SALINE COUNTY —Strong winds and storms swept across Kansas Friday causing hazardous conditions on the roadways. 

Kansas Highway Patrol Master Trooper Van Buren responded to a semi that was blown over on Interstate 70 near the Brookville/Tescott exit in Saline County, according to a social media report.

 Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported. According to KHP trooper Ben Gardner, "This is a reminder of how quickly weather can impact driving. If you’re traveling, please slow down and be cautious in windy conditions. Stay safe, Kansas."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726880870270.png" alt="Photos Kansas Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photos Kansas Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Strong winds and storms swept across Kansas Friday causing hazardous conditions on the roadways. Kansas Highway Patrol Master Trooper Van Buren responded to a semi that was blown over on Interstate 70 near the Brookville/Tescott exit in Saline County, according to a social media report.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726880850597.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported. According to KHP trooper Ben Gardner, "This is a reminder of how quickly weather can impact driving. If you’re traveling, please slow down and be cautious in windy conditions. Stay safe, Kansas."

Strong winds caused hazardous driving conditions in Kan.

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating&nbsp; a wanted Kansas woman on new allegations.

Just before 6p.m. Thursday,&nbsp;Brown County Deputy arrested 33-year-old Latisha Campbell of Fairview, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

She was wanted an a $20,000 Felony Probation Violation Warrant in Hiawatha.&nbsp; She remains in custody, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726863727143.png" alt="Campbell photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Campbell photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating&nbsp; a wanted Kansas woman on new allegations.Just before 6p.m. Thursday,&nbsp;Brown County Deputy arrested 33-year-old Latisha Campbell of Fairview, according to Sheriff John Merchant.She was wanted an a $20,000 Felony Probation Violation Warrant in Hiawatha.&nbsp; She remains in custody, according to online jail records.

Kansas woman jailed on a felony warrant

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in connection with a fatal crash in March that killed a police officer on his way home from work made a court appearance Thursday in Sedgwick County.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=752109">&nbsp;Gage Kaiser, 19,&nbsp; Mulvane,</a> is charged with&nbsp;with involuntary manslaughter and two counts of aggravated battery, according to the&nbsp;the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;

The accident occurred just before 3:30a.m. March 16, when a passenger vehicle driven by 26-year-old Scott Hollingsworth was southbound on U.S. 81 at 119th Street, according to Sumner County Sheriff's Lt. Mike Friday. A westbound pickup struck the vehicle driven by Hollingsworth.&nbsp;

Hollingsworth was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported three passengers in the pickup to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The pickup driver later identified as Kaiser was not injured.

Clearwater PD said Hollingsworth had served the department for a year.

Hollingsworth's survivors included his wife, Hadley, daughter, Claire, parents, Greg and Nataly, and siblings, Jordan and Sydney.&nbsp;

On Sept. 10, Geary County deputies arrested Kaiser.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kaiser is due back in court September 30. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=752109">He remains jailed </a>on a $200,000, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726259901569.png" alt="Kaiser-photo Geary Co." />
 <figcaption>Kaiser-photo Geary Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in connection with a fatal crash in March that killed a police officer on his way home from work made a court appearance Thursday in Sedgwick County.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=752109">&nbsp;Gage Kaiser, 19,&nbsp; Mulvane,</a> is charged with&nbsp;with involuntary manslaughter and two counts of aggravated battery, according to the&nbsp;the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710681634704.png" alt="Officer Scott Hollingsworth-photo city of Clearwater" />
 <figcaption>Officer Scott Hollingsworth-photo city of Clearwater</figcaption>
 </figure>The accident occurred just before 3:30a.m. March 16, when a passenger vehicle driven by 26-year-old Scott Hollingsworth was southbound on U.S. 81 at 119th Street, according to Sumner County Sheriff's Lt. Mike Friday. A westbound pickup struck the vehicle driven by Hollingsworth.&nbsp;Hollingsworth was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported three passengers in the pickup to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The pickup driver later identified as Kaiser was not injured.Clearwater PD said Hollingsworth had served the department for a year.Hollingsworth's survivors included his wife, Hadley, daughter, Claire, parents, Greg and Nataly, and siblings, Jordan and Sydney.&nbsp;On Sept. 10, Geary County deputies arrested Kaiser.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kaiser is due back in court September 30. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=752109">He remains jailed </a>on a $200,000, according to the district attorney's office.

Suspect in crash that killed Kan. officer remains jailed on a $200K bond

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are scrambling to ensure that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-secret-service">U.S. Secret Service</a>&nbsp;has enough money and resources to keep the nation’s presidential candidates safe amid repeated threats of violence. It’s unclear, though, how much they can do with only weeks before the election, or if additional dollars would make an immediate difference.

Days after a gunman was arrested on former President Donald Trump's golf course, the House on Friday overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation 405-0 to require the agency use the same standards when assigning agents to major presidential candidates as they do presidents and vice presidents. The agency has told Congress that it has already boosted Trump's security, but House lawmakers want it put into law.

The efforts come after an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;on former President Donald Trump at a rally in July, and after Secret Service agents arrested a man with a rifle hiding on the golf course at Trump’s Florida club over the weekend. The suspect in Florida apparently also sought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-what-to-know-564c56e167c3cdc6c50f6a2e91db9a6c">to assassinate</a>&nbsp;the GOP presidential nominee.

“In America, elections are determined at the ballot box, not by an assassin’s bullet,” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., a chief sponsor of the bill, said in floor debate ahead of the vote. “That these incidents were allowed to occur is a stain on our country."

With the election rapidly approaching and Congress headed out of town before October, lawmakers are rushing to figure out exactly what might help, hoping to assess the agency’s most pressing needs while ensuring that they are doing everything they can in an era where political violence has become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-political-violence-america-3cbc5575e2b4c53a231e8abd9b786d22">more commonplace</a>&nbsp;and every politician is a target.

“We have a responsibility here in Congress to get down to the bottom of this to figure out why these things are happening and what we can do about it,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday. “This is not a partisan issue. We have both parties working on it."

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday that “we've got to get the Secret Service into a position where its protectees are shielded in the most maximum way possible.”

Democrats and Republicans have been in talks with the agency this week to find out whether additional resources are needed. Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, the Democratic chairman of the spending subcommittee that oversees the Secret Service, said Congress wants to make sure that if it is spending new dollars, “it’s going to help the situation between now and the inauguration.”

Murphy said new money could go toward technology like drones, partnerships with other agencies that could provide immediate assistance and overtime pay for agents. It would likely be added to a stopgap spending bill that Congress will consider next week to keep the government running, either in the form of allowing the Secret Service to spend money more quickly or providing them with emergency dollars.

“I’m confident we are going to take care of this one way or the other,” Murphy said.

After the July shooting, House Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-congress-task-force-cd084a29e3a26da7eead4425e4064118">created a bipartisan task force</a>&nbsp;focused on investigating the security failures of that day, and the panel will hold its first hearing next week. The House voted Friday to expand the committee's mandate to include what happened in Florida, even though the Secret Service successfully apprehended the suspect before anyone was hurt.

In a letter earlier this month, the Secret Service told lawmakers that a funding shortfall was not the reason for lapses in Trump's security when a gunman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-fbi-secret-service-a382e3ec081dd13e85eaa9e726cca02c">climbed onto an unsecured roof</a>&nbsp;on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and opened fire. But Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. said this week that the agency had “immediate needs” and that he’s talking to Congress.

Secret Service officials also told lawmakers behind closed doors that they have already increased Trump’s security to the same level as Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden.

"There are a handful of specialized assets only the commander in chief gets, but the rest of his protection is at the same level,” Spencer Love, a Democratic spokesperson for the House task force, said after the agency briefed members on Wednesday.

In the Senate, Florida Sen. Rick Scott has also introduced a bill mandating similar protection for presidential candidates. Both bills would also require regular reports to Congress on the status of the candidates’ protection. Senate leaders have not yet said whether they will consider the legislation.

In a joint statement after the bill’s passage, Lawler and his co-sponsor, Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, urged the Senate to take up the bill and President Joe Biden to sign it. They thanked Biden for expanding Trump’s security but said that “without the passage and implementation of this legislation, this enhanced protection will not be codified into law and is subject to change with time.”

Republicans have argued that an overhaul of the agency, and potentially reallocating agents, should be a higher priority than funding.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican who was himself shot at a baseball practice in 2017, noted this week that the Secret Service has received regular budget increases in recent years.

“It’s not about the money,” Scalise said, but “what they’re doing with the money.”

Rep. Mike Waltz, a Republican on the task force, said he pushed Secret Service officials Wednesday on what new resources they needed and they said they were still evaluating.

“I think it’s irresponsible to just throw money at it when they’re not even sure what exactly they need and how quickly they can get it,” the Florida lawmaker said, adding that he hopes the agency shifts to a more threat-focused approach to protecting officials and candidates.

It's unclear, though, if Republicans would fight a funding boost.

“It’s been made implicitly clear that they’re stretched pretty thin,” said Democratic Rep. Glenn Ivey, a member of the task force. “I know that there’s some folks who see a $3 billion budget and think that should be enough. But when you look at where all of the bodies have to go, that’s a problem.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726692527169.png" alt="House Speaker Mike Johnson with Donald Trump earlier this week-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Mike Johnson with Donald Trump earlier this week-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are scrambling to ensure that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-secret-service">U.S. Secret Service</a>&nbsp;has enough money and resources to keep the nation’s presidential candidates safe amid repeated threats of violence. It’s unclear, though, how much they can do with only weeks before the election, or if additional dollars would make an immediate difference.Days after a gunman was arrested on former President Donald Trump's golf course, the House on Friday overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation 405-0 to require the agency use the same standards when assigning agents to major presidential candidates as they do presidents and vice presidents. The agency has told Congress that it has already boosted Trump's security, but House lawmakers want it put into law.The efforts come after an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;on former President Donald Trump at a rally in July, and after Secret Service agents arrested a man with a rifle hiding on the golf course at Trump’s Florida club over the weekend. The suspect in Florida apparently also sought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-what-to-know-564c56e167c3cdc6c50f6a2e91db9a6c">to assassinate</a>&nbsp;the GOP presidential nominee.“In America, elections are determined at the ballot box, not by an assassin’s bullet,” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., a chief sponsor of the bill, said in floor debate ahead of the vote. “That these incidents were allowed to occur is a stain on our country."With the election rapidly approaching and Congress headed out of town before October, lawmakers are rushing to figure out exactly what might help, hoping to assess the agency’s most pressing needs while ensuring that they are doing everything they can in an era where political violence has become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-political-violence-america-3cbc5575e2b4c53a231e8abd9b786d22">more commonplace</a>&nbsp;and every politician is a target.“We have a responsibility here in Congress to get down to the bottom of this to figure out why these things are happening and what we can do about it,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday. “This is not a partisan issue. We have both parties working on it."House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday that “we've got to get the Secret Service into a position where its protectees are shielded in the most maximum way possible.”Democrats and Republicans have been in talks with the agency this week to find out whether additional resources are needed. Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, the Democratic chairman of the spending subcommittee that oversees the Secret Service, said Congress wants to make sure that if it is spending new dollars, “it’s going to help the situation between now and the inauguration.”Murphy said new money could go toward technology like drones, partnerships with other agencies that could provide immediate assistance and overtime pay for agents. It would likely be added to a stopgap spending bill that Congress will consider next week to keep the government running, either in the form of allowing the Secret Service to spend money more quickly or providing them with emergency dollars.“I’m confident we are going to take care of this one way or the other,” Murphy said.After the July shooting, House Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-congress-task-force-cd084a29e3a26da7eead4425e4064118">created a bipartisan task force</a>&nbsp;focused on investigating the security failures of that day, and the panel will hold its first hearing next week. The House voted Friday to expand the committee's mandate to include what happened in Florida, even though the Secret Service successfully apprehended the suspect before anyone was hurt.In a letter earlier this month, the Secret Service told lawmakers that a funding shortfall was not the reason for lapses in Trump's security when a gunman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-fbi-secret-service-a382e3ec081dd13e85eaa9e726cca02c">climbed onto an unsecured roof</a>&nbsp;on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and opened fire. But Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. said this week that the agency had “immediate needs” and that he’s talking to Congress.Secret Service officials also told lawmakers behind closed doors that they have already increased Trump’s security to the same level as Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden."There are a handful of specialized assets only the commander in chief gets, but the rest of his protection is at the same level,” Spencer Love, a Democratic spokesperson for the House task force, said after the agency briefed members on Wednesday.In the Senate, Florida Sen. Rick Scott has also introduced a bill mandating similar protection for presidential candidates. Both bills would also require regular reports to Congress on the status of the candidates’ protection. Senate leaders have not yet said whether they will consider the legislation.In a joint statement after the bill’s passage, Lawler and his co-sponsor, Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, urged the Senate to take up the bill and President Joe Biden to sign it. They thanked Biden for expanding Trump’s security but said that “without the passage and implementation of this legislation, this enhanced protection will not be codified into law and is subject to change with time.”Republicans have argued that an overhaul of the agency, and potentially reallocating agents, should be a higher priority than funding.House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican who was himself shot at a baseball practice in 2017, noted this week that the Secret Service has received regular budget increases in recent years.“It’s not about the money,” Scalise said, but “what they’re doing with the money.”Rep. Mike Waltz, a Republican on the task force, said he pushed Secret Service officials Wednesday on what new resources they needed and they said they were still evaluating.“I think it’s irresponsible to just throw money at it when they’re not even sure what exactly they need and how quickly they can get it,” the Florida lawmaker said, adding that he hopes the agency shifts to a more threat-focused approach to protecting officials and candidates.It's unclear, though, if Republicans would fight a funding boost.“It’s been made implicitly clear that they’re stretched pretty thin,” said Democratic Rep. Glenn Ivey, a member of the task force. “I know that there’s some folks who see a $3 billion budget and think that should be enough. But when you look at where all of the bodies have to go, that’s a problem.”

Unanimous: House votes to boost Trump security 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—A fire did thousands of dollars in damage to a Kansas home on Friday.

Just after 2a.m., firefighters responded to a reported house fire located at 2619 SW Randolph Court in Topeka, according to department spokesperson Rosie Nichols. Crews found smoke and flames coming from the back of a two-story house and were able to extinguish it.

Investigators determined the cause of the fire was accidental, most likely related to the careless discarding of smoking materials.

The total estimated loss was approximately $50,000, which is associated with structural loss. Working smoke detectors were located in the house.&nbsp; No injuries were reported.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—A fire did thousands of dollars in damage to a Kansas home on Friday.Just after 2a.m., firefighters responded to a reported house fire located at 2619 SW Randolph Court in Topeka, according to department spokesperson Rosie Nichols. Crews found smoke and flames coming from the back of a two-story house and were able to extinguish it.Investigators determined the cause of the fire was accidental, most likely related to the careless discarding of smoking materials.The total estimated loss was approximately $50,000, which is associated with structural loss. Working smoke detectors were located in the house.&nbsp; No injuries were reported.

Careless discard of smoking materials blamed for Kan. house fire

Bartlett’s $375 million facility will process soybeans for food, animal feed and fuel

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

CHERRYVALE — While this southeast Kansas town’s population peaked more than 100 years ago, the opening of the region’s largest ever economic development project means its best days are ahead, Lt. Gov. David Toland said Thursday.

Toland spoke to a crowd of more than 100 state and federal lawmakers, economic development officials and construction company representatives who gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Bartlett soybean crushing plant just south of Cherryvale. The town’s population peaked at 4,700 in 1920 and is now 2,200.

Toland, a Democrat and Iola native who also serves as commerce secretary, said the project reminds him of southeast Kansas’ “glory days.”

“When heavy industry was pouring into this region and our towns were booming,” Toland said of the early 20th century, “it looked a lot like this, and we’re doing it again.”

The $375 million plant, which began accepting shipments of soybeans in February, can house 49 million bushels of the crop and will help create food, animal feed and fuel, officials said. Now that it’s operational, Bartlett executives said, it will employ about 60 full-time workers.

“This impressive facility is far more than a soybean crushing complex,” said Gov. Laura Kelly. “This is where community members will find new employment and where the growing demand for renewable biodiesel will be met.”

Kelly said the construction of the facility is part of Kansas’ “economic transformation” that began when she took office in 2019. She said the state had attracted $20 billion in private investment and created or retained tens of thousands of jobs in the past five and a half years.

“We’re focused on creating opportunity everywhere,” Kelly said, “so that Kansans regardless of their ZIP code have the chance to … prosper in one of our state’s strong and vital communities.”

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, joined state lawmakers to celebrate the new facility and noted it had been 100 years since Cherryvale had a significant manufacturing facility.

“That’s why this is so important,” Marshall said. “It’s taken 100 years to bring something like that back to this particular community.”

Bartlett, which was purchased by Savage in 2018, received both state and local incentives to ensure the plant landed in Cherryvale as the company conducted its nationwide search. Company executives said Kansas officials also quickly approved environmental permits and offered other assistance.

Bill Webster, vice president for Bartlett, said Toland gave him his home phone number.

“This is a level of engagement that is not ceremonial or delegating,” Webster said. “It is hands-on, and it has made a profound difference.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726828240512.png" alt=" The new $375 million Bartlett soybean crushing plant just south of Cherryvale will help create food, animal feed and fuel, officials say. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> The new $375 million Bartlett soybean crushing plant just south of Cherryvale will help create food, animal feed and fuel, officials say. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Bartlett’s $375 million facility will process soybeans for food, animal feed and fuel</h2>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>CHERRYVALE — While this southeast Kansas town’s population peaked more than 100 years ago, the opening of the region’s largest ever economic development project means its best days are ahead, Lt. Gov. David Toland said Thursday.Toland spoke to a crowd of more than 100 state and federal lawmakers, economic development officials and construction company representatives who gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Bartlett soybean crushing plant just south of Cherryvale. The town’s population peaked at 4,700 in 1920 and is now 2,200.Toland, a Democrat and Iola native who also serves as commerce secretary, said the project reminds him of southeast Kansas’ “glory days.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726790263540.png" alt="Photo officer of Gov. Laura Kelly" />
 <figcaption>Photo officer of Gov. Laura Kelly</figcaption>
 </figure>“When heavy industry was pouring into this region and our towns were booming,” Toland said of the early 20th century, “it looked a lot like this, and we’re doing it again.”The $375 million plant, which began accepting shipments of soybeans in February, can house 49 million bushels of the crop and will help create food, animal feed and fuel, officials said. Now that it’s operational, Bartlett executives said, it will employ about 60 full-time workers.“This impressive facility is far more than a soybean crushing complex,” said Gov. Laura Kelly. “This is where community members will find new employment and where the growing demand for renewable biodiesel will be met.”Kelly said the construction of the facility is part of Kansas’ “economic transformation” that began when she took office in 2019. She said the state had attracted $20 billion in private investment and created or retained tens of thousands of jobs in the past five and a half years.“We’re focused on creating opportunity everywhere,” Kelly said, “so that Kansans regardless of their ZIP code have the chance to … prosper in one of our state’s strong and vital communities.”U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, joined state lawmakers to celebrate the new facility and noted it had been 100 years since Cherryvale had a significant manufacturing facility.“That’s why this is so important,” Marshall said. “It’s taken 100 years to bring something like that back to this particular community.”Bartlett, which was purchased by Savage in 2018, received both state and local incentives to ensure the plant landed in Cherryvale as the company conducted its nationwide search. Company executives said Kansas officials also quickly approved environmental permits and offered other assistance.Bill Webster, vice president for Bartlett, said Toland gave him his home phone number.“This is a level of engagement that is not ceremonial or delegating,” Webster said. “It is hands-on, and it has made a profound difference.”

Officials celebrate Kansas’ ‘economic transformation’ at new soybean plant

SALINE COUNTY —There have been recent social media posts in reference to the tragic passing of Salina Police K-9 Officer Tyrann which are absolutely untrue. 

In order to be transparent, the Salina Police Department wished to make the public aware of the situation in a timely manner even prior to completing a thorough investigation.

Officers were in the location for a recruiting advertisement when the K-9 Handler allowed Ty out of the vehicle to relieve himself. This location was very familiar to Ty and his Handler which had been used on multiple occasions for training. 

Ty went around a parked vehicle and his Handler went to check on him and discovered the tragedy. Ty was never placed on the ledge or asked to get on the ledge.

It is possible Ty heard the noise from a parade down below and was attempting to see where it was coming from and jumped over the wall.&nbsp; Ty was highly trained, but still a dog. 

Ty was a respected and beloved member of the Salina Police Department and no member of this department would ever place him in a needlessly dangerous position. His loss has greatly affected the Salina Police Department and the community he valiantly protected every day. The Salina Police Department wishes to thank the community for their support and condolences while we grieve and navigate this devastating event.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726757775230.jpeg" alt="Photo Salina police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Salina police</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —There have been recent social media posts in reference to the tragic passing of Salina Police K-9 Officer Tyrann which are absolutely untrue. In order to be transparent, the Salina Police Department wished to make the public aware of the situation in a timely manner even prior to completing a thorough investigation.Officers were in the location for a recruiting advertisement when the K-9 Handler allowed Ty out of the vehicle to relieve himself. This location was very familiar to Ty and his Handler which had been used on multiple occasions for training. Ty went around a parked vehicle and his Handler went to check on him and discovered the tragedy. Ty was never placed on the ledge or asked to get on the ledge.It is possible Ty heard the noise from a parade down below and was attempting to see where it was coming from and jumped over the wall.&nbsp; Ty was highly trained, but still a dog. Ty was a respected and beloved member of the Salina Police Department and no member of this department would ever place him in a needlessly dangerous position. His loss has greatly affected the Salina Police Department and the community he valiantly protected every day. The Salina Police Department wishes to thank the community for their support and condolences while we grieve and navigate this devastating event.

Police respond to rumors following Kan. K-9 officer's accident death

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

The pilots and planes for 2024 Great Bend Airfest are beginning to arrive ahead of the busy three-day weekend at the Great Bend Municipal Airport this Friday through Sunday. In May, the Barton County Commission agreed to increase the county's sponsorship for the event from $8,000 to $25,000.

Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes attended Tuesday's county commission meeting to hash out final details and award tickets on behalf of the county. As part of the county's sponsorship, each community in Barton County will get a flyover. With help from the city of Great Bend and USD 428, the first flights take off Friday night.

"We did create the Game Day Flyover for the Panther football game," Hayes said. "So Friday night, the Panthers get the flyover. They also get a Jeep bringing in the Ladies for Liberty. The Ladies for Liberty will be singing."

Central Plains High School in Claflin and Great Bend were the only two Barton County schools with home games Friday night. The flyover in Claflin is scheduled for between 6:35 and 6:50 p.m., and the flyover in Great Bend will occur just before kickoff at 7 p.m.

Hayes also provided updates about the three days of Airfest. Because Saturday is a full-day event, attendees can gain admission with a ticket, leave, and return as long as they have a wristband. There will be plenty to do even when planes are not in the sky.

"More than just the airshow is that you get to go tour the planes, walk through the B-29, and talk to the pilots," said Hayes. "That's part of the fun and experience of the down time. It's basically a living museum."

More than 1,000 students are expected on Friday for Area School Day thanks, in part, to the Golden Belt Community Foundation. More than 10,000 attendees are anticipated for Saturday. Water and ear plugs will be on sale at Airfest for $1. Several food vendors will also be present. Airfest tickets may still be purchased online or at the gate with a card, check, or cash. Hayes suggested purchasing tickets online to save a small fee if using a card. Pets will not be allowed inside the airshow gate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726678662427.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe pilots and planes for 2024 Great Bend Airfest are beginning to arrive ahead of the busy three-day weekend at the Great Bend Municipal Airport this Friday through Sunday. In May, the Barton County Commission agreed to increase the county's sponsorship for the event from $8,000 to $25,000.Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes attended Tuesday's county commission meeting to hash out final details and award tickets on behalf of the county. As part of the county's sponsorship, each community in Barton County will get a flyover. With help from the city of Great Bend and USD 428, the first flights take off Friday night."We did create the Game Day Flyover for the Panther football game," Hayes said. "So Friday night, the Panthers get the flyover. They also get a Jeep bringing in the Ladies for Liberty. The Ladies for Liberty will be singing."Central Plains High School in Claflin and Great Bend were the only two Barton County schools with home games Friday night. The flyover in Claflin is scheduled for between 6:35 and 6:50 p.m., and the flyover in Great Bend will occur just before kickoff at 7 p.m.Hayes also provided updates about the three days of Airfest. Because Saturday is a full-day event, attendees can gain admission with a ticket, leave, and return as long as they have a wristband. There will be plenty to do even when planes are not in the sky."More than just the airshow is that you get to go tour the planes, walk through the B-29, and talk to the pilots," said Hayes. "That's part of the fun and experience of the down time. It's basically a living museum."More than 1,000 students are expected on Friday for Area School Day thanks, in part, to the Golden Belt Community Foundation. More than 10,000 attendees are anticipated for Saturday. Water and ear plugs will be on sale at Airfest for $1. Several food vendors will also be present. Airfest tickets may still be purchased online or at the gate with a card, check, or cash. Hayes suggested purchasing tickets online to save a small fee if using a card. Pets will not be allowed inside the airshow gate.

Several flyovers part of 2024 Great Bend Airfest

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly shooting have made an arrest.

Just after 10:30p.m. Tuesday, Kansas City, Kansas police&nbsp; officers were dispatched to the area of N. 7h Street and Parallel Parkway on reports of a person lying in the street.

First responders discovered 45-year-old Jimmie Clark, Jr. the victim of apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene.&nbsp;

Late Thursday, police reported the arrest of 53-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;Willie Lee Rucker, of Kansas City, Kansas. The Wyandotte County Attorney has charged him with three felonies including second degree, intentional murder; criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle; and unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to police.

Rucker is currently being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $250,000 bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726826834396.png" alt="Rucker-photo Wyandotte County" />
 <figcaption>Rucker-photo Wyandotte County</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly shooting have made an arrest.Just after 10:30p.m. Tuesday, Kansas City, Kansas police&nbsp; officers were dispatched to the area of N. 7h Street and Parallel Parkway on reports of a person lying in the street.First responders discovered 45-year-old Jimmie Clark, Jr. the victim of apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene.&nbsp;Late Thursday, police reported the arrest of 53-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;Willie Lee Rucker, of Kansas City, Kansas. The Wyandotte County Attorney has charged him with three felonies including second degree, intentional murder; criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle; and unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to police.Rucker is currently being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $250,000 bond.&nbsp;

Police ID Kansas man found dead in the street, make arrest

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the FBI said this week that Iran had tried to provide Democrats with material stolen from Donald Trump’s campaign, it was only the latest allegation of foreign interference with the U.S. election.

The 2024 presidential campaign is encountering a spate of efforts by adversaries to weaken faith in the outcome and potentially alter the results. While much of the attention has been focused on Iran, Russia is still seen as the biggest threat.

The Biden administration has moved aggressively in recent weeks to call out the operations in hopes of alerting Americans so they remain vigilant to wide-ranging, often hidden, foreign efforts to influence their positions on hot-button positions and the candidates.

A look at the latest development and broader concerns about foreign election meddling:

Iranian operatives stand accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fbi-trump-intelligence-community-52641cd66412d7c01d73876acab3d989">hacking the Trump campaign</a>&nbsp;and attempting to spread the internal communications they pilfered. They also sought access to the Democratic presidential campaign, but there's no indication those efforts were successful.

Several media organizations said last month they received apparently stolen information but declined to publish it. Politico, for instance, reported that it began receiving emails in July from an anonymous AOL account identified only as “Robert” that passed along what appeared to be a research dossier the campaign had apparently done on the Republican vice presidential nominee, Ohio Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>.

The latest revelation came Wednesday when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fbi-election-interference-dni-ae96f57f438772dac08e076be7aa4904">intelligence officials disclosed that Iranian operatives</a>&nbsp;had offered people associated with the Biden campaign information stolen from the Trump side.

The FBI said a few people connected to Biden's reelection effort received unsolicited emails in late June and early July, before he dropped out of the race, that contained an excerpt “taken from stolen, non-public material” from the Trump campaign.

The outreach to both the media and to Biden campaign associates suggests Iran was trying to pull off a hack-and-leak operation reminiscent of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-united-states-presidential-election-general-news-9510aae4cadd4f26bd577e87bc71035d">Russian election interference</a>&nbsp;that was meant to benefit Trump during his 2016 race against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

No signs Democrats accessed the stolen material

The effort fell flat: There’s no evidence anyone ever even responded to the emails.

Morgan Finkelstein, a spokeswoman for Democrat Kamala Harris' campaign, said in a statement that the material was not sent directly to the campaign but rather to just a few people associated with the campaign and that the emails looked like a phishing attempt or spam.

She said the campaign has cooperated with law enforcement ever since being made aware that Biden associates were “among the intended victims of this foreign influence operation.”

“We condemn in the strongest terms any effort by foreign actors to interfere in U.S. elections including this unwelcome and unacceptable malicious activity,” she said.

Despite the lack of evidence that anyone connected to the Biden or Harris campaigns tried to take advantage of the stolen material, Trump has seized on the FBI announcement. He falsely claimed on his Truth Social platform that the Harris campaign had been caught “illegally spying on me.”

"This is real election interference, not the phony crap they’ve been trying to pin on me with Russia, Russia, Russia for years,” Trump said in a Wednesday night campaign appearance.

That's a reference to an FBI investigation into whether the Trump campaign had coordinated with Russian operatives to tip the outcome of the 2016 election.

Though the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-politics-north-america-ea617240fe264947a967f8d13ed9a9a5">investigation did not establish a criminal conspiracy</a>, officials did determine that Trump associates actively welcomed the Russian assistance and hoped to exploit the help for political gain. That includes Trump, who on July 27, 2016, memorably said: “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press,”

That was a reference to the 30,000 emails reportedly stored on the private server that Clinton, his opponent, used as secretary of state. Within hours of his statement, Russian hackers for the first time targeted Clinton's personal office.

One goal, according to U.S. intelligence officials, is to stoke discord in the United States and to undermine public confidence in the integrity of an election that Tehran sees as consequential for its own security interests.

It's also not the first time, either. In 2020, American officials linked Iran to “a multi-pronged covert influence campaign intended to undercut former President Trump’s reelection prospects” that was likely authorized by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and implemented by Iran's military and intelligence services.

Intelligence officials have said Iran opposes Trump’s reelection, seeing him as more likely to increase tension between Washington and Tehran.

Trump’s administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-iran-cead755353a1455bbef08ef289448994">ended a nuclear deal with Iran</a>, reimposed sanctions and ordered the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-politics-government-iraq-qassim-soleimani-3353602bd30e683afec45d8c78196886">killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani</a>, an act that prompted Iran’s leaders to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-tehran-international-news-iraq-e36db7c72c1adba1a6cae75091bc273d">vow revenge</a>. A Pakistani man who spent time in Iran was recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-pakistan-murderforhire-trump-justice-department-5a3abe0895ae7c2be14f89fc4e49bc53">charged in a plot to carry out political assassinations on U.S. soil</a>, including potentially of Trump.

What other acts of interference have been detected?

Despite all the news around Iran, the U.S. government still regards Russia as the primary threat to the integrity of the election.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-justice-department-election-foreign-influence-4888f4bfc61e46173101060ad0321d2f">The Justice Department announced a pair of criminal cases</a>&nbsp;this month that officials say expose the lengths that Russia is prepared to go to influence the election.

One case involved two employees of RT, a Russian state media company, of funneling millions of dollars through shell companies to a Tennessee-based content creation firm to churn out English-language, pro-Russia videos, which have generated millions of views. Right-wing influencers linked to the Tennessee firm, Tenet Media, were kept in the dark about the Russian funding and worked unknowingly for a company that was a front for a Russian influence operation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714052563813.png" alt="File photo Donald Trump image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo Donald Trump image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — When the FBI said this week that Iran had tried to provide Democrats with material stolen from Donald Trump’s campaign, it was only the latest allegation of foreign interference with the U.S. election.The 2024 presidential campaign is encountering a spate of efforts by adversaries to weaken faith in the outcome and potentially alter the results. While much of the attention has been focused on Iran, Russia is still seen as the biggest threat.The Biden administration has moved aggressively in recent weeks to call out the operations in hopes of alerting Americans so they remain vigilant to wide-ranging, often hidden, foreign efforts to influence their positions on hot-button positions and the candidates.A look at the latest development and broader concerns about foreign election meddling:<h2>What Iran is alleged to have done</h2>Iranian operatives stand accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fbi-trump-intelligence-community-52641cd66412d7c01d73876acab3d989">hacking the Trump campaign</a>&nbsp;and attempting to spread the internal communications they pilfered. They also sought access to the Democratic presidential campaign, but there's no indication those efforts were successful.Several media organizations said last month they received apparently stolen information but declined to publish it. Politico, for instance, reported that it began receiving emails in July from an anonymous AOL account identified only as “Robert” that passed along what appeared to be a research dossier the campaign had apparently done on the Republican vice presidential nominee, Ohio Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>.The latest revelation came Wednesday when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fbi-election-interference-dni-ae96f57f438772dac08e076be7aa4904">intelligence officials disclosed that Iranian operatives</a>&nbsp;had offered people associated with the Biden campaign information stolen from the Trump side.The FBI said a few people connected to Biden's reelection effort received unsolicited emails in late June and early July, before he dropped out of the race, that contained an excerpt “taken from stolen, non-public material” from the Trump campaign.The outreach to both the media and to Biden campaign associates suggests Iran was trying to pull off a hack-and-leak operation reminiscent of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-united-states-presidential-election-general-news-9510aae4cadd4f26bd577e87bc71035d">Russian election interference</a>&nbsp;that was meant to benefit Trump during his 2016 race against Democrat Hillary Clinton.<h2>No signs Democrats accessed the stolen material</h2>The effort fell flat: There’s no evidence anyone ever even responded to the emails.Morgan Finkelstein, a spokeswoman for Democrat Kamala Harris' campaign, said in a statement that the material was not sent directly to the campaign but rather to just a few people associated with the campaign and that the emails looked like a phishing attempt or spam.She said the campaign has cooperated with law enforcement ever since being made aware that Biden associates were “among the intended victims of this foreign influence operation.”“We condemn in the strongest terms any effort by foreign actors to interfere in U.S. elections including this unwelcome and unacceptable malicious activity,” she said.<h2>Trump's unsupported claims</h2>Despite the lack of evidence that anyone connected to the Biden or Harris campaigns tried to take advantage of the stolen material, Trump has seized on the FBI announcement. He falsely claimed on his Truth Social platform that the Harris campaign had been caught “illegally spying on me.”"This is real election interference, not the phony crap they’ve been trying to pin on me with Russia, Russia, Russia for years,” Trump said in a Wednesday night campaign appearance.That's a reference to an FBI investigation into whether the Trump campaign had coordinated with Russian operatives to tip the outcome of the 2016 election.Though the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-politics-north-america-ea617240fe264947a967f8d13ed9a9a5">investigation did not establish a criminal conspiracy</a>, officials did determine that Trump associates actively welcomed the Russian assistance and hoped to exploit the help for political gain. That includes Trump, who on July 27, 2016, memorably said: “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press,”That was a reference to the 30,000 emails reportedly stored on the private server that Clinton, his opponent, used as secretary of state. Within hours of his statement, Russian hackers for the first time targeted Clinton's personal office.<h2>Why might Iran be doing this?</h2>One goal, according to U.S. intelligence officials, is to stoke discord in the United States and to undermine public confidence in the integrity of an election that Tehran sees as consequential for its own security interests.It's also not the first time, either. In 2020, American officials linked Iran to “a multi-pronged covert influence campaign intended to undercut former President Trump’s reelection prospects” that was likely authorized by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and implemented by Iran's military and intelligence services.Intelligence officials have said Iran opposes Trump’s reelection, seeing him as more likely to increase tension between Washington and Tehran.Trump’s administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-iran-cead755353a1455bbef08ef289448994">ended a nuclear deal with Iran</a>, reimposed sanctions and ordered the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-politics-government-iraq-qassim-soleimani-3353602bd30e683afec45d8c78196886">killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani</a>, an act that prompted Iran’s leaders to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-tehran-international-news-iraq-e36db7c72c1adba1a6cae75091bc273d">vow revenge</a>. A Pakistani man who spent time in Iran was recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-pakistan-murderforhire-trump-justice-department-5a3abe0895ae7c2be14f89fc4e49bc53">charged in a plot to carry out political assassinations on U.S. soil</a>, including potentially of Trump.<h2>What other acts of interference have been detected?</h2>Despite all the news around Iran, the U.S. government still regards Russia as the primary threat to the integrity of the election.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-justice-department-election-foreign-influence-4888f4bfc61e46173101060ad0321d2f">The Justice Department announced a pair of criminal cases</a>&nbsp;this month that officials say expose the lengths that Russia is prepared to go to influence the election.One case involved two employees of RT, a Russian state media company, of funneling millions of dollars through shell companies to a Tennessee-based content creation firm to churn out English-language, pro-Russia videos, which have generated millions of views. Right-wing influencers linked to the Tennessee firm, Tenet Media, were kept in the dark about the Russian funding and worked unknowingly for a company that was a front for a Russian influence operation.

What FBI says Iran sent to Democrats from Trump campaign

DETROIT (AP) —General Motors is recalling more than 449,000 of its SUVs and pickup trucks because the electronic brake control module software may fail to display a warning light when a loss of brake fluid takes place.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday that the recall includes certain 2023-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESVs, 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2023-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban 1500, 2023 GMC Sierra 1500, 2023-2024 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL models.

The agency said that without the warning light, a vehicle may be driven with low brake fluid, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.

A free software update will be provided to vehicle owners.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Oct. 28. Vehicle owners can contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726834506938.png" alt="Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) —General Motors is recalling more than 449,000 of its SUVs and pickup trucks because the electronic brake control module software may fail to display a warning light when a loss of brake fluid takes place.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday that the recall includes certain 2023-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESVs, 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2023-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban 1500, 2023 GMC Sierra 1500, 2023-2024 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL models.The agency said that without the warning light, a vehicle may be driven with low brake fluid, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.A free software update will be provided to vehicle owners.Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Oct. 28. Vehicle owners can contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006.

GM recalling SUVs, pickups due to issue with low brake fluid warning light

&nbsp;KANSAS CITY – Law enforcement in Kansas Cityinvestigating another homicide have identified the victim as 46-year-old Freddie V. Jackson, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just&nbsp;after midnight Thursday morning, police responded to a shooting in the 2200 block of E.31st street, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte.

First responders found Jackson in the parking lot of the gas station suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel pronounced him deceased on scene.

Preliminary investigation revealed that there was an argument in the parking lot that led to shots being fired and the Jackson being struck. Detectives are interviewing witnesses and reviewing any available surveillance footage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726751682782.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;KANSAS CITY – Law enforcement in Kansas Cityinvestigating another homicide have identified the victim as 46-year-old Freddie V. Jackson, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Just&nbsp;after midnight Thursday morning, police responded to a shooting in the 2200 block of E.31st street, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte.First responders found Jackson in the parking lot of the gas station suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel pronounced him deceased on scene.Preliminary investigation revealed that there was an argument in the parking lot that led to shots being fired and the Jackson being struck. Detectives are interviewing witnesses and reviewing any available surveillance footage.

Police: Argument in KC gas station parking lot led to fatal shooting

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris looked for a boost with persuadable and less-motivated voters as she participated in a livestream Thursday evening with former talk show host Oprah Winfrey to focus on her plans to cut costs for the middle class, restore a national right to abortion and address gun violence.

The event, billed as “Unite for America,” and hosted by Winfrey from suburban Michigan, one of this election’s key battlegrounds, sought to tap into the same energy as long-running Winfrey’s talk show, which drove bestseller lists and allowed celebrities to share their softer side and everyday people to share stories of struggle and inspiration.

It leaned on celebrities like Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Lopez and Meryl Streep, but also the stories of ordinary voters to promote Harris's message over the course of 90 minutes and to draw a contrast with former President Donald Trump, the GOP nominee. More than 300,000 people were watching the Harris campaign livestream on YouTube alone and the event was also being streamed on other major social media platforms.

“We each have those moments in our lives when it’s time to step up,” Harris said when Winfrey asked about her overnight transformation as she went from President Joe Biden’s running mate to being the Democratic nominee in her own right after he suddenly dropped out in July. “I felt a sense of responsibility, to be honest with you, and with that comes a sense of purpose."

Winfrey told Harris it looked as if a “veil dropped” and she “stepped into your power."

At one point Harris reminded viewers that she owns a gun — which surprised Winfrey — saying, “If somebody’s breaking into my house they’re gettin’ shot.” She added, “I probably shouldn’t have said that.”

Harris was given the chance to talk about her plans to reduce the cost of housing and lower taxes for the middle class, as she took questions from voters in Michigan and Virginia.

Oprah recognized Hadley Duvall in the audience, a 22-year-old woman who became an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-abortion-governor-race-1098588de0c6a82dff9f6d06aa6fa535">abortion rights advocate</a>&nbsp;after she was raped by her stepfather as a child.

“You can't wait until it's too late to care about reproductive healthcare, because then it's too late,” said Duvall, who is featured in a new Harris campaign ad. “Thank you for hearing us and seeing us when the Supreme Court won't,” Duvall added in praise of Harris.

Harris and Winfrey also welcomed the mother and sister of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-abortion-death-trump-georgia-f9c65fb7019938f0fff18e61d4f2d84a">young Georgia mother</a>&nbsp;who died after waiting 20 hours for a hospital to treat her complications from an abortion pill. Amber Thurman’s death,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/georgia-abortion-ban-amber-thurman-death">first reported Monday by ProPublica</a>, occurred just two weeks after Georgia’s strict abortion ban was enacted in 2022 following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn nationwide abortion rights. Harris has blamed her death on Trump.

“Amber was not a statistic, she was loved by a family, a strong family and we would have done whatever to get my baby, our baby, the help that she needed," said Thurman's mother, Shanette Williams.

Harris praised their courage in speaking out and called out a “healthcare crisis” caused by the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “They have no right to be in your womb,” added Winfrey.

Natalie Griffith, a student who was shot twice last month at Apalachee High School in Georgia, joined with her parents. Her mother described the fear she felt after learning about the gunfire at her child's school.

“No parent should go through this," Marilda Griffith said through tears, describing rushing out of work, then running to the school to learn if her daughter was OK. She appealed for federal action to curb gun violence.

Harris, after pointing out that she herself owns a gun, said assault-style rifles were designed to kill as many people as possible on a battlefield, and “don't belong on the streets of a civil society.”

The event comes as Harris is working to continue to share her biography and governing philosophy with voters during her abbreviated presidential campaign, with early voting already underway in some states.

Harris has limited her interactions with the traditional media, instead prioritizing digital engagement and casual — and often more controlled — moments that her campaign hopes will reach voters who increasingly get their news from digital sources.

“I want to bring my daughters to the White House to meet this Black woman president,” comedian Chris Rock said.

The in-the-round stage has the appearance of a college campus, with faux brick pillars and a background of trees and green turf under the chairs of the several hundred guests in the audience. Dozens more supporters were featured on video screens in the hall.

“I look around at these screens, Oprah, and I look at who’s in the room, and this is America,” Harris said.

The event is meant as a unifying event of Harris supporter groups that spun off organically after a “Black Women for Harris” call drew tens of thousands of viewers — and raised $1.5 million — in the hours after Harris took over for Biden after he ended his campaign. They included “White Dudes for Harris," "Comedians for Harris" and 'Swifties for Harris."

The event included a direct call to action to viewers to volunteer for Harris' campaign and to make calls and knock on doors for the Democrat.

Winfrey ended with a call "for all decent people, for all caring people” to back Harris, saying of Trump, “We’re better than this.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726796309324.png" alt="Image from the Town Hall video" />
 <figcaption>Image from the Town Hall video</figcaption>
 </figure>FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris looked for a boost with persuadable and less-motivated voters as she participated in a livestream Thursday evening with former talk show host Oprah Winfrey to focus on her plans to cut costs for the middle class, restore a national right to abortion and address gun violence.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bZasBoVhuUA?si=t0Y7R3kt2ONgkg8C&amp;start=787" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The event, billed as “Unite for America,” and hosted by Winfrey from suburban Michigan, one of this election’s key battlegrounds, sought to tap into the same energy as long-running Winfrey’s talk show, which drove bestseller lists and allowed celebrities to share their softer side and everyday people to share stories of struggle and inspiration.It leaned on celebrities like Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Lopez and Meryl Streep, but also the stories of ordinary voters to promote Harris's message over the course of 90 minutes and to draw a contrast with former President Donald Trump, the GOP nominee. More than 300,000 people were watching the Harris campaign livestream on YouTube alone and the event was also being streamed on other major social media platforms.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726796287122.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“We each have those moments in our lives when it’s time to step up,” Harris said when Winfrey asked about her overnight transformation as she went from President Joe Biden’s running mate to being the Democratic nominee in her own right after he suddenly dropped out in July. “I felt a sense of responsibility, to be honest with you, and with that comes a sense of purpose."Winfrey told Harris it looked as if a “veil dropped” and she “stepped into your power."At one point Harris reminded viewers that she owns a gun — which surprised Winfrey — saying, “If somebody’s breaking into my house they’re gettin’ shot.” She added, “I probably shouldn’t have said that.”Harris was given the chance to talk about her plans to reduce the cost of housing and lower taxes for the middle class, as she took questions from voters in Michigan and Virginia.Oprah recognized Hadley Duvall in the audience, a 22-year-old woman who became an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-abortion-governor-race-1098588de0c6a82dff9f6d06aa6fa535">abortion rights advocate</a>&nbsp;after she was raped by her stepfather as a child.“You can't wait until it's too late to care about reproductive healthcare, because then it's too late,” said Duvall, who is featured in a new Harris campaign ad. “Thank you for hearing us and seeing us when the Supreme Court won't,” Duvall added in praise of Harris.Harris and Winfrey also welcomed the mother and sister of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-abortion-death-trump-georgia-f9c65fb7019938f0fff18e61d4f2d84a">young Georgia mother</a>&nbsp;who died after waiting 20 hours for a hospital to treat her complications from an abortion pill. Amber Thurman’s death,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/georgia-abortion-ban-amber-thurman-death">first reported Monday by ProPublica</a>, occurred just two weeks after Georgia’s strict abortion ban was enacted in 2022 following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn nationwide abortion rights. Harris has blamed her death on Trump.“Amber was not a statistic, she was loved by a family, a strong family and we would have done whatever to get my baby, our baby, the help that she needed," said Thurman's mother, Shanette Williams.Harris praised their courage in speaking out and called out a “healthcare crisis” caused by the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “They have no right to be in your womb,” added Winfrey.Natalie Griffith, a student who was shot twice last month at Apalachee High School in Georgia, joined with her parents. Her mother described the fear she felt after learning about the gunfire at her child's school.“No parent should go through this," Marilda Griffith said through tears, describing rushing out of work, then running to the school to learn if her daughter was OK. She appealed for federal action to curb gun violence.Harris, after pointing out that she herself owns a gun, said assault-style rifles were designed to kill as many people as possible on a battlefield, and “don't belong on the streets of a civil society.”The event comes as Harris is working to continue to share her biography and governing philosophy with voters during her abbreviated presidential campaign, with early voting already underway in some states.Harris has limited her interactions with the traditional media, instead prioritizing digital engagement and casual — and often more controlled — moments that her campaign hopes will reach voters who increasingly get their news from digital sources.“I want to bring my daughters to the White House to meet this Black woman president,” comedian Chris Rock said.The in-the-round stage has the appearance of a college campus, with faux brick pillars and a background of trees and green turf under the chairs of the several hundred guests in the audience. Dozens more supporters were featured on video screens in the hall.“I look around at these screens, Oprah, and I look at who’s in the room, and this is America,” Harris said.The event is meant as a unifying event of Harris supporter groups that spun off organically after a “Black Women for Harris” call drew tens of thousands of viewers — and raised $1.5 million — in the hours after Harris took over for Biden after he ended his campaign. They included “White Dudes for Harris," "Comedians for Harris" and 'Swifties for Harris."The event included a direct call to action to viewers to volunteer for Harris' campaign and to make calls and knock on doors for the Democrat.Winfrey ended with a call "for all decent people, for all caring people” to back Harris, saying of Trump, “We’re better than this.”—

🎥Oprah and Kamala Harris host online town hall

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police have not reported an arrest and continue asking the public for help to find a Kansas man accused in a deadly gunfight on Father's Day.

Wichita Police have reported no new update on missing 33-year-old Eric Gonzalez-Gutierrez, who is wanted for violating his pre-trial restrictions.&nbsp;On June 21, he cut his ankle monitor, according to Wichita Police.

On June 16, police arrested Gonzalez-Gutierrez on requested charges including first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Aron Lara.

Just after 8:30p.m. on Father's Day, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.

First responders discovered Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital where he died.

Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital.

The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with the Gonzales-Gutierrez earlier in the evening.&nbsp; Gonzales-Gutierrez allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.

It is believed that two men accompanying Lara returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim.

If you have any information on Gonzalez-Gutierrez whereabouts, please call 911 or WPD Detectives at 316-268-4407. To provide anonymous tips call 316-267-2111

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718711572362.png" alt="GONZALES-GUTIERREZ" />
 <figcaption>GONZALES-GUTIERREZ</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police have not reported an arrest and continue asking the public for help to find a Kansas man accused in a deadly gunfight on Father's Day.Wichita Police have reported no new update on missing 33-year-old Eric Gonzalez-Gutierrez, who is wanted for violating his pre-trial restrictions.&nbsp;On June 21, he cut his ankle monitor, according to Wichita Police.On June 16, police arrested Gonzalez-Gutierrez on requested charges including first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Aron Lara.Just after 8:30p.m. on Father's Day, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.First responders discovered Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital where he died.Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital.The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with the Gonzales-Gutierrez earlier in the evening.&nbsp; Gonzales-Gutierrez allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.It is believed that two men accompanying Lara returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim.If you have any information on Gonzalez-Gutierrez whereabouts, please call 911 or WPD Detectives at 316-268-4407. To provide anonymous tips call 316-267-2111

Search continues for suspect in deadly Kan. BBQ gunfight

SEDGWICK COUNTY —After officially moving Wichita into stage 2 of its drought response, Wichita has continued to see a decline in levels at Cheney Reservoir, which now sits less than 59% full overall and less than 67% of the 12-month average of the conservation pool, according to a media release from the city/

Stage 3 of the drought response will be discussed should water levels within Cheney’s conservation pool reach a 12-month average of below 50%. In stage 3 of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://library.municode.com/ks/wichita/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17WA_CH17.14WASUEM_S17.14.020DE">drought response plan</a>, all outdoor watering for non-exempt customers is prohibited. This would include lawn and non-vegetable garden watering, private pool use and more.

All water customers are urged to continue to find ways to cut back on water usage. Even though outdoor irrigation season is coming to a close, there are many ways to save water through small habit changes throughout the house. To date, 302 warning letters have been issued to water customers who have been reported to have been watering outside of their allotted outdoor watering day.

Tuesdays typically see the biggest spike in water usage across the community. After seeing an initial drastic decline the first several weeks of drought restrictions, community water use is starting to inch back up. 

Before stage 2 restrictions, weekly highest water use was around 74 million gallons a day (MGD). The first week of restrictions, weekly highest water use was just over 55 MGD. Last week, the highest water usage was 64 MGD. During the last two months, efforts on education were prioritized over issuing fines. Going forward, staff plans to increase enforcement, including issuance of fines if warranted, while still continuing educational efforts on ways to cut back on water use.

&nbsp;Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wichita.gov/499/Save-Wichita-Water">here</a>&nbsp;for more tips and information on Wichita’s drought response.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722530622759.png" alt="Stage 2 drought watering schedule-image city of Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Stage 2 drought watering schedule-image city of Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —After officially moving Wichita into stage 2 of its drought response, Wichita has continued to see a decline in levels at Cheney Reservoir, which now sits less than 59% full overall and less than 67% of the 12-month average of the conservation pool, according to a media release from the city/Stage 3 of the drought response will be discussed should water levels within Cheney’s conservation pool reach a 12-month average of below 50%. In stage 3 of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://library.municode.com/ks/wichita/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17WA_CH17.14WASUEM_S17.14.020DE">drought response plan</a>, all outdoor watering for non-exempt customers is prohibited. This would include lawn and non-vegetable garden watering, private pool use and more.All water customers are urged to continue to find ways to cut back on water usage. Even though outdoor irrigation season is coming to a close, there are many ways to save water through small habit changes throughout the house. To date, 302 warning letters have been issued to water customers who have been reported to have been watering outside of their allotted outdoor watering day.Tuesdays typically see the biggest spike in water usage across the community. After seeing an initial drastic decline the first several weeks of drought restrictions, community water use is starting to inch back up. Before stage 2 restrictions, weekly highest water use was around 74 million gallons a day (MGD). The first week of restrictions, weekly highest water use was just over 55 MGD. Last week, the highest water usage was 64 MGD. During the last two months, efforts on education were prioritized over issuing fines. Going forward, staff plans to increase enforcement, including issuance of fines if warranted, while still continuing educational efforts on ways to cut back on water use.&nbsp;Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wichita.gov/499/Save-Wichita-Water">here</a>&nbsp;for more tips and information on Wichita’s drought response.

Wichita to increase enforcement of mandatory water restrictions

JOHNSON COUNTY —A suspect&nbsp; in a 19-year-old murder is now in custody in a Kansas jail.

On September 15, 2005, police responded to the report of suspicious activity at an apartment in the 11900 block of W. 77th Terrace in Lenexa, according to a media release.

 Officers arrived and found 30-year-old Maria Morfin-Rojas of Lenexa. She had been stabbed to death.&nbsp;

Lenexa detectives quickly identified a suspect in this case, identified as Angel Maria Herrera, of Shawnee, Kansas. Detectives learned that Herrera fled the United States into Mexico a few days prior to the discovery of Morfin-Rojas’ body at the Lenexa apartment.

On September 17, 2005, the Johnson County District Attorney’s charged Herrera with 1st Degree Murder in this case, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

On April 27, 2023, detectives were notified that Herrera had been arrested in El Salvador and was being held pending extradition to the United States.

On Wednesday, the lead detective for the Lenexa Police Department who has been working on this case since 2005 flew to El Salvador along with federal agents to take custody of Herrera and extradite him back to Johnson County. 

Herrera was booked into the Johnson County Adult Detention Center Thursday morning to await his arraignment in Johnson County District Court for the murder of Morfin-Rojas.

The investigation, arrest, and extradition of Herrera are the culmination of many years of diligent work by Lenexa officers, detectives, the Johnson County Crime Lab, the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and others who have tirelessly sought for justice for Maria Morfin-Rojas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726766972266.png" alt="Herrera photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Herrera photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A suspect&nbsp; in a 19-year-old murder is now in custody in a Kansas jail.On September 15, 2005, police responded to the report of suspicious activity at an apartment in the 11900 block of W. 77th Terrace in Lenexa, according to a media release. Officers arrived and found 30-year-old Maria Morfin-Rojas of Lenexa. She had been stabbed to death.&nbsp;Lenexa detectives quickly identified a suspect in this case, identified as Angel Maria Herrera, of Shawnee, Kansas. Detectives learned that Herrera fled the United States into Mexico a few days prior to the discovery of Morfin-Rojas’ body at the Lenexa apartment.On September 17, 2005, the Johnson County District Attorney’s charged Herrera with 1st Degree Murder in this case, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.On April 27, 2023, detectives were notified that Herrera had been arrested in El Salvador and was being held pending extradition to the United States.On Wednesday, the lead detective for the Lenexa Police Department who has been working on this case since 2005 flew to El Salvador along with federal agents to take custody of Herrera and extradite him back to Johnson County. Herrera was booked into the Johnson County Adult Detention Center Thursday morning to await his arraignment in Johnson County District Court for the murder of Morfin-Rojas.The investigation, arrest, and extradition of Herrera are the culmination of many years of diligent work by Lenexa officers, detectives, the Johnson County Crime Lab, the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and others who have tirelessly sought for justice for Maria Morfin-Rojas.

Suspect in Kan. woman's murder extradited from El Salvador

NEW YORK (AP) —Instagram is making teen accounts private by default as it tries to make the platform safer for children amid a growing backlash against how&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-social-media-mental-health-df321c791493863001754401676f165c">social media affects</a>&nbsp;young people's lives.

Beginning Tuesday in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia, anyone under 18 who signs up for Instagram will be placed into restrictive teen accounts and those with existing accounts will be migrated over the next 60 days. Teens in the European Union will see their accounts adjusted later this year.

Parent company Meta acknowledges that teenagers may lie about their age and says it will require them to verify their ages in more instances, like if they try to create a new account with an adult birthday. The Menlo Park, California company also said it is building technology that proactively finds teen accounts that pretend to be grownups and automatically places them into the restricted teen accounts.

The teen accounts will be private by default. Private messages are restricted so teens can only receive them from people they follow or are already connected to.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-facebook-instagram-teens-suicide-eating-disorders-83dce63d9beed0a3ad0c53240077099f">“Sensitive content,” such as videos of people fighting</a>&nbsp;or those promoting cosmetic procedures, will be limited, Meta said. Teens will also get notifications if they are on Instagram for more than 60 minutes and a “sleep mode” will be enabled that turns off notifications and sends auto-replies to direct messages from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m.

While these settings will be turned on for all teens, 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to turn them off. Kids under 16 will need their parents' permission to do so.

“The three concerns we’re hearing from parents are that their teens are seeing content that they don’t want to see or that they’re getting contacted by people they don’t want to be contacted by or that they’re spending too much time on the app,” said Naomi Gleit, head of product at Meta. “So teen accounts is really focused on addressing those three concerns.”

The announcement comes as the company faces lawsuits from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/instagram-facebook-children-teens-harms-lawsuit-attorney-general-1805492a38f7cee111cbb865cc786c28">dozens of U.S. states</a>&nbsp;that accuse it of harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.

While Meta didn't give specifics on how the changes might affect its business, the company said the changes may mean that teens will use Instagram less in the short term. Emarketer analyst Jasmine Enberg said the revenue impact of the changes “will likely be minimal.”

“Even as Meta continues to prioritize teen safety, it’s unlikely that it’s going to make sweeping changes that would cause a major financial hit,” she said, adding that the teen accounts are unlikely to significantly affect how engaged teens are with Instagram “not in the least because there are still plenty of ways to circumvent the rules, and could even make them more motivated to work around the age limits.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James said Meta’s announcement was “an important first step, but much more needs to be done to ensure our kids are protected from the harms of social media.” James' office is working with other New York officials on how to implement a new state law intended to curb children’s access to what critics call addictive social media feeds.

Others were more critical. Nicole Gill, the co-founder and executive director of the nonprofit Accountable Tech, called Instagram's announcement the “latest attempt to avoid actual independent oversight and regulation and instead continue to self-regulate, jeopardizing the health, safety, and privacy of young people.”

NEW YORK (AP) —Instagram is making teen accounts private by default as it tries to make the platform safer for children amid a growing backlash against how&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-social-media-mental-health-df321c791493863001754401676f165c">social media affects</a>&nbsp;young people's lives.Beginning Tuesday in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia, anyone under 18 who signs up for Instagram will be placed into restrictive teen accounts and those with existing accounts will be migrated over the next 60 days. Teens in the European Union will see their accounts adjusted later this year.Parent company Meta acknowledges that teenagers may lie about their age and says it will require them to verify their ages in more instances, like if they try to create a new account with an adult birthday. The Menlo Park, California company also said it is building technology that proactively finds teen accounts that pretend to be grownups and automatically places them into the restricted teen accounts.The teen accounts will be private by default. Private messages are restricted so teens can only receive them from people they follow or are already connected to.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-facebook-instagram-teens-suicide-eating-disorders-83dce63d9beed0a3ad0c53240077099f">“Sensitive content,” such as videos of people fighting</a>&nbsp;or those promoting cosmetic procedures, will be limited, Meta said. Teens will also get notifications if they are on Instagram for more than 60 minutes and a “sleep mode” will be enabled that turns off notifications and sends auto-replies to direct messages from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m.While these settings will be turned on for all teens, 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to turn them off. Kids under 16 will need their parents' permission to do so.“The three concerns we’re hearing from parents are that their teens are seeing content that they don’t want to see or that they’re getting contacted by people they don’t want to be contacted by or that they’re spending too much time on the app,” said Naomi Gleit, head of product at Meta. “So teen accounts is really focused on addressing those three concerns.”The announcement comes as the company faces lawsuits from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/instagram-facebook-children-teens-harms-lawsuit-attorney-general-1805492a38f7cee111cbb865cc786c28">dozens of U.S. states</a>&nbsp;that accuse it of harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.While Meta didn't give specifics on how the changes might affect its business, the company said the changes may mean that teens will use Instagram less in the short term. Emarketer analyst Jasmine Enberg said the revenue impact of the changes “will likely be minimal.”“Even as Meta continues to prioritize teen safety, it’s unlikely that it’s going to make sweeping changes that would cause a major financial hit,” she said, adding that the teen accounts are unlikely to significantly affect how engaged teens are with Instagram “not in the least because there are still plenty of ways to circumvent the rules, and could even make them more motivated to work around the age limits.”New York Attorney General Letitia James said Meta’s announcement was “an important first step, but much more needs to be done to ensure our kids are protected from the harms of social media.” James' office is working with other New York officials on how to implement a new state law intended to curb children’s access to what critics call addictive social media feeds.Others were more critical. Nicole Gill, the co-founder and executive director of the nonprofit Accountable Tech, called Instagram's announcement the “latest attempt to avoid actual independent oversight and regulation and instead continue to self-regulate, jeopardizing the health, safety, and privacy of young people.”“Today’s PR exercise falls short of the safety by design and accountability that young people and their parents deserve and only meaningful policy action can guarantee,” she said. "Meta’s business model is built on addicting its users and mining their data for profit; no amount of parental and teen controls Meta is proposing will change that.”Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), the co-author of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-social-media-kosa-kids-online-safety-act-parents-ead646422cf84cef0d0573c3c841eb6d">Kids Online Safety Act</a>&nbsp;that recently passed the Senate, questioned the timing of the announcement “on the eve of a House markup” of the bill.“Just like clockwork, the Kids Online Safety Act moves forward and industry comes out with a new set of self-enforcing guidelines,” she said.In the past, Meta's efforts at addressing teen safety and mental health on its platforms have also been met with criticism that the changes don't go far enough. For instance, while kids will get a notification when they've spent 60 minutes on the app, they will be able to bypass it and continue scrolling.That's unless the child's parents turn on “parental supervision” mode, where parents can limit teens' time on Instagram to a specific amount of time, such as 15 minutes.With the latest changes, Meta is giving parents more options to oversee their kids' accounts. Those under 16 will need a parent or guardian's permission to change their settings to less restrictive ones. They can do this by setting up “parental supervision” on their accounts and connecting them to a parent or guardian.Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, said last week that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/sep/12/parental-controls-facebook-instagram-meta-nick-clegg">parents don't use the parental controls</a>&nbsp;the company has introduced in recent years.Meta's Gleit said she thinks the teen accounts will incentivize parents to start using them.“Parents will be able to see, via the family center, who is messaging their teen and hopefully have a conversation with their teen,” she said. “If there is bullying or harassment happening, parents will have visibility into who their teen’s following, who’s following their teen, who their teen has messaged in the past seven days and hopefully have some of these conversations and help them navigate these really difficult situations online.”U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said last year that tech companies put too much responsibility on parents when it comes to keeping children safe on social media.“We’re asking parents to manage a technology that’s rapidly evolving that fundamentally changes how their kids think about themselves, how they build friendships, how they experience the world — and technology, by the way, that prior generations never had to manage,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-kids-social-media-teens-tiktok-instagram-443530d9baa3f91386bf9fbfb313bbaf">Murthy said</a>&nbsp;in May 2023.