BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A retired music teacher would become the first openly transgender member of the deeply conservative Kansas Legislature if she’s elected from a Democratic-leaning district she’s expected to win.

<a href="https://victoryfund.org/candidate/stephanie-byers/">Stephanie Byers, of Wichita,</a> would join the ranks of other transgender people who have served in legislatures in other states, including four who currently hold such office.

Byers, who advanced to the general election after running unopposed in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, “shattered a long-standing political barrier in Kansas,” said Annise Parker, president and chief executive officer of the advocacy group&nbsp;<a href="https://victoryfund.org/" target="_blank">LGBTQ Victory Fund.</a>

“At a time when trans people are targeted with hateful policies and legislation by the Trump administration and in so many state legislatures, Stephanie’s race is a powerful reminder of where our country is headed,” Parker said.

Although Kansas is a heavily Republican state, the 57-year-old Byers noted that she’s is running for an open seat in a district that voted for President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

“As far as Kansas being ready to elect a transgender person, it is kind of about time,” Byers said.

She faces Republican Cyndi Howerton for the seat being vacated by state Rep. Jim Ward, a former Kansas House minority leader who is running for the state Senate.

Byers has “a good shot” of winning, Ward said. While a few voters in the district might have an issue with her being a transgender woman, most people really just care about what a candidate is going to do to improve their lives, he said.

Byers acknowledged that there is some “notoriety” to being a transgender candidate.

“For me, it’s just one aspect of who I am. It is not everything,” Byers said. “It is brought up quite often — usually by people in the media — because, you know, otherwise I would just be one more Democrat running for office.”

Byers, who retired last year after a 32-year career as a teacher, said her passion for education spurred her to run for the Legislature to protect school funding. The political novice also wants to expand Medicaid in Kansas after watching her oldest son and his family struggle to afford health insurance.

“If you look at her campaign, she is very clear what she is about: She is not a spokesperson for the LGBTQ community, she is an advocate for her constituents on things like education and access to health care,” Parker said.

“But we understand that she will also have a broader role just by her presence in fighting back against anti-LGBTQ and particularly anti-trans legislation,” Parker said. “And she will be a role model and an inspiration to queer youth in the state.”

There are currently&nbsp;<a href="https://outforamerica.org/?office-level=State%20Legislature&amp;gender-identity=Transgender%20man%2CTransgender%20woman" target="_blank">four openly transgender people serving&nbsp;</a>in state Legislatures: Danica Roem in Virginia, Lisa Bunker and Gerri Cannon in New Hampshire, and Brianna Titone in Colorado.

“What we have seen as an organization is that putting one LGBTQ member in a state legislature makes a difference in terms of the tenor of the conversation and the types of conversations that happen, but it doesn’t necessarily change the outcome,” Parker said.

The far right has shown a willingness to target the transgender community, from the Trump Administration banning them from military service to state legislators putting forward bathroom access bills, she added.

“It is harder to say hateful, discriminatory things when you have to sit next to somebody in a committee hearing that is the target of your remarks,” Parker said.

Byers was teaching band and orchestra at Wichita High School North when, in August 2014, she publicly, as she put it, “presented as my authentic self” to students and staff. She called the support in the building incredible.

On that first day of class, she sat down with her students and told them: “Here’s the deal, you used to refer to me as Mr. Byers. Now it is Ms. Byers. And most of you just call Byers without any type of salutation and that still works. So now lets talk about what my goals are for class this year.”

“And that was it and everybody went, ‘Oh, OK’ and went with it,” Byers said. “I think there is much more acceptance for people who are trans on a one-to-one basis than what there is when you start looking at large groups of people, when you start looking at political platforms.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596824087253.png" alt="Photo courtesy Byers for Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Byers for Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROXANA HEGEMANBELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A retired music teacher would become the first openly transgender member of the deeply conservative Kansas Legislature if she’s elected from a Democratic-leaning district she’s expected to win.<a href="https://victoryfund.org/candidate/stephanie-byers/">Stephanie Byers, of Wichita,</a> would join the ranks of other transgender people who have served in legislatures in other states, including four who currently hold such office.Byers, who advanced to the general election after running unopposed in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, “shattered a long-standing political barrier in Kansas,” said Annise Parker, president and chief executive officer of the advocacy group&nbsp;<a href="https://victoryfund.org/" target="_blank">LGBTQ Victory Fund.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596823813701.png" alt="Stephanie Byers-photo courtesy LGBTQ Victory Fund" />
 <figcaption>Stephanie Byers-photo courtesy LGBTQ Victory Fund</figcaption>
 </figure>“At a time when trans people are targeted with hateful policies and legislation by the Trump administration and in so many state legislatures, Stephanie’s race is a powerful reminder of where our country is headed,” Parker said.Although Kansas is a heavily Republican state, the 57-year-old Byers noted that she’s is running for an open seat in a district that voted for President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.“As far as Kansas being ready to elect a transgender person, it is kind of about time,” Byers said.She faces Republican Cyndi Howerton for the seat being vacated by state Rep. Jim Ward, a former Kansas House minority leader who is running for the state Senate.Byers has “a good shot” of winning, Ward said. While a few voters in the district might have an issue with her being a transgender woman, most people really just care about what a candidate is going to do to improve their lives, he said.Byers acknowledged that there is some “notoriety” to being a transgender candidate.“For me, it’s just one aspect of who I am. It is not everything,” Byers said. “It is brought up quite often — usually by people in the media — because, you know, otherwise I would just be one more Democrat running for office.”Byers, who retired last year after a 32-year career as a teacher, said her passion for education spurred her to run for the Legislature to protect school funding. The political novice also wants to expand Medicaid in Kansas after watching her oldest son and his family struggle to afford health insurance.“If you look at her campaign, she is very clear what she is about: She is not a spokesperson for the LGBTQ community, she is an advocate for her constituents on things like education and access to health care,” Parker said.“But we understand that she will also have a broader role just by her presence in fighting back against anti-LGBTQ and particularly anti-trans legislation,” Parker said. “And she will be a role model and an inspiration to queer youth in the state.”There are currently&nbsp;<a href="https://outforamerica.org/?office-level=State%20Legislature&amp;gender-identity=Transgender%20man%2CTransgender%20woman" target="_blank">four openly transgender people serving&nbsp;</a>in state Legislatures: Danica Roem in Virginia, Lisa Bunker and Gerri Cannon in New Hampshire, and Brianna Titone in Colorado.“What we have seen as an organization is that putting one LGBTQ member in a state legislature makes a difference in terms of the tenor of the conversation and the types of conversations that happen, but it doesn’t necessarily change the outcome,” Parker said.The far right has shown a willingness to target the transgender community, from the Trump Administration banning them from military service to state legislators putting forward bathroom access bills, she added.“It is harder to say hateful, discriminatory things when you have to sit next to somebody in a committee hearing that is the target of your remarks,” Parker said.Byers was teaching band and orchestra at Wichita High School North when, in August 2014, she publicly, as she put it, “presented as my authentic self” to students and staff. She called the support in the building incredible.On that first day of class, she sat down with her students and told them: “Here’s the deal, you used to refer to me as Mr. Byers. Now it is Ms. Byers. And most of you just call Byers without any type of salutation and that still works. So now lets talk about what my goals are for class this year.”“And that was it and everybody went, ‘Oh, OK’ and went with it,” Byers said. “I think there is much more acceptance for people who are trans on a one-to-one basis than what there is when you start looking at large groups of people, when you start looking at political platforms.”

Kansas poised to elect its first openly transgender lawmaker

SEDGWICK COUNTY-Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating recent protests in Wichita have made additional arrests, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.

Police arrested Bryant Jacobs, 33, on requested charges of&nbsp;aggressive or harassing contact prohibited and defacement or damage of property by graffiti.

They arrested Marissa Gonzalez, 23, on requested charges of unlawful assembly, aggressive or harassing contact prohibited, assault, and defacement or damage of property by graffiti.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Charles Ellis II, 45,&nbsp; was jailed on requested charges of aggressive or harassing contact prohibited, battery, rioting, and criminal damage to property

For the second time in a week, police arrested 24-year-old Gabrielle Griffie. She was originally booked on a requested charge of unlawful assembly, according to officer Charley Davidson.  Griffie, the director of of Project Justice ICT, was jailed Thursday on requested charges of&nbsp; unlawful assembly and aggressive or harassing contact prohibited.

According to Davidson, the Wichita Police Department has always supported individual's right to demonstrate lawfully and has previously worked alongside other demonstration leaders to ensure their groups were able to share their views safely. However, the individuals protesting the past few days refuse to demonstrate lawfully.

"Police will continue to monitor any protest activities throughout Wichita. Illegal activity will not be tolerated, and criminals will be arrested and held accountable for their actions to the fullest extent of the law."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596975614114.png" alt="Jacobs photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Jacobs photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY-Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating recent protests in Wichita have made additional arrests, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.Police arrested Bryant Jacobs, 33, on requested charges of&nbsp;aggressive or harassing contact prohibited and defacement or damage of property by graffiti.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596974637275.png" alt="GONZALEZ -photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>GONZALEZ -photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>They arrested Marissa Gonzalez, 23, on requested charges of unlawful assembly, aggressive or harassing contact prohibited, assault, and defacement or damage of property by graffiti.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596975708950.png" alt="Ellis" />
 <figcaption>Ellis</figcaption>
 </figure>Charles Ellis II, 45,&nbsp; was jailed on requested charges of aggressive or harassing contact prohibited, battery, rioting, and criminal damage to property<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596455816022.png" alt="Griffie-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Griffie-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>For the second time in a week, police arrested 24-year-old Gabrielle Griffie. She was originally booked on a requested charge of unlawful assembly, according to officer Charley Davidson. Griffie, the director of of Project Justice ICT, was jailed Thursday on requested charges of&nbsp; unlawful assembly and aggressive or harassing contact prohibited.According to Davidson, the Wichita Police Department has always supported individual's right to demonstrate lawfully and has previously worked alongside other demonstration leaders to ensure their groups were able to share their views safely. However, the individuals protesting the past few days refuse to demonstrate lawfully."Police will continue to monitor any protest activities throughout Wichita. Illegal activity will not be tolerated, and criminals will be arrested and held accountable for their actions to the fullest extent of the law."

Police make more protest arrests in Wichita

NEW YORK (AP) — The check has arrived and beleaguered restaurant owners across America are looking down on their empty wallets.

Government coronavirus loans in the spring helped eating establishments rehire laid-off employees and ride out the pandemic’s initial surge and wave of shutdown orders.

But that Paycheck Protection Program money has now been spent at many restaurants, leaving them in the same precarious position they were in during outbreak’s early days: Thousands of restaurants are being forced to close down again on mandates from state and local officials combating the virus’s resurgence, particularly in the South and West.

And even in parts of the country where the outbreak appears contained, restaurants’ revenue is far below normal because social distancing requirements — and wary diners — mean fewer tables, fewer customers and limited hours.

John Pepper used a PPP loan to pay employees and reopen four of his eight Boloco restaurants when Massachusetts lifted its shutdown order in early May. But with the money spent and business at the restaurants down as much as 70%, Pepper had to again close two locations. The staff of 125 he had before the virus outbreak is down to 50.

“A lot of this is out of our hands at this point,” Pepper says. “At this moment, I don’t see getting my full payroll back.”

Congress failed to reach an agreement on another relief bill that potentially could have provided more help for small businesses, but even with more loan or grant money, restaurants will remain at the mercy of the virus that has decimated their business.

The virus’s resurgence has prompted officials in California, Texas, Florida and other states to order restaurants shut again. In the Northeast and other parts of the country where infection rates appear more stable, no one expects limits on inside dining to be lifted anytime soon.

Restaurants generally have a low profit margin, between 5% and 6%, and they achieve that only if they have a full house virtually every day, says Sean Kennedy, executive vice president for the trade group National Restaurant Association. They also tend to have only about two weeks of cash on hand, making them highly vulnerable when their sales are down.

“They aren’t designed to have an on-off switch. They’re designed to be used seven days a week, 14 to 15 hours a day at 100% of capacity,” Kennedy says.

Gerry Cea was forced to shut his Miami restaurant, Cafe Prima Pasta, from March into May when the outbreak first began. Now, he has again closed the dining room as local officials try to contain the virus; the Miami/Dade area is one of Florida’s hit hardest by the virus.

Cea is still able to serve customers outside, but the intense South Florida heat and frequent summer rains are limiting him to about 40 diners a night instead of the hundreds he served before the pandemic hit. And Cea is mindful that the peak hurricane season is still to come.

“With the PPP money we received, we were able to pay 48 employees but that has run out now, so we are left with very few alternatives” for funding, Cea says. He’s hoping for more help from the government, even if it’s a loan that must be repaid.

In the meantime, Cea says, “the only reason we are pretty much surviving is because we own the building,” he says.

The pandemic has devastated an industry that expected to have nearly $900 billion in sales this year. Before the outbreak, the Labor Department counted 12 million workers in restaurants and bars, and nearly two-thirds worked at small businesses with fewer than 500 workers. In April, employment in restaurants and bars of all sizes had been cut by nearly half as establishments across the country were closed.

Restaurants were among the small businesses the Paycheck Protection Program was intended to help, but some owners say it was of limited use.

The program so far has given about $42 billion in loans to restaurants, bars and lodging companies. But many restaurants burned through loans quickly because the original terms of the program required them to use the money within eight weeks in order to get loan forgiveness. Many establishments couldn’t reopen but paid staffers not to work anyway. Then when they reopened with revenue limited by social distancing, they couldn’t afford their full payrolls. Congress changed the spending requirement to 24 weeks in early June, but that was too late for many restaurants.

It’s not yet known what small business help will be in any upcoming relief package, although Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has mentioned the possibility that small businesses with big revenue declines could get a second PPP loan.

But restaurants need a long-term solution that addresses their particular needs, Kennedy says. For example, allowing families that get food stamp assistance to use their benefits in restaurants.

“We’re going to be limping along or shutting down altogether” without long-term help, Kennedy says.

Stephanie Williams still hasn’t fully reopened two of her Bennu Coffee shops in Austin, Texas, and continues to operate with curbside service and delivery only; a third location that opened over the weekend does have socially distanced seating. Williams has spent the PPP money she got in early May — she had recalled furloughed workers but with revenue at one store down by half and the other by nearly two-thirds, Williams had to let 20 staffers go again.

“We assumed at the end of eight weeks, this will be over. But here in Texas, things are drastically worse than when we shut down in March,” Williams says. Like other states where the virus is resurgent, Texas saw cases increase after it ended shutdown orders in early May.

Even in areas where the virus appears stable and restaurants can have inside dining, they’re struggling. Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, a Columbus, Ohio, restaurant and brewery, has had to close its dining room and return to takeout and delivery, having used its PPP money and not having enough revenue due to social distancing.

“What the PPP did was put us in a position where we brought people back before we had enough business to support them,” co-founder Bob Szuter says. He’s trying to figure out new ways to bring in revenue, focusing more on the brewery side of the business until it’s safe to have a full dining room.

Jason Brauner’s restaurant, Bourbon Bistro, exhausted its PPP loan, is operating at 50% of capacity and not making enough to cover its expenses. Brauner is worried that the virus’s resurgence will force the Louisville, Kentucky, establishment to close; he had shut completely for two weeks in March before switching to curbside service and then gradually reopened. He’s paid his full staff throughout.

Brauner is hoping to get a grant from the city and he’d welcome another PPP loan. A separate economic injury disaster loan from the SBA give him some breathing room, but also presents a dilemma. Like many restaurant owners, Brauner worries about carrying long-term debt when the future is uncertain.

“I’m almost tempted to give it back,” he says. “We just have to see how it all plays out.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586444648763.png" alt="Small carry out pizza restaurant in Topeka is among those working to stay open." />
 <figcaption>Small carry out pizza restaurant in Topeka is among those working to stay open.</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The check has arrived and beleaguered restaurant owners across America are looking down on their empty wallets.Government coronavirus loans in the spring helped eating establishments rehire laid-off employees and ride out the pandemic’s initial surge and wave of shutdown orders.But that Paycheck Protection Program money has now been spent at many restaurants, leaving them in the same precarious position they were in during outbreak’s early days: Thousands of restaurants are being forced to close down again on mandates from state and local officials combating the virus’s resurgence, particularly in the South and West.And even in parts of the country where the outbreak appears contained, restaurants’ revenue is far below normal because social distancing requirements — and wary diners — mean fewer tables, fewer customers and limited hours.John Pepper used a PPP loan to pay employees and reopen four of his eight Boloco restaurants when Massachusetts lifted its shutdown order in early May. But with the money spent and business at the restaurants down as much as 70%, Pepper had to again close two locations. The staff of 125 he had before the virus outbreak is down to 50.“A lot of this is out of our hands at this point,” Pepper says. “At this moment, I don’t see getting my full payroll back.”Congress failed to reach an agreement on another relief bill that potentially could have provided more help for small businesses, but even with more loan or grant money, restaurants will remain at the mercy of the virus that has decimated their business.The virus’s resurgence has prompted officials in California, Texas, Florida and other states to order restaurants shut again. In the Northeast and other parts of the country where infection rates appear more stable, no one expects limits on inside dining to be lifted anytime soon.Restaurants generally have a low profit margin, between 5% and 6%, and they achieve that only if they have a full house virtually every day, says Sean Kennedy, executive vice president for the trade group National Restaurant Association. They also tend to have only about two weeks of cash on hand, making them highly vulnerable when their sales are down.“They aren’t designed to have an on-off switch. They’re designed to be used seven days a week, 14 to 15 hours a day at 100% of capacity,” Kennedy says.Gerry Cea was forced to shut his Miami restaurant, Cafe Prima Pasta, from March into May when the outbreak first began. Now, he has again closed the dining room as local officials try to contain the virus; the Miami/Dade area is one of Florida’s hit hardest by the virus.Cea is still able to serve customers outside, but the intense South Florida heat and frequent summer rains are limiting him to about 40 diners a night instead of the hundreds he served before the pandemic hit. And Cea is mindful that the peak hurricane season is still to come.“With the PPP money we received, we were able to pay 48 employees but that has run out now, so we are left with very few alternatives” for funding, Cea says. He’s hoping for more help from the government, even if it’s a loan that must be repaid.In the meantime, Cea says, “the only reason we are pretty much surviving is because we own the building,” he says.The pandemic has devastated an industry that expected to have nearly $900 billion in sales this year. Before the outbreak, the Labor Department counted 12 million workers in restaurants and bars, and nearly two-thirds worked at small businesses with fewer than 500 workers. In April, employment in restaurants and bars of all sizes had been cut by nearly half as establishments across the country were closed.Restaurants were among the small businesses the Paycheck Protection Program was intended to help, but some owners say it was of limited use.The program so far has given about $42 billion in loans to restaurants, bars and lodging companies. But many restaurants burned through loans quickly because the original terms of the program required them to use the money within eight weeks in order to get loan forgiveness. Many establishments couldn’t reopen but paid staffers not to work anyway. Then when they reopened with revenue limited by social distancing, they couldn’t afford their full payrolls. Congress changed the spending requirement to 24 weeks in early June, but that was too late for many restaurants.It’s not yet known what small business help will be in any upcoming relief package, although Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has mentioned the possibility that small businesses with big revenue declines could get a second PPP loan.But restaurants need a long-term solution that addresses their particular needs, Kennedy says. For example, allowing families that get food stamp assistance to use their benefits in restaurants.“We’re going to be limping along or shutting down altogether” without long-term help, Kennedy says.Stephanie Williams still hasn’t fully reopened two of her Bennu Coffee shops in Austin, Texas, and continues to operate with curbside service and delivery only; a third location that opened over the weekend does have socially distanced seating. Williams has spent the PPP money she got in early May — she had recalled furloughed workers but with revenue at one store down by half and the other by nearly two-thirds, Williams had to let 20 staffers go again.“We assumed at the end of eight weeks, this will be over. But here in Texas, things are drastically worse than when we shut down in March,” Williams says. Like other states where the virus is resurgent, Texas saw cases increase after it ended shutdown orders in early May.Even in areas where the virus appears stable and restaurants can have inside dining, they’re struggling. Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, a Columbus, Ohio, restaurant and brewery, has had to close its dining room and return to takeout and delivery, having used its PPP money and not having enough revenue due to social distancing.“What the PPP did was put us in a position where we brought people back before we had enough business to support them,” co-founder Bob Szuter says. He’s trying to figure out new ways to bring in revenue, focusing more on the brewery side of the business until it’s safe to have a full dining room.Jason Brauner’s restaurant, Bourbon Bistro, exhausted its PPP loan, is operating at 50% of capacity and not making enough to cover its expenses. Brauner is worried that the virus’s resurgence will force the Louisville, Kentucky, establishment to close; he had shut completely for two weeks in March before switching to curbside service and then gradually reopened. He’s paid his full staff throughout.Brauner is hoping to get a grant from the city and he’d welcome another PPP loan. A separate economic injury disaster loan from the SBA give him some breathing room, but also presents a dilemma. Like many restaurant owners, Brauner worries about carrying long-term debt when the future is uncertain.“I’m almost tempted to give it back,” he says. “We just have to see how it all plays out.”

With loan money gone, restaurants are at mercy of virus

LAWRENCE — University of Kansas researchers studying what they call “digital homelessness” have received an additional grant to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Americans who don’t have easy access to the internet.

Before the pandemic, people without their own devices or internet access often used local libraries to obtain those services, but many of those locations have been closed or greatly reduced their access during quarantine lockdowns.

“The folks we’re focused on don’t have a ‘digital home,’” said Bill Staples, principal investigator on the project, professor emeritus of sociology and director of the&nbsp;<a href="http://ipsr.ku.edu/SSRC/">Surveillance Studies Research Cente</a>r. “That is, their computing lives are resource-limited, transient, less private and more vulnerable to digital threats than those who own computers and access the web through broadband at their residences. When libraries closed, they were locked out of a digital life most of us take for granted.”

Staples and his colleagues want to find out how — and if — people experiencing digital homelessness are coping.

“There’s anecdotal information about libraries pumping Wi-Fi out into the parking lots,” he said. “Some libraries are helping, but we need to take a systematic look at what is going on.”

The research team is led by Staples; Perry Alexander, AT&amp;T Foundation Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering &amp; Computer Science and director of the&nbsp;<a href="http://ittc-research.ku.edu/">Information and Telecommunication Technology Center</a>; and Drew Davidson, assistant professor of electrical engineering &amp; computer science.

These KU scholars had already been&nbsp;<a href="https://news.ku.edu/2020/04/07/grant-will-fund-research-safeguard-public-internet-users">awarded a grant</a>&nbsp;from the National Science Foundation titled “Safeguarding and Enhancing the Experience of Public Internet Users,” funded through NSF’s Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace program. The two-year, $516,000 grant will support research about how people who use public internet resources — like libraries — navigate the internet and what security threats they face.

NSF has now awarded the team an additional Rapid Response Research grant of $200,000 to look at how the pandemic has affected such users.

“We’re trying to get a before, during and after snapshot” of how the issue has evolved with the onset of the pandemic, Staples said.

As much as 30% of the American population lacks adequate broadband access at home. Researchers say this digital divide results from — and contributes to — widening economic inequality.&nbsp;

“I think this is an understudied population, and as such is a population that hasn’t been fully considered in the computing landscape,” Davidson said. “There’s an assumption as our lives move online that everybody can keep up, and that’s not the case. It’s important because the need is so great.”

“These people are digitally marginalized, socially and economically disadvantaged in a society in which internet has become a needed utility,” Staples said. “They cannot simply ‘work from home’ or e-learn new skills, nor can their children shift to ‘distance learning’ as millions have been asked to do. It’s like trying to get by without electricity in your house. It makes their lives that much more difficult and challenging.”

The new study will have three points of data collection. Users at the Lawrence Public Library, which has restored limited access to its computer lab, will be surveyed and some interviewed about their experiences. The researchers will also send an online survey to a representative sample of library directors across the United States to collect information on library policies and practices during the pandemic. Finally, team members will compile related stories from news sources around the country to capture what journalists have found out about was has been happening in their communities.&nbsp;

The team’s ultimate goal is to offer new tools to public internet users when they access the internet, including development of a device the team calls PUPS — public user privacy and security. The device is an isolated, portable, virtual computing environment on a USB stick, designed to provide a “digital home” to users, giving them a functional, seamless computing experience from one session and device to the next. There may be nontechnical solutions available as well, as researchers examine the contours of the issue more closely from both an engineering and a sociological perspective.

“I’m really happy we have this multidisciplinary team,” Davidson said. “I think there’s a lot of good that can be done.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://ipsr.ku.edu/">Institute for Policy &amp; Social Research</a>’s staff assisted with development of this proposal and will manage this grant.

More information and results can be found at the project's&nbsp;<a href="https://ittc.ku.edu/padlock/dh">website</a>.&nbsp;

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596486373395.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KU News ServiceLAWRENCE — University of Kansas researchers studying what they call “digital homelessness” have received an additional grant to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Americans who don’t have easy access to the internet.Before the pandemic, people without their own devices or internet access often used local libraries to obtain those services, but many of those locations have been closed or greatly reduced their access during quarantine lockdowns.“The folks we’re focused on don’t have a ‘digital home,’” said Bill Staples, principal investigator on the project, professor emeritus of sociology and director of the&nbsp;<a href="http://ipsr.ku.edu/SSRC/">Surveillance Studies Research Cente</a>r. “That is, their computing lives are resource-limited, transient, less private and more vulnerable to digital threats than those who own computers and access the web through broadband at their residences. When libraries closed, they were locked out of a digital life most of us take for granted.”Staples and his colleagues want to find out how — and if — people experiencing digital homelessness are coping.“There’s anecdotal information about libraries pumping Wi-Fi out into the parking lots,” he said. “Some libraries are helping, but we need to take a systematic look at what is going on.”The research team is led by Staples; Perry Alexander, AT&amp;T Foundation Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering &amp; Computer Science and director of the&nbsp;<a href="http://ittc-research.ku.edu/">Information and Telecommunication Technology Center</a>; and Drew Davidson, assistant professor of electrical engineering &amp; computer science.These KU scholars had already been&nbsp;<a href="https://news.ku.edu/2020/04/07/grant-will-fund-research-safeguard-public-internet-users">awarded a grant</a>&nbsp;from the National Science Foundation titled “Safeguarding and Enhancing the Experience of Public Internet Users,” funded through NSF’s Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace program. The two-year, $516,000 grant will support research about how people who use public internet resources — like libraries — navigate the internet and what security threats they face.NSF has now awarded the team an additional Rapid Response Research grant of $200,000 to look at how the pandemic has affected such users.“We’re trying to get a before, during and after snapshot” of how the issue has evolved with the onset of the pandemic, Staples said.As much as 30% of the American population lacks adequate broadband access at home. Researchers say this digital divide results from — and contributes to — widening economic inequality.&nbsp;“I think this is an understudied population, and as such is a population that hasn’t been fully considered in the computing landscape,” Davidson said. “There’s an assumption as our lives move online that everybody can keep up, and that’s not the case. It’s important because the need is so great.”“These people are digitally marginalized, socially and economically disadvantaged in a society in which internet has become a needed utility,” Staples said. “They cannot simply ‘work from home’ or e-learn new skills, nor can their children shift to ‘distance learning’ as millions have been asked to do. It’s like trying to get by without electricity in your house. It makes their lives that much more difficult and challenging.”The new study will have three points of data collection. Users at the Lawrence Public Library, which has restored limited access to its computer lab, will be surveyed and some interviewed about their experiences. The researchers will also send an online survey to a representative sample of library directors across the United States to collect information on library policies and practices during the pandemic. Finally, team members will compile related stories from news sources around the country to capture what journalists have found out about was has been happening in their communities.&nbsp;The team’s ultimate goal is to offer new tools to public internet users when they access the internet, including development of a device the team calls PUPS — public user privacy and security. The device is an isolated, portable, virtual computing environment on a USB stick, designed to provide a “digital home” to users, giving them a functional, seamless computing experience from one session and device to the next. There may be nontechnical solutions available as well, as researchers examine the contours of the issue more closely from both an engineering and a sociological perspective.“I’m really happy we have this multidisciplinary team,” Davidson said. “I think there’s a lot of good that can be done.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://ipsr.ku.edu/">Institute for Policy &amp; Social Research</a>’s staff assisted with development of this proposal and will manage this grant.More information and results can be found at the project's&nbsp;<a href="https://ittc.ku.edu/padlock/dh">website</a>.&nbsp;

KU studying how pandemic affects Americans without easy access to the internet

KANSAS CITY – U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison announced Friday that 59 additional arrests have been made in the past week by local and federal law enforcement officers in Operation LeGend, for a total of 156 arrests since the start of the operation, according to the United State's Attorney.

Among those arrested since Aug. 1, new federal charges have been filed against six defendants, for a total of 17 new federal cases in Operation LeGend. All of the new federal defendants were charged with firearms-related crimes. Four of the six new defendants were charged with being felons in possession of firearms. One defendant was charged with heroin trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm. One defendant was charged with participating in a conspiracy to commit armed robberies at several local businesses.

Among the remaining 53 arrests in the past week, 35 were fugitives with either state or federal warrants for their arrest. The remaining 18 non-fugitive arrests were referred for prosecution in state court. Seven arrests were for homicides, for a total of 12 homicide arrests under Operation LeGend. Other offenses cited in the arrests included assault (including non-fatal shootings), drug trafficking, illegally possessing firearms, robbery, bank robbery, child molestation, sexual assault, possessing stolen property and possessing stolen firearms.

In addition to the arrests, in the past week agents and officers seized 17 firearms (for a total of 52 firearms seized during Operation LeGend); a number of stolen vehicles and motorcycles; 210 THC cartridges; quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana; and $52,000.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is not able to track cases that are referred for prosecution in state court. The following defendants have been charged in federal court in the past week:

Terrell L. Releford, felon in possession of a firearm; Dustin M. Jordan, felon in possession of a firearm; Zackory Phillips, felon in possession of a firearm; Travis J. Pipes, heroin trafficking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime; Dylan Pruett, felon in possession of a firearm; Chase M. Murphy, armed robbery conspiracy, armed robbery, brandishing firearms during a crime of violence.

Monty Ray, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm; Steven Younce, felon in possession of a firearm, meth trafficking, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime; Daniel Briscoe, methamphetamine trafficking, heroin trafficking; Leamandreal Dorsey, felon in possession of a firearm; Shannon Walz, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition; Maricela Lozano, carjacking, using a firearm during a crime of violence; Gary Dorch, felon in possession of a firearm; Patricia Nelson, felon in possession of a firearm; Bobby Lynn King, felon in possession of a firearm; Logan Tanner Laws, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm; Michael Glen Zeigers, felon in possession of a firearm; Nelson, King, Laws, and Zeigers are co-defendants also charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, money laundering, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Operation LeGend Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596922533411.png" alt="A group of local pastors met with U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison this week at United Believers Community Church to discuss Operation LeGend-photo United State's Attorney" />
 <figcaption>A group of local pastors met with U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison this week at United Believers Community Church to discuss Operation LeGend-photo United State's Attorney</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison announced Friday that 59 additional arrests have been made in the past week by local and federal law enforcement officers in Operation LeGend, for a total of 156 arrests since the start of the operation, according to the United State's Attorney.Among those arrested since Aug. 1, new federal charges have been filed against six defendants, for a total of 17 new federal cases in Operation LeGend. All of the new federal defendants were charged with firearms-related crimes. Four of the six new defendants were charged with being felons in possession of firearms. One defendant was charged with heroin trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm. One defendant was charged with participating in a conspiracy to commit armed robberies at several local businesses.Among the remaining 53 arrests in the past week, 35 were fugitives with either state or federal warrants for their arrest. The remaining 18 non-fugitive arrests were referred for prosecution in state court. Seven arrests were for homicides, for a total of 12 homicide arrests under Operation LeGend. Other offenses cited in the arrests included assault (including non-fatal shootings), drug trafficking, illegally possessing firearms, robbery, bank robbery, child molestation, sexual assault, possessing stolen property and possessing stolen firearms.In addition to the arrests, in the past week agents and officers seized 17 firearms (for a total of 52 firearms seized during Operation LeGend); a number of stolen vehicles and motorcycles; 210 THC cartridges; quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana; and $52,000.The U.S. Attorney’s Office is not able to track cases that are referred for prosecution in state court. The following defendants have been charged in federal court in the past week:Terrell L. Releford, felon in possession of a firearm; Dustin M. Jordan, felon in possession of a firearm; Zackory Phillips, felon in possession of a firearm; Travis J. Pipes, heroin trafficking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime; Dylan Pruett, felon in possession of a firearm; Chase M. Murphy, armed robbery conspiracy, armed robbery, brandishing firearms during a crime of violence.Previously reported federal defendants:Monty Ray, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm; Steven Younce, felon in possession of a firearm, meth trafficking, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime; Daniel Briscoe, methamphetamine trafficking, heroin trafficking; Leamandreal Dorsey, felon in possession of a firearm; Shannon Walz, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition; Maricela Lozano, carjacking, using a firearm during a crime of violence; Gary Dorch, felon in possession of a firearm; Patricia Nelson, felon in possession of a firearm; Bobby Lynn King, felon in possession of a firearm; Logan Tanner Laws, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm; Michael Glen Zeigers, felon in possession of a firearm; Nelson, King, Laws, and Zeigers are co-defendants also charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, money laundering, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Operation LeGend Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

59 more arrests, including 7 murder suspects in KC crime sweep

An overpass rally in support of multiple causes is gaining momentum.

Saturday morning, 70-80 people showed up to the rally on the Magnolia Road overpass on Interstate 135 in support of police, the United States flag, and President Donald Trump.

The rallies began three weeks ago by a group of grandmothers known as the Granny Brigade, said Jerry Hinrikus, co-host of KINA's weekday morning show Coffee Talk. The Granny Brigade told Hinrikus that they started the rallies because they had had enough of negative news and were going to do something about it. Coffee Talk has since joined in the promotion of the weekly event from 10-11 a.m. on Saturdays.

Hinrikus said the group plans to continue the rallies each Saturday morning until the general election.

The idea behind the rallies is to "prove that there is a silent majority out there that supports our police, the American flag, and Trump. Many are now calling in to the radio show from other communities saying they are going to do the same thing along the interstate at the same time and date," Hinrikus explained.

"They want to let people know traveling on the interstate that we support these causes and people," he noted.

SalinaPost.com and KINA (910 AM and 107.5 FM) are both part of Eagle Radio.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596923224958.jpeg" alt="Salina Granny Brigade rally over I 135 this morning. Photo courtesy Jerry Hinrikus" />
 <figcaption>Salina Granny Brigade rally over I 135 this morning. Photo courtesy Jerry Hinrikus</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTAn overpass rally in support of multiple causes is gaining momentum.Saturday morning, 70-80 people showed up to the rally on the Magnolia Road overpass on Interstate 135 in support of police, the United States flag, and President Donald Trump.The rallies began three weeks ago by a group of grandmothers known as the Granny Brigade, said Jerry Hinrikus, co-host of KINA's weekday morning show Coffee Talk. The Granny Brigade told Hinrikus that they started the rallies because they had had enough of negative news and were going to do something about it. Coffee Talk has since joined in the promotion of the weekly event from 10-11 a.m. on Saturdays.Hinrikus said the group plans to continue the rallies each Saturday morning until the general election.The idea behind the rallies is to "prove that there is a silent majority out there that supports our police, the American flag, and Trump. Many are now calling in to the radio show from other communities saying they are going to do the same thing along the interstate at the same time and date," Hinrikus explained."They want to let people know traveling on the interstate that we support these causes and people," he noted.SalinaPost.com and KINA (910 AM and 107.5 FM) are both part of Eagle Radio.

Overpass rally started by Granny Brigade gains momentum

TOPEKA, Kan. – On August 6, 2020, officers from the Topeka Police Department served a narcotics search warrant in the 500 BLK SE Gray, related to an ongoing investigation, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

As a result of the investigation 22-year-old, Marlene Rangel-Cazares of Topeka was arrested and transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested&nbsp; &nbsp;charges of Possession of Marijuana with the intent for distribution and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596797662477.png" alt="Rangel-Cazares-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Rangel-Cazares-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. – On August 6, 2020, officers from the Topeka Police Department served a narcotics search warrant in the 500 BLK SE Gray, related to an ongoing investigation, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.As a result of the investigation 22-year-old, Marlene Rangel-Cazares of Topeka was arrested and transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested&nbsp; &nbsp;charges of Possession of Marijuana with the intent for distribution and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Kansas woman accused of marijuana distribution

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Amanda Adkins, the new Republican nominee in Kansas’ 3rd District, will be tested for the coronavirus after a supporter who attended a campaign party tested positive for COVID-19, the campaign announced.

The campaign was informed of the positive test on Friday. The supporter attended Adkins’ victory party Tuesday at an Overland Park restaurant, campaign manager Matt Patterson said.

Adkins, of Overland Park, will take the test within five days and self-quarantine for 14 days “out of an abundance of caution,” Patterson said. She will take another test after her quarantine.

Patterson insisted that Adkins wore a mask for most of the evening at her party but reporters said they did not see the candidate with a mask on.

“She was (wearing a mask) the majority of the time. When she was giving her speech, she took it off,” Patterson said.

Patterson did not respond to questions about whether Adkins had close contact with the infected person.

Adkins will take on incumbent Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids in November’s general election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596913964679.png" alt="Adkins thanking supporters on election night -photo Amanda Adkins for Congress" />
 <figcaption>Adkins thanking supporters on election night -photo Amanda Adkins for Congress</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Amanda Adkins, the new Republican nominee in Kansas’ 3rd District, will be tested for the coronavirus after a supporter who attended a campaign party tested positive for COVID-19, the campaign announced.The campaign was informed of the positive test on Friday. The supporter attended Adkins’ victory party Tuesday at an Overland Park restaurant, campaign manager Matt Patterson said.Adkins, of Overland Park, will take the test within five days and self-quarantine for 14 days “out of an abundance of caution,” Patterson said. She will take another test after her quarantine.Patterson insisted that Adkins wore a mask for most of the evening at her party but reporters said they did not see the candidate with a mask on.“She was (wearing a mask) the majority of the time. When she was giving her speech, she took it off,” Patterson said.Patterson did not respond to questions about whether Adkins had close contact with the infected person.Adkins will take on incumbent Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids in November’s general election.

Kan. congressional candidate will take COVID test after supporter tests positive

BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) — Seizing the power of his podium and his pen, President Donald Trump on Saturday moved to bypass the nation's elected lawmakers as he claimed the authority to defer payroll taxes and extend an expired unemployment benefit after negotiations with Congress on a new coronavirus rescue package collapsed.

At his private country club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump signed four executive orders to act where Congress hasn't, contending Washington's gridlock had compelled him to act as the pandemic undermined the country's economy and imperiled his November reelection hopes.

Perhaps most crucially, Trump moved to continue paying a supplemental federal unemployment benefit for millions of Americans out of work during the outbreak. Congress allowed those payments to lapse on Aug. 1, and negotiations to extend them have been mired in partisan gridlock, with the White House and Democrats miles apart. Trump largely stayed on the sidelines during the administration’s negotiations with congressional leaders, leaving the talks on his side to chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

Trump’s embrace of executive actions to sidestep Congress runs in sharp contrast to his criticism of former President Barack Obama’s use of executive orders on a more limited basis. And the president’s step-back from talks with Congress breaks with his self-assured negotiating skills.

Now, Trump, who has not spoken with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi since last year, sought to play the role of election-year savior, with the $400 weekly assistance, as well as a deferral of payroll tax and federal student loan payments and the continuation of a freeze on some evictions during the crisis.

“It's $400 a week, and we're doing it without the Democrats,” Trump said, asking states to cover 25% of the cost. It was not immediately clear where the federal portion would come from — though the president suggested he was looking to use unspent funds from previous coronavirus relief bills — and Trump said it would be up to states to determine how much, if any of it to fund.

The president said at his club on Friday night that “if Democrats continue to hold this critical relief hostage I will act under my authority as president to get Americans the relief they need.”

Democrats had said they would lower their spending demands from $3.4 trillion to $2 trillion but said the White House needed to increase their offer. Republicans have proposed a $1 trillion plan.

White House aides have watched the talks break down with apprehension, fearful that failure to close a deal could further damage an economic recovery already showing signs of slowing down. Friday’s jobs report, though it beat expectations, was smaller than the past two months, in part because a resurgence of the virus has led to states rolling back their reopenings.

The president’s team believes the economy needs to stabilize and show signs of growth for him to have any chance at winning reelection. Aides were hoping to frame the expected executive orders signings as a sign that Trump was taking action in a time of crisis. But it also would reinforce the view that the president, who took office declaring he was a dealmaker, was unable to steer the process to an agreement.

Trump said Saturday the orders “will take care of pretty much this entire situation, as we know it.” But they are far smaller in scope than congressional legislation, and even aides acknowledged they didn't meet the needs of all that was required.

“This is not a perfect answer — we’ll be the first ones to say that,” Meadows said Friday as talks broke down. “But it is all that we can do and all the president can do within the confines of his executive power, and we’re going to encourage him to do it.”

Trump said the employer portion of the payroll tax would be deferred from Aug. 1 through the end of the year, though the move would not directly aid unemployed workers, who do not pay the tax when they are jobless, and faces bipartisan opposition on Capitol Hill.

“If I win, I may extend and terminate,” Trump said, repeating a longtime goal but remaining silent on how he'd fund the Medicare and Social Security benefits that the 7% tax on employee income covers. Employers also pay 7.65% of their payrolls into the funds.

Both the House and Senate have left Washington, with members sent home on instructions to be ready to return for a vote on an agreement. With no deal in sight, their absence raised the possibility of a prolonged stalemate that stretches well into August and even September.

Often an impasse in Washington is of little consequence for the public — but not so this time. It would mean more hardship for millions of people who are losing enhanced jobless benefits and further damage for an economy pummeled by the still-raging coronavirus.

Friday’s negotiations at the Capitol added up to only “a disappointing meeting,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. He said the White House had rejected an offer by Pelosi, D-Calif., to curb Democratic demands by about $1 trillion. Schumer urged the White House to “negotiate with Democrats and meet us in the middle. Don’t say it’s your way or no way.”

That Capitol Hill session followed a combative meeting Thursday evening that for the first time cast real doubt on the ability of the Trump administration and Democrats to come together on a fifth COVID-19 response bill.

Pelosi declared the talks all but dead until Meadows and Mnuchin give ground.

The breakdown in the negotiations is particularly distressing for schools, which have been counting on billions of dollars from Washington to help with the costs of reopening. But other priorities are also languishing, including a fresh round of $1,200 direct payments to most people, a cash infusion for the struggling Postal Service and money to help states hold elections in November.

Mnuchin said renewal of a $600-per-week pandemic jobless boost and huge demands by Democrats for aid to state and local governments are the key areas where they are stuck.

Democrats have offered to reduce her almost $1 trillion demand for state and local governments considerably, but some of Pelosi's proposed cost savings would accrue chiefly because she would shorten the timeframe for benefits like food stamps.

Pelosi and Schumer continue to insist on a huge aid package to address a surge in cases and deaths, double-digit joblessness and the threat of poverty for millions of the newly unemployed.

Senate Republicans have been split, with roughly half of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's rank and file opposed to another rescue bill at all. Four prior coronavirus response bills totaling almost $3 trillion have won approval on bipartisan votes despite intense wrangling, but conservatives have recoiled at the prospect of another Pelosi-brokered agreement with a whopping deficit-financed cost.

McConnell has kept his distance from the negotiations while coordinating with Mnuchin and Meadows.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596920200204.png" alt="President Trump signed the payroll tax cut on Saturday afternoon.&nbsp; It could begin as early as Aug. 1 and last through 2020, according to the President. -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump signed the payroll tax cut on Saturday afternoon.&nbsp; It could begin as early as Aug. 1 and last through 2020, according to the President. -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) — Seizing the power of his podium and his pen, President Donald Trump on Saturday moved to bypass the nation's elected lawmakers as he claimed the authority to defer payroll taxes and extend an expired unemployment benefit after negotiations with Congress on a new coronavirus rescue package collapsed.At his private country club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump signed four executive orders to act where Congress hasn't, contending Washington's gridlock had compelled him to act as the pandemic undermined the country's economy and imperiled his November reelection hopes.Perhaps most crucially, Trump moved to continue paying a supplemental federal unemployment benefit for millions of Americans out of work during the outbreak. Congress allowed those payments to lapse on Aug. 1, and negotiations to extend them have been mired in partisan gridlock, with the White House and Democrats miles apart. Trump largely stayed on the sidelines during the administration’s negotiations with congressional leaders, leaving the talks on his side to chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.Trump’s embrace of executive actions to sidestep Congress runs in sharp contrast to his criticism of former President Barack Obama’s use of executive orders on a more limited basis. And the president’s step-back from talks with Congress breaks with his self-assured negotiating skills.Now, Trump, who has not spoken with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi since last year, sought to play the role of election-year savior, with the $400 weekly assistance, as well as a deferral of payroll tax and federal student loan payments and the continuation of a freeze on some evictions during the crisis.“It's $400 a week, and we're doing it without the Democrats,” Trump said, asking states to cover 25% of the cost. It was not immediately clear where the federal portion would come from — though the president suggested he was looking to use unspent funds from previous coronavirus relief bills — and Trump said it would be up to states to determine how much, if any of it to fund.The president said at his club on Friday night that “if Democrats continue to hold this critical relief hostage I will act under my authority as president to get Americans the relief they need.”Democrats had said they would lower their spending demands from $3.4 trillion to $2 trillion but said the White House needed to increase their offer. Republicans have proposed a $1 trillion plan.White House aides have watched the talks break down with apprehension, fearful that failure to close a deal could further damage an economic recovery already showing signs of slowing down. Friday’s jobs report, though it beat expectations, was smaller than the past two months, in part because a resurgence of the virus has led to states rolling back their reopenings.The president’s team believes the economy needs to stabilize and show signs of growth for him to have any chance at winning reelection. Aides were hoping to frame the expected executive orders signings as a sign that Trump was taking action in a time of crisis. But it also would reinforce the view that the president, who took office declaring he was a dealmaker, was unable to steer the process to an agreement.Trump said Saturday the orders “will take care of pretty much this entire situation, as we know it.” But they are far smaller in scope than congressional legislation, and even aides acknowledged they didn't meet the needs of all that was required.“This is not a perfect answer — we’ll be the first ones to say that,” Meadows said Friday as talks broke down. “But it is all that we can do and all the president can do within the confines of his executive power, and we’re going to encourage him to do it.”Trump said the employer portion of the payroll tax would be deferred from Aug. 1 through the end of the year, though the move would not directly aid unemployed workers, who do not pay the tax when they are jobless, and faces bipartisan opposition on Capitol Hill.“If I win, I may extend and terminate,” Trump said, repeating a longtime goal but remaining silent on how he'd fund the Medicare and Social Security benefits that the 7% tax on employee income covers. Employers also pay 7.65% of their payrolls into the funds.Both the House and Senate have left Washington, with members sent home on instructions to be ready to return for a vote on an agreement. With no deal in sight, their absence raised the possibility of a prolonged stalemate that stretches well into August and even September.Often an impasse in Washington is of little consequence for the public — but not so this time. It would mean more hardship for millions of people who are losing enhanced jobless benefits and further damage for an economy pummeled by the still-raging coronavirus.Friday’s negotiations at the Capitol added up to only “a disappointing meeting,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. He said the White House had rejected an offer by Pelosi, D-Calif., to curb Democratic demands by about $1 trillion. Schumer urged the White House to “negotiate with Democrats and meet us in the middle. Don’t say it’s your way or no way.”That Capitol Hill session followed a combative meeting Thursday evening that for the first time cast real doubt on the ability of the Trump administration and Democrats to come together on a fifth COVID-19 response bill.Pelosi declared the talks all but dead until Meadows and Mnuchin give ground.The breakdown in the negotiations is particularly distressing for schools, which have been counting on billions of dollars from Washington to help with the costs of reopening. But other priorities are also languishing, including a fresh round of $1,200 direct payments to most people, a cash infusion for the struggling Postal Service and money to help states hold elections in November.Mnuchin said renewal of a $600-per-week pandemic jobless boost and huge demands by Democrats for aid to state and local governments are the key areas where they are stuck.Democrats have offered to reduce her almost $1 trillion demand for state and local governments considerably, but some of Pelosi's proposed cost savings would accrue chiefly because she would shorten the timeframe for benefits like food stamps.Pelosi and Schumer continue to insist on a huge aid package to address a surge in cases and deaths, double-digit joblessness and the threat of poverty for millions of the newly unemployed.Senate Republicans have been split, with roughly half of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's rank and file opposed to another rescue bill at all. Four prior coronavirus response bills totaling almost $3 trillion have won approval on bipartisan votes despite intense wrangling, but conservatives have recoiled at the prospect of another Pelosi-brokered agreement with a whopping deficit-financed cost.McConnell has kept his distance from the negotiations while coordinating with Mnuchin and Meadows.

Bypassing congress: Trump defers payroll tax, extends unemployment

NEW YORK (AP) — Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can help stop the coronavirus from spreading, but drinking the products turned out to be deadly for four people in two states.

Health officials&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932e1.htm" target="_blank">reported this week</a>&nbsp;that 15 adults were poisoned in Arizona and New Mexico in May and June after drinking hand sanitizer. Besides the four who died, three had ongoing vision problems, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

All had consumed sanitizers containing methanol, or wood alcohol. The active ingredient that kills germs in legitimate sanitizers is ethyl alcohol, which is consumable. But some companies have been replacing it with poisonous methanol, which is used in antifreeze.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/671bb773d88f6b4aee95795ec0cfb246">issued a warning</a>&nbsp;in June about Mexican-made hand sanitizer gel that it said contained large amounts of methanol. Since then, the FDA has expanded the list. The FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-updates-hand-sanitizers-consumers-should-not-use" target="_blank">has identified</a>&nbsp;dozens of hand sanitizers that contain methanol and have been recalled in the U.S. by manufacturers and distributors.

NEW YORK (AP) — Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can help stop the coronavirus from spreading, but drinking the products turned out to be deadly for four people in two states.Health officials&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932e1.htm" target="_blank">reported this week</a>&nbsp;that 15 adults were poisoned in Arizona and New Mexico in May and June after drinking hand sanitizer. Besides the four who died, three had ongoing vision problems, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.All had consumed sanitizers containing methanol, or wood alcohol. The active ingredient that kills germs in legitimate sanitizers is ethyl alcohol, which is consumable. But some companies have been replacing it with poisonous methanol, which is used in antifreeze.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/671bb773d88f6b4aee95795ec0cfb246">issued a warning</a>&nbsp;in June about Mexican-made hand sanitizer gel that it said contained large amounts of methanol. Since then, the FDA has expanded the list. The FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-updates-hand-sanitizers-consumers-should-not-use" target="_blank">has identified</a>&nbsp;dozens of hand sanitizers that contain methanol and have been recalled in the U.S. by manufacturers and distributors.___

4 US deaths tied to methanol-based hand sanitizers

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The city council in Missouri's largest city has endorsed the idea of painting Black Lives Matter murals on six streets across the city.

Kansas City Council members voted 12-1 this week in favor of a resolution saying the city “recognizes the importance and significance of the Black Lives Matter movement and desires to commemorate the message through painting street murals.

Councilman Eric Bunch said he strongly supported the “symbolic step” while acknowledging that “no amount of paint on the streets, murals on the street ... are going to create systemic change.”

Other cities have seen murals on streets to support racial justice in the months since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/DeathofGeorgeFloyd">George Floyd's death&nbsp;</a>in Minneapolis. Similar murals have been painted on streets in New York, Washington and Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The lone vote against the Kansas City proposal came from Councilwoman Heather Hall. She told said that a Black Lives Matter mural would have a “complete valid reason to be in Kansas City” but she thought any mural should be painted on a wall or billboard.

Hall cited public safety concerns, worrying that drivers could get confused about boundaries between lanes of traffic because of a street mural.

“As soon as somebody crosses that line and they hit another car, then who is at fault?” Hall said.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The city council in Missouri's largest city has endorsed the idea of painting Black Lives Matter murals on six streets across the city.Kansas City Council members voted 12-1 this week in favor of a resolution saying the city “recognizes the importance and significance of the Black Lives Matter movement and desires to commemorate the message through painting street murals.Councilman Eric Bunch said he strongly supported the “symbolic step” while acknowledging that “no amount of paint on the streets, murals on the street ... are going to create systemic change.”Other cities have seen murals on streets to support racial justice in the months since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/DeathofGeorgeFloyd">George Floyd's death&nbsp;</a>in Minneapolis. Similar murals have been painted on streets in New York, Washington and Tuscaloosa, Ala.The lone vote against the Kansas City proposal came from Councilwoman Heather Hall. She told said that a Black Lives Matter mural would have a “complete valid reason to be in Kansas City” but she thought any mural should be painted on a wall or billboard.Hall cited public safety concerns, worrying that drivers could get confused about boundaries between lanes of traffic because of a street mural.“As soon as somebody crosses that line and they hit another car, then who is at fault?” Hall said.

Kansas City plans Black Lives Matter murals for 6 streets

BY JIM MCLEAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-08-06/conservative-wins-in-republican-kansas-primaries-set-up-conflict-with-the-democratic-governor">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — A near sweep by conservatives over moderates 
in several primary races this week sets up more conflict over the next 
two years between the Republican-led Legislature and Democratic Gov. 
Laura Kelly.

“There will be a lot of feuding and fighting going 
on, particularly given the COVID situation,” said Rep. Tom Phillips, a 
moderate Republican from Manhattan who isn’t seeking a fifth term.

Republican
 leaders could further limit Kelly’s power to guide the state’s response
 to the pandemic and power past her objections to reducing corporate 
taxes.

Outgoing Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita 
Republican, said the primary showed that “Kansans want to live in a 
culture of limited government.”

“My focus now is to preserve our 
veto-proof majority in the Kansas Senate to keep a check on Laura 
Kelly’s liberal policies,” Wagle said in a statement.

In each of the past two years, Kelly had enough lawmakers committed 
to expand Medicaid. But in both of those sessions, Wagle succeeded in 
blocking votes on the issue that Kelly made the signature of her 
campaign for governor.

The primary results make expansion and even longer shot, Phillips said.

“Unless
 the governor has some grand compromise that she’s willing to work out 
with the conservatives,” he said, “I just don’t think it moves forward.”

Several
 moderate Republican senators who supported expansion and voted to 
repeal Republican former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax cuts lost to 
conservatives in Tuesday’s primary.

Many of those races weren’t 
close. Sen. John Skubal of Overland Park got only 36% of the vote in his
 loss to Rep. Kellie Warren. Conservative challenger Mark Steffen beat 
Sen. Ed Berger, a former president of Hutchinson Community College, 57% 
to 43%. In southwest Kansas, moderate Sen. Mary Jo Taylor suffered a 
20-point loss to conservative challenger Alicia Straub. And Sen. Randall
 Hardy of Salina managed only 37 % in his race against conservative Rep.
 J.R. Claeys.

“The Republican Party, both in Kansas and 
nationally, is getting more conservative,” said University of Kansas 
political scientist Patrick Miller.

He said that puts moderates at an automatic disadvantage in primaries.

“There
 are just fewer moderates in the Republican Party than there were 10 
years ago,” he said, “especially in rural and small-town Kansas.”

GOP
 moderates beat conservatives in only two Senate primaries. Rep. Brenda 
Dietrich defeated Sen. Eric Rucker in a Topeka district and Sen. John 
Doll of Garden City — he ran for lieutenant governor as an independent 
in 2018 — held off a challenge from conservative Lon Pishny.

Money
 and endorsements from the Kansas Chamber and anti-abortion 
organizations helped fuel the effort by conservatives to win back seats 
they lost in 2016.

Abortion was a big issue in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/janedirksforkansas/" target="_blank">Jane Dirks’</a> win over Rep. Jan Kessinger in a Johnson County district that includes parts of Leawood and Overland Park. Kessinger was one of<a href="https://www.kcur.org/government/2020-02-07/four-kansas-republicans-stopped-their-partys-anti-abortion-bill-but-gop-says-its-not-over" target="_blank"> only four House Republicans</a> to vote against a proposed constitutional amendment sought by anti-abortion advocates.

That
 vote mobilized groups like the anti-abortion Students for Life Action, 
which contacted 4,000 voters in the district to make sure they knew 
about Kessinger’s vote against putting the amendment on the August 
primary ballot.

Titus Folks, an organizer for the group, said Kessinger’s defeat is “one that Republican politicians should take note of.”

“It
 is overwhelmingly clear that pro-life issues are a priority for Kansas 
conservatives,” he said in a statement congratulating Dirks.

Dirks won the GOP primary with relative ease. But Miller, the KU political scientist, said she could lose to<a href="https://www.poskin4ks.com/" target="_blank"> Democrat Mari-Lynn Poskin</a> in the general election.

“That’s
 a district that Democrats are probably going to be favored to pick up 
because of (the moderate) Kessinger’s loss,” Miller said. He said voters
 in the district favored Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in the 2016 
presidential race.

Conservative Republicans could also be vulnerable in other Johnson County districts that, Miller said, “are getting very blue.”

That includes the race between <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mikethompsonforkansas/" target="_blank">Republican Sen. Mike Thompson</a> and Democrat Lindsey Constance in a district that covers parts of Shawnee, Overland Park, Merriam and Bonner Springs.

Miller sees a similar dynamic in the contest between Warren, the primary winner over Skubal in the 11th Senate District, and <a href="https://www.joykoesten.com/" target="_blank">Democrat Joy Koesten</a>, a former Republican member of the Kansas House who switched parties in 2018.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Cindy-Holscher-for-Kansas-1631827813750587/" target="_blank">Democratic Rep. Cindy Holscher</a>
 is a strong contender to win a seat now held by Republican Senate 
Majority Leader Jim Denning, who isn’t running for re-election. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ToddforKansas/" target="_blank">Republican James Todd</a>, a former member of the Kansas House, is her general election opponent.

Republican
 incumbents Sen. Rob Olson and Rep. Charlotte Esau could also be 
vulnerable in districts transitioning from red to purple, Miller said.

Democratic
 gains in the general election could offset those made by conservative 
Republicans in the primary, but only partially, Miller said.

The 
next Legislature “could have more Democrats” but be more conservative 
overall, Miller said, “because the Republican caucus gets more 
conservative.”

Jim McLean is the senior correspondent for the 
Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW 
and High Plains Public Radio focused on the health and well-being of 
Kansans, their communities and civic life. You can reach him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jmcleanks" target="_blank">@jmcleanks</a> or email jim@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596806244390.png" alt=" Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>BY JIM MCLEAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-08-06/conservative-wins-in-republican-kansas-primaries-set-up-conflict-with-the-democratic-governor">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — A near sweep by conservatives over moderates 
in several primary races this week sets up more conflict over the next 
two years between the Republican-led Legislature and Democratic Gov. 
Laura Kelly.“There will be a lot of feuding and fighting going 
on, particularly given the COVID situation,” said Rep. Tom Phillips, a 
moderate Republican from Manhattan who isn’t seeking a fifth term.Republican
 leaders could further limit Kelly’s power to guide the state’s response
 to the pandemic and power past her objections to reducing corporate 
taxes.Outgoing Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita 
Republican, said the primary showed that “Kansans want to live in a 
culture of limited government.”“My focus now is to preserve our 
veto-proof majority in the Kansas Senate to keep a check on Laura 
Kelly’s liberal policies,” Wagle said in a statement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596806331296.png" alt="Susan Wagle / Jim McLean photo" />
 <figcaption>Susan Wagle / Jim McLean photo</figcaption>
 </figure>In each of the past two years, Kelly had enough lawmakers committed 
to expand Medicaid. But in both of those sessions, Wagle succeeded in 
blocking votes on the issue that Kelly made the signature of her 
campaign for governor.The primary results make expansion and even longer shot, Phillips said.“Unless
 the governor has some grand compromise that she’s willing to work out 
with the conservatives,” he said, “I just don’t think it moves forward.”Several
 moderate Republican senators who supported expansion and voted to 
repeal Republican former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax cuts lost to 
conservatives in Tuesday’s primary.Many of those races weren’t 
close. Sen. John Skubal of Overland Park got only 36% of the vote in his
 loss to Rep. Kellie Warren. Conservative challenger Mark Steffen beat 
Sen. Ed Berger, a former president of Hutchinson Community College, 57% 
to 43%. In southwest Kansas, moderate Sen. Mary Jo Taylor suffered a 
20-point loss to conservative challenger Alicia Straub. And Sen. Randall
 Hardy of Salina managed only 37 % in his race against conservative Rep.
 J.R. Claeys.“The Republican Party, both in Kansas and 
nationally, is getting more conservative,” said University of Kansas 
political scientist Patrick Miller.He said that puts moderates at an automatic disadvantage in primaries.“There
 are just fewer moderates in the Republican Party than there were 10 
years ago,” he said, “especially in rural and small-town Kansas.”GOP
 moderates beat conservatives in only two Senate primaries. Rep. Brenda 
Dietrich defeated Sen. Eric Rucker in a Topeka district and Sen. John 
Doll of Garden City — he ran for lieutenant governor as an independent 
in 2018 — held off a challenge from conservative Lon Pishny.Money
 and endorsements from the Kansas Chamber and anti-abortion 
organizations helped fuel the effort by conservatives to win back seats 
they lost in 2016.Abortion was a big issue in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/janedirksforkansas/" target="_blank">Jane Dirks’</a> win over Rep. Jan Kessinger in a Johnson County district that includes parts of Leawood and Overland Park. Kessinger was one of<a href="https://www.kcur.org/government/2020-02-07/four-kansas-republicans-stopped-their-partys-anti-abortion-bill-but-gop-says-its-not-over" target="_blank"> only four House Republicans</a> to vote against a proposed constitutional amendment sought by anti-abortion advocates.That
 vote mobilized groups like the anti-abortion Students for Life Action, 
which contacted 4,000 voters in the district to make sure they knew 
about Kessinger’s vote against putting the amendment on the August 
primary ballot.Titus Folks, an organizer for the group, said Kessinger’s defeat is “one that Republican politicians should take note of.”“It
 is overwhelmingly clear that pro-life issues are a priority for Kansas 
conservatives,” he said in a statement congratulating Dirks.Dirks won the GOP primary with relative ease. But Miller, the KU political scientist, said she could lose to<a href="https://www.poskin4ks.com/" target="_blank"> Democrat Mari-Lynn Poskin</a> in the general election.“That’s
 a district that Democrats are probably going to be favored to pick up 
because of (the moderate) Kessinger’s loss,” Miller said. He said voters
 in the district favored Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in the 2016 
presidential race.Conservative Republicans could also be vulnerable in other Johnson County districts that, Miller said, “are getting very blue.”That includes the race between <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mikethompsonforkansas/" target="_blank">Republican Sen. Mike Thompson</a> and Democrat Lindsey Constance in a district that covers parts of Shawnee, Overland Park, Merriam and Bonner Springs.Miller sees a similar dynamic in the contest between Warren, the primary winner over Skubal in the 11th Senate District, and <a href="https://www.joykoesten.com/" target="_blank">Democrat Joy Koesten</a>, a former Republican member of the Kansas House who switched parties in 2018.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Cindy-Holscher-for-Kansas-1631827813750587/" target="_blank">Democratic Rep. Cindy Holscher</a>
 is a strong contender to win a seat now held by Republican Senate 
Majority Leader Jim Denning, who isn’t running for re-election. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ToddforKansas/" target="_blank">Republican James Todd</a>, a former member of the Kansas House, is her general election opponent.Republican
 incumbents Sen. Rob Olson and Rep. Charlotte Esau could also be 
vulnerable in districts transitioning from red to purple, Miller said.Democratic
 gains in the general election could offset those made by conservative 
Republicans in the primary, but only partially, Miller said.The 
next Legislature “could have more Democrats” but be more conservative 
overall, Miller said, “because the Republican caucus gets more 
conservative.”Jim McLean is the senior correspondent for the 
Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW 
and High Plains Public Radio focused on the health and well-being of 
Kansans, their communities and civic life. You can reach him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jmcleanks" target="_blank">@jmcleanks</a> or email jim@kcur.org.

Conservative wins in Kan. set up conflict with Democratic governor

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — An Overland Park City Council member who is facing a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery has been removed from the city’s public safety committee during the investigation.

Councilman Scott Hamblin, 42, was charged after police were called to his home on July 21. No injuries were reported. He is accused of “physical contact with a person, in a rude, insulting, or angry manner,” according to the criminal complaint.

Six council members on Monday called for Hamblin to resign, saying the charge could damage the board’s reputation. He said he would not step down and said allegations were being made before the incident had been thoroughly investigated.

Mayor Carl Gerlach said Thursday he removed Hamblin from the public safety committee because it oversees police department policies and would present a conflict of interest for Hamblin.

Hamblin’s wife, Curstin, said in a statement that the City Council was attempting to “score political gains from a private family matter.”

“This harassment toward my family is absolutely uncalled for,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595518705251.png" alt="Hamblin -photo Johnson Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Hamblin -photo Johnson Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — An Overland Park City Council member who is facing a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery has been removed from the city’s public safety committee during the investigation.Councilman Scott Hamblin, 42, was charged after police were called to his home on July 21. No injuries were reported. He is accused of “physical contact with a person, in a rude, insulting, or angry manner,” according to the criminal complaint.Six council members on Monday called for Hamblin to resign, saying the charge could damage the board’s reputation. He said he would not step down and said allegations were being made before the incident had been thoroughly investigated.Mayor Carl Gerlach said Thursday he removed Hamblin from the public safety committee because it oversees police department policies and would present a conflict of interest for Hamblin.Hamblin’s wife, Curstin, said in a statement that the City Council was attempting to “score political gains from a private family matter.”“This harassment toward my family is absolutely uncalled for,” she said.

City councilman in Kan. charged with misdemeanor battery

WASHINGTON (AP) — A last-ditch effort by Democrats to revive collapsing Capitol Hill talks on vital COVID-19 rescue money ended in disappointment on Friday, making it increasingly likely that Washington gridlock will mean more hardship for millions of people who are losing enhanced jobless benefits and further damage for an economy pummeled by the still-raging coronavirus.

“It was a disappointing meeting,” declared top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, saying the White House had rejected an offer by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to curb Democratic demands by about $1 trillion. He urged the White House to “negotiate with Democrats and meet us in the middle. Don’t say it’s your way or no way.”

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, “Unfortunately we did not make any progress today.”

With the collapse of the talks, he said President Donald Trump was now likely to issue executive orders on home evictions and on student loan debt.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said, “This is not a perfect answer -- we’ll be the first ones to say that -- but it is all that we can do, and all the president can do within the confines of his executive power.”

Friday’s session followed a combative meeting on Thursday that, for the first time cast real doubt on the ability of the Trump administration and Democrats on Capitol Hill to come together on a fifth COVID-19 response bill. Pelosi summoned Mnuchin and Meadows in hopes of breathing life into the negotiations, which have been characterized by frustration and intransigence on both sides.

A breakdown in the talks would put at risk&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2b554a392e8bb6785deba6371cfa7900">more than $100 billion to help reopen schools</a>, a fresh round of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/61b3d38360745d64a98a2ab813501b13">$1,200 direct payments</a>&nbsp;to most people and hundreds of billions of dollars for state and local governments to help them avoid furloughing workers and cutting services as tax revenues shrivel.

In a news conference on Friday Pelosi said she offered a major concession to Republicans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596833441262.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke late Friday after negotiations ended -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke late Friday after negotiations ended -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A last-ditch effort by Democrats to revive collapsing Capitol Hill talks on vital COVID-19 rescue money ended in disappointment on Friday, making it increasingly likely that Washington gridlock will mean more hardship for millions of people who are losing enhanced jobless benefits and further damage for an economy pummeled by the still-raging coronavirus.“It was a disappointing meeting,” declared top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, saying the White House had rejected an offer by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to curb Democratic demands by about $1 trillion. He urged the White House to “negotiate with Democrats and meet us in the middle. Don’t say it’s your way or no way.”Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, “Unfortunately we did not make any progress today.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596833516825.png" alt="Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows left Friday's meeting looking for another way to help the American people-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows left Friday's meeting looking for another way to help the American people-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>With the collapse of the talks, he said President Donald Trump was now likely to issue executive orders on home evictions and on student loan debt.White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said, “This is not a perfect answer -- we’ll be the first ones to say that -- but it is all that we can do, and all the president can do within the confines of his executive power.”Friday’s session followed a combative meeting on Thursday that, for the first time cast real doubt on the ability of the Trump administration and Democrats on Capitol Hill to come together on a fifth COVID-19 response bill. Pelosi summoned Mnuchin and Meadows in hopes of breathing life into the negotiations, which have been characterized by frustration and intransigence on both sides.A breakdown in the talks would put at risk&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2b554a392e8bb6785deba6371cfa7900">more than $100 billion to help reopen schools</a>, a fresh round of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/61b3d38360745d64a98a2ab813501b13">$1,200 direct payments</a>&nbsp;to most people and hundreds of billions of dollars for state and local governments to help them avoid furloughing workers and cutting services as tax revenues shrivel.In a news conference on Friday Pelosi said she offered a major concession to Republicans.“We’ll go down $1 trillion, you go up $1 trillion,” Pelosi said. The figures are approximate, but a Pelosi spokesman said the speaker is in general terms seeking a “top line” of perhaps $2.4 trillion since the House-passed HEROES Act is scored at $3.45 trillion. Republicans say their starting offer was about $1 trillion but have offered some concessions on jobless benefits and aid to states, among others, that have brought the White House offer higher.Mnuchin said that renewal of a $600 per-week pandemic jobless boost and huge demands by Democrats for aid to state and local governments are the key areas where they are stuck.“There’s a lot of areas of compromise,” he said after Friday’s meeting. “I think if we can reach an agreement on state and local and unemployment, we will reach an overall deal. And if we can’t we can’t.”Pelosi declared the talks all but dead until Meadows and Mnuchin give ground.“I’ve told them ‘come back when you are ready to give us a higher number,’” she said.Democrats have offered to reduce her almost $1 trillion demand for state and local governments considerably, but some of Pelosi’s proposed cost savings would accrue chiefly because she would shorten the timeframe for benefits like food stamps.Pelosi and Schumer continue to insist on a huge aid package to address&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e3081a60a6abf62effa2e6030556ee30">a surge in cases and deaths</a>, double-digit joblessness and the threat of poverty for millions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f3caeadfc8c7f88900470ac96820a36c">the newly unemployed</a>.On Friday, they pointed to the new July jobs report to try to bolster their proposals. The report showed that the U.S. added 1.8 million jobs last month, a much lower increase than in May and June.“It’s clear the economy is losing steam,” Schumer said. “That means we need big, bold investments in America to help average folks.”Senate Republicans have been split, with roughly half of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s rank and file opposed to another rescue bill at all. Four prior coronavirus response bills totaling almost $3 trillion have won approval on bipartisan votes despite intense wrangling, but conservatives have recoiled at the prospect of another Pelosi-brokered agreement with a whopping deficit-financed cost.McConnell has sent the Senate home rather than forcing impatient senators to bide their time while Democrats play hardball. That suggests a vote won’t come until late next week, if then.Pelosi and Schumer have staked out a firm position to extend a lapsed $600-per-week bonus jobless benefit, demanded generous child care assistance and reiterated their insistence for food stamps and assistance to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/833d91877e2f0fa913c5258978a9e83c">renters and homeowners facing eviction or foreclosure</a>.“This virus is like a freight train coming so fast and they are responding like a convoy going as slow as the slowest ship. It just doesn’t work,” Pelosi said Friday.