WASHINGTON —House Republicans launched a formal impeachment hearing Thursday against President Joe Biden, saying they intend to “provide accountability” as they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-hunter-house-republicans-impeachment-inquiry-f679eb1239cd4f7b5f06949cc1445567">make their case</a>&nbsp;to the public, their colleagues and skeptics in the Senate.

Near the end of the morning session, Kansas second district Representative Jake LaTurner finally had his turn to make a statement.

(click below to watch Rep. LaTurner during the hearing)

"The&nbsp;mischaracterization of what this hearing is about by my colleagues on the other side is astounding," LaTurner said.&nbsp;

"Throughout the Presidency of Joe Biden, the White House has attempted to claim that the President did not talk to his son Hunter about his business dealings. Joe Biden even said during a 2020 presidential debate that no members of his family received money from China."

"Joe Biden said and I quote, "My son has not made money in terms of this thing about China. Nobody else has made money from China."

"The White House strategy has been to&nbsp; deny, deny and deny, lie and then counter attack," LaTurner continued. "The evidence and facts have forced the White House to change its story time and time again."&nbsp;

"The White House handlers continue to shift the goal posts and President Biden continues to lie. How can President Bident continue to maintain that Hunter's private business was simply that,&nbsp; private?"

"It's clear from bank records, emails and text messages and testimony that Joe Biden was intimately involved in Hunter's pay to play scheme and crooked foreign business dealings."

"This image shows an email between Hunter Biden and his business associates stating the setup of equity in a Chinese owned energy venture. This particular business deal was with a Chinese owned energy conglomerate and lays out the payment structure for equity in the company which was known to be tied to the Chinese Communist Party through its owner chairman."

"The committee's investigation into the Biden family including evidence turned over through various document production has shown that these men including&nbsp;Tony Bobolinski were all in business with Hunter Biden at one time or another."

"Bobolinski, Rob Walker and other Hunter business partrners have confirmed what this email said. They were all getting a cut. Who else was getting a cut? According to this email 10 percent was going to the Big Guy. What I'm sure my colleagues on the other side are asking themselves, who is the Big Guy?"

"Well let me tell you," LaTurner continued. "We learned in the FBI's 1023 that Joe Biden was referred to as the Big Guy. Tony Bobolinski has also confirmed Joe Biden is the Big Guy. Rob Walker and IRS whistle blowers confirmed that Joe Biden is the Big Guy. And finally, the Justice Department obstructed investigators in Delaware wanted to look into the Big Guy."

"Listen folks, it is obvious Joe Biden is the Big Guy. And so, what do we have here? The President is saying that he had nothing to do with it. That Hunter Biden did not profit from China and the Big Guy was getting 10 percent."

"Let me read for you the definition of a trendy word here lately. Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which an abuse attempts to gain power and control over the other person by distorting&nbsp; reality and forcing them to question their own judgement and intuition."

"I would say to the American people. Look at the evidence before you and make a judgement and do not allow the White House or our colleagues on the other side to try to convince you that what you are seeing isn't the truth and to convince you that you are crazy."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695923176770.png" alt="LaTurner: Who is the Big Guy?"" />
 <figcaption>LaTurner: Who is the Big Guy?"</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —House Republicans launched a formal impeachment hearing Thursday against President Joe Biden, saying they intend to “provide accountability” as they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-hunter-house-republicans-impeachment-inquiry-f679eb1239cd4f7b5f06949cc1445567">make their case</a>&nbsp;to the public, their colleagues and skeptics in the Senate.Near the end of the morning session, Kansas second district Representative Jake LaTurner finally had his turn to make a statement.(click below to watch Rep. LaTurner during the hearing)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DIvCY6VvZaU?si=LHTQaDrHbQ1N508f&amp;start=13966" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>"The&nbsp;mischaracterization of what this hearing is about by my colleagues on the other side is astounding," LaTurner said.&nbsp;"Throughout the Presidency of Joe Biden, the White House has attempted to claim that the President did not talk to his son Hunter about his business dealings. Joe Biden even said during a 2020 presidential debate that no members of his family received money from China.""Joe Biden said and I quote, "My son has not made money in terms of this thing about China. Nobody else has made money from China.""The White House strategy has been to&nbsp; deny, deny and deny, lie and then counter attack," LaTurner continued. "The evidence and facts have forced the White House to change its story time and time again."&nbsp;"The White House handlers continue to shift the goal posts and President Biden continues to lie. How can President Bident continue to maintain that Hunter's private business was simply that,&nbsp; private?""It's clear from bank records, emails and text messages and testimony that Joe Biden was intimately involved in Hunter's pay to play scheme and crooked foreign business dealings."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695924766437.png" alt="image courtesy House Oversight Committee" />
 <figcaption>image courtesy House Oversight Committee</figcaption>
 </figure>"This image shows an email between Hunter Biden and his business associates stating the setup of equity in a Chinese owned energy venture. This particular business deal was with a Chinese owned energy conglomerate and lays out the payment structure for equity in the company which was known to be tied to the Chinese Communist Party through its owner chairman.""The committee's investigation into the Biden family including evidence turned over through various document production has shown that these men including&nbsp;Tony Bobolinski were all in business with Hunter Biden at one time or another."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695923242788.png" alt="Kansas 2nd District Congressman Jake LaTurner during a confrontation from Democrat members of the Committee during the impeachment inquiry hearing. -image House Oversight&nbsp; Committee" />
 <figcaption>Kansas 2nd District Congressman Jake LaTurner during a confrontation from Democrat members of the Committee during the impeachment inquiry hearing. -image House Oversight&nbsp; Committee</figcaption>
 </figure>"Bobolinski, Rob Walker and other Hunter business partrners have confirmed what this email said. They were all getting a cut. Who else was getting a cut? According to this email 10 percent was going to the Big Guy. What I'm sure my colleagues on the other side are asking themselves, who is the Big Guy?""Well let me tell you," LaTurner continued. "We learned in the FBI's 1023 that Joe Biden was referred to as the Big Guy. Tony Bobolinski has also confirmed Joe Biden is the Big Guy. Rob Walker and IRS whistle blowers confirmed that Joe Biden is the Big Guy. And finally, the Justice Department obstructed investigators in Delaware wanted to look into the Big Guy.""Listen folks, it is obvious Joe Biden is the Big Guy. And so, what do we have here? The President is saying that he had nothing to do with it. That Hunter Biden did not profit from China and the Big Guy was getting 10 percent.""Let me read for you the definition of a trendy word here lately. Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which an abuse attempts to gain power and control over the other person by distorting&nbsp; reality and forcing them to question their own judgement and intuition.""I would say to the American people. Look at the evidence before you and make a judgement and do not allow the White House or our colleagues on the other side to try to convince you that what you are seeing isn't the truth and to convince you that you are crazy."

🎥 Kan. congressman at impeachment hearing: Who is the big guy? 

LAWRENCE (AP) —Kansas basketball player Arterio Morris was charged Friday with one count of rape and dismissed from the Jayhawks' program, the latest in a string of legal trouble that has followed the former prep standout from his days at Texas.

Morris was booked in Douglas County and his bond was set at $75,000, public records showed. His arrest came after an incident report came to light this month that detailed an alleged rape that occurred at McCarthy Hall, which houses the Jayhawks' men's basketball team along with other residents and is located near Allen Fieldhouse.

Morris was not named in the incident report, but he was subsequently suspended from the basketball program.

“We are now aware he has been arrested and charged, and he was dismissed from the program,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said in a statement to The Associated Press. "As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further at this time.”

Morris transferred to Kansas despite facing a misdemeanor assault charge in Texas, where he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-texas-morris-arrest-assault-84dac6d707b7558e4b8285b686d0e195">spent his freshman season playing</a>&nbsp;for the Longhorns. According to Frisco police, he was arrested after officers were called to his ex-girlfriend’s house, where she told police that he had grabbed her arm, pulled her off a bed and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-texas-morris-arrest-assault-84dac6d707b7558e4b8285b686d0e195">caused an injury to her neck</a>.

The 20-year-old Morris was scheduled to appear at a jury trial next week, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arterio-morris-assault-charge-plea-38d0793e4028bef514814cdd861ada3a">it was canceled earlier this month</a>, when he entered a no contest plea to a Class C charge and ordered to pay a $362 fine.

In announcing that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-arterio-morris-transfer-9954090b704101c1da788cf556fa1272">Morris had transferred to Kansas</a>, Self said the school was aware of the charges he was facing in Texas, and that school administrators had spoken with compliance officers at the University of Texas and within its athletic department.

“Based on these discussions, we are comfortable welcoming Arterio to the University of Kansas," Self said at the time, "and he is well aware of the high standards and expectations that come with being a member of the Kansas men’s basketball program. We fully expect him to meet those daily.”

Morris was a top-20 recruit coming out of Kimball High School in Dallas. He signed with the Longhorns and appeared in 38 games last season, helping beat them Kansas in the Big 12 title game and advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

But the 6-foot-3 guard never made the impact that most expected in Austin, averaging just 4.6 points, and Morris hoped that by transferring to Kansas his basketball career would get off to a fresh start.

Even without him on the roster, the Jayhawks are likely to be preseason No. 1 when the AP Top 25 debuts next month. They return starters Dajuan Harris Jr., KJ Adams and Kevin McCullar Jr., welcome a trio of elite freshman recruits and landed two of the nation's top transfers in former Michigan forward Hunter Dickinson and Towson sharpshooter Nick Timberlake.

Kansas begins the season Nov. 6 against North Carolina Central.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696006772212.png" alt="Morris transferred to Kansas despite facing a misdemeanor assault charge in Texas, where he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-texas-morris-arrest-assault-84dac6d707b7558e4b8285b686d0e195">spent his freshman season playing</a>&nbsp;for the Longhorns.-photo courtesy University of Texas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Morris transferred to Kansas despite facing a misdemeanor assault charge in Texas, where he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-texas-morris-arrest-assault-84dac6d707b7558e4b8285b686d0e195">spent his freshman season playing</a>&nbsp;for the Longhorns.-photo courtesy University of Texas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE (AP) —Kansas basketball player Arterio Morris was charged Friday with one count of rape and dismissed from the Jayhawks' program, the latest in a string of legal trouble that has followed the former prep standout from his days at Texas.Morris was booked in Douglas County and his bond was set at $75,000, public records showed. His arrest came after an incident report came to light this month that detailed an alleged rape that occurred at McCarthy Hall, which houses the Jayhawks' men's basketball team along with other residents and is located near Allen Fieldhouse.Morris was not named in the incident report, but he was subsequently suspended from the basketball program.“We are now aware he has been arrested and charged, and he was dismissed from the program,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said in a statement to The Associated Press. "As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further at this time.”Morris transferred to Kansas despite facing a misdemeanor assault charge in Texas, where he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-texas-morris-arrest-assault-84dac6d707b7558e4b8285b686d0e195">spent his freshman season playing</a>&nbsp;for the Longhorns. According to Frisco police, he was arrested after officers were called to his ex-girlfriend’s house, where she told police that he had grabbed her arm, pulled her off a bed and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-texas-morris-arrest-assault-84dac6d707b7558e4b8285b686d0e195">caused an injury to her neck</a>.The 20-year-old Morris was scheduled to appear at a jury trial next week, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arterio-morris-assault-charge-plea-38d0793e4028bef514814cdd861ada3a">it was canceled earlier this month</a>, when he entered a no contest plea to a Class C charge and ordered to pay a $362 fine.In announcing that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-arterio-morris-transfer-9954090b704101c1da788cf556fa1272">Morris had transferred to Kansas</a>, Self said the school was aware of the charges he was facing in Texas, and that school administrators had spoken with compliance officers at the University of Texas and within its athletic department.“Based on these discussions, we are comfortable welcoming Arterio to the University of Kansas," Self said at the time, "and he is well aware of the high standards and expectations that come with being a member of the Kansas men’s basketball program. We fully expect him to meet those daily.”Morris was a top-20 recruit coming out of Kimball High School in Dallas. He signed with the Longhorns and appeared in 38 games last season, helping beat them Kansas in the Big 12 title game and advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.But the 6-foot-3 guard never made the impact that most expected in Austin, averaging just 4.6 points, and Morris hoped that by transferring to Kansas his basketball career would get off to a fresh start.Even without him on the roster, the Jayhawks are likely to be preseason No. 1 when the AP Top 25 debuts next month. They return starters Dajuan Harris Jr., KJ Adams and Kevin McCullar Jr., welcome a trio of elite freshman recruits and landed two of the nation's top transfers in former Michigan forward Hunter Dickinson and Towson sharpshooter Nick Timberlake.Kansas begins the season Nov. 6 against North Carolina Central.

KU guard Arterio Morris charged with rape, dismissed from basketball team

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union says its two-week strike against Detroit automakers will spread to 7,000 more workers at a Ford plant in Chicago and a General Motors assembly factory near Lansing, Michigan.

Union President Shawn Fain told workers on a video appearance Friday that negotiations haven’t broken down but Ford and GM have refused to make meaningful progress. Jeep maker Stellantis was spared from the third round of strikes.

The GM plant in Delta Township, near Lansing, makes large crossover SUVs such as the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave. A nearby metal parts stamping plant will remain open, Fain said.

The Chicago Ford plant makes the Ford Explorer and Explorer Police Interceptors, as well as the Lincoln Aviator SUV. The Explorer interceptor is the nation's top selling police vehicle.

“Sadly, despite our willingness to bargain, Ford and GM have refused to make meaningful progress at the table,” Fain said in explaining the two new strike locations.

Fain said union bargainers are still talking to all three companies. “I’m still very hopeful that we can reach a deal that reflects the incredible sacrifices and contributions that our members have made over the last decade,” he said.

Stellantis, he said, made significant progress "moments” before the Facebook Live broadcast by agreeing to unspecified cost-of-living pay raises, the right not to cross a picket line and the right to strike over plant closures.

"We are excited about this momentum at Stellantis and hope it continues,” Fain said. “Our strategy is working.”

But General Motors was less optimistic, with manufacturing head Gerald Johnson accusing the union of calling more strikes "just for the headlines, not real progress."

In a note to workers, Johnson said the company has not yet received a counter offer from union leaders to an economic proposal it made on Sept. 21.

“We continue to stand ready and willing to negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement that benefits you and doesn’t let the non-union manufacturers win,” Johnson wrote, calling the counter offer a record proposal with historic wage increases and job security.

Ford scheduled a 1 p.m. briefing by CEO Jim Farley for industry analysts and reporters to discuss the talks.

Automakers have long said that they're willing to give raises to workers, but fear that too rich of a contract will drive up the prices of their vehicles, making them higher than those made at nonunion U.S. plants run by foreign automakers, largely in the south. The union counters that labor costs are only 4% to 5% of the cost of a vehicle, and the companies are making billions in profits and can afford big raises.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote in a note to investors that the union's expansion of strikes shows that both sides are digging in for what could be a could be a long battle.

Current offers on the table from the companies will add $3,000 to $5,000 to the cost of an average electric vehicle that would be passed on to consumers , costs that would be passed on to consumers, Ives wrote. Such costs “would ultimately be a torpedo to the future business models” of the automakers, he wrote.

The UAW has vowed to hit automakers harder if it does not receive what it calls substantially improved contract offers as part of an unprecedented, simultaneous labor campaign against all three Detroit automakers.

Additional walkouts were to begin at noon Friday.

The automakers' last known wage offers were around 20% over the life of a four-year contract, a little more than half of what the union has demanded. Other contract improvements, such as cost of living increases, restoration of defined benefit pensions for newly hired workers and an end to tiers of wages within the union are also on the table.

The union went on strike Sept. 15 when it couldn’t reach agreements on new contracts with the companies. Contracts expired at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 14.

The UAW initially targeted one assembly plant from each company. Last week it added 38 parts distribution centers run by GM and Stellantis. Ford was spared the second escalation because talks with the union were progressing at that time.

The union has structured its walkouts in a way that has allowed the companies to keep making pickup trucks and large SUVs, their top-selling and most profitable vehicles. Previously it shut down assembly plants in Missouri, Ohio and Michigan that make midsize pickup trucks, commercial vans and midsize SUVs, all of which are profitable but don’t make as much money as the larger vehicles.

But the new strikes against GM and Ford target SUVs that are big moneymakers for both companies.

In the past the union had picked one company as a potential strike target and reached a contract agreement with that company that would serve as a pattern for the others.

But this year Fain introduced a novel strategy of targeting a limited number of facilities at all three automakers, while threatening to add more if the companies do not come up with better offers.

About 25,000, or about 17%, of the union’s 146,000 workers at the three automakers are on strike, allowing it to preserve a strike fund that was worth $825 million before Sept. 14.

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union says its two-week strike against Detroit automakers will spread to 7,000 more workers at a Ford plant in Chicago and a General Motors assembly factory near Lansing, Michigan.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">UAW President Shawn Fain Livestream Update 9/29/23 <a href="https://t.co/6TtSoViarO">https://t.co/6TtSoViarO</a>&mdash; UAW (@UAW) <a href="https://twitter.com/UAW/status/1707759748462809109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Union President Shawn Fain told workers on a video appearance Friday that negotiations haven’t broken down but Ford and GM have refused to make meaningful progress. Jeep maker Stellantis was spared from the third round of strikes.The GM plant in Delta Township, near Lansing, makes large crossover SUVs such as the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave. A nearby metal parts stamping plant will remain open, Fain said.The Chicago Ford plant makes the Ford Explorer and Explorer Police Interceptors, as well as the Lincoln Aviator SUV. The Explorer interceptor is the nation's top selling police vehicle.“Sadly, despite our willingness to bargain, Ford and GM have refused to make meaningful progress at the table,” Fain said in explaining the two new strike locations.Fain said union bargainers are still talking to all three companies. “I’m still very hopeful that we can reach a deal that reflects the incredible sacrifices and contributions that our members have made over the last decade,” he said.Stellantis, he said, made significant progress "moments” before the Facebook Live broadcast by agreeing to unspecified cost-of-living pay raises, the right not to cross a picket line and the right to strike over plant closures."We are excited about this momentum at Stellantis and hope it continues,” Fain said. “Our strategy is working.”But General Motors was less optimistic, with manufacturing head Gerald Johnson accusing the union of calling more strikes "just for the headlines, not real progress."In a note to workers, Johnson said the company has not yet received a counter offer from union leaders to an economic proposal it made on Sept. 21.“We continue to stand ready and willing to negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement that benefits you and doesn’t let the non-union manufacturers win,” Johnson wrote, calling the counter offer a record proposal with historic wage increases and job security.Ford scheduled a 1 p.m. briefing by CEO Jim Farley for industry analysts and reporters to discuss the talks.Automakers have long said that they're willing to give raises to workers, but fear that too rich of a contract will drive up the prices of their vehicles, making them higher than those made at nonunion U.S. plants run by foreign automakers, largely in the south. The union counters that labor costs are only 4% to 5% of the cost of a vehicle, and the companies are making billions in profits and can afford big raises.Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote in a note to investors that the union's expansion of strikes shows that both sides are digging in for what could be a could be a long battle.Current offers on the table from the companies will add $3,000 to $5,000 to the cost of an average electric vehicle that would be passed on to consumers , costs that would be passed on to consumers, Ives wrote. Such costs “would ultimately be a torpedo to the future business models” of the automakers, he wrote.The UAW has vowed to hit automakers harder if it does not receive what it calls substantially improved contract offers as part of an unprecedented, simultaneous labor campaign against all three Detroit automakers.Additional walkouts were to begin at noon Friday.The automakers' last known wage offers were around 20% over the life of a four-year contract, a little more than half of what the union has demanded. Other contract improvements, such as cost of living increases, restoration of defined benefit pensions for newly hired workers and an end to tiers of wages within the union are also on the table.The union went on strike Sept. 15 when it couldn’t reach agreements on new contracts with the companies. Contracts expired at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 14.The UAW initially targeted one assembly plant from each company. Last week it added 38 parts distribution centers run by GM and Stellantis. Ford was spared the second escalation because talks with the union were progressing at that time.The union has structured its walkouts in a way that has allowed the companies to keep making pickup trucks and large SUVs, their top-selling and most profitable vehicles. Previously it shut down assembly plants in Missouri, Ohio and Michigan that make midsize pickup trucks, commercial vans and midsize SUVs, all of which are profitable but don’t make as much money as the larger vehicles.But the new strikes against GM and Ford target SUVs that are big moneymakers for both companies.In the past the union had picked one company as a potential strike target and reached a contract agreement with that company that would serve as a pattern for the others.But this year Fain introduced a novel strategy of targeting a limited number of facilities at all three automakers, while threatening to add more if the companies do not come up with better offers.About 25,000, or about 17%, of the union’s 146,000 workers at the three automakers are on strike, allowing it to preserve a strike fund that was worth $825 million before Sept. 14.

🎥 UAW expands strike against Big 3 automakers

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations in connection with a robbery.

Just before 10 p.m. Sept. 26, police responded to a disturbance in the 1100 block of SW Cottonwood in Topeka according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks. Officers found that a man identified as Dustin J. Franklin, 36, Topeka, had forced his way inside the facility and threatened a person inside. 

Franklin left prior to officers’ arrival, but was later located nearby and taken into custody.

Franklin is jailed on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery; Armed w/dangerous weapon, Aggravated burglary; Locked dwelling for felony, theft, DV, sexually motivated, Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated assault; Use of a deadly weapon, Aggravated battery; Knowingly use physical contact in angry/rude manner w/weapon, Interference with LEO; obstruct/resist/oppose felony warrant service or execution, Aggravated assault of LEO; Use of a deadly weapon and Battery on LEO; Physical contact with country or city officer on duty.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695857164929.png" alt="Franklin-Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Franklin-Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations in connection with a robbery.Just before 10 p.m. Sept. 26, police responded to a disturbance in the 1100 block of SW Cottonwood in Topeka according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks. Officers found that a man identified as Dustin J. Franklin, 36, Topeka, had forced his way inside the facility and threatened a person inside. Franklin left prior to officers’ arrival, but was later located nearby and taken into custody.Franklin is jailed on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery; Armed w/dangerous weapon, Aggravated burglary; Locked dwelling for felony, theft, DV, sexually motivated, Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated assault; Use of a deadly weapon, Aggravated battery; Knowingly use physical contact in angry/rude manner w/weapon, Interference with LEO; obstruct/resist/oppose felony warrant service or execution, Aggravated assault of LEO; Use of a deadly weapon and Battery on LEO; Physical contact with country or city officer on duty.

Kansas man arrested for alleged violent armed robbery

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a centrist Democrat who was elected to the Senate in 1992 in the “Year of the Woman” and broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics, has died. She was 90.

Three people familiar with the situation confirmed her death to The Associated Press on Friday.

Feinstein, the oldest sitting U.S. senator, was a passionate advocate for liberal priorities important to her state -- including environmental protection, reproductive rights and gun control -- but was also known as a pragmatic lawmaker who reached out to Republicans and sought middle ground.

She was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969 and became its first female president in 1978, the same year Mayor George Moscone was gunned down alongside Supervisor Harvey Milk at City Hall by Dan White, a disgruntled former supervisor. Feinstein found Milk’s body.

After Moscone’s death, Feinstein became San Francisco's first female mayor. In the Senate, she was one of California’s first two female senators, the first woman to head the Senate Intelligence Committee and the first woman to serve as the Judiciary committee’s top Democrat.

Although Feinstein was not always embraced by the feminist movement, her experiences colored her outlook through her five decades in politics.

"I recognize that women have had to fight for everything they have gotten, every right," she told The Associated Press in 2005, as the Judiciary Committee prepared to hold hearings on President George W. Bush's nomination of John Roberts to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court.

"So I must tell you, I try to look out for women's rights. I also try to solve problems as I perceive them, with legislation, and reaching out where I can, and working across the aisle," she said.

Her tendency for bipartisanship helped her notch legislative wins throughout her career. But it also proved to be a liability in her later years in Congress, as her state became more liberal and as the Senate and the electorate became increasingly polarized.

A fierce debater who did not suffer fools, the California senator was long known for her verbal zingers and sharp comebacks when challenged on the issues about which she was most fervent. But she lost that edge in her later years in the Senate, as her health visibly declined and she often became confused when answering questions or speaking publicly. In February 2023, she said she would not run for a sixth term the next year. And within weeks of that announcement, she was absent for the Senate for more than two months as she recovered from a bout of shingles.

Amid the concerns about her health, Feinstein stepped down as the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel after the 2020 elections, just as her party was about to take the majority. In 2023, she said she would not serve as the Senate president pro tempore, or the most senior member of the majority party, even though she was in line to do so. The president pro tempore opens the Senate every day and holds other ceremonial duties.

One of Feinstein’s most significant legislative accomplishments was early in her career, when the Senate approved her amendment to ban manufacturing and sales of certain types of assault weapons as part of a crime bill that President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1994. Though the assault weapons ban expired 10 years later and was never renewed or replaced, it was a poignant win after her career had been significantly shaped by gun violence.

Feinstein remembered finding Milk’s body, her finger slipping into a bullet hole as she felt for a pulse. It was a story she would retell often in the years ahead as she pushed for stricter gun control measures.

She had little patience for Republicans and others who opposed her on that issue, though she was often challenged. In 1993, during debate on the assault weapons ban, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, accused her of having an insufficient knowledge of guns and the gun control issue.

Feinstein spoke fiercely of the violence she’d lived through in San Francisco and retorted: ''Senator, I know something about what firearms can do.”

Two decades later, after 20 children and six educators were killed in a horrific school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, first-term Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas similarly challenged Feinstein during debate on legislation that would have permanently banned the weapons.

"I'm not a sixth grader,” Feinstein snapped back at the much younger Cruz -- a moment that later went viral. She added: "It's fine you want to lecture me on the Constitution. I appreciate it. Just know I've been here a long time."

Feinstein became mayor of San Francisco after the 1978 slayings of Moscone and Milk, leading the city during one of the most turbulent periods in its history. Even her critics credited Feinstein with a calming influence, and she won reelection on her own to two four-year terms.

With her success and growing recognition statewide came visibility on the national political stage.

In 1984, Feinstein was viewed as a vice presidential possibility for Walter Mondale but faced questions about the business dealings of her husband, Richard Blum. In 1990, she used news footage of her announcement of the assassinations of Moscone and Milk in a television ad that helped her win the Democratic nomination for California governor, making her the first female major-party gubernatorial nominee in the state's history.

Although she narrowly lost the general election to Republican Pete Wilson, the stage was set for her election to the Senate two years later to fill the Senate seat Wilson had vacated to run for governor.

Feinstein campaigned jointly with Barbara Boxer, who was running for the state's other U.S. Senate seat, and both won, benefiting from positive news coverage and excitement over their historic race. California had never had a female U.S. senator, and female candidates and voters had been galvanized by the Supreme Court hearings in which the all-male Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Anita Hill about her sexual harassment allegations against nominee Clarence Thomas.

Feinstein was appointed to the Judiciary panel and eventually the Senate Intelligence Committee, becoming the chairperson in 2009. She was the first woman to lead the intelligence panel, a high-profile perch that gave her a central oversight role over U.S. intelligence controversies, setbacks and triumphs, from the killing of Osama bin Laden to leaks about National Security Agency surveillance.

Under Feinstein’s leadership, the intelligence committee conducted a wide-ranging, five-year investigation into CIA interrogation techniques during President George W. Bush’s administration, including waterboarding of terrorism suspects at secret overseas prisons. The resulting 6,300-page “torture report” concluded among other things that waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques" did not provide key evidence in the hunt for bin Laden. A 525-page executive summary was released in late 2014, but the rest of the report has remained classified.

The Senate investigation was full of intrigue at the time, including documents that mysteriously disappeared and accusations traded between the Senate and the CIA that the other was stealing information. The drama was captured in a 2019 movie about the investigation called “The Report,” and actor Annette Bening was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Feinstein.

In the years since, Feinstein has continued to push aggressively for eventual declassification of the report.

"It's my very strong belief that one day this report should be declassified," Feinstein said. "This must be a lesson learned: that torture doesn't work."

Feinstein sometimes frustrated liberals by adopting moderate or hawkish positions that put her at odds with the left wing of the Democratic Party, as well as with the more liberal Boxer, who retired from the Senate in 2017. Feinstein defended the Obama administration’s expansive collection of Americans' phone and email records as necessary for protecting the country, for example, even as other Democratic senators voiced protests. “It’s called protecting America,” Feinstein said then.

That tension escalated during Donald Trump’s presidency, when many Democrats had little appetite for compromise. Feinstein become the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel in 2016 and led her party’s messaging through three Supreme Court nominations -- a role that angered liberal advocacy groups that wanted to see a more aggressive partisan in charge.

Feinstein closed out confirmation hearings for Justice Amy Coney Barrett with an embrace of Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and a public thanks to him for a job well done. “This has been one of the best set of hearings that I’ve participated in,” Feinstein said at the end of the hearing.

Liberal advocacy groups that had fiercely opposed Barrett's nomination to replace the late liberal icon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg were furious and called for her to step down from the committee leadership.

A month later, Feinstein announced she would remain on the committee but step down as the top Democrat. The senator, then 87 years old, did not say why. In a statement, she said she would “continue to do my utmost to bring about positive change in the coming years.”

Feinstein was born on June 22, 1933. Her father, Leon Goldman, was a prominent surgeon and medical school professor in San Francisco, but her mother was an abusive woman with a violent temper that was often directed at Feinstein and her two younger sisters.

Feinstein graduated from Stanford University in 1955, with a bachelor’s degree in history. She married young and was a divorced single mother of her daughter, Katherine, in 1960, at a time when such a status was still unusual.

In 1961, Feinstein was appointed by then-Gov. Pat Brown to the women's parole board, on which she served before running for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Typical of the era, much of the early coverage of her entrance into public life focused on her appearance, and she was invariably described as stunning, tall, slender and raven-haired.

Feinstein's second husband, Bert Feinstein, was 19 years older than she, but she described the marriage as "a 10" and kept his name even after his death from cancer in 1978. In 1980, she married investment banker Richard Blum, and thanks to his wealth, she was one of the richest members of the Senate. He died in February 2022.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681478968321.png" alt="A fierce debater who did not suffer fools, the California senator was long known for her verbal zingers and sharp comebacks when challenged on the issues about which she was most fervent- photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>A fierce debater who did not suffer fools, the California senator was long known for her verbal zingers and sharp comebacks when challenged on the issues about which she was most fervent- photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a centrist Democrat who was elected to the Senate in 1992 in the “Year of the Woman” and broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics, has died. She was 90.Three people familiar with the situation confirmed her death to The Associated Press on Friday.Feinstein, the oldest sitting U.S. senator, was a passionate advocate for liberal priorities important to her state -- including environmental protection, reproductive rights and gun control -- but was also known as a pragmatic lawmaker who reached out to Republicans and sought middle ground.She was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969 and became its first female president in 1978, the same year Mayor George Moscone was gunned down alongside Supervisor Harvey Milk at City Hall by Dan White, a disgruntled former supervisor. Feinstein found Milk’s body.After Moscone’s death, Feinstein became San Francisco's first female mayor. In the Senate, she was one of California’s first two female senators, the first woman to head the Senate Intelligence Committee and the first woman to serve as the Judiciary committee’s top Democrat.Although Feinstein was not always embraced by the feminist movement, her experiences colored her outlook through her five decades in politics."I recognize that women have had to fight for everything they have gotten, every right," she told The Associated Press in 2005, as the Judiciary Committee prepared to hold hearings on President George W. Bush's nomination of John Roberts to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court."So I must tell you, I try to look out for women's rights. I also try to solve problems as I perceive them, with legislation, and reaching out where I can, and working across the aisle," she said.Her tendency for bipartisanship helped her notch legislative wins throughout her career. But it also proved to be a liability in her later years in Congress, as her state became more liberal and as the Senate and the electorate became increasingly polarized.A fierce debater who did not suffer fools, the California senator was long known for her verbal zingers and sharp comebacks when challenged on the issues about which she was most fervent. But she lost that edge in her later years in the Senate, as her health visibly declined and she often became confused when answering questions or speaking publicly. In February 2023, she said she would not run for a sixth term the next year. And within weeks of that announcement, she was absent for the Senate for more than two months as she recovered from a bout of shingles.Amid the concerns about her health, Feinstein stepped down as the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel after the 2020 elections, just as her party was about to take the majority. In 2023, she said she would not serve as the Senate president pro tempore, or the most senior member of the majority party, even though she was in line to do so. The president pro tempore opens the Senate every day and holds other ceremonial duties.One of Feinstein’s most significant legislative accomplishments was early in her career, when the Senate approved her amendment to ban manufacturing and sales of certain types of assault weapons as part of a crime bill that President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1994. Though the assault weapons ban expired 10 years later and was never renewed or replaced, it was a poignant win after her career had been significantly shaped by gun violence.Feinstein remembered finding Milk’s body, her finger slipping into a bullet hole as she felt for a pulse. It was a story she would retell often in the years ahead as she pushed for stricter gun control measures.She had little patience for Republicans and others who opposed her on that issue, though she was often challenged. In 1993, during debate on the assault weapons ban, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, accused her of having an insufficient knowledge of guns and the gun control issue.Feinstein spoke fiercely of the violence she’d lived through in San Francisco and retorted: ''Senator, I know something about what firearms can do.”Two decades later, after 20 children and six educators were killed in a horrific school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, first-term Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas similarly challenged Feinstein during debate on legislation that would have permanently banned the weapons."I'm not a sixth grader,” Feinstein snapped back at the much younger Cruz -- a moment that later went viral. She added: "It's fine you want to lecture me on the Constitution. I appreciate it. Just know I've been here a long time."Feinstein became mayor of San Francisco after the 1978 slayings of Moscone and Milk, leading the city during one of the most turbulent periods in its history. Even her critics credited Feinstein with a calming influence, and she won reelection on her own to two four-year terms.With her success and growing recognition statewide came visibility on the national political stage.In 1984, Feinstein was viewed as a vice presidential possibility for Walter Mondale but faced questions about the business dealings of her husband, Richard Blum. In 1990, she used news footage of her announcement of the assassinations of Moscone and Milk in a television ad that helped her win the Democratic nomination for California governor, making her the first female major-party gubernatorial nominee in the state's history.Although she narrowly lost the general election to Republican Pete Wilson, the stage was set for her election to the Senate two years later to fill the Senate seat Wilson had vacated to run for governor.Feinstein campaigned jointly with Barbara Boxer, who was running for the state's other U.S. Senate seat, and both won, benefiting from positive news coverage and excitement over their historic race. California had never had a female U.S. senator, and female candidates and voters had been galvanized by the Supreme Court hearings in which the all-male Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Anita Hill about her sexual harassment allegations against nominee Clarence Thomas.Feinstein was appointed to the Judiciary panel and eventually the Senate Intelligence Committee, becoming the chairperson in 2009. She was the first woman to lead the intelligence panel, a high-profile perch that gave her a central oversight role over U.S. intelligence controversies, setbacks and triumphs, from the killing of Osama bin Laden to leaks about National Security Agency surveillance.Under Feinstein’s leadership, the intelligence committee conducted a wide-ranging, five-year investigation into CIA interrogation techniques during President George W. Bush’s administration, including waterboarding of terrorism suspects at secret overseas prisons. The resulting 6,300-page “torture report” concluded among other things that waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques" did not provide key evidence in the hunt for bin Laden. A 525-page executive summary was released in late 2014, but the rest of the report has remained classified.The Senate investigation was full of intrigue at the time, including documents that mysteriously disappeared and accusations traded between the Senate and the CIA that the other was stealing information. The drama was captured in a 2019 movie about the investigation called “The Report,” and actor Annette Bening was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Feinstein.In the years since, Feinstein has continued to push aggressively for eventual declassification of the report."It's my very strong belief that one day this report should be declassified," Feinstein said. "This must be a lesson learned: that torture doesn't work."Feinstein sometimes frustrated liberals by adopting moderate or hawkish positions that put her at odds with the left wing of the Democratic Party, as well as with the more liberal Boxer, who retired from the Senate in 2017. Feinstein defended the Obama administration’s expansive collection of Americans' phone and email records as necessary for protecting the country, for example, even as other Democratic senators voiced protests. “It’s called protecting America,” Feinstein said then.That tension escalated during Donald Trump’s presidency, when many Democrats had little appetite for compromise. Feinstein become the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel in 2016 and led her party’s messaging through three Supreme Court nominations -- a role that angered liberal advocacy groups that wanted to see a more aggressive partisan in charge.Feinstein closed out confirmation hearings for Justice Amy Coney Barrett with an embrace of Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and a public thanks to him for a job well done. “This has been one of the best set of hearings that I’ve participated in,” Feinstein said at the end of the hearing.Liberal advocacy groups that had fiercely opposed Barrett's nomination to replace the late liberal icon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg were furious and called for her to step down from the committee leadership.A month later, Feinstein announced she would remain on the committee but step down as the top Democrat. The senator, then 87 years old, did not say why. In a statement, she said she would “continue to do my utmost to bring about positive change in the coming years.”Feinstein was born on June 22, 1933. Her father, Leon Goldman, was a prominent surgeon and medical school professor in San Francisco, but her mother was an abusive woman with a violent temper that was often directed at Feinstein and her two younger sisters.Feinstein graduated from Stanford University in 1955, with a bachelor’s degree in history. She married young and was a divorced single mother of her daughter, Katherine, in 1960, at a time when such a status was still unusual.In 1961, Feinstein was appointed by then-Gov. Pat Brown to the women's parole board, on which she served before running for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Typical of the era, much of the early coverage of her entrance into public life focused on her appearance, and she was invariably described as stunning, tall, slender and raven-haired.Feinstein's second husband, Bert Feinstein, was 19 years older than she, but she described the marriage as "a 10" and kept his name even after his death from cancer in 1978. In 1980, she married investment banker Richard Blum, and thanks to his wealth, she was one of the richest members of the Senate. He died in February 2022.

Dianne Feinstein dies at 90; longest-serving woman in U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is just hours<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-18ef8a03363d31742c5b4c5ecb23506f">&nbsp;away from a shutdown</a>&nbsp;that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands, force a confrontation over federal spending.

While some government entities will be exempt — Social Security checks, for example, will still go out — other functions will be severely curtailed. Federal agencies will stop all actions deemed non-essential, and millions of federal employees, including members of the military, won't receive paychecks.

A look at what's ahead if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-mccarthy-congress-house-republicans-biden-249d83636e9d61cdd2aabdf34a129514">the government shuts down</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.

A shutdown happens when Congress fails to pass some type of funding legislation that is signed into law by the president. Lawmakers are supposed to pass 12 different spending bills to fund agencies across the government, but the process is time-consuming. They often resort to passing a temporary extension, called a continuing resolution or CR, to allow the government to keep operating.

When no funding legislation is enacted, federal agencies have to stop all nonessential work and will not send paychecks as long as the shutdown lasts.

Although employees deemed essential to public safety such as air traffic controllers and law enforcement officers still have to report to work, other federal employees are furloughed. Under a 2019 law, those same workers are slated to receive backpay once the funding impasse is resolved.

WHEN WOULD A SHUTDOWN BEGIN AND HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?

Government funding expires Oct. 1, the start of the federal budget year. A shutdown will effectively begin at 12:01 a.m. Sunday if Congress is unable to pass a funding plan that the president signs into law.

It is impossible to predict how long a shutdown would last. The Democratic-held Senate and Republican-controlled House are working on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-republicans-e4c37673b6507deaed2902f2166ef759">vastly different plans</a>&nbsp;to avert a shutdown, and House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;is struggling to win&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-18ef8a03363d31742c5b4c5ecb23506f">any support from hard-right</a>&nbsp;conservatives to keep the government open.

Many are bracing for a stoppage that could last weeks.

Millions of federal workers face delayed paychecks when the government shuts down, including many of the roughly 2 million military personnel and more than 2 million civilian workers across the nation.

Nearly 60% of federal workers are stationed in the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security.

While all of the military's active-duty troops and reservists would continue to work, more than half of the Department of Defense's civilian workforce, which is roughly 440,000 people, would be furloughed.

Across federal agencies, workers are stationed in all 50 states and have direct interaction with taxpayers — from Transportation Security Administration agents who operate security at airports to Postal Service workers who deliver mail.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has said new training for air traffic controllers will be halted and another 1,000 controllers in the midst of training will be furloughed. Even a shutdown that lasts a few days will mean the department won't hit its hiring and staffing targets for next year, he said.

“Imagine the pressure that a controller is already under every time they take their position at work, and then imagine the added stress of coming to that job from a household with a family that can no longer count on that paycheck," Buttigieg said.

Beyond federal workers, a shutdown could have far-reaching effects on government services. People applying for government services like clinical trials, firearm permits and passports could see delays.

Some federal offices will also have to close or face shortened hours during a shutdown.

Businesses closely connected to the federal government, such as federal contractors or tourist services around national parks, could see disruptions and downturns. The travel sector could lose $140 million daily in a shutdown, according to the U.S. Travel Industry Association.

Lawmakers also warn that a shutdown could rattle financial markets. Goldman Sachs has estimated that a shutdown would reduce economic growth by 0.2% every week it lasted, but growth would then bounce back after the government reopens.

Others say the disruption in government services has far-reaching impacts because it shakes confidence in the government to fulfill its basic duties. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned, “A well-functioning economy requires a functioning government.”

WHAT ABOUT COURT CASES, THE WORK OF CONGRESS AND PRESIDENTIAL PAY?

The president and members of Congress will continue to work and get paid. However, any members of their staff who are not deemed essential will be furloughed.

The Supreme Court, which begins its new term Monday, would be unaffected by a short shutdown because it can draw on a pot of money provided by court fees, including charges for filing lawsuits and other documents, court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said.

The rest of the federal judiciary also would operate normally for at least the first two weeks of October, said Peter Kaplan, a spokesman for the judiciary.

Even in a longer shutdown, the entire judiciary would not shut down, and decisions about what activities would continue would be made by each court around the country. The justices and all federal judges would continue to be paid because of the constitutional prohibition on reducing judges’ pay during their tenure, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Notably, funding for the three special counsels appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland would not be affected by a government shutdown because they are paid for through a permanent, indefinite appropriation, an area that’s been exempted from shutdowns in the past.

That means the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">two federal cases</a>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, the former president, as well as the case against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>, the son of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, would not be interrupted. Trump has demanded that Republicans defund the prosecutions against him as a condition of funding the government, declaring it their “last chance” to act.

Prior to the 1980s, lapses in government funding did not result in government operations significantly shuttering. But then-U.S. Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti, in a series of legal opinions in 1980 and 1981, argued that government agencies cannot legally operate during a funding gap.

Federal officials have since operated under an understanding they can make exemptions for functions that are “essential” for public safety and constitutional duties.

Since 1976, there have been 22 funding gaps, with 10 of them leading to workers being furloughed. But most of the significant shutdowns have taken place since Bill Clinton's presidency, when then-Speaker Newt Gingrich and his conservative House majority demanded budget cuts.

The longest government shutdown happened between 2018 and 2019 when then-President Trump and congressional Democrats entered a standoff over his demand for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2f4affc2b2ed426e823fd62102696670">funding for a border wall</a>. The disruption lasted 35 days, through the holiday season, but was also only a partial government shutdown because Congress had passed some appropriations bills to fund parts of the government.

It's the responsibility of Congress to fund the government. The House and Senate have to agree to fund the government in some way, and the president has to sign the legislation into law.

The two sides are deeply entrenched and nowhere near reaching a deal to avert a shutdown.

But if the shutdown lasts for weeks, pressure will build to end the impasse, particularly if active-duty military members miss pay dates on Oct. 13 or Nov. 1. If the wider public starts seeing disruptions in air travel or border security as workers go unpaid, it will further goad Congress to act.

Congress often relies on a so-called continuing resolution, or CR, to provide stopgap money to open government offices at current levels as budget talks are underway. Money for pressing national priorities, such as emergency assistance for victims of natural disasters, is often attached to a short-term bill.

But hardline Republicans say any temporary bill is a non-starter for them. They are pushing to keep the government shut down until Congress negotiates all 12 bills that fund the government, which is historically a laborious undertaking that isn't resolved until December, at the earliest.

Trump, who is Biden's top rival heading into the 2024 election, is urging on the Republican hardliners.

If they are successful, the shutdown could last weeks, perhaps even longer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695951910798.png" alt="FILE - A sign reading "Because of the Federal Government SHUTDOWN All National Parks are Closed" is posted on a barricade in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Oct. 1, 2013. The federal government is heading toward a shutdown at month's end that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics. It comes as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands for deep cuts, force a confrontation over federal spending. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - A sign reading "Because of the Federal Government SHUTDOWN All National Parks are Closed" is posted on a barricade in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Oct. 1, 2013. The federal government is heading toward a shutdown at month's end that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics. It comes as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands for deep cuts, force a confrontation over federal spending. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is just hours<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-18ef8a03363d31742c5b4c5ecb23506f">&nbsp;away from a shutdown</a>&nbsp;that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands, force a confrontation over federal spending.While some government entities will be exempt — Social Security checks, for example, will still go out — other functions will be severely curtailed. Federal agencies will stop all actions deemed non-essential, and millions of federal employees, including members of the military, won't receive paychecks.A look at what's ahead if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-mccarthy-congress-house-republicans-biden-249d83636e9d61cdd2aabdf34a129514">the government shuts down</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.WHAT IS A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN?A shutdown happens when Congress fails to pass some type of funding legislation that is signed into law by the president. Lawmakers are supposed to pass 12 different spending bills to fund agencies across the government, but the process is time-consuming. They often resort to passing a temporary extension, called a continuing resolution or CR, to allow the government to keep operating.When no funding legislation is enacted, federal agencies have to stop all nonessential work and will not send paychecks as long as the shutdown lasts.Although employees deemed essential to public safety such as air traffic controllers and law enforcement officers still have to report to work, other federal employees are furloughed. Under a 2019 law, those same workers are slated to receive backpay once the funding impasse is resolved.WHEN WOULD A SHUTDOWN BEGIN AND HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?Government funding expires Oct. 1, the start of the federal budget year. A shutdown will effectively begin at 12:01 a.m. Sunday if Congress is unable to pass a funding plan that the president signs into law.It is impossible to predict how long a shutdown would last. The Democratic-held Senate and Republican-controlled House are working on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-republicans-e4c37673b6507deaed2902f2166ef759">vastly different plans</a>&nbsp;to avert a shutdown, and House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;is struggling to win&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-18ef8a03363d31742c5b4c5ecb23506f">any support from hard-right</a>&nbsp;conservatives to keep the government open.Many are bracing for a stoppage that could last weeks.WHO DOES A SHUTDOWN AFFECT?Millions of federal workers face delayed paychecks when the government shuts down, including many of the roughly 2 million military personnel and more than 2 million civilian workers across the nation.Nearly 60% of federal workers are stationed in the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security.While all of the military's active-duty troops and reservists would continue to work, more than half of the Department of Defense's civilian workforce, which is roughly 440,000 people, would be furloughed.Across federal agencies, workers are stationed in all 50 states and have direct interaction with taxpayers — from Transportation Security Administration agents who operate security at airports to Postal Service workers who deliver mail.U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has said new training for air traffic controllers will be halted and another 1,000 controllers in the midst of training will be furloughed. Even a shutdown that lasts a few days will mean the department won't hit its hiring and staffing targets for next year, he said.“Imagine the pressure that a controller is already under every time they take their position at work, and then imagine the added stress of coming to that job from a household with a family that can no longer count on that paycheck," Buttigieg said.Beyond federal workers, a shutdown could have far-reaching effects on government services. People applying for government services like clinical trials, firearm permits and passports could see delays.Some federal offices will also have to close or face shortened hours during a shutdown.Businesses closely connected to the federal government, such as federal contractors or tourist services around national parks, could see disruptions and downturns. The travel sector could lose $140 million daily in a shutdown, according to the U.S. Travel Industry Association.Lawmakers also warn that a shutdown could rattle financial markets. Goldman Sachs has estimated that a shutdown would reduce economic growth by 0.2% every week it lasted, but growth would then bounce back after the government reopens.Others say the disruption in government services has far-reaching impacts because it shakes confidence in the government to fulfill its basic duties. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned, “A well-functioning economy requires a functioning government.”WHAT ABOUT COURT CASES, THE WORK OF CONGRESS AND PRESIDENTIAL PAY?The president and members of Congress will continue to work and get paid. However, any members of their staff who are not deemed essential will be furloughed.The Supreme Court, which begins its new term Monday, would be unaffected by a short shutdown because it can draw on a pot of money provided by court fees, including charges for filing lawsuits and other documents, court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said.The rest of the federal judiciary also would operate normally for at least the first two weeks of October, said Peter Kaplan, a spokesman for the judiciary.Even in a longer shutdown, the entire judiciary would not shut down, and decisions about what activities would continue would be made by each court around the country. The justices and all federal judges would continue to be paid because of the constitutional prohibition on reducing judges’ pay during their tenure, according to the Congressional Research Service.Notably, funding for the three special counsels appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland would not be affected by a government shutdown because they are paid for through a permanent, indefinite appropriation, an area that’s been exempted from shutdowns in the past.That means the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">two federal cases</a>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, the former president, as well as the case against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>, the son of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, would not be interrupted. Trump has demanded that Republicans defund the prosecutions against him as a condition of funding the government, declaring it their “last chance” to act.HAS THIS HAPPENED BEFORE?Prior to the 1980s, lapses in government funding did not result in government operations significantly shuttering. But then-U.S. Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti, in a series of legal opinions in 1980 and 1981, argued that government agencies cannot legally operate during a funding gap.Federal officials have since operated under an understanding they can make exemptions for functions that are “essential” for public safety and constitutional duties.Since 1976, there have been 22 funding gaps, with 10 of them leading to workers being furloughed. But most of the significant shutdowns have taken place since Bill Clinton's presidency, when then-Speaker Newt Gingrich and his conservative House majority demanded budget cuts.The longest government shutdown happened between 2018 and 2019 when then-President Trump and congressional Democrats entered a standoff over his demand for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2f4affc2b2ed426e823fd62102696670">funding for a border wall</a>. The disruption lasted 35 days, through the holiday season, but was also only a partial government shutdown because Congress had passed some appropriations bills to fund parts of the government.WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO END A SHUTDOWN?It's the responsibility of Congress to fund the government. The House and Senate have to agree to fund the government in some way, and the president has to sign the legislation into law.The two sides are deeply entrenched and nowhere near reaching a deal to avert a shutdown.But if the shutdown lasts for weeks, pressure will build to end the impasse, particularly if active-duty military members miss pay dates on Oct. 13 or Nov. 1. If the wider public starts seeing disruptions in air travel or border security as workers go unpaid, it will further goad Congress to act.Congress often relies on a so-called continuing resolution, or CR, to provide stopgap money to open government offices at current levels as budget talks are underway. Money for pressing national priorities, such as emergency assistance for victims of natural disasters, is often attached to a short-term bill.But hardline Republicans say any temporary bill is a non-starter for them. They are pushing to keep the government shut down until Congress negotiates all 12 bills that fund the government, which is historically a laborious undertaking that isn't resolved until December, at the earliest.Trump, who is Biden's top rival heading into the 2024 election, is urging on the Republican hardliners.If they are successful, the shutdown could last weeks, perhaps even longer.

Government shutdown is near. What it means, who's hit and what's next?

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on Thursday voted to override President Biden’s veto which dismissed the bipartisan Senate Resolution of Disapproval to overturn the listing of the lesser prairie-chicken as part of the&nbsp;Endangered Species Act&nbsp;(ESA):

“Kansas farmers, ranchers and landowners are exceptional stewards of their land because they understand that healthy land is the lifeblood of their communities," Moran wrote in a statement following the vote.

"For years, landowners in Kansas have and continue to work with partners at every level of government to improve wildlife habitat throughout the Plains."

"With the stroke of his pen, President Biden sided against the will of Congress and the interest of Kansans who understand and work their lands. The continued listing of the lesser prairie-chicken will not benefit the species and is counterproductive to conservation efforts throughout the bird’s range.”

After the Biden administration announced its decision to list the lesser prairie-chicken as endangered under the&nbsp;Endangered Species Act, Sen. Moran joined Senator Marshall to introduce a Resolution of Disapproval under the&nbsp;Congressional Review Act.

This resolution passed Congress in May 2023. This week the President vetoed it. The vote to override a presidential veto requires a two-thirds majority vote, and the vote did not reach the necessary threshold to overturn the veto.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681936745789.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Photo by CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Photo by CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on Thursday voted to override President Biden’s veto which dismissed the bipartisan Senate Resolution of Disapproval to overturn the listing of the lesser prairie-chicken as part of the&nbsp;Endangered Species Act&nbsp;(ESA):“Kansas farmers, ranchers and landowners are exceptional stewards of their land because they understand that healthy land is the lifeblood of their communities," Moran wrote in a statement following the vote."For years, landowners in Kansas have and continue to work with partners at every level of government to improve wildlife habitat throughout the Plains.""With the stroke of his pen, President Biden sided against the will of Congress and the interest of Kansans who understand and work their lands. The continued listing of the lesser prairie-chicken will not benefit the species and is counterproductive to conservation efforts throughout the bird’s range.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Biden Admin&#39;s war on American agriculture continued with his veto on our Lesser Prairie Chicken resolution. Time and time again they show how out of touch they are with our farmers &amp; ranchers, and rural America’s commitment to the environment. I will keep up our fight. <a href="https://t.co/znLnEA7am7">pic.twitter.com/znLnEA7am7</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1707515359463428164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>After the Biden administration announced its decision to list the lesser prairie-chicken as endangered under the&nbsp;Endangered Species Act, Sen. Moran joined Senator Marshall to introduce a Resolution of Disapproval under the&nbsp;Congressional Review Act. This resolution passed Congress in May 2023. This week the President vetoed it. The vote to override a presidential veto requires a two-thirds majority vote, and the vote did not reach the necessary threshold to overturn the veto.

Vote to override Biden's veto of  lesser prairie chicken protections fails

KANSAS CITY —A licensed chiropractor, who has worked since the 1980s at Health Plus in Oak Grove, Missouri, faces multiple criminal charges in connection with sexual assaults of juveniles and adult women, mostly from the Amish community, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

David B. Clark, 70, faces Statutory Sodomy 1st&nbsp;Degree, three counts of Statutory Sodomy 2nd&nbsp;Degree, Sexual Abuse 1st&nbsp;Degree and one count of Sodomy 2nd&nbsp;Degree.

According to court records, multiple victims traveled to Clark’s Clinic in Oak Grove for treatments over decades. Some victims attended many appointments over multiple years and suffered abuse. During their visits he included pelvic and breast examinations under the guise of legitimate medical procedure. Many victims were from the Amish community and lacked sex education and had little interaction with health providers.

This case was investigated by the FBI in Kansas City.

We encourage any other suspected victims of abuse to contact law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695685358261.png" alt="Clark-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Clark-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A licensed chiropractor, who has worked since the 1980s at Health Plus in Oak Grove, Missouri, faces multiple criminal charges in connection with sexual assaults of juveniles and adult women, mostly from the Amish community, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.David B. Clark, 70, faces Statutory Sodomy 1st&nbsp;Degree, three counts of Statutory Sodomy 2nd&nbsp;Degree, Sexual Abuse 1st&nbsp;Degree and one count of Sodomy 2nd&nbsp;Degree.According to court records, multiple victims traveled to Clark’s Clinic in Oak Grove for treatments over decades. Some victims attended many appointments over multiple years and suffered abuse. During their visits he included pelvic and breast examinations under the guise of legitimate medical procedure. Many victims were from the Amish community and lacked sex education and had little interaction with health providers.This case was investigated by the FBI in Kansas City.We encourage any other suspected victims of abuse to contact law enforcement.

KC-area chiropractor charged with multiple sex crimes against patients

MEADE COUNTY — One person died in an accident just before 12:30 p.m. Thursday in Meade County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Union Pacific train struck a self-propelled swather driven by Seth O. Beaver, 26, Plains, who was eastbound on L Road and crossed the train tracks.

Beaver was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Miller Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP. There were no other injuries reported.

MEADE COUNTY — One person died in an accident just before 12:30 p.m. Thursday in Meade County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Union Pacific train struck a self-propelled swather driven by Seth O. Beaver, 26, Plains, who was eastbound on L Road and crossed the train tracks.Beaver was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Miller Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP. There were no other injuries reported.

Kansas man dies after train strikes self-propelled swather

SEDGWICK — A 16-year-old Kansas boy has been charged as an adult in connection to the&nbsp;fatal shooting&nbsp; of his friend.

Makyh Townes was charged with second-degree murder; unintentionally but reckless, and criminal possession of a firearm by a minor, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after&nbsp;8:30 p.m. Jan. 14, police responded to a shooting call at the 2200 block of South Millwood Street in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Officers located&nbsp; 16-year-old Seaquori Smith of Wichita inside the residence with a single gunshot wound to his upper body.&nbsp; EMS transported the boy to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

The investigation revealed Smith was hanging out inside the residence with then 15-year- Makyh Townes. Townes was recklessly manipulating a firearm when a single shot was fired striking Smith in the upper body.

Townes called 911 and reported the incident.&nbsp; Townes&nbsp; is also charged in two other cases, according to the district attorney's office.&nbsp; His next court appearance is scheduled for October 10.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695856831336.png" alt="Townes-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Townes-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK — A 16-year-old Kansas boy has been charged as an adult in connection to the&nbsp;fatal shooting&nbsp; of his friend.Makyh Townes was charged with second-degree murder; unintentionally but reckless, and criminal possession of a firearm by a minor, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after&nbsp;8:30 p.m. Jan. 14, police responded to a shooting call at the 2200 block of South Millwood Street in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Officers located&nbsp; 16-year-old Seaquori Smith of Wichita inside the residence with a single gunshot wound to his upper body.&nbsp; EMS transported the boy to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.The investigation revealed Smith was hanging out inside the residence with then 15-year- Makyh Townes. Townes was recklessly manipulating a firearm when a single shot was fired striking Smith in the upper body.Townes called 911 and reported the incident.&nbsp; Townes&nbsp; is also charged in two other cases, according to the district attorney's office.&nbsp; His next court appearance is scheduled for October 10.

Murder: Kan. teen recklessly handled a firearm, killed a friend

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Authorities are investigating after a&nbsp;46-year-old Lawrence man tried to repeatedly stab a 38-year-old man.

Just before midnight Tuesday, police were sent to a residence in the 700 block of North 3rd Street for a report of two men allegedly fighting in the street, according to a media release.

When officers arrived on-scene, no one was actively fighting, but they soon learned the suspect had come to the residence intending to stab the victim. 

Witnesses reported the suspect had brandished a knife and made multiple unsuccessful attempts to stab the victim. The suspect and victim were known to each other. The suspect was booked into the Douglas County Correctional Facility on requested charges of attempted first-degree murder. Police will present the case will to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for charging consideration. No injuries were reported in the incident. Police did not release the name of the suspect.

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Authorities are investigating after a&nbsp;46-year-old Lawrence man tried to repeatedly stab a 38-year-old man.Just before midnight Tuesday, police were sent to a residence in the 700 block of North 3rd Street for a report of two men allegedly fighting in the street, according to a media release.When officers arrived on-scene, no one was actively fighting, but they soon learned the suspect had come to the residence intending to stab the victim. Witnesses reported the suspect had brandished a knife and made multiple unsuccessful attempts to stab the victim. The suspect and victim were known to each other. The suspect was booked into the Douglas County Correctional Facility on requested charges of attempted first-degree murder. Police will present the case will to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for charging consideration. No injuries were reported in the incident. Police did not release the name of the suspect.

Man accused in attempted knife attack at Kansas home

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the shooting that injured two men in Wichita.

Just after 10:30 pm, Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting call in the 300 block of E. Harry, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Officers located two shooting victims a 25-year-old man and a 23-year-old man.

Both victims were transported to local area hospitals with critical, but non-life-threatening injuries.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the 23-year-old entered a local store attempting to rob the 25-year-old, which resulted in an exchange of gunfire.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695929717353.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 authorities are investigating the shooting that injured two men in Wichita.Just after 10:30 pm, Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting call in the 300 block of E. Harry, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.Officers located two shooting victims a 25-year-old man and a 23-year-old man.Both victims were transported to local area hospitals with critical, but non-life-threatening injuries.Preliminary investigation revealed that the 23-year-old entered a local store attempting to rob the 25-year-old, which resulted in an exchange of gunfire.&nbsp;

Robbery gunfight critically injured two Kansas men 

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans launched a formal impeachment hearing Thursday against President Joe Biden, promising to “provide accountability” as they probe the family finances and lucrative business dealings of his son Hunter and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-hunter-house-republicans-impeachment-inquiry-f679eb1239cd4f7b5f06949cc1445567">make their case</a>&nbsp;to the public, colleagues and a skeptical Senate.

(Click below to watch a replay of the hearing.)

The chairmen of the Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means committees used the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-oversight-republicans-impeachment-6f454b9ea2d38468a848c495bda0b5bf">opening hearing</a>&nbsp;to review the constitutional and legal questions involved with impeachment. They are trying to show what they say are links to Biden's son Hunter’s overseas businesses, though key witnesses said they do not yet see hard evidence of impeachable offenses.

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky, the Oversight chairman, said the lawmakers have “a mountain of evidence” that will show that the elder Biden “abused his public office for his family's financial gain.”

Comer announced he was issuing subpoenas for additional banking records from Hunter Biden and the president's brother, James Biden. He said the panel will continue to “follow the money and the evidence to provide accountability.”

It’s a high-stakes opening act for Republicans, taking place just before a potential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-18ef8a03363d31742c5b4c5ecb23506f">federal government shutdown</a>, as they begin a process that can lead to the ultimate penalty for a president, dismissal from office for what the Constitution describes as “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

The White House pushed back with statements throughout the hearing saying nothing can distract from the Republicans’ inability to govern as the shutdown loomed. Spokesperson Sharon Yang called the hearing a “baseless stunt” and said, “President Biden will always stay focused on the priorities of the American people – not these political games.”

The more than six-hour hearing came as House Republicans face scattered resistance to an impeachment inquiry from their own ranks and deep reluctance in the Senate from Republicans who worry about political ramifications and say Biden’s conviction and removal from office is unlikely.

As the hearing began, Democrats displayed a screen showing the days, hours and minutes left until the government shuts down as Congress struggles to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-biden-trump-mccarthy-f1b06964cf549b09977677e5f70bf9ff">fund the government</a>&nbsp;before Saturday’s deadline.

“We’re 62 hours away from shutting down the government of the United States of America and Republicans are launching an impeachment drive, based on a long debunked and discredited lie,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the Oversight panel.

Raskin questioned the legitimacy of the hearing since the House has not voted to formally launch the impeachment inquiry. He said Republicans are rehashing five-year-old allegations raised by Donald Trump, who is Biden’s chief rival in 2024, during the former president's 2019 impeachment over Ukraine.

“They don’t have a shred of evidence against President Biden for an impeachable offense,” he said.

The hearing Thursday did not feature witnesses with information about the Bidens or Hunter Biden's business. Instead, the panel heard from outside experts in tax law, criminal investigations and constitutional legal theory.

A top Republican-called witness, Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor who is an expert in impeachment issues, said he believed the House had passed the threshold for an inquiry but that the current evidence was not enough for charges.

“I do not believe that the current evidence would support articles of impeachment,” Turley said.

Democrats, who decry the investigation as a political ploy aimed at hurting Biden and helping Trump as he runs again for president, brought in Michael Gerhardt, a law professor who has also appeared as an expert in previous impeachment proceedings.