WASHINGTON (AP) — The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and its strike group has moved through the Strait of Gibraltar, putting two American carriers in the Mediterranean Sea, a rare sight in recent years.

The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is already in the eastern Mediterranean, part of a buildup of forces as the U.S. supports Israel in its war against Hamas.

The Eisenhower sailed into the Mediterranean on Saturday and is slated to move through the Suez Canal to the U.S. Central Command region as the American forces expand their presence in the Middle East to deter Iran and its proxy militant groups from trying to widen the war.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696803172229.png" alt="The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea Oct. 18-photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea Oct. 18-photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and its strike group has moved through the Strait of Gibraltar, putting two American carriers in the Mediterranean Sea, a rare sight in recent years.The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is already in the eastern Mediterranean, part of a buildup of forces as the U.S. supports Israel in its war against Hamas.The Eisenhower sailed into the Mediterranean on Saturday and is slated to move through the Suez Canal to the U.S. Central Command region as the American forces expand their presence in the Middle East to deter Iran and its proxy militant groups from trying to widen the war.

2nd U.S. aircraft carrier group moves into Mediterranean 

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a home invasion robbery are asking for help to located a suspect.

Just before 9:30p.m. September 20, Police Officers were dispatched to the 300 block of North Penn Aveue in Salina, regarding an armed robbery.

Three victims inside the home reported two subjects entered the back door unannounced and demanded money. One of the suspects threatened the victims with a long gun, while the second suspect was in possession of a knife.

While trying to disarm the suspects, one of the victims was stabbed with the knife. The suspects fled the area prior to police arrival.

A Saline County District Court arrest warrant has been issued in this case for 41-year-old Phyroom “Thaloe” Ketkan of Salina. Salina Police are looking for information on his whereabouts as well any information on the second suspect involved.

If you have any information concerning this incident or identification of the individual involved, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS. You can also make an on—line tip at:<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#">https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#</a>. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Tipsters may also contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210, or Detective Carswell, case 2023-29225.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694180668180.png" alt="Phyroom Thaloe&nbsp;Phyroom -photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Phyroom Thaloe&nbsp;Phyroom -photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a home invasion robbery are asking for help to located a suspect.Just before 9:30p.m. September 20, Police Officers were dispatched to the 300 block of North Penn Aveue in Salina, regarding an armed robbery.Three victims inside the home reported two subjects entered the back door unannounced and demanded money. One of the suspects threatened the victims with a long gun, while the second suspect was in possession of a knife.While trying to disarm the suspects, one of the victims was stabbed with the knife. The suspects fled the area prior to police arrival.A Saline County District Court arrest warrant has been issued in this case for 41-year-old Phyroom “Thaloe” Ketkan of Salina. Salina Police are looking for information on his whereabouts as well any information on the second suspect involved.If you have any information concerning this incident or identification of the individual involved, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS. You can also make an on—line tip at:<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#">https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#</a>. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000.Tipsters may also contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210, or Detective Carswell, case 2023-29225.

Search continues for Kan. home invasion, robbery suspect

LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Friends" star Matthew Perry, the Emmy-nominated actor whose sarcastic, but lovable Chandler Bing was among television's most famous and most quotable characters, has died at 54.

The actor was found dead of an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times and celebrity website TMZ, which was the first to report the news. Both outlets cited unnamed sources confirming Perry's death.

"Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family," the company said in a statement. "The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans."

Perry's publicists and other representatives did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Asked to confirm police response to what was listed as Perry's home address, LAPD Officer Drake Madison told the AP that officers had gone to that block "for a death investigation of a male in his 50s."

Perry's 10 seasons on "Friends" made him one of Hollywood's most recognizable actors, starring opposite Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer as a friend group in New York.

As Chandler, he played the quick-witted, insecure and neurotic roommate of LeBlanc's Joey and a close friend of Schwimmer's Ross. During the show's hijinks, he could be counted on to chime in with a line like "Could this BE any more awkward?" or another well-timed quip.

Perry was open about his long and public struggle with addiction, writing at the beginning of his 2022 million-selling memoir: "Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead."

"Friends" ran from 1994 until 2004, winning one best comedy series Emmy Award in 2002. The cast notably banded together for later seasons to obtain a salary of $1 million per episode for each.

By the "Friends" finale, Chandler is married to Cox's Monica and they have a family, reflecting the journey of the core cast from single New Yorkers trying to figure their lives out to several of them married and starting families.

The series was one of television's biggest hits and has taken on a new life — and found surprising popularity with younger fans — in recent years on streaming services.

Perry described reading the "Friends" script for the first time in his memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing."

"It was as if someone had followed me around for a year, stealing my jokes, copying my mannerisms, photocopying my world-weary yet witty view of life. One character in particular stood out to me: it wasn't that I thought I could 'play' Chandler. I 'was' Chandler."

Unknown at the time was the struggle Perry had with addiction and an intense desire to please audiences.

"'Friends' was huge. I couldn't jeopardize that. I loved the script. I loved my co-actors. I loved the scripts. I loved everything about the show but I was struggling with my addictions which only added to my sense of shame," he wrote in his memoir. "I had a secret and no one could know."

"I felt like I was gonna die if the live audience didn't laugh, and that's not healthy for sure. But I could sometimes say a line and the audience wouldn't laugh and I would sweat and sometimes go into convulsions," Perry wrote. "If I didn't get the laugh I was supposed to get I would freak out. I felt that every single night. This pressure left me in a bad place. I also knew of the six people making that show, only one of them was sick."

He recalled in his memoir that Aniston confronted him about being inebriated while filming.

"I know you're drinking," he remembered her telling him once. "We can smell it," she said, in what Perry called a "kind of weird but loving way, and the plural 'we' hit me like a sledgehammer."

In the foreword to Perry's memoir, Lisa Kudrow described him as "whip smart, charming, sweet, sensitive, very reasonable, and rational." She added, "That guy, with everything he was battling, was still there."

An HBO Max reunion special in 2021 was hosted by James Corden and fed into huge interest in seeing the cast together again, although the program consisted of the actors discussing the show and was not a continuation of their characters' storylines.

Perry received one Emmy nomination for his "Friends" role and two more for appearances as an associate White House counsel on "The West Wing."

Perry also had several notable film roles, starring opposite Salma Hayek in the rom-com "Fools Rush In" and Bruce Willis in the the crime comedy "The Whole Nine Yards."

He worked consistently after "Friends," though never in a role that brought him as much attention or acclaim.

In 2015, he played Oscar for a CBS reboot of "The Odd Couple" that aired for two seasons. He told the AP that playing Oscar Madison, the character originally made famous in the 1960s series by Walter Matthau, was a "dream role." He also said he was surprised how much he enjoyed being filmed again in front of a live audience.

"I didn't realize I missed it really until it actually happened, til we actually shot the pilot and there was a studio audience there and I realized, 'Wow, I really like this. This is nice,'" he said. "You kind of ham up for the people in the audience. My performance never got better than when there was an audience there."

Perry was born Aug. 19, 1969, in Williamstown, Massachusetts. His father is actor John Bennett Perry and his mother, Suzanne, served as press secretary of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and is married to "Dateline" correspondent Keith Morrison.

Associated Press writers Alicia Rancilio, Janie Har, Hillel Italie, Ryan Pearson and Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698541233773.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Friends" star Matthew Perry, the Emmy-nominated actor whose sarcastic, but lovable Chandler Bing was among television's most famous and most quotable characters, has died at 54.The actor was found dead of an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times and celebrity website TMZ, which was the first to report the news. Both outlets cited unnamed sources confirming Perry's death."Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family," the company said in a statement. "The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans."Perry's publicists and other representatives did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.Asked to confirm police response to what was listed as Perry's home address, LAPD Officer Drake Madison told the AP that officers had gone to that block "for a death investigation of a male in his 50s."Perry's 10 seasons on "Friends" made him one of Hollywood's most recognizable actors, starring opposite Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer as a friend group in New York.As Chandler, he played the quick-witted, insecure and neurotic roommate of LeBlanc's Joey and a close friend of Schwimmer's Ross. During the show's hijinks, he could be counted on to chime in with a line like "Could this BE any more awkward?" or another well-timed quip.Perry was open about his long and public struggle with addiction, writing at the beginning of his 2022 million-selling memoir: "Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.""Friends" ran from 1994 until 2004, winning one best comedy series Emmy Award in 2002. The cast notably banded together for later seasons to obtain a salary of $1 million per episode for each.By the "Friends" finale, Chandler is married to Cox's Monica and they have a family, reflecting the journey of the core cast from single New Yorkers trying to figure their lives out to several of them married and starting families.The series was one of television's biggest hits and has taken on a new life — and found surprising popularity with younger fans — in recent years on streaming services.Perry described reading the "Friends" script for the first time in his memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.""It was as if someone had followed me around for a year, stealing my jokes, copying my mannerisms, photocopying my world-weary yet witty view of life. One character in particular stood out to me: it wasn't that I thought I could 'play' Chandler. I 'was' Chandler."Unknown at the time was the struggle Perry had with addiction and an intense desire to please audiences."'Friends' was huge. I couldn't jeopardize that. I loved the script. I loved my co-actors. I loved the scripts. I loved everything about the show but I was struggling with my addictions which only added to my sense of shame," he wrote in his memoir. "I had a secret and no one could know.""I felt like I was gonna die if the live audience didn't laugh, and that's not healthy for sure. But I could sometimes say a line and the audience wouldn't laugh and I would sweat and sometimes go into convulsions," Perry wrote. "If I didn't get the laugh I was supposed to get I would freak out. I felt that every single night. This pressure left me in a bad place. I also knew of the six people making that show, only one of them was sick."He recalled in his memoir that Aniston confronted him about being inebriated while filming."I know you're drinking," he remembered her telling him once. "We can smell it," she said, in what Perry called a "kind of weird but loving way, and the plural 'we' hit me like a sledgehammer."In the foreword to Perry's memoir, Lisa Kudrow described him as "whip smart, charming, sweet, sensitive, very reasonable, and rational." She added, "That guy, with everything he was battling, was still there."An HBO Max reunion special in 2021 was hosted by James Corden and fed into huge interest in seeing the cast together again, although the program consisted of the actors discussing the show and was not a continuation of their characters' storylines.Perry received one Emmy nomination for his "Friends" role and two more for appearances as an associate White House counsel on "The West Wing."Perry also had several notable film roles, starring opposite Salma Hayek in the rom-com "Fools Rush In" and Bruce Willis in the the crime comedy "The Whole Nine Yards."He worked consistently after "Friends," though never in a role that brought him as much attention or acclaim.In 2015, he played Oscar for a CBS reboot of "The Odd Couple" that aired for two seasons. He told the AP that playing Oscar Madison, the character originally made famous in the 1960s series by Walter Matthau, was a "dream role." He also said he was surprised how much he enjoyed being filmed again in front of a live audience."I didn't realize I missed it really until it actually happened, til we actually shot the pilot and there was a studio audience there and I realized, 'Wow, I really like this. This is nice,'" he said. "You kind of ham up for the people in the audience. My performance never got better than when there was an audience there."Perry was born Aug. 19, 1969, in Williamstown, Massachusetts. His father is actor John Bennett Perry and his mother, Suzanne, served as press secretary of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and is married to "Dateline" correspondent Keith Morrison.___Associated Press writers Alicia Rancilio, Janie Har, Hillel Italie, Ryan Pearson and Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.

Matthew Perry, Emmy-nominated 'Friends' star, dead at 54

WICHITA, KAN. – A man who fired shots into his ex-girlfriend’s house and ran her car off the road has been sentenced to prison.

 District Judge David Kaufman sentenced Nicholas Henry, 30 Wichita, to 14-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On August 1 of 2022, Henry purposely ran his ex-girlfriend’s car off the road near Maple and Richmond in Wichita. The woman’s five year old and nine year old daughters were in the car. Both little girls were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Henry was later charged with three counts of aggravated battery. 

In May of 2023, after Henry bonded out of jail, he shot into his ex-girlfriend’s house multiple times. The woman’s younger daughter received wounds to her wrist and back from bullet fragments. The girl’s older sister and mother were also in the house when Henry fired the shots. In September, Henry pled guilty to the crimes in both cases.

Tuesday afternoon, Judge Kaufman followed the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines and sentenced Henry to 32 months for running the woman’s car off the road. In the second case, Henry was sentenced to 136 months on charges of criminal discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and criminal damage to property.

&nbsp;Henry has three previous convictions for domestic battery and two for criminal threat, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684172501865.png" alt="Henry has three previous convictions for domestic battery and two for criminal threat, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Henry has three previous convictions for domestic battery and two for criminal threat, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A man who fired shots into his ex-girlfriend’s house and ran her car off the road has been sentenced to prison. District Judge David Kaufman sentenced Nicholas Henry, 30 Wichita, to 14-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On August 1 of 2022, Henry purposely ran his ex-girlfriend’s car off the road near Maple and Richmond in Wichita. The woman’s five year old and nine year old daughters were in the car. Both little girls were treated at the scene for minor injuries.Henry was later charged with three counts of aggravated battery. In May of 2023, after Henry bonded out of jail, he shot into his ex-girlfriend’s house multiple times. The woman’s younger daughter received wounds to her wrist and back from bullet fragments. The girl’s older sister and mother were also in the house when Henry fired the shots. In September, Henry pled guilty to the crimes in both cases.Tuesday afternoon, Judge Kaufman followed the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines and sentenced Henry to 32 months for running the woman’s car off the road. In the second case, Henry was sentenced to 136 months on charges of criminal discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and criminal damage to property.&nbsp;Henry has three previous convictions for domestic battery and two for criminal threat, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kan. man sentenced for drive-by shooting that injured 6-year-old

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an altercation at the sheriff's office.

Just before 3 p.m.,&nbsp; Friday a man later identified as 28-year-old Lee Shelton Leon of Great Bend entered the Barton County Sheriff’s Office administrative offices at 1416 Kansas Avenue in Great Bend carrying a rifle, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

 Leon was angry because Sheriff’s deputies had served him a “protection from abuse order” earlier in the day.

The suspect threatened Sheriff’s Office personnel and appeared to be extremely agitated. Undersheriff Steve Billinger disarmed the suspect and with the assistance of Lieutenant David Paden and Great Bend Police Department Detective Jefferson Davis, Leon was subdued and arrested. 

There were no injuries to the suspect or Sheriff’s personnel because of this incident. The weapon was later determined to be an air rifle.

Leon was booked into the Barton County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault of law enforcement officer, aggravated assault (civilian personnel) as well as other charges. He’s being held in lieu of a $50,000 bond, according to Bellendir.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698506282027.jpeg" alt="Leon Photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Leon Photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an altercation at the sheriff's office.Just before 3 p.m.,&nbsp; Friday a man later identified as 28-year-old Lee Shelton Leon of Great Bend entered the Barton County Sheriff’s Office administrative offices at 1416 Kansas Avenue in Great Bend carrying a rifle, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir. Leon was angry because Sheriff’s deputies had served him a “protection from abuse order” earlier in the day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698506048208.jpeg" alt="Photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect threatened Sheriff’s Office personnel and appeared to be extremely agitated. Undersheriff Steve Billinger disarmed the suspect and with the assistance of Lieutenant David Paden and Great Bend Police Department Detective Jefferson Davis, Leon was subdued and arrested. There were no injuries to the suspect or Sheriff’s personnel because of this incident. The weapon was later determined to be an air rifle.Leon was booked into the Barton County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault of law enforcement officer, aggravated assault (civilian personnel) as well as other charges. He’s being held in lieu of a $50,000 bond, according to Bellendir.

Angry man jailed after entering Kan. sheriff's office carrying rifle

KANSAS CITY – A Kansas, man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing methamphetamine to distribute and a firearm, according to the United State's Attorney.

Carlos Joseph Blake Gandy, 37, Galena, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool this week to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Gandy was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.

On Oct. 18, 2022, Gandy pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Gandy was arrested on Aug. 30, 2021, when a law enforcement officer saw him driving a motorcycle in Joplin, Mo., although his driver’s license was revoked. 

Gandy pulled into a restaurant parking lot and carried a black backpack with him into the restaurant. Gandy placed the backpack in a booth while he waited in line with other customers to order. A Joplin police officer placed Gandy under arrest for driving with a revoked license. When the officer asked him about the backpack, Gandy denied having a bag.

Officers found the backpack in a booth. Inside the backpack, officers found a plastic baggie that contained approximately 33.86 grams of methamphetamine, another baggie that contained approximately 3.2 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded Rock Island Armory .45-caliber pistol.

Gandy committed this federal offense while on parole or probation for two robbery convictions and a conviction for stealing a car. Gandy also has two prior felony convictions for robbery, two prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, and prior felony convictions for possessing methamphetamine, manufacturing methamphetamine, resisting arrest, possessing a chemical with the intent to create a controlled substance, and possessing a stolen vehicle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698530028970.png" alt="Gandy-photo Cherokee Co." />
 <figcaption>Gandy-photo Cherokee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – A Kansas, man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing methamphetamine to distribute and a firearm, according to the United State's Attorney.Carlos Joseph Blake Gandy, 37, Galena, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool this week to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Gandy was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.On Oct. 18, 2022, Gandy pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.Gandy was arrested on Aug. 30, 2021, when a law enforcement officer saw him driving a motorcycle in Joplin, Mo., although his driver’s license was revoked. Gandy pulled into a restaurant parking lot and carried a black backpack with him into the restaurant. Gandy placed the backpack in a booth while he waited in line with other customers to order. A Joplin police officer placed Gandy under arrest for driving with a revoked license. When the officer asked him about the backpack, Gandy denied having a bag.Officers found the backpack in a booth. Inside the backpack, officers found a plastic baggie that contained approximately 33.86 grams of methamphetamine, another baggie that contained approximately 3.2 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded Rock Island Armory .45-caliber pistol.Gandy committed this federal offense while on parole or probation for two robbery convictions and a conviction for stealing a car. Gandy also has two prior felony convictions for robbery, two prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, and prior felony convictions for possessing methamphetamine, manufacturing methamphetamine, resisting arrest, possessing a chemical with the intent to create a controlled substance, and possessing a stolen vehicle.

Kansas felon admits using a handgun while selling meth

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Former Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;on Saturday dropped his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, ending his campaign for the White House after struggling to raise money and gain traction in the polls.

“It’s become clear to me: This is not my time," Pence said at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jewish-republicans-trump-desantis-2024-45ee4b88592754dfd6ed5332612373b6">Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual gathering</a>&nbsp;in Las Vegas. “So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.”

“We always knew this would be an uphill battle, but I have no regrets," Pence went on to tell the friendly audience, which reacted with audible surprise to the announcement and gave him multiple standing ovations.

Pence is the first major candidate to leave a race that has been dominated by his former boss-turned-rival,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump,</a>&nbsp;and his struggles underscore just how much Trump has transformed the party. A former vice president would typically be seen as a formidable challenger in any primary, but Pence has struggled to find a base of support.

Pence did not immediately endorse any of his rivals, but continued to echo language he has used to criticize Trump.

“I urge all my fellow Republicans here, give our country a Republican standard-bearer that will, as Lincoln said, appeal to the better angels of our nature, and not only lead us to victory, but lead our nation with civility," he said.

Pence's decision, more than two months before the Iowa caucuses that he had staked his campaign on, saves him from accumulating additional debt, as well as the embarrassment of potentially failing to qualify for the third Republican primary debate, on Nov. 8 in Miami.

But his withdrawal is a huge blow for a politician who spent years biding his time as Trump’s most loyal lieutenant, only to be scapegoated during their final days in office when Trump became convinced that Pence somehow had the power to overturn the results of the 2020 election and keep both men in office — a power Pence did not possess.

While Pence averted a constitutional crisis by rejecting the scheme, he drew Trump’s fury, as well as the wrath of many of Trump’s supporters, who still believed his lies about the election and see Pence as a traitor.

Among Trump critics, meanwhile, Pence was seen as an enabler who defended the former president at every turn and refused to criticize even Trump's most indefensible actions time and again.

As a result, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research from August found that the majority of U.S. adults, 57%, viewed Pence negatively, with only 28% having a positive view.

Throughout his campaign, the former Indiana governor and congressman had insisted that while he was well-known by voters, he was not “known well” and set out to change that with an aggressive schedule that included numerous stops at diners and Pizza Ranch restaurants.

Pence had been betting on Iowa, a state with a large white Evangelical population that has a long history of elevating religious and socially conservative candidates such as former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Pennsylvania Rick Santorum. Pence often campaigned with his wife, Karen, a Christian school teacher, and emphasized his hard-line views on issues such as abortion, which he opposes even in cases when a pregnancy is unviable. He repeatedly called on his fellow candidates to support a minimum 15-week national ban and he pushed to ban drugs used as alternatives to surgical procedures.

He tried to confront head-on his actions on Jan. 6, 2021 , explaining to voters over and over that he had done his constitutional duty that day, knowing full well the political consequences. It was a strategy that aides believed would help defuse the issue and earn Pence the respect of a majority of Republicans, whom they were were convinced did not agree with Trump’s actions.

But even in Iowa, Pence struggled to gain traction.

He had an equally uphill climb raising money, despite yearslong relationships with donors. Pence ended September with just $1.18 million in the bank and $621,000 in debt, according to his most recent campaign filing. That debt had grown in the weeks since and adding to it would have taken Pence, who is not independently wealthy, years pay off.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-2024-election-fundraising-iowa-trump-50caaf71b004b25d866aa0dace68b1ec">The Associated Press first reported earlier this month</a>&nbsp;that people close to Pence had begun to feel that remaining a candidate risked diminishing his long-term standing in the party, given Trump’s dominating lead in the race for the 2024 nomination. While they said Pence could stick it out until the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses if he wanted — campaigning on a shoestring budget and accumulating debt — he would have to consider how that might affect his ability to remain a leading voice in the conservative movement, as he hopes.

Some said that Hamas' attack on Israel in October, which pushed foreign policy to the forefront of the campaign, had given Pence a renewed sense of purpose given his warnings throughout the campaign against the growing tide of isolationism in the Republican Party. Pence had argued that he was the race’s most experienced candidate and decried “voices of appeasement” among Republican, arguing they had emboldened groups such as Hamas.

But ultimately, Pence concluded that he could continue to speak out on the issue without continuing the campaign. He chose the Las Vegas event to announce his decision, in part, so he could address the topic one last time before formally leaving the race.

He is expected to remain engaged, in part through Advancing American Freedom, the conservative think tank he founded after leaving the vice presidency and that he envisions it as an alternative to the The Heritage Foundation.

Pence's group is expected to continued to advocate for policies that he supported in his run, including pushing for more U.S. support for Ukraine’s defense against the Russian invasion and proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare to rein in the debt. Such ideas were once the bread-and-butter of Republican establishment orthodoxy but have fallen out of a favor as the party has embraced Trump’s isolationist and populist views.

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Former Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;on Saturday dropped his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, ending his campaign for the White House after struggling to raise money and gain traction in the polls.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Pence?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mike_Pence</a>: &quot;It&#39;s become clear to me: This is not my time. So, after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/TVVxEaPIyL">pic.twitter.com/TVVxEaPIyL</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1718341013578613090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It’s become clear to me: This is not my time," Pence said at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jewish-republicans-trump-desantis-2024-45ee4b88592754dfd6ed5332612373b6">Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual gathering</a>&nbsp;in Las Vegas. “So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.”“We always knew this would be an uphill battle, but I have no regrets," Pence went on to tell the friendly audience, which reacted with audible surprise to the announcement and gave him multiple standing ovations.Pence is the first major candidate to leave a race that has been dominated by his former boss-turned-rival,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump,</a>&nbsp;and his struggles underscore just how much Trump has transformed the party. A former vice president would typically be seen as a formidable challenger in any primary, but Pence has struggled to find a base of support.Pence did not immediately endorse any of his rivals, but continued to echo language he has used to criticize Trump.“I urge all my fellow Republicans here, give our country a Republican standard-bearer that will, as Lincoln said, appeal to the better angels of our nature, and not only lead us to victory, but lead our nation with civility," he said.Pence's decision, more than two months before the Iowa caucuses that he had staked his campaign on, saves him from accumulating additional debt, as well as the embarrassment of potentially failing to qualify for the third Republican primary debate, on Nov. 8 in Miami.But his withdrawal is a huge blow for a politician who spent years biding his time as Trump’s most loyal lieutenant, only to be scapegoated during their final days in office when Trump became convinced that Pence somehow had the power to overturn the results of the 2020 election and keep both men in office — a power Pence did not possess.While Pence averted a constitutional crisis by rejecting the scheme, he drew Trump’s fury, as well as the wrath of many of Trump’s supporters, who still believed his lies about the election and see Pence as a traitor.Among Trump critics, meanwhile, Pence was seen as an enabler who defended the former president at every turn and refused to criticize even Trump's most indefensible actions time and again.As a result, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research from August found that the majority of U.S. adults, 57%, viewed Pence negatively, with only 28% having a positive view.Throughout his campaign, the former Indiana governor and congressman had insisted that while he was well-known by voters, he was not “known well” and set out to change that with an aggressive schedule that included numerous stops at diners and Pizza Ranch restaurants.Pence had been betting on Iowa, a state with a large white Evangelical population that has a long history of elevating religious and socially conservative candidates such as former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Pennsylvania Rick Santorum. Pence often campaigned with his wife, Karen, a Christian school teacher, and emphasized his hard-line views on issues such as abortion, which he opposes even in cases when a pregnancy is unviable. He repeatedly called on his fellow candidates to support a minimum 15-week national ban and he pushed to ban drugs used as alternatives to surgical procedures.He tried to confront head-on his actions on Jan. 6, 2021 , explaining to voters over and over that he had done his constitutional duty that day, knowing full well the political consequences. It was a strategy that aides believed would help defuse the issue and earn Pence the respect of a majority of Republicans, whom they were were convinced did not agree with Trump’s actions.But even in Iowa, Pence struggled to gain traction.He had an equally uphill climb raising money, despite yearslong relationships with donors. Pence ended September with just $1.18 million in the bank and $621,000 in debt, according to his most recent campaign filing. That debt had grown in the weeks since and adding to it would have taken Pence, who is not independently wealthy, years pay off.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-2024-election-fundraising-iowa-trump-50caaf71b004b25d866aa0dace68b1ec">The Associated Press first reported earlier this month</a>&nbsp;that people close to Pence had begun to feel that remaining a candidate risked diminishing his long-term standing in the party, given Trump’s dominating lead in the race for the 2024 nomination. While they said Pence could stick it out until the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses if he wanted — campaigning on a shoestring budget and accumulating debt — he would have to consider how that might affect his ability to remain a leading voice in the conservative movement, as he hopes.Some said that Hamas' attack on Israel in October, which pushed foreign policy to the forefront of the campaign, had given Pence a renewed sense of purpose given his warnings throughout the campaign against the growing tide of isolationism in the Republican Party. Pence had argued that he was the race’s most experienced candidate and decried “voices of appeasement” among Republican, arguing they had emboldened groups such as Hamas.But ultimately, Pence concluded that he could continue to speak out on the issue without continuing the campaign. He chose the Las Vegas event to announce his decision, in part, so he could address the topic one last time before formally leaving the race.He is expected to remain engaged, in part through Advancing American Freedom, the conservative think tank he founded after leaving the vice presidency and that he envisions it as an alternative to the The Heritage Foundation.Pence's group is expected to continued to advocate for policies that he supported in his run, including pushing for more U.S. support for Ukraine’s defense against the Russian invasion and proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare to rein in the debt. Such ideas were once the bread-and-butter of Republican establishment orthodoxy but have fallen out of a favor as the party has embraced Trump’s isolationist and populist views.

🎥Pence drops out of presidential race: 'Not my time'

DETROIT (AP) — Jeep maker Stellantis has reached a tentative contract agreement with the United Auto Workers union that follows a template set earlier this week by Ford, two people with knowledge of the negotiations said Saturday.

The deal, which still has to be ratified by members, leaves only General Motors without a contract with the union. The agreement could end a six-week strike by more than 14,000 workers at Stellantis assembly plants in Michigan and Ohio, and at parts warehouses across the nation.

Like workers at Ford, the strikers at Stellantis are expected to take down their picket lines and start returning to work in the coming days, before 43,000 union members vote.

The people, who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the talks, said most of the main points of the deal at Ford will carry over to Stellantis.

The Ford pact includes 25% in general wage increases over the next 4 1/2 years for top assembly plant workers, with 11% coming once the deal is ratified. Workers also will get cost-of-living pay that would bring the raises to over 30%, with top assembly plant workers making more than $40 per hour. At Stellantis, top-scale workers now make around $31 per hour.

Like the Ford contract, the Stellantis deal would run through April 30, 2028.

The deal includes a new vehicle for a now-idled factory in Belvidere, Illinois, which the company had planned to close.

Bruce Baumhower, president of the local union at a large Stellantis Jeep factory in Toledo, Ohio, that has been on strike since September, said he expects workers will vote to approve the deal because of the pay raises above 30% and a large raise immediately.

“Eleven percent is right on the hood,” he said. “It’s a historic agreement as far as I’m concerned.”

Some union members have been complaining that Fain promised 40% raises to match what he said was given to company CEOs, but Baumhower said that was UAW President Shawn Fain’s opening bid.

Anybody who knows anything about negotiations, you always start out much higher than you think is realistic to get,” he said

Talks were under way with General Motors on Saturday in an effort to reach a similar agreement. Over 14,000 workers at GM remain on strike at factories in Texas, Michigan and Missouri.

The union began targeted strikes against all three automakers on Sept. 15 after its contracts with the companies expired.

The union and Stellantis went into intense negotiations on Thursday, the day after the Ford deal was announced, and finalized the agreement on Saturday.

UAW workers began their targeted strikes with one assembly plant from each company. The strikes were expanded on Sept. 22, adding 38 GM and Stellantis parts warehouses. Assembly plants from Ford and GM were added the week after that, and then the union hit Ford hard, taking down the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, the company’s largest and most profitable factory.

At the peak, about 46,000 workers were on strike against all three companies, about one-third of the union’s 146,000 members at the Detroit three. Automakers laid off several thousand more as parts shortages cascaded through their manufacturing systems.

Under the Ford deal, workers with pensions also will see small increases when they retire, and those hired after 2007 with 401(k) plans will get large increases. For the first time, the union will have the right to go on strike over company plans to close factories. Temporary workers also will get large raises, and Ford agreed to shorten to three years the time it takes for new hires to reach the top of the pay scale.

Other union leaders who followed more aggressive bargaining strategies in recent months have also secured pay hikes and other benefits for their members. Last month, the union representing Hollywood writers called off a nearly five-month strike after scoring some wins in compensation, length of employment and other areas. This summer, the Teamsters also secured new pay hikes and benefits for unionized UPS workers after threatening a nationwide strike at the delivery company.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697839167435.png" alt="The people, who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the talks, said most of the main points of the deal at Ford will carry over to Stellantis.-photo UAW" />
 <figcaption>The people, who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the talks, said most of the main points of the deal at Ford will carry over to Stellantis.-photo UAW</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — Jeep maker Stellantis has reached a tentative contract agreement with the United Auto Workers union that follows a template set earlier this week by Ford, two people with knowledge of the negotiations said Saturday.The deal, which still has to be ratified by members, leaves only General Motors without a contract with the union. The agreement could end a six-week strike by more than 14,000 workers at Stellantis assembly plants in Michigan and Ohio, and at parts warehouses across the nation.Like workers at Ford, the strikers at Stellantis are expected to take down their picket lines and start returning to work in the coming days, before 43,000 union members vote.The people, who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the talks, said most of the main points of the deal at Ford will carry over to Stellantis.The Ford pact includes 25% in general wage increases over the next 4 1/2 years for top assembly plant workers, with 11% coming once the deal is ratified. Workers also will get cost-of-living pay that would bring the raises to over 30%, with top assembly plant workers making more than $40 per hour. At Stellantis, top-scale workers now make around $31 per hour.Like the Ford contract, the Stellantis deal would run through April 30, 2028.The deal includes a new vehicle for a now-idled factory in Belvidere, Illinois, which the company had planned to close.Bruce Baumhower, president of the local union at a large Stellantis Jeep factory in Toledo, Ohio, that has been on strike since September, said he expects workers will vote to approve the deal because of the pay raises above 30% and a large raise immediately.“Eleven percent is right on the hood,” he said. “It’s a historic agreement as far as I’m concerned.”Some union members have been complaining that Fain promised 40% raises to match what he said was given to company CEOs, but Baumhower said that was UAW President Shawn Fain’s opening bid.Anybody who knows anything about negotiations, you always start out much higher than you think is realistic to get,” he saidTalks were under way with General Motors on Saturday in an effort to reach a similar agreement. Over 14,000 workers at GM remain on strike at factories in Texas, Michigan and Missouri.The union began targeted strikes against all three automakers on Sept. 15 after its contracts with the companies expired.The union and Stellantis went into intense negotiations on Thursday, the day after the Ford deal was announced, and finalized the agreement on Saturday.UAW workers began their targeted strikes with one assembly plant from each company. The strikes were expanded on Sept. 22, adding 38 GM and Stellantis parts warehouses. Assembly plants from Ford and GM were added the week after that, and then the union hit Ford hard, taking down the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, the company’s largest and most profitable factory.At the peak, about 46,000 workers were on strike against all three companies, about one-third of the union’s 146,000 members at the Detroit three. Automakers laid off several thousand more as parts shortages cascaded through their manufacturing systems.Under the Ford deal, workers with pensions also will see small increases when they retire, and those hired after 2007 with 401(k) plans will get large increases. For the first time, the union will have the right to go on strike over company plans to close factories. Temporary workers also will get large raises, and Ford agreed to shorten to three years the time it takes for new hires to reach the top of the pay scale.Other union leaders who followed more aggressive bargaining strategies in recent months have also secured pay hikes and other benefits for their members. Last month, the union representing Hollywood writers called off a nearly five-month strike after scoring some wins in compensation, length of employment and other areas. This summer, the Teamsters also secured new pay hikes and benefits for unionized UPS workers after threatening a nationwide strike at the delivery company.

Auto workers and Jeep maker reach tentative contract deal 

By&nbsp;SOFIA RESNICK&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

One of the anti-abortion doctors suing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to rescind its 2000 approval of a medication abortion regimen on the basis that one of the drugs is dangerous is now consulting on the development of a breast cancer treatment that involves the same drug: mifepristone. It is the family doctor’s latest foray into medical consulting outside his medical certifications.

George Delgado is joining the scientific advisory board of Res Nova Biologics Inc., which is developing a breast cancer treatment using mifepristone, despite plaintiffs’ arguments in the lawsuit that federal approval was illegally rushed (it was a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/legal-challenges-to-the-fda-approval-of-medication-abortion-pills/#:~:text=FDA%27s%20original%20approval%20of%20mifepristone,conditions%E2%80%9D%20as%20well%20as%20illnesses.">four-year process</a>) and that the drug’s approved use for first-trimester abortion should be reversed.

But in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231017959162/en/Res-Nova-Biologics-Recruits-Abortion-Pill-Reversal-Founder-to-Scientific-Advisory-Board">press release</a>&nbsp;announcing his role with Res Nova, he said: “In my opinion the concept of leveraging the effects of the abortion pill in life-saving as opposed to a life-taking scenario is extremely exciting. I am proud to join such a specialized team of therapeutic developers in advancing this novel approach to tumor immunotherapy.”

Delgado is among the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/65768749/parties/alliance-for-hippocratic-medicine-v-us-food-and-drug-administration/">four anti-abortion doctors</a>&nbsp;and four conservative Christian medical groups whose claims&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/suspect-science-and-claims-center-abortion-pill-lawsuit">are largely based</a>&nbsp;on anecdotes and research that has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/study-cited-texas-judge-abortion-pill-case-under-investigation">raised red flags</a>. And they contradict&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/washington-fda-lawsuit-part-larger-strategy-preserve-abortion-access">overwhelming evidence</a>&nbsp;that mifepristone is safe after 5.6 million uses and effective for first-trimester abortions, miscarriage management and other medical conditions. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/restored-restrictions-mifepristone-step-backwards">American Medical Association</a>&nbsp;has accused the conservative courts that have advanced the case of&nbsp; “elevat(ing) speculative pseudoscience over data and evidence, arbitrarily rolling back access to a safe and effective drug and leaving millions of women without a critical medication for reproductive health care.”

Nevertheless, the fate of U.S. abortion access once again rests on a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/abortion-rights-advocates-say-consequences-dire-if-scotus-declines-hear-pill-case">forthcoming decision</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. Supreme Court, to either take up this case, or effectively reinstate old restrictions to the drug. Conservative judges in lower courts have relied on plaintiffs’ claims along with testimony from Delgado and the other doctors alleging personal harm because mifepristone is FDA-approved for abortion.

In a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/65768749/1/52/alliance-for-hippocratic-medicine-v-us-food-and-drug-administration/">legal declaration</a>&nbsp;submitted in November 2022, Delgado wrote that he has treated women who “suffer complications from chemical abortions,” but he gave only examples of women whom he says felt regret and emotional distress. As an argument for standing, Delgado also said he loses money when patients have a medication abortion instead of seeking prenatal care services at his family practice in Escondido, California, which&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://colfsclinic.org/faqs/">also offers</a>&nbsp;anti-abortion counseling and a controversial protocol claiming to reverse the effects of mifepristone. The American College of Obstetrician Gynecologists says this protocol is “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/medication-abortion-reversal-is-not-supported-by-science">not supported by science</a>.”

“There is a tangible financial loss to my practice in losing the opportunity to render professional prenatal care for the mother or to care for babies who are never born,” he wrote.

Delgado is an outspoken anti-abortion activist best known for so-called “abortion pill reversal,” which is unregulated by the FDA and whose&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revealnews.org/podcast/the-religious-right-mobilized-to-end-roe-now-what/">unverified claims</a>&nbsp;led the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/25/revealed-doctor-reverse-abortion-trump-administration">AMA to sue</a>&nbsp;North Dakota in 2019 over a state law promoting the procedure. Delgado serves on the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists’&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://aaplog.org/about-us/aaplog-board/">board of directors</a>, despite not being an OB-GYN. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Delgado also testified as a medical expert&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/abortion-reversal-dr-george-delgado-inventor-enlists-in-the-covid-wars?source=articles&amp;via=twitter_page">to keep mega churches open</a>, though he is not a public health expert or epidemiologist. In legal filings he claimed expertise from having “treated many people with infectious diseases, including viral illnesses such as influenza, which tend to occur in epidemics.”

Now the family doctor has been recruited to the scientific advisory board of the biotech company based in Chula Vista, California, that is developing a breast cancer treatment using mifepristone.

Res Nova, a breast-cancer-focused spinoff of Therapeutic Solutions International, Inc., is developing FloraStilbene, a “proprietary formulation of RU-486 and pterostilbene which has been shown to overcome tumor associated immune suppression and increases responsiveness to chemotherapy and immunotherapy.” According to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231017959162/en/Res-Nova-Biologics-Recruits-Abortion-Pill-Reversal-Founder-to-Scientific-Advisory-Board">press release</a>&nbsp;(which refers to mifepristone as RU-486, the name the drug had during laboratory testing), the company “seeks to enter clinical trials of ‘repurposed’ abortion pill for breast cancer” and has signed with a compounding pharmacy.

“The similarities between pregnancy and oncology, including angiogenesis, immune modulation, and rapid growth are striking,” Delgado said.

Delgado is certified in family medicine and hospice and palliative medicine by the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://portfolio.theabfm.org/diplomate/find.aspx?token=0CBD01FABB27A0E64D95C399E1A0E1242EA8A60D14A9046225845DBF21E70F46DE7ECFE5919AC1BCF1A001919F3927EB7B8746797B0BC7B8D055114C184EB03FC8E64279">American Board of Family Medicine, and is not specialized in oncology or immunology.</a>&nbsp;The Res Nova advisory board members&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.resnovabiologics.com/home/the-company">currently listed on the website</a>&nbsp;(Delgado has not yet been added) includes members with diverse specialties, including a board-certified neurologist and neuro-oncologist, a pharmacist, an attorney, a technology executive, and an IT consultant.

Res Nova president and CEO Famela Ramos — who is a nurse, an unsuccessful&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ballotpedia.org/Famela_Ramos">congressional and school board candidate</a>, and on the board of an anti-abortion pregnancy center in Chula Vista — said she recruited Delgado partly because of the so-called abortion reversal technique he’s spent more than a decade developing and promoting.

“Having known the work of Dr. Delgado for many years and his great success in defending both the mother and the baby, it is exciting to have the opportunity to utilize his scientific and medical expertise in this unique intersection of reproductive medicine, immunology, and oncology,” Ramos said in the announcement, which refers to Delgado as an “expert in the biology of pregnancy and the abortion pill” and does not mention his lawsuit against mifepristone.

Delgado has also suggested that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://catholicspeakers.com/profiles/george-delgado-md">abortion is linked to breast cancer</a>, a common anti-abortion claim. But&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/medical-treatments/abortion-and-breast-cancer-risk.html">according to the American Cancer Society</a>, “scientific research studies have not found a cause-and-effect relationship between abortion and breast cancer.”

Ramos and Delgado declined to respond to States Newsroom’s questions.

Major U.S. medical groups have argued that Delagado’s lawsuit could have long-term consequences unrelated to pregnancy termination—and could&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/04/18/fda-approval-process-abortion-pill-ruling/">upend drug research and development</a>. Mifepristone is currently being&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/abortion-pill-may-treat-dozens-diseases-roe-reversal-might-upend-resea-rcna34812">investigated in clinic trials</a>&nbsp;for a variety of cancers and mental health disorders. This lawsuit targets mifepristone for the specific use of abortion, and the drug’s manufacturers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/abortion-pill-may-treat-dozens-diseases-roe-reversal-might-upend-resea-rcna34812">have said</a>&nbsp;restrictions on the medication abortion regimen would not apply to clinical trials investigating mifepristone for non-abortion use. However, researchers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/abortion-pill-may-treat-dozens-diseases-roe-reversal-might-upend-resea-rcna34812">have reported</a>&nbsp;that even before Roe v. Wade was overturned anti-abortion policies made it difficult to study mifepristone.

Already mifepristone can be difficult to access for people who want abortions, but now the drug is also hard to access for the off-label use of miscarriage management because of high demand and confusion around medication abortion laws, according to States Newsroom affiliate&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/many-women-cant-access-miscarriage-drug-because-its-also-used-abortions">Stateline</a>.

“Dr. Delgado’s research interest in mifepristone as a potential preventive for cancer demonstrates the significant medical value that mifepristone provides,” said Molly Meegan, chief legal officer and general counsel for the American College of Obstetrician Gynecologists, which has filed friend-of-the-court briefs defending mifepristone’s approval and safety record in the FDA lawsuit.

Delgado helped create a network of anti-abortion health care providers willing to perform the so-called abortion pill reversal treatment without much data behind it and based on the doctor’s training at an institute that teaches a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/magazine/a-new-front-in-the-war-over-reproductive-rights-abortion-pill-reversal.html">Catholic-friendly approach</a>&nbsp;to reproductive health. The anti-abortion pregnancy center network Heartbeat International now manages the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.heartbeatinternational.org/our-work/apr">Abortion Pill Rescue Network</a>.

The FDA’s medication abortion regimen, which is currently recommended for up to 10 weeks’ gestation, involves mifepristone to block the hormone progesterone, followed by the medication misoprostol which causes contractions. The “reversal” protocol has patients forgo the second drug in the regimen and receive doses of progesterone. States Newsroom&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/how-make-state-abortion-ban-go-national">has interviewed</a>&nbsp;a patient who remained pregnant and gave birth to a healthy baby after going through this treatment at an anti-abortion pregnancy center in Idaho. But medical groups like ACOG and the AMA say there’s not enough evidence to show that it’s the progesterone that continues the pregnancy versus not completing the abortion regimen. The one attempt at a controlled study of this protocol&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thecut.com/2019/12/abortion-reversal-study-stopped-after-women-hospitalized.html">ended prematurely</a>&nbsp;because the OB-GYN and mifepristone expert leading the study determined it was unsafe after three patients hemorrhaged.

Though several states have passed laws requiring abortion clinics to tell patients they could potentially reverse their abortions if they change their minds, some states are now pushing back on the promotion and marketing of this treatment.

The California attorney general is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://calmatters.org/health/2023/09/california-sues-crisis-pregnancy-centers-abortion-reversal/">suing Heartbeat International</a>&nbsp;and another California-based crisis pregnancy network that have widely marketed “abortion pill reversal” despite its unproven claims, under the state’s False Advertising and Unfair Competition laws.

Earlier this year Colorado became the first state to ban the procedure, which was followed by a lawsuit from a Catholic clinic. State regulators&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/abortion-reversal-ban-survives-test-colorado-regulatory-board-rules">have ruled</a>&nbsp;that so-called “abortion reversal treatments” are not an accepted medical practice. But over the weekend, a federal judge appointed by former President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-judge-blocks-colorado-ban-abortion-reversal-treatment?eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=35e5c507-3f4a-44bb-9c54-618cb363e695">blocked the new state law</a>, citing the plaintiffs’ religious freedom.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967457500.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;SOFIA RESNICK&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>One of the anti-abortion doctors suing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to rescind its 2000 approval of a medication abortion regimen on the basis that one of the drugs is dangerous is now consulting on the development of a breast cancer treatment that involves the same drug: mifepristone. It is the family doctor’s latest foray into medical consulting outside his medical certifications.George Delgado is joining the scientific advisory board of Res Nova Biologics Inc., which is developing a breast cancer treatment using mifepristone, despite plaintiffs’ arguments in the lawsuit that federal approval was illegally rushed (it was a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/legal-challenges-to-the-fda-approval-of-medication-abortion-pills/#:~:text=FDA%27s%20original%20approval%20of%20mifepristone,conditions%E2%80%9D%20as%20well%20as%20illnesses.">four-year process</a>) and that the drug’s approved use for first-trimester abortion should be reversed.But in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231017959162/en/Res-Nova-Biologics-Recruits-Abortion-Pill-Reversal-Founder-to-Scientific-Advisory-Board">press release</a>&nbsp;announcing his role with Res Nova, he said: “In my opinion the concept of leveraging the effects of the abortion pill in life-saving as opposed to a life-taking scenario is extremely exciting. I am proud to join such a specialized team of therapeutic developers in advancing this novel approach to tumor immunotherapy.”Delgado is among the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/65768749/parties/alliance-for-hippocratic-medicine-v-us-food-and-drug-administration/">four anti-abortion doctors</a>&nbsp;and four conservative Christian medical groups whose claims&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/suspect-science-and-claims-center-abortion-pill-lawsuit">are largely based</a>&nbsp;on anecdotes and research that has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/study-cited-texas-judge-abortion-pill-case-under-investigation">raised red flags</a>. And they contradict&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/washington-fda-lawsuit-part-larger-strategy-preserve-abortion-access">overwhelming evidence</a>&nbsp;that mifepristone is safe after 5.6 million uses and effective for first-trimester abortions, miscarriage management and other medical conditions. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/restored-restrictions-mifepristone-step-backwards">American Medical Association</a>&nbsp;has accused the conservative courts that have advanced the case of&nbsp; “elevat(ing) speculative pseudoscience over data and evidence, arbitrarily rolling back access to a safe and effective drug and leaving millions of women without a critical medication for reproductive health care.”Nevertheless, the fate of U.S. abortion access once again rests on a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/abortion-rights-advocates-say-consequences-dire-if-scotus-declines-hear-pill-case">forthcoming decision</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. Supreme Court, to either take up this case, or effectively reinstate old restrictions to the drug. Conservative judges in lower courts have relied on plaintiffs’ claims along with testimony from Delgado and the other doctors alleging personal harm because mifepristone is FDA-approved for abortion.In a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/65768749/1/52/alliance-for-hippocratic-medicine-v-us-food-and-drug-administration/">legal declaration</a>&nbsp;submitted in November 2022, Delgado wrote that he has treated women who “suffer complications from chemical abortions,” but he gave only examples of women whom he says felt regret and emotional distress. As an argument for standing, Delgado also said he loses money when patients have a medication abortion instead of seeking prenatal care services at his family practice in Escondido, California, which&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://colfsclinic.org/faqs/">also offers</a>&nbsp;anti-abortion counseling and a controversial protocol claiming to reverse the effects of mifepristone. The American College of Obstetrician Gynecologists says this protocol is “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/medication-abortion-reversal-is-not-supported-by-science">not supported by science</a>.”“There is a tangible financial loss to my practice in losing the opportunity to render professional prenatal care for the mother or to care for babies who are never born,” he wrote.Delgado is an outspoken anti-abortion activist best known for so-called “abortion pill reversal,” which is unregulated by the FDA and whose&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revealnews.org/podcast/the-religious-right-mobilized-to-end-roe-now-what/">unverified claims</a>&nbsp;led the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/25/revealed-doctor-reverse-abortion-trump-administration">AMA to sue</a>&nbsp;North Dakota in 2019 over a state law promoting the procedure. Delgado serves on the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists’&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://aaplog.org/about-us/aaplog-board/">board of directors</a>, despite not being an OB-GYN. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Delgado also testified as a medical expert&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/abortion-reversal-dr-george-delgado-inventor-enlists-in-the-covid-wars?source=articles&amp;via=twitter_page">to keep mega churches open</a>, though he is not a public health expert or epidemiologist. In legal filings he claimed expertise from having “treated many people with infectious diseases, including viral illnesses such as influenza, which tend to occur in epidemics.”Now the family doctor has been recruited to the scientific advisory board of the biotech company based in Chula Vista, California, that is developing a breast cancer treatment using mifepristone.Res Nova, a breast-cancer-focused spinoff of Therapeutic Solutions International, Inc., is developing FloraStilbene, a “proprietary formulation of RU-486 and pterostilbene which has been shown to overcome tumor associated immune suppression and increases responsiveness to chemotherapy and immunotherapy.” According to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231017959162/en/Res-Nova-Biologics-Recruits-Abortion-Pill-Reversal-Founder-to-Scientific-Advisory-Board">press release</a>&nbsp;(which refers to mifepristone as RU-486, the name the drug had during laboratory testing), the company “seeks to enter clinical trials of ‘repurposed’ abortion pill for breast cancer” and has signed with a compounding pharmacy.“The similarities between pregnancy and oncology, including angiogenesis, immune modulation, and rapid growth are striking,” Delgado said.Delgado is certified in family medicine and hospice and palliative medicine by the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://portfolio.theabfm.org/diplomate/find.aspx?token=0CBD01FABB27A0E64D95C399E1A0E1242EA8A60D14A9046225845DBF21E70F46DE7ECFE5919AC1BCF1A001919F3927EB7B8746797B0BC7B8D055114C184EB03FC8E64279">American Board of Family Medicine, and is not specialized in oncology or immunology.</a>&nbsp;The Res Nova advisory board members&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.resnovabiologics.com/home/the-company">currently listed on the website</a>&nbsp;(Delgado has not yet been added) includes members with diverse specialties, including a board-certified neurologist and neuro-oncologist, a pharmacist, an attorney, a technology executive, and an IT consultant.Res Nova president and CEO Famela Ramos — who is a nurse, an unsuccessful&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ballotpedia.org/Famela_Ramos">congressional and school board candidate</a>, and on the board of an anti-abortion pregnancy center in Chula Vista — said she recruited Delgado partly because of the so-called abortion reversal technique he’s spent more than a decade developing and promoting.“Having known the work of Dr. Delgado for many years and his great success in defending both the mother and the baby, it is exciting to have the opportunity to utilize his scientific and medical expertise in this unique intersection of reproductive medicine, immunology, and oncology,” Ramos said in the announcement, which refers to Delgado as an “expert in the biology of pregnancy and the abortion pill” and does not mention his lawsuit against mifepristone.Delgado has also suggested that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://catholicspeakers.com/profiles/george-delgado-md">abortion is linked to breast cancer</a>, a common anti-abortion claim. But&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/medical-treatments/abortion-and-breast-cancer-risk.html">according to the American Cancer Society</a>, “scientific research studies have not found a cause-and-effect relationship between abortion and breast cancer.”Ramos and Delgado declined to respond to States Newsroom’s questions.Major U.S. medical groups have argued that Delagado’s lawsuit could have long-term consequences unrelated to pregnancy termination—and could&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/04/18/fda-approval-process-abortion-pill-ruling/">upend drug research and development</a>. Mifepristone is currently being&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/abortion-pill-may-treat-dozens-diseases-roe-reversal-might-upend-resea-rcna34812">investigated in clinic trials</a>&nbsp;for a variety of cancers and mental health disorders. This lawsuit targets mifepristone for the specific use of abortion, and the drug’s manufacturers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/abortion-pill-may-treat-dozens-diseases-roe-reversal-might-upend-resea-rcna34812">have said</a>&nbsp;restrictions on the medication abortion regimen would not apply to clinical trials investigating mifepristone for non-abortion use. However, researchers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/abortion-pill-may-treat-dozens-diseases-roe-reversal-might-upend-resea-rcna34812">have reported</a>&nbsp;that even before Roe v. Wade was overturned anti-abortion policies made it difficult to study mifepristone.Already mifepristone can be difficult to access for people who want abortions, but now the drug is also hard to access for the off-label use of miscarriage management because of high demand and confusion around medication abortion laws, according to States Newsroom affiliate&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/many-women-cant-access-miscarriage-drug-because-its-also-used-abortions">Stateline</a>.“Dr. Delgado’s research interest in mifepristone as a potential preventive for cancer demonstrates the significant medical value that mifepristone provides,” said Molly Meegan, chief legal officer and general counsel for the American College of Obstetrician Gynecologists, which has filed friend-of-the-court briefs defending mifepristone’s approval and safety record in the FDA lawsuit.Delgado helped create a network of anti-abortion health care providers willing to perform the so-called abortion pill reversal treatment without much data behind it and based on the doctor’s training at an institute that teaches a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/magazine/a-new-front-in-the-war-over-reproductive-rights-abortion-pill-reversal.html">Catholic-friendly approach</a>&nbsp;to reproductive health. The anti-abortion pregnancy center network Heartbeat International now manages the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.heartbeatinternational.org/our-work/apr">Abortion Pill Rescue Network</a>.The FDA’s medication abortion regimen, which is currently recommended for up to 10 weeks’ gestation, involves mifepristone to block the hormone progesterone, followed by the medication misoprostol which causes contractions. The “reversal” protocol has patients forgo the second drug in the regimen and receive doses of progesterone. States Newsroom&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/how-make-state-abortion-ban-go-national">has interviewed</a>&nbsp;a patient who remained pregnant and gave birth to a healthy baby after going through this treatment at an anti-abortion pregnancy center in Idaho. But medical groups like ACOG and the AMA say there’s not enough evidence to show that it’s the progesterone that continues the pregnancy versus not completing the abortion regimen. The one attempt at a controlled study of this protocol&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thecut.com/2019/12/abortion-reversal-study-stopped-after-women-hospitalized.html">ended prematurely</a>&nbsp;because the OB-GYN and mifepristone expert leading the study determined it was unsafe after three patients hemorrhaged.Though several states have passed laws requiring abortion clinics to tell patients they could potentially reverse their abortions if they change their minds, some states are now pushing back on the promotion and marketing of this treatment.The California attorney general is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://calmatters.org/health/2023/09/california-sues-crisis-pregnancy-centers-abortion-reversal/">suing Heartbeat International</a>&nbsp;and another California-based crisis pregnancy network that have widely marketed “abortion pill reversal” despite its unproven claims, under the state’s False Advertising and Unfair Competition laws.Earlier this year Colorado became the first state to ban the procedure, which was followed by a lawsuit from a Catholic clinic. State regulators&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/abortion-reversal-ban-survives-test-colorado-regulatory-board-rules">have ruled</a>&nbsp;that so-called “abortion reversal treatments” are not an accepted medical practice. But over the weekend, a federal judge appointed by former President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-judge-blocks-colorado-ban-abortion-reversal-treatment?eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=35e5c507-3f4a-44bb-9c54-618cb363e695">blocked the new state law</a>, citing the plaintiffs’ religious freedom.

Doctor suing FDA recruited to advisory board to ‘repurpose’ abortion pill

KANSAS CITY, MO. (AP) — The NFL placed Kansas City Chiefs receiver Justyn Ross on the Commissioner Exempt List on Friday, three days after he pleaded not guilty to charges of misdemeanor domestic battery and criminal damage to property.

Ross is not allowed to practice or attend games while on the list.

Ross was released from jail Tuesday after posting $2,500 bond. He is due again in court on Dec. 4. The Chiefs said they were aware of his arrest but had no comment.

Ross was arrested Monday, and the sheriff’s office in Johnson County, Kansas, originally indicated on his booking record that he was accused of causing damage of up to $25,000, which would have been a felony. That total was adjusted to under $1,000.

The 23-year-old Ross has been a bit player for the defending Super Bowl champions this season. He has been active in their first seven games but has just three catches for 34 yards.

The fact that he is playing at all is noteworthy. After a standout first two seasons at Clemson, Ross was found to have a congenital fusion condition in his neck and spinal area that required career-threatening surgery. Ross returned to play another season for the Tigers, then turned professional, where the Chiefs were one of the few teams willing to clear him medically to play.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698197296137.png" alt="Ross-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Ross-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, MO. (AP) — The NFL placed Kansas City Chiefs receiver Justyn Ross on the Commissioner Exempt List on Friday, three days after he pleaded not guilty to charges of misdemeanor domestic battery and criminal damage to property.Ross is not allowed to practice or attend games while on the list.Ross was released from jail Tuesday after posting $2,500 bond. He is due again in court on Dec. 4. The Chiefs said they were aware of his arrest but had no comment.Ross was arrested Monday, and the sheriff’s office in Johnson County, Kansas, originally indicated on his booking record that he was accused of causing damage of up to $25,000, which would have been a felony. That total was adjusted to under $1,000.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698113130170.png" alt="Ross photo KC Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Ross photo KC Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>The 23-year-old Ross has been a bit player for the defending Super Bowl champions this season. He has been active in their first seven games but has just three catches for 34 yards.The fact that he is playing at all is noteworthy. After a standout first two seasons at Clemson, Ross was found to have a congenital fusion condition in his neck and spinal area that required career-threatening surgery. Ross returned to play another season for the Tigers, then turned professional, where the Chiefs were one of the few teams willing to clear him medically to play.___

NFL puts Chiefs receiver on exempt list after domestic battery arrest

Kansas economic incentives bind taxpayers, Cerner and Sporting KC

By TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The state of Kansas reached a $7 million settlement with the parent company of Sporting Kansas City to resolve a dispute about repayment of taxpayer-funded economic development incentives relied upon to build Cerner Corp.’s office complex in Wyandotte County, officials said Friday.

OnGoal, the parent company of the professional soccer franchise, pledged to complete the settlement payments in 2025. Cerner’s exodus from Wyandotte County had left OnGoal responsible for the IT company’s economic development obligations.

Payments would be distributed this way: Willa Gill Services Center, $2 million; 2026 FIFA World Cup, $2 million; Quindaro Ruins, $1 million; community projects east of I-635, $1 million; Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, $500,000; Wyandotte County Historical Museum, $250,000; and Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, $250,000.

The administration of Gov. Sam Brownback provided Cerner with $48 million in incentives in 2010 to build an office complex in Wyandotte County in exchange for the company’s promise to shower 4,500 jobs on Kansas. In 2011, the job metric obligations linked to the government-backed incentives were dropped in concert with a deal with OnGoal that led to construction of the soccer stadium for Sporting Kansas City.

Overhaul of the original Brownback agreement with Cerner didn’t eliminate expectations the company would generate payroll tax collections sufficient to cover economic incentives provided by Kansas taxpayers for the office space opened in 2013.

In 2021, Cerner put the set of office towers in western Kansas City, Kansas, up for sale and relocated employees. Cerner was later bought by Oracle.

The Brownback-era arrangement involving Cerner and OnGoal permitted the state to invoke clawback mechanisms to recoup up to $3.04 million annually for five consecutive years if Cerner didn’t meet payroll requirements. For the year ending Dec. 31, 2021, payroll tax collections were insufficient and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County demanded in July 2022 the first $3.04 million payment from OnGoal. That prompted negotiations led by the Kansas Department of Commerce.

“Since day one of my administration, I have directed the Department of Commerce to pursue business deals in a way that benefits our communities,” Gov. Laura Kelly said. “Often that means creating jobs and bringing in investment, but — as this agreement shows — it also means holding businesses accountable and protecting taxpayer dollars.”

The Brownback-era arrangement spawning construction of the office complex and the soccer stadium intertwined Cerner, OnGoal, the Unified Government and the state of Kansas. A special entity, Kansas Unified Development LLC, had been launched to handle development of the stadium and Cerner’s offices. To protect taxpayers, OnGoal — the parent of Sporting Kansas City — agreed to be responsible for financial clawbacks if Cerner failed to meet economic development targets.

Once Cerner bolted from Wyandotte County, it left guarantor OnGoal with potential repayment obligations of $15 million.

Attorney Korb Maxwell, speaking on behalf of OnGoal, said the company appreciated its partnership with the state and county.

“For more than a decade, OnGoal has been committed and invested in the local community and looks forward to further enhancing Kansas City, Kansas, as a major destination,” Maxwell said.

Lt. Gov. David Toland, secretary of the Department of Commerce, said the agency shielded taxpayers by enforcing clawback provisions embedded in economic development incentive programs. OnGoal’s contributions could begin in November with regard to Quindaro and Memorial Hall. Other payments should be completed by the end of 2025.

“This agreement ensures sales tax dollars still are being utilized to further the state’s tourism goals and put money back into the community to have lasting impact,” Toland said.

David Johnson, administrator of the Unified Government, said the settlement provided grants to important projects, including an effort to better serve homeless people.

“Funds will support ongoing efforts to provide supportive services for the unhoused – all important initiatives to our economic future,” he said. “We are grateful for the willingness of the state and developer to work with us to make this a reality.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698492647458.png" alt="Cerner Corp.’s failure to meet economic development obligations linked to construction of an office complex in Wyandotte County led to a $7 million settlement with the parent company of Sporting Kansas City, which had guaranteed Cerner’s repayment of taxpayer-backed incentives in a package deal enabling construction of the team’s soccer stadium in Wyandotte County. -image courtesy Sporting Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Cerner Corp.’s failure to meet economic development obligations linked to construction of an office complex in Wyandotte County led to a $7 million settlement with the parent company of Sporting Kansas City, which had guaranteed Cerner’s repayment of taxpayer-backed incentives in a package deal enabling construction of the team’s soccer stadium in Wyandotte County. -image courtesy Sporting Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas economic incentives bind taxpayers, Cerner and Sporting KC</h2>By TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The state of Kansas reached a $7 million settlement with the parent company of Sporting Kansas City to resolve a dispute about repayment of taxpayer-funded economic development incentives relied upon to build Cerner Corp.’s office complex in Wyandotte County, officials said Friday.OnGoal, the parent company of the professional soccer franchise, pledged to complete the settlement payments in 2025. Cerner’s exodus from Wyandotte County had left OnGoal responsible for the IT company’s economic development obligations.Payments would be distributed this way: Willa Gill Services Center, $2 million; 2026 FIFA World Cup, $2 million; Quindaro Ruins, $1 million; community projects east of I-635, $1 million; Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, $500,000; Wyandotte County Historical Museum, $250,000; and Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, $250,000.The administration of Gov. Sam Brownback provided Cerner with $48 million in incentives in 2010 to build an office complex in Wyandotte County in exchange for the company’s promise to shower 4,500 jobs on Kansas. In 2011, the job metric obligations linked to the government-backed incentives were dropped in concert with a deal with OnGoal that led to construction of the soccer stadium for Sporting Kansas City.Overhaul of the original Brownback agreement with Cerner didn’t eliminate expectations the company would generate payroll tax collections sufficient to cover economic incentives provided by Kansas taxpayers for the office space opened in 2013.In 2021, Cerner put the set of office towers in western Kansas City, Kansas, up for sale and relocated employees. Cerner was later bought by Oracle.The Brownback-era arrangement involving Cerner and OnGoal permitted the state to invoke clawback mechanisms to recoup up to $3.04 million annually for five consecutive years if Cerner didn’t meet payroll requirements. For the year ending Dec. 31, 2021, payroll tax collections were insufficient and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County demanded in July 2022 the first $3.04 million payment from OnGoal. That prompted negotiations led by the Kansas Department of Commerce.“Since day one of my administration, I have directed the Department of Commerce to pursue business deals in a way that benefits our communities,” Gov. Laura Kelly said. “Often that means creating jobs and bringing in investment, but — as this agreement shows — it also means holding businesses accountable and protecting taxpayer dollars.”The Brownback-era arrangement spawning construction of the office complex and the soccer stadium intertwined Cerner, OnGoal, the Unified Government and the state of Kansas. A special entity, Kansas Unified Development LLC, had been launched to handle development of the stadium and Cerner’s offices. To protect taxpayers, OnGoal — the parent of Sporting Kansas City — agreed to be responsible for financial clawbacks if Cerner failed to meet economic development targets.Once Cerner bolted from Wyandotte County, it left guarantor OnGoal with potential repayment obligations of $15 million.Attorney Korb Maxwell, speaking on behalf of OnGoal, said the company appreciated its partnership with the state and county.“For more than a decade, OnGoal has been committed and invested in the local community and looks forward to further enhancing Kansas City, Kansas, as a major destination,” Maxwell said.Lt. Gov. David Toland, secretary of the Department of Commerce, said the agency shielded taxpayers by enforcing clawback provisions embedded in economic development incentive programs. OnGoal’s contributions could begin in November with regard to Quindaro and Memorial Hall. Other payments should be completed by the end of 2025.“This agreement ensures sales tax dollars still are being utilized to further the state’s tourism goals and put money back into the community to have lasting impact,” Toland said.David Johnson, administrator of the Unified Government, said the settlement provided grants to important projects, including an effort to better serve homeless people.“Funds will support ongoing efforts to provide supportive services for the unhoused – all important initiatives to our economic future,” he said. “We are grateful for the willingness of the state and developer to work with us to make this a reality.”

Negotiated $7 million deal resolves fallout from Cerner’s exit from Wyandotte County

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting at a house party in Manhattan have made three arrests and need the public's assistance finding Marc Oliver, 18, of Manhattan.

Oliver is believed to be armed and dangerous. Do not approach him if seen. If you have any information on Oliver's whereabouts, please contact the Riley County Police Department at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777. In an emergency call 911. You can submit tips online here: <a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=353&amp;fbclid=IwAR1GHVjFgfT3ues8-8f91kX8WxuPB2Km53SLcXi2j3GMvavjQuRYfzwpJh0" target="_blank">https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=353</a>#

Just before 3a.m. October 21, the Riley County Police Department Communication Center received several 911 calls reporting gunfire.&nbsp;When officers arrived on scene, they found 2 male victims with gunshot wounds. A 3rd male victim arrived at the hospital with a gunshot wound from the incident.&nbsp;

On Thursday evening police reported the arrest of 21-year-old Cordarius Gowdy; 18-year-old Damerius McGee both of Ogden and Christopher Stowers, 21, of Manhattan on requested charges&nbsp; of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery and one count of firing into an occupied dwelling.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698364743811.png" alt="Oliver photo RCPD" />
 <figcaption>Oliver photo RCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting at a house party in Manhattan have made three arrests and need the public's assistance finding Marc Oliver, 18, of Manhattan.Oliver is believed to be armed and dangerous. Do not approach him if seen. If you have any information on Oliver's whereabouts, please contact the Riley County Police Department at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777. In an emergency call 911. You can submit tips online here: <a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=353&amp;fbclid=IwAR1GHVjFgfT3ues8-8f91kX8WxuPB2Km53SLcXi2j3GMvavjQuRYfzwpJh0" target="_blank">https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=353</a>#Just before 3a.m. October 21, the Riley County Police Department Communication Center received several 911 calls reporting gunfire.&nbsp;When officers arrived on scene, they found 2 male victims with gunshot wounds. A 3rd male victim arrived at the hospital with a gunshot wound from the incident.&nbsp;On Thursday evening police reported the arrest of 21-year-old Cordarius Gowdy; 18-year-old Damerius McGee both of Ogden and Christopher Stowers, 21, of Manhattan on requested charges&nbsp; of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery and one count of firing into an occupied dwelling.

Armed, dangerous Kan. shooting suspect still hiding from police

By&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Author/58550/jim-garamone/">Jim Garamone</a>, Department of Defense

U.S. efforts in the Middle East remain focused on supporting Israel's defense needs as the nation battles Hamas terrorists in Gaza, deterring other actors who seek to use the Hamas war on Israel as a pretext to expand the conflict and to ensure force protection for U.S. forces serving in the region, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said today.&nbsp;

Approximately 900 U.S. troops are in the process of deploying to the U.S. Central Command area of operations, Ryder said.&nbsp;

These include forces that had previously been put on prepare-to-deploy status and they are deploying from the continental United States. &nbsp;

Deployed and deploying units include a terminal high-altitude area defense battery from Fort Bliss, Texas; Patriot batteries from Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Patriot and Avenger batteries from Fort Liberty, North Carolina and associated air defense headquarters elements from Fort Bliss and Fort Cavazos, Texas. &nbsp;

"I won't talk specific deployment locations for these forces, I can confirm that they are not going to Israel," Ryder said. The units and personnel are intended to support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster U.S. force protection capabilities.&nbsp;

Ryder said that between October 17 and 26, U.S. and coalition forces have been attacked at least 12 separate times in Iraq and four separate times in Syria, by a mix of one-way attack drones and rockets. The general would not provide specific groups that have claimed responsibility for these attacks. All he would say is "we know that these groups are affiliated with Iran."&nbsp;

Ryder said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III continued his near-daily calls to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. He received updates on Israeli operations and Israeli military needs. "During the discussion, Secretary Austin reiterated the importance of ensuring humanitarian aid can be delivered into Gaza and repeated our calls for Israel to ensure the protection of civilians," the general said. &nbsp;

Ryder confirmed that the United States is sending two U.S. Iron Dome systems to Israel to help further bolster air defense capabilities and protect citizens from rocket attacks. &nbsp;

Israel is not the only hotspot in the world, and Ryder said the United States is sending a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3569812/biden-administration-announces-additional-security-assistance-for-ukraine/">$150 million package of military aid</a>&nbsp;to support Ukraine's urgent security needs. "This marks the 49th provision of equipment from DOD inventories to Ukraine since August 2021," he said. "This crucial security assistance includes air defense capabilities, artillery, ammunition, anti-tank weapons and other important aid to help Ukraine counter Russia's ongoing aggression and continue its fight for independence and freedom."&nbsp;

The general reiterated U.S. leaders' pledges to Ukraine that the United States will stand with Ukraine "and we will continue to have their backs."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698490072758.png" alt="Three U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotankers assigned to Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., arrive at an undisclosed location in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Oct. 23, 2023. The aircraft provide aerial refueling, as well as rapid and reliable passenger and cargo airlift and aero-medical evacuations. The KC-135 is deployed within the Centcom area of responsibility to help defend U.S. interests, promote regional security, and deter aggression in the region. Photo courtesy&nbsp;Air Force&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Three U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotankers assigned to Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., arrive at an undisclosed location in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Oct. 23, 2023. The aircraft provide aerial refueling, as well as rapid and reliable passenger and cargo airlift and aero-medical evacuations. The KC-135 is deployed within the Centcom area of responsibility to help defend U.S. interests, promote regional security, and deter aggression in the region. Photo courtesy&nbsp;Air Force&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Author/58550/jim-garamone/">Jim Garamone</a>, Department of DefenseU.S. efforts in the Middle East remain focused on supporting Israel's defense needs as the nation battles Hamas terrorists in Gaza, deterring other actors who seek to use the Hamas war on Israel as a pretext to expand the conflict and to ensure force protection for U.S. forces serving in the region, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said today.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698490193609.png" alt="The New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron arrives within U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, bolstering U.S. posture to defend U.S. forces and deter further aggression in the region.Photo By:Air Force Tech. Sgt. Megan Floyd" />
 <figcaption>The New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron arrives within U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, bolstering U.S. posture to defend U.S. forces and deter further aggression in the region.Photo By:Air Force Tech. Sgt. Megan Floyd</figcaption>
 </figure>Approximately 900 U.S. troops are in the process of deploying to the U.S. Central Command area of operations, Ryder said.&nbsp;These include forces that had previously been put on prepare-to-deploy status and they are deploying from the continental United States. &nbsp;Deployed and deploying units include a terminal high-altitude area defense battery from Fort Bliss, Texas; Patriot batteries from Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Patriot and Avenger batteries from Fort Liberty, North Carolina and associated air defense headquarters elements from Fort Bliss and Fort Cavazos, Texas. &nbsp;"I won't talk specific deployment locations for these forces, I can confirm that they are not going to Israel," Ryder said. The units and personnel are intended to support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster U.S. force protection capabilities.&nbsp;Ryder said that between October 17 and 26, U.S. and coalition forces have been attacked at least 12 separate times in Iraq and four separate times in Syria, by a mix of one-way attack drones and rockets. The general would not provide specific groups that have claimed responsibility for these attacks. All he would say is "we know that these groups are affiliated with Iran."&nbsp;Ryder said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III continued his near-daily calls to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. He received updates on Israeli operations and Israeli military needs. "During the discussion, Secretary Austin reiterated the importance of ensuring humanitarian aid can be delivered into Gaza and repeated our calls for Israel to ensure the protection of civilians," the general said. &nbsp;Ryder confirmed that the United States is sending two U.S. Iron Dome systems to Israel to help further bolster air defense capabilities and protect citizens from rocket attacks. &nbsp;Israel is not the only hotspot in the world, and Ryder said the United States is sending a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3569812/biden-administration-announces-additional-security-assistance-for-ukraine/">$150 million package of military aid</a>&nbsp;to support Ukraine's urgent security needs. "This marks the 49th provision of equipment from DOD inventories to Ukraine since August 2021," he said. "This crucial security assistance includes air defense capabilities, artillery, ammunition, anti-tank weapons and other important aid to help Ukraine counter Russia's ongoing aggression and continue its fight for independence and freedom."&nbsp;The general reiterated U.S. leaders' pledges to Ukraine that the United States will stand with Ukraine "and we will continue to have their backs."

USAF KC-135 refueling tankers, more U.S. troops sent to Middle East

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — The Army reservist who opened fire in a bowling alley and then at a bar in Lewiston, Maine, killing 18 people, was found dead Friday from a self-inflicted gunshot, ending an intensive two-day search that had the state on edge.

Robert Card, a firearms instructor who grew up in the area, was found dead in nearby Lisbon Falls, Gov. Janet Mills said at a Friday night news conference.

“Like many people I’m breathing a sigh of relief tonight knowing that Robert Card is no longer a threat to anyone,” Mills said.

April Stevens, a Lewiston resident who knew one of the victims, said she was relieved to learn that the “monster and coward” who inflicted so much pain was no longer a danger.

“I’m relieved but not happy," she said. "There was too much death. Too many people were hurt. Relieved, yes, happy, no.”

Maine Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck said Card was found at 7:45 p.m. near the Androscoggin River, about 8 miles (13 kilometers) southeast of where the second shooting occurred Wednesday evening. He declined to divulge the location but an official told The Associated Press the body was at a recycling center from which Card had been fired.

The official was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Mills said she had called President Joe Biden to alert him that Card was dead.

“Tonight we’re grateful that Lewiston and surrounding communities are safe after spending excruciating days hiding in their homes,” Biden said in a statement. He added that “Americans should not have to live like this” and called on Congress to take action on gun violence.

The deadliest shootings in Maine history stunned a state of 1.3 million people that has relatively little violent crime and had only 29 killings in all of 2022. In Lewiston, the 37,000 residents and those in surrounding communities were told to stay in their homes as hundreds of police officers, sheriff’s deputies, FBI agents and other law enforcement officials swarmed the area.

Card, 40, of Bowdoin, was a U.S. Army reservist. Leo Madden, who said he ran Maine Recycling Corp. for decades, told the AP that Card worked there for a couple of years and nothing about him stood out. Madden said he didn’t remember when Card was employed or whether he was fired or quit.

Last summer, Card underwent a mental health evaluation after he began acting erratically during training, a U.S. official told the AP. A bulletin sent to police across the country shortly after the attack said Card had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks after “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” a military base.

A U.S. official said Card was training with the Army Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment in West Point, New York, when commanders became concerned about him. State police took Card to the Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point for evaluation, according to the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the information and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

On Wednesday, Card attacked the bowling alley first, then went to the bar. Police were quickly sent to both locations but Card was able to escape. For the next two days authorities scoured the woods and hundreds of acres of Card's family-owned property, and sent dive teams with sonar to the bottom of the Androscoggin River.

Law enforcement officials had said they hadn't seen Card since his vehicle was left at a boat ramp Wednesday shortly after the shootings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698329122278.png" alt="Robert Card-photo Lewiston Police" />
 <figcaption>Robert Card-photo Lewiston Police</figcaption>
 </figure>LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — The Army reservist who opened fire in a bowling alley and then at a bar in Lewiston, Maine, killing 18 people, was found dead Friday from a self-inflicted gunshot, ending an intensive two-day search that had the state on edge.Robert Card, a firearms instructor who grew up in the area, was found dead in nearby Lisbon Falls, Gov. Janet Mills said at a Friday night news conference.“Like many people I’m breathing a sigh of relief tonight knowing that Robert Card is no longer a threat to anyone,” Mills said.April Stevens, a Lewiston resident who knew one of the victims, said she was relieved to learn that the “monster and coward” who inflicted so much pain was no longer a danger.“I’m relieved but not happy," she said. "There was too much death. Too many people were hurt. Relieved, yes, happy, no.”Maine Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck said Card was found at 7:45 p.m. near the Androscoggin River, about 8 miles (13 kilometers) southeast of where the second shooting occurred Wednesday evening. He declined to divulge the location but an official told The Associated Press the body was at a recycling center from which Card had been fired.The official was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.Mills said she had called President Joe Biden to alert him that Card was dead.“Tonight we’re grateful that Lewiston and surrounding communities are safe after spending excruciating days hiding in their homes,” Biden said in a statement. He added that “Americans should not have to live like this” and called on Congress to take action on gun violence.The deadliest shootings in Maine history stunned a state of 1.3 million people that has relatively little violent crime and had only 29 killings in all of 2022. In Lewiston, the 37,000 residents and those in surrounding communities were told to stay in their homes as hundreds of police officers, sheriff’s deputies, FBI agents and other law enforcement officials swarmed the area.Card, 40, of Bowdoin, was a U.S. Army reservist. Leo Madden, who said he ran Maine Recycling Corp. for decades, told the AP that Card worked there for a couple of years and nothing about him stood out. Madden said he didn’t remember when Card was employed or whether he was fired or quit.Last summer, Card underwent a mental health evaluation after he began acting erratically during training, a U.S. official told the AP. A bulletin sent to police across the country shortly after the attack said Card had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks after “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” a military base.A U.S. official said Card was training with the Army Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment in West Point, New York, when commanders became concerned about him. State police took Card to the Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point for evaluation, according to the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the information and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.On Wednesday, Card attacked the bowling alley first, then went to the bar. Police were quickly sent to both locations but Card was able to escape. For the next two days authorities scoured the woods and hundreds of acres of Card's family-owned property, and sent dive teams with sonar to the bottom of the Androscoggin River.Law enforcement officials had said they hadn't seen Card since his vehicle was left at a boat ramp Wednesday shortly after the shootings.Hours before Card's body was found, the names and pictures of the 15 men, two women and 14-year-old boy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-shooting-lewiston-deaf-community-a6bfb5f48e45fd7a20317010bf6e18e8">who died</a>&nbsp;in the shootings were released at a news conference.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-shooting-victims-1be7d14e90ef6c91ca23819163d29f3e">victims of the shootings</a>&nbsp;include Bob Violette, 76, a retiree who was coaching a youth bowling league and was described as devoted, approachable and kind. Auburn City Councilor Leroy Walker told news outlets that his son, Joe, a manager at the bar and grill, died going after the shooter with a butcher knife. Peyton Brewer-Ross was a dedicated pipefitter at Bath Iron Works whose death leaves a gaping void in the lives of his partner, young daughter and friends, members of his union said.The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf said the shootings killed at least four members of their community.Prior to finding Card's body, divers searched the water near a boat launch in Lisbon, and a farming business in the same town. At points throughout the day Friday, police vehicles were seen speeding through several towns, lights flashing and sirens blaring.A gun was found in Card’s car, which was discovered at a boat ramp, and federal agents were testing it to determine if it was used in the shooting, two law enforcement officials told the AP. The officials were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity. Authorities have said publicly that the shooter used at least one rifle. They have not released any other details, including how the suspect obtained the firearm.Authorities found a suicide note at a home associated with Card on Thursday that was addressed to his son, the law enforcement officials said. They said it didn’t provide any specific motive for the shooting. Authorities also recovered Card’s cellphone in the home, making a search more complicated because authorities routinely use phones to track suspects, the officials said.The Cards have lived in Bowdoin for generations, neighbors said, and various members of the family own hundreds of acres in the area. The family owned the local sawmill and years ago donated the land for a local church.Family members of Card told federal investigators that he had recently discussed hearing voices and became more focused on the bowling alley and bar, according to the law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. When he was hospitalized in July in New York, Card had told military officials he had been hearing voices and said he wanted to harm other soldiers, the officials said.Authorities had banned hunting in several communities, in a state where it is immensely popular. However, following confirmation of Card’s death, a public safety alert was issued that announced: “The search is over for Mr. Card. The caution is over. Hunting may resume.”The Lewiston shootings were the 36th&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-killings-united-states-list-8eea3427796229eb127e052b3c66c691">mass killing</a>&nbsp;in the United States this year, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/08/18/mass-killings-database-us-events-since-2006/9705311002/">database</a>&nbsp;maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — The man wanted in the mass shooting at a bowling alley and bar that killed 18 people and wounded 13 was found dead Friday, bringing an end to a search that put the entire state of Maine on edge for the last two days.Robert Card, who was wanted in connection with the shootings at Schemengees Bar and Grille and at Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley in Lewiston, is believed to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a law enforcement official tells The Associated Press.The official was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity. A 10 p.m. news conference was scheduled by police.The Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office confirmed Card's death in a Facebook post, saying the suspect in the shootings “has been located and is deceased.”Card, 40, of Bowdoin, Maine, was a U.S. Army reservist who underwent a mental health evaluation in mid-July after he began acting erratically during training, a U.S. official told The Associated Press.Card had been sought since the Wednesday night shootings, and murder warrants were issued against him.A bulletin sent to police across the country shortly after the attack said Card had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks this past summer after “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” a military base.A U.S. official said Card was training with the Army Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment in West Point, New York, when commanders became concerned about him.State police took Card to the Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point for evaluation, according to the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the information and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymityAuthorities had scoured the woods and hundreds of acres of family-owned property, sent dive teams with sonar to the bottom of a river and scrutinized a possible suicide note Friday in the second day of their intensive search for Card.Authorities lifted their shelter in place order Friday evening, nearly 48 hours after the shootings.The names and pictures of the 16 males and 2 females&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-shooting-lewiston-deaf-community-a6bfb5f48e45fd7a20317010bf6e18e8">who died</a>&nbsp;were released as State Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck asked for a moment of silence at a news conference. Their ages ranged from 14 to 76.Law enforcement officials had said they hadn't not seen suspect Card since his vehicle was left at a boat ramp Wednesday shortly after the shootings.Authorities say Card, who had firearms training,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lewiston-maine-shootings-49da6d06a8b5a15d3b619b3927bc33ff">opened fire</a>&nbsp;at the bar and a bowling alley Wednesday in Lewiston, Maine’s second-largest city.The city held an online vigil Friday night with local clergy members, prayer and music. Residents expressed their shock and pain in chat postings, describing themselves as angry, grieving, tired and heartbroken. Those watching at home were urged to light candles.One poster, Victoria, wrote: “I lost 2 people that I cared truly about and a close family friend that is currently fighting for his life in ICU. My heart’s shattered.”Police and other law enforcement officers were spotted in several areas around the region on Friday. Divers searched the water near a boat launch in Lisbon, and a farming business in the same town. At points throughout the day, police vehicles were seen speeding through several towns, lights flashing and sirens blaring.A gun was found in Card’s car, which was discovered at a boat ramp, and federal agents were testing it to determine if it was used in the shooting, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press. The officials were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity. Authorities have said publicly that the shooter used at least one rifle. They have not released any other details, including how the suspect obtained the firearm.Authorities found a suicide note at a home associated with Card on Thursday that was addressed to his son, the law enforcement officials said. They said it didn’t provide any specific motive for the shooting. Authorities also recovered Card’s cellphone in the home, making a search more complicated because authorities routinely use phones to track suspects, the officials said.Federal agents conducted several searches of properties associated with Card on Thursday, collecting a number of items, including electronics, the officials said. Investigators are also analyzing Card’s financial information and reviewing his social media posts, writings and his mental health history, they said.The Cards have lived in Bowdoin for generations, neighbors said, and various members of the family own hundreds of acres in the area. The family owned the local sawmill and years ago donated the land for a local church.“This is his stomping ground,” Richard Goddard, who lives on the road where a search took place on Thursday, said of the suspect. “He knows every ledge to hide behind, every thicket.”Family members of Card told federal investigators that he had recently discussed hearing voices and became more focused on the bowling alley and bar, according to the law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. When he was hospitalized in July in New York, Card had told military officials he had been hearing voices and said he wanted to harm other soldiers, the officials said.Police said Thursday that Card would be charged with 18 counts of murder.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-shooting-victims-1be7d14e90ef6c91ca23819163d29f3e">victims of the shootings</a>&nbsp;include Bob Violette, 76, a retiree who was coaching a youth bowling league and was described as devoted, approachable and kind. Auburn City Councilor Leroy Walker told news outlets that his son, Joe, a manager at the bar and grill, died going after the shooter with a butcher knife. Peyton Brewer-Ross was a dedicated pipefitter at Bath Iron Works whose death leaves a gaping void in the lives of his partner, young daughter and friends, members of his union said.The manager of the youth bowling league vowed that the league would survive despite the devastating grief members were feeling.The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf said the shootings killed at least four members of their community, many of whom were ardent advocates for the deaf and hard of hearing.The attacks stunned a state of only 1.3 million people that has one of the country’s lowest homicide rates: 29 killings in all of 2022. Gov. Janet Mills said Friday that many Maine residents will know someone who died.“It is often said that our state is ‘one big, small town’ because Maine is such a close-knit community. As a result, many of us know the victims personally, including me," she said in a statement. “Tonight, I ask Maine people to join me in reading their stories, learning who they were, celebrating them as beloved people, and mourning them as irreplaceable.”Schools, public buildings and many businesses remained closed Friday. Bates College in Lewiston canceled classes and postponed the inauguration of the school’s first Black president.The shootings mark the 36th&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-killings-united-states-list-8eea3427796229eb127e052b3c66c691">mass killing</a>&nbsp;in the United States this year, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/08/18/mass-killings-database-us-events-since-2006/9705311002/">database</a>&nbsp;maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.___