TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas plans to start using 3D printers to manufacture its own swabs to test for the novel coronavirus as officials look to improve the state’s near-bottom national rank in testing before lifting a stay-at-home order.

Gov. Laura Kelly and her top public health administrator, Dr. Lee Norman, have complained for weeks that Kansas isn’t a priority for testing supplies and personal protective equipment from the federal government or even private vendors, making it difficult to get them. 

The state’s struggles have continued with the Democratic governor under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dbec40f995b83b9a88cfe56cd1149708">increasing pressure</a>&nbsp;from the Republican-controlled Legislature to lift restrictions hindering economic activity, with her stay-at-home order set to remain in place until May 3.

But Kelly said Friday that testing people both with and without symptoms is key. Norman said the state might not be able to loosen restrictions until later in May, a couple of weeks after the Kansas outbreak’s expected late-April peak. Kelly’s stay-at-home order took effect March 30 and is set to stay in place until May 3.

“Our ability to test and contact trace must be much more robust before we can safely proceed to open,” Kelly said during her daily coronavirus news conference at the Statehouse.

Kansas as of Friday had reported testing about 17,000 of its 2.9 million residents for coronavirus, or 5.8 for every 1,000 residents, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://covidtracking.com/" target="_blank">The COVID Tracking Project,</a>&nbsp;a website managed by journalists and analysts, with The Associated Press among the contributors to the data. That rate is the second-lowest among states, just behind Virginia’s 5.75 per 1,000 residents and a little more than half of the national figure of 10.82 per 1,000 citizens.

Testing generally has been limited to people who are showing coronavirus symptoms, though it has expanded in a handful of the state’s 105 counties, including the biggest hotspots in the Kansas City area.

Dr. Beth Oller, a family-practice physician in Stockton, said it’s “ridiculous” that in her area of northwest Kansas, testing still isn’t recommended for people who know they’ve had close contact with an infected person but aren’t yet showing symptoms.

“It’s frustrating, but it’s the way it is right now,” she said. “There are still not enough tests.”

Norman said earlier this week that the state had spent “a lot of money” on testing supplies, though the health department didn’t specify the amount, and was awaiting on some shipments of supplies.

He also said the state expects to use 3D printers next week to start manufacturing 1,000 testing swabs a week. The state would like to do another 15,500 tests on people not showing symptoms to determine how prevalent coronavirus infections are in the general population, he said.

The state Department of Health and Environment, led by Norman, reported Friday that Kansas had 1,705 confirmed coronavirus cases in 66 of its 105 counties. That was an increase of 117, or 7.4% from Thursday, with cases in three additional counties.

COVID-19-related deaths also rose 5%, up four to 84, according to the department.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.

Despite its low testing rate, Kansas’ rate of COVID-19 deaths is in the middle of the pack among states, 2.89 for every 100,000 residents as of Friday, ranking 26th, and against a national figure of 9.89.

“Always, we’re working on, what’s the pinch point, in terms of a our supply chain? Norman said Friday. “I really think that the floodgates will open up and be allowing much more broad testing within the next week.”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, eager to get the economy moving again,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1251186839983132673" target="_blank">tweeted</a>&nbsp;Friday, “The States have to step up their TESTING!”

“Well, we know that,” Kelly said when asked about the tweet. “We’ve known that for a long time.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587156578878.png" alt="Drive up testing in Johnson County -photo Johnson Co. Health Department" />
 <figcaption>Drive up testing in Johnson County -photo Johnson Co. Health Department</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas plans to start using 3D printers to manufacture its own swabs to test for the novel coronavirus as officials look to improve the state’s near-bottom national rank in testing before lifting a stay-at-home order.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587176759937.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman listens to a question during Friday's news conference" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman listens to a question during Friday's news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>Gov. Laura Kelly and her top public health administrator, Dr. Lee Norman, have complained for weeks that Kansas isn’t a priority for testing supplies and personal protective equipment from the federal government or even private vendors, making it difficult to get them. The state’s struggles have continued with the Democratic governor under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dbec40f995b83b9a88cfe56cd1149708">increasing pressure</a>&nbsp;from the Republican-controlled Legislature to lift restrictions hindering economic activity, with her stay-at-home order set to remain in place until May 3.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587150220230.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly answers questions during Friday's news conference" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly answers questions during Friday's news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>But Kelly said Friday that testing people both with and without symptoms is key. Norman said the state might not be able to loosen restrictions until later in May, a couple of weeks after the Kansas outbreak’s expected late-April peak. Kelly’s stay-at-home order took effect March 30 and is set to stay in place until May 3.“Our ability to test and contact trace must be much more robust before we can safely proceed to open,” Kelly said during her daily coronavirus news conference at the Statehouse.Kansas as of Friday had reported testing about 17,000 of its 2.9 million residents for coronavirus, or 5.8 for every 1,000 residents, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://covidtracking.com/" target="_blank">The COVID Tracking Project,</a>&nbsp;a website managed by journalists and analysts, with The Associated Press among the contributors to the data. That rate is the second-lowest among states, just behind Virginia’s 5.75 per 1,000 residents and a little more than half of the national figure of 10.82 per 1,000 citizens.Testing generally has been limited to people who are showing coronavirus symptoms, though it has expanded in a handful of the state’s 105 counties, including the biggest hotspots in the Kansas City area.Dr. Beth Oller, a family-practice physician in Stockton, said it’s “ridiculous” that in her area of northwest Kansas, testing still isn’t recommended for people who know they’ve had close contact with an infected person but aren’t yet showing symptoms.“It’s frustrating, but it’s the way it is right now,” she said. “There are still not enough tests.”Norman said earlier this week that the state had spent “a lot of money” on testing supplies, though the health department didn’t specify the amount, and was awaiting on some shipments of supplies.He also said the state expects to use 3D printers next week to start manufacturing 1,000 testing swabs a week. The state would like to do another 15,500 tests on people not showing symptoms to determine how prevalent coronavirus infections are in the general population, he said.The state Department of Health and Environment, led by Norman, reported Friday that Kansas had 1,705 confirmed coronavirus cases in 66 of its 105 counties. That was an increase of 117, or 7.4% from Thursday, with cases in three additional counties.COVID-19-related deaths also rose 5%, up four to 84, according to the department.For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.Despite its low testing rate, Kansas’ rate of COVID-19 deaths is in the middle of the pack among states, 2.89 for every 100,000 residents as of Friday, ranking 26th, and against a national figure of 9.89.“Always, we’re working on, what’s the pinch point, in terms of a our supply chain? Norman said Friday. “I really think that the floodgates will open up and be allowing much more broad testing within the next week.”Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, eager to get the economy moving again,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1251186839983132673" target="_blank">tweeted</a>&nbsp;Friday, “The States have to step up their TESTING!”“Well, we know that,” Kelly said when asked about the tweet. “We’ve known that for a long time.”___

Kansas lags in COVID-19 testing, clouding state's reopening

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP) — Brooklyn Dotson needed food. Her first unemployment check had yet to arrive after she was let go by the warehouse where she used to work.

So the 25-year-old Nashville woman scrounged up some gas money and drove 30 miles to the GraceWorks Ministries food pantry in Franklin. There, at the pantry’s new drive-thru, workers wearing masks and gloves loaded her van with about $350 worth of groceries.

“I don’t have any income coming in, I don’t get any food stamps, so it’s just hard to get any help right now,” Dotson said while waiting in line at GraceWorks.

Food pantries stay busy even in the best of economic times; the coronavirus pandemic has prompted a spike in demand as millions of people like Dotson find themselves furloughed, laid off or with businesses that have suffered huge financial blows.

“About 50% of the people coming through our lines have never been here before,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://graceworksministries.net/" target="_blank">GraceWorks&nbsp;</a>President and CEO Valencia A. Breckenridge.

Just as demand is skyrocketing, however, many of the food banks’ sources are drying up. Restaurants, hotels and resorts — many of which are shuttered or sharply limiting their operations — are no longer supplying them with food, while other suppliers are busy restocking grocery shelves. Farmers have switched from shipping vegetables and meats in bulk to individual packaging for grocery stores.

“It is a perfect storm scenario,” said Katie Fitzgerald, chief operating officer for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.feedingamerica.org/" target="_blank">Feeding America</a>, a nationwide association of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries.

Feeding America has seen an increase in demand from 98% of its member banks, according to a recent survey. The average increase for a member was 63%, while 95% of the association’s food banks reported an increase in operating expenses, the organization said.

Congress included a significant boost for emergency food assistance in its coronavirus relief legislation, but Fitzgerald warned that funding may take months to reach localities while food banks contend with a flood of need in the near term. The $100 million that billionaire Jeff Bezos pledged to the association on April 2 was already being deployed last week, she said.

“When people say what do you need the most, we need food and money,” said Nancy Keil, president and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.

In addition to finding ways to meet the spike in demand, food banks have had to devise creative new ways to distribute ever greater amounts of food while keeping both recipients and their staff safe from exposure to the coronavirus.

The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank in California has built “pop-up” pantries after some of its previous 275 or so sites had to stop operating during the pandemic, spokeswoman Keely Hopkins said. The new sites, many of which are serving hundreds of people per day, stay open for longer hours and use open spaces such as parking lots to facilitate social distancing, she added.

Paid staffers are diving in at many food banks to stock, sort and bag food for either delivery or drive-thru pickups, a measure they realized was necessary to protect volunteers, many of whom are older and particularly at risk for complications from the virus. Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee limits volunteers to 10 per room to fill boxes.

The board of the East Nashville Cooperative Ministry has proposed closing because so many of its volunteers are elderly, including Judy Wahlstrom, who runs the program.

Wahlstrom, 70, has refused, but she said she is taking precautions, allowing only one person inside at a time to select food off the shelves while she wears a mask and gloves.

“I said, ‘If I get it, I get it,’” Wahlstrom said. “I don’t have anybody at home dependent on me. I said, ‘I got to keep it open.’ And I gave the volunteers all the options.”

At the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, spokeswoman Cathy Nestlen said nearly 45,000 volunteers helped out last year. This year, in order to adopt best practices for social distancing to combat the virus, staffers have stepped up to help.

Nestlen said the bank, which acts as a food distribution center for hundreds of member agencies, moved to a six-day work week this month and would consider moving to seven days a week if demand called for it.

Oklahoma had ranked among the hungriest states in the nation before the coronavirus, Nestlen noted. “This pandemic on top of it just shines a light on how so many households, not just in Oklahoma but around the country, live paycheck to paycheck,” she said. “When a household becomes economically insecure, they almost immediately become food-insecure.”

Food banks like Nestlen’s are realizing the sharp increase in demand could continue for months, which she said makes donations even more crucial.

For now, one thing is certain: Whatever food they do acquire is flying off the shelves just as fast as it arrives.

“The food’s coming in the back door, and it’s going right out the front to the customers,” said Courtney Vrablik, executive director of The Store, a supermarket founded by singer Brad Paisley and his wife last month in Nashville to provide free food for those in need.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587138251980.png" alt="Photo courtesy Feeding America" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Feeding America</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP) — Brooklyn Dotson needed food. Her first unemployment check had yet to arrive after she was let go by the warehouse where she used to work.So the 25-year-old Nashville woman scrounged up some gas money and drove 30 miles to the GraceWorks Ministries food pantry in Franklin. There, at the pantry’s new drive-thru, workers wearing masks and gloves loaded her van with about $350 worth of groceries.“I don’t have any income coming in, I don’t get any food stamps, so it’s just hard to get any help right now,” Dotson said while waiting in line at GraceWorks.Food pantries stay busy even in the best of economic times; the coronavirus pandemic has prompted a spike in demand as millions of people like Dotson find themselves furloughed, laid off or with businesses that have suffered huge financial blows.“About 50% of the people coming through our lines have never been here before,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://graceworksministries.net/" target="_blank">GraceWorks&nbsp;</a>President and CEO Valencia A. Breckenridge.Just as demand is skyrocketing, however, many of the food banks’ sources are drying up. Restaurants, hotels and resorts — many of which are shuttered or sharply limiting their operations — are no longer supplying them with food, while other suppliers are busy restocking grocery shelves. Farmers have switched from shipping vegetables and meats in bulk to individual packaging for grocery stores.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587147581911.png" alt="Cars wait in line at food pantry in Florida-image courtesy Feeding America" />
 <figcaption>Cars wait in line at food pantry in Florida-image courtesy Feeding America</figcaption>
 </figure>“It is a perfect storm scenario,” said Katie Fitzgerald, chief operating officer for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.feedingamerica.org/" target="_blank">Feeding America</a>, a nationwide association of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries.Feeding America has seen an increase in demand from 98% of its member banks, according to a recent survey. The average increase for a member was 63%, while 95% of the association’s food banks reported an increase in operating expenses, the organization said.Congress included a significant boost for emergency food assistance in its coronavirus relief legislation, but Fitzgerald warned that funding may take months to reach localities while food banks contend with a flood of need in the near term. The $100 million that billionaire Jeff Bezos pledged to the association on April 2 was already being deployed last week, she said.“When people say what do you need the most, we need food and money,” said Nancy Keil, president and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.In addition to finding ways to meet the spike in demand, food banks have had to devise creative new ways to distribute ever greater amounts of food while keeping both recipients and their staff safe from exposure to the coronavirus.The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank in California has built “pop-up” pantries after some of its previous 275 or so sites had to stop operating during the pandemic, spokeswoman Keely Hopkins said. The new sites, many of which are serving hundreds of people per day, stay open for longer hours and use open spaces such as parking lots to facilitate social distancing, she added.Paid staffers are diving in at many food banks to stock, sort and bag food for either delivery or drive-thru pickups, a measure they realized was necessary to protect volunteers, many of whom are older and particularly at risk for complications from the virus. Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee limits volunteers to 10 per room to fill boxes.The board of the East Nashville Cooperative Ministry has proposed closing because so many of its volunteers are elderly, including Judy Wahlstrom, who runs the program.Wahlstrom, 70, has refused, but she said she is taking precautions, allowing only one person inside at a time to select food off the shelves while she wears a mask and gloves.“I said, ‘If I get it, I get it,’” Wahlstrom said. “I don’t have anybody at home dependent on me. I said, ‘I got to keep it open.’ And I gave the volunteers all the options.”At the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, spokeswoman Cathy Nestlen said nearly 45,000 volunteers helped out last year. This year, in order to adopt best practices for social distancing to combat the virus, staffers have stepped up to help.Nestlen said the bank, which acts as a food distribution center for hundreds of member agencies, moved to a six-day work week this month and would consider moving to seven days a week if demand called for it.Oklahoma had ranked among the hungriest states in the nation before the coronavirus, Nestlen noted. “This pandemic on top of it just shines a light on how so many households, not just in Oklahoma but around the country, live paycheck to paycheck,” she said. “When a household becomes economically insecure, they almost immediately become food-insecure.”Food banks like Nestlen’s are realizing the sharp increase in demand could continue for months, which she said makes donations even more crucial.For now, one thing is certain: Whatever food they do acquire is flying off the shelves just as fast as it arrives.“The food’s coming in the back door, and it’s going right out the front to the customers,” said Courtney Vrablik, executive director of The Store, a supermarket founded by singer Brad Paisley and his wife last month in Nashville to provide free food for those in need.

Pandemic provokes spike in demand for food pantries in US

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 85 to&nbsp; 1,790 total, the state health department reported Saturday.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 85 to&nbsp; 1,790 total, the state health department reported Saturday.&nbsp;COVID-19 deaths increased to 86<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587230222061.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, alongside President Donald Trump, Friday announced several actions to assist producers recovering from the effects of COVID-19.

Secretary Perdue announced $19 billion from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) will be dispersed to support our farmers, ranchers, industry workers, and consumers.

“Our farmers and ranchers were some of the first to experience the pain of this global pandemic and I am proud of the work Secretary Perdue and President Trump have done to provide assistance while weathering these uncertain times and market conditions,” said U.S. Congressman Roger Marshall, M.D. “ We must continue to support our farmers and ranchers who are able to support consumers and keep Americans fed.”

The $19 billion will be broken up into two segments:&nbsp;

“Our producers and plant workers continue to report in every day to ensure that America has enough food, fuel and fiber to stay active,” said Rep. Marshall. “Our food supply chain is vital to our national security and I will continue to do everything I can to support and empower our farmers, ranchers, and workers.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, alongside President Donald Trump, Friday announced several actions to assist producers recovering from the effects of COVID-19.Secretary Perdue announced $19 billion from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) will be dispersed to support our farmers, ranchers, industry workers, and consumers.“Our farmers and ranchers were some of the first to experience the pain of this global pandemic and I am proud of the work Secretary Perdue and President Trump have done to provide assistance while weathering these uncertain times and market conditions,” said U.S. Congressman Roger Marshall, M.D. “ We must continue to support our farmers and ranchers who are able to support consumers and keep Americans fed.”The $19 billion will be broken up into two segments:&nbsp;<ol>
 <li>$16 billion to provide direct support for producers</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>$3 billion to purchase and distribute fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat products (the products will be made available to food banks, community and faith-based organization and non-nonprofits to be distributed to those in need of nutritional assistance)</li>
 </ol>“Our producers and plant workers continue to report in every day to ensure that America has enough food, fuel and fiber to stay active,” said Rep. Marshall. “Our food supply chain is vital to our national security and I will continue to do everything I can to support and empower our farmers, ranchers, and workers.

Congressman Marshall applauds USDA assistance for farmers and ranchers

It could be at least two weeks or even a few more days before there is a peak in COVID-19 in the Riley - Pottawatomie-Geary County area. The President of Ascension Via Christi Hospital Bob Copple noted this past Thursday that the middle of the country always follows the coasts and that's been true with COVID-19. He added that in Kansas the peak is about two weeks away. "We anticipate that Riley, Pottawatomie and Geary County are actually going to lag that by a few days." Copple added that is based on experience up until now with this virus and other health related issues.

Speaking on Friday, Pat Collins, Riley County Emergency Management Director, discussed preparedness. "Listening to the professionals out there we're talking about at least two weeks yet there before some kind of a peak on this so we could still be preparing for those type of items."

Collins discussed severe weather concerns and how it factors in with preparedness for this type of event or any type of event. "When&nbsp; you're looking at tornado preparedness we always talk about have a plan, have a place, have a kit, those type of things. There is a kit that's out there, ready.gov website for FEMA is a really good place and it's got a list of things on it."

Collins advised people to think about what what they will do if they're adversely affected by the COVID-19 virus. "You need to have a regimen of your prescription drugs, you need to have a regimen of non-prescription drugs that you normally take. "Those latter drugs could range from aspirin to cough medicine.

"What happens if you are the person that is quarantined? "What happens to pets? So you need to talk to your veterinarian and find out what's the best thing to do with your pets, ow to keep them, if there's a place to keep them." A buddy system where someone could take care of your pets or you could take care of their pets was another idea mentioned by Collins. "There's a lot of things out there that we need to think about."

Collins reminded the public to be prepared in case you or one member of your family is ill-affected.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587223620703.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By Dewey TerrillJC PostIt could be at least two weeks or even a few more days before there is a peak in COVID-19 in the Riley - Pottawatomie-Geary County area. The President of Ascension Via Christi Hospital Bob Copple noted this past Thursday that the middle of the country always follows the coasts and that's been true with COVID-19. He added that in Kansas the peak is about two weeks away. "We anticipate that Riley, Pottawatomie and Geary County are actually going to lag that by a few days." Copple added that is based on experience up until now with this virus and other health related issues.Speaking on Friday, Pat Collins, Riley County Emergency Management Director, discussed preparedness. "Listening to the professionals out there we're talking about at least two weeks yet there before some kind of a peak on this so we could still be preparing for those type of items."Collins discussed severe weather concerns and how it factors in with preparedness for this type of event or any type of event. "When&nbsp; you're looking at tornado preparedness we always talk about have a plan, have a place, have a kit, those type of things. There is a kit that's out there, ready.gov website for FEMA is a really good place and it's got a list of things on it."Collins advised people to think about what what they will do if they're adversely affected by the COVID-19 virus. "You need to have a regimen of your prescription drugs, you need to have a regimen of non-prescription drugs that you normally take. "Those latter drugs could range from aspirin to cough medicine."What happens if you are the person that is quarantined? "What happens to pets? So you need to talk to your veterinarian and find out what's the best thing to do with your pets, ow to keep them, if there's a place to keep them." A buddy system where someone could take care of your pets or you could take care of their pets was another idea mentioned by Collins. "There's a lot of things out there that we need to think about."Collins reminded the public to be prepared in case you or one member of your family is ill-affected.

Riley County health and emergency management officials share thoughts on COVID-19

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump held a call with faith leaders on Friday that included discussion about a phased-in return to broader in-person worship after weeks of religious services largely shifting online in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump’s call with faith leaders came one day after the White House included houses of worship among “large venues” that could be able to reopen while observing “strict physical distancing protocols” in the first stage of a three-part&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/420a38ec14101eab70e07be367ee6422">plan to reopen</a>&nbsp;a U.S. economy that’s been frozen by the toll of the highly contagious virus.

Trump “mentioned his memories as a young child attending Billy Graham’s service at Yankee Stadium, and acknowledged that while he has enjoyed watching services online from the White House, he told the faith leaders it is important for people to soon be able to once again come together, pray, and worship,” the White House said in its statement.

Participants in the call with faith leaders said it featured discussion about how restarting in-person worship could work, without any conclusion reached, and underscored their commitment to not imperiling the health of the faithful. Indeed, Trump has said that governors would be empowered to spearhead their states’ paces of economic reopening.

Jack Graham, pastor of Texas-based Prestonwood Baptist Church, said the call included conversation about “how would we go about bringing people back together,” adding that those involved agreed that “we’re going to do that carefully and gradually, and not put people at risk.”

Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Council, said that religious institutions “want to be a blessing and not a burden” by not returning to practices that could “cause more harm than good” if taken up too early.

Rodriguez added that he hoped to see clergy and other faith leaders nationwide identified as essential workers, as well as a clear resumption of outdoor religious services that can be conducted with people remaining in their automobiles. That sort of step would “help us transition to a new normal,” he said.

Cissie Graham Lynch of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, said churches would be committed to keeping their congregations safe and emphasized the importance of healing the spiritual pain caused by widespread social distancing restrictions imposed to fight the virus.

“People are lonely, people are scared,” Lynch said.

Those who participated in the call described Trump as closely engaged in the discussion.

“We may be opening, but we’re putting safety first,” the president told reporters Friday.

The faith leaders’ conversation with Trump is not the only sign that religious leaders are beginning to explore how to resume in-person worship services. The Christian executive search firm Vanderbloemen has launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vanderbloemen.com/reopening-church" target="_blank">ReopeningChurch.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vanderbloemen.com/reopening-school" target="_blank">ReopeningSchool.com</a>&nbsp;websites to start a conversation on that process.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587172818525.png" alt="President Trump discussed his visit with faith leaders to open Friday's Coronavirus Task Force press briefing -White House image" />
 <figcaption>President Trump discussed his visit with faith leaders to open Friday's Coronavirus Task Force press briefing -White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump held a call with faith leaders on Friday that included discussion about a phased-in return to broader in-person worship after weeks of religious services largely shifting online in response to the coronavirus pandemic.Trump’s call with faith leaders came one day after the White House included houses of worship among “large venues” that could be able to reopen while observing “strict physical distancing protocols” in the first stage of a three-part&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/420a38ec14101eab70e07be367ee6422">plan to reopen</a>&nbsp;a U.S. economy that’s been frozen by the toll of the highly contagious virus.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587086887250.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump “mentioned his memories as a young child attending Billy Graham’s service at Yankee Stadium, and acknowledged that while he has enjoyed watching services online from the White House, he told the faith leaders it is important for people to soon be able to once again come together, pray, and worship,” the White House said in its statement.Participants in the call with faith leaders said it featured discussion about how restarting in-person worship could work, without any conclusion reached, and underscored their commitment to not imperiling the health of the faithful. Indeed, Trump has said that governors would be empowered to spearhead their states’ paces of economic reopening.Jack Graham, pastor of Texas-based Prestonwood Baptist Church, said the call included conversation about “how would we go about bringing people back together,” adding that those involved agreed that “we’re going to do that carefully and gradually, and not put people at risk.”Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Council, said that religious institutions “want to be a blessing and not a burden” by not returning to practices that could “cause more harm than good” if taken up too early.Rodriguez added that he hoped to see clergy and other faith leaders nationwide identified as essential workers, as well as a clear resumption of outdoor religious services that can be conducted with people remaining in their automobiles. That sort of step would “help us transition to a new normal,” he said.Cissie Graham Lynch of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, said churches would be committed to keeping their congregations safe and emphasized the importance of healing the spiritual pain caused by widespread social distancing restrictions imposed to fight the virus.“People are lonely, people are scared,” Lynch said.Those who participated in the call described Trump as closely engaged in the discussion.“We may be opening, but we’re putting safety first,” the president told reporters Friday.The faith leaders’ conversation with Trump is not the only sign that religious leaders are beginning to explore how to resume in-person worship services. The Christian executive search firm Vanderbloemen has launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vanderbloemen.com/reopening-church" target="_blank">ReopeningChurch.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vanderbloemen.com/reopening-school" target="_blank">ReopeningSchool.com</a>&nbsp;websites to start a conversation on that process.___

Trump consults faith leaders on phased-in reopening

All in-person Extension-sponsored events including all 4-H programming by employees and volunteers between and July 4 must be moved to virtual environments or canceled. That information is contained in the Geary County 4-H newsletter.

Events that are canceled for this year include Shooting Sports State Spring Match, Ag Day, May 4th Project Meeting Evening, Discovery Days, June 2nd Fairgrounds Panel Painting, Hazardous Occupations Safety Training in Agriculture, 4-H Camp, KSU Horse and Livestock Judging Camps, K-State Animal Sciences Leadership Academy and District Horse Show.&nbsp;

Extension officials have been informed that more direction on the county fair and whether there will be 4-H participation will be available in mid-May.

Even if it is not possible to have fair in the traditional sense officials are planning to do everything possible to ensure youth have the opportunity to display their work. Whether it's posters, videos or virtual judging they plan to try to save the 4-H exhibit experience for 4-H members this summer.

All in-person Extension-sponsored events including all 4-H programming by employees and volunteers between and July 4 must be moved to virtual environments or canceled. That information is contained in the Geary County 4-H newsletter.Events that are canceled for this year include Shooting Sports State Spring Match, Ag Day, May 4th Project Meeting Evening, Discovery Days, June 2nd Fairgrounds Panel Painting, Hazardous Occupations Safety Training in Agriculture, 4-H Camp, KSU Horse and Livestock Judging Camps, K-State Animal Sciences Leadership Academy and District Horse Show.&nbsp;Extension officials have been informed that more direction on the county fair and whether there will be 4-H participation will be available in mid-May.Even if it is not possible to have fair in the traditional sense officials are planning to do everything possible to ensure youth have the opportunity to display their work. Whether it's posters, videos or virtual judging they plan to try to save the 4-H exhibit experience for 4-H members this summer.

COVID-19 is impacting 4-H events

TOPEKA — Governor Laura Kelly and Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard this week announced the agency will begin issuing an emergency food assistance benefit to current program households. The emergency
 allotment increases a household’s monthly benefit to the maximum allowed for the size of the family. The maximum monthly benefit for a family of four is $646.

“The federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act allows states to provide this emergency assistance,” Howard said. “We know these additional
 funds will allow families to purchase more essential groceries for their family while also reducing their visits to grocery stores during this time of social distancing.”


“At a time when we are seeing long lines at food distribution sites these additional funds are necessary to keep Kansans fed,” Kelly said. “I also want to thank all of the eligibility workers who are making sure
 this money gets to families quickly.”


No application is necessary to receive the emergency funds. Families should start to see their March emergency benefit on their EBT card beginning April 15. The distribution will follow the standard alphabetical
 schedule. DCF will distribute April emergency benefits in mid to late May.


Households that already receive the maximum monthly allotment are not eligible for emergency assistance. The allotment is for March and April only.

Those interested in applying for food assistance can visit the DCF website at
<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcf.ks.gov%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C705b2d26924d4648268c08d7e1745c90%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637225762184898520&amp;sdata=lldH%2FHluxjAmACvzUTerP%2BMPrE0%2FU6Q7ZeS0VhC5eMc%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">
www.dcf.ks.gov</a>.

For more information on COVID-19 visit:
<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kdheks.gov%2Fcoronavirus&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C705b2d26924d4648268c08d7e1745c90%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637225762184908478&amp;sdata=ENme12t9pM%2FqYsvopzF7gjpWZU7K1%2FJnu0EcJMtx%2BzY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">
www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus</a>.

DCFTOPEKA — Governor Laura Kelly and Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard this week announced the agency will begin issuing an emergency food assistance benefit to current program households. The emergency
 allotment increases a household’s monthly benefit to the maximum allowed for the size of the family. The maximum monthly benefit for a family of four is $646.“The federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act allows states to provide this emergency assistance,” Howard said. “We know these additional
 funds will allow families to purchase more essential groceries for their family while also reducing their visits to grocery stores during this time of social distancing.”
“At a time when we are seeing long lines at food distribution sites these additional funds are necessary to keep Kansans fed,” Kelly said. “I also want to thank all of the eligibility workers who are making sure
 this money gets to families quickly.”
No application is necessary to receive the emergency funds. Families should start to see their March emergency benefit on their EBT card beginning April 15. The distribution will follow the standard alphabetical
 schedule. DCF will distribute April emergency benefits in mid to late May.
Households that already receive the maximum monthly allotment are not eligible for emergency assistance. The allotment is for March and April only.
Those interested in applying for food assistance can visit the DCF website at
<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcf.ks.gov%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C705b2d26924d4648268c08d7e1745c90%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637225762184898520&amp;sdata=lldH%2FHluxjAmACvzUTerP%2BMPrE0%2FU6Q7ZeS0VhC5eMc%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">
www.dcf.ks.gov</a>. 

For more information on COVID-19 visit:
<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kdheks.gov%2Fcoronavirus&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C705b2d26924d4648268c08d7e1745c90%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637225762184908478&amp;sdata=ENme12t9pM%2FqYsvopzF7gjpWZU7K1%2FJnu0EcJMtx%2BzY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">
www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus</a>.

DCF to distribute emergency food assistance benefit in Kan.

A 25-bed hospital is selling blood 
tests it says will tell people if they have COVID-19 immunity, but 
public health officials say that's not what the tests do.

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-17/a-small-kansas-hospital-bought-its-own-coronavirus-tests-but-state-officials-say-it-only-detects-colds">Kansas News Service</a>

LAWRENCE — Herington Municipal Hospital got fed up 
with long waits for lab results that would tell its patients with 
respiratory symptoms whether they have the novel coronavirus.

So 
when a sales representative called the 25-bed hospital in rural central 
Kansas offering tests that produce results in less than half an hour, 
Herington ordered 500.

“We answered the phone on the right day,” CEO Isabel Schmedemann said in an interview this week. “I wish we had ordered more.”

One hundred people in her community have already come in for the test.

“They want answers,” she said. “They want to know. And they’re scared.”

Amid
 a pandemic that has hospitalized hundreds of Kansans and killed more 
than 80, supply shortages have slowed typical COVID-19 nose swab tests 
and health providers have scrambled to find solutions.

But public 
health officials around the world worry that desperation to access 
testing could open the way for unproven products that give patients a 
false sense of safety — putting them in greater danger.

Herington Hospital’s rollout of new blood-based tests triggered swift action from state and local health officials.

On
 its website, the hospital advertises the technology as approved by the 
state. “It tells you if you have immunity,” the hospital claims.

Wrong
 on both counts, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment says. 
Attempts to convince the hospital of the test’s problems over the phone 
weren’t successful, the agency says.

State health secretary Lee 
Norman said he would alert other hospitals and labs around the state to 
concerns about the tests. He warned the public in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/videos/214325436538782/" target="_blank">a press conference</a>
 viewed by tens of thousands of people on Facebook that many antibody 
tests — meant to show a patient’s exposure to a virus — don’t 
necessarily tell people what they want to know.

People who test 
positive with the Herington tests aren’t being counted toward the 
state’s COVID-19 tally. The state has about 1,500 known cases, including
 one in Dickinson County.

“You could get a positive if you had nothing other than a common cold,” county public health director John Hultgren said.

Dickinson County began calling Herington’s patients to inform them directly.

“I’m livid about this,” Schmedemann said. “We’re serious about providing quality health care.”

But KDHE points to the test manufacturer’s <a href="https://ucpbiosciences.com/product/covid-19/" target="_blank">own fine print</a>, which says a positive result could mean patients have or have had any of four coronaviruses that cause the common cold. Consequently, the results can’t confirm that a person has or had COVID-19, or that they are now immune.

Herington
 Hospital also advertises the product on its website as 100% specific to
 the virus that causes COVID-19. Manufacturer UCP Biosciences gave the 
hospital pamphlets bearing that claim, though clarifying that its 
calculations are based on about 100 samples. The company didn’t return a
 call to its California office.

The disclaimer about cold viruses doesn’t worry Shmedemann.

“The test is specific to COVID-19, but as with any test, this is part of the disclaimer,” she wrote in a follow-up email.

The
 kits, like most COVID-19 antibody tests on the market, aren’t approved 
by the Food and Drug Administration and haven’t received an expedited, 
emergency approval from the agency. Yet selling them is legal and 
Herington has continued to offer the product.

People with and 
without symptoms are eager for testing. The kits Herington bought seek 
to check whether someone has COVID-19 antibodies in their blood.

The
 goal of antibody testing is to check whether someone has been exposed 
to a specific virus and whether that could shield them from it in the 
future. (Antibodies wouldn’t yet be present for some people with current
 infections.)

Herington says on its website that the UCP test “not
 only tells you if you are positive or negative, it tells you if you 
have immunity.”

Scientists and public health experts say it’s not 
that simple. In addition to the risk that antibodies from the common 
cold could trigger a positive result, researchers don’t yet know how 
effective COVID-19 antibodies will be for staving off future infections.

“It’s
 an attractive hypothesis,” said Jim Zehnder, a professor of pathology 
and medicine at Stanford University, “but it hasn't been rigorously 
proven yet.”

Stanford has developed its own test for the antibodies that result from COVID-19.

But it hasn’t evaluated UCP’s test, and couldn’t speak to its quality. Similar tests have raised concerns, Zehnder said.

“I
 believe partly in response to these concerns raised, the FDA announced 
that they are going to start evaluating this class of test,” he said. 
“There just is not enough information at the moment to say anything 
definitive” about the UCP product.

Kansas wants to start antibody testing soon, too, health secretary Norman said this week.

In
 a followup email, the agency said it would use a platform with minimal 
risk for confusion of various viruses, and combine that with other steps
 to verify results.

The University of Kansas is researching 
COVID-19 antibodies in clinical trials. It believes widespread antibody 
testing could ultimately prove vital to the battle to control COVID-19, 
ease social distancing measures and return to life as normal.

“We 
think there will be an absolute need,” said Dana Hawkinson, a professor 
and medical director of infection control at KU Health System. “But at 
this point in time, there hasn’t been really good validated tests that 
we can use to determine that.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587149517051.png" alt="Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman displays a swab used for COVID-19 testing. A small hospital in central Kansas has deployed blood tests that state health officials say can produce false positives among people with common colds. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman displays a swab used for COVID-19 testing. A small hospital in central Kansas has deployed blood tests that state health officials say can produce false positives among people with common colds. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A 25-bed hospital is selling blood 
tests it says will tell people if they have COVID-19 immunity, but 
public health officials say that's not what the tests do.</h2>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-17/a-small-kansas-hospital-bought-its-own-coronavirus-tests-but-state-officials-say-it-only-detects-colds">Kansas News Service</a>LAWRENCE — Herington Municipal Hospital got fed up 
with long waits for lab results that would tell its patients with 
respiratory symptoms whether they have the novel coronavirus.So 
when a sales representative called the 25-bed hospital in rural central 
Kansas offering tests that produce results in less than half an hour, 
Herington ordered 500.“We answered the phone on the right day,” CEO Isabel Schmedemann said in an interview this week. “I wish we had ordered more.”One hundred people in her community have already come in for the test.“They want answers,” she said. “They want to know. And they’re scared.”Amid
 a pandemic that has hospitalized hundreds of Kansans and killed more 
than 80, supply shortages have slowed typical COVID-19 nose swab tests 
and health providers have scrambled to find solutions.But public 
health officials around the world worry that desperation to access 
testing could open the way for unproven products that give patients a 
false sense of safety — putting them in greater danger.Herington Hospital’s rollout of new blood-based tests triggered swift action from state and local health officials.On
 its website, the hospital advertises the technology as approved by the 
state. “It tells you if you have immunity,” the hospital claims.Wrong
 on both counts, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment says. 
Attempts to convince the hospital of the test’s problems over the phone 
weren’t successful, the agency says.State health secretary Lee 
Norman said he would alert other hospitals and labs around the state to 
concerns about the tests. He warned the public in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/videos/214325436538782/" target="_blank">a press conference</a>
 viewed by tens of thousands of people on Facebook that many antibody 
tests — meant to show a patient’s exposure to a virus — don’t 
necessarily tell people what they want to know.People who test 
positive with the Herington tests aren’t being counted toward the 
state’s COVID-19 tally. The state has about 1,500 known cases, including
 one in Dickinson County.“You could get a positive if you had nothing other than a common cold,” county public health director John Hultgren said.Dickinson County began calling Herington’s patients to inform them directly.“I’m livid about this,” Schmedemann said. “We’re serious about providing quality health care.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587149611485.png" alt="From the website of Herington Municipal Hospital. It says: "Our clinic is now offering onsite Kansas Department of Health and Environment COVID-19 testing that generates results in just 20 minutes. Think you’ve had COVID-19? We also offer a 20 minute antibody test that not only tells you if you are positive or negative, it tells you if you have immunity. This COVID-19 test has an overall sensitivity ≥ 89.2%, the overall specificity is 100% and the overall accuracy is ≥ 96%."" />
 <figcaption>From the website of Herington Municipal Hospital. It says: "Our clinic is now offering onsite Kansas Department of Health and Environment COVID-19 testing that generates results in just 20 minutes. Think you’ve had COVID-19? We also offer a 20 minute antibody test that not only tells you if you are positive or negative, it tells you if you have immunity. This COVID-19 test has an overall sensitivity ≥ 89.2%, the overall specificity is 100% and the overall accuracy is ≥ 96%."</figcaption>
 </figure>But KDHE points to the test manufacturer’s <a href="https://ucpbiosciences.com/product/covid-19/" target="_blank">own fine print</a>, which says a positive result could mean patients have or have had any of four coronaviruses that cause the common cold. Consequently, the results can’t confirm that a person has or had COVID-19, or that they are now immune.Herington
 Hospital also advertises the product on its website as 100% specific to
 the virus that causes COVID-19. Manufacturer UCP Biosciences gave the 
hospital pamphlets bearing that claim, though clarifying that its 
calculations are based on about 100 samples. The company didn’t return a
 call to its California office.The disclaimer about cold viruses doesn’t worry Shmedemann.“The test is specific to COVID-19, but as with any test, this is part of the disclaimer,” she wrote in a follow-up email.The
 kits, like most COVID-19 antibody tests on the market, aren’t approved 
by the Food and Drug Administration and haven’t received an expedited, 
emergency approval from the agency. Yet selling them is legal and 
Herington has continued to offer the product.People with and 
without symptoms are eager for testing. The kits Herington bought seek 
to check whether someone has COVID-19 antibodies in their blood.The
 goal of antibody testing is to check whether someone has been exposed 
to a specific virus and whether that could shield them from it in the 
future. (Antibodies wouldn’t yet be present for some people with current
 infections.)Herington says on its website that the UCP test “not
 only tells you if you are positive or negative, it tells you if you 
have immunity.”Scientists and public health experts say it’s not 
that simple. In addition to the risk that antibodies from the common 
cold could trigger a positive result, researchers don’t yet know how 
effective COVID-19 antibodies will be for staving off future infections.They’re scrambling to figure that out.“It’s
 an attractive hypothesis,” said Jim Zehnder, a professor of pathology 
and medicine at Stanford University, “but it hasn't been rigorously 
proven yet.”Stanford has developed its own test for the antibodies that result from COVID-19.But it hasn’t evaluated UCP’s test, and couldn’t speak to its quality. Similar tests have raised concerns, Zehnder said.“I
 believe partly in response to these concerns raised, the FDA announced 
that they are going to start evaluating this class of test,” he said. 
“There just is not enough information at the moment to say anything 
definitive” about the UCP product.Kansas wants to start antibody testing soon, too, health secretary Norman said this week.In
 a followup email, the agency said it would use a platform with minimal 
risk for confusion of various viruses, and combine that with other steps
 to verify results.The University of Kansas is researching 
COVID-19 antibodies in clinical trials. It believes widespread antibody 
testing could ultimately prove vital to the battle to control COVID-19, 
ease social distancing measures and return to life as normal.“We 
think there will be an absolute need,” said Dana Hawkinson, a professor 
and medical director of infection control at KU Health System. “But at 
this point in time, there hasn’t been really good validated tests that 
we can use to determine that.”Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

Rural Kan. hospital's virus test may only show you've had a cold

&nbsp; The Army said Mission Essential Plus childcare resumed this week at Fort Riley, providing childcare in four facilities for Mission Essential personnel and those who have a service member deployed in support of rotational requirements (i.e. Korea, 1ID FWD) as well as dual military families.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision/?__tn__=K-R&amp;eid=ARCiVfM2olyRYtLQrX3kPFbn_N9vmtQbN6Ik6nrxPFHvBU4xpOhWD3hm50RxY6UZZNj5LCPCy8XFgrc8&amp;fref=mentions&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDXLNsNVLz5ieW9MfXdUvVZlRbQMnuzY2Xl6InmoW6HHYsYGUepxU9gnPZiCw5Co74YILqY3i03TNQz3FxoBcVxSpF1DxbDsHHQ-C9T_s7OmxTG0og2K6e4NSM_4lrkypZ6MoLzjko4NijVLa0GFQK9kS529_s4pgeLmdmF72JGxGooVerJeN9RNaZ3V9lFE5Oynk3oJ34yE3u852pLyj7s5-1X5pGm5-yLlfOno5669lwrVi2Lb1zZi9vlw6eTIGPtD-621i-JFkA4rK7z_uVxm-tXVpIRfsdR8wCvtmpUiwqcMWiNr2xUGcEQ0maab08vckmXSxku49S--KfZ">1st Infantry Division</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FortRiley/?__tn__=K-R&amp;eid=ARA26HLK_w0JIoeK6DHnXEZura7KvkZSSTZ2eOtyMC60QKUW887vx7X6bz-mb6U38k3YJWnELpc8kHI5&amp;fref=mentions&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDXLNsNVLz5ieW9MfXdUvVZlRbQMnuzY2Xl6InmoW6HHYsYGUepxU9gnPZiCw5Co74YILqY3i03TNQz3FxoBcVxSpF1DxbDsHHQ-C9T_s7OmxTG0og2K6e4NSM_4lrkypZ6MoLzjko4NijVLa0GFQK9kS529_s4pgeLmdmF72JGxGooVerJeN9RNaZ3V9lFE5Oynk3oJ34yE3u852pLyj7s5-1X5pGm5-yLlfOno5669lwrVi2Lb1zZi9vlw6eTIGPtD-621i-JFkA4rK7z_uVxm-tXVpIRfsdR8wCvtmpUiwqcMWiNr2xUGcEQ0maab08vckmXSxku49S--KfZ">Fort Riley</a>&nbsp;are constantly assessing the efforts to Protect the Force, Prevent the Spread of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/covid19?source=feed_text&amp;epa=HASHTAG&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDXLNsNVLz5ieW9MfXdUvVZlRbQMnuzY2Xl6InmoW6HHYsYGUepxU9gnPZiCw5Co74YILqY3i03TNQz3FxoBcVxSpF1DxbDsHHQ-C9T_s7OmxTG0og2K6e4NSM_4lrkypZ6MoLzjko4NijVLa0GFQK9kS529_s4pgeLmdmF72JGxGooVerJeN9RNaZ3V9lFE5Oynk3oJ34yE3u852pLyj7s5-1X5pGm5-yLlfOno5669lwrVi2Lb1zZi9vlw6eTIGPtD-621i-JFkA4rK7z_uVxm-tXVpIRfsdR8wCvtmpUiwqcMWiNr2xUGcEQ0maab08vckmXSxku49S--KfZ&amp;__tn__=%2ANK-R">#COVID19</a>&nbsp;and Preserve Mission Essential Readiness.

CDC clients will see some added precautionary measures at the facilities. All workers will be in proper PPE during drop off and pickup, worker's and children's temperatures will be taking before entering any of the 4 locations, and only CDC employees are allowed past the foyer.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/dutyfirst?source=feed_text&amp;epa=HASHTAG&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDXLNsNVLz5ieW9MfXdUvVZlRbQMnuzY2Xl6InmoW6HHYsYGUepxU9gnPZiCw5Co74YILqY3i03TNQz3FxoBcVxSpF1DxbDsHHQ-C9T_s7OmxTG0og2K6e4NSM_4lrkypZ6MoLzjko4NijVLa0GFQK9kS529_s4pgeLmdmF72JGxGooVerJeN9RNaZ3V9lFE5Oynk3oJ34yE3u852pLyj7s5-1X5pGm5-yLlfOno5669lwrVi2Lb1zZi9vlw6eTIGPtD-621i-JFkA4rK7z_uVxm-tXVpIRfsdR8wCvtmpUiwqcMWiNr2xUGcEQ0maab08vckmXSxku49S--KfZ&amp;__tn__=%2ANK-R">#</a>

&nbsp; The Army said Mission Essential Plus childcare resumed this week at Fort Riley, providing childcare in four facilities for Mission Essential personnel and those who have a service member deployed in support of rotational requirements (i.e. Korea, 1ID FWD) as well as dual military families.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision/?__tn__=K-R&amp;eid=ARCiVfM2olyRYtLQrX3kPFbn_N9vmtQbN6Ik6nrxPFHvBU4xpOhWD3hm50RxY6UZZNj5LCPCy8XFgrc8&amp;fref=mentions&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDXLNsNVLz5ieW9MfXdUvVZlRbQMnuzY2Xl6InmoW6HHYsYGUepxU9gnPZiCw5Co74YILqY3i03TNQz3FxoBcVxSpF1DxbDsHHQ-C9T_s7OmxTG0og2K6e4NSM_4lrkypZ6MoLzjko4NijVLa0GFQK9kS529_s4pgeLmdmF72JGxGooVerJeN9RNaZ3V9lFE5Oynk3oJ34yE3u852pLyj7s5-1X5pGm5-yLlfOno5669lwrVi2Lb1zZi9vlw6eTIGPtD-621i-JFkA4rK7z_uVxm-tXVpIRfsdR8wCvtmpUiwqcMWiNr2xUGcEQ0maab08vckmXSxku49S--KfZ">1st Infantry Division</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FortRiley/?__tn__=K-R&amp;eid=ARA26HLK_w0JIoeK6DHnXEZura7KvkZSSTZ2eOtyMC60QKUW887vx7X6bz-mb6U38k3YJWnELpc8kHI5&amp;fref=mentions&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDXLNsNVLz5ieW9MfXdUvVZlRbQMnuzY2Xl6InmoW6HHYsYGUepxU9gnPZiCw5Co74YILqY3i03TNQz3FxoBcVxSpF1DxbDsHHQ-C9T_s7OmxTG0og2K6e4NSM_4lrkypZ6MoLzjko4NijVLa0GFQK9kS529_s4pgeLmdmF72JGxGooVerJeN9RNaZ3V9lFE5Oynk3oJ34yE3u852pLyj7s5-1X5pGm5-yLlfOno5669lwrVi2Lb1zZi9vlw6eTIGPtD-621i-JFkA4rK7z_uVxm-tXVpIRfsdR8wCvtmpUiwqcMWiNr2xUGcEQ0maab08vckmXSxku49S--KfZ">Fort Riley</a>&nbsp;are constantly assessing the efforts to Protect the Force, Prevent the Spread of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/covid19?source=feed_text&amp;epa=HASHTAG&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDXLNsNVLz5ieW9MfXdUvVZlRbQMnuzY2Xl6InmoW6HHYsYGUepxU9gnPZiCw5Co74YILqY3i03TNQz3FxoBcVxSpF1DxbDsHHQ-C9T_s7OmxTG0og2K6e4NSM_4lrkypZ6MoLzjko4NijVLa0GFQK9kS529_s4pgeLmdmF72JGxGooVerJeN9RNaZ3V9lFE5Oynk3oJ34yE3u852pLyj7s5-1X5pGm5-yLlfOno5669lwrVi2Lb1zZi9vlw6eTIGPtD-621i-JFkA4rK7z_uVxm-tXVpIRfsdR8wCvtmpUiwqcMWiNr2xUGcEQ0maab08vckmXSxku49S--KfZ&amp;__tn__=%2ANK-R">#COVID19</a>&nbsp;and Preserve Mission Essential Readiness. CDC clients will see some added precautionary measures at the facilities. All workers will be in proper PPE during drop off and pickup, worker's and children's temperatures will be taking before entering any of the 4 locations, and only CDC employees are allowed past the foyer.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/dutyfirst?source=feed_text&amp;epa=HASHTAG&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDXLNsNVLz5ieW9MfXdUvVZlRbQMnuzY2Xl6InmoW6HHYsYGUepxU9gnPZiCw5Co74YILqY3i03TNQz3FxoBcVxSpF1DxbDsHHQ-C9T_s7OmxTG0og2K6e4NSM_4lrkypZ6MoLzjko4NijVLa0GFQK9kS529_s4pgeLmdmF72JGxGooVerJeN9RNaZ3V9lFE5Oynk3oJ34yE3u852pLyj7s5-1X5pGm5-yLlfOno5669lwrVi2Lb1zZi9vlw6eTIGPtD-621i-JFkA4rK7z_uVxm-tXVpIRfsdR8wCvtmpUiwqcMWiNr2xUGcEQ0maab08vckmXSxku49S--KfZ&amp;__tn__=%2ANK-R">#</a>

Fort Riley reopens four facilities for Mission Essential Plus childcare

TOPEKA — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman discuss the state's battle against the coronavirus during their Friday afternoon news conference.

The Governor briefly addressed the lawsuits two Kansas churches and their pastors filed Thursday against her over&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20-18-Executed.pdf" target="_blank">an order</a>&nbsp;banning religious gatherings with more than 10 people to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus, arguing that the directive violates their religious and free-speech rights.

Dr. Norman said that after a number of new virus cases were reported in Western Kansas, the KDHE is sending a team to do more testing and investigate. He also discussed work at Kansas State University to determine if mosquitoes can transmit the virus.

Kansas saw its number of confirmed coronavirus cases jump again by more than 100 in a single day, past 1,700 total, the state health department reported Friday. COVID-19 deaths increased to 84.

TOPEKA — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman discuss the state's battle against the coronavirus during their Friday afternoon news conference.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F905155203283172%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The Governor briefly addressed the lawsuits two Kansas churches and their pastors filed Thursday against her over&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20-18-Executed.pdf" target="_blank">an order</a>&nbsp;banning religious gatherings with more than 10 people to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus, arguing that the directive violates their religious and free-speech rights.Dr. Norman said that after a number of new virus cases were reported in Western Kansas, the KDHE is sending a team to do more testing and investigate. He also discussed work at Kansas State University to determine if mosquitoes can transmit the virus.Kansas saw its number of confirmed coronavirus cases jump again by more than 100 in a single day, past 1,700 total, the state health department reported Friday. COVID-19 deaths increased to 84.

🎥 Kan. Gov., KDHE Secretary update fight against virus

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas saw its number of confirmed coronavirus case jump again by more than 100 in a single day, past 1,700 total, the state health department reported Friday. COVID-19 deaths increased to 84.

The Department of Health and Environment said the state has 1,705 cases of the novel coronavirus in 66 of its 105 counties. That was an increase of 117, or 7.4% from Thursday, with cases in three additional counties.

The state also reported 100-plus increases in case numbers on Saturday and April 8, but the rate of increase had dropped below 5% for several days this week.

The new figure for deaths represents an increase of four over Thursday’s figure, or 5%. It came as Wyandotte County in the Kansas City area reported four new deaths, bringing its total to 35. The county reports 395 coronavirus cases, the most in the state, and has 23% of the state’s cases and 42% of its COVID-19 related deaths, despite having only 5.7% of its population.

The rise in cases and deaths and the expanding geographical spread of the coronavirus came with Republican legislators increasing pressure on Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly to outline a plan for lifting her stay-at-home order for the state’s 2.9 million residents..

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas saw its number of confirmed coronavirus case jump again by more than 100 in a single day, past 1,700 total, the state health department reported Friday. COVID-19 deaths increased to 84.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHEThe Department of Health and Environment said the state has 1,705 cases of the novel coronavirus in 66 of its 105 counties. That was an increase of 117, or 7.4% from Thursday, with cases in three additional counties.The state also reported 100-plus increases in case numbers on Saturday and April 8, but the rate of increase had dropped below 5% for several days this week.The new figure for deaths represents an increase of four over Thursday’s figure, or 5%. It came as Wyandotte County in the Kansas City area reported four new deaths, bringing its total to 35. The county reports 395 coronavirus cases, the most in the state, and has 23% of the state’s cases and 42% of its COVID-19 related deaths, despite having only 5.7% of its population.The rise in cases and deaths and the expanding geographical spread of the coronavirus came with Republican legislators increasing pressure on Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly to outline a plan for lifting her stay-at-home order for the state’s 2.9 million residents..<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587143522717.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Kansas sees coronavirus cases top 1,700; deaths rise to 84

&nbsp;Junction City High School will hold a virtual graduation ceremony on&nbsp;May 23 at 1 pm.&nbsp;

The ceremony can be found on the USD 475 YouTube channel.&nbsp; The link for the ceremony video will be shared with the public in advance of the ceremony, so that the students, families, and community can join.&nbsp; 

The ceremony will resemble a traditional graduation ceremony, with guest speakers and the name of each graduating senior being read aloud, along with a photo of each graduating senior being shared.&nbsp; The district has already shared graduation information with families of Seniors so that they can prepare for the occasion.&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;Junction City High School will hold a virtual graduation ceremony on&nbsp;May 23 at 1 pm.&nbsp; The ceremony can be found on the USD 475 YouTube channel.&nbsp; The link for the ceremony video will be shared with the public in advance of the ceremony, so that the students, families, and community can join.&nbsp; The ceremony will resemble a traditional graduation ceremony, with guest speakers and the name of each graduating senior being read aloud, along with a photo of each graduating senior being shared.&nbsp; The district has already shared graduation information with families of Seniors so that they can prepare for the occasion.&nbsp; &nbsp;

USD 475 announces JCHS graduation plans

MANHATTAN — Area health care organizations are getting custom-made face shields and cloth face masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, courtesy of Kansas State University.<a href="https://apdesign.k-state.edu/" target="_blank">College of Architecture, Planning &amp; Design</a>&nbsp;students are 3D-printing face shields, while the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.k-state.edu/idfs/" target="_blank">Department of Interior Design and Fashion Studies</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://hhs.k-state.edu/" target="_blank">College of Health and Human Sciences</a>&nbsp;has teamed up with the K-State Office of Community Relations and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/safety/" target="_blank">Department of Environmental Health and Safety</a>&nbsp;for a project to sew face masks.

The face shields are being made by students in the Digital Fabrication Club, or DigiFab Club. The students are under the direction of Jonathan Dessi-Olive, assistant professor of architecture. The shields feature the K-State Powercat and the word "K-State." Based on an open-source design plan, the shields are produced using the college's 3D-printing and laser-cutting resources."We have four printers up and running and are able to produce around 30 shields a day, barring any temporary printer breakdowns," said D.J. Plankinton, architecture student from&nbsp;Wamego&nbsp;and president of the DigiFab Club.

The frames of the shields are made out of&nbsp;PLA plastic and their front covers are made from sheets of clear acetate. The shields are disinfected after they are made, according to club member Matt Cox, architecture student from&nbsp;Southlake, Texas.The club has made 175 face shields so far and demand for them is high."So far we have distributed 130 shields to local health care facilities from Junction City to Lawrence," said club member Aubry Sittner, architecture student from&nbsp;Tonganoxie. "We've even gotten requests from the hospital in Hoxie and as far away as Florida."

Grant Delka, interior architecture and industrial design student from&nbsp;Topeka, said the club is filling orders as quickly as it can, prioritizing requests from health care organizations.Club members said they were inspired to get involved when they saw similar efforts from academia and professional practices in the architectural community.Sherry Haar, professor of interior design and fashion studies, wanted to help the Riley County Health Department and Riley County EMS with their needs for fabric face masks."When worn correctly and washed after each use, a fabric mask can be an additional measure to the prevention practices of social distancing, hand washing and not touching your face," Haar said.

Working with Linda Cook, K-State chief of staff and director of community relations, and Christina Aguilera, director of K-State Environmental Health and Safety, Haar got university support to draft a team of volunteer sewers to make the masks."We have&nbsp;31 volunteers in the fabric mask sewing network," Haar said. "The requirements include advanced sewing experience; access to cotton fabric, preferably from a personal stash; and a commitment to sewing 12 masks each week for three weeks."Most of the volunteers are from the K-State family as well as local quilting guilds.

The face mask pattern has been adapted with permission from Jessica Nandino's A.B. Mask — for a Nurse by a Nurse."I'm so impressed with our community," Haar said. "We had 25 volunteers within two days of sending a few emails. Several of the volunteers have already made hundreds of masks for other organizations, yet continue to offer their time, resources and skills."The sewing network also has received donated materials from area fabric stores, including Linda Lee, a K-State interior design and fashion studies alumna and owner of The&nbsp;Sewing Workshop in&nbsp;Topeka, and Liv Olsen, owner of Fenceline Fabrics and The Thrifty Notion in&nbsp;Manhattan.

Haar and her fellow interior design and fashion studies faculty members Marla Day and Kim Hiller and student Andrada Redmond, senior in apparel and textiles from&nbsp;Manhattan, used the donated fabric to make the initial batch of 80 masks. The initial masks include several from K-State-themed fabrics.Once the masks are made, Aguilera made arrangements with Cintas, the uniform-maker and business cleaning company, to have the masks sanitized and then delivered to the Riley County Health Department and EMS.

Haar said she is committed to continue the project through the summer if needed."With the current volunteer sewing network, there will be around 1,200 masks donated by May 1," Haar said. "New volunteers will be added as current volunteers deplete their fabric stash and finish their commitment to the project."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587131192550.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN — Area health care organizations are getting custom-made face shields and cloth face masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, courtesy of Kansas State University.<a href="https://apdesign.k-state.edu/" target="_blank">College of Architecture, Planning &amp; Design</a>&nbsp;students are 3D-printing face shields, while the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.k-state.edu/idfs/" target="_blank">Department of Interior Design and Fashion Studies</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://hhs.k-state.edu/" target="_blank">College of Health and Human Sciences</a>&nbsp;has teamed up with the K-State Office of Community Relations and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/safety/" target="_blank">Department of Environmental Health and Safety</a>&nbsp;for a project to sew face masks.The face shields are being made by students in the Digital Fabrication Club, or DigiFab Club. The students are under the direction of Jonathan Dessi-Olive, assistant professor of architecture. The shields feature the K-State Powercat and the word "K-State." Based on an open-source design plan, the shields are produced using the college's 3D-printing and laser-cutting resources."We have four printers up and running and are able to produce around 30 shields a day, barring any temporary printer breakdowns," said D.J. Plankinton, architecture student from&nbsp;Wamego&nbsp;and president of the DigiFab Club.The frames of the shields are made out of&nbsp;PLA plastic and their front covers are made from sheets of clear acetate. The shields are disinfected after they are made, according to club member Matt Cox, architecture student from&nbsp;Southlake, Texas.The club has made 175 face shields so far and demand for them is high."So far we have distributed 130 shields to local health care facilities from Junction City to Lawrence," said club member Aubry Sittner, architecture student from&nbsp;Tonganoxie. "We've even gotten requests from the hospital in Hoxie and as far away as Florida."Grant Delka, interior architecture and industrial design student from&nbsp;Topeka, said the club is filling orders as quickly as it can, prioritizing requests from health care organizations.Club members said they were inspired to get involved when they saw similar efforts from academia and professional practices in the architectural community.Sherry Haar, professor of interior design and fashion studies, wanted to help the Riley County Health Department and Riley County EMS with their needs for fabric face masks."When worn correctly and washed after each use, a fabric mask can be an additional measure to the prevention practices of social distancing, hand washing and not touching your face," Haar said.Working with Linda Cook, K-State chief of staff and director of community relations, and Christina Aguilera, director of K-State Environmental Health and Safety, Haar got university support to draft a team of volunteer sewers to make the masks."We have&nbsp;31 volunteers in the fabric mask sewing network," Haar said. "The requirements include advanced sewing experience; access to cotton fabric, preferably from a personal stash; and a commitment to sewing 12 masks each week for three weeks."Most of the volunteers are from the K-State family as well as local quilting guilds.The face mask pattern has been adapted with permission from Jessica Nandino's A.B. Mask — for a Nurse by a Nurse."I'm so impressed with our community," Haar said. "We had 25 volunteers within two days of sending a few emails. Several of the volunteers have already made hundreds of masks for other organizations, yet continue to offer their time, resources and skills."The sewing network also has received donated materials from area fabric stores, including Linda Lee, a K-State interior design and fashion studies alumna and owner of The&nbsp;Sewing Workshop in&nbsp;Topeka, and Liv Olsen, owner of Fenceline Fabrics and The Thrifty Notion in&nbsp;Manhattan.Haar and her fellow interior design and fashion studies faculty members Marla Day and Kim Hiller and student Andrada Redmond, senior in apparel and textiles from&nbsp;Manhattan, used the donated fabric to make the initial batch of 80 masks. The initial masks include several from K-State-themed fabrics.Once the masks are made, Aguilera made arrangements with Cintas, the uniform-maker and business cleaning company, to have the masks sanitized and then delivered to the Riley County Health Department and EMS.Haar said she is committed to continue the project through the summer if needed."With the current volunteer sewing network, there will be around 1,200 masks donated by May 1," Haar said. "New volunteers will be added as current volunteers deplete their fabric stash and finish their commitment to the project."

Face time: K-State projects create face shields, cloth masks

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are struggling to break a stalemate over President Donald Trump’s $250 billion emergency request for a small-business program, stoking uncertainty about when additional support will be available in a key rescue program now exhausted of funds.

A Senate session quickly adjourned without any progress, though staff aides to House and Senate Democrats and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin convened another conference call, on legislation to shore up the Paycheck Protection Program and demands by Democrats for potential additions. The Small Business Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dded8ead64598a3893f4046bbe857d2e">announced Thursday&nbsp;</a>it has reached its $349 billion lending limit and is no longer accepting applications, and Trump immediately weighed in on Twitter to bash Democrats.

“Democrats are blocking additional funding for the popular Paycheck Protection Program. They are killing American small businesses. Stop playing politics Dems! Support Refilling PPP NOW – it is out of funds!” Trump wrote.

GOP aides said that Mnuchin is prepared to accept additional funding sought by Democrats for hospitals, but that additional aid to state and local governments couldn’t get approval in the current round. The aides spoke on condition of anonymity to characterize internal party deliberations.

Thursday’s Senate session featured a short speech by a frustrated majority leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., but no effort to pass Trump’s $250 billion request — or to shame Democrats, were they to block it as they did last week. Instead, McConnell said that he had cleared the $250 billion package on the GOP side but that Democrats would have stopped it.

“Democrats would not let us reopen the program,” McConnell said. “This really should be above politics.”

The Capitol is largely shuttered, requiring consensus from all sides for any legislation to pass, and top GOP leaders are vowing to stick closely to Trump’s request despite Democrats’ additional demands.

The Senate is away from Washington through May 4, but it convenes twice each week for pro forma sessions that could be used to pass more coronavirus aid — though only if no senator objects. The next Senate pro forma is Monday afternoon; no action is expected at a brief Friday House session.

McConnell, asked by a reporter whether he could support any agreement reached by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Mnuchin, was noncommittal.

“Well, look, we’d take a look at it. My members want to plus up the small-business program. We think the need is obvious,” he told reporters. “And all the money for the other programs is not yet out the door. It doesn’t mean we won’t be dealing with them later, but we have an emergency, we ought to deal with it.”

GOP leaders McConnell and Kevin McCarthy are back in Washington to monitor developments. McCarthy, the House minority leader, is closer to Trump, but both seem to fear Mnuchin might be willing to contemplate concessions that rank-and-file Republicans would find objectionable.

At issue is a $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program that is a centerpiece of last month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2099a53bb8adf2def7ee7329ea322f9d">massive rescue bill.&nbsp;</a>The Congressional Budget Office issued an estimate for the legislation, passed virtually unanimously last month, pegging its deficit cost at $1.8 trillion. That’s less than the $2.2 trillion informal White House estimate, and the difference is because the CBO believes an almost half-trillion-dollar loan guarantee program designed to stabilize large companies and state and local governments won’t have deficit costs because the money would be paid back.

The program gives grants to businesses with fewer than 500 workers so that they can maintain payroll and pay rent while shutting down their businesses during social distancing edicts.

The program has been swamped by businesses applying for loans and has reached its appropriations limit. Mnuchin says $250 billion more is needed immediately.

But Democrats want money for hospitals burdened under COVID-19 caseloads and additional funding for states and local governments straining as the economy slides into recession.

They also want to make sure the Paycheck Protection Program is opened up more to businesses that don’t have established relationships with banks that have been accepting applications for rescue funding.

Pelosi is pressing to add money to be distributed by community development financial institutions, which are small, nontraditional lenders that focus on making loans in underdeveloped and underserved neighborhoods, typically communities with larger minority populations.

“We want to make sure that, as it gets more money, many more people get access to the credit,” Pelosi said.

Eventually, the need for consensus seems likely to result in a relatively limited package.

Republicans are agitating to help rural hospitals, while Democrats are also keen to boost aid to cash-strapped states and local governments whose revenues have cratered. Aiding the states may be a stretch for now, however, as the issue can easily provoke fights between large, high-tax states like California and New York and smaller states more typically run by Republicans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587127575852.png" alt="Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D) Virginia, designated to act as Speaker pro tempore in the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D) Virginia, designated to act as Speaker pro tempore in the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are struggling to break a stalemate over President Donald Trump’s $250 billion emergency request for a small-business program, stoking uncertainty about when additional support will be available in a key rescue program now exhausted of funds.A Senate session quickly adjourned without any progress, though staff aides to House and Senate Democrats and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin convened another conference call, on legislation to shore up the Paycheck Protection Program and demands by Democrats for potential additions. The Small Business Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dded8ead64598a3893f4046bbe857d2e">announced Thursday&nbsp;</a>it has reached its $349 billion lending limit and is no longer accepting applications, and Trump immediately weighed in on Twitter to bash Democrats.“Democrats are blocking additional funding for the popular Paycheck Protection Program. They are killing American small businesses. Stop playing politics Dems! Support Refilling PPP NOW – it is out of funds!” Trump wrote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585696207171.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>GOP aides said that Mnuchin is prepared to accept additional funding sought by Democrats for hospitals, but that additional aid to state and local governments couldn’t get approval in the current round. The aides spoke on condition of anonymity to characterize internal party deliberations.Thursday’s Senate session featured a short speech by a frustrated majority leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., but no effort to pass Trump’s $250 billion request — or to shame Democrats, were they to block it as they did last week. Instead, McConnell said that he had cleared the $250 billion package on the GOP side but that Democrats would have stopped it.“Democrats would not let us reopen the program,” McConnell said. “This really should be above politics.”The Capitol is largely shuttered, requiring consensus from all sides for any legislation to pass, and top GOP leaders are vowing to stick closely to Trump’s request despite Democrats’ additional demands.The Senate is away from Washington through May 4, but it convenes twice each week for pro forma sessions that could be used to pass more coronavirus aid — though only if no senator objects. The next Senate pro forma is Monday afternoon; no action is expected at a brief Friday House session.McConnell, asked by a reporter whether he could support any agreement reached by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Mnuchin, was noncommittal.“Well, look, we’d take a look at it. My members want to plus up the small-business program. We think the need is obvious,” he told reporters. “And all the money for the other programs is not yet out the door. It doesn’t mean we won’t be dealing with them later, but we have an emergency, we ought to deal with it.”GOP leaders McConnell and Kevin McCarthy are back in Washington to monitor developments. McCarthy, the House minority leader, is closer to Trump, but both seem to fear Mnuchin might be willing to contemplate concessions that rank-and-file Republicans would find objectionable.At issue is a $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program that is a centerpiece of last month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2099a53bb8adf2def7ee7329ea322f9d">massive rescue bill.&nbsp;</a>The Congressional Budget Office issued an estimate for the legislation, passed virtually unanimously last month, pegging its deficit cost at $1.8 trillion. That’s less than the $2.2 trillion informal White House estimate, and the difference is because the CBO believes an almost half-trillion-dollar loan guarantee program designed to stabilize large companies and state and local governments won’t have deficit costs because the money would be paid back.The program gives grants to businesses with fewer than 500 workers so that they can maintain payroll and pay rent while shutting down their businesses during social distancing edicts.The program has been swamped by businesses applying for loans and has reached its appropriations limit. Mnuchin says $250 billion more is needed immediately.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585696236815.png" alt="White House" />
 <figcaption>White House</figcaption>
 </figure>But Democrats want money for hospitals burdened under COVID-19 caseloads and additional funding for states and local governments straining as the economy slides into recession.They also want to make sure the Paycheck Protection Program is opened up more to businesses that don’t have established relationships with banks that have been accepting applications for rescue funding.Pelosi is pressing to add money to be distributed by community development financial institutions, which are small, nontraditional lenders that focus on making loans in underdeveloped and underserved neighborhoods, typically communities with larger minority populations.“We want to make sure that, as it gets more money, many more people get access to the credit,” Pelosi said.Eventually, the need for consensus seems likely to result in a relatively limited package.Republicans are agitating to help rural hospitals, while Democrats are also keen to boost aid to cash-strapped states and local governments whose revenues have cratered. Aiding the states may be a stretch for now, however, as the issue can easily provoke fights between large, high-tax states like California and New York and smaller states more typically run by Republicans.

New pressure on lawmakers as virus aid for firms hits limit

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas churches and their pastors filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Gov. Laura Kelly over&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20-18-Executed.pdf" target="_blank">an order</a>&nbsp;banning religious gatherings with more than 10 people to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus, arguing that the directive violates their religious and free-speech rights.

<a href="https://apdocs.inside.ap.org/documents/150874-churches-lawsuit-04-16-20.html" target="_blank">The lawsuit</a>&nbsp;comes eight days after top Republican legislative leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/79490ae7c241fab1301bd66e87afd224">attempted to revoke</a>&nbsp;Kelly’s order themselves, only to see the Democratic governor thwart their efforts by contesting their action before the Kansas Supreme Court. The state’s highest court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9cc005f93f1daa0edd5fcfbc581351e5">let her order stand</a>&nbsp;on technical grounds, without deciding whether it violated freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. or Kansas constitutions.

The lawsuit also comes with Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature pressuring Kelly to outline a plan for lifting a separate stay-at-home order for all 2.9 million Kansas residents to help the economy recover.

The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for Kansas also alleges that Kelly’s order violates the churches and pastors’ right to assembly, guaranteed along with religious and free-speech rights by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It also contends that it violates a state law meant to protect religious freedom.

The lawsuit was filed by First Baptist Church in Dodge City and Pastor Stephen Ormond and Calvary Baptist Church in Junction City and Pastor Aaron Harris. The lawsuit said both churches held indoor services Sunday with 20 or more members of the congregation present, celebrating Easter, often the busiest day of the year for Christian churches.

“The State does not have a compelling reason for prohibiting church services where congregants can otherwise practice adequate social distancing protocol,” the lawsuit said.

Both churches had congregation members sit 6 feet apart, in line with public health recommendations on social distancing and took numerous other steps, such as not using collection plates, the lawsuit said.

Kelly spokeswoman Dena Sattler said the governor’s office is reviewing the lawsuit but added, “This is not about restricting religion, it is about keeping people safe and saving Kansans’ lives.”

The number of coronavirus cases and COVID-19-related deaths are still rising in Kansas. The state reported 1,588 cases as of Thursday, with 80 deaths.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.

Kelly’s statewide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dbec40f995b83b9a88cfe56cd1149708">stay-at-home order&nbsp;</a>took effect March 30 and is set to remain in effect until May 3. It exempts “essential” activities such as buying groceries and obtaining medical care.

The lawsuit argues that Kelly’s order limiting church gatherings to 10 or fewer members of a congregation discriminates against and “shows hostility” toward churches when many secular businesses still can operate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586807038792.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly listens to questions during a press conference Monday in Topeka" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly listens to questions during a press conference Monday in Topeka</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas churches and their pastors filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Gov. Laura Kelly over&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20-18-Executed.pdf" target="_blank">an order</a>&nbsp;banning religious gatherings with more than 10 people to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus, arguing that the directive violates their religious and free-speech rights.<a href="https://apdocs.inside.ap.org/documents/150874-churches-lawsuit-04-16-20.html" target="_blank">The lawsuit</a>&nbsp;comes eight days after top Republican legislative leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/79490ae7c241fab1301bd66e87afd224">attempted to revoke</a>&nbsp;Kelly’s order themselves, only to see the Democratic governor thwart their efforts by contesting their action before the Kansas Supreme Court. The state’s highest court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9cc005f93f1daa0edd5fcfbc581351e5">let her order stand</a>&nbsp;on technical grounds, without deciding whether it violated freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. or Kansas constitutions.The lawsuit also comes with Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature pressuring Kelly to outline a plan for lifting a separate stay-at-home order for all 2.9 million Kansas residents to help the economy recover.The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for Kansas also alleges that Kelly’s order violates the churches and pastors’ right to assembly, guaranteed along with religious and free-speech rights by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It also contends that it violates a state law meant to protect religious freedom.The lawsuit was filed by First Baptist Church in Dodge City and Pastor Stephen Ormond and Calvary Baptist Church in Junction City and Pastor Aaron Harris. The lawsuit said both churches held indoor services Sunday with 20 or more members of the congregation present, celebrating Easter, often the busiest day of the year for Christian churches.“The State does not have a compelling reason for prohibiting church services where congregants can otherwise practice adequate social distancing protocol,” the lawsuit said.Both churches had congregation members sit 6 feet apart, in line with public health recommendations on social distancing and took numerous other steps, such as not using collection plates, the lawsuit said.Kelly spokeswoman Dena Sattler said the governor’s office is reviewing the lawsuit but added, “This is not about restricting religion, it is about keeping people safe and saving Kansans’ lives.”The number of coronavirus cases and COVID-19-related deaths are still rising in Kansas. The state reported 1,588 cases as of Thursday, with 80 deaths.For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.Kelly’s statewide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dbec40f995b83b9a88cfe56cd1149708">stay-at-home order&nbsp;</a>took effect March 30 and is set to remain in effect until May 3. It exempts “essential” activities such as buying groceries and obtaining medical care.The lawsuit argues that Kelly’s order limiting church gatherings to 10 or fewer members of a congregation discriminates against and “shows hostility” toward churches when many secular businesses still can operate.___

Kansas governor sued over order limiting religious services

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump gave governors a road map Thursday for recovering from the economic pain of the coronavirus pandemic, laying out “a phased and deliberate approach” to restoring normal activity in places that have strong testing and are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases.

He added, “This is a gradual process.”

The new guidelines are aimed at easing restrictions in areas with low transmission of the coronavirus, while holding the line in harder-hit locations. They make clear that the return to normalcy will be a far longer process than Trump initially envisioned, with federal officials warning that some social distancing measures may need to remain in place through the end of the year to prevent a new outbreak. And they largely reinforce plans already in the works by governors, who have primary responsibility for public health in their states.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587087044524.png" alt="President Trump answers questions Thursday on the plan during the Coronavirus Task Force briefing- Image courtesy White House&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Trump answers questions Thursday on the plan during the Coronavirus Task Force briefing- Image courtesy White House&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump gave governors a road map Thursday for recovering from the economic pain of the coronavirus pandemic, laying out “a phased and deliberate approach” to restoring normal activity in places that have strong testing and are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases.He added, “This is a gradual process.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587086887250.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The new guidelines are aimed at easing restrictions in areas with low transmission of the coronavirus, while holding the line in harder-hit locations. They make clear that the return to normalcy will be a far longer process than Trump initially envisioned, with federal officials warning that some social distancing measures may need to remain in place through the end of the year to prevent a new outbreak. And they largely reinforce plans already in the works by governors, who have primary responsibility for public health in their states.“You’re going to call your own shots,” Trump told the governors Thursday afternoon in a conference call, according to an audio recording obtained by The Associated Press. “We’re going to be standing alongside of you.”Places with declining infections and strong testing would begin a three-phase gradual reopening of businesses and schools.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587086594833.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In phase one, for instance, the plan recommends strict social distancing for all people in public. Gatherings larger than 10 people are to be avoided and nonessential travel is discouraged.In phase two, people are encouraged to maximize social distancing and limit gatherings to no more than 50 people unless precautionary measures are taken. Travel could resume.Phase three envisions a return to normalcy for most Americans, with a focus on identification and isolation of any new infections.Trump said recent trends in some states were so positive that they could almost immediately begin taking the steps laid out in phase one.“They will be able to go literally tomorrow,” Trump said.Governors of both parties made clear they will move at their own pace.Delaware Gov. John Carney, a Democrat, said the guidelines “seem to make sense.”“We’re days, maybe weeks away from the starting line and then you have to have 14 days of declining cases, of declining symptoms and hospital capacity that exists in case you have a rebound,” he said.West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Trump ally, cautiously floated the idea of reopening parts of the state, but said testing capacity and contact tracing would need to be considerably ramped up before restrictions could be safely lifted.“All would be forgotten very quickly if we moved into a stage quicker than we should, and then we got into a situation where we had people dying like flies,” Justice told reporterAt the earliest, the guidelines suggest, some parts of the country could see a resumption in normal commerce and social gatherings after a month of evaluating whether easing up on restrictions has led to a resurgence in virus cases. In other parts of the country, or if virus cases pick up, it could be substantially longer.In briefing governors on the plan, Trump said they were going to be responsible for deciding when it is safe to lift restrictions in their states. Just days before, he had drawn swift pushback for claiming he had absolute authority to determine how and when states reopen.“We have a very large number of states that want to get going and they’re in very good shape,” Trump said. “That’s good with us, frankly.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587086755141.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The guidelines also include general recommendations to businesses as they plan for potential reopenings, suggesting temperature-taking, rapid COVID-19 testing and widespread disinfection efforts in workplaces.Those most susceptible to the respiratory disease are advised to remain sheltered in place until their area enters the final phase — and even then are encouraged to take precautions to avoid close contact with other people.Governors, for their part, have been moving ahead with their own plans for how to safely revive normal activity. Seven Midwestern governors announced Thursday they will coordinate on reopening their economies. Similar pacts were announced earlier in the week in the West and Northeast.Two in three Americans expressed concerns that restrictions meant to slow the spread of the virus would be eased too quickly, according to a Pew Research Center survey released Thursday. More than 30,000 people in the United States have died from the virus.Trump also held conference calls Thursday with lawmakers he named to a new congressional advisory task force on reviving the economy. The economic costs were clear in new federal data showing that at least 22 million Americans have been thrown out of work in the last month. But the legislators repeatedly urged the president not to sacrifice public health by moving too quickly.“My highest priority on this task force will be to ensure the federal government’s efforts to reopen our economy are bipartisan, data-driven, and based on the expertise of public health professionals,” said Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia.The federal government envisions a gradual recovery from the virus, in which disruptive mitigation measures may be needed in some places at least until a vaccine is available — a milestone unlikely to be reached until sometime next year.“It’s not going to immediately be a situation where we have stadiums full of people,” said Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson on Thursday. “We’re Americans. We will adapt,” he added.Trump on Thursday claimed the U.S. has “built the most advanced and robust testing anywhere in the world.” But even people close to him warned more would be necessary.“We are struggling with testing at a large scale,” South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told ABC’s “The View.” “You really can’t go back to work until we have more tests.”There was also concern that the White House was taking too rosy a view on trends in the U.S.“I would not declare a peak almost anywhere in the U.S. yet,” said Marc Lipsitch, a Harvard epidemiology professor who is director of the university’s Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics. He recommended “working to enhance surveillance and testing so if we do hit a peak, it will be possible to identify it with greater certainty.”But some of Trump’s conservative allies, like economist Stephen Moore, have encouraged him to act swiftly, warning of “a mini Great Depression if we keep the economy shut down.”“That is a catastrophic outcome for our country. Period,” Moore said he advised the president.A big testing ground for Trump’s road map could be Texas, where Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who has stuck close to federal guidance throughout the crisis, will lay out his reopening plan Friday. Abbott has said the process will be gradual, but he is facing pressure from conservative lawmakers to get Texas back to work.The White House proposal presented Thursday is different from what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended last week, according to a draft of the recommendation obtained by The Associated Press. The CDC talked about using more specific criteria and in many cases looking for improvement over longer periods of time before easing restrictions in high-transmission areas. Examples include wanting to see sustained reductions over 30 days in positive tests for coronavirus, and sustained reductions over 15 days in numbers of coronavirus deaths.___WASHINGTON (AP) — New White House guidelines outline a phased approach to restoring normal commerce and services, but only for places with strong testing and seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases.President Donald Trump unveiled his administration’s plans to ease social distancing requirements on a call Thursday with the nation’s governors. The new guidelines are aimed at clearing the way for an easing of restrictions in areas with low transmission of the coronavirus, while keeping them in place in harder-hit locations.Places with declining infections and strong testing would begin a three-phased gradual reopening of businesses and schools, with each phase lasting at least 14 days, meant to ensure that the virus outbreak doesn’t accelerate again.The Associated Press obtained a copy of the guidelines before their public release.The recommendations make clear that the return to normalcy will be a far longer process than Trump initially envisioned, with federal officials warning that some social distancing measures may need to remain in place through the end of the year to prevent a new outbreak.At earliest, the guidelines suggest that some parts of the country could see a resumption in normal commerce and social gatherings after a month of evaluating whether the easing of restrictions leads to a resurgence in virus cases. In other parts of the country, or if virus cases resume an up-tick, it could be substantially longer.Trump briefed the nation’s governors on the plan Thursday afternoon, saying they were going to be responsible for deciding when it is safe to lift restrictions in their states.“You’re going to call your own shots,” Trump told governors, according to an audio recording obtained by The Associated Press. “We’re going to be standing along side of you.”Meanwhile, under the federal guidelines, those most susceptible to the respiratory disease would be advised to remain sheltered in place until their area enters the final phase — and even then are advised to take precautions to avoid close contact with other people.The federal guidelines come after seven governors in the Midwest announced Thursday they will coordinate on reopening the economy, after similar pacts were announced earlier this week in the West and Northeast.Trump held conference calls earlier Thursday with lawmakers he named to a new congressional advisory task force. The economic costs were clear in new federal data showing that at least 22 million Americans have been thrown out of work in the last month. But the legislators repeatedly urged the president not to sacrifice public health in an effort to reopen the economy.“My highest priority on this task force will be to ensure the federal government’s efforts to reopen our economy are bipartisan, data-driven, and based on the expertise of public health professionals,” said Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia.Business leaders, too, raised concerns to the president in a round of calls Wednesday, warning that a dramatic increase in testing and wider availability of protective equipment will be necessary before they can safely revive operations.The federal government envisions a gradual recovery from the virus, in which disruptive mitigation measures may be needed in some places at least until a vaccine is available — a milestone unlikely to be reached until sometime next year.“It’s not going to immediately be a situation where we have stadiums full of people,” said Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson on Thursday. “We’re Americans. We will adapt,” he added.New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said at a news conference before the call with the White House that he planned to ask the president for “direct cash assistance,” citing the state’s troubled tax revenues. He also said he would press for “robust health care infrastructure” and mass testing with quick turnaround times before reopening the economy.Trump said Wednesday that data indicates the U.S. is “past the peak” of the COVID-19 epidemic. He said the numbers have “put us in a very strong position to finalize guidelines for states on reopening the country.”Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator, added that data from across the country showed the nation “improving,” but that Americans had to recommit to social distancing to keep up the positive momentum.She said nine states have fewer than 1,000 cases and just a few dozen new cases per day. She said those would likely be the first to see a lifting in social distancing restrictions at the direction of their governors under the guidelines set to be released Thursday.But participants in a Wednesday call with Trump that included executives of dozens of leading American companies raised concerns about the testing issue, according to one participant who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the private discussion.Another participant said it was stressed to Trump that expansion of testing and contact tracing was crucial, as well as guidelines for best practices on reopening businesses in phases or in one fell swoop.The participant said those on the call noted to the administration that there was about to be a rush on personal protective equipment. Many businesses that are now shuttered will need the protective equipment to keep their employees and customers safe.Trump was told “the economy will look very different and operations will look very different,” one participant said.South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican close to Trump, said the lack of widespread testing was an impediment to lifting the social distancing guidelines. “We are struggling with testing at a large scale.,” he told ABC’s “The View.” “You really can’t go back to work until we have more tests.”But some of Trump’s conservative allies, like economist Stephen Moore, have encouraged him to act swiftly, warning of “a mini Great Depression if we keep the economy shut down.”“That is a catastrophic outcome for our country. Period,” Moore said he advised the president. “We can’t have 30 million people in this country unemployed or you’re going to have social chaos.”The panel, which Trump dubbed the new Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, also could help give him a measure of cover. If cases surge once restrictions are lifted, as many experts have warned, Trump will be able to tell the public he didn’t act alone and the nation’s top minds — from manufacturing to defense to technology — helped shape the plan.___

Coronavirus Update