RENO COUNTY — The Reno County Sheriff's Office on Monday posted an 
update that they are still looking for 67-year-old Leonard Anthony 
Williams. He was first reported missing on Oct. 9. They added 
that he was last seen in the area of Fun Valley.

There is still an active investigation taking place in attempt to locate Williams.

Williams
 was last seen wearing an orange sweater with blue jeans.  If anyone has
 seen him, please notify the Reno County Sheriff’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669124324968.jpeg" alt="Williams" />
 <figcaption>Williams</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutch PostRENO COUNTY — The Reno County Sheriff's Office on Monday posted an 
update that they are still looking for 67-year-old Leonard Anthony 
Williams. He was first reported missing on Oct. 9. They added 
that he was last seen in the area of Fun Valley.There is still an active investigation taking place in attempt to locate Williams.Williams
 was last seen wearing an orange sweater with blue jeans. If anyone has
 seen him, please notify the Reno County Sheriff’s Office.

Police still searching for Hutch man reported missing Oct. 9

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

The process to get funding for a $32 million new hospital project in
Ellinwood has been in the works for nearly two years. With help from local
legislators, the Ellinwood Hospital was approved to receive a $25 million loan
from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help construct the
new hospital that will be located west of town on U.S. 56 Highway, across from
Ellinwood Packing Plant. 
Ellinwood Hospital Foundation Executive Director Kristy Rupe said it was
important to lock in the interest rates as quickly as possible before the rates
increased.

"Just about every rural hospital in Kansas fits this program funded by USDA," said Rupe. "It's a low-interest loan. They do require there to be a community support side on our end." 
Along with the USDA loan, a capital campaign is charged with fundraising $1.25
million and the hospital is responsible with covering the remaining expense.

The final architectural plans are finished and now Ellinwood Hospital staff is
waiting to hear bid proposals from contractors. 

With groundbreaking expected to
occur late this year or early 2023, construction on the new hospital will take
18 - 24 months. 

Future plans for the current hospital are up in the air. 
"The existing hospital is still our home for at least a couple of years," said Rupe. "There currently are no plans as to what will happen to it; however, the board said they are committed to making the best choice possible so that it's not an eyesore or blight to the community." 
Ellinwood Hospital purchased 15 acres along U.S. 56 Highway, and the new
facility is expected to consume 10 of those acres.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642796023188.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostThe process to get funding for a $32 million new hospital project in
Ellinwood has been in the works for nearly two years. With help from local
legislators, the Ellinwood Hospital was approved to receive a $25 million loan
from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help construct the
new hospital that will be located west of town on U.S. 56 Highway, across from
Ellinwood Packing Plant. 
Ellinwood Hospital Foundation Executive Director Kristy Rupe said it was
important to lock in the interest rates as quickly as possible before the rates
increased."Just about every rural hospital in Kansas fits this program funded by USDA," said Rupe. "It's a low-interest loan. They do require there to be a community support side on our end." 
Along with the USDA loan, a capital campaign is charged with fundraising $1.25
million and the hospital is responsible with covering the remaining expense.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667441674280.jpeg" alt="Architectural rendering of new Ellinwood Hospital." />
 <figcaption>Architectural rendering of new Ellinwood Hospital.</figcaption>
 </figure>The final architectural plans are finished and now Ellinwood Hospital staff is
waiting to hear bid proposals from contractors. With groundbreaking expected to
occur late this year or early 2023, construction on the new hospital will take
18 - 24 months. Future plans for the current hospital are up in the air. 
"The existing hospital is still our home for at least a couple of years," said Rupe. "There currently are no plans as to what will happen to it; however, the board said they are committed to making the best choice possible so that it's not an eyesore or blight to the community." 
Ellinwood Hospital purchased 15 acres along U.S. 56 Highway, and the new
facility is expected to consume 10 of those acres.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Ellinwood Hospital eyes new construction, future of old campus uncertain

WYANDOTTE COUNTY — Two people were killed in an accident at 4 p.m. Monday on I-635.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Ford Ranger was southbound on I-635 approaching I-70. The driver — Nicholas Michael Munoz, 35, Plant City, Fla. — reportedly was driving aggressively and the vehicle left the roadway to the right.&nbsp;

The pickup continued into the ditch, entered the gap between southbound I-635 and I-70s eastbound ramps, went airborne and landed on its top on Kaw Drive.&nbsp;

Munoz and a passenger — Joshua Daniel Foster, 39, Spring Hill — were killed in the accident, the KHP reported. Both were properly restrained.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY — Two people were killed in an accident at 4 p.m. Monday on I-635.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Ford Ranger was southbound on I-635 approaching I-70. The driver — Nicholas Michael Munoz, 35, Plant City, Fla. — reportedly was driving aggressively and the vehicle left the roadway to the right.&nbsp;The pickup continued into the ditch, entered the gap between southbound I-635 and I-70s eastbound ramps, went airborne and landed on its top on Kaw Drive.&nbsp;Munoz and a passenger — Joshua Daniel Foster, 39, Spring Hill — were killed in the accident, the KHP reported. Both were properly restrained.

Two killed after pickup goes airborne on I-635

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JESSE%20BEDAYN%20and%20SAM%20METZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JESSE BEDAYN and SAM METZ Associated Press</a>

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — When army veteran Rich Fierro realized a gunman was spraying bullets inside the club where he had gathered with friends and family, instincts from his military training immediately kicked in.

First he ducked to avoid any potential incoming fire, then moved to try to disarm the shooter.

“It’s the reflex. Go! Go to the fire. Stop the action. Stop the activity. Don't let no one get hurt. I tried to bring everybody back,” he said Monday outside his home.

Fierro is one of two people police are crediting with saving lives by subduing a 22-year-old man armed with multiple firearms, including an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, who went on a shooting rampage Saturday night at Club Q,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-shootings-colorado-gay-rights-112e79c6886defbcc07e2c7cec32a246">a well-known gathering place</a>&nbsp;for the LGBTQ community in Colorado Springs. Five people were killed and at least 17 wounded.

Fierro was there with his daughter Kassy, her boyfriend and several other friends to see a drag show and celebrate a birthday. He said it was one of the group’s most enjoyable nights. That suddenly changed when the shots rang out and Kassy’s boyfriend, Raymond Green Vance, was fatally shot.

Speaking to reporters at his home Monday, Fierro teared up as he recalled Raymond smiling and dancing before the shots rang out.

Fierro could smell the cordite from the ammunition, saw the flashes and dove, pushing his friend down before falling backwards.

Looking up from the floor, Fierro saw the shooter's body armor and the crowd that had fled to the club's patio. Moving toward the attacker, Fierro grasped the body armor, yanked the shooter down while yelling at another patron, Thomas James, to move the rifle out of reach.

As the shooter was pinned under a barrage of punches from Fierro and kicks to the head from James, he tried to reach for his pistol. Fierro grabbed it and used it as a bludgeon.

When a performer who was there for the drag show ran by, Fierro told them to kick the gunman. The performer stuffed a high-heeled shoe in the attacker's face, Fierro said.

“I love them,” Fierro said of the city's LGBTQ community. “I have nothing but love.”

Fierro served three tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, and said he’s dealt with violence. That’s what he signed up for. “Nobody in that club asked to do this,” he said, but everyone “is going to have to live with it now.”

Fierro and James, about whom little was known as of Monday evening, pinned the shooter down until officers arrived minutes later. Fierro was briefly handcuffed and sat in a police car as law enforcement tried to calm the chaos.

Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said Monday that Fierro acted courageously.

“I have never encountered a person who had engaged in such heroic actions who was so humble about it," Vasquez said. "He simply said to me, ‘I was trying to protect my family.’”

When asked about being hailed a hero, Fierro demurred. “I’m just some dude from San Diego,” he said, standing outside his home and alternating between English and a smattering of Spanish words.

The suspect, who was said to be carrying multiple guns and additional ammunition magazines, faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-colorado-gun-politics-springs-7f079c7feebc32cc8ad46f2724844c18">murder and hate crime charges</a>.

Fierro's wife, Jess, said via Facebook that her husband had bruised his right side and injured his hands, knees and ankle. “He was covered in blood,” she wrote on the page of their brewery, Atrevida Beer Co.

Though his actions saved lives, Fierro said the deaths — including his daughter's boyfriend, Vance — were a tragedy both personal and for the broader community.

“There are five people that I could not help. And one of which was family to me,” he said, as his brother put a consoling hand on his shoulder.

Fierro said he doesn't remember if the gunman responded as he yelled and struggled to subdue him, but he has thought about their next interaction.

“I’m gonna see that guy in court,” Fierro said. “And that guy’s gonna see who did him.”

Metz reported from Salt Lake City. Associated Press reporter Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669124653069.jpeg" alt="Richard Fierro talks during a news conference outside his home about his efforts to subdue the gunman in Saturday's shooting at Club Q, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)" />
 <figcaption>Richard Fierro talks during a news conference outside his home about his efforts to subdue the gunman in Saturday's shooting at Club Q, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JESSE%20BEDAYN%20and%20SAM%20METZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JESSE BEDAYN and SAM METZ Associated Press</a>COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — When army veteran Rich Fierro realized a gunman was spraying bullets inside the club where he had gathered with friends and family, instincts from his military training immediately kicked in.First he ducked to avoid any potential incoming fire, then moved to try to disarm the shooter.“It’s the reflex. Go! Go to the fire. Stop the action. Stop the activity. Don't let no one get hurt. I tried to bring everybody back,” he said Monday outside his home.Fierro is one of two people police are crediting with saving lives by subduing a 22-year-old man armed with multiple firearms, including an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, who went on a shooting rampage Saturday night at Club Q,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-shootings-colorado-gay-rights-112e79c6886defbcc07e2c7cec32a246">a well-known gathering place</a>&nbsp;for the LGBTQ community in Colorado Springs. Five people were killed and at least 17 wounded.Fierro was there with his daughter Kassy, her boyfriend and several other friends to see a drag show and celebrate a birthday. He said it was one of the group’s most enjoyable nights. That suddenly changed when the shots rang out and Kassy’s boyfriend, Raymond Green Vance, was fatally shot.Speaking to reporters at his home Monday, Fierro teared up as he recalled Raymond smiling and dancing before the shots rang out.Fierro could smell the cordite from the ammunition, saw the flashes and dove, pushing his friend down before falling backwards.Looking up from the floor, Fierro saw the shooter's body armor and the crowd that had fled to the club's patio. Moving toward the attacker, Fierro grasped the body armor, yanked the shooter down while yelling at another patron, Thomas James, to move the rifle out of reach.As the shooter was pinned under a barrage of punches from Fierro and kicks to the head from James, he tried to reach for his pistol. Fierro grabbed it and used it as a bludgeon.“I tried to finish him," he said.When a performer who was there for the drag show ran by, Fierro told them to kick the gunman. The performer stuffed a high-heeled shoe in the attacker's face, Fierro said.“I love them,” Fierro said of the city's LGBTQ community. “I have nothing but love.”Fierro served three tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, and said he’s dealt with violence. That’s what he signed up for. “Nobody in that club asked to do this,” he said, but everyone “is going to have to live with it now.”Fierro and James, about whom little was known as of Monday evening, pinned the shooter down until officers arrived minutes later. Fierro was briefly handcuffed and sat in a police car as law enforcement tried to calm the chaos.Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said Monday that Fierro acted courageously.“I have never encountered a person who had engaged in such heroic actions who was so humble about it," Vasquez said. "He simply said to me, ‘I was trying to protect my family.’”When asked about being hailed a hero, Fierro demurred. “I’m just some dude from San Diego,” he said, standing outside his home and alternating between English and a smattering of Spanish words.The suspect, who was said to be carrying multiple guns and additional ammunition magazines, faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-colorado-gun-politics-springs-7f079c7feebc32cc8ad46f2724844c18">murder and hate crime charges</a>.Fierro's wife, Jess, said via Facebook that her husband had bruised his right side and injured his hands, knees and ankle. “He was covered in blood,” she wrote on the page of their brewery, Atrevida Beer Co.Though his actions saved lives, Fierro said the deaths — including his daughter's boyfriend, Vance — were a tragedy both personal and for the broader community.“There are five people that I could not help. And one of which was family to me,” he said, as his brother put a consoling hand on his shoulder.Fierro said he doesn't remember if the gunman responded as he yelled and struggled to subdue him, but he has thought about their next interaction.“I’m gonna see that guy in court,” Fierro said. “And that guy’s gonna see who did him.”Metz reported from Salt Lake City. Associated Press reporter Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed.

'It's the reflex': Veteran helped disarm gunman at gay club

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20LEICESTER%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press</a>

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Rolling blackouts across Ukraine may continue through March, according to one of the country’s energy chiefs, as Ukrainians brace for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-europe-business-2b3c41d06740b6b3b5ad42497f7ebcae">a grim winter</a>&nbsp;after weeks of relentless Russian strikes against its power grid.

Sergey Kovalenko, CEO of private energy provider DTEK Yasno, said in a Facebook post late Monday that the company was under instructions from Ukraine’s state grid operator to resume emergency blackouts in the areas it covers, including the capital Kyiv and the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region.

“Although there are fewer blackouts now, I want everyone to understand: Most likely, Ukrainians will have to live with blackouts until at least the end of March,” Kovalenko warned.

“I think we need to be prepared for different options, even the worst ones. Stock up on warm clothes, blankets, think about what will help you wait out a long shutdown,” he said, addressing Ukrainian residents.

Russia has been pummeling Ukraine’s power grid and other infrastructure from the air for weeks, as the war approaches its nine-month milestone. That onslaught has caused widespread blackouts and deprived millions of Ukrainians of electricity, heat and water.

Temperatures commonly stick below freezing in Ukraine in the winter months. Ukrainian authorities have started&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-europe-4694a38addce348a51bc122a240e9c0b">evacuating civilians</a>&nbsp;from recently liberated sections of the southern Kherson and Mykolaiv regions out of fear that the winter will be hard to survive.

Kovalenko added that even if no more Russian strikes occur, scheduled outages will be needed across Ukraine to ensure that power is evenly distributed across the battered energy grid.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian missile strikes have damaged more than 50% of the country’s energy facilities, and the World Health Organization is warning that millions face a “life-threatening” winter in Ukraine.

The battle for terrain has continued unabated despite the deteriorating weather conditions, with Ukrainian forces pressing against Russian positions as part of a weeks-long counteroffensive and Moscow’s forces keeping up shelling and missile strikes.

In a key battlefield development, a Ukrainian official acknowledged that Kyiv’s forces are attacking Russian positions on the Kinburn Spit, which is a gateway to the Black Sea basin and parts of the southern Kherson region that are still under Russian control.

Despite an information blackout around the operation, Natalya Humenyuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian army’s Operational Command South, said in televised remarks that Ukrainian forces are “continuing a military operation” in the area.

The Kinburn Spit is Russia’s last outpost in Ukraine’s southern Mykolayiv region, directly west of Kherson. Ukrainian forces recently liberated other parts of the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions.

Moscow has used the Kinburn Spit as a staging ground for missile and artillery strikes on Ukrainian positions in the Mykolaiv province, and elsewhere along the Ukrainian-controlled Black Sea coast.

Ukraine recently recaptured the city of Kherson, on the western bank of the Dnieper River, and surrounding areas in a major battlefield advance.

Capturing the Kinburn Spit could help Ukrainian forces push into territory Russia still holds in the Kherson region “under significantly less Russian artillery fire” than an attempt at a direct crossing of the Dnieper would likely unleash, a Washington-based think tank said late Monday.

The Institute for the Study of War added that control of the area would help Kyiv alleviate Russian strikes on Ukraine’s southern seaports and allow Ukraine to increase its naval activity in the Black Sea.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s presidential office said Tuesday morning that at least eight civilians were killed and 16 were injured over the previous 24 hours, as Moscow’s forces once again used drones, rockets and heavy artillery to pound eight Ukrainian regions.

Since Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, the war has killed at least 16,784 civilians and injured 10,189, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights estimates.

In the eastern Donetsk region, fierce battles continued around the city of Bakhmut, where the Kremlin’s forces are keen to clinch an unambiguous victory after weeks of embarrassing military setbacks.

Speaking on Ukrainian TV, Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said Russia launched missiles at the city of Kramatorsk, home to the local headquarters of the Ukrainian military, and on the strategic city of Avdiivka.

Kyrylenko added that power supplies and communications are non-existent in most of the Donetsk region.

According to the Ukrainian presidential office, one civilian was killed and three others were wounded after Russia shelled the city of Kherson, which Ukrainian forces recaptured Nov. 10.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20LEICESTER%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press</a>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Rolling blackouts across Ukraine may continue through March, according to one of the country’s energy chiefs, as Ukrainians brace for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-europe-business-2b3c41d06740b6b3b5ad42497f7ebcae">a grim winter</a>&nbsp;after weeks of relentless Russian strikes against its power grid.Sergey Kovalenko, CEO of private energy provider DTEK Yasno, said in a Facebook post late Monday that the company was under instructions from Ukraine’s state grid operator to resume emergency blackouts in the areas it covers, including the capital Kyiv and the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region.“Although there are fewer blackouts now, I want everyone to understand: Most likely, Ukrainians will have to live with blackouts until at least the end of March,” Kovalenko warned.“I think we need to be prepared for different options, even the worst ones. Stock up on warm clothes, blankets, think about what will help you wait out a long shutdown,” he said, addressing Ukrainian residents.Russia has been pummeling Ukraine’s power grid and other infrastructure from the air for weeks, as the war approaches its nine-month milestone. That onslaught has caused widespread blackouts and deprived millions of Ukrainians of electricity, heat and water.Temperatures commonly stick below freezing in Ukraine in the winter months. Ukrainian authorities have started&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-europe-4694a38addce348a51bc122a240e9c0b">evacuating civilians</a>&nbsp;from recently liberated sections of the southern Kherson and Mykolaiv regions out of fear that the winter will be hard to survive.Kovalenko added that even if no more Russian strikes occur, scheduled outages will be needed across Ukraine to ensure that power is evenly distributed across the battered energy grid.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian missile strikes have damaged more than 50% of the country’s energy facilities, and the World Health Organization is warning that millions face a “life-threatening” winter in Ukraine.The battle for terrain has continued unabated despite the deteriorating weather conditions, with Ukrainian forces pressing against Russian positions as part of a weeks-long counteroffensive and Moscow’s forces keeping up shelling and missile strikes.In a key battlefield development, a Ukrainian official acknowledged that Kyiv’s forces are attacking Russian positions on the Kinburn Spit, which is a gateway to the Black Sea basin and parts of the southern Kherson region that are still under Russian control.Despite an information blackout around the operation, Natalya Humenyuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian army’s Operational Command South, said in televised remarks that Ukrainian forces are “continuing a military operation” in the area.The Kinburn Spit is Russia’s last outpost in Ukraine’s southern Mykolayiv region, directly west of Kherson. Ukrainian forces recently liberated other parts of the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions.Moscow has used the Kinburn Spit as a staging ground for missile and artillery strikes on Ukrainian positions in the Mykolaiv province, and elsewhere along the Ukrainian-controlled Black Sea coast.Ukraine recently recaptured the city of Kherson, on the western bank of the Dnieper River, and surrounding areas in a major battlefield advance.Capturing the Kinburn Spit could help Ukrainian forces push into territory Russia still holds in the Kherson region “under significantly less Russian artillery fire” than an attempt at a direct crossing of the Dnieper would likely unleash, a Washington-based think tank said late Monday.The Institute for the Study of War added that control of the area would help Kyiv alleviate Russian strikes on Ukraine’s southern seaports and allow Ukraine to increase its naval activity in the Black Sea.Meanwhile, Ukraine’s presidential office said Tuesday morning that at least eight civilians were killed and 16 were injured over the previous 24 hours, as Moscow’s forces once again used drones, rockets and heavy artillery to pound eight Ukrainian regions.Since Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, the war has killed at least 16,784 civilians and injured 10,189, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights estimates.In the eastern Donetsk region, fierce battles continued around the city of Bakhmut, where the Kremlin’s forces are keen to clinch an unambiguous victory after weeks of embarrassing military setbacks.Speaking on Ukrainian TV, Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said Russia launched missiles at the city of Kramatorsk, home to the local headquarters of the Ukrainian military, and on the strategic city of Avdiivka.Kyrylenko added that power supplies and communications are non-existent in most of the Donetsk region.According to the Ukrainian presidential office, one civilian was killed and three others were wounded after Russia shelled the city of Kherson, which Ukrainian forces recaptured Nov. 10.

'Stock up on blankets': Ukrainians brace for bleak winter

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/21/kansas-child-welfare-panel-raises-issue-with-guardian-ad-litem-casa-programs/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas legislators 
leveled criticism at programs designed to serve children subjected to 
abuse or neglect, alleging attorneys hired by courts to recommend 
resolution of cases fell short of expectations and asserting a volunteer
 advocacy initiative failed to mirror diversity of children served.

Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Louisburg Republican, and Rep. Susan 
Concannon, a Republican from Beloit, expressed alarm during the Kansas 
Legislature’s hearings last week on child welfare issues that lawyers, 
or guardian ad litems, hired by the court to submit recommendations on 
cases of child neglect or abuse were overworked and insufficiently 
compensated.

They also said there were reports of attorneys ignoring their 
responsibility to meaningfully engage with children they’re assigned to 
serve. It’s alleged some attorneys don’t meet with the children before 
court appearances as required.

“We know that the guardian ad litems have a big case load and that 
they’re underpaid,” Concannon said. “That’s given, but I think that’s 
giving them an excuse. They come out in the hallway and call for a child
 and they don’t even know who they are.”

Baumgardner said guardian ad litems were heavily influenced by 
policies of DCF and conclusions of social workers at contractors hired 
by DCF. She said the problem emerged most frequently when considering 
whether to separate siblings and when evaluating whether to reintegrate 
families.

Baumgardner said the Legislature ought to address another common 
complaint about foster parents and relatives of children in foster care.

“Foster parents have no say, have no input. They are in a position 
of, ‘If you’re not an advocate, then you’re essentially the enemy of the
 agency,'” she said.

A majority of the Child Welfare System Oversight Committee agreed to 
make another attempt at embedding in state law a requirement Kansas 
maintain an Office of Child Advocate to investigate complaints about 
handling of child welfare cases.

Rep. Susan Humphries, a Wichita Republican with two adopted children,
 said the existing created by executive order of Democratic Gov. Laura 
Kelly left open potential for conflicts of interest. The current system 
is too cozy, she said, because the governor appoints the child advocate 
and the secretary of the state agency with jurisdiction over the 
privatized foster care system.

She said the child advocate’s office ought to be supervised by the 
Legislature or the attorney general. In 2021, the Senate wanted that job
 placed with Attorney General Derek Schmidt. The House preferred the 
Legislature. The deadlock was never resolved so Kelly created the 
position administratively.

“As much as I appreciate the person who is in the office of the child
 advocate, I don’t feel like it is truly independent when the governor 
is appointing the same person as secretary of DCF and the office of the 
child advocate,” Humphries said.

In December 2021, Kelly selected Kerrie Lonard to lead the division 
of child advocate. Lonard, an attorney and former social worker, is 
expected to issue herr first annual report before start of the 2023 
legislative session in January. It will outline inquiries into alleged 
misconduct.

Some members of the committee shared interest in adding $350,000 to 
the budget of CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocate, to serve 
interests of abused or neglected children.

Caitlyn Eakin, state director of the Kansas CASA Association, said 21
 local programs coordinate trained volunteers. The caseload is small, 
she said, to give volunteers opportunity to talk with the child, family 
members, educators, doctors, therapists and others involved in the 
child’s life.

She said CASA volunteers were the lone consistent positive role model
 in the lives of many children who experienced abuse or neglect.

“Kansas CASA and our programs around the state know the importance of
 following due diligence to prevent an unnecessary separation of a child
 from their biological family,” she said. “We are also aware that there 
are many unfortunate circumstances where there is no other option, and 
for the safety and benefit of the child, they need to be placed in state
 custody.”

Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, a Wichita Democrat on the child welfare 
committee, said CASA deployed an insufficient number of Black people to 
assist children of color disproportionately represented in the state’s 
foster care population.

“If we talk of the lack of African-Americans who are foster parents 
or want to be CASAs, I know a host of them who are applying, have the 
status, but they’re not included,” the senator said. “No disrespect to 
anybody, but the CASA issue, you know, don’t lay it on me. I’ve been 
talking for 18 years to be more inclusive. We talk about diversity. We 
show the films and all of that. Every year, I go home and it’s the same 
representation. I hear the same things from my constituents.”

The legislative committee also proposed integrating foster care 
caseworkers back into the state employee system rather than continue to 
have those people work directly for the contractors. There also was 
discussion of adopting a foster care bill of rights.

During 15 hours of meetings, a diverse collection of foster parents, 
academics, lawyers, contractors, state officials and others delved into 
their experiences with a system responsible for 7,000 children in need 
of care.

Megan Monsour, a Wichita adoption and foster care attorney for nearly
 15 years, presented the oversight committee unvarnished observations 
through eyes of a lawyer operating in the high-stakes environment.

“This is a very tough job, one that you all have and also that DCF 
has and the agencies have,” Monsour said. “We’re asking these foster 
parents to do an impossible job. I will tell you — maybe I shouldn’t 
admit to this — I have people call me and ask about foster care versus 
private adoption and I’m like, ‘Well, it is really hard for me to advise
 people to do foster care, because of the cases I get. I will tear up 
now. It’s hard, because you have to be ready to let a child go.”

Rick Gaskill, who had a 46-year career in community mental health 
counseling, said formation of active, affectionate, reciprocal, social 
and emotional bonds between parent and child were important factors in 
terms of foster care and adoption.

He said careless movement of vulnerable children among caregivers, 
sometimes known as attachment disruption, threatened to break these 
vital bonds with lifelong consequences.

“This attachment process is being created by neurons that are 
connecting together in certain patterns and that these patterns are 
lifelong,” he told lawmakers. “A lot of these decisions you all are 
making are going to determine how this brain is going to knit itself 
together and what perceptions, what possibilities are available to this 
child and then to future generations.”

He said any child able to maintain attachment with an adult would be better off in life.

“Attachment is the single-most defining milestone in human social 
development. Attachment will predict many things in our lives. It 
predicts success on a job. It predicts successful relationships with 
other people. It predicts criminal behavior,” Gaskill said.

Matt Stephens, a vice president at Saint Francis Ministries, said the
 foster care contractor responsible for most of western Kansas and 
Sedgwick County was struggling to hold down the number of residential 
transfers of youth in foster care. In some instances, he said, it was 
twice as high as desired.

“We need to continue to look at and evaluate to understand who is 
bouncing and experiencing placement instability,” he said. “National 
research would indicate that older youth have elevated risk of placement
 instability. And, the Kansas data mirrors that. Really what we’re 
seeing is older youth, ages 13 to 18, that have higher levels of 
disability or needs or higher acuity, they’re experiencing a lot of 
placement instability.”

He said staff turnover at Saint Francis Ministries in the past year 
hit 41%, but employee morale wasn’t shaken by the recent indictment by 
federal prosecutors of two former Saint Francis executives who alleged 
stole millions of dollars.

“When you look back at the former employees who have been indicted, 
that’s been two years ago from when they left our employment at Saint 
Francis Ministries. So, it’s been a long journey to get where we’re at 
today. I think a lot of people feel validated of what they saw at the 
time. We appreciate the diligence exhibited by the pursuit of justice. I
 don’t think our morale has taken a hit by the recent news.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669065812939.png" alt="Megan Monsour, a Wichita adoption and foster care attorney for nearly 15 years, said she struggled at times to recommend foster care over private adoption because “you have to be ready to let a child go.” (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>Megan Monsour, a Wichita adoption and foster care attorney for nearly 15 years, said she struggled at times to recommend foster care over private adoption because “you have to be ready to let a child go.” (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/21/kansas-child-welfare-panel-raises-issue-with-guardian-ad-litem-casa-programs/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas legislators 
leveled criticism at programs designed to serve children subjected to 
abuse or neglect, alleging attorneys hired by courts to recommend 
resolution of cases fell short of expectations and asserting a volunteer
 advocacy initiative failed to mirror diversity of children served.Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Louisburg Republican, and Rep. Susan 
Concannon, a Republican from Beloit, expressed alarm during the Kansas 
Legislature’s hearings last week on child welfare issues that lawyers, 
or guardian ad litems, hired by the court to submit recommendations on 
cases of child neglect or abuse were overworked and insufficiently 
compensated.They also said there were reports of attorneys ignoring their 
responsibility to meaningfully engage with children they’re assigned to 
serve. It’s alleged some attorneys don’t meet with the children before 
court appearances as required.“We know that the guardian ad litems have a big case load and that 
they’re underpaid,” Concannon said. “That’s given, but I think that’s 
giving them an excuse. They come out in the hallway and call for a child
 and they don’t even know who they are.”Baumgardner said guardian ad litems were heavily influenced by 
policies of DCF and conclusions of social workers at contractors hired 
by DCF. She said the problem emerged most frequently when considering 
whether to separate siblings and when evaluating whether to reintegrate 
families.Baumgardner said the Legislature ought to address another common 
complaint about foster parents and relatives of children in foster care.“Foster parents have no say, have no input. They are in a position 
of, ‘If you’re not an advocate, then you’re essentially the enemy of the
 agency,'” she said.<h2>Office of child advocate</h2>A majority of the Child Welfare System Oversight Committee agreed to 
make another attempt at embedding in state law a requirement Kansas 
maintain an Office of Child Advocate to investigate complaints about 
handling of child welfare cases.Rep. Susan Humphries, a Wichita Republican with two adopted children,
 said the existing created by executive order of Democratic Gov. Laura 
Kelly left open potential for conflicts of interest. The current system 
is too cozy, she said, because the governor appoints the child advocate 
and the secretary of the state agency with jurisdiction over the 
privatized foster care system.She said the child advocate’s office ought to be supervised by the 
Legislature or the attorney general. In 2021, the Senate wanted that job
 placed with Attorney General Derek Schmidt. The House preferred the 
Legislature. The deadlock was never resolved so Kelly created the 
position administratively.“As much as I appreciate the person who is in the office of the child
 advocate, I don’t feel like it is truly independent when the governor 
is appointing the same person as secretary of DCF and the office of the 
child advocate,” Humphries said.In December 2021, Kelly selected Kerrie Lonard to lead the division 
of child advocate. Lonard, an attorney and former social worker, is 
expected to issue herr first annual report before start of the 2023 
legislative session in January. It will outline inquiries into alleged 
misconduct.<h2>Cash for CASA</h2>Some members of the committee shared interest in adding $350,000 to 
the budget of CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocate, to serve 
interests of abused or neglected children.Caitlyn Eakin, state director of the Kansas CASA Association, said 21
 local programs coordinate trained volunteers. The caseload is small, 
she said, to give volunteers opportunity to talk with the child, family 
members, educators, doctors, therapists and others involved in the 
child’s life.She said CASA volunteers were the lone consistent positive role model
 in the lives of many children who experienced abuse or neglect.“Kansas CASA and our programs around the state know the importance of
 following due diligence to prevent an unnecessary separation of a child
 from their biological family,” she said. “We are also aware that there 
are many unfortunate circumstances where there is no other option, and 
for the safety and benefit of the child, they need to be placed in state
 custody.”Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, a Wichita Democrat on the child welfare 
committee, said CASA deployed an insufficient number of Black people to 
assist children of color disproportionately represented in the state’s 
foster care population.“If we talk of the lack of African-Americans who are foster parents 
or want to be CASAs, I know a host of them who are applying, have the 
status, but they’re not included,” the senator said. “No disrespect to 
anybody, but the CASA issue, you know, don’t lay it on me. I’ve been 
talking for 18 years to be more inclusive. We talk about diversity. We 
show the films and all of that. Every year, I go home and it’s the same 
representation. I hear the same things from my constituents.”The legislative committee also proposed integrating foster care 
caseworkers back into the state employee system rather than continue to 
have those people work directly for the contractors. There also was 
discussion of adopting a foster care bill of rights.<h2>‘Let a child go’</h2>During 15 hours of meetings, a diverse collection of foster parents, 
academics, lawyers, contractors, state officials and others delved into 
their experiences with a system responsible for 7,000 children in need 
of care.Megan Monsour, a Wichita adoption and foster care attorney for nearly
 15 years, presented the oversight committee unvarnished observations 
through eyes of a lawyer operating in the high-stakes environment.“This is a very tough job, one that you all have and also that DCF 
has and the agencies have,” Monsour said. “We’re asking these foster 
parents to do an impossible job. I will tell you — maybe I shouldn’t 
admit to this — I have people call me and ask about foster care versus 
private adoption and I’m like, ‘Well, it is really hard for me to advise
 people to do foster care, because of the cases I get. I will tear up 
now. It’s hard, because you have to be ready to let a child go.”Rick Gaskill, who had a 46-year career in community mental health 
counseling, said formation of active, affectionate, reciprocal, social 
and emotional bonds between parent and child were important factors in 
terms of foster care and adoption.He said careless movement of vulnerable children among caregivers, 
sometimes known as attachment disruption, threatened to break these 
vital bonds with lifelong consequences.“This attachment process is being created by neurons that are 
connecting together in certain patterns and that these patterns are 
lifelong,” he told lawmakers. “A lot of these decisions you all are 
making are going to determine how this brain is going to knit itself 
together and what perceptions, what possibilities are available to this 
child and then to future generations.”He said any child able to maintain attachment with an adult would be better off in life.“Attachment is the single-most defining milestone in human social 
development. Attachment will predict many things in our lives. It 
predicts success on a job. It predicts successful relationships with 
other people. It predicts criminal behavior,” Gaskill said.<h2>The federal indictment</h2>Matt Stephens, a vice president at Saint Francis Ministries, said the
 foster care contractor responsible for most of western Kansas and 
Sedgwick County was struggling to hold down the number of residential 
transfers of youth in foster care. In some instances, he said, it was 
twice as high as desired.“We need to continue to look at and evaluate to understand who is 
bouncing and experiencing placement instability,” he said. “National 
research would indicate that older youth have elevated risk of placement
 instability. And, the Kansas data mirrors that. Really what we’re 
seeing is older youth, ages 13 to 18, that have higher levels of 
disability or needs or higher acuity, they’re experiencing a lot of 
placement instability.”He said staff turnover at Saint Francis Ministries in the past year 
hit 41%, but employee morale wasn’t shaken by the recent indictment by 
federal prosecutors of two former Saint Francis executives who alleged 
stole millions of dollars.“When you look back at the former employees who have been indicted, 
that’s been two years ago from when they left our employment at Saint 
Francis Ministries. So, it’s been a long journey to get where we’re at 
today. I think a lot of people feel validated of what they saw at the 
time. We appreciate the diligence exhibited by the pursuit of justice. I
 don’t think our morale has taken a hit by the recent news.”

Kansas panel raises issue with guardian ad litem, CASA programs

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22BROOKE%20SCHULTZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By BROOKE SCHULTZ </a> <a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22BROOKE%20SCHULTZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">Associated Press/Report for America</a>

Some of Taylor Swift’s fans want you to know three things: They’re not still 16, they have careers and resources and, right now, they’re angry. That’s a powerful political motivator, researchers say.

It started Nov. 15, when millions crowded a presale for Swift’s long-awaited Eras Tour,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-concert-tickets-parents-34399cca6403c97f0983a5c69c7edec0">resulting in crashes, prolonged waits and frantic purchases.</a>&nbsp;By Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-sale-canceled-music-concert-tour-70c8a21059174c37a06b7a8475239b06">Ticketmaster had canceled the general sale,</a>&nbsp;citing insufficient remaining tickets and inciting a firestorm of outrage from fans. Swift herself said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-taylor-swift-af5d58d2a8c6def368ded1bd2ddd8a6f">the ordeal “really pisses me off.”</a>

Ticketmaster apologized but the bad blood had already been sowed. And now fans — and politicians — have started acting on it.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez directed Swifties to where they could make U.S. Department of Justice complaints. Multiple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/josh-shapiro-business-taylor-swift-tennessee-e157badef297f7c302615b3a6080ba2a">state attorneys general</a>&nbsp;— including in Pennsylvania and Tennessee, key states in Swift’s origin story — have announced investigations.

Stephanie Aly, a New York-based professional who has worked on community organizing for progressive politics, for years has thought mobilizing fandoms for social progress could be beneficial.

“Fandoms are natural organizers,” said the 33-year-old Swiftie. “If you find the right issues and you activate them and engage them then you can effect real change.”

In 2020, for instance, K-pop fans organized to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-music-ap-top-news-south-korea-entertainment-09aaf5560b48385f5adf8ae7a6af3740">back the Black Lives Matter movement</a>&nbsp;and sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/[https://apnews.com/article/pop-music-music-donald-trump-us-news-united-states-2f18f18a8b40a4635fd3590fd159241c">inflate registration</a>&nbsp;for a Donald Trump rally. Aly and Swifties from different industries — law, public relations, cybersecurity and more — have joined forces to create Vigilante Legal, a group targeting Ticketmaster by creating email templates to petition attorneys general and providing antitrust information. Thousands have expressed interest in helping or learning more.

“The level of anger that you’ve just seen in the country around this issue is astounding,” said Jean Sinzdak, associate director for the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. “People are really sharing their feelings about that and building a movement about that online, which I really think is quite fascinating. It’s certainly an opportunity to engage people politically. Whether it lasts is hard to say, but it certainly feels like a real opportunity.”

In one way, said Sinzdak, this is giving Swift’s large following of younger people a direct line to seeing how policy takes shape. It’s also targeting a demographic that is seldom courted by politicians during election season.

“Nobody goes out and thinks, ‘Let’s target young women,’” said Gwen Nisbett, a University of North Texas professor who researches the intersection of political engagement and pop culture. “Be it about abortion or student loans, that age group is super mobilized and young women are super mobilized.”

Fan culture and community has boosted that tendency toward mobilization. Nisbett was studying parasocial relationships — when fans have strong one-way relationships with celebrities — in 2018, when the previously apolitical Swift posted an endorsement of Democratic candidates to social media. Nisbett found that while such posts may not determine fans' votes, they still led to the increased likelihood fans would look for more information about voting — and actually vote.

For the record:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-votecast-quirky-polls-e9c117cb5be549f91ca7d98d249c5f9d">AP VoteCast,</a>&nbsp;an extensive survey of the U.S. electorate, showed about a third of Tennessee voters in 2018 said they had a favorable opinion of Swift, and among them, a large majority — about 7 in 10 — backed Democrat Phil Bredesen in the Senate contest. That was in clear contrast to the roughly third of voters who had an unfavorable opinion of Swift and overwhelmingly backed Republican Marsha Blackburn.

For Swifties, the ire for Ticketmaster is not just about a ticket: “It’s the fact that you can’t participate in your community and your fandom and it’s part of your identity,” Nisbett said.

This isn’t even the first time a fandom or an artist has targeted Ticketmaster.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/063fca1ccd36ad2fe398537b71426d21">Pearl Jam took aim at the company</a>&nbsp;in 1994, although the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c3efaa2c4026495236f2035e93fe8a3f">Justice Department ultimately declined</a>&nbsp;to bring a case. More recently, Bruce Springsteen fans were enraged over high ticket costs because of the platform’s dynamic pricing system.

“It’s not just about getting vengeance for Swifties. It’s not about getting an extra million Taylor Swift fans tickets, or all of us going to a secret session,” said Jordan Burger, 28, who is using his law background to help the cause. “It’s about fundamental equality. And when you have a monopolist like that, it’s just so representative of the class structure of a society where there isn’t equality anymore, there isn’t fairness.”

The sheer power and size of Swift’s fandom has spurred conversations about economic inequality, merely symbolized by Ticketmaster.

Aly noted that quite a few of the members of the group did get tickets; the issue is is bigger than Ticketmaster, she said.

“We’ve gotten some feedback that, ‘This is too big, let the government handle it.’ Have you seen the U.S. government? The government only functions when the people push it to and when the people demand that it function and the people are involved,” she said. “Even when something seems too big to fail or too powerful to fail, there are always enough of us to make a difference. Your involvement may be the thing that pushes it over the edge that forces the government to act.”

Aly says many grown-up Swifties have 10-15 years’ experience of being bullied for liking the singer — but what fans have in mind might be better than revenge.

“We have thick skin and nothing to lose, really,” Aly said.

Associated Press journalist Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report from Washington. Brooke Schultz is a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reportforamerica.org/">Report for America</a>&nbsp;is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22BROOKE%20SCHULTZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By BROOKE SCHULTZ </a> <a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22BROOKE%20SCHULTZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">Associated Press/Report for America</a>Some of Taylor Swift’s fans want you to know three things: They’re not still 16, they have careers and resources and, right now, they’re angry. That’s a powerful political motivator, researchers say.Look what Ticketmaster made them do.It started Nov. 15, when millions crowded a presale for Swift’s long-awaited Eras Tour,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-concert-tickets-parents-34399cca6403c97f0983a5c69c7edec0">resulting in crashes, prolonged waits and frantic purchases.</a>&nbsp;By Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-sale-canceled-music-concert-tour-70c8a21059174c37a06b7a8475239b06">Ticketmaster had canceled the general sale,</a>&nbsp;citing insufficient remaining tickets and inciting a firestorm of outrage from fans. Swift herself said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-taylor-swift-af5d58d2a8c6def368ded1bd2ddd8a6f">the ordeal “really pisses me off.”</a>Ticketmaster apologized but the bad blood had already been sowed. And now fans — and politicians — have started acting on it.U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez directed Swifties to where they could make U.S. Department of Justice complaints. Multiple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/josh-shapiro-business-taylor-swift-tennessee-e157badef297f7c302615b3a6080ba2a">state attorneys general</a>&nbsp;— including in Pennsylvania and Tennessee, key states in Swift’s origin story — have announced investigations.Stephanie Aly, a New York-based professional who has worked on community organizing for progressive politics, for years has thought mobilizing fandoms for social progress could be beneficial.“Fandoms are natural organizers,” said the 33-year-old Swiftie. “If you find the right issues and you activate them and engage them then you can effect real change.”In 2020, for instance, K-pop fans organized to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-music-ap-top-news-south-korea-entertainment-09aaf5560b48385f5adf8ae7a6af3740">back the Black Lives Matter movement</a>&nbsp;and sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/[https://apnews.com/article/pop-music-music-donald-trump-us-news-united-states-2f18f18a8b40a4635fd3590fd159241c">inflate registration</a>&nbsp;for a Donald Trump rally. Aly and Swifties from different industries — law, public relations, cybersecurity and more — have joined forces to create Vigilante Legal, a group targeting Ticketmaster by creating email templates to petition attorneys general and providing antitrust information. Thousands have expressed interest in helping or learning more.“The level of anger that you’ve just seen in the country around this issue is astounding,” said Jean Sinzdak, associate director for the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. “People are really sharing their feelings about that and building a movement about that online, which I really think is quite fascinating. It’s certainly an opportunity to engage people politically. Whether it lasts is hard to say, but it certainly feels like a real opportunity.”In one way, said Sinzdak, this is giving Swift’s large following of younger people a direct line to seeing how policy takes shape. It’s also targeting a demographic that is seldom courted by politicians during election season.“Nobody goes out and thinks, ‘Let’s target young women,’” said Gwen Nisbett, a University of North Texas professor who researches the intersection of political engagement and pop culture. “Be it about abortion or student loans, that age group is super mobilized and young women are super mobilized.”Fan culture and community has boosted that tendency toward mobilization. Nisbett was studying parasocial relationships — when fans have strong one-way relationships with celebrities — in 2018, when the previously apolitical Swift posted an endorsement of Democratic candidates to social media. Nisbett found that while such posts may not determine fans' votes, they still led to the increased likelihood fans would look for more information about voting — and actually vote.For the record:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-votecast-quirky-polls-e9c117cb5be549f91ca7d98d249c5f9d">AP VoteCast,</a>&nbsp;an extensive survey of the U.S. electorate, showed about a third of Tennessee voters in 2018 said they had a favorable opinion of Swift, and among them, a large majority — about 7 in 10 — backed Democrat Phil Bredesen in the Senate contest. That was in clear contrast to the roughly third of voters who had an unfavorable opinion of Swift and overwhelmingly backed Republican Marsha Blackburn.For Swifties, the ire for Ticketmaster is not just about a ticket: “It’s the fact that you can’t participate in your community and your fandom and it’s part of your identity,” Nisbett said.This isn’t even the first time a fandom or an artist has targeted Ticketmaster.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/063fca1ccd36ad2fe398537b71426d21">Pearl Jam took aim at the company</a>&nbsp;in 1994, although the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c3efaa2c4026495236f2035e93fe8a3f">Justice Department ultimately declined</a>&nbsp;to bring a case. More recently, Bruce Springsteen fans were enraged over high ticket costs because of the platform’s dynamic pricing system.“It’s not just about getting vengeance for Swifties. It’s not about getting an extra million Taylor Swift fans tickets, or all of us going to a secret session,” said Jordan Burger, 28, who is using his law background to help the cause. “It’s about fundamental equality. And when you have a monopolist like that, it’s just so representative of the class structure of a society where there isn’t equality anymore, there isn’t fairness.”The sheer power and size of Swift’s fandom has spurred conversations about economic inequality, merely symbolized by Ticketmaster.Aly noted that quite a few of the members of the group did get tickets; the issue is is bigger than Ticketmaster, she said.“We’ve gotten some feedback that, ‘This is too big, let the government handle it.’ Have you seen the U.S. government? The government only functions when the people push it to and when the people demand that it function and the people are involved,” she said. “Even when something seems too big to fail or too powerful to fail, there are always enough of us to make a difference. Your involvement may be the thing that pushes it over the edge that forces the government to act.”Aly says many grown-up Swifties have 10-15 years’ experience of being bullied for liking the singer — but what fans have in mind might be better than revenge.“We have thick skin and nothing to lose, really,” Aly said.___Associated Press journalist Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report from Washington. Brooke Schultz is a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reportforamerica.org/">Report for America</a>&nbsp;is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Taylor Swift ticket trouble could drive political engagement

CRAWFORD COUNTY — One person was killed and another seriously injured after a head-on collision at 7:50 p.m. Monday in Crawford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Dodge Dakota — driven by Dakota L. Jones, 33, Weir — was eastbound on U400 in the westbound lanes. It struck a westbound 2014 Buick Lacrosse driven by Kenneth K. Messer, 36, McCune.

Jones was pronounced dead and Messer was transported to Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, Mo., for treatment. Messer was properly restrained. The KHP reported it was unknown if Jones was wearing a seat belt.

CRAWFORD COUNTY — One person was killed and another seriously injured after a head-on collision at 7:50 p.m. Monday in Crawford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Dodge Dakota — driven by Dakota L. Jones, 33, Weir — was eastbound on U400 in the westbound lanes. It struck a westbound 2014 Buick Lacrosse driven by Kenneth K. Messer, 36, McCune.Jones was pronounced dead and Messer was transported to Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, Mo., for treatment. Messer was properly restrained. The KHP reported it was unknown if Jones was wearing a seat belt.

Kansas man killed when vehicles collide head-on

CIANJUR, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian rescuers used jackhammers, 
circular saws and sometimes their bare hands Tuesday to shift the rubble
 of flattened buildings as they searched for the dead and missing from <a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-indonesia-jakarta-earthquakes-java-9211ab02fd6fb574cab63b94f31d6512">an earthquake</a> that killed at least 268 people.

With
 many missing, some remote areas still unreachable and more than 1,000 
people injured in the 5.6 magnitude quake, the death toll was likely to 
rise. Hospitals near the epicenter on the densely populated island of 
Java were already overwhelmed, and patients hooked up to IV drips lay on
 stretchers and cots in tents set up outside, awaiting further 
treatment.

Indonesia is frequently hit by earthquakes, many much 
stronger than Monday's whose magnitude would typically be expected to 
cause light damage. But experts said <a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-indonesia-jakarta-earthquakes-java-fad6cd6597650037de65350f8bb96633">the shallowness of the quake</a>
 and inadequate infrastructure contributed to the severe damage, 
including caved-in roofs and large piles of bricks, concrete, and 
corrugated metal.

The quake was centered on the rural, mountainous
 Cianjur district, where one woman said her home started “shaking like 
it was dancing.”

“I was crying and immediately grabbed my husband 
and children,” said Partinem, who like many Indonesians only goes by 
only one name. The house collapsed shortly after she escaped with her 
family.

“If I didn’t pull them out, we might have also been victims,” she said, gazing over the pile of broken concrete and timber.

More than 2.5 million people live in Cianjur district, including about 175,000 in the main town of the same name.

The
 quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) and also caused 
panic in the capital of Jakarta, about a three hour-drive away, where 
high-rises swayed and some people evacuated.

National Disaster 
Mitigation Agency head Suharyanto, who uses one name, told reporters 
that 1,083 people were injured and at least 151 missing. But not all of 
the dead have been identified, so it’s possible some the bodies pulled 
from the rubble are of people on the missing list.

Rescue 
operations were focused on about a dozen locations in Cianjur, where 
people are still believed trapped, said Endra Atmawidjaja, the public 
works and housing spokesperson.

“We are racing against time to rescue people,” Atmawidjaja said.

Initial
 rescue attempts were hampered by damaged roads and bridges and power 
outages, and a lack of equipment to help move the heavy rubble. By 
Tuesday, power supplies and phone communications had begun to improve, 
and Atmawidjaja said that seven excavators and 10 large trucks had been 
deployed from neighboring areas to clear roads.

In the village of 
Cijedil, the quake triggered a landslide that blocked streets and buried
 several houses, said Henri Alfiandi, chief of the National Search and 
Rescue Agency.

“We are maximizing operations at several points 
where it is suspected that there are still casualties. Our team is also 
trying to reach remote areas,” he said.

Many of the dead were 
public school students who had finished their classes for the day and 
were taking extra lessons at Islamic schools when the buildings 
collapsed, West Java Gov. Ridwan Kamil said.

More than 13,000 
people whose homes were heavily damaged were taken to evacuation 
centers, Kamil said, though thousands spent the night in the open 
fearing aftershocks.

Cargo trucks carrying food, tents, blankets 
and other supplies from the capital, Jakarta arrived early Tuesday in 
temporary shelters.

Outside the Cianjur Regional Hospital, hundreds waited for treatment.

“I
 was working inside my office building. The building was not damaged, 
but as the quake shook very strongly, many things fell. My leg was hit 
by heavy stuff,” said Dwi Sarmadi, who works for an Islamic educational 
foundation in a neighboring district.

He was waiting near a tent 
outside the hospital after some overwhelmed clinics were unable to see 
him. Many people were arriving in worse shape. “I really hope they can 
handle me soon,” he said.

Hasan, a construction worker who uses one name, was also taken to the hospital.

“I
 fainted. It was very strong,” Hasan recalled. “I saw my friends running
 to escape from the building. But it was too late to get out, and I was 
hit by the wall.”

President Joko Widodo visited Cianjur on Tuesday
 and pledged to rebuild infrastructure, including the main bridge 
connecting Cianjur to other cities, and to provide government assistance
 up to 50 million rupiah ($3,180) to each resident whose house was 
damaged.

“On behalf of myself and on behalf of the government, I 
would like to express my deep condolences to the victims and their 
families in this Cianjur earthquake,” he said after visiting survivors 
in shelters on a soccer field.

The country of more than 270 
million people is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions 
and tsunamis because of its location on the arc of volcanoes and fault 
lines in the Pacific Basin known as the “Ring of Fire.”

In 
February, a magnitude-6.2 earthquake killed at least 25 people and 
injured more than 460 in West Sumatra province. In January 2021, a 
magnitude-6.2 earthquake killed more than 100 people and injured nearly 
6,500 in West Sulawesi province.

A powerful Indian Ocean quake and tsunami in 2004 killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Indonesia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669121986365.jpeg" alt="Rescuers carry the body of a victim recovered from under the rubble at a village affected by an earthquake-triggered landslide in Cianjur, West Java, Indonesia, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. The earthquake has toppled buildings on Indonesia's densely populated main island, killing a number of people and injuring hundreds. (AP Photo/Rangga Firmansyah)" />
 <figcaption>Rescuers carry the body of a victim recovered from under the rubble at a village affected by an earthquake-triggered landslide in Cianjur, West Java, Indonesia, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. The earthquake has toppled buildings on Indonesia's densely populated main island, killing a number of people and injuring hundreds. (AP Photo/Rangga Firmansyah)</figcaption>
 </figure>CIANJUR, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian rescuers used jackhammers, 
circular saws and sometimes their bare hands Tuesday to shift the rubble
 of flattened buildings as they searched for the dead and missing from <a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-indonesia-jakarta-earthquakes-java-9211ab02fd6fb574cab63b94f31d6512">an earthquake</a> that killed at least 268 people.With
 many missing, some remote areas still unreachable and more than 1,000 
people injured in the 5.6 magnitude quake, the death toll was likely to 
rise. Hospitals near the epicenter on the densely populated island of 
Java were already overwhelmed, and patients hooked up to IV drips lay on
 stretchers and cots in tents set up outside, awaiting further 
treatment.Indonesia is frequently hit by earthquakes, many much 
stronger than Monday's whose magnitude would typically be expected to 
cause light damage. But experts said <a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-indonesia-jakarta-earthquakes-java-fad6cd6597650037de65350f8bb96633">the shallowness of the quake</a>
 and inadequate infrastructure contributed to the severe damage, 
including caved-in roofs and large piles of bricks, concrete, and 
corrugated metal.The quake was centered on the rural, mountainous
 Cianjur district, where one woman said her home started “shaking like 
it was dancing.”“I was crying and immediately grabbed my husband 
and children,” said Partinem, who like many Indonesians only goes by 
only one name. The house collapsed shortly after she escaped with her 
family.“If I didn’t pull them out, we might have also been victims,” she said, gazing over the pile of broken concrete and timber.More than 2.5 million people live in Cianjur district, including about 175,000 in the main town of the same name.The
 quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) and also caused 
panic in the capital of Jakarta, about a three hour-drive away, where 
high-rises swayed and some people evacuated.National Disaster 
Mitigation Agency head Suharyanto, who uses one name, told reporters 
that 1,083 people were injured and at least 151 missing. But not all of 
the dead have been identified, so it’s possible some the bodies pulled 
from the rubble are of people on the missing list.Rescue 
operations were focused on about a dozen locations in Cianjur, where 
people are still believed trapped, said Endra Atmawidjaja, the public 
works and housing spokesperson.“We are racing against time to rescue people,” Atmawidjaja said.Initial
 rescue attempts were hampered by damaged roads and bridges and power 
outages, and a lack of equipment to help move the heavy rubble. By 
Tuesday, power supplies and phone communications had begun to improve, 
and Atmawidjaja said that seven excavators and 10 large trucks had been 
deployed from neighboring areas to clear roads.In the village of 
Cijedil, the quake triggered a landslide that blocked streets and buried
 several houses, said Henri Alfiandi, chief of the National Search and 
Rescue Agency.“We are maximizing operations at several points 
where it is suspected that there are still casualties. Our team is also 
trying to reach remote areas,” he said.Many of the dead were 
public school students who had finished their classes for the day and 
were taking extra lessons at Islamic schools when the buildings 
collapsed, West Java Gov. Ridwan Kamil said.More than 13,000 
people whose homes were heavily damaged were taken to evacuation 
centers, Kamil said, though thousands spent the night in the open 
fearing aftershocks.Cargo trucks carrying food, tents, blankets 
and other supplies from the capital, Jakarta arrived early Tuesday in 
temporary shelters.Outside the Cianjur Regional Hospital, hundreds waited for treatment.“I
 was working inside my office building. The building was not damaged, 
but as the quake shook very strongly, many things fell. My leg was hit 
by heavy stuff,” said Dwi Sarmadi, who works for an Islamic educational 
foundation in a neighboring district.He was waiting near a tent 
outside the hospital after some overwhelmed clinics were unable to see 
him. Many people were arriving in worse shape. “I really hope they can 
handle me soon,” he said.Hasan, a construction worker who uses one name, was also taken to the hospital.“I
 fainted. It was very strong,” Hasan recalled. “I saw my friends running
 to escape from the building. But it was too late to get out, and I was 
hit by the wall.”President Joko Widodo visited Cianjur on Tuesday
 and pledged to rebuild infrastructure, including the main bridge 
connecting Cianjur to other cities, and to provide government assistance
 up to 50 million rupiah ($3,180) to each resident whose house was 
damaged.“On behalf of myself and on behalf of the government, I 
would like to express my deep condolences to the victims and their 
families in this Cianjur earthquake,” he said after visiting survivors 
in shelters on a soccer field.The country of more than 270 
million people is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions 
and tsunamis because of its location on the arc of volcanoes and fault 
lines in the Pacific Basin known as the “Ring of Fire.”In 
February, a magnitude-6.2 earthquake killed at least 25 people and 
injured more than 460 in West Sumatra province. In January 2021, a 
magnitude-6.2 earthquake killed more than 100 people and injured nearly 
6,500 in West Sulawesi province.A powerful Indian Ocean quake and tsunami in 2004 killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Indonesia.

Indonesian rescuers search through rubble of quake; 268 dead

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission this week clarified that callers must obtain a consumer’s consent before delivering “ringless voicemail,” a message left in a consumer’s mailbox without ringing their cell phone.  The unanimous decision by the full Commission finds that ringless voicemails are, in fact, “calls” that require consumers’ prior express consent.  

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which protects consumers from unwanted robocalls, prohibits making any non-emergency call using an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice to a wireless telephone number without the prior express consent of the called party.  The Commission today has clarified that ringless voicemail is a form of robocall and is illegal if the caller did not have the consumer’s prior express consent.  Violations can be enforced by the FCC or the consumer can sue in court.

“Imagine finding robocallers leaving junk voicemails on your phone without it ever having rung.  It’s annoying and it’s happening to too many of us.  Today we’re taking action to ensure these deceptive practices don’t find a way around our robocall rules and into consumers’ inboxes,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.  

The Declaratory Ruling and Order denies a petition filed by All About the Message, LLC, which asked the Commission to find that delivery of a message directly to a consumer’s cell phone voicemail is not a call protected by the TCPA.  The FCC is acting on its own motion after the petitioner and two other similar petitions sought to withdraw their requests for clarification after the FCC sought public comment and received overwhelming negative reaction from commenters.  The FCC has also received dozens consumer complaints annually related to ringless voicemail.  The ruling goes into effect upon Monday's release of the decision.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584977952684.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FCCWASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission this week clarified that callers must obtain a consumer’s consent before delivering “ringless voicemail,” a message left in a consumer’s mailbox without ringing their cell phone. The unanimous decision by the full Commission finds that ringless voicemails are, in fact, “calls” that require consumers’ prior express consent. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which protects consumers from unwanted robocalls, prohibits making any non-emergency call using an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice to a wireless telephone number without the prior express consent of the called party. The Commission today has clarified that ringless voicemail is a form of robocall and is illegal if the caller did not have the consumer’s prior express consent. Violations can be enforced by the FCC or the consumer can sue in court.“Imagine finding robocallers leaving junk voicemails on your phone without it ever having rung. It’s annoying and it’s happening to too many of us. Today we’re taking action to ensure these deceptive practices don’t find a way around our robocall rules and into consumers’ inboxes,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The Declaratory Ruling and Order denies a petition filed by All About the Message, LLC, which asked the Commission to find that delivery of a message directly to a consumer’s cell phone voicemail is not a call protected by the TCPA. The FCC is acting on its own motion after the petitioner and two other similar petitions sought to withdraw their requests for clarification after the FCC sought public comment and received overwhelming negative reaction from commenters. The FCC has also received dozens consumer complaints annually related to ringless voicemail. The ruling goes into effect upon Monday's release of the decision.

FCC: 'Ringless voicemails' subject to robocalling regulations

By WILLIAM CHITTENDEN <a href="https://theconversation.com/student-loan-cancellation-got-blocked-now-what-3-questions-answered-194973">The Conversation</a>

1. Why was Biden’s student loan cancellation program blocked?

It was found to be <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/10/federal-judge-in-texas-declares-bidens-student-debt-relief-plan-unlawful-.html">unconstitutional</a>.
 That determination was made on Nov. 10, 2022, by Judge Mark Pittman of 
the U.S. District Court of Northern Texas, who ruled that the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/1412">Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003</a> – or Heroes Act – <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/11/14/biden-administration-appeals-debt-relief-ruling">“does not provide the executive branch clear congressional authorization”</a> for a student loan forgiveness program. He said further that the program was <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/bidens-student-debt-forgiveness-plan-012246385.html">“an unconstitutional exercise of Congress’s legislative power and must be vacated.”</a>

The judge’s ruling prevents any student loans from being forgiven <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-was-student-loan-forgiveness-blocked-texas-judge-debt-relief-2022-11">“until a final verdict is made”</a> in the case. Technically it could go to the Supreme Court, but it may also be settled at the appellate court level.

In a separate case, on Nov. 14, a three-judge panel with the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-education-st-louis-student-loans-cf8136bfc75bd70839e9326cabbbf029">temporarily blocked the program</a> until the case is resolved in court. The 8th Circuit covers seven states, including Missouri, which is one of several <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-lawsuits-covid-missouri-862d783188de45b698c54b00820d3616">Republican-led states seeking to block the program</a>.

Both rulings effectively block Biden’s plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student loans per borrower.

Both court decisions could be reversed. The Biden administration has argued that the <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10818">Heroes Act of 2003</a> <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/18/politics/student-debt-relief-supreme-court">allows the Secretary of Education to forgive student loans</a> for those affected by the pandemic.

The Biden administration has already <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/where-does-the-biden-student-loan-forgiveness-program-stand-after-texas-judge-stepped-in-to-block-it-01668206695">filed a notice to appeal</a> the Nov. 10 ruling by Pittman.

On Nov, 18, the Biden administration <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/justice-department-asks-supreme-court-lift-ruling-against-bidens-student-loan-2022-11-18/">asked the Supreme Court</a>
 to vacate the order by the Court of Appeals blocking student loan 
forgiveness. The Supreme Court has asked the plaintiffs in the case to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/18/politics/student-debt-relief-supreme-court">provide their response by Nov. 23, 2022</a>.

It is unclear how the full court might rule. However, in two previous instances, Justice Amy Coney Barrett has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/04/politics/scotus-biden-student-loans">shot down</a> attempts to block the student loan forgiveness plan.

3. What kind of relief can student loan borrowers get in the meantime?

Currently, student loan payments are paused but are scheduled to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2022/11/17/student-loan-forgiveness-isnt-dead-heres-narrow-path-forward/10712059002/">start again in January 2023</a>. The Biden administration could <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/16/biden-student-debt-forgiveness-blocked-whats-next-for-borrowers.html">extend the payment pause beyond December 2022</a>. However, in August 2022 – <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/08/25/student-loan-repayments-refunded-forgiven/7895863001/">when the most recent payment pause extension was announced</a> – the White House stated that it was supposed to be the <a href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-announces-final-student-loan-pause-extension-through-december-31-and-targeted-debt-cancellation-smooth-transition-repayment">final extension</a>.

Despite the setback for widespread student loan forgiveness, some 
borrowers may still qualify for one or more targeted student loan 
forgiveness programs. These groups include borrowers who <a href="https://www.savingforcollege.com/article/how-to-get-rid-of-student-loans">attended a school that shut down</a>. Student loans may also be forgiven for those who are <a href="https://disabilitydischarge.com/">totally and permanently disabled</a>. Students who were <a href="https://studentaid.gov/borrower-defense/">defrauded by their school</a> – such as by being misled about job placement rates for graduates or the true cost to attend the school – may also be eligible.

In November 2022, the Biden administration <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-to-make-it-easier-to-dismiss-student-loans-in-bankruptcy-11668706819?mod=article_inline">released new rules to make it easier for student loans to be discharged in bankruptcy</a>.
 If a student loan borrower can prove their expenses are equal to or 
greater than their income, the student loan debt may qualify to be 
eliminated in bankruptcy.

William Chittenden is an Associate Professor of Finance at Texas State University.

By WILLIAM CHITTENDEN <a href="https://theconversation.com/student-loan-cancellation-got-blocked-now-what-3-questions-answered-194973">The Conversation</a><h2>1. Why was Biden’s student loan cancellation program blocked?</h2>It was found to be <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/10/federal-judge-in-texas-declares-bidens-student-debt-relief-plan-unlawful-.html">unconstitutional</a>.
 That determination was made on Nov. 10, 2022, by Judge Mark Pittman of 
the U.S. District Court of Northern Texas, who ruled that the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/1412">Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003</a> – or Heroes Act – <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/11/14/biden-administration-appeals-debt-relief-ruling">“does not provide the executive branch clear congressional authorization”</a> for a student loan forgiveness program. He said further that the program was <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/bidens-student-debt-forgiveness-plan-012246385.html">“an unconstitutional exercise of Congress’s legislative power and must be vacated.”</a>The judge’s ruling prevents any student loans from being forgiven <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-was-student-loan-forgiveness-blocked-texas-judge-debt-relief-2022-11">“until a final verdict is made”</a> in the case. Technically it could go to the Supreme Court, but it may also be settled at the appellate court level.In a separate case, on Nov. 14, a three-judge panel with the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-education-st-louis-student-loans-cf8136bfc75bd70839e9326cabbbf029">temporarily blocked the program</a> until the case is resolved in court. The 8th Circuit covers seven states, including Missouri, which is one of several <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-lawsuits-covid-missouri-862d783188de45b698c54b00820d3616">Republican-led states seeking to block the program</a>.Both rulings effectively block Biden’s plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student loans per borrower.<h2>2. Can it be unblocked?</h2>Both court decisions could be reversed. The Biden administration has argued that the <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10818">Heroes Act of 2003</a> <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/18/politics/student-debt-relief-supreme-court">allows the Secretary of Education to forgive student loans</a> for those affected by the pandemic.The Biden administration has already <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/where-does-the-biden-student-loan-forgiveness-program-stand-after-texas-judge-stepped-in-to-block-it-01668206695">filed a notice to appeal</a> the Nov. 10 ruling by Pittman.On Nov, 18, the Biden administration <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/justice-department-asks-supreme-court-lift-ruling-against-bidens-student-loan-2022-11-18/">asked the Supreme Court</a>
 to vacate the order by the Court of Appeals blocking student loan 
forgiveness. The Supreme Court has asked the plaintiffs in the case to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/18/politics/student-debt-relief-supreme-court">provide their response by Nov. 23, 2022</a>.It is unclear how the full court might rule. However, in two previous instances, Justice Amy Coney Barrett has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/04/politics/scotus-biden-student-loans">shot down</a> attempts to block the student loan forgiveness plan.<h2>3. What kind of relief can student loan borrowers get in the meantime?</h2>Currently, student loan payments are paused but are scheduled to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2022/11/17/student-loan-forgiveness-isnt-dead-heres-narrow-path-forward/10712059002/">start again in January 2023</a>. The Biden administration could <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/16/biden-student-debt-forgiveness-blocked-whats-next-for-borrowers.html">extend the payment pause beyond December 2022</a>. However, in August 2022 – <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/08/25/student-loan-repayments-refunded-forgiven/7895863001/">when the most recent payment pause extension was announced</a> – the White House stated that it was supposed to be the <a href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-announces-final-student-loan-pause-extension-through-december-31-and-targeted-debt-cancellation-smooth-transition-repayment">final extension</a>.Despite the setback for widespread student loan forgiveness, some 
borrowers may still qualify for one or more targeted student loan 
forgiveness programs. These groups include borrowers who <a href="https://www.savingforcollege.com/article/how-to-get-rid-of-student-loans">attended a school that shut down</a>. Student loans may also be forgiven for those who are <a href="https://disabilitydischarge.com/">totally and permanently disabled</a>. Students who were <a href="https://studentaid.gov/borrower-defense/">defrauded by their school</a> – such as by being misled about job placement rates for graduates or the true cost to attend the school – may also be eligible.In November 2022, the Biden administration <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-to-make-it-easier-to-dismiss-student-loans-in-bankruptcy-11668706819?mod=article_inline">released new rules to make it easier for student loans to be discharged in bankruptcy</a>.
 If a student loan borrower can prove their expenses are equal to or 
greater than their income, the student loan debt may qualify to be 
eliminated in bankruptcy.William Chittenden is an Associate Professor of Finance at Texas State University.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194973/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe></div>

Student loan cancellation got blocked. Now what? 

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have made an arrest.

On Friday, police responded to St. Catherine Hospital for a report of a gunshot wound victim, according to a media release.

Officers learned that a man with a gunshot wound had been brought to the hospital by 20-year-old David Oliver of Garden City. The investigation revealed that a verbal argument occurred between Oliver and the victim at Oliver’s residence in the 900 block of N. 9th Street in Garden City.

 Following the argument, Oliver was handling a firearm while intoxicated when the firearm discharged and struck the victim. The victim was flown to Wichita due to the extent of his injuries.

Police arrested Oliver on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Criminal Discharge of Firearm, and Interference with law enforcement; falsely report a felony intending to obstruct, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669047875849.png" alt="Oliver-photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Oliver-photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have made an arrest.On Friday, police responded to St. Catherine Hospital for a report of a gunshot wound victim, according to a media release.Officers learned that a man with a gunshot wound had been brought to the hospital by 20-year-old David Oliver of Garden City. The investigation revealed that a verbal argument occurred between Oliver and the victim at Oliver’s residence in the 900 block of N. 9th Street in Garden City. Following the argument, Oliver was handling a firearm while intoxicated when the firearm discharged and struck the victim. The victim was flown to Wichita due to the extent of his injuries.Police arrested Oliver on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Criminal Discharge of Firearm, and Interference with law enforcement; falsely report a felony intending to obstruct, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Police: SW Kansas man was handling firearm while intoxicated

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Nicolett Marshall in an Independence, Missouri apartment, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Bobby G. Peoples III, 29, faces charges of Murder 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records, on Nov. 16, police responded to a shooting call on at an apartment on Larkspur Lane. Officers found the victim, Nicolett Marshall, in the kitchen. She had been fatally wounded. The Medical Examiner confirmed she died as a result of the gunshot.

 A witness at the scene identified the shooter. A vehicle at the scene of the homicide was connected to a woman with the defendant on the day of the murder. She was driving the vehicle during another incident that Independence police responded to. Prosecutors requested a $150,000 cash bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668876053027.png" alt="Peoples-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Peoples-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Nicolett Marshall in an Independence, Missouri apartment, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Bobby G. Peoples III, 29, faces charges of Murder 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.According to court records, on Nov. 16, police responded to a shooting call on at an apartment on Larkspur Lane. Officers found the victim, Nicolett Marshall, in the kitchen. She had been fatally wounded. The Medical Examiner confirmed she died as a result of the gunshot. A witness at the scene identified the shooter. A vehicle at the scene of the homicide was connected to a woman with the defendant on the day of the murder. She was driving the vehicle during another incident that Independence police responded to. Prosecutors requested a $150,000 cash bond.

Witness IDs Kansas City man as suspect in woman's death

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A suspect captured after the abduction of a 6-year-old Kansas girl remains in an Oklahoma jail.

Just before 7p.m. p.m. Sunday, police responded to the 2300 block of N. Amidon in Wichita for an auto theft, kidnapping in a liquor store parking lot, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

A 35-year-old man reported that while he had gone into the store, an unknown man stole his&nbsp;gold/tan Lexus Rx330  with his 6-year-old daughter still inside.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669067284425.png" alt="Brady is being held on requested charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, abduction of individual under age 15 and cross ing state line, driving under suspended license, failure to stop for law enforcement and attempt to elude law enforcement, according to online jail records-photo Kay County Oklahoma&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Brady is being held on requested charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, abduction of individual under age 15 and cross ing state line, driving under suspended license, failure to stop for law enforcement and attempt to elude law enforcement, according to online jail records-photo Kay County Oklahoma&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A suspect captured after the abduction of a 6-year-old Kansas girl remains in an Oklahoma jail.Just before 7p.m. p.m. Sunday, police responded to the 2300 block of N. Amidon in Wichita for an auto theft, kidnapping in a liquor store parking lot, according to Officer Trevor Macy.A 35-year-old man reported that while he had gone into the store, an unknown man stole his&nbsp;gold/tan Lexus Rx330 with his 6-year-old daughter still inside.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669028649764.png" alt="photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers immediately began checking the area for the vehicle and the juvenile and&nbsp; utilized Flock cameras and other License Plate Reader (LPR) technology and learned that the vehicle had entered the Kansas Turnpike headed South at approximately 7:02 p.m.Neighboring counties, the Kansas Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Tulsa Police Department were notified of the circumstances and the vehicle's last known location. At 8 p.m., Troopers with Oklahoma Highway Patrol were able to stop the car approximately 22 miles south of the Kansas/Oklahoma state line and recover the girl.A suspect, identified as 34-year-old Benjamin Brady, was taken into custody by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and booked into the Kay County, Oklahoma jail for charges from their jurisdiction – awaiting extradition back to Kansas. The girl was brought safely back to Wichita, where she was interviewed by detectives from the Exploited and Missing Child Unit (EMCU) before reuniting with her family.