KANSAS CITY —A Jackson County judge last week convicted a Kansas City man of a series of crimes against a young child who was found naked in the area of Brush Creek in 2019, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Gerald Smith was convicted by the judge of Statutory Sodomy in the 1st Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

According to court records, police were dispatched Sept. 13, 2019 to the area Blue Parkway and Lawn on a reported found juvenile. The caller told responding officers that he had seen a naked girl in the middle of the road. Officers found the child. The girl was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. KCPD detectives used video, cell phone records and other data to pinpoint the defendant. In April 2020, Detectives were notified that the defendant's DNA was found on the child victim.

The defendant will be sentenced on Oct. 31, 2024, at 10:30 a.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725033186313.png" alt="Smith photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Jackson County judge last week convicted a Kansas City man of a series of crimes against a young child who was found naked in the area of Brush Creek in 2019, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Gerald Smith was convicted by the judge of Statutory Sodomy in the 1st Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.According to court records, police were dispatched Sept. 13, 2019 to the area Blue Parkway and Lawn on a reported found juvenile. The caller told responding officers that he had seen a naked girl in the middle of the road. Officers found the child. The girl was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. KCPD detectives used video, cell phone records and other data to pinpoint the defendant. In April 2020, Detectives were notified that the defendant's DNA was found on the child victim.The defendant will be sentenced on Oct. 31, 2024, at 10:30 a.m.

Judge convicts KC man after young child found naked on the road

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting during a home-invasion in Kansas City.

Just after 7:30a.m. Saturday,&nbsp; police were dispatched to a burglary at an address in the 2800 block of NW Chipman Road in Lee's Summit, according to a media release.

The homeowner stated a man had entered their residence and refused to leave. The homeowner shot the suspect once. The suspect fled the scene as a passenger in a vehicle. Police stopped the vehicle and took two individuals into custody. 

The suspect was taken to a local hospital and was being treated for minor injuries. Detectives do not believe the homeowner and the suspect know each other and are working to establish a motive. There are currently no suspects at large in the case. Once the investigation is complete, it will be submitted to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s office for review.&nbsp; Police have not released names of the suspects.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting during a home-invasion in Kansas City.Just after 7:30a.m. Saturday,&nbsp; police were dispatched to a burglary at an address in the 2800 block of NW Chipman Road in Lee's Summit, according to a media release.The homeowner stated a man had entered their residence and refused to leave. The homeowner shot the suspect once. The suspect fled the scene as a passenger in a vehicle. Police stopped the vehicle and took two individuals into custody. The suspect was taken to a local hospital and was being treated for minor injuries. Detectives do not believe the homeowner and the suspect know each other and are working to establish a motive. There are currently no suspects at large in the case. Once the investigation is complete, it will be submitted to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s office for review.&nbsp; Police have not released names of the suspects.

KC area man shot burglary suspect who refused to leave residence

GOVE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11:30a.m. Sunday in Gove County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Ford Focus driven by Fabian G.&nbsp;Hernandez Rios, 34, Colby, was eastbound on Interstate 70 one half mile east of Gove County Road AA.

The car crossed the median and struck a 2018 Peterbilt semi driven by Adan G. Reyes, 43, Houston, Texas, on driver's side.&nbsp;

Rios was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Brocks North Hill Chapel. Reyes was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

GOVE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11:30a.m. Sunday in Gove County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Ford Focus driven by Fabian G.&nbsp;Hernandez Rios, 34, Colby, was eastbound on Interstate 70 one half mile east of Gove County Road AA.The car crossed the median and struck a 2018 Peterbilt semi driven by Adan G. Reyes, 43, Houston, Texas, on driver's side.&nbsp;Rios was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Brocks North Hill Chapel. Reyes was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after I-70 car, semi crash

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;Two foreign nationals are charged by indictment, unsealed this week, with being part of a years-long conspiracy to perpetrate “swatting” attacks and bomb threats against U.S. victims that included senior government officials, according to a media release from the U.S. Secret Service.

Thomasz Szabo, 26, of Romania, and Nemanja Radovanovic, 21, of Serbia, are each charged with one count of conspiracy, 29 counts of threats and false information regarding explosives, and four counts of transmitting threats in interstate and foreign commerce.

The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool of the Washington Field Office, FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office, U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr., of the Minneapolis Field Office.

According to the indictment, Szabo, Radovanovic, and others, were part of a conspiracy that began no later than December of 2020 and continued through January of 2024. The conspirators obtained personal identifying information, including home addresses, for their intended victims, and then carried out “swatting” attacks by falsely reporting emergencies for the purpose of provoking a police response at the victim’s home.

Szabo was allegedly the organizer and moderator of chat groups where the conspirators communicated with one another. They used monikers to communicate including, for Szabo, “Jonah,” “Jonah Goldberg,” “Plank,” “Rambler,” “War Lord,” “Shovel,” “Cypher,” “Kollectivist,” “Mortenberg Shekelstorms,” and “NotThuggin2”; and for Radovanovic, “XBD31,” “XDR,” “Angus,” “Thuggin,” “Thug Hunter,” “NotThuggin,” “DCL,” and “AOD.”

The indictment alleges that, in furtherance of the conspiracy, the defendants committed swatting attempts against 40 private victims and 61 official victims, including members of Congress, cabinet-level executive branch officials, senior official of federal law enforcement agencies, and state officials. The indictment also alleges that the defendants committed bomb threats against four victim businesses, four victim religious institutions, and one victim university.

“Swatting is not a victimless prank—it endangers real people, wastes precious police resources, and inflicts significant emotional trauma,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “We will use every tool at our disposal to find the perpetrators and hold them accountable, no matter where they might be.”

“I am proud of the extraordinary investigative work done by Secret Service agents at the Washington Field Office in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge McCool. “The perpetrators of these crimes left a trail of victims across the United States, abusing critical law enforcement resources to terrorize elected officials, public figures, and private citizens. We will never waver in our commitment to bring individuals like this to justice.”

"The charges demonstrate how seriously the FBI takes the crime of swatting, which can prevent law enforcement resources from getting to people who actually need them, as well as put lives in danger,” said Assistant Director in Charge Sundberg. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who commit this dangerous crime, no matter where they reside.”

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;Two foreign nationals are charged by indictment, unsealed this week, with being part of a years-long conspiracy to perpetrate “swatting” attacks and bomb threats against U.S. victims that included senior government officials, according to a media release from the U.S. Secret Service.Thomasz Szabo, 26, of Romania, and Nemanja Radovanovic, 21, of Serbia, are each charged with one count of conspiracy, 29 counts of threats and false information regarding explosives, and four counts of transmitting threats in interstate and foreign commerce.The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool of the Washington Field Office, FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office, U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr., of the Minneapolis Field Office.According to the indictment, Szabo, Radovanovic, and others, were part of a conspiracy that began no later than December of 2020 and continued through January of 2024. The conspirators obtained personal identifying information, including home addresses, for their intended victims, and then carried out “swatting” attacks by falsely reporting emergencies for the purpose of provoking a police response at the victim’s home.Szabo was allegedly the organizer and moderator of chat groups where the conspirators communicated with one another. They used monikers to communicate including, for Szabo, “Jonah,” “Jonah Goldberg,” “Plank,” “Rambler,” “War Lord,” “Shovel,” “Cypher,” “Kollectivist,” “Mortenberg Shekelstorms,” and “NotThuggin2”; and for Radovanovic, “XBD31,” “XDR,” “Angus,” “Thuggin,” “Thug Hunter,” “NotThuggin,” “DCL,” and “AOD.”The indictment alleges that, in furtherance of the conspiracy, the defendants committed swatting attempts against 40 private victims and 61 official victims, including members of Congress, cabinet-level executive branch officials, senior official of federal law enforcement agencies, and state officials. The indictment also alleges that the defendants committed bomb threats against four victim businesses, four victim religious institutions, and one victim university.“Swatting is not a victimless prank—it endangers real people, wastes precious police resources, and inflicts significant emotional trauma,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “We will use every tool at our disposal to find the perpetrators and hold them accountable, no matter where they might be.”“I am proud of the extraordinary investigative work done by Secret Service agents at the Washington Field Office in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge McCool. “The perpetrators of these crimes left a trail of victims across the United States, abusing critical law enforcement resources to terrorize elected officials, public figures, and private citizens. We will never waver in our commitment to bring individuals like this to justice.”"The charges demonstrate how seriously the FBI takes the crime of swatting, which can prevent law enforcement resources from getting to people who actually need them, as well as put lives in danger,” said Assistant Director in Charge Sundberg. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who commit this dangerous crime, no matter where they reside.”

2 charged in swatting conspiracy targeting lawmakers, houses of worship 

With eviction filings leaving a lasting mark on renters’ records, many states are reconsidering how much information landlords really need.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/rsequeira/">ROBBIE SEQUEIRA</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

When&nbsp;pandemic-era tenant protections expired, rents immediately soared, and eviction filings surged last year more than 50% over pre-pandemic levels in some U.S. cities.

These filings can cast long shadows. Simply being named in an eviction complaint, regardless of the outcome, can severely limit future housing options and prolong housing insecurity,&nbsp;<a href="https://poverty.umich.edu/2024/07/16/research-shows-far-reaching-costs-of-eviction-filings-to-tenants-regardless-of-the-outcome-in-court/" target="_blank">according to a recent University of Michigan study</a>.

The situation underscores a growing debate across the country: Should&nbsp;<a href="https://americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/Eviction-Record-Expungement-Can-Remove-Barriers.pdf" target="_blank">eviction records</a>&nbsp;be shielded from public access to offer tenants a cleaner shot at finding another home?

In recent years, more states are saying, “yes — at least in some cases.”

Eviction filings are public court records. Landlords and property owners can buy databases of the records to screen potential tenants.

Property owners argue that sealing data on eviction filings — most of which are for nonpayment of rent — eliminates crucial insights into rental history. Housing advocates, however, warn that any filing can unfairly block renters from future housing because the outcome may not be an eviction.

An eviction filing doesn’t provide enough information to determine a tenant’s ability to honor their next lease, said Katie Fallon, a principal policy associate with the Urban Institute, a research and advocacy think tank focusing on urban policies.

“Given the low quality of this eviction filing data and the lack of outcomes in the filings themselves, it is a very open question of how accurate these filings are and what information they really provide to landlords,” she said.

This year,&nbsp;<a href="https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2024/legislation/S1327/" target="_blank">Idaho</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0019" target="_blank">Maryland</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/the-affordable-homes-act-smart-housing-livable-communities" target="_blank">Massachusetts</a>&nbsp;enacted laws to seal certain eviction records from public scrutiny and from tenant screening companies.

Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cga.ct.gov/2023/ACT/PA/PDF/2023PA-00207-R00SB-00998-PA.PDF" target="_blank">Connecticut</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/SenateText23/S0912Aaa.pdf" target="_blank">Rhode Island</a>&nbsp;also enacted laws that allow for the sealing of certain eviction cases. Arizona, meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/55leg/2R/bills/HB2485H.pdf" target="_blank">enacted a law</a>&nbsp;in 2022 requiring courts to seal eviction records if cases are dismissed, dropped or adjudicated in the tenant’s favor.

In total, 17 states and Washington, D.C., have measures&nbsp;<a href="https://www.policylink.org/mapping-the-growth-of-eviction-record" target="_blank">sealing</a>&nbsp;at least some eviction records, according to PolicyLink, a national research and advocacy group with a focus on housing.

Zafar Shah, assistant director of advocacy for Maryland Legal Aid, said lawmakers are starting to understand how&nbsp;eviction records can prevent tenants from finding another home.

“We have clients that know they will lose their eviction case, but they want us to shield the information so that the next potential housing provider is not going to use it against them,” said Shah.

“That has really been the impetus for shielding and sealing across the country. These filings don’t tell us a lot, but they carry so much weight in the search for housing.”

An eviction filing could be resolved in a number of ways: A case might be dismissed if the landlord and tenant reach an agreement. The judge might rule in favor of the tenant, allowing them to stay in their home. Or the judge could side with the landlord, evicting the tenant.

Regardless of the outcome, the records live on in online court databases.

Third-party tenant screening companies scan court records for eviction cases, then sell the data to landlords to use in their leasing decisions.

Housing advocates say the data is often inaccurate and misleading. In one state — Illinois — less than half of eviction filings led to actual evictions, according to a 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://housingactionil.org/downloads/EvictionBrief_February2019.pdf" target="_blank">review</a>&nbsp;by Housing Action Illinois, an advocacy group.

Alexandra Alvarado, director of education and marketing at the American Apartment Owners Association, a tenant screening provider, told Stateline that the group’s database only displays eviction records with a completed judgment that were filed within the past seven years, which is the time limit set by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.

“It can be a monetary or non-monetary judgment, but there must be a judgment. So, if an eviction case is filed, but the parties settled outside of court or the tenant won, then it wouldn’t show up in our reports, even though technically it is public record,” Alvarado said. “Our members are getting evictions that have merit and weren’t erroneously filed.”

According to researchers at the Eviction Lab at Princeton University, of the 3.6 million eviction court records in the 12 states they tracked from 2011 to 2015, more than 1 in 5 eviction cases contained little information on the resolution of a case. Ambiguous data can also&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201029055456id_/https:/www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10511482.2020.1748084?needAccess=true" target="_blank">falsely represent</a>&nbsp;a tenant’s eviction history, affecting both renters and scholarly researchers, according to a 2020 study by the group.

“While many people think an eviction filing is evidence of late rent payment, nonpayment of rent or a violation of the lease terms, this is not necessarily true,” said Fallon, of the Urban Institute. “Filings can include inaccurate data, such as the parties named in the eviction filing and inaccurate name spellings.”

Alvarado, of the American Apartment Owners Association, said landlords have mixed views about laws that allow courts to seal cases that have been dismissed or ruled in a tenant’s favor. What’s more important to landlords, she said, is that their screening process can look back the full seven years for problem evictions.

Laws that limit the lookback period — such as in&nbsp;<a href="https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2019R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB873/Enrolled" target="_blank">Oregon</a>, where tenants can request an expungement after five years — affect the tenant screening process more, she said.

The system is problematic, Eviction Lab found in a&nbsp;<a href="https://evictionlab.org/demographics-of-eviction/" target="_blank">2020 study</a>&nbsp;of eviction cases filed between 2012 and 2016 in 39 states. In addition to inaccurate information, Black households are overrepresented in eviction filings,&nbsp;Eviction Lab found, as are women — especially Black and Latina women.

“When landlords say they need to use eviction filings, which we know aren’t the most reliable information, to make housing decisions, we need to push back on that,” said Jasmine Rangel, senior housing associate for PolicyLink.

She and other advocates want eviction court records to be sealed as soon as a landlord files an eviction notice. Otherwise, she said, “third-party services can still scrape that eviction record from online databases and into their tenant screening algorithms.”

Advocates point out that eviction records could be made public later if a judge rules in the landlord’s favor.

But Shuntera Brown, who lost her home in Phoenix in 2021, said in an interview that any eviction record hurts single moms like herself.

Brown, who has three children, has struggled to pay rent even with a full-time job. In December 2020, a bout of COVID-19 caused her to miss work shifts, a paycheck disruption that eventually put her over the edge months later.

“It’s a Scarlet ‘E.’ You have this record, you have this thing on your file of an eviction, but there’s no understanding of the context or circumstances behind it,” Brown said. “I remember pleading with the judge that I’ve usually paid on time and that my kids need a home, but he sided with the landlord in, like, seven minutes, and the eviction immediately was on my credit.”

State by state, the laws differ on the details: Many states allow for eviction records to be sealed almost immediately if the case was dismissed or dropped, or if the tenant won the case. Other states have a waiting period, often several years, during which the tenant must demonstrate good behavior before a record is sealed.

Under Maryland’s new law, which takes effect in October, courts must shield records within 60 days of a resolution that doesn’t end in a tenant losing possession of their home. The state also will increase the eviction&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marylandbusinesslitigationlawyerblog.com/renters-rights-stabilization-act-2024/" target="_blank">filing fee</a>&nbsp;from $8 to $43.

Maryland landlords filed roughly 400,000 “failure to pay rent” cases in the state’s 2023 fiscal year, according to housing advocates who testified in favor of the new law. In some cases, landlords would file monthly failure to pay rent cases against tenants prematurely and tack on illegal fees on top of the back rent,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publicjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/PJC-AR_2023_FINAL_web.pdf" target="_blank">according to a report</a>&nbsp;from the Maryland-based advocacy group Public Justice Center.

“The low cost and low barrier to entry have driven the massive quantity of filings, with many cases simply being leveraged to get rent money out of tenants quickly,” said Shah, of Maryland Legal Aid. “I think that the court overall has become more receptive to shielding these cases, recognizing that if a case was dismissed or settled, there’s no reason to hold it against the renter.

“This attitude has shifted significantly over the past decade,” he said.

In&nbsp;<a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/asm/ab_2801-2850/ab_2819_cfa_20160620_154723_sen_comm.html" target="_blank">California</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb20-1009" target="_blank">Colorado</a>, as in Maryland, an eviction lawsuit can be automatically sealed as soon as it’s been filed unless the landlord wins the case within 60 days.&nbsp;<a href="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022/bills/house/1214/details" target="_blank">Indiana</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/484.014" target="_blank">Minnesota</a>&nbsp;require a tenant to formally petition for sealing once a court reaches judgment.

Idaho’s new law shields dismissed eviction cases after three years. And in Massachusetts, tenants can request their case be sealed for a variety of reasons, no matter the outcome, after a period of time ranging from a few months to several years.

In Rhode Island, a tenant can only make a request once every five years.

Researchers at Eviction Lab told Stateline that state laws should still allow data access for scientists. The 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/laws/24-115" target="_blank">eviction-sealing law</a>&nbsp;in Washington, D.C., for example, specifies that records can be unsealed for scholarly, educational, journalistic or governmental purposes.

“There is an important public right to know what is going on in the housing market, and this is one of our data points into the eviction crisis,” said Carl Gershenson, lab director at Eviction Lab. “There is a balance that can be achieved that is in the best interest of tenants and how these filings can be used as datapoints to understand the housing crisis.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641238301184.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>With eviction filings leaving a lasting mark on renters’ records, many states are reconsidering how much information landlords really need.</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/rsequeira/">ROBBIE SEQUEIRA</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>When&nbsp;pandemic-era tenant protections expired, rents immediately soared, and eviction filings surged last year more than 50% over pre-pandemic levels in some U.S. cities.These filings can cast long shadows. Simply being named in an eviction complaint, regardless of the outcome, can severely limit future housing options and prolong housing insecurity,&nbsp;<a href="https://poverty.umich.edu/2024/07/16/research-shows-far-reaching-costs-of-eviction-filings-to-tenants-regardless-of-the-outcome-in-court/" target="_blank">according to a recent University of Michigan study</a>.The situation underscores a growing debate across the country: Should&nbsp;<a href="https://americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/Eviction-Record-Expungement-Can-Remove-Barriers.pdf" target="_blank">eviction records</a>&nbsp;be shielded from public access to offer tenants a cleaner shot at finding another home?In recent years, more states are saying, “yes — at least in some cases.”Eviction filings are public court records. Landlords and property owners can buy databases of the records to screen potential tenants.Property owners argue that sealing data on eviction filings — most of which are for nonpayment of rent — eliminates crucial insights into rental history. Housing advocates, however, warn that any filing can unfairly block renters from future housing because the outcome may not be an eviction.An eviction filing doesn’t provide enough information to determine a tenant’s ability to honor their next lease, said Katie Fallon, a principal policy associate with the Urban Institute, a research and advocacy think tank focusing on urban policies.“Given the low quality of this eviction filing data and the lack of outcomes in the filings themselves, it is a very open question of how accurate these filings are and what information they really provide to landlords,” she said.This year,&nbsp;<a href="https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2024/legislation/S1327/" target="_blank">Idaho</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0019" target="_blank">Maryland</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/the-affordable-homes-act-smart-housing-livable-communities" target="_blank">Massachusetts</a>&nbsp;enacted laws to seal certain eviction records from public scrutiny and from tenant screening companies.Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cga.ct.gov/2023/ACT/PA/PDF/2023PA-00207-R00SB-00998-PA.PDF" target="_blank">Connecticut</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/SenateText23/S0912Aaa.pdf" target="_blank">Rhode Island</a>&nbsp;also enacted laws that allow for the sealing of certain eviction cases. Arizona, meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/55leg/2R/bills/HB2485H.pdf" target="_blank">enacted a law</a>&nbsp;in 2022 requiring courts to seal eviction records if cases are dismissed, dropped or adjudicated in the tenant’s favor.In total, 17 states and Washington, D.C., have measures&nbsp;<a href="https://www.policylink.org/mapping-the-growth-of-eviction-record" target="_blank">sealing</a>&nbsp;at least some eviction records, according to PolicyLink, a national research and advocacy group with a focus on housing.Zafar Shah, assistant director of advocacy for Maryland Legal Aid, said lawmakers are starting to understand how&nbsp;eviction records can prevent tenants from finding another home.“We have clients that know they will lose their eviction case, but they want us to shield the information so that the next potential housing provider is not going to use it against them,” said Shah.“That has really been the impetus for shielding and sealing across the country. These filings don’t tell us a lot, but they carry so much weight in the search for housing.”An eviction filing could be resolved in a number of ways: A case might be dismissed if the landlord and tenant reach an agreement. The judge might rule in favor of the tenant, allowing them to stay in their home. Or the judge could side with the landlord, evicting the tenant.Regardless of the outcome, the records live on in online court databases.Third-party tenant screening companies scan court records for eviction cases, then sell the data to landlords to use in their leasing decisions.Housing advocates say the data is often inaccurate and misleading. In one state — Illinois — less than half of eviction filings led to actual evictions, according to a 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://housingactionil.org/downloads/EvictionBrief_February2019.pdf" target="_blank">review</a>&nbsp;by Housing Action Illinois, an advocacy group.Alexandra Alvarado, director of education and marketing at the American Apartment Owners Association, a tenant screening provider, told Stateline that the group’s database only displays eviction records with a completed judgment that were filed within the past seven years, which is the time limit set by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.“It can be a monetary or non-monetary judgment, but there must be a judgment. So, if an eviction case is filed, but the parties settled outside of court or the tenant won, then it wouldn’t show up in our reports, even though technically it is public record,” Alvarado said. “Our members are getting evictions that have merit and weren’t erroneously filed.”<h2>A Scarlet ‘E’</h2>According to researchers at the Eviction Lab at Princeton University, of the 3.6 million eviction court records in the 12 states they tracked from 2011 to 2015, more than 1 in 5 eviction cases contained little information on the resolution of a case. Ambiguous data can also&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201029055456id_/https:/www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10511482.2020.1748084?needAccess=true" target="_blank">falsely represent</a>&nbsp;a tenant’s eviction history, affecting both renters and scholarly researchers, according to a 2020 study by the group.“While many people think an eviction filing is evidence of late rent payment, nonpayment of rent or a violation of the lease terms, this is not necessarily true,” said Fallon, of the Urban Institute. “Filings can include inaccurate data, such as the parties named in the eviction filing and inaccurate name spellings.”Alvarado, of the American Apartment Owners Association, said landlords have mixed views about laws that allow courts to seal cases that have been dismissed or ruled in a tenant’s favor. What’s more important to landlords, she said, is that their screening process can look back the full seven years for problem evictions.Laws that limit the lookback period — such as in&nbsp;<a href="https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2019R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB873/Enrolled" target="_blank">Oregon</a>, where tenants can request an expungement after five years — affect the tenant screening process more, she said.The system is problematic, Eviction Lab found in a&nbsp;<a href="https://evictionlab.org/demographics-of-eviction/" target="_blank">2020 study</a>&nbsp;of eviction cases filed between 2012 and 2016 in 39 states. In addition to inaccurate information, Black households are overrepresented in eviction filings,&nbsp;Eviction Lab found, as are women — especially Black and Latina women.“When landlords say they need to use eviction filings, which we know aren’t the most reliable information, to make housing decisions, we need to push back on that,” said Jasmine Rangel, senior housing associate for PolicyLink.She and other advocates want eviction court records to be sealed as soon as a landlord files an eviction notice. Otherwise, she said, “third-party services can still scrape that eviction record from online databases and into their tenant screening algorithms.”Advocates point out that eviction records could be made public later if a judge rules in the landlord’s favor.But Shuntera Brown, who lost her home in Phoenix in 2021, said in an interview that any eviction record hurts single moms like herself.Brown, who has three children, has struggled to pay rent even with a full-time job. In December 2020, a bout of COVID-19 caused her to miss work shifts, a paycheck disruption that eventually put her over the edge months later.“It’s a Scarlet ‘E.’ You have this record, you have this thing on your file of an eviction, but there’s no understanding of the context or circumstances behind it,” Brown said. “I remember pleading with the judge that I’ve usually paid on time and that my kids need a home, but he sided with the landlord in, like, seven minutes, and the eviction immediately was on my credit.”<h2>Sealing the records</h2>State by state, the laws differ on the details: Many states allow for eviction records to be sealed almost immediately if the case was dismissed or dropped, or if the tenant won the case. Other states have a waiting period, often several years, during which the tenant must demonstrate good behavior before a record is sealed.Under Maryland’s new law, which takes effect in October, courts must shield records within 60 days of a resolution that doesn’t end in a tenant losing possession of their home. The state also will increase the eviction&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marylandbusinesslitigationlawyerblog.com/renters-rights-stabilization-act-2024/" target="_blank">filing fee</a>&nbsp;from $8 to $43.Maryland landlords filed roughly 400,000 “failure to pay rent” cases in the state’s 2023 fiscal year, according to housing advocates who testified in favor of the new law. In some cases, landlords would file monthly failure to pay rent cases against tenants prematurely and tack on illegal fees on top of the back rent,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publicjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/PJC-AR_2023_FINAL_web.pdf" target="_blank">according to a report</a>&nbsp;from the Maryland-based advocacy group Public Justice Center.“The low cost and low barrier to entry have driven the massive quantity of filings, with many cases simply being leveraged to get rent money out of tenants quickly,” said Shah, of Maryland Legal Aid. “I think that the court overall has become more receptive to shielding these cases, recognizing that if a case was dismissed or settled, there’s no reason to hold it against the renter.“This attitude has shifted significantly over the past decade,” he said.In&nbsp;<a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/asm/ab_2801-2850/ab_2819_cfa_20160620_154723_sen_comm.html" target="_blank">California</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb20-1009" target="_blank">Colorado</a>, as in Maryland, an eviction lawsuit can be automatically sealed as soon as it’s been filed unless the landlord wins the case within 60 days.&nbsp;<a href="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022/bills/house/1214/details" target="_blank">Indiana</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/484.014" target="_blank">Minnesota</a>&nbsp;require a tenant to formally petition for sealing once a court reaches judgment.Idaho’s new law shields dismissed eviction cases after three years. And in Massachusetts, tenants can request their case be sealed for a variety of reasons, no matter the outcome, after a period of time ranging from a few months to several years.In Rhode Island, a tenant can only make a request once every five years.Researchers at Eviction Lab told Stateline that state laws should still allow data access for scientists. The 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/laws/24-115" target="_blank">eviction-sealing law</a>&nbsp;in Washington, D.C., for example, specifies that records can be unsealed for scholarly, educational, journalistic or governmental purposes.“There is an important public right to know what is going on in the housing market, and this is one of our data points into the eviction crisis,” said Carl Gershenson, lab director at Eviction Lab. “There is a balance that can be achieved that is in the best interest of tenants and how these filings can be used as datapoints to understand the housing crisis.”

Landlords cry foul as more states seal eviction records

WASHINGTON (AP) — The high cost of caring for children and the elderly has forced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daycare-child-care-college-degree-moms-ac72f1227844eae0281305835e07273b">women out of the workforce</a>, devastated family finances and left professional caretakers in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-preschool-child-care-teacher-pay-256a66cc4df8a331a2d0badcba7f72e8">low-wage jobs</a>&nbsp;— all while slowing economic growth.

That families are suffering is not up for debate. As the economy emerges as a theme in this presidential election, the Democratic and Republican candidates have sketched out ideas for easing costs that reveal their divergent views about family.

On this topic, the two tickets have one main commonality: Both of the presidential candidates — and their running mates — have, at one point or another, backed an expanded child tax credit.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-convention-takeaways-whitmer-uncommitted-76e14a4c02743ba7340e8e352ccb43cd">accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination</a>&nbsp;last week, has signaled that she plans to build on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-child-care-eldercare-sandwich-generation-d55328669632640908975f8a6dfe7b06">the ambitions of outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration</a>, which sought to pour billions in taxpayer dollars into making child care and home care for elderly and disabled adults more affordable. She has not etched any of those plans into a formal policy platform. But in a speech earlier this month, she said her vision included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-economy-taxes-homes-food-prices-insurance-e1ad3f26f2ce8e6cb365a4ffe2ca3e6b">raising the child tax credit</a>.

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican, has declined to answer questions about how he would make child care more affordable, even though it was an issue he tackled during his own administration. His running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-childless-cat-ladies-birth-rates-555c0f78ef8dd4c13c88b9e8d5f0024a">long history of pushing policies</a>&nbsp;that would encourage Americans to have families, floating ideas like giving parents votes for their children. Just this month, Vance said he wants to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-jd-vance-on-face-the-nation-aug-11-2024/" target="_blank">raise the child tax credit</a>&nbsp;to $5,000. But Vance has opposed government spending on child care, arguing that many children benefit from having one parent at home as caretaker.

The candidates’ care agendas could figure prominently into their appeal to suburban women in swing states, a coveted demographic seen as key to victory in November. Women provide two-thirds of unpaid care work — valued at $1 trillion annually — and are disproportionately impacted when families can’t find affordable care for their children or aging parents. And the cost of care is an urgent problem:&nbsp;<a href="https://kpmg.com/us/en/articles/2024/may-2024-childcare-crisis-state-work-america.html" target="_blank">Child care prices are rising faster than inflation</a>.

Kamala Harris: Increase the child tax credit

When Harris addressed the Democratic National Convention, she talked first about her own experience with child care. She was raised mostly by a single mother, Shyamala Gopalan, who worked long hours as a breast cancer researcher. Among the people who formed her family’s support network was “Mrs. Shelton, who ran the day care below us and became a second mother.”

As vice president, Harris worked behind the scenes in Congress on Biden’s proposals to establish national paid family leave, make prekindergarten universal and invest billions in child care so families wouldn’t pay&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-lifestyle-richard-nixon-1dae8203d4779e13b04c8f151c0d6810">more than 7% of their income</a>. She announced, too, the administration’s actions to lower copays for families using federal child care vouchers, and to raise wages for Medicaid-funded home health aides. Before that, her track record as a senator included pressing for greater labor rights for domestic workers, including nannies and home health aides who may be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nannies-housekeeper-domestic-worker-rights-laws-labor-women-f927e08838e5fe19cded4f163eee74d3">vulnerable to exploitation</a>.

This month at a community college in North Carolina, Harris outlined her campaign’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-economy-taxes-homes-food-prices-insurance-e1ad3f26f2ce8e6cb365a4ffe2ca3e6b">economic agenda</a>, which includes raising the child tax credit to as much as $3,600 and giving families of newborns even more — $6,000 for the child’s first year.

“That is a vital — vital year of critical development of a child, and the costs can really add up, especially for young parents who need to buy diapers and clothes and a car seat and so much else,” she told the audience. Her running mate selection of Tim Walz, who established&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tim-walz-governor-record-minnesota-vp-1d03387a8941cc1952e03fcf09fc1390">paid leave and a child tax credit</a>&nbsp;as governor of Minnesota, has also buoyed optimism among supporters.

Donald Trump: Few specifics, but some past support

For voters grappling with the high cost of child care, Trump has offered little in the way of solutions. During the June presidential debate, CNN moderator Jake Tapper twice asked Trump what he would do to lower child care costs. Both times, he failed to answer, instead pivoting to other topics. His&nbsp;<a href="https://rncplatform.donaldjtrump.com/?_gl=1*jepno3*_gcl_au*MTI3MjUwMTA1My4xNzE5NTM1OTg2&amp;_ga=2.241740418.1467562058.1724450590-1062643837.1719535986" target="_blank">campaign platform</a>&nbsp;is similarly silent. It does tackle the cost of long-term care for the elderly, writing that Republicans would “support unpaid Family Caregivers through Tax Credits and reduced red tape.”

The silence marks a shift from his first campaign, when he pitched paid parental leave, though it was panned by critics because his proposal excluded fathers. When he reached the White House, the former president sought $1 billion for child care, plus a parental leave policy at the urging of his daughter and policy adviser, Ivanka Trump. Congress rejected both proposals, but Trump succeeded in doubling the child tax credit and establishing paid leave for federal employees.

In his&nbsp;<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-state-union-address-2/#:~:text=I%20am%20also%20proud%20to,bond%20with%20their%20newborn%20child." target="_blank">2019 State of the Union address</a>, Trump said he was “proud to be the first president to include in my budget a plan for nationwide paid family leave, so that every new parent has the chance to bond with their newborn child.”

This year, there are signs that his administration might not pursue the same agenda, including his selection of Vance as a running mate. In 2021, before he joined the Senate, Vance co-authored&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-daycare-plan-is-bad-for-families-11620078804" target="_blank">an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;opposing a proposal to invest billions in child care to make it more affordable for families. He and his co-author said expanding child care subsidies would lead to “unhappier, unhealthier children” and that having fewer mothers contributing to the economy might be a worthwhile trade-off.

Vance has floated policies that would make it easier for a family to live off of a single income, making it possible for some parents to stay home while their partners work. Along with his embrace of policies he calls pro-family, he has tagged people who do not have or want children as “sociopaths.” He once derided Harris and other rising Democratic stars as “childless cat ladies,” even though Harris has two stepchildren — they call her “Momala” — and no cats.

Even without details about new care policies, Trump believes that families would ultimately get a better deal under his administration.

The Trump-Vance campaign has attacked Harris’ record on the economy and said the Biden administration’s policies have only made things tougher for families, pointing to recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">inflation</a>.

“Harris ... has proudly and repeatedly celebrated her role as Joe Biden’s co-pilot on Bidenomics,” said Karoline Leavitt, a campaign spokeswoman. “The basic necessities of food, gas and housing are less affordable, unemployment is rising, and Kamala doesn’t seem to care.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724867447394.png" alt="This combination photo shows Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an event, Aug. 15, 2024, in Bedminster, N.J., left, and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at a campaign event in Raleigh, N.C., Aug. 16, 2024. (AP Photo)" />
 <figcaption>This combination photo shows Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an event, Aug. 15, 2024, in Bedminster, N.J., left, and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at a campaign event in Raleigh, N.C., Aug. 16, 2024. (AP Photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The high cost of caring for children and the elderly has forced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daycare-child-care-college-degree-moms-ac72f1227844eae0281305835e07273b">women out of the workforce</a>, devastated family finances and left professional caretakers in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-preschool-child-care-teacher-pay-256a66cc4df8a331a2d0badcba7f72e8">low-wage jobs</a>&nbsp;— all while slowing economic growth.That families are suffering is not up for debate. As the economy emerges as a theme in this presidential election, the Democratic and Republican candidates have sketched out ideas for easing costs that reveal their divergent views about family.On this topic, the two tickets have one main commonality: Both of the presidential candidates — and their running mates — have, at one point or another, backed an expanded child tax credit.Vice President Kamala Harris, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-convention-takeaways-whitmer-uncommitted-76e14a4c02743ba7340e8e352ccb43cd">accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination</a>&nbsp;last week, has signaled that she plans to build on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-child-care-eldercare-sandwich-generation-d55328669632640908975f8a6dfe7b06">the ambitions of outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration</a>, which sought to pour billions in taxpayer dollars into making child care and home care for elderly and disabled adults more affordable. She has not etched any of those plans into a formal policy platform. But in a speech earlier this month, she said her vision included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-economy-taxes-homes-food-prices-insurance-e1ad3f26f2ce8e6cb365a4ffe2ca3e6b">raising the child tax credit</a>.Former President Donald Trump, the Republican, has declined to answer questions about how he would make child care more affordable, even though it was an issue he tackled during his own administration. His running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-childless-cat-ladies-birth-rates-555c0f78ef8dd4c13c88b9e8d5f0024a">long history of pushing policies</a>&nbsp;that would encourage Americans to have families, floating ideas like giving parents votes for their children. Just this month, Vance said he wants to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-jd-vance-on-face-the-nation-aug-11-2024/" target="_blank">raise the child tax credit</a>&nbsp;to $5,000. But Vance has opposed government spending on child care, arguing that many children benefit from having one parent at home as caretaker.The candidates’ care agendas could figure prominently into their appeal to suburban women in swing states, a coveted demographic seen as key to victory in November. Women provide two-thirds of unpaid care work — valued at $1 trillion annually — and are disproportionately impacted when families can’t find affordable care for their children or aging parents. And the cost of care is an urgent problem:&nbsp;<a href="https://kpmg.com/us/en/articles/2024/may-2024-childcare-crisis-state-work-america.html" target="_blank">Child care prices are rising faster than inflation</a>.<h2>Kamala Harris: Increase the child tax credit</h2>When Harris addressed the Democratic National Convention, she talked first about her own experience with child care. She was raised mostly by a single mother, Shyamala Gopalan, who worked long hours as a breast cancer researcher. Among the people who formed her family’s support network was “Mrs. Shelton, who ran the day care below us and became a second mother.”As vice president, Harris worked behind the scenes in Congress on Biden’s proposals to establish national paid family leave, make prekindergarten universal and invest billions in child care so families wouldn’t pay&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-lifestyle-richard-nixon-1dae8203d4779e13b04c8f151c0d6810">more than 7% of their income</a>. She announced, too, the administration’s actions to lower copays for families using federal child care vouchers, and to raise wages for Medicaid-funded home health aides. Before that, her track record as a senator included pressing for greater labor rights for domestic workers, including nannies and home health aides who may be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nannies-housekeeper-domestic-worker-rights-laws-labor-women-f927e08838e5fe19cded4f163eee74d3">vulnerable to exploitation</a>.This month at a community college in North Carolina, Harris outlined her campaign’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-economy-taxes-homes-food-prices-insurance-e1ad3f26f2ce8e6cb365a4ffe2ca3e6b">economic agenda</a>, which includes raising the child tax credit to as much as $3,600 and giving families of newborns even more — $6,000 for the child’s first year.“That is a vital — vital year of critical development of a child, and the costs can really add up, especially for young parents who need to buy diapers and clothes and a car seat and so much else,” she told the audience. Her running mate selection of Tim Walz, who established&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tim-walz-governor-record-minnesota-vp-1d03387a8941cc1952e03fcf09fc1390">paid leave and a child tax credit</a>&nbsp;as governor of Minnesota, has also buoyed optimism among supporters.<h2>Donald Trump: Few specifics, but some past support</h2>For voters grappling with the high cost of child care, Trump has offered little in the way of solutions. During the June presidential debate, CNN moderator Jake Tapper twice asked Trump what he would do to lower child care costs. Both times, he failed to answer, instead pivoting to other topics. His&nbsp;<a href="https://rncplatform.donaldjtrump.com/?_gl=1*jepno3*_gcl_au*MTI3MjUwMTA1My4xNzE5NTM1OTg2&amp;_ga=2.241740418.1467562058.1724450590-1062643837.1719535986" target="_blank">campaign platform</a>&nbsp;is similarly silent. It does tackle the cost of long-term care for the elderly, writing that Republicans would “support unpaid Family Caregivers through Tax Credits and reduced red tape.”The silence marks a shift from his first campaign, when he pitched paid parental leave, though it was panned by critics because his proposal excluded fathers. When he reached the White House, the former president sought $1 billion for child care, plus a parental leave policy at the urging of his daughter and policy adviser, Ivanka Trump. Congress rejected both proposals, but Trump succeeded in doubling the child tax credit and establishing paid leave for federal employees.In his&nbsp;<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-state-union-address-2/#:~:text=I%20am%20also%20proud%20to,bond%20with%20their%20newborn%20child." target="_blank">2019 State of the Union address</a>, Trump said he was “proud to be the first president to include in my budget a plan for nationwide paid family leave, so that every new parent has the chance to bond with their newborn child.”This year, there are signs that his administration might not pursue the same agenda, including his selection of Vance as a running mate. In 2021, before he joined the Senate, Vance co-authored&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-daycare-plan-is-bad-for-families-11620078804" target="_blank">an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;opposing a proposal to invest billions in child care to make it more affordable for families. He and his co-author said expanding child care subsidies would lead to “unhappier, unhealthier children” and that having fewer mothers contributing to the economy might be a worthwhile trade-off.Vance has floated policies that would make it easier for a family to live off of a single income, making it possible for some parents to stay home while their partners work. Along with his embrace of policies he calls pro-family, he has tagged people who do not have or want children as “sociopaths.” He once derided Harris and other rising Democratic stars as “childless cat ladies,” even though Harris has two stepchildren — they call her “Momala” — and no cats.Even without details about new care policies, Trump believes that families would ultimately get a better deal under his administration.The Trump-Vance campaign has attacked Harris’ record on the economy and said the Biden administration’s policies have only made things tougher for families, pointing to recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">inflation</a>.“Harris ... has proudly and repeatedly celebrated her role as Joe Biden’s co-pilot on Bidenomics,” said Karoline Leavitt, a campaign spokeswoman. “The basic necessities of food, gas and housing are less affordable, unemployment is rising, and Kamala doesn’t seem to care.”<h2>___</h2>

Having a family is expensive: What Harris and Trump said about easing costs

MIAMI COUNTY, Kansas —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high speed chase across portions of Kansas and Misouri.

On August 27, Sheriff Deputies were notified of a pursuit that was initiated by the Miami County Kans Sheriff’s Office that was entering Bates County, Missouri, according to a media release.

Deputies were able to intercept and join the pursuit on State Route AA. Deputies from Bates County were able to deploy stop sticks and hit one of the tires on the fleeing vehicle. 

A short time later the vehicle crashed at the intersection of County Road 5001 and the Bates/Cass county line. The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody without further incident and was transported to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Jail.&nbsp; Authorities have not released the name of the suspect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725194960129.png" alt="Photo Bates County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Bates County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI COUNTY, Kansas —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high speed chase across portions of Kansas and Misouri.On August 27, Sheriff Deputies were notified of a pursuit that was initiated by the Miami County Kans Sheriff’s Office that was entering Bates County, Missouri, according to a media release.Deputies were able to intercept and join the pursuit on State Route AA. Deputies from Bates County were able to deploy stop sticks and hit one of the tires on the fleeing vehicle. A short time later the vehicle crashed at the intersection of County Road 5001 and the Bates/Cass county line. The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody without further incident and was transported to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Jail.&nbsp; Authorities have not released the name of the suspect.

Driver jailed after high-speed chase starts in Kansas, ends in Missouri

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22GIOVANNA%20DELL%E2%80%99ORTO%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO Associated Press</a>

For more than a year, religious organizations have lobbied Congress and the Biden administration to fix a sudden procedural change in how the government processes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faith-leaders-green-card-border-congress-f5355ad53bd7bde696b55fd39dcc4591">green cards for religious workers</a>, which threatens the ability of thousands of them to continue to minister in the United States.

The Catholic Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, and five of its priests whose legal status in the United States expires as soon as next spring, have now sued the federal agencies overseeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">immigration</a>. They argue that the change “will cause severe and substantial disruption to the lives and religious freedoms” of the priests as well as the hundreds of thousands of Catholics they serve.

“Our priests feel we’re doing the best we can,” said Bishop Kevin Sweeney, whose dioceses covers 400,000 Catholics and 107 parishes in three New Jersey counties.

Paterson is the first diocese to bring this suit against the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said Raymond Lahoud, its attorney in the lawsuit.

But “there is a buzz out there” among similarly impacted religious groups, Lahoud added, because of how&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/africa-religion-alabama-nigeria-0030847bd2a90880d32b0f05fed39177">reliant many are on foreign-born clergy</a>&nbsp;who build strong ties in their U.S. parishes.

“It’s so disruptive,” said Bishop Mark Seitz, who chairs the committee on migration for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The group has advocated for legislative and administrative fixes because the newly extralong delays in green card processing are “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/migration-asylum-catholic-us-mexico-border-234448ae83b1ae6fb0f4bdef95f37925">not sustainable</a>.”

In his own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-el-paso-mexico-immigration-shelters-c6a8684760041691c68b4c6b3274db96">border diocese of El Paso</a>, Texas, Seitz is facing the possibility of losing priests whose permanent residency cases now have little chance to be approved before their visas expire. The law mandates them to leave the United States for at least a year.

“One is pastor of a large, growing parish. Now I’m supposed to send him away for a year, put him on ice, as it were — and somehow provide Masses?” Seitz said.

To deal with a shortage of religious workers that has worsened in recent decades, American dioceses have long had agreements with foreign dioceses to bring in seminarians, priests and nuns from places as different as Poland, the Philippines and Nigeria, said the Rev. Thomas Gaunt of Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate.

Most other faith denominations from Buddhism to Islam to Pentecostal Christians also recruit foreign-born clergy, for reasons ranging from the need to minister to growing non-English-speaking congregations to specialized training at foreign institutions steeped in a religion’s history.

Most such “religious workers,” in the U.S. government’s definition, come under temporary visas called R-1, which allow them to work in the United States for five years. That used to be plenty enough for an organization to assess if the clergy were in fact a good fit and then petition for permanent resident status — known as green cards — for them under a special category called EB-4.

Congress establishes a maximum number of green cards available per year per category, which is generally either based on types of employment or family links to U.S. citizens. The wait time depends on whether and by how much the demand exceeds the visas available in each category.

Citizens of countries with especially high demand get put in separate, often longer “lines” — currently, the most backlogged category is for the married Mexican children of U.S. citizens, where only applications filed more than 24 years ago are being processed.

Neglected or abused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-guatemala-us-election-youth-indigenous-faith-6c919ad842feac8d42f90ed9f9c871ec">minors from Guatemala</a>, Honduras and El Salvador — a surging number of whom have sought humanitarian green cards or asylum after illegally crossing into the U.S. since the mid-2010s — were also in a separate line. But in March 2023, the State Department announced that was a mistake and immediately started adding them to the general queue with the clergy.

That’s created a backlog that currently stands at more than 3.5 years and could increase. Some estimate it could take 10-15 years to get these green cards.

“This is an untenable situation,” said Lance Conklin, who co-chairs the religious workers group of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and often represents evangelical pastors. “The lawsuit is representative of the way a lot of people feel.”

The lawyers’ association, together with the bishops’ conference and other organizations, has been lobbying for long-term Congressional fixes — which most recognize will be hard to obtain given the political sensitivity of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-a39e188fa2c6a563203d2c69eaabdc6d">immigration reform</a>&nbsp;— as well as simpler administrative changes that the agencies could implement quickly.

Among those, attorneys and advocates say, would be allowing applicants to change ministry jobs — moving from associate pastor to senior pastor, or relocating to a different convent, for example — without losing their place in the green card line. Or the government could reduce the time they need to spend outside the United States after their visa expires before they can get another one.

“We could deal with a month,” Seitz said, while the current required time is 12 months.

Most organizations are staying the course for now, hoping and praying that the administration will make at least these temporary fixes — perhaps nudged by the lawsuit, filed in August in U.S. District Court in New Jersey.

That’s largely because they don’t have other options.

Different employment visas and green cards are far more laborious and expensive to apply for, and many clergy don’t qualify. For instance, those not receiving any salary cannot show they’re being offered “prevailing wages,” one of the requirements meant to protect U.S. native workers in non-religious employment categories.

That's often the case for Catholic nuns, said Mary O’Leary, a Michigan attorney who represents religious orders.

“A lot of religious orders are not wealthy,” she said. “They’re not like Microsoft, you can’t go to a business school or computer science school and recruit.”

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, a nun who works as a school aid has to leave the country when her visa expires in a couple of weeks, said Olga Rojas, the archdiocese's senior counsel for immigration.

“This principal is so devasted,” Rojas said, adding that across the U.S. religious workers have already been forced to leave. “They want to stay and finish their work."

In some cases, their organizations are trying hard to bring the religious workers back from overseas, said Miguel Naranjo, the director of Religious Immigration Services for Catholic Legal Immigration Network.

“It’s beyond ministry,” Naranjo added, because they often provide education, healthcare, youth and other social services. “They’re the last safety net of many communities.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22GIOVANNA%20DELL%E2%80%99ORTO%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO Associated Press</a>For more than a year, religious organizations have lobbied Congress and the Biden administration to fix a sudden procedural change in how the government processes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faith-leaders-green-card-border-congress-f5355ad53bd7bde696b55fd39dcc4591">green cards for religious workers</a>, which threatens the ability of thousands of them to continue to minister in the United States.The Catholic Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, and five of its priests whose legal status in the United States expires as soon as next spring, have now sued the federal agencies overseeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">immigration</a>. They argue that the change “will cause severe and substantial disruption to the lives and religious freedoms” of the priests as well as the hundreds of thousands of Catholics they serve.“Our priests feel we’re doing the best we can,” said Bishop Kevin Sweeney, whose dioceses covers 400,000 Catholics and 107 parishes in three New Jersey counties.Paterson is the first diocese to bring this suit against the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said Raymond Lahoud, its attorney in the lawsuit.But “there is a buzz out there” among similarly impacted religious groups, Lahoud added, because of how&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/africa-religion-alabama-nigeria-0030847bd2a90880d32b0f05fed39177">reliant many are on foreign-born clergy</a>&nbsp;who build strong ties in their U.S. parishes.“It’s so disruptive,” said Bishop Mark Seitz, who chairs the committee on migration for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The group has advocated for legislative and administrative fixes because the newly extralong delays in green card processing are “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/migration-asylum-catholic-us-mexico-border-234448ae83b1ae6fb0f4bdef95f37925">not sustainable</a>.”In his own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-el-paso-mexico-immigration-shelters-c6a8684760041691c68b4c6b3274db96">border diocese of El Paso</a>, Texas, Seitz is facing the possibility of losing priests whose permanent residency cases now have little chance to be approved before their visas expire. The law mandates them to leave the United States for at least a year.“One is pastor of a large, growing parish. Now I’m supposed to send him away for a year, put him on ice, as it were — and somehow provide Masses?” Seitz said.To deal with a shortage of religious workers that has worsened in recent decades, American dioceses have long had agreements with foreign dioceses to bring in seminarians, priests and nuns from places as different as Poland, the Philippines and Nigeria, said the Rev. Thomas Gaunt of Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate.Most other faith denominations from Buddhism to Islam to Pentecostal Christians also recruit foreign-born clergy, for reasons ranging from the need to minister to growing non-English-speaking congregations to specialized training at foreign institutions steeped in a religion’s history.Most such “religious workers,” in the U.S. government’s definition, come under temporary visas called R-1, which allow them to work in the United States for five years. That used to be plenty enough for an organization to assess if the clergy were in fact a good fit and then petition for permanent resident status — known as green cards — for them under a special category called EB-4.Congress establishes a maximum number of green cards available per year per category, which is generally either based on types of employment or family links to U.S. citizens. The wait time depends on whether and by how much the demand exceeds the visas available in each category.Citizens of countries with especially high demand get put in separate, often longer “lines” — currently, the most backlogged category is for the married Mexican children of U.S. citizens, where only applications filed more than 24 years ago are being processed.Neglected or abused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-guatemala-us-election-youth-indigenous-faith-6c919ad842feac8d42f90ed9f9c871ec">minors from Guatemala</a>, Honduras and El Salvador — a surging number of whom have sought humanitarian green cards or asylum after illegally crossing into the U.S. since the mid-2010s — were also in a separate line. But in March 2023, the State Department announced that was a mistake and immediately started adding them to the general queue with the clergy.That’s created a backlog that currently stands at more than 3.5 years and could increase. Some estimate it could take 10-15 years to get these green cards.“This is an untenable situation,” said Lance Conklin, who co-chairs the religious workers group of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and often represents evangelical pastors. “The lawsuit is representative of the way a lot of people feel.”The lawyers’ association, together with the bishops’ conference and other organizations, has been lobbying for long-term Congressional fixes — which most recognize will be hard to obtain given the political sensitivity of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-a39e188fa2c6a563203d2c69eaabdc6d">immigration reform</a>&nbsp;— as well as simpler administrative changes that the agencies could implement quickly.Among those, attorneys and advocates say, would be allowing applicants to change ministry jobs — moving from associate pastor to senior pastor, or relocating to a different convent, for example — without losing their place in the green card line. Or the government could reduce the time they need to spend outside the United States after their visa expires before they can get another one.“We could deal with a month,” Seitz said, while the current required time is 12 months.Most organizations are staying the course for now, hoping and praying that the administration will make at least these temporary fixes — perhaps nudged by the lawsuit, filed in August in U.S. District Court in New Jersey.That’s largely because they don’t have other options.Different employment visas and green cards are far more laborious and expensive to apply for, and many clergy don’t qualify. For instance, those not receiving any salary cannot show they’re being offered “prevailing wages,” one of the requirements meant to protect U.S. native workers in non-religious employment categories.That's often the case for Catholic nuns, said Mary O’Leary, a Michigan attorney who represents religious orders.“A lot of religious orders are not wealthy,” she said. “They’re not like Microsoft, you can’t go to a business school or computer science school and recruit.”In the Archdiocese of Chicago, a nun who works as a school aid has to leave the country when her visa expires in a couple of weeks, said Olga Rojas, the archdiocese's senior counsel for immigration.“This principal is so devasted,” Rojas said, adding that across the U.S. religious workers have already been forced to leave. “They want to stay and finish their work."In some cases, their organizations are trying hard to bring the religious workers back from overseas, said Miguel Naranjo, the director of Religious Immigration Services for Catholic Legal Immigration Network.“It’s beyond ministry,” Naranjo added, because they often provide education, healthcare, youth and other social services. “They’re the last safety net of many communities.”___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Catholic diocese sues US government, worried some foreign-born priests might be forced to leave

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel on Sunday said it had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including a young Israeli-American man who became one of the most well-known captives held by Hamas as his parents met with world leaders and pressed for his release.

The military said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-hostages-goldberg-polin-ade75fccee02f4f8e48cd1c2de784c06">all six had been killed</a>&nbsp;shortly before the arrival of Israeli forces. Their recovery sparked calls for mass protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom many Israelis blame for failing to bring them back alive in a deal with Hamas to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the 10-month-old war</a>. Negotiations over such a deal have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-war-news-08-21-2024-4153fa5fe0daf904f570f4e73f31d2c9">dragged on for months</a>.

Netanyahu said Israel would hold Hamas accountable for killing the hostages in “cold blood,” and blamed the militant group for the stalled negotiations, saying “whoever murders hostages doesn’t want a deal."

Militants seized Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, and four of the other hostages at a music festival in southern Israel during Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, which triggered the war.

The native of Berkeley, California, lost part of his left arm to a grenade in the attack. In April, a Hamas-issued video showed him alive but with his left hand missing, sparking new protests in Israel urging the government to do more to secure the hostages' release.

The army identified the other dead hostages as Ori Danino, 25; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 27; and Alexander Lobanov, 33; who were also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-music-festival-6a55aae2375944f10ecc4c52d05f2ffe">taken from the music festival</a>. The sixth, Carmel Gat, 40, was abducted from the nearby farming community of Be'eri.

It said the bodies were recovered from a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, around a kilometer (half a mile) from where another hostage,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-08-27-2024-696f8ee830207815efd31320976ef118">Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was rescued alive last week</a>.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesperson, said the army believed there were hostages in the area but had no specific intelligence. He said Israeli forces found the bodies several dozen meters (yards) underground as “ongoing combat” was underway, but that there was no firefight in the tunnel itself.

He said there was no doubt that Hamas had killed them.

Hamas has offered to release the hostages in return for an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants.

Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, said the hostages would still be alive if Israel had accepted a U.S.- backed cease-fire proposal that Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-israel-gaza-ceasefire-negotiations-us-8509c5e68d57c96af99653c8292180b2">said it had agreed to back in July</a>.

Families of hostages call for a ‘complete halt of the country’

Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is destroyed and says military pressure is needed to bring home the hostages.

Israel's Channel 12 reported that he got into a shouting match at a security Cabinet meeting late Thursday with his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, who accused him of prioritizing control of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/why-is-israel-demanding-control-over-2-gaza-corridors-in-the-cease-fire-talks/">a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border</a>&nbsp;— a major sticking point in the talks — over the lives of the hostages. The Cabinet reportedly voted in favor of remaining in the corridor over the objections of Gallant, who said it would prevent a hostage deal.

An Israeli official confirmed the report and said three of the hostages — Goldberg-Polin, Yerushalmi and Gat — had been slated to be released in the first phase of a cease-fire proposal discussed back in July. The official was not authorized to brief media about the negotiations and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“In the name of the state of Israel, I hold their families close to my heart and ask forgiveness,” Gallant said Sunday after the remains were recovered. He later called for the Cabinet to reverse its decision.

A forum of hostage families called for a massive protest on Sunday, demanding a “complete halt of the country” to push for the implementation of a cease-fire and hostage release.

“A deal for the return of the hostages has been on the table for over two months. Were it not for the delays, sabotage, and excuses those whose deaths we learned about this morning would likely still be alive,” it said in a statement.

U.S. President Joe Biden, who has met with Goldberg-Polin's parents, said he was “devastated and outraged.”

“It is as tragic as it is reprehensible,” he said. “Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.”

Vice President Kamala Harris said her prayers were with the Goldberg-Polin family and condemned Hamas.

Goldberg-Polin’s parents, U.S.-born immigrants to Israel, became perhaps the most high-profile relatives of hostages on the international stage. They met with Biden, Pope Francis and others and addressed the United Nations, urging the release of all hostages.

On Aug. 21, his parents addressed a hushed hall at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/democratic-national-convention-chicago-hostage-situations-national-national-ab7123fce37f420881242cade670659a">Democratic National Convention</a>&nbsp;— after sustained applause and chants of “bring him home.”

“This is a political convention. But needing our only son — and all of the cherished hostages — home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue,” said his father, Jon Polin.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hersh-goldbergpolin-israel-hostages-hamas-8abbcae1e7092a0080e04731aecc39cb">His mother, Rachel</a>, who bowed her head during the ovation and touched her chest, said “Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you, stay strong, survive.”

She and her husband sought to keep their son and the others held from being reduced to numbers, describing Hersh as a music and soccer lover and traveler with plans to attend university since his military service had ended.

Some 250 hostages were taken on Oct. 7. Israel now believes that 101 remain in captivity, including 35 who are believed to be dead. More than 100 were freed during a weeklong cease-fire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Eight have been rescued by Israeli forces.

Two previous Israeli operations to free hostages killed scores of Palestinians. Hamas says several hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and failed rescue attempts. Israeli troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-15-2023-072436cece0f2351fadfed892e985554">mistakenly killed three Israelis</a>&nbsp;who escaped captivity in December.

Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, when they stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, attacking army bases and several farming communities.

Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were fighters. It has displaced the vast majority of Gaza's 2.3 million people, often multiple times, and plunged the besieged territory&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-polio-who-vaccinations-3acaa0dcf9744810c51032f45e609a2f">into a humanitarian catastrophe</a>.

In a separate development Sunday, Palestinian militants killed three Israeli police officers when they opened fire on their vehicle in the West Bank, according to Israeli officials. Israel has been carrying out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-08-29-2024-ee53e1dbf7ece94151088308510e8679">large-scale military raids</a>&nbsp;across the occupied territory in recent days.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725190103575.png" alt="Top from left Almog Sarusi, Eden Yerushalmi and Hersh Goldberg-Polin. Bottom row from left Ori Danino, Carmel Gat and Alexander Lobanov -photo Hostage and Missing Families Forum" />
 <figcaption>Top from left Almog Sarusi, Eden Yerushalmi and Hersh Goldberg-Polin. Bottom row from left Ori Danino, Carmel Gat and Alexander Lobanov -photo Hostage and Missing Families Forum</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel on Sunday said it had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including a young Israeli-American man who became one of the most well-known captives held by Hamas as his parents met with world leaders and pressed for his release.The military said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-hostages-goldberg-polin-ade75fccee02f4f8e48cd1c2de784c06">all six had been killed</a>&nbsp;shortly before the arrival of Israeli forces. Their recovery sparked calls for mass protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom many Israelis blame for failing to bring them back alive in a deal with Hamas to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the 10-month-old war</a>. Negotiations over such a deal have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-war-news-08-21-2024-4153fa5fe0daf904f570f4e73f31d2c9">dragged on for months</a>.Netanyahu said Israel would hold Hamas accountable for killing the hostages in “cold blood,” and blamed the militant group for the stalled negotiations, saying “whoever murders hostages doesn’t want a deal."Militants seized Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, and four of the other hostages at a music festival in southern Israel during Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, which triggered the war.The native of Berkeley, California, lost part of his left arm to a grenade in the attack. In April, a Hamas-issued video showed him alive but with his left hand missing, sparking new protests in Israel urging the government to do more to secure the hostages' release.The army identified the other dead hostages as Ori Danino, 25; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 27; and Alexander Lobanov, 33; who were also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-music-festival-6a55aae2375944f10ecc4c52d05f2ffe">taken from the music festival</a>. The sixth, Carmel Gat, 40, was abducted from the nearby farming community of Be'eri.It said the bodies were recovered from a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, around a kilometer (half a mile) from where another hostage,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-08-27-2024-696f8ee830207815efd31320976ef118">Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was rescued alive last week</a>.Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesperson, said the army believed there were hostages in the area but had no specific intelligence. He said Israeli forces found the bodies several dozen meters (yards) underground as “ongoing combat” was underway, but that there was no firefight in the tunnel itself.He said there was no doubt that Hamas had killed them.Hamas has offered to release the hostages in return for an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants.Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, said the hostages would still be alive if Israel had accepted a U.S.- backed cease-fire proposal that Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-israel-gaza-ceasefire-negotiations-us-8509c5e68d57c96af99653c8292180b2">said it had agreed to back in July</a>.<h2>Families of hostages call for a ‘complete halt of the country’</h2>Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is destroyed and says military pressure is needed to bring home the hostages.Israel's Channel 12 reported that he got into a shouting match at a security Cabinet meeting late Thursday with his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, who accused him of prioritizing control of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/why-is-israel-demanding-control-over-2-gaza-corridors-in-the-cease-fire-talks/">a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border</a>&nbsp;— a major sticking point in the talks — over the lives of the hostages. The Cabinet reportedly voted in favor of remaining in the corridor over the objections of Gallant, who said it would prevent a hostage deal.An Israeli official confirmed the report and said three of the hostages — Goldberg-Polin, Yerushalmi and Gat — had been slated to be released in the first phase of a cease-fire proposal discussed back in July. The official was not authorized to brief media about the negotiations and spoke on condition of anonymity.“In the name of the state of Israel, I hold their families close to my heart and ask forgiveness,” Gallant said Sunday after the remains were recovered. He later called for the Cabinet to reverse its decision.A forum of hostage families called for a massive protest on Sunday, demanding a “complete halt of the country” to push for the implementation of a cease-fire and hostage release.“A deal for the return of the hostages has been on the table for over two months. Were it not for the delays, sabotage, and excuses those whose deaths we learned about this morning would likely still be alive,” it said in a statement.U.S. President Joe Biden, who has met with Goldberg-Polin's parents, said he was “devastated and outraged.”“It is as tragic as it is reprehensible,” he said. “Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.”Vice President Kamala Harris said her prayers were with the Goldberg-Polin family and condemned Hamas.<h2>A high-profile campaign</h2>Goldberg-Polin’s parents, U.S.-born immigrants to Israel, became perhaps the most high-profile relatives of hostages on the international stage. They met with Biden, Pope Francis and others and addressed the United Nations, urging the release of all hostages.On Aug. 21, his parents addressed a hushed hall at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/democratic-national-convention-chicago-hostage-situations-national-national-ab7123fce37f420881242cade670659a">Democratic National Convention</a>&nbsp;— after sustained applause and chants of “bring him home.”“This is a political convention. But needing our only son — and all of the cherished hostages — home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue,” said his father, Jon Polin.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hersh-goldbergpolin-israel-hostages-hamas-8abbcae1e7092a0080e04731aecc39cb">His mother, Rachel</a>, who bowed her head during the ovation and touched her chest, said “Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you, stay strong, survive.”She and her husband sought to keep their son and the others held from being reduced to numbers, describing Hersh as a music and soccer lover and traveler with plans to attend university since his military service had ended.Some 250 hostages were taken on Oct. 7. Israel now believes that 101 remain in captivity, including 35 who are believed to be dead. More than 100 were freed during a weeklong cease-fire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Eight have been rescued by Israeli forces.Two previous Israeli operations to free hostages killed scores of Palestinians. Hamas says several hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and failed rescue attempts. Israeli troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-15-2023-072436cece0f2351fadfed892e985554">mistakenly killed three Israelis</a>&nbsp;who escaped captivity in December.Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, when they stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, attacking army bases and several farming communities.Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were fighters. It has displaced the vast majority of Gaza's 2.3 million people, often multiple times, and plunged the besieged territory&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-polio-who-vaccinations-3acaa0dcf9744810c51032f45e609a2f">into a humanitarian catastrophe</a>.In a separate development Sunday, Palestinian militants killed three Israeli police officers when they opened fire on their vehicle in the West Bank, according to Israeli officials. Israel has been carrying out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-08-29-2024-ee53e1dbf7ece94151088308510e8679">large-scale military raids</a>&nbsp;across the occupied territory in recent days.

Israel recovers the bodies of 6 hostages including American

GEARY COUNTY —One person drowned Saturday at Milford State Park.

The Geary County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks responded to the drowning at the south boat ramp, swim beach located in the Milford State Park, according to a media release.

Bystanders located the individual who was reported being under water for more than 10 minutes and began CPR. 

 Upon arrival of EMS the individual was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; The sheriff's office has not released the name of the victim.

GEARY COUNTY —One person drowned Saturday at Milford State Park.The Geary County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks responded to the drowning at the south boat ramp, swim beach located in the Milford State Park, according to a media release.Bystanders located the individual who was reported being under water for more than 10 minutes and began CPR. Upon arrival of EMS the individual was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; The sheriff's office has not released the name of the victim.

Sheriff reports drowning at Milford State Park

GEARY COUNTY —&nbsp; Two people were injured in an accident just before 10p.m. Saturday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Chevy Monte Carlo driven by Samuel A&nbsp;Mertens, 40, Kearney, Nebraska, was westbound on Interstate 70 and entered the construction zone between mileposts 295-U.S. 77 exit and 300-Kansas 57 exit.

&nbsp;Traffic began to slow in the construction zone. The Chevy rear-ended a 2016 Nissan Altima driven by Michael W Catt, 27, Wichita.&nbsp; After impact the Chevy&nbsp; drove around the Nissan and continued driving until he stopped near the Ohio Street exit in Saline County.

Mertens was not injured. Catt complained of pain and drove himself to the hospital. EMS transported a passenger in Nissan Wendy R. Catt, 54, Wichita, to&nbsp;Salina Regional Health Center. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725199383794.jpeg" alt="Mertens photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Mertens photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY —&nbsp; Two people were injured in an accident just before 10p.m. Saturday in Geary County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Chevy Monte Carlo driven by Samuel A&nbsp;Mertens, 40, Kearney, Nebraska, was westbound on Interstate 70 and entered the construction zone between mileposts 295-U.S. 77 exit and 300-Kansas 57 exit.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">At approximately 2145 hours, after the K-State game, dispatch alerted Trooper Jacoby Williams to a hit-and-run crash on I-70 westbound at milepost 290. The victim, still following the suspect, provided updates to dispatch as they continued westbound. Trooper Williams caught up… <a href="https://t.co/AcfRsifPdw">pic.twitter.com/AcfRsifPdw</a>&mdash; Trooper Ben (@TrooperBenKHP) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrooperBenKHP/status/1830247058726387775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Traffic began to slow in the construction zone. The Chevy rear-ended a 2016 Nissan Altima driven by Michael W Catt, 27, Wichita.&nbsp; After impact the Chevy&nbsp; drove around the Nissan and continued driving until he stopped near the Ohio Street exit in Saline County.Mertens was not injured. Catt complained of pain and drove himself to the hospital. EMS transported a passenger in Nissan Wendy R. Catt, 54, Wichita, to&nbsp;Salina Regional Health Center. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

2 hospitalized, driver jailed after rear-end crash in Kan. construction zone

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Police said Saturday that a man will face misdemeanor charges after he stormed into the press area at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, before being surrounded by authorities and eventually subdued with a Taser as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-moms-for-liberty-election-2024-education-7b408b46f58c4ba6177f809c4d0b2fb2">former president spoke</a>&nbsp;at the campaign stop.

The incident Friday came moments after Trump had criticized major media outlets for what he said was unfavorable coverage and had dismissed CNN as fawning for its interview Thursday with his Democratic rival&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;and her running mate, Tim Walz.

It was not immediately clear what motivated the man or whether he was a Trump supporter or critic.

The man made it over a barrier ringing the media area and began climbing the back side of a riser where television reporters and cameras were stationed, according to a video of the incident&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/taureansmall/status/1829636618233287111">posted to social media</a>&nbsp;by a reporter for CBS News. People near him tried to pull him off the riser and were quickly joined by police officers and sheriff's deputies.

The crowd cheered as a pack of police led the man away, prompting Trump to say, “Is there anywhere that’s more fun to be than a Trump rally?”

Johnstown's police chief, Richard M. Pritchard, confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday that the man was arrested, released and will be formally charged next week. Pritchard said the man, whose identity will be disclosed when charges are filed, will face misdemeanors in municipal court for alleged disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and disrupting a public assembly.

Pritchard, who was not directly involved in the arrest, declined to speculate on the man’s motives.

Fierce criticism of the media is a standard part of Trump’s rally speeches, and his supporters often react by turning toward the press section and booing; some use their middle finger to demonstrate their distaste for journalists.

Moments before the man ventured into the media's designated section, Trump had reprised his familiar assertion that the media is a collective “enemy of the people.” Video of the incident does not make clear what the man was yelling as he climbed barriers or as he was being subdued and arrested.

Trump's campaign tried to distance the former president from the man and his actions, suggesting he was a Trump opponent.

“Witnesses, including some in the press corps, described a crazed individual shouting expletives at President Trump,” said campaign senior adviser Danielle Alvarez. “His aggression was focused on the president and towards the stage as he entered the press area.”

Alvarez did not identify the witnesses she cited or expound on what the man may have shouted. Alvarez added that the campaign appreciates the response of local law enforcement officials and the U.S. Secret Service for acting quickly.

Shortly after the incident, police handcuffed another man in the crowd and led him out of the arena. It was not immediately clear whether that detention was related to the initial altercation.

The incident happened amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b">heightened scrutiny</a>&nbsp;of security at Trump rallies after a gunman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">fired at him,</a>&nbsp;grazing his ear, during an outdoor rally in July in nearby Butler, Pennsylvania. Security at political events has been noticeably&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-security-assassination-secret-service-043e872757a8814a746dd413b28ea26e">tighter</a>&nbsp;since the shooting.

A Secret Service spokesperson referred questions to local authorities.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725133509171.png" alt="Donald Trump during the Friday rally in Johnstown-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Donald Trump during the Friday rally in Johnstown-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Police said Saturday that a man will face misdemeanor charges after he stormed into the press area at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, before being surrounded by authorities and eventually subdued with a Taser as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-moms-for-liberty-election-2024-education-7b408b46f58c4ba6177f809c4d0b2fb2">former president spoke</a>&nbsp;at the campaign stop.The incident Friday came moments after Trump had criticized major media outlets for what he said was unfavorable coverage and had dismissed CNN as fawning for its interview Thursday with his Democratic rival&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;and her running mate, Tim Walz.It was not immediately clear what motivated the man or whether he was a Trump supporter or critic.The man made it over a barrier ringing the media area and began climbing the back side of a riser where television reporters and cameras were stationed, according to a video of the incident&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/taureansmall/status/1829636618233287111">posted to social media</a>&nbsp;by a reporter for CBS News. People near him tried to pull him off the riser and were quickly joined by police officers and sheriff's deputies.The crowd cheered as a pack of police led the man away, prompting Trump to say, “Is there anywhere that’s more fun to be than a Trump rally?”Johnstown's police chief, Richard M. Pritchard, confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday that the man was arrested, released and will be formally charged next week. Pritchard said the man, whose identity will be disclosed when charges are filed, will face misdemeanors in municipal court for alleged disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and disrupting a public assembly.Pritchard, who was not directly involved in the arrest, declined to speculate on the man’s motives.Fierce criticism of the media is a standard part of Trump’s rally speeches, and his supporters often react by turning toward the press section and booing; some use their middle finger to demonstrate their distaste for journalists.Moments before the man ventured into the media's designated section, Trump had reprised his familiar assertion that the media is a collective “enemy of the people.” Video of the incident does not make clear what the man was yelling as he climbed barriers or as he was being subdued and arrested.Trump's campaign tried to distance the former president from the man and his actions, suggesting he was a Trump opponent.“Witnesses, including some in the press corps, described a crazed individual shouting expletives at President Trump,” said campaign senior adviser Danielle Alvarez. “His aggression was focused on the president and towards the stage as he entered the press area.”Alvarez did not identify the witnesses she cited or expound on what the man may have shouted. Alvarez added that the campaign appreciates the response of local law enforcement officials and the U.S. Secret Service for acting quickly.Shortly after the incident, police handcuffed another man in the crowd and led him out of the arena. It was not immediately clear whether that detention was related to the initial altercation.The incident happened amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b">heightened scrutiny</a>&nbsp;of security at Trump rallies after a gunman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">fired at him,</a>&nbsp;grazing his ear, during an outdoor rally in July in nearby Butler, Pennsylvania. Security at political events has been noticeably&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-security-assassination-secret-service-043e872757a8814a746dd413b28ea26e">tighter</a>&nbsp;since the shooting.A Secret Service spokesperson referred questions to local authorities.

Man will face charges after storming into the press area at a Trump rally

CAMDEN COUNTY —A Missouri police officer died in a crash and fire while chasing a suspect on Saturday in Camden&nbsp; County.

Just after 1:30a.m., sheriff's&nbsp;deputies responded near the Richland area to assist Osage Beach Police Department - City of Osage Beach, Missouri with a vehicle pursuit.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Ford Explorer driven by Osage Beach&nbsp;Police Officer 33-year-old Phylicia Carson was southbound on Route A just east of Toronto Springs Park Road.

The SUV crossed the center of the road while in pursuit of a suspect and began to skid.&nbsp; The vehicle traveled off the left side of the road, struck a tree and caught fire.&nbsp; Officer Carson was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Hedges Scott Funeral Home in Camdenton.

The vehicle involved in the chase also crashed and the suspect was taken into custody, according police.

&nbsp;Carson is survived by her husband and six children. She had been with the city since June 2023, according to Osage Beach Police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725156364558.png" alt="Officer&nbsp; Phylicia Carson courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Officer&nbsp; Phylicia Carson courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>CAMDEN COUNTY —A Missouri police officer died in a crash and fire while chasing a suspect on Saturday in Camden&nbsp; County.Just after 1:30a.m., sheriff's&nbsp;deputies responded near the Richland area to assist Osage Beach Police Department - City of Osage Beach, Missouri with a vehicle pursuit.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Ford Explorer driven by Osage Beach&nbsp;Police Officer 33-year-old Phylicia Carson was southbound on Route A just east of Toronto Springs Park Road.The SUV crossed the center of the road while in pursuit of a suspect and began to skid.&nbsp; The vehicle traveled off the left side of the road, struck a tree and caught fire.&nbsp; Officer Carson was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Hedges Scott Funeral Home in Camdenton.The vehicle involved in the chase also crashed and the suspect was taken into custody, according police.&nbsp;Carson is survived by her husband and six children. She had been with the city since June 2023, according to Osage Beach Police.