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Matthew Perry’s ‘Friends’ cast mates mourn their friend, say they are ‘all so utterly devastated’

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The stars of “Friends” say they are mourning the “unfathomable” death of Matthew Perry.

“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew,” Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer said in a joint statement to People on Monday. “We were more than just cast mates. We are a family.”

From 1994 to 2004, each of the five actors appeared in every episode of all 10 seasons of the NBC sitcom along with Perry, who was found dead at his Los Angeles home on Saturday at age 54.

“There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss,” the statement said. “In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”

It was the first public statement on Perry’s death from Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc or Schwimmer.

After an initial investigation, the Los Angeles County coroner has deferred giving a cause of death, which may take weeks to determine.

Others public mourning Perry on Monday included Salma Hayek, his co-star in the 1997 rom-com “Fools Rush In,” which Perry had said was probably his best film.

“It’s taken me a couple of days to process this profound sadness. There is a special bond that happens when you share dreams with someone, and together you work towards them,” Hayek said in an Instagram post. “Throughout the years, he and I found ourselves reminiscing about that meaningful time in our lives with a deep sense of nostalgia and gratitude. My friend, you are gone much too soon, but I will continue to cherish your silliness, your perseverance, and your lovely heart.”

Perry is being mourned by fans worldwide, including some who placed flowers and heartfelt tributes outside the New York building that served as an exterior for the show.

Others who worked with Perry expressed their sorrow on Sunday, included “Friends” co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, who said, echoing the style of the show’s episode titles, that this “truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”

Morgan Fairchild, who played mother to Perry’s Chandler Bing on the show, and Maggie Wheeler, who played Chandler’s sometime girlfriend Janice, gave similar sentiments.

UI expert: Distracted walking could put trick-or-treaters at risk

By Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa)

Most of us have heard how dangerous distracted driving can be, and how the number-one distraction is our phones, but distracted walking can be equally as deadly, especially with Halloween tomorrow.

Elizabeth O’Neal, a professor in the University of Iowa’s Department of Community and Behavioral Health, says parents should tell their kids to leave their phones alone while they’re trick-or-treating, or else they may get so distracted, they endanger themselves in traffic.

“All of us have seen it, if not engaged in it,” O’Neal says. “We have these handy little computers that we walk around with in our pockets, and a lot of the time, they are drawing our attention away from the task at hand — when we’re crossing roads.”

Most parents have drilled into their kids’ heads to look both ways before crossing a street, but O’Neal says that’s only two-thirds of a vital lesson.

“We always need to look left to the traffic that’s going to be closest to us when we’re crossing the roadway, look right to see traffic that’s coming in the farthest point, and then look left again,” O’Neal says, “because things that are in that traffic lane that are closest to us can change quickly. So, making sure the kids are looking left, right, and left again, is going to be really important.”

When trick-or-treating — and every day — O’Neal says we need to cross roads at a place where drivers are expecting pedestrians to be.

“So that’s going to be at intersections, corners, marked crosswalks,” O’Neal says, “and when possible, always crossing at a marked crosswalk or an intersection with a pedestrian crossing light.”

It’s said there’s safety in numbers, and there’s more visibility in numbers, but O’Neal says if your costumed kids are trick-or-treating in a group, they may be more prone to tricks, and trouble.

“As pedestrians, children are riskier when they’re in the presence of a peer, and when they’re engaging in the task with a peer, so at that age, it’s pretty rewarding to do risky things when you’re with your friends,” O’Neal says. “So encouraging your kids to make sure that they are crossing at those marked crosswalks, not darting across the street in the middle of the block.”

If the kids protest and don’t want adult chaperones, parents can keep tabs on the location of their little goblins by using GPS phone trackers or Apple Air Tags.

ISU Extension ‘Money Smart’ Statewide Virtual Series Begins Nov. 14

AMES, Iowa – As financial pressure from inflation continues, many Iowans may be worrying and wondering how they can cut costs and save money. The uncertainty may make anyone feel anxious about their personal financial security.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host “Money Smart: Prioritizing Bills, Credit and Debt,” a free, three-part, virtual series on Tuesdays, Nov. 14, Nov. 21 and Nov 28, from noon to 1 p.m. or 5:30-6:30 p.m. Participation in either the noon series or the evening series is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required.

“This virtual series provides tools to help manage money effectively, make better financial decisions and live according to your priorities,” said Barb Wollan, a human sciences specialist in family wellbeing.

Participants will improve their financial wellbeing by developing an emergency spending plan, creating a prioritized bill paying strategy based on future consequences, developing skills to improve their own credit and learning strategies to manage debt.

The topics – prioritizing bills, protecting credit and managing debt – are presented in one-hour, online Zoom sessions.

Individuals may choose to register for either the noon series or the 5:30 p.m. series, as they will cover the same content. Human Sciences specialists in family wellbeing with ISU Extension and Outreach will lead the program using research-based strategies to decide which bills and monthly expenses to pay first, how to protect one’s credit history, and managing debt even when money is short.

Sessions are free to participate in with pre-registration required online by Sunday, Nov. 12. Register for the noon to 1 p.m. series at https://go.iastate.edu/CMHWBI or the 5:30-6:30 p.m. series at https://go.iastate.edu/AKC7PO.

Once an individual has registered, they will receive an email confirmation with the Zoom link and class information.

Questions can be directed to Barb Wollan at 515-832-9597 or bwollan@iastate.edu.

Iowa DNR to host open house on Lake Keomah improvement plans tomorrow

OSKALOOSA — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting an open house to discuss renovation and improvement plans for Lake Keomah State Park, from 5:30 – 8 p.m. on Nov. 1, at the Lake Keomah Lodge. The public is invited to attend.

The DNR will share plans for a lake restoration project at Lake Keomah to improve water quality and recreational opportunities. Construction is tentatively scheduled to start fall 2024 and continue into spring 2026. Planned improvements include additional watershed practices to protect the lake, stabilizing the shoreline, dredging in targeted areas, upgrading the boat ramp and trail, and improving fish habitat.

The address for the state park is 2720 Keomah Lane, Oskaloosa.

State XC Results: Osky’s Carter Shines, Pella Nearly Sweeps

By Sam Parsons

The state cross country meets wrapped up in Fort Dodge on Saturday, with plenty of area athletes in attendance.

One of the highlights of the meet was the trio of runners sent by Oskaloosa, as Tierney Carter, Emmalee Wells-Stout, and Will Roach constituted the biggest group sent by the school to the state cross country meet since 2016. Wells-Stout and Roach each earned identical 82nd place finishes, with the former clocking in at 20:47.8 and the latter finishing his run in 17:25.3. The sophomore Carter, however, was the standout for the Indians: in her second consecutive state cross country appearance, she bested her PR and brought home an 11th place finish at 19:14.1, earning all-state honors in the process.

Results for all area runners can be found below, with complete results available here.

Class 1A Girls

Team finishes: Pekin #6

17. Chloe Gosser – Pekin – 19:54.4

51. Lauren Steigleder – Pekin – 20:50.3

55. Audrey Fariss – Pekin – 20:55.4

59. Addison Achenbach – English Valleys – 20:57.6

76. Audrey Achenbach – English Valleys – 21:13.3

79. Olivia Norrish – Lynnville-Sully – 21:18.8

88. Emmerson Jedlicka – North Mahaska – 21:31.2

114. Abby Guise – Pekin – 22:42.3

120. Lexi Swearingen – Pekin – 22:51.6

132. Breanna Drish – Pekin – 23:27.3

134. Cambree Earnest – Pekin – 23:35.2

Class 1A Boys

Team finishes: Pekin #10

9. Gage Heyne – English Valleys – 16:25.6

10. Brady McWhirter – Pekin – 16:26.5

45. Brayden Veiseth – North Mahaska – 17:28.2

55. Jaedon Wolver – Pekin -17:44.4

69. Hendrick Lowry – Lynnville-Sully – 17:55.8

72. Kurt Kuhnen – Pleasantville – 17:59.1

85. Mason Dahlstrom – Pekin – 18:08.7

97. Cole Millikin – Pekin – 18:25.5

109. Colton Alberts – Lynnville-Sully – 18:38.6

118. Lane Fariss – Pekin – 18:52.9

134. Ben Guise – Pekin – 19:24.7

144. Dylan Sobaski – Pekin – 20:22.7

Class 2A Girls

Team finishes: Albia #9

2. McKenna Montgomery – Albia – 18:35.7

31. Bailey Vos – Pella Christian – 20:15.1

63. Serene Thompson – Albia – 20:52.5

68. Avery Major – Albia – 21:03.5

73. Jaclyn Holmes – Pella Christian – 21:10.5

79. Lila Milani – PCM – 21:20.2

90. Juliana Brown – Albia – 21:33.7

102. Olivia Sheffield – Albia – 21:54.4

104. Millia McAninch – Albia – 21:57.1

121. Lily Buckingham – Albia – 22:44.7

Class 2A Boys

Team finishes: Pella Christian #14

43. Sawyer Meinders – Pella Christian – 17:10.6

62. Garrett Pumphrey – Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont – 17:22.4

79. Deacon Branderhorst – Pella Christian – 17:40.7

84. Tysen DeVries – Pella Christian – 17:49.0

92. Paxton Bouma – Pella Christian – 18:02.7

101. Coby DeRaad – PCM – 18:16.8

109. Shaun Bos – Pella Christian – 18:34.0

119. Eli Hoksbergen – Pella Christian – 18:59.1

125. Logan Gallaher – Pella Christian – 19:46.5

Class 3A Girls

Team finishes – Pella #1

1. Marissa Ferebee – Pella – 18:38.6

11. Tierney Carter – Oskaloosa – 19:14.1

17. Autumn Blink – Pella – 19:30.5

25. Raegan Snieder – Pella – 19:43.4

30. Ruth Dunham – Pella – 19:48.1

49. Macy Schroeder – Pella – 20:08.8

50. Lizzie Neumann – Pella – 20:10.0

53. Elsie Brenneman – Pella – 20:12.4

82. Emmalee Wells-Stout – Oskaloosa – 20:47.8

Class 3A Boys

Team finishes – Pella #2

1. Canaan Dunham – Pella – 15:18.5

3. Nathan Vander Waal – Pella – 15:39.8

11. Devon Browne – Pella – 16:06.7

23. Mason Gaulke – Pella – 16:37.5

35. Liam Crites – Grinnell – 16:52.6

39. Stephen Gaul – Pella – 16:55.1

43. Cadel Conner – Grinnell – 16:57.5

62. Javin Doland – Newton – 17:09.0

72. Noah Schuknecht – Pella – 17:15.1

78. Aren Hellbusch – Pella – 17:20.7

82. Will Roach – Oskaloosa – 17:25.3

84. Landon Menninga – Newton – 17:26.1

113. Isaac Rankin – Knoxville – 17:51.1

Class 4A Girls

123. Jasmin Luedtke – Ottumwa – 20:56.4

More than 1,000 pay tribute to Maine’s mass shooting victims on day of prayer, reflection and hope

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — Residents of Lewiston return to work Monday, the morning after coming together to mourn those lost in Maine’s worst mass shooting. They gathered Sunday evening, hugging one another, singing a rousing edition of “Amazing Grace,” and seeking guidance out of these dark days from religious leaders who talked of hope, healing and the power of prayer.

More than 1,000 people attended Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul for a vigil in Lewiston, where days earlier a gunman fatally shot 18 people. Some put their heads in their hands as the names of the people who died in Wednesday’s shooting were read. Others quietly wept.

Hundreds more watched a livestream of the vigil shown on a huge screen in front of the church. Some held American flags and others had lit candles in cups marked with the names of the dead and injured.

“Remember to seek healing over relief. Relief is temporary. Healing is permanent. Pain is temporary,” the Rev. Gary Bragg of the Southern Baptist Church in Lewiston said. As he spoke, he asked the crowd to welcome their neighbor to the service with the words “I am so glad you are here” and then to ask how they might help them.

The vigil came two days after the body of suspected gunman Robert Card was found. The 40-year-old’s body was discovered in a trailer at a recycling center in Lisbon Falls. Card died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound though it was unclear when, authorities said. Card was also suspected of injuring 13 people in the shooting rampage Wednesday night in Lewiston.

Christian leaders along with a rabbi and an imam spoke of the pain from the shooting but also the healing process and the resilience of the community of 40,000. There was also a speaker from Lewiston’s deaf and hard of hearing community, as four of its members were killed in the shooting.

Kevin Bohlin, who represented the deaf community, signed his message, which was delivered through an ASL interpreter, about how the tragedy hit close to home for the community. Several in attendance could be seen signing to one another throughout the vigil.

The victims are now gone, he said, “but they are directing us to come together and make a difference in this world.”

The Rev. Allen Austin, a senior pastor at Pathways Vineyard Church in Lewiston encouraged the crowd to “stay focused on the things that invite peace into our communities.”

Austin said he hopes that what arises from the tragedy is a “kinder people, a more compassionate people, a more merciful people.”

The Rev. Todd Little from the First United Pentecostal Church of Lewiston spoke at the vigil of a diverse community that now has something new in common after the tragedy: “shared brokenness, worry, fear and loss.”

He also vowed that the community is bigger than the tragedy and will emerge not just “Lewiston Strong” but “Lewiston Stronger.’

“We will not be defined by the tragedies that happened,” he said. “Fear, anxiety and trepidation will not dictate our present or our future.”

Meanwhile, Lewiston was slowly reopening. Lewiston Public Schools released a limited schedule for the week “with room for reflection as we move forward.” Only the staff was returning Monday; students were due back Tuesday. The Lewiston City Hall planned to reopen on Monday afternoon.

Earlier on Sunday, several church services were shaped by the shooting and subsequent lockdown lasting days. At the morning mass at Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, several women wore black veils. A church official said they are raising funds to help those hurt by “the horrible events in our small town.”

“We can see the rays of light in darkness,“ said the Rev. Daniel Greenleaf, adding it is for times like this that people have “practiced” their faith.

At Lisbon Falls Baptist Church, arriving church members greeted each other warmly but the atmosphere turned somber when the Rev. Brian Ganong brought up the tragedy. He prayed for those fighting for their lives, those who lost family and friends, first responders and medical workers, and others — including the Card family, who he said had ties to some members of the church.

“It did happen. We may never know the reason why,” he said, encouraging the congregation to seek solace through a higher being.

Authorities recovered a multitude of weapons while searching for Card and believe he had legally purchased his guns, including those recovered in his car and near his body, said Jim Ferguson, the special agent in charge of the Boston office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. He declined to discuss any specifics.

Investigators are still searching for a motive for the massacre, but have increasingly focused on Card’s mental health history.

State Department of Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck said Card believed “people were talking about him and there may even have been some voices at play.”

Family members of Card told federal investigators that he had recently discussed hearing voices and became more focused on the bowling alley and bar, according to law enforcement officials who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in order to discuss details of the investigation.

A stay-at-home order in place during the massive search was lifted Friday afternoon, hours before authorities announced they had found Card’s body. By Saturday, some sense of normalcy returned. Residents went hunting on the opening day of hunting season for deer, and one family handed out buckets of flowers downtown.

On Sunday at Schemengees Bar & Grille, one of the shooting sites, workers in white hazmat suits could be seen methodically cleaning up a staircase. Yellow tape surrounded the site and a small memorial erected nearby featuring colorful balloons, flowers and a poster that read: “Be Strong Lewiston.

Leroy Walker, an Auburn city councilor and father of one of the victims, was greeting people at a trick-or-treat event on Sunday, hosted by an organization he leads. He smiled broadly when the children hugged him but he became emotional when he spoke of his son, Joseph, who normally would’ve joined him at the event.

“It’s been a tough few days, trust me. The heart doesn’t stop bleeding,” he said.

The deadliest shootings in Maine’s history stunned a state of 1.3 million people that has relatively little violent crime and only 29 killings in all of 2022.

Three of the injured remained in critical condition at Central Maine Medical Center, and a fourth was stable, hospital officials said. Another was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, and the rest were discharged.

The Lewiston shootings were the 36th mass killing in the U.S. this year, according to a database maintained by AP and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. The database includes every mass killing since 2006 from all weapons in which four or more people, excluding the offender, were killed within a 24-hour time frame.

Dry crops lead to issues during harvest

By Brian Fancher (Radio Iowa)

The dry weather has created some yield loss in soybean and cornfields in north-central Iowa. ISU Extension Field Agronomist Angie Rieck-Hinz  says some soybean pods were shattering in the fields before a combine would enter, or the pods shattered as the cutter bar of the combine hit them.

The beans that fall out of the shattered pods can’t be harvested. “A lot of fields that are green with beans seed that fell on the ground and as germinated and some cornfields too and not a lot we can do when that crop dries down too fast,” she says. Rieck-Hines says the crops turned so quickly that it made it tough to respond.

“They kind of went from wet to dry like literally overnight,” she says. “Most people will tell you we went from green stems which was hard to combine, to dry pods and beans, and that made for some harvest losses.” She says many producers are making bales out of corn and soybean stover, but that can lead to a loss of important materials in the process.

“Give some thought to how many nutrients in particular I’m talking about phosphorus and potassium were removed. How do we replace those nutrients with fertilizer or manure sources?,” Riek-Hinz says. “We can optimize our soil test levels for next year to optimize our crop production we sometimes forget we do remove a lot of potassium in corn stock bales, but we remove a lot more potassium if we’re bailing up soybean stubble” Rieck-HInz says corn yields in her territory have been averaging 210-220 bushels an acre, soybeans have been averaging about 62 bushels an acre.

Love INC Hosting Mahaska Connect This Weekend

OSKALOOSA  – Are you concerned about homelessness in our county or people that are struggling to survive?  Sometimes determining where to go to find a particular service or knowing how to obtain those services is a daunting task.  In the past three years more than 250 Mahaska County residents who experienced challenges were able to access quality services through Mahaska Connect. 

Mahaska Connect, sponsored by Love in the Name of Christ and its partnership of churches, links Mahaska County’s homeless and near-homeless residents to the services that are often hard to access.  This year’s event will be held at Fellowship Bible Church, 1000 A Avenue West, Oskaloosa on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants must check in by noon.

Love INC and its community partners are providing an opportunity for those who need services.  Nearly three dozen agencies and organizations are available, including a legal expungement clinic, medical and vision screenings, driver’s license ID, birth certificates, housing information, counseling services, personal care such as haircuts, recovery programs, vaccinations, pregnancy and parenting resources or just someone to talk to.  These services will be available FREE of charge.  Only legal services require an appointment.

“Love INC of Mahaska County is hosting Mahaska Connect to bridge the gap between our neighbors needing assistance and the church and community resources they need,” said executive director Susan Doolan. “It is a great testimony as our community comes together to help our neighbors.”

There is no cost to attend. Brunch will be provided. Transportation may be available but anyone needing transportation should contact the Love INC office. For more information or to volunteer at the event, contact Love INC at 641-676-3750.

City/School Elections are One Week from Tomorrow

OSKALOOSA — All qualified electors of Mahaska County, Iowa are hereby notified that a City/School Election will be  held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. 

ALL POLLS IN MAHASKA COUNTY OPEN AT 7:00 A.M. AND WILL CLOSE AT 8:00 P.M. 

ALL LOCATIONS ARE YOUR GENERAL ELECTION POLLING LOCATIONS WHERE YOU NORMALLY VOTE  YOU WILL VOTE THERE FOR THIS ELECTION 

Mahaska County Conservation Environmental Learning Center, 2342 Hwy 92, Oskaloosa 

Precincts: Adams, Lincoln, Monroe, Spring Creek, Keomah Village, University Park

Leighton Christian Reformed Church, 415 Reid St, Leighton 

Precincts: Black Oak, Richland, Scott, Leighton, Pella 

Fremont Community Building, 107 East Main, Fremont 

Precincts: Cedar, Harrison, White Oak, Eddyville, Fremont, Rose Hill 

Beacon United Methodist Church, 417 Kilburn St, Beacon 

Precincts: East Des Moines, Garfield, Jefferson, Wes Des Moines, Beacon 

New Sharon City Park Building, 102 West High St, New Sharon 

Precincts: Madison, Pleasant Grove, Prairie, Union, Barnes City, New Sharon 

Extension Office Building, 212 North I St, Oskaloosa 

Precincts: Oskaloosa Ward 1 

Gateway Church of the Nazarene, 140 Gateway Drive, Oskaloosa 

Precincts: Oskaloosa Ward 2 

Assembly of God Church Gym, 716 S 17th St, Oskaloosa 

Precincts: Oskaloosa Ward 3 

Senior Center, 715 B Ave East, Oskaloosa 

Precincts: Oskaloosa Ward 4 

Voters living outside Mahaska County should contact their county auditor for absentee ballots and voting  locations. 

Pre-registered voters are required to provide an approved form of identification at the polling place before receiving and casting a  regular ballot. Voters who are not pre-registered, such as voters registering to vote on Election Day, and voters changing precincts  must also provide proof of residence. A voter who is unable to provide an approved form of identification (or prove residence) if  required:  

  1. May have voter’s identity/residence attested to by another registered voter in the precinct 
  2. Prove identity and residence using Election Day Registration documents, or 
  3. Cast a provisional ballot and provide proof of identity/residence at the county auditor’s office by noon Monday, November  13th

Election Day Registrant attesters must provide an approved form of identification. For additional information about providing proof of  identity and/or residence visit: https//sos.iowa.gov/voterid or phone 641-673-7148. 

Voter pre-registration deadline is 5:00 P.M. Monday, October 23, 2023 at the Mahaska County Auditor’s Office. Absentee ballots are available in the County Auditor’s office during regular business hours.  

Any voter who is physically unable to enter a polling place has the right to vote in the voter’s vehicle. For further information, please  contact the County Auditor’s office at 641-673-7148. 

Amid massive search for mass killing suspect, Maine residents remain behind locked doors

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — Shocked and fearful Maine residents kept to their homes for a second night as hundreds of heavily armed police and FBI agents searched intensely for Robert Card, an Army reservist authorities say fatally shot 18 people at a bowling alley and a bar in the worst mass killing in state history.

Much of Thursday’s search focused on a property belonging to one of Card’s relatives in rural Bowdoin, where trucks and vans full of armed agents from the FBI and other agencies eventually surrounded a home. Card and anyone else inside were repeatedly ordered to surrender.

“You need to come outside now with nothing in your hands. Your hands in the air,” police said through a loudspeaker. In most instances when police execute warrants — even for suspects wanted for violent crimes — they move quickly to enter the home.

But hours later, after repeated announcements and a search, authorities moved off and it was still unclear whether Card had ever been at the location, state police said.

Richard Goddard, who lives on the road where the search took place, knows the Card family. Robert Card, who is four years younger, knows the terrain well, Goddard said.

“This is is his stomping ground. He grew up here,” he said. “He knows every ledge to hide behind, every thicket.”

Several homes were being searched and every lead pursued in the hunt for Card, a 40-year-old with firearms instructor training. Authorities said he should be considered armed and dangerous and not approached.

Card is suspected of opening fire with at least one rifle at a bar and a bowling alley Wednesday in Lewiston, which is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) from Bowdoin and is Maine’s second-largest city. The evening shootings killed 18 people and wounded 13 others, with three people still hospitalized in critical condition, authorities said.

The victims of the shootings include Bob Violette, 76, a retiree who was coaching a youth bowling league and was described as devoted, approachable and kind. Auburn City Councilor Leroy Walker told media outlets that his son, Joe, a manager at the bar and grille, died going after the gunman with a butcher knife. Peyton Brewer-Ross was a dedicated pipefitter at Bath Iron Works whose death leaves a gaping void in the lives of his partner, young daughter and friends, members of his union said.

Authorities have not said how many guns were used or how they were obtained.

Schools, doctor’s offices and grocery stores closed and people stayed behind locked doors in cities as far as 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the scenes of the shootings. Maine’s largest city, Portland, closed its public buildings, while Canada Border Services Agency issued an “armed and dangerous” alert to its officers stationed along the U.S. border.

Streets in Lewiston and surrounding communities were virtually deserted late Thursday night. The occasional truck or police patrol would drive through neighborhoods dotted with illuminated giant pumpkins and ghosts for Halloween.

Schools in Lewiston were to remain closed Friday, while those in Portland would decide in the morning whether to open. Bates College in Lewiston also cancelled classes Friday and postponed the inauguration of the school’s first Black president.

April Stevens lives in the same neighborhood where one of the shootings took place. She turned on all her lights overnight and locked her doors. She knew someone killed at the bar and another person injured who needed surgery.

“We’re praying for everyone,” Stevens said through tears.

The attacks stunned a state of only 1.3 million people that has one of the country’s lowest homicide rates: 29 killings in all of 2022.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills promised to do whatever was needed to find Card and to “hold whoever is responsible for this atrocity accountable … and to seek full justice for the victims and their families.”

As authorities searched for Card, details about his recent behavior emerged. Card underwent a mental health evaluation in mid-July after he began acting erratically while with his reserve regiment, a U.S. official told The Associated Press.

A bulletin sent to police across the country after the attack said Card had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks this past summer after “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” a military base.

Maine doesn’t require permits to carry guns, and the state has a longstanding culture of gun ownership that is tied to its traditions of hunting and sport shooting. Keeping in mind the strong support for gun rights, lawmakers passed a “yellow flag” law in 2019 that would require police to seek a medical evaluation of anyone believed to be dangerous before then trying to take their guns away. However, critics charged that it was a weaker version of the tougher “red flag” laws that many other states have adopted.

A neighbor, Dave Letarte, said Card’s family let them deer hunt on their property and were kind, although Letarte said he noticed Card appeared to have mental problems for a while.

“People have problems, but you don’t expect them to go on the deep end like that,” Letarte said. “When we saw it on the news last night, I was shocked.”

A telephone number listed for Card in public records was not in service. A woman who answered a phone number for one of Card’s relatives said Thursday afternoon the family was helping the FBI. She didn’t give her name or additional details.

Eight murder warrants were issued for Card after authorities identified eight of the victims, police said. Ten more will likely be issued once the names of the rest of the dead are confirmed, said Maine State Police Col. William Ross.

Three of the 13 people wounded in the shootings were in critical condition and five were hospitalized but stable, Central Maine Medical Center officials said.

The attack started at Just-In-Time Recreation, where a children’s bowling league was taking place, just before 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Patrick Poulin was supposed to be at the bowling center with his 15-year-old son, who is in a league that was practicing Wednesday. They stayed home, but he estimates there were probably several dozen young bowlers, ages 4 to 18, along with their parents, in the facility. Poulin’s brother was there, he said, and shepherded some of the children outside when the shooting began.

“He’s pretty shook up,” Poulin said Thursday. “And it’s just sinking in today, like, wow, I was very close to being there. And a lot of the people that got hurt, I know.”

Less than 15 minutes later, numerous 911 calls started coming in from Schemengees Bar and Grille a few miles away.

The search for Card covered both land and water. The Coast Guard sent out a patrol boat Thursday morning along the Kennebec River, but after hours of searching, they found “nothing out of the ordinary,” said Chief Petty Officer Ryan Smith, who is in charge of the Coast Guard’s Boothbay Harbor Station.

A car believed to belong to Card had been discovered by a boat launch in the town of Lisbon near the Androscoggin River, which connects to the Kennebec, and Card’s 15-foot (4.5-meter) boat remains unaccounted for, Smith said.

In many past U.S. mass shootings, the suspect was found — whether dead or alive — within minutes. But Card was still on the loose a full day after the shootings.

Lewiston was mostly empty on an unusually warm fall day Thursday. Changeable message signs reminded people to stay behind locked doors.

At Bates College, students stayed in dorms with the blinds closed, said Diana Florence, whose son is a sophomore. She has a daughter who is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which was locked down twice last month for a shooting and a man with a gun.

“I could not believe it — that this is happening again. It’s happening to my son after it just happened to my daughter,” she said in a phone interview Thursday.

The shootings mark the 36th mass killing in the United States this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

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