BY JOCELYN GECKER AND&nbsp;MICHAEL LIEDTKE, Associated Press

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Schools across the United States are facing shortages and long delays, of up to several months, in getting this year’s most crucial back-to-school supplies: the laptops and other equipment needed for online learning, an Associated Press investigation has found.

The world’s three biggest computer companies, Lenovo, HP and Dell, have told school districts they have a shortage of nearly 5 million laptops, in some cases exacerbated by Trump administration sanctions on Chinese suppliers, according to interviews with over two dozen U.S. schools, districts in 15 states, suppliers, computer companies and industry analysts.

As the school year begins virtually in many places because of the coronavirus, educators nationwide worry that computer shortfalls will compound the inequities — and the headaches for students, families and teachers.

The Wichita Kansas school district has only received two-thirds of the computers and tablets it has ordered to equip students for distance learning because of worldwide supply chain problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Until the supply and demand problem clears up, USD 259 is prioritizing its distribution of the 8,000 devices it has received out of an order of 24,000.

“This is going to be like asking an artist to paint a picture without paint. You can’t have a kid do distance learning without a computer,” said Tom Baumgarten, superintendent of the Morongo County School District in California’s Mojave Desert, where all 8,000 students qualify for free lunch and most need computers for distance learning.

Baumgarten was set to order 5,000 Lenovo Chromebooks in July when his vendor called him off, saying Lenovos were getting “stopped by a government agency because of a component from China that’s not allowed here,” he said. He switched to HPs and was told they would arrive in time for the first day of school Aug. 26. The delivery date then changed to September, then October. The district has about 4,000 old laptops that can serve roughly half of students, but what about the rest, Baumgarten asks rhetorically. “I’m very concerned that I’m not going to be able to get everyone a computer.”

Chromebooks and other low-cost PCs are the computers of choice for most budget-strapped schools. The delays started in the spring and intensified because of high demand and disruptions of supply chains, the same reasons that toilet paper and other pandemic necessities flew off shelves a few months ago. Then came the Trump administration's July 20 announcement targeting Chinese companies it says were implicated in forced labor or other human rights abuses against a Muslim minority population, the Uighurs. The Commerce Department imposed sanctions on 11 Chinese companies, including the manufacturer of multiple models of Lenovo laptops, which the company says will add several weeks to existing delays, according to a letter Lenovo sent to customers.

School districts are pleading with the Trump administration to resolve the issue, saying that distance learning without laptops will amount to no learning for some of the country’s most vulnerable students.

“It's a tough one because I’m not condoning child slave labor for computers, but can we not hurt more children in the process?” said Matt Bartenhagen, IT director for Williston Public Schools in North Dakota, a district of 4,600 waiting on an order for 2,000 Lenovo Chromebooks. “They were supposed to be delivered in July. Then August. Then late August. The current shipping estimate is ‘hopefully" by the end of the year.

The Denver Public Schools district, the largest in Colorado, is waiting for 12,500 Lenovo Chromebooks ordered in April and May. The district has scrambled to find machines, settled for whatever is available and is handing out everything they get to students that need them. Still, when school starts Wednesday, they will be about 3,000 devices short, says Lara Hussain, an IT director for the district.

“We were promised devices. Our students need devices. And as a result of not receiving devices we will have students starting the school year unable to participate. It’s unconscionable,” said Hussain.

Lenovo had informed Denver and other districts over the spring and summer of supply chain delays. In late July, Lenovo sent a letter to customers to say the “trade controls” announced by the Commerce Department would cause another slowdown of at least several weeks.

“This delay is a new development and is unrelated to supply constraints previously communicated,” Matthew Zielinski, president of Lenovo North America said in the letter, which referred to the sanctions on a Chinese supplier, Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co. Ltd. The letter listed 23 Lenovo models for education and corporate customers made by Bitland.

“Effective immediately, we are no longer manufacturing these devices at Bitland,” the letter said, adding that Lenovo is working on “a transition plan” to shift production to other sites.

A Lenovo official told California’s Department of Education the company has a backlog of more than 3 million Chromebooks, said Daniel Thigpen, the department’s spokesman.

Lenovo declined to respond to repeated questions from AP seeking confirmation of the backlog and details on the numbers of devices delayed, replying only to deny a question on whether computers were seized by U.S. customs, as some schools were told by suppliers.

U.S. government agencies said they have no knowledge of the computers' whereabouts and also deny any were seized.

“U.S. Customs and Border Protection does not have any record of detained laptops matching this description,” the agency said in a statement.

The Department of Commerce said it added Hefei Bitland to its so-called Entity List, which restricts the export and in-country transfer of items by sanctioned companies. “It does not apply to the importation of Chromebooks from China,” the department said in a statement, adding, however, “we should all agree that American school children should not be using computers from China that were produced from forced labor.”

There are no nationwide tallies on the numbers of laptops and other devices that schools are waiting for. The Associated Press found that some of America’s biggest school districts are among those with outstanding orders of Chromebooks, other laptops or hotspots for internet connections, including Los Angeles, Clark County, Nevada, Wake County, North Carolina, Houston, Palm Beach and Hawaii, the nation’s only statewide school district.

A recent poll of California's 1,100 districts showed schools across the state are waiting on at least 300,000 backordered computers, said Mary Nicely, a senior policy advisor to the state superintendent. A survey in Alabama found that about 20 schools were waiting on 33,000 computers, said Ryan Hollingsworth, director of the School Superintendents of Alabama.

Smaller districts in Montana, New York, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, New Hampshire and elsewhere are also waiting on laptop orders, with delivery dates that have become moving targets.

Some of the school districts, like Los Angeles, say the outstanding orders are for replacement devices and all students who need a computer will have one. Many districts are asking parents with the means to buy devices for their children but realize that's not an option for many families.

It's also not an easy task with supplies at commercial stores running out. Best Buy's website shows 36 models of new and used Chromebooks priced under $500, the low-cost models that are popular for students. As of this week, 33 of those models were sold out.

The backlog and delays have become so widespread that some students will be forced to start the semester without an essential piece of technology for remote learning, said Michael Flood, senior vice president of Kajeet, which works with more than 2,000 school districts in the U.S. and Canada.

Some school administrators told Flood their laptop and Chromebook suppliers hope deliveries will only be delayed by a month or so. But others are being told their machines may not be available until early 2021.

The shortage stems from exceptionally high demand at a time when the personal computer industry is still recovering from pandemic-driven precautions that shut down the factories of major PC suppliers in China during February and March. Just as the supply chain started ramping back up, new orders poured in from huge companies and government agencies with large numbers of employees working from home — in addition to school districts scrambling to secure machines, said Mikako Kitagawa, research director at Gartner Inc., which closely follows the PC industry.

“The bottom line is everyone seems to want a laptop or Chromebook right now and there just isn’t enough supply of it,” Kitagawa said. “It’s a case of very bad timing.”

To make matters worse, many school districts underestimated their needs during spring ordering, assuming that traditional in-person classes would resume in the fall.

In California, most schools were planning for some form of in-person classes in the fall but only learned in July that wouldn’t be possible, when Gov. Gavin Newsom effectively ordered the majority of schools to start with remote learning. It created a mad dash for computers.

Tom Quiambao, director of technology for the Tracy Unified School District in Northern California, said he and his vendor contacted HP directly to ask why his July order for 10,000 HP laptops would take three months to be delivered. He was told, “HP is short 1.7 million units of laptops” because of production shortages in a variety of components made in China, including processors, touchscreens, motherboards and others, Quiambao said.

An HP spokeswoman declined to confirm or deny that number, saying only “we are continuing to leverage our global supply chain to meet the changing needs of our customer.”

Dell offered a similarly brief response to detailed questions about a backlog.

“We can’t comment on demand and supply specifically,” Dell said in an emailed statement, adding the company was seeing increased orders due to virtual learning and trying “to fulfill orders as efficiently as possible.”

With so many customers ordering laptops at the same time, PC manufacturers may be put in the uncomfortable position of deciding who gets them first, said Linn Huang, an analyst for the research firm International Data Corp. Those kind of pecking orders threaten to push small school districts to the back of the laptop line.

That’s part of the problem for the central Texas district of Abilene, where they are waiting for 6,000 Dell Chromebooks, ordered in May and June but not expected until November.

“In Texas, there are over 1,200 school districts and they’re all ordering,” said district spokesman Lance Fleming. Schools are trying to get disinfecting supplies, too. “Who would have ever thought that computers and Clorox Wipes would be on the same level of need in our country.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598006130627.png" alt="The school board in Wichita voted Thursday night to have 6-12 grade students begin the school year with online learning- photo courtesy USD 259." />
 <figcaption>The school board in Wichita voted Thursday night to have 6-12 grade students begin the school year with online learning- photo courtesy USD 259.</figcaption>
 </figure>BY JOCELYN GECKER AND&nbsp;MICHAEL LIEDTKE, Associated PressKANSAS CITY (AP) — Schools across the United States are facing shortages and long delays, of up to several months, in getting this year’s most crucial back-to-school supplies: the laptops and other equipment needed for online learning, an Associated Press investigation has found.The world’s three biggest computer companies, Lenovo, HP and Dell, have told school districts they have a shortage of nearly 5 million laptops, in some cases exacerbated by Trump administration sanctions on Chinese suppliers, according to interviews with over two dozen U.S. schools, districts in 15 states, suppliers, computer companies and industry analysts.As the school year begins virtually in many places because of the coronavirus, educators nationwide worry that computer shortfalls will compound the inequities — and the headaches for students, families and teachers.The Wichita Kansas school district has only received two-thirds of the computers and tablets it has ordered to equip students for distance learning because of worldwide supply chain problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Until the supply and demand problem clears up, USD 259 is prioritizing its distribution of the 8,000 devices it has received out of an order of 24,000.“This is going to be like asking an artist to paint a picture without paint. You can’t have a kid do distance learning without a computer,” said Tom Baumgarten, superintendent of the Morongo County School District in California’s Mojave Desert, where all 8,000 students qualify for free lunch and most need computers for distance learning.Baumgarten was set to order 5,000 Lenovo Chromebooks in July when his vendor called him off, saying Lenovos were getting “stopped by a government agency because of a component from China that’s not allowed here,” he said. He switched to HPs and was told they would arrive in time for the first day of school Aug. 26. The delivery date then changed to September, then October. The district has about 4,000 old laptops that can serve roughly half of students, but what about the rest, Baumgarten asks rhetorically. “I’m very concerned that I’m not going to be able to get everyone a computer.”Chromebooks and other low-cost PCs are the computers of choice for most budget-strapped schools. The delays started in the spring and intensified because of high demand and disruptions of supply chains, the same reasons that toilet paper and other pandemic necessities flew off shelves a few months ago. Then came the Trump administration's July 20 announcement targeting Chinese companies it says were implicated in forced labor or other human rights abuses against a Muslim minority population, the Uighurs. The Commerce Department imposed sanctions on 11 Chinese companies, including the manufacturer of multiple models of Lenovo laptops, which the company says will add several weeks to existing delays, according to a letter Lenovo sent to customers.School districts are pleading with the Trump administration to resolve the issue, saying that distance learning without laptops will amount to no learning for some of the country’s most vulnerable students.“It's a tough one because I’m not condoning child slave labor for computers, but can we not hurt more children in the process?” said Matt Bartenhagen, IT director for Williston Public Schools in North Dakota, a district of 4,600 waiting on an order for 2,000 Lenovo Chromebooks. “They were supposed to be delivered in July. Then August. Then late August. The current shipping estimate is ‘hopefully" by the end of the year.The Denver Public Schools district, the largest in Colorado, is waiting for 12,500 Lenovo Chromebooks ordered in April and May. The district has scrambled to find machines, settled for whatever is available and is handing out everything they get to students that need them. Still, when school starts Wednesday, they will be about 3,000 devices short, says Lara Hussain, an IT director for the district.“We were promised devices. Our students need devices. And as a result of not receiving devices we will have students starting the school year unable to participate. It’s unconscionable,” said Hussain.Lenovo had informed Denver and other districts over the spring and summer of supply chain delays. In late July, Lenovo sent a letter to customers to say the “trade controls” announced by the Commerce Department would cause another slowdown of at least several weeks.“This delay is a new development and is unrelated to supply constraints previously communicated,” Matthew Zielinski, president of Lenovo North America said in the letter, which referred to the sanctions on a Chinese supplier, Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co. Ltd. The letter listed 23 Lenovo models for education and corporate customers made by Bitland.“Effective immediately, we are no longer manufacturing these devices at Bitland,” the letter said, adding that Lenovo is working on “a transition plan” to shift production to other sites.A Lenovo official told California’s Department of Education the company has a backlog of more than 3 million Chromebooks, said Daniel Thigpen, the department’s spokesman.Lenovo declined to respond to repeated questions from AP seeking confirmation of the backlog and details on the numbers of devices delayed, replying only to deny a question on whether computers were seized by U.S. customs, as some schools were told by suppliers.U.S. government agencies said they have no knowledge of the computers' whereabouts and also deny any were seized.“U.S. Customs and Border Protection does not have any record of detained laptops matching this description,” the agency said in a statement.The Department of Commerce said it added Hefei Bitland to its so-called Entity List, which restricts the export and in-country transfer of items by sanctioned companies. “It does not apply to the importation of Chromebooks from China,” the department said in a statement, adding, however, “we should all agree that American school children should not be using computers from China that were produced from forced labor.”There are no nationwide tallies on the numbers of laptops and other devices that schools are waiting for. The Associated Press found that some of America’s biggest school districts are among those with outstanding orders of Chromebooks, other laptops or hotspots for internet connections, including Los Angeles, Clark County, Nevada, Wake County, North Carolina, Houston, Palm Beach and Hawaii, the nation’s only statewide school district.A recent poll of California's 1,100 districts showed schools across the state are waiting on at least 300,000 backordered computers, said Mary Nicely, a senior policy advisor to the state superintendent. A survey in Alabama found that about 20 schools were waiting on 33,000 computers, said Ryan Hollingsworth, director of the School Superintendents of Alabama.Smaller districts in Montana, New York, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, New Hampshire and elsewhere are also waiting on laptop orders, with delivery dates that have become moving targets.Some of the school districts, like Los Angeles, say the outstanding orders are for replacement devices and all students who need a computer will have one. Many districts are asking parents with the means to buy devices for their children but realize that's not an option for many families.It's also not an easy task with supplies at commercial stores running out. Best Buy's website shows 36 models of new and used Chromebooks priced under $500, the low-cost models that are popular for students. As of this week, 33 of those models were sold out.The backlog and delays have become so widespread that some students will be forced to start the semester without an essential piece of technology for remote learning, said Michael Flood, senior vice president of Kajeet, which works with more than 2,000 school districts in the U.S. and Canada.Some school administrators told Flood their laptop and Chromebook suppliers hope deliveries will only be delayed by a month or so. But others are being told their machines may not be available until early 2021.The shortage stems from exceptionally high demand at a time when the personal computer industry is still recovering from pandemic-driven precautions that shut down the factories of major PC suppliers in China during February and March. Just as the supply chain started ramping back up, new orders poured in from huge companies and government agencies with large numbers of employees working from home — in addition to school districts scrambling to secure machines, said Mikako Kitagawa, research director at Gartner Inc., which closely follows the PC industry.“The bottom line is everyone seems to want a laptop or Chromebook right now and there just isn’t enough supply of it,” Kitagawa said. “It’s a case of very bad timing.”To make matters worse, many school districts underestimated their needs during spring ordering, assuming that traditional in-person classes would resume in the fall.In California, most schools were planning for some form of in-person classes in the fall but only learned in July that wouldn’t be possible, when Gov. Gavin Newsom effectively ordered the majority of schools to start with remote learning. It created a mad dash for computers.Tom Quiambao, director of technology for the Tracy Unified School District in Northern California, said he and his vendor contacted HP directly to ask why his July order for 10,000 HP laptops would take three months to be delivered. He was told, “HP is short 1.7 million units of laptops” because of production shortages in a variety of components made in China, including processors, touchscreens, motherboards and others, Quiambao said.An HP spokeswoman declined to confirm or deny that number, saying only “we are continuing to leverage our global supply chain to meet the changing needs of our customer.”Dell offered a similarly brief response to detailed questions about a backlog.“We can’t comment on demand and supply specifically,” Dell said in an emailed statement, adding the company was seeing increased orders due to virtual learning and trying “to fulfill orders as efficiently as possible.”With so many customers ordering laptops at the same time, PC manufacturers may be put in the uncomfortable position of deciding who gets them first, said Linn Huang, an analyst for the research firm International Data Corp. Those kind of pecking orders threaten to push small school districts to the back of the laptop line.That’s part of the problem for the central Texas district of Abilene, where they are waiting for 6,000 Dell Chromebooks, ordered in May and June but not expected until November.“In Texas, there are over 1,200 school districts and they’re all ordering,” said district spokesman Lance Fleming. Schools are trying to get disinfecting supplies, too. “Who would have ever thought that computers and Clorox Wipes would be on the same level of need in our country.”___

US faces back-to-school laptop shortage

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday announced emergency authorization to treat COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma — a move he called “a breakthrough,” one of his top health officials called “promising” and other health experts said needs more study before it’s celebrated.

The announcement came after White House officials complained there were politically motivated delays by the Food and Drug Administration in approving a vaccine and therapeutics for the disease that has upended Trump’s reelection chances.

On the eve of the Republican National Convention, Trump put himself at the center of the FDA’s announcement of the authorization at a news conference Sunday evening. The authorization makes it easier for some patients to obtain the treatment but is not the same as full FDA approval.

The blood plasma, taken from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus and rich in antibodies, may provide benefits to those battling the disease. But the evidence so far has not been conclusive about whether it works, when to administer it and what dose is needed.

In a letter describing the emergency authorization, the chief scientist for the FDA, Denise Hinton, said: “COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months.”

But Trump had made clear to aides that he was eager to showcase good news in the battle against the virus, and the timing allowed him to head into his convention with momentum. He and aides billed it as a “major” development and used the White House briefing room to make the announcement.

Trump also displayed some rare discipline in the evening news conference, sticking to his talking points, deferring to the head of the FDA, Stephen Hahn, and only taking three questions from reporters.

The White House had grown agitated with the pace of the plasma approval. The accusations of an FDA slowdown, which were presented without evidence, were just the latest assault from Trump’s team on what he refers to as the “deep state” bureaucracy. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows did not deal in specifics, but said that “we’ve looked at a number of people that are not being as diligent as they should be in terms of getting to the bottom of it.”

“This president is about cutting red tape,” Meadows said in an interview Sunday on “This Week” on ABC. “He had to make sure that they felt the heat. If they don’t see the light, they need to feel the heat because the American people are suffering.”

During Sunday’s 18-minute press conference, Trump said he thought there had been a “logjam” at the FDA over granting the emergency authorization. He alleged there are people at the FDA “that can see things being held up ... and that’s for political reasons.”

Dr. Joshua Sharfstein said the statement, and Hahn’s silence while Trump said it, “was disgraceful.”

“The FDA commissioner basically allowed the president to mischaracterize the decision and attack the integrity of FDA employees. I was horrified,” said Sharfstein, a vice dean at John Hopkins University’s school of public health who was a top FDA official during the Obama administration.

“This is a promising therapy that has not been fully established,” he said

The push on Sunday came a day after Trump tweeted sharp criticism on the process to treat the virus, which has killed more than 175,000 Americans and imperiled his reelection chances. The White House has sunk vast resources into an expedited process to develop a vaccine, and Trump aides have been banking on it being an “October surprise” that could help the president make up ground in the polls.

“The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics,” Trump tweeted. “Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!”

Earlier this month, Mayo Clinic researchers reported a strong hint that blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors helps other infected patients recover. But it wasn’t considered proof.

More than 70,000 patients in the U.S. have been given convalescent plasma, a century-old approach to fend off flu and measles before vaccines. It’s a go-to tactic when new diseases come along, and history suggests it works against some, but not all, infections.

The Mayo Clinic reported preliminary data from 35,000 coronavirus patients treated with plasma, and said there were fewer deaths among people given plasma within three days of diagnosis, and also among those given plasma containing the highest levels of virus-fighting antibodies.

But it wasn’t a formal study. The patients were treated in different ways in hospitals around the country as part of an FDA program designed to speed access to the experimental therapy. That “expanded access” program tracks what happens to the recipients, but it cannot prove the plasma — and not other care they received — was the real reason for improvement.

Administration officials, in a call with reporters Sunday, discussed a benefit for patients who were within three days of admission to a hospital and were not on a respirator, and were given ‘high-titer’ convalescent plasma containing higher concentrations of antibodies. They were then compared to similar patients who were given lower-titer plasma. The findings suggest deaths were 35% lower in the high-titer group.

There’s been little data on how effective it is or whether it must be administered fairly early in an illness to make a significant difference, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University.

Aiming to ward off a possible a run on convalescent plasma after the announcement, government officials have been working to obtain plasma and to team with corporate partners and nonprofit organizations to generate interest among previously infected patients to donate.

Hahn, who called the development “promising,” said Trump did not speak to him about the timing of the announcement. He said “this has been in the works for several weeks.”

But some health experts were skeptical. Benjamin Corb, of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, called it “conspicuous timing.”

“President Trump is once again putting his political goals ahead of the health and well-being of the American public,” Corb said.

Rigorous studies are under way around the country, comparing similar patients randomly assigned to get plasma or a dummy infusion in addition to regular care. But those studies have been difficult to finish as the virus waxes and wanes in different cities. Also, some patients have requested plasma rather than agreeing to a study that might give them a placebo instead.

Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb dismissed the suggestion of a slowdown.

“I firmly reject the idea they would slow-walk anything or accelerate anything based on any political consideration or any consideration other than what is best for the public health and a real sense of mission to patients,” Gottlieb told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

Trump, in news conferences, “has made all kinds of therapeutic suggestions” that have not proven to be supported by science — and are even dangerous, Schaffner said. That includes statements about the possible value of treating COVID-19 patients with ultraviolet light and disinfectant. Trump reportedly also recently became enthusiastic about oleandrin, a plant extract derived from a toxic shrub that scientists immediately warned against.

But the president is perhaps best known for his early and ardent embrace of the malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine.

Earlier this month, Hahn emphasized that routine evaluation procedures will remain in place to evaluate COVID vaccine candidates.

“I think this administration has put more pressure on the Food and Drug Administration than I can remember” ever happening in the past, Schaffner said.

“Everybody is just a little bit nervous,” he said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Sunday the emergency authorization of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients, in a move he called “a breakthrough,” one of his top health officials called “promising,” and other health experts said needs more study before it’s celebrated.

The announcement came after days of White House officials suggesting there were politically motivated delays by the Food and Drug Administration in approving a vaccine and therapeutics for the disease that has upended Trump’s reelection chances.

On the eve of the Republican National Convention, Trump put himself at the center of the FDA’s announcement of the authorization — it makes it easier for some patients to obtain the treatment — in a news conference Sunday evening.

The blood plasma, taken from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus and rich in antibodies, may provide benefits to those battling with the disease. But the evidence so far has not been conclusive about whether it works, when to administer it and what dose is needed.

In a letter describing the emergency authorization, the chief scientist for the FDA, Denise Hinton, noted: “COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months.”

An emergency use authorization is not the same as full FDA approval.

In the authorization letter, FDA officials emphasized convalescent plasma is still under investigation. “COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months,” it said.

But Trump had made clear to aides that he was eager for a piece of good news on the battle of the pandemic, and the timing allowed him to head into the convention with momentum. He and aides billed it as a “major” development and utilized the White House briefing room to make the announcement.

The White House had grown agitated with the pace of the plasma approval, but the accusations of a slowdown, which were presented without evidence, were just the latest assault from Trump’s team on the “deep state” bureaucracy. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows did not deal in specifics, but said that “we’ve looked at a number of people that are not being as diligent as they should be in terms of getting to the bottom of it.”

There’s no solid evidence yet that it fights the coronavirus and, if so, how best to use it.

Hahn, who called the development “promising,” said Trump did not speak to him about the timing of the announcement, which comes just before a pivotal week for the president’s reelection chances. Hahn said “this has been in the works for several weeks” and came after a data validation for which the agency had been waiting.

Rigorous studies underway around the country are designed to get that proof, by comparing similar patients randomly assigned to get plasma or a dummy infusion in addition to regular care. But those studies have been difficult to finish as the virus waxes and wanes in different cities. Also, some patients have requested plasma rather than agreeing to a study that might give them a placebo instead.

Hundreds of drugs are currently being developed as possible treatments against the coronavirus infection, taking a range of approaches.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598222952199.png" alt="President Trump took only 3 questions during the Sunday evening press conference-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump took only 3 questions during the Sunday evening press conference-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday announced emergency authorization to treat COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma — a move he called “a breakthrough,” one of his top health officials called “promising” and other health experts said needs more study before it’s celebrated.The announcement came after White House officials complained there were politically motivated delays by the Food and Drug Administration in approving a vaccine and therapeutics for the disease that has upended Trump’s reelection chances.On the eve of the Republican National Convention, Trump put himself at the center of the FDA’s announcement of the authorization at a news conference Sunday evening. The authorization makes it easier for some patients to obtain the treatment but is not the same as full FDA approval.The blood plasma, taken from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus and rich in antibodies, may provide benefits to those battling the disease. But the evidence so far has not been conclusive about whether it works, when to administer it and what dose is needed.In a letter describing the emergency authorization, the chief scientist for the FDA, Denise Hinton, said: “COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months.”But Trump had made clear to aides that he was eager to showcase good news in the battle against the virus, and the timing allowed him to head into his convention with momentum. He and aides billed it as a “major” development and used the White House briefing room to make the announcement.Trump also displayed some rare discipline in the evening news conference, sticking to his talking points, deferring to the head of the FDA, Stephen Hahn, and only taking three questions from reporters.The White House had grown agitated with the pace of the plasma approval. The accusations of an FDA slowdown, which were presented without evidence, were just the latest assault from Trump’s team on what he refers to as the “deep state” bureaucracy. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows did not deal in specifics, but said that “we’ve looked at a number of people that are not being as diligent as they should be in terms of getting to the bottom of it.”“This president is about cutting red tape,” Meadows said in an interview Sunday on “This Week” on ABC. “He had to make sure that they felt the heat. If they don’t see the light, they need to feel the heat because the American people are suffering.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598222686256.png" alt="President Donald Trump accompanied by Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn, center and HHS Secretary Alex Azar during a media briefing Sunday -photo Courtesy White House." />
 <figcaption>President Donald Trump accompanied by Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn, center and HHS Secretary Alex Azar during a media briefing Sunday -photo Courtesy White House.</figcaption>
 </figure>During Sunday’s 18-minute press conference, Trump said he thought there had been a “logjam” at the FDA over granting the emergency authorization. He alleged there are people at the FDA “that can see things being held up ... and that’s for political reasons.”Dr. Joshua Sharfstein said the statement, and Hahn’s silence while Trump said it, “was disgraceful.”“The FDA commissioner basically allowed the president to mischaracterize the decision and attack the integrity of FDA employees. I was horrified,” said Sharfstein, a vice dean at John Hopkins University’s school of public health who was a top FDA official during the Obama administration.“This is a promising therapy that has not been fully established,” he saidThe push on Sunday came a day after Trump tweeted sharp criticism on the process to treat the virus, which has killed more than 175,000 Americans and imperiled his reelection chances. The White House has sunk vast resources into an expedited process to develop a vaccine, and Trump aides have been banking on it being an “October surprise” that could help the president make up ground in the polls.“The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics,” Trump tweeted. “Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!”Earlier this month, Mayo Clinic researchers reported a strong hint that blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors helps other infected patients recover. But it wasn’t considered proof.More than 70,000 patients in the U.S. have been given convalescent plasma, a century-old approach to fend off flu and measles before vaccines. It’s a go-to tactic when new diseases come along, and history suggests it works against some, but not all, infections.The Mayo Clinic reported preliminary data from 35,000 coronavirus patients treated with plasma, and said there were fewer deaths among people given plasma within three days of diagnosis, and also among those given plasma containing the highest levels of virus-fighting antibodies.But it wasn’t a formal study. The patients were treated in different ways in hospitals around the country as part of an FDA program designed to speed access to the experimental therapy. That “expanded access” program tracks what happens to the recipients, but it cannot prove the plasma — and not other care they received — was the real reason for improvement.Administration officials, in a call with reporters Sunday, discussed a benefit for patients who were within three days of admission to a hospital and were not on a respirator, and were given ‘high-titer’ convalescent plasma containing higher concentrations of antibodies. They were then compared to similar patients who were given lower-titer plasma. The findings suggest deaths were 35% lower in the high-titer group.There’s been little data on how effective it is or whether it must be administered fairly early in an illness to make a significant difference, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University.Aiming to ward off a possible a run on convalescent plasma after the announcement, government officials have been working to obtain plasma and to team with corporate partners and nonprofit organizations to generate interest among previously infected patients to donate.Hahn, who called the development “promising,” said Trump did not speak to him about the timing of the announcement. He said “this has been in the works for several weeks.”But some health experts were skeptical. Benjamin Corb, of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, called it “conspicuous timing.”“President Trump is once again putting his political goals ahead of the health and well-being of the American public,” Corb said.Rigorous studies are under way around the country, comparing similar patients randomly assigned to get plasma or a dummy infusion in addition to regular care. But those studies have been difficult to finish as the virus waxes and wanes in different cities. Also, some patients have requested plasma rather than agreeing to a study that might give them a placebo instead.Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb dismissed the suggestion of a slowdown.“I firmly reject the idea they would slow-walk anything or accelerate anything based on any political consideration or any consideration other than what is best for the public health and a real sense of mission to patients,” Gottlieb told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598218807664.png" alt="President Trump during the Sunday evening news conference -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump during the Sunday evening news conference -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump, in news conferences, “has made all kinds of therapeutic suggestions” that have not proven to be supported by science — and are even dangerous, Schaffner said. That includes statements about the possible value of treating COVID-19 patients with ultraviolet light and disinfectant. Trump reportedly also recently became enthusiastic about oleandrin, a plant extract derived from a toxic shrub that scientists immediately warned against.But the president is perhaps best known for his early and ardent embrace of the malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine.Earlier this month, Hahn emphasized that routine evaluation procedures will remain in place to evaluate COVID vaccine candidates.“I think this administration has put more pressure on the Food and Drug Administration than I can remember” ever happening in the past, Schaffner said.“Everybody is just a little bit nervous,” he said.-----------WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Sunday the emergency authorization of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients, in a move he called “a breakthrough,” one of his top health officials called “promising,” and other health experts said needs more study before it’s celebrated.The announcement came after days of White House officials suggesting there were politically motivated delays by the Food and Drug Administration in approving a vaccine and therapeutics for the disease that has upended Trump’s reelection chances.On the eve of the Republican National Convention, Trump put himself at the center of the FDA’s announcement of the authorization — it makes it easier for some patients to obtain the treatment — in a news conference Sunday evening.The blood plasma, taken from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus and rich in antibodies, may provide benefits to those battling with the disease. But the evidence so far has not been conclusive about whether it works, when to administer it and what dose is needed.In a letter describing the emergency authorization, the chief scientist for the FDA, Denise Hinton, noted: “COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months.”An emergency use authorization is not the same as full FDA approval.In the authorization letter, FDA officials emphasized convalescent plasma is still under investigation. “COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months,” it said.But Trump had made clear to aides that he was eager for a piece of good news on the battle of the pandemic, and the timing allowed him to head into the convention with momentum. He and aides billed it as a “major” development and utilized the White House briefing room to make the announcement.Trump also displayed some rare discipline in the evening news conference, sticking to his talking points, deferring to the head of the FDA, Stephen Hahn, and only taking three questions from reporters.The White House had grown agitated with the pace of the plasma approval, but the accusations of a slowdown, which were presented without evidence, were just the latest assault from Trump’s team on the “deep state” bureaucracy. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows did not deal in specifics, but said that “we’ve looked at a number of people that are not being as diligent as they should be in terms of getting to the bottom of it.”“This president is about cutting red tape,” Meadows said in an interview Sunday on “This Week” on ABC. “He had to make sure that they felt the heat. If they don’t see the light, they need to feel the heat because the American people are suffering.”The push on Sunday came a day after Trump tweeted sharp criticism on the process to treat the virus, which has killed more than 175,000 Americans and imperiled his reelection chances. The White House has sunk vast resources into an expedited process to develop a vaccine, and Trump aides have been banking on it being an “October surprise” that could help the president make up ground in the polls.“The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics,” Trump tweeted. “Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!”Earlier this month, Mayo Clinic researchers reported a strong hint that blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors helps other infected patients recover. But it wasn’t considered proof.More than 70,000 patients in the U.S. have been given convalescent plasma, a century-old approach to fend off flu and measles before vaccines. It’s a go-to tactic when new diseases come along, and history suggests it works against some, but not all, infections.There’s no solid evidence yet that it fights the coronavirus and, if so, how best to use it.The Mayo Clinic reported preliminary data from 35,000 coronavirus patients treated with plasma, and said there were fewer deaths among people given plasma within three days of diagnosis, and also among those given plasma containing the highest levels of virus-fighting antibodies.But it wasn’t a formal study. The patients were treated in different ways in hospitals around the country as part of an FDA program designed to speed access to the experimental therapy. That “expanded access” program tracks what happens to the recipients, but it cannot prove the plasma — and not other care they received — was the real reason for improvement.Administration officials, in a call with reporters Sunday, discussed a benefit for patients who were within three days of admission to a hospital and were not on a respirator, and were given ‘high-titer’ convalescent plasma containing higher concentrations of antibodies. They were then compared to similar patients who were given lower-titer plasma. The findings suggest deaths were 35% lower in the high-titer group.There’s been little data on how effective it is or whether it must be administered fairly early in an illness to make a significant difference, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University.Aiming to ward off a possible a run on convalescent plasma after the announcement, government officials have been working to obtain plasma and to team with corporate partners and nonprofit organizations to generate interest among previously infected patients to donate.Hahn, who called the development “promising,” said Trump did not speak to him about the timing of the announcement, which comes just before a pivotal week for the president’s reelection chances. Hahn said “this has been in the works for several weeks” and came after a data validation for which the agency had been waiting.But some health experts were skeptical. Benjamin Corb, of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, called it “conspicuous timing.”“President Trump is once again putting his political goals ahead of the health and well-being of the American public,” Corb said.Rigorous studies underway around the country are designed to get that proof, by comparing similar patients randomly assigned to get plasma or a dummy infusion in addition to regular care. But those studies have been difficult to finish as the virus waxes and wanes in different cities. Also, some patients have requested plasma rather than agreeing to a study that might give them a placebo instead.Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb dismissed the suggestion of a slowdown.ADVERTISEMENT“I firmly reject the idea they would slow-walk anything or accelerate anything based on any political consideration or any consideration other than what is best for the public health and a real sense of mission to patients,” Gottlieb told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”Hundreds of drugs are currently being developed as possible treatments against the coronavirus infection, taking a range of approaches.Trump, in news conferences, “has made all kinds of therapeutic suggestions” that have not proven to be supported by science — and are even dangerous, Schaffner said. That includes statements about the possible value of treating COVID-19 patients with ultraviolet light and disinfectant. Trump reportedly also recently became enthusiastic about oleandrin, a plant extract derived from a toxic shrub that scientists immediately warned against.But the president is perhaps best known for his early and ardent embrace of the malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine.Earlier this month, Hahn emphasized that routine evaluation procedures will remain in place to evaluate COVID vaccine candidates.“I think this administration has put more pressure on the Food and Drug Administration than I can remember” ever happening in the past, Schaffner said.“Everybody is just a little bit nervous,” he said.----

Trump: Plasma treatment for COVID-19 a breakthrough

COWLEY COUNTY — Two inmates who walked away from the Cowley County jail on Sunday are back in custody, according to Cowley County Emergency Communications. Authorities provided no additional details late Sunday.

COWLEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating how two inmates walked away from a Kansas County Jail.

Just after 3:00 p.m. Sunday, 26-year-old Rocky Leroy Brown and 19-year-old Noah Jaymes Oates&nbsp; left a work detail in the sanitation area of the jail and escaped from the custody of the Cowley County Sheriff's Office, according to a social media report from the Cowley County Emergency Communications.&nbsp;

The pair were least seen walking on Loomis between 9th and 10th Street in Winfield.

Both are wearing tan pants and white t-shirts. Brown has previous convictions for theft, burglary and criminal possession of a firearm. He is described as 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts should call 620)221-5447 or dial 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598219607772.png" alt="Brown-photo Cowley Co." />
 <figcaption>Brown-photo Cowley Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY — Two inmates who walked away from the Cowley County jail on Sunday are back in custody, according to Cowley County Emergency Communications. Authorities provided no additional details late Sunday.---------COWLEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating how two inmates walked away from a Kansas County Jail.Just after 3:00 p.m. Sunday, 26-year-old Rocky Leroy Brown and 19-year-old Noah Jaymes Oates&nbsp; left a work detail in the sanitation area of the jail and escaped from the custody of the Cowley County Sheriff's Office, according to a social media report from the Cowley County Emergency Communications.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598219454982.png" alt="Oates photo Cowley Co." />
 <figcaption>Oates photo Cowley Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The pair were least seen walking on Loomis between 9th and 10th Street in Winfield.Both are wearing tan pants and white t-shirts. Brown has previous convictions for theft, burglary and criminal possession of a firearm. He is described as 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.Anyone with information on their whereabouts should call 620)221-5447 or dial 911.

Update: 2 inmates who escaped from county jail back in custody

TOPEKA, KAN. –A federal grand jury indicted three illegal aliens who are accused of returning to the United States after being deported,&nbsp; according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Enrique Jaime Ortega-Rodriguez, 40, a Mexican citizen, is charged with one count of unlawful re-entry. The indictment alleges that on July 26, 2020, he was found in Dodge City, Kan. In November 2015, he was deported from San Ysidro, Calif.

Edgar Castro-Motta,&nbsp;39, is charged with one count of unlawful re-entry after being convicted of a felony and deported. The indictment alleges that on Jan. 29, 2020, he was found in Johnson County, Kan. In April 2015, he was deported after being convicted of a felony.

Hector Medina-Espericueta, 55, is charged with one count of unlawful re-entry. The indictment alleges that on June 23, 2020, he was found in Johnson County, Kan. In March 2014, he was deported.

If convicted, each could face up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597866399765.png" alt="Ortega-Rodriguez remains in custody in Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Ortega-Rodriguez remains in custody in Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, KAN. –A federal grand jury indicted three illegal aliens who are accused of returning to the United States after being deported,&nbsp; according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.Enrique Jaime Ortega-Rodriguez, 40, a Mexican citizen, is charged with one count of unlawful re-entry. The indictment alleges that on July 26, 2020, he was found in Dodge City, Kan. In November 2015, he was deported from San Ysidro, Calif.Edgar Castro-Motta,&nbsp;39, is charged with one count of unlawful re-entry after being convicted of a felony and deported. The indictment alleges that on Jan. 29, 2020, he was found in Johnson County, Kan. In April 2015, he was deported after being convicted of a felony.Hector Medina-Espericueta, 55, is charged with one count of unlawful re-entry. The indictment alleges that on June 23, 2020, he was found in Johnson County, Kan. In March 2014, he was deported.If convicted, each could face up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated.&nbsp;

Indictments: 3 were deported  but returned to Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after a traffic stop.

Just before 5:00 p.m. Thursday, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 2000 block of SW Van Buren Street in Topeka for a registration violation, according to Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer.&nbsp; Deputies located a loaded handgun and methamphetamine.&nbsp;

Deputies arrested the driver, Frank J. Robinson, 44, of Topeka, on requested charges of aggravated criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and driving while suspended.

The passenger, Lori A. Hause, 44, of Topeka, was on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Stallbaumer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598018341698.png" alt="Robinson-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Robinson-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after a traffic stop.Just before 5:00 p.m. Thursday, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 2000 block of SW Van Buren Street in Topeka for a registration violation, according to Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer.&nbsp; Deputies located a loaded handgun and methamphetamine.&nbsp;Deputies arrested the driver, Frank J. Robinson, 44, of Topeka, on requested charges of aggravated criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and driving while suspended.The passenger, Lori A. Hause, 44, of Topeka, was on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Stallbaumer.

Sheriff deputies find loaded gun, meth during Kan. traffic stop

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A state court judge has rejected a freshman Kansas congressman’s request to remove the Topeka area’s prosecutor from a criminal election fraud case against him.

Attorneys for Republican Rep. Steve Watkins failed to show that District Attorney Mike Kagay in Watkins’ home of Shawnee County had “an axe to grind” in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9d6046fd12875b3664cf8388708105e8">filing three felony charges&nbsp;</a>against Watkins, District Judge David Debenham said in&nbsp;<a href="https://apdocs.inside.ap.org/documents/151015-watkins-judges-order-08-18-20.html" target="_blank">a ruling</a>&nbsp;this week. Both Watkins and Kagay are Republicans, but Watkins argued that Kagay was colluding with Watkins’ main primary opponent because they shared a campaign consultant.

Watkins&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/43776f9e6a0d4cd6ea07ab802a548f8d">lost his GOP primary race</a>&nbsp;to State Treasurer Jake LaTurner, who made the criminal case a key issue in their eastern Kansas district. Watkins made his request to disqualify Kagay from the criminal case before the state’s Aug. 4 primary.

Debenham rejected Watkins’ argument that it was suspicious for Kagay to refuse to meet with the congressman during the investigation. Kagay said Friday that he has never met with the subject of an investigation while it is pending.

The judge also said he “could not see” how Kagay’s use of the same consultant as LaTurner “illustrates a conflict” even with the consultant’s public opposition to Watkins.

“Any connection is much too tenuous to find a valid conflict of interest,” Debenham wrote in his seven-page opinion.

Authorities began investigating in December whether Watkins broke state election laws by listing a postal box at a UPS Inc. store as his residence on a state voter registration form, but Kagay filed the charges just three weeks before the primary, a half hour ahead of the only televised debate between the GOP candidates.

An attorney for Watkins did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment, and spokesmen for his office and campaign did not immediately respond to emails.

Kagay said: “It is pretty straightforward and the order speaks for itself.”

Watkins is accused of voting illegally in a Topeka City Council race in November 2019 and of trying to mislead a sheriff’s detective who was investigating whether he broke state election laws. He listed the UPS store postal box as his residence last year for voter registration purposes but later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/07b5cc37067da9b23bd489a8e6eaddbe">corrected his residential address</a>&nbsp;— twice. It’s now an apartment that lies outside the City Council district that includes the UPS store.

Watkins has said he made a mistake and corrected it, calling the criminal charges “bogus.”

He acknowledged during an interview in late July that he voted in the wrong City Council district but said he did not intend to break the law. He suggested the voter registration resulted from “collegial” work with his staff but denied an allegation that he tried to mislead the detective by blaming the voter registration problem&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f633ee2e7c2aa0f94b86607da66ecc71">on his staff.</a>

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A state court judge has rejected a freshman Kansas congressman’s request to remove the Topeka area’s prosecutor from a criminal election fraud case against him.Attorneys for Republican Rep. Steve Watkins failed to show that District Attorney Mike Kagay in Watkins’ home of Shawnee County had “an axe to grind” in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9d6046fd12875b3664cf8388708105e8">filing three felony charges&nbsp;</a>against Watkins, District Judge David Debenham said in&nbsp;<a href="https://apdocs.inside.ap.org/documents/151015-watkins-judges-order-08-18-20.html" target="_blank">a ruling</a>&nbsp;this week. Both Watkins and Kagay are Republicans, but Watkins argued that Kagay was colluding with Watkins’ main primary opponent because they shared a campaign consultant.Watkins&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/43776f9e6a0d4cd6ea07ab802a548f8d">lost his GOP primary race</a>&nbsp;to State Treasurer Jake LaTurner, who made the criminal case a key issue in their eastern Kansas district. Watkins made his request to disqualify Kagay from the criminal case before the state’s Aug. 4 primary.Debenham rejected Watkins’ argument that it was suspicious for Kagay to refuse to meet with the congressman during the investigation. Kagay said Friday that he has never met with the subject of an investigation while it is pending.The judge also said he “could not see” how Kagay’s use of the same consultant as LaTurner “illustrates a conflict” even with the consultant’s public opposition to Watkins.“Any connection is much too tenuous to find a valid conflict of interest,” Debenham wrote in his seven-page opinion.Authorities began investigating in December whether Watkins broke state election laws by listing a postal box at a UPS Inc. store as his residence on a state voter registration form, but Kagay filed the charges just three weeks before the primary, a half hour ahead of the only televised debate between the GOP candidates.An attorney for Watkins did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment, and spokesmen for his office and campaign did not immediately respond to emails.Kagay said: “It is pretty straightforward and the order speaks for itself.”Watkins is accused of voting illegally in a Topeka City Council race in November 2019 and of trying to mislead a sheriff’s detective who was investigating whether he broke state election laws. He listed the UPS store postal box as his residence last year for voter registration purposes but later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/07b5cc37067da9b23bd489a8e6eaddbe">corrected his residential address</a>&nbsp;— twice. It’s now an apartment that lies outside the City Council district that includes the UPS store.Watkins has said he made a mistake and corrected it, calling the criminal charges “bogus.”He acknowledged during an interview in late July that he voted in the wrong City Council district but said he did not intend to break the law. He suggested the voter registration resulted from “collegial” work with his staff but denied an allegation that he tried to mislead the detective by blaming the voter registration problem&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f633ee2e7c2aa0f94b86607da66ecc71">on his staff.</a>___

Judge rejects request to remove DA in case against Kan. congressman

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas secretary of state’s office has offered each of the state’s 105 counties up to two drop-off boxes where people can deposit their absentee ballots for the November election if they don’t mail them in or want to risk voting in person because of the coronavirus threat.

Local election officials had until Friday to respond to the offer, so the state won’t know how many boxes it will need to buy until early next week, said Katie Koupal, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state’s office.

Response to the offer has been varied, she said. Some counties said they already had enough drop-off boxes and didn’t need any more, while others wanted one or two more.

County elections officials are making those decisions against the backdrop of the public uproar over recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0807b23d98f127a99ceb40d759341bbf">mail operation changes</a>&nbsp;and delivery delays. The new postmaster general told senators Friday that election mail would be prioritized for delivery as in years past, but Democrats warn that his cost-cutting initiatives threatened the election.

During the August primary, elections officials saw an influx of mail-in ballots being personally delivered to local elections offices or polling sites instead of people using the postal service, Koupal said.

She attributed that in part to aggressive public outreach efforts informing people of the various options for returning their primary mail-in ballots in Kansas.

Voters returned about 83% of the more than 315,000 mail-in ballots sent out during the state’s primary election.

Kansas has received $4.6 million in federal CARE Act funding that has to be used this year for the election, Koupal said.

It has spent $1 million on Plexiglas shields to protect election workers and voters at polling sites and for personal protective equipment such as hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, face masks and disposable gloves.

The state set aside about $2.6 million to help reimburse counties for unexpected election expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kansas has a little more than $1 million left, which it plans to use to help pay for the drop boxes, she said.

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas secretary of state’s office has offered each of the state’s 105 counties up to two drop-off boxes where people can deposit their absentee ballots for the November election if they don’t mail them in or want to risk voting in person because of the coronavirus threat.Local election officials had until Friday to respond to the offer, so the state won’t know how many boxes it will need to buy until early next week, said Katie Koupal, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state’s office.Response to the offer has been varied, she said. Some counties said they already had enough drop-off boxes and didn’t need any more, while others wanted one or two more.County elections officials are making those decisions against the backdrop of the public uproar over recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0807b23d98f127a99ceb40d759341bbf">mail operation changes</a>&nbsp;and delivery delays. The new postmaster general told senators Friday that election mail would be prioritized for delivery as in years past, but Democrats warn that his cost-cutting initiatives threatened the election.During the August primary, elections officials saw an influx of mail-in ballots being personally delivered to local elections offices or polling sites instead of people using the postal service, Koupal said.She attributed that in part to aggressive public outreach efforts informing people of the various options for returning their primary mail-in ballots in Kansas.Voters returned about 83% of the more than 315,000 mail-in ballots sent out during the state’s primary election.Kansas has received $4.6 million in federal CARE Act funding that has to be used this year for the election, Koupal said.It has spent $1 million on Plexiglas shields to protect election workers and voters at polling sites and for personal protective equipment such as hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, face masks and disposable gloves.The state set aside about $2.6 million to help reimburse counties for unexpected election expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.Kansas has a little more than $1 million left, which it plans to use to help pay for the drop boxes, she said.

Kansas offers counties drop-off boxes for mail-in ballots

CHICAGO (AP) — An inmate suffered “extreme pain” as he received a dose of pentobarbital during just the second federal execution following a 17-year lag, according to court filings by lawyers representing one of the inmates scheduled to be executed next.

The claim Wesley Purkey may have felt a sensation akin to drowning while immobilized but conscious is disputed by Department of Justice attorneys. They insist the first three lethal injections since 2003 were carried out without a hitch last month at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana.

This month’s filings were part of motions to halt the execution of Keith Nelson, convicted in the 1999 rape and strangulation of 10-year-old Pamela Butler. Prosecutors said he pulled her into his truck as she skated on rollerblades back to her Kansas home after buying herself cookies.

Nelson’s execution is set for Aug. 28. The execution of Lezmond Mitchell, the only Native American on federal death row, is scheduled for Aug. 26. His lawyers have made similar arguments.

Purkey was convicted federally of kidnapping and killing a 16-year-old girl before dismembering and dumping her body in a septic pond. The first federal execution last month was of Daniel Lewis Lee, convicted of killing an Arkansas family in a 1990s plot to build a whites-only nation.

Here’s a look at issues surrounding the use of pentobarbital:

A: An autopsy performed by a Michigan-based pathologist a week after the 68-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2b06e7abdb84118a1977ba5c084c6516">Purkey was put to death</a>&nbsp;found evidence of “severe bilateral acute pulmonary edema” and “frothy pulmonary edema in trachea and mainstem bronchi,” filings by the attorneys allege.

Those findings mean fluid quickly filled Purkey’s lungs and entered his airway up to his trachea, causing “a near-drowning” sensation, said Dr. Gail Van Norman, a medical expert retained by Nelson’s lawyers to interpret the autopsy.

“These are among the most excruciating feelings known to man,” she said in a filing.

Flash pulmonary edema, where fluid enters the lungs and airways, can only occur when someone is alive, she said.

“It is a virtual medical certainty, that most, if not all, prisoners will experience excruciating suffering, including sensations of drowning and suffocation” from pentobarbital, she added.

The autopsy wasn’t official. It was performed by a Western Michigan University pathologist, Dr. Joyce L. deJong, at the behest of Purkey relatives.

Autopsies weren’t performed of the others executed last month, Nelson’s lawyers said.

Q: HOW DID GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS RESPOND IN FILINGS?

A: They’ve said the execution of Purkey and the other inmates last month “were implemented without any pentobarbital-related complications.” They’ve said previous court rulings have concluded pentobarbital injections are humane.

And even if some pain is involved, that doesn’t render an execution method inhumane, the government attorneys argued, citing a 2008 Supreme Court ruling.

“Simply because an execution method may result in pain, either by accident or as an inescapable consequence of death, does not establish the sort of ‘objectively intolerable risk of harm’ that qualifies as cruel and unusual,” the high court said.

Q: WAS IT CLEAR DURING THE EXECUTION THAT PURKEY SUFFERED?

A: No. There weren’t obvious outward signs he was in pain.

An Associated Press reporter who served as a media witness described Purkey taking several deep breaths and blinking repeatedly as the pentobarbital was injected. The other inmates also twitched for several minutes before their breathing slowed, then stopped.

But death-penalty foes say the paralyzing effects of pentobarbital may make it impossible for the condemned to grimace or thrash around, even if they are feeling excruciating pain.

A: Pentobarbital is a barbiturate that depresses the central nervous system and that, given in a high dosage, causes the heart to stop. It doesn’t have widespread medical uses, though is often used by veterinarians to anesthetize or euthanize animals.

For three federal executions in the early 2000s, a cocktail of drugs was used: sodium thiopental, which has a similar affect as pentobarbital; pancuronium bromide, which paralyzes the body and potassium chloride, a drug that induces cardiac arrest.

But pharmaceuticals later refused to allow those drugs to be used in executions, forcing the federal and many state governments to seek an alternative. Attorney General William Barr last year approved&nbsp;<a href="https://files.deathpenaltyinfo.org/documents/Federal-Execution-Protocol-Addendum-7-25-19.pdf" target="_blank">reworked execution protocols</a>&nbsp;that called for using pentobarbital alone.

A: Nelson’s lawyers ideally want all executions suspended for good. But legal precedent requires, when arguing one form of execution is cruel, that they offer what they believe are more humane alternatives.

Among the alternatives they suggested: a firing squad.

“Historically, the firing squad has resulted in significantly fewer ‘botched’ executions,” they say in one filing. “Execution by firing squad is both swift and virtually painless.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574950995361.png" alt="Wes Purkey of Kansas was convicted of kidnapping, raping and killing a 16-year-old girl before dismembering, burning and then dumping her body in a septic pond. He also was convicted in a state court in Kansas after using a claw hammer to kill an 80-year-old woman who suffered from polio. He was one of three federal inmates executed in July -photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Wes Purkey of Kansas was convicted of kidnapping, raping and killing a 16-year-old girl before dismembering, burning and then dumping her body in a septic pond. He also was convicted in a state court in Kansas after using a claw hammer to kill an 80-year-old woman who suffered from polio. He was one of three federal inmates executed in July -photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — An inmate suffered “extreme pain” as he received a dose of pentobarbital during just the second federal execution following a 17-year lag, according to court filings by lawyers representing one of the inmates scheduled to be executed next.The claim Wesley Purkey may have felt a sensation akin to drowning while immobilized but conscious is disputed by Department of Justice attorneys. They insist the first three lethal injections since 2003 were carried out without a hitch last month at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana.This month’s filings were part of motions to halt the execution of Keith Nelson, convicted in the 1999 rape and strangulation of 10-year-old Pamela Butler. Prosecutors said he pulled her into his truck as she skated on rollerblades back to her Kansas home after buying herself cookies.Nelson’s execution is set for Aug. 28. The execution of Lezmond Mitchell, the only Native American on federal death row, is scheduled for Aug. 26. His lawyers have made similar arguments.Purkey was convicted federally of kidnapping and killing a 16-year-old girl before dismembering and dumping her body in a septic pond. The first federal execution last month was of Daniel Lewis Lee, convicted of killing an Arkansas family in a 1990s plot to build a whites-only nation.Here’s a look at issues surrounding the use of pentobarbital:Q: WHAT’S THE LAWYER’S CLAIM?A: An autopsy performed by a Michigan-based pathologist a week after the 68-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2b06e7abdb84118a1977ba5c084c6516">Purkey was put to death</a>&nbsp;found evidence of “severe bilateral acute pulmonary edema” and “frothy pulmonary edema in trachea and mainstem bronchi,” filings by the attorneys allege.Those findings mean fluid quickly filled Purkey’s lungs and entered his airway up to his trachea, causing “a near-drowning” sensation, said Dr. Gail Van Norman, a medical expert retained by Nelson’s lawyers to interpret the autopsy.“These are among the most excruciating feelings known to man,” she said in a filing.Flash pulmonary edema, where fluid enters the lungs and airways, can only occur when someone is alive, she said.“It is a virtual medical certainty, that most, if not all, prisoners will experience excruciating suffering, including sensations of drowning and suffocation” from pentobarbital, she added.The autopsy wasn’t official. It was performed by a Western Michigan University pathologist, Dr. Joyce L. deJong, at the behest of Purkey relatives.Autopsies weren’t performed of the others executed last month, Nelson’s lawyers said.Q: HOW DID GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS RESPOND IN FILINGS?A: They’ve said the execution of Purkey and the other inmates last month “were implemented without any pentobarbital-related complications.” They’ve said previous court rulings have concluded pentobarbital injections are humane.And even if some pain is involved, that doesn’t render an execution method inhumane, the government attorneys argued, citing a 2008 Supreme Court ruling.“Simply because an execution method may result in pain, either by accident or as an inescapable consequence of death, does not establish the sort of ‘objectively intolerable risk of harm’ that qualifies as cruel and unusual,” the high court said.Q: WAS IT CLEAR DURING THE EXECUTION THAT PURKEY SUFFERED?A: No. There weren’t obvious outward signs he was in pain.An Associated Press reporter who served as a media witness described Purkey taking several deep breaths and blinking repeatedly as the pentobarbital was injected. The other inmates also twitched for several minutes before their breathing slowed, then stopped.But death-penalty foes say the paralyzing effects of pentobarbital may make it impossible for the condemned to grimace or thrash around, even if they are feeling excruciating pain.Q: WHY IS PENTOBARBITAL USED?A: Pentobarbital is a barbiturate that depresses the central nervous system and that, given in a high dosage, causes the heart to stop. It doesn’t have widespread medical uses, though is often used by veterinarians to anesthetize or euthanize animals.For three federal executions in the early 2000s, a cocktail of drugs was used: sodium thiopental, which has a similar affect as pentobarbital; pancuronium bromide, which paralyzes the body and potassium chloride, a drug that induces cardiac arrest.But pharmaceuticals later refused to allow those drugs to be used in executions, forcing the federal and many state governments to seek an alternative. Attorney General William Barr last year approved&nbsp;<a href="https://files.deathpenaltyinfo.org/documents/Federal-Execution-Protocol-Addendum-7-25-19.pdf" target="_blank">reworked execution protocols</a>&nbsp;that called for using pentobarbital alone.Q: WHAT ABOUT ALTERNATIVES?A: Nelson’s lawyers ideally want all executions suspended for good. But legal precedent requires, when arguing one form of execution is cruel, that they offer what they believe are more humane alternatives.Among the alternatives they suggested: a firing squad.“Historically, the firing squad has resulted in significantly fewer ‘botched’ executions,” they say in one filing. “Execution by firing squad is both swift and virtually painless.”___

Lawyers claim Kan. child killer suffered during execution

WASHINGTON (AP) — A widely used coronavirus test is under scrutiny this week after federal health officials warned that it could deliver inaccurate results if laboratory technicians don’t follow the the latest updates from the manufacturer.

The Food and Drug Administration’s warning over Thermo Fisher’s TaqPath test underscores the complexity of COVID-19 tests and how easily they can be skewed by faulty processing and equipment.

The FDA action follows a report last month by Connecticut public health officials that the test resulted in at least 90 people receiving false positive results for the coronavirus.

Thermo Fisher’s test is one of the standard tools used to screen for COVID-19, run on large, automated machines found in many U.S. hospitals and laboratories. The FDA flagged two separate issues that could potentially result in false results: the chemical mixing process and computer software that runs on the company’s machine. Thermo Fisher has provided new instructions for mixing. And a software update fixes the second problem, the FDA said.

For all positive results, FDA said labs should review the instrument settings.

Thermo Fisher said in a statement that its data shows the issues are rare and most users get accurate results by following company directions.

No test is 100% accurate and all medical tests are expected to deliver a certain small portion of false results. Less is known about the accuracy of COVID-19 tests because of how quickly they were rushed through the regulatory process because of the pandemic.

Thermo Fisher’s test uses molecular technology that is considered the gold standard for detecting the COVID-19 virus and other viruses. The test uses chemicals to extract the genetic material of the virus from a nasal swab, then amplifies it many times until it is detectable with a computer.

Thermo Fisher’s test was among the first granted emergency use by the FDA in mid-March. Like other companies, it got the OK based on laboratory experiments it submitted to regulators. The test successfully detected coronavirus in 60 lab-made samples of the virus, and successfully ruled out the virus in 60 samples that didn’t contain the virus. That was sufficient to meet FDA requirements..

However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/38967d1644ef374d1bcbc7806b383b8e">experts have warned</a>&nbsp;that these laboratory measures are very different from the large patient studies that assess the real-world performance of a test. Those studies can reveal factors that can skew results, such as faulty samples or incorrect processing .

The biggest concern during infectious disease outbreaks is usually avoiding false negatives, or when the test fails to catch people who are actually infected. That can result in some people unknowingly spreading the virus.

But Dr. Albert Ko of Yale’s School of Public Health noted that false positives can also create problems, particularly in places like nursing homes and prisons where people are grouped together based on test results.

“You may wind up putting someone who hasn’t been infected together with people who may be infected and are contagious,” Ko said.

Test results can be affected by a variety of factors, including the type of test used, the quality of the sample and when it was taken during the course of any infection.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A widely used coronavirus test is under scrutiny this week after federal health officials warned that it could deliver inaccurate results if laboratory technicians don’t follow the the latest updates from the manufacturer.The Food and Drug Administration’s warning over Thermo Fisher’s TaqPath test underscores the complexity of COVID-19 tests and how easily they can be skewed by faulty processing and equipment.The FDA action follows a report last month by Connecticut public health officials that the test resulted in at least 90 people receiving false positive results for the coronavirus.WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE TEST?Thermo Fisher’s test is one of the standard tools used to screen for COVID-19, run on large, automated machines found in many U.S. hospitals and laboratories. The FDA flagged two separate issues that could potentially result in false results: the chemical mixing process and computer software that runs on the company’s machine. Thermo Fisher has provided new instructions for mixing. And a software update fixes the second problem, the FDA said.For all positive results, FDA said labs should review the instrument settings.Thermo Fisher said in a statement that its data shows the issues are rare and most users get accurate results by following company directions.HOW ACCURATE ARE COVID-19 TESTS?No test is 100% accurate and all medical tests are expected to deliver a certain small portion of false results. Less is known about the accuracy of COVID-19 tests because of how quickly they were rushed through the regulatory process because of the pandemic.Thermo Fisher’s test uses molecular technology that is considered the gold standard for detecting the COVID-19 virus and other viruses. The test uses chemicals to extract the genetic material of the virus from a nasal swab, then amplifies it many times until it is detectable with a computer.Thermo Fisher’s test was among the first granted emergency use by the FDA in mid-March. Like other companies, it got the OK based on laboratory experiments it submitted to regulators. The test successfully detected coronavirus in 60 lab-made samples of the virus, and successfully ruled out the virus in 60 samples that didn’t contain the virus. That was sufficient to meet FDA requirements..However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/38967d1644ef374d1bcbc7806b383b8e">experts have warned</a>&nbsp;that these laboratory measures are very different from the large patient studies that assess the real-world performance of a test. Those studies can reveal factors that can skew results, such as faulty samples or incorrect processing .HOW SIGNIFICANT ARE FALSE RESULTS?The biggest concern during infectious disease outbreaks is usually avoiding false negatives, or when the test fails to catch people who are actually infected. That can result in some people unknowingly spreading the virus.But Dr. Albert Ko of Yale’s School of Public Health noted that false positives can also create problems, particularly in places like nursing homes and prisons where people are grouped together based on test results.“You may wind up putting someone who hasn’t been infected together with people who may be infected and are contagious,” Ko said.Test results can be affected by a variety of factors, including the type of test used, the quality of the sample and when it was taken during the course of any infection.___

Many steps needed for accurate COVID-19 test results

KANSAS CITY, KAN. –&nbsp;A Kansas man with a prior rape conviction was sentenced today to 197 months in federal prison for distributing child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister. In addition, he was ordered to pay $95,000 in restitution.

&nbsp;James Minter, 47, Linwood, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography. In his plea, he admitted that law enforcement received a report from CyberTipline (<a href="https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/cybertipline" target="_blank">https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/cybertipline</a>&nbsp;) that he had uploaded a file containing child pornography via the internet. Investigators tracked the upload to Minter’s residence in Linwood. More than 1,000 images and 200 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children were seize from Minter’s devices.

In 1998, Minter was convicted of rape and criminal sodomy after assaulting a 5-year-old child. He was released from prison in May 2018.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597957809548.png" alt="Minter photo KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Minter photo KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. –&nbsp;A Kansas man with a prior rape conviction was sentenced today to 197 months in federal prison for distributing child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister. In addition, he was ordered to pay $95,000 in restitution.&nbsp;James Minter, 47, Linwood, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography. In his plea, he admitted that law enforcement received a report from CyberTipline (<a href="https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/cybertipline" target="_blank">https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/cybertipline</a>&nbsp;) that he had uploaded a file containing child pornography via the internet. Investigators tracked the upload to Minter’s residence in Linwood. More than 1,000 images and 200 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children were seize from Minter’s devices.In 1998, Minter was convicted of rape and criminal sodomy after assaulting a 5-year-old child. He was released from prison in May 2018.

Tipline helps police catch child sex offender in new crime

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — The commission that enforces Kansas’ nondiscrimination laws will begin hearing claims from people who allege they are being mistreated because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Kansas Human Rights Commission&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/2EfgPoP" target="_blank">said&nbsp;</a>Friday that the decision is in response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ef3c19a79b65c060fd9e82b9dd87a1d9">ruling&nbsp;</a>that a landmark civil rights law protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from discrimination in employment.

But the commission expanded the ruling beyond employment cases, offering protections for people alleging discrimination in housing and public accommodations, such as retail stores and educational institutions. In, Kansas, any business with four or more employees will be covered; the Supreme Court ruling affects businesses with at least 15 employees.

The LGBT-rights group Equality Kansas has been pushing for more than a decade to add sexual orientation and gender identity to a state law that includes protections based on race, religion, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry and in housing because of familial status.

“This is a great day for fairness in Kansas,” Executive Director Thomas Witt said in a news release.

The conservative Family Policy Alliance of Kansas chastised the decision.

“You’ve shown contempt for Kansans, for their duly elected representatives, and for the law itself,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/FPAofKansas/status/1296946641358819329" target="_blank">a tweet</a>&nbsp;from the group said. “We will work with Kansans every step of the way to help them take back the power you attempted to steal today.”

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — The commission that enforces Kansas’ nondiscrimination laws will begin hearing claims from people who allege they are being mistreated because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.The Kansas Human Rights Commission&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/2EfgPoP" target="_blank">said&nbsp;</a>Friday that the decision is in response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ef3c19a79b65c060fd9e82b9dd87a1d9">ruling&nbsp;</a>that a landmark civil rights law protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from discrimination in employment.But the commission expanded the ruling beyond employment cases, offering protections for people alleging discrimination in housing and public accommodations, such as retail stores and educational institutions. In, Kansas, any business with four or more employees will be covered; the Supreme Court ruling affects businesses with at least 15 employees.The LGBT-rights group Equality Kansas has been pushing for more than a decade to add sexual orientation and gender identity to a state law that includes protections based on race, religion, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry and in housing because of familial status.“This is a great day for fairness in Kansas,” Executive Director Thomas Witt said in a news release.The conservative Family Policy Alliance of Kansas chastised the decision.“You’ve shown contempt for Kansans, for their duly elected representatives, and for the law itself,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/FPAofKansas/status/1296946641358819329" target="_blank">a tweet</a>&nbsp;from the group said. “We will work with Kansans every step of the way to help them take back the power you attempted to steal today.”

Kansas commission adds LGBT nondiscrimination protections

Kansas City (AP) — With her baby brother in her arms, Kara Apuzzo tried to follow along in an online class as he squirmed or slept. Other times, the 18-year-old rushed to get ready for work at a front-line job at Target as her virtual high school lessons were still wrapping up.

Last school year was further complicated by computer issues that kept her from logging in and online tools that bedeviled even her teachers. Before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">coronavirus pandemic</a>, Apuzzo, who lives in New Haven, Connecticut, knew she wanted to go to college right after high school. Now, she’s not so sure.

“Right now, I don’t know where I want to go with my life,” she said. “I feel so behind when it comes to what do college kids actually do. ... It’s scary, it’s so new — I don’t have any idea what I’m even doing.”

Educational disruptions forced by the pandemic are hurting teenagers at a time when many families also are struggling with layoffs and child care for young kids — challenges that are expected to persist as a new school year gets underway, largely with remote learning.

Some teens have to share computers with siblings or sign in to classes in crowded households or from their cars. Others have been laid off from after-school jobs that help provide for their families or work extra hours in essential industries, leaving less time for school. Students whose parents can’t work from home also have less structure to push them to get their work done.

“They’re at home being their own teachers,” said Nick Mathern, vice president of K-12 Partnerships for the nonprofit Achieving the Dream, which helps students complete degrees through community colleges.

Kansas City (AP) — With her baby brother in her arms, Kara Apuzzo tried to follow along in an online class as he squirmed or slept. Other times, the 18-year-old rushed to get ready for work at a front-line job at Target as her virtual high school lessons were still wrapping up.Last school year was further complicated by computer issues that kept her from logging in and online tools that bedeviled even her teachers. Before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">coronavirus pandemic</a>, Apuzzo, who lives in New Haven, Connecticut, knew she wanted to go to college right after high school. Now, she’s not so sure.“Right now, I don’t know where I want to go with my life,” she said. “I feel so behind when it comes to what do college kids actually do. ... It’s scary, it’s so new — I don’t have any idea what I’m even doing.”Educational disruptions forced by the pandemic are hurting teenagers at a time when many families also are struggling with layoffs and child care for young kids — challenges that are expected to persist as a new school year gets underway, largely with remote learning.Some teens have to share computers with siblings or sign in to classes in crowded households or from their cars. Others have been laid off from after-school jobs that help provide for their families or work extra hours in essential industries, leaving less time for school. Students whose parents can’t work from home also have less structure to push them to get their work done.“They’re at home being their own teachers,” said Nick Mathern, vice president of K-12 Partnerships for the nonprofit Achieving the Dream, which helps students complete degrees through community colleges.The transition from high school to college can be rocky for many teens, and the coronavirus crisis could widen the gap between kids with wealthier, college-educated parents and their lower-income peers, Mathern said.“That’s a real danger when it comes to increasing inequality in our country,” he said.Mathern’s group works with hundreds of U.S. institutions and is affiliated with Gateway to College, which helped Apuzzo improve her grades before the pandemic. Now, she’s planning to work for a year before enrolling in college.Schools and organizations like his, Mathern says, will have to get more creative in figuring out how to help older students like Apuzzo who are facing a new set of challenges.Hope Spann, 19, had some of the same difficulties. She spent the last few months of the school year in Chicago, balancing her classwork from Beloit College in Wisconsin with watching her two nieces, ages 3 and 6, while her siblings worked at Walmart and Wendy’s.Separating squabbles and getting snacks between writing class and art history left the aspiring film designer with migraines and panic attacks.“It’s definitely interrupting my life. At the same time, I’m doing the things I need to, to keep me healthy and keep my family together,” Spann said.She’s now started a job at a nursing home and plans to balance it with online classwork when the school year starts.In Philadelphia, 18-year-old Kayla Hammond works two jobs while helping watch her younger brother and sister. After a shooting near her high school last year, she started an alternative dual-enrollment program to get college credit while finishing high school. Subjects like chemistry and Chinese became overwhelming as she moved back home and looked for new work during the pandemic. She got through it and is planning to return to Philadelphia Community College remotely next month.“I’m pretty much the only one out of my friends who is still in school,” she said. “They had dreams of going to a four-year college. COVID put that on hold for them.”A recent report from Measure of America, a project of the New York-based nonprofit Social Science Research Council, says the number of people ages 16 to 24 who are disconnected from both work and school could spike to almost one in four, erasing a decade of gains and hitting levels higher than the Great Recession.In the Salt Lake City suburb of Magna, 16-year-old Brianne Harmon struggled to find a secluded place for online lessons in a house with several relatives. With a heavy load of homework, she found herself in danger of failing three classes.“I’m trying not to let my family down, not to let myself down to keep going with my career, but it gets hard with everything piling on,” Harmon said at the time.That put her at risk of being barred from the drill dance team, a sport she loves. She retreated to her grandmother’s house and stayed up all night to pass her classes. She’s going back to a hybrid of online and in-person school in the fall.“I’m definitely nervous, but I’m excited to have something else stable in my life right now,” Harmon said.Her math teacher, Michele Jones, said she heard from a number of students like Harmon.“The stories you hear are just heartbreaking: ‘I’m taking care of three young siblings, I don’t have time to do school. I really don’t feel safe at home, Mom and Dad lost their jobs, there’s a lot of just stress,’” Jones said.Along with the pandemic, her students also dealt with an earthquake and a temporary contamination in the water supply this spring. Remote attendance in her class dropped to 20% at times, a worrying number at a key time for math education.“I do think this is recoverable academically,” Jones said. “For me, what I’m more concerned about is kids being really traumatized by this time. Feeling lost and abandoned and hopeless.”