Riley County Health Officer Julie Gibbs said Wednesday that the Kansas Department of Health &amp; Environment has declared two recent COVID-19 outbreaks in the area. "One in Aggieville and one with KSU football. We have been busy with contact tracing to ensure we minimize the potential spread of the virus. "

Gibbs noted that if you have been in contact with&nbsp; the Health Department, whether you have tested positive or are a contact of someone who has tested positive you should remain isolated in your home. "This means not going out of your home for any reason other than an emergency."

Andrew Adams, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Riley County Health Department, explained in working with KDHE that they came to the conclusion that based on the investigation process and contact tracing to say that there were those two separate outbreaks. On the decision to declare K-State football an outbreak Adams noted that there have been some activities since people returned to Manhattan. "At first there were some people from out of state that ended up testing positive their first round, or they were from other places, whether in town or out of town that had tested positive initially as well as others who tested negative initially." Adams said after being in the community for an extended period of time and after various activities more spread was seen. "We've seen some spread of that disease. We've seen some more cases coming in from people who had previously tested negative. So that is a really good indicator that the disease is spreading and it's spreading through a specific group or a specific population. So that is the designation for the football side of things.

Adams said Aggieville is a general area but officials have tied back several cases. "Whether they mentioned being there, whether they've been employees of several different facilities, things like that, back to that district." Adams added through the process of investigation and followups they have identified 30 cases that can be linked to spending some time in Aggieville during the last couple of weeks.

The declaration of an outbreak in a specific group or area helps health officials tie together more information. Adams said being able to know that cases are connected to a specific outbreak allows more resources to be provided to those locations to try and slow down the spread in those areas. It also helps raise awareness. "Knowing where people have been, being sick helps to alert the other people in the community, and to make sure people are taking those precautions and maybe paying more attention and being more mindful to those precautions that we've been putting out since day one about when you're going out socially distancing, and hand hygiene, and staying home when you're sick and all those things."

By Dewey TerrillRiley County Health Officer Julie Gibbs said Wednesday that the Kansas Department of Health &amp; Environment has declared two recent COVID-19 outbreaks in the area. "One in Aggieville and one with KSU football. We have been busy with contact tracing to ensure we minimize the potential spread of the virus. "Gibbs noted that if you have been in contact with&nbsp; the Health Department, whether you have tested positive or are a contact of someone who has tested positive you should remain isolated in your home. "This means not going out of your home for any reason other than an emergency."Andrew Adams, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Riley County Health Department, explained in working with KDHE that they came to the conclusion that based on the investigation process and contact tracing to say that there were those two separate outbreaks. On the decision to declare K-State football an outbreak Adams noted that there have been some activities since people returned to Manhattan. "At first there were some people from out of state that ended up testing positive their first round, or they were from other places, whether in town or out of town that had tested positive initially as well as others who tested negative initially." Adams said after being in the community for an extended period of time and after various activities more spread was seen. "We've seen some spread of that disease. We've seen some more cases coming in from people who had previously tested negative. So that is a really good indicator that the disease is spreading and it's spreading through a specific group or a specific population. So that is the designation for the football side of things.Adams said Aggieville is a general area but officials have tied back several cases. "Whether they mentioned being there, whether they've been employees of several different facilities, things like that, back to that district." Adams added through the process of investigation and followups they have identified 30 cases that can be linked to spending some time in Aggieville during the last couple of weeks.The declaration of an outbreak in a specific group or area helps health officials tie together more information. Adams said being able to know that cases are connected to a specific outbreak allows more resources to be provided to those locations to try and slow down the spread in those areas. It also helps raise awareness. "Knowing where people have been, being sick helps to alert the other people in the community, and to make sure people are taking those precautions and maybe paying more attention and being more mindful to those precautions that we've been putting out since day one about when you're going out socially distancing, and hand hygiene, and staying home when you're sick and all those things."

Riley County COVID-19 case outbreaks are linked to Aggieville and K-State football

Topeka (AP) — A coronavirus resurgence is wiping out two months of progress in the U.S. and sending infections to dire new levels across the South and West, with hospital administrators and health experts warning Wednesday that politicians and a tired-of-being-cooped-up public are letting a disaster unfold.

The U.S. recorded a one-day total of 34,700&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/753ed7dc88ec5ce8906967f268d78b99">new confirmed COVID-19 cases</a>, the highest level since late April, when the number peaked at 36,400, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

While newly confirmed infections have been declining steadily in early hot spots such as New York and New Jersey, several other states set single-day records this week, including Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada, Texas and Oklahoma. Some of them also broke hospitalization records, as did North Carolina and South Carolina.

“People got complacent,” said Dr. Marc Boom, CEO of the Houston Methodist hospital system. “And it’s coming back and biting us, quite frankly.”

Kansas on Wednesday saw its largest jump in coronavirus cases in more than six weeks, an increase of more than 500 cases in two days.

The state health department reported the spike two days after Gov. Laura Kelly urged local officials to postpone lifting their last restrictions on businesses and public activities for another two weeks, recommending that they still limit public gatherings to 45 people. The Democratic governor ended statewide restrictions May 26, leaving decisions about the rules to the state’s 105 counties, after weeks of complaints from the Republican-controlled Legislature that she was moving too slowly to reopen the state’s economy.

Dr. Lee Norman, the state health department’s top administrator, expressed concern about the latest increase. Kelly called for slowing down the state’s reopening Monday, following two weeks that saw the average daily rise in new cases increases, along with the percentage of positive results from tests, according to Johns Hopkins University.

“This is not surprising, given the laxity people have been demonstrating in protecting themselves and others,” Norman said Wednesday in a text relayed by his staff.

The Department of Health and Environment reported a total of 12,970 cases of the novel coronavirus, up 4.1% from Monday. Of the 505 new cases, 416 or 82% were not from clusters of two or more cases linked to a single location, such as a nursing home, or an event, such as a public gathering.

The state also reported an additional two COVID-19-related deaths since Monday, bringing the total to 261 since the pandemic began in early March.

The virus has been blamed for over 120,000 U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/df97326ec00fb7cc4abf5b3821ace984">deaths</a>&nbsp;— the highest toll in the world — and more than 2.3 million confirmed infections nationwide. On Wednesday, the widely cited University of Washington computer model of the outbreak projected nearly 180,000 deaths by Oct. 1.

California reported over 7,100 new cases, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would withhold pandemic-related funding from local governments that brush off state requirements on masks and other anti-virus measures. Florida’s single-day count surged to 5,500, a 25% jump from the record set last week.

In Texas, which began lifting its shutdowns on May 1, hospitalizations have doubled and new cases have tripled in two weeks. Gov. Greg Abbott told KFDA-TV the state is facing a “massive outbreak” and might need new local restrictions to preserve hospital space.

The Houston area’s intensive care units are nearly full, and two public hospitals are running at capacity, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

Houston Methodist’s Boom said Texans need to “behave perfectly and work together perfectly” to slow the infection rate.

“When I look at a restaurant or a business where people ... are not following the guidelines, where people are just throwing caution to the wind, it makes me angry,” he said.

Just 17 percent of intensive-care beds were available Wednesday in Alabama — including just one in Montgomery — though hospitals can add more, said Dr. Don Williamson, head of the Alabama Hospital Association.

“There is nothing that I’m seeing that makes me think we are getting ahead of this,” he said.

In Arizona, emergency rooms are seeing about 1,200 suspected COVID-19 patients a day, compared with around 500 a month ago. If the trends continue, hospitals will probably exceed capacity within the next several weeks, said Dr. Joseph Gerald, a University of Arizona public health policy professor.

“We are in deep trouble,” said Gerald, urging the state to impose new restrictions on businesses, which Gov. Doug Ducey has refused to do.

Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious-disease expert at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, said he worries that states will squander what time they have to head off a much larger crisis.

“We’re still talking about subtlety, still arguing whether or not we should wear masks, and still not understanding that a vaccine is not going to rescue us,” he said.

The Texas governor initially barred local officials from fining or penalizing anyone for not wearing a mask as the state reopened. After cases began spiking, Abbott said last week that cities and counties could allow businesses to require masks. So did Arizona’s Ducey, who is a Republican, as is Abbott.

Some business owners are frustrated that officials didn’t do more, and sooner, to require masks.

“I can’t risk my staff, my clientele, myself, my family and everybody else in that chain just because other people are too inconvenienced to wear a piece of cloth on their face,” said Michael Neff, an owner of the Cottonmouth Club in Houston. He closed it this week so staffers could get tested after one had contact with an infected person.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, ordered people to wear masks in public as the daily count of hospitalizations and new cases hovered near records. In Florida, several counties and cities recently enacted mask requirements.

In a sign of the shift in the outbreak, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/51398731ffecf2a7a598ea8a77c31888">announced they will ask&nbsp;</a>visitors from states with high infection rates to quarantine themselves for 14 days. In March, Florida issued such an order for visitors from the New York City area, where cases were soaring.

The U.S. Justice Department took aim at Hawaii’s quarantine requirement for visitors, saying it discriminates against out-of-state residents. The Hawaii attorney general’s office says there’s no merit to the government’s arguments and a related lawsuit from out-of-state property owners.

Cases also are surging in some other parts of the world. India reported a record-breaking one-day increase of nearly 16,000 cases. Mexico and Iraq hit new highs as well.

But China appears to have tamed a new outbreak in Beijing, again demonstrating its ability to mobilize vast resources by testing nearly 2.5 million people in 11 days. China, where the virus emerged last year, reported 19 new cases nationwide Thursday. While up from the day before, there was no sign of further geographic spread.

Worldwide, over 9.4 million people have been confirmed infected, and nearly 500,000 have died, by Johns Hopkins’ count.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591654770731.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman answers questions during a press conference with the governor last week." />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman answers questions during a press conference with the governor last week.</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka (AP) — A coronavirus resurgence is wiping out two months of progress in the U.S. and sending infections to dire new levels across the South and West, with hospital administrators and health experts warning Wednesday that politicians and a tired-of-being-cooped-up public are letting a disaster unfold.The U.S. recorded a one-day total of 34,700&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/753ed7dc88ec5ce8906967f268d78b99">new confirmed COVID-19 cases</a>, the highest level since late April, when the number peaked at 36,400, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.While newly confirmed infections have been declining steadily in early hot spots such as New York and New Jersey, several other states set single-day records this week, including Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada, Texas and Oklahoma. Some of them also broke hospitalization records, as did North Carolina and South Carolina.“People got complacent,” said Dr. Marc Boom, CEO of the Houston Methodist hospital system. “And it’s coming back and biting us, quite frankly.”Kansas on Wednesday saw its largest jump in coronavirus cases in more than six weeks, an increase of more than 500 cases in two days.The state health department reported the spike two days after Gov. Laura Kelly urged local officials to postpone lifting their last restrictions on businesses and public activities for another two weeks, recommending that they still limit public gatherings to 45 people. The Democratic governor ended statewide restrictions May 26, leaving decisions about the rules to the state’s 105 counties, after weeks of complaints from the Republican-controlled Legislature that she was moving too slowly to reopen the state’s economy.Dr. Lee Norman, the state health department’s top administrator, expressed concern about the latest increase. Kelly called for slowing down the state’s reopening Monday, following two weeks that saw the average daily rise in new cases increases, along with the percentage of positive results from tests, according to Johns Hopkins University.“This is not surprising, given the laxity people have been demonstrating in protecting themselves and others,” Norman said Wednesday in a text relayed by his staff.The Department of Health and Environment reported a total of 12,970 cases of the novel coronavirus, up 4.1% from Monday. Of the 505 new cases, 416 or 82% were not from clusters of two or more cases linked to a single location, such as a nursing home, or an event, such as a public gathering.The state also reported an additional two COVID-19-related deaths since Monday, bringing the total to 261 since the pandemic began in early March.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593018195991.png" alt="Virus infections by County for June 24, 2020 KDHE&nbsp; image" />
 <figcaption>Virus infections by County for June 24, 2020 KDHE&nbsp; image</figcaption>
 </figure>The virus has been blamed for over 120,000 U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/df97326ec00fb7cc4abf5b3821ace984">deaths</a>&nbsp;— the highest toll in the world — and more than 2.3 million confirmed infections nationwide. On Wednesday, the widely cited University of Washington computer model of the outbreak projected nearly 180,000 deaths by Oct. 1.California reported over 7,100 new cases, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would withhold pandemic-related funding from local governments that brush off state requirements on masks and other anti-virus measures. Florida’s single-day count surged to 5,500, a 25% jump from the record set last week.In Texas, which began lifting its shutdowns on May 1, hospitalizations have doubled and new cases have tripled in two weeks. Gov. Greg Abbott told KFDA-TV the state is facing a “massive outbreak” and might need new local restrictions to preserve hospital space.The Houston area’s intensive care units are nearly full, and two public hospitals are running at capacity, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.Houston Methodist’s Boom said Texans need to “behave perfectly and work together perfectly” to slow the infection rate.“When I look at a restaurant or a business where people ... are not following the guidelines, where people are just throwing caution to the wind, it makes me angry,” he said.Just 17 percent of intensive-care beds were available Wednesday in Alabama — including just one in Montgomery — though hospitals can add more, said Dr. Don Williamson, head of the Alabama Hospital Association.“There is nothing that I’m seeing that makes me think we are getting ahead of this,” he said.In Arizona, emergency rooms are seeing about 1,200 suspected COVID-19 patients a day, compared with around 500 a month ago. If the trends continue, hospitals will probably exceed capacity within the next several weeks, said Dr. Joseph Gerald, a University of Arizona public health policy professor.“We are in deep trouble,” said Gerald, urging the state to impose new restrictions on businesses, which Gov. Doug Ducey has refused to do.Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious-disease expert at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, said he worries that states will squander what time they have to head off a much larger crisis.“We’re still talking about subtlety, still arguing whether or not we should wear masks, and still not understanding that a vaccine is not going to rescue us,” he said.The Texas governor initially barred local officials from fining or penalizing anyone for not wearing a mask as the state reopened. After cases began spiking, Abbott said last week that cities and counties could allow businesses to require masks. So did Arizona’s Ducey, who is a Republican, as is Abbott.Some business owners are frustrated that officials didn’t do more, and sooner, to require masks.“I can’t risk my staff, my clientele, myself, my family and everybody else in that chain just because other people are too inconvenienced to wear a piece of cloth on their face,” said Michael Neff, an owner of the Cottonmouth Club in Houston. He closed it this week so staffers could get tested after one had contact with an infected person.North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, ordered people to wear masks in public as the daily count of hospitalizations and new cases hovered near records. In Florida, several counties and cities recently enacted mask requirements.In a sign of the shift in the outbreak, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/51398731ffecf2a7a598ea8a77c31888">announced they will ask&nbsp;</a>visitors from states with high infection rates to quarantine themselves for 14 days. In March, Florida issued such an order for visitors from the New York City area, where cases were soaring.The U.S. Justice Department took aim at Hawaii’s quarantine requirement for visitors, saying it discriminates against out-of-state residents. The Hawaii attorney general’s office says there’s no merit to the government’s arguments and a related lawsuit from out-of-state property owners.Cases also are surging in some other parts of the world. India reported a record-breaking one-day increase of nearly 16,000 cases. Mexico and Iraq hit new highs as well.But China appears to have tamed a new outbreak in Beijing, again demonstrating its ability to mobilize vast resources by testing nearly 2.5 million people in 11 days. China, where the virus emerged last year, reported 19 new cases nationwide Thursday. While up from the day before, there was no sign of further geographic spread.Worldwide, over 9.4 million people have been confirmed infected, and nearly 500,000 have died, by Johns Hopkins’ count.___

'Coming back and biting us': US sees virus resurgence

&nbsp; The Geary County Health Department has been informed of another Covid-19 case in the county. Case number 40 involves a 24 year old man who is in quarantine at home.

Emergency Management Director Garry Berges noted that it has been determined that the last four cases are from contact outside of the boundaries of Geary County. The Health Department continues to work with other area Health Departments and KDHE to identify where these cases are originating from.

Continue to do social distancing, use face masks or&nbsp;coverings, and do frequent washing of your hands with soap and water.

Geary County Emergency Management is tasked by the EOC in putting out the information on the cases so that local health officials can continue to do the tracking of the cases and the contact tracing. The entire Emergency Operations Center group is working as a team to try to get the proper information out to the public, but are limited on what can be shared due to HIPPA and other federal laws and guidelines. If there is important information that needs to be shared about a certain location, that information will be provided.

&nbsp; The Geary County Health Department has been informed of another Covid-19 case in the county. Case number 40 involves a 24 year old man who is in quarantine at home. Emergency Management Director Garry Berges noted that it has been determined that the last four cases are from contact outside of the boundaries of Geary County. The Health Department continues to work with other area Health Departments and KDHE to identify where these cases are originating from. Continue to do social distancing, use face masks or&nbsp;coverings, and do frequent washing of your hands with soap and water. Geary County Emergency Management is tasked by the EOC in putting out the information on the cases so that local health officials can continue to do the tracking of the cases and the contact tracing. The entire Emergency Operations Center group is working as a team to try to get the proper information out to the public, but are limited on what can be shared due to HIPPA and other federal laws and guidelines. If there is important information that needs to be shared about a certain location, that information will be provided.

One more COVID-19 case reported by Geary County health officials

Geary County Health Officer Tammy VonBusch issued a new health order that became effective Wednesday.&nbsp;

Restrictions include mass gatherings of greater than 50 people that cannot properly social distance are prohibited. Restaurants and bars shall exercise proper social distancing. Any business or other locations found in non-compliance with the order, or a source of significant disease outbreak, or as determined and notified by the local public health officer shall close.

All businesses and locations are required to take proactive measures to ensure compliance with recommended business practices as published by the Centers for Disease Control and industry-specific guidance by trade groups.&nbsp;

For special events the event organizer is required to develop an infection control plan with assistance from the Health Department to be approved by the local health officer. Any event found in non-compliance with the order,&nbsp; or a source of significant disease outbreak or as determined and notified by the local public health officer, shall close.

The order is scheduled to remain in effect for 14 days.

Geary County Health Officer Tammy VonBusch issued a new health order that became effective Wednesday.&nbsp;Restrictions include mass gatherings of greater than 50 people that cannot properly social distance are prohibited. Restaurants and bars shall exercise proper social distancing. Any business or other locations found in non-compliance with the order, or a source of significant disease outbreak, or as determined and notified by the local public health officer shall close.All businesses and locations are required to take proactive measures to ensure compliance with recommended business practices as published by the Centers for Disease Control and industry-specific guidance by trade groups.&nbsp;For special events the event organizer is required to develop an infection control plan with assistance from the Health Department to be approved by the local health officer. Any event found in non-compliance with the order,&nbsp; or a source of significant disease outbreak or as determined and notified by the local public health officer, shall close.The order is scheduled to remain in effect for 14 days.

New Health Order is issued for Geary County                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Fort Riley Soldiers are prohibited from visiting Aggieville in Manhattan from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. That is part of a general order issued by the commanding general, Major General John Kolasheski, after the announcement of numerous positive COVID-19 cases in Riley County in recent days.

The announcement of the commanding general's order was made by the Command Sgt. Major for the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, Ray Harris, during a town hall meeting at Fort Riley on Wednesday. "Additionally while visiting Aggieville during authorized hours, 0501 until 2159 ( 5:01 a.m. - 9:59 p.m. ) , Soldier members are required to wear a face mask covering unless actively eating or drinking."

Harris noted that the commanding general issued the order&nbsp; "in light of the increased community spread of COVID-19 and to ensure the health, safety and well being of our Fort Riley community."

The general order comes after Riley County has reported 156 positive COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, including 83 active cases at the present time. Health officials confirmed 29&nbsp; of those positive cases on Monday and 24 on Wednesday.

"I recognize that many of the businesses in Aggieville are strong supporters of our Soldiers and I understand that many of our Soldiers enjoy spending their off-duty hours in the district," said Harris. "However preventing the community spread of COVID-19 is essential to our ability to fulfill our requirements in support of our nation."

In making the announcement Harris&nbsp; noted that both Riley and Geary counties have issued updated public health orders in response to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the communities and the state. "As of today ( Wednesday ) over 12,500 Kansans have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 765 of those cases have been diagnosed within our six surrounding counties. While we have seen a gradual reopening of our state, local community and installation over the past few weeks we've also experienced a growth in our case rate," said Harris. "Continued adherence to our preventive and protective measures is essential to deterring a surge in our immediate area."

Fort Riley Soldiers are prohibited from visiting Aggieville in Manhattan from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. That is part of a general order issued by the commanding general, Major General John Kolasheski, after the announcement of numerous positive COVID-19 cases in Riley County in recent days.The announcement of the commanding general's order was made by the Command Sgt. Major for the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, Ray Harris, during a town hall meeting at Fort Riley on Wednesday. "Additionally while visiting Aggieville during authorized hours, 0501 until 2159 ( 5:01 a.m. - 9:59 p.m. ) , Soldier members are required to wear a face mask covering unless actively eating or drinking."Harris noted that the commanding general issued the order&nbsp; "in light of the increased community spread of COVID-19 and to ensure the health, safety and well being of our Fort Riley community."The general order comes after Riley County has reported 156 positive COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, including 83 active cases at the present time. Health officials confirmed 29&nbsp; of those positive cases on Monday and 24 on Wednesday."I recognize that many of the businesses in Aggieville are strong supporters of our Soldiers and I understand that many of our Soldiers enjoy spending their off-duty hours in the district," said Harris. "However preventing the community spread of COVID-19 is essential to our ability to fulfill our requirements in support of our nation."In making the announcement Harris&nbsp; noted that both Riley and Geary counties have issued updated public health orders in response to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the communities and the state. "As of today ( Wednesday ) over 12,500 Kansans have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 765 of those cases have been diagnosed within our six surrounding counties. While we have seen a gradual reopening of our state, local community and installation over the past few weeks we've also experienced a growth in our case rate," said Harris. "Continued adherence to our preventive and protective measures is essential to deterring a surge in our immediate area."

General Order bars Fort Riley Soldiers from visiting Manhattan's  Aggieville during the late night - early morning hours

Junction City officials have announced that they will begin disconnection of City accounts for water, wastewater, stormwater and sanitation services on Tuesday, June 30th.

Customers in Cycle 2 with account numbers beginning with 14 and aboce must be paid in full by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, June 29th. That will primarily involve customers living north of 6th Street.

Customers in Cycle 1 with account numbers beginning with 1 to 12 must be paid in full by 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14th. That will primarily involve customers living south of 6th Street.&nbsp;

The City has not disconnected those services since mid-March due to COVID-19.

Junction City officials have announced that they will begin disconnection of City accounts for water, wastewater, stormwater and sanitation services on Tuesday, June 30th.Customers in Cycle 2 with account numbers beginning with 14 and aboce must be paid in full by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, June 29th. That will primarily involve customers living north of 6th Street.Customers in Cycle 1 with account numbers beginning with 1 to 12 must be paid in full by 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14th. That will primarily involve customers living south of 6th Street.&nbsp;The City has not disconnected those services since mid-March due to COVID-19.

City begins disconnection of accounts in late June and July

The Riley County Health Department (RCHD) has received notice of 24 new positive patients since the Monday, June 22 report.

According to the Health Department the total for the county is now 156, with 83 active cases. Half of all patients who have tested positive in Riley County are between the age of 18-24.

The Riley County Health Department (RCHD) has received notice of 24 new positive patients since the Monday, June 22 report.According to the Health Department the total for the county is now 156, with 83 active cases. Half of all patients who have tested positive in Riley County are between the age of 18-24.

Positive number of COVID-19 cases in Riley County rises higher

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s call for another round of stimulus checks to most taxpayers is getting a lukewarm endorsement from his GOP allies on Capitol Hill, but it’s emerging as an early area of potential agreement with Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the next coronavirus bill.

In a fractured Washington, that could be a foundation of a winning coalition as lawmakers inch toward talks on the fifth, and possibly final, coronavirus relief measure before November’s elections.

Trump told an interviewer Monday that he supports another round of direct economic stimulus payments similar to the $1,200 checks issued to most individuals earlier this year.

“Yeah, we are,” Trump told a correspondent for Scripps television stations. “We will be doing another stimulus package. It’ll be very good. It’ll be very generous.”

On Tuesday, neither Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — the lead White House negotiator on the first package — nor Trump’s GOP allies raced to endorse the idea.

“As we’ve said before, we’re talking about a bunch of different ideas that we may need to do in another bill,” Mnuchin said after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans where the topic received little discussion. “We’re going to take our time and make sure that we’re thoughtful. Whatever we do, it will be much more targeted, much more focused on jobs.”

Congress passed the first round of checks nearly unanimously in March as part of a coronavirus response bill, at a cost of almost $300 billion. Both parties said the aid was essential as coronavirus lockdowns brought the economy to a near standstill. The jobless rate is still high at almost 15% nationwide, though retail sales have rebounded.

House Democrats are fully onboard with another round, having included direct payments in a more than $3 trillion measure that they pushed through the House in May. But views in the GOP are more mixed, despite Trump’s support.

“He’s always wanted a second round of stimulus checks, and probably for good reason,” said Sen. Ken Cramer, R-N.D., who mostly endorsed the idea. “What we do next in addition to something like that should be very targeted, very specific to restarting, really restarting the economy. ... I think direct contribution installments to individuals could be a nice, a nice stimulus.”

Skeptics of direct stimulus payments say they are not targeted enough, but they have an undeniable political appeal, especially with the elections less than five months away.

Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has made it clear that he does not want negotiations with Democrats and Pelosi on another COVID-19 response bill to begin until next month.

Negotiations on the legislation are also likely to center on providing another round of aid to states and local governments and extending unemployment benefits — though not the $600 per week supplement enacted in March.

“My preference would be to extend unemployment insurance, but to do that in a more limited way, and a more targeted way,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who also wants adjustments to payroll subsidies for businesses and aid to states and local governments seeking help with their ballooning budget deficits.

Most Republicans know that Trump’s posture means it’s likely a cinch that another round of direct payments will make it into the upcoming bill, despite their reservations. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., discounted a reporter’s suggestion that there’s “pretty strong skepticism” by Republicans toward another set of stimulus checks.

“I don’t think it got to the point you can say that,” Blunt said.

Several Republicans, however, said they want to tighten eligibility for the stimulus payments to try to control costs.

“But we need targeted tailoring of any kind of stimulus measures if we really want to get it to the people who are hurting the most,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593001408779.png" alt="President Donald Trump spoke with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday. Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Donald Trump spoke with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday. Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s call for another round of stimulus checks to most taxpayers is getting a lukewarm endorsement from his GOP allies on Capitol Hill, but it’s emerging as an early area of potential agreement with Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the next coronavirus bill.In a fractured Washington, that could be a foundation of a winning coalition as lawmakers inch toward talks on the fifth, and possibly final, coronavirus relief measure before November’s elections.Trump told an interviewer Monday that he supports another round of direct economic stimulus payments similar to the $1,200 checks issued to most individuals earlier this year.“Yeah, we are,” Trump told a correspondent for Scripps television stations. “We will be doing another stimulus package. It’ll be very good. It’ll be very generous.”On Tuesday, neither Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — the lead White House negotiator on the first package — nor Trump’s GOP allies raced to endorse the idea.“As we’ve said before, we’re talking about a bunch of different ideas that we may need to do in another bill,” Mnuchin said after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans where the topic received little discussion. “We’re going to take our time and make sure that we’re thoughtful. Whatever we do, it will be much more targeted, much more focused on jobs.”Congress passed the first round of checks nearly unanimously in March as part of a coronavirus response bill, at a cost of almost $300 billion. Both parties said the aid was essential as coronavirus lockdowns brought the economy to a near standstill. The jobless rate is still high at almost 15% nationwide, though retail sales have rebounded.House Democrats are fully onboard with another round, having included direct payments in a more than $3 trillion measure that they pushed through the House in May. But views in the GOP are more mixed, despite Trump’s support.“He’s always wanted a second round of stimulus checks, and probably for good reason,” said Sen. Ken Cramer, R-N.D., who mostly endorsed the idea. “What we do next in addition to something like that should be very targeted, very specific to restarting, really restarting the economy. ... I think direct contribution installments to individuals could be a nice, a nice stimulus.”Skeptics of direct stimulus payments say they are not targeted enough, but they have an undeniable political appeal, especially with the elections less than five months away.Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has made it clear that he does not want negotiations with Democrats and Pelosi on another COVID-19 response bill to begin until next month.Negotiations on the legislation are also likely to center on providing another round of aid to states and local governments and extending unemployment benefits — though not the $600 per week supplement enacted in March.“My preference would be to extend unemployment insurance, but to do that in a more limited way, and a more targeted way,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who also wants adjustments to payroll subsidies for businesses and aid to states and local governments seeking help with their ballooning budget deficits.Most Republicans know that Trump’s posture means it’s likely a cinch that another round of direct payments will make it into the upcoming bill, despite their reservations. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., discounted a reporter’s suggestion that there’s “pretty strong skepticism” by Republicans toward another set of stimulus checks.“I don’t think it got to the point you can say that,” Blunt said.Several Republicans, however, said they want to tighten eligibility for the stimulus payments to try to control costs.“But we need targeted tailoring of any kind of stimulus measures if we really want to get it to the people who are hurting the most,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Debate continues on sending another virus stimulus check

WASHINGTON (AP) — The next few weeks are critical to tamping down a disturbing coronavirus surge, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress on Tuesday — issuing a plea for people to avoid crowds and wear masks.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch a replay of the testimony

Fauci and other top health officials also said they have not been asked to slow down virus testing, in contrast to Trump’s claim last weekend that he had ordered fewer tests be performed because they were uncovering too many infections. Trump said earlier Tuesday that he wasn’t kidding when he made that remark.

“We will be doing more testing,” Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, pledged to a House committee conducting oversight of the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic.

The leading public health officials spent more than five hours testifying before the committee at a fraught moment, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.

Fauci told lawmakers he understands the pent-up desire to get back to normal as the U.S. begins emerging from months of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But that has “to be a gradual step-by-step process and not throwing caution to the wind,” he said.

“Plan A, don’t go in a crowd. Plan B, if you do, make sure you wear a mask,” Fauci said.

Troubling surges worsened Tuesday in several states, with Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas setting single-day records for new coronavirus cases, and some governors saying they’ll consider reinstating restrictions or delaying plans to ease up in order to help slow the spread of the virus.

Arizona, where Trump was headed for a speech at a Phoenix megachurch, reported a new daily record of nearly 3,600 additional coronavirus infections Tuesday. Arizona emerged as a COVID-19 hot spot after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his stay-home orders in mid-May. Last week he allowed cities and counties to require masks in public places and many have done so.

Texas surpassed 5,000 new cases for a single day for the first time — just days after it eclipsed 4,000 new cases for the first time — as America’s largest pediatric hospital began taking adult patients to free up bed space in Houston. The infection rate in Texas has doubled since late May. And Nevada surpassed a record one-day increase for the fourth time in the past eight days. Other states also were experiencing worrisome surges, including Louisiana, Utah and South Carolina.

Another worrisome trend: an increase in infections among young adults. Fauci said while COVID-19 tends to be less severe in younger people, some of them do get very sick and even die. And younger people also may be more likely to show no symptoms yet still spread the virus.

If people say, “’I’m young, I’m healthy, who cares’ — you should care, not only for yourself but for the impact you might have” on sickening someone more vulnerable, Fauci said.

About 2.3 million Americans have been infected and some 120,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia asked if Fauci regretted that the American public wasn’t urged sooner to wear face masks, and then interrupted before the visibly annoyed scientist finished answering.

Fauci said he didn’t regret the change in recommendations. Early in the pandemic there was a “paucity of equipment” for health workers “who put themselves daily in harm’s way” and “we did not want to divert” those scarce supplies, he said.

Scientists eventually recommended the general public use cloth masks, after they better understood that people with no symptoms could be spreading the virus —

Trump, meanwhile, doubled down on testing claims that have public health experts appalled, tweeting Tuesday:

“Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country, and ever expanding. With smaller testing we would show fewer cases! “

Less testing in fact means more infections going undetected. The U.S. was slow in ramping up and currently is testing about 500,000 people a day. Many experts say to control the spread of the virus, it should be testing 900,000 or more.

Brett Giroir, a Health and Human Services assistant secretary, told lawmakers Tuesday the next step is testing patient samples in large batches to stretch limited supplies, which would expand U.S. screening between fivefold and tenfold.

Instead of testing each person individually, health workers would pool samples from 50, 100 or more people from the same office or school, for example. A negative result would clear everyone, while a positive would require each person to be individually re-tested.

And Dr. Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, added that it’s now recommended for workers in nursing homes — hard-hit by the virus — to be tested weekly.

As for the anxiously awaited vaccine, Fauci said he believes “it will be when and not if” it arrives, and he’s “cautiously optimistic” that some vaccine could be available at the end of the year.

More than a dozen vaccine candidates are in various stages of testing around the globe, and the U.S. next month is poised to begin the largest study — in 30,000 people — to get the needed proof that one really works. Meanwhile, countries, including the U.S. under a program called “Operation Warp Speed,” are beginning to stockpile millions of doses of different shots, in hopes at least some will prove usable.

Health officials assured lawmakers Tuesday that there won’t be shortcuts on safety.

“We absolutely must maintain regulatory independence and make the right decision for the American people based on the science and the data,” said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn.

Democrats blasted Trump for confusing the public with erroneous statements — from testing to masks to unproven treatments — and ignoring the public health experts’ advice.

“It costs lives,” Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida said of Trump’s false claims. She urged the public health specialists to do more to counter the president: “We really expect you to be more outspoken.”

Pushed on whether schools should reopen in August and September, Redfield insisted that will vary not just by state but by school district, depending on how many infections are in a particular area.

“Many jurisdictions will be reopening schools,” and CDC will soon issue some guidelines to help, he said.

Fauci noted that schools should tailor their decisions to local conditions, saying some might need few restrictions and others more. He offered the same advice to colleges, saying they should assume some students will get infected and that there must be ways to keep them and their classmates safe.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s top infectious disease expert told a House committee on Tuesday he believes “it will be when and not if” there will be a COVID-19 vaccine and that he remains “cautiously optimistic” that some will be ready at the end of the year.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a> to watch a replay of the testimony

Dr. Anthony Fauci has returned to Capitol Hill at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1b92ce21f8ddf7eefb634b92fee38fed">fraught moment</a>&nbsp;in the nation’s pandemic response, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.

Fauci was testifying along with the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Since Fauci’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e64f20bbacb7d48d15e1d76339220486">last appearance at a high-profile hearing</a>&nbsp;more than a month ago, the U.S. has been emerging from weeks of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But it’s being done in an uneven way, with some states far less cautious than others. A trio of states with Republican governors who are bullish on reopening — Arizona, Florida and Texas — are among those seeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/feb4c26d9364497cf82ee7c0c1b1b3d5">worrisome increases in cases</a>.

Last week, Vice President Mike Pence published an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal saying the administration’s efforts have strengthened the nation’s ability to counter the virus and should be “a cause for celebration.”

Then Trump said at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1a59b4efe97f2249d414ae4f0b3c6495">his weekend rally in Tulsa</a>&nbsp;that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing, because too many positive cases are turning up. Many rally goers did not wear masks, and for some that was an act of defiance against what they see as government intrusion. White House officials later tried to walk back Trump’s comment on testing, suggesting it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey said during Tuesday’s hearing that Trump’s testing comment at the rally “was an extremely reckless action, and unfortunately it continues the president’s pattern of ignoring the advice of his own public health experts.”

Trump, departing the White House for a visit to Arizona on Tuesday, played down those comments, saying under his administration the U.S. is doing more testing than any other country. Trump’s trip includes a rally at a megachurch.

Fauci has recently warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f401d034122b820a89773432cbf51152">the U.S. is still in the first wave</a>&nbsp;of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing. And, in a recent ABC News interview, he said political demonstrations such as protests against racial injustice are “risky” to all involved. Asked if that applied to Trump rallies, he said it did. Fauci continues to recognize widespread testing as critical for catching clusters of COVID-19 cases before they turn into full outbreaks in a given community.

About 2.3 million Americans have been sickened in the pandemic, and some 120,000 have died,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">according to data from Johns Hopkins University</a>.

Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is joined by CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, FDA chief Dr. Stephen Hahn and the head of the U.S. Public Health Service, Adm. Brett Giroir.

Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing. But he gained notoriety after a whistleblower complaint flagged him for trying to push&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fbe485717c9a74e6d6c48aee7d208ae">a malaria drug touted by Trump</a>&nbsp;to treat COVID-19 without conclusive scientific evidence. The FDA has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/33f67f8aa5ef2280215087f8e5364017">withdrawn its emergency use authorization</a>&nbsp;for hydroxychloroquine.

“There have been a lot of unfortunate missteps in the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pallone said. “As communities across the country ease social distancing guidance and reopen their economies, it is critically important that both the administration and Congress remain focused on containing the spread of the coronavirus and providing the resources and support Americans need during this time of crisis.”

There is still no vaccine for COVID-19, and there are no treatments specifically developed for the disease, although the antiviral drug remdesivir has been shown to help some patients, as well as a steroid called dexamethasone, and plasma from patients who have recovered.

Since Fauci last testified, hospital physicians have become more skilled in treating coronavirus patients with the techniques and medications at their disposal. The U.S. continues to ramp up testing, with some 27.5 million Americans, or more than 8% of the population, tested thus far. But most communities still lack enough health workers trained in doing contact tracing, the work of identifying people who have had interactions with an infected person. That could make it more difficult to tamp down emerging outbreaks.

The Energy and Commerce Committee has oversight over drugs and vaccines, among other facets of the U.S. health care system. Committee Democrats have been harshly critical of the administration. However, not all Republicans have lined up to defend the White House. Some GOP members were growing concerned early in the year that the administration wasn’t doing enough to prepare.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592928665531.png" alt="Dr. Anthony Fauci prior to his testimony on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Anthony Fauci prior to his testimony on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The next few weeks are critical to tamping down a disturbing coronavirus surge, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress on Tuesday — issuing a plea for people to avoid crowds and wear masks.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch a replay of the testimonyFauci and other top health officials also said they have not been asked to slow down virus testing, in contrast to Trump’s claim last weekend that he had ordered fewer tests be performed because they were uncovering too many infections. Trump said earlier Tuesday that he wasn’t kidding when he made that remark.“We will be doing more testing,” Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, pledged to a House committee conducting oversight of the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic.The leading public health officials spent more than five hours testifying before the committee at a fraught moment, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.Fauci told lawmakers he understands the pent-up desire to get back to normal as the U.S. begins emerging from months of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But that has “to be a gradual step-by-step process and not throwing caution to the wind,” he said.“Plan A, don’t go in a crowd. Plan B, if you do, make sure you wear a mask,” Fauci said.Troubling surges worsened Tuesday in several states, with Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas setting single-day records for new coronavirus cases, and some governors saying they’ll consider reinstating restrictions or delaying plans to ease up in order to help slow the spread of the virus.Arizona, where Trump was headed for a speech at a Phoenix megachurch, reported a new daily record of nearly 3,600 additional coronavirus infections Tuesday. Arizona emerged as a COVID-19 hot spot after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his stay-home orders in mid-May. Last week he allowed cities and counties to require masks in public places and many have done so.Texas surpassed 5,000 new cases for a single day for the first time — just days after it eclipsed 4,000 new cases for the first time — as America’s largest pediatric hospital began taking adult patients to free up bed space in Houston. The infection rate in Texas has doubled since late May. And Nevada surpassed a record one-day increase for the fourth time in the past eight days. Other states also were experiencing worrisome surges, including Louisiana, Utah and South Carolina.Another worrisome trend: an increase in infections among young adults. Fauci said while COVID-19 tends to be less severe in younger people, some of them do get very sick and even die. And younger people also may be more likely to show no symptoms yet still spread the virus.If people say, “’I’m young, I’m healthy, who cares’ — you should care, not only for yourself but for the impact you might have” on sickening someone more vulnerable, Fauci said.About 2.3 million Americans have been infected and some 120,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia asked if Fauci regretted that the American public wasn’t urged sooner to wear face masks, and then interrupted before the visibly annoyed scientist finished answering.Fauci said he didn’t regret the change in recommendations. Early in the pandemic there was a “paucity of equipment” for health workers “who put themselves daily in harm’s way” and “we did not want to divert” those scarce supplies, he said.Scientists eventually recommended the general public use cloth masks, after they better understood that people with no symptoms could be spreading the virus —Trump, meanwhile, doubled down on testing claims that have public health experts appalled, tweeting Tuesday:“Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country, and ever expanding. With smaller testing we would show fewer cases! “Less testing in fact means more infections going undetected. The U.S. was slow in ramping up and currently is testing about 500,000 people a day. Many experts say to control the spread of the virus, it should be testing 900,000 or more.Brett Giroir, a Health and Human Services assistant secretary, told lawmakers Tuesday the next step is testing patient samples in large batches to stretch limited supplies, which would expand U.S. screening between fivefold and tenfold.Instead of testing each person individually, health workers would pool samples from 50, 100 or more people from the same office or school, for example. A negative result would clear everyone, while a positive would require each person to be individually re-tested.And Dr. Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, added that it’s now recommended for workers in nursing homes — hard-hit by the virus — to be tested weekly.As for the anxiously awaited vaccine, Fauci said he believes “it will be when and not if” it arrives, and he’s “cautiously optimistic” that some vaccine could be available at the end of the year.More than a dozen vaccine candidates are in various stages of testing around the globe, and the U.S. next month is poised to begin the largest study — in 30,000 people — to get the needed proof that one really works. Meanwhile, countries, including the U.S. under a program called “Operation Warp Speed,” are beginning to stockpile millions of doses of different shots, in hopes at least some will prove usable.Health officials assured lawmakers Tuesday that there won’t be shortcuts on safety.“We absolutely must maintain regulatory independence and make the right decision for the American people based on the science and the data,” said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn.Democrats blasted Trump for confusing the public with erroneous statements — from testing to masks to unproven treatments — and ignoring the public health experts’ advice.“It costs lives,” Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida said of Trump’s false claims. She urged the public health specialists to do more to counter the president: “We really expect you to be more outspoken.”Pushed on whether schools should reopen in August and September, Redfield insisted that will vary not just by state but by school district, depending on how many infections are in a particular area.“Many jurisdictions will be reopening schools,” and CDC will soon issue some guidelines to help, he said.Fauci noted that schools should tailor their decisions to local conditions, saying some might need few restrictions and others more. He offered the same advice to colleges, saying they should assume some students will get infected and that there must be ways to keep them and their classmates safe.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s top infectious disease expert told a House committee on Tuesday he believes “it will be when and not if” there will be a COVID-19 vaccine and that he remains “cautiously optimistic” that some will be ready at the end of the year.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a> to watch a replay of the testimonyDr. Anthony Fauci has returned to Capitol Hill at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1b92ce21f8ddf7eefb634b92fee38fed">fraught moment</a>&nbsp;in the nation’s pandemic response, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.Fauci was testifying along with the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services.Since Fauci’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e64f20bbacb7d48d15e1d76339220486">last appearance at a high-profile hearing</a>&nbsp;more than a month ago, the U.S. has been emerging from weeks of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But it’s being done in an uneven way, with some states far less cautious than others. A trio of states with Republican governors who are bullish on reopening — Arizona, Florida and Texas — are among those seeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/feb4c26d9364497cf82ee7c0c1b1b3d5">worrisome increases in cases</a>.Last week, Vice President Mike Pence published an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal saying the administration’s efforts have strengthened the nation’s ability to counter the virus and should be “a cause for celebration.”Then Trump said at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1a59b4efe97f2249d414ae4f0b3c6495">his weekend rally in Tulsa</a>&nbsp;that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing, because too many positive cases are turning up. Many rally goers did not wear masks, and for some that was an act of defiance against what they see as government intrusion. White House officials later tried to walk back Trump’s comment on testing, suggesting it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey said during Tuesday’s hearing that Trump’s testing comment at the rally “was an extremely reckless action, and unfortunately it continues the president’s pattern of ignoring the advice of his own public health experts.”Trump, departing the White House for a visit to Arizona on Tuesday, played down those comments, saying under his administration the U.S. is doing more testing than any other country. Trump’s trip includes a rally at a megachurch.Fauci has recently warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f401d034122b820a89773432cbf51152">the U.S. is still in the first wave</a>&nbsp;of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing. And, in a recent ABC News interview, he said political demonstrations such as protests against racial injustice are “risky” to all involved. Asked if that applied to Trump rallies, he said it did. Fauci continues to recognize widespread testing as critical for catching clusters of COVID-19 cases before they turn into full outbreaks in a given community.About 2.3 million Americans have been sickened in the pandemic, and some 120,000 have died,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">according to data from Johns Hopkins University</a>.Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is joined by CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, FDA chief Dr. Stephen Hahn and the head of the U.S. Public Health Service, Adm. Brett Giroir.Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing. But he gained notoriety after a whistleblower complaint flagged him for trying to push&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fbe485717c9a74e6d6c48aee7d208ae">a malaria drug touted by Trump</a>&nbsp;to treat COVID-19 without conclusive scientific evidence. The FDA has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/33f67f8aa5ef2280215087f8e5364017">withdrawn its emergency use authorization</a>&nbsp;for hydroxychloroquine.“There have been a lot of unfortunate missteps in the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pallone said. “As communities across the country ease social distancing guidance and reopen their economies, it is critically important that both the administration and Congress remain focused on containing the spread of the coronavirus and providing the resources and support Americans need during this time of crisis.”There is still no vaccine for COVID-19, and there are no treatments specifically developed for the disease, although the antiviral drug remdesivir has been shown to help some patients, as well as a steroid called dexamethasone, and plasma from patients who have recovered.Since Fauci last testified, hospital physicians have become more skilled in treating coronavirus patients with the techniques and medications at their disposal. The U.S. continues to ramp up testing, with some 27.5 million Americans, or more than 8% of the population, tested thus far. But most communities still lack enough health workers trained in doing contact tracing, the work of identifying people who have had interactions with an infected person. That could make it more difficult to tamp down emerging outbreaks.The Energy and Commerce Committee has oversight over drugs and vaccines, among other facets of the U.S. health care system. Committee Democrats have been harshly critical of the administration. However, not all Republicans have lined up to defend the White House. Some GOP members were growing concerned early in the year that the administration wasn’t doing enough to prepare.

🎥 Fauci: Next few weeks critical to tamping down virus spikes

&nbsp;Junction City, KS&nbsp;–&nbsp;In response to the widening concerns and increase in positive COVID-19 cases in the area and in an effort to better safeguard the health of our patients, caregivers, their families and the general public, Geary Community Hospital officials said Tuesday that they will continue the current visitor restrictions and face mask policy until further notice.

All patients, vendors and staff are to wear a mask at all times while in the hospital. If a patient does not have a mask one will be provided to them.

GCH will also continue visitor restrictions that have previously been set forth.

No outside visitors will be permitted with the exception of:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592951099387.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Junction City, KS&nbsp;–&nbsp;In response to the widening concerns and increase in positive COVID-19 cases in the area and in an effort to better safeguard the health of our patients, caregivers, their families and the general public, Geary Community Hospital officials said Tuesday that they will continue the current visitor restrictions and face mask policy until further notice.All patients, vendors and staff are to wear a mask at all times while in the hospital. If a patient does not have a mask one will be provided to them.GCH will also continue visitor restrictions that have previously been set forth.No outside visitors will be permitted with the exception of:<ul>
 <li>Labor &amp; Delivery- may bring one adult companion only</li><li>A minor (under 18)- may bring one adult companion only</li><li>End of Life Care- may bring one adult companion only </li>
 </ul>

COVID-19 facemask requirements and visitor restrictions will continue

Geary County received information Tuesday about two new cases of COVID-19. Emergency Management Director Garry Berges said that they include a 22-year old man and a 23-year old woman, who are in quarantine at their residences.

The Geary County Health Department continues to do contact tracing on both individuals. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began there have been a total of 38 positive coronavirus cases diagnosed in the county.

Avoid crowds, wear masks when around others, practice social distancing, and do frequent hand washing.

Geary County received information Tuesday about two new cases of COVID-19. Emergency Management Director Garry Berges said that they include a 22-year old man and a 23-year old woman, who are in quarantine at their residences.The Geary County Health Department continues to do contact tracing on both individuals. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began there have been a total of 38 positive coronavirus cases diagnosed in the county.Avoid crowds, wear masks when around others, practice social distancing, and do frequent hand washing.

Two more cases of coronavirus confirmed in Geary County

Due to the recent increase in positive cases, more hospitalizations, and heightened evidence of community spread, Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs has issued Health Order No. 13. This order will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 24 and will remain in effect for 14 days, or until amended, superseded, or rescinded. “The data for our community indicates the need for more restrictions,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs. “We will take steps to protect public safety and prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed. If these measures are not successful, additional restrictions may be necessary.” The mass gathering size will be reduced to 50 people ( down from 100 ) and large venues will continue to be closed.&nbsp; Businesses and other locations that are open shall comply with the following additional restrictions:&nbsp;

Read the order at&nbsp;<a href="https://gmail.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=95221c46aac4689e49a7c0bfc&amp;id=611c465779&amp;e=fd06d17886" target="_blank">https://www.rileycountyks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19060/Local-Health-Order-No-13</a> Social distancing practices should also continue:

Due to the recent increase in positive cases, more hospitalizations, and heightened evidence of community spread, Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs has issued Health Order No. 13. This order will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 24 and will remain in effect for 14 days, or until amended, superseded, or rescinded. “The data for our community indicates the need for more restrictions,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs. “We will take steps to protect public safety and prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed. If these measures are not successful, additional restrictions may be necessary.” The mass gathering size will be reduced to 50 people ( down from 100 ) and large venues will continue to be closed.&nbsp; Businesses and other locations that are open shall comply with the following additional restrictions:&nbsp;<ol>
 <li>Restaurants and bars shall only operate at a max occupancy of 75% of their posted limits (including employees).</li><li>All restaurants and bars shall screen each employee prior to each shift.&nbsp;This screening shall include asking about symptoms, travel, contact, and checking temperatures. These records shall be available upon request.&nbsp;<a href="https://gmail.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=95221c46aac4689e49a7c0bfc&amp;id=10e3f9eaa1&amp;e=fd06d17886" target="_blank">The form is provided as Appendix A to Order No. 13</a>. All other businesses are strongly encouraged to screen employees.</li><li>Any businesses or other locations found in non-compliance with this order, or a source of significant disease outbreak, or as determined and notified by the Local Public Health Officer shall close.</li><li>All businesses and locations are required to take proactive measures to ensure compliance with Recommended Business Practices as published by the Centers for Disease Control and industry-specific guidance by trade groups. Nothing in this order shall be interpreted to require that any business or location open if they choose not to.</li>
 </ol>Read the order at&nbsp;<a href="https://gmail.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=95221c46aac4689e49a7c0bfc&amp;id=611c465779&amp;e=fd06d17886" target="_blank">https://www.rileycountyks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19060/Local-Health-Order-No-13</a> Social distancing practices should also continue:<ol>
 <li>Maintain at least 6-ft of distance.</li><li>Wash hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds as frequently as possible (or using hand sanitizer).</li><li>Cover nose and mouth with a cloth mask in public situations where social distancing is difficult to maintain (such as in stores).&nbsp;</li><li>Cover coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not into the hands).</li><li>People in high-risk categories are advised to continue taking extra precautions and to limit their contact with the public.</li>
 </ol>

New Health Order goes into effect in Riley County on Wednesday

K-State has updated its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/covid-19/guidance/face-covering.html">face-covering policy</a>&nbsp;to require masks or coverings on the majority of university property. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends using cloth face masks or coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Effective immediately, students, faculty, staff, and visitors — including contractors and vendors — must wear face coverings over their mouths and noses while on K-State campuses. The policy specifically mentions coverings in all hallways, public spaces, classrooms and other common areas of campus buildings. Face coverings also are required anytime people are unable to maintain 6 feet of social distancing — even inside an office or outside on K-State campuses.

"Face coverings help us prevent spreading the virus to others, even if we don't know that we have it," said Dr. Kyle Goerl, Lafene Health Center medical director. "This update to the face-covering policy will slow the spread of COVID-19 to help us in our plans to return to campus." Anyone who needs reasonable accommodations and assistance related to the use of face coverings may contact the ADA coordinator at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:charlott@k-state.edu">charlott@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;for employees or the Student Access Center at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:accesscenter@k-state.edu">accesscenter@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;for students.&nbsp;

In addition, all students and employees will be required to complete the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/safety/covid-19/training/">COVID-19 and Face Mask Safety Training</a>. Failure to comply with face-covering requirements may result in denial of access to designated areas or activities.

Read more on the university's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/covid-19/">COVID page</a>, which will be updated throughout the summer as additional guidance regarding health and wellness measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 is developed to prepare for the return to campus and the fall semester.

K-State has updated its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/covid-19/guidance/face-covering.html">face-covering policy</a>&nbsp;to require masks or coverings on the majority of university property. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends using cloth face masks or coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19.Effective immediately, students, faculty, staff, and visitors — including contractors and vendors — must wear face coverings over their mouths and noses while on K-State campuses. The policy specifically mentions coverings in all hallways, public spaces, classrooms and other common areas of campus buildings. Face coverings also are required anytime people are unable to maintain 6 feet of social distancing — even inside an office or outside on K-State campuses."Face coverings help us prevent spreading the virus to others, even if we don't know that we have it," said Dr. Kyle Goerl, Lafene Health Center medical director. "This update to the face-covering policy will slow the spread of COVID-19 to help us in our plans to return to campus." Anyone who needs reasonable accommodations and assistance related to the use of face coverings may contact the ADA coordinator at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:charlott@k-state.edu">charlott@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;for employees or the Student Access Center at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:accesscenter@k-state.edu">accesscenter@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;for students.&nbsp;In addition, all students and employees will be required to complete the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/safety/covid-19/training/">COVID-19 and Face Mask Safety Training</a>. Failure to comply with face-covering requirements may result in denial of access to designated areas or activities.Read more on the university's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/covid-19/">COVID page</a>, which will be updated throughout the summer as additional guidance regarding health and wellness measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 is developed to prepare for the return to campus and the fall semester.

New face covering policy update strives to protect K-Staters

COVID-19 relief funds totaling $6.3 million dollars are headed to Geary County. Local leaders decided Monday to form a task force to help make recommendations and determine how to allocate the money.

Keith Ascher, Geary County Commission Chairman, said it will be a working group to collaborate and brainstorm. "What we can use this money for, what we'll probably see coming down the road in the future.

The funds must be used to address the impact of the coronavirus. There will be a future phase two to address economic and infrastructure issues, followed by a third phase of funding. One concern is spending it quickly enough to meet federal and state mandated guidelines.&nbsp;

Ascher said October is the time officials have received for having the money spent. "I'm guess I'm a little concerned do we have to have it spent or do we have to have it earmarked and then show that we have already ordered this because so much stuff is on back order. So if we're wanting to stockpile any supplies we may not get those by Oct. 31."

There could possibly be representatives from different entities on&nbsp; the task force including Geary County, Junction City, Milford, Grandview Plaza, USD 475, Geary Community Hospital and the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library. Final action has not been taken at this point.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592878956854.jpeg" alt="Local elected officials met Monday on the stage of&nbsp; the C.L. Hoover Opera House to discuss COVID-19 relief funds and their possibly use." />
 <figcaption>Local elected officials met Monday on the stage of&nbsp; the C.L. Hoover Opera House to discuss COVID-19 relief funds and their possibly use.</figcaption>
 </figure>By Dewey TerrillJC PostCOVID-19 relief funds totaling $6.3 million dollars are headed to Geary County. Local leaders decided Monday to form a task force to help make recommendations and determine how to allocate the money.Keith Ascher, Geary County Commission Chairman, said it will be a working group to collaborate and brainstorm. "What we can use this money for, what we'll probably see coming down the road in the future.The funds must be used to address the impact of the coronavirus. There will be a future phase two to address economic and infrastructure issues, followed by a third phase of funding. One concern is spending it quickly enough to meet federal and state mandated guidelines.&nbsp;Ascher said October is the time officials have received for having the money spent. "I'm guess I'm a little concerned do we have to have it spent or do we have to have it earmarked and then show that we have already ordered this because so much stuff is on back order. So if we're wanting to stockpile any supplies we may not get those by Oct. 31."There could possibly be representatives from different entities on&nbsp; the task force including Geary County, Junction City, Milford, Grandview Plaza, USD 475, Geary Community Hospital and the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library. Final action has not been taken at this point.

Local leaders plan to form a task force to advise on COVID-19 relief funds

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced Monday, The Kansas Neurological Institute (KNI) has 12 new positives cases in five staff members and seven residents, according to a media release.

Howard also announced&nbsp;that one staff member at Osawatomie State Hospital (OSH) has tested positive for COVID-19. This is the first positive case at OSH in either residents or staff.

To protect the identity of staff and residents at each hospital,&nbsp;no further information will be released.

Friday, June 19, an employee at OSH reported a positive test result to the hospital’s infection control nurse. In coordination with the Miami County Health Department, all 11 residents on the unit who were in close contact with the positive employee will be tested as a priority. A testing strategy that reaches beyond those working or living on the unit is currently being discussed and several steps have been taken to further maximize safety precautions already in place to minimize risk of further exposure:

“This is an extremely stressful time for patients, their loved ones and our staff members,” OSH Superintendent Kristin Feeback said. “We recognize that communication with patients, families and staff is critically important, especially after a confirmed COVID-19 case. I appreciate our staff being so responsive and adaptive to the instructions given by local health officials to make sure we do all we can to prevent the spread of the virus as effectively as possible.”

Thursday, June 18, KNI reported one staff member and one resident in the same home on campus tested positive for COVID-19 and at least one more staff member was symptomatic. Officials at KNI worked in collaboration with the Kansas Department for Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Shawnee County Health Department to administer more than 80 tests to all staff working in the affected home as well as all residents in the building where that home is located. At the time of this release, those tests have resulted in positive cases in five staff members and seven residents in three living units covering two campus buildings. Three of the 12 positive cases at KNI are symptomatic, but zero currently require hospitalization.

KDHE and KNI and local health department officials are expanding testing on campus in the coming days to include all staff in potentially affected areas with a goal of an additional 200 staff tested by end of day today. Residents in all three affected living units have already been tested. KNI continues to follow similar PPE practices to those implemented at OSH.

“We are thankful to the health officials at the state and local level for their quick and effective communication and response,” KNI Superintendent Brent Widick said. “Our residents are like family and we work very hard to keep them safe, so this kind of news takes a real emotional toll on our staff.”

KNI reported its first two cases of staff members on April 17 this year. Both of those cases have been cleared.

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced Monday, The Kansas Neurological Institute (KNI) has 12 new positives cases in five staff members and seven residents, according to a media release.Howard also announced&nbsp;that one staff member at Osawatomie State Hospital (OSH) has tested positive for COVID-19. This is the first positive case at OSH in either residents or staff.To protect the identity of staff and residents at each hospital,&nbsp;no further information will be released.Friday, June 19, an employee at OSH reported a positive test result to the hospital’s infection control nurse. In coordination with the Miami County Health Department, all 11 residents on the unit who were in close contact with the positive employee will be tested as a priority. A testing strategy that reaches beyond those working or living on the unit is currently being discussed and several steps have been taken to further maximize safety precautions already in place to minimize risk of further exposure:<ul>
 <li>Any employee with direct, close contact with the positive employee has been contacted and begun a 14-day quarantine as instructed by the Miami County Health Department.</li><li>Any patients directly exposed to the positive employee are strongly encouraged to isolate in their room and wear a facemask anytime they leave their room.&nbsp;Patients on the unit where the employee worked will remain on the unit and are being closely monitored for any change in status. COVID-19 testing will be implemented at the appropriate time according to time of exposure.</li><li>At this time, there will be no admissions to the affected unit. All staff working on the affected unit are required to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times, to include nurses, other professionals, security and housekeeping.</li><li>Separate entrances and exits have been established on the affected unit to minimize exposure to staff and patients on other units.</li><li>The frequently touched surfaces in the affected unit are now being disinfected three times per shift.</li>
 </ul>“This is an extremely stressful time for patients, their loved ones and our staff members,” OSH Superintendent Kristin Feeback said. “We recognize that communication with patients, families and staff is critically important, especially after a confirmed COVID-19 case. I appreciate our staff being so responsive and adaptive to the instructions given by local health officials to make sure we do all we can to prevent the spread of the virus as effectively as possible.”Thursday, June 18, KNI reported one staff member and one resident in the same home on campus tested positive for COVID-19 and at least one more staff member was symptomatic. Officials at KNI worked in collaboration with the Kansas Department for Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Shawnee County Health Department to administer more than 80 tests to all staff working in the affected home as well as all residents in the building where that home is located. At the time of this release, those tests have resulted in positive cases in five staff members and seven residents in three living units covering two campus buildings. Three of the 12 positive cases at KNI are symptomatic, but zero currently require hospitalization.KDHE and KNI and local health department officials are expanding testing on campus in the coming days to include all staff in potentially affected areas with a goal of an additional 200 staff tested by end of day today. Residents in all three affected living units have already been tested. KNI continues to follow similar PPE practices to those implemented at OSH.“We are thankful to the health officials at the state and local level for their quick and effective communication and response,” KNI Superintendent Brent Widick said. “Our residents are like family and we work very hard to keep them safe, so this kind of news takes a real emotional toll on our staff.”KNI reported its first two cases of staff members on April 17 this year. Both of those cases have been cleared.

12 cases of coronavirus at Kan. Neurological Institute 

Riley County has seen an increase of 29 positive COVID-19 cases since last Friday. The number was confirmed by Manhattan Public Information Officer Vivienne Uccello.&nbsp;

A check revealed those identified as positive cases had frequented bars, restaurants and other businesses in the area.

The latest total for the county since the pandemic began is 132 cases. A total of 61 of those cases are active.

Riley County has seen an increase of 29 positive COVID-19 cases since last Friday. The number was confirmed by Manhattan Public Information Officer Vivienne Uccello.&nbsp;A check revealed those identified as positive cases had frequented bars, restaurants and other businesses in the area.The latest total for the county since the pandemic began is 132 cases. A total of 61 of those cases are active.

Riley County reports big uptick in positive COVID-19 cases

Geary County has two more positive COVID-19 cases, bringing the county's total to 36. Notification was provided by local Emergency Management.

The latest cases involve a 35-year old man and a 25-year old woman. Both patients are in isolation at their residence.&nbsp;

The Health Department is conducting contact tracing on both patients.

Geary County has two more positive COVID-19 cases, bringing the county's total to 36. Notification was provided by local Emergency Management.The latest cases involve a 35-year old man and a 25-year old woman. Both patients are in isolation at their residence.&nbsp;The Health Department is conducting contact tracing on both patients.

Two more COVID-19 positive cases are reported

Well, the out-of-session Legislature watched last week as the governor’s Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) task force doled out an even $400 million to Kansas counties to help them meet the costs they’ve seen due to the COVID-19 pandemic effects that have swept the world, nation and…well, Kansas…

Legislators, most of whom want to continue spending winters in Topeka, and even those who have had enough and will retire, are wondering just what that money is going to buy. And…if there’s a political upside for them in, well, while not actually having voted for that money for locals, waving as the money went to their home districts.

And, they’re also going to be watching to see just how the county commissions in each of the state’s 105 courthouses divide that money up, since its allocation a few days ago, between cities, townships, rural water districts, school districts…you name it, nearly any outfit that can assert to commissioners that the virus and its stay-home and stay-closed orders have shaken those small local economies.

Problem, of course, is that most legislators, and most Kansans, don’t have any idea of just what the shut-downs, the overtime for some workers, the expenses of working at home and even those face masks actually cost. And, whether those county commissioners are going to distribute their county’s apportionment to real needs or try to find ways to use it to boost their local budgets.

Lots unknown about this initial SPARK federal money distribution, and lots of money going to courthouses to spread across public and private operations.

Did the closure of schools, the shutdown of parts of water districts and of township water departments, the additional security at public buildings, all that moving of COVID-19 testing materials, the actual test specimens and Personal Protection Equipment cost local units of government much money? How much?

Amounts awarded varied, including $340,000 in Comanche County and $25 million in Douglas County. Where is that money to go, and will it stay in just the county budgets or will it be spread to reduce the financial impact on the local schools, hospitals, police and fire departments and everything else we expect government to pay for with our tax money?

Yes, isolating those pandemic-related additional costs is going to be tricky for nearly every local unit of government. Oh, and will counties spread that money to private businesses which suffered economic hardship due to the disease?

It’s all out in the counties, but count on it, legislators are going to want to win some credit—and votes?—for at least being at the top of the chain that sent those checks to local units of government.

Don’t forget that the money has to be directly tied to additional expenses which are linked to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, at the state level and at some point when the federal government auditors start thumbing through the check stubs to see whether this was actually a pandemic-related cost that counties are distributing money to solve or maybe just some new police and sheriff’s cars that are easier to keep clean—and avoid spreading the disease to the public.

Also, remember that the county commissioners are going to want political credit for dispersing that money within the county lines, whether it’s helping defray the cost of those six-foot social distance reminders we see on the floors of nearly every store we’ve entered, or those stacks of facemasks and jugs of hand sanitizer near the doors of those stores and businesses and schools and government offices.

By Martin HawverWell, the out-of-session Legislature watched last week as the governor’s Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) task force doled out an even $400 million to Kansas counties to help them meet the costs they’ve seen due to the COVID-19 pandemic effects that have swept the world, nation and…well, Kansas…Legislators, most of whom want to continue spending winters in Topeka, and even those who have had enough and will retire, are wondering just what that money is going to buy. And…if there’s a political upside for them in, well, while not actually having voted for that money for locals, waving as the money went to their home districts.And, they’re also going to be watching to see just how the county commissions in each of the state’s 105 courthouses divide that money up, since its allocation a few days ago, between cities, townships, rural water districts, school districts…you name it, nearly any outfit that can assert to commissioners that the virus and its stay-home and stay-closed orders have shaken those small local economies.Problem, of course, is that most legislators, and most Kansans, don’t have any idea of just what the shut-downs, the overtime for some workers, the expenses of working at home and even those face masks actually cost. And, whether those county commissioners are going to distribute their county’s apportionment to real needs or try to find ways to use it to boost their local budgets.Lots unknown about this initial SPARK federal money distribution, and lots of money going to courthouses to spread across public and private operations.Did the closure of schools, the shutdown of parts of water districts and of township water departments, the additional security at public buildings, all that moving of COVID-19 testing materials, the actual test specimens and Personal Protection Equipment cost local units of government much money? How much?Amounts awarded varied, including $340,000 in Comanche County and $25 million in Douglas County. Where is that money to go, and will it stay in just the county budgets or will it be spread to reduce the financial impact on the local schools, hospitals, police and fire departments and everything else we expect government to pay for with our tax money?Yes, isolating those pandemic-related additional costs is going to be tricky for nearly every local unit of government. Oh, and will counties spread that money to private businesses which suffered economic hardship due to the disease?It’s all out in the counties, but count on it, legislators are going to want to win some credit—and votes?—for at least being at the top of the chain that sent those checks to local units of government.Don’t forget that the money has to be directly tied to additional expenses which are linked to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, at the state level and at some point when the federal government auditors start thumbing through the check stubs to see whether this was actually a pandemic-related cost that counties are distributing money to solve or maybe just some new police and sheriff’s cars that are easier to keep clean—and avoid spreading the disease to the public.Also, remember that the county commissioners are going to want political credit for dispersing that money within the county lines, whether it’s helping defray the cost of those six-foot social distance reminders we see on the floors of nearly every store we’ve entered, or those stacks of facemasks and jugs of hand sanitizer near the doors of those stores and businesses and schools and government offices.Next step, finding out whether those SPARK dollars cause future problems for local units of government. We’ll wait for the auditors to tell us, won’t we…Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/" target="_blank">www.hawvernews.com</a>

Coronavirus Update