WICHITA, KAN. – A woman who stole thousands of dollars from her great uncle has been sentenced to prison.

Sedgwick County District Judge David Kaufman sentenced Stephanie Bracks, 43 of Dallas, Texas to 47 months in prison and ordered her to pay restitution, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

The case began in 2020 when a woman contacted Wichita Police because she thought Bracks was stealing money from her 89 year old uncle Pearl Williams. A second niece noticed Mr. Williams’ drivers license, social security card and several checkbooks were missing from his Wichita home.

A police review of the case showed unauthorized checks written to Bracks and her boyfriend Anthony Patterson.

On August 29th, a jury found Bracks guilty of felony Mistreatment of an Elder Person and felony theft. As sheriff deputies handcuffed Bracks and took her to jail, Judge Kaufman also ordered her boyfriend Anthony Patterson arrested because he was not paying restitution in the case and violated his probation. After serving a jail sanction,

Patterson is now back on probation and paying his restitution. Patterson had earlier pled guilty to theft and was sentenced to probation.

Along with the prison sentence for Bracks, Judge Kaufman today ordered her to pay $52,661.60 in restitution. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728502208650.png" alt="Bracks photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Bracks photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A woman who stole thousands of dollars from her great uncle has been sentenced to prison.Sedgwick County District Judge David Kaufman sentenced Stephanie Bracks, 43 of Dallas, Texas to 47 months in prison and ordered her to pay restitution, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.The case began in 2020 when a woman contacted Wichita Police because she thought Bracks was stealing money from her 89 year old uncle Pearl Williams. A second niece noticed Mr. Williams’ drivers license, social security card and several checkbooks were missing from his Wichita home.A police review of the case showed unauthorized checks written to Bracks and her boyfriend Anthony Patterson.On August 29th, a jury found Bracks guilty of felony Mistreatment of an Elder Person and felony theft. As sheriff deputies handcuffed Bracks and took her to jail, Judge Kaufman also ordered her boyfriend Anthony Patterson arrested because he was not paying restitution in the case and violated his probation. After serving a jail sanction,Patterson is now back on probation and paying his restitution. Patterson had earlier pled guilty to theft and was sentenced to probation.Along with the prison sentence for Bracks, Judge Kaufman today ordered her to pay $52,661.60 in restitution.

Woman stole thousands from elderly uncle in Kansas

KANSAS CITY– A man was sentenced in federal court this week for leading a drug-trafficking conspiracy and for illegally possessing a firearm.

Serjio Diaz, 40, Belton, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years in federal prison without parole.

On April 9, 2024, Diaz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of money laundering.

Diaz admitted that he was the primary organizer of a drug-trafficking conspiracy that lasted from Jan. 1, 2019, to June 22, 2021.

The investigation began on March 18, 2019, when federal agents interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to Diaz’s residence. On the same day, federal agents also interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than three kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to the residence of his brother and co-defendant, Tony Diaz, 41, of Raymore, Mo.

During the course of the investigation, investigators conducted 23 controlled transactions from Serjio and Tony Diaz, utilizing an FBI confidential source. Over the course of these controlled purchases, law enforcement purchased more than seven kilograms of methamphetamine, more than six kilograms of heroin, and 468.6 grams of cocaine from Serjio and Tony Diaz for a total of $243,900.

In one transaction, for example, the confidential source purchased a kilogram of methamphetamine for $9,000 from Tony Diaz. In another instance, the confidential source purchased 222.4 grams (7.5 ounces) of cocaine from Serjio Diaz for $7,000.

On June 22, 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Serjio and Tony Diaz and searched Serjio Diaz’s residences and vehicles. Officers found almost nine kilograms of heroin, 166 grams of cocaine, six bags of pills that contained fentanyl and weighed a total of 78 grams, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and $82,250 in cash.

Officers searched Tony Diaz’s residence and found 1,128 grams of suspected heroin, 28 grams of suspected cocaine, a Zastava Arms 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, a Romarm Cugir 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, and $5,461 in cash in Tony Diaz’s bedroom. Officers also found a Remington Arms .22-caliber rifle in a shed, one pound of suspected marijuana in his Lincoln Navigator SUV, and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol and 3.4 grams of suspected marijuana in his BMW X5.

From May 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2020, Serjio Diaz deposited 93 money orders, totaling $82,145, into either his personal bank account or the bank account of his business, Imperial Window &amp; Gutter Cleaning, LLC. Serjio Diaz went to multiple post offices on the same date to purchase money orders; 21 of those purchases occurred soon after a controlled drug purchase was made by law enforcement in this investigation. Serjio Diaz limited his purchase to a maximum of $2,000 at each post office in order to avoid federal reporting requirements.

Tony Diaz has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled for Tony Diaz.

Co-defendant Maria Jasmin Lopez, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, also pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to 10 years and three months in federal prison without parole.

KANSAS CITY– A man was sentenced in federal court this week for leading a drug-trafficking conspiracy and for illegally possessing a firearm.Serjio Diaz, 40, Belton, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years in federal prison without parole.On April 9, 2024, Diaz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of money laundering.Diaz admitted that he was the primary organizer of a drug-trafficking conspiracy that lasted from Jan. 1, 2019, to June 22, 2021.The investigation began on March 18, 2019, when federal agents interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to Diaz’s residence. On the same day, federal agents also interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than three kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to the residence of his brother and co-defendant, Tony Diaz, 41, of Raymore, Mo.During the course of the investigation, investigators conducted 23 controlled transactions from Serjio and Tony Diaz, utilizing an FBI confidential source. Over the course of these controlled purchases, law enforcement purchased more than seven kilograms of methamphetamine, more than six kilograms of heroin, and 468.6 grams of cocaine from Serjio and Tony Diaz for a total of $243,900.In one transaction, for example, the confidential source purchased a kilogram of methamphetamine for $9,000 from Tony Diaz. In another instance, the confidential source purchased 222.4 grams (7.5 ounces) of cocaine from Serjio Diaz for $7,000.On June 22, 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Serjio and Tony Diaz and searched Serjio Diaz’s residences and vehicles. Officers found almost nine kilograms of heroin, 166 grams of cocaine, six bags of pills that contained fentanyl and weighed a total of 78 grams, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and $82,250 in cash.Officers searched Tony Diaz’s residence and found 1,128 grams of suspected heroin, 28 grams of suspected cocaine, a Zastava Arms 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, a Romarm Cugir 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, and $5,461 in cash in Tony Diaz’s bedroom. Officers also found a Remington Arms .22-caliber rifle in a shed, one pound of suspected marijuana in his Lincoln Navigator SUV, and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol and 3.4 grams of suspected marijuana in his BMW X5.From May 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2020, Serjio Diaz deposited 93 money orders, totaling $82,145, into either his personal bank account or the bank account of his business, Imperial Window &amp; Gutter Cleaning, LLC. Serjio Diaz went to multiple post offices on the same date to purchase money orders; 21 of those purchases occurred soon after a controlled drug purchase was made by law enforcement in this investigation. Serjio Diaz limited his purchase to a maximum of $2,000 at each post office in order to avoid federal reporting requirements.Tony Diaz has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled for Tony Diaz.Co-defendant Maria Jasmin Lopez, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, also pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to 10 years and three months in federal prison without parole.

Suspect in Calif. sent package of meth to Kansas City area man 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>

WASHINGTON — As the cost and supply of housing remain top issues for voters, both presidential candidates have put forth plans to tackle the crisis, in hopes of courting voters ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

The coronavirus pandemic that began in 2020 exacerbated problems in the housing market, with supply chain disruptions, record-low interest rates and&nbsp; increased demand contributing to a rise in housing prices,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9744473/" target="_blank">according to a study by the Journal of Housing Economics.&nbsp;</a>

While housing is typically handled on the local level, the housing supply is tight and rents continue to skyrocket, putting increased pressure on the federal government to help. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump agree that it’s an issue that needs to be solved, but their solutions diverge.

The Harris and Trump campaigns did not respond to States Newsroom’s requests for details on the general housing proposals the nominees have discussed.

<a href="https://nhc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Harris-Walz-economic-policy-press-release.pdf" target="_blank">Harris’ plan&nbsp;</a>calls for the construction of 3 million homes in four years.

The United States has a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freddiemac.com/research/insight/20210507-housing-supply" target="_blank">shortage of about 3.8 million homes for sale and rent</a>, according to 2021 estimates from Freddie Mac that are still relied upon.

Additionally,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_Americas_Rental_Housing_2024.pdf" target="_blank">homelessness has hit a record-high of 653,100</a>&nbsp;people since January of last year, and a “record-high 22.4 million renter households spent more than 30 percent of their income on rent and utilities,” up from 2 million households since 2019, according to a study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

“This is obviously a multi-prong approach, because the factors contributing to high rents and housing affordability are many, and my plan is to attempt to address many of them at once, so we can actually have the net effect of bringing down the cost and making homeownership, renting more affordable,” Harris said during a September interview with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wpr.org/shows/wisconsin-today-2/vice-president-kamala-harris-veterinary-cooperatives-finding-phantom-towns" target="_blank">Wisconsin Public Radio.&nbsp;</a>

Trump has long opposed building multi-family housing and has instead thrown his support behind single-family zoning, which would exclude other types of housing. Such land-use regulation is conducted by local government bodies, not the federal government, though the federal government could influence it.

“There will be no low-income housing developments built in areas that are right next to your house,” Trump said during an August rally in Montana. “I’m gonna keep criminals out of your neighborhood.”

<a href="https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/09/22/racing-toward-election-day-control-of-u-s-senate-and-house-up-for-grabs/" target="_blank">Election forecasters have predicted</a>&nbsp;that Democrats will regain control of the U.S. House, but Republicans are poised to win the Senate, meaning any housing proposals will have to be overwhelmingly bipartisan.

“How much money is going to really be available without substantial increases in revenue to be able to do all these things that both Trump and Harris are proposing?” Ted Tozer, a non-resident fellow at the Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Policy Center, said in an interview with States Newsroom. “All the money comes from Congress.”

Many of Harris’ policies rely on cooperation from Congress, as historically the federal government has limited tools to address housing shortages.

“On the Democratic side, there’s a hunger for more action, for more direct government intervention in the housing market than we’ve seen in a long time,” said Francis Torres, the associate director of housing and infrastructure at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Nearly all proposals that Harris has put forth would require Congress to pass legislation and appropriate funds. The first is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/2224/text" target="_blank">S.2224</a>, introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, which would amend U.S. tax code to bar private equity firms from buying homes in bulk by denying “interest and depreciation deductions for taxpayers owning 50 or more single family properties,” according to the bill.

The second bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/3692/text" target="_blank">S. 3692</a>, introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon and chair of the Senate Finance Committee, would bar using algorithms to artificially inflate the cost of rents.

Both bills would need to reach the 60-vote threshold in order to advance in the Senate, whichever party is in control.

Harris has pledged to support first-time homebuyers, but Congress would need to appropriate funds for the $25,000 down payment assistance program she has proposed that would benefit an estimated 4 million first-time homebuyers over four years.

It’s a proposal that’s been met with skepticism.

“I’m really concerned that down payment assistance will actually put more pressure on home prices, because basically, you’re giving people additional cash to pay more for the house that they’re going to bid on,” Tozer said. “So by definition, they get in a bidding war, they’re going to spend more.”

Harris has also proposed a $40 billion innovation fund for local governments to build and create solutions for housing, which would also need congressional approval.

Both candidates support opening some federal lands for housing, which would mean selling the land for construction purposes with the commitment for a certain percentage of the units to be kept for affordable housing.

The federal government<a href="https://www.gao.gov/managing-federal-lands-and-waters" target="_blank">&nbsp;owns about 650 million acres of land</a>, or roughly 30% of all land.

Neither candidate has gone into detail on this proposal.

“I think it’s a sign that at least the Harris campaign and the people in her orbit are thinking about addressing this housing affordability problem really through stronger government action than has happened in several decades,” Torres said.

The biggest tool the federal government has used to address housing is through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, known as LIHTC. Harris has promised to expand this tax credit, but has not gone into detail about how much she wants it expanded.

This program awards tax credits to offset construction costs in exchange for a certain number of rent-restricted units for low-income households. But the restriction is temporary,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.huduser.gov/publications/pdf/what_happens_lihtc_v2.pdf" target="_blank">lasting about 30 years.&nbsp;</a>

There is no similar program for housing meant to be owned.

“It’s an interesting moment, because then on the other side, on the Trump side, even though they diagnosed a lot of the similar problems, there’s not as much of a desire to leverage the strength of the federal government to ensure affordability,” Torres said.

The Trump campaign does not have a housing proposal, but various interviews, rallies and a review of Trump’s first four years in office provide a roadmap.

During Trump’s first administration, many of his HUD budget proposals were not approved by Congress.

In all four of his presidential budget requests, he laid out proposals that would increase rent by 40% for about 4 million low-income households using rental vouchers or for those who lived in public housing, according to an analysis by the left-leaning think tank the<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/trump-administration-budgets-and-programs-for-people-of-limited-means/#housing-and-rental-assistance" target="_blank">&nbsp;Brookings Institution.&nbsp;</a>

All four of Trump’s budgets also called for the elimination of housing programs such as the Community Development Block Grant, which directs funding to local and state governments to rehabilitate and build affordable housing. Trump’s budgets also would have slashed the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, which is a home energy assistance program for low-income families.

Additionally, Trump’s Opportunity Zones authorized through the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which are tax incentives to businesses and real estate to invest in low-income communities,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.org/policy-centers/metropolitan-housing-and-communities-policy-center/projects/opportunity-zones" target="_blank">have had mixed results.</a>

<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2024-trump-interview-transcript/?embedded-checkout=true" target="_blank">In an interview with Bloomberg,</a>&nbsp;Trump said he wanted to focus on reducing regulations in the permitting process.

“Your permits, your permitting process. Your zoning, if — and I went through years of zoning. Zoning is like… it’s a killer,” he said. “But we’ll be doing that, and we’ll be bringing the price of housing down.”

During campaign rallies, Trump has often said he would impose a 10% tariff across the board on all goods entering the U.S. He’s also proposed 60% tariffs on China.

<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/taxes-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">Trump said at a rally in Georgia that tariff</a>&nbsp;is “one of the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard.”

Tozer said adding trade policies, such as tariffs on construction materials like lumber, would drive up the cost of homes.

Trump has argued that his plan for mass deportations will help free up the supply of housing. Karoline Leavitt, the Trump national press secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/30/business/economy/housing-plan-harris-trump.html" target="_blank">told the New York Times</a>&nbsp;that deporting immigrants would lower the cost of housing because migration “is driving up housing costs.”

The former president has made&nbsp;<a href="https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2024/09/03/trump-promises-mass-deportations-of-undocumented-people-how-would-that-work/" target="_blank">a core campaign promise</a>&nbsp;to deport millions of immigrants.

Tozer said housing and immigration are tied, because the ability to build houses comes down to workers, and&nbsp;<a href="https://immigrationforum.org/article/immigrant-construction-workers-in-the-united-states/" target="_blank">roughly 30% of construction workers are immigrants.&nbsp;</a>

“By shutting down the border, you’re possibly shutting down your capacity to build these houses,” he said, adding that all those policies are intertwined.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643731279132.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>WASHINGTON — As the cost and supply of housing remain top issues for voters, both presidential candidates have put forth plans to tackle the crisis, in hopes of courting voters ahead of the Nov. 5 election.The coronavirus pandemic that began in 2020 exacerbated problems in the housing market, with supply chain disruptions, record-low interest rates and&nbsp; increased demand contributing to a rise in housing prices,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9744473/" target="_blank">according to a study by the Journal of Housing Economics.&nbsp;</a>While housing is typically handled on the local level, the housing supply is tight and rents continue to skyrocket, putting increased pressure on the federal government to help. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump agree that it’s an issue that needs to be solved, but their solutions diverge.The Harris and Trump campaigns did not respond to States Newsroom’s requests for details on the general housing proposals the nominees have discussed.<h2>Promise: millions of new homes</h2><a href="https://nhc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Harris-Walz-economic-policy-press-release.pdf" target="_blank">Harris’ plan&nbsp;</a>calls for the construction of 3 million homes in four years.The United States has a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freddiemac.com/research/insight/20210507-housing-supply" target="_blank">shortage of about 3.8 million homes for sale and rent</a>, according to 2021 estimates from Freddie Mac that are still relied upon.Additionally,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_Americas_Rental_Housing_2024.pdf" target="_blank">homelessness has hit a record-high of 653,100</a>&nbsp;people since January of last year, and a “record-high 22.4 million renter households spent more than 30 percent of their income on rent and utilities,” up from 2 million households since 2019, according to a study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.“This is obviously a multi-prong approach, because the factors contributing to high rents and housing affordability are many, and my plan is to attempt to address many of them at once, so we can actually have the net effect of bringing down the cost and making homeownership, renting more affordable,” Harris said during a September interview with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wpr.org/shows/wisconsin-today-2/vice-president-kamala-harris-veterinary-cooperatives-finding-phantom-towns" target="_blank">Wisconsin Public Radio.&nbsp;</a><h2>Promise: single-family zoning</h2>Trump has long opposed building multi-family housing and has instead thrown his support behind single-family zoning, which would exclude other types of housing. Such land-use regulation is conducted by local government bodies, not the federal government, though the federal government could influence it.“There will be no low-income housing developments built in areas that are right next to your house,” Trump said during an August rally in Montana. “I’m gonna keep criminals out of your neighborhood.”<h2>Promise: getting Congress to agree</h2><a href="https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/09/22/racing-toward-election-day-control-of-u-s-senate-and-house-up-for-grabs/" target="_blank">Election forecasters have predicted</a>&nbsp;that Democrats will regain control of the U.S. House, but Republicans are poised to win the Senate, meaning any housing proposals will have to be overwhelmingly bipartisan.“How much money is going to really be available without substantial increases in revenue to be able to do all these things that both Trump and Harris are proposing?” Ted Tozer, a non-resident fellow at the Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Policy Center, said in an interview with States Newsroom. “All the money comes from Congress.”Many of Harris’ policies rely on cooperation from Congress, as historically the federal government has limited tools to address housing shortages.“On the Democratic side, there’s a hunger for more action, for more direct government intervention in the housing market than we’ve seen in a long time,” said Francis Torres, the associate director of housing and infrastructure at the Bipartisan Policy Center.Nearly all proposals that Harris has put forth would require Congress to pass legislation and appropriate funds. The first is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/2224/text" target="_blank">S.2224</a>, introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, which would amend U.S. tax code to bar private equity firms from buying homes in bulk by denying “interest and depreciation deductions for taxpayers owning 50 or more single family properties,” according to the bill.The second bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/3692/text" target="_blank">S. 3692</a>, introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon and chair of the Senate Finance Committee, would bar using algorithms to artificially inflate the cost of rents.Both bills would need to reach the 60-vote threshold in order to advance in the Senate, whichever party is in control.<h2>Promise: $25,000 down payment assistance</h2>Harris has pledged to support first-time homebuyers, but Congress would need to appropriate funds for the $25,000 down payment assistance program she has proposed that would benefit an estimated 4 million first-time homebuyers over four years.It’s a proposal that’s been met with skepticism.“I’m really concerned that down payment assistance will actually put more pressure on home prices, because basically, you’re giving people additional cash to pay more for the house that they’re going to bid on,” Tozer said. “So by definition, they get in a bidding war, they’re going to spend more.”Harris has also proposed a $40 billion innovation fund for local governments to build and create solutions for housing, which would also need congressional approval.<h2>Promise: opening up federal lands</h2>Both candidates support opening some federal lands for housing, which would mean selling the land for construction purposes with the commitment for a certain percentage of the units to be kept for affordable housing.The federal government<a href="https://www.gao.gov/managing-federal-lands-and-waters" target="_blank">&nbsp;owns about 650 million acres of land</a>, or roughly 30% of all land.Neither candidate has gone into detail on this proposal.“I think it’s a sign that at least the Harris campaign and the people in her orbit are thinking about addressing this housing affordability problem really through stronger government action than has happened in several decades,” Torres said.<h2>Promise: expand tax credits</h2>The biggest tool the federal government has used to address housing is through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, known as LIHTC. Harris has promised to expand this tax credit, but has not gone into detail about how much she wants it expanded.This program awards tax credits to offset construction costs in exchange for a certain number of rent-restricted units for low-income households. But the restriction is temporary,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.huduser.gov/publications/pdf/what_happens_lihtc_v2.pdf" target="_blank">lasting about 30 years.&nbsp;</a>There is no similar program for housing meant to be owned.“It’s an interesting moment, because then on the other side, on the Trump side, even though they diagnosed a lot of the similar problems, there’s not as much of a desire to leverage the strength of the federal government to ensure affordability,” Torres said.<h2>Trump’s record on housing</h2>The Trump campaign does not have a housing proposal, but various interviews, rallies and a review of Trump’s first four years in office provide a roadmap.During Trump’s first administration, many of his HUD budget proposals were not approved by Congress.In all four of his presidential budget requests, he laid out proposals that would increase rent by 40% for about 4 million low-income households using rental vouchers or for those who lived in public housing, according to an analysis by the left-leaning think tank the<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/trump-administration-budgets-and-programs-for-people-of-limited-means/#housing-and-rental-assistance" target="_blank">&nbsp;Brookings Institution.&nbsp;</a>All four of Trump’s budgets also called for the elimination of housing programs such as the Community Development Block Grant, which directs funding to local and state governments to rehabilitate and build affordable housing. Trump’s budgets also would have slashed the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, which is a home energy assistance program for low-income families.Additionally, Trump’s Opportunity Zones authorized through the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which are tax incentives to businesses and real estate to invest in low-income communities,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.org/policy-centers/metropolitan-housing-and-communities-policy-center/projects/opportunity-zones" target="_blank">have had mixed results.</a><h2>Promise: cut regulations and add tariffs</h2><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2024-trump-interview-transcript/?embedded-checkout=true" target="_blank">In an interview with Bloomberg,</a>&nbsp;Trump said he wanted to focus on reducing regulations in the permitting process.“Your permits, your permitting process. Your zoning, if — and I went through years of zoning. Zoning is like… it’s a killer,” he said. “But we’ll be doing that, and we’ll be bringing the price of housing down.”During campaign rallies, Trump has often said he would impose a 10% tariff across the board on all goods entering the U.S. He’s also proposed 60% tariffs on China.<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/taxes-where-do-trump-and-harris-stand" target="_blank">Trump said at a rally in Georgia that tariff</a>&nbsp;is “one of the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard.”Tozer said adding trade policies, such as tariffs on construction materials like lumber, would drive up the cost of homes.<h2>Promise: deport immigrants</h2>Trump has argued that his plan for mass deportations will help free up the supply of housing. Karoline Leavitt, the Trump national press secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/30/business/economy/housing-plan-harris-trump.html" target="_blank">told the New York Times</a>&nbsp;that deporting immigrants would lower the cost of housing because migration “is driving up housing costs.”The former president has made&nbsp;<a href="https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2024/09/03/trump-promises-mass-deportations-of-undocumented-people-how-would-that-work/" target="_blank">a core campaign promise</a>&nbsp;to deport millions of immigrants.Tozer said housing and immigration are tied, because the ability to build houses comes down to workers, and&nbsp;<a href="https://immigrationforum.org/article/immigrant-construction-workers-in-the-united-states/" target="_blank">roughly 30% of construction workers are immigrants.&nbsp;</a>“By shutting down the border, you’re possibly shutting down your capacity to build these houses,” he said, adding that all those policies are intertwined.

Housing: Where do Harris and Trump stand?

WSU says internal inquiry compels attribution corrections to doctoral paper

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA —&nbsp;Kansas academics point to signs of plagiarism in Wichita State University President Richard Muma’s doctoral dissertation, but there’s a nuanced dispute about consequences for breaking scholarly writing protocol.

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/07/read-the-evidence-examples-of-copied-material-in-wichita-state-university-presidents-dissertation/">Click here to view&nbsp;</a>some of the evidence

Debate emerged on campuses throughout the state since Monday when Kansas Reflector&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/07/wichita-state-university-presidents-doctoral-dissertation-raises-concerns-of-academic-misconduct/">published an investigation</a>&nbsp;of Muma’s 2004 dissertation that led to awarding of a doctorate by University of Missouri-St. Louis. More than 10 university professors employed outside of WSU told the Reflector that Muma’s use of dozens of passages from journals and books — without quotation marks to fully credit verbatim writing of others — met the definition of plagiarism.

In response, Muma said an internal, confidential review led by WSU administrators concluded he wasn’t guilty of misconduct. However, he said, there were instances in the dissertation where “attribution should have included the use of quotation marks around reuse of text.”&nbsp;The president said he would submit to UMSL a revised version&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/07/wichita-state-university-president-vows-to-fix-attribution-flaws-in-up-to-5-of-dissertation/">correcting attribution in up to 5% of his dissertation.&nbsp;</a>He also said “the matter was closed.”

Elizabeth Heilman, a Wichita State professor of education, said she was skeptical of WSU’s internal analysis of about 50 instances in which Muma borrowed the writing of more than 20 scholars.

“Issues with Muma’s dissertation are not technical omissions as he has stated. The issue raised is plagiarism and research misconduct,” Heilman said.

Chris Dudley, an assistant clinical professor in Wichita State’s physician assistant program, said missing quotation marks in Muma’s dissertation were “definitely a mistake,” but the dissertation contained references that could lead readers to original authors.

“There is a big difference between clerical/grammatical errors and not citing the author,” said Dudley, who graduated from WSU’s physician assistant program in 2008. “Both fall under the definition of plagiarism, but I think we can agree one is way worse than the other.”

Dudley said the Reflector’s reporting “stinks of a witch hunt” as if someone were “trying to tear down the reputation of someone who has worked in health care and who now leads a university brilliantly.”

Muma, who has worked at Wichita State for nearly 30 years, was a tenured professor and chairman of the physician assistant program at WSU when he completed the dissertation. He was promoted to vice president and provost before appointed president in 2020 by the Kansas Board of Regents.

Before publication of the story, Muma said he was confident his dissertation was “original.” He later said the article “raised misrepresentations about the academic integrity” of his dissertation.

The Reflector manually examined Muma’s 88-page dissertation on management of physician assistant programs.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/07/read-the-evidence-examples-of-copied-material-in-wichita-state-university-presidents-dissertation/">Copies of original articles and books were acquired for line-by-line comparisons to the dissertation.</a>&nbsp;The extent of the copying by Muma led a diverse group of university educators interviewed by the Reflector to the conclusion the dissertation was partially plagiarized.

Dan Hoyt, a professor of English at Kansas State University, said it would be wrong for a college freshman to leave out quotation marks to highlight contributions of other writers. It would be “inexcusable” for someone to make the same mistake in a doctoral dissertation, he said.

“I think you could easily make the case this is plagiarism,” Hoyt said. “It does all kinds of harm to the world of ideas and the world of education.”

Jim Leiker, a history professor at Johnson County Community College, said the scholarly exception made for WSU’s president sent the wrong message to the university’s students. The bottom line, he said, was “we should hold the president of an institution such as WSU to a higher standard than we hold our students.”

Eve Levin, professor emeritus at the University of Kansas, said UMSL should rescind the doctoral degree it awarded to Muma because he produced a dissertation that claimed the words of others as his own.

“If he didn’t know better, he’s unqualified to be a university faculty member, much less a university president,” she said. “If he did know better, but was too sloppy in his research methods, he’s unqualified.&nbsp;If he did know better and deliberately decided to copy other scholars’ words, he’s unqualified.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728665053937.png" alt="Reaction at Wichita State University and other college campuses in Kansas affirms that WSU President Richard Muma improperly copied writing of other scholars in his doctoral dissertation, but differs on consequences for that decision. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Reaction at Wichita State University and other college campuses in Kansas affirms that WSU President Richard Muma improperly copied writing of other scholars in his doctoral dissertation, but differs on consequences for that decision. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>WSU says internal inquiry compels attribution corrections to doctoral paper</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —&nbsp;Kansas academics point to signs of plagiarism in Wichita State University President Richard Muma’s doctoral dissertation, but there’s a nuanced dispute about consequences for breaking scholarly writing protocol.<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/07/read-the-evidence-examples-of-copied-material-in-wichita-state-university-presidents-dissertation/">Click here to view&nbsp;</a>some of the evidenceDebate emerged on campuses throughout the state since Monday when Kansas Reflector&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/07/wichita-state-university-presidents-doctoral-dissertation-raises-concerns-of-academic-misconduct/">published an investigation</a>&nbsp;of Muma’s 2004 dissertation that led to awarding of a doctorate by University of Missouri-St. Louis. More than 10 university professors employed outside of WSU told the Reflector that Muma’s use of dozens of passages from journals and books — without quotation marks to fully credit verbatim writing of others — met the definition of plagiarism.In response, Muma said an internal, confidential review led by WSU administrators concluded he wasn’t guilty of misconduct. However, he said, there were instances in the dissertation where “attribution should have included the use of quotation marks around reuse of text.”&nbsp;The president said he would submit to UMSL a revised version&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/07/wichita-state-university-president-vows-to-fix-attribution-flaws-in-up-to-5-of-dissertation/">correcting attribution in up to 5% of his dissertation.&nbsp;</a>He also said “the matter was closed.”But that doesn’t satisfy everyone.Elizabeth Heilman, a Wichita State professor of education, said she was skeptical of WSU’s internal analysis of about 50 instances in which Muma borrowed the writing of more than 20 scholars.“Issues with Muma’s dissertation are not technical omissions as he has stated. The issue raised is plagiarism and research misconduct,” Heilman said.Chris Dudley, an assistant clinical professor in Wichita State’s physician assistant program, said missing quotation marks in Muma’s dissertation were “definitely a mistake,” but the dissertation contained references that could lead readers to original authors.“There is a big difference between clerical/grammatical errors and not citing the author,” said Dudley, who graduated from WSU’s physician assistant program in 2008. “Both fall under the definition of plagiarism, but I think we can agree one is way worse than the other.”Dudley said the Reflector’s reporting “stinks of a witch hunt” as if someone were “trying to tear down the reputation of someone who has worked in health care and who now leads a university brilliantly.”Muma, who has worked at Wichita State for nearly 30 years, was a tenured professor and chairman of the physician assistant program at WSU when he completed the dissertation. He was promoted to vice president and provost before appointed president in 2020 by the Kansas Board of Regents.Before publication of the story, Muma said he was confident his dissertation was “original.” He later said the article “raised misrepresentations about the academic integrity” of his dissertation.The Reflector manually examined Muma’s 88-page dissertation on management of physician assistant programs.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/07/read-the-evidence-examples-of-copied-material-in-wichita-state-university-presidents-dissertation/">Copies of original articles and books were acquired for line-by-line comparisons to the dissertation.</a>&nbsp;The extent of the copying by Muma led a diverse group of university educators interviewed by the Reflector to the conclusion the dissertation was partially plagiarized.Dan Hoyt, a professor of English at Kansas State University, said it would be wrong for a college freshman to leave out quotation marks to highlight contributions of other writers. It would be “inexcusable” for someone to make the same mistake in a doctoral dissertation, he said.“I think you could easily make the case this is plagiarism,” Hoyt said. “It does all kinds of harm to the world of ideas and the world of education.”Jim Leiker, a history professor at Johnson County Community College, said the scholarly exception made for WSU’s president sent the wrong message to the university’s students. The bottom line, he said, was “we should hold the president of an institution such as WSU to a higher standard than we hold our students.”Eve Levin, professor emeritus at the University of Kansas, said UMSL should rescind the doctoral degree it awarded to Muma because he produced a dissertation that claimed the words of others as his own.“If he didn’t know better, he’s unqualified to be a university faculty member, much less a university president,” she said. “If he did know better, but was too sloppy in his research methods, he’s unqualified.&nbsp;If he did know better and deliberately decided to copy other scholars’ words, he’s unqualified.”

Kansas professors debate severity of plagiarism, response to WSU president’s dissertation

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new drug allegations.

Just after 3:30p.m. October 7, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75 Highway in rural Osage County for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

 During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.

Deputies took 41-year-old Travis W. Ray of Louisburg into custody and transported him to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia and for an Expired vehicle registration. He has a previous drug conviction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728644027022.png" alt="Ray photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Ray photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new drug allegations.Just after 3:30p.m. October 7, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75 Highway in rural Osage County for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.Deputies took 41-year-old Travis W. Ray of Louisburg into custody and transported him to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia and for an Expired vehicle registration. He has a previous drug conviction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Sheriff: Kansas felon jailed on new drug allegations

TOPEKA —On Friday, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly joined Adjutant General Michael Venerdi to celebrate his promotion to major general. "His remarkable career has been marked by extraordinary dedication, insight, and loyalty to both Kansas and our nation." Kelly wrote on her social media account.

Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran spoke at the promotion ceremony. "Gen. Venerdi has served in the military for over 30 years. "Congratulations on this accomplishment and thank you for your service to Kansas and our country."

In April of 2023, the Kansas Senate unanimously confirmation of&nbsp; Venerdi&nbsp;to serve&nbsp;as&nbsp;the Adjutant General&nbsp;of Kansas.&nbsp; He is a graduate of the United State's Air Force Academy&nbsp;and&nbsp;flew combat missions in Afghanistan.

Prior to his appointment&nbsp;and confirmation as the 38th&nbsp;Adjutant General of Kansas,&nbsp;Venerdi&nbsp;served as the Director of the Joint Staff, Kansas National Guard at the Joint Force Headquarters in Topeka. He previously served as Commander of the 184th Wing at McConnell Air Force Base.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728734378669.png" alt="Governor Kelly with Ajutant General Michael Venerdi during the ceremony on Friday" />
 <figcaption>Governor Kelly with Ajutant General Michael Venerdi during the ceremony on Friday</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —On Friday, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly joined Adjutant General Michael Venerdi to celebrate his promotion to major general. "His remarkable career has been marked by extraordinary dedication, insight, and loyalty to both Kansas and our nation." Kelly wrote on her social media account.Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran spoke at the promotion ceremony. "Gen. Venerdi has served in the military for over 30 years. "Congratulations on this accomplishment and thank you for your service to Kansas and our country."In April of 2023, the Kansas Senate unanimously confirmation of&nbsp; Venerdi&nbsp;to serve&nbsp;as&nbsp;the Adjutant General&nbsp;of Kansas.&nbsp; He is a graduate of the United State's Air Force Academy&nbsp;and&nbsp;flew combat missions in Afghanistan.Prior to his appointment&nbsp;and confirmation as the 38th&nbsp;Adjutant General of Kansas,&nbsp;Venerdi&nbsp;served as the Director of the Joint Staff, Kansas National Guard at the Joint Force Headquarters in Topeka. He previously served as Commander of the 184th Wing at McConnell Air Force Base.&nbsp;

Kansas Adjutant General promoted to Major General

DAMASCUS —U.S. forces conducted a series of air strikes Friday against multiple ISIS camps in Syria on Friday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

Officials reported early Saturday they conducting battle damage assessments. Early indications suggested there were no civilians casualties.

"The strikes will disrupt the ability of ISIS to plan, organize and conduct attacks against the United States and its allies and partners and civilians throughout the region and beyond."

The Command reported they would released additional details as they confirm more information.

There are some 900 U.S. forces in Syria, according to the Associated Press along with an undisclosed number of contractors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728066701383.png" alt="A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor -photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor -photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DAMASCUS —U.S. forces conducted a series of air strikes Friday against multiple ISIS camps in Syria on Friday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.Officials reported early Saturday they conducting battle damage assessments. Early indications suggested there were no civilians casualties."The strikes will disrupt the ability of ISIS to plan, organize and conduct attacks against the United States and its allies and partners and civilians throughout the region and beyond."The Command reported they would released additional details as they confirm more information.There are some 900 U.S. forces in Syria, according to the Associated Press along with an undisclosed number of contractors.

US launches airstrikes on terrorist camps in Syria

DENVER (AP) — Investigators on Friday were trying to figure out what led to an elevator accident inside a former Colorado gold mine that killed a tour guide, injured four others and left a separate group of 12 people trapped for hours at the bottom of the tourist attraction 1,000 feet (305 meters) beneath the surface.

The elevator was descending into the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine on Thursday in the mountains near Colorado Springs. At around 500 feet (152 meters) down, the person operating the elevator from the surface “felt something strange" and stopped it, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said.

The elevator was still operable, and those on board were brought back up within 20 minutes, the sheriff said. A door on the elevator was broken when it was raised.

“We don't know if the door malfunctioned or not or if something else occurred. There's a lot that goes on in these little elevators,” he said. “We just know that the door was broken somehow.”

The man killed, Patrick Weier, 46, had a young child and was from the nearby town of Victor, Colorado. The exact circumstances of his death were not disclosed, but the sheriff said he died because of the elevator's mechanical issue and not due to a medical issue.

Eleven other people, including two children, who were riding the elevator during the mishap were brought up with it following the accident. Four had minor injuries including back pain, neck pain and arm pain, the sheriff said.

Twelve adults from a second group were trapped below ground for about six hours while engineers made sure the elevator could be used. The group had access to water and used radios to communicate with authorities, who told them there was an elevator issue, Mikesell said.

They were hoisted up in groups of four over 30 minutes. Officials had been prepared to bring them up by rope if necessary.

Most people who were in the elevator when it malfunctioned were later taken to a local relief center, where some got showers, new clothes and sandwiches, said Ted Borden, with the Community of Caring Foundation in Cripple Creek.

“It was still very raw, but there was some good camaraderie,” Borden said.

Elevator accidents at mines are extremely rare, said Steven Schafrik, a University of Kentucky associate professor of mining engineering. They have been used by the industry to carry people and material since the mid-1800s, he said, and modern elevators are equipped with fail-safe devices that prevent them from falling far if a cable breaks.

“They're just ridiculously safe,” Schafrik said of mining elevators.

He declined to comment directly on the Colorado accident.

Mikesell said the family that owns the mine had run it as a tourist attraction for generations and worked to make it safe.

Mines that operate as tourist attractions in Colorado must designate someone to inspect the mines and the transportation systems daily, according to the state Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety. Mikesell said he didn’t know the date of the last inspection at the Mollie Kathleen Mine. Records of the inspections weren’t immediately available online.

Changes to the elevator were made in 1988 after the mine came under new ownership, according to the mine's website. A second car that could carry nine people was suspended below the existing elevator, and a new motor was installed to accommodate the increased weight, the website says.

The sheriff said the broken door was on the topmost car. He did not know which one the victim was in.

Weier was a “phenomenal” guide and told visitors that he was an experienced miner, said Jennifer Nolan of Zanesville, Ohio, who toured the mine in August.

The tour began with Nolan's group descending into the shaft with six people in each of the elevator’s two cars.

The cages were “very, very, very tight,” she said. People stood shoulder-to-shoulder, but the ride was smooth, she recalled.

A mine inspector was among those on their tour, Nolan said, but she believed he was inspecting the operations underground, not the elevator. The area at the bottom of the shaft was large, with demonstrations of mining technology over the decades.

The accident was under investigation by local and state authorities along with the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The incident, which was reported to authorities at about noon, happened during the final week of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine season before it shuts down for the winter, Mikesell said.

The mine's owners issued a statement Friday expressing their condolences and thanking emergency responders. The mine will be closed until further notice, they said.

The mine is in Cripple Creek, a town of about 1,100 people southwest of Colorado Springs.

It opened in the 1800s and closed in 1961, but continued as a tourist site. Its website describes a one-hour tour where visitors can see veins of gold in the rock and ride an underground tram.

A woman named Mollie Kathleen Gortner discovered the site of the mine in 1891 when she saw quartz laced with gold, according to the company’s website.

Denver (AP) — Investigators on Friday were trying to figure out what led to an elevator accident inside a former Colorado gold mine that killed a tour guide, injured four others and left 12 people trapped for hours at the bottom of the tourist attraction 1,000 feet (305 meters) beneath the surface.

The elevator was descending into the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine near the town of Cripple Creek in the mountains near Colorado Springs on Thursday when the door malfunctioned around 500 feet (152 meters) beneath the surface, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said.

Victim Patrick Weier, 46, was a guide at the mine and a father from the nearby town of Victor, Colorado. The exact circumstances of his death were not disclosed, but the sheriff said he died because of the elevator's mechanical issue and not due to a medical issue.

Twelve adults from a second group were trapped for about six hours Thursday below ground while engineers made sure the elevator could be used. The group had access to water and used radios to communicate with authorities, who told them there was an elevator issue, Mikesell said.

Most people who were in the elevator when it malfunctioned were later taken to a local relief center where some got showers, new clothes and sandwiches, said Ted Borden, with the Community of Caring Foundation in Cripple Creek.

Mikesell said the family that owns the mine had operated it for many years and worked to make it safe.

“Anytime you're dealing with machinery and a 1,000 foot level at the 500 feet level in a mine, there could be accidents," he said.

Changes to the elevator were made in 1988 after the mine came under new ownership, according to the mine's website. A second elevator that could carry nine people was suspended below the existing elevator, and a new motor was installed to accommodate the increased weight, the website says.

Cripple Creek is a town of about 1,100 in the Rocky Mountains southwest of Colorado Springs.

The mine opened in the 1800s and closed in 1961, but still operates tours. Its website describes a one-hour tour. It says visitors can see veins of gold in the rock and ride an underground tram.

Brown reported from Billings, Mont. Associated Press writer Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyoming, contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728611282995.png" alt="Photo&nbsp; Teller County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo&nbsp; Teller County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — Investigators on Friday were trying to figure out what led to an elevator accident inside a former Colorado gold mine that killed a tour guide, injured four others and left a separate group of 12 people trapped for hours at the bottom of the tourist attraction 1,000 feet (305 meters) beneath the surface.The elevator was descending into the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine on Thursday in the mountains near Colorado Springs. At around 500 feet (152 meters) down, the person operating the elevator from the surface “felt something strange" and stopped it, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said.The elevator was still operable, and those on board were brought back up within 20 minutes, the sheriff said. A door on the elevator was broken when it was raised.“We don't know if the door malfunctioned or not or if something else occurred. There's a lot that goes on in these little elevators,” he said. “We just know that the door was broken somehow.”The man killed, Patrick Weier, 46, had a young child and was from the nearby town of Victor, Colorado. The exact circumstances of his death were not disclosed, but the sheriff said he died because of the elevator's mechanical issue and not due to a medical issue.Eleven other people, including two children, who were riding the elevator during the mishap were brought up with it following the accident. Four had minor injuries including back pain, neck pain and arm pain, the sheriff said.Twelve adults from a second group were trapped below ground for about six hours while engineers made sure the elevator could be used. The group had access to water and used radios to communicate with authorities, who told them there was an elevator issue, Mikesell said.They were hoisted up in groups of four over 30 minutes. Officials had been prepared to bring them up by rope if necessary.Most people who were in the elevator when it malfunctioned were later taken to a local relief center, where some got showers, new clothes and sandwiches, said Ted Borden, with the Community of Caring Foundation in Cripple Creek.“It was still very raw, but there was some good camaraderie,” Borden said.Elevator accidents at mines are extremely rare, said Steven Schafrik, a University of Kentucky associate professor of mining engineering. They have been used by the industry to carry people and material since the mid-1800s, he said, and modern elevators are equipped with fail-safe devices that prevent them from falling far if a cable breaks.“They're just ridiculously safe,” Schafrik said of mining elevators.He declined to comment directly on the Colorado accident.Mikesell said the family that owns the mine had run it as a tourist attraction for generations and worked to make it safe.Mines that operate as tourist attractions in Colorado must designate someone to inspect the mines and the transportation systems daily, according to the state Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety. Mikesell said he didn’t know the date of the last inspection at the Mollie Kathleen Mine. Records of the inspections weren’t immediately available online.Changes to the elevator were made in 1988 after the mine came under new ownership, according to the mine's website. A second car that could carry nine people was suspended below the existing elevator, and a new motor was installed to accommodate the increased weight, the website says.The sheriff said the broken door was on the topmost car. He did not know which one the victim was in.Weier was a “phenomenal” guide and told visitors that he was an experienced miner, said Jennifer Nolan of Zanesville, Ohio, who toured the mine in August.The tour began with Nolan's group descending into the shaft with six people in each of the elevator’s two cars.The cages were “very, very, very tight,” she said. People stood shoulder-to-shoulder, but the ride was smooth, she recalled.A mine inspector was among those on their tour, Nolan said, but she believed he was inspecting the operations underground, not the elevator. The area at the bottom of the shaft was large, with demonstrations of mining technology over the decades.The accident was under investigation by local and state authorities along with the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.The incident, which was reported to authorities at about noon, happened during the final week of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine season before it shuts down for the winter, Mikesell said.The mine's owners issued a statement Friday expressing their condolences and thanking emergency responders. The mine will be closed until further notice, they said.The mine is in Cripple Creek, a town of about 1,100 people southwest of Colorado Springs.It opened in the 1800s and closed in 1961, but continued as a tourist site. Its website describes a one-hour tour where visitors can see veins of gold in the rock and ride an underground tram.A woman named Mollie Kathleen Gortner discovered the site of the mine in 1891 when she saw quartz laced with gold, according to the company’s website.----------Denver (AP) — Investigators on Friday were trying to figure out what led to an elevator accident inside a former Colorado gold mine that killed a tour guide, injured four others and left 12 people trapped for hours at the bottom of the tourist attraction 1,000 feet (305 meters) beneath the surface.The elevator was descending into the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine near the town of Cripple Creek in the mountains near Colorado Springs on Thursday when the door malfunctioned around 500 feet (152 meters) beneath the surface, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said.Victim Patrick Weier, 46, was a guide at the mine and a father from the nearby town of Victor, Colorado. The exact circumstances of his death were not disclosed, but the sheriff said he died because of the elevator's mechanical issue and not due to a medical issue.Eleven other people, including two children, who were riding the elevator during the mishap were brought up with it following the accident. Four had minor injuries including back pain, neck pain and arm pain, the sheriff said.Twelve adults from a second group were trapped for about six hours Thursday below ground while engineers made sure the elevator could be used. The group had access to water and used radios to communicate with authorities, who told them there was an elevator issue, Mikesell said.They were hoisted up in groups of four over 30 minutes. Officials had been prepared to bring them up by rope if necessary.Most people who were in the elevator when it malfunctioned were later taken to a local relief center where some got showers, new clothes and sandwiches, said Ted Borden, with the Community of Caring Foundation in Cripple Creek.“It was still very raw, but there was some good camaraderie,” Borden said.Elevator accidents at mines are extremely rare, said Steven Schafrik, a University of Kentucky associate professor of mining engineering. They have been used by the industry to carry people and material since the mid-1800s, he said, and modern elevators are equipped with fail-safe devices that prevent them from falling far if a cable breaks.“They're just ridiculously safe,” Schafrik said of mining elevators.He declined to comment directly on the Colorado accident.Mikesell said the family that owns the mine had operated it for many years and worked to make it safe.“Anytime you're dealing with machinery and a 1,000 foot level at the 500 feet level in a mine, there could be accidents," he said.Mines that operate as tourist attractions in Colorado must designate someone to inspect the mines and the transportation systems daily, according to the state Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety. Mikesell said he didn’t know the date of the last inspection at the Mollie Kathleen Mine. Records of the inspections weren’t immediately available online.Changes to the elevator were made in 1988 after the mine came under new ownership, according to the mine's website. A second elevator that could carry nine people was suspended below the existing elevator, and a new motor was installed to accommodate the increased weight, the website says.The accident was under investigation by local and state authorities along with the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.The incident, which was reported to authorities at about noon, happened during the final week of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine season before it shuts down for the winter, Mikesell said.The mine's owners issued a statement Friday expressing their condolences and thanking emergency responders. The mine will be closed until further notice, they said.Cripple Creek is a town of about 1,100 in the Rocky Mountains southwest of Colorado Springs.The mine opened in the 1800s and closed in 1961, but still operates tours. Its website describes a one-hour tour. It says visitors can see veins of gold in the rock and ride an underground tram.A woman named Mollie Kathleen Gortner discovered the site of the mine in 1891 when she saw quartz laced with gold, according to the company’s website.___Brown reported from Billings, Mont. Associated Press writer Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyoming, contributed to this report.

Officials ID victim in deadly tourist gold mine incident 

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating after a suspicious package was reported.

Just after 5a.m. Friday, crews responded to the Landon State Office Building, 900 Southwest Jackson Street in downtown Topeka, according to a media release.

The Topeka Fire Department's Hazardous Materials team investigated the package.&nbsp;Before 6a.m., investigators determined the package was not dangerous

In addition to the Topeka Fire Department and Topeka Police Department, the Capitol Police, a division of the Kansas Highway Patrol also assisted at the scene.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported. Authorities released no additional details.&nbsp;&nbsp;

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating after a suspicious package was reported.Just after 5a.m. Friday, crews responded to the Landon State Office Building, 900 Southwest Jackson Street in downtown Topeka, according to a media release.The Topeka Fire Department's Hazardous Materials team investigated the package.&nbsp;Before 6a.m., investigators determined the package was not dangerousIn addition to the Topeka Fire Department and Topeka Police Department, the Capitol Police, a division of the Kansas Highway Patrol also assisted at the scene.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported. Authorities released no additional details.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Suspicious package investigated at State Office Building in Topeka

AURORA, Colo. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;detoured from the battleground states Friday to visit a Colorado suburb that's been in the news over illegal immigration as he drives a message, often using false or misleading claims and dehumanizing language, that migrants are causing chaos in smaller American cities and towns.

Trump’s rally in Aurora marked the first time ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the November election</a>&nbsp;that either presidential campaign has visited Colorado, which reliably votes Democratic statewide.

The Republican nominee has long promised to stage the largest deportation operation in U.S. history and has made immigration core to his political persona since launching his first campaign in 2015. In recent months, Trump has pinpointed specific smaller communities that have seen large arrivals of migrants, with tensions flaring locally over resources and some longtime residents expressing distrust about sudden demographic changes.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-trump-aurora-colorado-crime-immigration-c76df9f1dcda7e06a983105e5e970aeb">Aurora entered the spotlight</a>&nbsp;in August when a video circulated showing armed men walking through an apartment building housing Venezuelan migrants. Trump has claimed extensively that Venezuelan gangs are taking over buildings, even though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-trump-aurora-colorado-crime-immigration-c76df9f1dcda7e06a983105e5e970aeb">authorities say that was a single block</a>&nbsp;of the suburb near Denver, and the area is again safe.

Ignoring those denials from local authorities, Trump painted a picture of apartment complexes overrun by “barbaric thugs" and streets unsafe to travel, blaming President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump's Democratic rival.

“They're ruining your state,” Trump said of the Democrats in the White House.

“No person who has inflicted the violence and terror that Kamala Harris has inflicted on this community can ever be allowed to become the president of the United States,” Trump added.

Trump often used dehumanizing language, referring to his political rivals as “scum” and to migrants as “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-crime-battleground-election-aa4b0912322dee09cf475ffad7c8cec7">animals</a>&nbsp;" who have “invaded and conquered” Aurora. The town is “infected by Venezuela,” he said.

“We have to clean out our country,” Trump said. And he reprised the first controversy of his career in politics, when he launched his 2016 campaign by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-presidential-election-events-aa2ff774195644d48b088eac71746091">saying</a>&nbsp;migrants are rapists and bring drugs and crime.

“I took a lot of heat for saying it, but I was right," Trump said Friday, repeating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-trump-biden-rhetoric-2024-election-327c08045edcc200f850d893de6a79d6">false claim</a>&nbsp;that other countries are emptying their prisons and mental institutions and dumping their worst criminals in the United States.

To thunderous applause, he called for the death penalty "for any migrant that kills an American citizen or a law enforcement officer.”

Trump announced that as president he'd launch “Operation Aurora” to focus on deporting members of the Venezuelan gang&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tren-de-aragua-gang-venezuela-us-a12c8fee9dc4a0ca73769ea893e09e53">Tren de Aragua</a>, or TDA. The violent gang traces its origins more than a decade to an infamously lawless prison with hardened criminals.

Trump also repeated his pledge to invoke the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-trump-deport-migrants-national-guard-bdbbc8e78c66adb66047e331ced6c2d3">Alien Enemies Act</a>, a 1798 law that allows the president to deport any noncitizen who is from a country that the U.S. is at war with.

In July, the Biden administration issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-venezuela-gang-sanctions-f742f6966d160ee80b703ed419dfdac3">sanction against the gang</a>&nbsp;and offered $12 million in rewards for the arrest of three leaders.

Aurora resident Jodie Powell, 54, was among the attendees at Trump's Friday event. She said it's "not the case" that Venezuelan gangs have taken over the city, as Trump claims. Still, Powell said she's seen an increase in crime she associates with newcomers, citing a police chase that ended at a store where she was shopping.

“It takes a small amount of people to make a big difference in the community,” said Powell, who ranks immigration as her top concern alongside the economy. “It’s scary, it’s a scary thing.”

At the venue where Trump appeared, posters displayed mug shots of people in prison-orange with descriptions including “Illegal immigrant gang members from Venezuela.”

“Look at all these photos around me," Stephen Miller, a former top aide who is expected to take a senior role in the White House if Trump wins, told the crowd. “Are these the kids you grew up with? Are these the neighbors you were raised with? Are these the neighbors that you want in your city?” The crowd roared ”no" in reply.

Some Colorado officials, including the Republican mayor of Aurora, accused Trump and other Republicans of overstating problems in the city.

“Again, the reality is that the concerns about Venezuelan gang activity in our city — and our state — have been grossly exaggerated and have unfairly hurt the city’s identity and sense of safety,” said Mike Coffman, a former U.S. congressman.

Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, also have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haitian-immigrants-vance-trump-ohio-6e4a47c52b23ae2c802d216369512ca5">spread falsehoods</a>&nbsp;about a community in Springfield, Ohio, where they said Haitian immigrants were accused of stealing and eating pets.

While Ohio and Colorado are not competitive in the presidential race, the Republican message on immigration is intended for states that are. Vance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-wisconsin-congo-harris-trump-6370ec037483e37f1d81782bc53a6b94">campaigned recently</a>&nbsp;in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, a city of 70,000 that has resettled refugees from Africa and Asia, and touted Trump's plan to ramp up deportations. He argues smaller communities have been “overrun” by immigrants taxing local resources.

Trump has vowed to deport not only “criminals,” a promise he shares with Harris, but also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/springfield-haitian-immigrants-trump-eating-pets-84aa8ae10963cbeadd48b3945b322620">Haitians living legally</a>&nbsp;in Springfield and even people he has denigrated as “pro-Hamas radicals”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-protest-gaza-israel-divest-police-9cdda079a5649d080f5438c350a209f1">protesting on college campuses</a>. Trump has said he would revoke the temporary protected status that allows Haitians to stay in the U.S. because of widespread poverty and violence in their home nation.

Harris has tacked to the right on immigration, presenting herself as a candidate who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-border-arizona-4a87c6f3b2df1736aa226bc620f51b89">can be tough on policing the border</a>, which is perceived as one of her biggest vulnerabilities.

She wrapped up a three-day western swing with a campaign event Friday in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she said she would create a bipartisan council of advisers to provide feedback on her policy initiatives if she makes it to the White House.

“I love good ideas wherever they come from,” said Harris, who is making a push to get Republicans with doubts about Trump to support her.

She also accused Trump of letting Iran “off the hook” while he was in office and argued she would be a greater champion for Israel’s security.

“Make no mistake, as president, I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend American forces and interests from Iran and Iran-backed terrorists,” Harris said in a call with Jewish supporters ahead of Yom Kippur. “And I will never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. Diplomacy is my preferred path to that end. But all options are on the table.”

Harris charged that Trump “did nothing” after Iran “attacked U.S. bases and American troops.”

The criticism by Harris was a knock on Trump for downplaying a January 2020 missile attack by Iran on a U.S. base in Iraq that left several American troops with concussion-like symptoms, including some who had to be evacuated for treatment. Trump earlier this month referred to the injuries as a “headache.”

The Iranian missile attack came days after Trump ordered a strike that that killed Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, and raised tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

Harris participated virtually in a White House briefing with President Biden on the recovery effort from hurricanes Milton and Helene. She sought to reassure those who endured losses from the hurricane that they would get help from the government.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728696040873.png" alt="Imag courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Imag courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>AURORA, Colo. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;detoured from the battleground states Friday to visit a Colorado suburb that's been in the news over illegal immigration as he drives a message, often using false or misleading claims and dehumanizing language, that migrants are causing chaos in smaller American cities and towns.Trump’s rally in Aurora marked the first time ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the November election</a>&nbsp;that either presidential campaign has visited Colorado, which reliably votes Democratic statewide.The Republican nominee has long promised to stage the largest deportation operation in U.S. history and has made immigration core to his political persona since launching his first campaign in 2015. In recent months, Trump has pinpointed specific smaller communities that have seen large arrivals of migrants, with tensions flaring locally over resources and some longtime residents expressing distrust about sudden demographic changes.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-trump-aurora-colorado-crime-immigration-c76df9f1dcda7e06a983105e5e970aeb">Aurora entered the spotlight</a>&nbsp;in August when a video circulated showing armed men walking through an apartment building housing Venezuelan migrants. Trump has claimed extensively that Venezuelan gangs are taking over buildings, even though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-trump-aurora-colorado-crime-immigration-c76df9f1dcda7e06a983105e5e970aeb">authorities say that was a single block</a>&nbsp;of the suburb near Denver, and the area is again safe.Ignoring those denials from local authorities, Trump painted a picture of apartment complexes overrun by “barbaric thugs" and streets unsafe to travel, blaming President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump's Democratic rival.“They're ruining your state,” Trump said of the Democrats in the White House.“No person who has inflicted the violence and terror that Kamala Harris has inflicted on this community can ever be allowed to become the president of the United States,” Trump added.Trump often used dehumanizing language, referring to his political rivals as “scum” and to migrants as “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-crime-battleground-election-aa4b0912322dee09cf475ffad7c8cec7">animals</a>&nbsp;" who have “invaded and conquered” Aurora. The town is “infected by Venezuela,” he said.“We have to clean out our country,” Trump said. And he reprised the first controversy of his career in politics, when he launched his 2016 campaign by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-presidential-election-events-aa2ff774195644d48b088eac71746091">saying</a>&nbsp;migrants are rapists and bring drugs and crime.“I took a lot of heat for saying it, but I was right," Trump said Friday, repeating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-trump-biden-rhetoric-2024-election-327c08045edcc200f850d893de6a79d6">false claim</a>&nbsp;that other countries are emptying their prisons and mental institutions and dumping their worst criminals in the United States.To thunderous applause, he called for the death penalty "for any migrant that kills an American citizen or a law enforcement officer.”Trump announced that as president he'd launch “Operation Aurora” to focus on deporting members of the Venezuelan gang&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tren-de-aragua-gang-venezuela-us-a12c8fee9dc4a0ca73769ea893e09e53">Tren de Aragua</a>, or TDA. The violent gang traces its origins more than a decade to an infamously lawless prison with hardened criminals.Trump also repeated his pledge to invoke the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-trump-deport-migrants-national-guard-bdbbc8e78c66adb66047e331ced6c2d3">Alien Enemies Act</a>, a 1798 law that allows the president to deport any noncitizen who is from a country that the U.S. is at war with.In July, the Biden administration issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-venezuela-gang-sanctions-f742f6966d160ee80b703ed419dfdac3">sanction against the gang</a>&nbsp;and offered $12 million in rewards for the arrest of three leaders.Aurora resident Jodie Powell, 54, was among the attendees at Trump's Friday event. She said it's "not the case" that Venezuelan gangs have taken over the city, as Trump claims. Still, Powell said she's seen an increase in crime she associates with newcomers, citing a police chase that ended at a store where she was shopping.“It takes a small amount of people to make a big difference in the community,” said Powell, who ranks immigration as her top concern alongside the economy. “It’s scary, it’s a scary thing.”At the venue where Trump appeared, posters displayed mug shots of people in prison-orange with descriptions including “Illegal immigrant gang members from Venezuela.”“Look at all these photos around me," Stephen Miller, a former top aide who is expected to take a senior role in the White House if Trump wins, told the crowd. “Are these the kids you grew up with? Are these the neighbors you were raised with? Are these the neighbors that you want in your city?” The crowd roared ”no" in reply.Some Colorado officials, including the Republican mayor of Aurora, accused Trump and other Republicans of overstating problems in the city.“Again, the reality is that the concerns about Venezuelan gang activity in our city — and our state — have been grossly exaggerated and have unfairly hurt the city’s identity and sense of safety,” said Mike Coffman, a former U.S. congressman.Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, also have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haitian-immigrants-vance-trump-ohio-6e4a47c52b23ae2c802d216369512ca5">spread falsehoods</a>&nbsp;about a community in Springfield, Ohio, where they said Haitian immigrants were accused of stealing and eating pets.While Ohio and Colorado are not competitive in the presidential race, the Republican message on immigration is intended for states that are. Vance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-wisconsin-congo-harris-trump-6370ec037483e37f1d81782bc53a6b94">campaigned recently</a>&nbsp;in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, a city of 70,000 that has resettled refugees from Africa and Asia, and touted Trump's plan to ramp up deportations. He argues smaller communities have been “overrun” by immigrants taxing local resources.Trump has vowed to deport not only “criminals,” a promise he shares with Harris, but also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/springfield-haitian-immigrants-trump-eating-pets-84aa8ae10963cbeadd48b3945b322620">Haitians living legally</a>&nbsp;in Springfield and even people he has denigrated as “pro-Hamas radicals”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-protest-gaza-israel-divest-police-9cdda079a5649d080f5438c350a209f1">protesting on college campuses</a>. Trump has said he would revoke the temporary protected status that allows Haitians to stay in the U.S. because of widespread poverty and violence in their home nation.Harris has tacked to the right on immigration, presenting herself as a candidate who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-border-arizona-4a87c6f3b2df1736aa226bc620f51b89">can be tough on policing the border</a>, which is perceived as one of her biggest vulnerabilities.She wrapped up a three-day western swing with a campaign event Friday in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she said she would create a bipartisan council of advisers to provide feedback on her policy initiatives if she makes it to the White House.“I love good ideas wherever they come from,” said Harris, who is making a push to get Republicans with doubts about Trump to support her.She also accused Trump of letting Iran “off the hook” while he was in office and argued she would be a greater champion for Israel’s security.“Make no mistake, as president, I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend American forces and interests from Iran and Iran-backed terrorists,” Harris said in a call with Jewish supporters ahead of Yom Kippur. “And I will never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. Diplomacy is my preferred path to that end. But all options are on the table.”Harris charged that Trump “did nothing” after Iran “attacked U.S. bases and American troops.”The criticism by Harris was a knock on Trump for downplaying a January 2020 missile attack by Iran on a U.S. base in Iraq that left several American troops with concussion-like symptoms, including some who had to be evacuated for treatment. Trump earlier this month referred to the injuries as a “headache.”The Iranian missile attack came days after Trump ordered a strike that that killed Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, and raised tensions between the U.S. and Iran.Harris participated virtually in a White House briefing with President Biden on the recovery effort from hurricanes Milton and Helene. She sought to reassure those who endured losses from the hurricane that they would get help from the government.

Trump drives his anti-immigration message in Aurora, Colorado

SALINE COUNTY —The Salina Police Department arrested 34-year-old Trevor Witt after an anonymous caller reported him for being involved with a minor.&nbsp;

At 3 p.m. on Thursday, police responded to the 100 block of North Santa Fe in Salina after receiving an anonymous report of a very young girl seen interacting with a large group of older individuals, predominantly men, according to Saline Police Captain James Feldman.

"Officers&nbsp; made contact with the girl and the concern was she was smoking and had some marks on her neck," Feldman said. "The girl initially tried to say she was 17 and gave a name which was not accurate."

Officers were able to determine that she was 13 years old and she was a runaway from a foster care facility in Salina, according to Feldman.

Police took the 13-year-old girl into custody and learned that she had sexual contact with Witt.&nbsp;

"He had supplied her alcohol, tobacco, possibly some drugs," Feldman said. He was taken into custody on requested charges that include rape, aggravated indecent liberties with the child, aggravated criminal sodomy, contributing to a child's misconduct, distribution of a stimulant and providing tobacco products.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728673728712.jpeg" alt="Trevor Witt photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Trevor Witt photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —The Salina Police Department arrested 34-year-old Trevor Witt after an anonymous caller reported him for being involved with a minor.&nbsp;At 3 p.m. on Thursday, police responded to the 100 block of North Santa Fe in Salina after receiving an anonymous report of a very young girl seen interacting with a large group of older individuals, predominantly men, according to Saline Police Captain James Feldman."Officers&nbsp; made contact with the girl and the concern was she was smoking and had some marks on her neck," Feldman said. "The girl initially tried to say she was 17 and gave a name which was not accurate."Officers were able to determine that she was 13 years old and she was a runaway from a foster care facility in Salina, according to Feldman.Police took the 13-year-old girl into custody and learned that she had sexual contact with Witt.&nbsp;"He had supplied her alcohol, tobacco, possibly some drugs," Feldman said. He was taken into custody on requested charges that include rape, aggravated indecent liberties with the child, aggravated criminal sodomy, contributing to a child's misconduct, distribution of a stimulant and providing tobacco products.

Kan. man jailed after alleged sex crimes with 13-year-old runaway

SEATTLE (AP) —Boeing plans to lay off about 10% of its workers in the coming months, about 17,000 people, as it continues to lose money and tries to deal with a strike that is crippling production of the company’s best-selling airline planes.

New CEO Kelly Ortberg told staff in a memo Friday that the job cuts will include executives, managers and employees.

The company has about 170,000 employees worldwide, many of them working in manufacturing facilities in the states of Washington and South Carolina.

Boeing had already imposed rolling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-strike-union-negotiations-89997704299f09bf28ad135919174b11">temporary furloughs</a>, but Ortberg said those will be suspended because of the impending layoffs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727171580133.png" alt="Photo Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace" />
 <figcaption>Photo Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace</figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE (AP) —Boeing plans to lay off about 10% of its workers in the coming months, about 17,000 people, as it continues to lose money and tries to deal with a strike that is crippling production of the company’s best-selling airline planes.New CEO Kelly Ortberg told staff in a memo Friday that the job cuts will include executives, managers and employees.The company has about 170,000 employees worldwide, many of them working in manufacturing facilities in the states of Washington and South Carolina.Boeing had already imposed rolling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-strike-union-negotiations-89997704299f09bf28ad135919174b11">temporary furloughs</a>, but Ortberg said those will be suspended because of the impending layoffs.The company will further delay the rollout of a new plane, the 777X, to 2026 instead of 2025. It will also stop building the cargo version of its 767 jet in 2027 after finishing current orders.Boeing has lost more than $25 billion since the start of 2019.About 33,000 union machinists have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-strike-machinists-contract-9f61a7d48675d1c3517233d40d4ec2b1">been on strike</a>&nbsp;since Sept. 14. Two days of talks this week failed to produce a deal, and Boeing filed an unfair-labor-practices charge against the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.As it announced layoffs, Boeing also gave a preliminary report on its third-quarter financial results — and the news is not good for the company.Boeing said it burned through $1.3 billion in cash during the quarter and lost $9.97 per share. Industry analysts had been expecting the company to lose $1.61 per share in the quarter, according to a FactSet survey, but analysts were likely unaware of some large write-downs that Boeing announced Friday — a $2.6 billion charge related to delays of the 777X, $400 million for the 767, and $2 billion for defense and space programs including new Air Force One jets, a space capsule for NASA and a military refueling tanker.The company based in Arlington, Virginia, said it had $10.5 billion in cash and marketable securities on Sept. 30. Boeing is scheduled to release full third-quarter numbers on Oct. 23.The strike has a direct bearing on cash burn because Boeing gets half or more of the price of planes when it delivers them to airline customers. The strike has shut down production of the 737 Max, Boeing's best-selling plane, and 777s and 767s. The company is still making 787s at a nonunion plant in South Carolina.“Our business is in a difficult position, and it is hard to overstate the challenges we face together,” Ortberg told staff. He said the situation “requires tough decisions and we will have to make structural changes to ensure we can stay competitive and deliver for our customers over the long term.”Ortberg took over at Boeing in August, becoming the troubled company’s third CEO in less than five years. He is a longtime aerospace-industry executive but an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-ortberg-new-ceo-factory-visit-e5bada09a96d0e26b25f2d35d6d6cfc0">outsider to Boeing</a>.The new CEO faces many challenges to turn the company around.The Federal Aviation Administration increased scrutiny of the company after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-investigation-faa-panel-blowout-monitoring-06b098e57a8c65bdb0ba377f99290d32">panel blew out of a Max</a>&nbsp;during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. Boeing has agreed to plead guilty and pay a fine for conspiracy to commit fraud tied to the Max, but relatives of the 346 people who died in two Max crashes want&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-737-max-victims-plea-agreement-fraud-7b772b2ae171b0e3cb9916d10d05652f">tougher punishment</a>.And Boeing got attention for all the wrong reasons when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-starliner-space-defense-business-nasa-8e5f6414629efcc0a78d43fb9c778333">NASA decided</a>&nbsp;that a Boeing spacecraft wasn’t safe enough to carry two astronauts home from the International Space Station.