Tenants in two Kansas City-area buildings launched a rent strike on Oct. 1 in protest of poor maintenance and rising rents.&nbsp;They plan to add more tenants to their strike

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/milimansaray/">MILI MANSARAY</a>

Buckets of brown sink water, overflowing roach traps and photographs of clogged bathtubs lined the entrance to the leasing office at Quality Hill Towers. At their most recent rally, tenants brought their frustrations straight to management’s door.

George Pacheco carried two-gallon jugs of murky water from his apartment.

“I gave my daughter a glass of water out of my sink and it was so dirty that she refuses to even come and stay in the apartment,” he said.

On Oct. 1, tenants at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.qualityhilltowers.com/" target="_blank">Quality Hill Towers</a>&nbsp;and Independence Towers launched a rent strike, demanding maintenance repairs, collectively bargained leases and a national 3% rent cap on all buildings that receive federal financing.

At their Oct. 18 rally, tenants said they plan to recruit more tenants to join the rent strike if the director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhfa.gov/" target="_blank">Federal Housing Finance Agency</a>&nbsp;does not engage with them and meet their demands. Although Missouri offers no legal protections for striking tenants and they face risks of eviction or lawsuits, leaders with&nbsp;<a href="https://kctenants.org/home" target="_blank">KC Tenants</a>&nbsp;say the unions are preparing to rally more renters to join their movement.

The tenants “don’t believe that they’re going to necessarily win this in the courts,” said Jaden Powell, a tenant attorney giving KC Tenants legal advice. “The courts are not set up to make these kinds of wide-scale changes. The power is in organizing and public pressure, and that’s where they think they’re going to win.”

Meanwhile, housing finance experts say that a rent strike only hurts landlords, not the FHFA, and they find it unlikely that the Federal National Mortgage Association, known as Fannie Mae, would risk its investment based on actions at two local apartment buildings.

They also say that a national rent cap would make it harder for landlords to keep up with maintenance and mortgage costs and would perhaps shrink the amount of rental housing on the market.

An annual 3% rental cap “would just kill the rental market,” said Ted Tozer, a fellow at the left-leaning Urban Institute’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.org/policy-centers/housing-finance-policy-center" target="_blank">Housing Finance Policy Center</a>. “Lenders would be going bankrupt.”

At the Oct. 18 rally, tenant union members said they met with FHFA director Sandra Thompson in May to discuss their living conditions. The agency says Thompson is unavailable to travel to Kansas City. Negotiations are ongoing about a meeting with KC Tenants and other FHFA officials.

The union is putting pressure on the agency because it is the regulator of Fannie Mae, the company that backs the loans in federally financed buildings.

Tenants are organizing a strike drive set for Nov. 1 to recruit more participants.

Later in October, KC Tenants and&nbsp;<a href="https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-announces-1350000-independence-towers-address-desperately" target="_blank">U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s office</a>&nbsp;announced that Fannie Mae&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article294555904.html" target="_blank">gave Trigild Inc. $1.35 million</a>&nbsp;for repairs at Independence Towers.

“While we celebrate this step, we remain committed to our rent strike,” the Independence Towers tenant union said in a statement. “This is a one-off bailout for the parties that have neglected their tenants.”

As of Oct. 29, nearly 24% of the 234 occupied units at Quality Hill Towers are on strike, KC Tenants said, while 57% of the 63 occupied units at Independence Towers are on strike.

Tenants said their apartment buildings&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/10/08/kansas-city-tenant-union-rent-strike-against-federally-backed-landlords/" target="_blank">need dramatic repairs</a>&nbsp;and better maintenance. Management has said work is underway to fix those problems.

Neither&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sentinelcorp.com/" target="_blank">Sentinel Real Estate Corp</a>., which owns Quality Hill Towers, nor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.trigild.com/" target="_blank">Trigild Inc</a>., which manages Independence Towers, responded to The Beacon’s requests for comment.

The tenant strike aims to pressure the FHFA to meet renters’ demands at all federally backed-properties.

“If the federal government is going to be involved with private businesses and financing their profits, we expect the government to exercise every available avenue to protect tenants’ rights,” said Tara Raghuveer, the director of KC Tenants.

But because the funds don’t come from public tax dollars, the FHFA and Fannie Mae don’t have control over their properties in the same way that, for example, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has control of the government-funded buildings it manages.

Mark Willis, the senior policy fellow at the&nbsp;<a href="https://furmancenter.org/" target="_blank">New York University Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy</a>, said that Fannie Mae typically has the right under the mortgage to pursue legal action when landlords let properties fall into disrepair. Fannie Mae buys and sells mortgages with the expectation that the property will be properly maintained. And when owners neglect repairs, they’re breaking their mortgage terms.

That gives Fannie Mae the option to declare a default or foreclosure on the property, Willis said. As an alternative to taking ownership of poorly maintained buildings, Fannie Mae can give money to a receiver to step in for the landlord and handle repairs.

In February, Fannie Mae<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article292599874.html" target="_blank">&nbsp;filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against 728 N Jennings Rd Partners LLC, the owner of Independence Towers, for not properly paying back loans for building repairs and failing to maintain living conditions according to the standard outlined in its loan agreement. A Jackson County judge appointed Trigild Inc. as the receiver in charge of managing repairs of the property in May.

Fannie Mae cannot directly instruct the receiver, but it can provide funding and offer guidance.

But Raghuveer argues that the federal backing gives landlords better terms than they’d get in the private market. Since the landlords benefit from public support, she said federal properties should offer more protections for tenants.

“If the government is going to be involved in backing a loan,” she said, “that should come with strings attached.”

In 2023, loans to landlords from Fannie Mae and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., known as Freddie Mac, were capped at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhfa.gov/news/news-release/fhfa-announces-2023-multifamily-loan-purchase-caps-for-fannie-mae-and-freddie-mac" target="_blank">$150 billion</a>. Raghuveer said that those contracts offer landlords lower interest rates and other perks but offer very few safeguards for tenants. That, she said, can attract slumlords.

So tenants want Fannie Mae to impose the cap on new contracts and apply it to existing contracts when landlords refinance their mortgages.

Raghuveer said the initial financial burden of the strike will fall on landlords, with Sentinel losing at least $3,000 monthly at Quality Hill. And while Sentinel is a large corporation with a broad portfolio, she said nearly a fourth of the occupied units are participating and they will try to recruit more people on Nov. 1.

“It’s not a financial hit that (Sentinel) can sustain long-term,” she said.

While the prospect of altering a national market by pressuring Sentinel appears remote, Raghuveer said that KC Tenants is trying to get tenant unions across federally backed properties in Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Montana, Illinois and Kentucky to launch their own strikes.

What’s at stake for KC tenants who strike?&nbsp;

In Missouri, striking tenants risk eviction. They could be sued for unpaid rent, but Powell said that tenants can argue that their rent isn’t owed because the landlord has failed to maintain habitable living conditions, which is part of the lease agreement. That defense doesn’t fully protect them.

Tenants can also be sued if they remain in the home after their lease ends. Missouri law does not protect tenants from landlords evicting them with or without cause at the end of a lease.

“If a tenant isn’t on a lease or is on a month-to-month lease, they really run the risk of their landlord retaliating against them,” Powell said.

Kansas City ordinance also prohibits retaliatory evictions for any reason, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/home/showdocument?id=5360" target="_blank">joining a tenants’ union</a>. But Powell said that law has not been widely enforced in court cases because there are really no defenses in unlawful detainer cases beyond whether the landlord followed proper protocol in ending the tenancy.

She said that tenants have limited legal defenses when withholding their rent, aside from using uninhabitable conditions as a defense in rent possession cases.

Missouri law also&nbsp;<a href="https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/attachments/landlord-tenantlaw.pdf?sfvrsn=4" target="_blank">allows tenants to make repairs themselves</a>&nbsp;if landlords don’t respond within 14 days of a complaint. They can deduct up to $300 or half a month’s rent, whichever is higher, from their payment. However, Powell said that this approach is insufficient for larger issues.

“When we’re thinking about places like Quality Hill, a lot of the issues are building-wide,” she said, “like plumbing issues, folks without hot water, folks with bathrooms and tubs that won’t drain. And that’s not something that you could fix for $300.”

Because the law doesn’t provide striking tenants with many protections, Powell said the campaign is relying on public support to put pressure on the landlords and the FHFA.

In an Oct. 3&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DAreZ83pR3a/?img_index=1" target="_blank">solidarity letter,</a>&nbsp;Kansas City Council member&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/city-officials/city-council-members/councilman-johnathan-duncan-6th-district" target="_blank">Johnathan Duncan</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;and seven other City Council members called on the FHFA to negotiate with the tenant union and refrain from any “retaliatory actions against the tenants.”

“The lease is a legal agreement that is supposed to work both ways,” he said. “There are always accountability measures for tenants. There are very few accountability measures for landlords and these federal regulators.”

Tozer said a national 3% rent cap on all federally financed buildings isn’t feasible. Instead, it would place a financial strain on landlords that would hurt the market.

“You’d have no more apartments being built,” he said. “And you’d have landlords not renting to people anymore.”

He pointed out that landlords face rising operational costs — including property taxes, insurance and maintenance — which typically go up more than 3% annually.

A rent increase cap would leave property owners unable to cover these rising costs. That could produce even more maintenance issues for tenants.

“If they’re not going to pass that on to tenants,” he said, “then that means that they’re going to&nbsp; have to start cutting other places.”

Tozer said a rent cap would come with immediate pushback from property owners.

“I would sue over that,” he said. “You would have to get congressional action to put on a rent cap.”

Housing finance experts say that measures like a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhfa.gov/blog/insights/new-multifamily-tenant-protections" target="_blank">grace period for late fees or rent increase notices</a>&nbsp;don’t impact mortgage payments, but rent caps are a different matter.

And hurting landlords’ ability to pay their mortgages would put Fannie’s and Freddie’s investments at risk, which Tozer said the FHFA would want to avoid.

Financial analysts say that a rent cap might also push landlords to seek loans from other sources.

“Whether it’s good policy or not, it probably would mean that no one would borrow from Fannie and Freddie,” said Willis.

He said that Fannie can pursue legal avenues against owners who don’t maintain property standards. But a rent cap could create challenges for all owners.

“The one thing you want to do is make sure landlords who want to maintain their buildings well are able to do it,” he said. “You don’t want to set up a system where they can’t even afford to do the right thing.”

Who’s responsible for these living conditions?

Tozer said that the FHFA is several steps removed from tenants and landlords in these situations. Fannie Mae invests in mortgages and shares the risk with a local lender if the landlord defaults. Local lenders handle payments, foreclosures and other mortgage processing on behalf of Fannie.

But federal law prohibits Fannie Mae from direct contact with landlords. Instead, Tozer said, the lender is supposed to play an active role in inspecting the building to make sure the landlord is meeting property standards as required by their loan agreement and complying with local housing codes.

And while these properties receive federal support, Tozer argued that the responsibility for enforcing maintenance standards largely rests with local government agencies.

“General protections should come from the local, county or city code enforcement regarding violations,” he said. “Where are the building code officials in your community? Why are they letting people live this way? They’re the first line of defense.”

<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/healthy-homes-rental-inspection-program" target="_blank">The Healthy Homes Rental Inspection program</a>, run by the Kansas City Health Department, inspected Quality Hill&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/healthy-homes-finds-violations-at-quality-hill-towers-amid-rent-strike" target="_blank">after the rent strike began</a>. The program identified several violations, though none was severe enough to require tenant relocation.

Independence Towers has been inspected by Independence’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independencemo.gov/government/city-departments/community-development/business-license-liquor-license-and-employee-permitting/rental-ready-program" target="_blank">Rental Ready program</a>. But despite various complaints, the building&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article291221045.html" target="_blank">passed its most recent inspection</a>&nbsp;in December.

Brent Schondelmeyer, a former Kansas City Star reporter, told the Independence City Council he’d&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article291221045.html" target="_blank">found that 99%</a>&nbsp;of inspections from May 2022 to May 2023 received a perfect score. Critics argue that the inspection process, which relies on third-party inspectors<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article291221045.html" target="_blank">&nbsp;hired by landlords</a>, may fall short in addressing safety issues.

Raghuveer said that the FHFA has the power to improve conditions for tenants in federally backed buildings. She said that the issues in these properties are too widespread for local efforts alone to provide adequate protection.

“This problem is not going to be solved work order by work order,” she said. “It’s not going to be solved building by building.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/10/31/kc-tenants-rent-strike-plans-to-add-more-people/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730601147932.png" alt=" At their Oct. 18 rally, Quality Hill tenant union members demanded to meet with Federal Housing Finance Authority director Sandra Thompson, depicted in the poster on the right (Mili Mansaray/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption> At their Oct. 18 rally, Quality Hill tenant union members demanded to meet with Federal Housing Finance Authority director Sandra Thompson, depicted in the poster on the right (Mili Mansaray/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Tenants in two Kansas City-area buildings launched a rent strike on Oct. 1 in protest of poor maintenance and rising rents.&nbsp;They plan to add more tenants to their strike</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/milimansaray/">MILI MANSARAY</a>Buckets of brown sink water, overflowing roach traps and photographs of clogged bathtubs lined the entrance to the leasing office at Quality Hill Towers. At their most recent rally, tenants brought their frustrations straight to management’s door.George Pacheco carried two-gallon jugs of murky water from his apartment.“I gave my daughter a glass of water out of my sink and it was so dirty that she refuses to even come and stay in the apartment,” he said.On Oct. 1, tenants at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.qualityhilltowers.com/" target="_blank">Quality Hill Towers</a>&nbsp;and Independence Towers launched a rent strike, demanding maintenance repairs, collectively bargained leases and a national 3% rent cap on all buildings that receive federal financing.At their Oct. 18 rally, tenants said they plan to recruit more tenants to join the rent strike if the director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhfa.gov/" target="_blank">Federal Housing Finance Agency</a>&nbsp;does not engage with them and meet their demands. Although Missouri offers no legal protections for striking tenants and they face risks of eviction or lawsuits, leaders with&nbsp;<a href="https://kctenants.org/home" target="_blank">KC Tenants</a>&nbsp;say the unions are preparing to rally more renters to join their movement.The tenants “don’t believe that they’re going to necessarily win this in the courts,” said Jaden Powell, a tenant attorney giving KC Tenants legal advice. “The courts are not set up to make these kinds of wide-scale changes. The power is in organizing and public pressure, and that’s where they think they’re going to win.”Meanwhile, housing finance experts say that a rent strike only hurts landlords, not the FHFA, and they find it unlikely that the Federal National Mortgage Association, known as Fannie Mae, would risk its investment based on actions at two local apartment buildings.They also say that a national rent cap would make it harder for landlords to keep up with maintenance and mortgage costs and would perhaps shrink the amount of rental housing on the market.An annual 3% rental cap “would just kill the rental market,” said Ted Tozer, a fellow at the left-leaning Urban Institute’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.org/policy-centers/housing-finance-policy-center" target="_blank">Housing Finance Policy Center</a>. “Lenders would be going bankrupt.”<h2>What’s going on with the rent strike?</h2>At the Oct. 18 rally, tenant union members said they met with FHFA director Sandra Thompson in May to discuss their living conditions. The agency says Thompson is unavailable to travel to Kansas City. Negotiations are ongoing about a meeting with KC Tenants and other FHFA officials.The union is putting pressure on the agency because it is the regulator of Fannie Mae, the company that backs the loans in federally financed buildings.Tenants are organizing a strike drive set for Nov. 1 to recruit more participants.Later in October, KC Tenants and&nbsp;<a href="https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-announces-1350000-independence-towers-address-desperately" target="_blank">U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s office</a>&nbsp;announced that Fannie Mae&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article294555904.html" target="_blank">gave Trigild Inc. $1.35 million</a>&nbsp;for repairs at Independence Towers.But they say that money is not enough.“While we celebrate this step, we remain committed to our rent strike,” the Independence Towers tenant union said in a statement. “This is a one-off bailout for the parties that have neglected their tenants.”As of Oct. 29, nearly 24% of the 234 occupied units at Quality Hill Towers are on strike, KC Tenants said, while 57% of the 63 occupied units at Independence Towers are on strike.Tenants said their apartment buildings&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/10/08/kansas-city-tenant-union-rent-strike-against-federally-backed-landlords/" target="_blank">need dramatic repairs</a>&nbsp;and better maintenance. Management has said work is underway to fix those problems.Neither&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sentinelcorp.com/" target="_blank">Sentinel Real Estate Corp</a>., which owns Quality Hill Towers, nor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.trigild.com/" target="_blank">Trigild Inc</a>., which manages Independence Towers, responded to The Beacon’s requests for comment.<h2>What is KC Tenants’ strategy?</h2>The tenant strike aims to pressure the FHFA to meet renters’ demands at all federally backed-properties.“If the federal government is going to be involved with private businesses and financing their profits, we expect the government to exercise every available avenue to protect tenants’ rights,” said Tara Raghuveer, the director of KC Tenants.But because the funds don’t come from public tax dollars, the FHFA and Fannie Mae don’t have control over their properties in the same way that, for example, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has control of the government-funded buildings it manages.Mark Willis, the senior policy fellow at the&nbsp;<a href="https://furmancenter.org/" target="_blank">New York University Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy</a>, said that Fannie Mae typically has the right under the mortgage to pursue legal action when landlords let properties fall into disrepair. Fannie Mae buys and sells mortgages with the expectation that the property will be properly maintained. And when owners neglect repairs, they’re breaking their mortgage terms.That gives Fannie Mae the option to declare a default or foreclosure on the property, Willis said. As an alternative to taking ownership of poorly maintained buildings, Fannie Mae can give money to a receiver to step in for the landlord and handle repairs.In February, Fannie Mae<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article292599874.html" target="_blank">&nbsp;filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against 728 N Jennings Rd Partners LLC, the owner of Independence Towers, for not properly paying back loans for building repairs and failing to maintain living conditions according to the standard outlined in its loan agreement. A Jackson County judge appointed Trigild Inc. as the receiver in charge of managing repairs of the property in May.Fannie Mae cannot directly instruct the receiver, but it can provide funding and offer guidance.But Raghuveer argues that the federal backing gives landlords better terms than they’d get in the private market. Since the landlords benefit from public support, she said federal properties should offer more protections for tenants.“If the government is going to be involved in backing a loan,” she said, “that should come with strings attached.”In 2023, loans to landlords from Fannie Mae and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., known as Freddie Mac, were capped at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhfa.gov/news/news-release/fhfa-announces-2023-multifamily-loan-purchase-caps-for-fannie-mae-and-freddie-mac" target="_blank">$150 billion</a>. Raghuveer said that those contracts offer landlords lower interest rates and other perks but offer very few safeguards for tenants. That, she said, can attract slumlords.So tenants want Fannie Mae to impose the cap on new contracts and apply it to existing contracts when landlords refinance their mortgages.Raghuveer said the initial financial burden of the strike will fall on landlords, with Sentinel losing at least $3,000 monthly at Quality Hill. And while Sentinel is a large corporation with a broad portfolio, she said nearly a fourth of the occupied units are participating and they will try to recruit more people on Nov. 1.“It’s not a financial hit that (Sentinel) can sustain long-term,” she said.While the prospect of altering a national market by pressuring Sentinel appears remote, Raghuveer said that KC Tenants is trying to get tenant unions across federally backed properties in Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Montana, Illinois and Kentucky to launch their own strikes.<h2>What’s at stake for KC tenants who strike?&nbsp;</h2>In Missouri, striking tenants risk eviction. They could be sued for unpaid rent, but Powell said that tenants can argue that their rent isn’t owed because the landlord has failed to maintain habitable living conditions, which is part of the lease agreement. That defense doesn’t fully protect them.Tenants can also be sued if they remain in the home after their lease ends. Missouri law does not protect tenants from landlords evicting them with or without cause at the end of a lease.“If a tenant isn’t on a lease or is on a month-to-month lease, they really run the risk of their landlord retaliating against them,” Powell said.Kansas City ordinance also prohibits retaliatory evictions for any reason, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/home/showdocument?id=5360" target="_blank">joining a tenants’ union</a>. But Powell said that law has not been widely enforced in court cases because there are really no defenses in unlawful detainer cases beyond whether the landlord followed proper protocol in ending the tenancy.She said that tenants have limited legal defenses when withholding their rent, aside from using uninhabitable conditions as a defense in rent possession cases.Missouri law also&nbsp;<a href="https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/attachments/landlord-tenantlaw.pdf?sfvrsn=4" target="_blank">allows tenants to make repairs themselves</a>&nbsp;if landlords don’t respond within 14 days of a complaint. They can deduct up to $300 or half a month’s rent, whichever is higher, from their payment. However, Powell said that this approach is insufficient for larger issues.“When we’re thinking about places like Quality Hill, a lot of the issues are building-wide,” she said, “like plumbing issues, folks without hot water, folks with bathrooms and tubs that won’t drain. And that’s not something that you could fix for $300.”Because the law doesn’t provide striking tenants with many protections, Powell said the campaign is relying on public support to put pressure on the landlords and the FHFA.In an Oct. 3&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DAreZ83pR3a/?img_index=1" target="_blank">solidarity letter,</a>&nbsp;Kansas City Council member&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/city-officials/city-council-members/councilman-johnathan-duncan-6th-district" target="_blank">Johnathan Duncan</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;and seven other City Council members called on the FHFA to negotiate with the tenant union and refrain from any “retaliatory actions against the tenants.”“The lease is a legal agreement that is supposed to work both ways,” he said. “There are always accountability measures for tenants. There are very few accountability measures for landlords and these federal regulators.”<h2>What’s at stake for landlords?</h2>Tozer said a national 3% rent cap on all federally financed buildings isn’t feasible. Instead, it would place a financial strain on landlords that would hurt the market.“You’d have no more apartments being built,” he said. “And you’d have landlords not renting to people anymore.”He pointed out that landlords face rising operational costs — including property taxes, insurance and maintenance — which typically go up more than 3% annually.A rent increase cap would leave property owners unable to cover these rising costs. That could produce even more maintenance issues for tenants.“If they’re not going to pass that on to tenants,” he said, “then that means that they’re going to&nbsp; have to start cutting other places.”Tozer said a rent cap would come with immediate pushback from property owners.“I would sue over that,” he said. “You would have to get congressional action to put on a rent cap.”Housing finance experts say that measures like a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhfa.gov/blog/insights/new-multifamily-tenant-protections" target="_blank">grace period for late fees or rent increase notices</a>&nbsp;don’t impact mortgage payments, but rent caps are a different matter.And hurting landlords’ ability to pay their mortgages would put Fannie’s and Freddie’s investments at risk, which Tozer said the FHFA would want to avoid.Financial analysts say that a rent cap might also push landlords to seek loans from other sources.“Whether it’s good policy or not, it probably would mean that no one would borrow from Fannie and Freddie,” said Willis.He said that Fannie can pursue legal avenues against owners who don’t maintain property standards. But a rent cap could create challenges for all owners.“The one thing you want to do is make sure landlords who want to maintain their buildings well are able to do it,” he said. “You don’t want to set up a system where they can’t even afford to do the right thing.”<h2>Who’s responsible for these living conditions?</h2>Tozer said that the FHFA is several steps removed from tenants and landlords in these situations. Fannie Mae invests in mortgages and shares the risk with a local lender if the landlord defaults. Local lenders handle payments, foreclosures and other mortgage processing on behalf of Fannie.But federal law prohibits Fannie Mae from direct contact with landlords. Instead, Tozer said, the lender is supposed to play an active role in inspecting the building to make sure the landlord is meeting property standards as required by their loan agreement and complying with local housing codes.And while these properties receive federal support, Tozer argued that the responsibility for enforcing maintenance standards largely rests with local government agencies.“General protections should come from the local, county or city code enforcement regarding violations,” he said. “Where are the building code officials in your community? Why are they letting people live this way? They’re the first line of defense.”<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/healthy-homes-rental-inspection-program" target="_blank">The Healthy Homes Rental Inspection program</a>, run by the Kansas City Health Department, inspected Quality Hill&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/healthy-homes-finds-violations-at-quality-hill-towers-amid-rent-strike" target="_blank">after the rent strike began</a>. The program identified several violations, though none was severe enough to require tenant relocation.Independence Towers has been inspected by Independence’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independencemo.gov/government/city-departments/community-development/business-license-liquor-license-and-employee-permitting/rental-ready-program" target="_blank">Rental Ready program</a>. But despite various complaints, the building&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article291221045.html" target="_blank">passed its most recent inspection</a>&nbsp;in December.Brent Schondelmeyer, a former Kansas City Star reporter, told the Independence City Council he’d&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article291221045.html" target="_blank">found that 99%</a>&nbsp;of inspections from May 2022 to May 2023 received a perfect score. Critics argue that the inspection process, which relies on third-party inspectors<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article291221045.html" target="_blank">&nbsp;hired by landlords</a>, may fall short in addressing safety issues.Raghuveer said that the FHFA has the power to improve conditions for tenants in federally backed buildings. She said that the issues in these properties are too widespread for local efforts alone to provide adequate protection.“This problem is not going to be solved work order by work order,” she said. “It’s not going to be solved building by building.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/10/31/kc-tenants-rent-strike-plans-to-add-more-people/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<figure>
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The growing stakes in the Kansas City rent strike as it passes 30 days

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas women and their allies rallied Saturday at the Statehouse in support of candidates who value women’s rights.

Speakers emphasized the historic struggles women have gone through for rights — specifically with bodily autonomy.

Former Kansas Rep. and Topeka Mayor Joan Wagnon, now 84, recalled her time in high school where women would wear coat hangers on their sweaters to symbolize the back-alley abortion procedures that were common before Roe v. Wade. When Roe was instated, she remembers celebrating while protesters called her a “baby killer.”

“Every year that I was in the House, and every year since then, there has been stronger and more restrictive pushes on Roe,” Wagnon said. “That culminated in Kansas with a conservative majority,” and the placement of an anti-abortion constitutional amendment on the August 2022 ballot.

Weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, voters in Kansas by an 18-point margin rejected the attempt to rewrite the Kansas Constitution, upending the political landscape.

Joining Wagnon at the rainy afternoon rally were Kansas Democratic Party chairwoman Jeanna Repass, Democratic congressional candidate Nancy Boyda, Democratic Kansas House candidates Alexis Simmons and Jade Pearson Ramsdell, and Kansas Coalition for Common Sense president Ashley All.

Their speeches repeatedly emphasized that Kansans are currently represented by a Legislature that fails to represent their interests. Repass said that even after Kansans voted to keep their right to abortion, Statehouse Republicans have passed bills to restrict that right.

“You are living currently under minority majority rule,” Repass said.

Repass said Kansans have a chance to change that this election. The Republican party currently holds a supermajority in the Legislature, which helped them override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s vetoes&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/year2/measures/reports/veto_bn/" target="_blank">seven times in the 2024 session</a>. Three of those bills dealt with abortion.

<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2749/" target="_blank">House Bill 2749</a>&nbsp;requires medical facilities and providers to report the reasons for each abortion performed, based on an invasive questionnaire. Abortion providers challenged the law in court.

Kansas has&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/podcasts/sam-brownback-and-the-arc-of-kansas-politics-since-1975/">a history of electing centrist female governors</a>&nbsp;like Kathleen Sebelius and Kelly. Simmons, who is running in a Topeka district, sees a history of feminist representation across the state — which is why she believes breaking the supermajority is “absolutely critical.”

“We might have voted no, but a whole lot of people voted to keep the same representatives who tried to put that amendment on our ballot,” Simmons said. “So although we may have the right, it is not without the trauma. That’s why we have to show up on Tuesday.”

Simmons said the rally still would have happened if Joe Biden was the presidential candidate, but that she has noticed a shift in energy with Vice President Kamala Harris on the ticket. She said it’s given her hope.

A recent statewide survey that put Harris five percentage points behind former President Donald Trump, compared to the 14 percentage points Biden lost by, also has given candidates hope.

“I don’t think you can emphasize enough what the top of the ticket means for the rest of us down the ballot,” Simmons said.

Repass said she “wasn’t surprised at all” by the poll. She said Kansas is a state that wants change, and Harris reflects that.

“We have fought, we have marched for 100 years,” Wagnon said. “Because we have an election every two or four years, we’re going to keep doing that, because nothing is permanent in a political system.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730599788068.png" alt="Attendees hold signs at the Nov. 2, 2024, rally for women’s rights at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Attendees hold signs at the Nov. 2, 2024, rally for women’s rights at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a> TOPEKA — Kansas women and their allies rallied Saturday at the Statehouse in support of candidates who value women’s rights.Speakers emphasized the historic struggles women have gone through for rights — specifically with bodily autonomy.Former Kansas Rep. and Topeka Mayor Joan Wagnon, now 84, recalled her time in high school where women would wear coat hangers on their sweaters to symbolize the back-alley abortion procedures that were common before Roe v. Wade. When Roe was instated, she remembers celebrating while protesters called her a “baby killer.”“Every year that I was in the House, and every year since then, there has been stronger and more restrictive pushes on Roe,” Wagnon said. “That culminated in Kansas with a conservative majority,” and the placement of an anti-abortion constitutional amendment on the August 2022 ballot.Weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, voters in Kansas by an 18-point margin rejected the attempt to rewrite the Kansas Constitution, upending the political landscape.Joining Wagnon at the rainy afternoon rally were Kansas Democratic Party chairwoman Jeanna Repass, Democratic congressional candidate Nancy Boyda, Democratic Kansas House candidates Alexis Simmons and Jade Pearson Ramsdell, and Kansas Coalition for Common Sense president Ashley All.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730599745034.png" alt=" Former Kansas Rep. and Topeka Mayor Joan Wagnon and Kansas Democratic Party chairwoman Jeanna Repass appear at the Nov. 2, 2024, rally for women’s rights at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Former Kansas Rep. and Topeka Mayor Joan Wagnon and Kansas Democratic Party chairwoman Jeanna Repass appear at the Nov. 2, 2024, rally for women’s rights at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Their speeches repeatedly emphasized that Kansans are currently represented by a Legislature that fails to represent their interests. Repass said that even after Kansans voted to keep their right to abortion, Statehouse Republicans have passed bills to restrict that right.“You are living currently under minority majority rule,” Repass said.Repass said Kansans have a chance to change that this election. The Republican party currently holds a supermajority in the Legislature, which helped them override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s vetoes&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/year2/measures/reports/veto_bn/" target="_blank">seven times in the 2024 session</a>. Three of those bills dealt with abortion.<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2749/" target="_blank">House Bill 2749</a>&nbsp;requires medical facilities and providers to report the reasons for each abortion performed, based on an invasive questionnaire. Abortion providers challenged the law in court.Kansas has&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/podcasts/sam-brownback-and-the-arc-of-kansas-politics-since-1975/">a history of electing centrist female governors</a>&nbsp;like Kathleen Sebelius and Kelly. Simmons, who is running in a Topeka district, sees a history of feminist representation across the state — which is why she believes breaking the supermajority is “absolutely critical.”“We might have voted no, but a whole lot of people voted to keep the same representatives who tried to put that amendment on our ballot,” Simmons said. “So although we may have the right, it is not without the trauma. That’s why we have to show up on Tuesday.”Simmons said the rally still would have happened if Joe Biden was the presidential candidate, but that she has noticed a shift in energy with Vice President Kamala Harris on the ticket. She said it’s given her hope.A recent statewide survey that put Harris five percentage points behind former President Donald Trump, compared to the 14 percentage points Biden lost by, also has given candidates hope.“I don’t think you can emphasize enough what the top of the ticket means for the rest of us down the ballot,” Simmons said.Repass said she “wasn’t surprised at all” by the poll. She said Kansas is a state that wants change, and Harris reflects that.“We have fought, we have marched for 100 years,” Wagnon said. “Because we have an election every two or four years, we’re going to keep doing that, because nothing is permanent in a political system.”

Kansas women mobilize for reproductive rights ahead of Election Day

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Two people died in an accident just before 4p.m. Saturday in Montgomery County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Chevy Camaro driven by&nbsp; Joseph P.&nbsp; Savage, 45, Coffeyville, was southbound on U.S. 169 just south of 5000 Road.

The car traveled left of center and struck a northbound 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe driven by Connor A. Barba, 18, Normon, Oklahoma, head-on.

After impact the Chevy rotated back into the southbound lanes and collided with a 2012 Dodge Ram driven by Theodore J.&nbsp;Osman, 53, Nowata, Oklahoma.

&nbsp;Savage and Barba were pronounced dead at the scene and were transported to&nbsp;Webb &amp; Rodrick Chapel &amp; Crematory.

EMS transported a passenger in the Hyundai Megan C.&nbsp;Barnett, 41, Norman, Oklahoma, to Coffeyville Regional Hospital. Osman was not injured. All four were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Two people died in an accident just before 4p.m. Saturday in Montgomery County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Chevy Camaro driven by&nbsp; Joseph P.&nbsp; Savage, 45, Coffeyville, was southbound on U.S. 169 just south of 5000 Road.The car traveled left of center and struck a northbound 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe driven by Connor A. Barba, 18, Normon, Oklahoma, head-on.After impact the Chevy rotated back into the southbound lanes and collided with a 2012 Dodge Ram driven by Theodore J.&nbsp;Osman, 53, Nowata, Oklahoma.&nbsp;Savage and Barba were pronounced dead at the scene and were transported to&nbsp;Webb &amp; Rodrick Chapel &amp; Crematory.EMS transported a passenger in the Hyundai Megan C.&nbsp;Barnett, 41, Norman, Oklahoma, to Coffeyville Regional Hospital. Osman was not injured. All four were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man, teen dead after 3-vehicle head-on crash

NEW YORK (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on “Saturday Night Live” in the final days before the election, playing herself as the mirror-image double of Maya Rudolph’s version of her in the show's cold open.

The first lines the candidate spoke as she sat across from Rudolph, their outfits identical, were drowned out by cheers from the audience.

“It is nice to see you Kamala,” Harris told Rudolph with a broad grin she kept throughout the sketch. “And I’m just here to remind you, you got this.”

In sync, the two said supporters need to “Keep Kamala and carry-on-ala,” declared that they share each other’s “belief in the promise of America,” and delivered the signature “Live from New York it’s Saturday night!”

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Harris</a>&nbsp;made the surprise trip to New York City with the election looming, briefly stepping away from the battleground states where she’s been furiously campaigning in favor of NBC's iconic sketch comedy show, where she was hoping to generate buzz and appeal to a nationwide audience.

Harris came to New York on Air Force Two after an early evening campaign stop Saturday on in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was scheduled to head to Detroit, but once in the air, aides said she’d be making an unscheduled stop and the plane landed at LaGuardia Airport.

Harris arrived at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, where "SNL" tapes, shortly after 8 p.m., enough time for a quick rehearsal before the show airs live at 11:30 p.m. It is the final "SNL" episode before Election Day on Tuesday.

The visit wasn’t previously announced and an official familiar with Harris’ planning only officially confirmed it for reporters traveling with the vice president moments before the live airing began. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss plans before they were made public.

Harris departed immediately after the opening segment. She told reporters, “It was fun!” as she boarded the plane to leave New York.

Host John Mulaney and musical guest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chappell-roan-interview-olivia-rodrigo-aa86d43c640feb33cb471894bedb7a0e">Chappell Roan</a>&nbsp;shifted the show away from politics. Neither addressed the election.

Mulaney, the standup comic and former “SNL” writer, hosted for the sixth time and talked about his kids with wife Olivia Munn, Catholicism, and his stint in rehab.

Some expected Roan, the 26-year-old singer who has become a major star in recent months, to make a political statement in her first appearance on the show. She has previously been harshly critical of the Democratic party and declined to endorse Harris, though Roan has said several times she plans to vote for her.

But she played it straight, or as straight as the wildly theatrical performer gets. She sang her hit “Pink Pony Club," on an all-pink set bathed in pink light.

Senator Tim Kaine also made a surprise appearance, in a game-show sketch where the gag was that no one remembered him despite his being Hillary Clinton's running mate in 2016.

“It’s been less than eight years. What’s my name?,” he said, as the contestants stood silent and flummoxed.

Rudolph first played Harris on the show in 2019 and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maya-rudolph-kamala-harris-saturday-night-live-1b7649f6ab82fb0d784e9ae05c6a3153">reprised her role</a>&nbsp;this season, doing a spot-on impression of the vice president, including calling herself “Momala” — a reference to the affectionate nickname her stepchildren gave her.

Her fellow former cast member Andy Samberg appeared again Saturday night as Harris’ husband, second gentleman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doug-emhoff-harris-presidential-bid-4c1c1ae1929aac4b5dc9b4cf6c5ddeb7">Doug Emhoff</a>, standup comic Jim Gaffigan played running mate Tim Walz, and longtime alum Dana Carvey again played President Joe Biden.

Rudolph’s performance has won critical and comedic acclaim — including from Harris herself.

“Maya Rudolph — I mean, she’s so good,” Harris said last month on ABC’s “The View.” “She had the whole thing, the suit, the jewelry, everything!”

Jason Miller, a senior adviser to former president and Republican nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, expressed surprise that Harris would appear on “SNL” given what he characterized as her unflattering portrayal on the show. Asked if Trump had been invited to appear, he said: “I don’t know. Probably not.”

Politicians nonetheless have a long history on "SNL," including Trump, who hosted the show in 2015 — though appearing so close to Election Day is unusual.

Hillary Clinton was running in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary when she appeared next to Amy Poehler, who played her on the show and was known for launching into a trademark, exaggerated cackle. The real Clinton wondered during her appearance, “Do I really laugh like that?”

Harris repeated that line in response to Rudolph’s portrayal of her laugh in Saturday’s episode.

Clinton returned in 2016, while running against Trump in a race she ultimately lost.

The first sitting president to appear on "SNL" was Republican Gerald Ford, who did so less than a year after the show debuted. Ford appeared in April 1976 on an episode hosted by his press secretary, Ron Nessen, and declared the show’s famous opening rejoinder, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night.”

Then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama appeared alongside Poehler impersonating Clinton in 2007, and Republican Bob Dole was on the show in November 1996 -- a mere 11 days after losing that year’s election to Bill Clinton. Dole consoled Norm Macdonald, who played the Kansas senator.

Then there was Tina Fey’s 2008 impression of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin — and in particular her joke that “I can see Russia from my house.” It was so good that Fey eventually won an Emmy and Palin herself appeared on the show that October, in the weeks before the election.

Long, Miller and Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York and Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

NEW YORK (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on “Saturday Night Live” in the final days before the election, playing herself as the mirror-image double of Maya Rudolph’s version of her in the show's cold open.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Live from New York, it&#39;s Saturday night.<a href="https://t.co/qQ2IJdqqFA">pic.twitter.com/qQ2IJdqqFA</a>&mdash; Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1852921714516103218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The first lines the candidate spoke as she sat across from Rudolph, their outfits identical, were drowned out by cheers from the audience.“It is nice to see you Kamala,” Harris told Rudolph with a broad grin she kept throughout the sketch. “And I’m just here to remind you, you got this.”In sync, the two said supporters need to “Keep Kamala and carry-on-ala,” declared that they share each other’s “belief in the promise of America,” and delivered the signature “Live from New York it’s Saturday night!”<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Harris</a>&nbsp;made the surprise trip to New York City with the election looming, briefly stepping away from the battleground states where she’s been furiously campaigning in favor of NBC's iconic sketch comedy show, where she was hoping to generate buzz and appeal to a nationwide audience.Harris came to New York on Air Force Two after an early evening campaign stop Saturday on in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was scheduled to head to Detroit, but once in the air, aides said she’d be making an unscheduled stop and the plane landed at LaGuardia Airport.Harris arrived at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, where "SNL" tapes, shortly after 8 p.m., enough time for a quick rehearsal before the show airs live at 11:30 p.m. It is the final "SNL" episode before Election Day on Tuesday.The visit wasn’t previously announced and an official familiar with Harris’ planning only officially confirmed it for reporters traveling with the vice president moments before the live airing began. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss plans before they were made public.Harris departed immediately after the opening segment. She told reporters, “It was fun!” as she boarded the plane to leave New York.Host John Mulaney and musical guest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chappell-roan-interview-olivia-rodrigo-aa86d43c640feb33cb471894bedb7a0e">Chappell Roan</a>&nbsp;shifted the show away from politics. Neither addressed the election.Mulaney, the standup comic and former “SNL” writer, hosted for the sixth time and talked about his kids with wife Olivia Munn, Catholicism, and his stint in rehab.Some expected Roan, the 26-year-old singer who has become a major star in recent months, to make a political statement in her first appearance on the show. She has previously been harshly critical of the Democratic party and declined to endorse Harris, though Roan has said several times she plans to vote for her.But she played it straight, or as straight as the wildly theatrical performer gets. She sang her hit “Pink Pony Club," on an all-pink set bathed in pink light.Senator Tim Kaine also made a surprise appearance, in a game-show sketch where the gag was that no one remembered him despite his being Hillary Clinton's running mate in 2016.“It’s been less than eight years. What’s my name?,” he said, as the contestants stood silent and flummoxed.Rudolph first played Harris on the show in 2019 and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maya-rudolph-kamala-harris-saturday-night-live-1b7649f6ab82fb0d784e9ae05c6a3153">reprised her role</a>&nbsp;this season, doing a spot-on impression of the vice president, including calling herself “Momala” — a reference to the affectionate nickname her stepchildren gave her.Her fellow former cast member Andy Samberg appeared again Saturday night as Harris’ husband, second gentleman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doug-emhoff-harris-presidential-bid-4c1c1ae1929aac4b5dc9b4cf6c5ddeb7">Doug Emhoff</a>, standup comic Jim Gaffigan played running mate Tim Walz, and longtime alum Dana Carvey again played President Joe Biden.Rudolph’s performance has won critical and comedic acclaim — including from Harris herself.“Maya Rudolph — I mean, she’s so good,” Harris said last month on ABC’s “The View.” “She had the whole thing, the suit, the jewelry, everything!”Jason Miller, a senior adviser to former president and Republican nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, expressed surprise that Harris would appear on “SNL” given what he characterized as her unflattering portrayal on the show. Asked if Trump had been invited to appear, he said: “I don’t know. Probably not.”Politicians nonetheless have a long history on "SNL," including Trump, who hosted the show in 2015 — though appearing so close to Election Day is unusual.Hillary Clinton was running in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary when she appeared next to Amy Poehler, who played her on the show and was known for launching into a trademark, exaggerated cackle. The real Clinton wondered during her appearance, “Do I really laugh like that?”Harris repeated that line in response to Rudolph’s portrayal of her laugh in Saturday’s episode.Clinton returned in 2016, while running against Trump in a race she ultimately lost.The first sitting president to appear on "SNL" was Republican Gerald Ford, who did so less than a year after the show debuted. Ford appeared in April 1976 on an episode hosted by his press secretary, Ron Nessen, and declared the show’s famous opening rejoinder, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night.”Then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama appeared alongside Poehler impersonating Clinton in 2007, and Republican Bob Dole was on the show in November 1996 -- a mere 11 days after losing that year’s election to Bill Clinton. Dole consoled Norm Macdonald, who played the Kansas senator.Then there was Tina Fey’s 2008 impression of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin — and in particular her joke that “I can see Russia from my house.” It was so good that Fey eventually won an Emmy and Palin herself appeared on the show that October, in the weeks before the election.___Long, Miller and Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York and Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

🎥Harris appears on 'Saturday Night Live' as mirror image of Maya Rudolph 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's supreme leader on Saturday threatened Israel and the U.S. with “a crushing response” over attacks on Iran and its allies.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke as Iranian officials are increasingly threatening to launch yet another strike against Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-lebanon-hezbollah-iran-news-10-26-2024-9c9f366c71c508e6dd0ee74cff8400d2">after its Oct. 26 attack on the Islamic Republic</a>&nbsp;that targeted military bases and other locations and killed at least five people.

Any further attacks from either side could engulf the wider Middle East, already teetering over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip</a>&nbsp;and Israel’s ground invasion of Lebanon, into a wider regional conflict just ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-election-mideast-wars-israel-nuclear-deal-2d749543470a5cd7df6c6ece863b4732">the U.S. presidential election this Tuesday</a>.

“The enemies, whether the Zionist regime or the United States of America, will definitely receive a crushing response to what they are doing to Iran and the Iranian nation and to the resistance front," Khamenei said in video released by Iranian state media.

The supreme leader did not elaborate on the timing of the threatened attack, nor the scope. The U.S. military operates on bases throughout the Middle East, with some troops now manning a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/army-israel-thaad-air-defense-strains-e49a65aaaf3a4ff051b54eebb869f241">Terminal High Altitude Area Defense</a>, or THAAD, battery in Israel.

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier likely is in the Arabian Sea, while Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Friday that more destroyers, fighter squadrons, tankers and B-52 long-range bombers would be coming to the region to deter Iran and its militant allies. Early Sunday, the U.S. military's Central Command said B-52s from Minot Air Force Base’s 5th Bomb Wing arrived in the Middle East, without elaborating.

The 85-year-old Khamenei had struck a more cautious approach in earlier remarks, saying officials would weigh Iran’s response and that Israel’s attack “should not be exaggerated nor downplayed.” Iran has launched two major direct attacks on Israel, in April and October.

But efforts by Iran to downplay the Israeli attack faltered as satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-attack-satellite-photos-gaza-lebanon-wars-0c6ee6a8544268612cb7d49727d8449d">damage to military bases near Tehran</a>&nbsp;linked to the country's ballistic missile program, as well as at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-attack-shahroud-guard-base-satellite-photos-b9cdb18b252d6dd9014dc4dcb3dd4b2f">a Revolutionary Guard base used in satellite launches</a>.

Iran's allies, called the “Axis of Resistance” by Tehran, also have been severely hurt by ongoing Israeli attacks, particularly Lebanon's Hezbollah and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Iran long has used those groups as both an asymmetrical way to attack Israel and as a shield against a direct assault. Some analysts believe those groups want Iran to do more to back them militarily.

Iran, however, has been dealing with its own problems at home, as its economy struggles under the weight of international sanctions and it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-hijab-protests-mahsa-amini-anniversary-59641e9254eea45c069b54d590c7e818">has faced years of widespread, multiple protests</a>. After Khamenei's speech, the Iranian rial fell to 691,500 against the dollar, near an all-time low. It had been 32,000 rials to the dollar when Tehran reached its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Gen. Mohammad Ali Naini, a spokesman for Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard which controls the ballistic missiles needed to target Israel, gave an interview published by the semiofficial Fars news agency just before Khamenei's remarks were released. In it, he warned Iran's response "will be wise, powerful and beyond the enemy’s comprehension.”

“The leaders of the Zionist regime should look out from the windows of their bedrooms and protect their criminal pilots within their small territory,” he warned. Israeli air force pilots appear to have used air-launched ballistic missiles in the Oct. 26 attack.

Khamenei on Saturday met with university students to mark Students Day, which commemorates a Nov. 4, 1978, incident in which Iranian soldiers opened fire on students protesting the rule of the shah at Tehran University. The shooting killed and wounded several students and further escalated the tensions consuming Iran at the time that eventually led to the shah fleeing the country and the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The crowd offered a raucous welcome to Khamenei, chanting: “The blood in our veins is a gift to our leader!” Some also made a hand gesture — similar to a “timeout” signal — given by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-airstrikes-28-september-2024-c4751957433ff944c4eb06027885a973">slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah</a>&nbsp;in 2020 in a speech in which he threatened that American troops who arrived in the Mideast standing up would “return in coffins” horizontally.

Iran will mark the 45th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis this Sunday, following the Persian calendar.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/10e62420e55c4eff9ddb96319f704fbc">The Nov. 4, 1979, storming of the embassy by Islamist students</a>&nbsp;led to the 444-day crisis, which cemented the decades-long enmity between Tehran and Washington that persists today.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730601000960.png" alt="In this photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to the crowd during a meeting with school and university students, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)" />
 <figcaption>In this photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to the crowd during a meeting with school and university students, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's supreme leader on Saturday threatened Israel and the U.S. with “a crushing response” over attacks on Iran and its allies.Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke as Iranian officials are increasingly threatening to launch yet another strike against Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-lebanon-hezbollah-iran-news-10-26-2024-9c9f366c71c508e6dd0ee74cff8400d2">after its Oct. 26 attack on the Islamic Republic</a>&nbsp;that targeted military bases and other locations and killed at least five people.Any further attacks from either side could engulf the wider Middle East, already teetering over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip</a>&nbsp;and Israel’s ground invasion of Lebanon, into a wider regional conflict just ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-election-mideast-wars-israel-nuclear-deal-2d749543470a5cd7df6c6ece863b4732">the U.S. presidential election this Tuesday</a>.“The enemies, whether the Zionist regime or the United States of America, will definitely receive a crushing response to what they are doing to Iran and the Iranian nation and to the resistance front," Khamenei said in video released by Iranian state media.The supreme leader did not elaborate on the timing of the threatened attack, nor the scope. The U.S. military operates on bases throughout the Middle East, with some troops now manning a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/army-israel-thaad-air-defense-strains-e49a65aaaf3a4ff051b54eebb869f241">Terminal High Altitude Area Defense</a>, or THAAD, battery in Israel.The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier likely is in the Arabian Sea, while Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Friday that more destroyers, fighter squadrons, tankers and B-52 long-range bombers would be coming to the region to deter Iran and its militant allies. Early Sunday, the U.S. military's Central Command said B-52s from Minot Air Force Base’s 5th Bomb Wing arrived in the Middle East, without elaborating.The 85-year-old Khamenei had struck a more cautious approach in earlier remarks, saying officials would weigh Iran’s response and that Israel’s attack “should not be exaggerated nor downplayed.” Iran has launched two major direct attacks on Israel, in April and October.But efforts by Iran to downplay the Israeli attack faltered as satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-attack-satellite-photos-gaza-lebanon-wars-0c6ee6a8544268612cb7d49727d8449d">damage to military bases near Tehran</a>&nbsp;linked to the country's ballistic missile program, as well as at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-attack-shahroud-guard-base-satellite-photos-b9cdb18b252d6dd9014dc4dcb3dd4b2f">a Revolutionary Guard base used in satellite launches</a>.Iran's allies, called the “Axis of Resistance” by Tehran, also have been severely hurt by ongoing Israeli attacks, particularly Lebanon's Hezbollah and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Iran long has used those groups as both an asymmetrical way to attack Israel and as a shield against a direct assault. Some analysts believe those groups want Iran to do more to back them militarily.Iran, however, has been dealing with its own problems at home, as its economy struggles under the weight of international sanctions and it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-hijab-protests-mahsa-amini-anniversary-59641e9254eea45c069b54d590c7e818">has faced years of widespread, multiple protests</a>. After Khamenei's speech, the Iranian rial fell to 691,500 against the dollar, near an all-time low. It had been 32,000 rials to the dollar when Tehran reached its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.Gen. Mohammad Ali Naini, a spokesman for Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard which controls the ballistic missiles needed to target Israel, gave an interview published by the semiofficial Fars news agency just before Khamenei's remarks were released. In it, he warned Iran's response "will be wise, powerful and beyond the enemy’s comprehension.”“The leaders of the Zionist regime should look out from the windows of their bedrooms and protect their criminal pilots within their small territory,” he warned. Israeli air force pilots appear to have used air-launched ballistic missiles in the Oct. 26 attack.Khamenei on Saturday met with university students to mark Students Day, which commemorates a Nov. 4, 1978, incident in which Iranian soldiers opened fire on students protesting the rule of the shah at Tehran University. The shooting killed and wounded several students and further escalated the tensions consuming Iran at the time that eventually led to the shah fleeing the country and the 1979 Islamic Revolution.The crowd offered a raucous welcome to Khamenei, chanting: “The blood in our veins is a gift to our leader!” Some also made a hand gesture — similar to a “timeout” signal — given by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-airstrikes-28-september-2024-c4751957433ff944c4eb06027885a973">slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah</a>&nbsp;in 2020 in a speech in which he threatened that American troops who arrived in the Mideast standing up would “return in coffins” horizontally.Iran will mark the 45th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis this Sunday, following the Persian calendar.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/10e62420e55c4eff9ddb96319f704fbc">The Nov. 4, 1979, storming of the embassy by Islamist students</a>&nbsp;led to the 444-day crisis, which cemented the decades-long enmity between Tehran and Washington that persists today.

Iran's supreme leader threatens US with 'a crushing response' over Israeli attack

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a confrontation with police.

Just before 1p.m. October 31, officers responded to a disturbance in the 100 Block South 8th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 Officers located a woman, later identified as 41-year-old Michema Laurent of Atchison, who had been involved in a disturbance. When&nbsp; confronted she threw a cup of liquid in a the police officer’s face. During the altercation with officers she kicked an officer in the face and chest and resisted arrest. Following her arrest she was found to be in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. She was taken to the County Jail.

&nbsp;Laurent is being held on requested charges of battery of a law enforcement officer, interference with law enforcement, and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia..

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730495962832.png" alt="Laurent photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Laurent photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a confrontation with police.Just before 1p.m. October 31, officers responded to a disturbance in the 100 Block South 8th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. Officers located a woman, later identified as 41-year-old Michema Laurent of Atchison, who had been involved in a disturbance. When&nbsp; confronted she threw a cup of liquid in a the police officer’s face. During the altercation with officers she kicked an officer in the face and chest and resisted arrest. Following her arrest she was found to be in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. She was taken to the County Jail.&nbsp;Laurent is being held on requested charges of battery of a law enforcement officer, interference with law enforcement, and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia..

Kansas woman accused of violent attack on police officer

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement arrested a suspect in connection with shooting at officers and a standoff at a home in Topeka.

Just after 5:00 p.m. Thursday police&nbsp;responded to an accident investigation in the area of the Expocentre,&nbsp;1 Expocentre Drive in Topeka, according to Topeka Police Lt. Jason Schumacher.

During the investigation officers were led to the 1500 Block of SW Shunga Drive where one individual from the accident was located in a residence. While officers were continuing their investigation an individual fired shots from inside a residence. No officers were injured.

Just after 12:30.m. Friday, police took&nbsp; Marvin L. Park, 57, of Topeka into custody on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer., Criminal Threat, Battery and Duty of Driver to report an Accident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730468688589.png" alt="Park-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Park-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement arrested a suspect in connection with shooting at officers and a standoff at a home in Topeka.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730457533801.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation early Friday 1`WIBW" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation early Friday 1`WIBW</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 5:00 p.m. Thursday police&nbsp;responded to an accident investigation in the area of the Expocentre,&nbsp;1 Expocentre Drive in Topeka, according to Topeka Police Lt. Jason Schumacher.During the investigation officers were led to the 1500 Block of SW Shunga Drive where one individual from the accident was located in a residence. While officers were continuing their investigation an individual fired shots from inside a residence. No officers were injured.Just after 12:30.m. Friday, police took&nbsp; Marvin L. Park, 57, of Topeka into custody on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer., Criminal Threat, Battery and Duty of Driver to report an Accident.

Police: Kansas man fired shots at officers after late night crash

NEW YORK (AP) — American Airlines is testing a new technology at three airports across the country during the boarding process that aims to cut down on passengers who try to cut the line.

The technology, which is being tested at Albuquerque International Sunport Airport in New Mexico, Tucson International Airport in Arizona and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Crystal City, Virginia, alerts gate agents with an audible sound if a passenger tries to scan a ticket ahead of their assigned group.

"The new technology is designed to ensure customers receive the benefits of priority boarding with ease and helps improve the boarding experience by providing greater visibility into boarding progress for our team," said American Airlines in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press.

American Airlines said that a gate agent politely lets the customer know they’re unable to accept the pass and asks the customer to rejoin the line when their boarding group is called. In some instances where a customer may be able to board out of order, like when traveling with a companion of higher status, the agent has a quick way to override the alert and accept the pass, American Airlines said in the statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695152869974.jpeg" alt="File American Airlines planes (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar" />
 <figcaption>File American Airlines planes (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — American Airlines is testing a new technology at three airports across the country during the boarding process that aims to cut down on passengers who try to cut the line.The technology, which is being tested at Albuquerque International Sunport Airport in New Mexico, Tucson International Airport in Arizona and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Crystal City, Virginia, alerts gate agents with an audible sound if a passenger tries to scan a ticket ahead of their assigned group."The new technology is designed to ensure customers receive the benefits of priority boarding with ease and helps improve the boarding experience by providing greater visibility into boarding progress for our team," said American Airlines in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press.American Airlines said that a gate agent politely lets the customer know they’re unable to accept the pass and asks the customer to rejoin the line when their boarding group is called. In some instances where a customer may be able to board out of order, like when traveling with a companion of higher status, the agent has a quick way to override the alert and accept the pass, American Airlines said in the statement.

Airline tests boarding technology that audibly shames line cutters

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a shooting on Halloween that left a 13-year-old dead&nbsp;issued a Felony Pick-Up for the arrest of Jermall Campbell, according to Wichita Police.

Just after 10:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of gunfire at the QuikTrip located at Central and Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Officers discovered evidence of a shooting and the convenience store. Simultaneously, a walk-in report was received from a local hospital indicating that a private vehicle had transported victims of this incident for treatment.

The victims included a 15-year-old boy from Wichita, who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and a 13-year-old boy who sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival at the hospital.

Initial investigations reveal that a disturbance occurred in the QuikTrip parking lot, leading to the suspect firing at a crowd, which tragically resulted in injuries to the two victims.

If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please contact our investigators at 316-268-4407 or call 911. To remain anonymous, you may contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 or scan the QR code provided. Your assistance is vital in helping us bring this case to a resolution.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730567909379.png" alt="Campbell photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Campbell photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a shooting on Halloween that left a 13-year-old dead&nbsp;issued a Felony Pick-Up for the arrest of Jermall Campbell, according to Wichita Police.Just after 10:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of gunfire at the QuikTrip located at Central and Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730455429350.png" alt="Police on the scene Thursday evening -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene Thursday evening -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers discovered evidence of a shooting and the convenience store. Simultaneously, a walk-in report was received from a local hospital indicating that a private vehicle had transported victims of this incident for treatment.The victims included a 15-year-old boy from Wichita, who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and a 13-year-old boy who sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival at the hospital.Initial investigations reveal that a disturbance occurred in the QuikTrip parking lot, leading to the suspect firing at a crowd, which tragically resulted in injuries to the two victims.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730567974750.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please contact our investigators at 316-268-4407 or call 911. To remain anonymous, you may contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 or scan the QR code provided. Your assistance is vital in helping us bring this case to a resolution.

Search for suspect in killing of 13-year-old Kan. boy on Halloween

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The good news: You will get a glorious extra hour of sleep. The bad: It'll be dark as a pocket by late afternoon for the next few months in the U.S.

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time Sunday, which means you should set your clock back an hour before you go to bed. Standard time will last until March 9 when we will again “spring forward”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daylight-saving-health-heart-attack-stroke-06088a66e5e7a86e9df4843742377d89">with the return of daylight saving time</a>.

That spring time change can be tougher on your body. Darker mornings and lighter evenings can knock your internal body clock out of whack, making it harder to fall asleep on time for weeks or longer. Studies have even found an uptick in heart attacks and strokes right after the March time change.

“Fall back” should be easier. But it still may take a while to adjust your sleep habits, not to mention the downsides of leaving work in the dark or trying to exercise while there's still enough light. Some people with seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression usually linked to the shorter days and less sunlight of fall and winter, may struggle, too.

Some health groups, including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have said it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology.

<a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/time/dst/statistics.html">Most countries</a>&nbsp;do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do — mostly in Europe and North America — the date that clocks are changed varies.

Two states — Arizona and Hawaii — don’t change and stay on standard time.

Here's what to know about the twice yearly ritual.

The brain has a master clock that is set by exposure to sunlight and darkness. This circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour cycle that determines when we become sleepy and when we’re more alert. The patterns change with age, one reason that early-to-rise youngsters evolve into hard-to-wake teens.

Morning light resets the rhythm. By evening, levels of a hormone called melatonin begin to surge, triggering drowsiness. Too much light in the evening — that extra hour from daylight saving time — delays that surge and the cycle gets out of sync.

And that circadian clock affects more than sleep, also influencing things like heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones and metabolism.

Even an hour change on the clock can throw off sleep schedules — because even though the clocks change, work and school start times stay the same.

That's a problem because so many people are already sleep deprived. About 1 in 3 U.S. adults sleep less than the recommended seven-plus hours nightly, and more than half of U.S. teens don’t get the recommended eight-plus hours on weeknights.

Sleep deprivation is linked to heart disease, cognitive decline, obesity and numerous other problems.

Some people try to prepare for a time change jolt by changing their bed times little by little in the days before the change. There are ways to ease the adjustment, including getting more sunshine to help reset your circadian rhythm for healthful sleep.

Will the U.S. ever get rid of the time change?

Lawmakers occasionally propose getting rid of the time change altogether. The most prominent recent attempt, a now-stalled bipartisan bill named the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-congress-749d458d09882c6e6479559bc0327bde">Sunshine Protection Act</a>, proposes making daylight saving time permanent. Health experts say the lawmakers have it backward — standard time should be made permanent.

Dairy farmer Aubrey Jarrell in Kentwood, Louisiana, isn’t a fan of the time change. He said it interferes with his cows’ strict milking routine and causes them stress “and stress on a dairy cow is not good.” There’s a dip in milk production until they adjust, he said.

“Keep the time the same — whatever it may be — but keep it the same,” he said.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The good news: You will get a glorious extra hour of sleep. The bad: It'll be dark as a pocket by late afternoon for the next few months in the U.S.Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time Sunday, which means you should set your clock back an hour before you go to bed. Standard time will last until March 9 when we will again “spring forward”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daylight-saving-health-heart-attack-stroke-06088a66e5e7a86e9df4843742377d89">with the return of daylight saving time</a>.That spring time change can be tougher on your body. Darker mornings and lighter evenings can knock your internal body clock out of whack, making it harder to fall asleep on time for weeks or longer. Studies have even found an uptick in heart attacks and strokes right after the March time change.“Fall back” should be easier. But it still may take a while to adjust your sleep habits, not to mention the downsides of leaving work in the dark or trying to exercise while there's still enough light. Some people with seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression usually linked to the shorter days and less sunlight of fall and winter, may struggle, too.Some health groups, including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have said it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology.<a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/time/dst/statistics.html">Most countries</a>&nbsp;do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do — mostly in Europe and North America — the date that clocks are changed varies.Two states — Arizona and Hawaii — don’t change and stay on standard time.Here's what to know about the twice yearly ritual.<h2>How the body reacts to light</h2>The brain has a master clock that is set by exposure to sunlight and darkness. This circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour cycle that determines when we become sleepy and when we’re more alert. The patterns change with age, one reason that early-to-rise youngsters evolve into hard-to-wake teens.Morning light resets the rhythm. By evening, levels of a hormone called melatonin begin to surge, triggering drowsiness. Too much light in the evening — that extra hour from daylight saving time — delays that surge and the cycle gets out of sync.And that circadian clock affects more than sleep, also influencing things like heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones and metabolism.<h2>How do time changes affect sleep?</h2>Even an hour change on the clock can throw off sleep schedules — because even though the clocks change, work and school start times stay the same.That's a problem because so many people are already sleep deprived. About 1 in 3 U.S. adults sleep less than the recommended seven-plus hours nightly, and more than half of U.S. teens don’t get the recommended eight-plus hours on weeknights.Sleep deprivation is linked to heart disease, cognitive decline, obesity and numerous other problems.<h2>How to prepare for the time change</h2>Some people try to prepare for a time change jolt by changing their bed times little by little in the days before the change. There are ways to ease the adjustment, including getting more sunshine to help reset your circadian rhythm for healthful sleep.<h2>Will the U.S. ever get rid of the time change?</h2>Lawmakers occasionally propose getting rid of the time change altogether. The most prominent recent attempt, a now-stalled bipartisan bill named the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-congress-749d458d09882c6e6479559bc0327bde">Sunshine Protection Act</a>, proposes making daylight saving time permanent. Health experts say the lawmakers have it backward — standard time should be made permanent.Dairy farmer Aubrey Jarrell in Kentwood, Louisiana, isn’t a fan of the time change. He said it interferes with his cows’ strict milking routine and causes them stress “and stress on a dairy cow is not good.” There’s a dip in milk production until they adjust, he said.“Keep the time the same — whatever it may be — but keep it the same,” he said.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Daylight saving time ends this weekend. How to prepare for the potential health effects

JOHNSON COUNTY —Two people are dead and a suspect is in custody after a standoff at a Kansas home.

Just before 8:30p.m. Friday, On November 1, police responded on the report of an armed disturbance at a home in the 7900 block of Hallet in the city of Lenexa, according to a media release. As officers arrived, they heard multiple gunshots coming from the area of the residence.

Lenexa officers spoke on the phone with the individual suspected of firing shots and learned he was inside his residence on Hallet. The man refused to comply with officer’s requests to come outside peacefully and the Lenexa Tactical Team and crisis negotiators responded on the barricade operation. Negotiators spoke with the man for nearly two hours before he discontinued dialogue.

Just before 2a.m. Saturday., members of the Lenexa Tactical Team entered the residence and took custody of the suspect. That suspect was taken to an area hospital on a possible overdose.

Officers located two individuals, a man and woman deceased inside the home. The preliminary investigation indicates that both deceased individuals were shot. As part of this investigation, it was also learned that a neighbor's dog was shot and killed around the same time that officers responded on the initial call.

This case remains under investigation with the assistance of Lenexa detectives and members of the Johnson County Crime Lab.

Members of the Shawnee Police Department, Olathe Police Department, and Johnson County Sheriff’s Office also responded to assist in the initial barricade operation.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Two people are dead and a suspect is in custody after a standoff at a Kansas home.Just before 8:30p.m. Friday, On November 1, police responded on the report of an armed disturbance at a home in the 7900 block of Hallet in the city of Lenexa, according to a media release. As officers arrived, they heard multiple gunshots coming from the area of the residence.Lenexa officers spoke on the phone with the individual suspected of firing shots and learned he was inside his residence on Hallet. The man refused to comply with officer’s requests to come outside peacefully and the Lenexa Tactical Team and crisis negotiators responded on the barricade operation. Negotiators spoke with the man for nearly two hours before he discontinued dialogue.Just before 2a.m. Saturday., members of the Lenexa Tactical Team entered the residence and took custody of the suspect. That suspect was taken to an area hospital on a possible overdose.Officers located two individuals, a man and woman deceased inside the home. The preliminary investigation indicates that both deceased individuals were shot. As part of this investigation, it was also learned that a neighbor's dog was shot and killed around the same time that officers responded on the initial call.This case remains under investigation with the assistance of Lenexa detectives and members of the Johnson County Crime Lab.Members of the Shawnee Police Department, Olathe Police Department, and Johnson County Sheriff’s Office also responded to assist in the initial barricade operation.