WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;was indicted Thursday on federal firearms charges, the latest step in a long-running investigation into the president's son that puts the case on track toward a possible high-stakes trial as the 2024 election looms.&nbsp; &nbsp;During a campaign stop Thursday, President Biden dodged questions about the indictment.

(click below to watch President Biden during his campaign event in Maryland)

<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ded.82797/gov.uscourts.ded.82797.40.0.pdf">CLICK here</a>&nbsp;to read the indictment of Hunter Biden.

Hunter Biden is accused of lying about his drug use when he bought a firearm in October 2018, a period when he has acknowledged struggling with addiction to crack cocaine, according to the indictment filed in federal court in Delaware by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-investigation-justice-garland-ad1034e274570d65032f8e4f47c0c8f6">a special counsel</a>&nbsp;overseeing the case.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23977714-hunter-biden-indictment">The indictment</a>&nbsp;comes weeks after the collapse of a plea deal that would have averted a criminal trial and distracting headlines for President Joe Biden.

The court fight doesn't seem likely to end soon. Hunter Biden's defense attorney argues he didn't violate the law and remains protected by an immunity provision that was part of the plea deal. The charges, meanwhile, are rarely filed as stand-alone counts and a federal appeals court recently found the measure he was charged under unconstitutional.

He's also been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-doj-2024-election-39a0268a3e2d4a0df1bed285d769b74a">under investigation for his business dealings</a>, and the special counsel has indicated that tax charges could be filed at some point in Washington or in California, where he lives.

The legal arguing comes as a political fight also plays out. The House has formally opened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-biden-impeachment-shutdown-house-republicans-b187202be8814f7acbdd6e2e937e23d4">an impeachment inquiry</a>&nbsp;into the Democratic president, seeking to tie the elder Biden to his son’s businesses and divert attention away from former President Donald Trump’s own legal woes. Trump's include federal indictments over the handling of classified documents and efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.

Republicans have unearthed no significant evidence so far of wrongdoing by the elder Biden, who as vice president spoke often to his son and stopped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-oversight-republicans-devon-archer-4b706443a04e0c40a80c65e24d7d69dc">by a business dinner</a>&nbsp;with his son’s associates. The White House maintains Joe Biden was not involved in his son’s business affairs.

Republicans had slammed the plea agreement that spared Hunter Biden jail time as a “sweetheart deal.” Rep. James Comer, the lead Republican pursing the impeachment inquiry, called the gun charges “a very small start” and pushed for investigation of whether the president was involved in his son’s business dealings. Trump also pointed to the lack of connection to Joe Biden in the gun charge plea agreement.

Federal prosecutors investigating Hunter Biden have not indicated Joe Biden is connected over the course of their yearslong probe. The lead prosecutor, Trump-appointed Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, was elevated to special counsel last month, giving him broad authority to investigate and report out his findings.

The three-count indictment he filed Thursday alleges Hunter Biden lied on a form required for every gun purchase when he bought a .38-caliber Colt Cobra Special at a Wilmington, Delaware, gun shop.

He's charged with two counts of making false statements, first for checking a box falsely saying he was not addicted to drugs and second for giving it to the shop for their federally required records. A third count alleges he possessed the gun for about 11 days despite knowing he was a drug user.

The counts are punishable by up to 25 years in prison if convicted, though “actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum sentence,” a Justice Department statement from Weiss said.

A felony gun charge against Hunter Biden, 53, had previously been part of the plea deal that also included guilty pleas to misdemeanor charges of failing to pay taxes on about $4 million of income in 2017 and 2018.

Under the terms, he would not have pleaded guilty to the gun charge, and prosecutors would have agreed to dismiss it if he stayed out of trouble for two years. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-plea-deal-congress-republicans-investigation-ad80b195c8c0f48241740881cf9b9bce">the agreement imploded</a>&nbsp;during a court hearing in July when a judge raised questions about it.

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell argued that part of the deal, which includes immunity provisions against other potential charges, remains in place. He said in a statement that Hunter Biden “possessing an unloaded gun for 11 days” presented no threat to public safety and slammed “'MAGA Republicans’ improper and partisan interference in this process,” a reference to Trump's “Make America Great Again” slogan.

Lowell took over after Hunter Biden's previous lawyer in the case, Christopher Clark, withdrew, saying he might be called to testify about the immunity provisions.

Prosecutors maintain the agreement never took effect and is now invalid.

Charges related to gun possession by drug users are rare, especially when not in connection with other crimes. Of all the people sentenced for illegal gun possession in 2021, about 5% were charged due to drug use, according to U.S. Sentencing Commission data.

Most such cases are brought against people accused of some other crime as well, said Adam Winkler, a constitutional law professor and expert in gun policy at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. “It’s relatively rare to prosecute someone for being a substance abuser in possession of firearms, absent other criminal activity, or unusual circumstances,” he said.

A federal appeals court recently found the longstanding purchase ban didn’t stand up to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">new standards for gun laws</a>&nbsp;set by the Supreme Court. The Fifth Circuit found the nation's “history and traditions” don't support “disarming a sober citizen based exclusively on his past drug use.”

Congressional Republicans, meanwhile, have continued their own investigations into nearly every aspect of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-presidential-election-9d4595ba4f3140c6bb6a3473a91f4a4c">Hunter Biden’s business dealings</a>&nbsp;as well as the Justice Department’s handling of the case.

Two FBI agents who worked on the Hunter Biden case testified separately behind closed doors this week to lawmakers about allegations of political interference in the case. Thomas Sobocinski, the special agent in charge of the Baltimore Field Office of the FBI and an unidentified agent who served as his No. 2, told Congress that Weiss had full authority of the yearslong investigation, rebutting IRS whistleblower testimony that the Justice Department slow-walked the probe.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;was indicted Thursday on federal firearms charges, the latest step in a long-running investigation into the president's son that puts the case on track toward a possible high-stakes trial as the 2024 election looms.&nbsp; &nbsp;During a campaign stop Thursday, President Biden dodged questions about the indictment.(click below to watch President Biden during his campaign event in Maryland)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F6921164927902658%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1889" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div><a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ded.82797/gov.uscourts.ded.82797.40.0.pdf">CLICK here</a>&nbsp;to read the indictment of Hunter Biden.Hunter Biden is accused of lying about his drug use when he bought a firearm in October 2018, a period when he has acknowledged struggling with addiction to crack cocaine, according to the indictment filed in federal court in Delaware by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-investigation-justice-garland-ad1034e274570d65032f8e4f47c0c8f6">a special counsel</a>&nbsp;overseeing the case.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23977714-hunter-biden-indictment">The indictment</a>&nbsp;comes weeks after the collapse of a plea deal that would have averted a criminal trial and distracting headlines for President Joe Biden.The court fight doesn't seem likely to end soon. Hunter Biden's defense attorney argues he didn't violate the law and remains protected by an immunity provision that was part of the plea deal. The charges, meanwhile, are rarely filed as stand-alone counts and a federal appeals court recently found the measure he was charged under unconstitutional.He's also been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-doj-2024-election-39a0268a3e2d4a0df1bed285d769b74a">under investigation for his business dealings</a>, and the special counsel has indicated that tax charges could be filed at some point in Washington or in California, where he lives.The legal arguing comes as a political fight also plays out. The House has formally opened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-biden-impeachment-shutdown-house-republicans-b187202be8814f7acbdd6e2e937e23d4">an impeachment inquiry</a>&nbsp;into the Democratic president, seeking to tie the elder Biden to his son’s businesses and divert attention away from former President Donald Trump’s own legal woes. Trump's include federal indictments over the handling of classified documents and efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.Republicans have unearthed no significant evidence so far of wrongdoing by the elder Biden, who as vice president spoke often to his son and stopped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-oversight-republicans-devon-archer-4b706443a04e0c40a80c65e24d7d69dc">by a business dinner</a>&nbsp;with his son’s associates. The White House maintains Joe Biden was not involved in his son’s business affairs.Republicans had slammed the plea agreement that spared Hunter Biden jail time as a “sweetheart deal.” Rep. James Comer, the lead Republican pursing the impeachment inquiry, called the gun charges “a very small start” and pushed for investigation of whether the president was involved in his son’s business dealings. Trump also pointed to the lack of connection to Joe Biden in the gun charge plea agreement.Federal prosecutors investigating Hunter Biden have not indicated Joe Biden is connected over the course of their yearslong probe. The lead prosecutor, Trump-appointed Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, was elevated to special counsel last month, giving him broad authority to investigate and report out his findings.The three-count indictment he filed Thursday alleges Hunter Biden lied on a form required for every gun purchase when he bought a .38-caliber Colt Cobra Special at a Wilmington, Delaware, gun shop.He's charged with two counts of making false statements, first for checking a box falsely saying he was not addicted to drugs and second for giving it to the shop for their federally required records. A third count alleges he possessed the gun for about 11 days despite knowing he was a drug user.The counts are punishable by up to 25 years in prison if convicted, though “actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum sentence,” a Justice Department statement from Weiss said.A felony gun charge against Hunter Biden, 53, had previously been part of the plea deal that also included guilty pleas to misdemeanor charges of failing to pay taxes on about $4 million of income in 2017 and 2018.Under the terms, he would not have pleaded guilty to the gun charge, and prosecutors would have agreed to dismiss it if he stayed out of trouble for two years. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-plea-deal-congress-republicans-investigation-ad80b195c8c0f48241740881cf9b9bce">the agreement imploded</a>&nbsp;during a court hearing in July when a judge raised questions about it.Defense attorney Abbe Lowell argued that part of the deal, which includes immunity provisions against other potential charges, remains in place. He said in a statement that Hunter Biden “possessing an unloaded gun for 11 days” presented no threat to public safety and slammed “'MAGA Republicans’ improper and partisan interference in this process,” a reference to Trump's “Make America Great Again” slogan.Lowell took over after Hunter Biden's previous lawyer in the case, Christopher Clark, withdrew, saying he might be called to testify about the immunity provisions.Prosecutors maintain the agreement never took effect and is now invalid.Charges related to gun possession by drug users are rare, especially when not in connection with other crimes. Of all the people sentenced for illegal gun possession in 2021, about 5% were charged due to drug use, according to U.S. Sentencing Commission data.Most such cases are brought against people accused of some other crime as well, said Adam Winkler, a constitutional law professor and expert in gun policy at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. “It’s relatively rare to prosecute someone for being a substance abuser in possession of firearms, absent other criminal activity, or unusual circumstances,” he said.A federal appeals court recently found the longstanding purchase ban didn’t stand up to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">new standards for gun laws</a>&nbsp;set by the Supreme Court. The Fifth Circuit found the nation's “history and traditions” don't support “disarming a sober citizen based exclusively on his past drug use.”Congressional Republicans, meanwhile, have continued their own investigations into nearly every aspect of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-presidential-election-9d4595ba4f3140c6bb6a3473a91f4a4c">Hunter Biden’s business dealings</a>&nbsp;as well as the Justice Department’s handling of the case.Two FBI agents who worked on the Hunter Biden case testified separately behind closed doors this week to lawmakers about allegations of political interference in the case. Thomas Sobocinski, the special agent in charge of the Baltimore Field Office of the FBI and an unidentified agent who served as his No. 2, told Congress that Weiss had full authority of the yearslong investigation, rebutting IRS whistleblower testimony that the Justice Department slow-walked the probe.

🎥 Biden dodges questions on son's indictment: 'I'll get in trouble'

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the crash of an ultralight aircraft that led to the pilot suffering severe burns.

Just before 7:30p.m. Thursday, the Clay County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call about the crash, according to a media release.

The aircraft had taken off from Liberty Landing Airport, 20424 E. Old 210 Highway, a small airstrip between Liberty and Missouri City adjacent to the Missouri River.

 The pilot was able to get out of the burning aircraft and walk back to the airport, where a bystander called 911. An ambulance transported him to the hospital where he was treated for severe burns.&nbsp;

It took deputies and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department's helicopter&nbsp;more than an hour to locate the wrecked ultralight in a nearby&nbsp;cornfield. 

Smoke was still coming from the aircraft. Firefighters from the Fishing River Fire District and Liberty Fire Department put the fire out.&nbsp;Adjacent railroad tracks were shut down during the investigation&nbsp;and may have sustained damage from the crash. The sheriff's department turned the investigation over to the FAA. Their investigators&nbsp; are to arrive Friday.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the crash of an ultralight aircraft that led to the pilot suffering severe burns.Just before 7:30p.m. Thursday, the Clay County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call about the crash, according to a media release.The aircraft had taken off from Liberty Landing Airport, 20424 E. Old 210 Highway, a small airstrip between Liberty and Missouri City adjacent to the Missouri River. The pilot was able to get out of the burning aircraft and walk back to the airport, where a bystander called 911. An ambulance transported him to the hospital where he was treated for severe burns.&nbsp;It took deputies and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department's helicopter&nbsp;more than an hour to locate the wrecked ultralight in a nearby&nbsp;cornfield. Smoke was still coming from the aircraft. Firefighters from the Fishing River Fire District and Liberty Fire Department put the fire out.&nbsp;Adjacent railroad tracks were shut down during the investigation&nbsp;and may have sustained damage from the crash. The sheriff's department turned the investigation over to the FAA. Their investigators&nbsp; are to arrive Friday.

Pilot critically burned after small plane crash near Kansas City

SUMNER COUNTY —Crews are busy working to open the rail line after a train derailment in rural Sumner County.

According to BNSF spokesperson Lena Kent, 17 cars carrying automobiles derailed seven miles west of Wellington, Kansas, just after 3:30p.m. Thursday.

There were no injuries reported and there is no danger to the public. The cause is under investigation. BNSF personnel are on site and working as quickly and safely as possible to clear the incident. It could take 24-36 hours.

A portion of Sumner Road is blocked which impacts a couple of homes and field entrances, according to Sumner County Sheriff's Lt. Mike Friday.

SUMNER COUNTY—Authorities are on the scene of train derailment in rural Sumner County.

Just before 3:30p.m. Thursday 16 cars of a westbound BNSF freight train derailed just east of Wellington, according to Sumner County Sheriff's Lt. Mike Friday.

There were no hazardous materials and no injuries reported. Crews hope to have the main line open in the next 24-36 hours, according to Lt. Friday. A portion of Sumner Road is blocked which impacts a couple of homes and field entrances.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Check the Post for additional details as them become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694786368704.png" alt="-BNSF personnel are on site and working as quickly and safely as possible to clear the incident. It could take 24-36 hours. -photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>-BNSF personnel are on site and working as quickly and safely as possible to clear the incident. It could take 24-36 hours. -photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY —Crews are busy working to open the rail line after a train derailment in rural Sumner County.According to BNSF spokesperson Lena Kent, 17 cars carrying automobiles derailed seven miles west of Wellington, Kansas, just after 3:30p.m. Thursday.There were no injuries reported and there is no danger to the public. The cause is under investigation. BNSF personnel are on site and working as quickly and safely as possible to clear the incident. It could take 24-36 hours.A portion of Sumner Road is blocked which impacts a couple of homes and field entrances, according to Sumner County Sheriff's Lt. Mike Friday.----------SUMNER COUNTY—Authorities are on the scene of train derailment in rural Sumner County.Just before 3:30p.m. Thursday 16 cars of a westbound BNSF freight train derailed just east of Wellington, according to Sumner County Sheriff's Lt. Mike Friday.There were no hazardous materials and no injuries reported. Crews hope to have the main line open in the next 24-36 hours, according to Lt. Friday. A portion of Sumner Road is blocked which impacts a couple of homes and field entrances.&nbsp;&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as them become available.

Crews continue work to clear rural Kansas train derailment 

DETROIT (AP) — About 13,000 U.S. auto workers stopped making vehicles and went on strike Friday after their leaders couldn’t bridge a giant gap between union demands in contract talks and what Detroit’s three automakers are willing to pay.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-ford-gm-stellantis-78ff5706878c1308cb45d63c8db7e99b">Members of the United Auto Workers</a>&nbsp;union began picketing at a General Motors assembly plant in Wentzville, Missouri; a Ford factory in Wayne, Michigan, near Detroit; and a Stellantis Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio.&nbsp; &nbsp;The GM plant in Kansas City, Kansas and the Ford Plant in Claycomo are not included in the initial UAW strike.

It was the first time in the union’s 88-year history that it walked out on all three companies simultaneously as four-year contracts expired at 11:59 p.m. Thursday.

The strikes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/automakers-cars-strike-pay-uaw-union-detroit-349a6e7281f1b07710cfcad511dcaa05">will likely chart the future of the union and of America’s homegrown auto industry</a>&nbsp;at a time when U.S. labor is flexing its might and the companies face a historic transition from building internal combustion automobiles to making electric vehicles.

If they last a long time, dealers could run short of vehicles and prices could rise, impacting a U.S. economy already under strain from elevated inflation. The walkout could even be a factor in next year’s presidential election by testing Joe Biden’s proud claim to be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-uaw-strike-unions-trump-2024-826a9a74a73497a62943d26c31d455c3">most union-friendly president in American history.</a>

“Workers all over the world are watching this,” said Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, a federation of 60 unions with 12.5 million members.

The strike is far different from those during previous UAW negotiations. Instead of going after one company, the union, led by its pugnacious new president, Shawn Fain, is striking at all three. But not all of the 146,000 UAW members at company plants are walking picket lines, at least not yet.

Instead, the UAW&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-auto-workers-strike-plan-general-motors-stellantis-ford-14ff9c7ababe5d3d13265b59bfbd8760">targeted a handful of factories</a>&nbsp;to prod company negotiators to raise their offers, which were far lower than union demands of 36% wage increases over four years. GM and Ford offered 20% and Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, offered 17.5%.

Outside the Ford plant in suburban Detroit, Britney Johnson, 35, who has worked for the company about 3 1/2 years and has yet to reach top union wages, said she’d like higher pay, the return of pensions, and cost of living increases. “I like the job. It’s just that we deserve more,” she said.

She joined about 400 workers on the picket line outside the plant.

At the Toledo Jeep plant, assembly line worker Candace Bowles, 52, said it felt “strange” to walk off the job. “I didn’t want to have to do it, but got to do it,” said Bowles.

As the deadline approached, she cleaned up her workstation and walked out when the midnight bell rang. “I’m really happy that everyone stood together,” she said.

The limited strikes will help to preserve the union’s $825 million strike fund, which would run dry in about 11 weeks if all workers walked out. But Fain said more plants could be added if the companies don't make better offers.

Even Fain has called the union’s demands audacious, but he maintains the automakers are raking in billions and can afford them. He scoffed at company statements that costly settlements would force them to raise vehicle prices, saying labor accounts for only 4% to 5% of vehicle costs.

“They could double our raises and not raise car prices and still make millions of dollars in profits,” Fain said. “We’re not the problem. Corporate greed is the problem.”

The strikes capped a day of both sides griping that the other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-auto-workers-strike-plan-general-motors-stellantis-ford-14ff9c7ababe5d3d13265b59bfbd8760">had not budged enough from their initial positions</a>.

In addition to general wage increases, the union is seeking restoration of cost-of-living pay raises, an end to varying tiers of wages for factory jobs, a 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay, the restoration of traditional defined-benefit pensions for new hires who now receive only 401(k)-style retirement plans, pension increases for retirees and other items.

Starting in 2007, workers gave up cost-of-living raises and defined benefit pensions for new hires. Wage tiers were created as the UAW tried to help the companies avoid financial trouble ahead of and during the Great Recession. Even so, only Ford avoided government-funded bankruptcy protection.

Many say it’s time to get the concessions back because the companies are making huge profits and CEOs are raking in millions. They also want to make sure the union represents workers at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/general-motors-battery-plant-ohio-pay-raises-12504b243c13a097a38879b2861a51ae">joint-venture electric vehicle battery factories</a>&nbsp;that the companies are building so workers have jobs making vehicles of the future.

Top-scale assembly plant workers make about $32 per hour, plus large annual profit-sharing checks. Ford said average annual pay including overtime and bonuses was $78,000 last year.

The Ford plant that's on strike employs about 3,300 workers, and it makes Bronco SUVs and Ranger midsize pickup trucks. The Toledo Jeep complex has about 5,800 workers and manufactures the Jeep Wrangler SUV and Gladiator pickup. GM’s Wentzville plant has about 3,600 workers and makes the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado midsize pickups, as well as the GMC Savana and Chevrolet Express full-size vans.

The union didn’t go after the companies’ big cash cows, which are full-size pickup trucks and big SUVs, and went more for plants that make vehicles with lower profit margins, said Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University in Detroit.

“They want to give the companies some space without putting them up against the wall,” Masters said. “They’re not putting them right into the corner. You put an animal in the corner and it’s dangerous.”

Automakers say they’re facing unprecedented demands as they develop and build new electric vehicles while at the same time making gas-powered cars, SUVs and trucks to pay the bills. They’re worried labor costs will rise so much that they’ll have to price their cars above those sold by foreign automakers with U.S. factories.

GM CEO Mary Barra told workers in a letter Thursday that the company is offering historic wage increases and new vehicle commitments at U.S. factories. GM’s offer, she wrote, “addresses what you’ve told us is most important to you, in spite of the heated rhetoric from UAW leadership.”

On CNBC Thursday, Ford CEO Jim Farley said if Ford had agreed to the union’s demands, it would have lost $15 billion during the last decade and gone bankrupt.

Under the UAW strategy, workers who go on strike would live on $500 per week in strike pay from the union, while others would stay on the job at full pay. It’s unlikely the companies would lock the remaining workers out of their factories because they want to keep building vehicles.

It’s tough to say just how long it will take for the strikes to cut inventories at dealers and start hurting the companies’ bottom lines.

Jeff Schuster, head of automotive for the Global Data research firm, said Stellantis has the most inventory and could hold out longer. The company has enough vehicles at or en route to dealers to last for 75 days. Ford has a 62-day supply and GM has 51.

Still, Schuster predicted the strikes could last longer than previous work stoppages such as a 40-day strike against GM in 2019.

“This one feels like there’s a lot more at risk here on both sides,” he said.

DETROIT (AP) — About 13,000 U.S. auto workers stopped making vehicles and went on strike Friday after their leaders couldn’t bridge a giant gap between union demands in contract talks and what Detroit’s three automakers are willing to pay.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fuaw.union%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0sG3BhA2uyPCANjMeAvqntMKFz9PVcjwZSszqCaCsDs86sp8owAWBKeBn73SiKShdl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="997" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-ford-gm-stellantis-78ff5706878c1308cb45d63c8db7e99b">Members of the United Auto Workers</a>&nbsp;union began picketing at a General Motors assembly plant in Wentzville, Missouri; a Ford factory in Wayne, Michigan, near Detroit; and a Stellantis Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio.&nbsp; &nbsp;The GM plant in Kansas City, Kansas and the Ford Plant in Claycomo are not included in the initial UAW strike.It was the first time in the union’s 88-year history that it walked out on all three companies simultaneously as four-year contracts expired at 11:59 p.m. Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">UAW President Shawn Fain Livestream Update 9/14/23 <a href="https://t.co/woPPh2bVSQ">https://t.co/woPPh2bVSQ</a>&mdash; UAW (@UAW) <a href="https://twitter.com/UAW/status/1702502512325214604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The strikes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/automakers-cars-strike-pay-uaw-union-detroit-349a6e7281f1b07710cfcad511dcaa05">will likely chart the future of the union and of America’s homegrown auto industry</a>&nbsp;at a time when U.S. labor is flexing its might and the companies face a historic transition from building internal combustion automobiles to making electric vehicles.If they last a long time, dealers could run short of vehicles and prices could rise, impacting a U.S. economy already under strain from elevated inflation. The walkout could even be a factor in next year’s presidential election by testing Joe Biden’s proud claim to be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-uaw-strike-unions-trump-2024-826a9a74a73497a62943d26c31d455c3">most union-friendly president in American history.</a>“Workers all over the world are watching this,” said Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, a federation of 60 unions with 12.5 million members.The strike is far different from those during previous UAW negotiations. Instead of going after one company, the union, led by its pugnacious new president, Shawn Fain, is striking at all three. But not all of the 146,000 UAW members at company plants are walking picket lines, at least not yet.Instead, the UAW&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-auto-workers-strike-plan-general-motors-stellantis-ford-14ff9c7ababe5d3d13265b59bfbd8760">targeted a handful of factories</a>&nbsp;to prod company negotiators to raise their offers, which were far lower than union demands of 36% wage increases over four years. GM and Ford offered 20% and Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, offered 17.5%.Outside the Ford plant in suburban Detroit, Britney Johnson, 35, who has worked for the company about 3 1/2 years and has yet to reach top union wages, said she’d like higher pay, the return of pensions, and cost of living increases. “I like the job. It’s just that we deserve more,” she said.She joined about 400 workers on the picket line outside the plant.At the Toledo Jeep plant, assembly line worker Candace Bowles, 52, said it felt “strange” to walk off the job. “I didn’t want to have to do it, but got to do it,” said Bowles.As the deadline approached, she cleaned up her workstation and walked out when the midnight bell rang. “I’m really happy that everyone stood together,” she said.The limited strikes will help to preserve the union’s $825 million strike fund, which would run dry in about 11 weeks if all workers walked out. But Fain said more plants could be added if the companies don't make better offers.Even Fain has called the union’s demands audacious, but he maintains the automakers are raking in billions and can afford them. He scoffed at company statements that costly settlements would force them to raise vehicle prices, saying labor accounts for only 4% to 5% of vehicle costs.“They could double our raises and not raise car prices and still make millions of dollars in profits,” Fain said. “We’re not the problem. Corporate greed is the problem.”The strikes capped a day of both sides griping that the other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-auto-workers-strike-plan-general-motors-stellantis-ford-14ff9c7ababe5d3d13265b59bfbd8760">had not budged enough from their initial positions</a>.In addition to general wage increases, the union is seeking restoration of cost-of-living pay raises, an end to varying tiers of wages for factory jobs, a 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay, the restoration of traditional defined-benefit pensions for new hires who now receive only 401(k)-style retirement plans, pension increases for retirees and other items.Starting in 2007, workers gave up cost-of-living raises and defined benefit pensions for new hires. Wage tiers were created as the UAW tried to help the companies avoid financial trouble ahead of and during the Great Recession. Even so, only Ford avoided government-funded bankruptcy protection.Many say it’s time to get the concessions back because the companies are making huge profits and CEOs are raking in millions. They also want to make sure the union represents workers at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/general-motors-battery-plant-ohio-pay-raises-12504b243c13a097a38879b2861a51ae">joint-venture electric vehicle battery factories</a>&nbsp;that the companies are building so workers have jobs making vehicles of the future.Top-scale assembly plant workers make about $32 per hour, plus large annual profit-sharing checks. Ford said average annual pay including overtime and bonuses was $78,000 last year.The Ford plant that's on strike employs about 3,300 workers, and it makes Bronco SUVs and Ranger midsize pickup trucks. The Toledo Jeep complex has about 5,800 workers and manufactures the Jeep Wrangler SUV and Gladiator pickup. GM’s Wentzville plant has about 3,600 workers and makes the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado midsize pickups, as well as the GMC Savana and Chevrolet Express full-size vans.The union didn’t go after the companies’ big cash cows, which are full-size pickup trucks and big SUVs, and went more for plants that make vehicles with lower profit margins, said Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University in Detroit.“They want to give the companies some space without putting them up against the wall,” Masters said. “They’re not putting them right into the corner. You put an animal in the corner and it’s dangerous.”Automakers say they’re facing unprecedented demands as they develop and build new electric vehicles while at the same time making gas-powered cars, SUVs and trucks to pay the bills. They’re worried labor costs will rise so much that they’ll have to price their cars above those sold by foreign automakers with U.S. factories.GM CEO Mary Barra told workers in a letter Thursday that the company is offering historic wage increases and new vehicle commitments at U.S. factories. GM’s offer, she wrote, “addresses what you’ve told us is most important to you, in spite of the heated rhetoric from UAW leadership.”On CNBC Thursday, Ford CEO Jim Farley said if Ford had agreed to the union’s demands, it would have lost $15 billion during the last decade and gone bankrupt.Under the UAW strategy, workers who go on strike would live on $500 per week in strike pay from the union, while others would stay on the job at full pay. It’s unlikely the companies would lock the remaining workers out of their factories because they want to keep building vehicles.It’s tough to say just how long it will take for the strikes to cut inventories at dealers and start hurting the companies’ bottom lines.Jeff Schuster, head of automotive for the Global Data research firm, said Stellantis has the most inventory and could hold out longer. The company has enough vehicles at or en route to dealers to last for 75 days. Ford has a 62-day supply and GM has 51.Still, Schuster predicted the strikes could last longer than previous work stoppages such as a 40-day strike against GM in 2019.“This one feels like there’s a lot more at risk here on both sides,” he said.

🎥Autoworkers on strike; KC plants not yet included in walkout

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Sarah Pratt involves her family throughout the butter sculpting process and this year was no different. With the help of her 10-year-old son Dean's research, Pratt decided to sculpt Kansas legend Amelia Earhart for the 2023 Kansas State Fair Butter Sculpture.

"He made me a little note that said you should sculpt Amelia Earhart and then wrote next to it, to the stars through their difficulty," said Pratt. "And he was like, mom this is perfect. Their state motto perfectly fits Amelia Earhart and he was right."&nbsp;

Kansans likely know Amelia Earhart as a native of Atchison, Kansas who was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.&nbsp; Pratt said she learned through her own research that Earhart was so much more than just that.&nbsp;

&nbsp;"She was also a community advocate for people who were in need, people who were sick and people who maybe didn't have the opportunities she did and so it showed me this entirely different side to her," Pratt said. "I hope that people see that and maybe, you know, learn a little bit more about her and certainly take pride in the fact that she claims Kansas as her home."

Pratt has been the lead butter sculptor at the Kansas and Illinois State Fair since 2016. She's been the lead sculptor in her home state of Iowa since 2006. Pratt took over after her mentor Norma Duffy Lyon retired from sculpting.&nbsp;

"One of the things I love about butter sculpting is that I get to do it with my family," Pratt said. Depending on the different fairs we are visiting, my husband will travel with me, my daughter Grace has traveled out of state with me and then here in Iowa my twin daughters Hannah and Grace are my two apprentices, so it's a huge joy to do it together as a family."&nbsp;

The butter sculpture is sponsored by Southwest Dairy Farmers and is on display in the Pride of Kansas building. Every other year, a dairy cow butter sculpture is sculpted to represent the dairy industry.&nbsp;

More information about butter sculpting is available next to the sculpture display or by going to <a href="https://www.kansasstatefair.com/">kansasstatefair.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694769636074.jpeg" alt="Butter Sculptor Sarah Pratt with 2023 Kansas State Fair subject, Amelia Earhart.-Photo by Andy Pratt" />
 <figcaption>Butter Sculptor Sarah Pratt with 2023 Kansas State Fair subject, Amelia Earhart.-Photo by Andy Pratt</figcaption>
 </figure>EMMIE BOESE Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Sarah Pratt involves her family throughout the butter sculpting process and this year was no different. With the help of her 10-year-old son Dean's research, Pratt decided to sculpt Kansas legend Amelia Earhart for the 2023 Kansas State Fair Butter Sculpture.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694769866712.jpeg" alt="Amelia Earhart is the 2023 Kansas State Fair Butter Sculpture-Photo by Sarah Pratt" />
 <figcaption>Amelia Earhart is the 2023 Kansas State Fair Butter Sculpture-Photo by Sarah Pratt</figcaption>
 </figure>"He made me a little note that said you should sculpt Amelia Earhart and then wrote next to it, to the stars through their difficulty," said Pratt. "And he was like, mom this is perfect. Their state motto perfectly fits Amelia Earhart and he was right."&nbsp;Kansans likely know Amelia Earhart as a native of Atchison, Kansas who was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.&nbsp; Pratt said she learned through her own research that Earhart was so much more than just that.&nbsp;&nbsp;"She was also a community advocate for people who were in need, people who were sick and people who maybe didn't have the opportunities she did and so it showed me this entirely different side to her," Pratt said. "I hope that people see that and maybe, you know, learn a little bit more about her and certainly take pride in the fact that she claims Kansas as her home."Pratt has been the lead butter sculptor at the Kansas and Illinois State Fair since 2016. She's been the lead sculptor in her home state of Iowa since 2006. Pratt took over after her mentor Norma Duffy Lyon retired from sculpting.&nbsp;"One of the things I love about butter sculpting is that I get to do it with my family," Pratt said. Depending on the different fairs we are visiting, my husband will travel with me, my daughter Grace has traveled out of state with me and then here in Iowa my twin daughters Hannah and Grace are my two apprentices, so it's a huge joy to do it together as a family."&nbsp;The butter sculpture is sponsored by Southwest Dairy Farmers and is on display in the Pride of Kansas building. Every other year, a dairy cow butter sculpture is sculpted to represent the dairy industry.&nbsp;More information about butter sculpting is available next to the sculpture display or by going to <a href="https://www.kansasstatefair.com/">kansasstatefair.com</a>

Earhart is subject of 2023 Kansas State Fair Butter Sculpture

LYON COUNTY —Two people including a Kansas Sheriff's Deputy were injured in an accident just before 8a.m. Thursday in Lyon County.

A 2021 Lyon County Sheriff's Department Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp; Deputy Benjamin Garrett&nbsp; Folks, 24, Emporia, was eastbound on U.S. 56 at the city limits of Allen, Kansas, with lights and sirens activated. The deputy was headed to another accident involving a trash truck that overturned in a ditch, according to the Lyon County Sheriff.

The sheriff deputy's pickup struck a 2006 Ford Fusion driven by Bryer Douglas Scales, 16, Reading, who was making a left turn.

EMS transported Folks to Newman Hospital in Emporia and Scales to Stormont Vail in Topeka.&nbsp; Folks was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

LYON COUNTY —Two people including a Kansas Sheriff's Deputy were injured in an accident just before 8a.m. Thursday in Lyon County.A 2021 Lyon County Sheriff's Department Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp; Deputy Benjamin Garrett&nbsp; Folks, 24, Emporia, was eastbound on U.S. 56 at the city limits of Allen, Kansas, with lights and sirens activated. The deputy was headed to another accident involving a trash truck that overturned in a ditch, according to the Lyon County Sheriff.The sheriff deputy's pickup struck a 2006 Ford Fusion driven by Bryer Douglas Scales, 16, Reading, who was making a left turn.EMS transported Folks to Newman Hospital in Emporia and Scales to Stormont Vail in Topeka.&nbsp; Folks was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kan. deputy on way to crash injured in crash with teen driver

WICHITA, KAN. – A man who admitted smashing into several vehicles in the parking lot of a south Wichita nightclub has been sentenced. 

District Judge Bruce Brown sentenced Jason Beard, 43 of Wichita, to 24 months of probation with an underlying sentence of 20 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. 

If Beard violates probation, he would be ordered to serve the prison time. The Judge also ordered Beard to pay $5,000 in restitution to the nightclub, $1,330 to an individual whose car was damaged and $500 each to two other car owners. 

Based on Beard’s limited criminal history, (History “I”) the defendant was placed in a “presumptive probation” category by the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines. The court followed the legal presumption.

On August 11, 2022, Sedgwick County Sheriff deputies were called to Club Rodeo, 3426 E. MacArthur Road to the report of an injury accident and building collapse. A silver Yukon Denali drove through the parking lot, striking multiple vehicles and the building. 

One of the club’s bouncers was dragged by the driver of the Denali when the bouncer tried to stop it. He was later taken to a hospital with a foot injury. Witnesses say Beard backed the large SUV into the Club Rodeo building two or three times, damaging the metal façade, the front sliding glass door, and a pillar holding up a portion of the roof. On the way out of the parking lot, Beard’s vehicle struck four unoccupied vehicles. 

Beard was later arrested after he abandoned his vehicle on MacArthur.

On March 23, Beard pled guilty to aggravated battery, five counts of criminal damage to property, and three counts of misdemeanor assault.

During sentencing Tuesday afternoon, Judge Brown ordered Beard to go to Alcoholics Anonymous three times a week for 90 days. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660660736332.png" alt="Beard-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Beard-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A man who admitted smashing into several vehicles in the parking lot of a south Wichita nightclub has been sentenced. District Judge Bruce Brown sentenced Jason Beard, 43 of Wichita, to 24 months of probation with an underlying sentence of 20 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. If Beard violates probation, he would be ordered to serve the prison time. The Judge also ordered Beard to pay $5,000 in restitution to the nightclub, $1,330 to an individual whose car was damaged and $500 each to two other car owners. Based on Beard’s limited criminal history, (History “I”) the defendant was placed in a “presumptive probation” category by the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines. The court followed the legal presumption.On August 11, 2022, Sedgwick County Sheriff deputies were called to Club Rodeo, 3426 E. MacArthur Road to the report of an injury accident and building collapse. A silver Yukon Denali drove through the parking lot, striking multiple vehicles and the building. One of the club’s bouncers was dragged by the driver of the Denali when the bouncer tried to stop it. He was later taken to a hospital with a foot injury. Witnesses say Beard backed the large SUV into the Club Rodeo building two or three times, damaging the metal façade, the front sliding glass door, and a pillar holding up a portion of the roof. On the way out of the parking lot, Beard’s vehicle struck four unoccupied vehicles. Beard was later arrested after he abandoned his vehicle on MacArthur.On March 23, Beard pled guilty to aggravated battery, five counts of criminal damage to property, and three counts of misdemeanor assault.During sentencing Tuesday afternoon, Judge Brown ordered Beard to go to Alcoholics Anonymous three times a week for 90 days. ------------------

Kansas man sentenced for using SUV as a weapon 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA said Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7AL5Fv156Y">that the study of UFOs</a>&nbsp;will require new scientific techniques, including advanced satellites as well as a shift in how unidentified flying objects are perceived.

The space agency released the findings after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-08815650f0415dd205333faafaf206df">yearlong study into UFOs.</a>

<a href="https://science.nasa.gov/science-pink/s3fs-public/atoms/files/UAP%20Independent%20Study%20Team%20-%20Final%20Report_0.pdf">CLICK here to</a> read the report

In its 33-page report,&nbsp;an independent team commissioned by NASA&nbsp;cautioned that the negative perception surrounding UFOs poses an obstacle to collecting data. But officials said NASA’s involvement should help reduce the stigma around what it calls UAPs, or unidentified anomalous phenomena.

“We want to shift the conversation about UAPs from sensationalism to science," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. He promised an open and transparent approach.

Officials stressed the panel found no evidence that UAPs had extraterrestrial origin. But Nelson acknowledged with billions of stars in billions of galaxies out there, another Earth could exist.

“If you ask me, do I believe there’s life in a universe that is so vast that it’s hard for me to comprehend how big it is, my personal answer is yes,” Nelson said at a news conference. His own scientists put the likelihood of life on another Earth-like planet at “at least a trillion.”

When pressed by reporters on whether the U.S. or other governments are hiding aliens or otherworldly spaceships, Nelson said: “Show me the evidence.”

NASA has said it doesn't actively search for unexplained sightings. But it operates a fleet of Earth-circling spacecraft that can help determine, for example, whether weather is behind a strange event.

The 16-member panel noted that artificial intelligence and machine learning are essential for identifying rare occurrences, including UFOs.

NASA recently appointed a director of UAP research, but refused to divulge his identity at Thursday morning's news conference in hopes of avoiding the threats and harassment faced by panel members during the study.

Eight hours later, however, NASA said it's Mark McInerney, who previously served as a liaison on the subject of UAPs between the space agency and the Defense Department. He's also worked with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Hurricane Center.

No top-secret files were accessed by the panel's scientists, aviation and artificial intelligence experts, and retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, the first American to spend nearly a year in space. Instead, the group relied on unclassified data in an attempt to better understand unexplained sightings in the sky.

Officials said there are so few high-quality observations that no scientific conclusions can be drawn. Most events can be attributed to planes, drones, balloons or weather conditions, said panel chairman David Spergel, president of the Simons Foundation, a scientific research group.

The government refers to unexplained sightings as UAPs versus UFOs. NASA defines them as observations in the sky or elsewhere that cannot be readily identified or scientifically explained.

The study was launched a year ago and cost under $100,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694706681876.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA said Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7AL5Fv156Y">that the study of UFOs</a>&nbsp;will require new scientific techniques, including advanced satellites as well as a shift in how unidentified flying objects are perceived.The space agency released the findings after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-08815650f0415dd205333faafaf206df">yearlong study into UFOs.</a><a href="https://science.nasa.gov/science-pink/s3fs-public/atoms/files/UAP%20Independent%20Study%20Team%20-%20Final%20Report_0.pdf">CLICK here to</a> read the reportIn its 33-page report,&nbsp;an independent team commissioned by NASA&nbsp;cautioned that the negative perception surrounding UFOs poses an obstacle to collecting data. But officials said NASA’s involvement should help reduce the stigma around what it calls UAPs, or unidentified anomalous phenomena.“We want to shift the conversation about UAPs from sensationalism to science," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. He promised an open and transparent approach.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622822273014.png" alt="UFO image courtesy U.S. Department of Defense Naval Air System Command" />
 <figcaption>UFO image courtesy U.S. Department of Defense Naval Air System Command</figcaption>
 </figure>Officials stressed the panel found no evidence that UAPs had extraterrestrial origin. But Nelson acknowledged with billions of stars in billions of galaxies out there, another Earth could exist.“If you ask me, do I believe there’s life in a universe that is so vast that it’s hard for me to comprehend how big it is, my personal answer is yes,” Nelson said at a news conference. His own scientists put the likelihood of life on another Earth-like planet at “at least a trillion.”When pressed by reporters on whether the U.S. or other governments are hiding aliens or otherworldly spaceships, Nelson said: “Show me the evidence.”NASA has said it doesn't actively search for unexplained sightings. But it operates a fleet of Earth-circling spacecraft that can help determine, for example, whether weather is behind a strange event.The 16-member panel noted that artificial intelligence and machine learning are essential for identifying rare occurrences, including UFOs.NASA recently appointed a director of UAP research, but refused to divulge his identity at Thursday morning's news conference in hopes of avoiding the threats and harassment faced by panel members during the study.Eight hours later, however, NASA said it's Mark McInerney, who previously served as a liaison on the subject of UAPs between the space agency and the Defense Department. He's also worked with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Hurricane Center.No top-secret files were accessed by the panel's scientists, aviation and artificial intelligence experts, and retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, the first American to spend nearly a year in space. Instead, the group relied on unclassified data in an attempt to better understand unexplained sightings in the sky.Officials said there are so few high-quality observations that no scientific conclusions can be drawn. Most events can be attributed to planes, drones, balloons or weather conditions, said panel chairman David Spergel, president of the Simons Foundation, a scientific research group.The government refers to unexplained sightings as UAPs versus UFOs. NASA defines them as observations in the sky or elsewhere that cannot be readily identified or scientifically explained.The study was launched a year ago and cost under $100,000.

Read the new NASA report on UFOs

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on child sex crime allegations.

On Sept. 11, the Shawnee County Sheriff's office criminal investigations division conducted an investigation into child sex allegation, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Deputies arrested 20-year-old Colby Dittman and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of electronic solicitation of a child, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

He remains jailed on a $1 million bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694515838813.png" alt="Dittman-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Dittman-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on child sex crime allegations.On Sept. 11, the Shawnee County Sheriff's office criminal investigations division conducted an investigation into child sex allegation, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Deputies arrested 20-year-old Colby Dittman and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of electronic solicitation of a child, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child.He remains jailed on a $1 million bond, according to online jail records.

Kan. man held on $1 million bond for alleged child sex crimes

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An explosion inside a shipping container at the world’s largest railyard prompted evacuations in western Nebraska Thursday because of the toxic smoke generated when one of the chemicals aboard caught fire.&nbsp; Officials lifted the evacuation order just before 6p.m. CDT.

Around noon, an explosion occurred inside an intermodal container on a railcar at Union Pacific’s Bailey Yard in North Platte, though it wasn’t clear what caused the explosion, railroad spokeswoman Robynn Tysver said. No one was injured, and no cars derailed.

Authorities evacuated everyone within a one-mile radius of the explosion in the western end of the railyard because of the smoke, and U.S. Highway 30 was closed between North Platte and Hershey.

 Interstate 80 wasn’t affected by the smoke. It wasn’t immediately clear how many homes were included in the mostly rural area that was evacuated on the edge of the city. North Platte, which is about 230 miles east of Denver and about 250 miles&nbsp; west of Omaha, has a population of about 23,000.

The railroad said the fire had been extinguished by 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Earlier, the North Platte Fire Department said in a in a post on X the evacuations were done because of the fire at the railyard involved “heavy toxic smoke.”&nbsp;

NORTH PLATTE —At about 12 p.m. CDT, an explosion occurred inside a container at Union Pacific’s Bailey Yard in North Platte, Nebraska, resulting in several cars catching on fire. There was no derailment and the car had been stationary in the yard for a couple hours.

One of the containers involved in the incident contains perchloric acid, a hazardous material, used for a number of things, including food, drug and biocidal products, as well as explosives.

The North Platte Fire Department is evacuating people within a four-mile radius around the explosion. A hotline is available for those impacted with immediate needs. They can call 877-877-2567, Option 1.

No Union Pacific personnel were injured, and our employees have been safely evacuated.

Union Pacific’s hazmat team is also responding.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694733621676.png" alt="-Smoke over the rail yard Thursday-photo by Melanie Standiford/Midwest Media via AP" />
 <figcaption>-Smoke over the rail yard Thursday-photo by Melanie Standiford/Midwest Media via AP</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An explosion inside a shipping container at the world’s largest railyard prompted evacuations in western Nebraska Thursday because of the toxic smoke generated when one of the chemicals aboard caught fire.&nbsp; Officials lifted the evacuation order just before 6p.m. CDT.Around noon, an explosion occurred inside an intermodal container on a railcar at Union Pacific’s Bailey Yard in North Platte, though it wasn’t clear what caused the explosion, railroad spokeswoman Robynn Tysver said. No one was injured, and no cars derailed.Authorities evacuated everyone within a one-mile radius of the explosion in the western end of the railyard because of the smoke, and U.S. Highway 30 was closed between North Platte and Hershey. Interstate 80 wasn’t affected by the smoke. It wasn’t immediately clear how many homes were included in the mostly rural area that was evacuated on the edge of the city. North Platte, which is about 230 miles east of Denver and about 250 miles&nbsp; west of Omaha, has a population of about 23,000.The railroad said the fire had been extinguished by 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Earlier, the North Platte Fire Department said in a in a post on X the evacuations were done because of the fire at the railyard involved “heavy toxic smoke.”&nbsp;-------NORTH PLATTE —At about 12 p.m. CDT, an explosion occurred inside a container at Union Pacific’s Bailey Yard in North Platte, Nebraska, resulting in several cars catching on fire. There was no derailment and the car had been stationary in the yard for a couple hours.One of the containers involved in the incident contains perchloric acid, a hazardous material, used for a number of things, including food, drug and biocidal products, as well as explosives.The North Platte Fire Department is evacuating people within a four-mile radius around the explosion. A hotline is available for those impacted with immediate needs. They can call 877-877-2567, Option 1.No Union Pacific personnel were injured, and our employees have been safely evacuated.Union Pacific’s hazmat team is also responding.The cause is under investigation.

Explosion at world’s largest railyard in Nebraska prompted evacuations

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices are creeping higher and raising concerns about the impact on inflation’s cooling trajectory, consumers’ wallets and the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy.

U.S. crude oil prices started rising in early summer after slipping or holding relatively steady for most of the year. West Texas Intermediate crude, the U.S. measure, is up 8% for the year and approaching $90 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard is up 5% for the year and has already breached the $90 mark.

Higher oil prices trickle down to everything from gasoline prices to transportation and production costs for consumer goods. The unwelcome pressure on inflation comes as prices have been generally cooling throughout 2023.

Investors, economists and consumers are all hoping for the cooling trend to continue so the Federal Reserve can consider a longer pause after more than a year of aggressive interest rate hikes.

Gasoline prices are among consumers’ biggest concerns, as it remains a necessary purchase for most people. Average prices at the pump have held relatively steady at $3.83 per gallon according to AAA, only a slight increase from a year ago.

“Pump prices appear to be defying the odds at the moment, despite a boost in the cost of oil,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, in a statement. “This uneasy balancing act may last until we get beyond hurricane season.”

Saudi Arabia and Russia recently agreed to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of this year, trimming 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market and boosting energy prices.

The impact on the Fed and the broader economy is a key concern for investors. The Fed is getting closer to its goal of lowering inflation to 2%, and it held rates steady at its last meeting. Wall Street expects a similar move at the central bank’s next meeting and is hoping the pause continues into next year.

The central bank has so far been able to slow economic growth through rate increases without pushing the broader economy into a recession. But recent economic indicators have shown that consumer spending remains strong, along with prices being paid for goods and services.

The same pieces of the resilient economy that have proved to be a bulwark to a recession could also prompt the Fed to continue raising rates, and actually push the economy closer to a recession. Stocks will likely remain under pressure because of that data, along with higher oil prices and rising bond yields.

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices are creeping higher and raising concerns about the impact on inflation’s cooling trajectory, consumers’ wallets and the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy.U.S. crude oil prices started rising in early summer after slipping or holding relatively steady for most of the year. West Texas Intermediate crude, the U.S. measure, is up 8% for the year and approaching $90 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard is up 5% for the year and has already breached the $90 mark.Higher oil prices trickle down to everything from gasoline prices to transportation and production costs for consumer goods. The unwelcome pressure on inflation comes as prices have been generally cooling throughout 2023.Investors, economists and consumers are all hoping for the cooling trend to continue so the Federal Reserve can consider a longer pause after more than a year of aggressive interest rate hikes.Gasoline prices are among consumers’ biggest concerns, as it remains a necessary purchase for most people. Average prices at the pump have held relatively steady at $3.83 per gallon according to AAA, only a slight increase from a year ago.“Pump prices appear to be defying the odds at the moment, despite a boost in the cost of oil,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, in a statement. “This uneasy balancing act may last until we get beyond hurricane season.”Saudi Arabia and Russia recently agreed to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of this year, trimming 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market and boosting energy prices.The impact on the Fed and the broader economy is a key concern for investors. The Fed is getting closer to its goal of lowering inflation to 2%, and it held rates steady at its last meeting. Wall Street expects a similar move at the central bank’s next meeting and is hoping the pause continues into next year.The central bank has so far been able to slow economic growth through rate increases without pushing the broader economy into a recession. But recent economic indicators have shown that consumer spending remains strong, along with prices being paid for goods and services.The same pieces of the resilient economy that have proved to be a bulwark to a recession could also prompt the Fed to continue raising rates, and actually push the economy closer to a recession. Stocks will likely remain under pressure because of that data, along with higher oil prices and rising bond yields.

Oil price hits 2023 high; raises inflation concerns

NEW YORK (AP) — As Americans fend off a late summer COVID-19 spike and prepare for a fresh vaccine rollout, Republicans are raising familiar fears that government-issued lockdowns and mask mandates are next.

It's been a favorite topic among some of the GOP's top presidential contenders. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters that people are "lurching toward" COVID-19 restrictions and "there needs to be pushback." South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott posted online that the "radical Left" seeks to bring back school closures and mandates. And former President Donald Trump urged congressional Republicans to stop the Biden administration from bringing back COVID-19 "mandates, lockdowns or restrictions of any kind."

"The radical Democrats are trying hard to restart COVID hysteria," Trump told supporters in Rapid City, South Dakota, during a recent campaign stop. "I wonder why. Is there an election coming up by any chance?"

While some individual schools and colleges have implemented temporary mask requirements, there is no sign that anyone in federal or state leadership is considering widespread COVID-19 restrictions, requirements or mask mandates. The administrations of several Democratic governors denied that any such moves are even under discussion. The overriding sentiment is to leave the decisions to individuals.

"No COVID-19 public health restrictions or mask requirements are being considered by the Murphy administration," said Christi Peace, spokesperson for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.

"There are no impending mass lockdowns or mask mandates for New Mexico," said Jodi McGinnis Porter, spokeswoman for the New Mexico Department of Public Health.

It was largely the same message from Democratic governors' offices in several other states that responded to an inquiry about whether any COVID-19 mandates were under consideration. That included Connecticut, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan and Oregon.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, made clear his opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns as well as mask and vaccine mandates when he was campaigning for office last year: "This is an area where I think folks got it wrong," he said of school and business shutdowns. His office echoed the same sentiment in its response to the AP this week, saying, "The administration's view is that there is no need to impose restrictions."

In the two most populous Democratic-led states, California and New York, the state health departments recommend getting the updated vaccine, but have no requirements for the shot or mask wearing. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was asked during a news conference Wednesday about whether she would consider mask or vaccine mandates: "We are in a place where we're seeing low numbers; not requiring such actions today," she said.

Elisabeth Shephard, spokesperson for Oregon's Democratic governor, Tina Kotek, noted that the federal public health emergency for the virus outbreak ended in May.

"Currently, COVID-19 lockdowns and mask mandates are not being discussed and the governor has no plans to institute these measures," she said.

Still, the misleading narrative has proven a convenient scare tactic for Republicans in their efforts to woo voters who see Democrats as oppressive leaders targeting their freedoms.

The GOP presidential hopefuls hammering this message in the last week join a chorus of conservative lawmakers and far-right pundits who have spent the last month warning that tyrannical COVID-19 measures are looming.

In August, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones claimed an anonymous "high-level manager in the TSA" and an unnamed "Border Patrol-connected" source told him that Transportation Security Administration workers would soon need to wear masks and that COVID-19 lockdowns would return in December.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the claims were "utterly false," but they still were amplified by influential Republicans, including Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who posted on X that she wrote to the TSA demanding answers.

Later last month, when a Black liberal arts college in Atlanta announced it had reinstated a temporary mask mandate in response to student infections, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, posted on X that "Americans have had enough COVID hysteria. WE WILL NOT COMPLY!"

The school, Morris Brown College, has since lifted the requirement but is keeping in place other policies, including contact tracing and temperature checks on campus.

Some of the outcry from conservatives has been in response to President Joe Biden's comments last month on COVID-19's recent uptick, which has led to an increase in hospitalizations and deaths nationwide — though a fraction of what the country saw in past surges.

"As a matter of fact, I signed off this morning on a proposal we have to present to the Congress a request for additional funding for a new vaccine that is necessary — that works," Biden told reporters during a visit to South Lake Tahoe. "And tentatively — not decided finally yet — tentatively, it is recommended that, it will likely be recommended that everybody get it no matter whether they've gotten it before or not."

The CDC on Tuesday endorsed those new shots for everyone 6 months and older, and the vaccines will be available at pharmacies, health centers and some doctor offices as soon as this week.

Still, the Biden administration does not plan to implement any new vaccine or mask mandates, according to a White House official who requested anonymity to discuss the administration's thinking.

Reinstated mask requirements across the country have so far been limited to a handful of local schools and businesses. One example is a Maryland elementary school that required students who were exposed in a classroom's outbreak to wear masks at school for 10 days.

But these isolated measures have sparked outrage from conservatives who have used them to energize their supporters.

Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio last week unveiled the "Freedom to Breathe Act," a bill that would block the federal government from imposing mask mandates for domestic flights, public transit and schools. His call for unanimous passage of the bill failed, with Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts calling it a "red herring" meant to deflect from the GOP's prioritization of "gimmicks over people."

Greene, the Republican from Georgia, introduced a companion bill in the House. She has said she won't vote to avoid a government shutdown unless the government ends coronavirus mandates, which have already largely been reversed.

Misinformation experts say there's a strategy to Republicans' foreboding claims about impending mandates: They remind voters of the negative feelings they had early in the pandemic — and associate those with Democrats.

"Wearing a mask doesn't have to be connected to anxiety, fear, anger and other strong emotions, but for many people it is," said Lisa Fazio, a Vanderbilt University psychology professor who studies the spread of false claims. "No one wants to go back to those feelings, so Republicans are trying to tie those negative feelings and memories to their political opponents."

Meanwhile, some of the Republican-led states where state leaders are railing against COVID-19 measures have been the hardest hit by the recent surge. Data shows Mississippi had the highest COVID-19 death rate per 10,000 people in the last week of August.

Early that week, the state's Republican governor, Tate Reeves, pledged to block any widespread restrictions, posting online that the state would "live in self-determination, not top-down fear."

Associated Press data journalist Nicky Forster and writers Joey Cappelletti, Mike Catalini, Jill Colvin, John Hanna, Susan Haigh, Maysoon Khan, Seung Min Kim, Steve LeBlanc, Morgan Lee, Marc Levy, Lisa Mascaro and Andrew Selsky contributed to this report.

The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP's democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

NEW YORK (AP) — As Americans fend off a late summer COVID-19 spike and prepare for a fresh vaccine rollout, Republicans are raising familiar fears that government-issued lockdowns and mask mandates are next.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Now seems like a good time to remind you Democrats pushed inconsistent mask mandates and school closures that have caused irreparable damage to our children.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1701582161168494680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It's been a favorite topic among some of the GOP's top presidential contenders. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters that people are "lurching toward" COVID-19 restrictions and "there needs to be pushback." South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott posted online that the "radical Left" seeks to bring back school closures and mandates. And former President Donald Trump urged congressional Republicans to stop the Biden administration from bringing back COVID-19 "mandates, lockdowns or restrictions of any kind.""The radical Democrats are trying hard to restart COVID hysteria," Trump told supporters in Rapid City, South Dakota, during a recent campaign stop. "I wonder why. Is there an election coming up by any chance?"While some individual schools and colleges have implemented temporary mask requirements, there is no sign that anyone in federal or state leadership is considering widespread COVID-19 restrictions, requirements or mask mandates. The administrations of several Democratic governors denied that any such moves are even under discussion. The overriding sentiment is to leave the decisions to individuals."No COVID-19 public health restrictions or mask requirements are being considered by the Murphy administration," said Christi Peace, spokesperson for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy."There are no impending mass lockdowns or mask mandates for New Mexico," said Jodi McGinnis Porter, spokeswoman for the New Mexico Department of Public Health.It was largely the same message from Democratic governors' offices in several other states that responded to an inquiry about whether any COVID-19 mandates were under consideration. That included Connecticut, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan and Oregon.Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, made clear his opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns as well as mask and vaccine mandates when he was campaigning for office last year: "This is an area where I think folks got it wrong," he said of school and business shutdowns. His office echoed the same sentiment in its response to the AP this week, saying, "The administration's view is that there is no need to impose restrictions."In the two most populous Democratic-led states, California and New York, the state health departments recommend getting the updated vaccine, but have no requirements for the shot or mask wearing. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was asked during a news conference Wednesday about whether she would consider mask or vaccine mandates: "We are in a place where we're seeing low numbers; not requiring such actions today," she said.Elisabeth Shephard, spokesperson for Oregon's Democratic governor, Tina Kotek, noted that the federal public health emergency for the virus outbreak ended in May."Currently, COVID-19 lockdowns and mask mandates are not being discussed and the governor has no plans to institute these measures," she said.Still, the misleading narrative has proven a convenient scare tactic for Republicans in their efforts to woo voters who see Democrats as oppressive leaders targeting their freedoms.The GOP presidential hopefuls hammering this message in the last week join a chorus of conservative lawmakers and far-right pundits who have spent the last month warning that tyrannical COVID-19 measures are looming.In August, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones claimed an anonymous "high-level manager in the TSA" and an unnamed "Border Patrol-connected" source told him that Transportation Security Administration workers would soon need to wear masks and that COVID-19 lockdowns would return in December.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the claims were "utterly false," but they still were amplified by influential Republicans, including Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who posted on X that she wrote to the TSA demanding answers.Later last month, when a Black liberal arts college in Atlanta announced it had reinstated a temporary mask mandate in response to student infections, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, posted on X that "Americans have had enough COVID hysteria. WE WILL NOT COMPLY!"The school, Morris Brown College, has since lifted the requirement but is keeping in place other policies, including contact tracing and temperature checks on campus.Some of the outcry from conservatives has been in response to President Joe Biden's comments last month on COVID-19's recent uptick, which has led to an increase in hospitalizations and deaths nationwide — though a fraction of what the country saw in past surges."As a matter of fact, I signed off this morning on a proposal we have to present to the Congress a request for additional funding for a new vaccine that is necessary — that works," Biden told reporters during a visit to South Lake Tahoe. "And tentatively — not decided finally yet — tentatively, it is recommended that, it will likely be recommended that everybody get it no matter whether they've gotten it before or not."The CDC on Tuesday endorsed those new shots for everyone 6 months and older, and the vaccines will be available at pharmacies, health centers and some doctor offices as soon as this week.Still, the Biden administration does not plan to implement any new vaccine or mask mandates, according to a White House official who requested anonymity to discuss the administration's thinking.Reinstated mask requirements across the country have so far been limited to a handful of local schools and businesses. One example is a Maryland elementary school that required students who were exposed in a classroom's outbreak to wear masks at school for 10 days.But these isolated measures have sparked outrage from conservatives who have used them to energize their supporters.Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio last week unveiled the "Freedom to Breathe Act," a bill that would block the federal government from imposing mask mandates for domestic flights, public transit and schools. His call for unanimous passage of the bill failed, with Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts calling it a "red herring" meant to deflect from the GOP's prioritization of "gimmicks over people."Greene, the Republican from Georgia, introduced a companion bill in the House. She has said she won't vote to avoid a government shutdown unless the government ends coronavirus mandates, which have already largely been reversed.Misinformation experts say there's a strategy to Republicans' foreboding claims about impending mandates: They remind voters of the negative feelings they had early in the pandemic — and associate those with Democrats."Wearing a mask doesn't have to be connected to anxiety, fear, anger and other strong emotions, but for many people it is," said Lisa Fazio, a Vanderbilt University psychology professor who studies the spread of false claims. "No one wants to go back to those feelings, so Republicans are trying to tie those negative feelings and memories to their political opponents."Meanwhile, some of the Republican-led states where state leaders are railing against COVID-19 measures have been the hardest hit by the recent surge. Data shows Mississippi had the highest COVID-19 death rate per 10,000 people in the last week of August.Early that week, the state's Republican governor, Tate Reeves, pledged to block any widespread restrictions, posting online that the state would "live in self-determination, not top-down fear."___Associated Press data journalist Nicky Forster and writers Joey Cappelletti, Mike Catalini, Jill Colvin, John Hanna, Susan Haigh, Maysoon Khan, Seung Min Kim, Steve LeBlanc, Morgan Lee, Marc Levy, Lisa Mascaro and Andrew Selsky contributed to this report.___The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP's democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Republicans raise specter of widespread COVID mandates, despite no sign of their return

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;was indicted Thursday on federal firearms charges, the latest and weightiest step yet in a long-running investigation into the president’s son.

<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ded.82797/gov.uscourts.ded.82797.40.0.pdf">CLICK here</a> to read the indictment

Biden is accused of lying about his drug use when he bought a firearm in October 2018, a period when he has acknowledged struggling with addiction to crack cocaine, according to the indictment filed in federal court in Delaware.

President Joe Biden's son has also been under investigation for his business dealings.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-investigation-justice-garland-ad1034e274570d65032f8e4f47c0c8f6">The special counsel</a>&nbsp;overseeing the case has indicated that charges of failure to pay taxes on time could be filed in Washington or in California, where he lives.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23977714-hunter-biden-indictment">The indictment</a>&nbsp;comes as congressional Republicans pursue&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-biden-impeachment-shutdown-house-republicans-b187202be8814f7acbdd6e2e937e23d4">an impeachment inquiry</a>&nbsp;into the Democratic president, in large part over Hunter Biden’s business dealings. Republicans have obtained testimony about how Hunter Biden used the “Biden brand” to drum up work overseas, but they have not produced hard evidence of wrongdoing by the president.

The indictment says Hunter Biden lied on a form required for every gun purchase when he bought a Colt Cobra Special at a Wilmington, Delaware, gun shop in October 2018. He’s accused of checking a box falsely saying he was not a user of or addicted to drugs and of illegally possessing the gun as a drug user.

A felony gun charge against Hunter Biden, 53, had previously been part of a plea deal that also included guilty pleas to misdemeanor tax charges, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-plea-deal-congress-republicans-investigation-ad80b195c8c0f48241740881cf9b9bce">the agreement imploded</a>&nbsp;during a court hearing in July when a judge raised questions about its unusual provisions.

Defense attorneys have argued that a part of the deal sparing Hunter Biden prosecution on the gun count if he stays out of trouble remains in place. It includes immunity provisions against other potential charges. Attorneys indicated they would fight additional charges filed against him, but did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Prosecutors, though, maintain the agreement never took effect and is now invalid. They telegraphed charges were coming earlier this month.

Republicans had denounced the plea agreement as a “sweetheart deal.” It would have allowed Hunter Biden to serve probation rather than jail time after pleading guilty to failing to pay taxes in both 2017 and 2018.

His personal income during those two years totaled roughly $4 million, including business and consulting fees from a company he formed with the CEO of a Chinese business conglomerate and the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, prosecutors have said.

Congressional Republicans have continued their own investigations into the Justice Department's handling of the case as well as nearly every aspect of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-presidential-election-9d4595ba4f3140c6bb6a3473a91f4a4c">Hunter Biden’s business dealings</a>, seeking to connect his financial affairs directly to his father. They have failed to produce evidence that the president directly participated in his son’s work, though he sometimes had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-oversight-republicans-devon-archer-4b706443a04e0c40a80c65e24d7d69dc">dinner with his son's clients</a>&nbsp;or said hello to them on calls.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694714360672.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;was indicted Thursday on federal firearms charges, the latest and weightiest step yet in a long-running investigation into the president’s son.<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ded.82797/gov.uscourts.ded.82797.40.0.pdf">CLICK here</a> to read the indictmentBiden is accused of lying about his drug use when he bought a firearm in October 2018, a period when he has acknowledged struggling with addiction to crack cocaine, according to the indictment filed in federal court in Delaware.President Joe Biden's son has also been under investigation for his business dealings.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-investigation-justice-garland-ad1034e274570d65032f8e4f47c0c8f6">The special counsel</a>&nbsp;overseeing the case has indicated that charges of failure to pay taxes on time could be filed in Washington or in California, where he lives.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23977714-hunter-biden-indictment">The indictment</a>&nbsp;comes as congressional Republicans pursue&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-biden-impeachment-shutdown-house-republicans-b187202be8814f7acbdd6e2e937e23d4">an impeachment inquiry</a>&nbsp;into the Democratic president, in large part over Hunter Biden’s business dealings. Republicans have obtained testimony about how Hunter Biden used the “Biden brand” to drum up work overseas, but they have not produced hard evidence of wrongdoing by the president.The indictment says Hunter Biden lied on a form required for every gun purchase when he bought a Colt Cobra Special at a Wilmington, Delaware, gun shop in October 2018. He’s accused of checking a box falsely saying he was not a user of or addicted to drugs and of illegally possessing the gun as a drug user.A felony gun charge against Hunter Biden, 53, had previously been part of a plea deal that also included guilty pleas to misdemeanor tax charges, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-plea-deal-congress-republicans-investigation-ad80b195c8c0f48241740881cf9b9bce">the agreement imploded</a>&nbsp;during a court hearing in July when a judge raised questions about its unusual provisions.Defense attorneys have argued that a part of the deal sparing Hunter Biden prosecution on the gun count if he stays out of trouble remains in place. It includes immunity provisions against other potential charges. Attorneys indicated they would fight additional charges filed against him, but did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.Prosecutors, though, maintain the agreement never took effect and is now invalid. They telegraphed charges were coming earlier this month.Republicans had denounced the plea agreement as a “sweetheart deal.” It would have allowed Hunter Biden to serve probation rather than jail time after pleading guilty to failing to pay taxes in both 2017 and 2018.His personal income during those two years totaled roughly $4 million, including business and consulting fees from a company he formed with the CEO of a Chinese business conglomerate and the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, prosecutors have said.Congressional Republicans have continued their own investigations into the Justice Department's handling of the case as well as nearly every aspect of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-presidential-election-9d4595ba4f3140c6bb6a3473a91f4a4c">Hunter Biden’s business dealings</a>, seeking to connect his financial affairs directly to his father. They have failed to produce evidence that the president directly participated in his son’s work, though he sometimes had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-oversight-republicans-devon-archer-4b706443a04e0c40a80c65e24d7d69dc">dinner with his son's clients</a>&nbsp;or said hello to them on calls.

Read: Hunter Biden indictment on federal firearms charges

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating alleged forgery and ID theft have made an arrest.

On Monday night, police conducted a traffic stop in the 1100 block of SW Gage Avenue in Topeka, according to Police Captain Jerry Monasmith. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694548077345.png" alt="Espinosa-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Espinosa-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating alleged forgery and ID theft have made an arrest.On Monday night, police conducted a traffic stop in the 1100 block of SW Gage Avenue in Topeka, according to Police Captain Jerry Monasmith. During the investigation, officers located items from an ongoing forgery and identity theft investigations along with illegal narcotics.As a result of the investigation, Stacie Espinosa, 41 years of age, of Topeka, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Identity Theft, Forgery, Theft, Making a false information, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic, Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent for distribution and Driving on a suspended driver's license.She is no longer in custody, accordig to online jail records.