OMAHA-United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Robert K. Hopkins, 40, formerly of Central City, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for production of child pornography. Hopkins was sentenced to 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp;

In December of 2019, a mother reported that she believed her eight-year-old daughter had been the victim of a sexual assault by Hopkins, who had been a family friend. During a forensic interview, the child informed investigators that Hopkins had taken herself and some other children on an outing to a trampoline park in early December. At one point during the outing, Hopkins had taken the victim alone away from the park on an errand. Thereafter, Hopkins drove with the girl out into the country and parked his vehicle on the side of the road. While parked, Hopkins used his cellular phone to take sexually explicit photographs of the girl. Through this and subsequent forensic interviews, the girl additionally indicated that Hopkins had sexually assaulted her on several other occasions stemming back to at least 2018.

A search warrant was executed at Hopkin’s residence and for his electronic devices.&nbsp; An extraction of his cellular phone revealed images as described by the victim which were taken in December of 2019.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/" target="_blank">www.projectsafechildhood.gov</a>.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations along with the Grand Island Police Department and the Hall County Sheriff’s Department.

News Release US Attorney's OfficeOMAHA-United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Robert K. Hopkins, 40, formerly of Central City, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for production of child pornography. Hopkins was sentenced to 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp;In December of 2019, a mother reported that she believed her eight-year-old daughter had been the victim of a sexual assault by Hopkins, who had been a family friend. During a forensic interview, the child informed investigators that Hopkins had taken herself and some other children on an outing to a trampoline park in early December. At one point during the outing, Hopkins had taken the victim alone away from the park on an errand. Thereafter, Hopkins drove with the girl out into the country and parked his vehicle on the side of the road. While parked, Hopkins used his cellular phone to take sexually explicit photographs of the girl. Through this and subsequent forensic interviews, the girl additionally indicated that Hopkins had sexually assaulted her on several other occasions stemming back to at least 2018.A search warrant was executed at Hopkin’s residence and for his electronic devices.&nbsp; An extraction of his cellular phone revealed images as described by the victim which were taken in December of 2019.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/" target="_blank">www.projectsafechildhood.gov</a>.This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations along with the Grand Island Police Department and the Hall County Sheriff’s Department.

Central City man sentenced to 30 years for producing child pornography

LINCOLN (NSP)-The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force has arrested a Lincoln man following the discovery of child pornography.

Friday morning, NSP investigators with the Technical Crimes Unit served a search warrant at a residence at 403 W Saunders Avenue in Lincoln. Investigators located digital images of child pornography. The investigation began with a cyber-tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The resident, Scott Dreager, 55, was arrested for possession of child pornography. He was lodged in Lancaster County Jail.

The Internet Crimes Against Children task force is part of the NSP Technical Crimes Unit of the Special Operations Division.

LINCOLN (NSP)-The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force has arrested a Lincoln man following the discovery of child pornography.Friday morning, NSP investigators with the Technical Crimes Unit served a search warrant at a residence at 403 W Saunders Avenue in Lincoln. Investigators located digital images of child pornography. The investigation began with a cyber-tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.The resident, Scott Dreager, 55, was arrested for possession of child pornography. He was lodged in Lancaster County Jail.The Internet Crimes Against Children task force is part of the NSP Technical Crimes Unit of the Special Operations Division.

Lincoln man arrested on child pornography allegations

WASHINGTON (AP) —The experimental antibody drug given to President Donald Trump has been called one of the most promising approaches to preventing serious illness from a COVID-19 infection.

Its maker, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., said the company agreed to supply a single dose, given through an IV, for Trump at the request of his physician under “compassionate use” provisions, when an experimental medicine is provided on a case-by-case emergency basis, while studies of it continue.

The new drug is in late-stage testing and its safety and effectiveness are not yet known. No treatment has yet proved able to prevent serious illness after a coronavirus infection.

Trump was given the experimental drug at the White House on Friday before he was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he’ll be monitored, officials said. So far, Trump has had only mild symptoms, including fatigue.

Several physicians who treat COVID-19, including Dr. David Boulware at the University of Minnesota, had speculated that doctors might use the antibody drug, given that this approach has worked against other diseases in the past.

“They’re not going to just sit around and watch to see if he gets sick,” Boulware said.

Antibodies are proteins the body makes when an infection occurs; they attach to a virus and help the immune system eliminate it. Vaccines trick the body into thinking there’s an infection so it makes these antibodies.

But it can take weeks for them to form after natural infection or a vaccine. The drugs aim to give that protection immediately, by supplying concentrated versions of one or two antibodies that worked best against the coronavirus in lab and animal tests.

Regeneron’s drug contains two antibodies to enhance chances that it will work. The company previously developed a successful Ebola treatment from an antibody combo.

The drug is given as a one-time treatment through an IV. In multiple studies, Regeneron is testing it both for preventing infection and in people already infected, like Trump, to try to prevent serious illness or death.

Earlier this week, Regeneron said partial results from about 275 COVID-19 patients who were not sick enough to need hospitalization suggested it might be cutting how long symptoms last and helping reduce the amount of virus patients harbor.

However, the study has not been completed, the results were only announced in a company news release and have not been published or reviewed by other scientists.

Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Conley, said late Friday that Trump had also been given the antiviral drug remdesivir at the military hospital. The Gilead Sciences drug has been shown to help some COVID-19 patients recover faster.

Earlier, Conley said Trump also was taking zinc, vitamin D, an antacid called famotidine, melatonin and aspirin. None of those have been proven to be effective against COVID-19.

Trump apparently is not receiving hydroxychloroquine, a drug he widely promoted that has been shown in many studies to be ineffective for preventing or treating COVID-19.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601723631861.png" alt="President Trump leaving the White House Friday evening on his way to Walter Reed National Medical Center.- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump leaving the White House Friday evening on his way to Walter Reed National Medical Center.- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The experimental antibody drug given to President Donald Trump has been called one of the most promising approaches to preventing serious illness from a COVID-19 infection.Its maker, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., said the company agreed to supply a single dose, given through an IV, for Trump at the request of his physician under “compassionate use” provisions, when an experimental medicine is provided on a case-by-case emergency basis, while studies of it continue.The new drug is in late-stage testing and its safety and effectiveness are not yet known. No treatment has yet proved able to prevent serious illness after a coronavirus infection.Trump was given the experimental drug at the White House on Friday before he was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he’ll be monitored, officials said. So far, Trump has had only mild symptoms, including fatigue.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601724532173.png" alt="Image Courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Several physicians who treat COVID-19, including Dr. David Boulware at the University of Minnesota, had speculated that doctors might use the antibody drug, given that this approach has worked against other diseases in the past.“They’re not going to just sit around and watch to see if he gets sick,” Boulware said.HOW ANTIBODIES WORKAntibodies are proteins the body makes when an infection occurs; they attach to a virus and help the immune system eliminate it. Vaccines trick the body into thinking there’s an infection so it makes these antibodies.But it can take weeks for them to form after natural infection or a vaccine. The drugs aim to give that protection immediately, by supplying concentrated versions of one or two antibodies that worked best against the coronavirus in lab and animal tests.Regeneron’s drug contains two antibodies to enhance chances that it will work. The company previously developed a successful Ebola treatment from an antibody combo.WHAT’S KNOWN SO FARThe drug is given as a one-time treatment through an IV. In multiple studies, Regeneron is testing it both for preventing infection and in people already infected, like Trump, to try to prevent serious illness or death.Earlier this week, Regeneron said partial results from about 275 COVID-19 patients who were not sick enough to need hospitalization suggested it might be cutting how long symptoms last and helping reduce the amount of virus patients harbor.However, the study has not been completed, the results were only announced in a company news release and have not been published or reviewed by other scientists.TRUMP’S OTHER TREATMENTS<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601725205825.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Conley, said late Friday that Trump had also been given the antiviral drug remdesivir at the military hospital. The Gilead Sciences drug has been shown to help some COVID-19 patients recover faster.Earlier, Conley said Trump also was taking zinc, vitamin D, an antacid called famotidine, melatonin and aspirin. None of those have been proven to be effective against COVID-19.Trump apparently is not receiving hydroxychloroquine, a drug he widely promoted that has been shown in many studies to be ineffective for preventing or treating COVID-19.___

Trump gets experimental drug aimed at curbing severe illness

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A spokesman for South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem says the governor was not in close contact with President Donald Trump when the two were at a fundraiser n Minnesota this week. 

Noem spokesman Ian Fury says Noem tested negative for the virus on Tuesday night, the day before the fundraiser in the Minneapolis suburb of Shorewood.

 Trump tweeted early Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19. 

Some have been critical of the Republican governor's soft approach to the coronavirus epidemic in South Dakota where health officials reported all-time highs for the toll of COVID-19 Thursday, with 13 deaths and 747 more people who tested positive.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A spokesman for South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem says the governor was not in close contact with President Donald Trump when the two were at a fundraiser n Minnesota this week. Noem spokesman Ian Fury says Noem tested negative for the virus on Tuesday night, the day before the fundraiser in the Minneapolis suburb of Shorewood. Trump tweeted early Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19. Some have been critical of the Republican governor's soft approach to the coronavirus epidemic in South Dakota where health officials reported all-time highs for the toll of COVID-19 Thursday, with 13 deaths and 747 more people who tested positive.

Noem not in close contact with Trump at Minnesota fundraiser

BELLEVUE, Nebraska (AP) — A Nebraska firefighter is recovering after suffering an injury while battling a fire at two garages in Bellevue. 

KETV-TV reports that the firefighter was injured early Friday, straining his elbow.

 He is expected to be OK. Firefighters battled the blaze for about a half-hour. 

The garages were badly damaged, but a house nearby had only smoke damage. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

BELLEVUE, Nebraska (AP) — A Nebraska firefighter is recovering after suffering an injury while battling a fire at two garages in Bellevue. KETV-TV reports that the firefighter was injured early Friday, straining his elbow. He is expected to be OK. Firefighters battled the blaze for about a half-hour. The garages were badly damaged, but a house nearby had only smoke damage. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Firefighter injured battling garage fire in Bellevue

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Two big mountain wildfires in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming are growing again after burning dozens of cabins and other structures. 

A forecast calling for mostly dry, breezy weather offers little help in the fight against the Cameron Peak Fire 20 miles west of Fort Collins, Colorado, or the Mullen Fire 100 miles west of Cheyenne, Wyoming. 

They are two of the Rocky Mountain region’s biggest fires in recent years.

 Each is burning through rugged and thick pine forest dotted with communities of cabins. 

The two fires as of Thursday had burned at least 155 cabins and other structures.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Two big mountain wildfires in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming are growing again after burning dozens of cabins and other structures. A forecast calling for mostly dry, breezy weather offers little help in the fight against the Cameron Peak Fire 20 miles west of Fort Collins, Colorado, or the Mullen Fire 100 miles west of Cheyenne, Wyoming. They are two of the Rocky Mountain region’s biggest fires in recent years. Each is burning through rugged and thick pine forest dotted with communities of cabins. The two fires as of Thursday had burned at least 155 cabins and other structures.

Rocky Mountain wildfires keep growing after torching cabins

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Trump administration is seeking to fast-track mining permits and offer grants and loans to help companies pay for mining equipment as part of its ongoing effort to boost the industry. 

Administration officials on Thursday offered details on a plan that critics said could spoil waterways with mining pollution. 

With the election just over a month away, President Donald Trump signed an order late Wednesday declaring a national emergency over the country’s reliance on imported minerals. 

How effective the order will be is uncertain. Mines typically need approvals from state regulators, too. 

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico blasted the order as a wasteful subsidy for an industry with a long history of abandoning polluted sites.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Trump administration is seeking to fast-track mining permits and offer grants and loans to help companies pay for mining equipment as part of its ongoing effort to boost the industry. Administration officials on Thursday offered details on a plan that critics said could spoil waterways with mining pollution. With the election just over a month away, President Donald Trump signed an order late Wednesday declaring a national emergency over the country’s reliance on imported minerals. How effective the order will be is uncertain. Mines typically need approvals from state regulators, too. Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico blasted the order as a wasteful subsidy for an industry with a long history of abandoning polluted sites.

Trump pushes mining with order, but effects are uncertain

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials have reported all-time highs for the toll of the coronavirus with 13 deaths and 747 more people who tested positive. State epidemiologist Josh Clayton says communities statewide _ from cities to rural areas _ are seeing significant levels of the virus. 

He noted that that 245 of the infections reported were backlogged from previous days after a reporting error. 

One of the largest outbreaks came from a women’s prison in Pierre as mass testing revealed that 29 more women in one housing unit had the virus.

 A total of 197 prisoners and staff have tested positive and 110 have recovered.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials have reported all-time highs for the toll of the coronavirus with 13 deaths and 747 more people who tested positive. State epidemiologist Josh Clayton says communities statewide _ from cities to rural areas _ are seeing significant levels of the virus. He noted that that 245 of the infections reported were backlogged from previous days after a reporting error. One of the largest outbreaks came from a women’s prison in Pierre as mass testing revealed that 29 more women in one housing unit had the virus. A total of 197 prisoners and staff have tested positive and 110 have recovered.

South Dakota hits another high for daily COVID-19 toll

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Omaha police continue to search for the gunman who fired shots into a car, narrowly missing a 1-year-old child.

The shooting happened Wednesday night. Police say several shots were fired, injuring 34-year-old Brian Huggins in the arm. His injuries are not considered life-threatening.

Huggins told police he was sitting in his car in front of his home when an SUV pulled up and a man began shooting. Huggins' infant daughter was in the back seat but was not struck.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Omaha police continue to search for the gunman who fired shots into a car, narrowly missing a 1-year-old child.The shooting happened Wednesday night. Police say several shots were fired, injuring 34-year-old Brian Huggins in the arm. His injuries are not considered life-threatening.Huggins told police he was sitting in his car in front of his home when an SUV pulled up and a man began shooting. Huggins' infant daughter was in the back seat but was not struck.

1-year-old escapes injury when shots fired into car in Omaha

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats controlling the House narrowly passed a $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief bill Thursday night, a move that came as top-level talks on a smaller, potentially bipartisan measure dragged on toward an uncertain finish. An air of pessimism has largely taken over the Capitol.

The Democratic bill passed after a partisan debate by a 214-207 vote without any Republicans in support. The move puts lawmakers no closer to actually delivering aid such as more generous weekly unemployment payments, extended help for small businesses and especially troubled economic sectors such as restaurants and airlines, and another round of $1,200 direct payments to most Americans.

Passage of the $2.2 trillion plan came after a burst of negotiations this week between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The Trump administration delivered concessions Wednesday, including a $400 per week pandemic jobless benefit and a markedly higher overall price tag of $1.6 trillion, but that failed to win over Pelosi.

“This isn’t half a loaf, this is the heel of the loaf,” Pelosi said in a televised interview Thursday. Pelosi spoke after the White House attacked her as “not being serious.”

The ramped-up negotiations come as challenging economic news continues to confront policymakers. The airlines are furloughing about 30,000 workers with the expiration of aid passed earlier this year, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-jobless-claims-archive-united-states-economy-0ad4c225f28cef814e8e0afab3ec0e6a">a report Thursday showed 837,000 people</a>&nbsp;claiming jobless benefits for the first time last week. Most of the economic benefits of an immediate round of COVID relief could accrue under the next administration, and failure now could mean no significant help for struggling families and businesses until February.

The vote was advertised as a way to demonstrate Democrats were making a good faith offer on coronavirus relief, but 18 Democrats abandoned the party and sentiment remains among more moderate Democrats to make more concessions and guarantee an agreement before Election Day. Republicans controlling the Senate remained divided.

Talks between Mnuchin and Pelosi were closely held and the Speaker told reporters that no deal would come on Thursday. Mnuchin’s offer of a $400 per week jobless benefit put him in the same ballpark as Democrats backing a $600 benefit. Mnuchin’s price tag of $1.6 trillion or more could drive many Republicans away, however, even as it failed to satisfy Pelosi.

“We raised our offer to $1.6 trillion,” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters Thursday. “It’s one that she is is not interested in.”

Mnuchin and Pelosi spoke by phone Thursday, but the speaker was publicly dismissive of the latest White House plan. Discussions are continuing, Pelosi said.

The White House plan, offered Wednesday, gave ground with a $250 billion proposal on funding for state and local governments and backed $20 billion in help for the struggling airline industry.

Details on the White House offer were confirmed by congressional aides, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door discussions.

As the talks dragged on, House leaders announced a Thursday evening vote on their scaled-back “HEROES Act,” which started out as a $3.4 trillion bill in May but is now down to $2.2 trillion after Pelosi cut back her demands for aiding state and local governments. The legislation came after party moderates openly criticized her stance.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has drawn a line in the sand and warns that Trump won’t approve legislation that approaches a $2 trillion threshold. But there’s plenty of wiggle room in numbers so large, and the revenue picture for many states is not as alarming as feared when Democrats passed more than $900 billion for state and local governments in May.

Pelosi said Thursday that the administration is still far short on aid to state and local governments and in other areas.

“Some of you have asked, ‘Isn’t something better than nothing?’ No,” Pelosi told reporters, citing the “opportunity cost” for provisions sought by Democrats but potentially lost in any rush to agreement.

At issue is a long-delayed package that would extend another round of $1,200 direct stimulus payments, restore bonus pandemic jobless benefits, speed aid to schools and extend assistance to airlines, restaurants and other struggling businesses. A landmark $2 trillion relief bill in March passed with sweeping support and is credited with helping the economy through the spring and summer, but worries are mounting that the recovery may sputter without additional relief.

Pelosi has largely assumed a hard line so far. But she’s never had a reputation for leaving large sums of money on the table and her tactical position — facing a White House and Senate controlled by Republicans — is not as strong as her demands might indicate.

The White House also seems far more eager for a deal than Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Any compromise that could pass both the House and Senate is sure to alienate a large chunk of the Senate GOP. McConnell expressed support for the talks and another bill but isn’t leaning into the effort. But some of his members appear worried that the deadlock is harming their reelection bids.

“I’d like to see another rescue package. We’ve been trying for months to get there,” McConnell told reporters Thursday. “I wish them well.”

Even if Pelosi and Mnuchin were able to reach a tentative agreement on “top line” spending levels, dozens of details would need to be worked out. A particularly difficult issue, Pelosi told her colleagues earlier in the day, remains McConnell’s insistence on a liability shield for businesses fearing COVID-related lawsuits after they reopen their doors.

The latest Democratic bill would revive a $600-per-week pandemic jobless benefit and send a second round of direct payments to most individuals. It would scale back an aid package to state and local governments to a still-huge $436 billion, send $225 billion to colleges and universities and deliver another round of subsidies to businesses under the Paycheck Protection Program. Airlines would get another $25 billion in aid to prevent a wave of layoffs.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats controlling the House narrowly passed a $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief bill Thursday night, a move that came as top-level talks on a smaller, potentially bipartisan measure dragged on toward an uncertain finish. An air of pessimism has largely taken over the Capitol.The Democratic bill passed after a partisan debate by a 214-207 vote without any Republicans in support. The move puts lawmakers no closer to actually delivering aid such as more generous weekly unemployment payments, extended help for small businesses and especially troubled economic sectors such as restaurants and airlines, and another round of $1,200 direct payments to most Americans.Passage of the $2.2 trillion plan came after a burst of negotiations this week between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The Trump administration delivered concessions Wednesday, including a $400 per week pandemic jobless benefit and a markedly higher overall price tag of $1.6 trillion, but that failed to win over Pelosi.“This isn’t half a loaf, this is the heel of the loaf,” Pelosi said in a televised interview Thursday. Pelosi spoke after the White House attacked her as “not being serious.”The ramped-up negotiations come as challenging economic news continues to confront policymakers. The airlines are furloughing about 30,000 workers with the expiration of aid passed earlier this year, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-jobless-claims-archive-united-states-economy-0ad4c225f28cef814e8e0afab3ec0e6a">a report Thursday showed 837,000 people</a>&nbsp;claiming jobless benefits for the first time last week. Most of the economic benefits of an immediate round of COVID relief could accrue under the next administration, and failure now could mean no significant help for struggling families and businesses until February.The vote was advertised as a way to demonstrate Democrats were making a good faith offer on coronavirus relief, but 18 Democrats abandoned the party and sentiment remains among more moderate Democrats to make more concessions and guarantee an agreement before Election Day. Republicans controlling the Senate remained divided.Talks between Mnuchin and Pelosi were closely held and the Speaker told reporters that no deal would come on Thursday. Mnuchin’s offer of a $400 per week jobless benefit put him in the same ballpark as Democrats backing a $600 benefit. Mnuchin’s price tag of $1.6 trillion or more could drive many Republicans away, however, even as it failed to satisfy Pelosi.“We raised our offer to $1.6 trillion,” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters Thursday. “It’s one that she is is not interested in.”Mnuchin and Pelosi spoke by phone Thursday, but the speaker was publicly dismissive of the latest White House plan. Discussions are continuing, Pelosi said.The White House plan, offered Wednesday, gave ground with a $250 billion proposal on funding for state and local governments and backed $20 billion in help for the struggling airline industry.Details on the White House offer were confirmed by congressional aides, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door discussions.As the talks dragged on, House leaders announced a Thursday evening vote on their scaled-back “HEROES Act,” which started out as a $3.4 trillion bill in May but is now down to $2.2 trillion after Pelosi cut back her demands for aiding state and local governments. The legislation came after party moderates openly criticized her stance.White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has drawn a line in the sand and warns that Trump won’t approve legislation that approaches a $2 trillion threshold. But there’s plenty of wiggle room in numbers so large, and the revenue picture for many states is not as alarming as feared when Democrats passed more than $900 billion for state and local governments in May.Pelosi said Thursday that the administration is still far short on aid to state and local governments and in other areas.“Some of you have asked, ‘Isn’t something better than nothing?’ No,” Pelosi told reporters, citing the “opportunity cost” for provisions sought by Democrats but potentially lost in any rush to agreement.At issue is a long-delayed package that would extend another round of $1,200 direct stimulus payments, restore bonus pandemic jobless benefits, speed aid to schools and extend assistance to airlines, restaurants and other struggling businesses. A landmark $2 trillion relief bill in March passed with sweeping support and is credited with helping the economy through the spring and summer, but worries are mounting that the recovery may sputter without additional relief.Pelosi has largely assumed a hard line so far. But she’s never had a reputation for leaving large sums of money on the table and her tactical position — facing a White House and Senate controlled by Republicans — is not as strong as her demands might indicate.The White House also seems far more eager for a deal than Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Any compromise that could pass both the House and Senate is sure to alienate a large chunk of the Senate GOP. McConnell expressed support for the talks and another bill but isn’t leaning into the effort. But some of his members appear worried that the deadlock is harming their reelection bids.“I’d like to see another rescue package. We’ve been trying for months to get there,” McConnell told reporters Thursday. “I wish them well.”Even if Pelosi and Mnuchin were able to reach a tentative agreement on “top line” spending levels, dozens of details would need to be worked out. A particularly difficult issue, Pelosi told her colleagues earlier in the day, remains McConnell’s insistence on a liability shield for businesses fearing COVID-related lawsuits after they reopen their doors.The latest Democratic bill would revive a $600-per-week pandemic jobless benefit and send a second round of direct payments to most individuals. It would scale back an aid package to state and local governments to a still-huge $436 billion, send $225 billion to colleges and universities and deliver another round of subsidies to businesses under the Paycheck Protection Program. Airlines would get another $25 billion in aid to prevent a wave of layoffs.

House passes another partisan COVID relief bill; GOP ignores it 

PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Authorities say a man charged with shooting and killing two people in Arkansas was captured in Kansas and sent back to stand trial. 

Bryant Lamont Smith, 33, was arrested Friday in Parsons, Kansas, in an operation that included officials from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Kansas Highway Patrol. 

Deputies took Smith&nbsp; back to Pine Bluff on Tuesday and he was being held in jail without bail in Jefferson County. 

Prosecutor Kyle Hunter says Smith was charged Sept. 24 in Jefferson County Circuit Court with two counts of capital murder in the fatal shootings of Kavon Mitchell and Emonya Moten.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601588453145.png" alt="Smith spent the weekend the Labette County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Smith spent the weekend the Labette County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Authorities say a man charged with shooting and killing two people in Arkansas was captured in Kansas and sent back to stand trial. Bryant Lamont Smith, 33, was arrested Friday in Parsons, Kansas, in an operation that included officials from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Kansas Highway Patrol. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601588424966.png" alt="Smith photo Jefferson Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Jefferson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies took Smith&nbsp; back to Pine Bluff on Tuesday and he was being held in jail without bail in Jefferson County. Prosecutor Kyle Hunter says Smith was charged Sept. 24 in Jefferson County Circuit Court with two counts of capital murder in the fatal shootings of Kavon Mitchell and Emonya Moten.

Man wanted in 2 Arkansas killings spent weekend in Kan. jail

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Charles Schwab’s $26 billion acquisition of rival broker TD Ameritrade is set to close next week after the companies received final approval from regulators.

 The Federal Reserve signed off on the stock swap deal this week. 

The companies said the deal that was announced last November — not long after both brokers eliminated commissions on most stock trades — will close on Tuesday. 

Schwab and TD Ameritrade haven’t said how many jobs are expected to be eliminated after the merger, but significant cost cuts are expected. 

The companies say it will take 18 to 36 months to integrate the two companies.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Charles Schwab’s $26 billion acquisition of rival broker TD Ameritrade is set to close next week after the companies received final approval from regulators. The Federal Reserve signed off on the stock swap deal this week. The companies said the deal that was announced last November — not long after both brokers eliminated commissions on most stock trades — will close on Tuesday. Schwab and TD Ameritrade haven’t said how many jobs are expected to be eliminated after the merger, but significant cost cuts are expected. The companies say it will take 18 to 36 months to integrate the two companies.

Schwab's $26B purchase of TD Ameritrade to close next week

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The long-lost U.S. Army identification tag of a North Dakota soldier has been returned to his widow after it resurfaced in Russia. 

Gov. Doug Burgum gave Ronald Hepper’s military tag to his widow, Ruth Hepper of Bismarck, on Wednesday. 

According to Burgum’s office, Ronald Hepper had kept a set of his dog tags in his boots, and had been in Vietnam just a few months when a blast from a hand grenade blew his boots off his body in June 1969. 

Hepper woke up in the hospital with no boots and no dog tags. 

The military ID was found by an American citizen traveling in Russia, and returned to North Dakota.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The long-lost U.S. Army identification tag of a North Dakota soldier has been returned to his widow after it resurfaced in Russia. Gov. Doug Burgum gave Ronald Hepper’s military tag to his widow, Ruth Hepper of Bismarck, on Wednesday. According to Burgum’s office, Ronald Hepper had kept a set of his dog tags in his boots, and had been in Vietnam just a few months when a blast from a hand grenade blew his boots off his body in June 1969. Hepper woke up in the hospital with no boots and no dog tags. The military ID was found by an American citizen traveling in Russia, and returned to North Dakota.

Military tag of soldier returned to his widow

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly survey of business leaders suggests the economy continues to improve in nine Midwest and Plains states, but business remains slower than before the coronavirus pandemic began. 

The overall index for the region improved to 65.1 in September from August’s already strong 60.

  Any score above 50 on the survey's indexes suggests growth. 

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said even with the positive growth in the economy, manufacturing output remains well below the level it was at before states began imposing restrictions because of the coronavirus. 

The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly survey of business leaders suggests the economy continues to improve in nine Midwest and Plains states, but business remains slower than before the coronavirus pandemic began. The overall index for the region improved to 65.1 in September from August’s already strong 60. Any score above 50 on the survey's indexes suggests growth. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said even with the positive growth in the economy, manufacturing output remains well below the level it was at before states began imposing restrictions because of the coronavirus. The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Business leaders say economy keeps improving after pandemic

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota reported a decrease in the number of active cases to 3,658 on Wednesday as the state marked the end of its deadliest month of the pandemic to date. 

Health officials have recorded 56 death from COVID-19 during September, as well as new highs in cases. 

Over the past two weeks, the state reported the nation’s second-highest number of new cases per capita, with 567 infections per 100,000 people. 

The Department of Health reported 392 new cases. But the state’s test positivity rate has remained among the highest in the country, which is an indicator that many more people have infections than tests are showing.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota reported a decrease in the number of active cases to 3,658 on Wednesday as the state marked the end of its deadliest month of the pandemic to date. Health officials have recorded 56 death from COVID-19 during September, as well as new highs in cases. Over the past two weeks, the state reported the nation’s second-highest number of new cases per capita, with 567 infections per 100,000 people. The Department of Health reported 392 new cases. But the state’s test positivity rate has remained among the highest in the country, which is an indicator that many more people have infections than tests are showing.

South Dakota ends deadliest month for COVID-19 as cases dip

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The 17-year-old brother of the teenager suspected of fatally shooting Lincoln Police Investigator Mario Herrera is now facing a gun-related charge. 

Angel Mendoza is the brother of Felipe Vazquez, also 17, who is charged with first-degree murder and other crimes.

 Herrera was shot Aug. 26 and died at a hospital on Sept. 7.

 The Lincoln Journal Star reports that Mendoza is accused of possessing or receiving a stolen firearm in connection with the shooting of Herrera. 

Mondoza appeared in court Tuesday and a judge set bond at $100,000.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The 17-year-old brother of the teenager suspected of fatally shooting Lincoln Police Investigator Mario Herrera is now facing a gun-related charge. Angel Mendoza is the brother of Felipe Vazquez, also 17, who is charged with first-degree murder and other crimes. Herrera was shot Aug. 26 and died at a hospital on Sept. 7. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that Mendoza is accused of possessing or receiving a stolen firearm in connection with the shooting of Herrera. Mondoza appeared in court Tuesday and a judge set bond at $100,000.

Brother of suspect in police shooting charged with gun crime

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin held an “extensive conversation" Wednesday on a huge COVID-19 rescue package, meeting face to face for the first time in more than a month in a last-ditch effort to seal a tentative accord on an additional round of coronavirus relief.

After a 90-minute meeting in the Capitol, Pelosi issued a statement saying the two would continue to talk. “We found areas where we are seeking further clarification," she said. Talks resume Thursday.

“We made a lot of progress over the last few days. We still don’t have an agreement," Mnuchin said after meeting with Pelosi and briefing top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell.

At the very least, the positive tone set by Pelosi and Mnuchin represented an improvement over earlier statements. But there is still a considerable gulf between the two sides, McConnell said.

“I’ve seen substantial movement, yes, and certainly the rhetoric has changed,” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said.

In an appearance on Fox Business Wednesday night, Mnuchin described the talks as the first serious discussions with Pelosi in “several weeks" and said he is raising his offer into “the neighborhood” of $1.5 trillion. That's well above what many Senate Republicans want but would probably be acceptable to GOP pragmatists and senators in difficult races.

After initially saying the Democratic-controlled chamber would vote Wednesday night on a $2.2 trillion relief bill — a debate that would have been partisan and possibly unproductive — Pelosi made an about-face and postponed the vote until Thursday in hopes of giving the talks with Mnuchin greater breathing room.

Mnuchin said Wednesday morning that he would tender a new offer resembling a plan released a couple of weeks ago by the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. That proposal was previously rejected by Pelosi and other top Democrats as inadequate. It totals about $1.5 trillion and would provide additional jobless benefits if unemployment remains unacceptably high.

The “top line" limit upon which Pelosi, the Trump administration and Senate Republicans might be able to agree has been a subject of considerable speculation. Pelosi had drawn a hard line until recently, and talks have foundered, but failure now could mean there wouldn't be any COVID relief until next year, especially if Trump loses his reelection bid. Pelosi has never had a reputation for leaving large sums of money on the table.

Pelosi and Mnuchin have ramped up talks in recent days but remain far apart. The two have worked effectively together in the past and were key forces on the “CARES Act" in March, but the bipartisan spirit that drove that measure into law has all but evaporated. Neither side has publicly offered the kind of concessions that would generate tangible momentum.

McConnell said the two sides remain “very, very far apart," though he spoke before being briefed on the Mnuchin-Pelosi meeting. GOP congressional aides said the two sides are not close, even as administration officials like Meadows and Mnuchin sounded more optimistic.

Even if Pelosi and Mnuchin were able to reach a tentative agreement on “top line" spending levels, dozens of nettlesome details would need to be worked out. A particularly difficult issue, Pelosi told her colleagues earlier in the day, remains McConnell's insistence on a liability shield for businesses fearing COVID-related lawsuits after they reopen their doors.

“Let’s see if we can get a compromise agreement with the Speaker, something that works, and then we’ll continue to work with both sides on all the exact language and the policies,” Mnuchin said earlier.

Pelosi has sold her latest bill as an attempt to establish a negotiating position that might boost the negotiations. A more skeptical take is that the Speaker is trying to placate party moderates who protested that she has been too inflexible in negotiations and played a role in the collapse of aid talks this summer and earlier this month.

It would revive a $600-per-week pandemic jobless benefit and send a second round of direct payments to most individuals. It would scale back an aid package to state and local governments to a still-huge $436 billion, send a whopping $225 billion to colleges and universities and deliver another round of subsidies to businesses under the Paycheck Protection Program. Airlines would get another $25 billion in aid to prevent a wave of layoffs that are expected this week.

It also contains $3.6 billion to assist voting during the pandemic, $15 billion for the Postal Service and additional billions for treatment and vaccines.

The proposal represents a cutback from a $3.4 trillion bill that passed the House in May but remains well above what Senate Republicans are willing to accept. Republicans have endorsed staying in the $650 billion to $1 trillion range.

The specific numbers are also fuzzy because both sides are using offset spending cuts or new tax revenues to pay for part of their respective bills. The Congressional Budget Office has not scored either the most recent Senate GOP measure or the Democratic plan slated for Wednesday night's vote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601548046725.png" alt="Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin following his discussion with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Wednesday -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin following his discussion with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Wednesday -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin held an “extensive conversation" Wednesday on a huge COVID-19 rescue package, meeting face to face for the first time in more than a month in a last-ditch effort to seal a tentative accord on an additional round of coronavirus relief.After a 90-minute meeting in the Capitol, Pelosi issued a statement saying the two would continue to talk. “We found areas where we are seeking further clarification," she said. Talks resume Thursday.“We made a lot of progress over the last few days. We still don’t have an agreement," Mnuchin said after meeting with Pelosi and briefing top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell.At the very least, the positive tone set by Pelosi and Mnuchin represented an improvement over earlier statements. But there is still a considerable gulf between the two sides, McConnell said.“I’ve seen substantial movement, yes, and certainly the rhetoric has changed,” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said.In an appearance on Fox Business Wednesday night, Mnuchin described the talks as the first serious discussions with Pelosi in “several weeks" and said he is raising his offer into “the neighborhood” of $1.5 trillion. That's well above what many Senate Republicans want but would probably be acceptable to GOP pragmatists and senators in difficult races.After initially saying the Democratic-controlled chamber would vote Wednesday night on a $2.2 trillion relief bill — a debate that would have been partisan and possibly unproductive — Pelosi made an about-face and postponed the vote until Thursday in hopes of giving the talks with Mnuchin greater breathing room.At issue is a long-delayed package that would extend another round of $1,200 direct stimulus payments, restore bonus pandemic jobless benefits, speed aid to schools and extend assistance to airlines, restaurants and other struggling businesses. A landmark $2 trillion relief bill in March passed with sweeping support and is credited with helping the economy through the spring and summer, but worries are mounting that the recovery may sputter without additional relief.Mnuchin said Wednesday morning that he would tender a new offer resembling a plan released a couple of weeks ago by the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. That proposal was previously rejected by Pelosi and other top Democrats as inadequate. It totals about $1.5 trillion and would provide additional jobless benefits if unemployment remains unacceptably high.The “top line" limit upon which Pelosi, the Trump administration and Senate Republicans might be able to agree has been a subject of considerable speculation. Pelosi had drawn a hard line until recently, and talks have foundered, but failure now could mean there wouldn't be any COVID relief until next year, especially if Trump loses his reelection bid. Pelosi has never had a reputation for leaving large sums of money on the table.Pelosi and Mnuchin have ramped up talks in recent days but remain far apart. The two have worked effectively together in the past and were key forces on the “CARES Act" in March, but the bipartisan spirit that drove that measure into law has all but evaporated. Neither side has publicly offered the kind of concessions that would generate tangible momentum.McConnell said the two sides remain “very, very far apart," though he spoke before being briefed on the Mnuchin-Pelosi meeting. GOP congressional aides said the two sides are not close, even as administration officials like Meadows and Mnuchin sounded more optimistic.Even if Pelosi and Mnuchin were able to reach a tentative agreement on “top line" spending levels, dozens of nettlesome details would need to be worked out. A particularly difficult issue, Pelosi told her colleagues earlier in the day, remains McConnell's insistence on a liability shield for businesses fearing COVID-related lawsuits after they reopen their doors.“Let’s see if we can get a compromise agreement with the Speaker, something that works, and then we’ll continue to work with both sides on all the exact language and the policies,” Mnuchin said earlier.Pelosi has sold her latest bill as an attempt to establish a negotiating position that might boost the negotiations. A more skeptical take is that the Speaker is trying to placate party moderates who protested that she has been too inflexible in negotiations and played a role in the collapse of aid talks this summer and earlier this month.It would revive a $600-per-week pandemic jobless benefit and send a second round of direct payments to most individuals. It would scale back an aid package to state and local governments to a still-huge $436 billion, send a whopping $225 billion to colleges and universities and deliver another round of subsidies to businesses under the Paycheck Protection Program. Airlines would get another $25 billion in aid to prevent a wave of layoffs that are expected this week.It also contains $3.6 billion to assist voting during the pandemic, $15 billion for the Postal Service and additional billions for treatment and vaccines.The proposal represents a cutback from a $3.4 trillion bill that passed the House in May but remains well above what Senate Republicans are willing to accept. Republicans have endorsed staying in the $650 billion to $1 trillion range.The specific numbers are also fuzzy because both sides are using offset spending cuts or new tax revenues to pay for part of their respective bills. The Congressional Budget Office has not scored either the most recent Senate GOP measure or the Democratic plan slated for Wednesday night's vote.

Progress made on new COVID-19 relief package

NEW YORK (AP) — The presidential debate commission says it will soon adopt changes to its format to avoid a repeat of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2020">disjointed first meeting</a>&nbsp;between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden.

The commission said Wednesday the debate “made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues.”

The next presidential debate is a town hall format scheduled for Oct. 15 in Miami.

One possibility being discussed is to give the moderator the ability to cut off the microphone of one of the debate participants while his opponent is talking, according to a person familiar with the deliberations who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Moderator Chris Wallace struggled to gain control of Tuesday’s debate in Cleveland because of frequent interruptions, primarily by Trump. The candidates interrupted Wallace or their opponent 90 times in the 90-minute debate, 71 of them by Trump, according to an analysis by The Washington Post.

Wallace, of Fox News, pleaded for a more orderly debate, at one point looking at Trump and saying, “the country would be better served if we allowed both people to speak with fewer interruptions. I’m appealing to you, sir, to do that.”

“Well, frankly, you’ve been doing more interrupting than he has,” Wallace said.

Biden on Wednesday called the debate “a national embarrassment.” But despite some suggestions that the final two presidential encounters be canceled, both campaigns said they expected their candidate to attend.

Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said the commission was “only doing this because their guy got pummeled last night. President Trump was the dominant force and now Joe Biden is trying to work the refs.”

ABC News’ Martha Raddatz, who moderated one of the three debates between Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2016, said Wallace was put in nearly an impossible situation. Faced with the same behavior, she said she might have called a full stop to the debate for a moment to recalibrate.

She never had the option, technically, to cut off the microphone of a candidate four years ago, she said. It also wasn’t in the rules that were agreed to in advance by the candidates and commission.

“To say, ‘He’s not going to follow the rules so we aren’t, either,’ It’s an unprecedented situation,” Raddatz said. “That was so out of control.”

Twitter was ablaze with criticism for Wallace early in the debate for losing control of the proceedings. That was illustrated by MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, who tweeted “What is Chris Wallace doing? He has no control over the debate. He asks a question and let’s Trump continue yelling. This is a disgrace.”

By the time he was on “Morning Joe″ the next morning, Scarborough had cooled off. He called on the debate commission to act.

“While it was extraordinarily frustrating, I think all of us need to walk a mile in his shoes before saying the morning after, ‘He could have done this, he could have done that,’” Scarborough said.

Some of the president’s supporters felt that Wallace was too hard on their candidate. Trump himself suggested he was also debating Wallace, “but that’s no surprise.”

Wallace even got some criticism from opinion personalities on his own network. “Trump is debating the moderator and Biden,” prime-time host Laura Ingraham tweeted during the debate.

Another Fox colleague, Geraldo Rivera, expressed more sympathy.

“The guy signed up to moderate a debate and he ended up trying to referee a knife fight,” he said.

Wallace, host of “Fox News Sunday,” was not immediately made available for comment by Fox.

There is some skepticism about what the commission can do that is really meaningful. “I’m not sure that there’s a format change that can solve that problem,” said Sen. Pat Toomey, Republican, of battleground state Pennsylvania.

Wallace is the only presidential debate moderator this cycle with prior experience, after receiving praise for handling the final Clinton-Trump debate in 2016. The other two moderators are Steve Scully of C-SPAN and Kristen Welker of NBC News.

Scully moderates the Miami debate, a town hall format where citizens get to ask questions, which may make interruptions more difficult.

“Having prepared for these, the town hall is a completely different event in the debate Olympics,” tweeted David Plouffe, an adviser to former President Barack Obama. “If Trump brings the same nastiness to Florida, it will be doubly painful to watch but it will be doubly painful for him politically.”

The Nielsen company’s estimate on how many people watched Tuesday’s debate was expected later Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601425740751.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The presidential debate commission says it will soon adopt changes to its format to avoid a repeat of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2020">disjointed first meeting</a>&nbsp;between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden.The commission said Wednesday the debate “made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues.”The next presidential debate is a town hall format scheduled for Oct. 15 in Miami.One possibility being discussed is to give the moderator the ability to cut off the microphone of one of the debate participants while his opponent is talking, according to a person familiar with the deliberations who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601460930361.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Moderator Chris Wallace struggled to gain control of Tuesday’s debate in Cleveland because of frequent interruptions, primarily by Trump. The candidates interrupted Wallace or their opponent 90 times in the 90-minute debate, 71 of them by Trump, according to an analysis by The Washington Post.Wallace, of Fox News, pleaded for a more orderly debate, at one point looking at Trump and saying, “the country would be better served if we allowed both people to speak with fewer interruptions. I’m appealing to you, sir, to do that.”“Ask him, too,” Trump said.“Well, frankly, you’ve been doing more interrupting than he has,” Wallace said.Biden on Wednesday called the debate “a national embarrassment.” But despite some suggestions that the final two presidential encounters be canceled, both campaigns said they expected their candidate to attend.Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said the commission was “only doing this because their guy got pummeled last night. President Trump was the dominant force and now Joe Biden is trying to work the refs.”ABC News’ Martha Raddatz, who moderated one of the three debates between Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2016, said Wallace was put in nearly an impossible situation. Faced with the same behavior, she said she might have called a full stop to the debate for a moment to recalibrate.She never had the option, technically, to cut off the microphone of a candidate four years ago, she said. It also wasn’t in the rules that were agreed to in advance by the candidates and commission.“To say, ‘He’s not going to follow the rules so we aren’t, either,’ It’s an unprecedented situation,” Raddatz said. “That was so out of control.”Twitter was ablaze with criticism for Wallace early in the debate for losing control of the proceedings. That was illustrated by MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, who tweeted “What is Chris Wallace doing? He has no control over the debate. He asks a question and let’s Trump continue yelling. This is a disgrace.”By the time he was on “Morning Joe″ the next morning, Scarborough had cooled off. He called on the debate commission to act.“While it was extraordinarily frustrating, I think all of us need to walk a mile in his shoes before saying the morning after, ‘He could have done this, he could have done that,’” Scarborough said.Some of the president’s supporters felt that Wallace was too hard on their candidate. Trump himself suggested he was also debating Wallace, “but that’s no surprise.”Wallace even got some criticism from opinion personalities on his own network. “Trump is debating the moderator and Biden,” prime-time host Laura Ingraham tweeted during the debate.Another Fox colleague, Geraldo Rivera, expressed more sympathy.“The guy signed up to moderate a debate and he ended up trying to referee a knife fight,” he said.Wallace, host of “Fox News Sunday,” was not immediately made available for comment by Fox.There is some skepticism about what the commission can do that is really meaningful. “I’m not sure that there’s a format change that can solve that problem,” said Sen. Pat Toomey, Republican, of battleground state Pennsylvania.Wallace is the only presidential debate moderator this cycle with prior experience, after receiving praise for handling the final Clinton-Trump debate in 2016. The other two moderators are Steve Scully of C-SPAN and Kristen Welker of NBC News.Scully moderates the Miami debate, a town hall format where citizens get to ask questions, which may make interruptions more difficult.“Having prepared for these, the town hall is a completely different event in the debate Olympics,” tweeted David Plouffe, an adviser to former President Barack Obama. “If Trump brings the same nastiness to Florida, it will be doubly painful to watch but it will be doubly painful for him politically.”The Nielsen company’s estimate on how many people watched Tuesday’s debate was expected later Wednesday.___

Debate commission says it will make changes to format

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling more than 700,000 vehicles in North America because the backup cameras can show distorted images or suddenly go dark. 

The recall covers most 2020 versions of Ford’s F-Series trucks, as well as the 2020 Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge. Also included are the Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair. F-Series trucks are the top-selling vehicle in the U.S. 

The company says in documents posted Wednesday by the government that a poor electrical connection is causing the problem.  Dealers will replace the rearview camera at no cost to owners. The recall is expected to start Nov. 7.

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling more than 700,000 vehicles in North America because the backup cameras can show distorted images or suddenly go dark. The recall covers most 2020 versions of Ford’s F-Series trucks, as well as the 2020 Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge. Also included are the Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair. F-Series trucks are the top-selling vehicle in the U.S. The company says in documents posted Wednesday by the government that a poor electrical connection is causing the problem. Dealers will replace the rearview camera at no cost to owners. The recall is expected to start Nov. 7.

Ford recalls over 700K vehicles; backup cameras can go dark

From the FBI<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601480118587.png" alt="john doe 42.png" />
 <figcaption>john doe 42.png</figcaption>
 </figure>

FBI seeking man wanted in child exploitation investigation

BOX ELDER, S.D. (AP) — Plans for a $12.6 million recreation center that would be used by both the Ellsworth Air Force Base and the community are moving forward in Box Elder. 

The South Dakota Ellsworth Development Authority approved the center at a meeting this week. 

A $6.3 million Department of Defense grant will pay for half of the center, expected to be completed in 2022.

 Authority Executive Director Scott Landguth says there will also be a multi-use activities infield that can be set up for indoor soccer and basketball courts. 

Landguth says the goal is the center will be able to host youth tournaments as well as Air Force training.

BOX ELDER, S.D. (AP) — Plans for a $12.6 million recreation center that would be used by both the Ellsworth Air Force Base and the community are moving forward in Box Elder. The South Dakota Ellsworth Development Authority approved the center at a meeting this week. A $6.3 million Department of Defense grant will pay for half of the center, expected to be completed in 2022. Authority Executive Director Scott Landguth says there will also be a multi-use activities infield that can be set up for indoor soccer and basketball courts. Landguth says the goal is the center will be able to host youth tournaments as well as Air Force training.

Plans for $12.6 million rec center in Box Elder advance

By
NICK GOSNELL Hutch
Post


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;An Emporia State political science professor says civil discourse took a step back Tuesday in Cleveland.

"For years, people that do debate properly in high school and colleges have been saying, those presidential debates aren't really debates," said Michael Smith. "I've never seen such an egregious example of that as last night."

The tough part is, even as dueling stump speeches, neither candidate was allowed to speak freely.

"Trump, his best characteristic is that he's not scripted," Smith said. "He says what he really thinks. His worst characteristic is he's not scripted, he says what he really thinks. Then, Biden was left to respond to that."

Smith notes that some people got what they were looking for.

"Lots of us complained in the old days about how politicians seemed to be reading from scripts and they sounded so stilted," Smith said. "You never heard anything new. I don't think that when we were complaining about that, we thought that it would lead to this."

The next debate between the two campaigns will involve their vice presidential nominees. It is Oct. 7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591302118267.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;An Emporia State political science professor says civil discourse took a step back Tuesday in Cleveland."For years, people that do debate properly in high school and colleges have been saying, those presidential debates aren't really debates," said Michael Smith. "I've never seen such an egregious example of that as last night."The tough part is, even as dueling stump speeches, neither candidate was allowed to speak freely."Trump, his best characteristic is that he's not scripted," Smith said. "He says what he really thinks. His worst characteristic is he's not scripted, he says what he really thinks. Then, Biden was left to respond to that."Smith notes that some people got what they were looking for."Lots of us complained in the old days about how politicians seemed to be reading from scripts and they sounded so stilted," Smith said. "You never heard anything new. I don't think that when we were complaining about that, we thought that it would lead to this."The next debate between the two campaigns will involve their vice presidential nominees. It is Oct. 7.