SHAWNEE COUNTY—Three Kansas children died in an accident just after 9a.m. Saturday in Shawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Kenworth semi driven by Robert Hosey Russell, 70, Huntsville, Alabama, was southbound on Interstate 335, the Kansas Turnpike, just south of Topeka.

The semi struck a 2018 Dodge van driven by Amber Marie Peery, 32, Topeka, as the driver attempted to turn through the barrier wall, according to the KHP.

Three children including two 9-year-old girls and an 8-year-old girl all from Topeka died in the crash. 

EMS transported Peery, a 5-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl both of Topeka to Stormont Vail. Russell was not injured.

The girls who died were Auburn-Washburn elementary school students, according to a statement from USD 437 Superintendent&nbsp;Scott McWilliams. "These students include a Jay Shideler Elementary third grader along with two Farley Elementary fourth graders."

"We are keeping these students and their families in our thoughts. Such a loss raises emotions and questions for our entire school community, especially our students."

"Our schools have crisis teams made up of professionals trained to help with the needs of students, parents, and school personnel at difficult times such as this."

"On Monday morning, Farley Elementary and Jay Shideler Elementary students will be notified in an age-appropriate manner about what occurred. There will be designated areas of support offered to students who need time to process, discuss, or grieve. We will have counselors and social workers available to meet with students and staff members as needed.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665414813534.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the weekend accident -photo courtesy WIBW TV&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the weekend accident -photo courtesy WIBW TV&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Three Kansas children died in an accident just after 9a.m. Saturday in Shawnee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Kenworth semi driven by Robert Hosey Russell, 70, Huntsville, Alabama, was southbound on Interstate 335, the Kansas Turnpike, just south of Topeka.The semi struck a 2018 Dodge van driven by Amber Marie Peery, 32, Topeka, as the driver attempted to turn through the barrier wall, according to the KHP.Three children including two 9-year-old girls and an 8-year-old girl all from Topeka died in the crash. EMS transported Peery, a 5-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl both of Topeka to Stormont Vail. Russell was not injured.The girls who died were Auburn-Washburn elementary school students, according to a statement from USD 437 Superintendent&nbsp;Scott McWilliams. "These students include a Jay Shideler Elementary third grader along with two Farley Elementary fourth graders.""We are keeping these students and their families in our thoughts. Such a loss raises emotions and questions for our entire school community, especially our students.""Our schools have crisis teams made up of professionals trained to help with the needs of students, parents, and school personnel at difficult times such as this.""On Monday morning, Farley Elementary and Jay Shideler Elementary students will be notified in an age-appropriate manner about what occurred. There will be designated areas of support offered to students who need time to process, discuss, or grieve. We will have counselors and social workers available to meet with students and staff members as needed.”

3 Kansas girls dead after semi, van crash on Kansas Turnpike

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered Kansas sex offender on new sex crime allegations.

On Thursday, Jeremy Vanness, 36, of Cheney was indicted on two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are investigating the case.&nbsp;

In 2007, Vanness was convicted on two counts of possessing a video, visual depiction of an unclothed minor child engaging in sexual explicit behavior, according to the KBI offender registry. He has been a registered offender since 2010.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665080479030.png" alt="Vanness-photo KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Vanness-photo KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered Kansas sex offender on new sex crime allegations.On Thursday, Jeremy Vanness, 36, of Cheney was indicted on two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are investigating the case.&nbsp;In 2007, Vanness was convicted on two counts of possessing a video, visual depiction of an unclothed minor child engaging in sexual explicit behavior, according to the KBI offender registry. He has been a registered offender since 2010.

Kan. sex offender accused of distributing child pornography

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman for her role in an alleged domestic disturbance.

Just after 6:30 a.m. Oct. 5, police responded to a home in the 300 block of German Avenue in Haysville, according to a media release.

Officers learned there had been a disturbance between household members, resulting in a resident using a firearm inside the home.&nbsp;

Police arrested the suspect identified as 23-year-old Elizabeth&nbsp;Vanwilpe, according to the <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18828584">Sedgwick County booking report.</a>

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18828584">&nbsp;Vanwilpe remains in custody on </a>requested charges of attempted second-degree murder, an aggravated weapons violation, domestic violence, criminal damage to property and failure to appear, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665071853430.png" alt="Vanwilpe-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Vanwilpe-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman for her role in an alleged domestic disturbance.Just after 6:30 a.m. Oct. 5, police responded to a home in the 300 block of German Avenue in Haysville, according to a media release.Officers learned there had been a disturbance between household members, resulting in a resident using a firearm inside the home.&nbsp;Police arrested the suspect identified as 23-year-old Elizabeth&nbsp;Vanwilpe, according to the <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18828584">Sedgwick County booking report.</a><a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18828584">&nbsp;Vanwilpe remains in custody on </a>requested charges of attempted second-degree murder, an aggravated weapons violation, domestic violence, criminal damage to property and failure to appear, according to online jail records.

Kan. woman allegedly fired gun in a home during disturbance

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy died in an accident just after 9:30p.m. Friday.&nbsp;

A 2016 Dodge Charger driven by Deputy Sidnee Carter, 22, Bel Aire, was southbound on 135th Street at 29th Street north one mile west of Northwest Wichita and Maize responding to a disturbance, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter. 

A westbound 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Kelvin W. Burgett, 28, Prescott Valley, Arizona, failed to stop at a stop sign and struck the drivers side of the Dodge Charger, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

 Deputy Carter was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported Burgett to a local hospital.

Deputy Carter had only worked in the field alone for a week, according to Sheriff Easter. She began field training this summer and completed that training Oct. 1.&nbsp;

Deputy Carter had served the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for one and a half years in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility before transferring to the Law Enforcement Bureau in February 2022. She graduated the Law Enforcement Academy on July 21, 2022.&nbsp;

Deputy Carter is survived by her parents, sisters and brothers. The sheriff's office is working with the family on funeral arrangements, according to Sheriff Easter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665249753989.png" alt="Deputy Sidnee Carter-photo courtesy Sedgwick Co. Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Deputy Sidnee Carter-photo courtesy Sedgwick Co. Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy died in an accident just after 9:30p.m. Friday.&nbsp;A 2016 Dodge Charger driven by Deputy Sidnee Carter, 22, Bel Aire, was southbound on 135th Street at 29th Street north one mile west of Northwest Wichita and Maize responding to a disturbance, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter. A westbound 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Kelvin W. Burgett, 28, Prescott Valley, Arizona, failed to stop at a stop sign and struck the drivers side of the Dodge Charger, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. Deputy Carter was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported Burgett to a local hospital.Deputy Carter had only worked in the field alone for a week, according to Sheriff Easter. She began field training this summer and completed that training Oct. 1.&nbsp;Deputy Carter had served the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for one and a half years in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility before transferring to the Law Enforcement Bureau in February 2022. She graduated the Law Enforcement Academy on July 21, 2022.&nbsp;Deputy Carter is survived by her parents, sisters and brothers. The sheriff's office is working with the family on funeral arrangements, according to Sheriff Easter.

Kan. deputy completing first week of work alone dies in crash

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Airlines will be required to give flight attendants at least 10 hours off duty between shifts, one more hour than currently, under a rule announced this week by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen said that the extra hour of rest would contribute to safety.

The rule goes into effect in 30 days, and airlines have up to 90 days to comply.

Congress directed the FAA in 2018 to increase the rest requirement for flight attendants and eliminate a provision that let crews work with less rest under some circumstances.

“It took us way too long, but we are finally here,” Nolen said at a news conference at Reagan Washington National Airport, where he was flanked by more than a dozen flight attendants.

Current federal rules allow flight attendants to work up to 14 hours in a day and get nine hours of rest between shifts.

The Association of Flight Attendants has fought for years for a longer break between shifts. The union thought it had prevailed four years ago, when Congress voted by large margins to require more rest. The union’s president, Sara Nelson, appeared with Nolen at the news conference and accused the Trump administration of attempting to kill the expansion through regulatory foot-dragging.

Union officials have pointed to a 2020-2021 increase in incidents involving unruly passengers as demonstrating the need to give cabin crews more rest between shifts. Airlines have reported fewer incidents since the federal requirement to wear face masks on flights ended in April.

“This is a small handful of people making it hell for flight attendants on the front lines,” Nelson said.

The FAA took public comments on the extra rest requirement in both 2019 and 2021 and received more than 1,000 comments from airlines, flight attendants and the public.

Airlines for America, a trade group representing the largest U.S. airlines, said safety is always the industry's top priority, and “having rested and alert flight attendants who are prepared to carry out their responsibilities, including cabin safety and other duties, is critical to this goal.” The group said it supports “scientifically validated and data-driven countermeasures to prevent fatigue.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Airlines will be required to give flight attendants at least 10 hours off duty between shifts, one more hour than currently, under a rule announced this week by the Federal Aviation Administration.Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen said that the extra hour of rest would contribute to safety.The rule goes into effect in 30 days, and airlines have up to 90 days to comply.Congress directed the FAA in 2018 to increase the rest requirement for flight attendants and eliminate a provision that let crews work with less rest under some circumstances.“It took us way too long, but we are finally here,” Nolen said at a news conference at Reagan Washington National Airport, where he was flanked by more than a dozen flight attendants.Current federal rules allow flight attendants to work up to 14 hours in a day and get nine hours of rest between shifts.The Association of Flight Attendants has fought for years for a longer break between shifts. The union thought it had prevailed four years ago, when Congress voted by large margins to require more rest. The union’s president, Sara Nelson, appeared with Nolen at the news conference and accused the Trump administration of attempting to kill the expansion through regulatory foot-dragging.Union officials have pointed to a 2020-2021 increase in incidents involving unruly passengers as demonstrating the need to give cabin crews more rest between shifts. Airlines have reported fewer incidents since the federal requirement to wear face masks on flights ended in April.“This is a small handful of people making it hell for flight attendants on the front lines,” Nelson said.The FAA took public comments on the extra rest requirement in both 2019 and 2021 and received more than 1,000 comments from airlines, flight attendants and the public.Airlines for America, a trade group representing the largest U.S. airlines, said safety is always the industry's top priority, and “having rested and alert flight attendants who are prepared to carry out their responsibilities, including cabin safety and other duties, is critical to this goal.” The group said it supports “scientifically validated and data-driven countermeasures to prevent fatigue.”

New FAA rule: More rest between shifts for flight attendants

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an off-duty law enforcement officer for an alleged DUI.

Early Saturday,&nbsp;the Wichita Police Department (WPD) was made aware of the arrest of an off-duty officer by the Newton Police Department, according to Officer Trevor Macy. 

The Wichita Police Department learned that officer Louis Hebert was arrested and booked into the Harvey County Jail on requested charges of DUI and possession of a firearm while intoxicated.

Hebert has been employed by the WPD for two years and was assigned to the Field Services division, according to Macy. He has since been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a criminal and internal investigation. The Newton Police Department is investigating the case.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an off-duty law enforcement officer for an alleged DUI.Early Saturday,&nbsp;the Wichita Police Department (WPD) was made aware of the arrest of an off-duty officer by the Newton Police Department, according to Officer Trevor Macy. The Wichita Police Department learned that officer Louis Hebert was arrested and booked into the Harvey County Jail on requested charges of DUI and possession of a firearm while intoxicated.Hebert has been employed by the WPD for two years and was assigned to the Field Services division, according to Macy. He has since been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a criminal and internal investigation. The Newton Police Department is investigating the case.

Off-duty Kansas officer accused of DUI

Figures show fentanyl-related deaths on the rise

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/05/kansas-child-death-report-finds-greater-risk-of-sucide-for-youth-in-state-custody/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas children involved in the foster care system have an increased suicide risk, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/reports/scdrb/2022-scdrb-annual-report.pdf?sfvrsn=bac7a21a_2">a new report on adolescent deaths</a> in the state.&nbsp;

Half of all deaths by suicide in 2020
 were children who had a history with child protective services. In 35% 
of the cases, the child had a history of being in state custody or had a
 sibling in state custody.&nbsp;

Out of the 26 suicide deaths reported
 for that year, 22 were male youths. In eight of the cases, the child 
was under the age of 15. In about 54% of cases, the youth had expressed 
suicidal thoughts or actions before.

While LGBTQ youth have a higher risk 
of suicide in national statistics, sexual orientation wasn’t tracked in a
 majority of the cases, and gender identity for four of the youths who 
died by suicide remains unknown.&nbsp;

The review of child fatalities in the
 state is conducted by a board of health professionals, law enforcement 
officers, educators and attorneys who examine each child death in 
Kansas. The Attorney General’s Office provides oversight of the board. The board said tracking gender identity and sexual orientation was difficult.&nbsp;

“It should be noted that the Board 
will rarely have information that would confirm a youth’s gender 
identity or sexual orientation,” the report said.&nbsp;

The state has ongoing efforts to 
reduce the problem, including a Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force, 
which was introduced in June 2018, and a statewide, 24-hour, seven-day-a-week suicide prevention hotline introduced in June of this year.&nbsp;

Barb Mares, area director for the 
Greater Kansas Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide 
Prevention, said she noticed a change with the hotline implementation.&nbsp;

“The calls have increased since the change, and I feel that they are doing such an improvement
 with how everybody’s being trained,” Mares said. “With everybody being 
on the same page, this is only going to get better for those that need 
the services.”

The rate of youth suicide fell 
slightly from 2019, which had 28 reported youth suicides. Mares said she
 was optimistic about current changes, but she urged more firearm 
safety.&nbsp;

“Sometimes you don’t see signs, but I
 feel safety is always the key,” Mares said. “So lock up those firearms,
 just in case. I would rather be safe than experiencing a tragedy. So if
 you do have firearms in the home, I would just suggest always be on the
 safe side.”&nbsp;

In Kansas, 74% of all weapon-related 
deaths in the last five years were caused by firearms, the report says. 
Out of the 125 firearm-related deaths in the last five years, 45 were 
homicide cases, and 68 were suicide cases.&nbsp;

The majority of 2020 child deaths in 
Kansas were from natural causes, such as disease or congenital 
conditions. Out of the total 365 child fatalities in 2020, 197 deaths 
fell into this category. Of these 197 deaths, 45% were caused by 
premature birth.&nbsp;

For the same year, 63 deaths were 
caused by unintentional injuries, most of which were motor vehicle 
crashes. There were also 22 child homicides, six of those from child 
abuse. Thirteen of the 22 families of homicide victims had child 
protective services involved before the death.

The board warned about a rise in 
fentanyl-related fatalities. Eleven out of the 16 drug-related deaths 
reported statewide in 2020 were caused by fentanyl. Drug-related deaths 
rose from 2019, when there were only five reported cases of drug-related
 deaths, none caused by fentanyl.&nbsp;

“The increase in drug overdoses and 
the continued loss of our youth by suicide are blunt reminders that we 
have much more work to do in Kansas to ensure the wellbeing of our 
children,” Attorney General Derek Schmidt said in a press release on the
 board’s findings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665000528119.png" alt="Half of all deaths by suicide in 2020 were children who had a history with child protective services, a new report shows. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Half of all deaths by suicide in 2020 were children who had a history with child protective services, a new report shows. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Figures show fentanyl-related deaths on the rise</h2>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/05/kansas-child-death-report-finds-greater-risk-of-sucide-for-youth-in-state-custody/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas children involved in the foster care system have an increased suicide risk, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/reports/scdrb/2022-scdrb-annual-report.pdf?sfvrsn=bac7a21a_2">a new report on adolescent deaths</a> in the state.&nbsp;Half of all deaths by suicide in 2020
 were children who had a history with child protective services. In 35% 
of the cases, the child had a history of being in state custody or had a
 sibling in state custody.&nbsp;Out of the 26 suicide deaths reported
 for that year, 22 were male youths. In eight of the cases, the child 
was under the age of 15. In about 54% of cases, the youth had expressed 
suicidal thoughts or actions before.While LGBTQ youth have a higher risk 
of suicide in national statistics, sexual orientation wasn’t tracked in a
 majority of the cases, and gender identity for four of the youths who 
died by suicide remains unknown.&nbsp;The review of child fatalities in the
 state is conducted by a board of health professionals, law enforcement 
officers, educators and attorneys who examine each child death in 
Kansas. The Attorney General’s Office provides oversight of the board. The board said tracking gender identity and sexual orientation was difficult.&nbsp;“It should be noted that the Board 
will rarely have information that would confirm a youth’s gender 
identity or sexual orientation,” the report said.&nbsp;The state has ongoing efforts to 
reduce the problem, including a Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force, 
which was introduced in June 2018, and a statewide, 24-hour, seven-day-a-week suicide prevention hotline introduced in June of this year.&nbsp;Barb Mares, area director for the 
Greater Kansas Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide 
Prevention, said she noticed a change with the hotline implementation.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665000579882.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“The calls have increased since the change, and I feel that they are doing such an improvement
 with how everybody’s being trained,” Mares said. “With everybody being 
on the same page, this is only going to get better for those that need 
the services.”The rate of youth suicide fell 
slightly from 2019, which had 28 reported youth suicides. Mares said she
 was optimistic about current changes, but she urged more firearm 
safety.&nbsp;“Sometimes you don’t see signs, but I
 feel safety is always the key,” Mares said. “So lock up those firearms,
 just in case. I would rather be safe than experiencing a tragedy. So if
 you do have firearms in the home, I would just suggest always be on the
 safe side.”&nbsp;In Kansas, 74% of all weapon-related 
deaths in the last five years were caused by firearms, the report says. 
Out of the 125 firearm-related deaths in the last five years, 45 were 
homicide cases, and 68 were suicide cases.&nbsp;The majority of 2020 child deaths in 
Kansas were from natural causes, such as disease or congenital 
conditions. Out of the total 365 child fatalities in 2020, 197 deaths 
fell into this category. Of these 197 deaths, 45% were caused by 
premature birth.&nbsp;For the same year, 63 deaths were 
caused by unintentional injuries, most of which were motor vehicle 
crashes. There were also 22 child homicides, six of those from child 
abuse. Thirteen of the 22 families of homicide victims had child 
protective services involved before the death.The board warned about a rise in 
fentanyl-related fatalities. Eleven out of the 16 drug-related deaths 
reported statewide in 2020 were caused by fentanyl. Drug-related deaths 
rose from 2019, when there were only five reported cases of drug-related
 deaths, none caused by fentanyl.&nbsp;“The increase in drug overdoses and 
the continued loss of our youth by suicide are blunt reminders that we 
have much more work to do in Kansas to ensure the wellbeing of our 
children,” Attorney General Derek Schmidt said in a press release on the
 board’s findings.

Report: Greater risk of suicide for Kansas youth in state custody

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A man pleaded guilty Friday in the shooting deaths of a teenage Wichita couple whose bodies were found three days apart.

Dontenzie Kelly, 24, is scheduled to be sentenced next month after admitting to two counts of second-degree murder in the killings of 18-year-old Kaylah Blackmon and 17-year-old Michael Beasley.

Beasley’s body was found Feb. 1, 2021, outside an abandoned church. At the time, authorities said Blackmon might be in danger and launched a search. Her body later was found inside her SUV at a Wichita apartment complex.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement&nbsp;authorities investigating the murder of two Kansas teens have arrested of&nbsp;22-year-old Dontenize Kelly of Wichita, according to Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsey.

On Tuesday, police alerted the public that 18-year-old Kayla Blackmon may be in danger and asked the public for help to find her SUV.&nbsp; Police found her 17-year-old boyfriend Michael Beasley deceased in the 1000 block of North Ash in Wichita on Monday.

As part of the the investigation police learned of Kelly's involvement and arrested him without incident Friday evening.

Both teens were victims of gunshot wounds and killed in Blackmon's Ford Escape, according to Wichita Police Sgt. Dan Hardy. Police have not recovered a weapon and have not determined a motive as they continue to investigate.&nbsp;

Kelly is being held&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20045382">on requested charges</a>&nbsp;of capital murder and a probation violation, according to Ramsey. He has previous convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal possession of a weapon and for attempted aggravated robbery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612284535821.png" alt="In Feb. of 2021, Officer Charley Davidson reported police found Blackmon's SUV" />
 <figcaption>In Feb. of 2021, Officer Charley Davidson reported police found Blackmon's SUV</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A man pleaded guilty Friday in the shooting deaths of a teenage Wichita couple whose bodies were found three days apart.Dontenzie Kelly, 24, is scheduled to be sentenced next month after admitting to two counts of second-degree murder in the killings of 18-year-old Kaylah Blackmon and 17-year-old Michael Beasley.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665229579077.png" alt="Kelly-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Kelly-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Beasley’s body was found Feb. 1, 2021, outside an abandoned church. At the time, authorities said Blackmon might be in danger and launched a search. Her body later was found inside her SUV at a Wichita apartment complex.---------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement&nbsp;authorities investigating the murder of two Kansas teens have arrested of&nbsp;22-year-old Dontenize Kelly of Wichita, according to Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsey.On Tuesday, police alerted the public that 18-year-old Kayla Blackmon may be in danger and asked the public for help to find her SUV.&nbsp; Police found her 17-year-old boyfriend Michael Beasley deceased in the 1000 block of North Ash in Wichita on Monday.As part of the the investigation police learned of Kelly's involvement and arrested him without incident Friday evening.Both teens were victims of gunshot wounds and killed in Blackmon's Ford Escape, according to Wichita Police Sgt. Dan Hardy. Police have not recovered a weapon and have not determined a motive as they continue to investigate.&nbsp;Kelly is being held&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20045382">on requested charges</a>&nbsp;of capital murder and a probation violation, according to Ramsey. He has previous convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal possession of a weapon and for attempted aggravated robbery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.--------

Man pleads guilty in deaths of Kansas teen and her boyfriend  

KANSAS CITY (AP) —At least 66 clinics in 15 states have stopped providing abortions since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, according to an analysis released Thursday.

The number of clinics providing abortions in the 15 states dropped from 79 before the June 24 decision to 13 as of Oct. 2, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/">Guttmacher Institute</a>, a research group that supports abortion rights.

All 13 of the remaining clinics are in Georgia. The other states have no providers offering abortions, though some of their clinics are offering care other than abortions.

Nationally, there were more than 800 abortion clinics in 2020, the institute said.

“Much more research will need to be conducted to grasp the full extent of the chaos, confusion and harm that the U.S. Supreme Court has unleashed on people needing abortions, but the picture that is starting to emerge should alarm anyone who supports reproductive freedom and the right to bodily autonomy,” said Rachel Jones, a Guttmacher researcher.

The new report does not include data on hospitals and physician offices that provided abortion and stopped them after the court ruling, but Jones noted that clinics provide most U.S. abortions, including procedures and dispensing abortion medication. Recent Guttmacher data show&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-56972af9e9b0fc2fc97e06041f6e96ce">just over half</a>&nbsp;of U.S. abortions are done with medication.

States without abortion providers are concentrated in the South. In some of those places, many women seeking abortions would need to travel so far that the journey will be impossible, Jones said.

Dr. Jeanne Corwin, who provides abortions in Indiana and Ohio, said clinic closures “will result in immeasurable harm to women’s physical health, mental health and financial health.’’

In several states, access is under threat because bans were put on hold only temporarily by court injunctions. These include Indiana, Ohio and South Carolina, the analysis found.

“It is precarious from a medical standpoint and certainly from a business standpoint,’’ said Dr. Katie McHugh, an OB-GYN who provides abortions in Indiana. “It’s difficult to keep the doors open and the lights on when you don’t know if you’re going to be a felon tomorrow."

KANSAS CITY (AP) —At least 66 clinics in 15 states have stopped providing abortions since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, according to an analysis released Thursday.The number of clinics providing abortions in the 15 states dropped from 79 before the June 24 decision to 13 as of Oct. 2, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/">Guttmacher Institute</a>, a research group that supports abortion rights.All 13 of the remaining clinics are in Georgia. The other states have no providers offering abortions, though some of their clinics are offering care other than abortions.Nationally, there were more than 800 abortion clinics in 2020, the institute said.“Much more research will need to be conducted to grasp the full extent of the chaos, confusion and harm that the U.S. Supreme Court has unleashed on people needing abortions, but the picture that is starting to emerge should alarm anyone who supports reproductive freedom and the right to bodily autonomy,” said Rachel Jones, a Guttmacher researcher.The new report does not include data on hospitals and physician offices that provided abortion and stopped them after the court ruling, but Jones noted that clinics provide most U.S. abortions, including procedures and dispensing abortion medication. Recent Guttmacher data show&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-56972af9e9b0fc2fc97e06041f6e96ce">just over half</a>&nbsp;of U.S. abortions are done with medication.States without abortion providers are concentrated in the South. In some of those places, many women seeking abortions would need to travel so far that the journey will be impossible, Jones said.Dr. Jeanne Corwin, who provides abortions in Indiana and Ohio, said clinic closures “will result in immeasurable harm to women’s physical health, mental health and financial health.’’In several states, access is under threat because bans were put on hold only temporarily by court injunctions. These include Indiana, Ohio and South Carolina, the analysis found.“It is precarious from a medical standpoint and certainly from a business standpoint,’’ said Dr. Katie McHugh, an OB-GYN who provides abortions in Indiana. “It’s difficult to keep the doors open and the lights on when you don’t know if you’re going to be a felon tomorrow."___

Institute report: At least 66 US clinics have halted abortions

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/07/as-election-looms-kansas-republicans-rally-around-fentanyl-crisis/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — At national and local 
levels, Kansas Republicans are rallying around the issue of battling 
fentanyl to win over voters in a close race.&nbsp;

During Wednesday’s GOP rally in Topeka, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall told the crowd that, unlike Gov. Laura Kelly, Attorney General Derek Schmidt would take fentanyl off the streets.&nbsp;

“We need a governor who supports law 
and order, and will keep our families safe, and who gets fentanyl off 
the streets and out of social media,” Marshall said.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid
 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Legal fentanyl is prescribed
 for pain relief. Illegal fentanyl is commonly mixed with other drugs 
because it’s a cheap way to create a more powerful high. Because 
fentanyl isn’t detectable without a test strip, people taking 
fentanyl-laced drugs are at a greater risk of overdose.&nbsp;

Marshall introduced legislation in 
September aimed at holding social media companies accountable for their 
role in fentanyl distribution. Marshall believes drug cartels are using 
social media such as TikTok to traffic fentanyl throughout the U.S.&nbsp;

Schmidt, the GOP nominee for 
governor, blamed Kelly for rising fentanyl abuse in the state, saying 
that the “poison” was manufactured in China by a branch of the Chinese 
Communist Party and then shipped to Mexico, where it is “mixed up and 
put together by drug cartels” and then smuggled over the border.

Schmidt said Kelly wasn’t doing enough to help southern governors with immigration problems.&nbsp;

“When she was asked for help by the 
border governors down on the southern border of the United States, she 
didn’t just say no,” Schmidt said. “She said they’re engaged in 
political games. That was her phrase.”&nbsp;

Kansas Democrats have pushed back 
against Schmidt’s rhetoric. State Rep. Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson, said 
Republicans needed to focus on the state’s fentanyl problem at the local
 level instead of talking about border issues.&nbsp;

“I would challenge any Republican to 
tell me what Kansas can do about securing the border with Mexico. We 
have absolutely zero authority over that,” Probst said. “So for them to 
try to capture the fentanyl issue, which is a very real issue in our 
communities, and tie it to border security, it’s a dog whistle, because 
they can get people scared about immigration and tie it to fentanyl. And
 try to conflate those two issues.”

Probst also said Schmidt was silent 
about the fentanyl issue when Senate Republicans blocked legislation 
that would legalize fentanyl testing strips earlier this year.&nbsp;

“You’ll have to forgive me if I’m a 
little skeptical and jaded and cynical when I now hear Republicans 
talking about this as an issue they care about,” Probst said.&nbsp;

During the rally, former
 Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said if elected, he would take 
legal action against President Joe Biden, saying his immigration 
policies opened the door for drugs brought across the Mexican border.&nbsp;

“If Joe Biden comes up with yet 
another way to open our borders, to bring in more fentanyl to our 
streets, what are we going to do?” Kobach said, in a call-and-response 
with the audience.&nbsp;

The audience chorused back: “Sue Joe Biden.”&nbsp;

U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner said Kansas, 
and the U.S. in general, was being swamped with illegal immigrants 
bringing fentanyl across the border.&nbsp;

“The Border Patrol is being overrun 
right here in Kansas,” LaTurner said. “We’re dealing with this on a 
daily basis. The No. 1 killer of Americans between the ages of 18 and 45
 is fentanyl. Over 300 Americans every single day are dying of this. 
It’s pouring across our southern border, and this administration isn’t 
doing anything about it.”&nbsp;

LaTurner’s statistics have not been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm">leading</a> causes of death <a target="_blank" href="https://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/saved/D176/D306F953">among all American adults</a> in 2020 were heart disease, cancer and COVID-19. Preliminary CDC data for 2021 shows a similar trend.&nbsp;

Opioid overdoses are on the rise, though. CDC data for 2021 showed more <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2021/20211117.htm">than 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in a single year</a>, with most of these overdoses involving opioids.

In 2021, the Kansas Department of 
Health and Environment said that out of the 338 drug overdoses reported 
between Jan. 1 and June. 30 of that year, 149 were related to fentanyl 
or fentanyl analogs. The provisional report showed a 54% increase in fatalities from an overdose during the same six-month period in 2020.

A new report of child deaths across the state showed six fentanyl-related deaths in children under the age of 17 in 2020.&nbsp;

Kelly announced a $17.2 million 
federal grant given to the state and the Kickapoo Tribe to address the 
opioid crisis on Thursday, a day after Schmidt’s comments.&nbsp;

The funding will be used to treat 
opioid addiction and increase access to recovery support services, among
 others, with the goal of reducing opioid overdose deaths. According to 
the press release, recovery support services will go to those using 
prescription opioids, heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl analogs and 
psychostimulants.

“The opioid crisis impacts families 
across Kansas, which is why it’s critical that we make opioid treatment 
and prevention resources available in every community,” Kelly said in 
the news release. “This funding will help make that possible, and in 
doing so save lives and bring relief to struggling Kansans.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665157348961.png" alt="Attendees turn out for a GOP rally Wednesday in Topeka in support of Derek Schmidt, the Republican nominee for governor. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector) " />
 <figcaption>Attendees turn out for a GOP rally Wednesday in Topeka in support of Derek Schmidt, the Republican nominee for governor. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector) </figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/07/as-election-looms-kansas-republicans-rally-around-fentanyl-crisis/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — At national and local 
levels, Kansas Republicans are rallying around the issue of battling 
fentanyl to win over voters in a close race.&nbsp;During Wednesday’s GOP rally in Topeka, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall told the crowd that, unlike Gov. Laura Kelly, Attorney General Derek Schmidt would take fentanyl off the streets.&nbsp;“We need a governor who supports law 
and order, and will keep our families safe, and who gets fentanyl off 
the streets and out of social media,” Marshall said.Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid
 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Legal fentanyl is prescribed
 for pain relief. Illegal fentanyl is commonly mixed with other drugs 
because it’s a cheap way to create a more powerful high. Because 
fentanyl isn’t detectable without a test strip, people taking 
fentanyl-laced drugs are at a greater risk of overdose.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665157411600.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall speaks at a rally Wednesday in Topeka in support of Derek Schmidt. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall speaks at a rally Wednesday in Topeka in support of Derek Schmidt. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Marshall introduced legislation in 
September aimed at holding social media companies accountable for their 
role in fentanyl distribution. Marshall believes drug cartels are using 
social media such as TikTok to traffic fentanyl throughout the U.S.&nbsp;Schmidt, the GOP nominee for 
governor, blamed Kelly for rising fentanyl abuse in the state, saying 
that the “poison” was manufactured in China by a branch of the Chinese 
Communist Party and then shipped to Mexico, where it is “mixed up and 
put together by drug cartels” and then smuggled over the border.Schmidt said Kelly wasn’t doing enough to help southern governors with immigration problems.&nbsp;“When she was asked for help by the 
border governors down on the southern border of the United States, she 
didn’t just say no,” Schmidt said. “She said they’re engaged in 
political games. That was her phrase.”&nbsp;Kansas Democrats have pushed back 
against Schmidt’s rhetoric. State Rep. Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson, said 
Republicans needed to focus on the state’s fentanyl problem at the local
 level instead of talking about border issues.&nbsp;“I would challenge any Republican to 
tell me what Kansas can do about securing the border with Mexico. We 
have absolutely zero authority over that,” Probst said. “So for them to 
try to capture the fentanyl issue, which is a very real issue in our 
communities, and tie it to border security, it’s a dog whistle, because 
they can get people scared about immigration and tie it to fentanyl. And
 try to conflate those two issues.”Probst also said Schmidt was silent 
about the fentanyl issue when Senate Republicans blocked legislation 
that would legalize fentanyl testing strips earlier this year.&nbsp;“You’ll have to forgive me if I’m a 
little skeptical and jaded and cynical when I now hear Republicans 
talking about this as an issue they care about,” Probst said.&nbsp;During the rally, former
 Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said if elected, he would take 
legal action against President Joe Biden, saying his immigration 
policies opened the door for drugs brought across the Mexican border.&nbsp;“If Joe Biden comes up with yet 
another way to open our borders, to bring in more fentanyl to our 
streets, what are we going to do?” Kobach said, in a call-and-response 
with the audience.&nbsp;The audience chorused back: “Sue Joe Biden.”&nbsp;U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner said Kansas, 
and the U.S. in general, was being swamped with illegal immigrants 
bringing fentanyl across the border.&nbsp;“The Border Patrol is being overrun 
right here in Kansas,” LaTurner said. “We’re dealing with this on a 
daily basis. The No. 1 killer of Americans between the ages of 18 and 45
 is fentanyl. Over 300 Americans every single day are dying of this. 
It’s pouring across our southern border, and this administration isn’t 
doing anything about it.”&nbsp;LaTurner’s statistics have not been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm">leading</a> causes of death <a target="_blank" href="https://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/saved/D176/D306F953">among all American adults</a> in 2020 were heart disease, cancer and COVID-19. Preliminary CDC data for 2021 shows a similar trend.&nbsp;Opioid overdoses are on the rise, though. CDC data for 2021 showed more <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2021/20211117.htm">than 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in a single year</a>, with most of these overdoses involving opioids.In 2021, the Kansas Department of 
Health and Environment said that out of the 338 drug overdoses reported 
between Jan. 1 and June. 30 of that year, 149 were related to fentanyl 
or fentanyl analogs. The provisional report showed a 54% increase in fatalities from an overdose during the same six-month period in 2020.A new report of child deaths across the state showed six fentanyl-related deaths in children under the age of 17 in 2020.&nbsp;Kelly announced a $17.2 million 
federal grant given to the state and the Kickapoo Tribe to address the 
opioid crisis on Thursday, a day after Schmidt’s comments.&nbsp;The funding will be used to treat 
opioid addiction and increase access to recovery support services, among
 others, with the goal of reducing opioid overdose deaths. According to 
the press release, recovery support services will go to those using 
prescription opioids, heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl analogs and 
psychostimulants.“The opioid crisis impacts families 
across Kansas, which is why it’s critical that we make opioid treatment 
and prevention resources available in every community,” Kelly said in 
the news release. “This funding will help make that possible, and in 
doing so save lives and bring relief to struggling Kansans.”

As election looms, Kan. Republicans rally around fentanyl crisis

KANSAS CITY – The owners of three money wiring businesses in the Kansas City metropolitan area are among five new defendants charged for their roles in a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute more than 335 kilograms of methamphetamine and 22 kilograms of heroin, and to utilize wire transfers to send the drug-trafficking proceeds to Mexico.

Ana Lilia Leal-Martinez, 46, a citizen of Mexico residing in Overland Park, Kansas, Ana Paola Banda, 50, and Maria de Lourdes Carbajal, 53, both of whom are citizens of Mexico residing in Shawnee, Kan., Javier A. Alvarez, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, and John A. Caylor, 53, of Kansas City, Mo., were charged in a 112-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Sept. 20.

The superseding indictment replaces a 91-count indictment that was returned on June 1, 2022; it retains all of the original 39 defendants and charges, and includes five additional defendants and 21 additional counts. The superseding indictment was unsealed and made public today following the arrests and initial court appearances of the additional defendants.

Leal-Martinez, Banda, Carbajal, Alvarez and Caylor, along with all of the original defendants, are charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin from Feb. 28, 2020, to June 1, 2022.

In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Leal-Martinez, Banda, and Carbajal – who each own a money wiring business – are charged with participating in a money-laundering conspiracy related to transporting or transferring the proceeds of the drug-trafficking conspiracy to Michoacán, Mexico. Leal-Martinez is the owner of Imagen Leal, located at 407 S. Parker in Olathe, Kan. Banda is the owner of La Bendicion 2, located at 2701 S. 47th St. in Kansas City, Kan. Carbajal is the owner of Azteca Imports, located at 11226 W. 75th St. in Overland Park, Kan.

Leal-Martinez, Banda, and Carbajal remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing. The government’s detention motion notes that drug-trafficking organizations that generate multi-million dollar revenues are unable to effectively operate without individuals who enable foreign drug suppliers to receive proceeds from controlled substances sold here in the United States. Money sent back to Michoacán, Mexico, further fuels the drug trade and attendant violence in communities in the United States and Mexico. Banda, Carbajal, and Leal-Martinez are citizens of Mexico unlawfully present in the United States, says the detention motion, and thus a flight risk.

In the motion for detention, the government states that investigators found numerous wire transfers that were sent in alias sender names, as directed by another member of the drug-trafficking organization, through these businesses during January, February, May, and June 2022 totaling approximately $138,914. Investigators believe this represents a very small portion of the actual drug proceeds sent by this organization.

On June 22, 2022, federal agents with IRS-Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations executed search warrants for evidence of money laundering at La Bendicion 2 and Azteca Imports. A search warrant had previously been executed at Imagen Leal.

The superseding indictment, like the original indictment, charges Mexican nationals Jose Jesus Sanchez-Mendez, also known as “Michoacano,” 41, Jesus Morales-Garcia, also known as “Don Jesus,” 43, Luis Eduardo Pineda-Zarao, 26, Juan Bernardo Galeana-Aguilar, 45, Baltazar Flores-Norzagaray, also known as “Sinaloa,” 50, Rafael Perez-Esquivel, 51, Jose Eliazar Valle-Rivera, 39, Uziel Morales-Baltazar, 31, Erick Fernando Martinez Contreras, also known as “Alex,” 34, Joel Enrique Roman, also known as “Pelon,” 44, Miguel Angel Juarez-Lopez, also known as “Chapo,” 47, Jonathan Zuniga-Villafuerte, 30, Sergio Armando Valencia-Ochoa, 36, Juan Humberto Lemus-Mejia, 24, Yuliana Del Carmen Perez Ciprian, 38, Trinidad Torres-Meza, 41, Miriam Veronica Bustos-Martinez, 37, and Liliana Valencia-Mendoza, 40, addresses unknown; Flor Gonzalez-Celestine, 52, of Kansas City, Mo.; and Jose Bernabe Zamora-Cardenas, also known as “Mufa,” 52, of Kansas City, Kan.

The superseding indictment, like the original indictment, also charges Tina Marie Cruces, 36, Lisbet Espino, 24, Frank Anthony Valdivia, 43, Melissa A. Bates, 55, and Monica L. McCubbin, 39, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Santiago Raul Mendieta-Sanchez, 41, a citizen of Honduras residing in Kansas City, Mo., Jennifer S. Lawson, 35, of Buckner, Mo.; Felton Stone Jr., 45, Donald R. Moses, also known as “Moe,” 51, Felipe Antonio Alcala, 30, Anthony C. Hughes, 37, Maria Nancy Valdez, 32, Ignacio Barragan-Vazquez, 32, Yvonne Guzman-Carpio, also known as “Morena,” 39, Kongmhink Her, 41, addresses unknown;&nbsp; Marco Antonio Salazar, also known as “Tono,” 29, and Nelson Alirio Garcia-Guerra, 28, both citizens of Guatemala, addresses unknown; Arantxa Sabrina Valderrama-Barros, also known as “Sabri,” 25, a citizen of Venezuela, address unknown; and Daniel Felipe Suarez-Reinoso, 30, a citizen of Colombia, address unknown.

Sanchez-Mendez, Zamora-Cardenas, Valencia-Ochoa, Valencia-Mendoza and Suarez-Reinoso, who were charged in the money-laundering conspiracy in the original indictment, are likewise charged in the superseding indictment.

Sanchez-Mendez and Morales-Garcia are also charged with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise related to the drug-trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies and other offenses alleged in the indictment. The indictment alleges Sanchez-Mendez and Morales-Garcia occupied a position of organizer, supervisor, or manager of the ongoing criminal enterprise, from which they obtained substantial income.

The federal indictment charges various defendants in various counts of distributing heroin and fentanyl, distributing methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine and heroin with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, money laundering, reentry by an illegal alien, and using cell phones to facilitate drug-trafficking crimes.

The indictment also contains forfeiture allegations that would require the defendants to forfeit to the government $4,718,700, which represents the proceeds of the alleged drug-trafficking conspiracy and criminal enterprise. The indictment alleges the conspiracy involved the distribution of more than 335.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an average street price of $300 per ounce, and more than 22.1 kilograms of heroin, with an average street price of $1,500 per ounce.

The forfeiture allegations would also require the defendants to forfeit to the government $277,440 that was seized by law enforcement officers from a vehicle driven by Suarez-Reinoso and $114,863 that was seized by law enforcement officers while executing search warrants at four Kansas City, Mo., residences.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black, Patrick C. Edwards, and Mary Kate Butterfield. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Olmsted County, Minn., Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the FBI, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

KANSAS CITY – The owners of three money wiring businesses in the Kansas City metropolitan area are among five new defendants charged for their roles in a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute more than 335 kilograms of methamphetamine and 22 kilograms of heroin, and to utilize wire transfers to send the drug-trafficking proceeds to Mexico.Ana Lilia Leal-Martinez, 46, a citizen of Mexico residing in Overland Park, Kansas, Ana Paola Banda, 50, and Maria de Lourdes Carbajal, 53, both of whom are citizens of Mexico residing in Shawnee, Kan., Javier A. Alvarez, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, and John A. Caylor, 53, of Kansas City, Mo., were charged in a 112-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Sept. 20.The superseding indictment replaces a 91-count indictment that was returned on June 1, 2022; it retains all of the original 39 defendants and charges, and includes five additional defendants and 21 additional counts. The superseding indictment was unsealed and made public today following the arrests and initial court appearances of the additional defendants.Leal-Martinez, Banda, Carbajal, Alvarez and Caylor, along with all of the original defendants, are charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin from Feb. 28, 2020, to June 1, 2022.In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Leal-Martinez, Banda, and Carbajal – who each own a money wiring business – are charged with participating in a money-laundering conspiracy related to transporting or transferring the proceeds of the drug-trafficking conspiracy to Michoacán, Mexico. Leal-Martinez is the owner of Imagen Leal, located at 407 S. Parker in Olathe, Kan. Banda is the owner of La Bendicion 2, located at 2701 S. 47th St. in Kansas City, Kan. Carbajal is the owner of Azteca Imports, located at 11226 W. 75th St. in Overland Park, Kan.Leal-Martinez, Banda, and Carbajal remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing. The government’s detention motion notes that drug-trafficking organizations that generate multi-million dollar revenues are unable to effectively operate without individuals who enable foreign drug suppliers to receive proceeds from controlled substances sold here in the United States. Money sent back to Michoacán, Mexico, further fuels the drug trade and attendant violence in communities in the United States and Mexico. Banda, Carbajal, and Leal-Martinez are citizens of Mexico unlawfully present in the United States, says the detention motion, and thus a flight risk.In the motion for detention, the government states that investigators found numerous wire transfers that were sent in alias sender names, as directed by another member of the drug-trafficking organization, through these businesses during January, February, May, and June 2022 totaling approximately $138,914. Investigators believe this represents a very small portion of the actual drug proceeds sent by this organization.On June 22, 2022, federal agents with IRS-Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations executed search warrants for evidence of money laundering at La Bendicion 2 and Azteca Imports. A search warrant had previously been executed at Imagen Leal.The superseding indictment, like the original indictment, charges Mexican nationals Jose Jesus Sanchez-Mendez, also known as “Michoacano,” 41, Jesus Morales-Garcia, also known as “Don Jesus,” 43, Luis Eduardo Pineda-Zarao, 26, Juan Bernardo Galeana-Aguilar, 45, Baltazar Flores-Norzagaray, also known as “Sinaloa,” 50, Rafael Perez-Esquivel, 51, Jose Eliazar Valle-Rivera, 39, Uziel Morales-Baltazar, 31, Erick Fernando Martinez Contreras, also known as “Alex,” 34, Joel Enrique Roman, also known as “Pelon,” 44, Miguel Angel Juarez-Lopez, also known as “Chapo,” 47, Jonathan Zuniga-Villafuerte, 30, Sergio Armando Valencia-Ochoa, 36, Juan Humberto Lemus-Mejia, 24, Yuliana Del Carmen Perez Ciprian, 38, Trinidad Torres-Meza, 41, Miriam Veronica Bustos-Martinez, 37, and Liliana Valencia-Mendoza, 40, addresses unknown; Flor Gonzalez-Celestine, 52, of Kansas City, Mo.; and Jose Bernabe Zamora-Cardenas, also known as “Mufa,” 52, of Kansas City, Kan.The superseding indictment, like the original indictment, also charges Tina Marie Cruces, 36, Lisbet Espino, 24, Frank Anthony Valdivia, 43, Melissa A. Bates, 55, and Monica L. McCubbin, 39, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Santiago Raul Mendieta-Sanchez, 41, a citizen of Honduras residing in Kansas City, Mo., Jennifer S. Lawson, 35, of Buckner, Mo.; Felton Stone Jr., 45, Donald R. Moses, also known as “Moe,” 51, Felipe Antonio Alcala, 30, Anthony C. Hughes, 37, Maria Nancy Valdez, 32, Ignacio Barragan-Vazquez, 32, Yvonne Guzman-Carpio, also known as “Morena,” 39, Kongmhink Her, 41, addresses unknown;&nbsp; Marco Antonio Salazar, also known as “Tono,” 29, and Nelson Alirio Garcia-Guerra, 28, both citizens of Guatemala, addresses unknown; Arantxa Sabrina Valderrama-Barros, also known as “Sabri,” 25, a citizen of Venezuela, address unknown; and Daniel Felipe Suarez-Reinoso, 30, a citizen of Colombia, address unknown.Sanchez-Mendez, Zamora-Cardenas, Valencia-Ochoa, Valencia-Mendoza and Suarez-Reinoso, who were charged in the money-laundering conspiracy in the original indictment, are likewise charged in the superseding indictment.Sanchez-Mendez and Morales-Garcia are also charged with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise related to the drug-trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies and other offenses alleged in the indictment. The indictment alleges Sanchez-Mendez and Morales-Garcia occupied a position of organizer, supervisor, or manager of the ongoing criminal enterprise, from which they obtained substantial income.The federal indictment charges various defendants in various counts of distributing heroin and fentanyl, distributing methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine and heroin with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, money laundering, reentry by an illegal alien, and using cell phones to facilitate drug-trafficking crimes.The indictment also contains forfeiture allegations that would require the defendants to forfeit to the government $4,718,700, which represents the proceeds of the alleged drug-trafficking conspiracy and criminal enterprise. The indictment alleges the conspiracy involved the distribution of more than 335.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an average street price of $300 per ounce, and more than 22.1 kilograms of heroin, with an average street price of $1,500 per ounce.The forfeiture allegations would also require the defendants to forfeit to the government $277,440 that was seized by law enforcement officers from a vehicle driven by Suarez-Reinoso and $114,863 that was seized by law enforcement officers while executing search warrants at four Kansas City, Mo., residences.The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black, Patrick C. Edwards, and Mary Kate Butterfield. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Olmsted County, Minn., Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the FBI, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

KC-area business owners charged with wiring drug money to Mexico

GREAT BEND – A Great Bend man has been sentenced to more than 19 years in prison for the second-degree murder of his child in 2019, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Cody Lane Reed, 24, of Great Bend, was sentenced Wednesday in Barton County District Court by Judge Carey Hipp to 165 months on one count of second degree murder and 64 months for two counts of aggravated battery. The sentences are to be served consecutively in a Kansas Department of Corrections facility. Reed pleaded no contest to the charges in July 2022.

The case stems from the death of Reed’s 5-month-old child in January 2019. The case was investigated by the Great Bend Police and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Nicole Southall of Schmidt’s office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665183128293.png" alt="Reed-photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Reed-photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>GREAT BEND – A Great Bend man has been sentenced to more than 19 years in prison for the second-degree murder of his child in 2019, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.Cody Lane Reed, 24, of Great Bend, was sentenced Wednesday in Barton County District Court by Judge Carey Hipp to 165 months on one count of second degree murder and 64 months for two counts of aggravated battery. The sentences are to be served consecutively in a Kansas Department of Corrections facility. Reed pleaded no contest to the charges in July 2022.The case stems from the death of Reed’s 5-month-old child in January 2019. The case was investigated by the Great Bend Police and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Nicole Southall of Schmidt’s office.

Kansas man sentenced for death of his 5-month old daughter

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Crime Stoppers of Wichita-Sedgwick County is offering a minimum $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of seven highlighted Domestic Violence offenders, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

The increased reward amount is available until the end of October, as part of National Domestic Violence Awareness month. Each of the featured fugitives is wanted on felony domestic violence charges for crimes that occurred in Wichita and Sedgwick County.

Bobby Vinson Jr., wanted by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for Aggravatey Battery; Choke in rude manner. He is a 28 year old black male, 5’10” tall, 145 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

&nbsp;Brandon D. Dean, wanted by the Wichita Police Department for Aggravated Domestic Battery/Strangulation and also has an active Sedgwick County Warrant. He is a 31 year old black male, 6’1” tall, 173 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Brandon K. Smith, wanted by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for a felony probation violation warrant related to domestic violence charges. He is a 47 year old black male, 5’7” tall and 240 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Josiauh A. Johnson, wanted by the Wichita Police Department for Aggravated Assault/DV, Aggravated Assault with a Firearm, Simple Battery/DV, Larceny,&nbsp; Domestic Battery and Criminal Destruction of Property. He is a 19 year old black male, 5’6” and 130 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Larry A. McBride, wanted by the Wichita Police Department for Aggravated Domestic Battery. He is a 39 year old white male, 6’0” tall and 189 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes.

Sterling Strother, wanted by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for Aggravated

Domestic Battery; intentional bodily harm with a deadly weapon. He is a 25 year old black male, 6’1” tall and 174 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Abel Fraire, wanted by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for aggravated domestic battery;choke in rude manner. He is a 43 year old white/Hispanic male, 5’10” tall and 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

These suspects were selected by city/county law enforcement based on their charges, difficulty of apprehension, and ability to elude police.

In addition to a minimum $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of these seven suspects, Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County is offering a minimum $500 reward for information that leads to the arrest of ANYONE for a felony domestic violence charge.

Anyone with information regarding the location of these suspects or any crime in Sedgwick County is eligible to receive a reward by submitting a tip through Crime Stoppers by calling 316-267-2111 or online at www.stopcrime316.com. Tipsters are always anonymous –

Crime Stoppers will never ask someone to identify themselves. If your information leads to an arrest in a felony case, you could be eligible to receive up to $2,500.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665167260701.png" alt="Vinson photos Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Vinson photos Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Crime Stoppers of Wichita-Sedgwick County is offering a minimum $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of seven highlighted Domestic Violence offenders, according to Officer Trevor Macy.The increased reward amount is available until the end of October, as part of National Domestic Violence Awareness month. Each of the featured fugitives is wanted on felony domestic violence charges for crimes that occurred in Wichita and Sedgwick County.The highlighted offenders are:Bobby Vinson Jr., wanted by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for Aggravatey Battery; Choke in rude manner. He is a 28 year old black male, 5’10” tall, 145 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665167303933.png" alt="Dean" />
 <figcaption>Dean</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Brandon D. Dean, wanted by the Wichita Police Department for Aggravated Domestic Battery/Strangulation and also has an active Sedgwick County Warrant. He is a 31 year old black male, 6’1” tall, 173 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665167342384.png" alt="Smith" />
 <figcaption>Smith</figcaption>
 </figure>Brandon K. Smith, wanted by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for a felony probation violation warrant related to domestic violence charges. He is a 47 year old black male, 5’7” tall and 240 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665167377981.png" alt="Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>Josiauh A. Johnson, wanted by the Wichita Police Department for Aggravated Assault/DV, Aggravated Assault with a Firearm, Simple Battery/DV, Larceny,&nbsp; Domestic Battery and Criminal Destruction of Property. He is a 19 year old black male, 5’6” and 130 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665167428981.png" alt="McBride" />
 <figcaption>McBride</figcaption>
 </figure>Larry A. McBride, wanted by the Wichita Police Department for Aggravated Domestic Battery. He is a 39 year old white male, 6’0” tall and 189 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665167469714.png" alt="Strother" />
 <figcaption>Strother</figcaption>
 </figure>Sterling Strother, wanted by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for AggravatedDomestic Battery; intentional bodily harm with a deadly weapon. He is a 25 year old black male, 6’1” tall and 174 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.Abel Fraire, wanted by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for aggravated domestic battery;choke in rude manner. He is a 43 year old white/Hispanic male, 5’10” tall and 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.These suspects were selected by city/county law enforcement based on their charges, difficulty of apprehension, and ability to elude police.In addition to a minimum $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of these seven suspects, Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County is offering a minimum $500 reward for information that leads to the arrest of ANYONE for a felony domestic violence charge.Anyone with information regarding the location of these suspects or any crime in Sedgwick County is eligible to receive a reward by submitting a tip through Crime Stoppers by calling 316-267-2111 or online at www.stopcrime316.com. Tipsters are always anonymous –Crime Stoppers will never ask someone to identify themselves. If your information leads to an arrest in a felony case, you could be eligible to receive up to $2,500.

Police offering reward to locate Kan. domestic violence suspects

WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s employers slowed their hiring in September but still added 263,000 jobs, a solid figure that will likely keep the Federal Reserve on pace to keep raising interest rates aggressively to fight persistently high inflation.

<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm">Friday’s government report</a>&nbsp;showed that hiring fell from 315,000 in August to the weakest monthly gain since April 2021. The unemployment rate dropped from 3.7% to 3.5%, matching a half-century low.

The Fed is hoping that a slower pace of hiring would eventually mean less pressure on employers to raise pay and pass those costs on to their customers through price increases — a recipe for high inflation. But September's job growth was likely too robust to satisfy the central bank's inflation fighters.

Last month, hourly wages rose 5% from a year earlier, the slowest year-over-year pace since December but still hotter than the Fed would want. The proportion of Americans who either have a job or are looking for one slipped slightly, a disappointment for those hoping that more people would enter the labor force and help ease worker shortages and upward pressure on wages.

The jobs report “was still likely too strong to allow (Fed) policymakers much breathing room," said Matt Peron, director of research at Janus Henderson Investors.

Likewise, Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, said she didn't think September's softer jobs and wage numbers would stop the Fed from raising its benchmark short-term rate in November by an unusually large three-quarters of a point for a fourth consecutive time — and by an additional half-point in December.

On Wall Street, stocks tumbled Friday morning — a sign that investors foresee more aggressive Fed rate hikes ahead. The S&amp;P 500 index sank 1.9% in early trading. And the yield on the 2-year Treasury note, which tends to track expectations for Fed actions, rose to 4.31% from 4.26% late Thursday.

The public anxiety that has arisen over high prices and the prospect of a recession is also carrying political consequences as President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party struggles to maintain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections.

In its epic battle to rein in inflation, the Fed has raised its benchmark interest rate five times this year. It is aiming to slow economic growth enough to reduce annual price increases back toward its 2% target.

It has a long way to go. In August, one key measure of year-over-year inflation, the consumer price index, amounted to 8.3%. And for now, consumer spending — the primary driver of the U.S. economy — is showing resilience. In August,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-economy-prices-12062bc2f39d2929997475111654c7c6">consumers spent a bit more than in July</a>, a sign that the economy was holding up despite rising borrowing rates, violent swings in the stock market and inflated prices for food, rent and other essentials.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-jackson-wyoming-economy-prices-2158fcfcb5ef0073a4dfb00f791f59bc">warned bluntly that the inflation fight will “bring some pain,”</a>&nbsp;notably in the form of layoffs and higher unemployment. Some economists remain hopeful that despite the persistent inflation pressures, the Fed will still manage to achieve a so-called soft landing: Slowing growth enough to tame inflation, without going so far as to tip the economy into recession.

It’s a notoriously difficult task. And the Fed is trying to accomplish it at a perilous time. The global economy, weakened by food shortages and surging energy prices resulting from Russia’s war against Ukraine, may be on the brink of recession. Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economic-growth-international-monetary-fund-government-and-politics-1c893f6ed1dee8360d6467c2fbd9c7fe">warned Thursday that the IMF is downgrading its estimates for world economic growth</a>&nbsp;by $4 trillion through 2026 and that “things are more likely to get worse before it gets better.’’

Powell and his colleagues on the Fed’s policymaking committee want to see signs that the abundance of available jobs — there’s currently an average of 1.7 openings for every unemployed American — will steadily decline. Some encouraging news came this week, when the Labor Department reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-ddb0f7c3437661b74b62e03cb267aab9">job openings fell by 1.1 million in August to 10.1 million</a>, the fewest since June 2021.

On the other hand, by any standard of history, openings remain extraordinarily high: In records dating to 2000, they had never topped 10 million in a month until last year.

Last month's decline in unemployment was widely shared across demographic groups. The jobless rate for Hispanics tumbled to 3.8%, the lowest level in government records dating to 1973. Unemployment for Black Americans also fell, from 6% in August to 5.8% in September, still above its record low of 5.1% in November 2019.

In September, restaurants and bars added 60,000 jobs, as did healthcare companies. State and local governments cut 27,000 jobs. Retailers, transportation and warehouse companies reduced employment modestly.

Many Americans appear to have decided that there are still plenty of jobs available and that they can take their time accepting one. Among them is Jenny Savitscus of Columbus, Ohio, who recently earned a technology certificate at a program run by Goodwill. Savitscus, 45, who'd like a job in high technology, said she's willing to hold out for an employer that will offer flexible hours and work-at-home options.

“There are opportunities out there,’’ she said. “Employers and job seekers are trying to find the right balance’’ between work and home life. She said she can afford to wait for just the right position because she has two part-time teaching jobs.

Friday's government report underscored how resilient the job market remains even if it may be slowing.

“The U.S. labor market continues to decelerate, but there are no signs that it’s stalling out,’’ said Nick Bunker, head of economic research at the Indeed Hiring Lab. “Payroll growth is no longer at the jet speed we saw last year, but employment is still growing quickly.”

Radial, a company that powers the online businesses for Lucky Brands, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, is one employer that is hiring more cautiously. The company plans to hire 15,000 seasonal workers at its 25 warehouses — 7,000 fewer than a year ago — and 2,000 at its customer-service centers, said Sabrina Wnorowski, chief human resource officer for Radial, based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Wnorowski said the company’s more moderate approach to hiring reflects a renewed focus on adding workers closer to the peak of the holiday season to make them more productive. She noted that online sales growth is slowing and that the tight job market appears to be weakening a bit. Peloton, for example, the maker of high-end exercise equipment, announced Thursday that it is cutting 500 jobs — 12% of its workforce.

Yet some companies continue to plow ahead with hiring. Walt Rowen, president of Susquehanna Glass Co. in Columbia, Pennsylvania, said the company, which makes decorative glass products, needs around 15 seasonally workers along with a full-time staff of 40 to 45. Rowen has raised entry-level pay from around $9 an hour before the pandemic to $14 an hour and yet still struggles to fill vacancies.

“It’s getting harder and harder,’’ he said. “You used to be able to interview 10, bring in five and keep three. Now we’re interviewing 20, getting five and keeping one.’’

WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s employers slowed their hiring in September but still added 263,000 jobs, a solid figure that will likely keep the Federal Reserve on pace to keep raising interest rates aggressively to fight persistently high inflation.<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm">Friday’s government report</a>&nbsp;showed that hiring fell from 315,000 in August to the weakest monthly gain since April 2021. The unemployment rate dropped from 3.7% to 3.5%, matching a half-century low.The Fed is hoping that a slower pace of hiring would eventually mean less pressure on employers to raise pay and pass those costs on to their customers through price increases — a recipe for high inflation. But September's job growth was likely too robust to satisfy the central bank's inflation fighters.Last month, hourly wages rose 5% from a year earlier, the slowest year-over-year pace since December but still hotter than the Fed would want. The proportion of Americans who either have a job or are looking for one slipped slightly, a disappointment for those hoping that more people would enter the labor force and help ease worker shortages and upward pressure on wages.The jobs report “was still likely too strong to allow (Fed) policymakers much breathing room," said Matt Peron, director of research at Janus Henderson Investors.Likewise, Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, said she didn't think September's softer jobs and wage numbers would stop the Fed from raising its benchmark short-term rate in November by an unusually large three-quarters of a point for a fourth consecutive time — and by an additional half-point in December.On Wall Street, stocks tumbled Friday morning — a sign that investors foresee more aggressive Fed rate hikes ahead. The S&amp;P 500 index sank 1.9% in early trading. And the yield on the 2-year Treasury note, which tends to track expectations for Fed actions, rose to 4.31% from 4.26% late Thursday.The public anxiety that has arisen over high prices and the prospect of a recession is also carrying political consequences as President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party struggles to maintain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections.In its epic battle to rein in inflation, the Fed has raised its benchmark interest rate five times this year. It is aiming to slow economic growth enough to reduce annual price increases back toward its 2% target.It has a long way to go. In August, one key measure of year-over-year inflation, the consumer price index, amounted to 8.3%. And for now, consumer spending — the primary driver of the U.S. economy — is showing resilience. In August,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-economy-prices-12062bc2f39d2929997475111654c7c6">consumers spent a bit more than in July</a>, a sign that the economy was holding up despite rising borrowing rates, violent swings in the stock market and inflated prices for food, rent and other essentials.Fed Chair Jerome Powell has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-jackson-wyoming-economy-prices-2158fcfcb5ef0073a4dfb00f791f59bc">warned bluntly that the inflation fight will “bring some pain,”</a>&nbsp;notably in the form of layoffs and higher unemployment. Some economists remain hopeful that despite the persistent inflation pressures, the Fed will still manage to achieve a so-called soft landing: Slowing growth enough to tame inflation, without going so far as to tip the economy into recession.It’s a notoriously difficult task. And the Fed is trying to accomplish it at a perilous time. The global economy, weakened by food shortages and surging energy prices resulting from Russia’s war against Ukraine, may be on the brink of recession. Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economic-growth-international-monetary-fund-government-and-politics-1c893f6ed1dee8360d6467c2fbd9c7fe">warned Thursday that the IMF is downgrading its estimates for world economic growth</a>&nbsp;by $4 trillion through 2026 and that “things are more likely to get worse before it gets better.’’Powell and his colleagues on the Fed’s policymaking committee want to see signs that the abundance of available jobs — there’s currently an average of 1.7 openings for every unemployed American — will steadily decline. Some encouraging news came this week, when the Labor Department reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-ddb0f7c3437661b74b62e03cb267aab9">job openings fell by 1.1 million in August to 10.1 million</a>, the fewest since June 2021.On the other hand, by any standard of history, openings remain extraordinarily high: In records dating to 2000, they had never topped 10 million in a month until last year.Last month's decline in unemployment was widely shared across demographic groups. The jobless rate for Hispanics tumbled to 3.8%, the lowest level in government records dating to 1973. Unemployment for Black Americans also fell, from 6% in August to 5.8% in September, still above its record low of 5.1% in November 2019.In September, restaurants and bars added 60,000 jobs, as did healthcare companies. State and local governments cut 27,000 jobs. Retailers, transportation and warehouse companies reduced employment modestly.Many Americans appear to have decided that there are still plenty of jobs available and that they can take their time accepting one. Among them is Jenny Savitscus of Columbus, Ohio, who recently earned a technology certificate at a program run by Goodwill. Savitscus, 45, who'd like a job in high technology, said she's willing to hold out for an employer that will offer flexible hours and work-at-home options.“There are opportunities out there,’’ she said. “Employers and job seekers are trying to find the right balance’’ between work and home life. She said she can afford to wait for just the right position because she has two part-time teaching jobs.Friday's government report underscored how resilient the job market remains even if it may be slowing.“The U.S. labor market continues to decelerate, but there are no signs that it’s stalling out,’’ said Nick Bunker, head of economic research at the Indeed Hiring Lab. “Payroll growth is no longer at the jet speed we saw last year, but employment is still growing quickly.”Radial, a company that powers the online businesses for Lucky Brands, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, is one employer that is hiring more cautiously. The company plans to hire 15,000 seasonal workers at its 25 warehouses — 7,000 fewer than a year ago — and 2,000 at its customer-service centers, said Sabrina Wnorowski, chief human resource officer for Radial, based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.Wnorowski said the company’s more moderate approach to hiring reflects a renewed focus on adding workers closer to the peak of the holiday season to make them more productive. She noted that online sales growth is slowing and that the tight job market appears to be weakening a bit. Peloton, for example, the maker of high-end exercise equipment, announced Thursday that it is cutting 500 jobs — 12% of its workforce.Yet some companies continue to plow ahead with hiring. Walt Rowen, president of Susquehanna Glass Co. in Columbia, Pennsylvania, said the company, which makes decorative glass products, needs around 15 seasonally workers along with a full-time staff of 40 to 45. Rowen has raised entry-level pay from around $9 an hour before the pandemic to $14 an hour and yet still struggles to fill vacancies.“It’s getting harder and harder,’’ he said. “You used to be able to interview 10, bring in five and keep three. Now we’re interviewing 20, getting five and keeping one.’’

Another month of solid US hiring suggests more big interest rate hikes

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph Post

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — A dispute over whether an Idaho couple can build a new home
near a lake close to the U.S. border with Canada could have a huge impact on
agriculture throughout the country.

The dispute has reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard
oral arguments this week.

Northern Missouri Congress Sam Graves is watching closely,
because the Supreme Court could strike down or uphold the Environmental
Protection Agency interpretation of the Clean Water Act, which it calls Waters
of the United States.

“It continues to be batted back and forth and it’s going to
hurt farmers,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “It’s literally going to
allow the EPA to come onto your property. It’s going to include almost all
property out there, allow the EPA to come onto your property and regulate you.”

During oral arguments, government lawyers sought to assure the
Supreme Court that WOTUS will not affect farmers.

“Some of the folks that support this will tell you that
farmers are exempt and that is absolutely not the case,” Graves claims. “There
is not any provision within this proposal that the Biden administration is
putting up that exempts farmers out of this. That is flat out false.”

WOTUS
 seeks to expand what waters can be regulated under the
Clean Water Act to include swamps, bogs, and marshes. Opponents contend 
the EPA
is exceeding the authority it has been granted by Congress which limits 
the Clean Water Act to navigable waters. The EPA contends it is 
operating under
the authority of the act and that WOTUS is vital to the environmental 
health of
the nation’s waterways.

Graves is hopeful the Supreme Court strikes down WOTUS.

“We are hoping for a favorable decision on that,” Graves says.
“I’m glad that finally we’re going to put this to rest once and for all.”

Graves says it appeared the issue was resolved with a
compromise reached during the last administration.

“This started with the Obama administration and the EPA’s
overreach,” according to Graves. “Then, the Trump administration rolled it back
and we came up with a compromise and now the Biden administration is putting
all these, and even further, restrictions back into it. So, it continues to go
back and forth.”

It will be some time before the Supreme Court issues its opinion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665161048540.jpeg" alt="The Missouri River / Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>The Missouri River / Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph PostST. JOSEPH, Mo. — A dispute over whether an Idaho couple can build a new home
near a lake close to the U.S. border with Canada could have a huge impact on
agriculture throughout the country.The dispute has reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard
oral arguments this week.Northern Missouri Congress Sam Graves is watching closely,
because the Supreme Court could strike down or uphold the Environmental
Protection Agency interpretation of the Clean Water Act, which it calls Waters
of the United States.“It continues to be batted back and forth and it’s going to
hurt farmers,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “It’s literally going to
allow the EPA to come onto your property. It’s going to include almost all
property out there, allow the EPA to come onto your property and regulate you.”During oral arguments, government lawyers sought to assure the
Supreme Court that WOTUS will not affect farmers.Graves, a Republican, doesn’t buy it.“Some of the folks that support this will tell you that
farmers are exempt and that is absolutely not the case,” Graves claims. “There
is not any provision within this proposal that the Biden administration is
putting up that exempts farmers out of this. That is flat out false.”WOTUS
 seeks to expand what waters can be regulated under the
Clean Water Act to include swamps, bogs, and marshes. Opponents contend 
the EPA
is exceeding the authority it has been granted by Congress which limits 
the Clean Water Act to navigable waters. The EPA contends it is 
operating under
the authority of the act and that WOTUS is vital to the environmental 
health of
the nation’s waterways.Graves is hopeful the Supreme Court strikes down WOTUS.“We are hoping for a favorable decision on that,” Graves says.
“I’m glad that finally we’re going to put this to rest once and for all.”Graves says it appeared the issue was resolved with a
compromise reached during the last administration.“This started with the Obama administration and the EPA’s
overreach,” according to Graves. “Then, the Trump administration rolled it back
and we came up with a compromise and now the Biden administration is putting
all these, and even further, restrictions back into it. So, it continues to go
back and forth.”It will be some time before the Supreme Court issues its opinion.