WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Tuesday that “prudent contingency planning” is underway to evacuate Americans from the Middle East in case the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;spreads into a broad regional conflict.

(click below to watch White House spokesman John Kirby's statement)

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stressed there are currently no “active efforts” to evacuate Americans from the region beyond charter flights the U.S government began operating earlier this month out of Israel.

“It would be imprudent and irresponsible if we didn’t have folks thinking through a broad range of contingencies and possibilities,” Kirby said. “And certainly evacuations are one of those things.”

The White House addressed the contingency plans amid growing concerns that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-live-updates-9a0ddf745bde0ffc46921b99ed34fb65">18-day-old Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;could further escalate. The U.S. has advised Israel that postponing a possible ground invasion of Gaza could be helpful as the U.S. and other partners in the region try to secure the release of more than 200 hostages who were captured in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel soil. The contingency planning was first reported by The Washington Post.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone on Tuesday about the deteriorating situation. It was the two leaders' first interaction since before the Hamas attack on Israel.

Biden and the crown prince spoke about “efforts to deter state and non-state actors from widening the conflict between Israel and Hamas,” according to the White House. Biden administration officials have repeatedly warned Iran not to become involved in the conflict. U.S. forces in the region over the last few days have come under repeated attacks that the Pentagon has said were likely endorsed by Iran, which is the chief sponsor of Hamas, the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, as well as militant groups in Iraq and Yemen.

“The two leaders agreed on pursuing broader diplomatic efforts to maintain stability across the region and prevent the conflict from expanding,” the White House added.

At the Pentagon, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U.S. is preparing for an increase in violence, noting that there have already been at least 13 attacks against troops and installations in Iraq and Syria.

“What we are seeing is the prospect for more significant escalation against U.S. forces and personnel across the region in the very near term coming from Iranian proxy forces and ultimately from Iran,” said Ryder, the Pentagon's press secretary.

He added that the U.S. won’t hesitate to take action if needed to protect its forces and interests in the region.

Biden said last week he believed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Hamas was motivated to attack Israel</a>&nbsp;in part by a desire to stop that country from normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia.

“One of the reasons ... why Hamas moved on Israel, is because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-saudi-arabia-war-1c376cf1497acd0df05a98721bf88fae">Biden said at a campaign fundraiser.</a>&nbsp;The U.S. president said he thinks Hamas militants launched their deadly assault on Oct. 7 because “guess what? The Saudis wanted to recognize Israel” and were near being able to formally do so.

An agreement, which the White House says it continues to pursue, would be a feat of diplomacy that could have enabled broader recognition of Israel by other Arab and Muslim-majority nations that have largely opposed Israel since its creation 75 years ago in a territory where Palestinians have long resided.

But talks were interrupted after Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip where Palestinians live into nearby Israeli towns.

Israel sealed off Gaza in response, and Biden told reporters in Washington on Tuesday that humanitarian aid into the territory wasn't arriving fast enough.

Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been running out of food, water, fuel and medicine. The aid convoys allowed into Gaza so far have carried a fraction of what’s needed.

The president made his comments to reporters about the speed of aid flowing into Gaza after presenting science and technology awards to several Americans for exemplary achievements that have had a positive impact on the United States.

One of the recipients, Sheldon Weinbaum of the City College of New York, wore a “Stop War” button on his suit coat lapel as he received his medal from Biden.

Biden suggested the ceremony was a welcome break from the grim news coming out of the Middle East.

“This is a happy occasion," Biden said at the start of the White House ceremony. "We need some more happy occasions.”

The war is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Health Ministry said at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed and 16,297 wounded. In the occupied West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids since Oct. 7.

“This is war. It is combat. It is bloody, it is ugly, and it’s going to be messy,” Kirby said. “I wish I could tell you something different. I wish that that wasn’t going to happen.”

Ryder said several new force protection measures are now underway, including the deployment of air defense systems. He said a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and additional Patriot missile battalions have begun to move to undisclosed locations in the Middle East.

The THAAD is being sent from Fort Bliss, Texas, and the Patriot battalions are from Fort Liberty in North Carolina and Fort Sill in Oklahoma.

Ryder also said that additional forces have moved into the Middle East. He said the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119 Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, with its F-16 fighter jets, arrived on Tuesday, but officials would not say where exactly it went.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Tuesday that “prudent contingency planning” is underway to evacuate Americans from the Middle East in case the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;spreads into a broad regional conflict.(click below to watch White House spokesman John Kirby's statement)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F310166491774001%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=422" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stressed there are currently no “active efforts” to evacuate Americans from the region beyond charter flights the U.S government began operating earlier this month out of Israel.“It would be imprudent and irresponsible if we didn’t have folks thinking through a broad range of contingencies and possibilities,” Kirby said. “And certainly evacuations are one of those things.”The White House addressed the contingency plans amid growing concerns that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-live-updates-9a0ddf745bde0ffc46921b99ed34fb65">18-day-old Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;could further escalate. The U.S. has advised Israel that postponing a possible ground invasion of Gaza could be helpful as the U.S. and other partners in the region try to secure the release of more than 200 hostages who were captured in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel soil. The contingency planning was first reported by The Washington Post.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone on Tuesday about the deteriorating situation. It was the two leaders' first interaction since before the Hamas attack on Israel.Biden and the crown prince spoke about “efforts to deter state and non-state actors from widening the conflict between Israel and Hamas,” according to the White House. Biden administration officials have repeatedly warned Iran not to become involved in the conflict. U.S. forces in the region over the last few days have come under repeated attacks that the Pentagon has said were likely endorsed by Iran, which is the chief sponsor of Hamas, the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, as well as militant groups in Iraq and Yemen.“The two leaders agreed on pursuing broader diplomatic efforts to maintain stability across the region and prevent the conflict from expanding,” the White House added.At the Pentagon, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U.S. is preparing for an increase in violence, noting that there have already been at least 13 attacks against troops and installations in Iraq and Syria.“What we are seeing is the prospect for more significant escalation against U.S. forces and personnel across the region in the very near term coming from Iranian proxy forces and ultimately from Iran,” said Ryder, the Pentagon's press secretary.He added that the U.S. won’t hesitate to take action if needed to protect its forces and interests in the region.Biden said last week he believed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Hamas was motivated to attack Israel</a>&nbsp;in part by a desire to stop that country from normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia.“One of the reasons ... why Hamas moved on Israel, is because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-saudi-arabia-war-1c376cf1497acd0df05a98721bf88fae">Biden said at a campaign fundraiser.</a>&nbsp;The U.S. president said he thinks Hamas militants launched their deadly assault on Oct. 7 because “guess what? The Saudis wanted to recognize Israel” and were near being able to formally do so.An agreement, which the White House says it continues to pursue, would be a feat of diplomacy that could have enabled broader recognition of Israel by other Arab and Muslim-majority nations that have largely opposed Israel since its creation 75 years ago in a territory where Palestinians have long resided.But talks were interrupted after Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip where Palestinians live into nearby Israeli towns.Israel sealed off Gaza in response, and Biden told reporters in Washington on Tuesday that humanitarian aid into the territory wasn't arriving fast enough.Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been running out of food, water, fuel and medicine. The aid convoys allowed into Gaza so far have carried a fraction of what’s needed.The president made his comments to reporters about the speed of aid flowing into Gaza after presenting science and technology awards to several Americans for exemplary achievements that have had a positive impact on the United States.One of the recipients, Sheldon Weinbaum of the City College of New York, wore a “Stop War” button on his suit coat lapel as he received his medal from Biden.Biden suggested the ceremony was a welcome break from the grim news coming out of the Middle East.“This is a happy occasion," Biden said at the start of the White House ceremony. "We need some more happy occasions.”The war is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Health Ministry said at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed and 16,297 wounded. In the occupied West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids since Oct. 7.“This is war. It is combat. It is bloody, it is ugly, and it’s going to be messy,” Kirby said. “I wish I could tell you something different. I wish that that wasn’t going to happen.”Ryder said several new force protection measures are now underway, including the deployment of air defense systems. He said a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and additional Patriot missile battalions have begun to move to undisclosed locations in the Middle East.The THAAD is being sent from Fort Bliss, Texas, and the Patriot battalions are from Fort Liberty in North Carolina and Fort Sill in Oklahoma.Ryder also said that additional forces have moved into the Middle East. He said the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119 Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, with its F-16 fighter jets, arrived on Tuesday, but officials would not say where exactly it went.___

🎥U.S. readies plans for mass evacuations from the Middle East

PETTIS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities have identified the driver in a fatal UTV accident that occurred just after 4:30p.m. Sunday in Pettis County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2022 CanAm UTV driven by April M. Headley, 34, Sedalia, was northbound in a yard at 25312 Liberty School Road.

The driver made a sharp left turn and the UTV overturned. A 4-year-old Sedalia boy was partially ejected and pronounced dead at the scene.

A private vehicle transported a 3-year-old boy, a 6-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl to Bothwell Hospital. Headley was not injured. Sedalia is located approximately 85 miles southeast of Kansas City.

PETTIS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities have identified the driver in a fatal UTV accident that occurred just after 4:30p.m. Sunday in Pettis County, Missouri.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2022 CanAm UTV driven by April M. Headley, 34, Sedalia, was northbound in a yard at 25312 Liberty School Road.The driver made a sharp left turn and the UTV overturned. A 4-year-old Sedalia boy was partially ejected and pronounced dead at the scene.A private vehicle transported a 3-year-old boy, a 6-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl to Bothwell Hospital. Headley was not injured. Sedalia is located approximately 85 miles southeast of Kansas City.

4-year-old dead, 3 children injured after UTV overturns

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several “Shaft” films beginning in the early 1970s, has died. He was 81.

Roundtree’s longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, said the actor had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent a double mastectomy.

“Richard’s work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men,” McMinn said. “The impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.”

Roundtree, who was born in New Rochelle, New York, was considered as the first Black action hero and became one of the leading actors in the blaxploitation genre through his New York street smart John Shaft character in the Gordon Parks-directed film in 1971. At age 28, it was Roundtree’s first feature film appearance after starting his career as a model.

Roundtree’s “Shaft” was part of a change in how Black movies were viewed in Hollywood, which failed to consider Black actors – especially for leading roles — in projects at the time. The blaxploitation films were primarily aimed at the African American audiences.

In the film, his character navigated the world of thugs. He regularly whipped out popular one-liners like “It’s my duty to please that booty.”

“What we were doing was a good, old Saturday afternoon shoot ’em up," Roundtree said in a 2000 interview with The Associated Press.

Isaac Hayes’ “Shaft” theme song — which included the line “You a bad mother— (Shut your mouth)” — helped insinuate the original movie into the pop-cult consciousness. The singer, who died in 2008, said the song was “like the ‘shot heard round the world." His single won an Academy Award for best song in 1971 and two Grammys the following year.

After the film’s success, Roundtree returned in sequels “Shaft’s Big Score” in 1972 and “Shaft in Africa” in 1973. That same year, he played the savvy detective once again on the CBS television series “Shaft,” which lasted only seven episodes.

Roundtree reprised his role in the 2000 “Shaft” film, a revival that starred Samuel L. Jackson. He appeared as Jackson’s uncle in the big-budget film that was aimed at the general audience. Both appeared again in the same roles in the 2019 film starring Jessie T. Usher.

Jackson called Roundtree the “prototype” and the “best to ever do it" in a social media post.

“SHAFT, as we know it is &amp; will always be his Creation," he said of Roundtree. "His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I’m sure a lotta y’all’s, too.”

Through his 50-plus year career, Roundtree appeared in a number other notable films including “Earthquake,” “Man Friday” with Peter O’Toole, “Roots,” “Maniac Cop” “Se7en” and “What Men Want” starring Taraji P. Henson. He also made his mark with television roles on “Magnum P.I.,” “The Love Boat,” “Being Mary Jane” and “The Love Boat.”

In 1995, Roundtree received a lifetime achievement award at the MTV Movie &amp; TV awards.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698227923055.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several “Shaft” films beginning in the early 1970s, has died. He was 81.Roundtree’s longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, said the actor had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent a double mastectomy.“Richard’s work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men,” McMinn said. “The impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.”Roundtree, who was born in New Rochelle, New York, was considered as the first Black action hero and became one of the leading actors in the blaxploitation genre through his New York street smart John Shaft character in the Gordon Parks-directed film in 1971. At age 28, it was Roundtree’s first feature film appearance after starting his career as a model.Roundtree’s “Shaft” was part of a change in how Black movies were viewed in Hollywood, which failed to consider Black actors – especially for leading roles — in projects at the time. The blaxploitation films were primarily aimed at the African American audiences.In the film, his character navigated the world of thugs. He regularly whipped out popular one-liners like “It’s my duty to please that booty.”“What we were doing was a good, old Saturday afternoon shoot ’em up," Roundtree said in a 2000 interview with The Associated Press.Isaac Hayes’ “Shaft” theme song — which included the line “You a bad mother— (Shut your mouth)” — helped insinuate the original movie into the pop-cult consciousness. The singer, who died in 2008, said the song was “like the ‘shot heard round the world." His single won an Academy Award for best song in 1971 and two Grammys the following year.After the film’s success, Roundtree returned in sequels “Shaft’s Big Score” in 1972 and “Shaft in Africa” in 1973. That same year, he played the savvy detective once again on the CBS television series “Shaft,” which lasted only seven episodes.Roundtree reprised his role in the 2000 “Shaft” film, a revival that starred Samuel L. Jackson. He appeared as Jackson’s uncle in the big-budget film that was aimed at the general audience. Both appeared again in the same roles in the 2019 film starring Jessie T. Usher.Jackson called Roundtree the “prototype” and the “best to ever do it" in a social media post.“SHAFT, as we know it is &amp; will always be his Creation," he said of Roundtree. "His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I’m sure a lotta y’all’s, too.”Through his 50-plus year career, Roundtree appeared in a number other notable films including “Earthquake,” “Man Friday” with Peter O’Toole, “Roots,” “Maniac Cop” “Se7en” and “What Men Want” starring Taraji P. Henson. He also made his mark with television roles on “Magnum P.I.,” “The Love Boat,” “Being Mary Jane” and “The Love Boat.”In 1995, Roundtree received a lifetime achievement award at the MTV Movie &amp; TV awards.

'Shaft' star Richard Roundtree, first Black action movie hero, has died 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's House speaker has repaid more than $3,300 in taxpayer dollars that he inappropriately received as reimbursements for travel and other expenses dating back to 2018.

Speaker Dean Plocher so far has repaid the state House $3,379, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/in-latest-dust-up-missouri-house-speaker-pays-back-travel-money/article_423a35ae-728d-11ee-8305-e7ef79dd129c.html?utm_source=stltoday.com&amp;utm_campaign=news-alerts&amp;utm_medium=cio&amp;lctg=fef30702c56ea6c304&amp;tn_email_eh1=49b50ad4ec816619882ff04be1c9b1aaf0101f6256c954be93313f7ef560197c">reported</a>&nbsp;Tuesday.

The Missouri Independent on Monday first reported years of expenses that Plocher received state reimbursement for, even though he paid for the expenses out of his campaign fund and not out of his own pocket.

Missouri law allows elected officials to use money from their political campaigns for some government-related expenses. But it's unlawful to use taxpayer dollars to reimburse campaigns or for political expenses.

In a Monday email to fellow Republican House members, Plocher wrote that his campaign treasurer, his wife, early last week told him he “had received reimbursement from the House for an extra hotel night during a conference I attended that I should not have been reimbursed.”

“When I learned of that, I immediately reimbursed the House,” Plocher wrote. “Because of this error, I reviewed all of my travel reimbursements and it revealed that I had additional administrative errors, to which I have corrected.”

Plocher did not immediately return Associated Press voice and text messages seeking comment Tuesday.

As early as 2018, Plocher used campaign money to pay for conferences, flights and hotels and then asked to be reimbursed by the House, according to the Post-Dispatch. The House denied his request to be reimbursed for valet parking during a July trip to Hawaii for a national conference.

Voters elected Plocher, a lawyer, to the House in 2015. He's banned by term limits from running for re-election in 2024 and instead is vying to be the state's next lieutenant governor.

In Missouri, gubernatorial candidates do not have running mates and campaign separately from would-be lieutenant governors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697056839654.png" alt=" Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption> Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's House speaker has repaid more than $3,300 in taxpayer dollars that he inappropriately received as reimbursements for travel and other expenses dating back to 2018.Speaker Dean Plocher so far has repaid the state House $3,379, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/in-latest-dust-up-missouri-house-speaker-pays-back-travel-money/article_423a35ae-728d-11ee-8305-e7ef79dd129c.html?utm_source=stltoday.com&amp;utm_campaign=news-alerts&amp;utm_medium=cio&amp;lctg=fef30702c56ea6c304&amp;tn_email_eh1=49b50ad4ec816619882ff04be1c9b1aaf0101f6256c954be93313f7ef560197c">reported</a>&nbsp;Tuesday.The Missouri Independent on Monday first reported years of expenses that Plocher received state reimbursement for, even though he paid for the expenses out of his campaign fund and not out of his own pocket.Missouri law allows elected officials to use money from their political campaigns for some government-related expenses. But it's unlawful to use taxpayer dollars to reimburse campaigns or for political expenses.In a Monday email to fellow Republican House members, Plocher wrote that his campaign treasurer, his wife, early last week told him he “had received reimbursement from the House for an extra hotel night during a conference I attended that I should not have been reimbursed.”“When I learned of that, I immediately reimbursed the House,” Plocher wrote. “Because of this error, I reviewed all of my travel reimbursements and it revealed that I had additional administrative errors, to which I have corrected.”Plocher did not immediately return Associated Press voice and text messages seeking comment Tuesday.As early as 2018, Plocher used campaign money to pay for conferences, flights and hotels and then asked to be reimbursed by the House, according to the Post-Dispatch. The House denied his request to be reimbursed for valet parking during a July trip to Hawaii for a national conference.Voters elected Plocher, a lawyer, to the House in 2015. He's banned by term limits from running for re-election in 2024 and instead is vying to be the state's next lieutenant governor.In Missouri, gubernatorial candidates do not have running mates and campaign separately from would-be lieutenant governors.

Top Missouri lawmaker repays travel reimbursements wrongly taken from state

WICHITA– A Kansas man has been sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison.

On September 1st, a jury in District Judge Jeffrey Syrios’ courtroom found <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=251319">Noe Reyes-Carrera,</a> 34 of Wichita, guilty of rape and three counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

The crimes were reported by a 14-year-old girl and her 11-year0old sister.

The older girl told police Carrera had been sexually assaulting her since she was seven years old. On Thursday Judge Syrios sentenced Carrera to four 25-to-life terms in prison. The Judge ordered the sentences to be served consecutively.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698102221175.png" alt="REYES-CARRERA-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>REYES-CARRERA-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA– A Kansas man has been sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison.On September 1st, a jury in District Judge Jeffrey Syrios’ courtroom found <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=251319">Noe Reyes-Carrera,</a> 34 of Wichita, guilty of rape and three counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.The crimes were reported by a 14-year-old girl and her 11-year0old sister.The older girl told police Carrera had been sexually assaulting her since she was seven years old. On Thursday Judge Syrios sentenced Carrera to four 25-to-life terms in prison. The Judge ordered the sentences to be served consecutively.

Kan. man sentenced for sex crimes involving 14 and 11-year-old sisters 

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

Just after 11:30p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;October 22, a sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75 Highway in Osage County for an alleged traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, the deputy located illegal narcotics.

A passenger in the vehicle, Selena M. Servantez, 27, of Topeka, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of possession of fentanyl,&nbsp;methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and Traffic in contraband in a correctional facility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698087436680.png" alt="Servantez photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Servantez photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.Just after 11:30p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;October 22, a sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75 Highway in Osage County for an alleged traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, the deputy located illegal narcotics.A passenger in the vehicle, Selena M. Servantez, 27, of Topeka, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of possession of fentanyl,&nbsp;methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and Traffic in contraband in a correctional facility.

Sheriff: Kansas woman caught transporting fentanyl

RENO COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating illegal hunting in in Reno County.

On October 22, the Reno County Sheriff's Office notified the Game Warden of a deer laying in a roadway near Woodberry Road and W 125th Street North that appeared to have been shot and dumped on the border of Reno and Harvey Counties, according to a social media report from the game wardens.

Investigators recovered three slugs from the deer, multiple rimfire casings and two spent buckshot shotshells. 

Warden's are requesting the public's help to identify the subjects behind this criminal activity. 

If you have any information, please contact Gamewarden Besthorn at 316-215-2124.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698177407466.png" alt="photo Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens" />
 <figcaption>photo Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating illegal hunting in in Reno County.On October 22, the Reno County Sheriff's Office notified the Game Warden of a deer laying in a roadway near Woodberry Road and W 125th Street North that appeared to have been shot and dumped on the border of Reno and Harvey Counties, according to a social media report from the game wardens.Investigators recovered three slugs from the deer, multiple rimfire casings and two spent buckshot shotshells. Warden's are requesting the public's help to identify the subjects behind this criminal activity. If you have any information, please contact Gamewarden Besthorn at 316-215-2124.

Kan. game warden asks for help with poached deer investigation

NEW YORK (AP) —Dozens of U.S. states, including Kansas, Missouri, California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.

<a href="https://coag.gov/app/uploads/2023/10/23.10.24-Doc.-1-Complaint-People-v.-Meta-23cv05448.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the lawsuit

The<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24080215-meta-lawsuit">&nbsp;lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed by 33 states in federal court in California, claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. In addition, nine attorneys general are filing lawsuits in their respective states, bringing the total number of states taking action to 41 and Washington, D.C.

“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms,” the complaint says. “It has concealed the ways in which these platforms exploit and manipulate its most vulnerable consumers: teenagers and children.”

The suits seek financial damages and restitution and an end to Meta’s practices that are in violation of the law.

“Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement. “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”

In a statement, Meta said it shares “the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online, and have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families.”

“We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path,” the company added.

The broad-ranging federal suit is the result of an investigation led by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont. It follows damning newspaper reports, first by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-files-11631713039">The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;in the fall of 2021, based on the Meta’s own research that found that the company knew about the harms Instagram can cause teenagers — especially teen girls — when it comes to mental health and body image issues. One internal study cited 13.5% of teen girls saying Instagram makes thoughts of suicide worse and 17% of teen girls saying it makes eating disorders worse.

Following the first reports, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/the-facebook-papers">consortium of news organizations</a>, including The Associated Press, published their own findings based on leaked documents from whistleblower Frances Haugen, who has testified before Congress and a British parliamentary committee about what she found.

“Meta has been harming our children and teens, cultivating addiction to boost corporate profits,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “With today’s lawsuit, we are drawing the line.”

The use of social media among teens is nearly universal in the U.S. and many other parts of the world.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/">Almost all teens</a>&nbsp;ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. report using a social media platform, with about a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to the Pew Research Center.

To comply with federal regulation, social media companies ban kids under 13 from signing up to their platforms — but children have been shown to easily get around the bans, both with and without their parents’ consent, and many younger kids have social media accounts. The states’ complaint says Meta knowingly violated this law, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, by collecting data on children without informing and getting permission from their parents.

Other measures social platforms have taken to address concerns about children’s mental health are also easily circumvented. For instance, TikTok recently introduced a default&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-minors-social-media-china-time-limit-f735bd496ea3513abfc6480e5637abd8">60-minute time limit</a>&nbsp;for users under 18. But once the limit is reached, minors can simply enter a passcode to keep watching. TikTok, Snapchat and other social platforms that have also been blamed for contributing to the youth mental health crisis are not part of Tuesday’s lawsuit.

Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb wouldn’t comment on whether they’re also looking at TikTok or Snapchat. For now they’re focusing on the Meta empire of Facebook and Instagram, he said.

“They’re the worst of the worst when it comes to using technology to addict teenagers to social media, all in the furtherance of putting profits over people.”

In May, U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-kids-social-media-teens-tiktok-instagram-443530d9baa3f91386bf9fbfb313bbaf">Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;called on tech companies, parents and caregivers to take “immediate action to protect kids now” from the harms of social media.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660141848593.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —Dozens of U.S. states, including Kansas, Missouri, California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.<a href="https://coag.gov/app/uploads/2023/10/23.10.24-Doc.-1-Complaint-People-v.-Meta-23cv05448.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the lawsuitThe<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24080215-meta-lawsuit">&nbsp;lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed by 33 states in federal court in California, claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. In addition, nine attorneys general are filing lawsuits in their respective states, bringing the total number of states taking action to 41 and Washington, D.C.“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms,” the complaint says. “It has concealed the ways in which these platforms exploit and manipulate its most vulnerable consumers: teenagers and children.”The suits seek financial damages and restitution and an end to Meta’s practices that are in violation of the law.“Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement. “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”In a statement, Meta said it shares “the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online, and have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families.”“We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path,” the company added.The broad-ranging federal suit is the result of an investigation led by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont. It follows damning newspaper reports, first by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-files-11631713039">The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;in the fall of 2021, based on the Meta’s own research that found that the company knew about the harms Instagram can cause teenagers — especially teen girls — when it comes to mental health and body image issues. One internal study cited 13.5% of teen girls saying Instagram makes thoughts of suicide worse and 17% of teen girls saying it makes eating disorders worse.Following the first reports, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/the-facebook-papers">consortium of news organizations</a>, including The Associated Press, published their own findings based on leaked documents from whistleblower Frances Haugen, who has testified before Congress and a British parliamentary committee about what she found.“Meta has been harming our children and teens, cultivating addiction to boost corporate profits,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “With today’s lawsuit, we are drawing the line.”The use of social media among teens is nearly universal in the U.S. and many other parts of the world.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/">Almost all teens</a>&nbsp;ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. report using a social media platform, with about a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to the Pew Research Center.To comply with federal regulation, social media companies ban kids under 13 from signing up to their platforms — but children have been shown to easily get around the bans, both with and without their parents’ consent, and many younger kids have social media accounts. The states’ complaint says Meta knowingly violated this law, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, by collecting data on children without informing and getting permission from their parents.Other measures social platforms have taken to address concerns about children’s mental health are also easily circumvented. For instance, TikTok recently introduced a default&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-minors-social-media-china-time-limit-f735bd496ea3513abfc6480e5637abd8">60-minute time limit</a>&nbsp;for users under 18. But once the limit is reached, minors can simply enter a passcode to keep watching. TikTok, Snapchat and other social platforms that have also been blamed for contributing to the youth mental health crisis are not part of Tuesday’s lawsuit.Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb wouldn’t comment on whether they’re also looking at TikTok or Snapchat. For now they’re focusing on the Meta empire of Facebook and Instagram, he said.“They’re the worst of the worst when it comes to using technology to addict teenagers to social media, all in the furtherance of putting profits over people.”In May, U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-kids-social-media-teens-tiktok-instagram-443530d9baa3f91386bf9fbfb313bbaf">Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;called on tech companies, parents and caregivers to take “immediate action to protect kids now” from the harms of social media.__

Read lawsuit filed by Mo. claiming Facebook, Instagram harm children's mental health

JERUSALEM — The U.S. is issuing a new warning to ships traveling through the Red Sea after a drone and missile attack launched from Yemen during the Israel-Hamas war.

The U.S. Maritime Administration warning on Tuesday urged vessels to “exercise caution when transiting this region.”

The U.S. Navy says it shot down missiles and drones believed to have been launched by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in recent days amid wider tensions across the Middle East over the war.

In addition, the U.S. Central Command reported the 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Tuesday to bolster U.S. posture to deter further aggression.&nbsp;On Monday, the U.S. military destroyed two one-way attack drones near U.S. and Coalition forces in southwest Syria before they reached their intended targets, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697765298614.png" alt="The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney transits the Suez Canal, Oct. 18. Carney is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region. Photo By:Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Aaron Lau" />
 <figcaption>The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney transits the Suez Canal, Oct. 18. Carney is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region. Photo By:Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Aaron Lau</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM — The U.S. is issuing a new warning to ships traveling through the Red Sea after a drone and missile attack launched from Yemen during the Israel-Hamas war.The U.S. Maritime Administration warning on Tuesday urged vessels to “exercise caution when transiting this region.”The U.S. Navy says it shot down missiles and drones believed to have been launched by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in recent days amid wider tensions across the Middle East over the war.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698161439211.png" alt="Photo U.S. Department of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Department of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition, the U.S. Central Command reported the 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Tuesday to bolster U.S. posture to deter further aggression.&nbsp;On Monday, the U.S. military destroyed two one-way attack drones near U.S. and Coalition forces in southwest Syria before they reached their intended targets, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp;

U.S. issues warning to ships in the Red Sea 

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A mother is suing a shuttered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-missouri-9aa2d772f73edfa09cde4d2b337fdba2">Christian boarding school</a>&nbsp;in Missouri, blaming her son's death on a gang rape and other abuse he endured there.

Agape Boarding School has been subjected to a wave of litigation as a series of abuse allegations emerged, but the case filed this month and amended Monday in federal court by Kathleen Britt is believed to be the first wrongful death suit.

The suit said that mental health problems plagued Britt's son, Jason Britt, after he left the private school, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-crime-education-kansas-city-missouri-7accbdddd9dfe3ac387533aa8fb7c102">several staffers subsequently were charged</a>. The suit said he lifted weights obsessively and ingested copious steroids so he would become so strong that he never would be victimized again.

He grew so despondent that he wrote a suicide note. But heart and kidney failure were what claimed his life in February 2022.

“The saddest part of his case is he finally found a cause to live when the circumstances of his choices ended up killing him,” said attorney Rebecca Randles. “It is one of those completely devastatingly sad situations.”

Among those named in the suit are the school, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charles-dickens-94038022dc9af71dd9f73158cd53e945">company</a>&nbsp;that transported students there, and Cedar County Sheriff James McCrary. Agape’s attorney and the sheriff didn't immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Jason Britt's parents turned to Agape because they were worried about his slipping grades and partying. In 2010, the then-16-year-old was awoken in the middle of the night while staying with his girlfriend. The men who transported him to Agape zip tied his hands and told him he had been given up for adoption, the suit said.

Instead of the counseling his parents were promised, the school was “a concentration camp or torture colony cloaked in the guise of religion," the suit said. Upon arriving, his head was shaved. And when he tried to write to his family about what was happening, he was punished. The maltreatment culminated in him being gang raped, the suit said.

The suit said the sheriff's department knew of reports of abuse at Agape and a sister boarding school. But despite those reports, deputies routinely returned runaways to their schools without effectively investigating or reporting concerns to state welfare workers.

Some of the sheriff's department staff also worked at the school, the suit said.

When Jason Britt's mother visited, she was alarmed by her son's demeanor and took him home, the suit said. The family learned he had been abused at the school, but they were ignored by Cedar County authorities, the lawsuit said. Anxious and withdrawn, he finished high school online and grew obsessed with weight lifting.

“The steroids, testosterone, high blood pressure and anxiety coupled with the drug addiction were the mechanism of his death; the cause of his death was the abuse at Agape,” the suit said.

More than a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boarding-school-missouri-abuse-lawsuits-settlement-e004668160605c5fbd2239e191292296">dozen</a>&nbsp;other former students have settled lawsuits alleging they were abused at the southwest Missouri school.

When it shut down in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-stockton-missouri-education-6d4bc69348f4349249e49b3ec7c29172">January</a>, it was the fourth and last unlicensed Christian boarding school to close in Cedar County since September 2020. The school’s former director, Bryan Clemensen, said the school, whose enrollment had tumbled, closed because it did not have the funding to continue.

Former Agape students came forward with abuse allegations in 2020. One former student said he was raped at Agape and called “seizure boy” because of his epilepsy. Others said they suffered permanent injuries from being disciplined or forced to work long hours of manual labor.

In 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-missouri-springfield-89eb20fc1edcba8cf5963abdc69e48c8">Agape’s longtime doctor, David Smock</a>, was charged with child sex crimes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-education-child-abuse-kansas-missouri-a97fcf244d041a1468945b10af5f5f76">five employees were charged</a>&nbsp;with low-level abuse counts. Then-Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office contended that 22 workers should have been charged, and with more serious crimes.

But in Missouri, only the local prosecutor can file charges, and Cedar County Prosecuting Attorney Ty Gaither has said no additional employees would be charged.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632608030678.png" alt="More than a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boarding-school-missouri-abuse-lawsuits-settlement-e004668160605c5fbd2239e191292296">dozen</a>&nbsp;other former students have settled lawsuits alleging they were abused at the southwest Missouri school.-Google image" />
 <figcaption>More than a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boarding-school-missouri-abuse-lawsuits-settlement-e004668160605c5fbd2239e191292296">dozen</a>&nbsp;other former students have settled lawsuits alleging they were abused at the southwest Missouri school.-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A mother is suing a shuttered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-missouri-9aa2d772f73edfa09cde4d2b337fdba2">Christian boarding school</a>&nbsp;in Missouri, blaming her son's death on a gang rape and other abuse he endured there.Agape Boarding School has been subjected to a wave of litigation as a series of abuse allegations emerged, but the case filed this month and amended Monday in federal court by Kathleen Britt is believed to be the first wrongful death suit.The suit said that mental health problems plagued Britt's son, Jason Britt, after he left the private school, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-crime-education-kansas-city-missouri-7accbdddd9dfe3ac387533aa8fb7c102">several staffers subsequently were charged</a>. The suit said he lifted weights obsessively and ingested copious steroids so he would become so strong that he never would be victimized again.He grew so despondent that he wrote a suicide note. But heart and kidney failure were what claimed his life in February 2022.“The saddest part of his case is he finally found a cause to live when the circumstances of his choices ended up killing him,” said attorney Rebecca Randles. “It is one of those completely devastatingly sad situations.”Among those named in the suit are the school, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charles-dickens-94038022dc9af71dd9f73158cd53e945">company</a>&nbsp;that transported students there, and Cedar County Sheriff James McCrary. Agape’s attorney and the sheriff didn't immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment.Jason Britt's parents turned to Agape because they were worried about his slipping grades and partying. In 2010, the then-16-year-old was awoken in the middle of the night while staying with his girlfriend. The men who transported him to Agape zip tied his hands and told him he had been given up for adoption, the suit said.Instead of the counseling his parents were promised, the school was “a concentration camp or torture colony cloaked in the guise of religion," the suit said. Upon arriving, his head was shaved. And when he tried to write to his family about what was happening, he was punished. The maltreatment culminated in him being gang raped, the suit said.The suit said the sheriff's department knew of reports of abuse at Agape and a sister boarding school. But despite those reports, deputies routinely returned runaways to their schools without effectively investigating or reporting concerns to state welfare workers.Some of the sheriff's department staff also worked at the school, the suit said.When Jason Britt's mother visited, she was alarmed by her son's demeanor and took him home, the suit said. The family learned he had been abused at the school, but they were ignored by Cedar County authorities, the lawsuit said. Anxious and withdrawn, he finished high school online and grew obsessed with weight lifting.“The steroids, testosterone, high blood pressure and anxiety coupled with the drug addiction were the mechanism of his death; the cause of his death was the abuse at Agape,” the suit said.More than a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boarding-school-missouri-abuse-lawsuits-settlement-e004668160605c5fbd2239e191292296">dozen</a>&nbsp;other former students have settled lawsuits alleging they were abused at the southwest Missouri school.When it shut down in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-stockton-missouri-education-6d4bc69348f4349249e49b3ec7c29172">January</a>, it was the fourth and last unlicensed Christian boarding school to close in Cedar County since September 2020. The school’s former director, Bryan Clemensen, said the school, whose enrollment had tumbled, closed because it did not have the funding to continue.Former Agape students came forward with abuse allegations in 2020. One former student said he was raped at Agape and called “seizure boy” because of his epilepsy. Others said they suffered permanent injuries from being disciplined or forced to work long hours of manual labor.In 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-missouri-springfield-89eb20fc1edcba8cf5963abdc69e48c8">Agape’s longtime doctor, David Smock</a>, was charged with child sex crimes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-education-child-abuse-kansas-missouri-a97fcf244d041a1468945b10af5f5f76">five employees were charged</a>&nbsp;with low-level abuse counts. Then-Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office contended that 22 workers should have been charged, and with more serious crimes.But in Missouri, only the local prosecutor can file charges, and Cedar County Prosecuting Attorney Ty Gaither has said no additional employees would be charged.

Mother files wrongful death lawsuit against Christian boarding school 

WILSON COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 12:30 a.m. Tuesday in Wilson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Chevy Express van driven by Dustin Hale, 29, Rogers, Arkansas, was eastbound on U.S. 400 three miles from Kansas 47 Highway.

The van crossed the center line and struck a 2022 Ford Escape driven by&nbsp; Scott Allen Bryant, 52, Wichita, head-on.&nbsp; After impact the SUV&nbsp;spun counter clockwise into the eastbound ditch where it caught fire.

Hale and Bryant were pronounced dead at the scene. Hale was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP. The agency had not seat belt information for Bryant.

WILSON COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 12:30 a.m. Tuesday in Wilson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Chevy Express van driven by Dustin Hale, 29, Rogers, Arkansas, was eastbound on U.S. 400 three miles from Kansas 47 Highway.The van crossed the center line and struck a 2022 Ford Escape driven by&nbsp; Scott Allen Bryant, 52, Wichita, head-on.&nbsp; After impact the SUV&nbsp;spun counter clockwise into the eastbound ditch where it caught fire.Hale and Bryant were pronounced dead at the scene. Hale was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP. The agency had not seat belt information for Bryant.

Kansas man among 2 dead in head-on SUV, van crash and fire

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 261 officials are investigating after a student brought a gun to&nbsp; Campus High School Tuesday in Haysville.

According to a message sent to parents, on Tuesday the Campus administration was made aware that a student brought a gun into the building. 

The Haysville Police Department was immediately notified and the building was placed in a “HOLD” mode. Students were to stay in their classroom or area and the hallways were to be cleared. The school administrators located the student and the gun was confiscated by the Haysville Police Department. 

No threats were made toward staff or students and no one was hurt during the incident. There will be additional police presence at the building.

Campus administration is working with the Haysville Police Department as they are investigating the incident.&nbsp; 

"Our staff and administrators strive to always communicate with parents and guardians when it comes to the well-being of students. We appreciate the people who reported the situation to the administration."&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 261 officials are investigating after a student brought a gun to&nbsp; Campus High School Tuesday in Haysville.According to a message sent to parents, on Tuesday the Campus administration was made aware that a student brought a gun into the building. The Haysville Police Department was immediately notified and the building was placed in a “HOLD” mode. Students were to stay in their classroom or area and the hallways were to be cleared. The school administrators located the student and the gun was confiscated by the Haysville Police Department. No threats were made toward staff or students and no one was hurt during the incident. There will be additional police presence at the building.Campus administration is working with the Haysville Police Department as they are investigating the incident.&nbsp; "Our staff and administrators strive to always communicate with parents and guardians when it comes to the well-being of students. We appreciate the people who reported the situation to the administration."&nbsp;

Police investigate after student brought gun to Kansas high school

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting.

Just after 8:30p.m. Monday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to the 4200 block of Benton Boulevard in Kansas City on a sound of shots call, according to Police Sergeant Jacob Becchina

While officers were on the way they received several more 911 calls for sound of gunshots. On arrival officers located evidence of gunfire at the location. Minutes later Central Patrol officers were dispatched to University Health for a shooting victim that showed up by private vehicle. 

The shooting was reported to have happened at the 4200 block of Benton location. That shooting victim, an adult male, was declared deceased at the hospital.

Homicide detectives are at both locations along with Crime Scene investigators, processing the scene for evidence and canvassing for witnesses. Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698156676640.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting-photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting-photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting.Just after 8:30p.m. Monday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to the 4200 block of Benton Boulevard in Kansas City on a sound of shots call, according to Police Sergeant Jacob BecchinaWhile officers were on the way they received several more 911 calls for sound of gunshots. On arrival officers located evidence of gunfire at the location. Minutes later Central Patrol officers were dispatched to University Health for a shooting victim that showed up by private vehicle. The shooting was reported to have happened at the 4200 block of Benton location. That shooting victim, an adult male, was declared deceased at the hospital.Homicide detectives are at both locations along with Crime Scene investigators, processing the scene for evidence and canvassing for witnesses. Police released no additional details.

KCPD: Shooting victim dies after private vehicle trip to hospital

The top lawmaker in the Missouri House filed false expense reports numerous times since 2018 and began paying back the money he received last week

By JASON HANCOCK,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

Weeks after his return from a conference in Hawaii, Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher was trying to convince legislative staff to reimburse him for the cost of his trip.&nbsp;

He’d filed an expense report that included $1,199.60 for a plane ticket to represent Missouri at the 2023 Uniform Law Commission conference, but he was informed he’d missed his window. The ticket was purchased in January, and it was already August — well outside the 90-day timeframe laid out in House rules to file for reimbursement.&nbsp;

Plocher pled his case in an Aug. 11 phone call and letter to Chief Clerk of the House Dana Miller, arguing this was official business and he’d saved taxpayer money by buying the ticket early and getting a good deal. He filed for reimbursement, he wrote, as soon as he got back to Missouri.&nbsp;

The House ultimately agreed to pay him the money. But as it turns out, the cost of the ticket didn’t come out of Plocher’s bank account. It came out of his campaign.&nbsp;

Seven months earlier, “Plocher for Missouri” reported paying $1,199.60 for airfare to Hawaii for the ULC conference.

A review of Plocher’s expense reports over the years, obtained in early October by The Independent through Missouri’s Sunshine Law, shows the Hawaii expense wasn’t an isolated event.&nbsp;

On at least nine occasions since 2018, Plocher spent campaign money on conference registration, airfare, hotels and other travel expenses, and then also sought reimbursement from the legislature.

In each instance, Plocher was required to sign a sworn statement declaring that he had used “personal funds” to pay the expenses.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Campaign and legal experts interviewed by The Independent say an elected official is allowed to use campaign money for official business. Or, they can use personal money and then request reimbursement from the state.&nbsp;

But doing both could violate state and federal law.&nbsp;

“You have to choose one way or the other,” said Chuck Hatfield, a longtime Democratic attorney in Jefferson City. “ You can’t do both. And depending on what the facts are, there could be reason to believe there was a crime.”

Plocher began paying back some of the money he has received inappropriately last week, sending a letter to House administration on Friday saying he “inadvertently sought and received reimbursements.”&nbsp;

In an emailed statement to The Independent on Monday, Plocher said he sent the letter prior to being contacted by The Independent.

“I am in the process of completing a full review of all expenditures and will correct any additional administrative errors in the spirit of full transparency,” Plocher said.

News about Plocher’s spending comes as he was already facing scrutiny — including drawing the attention of federal law enforcement — over his push to convince the House to spend $800,000 to hire a private company to manage constituent information.&nbsp;Nonpartisan staff&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/22/missouri-lawmaker-accused-of-unlawful-conduct-in-push-for-contract-drawing-fbi-scrutiny/">accused Plocher of illegal and unethical conduct</a>&nbsp;in pursuit of the contract, including threatening the employment of the chief clerk.

In the fallout from the controversy, Plocher fired his chief of staff.&nbsp;

On Friday, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/J_Hancock/status/1715469497874661579">House ethics committee is scheduled to convene</a>&nbsp;to discuss a “personnel inquiry.” While the committee members have given no hints about the focus of the closed-door hearing, either publicly or privately, it is widely believed to be about Plocher.&nbsp;

Plocher’s actions could have violated at least three state laws.&nbsp;

Submitting false expense reports&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=570.030">could be prosecuted as stealing</a>&nbsp;from the state, a class A misdemeanor. It could also be considered&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=575.060">false declaration</a>, a class B misdemeanor that involves knowingly submitting any written false statement.

And while it is permissible to use campaign money for official government business, campaign contributions&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://law.justia.com/codes/missouri/2013/title-ix/chapter-130/section-130.034/">can’t be converted to personal use</a>, said Julie Allen, a former executive director of the Missouri Ethics Commission who was speaking broadly about the situation without direct knowledge of Plocher’s specific expenses.&nbsp;

“If someone were receiving money from their campaign committee and also seeking reimbursement from some public entity, like the House or Senate, then they are certainly getting double their actual expense,” Allen said. “That could mean they are using campaign money for personal use.”&nbsp;

There is a federal law that could also apply if&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/666">the amount misappropriated exceeds $5,000</a>.&nbsp;

Plocher’s most recent false expense report, according to the records, involves his trip to Hawaii.&nbsp;

On. Jan. 17, his campaign reported spending&nbsp; $1,199.60 for airfare to Hawaii for the ULC conference.

He first mentioned the trip in official correspondence on July 11, when he wrote to the chairman of the House accounts and administration committee advising him that he would be attending the ULC conference and would be seeking reimbursement.&nbsp;

He made no mention in that email of any specific costs.&nbsp;

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On Aug. 7, after returning from the conference, Plocher formally requested that the House reimburse him for $4,862.77.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Of that total, $3,663.17 was for his seven-day stay at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. The remaining $1,199.60 was for his Southwest Airlines flight to Hawaii.&nbsp;

A few days later, legislative staff noticed a problem.&nbsp;

The House was not allowed to cover the nearly $400 that Plocher spent on valet parking, an administrative staffer wrote in an email to his office. And because the airfare was purchased in January it was not eligible for reimbursement.

“The airfare shows it was paid on Jan. 15, 2023,” the legislative staffer wrote, “which is past the 90-day policy for reimbursement. He also has seven charges at $55 each for valet parking that we don’t reimburse for.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Plocher called the House clerk to make his case, and the same day wrote a letter stating that he purchased the plane ticket in January in order to get a reduced rate. He said he was unaware of the 90-day rule and wanted to be reimbursed.&nbsp;

In a written note on Plocher’s letter, the chief clerk instructed staff to proceed with payment.&nbsp;

As with all of his requests, Plocher’s expense report stated that the payments were made with “personal funds, for which I have not been reimbursed.”&nbsp;

The first example of what appears to be a false report filed by Plocher dates back to 2018.&nbsp;

His campaign spent $431.96 on airfare with Southwest Airlines in July of that year. Plocher requested the House repay him $112.36 for a portion of the airfare to the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States that wasn’t covered through a scholarship offered by the organization.&nbsp;

That same month, Plocher’s campaign spent $206.05 on “lodging” at a Hyatt hotel. A few weeks later, he requested the House reimburse him $206.05 for accommodations at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch for the Southern Legislative Conference.

His campaign also paid the $300 registration fee for the Southern Legislative Conference, and Plocher was later reimbursed by the House.&nbsp;

In July 2019, Plocher’s campaign reported spending $603.95 on “ULC conference rental car” and $1,923.36 on “ULC conference lodging.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

A month later, he was reimbursed by the House for $603.95 for the rental car. A portion of his lodging was covered by a scholarship, so Plocher only requested the remaining portion — $216.95 — be reimbursed by the House.&nbsp;

His campaign also picked up the $600 registration fee for the ULC conference that year, and Plocher was also reimbursed for that cost.&nbsp;

In June 2022, Plocher was approved by the House to be reimbursed $945 for five nights at a hotel to attend a conference in Philadelphia.&nbsp;

A month later, his campaign spent $963.65 for a hotel in Philadelphia for what was described on the disclosure form as a “campaign conference.” Plocher was reimbursed by the House in August for his stay at the&nbsp;Loews Hotel Philadelphia.

In January of this year, Plocher submitted a notice to the House asking permission to spend $325 to pay the registration to the State Legislative Leaders Foundation conference in Washington, D.C.&nbsp;

A week later, his campaign paid the $325 registration fee, and a week after that he was reimbursed for the cost by the House.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697056839654.png" alt=" Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)" />
 <figcaption> Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The top lawmaker in the Missouri House filed false expense reports numerous times since 2018 and began paying back the money he received last week</h2>By JASON HANCOCK,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>Weeks after his return from a conference in Hawaii, Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher was trying to convince legislative staff to reimburse him for the cost of his trip.&nbsp;He’d filed an expense report that included $1,199.60 for a plane ticket to represent Missouri at the 2023 Uniform Law Commission conference, but he was informed he’d missed his window. The ticket was purchased in January, and it was already August — well outside the 90-day timeframe laid out in House rules to file for reimbursement.&nbsp;Plocher pled his case in an Aug. 11 phone call and letter to Chief Clerk of the House Dana Miller, arguing this was official business and he’d saved taxpayer money by buying the ticket early and getting a good deal. He filed for reimbursement, he wrote, as soon as he got back to Missouri.&nbsp;The House ultimately agreed to pay him the money. But as it turns out, the cost of the ticket didn’t come out of Plocher’s bank account. It came out of his campaign.&nbsp;Seven months earlier, “Plocher for Missouri” reported paying $1,199.60 for airfare to Hawaii for the ULC conference.A review of Plocher’s expense reports over the years, obtained in early October by The Independent through Missouri’s Sunshine Law, shows the Hawaii expense wasn’t an isolated event.&nbsp;On at least nine occasions since 2018, Plocher spent campaign money on conference registration, airfare, hotels and other travel expenses, and then also sought reimbursement from the legislature.In each instance, Plocher was required to sign a sworn statement declaring that he had used “personal funds” to pay the expenses.&nbsp;&nbsp;Campaign and legal experts interviewed by The Independent say an elected official is allowed to use campaign money for official business. Or, they can use personal money and then request reimbursement from the state.&nbsp;But doing both could violate state and federal law.&nbsp;“You have to choose one way or the other,” said Chuck Hatfield, a longtime Democratic attorney in Jefferson City. “ You can’t do both. And depending on what the facts are, there could be reason to believe there was a crime.”Plocher began paying back some of the money he has received inappropriately last week, sending a letter to House administration on Friday saying he “inadvertently sought and received reimbursements.”&nbsp;In an emailed statement to The Independent on Monday, Plocher said he sent the letter prior to being contacted by The Independent.“I am in the process of completing a full review of all expenditures and will correct any additional administrative errors in the spirit of full transparency,” Plocher said.News about Plocher’s spending comes as he was already facing scrutiny — including drawing the attention of federal law enforcement — over his push to convince the House to spend $800,000 to hire a private company to manage constituent information.&nbsp;Nonpartisan staff&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/22/missouri-lawmaker-accused-of-unlawful-conduct-in-push-for-contract-drawing-fbi-scrutiny/">accused Plocher of illegal and unethical conduct</a>&nbsp;in pursuit of the contract, including threatening the employment of the chief clerk.In the fallout from the controversy, Plocher fired his chief of staff.&nbsp;On Friday, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/J_Hancock/status/1715469497874661579">House ethics committee is scheduled to convene</a>&nbsp;to discuss a “personnel inquiry.” While the committee members have given no hints about the focus of the closed-door hearing, either publicly or privately, it is widely believed to be about Plocher.&nbsp;<h2>Trip to Hawaii</h2>Plocher’s actions could have violated at least three state laws.&nbsp;Submitting false expense reports&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=570.030">could be prosecuted as stealing</a>&nbsp;from the state, a class A misdemeanor. It could also be considered&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=575.060">false declaration</a>, a class B misdemeanor that involves knowingly submitting any written false statement.And while it is permissible to use campaign money for official government business, campaign contributions&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://law.justia.com/codes/missouri/2013/title-ix/chapter-130/section-130.034/">can’t be converted to personal use</a>, said Julie Allen, a former executive director of the Missouri Ethics Commission who was speaking broadly about the situation without direct knowledge of Plocher’s specific expenses.&nbsp;“If someone were receiving money from their campaign committee and also seeking reimbursement from some public entity, like the House or Senate, then they are certainly getting double their actual expense,” Allen said. “That could mean they are using campaign money for personal use.”&nbsp;There is a federal law that could also apply if&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/666">the amount misappropriated exceeds $5,000</a>.&nbsp;Plocher’s most recent false expense report, according to the records, involves his trip to Hawaii.&nbsp;On. Jan. 17, his campaign reported spending&nbsp; $1,199.60 for airfare to Hawaii for the ULC conference.He first mentioned the trip in official correspondence on July 11, when he wrote to the chairman of the House accounts and administration committee advising him that he would be attending the ULC conference and would be seeking reimbursement.&nbsp;He made no mention in that email of any specific costs.&nbsp;GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOXSUBSCRIBEOn Aug. 7, after returning from the conference, Plocher formally requested that the House reimburse him for $4,862.77.&nbsp;&nbsp;Of that total, $3,663.17 was for his seven-day stay at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. The remaining $1,199.60 was for his Southwest Airlines flight to Hawaii.&nbsp;A few days later, legislative staff noticed a problem.&nbsp;The House was not allowed to cover the nearly $400 that Plocher spent on valet parking, an administrative staffer wrote in an email to his office. And because the airfare was purchased in January it was not eligible for reimbursement.“The airfare shows it was paid on Jan. 15, 2023,” the legislative staffer wrote, “which is past the 90-day policy for reimbursement. He also has seven charges at $55 each for valet parking that we don’t reimburse for.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Plocher called the House clerk to make his case, and the same day wrote a letter stating that he purchased the plane ticket in January in order to get a reduced rate. He said he was unaware of the 90-day rule and wanted to be reimbursed.&nbsp;In a written note on Plocher’s letter, the chief clerk instructed staff to proceed with payment.&nbsp;As with all of his requests, Plocher’s expense report stated that the payments were made with “personal funds, for which I have not been reimbursed.”&nbsp;<h2>Five years of expenses</h2>The first example of what appears to be a false report filed by Plocher dates back to 2018.&nbsp;His campaign spent $431.96 on airfare with Southwest Airlines in July of that year. Plocher requested the House repay him $112.36 for a portion of the airfare to the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States that wasn’t covered through a scholarship offered by the organization.&nbsp;That same month, Plocher’s campaign spent $206.05 on “lodging” at a Hyatt hotel. A few weeks later, he requested the House reimburse him $206.05 for accommodations at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch for the Southern Legislative Conference.His campaign also paid the $300 registration fee for the Southern Legislative Conference, and Plocher was later reimbursed by the House.&nbsp;In July 2019, Plocher’s campaign reported spending $603.95 on “ULC conference rental car” and $1,923.36 on “ULC conference lodging.”&nbsp;&nbsp;A month later, he was reimbursed by the House for $603.95 for the rental car. A portion of his lodging was covered by a scholarship, so Plocher only requested the remaining portion — $216.95 — be reimbursed by the House.&nbsp;His campaign also picked up the $600 registration fee for the ULC conference that year, and Plocher was also reimbursed for that cost.&nbsp;In June 2022, Plocher was approved by the House to be reimbursed $945 for five nights at a hotel to attend a conference in Philadelphia.&nbsp;A month later, his campaign spent $963.65 for a hotel in Philadelphia for what was described on the disclosure form as a “campaign conference.” Plocher was reimbursed by the House in August for his stay at the&nbsp;Loews Hotel Philadelphia.In January of this year, Plocher submitted a notice to the House asking permission to spend $325 to pay the registration to the State Legislative Leaders Foundation conference in Washington, D.C.&nbsp;A week later, his campaign paid the $325 registration fee, and a week after that he was reimbursed for the cost by the House.&nbsp;

Records:  Dean Plocher charged the state for travel already paid for by his campaign

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a police chase and crash.

Just before 11p.m. Sunday., Sugar Creek Police notified officers in Liberty that they were involved in a vehicle pursuit which was coming into the city Liberty, according to a media release.

A short time later, police learned the suspect's vehicle had crashed into a house and the suspect fled on foot.

Officers quickly located the suspect and engaged in a foot pursuit. After a short distance, police took the person into custody. 

A person in the house sustained serious injuries. EMS transported them to a hospital. On Tuesday, police identified the suspect as 28-year-old Brandon Trent of Kansas City. On Monday, the Clay County Prosecutor's Office charged him with Assault 2nd Degree, Felony Resisting Arrest and Property Damage 1st Degree.&nbsp; He is scheduled for court on Thursday, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698155643234.png" alt="Photo Liberty Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Liberty Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a police chase and crash.Just before 11p.m. Sunday., Sugar Creek Police notified officers in Liberty that they were involved in a vehicle pursuit which was coming into the city Liberty, according to a media release.A short time later, police learned the suspect's vehicle had crashed into a house and the suspect fled on foot.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698156093596.png" alt="Trent is being held in Clay County" />
 <figcaption>Trent is being held in Clay County</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers quickly located the suspect and engaged in a foot pursuit. After a short distance, police took the person into custody. A person in the house sustained serious injuries. EMS transported them to a hospital. On Tuesday, police identified the suspect as 28-year-old Brandon Trent of Kansas City. On Monday, the Clay County Prosecutor's Office charged him with Assault 2nd Degree, Felony Resisting Arrest and Property Damage 1st Degree.&nbsp; He is scheduled for court on Thursday, according to online jail records.