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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

KHP helicopter, drone help capture Kan. burglary suspect

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But it was not enough to sway the holdouts.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GOP's Scalise drops out of race for House speaker

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Police ask for help to ID attempted ATM theft suspects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 On Thursday morning search crews recovered Larson's body.

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

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

Sheriff: Body of drowning victim recovered from Kansas lake 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SeMiko Latimore called the shooting “senseless.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Still, senior advocates applauded the annual adjustment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Social Security benefits will increase in 2024 as inflation moderates

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a second deadly shooting in Topeka in two days and have identified the victim as Ra’Juan Spicer, 18, of Topeka. 

Just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to Police Captain Jerry Monasmith.&nbsp; First responders located Spicer suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. 

EMS personnel pronounced him deceased at the scene. The incident is being investigated as a homicide. It is the&nbsp; 28th homicide in Topeka in 2023.

Just before&nbsp;10:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the 2000 block of SE Pennsylvania Street in Topeka.

First responders located 17-year-old Victor Carlton suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest in these two cases.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697120006665.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a second deadly shooting in Topeka in two days and have identified the victim as Ra’Juan Spicer, 18, of Topeka. Just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to Police Captain Jerry Monasmith.&nbsp; First responders located Spicer suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. EMS personnel pronounced him deceased at the scene. The incident is being investigated as a homicide. It is the&nbsp; 28th homicide in Topeka in 2023.Just before&nbsp;10:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the 2000 block of SE Pennsylvania Street in Topeka.First responders located 17-year-old Victor Carlton suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest in these two cases.

Homicide: 2nd Kansas teen dead in shooting this week

&nbsp;By&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Author/135693/joseph-clark/">Joseph Clark</a>&nbsp;, DOD&nbsp;

The U.S. will lead a newly formed coalition focused on developing Ukraine's air force in a bid to bolster that country's long-term capability to defend itself against Russian aggression, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said on Wednesday.

The announcement, unveiled by Austin following the 16th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, marks the formation of several distinct coalitions focused on building Ukraine's future force capabilities. Those coalitions are comprised of the more than 50 countries that make up the UDCG.

"By leading this capability coalition, the United States will coordinate closely with Ukraine and other partners with the focus on developing Ukraine's F-16 fighter aircraft capabilities," Austin said.

Austin said Denmark and the Netherlands will join the U.S. in leading the effort to ensure Ukrainian forces can defend their skies.

The two European countries previously announced that they would supply Ukraine with F-16s. Norway has also joined the effort to outfit Ukrainian pilots with the U.S.-made jets.

The U.S. has joined the countries in training Ukrainian pilots and aircrews on how to employ and maintain the advanced fighters.

Austin also announced Estonia and Luxembourg will lead a group of countries focused on supporting Ukraine's information technology infrastructure.

Lithuania will lead a separate coalition focused on neutralizing mines in Ukrainian territory.

"I'm also proud to announce that the United States will be joining several more of these coalitions as they form in the coming months, including those focused on Ukraine's air defense, armor and artillery," he said. "That shows how much we can do when we come together.

"It also shows American leadership matters," he continued. "And as Ukraine's troops face this key moment on the battlefield, we must ensure that America's indispensable assistance to Ukraine continues to flow without disruption."

Austin said the United States' support for Ukrainian forces remains unwavering as evidenced by the more than $43.9 billion in U.S. aid that has flowed to Ukraine since Russia's unprovoked invasion.

That figure includes the latest security assistance package valued at $200 million, which was announced by U.S. officials as the UCDG gathered for today's meeting.

The latest package includes a series of air defense systems, as well as additional artillery and rocket ammunition, precision aerial munitions, antitank weapons, and equipment to counter Russian drones.

Austin said the U.S. is "in great company" as dozens of countries step up to aid to Ukraine.

"Some 50 other members of this contact group have committed more than $33 billion in direct security assistance to Ukraine," he said. "In fact, the three biggest European donors to Ukraine — Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland — have all committed more than the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product. So have many other European countries, including Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and all three of the Baltic states."

Several of those countries announced additional rounds of assistance as the contact group gathered in Brussels.

The display of unwavering unity comes at a critical time for global stability as Israel battles Hamas terrorists responsible for a series of deadly attacks over the weekend.

Following the attacks, the U.S. enhanced its military force posture in the region to strengthen its deterrence against further attacks.

That enhanced posture includes the positioning of the USS Gerald R. Ford Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean and bolstered Air Force fighter presence in the region.

The U.S. has also begun to flow military aid to Israel and will soon provide additional rounds to replenish Israel's Iron Dome air defense system.

Austin reaffirmed U.S. support to Israel as he kicked off his remarks in Brussels.

"Like any other country, Israel has the right to defend itself," he said. "As [President Joe Biden] says, Israel has a duty to defend itself."

"And make no mistake, the United States will remain able to project power and to direct resources to tackle crises in multiple theaters," Austin said. "So, we will stand firmly with Israel as we continue to support Ukraine."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697074393182.png" alt="Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Oct. 11, 2023.&nbsp;Photo By:Chad J. McNeeley,&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Oct. 11, 2023.&nbsp;Photo By:Chad J. McNeeley,&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;By&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Author/135693/joseph-clark/">Joseph Clark</a>&nbsp;, DOD&nbsp;The U.S. will lead a newly formed coalition focused on developing Ukraine's air force in a bid to bolster that country's long-term capability to defend itself against Russian aggression, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said on Wednesday.The announcement, unveiled by Austin following the 16th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, marks the formation of several distinct coalitions focused on building Ukraine's future force capabilities. Those coalitions are comprised of the more than 50 countries that make up the UDCG."By leading this capability coalition, the United States will coordinate closely with Ukraine and other partners with the focus on developing Ukraine's F-16 fighter aircraft capabilities," Austin said.Austin said Denmark and the Netherlands will join the U.S. in leading the effort to ensure Ukrainian forces can defend their skies.The two European countries previously announced that they would supply Ukraine with F-16s. Norway has also joined the effort to outfit Ukrainian pilots with the U.S.-made jets.The U.S. has joined the countries in training Ukrainian pilots and aircrews on how to employ and maintain the advanced fighters.Austin also announced Estonia and Luxembourg will lead a group of countries focused on supporting Ukraine's information technology infrastructure.Lithuania will lead a separate coalition focused on neutralizing mines in Ukrainian territory."I'm also proud to announce that the United States will be joining several more of these coalitions as they form in the coming months, including those focused on Ukraine's air defense, armor and artillery," he said. "That shows how much we can do when we come together."It also shows American leadership matters," he continued. "And as Ukraine's troops face this key moment on the battlefield, we must ensure that America's indispensable assistance to Ukraine continues to flow without disruption."Austin said the United States' support for Ukrainian forces remains unwavering as evidenced by the more than $43.9 billion in U.S. aid that has flowed to Ukraine since Russia's unprovoked invasion.That figure includes the latest security assistance package valued at $200 million, which was announced by U.S. officials as the UCDG gathered for today's meeting.The latest package includes a series of air defense systems, as well as additional artillery and rocket ammunition, precision aerial munitions, antitank weapons, and equipment to counter Russian drones.Austin said the U.S. is "in great company" as dozens of countries step up to aid to Ukraine."Some 50 other members of this contact group have committed more than $33 billion in direct security assistance to Ukraine," he said. "In fact, the three biggest European donors to Ukraine — Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland — have all committed more than the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product. So have many other European countries, including Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and all three of the Baltic states."Several of those countries announced additional rounds of assistance as the contact group gathered in Brussels.The display of unwavering unity comes at a critical time for global stability as Israel battles Hamas terrorists responsible for a series of deadly attacks over the weekend.Following the attacks, the U.S. enhanced its military force posture in the region to strengthen its deterrence against further attacks.That enhanced posture includes the positioning of the USS Gerald R. Ford Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean and bolstered Air Force fighter presence in the region.The U.S. has also begun to flow military aid to Israel and will soon provide additional rounds to replenish Israel's Iron Dome air defense system.Austin reaffirmed U.S. support to Israel as he kicked off his remarks in Brussels."Like any other country, Israel has the right to defend itself," he said. "As [President Joe Biden] says, Israel has a duty to defend itself.""And make no mistake, the United States will remain able to project power and to direct resources to tackle crises in multiple theaters," Austin said. "So, we will stand firmly with Israel as we continue to support Ukraine."

$43.9 Billion: U.S. sending another $200M in military aid to Ukraine

COOPER COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Wednesday in Cooper County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a vehicle was eastbound on Interstate 70 just west of Route 98.&nbsp; The vehicle struck a&nbsp; pedestrian in the road identified as Terry J. Ricketts, 59, Woolridge, and fled the scene.

Ricketts was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Mays Funeral Home.

COOPER COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Wednesday in Cooper County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a vehicle was eastbound on Interstate 70 just west of Route 98.&nbsp; The vehicle struck a&nbsp; pedestrian in the road identified as Terry J. Ricketts, 59, Woolridge, and fled the scene.Ricketts was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Mays Funeral Home.

Missouri woman dies after hit-and-run on I-70

TOPEKA (AP) —Kansas became the 10th state in the nation Wednesday to require two-person railroad crews despite objections from freight railroads, but the industry may challenge the rule in court as it has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-safety-ohio-crew-size-derailment-lawsuit-429df55468cc112d7057d4dd1dcf5322">in other states</a>&nbsp;like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-transportation-budget-rail-safety-derailment-bc3e97140763a5accd8bc40cfa664611">Ohio</a>.

The major freight railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/railroads-to-renew-push-for-one-man-crews-in-contract-talks-3f97553f0ec9474784249fa4a17e1169">long pushed</a>&nbsp;to cut crews down to one person, but unions have resisted because they believe it’s safer to have two people working together to operate trains.

Gov. Laura Kelly said two-person crews “will protect workers from the effects of fatigue, prevent train derailments and reduce risks in the many Kansas communities along our railroad tracks.” The new administrative rule took effect Wednesday.

The railroad industry maintains there isn't enough evidence to show that two-person crews are safer and many short-line railroads already operate with a single person aboard.

“Regulatory efforts to mandate crew staffing such as the latest in Kansas lack a safety justification,” said spokesperson Jessica Kahanek with the Association of American Railroads trade group.

Kahanek said she didn't want to speculate whether the industry will file a lawsuit challenging the Kansas rule the way it did in Ohio. The railroads generally argue in their lawsuits that the federal government should be the only one to regulate the industry to ensure there's a uniform set of rules.

At least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroads-freight-safety-derailment-state-laws-42fa5ddae7486e44c7383def082d31a3">a dozen states</a>&nbsp;impatient with the federal government's reluctance to pass new regulations on railroads have tried to pass restrictions on the industry related to minimum crew size, train length and blocked crossings.

Both the Ohio and Kansas crew-size rules were proposed in the months after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-pete-buttigieg-evacuations-ohio-explosions-64908a6416662b5866809387f210aee5">fiery Norfolk Southern derailment</a>&nbsp;in eastern Ohio in February. That crash forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes around East Palestine while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-updates-bf5a60de2243cd6f7f730096aa33294c">hazardous chemicals burned</a>&nbsp;in the days afterward. The cleanup continues and residents continue to worry about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-contamination-fears-brockovich-fc68b402096a4f5f8598a657f7e399f8">possible long-term health effects</a>.

The other states that have rules requiring two-person crews on the books are California, Wisconsin, Arizona, West Virginia. Minnesota, Washington, Nevada and Colorado. Those state regulations could be unnecessary if the Federal Railroad Administration approves a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/588d6f7829c4836b9d2feff5c21a5097">proposed rule</a>&nbsp;to require two-person crews or if a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-congress-6288cdfb0b4381de4c9bfb05199b8ba6">package of rail safety reforms</a>&nbsp;proposed in Congress that includes that requirement is approved. But the rail safety bill hasn't received a vote in the Senate or a hearing in the House, so it's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/east-palestine-train-derailment-safety-regulations-railroad-4db52c68daf68da05425b5b70363fb0a">prospects are uncertain</a>.

Jeremy Ferguson, who leads the Transportation Division of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers union that represents conductors, praised the new Kansas rule alongside the governor Wednesday.

“We have all worked hard to show that safety comes first, and corporate profits will never be placed ahead of all the citizens of this great state,” Ferguson said.

Kahanek, the industry spokesperson, said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aar.org/issue/crew-size/">railroads believe</a>&nbsp;crew size should be determined by contract negotiations with the unions — not by regulations.

Union Pacific is in the process of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/union-pacific-railroad-crews-kansas-2f87d473a41a8c999945043ecab597c1">testing</a>&nbsp;out how quickly a conductor in a truck can respond to problems on a train compared to the conductor aboard the locomotive, although the railroad is still maintaining two people at the controls of its trains during the test.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697068882813.jpeg" alt="Kansas becomes the 10th state to require at least two railroad crew members in the lead locomotive. Requiring a two-person crew protects Kansas rail workers and our communities along the tracks.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kansas becomes the 10th state to require at least two railroad crew members in the lead locomotive. Requiring a two-person crew protects Kansas rail workers and our communities along the tracks.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA (AP) —Kansas became the 10th state in the nation Wednesday to require two-person railroad crews despite objections from freight railroads, but the industry may challenge the rule in court as it has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-safety-ohio-crew-size-derailment-lawsuit-429df55468cc112d7057d4dd1dcf5322">in other states</a>&nbsp;like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-transportation-budget-rail-safety-derailment-bc3e97140763a5accd8bc40cfa664611">Ohio</a>.The major freight railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/railroads-to-renew-push-for-one-man-crews-in-contract-talks-3f97553f0ec9474784249fa4a17e1169">long pushed</a>&nbsp;to cut crews down to one person, but unions have resisted because they believe it’s safer to have two people working together to operate trains.Gov. Laura Kelly said two-person crews “will protect workers from the effects of fatigue, prevent train derailments and reduce risks in the many Kansas communities along our railroad tracks.” The new administrative rule took effect Wednesday.The railroad industry maintains there isn't enough evidence to show that two-person crews are safer and many short-line railroads already operate with a single person aboard.“Regulatory efforts to mandate crew staffing such as the latest in Kansas lack a safety justification,” said spokesperson Jessica Kahanek with the Association of American Railroads trade group.Kahanek said she didn't want to speculate whether the industry will file a lawsuit challenging the Kansas rule the way it did in Ohio. The railroads generally argue in their lawsuits that the federal government should be the only one to regulate the industry to ensure there's a uniform set of rules.At least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroads-freight-safety-derailment-state-laws-42fa5ddae7486e44c7383def082d31a3">a dozen states</a>&nbsp;impatient with the federal government's reluctance to pass new regulations on railroads have tried to pass restrictions on the industry related to minimum crew size, train length and blocked crossings.Both the Ohio and Kansas crew-size rules were proposed in the months after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-pete-buttigieg-evacuations-ohio-explosions-64908a6416662b5866809387f210aee5">fiery Norfolk Southern derailment</a>&nbsp;in eastern Ohio in February. That crash forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes around East Palestine while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-updates-bf5a60de2243cd6f7f730096aa33294c">hazardous chemicals burned</a>&nbsp;in the days afterward. The cleanup continues and residents continue to worry about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-contamination-fears-brockovich-fc68b402096a4f5f8598a657f7e399f8">possible long-term health effects</a>.The other states that have rules requiring two-person crews on the books are California, Wisconsin, Arizona, West Virginia. Minnesota, Washington, Nevada and Colorado. Those state regulations could be unnecessary if the Federal Railroad Administration approves a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/588d6f7829c4836b9d2feff5c21a5097">proposed rule</a>&nbsp;to require two-person crews or if a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-congress-6288cdfb0b4381de4c9bfb05199b8ba6">package of rail safety reforms</a>&nbsp;proposed in Congress that includes that requirement is approved. But the rail safety bill hasn't received a vote in the Senate or a hearing in the House, so it's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/east-palestine-train-derailment-safety-regulations-railroad-4db52c68daf68da05425b5b70363fb0a">prospects are uncertain</a>.Jeremy Ferguson, who leads the Transportation Division of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers union that represents conductors, praised the new Kansas rule alongside the governor Wednesday.“We have all worked hard to show that safety comes first, and corporate profits will never be placed ahead of all the citizens of this great state,” Ferguson said.Kahanek, the industry spokesperson, said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aar.org/issue/crew-size/">railroads believe</a>&nbsp;crew size should be determined by contract negotiations with the unions — not by regulations.Union Pacific is in the process of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/union-pacific-railroad-crews-kansas-2f87d473a41a8c999945043ecab597c1">testing</a>&nbsp;out how quickly a conductor in a truck can respond to problems on a train compared to the conductor aboard the locomotive, although the railroad is still maintaining two people at the controls of its trains during the test.

Gov. announces new rule to improve safety for Kan. rail workers

&nbsp;DES MOINES (AP) — A player in California won a $1.73 billion Powerball jackpot Wednesday night, ending a long stretch without a winner of the top prize.

The winning numbers were: 22, 24, 40, 52, 64 and the Powerball 10. The winning ticket was sold at Midway Market &amp; Liquor in Frazier Park, according to the California Lottery.

Phone calls Wednesday night to Midway Market &amp; Liquor went unanswered.

“The phone’s been ringing off the hook, people saying congratulations. Pretty crazy,” the store’s night worker, identified only as Duke, told KCAL-TV.

“Somebody owes me a truck,” he said with a smile. “A lot of customers come in, you know they come in every day to get their tickets, religiously. And a lot of them ... said: ‘Oh, if I win I’m gonna get you a new truck.’ So where’s my truck? I’ll be waiting.”

He expected the winner will be a local resident.

Before someone won the giant prize, there had been 35 consecutive drawings without a big winner, stretching back to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-winner-california-9f0e98a47c96c2b3087a68b33195dd50">July 19</a>&nbsp;when a player in California matched all six numbers and won $1.08 billion.

The jackpot is the world’s second-largest lottery prize after rolling over for 36 consecutive drawings, since the last time someone won the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-winner-california-9f0e98a47c96c2b3087a68b33195dd50">top prize on July 19</a>. That streak trails the record of 41 draws set in 2021 and 2022.

The only top prize that was ever bigger was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpot-mega-millions-powerball-b77dd9c7de3f0ab09545a01113b1f111">$2.04 billion Powerball</a>&nbsp;won by a player in California last November.

Powerball’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">terrible odds</a>&nbsp;of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to generate big jackpots, with prizes becoming ever larger as they repeatedly roll over when no one wins. And wins in recent months have been few and far between.

That didn’t bother those eager to plunk down their money on Wednesday for a long-shot chance at instant wealth.

&nbsp;DES MOINES (AP) — A player in California won a $1.73 billion Powerball jackpot Wednesday night, ending a long stretch without a winner of the top prize.The winning numbers were: 22, 24, 40, 52, 64 and the Powerball 10. The winning ticket was sold at Midway Market &amp; Liquor in Frazier Park, according to the California Lottery.Phone calls Wednesday night to Midway Market &amp; Liquor went unanswered.“The phone’s been ringing off the hook, people saying congratulations. Pretty crazy,” the store’s night worker, identified only as Duke, told KCAL-TV.“Somebody owes me a truck,” he said with a smile. “A lot of customers come in, you know they come in every day to get their tickets, religiously. And a lot of them ... said: ‘Oh, if I win I’m gonna get you a new truck.’ So where’s my truck? I’ll be waiting.”He expected the winner will be a local resident.Before someone won the giant prize, there had been 35 consecutive drawings without a big winner, stretching back to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-winner-california-9f0e98a47c96c2b3087a68b33195dd50">July 19</a>&nbsp;when a player in California matched all six numbers and won $1.08 billion.The jackpot is the world’s second-largest lottery prize after rolling over for 36 consecutive drawings, since the last time someone won the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-winner-california-9f0e98a47c96c2b3087a68b33195dd50">top prize on July 19</a>. That streak trails the record of 41 draws set in 2021 and 2022.The only top prize that was ever bigger was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpot-mega-millions-powerball-b77dd9c7de3f0ab09545a01113b1f111">$2.04 billion Powerball</a>&nbsp;won by a player in California last November.Powerball’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">terrible odds</a>&nbsp;of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to generate big jackpots, with prizes becoming ever larger as they repeatedly roll over when no one wins. And wins in recent months have been few and far between.That didn’t bother those eager to plunk down their money on Wednesday for a long-shot chance at instant wealth.Robert Salvato Jr., a 60-year-old electrician, bought 40 Powerball tickets at a hardware store in Billerica, Massachusetts.“I would take care of family and give my cat that extra leg that she needs and make her a good kitty,” said Salvato, who got married on Saturday.“I could give her a ring on every finger, I guess,” Salvato said of his new wife.Nevada is among the five states without Powerball, so friends Tamara Carter and Denise Davis drove from Las Vegas across the state line into California to buy tickets. But the line was so long at their first stop that they gave up and went in search of another store.“The line was about three hours long,” Carter estimated. “I was waiting for maybe a half hour, and it didn’t move.”The jackpot has grown enormous due to a long dry spell. The previous winning Powerball ticket was sold on July 19, and it was worth $1.08 billion after 39 drawings without a jackpot win.At the same hardware store as Salvato, Kevin Button seemed to understand the long odds as he bought a ticket.“I only buy them usually when the jackpot’s high,” Button said. “Seems to have been pretty high quite often lately. So I’ve tried quite a few times and haven’t even won a free ticket. But maybe tonight’s the night.”In most states, a Powerball ticket costs $2 and players can select their own numbers or leave that task to a computer.The $1.73 billion jackpot is for a sole winner who opts for payment&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">through an annuity</a>, doled out over 30 years. Winners almost always take the cash option, which for Wednesday night’s drawing is estimated at $756.6 million.Winnings would be subject to federal taxes, and many states also tax lottery winnings.Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.