SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a child and have made an arrest.

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

 Upon arrival, a 5-year-old child was being given life-saving measures by personnel from the Topeka Fire Department. The child&nbsp;was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was later pronounced deceased.

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

Mickel is being held on requested charges of Murder in the 1st degree; In the commission of a felony, and rape; offender is 18 or older and victim is under the age of 14.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696342029742.png" alt="Cherry-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Cherry-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a child and have made an arrest.Just before 6 p.m. Monday, police responded to a medical call at the Dillon’s fuel pumps located at 2010 SE 29th Street in Topeka. Upon arrival, a 5-year-old child was being given life-saving measures by personnel from the Topeka Fire Department. The child&nbsp;was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was later pronounced deceased.Investigators determined that circumstances around the death were suspicious and quickly identified a suspect. As a result of the investigation, police arrested 25-year-old Mickel W. Cherry, 25, Topeka, who is known to the victim.Mickel is being held on requested charges of Murder in the 1st degree; In the commission of a felony, and rape; offender is 18 or older and victim is under the age of 14.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. man jailed for alleged rape, murder of 5-year-old

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a carjacking and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 3:30 p.m. Sunday, police responded to the 4000 block SE Adams Street on a report of an aggravated robbery, according to Police Lt. Kerry Connell. It was reported a man with a firearm threatened an individual and stole the victim's vehicle.

At 5:3o p.m., police observed the stolen vehicle near SW 37th Street and SW Topeka Blvd.&nbsp; and attempted a traffic stop. The driver fled from officers, initiating a brief vehicle pursuit that lasted approximately 1 minute before being terminated. 

The driver of the stolen vehicle continued to drive at a high rate of speed and struck a vehicle near SW 57th and SW Topeka Blvd. 

The driver of struck vehicle was transported to a local area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

A short time later, the suspect&nbsp;identified as 27-year-old Kareem L. Evans,  was taken into custody and transported to a local area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

On Monday afternoon, doctors released Evans and he was booked into jail&nbsp;was booked into jail on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery, Burglary to vehicle, Aggravated Assault,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated Battery,&nbsp;&nbsp;Criminal threat, Theft, Interference with a Law Enforcement and multiple traffic violations, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696274980973.png" alt="Evans-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Evans-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a carjacking and have a suspect in custody.Just after 3:30 p.m. Sunday, police responded to the 4000 block SE Adams Street on a report of an aggravated robbery, according to Police Lt. Kerry Connell. It was reported a man with a firearm threatened an individual and stole the victim's vehicle.At 5:3o p.m., police observed the stolen vehicle near SW 37th Street and SW Topeka Blvd.&nbsp; and attempted a traffic stop. The driver fled from officers, initiating a brief vehicle pursuit that lasted approximately 1 minute before being terminated. The driver of the stolen vehicle continued to drive at a high rate of speed and struck a vehicle near SW 57th and SW Topeka Blvd. The driver of struck vehicle was transported to a local area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A short time later, the suspect&nbsp;identified as 27-year-old Kareem L. Evans, was taken into custody and transported to a local area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.On Monday afternoon, doctors released Evans and he was booked into jail&nbsp;was booked into jail on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery, Burglary to vehicle, Aggravated Assault,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated Battery,&nbsp;&nbsp;Criminal threat, Theft, Interference with a Law Enforcement and multiple traffic violations, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

Kansas carjacking suspect moved from hospital to jail

FINNEY COUNTY —Authorities continue working to determine the cause of a deadly fire in southwest Kansas, according to Fire Chief Gene Robertson.

Just after 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, fire crews were dispatched to the report house fire with possible trapped individuals at 613 N. 9th Street, Garden City, according to a media release.

First arriving crews found a multi-story residence with heavy fire and visible smoke. Firefighters made contact with three victims in the front yard who alerted them of additional victims inside.

Personnel entered the house to begin fire attack and search and rescue, and were met with heavy fire and intense heat. During the search, personnel located two additional victims. After retrieving them from the home, fire personnel were joined by EMS to begin life-saving measures.

The victims were loaded into ambulances and care was transferred to EMS. Just before 3a.m., the City of Holcomb Fire Department was requested to provide mutual aid. Personnel reentered the residence to complete the primary search and fire attack.

Additional fire was located in the attic and extinguished. The fire was called under control at 3:22 a.m. and turned over to Garden City Fire Investigators.

As a result of the fire, two victims died, three victims were treated for smoke inhalation, and one firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation.

The Garden City Fire Department and the Garden City Police Department are conducting a joint investigation, which is standard procedure for victims of a structure fire.

The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s office is assisting with the investigation. Authorities have not released the names of the victims.

FINNEY COUNTY —Authorities continue working to determine the cause of a deadly fire in southwest Kansas, according to Fire Chief Gene Robertson.Just after 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, fire crews were dispatched to the report house fire with possible trapped individuals at 613 N. 9th Street, Garden City, according to a media release.First arriving crews found a multi-story residence with heavy fire and visible smoke. Firefighters made contact with three victims in the front yard who alerted them of additional victims inside.Personnel entered the house to begin fire attack and search and rescue, and were met with heavy fire and intense heat. During the search, personnel located two additional victims. After retrieving them from the home, fire personnel were joined by EMS to begin life-saving measures.The victims were loaded into ambulances and care was transferred to EMS. Just before 3a.m., the City of Holcomb Fire Department was requested to provide mutual aid. Personnel reentered the residence to complete the primary search and fire attack.Additional fire was located in the attic and extinguished. The fire was called under control at 3:22 a.m. and turned over to Garden City Fire Investigators.As a result of the fire, two victims died, three victims were treated for smoke inhalation, and one firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation.The Garden City Fire Department and the Garden City Police Department are conducting a joint investigation, which is standard procedure for victims of a structure fire.The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s office is assisting with the investigation. Authorities have not released the names of the victims.

Cause of deadly Kansas house fire still under investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;is facing an extraordinary referendum on his leadership of the House after a conservative member of his own Republican majority, a longtime critic, moved to launch a vote to oust him from the helm.

Late Monday, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., rose in the chamber as the House was almost done for the day to file the motion — a resolution that would set a snap vote in coming days that even Gaetz acknowledged may not have enough support to remove the speaker from the job.

“I have enough Republicans where at this point next week, one of two things will happen: Kevin McCarthy won’t be the speaker of the House or he’ll be the speaker of the House working at the pleasure of the Democrats," Gaetz told reporters afterward outside the Capitol.

McCarthy responded minutes later on social media, “Bring it on.”

Gaetz soon retorted in a post, “Just did.”

It’s a historic moment: the first time in more than 100 years that a lawmaker may actually force a vote using the legislative tool that has been threatened against other House speakers, including in 2015, but never fully employed to try to remove them.

The bold strike to confront McCarthy carries potentially dire ramifications if enough lawmakers decide to remove his hold on the gavel, but also for Gaetz if it fizzles out. It also puts on stark display the warring factions that have roiled the Republican majority this year in the House and beyond.

So far, despite the deep divides over McCarthy's leadership, only a handful of hard-right Republicans have signaled they are willing to vote to remove him. Others who have aligned with Gaetz on spending cuts or other priorities are parting ways with him on this one.

“It’s a really bad idea,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., one of the more conservative lawmakers in the House.

Gaetz has for months threatened to use the procedural tool — called a motion to vacate — to try to strip McCarthy of his office. Those threats escalated over the weekend after McCarthy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8">relied on Democrats</a>&nbsp;to provide the necessary votes to fund the government.

That decision has set McCarthy up for what will likely be the ultimate test of his leadership and may force him to again look across the aisle to Democrats for support. But how the vote will ultimately unfold remains unclear as Democrats weigh whether to help McCarthy, join the effort to oust him, or simply withhold their votes or rely on parliamentary maneuvering that could sway the outcome.

“Do we side with a sociopath or an incompetent?” said Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., a progressive leader. “I don’t know?”

And allies of McCarthy have said for weeks they were ready for a motion to come.

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said he has spoken privately to some Democrats who have told him they would vote to help McCarthy remain in office. “I’m sure Mr. Gaetz will have some allies who will go with him. But I don’t see enough.”

The vote ahead could result in humiliation — the first speaker ever ousted from the job through such a motion — or newfound strength as he overcomes yet another obstacle while trying to lead a narrow, unwieldy majority.

Conservative critics have been hounding McCarthy from the start, denying him votes and thwarting his plans. But McCarthy has leaned into the fight and suggested it’s an opportunity to set aside his critics once and for all.

Gaetz acknowledged the effort is likely to fail. He responded to questions about what he hoped to accomplish by saying Americans need to know who's in charge.

In a speech on the House floor earlier in the day, Gaetz accused McCarthy of making a deal with the White House during funding negotiations to bring forward legislation to help fund Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Brushing off the threat, McCarthy told reporters earlier at the Capitol, “I’m focused on doing the work that has to be done.” He added that there was “no side deal” on Ukraine, noting he has not spoken to Biden.

A motion to vacate is a rare and strong procedural tool that has only been used twice in the past century against Republican speakers. But in recent years, conservatives have wielded the motion as a weapon against their leaders.

In January, McCarthy, hoping to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-office-of-congressional-ethics-pandemics-60b4f098523b982b549823f4b3e8f9e4">appease some on the hard right</a>&nbsp;like Gaetz as he fought to gain their vote for speaker, agreed to give as few as five Republican members the ability to initiate a vote to remove him. But when that wasn’t good enough for his critics, he agreed to reduce that threshold to one — the system that historically has been the norm.

The motion Gaetz introduced is a privileged resolution, a designation that gives it priority over other measures. The next step is for House leaders to schedule a vote on the resolution within two legislative days.

It would take a simple majority of the House — 218 votes, when no seats are vacant — to remove McCarthy from his post.

However, there are several procedural motions that members of either party could introduce to slow down or stop the process altogether.

But among McCarthy's detractors, passions run deep.

Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., who has long wanted McCarthy gone, said the speaker’s weekend deal with Democrats to keep the government running without any of the conservative priorities is just another reason he will be voting for the ouster.

Still, other far-right members and allies of Gaetz as they fought the spending deal and other issues were less sure. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., said his position on the motion was “to be determined.”

Showing the tough road ahead to win over conservative support for ousting the speaker, Massie said the real history-making moment has been the House working through its regular job of trying to pass spending bills, and he worries this effort will quash all that.

“If you’re asking how I feel, I am sad that this might be the end of that experiment,” he said.

Democrats were largely treating the moment as another episode in a Republican-led House that has been full of chaotic twists since the start of the year, and declining to say whether they would work to help McCarthy keep his job or vote to oust him.

“Another day at the show,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;is facing an extraordinary referendum on his leadership of the House after a conservative member of his own Republican majority, a longtime critic, moved to launch a vote to oust him from the helm.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) filed a motion to vacate the chair, setting up a vote to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) within two legislative days. <a href="https://t.co/lBOdFJqp6c">pic.twitter.com/lBOdFJqp6c</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1708989259732885711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Late Monday, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., rose in the chamber as the House was almost done for the day to file the motion — a resolution that would set a snap vote in coming days that even Gaetz acknowledged may not have enough support to remove the speaker from the job.“I have enough Republicans where at this point next week, one of two things will happen: Kevin McCarthy won’t be the speaker of the House or he’ll be the speaker of the House working at the pleasure of the Democrats," Gaetz told reporters afterward outside the Capitol.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Just did. <a href="https://t.co/zdQk3GblbV">https://t.co/zdQk3GblbV</a>&mdash; Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattgaetz/status/1708991508458639420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>McCarthy responded minutes later on social media, “Bring it on.”Gaetz soon retorted in a post, “Just did.”It’s a historic moment: the first time in more than 100 years that a lawmaker may actually force a vote using the legislative tool that has been threatened against other House speakers, including in 2015, but never fully employed to try to remove them.The bold strike to confront McCarthy carries potentially dire ramifications if enough lawmakers decide to remove his hold on the gavel, but also for Gaetz if it fizzles out. It also puts on stark display the warring factions that have roiled the Republican majority this year in the House and beyond.So far, despite the deep divides over McCarthy's leadership, only a handful of hard-right Republicans have signaled they are willing to vote to remove him. Others who have aligned with Gaetz on spending cuts or other priorities are parting ways with him on this one.“It’s a really bad idea,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., one of the more conservative lawmakers in the House.Gaetz has for months threatened to use the procedural tool — called a motion to vacate — to try to strip McCarthy of his office. Those threats escalated over the weekend after McCarthy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8">relied on Democrats</a>&nbsp;to provide the necessary votes to fund the government.That decision has set McCarthy up for what will likely be the ultimate test of his leadership and may force him to again look across the aisle to Democrats for support. But how the vote will ultimately unfold remains unclear as Democrats weigh whether to help McCarthy, join the effort to oust him, or simply withhold their votes or rely on parliamentary maneuvering that could sway the outcome.“Do we side with a sociopath or an incompetent?” said Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., a progressive leader. “I don’t know?”And allies of McCarthy have said for weeks they were ready for a motion to come.Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said he has spoken privately to some Democrats who have told him they would vote to help McCarthy remain in office. “I’m sure Mr. Gaetz will have some allies who will go with him. But I don’t see enough.”The vote ahead could result in humiliation — the first speaker ever ousted from the job through such a motion — or newfound strength as he overcomes yet another obstacle while trying to lead a narrow, unwieldy majority.Conservative critics have been hounding McCarthy from the start, denying him votes and thwarting his plans. But McCarthy has leaned into the fight and suggested it’s an opportunity to set aside his critics once and for all.Gaetz acknowledged the effort is likely to fail. He responded to questions about what he hoped to accomplish by saying Americans need to know who's in charge.In a speech on the House floor earlier in the day, Gaetz accused McCarthy of making a deal with the White House during funding negotiations to bring forward legislation to help fund Ukraine in its war against Russia.Brushing off the threat, McCarthy told reporters earlier at the Capitol, “I’m focused on doing the work that has to be done.” He added that there was “no side deal” on Ukraine, noting he has not spoken to Biden.A motion to vacate is a rare and strong procedural tool that has only been used twice in the past century against Republican speakers. But in recent years, conservatives have wielded the motion as a weapon against their leaders.In January, McCarthy, hoping to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-office-of-congressional-ethics-pandemics-60b4f098523b982b549823f4b3e8f9e4">appease some on the hard right</a>&nbsp;like Gaetz as he fought to gain their vote for speaker, agreed to give as few as five Republican members the ability to initiate a vote to remove him. But when that wasn’t good enough for his critics, he agreed to reduce that threshold to one — the system that historically has been the norm.The motion Gaetz introduced is a privileged resolution, a designation that gives it priority over other measures. The next step is for House leaders to schedule a vote on the resolution within two legislative days.It would take a simple majority of the House — 218 votes, when no seats are vacant — to remove McCarthy from his post.However, there are several procedural motions that members of either party could introduce to slow down or stop the process altogether.But among McCarthy's detractors, passions run deep.Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., who has long wanted McCarthy gone, said the speaker’s weekend deal with Democrats to keep the government running without any of the conservative priorities is just another reason he will be voting for the ouster.“We got nothing,” he said Monday.Still, other far-right members and allies of Gaetz as they fought the spending deal and other issues were less sure. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., said his position on the motion was “to be determined.”Showing the tough road ahead to win over conservative support for ousting the speaker, Massie said the real history-making moment has been the House working through its regular job of trying to pass spending bills, and he worries this effort will quash all that.“If you’re asking how I feel, I am sad that this might be the end of that experiment,” he said.Democrats were largely treating the moment as another episode in a Republican-led House that has been full of chaotic twists since the start of the year, and declining to say whether they would work to help McCarthy keep his job or vote to oust him.“Another day at the show,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y.

🎥 Power struggle: Historic move to oust House Speaker 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal&nbsp; &nbsp;shooting in Wichita are asking the public for help to locate a suspect identified as Luis Jackson, according to a Crime Stoppers report.

Just after 2a.m. September 10, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 4000 block of West Memory Lane in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

First responders&nbsp; located&nbsp;19-year-old Zyles James of Wichita unconscious and not breathing with gunshot wounds to his upper and lower body.

Officers began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived. James was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.

During the initial response, officers located another victim with a graze wound to the arm. The victim was transported to a local hospital and was treated and released.

If you see Jackson or know his location, call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694602061567.png" alt="Jackson-photo Wichita PD" />
 <figcaption>Jackson-photo Wichita PD</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal&nbsp; &nbsp;shooting in Wichita are asking the public for help to locate a suspect identified as Luis Jackson, according to a Crime Stoppers report.Just after 2a.m. September 10, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 4000 block of West Memory Lane in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.First responders&nbsp; located&nbsp;19-year-old Zyles James of Wichita unconscious and not breathing with gunshot wounds to his upper and lower body.Officers began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived. James was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.During the initial response, officers located another victim with a graze wound to the arm. The victim was transported to a local hospital and was treated and released.If you see Jackson or know his location, call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

After three weeks Kansas murder suspect still hiding from police

LACLEDE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just 5p.m. Monday in Laclede County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Toyota Tacoma driven by Michael D. Hall, 72, Lebanon, was eastbound on Highway 64 six miles west of Lebanon.

The pickup traveled off the right side of the road, struck a fence, utility box and two trailers. Mercy ambulance transported Hall to Mercy Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

LACLEDE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just 5p.m. Monday in Laclede County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Toyota Tacoma driven by Michael D. Hall, 72, Lebanon, was eastbound on Highway 64 six miles west of Lebanon.The pickup traveled off the right side of the road, struck a fence, utility box and two trailers. Mercy ambulance transported Hall to Mercy Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man dies after pickup crash into fence, utility box

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) — The Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.2 billion after no players hit it big Monday night.

The winning numbers announced were: 12, 26, 27, 43, 47 and the Powerball 5.

The jackpot for the next drawing Wednesday night will be among the largest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpot-mega-millions-powerball-b77dd9c7de3f0ab09545a01113b1f111">lottery prizes of all time</a>, behind earlier prizes in the Powerball and Mega Millions games.

The prize has grown so massive because there have been 33 consecutive drawings since someone matched all five white balls and the Powerball to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-winner-california-9f0e98a47c96c2b3087a68b33195dd50">win the jackpot</a>, dating back to July 19.

That losing streak reflects the stunningly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">long odds of winning</a>&nbsp;the jackpot, at 1 in 292.2 million.

The new $1.2 billion jackpot is for a sole winner who chooses to receive the winnings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">through an annuity</a>, paid annually over 30 years. Winners nearly always pick the cash option, which for Wednesday night’s drawing would be an estimated $551 million.

A Powerball ticket costs $2 in most states and players can pick their own numbers or have a computer make the selection.

Powerball is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) — The Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.2 billion after no players hit it big Monday night.The winning numbers announced were: 12, 26, 27, 43, 47 and the Powerball 5.The jackpot for the next drawing Wednesday night will be among the largest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpot-mega-millions-powerball-b77dd9c7de3f0ab09545a01113b1f111">lottery prizes of all time</a>, behind earlier prizes in the Powerball and Mega Millions games.The prize has grown so massive because there have been 33 consecutive drawings since someone matched all five white balls and the Powerball to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-winner-california-9f0e98a47c96c2b3087a68b33195dd50">win the jackpot</a>, dating back to July 19.That losing streak reflects the stunningly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">long odds of winning</a>&nbsp;the jackpot, at 1 in 292.2 million.The new $1.2 billion jackpot is for a sole winner who chooses to receive the winnings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">through an annuity</a>, paid annually over 30 years. Winners nearly always pick the cash option, which for Wednesday night’s drawing would be an estimated $551 million.A Powerball ticket costs $2 in most states and players can pick their own numbers or have a computer make the selection.Powerball is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Powerball jackpot rises to $1.2 billion after another drawing without a big winner

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The police chief who led an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marion-kansas-newspaper-raid-aca057365ea3925328a69acd615c9893">August raid on a small weekly newspaper</a>&nbsp;in central Kansas has resigned, just days after he was suspended from his post, a City Council member confirmed Monday.

Marion City Council member Ruth Herbel confirmed to The Associated Press that the mayor announced Chief Gideon Cody’s resignation at Monday’s council meeting. The announcement comes days after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/raid-kansas-newspaper-police-chief-suspended-306638d67f4cdeef834a7b20523c40cf">the mayor suspended Cody</a>&nbsp;for reasons that have not been made public, and weeks after a local prosecutor said that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to justify the search of the Marion County Record or searches at the same time of the publisher's home and Herbel's home.

The search of the newspaper put Marion, a town of 1,900 residents some 150 miles (240 kilometers) southwest of Kansas City, at the center of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-raid-marion-county-record-bead3f49d323c784d40154067141dc7c">a fierce national debate</a>&nbsp;over press freedoms and cast an international spotlight on Cody and his tactics. Cody faces one federal lawsuit, and others are expected.

Cody did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment about his resignation. The mayor also did not respond to a text and phone call about the announcement, which was initially reported by the Marion County Record.

“It’s long overdue. You know, we had to wait more than six weeks to get him suspended,” said Eric Meyer, the Record's editor and publisher. “It kind of leads you to believe that there’s some smoking gun somewhere that everybody knows about and we’re going to try to get ahead of it.”

Cody's departure comes after recently obtained body camera video from the search of the newspaper shows that an officer rifled through a desk drawer of a reporter who was investigating its chief. The video then shows the officer beckoning Cody over to look at the documents he’d found. The AP obtained the body camera video Monday through an open records request.

Cody then says, “Keep a personal file on me. I don't care," the video shows. He's briefly seen bending over, apparently to look at the drawer, before the other officer's clipboard blocks the view of what the chief is doing.

Cody obtained warrants for the three raids by telling a judge that he had evidence of possible identity theft and other potential crimes tied to the circulation of information about a local restaurant owner's driving record. But the newspaper and its attorney have suggested he might have been trying to find out what it had learned about his past as a police captain in Kansas City, Missouri.

“This was all about finding out who our sources were,” Bernie Rhodes, the newspaper's attorney, said Monday.

Some legal experts believe the raids on the Record’s office and Meyer's home violated a federal privacy law that protects journalists from having their newsrooms searched. Some believe it violated a Kansas law that makes it more difficult to force reporters and editors to disclose their sources and unpublished material.

Herbel has called the search of her home illegal because of differences in the texts of the affidavit Cody used to get the warrant and the warrant itself. She said last month that she feared for her safety.

“I'm glad we're rid of him,” Herbel said.

Meyer blames&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-mother-raid-video-4427af3241da82767deb76028836cffd">the stress of the raids</a>&nbsp;for the death the next day of his 98-year-old mother, Joan Meyer, the paper's co-owner.

While the newspaper has questioned Cody's motives, the body camera video shows him repeatedly telling newspaper staffers that he is investigating how it and Herbel obtained information about the owner of two local restaurants, Kari Newell.

“It grew into a monster, and it's got your name on it,” Cody told Record reporter Phyllis Zorn, who had verified information about Newell online, after reading Zorn her rights, one video shows.

The video was released to the AP through a Wichita law firm representing the city. The same firm has been representing Cody in the federal lawsuit against him, filed by Deb Gruver, the Record reporter who'd been looking into Cody's past, who recently left the newspaper.

The video of Cody at Gruver's desk is from the body camera of Marion Police Officer Zach Hudlin. There appeared to be no corresponding video of the same moment from Cody's own camera.

The video shows that officers, led by Cody, searched the Record newsroom after interviewing Zorn, Gruver and the newspaper's business manager, and escorting them out of the building. Hudlin then goes through a drawer in Gruver's desk — after Gruver told the chief she had nothing to do with the reporting on Newell.

Hudlin asks Cody, “You want to look through this desk?”

Cody responds that Hudlin has the right to look through it, and Hudlin replies, “I know. I'm asking, do YOU want to look through this desk?”

After Cody goes to the desk, Hudlin tells him, “You will understand shortly.”

It's not clear from the video how closely Cody examined what was in the desk, and the object Hudlin found — described by Rhodes as a file on Cody's time in with the Kansas City, Missouri, police department.

Cody retired from the Kansas City police in late April, around the time the Marion City Council interviewed him. He took a big cut in pay: The Kansas City police paid him nearly $116,000 a year, while the Marion job pays $60,000 annually.

Meyer has said Cody knew weeks before the raids that the newspaper was looking into anonymous tips about why Cody retired from the Kansas City police. Meyer said when he asked Cody a question about it, Cody threatened a lawsuit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692219843330.png" alt="Marion City Council member Ruth Herbel confirmed to The Associated Press that the mayor announced Chief Gideon Cody’s resignation at Monday’s council meeting.-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Marion City Council member Ruth Herbel confirmed to The Associated Press that the mayor announced Chief Gideon Cody’s resignation at Monday’s council meeting.-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The police chief who led an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marion-kansas-newspaper-raid-aca057365ea3925328a69acd615c9893">August raid on a small weekly newspaper</a>&nbsp;in central Kansas has resigned, just days after he was suspended from his post, a City Council member confirmed Monday.Marion City Council member Ruth Herbel confirmed to The Associated Press that the mayor announced Chief Gideon Cody’s resignation at Monday’s council meeting. The announcement comes days after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/raid-kansas-newspaper-police-chief-suspended-306638d67f4cdeef834a7b20523c40cf">the mayor suspended Cody</a>&nbsp;for reasons that have not been made public, and weeks after a local prosecutor said that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to justify the search of the Marion County Record or searches at the same time of the publisher's home and Herbel's home.The search of the newspaper put Marion, a town of 1,900 residents some 150 miles (240 kilometers) southwest of Kansas City, at the center of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-raid-marion-county-record-bead3f49d323c784d40154067141dc7c">a fierce national debate</a>&nbsp;over press freedoms and cast an international spotlight on Cody and his tactics. Cody faces one federal lawsuit, and others are expected.Cody did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment about his resignation. The mayor also did not respond to a text and phone call about the announcement, which was initially reported by the Marion County Record.“It’s long overdue. You know, we had to wait more than six weeks to get him suspended,” said Eric Meyer, the Record's editor and publisher. “It kind of leads you to believe that there’s some smoking gun somewhere that everybody knows about and we’re going to try to get ahead of it.”Cody's departure comes after recently obtained body camera video from the search of the newspaper shows that an officer rifled through a desk drawer of a reporter who was investigating its chief. The video then shows the officer beckoning Cody over to look at the documents he’d found. The AP obtained the body camera video Monday through an open records request.Cody then says, “Keep a personal file on me. I don't care," the video shows. He's briefly seen bending over, apparently to look at the drawer, before the other officer's clipboard blocks the view of what the chief is doing.Cody obtained warrants for the three raids by telling a judge that he had evidence of possible identity theft and other potential crimes tied to the circulation of information about a local restaurant owner's driving record. But the newspaper and its attorney have suggested he might have been trying to find out what it had learned about his past as a police captain in Kansas City, Missouri.“This was all about finding out who our sources were,” Bernie Rhodes, the newspaper's attorney, said Monday.Some legal experts believe the raids on the Record’s office and Meyer's home violated a federal privacy law that protects journalists from having their newsrooms searched. Some believe it violated a Kansas law that makes it more difficult to force reporters and editors to disclose their sources and unpublished material.Herbel has called the search of her home illegal because of differences in the texts of the affidavit Cody used to get the warrant and the warrant itself. She said last month that she feared for her safety.“I'm glad we're rid of him,” Herbel said.Meyer blames&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-mother-raid-video-4427af3241da82767deb76028836cffd">the stress of the raids</a>&nbsp;for the death the next day of his 98-year-old mother, Joan Meyer, the paper's co-owner.While the newspaper has questioned Cody's motives, the body camera video shows him repeatedly telling newspaper staffers that he is investigating how it and Herbel obtained information about the owner of two local restaurants, Kari Newell.“It grew into a monster, and it's got your name on it,” Cody told Record reporter Phyllis Zorn, who had verified information about Newell online, after reading Zorn her rights, one video shows.The video was released to the AP through a Wichita law firm representing the city. The same firm has been representing Cody in the federal lawsuit against him, filed by Deb Gruver, the Record reporter who'd been looking into Cody's past, who recently left the newspaper.The video of Cody at Gruver's desk is from the body camera of Marion Police Officer Zach Hudlin. There appeared to be no corresponding video of the same moment from Cody's own camera.The video shows that officers, led by Cody, searched the Record newsroom after interviewing Zorn, Gruver and the newspaper's business manager, and escorting them out of the building. Hudlin then goes through a drawer in Gruver's desk — after Gruver told the chief she had nothing to do with the reporting on Newell.Hudlin asks Cody, “You want to look through this desk?”Cody responds that Hudlin has the right to look through it, and Hudlin replies, “I know. I'm asking, do YOU want to look through this desk?”After Cody goes to the desk, Hudlin tells him, “You will understand shortly.”It's not clear from the video how closely Cody examined what was in the desk, and the object Hudlin found — described by Rhodes as a file on Cody's time in with the Kansas City, Missouri, police department.Cody retired from the Kansas City police in late April, around the time the Marion City Council interviewed him. He took a big cut in pay: The Kansas City police paid him nearly $116,000 a year, while the Marion job pays $60,000 annually.Meyer has said Cody knew weeks before the raids that the newspaper was looking into anonymous tips about why Cody retired from the Kansas City police. Meyer said when he asked Cody a question about it, Cody threatened a lawsuit.

Kansas police chief who led raid on newspaper has resigned, official says

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities on Monday announced the successful resolution of a longstanding Cold Case Homicide investigation, thanks to cutting-edge technology and invaluable partnerships within the law enforcement community.

On October 2, 1989, tragedy struck when Krista Martin was discovered beaten to death in her apartment in the 500 block of South Osage Street in Wichita.

 Initial efforts included the collection of DNA evidence, although, at the time, DNA testing and CODIS systems were not available. Nonetheless, the DNA evidence was carefully preserved.

Despite conducting numerous interviews and analyzing the available evidence, investigators were unable to identify a suspect. Undeterred, they continued to scrutinize the evidence and gather new leads over the ensuing years. DNA samples were collected from multiple individuals for comparison with the evidence from the scene, yet no match was found.

Between 1990 and 1992, the original case detective sent evidence to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) crime lab in hopes of identifying a suspect, but unfortunately, this effort yielded no results, leaving the case unsolved.

In 2009, the DNA evidence was submitted to the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center, resulting in the development of a potential suspect profile. This profile was uploaded to CODIS, but once again, it did not lead to any matches. Further DNA sampling from potential suspects also proved unsuccessful.

In 2020, the Wichita Police Department, leveraging advanced technology, again sought the assistance of the FBI to re-evaluate the DNA evidence collected in 1989.

In 2021, a dedicated team consisting of a Wichita Police Homicide Detective and an FBI Special Agent embarked on a journey to Alabama and Arkansas, collaborating with additional Federal Agents working in Maryland. Their mission was to conduct extensive interviews and gather additional evidence to break the case.

The investigation persisted into 2022, and Wichita Police joined forces with private industry genealogists to scrutinize DNA profiles and attempt to identify a suspect. 

Finally, in April of 2023, a possible suspect, Paul Hart, emerged. It was discovered Hart died in a traffic collision in Memphis, Tennessee, in March of 1999.

In June of 2023, the WPD homicide detective and FBI Special Agent traveled to Arkansas, where they collected additional DNA samples from direct relatives of Hart. They continued to conduct interviews and submitted DNA evidence for further analysis.

In collaboration with the FBI, an Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Team, Othram and the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center, investigators were able to utilize IGG techniques to confirm that Hart was the suspect in the 1989 homicide of Krista Martin.

Upon presenting the facts of the case to Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett, it was determined that charges would be filed if&nbsp; Hart were still alive. As he is deceased, this case is now considered cleared.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696270618168.png" alt="​On October 2, 1989 Krista Martin (20 years old) was found beaten to death in her apartment at 506 S. Osage after having been struck in the back of the head with a blunt object.-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>​On October 2, 1989 Krista Martin (20 years old) was found beaten to death in her apartment at 506 S. Osage after having been struck in the back of the head with a blunt object.-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities on Monday announced the successful resolution of a longstanding Cold Case Homicide investigation, thanks to cutting-edge technology and invaluable partnerships within the law enforcement community.On October 2, 1989, tragedy struck when Krista Martin was discovered beaten to death in her apartment in the 500 block of South Osage Street in Wichita. Initial efforts included the collection of DNA evidence, although, at the time, DNA testing and CODIS systems were not available. Nonetheless, the DNA evidence was carefully preserved.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696271713104.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Despite conducting numerous interviews and analyzing the available evidence, investigators were unable to identify a suspect. Undeterred, they continued to scrutinize the evidence and gather new leads over the ensuing years. DNA samples were collected from multiple individuals for comparison with the evidence from the scene, yet no match was found.Between 1990 and 1992, the original case detective sent evidence to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) crime lab in hopes of identifying a suspect, but unfortunately, this effort yielded no results, leaving the case unsolved.In 2009, the DNA evidence was submitted to the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center, resulting in the development of a potential suspect profile. This profile was uploaded to CODIS, but once again, it did not lead to any matches. Further DNA sampling from potential suspects also proved unsuccessful.In 2020, the Wichita Police Department, leveraging advanced technology, again sought the assistance of the FBI to re-evaluate the DNA evidence collected in 1989.In 2021, a dedicated team consisting of a Wichita Police Homicide Detective and an FBI Special Agent embarked on a journey to Alabama and Arkansas, collaborating with additional Federal Agents working in Maryland. Their mission was to conduct extensive interviews and gather additional evidence to break the case.The investigation persisted into 2022, and Wichita Police joined forces with private industry genealogists to scrutinize DNA profiles and attempt to identify a suspect. Finally, in April of 2023, a possible suspect, Paul Hart, emerged. It was discovered Hart died in a traffic collision in Memphis, Tennessee, in March of 1999.In June of 2023, the WPD homicide detective and FBI Special Agent traveled to Arkansas, where they collected additional DNA samples from direct relatives of Hart. They continued to conduct interviews and submitted DNA evidence for further analysis.In collaboration with the FBI, an Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Team, Othram and the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center, investigators were able to utilize IGG techniques to confirm that Hart was the suspect in the 1989 homicide of Krista Martin.Upon presenting the facts of the case to Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett, it was determined that charges would be filed if&nbsp; Hart were still alive. As he is deceased, this case is now considered cleared.

Police solve 34-year-old cold case murder of Kansas woman

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

Just after 11:30p.m Sept. 28, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 35 just north of the Waverly exit for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

During the stop, illegal narcotics including prescription drugs for which the suspect did not have a prescription were located.

The driver of the vehicle, Dorrian T. Carpentier-Roberts, 32, of Wichita, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges that include Possession of stimulants.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696005873611.png" alt="Carpentier-Roberts-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Carpentier-Roberts-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 11:30p.m Sept. 28, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 35 just north of the Waverly exit for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.During the stop, illegal narcotics including prescription drugs for which the suspect did not have a prescription were located.The driver of the vehicle, Dorrian T. Carpentier-Roberts, 32, of Wichita, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges that include Possession of stimulants.

Sheriff: Kan. man had prescription drugs without a prescription

MOREAU, N.Y. (AP) — A 9-year-old girl who vanished during a family camping trip in upstate New York was “safe and in good health” Monday after a massive two-day search ended with her rescue and an arrest of a person suspected in her abduction, police said.

Charlotte Sena disappeared while riding her bike early Saturday evening at Moreau Lake State Park, a heavily wooded park some 35 miles north of Albany. Police on Monday searched multiple residences linked to a suspect, who investigators believed had been in the area around the time the girl went missing.

Gov. Kathy Hochul told Spectrum News that investigators were able to identify fingerprints from a ransom note.

Charlotte was found at about 6:30 p.m., according to state police. The suspect, who was taken into custody, has not been identified by authorities.

“We are overjoyed at the news that Charlotte Sena has been located safely this evening after an intense days-long search,” Hochul said in a prepared statement. “Our hearts are with her family as they welcome her home.”

Authorities said it was still an active investigation and didn’t immediately release further details, but promised more information at a news conference Tuesday.

The rescue marked the end of an intense search. About 400 people took part in the hunt for the girl Monday, including forest rangers, police officers and firefighters. The search had expanded over 46 linear miles (74 linear kilometers).

Charlotte, a fourth grader from nearby Greenfield, had been riding her bike around a campsite loop in the park with other children when she decided to ride around one more time by herself. Her parents became alarmed when she failed to return after 15 minutes, Hochul said at a briefing Sunday.

The girl’s mother called 911 after her bicycle was found at around 6:45 p.m. Saturday.

Officials issued an Amber Alert on Sunday morning after an exhaustive search because “it was quite possible that an abduction had taken place,” state police Lt. Colonel Richard Mazzone said. The alert described her as a white girl with blonde hair and green eyes who is about 4 feet 6 inches tall (1.37 meters).

The girl’s family pleaded with the public for help in finding Charlotte, including providing any tips to the state police.

“We just want her returned safely like any parent would,” the family said in a statement earlier Monday. “No tip is too small, please call if you know anything at all.”

Troopers had set up several checkpoints on the winding, rural roads around the park. They stopped drivers and asked if they knew the family, had seen the girl’s photo or had any other information that could help the search. They also had some drivers open their trunks.

The park remained closed because of the search, and officials asked members of the public who showed up hoping to help to stay away and leave the search to professionals. Federal authorities also issued a temporary flight restriction over the park for the safety of law enforcement air operations.

The Corinth Central School District said it had extra counselors at Charlotte’s elementary school for any students or staff who need support.

“Our hearts go out to the Sena family,” the district said in a statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696290494329.png" alt="Charlotte Sena-photo NY Amber Alert" />
 <figcaption>Charlotte Sena-photo NY Amber Alert</figcaption>
 </figure>MOREAU, N.Y. (AP) — A 9-year-old girl who vanished during a family camping trip in upstate New York was “safe and in good health” Monday after a massive two-day search ended with her rescue and an arrest of a person suspected in her abduction, police said.Charlotte Sena disappeared while riding her bike early Saturday evening at Moreau Lake State Park, a heavily wooded park some 35 miles north of Albany. Police on Monday searched multiple residences linked to a suspect, who investigators believed had been in the area around the time the girl went missing.Gov. Kathy Hochul told Spectrum News that investigators were able to identify fingerprints from a ransom note.Charlotte was found at about 6:30 p.m., according to state police. The suspect, who was taken into custody, has not been identified by authorities.“We are overjoyed at the news that Charlotte Sena has been located safely this evening after an intense days-long search,” Hochul said in a prepared statement. “Our hearts are with her family as they welcome her home.”Authorities said it was still an active investigation and didn’t immediately release further details, but promised more information at a news conference Tuesday.The rescue marked the end of an intense search. About 400 people took part in the hunt for the girl Monday, including forest rangers, police officers and firefighters. The search had expanded over 46 linear miles (74 linear kilometers).Charlotte, a fourth grader from nearby Greenfield, had been riding her bike around a campsite loop in the park with other children when she decided to ride around one more time by herself. Her parents became alarmed when she failed to return after 15 minutes, Hochul said at a briefing Sunday.The girl’s mother called 911 after her bicycle was found at around 6:45 p.m. Saturday.Officials issued an Amber Alert on Sunday morning after an exhaustive search because “it was quite possible that an abduction had taken place,” state police Lt. Colonel Richard Mazzone said. The alert described her as a white girl with blonde hair and green eyes who is about 4 feet 6 inches tall (1.37 meters).The girl’s family pleaded with the public for help in finding Charlotte, including providing any tips to the state police.“We just want her returned safely like any parent would,” the family said in a statement earlier Monday. “No tip is too small, please call if you know anything at all.”Troopers had set up several checkpoints on the winding, rural roads around the park. They stopped drivers and asked if they knew the family, had seen the girl’s photo or had any other information that could help the search. They also had some drivers open their trunks.The park remained closed because of the search, and officials asked members of the public who showed up hoping to help to stay away and leave the search to professionals. Federal authorities also issued a temporary flight restriction over the park for the safety of law enforcement air operations.The Corinth Central School District said it had extra counselors at Charlotte’s elementary school for any students or staff who need support.“Our hearts go out to the Sena family,” the district said in a statement.---------------

Police: 9-year-old girl who vanished from state park found safe

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman acknowledged triggering a fire alarm Saturday in one of the U.S. Capitol office buildings as lawmakers scrambled to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8" target="_blank">pass a bill to fund the government</a>&nbsp;before the midnight shutdown deadline.&nbsp;

On social media, Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt made fun of Bowman's stunt.

The fire alarm sounded out around noon in the Cannon House Office Building and prompted a building-wide evacuation at a time when the House was in session and staffers were working in the building. The building was reopened an hour later after Capitol Police determined it was not a threat.

The GOP-controlled House Administration Committee, which oversees issues pertaining to the Capitol complex, posted a picture of a person pulling the fire alarm who appeared to be Bowman.

The New York lawmaker told reporters hours later that it was a mistake and that he was rushing to get to votes and was trying to get through a door that is usually open, but was closed due to it being a weekend.

“I thought it would help me open the door,” he said about pulling the trigger, denying that it was an effort to stall anything.

At the time of the evacuation House Democrats were working to delay a vote on a 45-day funding bill to keep federal agencies open. They said they needed time to review the 71-page bill that Republicans abruptly released to avoid a shutdown.

The funding package was ultimately approved 335-91 on Saturday afternoon, with most Republicans and almost all Democrats — including Bowman — supporting the bill.

In a late-night statement, Bowman said that “I want to be very clear, this was not me, in any way, trying to delay any vote. It was the exact opposite — I was trying urgently to get to a vote, which I ultimately did and joined my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to keep our government open.”

Bowman said he met with the House Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police “at their request, and explained what had happened. My hope is that no one will make more of this than it was.”

Capitol Police said in a statement Saturday that an “investigation into what happened and why continues.”

After the vote, Republicans, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, criticized Bowman over the fire alarm. Some lawmakers even floated the idea of drafting a motion to expel or censure him from the House.

“This should not go without punishment,” McCarthy told reporters. “This is an embarrassment.”

He added that he plans to talk with the Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York to figure out a possible response.

But Jeffries met with Bowman shortly after the vote and Bowman said his fellow New York colleague was “supportive.”

“He understood that it was a mistake and that’s all it was,” he said. Bowman added that the reaction from McCarthy and other Republicans is dishonest.

"(McCarthy’s) trying to weaponize a mistake of me coming, rushing to get to a vote as something nefarious when it wasn’t,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696253301965.png" alt="Rep. Jamal Bowman pulling the alarm photo U.S. Capitol Police" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Jamal Bowman pulling the alarm photo U.S. Capitol Police</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman acknowledged triggering a fire alarm Saturday in one of the U.S. Capitol office buildings as lawmakers scrambled to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8" target="_blank">pass a bill to fund the government</a>&nbsp;before the midnight shutdown deadline.&nbsp;On social media, Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt made fun of Bowman's stunt.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Headed back home this morning. Wonder if I need to pull this red alarm thingy to get out the Russell Senate Office building…? <a href="https://t.co/9d7gKTABsJ">pic.twitter.com/9d7gKTABsJ</a>&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1708463092080705986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The fire alarm sounded out around noon in the Cannon House Office Building and prompted a building-wide evacuation at a time when the House was in session and staffers were working in the building. The building was reopened an hour later after Capitol Police determined it was not a threat.The GOP-controlled House Administration Committee, which oversees issues pertaining to the Capitol complex, posted a picture of a person pulling the fire alarm who appeared to be Bowman.The New York lawmaker told reporters hours later that it was a mistake and that he was rushing to get to votes and was trying to get through a door that is usually open, but was closed due to it being a weekend.“I thought it would help me open the door,” he said about pulling the trigger, denying that it was an effort to stall anything.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Statement from Congressman Jamaal Bowman. <a href="https://t.co/v6qjdHNI7T">pic.twitter.com/v6qjdHNI7T</a>&mdash; Congressman Jamaal Bowman (@RepBowman) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepBowman/status/1708299648782262656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>At the time of the evacuation House Democrats were working to delay a vote on a 45-day funding bill to keep federal agencies open. They said they needed time to review the 71-page bill that Republicans abruptly released to avoid a shutdown.The funding package was ultimately approved 335-91 on Saturday afternoon, with most Republicans and almost all Democrats — including Bowman — supporting the bill.In a late-night statement, Bowman said that “I want to be very clear, this was not me, in any way, trying to delay any vote. It was the exact opposite — I was trying urgently to get to a vote, which I ultimately did and joined my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to keep our government open.”Bowman said he met with the House Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police “at their request, and explained what had happened. My hope is that no one will make more of this than it was.”Capitol Police said in a statement Saturday that an “investigation into what happened and why continues.”After the vote, Republicans, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, criticized Bowman over the fire alarm. Some lawmakers even floated the idea of drafting a motion to expel or censure him from the House.“This should not go without punishment,” McCarthy told reporters. “This is an embarrassment.”He added that he plans to talk with the Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York to figure out a possible response.But Jeffries met with Bowman shortly after the vote and Bowman said his fellow New York colleague was “supportive.”“He understood that it was a mistake and that’s all it was,” he said. Bowman added that the reaction from McCarthy and other Republicans is dishonest."(McCarthy’s) trying to weaponize a mistake of me coming, rushing to get to a vote as something nefarious when it wasn’t,” he said.

Missouri Senator mocks congressman who pulled fire alarm

NEW YORK (AP) — Aggrieved and defiant, former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;sat through hours of sometimes testy opening statements Monday in a fraud lawsuit that could cost him control of Trump Tower and other prized properties.

“Disgraceful trial,” he declared during a lunch break, after listening to lawyers for New York Attorney General Letitia James excoriate him as a habitual liar. The state's lawsuit accuses the business-mogul-turned-politician and his company of deceiving banks, insurers and others by misstating his wealth for years in financial statements.

“They were lying year after year after year,” Kevin Wallace, a lawyer in James' office, said as Trump sat at the defense table. He looked straight ahead, arms crossed, facing away from a screen that showed details of Wallace's presentation.

Defense lawyers, in response, said the financial statements were legitimate. Trump's holdings are "Mona Lisa properties" that can command top dollar, attorney Alina Habba said.

“That is not fraud. That is real estate," she said, accusing the attorney general's office of "setting a very dangerous precedent for all business owners in the state of New York.”

Trump voluntarily attended a trial that he called a “sham," a “scam,” a waste of the state's time and “a continuation of the single greatest witch hunt of all time.” Currently the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">Republican front-runner</a>&nbsp;in the 2024 presidential race, he reiterated claims that James, a Democrat, is trying to thwart&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">his bid to return to the White House</a>.

“What we have here is an attempt to hurt me in an election,” he said outside court, adding: “I don’t think the people of this country are going to stand for it.”

Trump sneered at James as he passed her on his way out at lunchtime; she, by turn, left smiling. Meanwhile, his campaign immediately began fundraising off the appearance.

Judge Arthur Engoron ruled last week that Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-1569245a9284427117b8d3ba5da74249">committed fraud in his business dealings</a>. If upheld on appeal, the ruling could force Trump to give up New York properties including Trump Tower, a Wall Street office building, golf courses and a suburban estate. Trump has called it a “a corporate death penalty” and insisted the judge is unfair and out to get him.

The non-jury trial concerns six remaining claims in the lawsuit, including allegations of conspiracy, falsifying business records and insurance fraud. Engoron said that neither side sought a jury and that state law doesn't allow for juries when suits seek not only money but a court order setting out something a defendant must do or not do.

James is seeking $250 million in penalties and a ban on Trump doing business in New York.

“No matter how powerful you are, and no matter how much money you think you have, no one is above the law," she said on her way into the courthouse.

Trump denies wrongdoing. He says that James and the judge are undervaluing such assets as his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, and he emphasizes that his financial statements had a disclaimer that says they shouldn’t be trusted. The yearly snapshots of his holdings were given to banks to secure loans and to financial magazines to justify his place among the world’s billionaires.

The former president, his two eldest sons, Trump Organization executives and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-cohen">lawyer-turned-foe Michael Cohen</a>&nbsp;are all listed among dozens of potential witnesses.

Trump isn’t expected to testify for several weeks. His trip to court Monday marked a remarkable departure from his past practice.

Trump didn't go to court as either a witness or a spectator when his company and one of its top executives was convicted of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-legal-proceedings-new-york-city-donald-trump-manhattan-e2f1d01525dafb64be8738c8b4f32085">tax fraud</a>&nbsp;last year. He didn't show, either, for a civil trial earlier this year in which a jury found him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-fe68259a4b98bb3947d42af9ec83d7db">liable for sexually assaulting the writer E. Jean Carroll</a>&nbsp;in a department store dressing room.

This time, “I wanted to watch this witch hunt myself,” he said outside court.

In a recent court filing, James' office alleged Trump exaggerated his wealth by as much as $3.6 billion.

He claimed his three-story Trump Tower penthouse, replete with gold-plated fixtures, was nearly three times its actual size and worth $327 million, far more than any New York City apartment ever has fetched, James said. He valued Mar-a-Lago as high as $739 million — more than 10 times a more reasonable estimate of its worth, James maintained.

“Every estimate was determined by Mr. Trump," Wallace said in his opening statement. He pointed to pretrial testimony by Trump Organization figures and ex-insiders including Cohen, who said the company estimated assets to get to a predetermined number “that Mr. Trump wanted.”

Wallace said the alleged scheme got the company better loan rates, saving it $100 million in interest.

“They hid their weaknesses and convinced these banks to take on hundreds of millions of dollars in risk," he said, adding: “While the defendants can exaggerate to Forbes magazine or on television, they cannot do it while conducting business in the state of New York.”

Trump lawyer Christopher Kise said defense experts will testify that assigning values to properties is, by nature, a matter of opinion.

“There is no such thing as objective valuation,” Kise said in an opening statement.

Any discrepancies in values don't amount to fraud, he said, and disclaimers on the financial statements made clear that these were estimates and that banks would have to perform their own analysis.

Trump and his lawyers have also argued that no one was harmed by anything in the financial statements. Banks that made loans to him were fully repaid. Business partners made money. And Trump's own company flourished.

Kise blasted last week’s fraud ruling, telling the judge he shouldn't have made a decision before hearing expert trial testimony on property valuations. Engoron, tiring of the defense’s criticism, shot back: “Respectfully, what’s that expression? You’re stalking the dead horse here.”

Testimony began Wednesday afternoon with Donald Bender, a longtime partner at accounting firm Mazars LLP, describing how he spent 50 to 60 hours a year preparing Trump's financial statements. Mazars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-new-york-donald-trump-6949c069d081f7d79a987a72cb80af34">cut ties with Trump</a>&nbsp;last year after James’ office raised questions about the statements' reliability.

James’ lawsuit is one of several legal headaches for Trump as he campaigns to return to the White House. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-investigations-other-charges-b8b064a00caad4306fb54d2f6a320468">has been indicted four times</a>&nbsp;since March, accused of plotting to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, hoarding classified documents and falsifying business records related to hush money paid on his behalf. He has pleaded not guilty to all the allegations.

The New York fraud trial is expected to last into December, Engoron said.

NEW YORK (AP) — Aggrieved and defiant, former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;sat through hours of sometimes testy opening statements Monday in a fraud lawsuit that could cost him control of Trump Tower and other prized properties.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Outside the NYC courtroom, former President Donald Trump said the judge assigned to the case was &quot;rogue&quot;, New York Attorney General Leticia James was &quot;racist,&quot; and the entire trial is a coordinated effort of the Biden Administration&#39;s Justice Department. <a href="https://t.co/AaFy7ESqaz">pic.twitter.com/AaFy7ESqaz</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1708943614636658907?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Disgraceful trial,” he declared during a lunch break, after listening to lawyers for New York Attorney General Letitia James excoriate him as a habitual liar. The state's lawsuit accuses the business-mogul-turned-politician and his company of deceiving banks, insurers and others by misstating his wealth for years in financial statements.“They were lying year after year after year,” Kevin Wallace, a lawyer in James' office, said as Trump sat at the defense table. He looked straight ahead, arms crossed, facing away from a screen that showed details of Wallace's presentation.Defense lawyers, in response, said the financial statements were legitimate. Trump's holdings are "Mona Lisa properties" that can command top dollar, attorney Alina Habba said.“That is not fraud. That is real estate," she said, accusing the attorney general's office of "setting a very dangerous precedent for all business owners in the state of New York.”Trump voluntarily attended a trial that he called a “sham," a “scam,” a waste of the state's time and “a continuation of the single greatest witch hunt of all time.” Currently the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">Republican front-runner</a>&nbsp;in the 2024 presidential race, he reiterated claims that James, a Democrat, is trying to thwart&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">his bid to return to the White House</a>.“What we have here is an attempt to hurt me in an election,” he said outside court, adding: “I don’t think the people of this country are going to stand for it.”Trump sneered at James as he passed her on his way out at lunchtime; she, by turn, left smiling. Meanwhile, his campaign immediately began fundraising off the appearance.Judge Arthur Engoron ruled last week that Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-1569245a9284427117b8d3ba5da74249">committed fraud in his business dealings</a>. If upheld on appeal, the ruling could force Trump to give up New York properties including Trump Tower, a Wall Street office building, golf courses and a suburban estate. Trump has called it a “a corporate death penalty” and insisted the judge is unfair and out to get him.The non-jury trial concerns six remaining claims in the lawsuit, including allegations of conspiracy, falsifying business records and insurance fraud. Engoron said that neither side sought a jury and that state law doesn't allow for juries when suits seek not only money but a court order setting out something a defendant must do or not do.James is seeking $250 million in penalties and a ban on Trump doing business in New York.“No matter how powerful you are, and no matter how much money you think you have, no one is above the law," she said on her way into the courthouse.Trump denies wrongdoing. He says that James and the judge are undervaluing such assets as his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, and he emphasizes that his financial statements had a disclaimer that says they shouldn’t be trusted. The yearly snapshots of his holdings were given to banks to secure loans and to financial magazines to justify his place among the world’s billionaires.The former president, his two eldest sons, Trump Organization executives and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-cohen">lawyer-turned-foe Michael Cohen</a>&nbsp;are all listed among dozens of potential witnesses.Trump isn’t expected to testify for several weeks. His trip to court Monday marked a remarkable departure from his past practice.Trump didn't go to court as either a witness or a spectator when his company and one of its top executives was convicted of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-legal-proceedings-new-york-city-donald-trump-manhattan-e2f1d01525dafb64be8738c8b4f32085">tax fraud</a>&nbsp;last year. He didn't show, either, for a civil trial earlier this year in which a jury found him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-fe68259a4b98bb3947d42af9ec83d7db">liable for sexually assaulting the writer E. Jean Carroll</a>&nbsp;in a department store dressing room.This time, “I wanted to watch this witch hunt myself,” he said outside court.In a recent court filing, James' office alleged Trump exaggerated his wealth by as much as $3.6 billion.He claimed his three-story Trump Tower penthouse, replete with gold-plated fixtures, was nearly three times its actual size and worth $327 million, far more than any New York City apartment ever has fetched, James said. He valued Mar-a-Lago as high as $739 million — more than 10 times a more reasonable estimate of its worth, James maintained.“Every estimate was determined by Mr. Trump," Wallace said in his opening statement. He pointed to pretrial testimony by Trump Organization figures and ex-insiders including Cohen, who said the company estimated assets to get to a predetermined number “that Mr. Trump wanted.”Wallace said the alleged scheme got the company better loan rates, saving it $100 million in interest.“They hid their weaknesses and convinced these banks to take on hundreds of millions of dollars in risk," he said, adding: “While the defendants can exaggerate to Forbes magazine or on television, they cannot do it while conducting business in the state of New York.”Trump lawyer Christopher Kise said defense experts will testify that assigning values to properties is, by nature, a matter of opinion.“There is no such thing as objective valuation,” Kise said in an opening statement.Any discrepancies in values don't amount to fraud, he said, and disclaimers on the financial statements made clear that these were estimates and that banks would have to perform their own analysis.Trump and his lawyers have also argued that no one was harmed by anything in the financial statements. Banks that made loans to him were fully repaid. Business partners made money. And Trump's own company flourished.Kise blasted last week’s fraud ruling, telling the judge he shouldn't have made a decision before hearing expert trial testimony on property valuations. Engoron, tiring of the defense’s criticism, shot back: “Respectfully, what’s that expression? You’re stalking the dead horse here.”Testimony began Wednesday afternoon with Donald Bender, a longtime partner at accounting firm Mazars LLP, describing how he spent 50 to 60 hours a year preparing Trump's financial statements. Mazars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-new-york-donald-trump-6949c069d081f7d79a987a72cb80af34">cut ties with Trump</a>&nbsp;last year after James’ office raised questions about the statements' reliability.James’ lawsuit is one of several legal headaches for Trump as he campaigns to return to the White House. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-investigations-other-charges-b8b064a00caad4306fb54d2f6a320468">has been indicted four times</a>&nbsp;since March, accused of plotting to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, hoarding classified documents and falsifying business records related to hush money paid on his behalf. He has pleaded not guilty to all the allegations.The New York fraud trial is expected to last into December, Engoron said.

🎥 Trump attacks attorney general, judge ahead of fraud trial

MCPHERSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal hit-and-run that occurred just after 8p.m. Saturday in McPherson County have identified the driver who fled.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy Colorado driven by 25-year-old Brice Nolan Kasting of McPherson was southbound on 17th Avenue&nbsp;at Mohawk Road one mile east of Interstate 135 and struck a pedestrian identified as 59-year-old Pedro Amezcua-Cabrera of McPherson. Kastin then fled from the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696279708231.png" alt="Kasting photo McPherson Co." />
 <figcaption>Kasting photo McPherson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MCPHERSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal hit-and-run that occurred just after 8p.m. Saturday in McPherson County have identified the driver who fled.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy Colorado driven by 25-year-old Brice Nolan Kasting of McPherson was southbound on 17th Avenue&nbsp;at Mohawk Road one mile east of Interstate 135 and struck a pedestrian identified as 59-year-old Pedro Amezcua-Cabrera of McPherson. Kastin then fled from the scene.Amezcua-Cabrera was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the&nbsp;Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center.Kasting was booked into the Mcpherson County jail Sunday night and is being held on requested charges of attempted 2nd-degree murder; unintentional but reckless, accident involving death or personal injury, DUI, reckless driving and improper passing, according to online jail records.