KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia pounded Ukraine’s energy facilities Tuesday with its biggest barrage of missiles yet, striking targets across the country and causing widespread blackouts. A senior U.S. intelligence official said missiles crossed into NATO member Poland and killed two people.

A second person confirmed to The Associate Press that apparent Russian missiles struck a site in Poland about 15 miles from the Ukrainian border.

Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, said on Twitter that the agency had seen reports out of Poland and was working with the Polish government to gather more information.

If confirmed, the strike would mark the first time in the war that Russian weapons have come down on a NATO country.

The Russian Defense Ministry denied being behind “any strikes on targets near the Ukrainian-Polish border” and said in a statement that photos of purported damage “have nothing to do” with Russian weapons.

A NATO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the alliance was looking into reports of a strike in Poland. The U.S. National Security Council said it was also checking into the reports.

Polish government spokesman Piotr Mueller confirmed that an explosion had killed two people and said some military units were put on alert while officials investigated.

Polish media reported that the strike took place in an area where grain was drying in Przewodów, a village near the border with Ukraine.

The barrage also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-moldova-power-outages-edfd0a2990ee1a151e970755657ee73b">affected neighboring Moldova</a>. It reported massive power outages after the strikes knocked out a key power line that supplies the small nation, an official said.

The missile strikes plunged much of Ukraine into darkness and drew defiance from President Volodymr Zelenskyy, who shook his fist and declared: “We will survive everything.”

In his nightly address, the Ukrainian leader characterized the reported strikes in Poland as “a very significant escalation” that offered proof that “terror is not limited by our state borders.”

"We need to put the terrorist in its place. The longer Russia feels impunity, the more threats there will be for everyone within the reach of Russian missiles,” Zelenskyy said.

Russia fired at least 85 missiles, most of them aimed at the country's power facilities, and blacked out many cities, he said.

The Ukrainian energy minister said the attack was “the most massive” bombardment of power facilities in the nearly 9-month-old Russian invasion, striking both power generation and transmission systems.

The minister, Herman Haluschenko, described the missile strikes as “another attempt at terrorist revenge” after military and diplomatic setbacks for the Kremlin. He accused Russia of “trying to cause maximum damage to our energy system on the eve of winter.”

The aerial assault, which resulted in at least one death in a residential building in the capital, Kyiv, followed days of euphoria in Ukraine sparked by one of its biggest military successes — the retaking last week of the southern city of Kherson.

The power grid was already battered by previous attacks that destroyed an estimated 40% of the country’s energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy said the number of Ukrainians without power had fallen from 10 million to 2 million by Tuesday evening.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has not commented on the retreat from Kherson since his troops pulled out in the face of a Ukrainian offensive. But the stunning scale of Tuesday’s strikes spoke volumes and hinted at anger in the Kremlin.

By striking targets in the late afternoon, not long before dusk began to fall, the Russian military forced rescue workers to labor in the dark and gave repair crews scant time to assess the damage by daylight.

More than a dozen regions — among them Lviv in the west, Kharkiv in the northeast and others in between — reported strikes or efforts by their air defenses to shoot missiles down. At least a dozen regions reported power outages, affecting cities that together have millions of people. Almost half of the Kyiv region lost power, authorities said.

Zelenskyy warned that more strikes were possible and urged people to stay safe and seek shelter.

“Most of the hits were recorded in the center and in the north of the country. In the capital, the situation is very difficult,” said a senior official, Kyrylo Tymoshenko.

He said a total of 15 energy targets were damaged and claimed that 70 missiles were shot down. A Ukrainian Air Force spokesman said Russia used X-101 and X-555 cruise missiles.

As city after city reported attacks, Tymoshenko urged Ukrainians to “hang in there.”

With its battlefield losses mounting, Russia has increasingly resorted to targeting Ukraine’s power grid, seemingly hoping to turn the approach of winter into a weapon by leaving people in the cold and dark.

In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said authorities found a body in one of three residential buildings that were struck in the capital, where emergency blackouts were also announced by power provider DTEK.

Video published by a presidential aide showed a five-story, apparently residential building in Kyiv on fire, with flames licking through apartments. Klitschko said air defense units also shot down some missiles.

Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra took to a bomb shelter in Kyiv after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart and, from his place of safety, described the bombardment as "an enormous motivation to keep standing shoulder-to-shoulder” with Ukraine.

“There can be only one answer, and that is: Keep going. Keep supporting Ukraine, keep delivering weapons, keep working on accountability, keep working on humanitarian aid," he said.

The strikes came as authorities were already working furiously to get Kherson back on its feet and beginning to investigate alleged Russian abuses there and in the surrounding area.

The southern city is without power and water, and the head of the U.N. human rights office’s monitoring mission in Ukraine, Matilda Bogner, on Tuesday decried a “dire humanitarian situation” there.

Speaking from Kyiv, Bogner said her teams are looking to travel to Kherson to try to verify allegations of nearly 80 cases of forced disappearances and arbitrary detention.

The head of the National Police of Ukraine, Igor Klymenko, said authorities are to start investigating reports from Kherson residents that Russian forces set up at least three alleged torture sites in now-liberated parts of the wider Kherson region.

The retaking of Kherson dealt another stinging blow to the Kremlin. Zelenskyy likened the recapture to the Allied landings in France on D-Day in World War II, saying both were watershed events on the road to eventual victory.

But large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine remain under Russian control, and fighting continues.

In other developments, leaders of most of the world’s economic powers were drawing closer to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/g20-summit-russia-ukraine-war-28ec9b6a9c0e7efd829e91d731fb4e21">approval of a declaration strongly denouncing Russia’s invasion</a>.

On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden and Zelenskyy pressed fellow G20 leaders at the summit in Indonesia for a robust condemnation of Russia’s nuclear threats and food embargoes. More discussion and a possible vote come Wednesday.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian missile barrage on the Ukrainian power grid sent the war spilling over into neighboring countries Tuesday, hitting NATO member Poland and cutting electricity to much of Moldova.

It was Russia's biggest barrage yet, and some of the missiles crossed into Poland, where two people were killed, according to a U.S. official. It marked the first time in the war that Russian weapons have come down on a NATO country.

Polish government spokesman Piotr Mueller did not immediately confirm the information from a senior U.S. intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation. But Mueller said top leaders were holding an emergency meeting due to a “crisis situation.”

Polish media reported that two people died Tuesday afternoon after a projectile struck an area where grain was drying in Przewodów, a Polish village near the border with Ukraine.

Neighboring Moldova&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-power-outages-europe-moldova-edfd0a2990ee1a151e970755657ee73b">was also affected</a>. It reported massive power outages after the strikes knocked out a key power line that supplies the small nation, an official said.

Zelenskyy said Russia fired at least 85 missiles, most of them aimed at the country's power facilities, and blacked out many cities.

“We’re working, will restore everything. We will survive everything," the president vowed. His energy minister said the attack was “the most massive” bombardment of power facilities in the nearly 9-month-old Russian invasion, striking both power generation and transmission systems.

The power grid was already battered by previous attacks that destroyed an estimated 40% of the country’s energy infrastructure.

More than a dozen regions — among them Lviv in the west, Kharkiv in the northeast and others in between — reported strikes or efforts by their air defenses to shoot missiles down. At least a dozen regions reported power outages, affecting cities that together have millions of people. Almost half of the Kyiv region lost power, authorities said. Ukrainian Railways announced nationwide train delays.

Ukraine had seen a period of comparative calm since previous waves of drone and missile attacks several weeks ago.

The head of the National Police of Ukraine, Igor Klymenko, said authorities are to start investigating reports from Kherson residents that Russian forces set up at least three alleged torture sites in now-liberated parts of the wider Kherson region and that “our people may have been detained and tortured there.”

Zelenskyy warned of possible more grim news ahead.

“Everywhere, when we liberate our land, we see one thing — Russia leaves behind torture chambers and mass burials. … How many mass graves are there in the territory that still remains under the control of Russia?" Zelenskyy asked.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia pounded Ukraine’s energy facilities Tuesday with its biggest barrage of missiles yet, striking targets across the country and causing widespread blackouts. A senior U.S. intelligence official said missiles crossed into NATO member Poland and killed two people.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PentagonPresSec</a>: &quot;When it comes to our security commitments and Article 5 we&#39;ve been crystal clear that we will defend every inch of NATO territory.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2RaJDUSSdM">pic.twitter.com/2RaJDUSSdM</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1592599710602129409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A second person confirmed to The Associate Press that apparent Russian missiles struck a site in Poland about 15 miles from the Ukrainian border.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We&#39;ve seen these reports out of Poland and are working with the Polish government to gather more information. We cannot confirm the reports or any of the details at this time. We will determine what happened and what the appropriate next steps would be.&mdash; Adrienne Watson (@NSC_Spox) <a href="https://twitter.com/NSC_Spox/status/1592606767975870464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, said on Twitter that the agency had seen reports out of Poland and was working with the Polish government to gather more information.If confirmed, the strike would mark the first time in the war that Russian weapons have come down on a NATO country.The Russian Defense Ministry denied being behind “any strikes on targets near the Ukrainian-Polish border” and said in a statement that photos of purported damage “have nothing to do” with Russian weapons.A NATO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the alliance was looking into reports of a strike in Poland. The U.S. National Security Council said it was also checking into the reports.Polish government spokesman Piotr Mueller confirmed that an explosion had killed two people and said some military units were put on alert while officials investigated.Polish media reported that the strike took place in an area where grain was drying in Przewodów, a village near the border with Ukraine.The barrage also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-moldova-power-outages-edfd0a2990ee1a151e970755657ee73b">affected neighboring Moldova</a>. It reported massive power outages after the strikes knocked out a key power line that supplies the small nation, an official said.The missile strikes plunged much of Ukraine into darkness and drew defiance from President Volodymr Zelenskyy, who shook his fist and declared: “We will survive everything.”In his nightly address, the Ukrainian leader characterized the reported strikes in Poland as “a very significant escalation” that offered proof that “terror is not limited by our state borders.”"We need to put the terrorist in its place. The longer Russia feels impunity, the more threats there will be for everyone within the reach of Russian missiles,” Zelenskyy said.Russia fired at least 85 missiles, most of them aimed at the country's power facilities, and blacked out many cities, he said.The Ukrainian energy minister said the attack was “the most massive” bombardment of power facilities in the nearly 9-month-old Russian invasion, striking both power generation and transmission systems.The minister, Herman Haluschenko, described the missile strikes as “another attempt at terrorist revenge” after military and diplomatic setbacks for the Kremlin. He accused Russia of “trying to cause maximum damage to our energy system on the eve of winter.”The aerial assault, which resulted in at least one death in a residential building in the capital, Kyiv, followed days of euphoria in Ukraine sparked by one of its biggest military successes — the retaking last week of the southern city of Kherson.The power grid was already battered by previous attacks that destroyed an estimated 40% of the country’s energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy said the number of Ukrainians without power had fallen from 10 million to 2 million by Tuesday evening.Russian President Vladimir Putin has not commented on the retreat from Kherson since his troops pulled out in the face of a Ukrainian offensive. But the stunning scale of Tuesday’s strikes spoke volumes and hinted at anger in the Kremlin.By striking targets in the late afternoon, not long before dusk began to fall, the Russian military forced rescue workers to labor in the dark and gave repair crews scant time to assess the damage by daylight.More than a dozen regions — among them Lviv in the west, Kharkiv in the northeast and others in between — reported strikes or efforts by their air defenses to shoot missiles down. At least a dozen regions reported power outages, affecting cities that together have millions of people. Almost half of the Kyiv region lost power, authorities said.Zelenskyy warned that more strikes were possible and urged people to stay safe and seek shelter.“Most of the hits were recorded in the center and in the north of the country. In the capital, the situation is very difficult,” said a senior official, Kyrylo Tymoshenko.He said a total of 15 energy targets were damaged and claimed that 70 missiles were shot down. A Ukrainian Air Force spokesman said Russia used X-101 and X-555 cruise missiles.As city after city reported attacks, Tymoshenko urged Ukrainians to “hang in there.”With its battlefield losses mounting, Russia has increasingly resorted to targeting Ukraine’s power grid, seemingly hoping to turn the approach of winter into a weapon by leaving people in the cold and dark.In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said authorities found a body in one of three residential buildings that were struck in the capital, where emergency blackouts were also announced by power provider DTEK.Video published by a presidential aide showed a five-story, apparently residential building in Kyiv on fire, with flames licking through apartments. Klitschko said air defense units also shot down some missiles.Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra took to a bomb shelter in Kyiv after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart and, from his place of safety, described the bombardment as "an enormous motivation to keep standing shoulder-to-shoulder” with Ukraine.“There can be only one answer, and that is: Keep going. Keep supporting Ukraine, keep delivering weapons, keep working on accountability, keep working on humanitarian aid," he said.The strikes came as authorities were already working furiously to get Kherson back on its feet and beginning to investigate alleged Russian abuses there and in the surrounding area.The southern city is without power and water, and the head of the U.N. human rights office’s monitoring mission in Ukraine, Matilda Bogner, on Tuesday decried a “dire humanitarian situation” there.Speaking from Kyiv, Bogner said her teams are looking to travel to Kherson to try to verify allegations of nearly 80 cases of forced disappearances and arbitrary detention.The head of the National Police of Ukraine, Igor Klymenko, said authorities are to start investigating reports from Kherson residents that Russian forces set up at least three alleged torture sites in now-liberated parts of the wider Kherson region.The retaking of Kherson dealt another stinging blow to the Kremlin. Zelenskyy likened the recapture to the Allied landings in France on D-Day in World War II, saying both were watershed events on the road to eventual victory.But large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine remain under Russian control, and fighting continues.In other developments, leaders of most of the world’s economic powers were drawing closer to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/g20-summit-russia-ukraine-war-28ec9b6a9c0e7efd829e91d731fb4e21">approval of a declaration strongly denouncing Russia’s invasion</a>.On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden and Zelenskyy pressed fellow G20 leaders at the summit in Indonesia for a robust condemnation of Russia’s nuclear threats and food embargoes. More discussion and a possible vote come Wednesday.--------------KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian missile barrage on the Ukrainian power grid sent the war spilling over into neighboring countries Tuesday, hitting NATO member Poland and cutting electricity to much of Moldova.It was Russia's biggest barrage yet, and some of the missiles crossed into Poland, where two people were killed, according to a U.S. official. It marked the first time in the war that Russian weapons have come down on a NATO country.Polish government spokesman Piotr Mueller did not immediately confirm the information from a senior U.S. intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation. But Mueller said top leaders were holding an emergency meeting due to a “crisis situation.”Polish media reported that two people died Tuesday afternoon after a projectile struck an area where grain was drying in Przewodów, a Polish village near the border with Ukraine.Neighboring Moldova&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-power-outages-europe-moldova-edfd0a2990ee1a151e970755657ee73b">was also affected</a>. It reported massive power outages after the strikes knocked out a key power line that supplies the small nation, an official said.Zelenskyy said Russia fired at least 85 missiles, most of them aimed at the country's power facilities, and blacked out many cities.“We’re working, will restore everything. We will survive everything," the president vowed. His energy minister said the attack was “the most massive” bombardment of power facilities in the nearly 9-month-old Russian invasion, striking both power generation and transmission systems.The minister, Herman Haluschenko, described the missile strikes as “another attempt at terrorist revenge” after military and diplomatic setbacks for the Kremlin. He accused Russia of “trying to cause maximum damage to our energy system on the eve of winter.”The aerial assault, which resulted in at least one death in a residential building in the capital, Kyiv, followed days of euphoria in Ukraine sparked by one of its biggest military successes — the retaking last week of the southern city of Kherson.The power grid was already battered by previous attacks that destroyed an estimated 40% of the country’s energy infrastructure.Russian President Vladimir Putin has not commented on the retreat from Kherson since his troops pulled out in the face of a Ukrainian offensive. But the stunning scale of Tuesday’s strikes spoke volumes and hinted at anger in the Kremlin.By striking targets in the late afternoon, not long before dusk began to fall, the Russian military forced rescue workers to labor in the dark and gave repair crews scant time to assess the damage by daylight.More than a dozen regions — among them Lviv in the west, Kharkiv in the northeast and others in between — reported strikes or efforts by their air defenses to shoot missiles down. At least a dozen regions reported power outages, affecting cities that together have millions of people. Almost half of the Kyiv region lost power, authorities said. Ukrainian Railways announced nationwide train delays.Zelenskyy warned that more strikes were possible and urged people to stay safe and seek shelter.“Most of the hits were recorded in the center and in the north of the country. In the capital, the situation is very difficult,” said a senior official, Kyrylo Tymoshenko.He said a total of 15 energy targets were damaged and claimed that 70 missiles were shot down. A Ukrainian Air Force spokesman said Russia used X-101 and X-555 cruise missiles.As city after city reported attacks, Tymoshenko urged Ukrainians to “hang in there.”With its battlefield losses mounting, Russia has increasingly resorted to targeting Ukraine’s power grid, seemingly hoping to turn the approach of winter into a weapon by leaving people in the cold and dark.In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said authorities found a body in one of three residential buildings that were struck in the capital, where emergency blackouts were also announced by power provider DTEK.Video published by a presidential aide showed a five-story, apparently residential building in Kyiv on fire, with flames licking through apartments. Klitschko said air defense units also shot down some missiles.Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra took to a bomb shelter in Kyiv after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart and, from his place of safety, described the bombardment as "an enormous motivation to keep standing shoulder-to-shoulder” with Ukraine.“There can be only one answer, and that is: Keep going. Keep supporting Ukraine, keep delivering weapons, keep working on accountability, keep working on humanitarian aid," he said.Ukraine had seen a period of comparative calm since previous waves of drone and missile attacks several weeks ago.The strikes came as authorities were already working furiously to get Kherson back on its feet and beginning to investigate alleged Russian abuses there and in the surrounding area.The southern city is without power and water, and the head of the U.N. human rights office’s monitoring mission in Ukraine, Matilda Bogner, on Tuesday decried a “dire humanitarian situation” there.Speaking from Kyiv, Bogner said her teams are looking to travel to Kherson to try to verify allegations of nearly 80 cases of forced disappearances and arbitrary detention.The head of the National Police of Ukraine, Igor Klymenko, said authorities are to start investigating reports from Kherson residents that Russian forces set up at least three alleged torture sites in now-liberated parts of the wider Kherson region and that “our people may have been detained and tortured there.”The retaking of Kherson dealt another stinging blow to the Kremlin. Zelenskyy likened the recapture to the Allied landings in France on D-Day in World War II, saying both were watershed events on the road to eventual victory.But large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine remain under Russian control, and fighting continues.Zelenskyy warned of possible more grim news ahead.“Everywhere, when we liberate our land, we see one thing — Russia leaves behind torture chambers and mass burials. … How many mass graves are there in the territory that still remains under the control of Russia?" Zelenskyy asked.

🎥 U.S. responds after Russian missiles hit NATO member Poland 

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/14/future-of-kansas-towns-library-in-jeopardy-over-refusal-to-remove-divisive-books/">Kansas Reflector</a>

ST. MARYS — Pottawatomie
 Wabaunsee Regional Library is decorated for the holidays, with a 
snow-filled tiny Christmas village placed in the center of the book 
stacks. There’s a princess mural on one wall, complete with a unicorn, 
and a dinosaur figurine over by the children’s nook.

The city council is debating whether 
to renew the library’s lease with the city following the library’s 
refusal to accept a lease clause asking it to remove all material that 
could be viewed as socially, racially or sexually divisive, including 
all LGBTQ content.

The library has been housed in St. 
Marys since the 1980s, operating on an annual lease with the city. The 
library serves eight locations, including Alma, Alta Vista, Eskridge, 
Harveyville, Olsburg, Onaga, St. Marys and Westmoreland, with county 
residents funding the library through taxes.

The St. Marys branch acts as the 
headquarters, with a designated “mini librarian” delivering books from 
the library to all other eight locations, visiting them each week.

If the lease — which ends late December — isn’t
 renewed, the library will have to pack up hundreds of books and 
equipment and move to another town, as there’s no other space in St. 
Marys that would be able to accommodate the library’s operations.

St. Marys resident Hannah Stockman, a
 stay-at-home mom looking after 13 kids, said the move would be 
devastating for her and others like her.

“At
 this point, it’s the only space left that we have for the public,” 
Stockman said. “We don’t have any pool or any other amenities through 
the community center. So people come here for many, many different 
reasons.”

Stockman said the library is one of 
the few places where her whole family can go together. Her children have
 become excited about reading and have been entertained by several of 
the library’s programs, as they were given coloring pages and other 
things. Stockman loves learning and put together an education program 
for herself using the library’s materials.

“Some of them are learning how to 
read and some of them don’t really want to read, but they come here and 
they get excited. I can’t provide that for them any other way,” Stockman
 said. “It just feels good to be here.”

Discussion of the library removal 
started this summer after a local parent was upset by the contents of 
“Melissa,” a book about a transgender child written by Alex Gino, and 
wanted it removed from the library. The book was formerly published by 
the title “George.”

Judith Cremer, the library director, 
said the book was added to the library after it made the William Allen 
White Award 2017-2018 Master List for grades 3-5, and has only been 
checked out four times.

Cremer said parents have the option 
of filtering which books their children check out, and can speak to 
staff about limiting their children’s access to certain books. She 
stressed that she and her staff aren’t trying to fight the council and 
aren’t interested in divisive matters. She’s been at the library for 
almost 20 years, and just wants to serve the community.

“We just are doing what public 
libraries do,” Cremer said. “We don’t really judge information, we are a
 reflection of the world and things that are in the world. We have 
information that has been published and mediated and checked for facts. 
So it’s a safe place that people can go to get access to that 
information. It’s not like we are handing out or advocating it in any 
way. It’s just there.”

Cremer asked the parent to fill out 
the standard form for challenging material, but the form wasn’t returned
 until the end of August, after a city council meeting in which council 
members asked that LGBTQ books be removed from the library, along with 
any books that dealt with racial issues or sexual issues.

During the August meeting, St. Marys 
City Commissioner Matthew Childs asked that a “morals clause” be added 
to the library’s lease during an August city commission.

The clause would’ve stipulated that 
the library not “supply, distribute, loan, encourage, or coerce 
acceptance of or approval of explicit sexual or racially or socially 
divisive material, or events (such as ‘drag queen story hours’) that 
support the LGBTQ+ or critical theory ideology or practice.”

“The discussion on the language that 
was used in that lease, it was very broad. It didn’t really meet the 
rule of law and it was problematic in a lot of ways,” Cremer said.

Cremer said she discussed the clause 
stipulation with regional library consultants and spoke with lawyers. 
She thought the issue had been dropped after they talked things over 
with council members.

Instead, commissioners began 
discussing creating their own city library, one without “divisive 
material,” in a council meeting earlier this month.

The lease renewal will be discussed at Tuesday’s commission meeting, with a decision expected then.

Stockman has been reaching out to 
every group she can think of to rally people in support of the library, 
talking to other libraries around the state, as well as PFLAG and Loud 
Light — nonprofits that advocate for the LGBTQ community. She said many 
people in the community were scared to speak out in support of the 
library because of a large religious presence in St. Marys, so she was 
looking to external sources of support.

One petition, started by Gerry 
Marstall, has more than 1,000 signatures in support of the library. 
Marstall listed all the services the library provides, including free 
reading programs, free summer lunches, and free Wi-Fi.

“If the library were forced to close 
or relocate to another town it would be catastrophic to all citizens in 
the St. Marys area,” Marstall said in the petition description.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668527128041.png" alt="The Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library’s lease may not be renewed by the St. Mary’s City Commission. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library’s lease may not be renewed by the St. Mary’s City Commission. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/14/future-of-kansas-towns-library-in-jeopardy-over-refusal-to-remove-divisive-books/">Kansas Reflector</a>ST. MARYS — Pottawatomie
 Wabaunsee Regional Library is decorated for the holidays, with a 
snow-filled tiny Christmas village placed in the center of the book 
stacks. There’s a princess mural on one wall, complete with a unicorn, 
and a dinosaur figurine over by the children’s nook.All of it might be gone come January.The city council is debating whether 
to renew the library’s lease with the city following the library’s 
refusal to accept a lease clause asking it to remove all material that 
could be viewed as socially, racially or sexually divisive, including 
all LGBTQ content.The library has been housed in St. 
Marys since the 1980s, operating on an annual lease with the city. The 
library serves eight locations, including Alma, Alta Vista, Eskridge, 
Harveyville, Olsburg, Onaga, St. Marys and Westmoreland, with county 
residents funding the library through taxes.The St. Marys branch acts as the 
headquarters, with a designated “mini librarian” delivering books from 
the library to all other eight locations, visiting them each week.If the lease — which ends late December — isn’t
 renewed, the library will have to pack up hundreds of books and 
equipment and move to another town, as there’s no other space in St. 
Marys that would be able to accommodate the library’s operations.St. Marys resident Hannah Stockman, a
 stay-at-home mom looking after 13 kids, said the move would be 
devastating for her and others like her.“At
 this point, it’s the only space left that we have for the public,” 
Stockman said. “We don’t have any pool or any other amenities through 
the community center. So people come here for many, many different 
reasons.”Stockman said the library is one of 
the few places where her whole family can go together. Her children have
 become excited about reading and have been entertained by several of 
the library’s programs, as they were given coloring pages and other 
things. Stockman loves learning and put together an education program 
for herself using the library’s materials.“Some of them are learning how to 
read and some of them don’t really want to read, but they come here and 
they get excited. I can’t provide that for them any other way,” Stockman
 said. “It just feels good to be here.”Discussion of the library removal 
started this summer after a local parent was upset by the contents of 
“Melissa,” a book about a transgender child written by Alex Gino, and 
wanted it removed from the library. The book was formerly published by 
the title “George.”Judith Cremer, the library director, 
said the book was added to the library after it made the William Allen 
White Award 2017-2018 Master List for grades 3-5, and has only been 
checked out four times.Cremer said parents have the option 
of filtering which books their children check out, and can speak to 
staff about limiting their children’s access to certain books. She 
stressed that she and her staff aren’t trying to fight the council and 
aren’t interested in divisive matters. She’s been at the library for 
almost 20 years, and just wants to serve the community.“We just are doing what public 
libraries do,” Cremer said. “We don’t really judge information, we are a
 reflection of the world and things that are in the world. We have 
information that has been published and mediated and checked for facts. 
So it’s a safe place that people can go to get access to that 
information. It’s not like we are handing out or advocating it in any 
way. It’s just there.”Cremer asked the parent to fill out 
the standard form for challenging material, but the form wasn’t returned
 until the end of August, after a city council meeting in which council 
members asked that LGBTQ books be removed from the library, along with 
any books that dealt with racial issues or sexual issues.During the August meeting, St. Marys 
City Commissioner Matthew Childs asked that a “morals clause” be added 
to the library’s lease during an August city commission.The clause would’ve stipulated that 
the library not “supply, distribute, loan, encourage, or coerce 
acceptance of or approval of explicit sexual or racially or socially 
divisive material, or events (such as ‘drag queen story hours’) that 
support the LGBTQ+ or critical theory ideology or practice.”“The discussion on the language that 
was used in that lease, it was very broad. It didn’t really meet the 
rule of law and it was problematic in a lot of ways,” Cremer said.Cremer said she discussed the clause 
stipulation with regional library consultants and spoke with lawyers. 
She thought the issue had been dropped after they talked things over 
with council members.Instead, commissioners began 
discussing creating their own city library, one without “divisive 
material,” in a council meeting earlier this month.The lease renewal will be discussed at Tuesday’s commission meeting, with a decision expected then.Stockman has been reaching out to 
every group she can think of to rally people in support of the library, 
talking to other libraries around the state, as well as PFLAG and Loud 
Light — nonprofits that advocate for the LGBTQ community. She said many 
people in the community were scared to speak out in support of the 
library because of a large religious presence in St. Marys, so she was 
looking to external sources of support.One petition, started by Gerry 
Marstall, has more than 1,000 signatures in support of the library. 
Marstall listed all the services the library provides, including free 
reading programs, free summer lunches, and free Wi-Fi.“If the library were forced to close 
or relocate to another town it would be catastrophic to all citizens in 
the St. Marys area,” Marstall said in the petition description.

Refusal to remove ‘divisive’ books could be demise of Kan. library

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Monday that Democrats still lack the power to codify abortion rights into law despite his party's stronger-than-expected performance in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm elections</a>.

“I don't think there's enough votes,” he said at a press conference during the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia.

Senate Majority Leader Church Schumer confirmed Tuesday he will hold a first procedural vote for Wednesday on legislation to codify marriage equality into law.

Biden's blunt comments on abortion reflected how Democrats' euphoria over their strength in the midterms will soon collide with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-government-and-politics-8ed56d6b86fa17a407a49d625c75de3f">likely reality of divided government</a>&nbsp;in Washington.

During the campaign, Biden said that if Democrats picked up seats, the first piece of legislation that he would send to Congress would be to enact a nationwide right to abortion.

The right was previously guaranteed only by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, and the court's conservative majority&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned that ruling</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.

Although&nbsp;<a>Democrats defied historical odds</a>&nbsp;by avoiding a midterm wipeout, they did not gain enough ground to ensure abortion access nationwide.

Asked what voters might expect on the issue, Biden replied, “I don’t think they can expect much of anything."

Although ballots are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/control-of-house-2022-midterms-explained-3bfe62ea428aebfd54d5593d9f96e71e">still being counted</a>, Republicans are on track to take control of the House of Representatives by a narrow margin, putting them in position to block any abortion legislation.

“I think it's gonna be very close, but I don't think we're gonna make it,” Biden said.

Democrats will maintain control of the Senate, and may even expand their majority after next month's runoff in Georgia. But some members of the party have been unwilling to sidestep filibuster rules to pass an abortion law.

Biden previously said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-congress-joe-manchin-kyrsten-sinema-los-angeles-23996d96d891503e0b868396b0ff3792">“we need two more senators”</a>&nbsp;to codify abortion rights, a reference to Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who want to preserve the filibuster.

If Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia wins a second term next month, Democrats will have only gained one seat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668518697058.png" alt=" "No American should ever be discriminated against because of who they love," Senate Majority Leader Schumer wrote on his twitter account.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption> "No American should ever be discriminated against because of who they love," Senate Majority Leader Schumer wrote on his twitter account.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Monday that Democrats still lack the power to codify abortion rights into law despite his party's stronger-than-expected performance in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm elections</a>.“I don't think there's enough votes,” he said at a press conference during the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia.Senate Majority Leader Church Schumer confirmed Tuesday he will hold a first procedural vote for Wednesday on legislation to codify marriage equality into law.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This Senate is moving forward on the Respect for Marriage Act to codify marriage protections into federal law. No one should be discriminated against because of who they love.&mdash; Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1592577787004846080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden's blunt comments on abortion reflected how Democrats' euphoria over their strength in the midterms will soon collide with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-government-and-politics-8ed56d6b86fa17a407a49d625c75de3f">likely reality of divided government</a>&nbsp;in Washington.During the campaign, Biden said that if Democrats picked up seats, the first piece of legislation that he would send to Congress would be to enact a nationwide right to abortion.The right was previously guaranteed only by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, and the court's conservative majority&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned that ruling</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.Although&nbsp;<a>Democrats defied historical odds</a>&nbsp;by avoiding a midterm wipeout, they did not gain enough ground to ensure abortion access nationwide.Asked what voters might expect on the issue, Biden replied, “I don’t think they can expect much of anything."Although ballots are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/control-of-house-2022-midterms-explained-3bfe62ea428aebfd54d5593d9f96e71e">still being counted</a>, Republicans are on track to take control of the House of Representatives by a narrow margin, putting them in position to block any abortion legislation.“I think it's gonna be very close, but I don't think we're gonna make it,” Biden said.Democrats will maintain control of the Senate, and may even expand their majority after next month's runoff in Georgia. But some members of the party have been unwilling to sidestep filibuster rules to pass an abortion law.Biden previously said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-congress-joe-manchin-kyrsten-sinema-los-angeles-23996d96d891503e0b868396b0ff3792">“we need two more senators”</a>&nbsp;to codify abortion rights, a reference to Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who want to preserve the filibuster.If Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia wins a second term next month, Democrats will have only gained one seat.

Lacking votes to codify abortion rights, Senate to vote on marriage equality

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Authorities investigating a fatal rollover crash in Montgomery County have identified the victim as 49-year-old Tracy Adam Hale of Elk City, Kansas, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

Investigators determined that just after 5:30a.m. November 10, a Chevy Trailblazer driven by Hale was traveling in on Highway 160 near County Road 5000. The SUV left the road and rolled into a ditch. Hale was ejected from the SUV.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Wade.

The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Authorities investigating a fatal rollover crash in Montgomery County have identified the victim as 49-year-old Tracy Adam Hale of Elk City, Kansas, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.Investigators determined that just after 5:30a.m. November 10, a Chevy Trailblazer driven by Hale was traveling in on Highway 160 near County Road 5000. The SUV left the road and rolled into a ditch. Hale was ejected from the SUV.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Wade.The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Sheriff IDs Kansas man who died in SUV crash

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Salina man after an alleged incident early Monday at his place of employment.

Just before 5aa.m. Monday, police were sent to Schwan's, 3019 Scanlan Avenue in Salina for a report of a physical altercation between two employees, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

A 35-year-old female manager was summoned to the office for the report of Travious McFate, 25, of Salina, punching another employee. She told police that when she arrived at the office, she overheard McFate tell others in the office that he had a gun in his car, according to Forrester. McFate also was yelling at another employee.

At that point, McFate allegedly punched two people and pushed the female manager into a wall as he left. The manager followed him and McFate allegedly threw the manager to the ground and got on top of her according to Forrester. 

Another employee pulled McFate off of the manager and McFate allegedly punch him as well, causing a one-inch laceration. There were four alleged victims including a&nbsp;27-year-old man, two 35-year-old women and a&nbsp;56-year-old man.

&nbsp;McFate was gone by the time officers arrived, however they located him in his Honda CRV in the 3000 block of Marcella Drive in southwest Salina.

Police obtained a search warrant for the CRV and during the search located a loaded .45 caliber Hi-Point hand gun that had its identification information scratched off.

Officers arrested McFate on requested charges of Criminal threat, Four counts of battery and for Defacing identification markers of a firearm.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668525885793.jpeg" alt="McFate-photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>McFate-photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Salina man after an alleged incident early Monday at his place of employment.Just before 5aa.m. Monday, police were sent to Schwan's, 3019 Scanlan Avenue in Salina for a report of a physical altercation between two employees, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.A 35-year-old female manager was summoned to the office for the report of Travious McFate, 25, of Salina, punching another employee. She told police that when she arrived at the office, she overheard McFate tell others in the office that he had a gun in his car, according to Forrester. McFate also was yelling at another employee.At that point, McFate allegedly punched two people and pushed the female manager into a wall as he left. The manager followed him and McFate allegedly threw the manager to the ground and got on top of her according to Forrester. Another employee pulled McFate off of the manager and McFate allegedly punch him as well, causing a one-inch laceration. There were four alleged victims including a&nbsp;27-year-old man, two 35-year-old women and a&nbsp;56-year-old man.&nbsp;McFate was gone by the time officers arrived, however they located him in his Honda CRV in the 3000 block of Marcella Drive in southwest Salina.Police obtained a search warrant for the CRV and during the search located a loaded .45 caliber Hi-Point hand gun that had its identification information scratched off.Officers arrested McFate on requested charges of Criminal threat, Four counts of battery and for Defacing identification markers of a firearm.

Police find loaded gun in Kan. man's SUV after threat, fight at work

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas voters have narrowly rejected a proposal to curb the power of the governor and other officials over how the state regulates businesses, protects people’s health and preserves the environment.

The Associated Press called the election on Tuesday, a week after Election Day.

Voters defeated a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have made it easier for lawmakers to overturn regulations written by state agencies and boards under the control of the governor and others in the executive branch. At issue were rules as varied as how elk hunting permits are distributed and which shots are required for children attending schools.

The election came three months after voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to give lawmakers authority to more tightly regulate or ban abortion.

The latest measure would have allowed lawmakers to suspend or revoke regulations with a simple majority vote in both chambers.

The Legislature has a joint committee that reviews regulations, but if lawmakers object to one, their most effective tactic is to object loudly and push the agency to back off. They also can pass a bill overturning the rule, but the governor can veto it.

Business groups and advocates of smaller government viewed the measure as reining in unelected bureaucrats. But abortion rights advocates saw the measure as an attempted power grab by far-right legislators.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664292772417.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas voters have narrowly rejected a proposal to curb the power of the governor and other officials over how the state regulates businesses, protects people’s health and preserves the environment.The Associated Press called the election on Tuesday, a week after Election Day.Voters defeated a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have made it easier for lawmakers to overturn regulations written by state agencies and boards under the control of the governor and others in the executive branch. At issue were rules as varied as how elk hunting permits are distributed and which shots are required for children attending schools.The election came three months after voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to give lawmakers authority to more tightly regulate or ban abortion.The latest measure would have allowed lawmakers to suspend or revoke regulations with a simple majority vote in both chambers.The Legislature has a joint committee that reviews regulations, but if lawmakers object to one, their most effective tactic is to object loudly and push the agency to back off. They also can pass a bill overturning the rule, but the governor can veto it.Business groups and advocates of smaller government viewed the measure as reining in unelected bureaucrats. But abortion rights advocates saw the measure as an attempted power grab by far-right legislators.

Voters refuse to increase Kan. legislature’s power over agencies

NEW YORK (AP) — Sam Bankman-Fried received numerous plaudits as he rapidly achieved superstar status as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-e6ea8dca1140ac41ac6bbbba0af5887b">head of cryptocurrency exchange FTX</a>: the savior of crypto, the newest force in Democratic politics and potentially the world’s first trillionaire.

Now the comments about the 30-year-old Bankman-Fried aren’t so kind after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ftx-crypto-bankruptcy-filing-ed0f06c5db468e285f58af2d8766b51a">FTX filed for bankruptcy protection</a>&nbsp;Friday, leaving his investors and customers feeling duped and many others in the crypto world&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-philanthropy-9617e597560e5d5ee3b322a2c09c2520">fearing the repercussions.</a>&nbsp;Bankman-Fried himself could face civil or criminal charges.

“Sam what have you done?,” tweeted Sean Ryan Evans, host of the cryptocurrency podcast Bankless, after the bankruptcy filing.

Under Bankman-Fried, FTX quickly grew to be the third-largest exchange by volume. The stunning collapse of this nascent empire has sent tsunami-like waves through the cryptocurrency industry, which has seen a fair share of volatility and turmoil this year, including a sharp decline in price for bitcoin and other digital assets. For some, the events are reminiscent of the domino-like failures of Wall Street firms during the 2008 financial crisis, particularly now that supposedly healthy firms like FTX are failing.

One venture capital fund wrote down investments in FTX worth over $200 million. The cryptocurrency lender BlockFi paused client withdrawals Friday after FTX sought bankruptcy protection. The Singapore-based exchange Crypto.com saw withdrawals increase this weekend for internal reasons but some of the action could be attributed to raw nerves from FTX.

Bankman-Fried and his company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-d866be4d1b3b9b88a6e774543a2b6a14">are under investigation</a>&nbsp;by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The investigations likely center on the possibility that the firm may have used customers’ deposits to fund bets at Bankman-Fried’s hedge fund, Alameda Research, a violation of U.S. securities law.

“This is the direct result of a rogue actor breaking every single basic rule of fiscal responsibility,” said Patrick Hillman, chief strategy officer at Binance, FTX’s biggest competitor. Early last week Binance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-eca5ca1c772333f2cde093c98cd26bed">appeared ready to step in</a>&nbsp;to bail out FTX, but backed away after a review of FTX’s books.

The ultimate impact of FTX’s bankruptcy is uncertain, but its failure will likely result in the destruction of billions of dollars of wealth and even more skepticism for cryptocurrencies at a time when the industry could use a vote of confidence.

“I care because it’s retail investors who suffer the most, and because too many people still wrongly associate bitcoin with the scammy ‘crypto’ space,” said Cory Klippsten, CEO of Swan Bitcoin, who for months raised concerns about FTX’s business model. Klippsten is publicly enthusiastic about bitcoin but has long had deep skepticism about other parts of the crypto universe.

Bankman-Fried founded FTX in 2019, and it grew rapidly — it was recently valued at $32 billion. The son of Stanford University professors, who was known to play the video game “League of Legends” during meetings, Bankman-Fried attracted investments from the highest echelons of Silicon Valley.

Sequoia Capital, which invested in Apple, Cisco, Google, Airbnb and YouTube, described their meeting with Bankman-Fried as likely “talking to the world’s first trillionaire.” Several of Sequoia’s partners became enthusiastic about Bankman-Fried following a Zoom meeting in 2021. After several more meetings, Sequoia decided to invest in the company.

“I don’t know how I know, I just do. SBF is a winner,” wrote Adam Fisher, a business journalist who wrote a profile of Bankman-Fried for the firm, referring to Bankman-Fried by his popular online moniker. The article, published in late September, was removed from Sequoia’s website.

Sequoia has written down its $213 million in investments to zero. A pension fund in Ontario, Canada wrote down its investment to zero as well.

In a terse statement, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Fund said, “Naturally, not all of the investments in this early-stage asset class perform to expectations.”

But up until last week, Bankman-Fried was seen as a white knight for the industry. Whenever the crypto industry had one of its crises, Bankman-Fried was the person likely to fly in with a rescue plan. When online trading platform Robinhood was in financial straits earlier this year — collateral damage from the decline in stock and crypto prices — Bankman-Fried jumped in to buy a stake in the company as a sign of support.

When Bankman-Fried bought up the assets of bankrupt crypto firm Voyager Digital for $1.4 billion this summer, it brought a sense of relief to Voyager account holders, whose assets has been frozen since its own failure. That rescue is now in question.

As king of crypto, his influence was starting to pour into political and popular culture. FTX bought prominent sports sponsorships&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-auto-racing-formula-one-e328e64d7931d2b8e9b8715e2c2ec616">with Formula Racing</a>&nbsp;and bought the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-nba-sports-business-f9667d11f7f4063c8eebb96ee1fbaf40">naming rights to an arena</a>&nbsp;in Miami. He pledged to donate $1 billion toward Democrats this election cycle — his actual donations were in the tens of millions — and prominent politicians like Bill Clinton were invited to speak at FTX conferences. Football star Tom Brady invested in FTX.

Bankman-Fried had been the subject of some criticism before FTX collapsed. While he largely operated FTX out of U.S. jurisdiction from his headquarters in The Bahamas, Bankman-Fried was increasingly vocal about the need for more regulation of the cryptocurrency industry. Many supporters of crypto oppose government oversight. Now, FTX’s collapse may have helped make the case for stricter regulation.

One of those critics was Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao. The feud between the two billionaires spilled out onto Twitter, where Zhao and Bankman-Fried collectively commanded millions of followers. Zhao helped kickstart the withdrawals that doomed FTX when he said Binance would sell its holdings in FTX’s crypto token FTT.

“What a s(asterisk)(asterisk)t show ... and it’s going to be crypto’s fault (instead of one guys’s fault),” Zhao wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668439258946.png" alt="FTX Arena, where the Miami Heat basketball team plays -Google image" />
 <figcaption>FTX Arena, where the Miami Heat basketball team plays -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Sam Bankman-Fried received numerous plaudits as he rapidly achieved superstar status as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-e6ea8dca1140ac41ac6bbbba0af5887b">head of cryptocurrency exchange FTX</a>: the savior of crypto, the newest force in Democratic politics and potentially the world’s first trillionaire.Now the comments about the 30-year-old Bankman-Fried aren’t so kind after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ftx-crypto-bankruptcy-filing-ed0f06c5db468e285f58af2d8766b51a">FTX filed for bankruptcy protection</a>&nbsp;Friday, leaving his investors and customers feeling duped and many others in the crypto world&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-philanthropy-9617e597560e5d5ee3b322a2c09c2520">fearing the repercussions.</a>&nbsp;Bankman-Fried himself could face civil or criminal charges.“Sam what have you done?,” tweeted Sean Ryan Evans, host of the cryptocurrency podcast Bankless, after the bankruptcy filing.Under Bankman-Fried, FTX quickly grew to be the third-largest exchange by volume. The stunning collapse of this nascent empire has sent tsunami-like waves through the cryptocurrency industry, which has seen a fair share of volatility and turmoil this year, including a sharp decline in price for bitcoin and other digital assets. For some, the events are reminiscent of the domino-like failures of Wall Street firms during the 2008 financial crisis, particularly now that supposedly healthy firms like FTX are failing.One venture capital fund wrote down investments in FTX worth over $200 million. The cryptocurrency lender BlockFi paused client withdrawals Friday after FTX sought bankruptcy protection. The Singapore-based exchange Crypto.com saw withdrawals increase this weekend for internal reasons but some of the action could be attributed to raw nerves from FTX.Bankman-Fried and his company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-d866be4d1b3b9b88a6e774543a2b6a14">are under investigation</a>&nbsp;by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The investigations likely center on the possibility that the firm may have used customers’ deposits to fund bets at Bankman-Fried’s hedge fund, Alameda Research, a violation of U.S. securities law.“This is the direct result of a rogue actor breaking every single basic rule of fiscal responsibility,” said Patrick Hillman, chief strategy officer at Binance, FTX’s biggest competitor. Early last week Binance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-eca5ca1c772333f2cde093c98cd26bed">appeared ready to step in</a>&nbsp;to bail out FTX, but backed away after a review of FTX’s books.The ultimate impact of FTX’s bankruptcy is uncertain, but its failure will likely result in the destruction of billions of dollars of wealth and even more skepticism for cryptocurrencies at a time when the industry could use a vote of confidence.“I care because it’s retail investors who suffer the most, and because too many people still wrongly associate bitcoin with the scammy ‘crypto’ space,” said Cory Klippsten, CEO of Swan Bitcoin, who for months raised concerns about FTX’s business model. Klippsten is publicly enthusiastic about bitcoin but has long had deep skepticism about other parts of the crypto universe.Bankman-Fried founded FTX in 2019, and it grew rapidly — it was recently valued at $32 billion. The son of Stanford University professors, who was known to play the video game “League of Legends” during meetings, Bankman-Fried attracted investments from the highest echelons of Silicon Valley.Sequoia Capital, which invested in Apple, Cisco, Google, Airbnb and YouTube, described their meeting with Bankman-Fried as likely “talking to the world’s first trillionaire.” Several of Sequoia’s partners became enthusiastic about Bankman-Fried following a Zoom meeting in 2021. After several more meetings, Sequoia decided to invest in the company.“I don’t know how I know, I just do. SBF is a winner,” wrote Adam Fisher, a business journalist who wrote a profile of Bankman-Fried for the firm, referring to Bankman-Fried by his popular online moniker. The article, published in late September, was removed from Sequoia’s website.Sequoia has written down its $213 million in investments to zero. A pension fund in Ontario, Canada wrote down its investment to zero as well.In a terse statement, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Fund said, “Naturally, not all of the investments in this early-stage asset class perform to expectations.”But up until last week, Bankman-Fried was seen as a white knight for the industry. Whenever the crypto industry had one of its crises, Bankman-Fried was the person likely to fly in with a rescue plan. When online trading platform Robinhood was in financial straits earlier this year — collateral damage from the decline in stock and crypto prices — Bankman-Fried jumped in to buy a stake in the company as a sign of support.When Bankman-Fried bought up the assets of bankrupt crypto firm Voyager Digital for $1.4 billion this summer, it brought a sense of relief to Voyager account holders, whose assets has been frozen since its own failure. That rescue is now in question.As king of crypto, his influence was starting to pour into political and popular culture. FTX bought prominent sports sponsorships&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-auto-racing-formula-one-e328e64d7931d2b8e9b8715e2c2ec616">with Formula Racing</a>&nbsp;and bought the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-nba-sports-business-f9667d11f7f4063c8eebb96ee1fbaf40">naming rights to an arena</a>&nbsp;in Miami. He pledged to donate $1 billion toward Democrats this election cycle — his actual donations were in the tens of millions — and prominent politicians like Bill Clinton were invited to speak at FTX conferences. Football star Tom Brady invested in FTX.Bankman-Fried had been the subject of some criticism before FTX collapsed. While he largely operated FTX out of U.S. jurisdiction from his headquarters in The Bahamas, Bankman-Fried was increasingly vocal about the need for more regulation of the cryptocurrency industry. Many supporters of crypto oppose government oversight. Now, FTX’s collapse may have helped make the case for stricter regulation.One of those critics was Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao. The feud between the two billionaires spilled out onto Twitter, where Zhao and Bankman-Fried collectively commanded millions of followers. Zhao helped kickstart the withdrawals that doomed FTX when he said Binance would sell its holdings in FTX’s crypto token FTT.“What a s(asterisk)(asterisk)t show ... and it’s going to be crypto’s fault (instead of one guys’s fault),” Zhao wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

Billion dollar bankruptcy sends shockwaves through crypto world

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 11a.m. Sunday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop at 9th and Sycamore in Quenemo for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

 During the stop, deputies located illegal narcotics. Two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility.

Thomas L. McCurdy, 39, of Quenemo, is being held on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Driving without a driver’s license and an Illegal registration.

Jason M. Hutchison, 42, of Quenemo is being held on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668427219287.png" alt="McCurdy-photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>McCurdy-photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just after 11a.m. Sunday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop at 9th and Sycamore in Quenemo for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, deputies located illegal narcotics. Two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility.Thomas L. McCurdy, 39, of Quenemo, is being held on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Driving without a driver’s license and an Illegal registration.Jason M. Hutchison, 42, of Quenemo is being held on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: 2 Kansas men were transporting methamphetamine 

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is preparing to launch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">his third campaign for the White House</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, looking to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">move on from disappointing midterm defeats</a>&nbsp;and defy history amid signs that his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">grip on the Republican Party</a>&nbsp;is waning.

Trump had hoped to use the GOP's expected gains in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">last week's elections</a>&nbsp;as a springboard to vault himself to his party's nomination. Instead, he finds himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">being blamed for backing</a>&nbsp;a series of losing candidates after Republicans failed to take control of the Senate. While the party was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-nov15-0608a0c22be510cec983f605e6a305b3?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_02">on the cusp of retaking control of the House</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, it could end up with its narrowest majority in decades.

“Hopefully, tomorrow will turn out to be one of the most important days in the history of our Country!” Trump wrote on his social media network on Monday. An announcement was expected at 9 p.m. EST Tuesday from his club in Palm Beach.

Another campaign is a remarkable turn for any former president, much less one who made history as the first to be impeached twice and whose term ended with his supporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violently storming the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;in a deadly bid to halt the peaceful transition of power on Jan. 6, 2021. Just one president in U.S. history has been elected to two nonconsecutive terms: Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892.

Trump is also facing a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/trump-investigations">intensifying criminal investigations</a>, including a Justice Department probe into the hundreds of documents with classified markings that were discovered in boxes and drawers at his Mar-a-Lago club.

Aides and allies had urged Trump to wait until after the midterms were over — and then until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">after a Dec. 6 Senate runoff election in Georgia</a>&nbsp;— to announce his plans. But Trump, eager to return to the spotlight, is also hoping to stave off a long list of potential challengers, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>, who cruised to reelection last week and is now being urged by many in his party to run for president a well.

Trump has tried to blame Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for the GOP’s performance — and McConnell allies have criticized Rick Scott, the Florida senator who heads the Senate Republicans’ campaign committee.

However, Trump has received the brunt of criticism for elevating candidates in states like Pennsylvania and Arizona who were unappealing to general election voters because they embraced his lies about the 2020 election or held hard-line views on issues like abortion that were out of step with the mainstream.

While Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elise-stefanik-a6db4f53af168be7f8483f29495eaba1">has the backing</a>&nbsp;of the No. 3 House Republican, Rep. Elise Stefanik, others were already moving on.

Asked whether she would endorse Trump in 2024, Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming told reporters Monday: “I don’t think that’s the right question. I think the question is, who is the current leader of the Republican Party?”

Her answer to that question: “Ron DeSantis.”

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, a longtime Trump critic, compared Trump to a pitcher who keeps losing after GOP disappointments in 2018, 2020 and now 2022.

“He’s been on the mound and lost three straight games. If we want to start winning, we need someone else on the mound. And we’ve got a very strong bench that can come out," Romney said. "I know, there’s some fans that love him. Just like, you know, an aging pitcher, they’re always fans that want to keep them there forever. But if you keep losing games, try to put some new players on the field.”

Others expressed concern that Trump’s announcement would be a distraction from the Georgia race and urged potential candidates to focus there.

“What’s really important for anybody who wants to be a 2024 candidate is to help us right now in 2022 to finish the cycle by winning the state of Georgia," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.

“We obviously had higher expectation in the Senate, which didn’t pan out. I think there are a lot of different things that contribute to that," Thune added. “But I do think that, you know, folks who were unduly focused on the 2020 election, that’s not a winning strategy with independent voices.”

Even the former president’s right-flank allies in the House Freedom Caucus kept their distance ahead of Trump's announcement.

“I am focused on what’s happening here,” said Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the Freedom Caucus chairman, as lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill on Monday. “I’m just not paying attention to any of those things, so I don’t want to comment on that.”

Meanwhile, in Utah, 86 Republican lawmakers on Monday sent out a news release urging DeSantis to run, reflecting dissatisfaction with having Trump as their party’s standard-bearer. The state’s Mormon majority has long been skeptical of Trump’s isolationism and foul language.

And in Michigan, Paul Cordes, chief of staff of the Michigan Republican Party, penned a four-page internal memo that criticized Trump-backed candidates for “statewide sweeps” that will give Democrats full control of the state's government for the first time in 40 years. That includes Tudor Dixon, who lost the governor’s race to Democratic incumbent Gretchen Whitmer by double digits.

Trump, Cordes wrote, was “popular amongst our grassroots and a motivating factor for his supporters, but provided challenges on a statewide ballot, especially with independents and women in the midterm election.”

Rep. Liz Cheney, another Trump critic who is considering her own run in 2024, highlighted losses by Trump-backed candidates while speaking Tuesday morning at The Washington Post’s Global Women’s Summit.

“This is certainly not the rollout I’m sure Donald Trump wanted for his announcement tonight. But it’s also not the first time he’s been totally detached from reality,” Cheney said. “There’s no question he’s unfit for office. And I feel confident he will never be president again.”

Meanwhile, Josh Holmes, a Republican consultant close to McConnell, said Trump remains “far and away the favorite" as he enters the race. But Holmes also said that a third presidential bid will be considerably different for Trump.

“There’s never once been a primary victory by a presidential nominee that is waged in a backward-looking fashion. Everything is about the future,” Holmes said.

As for DeSantis, Holmes said: “His national profile right now is undeniable. ... We’re going to find out” whether he can maintain that strength.

Trump had hoped to use the GOP's expected gains in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">last week's elections</a>&nbsp;as a springboard to vault himself to his party's nomination by locking in early support to keep potential challengers at bay. Instead, he now finds himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">being blamed for backing</a>&nbsp;a series of losing candidates after disappointing results in which Democrats retained control of the Senate and House control remains too early to call.

Another campaign is a remarkable turn for any former president, much less one who made history as the first to be impeached twice and whose term ended with his supporters violently storming the U.S. Capitol in a deadly bid to halt the peaceful transition of power on Jan. 6, 2021. Just one president in U.S. history has been elected to two nonconsecutive terms: Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892.

Aides and allies had urged Trump to wait until after the midterms were over — and then until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">after a Dec. 6 Senate runoff election in Georgia</a>&nbsp;— to announce his plans. But Trump, eager to return to the spotlight, is also hoping to stave off a long list of potential challengers, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cruised to reelection last week and is now being urged by many in his party to run for president a well.

However, Trump has received the brunt of criticism for elevating candidates in states like Pennsylvania and Arizona who were unappealing to general election voters because they embraced his lies about 2020 election or held hard-line views on issues like abortion that were out of step with the mainstream.

Asked who that was, she replied: “Ron DeSantis.”

“What’s really important for anybody who wants to be a 2024 candidate is to help us right now in 2020 to finish the cycle by winning the state of Georgia," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667837327526.png" alt="Former President Trump during a campaign rally last month -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former President Trump during a campaign rally last month -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is preparing to launch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">his third campaign for the White House</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, looking to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">move on from disappointing midterm defeats</a>&nbsp;and defy history amid signs that his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">grip on the Republican Party</a>&nbsp;is waning.Trump had hoped to use the GOP's expected gains in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">last week's elections</a>&nbsp;as a springboard to vault himself to his party's nomination. Instead, he finds himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">being blamed for backing</a>&nbsp;a series of losing candidates after Republicans failed to take control of the Senate. While the party was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-nov15-0608a0c22be510cec983f605e6a305b3?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_02">on the cusp of retaking control of the House</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, it could end up with its narrowest majority in decades.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668513352113.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Hopefully, tomorrow will turn out to be one of the most important days in the history of our Country!” Trump wrote on his social media network on Monday. An announcement was expected at 9 p.m. EST Tuesday from his club in Palm Beach.Another campaign is a remarkable turn for any former president, much less one who made history as the first to be impeached twice and whose term ended with his supporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violently storming the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;in a deadly bid to halt the peaceful transition of power on Jan. 6, 2021. Just one president in U.S. history has been elected to two nonconsecutive terms: Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892.Trump is also facing a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/trump-investigations">intensifying criminal investigations</a>, including a Justice Department probe into the hundreds of documents with classified markings that were discovered in boxes and drawers at his Mar-a-Lago club.Aides and allies had urged Trump to wait until after the midterms were over — and then until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">after a Dec. 6 Senate runoff election in Georgia</a>&nbsp;— to announce his plans. But Trump, eager to return to the spotlight, is also hoping to stave off a long list of potential challengers, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>, who cruised to reelection last week and is now being urged by many in his party to run for president a well.Trump has tried to blame Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for the GOP’s performance — and McConnell allies have criticized Rick Scott, the Florida senator who heads the Senate Republicans’ campaign committee.However, Trump has received the brunt of criticism for elevating candidates in states like Pennsylvania and Arizona who were unappealing to general election voters because they embraced his lies about the 2020 election or held hard-line views on issues like abortion that were out of step with the mainstream.While Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elise-stefanik-a6db4f53af168be7f8483f29495eaba1">has the backing</a>&nbsp;of the No. 3 House Republican, Rep. Elise Stefanik, others were already moving on.Asked whether she would endorse Trump in 2024, Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming told reporters Monday: “I don’t think that’s the right question. I think the question is, who is the current leader of the Republican Party?”Her answer to that question: “Ron DeSantis.”Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, a longtime Trump critic, compared Trump to a pitcher who keeps losing after GOP disappointments in 2018, 2020 and now 2022.“He’s been on the mound and lost three straight games. If we want to start winning, we need someone else on the mound. And we’ve got a very strong bench that can come out," Romney said. "I know, there’s some fans that love him. Just like, you know, an aging pitcher, they’re always fans that want to keep them there forever. But if you keep losing games, try to put some new players on the field.”Others expressed concern that Trump’s announcement would be a distraction from the Georgia race and urged potential candidates to focus there.“What’s really important for anybody who wants to be a 2024 candidate is to help us right now in 2022 to finish the cycle by winning the state of Georgia," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.“We obviously had higher expectation in the Senate, which didn’t pan out. I think there are a lot of different things that contribute to that," Thune added. “But I do think that, you know, folks who were unduly focused on the 2020 election, that’s not a winning strategy with independent voices.”Even the former president’s right-flank allies in the House Freedom Caucus kept their distance ahead of Trump's announcement.“I am focused on what’s happening here,” said Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the Freedom Caucus chairman, as lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill on Monday. “I’m just not paying attention to any of those things, so I don’t want to comment on that.”Meanwhile, in Utah, 86 Republican lawmakers on Monday sent out a news release urging DeSantis to run, reflecting dissatisfaction with having Trump as their party’s standard-bearer. The state’s Mormon majority has long been skeptical of Trump’s isolationism and foul language.And in Michigan, Paul Cordes, chief of staff of the Michigan Republican Party, penned a four-page internal memo that criticized Trump-backed candidates for “statewide sweeps” that will give Democrats full control of the state's government for the first time in 40 years. That includes Tudor Dixon, who lost the governor’s race to Democratic incumbent Gretchen Whitmer by double digits.Trump, Cordes wrote, was “popular amongst our grassroots and a motivating factor for his supporters, but provided challenges on a statewide ballot, especially with independents and women in the midterm election.”Rep. Liz Cheney, another Trump critic who is considering her own run in 2024, highlighted losses by Trump-backed candidates while speaking Tuesday morning at The Washington Post’s Global Women’s Summit.“This is certainly not the rollout I’m sure Donald Trump wanted for his announcement tonight. But it’s also not the first time he’s been totally detached from reality,” Cheney said. “There’s no question he’s unfit for office. And I feel confident he will never be president again.”Meanwhile, Josh Holmes, a Republican consultant close to McConnell, said Trump remains “far and away the favorite" as he enters the race. But Holmes also said that a third presidential bid will be considerably different for Trump.“There’s never once been a primary victory by a presidential nominee that is waged in a backward-looking fashion. Everything is about the future,” Holmes said.As for DeSantis, Holmes said: “His national profile right now is undeniable. ... We’re going to find out” whether he can maintain that strength.--------------PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is preparing to launch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">his third campaign for the White House</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, looking to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">move on from disappointing midterm defeats</a>&nbsp;and defy history amid signs that his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">grip on the Republican Party</a>&nbsp;is waning.Trump had hoped to use the GOP's expected gains in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">last week's elections</a>&nbsp;as a springboard to vault himself to his party's nomination by locking in early support to keep potential challengers at bay. Instead, he now finds himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">being blamed for backing</a>&nbsp;a series of losing candidates after disappointing results in which Democrats retained control of the Senate and House control remains too early to call.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668513352113.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Hopefully, tomorrow will turn out to be one of the most important days in the history of our Country!” Trump wrote on his social media network on Monday. An announcement was expected at 9 p.m. EST Tuesday from his club in Palm Beach.Another campaign is a remarkable turn for any former president, much less one who made history as the first to be impeached twice and whose term ended with his supporters violently storming the U.S. Capitol in a deadly bid to halt the peaceful transition of power on Jan. 6, 2021. Just one president in U.S. history has been elected to two nonconsecutive terms: Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892.Trump is also facing a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/trump-investigations">intensifying criminal investigations</a>, including a Justice Department probe into the hundreds of documents with classified markings that were discovered in boxes and drawers at his Mar-a-Lago club.Aides and allies had urged Trump to wait until after the midterms were over — and then until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">after a Dec. 6 Senate runoff election in Georgia</a>&nbsp;— to announce his plans. But Trump, eager to return to the spotlight, is also hoping to stave off a long list of potential challengers, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cruised to reelection last week and is now being urged by many in his party to run for president a well.Trump has tried to blame Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for the GOP’s performance — and McConnell allies have criticized Rick Scott, the Florida senator who heads the Senate Republicans’ campaign committee.However, Trump has received the brunt of criticism for elevating candidates in states like Pennsylvania and Arizona who were unappealing to general election voters because they embraced his lies about 2020 election or held hard-line views on issues like abortion that were out of step with the mainstream.While Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elise-stefanik-a6db4f53af168be7f8483f29495eaba1">has the backing</a>&nbsp;of the No. 3 House Republican, Rep. Elise Stefanik, others were already moving on.Asked whether she would endorse Trump in 2024, Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming told reporters Monday: “I don’t think that’s the right question. I think the question is, who is the current leader of the Republican Party?”Asked who that was, she replied: “Ron DeSantis.”Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, a longtime Trump critic, compared Trump to a pitcher who keeps losing after GOP disappointments in 2018, 2020 and now 2022.“He’s been on the mound and lost three straight games. If we want to start winning, we need someone else on the mound. And we’ve got a very strong bench that can come out," Romney said. "I know, there’s some fans that love him. Just like, you know, an aging pitcher, they’re always fans that want to keep them there forever. But if you keep losing games, try to put some new players on the field.”Others expressed concern that Trump’s announcement would be a distraction from the Georgia race and urged potential candidates to focus there.“What’s really important for anybody who wants to be a 2024 candidate is to help us right now in 2020 to finish the cycle by winning the state of Georgia," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.“We obviously had higher expectation in the Senate, which didn’t pan out. I think there are a lot of different things that contribute to that," Thune added. “But I do think that, you know, folks who were unduly focused on the 2020 election, that’s not a winning strategy with independent voices.”Even the former president’s right-flank allies in the House Freedom Caucus kept their distance ahead of Trump's announcement.“I am focused on what’s happening here,” said Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the Freedom Caucus chairman, as lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill on Monday. “I’m just not paying attention to any of those things, so I don’t want to comment on that.”Meanwhile, in Utah, 86 Republican lawmakers on Monday sent out a news release urging DeSantis to run, reflecting dissatisfaction with having Trump as their party’s standard-bearer. The state’s Mormon majority has long been skeptical of Trump’s isolationism and foul language.And in Michigan, Paul Cordes, chief of staff of the Michigan Republican Party, penned a four-page internal memo that criticized Trump-backed candidates for “statewide sweeps” that will give Democrats full control of the state's government for the first time in 40 years. That includes Tudor Dixon, who lost the governor’s race to Democratic incumbent Gretchen Whitmer by double digits.Trump, Cordes wrote, was “popular amongst our grassroots and a motivating factor for his supporters, but provided challenges on a statewide ballot, especially with independents and women in the midterm election.”

Trump set to launch third campaign for the White House

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two former police officers in Kansas City pleaded guilty Monday to assaulting a Black transgender woman during an arrest that was caught on video.

Charles Prichard, 50, and Matthew Brummett, 39, were sentenced to three years of unsupervised probation and ordered to surrender their law enforcement licenses, after the judge suspended their prison sentences.

The two men were initially charged with misdemeanor assault, but those&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-kansas-city-kansas-5a481c1754bf92d30d3a93636b6560b7">charges were upgraded</a>&nbsp;to felony third-degree assault after a grand jury watched a video of the May 24, 2019, arrest of Breona Hill and heard from two witnesses.

The video showed the officers slamming Hill's face into a concrete sidewalk, kneeing on her body and forcefully bending her arms over her head while she was handcuffed, prosecutors said.

Civil rights activists have cited the case and others in criticizing the police department’s use of force.

The city's interim Police Chief Joseph Mabin said in a statement the officers' actions did not meet department standards, and similar tactics would not be tolerated.

“I expect our officers to treat all those they come into contact with on a daily basis with dignity and respect,” Mabin said in the statement.

The officers, who were scheduled to go on trial next Monday, were placed on administrative leave after the charges were filed and left the department in December.

Kansas City attorney David Smith on Monday read a statement from the victim’s family spokesperson, Rena Childs, in which she called for reforms and culture change in the city's police department, the Jackson County Prosecutor's office said.

“But today is beginning to smell like justice,” Childs said. “These two officers will never be able to be police officers again.”

The man who recorded the arrest, Roderick Reed, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/db41066b7d28cdca8aad6f3317202cbb">convicted of a municipal violation</a>&nbsp;for not obeying officers’ commands to move his car after he stopped to videotape. He was later pardoned by Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.

The City Council later approved an amendment to the city code that ensures witnesses aren’t barred from filming the police officers.

Hill was shot to death on Oct. 14, 2019, at a Kansas City home. Allan Robinson was charged in January 2020 with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon. He received diversion in January because prosecutors believed he shot Hill in self-defense, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article257746738.html">reported</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589657213001.png" alt="Image from the video of the arrest of Breona Hill -courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Image from the video of the arrest of Breona Hill -courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two former police officers in Kansas City pleaded guilty Monday to assaulting a Black transgender woman during an arrest that was caught on video.Charles Prichard, 50, and Matthew Brummett, 39, were sentenced to three years of unsupervised probation and ordered to surrender their law enforcement licenses, after the judge suspended their prison sentences.The two men were initially charged with misdemeanor assault, but those&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-kansas-city-kansas-5a481c1754bf92d30d3a93636b6560b7">charges were upgraded</a>&nbsp;to felony third-degree assault after a grand jury watched a video of the May 24, 2019, arrest of Breona Hill and heard from two witnesses.The video showed the officers slamming Hill's face into a concrete sidewalk, kneeing on her body and forcefully bending her arms over her head while she was handcuffed, prosecutors said.Civil rights activists have cited the case and others in criticizing the police department’s use of force.The city's interim Police Chief Joseph Mabin said in a statement the officers' actions did not meet department standards, and similar tactics would not be tolerated.“I expect our officers to treat all those they come into contact with on a daily basis with dignity and respect,” Mabin said in the statement.The officers, who were scheduled to go on trial next Monday, were placed on administrative leave after the charges were filed and left the department in December.Kansas City attorney David Smith on Monday read a statement from the victim’s family spokesperson, Rena Childs, in which she called for reforms and culture change in the city's police department, the Jackson County Prosecutor's office said.“But today is beginning to smell like justice,” Childs said. “These two officers will never be able to be police officers again.”The man who recorded the arrest, Roderick Reed, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/db41066b7d28cdca8aad6f3317202cbb">convicted of a municipal violation</a>&nbsp;for not obeying officers’ commands to move his car after he stopped to videotape. He was later pardoned by Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.The City Council later approved an amendment to the city code that ensures witnesses aren’t barred from filming the police officers.Hill was shot to death on Oct. 14, 2019, at a Kansas City home. Allan Robinson was charged in January 2020 with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon. He received diversion in January because prosecutors believed he shot Hill in self-defense, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article257746738.html">reported</a>.

Two KCPD officers plead guilty to assaulting transgender woman

KANSAS CITY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting have identified the victim as 38-year-old Apolonio O. Enriquez of Kansas City.

Just after midnight Sunday morning, police were dispatched to report of a shooting near Kansas Avenue and Berger Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

At the scene, they found a Enriquez inside a vehicle with a life-threatening gunshot wound. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he later died.

Police released no additional details late Monday.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting have identified the victim as 38-year-old Apolonio O. Enriquez of Kansas City.Just after midnight Sunday morning, police were dispatched to report of a shooting near Kansas Avenue and Berger Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.At the scene, they found a Enriquez inside a vehicle with a life-threatening gunshot wound. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he later died.Police released no additional details late Monday.

State