%27%20loan%20payments%20to%20%240%20per%20month.&amp;text=The%20Department%20of%20Education%20estimates,needs%20instead%20of%20loan%20payments.">SAVE Plan</a>, a new income-driven repayment plan that allows some lower-income borrowers to pay nothing each month and lets some receive early student loan cancellation, among other benefits. Students who have been defrauded by for-profit colleges are also continuing to receive&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-admin-canceling-130m-students-ripped-off-colorado/story?id=101643434">student loan cancellation</a>.Zibel said that student debt relief scams tend to target borrowers who are the most vulnerable, whether they’re struggling economically or have language barriers that could make people less able to identify fraud.But anyone could potentially be tricked by these schemes, said Kyra Taylor, staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. She said scammers are getting more sophisticated.“I’ve heard reports from borrowers that scammers spoofed their student loan servicers email. And the only way you could tell that it was a spoof was by rolling your mouse over the links,” she said. “The scammers are so sophisticated and because the student loan system is so complicated, anyone could be vulnerable, especially if you’re getting an email that looks like it’s from your (student loan) servicer on its face. I think it’s getting harder and harder to tell.”<h2>How to spot a scam</h2>Taylor offers some advice to borrowers who may find themselves wondering whether they’re being scammed. For example, she tells borrowers not to provide sensitive information such as a Social Security number to someone they believe is a student loan servicer.“We’re getting closer to restarting payment and people are expecting that their servicer is going to reach out to them. The servicer could be calling you but if they’re asking for personally identifiable information, I would hang up and call them back just to make sure that you’re talking to the right person,” she said. “The other piece is that it’s very unusual for the Department of Education to call folks. Any time you’re getting a call from someone saying they’re from the Department of Education, I think folks should be more skeptical.”Mark Kantrowitz, an expert on financial aid and author of “How to Appeal for More College Financial Aid” told States Newsroom in an email that it’s a bad idea to share your financial student aid ID, which is your username and password, with a third party, because they can make changes you may not be aware of and will end up being responsible for. When borrowers log in, the federal student aid website makes it clear that the use of this information by a third party “for purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain” is prohibited and subject to criminal prosecution, he added.Taylor and Zibel said there are things the government can do to reduce the damage done by student debt relief scams. Taylor said that if the government automated relief to borrowers, scammers would have fewer opportunities to insert themselves into the process. Zibel said that the government should continue to educate people as return to payment begins on where to find legitimate sources of information on their student loans.The FTC also offers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/08/dont-pay-help-your-federal-student-loans">advice</a>&nbsp;on how to spot scams. The agency says it’s a red flag if someone tries to charge you for debt relief services before they have done anything for you as a borrower. Ari Lazarus, a consumer education specialist at the FTC,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/08/dont-pay-help-your-federal-student-loans">explained in</a>&nbsp;an August&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/08/dont-pay-help-your-federal-student-loans">blog</a>, “ …Nobody but a scammer will ever offer you quick loan forgiveness.” Experts on these scams also remind borrowers that no one has to pay for help with student loan relief and advise borrowers to look at the federal student loan website.Janet Yuen learned too late that she did not have to pay for help. In 2019, after receiving a phone call from A Better Solution Student Loans, or ABS Student Loans, she agreed to pay the company $33 a month to lower her debt.Yuen, a social worker in Southern California, told States Newsroom that she quit making payments on her student loans because she thought ABS Student Loans was doing so on her behalf. Yuen said she paid $33 a month from October 2019 to November 2021 to ABS Student Loans and provided the company with the username and password to her student loan website.She has about $263,600 in student loan debt and is out almost $900 —&nbsp; the money she paid ABS Student Loans that she said would have otherwise been spent on financial needs such as paying medical bills.Yuen said she has contacted the FTC but the agency could not tell States Newsroom whether it is investigating the company because it does not make investigations public.There is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Communications/2023/09/06_StudentLoanDebt.asp#:~:text=Attorney%20General%20Ellison%20opens%20investigation,student%2Dloan%20debt%2Drelief%20companies&amp;text=September%206%2C%202023%20(SAINT%20PAUL,suspected%20of%20violating%20Minnesota%20law.">at least one</a>&nbsp;government investigation into ABS Student Loans through Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office. On Sept. 6, Ellison announced that 52 student debt relief companies are suspected of violating state law by not registering before offering debt settlement services and possibly misrepresenting fees and services, including ABS Student Loans. Deputy chief of staff for the attorney general, John Stiles, told States Newsroom that the office has asked ABS Student Loans how many customers it has in the state but the company has not yet responded.ABS Student Loans’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://absstudentloans.com/privacy.html">website</a>&nbsp;includes information that it is not affiliated with a government agency and that borrowers do not have to use a third party to apply for student debt relief under a link to its privacy policy at the bottom of its website. The California-based company did not respond to States Newsroom’s multiple requests for information.

Student debt relief scams on the rise. What borrowers need to know

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York judge quickly imposed a limited gag order in Donald Trump's civil business fraud trial Tuesday after the former president disparaged a key court staffer.

Interrupting a long day of testimony, Judge Arthur Engoron issued the order, which applies to all parties in the case and pertains to verbal attacks on court staff. It came after Trump recirculated a critical social media post about Engoron’s principal law clerk, Allison Greenfield.

The post included a photo of Greenfield with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., posing for a picture at a public event. Trump, the Republican front-runner for president in 2024, has repeatedly cast the lawsuit and trial as a political attack by New York’s Democratic attorney general, Letitia James. Trump wrote that it was “disgraceful” that Greenfield was working with the judge in the courtroom.

Aside from that sideshow, with Trump attending the trial for a second day, James’ attorney questioned an accountant in an effort to build the state’s case that Trump and others at his company had full control over the preparation of misleading and downright false financial statements at the heart of the lawsuit against them.

And Engoron set the record straight about a comment that the ex-president had touted as an important victory.

Engoron had suggested on Monday that testimony about Trump’s 2011 financial statement might be beyond the legal time limit applicable to Attorney General James’ lawsuit. It alleges that Trump and his business chronically lied about his wealth on financial statements given to banks, insurers and others.

The relevant statute of limitations rules out claims related to activities before a date in 2014, and Trump’s legal team has argued that the time limit cuts off most of the case.

Engoron said Tuesday that “statutes of limitations bar claims, not evidence” and that at the trial’s early stage, he’s inclined to give both sides considerably leeway to connect older evidence to claims in the lawsuit.

“I want to emphasize: This trial is not an opportunity to relitigate what I have already decided,” Engoron said. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-1569245a9284427117b8d3ba5da74249">ruled last week</a>&nbsp;that all the claims were allowable under the statute of limitations.

A lawyer for James’ office, Kevin Wallace, went on to suggest that he was using the 2011 document to show that Trump’s financial statements were prepared in the same manner — giving him and his company the final say over the valuations that appeared — for at least a decade.

Donald Bender, an accountant who prepared the financial statements for years, testified that Trump’s company supplied the numbers that went into the documents. Each spreadsheet was marked “PBC,” for “prepared by client,” in big, red letters, Bender said.

Bender testified that in some years, the Trump Organization failed to provide all documents necessary for producing the statements, despite attesting in letters to the account firm that it had provided all financial records.

“They were not giving all of the documents that we needed,” Bender testified, explaining that “there were certain appraisals out there for a number of years that we had never seen.”

As for the gag order, without naming Trump, Engoron said that a defendant in the case "posted to a social media account a disparaging, untrue and personally identifying post about a member of my staff.” He added that “personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable, not appropriate” and not tolerated

Trump had already deleted the post. Engoron said he ordered it gone.

Trump also commented on the clerk's role with the judge on Monday, saying that she “should not be allowed to be in his ear on every single question” and “hates Trump.”

Trump, who denies any wrongdoing in the case, said during one court break that he thought the trial was “going very well.” He reiterated key points of his defense, including that the financial statements bore disclaimers saying that they weren’t audited and that others “might reach different conclusions” about his financial position if they had more information.

“This case is a scam. It can’t be fraud when you’ve told institutions to do their own work,” Trump said Tuesday.

After Monday’s sometimes fiery opening statements, Tuesday’s testimony was so plodding that Bender twice let out a long breath on the stand.

Trump plans to testify later in the trial, but he doesn’t have to attend it now. While grumbling that he’d rather be on the campaign trail, the Republican former president and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">2024 GOP front-runner</a>&nbsp;has used the waiting cameras in a courthouse hallway as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-trial-2024-campaign-court-fb73b4275be2d43b0f92031737d3e9eb">microphone for political messaging</a>. He claims that James, a Democrat, is wielding the justice system as a political cudgel to hobble his ongoing campaign.

James scored an early victory when Engoron, a Democrat, ruled last week that Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-1569245a9284427117b8d3ba5da74249">committed fraud</a>&nbsp;by exaggerating the size of his penthouse at Trump Tower, claiming his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida was worth as much as $739 million and putting similar oversized valuations on office towers, golf courses and other assets.

The non-jury trial concerns six remaining claims in the lawsuit and how much Trump might owe in penalties. James is seeking $250 million and a ban on Trump doing business in New York. The judge has already ruled that some of Trump’s companies should be dissolved as punishment.

Trump’s lawyers said the financial statements were legitimate representations of the worth of unique luxury properties, made even more valuable because of their association with Trump.

The trial is expected to last into December.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696255761783.png" alt="Outside the New York courtroom on Monday, former President Donald Trump said the judge assigned to the case was "rogue" photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Outside the New York courtroom on Monday, former President Donald Trump said the judge assigned to the case was "rogue" photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — A New York judge quickly imposed a limited gag order in Donald Trump's civil business fraud trial Tuesday after the former president disparaged a key court staffer.Interrupting a long day of testimony, Judge Arthur Engoron issued the order, which applies to all parties in the case and pertains to verbal attacks on court staff. It came after Trump recirculated a critical social media post about Engoron’s principal law clerk, Allison Greenfield.The post included a photo of Greenfield with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., posing for a picture at a public event. Trump, the Republican front-runner for president in 2024, has repeatedly cast the lawsuit and trial as a political attack by New York’s Democratic attorney general, Letitia James. Trump wrote that it was “disgraceful” that Greenfield was working with the judge in the courtroom.Aside from that sideshow, with Trump attending the trial for a second day, James’ attorney questioned an accountant in an effort to build the state’s case that Trump and others at his company had full control over the preparation of misleading and downright false financial statements at the heart of the lawsuit against them.And Engoron set the record straight about a comment that the ex-president had touted as an important victory.Engoron had suggested on Monday that testimony about Trump’s 2011 financial statement might be beyond the legal time limit applicable to Attorney General James’ lawsuit. It alleges that Trump and his business chronically lied about his wealth on financial statements given to banks, insurers and others.The relevant statute of limitations rules out claims related to activities before a date in 2014, and Trump’s legal team has argued that the time limit cuts off most of the case.Engoron said Tuesday that “statutes of limitations bar claims, not evidence” and that at the trial’s early stage, he’s inclined to give both sides considerably leeway to connect older evidence to claims in the lawsuit.“I want to emphasize: This trial is not an opportunity to relitigate what I have already decided,” Engoron said. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-1569245a9284427117b8d3ba5da74249">ruled last week</a>&nbsp;that all the claims were allowable under the statute of limitations.A lawyer for James’ office, Kevin Wallace, went on to suggest that he was using the 2011 document to show that Trump’s financial statements were prepared in the same manner — giving him and his company the final say over the valuations that appeared — for at least a decade.Donald Bender, an accountant who prepared the financial statements for years, testified that Trump’s company supplied the numbers that went into the documents. Each spreadsheet was marked “PBC,” for “prepared by client,” in big, red letters, Bender said.Bender testified that in some years, the Trump Organization failed to provide all documents necessary for producing the statements, despite attesting in letters to the account firm that it had provided all financial records.“They were not giving all of the documents that we needed,” Bender testified, explaining that “there were certain appraisals out there for a number of years that we had never seen.”As for the gag order, without naming Trump, Engoron said that a defendant in the case "posted to a social media account a disparaging, untrue and personally identifying post about a member of my staff.” He added that “personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable, not appropriate” and not toleratedTrump had already deleted the post. Engoron said he ordered it gone.Trump also commented on the clerk's role with the judge on Monday, saying that she “should not be allowed to be in his ear on every single question” and “hates Trump.”Trump, who denies any wrongdoing in the case, said during one court break that he thought the trial was “going very well.” He reiterated key points of his defense, including that the financial statements bore disclaimers saying that they weren’t audited and that others “might reach different conclusions” about his financial position if they had more information.“This case is a scam. It can’t be fraud when you’ve told institutions to do their own work,” Trump said Tuesday.After Monday’s sometimes fiery opening statements, Tuesday’s testimony was so plodding that Bender twice let out a long breath on the stand.Trump plans to testify later in the trial, but he doesn’t have to attend it now. While grumbling that he’d rather be on the campaign trail, the Republican former president and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">2024 GOP front-runner</a>&nbsp;has used the waiting cameras in a courthouse hallway as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-trial-2024-campaign-court-fb73b4275be2d43b0f92031737d3e9eb">microphone for political messaging</a>. He claims that James, a Democrat, is wielding the justice system as a political cudgel to hobble his ongoing campaign.James scored an early victory when Engoron, a Democrat, ruled last week that Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-1569245a9284427117b8d3ba5da74249">committed fraud</a>&nbsp;by exaggerating the size of his penthouse at Trump Tower, claiming his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida was worth as much as $739 million and putting similar oversized valuations on office towers, golf courses and other assets.The non-jury trial concerns six remaining claims in the lawsuit and how much Trump might owe in penalties. James is seeking $250 million and a ban on Trump doing business in New York. The judge has already ruled that some of Trump’s companies should be dissolved as punishment.Trump’s lawyers said the financial statements were legitimate representations of the worth of unique luxury properties, made even more valuable because of their association with Trump.The trial is expected to last into December.___

Judge gags Trump after former president attacks law clerk

VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis" target="_blank">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;has suggested there could be ways to bless same-sex unions, responding to five conservative cardinals who challenged him to affirm church teaching on homosexuality ahead of a big meeting where LGBTQ+ Catholics are on the agenda.

The Vatican on Monday published a letter Francis wrote to the cardinals on July 11 after receiving a list of five questions, or “dubia,” from them a day earlier. In it, Francis suggests that such blessings could be studied if they didn’t confuse the blessing with sacramental marriage.

New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics, said the letter “significantly advances” efforts to make LGBTQ+ Catholics welcomed in the church and “one big straw towards breaking the camel’s back” in their marginalization.

The Vatican holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman. As a result, it has long opposed gay marriage. But even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-civil-union-comment-8f53e237da41da9891564268f1a2e66a" target="_blank">Francis has voiced support for civil laws</a>&nbsp;extending legal benefits to same-sex spouses, and Catholic priests in parts of Europe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-lifestyle-religion-f94e1e634f3b80e209d82ce29927deab" target="_blank">have been blessing same-sex unions</a>&nbsp;without Vatican censure.

Francis’ response to the cardinals, however, marks a reversal from the Vatican’s current official position. In an explanatory note in 2021, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said flat-out that the church couldn’t bless gay unions because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-decree-same-sex-unions-cannot-bless-sin-077944750c975313ad253328e4cf7443" target="_blank">“God cannot bless sin.”</a>

In his new letter, Francis reiterated that matrimony is a union between a man and a woman. But responding to the cardinals’ question about homosexual unions and blessings, he said “pastoral charity” requires patience and understanding and that regardless, priests cannot become judges “who only deny, reject and exclude.”

“For this reason, pastoral prudence must adequately discern whether there are forms of benediction, requested by one or more persons, that do not transmit a mistaken conception of marriage,” he wrote. “Because when a benediction is requested, it is expressing a request for help from God, a plea to be able to live better, a trust in a father who can help us to live better.”

He noted that there are situations that are objectively “not morally acceptable.” But he said the same “pastoral charity” requires that people be treated as sinners who might not be fully at fault for their situations.

Francis added that there is no need for dioceses or bishops conferences to turn such pastoral charity into fixed norms or protocols, saying the issue could be dealt with on a case-by-case basis “because the life of the church runs on channels beyond norms.”

Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, welcomed the pope’s openness.

""The allowance for pastoral ministers to bless same-gender couples implies that the church does indeed recognize that holy love can exist between same-gender couples, and the love of these couples mirrors the love of God,” he said in a statement. “Those recognitions, while not completely what LGBTQ+ Catholics would want, are an enormous advance towards fuller and more comprehensive equality.”

The five cardinals, all of them conservative prelates from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, had challenged Francis to affirm church teaching on gays, women’s ordination, the authority of the pope and other issues in their letter.

They published the material two days before the start of a major three-week synod, or meeting, at the Vatican at which LGBTQ+ Catholics and their place in the church are on the agenda.

The signatories were some of Francis’ most vocal critics, all of them retired and of the more doctrinaire generation of cardinals appointed by St. John Paul II or Pope Benedict XVI.

They were Cardinals Walter Brandmueller of Germany, a former Vatican historian;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6a0eef0fa28f47abafc243e9ac06e5cd" target="_blank">Raymond Burke</a>&nbsp;of the United States, whom Francis axed as head of the Vatican supreme court; Juan Sandoval of Mexico, the retired archbishop of Guadalajara;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0967d5598e4c36a34b3f5babc5ebde87" target="_blank">Robert Sarah of Guinea</a>, the retired head of the Vatican’s liturgy office; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ffbf5f969e5e47078e71a9254682032f" target="_blank">Joseph Zen</a>, the retired archbishop of Hong Kong.

Brandmueller and Burke were among four signatories of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/28a3c18640c344c2a6a32dbbda2fd92f" target="_blank">a previous round of “dubia”</a>&nbsp;to Francis in 2016 following his controversial opening to letting divorced and civilly remarried couples receive Communion. Then, the cardinals were concerned that Francis’ position violated church teaching on the indissolubility of marriage. Francis never responded to their questions, and two of their co-signatories subsequently died.

Francis did respond this time around. The cardinals didn’t publish his reply, but they apparently found it so unsatisfactory that they reformulated their five questions, submitted them to him again and asked him to simply respond with a yes or no. When he didn’t, the cardinals decided to make the texts public and issue a “notification” warning to the faithful.

The Vatican’s doctrine office published his reply to them a few hours later, though it did so without his introduction in which he urged the cardinals to not be afraid of the synod.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603292366279.png" alt="Francis’ response to the cardinals, however, marks a reversal from the Vatican’s current official position. photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Francis’ response to the cardinals, however, marks a reversal from the Vatican’s current official position. photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis" target="_blank">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;has suggested there could be ways to bless same-sex unions, responding to five conservative cardinals who challenged him to affirm church teaching on homosexuality ahead of a big meeting where LGBTQ+ Catholics are on the agenda.The Vatican on Monday published a letter Francis wrote to the cardinals on July 11 after receiving a list of five questions, or “dubia,” from them a day earlier. In it, Francis suggests that such blessings could be studied if they didn’t confuse the blessing with sacramental marriage.New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics, said the letter “significantly advances” efforts to make LGBTQ+ Catholics welcomed in the church and “one big straw towards breaking the camel’s back” in their marginalization.The Vatican holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman. As a result, it has long opposed gay marriage. But even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-civil-union-comment-8f53e237da41da9891564268f1a2e66a" target="_blank">Francis has voiced support for civil laws</a>&nbsp;extending legal benefits to same-sex spouses, and Catholic priests in parts of Europe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-lifestyle-religion-f94e1e634f3b80e209d82ce29927deab" target="_blank">have been blessing same-sex unions</a>&nbsp;without Vatican censure.Francis’ response to the cardinals, however, marks a reversal from the Vatican’s current official position. In an explanatory note in 2021, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said flat-out that the church couldn’t bless gay unions because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-decree-same-sex-unions-cannot-bless-sin-077944750c975313ad253328e4cf7443" target="_blank">“God cannot bless sin.”</a>In his new letter, Francis reiterated that matrimony is a union between a man and a woman. But responding to the cardinals’ question about homosexual unions and blessings, he said “pastoral charity” requires patience and understanding and that regardless, priests cannot become judges “who only deny, reject and exclude.”“For this reason, pastoral prudence must adequately discern whether there are forms of benediction, requested by one or more persons, that do not transmit a mistaken conception of marriage,” he wrote. “Because when a benediction is requested, it is expressing a request for help from God, a plea to be able to live better, a trust in a father who can help us to live better.”He noted that there are situations that are objectively “not morally acceptable.” But he said the same “pastoral charity” requires that people be treated as sinners who might not be fully at fault for their situations.Francis added that there is no need for dioceses or bishops conferences to turn such pastoral charity into fixed norms or protocols, saying the issue could be dealt with on a case-by-case basis “because the life of the church runs on channels beyond norms.”Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, welcomed the pope’s openness.""The allowance for pastoral ministers to bless same-gender couples implies that the church does indeed recognize that holy love can exist between same-gender couples, and the love of these couples mirrors the love of God,” he said in a statement. “Those recognitions, while not completely what LGBTQ+ Catholics would want, are an enormous advance towards fuller and more comprehensive equality.”The five cardinals, all of them conservative prelates from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, had challenged Francis to affirm church teaching on gays, women’s ordination, the authority of the pope and other issues in their letter.They published the material two days before the start of a major three-week synod, or meeting, at the Vatican at which LGBTQ+ Catholics and their place in the church are on the agenda.The signatories were some of Francis’ most vocal critics, all of them retired and of the more doctrinaire generation of cardinals appointed by St. John Paul II or Pope Benedict XVI.They were Cardinals Walter Brandmueller of Germany, a former Vatican historian;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6a0eef0fa28f47abafc243e9ac06e5cd" target="_blank">Raymond Burke</a>&nbsp;of the United States, whom Francis axed as head of the Vatican supreme court; Juan Sandoval of Mexico, the retired archbishop of Guadalajara;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0967d5598e4c36a34b3f5babc5ebde87" target="_blank">Robert Sarah of Guinea</a>, the retired head of the Vatican’s liturgy office; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ffbf5f969e5e47078e71a9254682032f" target="_blank">Joseph Zen</a>, the retired archbishop of Hong Kong.Brandmueller and Burke were among four signatories of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/28a3c18640c344c2a6a32dbbda2fd92f" target="_blank">a previous round of “dubia”</a>&nbsp;to Francis in 2016 following his controversial opening to letting divorced and civilly remarried couples receive Communion. Then, the cardinals were concerned that Francis’ position violated church teaching on the indissolubility of marriage. Francis never responded to their questions, and two of their co-signatories subsequently died.Francis did respond this time around. The cardinals didn’t publish his reply, but they apparently found it so unsatisfactory that they reformulated their five questions, submitted them to him again and asked him to simply respond with a yes or no. When he didn’t, the cardinals decided to make the texts public and issue a “notification” warning to the faithful.The Vatican’s doctrine office published his reply to them a few hours later, though it did so without his introduction in which he urged the cardinals to not be afraid of the synod.

Pope suggests Catholic Church could bless same-sex unions

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

Appeal expected in case intended to clarify the law on ‘pre-reveal’ machines in use at stores across the state

A civil case that could have settled whether video games that offer cash prizes to players&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/02/gaming-parlors-are-popping-up-across-missouri-a-judge-will-determine-if-they-are-illegal/">are illegal gambling devices</a>&nbsp;won’t settle anything.

On Monday, with a trial set to begin Tuesday morning, Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green dismissed the lawsuit seeking to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/02/10/missouri-company-accused-of-illegal-gambling-has-sued-the-state/">stop the Missouri State Highway Patrol</a>&nbsp;from investigating “pre-reveal” games offered in thousands of locations across the state.&nbsp;

“I don’t think the court system is the right place to have these issues worked out,” Green said.

The case was filed in early 2021 by Torch Electronics, a vendor that supplies the games, and Warrenton Oil, a convenience store operator that hosts Torch machines. At that time, Torch was facing felony prosecution in Linn County for promoting gambling, a case that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/11/missouri-lawsuit-accuses-torch-electronics-of-violating-racketeering-law/">has since been dismissed</a>.

Torch, Warrenton Oil and two other plaintiffs wanted a decision that declared the games are legal and that playing them does not meet the legal definition of gambling. The patrol and the Department of Public Safety, also a defendant in the case, asked for the dismissal, arguing that if and when Torch and the other plaintiffs face criminal charges, they would have ample opportunity to raise all the arguments made in the civil case as a defense

The type of lawsuit used, a declaratory action, “is not a cure for all the ills, real or imagined, you may have,” attorney Scott Pool, representing the state, told Green during Monday’s hearing.

Pool was brought on to handle the case&nbsp; after Attorney General Andrew Bailey withdrew citing an unnamed conflict of interest. His&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/25/missouri-ag-drops-out-of-gambling-case-after-taking-donations-from-companies-suing-state/">withdrawal occurred</a>&nbsp;soon after he accepted $14,125 in contributions from five political action committees linked to Steve Tilley, lobbyist for Torch.

Chuck Hatfield, attorney for Torch and Warrenton Oil, said Green’s decision will be appealed.

“There are nuances to when one can obtain a declaratory judgment and the court of appeals will tell us what those nuances are,” he said to reporters after the hearing.

Green set aside four days this week for the trial, expected to include hours of testimony on the technical operations and analysis of Torch games. As he ended the brief hearing, Green gave the attorneys until Tuesday to file any briefs describing the points they wanted him to cover in his written decision. He said to expect that decision by the end of the week.

Green’s dismissal also covered a counterclaim made by the Missouri Gaming Association. The association represents the state’s 13 licensed casinos and was asking Green for an affirmative statement that Torch games and similar devices are illegal slot machines.

The gaming association will study whether to appeal, executive director Mike Winter said after the hearing.&nbsp;

“The decision today does nothing to address the proliferation of the machines that will just continue around the state of Missouri in large and small communities, impacting people who may have gambling problems,” Winter said.

The patrol since 2019 has been investigating complaints and seizing games made by Torch and other manufacturers as illegal gambling devices. There have been&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/03/19/convenience-store-owner-pleads-guilty-in-missouri-illegal-gambling-case/">guilty pleas</a>&nbsp;by convenience store owners and one conviction at trial.

But aside from a handful of other cases, many prosecutors have been reluctant to file criminal charges.

The pending cases include Franklin County charges James McNutt, president of Midwest Petroleum, in a misdemeanor case that has been pending since 2020; and Texas County charges against Daniel Salyer, managing officer of a Cabool convenience store, filed on May 1.

McNutt is scheduled to go on trial in April. The next court date for Salyer is Oct. 13, when a trial date is to be scheduled.

“This is an issue for prosecutors,” Pool said after Monday’s hearing. “The highway patrol receives complaints from citizens, it investigates complaints. That’s what we’ve done. Whether a local prosecutor decides to file a criminal case, that’s up to them.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696350548337.png" alt=" Two “no-chance” gambling machines await customers in a Columbia convenience store (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Two “no-chance” gambling machines await customers in a Columbia convenience store (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>Appeal expected in case intended to clarify the law on ‘pre-reveal’ machines in use at stores across the state</h2>A civil case that could have settled whether video games that offer cash prizes to players&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/02/gaming-parlors-are-popping-up-across-missouri-a-judge-will-determine-if-they-are-illegal/">are illegal gambling devices</a>&nbsp;won’t settle anything.At least not any time soon.On Monday, with a trial set to begin Tuesday morning, Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green dismissed the lawsuit seeking to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/02/10/missouri-company-accused-of-illegal-gambling-has-sued-the-state/">stop the Missouri State Highway Patrol</a>&nbsp;from investigating “pre-reveal” games offered in thousands of locations across the state.&nbsp;“I don’t think the court system is the right place to have these issues worked out,” Green said.The case was filed in early 2021 by Torch Electronics, a vendor that supplies the games, and Warrenton Oil, a convenience store operator that hosts Torch machines. At that time, Torch was facing felony prosecution in Linn County for promoting gambling, a case that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/11/missouri-lawsuit-accuses-torch-electronics-of-violating-racketeering-law/">has since been dismissed</a>.Torch, Warrenton Oil and two other plaintiffs wanted a decision that declared the games are legal and that playing them does not meet the legal definition of gambling. The patrol and the Department of Public Safety, also a defendant in the case, asked for the dismissal, arguing that if and when Torch and the other plaintiffs face criminal charges, they would have ample opportunity to raise all the arguments made in the civil case as a defenseThe type of lawsuit used, a declaratory action, “is not a cure for all the ills, real or imagined, you may have,” attorney Scott Pool, representing the state, told Green during Monday’s hearing.Pool was brought on to handle the case&nbsp; after Attorney General Andrew Bailey withdrew citing an unnamed conflict of interest. His&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/25/missouri-ag-drops-out-of-gambling-case-after-taking-donations-from-companies-suing-state/">withdrawal occurred</a>&nbsp;soon after he accepted $14,125 in contributions from five political action committees linked to Steve Tilley, lobbyist for Torch.Chuck Hatfield, attorney for Torch and Warrenton Oil, said Green’s decision will be appealed.“There are nuances to when one can obtain a declaratory judgment and the court of appeals will tell us what those nuances are,” he said to reporters after the hearing.Green set aside four days this week for the trial, expected to include hours of testimony on the technical operations and analysis of Torch games. As he ended the brief hearing, Green gave the attorneys until Tuesday to file any briefs describing the points they wanted him to cover in his written decision. He said to expect that decision by the end of the week.Green’s dismissal also covered a counterclaim made by the Missouri Gaming Association. The association represents the state’s 13 licensed casinos and was asking Green for an affirmative statement that Torch games and similar devices are illegal slot machines.The gaming association will study whether to appeal, executive director Mike Winter said after the hearing.&nbsp;“The decision today does nothing to address the proliferation of the machines that will just continue around the state of Missouri in large and small communities, impacting people who may have gambling problems,” Winter said.The patrol since 2019 has been investigating complaints and seizing games made by Torch and other manufacturers as illegal gambling devices. There have been&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/03/19/convenience-store-owner-pleads-guilty-in-missouri-illegal-gambling-case/">guilty pleas</a>&nbsp;by convenience store owners and one conviction at trial.But aside from a handful of other cases, many prosecutors have been reluctant to file criminal charges.The pending cases include Franklin County charges James McNutt, president of Midwest Petroleum, in a misdemeanor case that has been pending since 2020; and Texas County charges against Daniel Salyer, managing officer of a Cabool convenience store, filed on May 1.McNutt is scheduled to go on trial in April. The next court date for Salyer is Oct. 13, when a trial date is to be scheduled.“This is an issue for prosecutors,” Pool said after Monday’s hearing. “The highway patrol receives complaints from citizens, it investigates complaints. That’s what we’ve done. Whether a local prosecutor decides to file a criminal case, that’s up to them.”