BARTON COUNTY —A man was sentenced to 36-months in prison Friday for a fatal-hit and run crash that killed a man in Great Bend, according to a media release from Barton County Attorney Amy Mellor.

Rodney Dee Campbell, 58, was the driver and sole occupant of a truck that struck and killed 65-year-old James Zager as he was crossing in the 4200 Block of 10th Street just after 7:30p.m. on November 29, according to police.

Detectives contact Campbell but he refused to return to Kansas. The Texas Rangers ultimately arrested Campbell in Rural Anderson County, Texas.
Campbell will also be required to pay $6700 in restitution, according to Mellor.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have sped legislation through the House to expand their massive new tax law, capping their session for the year as they rush out of town to face voters in the November elections. The new bill would make permanent the individual and small-business tax cuts in the law.

Friday’s vote was 220-191 in the Republican-led House to approve the legislation. It’s the second tax-cut proposal that Republican leaders have pushed in less than a year. The vote was mostly along party lines. Democrats continued their solid opposition to tax-cut legislation, asserting it favors corporations and wealthy individuals over middle-income Americans.

At the same time, 11 Republican House members, facing tough re-election fights in the high-tax, Democratic-leaning states of New York, New Jersey and California, voted against their party’s bill.

The GOP lawmakers are pushing to hold onto their seats in relatively affluent suburban districts where President Donald Trump is unpopular. Residents in those states could see substantial increases in their federal tax bills next spring because of the $10,000 cap on state and local deductions in the tax law. The new legislation would make the cap permanent.

Prospects for the legislation in the Senate are weak, given the slim Republican majority and concern over the potential for further blowing up the deficit with new tax cuts — without corresponding new revenue sources. The sweeping rewrite of the tax code that Republicans hustled through Congress late last year, signed into law by Trump as his signature legislative achievement, is expected to add about $1.5 trillion to the deficit over 10 years.

The bill approved Friday would add another $545 billion through 2028, according to an estimate by Congress’ bipartisan Joint Committee on Taxation.

House Republicans portray the tax legislation as championing the middle class and small businesses.

In the eight months since the tax law took effect, “We’ve seen an economic turnaround with more jobs, bigger paychecks and historic Main Street optimism,” Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said before the vote.

With the midterm elections looming, polls have shown only lukewarm support among voters for the package of individual and corporate tax cuts that took effect Jan. 1. The new law provides steep tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and more modest reductions for middle- and low-income individuals and families.

Early this year, millions of working Americans got a boost from the tax law as they saw increases in their paychecks with less tax withheld by employers. But as Trump has undertaken trade wars with China and U.S. allies, trade tensions have overshadowed the tax cuts in economically vulnerable areas of the country that depend on exports.

In House debate on the bill, Democrats continued to denounce the existing tax law and new proposal, and repeatedly pounded on their impact on the mounting $21 trillion deficit. The Republicans will seek to fill the hole by cutting deeply into Medicare and Social Security, Democratic lawmakers warned.

“This is all borrowed money that will go to corporations and high-income earners,” said Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the senior Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee. The new legislation “is another reckless tax cut for the wealthy that leaves behind average, hardworking families.”

While the new law slashed the corporate tax rate permanently from 35 percent to 21 percent, its tax cuts for individuals and the millions of U.S. “pass-through” businesses expire in eight years. The “pass-through” businesses funnel their income to owners and other individuals, who then pay personal income tax on those earnings, not the corporate rate. They are allowed under the new law to deduct 20 percent of the first $315,000 of their earnings.

The legislation clearing the House on Friday would make the cuts for individuals and pass-through businesses permanent.

On Thursday, the House passed a pair of Republican-written companion bills that would add incentives for savings and startup businesses to the new tax law. The votes were 240-177 and 260-156, also mostly along party lines.

One of the measures would create a “universal savings account” for families that could be used for a range of purposes and would allow the tax-free earnings to be more easily withdrawn than is the case with existing retirement accounts. In addition, it would allow the popular, tax-free 529 college savings accounts to also be used to pay for apprenticeship fees and home schooling expenses, as well as to pay off student debt. Workers would be able to tap their retirement savings accounts without tax penalty to cover expenses from the birth of a child or an adoption.

The second measure would allow startup businesses to write off more of their initial costs against their federal taxes. New businesses would be permitted to deduct more of their expenses for setting up in the first year — up to $20,000, double the current maximum level.

Democrats said there were some positive elements in the legislation, but that overall it would not help average Americans. The new savings accounts would mainly benefit wealthy taxpayers, with about $100,000 in annual income needed to take full advantage of them, said Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas.

COWLEY COUNTY  — A Kansas man was critically injured Thursday night after being attacked by four dogs in his fenced back yard.

Just after 7p.m., police were dispatched to a report of a dog bite at a residence at 1126 N. 13^th Street in Arkansas City located just west of Adams Elementary School, according to a media release from police.

The four dogs were on top of the 70-year-old victim in his back yard and attacking him, according to witnesses.

Police learned the dogs lived at the residence, and are owned by the victim and other residents there.

The Arkansas City Fire-EMS transported the victim by ambulance to South Central Kansas Medical Center. He then was taken by air ambulance to the Level I Trauma Center at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.

The dogs were loose after the attack, but officers were able to locate and capture all four animals.

They are mixed-breed dogs with different colors and fur lengths, according to the release. All four dogs have been taken to the Cowley County Humane Society for a 10-day observation period.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh (all times local):

President Donald Trump is directing the FBI to launch a supplemental investigation into his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh at the request of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Trump says in a statement that the updated investigation, which comes in response to sexual misconduct allegations, “must be limited in scope” and “completed in less than one week.”

The decision marks a reversal for the administration, which had argued that Kavanaugh had already been vetted.

Kavanaugh has adamantly denied the allegations.

Senate Republican leaders agreed Friday to delay a final vote on Kavanaugh to allow time for an investigation by the FBI at the request of Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake.

Kavanaugh says he’s done “everything” the Senate has asked of him and “will continue to cooperate.”

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5 p.m.

Judge Brett Kavanaugh says in a statement released by the White House that he “will continue to cooperate” after senators asked President Donald Trump to open a supplemental background investigation of the embattled Supreme Court nominee.

Kavanaugh says he’s been interviewed by the FBI during his confirmation process and conducted “background” calls with the Senate. He says he answered questions under oath Thursday “about every topic the Senators and their counsel asked me.”

Kavanaugh says, “I’ve done everything they have requested and will continue to cooperate.”

Trump is ordering the new FBI probe of Kavanaugh, saying it must be “limited in scope” and last no longer than a week.

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Senate Republican leaders have agreed to delay a final vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to allow time for an investigation by the FBI of the sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican, says, “There’s going to be a supplemental background investigation,” which would delay a vote “no later than one week.”

Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called earlier Friday for the FBI to investigate the sexual misconduct claims against Kavanaugh. He said the process should not take longer than a week.

After Flake made that call, the Judiciary Committee sent Kavanaugh’s nomination to the full Senate in an 11-10 vote.

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3:15 p.m.

A high school friend of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh says he will cooperate with any law enforcement agency that will “confidentially investigate” sexual misconduct allegations against him and Kavanaugh.

Mark Judge sent a signed letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday, saying he “categorically” denies sexual misconduct allegations made by Julie Swetnick.

In a sworn statement released Wednesday, Swetnick accused Kavanaugh and Judge of excessive drinking and inappropriate treatment of women in the early 1980s, among other accusations.

Judge says in his letter that he doesn’t know Swetnick and does not recall any parties in the early 1980s where he “fondled or grabbed women in an aggressive or unwanted manner.”

He says Swetnick’s allegations are “so bizarre” and he “would remember actions so outlandish.”

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3:10 p.m.

One of the few Senate Democrats who remains undecided on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court is backing calls for an FBI investigation of sexual misconduct claims against the nominee.

Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said senators need to slow down on confirming Kavanaugh so the investigation can be conducted. The probe should happen, in his words, “so that our country can have confidence in the outcome of this vote.”

He applauded the “courage” of Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, who on Friday urged a delay of up to one week on Kavanaugh’s nomination to allow time for the FBI investigation.

Manchin is facing a tough re-election race this year in West Virginia, a state President Donald Trump won handily in the 2016 election.

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2:50 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is meeting with Republicans senators in his office to discuss the next steps on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Kavanaugh’s nomination to the full Senate Friday afternoon. GOP senators from the panel dashed to McConnell’s office immediately after the vote.

Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, a member of the committee, has called for the FBI to investigate the sexual misconduct claims against Kavanaugh. Asked what he hoped to accomplish, Flake replied: “A better process.”

Flake wants a delay of up to a week. The decision rests with Republican leaders.

Entering McConnell’s office, Sen. John Kennedy called the developments a “grotesque carnival.”

Kavanaugh denies the charges.

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2:35 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he found Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in high school, “a very credible witness.”

Trump told reporters Friday at the White House that he thought Ford’s testimony Thursday to the Senate Judiciary Committee “was very compelling” and that “she looks like a very fine woman, very fine woman.”

But Trump also says he though Kavanaugh’s adamant denial “really something that I hadn’t seen before. It was incredible.”

Trump called it “an incredible moment I think in the history of our country.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Friday to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Senate floor — but Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake said the full Senate vote should be delayed for a week.

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2:25 p.m.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham says it’s going to fall to him to lay out to President Donald Trump why Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation vote has been delayed.

He spoke after Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake said he would vote to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination to the full Senate only if the final confirmation vote is delayed for an FBI investigation into sexual assault allegations.

Christine Blasey Ford says Kavanaugh attacked her in a locked room at a high school house party. Kavanaugh denies that.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Friday to advance the nomination to the full Senate, but Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley noted the timing on Senate vote was up to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Graham, of South Carolina, is a Trump ally who is on the panel. Graham told reporters after the committee vote that somebody is going to have to explain the delay to Trump. Graham added: “I guess that’ll be my job.”

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2:18 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he’ll leave it to the Senate to determine when it will vote on his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. But Trump is expressing optimism, saying: “I’m sure it will all be very good.”

Trump told reporters Friday during a meeting with the President of Chile that undecided Republican senators “have to do what they think is right” and “be comfortable with themselves” on the Kavanaugh vote.

But he said he hadn’t thought at all about a replacement, “Not even a little bit.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Friday along party lines to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Senate floor.

But Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona said at the last minute that he could not promise to vote for Kavanaugh on the Senate floor and called for a delay of up to a week for a further investigation of sexual assault accusations.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

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2:10 p.m.

Sen Jeff Flake says Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination should on hold so the FBI can investigate the sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Flake, the deciding vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination to a full floor vote, but said the vote should be delayed for up to a week to allow time for the investigation of Christine Blasey Ford’s claims.

Ford says Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while the two were in high school.

Kavanaugh has denied Ford’s accusation.

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The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted along party lines to advance Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination to the Senate floor.

The 11-10 vote Friday came just one day after Republicans heard testimony from Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teens. Kavanaugh denied the accusation.

At the last minute, Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, said he could not promise to vote for Kavanaugh on the Senate floor and called for a delay of up to a week for a further investigation.

Republicans voted to move ahead with Kavanaugh’s nomination.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley noted the timing on Senate vote was up to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook says it recently discovered a security breach affecting nearly 50 million user accounts.

The hack is the latest setback for Facebook during a year of tumult for the global social media service.

In a blog post , the company says hackers exploited a bug that affected its “View As” feature, which lets people see what their profiles look like to someone else. That would let attackers steal the “access tokens” Facebook uses to keep people logged in. Possession of those tokens would allow attackers to “seize control” of user accounts, Facebook said.

Facebook says it has taken steps to fix the security problem and alerted law enforcement.

To deal with the issue, Facebook reset some logins, so 90 million people have been logged out and will have to log in again. That includes anyone who has been subject to a “View As” lookup in the past year.

Facebook says it doesn’t know who is behind the attacks or where they’re based. In a call with reporters on Friday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the company doesn’t know yet if any of the accounts that were hacked were misused.

Jake Williams, a security expert at Rendition Infosec, said the stolen access tokens would have likely allowed attackers to view private posts and probably post status updates or shared posts as the compromised user, but wouldn’t affect passwords.

“The bigger concern (and something we don’t know yet) is whether third party applications were impacted,” Williams said in a text exchange. “Facebook offers a login service for third parties to allow users to log into their apps using Facebook. In other words, Facebook is providing the identity management for countless other sites and services. These access tokens that were stolen show when a user is logged into Facebook and that may be enough to access a user’s account on a third party site.

News broke early this year that data analytics firm that once worked for the Trump campaign, Cambridge Analytica, had gained access to personal data from millions of user profiles. Then a congressional investigation found that agents from Russia and other countries have been posting fake political ads since at least 2016. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared at a Congressional hearing over Facebook’s privacy policies in April.

Facebook has more than 2 billion users worldwide. The company said people do not need to change their Facebook passwords, but anyone having trouble logging on should visit the site’s help center . Those who want to log out can visit the “Security and Login” section of their settings, which lists the places that people are logged into Facebook. It has a one-click option of logging out of all locations.

Ed Mierzwinski, the senior director of consumer advocacy group U.S. PIRG, said the breach was “very troubling.”

“It’s yet another warning that Congress must not enact any national data security or data breach legislation that weakens current state privacy laws, preempts the rights of states to pass new laws that protect their consumers better, or denies their attorneys general rights to investigate violations of or enforce those laws,” he said in a statement.

Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter said “the most important point is that we found out from them,” meaning Facebook, as opposed to a third party.

“As a user, I want Facebook to proactively protect my data and let me know when it’s compromised,” he said. “Shareholders should ultimately approve of Facebook’s handling of the issue.”

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