TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Republican Jerry Moran on Tuesday won a third term in the U.S. Senate, defeating Democrat Mark Holland, former mayor of Kansas City, Kansas.

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Moran early in 2021, insulating him from a serious Republican primary challenge, though Moran voted to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election the month before Trump’s endorsement. Holland won the Democratic primary in August against five other largely unknown candidates.

Moran’s career has been marked by his ability to retain the support of all factions of the Kansas Republican Party. He represented a western and central Kansas district in the House for 14 years before being elected to the Senate in 2010.

Moran has gained some visibility in Washington in recent years for his work on veterans issues. He is the top Republican on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, after serving a year as chair when the GOP held a majority. He and Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, of Montana, led a successful effort this year in their chamber to pass improved health care and disability benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.

Holland is a United Methodist pastor who was elected to local office in 2007, then Kansas City, Kansas, mayor in 2013. He served one term, losing his race for reelection in 2017.

It’s been 90 years since Kansas elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Republican Jerry Moran on Tuesday won a third term in the U.S. Senate, defeating Democrat Mark Holland, former mayor of Kansas City, Kansas.Former President Donald Trump endorsed Moran early in 2021, insulating him from a serious Republican primary challenge, though Moran voted to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election the month before Trump’s endorsement. Holland won the Democratic primary in August against five other largely unknown candidates.Moran’s career has been marked by his ability to retain the support of all factions of the Kansas Republican Party. He represented a western and central Kansas district in the House for 14 years before being elected to the Senate in 2010.Moran has gained some visibility in Washington in recent years for his work on veterans issues. He is the top Republican on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, after serving a year as chair when the GOP held a majority. He and Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, of Montana, led a successful effort this year in their chamber to pass improved health care and disability benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.Holland is a United Methodist pastor who was elected to local office in 2007, then Kansas City, Kansas, mayor in 2013. He served one term, losing his race for reelection in 2017.It’s been 90 years since Kansas elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate.

Republican US Sen. Moran wins reelection in Kansas

NEW YORK (AP) — Guitarist Jeff Cook, who co-founded the country group Alabama and steered them up the charts with such hits as “Song of the South” and “Dixieland Delight,” has died. He was 73.

Cook had Parkinson's disease and disclosed his diagnosis in 2017. He died Tuesday at his home in Destin, Florida, said Don Murry Grubbs, a representative for the band.

Tributes poured in from country stars, including Travis Tritt who called Cook “a great guy and one heckuva bass fisherman,” and Jason Aldean, who tweeted: “ I got a chance to perform with him multiple times over the years and I will never forget it.” Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, added: "Everything he did was rooted in his deep love of music, a love he shared with millions.”

As a guitarist, fiddle player and vocalist, Cook — alongside cousins Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry — landed eight No. 1 songs on the country charts between spring 1980 and summer 1982, according to the Country Music Hall of Fame. That run included the pop crossover hits “Love In The First Degree” and “Feels So Right,” as well as “Tennessee River” and “Mountain Music.”

“Jeff Cook, and all of the guys in Alabama, were so generous with wisdom and fun when I got to tour with them as a young artist,” Kenny Chesney said in a statement. “They showed a kid in a T-shirt that country music could be rock, could be real, could be someone who looked like me. Growing up in East Tennessee, that gave me the heart to chase this dream.”

The band had a three-year run as CMA Entertainer of the Year from 1982-1985 and earned five ACM Award Entertainer of the Year trophies from 1981-1985. He stopped touring with Alabama in 2018.

Cook released a handful of solo projects and toured with his Allstar Goodtime Band. He also released collaborations with Charlie Daniels and “Star Trek” star William Shatner. He entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005 as a member of Alabama.

A song he co-wrote in 2015, “No Bad Days,” took on new meaning after his diagnosis. “After I got the Parkinson’s diagnosis, people would quote the song to me and say, ‘No bad days,’” Cook told The Tennessean in 2019. “They write me letters, notes and emails and they sign ‘No Bad Days.’ I know the support is there."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667955795772.png" alt="Cook had Parkinson's disease and disclosed his diagnosis in 2017" />
 <figcaption>Cook had Parkinson's disease and disclosed his diagnosis in 2017</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Guitarist Jeff Cook, who co-founded the country group Alabama and steered them up the charts with such hits as “Song of the South” and “Dixieland Delight,” has died. He was 73.Cook had Parkinson's disease and disclosed his diagnosis in 2017. He died Tuesday at his home in Destin, Florida, said Don Murry Grubbs, a representative for the band.Tributes poured in from country stars, including Travis Tritt who called Cook “a great guy and one heckuva bass fisherman,” and Jason Aldean, who tweeted: “ I got a chance to perform with him multiple times over the years and I will never forget it.” Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, added: "Everything he did was rooted in his deep love of music, a love he shared with millions.”As a guitarist, fiddle player and vocalist, Cook — alongside cousins Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry — landed eight No. 1 songs on the country charts between spring 1980 and summer 1982, according to the Country Music Hall of Fame. That run included the pop crossover hits “Love In The First Degree” and “Feels So Right,” as well as “Tennessee River” and “Mountain Music.”“Jeff Cook, and all of the guys in Alabama, were so generous with wisdom and fun when I got to tour with them as a young artist,” Kenny Chesney said in a statement. “They showed a kid in a T-shirt that country music could be rock, could be real, could be someone who looked like me. Growing up in East Tennessee, that gave me the heart to chase this dream.”The band had a three-year run as CMA Entertainer of the Year from 1982-1985 and earned five ACM Award Entertainer of the Year trophies from 1981-1985. He stopped touring with Alabama in 2018.Cook released a handful of solo projects and toured with his Allstar Goodtime Band. He also released collaborations with Charlie Daniels and “Star Trek” star William Shatner. He entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005 as a member of Alabama.A song he co-wrote in 2015, “No Bad Days,” took on new meaning after his diagnosis. “After I got the Parkinson’s diagnosis, people would quote the song to me and say, ‘No bad days,’” Cook told The Tennessean in 2019. “They write me letters, notes and emails and they sign ‘No Bad Days.’ I know the support is there."Survivors include his wife, Lisa.

Jeff Cook, co-founder of country band Alabama, dies at 73

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Kansas City police detective&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">convicted of shooting</a>&nbsp;and killing a Black man in 2019 is asking that his conviction be overturned or that he be given a new trial.

Jackson County Circuit Judge Dale Youngs convicted Eric DeValkenaere in March of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb on Dec. 3, 2019.

DeValkenaere, who is white, and his partner shot Lamb within seconds of arriving at a home where Lamb lived. They had followed him after reports of several traffic violations. Lamb was backing a pickup truck into a garage when he was shot.

In announcing the conviction, Youngs said the detectives violated Lamb’s constitutional rights because they had no probable cause to believe he had committed a crime, had no warrant for Lamb’s arrest and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property.

In a motion filed Oct. 27 with the Missouri Court of Appeals, DeValkenaere's attorneys argued that DeValkenaere and his partner had probable cause to be on Lamb's property and to arrest him for the traffic violations, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article268437077.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>. They also argued that police did not trespass on private property, were not the “initial aggressors” and that Lamb's death was a lawful use of force by a police officer.

DeValkenaere testified that he shot Lamb to save his partner's life because he believed Lamb had a firearm. Lamb’s family has said he was not armed and that a gun found at the scene was planted.

DeValkenaere&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-kansas-5168b9935ec869fa74453228a87c166d">was sentenced</a>&nbsp;to three years for involuntary manslaughter and six years for armed criminal action, with the sentences to run consecutively. He has been allowed to remain free while his conviction is appealed.

DeValkenaere was suspended from the police force after his conviction and left the force in January. Police have not said if he was fired, resigned or retired.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592994941014.png" alt="DeValkenaere photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>DeValkenaere photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Kansas City police detective&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">convicted of shooting</a>&nbsp;and killing a Black man in 2019 is asking that his conviction be overturned or that he be given a new trial.Jackson County Circuit Judge Dale Youngs convicted Eric DeValkenaere in March of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb on Dec. 3, 2019.DeValkenaere, who is white, and his partner shot Lamb within seconds of arriving at a home where Lamb lived. They had followed him after reports of several traffic violations. Lamb was backing a pickup truck into a garage when he was shot.In announcing the conviction, Youngs said the detectives violated Lamb’s constitutional rights because they had no probable cause to believe he had committed a crime, had no warrant for Lamb’s arrest and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property.In a motion filed Oct. 27 with the Missouri Court of Appeals, DeValkenaere's attorneys argued that DeValkenaere and his partner had probable cause to be on Lamb's property and to arrest him for the traffic violations, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article268437077.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>. They also argued that police did not trespass on private property, were not the “initial aggressors” and that Lamb's death was a lawful use of force by a police officer.DeValkenaere testified that he shot Lamb to save his partner's life because he believed Lamb had a firearm. Lamb’s family has said he was not armed and that a gun found at the scene was planted.DeValkenaere&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-kansas-5168b9935ec869fa74453228a87c166d">was sentenced</a>&nbsp;to three years for involuntary manslaughter and six years for armed criminal action, with the sentences to run consecutively. He has been allowed to remain free while his conviction is appealed.DeValkenaere was suspended from the police force after his conviction and left the force in January. Police have not said if he was fired, resigned or retired.

Kansas City officer appeals conviction in man's shooting death

WASHINGTON – A Kansas man pleaded guilty Tuesday to a felony charge for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election, according to the United State's Attorney.

Michael Eckerman, 38, of Wichita, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Eckerman illegally entered the Capitol grounds. At approximately 2 p.m., Eckerman observed rioters fighting with police officers outside the Capitol and began yelling at officers that they were “traitors to the country.” He and others then walked through scaffolding and up a set of steps leading to the Upper West Terrace. He entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing Doors at approximately 2:24 p.m. He joined a crowd in pushing their collective bodies forward to breach a police line in the Crypt. Eckerman and others then surged forward and funneled toward the east side of the Capitol.

Near the Memorial Doors, he and others in the mob encountered another small group of officers who were trying to block access to nearby stairs leading to Statuary Hall and the area near the Speaker’s Lobby. Eckerman pushed his way to the front of the stand-off and once again used his body as part of a collective surge to get past the small line of law enforcement officers. At this moment, he was face to face with an officer with the U.S. Capitol Police, who put his hand on Eckerman’s shoulder. Eckerman moved his body forward to forcibly resist, impede, and interfere with the officer, which, along with the actions of others in the mob, caused the officer to stumble down some steps.

Eckerman continued moving through the building, and at one point entered the Rayburn Conference Room. He finally exited the Capitol at approximately 2:44 p.m.

&nbsp;Eckerman was arrested on Sept. 20, 2021. He is to be sentenced on Feb. 14, 2023. He faces a statutory maximum of eight years in prison for assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, as well as potential financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office, and its Wichita Resident Agency, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the FBI’s Boston Field Office and its Lowell, Massachusetts and Bedford, New Hampshire Resident Agencies. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

&nbsp;In the 22 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 900 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 275 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659042081555.png" alt="Photograph included in the FBI’s affidavit filed against Michael Eckerman" />
 <figcaption>Photograph included in the FBI’s affidavit filed against Michael Eckerman</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON – A Kansas man pleaded guilty Tuesday to a felony charge for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election, according to the United State's Attorney.Michael Eckerman, 38, of Wichita, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers.According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Eckerman illegally entered the Capitol grounds. At approximately 2 p.m., Eckerman observed rioters fighting with police officers outside the Capitol and began yelling at officers that they were “traitors to the country.” He and others then walked through scaffolding and up a set of steps leading to the Upper West Terrace. He entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing Doors at approximately 2:24 p.m. He joined a crowd in pushing their collective bodies forward to breach a police line in the Crypt. Eckerman and others then surged forward and funneled toward the east side of the Capitol.Near the Memorial Doors, he and others in the mob encountered another small group of officers who were trying to block access to nearby stairs leading to Statuary Hall and the area near the Speaker’s Lobby. Eckerman pushed his way to the front of the stand-off and once again used his body as part of a collective surge to get past the small line of law enforcement officers. At this moment, he was face to face with an officer with the U.S. Capitol Police, who put his hand on Eckerman’s shoulder. Eckerman moved his body forward to forcibly resist, impede, and interfere with the officer, which, along with the actions of others in the mob, caused the officer to stumble down some steps.Eckerman continued moving through the building, and at one point entered the Rayburn Conference Room. He finally exited the Capitol at approximately 2:44 p.m.&nbsp;Eckerman was arrested on Sept. 20, 2021. He is to be sentenced on Feb. 14, 2023. He faces a statutory maximum of eight years in prison for assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, as well as potential financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office, and its Wichita Resident Agency, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the FBI’s Boston Field Office and its Lowell, Massachusetts and Bedford, New Hampshire Resident Agencies. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.&nbsp;In the 22 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 900 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 275 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.&nbsp;

Kansas man pleads guilty to actions during Jan. 6 capitol breach

LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged illegal hunting and asking the public for help.

In the morning hours of Nov. 6, a deer was shot with a firearm in the area of road 70 and road X south of Hartford, Kansas in Lyon County, according to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens.

 Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lyon County Game Warden at (620) 431-9873.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667941977374.png" alt="Photo Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged illegal hunting and asking the public for help.In the morning hours of Nov. 6, a deer was shot with a firearm in the area of road 70 and road X south of Hartford, Kansas in Lyon County, according to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lyon County Game Warden at (620) 431-9873.

Kansas game warden investigating deer poaching

DALLAS COUNTY, MO. —A Kansas City-area man drowned just before 9a.m. Monday in Dallas County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 75-year-old Dennis W. Steckline of Lee's Summitt drowned near the Barclay Spring Access of&nbsp; the Niangua River.&nbsp;

The circumstances of the drowning are&nbsp; unknown and there were no witnesses, according to MSHP.&nbsp; Steckline was transported to Cantlon Otterness and Viets Funeral Home in Buffalo.

DALLAS COUNTY, MO. —A Kansas City-area man drowned just before 9a.m. Monday in Dallas County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 75-year-old Dennis W. Steckline of Lee's Summitt drowned near the Barclay Spring Access of&nbsp; the Niangua River.&nbsp;The circumstances of the drowning are&nbsp; unknown and there were no witnesses, according to MSHP.&nbsp; Steckline was transported to Cantlon Otterness and Viets Funeral Home in Buffalo.

Kansas City-area man drowns on river in Missouri

WASHINGTON (AP) —Why won’t Americans know the winners of Tuesday's election for days?

(Click below to listen to White Press Secretary on the election results)

With polls open across the country, no big problems were reported early on, though there were hiccups in some places, which is typical on any Election Day.

For example, vote tabulators malfunctioned in a county in New Jersey and one in Arizona -- potentially requiring hand-counting instead; some voting sites in Pennsylvania were delayed in opening because workers showed up late, and others scrambled to replenish supplies of paper ballots that were running low.

In 2020, President Donald Trump proclaimed that the lack of final results on election night could be an indicator of something nefarious and used it to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">assert without evidence</a>&nbsp;that the election was stolen: “We don’t want them to find any more ballots at 4 o’clock in the morning and add them to the list,” he said.

In reality, however, results released on election night are unofficial and always incomplete. They&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-election-results-change-18343a391f9ccd143f4c0189d6bcd31e?utm_source=hubpage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">inevitably change</a>&nbsp;as more ballots are counted.

Unlike in many countries, elections in the U.S. are highly decentralized, complex and feature long lists of races, from president and Congress all the way down to local measures and town council seats. Some states give local election offices several weeks before Election Day to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-voter-registration-government-and-politics-609866267baef89dd1513e7c9e2f7509">process mailed ballots</a>, including checking signatures and verifying ID information. In other states, that process can't start until Election Day or shortly before, meaning those ballots might not get counted until the next day or even later.

Here’s why results are not always known the night of an election.

SHOULD WE KNOW THE WINNERS BEFORE GOING TO BED?

Republicans in particular have pointed to perceived delays in knowing results as a reason to be suspicious about the integrity of elections.

“We’ve got to get our elections reformed so that every Arizonan, whether they be Democrat, Independent, or Republican, when they go to bed on Election Night they know the winner and they’re satisfied that it was a fair election. We don’t have that right now,” Kari Lake, the Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for governor in Arizona, said in August on Twitter.

Not knowing the winner on election night says nothing about the fairness of an election or the accuracy of results. Under Arizona law, all ballots including those that were mailed must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day, but officials have 20 days to finalize their counts.

In Nevada, counties have four days to count late-arriving mailed ballots and give voters two more days to fix mailed ballots that arrive in envelopes with errors or missing information. This week, the elections official in the county that includes Reno reminded voters of that extended timeline and said final, official results are unlikely until the actual canvass of the vote on Nov. 18.

“It will definitely be more than the day after the election for final results of the election," said Jamie Rodriguez, Washoe County's interim registrar of voters.

A close Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania last May triggered comparisons to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-french-election-voting-results-f5b549e3b99930ee05bed17a9d3870b6">French presidential election</a>, which had been held a few weeks earlier.

Trump, in a social media post two days after the Pennsylvania primary, questioned why it was taking so long to find out the winner: “France, same day all paper, had VERIFIED numbers in evening,” Trump wrote. “U.S. is a laughing stock on Elections.”

But in France there was only one contest on the ballot. Presidential and parliamentary elections are held on separate dates. In Pennsylvania, the U.S. Senate GOP primary was just one of several contests being decided, including races for governor, attorney general, Congress and state legislature.

U.S. elections also are not nationalized, but rather overseen by states and run by local officials at the county or even township level. The U.S. has some 10,000 jurisdictions charged with overseeing the voting process.

For presidential elections in France, the Ministry of Interior distributes election-related materials, including ballots, while local officials coordinate staffing of polling places. France also has a Constitutional Council that decides election-related complaints and announces results.

Noah Praetz, the former elections clerk in Cook County, Illinois, said it’s possible to have quick results, but the U.S. has “decided to make voting accessible to everybody and let us vote on everything.” He noted that ballots in the U.S. typically include dozens of offices in contrast to some countries where voters might simply back a party whose leadership then fills many of those positions.

In France, voters choose from lists of local candidates usually associated with a party. The candidate list gaining the most support will receive the most seats in the city and regional councils.

“It’s a fundamentally different view of democracy,” Praetz said.

In addition, voters in France can vote by proxy — designating someone else to vote for them if they are unable to cast a ballot in person on Election Day, which is not allowed in the U.S.

DO MAIL BALLOTS AFFECT THE REPORTING OF RESULTS?

They can. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states were expanding the use of mail ballots and early in-person voting to reduce lines on Election Day and provide more flexibility to voters.

Mail ballots are subject to various security checks, varying by state. Some require voter signatures or ID information to match their registration files, while others require witnesses or notaries to affirm a voter’s identity.

In most states, including Florida and Georgia, the process of validating mail ballots begins well ahead of Election Day -- providing a huge advantage in reporting results quickly. That's not the case in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-pennsylvania-voting-donald-trump-wisconsin-3a6e3b0f16933d94bad59297d9912dee">a few political battleground states</a>. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin officials are not allowed to begin that work until Election Day, while Michigan officials can start just two days before. This means most results being reported from these states on election night will be from in-person voting on Election Day or during the early voting period.

“Counting votes and reporting the results take time,” said Leigh Chapman, acting secretary of state in Pennsylvania. “Election officials are focused on accuracy over speed.”

While most states require mail ballots to be received on or before Election Day, 19 states provide a grace period as long as ballots were sent through the mail by Election Day. Such ballots in California can be received up to seven days later.

Voters may not know the outcome of a close race for several days if a significant number of those ballots arrive at local election offices after Election Day.

This also can change results over time. If Democratic voters dominate mail voting while Republican voters largely cast ballots in person, this can mean that early results heavily favor a Republican candidate who then sees that lead slip away as the late-arriving mail ballots are counted.

WOULD HAND COUNTING HELP SPEED UP THE PROCESS?

No. Hand counting of all ballots happens primarily in small towns in the Northeast. For places with a lot of ballots, experts consider it to be more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-nevada-voting-las-vegas-617fc7a37e9cd8d1a512e4fb7be77574">time-consuming</a>&nbsp;and susceptible to human error. Hand tallies are used in post-election reviews to ensure accuracy of tabulator machines, but that usually involves only a sample of ballots and is done without the time pressure of trying to report results quickly.

Republican activists and candidates have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-new-hampshire-nevada-donald-trump-elections-3f6785364fd52655cbd034f0708c6f0f">pushing for hand counts</a>, based largely on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-presidential-biden-cabinet-b4a3422d188fdd921d8e6f38f53ea0d0">conspiracy theories</a>&nbsp;that voting systems were manipulated to steal the 2020 election. There is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-claims-biden-won-explained-bd53b14ce871412b462cb3fe2c563f18">no evidence</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">widespread fraud</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-capitol-siege-donald-trump-campaigns-presidential-070ced9a013c58cf001d6d4137e4abc0">tampering of machines</a>.

Also, hand counts would by themselves prolong the reporting of results, perhaps by several days.

Cobb County, Georgia, performed a hand tally ordered by the state after the 2020 election. It took hundreds of people five days to count just the votes for president on roughly 397,000 ballots. A county election official estimated it would have taken 100 days to count every race on each ballot using the same procedures.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667863478582.png" alt="White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reminded during her Monday press briefing "We may not know all the winners of elections for a few days."" />
 <figcaption>White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reminded during her Monday press briefing "We may not know all the winners of elections for a few days."</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Why won’t Americans know the winners of Tuesday's election for days?(Click below to listen to White Press Secretary on the election results)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/70L_3uqIgRw?start=478" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>With polls open across the country, no big problems were reported early on, though there were hiccups in some places, which is typical on any Election Day.For example, vote tabulators malfunctioned in a county in New Jersey and one in Arizona -- potentially requiring hand-counting instead; some voting sites in Pennsylvania were delayed in opening because workers showed up late, and others scrambled to replenish supplies of paper ballots that were running low.In 2020, President Donald Trump proclaimed that the lack of final results on election night could be an indicator of something nefarious and used it to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">assert without evidence</a>&nbsp;that the election was stolen: “We don’t want them to find any more ballots at 4 o’clock in the morning and add them to the list,” he said.In reality, however, results released on election night are unofficial and always incomplete. They&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-election-results-change-18343a391f9ccd143f4c0189d6bcd31e?utm_source=hubpage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">inevitably change</a>&nbsp;as more ballots are counted.Unlike in many countries, elections in the U.S. are highly decentralized, complex and feature long lists of races, from president and Congress all the way down to local measures and town council seats. Some states give local election offices several weeks before Election Day to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-voter-registration-government-and-politics-609866267baef89dd1513e7c9e2f7509">process mailed ballots</a>, including checking signatures and verifying ID information. In other states, that process can't start until Election Day or shortly before, meaning those ballots might not get counted until the next day or even later.Here’s why results are not always known the night of an election.SHOULD WE KNOW THE WINNERS BEFORE GOING TO BED?Republicans in particular have pointed to perceived delays in knowing results as a reason to be suspicious about the integrity of elections.“We’ve got to get our elections reformed so that every Arizonan, whether they be Democrat, Independent, or Republican, when they go to bed on Election Night they know the winner and they’re satisfied that it was a fair election. We don’t have that right now,” Kari Lake, the Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for governor in Arizona, said in August on Twitter.Not knowing the winner on election night says nothing about the fairness of an election or the accuracy of results. Under Arizona law, all ballots including those that were mailed must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day, but officials have 20 days to finalize their counts.In Nevada, counties have four days to count late-arriving mailed ballots and give voters two more days to fix mailed ballots that arrive in envelopes with errors or missing information. This week, the elections official in the county that includes Reno reminded voters of that extended timeline and said final, official results are unlikely until the actual canvass of the vote on Nov. 18.“It will definitely be more than the day after the election for final results of the election," said Jamie Rodriguez, Washoe County's interim registrar of voters.WHY CAN'T WE BE LIKE FRANCE?A close Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania last May triggered comparisons to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-french-election-voting-results-f5b549e3b99930ee05bed17a9d3870b6">French presidential election</a>, which had been held a few weeks earlier.Trump, in a social media post two days after the Pennsylvania primary, questioned why it was taking so long to find out the winner: “France, same day all paper, had VERIFIED numbers in evening,” Trump wrote. “U.S. is a laughing stock on Elections.”But in France there was only one contest on the ballot. Presidential and parliamentary elections are held on separate dates. In Pennsylvania, the U.S. Senate GOP primary was just one of several contests being decided, including races for governor, attorney general, Congress and state legislature.U.S. elections also are not nationalized, but rather overseen by states and run by local officials at the county or even township level. The U.S. has some 10,000 jurisdictions charged with overseeing the voting process.For presidential elections in France, the Ministry of Interior distributes election-related materials, including ballots, while local officials coordinate staffing of polling places. France also has a Constitutional Council that decides election-related complaints and announces results.Noah Praetz, the former elections clerk in Cook County, Illinois, said it’s possible to have quick results, but the U.S. has “decided to make voting accessible to everybody and let us vote on everything.” He noted that ballots in the U.S. typically include dozens of offices in contrast to some countries where voters might simply back a party whose leadership then fills many of those positions.In France, voters choose from lists of local candidates usually associated with a party. The candidate list gaining the most support will receive the most seats in the city and regional councils.“It’s a fundamentally different view of democracy,” Praetz said.In addition, voters in France can vote by proxy — designating someone else to vote for them if they are unable to cast a ballot in person on Election Day, which is not allowed in the U.S.DO MAIL BALLOTS AFFECT THE REPORTING OF RESULTS?They can. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states were expanding the use of mail ballots and early in-person voting to reduce lines on Election Day and provide more flexibility to voters.Mail ballots are subject to various security checks, varying by state. Some require voter signatures or ID information to match their registration files, while others require witnesses or notaries to affirm a voter’s identity.In most states, including Florida and Georgia, the process of validating mail ballots begins well ahead of Election Day -- providing a huge advantage in reporting results quickly. That's not the case in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-pennsylvania-voting-donald-trump-wisconsin-3a6e3b0f16933d94bad59297d9912dee">a few political battleground states</a>. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin officials are not allowed to begin that work until Election Day, while Michigan officials can start just two days before. This means most results being reported from these states on election night will be from in-person voting on Election Day or during the early voting period.“Counting votes and reporting the results take time,” said Leigh Chapman, acting secretary of state in Pennsylvania. “Election officials are focused on accuracy over speed.”WHAT OTHER FACTORS CAN SLOW RESULTS?While most states require mail ballots to be received on or before Election Day, 19 states provide a grace period as long as ballots were sent through the mail by Election Day. Such ballots in California can be received up to seven days later.Voters may not know the outcome of a close race for several days if a significant number of those ballots arrive at local election offices after Election Day.This also can change results over time. If Democratic voters dominate mail voting while Republican voters largely cast ballots in person, this can mean that early results heavily favor a Republican candidate who then sees that lead slip away as the late-arriving mail ballots are counted.WOULD HAND COUNTING HELP SPEED UP THE PROCESS?No. Hand counting of all ballots happens primarily in small towns in the Northeast. For places with a lot of ballots, experts consider it to be more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-nevada-voting-las-vegas-617fc7a37e9cd8d1a512e4fb7be77574">time-consuming</a>&nbsp;and susceptible to human error. Hand tallies are used in post-election reviews to ensure accuracy of tabulator machines, but that usually involves only a sample of ballots and is done without the time pressure of trying to report results quickly.Republican activists and candidates have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-new-hampshire-nevada-donald-trump-elections-3f6785364fd52655cbd034f0708c6f0f">pushing for hand counts</a>, based largely on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-presidential-biden-cabinet-b4a3422d188fdd921d8e6f38f53ea0d0">conspiracy theories</a>&nbsp;that voting systems were manipulated to steal the 2020 election. There is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-claims-biden-won-explained-bd53b14ce871412b462cb3fe2c563f18">no evidence</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">widespread fraud</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-capitol-siege-donald-trump-campaigns-presidential-070ced9a013c58cf001d6d4137e4abc0">tampering of machines</a>.Also, hand counts would by themselves prolong the reporting of results, perhaps by several days.Cobb County, Georgia, performed a hand tally ordered by the state after the 2020 election. It took hundreds of people five days to count just the votes for president on roughly 397,000 ballots. A county election official estimated it would have taken 100 days to count every race on each ballot using the same procedures.___

🎥 2022 Election results may not be known for a few days

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in 
Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot 
after more than three months without anyone hitting the top prize.

The
 winning numbers drawn Tuesday morning at the Florida Lottery draw 
studio in Tallahassee were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the 
red Powerball was 10.

The jackpot ticket was sold at Joe’s Service
 Center in Altadena, an unincorporated community in the foothills 
northeast of Los Angeles. A voicemail left for Joe’s Service Center was 
not immediately returned.

The jackpot was by far the largest 
lottery prize ever won, topping the previous record $1.586 billion prize
 won by three Powerball ticketholders in 2016. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-d074aec16d0f17eba2cc51c814faa99e">Only four previous jackpots</a>
 have topped $1 billion, but none of those are close to the current 
prize, which started at $20 million back on Aug. 6 and over three 
winless months has grown massive. No one has won the jackpot since Aug. 
3.

The jackpot was initially reported as <a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-drawing-today-what-to-know-75a57b3d83a5c5d1e0264c55261671cf">an estimated $1.9 billion</a> on Monday, but the prize was increased to $2.04 billion Tuesday morning after updated calculations.

The
 Multi-State Lottery Association said Monday night’s scheduled drawing 
was delayed by nearly 10 hours until Tuesday because a participating 
lottery had issues processing sales.

The problems in holding a 
drawing Monday night were blamed on one participating lottery's 
inability to process its sales data. After the lottery, which wasn't 
identified, completed its pre-draw procedures, the drawing was able to 
go ahead.

“Protecting the integrity of the draw is of upmost 
importance, and we were able to do that during this historic drawing 
with the cooperation of all participating lotteries,” said Drew Svitko, 
the chairman of the Powerball Product Group and executive director of 
the Pennsylvania Lottery.

Terry Rich, a former director of the 
Iowa Lottery who also served on the Powerball board, said the delay was 
likely due to a two-part verification system of ticket sales that makes 
use of an outside vendor to ensure all is in order before the game's 
numbers are drawn.

“Each state must verify through a dual process 
that all of the sales and dollars match before the Multi-State Lottery 
Association can do the draw," said Rich, who headed the Iowa Lottery for
 10 years and was president of the North American Lottery Association. 
“This is a state-by-state procedure, which separates the whole process 
and has been very effective."

Rich said state lotteries deal with 
similar problems several times a year but the delays usually don't 
attract much attention because the potential jackpots are far less than 
was up for grabs this week.

The winning numbers and recorded video of the drawing were posted to the Powerball's YouTube channel.

The $2.04 billion prize is for a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">winner who chooses an annuity</a>, paid annually over 29 years. Nearly all winners instead opt for cash, which was valued at $997.6 million.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

The game is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667933043117.jpeg" alt="AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes" />
 <figcaption>AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in 
Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot 
after more than three months without anyone hitting the top prize.The
 winning numbers drawn Tuesday morning at the Florida Lottery draw 
studio in Tallahassee were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the 
red Powerball was 10.The jackpot ticket was sold at Joe’s Service
 Center in Altadena, an unincorporated community in the foothills 
northeast of Los Angeles. A voicemail left for Joe’s Service Center was 
not immediately returned.The jackpot was by far the largest 
lottery prize ever won, topping the previous record $1.586 billion prize
 won by three Powerball ticketholders in 2016. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-d074aec16d0f17eba2cc51c814faa99e">Only four previous jackpots</a>
 have topped $1 billion, but none of those are close to the current 
prize, which started at $20 million back on Aug. 6 and over three 
winless months has grown massive. No one has won the jackpot since Aug. 
3.The jackpot was initially reported as <a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-drawing-today-what-to-know-75a57b3d83a5c5d1e0264c55261671cf">an estimated $1.9 billion</a> on Monday, but the prize was increased to $2.04 billion Tuesday morning after updated calculations.The
 Multi-State Lottery Association said Monday night’s scheduled drawing 
was delayed by nearly 10 hours until Tuesday because a participating 
lottery had issues processing sales.The problems in holding a 
drawing Monday night were blamed on one participating lottery's 
inability to process its sales data. After the lottery, which wasn't 
identified, completed its pre-draw procedures, the drawing was able to 
go ahead.“Protecting the integrity of the draw is of upmost 
importance, and we were able to do that during this historic drawing 
with the cooperation of all participating lotteries,” said Drew Svitko, 
the chairman of the Powerball Product Group and executive director of 
the Pennsylvania Lottery.Terry Rich, a former director of the 
Iowa Lottery who also served on the Powerball board, said the delay was 
likely due to a two-part verification system of ticket sales that makes 
use of an outside vendor to ensure all is in order before the game's 
numbers are drawn.“Each state must verify through a dual process 
that all of the sales and dollars match before the Multi-State Lottery 
Association can do the draw," said Rich, who headed the Iowa Lottery for
 10 years and was president of the North American Lottery Association. 
“This is a state-by-state procedure, which separates the whole process 
and has been very effective."Rich said state lotteries deal with 
similar problems several times a year but the delays usually don't 
attract much attention because the potential jackpots are far less than 
was up for grabs this week.The winning numbers and recorded video of the drawing were posted to the Powerball's YouTube channel.The $2.04 billion prize is for a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">winner who chooses an annuity</a>, paid annually over 29 years. Nearly all winners instead opt for cash, which was valued at $997.6 million.The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.The game is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Powerball ticket sold in California snags record $2.04B win

FORD COUNTY —The Dodge City Community College campus, 2501 North 14th Avenue, Dodge City will reopen at 1p.m. after it was closed due to a potential security risk on Tuesday, according to a social media report from the school.

The school advised that this was not an active shooter situation as some rumors have indicated.&nbsp;

The Dodge City Police Department was assisting security personnel at the College in locating a suspect who fled from security officers early Tuesday after being involved in a minor offense on campus. 

The suspect was last seen in handcuffs fleeing the area on foot wearing a grey sweatshirt and no shoes.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The campus child development center is open with additional security.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

FORD COUNTY —The Dodge City Community College campus, 2501 North 14th Avenue, Dodge City is closed until 11a.m. Tuesday due to a potential security risk, according to a social media report from the school.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660609745206.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FORD COUNTY —The Dodge City Community College campus, 2501 North 14th Avenue, Dodge City will reopen at 1p.m. after it was closed due to a potential security risk on Tuesday, according to a social media report from the school.The school advised that this was not an active shooter situation as some rumors have indicated.&nbsp;The Dodge City Police Department was assisting security personnel at the College in locating a suspect who fled from security officers early Tuesday after being involved in a minor offense on campus. The suspect was last seen in handcuffs fleeing the area on foot wearing a grey sweatshirt and no shoes.&nbsp;&nbsp;The campus child development center is open with additional security.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.-------------FORD COUNTY —The Dodge City Community College campus, 2501 North 14th Avenue, Dodge City is closed until 11a.m. Tuesday due to a potential security risk, according to a social media report from the school.The school advised that this was not an active shooter situation as some rumors have indicated.&nbsp;The Dodge City Police Department was assisting security personnel at the College in locating a suspect who fled from security officers early Tuesday after being involved in a minor offense on campus. The suspect was last seen in handcuffs fleeing the area on foot wearing a grey sweatshirt and no shoes.&nbsp;&nbsp;The campus child development center is open with additional security.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Dodge City college set to reopen after suspect in handcuffs fled police

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon in connection with a carjacking with children in the vehicle.

Just before 4p.m. Monday police were dispatched to an abduction in the 1000 block of West 31st St South in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

When police arrived on the scene, they learned a suspect later identified as 30-year-old Tyler Kirkhart, a man with nearly two dozen convictions over the past ten years, stole a white 2015 Chevy Cruz from a 26-year-old woman. 

The woman's 3-year-old daughter and infant son were in car seats in the back when the vehicle was stolen.

The woman was attempting to air up her tires when Kirkhart offered to help. He then got into the vehicle and left the area traveling southbound. 

Officers from all over the city began looking for the vehicle. A short time later officers located the vehicle abandoned in the 3500 block of South St. Francis. The children were located inside the vehicle and unharmed.

Officers continued to work to identify the suspect. Information was shared through all media outlets as well as the department to locate the suspect.&nbsp;

Within a few hours, officers located him in the&nbsp;700 block of West Lockwood and took him into custody on requested charges of Kidnapping, Child Endangerment, Interference with parental custody and deprivation of property stemming from an Auto Theft investigation. 

Kirkhart has been convicted of theft, burglary, aggravated weapons violations, criminal damage to property, aggravated escape and for drugs. He has been in an out of jail since 2011.

The case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office in the coming weeks. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667912805438.png" alt="Kirkhart-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Kirkhart-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon in connection with a carjacking with children in the vehicle.Just before 4p.m. Monday police were dispatched to an abduction in the 1000 block of West 31st St South in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.When police arrived on the scene, they learned a suspect later identified as 30-year-old Tyler Kirkhart, a man with nearly two dozen convictions over the past ten years, stole a white 2015 Chevy Cruz from a 26-year-old woman. The woman's 3-year-old daughter and infant son were in car seats in the back when the vehicle was stolen.The woman was attempting to air up her tires when Kirkhart offered to help. He then got into the vehicle and left the area traveling southbound. Officers from all over the city began looking for the vehicle. A short time later officers located the vehicle abandoned in the 3500 block of South St. Francis. The children were located inside the vehicle and unharmed.Officers continued to work to identify the suspect. Information was shared through all media outlets as well as the department to locate the suspect.&nbsp;Within a few hours, officers located him in the&nbsp;700 block of West Lockwood and took him into custody on requested charges of Kidnapping, Child Endangerment, Interference with parental custody and deprivation of property stemming from an Auto Theft investigation. Kirkhart has been convicted of theft, burglary, aggravated weapons violations, criminal damage to property, aggravated escape and for drugs. He has been in an out of jail since 2011.The case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office in the coming weeks.

Kan. felon with nearly 2 dozen convictions stole car with kids inside

By KALIN KROHE Panhandle Post

On April 10, 37-year-old Ryan McElroy, Salina, Kan., killed 22-year-old Blythe Boness of Alliance in a vehicle crash on Highway 2 east of Alliance.

"As we know on April 10, 2022 in the afternoon, victim in this case, Blythe Boness, was traveling eastbound on Highway 2 in Box Butte County, Nebraska," Edward Vierk of the Nebraska Attorney General's Office said in Box Butte County District County Monday. 

"Blythe had just dropped off her fiancé Bailey to pick up a used truck that would be their future ranch truck. Blythe and Bailey were putting the pieces in place for their life together as husband and wife on a ranch. In fact, at the time of the crash that would soon happen, Bailey was following Blythe approximately two and a half miles behind her in this new used truck that they had purchased."

"At the time, Blythe was driving her Ford Escape SUV. In her vehicle, she had no other human passenger. She did have her and Bailey's four companions, their loyal dogs, not all of which would survive the upcoming event. And at the same time, the defendant, Mr. McElroy was traveling westbound on Highway 2. He was alone in his Camaro. At that time, he was driving on a suspended Kansas license and in fact, in Kansas, he did have a warrant out for his arrest. He had been drinking that morning, but he'd run out of alcohol and got in his car to go buy more alcohol. At approximately mile marker 92.5 in Box Butte County, Mr. McElroy crossed the center line and began driving in the eastbound lane of Highway 2. This was the lane that Blythe was properly driving in. Blythe made an evasive maneuver to try to avoid Mr. McElroy's oncoming car. She moved towards the north shoulder rather than trying to endanger herself by going into a ditch and the defendant then made another maneuver, returning to his lane, and he struck Miss Boness vehicle. As a result of this collision, Miss Boness was ejected and was killed." Boness was not using a seat belt at the time of the crash and both vehicles were traveling slightly above the 65 MPH speed limit. McElroy hit Boness at approximately 73 MPH. McElroy was extracted from his vehicle by first responders and flown to Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff for treatment. His Blood Alcohol Content was .235 grams per 100 ml of blood. McElroy was previously convicted of a DUI in Gage County on June 12, 2008 and another DUI in Salina, Kansas that year.

"In addition to this trauma, Blythe's fiancee, who I'd stated earlier had been following about two and a half miles behind, did arrive at the scene," Vierk said. "The worst nightmare possible he finds his fiancee underneath her vehicle, Bailey attempted to lift the vehicle off of her, but obviously could not. And he's still wracked with guilt that he was unable to do so. Mr McElroy is actions and choices that day provided lives, family and friends with the worst day of their lives. Mr. McElroy however his series of bad choices took Blythe away from her mother, her father, her fiancé, her brother's, the rest of her family or friends in her community. When we look around this courtroom, it's clear the damage to the community that Mr. McElroy has wrought with his bad and selfish choices. Blythe's mother Teresa didn't have an easy time giving birth to her daughter, she's been affected by this. She was on five months bed rest when she carried Blythe with every doctor telling her she was going to lose the baby. Despite the odds Blythe was healthy baby and she lived a short life that enlightened the lives of all those around her."

"Your Honor, this is a sad case," McElroy's attorney Stacy Bach said. "When I took this case on, I knew I wasn't going to be popular in the community. But, I had a duty and obligation and that's what we do as defense counsel, we represent our clients to the best of our ability. Mr. McElroy...after he got out of the hospital, and after I had an opportunity to meet with him, and after he was able to bond out of jail...he and I came into my office and we sat down. As defense counsel, it's my job to review every ounce of the evidence to review all the transcripts, and help my client make determinations on how to proceed to trial. In reviewing those transcripts and viewing the evidence, it was clear that there was no seatbelt being worn. It was clear there was a high rate of speed on the part of both parties. There were also issues of whether or not Ms. Boness was on her cell phone at the time. There were also issues that were being addressed, instigated by the firm that we intended to hire as expert witnesses, whether or not this was avoidable-- whether or not the evasive actions that she took were inappropriate. And again, those are what defense counsel does. As I sat and talked with Mr. McElroy about that, he said don't do it. I'm not gonna put the family to trial. I'm guilty. I was drunk. I caused the accident. He came into court. This court said, How do you plead? And he said, I plead guilty. He didn't plead no contest, which is what I tell 99% of my clients to do when there's civil litigation potentially. He said I don't care. I caused the accident, I'm absolutely guilty. I think that's what he told the court. This is hard for me. It's hard for Mr. McElroy. It's hard for these people behind me to sit here and listen to this today. But, it's closure. And I hope that this court gives them the closure that they need."

Bach then spoke about McElroy's criminal past.

"Mr. McElroy when he turned 29, I think he kind of had an epiphany," Bach said. "And that's when, for the most part, his criminal record left. He had a couple of things...no proof of insurance in 2018, and then got sideways with a girlfriend in 2020. And then there was this. The two prior convictions, although valid, are all right on the cusp of not being usable offenses anymore. They're 14 and a half years. In Nebraska, it's a 15 year look back period. Doesn't discount it. They're there. It's an&nbsp;enhanceable offense. And that's what the courts done and my clients not objecting to that. When we look through here, your Honor, I know you have a range that you can do a range from one to 50 years. I'm asking for the opportunity for Mr. McElroy to be able to get out at some point, put what he has learned to use, whether that's to go to schools and talk about driving and drinking and telling kids what he did. The court has the opportunity to put two numbers out there bottom to top. And so what we're asking for is at least somewhere in the middle for the bottom number and top numbers up to the discretion of the court. I know this, again, has been hard on everyone. But I appreciate that Mr. McElroy stood up, took responsibility for his actions in this case, and didn't drag this family through anything more than what they've already suffered."

"I just wrote this today," McElroy said "For six months. I've thought about what to say today and just have so many thoughts and everything is like a snowball and it just melted together. I had to say something today because I didn't want to feel like a coward. I don't know how to say what I want to say, I cannot imagine the grief that I put everyone through. This is one of those things that unless it actually happens to you, you will never thoroughly understand how it feels. Nothing I say will return what's lost or heal their broken hearts. I've had the privilege today to read some of the letters. I feel the sadness radiating from these letters. I can't fault anyone for feeling the way they do about me, I would too in their shoes. One letter that stuck out to me had a different message. One that said they hope my heart and mind find a different path. And I hope so. I'm sorry is not enough. No words will ever be enough. But, still I'm sorry. In the end, I had a choice that day to drink and drive. I wish more than anything that I could go back and do better."

"This is just a very difficult, tragic case," Box Butte County District Court Judge Travis P. O'Gorman said. "I wish there was something magical that I could say today that would take away all the pain and hurt and anger in this room. And I've been doing this long enough. I know that that's not possible for me to do.&nbsp;All I can say is the people here from Miss Boness, is that you have my most sincere condolences and I'm very sorry for your mom. We've all heard Mr. McElroy, you do have a concerning record to prior DUI offenses, one of which had a child in the vehicle, some theft offenses as well as two prior domestic offenses, which all contribute to the present report finding that you are high risk to reoffend. As noted by the prosecution going to treatment on multiple occasions, but still continuing to drink and drive. You admit and your criminal history is in your words fueled by alcohol. And that's what the evidence in this case shows." McElroy was sentenced to a term of &nbsp;"not less than 45 years, not more than 50 years" in the Nebraska State Prison. McElroy was credited for the 108 days already served. He will be eligible for parole in 22 1/2 years.

McElroy was also ordered to pay the cost of the prosecution and his driver's license was revoked for 15 years. His mandatory discharge will be in 25 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667910749521.jpeg" alt="-Ryan McElroy" />
 <figcaption>-Ryan McElroy</figcaption>
 </figure>By KALIN KROHE Panhandle PostOn April 10, 37-year-old Ryan McElroy, Salina, Kan., killed 22-year-old Blythe Boness of Alliance in a vehicle crash on Highway 2 east of Alliance."As we know on April 10, 2022 in the afternoon, victim in this case, Blythe Boness, was traveling eastbound on Highway 2 in Box Butte County, Nebraska," Edward Vierk of the Nebraska Attorney General's Office said in Box Butte County District County Monday. "Blythe had just dropped off her fiancé Bailey to pick up a used truck that would be their future ranch truck. Blythe and Bailey were putting the pieces in place for their life together as husband and wife on a ranch. In fact, at the time of the crash that would soon happen, Bailey was following Blythe approximately two and a half miles behind her in this new used truck that they had purchased.""At the time, Blythe was driving her Ford Escape SUV. In her vehicle, she had no other human passenger. She did have her and Bailey's four companions, their loyal dogs, not all of which would survive the upcoming event. And at the same time, the defendant, Mr. McElroy was traveling westbound on Highway 2. He was alone in his Camaro. At that time, he was driving on a suspended Kansas license and in fact, in Kansas, he did have a warrant out for his arrest. He had been drinking that morning, but he'd run out of alcohol and got in his car to go buy more alcohol. At approximately mile marker 92.5 in Box Butte County, Mr. McElroy crossed the center line and began driving in the eastbound lane of Highway 2. This was the lane that Blythe was properly driving in. Blythe made an evasive maneuver to try to avoid Mr. McElroy's oncoming car. She moved towards the north shoulder rather than trying to endanger herself by going into a ditch and the defendant then made another maneuver, returning to his lane, and he struck Miss Boness vehicle. As a result of this collision, Miss Boness was ejected and was killed." Boness was not using a seat belt at the time of the crash and both vehicles were traveling slightly above the 65 MPH speed limit. McElroy hit Boness at approximately 73 MPH. McElroy was extracted from his vehicle by first responders and flown to Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff for treatment. His Blood Alcohol Content was .235 grams per 100 ml of blood. McElroy was previously convicted of a DUI in Gage County on June 12, 2008 and another DUI in Salina, Kansas that year."In addition to this trauma, Blythe's fiancee, who I'd stated earlier had been following about two and a half miles behind, did arrive at the scene," Vierk said. "The worst nightmare possible he finds his fiancee underneath her vehicle, Bailey attempted to lift the vehicle off of her, but obviously could not. And he's still wracked with guilt that he was unable to do so. Mr McElroy is actions and choices that day provided lives, family and friends with the worst day of their lives. Mr. McElroy however his series of bad choices took Blythe away from her mother, her father, her fiancé, her brother's, the rest of her family or friends in her community. When we look around this courtroom, it's clear the damage to the community that Mr. McElroy has wrought with his bad and selfish choices. Blythe's mother Teresa didn't have an easy time giving birth to her daughter, she's been affected by this. She was on five months bed rest when she carried Blythe with every doctor telling her she was going to lose the baby. Despite the odds Blythe was healthy baby and she lived a short life that enlightened the lives of all those around her.""Your Honor, this is a sad case," McElroy's attorney Stacy Bach said. "When I took this case on, I knew I wasn't going to be popular in the community. But, I had a duty and obligation and that's what we do as defense counsel, we represent our clients to the best of our ability. Mr. McElroy...after he got out of the hospital, and after I had an opportunity to meet with him, and after he was able to bond out of jail...he and I came into my office and we sat down. As defense counsel, it's my job to review every ounce of the evidence to review all the transcripts, and help my client make determinations on how to proceed to trial. In reviewing those transcripts and viewing the evidence, it was clear that there was no seatbelt being worn. It was clear there was a high rate of speed on the part of both parties. There were also issues of whether or not Ms. Boness was on her cell phone at the time. There were also issues that were being addressed, instigated by the firm that we intended to hire as expert witnesses, whether or not this was avoidable-- whether or not the evasive actions that she took were inappropriate. And again, those are what defense counsel does. As I sat and talked with Mr. McElroy about that, he said don't do it. I'm not gonna put the family to trial. I'm guilty. I was drunk. I caused the accident. He came into court. This court said, How do you plead? And he said, I plead guilty. He didn't plead no contest, which is what I tell 99% of my clients to do when there's civil litigation potentially. He said I don't care. I caused the accident, I'm absolutely guilty. I think that's what he told the court. This is hard for me. It's hard for Mr. McElroy. It's hard for these people behind me to sit here and listen to this today. But, it's closure. And I hope that this court gives them the closure that they need." Bach then spoke about McElroy's criminal past."Mr. McElroy when he turned 29, I think he kind of had an epiphany," Bach said. "And that's when, for the most part, his criminal record left. He had a couple of things...no proof of insurance in 2018, and then got sideways with a girlfriend in 2020. And then there was this. The two prior convictions, although valid, are all right on the cusp of not being usable offenses anymore. They're 14 and a half years. In Nebraska, it's a 15 year look back period. Doesn't discount it. They're there. It's an&nbsp;enhanceable offense. And that's what the courts done and my clients not objecting to that. When we look through here, your Honor, I know you have a range that you can do a range from one to 50 years. I'm asking for the opportunity for Mr. McElroy to be able to get out at some point, put what he has learned to use, whether that's to go to schools and talk about driving and drinking and telling kids what he did. The court has the opportunity to put two numbers out there bottom to top. And so what we're asking for is at least somewhere in the middle for the bottom number and top numbers up to the discretion of the court. I know this, again, has been hard on everyone. But I appreciate that Mr. McElroy stood up, took responsibility for his actions in this case, and didn't drag this family through anything more than what they've already suffered."McElroy then spoke to the court."I just wrote this today," McElroy said "For six months. I've thought about what to say today and just have so many thoughts and everything is like a snowball and it just melted together. I had to say something today because I didn't want to feel like a coward. I don't know how to say what I want to say, I cannot imagine the grief that I put everyone through. This is one of those things that unless it actually happens to you, you will never thoroughly understand how it feels. Nothing I say will return what's lost or heal their broken hearts. I've had the privilege today to read some of the letters. I feel the sadness radiating from these letters. I can't fault anyone for feeling the way they do about me, I would too in their shoes. One letter that stuck out to me had a different message. One that said they hope my heart and mind find a different path. And I hope so. I'm sorry is not enough. No words will ever be enough. But, still I'm sorry. In the end, I had a choice that day to drink and drive. I wish more than anything that I could go back and do better.""This is just a very difficult, tragic case," Box Butte County District Court Judge Travis P. O'Gorman said. "I wish there was something magical that I could say today that would take away all the pain and hurt and anger in this room. And I've been doing this long enough. I know that that's not possible for me to do.&nbsp;All I can say is the people here from Miss Boness, is that you have my most sincere condolences and I'm very sorry for your mom. We've all heard Mr. McElroy, you do have a concerning record to prior DUI offenses, one of which had a child in the vehicle, some theft offenses as well as two prior domestic offenses, which all contribute to the present report finding that you are high risk to reoffend. As noted by the prosecution going to treatment on multiple occasions, but still continuing to drink and drive. You admit and your criminal history is in your words fueled by alcohol. And that's what the evidence in this case shows." McElroy was sentenced to a term of &nbsp;"not less than 45 years, not more than 50 years" in the Nebraska State Prison. McElroy was credited for the 108 days already served. He will be eligible for parole in 22 1/2 years.McElroy was also ordered to pay the cost of the prosecution and his driver's license was revoked for 15 years. His mandatory discharge will be in 25 years.

Kan. man sentenced in DUI crash that killed Nebraska woman

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Monday he will be making a “big announcement” next week as he teased a third presidential run while campaigning on the eve of the final day of voting in this year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">midterm elections</a>.

“I'm going to be making a very big announcement on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at Mar-a-Lago," Trump said before a cheering crowd in Vandalia, Ohio, Monday night, where he was holding his final rally of the midterm season to bolster Senate candidate JD Vance.

Trump explained that he wanted “nothing to detract from the importance of tomorrow," even after he had sparked a frantic effort to hold him off after he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-congress-81685e6030f13360727420eaa1882a02?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">told people he was considering</a>&nbsp;officially launching his next campaign Monday night at the rally.

Trump has been increasingly explicit about his plans to seek another term, saying in recent days that he would “very, very, very probably” run again and would be formalizing his intentions “very, very soon."

“I will probably have to do it again but stay tuned,” he said Sunday night in Miami. “Stay tuned to tomorrow night in the great state of Ohio.”

Republican officials and some people in Trump’s orbit had been urging him for months to wait until after the midterms were over to launch, in part to avoid turning the election into a referendum on him and to shield him from potential blame should Republicans not do as well as the party hopes on Tuesday.

But Trump has been eager to move forward, hoping to piggyback off expected Republican wins after endorsing nearly 300 candidates, as well as to stave off potential challengers like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and others who have indicated they will run. Indeed, the date of Trump's announcement — Nov. 15 — is the same day former Vice President Mike Pence will be releasing a book that is seen as part of his own potential campaign rollout.

Trump's announcement comes as he confronts a series of escalating legal challenges, including several investigations that could lead to indictments. They include the probe into hundreds of documents with classified markings that were seized by the FBI from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, as well as ongoing state and federal inquiries into his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol has also subpoenaed Trump and last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-subpoena-jan-6-committee-2d63a2ba74c1874ef6ef0d8ae6d788c1">issued a letter to his lawyers</a>&nbsp;saying he must testify, either at the Capitol or by videoconference, “beginning on or about” Nov. 14 and continuing for multiple days if necessary.

Trump won Ohio, once considered a bellwether, by 8 points in both 2016 and 2020. The state also proved an early test of his endorsement power when his decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-steve-bannon-josh-mandel-congress-ohio-06e64ac7ba0f8d84b608fb82f4e632eb">to back Vance in the state's hyper-competitive Senate primary</a>&nbsp;vaulted the political newcomer to victory in a crowded Republican field.

Vance, an author, venture capitalist and onetime Trump critic, is part of a new generation of Republican leaders who have embraced Trump’s “American First” positions, including his isolationist foreign policy and focus on immigration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667914103883.png" alt="Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Ohio Monday night. -photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Ohio Monday night. -photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Monday he will be making a “big announcement” next week as he teased a third presidential run while campaigning on the eve of the final day of voting in this year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">midterm elections</a>.“I'm going to be making a very big announcement on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at Mar-a-Lago," Trump said before a cheering crowd in Vandalia, Ohio, Monday night, where he was holding his final rally of the midterm season to bolster Senate candidate JD Vance.Trump explained that he wanted “nothing to detract from the importance of tomorrow," even after he had sparked a frantic effort to hold him off after he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-congress-81685e6030f13360727420eaa1882a02?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">told people he was considering</a>&nbsp;officially launching his next campaign Monday night at the rally.Trump has been increasingly explicit about his plans to seek another term, saying in recent days that he would “very, very, very probably” run again and would be formalizing his intentions “very, very soon."“I will probably have to do it again but stay tuned,” he said Sunday night in Miami. “Stay tuned to tomorrow night in the great state of Ohio.”Republican officials and some people in Trump’s orbit had been urging him for months to wait until after the midterms were over to launch, in part to avoid turning the election into a referendum on him and to shield him from potential blame should Republicans not do as well as the party hopes on Tuesday.But Trump has been eager to move forward, hoping to piggyback off expected Republican wins after endorsing nearly 300 candidates, as well as to stave off potential challengers like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and others who have indicated they will run. Indeed, the date of Trump's announcement — Nov. 15 — is the same day former Vice President Mike Pence will be releasing a book that is seen as part of his own potential campaign rollout.Trump's announcement comes as he confronts a series of escalating legal challenges, including several investigations that could lead to indictments. They include the probe into hundreds of documents with classified markings that were seized by the FBI from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, as well as ongoing state and federal inquiries into his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.The House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol has also subpoenaed Trump and last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-subpoena-jan-6-committee-2d63a2ba74c1874ef6ef0d8ae6d788c1">issued a letter to his lawyers</a>&nbsp;saying he must testify, either at the Capitol or by videoconference, “beginning on or about” Nov. 14 and continuing for multiple days if necessary.Trump won Ohio, once considered a bellwether, by 8 points in both 2016 and 2020. The state also proved an early test of his endorsement power when his decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-steve-bannon-josh-mandel-congress-ohio-06e64ac7ba0f8d84b608fb82f4e632eb">to back Vance in the state's hyper-competitive Senate primary</a>&nbsp;vaulted the political newcomer to victory in a crowded Republican field.Vance, an author, venture capitalist and onetime Trump critic, is part of a new generation of Republican leaders who have embraced Trump’s “American First” positions, including his isolationist foreign policy and focus on immigration.

Trump says he'll make 'big announcement' Nov. 15 

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The numbers for a record-breaking $2.04 billion<a href="https://powerball.com/"> Powerball jackpot</a> have been drawn following a delay and players were awaiting the announcement of a possible winner.

The numbers for the drawing held in Tallahassee, Florida, were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the red Powerball was 10.

The Multi-State Lottery Association says Monday night’s Powerball drawing was delayed until Tuesday morning because a participating lottery had issues processing sales. The association said it was against its policy to say which lottery had the delay.

The jackpot was reported as an estimated $1.9 billion on Monday, but was $2.04 billion Tuesday morning after updated calculations.

It wasn't immediately known whether any jackpot-winning tickets were sold, but word of that was expected to be announced later in the day.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The numbers for a record-breaking $2.04 billion<a href="https://powerball.com/"> Powerball jackpot</a> have been drawn following a delay and players were awaiting the announcement of a possible winner.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Powerball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Powerball</a> numbers for Monday&#39;s drawing were 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56 with Powerball 10 Check your tickets now at 👉 <a href="https://t.co/v9q3NiyjFE">https://t.co/v9q3NiyjFE</a> <a href="https://t.co/raNqEugqQD">pic.twitter.com/raNqEugqQD</a>&mdash; Powerball USA (@PowerballUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PowerballUSA/status/1589985306102878208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The numbers for the drawing held in Tallahassee, Florida, were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the red Powerball was 10.The Multi-State Lottery Association says Monday night’s Powerball drawing was delayed until Tuesday morning because a participating lottery had issues processing sales. The association said it was against its policy to say which lottery had the delay.The jackpot was reported as an estimated $1.9 billion on Monday, but was $2.04 billion Tuesday morning after updated calculations.It wasn't immediately known whether any jackpot-winning tickets were sold, but word of that was expected to be announced later in the day.

Winning numbers for $2.04B Powerball drawn after delay

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after a bank robbery and attempted bank robbery on Monday.

Just after 1p.m., police responded to the Bank Midwest in the 14700 block of 119th Street for an attempted bank robbery, according to a media release from Olathe Police.

Officers then responded to the U.S. Bank in the 15300 block of 119th Street after someone did rob a bank.

The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Olathe Police Department tried to stop the suspect vehicle, but a chase ensued.

The suspect's vehicle crashed in the 1400 block of West U.S. Highway 56. Police took the suspect into custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667874279023.png" alt="Police on the scene of the chase and crash -photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the chase and crash -photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after a bank robbery and attempted bank robbery on Monday.Just after 1p.m., police responded to the Bank Midwest in the 14700 block of 119th Street for an attempted bank robbery, according to a media release from Olathe Police.Officers then responded to the U.S. Bank in the 15300 block of 119th Street after someone did rob a bank.The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Olathe Police Department tried to stop the suspect vehicle, but a chase ensued.The suspect's vehicle crashed in the 1400 block of West U.S. Highway 56. Police took the suspect into custody.

Kansas bank robbery suspect captured after chase, crash

RILEY COUNTY —A Manhattan man died in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Monday in Riley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported an Onyx Electric Motorbike driven by Erik S.&nbsp;Dedrickson,&nbsp; 31, Manhattan, was northbound on Tuttle Creek Boulevard in northeast Manhattan and struck the side of a&nbsp;2012 Subaru Outback driven by Graden Marden, 70, Manhattan, who&nbsp;made a left turn onto Griffith Drive.

Dedrickson was transported to Via Christi where he was pronounced dead. Marden was not injured and properly restrained, according to the KHP. Dedrickson was not wearing a helmet, only eye protection, according to the KHP.

RILEY COUNTY —A Manhattan man died in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Monday in Riley County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported an Onyx Electric Motorbike driven by Erik S.&nbsp;Dedrickson,&nbsp; 31, Manhattan, was northbound on Tuttle Creek Boulevard in northeast Manhattan and struck the side of a&nbsp;2012 Subaru Outback driven by Graden Marden, 70, Manhattan, who&nbsp;made a left turn onto Griffith Drive.Dedrickson was transported to Via Christi where he was pronounced dead. Marden was not injured and properly restrained, according to the KHP. Dedrickson was not wearing a helmet, only eye protection, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after electric motorbike strikes SUV

WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of primaries, campaign events and fundraising pleas, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm elections</a>&nbsp;that will determine the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/control-of-congress-2022-midterms-8ed2936a3b8596320f239f13faa3011b">balance of power in Washington</a>&nbsp;and state capitals are finally here.

Republicans are predicting a massive red wave as anxious Democrats defend their narrow majorities in Congress while struggling to overcome pervasive concerns about the economy, crime and President Joe Biden’s leadership. Democrats are hoping that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-health-congress-4be6df000de67933fcdabcd6f7b56a3d">a backlash against the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;will save them.

The political environment has led to an unusually large playing field as emboldened Republicans press into Democratic strongholds like New York, California, New Mexico and Washington state. Still, the marquee races are taking place in swing states like Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, all of which could help determine the outcome of the 2024 presidential contest.

Because of close contests and extended vote counting, it could take days or weeks before the final outcome is known in several key races.

All signs point to Republicans making significant gains on Tuesday. But whether it's a red ripple or a tsunami remains to be seen.

Voters are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-russia-ukraine-biden-covid-health-b6d1751b2554555f7246f9e914b87c59">overwhelmingly pessimistic about the direction of the country</a>&nbsp;as inflation surges and political divisions explode. And history suggests that voters will take out their frustrations on the party in power.

The party that occupies the White House has suffered significant losses in nearly every president’s first midterm election for more than a century. Exceptions were in 1934 during the Great Depression; in 1998 during the effort to impeach Bill Clinton; and in 2002 after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-health-north-carolina-ca1c3e227e4abaae21d7d80d45b7491d">Democrats were initially hopeful</a>&nbsp;that the Supreme Court's decision to eliminate abortion rights might be enough to disrupt historical trends — or at least limit their losses — but party leaders have turned increasingly concerned as Election Day approached.

Operatives in both parties expect the GOP to win the House majority, which would require a net gain of five seats. But with a big wave, the GOP could win 25 new seats or more. Sensing opportunity, Republican groups invested millions of dollars in Democratic-leaning districts in California, New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania in the election's final days.

The fight for the Senate majority is more competitive. If Republicans pick up even one seat, they would control the Senate's upper chamber.

Democrats are fighting to protect vulnerable incumbents in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and New Hampshire, while Republicans believe they're within striking distance in Colorado and Washington state. The GOP chances are hampered somewhat by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-inflation-da6c2b57c47c2cfa077bd5df6484ee11">flawed candidates</a>&nbsp;in Arizona, Georgia and New Hampshire, who have been boosted by former President Donald Trump.

Pennsylvania represents the Democrats' best opportunity to flip a Republican-held seat, while GOP-held seats in North Carolina and Wisconsin also remain close.

At the same time, races for governor and statewide officers like secretary of state loom larger than normal. The political environment is giving Republicans confidence in gubernatorial races in blue states like Oregon and New Mexico.

Should a massive red wave materialize, Democrats may struggle everywhere.

After the Supreme Court eliminated Roe v. Wade in June, Republicans, including Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-biden-sports-donald-trump-9dc668f08bdc2db8d87497f58a105ae9">worried aloud</a>&nbsp;that the decision might trigger a backlash against GOP candidates who oppose abortion rights. And there have been signs in recent months that voters — suburban women and younger voters, in particular — were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-health-dc870c873aec72e5c266133a01694aa3">energized and ready to vote</a>&nbsp;for Democrats on Nov. 8.

But more than four months after the ruling, the abortion effect may be fading.

Democratic candidates have shifted their message away from abortion in recent weeks, at least somewhat, in favor of the economy, Social Security and Medicare. And some elected officials, including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, warned that Democrats have relied too much on abortion rights as a galvanizing issue.

The issue is especially critical in the push for suburban women, a group that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-race-and-ethnicity-joe-biden-donald-trump-a0e8c8f5332151cb74e6333e87eab920">swung against Trump's GOP in 2020</a>&nbsp;and seemed to swing back after Trump left office when the GOP shifted its focus to pandemic restrictions and the economy.

Democrats sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-government-and-politics-race-and-ethnicity-d51574afcb7088333f4da0d340f0d428">improve their outreach to Latinos</a>&nbsp;after underperforming with the group in 2020. But there are reasons to believe that Democrats may do even worse this year among the key voting bloc, long a pillar of the party's coalition.

Both parties have been especially focused on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-texas-race-and-ethnicity-hispanics-greg-abbott-ef360d047377a8ff1a67e19ce8863251">Rio Grande Valley in south Texas</a>, made up of heavily Latino communities where the Biden administration's struggle to address problems along the U.S.-Mexico border is a central issue. The GOP believes it will win as many as three House seats in the former Democratic stronghold.

The GOP is also bullish about its standing in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-miami-florida-4a29b4e25dab199d91e91e6627c8e0ae">Florida's Miami-Dade County</a>, home to 1.5 million Latinos of voting age and a Democratic stronghold for the past 20 years. The GOP made significant gains there in the last presidential election.

Should Democrats lose Miami-Dade, it would virtually eliminate their path to victory in statewide contests, including presidential elections.

The Latino vote will be consequential in other states but none more so than in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-immigration-race-and-ethnicity-d209e0e98cdfb9507b16ff37f2e87697?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_03">Arizona and Nevada</a>, where Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, the nation's first Latina senator, is locked in a close race.

Trump remains a dominant force in the Republican Party, but Tuesday's contests will test his strength among the broader electorate.

He is not on the ballot, of course, but dozens of Trump-endorsed candidates are. They include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-presidential-connecticut-donald-trump-ea21ee30c7d436f44b08c22f88f4b878">several controversial picks who beat out alternatives</a>&nbsp;backed by the party's establishment.

Should Trump's higher-profile endorsees struggle, it would raise questions about his political strength as he weighs a 2024 presidential run that could be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-41b12f18f536017920d2f74803980899">launched shortly after the midterms</a>.

In Pennsylvania, Trump loyalist Doug Mastriano, the Republican candidate for governor, has struggled in the polls against Democrat Josh Shapiro. Trump's pick for the Senate, Dr. Mehmet Oz, is locked in a close race with Democrat John Fetterman. In Arizona, gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Senate contender Blake Masters, who both promoted Trump's lies of a stolen 2020 election, are in position to win.

Other Trump loyalists to watch: Ohio Senate candidate JD Vance, North Carolina Senate contender Ted Budd, Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon and New York gubernatorial hopeful Lee Zeldin.

In ways big and small, the 2022 midterms will help shape the 2024 election.

A bad night for Democrats could undermine Biden's rationale for a second term. And Trump would almost certainly seize on sweeping Republican victories as evidence of his political strength ahead of a third prospective White House bid.

WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of primaries, campaign events and fundraising pleas, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm elections</a>&nbsp;that will determine the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/control-of-congress-2022-midterms-8ed2936a3b8596320f239f13faa3011b">balance of power in Washington</a>&nbsp;and state capitals are finally here.Republicans are predicting a massive red wave as anxious Democrats defend their narrow majorities in Congress while struggling to overcome pervasive concerns about the economy, crime and President Joe Biden’s leadership. Democrats are hoping that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-health-congress-4be6df000de67933fcdabcd6f7b56a3d">a backlash against the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;will save them.The political environment has led to an unusually large playing field as emboldened Republicans press into Democratic strongholds like New York, California, New Mexico and Washington state. Still, the marquee races are taking place in swing states like Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, all of which could help determine the outcome of the 2024 presidential contest.Because of close contests and extended vote counting, it could take days or weeks before the final outcome is known in several key races.What we're watching on Election Day:RED WAVE RISING?All signs point to Republicans making significant gains on Tuesday. But whether it's a red ripple or a tsunami remains to be seen.Voters are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-russia-ukraine-biden-covid-health-b6d1751b2554555f7246f9e914b87c59">overwhelmingly pessimistic about the direction of the country</a>&nbsp;as inflation surges and political divisions explode. And history suggests that voters will take out their frustrations on the party in power.The party that occupies the White House has suffered significant losses in nearly every president’s first midterm election for more than a century. Exceptions were in 1934 during the Great Depression; in 1998 during the effort to impeach Bill Clinton; and in 2002 after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-health-north-carolina-ca1c3e227e4abaae21d7d80d45b7491d">Democrats were initially hopeful</a>&nbsp;that the Supreme Court's decision to eliminate abortion rights might be enough to disrupt historical trends — or at least limit their losses — but party leaders have turned increasingly concerned as Election Day approached.Operatives in both parties expect the GOP to win the House majority, which would require a net gain of five seats. But with a big wave, the GOP could win 25 new seats or more. Sensing opportunity, Republican groups invested millions of dollars in Democratic-leaning districts in California, New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania in the election's final days.The fight for the Senate majority is more competitive. If Republicans pick up even one seat, they would control the Senate's upper chamber.Democrats are fighting to protect vulnerable incumbents in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and New Hampshire, while Republicans believe they're within striking distance in Colorado and Washington state. The GOP chances are hampered somewhat by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-inflation-da6c2b57c47c2cfa077bd5df6484ee11">flawed candidates</a>&nbsp;in Arizona, Georgia and New Hampshire, who have been boosted by former President Donald Trump.Pennsylvania represents the Democrats' best opportunity to flip a Republican-held seat, while GOP-held seats in North Carolina and Wisconsin also remain close.At the same time, races for governor and statewide officers like secretary of state loom larger than normal. The political environment is giving Republicans confidence in gubernatorial races in blue states like Oregon and New Mexico.Should a massive red wave materialize, Democrats may struggle everywhere.THE ROE EFFECTAfter the Supreme Court eliminated Roe v. Wade in June, Republicans, including Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-biden-sports-donald-trump-9dc668f08bdc2db8d87497f58a105ae9">worried aloud</a>&nbsp;that the decision might trigger a backlash against GOP candidates who oppose abortion rights. And there have been signs in recent months that voters — suburban women and younger voters, in particular — were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-health-dc870c873aec72e5c266133a01694aa3">energized and ready to vote</a>&nbsp;for Democrats on Nov. 8.But more than four months after the ruling, the abortion effect may be fading.Democratic candidates have shifted their message away from abortion in recent weeks, at least somewhat, in favor of the economy, Social Security and Medicare. And some elected officials, including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, warned that Democrats have relied too much on abortion rights as a galvanizing issue.The issue is especially critical in the push for suburban women, a group that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-race-and-ethnicity-joe-biden-donald-trump-a0e8c8f5332151cb74e6333e87eab920">swung against Trump's GOP in 2020</a>&nbsp;and seemed to swing back after Trump left office when the GOP shifted its focus to pandemic restrictions and the economy.DO LATINO VOTERS DRIFT FURTHER RIGHT?Democrats sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-government-and-politics-race-and-ethnicity-d51574afcb7088333f4da0d340f0d428">improve their outreach to Latinos</a>&nbsp;after underperforming with the group in 2020. But there are reasons to believe that Democrats may do even worse this year among the key voting bloc, long a pillar of the party's coalition.Both parties have been especially focused on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-texas-race-and-ethnicity-hispanics-greg-abbott-ef360d047377a8ff1a67e19ce8863251">Rio Grande Valley in south Texas</a>, made up of heavily Latino communities where the Biden administration's struggle to address problems along the U.S.-Mexico border is a central issue. The GOP believes it will win as many as three House seats in the former Democratic stronghold.The GOP is also bullish about its standing in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-miami-florida-4a29b4e25dab199d91e91e6627c8e0ae">Florida's Miami-Dade County</a>, home to 1.5 million Latinos of voting age and a Democratic stronghold for the past 20 years. The GOP made significant gains there in the last presidential election.Should Democrats lose Miami-Dade, it would virtually eliminate their path to victory in statewide contests, including presidential elections.The Latino vote will be consequential in other states but none more so than in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-immigration-race-and-ethnicity-d209e0e98cdfb9507b16ff37f2e87697?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_03">Arizona and Nevada</a>, where Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, the nation's first Latina senator, is locked in a close race.HOW DO TRUMP'S CANDIDATES PERFORM?Trump remains a dominant force in the Republican Party, but Tuesday's contests will test his strength among the broader electorate.He is not on the ballot, of course, but dozens of Trump-endorsed candidates are. They include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-presidential-connecticut-donald-trump-ea21ee30c7d436f44b08c22f88f4b878">several controversial picks who beat out alternatives</a>&nbsp;backed by the party's establishment.Should Trump's higher-profile endorsees struggle, it would raise questions about his political strength as he weighs a 2024 presidential run that could be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-41b12f18f536017920d2f74803980899">launched shortly after the midterms</a>.In Pennsylvania, Trump loyalist Doug Mastriano, the Republican candidate for governor, has struggled in the polls against Democrat Josh Shapiro. Trump's pick for the Senate, Dr. Mehmet Oz, is locked in a close race with Democrat John Fetterman. In Arizona, gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Senate contender Blake Masters, who both promoted Trump's lies of a stolen 2020 election, are in position to win.Other Trump loyalists to watch: Ohio Senate candidate JD Vance, North Carolina Senate contender Ted Budd, Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon and New York gubernatorial hopeful Lee Zeldin.THE 2024 IMPACTIn ways big and small, the 2022 midterms will help shape the 2024 election.A bad night for Democrats could undermine Biden's rationale for a second term. And Trump would almost certainly seize on sweeping Republican victories as evidence of his political strength ahead of a third prospective White House bid.Good-government advocates are particularly worried about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-cabinet-only-on-ap-election-2020-19131c0f468839bf2b847bd7b3dfaf5c">dozens of election deniers running for state office</a>&nbsp;across several presidential battlegrounds.In Nevada, Republican Jim Marchant is running to become the secretary of state, the state's chief elections official. Marchant is head of the America First Secretary of State Coalition, a collection of Trump loyalists who falsely say the 2020 election was plagued by voter fraud.It's the same in Arizona and Michigan, where fellow coalition members Mark Finchem and Kristina Karamo are running for secretary of state. And in Pennsylvania, Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, another vocal election denier, would have the authority, if he wins, to appoint his own chief elections official.Election administration aside, other statewide candidates could use a strong showing on Tuesday to position themselves for the 2024 ticket.Lake, Arizona's Republican candidate for governor, is already thought to be a potential Trump running mate. And in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for reelection Tuesday, is also considering a 2024 presidential bid, whether Trump runs or not.WHAT WILL WE KNOW BEFORE WE GO TO BED?It’s possible — maybe even likely — that the outcome in several key contests&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-ap-fact-check-government-and-politics-22fdee545753ea4e2d7ff3ccf9b9373b">may take days or even weeks</a>&nbsp;to be finalized.The reasons are many.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-georgia-midterm-runoff-elections-work-fcb89578df7df15f9bdefcd6865124e6">In Georgia,</a>&nbsp;a candidate must earn at least 50% of the vote to win outright. Otherwise, the election goes to a Dec. 6 runoff. Strategists on both sides believe the state's Senate race, in particular, may do just that.In other states, the process of counting votes can be long and complicated, especially as voting by mail becomes more popular.Under Arizona law, for example, all ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day, but officials have 20 days to finalize their counts. In Nevada, counties have four days to count late-arriving mail ballots and give voters two more days to fix mail ballots that arrive in envelopes with errors or missing information.In some swing states, including Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, officials are not allowed to begin validating mail ballots until Election Day. Nineteen states provide a grace period to receive mail ballots as long as they were sent by Election Day. Such ballots in California can be received up to seven days later.This could take a while.