NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks set records Wednesday after the latest wild swerves for Chinese stocks left few ripples in markets worldwide.

The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.7% to top the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-nikkei-japan-ishiba-rates-0e6b0a4e7dd6dc3499f8984e310ff1a9">all-time high</a>&nbsp;it had set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 431 points, or 1%, to hit its own record, while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6%.

Leading the way were cruise-ship companies, whose customers stand to benefit from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-federal-reserve-inflation-unemployment-economy-87447d5187b37bb0f5cf996e25bad808">surprisingly strong U.S. job market</a>. Norwegian Cruise Line steamed 10.9% higher after analysts at Citi upgraded its stock and said data suggests growth for the cruise industry “has real legs” into 2025 and beyond. Carnival rose 7%, and Royal Caribbean Group gained 5.3%.

Helen of Troy, the company behind Hydro Flask water bottles and OXO kitchen tools, jumped 17.9% after reporting profit and revenue for the latest quarter that were better than analysts expected. That was even though the company said it’s still seeing customers feeling increasingly stretched amid lingering inflation.

KinderCare Learning rose 8.9% in its debut on the New York Stock Exchange. It has over 2,400 early childhood education centers and before- and after-school sites across the country for kids aged between six weeks and 12 years.

They helped offset a 3.4% slump for Boeing. The aerospace giant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-strike-workers-union-pay-e50b65fbbf34e74b42d4a65ef0d7da76">withdrew a contract offer</a>&nbsp;that would have given striking workers 30% raises over four years following a break down in labor talks.

Alphabet also kept the market’s gains in check after the heavyweight stock sank 1.5%. The U.S. Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-search-antitrust-case-59114d8bf1dc4c8453c08acaa4051f14">Justice is considering</a>&nbsp;asking a federal judge to break up its Google business after its search engine was declared an illegal monopoly. A breakup is one of many possible remedies under review.

If a breakup were to happen, the question would become what happens with other Big Tech stocks like Amazon, Meta Platforms or Apple, and whether any would try to spin off business units before possibly being forcibly broken apart, according to JJ Kinahan, CEO of IG North America.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 40.91 points to 5,792.04. The Dow jumped 431.63 to 42,512.00, and the Nasdaq composite gained 108.70 to 18,291.62.

The relative calm on Wall Street followed another manic day in China. After earlier surging on hopes for stimulus to prop up the world’s second-largest economy, Chinese stocks have since slumped on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-monetary-fiscal-stimulus-85d066a30085549200cdff18984c343a">disappointment that more isn’t on the way</a>.

Stocks in Shanghai tumbled 6.6% for their worst loss since February 2020, when fears were rising about a virus seen in Wuhan and other cities in China. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index fell 1.4% after dropping&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-treasury-china-rates-c1c41b35ddbb4fd0bf93ee93df1f1a2c">more than 9% the day before</a>, which was its worst loss since the global financial crisis of 2008.

Moves announced by China in late September fueled a rally that has since fizzled. But analysts have pointed out that a news conference on Tuesday by China’s main planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission, was unlikely to convey much information about government spending, which is the purview of the Finance Ministry.

That ministry is due to hold a briefing on Saturday that could provide further details on planned government outlays that so far have fallen short of what investors have been hoping for.

The Shanghai Composite is still up 9.5% for the year so far, while Hong Kong’s index is up 21.1%.

Indexes were more stable elsewhere around the world on Wednesday and rose 0.9% in Japan and 1% in Germany.

In the oil market, prices eased further. A barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, fell 0.4% to settle at $73.24 after briefly topping $81 early this week. Benchmark U.S. crude fell 0.8% to $76.58 per barrel.

Earlier leaps for oil driven by worries about worsening tensions in the Middle East had helped drag the S&amp;P 500 on Monday to its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-japan-oil-24925e5840a2491fbc1acc07543bc37d">worst loss in a month</a>.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.07% from 4.01% late Tuesday.

Treasury yields have swung recently, first sharply downward through the spring and summer and then turning upward in the last week or so.

They’ve followed traders’ expectations for what the Federal Reserve is likely to do with overnight interest rates. The central bank has just begun&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-inflation-prices-federal-reserve-economy-0283bc6f92e9f9920094b78d821df227">cutting interest rates</a>&nbsp;from a two-decade high, as it widens its focus to include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-inflation-prices-federal-reserve-economy-31e05db08464c58ce8a3f2db0270f2d3">keeping the economy humming</a>&nbsp;instead of just&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-consumer-74e1a5c9bced40460e4079f62e980095">fighting high inflation</a>.

That caused the sharp easing of rates through the summer, but recent reports have shown the U.S. economy remains stronger than expected. That in turn has forced traders to downshift forecasts for how much the Fed will ultimately cut rates by.

The Fed on Wednesday released the minutes from its last policy meeting, which included few surprises. It reiterated the Fed’s message from September, emphasizing that its larger-than-usual cut of half a percentage point was not necessarily a signal of big cuts in the future.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks set records Wednesday after the latest wild swerves for Chinese stocks left few ripples in markets worldwide.The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.7% to top the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-nikkei-japan-ishiba-rates-0e6b0a4e7dd6dc3499f8984e310ff1a9">all-time high</a>&nbsp;it had set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 431 points, or 1%, to hit its own record, while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6%.Leading the way were cruise-ship companies, whose customers stand to benefit from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-federal-reserve-inflation-unemployment-economy-87447d5187b37bb0f5cf996e25bad808">surprisingly strong U.S. job market</a>. Norwegian Cruise Line steamed 10.9% higher after analysts at Citi upgraded its stock and said data suggests growth for the cruise industry “has real legs” into 2025 and beyond. Carnival rose 7%, and Royal Caribbean Group gained 5.3%.Helen of Troy, the company behind Hydro Flask water bottles and OXO kitchen tools, jumped 17.9% after reporting profit and revenue for the latest quarter that were better than analysts expected. That was even though the company said it’s still seeing customers feeling increasingly stretched amid lingering inflation.KinderCare Learning rose 8.9% in its debut on the New York Stock Exchange. It has over 2,400 early childhood education centers and before- and after-school sites across the country for kids aged between six weeks and 12 years.They helped offset a 3.4% slump for Boeing. The aerospace giant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-strike-workers-union-pay-e50b65fbbf34e74b42d4a65ef0d7da76">withdrew a contract offer</a>&nbsp;that would have given striking workers 30% raises over four years following a break down in labor talks.Alphabet also kept the market’s gains in check after the heavyweight stock sank 1.5%. The U.S. Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-search-antitrust-case-59114d8bf1dc4c8453c08acaa4051f14">Justice is considering</a>&nbsp;asking a federal judge to break up its Google business after its search engine was declared an illegal monopoly. A breakup is one of many possible remedies under review.If a breakup were to happen, the question would become what happens with other Big Tech stocks like Amazon, Meta Platforms or Apple, and whether any would try to spin off business units before possibly being forcibly broken apart, according to JJ Kinahan, CEO of IG North America.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 40.91 points to 5,792.04. The Dow jumped 431.63 to 42,512.00, and the Nasdaq composite gained 108.70 to 18,291.62.The relative calm on Wall Street followed another manic day in China. After earlier surging on hopes for stimulus to prop up the world’s second-largest economy, Chinese stocks have since slumped on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-monetary-fiscal-stimulus-85d066a30085549200cdff18984c343a">disappointment that more isn’t on the way</a>.Stocks in Shanghai tumbled 6.6% for their worst loss since February 2020, when fears were rising about a virus seen in Wuhan and other cities in China. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index fell 1.4% after dropping&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-treasury-china-rates-c1c41b35ddbb4fd0bf93ee93df1f1a2c">more than 9% the day before</a>, which was its worst loss since the global financial crisis of 2008.Moves announced by China in late September fueled a rally that has since fizzled. But analysts have pointed out that a news conference on Tuesday by China’s main planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission, was unlikely to convey much information about government spending, which is the purview of the Finance Ministry.That ministry is due to hold a briefing on Saturday that could provide further details on planned government outlays that so far have fallen short of what investors have been hoping for.The Shanghai Composite is still up 9.5% for the year so far, while Hong Kong’s index is up 21.1%.Indexes were more stable elsewhere around the world on Wednesday and rose 0.9% in Japan and 1% in Germany.In the oil market, prices eased further. A barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, fell 0.4% to settle at $73.24 after briefly topping $81 early this week. Benchmark U.S. crude fell 0.8% to $76.58 per barrel.Earlier leaps for oil driven by worries about worsening tensions in the Middle East had helped drag the S&amp;P 500 on Monday to its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-japan-oil-24925e5840a2491fbc1acc07543bc37d">worst loss in a month</a>.In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.07% from 4.01% late Tuesday.Treasury yields have swung recently, first sharply downward through the spring and summer and then turning upward in the last week or so.They’ve followed traders’ expectations for what the Federal Reserve is likely to do with overnight interest rates. The central bank has just begun&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-inflation-prices-federal-reserve-economy-0283bc6f92e9f9920094b78d821df227">cutting interest rates</a>&nbsp;from a two-decade high, as it widens its focus to include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-inflation-prices-federal-reserve-economy-31e05db08464c58ce8a3f2db0270f2d3">keeping the economy humming</a>&nbsp;instead of just&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-consumer-74e1a5c9bced40460e4079f62e980095">fighting high inflation</a>.That caused the sharp easing of rates through the summer, but recent reports have shown the U.S. economy remains stronger than expected. That in turn has forced traders to downshift forecasts for how much the Fed will ultimately cut rates by.The Fed on Wednesday released the minutes from its last policy meeting, which included few surprises. It reiterated the Fed’s message from September, emphasizing that its larger-than-usual cut of half a percentage point was not necessarily a signal of big cuts in the future.

Wall Street sets more records after Shanghai's worst drop since early COVID

SEDGWICK COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating a shooting that sent a teen to the hospital in critical condition and his mother to jail.

Just after 8 a.m. Wednesday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call from a woman reporting that she shot her son, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.

Police, Sedgwick County EMS and Wichita Fire Department personnel, responded to the scene. 

First responders located a 16-year-old boy inside an apartment with a single gunshot wound. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he remains in extremely critical condition.

Officers detained a 46-year-old female of Wichita who is the victim’s mother. During the investigation into this case, detectives learned of a previously unreported incident from March 2024 where the same suspect threatened an ex-husband and his current girlfriend with a gun. 

The suspect has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault Domestic Violence and Aggravated Assault

Investigators continue to gather information and the facts will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney for formal charging consideration. Police did not release the name of the mother.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728510375843.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating a shooting that sent a teen to the hospital in critical condition and his mother to jail.Just after 8 a.m. Wednesday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call from a woman reporting that she shot her son, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.Police, Sedgwick County EMS and Wichita Fire Department personnel, responded to the scene. First responders located a 16-year-old boy inside an apartment with a single gunshot wound. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he remains in extremely critical condition.Officers detained a 46-year-old female of Wichita who is the victim’s mother. During the investigation into this case, detectives learned of a previously unreported incident from March 2024 where the same suspect threatened an ex-husband and his current girlfriend with a gun. The suspect has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault Domestic Violence and Aggravated AssaultInvestigators continue to gather information and the facts will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney for formal charging consideration. Police did not release the name of the mother.

Kan. woman called 911 to report she shot her 16-year-old son

The organization’s leadership says neither legislative efforts to cut Planned Parenthood off from Medicaid funding nor next month’s vote on an abortion-rights amendment were factors in the consolidation

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Three Planned Parenthood clinics in eastern and southern Missouri will shut their doors next month, though the organization’s leaders insist the moves will ultimately expand access to reproductive health care.&nbsp;

As part of the consolidation effort, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers will be expanding telehealth services and hours at its remaining St. Louis clinics.&nbsp;

The moves come as the state has successfully implemented&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/24/bill-medicaid-reimbursements-planned-parenthood-governor/">legislation cutting Planned Parenthood clinics off from Medicaid funding,</a>&nbsp;though the organization’s leadership says the closures are not related to the new law.&nbsp;

They are also taking place as&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/25/amendment-3-challenges-abortion-missouri-legislation/">Missourians are set to vote on whether to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution,&nbsp;</a>a decision that could radically expand access to reproductive health care around the state.

On Nov. 1, the Florissant health center in North St. Louis County and the South Grand Health Center just south of downtown St. Louis will close.&nbsp;

On Jan. 1, the health center in Joplin will also close. No staff members are being laid off as part of the restructuring, Planned Parenthood said in a press release.

Richard Muniz, interim president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, said patient care can be transferred to other Planned Parenthood locations. He said the goal is to increase virtual care access and get patients in touch with providers sooner, and then into appointments more quickly.

“The operational changes we’re announcing will ensure that we’re here for our patients not just today, tomorrow, but for the next 90 years,” Muniz said in a statement. “Our patients are our top priority, and despite repeated attacks from politicians, our commitment never waivers. We’re going to be here for them no matter what.”

For Joplin patients, transportation will be provided to the Springfield clinic 75 miles away for those who need it. Planned Parenthood will also refer patients to the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/19/kansas-planned-parenthood-abortion-access/">Pittsburg, Kansas, clinic about 30 miles away&nbsp;</a>that opened earlier this year.

Munuiz said the decision on which clinics to close was data-driven. Many Planned Parenthood patients travel to more than one health center, he said, often picking the one with the soonest availability rather than closest locations.

Two of the remaining St. Louis area clinics — the West County location in Manchester and the St. Peters location — will expand services beginning Nov. 1 to include a Title X family planning program for those who are uninsured or underinsured.&nbsp;

The clinics in St. Peters will begin seeing patients five days a week, including one Saturday a month, and the Central West End clinic, near downtown St. Louis, will increase appointment availability for health needs including STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings and wellness exams.&nbsp;

Muniz said the changes are meant to “ensure long-term sustainability in the face of repeated attacks from politicians on sexual and reproductive health care — including seven consecutive years of trying to deny reimbursement for the lifesaving services we provide to Missourians who use Medicaid.”

Lawmakers this year passed a bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Mike Parson,<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-governor-bill-medicaid-planned-parenthood/">&nbsp;ending Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood.</a>&nbsp;This means clinics won’t be compensated for patients they serve who are on Medicaid.&nbsp;

Fights over the legislation earlier this year emphasized Missouri’s<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/28/missouri-looks-to-mirror-arkansas-law-that-forced-planned-parenthood-to-turn-away-patients/">&nbsp;reproductive health care</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://powertodecide.org/what-we-do/contraceptive-deserts" target="_blank">contraceptive deserts.&nbsp;</a>

Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, like Planned Parenthood Great Plains on the western side of the state, has continued seeing patients on Medicaid despite the new law thanks to donor support, Muniz said. A lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood claiming the new law is unconstitutional is ongoing.

The decision to consolidate had nothing to do directly with the new legislation, Muniz said. Planned Parenthood Great Rivers serves about 9,000 patients a year on Medicaid.&nbsp;

The main catalysts, he said, were changes to the health care system because of COVID, and increased requests from patients to access care from home via telehealth options.&nbsp;

“Our mission is to center the needs of our patients at the core of all of our decision-making,” he said. “Which is why we are making necessary service changes to adapt to their needs.”&nbsp;

Asked if the consolidation was a cost-saving measure, Muniz said the focus was long-term stability for patients.

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/13/missouri-abortion-rights-campaign-doubles-fundraising-fairness-project/">Missouri’s reproductive rights amendment,&nbsp;</a>which will appear on the ballot as Amendment 3 , was not a consideration in the decision, Muniz said. He declined to say which Missouri Planned Parenthood locations may initially start providing abortion services again if Amendment 3 passes.&nbsp;

“We expect amendment 3 to pass, and when it does pass, what abortion access will look like in the state of Missouri is going to be dependent on litigation and what restrictions courts will block from remaining in effect,” he said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728400594576.png" alt=" The Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis on June 24, 2022 (Tessa Weinberg/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> The Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis on June 24, 2022 (Tessa Weinberg/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The organization’s leadership says neither legislative efforts to cut Planned Parenthood off from Medicaid funding nor next month’s vote on an abortion-rights amendment were factors in the consolidation</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Three Planned Parenthood clinics in eastern and southern Missouri will shut their doors next month, though the organization’s leaders insist the moves will ultimately expand access to reproductive health care.&nbsp;As part of the consolidation effort, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers will be expanding telehealth services and hours at its remaining St. Louis clinics.&nbsp;The moves come as the state has successfully implemented&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/24/bill-medicaid-reimbursements-planned-parenthood-governor/">legislation cutting Planned Parenthood clinics off from Medicaid funding,</a>&nbsp;though the organization’s leadership says the closures are not related to the new law.&nbsp;They are also taking place as&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/25/amendment-3-challenges-abortion-missouri-legislation/">Missourians are set to vote on whether to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution,&nbsp;</a>a decision that could radically expand access to reproductive health care around the state.On Nov. 1, the Florissant health center in North St. Louis County and the South Grand Health Center just south of downtown St. Louis will close.&nbsp;On Jan. 1, the health center in Joplin will also close. No staff members are being laid off as part of the restructuring, Planned Parenthood said in a press release.Richard Muniz, interim president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, said patient care can be transferred to other Planned Parenthood locations. He said the goal is to increase virtual care access and get patients in touch with providers sooner, and then into appointments more quickly.“The operational changes we’re announcing will ensure that we’re here for our patients not just today, tomorrow, but for the next 90 years,” Muniz said in a statement. “Our patients are our top priority, and despite repeated attacks from politicians, our commitment never waivers. We’re going to be here for them no matter what.”For Joplin patients, transportation will be provided to the Springfield clinic 75 miles away for those who need it. Planned Parenthood will also refer patients to the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/19/kansas-planned-parenthood-abortion-access/">Pittsburg, Kansas, clinic about 30 miles away&nbsp;</a>that opened earlier this year.Munuiz said the decision on which clinics to close was data-driven. Many Planned Parenthood patients travel to more than one health center, he said, often picking the one with the soonest availability rather than closest locations.Two of the remaining St. Louis area clinics — the West County location in Manchester and the St. Peters location — will expand services beginning Nov. 1 to include a Title X family planning program for those who are uninsured or underinsured.&nbsp;The clinics in St. Peters will begin seeing patients five days a week, including one Saturday a month, and the Central West End clinic, near downtown St. Louis, will increase appointment availability for health needs including STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings and wellness exams.&nbsp;Muniz said the changes are meant to “ensure long-term sustainability in the face of repeated attacks from politicians on sexual and reproductive health care — including seven consecutive years of trying to deny reimbursement for the lifesaving services we provide to Missourians who use Medicaid.”Lawmakers this year passed a bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Mike Parson,<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-governor-bill-medicaid-planned-parenthood/">&nbsp;ending Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood.</a>&nbsp;This means clinics won’t be compensated for patients they serve who are on Medicaid.&nbsp;Fights over the legislation earlier this year emphasized Missouri’s<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/28/missouri-looks-to-mirror-arkansas-law-that-forced-planned-parenthood-to-turn-away-patients/">&nbsp;reproductive health care</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://powertodecide.org/what-we-do/contraceptive-deserts" target="_blank">contraceptive deserts.&nbsp;</a>Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, like Planned Parenthood Great Plains on the western side of the state, has continued seeing patients on Medicaid despite the new law thanks to donor support, Muniz said. A lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood claiming the new law is unconstitutional is ongoing.The decision to consolidate had nothing to do directly with the new legislation, Muniz said. Planned Parenthood Great Rivers serves about 9,000 patients a year on Medicaid.&nbsp;The main catalysts, he said, were changes to the health care system because of COVID, and increased requests from patients to access care from home via telehealth options.&nbsp;“Our mission is to center the needs of our patients at the core of all of our decision-making,” he said. “Which is why we are making necessary service changes to adapt to their needs.”&nbsp;Asked if the consolidation was a cost-saving measure, Muniz said the focus was long-term stability for patients.<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/13/missouri-abortion-rights-campaign-doubles-fundraising-fairness-project/">Missouri’s reproductive rights amendment,&nbsp;</a>which will appear on the ballot as Amendment 3 , was not a consideration in the decision, Muniz said. He declined to say which Missouri Planned Parenthood locations may initially start providing abortion services again if Amendment 3 passes.&nbsp;“We expect amendment 3 to pass, and when it does pass, what abortion access will look like in the state of Missouri is going to be dependent on litigation and what restrictions courts will block from remaining in effect,” he said.&nbsp;

Planned Parenthood will close 3 Missouri clinics, expand telehealth services

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A Shawnee County judge rejected a lawsuit from Aetna Better Health of Kansas, which sued the state earlier this year after it was passed over as one of Kansas’ three Medicaid insurance providers.

In a 50-page decision, Shawnee County District Judge Thomas Luedke upheld the decision by Todd Herman, director of procurement and contracts in the Department of Administration, not to renew the contract for Medicaid services that Aetna has provided for the past five years.

The state announced in May that it selected three private companies, excluding Aetna, from seven bidders to provide coverage under KanCare, as Medicaid is known in Kansas, beginning in January. In the state’s evaluation process, Aetna had tied for third with Healthy Blue. State officials destroyed documentation of scoring notes that were used by evaluators to inform their selection of Healthy Blue, a Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliate, over Aetna.

In response, Aetna filed two lawsuits in Shawnee County District Court. One, filed in July and decided Oct. 1, challenged the decision itself. Another, filed in June, was an effort to challenge the state’s destruction of documents and awaits a ruling. The judge’s Oct. 1 decision came a day before the deadline for Aetna to notify its beneficiaries that it will no longer be a provider under KanCare.

Luedke wrote that the scoring process that evaluated each provider bidding for a multimillion dollar KanCare contract is “highly technical.”

“The Court is reluctant, and for the most part unable, to substitute its untutored judgment for that of the scoring officials,” Luedke wrote in his decision. “Nothing in Director Herman’s consideration of this issue was unreasonable, arbitrary or capricious.”

At a Sept. 17 hearing, Luedke likened the scoring notes to jury notes, which are commonly destroyed after a verdict is issued.

Court documents show Aetna beat out Healthy Blue in two evaluation areas, integrated whole person care and quality assurance, but the two had even scores overall. However, Healthy Blue topped Aetna in the remaining five categories. Handwritten notes showed decision-makers had concerns about Aetna’s “unresolved issues” in Kansas and other Medicaid states. But concerns were noted about Healthy Blue, too, including one that said it was “discouraging to see lack of initiative” from Healthy Blue.

The state signed contracts May 10 with Healthy Blue, United Healthcare and Sunflower Health Plan. Aetna then protested the decision, alleging the state used unstated and objective evaluation criteria, cherry-picked the criteria to break the tie between Aetna and Healthy Blue and ignored Healthy Blue’s alleged&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/26/kansas-legislative-committee-jumps-into-battle-over-selection-of-medicaid-contractors/">conflicts of interest</a>.

“The State’s method of evaluating these scores was well within the scope of its expertise and discretion,” Luedke wrote. “The way the review was conducted should have been no surprised (sic) to any of the bidders.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728494523637.jpeg" alt=" Shawnee County District Judge Thomas Luedke upheld the state's decision to drop Aetna as a Medicaid services provider. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Shawnee County District Judge Thomas Luedke upheld the state's decision to drop Aetna as a Medicaid services provider. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A Shawnee County judge rejected a lawsuit from Aetna Better Health of Kansas, which sued the state earlier this year after it was passed over as one of Kansas’ three Medicaid insurance providers.In a 50-page decision, Shawnee County District Judge Thomas Luedke upheld the decision by Todd Herman, director of procurement and contracts in the Department of Administration, not to renew the contract for Medicaid services that Aetna has provided for the past five years.The state announced in May that it selected three private companies, excluding Aetna, from seven bidders to provide coverage under KanCare, as Medicaid is known in Kansas, beginning in January. In the state’s evaluation process, Aetna had tied for third with Healthy Blue. State officials destroyed documentation of scoring notes that were used by evaluators to inform their selection of Healthy Blue, a Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliate, over Aetna.In response, Aetna filed two lawsuits in Shawnee County District Court. One, filed in July and decided Oct. 1, challenged the decision itself. Another, filed in June, was an effort to challenge the state’s destruction of documents and awaits a ruling. The judge’s Oct. 1 decision came a day before the deadline for Aetna to notify its beneficiaries that it will no longer be a provider under KanCare.Luedke wrote that the scoring process that evaluated each provider bidding for a multimillion dollar KanCare contract is “highly technical.”“The Court is reluctant, and for the most part unable, to substitute its untutored judgment for that of the scoring officials,” Luedke wrote in his decision. “Nothing in Director Herman’s consideration of this issue was unreasonable, arbitrary or capricious.”At a Sept. 17 hearing, Luedke likened the scoring notes to jury notes, which are commonly destroyed after a verdict is issued.Court documents show Aetna beat out Healthy Blue in two evaluation areas, integrated whole person care and quality assurance, but the two had even scores overall. However, Healthy Blue topped Aetna in the remaining five categories. Handwritten notes showed decision-makers had concerns about Aetna’s “unresolved issues” in Kansas and other Medicaid states. But concerns were noted about Healthy Blue, too, including one that said it was “discouraging to see lack of initiative” from Healthy Blue.The state signed contracts May 10 with Healthy Blue, United Healthcare and Sunflower Health Plan. Aetna then protested the decision, alleging the state used unstated and objective evaluation criteria, cherry-picked the criteria to break the tie between Aetna and Healthy Blue and ignored Healthy Blue’s alleged&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/26/kansas-legislative-committee-jumps-into-battle-over-selection-of-medicaid-contractors/">conflicts of interest</a>.“The State’s method of evaluating these scores was well within the scope of its expertise and discretion,” Luedke wrote. “The way the review was conducted should have been no surprised (sic) to any of the bidders.”

Aetna loses challenge of Kansas Medicaid contract process

By ALVARO PUIG Consumer Education Specialist

<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/10/ftc-takes-action-against-marriott-starwood-over-multiple-data-breaches">Marriott settled charges related to a data breach</a>&nbsp;that exposed the information of millions of guests. The company will take steps to better protect customers’ personal information. And it will give customers more control over their information.

If you’re a Marriott customer, here’s what the settlement means for you:

To learn more about protecting yourself after a data breach, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.identitytheft.gov/Info-Lost-or-Stolen">IdentityTheft.gov</a>.

By ALVARO PUIG Consumer Education Specialist<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/10/ftc-takes-action-against-marriott-starwood-over-multiple-data-breaches">Marriott settled charges related to a data breach</a>&nbsp;that exposed the information of millions of guests. The company will take steps to better protect customers’ personal information. And it will give customers more control over their information.If you’re a Marriott customer, here’s what the settlement means for you:<ol>
 <li>You may ask Marriott to review your Bonvoy account for unauthorized, suspicious activity. If, after an investigation, Marriott determines your loyalty points were stolen through unauthorized access to your account, Marriott will restore your stolen points.</li><li>You may request through Marriott's website or mobile app the deletion of your personal information associated with your email address or Bonvoy account number.</li><li><a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/now-leaving?external_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.marriott.com%2Fabout%2Fprivacy.mi&amp;back_url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fconsumer-alerts%2F2024%2F10%2Fmarriott-data-breach-settlement-what-it-means-consumers%3Futm_source%3Dgovdelivery">Marriott’s privacy policy</a>&nbsp;must clearly state why it’s collecting your personal information and the business need for keeping it.</li><li>You can enable multi-factor authentication on your Bonvoy account to add an extra layer of security.</li>
 </ol>Additionally, Marriott will<ul>
 <li>put in place a comprehensive information security program that includes multi-factor authentication, encryption, and other safeguards</li><li>cooperate with third party audits of its information security program</li><li>only collect and keep personal information if it has a business need for it</li><li>only use the information it collects for the purpose for which it was collected</li><li>delete collected information when it no longer has a need for it</li><li>not use for marketing purposes information you asked Marriott to delete</li>
 </ul>To learn more about protecting yourself after a data breach, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.identitytheft.gov/Info-Lost-or-Stolen">IdentityTheft.gov</a>.

Marriott data breach settlement: What it means for consumers

SALINE COUNTY —The Salina Police are investigating an alleged threat against Salina Central High School,&nbsp;650 E Crawford Street in Salina, after a threatening message was sent to the school's social media page on Tuesday night, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman. The message was sent to the school's page at approximately 9 p.m.&nbsp;

"The threat, which was sent via Instagram, claimed that an individual would 'shoot up the school' on Wednesday around 10 a.m."

Feldman said USD 305 officials immediately contacted the school resource officer and Salina Police to investigate. Salina Police worked through the night with Instagram and Google's assistance to trace the origin of the threat.

The message was tracked to Ravenna, Ohio, a town south of Cleveland. 

On Wednesday morning, Ravenna Police Department officers were able to identify and take the suspect, who is a minor, into custody.

Feldman said the suspect is a high school student previously involved in a relationship with a Salina Central student. The suspect allegedly made the threat after the couple broke up.

To ensure the safety of students and staff, additional officers were deployed at Salina Central on Monday morning, according to Salina Police.&nbsp; Two patrol officers were stationed at the school along with the School Resource Officer, who normally provides security for both Central High and other schools in the district.

SPD continues to coordinate with Ravenna Police and charges are pending against the suspect.

SALINE COUNTY —The Salina Police are investigating an alleged threat against Salina Central High School,&nbsp;650 E Crawford Street in Salina, after a threatening message was sent to the school's social media page on Tuesday night, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman. The message was sent to the school's page at approximately 9 p.m.&nbsp;"The threat, which was sent via Instagram, claimed that an individual would 'shoot up the school' on Wednesday around 10 a.m."Feldman said USD 305 officials immediately contacted the school resource officer and Salina Police to investigate. Salina Police worked through the night with Instagram and Google's assistance to trace the origin of the threat.The message was tracked to Ravenna, Ohio, a town south of Cleveland. On Wednesday morning, Ravenna Police Department officers were able to identify and take the suspect, who is a minor, into custody.Feldman said the suspect is a high school student previously involved in a relationship with a Salina Central student. The suspect allegedly made the threat after the couple broke up.To ensure the safety of students and staff, additional officers were deployed at Salina Central on Monday morning, according to Salina Police.&nbsp; Two patrol officers were stationed at the school along with the School Resource Officer, who normally provides security for both Central High and other schools in the district.SPD continues to coordinate with Ravenna Police and charges are pending against the suspect.

Student in Ohio accused of threat to shoot up Kan. high school

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>

Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled a plan Tuesday that would strengthen Medicare coverage to include long-term care for seniors in their homes, tackling one of the biggest challenges in U.S. health care.

The Democratic presidential nominee revealed the proposal while on “The View” — one of several high-profile media appearances this week as she and the GOP presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, sprint to the November finish line.

“There are so many people in our country who are right in the middle: They’re taking care of their kids and they’re taking care of their aging parents, and it’s just almost impossible to do it all, especially if they work,” Harris said during the live interview. “We’re finding that so many are then having to leave their job, which means losing a source of income, not to mention the emotional stress.”

Harris is focusing on the “sandwich generation,” which refers to Americans who are caring for their children while also caring for aging parents.

Under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25196234-harrismedicareathomeplan" target="_blank">the plan</a>, Medicare — the nation’s health insurance program for people 65 and older and some under 65 with certain disabilities or conditions — would cover an at-home health benefit for those enrolled in the program, as well as hearing and vision benefits, according to her campaign in a Tuesday fact sheet.

Medicare for the most part now does not cover long-term care services like home health aides.

The benefits would be funded by “expanding Medicare drug price negotiations, increasing the discounts drug manufacturers cover for certain brand-name drugs in Medicare, and addressing Medicare fraud,” per her campaign.

Harris also plans to “crack down on pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs) to increase transparency, disclose more information on costs, and regulate other practices that raise prices,” according to her campaign, which said she will also “implement international tax reform.”

The campaign did not cite a price tag but noted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-home-care-benefit-for-medicare/" target="_blank">similar plans</a>&nbsp;have been estimated to cost $40 billion annually, “before considering ​​savings from avoiding hospitalizations and more expensive institutional care, or the additional revenues that would generate from more unpaid family caregivers going back to work if they need to.”

The proposal comes along with the nominee’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-pitches-opportunity-economy-debut-one-one-tv-interview" target="_blank">sweeping economic plan</a>, part of which involves cutting taxes for more than 100 million Americans, including $6,000 in tax relief for new parents in the first year of their child’s life.

In response to the proposal, the Trump campaign said the former president “will always fight for America’s senior citizens — who have been left behind by Kamala Harris,” per a Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/3da13bf5-4a2d-47e9-bfaf-69cc77f14bbc" target="_blank">news release</a>.

The campaign also cited Medicare Advantage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-changes-medicare-advantage-and-part-d-provide-better-coverage-and" target="_blank">policies</a>&nbsp;extended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Trump’s first term.

The campaign reiterated the&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?_nlid=m5eUxFGPUe&amp;_nhids=RmedtdnxlK" target="_blank">2024 GOP platform</a>’s chapter on protecting seniors, saying Trump will “prioritize home care benefits by shifting resources back to at-home senior care, overturning disincentives that lead to care worker shortages, and supporting unpaid family caregivers through tax credits and reduced red tape.”

While appearing live on “The Howard Stern Show” on Tuesday shortly after “The View,” Harris dubbed Trump an “unserious man,” saying the consequences of him serving another term are “brutally serious.”

She also again criticized Trump for nominating three of the five members to the U.S. Supreme Court who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022 — a reversal that ended nearly half a century of the constitutional right to abortion.

“And it’s not about abortion, you have basically now a system that says you as an individual do not have the right to make a decision about your own body. The government has the right to make that decision for you,” she said.

Harris, who said she would appoint a Republican to her Cabinet if elected, was asked whether she would choose former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney.

Cheney was the vice chair of the U.S. House Jan. 6 committee tasked with investigating the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Harris did not disclose a preference, but said Cheney is “smart,” “remarkable” and a “dedicated public servant.”

Cheney is among some prominent Republicans to endorse Harris. She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democrats-flaunt-republican-endorsements-harris-presidential-bid" target="_blank">campaigned with the veep in Ripon, Wisconsin</a>&nbsp;— the birthplace of the Republican Party — just last week.

Meanwhile, Trump said Harris is “grossly incompetent” during an interview that aired Tuesday on “The Ben Shapiro Show.”

“Biden was incompetent, she is equally incompetent and in a certain way, she’s more incompetent,” Trump told Shapiro, a conservative political commentator and co-founder of The Daily Wire, referring to President Joe Biden.

Trump also criticized Harris’ Monday interview on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-60-minutes-says-congress-would-work-her-president-if-shes-elected" target="_blank">CBS News’ “60 Minutes,”</a>&nbsp;saying the veep “answers questions like a child.”

“She’s answering questions in the most basic way and getting killed over it,” Trump added.

Harris was also set to also appear on CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Tuesday night. She will also appear at a Univision town hall in Las Vegas, Nevada, that airs Thursday.

Trump was slated to participate in a roundtable with Latino leaders and a Univision town hall on Tuesday in Miami, but both events were postponed due to Hurricane Milton.

Trump is set to give remarks Wednesday in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Later that day, he will continue campaigning in the Keystone State with a rally in Reading.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623708723138.jpeg" alt="-&nbsp;The Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday announced a proposal on long-term care under Medicare focused on the “sandwich generation,” which refers to Americans who are caring for their children while also caring for aging parents.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>-&nbsp;The Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday announced a proposal on long-term care under Medicare focused on the “sandwich generation,” which refers to Americans who are caring for their children while also caring for aging parents.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled a plan Tuesday that would strengthen Medicare coverage to include long-term care for seniors in their homes, tackling one of the biggest challenges in U.S. health care.The Democratic presidential nominee revealed the proposal while on “The View” — one of several high-profile media appearances this week as she and the GOP presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, sprint to the November finish line.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">I took care of my mother when she was sick with cancer—I know that caregiving is about dignity. My plan will allow Medicare to cover in-home health care, which will lower costs and reduce the financial and emotional stress for families across the country. <a href="https://t.co/NR5ROKCzfl">pic.twitter.com/NR5ROKCzfl</a>&mdash; Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1843716356069327005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“There are so many people in our country who are right in the middle: They’re taking care of their kids and they’re taking care of their aging parents, and it’s just almost impossible to do it all, especially if they work,” Harris said during the live interview. “We’re finding that so many are then having to leave their job, which means losing a source of income, not to mention the emotional stress.”Harris is focusing on the “sandwich generation,” which refers to Americans who are caring for their children while also caring for aging parents.Under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25196234-harrismedicareathomeplan" target="_blank">the plan</a>, Medicare — the nation’s health insurance program for people 65 and older and some under 65 with certain disabilities or conditions — would cover an at-home health benefit for those enrolled in the program, as well as hearing and vision benefits, according to her campaign in a Tuesday fact sheet.Medicare for the most part now does not cover long-term care services like home health aides.The benefits would be funded by “expanding Medicare drug price negotiations, increasing the discounts drug manufacturers cover for certain brand-name drugs in Medicare, and addressing Medicare fraud,” per her campaign.Harris also plans to “crack down on pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs) to increase transparency, disclose more information on costs, and regulate other practices that raise prices,” according to her campaign, which said she will also “implement international tax reform.”The campaign did not cite a price tag but noted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-home-care-benefit-for-medicare/" target="_blank">similar plans</a>&nbsp;have been estimated to cost $40 billion annually, “before considering ​​savings from avoiding hospitalizations and more expensive institutional care, or the additional revenues that would generate from more unpaid family caregivers going back to work if they need to.”The proposal comes along with the nominee’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-pitches-opportunity-economy-debut-one-one-tv-interview" target="_blank">sweeping economic plan</a>, part of which involves cutting taxes for more than 100 million Americans, including $6,000 in tax relief for new parents in the first year of their child’s life.<h2>Trump responds</h2>In response to the proposal, the Trump campaign said the former president “will always fight for America’s senior citizens — who have been left behind by Kamala Harris,” per a Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/3da13bf5-4a2d-47e9-bfaf-69cc77f14bbc" target="_blank">news release</a>.The campaign also cited Medicare Advantage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-changes-medicare-advantage-and-part-d-provide-better-coverage-and" target="_blank">policies</a>&nbsp;extended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Trump’s first term.The campaign reiterated the&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?_nlid=m5eUxFGPUe&amp;_nhids=RmedtdnxlK" target="_blank">2024 GOP platform</a>’s chapter on protecting seniors, saying Trump will “prioritize home care benefits by shifting resources back to at-home senior care, overturning disincentives that lead to care worker shortages, and supporting unpaid family caregivers through tax credits and reduced red tape.”<h2>Harris and Howard Stern</h2>While appearing live on “The Howard Stern Show” on Tuesday shortly after “The View,” Harris dubbed Trump an “unserious man,” saying the consequences of him serving another term are “brutally serious.”She also again criticized Trump for nominating three of the five members to the U.S. Supreme Court who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022 — a reversal that ended nearly half a century of the constitutional right to abortion.“And it’s not about abortion, you have basically now a system that says you as an individual do not have the right to make a decision about your own body. The government has the right to make that decision for you,” she said.Harris, who said she would appoint a Republican to her Cabinet if elected, was asked whether she would choose former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney.Cheney was the vice chair of the U.S. House Jan. 6 committee tasked with investigating the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.Harris did not disclose a preference, but said Cheney is “smart,” “remarkable” and a “dedicated public servant.”Cheney is among some prominent Republicans to endorse Harris. She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democrats-flaunt-republican-endorsements-harris-presidential-bid" target="_blank">campaigned with the veep in Ripon, Wisconsin</a>&nbsp;— the birthplace of the Republican Party — just last week.<h2>Trump talks with Ben Shapiro</h2>Meanwhile, Trump said Harris is “grossly incompetent” during an interview that aired Tuesday on “The Ben Shapiro Show.”“Biden was incompetent, she is equally incompetent and in a certain way, she’s more incompetent,” Trump told Shapiro, a conservative political commentator and co-founder of The Daily Wire, referring to President Joe Biden.Trump also criticized Harris’ Monday interview on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-60-minutes-says-congress-would-work-her-president-if-shes-elected" target="_blank">CBS News’ “60 Minutes,”</a>&nbsp;saying the veep “answers questions like a child.”“She’s answering questions in the most basic way and getting killed over it,” Trump added.<h2>Look ahead for Harris, Trump campaigns</h2>Harris was also set to also appear on CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Tuesday night. She will also appear at a Univision town hall in Las Vegas, Nevada, that airs Thursday.Trump was slated to participate in a roundtable with Latino leaders and a Univision town hall on Tuesday in Miami, but both events were postponed due to Hurricane Milton.Trump is set to give remarks Wednesday in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Later that day, he will continue campaigning in the Keystone State with a rally in Reading.

Harris rolls out broad Medicare plan to provide long-term care in the home

The Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office reported the Kansas Highway Patrol located Dwane Monroe on Kansas Highway 4 in Valley Falls, Kansas, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

He is now home safe. The statewide silver alert is canceled.&nbsp;

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY —The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Kansas man, according to&nbsp; Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office.

The whereabouts of 90-year-old Dwane Monroe are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him. Monroe was last seen Tuesday evening, around 6 p.m., according to the KBI.

He is likely driving a tan 2008 Ford Taurus bearing Kansas tag 2236AFG. He may have been seen in Riley County on Wednesday morning .Monroe is a white male who is 5-feet-11 inches tall and weighs around 175 pounds. 

He has brown eyes and is balding. Monroe wears glasses and has a gray mustache. He was last seen wearing jean overalls, a long sleeve flannel shirt and black tennis shoes. He is possibly wearing a red, white, and blue ball cap with the inscription, “swim brothers”. 

Monroe has been experiencing memory issues for the last few months.  If you see Dwane Monroe, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office at (913) 682-5724.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728487370435.png" alt="Dwayne Monroe courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Dwayne Monroe courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office reported the Kansas Highway Patrol located Dwane Monroe on Kansas Highway 4 in Valley Falls, Kansas, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.He is now home safe. The statewide silver alert is canceled.&nbsp;---------------LEAVENWORTH COUNTY —The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Kansas man, according to&nbsp; Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office.The whereabouts of 90-year-old Dwane Monroe are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him. Monroe was last seen Tuesday evening, around 6 p.m., according to the KBI.He is likely driving a tan 2008 Ford Taurus bearing Kansas tag 2236AFG. He may have been seen in Riley County on Wednesday morning .Monroe is a white male who is 5-feet-11 inches tall and weighs around 175 pounds. He has brown eyes and is balding. Monroe wears glasses and has a gray mustache. He was last seen wearing jean overalls, a long sleeve flannel shirt and black tennis shoes. He is possibly wearing a red, white, and blue ball cap with the inscription, “swim brothers”. Monroe has been experiencing memory issues for the last few months. If you see Dwane Monroe, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office at (913) 682-5724.

KBI: Silver Alert canceled, KHP found missing man

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with a violent crash in southwest Kansas.

Just before 2:30a.m. Monday, police responded to the intersection of 8th and Fulton Street in Garden City where a vehicle driven by 22-year-old Joseph Huerta of Garden City struck a building, according to a media release.

The investigation revealed that Huerta was driving southbound on 8th Street at a high rate of speed and was unable to stop at the stop sign and struck the corner of Pro-Tek Dent &amp; Windshield Repair, 202 W. Fulton Street.

Huerta ran from the scene and was subsequently located in the area before being transported to St. Catherine Hospital for treatment of injuries.

Through further investigation, it was determined Huerta was driving under the influence and was taken into custody.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728405708853.png" alt="Huerta-photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Huerta-photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with a violent crash in southwest Kansas.Just before 2:30a.m. Monday, police responded to the intersection of 8th and Fulton Street in Garden City where a vehicle driven by 22-year-old Joseph Huerta of Garden City struck a building, according to a media release.The investigation revealed that Huerta was driving southbound on 8th Street at a high rate of speed and was unable to stop at the stop sign and struck the corner of Pro-Tek Dent &amp; Windshield Repair, 202 W. Fulton Street.Huerta ran from the scene and was subsequently located in the area before being transported to St. Catherine Hospital for treatment of injuries.Through further investigation, it was determined Huerta was driving under the influence and was taken into custody.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. driver jailed after crash into dent & windshield repair business

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has had as many as seven private phone calls with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;since leaving office and secretly sent the Russian president COVID-19 test machines during the height of the pandemic, Bob Woodward reported in his new book, “War."

The famed Watergate reporter also details President Joe Biden's frustrations with Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;and Saudi Crown Prince&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mohammad-bin-salman-bin-abdulaziz-al-saud">Mohammed bin Salman</a>&nbsp;'s assortment of burner phones. The Associated Press obtained an early copy of the book, which is due out next week.

Trump denied the reporting, telling ABC News' Jonathan Karl that Woodward is “a storyteller. A bad one. And he’s lost his marbles.”

Trump had previously spoken to Woodward for the journalist's 2021 book, “Rage.” Trump later sued over it, claiming Woodward never had permission to publicly release recordings of their interviews for the book. The publisher and Woodward denied his allegations.

Trump has had multiple calls with Putin since his White House term ended

Woodward reports that Trump asked an aide to leave his office at his Florida resort,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mar-a-lago">Mar-a-Lago</a>, so that the former president could have a private call with Putin in early 2024. The aide, whom Woodward doesn’t name, said there have been multiple calls between Trump and Putin since Trump left office, perhaps as many as seven, according to the book, though it does not detail what they discussed.

Trump senior adviser and longtime aide Jason Miller told Woodward that he had not heard Trump was having calls with Putin and said, “I'd push back on that.” But Miller also said, according to the book, “I’m sure they’d know how to get in touch with each other."

Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, said none of the stories in Woodward’s books are true. In a statement on Tuesday, he called them “the work of a truly demented and deranged man who suffers from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the reporting about the calls was “not true.”

Trump's relationship with Putin has been scrutinized since his 2016 campaign for president, when he memorably called on Russia to find and make public missing emails deleted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hillary-clinton">Hillary Clinton</a>, his Democratic opponent. “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” he said.

U.S. intelligence agencies later determined that Russia had meddled in the 2016 election to help Trump, though an investigation by special counsel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-mueller">Robert Mueller</a>&nbsp;found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f109a539220b41218860fa68176a9c98">no conspiracy</a>&nbsp;between the Trump team and Russia. In 2018, Trump publicly questioned that finding following an in-person meeting with Putin in Helsinki.

In recent years, Trump has criticized U.S. support for Ukraine as it fights off Russia’s invasion. He has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ukraine-putin-zelenskyy-0f4d539aa73a943474d779716e5fe42a">said Ukraine should have made concessions</a>&nbsp;to Putin before Russia invaded in 2022. He also previously touted his good relationship with Putin and called the Russian leader “pretty smart” for invading Ukraine.

Trump sent COVID-19 test machines to Putin for his personal use

Woodward reports that Trump sent Putin COVID-19 test machines for his personal use as the virus began spreading in 2020.

Putin told Trump not to tell anyone because people would be mad at Trump over it, but Trump said he didn’t care if anyone knew, according to the book. Trump ended up agreeing not to tell anyone.

The book doesn’t specify when the machines were sent but describes it as being when the virus spread rapidly through Russia. It was previously reported by The Associated Press and other agencies that Trump’s administration in May 2020&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-mi-state-wire-politics-virus-outbreak-e08621567fd8758c89b0c5aed5ac5d72">sent</a>&nbsp;ventilators and other equipment to several countries, including Russia.

“There were no secret shipments. The pandemic was starting back then," Peskov said Wednesday via a messaging app. “Many countries were exchanging equipment. We sent ventilators. Testers came from America.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, in an interview Tuesday with radio host Howard Stern, accused Trump of giving the machines to a “murderous dictator” at a time when “everyone was scrambling" to get tests.

“This person who wants to be president again, who secretly is helping out an an adversary while the American people are dying by the hundreds every day," said Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate.

Biden highlighted the report during a stop in Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

“You see what came out today?” Biden said at a fundraiser for Sen. Bob Casey. “So he calls his good friend Putin — not a joke — and makes sure he had the tests. He had the tests.”

Biden's anger at Netanyahu has boiled over in private

The book also details Biden’s complicated relationship with Netanyahu as well as private moments when the president has been fed up with him over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>.

Biden’s “frustrations and distrust” of Netanyahu “erupted” this past spring, Woodward writes. The president privately unleashed a profanity-laden tirade, calling him a “son of a bitch” and a “bad f——— guy," according to the book. Biden said he felt, in Woodward’s accounting, that Netanyahu “had been lying to him regularly.” With Netanyahu “continuing to say he was going to kill every last member of Hamas.” Woodward wrote, “Biden had told him that was impossible, threatening both privately and publicly to withhold offensive U.S. weapons shipment.”

Biden and Netanyahu have long been acquainted, although their relationship has not been known to be close or overly friendly. Last week, Biden said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-mideast-israel-d9f53ba8c7b3b4db953be020f676274c">didn’t know whether</a>&nbsp;the Israeli leader was holding up a Mideast peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

Asked about the book's reporting, White House spokesperson Emilie Simons told reporters Tuesday that “The commitment that we have to the state of Israel is ironclad.”

Simons, when pressed on the details, said she wouldn't comment on every anecdote that may come out in reporting. She added of Biden and Netanyahu: “They have a long-term relationship. They have a very honest and direct relationship, and I don’t have a comment on those specific anecdotes.”

Biden criticized Obama's handling of the Russian invasion of Crimea

The book details Biden’s criticism late last year of President Barack Obama’s handling of Putin’s earlier invasion of Ukraine, when Russia seized Crimea and a section of the Donbas in 2014, at a time when Biden was serving as the Democrat’s vice president.

“They f----- up in 2014,” Woodward wrote that Biden said to a close friend in December, blaming the lack of action for Putin’s actions in Ukraine. “Barack never took Putin seriously.”

Biden was angry while speaking to the friend and said they “never should have let Putin just walk in there” in 2014 and that the U.S. “did nothing.”

Biden regrets choosing Garland as attorney general

Woodward reports Biden was privately furious with Attorney General Merrick Garland for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-investigation-justice-garland-ad1034e274570d65032f8e4f47c0c8f6">appointing a special counsel</a>&nbsp;to investigate Biden’s son Hunter in a tax-and-gun prosecution.

“Should never have picked Garland,” Biden told an associate, according to Woodward. The journalist did not name the associate.

Hunter Biden was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">convicted in June</a>&nbsp;on federal gun charges and faces sentencing in federal court in Delaware in December. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-trial-justice-department-6873692c030244b450e27826e7097946">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to federal tax charges in California and is also set to be sentenced in that case in December.

The Justice Department declined to comment.

Graham says going to Mar-a-Lago is ‘a little bit like going to North Korea’

One of Trump’s longest-term allies, South Carolina Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/lindsey-graham">Lindsey Graham</a>, blamed Trump’s ongoing false claims that the 2020 election was rigged to a cult of personality in which the former president’s ensconcement at Mar-a-Lago and circle of aides and advisers “constantly feed this narrative,” according to the book.

The weekend after Russia invaded Ukraine, Graham was with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, which the senator characterized as “a little bit like going to North Korea.” Graham added that “everybody stands up and claps every time Trump comes in.”

On politics, Woodward wrote that Graham’s counsel was part of what persuaded Trump to run again for the presidency.

In March, during one of his many visits to the Middle East since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, Graham told Woodward that he had been meeting with the Saudi crown prince when Graham suggested they call Trump. From “a bag containing about 50 burner phones,” Prince Mohammed “pulled out one labeled ‘TRUMP 45.’” On another trip, Woodward wrote, the Saudi leader retrieved another burner phone, "this time labeled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jake-sullivan">JAKE SULLIVAN</a>&nbsp;” when the men called Biden’s national security adviser.

Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Hillel Italie in New York, Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington and Aamer Madhani aboard Air Force One contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728413843207.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has had as many as seven private phone calls with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;since leaving office and secretly sent the Russian president COVID-19 test machines during the height of the pandemic, Bob Woodward reported in his new book, “War."The famed Watergate reporter also details President Joe Biden's frustrations with Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;and Saudi Crown Prince&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mohammad-bin-salman-bin-abdulaziz-al-saud">Mohammed bin Salman</a>&nbsp;'s assortment of burner phones. The Associated Press obtained an early copy of the book, which is due out next week.Trump denied the reporting, telling ABC News' Jonathan Karl that Woodward is “a storyteller. A bad one. And he’s lost his marbles.”Trump had previously spoken to Woodward for the journalist's 2021 book, “Rage.” Trump later sued over it, claiming Woodward never had permission to publicly release recordings of their interviews for the book. The publisher and Woodward denied his allegations.Here is more from the new book:<h2>Trump has had multiple calls with Putin since his White House term ended</h2>Woodward reports that Trump asked an aide to leave his office at his Florida resort,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mar-a-lago">Mar-a-Lago</a>, so that the former president could have a private call with Putin in early 2024. The aide, whom Woodward doesn’t name, said there have been multiple calls between Trump and Putin since Trump left office, perhaps as many as seven, according to the book, though it does not detail what they discussed.Trump senior adviser and longtime aide Jason Miller told Woodward that he had not heard Trump was having calls with Putin and said, “I'd push back on that.” But Miller also said, according to the book, “I’m sure they’d know how to get in touch with each other."Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, said none of the stories in Woodward’s books are true. In a statement on Tuesday, he called them “the work of a truly demented and deranged man who suffers from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.”Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the reporting about the calls was “not true.”Trump's relationship with Putin has been scrutinized since his 2016 campaign for president, when he memorably called on Russia to find and make public missing emails deleted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hillary-clinton">Hillary Clinton</a>, his Democratic opponent. “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” he said.U.S. intelligence agencies later determined that Russia had meddled in the 2016 election to help Trump, though an investigation by special counsel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-mueller">Robert Mueller</a>&nbsp;found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f109a539220b41218860fa68176a9c98">no conspiracy</a>&nbsp;between the Trump team and Russia. In 2018, Trump publicly questioned that finding following an in-person meeting with Putin in Helsinki.In recent years, Trump has criticized U.S. support for Ukraine as it fights off Russia’s invasion. He has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ukraine-putin-zelenskyy-0f4d539aa73a943474d779716e5fe42a">said Ukraine should have made concessions</a>&nbsp;to Putin before Russia invaded in 2022. He also previously touted his good relationship with Putin and called the Russian leader “pretty smart” for invading Ukraine.<h2>Trump sent COVID-19 test machines to Putin for his personal use</h2>Woodward reports that Trump sent Putin COVID-19 test machines for his personal use as the virus began spreading in 2020.Putin told Trump not to tell anyone because people would be mad at Trump over it, but Trump said he didn’t care if anyone knew, according to the book. Trump ended up agreeing not to tell anyone.The book doesn’t specify when the machines were sent but describes it as being when the virus spread rapidly through Russia. It was previously reported by The Associated Press and other agencies that Trump’s administration in May 2020&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-mi-state-wire-politics-virus-outbreak-e08621567fd8758c89b0c5aed5ac5d72">sent</a>&nbsp;ventilators and other equipment to several countries, including Russia.“There were no secret shipments. The pandemic was starting back then," Peskov said Wednesday via a messaging app. “Many countries were exchanging equipment. We sent ventilators. Testers came from America.”Vice President Kamala Harris, in an interview Tuesday with radio host Howard Stern, accused Trump of giving the machines to a “murderous dictator” at a time when “everyone was scrambling" to get tests.“This person who wants to be president again, who secretly is helping out an an adversary while the American people are dying by the hundreds every day," said Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate.Biden highlighted the report during a stop in Pennsylvania on Tuesday.“You see what came out today?” Biden said at a fundraiser for Sen. Bob Casey. “So he calls his good friend Putin — not a joke — and makes sure he had the tests. He had the tests.”<h2>Biden's anger at Netanyahu has boiled over in private</h2>The book also details Biden’s complicated relationship with Netanyahu as well as private moments when the president has been fed up with him over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>.Biden’s “frustrations and distrust” of Netanyahu “erupted” this past spring, Woodward writes. The president privately unleashed a profanity-laden tirade, calling him a “son of a bitch” and a “bad f——— guy," according to the book. Biden said he felt, in Woodward’s accounting, that Netanyahu “had been lying to him regularly.” With Netanyahu “continuing to say he was going to kill every last member of Hamas.” Woodward wrote, “Biden had told him that was impossible, threatening both privately and publicly to withhold offensive U.S. weapons shipment.”Biden and Netanyahu have long been acquainted, although their relationship has not been known to be close or overly friendly. Last week, Biden said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-mideast-israel-d9f53ba8c7b3b4db953be020f676274c">didn’t know whether</a>&nbsp;the Israeli leader was holding up a Mideast peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.Asked about the book's reporting, White House spokesperson Emilie Simons told reporters Tuesday that “The commitment that we have to the state of Israel is ironclad.”Simons, when pressed on the details, said she wouldn't comment on every anecdote that may come out in reporting. She added of Biden and Netanyahu: “They have a long-term relationship. They have a very honest and direct relationship, and I don’t have a comment on those specific anecdotes.”<h2>Biden criticized Obama's handling of the Russian invasion of Crimea</h2>The book details Biden’s criticism late last year of President Barack Obama’s handling of Putin’s earlier invasion of Ukraine, when Russia seized Crimea and a section of the Donbas in 2014, at a time when Biden was serving as the Democrat’s vice president.“They f----- up in 2014,” Woodward wrote that Biden said to a close friend in December, blaming the lack of action for Putin’s actions in Ukraine. “Barack never took Putin seriously.”Biden was angry while speaking to the friend and said they “never should have let Putin just walk in there” in 2014 and that the U.S. “did nothing.”<h2>Biden regrets choosing Garland as attorney general</h2>Woodward reports Biden was privately furious with Attorney General Merrick Garland for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-investigation-justice-garland-ad1034e274570d65032f8e4f47c0c8f6">appointing a special counsel</a>&nbsp;to investigate Biden’s son Hunter in a tax-and-gun prosecution.“Should never have picked Garland,” Biden told an associate, according to Woodward. The journalist did not name the associate.Hunter Biden was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">convicted in June</a>&nbsp;on federal gun charges and faces sentencing in federal court in Delaware in December. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-trial-justice-department-6873692c030244b450e27826e7097946">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to federal tax charges in California and is also set to be sentenced in that case in December.The Justice Department declined to comment.<h2>Graham says going to Mar-a-Lago is ‘a little bit like going to North Korea’</h2>One of Trump’s longest-term allies, South Carolina Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/lindsey-graham">Lindsey Graham</a>, blamed Trump’s ongoing false claims that the 2020 election was rigged to a cult of personality in which the former president’s ensconcement at Mar-a-Lago and circle of aides and advisers “constantly feed this narrative,” according to the book.The weekend after Russia invaded Ukraine, Graham was with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, which the senator characterized as “a little bit like going to North Korea.” Graham added that “everybody stands up and claps every time Trump comes in.”On politics, Woodward wrote that Graham’s counsel was part of what persuaded Trump to run again for the presidency.In March, during one of his many visits to the Middle East since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, Graham told Woodward that he had been meeting with the Saudi crown prince when Graham suggested they call Trump. From “a bag containing about 50 burner phones,” Prince Mohammed “pulled out one labeled ‘TRUMP 45.’” On another trip, Woodward wrote, the Saudi leader retrieved another burner phone, "this time labeled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jake-sullivan">JAKE SULLIVAN</a>&nbsp;” when the men called Biden’s national security adviser.___Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Hillel Italie in New York, Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington and Aamer Madhani aboard Air Force One contributed to this report.

Woodward's new book: Shocking claims about Trump and Biden

JACKSON COUNTY — Police and officials with Health and Animal Services are investigating a dog attack that injured a 5-year-old girl.

Just after 10a.m. Tuesday, police and emergency medical crews responded to report of a dog attack at a home in the&nbsp;19000 Block of East RD Mize Road in Independence, according to a media release.

First responders located the child and an adult outside the home.  The child appeared to have severe lacerations from the bite.  Medical aid was given at the scene and EMS transported the child to an area hospital.

Investigators learned an unrestrained dog entered the fenced backyard of the home where the child and adult were.&nbsp; Animal Control took the dog into custody. Police released no additional details.

JACKSON COUNTY — Police and officials with Health and Animal Services are investigating a dog attack that injured a 5-year-old girl.Just after 10a.m. Tuesday, police and emergency medical crews responded to report of a dog attack at a home in the&nbsp;19000 Block of East RD Mize Road in Independence, according to a media release.First responders located the child and an adult outside the home. The child appeared to have severe lacerations from the bite. Medical aid was given at the scene and EMS transported the child to an area hospital.Investigators learned an unrestrained dog entered the fenced backyard of the home where the child and adult were.&nbsp; Animal Control took the dog into custody. Police released no additional details.

5-year-old injured in dog attack at home near Kansas City

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI has arrested an Afghan man who officials say was inspired by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/islamic-state-group">Islamic State militant organization</a>&nbsp;and was plotting an Election Day attack targeting large crowds in the U.S., the Justice Department said Tuesday.

Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, of Oklahoma City told investigators after his arrest Monday that he had planned his attack to coincide with Election Day next month and that he and a co-conspirator expected to die as martyrs, according to charging documents.

Tawhedi, who arrived in the U.S. in September 2021, had taken steps in recent weeks to advance his attack plans, including by ordering AK-47 rifles, liquidating his family's assets and buying one-way tickets for his wife and child to travel home to Afghanistan, officials said.

The arrest comes as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-director-christopher-wray-threats-minneapolis-8633ed78ee3eb333e76a54792976327a">FBI confronts heightened concerns</a>&nbsp;over the possibility of extremist violence on U.S. soil, with Director Christopher Wray telling The Associated Press in August that he was "hard pressed to think of a time in my career where so many different kinds of threats are all elevated at once.”

“Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and we will use every resource to protect the American people,” Wray said in a statement Tuesday.

An FBI affidavit does not reveal precisely how Tawhedi came onto investigators' radar, but cites what it says is evidence from recent months showing his determination in planning an attack. A photograph from July included in the affidavit depicts a man investigators identified as Tawhedi reading to two young children, including his daughter, “a text that describes the rewards a martyr receives in the afterlife.”

Officials say Tawhedi also consumed Islamic State propaganda, contributed to a charity that functions as a front for the militant group and communicated with a person who the FBI determined from a prior investigation was involved in recruitment and indoctrination of people interested in extremism. He also viewed webcams for the White House and the Washington Monument in July.

Tawhedi's alleged co-conspirator was not identified by the Justice Department, which described him only as a juvenile, a fellow Afghan national and the brother of Tawhedi's wife.

After the two advertised the sale of personal property on Facebook, the FBI enlisted an informant last month to respond to the offer and strike up a relationship. The informant later invited them to a gun range, where they ordered weapons from an undercover FBI official who was posing as a business partner of the informant, according to court papers.

Tawhedi was arrested Monday after taking possession of two AK-47 rifles and ammunition he had ordered, officials said. The unidentified co-conspirator was also arrested but the Justice Department did not provide details because he is a juvenile.

After he was arrested, the Justice Department said, Tawhedi told investigators he had planned an attack for Election Day that would target large gatherings of people.

Tawhedi was charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, which is designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

He appeared in court Tuesday and was ordered detained. An email to an attorney listed as representing him did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.

A for-sale sign stood in the yard outside a modest, two-story brick home listed as being connected to Tawhedi’s family in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore.

A woman who identified herself as Tawhedi’s wife declined to discuss the case.

“We don’t want to talk in the media,” said the woman, who did not give her name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728439166488.png" alt="The criminal complaint, filed by the Justice Department, against Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27,of Oklahoma City is photographed Tuesday, Oct. 8, after the FBI arrested the man who officials say was inspired by the Islamic State militant organization and was plotting an Election Day attack targeting large crowds in the U.S. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)" />
 <figcaption>The criminal complaint, filed by the Justice Department, against Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27,of Oklahoma City is photographed Tuesday, Oct. 8, after the FBI arrested the man who officials say was inspired by the Islamic State militant organization and was plotting an Election Day attack targeting large crowds in the U.S. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI has arrested an Afghan man who officials say was inspired by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/islamic-state-group">Islamic State militant organization</a>&nbsp;and was plotting an Election Day attack targeting large crowds in the U.S., the Justice Department said Tuesday.Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, of Oklahoma City told investigators after his arrest Monday that he had planned his attack to coincide with Election Day next month and that he and a co-conspirator expected to die as martyrs, according to charging documents.Tawhedi, who arrived in the U.S. in September 2021, had taken steps in recent weeks to advance his attack plans, including by ordering AK-47 rifles, liquidating his family's assets and buying one-way tickets for his wife and child to travel home to Afghanistan, officials said.The arrest comes as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-director-christopher-wray-threats-minneapolis-8633ed78ee3eb333e76a54792976327a">FBI confronts heightened concerns</a>&nbsp;over the possibility of extremist violence on U.S. soil, with Director Christopher Wray telling The Associated Press in August that he was "hard pressed to think of a time in my career where so many different kinds of threats are all elevated at once.”“Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and we will use every resource to protect the American people,” Wray said in a statement Tuesday.An FBI affidavit does not reveal precisely how Tawhedi came onto investigators' radar, but cites what it says is evidence from recent months showing his determination in planning an attack. A photograph from July included in the affidavit depicts a man investigators identified as Tawhedi reading to two young children, including his daughter, “a text that describes the rewards a martyr receives in the afterlife.”Officials say Tawhedi also consumed Islamic State propaganda, contributed to a charity that functions as a front for the militant group and communicated with a person who the FBI determined from a prior investigation was involved in recruitment and indoctrination of people interested in extremism. He also viewed webcams for the White House and the Washington Monument in July.Tawhedi's alleged co-conspirator was not identified by the Justice Department, which described him only as a juvenile, a fellow Afghan national and the brother of Tawhedi's wife.After the two advertised the sale of personal property on Facebook, the FBI enlisted an informant last month to respond to the offer and strike up a relationship. The informant later invited them to a gun range, where they ordered weapons from an undercover FBI official who was posing as a business partner of the informant, according to court papers.Tawhedi was arrested Monday after taking possession of two AK-47 rifles and ammunition he had ordered, officials said. The unidentified co-conspirator was also arrested but the Justice Department did not provide details because he is a juvenile.After he was arrested, the Justice Department said, Tawhedi told investigators he had planned an attack for Election Day that would target large gatherings of people.Tawhedi was charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, which is designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.He appeared in court Tuesday and was ordered detained. An email to an attorney listed as representing him did not immediately return an email seeking comment.It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.A for-sale sign stood in the yard outside a modest, two-story brick home listed as being connected to Tawhedi’s family in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore.A woman who identified herself as Tawhedi’s wife declined to discuss the case.“We don’t want to talk in the media,” said the woman, who did not give her name.Tawhedi entered the U.S. on a special immigrant visa, a program that permits eligible Afghans who helped Americans despite great personal risk to themselves and their loved ones to apply for entry into America with their families.Eligible Afghans include interpreters for the U.S. military as well as individuals integral to the American embassy in Kabul. While the program has existed since 2009, the number of applicants skyrocketed after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-afghanistan-al-qaida-ayman-zawahri-f00d745cb7cf00e3ada60017401f6784">the chaotic U.S. withdrawal</a>&nbsp;from Afghanistan in August 2021.Shawn VanDiver, the president of #AfghanEvac, a coalition of organizations dedicated to helping Afghans trying to leave Afghanistan, said that though the charges are serious, “it’s critical that we do not assign blame to an entire community for the actions of one individual. Thousands of Afghans who resettled in the United States are working to build new lives and contribute to our shared future.”“These are the same individuals who stood shoulder to shoulder with us in Afghanistan for over two decades, defending the values we hold dear,” he said in a statement. “Now, they are our neighbors, and we must support them as they seek safety and stability in their new home.”_____Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana in Washington and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.