LAWRENCE (AP) — As waves of schools and businesses around the country are cleared to reopen, college towns are moving toward renewed shutdowns because of too many parties and too many COVID-19 infections among students.

With more than 300 students at the University of Missouri testing positive for the coronavirus and an alarming 44% positivity rate for the surrounding county, the local health director Friday ordered bars to stop serving alcohol at 9 p.m. and close by 10 p.m.

Iowa’s governor has ordered all bars shut down around The University of Iowa and Iowa State, while the mayor of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, did the same in the hometown of the state’s flagship university

“What we’re seeing in our violations is they’re coming late at night,” said Stephanie Browning, head of the health department for Columbia, Missouri. “Big groups gathering. They’re not wearing their masks, they’re not social distancing.”

In Utah, the city council in Provo overrode a mayoral veto to pass a mask mandate, which includes a $500 fine for organizing large mask-less gatherings, days before students return to Brigham Young University from around the country.

But the council was nevertheless worried that college students sharing dorms, bathrooms and showers could become “super-spreaders” and bring the virus off campus, council chair George Handley said.

“We’re already seeing what’s happened across the country at other universities,” he said.

But a recent warehouse party organized by a BYU student’s promotional company called Young/Dumb also raised concern when pictures of hundreds of revelers without masks surfaced online.

BYU, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has its own rules requiring masks on campus. Requirements for indoor public spaces in town will help people stay healthy and businesses stay open, Handley said.

“This is actually about preserving our way of life, it’s not about destroying it — contrary to what some people say,” Handley said.

The outbreaks since students began returning to campus in the past few weeks have heightened tensions between colleges and their towns and led to recriminations between local politicians and university officials.

Meanwhile, California announced a four-tiered, color-coded plan Friday for gradually reopening businesses after abandoning a reopening attempt earlier this summer. It requires counties to meet certain benchmarks showing progress in controlling the virus.

In Arizona, another deadly hot spot this summer, a drop in transmission numbers allowed the Phoenix and Tucson areas to reopen gyms and some bars.

The U.S. has recorded over 180,000 deaths from the coronavirus and 5.9 million confirmed infections. Worldwide, the death toll is put at more than 830,000, with at least 24.5 million cases.

Drugmaker Gilead Sciences said Friday that U.S. regulators are now allowing use of experimental antiviral drug remdesivir for all patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

It said the Food and Drug Administration has expanded its emergency use authorization, which lets doctors administer the IV drug during the pandemic. Until now, that was limited to patients with severe COVID-19.

Remdesivir previously was shown to shorten treatment by about four days for hospitalized patients with severe disease, compared with those getting standard supportive care.

Surging infection numbers around the U.S. have been blamed in part on young people ignoring mask and social distancing requirements.

In Iowa’s Story County, home to Iowa State, 74% of new cases over the past seven days were among people ages 19 to 24, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday. In the same time period, 69% of new cases in Johnson County, the home of the University of Iowa, were in that age group.

“It is increasing the virus activity in the community, and it’s spilling over to other segments of the population,” Reynolds said.

Fueled in part by clusters where college students are returning to classes, Kansas has had its highest seven-day increase in coronavirus cases.

Gov. Laura Kelly said outbreaks on college campuses and fraternities and sororities are at least a factor in the surge.

“We cannot continue to go down this path,” she told reporters Friday.

The number of positive coronavirus cases continues to climb at the University of Kansas, with 10% of fraternity and sorority members infected. The school said Friday in a news release that it has conducted 21,719 tests and 474 have been positive, for a positive rate of 2.18%. But among sororities and fraternities, there have been 270 positives among 2,698 members tested. Earlier this week, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department issued an order placing nine chapter houses under quarantine.&nbsp;

At Kansas State University, four new outbreaks are associated with sororities on campus, <a href="https://www.rileycountyks.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1184">according to the </a>Riley County Health Department. All residents of any Greek house at K-State where an outbreak has been declared should quarantine for 14 days.

The University of Alabama has recorded over 1,000 cases on campus since the fall semester began last week. In closing the town’s bars Monday for the next two weeks, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said that an unchecked spread of the virus threatens both the health care system and the local economy if students have to be sent home for the semester for remote learning.

Three of North Carolina’s largest public universities have abruptly halted in-person undergraduate instruction and directed students to move out of the dorms after hundreds tested positive following their return to campus. More than 800 have been infected at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and over 670 at North Carolina State.

Leaders at UNC-Chapel Hill, which has shifted to online classes, wrote an open letter Thursday to the mayor outlining steps the university is taking to curb off-campus parties.

“We recognize the very real problems with the behaviors of some of our fraternities and sororities,” the letter said.

Oyeronke Popoola, a 17-year-old freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill who moved out of her dorm, said that administrators, not students, deserve most of the blame for the virus-related problems after they ushered students back to campus.

“They should’ve put everything online from the beginning, but they wanted the money,” she said. And she said fraternities and sororities weren’t the only ones at fault among the students: “I feel like Greek life gets a lot of blame, which is understandable, but there are other students who were meeting without masks.”

The problems did not change the thinking of other schools around the country.

The University of Virginia announced Friday that it is moving ahead with plans to offer in-person instruction for the fall semester, after delaying the start of classes for two weeks to assess the spread of COVID-19.

“We know some will be delighted to hear this news and others will be disappointed,” a university statement said. “To be frank, it was a very difficult decision, made in the face of much uncertainty, and with full awareness that future events may force us to change course.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597942736026.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE (AP) — As waves of schools and businesses around the country are cleared to reopen, college towns are moving toward renewed shutdowns because of too many parties and too many COVID-19 infections among students.With more than 300 students at the University of Missouri testing positive for the coronavirus and an alarming 44% positivity rate for the surrounding county, the local health director Friday ordered bars to stop serving alcohol at 9 p.m. and close by 10 p.m.Iowa’s governor has ordered all bars shut down around The University of Iowa and Iowa State, while the mayor of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, did the same in the hometown of the state’s flagship university“What we’re seeing in our violations is they’re coming late at night,” said Stephanie Browning, head of the health department for Columbia, Missouri. “Big groups gathering. They’re not wearing their masks, they’re not social distancing.”In Utah, the city council in Provo overrode a mayoral veto to pass a mask mandate, which includes a $500 fine for organizing large mask-less gatherings, days before students return to Brigham Young University from around the country.But the council was nevertheless worried that college students sharing dorms, bathrooms and showers could become “super-spreaders” and bring the virus off campus, council chair George Handley said.“We’re already seeing what’s happened across the country at other universities,” he said.But a recent warehouse party organized by a BYU student’s promotional company called Young/Dumb also raised concern when pictures of hundreds of revelers without masks surfaced online.BYU, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has its own rules requiring masks on campus. Requirements for indoor public spaces in town will help people stay healthy and businesses stay open, Handley said.“This is actually about preserving our way of life, it’s not about destroying it — contrary to what some people say,” Handley said.The outbreaks since students began returning to campus in the past few weeks have heightened tensions between colleges and their towns and led to recriminations between local politicians and university officials.Meanwhile, California announced a four-tiered, color-coded plan Friday for gradually reopening businesses after abandoning a reopening attempt earlier this summer. It requires counties to meet certain benchmarks showing progress in controlling the virus.In Arizona, another deadly hot spot this summer, a drop in transmission numbers allowed the Phoenix and Tucson areas to reopen gyms and some bars.The U.S. has recorded over 180,000 deaths from the coronavirus and 5.9 million confirmed infections. Worldwide, the death toll is put at more than 830,000, with at least 24.5 million cases.Drugmaker Gilead Sciences said Friday that U.S. regulators are now allowing use of experimental antiviral drug remdesivir for all patients hospitalized with COVID-19.It said the Food and Drug Administration has expanded its emergency use authorization, which lets doctors administer the IV drug during the pandemic. Until now, that was limited to patients with severe COVID-19.Remdesivir previously was shown to shorten treatment by about four days for hospitalized patients with severe disease, compared with those getting standard supportive care.Surging infection numbers around the U.S. have been blamed in part on young people ignoring mask and social distancing requirements.In Iowa’s Story County, home to Iowa State, 74% of new cases over the past seven days were among people ages 19 to 24, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday. In the same time period, 69% of new cases in Johnson County, the home of the University of Iowa, were in that age group.“It is increasing the virus activity in the community, and it’s spilling over to other segments of the population,” Reynolds said.Fueled in part by clusters where college students are returning to classes, Kansas has had its highest seven-day increase in coronavirus cases.Gov. Laura Kelly said outbreaks on college campuses and fraternities and sororities are at least a factor in the surge.“We cannot continue to go down this path,” she told reporters Friday.The number of positive coronavirus cases continues to climb at the University of Kansas, with 10% of fraternity and sorority members infected. The school said Friday in a news release that it has conducted 21,719 tests and 474 have been positive, for a positive rate of 2.18%. But among sororities and fraternities, there have been 270 positives among 2,698 members tested. Earlier this week, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department issued an order placing nine chapter houses under quarantine.&nbsp;At Kansas State University, four new outbreaks are associated with sororities on campus, <a href="https://www.rileycountyks.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1184">according to the </a>Riley County Health Department. All residents of any Greek house at K-State where an outbreak has been declared should quarantine for 14 days.The University of Alabama has recorded over 1,000 cases on campus since the fall semester began last week. In closing the town’s bars Monday for the next two weeks, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said that an unchecked spread of the virus threatens both the health care system and the local economy if students have to be sent home for the semester for remote learning.Three of North Carolina’s largest public universities have abruptly halted in-person undergraduate instruction and directed students to move out of the dorms after hundreds tested positive following their return to campus. More than 800 have been infected at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and over 670 at North Carolina State.Leaders at UNC-Chapel Hill, which has shifted to online classes, wrote an open letter Thursday to the mayor outlining steps the university is taking to curb off-campus parties.“We recognize the very real problems with the behaviors of some of our fraternities and sororities,” the letter said.Oyeronke Popoola, a 17-year-old freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill who moved out of her dorm, said that administrators, not students, deserve most of the blame for the virus-related problems after they ushered students back to campus.“They should’ve put everything online from the beginning, but they wanted the money,” she said. And she said fraternities and sororities weren’t the only ones at fault among the students: “I feel like Greek life gets a lot of blame, which is understandable, but there are other students who were meeting without masks.”The problems did not change the thinking of other schools around the country.The University of Virginia announced Friday that it is moving ahead with plans to offer in-person instruction for the fall semester, after delaying the start of classes for two weeks to assess the spread of COVID-19.“We know some will be delighted to hear this news and others will be disappointed,” a university statement said. “To be frank, it was a very difficult decision, made in the face of much uncertainty, and with full awareness that future events may force us to change course.”

College towns growing alarmed over outbreaks among students

TOPEKA, KAN.&nbsp;– A Kansas man was sentenced this week to 94 months in federal prison for dealing drugs, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Anthony Lee Hunter, 51, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

In his plea, he admitted that when investigators searched his residence in the 700 block of northeast Emmett Street they turned up more than 30 grams of methamphetamine and more than 11 grams of heroin. Hunter told investigators that earlier that week he spent more than $30,000 buying drugs in Kansas City and the drugs they seized were all he had left.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598390876537.png" alt="Hunter-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hunter-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, KAN.&nbsp;– A Kansas man was sentenced this week to 94 months in federal prison for dealing drugs, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.Anthony Lee Hunter, 51, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In his plea, he admitted that when investigators searched his residence in the 700 block of northeast Emmett Street they turned up more than 30 grams of methamphetamine and more than 11 grams of heroin. Hunter told investigators that earlier that week he spent more than $30,000 buying drugs in Kansas City and the drugs they seized were all he had left.

Kan. man admits spending $30K buying drugs to sell

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Nearly 1,000 University of Kansas athletes, students and faculty have participated in a march to end racial injustice and protest the police shooting of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/29c7f7a558778e132a0f09c1c4d2b8b4">Jacob Blake&nbsp;</a>in Wisconsin.

The students joined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/481417a78e373721455af1d0e48b5976">other college athletes</a>&nbsp;from across the country in demonstrations Friday to honor of the 57-year anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

Kansas junior women’s basketball player Emma Merriweather and her teammates kicked off the 2-mile march through campus, with people stretching behind for blocks. Among the marchers was Kansas football coach Les Miles, athletic director Jeff Long and chancellor Douglas Girod.

The hour-long route ended inside Booth Memorial Stadium, where Merriweather addressed the group with a megaphone. She said she was proud, in that moment, to be a Jayhawk.

“It’s not just us,” Merriweather said. “There’s plenty of people on the campus who obviously that it affects, and they feel strongly about. There were people who were just walking to class that joined us.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598742283651.png" alt="Photo University of Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo University of Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Nearly 1,000 University of Kansas athletes, students and faculty have participated in a march to end racial injustice and protest the police shooting of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/29c7f7a558778e132a0f09c1c4d2b8b4">Jacob Blake&nbsp;</a>in Wisconsin.The students joined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/481417a78e373721455af1d0e48b5976">other college athletes</a>&nbsp;from across the country in demonstrations Friday to honor of the 57-year anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.Kansas junior women’s basketball player Emma Merriweather and her teammates kicked off the 2-mile march through campus, with people stretching behind for blocks. Among the marchers was Kansas football coach Les Miles, athletic director Jeff Long and chancellor Douglas Girod.The hour-long route ended inside Booth Memorial Stadium, where Merriweather addressed the group with a megaphone. She said she was proud, in that moment, to be a Jayhawk.“It’s not just us,” Merriweather said. “There’s plenty of people on the campus who obviously that it affects, and they feel strongly about. There were people who were just walking to class that joined us.”

KU athletes march on campus in support of Black Lives Matter

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas high school can move their fall sports seasons to the spring under a newly approved plan.

The Kansas State High School Activities Association Board of Directors voted 53-21 Friday to approve a proposal establishing an “Alternative fall” schedule, The Wichita Eagle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/sports/varsity-kansas/article245278570.html" target="_blank">reports.&nbsp;</a>The vote followed a unanimous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f3d1e56478f6e0d9fec69ffabe7369f0">Monday&nbsp;</a>vote in favor of the option by KSHSAA’s executive board.

Kansas high schools have been split into two “bands,” or groups: Class 6/5A and Class 4/3/2/1A. If at least half of the schools in each of those bands cancel fall activities, that majority would trigger the switch to a spring sports schedule.

According to the approved proposal, if fall activities are moved to the spring, there will be no state championship events. Teams would instead be encouraged to schedule league-title games or rivalry games for their final events of the season. The move also would create an overlap between fall and spring sports, which could force some athletes to have to pick a favorite.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598723708371.png" alt="Friday KSHSAA board of directors meeting-photo by Marleah Campbell courtesy&nbsp; WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Friday KSHSAA board of directors meeting-photo by Marleah Campbell courtesy&nbsp; WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas high school can move their fall sports seasons to the spring under a newly approved plan.The Kansas State High School Activities Association Board of Directors voted 53-21 Friday to approve a proposal establishing an “Alternative fall” schedule, The Wichita Eagle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/sports/varsity-kansas/article245278570.html" target="_blank">reports.&nbsp;</a>The vote followed a unanimous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f3d1e56478f6e0d9fec69ffabe7369f0">Monday&nbsp;</a>vote in favor of the option by KSHSAA’s executive board.Kansas high schools have been split into two “bands,” or groups: Class 6/5A and Class 4/3/2/1A. If at least half of the schools in each of those bands cancel fall activities, that majority would trigger the switch to a spring sports schedule.According to the approved proposal, if fall activities are moved to the spring, there will be no state championship events. Teams would instead be encouraged to schedule league-title games or rivalry games for their final events of the season. The move also would create an overlap between fall and spring sports, which could force some athletes to have to pick a favorite.

Board: Kansas schools can move fall sports to the spring

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly visited Thermo Fisher Scientific in Lenexa to celebrate the opening of the company’s new Viral Transport Media manufacturing site, which will play a critical role in Kansas’ comprehensive COVID-19 testing strategy and create more than 300 full-time jobs.

“I want to thank the Thermo Fisher team for its work in protecting our health and safety and helping Kansas tackle the many challenges brought on by COVID-19,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said. “By significantly increasing the manufacturing capacity of this facility, Thermo Fisher will not only have a positive impact on public health, but will help my administration as we work to rebuild our state’s fiscal foundation and make our economy stronger than it has ever been – not just returning to pre-pandemic conditions.”

Thermo Fisher has been producing COVID-19 testing products since the onset of the pandemic.

Built in just six weeks, this $40 million facility has created more than 300 new full-time jobs and added 120,000 square feet of manufacturing capacity in Lenexa. The company estimates that more than 150 million testing products will be produced by the end of the year.

Secretary of Commerce David Toland joined Governor Kelly at today’s ribbon cutting and groundbreaking ceremony.

“The need for research and development of pharmaceuticals to test for and combat COVID-19 is essential to our economic recovery, and Thermo Fisher is stepping up to help take on this huge task,”&nbsp;Secretary Toland said.&nbsp;“Thermo Fisher is doing extremely important work for COVID-19 research, and I’m proud that such important, critically needed products will be produced in Kansas.”

Today’s ribbon cutting and groundbreaking ceremony not only established the new Lenexa facility, but it also signified the beginning of Phase 2 of the project, which will focus on new research and development in the fight against COVID-19.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598705101762.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly during Friday's visit -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly during Friday's visit -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly visited Thermo Fisher Scientific in Lenexa to celebrate the opening of the company’s new Viral Transport Media manufacturing site, which will play a critical role in Kansas’ comprehensive COVID-19 testing strategy and create more than 300 full-time jobs.“I want to thank the Thermo Fisher team for its work in protecting our health and safety and helping Kansas tackle the many challenges brought on by COVID-19,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said. “By significantly increasing the manufacturing capacity of this facility, Thermo Fisher will not only have a positive impact on public health, but will help my administration as we work to rebuild our state’s fiscal foundation and make our economy stronger than it has ever been – not just returning to pre-pandemic conditions.”Thermo Fisher has been producing COVID-19 testing products since the onset of the pandemic.Built in just six weeks, this $40 million facility has created more than 300 new full-time jobs and added 120,000 square feet of manufacturing capacity in Lenexa. The company estimates that more than 150 million testing products will be produced by the end of the year.Secretary of Commerce David Toland joined Governor Kelly at today’s ribbon cutting and groundbreaking ceremony.“The need for research and development of pharmaceuticals to test for and combat COVID-19 is essential to our economic recovery, and Thermo Fisher is stepping up to help take on this huge task,”&nbsp;Secretary Toland said.&nbsp;“Thermo Fisher is doing extremely important work for COVID-19 research, and I’m proud that such important, critically needed products will be produced in Kansas.”Today’s ribbon cutting and groundbreaking ceremony not only established the new Lenexa facility, but it also signified the beginning of Phase 2 of the project, which will focus on new research and development in the fight against COVID-19.

Kan. firm's expansion to help increase COVID-19 testing

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An autopsy says a Topeka man died accidentally in March when the dumpster he was in was dumped into a recycling truck. An autopsy made public this week says 62-year-old Paul Vigil died from multiple injuries in a cardboard recycler. 

Vigil's body was found March 9 by landfill employees among recycling materials. The autopsy by county coroner John Ralston said Vigil suffered gaping cuts to his left back and left upper chest and fractures to his skull, bones, and multiple ribs. Foul play is not suspected. 

He died on a day when Topeka received almost an inch of precipitation and had a morning low of 36 degrees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598653520847.png" alt="Vigil's body was found at this recycling center on March 9 -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Vigil's body was found at this recycling center on March 9 -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An autopsy says a Topeka man died accidentally in March when the dumpster he was in was dumped into a recycling truck. An autopsy made public this week says 62-year-old Paul Vigil died from multiple injuries in a cardboard recycler. Vigil's body was found March 9 by landfill employees among recycling materials. The autopsy by county coroner John Ralston said Vigil suffered gaping cuts to his left back and left upper chest and fractures to his skull, bones, and multiple ribs. Foul play is not suspected. He died on a day when Topeka received almost an inch of precipitation and had a morning low of 36 degrees.

Autopsy: Kan. man died when caught in recycling truck

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-08-28/saliva-is-making-it-possible-to-quickly-test-tens-of-thousands-of-kansans-for-coronavirus">Kansas News Service</a>

LENEXA — One lab has helped seven Kansas universities 
test tens of thousands of students, faculty and staff for COVID-19 for 
the fall semester. And all anyone needed to do was spit.

Saliva 
lab work has the potential to dramatically increase testing of 
asymptomatic Kansans with no known COVID-19 exposure, state health 
officials say. That’s a critical ingredient for stopping the pandemic.

Last
 week, Kansas health secretary Lee Norman suggested the state partner 
with labs such as Lenexa-based Clinical Reference Laboratory and a 
second Lenexa company that does saliva and other COVID-19 testing for 
major hospitals, MAWD Pathology Group.

“Anybody can spit into a 
tube. That would be a game changer,” Norman told a state task force. 
“That would really open up the floodgates.”

He suggested tapping 
the labs to help the state’s nursing homes and schools, and to regularly
 test large numbers of Kansans without symptoms, not just patients who 
turn up at doctor’s offices feeling sick.

Collecting saliva holds a few advantages over swabs that <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmvcm2010260" target="_blank">dip deep</a>
 into one’s nasal passages. Most people can spit into a tube without 
help from a nurse or other medical professional decked out in protective
 gear.

Already, Kansas has surpassed <a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/coronavirus/article243463271.html" target="_blank">its target</a>
 of testing more than 60,000 people per month three months in a row, but
 Norman said “it’s not enough.” The state has focused largely on people 
with symptoms or exposure to known COVID-19 outbreaks — a triage level 
of testing that epidemiologists widely agree falls short of what’s 
needed.

To dramatically slow viral transmission, the <a href="https://globalepidemics.org/july-6-2020-state-testing-targets/" target="_blank">Harvard Global Health Institute</a>
 said last month that Kansas must more than triple the number of people 
tested daily to nearly 13,000, while keeping up social distancing and 
mask-wearing. Only five states are testing enough people to suppress the
 virus.

The state may already have the capacity to top that, MAWD 
president Samuel Caughron said. His lab can handle 10,000 to 15,000 
tests daily, but doesn’t use its full capacity.

“We've been 
seeing, as other labs have, our volumes declining,” he said. “There is 
something of a disconnect between what could be, and what's happening.”

The
 challenge for Kansas, he said, is creating a process that links 
organizations in need of mass testing to labs that can return results 
within a day or two.

Harvard experts have warned saliva testing could face supply shortages, too, just like tests that use nasal or throat swabs.

While
 waiting months for the U.S. Food And Drug Administration to authorize 
its tests, Lenexa’s Clinical Reference Laboratory used the time to 
install hard-to-get liquid-handling robots and squirrel away as many 
supplies as it could. <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/140664/download" target="_blank">Authorization</a> came through July 30.

“Honestly,
 we’ve just been building inventory since the day this started,” CEO Bob
 Thompson said. “So we’re feeling really good about our supply chain.”

The company currently provides test results within 1-2 days.

Saliva
 tests (and saliva-sputum tests that require the person to cough before 
spitting) detect genetic material — RNA — from the coronavirus. That’s 
the same science used with deep nasal swabs, but collecting saliva is 
quicker in large populations like prisons, schools and colleges. It 
saves precious masks and gloves, and it’s a less unpleasant option for 
people who have to take the test repeatedly, such as nursing home 
residents, athletes and health care workers.

At the University of 
Kansas, saliva tests have detected more than 200 cases of COVID-19 so 
far, and revealed higher rates of the virus among fraternities and 
sororities. This week Douglas County health officials ordered residents 
of nine <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-08-26/health-officials-put-several-ku-fraternity-and-sorority-houses-under-14-day-quarantine" target="_blank">fraternity and sorority houses</a> into two-week quarantine.

CRL
 in Lenexa has already processed 30,000 tests for seven Kansas schools, 
including KU, Emporia State University, Wichita State University, Fort 
Hays State University and Benedictine College — as well as 4,000 tests 
for four in Missouri.

The lab said it could handle several more 
thousand tests per day for Kansas. The company currently processes about
 10,000 a day, with a focus on the Kansas and Missouri markets, and 
expects to reach 20,000 a day by mid-September.

It’s in talks with Kansas school districts, too, and recently inked <a href="https://achieve.lausd.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&amp;DomainID=4&amp;ModuleInstanceID=4466&amp;ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&amp;RenderLoc=0&amp;FlexDataID=95211&amp;PageID=1" target="_blank">a deal</a>
 with Los Angeles Unified School District to join a bevy of labs 
assisting its 600,000-student school system. Minnesota is providing 
saliva tests (which aren’t from CRL) to all its <a href="https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/salivatestfaq.pdf" target="_blank">schools</a>, and announced this week it will <a href="https://www.startribune.com/minn-planning-14-6m-contract-for-covid-19-saliva-tests/572217132/" target="_blank">spend nearly $15 million</a> on a new lab for saliva samples.

The
 state lab in Topeka also plans to start processing saliva samples 
in-house, a Kansas Department of Health and Environment spokeswoman said
 Friday. It has the right equipment, but must first complete legwork to 
ensure its results would be valid.

For mass testing of largely 
asymptomatic people at places like colleges, CRL pools material from 
five people at a time to speed up the process. When a combined sample 
contains the virus, CRL then retrieves the five vials to retest each 
person’s saliva individually and pinpoint the source.

While CRL received FDA authorization, not all COVID-19 tests — saliva or otherwise — have that.

The backlogged agency allowed many tests onto market while awaiting review, and last week the Trump administration <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/08/20/trump-fda-tests-coronavirus/" target="_blank">axed the requirement</a> for federally regulated labs with advanced capabilities to undergo FDA scrutiny.

MAWD’s
 test, a variation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
method, does not have FDA authorization yet but the company may still 
pursue it.

Pittsburg State University uses Cytocheck, a lab in 
Parsons, but didn’t answer questions about whether the FDA has 
greenlighted its tests. Cytocheck wouldn’t speak to the Kansas News 
Service about its product.

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a> or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598639401459.png" alt="KU employees and students use kits like this one to provide their saliva samples for COVID-19 testing. J. Schafer / Kansas Public Radio" />
 <figcaption>KU employees and students use kits like this one to provide their saliva samples for COVID-19 testing. J. Schafer / Kansas Public Radio</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-08-28/saliva-is-making-it-possible-to-quickly-test-tens-of-thousands-of-kansans-for-coronavirus">Kansas News Service</a>LENEXA — One lab has helped seven Kansas universities 
test tens of thousands of students, faculty and staff for COVID-19 for 
the fall semester. And all anyone needed to do was spit.Saliva 
lab work has the potential to dramatically increase testing of 
asymptomatic Kansans with no known COVID-19 exposure, state health 
officials say. That’s a critical ingredient for stopping the pandemic.Last
 week, Kansas health secretary Lee Norman suggested the state partner 
with labs such as Lenexa-based Clinical Reference Laboratory and a 
second Lenexa company that does saliva and other COVID-19 testing for 
major hospitals, MAWD Pathology Group.“Anybody can spit into a 
tube. That would be a game changer,” Norman told a state task force. 
“That would really open up the floodgates.”He suggested tapping 
the labs to help the state’s nursing homes and schools, and to regularly
 test large numbers of Kansans without symptoms, not just patients who 
turn up at doctor’s offices feeling sick.Collecting saliva holds a few advantages over swabs that <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmvcm2010260" target="_blank">dip deep</a>
 into one’s nasal passages. Most people can spit into a tube without 
help from a nurse or other medical professional decked out in protective
 gear.Already, Kansas has surpassed <a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/coronavirus/article243463271.html" target="_blank">its target</a>
 of testing more than 60,000 people per month three months in a row, but
 Norman said “it’s not enough.” The state has focused largely on people 
with symptoms or exposure to known COVID-19 outbreaks — a triage level 
of testing that epidemiologists widely agree falls short of what’s 
needed.To dramatically slow viral transmission, the <a href="https://globalepidemics.org/july-6-2020-state-testing-targets/" target="_blank">Harvard Global Health Institute</a>
 said last month that Kansas must more than triple the number of people 
tested daily to nearly 13,000, while keeping up social distancing and 
mask-wearing. Only five states are testing enough people to suppress the
 virus.The state may already have the capacity to top that, MAWD 
president Samuel Caughron said. His lab can handle 10,000 to 15,000 
tests daily, but doesn’t use its full capacity.“We've been 
seeing, as other labs have, our volumes declining,” he said. “There is 
something of a disconnect between what could be, and what's happening.”The
 challenge for Kansas, he said, is creating a process that links 
organizations in need of mass testing to labs that can return results 
within a day or two.<h2>Stocking up</h2>Harvard experts have warned saliva testing could face supply shortages, too, just like tests that use nasal or throat swabs.While
 waiting months for the U.S. Food And Drug Administration to authorize 
its tests, Lenexa’s Clinical Reference Laboratory used the time to 
install hard-to-get liquid-handling robots and squirrel away as many 
supplies as it could. <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/140664/download" target="_blank">Authorization</a> came through July 30.“Honestly,
 we’ve just been building inventory since the day this started,” CEO Bob
 Thompson said. “So we’re feeling really good about our supply chain.”The company currently provides test results within 1-2 days.Saliva
 tests (and saliva-sputum tests that require the person to cough before 
spitting) detect genetic material — RNA — from the coronavirus. That’s 
the same science used with deep nasal swabs, but collecting saliva is 
quicker in large populations like prisons, schools and colleges. It 
saves precious masks and gloves, and it’s a less unpleasant option for 
people who have to take the test repeatedly, such as nursing home 
residents, athletes and health care workers.At the University of 
Kansas, saliva tests have detected more than 200 cases of COVID-19 so 
far, and revealed higher rates of the virus among fraternities and 
sororities. This week Douglas County health officials ordered residents 
of nine <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-08-26/health-officials-put-several-ku-fraternity-and-sorority-houses-under-14-day-quarantine" target="_blank">fraternity and sorority houses</a> into two-week quarantine.CRL
 in Lenexa has already processed 30,000 tests for seven Kansas schools, 
including KU, Emporia State University, Wichita State University, Fort 
Hays State University and Benedictine College — as well as 4,000 tests 
for four in Missouri.The lab said it could handle several more 
thousand tests per day for Kansas. The company currently processes about
 10,000 a day, with a focus on the Kansas and Missouri markets, and 
expects to reach 20,000 a day by mid-September.It’s in talks with Kansas school districts, too, and recently inked <a href="https://achieve.lausd.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&amp;DomainID=4&amp;ModuleInstanceID=4466&amp;ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&amp;RenderLoc=0&amp;FlexDataID=95211&amp;PageID=1" target="_blank">a deal</a>
 with Los Angeles Unified School District to join a bevy of labs 
assisting its 600,000-student school system. Minnesota is providing 
saliva tests (which aren’t from CRL) to all its <a href="https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/salivatestfaq.pdf" target="_blank">schools</a>, and announced this week it will <a href="https://www.startribune.com/minn-planning-14-6m-contract-for-covid-19-saliva-tests/572217132/" target="_blank">spend nearly $15 million</a> on a new lab for saliva samples.The
 state lab in Topeka also plans to start processing saliva samples 
in-house, a Kansas Department of Health and Environment spokeswoman said
 Friday. It has the right equipment, but must first complete legwork to 
ensure its results would be valid.For mass testing of largely 
asymptomatic people at places like colleges, CRL pools material from 
five people at a time to speed up the process. When a combined sample 
contains the virus, CRL then retrieves the five vials to retest each 
person’s saliva individually and pinpoint the source.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y0KSmeKjX6Q"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>While CRL received FDA authorization, not all COVID-19 tests — saliva or otherwise — have that.The backlogged agency allowed many tests onto market while awaiting review, and last week the Trump administration <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/08/20/trump-fda-tests-coronavirus/" target="_blank">axed the requirement</a> for federally regulated labs with advanced capabilities to undergo FDA scrutiny.MAWD’s
 test, a variation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
method, does not have FDA authorization yet but the company may still 
pursue it.Pittsburg State University uses Cytocheck, a lab in 
Parsons, but didn’t answer questions about whether the FDA has 
greenlighted its tests. Cytocheck wouldn’t speak to the Kansas News 
Service about its product.Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a> or email her at celia@kcur.org.

Saliva making it possible to quickly test tens of thousands of Kansans

SALINE COUNTY —The staff at Rolling Hills Zoo is grieving the loss of one of their Amur tiger triplets.

Luka, the male of the three, died while undergoing an exam to address some dental issues he was experiencing which affected his ability to consume his diet. Luka’s body has been transported to K-State for a necropsy to determine his cause of death, according to a media release from the zoo.

“A loss like Luca’s is simply gut wrenching,” shared Bob Jenkins, Rolling Hills Zoo’s Executive Director. “While all losses are devastating, ones like this hits the Zoo hard and deep. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of death through a variety of mechanisms as we want to ensure that we don’t have a systemic problem. We will be sharing the results with everyone when they are available.”

Luka was one of three cubs born on August 14, 2019 at Rolling Hills Zoo. The other two are females, Sasha and Nadya. Their mother Andrea, 12 years old, and father, Dhenuka - 10 years old, had arrived at Rolling Hills Zoo on a breeding recommendation by the SSP (Species Survival Plan) a collaborative effort among Association of Zoos &amp; Aquariums (AZA) – of which RHZ is an accredited institution.

Following a successful birth, the three cubs had been fan favorites at the Zoo as guests watched them grow up and celebrate their first birthday this past month.

Weighing in at 250 pounds, Luka was known by his keepers as being the bravest and most curious of the three cubs, and always the first to check things out. Sasha, weighing 200 lbs. like her sister, was always right behind Luka as she tried to keep up with her brother, while Nadya would hang back and be the more cautious of the three.

SALINE COUNTY —The staff at Rolling Hills Zoo is grieving the loss of one of their Amur tiger triplets.Luka, the male of the three, died while undergoing an exam to address some dental issues he was experiencing which affected his ability to consume his diet. Luka’s body has been transported to K-State for a necropsy to determine his cause of death, according to a media release from the zoo.“A loss like Luca’s is simply gut wrenching,” shared Bob Jenkins, Rolling Hills Zoo’s Executive Director. “While all losses are devastating, ones like this hits the Zoo hard and deep. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of death through a variety of mechanisms as we want to ensure that we don’t have a systemic problem. We will be sharing the results with everyone when they are available.”Luka was one of three cubs born on August 14, 2019 at Rolling Hills Zoo. The other two are females, Sasha and Nadya. Their mother Andrea, 12 years old, and father, Dhenuka - 10 years old, had arrived at Rolling Hills Zoo on a breeding recommendation by the SSP (Species Survival Plan) a collaborative effort among Association of Zoos &amp; Aquariums (AZA) – of which RHZ is an accredited institution.Following a successful birth, the three cubs had been fan favorites at the Zoo as guests watched them grow up and celebrate their first birthday this past month.Weighing in at 250 pounds, Luka was known by his keepers as being the bravest and most curious of the three cubs, and always the first to check things out. Sasha, weighing 200 lbs. like her sister, was always right behind Luka as she tried to keep up with her brother, while Nadya would hang back and be the more cautious of the three.

Kansas zoo mourns loss of one tiger triplet

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman should receive the maximum sentence possible for directing a plan to hide the death of a developmentally disabled man whose body was found encased in concrete, a federal prosecutor said in court filings.

Sherry Paulo, of Fulton, is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday on federal charges of health care fraud and failing to provide medical care to Carl DeBrodie, 31, whose body was found in a storage unit in Fulton in April 2017. Investigators believe he died months earlier.

The maximum sentence on those charges is 17.5 years in prison.

Paulo’s husband, Anthony Flores; their daughter, Mary Paulo; and their son, Anthony R.K. Flores, have also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f5e9285af5f64e56981e416349057c04">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to federal charges in the case.

Sherry Paulo and Anthony Flores still face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/91f235f8c4814bfca456c9e12667d2eb">state charges</a>, including first-degree involuntary manslaughter and abandonment of a corpse.

All four family members worked at Second Chance Homes in Fulton, a home for developmentally disabled residents where DeBrodie lived.

Federal prosecutor Lucinda Woolery wrote in a court memo filed Aug. 21 that Sherry Paulo was a “controlling matriarch” and the family followed her orders in the family and at work.

Paulo withheld medications from DeBrodie beginning in 2015 and did not take him to a doctor from December 2015 until his death, Woolery wrote. She moved him to her home in September 2016 because his condition was so bad “he would lie in bed howling,” according to the memo.

DeBrodie spent his last days in a small basement room with no access to running water, sunlight, or fresh air, according to the memo.

Paulo and her husband each told police that they eventually asked DeBrodie’s housemate to carry him to an upstairs bathroom and place him under running water. Paulo said she watched DeBrodie stop breathing but neither she nor her husband provided medical aid or called for help, according to memo.

Instead, DeBrodie was left in the bathtub until the smell grew too strong.

In her plea agreement, Mary Paulo admitted to helping Sherry Paulo place DeBrodie into a trash can, which was loaded into a wooden crate and filled with concrete. Sherry Paulo, her husband and their son, Anthony R.K. Flores, took the crate to a storage unit, Anthony R.K. Flores admitted in his plea agreement.

The Callaway County medical examiner’s office was unable to determine an exact cause of death but ruled his death a homicide.

Between September 2016 and April 2017, Sherry Paulo lied about DeBrodie’s whereabouts and filed daily reports on his activities. She also submitted false Medicaid claims worth $106,795, Woolery wrote.

Paulo reported DeBrodie missing in April 2017 when Second Chance Homes was about to be taken over by another company. She also told family members to lie to police by saying they saw DeBrodie at a family Easter celebration on April 16, 2017.

Ultimately, an interview with DeBrodie’s housemate led police to his body, the sentencing memo states.

DeBrodie’s aunt, Carol Samson, said in a victim impact statement that his mother and stepfather both died this year. She asked that all the defendants be given maximum sentences and not ever be given access to vulnerable people again.

Paulo’s attorney, Christopher Slusher, filed a sentencing memorandum Tuesday, but it is sealed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574539388449.png" alt="Sherry Paulo" />
 <figcaption>Sherry Paulo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman should receive the maximum sentence possible for directing a plan to hide the death of a developmentally disabled man whose body was found encased in concrete, a federal prosecutor said in court filings.Sherry Paulo, of Fulton, is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday on federal charges of health care fraud and failing to provide medical care to Carl DeBrodie, 31, whose body was found in a storage unit in Fulton in April 2017. Investigators believe he died months earlier.The maximum sentence on those charges is 17.5 years in prison.Paulo’s husband, Anthony Flores; their daughter, Mary Paulo; and their son, Anthony R.K. Flores, have also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f5e9285af5f64e56981e416349057c04">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to federal charges in the case.Sherry Paulo and Anthony Flores still face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/91f235f8c4814bfca456c9e12667d2eb">state charges</a>, including first-degree involuntary manslaughter and abandonment of a corpse.All four family members worked at Second Chance Homes in Fulton, a home for developmentally disabled residents where DeBrodie lived.Federal prosecutor Lucinda Woolery wrote in a court memo filed Aug. 21 that Sherry Paulo was a “controlling matriarch” and the family followed her orders in the family and at work.Paulo withheld medications from DeBrodie beginning in 2015 and did not take him to a doctor from December 2015 until his death, Woolery wrote. She moved him to her home in September 2016 because his condition was so bad “he would lie in bed howling,” according to the memo.DeBrodie spent his last days in a small basement room with no access to running water, sunlight, or fresh air, according to the memo.Paulo and her husband each told police that they eventually asked DeBrodie’s housemate to carry him to an upstairs bathroom and place him under running water. Paulo said she watched DeBrodie stop breathing but neither she nor her husband provided medical aid or called for help, according to memo.Instead, DeBrodie was left in the bathtub until the smell grew too strong.In her plea agreement, Mary Paulo admitted to helping Sherry Paulo place DeBrodie into a trash can, which was loaded into a wooden crate and filled with concrete. Sherry Paulo, her husband and their son, Anthony R.K. Flores, took the crate to a storage unit, Anthony R.K. Flores admitted in his plea agreement.The Callaway County medical examiner’s office was unable to determine an exact cause of death but ruled his death a homicide.Between September 2016 and April 2017, Sherry Paulo lied about DeBrodie’s whereabouts and filed daily reports on his activities. She also submitted false Medicaid claims worth $106,795, Woolery wrote.Paulo reported DeBrodie missing in April 2017 when Second Chance Homes was about to be taken over by another company. She also told family members to lie to police by saying they saw DeBrodie at a family Easter celebration on April 16, 2017.Ultimately, an interview with DeBrodie’s housemate led police to his body, the sentencing memo states.DeBrodie’s aunt, Carol Samson, said in a victim impact statement that his mother and stepfather both died this year. She asked that all the defendants be given maximum sentences and not ever be given access to vulnerable people again.Paulo’s attorney, Christopher Slusher, filed a sentencing memorandum Tuesday, but it is sealed.

Prosecutor: Woman was leader in death of man in concrete

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and asking the public for help to identify a suspect.

The burglary occurred in the early morning hours of August 23 at St. Matthew Catholic School,&nbsp;1000 SE 28th Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.&nbsp;

The suspect took more than 30 electronic and other items.

Anyone with information is asked to email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:telltpd@topeka.org" target="_blank">telltpd@topeka.org</a>&nbsp;or call Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007. Anonymous tips can also be made online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.shawneecountycrimestoppers.com/" target="_blank">www.shawneecountycrimestoppers.com</a>. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598644665282.png" alt="Security camera images from Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera images from Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and asking the public for help to identify a suspect.The burglary occurred in the early morning hours of August 23 at St. Matthew Catholic School,&nbsp;1000 SE 28th Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598644960967.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect took more than 30 electronic and other items.Anyone with information is asked to email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:telltpd@topeka.org" target="_blank">telltpd@topeka.org</a>&nbsp;or call Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007. Anonymous tips can also be made online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.shawneecountycrimestoppers.com/" target="_blank">www.shawneecountycrimestoppers.com</a>. &nbsp;

Police ask for help to ID Kan. church school burglary suspect

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>&nbsp;girl’s killer Friday became the fifth federal inmate put to death this year, an execution that went forward only after a higher court tossed a ruling that would have required the government to get a prescription for the drug used to kill him.

Questions about whether the drug pentobarbital causes pain prior to death had been a focus of appeals for Keith Nelson, 45, the second inmate executed this week in the Trump administration’s resumption of federal executions this summer after a 17-year hiatus.

Nelson was pronounced dead inside the execution chamber at a federal prison in Terre Haute,&nbsp;Indiana, at 4:32 p.m. EDT, about nine minutes after the execution began.

When a prison official standing over him asked if he had any last words, Nelson didn't utter a word, grunt or even nod his head. After the official waited for about 15 seconds, his eyes fixed on Nelson waiting in vain for an answer, he turned away and began the execution procedure.

Nelson, whose face was entirely obscured behind a medical mask and a blue sheet across his body, stayed still as the lethal drug pentobarbital was delivered, which his attorneys made as the focus of their last-minute appeals. None of his limbs twitched or quivered, but after about a minute his chest and midsection began to heave and shutter involuntarily.

Nelson was convicted of grabbing 10-year-old Pamela Butler off the street and throwing her into his truck in broad daylight on Oct. 12, 1999, as part of a plan to find a female to kidnap, torture, rape and kill because he expected to go back to prison anyway.

The girl had been returning to her Kansas City, Kansas, home on inline skates after buying cookies. As he drove off with her, he made a rude gesture to her sister, who saw the attack and screamed. He later raped the fifth-grader and strangled her with a wire.

Nelson's attorneys said they had come to know him as someone other than a killer, that they “saw his humanity, his compassion, and his sense of humor.”

“The execution of Keith Nelson did not make the world a safer place," the lawyers, Dale Baich and Jen Moreno, said in a statement. “Keith’s death sentence was the result of a proceeding that denied him constitutionally guaranteed protections and reveals another deep flaw in the federal death penalty system.”

Cherri West, the mother of the young girl who Nelson killed, said his death had brought her some peace and hoped it would also bring peace to her daughter's soul.

Wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with her daughter Pamela's photo and angel wings emanating from behind it, West said she had no remorse for him and didn't expect he would show any for her family either. She recalled how Nelson had cursed at her and other family members during hearings in his case, adding that she thought he might curse at them again before being put to death,

“I wasn’t expecting him to say anything because he never had no remorse," she said.

Nelson’s spiritual adviser, Sister Barbara Battista, stood inside the death chamber as Nelson was executed. She spoke to him regularly since last month, most recently on Wednesday, saying he sounded more subdued than usual but not frightened.

“His parting words were … ‘I don’t want to see you on Friday but I probably will,’” she said in an interview before the execution. “He would rather be alive after Friday. But he is facing the reality.”

A flurry of filings by Nelson's legal team over several weeks zeroed in on pentobarbital, which depresses the central nervous system and, in high doses, eventually stops the heart.

In one filing in early August, Nelson's attorneys cited an unofficial autopsy on one inmate executed last month, William Purkey, saying it indicated evidence of pulmonary edema in which the lungs fill with fluid and causes a painful sensation akin to drowning.

In her now-overturned ruling, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan halted Nelson's execution early Thursday, saying laws regulating drugs require the prescriptions, even for executions.

Within hours a panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit threw out Chutkan's order with little explanation.

In a 2018 ruling, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Nelson showed no remorse during a sentencing hearing statement and instead “blistered the district court and the victim’s family with a profanity laden tirade.”

With the execution Wednesday of Lezmond Mitchell — the only Native American on federal death row — the federal government under President Donald Trump registered more executions in 2020 than it had in the previous 56 years combined.

The executions of Nelson and Mitchell were carried out the same week as the Republican National Convention, where many Trump supporters sought to portray him as a law-and-order candidate.

Nelson’s current attorneys said Nelson's lawyers during the 2001 penalty phase of his case should have emphasized mitigating evidence, including that Nelson suffered brain damage as a newborn and was abused as a child. During arguments, prosecutors pointed to Nelson’s twin brother, saying he grew up in similarly difficult circumstances but had a good job and had done well.

The federal government has defended the use of pentobarbital, disputing that Purkey’s autopsy proved he suffered. They have also cited Supreme Court ruling precedent that an execution method isn't necessarily cruel and unusual just because it causes some pain.

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — The scheduled federal execution of a 10-year-old Kansas girl's killer was back on track Friday after an appellate panel tossed a lower court's ruling that would have required the government to get a drug prescription before it could use pentobarbital to kill the inmate.

Questions about whether pentobarbital causes pain prior to death has been a focus of last-minute appeals for Keith Nelson, who would be the fifth person to die this year and the second this week in the Trump administration’s resumption of federal executions after a 17-year hiatus. All the executions by lethal injection have been carried out at a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana.

If Nelson's lawyer appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court on the prescription issue, the decision on whether Nelson lives or dies Friday could still come down to the high court. But similar moves to delay three other executions last month failed, with the high court ruling 5-4 to allow them to proceed.

Nelson’s spiritual adviser, Sister Barbara Battista, told The Associated Press early Friday that she would be at Nelson’s side inside the death chamber if the execution goes ahead.

She spoke to the 45-year-old Nelson regularly since last month, and last talked to him by phone Wednesday, saying he sounded more subdued than usual but not frightened.

“His parting words were … ‘I don’t want to see you on Friday but I probably will,’” she said. “He would rather be alive after Friday. But he is facing the reality.”

Nelson also told her that, as of Wednesday, he did not plan to make a last statement just before the lethal injection is administered.

In her now-overturned ruling, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan halted Nelson's execution early Thursday, saying laws regulating drugs require the prescriptions, even for executions. Within hours a panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit threw out Chutkan's order with little explanation.

Nelson’s crime was horrific by any measure.

Then in his mid-20s, Nelson grabbed 10-year-old Pamela Butler off the street and threw her into his truck in broad daylight on Oct. 12, 1999. The fifth-grade student had been returning to her Kansas City, Kansas, home on inline skates after buying cookies at a store. As he drove off, he made a rude gesture to Butler’s sister, who saw the attack and screamed.

Nelson, who didn’t previously know Butler or her family, told a co-worker a month earlier he planned to find a female to kidnap, torture, rape and kill because he expected to go back to prison anyway on other charges, prosecutors said.

After raping Butler, Nelson strangled her with a wire, then dumped her body in a wooded area near a Missouri church.

Butler’s mother, Cherri West, hoped Nelson’s execution would bring her some peace after living for decades with the torment of her daughter’s final hours.

“To know that that was the last face that she saw on this earth ... and having to know how scared she was and what he was doing to her, has literally eaten me up,"she said.

Battista, a nun at a Terre Haute-area convent and anti-death penalty activist, said Nelson is not the same man he was.

“He committed a heinous crime,” she said “But he is a human being. … And who among us would want to be judged by their worst decision?”

The executions of Nelson and Mitchell were scheduled for the same week as the Republican National Convention, where many Trump supporters sought to portray him as a law-and-order candidate.

Nelson’s current attorneys said Nelson's lawyers during the 2001 penalty phase of his case should have emphasized mitigating evidence, including that Nelson suffered brain damage as a newborn and was abused as a child.

During arguments, prosecutors pointed to Nelson’s twin brother, saying he grew up in similarly difficult circumstances but had a good job and had done well.

Nelson lawyer Dale Baich, who intended to be a witness at the execution if it happens, said the world wouldn’t be made safer by killing his client.

“Having him spend the rest of his life in prison would accomplish the same goal,” he said.

Government attorneys have defended the use of pentobarbital, disputing that Purkey’s autopsy proved he suffered. They have also cited Supreme Court ruling precedent that an execution method isn't necessarily cruel and unusual just because it causes some pain.

Pentobarbital has few medical uses for humans, though it is often used by veterinarians to euthanize animals.

Three federal executions in the early 2000s deployed a cocktail of three drugs: sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide and potassium chloride.

But after makers of those drugs objected to their use in executions, states and the federal government scrambled for alternatives. Attorney General William Barr last year approved reworked execution protocols that called for using pentobarbital alone.

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — The scheduled federal execution of a 10-year-old Kansas girl’s killer was back on track Friday after an appellate panel tossed a lower court’s ruling that would have required the government to get a drug prescription before it could use pentobarbital to kill the inmate.

Questions about whether pentobarbital causes pain prior to death has been a focus of last-minute appeals for Keith Nelson, who would be the fifth person to die this year and the second this week in the Trump administration’s resumption of federal executions after a 17-year hiatus. All the executions by lethal pentobarbital injection have been carried out at a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana.

If Nelson’s lawyer appeals Friday to the Supreme Court on the prescription issue, the decision on whether Nelson lives or dies Friday could still come down to the high court. But similar moves to delay three other executions last month failed, with the high court ruling 5-to-4 allow them to proceed.

A flurry of filing by Nelson’s legal team over several weeks zeroed in on pentobarbital, a barbituate that depresses the central nervous system and, in high doses, eventually stops the heart.

In one filing in early August, attorneys for the 45-year-old Nelson cited an unofficial autopsy on one inmate executed last month, William Purkey, saying it indicated evidence of pulmonary edema in which the lungs fill with fluid and causes a painful sensation akin to drowning.

In her now-overturned ruling, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan halted Nelson’s execution early Thursday, saying laws regulating drugs require the prescriptions, even for executions. Government attorneys appealed and within hours a panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit threw out Chutkan’s order with little explanation.

Then in his mid-20s, Nelson grabbed 10-year-old Pamela Butler off the street and threw her into his truck in broad daylight on Oct. 12, 1999. The fifth-grade student had been returning to her Kansas City, Kansas, home on inline skates after buying cookies at a store. As he drove off, he made a rude gesture to Butler’s sister, who saw the attack and screamed. Onlookers got his license plate number.

“To know that that was the last face that she saw on this earth before he took her, and having to know how scared she was and what he was doing to her, has literally eaten me up.”

“The death penalty is not about fairness and justice, it’s about politics,” said Nelson’s lawyer, Dale Baich.

Nelson’s current attorneys said Nelson’s lawyers during the 2001 penalty phase of his case should have emphasized mitigating evidence, including that Nelson suffered brain damage as a newborn and was abused as a child.

Baich, who said he intended to be a witness at the execution if it happens, said the world wouldn’t be safer if his client was put to death.

Government attorneys have defended the use of pentobarbital, disputing that Purkey’s autopsy proved he suffered. They have also cited Supreme Court ruling precedent that an execution method isn’t necessarily cruel and unusual just because it causes some pain.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A panel of federal appeals court judges is letting the U.S. government proceed with the planned execution of a man who kidnapped, raped and killed a 10-year-old Kansas girl.

The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Thursday evening acted to let the execution of Keith Dwayne Nelson go forward Friday afternoon as scheduled. The court acted less than 24 hours after a lower court judge had halted his execution, saying the law requires the government to get a prescription for the drug it plans to use.

In an opinion early Thursday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan said a federal law that regulates drugs requires the government to get a prescription for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/53b7d4e7b9434ad483d7a2b8f3690caa">the lethal injection drug pentobarbital</a>, which it plans to use.

But in a brief, unsigned order Thursday evening, the panel of three appeals court judges acted to let the execution go forward, saying “there are insufficient findings and conclusions that irreparable injury will result from the statutory violation found by the district court.” The panel included two judges appointed by President Barack Obama, Cornelia Pillard and Robert Wilkins, and Neomi Rao, who was appointed by President Donald Trump.

Nelson attorney Dale Baich in an email to The Associated Press: “We are carefully reviewing the order and considering the options available to us.”

Nelson’s execution is scheduled to be the fifth carried out this year by the federal government at the death chamber of the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. The executions followed the Trump administration’s announcement last year that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1ab434fcc31e429089eb5e14de0d1324">it would resume executing death row inmates</a>&nbsp;for the first time since 2003.

Nelson was sentenced to death after pleading guilty to the 1999 kidnapping, rape and killing of Pamela Butler. The 10-year-old was rollerblading in front of her Kansas home when Nelson abducted her. He later raped her before strangling her to death with a wire.

Chutkan’s 13-page opinion putting Nelson’s execution on hold came hours after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d10a18eff9cdf43afda8810bf859949d">government carried out the execution of Lezmond Mitchell</a>, the only Native American on federal death row, despite objections from many Navajo leaders. With Mitchell’s execution, the federal government has now carried out more executions in 2020 than it had in the previous 56 years combined. Two more executions are scheduled for September. All of the executions have been carried out using pentobarbital.

Though the inmates who were put to death by the federal government have sought to halt their executions, challenging the drug’s use, among other things, the Supreme Court has sided with federal officials, in two cases reversing lower court orders keeping the government from carrying out scheduled executions.