KANSAS CITY (AP) — A detective who investigated Rep. Steve Watkins wrote in an affidavit that the Kansas congressman told her he didn’t vote in a 2019 Topeka City Council election, despite evidence showing he had cast a ballot in the race after listing a UPS store as his home address.

The affidavit released Wednesday was the latest development in a criminal case against the first-term Republican congressman, who faces a stiff challenge in next week’s GOP primary in Kansas’ 2nd Congressional District.

Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2c7c67f66ae444204226fbd528a266de">charged</a>&nbsp;Watkins with three felonies and one misdemeanor alleging he illegally voted in the 2019 election and lied to detectives investigating the allegations.

Watkins has said he made a clerical error when he listed the UPS store as his address. His campaign alleges the criminal charges are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e31c35cda49df5bac39a950058b3e97e">politically motivated</a>&nbsp;and are designed to boost the chances of one of his GOP opponents, State Treasurer Jake LaTurner.

Shawnee County Sheriff’s Detective Stephanie Dicken said in the affidavit that during a Feb. 10 interview, Watkins at one point said he may have voted in the wrong City Council election but then later said “he actually didn’t vote for city council.”

Dicken said she received seven mail-in ballots for that race in June and that one of them was from Watkins.

“Therefore, Mr. Watkins’ statement to me that he did not vote in the City Council District 8 election is presumed to be false,” Dicken wrote.

Dicken also wrote that Watkins initially said he hadn’t signed an advanced voting application with the incorrect address before later saying he would have directed a staff employee to sign it.

Watkins’ campaign has said LaTurner and Kagay colluded to bring the charges. His attorneys have asked that Kagay be disqualified from the case because he uses the same direct mail vendor as LaTurner.

“Every day that goes by, we learn just how weak and politically motivated the DA’s office is,” Watkins’ campaign manager, Bryan Piligra, said in a statement. “Congressman Watkins — as he has said from day one — made a simple clerical error and immediately corrected it. The real investigation needs to be of Jake LaTurner and this corrupt prosecutor who have colluded in an attempt to manipulate Kansas voters. Luckily, voters are smarter than these prosecutors and they see right through this charade.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591476738251.png" alt="Photo courtesy office of Rep. Steve Watkins" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy office of Rep. Steve Watkins</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A detective who investigated Rep. Steve Watkins wrote in an affidavit that the Kansas congressman told her he didn’t vote in a 2019 Topeka City Council election, despite evidence showing he had cast a ballot in the race after listing a UPS store as his home address.The affidavit released Wednesday was the latest development in a criminal case against the first-term Republican congressman, who faces a stiff challenge in next week’s GOP primary in Kansas’ 2nd Congressional District.Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2c7c67f66ae444204226fbd528a266de">charged</a>&nbsp;Watkins with three felonies and one misdemeanor alleging he illegally voted in the 2019 election and lied to detectives investigating the allegations.Watkins has said he made a clerical error when he listed the UPS store as his address. His campaign alleges the criminal charges are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e31c35cda49df5bac39a950058b3e97e">politically motivated</a>&nbsp;and are designed to boost the chances of one of his GOP opponents, State Treasurer Jake LaTurner.Shawnee County Sheriff’s Detective Stephanie Dicken said in the affidavit that during a Feb. 10 interview, Watkins at one point said he may have voted in the wrong City Council election but then later said “he actually didn’t vote for city council.”Dicken said she received seven mail-in ballots for that race in June and that one of them was from Watkins.“Therefore, Mr. Watkins’ statement to me that he did not vote in the City Council District 8 election is presumed to be false,” Dicken wrote.Dicken also wrote that Watkins initially said he hadn’t signed an advanced voting application with the incorrect address before later saying he would have directed a staff employee to sign it.Watkins’ campaign has said LaTurner and Kagay colluded to bring the charges. His attorneys have asked that Kagay be disqualified from the case because he uses the same direct mail vendor as LaTurner.“Every day that goes by, we learn just how weak and politically motivated the DA’s office is,” Watkins’ campaign manager, Bryan Piligra, said in a statement. “Congressman Watkins — as he has said from day one — made a simple clerical error and immediately corrected it. The real investigation needs to be of Jake LaTurner and this corrupt prosecutor who have colluded in an attempt to manipulate Kansas voters. Luckily, voters are smarter than these prosecutors and they see right through this charade.”

Detective: Kansas congressman lied about voting in 2019 race

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect following an arrest after a chase on Interstate 70.

Just before 10 p.m. Tuesday, a Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office deputy observed a 1997 Nissan Altima, with a license plate registered to a Jeep, make a traffic infraction in the area of the Interstate 470 and Interstate 70 interchange, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The deputy initiated a traffic stop.

The driver signaled, began to pull over and then pulled back onto the highway at a high rate of speed. The driver initiated a pursuit and violated multiple traffic statutes. The pursuit ended near NW MacVicar Avenue and NW Shawna Drive. The driver, Marvin D. Harvey, 29, Topeka, was taken into custody without further incident. 

He was transported and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges that include Reckless driving, Flee and elude law enforcement: fail to stop, Improper driving on laned roadway, Driving while suspended / not licensed, Driving while a habitual violator, Speeding, Display plate not assigned to vehicle, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic, or certain stimulant and Trafficking contraband in correctional institution

The passenger, Jordan P. Green (21) of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a misdemeanor drug charge, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596113200483.png" alt="Harvey-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Harvey-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect following an arrest after a chase on Interstate 70.Just before 10 p.m. Tuesday, a Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office deputy observed a 1997 Nissan Altima, with a license plate registered to a Jeep, make a traffic infraction in the area of the Interstate 470 and Interstate 70 interchange, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The deputy initiated a traffic stop.The driver signaled, began to pull over and then pulled back onto the highway at a high rate of speed. The driver initiated a pursuit and violated multiple traffic statutes. The pursuit ended near NW MacVicar Avenue and NW Shawna Drive. The driver, Marvin D. Harvey, 29, Topeka, was taken into custody without further incident. He was transported and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges that include Reckless driving, Flee and elude law enforcement: fail to stop, Improper driving on laned roadway, Driving while suspended / not licensed, Driving while a habitual violator, Speeding, Display plate not assigned to vehicle, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic, or certain stimulant and Trafficking contraband in correctional institutionThe passenger, Jordan P. Green (21) of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a misdemeanor drug charge, according to Christian.

Suspect jailed after high-speed chase on Interstate 70

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/30/avalanche-of-kansas-ads-in-gop-primary-races-ignore-restraint/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Competitive 
Republican campaigns for U.S. Senate and House seats in Kansas have 
inspired an unprecedented candidate-fueled, PAC-reinforced barrage of 
advertising that blurs the boundary between edgy and toxic.

The 95 television 
commercials aired so far is a record for a GOP primary season. Political
 novice Bob Hamilton, who leapt from plumbing company owner to surprise 
Senate contender, stands at 19 ads, also an all-time high in Kansas. But
 the distinguishing feature of the Kansas races churning through 
millions of dollars is that the the heavyweights are embroiled in 
contests demonstrating a previously unmatched affinity for name-calling,
 exaggeration, dark humor, mockery and abuse.

“The ads this primary have
 taken a step. They’re more provocative. Or, some might say, offensive,”
 said Bob Beatty, a political scientist who has compiled <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/kansaspolitics/videos">a campaign commercial archive</a> documenting decades of Kansas political showdowns.

The 2020 version of the 
how-low-can-you-go limbo dance includes a colorful offering from 
Sunflower State PAC, which is tied to Democrats fond of attacking Senate
 candidate Roger Marshall: “The swamp creature. He’s at home in the D.C.
 swamp — not Kansas.”

The Plains PAC devoted to derailing Kris Kobach: “Why would Kris Kobach lose again in November? Let’s see, Kobach has strong ties to white nationalists. Kobach was pro-abortion before he was against it. And, he was passed over for a job in President Trump’s cabinet.”

Hamilton got into the act 
with an ad allowing his wife, Teresa, to offer an insider’s view of the 
candidate: “You hate Hillary and we can’t say what you say about Pelosi.
 These career politicians lying about you. One is a squish and the other
 couldn’t get elected dog catcher.”

In another Hamilton spot, 
he brags about being a supporter of President Donald Trump, promises to 
drain the swamp and proposes fortification of the border wall with 
Mexico to deter illegal immigrants.

“Electrify the wall,” Hamilton declares. “Quit crying liberals. It’s just a joke.”

Heartland PAC’s contribution, at the expense of congressional candidate Jake LaTurner: “Jake voted for the largest tax increase in Kansas history after he signed a pledge promising not to raise taxes. We call that a lie in Kansas.”

And, the Kansas PAC assault on U.S. Rep. Steve Watkins: “Disrespecting and ignoring the law is Steve Watkins’ specialty. Charged with three felonies, including voter fraud. Vote no on Steve ‘Above The Law’ Watkins.”

In the 3rd District 
congressional primary, GOP candidate Amanda Adkins, a protege of former 
Gov. Sam Brownback, dropped a commercial that bluntly characterized 
rival Sarah Hart Weir’s perspective on the Affordable Care Act signed 
into law a decade ago by President Barack Obama.

“Sara Hart Weir is lying 
about Obamacare,” Adkins’ ad says. “Why? Because Weir worked to elect a 
Pelosi-backed, Obamacare-supporting Democrat.”

At the close, Atkins says she approved the message because “Congress doesn’t have a clue and that’s about to change.”

Beatty, who teaches 
political science at Washburn University in Topeka, said attention to 
the 11-person U.S. Senate campaign from political action committees 
highlights the national value placed on the seat to be vacated by 
retiring Republican Pat Roberts. Interest in the GOP campaigns for 
Senate has historical roots because no Democrat has won a race for that 
job in Kansas since 1932.

In the three competitive 
Republican races for U.S. House seats, he said, the candidates and their
 allies have been willing to push the envelope in terms of deflating the
 foe.

Bill Clifford, a 
physician, Air Force veteran and Finney County commissioner, has taken 
aim at Tracey Mann, who served as Kansas’ lieutenant governor in 2018. 
Clifford’s ads accuse Mann of financially supporting “liberal Democrats”
 and supporting hundreds of millions in new state spending during tough 
times.

Mann responded by accusing Clifford of repeatedly increasing property taxes in Finney County and of voting to extend a stay-at-home order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Mann also pushed out commercials objecting to protests in other states about police shootings and promising to stand with Trump against the “liberal mob.”

Beatty said the emphasis 
on television advertising also may result from the COVID-19 pandemic 
undercutting candidates’ ability to spend six months to one year 
blanketing the state or district. The unwillingness of voters to attend 
public parades, debates or forums since the coronavirus took hold in 
March has restricted opportunities for candidates to make personal 
appeals.

There’s only one candidate
 for federal office in Kansas investing precious campaign resources on 
the nation’s most pressing issue — the mysterious virus that has killed 
153,000 and infected 4.5 million Americans. Dennis Taylor, the long shot
 Republican candidate in the 2nd District congressional primary, has 
concentrated almost exclusively on the pandemic in his few campaign ads.
 His rivals, Watkins and LaTurner, have not bothered.

And, Beatty said, Taylor was a rarity for another reason.

“I’m the only candidate 
not speaking ill of other Republicans,” Taylor promised voters. “I’ve 
run a positive campaign, focused on what’s important to you — a plan to 
get us back to work and school, a plan to test, trace and isolate the 
virus, a pledge to give 50% of my paycheck to COVID-19 relief.”

Intensity of the campaign 
for U.S. Senate among Hamilton, Kobach and Marshall has drawn headlines 
and profound investment, but that GOP skirmish has left <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/28/democrats-see-opportunity-for-senate-seat-in-kansas-gop-primary-battle/">presumptive Democratic nominee Barbara Bollier</a>,
 a state senator from Johnson County, to work with a clean canvas. She 
can talk without interruption about bipartisanship and health care while
 calmly defining herself as a candidate.

“There’s a simple reason 
nothing gets done in Congress,” she said in a mid-July ad. “Everyone 
treats the other party like the enemy. I’m just not into the political 
fights that get us nowhere. I’m focused on the basics — your health care
 costs, your jobs.”

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596142924492.jpeg" alt="Kansas candidates for U.S. Senate and congressional seats during the primary ending Tuesday have produced a record number of TV commercials and flooded homes with direct-mail postcards that offer pointed commentary. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas candidates for U.S. Senate and congressional seats during the primary ending Tuesday have produced a record number of TV commercials and flooded homes with direct-mail postcards that offer pointed commentary. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/30/avalanche-of-kansas-ads-in-gop-primary-races-ignore-restraint/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Competitive 
Republican campaigns for U.S. Senate and House seats in Kansas have 
inspired an unprecedented candidate-fueled, PAC-reinforced barrage of 
advertising that blurs the boundary between edgy and toxic.The 95 television 
commercials aired so far is a record for a GOP primary season. Political
 novice Bob Hamilton, who leapt from plumbing company owner to surprise 
Senate contender, stands at 19 ads, also an all-time high in Kansas. But
 the distinguishing feature of the Kansas races churning through 
millions of dollars is that the the heavyweights are embroiled in 
contests demonstrating a previously unmatched affinity for name-calling,
 exaggeration, dark humor, mockery and abuse.“The ads this primary have
 taken a step. They’re more provocative. Or, some might say, offensive,”
 said Bob Beatty, a political scientist who has compiled <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/kansaspolitics/videos">a campaign commercial archive</a> documenting decades of Kansas political showdowns.The 2020 version of the 
how-low-can-you-go limbo dance includes a colorful offering from 
Sunflower State PAC, which is tied to Democrats fond of attacking Senate
 candidate Roger Marshall: “The swamp creature. He’s at home in the D.C.
 swamp — not Kansas.”<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NNJjW6ddH0c"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Plains PAC devoted to derailing Kris Kobach: “Why would Kris Kobach lose again in November? Let’s see, Kobach has strong ties to white nationalists. Kobach was pro-abortion before he was against it. And, he was passed over for a job in President Trump’s cabinet.”<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yvpcRggEmlM"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hamilton got into the act 
with an ad allowing his wife, Teresa, to offer an insider’s view of the 
candidate: “You hate Hillary and we can’t say what you say about Pelosi.
 These career politicians lying about you. One is a squish and the other
 couldn’t get elected dog catcher.”In another Hamilton spot, 
he brags about being a supporter of President Donald Trump, promises to 
drain the swamp and proposes fortification of the border wall with 
Mexico to deter illegal immigrants.“Electrify the wall,” Hamilton declares. “Quit crying liberals. It’s just a joke.”<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/91PPqSxSzss"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Heartland PAC’s contribution, at the expense of congressional candidate Jake LaTurner: “Jake voted for the largest tax increase in Kansas history after he signed a pledge promising not to raise taxes. We call that a lie in Kansas.”<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vNtRQOYKFNI"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>And, the Kansas PAC assault on U.S. Rep. Steve Watkins: “Disrespecting and ignoring the law is Steve Watkins’ specialty. Charged with three felonies, including voter fraud. Vote no on Steve ‘Above The Law’ Watkins.”<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RIXk1exgc64"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In the 3rd District 
congressional primary, GOP candidate Amanda Adkins, a protege of former 
Gov. Sam Brownback, dropped a commercial that bluntly characterized 
rival Sarah Hart Weir’s perspective on the Affordable Care Act signed 
into law a decade ago by President Barack Obama.“Sara Hart Weir is lying 
about Obamacare,” Adkins’ ad says. “Why? Because Weir worked to elect a 
Pelosi-backed, Obamacare-supporting Democrat.”At the close, Atkins says she approved the message because “Congress doesn’t have a clue and that’s about to change.”<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/41W6QTnHwsw"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Beatty, who teaches 
political science at Washburn University in Topeka, said attention to 
the 11-person U.S. Senate campaign from political action committees 
highlights the national value placed on the seat to be vacated by 
retiring Republican Pat Roberts. Interest in the GOP campaigns for 
Senate has historical roots because no Democrat has won a race for that 
job in Kansas since 1932.In the three competitive 
Republican races for U.S. House seats, he said, the candidates and their
 allies have been willing to push the envelope in terms of deflating the
 foe.Bill Clifford, a 
physician, Air Force veteran and Finney County commissioner, has taken 
aim at Tracey Mann, who served as Kansas’ lieutenant governor in 2018. 
Clifford’s ads accuse Mann of financially supporting “liberal Democrats”
 and supporting hundreds of millions in new state spending during tough 
times.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P1egbs38cBU"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Mann responded by accusing Clifford of repeatedly increasing property taxes in Finney County and of voting to extend a stay-at-home order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Mann also pushed out commercials objecting to protests in other states about police shootings and promising to stand with Trump against the “liberal mob.”<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8enoDa-uc9Y"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Beatty said the emphasis 
on television advertising also may result from the COVID-19 pandemic 
undercutting candidates’ ability to spend six months to one year 
blanketing the state or district. The unwillingness of voters to attend 
public parades, debates or forums since the coronavirus took hold in 
March has restricted opportunities for candidates to make personal 
appeals.There’s only one candidate
 for federal office in Kansas investing precious campaign resources on 
the nation’s most pressing issue — the mysterious virus that has killed 
153,000 and infected 4.5 million Americans. Dennis Taylor, the long shot
 Republican candidate in the 2nd District congressional primary, has 
concentrated almost exclusively on the pandemic in his few campaign ads.
 His rivals, Watkins and LaTurner, have not bothered.And, Beatty said, Taylor was a rarity for another reason.“I’m the only candidate 
not speaking ill of other Republicans,” Taylor promised voters. “I’ve 
run a positive campaign, focused on what’s important to you — a plan to 
get us back to work and school, a plan to test, trace and isolate the 
virus, a pledge to give 50% of my paycheck to COVID-19 relief.”Intensity of the campaign 
for U.S. Senate among Hamilton, Kobach and Marshall has drawn headlines 
and profound investment, but that GOP skirmish has left <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/28/democrats-see-opportunity-for-senate-seat-in-kansas-gop-primary-battle/">presumptive Democratic nominee Barbara Bollier</a>,
 a state senator from Johnson County, to work with a clean canvas. She 
can talk without interruption about bipartisanship and health care while
 calmly defining herself as a candidate.“There’s a simple reason 
nothing gets done in Congress,” she said in a mid-July ad. “Everyone 
treats the other party like the enemy. I’m just not into the political 
fights that get us nowhere. I’m focused on the basics — your health care
 costs, your jobs.”<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GUckVRb79wY"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

Avalanche of Kansas ads in GOP primary races ignore restraint

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating 6 suspects on numerous charges after a drug bust in Great Bend.

Just before 10a.m. Wednesday, sheriff's deputies executed a search warrant at 701 Odell Street in Great Bend, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Deputies arrested five suspects at the residence and another later in the day. They also seized meth and drug paraphernalia from the home.

Johnny Espinoza, 65, Great Bend; Shirley Burrow, 42, Wichita; Nathan Clanton, 36, Great Bend and Kristi Contreras, 29, Great Bend; were booked on requested charges of meth distribution and are each being held on a $50,000 bond.

Burrow also had a Barton County District Court warrant for meth possession and theft, according to Bellendir. Clanton also had a parole violation and Contreras was also wanted on a parole violation.

Candace Jones, 50, Great Bend, was arrested on a requested charge of meth possession.

The sixth suspect identified as Ouray Gray, 33, of Great Bend, was located at a business near 24th and Washington. He was booked on requested charges of meth distribution within 1000 feet of a school from a previous case, according to Bellendir. When detectives searched him following the arrest, the found more evidence of additional drug distribution. Gray is being held on two separate bond of $100,000, according to Bellendir.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596138737439.jpeg" alt="Espinosa-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Espinosa-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating 6 suspects on numerous charges after a drug bust in Great Bend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596138711251.jpeg" alt="Deputies on the scene of the arrest on Wednesday -photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Deputies on the scene of the arrest on Wednesday -photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 10a.m. Wednesday, sheriff's deputies executed a search warrant at 701 Odell Street in Great Bend, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596138755519.jpeg" alt="Burrow-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Burrow-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested five suspects at the residence and another later in the day. They also seized meth and drug paraphernalia from the home.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596138774239.jpeg" alt="Clanton-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Clanton-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Johnny Espinoza, 65, Great Bend; Shirley Burrow, 42, Wichita; Nathan Clanton, 36, Great Bend and Kristi Contreras, 29, Great Bend; were booked on requested charges of meth distribution and are each being held on a $50,000 bond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596138791631.jpeg" alt="Contreras-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Contreras-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Burrow also had a Barton County District Court warrant for meth possession and theft, according to Bellendir. Clanton also had a parole violation and Contreras was also wanted on a parole violation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596138811486.jpeg" alt="Jones-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Jones-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Candace Jones, 50, Great Bend, was arrested on a requested charge of meth possession.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596138831198.jpeg" alt="Gray-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Gray-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The sixth suspect identified as Ouray Gray, 33, of Great Bend, was located at a business near 24th and Washington. He was booked on requested charges of meth distribution within 1000 feet of a school from a previous case, according to Bellendir. When detectives searched him following the arrest, the found more evidence of additional drug distribution. Gray is being held on two separate bond of $100,000, according to Bellendir.

Sheriff: 6 arrested in Kan. meth distribution bust 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab said Thursday his office opposes President Donald Trump’s suggestion to postpone the November election and urged the Kansas delegation to Congress to do the same.

More than 300,000 Kansans received advance by mail ballots for this year’s primary elections, and the state expects there may be higher use of mail ballots for the general election.

“In Kansas, we have implemented measures to ensure the security and safety of the August and November elections,” Schwab said in a statement, adding they “respectfully ask” the Kansas delegation to not support any election delay.

“Now is not the time to act in fear but to show the world we are courageous,” Schwab said.

The secretary of state’s office noted Kansas has allowed all registered voters to request advance by mail ballots since 1996 and said “local election officials are experienced in how to process those ballots in a timely manner.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586715324051.jpeg" alt=" Republican Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab - Credit Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Republican Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab - Credit Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab said Thursday his office opposes President Donald Trump’s suggestion to postpone the November election and urged the Kansas delegation to Congress to do the same.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE &amp; FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288818160389558273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>More than 300,000 Kansans received advance by mail ballots for this year’s primary elections, and the state expects there may be higher use of mail ballots for the general election.“In Kansas, we have implemented measures to ensure the security and safety of the August and November elections,” Schwab said in a statement, adding they “respectfully ask” the Kansas delegation to not support any election delay.“Now is not the time to act in fear but to show the world we are courageous,” Schwab said.The secretary of state’s office noted Kansas has allowed all registered voters to request advance by mail ballots since 1996 and said “local election officials are experienced in how to process those ballots in a timely manner.”

Schwab opposes Trump's suggestion to delay Nov. election

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/29/protesters-demand-more-transparency-from-kansas-department-of-children-and-families/">Kansas Reflector</a>

A dozen protestors stood 
in the rain on Wednesday calling for change to be made at the Kansas 
Department for Children and Families. They said a lack of transparency 
has cost the lives of children, including Adrian Jones, <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article187972269.html">Evan Brewer</a> and, most recently, 3-year-old Olivia Jansen.

Olivia’s body was found in
 a shallow grave on July 10, the day her father reported her missing. 
Her body was covered in bruises and showed other signs of physical 
abuse, according to a probable cause affidavit. <a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/olivia-jansens-grandparents-concerned-about-her-well-being-before-her-death#:~:text=The%20grandparents%20of%20Olivia%20Jansen,home%2C%22%20Elisabeth%20Jansen%20said.">Olivia’s grandparents said</a> they called the agency in March, after not seeing her for months. They said they also called law enforcement several times.

Earlier this month, 
Wyandotte County prosecutors charged Olivia’s father, Howard Jansen III,
 and his girlfriend, Jacqulyn Kirkpatrick, with felony murder, among 
other crimes, in her death. But DCF has continued to balk at requests to
 release her records.

“We have got to protect 
our children and the DCF is not taking that seriously enough,” said 
Nicole Agard, who organized the protest. “We can’t leave these reports 
uninvestigated and leave children in the hands of their abusers.”

DCF is required to release records when child abuse results in a fatality, <a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch38/038_022_0012.html">according to a 2018 law</a>. DCF spokesman Mike Deines said the department is still determining whether Olivia died of abuse or neglect.

As of Oct. 1, 2019, KVC no longer serves Wyandotte County.

The protesters gathered 
outside the DCF office in Wyandotte County before marching to the nearby
 county courthouse. Agard, who is a mother of one, said she was moved to
 action when she heard of Olivia’s case.

“These children are being 
tortured, abused and neglected, but our hands are tied,” Agard said. 
“We’re supposed to call local law enforcement and DCF when we need help,
 but the community is not receiving that help.”

Protester Brooke Wyrick 
said she came out in the rain because she was fed up with how long the 
investigation was taking and called for the resignation or firing of DCF
 regional director Shanelle Dupree.

“Too many children have 
died under her watch,” Wyrick said. “Now we are forced to relive our 
traumas of past failures like that of Adrian Jones.”

Jones was tortured and killed by his parents in a highly publicized 2015 case that also <a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/investigations/family-files-lawsuit-against-kansas-dcf-in-death-of-adrian-jones">earned DCF significant criticism.</a>

Release of Olivia Jansen’s DCF record was the group’s first demand, but their ultimate goal is the <a href="https://legiscan.com/KS/bill/HB2392/2019">passage of Adrian’s Law</a>,
 a bill that would require a court-appointed representative from DCF to 
visually observe any child who is allegedly at risk of abuse or neglect.
 The representative would oversee the case for its duration, speak in 
the sole interest of that child in court and prevent any child from 
slipping through the cracks.

The law has been introduced but stalled in the Kansas legislature three years in a row.

“These are the types of 
laws we need to ensure children’s safety and to bring justice to those 
we’ve lost. We need safeguards for this type of situation,” said Laura 
Singer, who said she attended to bring awareness to the proposed law.

Agard said if anything 
comes of Wednesday’s protest, she hoped it provides an opportunity to 
strategize on how to advance Adrian’s Law.

“Olivia’s death could have
 been prevented if there was a follow-up system in place,” Agard said. 
“It’s clear the system isn’t going to change, so we need to make sure it
 changes.”

Noah Taborda started his journalism career in public radio at KBIA in Columbia, Missouri, covering local government and producing an episode of the podcast Show Me The State while earning his bachelor’s degree in radio broadcasting at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Noah then made a short move to Kansas City, Missouri, to work at KCUR as an intern on the talk show Central Standard and then in the newsroom, reporting on daily news and feature stories.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596134359509.jpeg" alt="Laura Singer (left) and Shannon Shelton (right) brought extra signs to push for Adrian’s law and call for change in the DCF system, July 29, 2020 (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Laura Singer (left) and Shannon Shelton (right) brought extra signs to push for Adrian’s law and call for change in the DCF system, July 29, 2020 (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/29/protesters-demand-more-transparency-from-kansas-department-of-children-and-families/">Kansas Reflector</a>A dozen protestors stood 
in the rain on Wednesday calling for change to be made at the Kansas 
Department for Children and Families. They said a lack of transparency 
has cost the lives of children, including Adrian Jones, <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article187972269.html">Evan Brewer</a> and, most recently, 3-year-old Olivia Jansen.Olivia’s body was found in
 a shallow grave on July 10, the day her father reported her missing. 
Her body was covered in bruises and showed other signs of physical 
abuse, according to a probable cause affidavit. <a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/olivia-jansens-grandparents-concerned-about-her-well-being-before-her-death#:~:text=The%20grandparents%20of%20Olivia%20Jansen,home%2C%22%20Elisabeth%20Jansen%20said.">Olivia’s grandparents said</a> they called the agency in March, after not seeing her for months. They said they also called law enforcement several times.Earlier this month, 
Wyandotte County prosecutors charged Olivia’s father, Howard Jansen III,
 and his girlfriend, Jacqulyn Kirkpatrick, with felony murder, among 
other crimes, in her death. But DCF has continued to balk at requests to
 release her records.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596134411967.jpeg" alt="Brooke Wyrick called for Shanelle Dupree to step down as regional director of DCF, citing a large number of children who have died under her watch. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Brooke Wyrick called for Shanelle Dupree to step down as regional director of DCF, citing a large number of children who have died under her watch. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“We have got to protect 
our children and the DCF is not taking that seriously enough,” said 
Nicole Agard, who organized the protest. “We can’t leave these reports 
uninvestigated and leave children in the hands of their abusers.”DCF is required to release records when child abuse results in a fatality, <a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch38/038_022_0012.html">according to a 2018 law</a>. DCF spokesman Mike Deines said the department is still determining whether Olivia died of abuse or neglect.As of Oct. 1, 2019, KVC no longer serves Wyandotte County.The protesters gathered 
outside the DCF office in Wyandotte County before marching to the nearby
 county courthouse. Agard, who is a mother of one, said she was moved to
 action when she heard of Olivia’s case.“These children are being 
tortured, abused and neglected, but our hands are tied,” Agard said. 
“We’re supposed to call local law enforcement and DCF when we need help,
 but the community is not receiving that help.”Protester Brooke Wyrick 
said she came out in the rain because she was fed up with how long the 
investigation was taking and called for the resignation or firing of DCF
 regional director Shanelle Dupree.“Too many children have 
died under her watch,” Wyrick said. “Now we are forced to relive our 
traumas of past failures like that of Adrian Jones.”Jones was tortured and killed by his parents in a highly publicized 2015 case that also <a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/investigations/family-files-lawsuit-against-kansas-dcf-in-death-of-adrian-jones">earned DCF significant criticism.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596134442140.jpeg" alt="When NaCole Agard (far right) heard of Olivia’s case she thought of her own child and had to act. “The system isn’t going to change, so we need to make sure it changes,” she said. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>When NaCole Agard (far right) heard of Olivia’s case she thought of her own child and had to act. “The system isn’t going to change, so we need to make sure it changes,” she said. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Release of Olivia Jansen’s DCF record was the group’s first demand, but their ultimate goal is the <a href="https://legiscan.com/KS/bill/HB2392/2019">passage of Adrian’s Law</a>,
 a bill that would require a court-appointed representative from DCF to 
visually observe any child who is allegedly at risk of abuse or neglect.
 The representative would oversee the case for its duration, speak in 
the sole interest of that child in court and prevent any child from 
slipping through the cracks.The law has been introduced but stalled in the Kansas legislature three years in a row.“These are the types of 
laws we need to ensure children’s safety and to bring justice to those 
we’ve lost. We need safeguards for this type of situation,” said Laura 
Singer, who said she attended to bring awareness to the proposed law.Agard said if anything 
comes of Wednesday’s protest, she hoped it provides an opportunity to 
strategize on how to advance Adrian’s Law.“Olivia’s death could have
 been prevented if there was a follow-up system in place,” Agard said. 
“It’s clear the system isn’t going to change, so we need to make sure it
 changes.”Noah Taborda started his journalism career in public radio at KBIA in Columbia, Missouri, covering local government and producing an episode of the podcast Show Me The State while earning his bachelor’s degree in radio broadcasting at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Noah then made a short move to Kansas City, Missouri, to work at KCUR as an intern on the talk show Central Standard and then in the newsroom, reporting on daily news and feature stories.

Protesters demand transparency from Kan. Dept. for Children and Families

RUSSELL COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a burglary have tracked down a third suspect after a two day manhunt.

On Thursday morning deputies located and arrested Curtis Klein of Gorham in the area of 186th and Land Road north of Russell. Klein ran from law enforcement during an arrest of two other suspects on Wednesday.

Just after 11:30p.m. Tuesday, deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 19100 Block of Decker Road in Bunker Hill in reference to a burglary in progress, according to sheriff Fred Whitman.

At the residence, deputies observed a black Chevy pickup leaving the scene. Deputies attempted to contact the occupants in the pickup who drove into a large pasture.

At that time, additional Russell County deputies, KHP troopers and K9 officers arrived to help look for the pickup. Authorities found it crashed in a ravine, according to Whitman. No individuals were near the vehicle.

Just after 8a.m. Wednesday, Russell County Deputies and KHP trooper were searching the area when they located 3 individuals. They questioned two of the men about the burglary and took them into custody. The third suspect later identified as Curtis Klein ran from the officers, crossed the Saline River and into open country and was found Thursday.

Deputies booked Klein on the same requested charges as Richard Wayne Hogan, 43, and John Wayne King of Great Bend Burglary, Theft and Interference with law enforcement, according to Whitman.

RUSSELL COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary, have two suspects in custody and continue to search for a third suspect.

Just after 8a.m. Wednesday, Russell County Deputies and KHP trooper were searching the area when they located 3 individuals. They questioned two of the men about the burglary and took them into custody. A third suspect later identified as Curtis Klein of Gorham ran from the officers, crossed the Saline River and into open country.

Deputies booked Richard Wayne Hogan, 43, and John Wayne King of Great Bend on requested charges of Burglary, Theft and Interference with law enforcement, according to Whitman.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596056928567.png" alt="Hogan-photo Russell County" />
 <figcaption>Hogan-photo Russell County</figcaption>
 </figure>RUSSELL COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a burglary have tracked down a third suspect after a two day manhunt.On Thursday morning deputies located and arrested Curtis Klein of Gorham in the area of 186th and Land Road north of Russell. Klein ran from law enforcement during an arrest of two other suspects on Wednesday.Just after 11:30p.m. Tuesday, deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 19100 Block of Decker Road in Bunker Hill in reference to a burglary in progress, according to sheriff Fred Whitman.At the residence, deputies observed a black Chevy pickup leaving the scene. Deputies attempted to contact the occupants in the pickup who drove into a large pasture.At that time, additional Russell County deputies, KHP troopers and K9 officers arrived to help look for the pickup. Authorities found it crashed in a ravine, according to Whitman. No individuals were near the vehicle.Just after 8a.m. Wednesday, Russell County Deputies and KHP trooper were searching the area when they located 3 individuals. They questioned two of the men about the burglary and took them into custody. The third suspect later identified as Curtis Klein ran from the officers, crossed the Saline River and into open country and was found Thursday.Deputies booked Klein on the same requested charges as Richard Wayne Hogan, 43, and John Wayne King of Great Bend Burglary, Theft and Interference with law enforcement, according to Whitman.-----RUSSELL COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary, have two suspects in custody and continue to search for a third suspect.Just after 11:30p.m. Tuesday, deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 19100 Block of Decker Road in Bunker Hill in reference to a burglary in progress, according to sheriff Fred Whitman.At the residence, deputies observed a black Chevy pickup leaving the scene. Deputies attempted to contact the occupants in the pickup who drove into a large pasture.At that time, additional Russell County deputies, KHP troopers and K9 officers arrived to help look for the pickup. Authorities found it crashed in a ravine, according to Whitman. No individuals were near the vehicle.Just after 8a.m. Wednesday, Russell County Deputies and KHP trooper were searching the area when they located 3 individuals. They questioned two of the men about the burglary and took them into custody. A third suspect later identified as Curtis Klein of Gorham ran from the officers, crossed the Saline River and into open country.Deputies booked Richard Wayne Hogan, 43, and John Wayne King of Great Bend on requested charges of Burglary, Theft and Interference with law enforcement, according to Whitman.

3rd Kan. burglary suspect captured after chase, crash

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A super PAC supporting conservative Kris Kobach’s campaign for an open U.S. Senate seat from Kansas has sent out a mailer accusing his chief rival in the Republican primary of performing abortions.

The claim against Rep. Roger Marshall, an OB-GYN endorsed by major anti-abortion groups, is based on a tweet by a Kansas woman whose social media posts have often accused the congressman of hypocrisy on abortion rights.

Free Forever PAC, a group almost entirely funded by California billionaire Peter Thiel, paid for the mailer sent out just days before the Aug. 4 primary in Kansas. Thiel is a longtime Kobach ally who has steered $850,000 to the PAC

Marshall’s campaign and Kansans for Life, the state’s leading anti-abortion group, decried the mailer as a smear. The medical procedure that Shonita Swank of Hoisington claims she underwent to remove an ectopic pregnancy does not constitute an abortion, they said.

An ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, can be life-threatening to the woman if not treated. Many anti-abortion groups, including National Right to Life and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, draw a distinction between the procedure and abortion.

“This is, without question, the most pathetic and low political lie we have ever seen. This patient, by her own public admission, had a tragic ectopic pregnancy, and Dr. Marshall literally saved her life. Dr. Marshall has never participated in an abortion,” said Eric Pahls, Marshall’s campaign manager.

Kobach’s campaign said it had no involvement with the mailers, but it called Swank’s claims in the tweet a “troubling accusation against Roger Marshall that needs to be answered.”

Swank said she doesn’t like the super PAC using her tweet in the mailer, but she doesn’t feel there is anything she can do about it. Swank said her criticism stems from frustration about her treatment and what she views as Marshall’s hypocrisy on abortion.

The mailers attacking Marshall follow ads&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article244047247.html" target="_blank">from Plains PAC</a>&nbsp;that attacked Kobach for his support of abortion rights in 2000 when he was a candidate for the Legislature. Kobach has said he changed his position after becoming a father.

The Plains PAC is run by C.J. Grover, a former staffer of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt. The group has also launched attack ads targeting Kobach’s campaign for paying a white nationalist last year.

The GOP hasn’t lost a Senate race in Kansas since 1932, but Republicans are worried that could change if Kobach wins the nomination because it could turn off party moderates and independents. The Democratic nominee likely will be state Sen. Barbara Bollier, a retired Kansas City anesthesiologist and former moderate Republican who switched parties at the end of 2018.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596127389539.png" alt="The mailer sent by the Kobach campaign" />
 <figcaption>The mailer sent by the Kobach campaign</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A super PAC supporting conservative Kris Kobach’s campaign for an open U.S. Senate seat from Kansas has sent out a mailer accusing his chief rival in the Republican primary of performing abortions.The claim against Rep. Roger Marshall, an OB-GYN endorsed by major anti-abortion groups, is based on a tweet by a Kansas woman whose social media posts have often accused the congressman of hypocrisy on abortion rights.Free Forever PAC, a group almost entirely funded by California billionaire Peter Thiel, paid for the mailer sent out just days before the Aug. 4 primary in Kansas. Thiel is a longtime Kobach ally who has steered $850,000 to the PACMarshall’s campaign and Kansans for Life, the state’s leading anti-abortion group, decried the mailer as a smear. The medical procedure that Shonita Swank of Hoisington claims she underwent to remove an ectopic pregnancy does not constitute an abortion, they said.An ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, can be life-threatening to the woman if not treated. Many anti-abortion groups, including National Right to Life and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, draw a distinction between the procedure and abortion.“This is, without question, the most pathetic and low political lie we have ever seen. This patient, by her own public admission, had a tragic ectopic pregnancy, and Dr. Marshall literally saved her life. Dr. Marshall has never participated in an abortion,” said Eric Pahls, Marshall’s campaign manager.Kobach’s campaign said it had no involvement with the mailers, but it called Swank’s claims in the tweet a “troubling accusation against Roger Marshall that needs to be answered.”Swank said she doesn’t like the super PAC using her tweet in the mailer, but she doesn’t feel there is anything she can do about it. Swank said her criticism stems from frustration about her treatment and what she views as Marshall’s hypocrisy on abortion.The mailers attacking Marshall follow ads&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article244047247.html" target="_blank">from Plains PAC</a>&nbsp;that attacked Kobach for his support of abortion rights in 2000 when he was a candidate for the Legislature. Kobach has said he changed his position after becoming a father.The Plains PAC is run by C.J. Grover, a former staffer of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt. The group has also launched attack ads targeting Kobach’s campaign for paying a white nationalist last year.The GOP hasn’t lost a Senate race in Kansas since 1932, but Republicans are worried that could change if Kobach wins the nomination because it could turn off party moderates and independents. The Democratic nominee likely will be state Sen. Barbara Bollier, a retired Kansas City anesthesiologist and former moderate Republican who switched parties at the end of 2018.

Kan. congressman decries mailer accusing him of performing abortions

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.

The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.

Experts worry the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, whose death toll in the U.S. hit 150,000 Wednesday, by far the highest in the world, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Over a half-million people have died in the rest of the world.

Hard-hit Florida reported 216 deaths, breaking the single-day record it set a day earlier. Texas confirmed 313 additional deaths, pushing its total to 6,190, while South Carolina’s death toll passed 1,500 this week, more than doubling over the past month. In Georgia, hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 1.

“It is a real challenge in terms of trying to get the message to the public about what they can really do to protect themselves and what the facts are behind the problem,” said Michael Osterholm, head of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

He said the fear is that “people are putting themselves in harm’s way because they don’t believe the virus is something they have to deal with.”

Rather than fade away in the face of new evidence, the claims have flourished, fed by mixed messages from officials, transmitted by social media, amplified by leaders like Trump and mutating when confronted with contradictory facts.

“You don’t need masks. There is a cure,” Dr. Stella Immanuel promised in a video that promoted hydroxychloroquine. “You don’t need people to be locked down.”

The truth: Federal regulators last month revoked their authorization of the drug as an emergency treatment amid growing evidence it doesn’t work and can have deadly side effects. Even if it were effective, it wouldn’t negate the need for masks and other measures to contain the outbreak.

None of that stopped Trump, who has repeatedly praised the drug, from retweeting the video. Twitter and Facebook began removing the video Monday for violating policies on COVID-19 misinformation, but it had already been seen more than 20 million times.

Many of the claims in Immanuel’s video are widely disputed by medical experts. She has made even more bizarre pronouncements in the past, saying that cysts, fibroids and some other conditions can be caused by having sex with demons, that McDonald’s and Pokemon promote witchcraft, that alien DNA is used in medical treatments, and that half-human “reptilians” work in the government.

Other baseless theories and hoaxes have alleged that the virus isn’t real or that it’s a bioweapon created by the U.S. or its adversaries. One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4ac3679b6f39e8bd2561c1c8eeafd855">hoax&nbsp;</a>from the outbreak’s early months claimed new 5G towers were spreading the virus through microwaves. Another popular story held that Microsoft founder Bill Gates plans to use COVID-19 vaccines to implant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3287934e9316b008e2a6c7735b7b01df">microchips&nbsp;</a>in all 7 billion people on the planet.

Then there are the political theories — that doctors, journalists and federal officials are conspiring to lie about the threat of the virus to hurt Trump politically.

Social media has amplified the claims and helped believers find each other. The flood of misinformation has posed a challenge for Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, which have found themselves accused of censorship for taking down virus misinformation.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was questioned about Immanuel’s video during an often-contentious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/25a4d18ae3989402f0ad23f38d8cfa23">congressional hearing</a>&nbsp;Wednesday.

“We did take it down because it violates our policies,” Zuckerberg said.

U.S. Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat leading the hearing, responded by noting that 20 million people saw the video before Facebook acted.

“Doesn’t that suggest that your platform is so big, that even with the right policies in place, you can’t contain deadly content?” Cicilline asked Zuckerberg.

It wasn’t the first video containing misinformation about the virus, and experts say it’s not likely to be the last.

A professionally made 26-minute video that alleges the government’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, manufactured the virus and shipped it to China was watched more than 8 million times before the platforms took action. The video, titled “Plandemic,” also warned that masks could make you sick — the false claim Facebook cited when it removed the video down from its site.

Judy Mikovits, the discredited doctor behind “Plandemic,” had been set to appear on the show “America This Week” on the Sinclair Broadcast Group. But the company, which operates TV stations in 81 U.S. markets,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/36c9e59603c007df13702c0dc4095c7d">canned&nbsp;</a>the segment, saying it was “not appropriate” to air.

This week, U.S. government officials speaking on condition of anonymity cited what they said was a clear link between Russian intelligence and websites with stories designed to spread disinformation on the coronavirus in the West. Russian officials rejected the accusations.

Of all the bizarre and myriad claims about the virus, those regarding masks are proving to be among the most stubborn.

New York City resident Carlos Lopez said he wears a mask when required to do so but doesn’t believe it is necessary.

“They’re politicizing it as a tool,” he said. “I think it’s more to try to get Trump to lose. It’s more a scare tactic.”

He is in the minority. A recent AP/NORC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9126a38ef22c244f9ca18f9584061f8d">poll</a>&nbsp;said 3 in 4 Americans — Democrats and Republicans alike — support a national mask mandate.

Still, mask skeptics are a vocal minority and have come together to create social media pages where many false claims about mask safety are shared. Facebook has removed some of the pages — such as the group Unmasking America!, which had nearly 10,000 members — but others remain.

Early in the pandemic, medical authorities themselves were the source of much confusion regarding masks. In February, officials like the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1233725785283932160" target="_blank">U.S. surgeon general</a>&nbsp;urged Americans not to stockpile masks because they were needed by medical personnel and might not be effective in everyday situations.

Public health officials changed their tune when it became apparent that the virus could spread among people showing no symptoms.

Yet Trump remained reluctant to use a mask, mocked his rival Joe Biden for wearing one and suggested people might be covering their faces just to hurt him politically. He did an abrupt about-face this month, claiming that he had always supported masks — then later retweeted Immanuel’s video against masks.

The mixed signals hurt, Fauci acknowledged in an interview with NPR this month.

“The message early on became confusing,” he said.

Many of the claims around masks allege harmful effects, such as blocked oxygen flow or even a greater chance of infection. The claims have been widely debunked by doctors.

Dr. Maitiu O Tuathail of Ireland grew so concerned about mask misinformation he posted an online video of himself comfortably wearing a mask while measuring his oxygen levels. The video has been viewed more than 20 million times.

“While face masks don’t lower your oxygen levels. COVID definitely does,” he warned.

Yet trusted medical authorities are often being dismissed by those who say requiring people to wear masks is a step toward authoritarianism.

“Unless you make a stand, you will be wearing a mask for the rest of your life,” tweeted Simon Dolan, a British businessman who has sued the government over its COVID-19 restrictions.

Trump’s reluctant, ambivalent and late embrace of masks hasn’t convinced some of his strongest supporters, who have concocted ever more elaborate theories to explain his change of heart. Some say he was actually speaking in code and doesn’t really support masks.

O Tuathail witnessed just how unshakable COVID-19 misinformation can be when, after broadcasting his video, he received emails from people who said he cheated or didn’t wear the mask long enough to feel the negative effects.

That’s not surprising, according to University of Central Florida psychology professor Chrysalis Wright, who studies misinformation. She said conspiracy theory believers often engage in mental gymnastics to make their beliefs conform with reality.

“People only want to hear what they already think they know,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596107178939.png" alt="Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during his testimony before a congressional committee Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during his testimony before a congressional committee Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.Experts worry the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, whose death toll in the U.S. hit 150,000 Wednesday, by far the highest in the world, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Over a half-million people have died in the rest of the world.Hard-hit Florida reported 216 deaths, breaking the single-day record it set a day earlier. Texas confirmed 313 additional deaths, pushing its total to 6,190, while South Carolina’s death toll passed 1,500 this week, more than doubling over the past month. In Georgia, hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 1.“It is a real challenge in terms of trying to get the message to the public about what they can really do to protect themselves and what the facts are behind the problem,” said Michael Osterholm, head of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.He said the fear is that “people are putting themselves in harm’s way because they don’t believe the virus is something they have to deal with.”Rather than fade away in the face of new evidence, the claims have flourished, fed by mixed messages from officials, transmitted by social media, amplified by leaders like Trump and mutating when confronted with contradictory facts.“You don’t need masks. There is a cure,” Dr. Stella Immanuel promised in a video that promoted hydroxychloroquine. “You don’t need people to be locked down.”The truth: Federal regulators last month revoked their authorization of the drug as an emergency treatment amid growing evidence it doesn’t work and can have deadly side effects. Even if it were effective, it wouldn’t negate the need for masks and other measures to contain the outbreak.None of that stopped Trump, who has repeatedly praised the drug, from retweeting the video. Twitter and Facebook began removing the video Monday for violating policies on COVID-19 misinformation, but it had already been seen more than 20 million times.Many of the claims in Immanuel’s video are widely disputed by medical experts. She has made even more bizarre pronouncements in the past, saying that cysts, fibroids and some other conditions can be caused by having sex with demons, that McDonald’s and Pokemon promote witchcraft, that alien DNA is used in medical treatments, and that half-human “reptilians” work in the government.Other baseless theories and hoaxes have alleged that the virus isn’t real or that it’s a bioweapon created by the U.S. or its adversaries. One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4ac3679b6f39e8bd2561c1c8eeafd855">hoax&nbsp;</a>from the outbreak’s early months claimed new 5G towers were spreading the virus through microwaves. Another popular story held that Microsoft founder Bill Gates plans to use COVID-19 vaccines to implant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3287934e9316b008e2a6c7735b7b01df">microchips&nbsp;</a>in all 7 billion people on the planet.Then there are the political theories — that doctors, journalists and federal officials are conspiring to lie about the threat of the virus to hurt Trump politically.Social media has amplified the claims and helped believers find each other. The flood of misinformation has posed a challenge for Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, which have found themselves accused of censorship for taking down virus misinformation.Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was questioned about Immanuel’s video during an often-contentious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/25a4d18ae3989402f0ad23f38d8cfa23">congressional hearing</a>&nbsp;Wednesday.“We did take it down because it violates our policies,” Zuckerberg said.U.S. Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat leading the hearing, responded by noting that 20 million people saw the video before Facebook acted.“Doesn’t that suggest that your platform is so big, that even with the right policies in place, you can’t contain deadly content?” Cicilline asked Zuckerberg.It wasn’t the first video containing misinformation about the virus, and experts say it’s not likely to be the last.A professionally made 26-minute video that alleges the government’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, manufactured the virus and shipped it to China was watched more than 8 million times before the platforms took action. The video, titled “Plandemic,” also warned that masks could make you sick — the false claim Facebook cited when it removed the video down from its site.Judy Mikovits, the discredited doctor behind “Plandemic,” had been set to appear on the show “America This Week” on the Sinclair Broadcast Group. But the company, which operates TV stations in 81 U.S. markets,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/36c9e59603c007df13702c0dc4095c7d">canned&nbsp;</a>the segment, saying it was “not appropriate” to air.This week, U.S. government officials speaking on condition of anonymity cited what they said was a clear link between Russian intelligence and websites with stories designed to spread disinformation on the coronavirus in the West. Russian officials rejected the accusations.Of all the bizarre and myriad claims about the virus, those regarding masks are proving to be among the most stubborn.New York City resident Carlos Lopez said he wears a mask when required to do so but doesn’t believe it is necessary.“They’re politicizing it as a tool,” he said. “I think it’s more to try to get Trump to lose. It’s more a scare tactic.”He is in the minority. A recent AP/NORC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9126a38ef22c244f9ca18f9584061f8d">poll</a>&nbsp;said 3 in 4 Americans — Democrats and Republicans alike — support a national mask mandate.Still, mask skeptics are a vocal minority and have come together to create social media pages where many false claims about mask safety are shared. Facebook has removed some of the pages — such as the group Unmasking America!, which had nearly 10,000 members — but others remain.Early in the pandemic, medical authorities themselves were the source of much confusion regarding masks. In February, officials like the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1233725785283932160" target="_blank">U.S. surgeon general</a>&nbsp;urged Americans not to stockpile masks because they were needed by medical personnel and might not be effective in everyday situations.Public health officials changed their tune when it became apparent that the virus could spread among people showing no symptoms.Yet Trump remained reluctant to use a mask, mocked his rival Joe Biden for wearing one and suggested people might be covering their faces just to hurt him politically. He did an abrupt about-face this month, claiming that he had always supported masks — then later retweeted Immanuel’s video against masks.The mixed signals hurt, Fauci acknowledged in an interview with NPR this month.“The message early on became confusing,” he said.Many of the claims around masks allege harmful effects, such as blocked oxygen flow or even a greater chance of infection. The claims have been widely debunked by doctors.Dr. Maitiu O Tuathail of Ireland grew so concerned about mask misinformation he posted an online video of himself comfortably wearing a mask while measuring his oxygen levels. The video has been viewed more than 20 million times.“While face masks don’t lower your oxygen levels. COVID definitely does,” he warned.Yet trusted medical authorities are often being dismissed by those who say requiring people to wear masks is a step toward authoritarianism.“Unless you make a stand, you will be wearing a mask for the rest of your life,” tweeted Simon Dolan, a British businessman who has sued the government over its COVID-19 restrictions.Trump’s reluctant, ambivalent and late embrace of masks hasn’t convinced some of his strongest supporters, who have concocted ever more elaborate theories to explain his change of heart. Some say he was actually speaking in code and doesn’t really support masks.O Tuathail witnessed just how unshakable COVID-19 misinformation can be when, after broadcasting his video, he received emails from people who said he cheated or didn’t wear the mask long enough to feel the negative effects.That’s not surprising, according to University of Central Florida psychology professor Chrysalis Wright, who studies misinformation. She said conspiracy theory believers often engage in mental gymnastics to make their beliefs conform with reality.“People only want to hear what they already think they know,” she said.___

Misinformation on coronavirus is proving highly contagious

SEDGWICK —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 40-year-old William Pottorff.

Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting at the Scottsman Inn, 5922 West Kellogg in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Captain Jason Stephens.

When officers arrived, they found Pottorf dead inside one of the motel rooms. He had been staying there with a woman who had rented the room, according to Stephens.

Shortly after police were sent to the motel, officers learned that a 23-year-old man had arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound. Investigators were able to determine that he was involved in this incident at the motel. He remains in critical condition, according to Stephens.

Through interviews and evidence, police learned that the 23-year-old had been at the motel with four other men. They forcibly entered Pottorf's room.&nbsp; A disturbance occurred between the 23-year-old and Pottorf, according to Captain Stephens. Both brandished firearms and there was exchange of gunfire.

Police were continuing to conduct interviews in the case, according to Stephens.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596107513157.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Thursday photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Thursday photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 40-year-old William Pottorff.Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting at the Scottsman Inn, 5922 West Kellogg in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Captain Jason Stephens.When officers arrived, they found Pottorf dead inside one of the motel rooms. He had been staying there with a woman who had rented the room, according to Stephens.Shortly after police were sent to the motel, officers learned that a 23-year-old man had arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound. Investigators were able to determine that he was involved in this incident at the motel. He remains in critical condition, according to Stephens.Through interviews and evidence, police learned that the 23-year-old had been at the motel with four other men. They forcibly entered Pottorf's room.&nbsp; A disturbance occurred between the 23-year-old and Pottorf, according to Captain Stephens. Both brandished firearms and there was exchange of gunfire.Police were continuing to conduct interviews in the case, according to Stephens.

Police investigate fatal Kansas motel room gun battle

By DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-29/ku-med-and-childrens-mercy-to-lead-clinical-trials-of-promising-covid-19-vaccine">Kansas News Service</a>

A COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical 
giant AstraZeneca will be tested locally as part of a clinical trial 
seeking to enroll 30,000 participants nationwide.

The University 
of Kansas Medical Center and Children’s Mercy Hospital will lead the 
local effort, which calls for the recruitment of 1,500 participants in 
Kansas and Missouri.

Known as AZD1222, the vaccine generated an immune response in a study of 1,077 patients, according to interim results <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31604-4/fulltext" target="_blank">published in The Lancet</a> medical journal on July 20.

More
 than 100 COVID-19 vaccines are currently in development, but AZD1222 
has been one of the first to move into large-scale clinical trials. 

The
 data published in The Lancet showed that the vaccine caused a variety 
of side effects in 60% of the participants. But those side effects — 
including fever, headaches, muscle aches and fatigue — were deemed mild 
or moderate.

“This vaccine is very exciting,” said Dr. Mario 
Castro, a pulmonologist with the KU School of Medicine. “There’s been so
 much thrown at this coronavirus in terms of treatment and prevention, 
and we ultimately know that the best strategy for this virus is a 
vaccine.”

Castro and Dr. Barbara Pahud, an infectious disease 
specialist at Chidren’s Mercy, will serve as co-principal investigators 
for the local trials.

AZD1222 is entering Phase 3 of clinical 
trials, meaning the vaccine — having cleared earlier stages of 
investigation — is given to thousands of people to see how many become 
infected compared with volunteers who receive a placebo. 

The 
Phase 3 trials are expected to begin in mid- or late August. 
Participants must be over the age of 18 and considered to be at high 
risk of coming into contact with the novel coronavirus that causes 
COVID-19. The participants will be randomized; two out of three will get
 the vaccine and the rest will get a placebo.

According to <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/phase-3-clinical-trial-investigational-vaccine-covid-19-begins" target="_blank">the National Institutes of Health</a>,
 Phase 3 clinical trials for another vaccine under development by 
Moderna Inc., a biotechnology company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have 
also begun across the country. Like the AZD1222 trials, those trials are
 expected to enroll approximately 30,000 adult volunteers nationwide.

The
 Washington University School of Medicine and the St. Louis University 
Center for Vaccine Development are leading regional clinical trials for 
the Moderna vaccine.

That vaccine, which has also shown promise, 
uses messenger RNA, or mRNA, to prompt cells to make a fragment of the 
virus, which primes the immune system to attack if it encounters the 
real coronavirus.

By contrast, AZD1222 uses a genetically 
engineered virus taken from chimpanzees that carries a gene for one 
protein in the coronavirus. The virus is inserted into patients’ cells, 
causing them to manufacture that protein, which in turn triggers an 
immune response.

"Safety is our No. 1 priority," said Pahud of 
Children's Mercy Hospital. "I would not offer this vaccine if I were not
 ready to take it myself." 

People wanting to be considered for 
the AZD1222 clinical trial and receive the vaccine can register using 
the Coronavirus Prevention Network website or by calling 913-574-3006 in
 Kansas City, 316-293-1833 in Wichita.

Dan Margolies is senior reporter and editor at KCUR. He can be reached by email at dan@kcur.org or on Twitter @DanMargolies.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/10/1571089976044.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-29/ku-med-and-childrens-mercy-to-lead-clinical-trials-of-promising-covid-19-vaccine">Kansas News Service</a>A COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical 
giant AstraZeneca will be tested locally as part of a clinical trial 
seeking to enroll 30,000 participants nationwide.The University 
of Kansas Medical Center and Children’s Mercy Hospital will lead the 
local effort, which calls for the recruitment of 1,500 participants in 
Kansas and Missouri.Known as AZD1222, the vaccine generated an immune response in a study of 1,077 patients, according to interim results <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31604-4/fulltext" target="_blank">published in The Lancet</a> medical journal on July 20.More
 than 100 COVID-19 vaccines are currently in development, but AZD1222 
has been one of the first to move into large-scale clinical trials. The
 data published in The Lancet showed that the vaccine caused a variety 
of side effects in 60% of the participants. But those side effects — 
including fever, headaches, muscle aches and fatigue — were deemed mild 
or moderate.“This vaccine is very exciting,” said Dr. Mario 
Castro, a pulmonologist with the KU School of Medicine. “There’s been so
 much thrown at this coronavirus in terms of treatment and prevention, 
and we ultimately know that the best strategy for this virus is a 
vaccine.”Castro and Dr. Barbara Pahud, an infectious disease 
specialist at Chidren’s Mercy, will serve as co-principal investigators 
for the local trials.AZD1222 is entering Phase 3 of clinical 
trials, meaning the vaccine — having cleared earlier stages of 
investigation — is given to thousands of people to see how many become 
infected compared with volunteers who receive a placebo. The 
Phase 3 trials are expected to begin in mid- or late August. 
Participants must be over the age of 18 and considered to be at high 
risk of coming into contact with the novel coronavirus that causes 
COVID-19. The participants will be randomized; two out of three will get
 the vaccine and the rest will get a placebo.According to <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/phase-3-clinical-trial-investigational-vaccine-covid-19-begins" target="_blank">the National Institutes of Health</a>,
 Phase 3 clinical trials for another vaccine under development by 
Moderna Inc., a biotechnology company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have 
also begun across the country. Like the AZD1222 trials, those trials are
 expected to enroll approximately 30,000 adult volunteers nationwide.The
 Washington University School of Medicine and the St. Louis University 
Center for Vaccine Development are leading regional clinical trials for 
the Moderna vaccine.That vaccine, which has also shown promise, 
uses messenger RNA, or mRNA, to prompt cells to make a fragment of the 
virus, which primes the immune system to attack if it encounters the 
real coronavirus.By contrast, AZD1222 uses a genetically 
engineered virus taken from chimpanzees that carries a gene for one 
protein in the coronavirus. The virus is inserted into patients’ cells, 
causing them to manufacture that protein, which in turn triggers an 
immune response."Safety is our No. 1 priority," said Pahud of 
Children's Mercy Hospital. "I would not offer this vaccine if I were not
 ready to take it myself." People wanting to be considered for 
the AZD1222 clinical trial and receive the vaccine can register using 
the Coronavirus Prevention Network website or by calling 913-574-3006 in
 Kansas City, 316-293-1833 in Wichita.Dan Margolies is senior reporter and editor at KCUR. He can be reached by email at dan@kcur.org or on Twitter @DanMargolies.&nbsp;

KU Med, Children’s Mercy to lead clinical trials of promising COVID-19 vaccine

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/30/a-lot-of-anger-kansas-authorities-on-alert-for-threats-to-health-officers/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Department
 of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman says he is used to 
“looking over my shoulder,” behavior the lieutenant colonel in the 
Kansas Army National Guard learned while serving as senior medical 
commander in a combat zone.

Norman again finds himself under threat of attack.

Public health officials 
across the the country are being threatened by the residents they are 
trying to protect while managing the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kansas 
Adjutant General’s office, which oversees emergency preparedness for the
 state, informed Norman’s staff this week that general threats were 
being made.

Law enforcement in Kansas 
are monitoring potential and perceived threats, said Ashley 
Jones-Wisner, senior director for public affairs at KDHE. Norman said at
 least one county health officer in Kansas has enlisted 24-hour 
protection.

Norman said there haven’t been any direct threats against his life, “but there’s a lot of anger out there.”

“There are a lot of people
 that are getting punchy,” Norman said. “I think it’s out there kind of 
in the level of the theoretical. I try to always be situational.”

Gov. Laura Kelly has 
issued a litany of executive orders, based on advice from Norman, to 
mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Kansas. The response to those orders —
 including recent efforts to require residents to wear masks in public 
and delay the start of public schools — has grown increasingly hostile 
and politically charged.

“We have to take any and 
all threats seriously,” Kelly said. “My administration, our agencies and
 law enforcement will continue to be in coordination to ensure the 
safety of state and local employees. It’s more important than ever that 
elected officials stick to using public health data and science, and 
keep politics out of the conversation around COVID-19.”

KDHE for the first time on
 Wednesday enlisted Kansas Highway Patrol officers to attend a news 
briefing delivered by Norman. Reporters now are being asked to RSVP and 
show credentials when they arrive.

Norman’s agency reported 
the addition of 698 cases of COVID-19 and 14 new deaths in Kansas over a
 48-hour period this week. He said health officials in Kansas were 
monitoring active clusters connected to bars and restaurants, religious 
gatherings, meat packing plants, group homes, long-term care facilities,
 and private businesses.

In total, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">KDHE has recorded</a> 26,870 cases, 1,700 hospitalizations and 349 deaths since the first case in Kansas was discovered in early March.

KDHE enlisted Susan 
Voorhees, a Topeka psychologist, to join Norman at Wednesday’s briefing 
and address the anxiety parents and children are feeling as they <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/29/local-control-takes-shape-as-school-districts-across-kansas-plan-for-reopening/">prepare to return to school</a>.

That anxiety is fueled by 
uncertainty over when and how in-person instruction will resume, health 
risks, mandated precautions, screen time, seeing friends and job 
security. Voorhees said the best thing parents can do is talk to their 
kids about these worries and let them ask questions.

“We know that anxiety is 
like the monster under the bed,” Voorhees said. “It hides in the dark. 
It hides in the areas where we don’t talk about things, where we just 
let our minds go and wander and imagine — lying in bed at night, 
wondering about what’s going to happen tomorrow or what we heard on the 
news.”

Norman said he had 
witnessed first-hand the mental stress of the months-long pandemic. 
Managing the state’s response, Norman said, reminded him of his 
deployment in 2017-18 to the Middle East, where he was responsible for 
the health of 12,000 troops.

The secretary credited his
 colleagues at the health agency for providing a good support network 
for him and each other over the past five months.

“I feel great,” Norman said. “I really do. But it’s not because it’s been easy sledding.”

Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature. He spent 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal, where he started on the copy desk, then oversaw digital operations, was the managing editor and reported from the Statehouse. A lifelong Kansan, he graduated from Emporia State University in 2004 as a Shepherd Scholar with a degree in English.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596129008049.jpeg" alt="Lee Norman says he views the threats against public health officers like him as theoretical, "but there's a lot of anger out there." (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Lee Norman says he views the threats against public health officers like him as theoretical, "but there's a lot of anger out there." (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/30/a-lot-of-anger-kansas-authorities-on-alert-for-threats-to-health-officers/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Department
 of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman says he is used to 
“looking over my shoulder,” behavior the lieutenant colonel in the 
Kansas Army National Guard learned while serving as senior medical 
commander in a combat zone.Norman again finds himself under threat of attack.Public health officials 
across the the country are being threatened by the residents they are 
trying to protect while managing the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kansas 
Adjutant General’s office, which oversees emergency preparedness for the
 state, informed Norman’s staff this week that general threats were 
being made.Law enforcement in Kansas 
are monitoring potential and perceived threats, said Ashley 
Jones-Wisner, senior director for public affairs at KDHE. Norman said at
 least one county health officer in Kansas has enlisted 24-hour 
protection.Norman said there haven’t been any direct threats against his life, “but there’s a lot of anger out there.”“There are a lot of people
 that are getting punchy,” Norman said. “I think it’s out there kind of 
in the level of the theoretical. I try to always be situational.”Gov. Laura Kelly has 
issued a litany of executive orders, based on advice from Norman, to 
mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Kansas. The response to those orders —
 including recent efforts to require residents to wear masks in public 
and delay the start of public schools — has grown increasingly hostile 
and politically charged.“We have to take any and 
all threats seriously,” Kelly said. “My administration, our agencies and
 law enforcement will continue to be in coordination to ensure the 
safety of state and local employees. It’s more important than ever that 
elected officials stick to using public health data and science, and 
keep politics out of the conversation around COVID-19.”KDHE for the first time on
 Wednesday enlisted Kansas Highway Patrol officers to attend a news 
briefing delivered by Norman. Reporters now are being asked to RSVP and 
show credentials when they arrive.Norman’s agency reported 
the addition of 698 cases of COVID-19 and 14 new deaths in Kansas over a
 48-hour period this week. He said health officials in Kansas were 
monitoring active clusters connected to bars and restaurants, religious 
gatherings, meat packing plants, group homes, long-term care facilities,
 and private businesses.In total, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">KDHE has recorded</a> 26,870 cases, 1,700 hospitalizations and 349 deaths since the first case in Kansas was discovered in early March.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596129066955.jpeg" alt="Susan Voorhees, a Topeka psychologist, says parents should talk to their children about the anxiety they feel about going back to school. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Susan Voorhees, a Topeka psychologist, says parents should talk to their children about the anxiety they feel about going back to school. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>KDHE enlisted Susan 
Voorhees, a Topeka psychologist, to join Norman at Wednesday’s briefing 
and address the anxiety parents and children are feeling as they <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/29/local-control-takes-shape-as-school-districts-across-kansas-plan-for-reopening/">prepare to return to school</a>.That anxiety is fueled by 
uncertainty over when and how in-person instruction will resume, health 
risks, mandated precautions, screen time, seeing friends and job 
security. Voorhees said the best thing parents can do is talk to their 
kids about these worries and let them ask questions.“We know that anxiety is 
like the monster under the bed,” Voorhees said. “It hides in the dark. 
It hides in the areas where we don’t talk about things, where we just 
let our minds go and wander and imagine — lying in bed at night, 
wondering about what’s going to happen tomorrow or what we heard on the 
news.”Norman said he had 
witnessed first-hand the mental stress of the months-long pandemic. 
Managing the state’s response, Norman said, reminded him of his 
deployment in 2017-18 to the Middle East, where he was responsible for 
the health of 12,000 troops.The secretary credited his
 colleagues at the health agency for providing a good support network 
for him and each other over the past five months.“I feel great,” Norman said. “I really do. But it’s not because it’s been easy sledding.”Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature. He spent 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal, where he started on the copy desk, then oversaw digital operations, was the managing editor and reported from the Statehouse. A lifelong Kansan, he graduated from Emporia State University in 2004 as a Shepherd Scholar with a degree in English.

‘A lot of anger’: Kan. authorities on alert for threats to health officers

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspects on drug charges after police executed two search warrants Wednesday in Great Bend.

The first search warrant was served just after 10a.m. at 404 Plum Street, according to a media release.

 Shawna Contrerez, age 31, was located inside the residence and arrested on a requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of stolen property.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596123679251.png" alt="Shawna Contrerez" />
 <figcaption>Shawna Contrerez</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspects on drug charges after police executed two search warrants Wednesday in Great Bend.The first search warrant was served just after 10a.m. at 404 Plum Street, according to a media release. Shawna Contrerez, age 31, was located inside the residence and arrested on a requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of stolen property.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596123714402.png" alt="Ashley Robertson" />
 <figcaption>Ashley Robertson</figcaption>
 </figure>The second search warrant was executed at 1014 ½ Stone Street, Great Bend. During the search of the residence marijuana, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia were located and seized.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596123738714.png" alt="Jacob Parks" />
 <figcaption>Jacob Parks</figcaption>
 </figure>Police arrested Ashley Robertson, 26, on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. They also arrested Jacob Parks, 40, on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and felon in possession of a weapon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596123755338.png" alt="Crawford" />
 <figcaption>Crawford</figcaption>
 </figure>Later Wednesday, police located Robert Crawford, age 28, in the area of 27th and Morton Street in Great Bend. Police arrested him on requested charges of&nbsp; distribution of methamphetamine associated with the search warrants which were executed earlier in the morning.