FORD COUNTY — A man recognized in 2021 as Kansas Law Enforcement Officer of the Year faces sex crime allegations and is due in court Thursday.

A&nbsp;Ford County grand jury indicted former Dodge City police officer Guillermo Gutierrez&nbsp; for rape and aggravated sexual battery, according to a statement from the Ford County Attorney's office.

The charges stem from an incident alleged to have occurred on May 19, 2022 in Dodge City.

Gutierrez is scheduled for a first appearance and arraignment hearing on Thursday, according to the district attorney's office. Gutierrez is represented by Van Z. Hampton of Warrior Lawyers International of Dodge City, Kansas.

Rape is a severity level 1 person felony. It is punishable by a prison sentence of between 147 and 653 months and a fine of up to $300,000.

Aggravated sexual battery is a severity level 5 person felony, punishable by a prison sentence of between 31 and 136 months and a fine of up to $300,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665680576374.png" alt="Photo Dodge City Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Dodge City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>FORD COUNTY — A man recognized in 2021 as Kansas Law Enforcement Officer of the Year faces sex crime allegations and is due in court Thursday.A&nbsp;Ford County grand jury indicted former Dodge City police officer Guillermo Gutierrez&nbsp; for rape and aggravated sexual battery, according to a statement from the Ford County Attorney's office.The charges stem from an incident alleged to have occurred on May 19, 2022 in Dodge City.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665680553525.png" alt="Gutierrez photo Dodge City Police" />
 <figcaption>Gutierrez photo Dodge City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Gutierrez is scheduled for a first appearance and arraignment hearing on Thursday, according to the district attorney's office. Gutierrez is represented by Van Z. Hampton of Warrior Lawyers International of Dodge City, Kansas.Rape is a severity level 1 person felony. It is punishable by a prison sentence of between 147 and 653 months and a fine of up to $300,000.Aggravated sexual battery is a severity level 5 person felony, punishable by a prison sentence of between 31 and 136 months and a fine of up to $300,000.

2021 Kan. officer of the year due in court on sex crime charges

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a gun was fired inside a Wichita hospital.

Just after 7p.m, Monday, police were dispatched to a vandalism report at&nbsp;Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, 929 N. St. Francis in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

 Officers arrived on the scene and learned a single gunshot had been fired from inside the secured pediatric unit.

The investigation revealed that a child was brought to the hospital by a female caretaker. While in the pediatric unit the mother arrived. While the mother was out of the room, the caretaker and two other women remained in the room.&nbsp;

Staff heard a gunshot then the women exited the hospital. No one was injured. 

“On Monday evening, staff reported what appears to be a negligent discharge of a firearm to hospital security, who responded within minutes and immediately contacted police,"&nbsp; according to a statement from&nbsp;Ascension Via Christi St. Francis President Joy Scott.

"Police determined there was no immediate threat to staff, patients or their families. We are implementing steps to continue communicating with staff and provide an additional layer of security in our locked Pediatrics unit."

"We are currently assessing whether additional security measures are needed throughout our hospitals and clinics as the safety of our patients, staff and visitors is our top priority.”

Police ask that anyone know who knows the three woman or know anything about this case is asked to call investigators at 316-268-4407, Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111, or the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668034115626.png" alt="Photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a gun was fired inside a Wichita hospital.Just after 7p.m, Monday, police were dispatched to a vandalism report at&nbsp;Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, 929 N. St. Francis in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch. Officers arrived on the scene and learned a single gunshot had been fired from inside the secured pediatric unit.The investigation revealed that a child was brought to the hospital by a female caretaker. While in the pediatric unit the mother arrived. While the mother was out of the room, the caretaker and two other women remained in the room.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668034098453.png" alt="Photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Staff heard a gunshot then the women exited the hospital. No one was injured. “On Monday evening, staff reported what appears to be a negligent discharge of a firearm to hospital security, who responded within minutes and immediately contacted police,"&nbsp; according to a statement from&nbsp;Ascension Via Christi St. Francis President Joy Scott."Police determined there was no immediate threat to staff, patients or their families. We are implementing steps to continue communicating with staff and provide an additional layer of security in our locked Pediatrics unit.""We are currently assessing whether additional security measures are needed throughout our hospitals and clinics as the safety of our patients, staff and visitors is our top priority.”Police ask that anyone know who knows the three woman or know anything about this case is asked to call investigators at 316-268-4407, Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111, or the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282.

Kan. hospital president responds after gun discharged in pediatric unit

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After his election as Kansas next Attorney General on Tuesday, Kris Kobach is getting ready to hit the ground running.

"I'm going to be working hard getting some of our legislative bills ready," Kobach said. "There will be several things I will be proposing and pushing for in the legislature. Among those things will be a human trafficking bill, a bill increasing the penalty for those who traffic in drugs, specifically fentanyl, when it causes someone's death. We'll be working on that in the run-up."

Once he is sworn in come January, Kobach is certain there will be federal administrative actions his office will need to pay attention to.

"We'll be scrutinizing what the Biden administration is doing, very much being on guard," Kobach said. "I anticipate that the Biden administration will resort to even more executive orders that are on thin legal ice that may need to be challenged by the attorneys general of the states. Kansas will be leading that charge."

Though the balance of Congress is still in doubt, it is clear that the path to legislative change will likely be more difficult for the President, though maybe not as hard as was thought prior to Tuesday.

"We can remember what Barack Obama did when he lost Congress in 2010," Kobach said. "That's when he started just going crazy with executive orders and doing everything with his famous phrase of his phone and his pen. If Biden follows that course, it's going to be so important for attorneys general to be pushing back, because chances are what he does will be illegal."

Kobach cited the example of the student loan forgiveness program released this fall, which attorneys general from Republican states have argued violates the separation of powers as spending federal money is supposed to be the purview of Congress.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668007762497.png" alt=" AG candidate Kris Kobach declared victory at midnight on Election Day. His opponent said there’s still room for doubt. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> AG candidate Kris Kobach declared victory at midnight on Election Day. His opponent said there’s still room for doubt. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — After his election as Kansas next Attorney General on Tuesday, Kris Kobach is getting ready to hit the ground running."I'm going to be working hard getting some of our legislative bills ready," Kobach said. "There will be several things I will be proposing and pushing for in the legislature. Among those things will be a human trafficking bill, a bill increasing the penalty for those who traffic in drugs, specifically fentanyl, when it causes someone's death. We'll be working on that in the run-up."Once he is sworn in come January, Kobach is certain there will be federal administrative actions his office will need to pay attention to."We'll be scrutinizing what the Biden administration is doing, very much being on guard," Kobach said. "I anticipate that the Biden administration will resort to even more executive orders that are on thin legal ice that may need to be challenged by the attorneys general of the states. Kansas will be leading that charge."Though the balance of Congress is still in doubt, it is clear that the path to legislative change will likely be more difficult for the President, though maybe not as hard as was thought prior to Tuesday."We can remember what Barack Obama did when he lost Congress in 2010," Kobach said. "That's when he started just going crazy with executive orders and doing everything with his famous phrase of his phone and his pen. If Biden follows that course, it's going to be so important for attorneys general to be pushing back, because chances are what he does will be illegal."Kobach cited the example of the student loan forgiveness program released this fall, which attorneys general from Republican states have argued violates the separation of powers as spending federal money is supposed to be the purview of Congress.

Kobach: Working on legislative agenda, watching Biden administration

WASHINGTON (AP) — No instances of digital interference are known to have affected the counting of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm vote</a>&nbsp;after a tense Election Day in which officials were closely monitoring domestic and foreign threats.

A few state and local governments appeared to be hit by a relatively rudimentary form of cyberattack that periodically made public websites unreachable. But U.S. and local officials said Wednesday that none breached vote-counting infrastructure.

“We have seen no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was any way compromised in any race in the country,” Jen Easterly, director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, said in a statement.

CISA and other federal agencies had warned that safeguarding U.S. elections&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-technology-d6bf92f594343d7a489d40394e56e2a1">has become more complex than ever</a>, with the most serious threats from domestic sources. Foreign adversaries such as Russia, China, and Iran have tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-russia-ukraine-campaigns-presidential-ea913f2b3b818651a9db1327adaa330a">meddle in individual campaigns</a>&nbsp;and amplify false or misleading narratives on social media.

Many members of an increasingly fractious American public have latched onto&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-presidential-biden-cabinet-b4a3422d188fdd921d8e6f38f53ea0d0">unproven conspiracies</a>&nbsp;about voter fraud. And there are constant fears that state-sponsored intruders or criminals might try to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-russia-ukraine-voting-presidential-local-89f03587e105290deddc647d43dd6960">interfere with voter rolls</a>&nbsp;or steal data for ransom. Also of concern are increasing physical and online threats to election workers.

Votes are still being counted throughout the country and winners have not been projected in some key races that will decide control of the House and Senate.

“It's important to remember that this thorough and deliberative process can take days or weeks, depending on state laws; these rigorous procedures are why the American people can have confidence in the security and integrity of the election,” Easterly said in a statement.

The website of Mississippi's secretary of state was down for part of Tuesday and there were other reports of sites becoming unreachable throughout the country, including in Champaign County, Illinois, and parts of Arkansas.

Mississippi was apparently hit with a “distributed denial of service,” in which a website is made unreachable by a flood of inauthentic traffic. Federal and state officials said they could not say who was responsible for the Mississippi attack or other denial of service incidents, though a pro-Russia group had called on the social media platform Telegram for its followers to target the site.

“While attribution is inherently difficult, we’ve not seen any evidence to suggest that these are part of a widespread coordinated campaign,” said one official at CISA, the cybersecurity arm of Department of Homeland Security, in a briefing Tuesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity under rules set by the agency.

Analyst Alexander Leslie of the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future called the attacks “negligible, a minor nuisance at most.”

The pro-Russia group that claimed responsibility for degrading Mississippi's site also tried to organize an attack against democrats.org, run by the Democratic National Committee. There is no evidence the DNC's site was affected, Leslie said.

Killnet, a far larger pro-Russia hacktivist group with 100,000 online followers that knocked down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-atlanta-680cf93f7eb0300127448c35299ad66e">some state government and airport websites in October</a>, did not organize any online attempts to attack U.S. election infrastructure.

That may be because such digital systems “are tough targets to hit. CISA has pretty high cybersecurity standards,” Leslie said. “If they claim a bunch of attacks that do absolutely nothing, it doesn't look good for Killnet.”

Republican state Sen. Scott DeLano of Mississippi is a legislative adviser for the state Department of Information Technology Services. He told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Mississippi government websites typically face “hundreds, if not thousands” of attempted intrusions daily — nothing unusual in today's online world.

The site's inaccessibility meant, for example, that residents could not use the site’s information about the location of voting precincts. DeLano said the secretary of state keeps a separate database for statewide voter registration information and that was not affected by the attack. Same-day election results are not posted on the Mississippi secretary of state’s site, so those also were not affected.

In a statement, Secretary of State Michael Watson, a Republican, credited technology staff who “worked diligently to ensure that Mississippi’s election was secure, and through their hard work, we can confidently say our election system was not compromised.”

“We will continue to work ... to ensure, as cyber attacks strengthen in frequency and intellect, we are prepared and have the necessary resources to combat any and all attacks," Watson said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — No instances of digital interference are known to have affected the counting of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm vote</a>&nbsp;after a tense Election Day in which officials were closely monitoring domestic and foreign threats.A few state and local governments appeared to be hit by a relatively rudimentary form of cyberattack that periodically made public websites unreachable. But U.S. and local officials said Wednesday that none breached vote-counting infrastructure.“We have seen no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was any way compromised in any race in the country,” Jen Easterly, director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, said in a statement.CISA and other federal agencies had warned that safeguarding U.S. elections&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-technology-d6bf92f594343d7a489d40394e56e2a1">has become more complex than ever</a>, with the most serious threats from domestic sources. Foreign adversaries such as Russia, China, and Iran have tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-russia-ukraine-campaigns-presidential-ea913f2b3b818651a9db1327adaa330a">meddle in individual campaigns</a>&nbsp;and amplify false or misleading narratives on social media.Many members of an increasingly fractious American public have latched onto&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-presidential-biden-cabinet-b4a3422d188fdd921d8e6f38f53ea0d0">unproven conspiracies</a>&nbsp;about voter fraud. And there are constant fears that state-sponsored intruders or criminals might try to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-russia-ukraine-voting-presidential-local-89f03587e105290deddc647d43dd6960">interfere with voter rolls</a>&nbsp;or steal data for ransom. Also of concern are increasing physical and online threats to election workers.Votes are still being counted throughout the country and winners have not been projected in some key races that will decide control of the House and Senate.“It's important to remember that this thorough and deliberative process can take days or weeks, depending on state laws; these rigorous procedures are why the American people can have confidence in the security and integrity of the election,” Easterly said in a statement.The website of Mississippi's secretary of state was down for part of Tuesday and there were other reports of sites becoming unreachable throughout the country, including in Champaign County, Illinois, and parts of Arkansas.Mississippi was apparently hit with a “distributed denial of service,” in which a website is made unreachable by a flood of inauthentic traffic. Federal and state officials said they could not say who was responsible for the Mississippi attack or other denial of service incidents, though a pro-Russia group had called on the social media platform Telegram for its followers to target the site.“While attribution is inherently difficult, we’ve not seen any evidence to suggest that these are part of a widespread coordinated campaign,” said one official at CISA, the cybersecurity arm of Department of Homeland Security, in a briefing Tuesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity under rules set by the agency.Analyst Alexander Leslie of the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future called the attacks “negligible, a minor nuisance at most.”The pro-Russia group that claimed responsibility for degrading Mississippi's site also tried to organize an attack against democrats.org, run by the Democratic National Committee. There is no evidence the DNC's site was affected, Leslie said.Killnet, a far larger pro-Russia hacktivist group with 100,000 online followers that knocked down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-atlanta-680cf93f7eb0300127448c35299ad66e">some state government and airport websites in October</a>, did not organize any online attempts to attack U.S. election infrastructure.That may be because such digital systems “are tough targets to hit. CISA has pretty high cybersecurity standards,” Leslie said. “If they claim a bunch of attacks that do absolutely nothing, it doesn't look good for Killnet.”Republican state Sen. Scott DeLano of Mississippi is a legislative adviser for the state Department of Information Technology Services. He told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Mississippi government websites typically face “hundreds, if not thousands” of attempted intrusions daily — nothing unusual in today's online world.The site's inaccessibility meant, for example, that residents could not use the site’s information about the location of voting precincts. DeLano said the secretary of state keeps a separate database for statewide voter registration information and that was not affected by the attack. Same-day election results are not posted on the Mississippi secretary of state’s site, so those also were not affected.In a statement, Secretary of State Michael Watson, a Republican, credited technology staff who “worked diligently to ensure that Mississippi’s election was secure, and through their hard work, we can confidently say our election system was not compromised.”“We will continue to work ... to ensure, as cyber attacks strengthen in frequency and intellect, we are prepared and have the necessary resources to combat any and all attacks," Watson said.

Officials: U.S. vote counting unaffected by cyberattacks

By AMAKA CHUKWUMA Wealth of Geeks, courtesy Associated Press

Every
 year, the IRS sends between 5 and 1o million math error notices. And 
that's just one of several red flags that can pop up on tax returns, 
even before an audit is triggered.

In the grand scheme of things, 
the most minor of actions can significantly impact your finances and tax
 situation. To avoid a penalty, you must file your 2022 taxes by April 
18th, 2023. But you don't have to wait. In fact, there are several 
actions you can take now, or before the end of the year, which can 
substantially impact your tax liability.

Help
 those in need and lower your tax bill by donating to charity before the
 end of the year. Typically, you can only deduct charitable donations if
 you itemize your tax deductions. If your itemized deductions are more 
than the amount of the standard deduction, you can claim them.

According to Levon Galstyan, a certified public accountant at <a href="https://www.ovlg.com/">Oak View Law Group</a>,
 the IRS allows you to lower your tax liability by a fixed amount, known
 as a standard deduction. For the 2022 tax year (returns due in 2023), 
the standard deduction amounts are as follows:

Galstyan
 advises checking using The IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search Tool to
 see if your preferred charity accepts tax-deductible donations before 
you donate.

Pretax 
contributions to retirement accounts have the benefit of lowering your 
current-year income tax obligation. Before you pay taxes, you can put 
money into a retirement plan at work, like a <a href="https://www.playlouder.com/what-is-a-self-directed-401k/">traditional 401(k)</a>. Consider contributing to your 401(k) with your final paycheck in 2022.

If
 you are 50 years or older, you may contribute an additional $6,500 to 
surpass the $27,000 contribution limit since employer contributions are 
not subject to contribution limits.

This works perfectly because, 
in 2022, the combined total of your and your employer's contributions 
can be at most $61,000. If you're self-employed, consider establishing a
 self-employed retirement plan and making the maximum contribution to 
reduce your tax obligation in 2023.

Ensure
 you're withholding the right amount of tax from your pay. Incorrect 
withholding could place you on the hook for a big tax bill or snag a 
refund. According to Galstyan, not withholding enough <a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/how-to-file-taxes-as-an-influencer/">tax may result in owing money when filing</a> your income taxes and receiving unexpected bills.

Alternatively,
 if you withhold too much and receive a sizable tax refund, you may 
choose to adjust your taxes to receive more money in each paycheck.

It's
 good practice to review the amount of taxes withheld from your pay, 
especially if your job or family dynamics have changed recently. Use the
 IRS tax withholding estimator, a self-service tool, to see if you've 
taken out the right amount of money from your pay.

You
 can delay getting paid to pay less in taxes this year if your company 
has a policy of paying year-end bonuses the following year. As Galstyan 
points out, if you work for yourself, are a freelancer, or offer 
consulting services, you have more freedom. For instance, delaying 
billings until the end of December can ensure that you won't be paid 
until the following year.

Whether employed or self-employed, you 
can delay income by taking capital gains in 2023 rather than in 2022. 
However, this strategy is only worthwhile if you expect to be in the 
same or a lower tax band the following year.

You want to avoid 
paying more in taxes the following year if you could be subject to a 
higher tax rate due to increased income. "If you think that's likely," 
Galstyan says, "you might try to advance your income into 2022, so you 
can pay taxes on it sooner rather than later at a lower bracket."

If you stash money in a <a href="https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/investorpubsintro529htm.html">529 plan</a>
 before year-end, it may lower your state tax tab. Most states allow you
 to deduct at least a portion of your 529 plan contributions from state 
income taxes. In such states, you must contribute to your own state's 
plan to get the tax deduction, but several states allow you to deduct 
contributions to any state's plan.

You can deduct up to $10,000 
($20,000 if filing jointly) from your federal income tax return and 
avoid state income tax on qualified higher education expenses. Rollovers
 from other states' 529 plans can be deductible (but not earnings). Only
 donations made in a given year by December 31st are tax-deductible.

An
 investment loss can be used to offset income or capital gains, and a 
tax offset can lower your gains tax. If you have more losses than gains,
 you can only deduct $3,000 in excess losses to offset other ordinary 
income and carry the balance over to the following year.

Year-end 
is the most typical time, primarily because of the December 31st 
deadline for claiming capital losses to offset capital gains. However, 
Tax-loss harvesting can be done throughout the year.

Accelerating <a href="https://www.playlouder.com/21-tax-deductions-small-businesses-need-to-know/">tax deductions</a>
 can cost you money if you've unknowingly triggered the AMT or are 
subject to it. "This is a problem at the end of the year because some 
expenses that are deductible under the regular rules but not under the 
AMT can be paid quickly," says Galstyan. "For example, under the AMT, 
you can't deduct state and local income taxes or property taxes."

Consequently,
 Galstyan cautions that if you expect to have to pay the AMT in 2022, 
don't pay the installments due in January 2023 on December 2022. Doing 
so triggers or increases AMT liability for next year.

Buy Mutual Funds in a Tax-Advantaged Account or Wait

Mutual
 funds distribute their owners' capital gains at the end of each year. 
Most funds distribute in December, so if you own the fund in a taxable 
account, you will immediately have a taxable gain. This suggests that 
you are getting a taxable return on your principal and not keeping all 
the distribution because you are giving up a portion for taxes.

Purchase
 the fund in a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA, instead of a 
taxable account to prevent distribution costs from costing you money. 
With a tax-advantaged account, you can purchase at any time because the 
account protects you from capital gains tax. Otherwise, there would be 
no reason to buy shares before the distribution. Essentially, you are 
paying taxes on income that you haven't earned.

Tax
 credits lower your tax bill by the same amount as the credit. With the 
Child Tax Credit program, you can get a $1,000 discount on your <a href="https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/938#:~:text=The%20Child%20Tax%20Credit%20program,credit%20starting%20in%20summer%202021.">federal tax bill</a>
 for each qualifying child under the age of 17. Families can get $3,600 
for each child under the age of 6 and $3,000 for each child between the 
ages of 6 and 17.

If a family's annual income is less than 
$150,000, or if one parent earns less than $112,500, the entire family 
is eligible for the credit. You should investigate all potential tax 
deductions right now. Tax credits are preferable to deductions because 
they directly reduce your taxable bill. Other IRS tax breaks include:

Employees
 who have a flexible spending account (FSA) can put money away for 
various expenses, from child care to medical costs. Contributions to an 
FSA are tax deductible for income and Social Security purposes, but any 
money still in the account at the end of the year may be forfeited.

To
 find out if your plan's deadline can be extended till early next year, 
check your balance and get in touch with the administrator. With an FSA,
 your money is only good if you spend it. Employers normally keep any 
contributions that remain unused. According to an analysis by <a href="https://money.com/fsa-contributions-workers-forfeit-money/">Money</a>, American workers lose about $3 billion in FSA contributions they didn't use every year.

It's
 getting late in the year, and time is running out on several excellent 
tax-saving moves you can make. Identifying what you need to do and what 
can wait is a crucial task at the moment. Tax preparation is best 
approached in a proactive manner rather than a reactive one. Since 
everyone's financial and tax circumstances are different, it's essential
 to consult with professionals before deciding how to minimize your tax 
liability.

More Articles From the Wealth of Geeks Network:

This article was produced by <a href="https://playlouder.com/best-year-end-tax-moves-to-reduce-your-taxes">Play Louder!</a> and syndicated by <a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/year-end-tax-moves/">Wealth of Geeks</a>.

By AMAKA CHUKWUMA Wealth of Geeks, courtesy Associated PressEvery
 year, the IRS sends between 5 and 1o million math error notices. And 
that's just one of several red flags that can pop up on tax returns, 
even before an audit is triggered.In the grand scheme of things, 
the most minor of actions can significantly impact your finances and tax
 situation. To avoid a penalty, you must file your 2022 taxes by April 
18th, 2023. But you don't have to wait. In fact, there are several 
actions you can take now, or before the end of the year, which can 
substantially impact your tax liability.<h2>Donate to Charity</h2>Help
 those in need and lower your tax bill by donating to charity before the
 end of the year. Typically, you can only deduct charitable donations if
 you itemize your tax deductions. If your itemized deductions are more 
than the amount of the standard deduction, you can claim them.According to Levon Galstyan, a certified public accountant at <a href="https://www.ovlg.com/">Oak View Law Group</a>,
 the IRS allows you to lower your tax liability by a fixed amount, known
 as a standard deduction. For the 2022 tax year (returns due in 2023), 
the standard deduction amounts are as follows:<ul>
 <li>$25,900 for taxpayers who are married filing jointly or who are qualified widow(er).</li><li>$12,950 for taxpayers who are single or married and file separately.</li><li>$19,400 for taxpayers who are head of household.</li>
 </ul>Galstyan
 advises checking using The IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search Tool to
 see if your preferred charity accepts tax-deductible donations before 
you donate.<h2>Contribute More to Your 401(k)</h2>Pretax 
contributions to retirement accounts have the benefit of lowering your 
current-year income tax obligation. Before you pay taxes, you can put 
money into a retirement plan at work, like a <a href="https://www.playlouder.com/what-is-a-self-directed-401k/">traditional 401(k)</a>. Consider contributing to your 401(k) with your final paycheck in 2022.If
 you are 50 years or older, you may contribute an additional $6,500 to 
surpass the $27,000 contribution limit since employer contributions are 
not subject to contribution limits.This works perfectly because, 
in 2022, the combined total of your and your employer's contributions 
can be at most $61,000. If you're self-employed, consider establishing a
 self-employed retirement plan and making the maximum contribution to 
reduce your tax obligation in 2023.<h2>Verify Tax Withholding</h2>Ensure
 you're withholding the right amount of tax from your pay. Incorrect 
withholding could place you on the hook for a big tax bill or snag a 
refund. According to Galstyan, not withholding enough <a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/how-to-file-taxes-as-an-influencer/">tax may result in owing money when filing</a> your income taxes and receiving unexpected bills.Alternatively,
 if you withhold too much and receive a sizable tax refund, you may 
choose to adjust your taxes to receive more money in each paycheck.It's
 good practice to review the amount of taxes withheld from your pay, 
especially if your job or family dynamics have changed recently. Use the
 IRS tax withholding estimator, a self-service tool, to see if you've 
taken out the right amount of money from your pay.<h2>Defer Income</h2>You
 can delay getting paid to pay less in taxes this year if your company 
has a policy of paying year-end bonuses the following year. As Galstyan 
points out, if you work for yourself, are a freelancer, or offer 
consulting services, you have more freedom. For instance, delaying 
billings until the end of December can ensure that you won't be paid 
until the following year.Whether employed or self-employed, you 
can delay income by taking capital gains in 2023 rather than in 2022. 
However, this strategy is only worthwhile if you expect to be in the 
same or a lower tax band the following year.You want to avoid 
paying more in taxes the following year if you could be subject to a 
higher tax rate due to increased income. "If you think that's likely," 
Galstyan says, "you might try to advance your income into 2022, so you 
can pay taxes on it sooner rather than later at a lower bracket."<h2>Contribute to a 529 Plan</h2>If you stash money in a <a href="https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/investorpubsintro529htm.html">529 plan</a>
 before year-end, it may lower your state tax tab. Most states allow you
 to deduct at least a portion of your 529 plan contributions from state 
income taxes. In such states, you must contribute to your own state's 
plan to get the tax deduction, but several states allow you to deduct 
contributions to any state's plan.You can deduct up to $10,000 
($20,000 if filing jointly) from your federal income tax return and 
avoid state income tax on qualified higher education expenses. Rollovers
 from other states' 529 plans can be deductible (but not earnings). Only
 donations made in a given year by December 31st are tax-deductible.<h2>Tax Loss Harvesting</h2>An
 investment loss can be used to offset income or capital gains, and a 
tax offset can lower your gains tax. If you have more losses than gains,
 you can only deduct $3,000 in excess losses to offset other ordinary 
income and carry the balance over to the following year.Year-end 
is the most typical time, primarily because of the December 31st 
deadline for claiming capital losses to offset capital gains. However, 
Tax-loss harvesting can be done throughout the year.<h2>Beware of the Alternative Minimum Tax</h2>Accelerating <a href="https://www.playlouder.com/21-tax-deductions-small-businesses-need-to-know/">tax deductions</a>
 can cost you money if you've unknowingly triggered the AMT or are 
subject to it. "This is a problem at the end of the year because some 
expenses that are deductible under the regular rules but not under the 
AMT can be paid quickly," says Galstyan. "For example, under the AMT, 
you can't deduct state and local income taxes or property taxes."Consequently,
 Galstyan cautions that if you expect to have to pay the AMT in 2022, 
don't pay the installments due in January 2023 on December 2022. Doing 
so triggers or increases AMT liability for next year.<h2>Buy Mutual Funds in a Tax-Advantaged Account or Wait</h2>Mutual
 funds distribute their owners' capital gains at the end of each year. 
Most funds distribute in December, so if you own the fund in a taxable 
account, you will immediately have a taxable gain. This suggests that 
you are getting a taxable return on your principal and not keeping all 
the distribution because you are giving up a portion for taxes.Purchase
 the fund in a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA, instead of a 
taxable account to prevent distribution costs from costing you money. 
With a tax-advantaged account, you can purchase at any time because the 
account protects you from capital gains tax. Otherwise, there would be 
no reason to buy shares before the distribution. Essentially, you are 
paying taxes on income that you haven't earned.<h2>Maximize Child Tax Credit and Others</h2>Tax
 credits lower your tax bill by the same amount as the credit. With the 
Child Tax Credit program, you can get a $1,000 discount on your <a href="https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/938#:~:text=The%20Child%20Tax%20Credit%20program,credit%20starting%20in%20summer%202021.">federal tax bill</a>
 for each qualifying child under the age of 17. Families can get $3,600 
for each child under the age of 6 and $3,000 for each child between the 
ages of 6 and 17.If a family's annual income is less than 
$150,000, or if one parent earns less than $112,500, the entire family 
is eligible for the credit. You should investigate all potential tax 
deductions right now. Tax credits are preferable to deductions because 
they directly reduce your taxable bill. Other IRS tax breaks include:<ul>
 <li>Education credit</li><li>Child and dependent care credit</li><li>Adoption credit</li><li>Retirement savings contributions credit</li><li>Earned income tax credit (EITC)</li><li>First-time homebuyer credit</li>
 </ul><h2>Empty FSA Accounts</h2>Employees
 who have a flexible spending account (FSA) can put money away for 
various expenses, from child care to medical costs. Contributions to an 
FSA are tax deductible for income and Social Security purposes, but any 
money still in the account at the end of the year may be forfeited.To
 find out if your plan's deadline can be extended till early next year, 
check your balance and get in touch with the administrator. With an FSA,
 your money is only good if you spend it. Employers normally keep any 
contributions that remain unused. According to an analysis by <a href="https://money.com/fsa-contributions-workers-forfeit-money/">Money</a>, American workers lose about $3 billion in FSA contributions they didn't use every year.<h2>Make Your Final Tax Preparations</h2>It's
 getting late in the year, and time is running out on several excellent 
tax-saving moves you can make. Identifying what you need to do and what 
can wait is a crucial task at the moment. Tax preparation is best 
approached in a proactive manner rather than a reactive one. Since 
everyone's financial and tax circumstances are different, it's essential
 to consult with professionals before deciding how to minimize your tax 
liability.More Articles From the Wealth of Geeks Network:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.playlouder.com/w4-vs-w2-vs-w9-vs-1099-tax-forms-what-are-the-differences/">W4 vs W2 vs W9 vs 1099 Tax Forms: What Are the Differences?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.playlouder.com/quickbooks-vs-freshbooks-vs-xero-vs-quicken/">The 4 Most Popular Bookkeeping Programs for Your Business</a></li>
 </ul>This article was produced by <a href="https://playlouder.com/best-year-end-tax-moves-to-reduce-your-taxes">Play Louder!</a> and syndicated by <a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/year-end-tax-moves/">Wealth of Geeks</a>.

Make these year-end financial moves to reduce your taxes

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;In addition to the more than 4,000 people recently hired
 to fill critical customer service representative positions, the 
Internal Revenue Service is now seeking over 700 new employees to help 
taxpayers at Taxpayer Assistance Centers across the country.

"This is an important priority to provide more service at the IRS for
 the upcoming filing season," said Ken Corbin, the Service's Taxpayer 
Experience Officer and Wage and Investment Commissioner. "We are working
 to have more than 270 walk-in sites properly staffed to provide the 
help taxpayers need and deserve. This will be the first time in a decade
 our walk-in sites will be fully staffed."

This increase in staffing is part of much wider IRS improvements 
enabled by the Inflation Reduction Act funding approved in August 2022, 
and additional updates on the implementation of the landmark 10-year 
legislation will be provided soon.

IRS employees not only serve the agency but are imperative for the 
nation's tax administration, which collects nearly 96% of the nation's 
revenue needed to fund nearly all federal government programs. The work 
we do supports the nation's most vital initiatives, from homeland 
security and U.S. defense to Social Security as well as programs and 
projects including parklands and forests, roads and bridges, libraries, 
museums, schools and more.

For these 700 openings, the technical positions needed are Individual
 Taxpayer Advisory Specialists who provide face-to-face assistance in 
IRS TAC offices and the Initial Assistance Representatives, responsible 
for greeting and determining the needs of taxpayers visiting TAC 
offices.

These important positions have highly competitive pay and benefits 
including on-the-job training, opportunities for advancement, health and
 life insurance, and a federal retirement.

The IRS also offers a wealth of workplace flexibilities to help 
employees balance career and home with 11 paid holidays, 13 vacation 
days and sick leave. Other work/life balance programs include flexible 
work schedules, the Child Care Subsidy Program, the Employee Assistance 
Program, health services and paid maternity/paternity leave.

In addition to the face-to-face representatives and phone assistors, 
the IRS is also working to hire additional people throughout the agency,
 not just in taxpayer service areas but in Information Technology and 
compliance positions – all with a goal of improving the work the IRS 
does.

The IRS is an equal opportunity employer and hires talented and 
dedicated individuals from many backgrounds. IRS encourages those who 
are looking for a new opportunity or who are just starting work-life to 
consider an IRS career.

All employees must be U.S. citizens and pass an FBI fingerprint check
 and tax compliance verification. Federal experience is not required. 
The applicant may have gained experience in the public sector, private 
sector or volunteer service.

Prospective employees are encouraged to attend an upcoming IRS 
Careers information session to learn more about the position and 
requirements, how to apply, and all the benefits of federal service.

<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/irs-clerks-and-customer-service-positions-virtual-information-session-tickets-461354542857?aff=ICW">Register</a>&nbsp;for the hiring information session on November 17 at 1 p.m. Eastern time.

To learn more about these positions, visit <a href="https://www.usajobs.gov/">USAJOBS</a>. To learn about other open positions at the IRS, go to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jobs.irs.gov/careers">IRS Careers</a> page.&nbsp;Also, follow the IRS on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/irs">LinkedIn</a> and on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/RecruitmentIRS">@RecruitmentIRS</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;In addition to the more than 4,000 people recently hired
 to fill critical customer service representative positions, the 
Internal Revenue Service is now seeking over 700 new employees to help 
taxpayers at Taxpayer Assistance Centers across the country."This is an important priority to provide more service at the IRS for
 the upcoming filing season," said Ken Corbin, the Service's Taxpayer 
Experience Officer and Wage and Investment Commissioner. "We are working
 to have more than 270 walk-in sites properly staffed to provide the 
help taxpayers need and deserve. This will be the first time in a decade
 our walk-in sites will be fully staffed."This increase in staffing is part of much wider IRS improvements 
enabled by the Inflation Reduction Act funding approved in August 2022, 
and additional updates on the implementation of the landmark 10-year 
legislation will be provided soon.IRS employees not only serve the agency but are imperative for the 
nation's tax administration, which collects nearly 96% of the nation's 
revenue needed to fund nearly all federal government programs. The work 
we do supports the nation's most vital initiatives, from homeland 
security and U.S. defense to Social Security as well as programs and 
projects including parklands and forests, roads and bridges, libraries, 
museums, schools and more.For these 700 openings, the technical positions needed are Individual
 Taxpayer Advisory Specialists who provide face-to-face assistance in 
IRS TAC offices and the Initial Assistance Representatives, responsible 
for greeting and determining the needs of taxpayers visiting TAC 
offices.These important positions have highly competitive pay and benefits 
including on-the-job training, opportunities for advancement, health and
 life insurance, and a federal retirement.The IRS also offers a wealth of workplace flexibilities to help 
employees balance career and home with 11 paid holidays, 13 vacation 
days and sick leave. Other work/life balance programs include flexible 
work schedules, the Child Care Subsidy Program, the Employee Assistance 
Program, health services and paid maternity/paternity leave.In addition to the face-to-face representatives and phone assistors, 
the IRS is also working to hire additional people throughout the agency,
 not just in taxpayer service areas but in Information Technology and 
compliance positions – all with a goal of improving the work the IRS 
does.The IRS is an equal opportunity employer and hires talented and 
dedicated individuals from many backgrounds. IRS encourages those who 
are looking for a new opportunity or who are just starting work-life to 
consider an IRS career.All employees must be U.S. citizens and pass an FBI fingerprint check
 and tax compliance verification. Federal experience is not required. 
The applicant may have gained experience in the public sector, private 
sector or volunteer service.Prospective employees are encouraged to attend an upcoming IRS 
Careers information session to learn more about the position and 
requirements, how to apply, and all the benefits of federal service.<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/irs-clerks-and-customer-service-positions-virtual-information-session-tickets-461354542857?aff=ICW">Register</a>&nbsp;for the hiring information session on November 17 at 1 p.m. Eastern time.To learn more about these positions, visit <a href="https://www.usajobs.gov/">USAJOBS</a>. To learn about other open positions at the IRS, go to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jobs.irs.gov/careers">IRS Careers</a> page.&nbsp;Also, follow the IRS on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/irs">LinkedIn</a> and on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/RecruitmentIRS">@RecruitmentIRS</a>.

IRS will hire hundreds nationally for in-person tax assistance

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; —A Kansas jury found 64-year-old David Chandler guilty of second-degree intentional murder for the beating death of a homeless man in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

&nbsp;In February, police responded to a 911 call in the 600 block of N. Seneca in Wichita after a caller reported a person was being beaten on the Seneca Street bridge, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

Officers and EMS responded and located a 30-year-old male victim, identified as Blake Barnes of Wichita. He was transported to an area hospital in critical condition and later pronounced deceased, according to Macy.

Officers contacted the witness who was able to direct them to a suspect – identified as&nbsp;64-year-old David Chandler&nbsp; who was reported to have struck Barnes several times with a metal pipe.

Police took Chandler into custody while he was walking away from the crime scene.

The witness reported another suspect was also involved but left the scene on a bicycle prior to officers arriving. The second suspect, identified as 31-year-old Abel Molina, was located in the 400 block of N. Seneca, where he was taken into custody.

&nbsp;Chandler has prior drug convictions and Molina has priors that include drug possession, theft, aggravated burglary and DUI, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

He is scheduled for sentencing Dec. 19, according to the district attorney's office. Monina is due back in court on Nov. 16.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645644547356.png" alt="Chandler-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Chandler-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; —A Kansas jury found 64-year-old David Chandler guilty of second-degree intentional murder for the beating death of a homeless man in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;In February, police responded to a 911 call in the 600 block of N. Seneca in Wichita after a caller reported a person was being beaten on the Seneca Street bridge, according to Officer Trevor Macy.Officers and EMS responded and located a 30-year-old male victim, identified as Blake Barnes of Wichita. He was transported to an area hospital in critical condition and later pronounced deceased, according to Macy.Officers contacted the witness who was able to direct them to a suspect – identified as&nbsp;64-year-old David Chandler&nbsp; who was reported to have struck Barnes several times with a metal pipe.Police took Chandler into custody while he was walking away from the crime scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645644748402.png" alt="Molina-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Molina-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The witness reported another suspect was also involved but left the scene on a bicycle prior to officers arriving. The second suspect, identified as 31-year-old Abel Molina, was located in the 400 block of N. Seneca, where he was taken into custody.&nbsp;Chandler has prior drug convictions and Molina has priors that include drug possession, theft, aggravated burglary and DUI, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.He is scheduled for sentencing Dec. 19, according to the district attorney's office. Monina is due back in court on Nov. 16.

Jury: Kansas man guilty in deadly metal pipe attack

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations as part of an an ongoing drug investigation at 513 Kansas Avenuke in Holton.

 At approximately 9:00a.m. Nov. 2, agents with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Jackson County Detectives, Deputies served a search warrant, They two suspects into custody on prior arrest warrants, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 Stoney Brande Hards, 52, of Holton, was arrested on a Jackson County District Court warrant for probation violation.

 Dacoeta Rose DeVader, 31, of Holton, was arrested on a Jackson County District Court warrant for failure to appear. Law enforcement seized a quantity of drug paraphernalia and a substance believed to be methamphetamine. Local officials were contacted due to deplorable living conditions at the residence. Further charges in this investigation are expected.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667821267318.png" alt="Hards-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Hards-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations as part of an an ongoing drug investigation at 513 Kansas Avenuke in Holton. At approximately 9:00a.m. Nov. 2, agents with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Jackson County Detectives, Deputies served a search warrant, They two suspects into custody on prior arrest warrants, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. Stoney Brande Hards, 52, of Holton, was arrested on a Jackson County District Court warrant for probation violation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667821296882.png" alt="DeVader-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>DeVader-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Dacoeta Rose DeVader, 31, of Holton, was arrested on a Jackson County District Court warrant for failure to appear. Law enforcement seized a quantity of drug paraphernalia and a substance believed to be methamphetamine. Local officials were contacted due to deplorable living conditions at the residence. Further charges in this investigation are expected.

KBI agents find drugs, deplorable living conditions 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden claimed vindication the day after the midterm elections, saying Democrats had “a strong night” and he planned to change nothing about his approach despite facing the likelihood of divided government in the nation’s capital.

“I’m prepared to work with my Republican colleagues,” Biden said during a post-election news conference Wednesday. “The American people have made clear they expect Republicans to work with me as well.”

He brushed off concerns that Republicans, who are on track to take control of the House, will investigate his administration and family in what could swiftly become a bruising stretch of his presidency.

“I think the American people will look at all that for what it is, almost comedy,” he said.

(Click below to watch the President's comments and press conference)

In his first public comments since voting ended, Biden was celebratory and defiant as Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">denied Republicans the sweeping victory they expected.</a>&nbsp;His party still has a potential path to hold control of the Senate, which would preserve his ability to nominate federal judges and administration officials.

“While the press and the pundits were predicting a giant red wave, it didn’t happen,” Biden said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-results-nov-9-198d61bcafe31d96c0a966eae7492756?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">The election results were a remarkable display of resiliency</a>&nbsp;in the face of both history and gloomy polls that suggested voters were fed up with inflation and crime and looking to punish the party in power. Biden acknowledged that many Americans remain discouraged by the country's direction.

“The voters were also clear that they’re still frustrated," he said. “I get it.”

Even so, Biden expressed little interest in changing course on his agenda, saying: “I’m not going to change anything in any fundamental way.”

The benefit of his policies, such as funding for infrastructure projects and limits on prescription drug costs, “takes time to be recognized,” he said.

Biden said he planned to call Republican congressional leaders, and he opened the door to seeking compromise with them — without shifting on his top priorities. He also questioned whether Americans want the major changes some Republicans are seeking, such as revisiting Social Security or Medicare benefits.

Biden was joined by first lady Jill Biden at his press conference, and he said it's “ultimately a family decision” about whether to run for a second term.

His team has been making preparations for another campaign, and Biden said “my intention is that I run again.” He said he doesn’t “feel any hurry one way or another" about making an announcement, which could come early next year.

It’s unclear if the midterm results will be enough to enable Biden to move ahead strongly toward a second term.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-biden-inflation-cf4dffe87a7c2fd1bdd58df0346e15dc">An expansive survey by AP VoteCast</a>&nbsp;revealed deep worries about his performance and ability to continue serving.

With Biden approaching his 80th birthday, 58% of voters said he does not have the mental capability to serve effectively as president. Only 44% described him as honest, and just 34% said he's a “strong leader.”

There were other warning signs for his political standing as well.

When Biden was elected two years ago, 54% of voters described him as someone who “cares about people like you.” Among this year's midterm voters, that slipped to 46%.

Overall, 57% of voters said they had an unfavorable view of Biden. His approval ratings on the economy, energy policy and border security were underwater. Even his handling of Russia, widely seen as a success for Biden as he maintains an international coalition to oppose the invasion of Ukraine, is viewed negatively.

His lukewarm ratings were driven by overwhelmingly negative attitudes among Republicans, but even Democratic voters were not resounding in their support.

About 2 in 10 voters for Democrats said they disapprove of Biden’s job performance overall, a noticeable softness in today's hyper-partisan political environment.

The survey of more than 94,000 voters nationwide was conducted for nine days, concluding as polls closed, for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago.

A clear advantage for Biden, who campaigned for office on simply being better than the alternative, is the disdain that his supporters have for his predecessor.

While 50% of voters for Democratic candidates said their votes were meant to show support for the president, an even greater percentage — 65% — said they voted to express opposition to Donald Trump.

“Democrats were arguing from the beginning that they needed to make this election a choice rather than a referendum," said Amy Walter, an analyst who leads the Cook Political Report. "And essentially, they did.”

Walter said Democrats were able to maintain support in the midterms even from voters who believe that “Biden is not living up to their expectations, or they are feeling disappointed of his stewardship.”

The outcome takes the heat off the White House, at least for now.

“The pressure goes from ‘How is Biden going to explain himself post election?’ to ‘How is Trump going to explain himself?'" she said. “The more intriguing conversations are happening on the Republican side.”

Some members of Biden's team began&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WHCommsDir/status/1590385547306209282">circulating a clip of his meeting</a>&nbsp;with the New York Times editorial board during the Democratic primary. Asked about whether his lead in the polls was fleeting, Biden dismissed the question by saying pundits were always too quick to “declare me dead.”

“And guess what?" he said. "I ain’t dead. And I’m not going to die.”

For a White House that has felt besieged by second guessing, it was a moment of satisfaction.

“Never underestimate how much Team Biden is underestimated,” tweeted Ron Klain, the White House chief of staff.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden claimed vindication the day after the midterm elections, saying Democrats had “a strong night” and he planned to change nothing about his approach despite facing the likelihood of divided government in the nation’s capital.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Commander and I burnt the midnight oil last night calling some of our great election winners. I’m looking forward to the work we’ll do together. <a href="https://t.co/fhXRCAP0nW">pic.twitter.com/fhXRCAP0nW</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1590435289910181889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I’m prepared to work with my Republican colleagues,” Biden said during a post-election news conference Wednesday. “The American people have made clear they expect Republicans to work with me as well.”He brushed off concerns that Republicans, who are on track to take control of the House, will investigate his administration and family in what could swiftly become a bruising stretch of his presidency.“I think the American people will look at all that for what it is, almost comedy,” he said.(Click below to watch the President's comments and press conference)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F3363676077285756%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=31" 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>In his first public comments since voting ended, Biden was celebratory and defiant as Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">denied Republicans the sweeping victory they expected.</a>&nbsp;His party still has a potential path to hold control of the Senate, which would preserve his ability to nominate federal judges and administration officials.“While the press and the pundits were predicting a giant red wave, it didn’t happen,” Biden said.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-results-nov-9-198d61bcafe31d96c0a966eae7492756?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">The election results were a remarkable display of resiliency</a>&nbsp;in the face of both history and gloomy polls that suggested voters were fed up with inflation and crime and looking to punish the party in power. Biden acknowledged that many Americans remain discouraged by the country's direction.“The voters were also clear that they’re still frustrated," he said. “I get it.”Even so, Biden expressed little interest in changing course on his agenda, saying: “I’m not going to change anything in any fundamental way.”The benefit of his policies, such as funding for infrastructure projects and limits on prescription drug costs, “takes time to be recognized,” he said.Biden said he planned to call Republican congressional leaders, and he opened the door to seeking compromise with them — without shifting on his top priorities. He also questioned whether Americans want the major changes some Republicans are seeking, such as revisiting Social Security or Medicare benefits.Biden was joined by first lady Jill Biden at his press conference, and he said it's “ultimately a family decision” about whether to run for a second term.His team has been making preparations for another campaign, and Biden said “my intention is that I run again.” He said he doesn’t “feel any hurry one way or another" about making an announcement, which could come early next year.It’s unclear if the midterm results will be enough to enable Biden to move ahead strongly toward a second term.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-biden-inflation-cf4dffe87a7c2fd1bdd58df0346e15dc">An expansive survey by AP VoteCast</a>&nbsp;revealed deep worries about his performance and ability to continue serving.With Biden approaching his 80th birthday, 58% of voters said he does not have the mental capability to serve effectively as president. Only 44% described him as honest, and just 34% said he's a “strong leader.”There were other warning signs for his political standing as well.When Biden was elected two years ago, 54% of voters described him as someone who “cares about people like you.” Among this year's midterm voters, that slipped to 46%.Overall, 57% of voters said they had an unfavorable view of Biden. His approval ratings on the economy, energy policy and border security were underwater. Even his handling of Russia, widely seen as a success for Biden as he maintains an international coalition to oppose the invasion of Ukraine, is viewed negatively.His lukewarm ratings were driven by overwhelmingly negative attitudes among Republicans, but even Democratic voters were not resounding in their support.About 2 in 10 voters for Democrats said they disapprove of Biden’s job performance overall, a noticeable softness in today's hyper-partisan political environment.The survey of more than 94,000 voters nationwide was conducted for nine days, concluding as polls closed, for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago.A clear advantage for Biden, who campaigned for office on simply being better than the alternative, is the disdain that his supporters have for his predecessor.While 50% of voters for Democratic candidates said their votes were meant to show support for the president, an even greater percentage — 65% — said they voted to express opposition to Donald Trump.“Democrats were arguing from the beginning that they needed to make this election a choice rather than a referendum," said Amy Walter, an analyst who leads the Cook Political Report. "And essentially, they did.”Walter said Democrats were able to maintain support in the midterms even from voters who believe that “Biden is not living up to their expectations, or they are feeling disappointed of his stewardship.”The outcome takes the heat off the White House, at least for now.“The pressure goes from ‘How is Biden going to explain himself post election?’ to ‘How is Trump going to explain himself?'" she said. “The more intriguing conversations are happening on the Republican side.”Some members of Biden's team began&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WHCommsDir/status/1590385547306209282">circulating a clip of his meeting</a>&nbsp;with the New York Times editorial board during the Democratic primary. Asked about whether his lead in the polls was fleeting, Biden dismissed the question by saying pundits were always too quick to “declare me dead.”“And guess what?" he said. "I ain’t dead. And I’m not going to die.”For a White House that has felt besieged by second guessing, it was a moment of satisfaction.“Never underestimate how much Team Biden is underestimated,” tweeted Ron Klain, the White House chief of staff.___

🎥 Biden celebrates Democrats' strong election night

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The possibility of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-congress-government-and-politics-a53abd85fa6f8b3ccd622222ea9a4c46">economically devastating railroad strike</a>&nbsp;has been pushed back into early December to allow time for engineers and conductors to vote on their agreements with the freight railroads and give more opportunity for the industry to renegotiate with two unions that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-strikes-government-and-politics-581babaeee804c37e4761424c02af21a">rejected their deals</a>&nbsp;last month.

Previously, a Nov. 19 strike deadline hung over the talks, but the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union that represents track maintenance workers agreed Wednesday to delay any action at least until Dec. 4. So for now the trains operated by BNSF, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, CSX, Kansas City Southern and other railroads will continue delivering the raw materials and finished products that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-strike-impact-5eb6747b3e4b4e39d764644d6377121d">so many businesses</a>&nbsp;in all industries need.

The railroads are offering the biggest raises workers have seen in more than four decades, but railroads have resisted union demands to add paid sick time, and the new contracts won't resolve all the workers'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality of life concerns.</a>

All 12 rail unions must approve their deals to prevent a strike.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-congress-government-and-politics-0ac69bd8a24bbfd74787d198d7140d01">Seven unions</a>&nbsp;have ratified their five-year contracts with 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses so far, but the BMWED and Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen unions rejected their agreements. Three other unions are voting this month, and the two biggest unions that represent conductors and engineers aren't set to announce their results until two days after the previous Nov. 19 deadline.

“This agreement to extend the cooling off period affords all unionized employees the opportunity to vote on their agreements free of a looming strike threat,” said Ian Jefferies, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads trade group.

The outcome of the votes by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers unions will play a major role in determining how this contract dispute is resolved because those workers that operate the trains have the most quality-of-life concerns about demanding schedules that keep them on call 24-7.

And the renewed talks with the BMWED and BRS unions have stalled over the issue of paid sick time because the railroads&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-norfolk-government-and-politics-eeedec386f2acba5d63181436ca03f3f">don't want to offer</a>&nbsp;much more than what a panel of arbitrators President Joe Biden appointed recommended this summer. And the industry&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">argues</a>&nbsp;that the unions have agreed to forego paid sick time over the years in favor of higher wages and strong short-term disability benefits.

The unions argue that the pandemic highlighted the need for the basic benefit of paid sick time that is taken for granted in most industries because the railroads temporarily offered some paid time off for COVID-related absences.

The economic stakes of this contract dispute are so high that Congress is expected to step in and block a strike if the two sides can't agree. Hundreds of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b">business groups</a>&nbsp;have urged lawmakers and Biden to be ready to intervene if necessary.

The unions say they believe the railroads are banking on the idea that Congress won't order them to offer more than the Presidential Emergency Board of arbitrators recommended.

The BMWED said it plans to use the delay to talk more with members of Congress “about the railroad workers' state of despair that management has created and the railroad workers' need for paid sick time off.” That way if Congress does have to impose terms, the union hopes lawmakers will order the railroads to offer sick time along with the substantial raises.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663174263824.png" alt="The railroads are offering the biggest raises workers have seen in more than four decades, but railroads have resisted union demands to add paid sick time, and the new contracts won't resolve all the workers'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality of life concerns.</a>" />
 <figcaption>The railroads are offering the biggest raises workers have seen in more than four decades, but railroads have resisted union demands to add paid sick time, and the new contracts won't resolve all the workers'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality of life concerns.</a></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The possibility of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-congress-government-and-politics-a53abd85fa6f8b3ccd622222ea9a4c46">economically devastating railroad strike</a>&nbsp;has been pushed back into early December to allow time for engineers and conductors to vote on their agreements with the freight railroads and give more opportunity for the industry to renegotiate with two unions that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-strikes-government-and-politics-581babaeee804c37e4761424c02af21a">rejected their deals</a>&nbsp;last month.Previously, a Nov. 19 strike deadline hung over the talks, but the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union that represents track maintenance workers agreed Wednesday to delay any action at least until Dec. 4. So for now the trains operated by BNSF, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, CSX, Kansas City Southern and other railroads will continue delivering the raw materials and finished products that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-strike-impact-5eb6747b3e4b4e39d764644d6377121d">so many businesses</a>&nbsp;in all industries need.The railroads are offering the biggest raises workers have seen in more than four decades, but railroads have resisted union demands to add paid sick time, and the new contracts won't resolve all the workers'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality of life concerns.</a>All 12 rail unions must approve their deals to prevent a strike.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-congress-government-and-politics-0ac69bd8a24bbfd74787d198d7140d01">Seven unions</a>&nbsp;have ratified their five-year contracts with 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses so far, but the BMWED and Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen unions rejected their agreements. Three other unions are voting this month, and the two biggest unions that represent conductors and engineers aren't set to announce their results until two days after the previous Nov. 19 deadline.“This agreement to extend the cooling off period affords all unionized employees the opportunity to vote on their agreements free of a looming strike threat,” said Ian Jefferies, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads trade group.The outcome of the votes by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers unions will play a major role in determining how this contract dispute is resolved because those workers that operate the trains have the most quality-of-life concerns about demanding schedules that keep them on call 24-7.And the renewed talks with the BMWED and BRS unions have stalled over the issue of paid sick time because the railroads&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-norfolk-government-and-politics-eeedec386f2acba5d63181436ca03f3f">don't want to offer</a>&nbsp;much more than what a panel of arbitrators President Joe Biden appointed recommended this summer. And the industry&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">argues</a>&nbsp;that the unions have agreed to forego paid sick time over the years in favor of higher wages and strong short-term disability benefits.The unions argue that the pandemic highlighted the need for the basic benefit of paid sick time that is taken for granted in most industries because the railroads temporarily offered some paid time off for COVID-related absences.The economic stakes of this contract dispute are so high that Congress is expected to step in and block a strike if the two sides can't agree. Hundreds of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b">business groups</a>&nbsp;have urged lawmakers and Biden to be ready to intervene if necessary.The unions say they believe the railroads are banking on the idea that Congress won't order them to offer more than the Presidential Emergency Board of arbitrators recommended.The BMWED said it plans to use the delay to talk more with members of Congress “about the railroad workers' state of despair that management has created and the railroad workers' need for paid sick time off.” That way if Congress does have to impose terms, the union hopes lawmakers will order the railroads to offer sick time along with the substantial raises.

Potential railroad strike delayed until early December

Staff heard a gunshot then the women exited the hospital. No one was injured. Anyone&nbsp;know these three woman or know anything about this case is asked to&nbsp;call investigators at 316-268-4407, Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111, or the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668034115626.png" alt="Photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a gun was fired inside a Wichita hospital.Just after 7p.m, Monday, police were dispatched to a vandalism report at&nbsp;Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, 929 N. St. Francis in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch. Officers arrived on the scene and learned a single gunshot had been fired from inside the secured pediatric unit.The investigation revealed that a child was brought to the hospital by a female caretaker. While in the pediatric unit the mother arrived. While the mother was out of the room, the caretaker and two other women remained in the room.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668034098453.png" alt="Photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Staff heard a gunshot then the women exited the hospital. No one was injured. Anyone&nbsp;know these three woman or know anything about this case is asked to&nbsp;call investigators at 316-268-4407, Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111, or the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282.

Police want to ID women after gun discharged at Kan. hospital

TOPEKA, Kan., (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly won reelection in GOP-leaning Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">overcoming Republican efforts</a>&nbsp;to tie her to President Joe Biden and high inflation and likely benefitting from moderate GOP and independent voters’ frustrations with a failed summer attempt to tighten abortion laws.

Kelly defeated Republican Derek Schmidt, the state’s three-term attorney general, after highlighting Kansas’ improved finances and greater spending on public schools on her watch, as well as successes in luring businesses. Kelly’s support for abortion rights also likely played an important role, though she didn’t emphasize that issue in her fall campaign.

“The people of Kansas sent a very clear message at the polls yesterday. Kansans said we will keep moving forward as a state, full steam ahead – there will be no turning backward,” Kelly said Wednesday in a statement declaring victory. “Perhaps above all, I believe Kansans voted today for civility, for cooperation, for listening to one another, and for a spirit of bi-partisan problem-solving, that’s become all too rare in our politics today.”

Her victory was a bitter defeat for Republicans. They had high hopes of ousting the only Democratic governor seeking reelection this year in a a state that ex-President Donald Trump won easily in 2020.

David Toland, the state’s commerce secretary, was elected lieutenant governor on Kelly’s ticket. He is likely to remain commerce secretary as lieutenant governor.

Advance voting before Tuesday suggested that the turnout would exceed the unusually high number of ballots cast for the August election on the abortion question.

Democrats were energized in August by a statewide vote&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejecting</a>&nbsp;a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have cleared the way for tighter restrictions on abortion or a ban of the procedure. Schmidt supported the measure while Kelly opposed it, but it wasn’t clear how much staying power the issue had as Kelly emphasized other issues.

Anne Melia, a 59-year-old Democrat who spent weeks in the summer going door to door in the Kansas City area to campaign against the abortion measure, said she knocked on more than 1,000 doors in the fall and found it harder to get out the vote for Kelly and other Democratic candidates.

“There just wasn't that same intensity,” she said Tuesday. “It's this partisan thing where people don't necessarily see the through line about their rights.”

Independent and moderate Republicans were key, having swung to Kelly in 2018 in her race against then-Kansas Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-voting-rights-presidential-immigration-3ec99db94c0d772465d3a7ccf015ccc6">Kris Kobach,</a>&nbsp;a nationally known hardline provocateur on immigration and voter ID issues who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-immigration-kansas-topeka-339a45795e1e479b7754e2fc7a8127ed">was elected to be the state's new attorney general</a>. Schmidt hoped to win them back, but his effort was complicated by a challenge from his right from an independent candidate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-cabinet-kansas-topeka-derek-schmidt-aa0ee94c6c9264978e7b5be370564db2">state Sen. Dennis Pyle,</a>&nbsp;one of the Legislature's most conservative members.

Kelly's fundraising for her reelection campaign approached $8 million, while Schmidt raised about $4 million in cash contributions, though in late October the Kansas GOP was paying for mailings for him. Spending on television ads by the candidates and outside groups exceeded $40 million.

Schmidt echoed Republican candidates across the U.S. in trying to tie the Democratic incumbent to Biden. In their second and final debate, Kelly refused to answer when he asked whether she thought Kansans were better off than they were two years ago, adding, “I have stayed focused like a laser on Kansas, not on the federal government.”

Kelly also touted her efforts to lure new jobs to Kansas, suggesting that work helped the state weather national economic problems. Less than a week before Tuesday's election, she participated in a groundbreaking ceremony in the Kansas City area for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-legislature-oklahoma-kansas-topeka-a6a50dea941774e9a1f3bdba6c49df06">a multibillion-dollar mega-factory for electronics giant Panasonic Corp.</a>&nbsp;to build electric-vehicle batteries, attracted by taxpayer-funded incentives worth $829 million over 10 years, the largest package the state had ever offered a private business.

Kelly ran as the self-described “education governor,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-education-covid-kansas-1e5156ab2661470de4cbf77ab969e821">touting higher spending</a>&nbsp;on public schools, the state’s improved finances and efforts to lure businesses to the state. Democrats tried to link Schmidt to former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback, who launched a nationally notorious experiment in cutting income taxes in 2012 and 2013 that was followed by huge, persistent budget shortfalls.

Schmidt chided Kelly for what he called her “unhealthy obsession” with Brownback. He also sought to turn the issue of education against her by highlighting her March 2020 pandemic-related decision to close K-12 school buildings until the fall.

Mel Adams, an 80-year-old Republican from Topeka, said the economy was the key issue, adding that people are fed up with Democrats. He dismissed Kelly's attempts to link Schmidt to Brownback and didn't think much of her portraying herself as politically in the middle of the road.

“That's where roadkill happens,” he said.

Schmidt also painted Kelly as anti-police for calling systemic racism a problem following the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. And Republicans highlighted Kelly's vetoes of two proposals to ban transgender girls and women from girls' and women's school, club and college sports teams.

Republicans won three other statewide races. State Rep. Steven Johnson unseated Democratic State Treasurer Lynn Rogers, and Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt were reelected.

Kansans voted yes to keeping six justices on the state Supreme Court for another six years, even though five were targeted for removal by the state's most influential anti-abortion group. The court ruled in 2019 that access to abortion is protected by the Kansas Constitution.

Finally, voters approved a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution making it harder to remove county sheriffs from office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668015946531.png" alt="Photo by Ralph Hipp courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Ralph Hipp courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan., (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly won reelection in GOP-leaning Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">overcoming Republican efforts</a>&nbsp;to tie her to President Joe Biden and high inflation and likely benefitting from moderate GOP and independent voters’ frustrations with a failed summer attempt to tighten abortion laws.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I thank the people of Kansas for the honor to continue serving the state we love. These first 4 years were about getting our state back on track. These next 4 years are about making sure Kansas lives up to its potential as the best place to raise a family. The future is bright.&mdash; Laura Kelly (@LauraKellyKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/LauraKellyKS/status/1590388380399198208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kelly defeated Republican Derek Schmidt, the state’s three-term attorney general, after highlighting Kansas’ improved finances and greater spending on public schools on her watch, as well as successes in luring businesses. Kelly’s support for abortion rights also likely played an important role, though she didn’t emphasize that issue in her fall campaign.“The people of Kansas sent a very clear message at the polls yesterday. Kansans said we will keep moving forward as a state, full steam ahead – there will be no turning backward,” Kelly said Wednesday in a statement declaring victory. “Perhaps above all, I believe Kansans voted today for civility, for cooperation, for listening to one another, and for a spirit of bi-partisan problem-solving, that’s become all too rare in our politics today.”Her victory was a bitter defeat for Republicans. They had high hopes of ousting the only Democratic governor seeking reelection this year in a a state that ex-President Donald Trump won easily in 2020.David Toland, the state’s commerce secretary, was elected lieutenant governor on Kelly’s ticket. He is likely to remain commerce secretary as lieutenant governor.Advance voting before Tuesday suggested that the turnout would exceed the unusually high number of ballots cast for the August election on the abortion question.Democrats were energized in August by a statewide vote&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejecting</a>&nbsp;a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have cleared the way for tighter restrictions on abortion or a ban of the procedure. Schmidt supported the measure while Kelly opposed it, but it wasn’t clear how much staying power the issue had as Kelly emphasized other issues.Anne Melia, a 59-year-old Democrat who spent weeks in the summer going door to door in the Kansas City area to campaign against the abortion measure, said she knocked on more than 1,000 doors in the fall and found it harder to get out the vote for Kelly and other Democratic candidates.“There just wasn't that same intensity,” she said Tuesday. “It's this partisan thing where people don't necessarily see the through line about their rights.”Independent and moderate Republicans were key, having swung to Kelly in 2018 in her race against then-Kansas Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-voting-rights-presidential-immigration-3ec99db94c0d772465d3a7ccf015ccc6">Kris Kobach,</a>&nbsp;a nationally known hardline provocateur on immigration and voter ID issues who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-immigration-kansas-topeka-339a45795e1e479b7754e2fc7a8127ed">was elected to be the state's new attorney general</a>. Schmidt hoped to win them back, but his effort was complicated by a challenge from his right from an independent candidate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-cabinet-kansas-topeka-derek-schmidt-aa0ee94c6c9264978e7b5be370564db2">state Sen. Dennis Pyle,</a>&nbsp;one of the Legislature's most conservative members.Kelly's fundraising for her reelection campaign approached $8 million, while Schmidt raised about $4 million in cash contributions, though in late October the Kansas GOP was paying for mailings for him. Spending on television ads by the candidates and outside groups exceeded $40 million.Schmidt echoed Republican candidates across the U.S. in trying to tie the Democratic incumbent to Biden. In their second and final debate, Kelly refused to answer when he asked whether she thought Kansans were better off than they were two years ago, adding, “I have stayed focused like a laser on Kansas, not on the federal government.”Kelly also touted her efforts to lure new jobs to Kansas, suggesting that work helped the state weather national economic problems. Less than a week before Tuesday's election, she participated in a groundbreaking ceremony in the Kansas City area for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-legislature-oklahoma-kansas-topeka-a6a50dea941774e9a1f3bdba6c49df06">a multibillion-dollar mega-factory for electronics giant Panasonic Corp.</a>&nbsp;to build electric-vehicle batteries, attracted by taxpayer-funded incentives worth $829 million over 10 years, the largest package the state had ever offered a private business.Kelly ran as the self-described “education governor,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-education-covid-kansas-1e5156ab2661470de4cbf77ab969e821">touting higher spending</a>&nbsp;on public schools, the state’s improved finances and efforts to lure businesses to the state. Democrats tried to link Schmidt to former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback, who launched a nationally notorious experiment in cutting income taxes in 2012 and 2013 that was followed by huge, persistent budget shortfalls.Schmidt chided Kelly for what he called her “unhealthy obsession” with Brownback. He also sought to turn the issue of education against her by highlighting her March 2020 pandemic-related decision to close K-12 school buildings until the fall.Mel Adams, an 80-year-old Republican from Topeka, said the economy was the key issue, adding that people are fed up with Democrats. He dismissed Kelly's attempts to link Schmidt to Brownback and didn't think much of her portraying herself as politically in the middle of the road.“That's where roadkill happens,” he said.Schmidt also painted Kelly as anti-police for calling systemic racism a problem following the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. And Republicans highlighted Kelly's vetoes of two proposals to ban transgender girls and women from girls' and women's school, club and college sports teams.Republicans won three other statewide races. State Rep. Steven Johnson unseated Democratic State Treasurer Lynn Rogers, and Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt were reelected.Kansans voted yes to keeping six justices on the state Supreme Court for another six years, even though five were targeted for removal by the state's most influential anti-abortion group. The court ruled in 2019 that access to abortion is protected by the Kansas Constitution.Finally, voters approved a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution making it harder to remove county sheriffs from office.

Laura Kelly wins reelection for governor in Kansas

St. Louis County, Minnesota —Former Wichita police chief Gordon Ramsay won the race for sheriff in his home town of Duluth, Minnesota on Tuesday.

According to the Minnesota <a href="https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=149&amp;scenario=LocalCounty&amp;CountyId=69&amp;show=Go">Secretary of State's website,</a> Ramsay&nbsp; defeated challenger, St. Louis County Undersheriff Jason Lukovsky 49.8 to 40.2 percent. Ramsay earned 42,741 votes to&nbsp; Lukovsky's 34,538 votes.&nbsp;

Ramsay was one of the first law enforcement officials to call the death of George Floyd a murder.

He was appointed as the Wichita Police Chief in January 2016 until he resigned in March. He has served as a police officer since 1993, according to his bio on the city web site.

He is nationally recognized for his work and expertise with citizen oversight boards, co-responders models, police-community relations, and the use of technology and crime reduction.&nbsp; Due to his work in these areas, Chief Ramsay was selected to serve as a Commissioner on the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Kansas Governor's Commission on Racial Equity and Justice.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660160879493.png" alt="Gordon Ramsay courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Gordon Ramsay courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Louis County, Minnesota —Former Wichita police chief Gordon Ramsay won the race for sheriff in his home town of Duluth, Minnesota on Tuesday.According to the Minnesota <a href="https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=149&amp;scenario=LocalCounty&amp;CountyId=69&amp;show=Go">Secretary of State's website,</a> Ramsay&nbsp; defeated challenger, St. Louis County Undersheriff Jason Lukovsky 49.8 to 40.2 percent. Ramsay earned 42,741 votes to&nbsp; Lukovsky's 34,538 votes.&nbsp;Ramsay was one of the first law enforcement officials to call the death of George Floyd a murder.He was appointed as the Wichita Police Chief in January 2016 until he resigned in March. He has served as a police officer since 1993, according to his bio on the city web site. He is nationally recognized for his work and expertise with citizen oversight boards, co-responders models, police-community relations, and the use of technology and crime reduction.&nbsp; Due to his work in these areas, Chief Ramsay was selected to serve as a Commissioner on the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Kansas Governor's Commission on Racial Equity and Justice.&nbsp;

Former Wichita police chief wins race for sheriff in Minnesota

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/06/kansas-top-election-official-predicts-1-million-voters-to-make-voices-heard-in-2022/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansans voted to keep all six state Supreme Court justices up for retention on the November ballot. The justices were returned with more than 60% voter support, including two who voted in favor of abortion rights.

Kansas Supreme Court justices on the ballot were Daniel Biles, Marla Luckert, Evelyn Wilson, Caleb Stegall, K.J. Wall and Melissa Standridge, six out of the seven total justices.

Luckert and Biles voted to protect abortion rights in a 2019 ruling that said the Kansas Constitution’s right to bodily autonomy includes the decision to terminate a pregnancy. Stegall, who was appointed by former Gov. Sam Brownback, dissented in the abortion ruling. Standridge, Wall and Wilson were appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly after the 2019 decision. Kansas Supreme Court justice Eric Rosen won’t face a retention vote until 2026.

The debate around judicial retention intensified after rejection of the August abortion amendment, which would have declared that women don’t have a state constitutional right to abortion. Following the vote, anti-abortion activists have been campaigning to oust Supreme Court justices that didn’t align with their views.

Kansas uses a merit-based screening process for Supreme Court justices. A nine-member commission reviews applicants and sends three nominees to the governor, who makes the final pick. After serving for a year, new justices are placed on the ballot for a retention vote and then subject to retention votes every six years. The merit-based system has been in place since the 1950s.&nbsp;

Two Lawrence voters said they had decided to vote out the judges, though the decision wasn’t made in regard to abortion rights.

Ken Farrar said he voted “no” on retaining all the judges on principle, saying he wanted to make sure judges were in touch with the Kansas public.&nbsp;

“It’s the easy thing to do to just keep them in play,” Farrar said. “Go back to practicing law, be a commoner again.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Luckert-Ryckman-Masterson-1024x768.jpg" alt="- Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert was up for retention on the November ballot. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>- Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert was up for retention on the November ballot. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/06/kansas-top-election-official-predicts-1-million-voters-to-make-voices-heard-in-2022/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansans voted to keep all six state Supreme Court justices up for retention on the November ballot. The justices were returned with more than 60% voter support, including two who voted in favor of abortion rights.Kansas Supreme Court justices on the ballot were Daniel Biles, Marla Luckert, Evelyn Wilson, Caleb Stegall, K.J. Wall and Melissa Standridge, six out of the seven total justices.Luckert and Biles voted to protect abortion rights in a 2019 ruling that said the Kansas Constitution’s right to bodily autonomy includes the decision to terminate a pregnancy. Stegall, who was appointed by former Gov. Sam Brownback, dissented in the abortion ruling. Standridge, Wall and Wilson were appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly after the 2019 decision. Kansas Supreme Court justice Eric Rosen won’t face a retention vote until 2026.The debate around judicial retention intensified after rejection of the August abortion amendment, which would have declared that women don’t have a state constitutional right to abortion. Following the vote, anti-abortion activists have been campaigning to oust Supreme Court justices that didn’t align with their views.Kansas uses a merit-based screening process for Supreme Court justices. A nine-member commission reviews applicants and sends three nominees to the governor, who makes the final pick. After serving for a year, new justices are placed on the ballot for a retention vote and then subject to retention votes every six years. The merit-based system has been in place since the 1950s.&nbsp;Two Lawrence voters said they had decided to vote out the judges, though the decision wasn’t made in regard to abortion rights.Ken Farrar said he voted “no” on retaining all the judges on principle, saying he wanted to make sure judges were in touch with the Kansas public.&nbsp;“It’s the easy thing to do to just keep them in play,” Farrar said. “Go back to practicing law, be a commoner again.”Troy Squire said he voted out all but one justices, saying he wanted to make sure there was accountability in the system.&nbsp;“I’ll always vote them out if I don’t know what they’re doing especially,” Squire said.&nbsp;Advocacy group Keep Kansas Courts Impartial released a statement in support of retention, saying Kansans had chosen to prevent governmental overreach.“We applaud the voters of Kansas for their wisdom in voting to retain the six Supreme Court Justices on the ballot Tuesday,” the statement read. “Kansans have sent a clear message that they want the Judicial Branch of government to remain impartial and free from political pressure and interest groups. The election results mean that Kansans want their Justices to do their jobs and hold politicians accountable to the people and to the Kansas Constitution.”Ahead of the election, right-leaning political strategists have been accused of sending mailers meant to confuse voters on judicial retention. One mailer sent out seemed to be pro-choice, saying that Kansans had showed their support for abortion rights and needed to show this pro-choice support again.&nbsp;On the other side of the mailer, it said to “vote no” on judicial retention, in a attempt to seemingly trick voters into voting against justices who had supported abortion rights.