TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced Deputy Secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL), Brett Flachsbarth, as the Acting Secretary of Labor, according to a media release from her office.

 He will serve as Acting Secretary of Labor until Governor Kelly announces the permanent Secretary.

“Brett is a Department of Labor veteran, and he knows the ins-and-outs of the issues KDOL faces,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “I’m confident he will be able to continue the progress made and ensure Kansas families receive the relief they need.”

Brett joined the Kansas Department of Labor in 2005 as a member of the agency’s legal team. He was appointed to Deputy Secretary of Labor in January 2019. During his time with the agency he has worked in a variety of roles including Director of Unemployment insurance, Chief of Appeals, Counsel to the Employment Security Board of Review and Counsel to the Public Employee Relations Board.

He is a current member and former Chair of the Steering Committee for the Information and Technology Support Center, a nationwide collaboration between state agencies and the United States Department of Labor to advance the effective use of technology within the unemployment insurance system. Brett is a graduate of the University of Kansas and Washburn University School of Law.

“I want to thank Ryan Wright for his service as Acting Secretary,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “Taking over this department was no easy task. There is still a lot of work to be done -- but under his leadership, KDOL has made immense progress and has largely been stabilized.”

The Kansas Department of Labor has made significant progress in the last 6 months, including:

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced Deputy Secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL), Brett Flachsbarth, as the Acting Secretary of Labor, according to a media release from her office. He will serve as Acting Secretary of Labor until Governor Kelly announces the permanent Secretary.“Brett is a Department of Labor veteran, and he knows the ins-and-outs of the issues KDOL faces,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “I’m confident he will be able to continue the progress made and ensure Kansas families receive the relief they need.”Brett joined the Kansas Department of Labor in 2005 as a member of the agency’s legal team. He was appointed to Deputy Secretary of Labor in January 2019. During his time with the agency he has worked in a variety of roles including Director of Unemployment insurance, Chief of Appeals, Counsel to the Employment Security Board of Review and Counsel to the Public Employee Relations Board.He is a current member and former Chair of the Steering Committee for the Information and Technology Support Center, a nationwide collaboration between state agencies and the United States Department of Labor to advance the effective use of technology within the unemployment insurance system. Brett is a graduate of the University of Kansas and Washburn University School of Law.“I want to thank Ryan Wright for his service as Acting Secretary,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “Taking over this department was no easy task. There is still a lot of work to be done -- but under his leadership, KDOL has made immense progress and has largely been stabilized.”The Kansas Department of Labor has made significant progress in the last 6 months, including:<ul>
 <li>Returning the agency to normal operations in all program areas, including workers compensation and industrial safety and health.</li><li>Instituted a fraud program which has stopped over 200,000 fraudulent claims: www.ReportFraud.ks.gov.</li><li>Brought on Accenture, a firm that helped address critical unemployment program backlogs, stabilized legacy IT systems, and increased temporary staffing to address the historic increase in demand for unemployment compensation.</li><li>Since March 15, paying out more than $3.4 million weekly claims totaling over $2.4 billion in unemployment. Previously, it took 8 years to reach $2 billion in unemployment payments.</li><li>Made significant progress on the backlog of claims. In June, the regular unemployment backlog was around 25,000. Today, KDOL has a backlog of around 1,800 claims and is on target to eliminate this backlog around the first of the year.</li><li>Made significant progress on the buildout of the PUA Unemployment System, including a critical component that allows the agency to address the PUA backlog. Since it was completed at the end of November, over 11,000 Kansans have begun providing the necessary documentation to have their PUA claims adjudicated. As claimants provide their documentation, KDOL staff is able to make a determination on their claims in a timely manner.</li><li>Improved call center customer service, added hundreds of new operators and streamlined operations. Now, once a caller enters an initial call queue they can speak to a customer service representative within 15 minutes. If the call queues are full they are not able to connect to the system, which prevents callers from remaining on hold for hours.</li>
 </ul>

Governor Kelly names acting Secretary of Labor

By LISA RODRIGUEZ <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-12-21/faq-answering-your-questions-about-the-coronavirus-vaccines-as-inoculations-roll-out-in-kansas-city">Kansas News Service</a>

Hospitals across the Kansas have started vaccinating frontline health care workers against COVID-19. 

Public
 health officials have said a widely available vaccine will ultimately 
control the pandemic that has killed more than 7,000 people across 
Kansas and Missouri. 

As the vaccines become available to the general public, <a href="https://www.americaamplified.org/" target="_blank">America Amplified</a> is gathering and curating answers from experts to questions on the minds of public radio listeners across the country.

There
 are different companies producing coronavirus vaccines. Will all of 
them require people to get two doses? And do they need two doses of the 
same vaccine? How will people avoid getting two different vaccines? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

The
 two current vaccines each require 2 doses. Other vaccines are being 
studied; one of them is a single dose vaccine. You do need to have two 
doses of the same vaccine. Ideally you should visit the same health 
practioner who will be keeping a record of who is vaccinated with which 
vaccine.

I am 65 and live in a 55-plus community. When do you feel I can realistically expect to be able to get the vaccine? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

The
 determining factor will be your age, not your community. You’ll be in 
the second or third group to receive a vaccine, likely by sometime this 
spring. We know healthcare providers are first, and then residents of 
long-term care facilities. We are waiting on advice from the CDC 
Advisory committee on who should go next -- essential workers, or people
 who are 65 or older.

Does your visa status affect the chances of you getting the vaccine? From
 Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, Dean of University of Missouri-Kansas City 
Medical School and a member of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee

There are no restrictions on vaccine provisions to anyone on a visa.

What are the logistics for actually getting it to elderly with underlying issues? From Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, Dean of UMKC Medical School and a member of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee

CVS
 and Walgreens will be administering vaccines in senior living 
facilities. For those who cannot consent, relatives who have power of 
attorney can do so.

[What are the] side effects [from the vaccines] for people with underlying health issues. Do they even know? From Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center.

Both
 [Pfizer and Moderna vaccines] use messenger RNA technology, a really 
novel vaccine platform. ...There still remain many questions to be 
answered as we go forward. At this juncture, we're only going to know 
about short-term side effects, but we need to know whether there are any
 potential rare, long-term side effects. Short-term side effects that we
 know of now appear in about 5% to 15% of participants. They include 
inflammation, soreness at the injection site, a low-grade fever, 
headaches, muscle aches and fatigue. These can last from 12 to 36 hours 
after vaccination.

Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine? From Side Effects Public Media

No. The COVID-19 vaccine doses developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna ... have been in <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-are-mrna-vaccines-so-exciting-2020121021599" target="_blank">development for about three decades</a>, but are only now being used for COVID-19. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html" target="_blank">According to the CDC</a>,
 mRNA vaccines teach your cells how to make a protein – or even just a 
piece of a protein – that triggers an immune response inside our bodies.
 That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects you 
from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.

Do I still have to wear a mask once I have the vaccine? From Side Effects Public Media

Yes. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/12/12/945288710/what-you-need-to-know-as-the-first-covid-19-vaccine-heads-your-way" target="_blank">According to NPR’s Shots</a>,
 studies of the new vaccines only measured whether vaccinated people 
developed symptoms, not whether they got infected. It's possible that 
they got mild infections — not enough to make them ill, but enough to 
pass the virus on to others. The CDC is calling for those who are 
immunized to continue wearing masks and practicing safe physical 
distancing until more is learned.

Is it safe for patients with
 autoimmune disease who take immunosuppressive medications to be 
vaccinated against COVID? Is it effective? From Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center.

There's
 no doubt that we're going to have to look very carefully at data on 
both the safety and efficacy because that too can be impaired in 
immunocompromised individuals. The vaccines that are typically not 
recommended routinely for severely immunocompromised individuals are 
what we call attenuated viral vaccines, where we take the natural virus 
and make it weaker. And this is a very old way of making vaccines. But 
for example, our measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines are attenuated 
viral vaccines. None of the front runners for COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 are
 that type of vaccine. So I don't anticipate problems with safety ... 
but that will need to be studied going forward.

Do any of the manufacturers know if their vaccine is safe for people with HIV? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

It
 probably won't hurt, but it could help. The second vaccine in line -- 
the Moderna vaccine -- included a small study of people with HIV 
infection and we expect to see that data shortly. But in the meantime, 
if people with HIV are offered the Pfizer vaccine they should take it.

Will I have to pay for the vaccine? From Side Effects Public Media

No.
 Vaccine providers will be able to bill insurance for a fee to 
administer the vaccine, but will not be able to charge you. They can 
seek reimbursement for uninsured patients from the Health Resources and 
Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund.

This story was 
produced as part of America Amplified, a public media initiative funded 
by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.&nbsp;If you have a 
question about any of the COVID-19 vaccines, send an e-mail to 
news@kcur.org with the subject "KCUR Vaccine Question."&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608581549882.jpg" alt="Pixabay image" />
 <figcaption>Pixabay image</figcaption>
 </figure>By LISA RODRIGUEZ <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-12-21/faq-answering-your-questions-about-the-coronavirus-vaccines-as-inoculations-roll-out-in-kansas-city">Kansas News Service</a>Hospitals across the Kansas have started vaccinating frontline health care workers against COVID-19. Public
 health officials have said a widely available vaccine will ultimately 
control the pandemic that has killed more than 7,000 people across 
Kansas and Missouri. As the vaccines become available to the general public, <a href="https://www.americaamplified.org/" target="_blank">America Amplified</a> is gathering and curating answers from experts to questions on the minds of public radio listeners across the country.There
 are different companies producing coronavirus vaccines. Will all of 
them require people to get two doses? And do they need two doses of the 
same vaccine? How will people avoid getting two different vaccines? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.The
 two current vaccines each require 2 doses. Other vaccines are being 
studied; one of them is a single dose vaccine. You do need to have two 
doses of the same vaccine. Ideally you should visit the same health 
practioner who will be keeping a record of who is vaccinated with which 
vaccine.I am 65 and live in a 55-plus community. When do you feel I can realistically expect to be able to get the vaccine? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.The
 determining factor will be your age, not your community. You’ll be in 
the second or third group to receive a vaccine, likely by sometime this 
spring. We know healthcare providers are first, and then residents of 
long-term care facilities. We are waiting on advice from the CDC 
Advisory committee on who should go next -- essential workers, or people
 who are 65 or older.Does your visa status affect the chances of you getting the vaccine? From
 Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, Dean of University of Missouri-Kansas City 
Medical School and a member of the National Vaccine Advisory CommitteeThere are no restrictions on vaccine provisions to anyone on a visa.What are the logistics for actually getting it to elderly with underlying issues? From Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, Dean of UMKC Medical School and a member of the National Vaccine Advisory CommitteeCVS
 and Walgreens will be administering vaccines in senior living 
facilities. For those who cannot consent, relatives who have power of 
attorney can do so.[What are the] side effects [from the vaccines] for people with underlying health issues. Do they even know? From Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center.Both
 [Pfizer and Moderna vaccines] use messenger RNA technology, a really 
novel vaccine platform. ...There still remain many questions to be 
answered as we go forward. At this juncture, we're only going to know 
about short-term side effects, but we need to know whether there are any
 potential rare, long-term side effects. Short-term side effects that we
 know of now appear in about 5% to 15% of participants. They include 
inflammation, soreness at the injection site, a low-grade fever, 
headaches, muscle aches and fatigue. These can last from 12 to 36 hours 
after vaccination.Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine? From Side Effects Public MediaNo. The COVID-19 vaccine doses developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna ... have been in <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-are-mrna-vaccines-so-exciting-2020121021599" target="_blank">development for about three decades</a>, but are only now being used for COVID-19. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html" target="_blank">According to the CDC</a>,
 mRNA vaccines teach your cells how to make a protein – or even just a 
piece of a protein – that triggers an immune response inside our bodies.
 That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects you 
from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.Do I still have to wear a mask once I have the vaccine? From Side Effects Public MediaYes. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/12/12/945288710/what-you-need-to-know-as-the-first-covid-19-vaccine-heads-your-way" target="_blank">According to NPR’s Shots</a>,
 studies of the new vaccines only measured whether vaccinated people 
developed symptoms, not whether they got infected. It's possible that 
they got mild infections — not enough to make them ill, but enough to 
pass the virus on to others. The CDC is calling for those who are 
immunized to continue wearing masks and practicing safe physical 
distancing until more is learned. Is it safe for patients with
 autoimmune disease who take immunosuppressive medications to be 
vaccinated against COVID? Is it effective? From Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center.There's
 no doubt that we're going to have to look very carefully at data on 
both the safety and efficacy because that too can be impaired in 
immunocompromised individuals. The vaccines that are typically not 
recommended routinely for severely immunocompromised individuals are 
what we call attenuated viral vaccines, where we take the natural virus 
and make it weaker. And this is a very old way of making vaccines. But 
for example, our measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines are attenuated 
viral vaccines. None of the front runners for COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 are
 that type of vaccine. So I don't anticipate problems with safety ... 
but that will need to be studied going forward.Do any of the manufacturers know if their vaccine is safe for people with HIV? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.It
 probably won't hurt, but it could help. The second vaccine in line -- 
the Moderna vaccine -- included a small study of people with HIV 
infection and we expect to see that data shortly. But in the meantime, 
if people with HIV are offered the Pfizer vaccine they should take it.Will I have to pay for the vaccine? From Side Effects Public MediaNo.
 Vaccine providers will be able to bill insurance for a fee to 
administer the vaccine, but will not be able to charge you. They can 
seek reimbursement for uninsured patients from the Health Resources and 
Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund.This story was 
produced as part of America Amplified, a public media initiative funded 
by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.&nbsp;If you have a 
question about any of the COVID-19 vaccines, send an e-mail to 
news@kcur.org with the subject "KCUR Vaccine Question."&nbsp;

Q&A about COVID-19 vaccines as inoculations roll out

KANSAS CITY (AP) —&nbsp;Police in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;City believe the victim of a fatal hit-and-run crash was left lying on the side of a street for more than 48 hours before he was found.

No arrests have been made in the accident that happened just after midnight Friday near Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard and Elmwood Avenue.

Police said on Twitter that a speeding vehicle left the roadway and struck a pedestrian. Police released photos of the vehicle.

Just after 9 a.m. Sunday, someone called authorities to report the body near the road.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608659142070.png" alt="Police are looking to identify this vehicle involved in the fatality crash on Dec. 18, just after midnight near Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. and Elmwood Ave.&nbsp;The vehicle will be heavily damaged possibly in the left rear quarter panel and the back window will be shattered. If you have any information, please contact Detective White at 816-949-1524" />
 <figcaption>Police are looking to identify this vehicle involved in the fatality crash on Dec. 18, just after midnight near Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. and Elmwood Ave.&nbsp;The vehicle will be heavily damaged possibly in the left rear quarter panel and the back window will be shattered. If you have any information, please contact Detective White at 816-949-1524</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —&nbsp;Police in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;City believe the victim of a fatal hit-and-run crash was left lying on the side of a street for more than 48 hours before he was found.No arrests have been made in the accident that happened just after midnight Friday near Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard and Elmwood Avenue.Police said on Twitter that a speeding vehicle left the roadway and struck a pedestrian. Police released photos of the vehicle.Just after 9 a.m. Sunday, someone called authorities to report the body near the road.

KC Police: Hit-and-run victim was left along roadway 2 days

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/21/this-is-damn-serious-roberts-urges-kansans-to-take-covid-19-vaccine/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts administered stern advice as he received his shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“This is damn serious,” he said. “Take the vaccine, just like I’m doing right now.”

Health officials in Kansas
 are administering vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna to the pandemic’s 
front line workers and others selected for the first wave of a limited 
supply as the novel coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across the 
state. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported another 
107 deaths from the virus on Monday, bringing the total number of Kansas
 to die from the disease to 2,448.

The vaccine is the latest 
weaponry in the war on the deadly contagion. The latest front in the war
 on disinformation: Convincing people to take the vaccine.

Enter Roberts, the 
Republican who is about to retire after representing Kansas for four 
decades in Washington, D.C. In a promotional video shared Monday by 
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Facebook, Roberts urged Kansans to wear a
 mask and get over their worries about the vaccine.

“Folks — get the vaccine. I
 know some people have worries about it,” Roberts said. “This is really 
going to help us get on top with this dreaded disease that has hurt us 
so much.”

And after taking his shot: “It didn’t hurt a bit, folks.”

Kansas received 24,000 
doses of the Pfizer vaccine last week and expects to receive 49,000 
doses of the Moderna vaccine this week.

Kelly applauded Roberts for “a final act of bipartisan goodwill.”

“When it’s your turn,” she
 said, “be like Senator Roberts and get your vaccine. It’s safe, 
effective, and will keep you and your loved ones protected from 
COVID-19.”

As of Monday, health 
officials have documented 204,600 infections of COVID-19 in Kansas. 
KDHE’s list of current outbreaks includes 55 nursing homes, seven 
correctional facilities, two group living homes, three health care 
facilities, six private businesses, including the Pfizer plant in 
McPherson, seven K-12 schools, the Jewell County Sheriff’s Office, and 
the City of Colby business office.

With no apparent slowing 
down of the virus’ spread, Kelly also announced Monday she will deliver 
her annual State of the State speech virtually next month, instead of 
speaking from the House floor.

“COVID-19 has altered many
 of our traditions,” the governor said. “With case numbers continuing to
 increase and limited hospital capacity, gathering the entire 
Legislature and the Kansas Supreme Court Justices into one chamber would
 be an unnecessary risk to their health and safety.”

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.&nbsp;

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/21/this-is-damn-serious-roberts-urges-kansans-to-take-covid-19-vaccine/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts administered stern advice as he received his shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.“This is damn serious,” he said. “Take the vaccine, just like I’m doing right now.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">When it’s your turn, be like <a href="https://twitter.com/SenPatRoberts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenPatRoberts</a> and get your vaccine. It’s safe, effective, and will keep you and your loved ones protected from COVID-19. <a href="https://t.co/nNVgV9IiPh">pic.twitter.com/nNVgV9IiPh</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1341081825112961025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Health officials in Kansas
 are administering vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna to the pandemic’s 
front line workers and others selected for the first wave of a limited 
supply as the novel coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across the 
state. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported another 
107 deaths from the virus on Monday, bringing the total number of Kansas
 to die from the disease to 2,448.The vaccine is the latest 
weaponry in the war on the deadly contagion. The latest front in the war
 on disinformation: Convincing people to take the vaccine.Enter Roberts, the 
Republican who is about to retire after representing Kansas for four 
decades in Washington, D.C. In a promotional video shared Monday by 
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Facebook, Roberts urged Kansans to wear a
 mask and get over their worries about the vaccine.“Folks — get the vaccine. I
 know some people have worries about it,” Roberts said. “This is really 
going to help us get on top with this dreaded disease that has hurt us 
so much.”And after taking his shot: “It didn’t hurt a bit, folks.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608648549010.jpeg" alt="The Harvey County Health Department said it received 200 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Monday. The doses were being administered to local emergency responders and health care workers. (Harvey County Health Department)" />
 <figcaption>The Harvey County Health Department said it received 200 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Monday. The doses were being administered to local emergency responders and health care workers. (Harvey County Health Department)</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas received 24,000 
doses of the Pfizer vaccine last week and expects to receive 49,000 
doses of the Moderna vaccine this week.Kelly applauded Roberts for “a final act of bipartisan goodwill.”“When it’s your turn,” she
 said, “be like Senator Roberts and get your vaccine. It’s safe, 
effective, and will keep you and your loved ones protected from 
COVID-19.”As of Monday, health 
officials have documented 204,600 infections of COVID-19 in Kansas. 
KDHE’s list of current outbreaks includes 55 nursing homes, seven 
correctional facilities, two group living homes, three health care 
facilities, six private businesses, including the Pfizer plant in 
McPherson, seven K-12 schools, the Jewell County Sheriff’s Office, and 
the City of Colby business office.With no apparent slowing 
down of the virus’ spread, Kelly also announced Monday she will deliver 
her annual State of the State speech virtually next month, instead of 
speaking from the House floor.“COVID-19 has altered many
 of our traditions,” the governor said. “With case numbers continuing to
 increase and limited hospital capacity, gathering the entire 
Legislature and the Kansas Supreme Court Justices into one chamber would
 be an unnecessary risk to their health and safety.”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.&nbsp;

‘This is damn serious’: Roberts urges Kansans to take vaccine

ELLIS COUNTY —First responders were on the scene of a semi truck fire on Interstate 70 near Yocemento Tuesday morning.

Traffic in both directions was being routed around the blaze. Heavy black smoke was blowing across the westbound lanes of I-70 as of 10:45 a.m.

Authorities have released no additional details.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608656283195.jpeg" alt="UPDATE: Law enforcement officers began to reopen the interstate about 11:40 a.m." />
 <figcaption>UPDATE: Law enforcement officers began to reopen the interstate about 11:40 a.m.</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS COUNTY —First responders were on the scene of a semi truck fire on Interstate 70 near Yocemento Tuesday morning.Traffic in both directions was being routed around the blaze. Heavy black smoke was blowing across the westbound lanes of I-70 as of 10:45 a.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608656529663.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Authorities have released no additional details.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

Truck fire backs up traffic on I-70 in Ellis County

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A commission established by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly in response to the mass civil unrest over racial injustice earlier this year is urging state lawmakers to ban officers from entering a home without announcing their presence, but it’s unclear how aggressively the Legislature will pursue it.

The recommendation by the Governor’s Commission on Racial Justice and Equity is modeled after federal legislation proposed this year by Democrats in Congress amid a growing call to ban “no-knock” search warrants after Breonna Taylor was killed in her Louisville home by officers in March.

The practice has since been banned in several cities, including Louisville. In October, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed a statewide ban against the use of no-knock warrants, joining Oregon and Florida.

Activists seeking to ban no-knock warrants argue that they can prompt police to use excessive or deadly force, often against minorities, while also violating people’s constitutional protection against unreasonable searches. Police are wary of banning them, fearing that requiring them to knock and announce themselves allows criminals time to flee or destroy evidence.

Two Kansas lawmakers who studied criminal justice reform on a panel of legislators and others said they had misgivings about the recommendation on no-knock warrants, and it’s unclear where legislative leadership stands.

Kelly is a Democrat and Republicans maintained their supermajorities in both chambers in November’s elections after hitting Democrats on criminal justice issues, suggesting they would “defund” the police.

Mike Pirner, a spokesman for incoming Senate President Ty Masterson, said Masterson had yet to study the issue. House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. said criminal justice issues will be addressed in 2021, and Kelly’s commission’s had ideas “that deserve to be vetted,” though he didn’t specifically mention a ban on no-knock warrants.

Rep. Stephen Owens, a Republican from Hesston and vice chairman of the legislative Criminal Justice Reform Commission, said he doesn’t support a ban. The state Legislature created the commission in 2019 to make recommendations on topics such as diversion programs and sentencing.

“I’m always hesitant to take a tool out of the toolbox for law enforcement,” he said, adding that officers may need to enter a property without warning to arrest armed gang members involved in drug trafficking.

Sen. David Haley, a Kansas City Democrat also on the criminal justice reform committee, is hesitant too. He said he wants to “evaluate how and when a no-knock warrant would be used” before supporting a ban.

Several top Republicans said the proposal will get a look from lawmakers, though they aren’t committing to a schedule or votes in the House and Senate.

But incoming Senate Vice President Rick Wilborn, a McPherson Republican also on the criminal justice reform committee, said: “If there ever was a time to look at it seriously, now is the time because criminal justice reform, in general, is at the forefront, has been for the last couple of years.”

Wyandotte County Sheriff Donald Ash said he does not recall his agency conducting a no-knock warrant in his 11 years as sheriff. Still, he doesn’t support a ban in drug cases.

He said police need the element of surprise in drug cases, when they’ve received reports that a suspect is armed and has a criminal history involving a firearm.

But executing the warrants can be dangerous for officers. Topeka police stopped the practice in 1995 after an officer was shot and killed conducting a drug raid, said Police Chief Bill Cochran. This summer, the Topeka City Council adopted an ordinance banning no-knock warrants, ensuring the agency doesn’t reintroduce the practice under a different chief.

Cochran said serving no-knock warrants is “inherently very dangerous” to officers. People inside become startled, which makes them more edgy and increases the possibility that their reactions will endanger officers, Cochran said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594415416015.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly and members of her Commission on Racial Equality held their first meeting online in July." />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly and members of her Commission on Racial Equality held their first meeting online in July.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A commission established by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly in response to the mass civil unrest over racial injustice earlier this year is urging state lawmakers to ban officers from entering a home without announcing their presence, but it’s unclear how aggressively the Legislature will pursue it.The recommendation by the Governor’s Commission on Racial Justice and Equity is modeled after federal legislation proposed this year by Democrats in Congress amid a growing call to ban “no-knock” search warrants after Breonna Taylor was killed in her Louisville home by officers in March.The practice has since been banned in several cities, including Louisville. In October, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed a statewide ban against the use of no-knock warrants, joining Oregon and Florida.Activists seeking to ban no-knock warrants argue that they can prompt police to use excessive or deadly force, often against minorities, while also violating people’s constitutional protection against unreasonable searches. Police are wary of banning them, fearing that requiring them to knock and announce themselves allows criminals time to flee or destroy evidence.Two Kansas lawmakers who studied criminal justice reform on a panel of legislators and others said they had misgivings about the recommendation on no-knock warrants, and it’s unclear where legislative leadership stands.Kelly is a Democrat and Republicans maintained their supermajorities in both chambers in November’s elections after hitting Democrats on criminal justice issues, suggesting they would “defund” the police.Mike Pirner, a spokesman for incoming Senate President Ty Masterson, said Masterson had yet to study the issue. House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. said criminal justice issues will be addressed in 2021, and Kelly’s commission’s had ideas “that deserve to be vetted,” though he didn’t specifically mention a ban on no-knock warrants.Rep. Stephen Owens, a Republican from Hesston and vice chairman of the legislative Criminal Justice Reform Commission, said he doesn’t support a ban. The state Legislature created the commission in 2019 to make recommendations on topics such as diversion programs and sentencing.“I’m always hesitant to take a tool out of the toolbox for law enforcement,” he said, adding that officers may need to enter a property without warning to arrest armed gang members involved in drug trafficking.Sen. David Haley, a Kansas City Democrat also on the criminal justice reform committee, is hesitant too. He said he wants to “evaluate how and when a no-knock warrant would be used” before supporting a ban.Several top Republicans said the proposal will get a look from lawmakers, though they aren’t committing to a schedule or votes in the House and Senate.But incoming Senate Vice President Rick Wilborn, a McPherson Republican also on the criminal justice reform committee, said: “If there ever was a time to look at it seriously, now is the time because criminal justice reform, in general, is at the forefront, has been for the last couple of years.”Wyandotte County Sheriff Donald Ash said he does not recall his agency conducting a no-knock warrant in his 11 years as sheriff. Still, he doesn’t support a ban in drug cases.He said police need the element of surprise in drug cases, when they’ve received reports that a suspect is armed and has a criminal history involving a firearm.But executing the warrants can be dangerous for officers. Topeka police stopped the practice in 1995 after an officer was shot and killed conducting a drug raid, said Police Chief Bill Cochran. This summer, the Topeka City Council adopted an ordinance banning no-knock warrants, ensuring the agency doesn’t reintroduce the practice under a different chief.Cochran said serving no-knock warrants is “inherently very dangerous” to officers. People inside become startled, which makes them more edgy and increases the possibility that their reactions will endanger officers, Cochran said.__

Kansas equity, justice panel wants end to no-knock raids

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will need far more doses of coronavirus vaccines than it’s set to receive in the coming days to start giving shots to all residents 75 or older, officials at a major health care system said Monday, as the state reported its worst seven-day spike in COVID-19 deaths of the pandemic.

State officials expect Kansas’ 49,000 doses of a vaccine made by Moderna set to arrive this week to go to local health departments and community health care centers, so that they can vaccine health care workers, said Ashley Jones-Wisner, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The state’s first vaccine shipments last week, 23,750 doses made by Pfizer, went to hospitals for at-risk health care workers.

The state’s vaccine distribution plan calls for vaccines first to go to health care workers, workers in nursing homes and nursing home residents, though Jones-Wisner said another shipment of Pfizer’s vaccines, expected to be 17,550 doses, will be used to start those shots. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses.

A federal advisory panel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-over75-essential-145d1bae81aaa05df26cfed0d24f0e10">recommended Sunday</a>&nbsp;that people 75 and older and essential workers like firefighters, teachers and grocery store workers should be next in line for shots after health care workers and nursing home residents. But Dr. Steve Stites, the chief medical officer for the University of Kansas Health System, said until the state gets more doses, distributing vaccines is “going to be a little difficult.”

It’s likely to be months before vaccines will be available for everyone. Kansas officials don’t

“Somebody’s going to feel left out, because there’s not enough,” Stites said during an online briefing other health system officials. “We just have to have a lot more of the vaccine.”

The state health department reported a pandemic-high average of 48 additional COVID-19 deaths a day for the seven days ending Monday, with the previous record of 45 set last week for the seven days ending Wednesday. The state added 107 new deaths to its pandemic tally since Friday, to bring the total to 2,448, or one for every 1,190 residents.

The state also added 4,174 confirmed or probable coronavirus cases to its pandemic total since Friday, bringing it to 204.600, or one case for every 14 of the state’s 2.9 million residents. The state averaged 2,083 new cases a day for the seven days ending Monday.

Two-thirds of the state’s COVID-19 deaths, or 1,649, had occurred in residents 75 or older as of Monday, and last week, the state health department reported that during the pandemic, more than 500 clusters of two or more cases had accounted for 963 deaths.

The state plans to have vaccine shots given to nursing home residents and staff on-site, mostly through retail pharmacy giants CVS and Walgreens, so that neither group has to leave their facilities.

“We know that nursing home residents are the highest-risk people when they get COVID-19 but also the highest-risk of being exposed because of their congregate living situation,” said Dr. Jessica Kalender-Rich, a geriatric care specialist and member of a national advisory committee on vaccine distribution in nursing homes.

Gov. Laura Kelly already has celebrated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-coronavirus-pandemic-e53bbe038a6cfab0be1dde53e93d5e42">a relatively wide distribution</a>&nbsp;of the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine across the state last week, saying it reached roughly 100 of the state’s 105 counties. The Moderna vaccine doesn’t have to be stored at as cold temperatures, and Stites said that will mean it can go to more places.

Stites also said people of all ages — including in nursing homes — still can protect themselves with masks, social distancing and frequent hand-washing. And, he predicted, Kansas will be “in pretty darn good shape” a year from now because of the vaccines.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608071036687.png" alt="Vaccine arrived Dec. 15 in Topeka- photo courtesy Stormont Vail Health" />
 <figcaption>Vaccine arrived Dec. 15 in Topeka- photo courtesy Stormont Vail Health</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will need far more doses of coronavirus vaccines than it’s set to receive in the coming days to start giving shots to all residents 75 or older, officials at a major health care system said Monday, as the state reported its worst seven-day spike in COVID-19 deaths of the pandemic.State officials expect Kansas’ 49,000 doses of a vaccine made by Moderna set to arrive this week to go to local health departments and community health care centers, so that they can vaccine health care workers, said Ashley Jones-Wisner, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The state’s first vaccine shipments last week, 23,750 doses made by Pfizer, went to hospitals for at-risk health care workers.The state’s vaccine distribution plan calls for vaccines first to go to health care workers, workers in nursing homes and nursing home residents, though Jones-Wisner said another shipment of Pfizer’s vaccines, expected to be 17,550 doses, will be used to start those shots. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses.A federal advisory panel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-over75-essential-145d1bae81aaa05df26cfed0d24f0e10">recommended Sunday</a>&nbsp;that people 75 and older and essential workers like firefighters, teachers and grocery store workers should be next in line for shots after health care workers and nursing home residents. But Dr. Steve Stites, the chief medical officer for the University of Kansas Health System, said until the state gets more doses, distributing vaccines is “going to be a little difficult.”It’s likely to be months before vaccines will be available for everyone. Kansas officials don’t“Somebody’s going to feel left out, because there’s not enough,” Stites said during an online briefing other health system officials. “We just have to have a lot more of the vaccine.”The state health department reported a pandemic-high average of 48 additional COVID-19 deaths a day for the seven days ending Monday, with the previous record of 45 set last week for the seven days ending Wednesday. The state added 107 new deaths to its pandemic tally since Friday, to bring the total to 2,448, or one for every 1,190 residents.The state also added 4,174 confirmed or probable coronavirus cases to its pandemic total since Friday, bringing it to 204.600, or one case for every 14 of the state’s 2.9 million residents. The state averaged 2,083 new cases a day for the seven days ending Monday.ADVERTISEMENTTwo-thirds of the state’s COVID-19 deaths, or 1,649, had occurred in residents 75 or older as of Monday, and last week, the state health department reported that during the pandemic, more than 500 clusters of two or more cases had accounted for 963 deaths.The state plans to have vaccine shots given to nursing home residents and staff on-site, mostly through retail pharmacy giants CVS and Walgreens, so that neither group has to leave their facilities.“We know that nursing home residents are the highest-risk people when they get COVID-19 but also the highest-risk of being exposed because of their congregate living situation,” said Dr. Jessica Kalender-Rich, a geriatric care specialist and member of a national advisory committee on vaccine distribution in nursing homes.Gov. Laura Kelly already has celebrated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-coronavirus-pandemic-e53bbe038a6cfab0be1dde53e93d5e42">a relatively wide distribution</a>&nbsp;of the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine across the state last week, saying it reached roughly 100 of the state’s 105 counties. The Moderna vaccine doesn’t have to be stored at as cold temperatures, and Stites said that will mean it can go to more places.Stites also said people of all ages — including in nursing homes — still can protect themselves with masks, social distancing and frequent hand-washing. And, he predicted, Kansas will be “in pretty darn good shape” a year from now because of the vaccines.___

Health officials: Kansas needs 'a lot more' COVID-19 vaccine

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress passed a $900 billion pandemic relief package that would finally deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and resources to vaccinate a nation confronting a frightening surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

Lawmakers tacked on a $1.4 trillion catchall spending bill and thousands of pages of other end-of-session business in a massive bundle of bipartisan legislation as Capitol Hill prepared to close the books on the year. The bill approved Monday night went to President Donald Trump for his signature, which was expected in the coming days.

The relief package, unveiled Monday afternoon, sped through the House and Senate in a matter of hours. The Senate cleared the massive package by a 92-6 vote after the House approved the COVID-19 package by another lopsided vote, 359-53. The tallies were a bipartisan coda to months of partisanship and politicking as lawmakers wrangled over the relief question, a logjam that broke after President-elect Joe Biden urged his party to accept a compromise with top Republicans that is smaller than many Democrats would have liked.

The bill combines coronavirus-fighting funds with financial relief for individuals and businesses. It would establish a temporary $300 per week supplemental jobless benefit and a $600 direct stimulus payment to most Americans, along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses, restaurants, and theaters and money for schools, health care providers and renters facing eviction.

The 5,593-page legislation — by far the longest bill ever — came together Sunday after months of battling, posturing and postelection negotiating that reined in a number of Democratic demands as the end of the congressional session approached. Biden was eager for a deal to deliver long-awaited help to suffering people and a boost to the economy, even though it was less than half the size that Democrats wanted in the fall.

“This deal is not everything I want — not by a long shot,” said Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., a longstanding voice in the party’s old-school liberal wing. “The choice before us is simple. It’s about whether we help families or not. It’s about whether we help small businesses and restaurants or not. It’s about whether we boost (food stamp) benefits and strengthen anti-hunger programs or not. And whether we help those dealing with a job loss or not. To me, this is not a tough call.”

Congress also approved a one-week stopgap spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown at midnight and give Trump time to sign the sweeping legislation.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, a key negotiator, said on CNBC Monday morning that the direct payments would begin arriving in bank accounts next week.

Democrats promised more aid to come once Biden takes office, but Republicans were signaling a wait-and-see approach.

The measure would fund the government through September, wrapping a year’s worth of action on annual spending bills into a single package that never saw Senate committee or floor debate.

The legislation followed a tortured path. Democrats played hardball up until Election Day, amid accusations that they wanted to deny Trump a victory that might help him prevail. Democrats denied that, but their demands indeed became more realistic after Trump’s loss and as Biden made it clear that half a loaf was better than none.

The final bill bore ample resemblance to a $1 trillion package put together by Senate Republican leaders in July, a proposal that at the time was scoffed at by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as way too little.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., took a victory lap after blocking far more ambitious legislation from reaching the Senate floor. He said the pragmatic approach of Biden was key.

“The president-elect suggesting that we needed to do something now was helpful in moving both Pelosi and Schumer into a better place,” McConnell told The Associated Press. “My view about what comes next is let’s take a look at it. Happy to evaluate that based upon the needs that we confront in February and March.”

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, D-Calif., came to the Senate to cast her vote for the bill. “The American people need relief and I want to be able to do what I can to help them,” she said.

On direct payments, the bill provides $600 to individuals making up to $75,000 per year and $1,200 to couples making up to $150,000, with payments phased out for higher incomes. An additional $600 payment will be made per dependent child, similar to the last round of relief payments in the spring.

“I expect we’ll get the money out by the beginning of next week — $2,400 for a family of four,” Mnuchin said. “So much needed relief just in time for the holidays.”

The $300 per week bonus jobless benefit was half the supplemental federal unemployment benefit provided under the $1.8 billion CARES Act in March. That more generous benefit and would be limited to 11 weeks instead of 16 weeks. The direct $600 stimulus payment was also half the March payment.

The CARES Act was credited with keeping the economy from falling off a cliff during widespread lockdowns in the spring, but Republicans controlling the Senate cited debt concerns in pushing against Democratic demands.

“Anyone who thinks this bill is enough hasn’t heard the desperation in the voices of their constituents, has not looked into the eyes of the small-business owner on the brink of ruin,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, a lifelong New Yorker who pushed hard for money helping his city’s transit systems, renters, theaters and restaurants.

Progress came after a bipartisan group of pragmatists and moderates devised a $908 billion plan that built a middle-ground position that the top four leaders of Congress — the GOP and Democratic leaders of both the House and Senate — used as the basis for their talks. The lawmakers urged leaders on both sides to back off of hardline positions.

“At times we felt like we were in the wilderness because people on all sides of the aisle didn’t want to give, in order to give the other side a win,” said freshman Rep. Elssa Slotkin, D-Mich. “And it was gross to watch, frankly.”

Republicans were most intent on reviving the Paycheck Protection Program with $284 billion, which would cover a second round of PPP grants to especially hard-hit businesses. Democrats won set-asides for low-income and minority communities.

The sweeping bill also contains $25 billion in rental assistance, $15 billion for theaters and other live venues, $82 billion for local schools, colleges and universities, and $10 billion for child care.

Six GOP senators voted against the bill: Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.

The governmentwide appropriations bill was likely to provide a last $1.4 billion installment for Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall as a condition of winning his signature. The Pentagon would receive $696 billion. Democrats and Senate Republicans prevailed in a bid to use bookkeeping maneuvers to squeeze $12.5 billion more for domestic programs into the legislation.

The bill was an engine to carry much of Capitol Hill’s unfinished business, including an almost 400-page water resources bill that targets $10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control, environmental and coastal protection projects. Another addition would extend a batch of soon-to-expire tax breaks, such as one for craft brewers, wineries and distillers.

It also would carry numerous clean-energy provisions sought by Democrats with fossil fuel incentives favored by Republicans, $7 billion to increase access to broadband, $4 billion to help other nations vaccinate their people, $14 billion for cash-starved transit systems, $1 billion for Amtrak and $2 billion for airports and concessionaires. Food stamp benefits would temporarily be increased by 15%.

The Senate Historical Office said the previous record for the length of legislation was the 2,847-page tax reform bill of 1986 — about one-half the size of Monday’s behemoth.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596577475681.png" alt="The 5,593-page spending bill congress passed late Monday is the longest bill in history-image courtesy CSPAN." />
 <figcaption>The 5,593-page spending bill congress passed late Monday is the longest bill in history-image courtesy CSPAN.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress passed a $900 billion pandemic relief package that would finally deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and resources to vaccinate a nation confronting a frightening surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths.Lawmakers tacked on a $1.4 trillion catchall spending bill and thousands of pages of other end-of-session business in a massive bundle of bipartisan legislation as Capitol Hill prepared to close the books on the year. The bill approved Monday night went to President Donald Trump for his signature, which was expected in the coming days.The relief package, unveiled Monday afternoon, sped through the House and Senate in a matter of hours. The Senate cleared the massive package by a 92-6 vote after the House approved the COVID-19 package by another lopsided vote, 359-53. The tallies were a bipartisan coda to months of partisanship and politicking as lawmakers wrangled over the relief question, a logjam that broke after President-elect Joe Biden urged his party to accept a compromise with top Republicans that is smaller than many Democrats would have liked.The bill combines coronavirus-fighting funds with financial relief for individuals and businesses. It would establish a temporary $300 per week supplemental jobless benefit and a $600 direct stimulus payment to most Americans, along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses, restaurants, and theaters and money for schools, health care providers and renters facing eviction.The 5,593-page legislation — by far the longest bill ever — came together Sunday after months of battling, posturing and postelection negotiating that reined in a number of Democratic demands as the end of the congressional session approached. Biden was eager for a deal to deliver long-awaited help to suffering people and a boost to the economy, even though it was less than half the size that Democrats wanted in the fall.“This deal is not everything I want — not by a long shot,” said Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., a longstanding voice in the party’s old-school liberal wing. “The choice before us is simple. It’s about whether we help families or not. It’s about whether we help small businesses and restaurants or not. It’s about whether we boost (food stamp) benefits and strengthen anti-hunger programs or not. And whether we help those dealing with a job loss or not. To me, this is not a tough call.”Congress also approved a one-week stopgap spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown at midnight and give Trump time to sign the sweeping legislation.Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, a key negotiator, said on CNBC Monday morning that the direct payments would begin arriving in bank accounts next week.Democrats promised more aid to come once Biden takes office, but Republicans were signaling a wait-and-see approach.The measure would fund the government through September, wrapping a year’s worth of action on annual spending bills into a single package that never saw Senate committee or floor debate.The legislation followed a tortured path. Democrats played hardball up until Election Day, amid accusations that they wanted to deny Trump a victory that might help him prevail. Democrats denied that, but their demands indeed became more realistic after Trump’s loss and as Biden made it clear that half a loaf was better than none.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608637004856.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the $600 is a "significant" amount for working families-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the $600 is a "significant" amount for working families-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The final bill bore ample resemblance to a $1 trillion package put together by Senate Republican leaders in July, a proposal that at the time was scoffed at by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as way too little.Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., took a victory lap after blocking far more ambitious legislation from reaching the Senate floor. He said the pragmatic approach of Biden was key.“The president-elect suggesting that we needed to do something now was helpful in moving both Pelosi and Schumer into a better place,” McConnell told The Associated Press. “My view about what comes next is let’s take a look at it. Happy to evaluate that based upon the needs that we confront in February and March.”Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, D-Calif., came to the Senate to cast her vote for the bill. “The American people need relief and I want to be able to do what I can to help them,” she said.On direct payments, the bill provides $600 to individuals making up to $75,000 per year and $1,200 to couples making up to $150,000, with payments phased out for higher incomes. An additional $600 payment will be made per dependent child, similar to the last round of relief payments in the spring.“I expect we’ll get the money out by the beginning of next week — $2,400 for a family of four,” Mnuchin said. “So much needed relief just in time for the holidays.”The $300 per week bonus jobless benefit was half the supplemental federal unemployment benefit provided under the $1.8 billion CARES Act in March. That more generous benefit and would be limited to 11 weeks instead of 16 weeks. The direct $600 stimulus payment was also half the March payment.The CARES Act was credited with keeping the economy from falling off a cliff during widespread lockdowns in the spring, but Republicans controlling the Senate cited debt concerns in pushing against Democratic demands.“Anyone who thinks this bill is enough hasn’t heard the desperation in the voices of their constituents, has not looked into the eyes of the small-business owner on the brink of ruin,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, a lifelong New Yorker who pushed hard for money helping his city’s transit systems, renters, theaters and restaurants.Progress came after a bipartisan group of pragmatists and moderates devised a $908 billion plan that built a middle-ground position that the top four leaders of Congress — the GOP and Democratic leaders of both the House and Senate — used as the basis for their talks. The lawmakers urged leaders on both sides to back off of hardline positions.“At times we felt like we were in the wilderness because people on all sides of the aisle didn’t want to give, in order to give the other side a win,” said freshman Rep. Elssa Slotkin, D-Mich. “And it was gross to watch, frankly.”Republicans were most intent on reviving the Paycheck Protection Program with $284 billion, which would cover a second round of PPP grants to especially hard-hit businesses. Democrats won set-asides for low-income and minority communities.The sweeping bill also contains $25 billion in rental assistance, $15 billion for theaters and other live venues, $82 billion for local schools, colleges and universities, and $10 billion for child care.Six GOP senators voted against the bill: Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.The governmentwide appropriations bill was likely to provide a last $1.4 billion installment for Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall as a condition of winning his signature. The Pentagon would receive $696 billion. Democrats and Senate Republicans prevailed in a bid to use bookkeeping maneuvers to squeeze $12.5 billion more for domestic programs into the legislation.The bill was an engine to carry much of Capitol Hill’s unfinished business, including an almost 400-page water resources bill that targets $10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control, environmental and coastal protection projects. Another addition would extend a batch of soon-to-expire tax breaks, such as one for craft brewers, wineries and distillers.It also would carry numerous clean-energy provisions sought by Democrats with fossil fuel incentives favored by Republicans, $7 billion to increase access to broadband, $4 billion to help other nations vaccinate their people, $14 billion for cash-starved transit systems, $1 billion for Amtrak and $2 billion for airports and concessionaires. Food stamp benefits would temporarily be increased by 15%.The Senate Historical Office said the previous record for the length of legislation was the 2,847-page tax reform bill of 1986 — about one-half the size of Monday’s behemoth.

New virus relief checks arriving in bank accounts next week

FINNEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9p.m. Monday in Finney County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Peterbilt semi driven by Torres Jaime Barroso, 30, Dennison, IA., was eastbound on U.S. 50 nine miles east of Garden City.

The semi crossed the centerline&nbsp; and struck a westbound 2007 Lincoln MKZ driven by Monica Dawn Walker, 45, Ulysses.

The semi came to rest in the west bound lane and the Lincoln came to rest on the north shoulder facing west.

Walker was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the morgue at St. Catherines. Barroso was not injured.

FINNEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9p.m. Monday in Finney County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Peterbilt semi driven by Torres Jaime Barroso, 30, Dennison, IA., was eastbound on U.S. 50 nine miles east of Garden City.The semi crossed the centerline&nbsp; and struck a westbound 2007 Lincoln MKZ driven by Monica Dawn Walker, 45, Ulysses.The semi came to rest in the west bound lane and the Lincoln came to rest on the north shoulder facing west.Walker was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the morgue at St. Catherines. Barroso was not injured.

Kan. woman dies after semi crossed centerline strikes car

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities including the FBI and KBI are investigating a bank robbery and fatal officer-involved shooting.

Just after 3:30p.m. Monday, a suspect entered the Golden Plains Credit Union, 9555 East Corporate Hills Drive in Wichita, according to police Captain Wendell Nicholson.

The suspect demanded money and it was given to him. He fled in a truck that was later determined to be stolen.

Police in the area located the vehicle and there was a short pursuit, according to Nicholson. At the intersection of 13th and Webb Road, the suspect vehicle struck two citizen vehicles and two police cars. An officer fired shots at the suspect. When EMS arrived on the scene, they pronounced the suspect dead.

The citizens involved in the crash had minor injuries, according to Nicholson. He did not have details on whether they were transported for treatment. He released no additional details including the suspect's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608600519979.png" alt="Police on the scene of Monday's investigation photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of Monday's investigation photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities including the FBI and KBI are investigating a bank robbery and fatal officer-involved shooting.Just after 3:30p.m. Monday, a suspect entered the Golden Plains Credit Union, 9555 East Corporate Hills Drive in Wichita, according to police Captain Wendell Nicholson.The suspect demanded money and it was given to him. He fled in a truck that was later determined to be stolen.Police in the area located the vehicle and there was a short pursuit, according to Nicholson. At the intersection of 13th and Webb Road, the suspect vehicle struck two citizen vehicles and two police cars. An officer fired shots at the suspect. When EMS arrived on the scene, they pronounced the suspect dead.The citizens involved in the crash had minor injuries, according to Nicholson. He did not have details on whether they were transported for treatment. He released no additional details including the suspect's name.

Police shoot Kan. bank robbery suspect after chase, crash

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Seven new female Democratic Kansas House members and the party’s leader in the chamber are demanding publicly that a male representative-elect resign before taking office because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-topeka-elections-fd91a21ee706c19194c7d302a2315d28">issues</a>&nbsp;that include a temporary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-kansas-city-kansas-elections-campaigns-97855c4a3deea46d5cbd8b39489b8af7">anti-stalking court order</a>&nbsp;against him.

The lawmakers-to-be and House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer issued statements Monday calling on Democratic Rep. Aaron Coleman of Kansas City, Kansas, to step down before the Legislature opens its annual 90-day session Jan. 11. Coleman did not immediately respond to a cellphone message seeking comment.

Coleman has been under a temporary restraining order since Dec. 4 in his home of Wyandotte County requiring him to stay away from the woman who managed the campaign of the veteran Democratic lawmaker that Coleman narrowly defeated in the August primary.

Brandie Armstrong has accused Coleman of sending her harassing messages, coming to her home twice and trying to get her evicted. A trial is set for March 8, 2021, to determine whether the order remains in place longer.

The new lawmakers demanding Coleman’s resignation are Reps.-elect Stephanie Byers of Wichita, Jennifer Day of Overland Park, Linda Featherston of Overland Park, Christina Haswood of Lawrence, Jo Ella Hoye of Lenexa, Mari-Lynn Poskin of Leawood and Lindsay Vaughn of Overland Park.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604624233968.png" alt="Photo courtesy Rep.-elect Aaron Coleman" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Rep.-elect Aaron Coleman</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Seven new female Democratic Kansas House members and the party’s leader in the chamber are demanding publicly that a male representative-elect resign before taking office because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-topeka-elections-fd91a21ee706c19194c7d302a2315d28">issues</a>&nbsp;that include a temporary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-kansas-city-kansas-elections-campaigns-97855c4a3deea46d5cbd8b39489b8af7">anti-stalking court order</a>&nbsp;against him.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608567337136.png" alt="Photo courtesy Rep. Stephanie Byers" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Rep. Stephanie Byers</figcaption>
 </figure>The lawmakers-to-be and House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer issued statements Monday calling on Democratic Rep. Aaron Coleman of Kansas City, Kansas, to step down before the Legislature opens its annual 90-day session Jan. 11. Coleman did not immediately respond to a cellphone message seeking comment.Coleman has been under a temporary restraining order since Dec. 4 in his home of Wyandotte County requiring him to stay away from the woman who managed the campaign of the veteran Democratic lawmaker that Coleman narrowly defeated in the August primary.Brandie Armstrong has accused Coleman of sending her harassing messages, coming to her home twice and trying to get her evicted. A trial is set for March 8, 2021, to determine whether the order remains in place longer.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">KDP&#39;s response to incoming Kansas Democratic legislators&#39; statement on Aaron Coleman. <a href="https://t.co/kOH2ZgtMr5">pic.twitter.com/kOH2ZgtMr5</a>&mdash; Kansas Dems (@KansasDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/KansasDems/status/1341078933631066114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The new lawmakers demanding Coleman’s resignation are Reps.-elect Stephanie Byers of Wichita, Jennifer Day of Overland Park, Linda Featherston of Overland Park, Christina Haswood of Lawrence, Jo Ella Hoye of Lenexa, Mari-Lynn Poskin of Leawood and Lindsay Vaughn of Overland Park.

New Kan. lawmakers, leader demand resignation of legislator-to-be

LONDON (AP) — Trucks waiting to get out of Britain backed up for miles and people were left stranded at airports Monday as dozens of countries around the world slapped tough travel restrictions on the U.K. because of a new and seemingly more contagious strain of the coronavirus in England.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-england-english-channel-coronavirus-pandemic-france-83ef15eac10bade1859a0d321d4b5448">The restrictions focus mainly on Britain</a>, which imposed strict new lockdown measures Saturday night because of what it described as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-england-coronavirus-pandemic-africa-south-africa-74ea2d47820b8dcac02f95ad9440f533">unusually rapid spread of a new strain&nbsp;</a>there. A few other European countries have confirmed cases of the virus variant, and another strain considered especially infectious has been identified in South Africa.

From Canada to India, one nation after another banned flights from Britain, while France barred the entry of trucks from Britain for 48 hours while the strain is assessed.

The precautions raised fears of food shortages in Britain if the restrictions drag on.

After a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he understood the reason for the new measures and expressed hope for a swift resumption in the free flow of traffic between the U.K. and France, perhaps within a few hours.

He said officials from both countries were working “to unblock the flow of trade as fast as possible.” Macron said earlier that France was looking at establishing systematic testing of people for the virus on arrival.

Over the weekend, Johnson imposed strict lockdown measures in London and neighboring areas where Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the new strain is “out of control.” Experts said the early evidence indicates the strain is not more lethal, and they expressed confidence that the vaccines now being rolled out would still be effective against it.

After France announced Sunday night that it was closing its borders to trucks from Britain, hundreds of vehicles, mainly operated by drivers from continental Europe, became stranded outside the English Channel port of Dover. The lines shrank over the course of the day from 500 trucks to about 175, authorities said.

Around 10,000 trucks pass through the port of Dover every day, accounting for about 20% of the country’s trade in goods.

Meanwhile, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-amsterdam-europe-4cd75619772c208c29fddbcb02d25b9e">European Union gave the go-ahead to the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech</a>, setting the stage for the first COVID-19 shots across the 27-nation bloc to begin just after Christmas.

“This is a very good way to end this difficult year and to finally start turning the page on COVID-19,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The approval came just hours after the EU’s drug regulatory agency said the vaccine meets safety and quality standards. It is already being dispensed in Britain and the U.S.

The virus is blamed for 1.7 million deaths worldwide, including about 68,000 in Britain, the second-highest death toll in Europe, behind Italy’s 69,000.

While the French ban does not prevent trucks from entering Britain, the move stoked worries about shortages at a time of year when the UK produces very little of its food and relies heavily on produce delivered from Europe by truck.

Many trucks that carry cargo from the U.K. to the continent return laden with goods for Britain’s use. The fear is that the ban will lead to a drop in such deliveries. Also, some drivers or their employers might decide against entering Britain for fear they won’t be able to get back home.

Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s warned that some products, such as lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli and citrus fruits, could soon be in short supply if the crisis not resolved in the coming days.

Canada, India, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden were among the countries that suspended flights from Britain for various lengths of time.

In the United States, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has been calling on the U.S. to halt flights as well, said he asked airlines flying into his state from the U.K. to make all passengers take a coronavirus test before boarding. He said at least one carrier, British Airways, agreed to do so.

At Germany’s Berlin and Frankfurt airports, passengers arriving from Britain had to spend Sunday night in the terminals as they awaited test results.

Eurotunnel, the rail operator that carries passengers and freight between Britain and mainland Europe, also suspended service out of the U.K.

Sophie Taxil, a Frenchwoman who lives in London, caught a train back home from Paris and urged everyone in Britain to follow the rules.

“I live there and I need to go back there; my family is there,” she said. “I think that phlegmatic British nature suits these COVID times: Stay calm and carry on, fair play.”

Over the weekend, Johnson said early indications are that the variant is 70% more transmissible and is driving the rapid spread of infections in the capital and surrounding areas.

As a result, he scrapped a planned relaxation of rules over Christmastime for millions of people and imposed other tough new restrictions in the affected zone. No indoor mixing of households will be allowed, and only essential travel will be permitted. Stores selling nonessential goods were ordered closed, putting a crimp in Christmas shopping.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said that while preliminary analysis suggests the new variant is “significantly more transmissible,” there is no indication that infections are more severe. Still, experts have stressed that more infections will lead to more hospitalizations and deaths.

The Stockholm-based agency said a few cases of the variant have been reported by Iceland, Denmark and the Netherlands. It also cited news reports of cases in Belgium and Italy.

With the rollout of coronavirus vaccines set to pick up speed in early 2021, countries are clearly worried about the new variant.

“I think the vaccine will be fine,” said Dr. Julian Tang, a clinical virologist at the University of Leicester. But the new strain “is spreading so fast we may not be able to reach the vulnerable population, the elderly, in time with the vaccine before the virus does.”

The chaos at the border comes at a time of huge uncertainty for Britain, less than two weeks before it completes its exit from the EU and frees itself from the bloc’s rules. Talks on a post-Brexit trade relationship between the two sides are deadlocked.

The retail industry played down fears of food shortages in the short term but warned of problems if the travel bans last for a while and if Britain and the EU fail to reach a trade deal. Trade association Logistics U.K. urged people to stay calm and resist panic-buying in supermarkets.

“If freight gets moving again today, then the overall impact on fresh produce arriving to supermarkets should be fairly minimal,” said Kevin Green, the association’s director of marketing and communications

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="VIrus image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>VIrus image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Trucks waiting to get out of Britain backed up for miles and people were left stranded at airports Monday as dozens of countries around the world slapped tough travel restrictions on the U.K. because of a new and seemingly more contagious strain of the coronavirus in England.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-england-english-channel-coronavirus-pandemic-france-83ef15eac10bade1859a0d321d4b5448">The restrictions focus mainly on Britain</a>, which imposed strict new lockdown measures Saturday night because of what it described as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-england-coronavirus-pandemic-africa-south-africa-74ea2d47820b8dcac02f95ad9440f533">unusually rapid spread of a new strain&nbsp;</a>there. A few other European countries have confirmed cases of the virus variant, and another strain considered especially infectious has been identified in South Africa.From Canada to India, one nation after another banned flights from Britain, while France barred the entry of trucks from Britain for 48 hours while the strain is assessed.The precautions raised fears of food shortages in Britain if the restrictions drag on.After a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he understood the reason for the new measures and expressed hope for a swift resumption in the free flow of traffic between the U.K. and France, perhaps within a few hours.He said officials from both countries were working “to unblock the flow of trade as fast as possible.” Macron said earlier that France was looking at establishing systematic testing of people for the virus on arrival.Over the weekend, Johnson imposed strict lockdown measures in London and neighboring areas where Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the new strain is “out of control.” Experts said the early evidence indicates the strain is not more lethal, and they expressed confidence that the vaccines now being rolled out would still be effective against it.After France announced Sunday night that it was closing its borders to trucks from Britain, hundreds of vehicles, mainly operated by drivers from continental Europe, became stranded outside the English Channel port of Dover. The lines shrank over the course of the day from 500 trucks to about 175, authorities said.Around 10,000 trucks pass through the port of Dover every day, accounting for about 20% of the country’s trade in goods.Meanwhile, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-amsterdam-europe-4cd75619772c208c29fddbcb02d25b9e">European Union gave the go-ahead to the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech</a>, setting the stage for the first COVID-19 shots across the 27-nation bloc to begin just after Christmas.“This is a very good way to end this difficult year and to finally start turning the page on COVID-19,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.The approval came just hours after the EU’s drug regulatory agency said the vaccine meets safety and quality standards. It is already being dispensed in Britain and the U.S.The virus is blamed for 1.7 million deaths worldwide, including about 68,000 in Britain, the second-highest death toll in Europe, behind Italy’s 69,000.While the French ban does not prevent trucks from entering Britain, the move stoked worries about shortages at a time of year when the UK produces very little of its food and relies heavily on produce delivered from Europe by truck.Many trucks that carry cargo from the U.K. to the continent return laden with goods for Britain’s use. The fear is that the ban will lead to a drop in such deliveries. Also, some drivers or their employers might decide against entering Britain for fear they won’t be able to get back home.Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s warned that some products, such as lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli and citrus fruits, could soon be in short supply if the crisis not resolved in the coming days.Canada, India, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden were among the countries that suspended flights from Britain for various lengths of time.In the United States, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has been calling on the U.S. to halt flights as well, said he asked airlines flying into his state from the U.K. to make all passengers take a coronavirus test before boarding. He said at least one carrier, British Airways, agreed to do so.At Germany’s Berlin and Frankfurt airports, passengers arriving from Britain had to spend Sunday night in the terminals as they awaited test results.Eurotunnel, the rail operator that carries passengers and freight between Britain and mainland Europe, also suspended service out of the U.K.Sophie Taxil, a Frenchwoman who lives in London, caught a train back home from Paris and urged everyone in Britain to follow the rules.“I live there and I need to go back there; my family is there,” she said. “I think that phlegmatic British nature suits these COVID times: Stay calm and carry on, fair play.”Over the weekend, Johnson said early indications are that the variant is 70% more transmissible and is driving the rapid spread of infections in the capital and surrounding areas.As a result, he scrapped a planned relaxation of rules over Christmastime for millions of people and imposed other tough new restrictions in the affected zone. No indoor mixing of households will be allowed, and only essential travel will be permitted. Stores selling nonessential goods were ordered closed, putting a crimp in Christmas shopping.The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said that while preliminary analysis suggests the new variant is “significantly more transmissible,” there is no indication that infections are more severe. Still, experts have stressed that more infections will lead to more hospitalizations and deaths.The Stockholm-based agency said a few cases of the variant have been reported by Iceland, Denmark and the Netherlands. It also cited news reports of cases in Belgium and Italy.With the rollout of coronavirus vaccines set to pick up speed in early 2021, countries are clearly worried about the new variant.“I think the vaccine will be fine,” said Dr. Julian Tang, a clinical virologist at the University of Leicester. But the new strain “is spreading so fast we may not be able to reach the vulnerable population, the elderly, in time with the vaccine before the virus does.”The chaos at the border comes at a time of huge uncertainty for Britain, less than two weeks before it completes its exit from the EU and frees itself from the bloc’s rules. Talks on a post-Brexit trade relationship between the two sides are deadlocked.The retail industry played down fears of food shortages in the short term but warned of problems if the travel bans last for a while and if Britain and the EU fail to reach a trade deal. Trade association Logistics U.K. urged people to stay calm and resist panic-buying in supermarkets.“If freight gets moving again today, then the overall impact on fresh produce arriving to supermarkets should be fairly minimal,” said Kevin Green, the association’s director of marketing and communications___

Fast-moving new variant of the COVID-19 spreads

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A 33-year-old man was arrested Sunday in connection with the shooting and wounding of a police officer earlier this month in Kansas City, Kansas.

The Olathe Police Department said in a news release Monday that the Kansas City, Kansas man was taken into custody in rural Miami County with the assistance of the Miami County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The suspect’s identity was not immediately released.

The arrest stems from an exchange of gunfire that occurred Dec. 15 between the suspect and the Kansas City, Kansas police officer who had contacted him in Overland Park, Kansas. The officer was struck by gunfire in the arm and ballistic vest. He was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The suspect fled the scene in a tan passenger car that was later located unattended by by Kansas City, Kansas police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608120251326.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A 33-year-old man was arrested Sunday in connection with the shooting and wounding of a police officer earlier this month in Kansas City, Kansas.The Olathe Police Department said in a news release Monday that the Kansas City, Kansas man was taken into custody in rural Miami County with the assistance of the Miami County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The suspect’s identity was not immediately released.The arrest stems from an exchange of gunfire that occurred Dec. 15 between the suspect and the Kansas City, Kansas police officer who had contacted him in Overland Park, Kansas. The officer was struck by gunfire in the arm and ballistic vest. He was treated for non-life threatening injuries.The suspect fled the scene in a tan passenger car that was later located unattended by by Kansas City, Kansas police.

FBI helps arrest Kan. man for shooting police officer

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — One in every five state and federal prisoners in the United States has tested positive for the coronavirus, a rate more than four times higher than the general population. In some states, more than half of prisoners have been infected, according to data collected by The Associated Press and The Marshall Project.

As the pandemic enters its 10th month — and as the first Americans begin to receive a long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine — at least 275,000 prisoners have been infected, more than 1,700 have died and the spread of the virus behind bars shows no sign of slowing. New cases in prisons this week reached their highest level since testing began in the spring, far outstripping previous peaks in April and August.

“That number is a vast undercount,” said Homer Venters, the former chief medical officer at New York’s Rikers Island jail complex.

Venters has conducted more than a dozen court-ordered COVID-19 prison inspections around the country. “I still encounter prisons and jails where, when people get sick, not only are they not tested but they don’t receive care. So they get much sicker than need be,” he said.

Now the rollout of vaccines poses difficult decisions for politicians and policymakers. As the virus spreads largely unchecked behind bars, prisoners can’t social distance and are dependent on the state for their safety and well-being.

Donte Westmoreland, 26, was recently released from Lansing Correctional Facility in Kansas, where he caught the virus while serving time on a marijuana charge. Some 5,100 prisoners have become infected in Kansas prisons, the third-highest COVID-19 rate in the country, behind only South Dakota and Arkansas.

“It was like I was sentenced to death,” Westmoreland said.

Westmoreland lived with more than 100 virus-infected men in an open dorm, where he woke up regularly to find men sick on the floor, unable to get up on their own, he said.

“People are actually dying in front of me off of this virus,” he said. “It’s the scariest sight.” Westmoreland said he sweated it out, shivering in his bunk until, six weeks later, he finally recovered.

Half of the prisoners in Kansas have been infected with COVID-19 — eight times the rate of cases among the state’s overall population. Eleven prisoners have died, including five at the prison where Westmoreland was held. Of the three prison employees who have died in Kansas, two worked at Lansing Correctional Facility.

In Arkansas, where more than 9,700 prisoners have tested positive and 50 have died, four of every seven have had the virus, the second-highest prison infection rate in the U.S.

Among the dead was 29-year-old Derick Coley, who was serving a 20-year sentence at the Cummins Unit maximum security prison. Cece Tate, Coley’s girlfriend, said she last talked with him on April 10 when he said he was sick and showing symptoms of the virus.

“It took forever for me to get information,” she said. The prison finally told her on April 20 that Coley had tested positive for the virus. Less than two weeks later, a prison chaplain called on May 2 to tell her Coley had died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585707946815.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — One in every five state and federal prisoners in the United States has tested positive for the coronavirus, a rate more than four times higher than the general population. In some states, more than half of prisoners have been infected, according to data collected by The Associated Press and The Marshall Project.As the pandemic enters its 10th month — and as the first Americans begin to receive a long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine — at least 275,000 prisoners have been infected, more than 1,700 have died and the spread of the virus behind bars shows no sign of slowing. New cases in prisons this week reached their highest level since testing began in the spring, far outstripping previous peaks in April and August.“That number is a vast undercount,” said Homer Venters, the former chief medical officer at New York’s Rikers Island jail complex.Venters has conducted more than a dozen court-ordered COVID-19 prison inspections around the country. “I still encounter prisons and jails where, when people get sick, not only are they not tested but they don’t receive care. So they get much sicker than need be,” he said.Now the rollout of vaccines poses difficult decisions for politicians and policymakers. As the virus spreads largely unchecked behind bars, prisoners can’t social distance and are dependent on the state for their safety and well-being.Donte Westmoreland, 26, was recently released from Lansing Correctional Facility in Kansas, where he caught the virus while serving time on a marijuana charge. Some 5,100 prisoners have become infected in Kansas prisons, the third-highest COVID-19 rate in the country, behind only South Dakota and Arkansas.“It was like I was sentenced to death,” Westmoreland said.Westmoreland lived with more than 100 virus-infected men in an open dorm, where he woke up regularly to find men sick on the floor, unable to get up on their own, he said.“People are actually dying in front of me off of this virus,” he said. “It’s the scariest sight.” Westmoreland said he sweated it out, shivering in his bunk until, six weeks later, he finally recovered.Half of the prisoners in Kansas have been infected with COVID-19 — eight times the rate of cases among the state’s overall population. Eleven prisoners have died, including five at the prison where Westmoreland was held. Of the three prison employees who have died in Kansas, two worked at Lansing Correctional Facility.In Arkansas, where more than 9,700 prisoners have tested positive and 50 have died, four of every seven have had the virus, the second-highest prison infection rate in the U.S.Among the dead was 29-year-old Derick Coley, who was serving a 20-year sentence at the Cummins Unit maximum security prison. Cece Tate, Coley’s girlfriend, said she last talked with him on April 10 when he said he was sick and showing symptoms of the virus.“It took forever for me to get information,” she said. The prison finally told her on April 20 that Coley had tested positive for the virus. Less than two weeks later, a prison chaplain called on May 2 to tell her Coley had died.The couple had a daughter who turned 9 in July. “She cried and was like, ‘My daddy can’t send me a birthday card,’” Tate said. “She was like, ‘Momma, my Christmas ain’t going to be the same.’”Nearly every prison system in the country has seen infection rates significantly higher than the communities around them. In facilities run by the federal Bureau of Prisons, one of every five prisoners has had coronavirus. Twenty-four state prison systems have had even higher rates.Prison workers have also been disproportionately affected. In North Dakota, four of every five prison staff has gotten coronavirus. Nationwide, it’s one in five.Not all states release how many prisoners they’ve tested, but states that test prisoners broadly and regularly may appear to have higher case rates than states that don’t.<a href="https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/05/01/a-state-by-state-look-at-coronavirus-in-prisons" target="_blank">Infection rates as of Tuesday were calculated by the AP and The Marshall Project,&nbsp;</a>a nonprofit news organization covering the criminal justice system,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/12/18/1-in-5-prisoners-in-the-u-s-has-had-covid-19" target="_blank">based on data collected weekly in prisons since March.</a>&nbsp;Infection and mortality rates may be even higher, since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-understanding-the-outbreak-prisons-health-lifestyle-9899b08a66a60f3106b563eb07c92c40">nearly every prison system has significantly fewer prisoners today</a>&nbsp;than when the pandemic began, so rates represent a conservative estimate based on the largest known population.Yet, as vaccine campaigns get underway, there has been pushback in some states against giving the shots to people in prisons early.“There’s no way it’s going to go to prisoners ... before it goes to the people who haven’t committed any crime,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis told reporters earlier this month after his state’s initial vaccine priority plans put prisoners before the general public.Like more than a dozen states, Kansas’s vaccination plan does not mention prisoners or corrections staff, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, a non-partisan prison data think tank. Seven states put prisoners near the front of the line, along with others living in crowded settings like nursing homes and long-term care facilities. An additional 19 states have placed prisoners in the second phase of their vaccine rollouts.Racial disparities in the nation’s criminal justice system compound the disproportionate toll the pandemic has taken on communities of color. Black Americans are incarcerated at five times the rate of whites. They are also disproportionately&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/mounting-u-s-deaths-reveal-an-outsize-toll-on-people-of-color#:~:text=As%20many%20as%20215%2C000%20more,higher%20than%20the%20official%20toll." target="_blank">likely to be infected and hospitalized with COVID-19,</a>&nbsp;and are more likely than other races to have a family member or close friend who has died of the virus.The pandemic “increases risk for those who are already at risk,” said David J. Harris, managing director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School.This week, a Council on Criminal Justice task force headed by former attorneys general Alberto Gonzalez and Loretta Lynch released a report calling for scaling back prison populations, improving communication with public health departments and reporting better data.Prison facilities are often overcrowded and poorly ventilated. Dormitory-style housing, cafeterias and open-bar cell doors make it nearly impossible to quarantine. Prison populations are sicker, on average, than the general population and health care behind bars is notoriously substandard. Nationwide, the mortality rate for COVID-19 among prisoners is 45% higher than the overall rate.From the earliest days of the pandemic, public health experts called for widespread prison releases as the best way to curb virus spread behind bars. In October, the National Academies of Science, Medicine, and Engineering released a report urging states to empty their prisons of anyone who was medically vulnerable, nearing the end of their sentence or of low risk to public safety.But releases have been slow and uneven. In the first three months of the pandemic, more than 10,000 federal prisoners applied for compassionate release. Wardens denied or did not respond to almost all those requests, approving only 156 — less than 2%.A plan to thin the state prison population in New Jersey, first introduced in June, was held up in the Legislature because of inadequate funding to help those who were released. About 2,200 prisoners with less than a year left to serve were ultimately released in November, eight months after the pandemic began.California used a similar strategy to release 11,000 people since March. But state prisons stopped accepting new prisoners from county jails at several points during the pandemic, which simply shifted the burden to the jails. According to the state corrections agency, more than 8,000 people are now waiting in California’s county jails, which are also coronavirus hot spots.“We call that ‘screwing county,’” said John Wetzel, Pennsylvania’s secretary of corrections, whose prison system has one of the lower COVID-19 case rates in the country, with one in every seven prisoners infected. But that’s still more than three times the statewide rate.Prison walls are porous even during a pandemic, with corrections officers and other employees traveling in and out each day.“The interchange between communities and prisons and jails has always been there, but in the context of COVID-19 it’s never been more clear,” said Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, a professor of social medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill who studies incarceration and health. “We have to stop thinking about them as a place apart.”Wetzel said Pennsylvania’s prisons have kept virus rates relatively low by widely distributing masks in mid-March — weeks before even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began recommending them for everyday use in public — and demanding that staff and prisoners use them properly and consistently. But prisoners and advocates say prevention measures on the ground are uneven, regardless of Wetzel’s good intentions.As the country heads into winter with virus infections on the rise, experts caution that unless COVID-19 is brought under control behind bars, the country will not get it under control in the population at large.“If we are going to end this pandemic — bring down infection rates, bring down death rates, bring down ICU occupancy rates — we have to address infection rates in correctional facilities,” said Emily Wang, professor at Yale School of Medicine and co-author of the recent National Academies report.“Infections and deaths are extraordinarily high. These are wards of the state, and we have to contend with it.”------This story is a collaboration between The Associated Press and The Marshall Project exploring the state of the prison system in the coronavirus pandemic.___