KANSAS CITY —A Kansas man faces 2nd Degree murder and other felony charges for the Oct. 2, crash in downtown Kansas City that killed two individuals, including a driver stopped at a red light, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Jose Angel Vega, 28, Kansas City, Kansas, faces two counts of Murder 2nd Degree for causing the deaths of two persons while he was fleeing from police, Resisting A Lawful Stop, two counts of Armed Criminal Action using his vehicle as a dangerous instrument while committing the felony of Murder in the 2nd Degree, DWI Resulting in Death and the misdemeanor of Driving While Revoked 1st Offense.

According to court records, about 3a.m. on Oct. 2, a Kansas City Police officer observed a 2004 Cadillac CTS doing donuts in the street. He attempted to stop the vehicle. It stopped, partially at Truman Road and Grand, then drove away northbound on Grand at a high rate of speed. 

The vehicle traveled through a red light at 13th and Grand and the officer disregarded the stop and turned off emergency equipment. At 11th and Grand, the Cadillac struck a truck stopped at a red traffic light.

 The officer detected the strong odor of alcohol from Vega, who was slurring his words and was confused. A later test of his blood showed a high level of alcohol. 

A passenger in the vehicle was extracted from the defendant's vehicle but the passenger later died. The driver of the truck that the defendant's vehicle hit also died of injuries sustained in the crash. An accident investigation of the crash by KCPD showed the defendant's vehicle was traveling 103 miles per hour one second before he hit the truck.

Prosecutors requested a $500,000/10 percent bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666093152109.png" alt="Vega from an earlier arrest in Johnson County on requested charges of driving while suspended" />
 <figcaption>Vega from an earlier arrest in Johnson County on requested charges of driving while suspended</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas man faces 2nd Degree murder and other felony charges for the Oct. 2, crash in downtown Kansas City that killed two individuals, including a driver stopped at a red light, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Jose Angel Vega, 28, Kansas City, Kansas, faces two counts of Murder 2nd Degree for causing the deaths of two persons while he was fleeing from police, Resisting A Lawful Stop, two counts of Armed Criminal Action using his vehicle as a dangerous instrument while committing the felony of Murder in the 2nd Degree, DWI Resulting in Death and the misdemeanor of Driving While Revoked 1st Offense.According to court records, about 3a.m. on Oct. 2, a Kansas City Police officer observed a 2004 Cadillac CTS doing donuts in the street. He attempted to stop the vehicle. It stopped, partially at Truman Road and Grand, then drove away northbound on Grand at a high rate of speed. The vehicle traveled through a red light at 13th and Grand and the officer disregarded the stop and turned off emergency equipment. At 11th and Grand, the Cadillac struck a truck stopped at a red traffic light. The officer detected the strong odor of alcohol from Vega, who was slurring his words and was confused. A later test of his blood showed a high level of alcohol. A passenger in the vehicle was extracted from the defendant's vehicle but the passenger later died. The driver of the truck that the defendant's vehicle hit also died of injuries sustained in the crash. An accident investigation of the crash by KCPD showed the defendant's vehicle was traveling 103 miles per hour one second before he hit the truck.Prosecutors requested a $500,000/10 percent bond.&nbsp;

Kan. man fleeing police at over 100mph accused of double murder

by BECKY GOFF Little Apple Post

MANHATTAN - More than 80 years after being killed while serving on the USS California, Seaman Second Class Pete Turk's repatriated remains were finally laid to rest at the Kansas Veterans' Cemetery at Fort Riley in Manhattan.&nbsp;

Born in Roseland Kansas, Turk enlisted in the US Navy on September 24, 1940 in Kansas City, Missouri at the age of 19.&nbsp;

On November 25, 1940, Turk reported for duty aboard the USS California, a flagship of the Battle Force.&nbsp;

On December 7th, 1941, the USS California was attacked by Japanese forces while moored at Pearl Harbor.&nbsp;

One hundred and four sailors and Marines, including Turk, were lost, following the severe damage caused by multiple torpedoes and bombs hitting the USS California.&nbsp;

In 2018, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency began to exhume the unknown remains associated with the USS California and had them reexamined using updated forensic technology and circumstantial evidence to identify the remains of Seaman Second Class Turk.&nbsp;

"The full counting mission of the Defense P.O.W. and Accountability Agency. Is there. That's their primary goal, is to account for every American service member that is unaccounted for in every foreign war that we served in. We take this very seriously in the VFW and support that program and definitely encourage Congress to support D.P.A.A. with funding to, to bring home every one of our service members." Kansas VFW P.O.W. M.I.A. chair, David Babin says.&nbsp;

Turk was honored with a funeral service with military honors and a final resting place in the Kansas Veterans' Cemetery at Fort Riley in Manhattan.&nbsp;

"As the Kansas VFW P.O.W. M.I.A. chair, I strive to not only have the VFW post VFW as participate in these programs, I encourage the community to, to participate and to spread awareness to the public that we never forget a fallen comrade and that we will bring them all home, no matter how long it takes." Babin says.&nbsp;

Seaman Second Class Turk's remains were escorted by motorcycle riders from the American Legion Post 45 Junction City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666069081852.jpeg" alt="Sailors prepare to fold flag for Seaman Second Class Pete Turk's relatives" />
 <figcaption>Sailors prepare to fold flag for Seaman Second Class Pete Turk's relatives</figcaption>
 </figure>by BECKY GOFF Little Apple PostMANHATTAN - More than 80 years after being killed while serving on the USS California, Seaman Second Class Pete Turk's repatriated remains were finally laid to rest at the Kansas Veterans' Cemetery at Fort Riley in Manhattan.&nbsp;Born in Roseland Kansas, Turk enlisted in the US Navy on September 24, 1940 in Kansas City, Missouri at the age of 19.&nbsp;On November 25, 1940, Turk reported for duty aboard the USS California, a flagship of the Battle Force.&nbsp;On December 7th, 1941, the USS California was attacked by Japanese forces while moored at Pearl Harbor.&nbsp;One hundred and four sailors and Marines, including Turk, were lost, following the severe damage caused by multiple torpedoes and bombs hitting the USS California.&nbsp;In 2018, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency began to exhume the unknown remains associated with the USS California and had them reexamined using updated forensic technology and circumstantial evidence to identify the remains of Seaman Second Class Turk.&nbsp;<div><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/2WjSRaCZ-60zMcgvZ.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Seaman Second Class Pete Turk" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>"The full counting mission of the Defense P.O.W. and Accountability Agency. Is there. That's their primary goal, is to account for every American service member that is unaccounted for in every foreign war that we served in. We take this very seriously in the VFW and support that program and definitely encourage Congress to support D.P.A.A. with funding to, to bring home every one of our service members." Kansas VFW P.O.W. M.I.A. chair, David Babin says.&nbsp;Turk was honored with a funeral service with military honors and a final resting place in the Kansas Veterans' Cemetery at Fort Riley in Manhattan.&nbsp;"As the Kansas VFW P.O.W. M.I.A. chair, I strive to not only have the VFW post VFW as participate in these programs, I encourage the community to, to participate and to spread awareness to the public that we never forget a fallen comrade and that we will bring them all home, no matter how long it takes." Babin says.&nbsp;Seaman Second Class Turk's remains were escorted by motorcycle riders from the American Legion Post 45 Junction City.

🎥Funeral held for Kan. soldier who died in attack on Pearl Harbor

ANDERSON COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 5p.m. Monday in Anderson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1993 Ford Escort driven by Dakota R. Kirkland, 30, Weld, was northbound on U.S. 169 at SW Missouri Road.

The car rear-ended the flatbed trailer pulled by a 1993 Ford F350 driven by Rex A. Hartman, 50, Garnett, who was turning left onto SW Missouri Road from Northbound U.S. 169.

Kirkland was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. Hartman was not injured. Kirkland was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

ANDERSON COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 5p.m. Monday in Anderson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1993 Ford Escort driven by Dakota R. Kirkland, 30, Weld, was northbound on U.S. 169 at SW Missouri Road.The car rear-ended the flatbed trailer pulled by a 1993 Ford F350 driven by Rex A. Hartman, 50, Garnett, who was turning left onto SW Missouri Road from Northbound U.S. 169.Kirkland was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. Hartman was not injured. Kirkland was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after car rear-ends flatbed trailer

MARSHALL COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 364 officials are investigating a student who allegedly had a gun on campus.

On Friday, police&nbsp;responded to Marysville High School after an observant teacher overheard a student claiming to have a firearm in his vehicle, according to a media release.

  Numerous officers were dispatched and one student was taken into custody immediately. 

 No firearms were located in the vehicle.  Due to the student's age, police released no other information. 

Police said they are thankful for the teacher immediately reporting the incident and the school district contacting law enforcement immediately.

MARSHALL COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 364 officials are investigating a student who allegedly had a gun on campus.On Friday, police&nbsp;responded to Marysville High School after an observant teacher overheard a student claiming to have a firearm in his vehicle, according to a media release. Numerous officers were dispatched and one student was taken into custody immediately. No firearms were located in the vehicle. Due to the student's age, police released no other information. Police said they are thankful for the teacher immediately reporting the incident and the school district contacting law enforcement immediately.

Alert Kan. teacher reported student's claim of gun on campus

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.–Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple charges after a traffic stop.

Just before 4p.m. Friday, a sheriff's deputy stopped a 2011 Dodge Dakota pickup truck near 142nd and U.S. Highway 75 for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 The traffic stop led to the discovery of contraband in the vehicle.  The driver, Sandra Groves, 64, of Topeka, was arrested on requested charges of unlawful possession of a prescription drugs, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended and transporting an open container. 

Groves is being held in the Jackson County Jail. The Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666003498732.png" alt="Groves-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Groves-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.–Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple charges after a traffic stop.Just before 4p.m. Friday, a sheriff's deputy stopped a 2011 Dodge Dakota pickup truck near 142nd and U.S. Highway 75 for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The traffic stop led to the discovery of contraband in the vehicle. The driver, Sandra Groves, 64, of Topeka, was arrested on requested charges of unlawful possession of a prescription drugs, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended and transporting an open container. Groves is being held in the Jackson County Jail. The Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the arrest.

64-year-old Kan. woman accused of numerous drug crimes

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and asking the public for help with information.

On Sunday, the Blue Springs Police Department requested the assistance of the Kansas City Metro police after a 15-year-old died in a church parking. He was the victim of an apparent homicide, according to a media release.

The incident occurred just after 6:30p.m. Saturday church parking lot in the&nbsp;600 block of&nbsp; NW Jefferson and was was not related to the church.

Anyone with information is asked to call the tips hotline 816-474-TIPS (8477) Blue Springs Police Department Dispatch 816-228-0151, Text BSPD and your message to 247637 (CRIMES) or message us here directly.   We will update the public when more information is available.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and asking the public for help with information.On Sunday, the Blue Springs Police Department requested the assistance of the Kansas City Metro police after a 15-year-old died in a church parking. He was the victim of an apparent homicide, according to a media release.The incident occurred just after 6:30p.m. Saturday church parking lot in the&nbsp;600 block of&nbsp; NW Jefferson and was was not related to the church.Anyone with information is asked to call the tips hotline 816-474-TIPS (8477) Blue Springs Police Department Dispatch 816-228-0151, Text BSPD and your message to 247637 (CRIMES) or message us here directly. We will update the public when more information is available.

Homicide: 15-year-old killed in KC-area church parking lot

GRAY COUNTY&nbsp;—The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), along with the Meade County Sheriff's Office, and the Gray County Sheriff's Office, are investigating the disappearance of 55-year-old Richard Salisbury, of Plains, Kansas, according to a media release from the agency.

Richard Salisbury is a white male and is described as 6-foot-1, 220 pounds with brown hair, brown eyes, and facial hair. He has a tattoo of a tomahawk and feathers on his left shoulder.

Salisbury was last seen on Sept. 20 in rural Gray County, Kansas, wearing a gray shirt with red letters, a gray baseball cap, jeans, and sunglasses. He had been living in Plains, Kansas, in Meade County, for around three months. Prior to that, he lived in the Austin, Texas area.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666043572984.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>GRAY COUNTY&nbsp;—The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), along with the Meade County Sheriff's Office, and the Gray County Sheriff's Office, are investigating the disappearance of 55-year-old Richard Salisbury, of Plains, Kansas, according to a media release from the agency.Richard Salisbury is a white male and is described as 6-foot-1, 220 pounds with brown hair, brown eyes, and facial hair. He has a tattoo of a tomahawk and feathers on his left shoulder.Salisbury was last seen on Sept. 20 in rural Gray County, Kansas, wearing a gray shirt with red letters, a gray baseball cap, jeans, and sunglasses. He had been living in Plains, Kansas, in Meade County, for around three months. Prior to that, he lived in the Austin, Texas area.

KBI asks for help to locate man missing from SW Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal apartment complex shooting have a second suspect in custody.

On Monday, police arrested 22-year-old Dujontez Jaimandre Jerome Owens of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

Just after 10a.m. October 1, police responded to the Meadowlark Apartments 1621 SW 37th Terrace in Topeka after receiving multiple reports of a shooting.

Upon arrival, officers located one man identified as&nbsp;Keith K. Gaylord Jr., 23 of Topeka. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. They located another individual with injuries believed to be non-life threatening. The injured individual was transported by American Medical Response to a local hospital.

As a result of the initial investigation, police arrested Bruce Holloway Jr., 20, of Lawrence, on a requested charge of first degree murder, according to Police Captain Jerry Monasmith.

This was the third homicide in Topeka during that final week of September, according to Monasmith.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal apartment complex shooting have a second suspect in custody.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664586524758.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday, police arrested 22-year-old Dujontez Jaimandre Jerome Owens of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666024220084.png" alt="Owens-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Owens-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 10a.m. October 1, police responded to the Meadowlark Apartments 1621 SW 37th Terrace in Topeka after receiving multiple reports of a shooting.Upon arrival, officers located one man identified as&nbsp;Keith K. Gaylord Jr., 23 of Topeka. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. They located another individual with injuries believed to be non-life threatening. The injured individual was transported by American Medical Response to a local hospital.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664631547802.png" alt="Holloway-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Holloway-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>As a result of the initial investigation, police arrested Bruce Holloway Jr., 20, of Lawrence, on a requested charge of first degree murder, according to Police Captain Jerry Monasmith.This was the third homicide in Topeka during that final week of September, according to Monasmith.

2nd suspect jailed for Kansas apartment complex killing

DOUGLAS COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident Monday afternoon in Douglas County.

According to the Douglas County Sheriff's office, a dump truck driven by a 63-year-old&nbsp;was northbound on E 1600 Road, the extension of O'Connell Road in Lawrence.

He failed to lower the dump bed before driving under the bridge that travels under Kansas Highway 10. The truck became wedged under the bridge.

Just after 2p.m., the Kansas Department of Transportation was on the scene to inspect the bridge. The driver was transported to LMH Health in Lawrence with abrasions and reported back pain, according to sheriff's department spokesman George Diepenbrock.&nbsp; It was a private vehicle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666035504832.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident Monday afternoon in Douglas County.According to the Douglas County Sheriff's office, a dump truck driven by a 63-year-old&nbsp;was northbound on E 1600 Road, the extension of O'Connell Road in Lawrence.He failed to lower the dump bed before driving under the bridge that travels under Kansas Highway 10. The truck became wedged under the bridge.Just after 2p.m., the Kansas Department of Transportation was on the scene to inspect the bridge. The driver was transported to LMH Health in Lawrence with abrasions and reported back pain, according to sheriff's department spokesman George Diepenbrock.&nbsp; It was a private vehicle.

Driver injured after truck became wedged under Kan. bridge

By JOHNATHAN HEtTINGER <a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/10/13/epa-to-ban-flea-and-tick-collars-linked-to-brain-damage-in-children/">Investigate Midwest</a>

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will ban the sale of flea 
and tick collars containing a chemical linked to neurological damage in 
children,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-10/TCVP%20Final%20Petition%20Response_10-6-22_0.pdf">the agency announced last week.</a>

The collars, which contain the chemical tetrachlorvinphos, make up 
more than half of flea and tick collars sold in the U.S., according to 
the EPA. They are much cheaper than many name brand collars and are 
largely aimed at low-income pet owners.

Tetrachlorvinphos, often shortened as TCVP, is a type of 
organophosphate chemical, which were originally developed as nerve 
agents in World War II. Most organophosphates were banned for in-home 
use, after the passage of the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act.

The EPA will publish a regulation in the coming months, called a 
Notice of Intent to Cancel, explaining its rationale and will open the 
rule up to public comment, the agency announced. The agency said that 
Hartz is conducting more research into TCVP, and it will incorporate any
 studies into its future decision.

Hartz, the largest seller of collars containing TCVP, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Natural Resource Defense Council, which petitioned the EPA to ban the chemical in 2009, praised the move.

“It’s great news,” said Miriam Rotkin-Ellman, an NRDC senior scientist. “It’s unfortunate that it took this long.”

It is unclear how long it will take until the products are removed 
from the shelves, Pete DeMarco, an attorney with NRDC, said. DeMarco 
said that’s because the agency “very rarely” takes an adversarial 
process to ban a product. Instead, it usually negotiates a voluntary 
cancellation with the product’s makers.

“It’s not a quick process,” DeMarco said.

In response to questions, the EPA provided its announcement. In it, 
the agency said it has given Hartz the opportunity to submit new 
information in response to the human health risk assessment, and that 
information could change the agency’s decision to cancel the product.

“Should data be submitted to EPA by the end of the year that 
demonstrates that there is no longer a risk of concern for any TCVP pet 
collars, the Agency would no longer pursue” the Notice of Intent to 
Cancel, it said.

DeMarco said the NRDC would monitor the process.

“EPA said they may reevaluate this decision based on new information,
 but we’re going to remain vigilant to ensure EPA protects kids and pet 
owners,” he said.

The EPA’s decision is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2021/06/24/414795/amp/">a result of a yearslong legal battle</a>&nbsp;over the chemical that included four separate lawsuits. The EPA lost two cases and refused to defend itself in two cases.

In the risk assessment released this week, the EPA threw out a Trump 
administration-era study into TCVP and returned to science conducted in 
the Obama administration.

That study by the Obama administration, in late 2016, had found that 
children are exposed to TCVP at such high levels in the collars that 
they are at risk of delayed mental development, lowered IQ scores and 
increased chances of autism and attention disorders in children. The 
administration pledged to take action within 90 days, but the Trump 
administration never took action until forced by a court to do so.

After the court decision, the Trump administration conducted a new risk assessment, which downplayed those risks.

Earlier this year,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2022/04/20/20-72794.pdf">a panel of federal judges ruled that the EPA had violated the law</a>&nbsp;in that risk assessment and needed to take action within 120 days.

“EPA returned to that (Obama-era) risk assessment for the basis of 
this decision,” Rotkin-Ellman said. “Six years later, unfortunately.”

The EPA is currently evaluating all uses of TCVP, which include use 
on animal agriculture and liquid pet sprays. The agency is supposed to 
review chemicals every 15 years, and last approved the use of TCVP in 
products in 2006. Children can be exposed to TCVP through their diet, 
and the EPA is evaluating the risk that exposure takes.

Flea and tick collars have come under increased scrutiny at the EPA 
in recent years. The agency is conducting a formal review of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2021/03/02/popular-flea-collar-linked-to-almost-1700-pet-deaths-the-epa-has-issued-no-warning/">Seresto</a>, a popular flea and tick collar that has been linked to nearly 100,000 incidents of harm to pets and people. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/05/19/epa-watchdog-launches-probe-into-incidents-linked-to-popular-seresto-pet-collar/">agency’s internal watchdog has also launched an investigation</a>&nbsp;into the EPA’s handling of incident reports.

A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/06/15/congressional-subcommittee-epa-must-cancel-popular-seresto-collar-over-link-to-pet-deaths/">Congressional subcommittee has called for the EPA</a>&nbsp;to ban Seresto because of the risks associated with the collar.

An Investigate Midwest and USA TODAY investigation&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/03/24/seresto-epa-fda-elanco/">published earlier this year found that EPA scientists have raised concerns about Seresto to their superiors for years.</a> Elanco, the company that sells Seresto, has repeatedly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2021/11/08/maker-of-seresto-defends-flea-and-tick-collar-amid-calls-for-a-ban-over-safety-concerns/">defended the collar,&nbsp;</a>saying
 that its own extensive studies into the collar show that the incidents 
of harm related to the collar are likely related to factors other than 
the two pesticides in the collar, imidacloprid and flumethrin.

Investigate Midwest is an independent, nonprofit newsroom. Its 
mission is to serve the public interest by exposing dangerous and costly
 practices of influential agricultural corporations and institutions 
through in-depth and data-driven investigative journalism. Visit online 
at www.investigatemidwest.org

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666029095688.png" alt="A Hartz Ultraguard collar photographed on June 22, 2021 (Darrell Hoemann/The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting)." />
 <figcaption>A Hartz Ultraguard collar photographed on June 22, 2021 (Darrell Hoemann/The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting).</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHNATHAN HEtTINGER <a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/10/13/epa-to-ban-flea-and-tick-collars-linked-to-brain-damage-in-children/">Investigate Midwest</a>The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will ban the sale of flea 
and tick collars containing a chemical linked to neurological damage in 
children,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-10/TCVP%20Final%20Petition%20Response_10-6-22_0.pdf">the agency announced last week.</a>The collars, which contain the chemical tetrachlorvinphos, make up 
more than half of flea and tick collars sold in the U.S., according to 
the EPA. They are much cheaper than many name brand collars and are 
largely aimed at low-income pet owners.Tetrachlorvinphos, often shortened as TCVP, is a type of 
organophosphate chemical, which were originally developed as nerve 
agents in World War II. Most organophosphates were banned for in-home 
use, after the passage of the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act.The EPA will publish a regulation in the coming months, called a 
Notice of Intent to Cancel, explaining its rationale and will open the 
rule up to public comment, the agency announced. The agency said that 
Hartz is conducting more research into TCVP, and it will incorporate any
 studies into its future decision.Hartz, the largest seller of collars containing TCVP, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The Natural Resource Defense Council, which petitioned the EPA to ban the chemical in 2009, praised the move.“It’s great news,” said Miriam Rotkin-Ellman, an NRDC senior scientist. “It’s unfortunate that it took this long.”It is unclear how long it will take until the products are removed 
from the shelves, Pete DeMarco, an attorney with NRDC, said. DeMarco 
said that’s because the agency “very rarely” takes an adversarial 
process to ban a product. Instead, it usually negotiates a voluntary 
cancellation with the product’s makers.“It’s not a quick process,” DeMarco said.In response to questions, the EPA provided its announcement. In it, 
the agency said it has given Hartz the opportunity to submit new 
information in response to the human health risk assessment, and that 
information could change the agency’s decision to cancel the product.“Should data be submitted to EPA by the end of the year that 
demonstrates that there is no longer a risk of concern for any TCVP pet 
collars, the Agency would no longer pursue” the Notice of Intent to 
Cancel, it said.DeMarco said the NRDC would monitor the process.“EPA said they may reevaluate this decision based on new information,
 but we’re going to remain vigilant to ensure EPA protects kids and pet 
owners,” he said.The EPA’s decision is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2021/06/24/414795/amp/">a result of a yearslong legal battle</a>&nbsp;over the chemical that included four separate lawsuits. The EPA lost two cases and refused to defend itself in two cases.In the risk assessment released this week, the EPA threw out a Trump 
administration-era study into TCVP and returned to science conducted in 
the Obama administration.That study by the Obama administration, in late 2016, had found that 
children are exposed to TCVP at such high levels in the collars that 
they are at risk of delayed mental development, lowered IQ scores and 
increased chances of autism and attention disorders in children. The 
administration pledged to take action within 90 days, but the Trump 
administration never took action until forced by a court to do so.After the court decision, the Trump administration conducted a new risk assessment, which downplayed those risks.Earlier this year,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2022/04/20/20-72794.pdf">a panel of federal judges ruled that the EPA had violated the law</a>&nbsp;in that risk assessment and needed to take action within 120 days.“EPA returned to that (Obama-era) risk assessment for the basis of 
this decision,” Rotkin-Ellman said. “Six years later, unfortunately.”The EPA is currently evaluating all uses of TCVP, which include use 
on animal agriculture and liquid pet sprays. The agency is supposed to 
review chemicals every 15 years, and last approved the use of TCVP in 
products in 2006. Children can be exposed to TCVP through their diet, 
and the EPA is evaluating the risk that exposure takes.Flea and tick collars have come under increased scrutiny at the EPA 
in recent years. The agency is conducting a formal review of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2021/03/02/popular-flea-collar-linked-to-almost-1700-pet-deaths-the-epa-has-issued-no-warning/">Seresto</a>, a popular flea and tick collar that has been linked to nearly 100,000 incidents of harm to pets and people. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/05/19/epa-watchdog-launches-probe-into-incidents-linked-to-popular-seresto-pet-collar/">agency’s internal watchdog has also launched an investigation</a>&nbsp;into the EPA’s handling of incident reports.A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/06/15/congressional-subcommittee-epa-must-cancel-popular-seresto-collar-over-link-to-pet-deaths/">Congressional subcommittee has called for the EPA</a>&nbsp;to ban Seresto because of the risks associated with the collar.An Investigate Midwest and USA TODAY investigation&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/03/24/seresto-epa-fda-elanco/">published earlier this year found that EPA scientists have raised concerns about Seresto to their superiors for years.</a> Elanco, the company that sells Seresto, has repeatedly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2021/11/08/maker-of-seresto-defends-flea-and-tick-collar-amid-calls-for-a-ban-over-safety-concerns/">defended the collar,&nbsp;</a>saying
 that its own extensive studies into the collar show that the incidents 
of harm related to the collar are likely related to factors other than 
the two pesticides in the collar, imidacloprid and flumethrin.Investigate Midwest is an independent, nonprofit newsroom. Its 
mission is to serve the public interest by exposing dangerous and costly
 practices of influential agricultural corporations and institutions 
through in-depth and data-driven investigative journalism. Visit online 
at www.investigatemidwest.org

EPA to ban flea, tick collars linked to brain damage in children

NEW YORK (AP) — In Donald Trump's assessment, Mike Pence “committed political suicide" on Jan. 6, 2021.

By refusing to go along with the then-president's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">unconstitutional push</a>&nbsp;to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Pence became a leading target of Trump's wrath and a pariah in many Republican circles.

But the final weeks of this year's intensely competitive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm elections</a>&nbsp;suggest that the former vice president's fortunes have shifted as he lays the groundwork for his own potential 2024 White House campaign. The man who was booed last year at a conservative conference is now an in-demand draw for Republican candidates, including some who spent their primaries obsessively courting Trump’s endorsement, in part by parroting his election lies.

Pence has traveled the country, holding events and raising millions for candidates and Republican groups, including signing fundraising solicitations for party committees.

For some campaigns in tight races, Pence is seen as something of a neutralizing agent who can help broaden their appeal beyond Trump’s core base of support. 

That's the case in Arizona, with a critical Senate race this year and where the 2024 presidential campaign will be hotly contested. Last week, Pence endorsed Senate nominee Blake Masters, who has struggled to pivot from the primary and win over moderates in a state where one-third of voters are registered independents.

“He takes a little bit of the edge off Masters with a lot of voters,” veteran GOP strategist Scott Reed said. “You know Masters is new to this, first-time candidate, said some silly things he probably regrets during the campaign. But now it’s all about undecided voters in Maricopa County. There’s not a lot more science behind this.”

The endorsements can seem jarring given that Pence has spent much of the past year pushing back on Trump’s election lies, which spurred the violent mob that descended on the Capitol on Jan. 6 while Pence was trying to preside over the formal congressional certification of Joe Biden’s election victory. Pence and members of his family had to be rushed to safety and were held for hours in an underground loading dock as the marauders roamed the building's hallways. Some rioters chanted “Hang Mike Pence!” and erected a makeshift gallows outside.

Pence agreed to endorse Masters even though Masters, during the primary, baselessly denied the 2020 election results. Masters recorded a video in which he said he thought Trump had won and claimed on his website that “if we had had a free and fair election, President Trump would be sitting in the Oval Office today.” Trump endorsed Masters in June, saying in a statement: “Blake knows that the “Crime of the Century” took place, he will expose it and also, never let it happen again.”

Pence made no mention of that in Phoenix on Tuesday.

“What I came here to Arizona to say is not only is Blake Masters the right choice for the United States Senate, the people of Arizona deserve to know Blake Masters may be the difference between a Democrat majority in the Senate and a Republican majority in the Senate,” Pence said.

The former vice president, along with Masters and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, took just three questions, two of them from conservative websites. When a television reporter tried to ask Masters if Pence was right to move forward with certifying Biden's victory, the candidate was quickly cut off by a Masters spokesman.

Masters is not the only election denier Pence has endorsed or assisted.

Two days after the Masters event, Pence was in Georgia headlining a fundraiser for Burt Jones, the nominee for lieutenant governor. Jones not only&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-3deb77af1b47df5610c5ce9591a1eb2c">embraced Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud</a>&nbsp;and called for a statewide investigation into the 2020 race, but he also signed on to be one of his state’s fake alternate electors — a scheme now under criminal investigation.

On Friday, Pence will appear with Derek Schmidt at<a href="https://bbqwichita.com/"> B&amp;C Barbecue</a>&nbsp;in Wichita,&nbsp;according to Schmidt’s campaign. Schmidt is in a tight race for governor against incumbent Laura Kelly.

Fellow Republicans, Sen. Jerry Moran and Reps. Ron Estes, Tracey Mann and Jake LaTurner, will also attend.

Last month, Pence was in New Hampshire for Senate nominee Don Bolduc, a retired Army general who also spent his primary campaign telling voters the race was stolen from Trump.

Marc Short, a longtime Pence adviser, declined to set a red line for candidates Pence would and would not endorse.

“It’s more about making sure that he’s being a team player where he needs to be," Short said. “I think as a lot of these candidates look to solidify the party behind them, Pence can be helpful."

There is no evidence of any widespread fraud or manipulation of voting machines in the 2020 election, underscored by repeated audits, court cases and the conclusions of Trump’s own Department of Justice. Still, support of false election claims&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-cabinet-only-on-ap-election-2020-19131c0f468839bf2b847bd7b3dfaf5c">run deep</a>&nbsp;among GOP candidates this year.

The Masters endorsement notably came days after a debate in which he made headlines for seeming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-campaigns-phoenix-47951240086781aee95b93ce0a8f87c1">to have shifted</a>&nbsp;from his most outrageous rigged election claims. Masters instead blamed Trump's loss on “big tech,” “big media” and the FBI, and under repeated questioning, acknowledged he hadn’t seen evidence the vote count or results were manipulated, as Trump has claimed. (After the Pence visit, Masters told Fox News he stood by what he had said on his now-modified website, adding: “I think if everyone followed the law, President Trump would be in the Oval Office.”)

Short said Pence was happy to support candidates who had moved past 2020, as the former vice president has urged the party to do.

"If people sort of acknowledged a mistaken position before, he certainly wants to reward that,” Short said. “I think he wants to help conservatives first and foremost, but if people who were elected are now adopting new position about the events of Jan. 6,” Short said, “then that’s a positive.”

Jones and Bolduc have also tried to distance themselves from their previous statements.

In interviews, Jones has tried to play down the fake elector slate as a “procedural move,” while noting that voters rarely mention the 2020 race.

“Look he’s been consistent that he does not believe the 2020 election was rigged. He said that Joe Biden is president," said Jones campaign spokesman Stephen Lawson, who noted that Pence and Jones have a long-standing relationship and, like Masters, share former Pence staff.

“For us, it was sort of a no-brainer because the vice president's still very well liked in Georgia, very well received. And we’re in that final stretch where any Republican coming to raise money, support, is a value add," he said.

“I think it’s certainly a nod to more mainstream kind of moderate Republicans. I think that’s a fair assessment," he said.

Bolduc claimed throughout the primary race that the 2020 election had been stolen. During a debate, he proclaimed that "Trump won the election, and damn it, I stand by” and adding, “I’m not switching horses, baby.”

But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-presidential-new-hampshire-election-2020-e3cf9f19bc45b9fc71c85c67a1a664f9">right after the GOP primary</a>&nbsp;— and a day after appearing with Pence — he told Fox News it was time to move on. “You know, we live and learn, right? And I've done a lot of research on this and I've spent the past couple of weeks talking to Granite Staters all over the state from every party. And I have come to the conclusion, and I want to be definitive on this: The election was not stolen,” Bolduc said. He described Biden as "the legitimate president of this country."

(Earlier this month Bolduc changed his position again, saying he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-presidential-new-hampshire-election-2020-e3cf9f19bc45b9fc71c85c67a1a664f9">wasn't sure what happened with the election</a>. “I can’t say that it was stolen or not. I don’t have enough information.")

Reed, the party strategist, said he understood the rationale behind Pence's endorsements.

“He’s a big picture party guy. And it doesn’t surprised me that he’s hustling as hard as he is for people who may not be 100% Pencers,” he said. “By doing these kinds of events,” he added, “they’re going to take another look at him if he decides to run.”

Pence’s political future is an open question. Trump, who is widely expected to run again, remains deeply popular with Republican primary voters and would almost certainly be an early front-runner for the 2024 nomination. Pence has said his own decision about running will not be influenced by Trump, though allies often voice skepticism that Trump ultimately will end up on the ballot.

Beyond his endorsements, Pence has spent his time since leaving office performing a careful balancing act. He has distanced himself from Trump's most corrosive statements while promoting what he calls the Trump-Pence agenda. Pence, like generations of could-be candidates, has used the primaries as an opportunity to forge new relationships and build goodwill, and continues to align himself with conservative causes. His trips often include college visits and speeches before anti-abortion groups.

Other potential 2024 candidates have campaigned for the Republican cause, including Texas Sen. Ted Cuz, who is on a monthlong, 17-state “Take Back America” bus tour. Trump has held rallies and finally begun spending a small part of his vast political fortune to help his favored candidates.

“I think he and all these guys are out there really helping the Republicans to win back the House and win back the Senate. It's an effort that everybody needs to contribute to,” said David McIntosh, president of the influential Club for Growth, who has joined Pence at several events.

McIntosh, who has been at odds with Trump in recent months, said he believes the electorate is “moving on" from 2020 "to what’s on the ballot this election.” He said candidates such as Masters "want to show that they've got support from all different types of Republicans, everyone that's out there, so there's a unity theme.”

“It's always been my view," he added, "that leaders like that help themselves by helping.”

But being popular enough that candidates want to campaign with you is very different from being popular enough to be competitive in a presidential primary, and right now, Pence routinely polls in the single digits, far lower than Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“Around here people talk about DeSantis and Trump," said Georgia GOP strategist Brian Robinson, adding that attention is largely focused on the Nov. 8 midterms.

Pence's policy group recently held a retreat in Utah at the Montage Deer Valley that was attended by GOP donors such as Matthew J. Bruderman, a New York investor who praised Pence's election-year efforts.

“He’s been extremely effective and deserves credit for continuing to help elect people who he believes will help advance conservative principles," Bruderman said by email, adding that he would “support him or any fiscal conservative of courage and character that wins the nomination” in 2024.

Art Pope, another donor who attended the retreat, said he “personally would love to see Vice President Pence run in 2024.”

"Yes there are frictions and there are divisions" in the GOP, he said, but the party is uniting behind its nominees now that primaries are over.

“Vice President Pence is both benefiting for that unity and helping lead that unification," he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609956651601.png" alt="On Friday, Pence will appear with Derek Schmidt at<a href="https://bbqwichita.com/">&nbsp;B&amp;C Barbecue</a>&nbsp;in Wichita,&nbsp;according to Schmidt’s campaign. Schmidt is in a tight race for governor against incumbent Laura Kelly.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>On Friday, Pence will appear with Derek Schmidt at<a href="https://bbqwichita.com/">&nbsp;B&amp;C Barbecue</a>&nbsp;in Wichita,&nbsp;according to Schmidt’s campaign. Schmidt is in a tight race for governor against incumbent Laura Kelly.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — In Donald Trump's assessment, Mike Pence “committed political suicide" on Jan. 6, 2021.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Join us in Wichita on October 21 for a rally with <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Pence?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mike_Pence</a> <a href="https://t.co/2LL6FXoXTq">https://t.co/2LL6FXoXTq</a>&mdash; Derek Schmidt (@DerekSchmidtKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/DerekSchmidtKS/status/1580246127642742785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>By refusing to go along with the then-president's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">unconstitutional push</a>&nbsp;to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Pence became a leading target of Trump's wrath and a pariah in many Republican circles.But the final weeks of this year's intensely competitive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm elections</a>&nbsp;suggest that the former vice president's fortunes have shifted as he lays the groundwork for his own potential 2024 White House campaign. The man who was booed last year at a conservative conference is now an in-demand draw for Republican candidates, including some who spent their primaries obsessively courting Trump’s endorsement, in part by parroting his election lies.Pence has traveled the country, holding events and raising millions for candidates and Republican groups, including signing fundraising solicitations for party committees.For some campaigns in tight races, Pence is seen as something of a neutralizing agent who can help broaden their appeal beyond Trump’s core base of support. That's the case in Arizona, with a critical Senate race this year and where the 2024 presidential campaign will be hotly contested. Last week, Pence endorsed Senate nominee Blake Masters, who has struggled to pivot from the primary and win over moderates in a state where one-third of voters are registered independents.“He takes a little bit of the edge off Masters with a lot of voters,” veteran GOP strategist Scott Reed said. “You know Masters is new to this, first-time candidate, said some silly things he probably regrets during the campaign. But now it’s all about undecided voters in Maricopa County. There’s not a lot more science behind this.”The endorsements can seem jarring given that Pence has spent much of the past year pushing back on Trump’s election lies, which spurred the violent mob that descended on the Capitol on Jan. 6 while Pence was trying to preside over the formal congressional certification of Joe Biden’s election victory. Pence and members of his family had to be rushed to safety and were held for hours in an underground loading dock as the marauders roamed the building's hallways. Some rioters chanted “Hang Mike Pence!” and erected a makeshift gallows outside.Pence agreed to endorse Masters even though Masters, during the primary, baselessly denied the 2020 election results. Masters recorded a video in which he said he thought Trump had won and claimed on his website that “if we had had a free and fair election, President Trump would be sitting in the Oval Office today.” Trump endorsed Masters in June, saying in a statement: “Blake knows that the “Crime of the Century” took place, he will expose it and also, never let it happen again.”Pence made no mention of that in Phoenix on Tuesday.“What I came here to Arizona to say is not only is Blake Masters the right choice for the United States Senate, the people of Arizona deserve to know Blake Masters may be the difference between a Democrat majority in the Senate and a Republican majority in the Senate,” Pence said.The former vice president, along with Masters and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, took just three questions, two of them from conservative websites. When a television reporter tried to ask Masters if Pence was right to move forward with certifying Biden's victory, the candidate was quickly cut off by a Masters spokesman.Masters is not the only election denier Pence has endorsed or assisted.Two days after the Masters event, Pence was in Georgia headlining a fundraiser for Burt Jones, the nominee for lieutenant governor. Jones not only&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-3deb77af1b47df5610c5ce9591a1eb2c">embraced Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud</a>&nbsp;and called for a statewide investigation into the 2020 race, but he also signed on to be one of his state’s fake alternate electors — a scheme now under criminal investigation.On Friday, Pence will appear with Derek Schmidt at<a href="https://bbqwichita.com/"> B&amp;C Barbecue</a>&nbsp;in Wichita,&nbsp;according to Schmidt’s campaign. Schmidt is in a tight race for governor against incumbent Laura Kelly.Fellow Republicans, Sen. Jerry Moran and Reps. Ron Estes, Tracey Mann and Jake LaTurner, will also attend.Last month, Pence was in New Hampshire for Senate nominee Don Bolduc, a retired Army general who also spent his primary campaign telling voters the race was stolen from Trump.Marc Short, a longtime Pence adviser, declined to set a red line for candidates Pence would and would not endorse.“It’s more about making sure that he’s being a team player where he needs to be," Short said. “I think as a lot of these candidates look to solidify the party behind them, Pence can be helpful."There is no evidence of any widespread fraud or manipulation of voting machines in the 2020 election, underscored by repeated audits, court cases and the conclusions of Trump’s own Department of Justice. Still, support of false election claims&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-cabinet-only-on-ap-election-2020-19131c0f468839bf2b847bd7b3dfaf5c">run deep</a>&nbsp;among GOP candidates this year.The Masters endorsement notably came days after a debate in which he made headlines for seeming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-campaigns-phoenix-47951240086781aee95b93ce0a8f87c1">to have shifted</a>&nbsp;from his most outrageous rigged election claims. Masters instead blamed Trump's loss on “big tech,” “big media” and the FBI, and under repeated questioning, acknowledged he hadn’t seen evidence the vote count or results were manipulated, as Trump has claimed. (After the Pence visit, Masters told Fox News he stood by what he had said on his now-modified website, adding: “I think if everyone followed the law, President Trump would be in the Oval Office.”)Short said Pence was happy to support candidates who had moved past 2020, as the former vice president has urged the party to do."If people sort of acknowledged a mistaken position before, he certainly wants to reward that,” Short said. “I think he wants to help conservatives first and foremost, but if people who were elected are now adopting new position about the events of Jan. 6,” Short said, “then that’s a positive.”Jones and Bolduc have also tried to distance themselves from their previous statements.In interviews, Jones has tried to play down the fake elector slate as a “procedural move,” while noting that voters rarely mention the 2020 race.“Look he’s been consistent that he does not believe the 2020 election was rigged. He said that Joe Biden is president," said Jones campaign spokesman Stephen Lawson, who noted that Pence and Jones have a long-standing relationship and, like Masters, share former Pence staff.“For us, it was sort of a no-brainer because the vice president's still very well liked in Georgia, very well received. And we’re in that final stretch where any Republican coming to raise money, support, is a value add," he said.“I think it’s certainly a nod to more mainstream kind of moderate Republicans. I think that’s a fair assessment," he said.Bolduc claimed throughout the primary race that the 2020 election had been stolen. During a debate, he proclaimed that "Trump won the election, and damn it, I stand by” and adding, “I’m not switching horses, baby.”But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-presidential-new-hampshire-election-2020-e3cf9f19bc45b9fc71c85c67a1a664f9">right after the GOP primary</a>&nbsp;— and a day after appearing with Pence — he told Fox News it was time to move on. “You know, we live and learn, right? And I've done a lot of research on this and I've spent the past couple of weeks talking to Granite Staters all over the state from every party. And I have come to the conclusion, and I want to be definitive on this: The election was not stolen,” Bolduc said. He described Biden as "the legitimate president of this country."(Earlier this month Bolduc changed his position again, saying he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-presidential-new-hampshire-election-2020-e3cf9f19bc45b9fc71c85c67a1a664f9">wasn't sure what happened with the election</a>. “I can’t say that it was stolen or not. I don’t have enough information.")Reed, the party strategist, said he understood the rationale behind Pence's endorsements.“He’s a big picture party guy. And it doesn’t surprised me that he’s hustling as hard as he is for people who may not be 100% Pencers,” he said. “By doing these kinds of events,” he added, “they’re going to take another look at him if he decides to run.”Pence’s political future is an open question. Trump, who is widely expected to run again, remains deeply popular with Republican primary voters and would almost certainly be an early front-runner for the 2024 nomination. Pence has said his own decision about running will not be influenced by Trump, though allies often voice skepticism that Trump ultimately will end up on the ballot.Beyond his endorsements, Pence has spent his time since leaving office performing a careful balancing act. He has distanced himself from Trump's most corrosive statements while promoting what he calls the Trump-Pence agenda. Pence, like generations of could-be candidates, has used the primaries as an opportunity to forge new relationships and build goodwill, and continues to align himself with conservative causes. His trips often include college visits and speeches before anti-abortion groups.Other potential 2024 candidates have campaigned for the Republican cause, including Texas Sen. Ted Cuz, who is on a monthlong, 17-state “Take Back America” bus tour. Trump has held rallies and finally begun spending a small part of his vast political fortune to help his favored candidates.“I think he and all these guys are out there really helping the Republicans to win back the House and win back the Senate. It's an effort that everybody needs to contribute to,” said David McIntosh, president of the influential Club for Growth, who has joined Pence at several events.McIntosh, who has been at odds with Trump in recent months, said he believes the electorate is “moving on" from 2020 "to what’s on the ballot this election.” He said candidates such as Masters "want to show that they've got support from all different types of Republicans, everyone that's out there, so there's a unity theme.”“It's always been my view," he added, "that leaders like that help themselves by helping.”But being popular enough that candidates want to campaign with you is very different from being popular enough to be competitive in a presidential primary, and right now, Pence routinely polls in the single digits, far lower than Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.“Around here people talk about DeSantis and Trump," said Georgia GOP strategist Brian Robinson, adding that attention is largely focused on the Nov. 8 midterms.Pence's policy group recently held a retreat in Utah at the Montage Deer Valley that was attended by GOP donors such as Matthew J. Bruderman, a New York investor who praised Pence's election-year efforts.“He’s been extremely effective and deserves credit for continuing to help elect people who he believes will help advance conservative principles," Bruderman said by email, adding that he would “support him or any fiscal conservative of courage and character that wins the nomination” in 2024.Art Pope, another donor who attended the retreat, said he “personally would love to see Vice President Pence run in 2024.”"Yes there are frictions and there are divisions" in the GOP, he said, but the party is uniting behind its nominees now that primaries are over.“Vice President Pence is both benefiting for that unity and helping lead that unification," he said.

GOP hopefuls turn to Pence to broaden appeal before election

JOHNSON COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a Sunday night house fire in Overland Park.

Just after 7p.m. Sunday crews responded&nbsp; to a house fire in the 9800 Block of of West 132nd Terrace, according to a media release.

As they arrived, crews reported fire through the roof of the two-story home, single family home. Fire crews attacked the attic fire while additional crews searched the home to make sure the three residents were out. It took 30-minutes to bring the fire under control.&nbsp;

The fire caused significant damage to the attic and roof. The home suffered additional damage from water and falling debris. The fire appears to have originated from the fireplace chimney but that has not been confirmed.

The two adult resident reported lighting a fire in their fireplace and within a few minutes hearing smoke alarms sound. They evacuated and called 911. There were no injuries.

The fire serves as a good reminder to be sure to have your fireplace and furnace inspected annually by a trained professional, according to the fire department.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666025274199.png" alt="Photo Overland Park Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photo Overland Park Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a Sunday night house fire in Overland Park.Just after 7p.m. Sunday crews responded&nbsp; to a house fire in the 9800 Block of of West 132nd Terrace, according to a media release.As they arrived, crews reported fire through the roof of the two-story home, single family home. Fire crews attacked the attic fire while additional crews searched the home to make sure the three residents were out. It took 30-minutes to bring the fire under control.&nbsp;The fire caused significant damage to the attic and roof. The home suffered additional damage from water and falling debris. The fire appears to have originated from the fireplace chimney but that has not been confirmed.The two adult resident reported lighting a fire in their fireplace and within a few minutes hearing smoke alarms sound. They evacuated and called 911. There were no injuries.The fire serves as a good reminder to be sure to have your fireplace and furnace inspected annually by a trained professional, according to the fire department.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. house fire serves as reminder to have fireplace inspected annually

By NATHAN KING Salina Post

WICHITA — Salina teenager, Charles "CJ" Prough Jr., 19, is in a coma and fighting for his life following a motorcycle crash at the corner of Belmont Boulevard and Mayfair Drive in Salina on Oct. 10. CJ is a graduate of Central High School and received his welding&nbsp; certificate from Salina Tech.

"When I say he is a tough teddy bear, that is exactly what I mean," said Angel Prough, CJ's older sister.&nbsp;"He looks so tough, but he's just so soft on the inside."&nbsp;

CJ is currently on a ventilator at a hospital in Wichita and has been unresponsive since the accident. He is one of eight children, and his family would love to be by his side, waiting for him to wake up.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"It is going to be a long road to recovery for him, and we want to be here for him," said Angel.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To help cover the expensive hospital bills, travel, lodging and food costs Angel created a GoFundMe page to ask the community for help. The original page goal was $1,000. Yet after just 48 hours, the goal was met and exceeded. The current page goal is $7,000 with $3,630 raised so far.&nbsp;&nbsp;

CJ's family expressed their gratitude and overwhelming thanks to the Salina community that has offered up prayers and financial support.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Our entire family is so thankful and blessed. It is overwhelming," Angel said. "The way that everyone can come together in a time of need is so great."&nbsp;

Angel wrote on CJ's GoFundMe Page,&nbsp;"His dreams are to sky dive, go on a cruise and visit Alaska. We hope to make his dreams come true when he makes a full recovery. He has to."&nbsp;

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-my-brother-and-our-family?utm_source=widget&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet">HERE</a>&nbsp;to help the Prough Family and give a donation to the GoFundMe drive.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666021468559.jpeg" alt="-Courtesy Photo Angel Prough" />
 <figcaption>-Courtesy Photo Angel Prough</figcaption>
 </figure>By NATHAN KING Salina PostWICHITA — Salina teenager, Charles "CJ" Prough Jr., 19, is in a coma and fighting for his life following a motorcycle crash at the corner of Belmont Boulevard and Mayfair Drive in Salina on Oct. 10. CJ is a graduate of Central High School and received his welding&nbsp; certificate from Salina Tech."When I say he is a tough teddy bear, that is exactly what I mean," said Angel Prough, CJ's older sister.&nbsp;"He looks so tough, but he's just so soft on the inside."&nbsp;CJ is currently on a ventilator at a hospital in Wichita and has been unresponsive since the accident. He is one of eight children, and his family would love to be by his side, waiting for him to wake up.&nbsp;&nbsp;"It is going to be a long road to recovery for him, and we want to be here for him," said Angel.&nbsp;&nbsp;To help cover the expensive hospital bills, travel, lodging and food costs Angel created a GoFundMe page to ask the community for help. The original page goal was $1,000. Yet after just 48 hours, the goal was met and exceeded. The current page goal is $7,000 with $3,630 raised so far.&nbsp;&nbsp;CJ's family expressed their gratitude and overwhelming thanks to the Salina community that has offered up prayers and financial support.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Our entire family is so thankful and blessed. It is overwhelming," Angel said. "The way that everyone can come together in a time of need is so great."&nbsp;Angel wrote on CJ's GoFundMe Page,&nbsp;"His dreams are to sky dive, go on a cruise and visit Alaska. We hope to make his dreams come true when he makes a full recovery. He has to."&nbsp;Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-my-brother-and-our-family?utm_source=widget&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet">HERE</a>&nbsp;to help the Prough Family and give a donation to the GoFundMe drive.

Kan. teen fighting for his life following motorcycle accident

To lower the price of hearing aids and expand access, President Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/09/fact-sheet-executive-order-on-promoting-competition-in-the-american-economy/">Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy</a>&nbsp;called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make hearing aids available over the counter, without a prescription, according to a statement from the White House. That is now reality. Starting Monday, hearings aids are now on store shelves across the country—for thousands of dollars less than they previously cost.

Specifically, today, under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-08-17/pdf/2022-17230.pdf">a final rule</a>&nbsp;issued by the FDA, adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss can buy hearing aids at a store or online without a prescription, exam, or audiologist fitting. FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/160971/download">estimates</a>&nbsp;this could lower average costs by as much as $3,000 per pair—providing significant breathing room for the nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3564588/">30 million Americans</a>&nbsp;with hearing loss, including nearly 10 million adults under age 60.

Retailers across the country are now selling over-the-counter hearing aids. Options available today or coming soon include:&nbsp;

To lower the price of hearing aids and expand access, President Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/09/fact-sheet-executive-order-on-promoting-competition-in-the-american-economy/">Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy</a>&nbsp;called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make hearing aids available over the counter, without a prescription, according to a statement from the White House. That is now reality. Starting Monday, hearings aids are now on store shelves across the country—for thousands of dollars less than they previously cost.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Starting today: Americans can buy hearing aids over the counter, without a prescription or exam. This will lower the price of a pair by nearly $3,000 – providing more breathing room for an estimated 30 million Americans. <a href="https://t.co/u5U1vF2EbV">pic.twitter.com/u5U1vF2EbV</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1582027958512148480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Specifically, today, under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-08-17/pdf/2022-17230.pdf">a final rule</a>&nbsp;issued by the FDA, adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss can buy hearing aids at a store or online without a prescription, exam, or audiologist fitting. FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/160971/download">estimates</a>&nbsp;this could lower average costs by as much as $3,000 per pair—providing significant breathing room for the nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3564588/">30 million Americans</a>&nbsp;with hearing loss, including nearly 10 million adults under age 60. Retailers across the country are now selling over-the-counter hearing aids. Options available today or coming soon include:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Starting today,&nbsp;Walgreens&nbsp;is selling hearings aids at stores nationwide and online for $799 per pair. According to Walgreens, comparable models sold by specialists range from $2,000 to $8,000 a pair. </li><li>Starting today,&nbsp;CVS&nbsp;will start selling over-the-counter hearing aids on CVS.com, with varying options on model and price point. CVS will also offer hearing aids in select CVS Pharmacy locations beginning in November. </li><li>Starting today,&nbsp;Walmart&nbsp;will offer an assortment of over-the-counter hearing aids on Walmart.com, SamsClub.com, and in over 1,000 Vision Centers in Walmart stores across Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas, as well as 474 Sam’s Club Hearing Aid Center locations. Available products will range in price from $199 to $999 per pair, while according to Walmart, comparable prescription hearing aids are priced at $4,400 to $5,500 per pair. </li><li>Starting this week, Best Buy&nbsp;will offer nearly 20 different hearing devices online. By the end of October, it will offer hearing aids in nearly 300 stores across the country. Devices will range in price between $200 and $3,000. </li><li>Starting this week,&nbsp;Hy-Vee&nbsp;will sell over-the-counter hearing aids online and in 34 locations across Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Hy-Vee plans to offer hearing aids in 100 locations by the end of the year. Hy-Vee will offer four models ranging in price from $499.99 to $999.99.</li>
 </ul>

Lower-cost, over-the-counter hearing aids now available

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect involved in a hit-and-run accident that injured a 7-year-old boy.

Just after 1p.m. Saturday, at 1:15 pm, police were dispatched to a hit-and-run accident involving a child in the 2000 block of North Minnesota, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

 Officers arrived on the scene and learned a 7-year-old boy was riding his bicycle and was struck by a southbound vehicle on Minnesota Street. EMS transported the boy to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. 

Investigators learned Thompson-Johnson was driving her gray 2004 Chevy Trailblazer southbound on Minnesota when the 7-year-old was crossing the street on his bicycle. 

Thompson-Johnson attempted to swerve and miss, struck the boy and sped off at a high rate of speed, according to Ditch.

&nbsp;Witnesses spoke to police and after a substantial amount of research, officers spotted Thompson-Johnson driving in a different vehicle away from a known location for her. 

Police stopped the vehicle in the 6100 block of West Kellogg Dr and arrested<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20079232"> her on requested charges</a> of Aggravated Battery and failure to stop at an accident resulting in great bodily harm. The child remained&nbsp; hospitalized late Sunday, according to police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665966086574.png" alt="Thompson-Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Thompson-Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect involved in a hit-and-run accident that injured a 7-year-old boy.Just after 1p.m. Saturday, at 1:15 pm, police were dispatched to a hit-and-run accident involving a child in the 2000 block of North Minnesota, according to Officer Chad Ditch. Officers arrived on the scene and learned a 7-year-old boy was riding his bicycle and was struck by a southbound vehicle on Minnesota Street. EMS transported the boy to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators learned Thompson-Johnson was driving her gray 2004 Chevy Trailblazer southbound on Minnesota when the 7-year-old was crossing the street on his bicycle. Thompson-Johnson attempted to swerve and miss, struck the boy and sped off at a high rate of speed, according to Ditch.&nbsp;Witnesses spoke to police and after a substantial amount of research, officers spotted Thompson-Johnson driving in a different vehicle away from a known location for her. Police stopped the vehicle in the 6100 block of West Kellogg Dr and arrested<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20079232"> her on requested charges</a> of Aggravated Battery and failure to stop at an accident resulting in great bodily harm. The child remained&nbsp; hospitalized late Sunday, according to police.

Hit-and-run: Kan. woman jailed after SUV strikes boy on bicycle

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Friday night released their first version of the student loan forgiveness application. 

<a href="https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief/application">Click here for</a> the government's debt relief website

In August, President Joe Biden announced the long-awaited plan to deliver on his campaign promise to provide $10,000 in debt cancellation for millions of Americans — and up to $10,000 more for those with the greatest financial need.

Borrowers who earn less than $125,000 a year, or families earning less than $250,000, would be eligible for the $10,000 loan forgiveness. For recipients of Pell Grants, which are reserved for undergraduates with the most significant financial need, the federal government would cancel up to an additional $10,000 in federal loan debt.

The proposal prompted a lawsuit filed in September by Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and South Carolina. Other lawsuits followed,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-education-lawsuits-personal-taxes-small-948e5c9ee802bc865f66c2ab28328035">including one filed </a>by the Job Creators Network Foundation alleging that the administration violated federal procedures by failing to seek public input on the program.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661367707782.png" alt="President Biden and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona during the August announcement of the student loan forgiveness plan . -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona during the August announcement of the student loan forgiveness plan . -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Friday night released their first version of the student loan forgiveness application. <a href="https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief/application">Click here for</a> the government's debt relief websiteIn August, President Joe Biden announced the long-awaited plan to deliver on his campaign promise to provide $10,000 in debt cancellation for millions of Americans — and up to $10,000 more for those with the greatest financial need.Borrowers who earn less than $125,000 a year, or families earning less than $250,000, would be eligible for the $10,000 loan forgiveness. For recipients of Pell Grants, which are reserved for undergraduates with the most significant financial need, the federal government would cancel up to an additional $10,000 in federal loan debt.The proposal prompted a lawsuit filed in September by Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and South Carolina. Other lawsuits followed,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-education-lawsuits-personal-taxes-small-948e5c9ee802bc865f66c2ab28328035">including one filed </a>by the Job Creators Network Foundation alleging that the administration violated federal procedures by failing to seek public input on the program.

Application for student loan forgiveness now online

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities continue searching for suspects in connection with a vehicle theft and chase.

Just before 2p.m. Sunday, police were requested to assist Capitol Police with a stolen vehicle investigation at 900 SW Tyler in Topeka, according to Lt. Michael Hren.

 During this investigation the suspect intentionally rammed the Capitol Police patrol car and that initiated a vehicle pursuit.&nbsp; The suspect eventually collided with another car at 17th and Fairlawn and continued south on Fairlawn. 

Officers lost sight of the vehicle and eventually located it in the 6100 block of SW 26th CT, according to Hren.

 Attempts to locate the suspects were unsuccessful . No injuries were reported at this time from the accident at 17th and Fairlawn, according to Hren.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities continue searching for suspects in connection with a vehicle theft and chase.Just before 2p.m. Sunday, police were requested to assist Capitol Police with a stolen vehicle investigation at 900 SW Tyler in Topeka, according to Lt. Michael Hren. During this investigation the suspect intentionally rammed the Capitol Police patrol car and that initiated a vehicle pursuit.&nbsp; The suspect eventually collided with another car at 17th and Fairlawn and continued south on Fairlawn. Officers lost sight of the vehicle and eventually located it in the 6100 block of SW 26th CT, according to Hren. Attempts to locate the suspects were unsuccessful . No injuries were reported at this time from the accident at 17th and Fairlawn, according to Hren.

Police: Car theft suspect rammed Kan. Capitol Police vehicle

WASHINGTON (AP) — In an extraordinary step, the House Jan. 6 committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-presidential-elections-election-2020-congress-43c97dd8db5ce460e051204f91aa6cd1?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">has voted unanimously</a>&nbsp;to subpoena former President Donald Trump — a final effort to get the full story of the Capitol insurrection as the panel wraps up its work by the end of the year.

Trump still does not acknowledge the “former” in front of “president,” and he has been relentlessly&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/:%20https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">hostile to the investigation</a>. He called it a “charade and a witch hunt” in a letter to the committee on Friday — but notably did not mention the subpoena or say whether he would comply with the demand for his appearance.

The attempt to compel Trump's testimony comes as the committee is tying together multiple investigative threads and compiling its final report. The panel is only authorized through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">this Congress, which ends on Jan. 3</a>.

A look at what’s next as the panel sprints to its finish:

The nine-member committee has interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses, including many of the former president’s top White House aides. And they have laid out a detailed timeline of Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat — including his inaction as his supporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-united-states-presidential-elections-nancy-pelosi-election-2020-3ca391a6ca811b40e490909cbf45c5c9">stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021</a>. But they still want to hear from Trump himself.

Now that a subpoena has been authorized — on Thursday — it must be delivered in writing to Trump. That step, expected early next week, will set a date for an interview and lay out requests for documents.

<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/27/27b7896f-01c5-4609-93c7-742e5cb22e96/830-am-final-january-6th-committee-letter14446.pdf?utm_medium=email_hf&amp;utm_source=ncl__&amp;utm_campaign=20221014___sa&amp;utm_content=__6167&amp;_nlid=test123&amp;_nhids=TEST">CLICK here to read</a>&nbsp;the full letter Trump sent to the Jan. 6 committee

Trump and his lawyers will then decide how to respond. He could comply, negotiate with the committee, announce he will defy the subpoena or ignore it altogether. He could also go to court and try to stop it.

If Trump doesn’t comply, the panel will have to weigh the practical and political implications of a vote on holding him in contempt of Congress. If the full House voted to recommend such a charge, the Justice Department would then review the case.

The committee has taken that step with some of Trump’s allies who refused to comply with subpoenas, including Steve Bannon, who was convicted of contempt in July. But holding a former president in contempt would be another matter, an exceptional step for any Congress.

In his letter on Friday, Trump repeated his false claims of widespread election fraud and said he was writing to express “anger, disappointment and complaint” that the committee wasn't investigating his claims. He also took the opportunity to boast anew about the size of the crowd that gathered for his speech near the White House on the morning of Jan. 6, before he sent them marching to the Capitol. He included aerial photographs. He said nothing about the subpoena.

Even if he does comply, there's reason to doubt that Trump's appearance would help the investigation. He did respond to some written questions from special counsel Robert Mueller during the probe of Russian cooperation with his 2016 campaign. But his answers produced little or nothing to advance the investigation. More recently, he appeared for a deposition by the office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James — but invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 400 times in refusing to answer questions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665779973146.png" alt="Former President Trump as shown from Dec. 2, 2020, in the Jan. 6 committee hearing video on Thursday" />
 <figcaption>Former President Trump as shown from Dec. 2, 2020, in the Jan. 6 committee hearing video on Thursday</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In an extraordinary step, the House Jan. 6 committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-presidential-elections-election-2020-congress-43c97dd8db5ce460e051204f91aa6cd1?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">has voted unanimously</a>&nbsp;to subpoena former President Donald Trump — a final effort to get the full story of the Capitol insurrection as the panel wraps up its work by the end of the year.Trump still does not acknowledge the “former” in front of “president,” and he has been relentlessly&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/:%20https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">hostile to the investigation</a>. He called it a “charade and a witch hunt” in a letter to the committee on Friday — but notably did not mention the subpoena or say whether he would comply with the demand for his appearance.The attempt to compel Trump's testimony comes as the committee is tying together multiple investigative threads and compiling its final report. The panel is only authorized through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">this Congress, which ends on Jan. 3</a>.A look at what’s next as the panel sprints to its finish:THE TRUMP SUBPOENAThe nine-member committee has interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses, including many of the former president’s top White House aides. And they have laid out a detailed timeline of Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat — including his inaction as his supporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-united-states-presidential-elections-nancy-pelosi-election-2020-3ca391a6ca811b40e490909cbf45c5c9">stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021</a>. But they still want to hear from Trump himself.Now that a subpoena has been authorized — on Thursday — it must be delivered in writing to Trump. That step, expected early next week, will set a date for an interview and lay out requests for documents.<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/27/27b7896f-01c5-4609-93c7-742e5cb22e96/830-am-final-january-6th-committee-letter14446.pdf?utm_medium=email_hf&amp;utm_source=ncl__&amp;utm_campaign=20221014___sa&amp;utm_content=__6167&amp;_nlid=test123&amp;_nhids=TEST">CLICK here to read</a>&nbsp;the full letter Trump sent to the Jan. 6 committeeTrump and his lawyers will then decide how to respond. He could comply, negotiate with the committee, announce he will defy the subpoena or ignore it altogether. He could also go to court and try to stop it.If Trump doesn’t comply, the panel will have to weigh the practical and political implications of a vote on holding him in contempt of Congress. If the full House voted to recommend such a charge, the Justice Department would then review the case.The committee has taken that step with some of Trump’s allies who refused to comply with subpoenas, including Steve Bannon, who was convicted of contempt in July. But holding a former president in contempt would be another matter, an exceptional step for any Congress.In his letter on Friday, Trump repeated his false claims of widespread election fraud and said he was writing to express “anger, disappointment and complaint” that the committee wasn't investigating his claims. He also took the opportunity to boast anew about the size of the crowd that gathered for his speech near the White House on the morning of Jan. 6, before he sent them marching to the Capitol. He included aerial photographs. He said nothing about the subpoena.Even if he does comply, there's reason to doubt that Trump's appearance would help the investigation. He did respond to some written questions from special counsel Robert Mueller during the probe of Russian cooperation with his 2016 campaign. But his answers produced little or nothing to advance the investigation. More recently, he appeared for a deposition by the office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James — but invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 400 times in refusing to answer questions.WHAT ABOUT PENCE?The committee is still talking to lawyers for former Vice President Mike Pence, as it has been for months. But it is unclear whether the lawmakers will subpoena the vice president or ask him for testimony.Several of Pence’s aides have talked to investigators, some providing great detail about his movements and state of mind as he resisted Trump’s pleas to object to the certification of electoral votes that day and try to overturn their defeat to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.Video shown Thursday at the committee’s final hearing before the midterm elections showed Pence coordinating with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer for help as the rioters were inside the building, some of them calling for Pence's execution. The leaders were working with security officials to ensure that they could return to the Capitol and certify Biden’s victory.A CRIMINAL REFERRAL?The committee will also have to decide whether to refer any allegations of crimes to the Justice Department. While federal prosecutors are conducting their own investigations into Jan. 6 and Trump’s efforts to overturn the election, the congressional committee has its separate, massive trove of evidence.Lawmakers on the panel have hinted multiple times over the past year that they will issue criminal referrals. At the hearing on Thursday, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the committee’s Republican vice chairwoman, said that the panel “may ultimately decide” to do so. She said they have “sufficient information to consider criminal referrals for multiple individuals.”While such a referral would not force any action, it would amplify the political pressure on Attorney General Merrick Garland as the department pursues its own probes.SECRET SERVICEThe committee recently received more than 1.5 million pages of documents from the Secret Service. But lawmakers say they still don’t have everything they want.The panel is working to verify the accounts of White House aides who described Trump’s actions on Jan. 6 as he tried to go to the Capitol and accompany his supporters, hundreds of whom eventually broke in. Security officials, along with many White House aides and GOP members of Congress, were vehemently opposed to the idea. Trump was livid and tried, ultimately unsuccessfully, to go to the Capitol anyway, according to several accounts aired by the committee.California Rep. Pete Aguilar, a Democratic member of the panel, said the lawmakers “will be recalling witnesses and conducting further investigative depositions” based on the Secret Service material. The agency has not turned over text messages that it says were deleted.FINAL REPORTThe panel’s expected final action will be a massive report laying out evidence, findings and legislative recommendations to ensure nothing like Jan. 6 ever happens again. But it’s unclear how much of its investigative material will be released to the public.In one of eight hearings last summer, Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, another Democratic member, said, "We have only shown a small fraction of what we have found.”Lawmakers have made clear that the report will lay out what they view as the stakes for the country as many Republicans still believe, falsely, that the 2020 election was stolen and as Trump considers another run in 2024.“With every effort to excuse or justify the conduct of the former president, we chip away at the foundation of our republic,” Cheney said at the hearing.