ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Missouri woman has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for participating in a conspiracy to help a former Missouri man who died in Syria while fighting for the Islamic State.

Sedina Unkic Hodzic, 41, of St. Louis County, was sentenced Tuesday for conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and providing material support to terrorists, according to a news release from federal prosecutors.

Hodzic and her husband, Ramiz Hodzic, sent money and supplies to Abdullah Ramo Pazara, prosecutors have said. Pazara lived in St. Louis County until 2013, when he went to Syria and became a commander for the Islamic State. He later died fighting for the group.

Ramiz Hodzic was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/395625b7f59046a18fe9b84ea8429153">sentenced last year</a>&nbsp;to eight years in prison. Several others&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eab16c1e755cccc5fea866ce8fc93ac7">also have been sentenced</a>&nbsp;for their roles in the conspiracy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573774378737.png" alt="Ramiz Zijad Hodzic-photo St. Louis Co." />
 <figcaption>Ramiz Zijad Hodzic-photo St. Louis Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Missouri woman has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for participating in a conspiracy to help a former Missouri man who died in Syria while fighting for the Islamic State.Sedina Unkic Hodzic, 41, of St. Louis County, was sentenced Tuesday for conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and providing material support to terrorists, according to a news release from federal prosecutors.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605131077537.png" alt="Hodzic photo St. Louis Co." />
 <figcaption>Hodzic photo St. Louis Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hodzic and her husband, Ramiz Hodzic, sent money and supplies to Abdullah Ramo Pazara, prosecutors have said. Pazara lived in St. Louis County until 2013, when he went to Syria and became a commander for the Islamic State. He later died fighting for the group.Ramiz Hodzic was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/395625b7f59046a18fe9b84ea8429153">sentenced last year</a>&nbsp;to eight years in prison. Several others&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eab16c1e755cccc5fea866ce8fc93ac7">also have been sentenced</a>&nbsp;for their roles in the conspiracy.

Missouri woman sentenced for helping Islamic terrorists

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran plans to seek reelection in 2022.

Moran spokesman Tom Brandt confirmed the two-term Republican senator’s intent Wednesday, two days after&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/tomwbrandt/status/1325859851684229120" target="_blank">tweeting</a>&nbsp;that Moran planned to run again.

The 66-year-old Moran has faced questions about whether he’d seek to unseat Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly in two years or even retire from politics.

But Democrats failed to flip enough seats in this year’s elections to win an outright majority in the Senate. Republicans will hold 50 seats and Democrats will hold 48, with runoffs to come in January in two close races in Georgia. Democrats must win both for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to be able to break tie votes for them.

In Kansas, Republican Roger Marshall, a two-term congressman for the 1st District of western and central Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-senate-elections-kansas-city-kansas-elections-a2fac7a957de86de8d46aa9092f90b84">captured the seat</a>&nbsp;of retiring four-term Sen. Pat Roberts.

Moran was first elected to the Senate in 2010 after serving 14 years representing the 1st Congressional District. Before entering Congress, he served in the Kansas Legislature and was the state Senate’s majority leader.

A finance report filed with the Federal Election Commission showed that Moran’s campaign committee ended September with more than $2.4 million in cash.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601587839982.png" alt="Senator Moran meeting with Judy Amy Coney Barrett prior to her confirmation hearings&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Senator Moran meeting with Judy Amy Coney Barrett prior to her confirmation hearings&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran plans to seek reelection in 2022.Moran spokesman Tom Brandt confirmed the two-term Republican senator’s intent Wednesday, two days after&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/tomwbrandt/status/1325859851684229120" target="_blank">tweeting</a>&nbsp;that Moran planned to run again.The 66-year-old Moran has faced questions about whether he’d seek to unseat Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly in two years or even retire from politics.But Democrats failed to flip enough seats in this year’s elections to win an outright majority in the Senate. Republicans will hold 50 seats and Democrats will hold 48, with runoffs to come in January in two close races in Georgia. Democrats must win both for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to be able to break tie votes for them.In Kansas, Republican Roger Marshall, a two-term congressman for the 1st District of western and central Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-senate-elections-kansas-city-kansas-elections-a2fac7a957de86de8d46aa9092f90b84">captured the seat</a>&nbsp;of retiring four-term Sen. Pat Roberts.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599242728082.png" alt="Senator Moran during a tour August 28 at Thermo Fisher in Lenexa&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Senator Moran during a tour August 28 at Thermo Fisher in Lenexa&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Moran was first elected to the Senate in 2010 after serving 14 years representing the 1st Congressional District. Before entering Congress, he served in the Kansas Legislature and was the state Senate’s majority leader.A finance report filed with the Federal Election Commission showed that Moran’s campaign committee ended September with more than $2.4 million in cash.

Aide: Sen. Moran plans to seek reelection in 2022

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man has been charged in the fatal shooting of another man inside a suburban Kansas City fast-food restaurant in what police say was a dangerous game between friends.

The shooting happened Monday night in a bathroom inside a McDonald’s in Blue Springs, killing 19-year-old Harry Bowers, of Lee’s Summit. Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Joseph Mayes, 20, with involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action.

Police documents say Mayes told investigators he was at a urinal in the bathroom when Bowers placed a gun to Mayes’ stomach and “pulled the trigger to hear it click," the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article247110717.html">reported</a>. Mayes then reportedly pulled out his own gun, pointed it at Bowers and pulled the trigger, unaware there was a round was in the chamber. Prosecutors say this was a “game” the two often played.

Two others with Mayes and Bowers reported to police that Mayes came running from the restaurant after the shooting saying he had accidentally shot Bowers. Police said Mayes fled the scene and went to the house of his uncle, who convinced Mayes to turn himself in.

Two others were arrested in the shooting, police said. It's unclear whether they face any charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605105916986.png" alt="Mayes-photo Blue Springs PD" />
 <figcaption>Mayes-photo Blue Springs PD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man has been charged in the fatal shooting of another man inside a suburban Kansas City fast-food restaurant in what police say was a dangerous game between friends.The shooting happened Monday night in a bathroom inside a McDonald’s in Blue Springs, killing 19-year-old Harry Bowers, of Lee’s Summit. Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Joseph Mayes, 20, with involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action.Police documents say Mayes told investigators he was at a urinal in the bathroom when Bowers placed a gun to Mayes’ stomach and “pulled the trigger to hear it click," the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article247110717.html">reported</a>. Mayes then reportedly pulled out his own gun, pointed it at Bowers and pulled the trigger, unaware there was a round was in the chamber. Prosecutors say this was a “game” the two often played.Two others with Mayes and Bowers reported to police that Mayes came running from the restaurant after the shooting saying he had accidentally shot Bowers. Police said Mayes fled the scene and went to the house of his uncle, who convinced Mayes to turn himself in.Two others were arrested in the shooting, police said. It's unclear whether they face any charges.

Suspect: McDonald's restaurant bathroom shooting was game

WASHINGTON (AP)—The popular video-sharing app TikTok, its future in limbo since President Donald Trump tried to shut it down earlier this fall, is asking a federal court to intervene.

TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, has until Thursday to sell off its U.S. operations under an executive order that Trump signed in August.

Trump in September gave his tentative blessing to a ByteDance proposal meant to resolve U.S. national security concerns by placing TikTok under the oversight of American companies Oracle and Walmart, each of which would also have a financial stake in the company. But TikTok said this week it’s received “no clarity” from the U.S. government about whether its proposals have been accepted.

The deal has been under a national-security review by the interagency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, which is led by the Treasury Department. The Treasury Department didn’t return emailed requests for comment this week.

“With the November 12 CFIUS deadline imminent and without an extension in hand, we have no choice but to file a petition in court to defend our rights and those of our more than 1,500 employees in the US,” TikTok said in a written statement Tuesday.

Trump has cited concerns that the Chinese government could spy on TikTok users if the app remains under Chinese ownership. TikTok has denied it’s a security threat but said it’s still trying to work with the administration to resolve its concerns.

The legal challenge is “a protection to ensure these discussions can take place,” the company said.

The Trump administration had earlier sought to ban the app from smartphone app stores and deprive it of vital technical services, but federal judges have so far blocked those actions.

TikTok is now looking to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review Trump’s divestment order and the government’s national-security review.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596810871119.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP)—The popular video-sharing app TikTok, its future in limbo since President Donald Trump tried to shut it down earlier this fall, is asking a federal court to intervene.TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, has until Thursday to sell off its U.S. operations under an executive order that Trump signed in August.Trump in September gave his tentative blessing to a ByteDance proposal meant to resolve U.S. national security concerns by placing TikTok under the oversight of American companies Oracle and Walmart, each of which would also have a financial stake in the company. But TikTok said this week it’s received “no clarity” from the U.S. government about whether its proposals have been accepted.The deal has been under a national-security review by the interagency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, which is led by the Treasury Department. The Treasury Department didn’t return emailed requests for comment this week.“With the November 12 CFIUS deadline imminent and without an extension in hand, we have no choice but to file a petition in court to defend our rights and those of our more than 1,500 employees in the US,” TikTok said in a written statement Tuesday.Trump has cited concerns that the Chinese government could spy on TikTok users if the app remains under Chinese ownership. TikTok has denied it’s a security threat but said it’s still trying to work with the administration to resolve its concerns.The legal challenge is “a protection to ensure these discussions can take place,” the company said.The Trump administration had earlier sought to ban the app from smartphone app stores and deprive it of vital technical services, but federal judges have so far blocked those actions.TikTok is now looking to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review Trump’s divestment order and the government’s national-security review.

Trump order: TikTok has hours left to sell U.S. operations 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal Monday shooting at a Kansas home have a suspect in custody.

According to the Sedgwick County booking report, police arrested and booked Leroy Sabrion Gunter, 18, into the county jail just after&nbsp; 6:30p.m. Tuesday in connection with the shooting death of 21-year-old Christopher Bell of Wichita.

Just after 4p.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting at a residence in the 900 block of North Ridgewood in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

 Upon their arrival, officers learned that Bell had been transported to an area hospital by private vehicle where he later died from his injuries.

The investigation revealed Bell was inside of the residence when a disturbance ensued involving a known suspect. During the disturbance, the suspect fired multiple shots, striking Bell. Other individuals were inside of the residence but were not injured.&nbsp;

Gunter is being held on requested charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault and criminal possession of a firearm, according to <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20067109">online jail records.</a>

This was not a random incident, according to Cruz.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp; investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 21-year-old Christopher Bell of Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

Just after 4p.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting at a residence in the 900 block of North Ridgewood in Wichita, according to Cruz.

The investigation revealed Bell was inside of the residence when a disturbance ensued involving a known suspect. During the disturbance, the suspect fired multiple shots, striking Bell. Other individuals were inside of the residence but were not injured.

This was not a random incident, according to Cruz. Police have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605100182056.png" alt="Gunter-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Gunter-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal Monday shooting at a Kansas home have a suspect in custody.According to the Sedgwick County booking report, police arrested and booked Leroy Sabrion Gunter, 18, into the county jail just after&nbsp; 6:30p.m. Tuesday in connection with the shooting death of 21-year-old Christopher Bell of Wichita.Just after 4p.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting at a residence in the 900 block of North Ridgewood in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz. Upon their arrival, officers learned that Bell had been transported to an area hospital by private vehicle where he later died from his injuries.The investigation revealed Bell was inside of the residence when a disturbance ensued involving a known suspect. During the disturbance, the suspect fired multiple shots, striking Bell. Other individuals were inside of the residence but were not injured.&nbsp;Gunter is being held on requested charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault and criminal possession of a firearm, according to <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20067109">online jail records.</a>This was not a random incident, according to Cruz.&nbsp;--------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp; investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 21-year-old Christopher Bell of Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605047139298.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 4p.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting at a residence in the 900 block of North Ridgewood in Wichita, according to Cruz. Upon their arrival, officers learned that Bell had been transported to an area hospital by private vehicle where he later died from his injuries.The investigation revealed Bell was inside of the residence when a disturbance ensued involving a known suspect. During the disturbance, the suspect fired multiple shots, striking Bell. Other individuals were inside of the residence but were not injured.This was not a random incident, according to Cruz. Police have not reported an arrest.

Update: Police arrest teen for shooting death at Kan. home

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City parks officials have approved plans for the Kansas City Zoo to build a $75 million aquarium.

The Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners on Tuesday approved spending $500,000 in capital improves to kick off the project.

Zoo executive director Randy Wisthoff said he hopes to complete designs and begin construction next year. The hope is that the aquarium will open in 2023, Wisthoff said.

The Friends of the Kansas City Zoo, which has been working toward the project for six years, has hired a designer for the proposed 60,000-square-foot, 600,000 gallon aquarium that will include jellyfish and sea otter exhibits and will also house a giant octopus and sharks.

The $45 million in funding for the aquarium will come from the existing zoo-district sales tax, Wisthoff said, while $30 million will come from private funding.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City parks officials have approved plans for the Kansas City Zoo to build a $75 million aquarium.The Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners on Tuesday approved spending $500,000 in capital improves to kick off the project.Zoo executive director Randy Wisthoff said he hopes to complete designs and begin construction next year. The hope is that the aquarium will open in 2023, Wisthoff said.The Friends of the Kansas City Zoo, which has been working toward the project for six years, has hired a designer for the proposed 60,000-square-foot, 600,000 gallon aquarium that will include jellyfish and sea otter exhibits and will also house a giant octopus and sharks.The $45 million in funding for the aquarium will come from the existing zoo-district sales tax, Wisthoff said, while $30 million will come from private funding.

Sharks, giant octopus: KC Zoo to build $75M aquarium

Breast cancer diagnosis down 50%, sparking concerns that cancer won’t be detected soon enough

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/10/women-imperiled-by-pandemic-skipping-breast-exams-and-battling-covid-19-with-cancer/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Amid a battle with breast cancer, Kari Rawley found herself combating a second potentially fatal condition — COVID-19.

The Kansas City, Missouri,
 woman thought she had done everything right to help herself in her 
immunocompromised state. Her family wore masks and practiced social 
distancing, but after a small going away party for her daughter with 
family and close friends, Rawley tested positive, and later so did 
several other family members.

Rawley’s coronavirus 
symptoms began as they often do with aches and pains before 
transitioning to severe fatigue, breathing problems and eventually 
pneumonia. Rawley was admitted to the hospital for treatment.

“The worst part was being 
in the hospital alone and not knowing,” Rawley said. “At home, I had 
three other family members that also had COVID, and a sister and her 
husband ended up being positive also. So, the fear of the unknown and 
not knowing if it would get better or the next day I was going to end up
 on a ventilator.”

COVID-19 risks are 
amplified for immunosuppressed breast cancer patients, and women 
nationwide are opting out of coming in for mammograms for fear of 
contracting the virus. This leaves women at risk of developing advanced 
breast cancer.

Those already diagnosed, 
like Rawley, often must cease treatment that suppresses their immune 
system. Rawley, for example, was asked to hold her medication from her 
COVID-19 diagnosis until she was clinically improving.

“COVID-19 infection this 
year has been a big hurdle in the cancer world to deal with because, as 
we know, cancer doesn’t stop for COVID,” said Lauren Nye, Rawley’s 
medical oncologist at the University of Kansas Health System. “We’ve had
 to figure out ways to continue on treatments and to continue our 
screening and still take care of our patients.”

Nye said altering 
treatment is often necessary so as not to put patients at further risk, 
but this can complicate their outcome. While telehealth is an option, 
she said coming into the clinic for cancer treatment is still one of the
 safest courses of action.

A concerning trend amid 
COVID-19, however, is curbing the number of patients receiving 
treatment. Since the pandemic began, there has been a 50% drop in the 
number of breast cancer diagnoses across the country.

Jamie Wagner, chief of the
 Breast Surgery Division at KU Health System, said this is not because 
there is less breast cancer, but rather because of a fear of contracting
 COVID-19 driving people to put off breast cancer screening.

“What that then leads to 
is women finding it at more advanced stages, and that’s when they’re 
finally coming in versus what that screening mammogram would have 
otherwise picked up at an early stage,” Wagner said. “That dramatically 
changes the breast cancer treatment that we then can offer patients, and
 a lot of times it’s much, much more significant types of treatments 
they are having to receive.”

Wagner said the number of 
diagnoses did rise in October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but not 
enough to offset the decrease amid the pandemic. She said women should 
still come in for a yearly screening and that they should not be worried
 about contracting coronavirus.

Patients are spaced out in
 waiting rooms, equipment is sterilized, and all technicians and 
physicians are using appropriate personal protective equipment. Online 
scheduling also allows increased flexibility and reduced chance of virus
 transmission.

“We’ve really settled on 
very good procedures. We have very good PPE stores now. There are masks 
available, and there is eye protection,” said Dana Hawkinson, medical 
director of infection prevention and control at KU Health System. “It’s 
all geared toward keeping the patients safe from each other, keeping the
 patient safe from the health care workers and keeping the health care 
workers safe from each other as well.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605045425157.png" alt="Kari Rawley was already battling breast cancer when she was diagnosed with COVID-19. Like many breast cancer patients, Rawley had to cease treatment that suppressed her immune system. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kari Rawley was already battling breast cancer when she was diagnosed with COVID-19. Like many breast cancer patients, Rawley had to cease treatment that suppressed her immune system. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Breast cancer diagnosis down 50%, sparking concerns that cancer won’t be detected soon enough</h2>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/10/women-imperiled-by-pandemic-skipping-breast-exams-and-battling-covid-19-with-cancer/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Amid a battle with breast cancer, Kari Rawley found herself combating a second potentially fatal condition — COVID-19.The Kansas City, Missouri,
 woman thought she had done everything right to help herself in her 
immunocompromised state. Her family wore masks and practiced social 
distancing, but after a small going away party for her daughter with 
family and close friends, Rawley tested positive, and later so did 
several other family members.Rawley’s coronavirus 
symptoms began as they often do with aches and pains before 
transitioning to severe fatigue, breathing problems and eventually 
pneumonia. Rawley was admitted to the hospital for treatment.“The worst part was being 
in the hospital alone and not knowing,” Rawley said. “At home, I had 
three other family members that also had COVID, and a sister and her 
husband ended up being positive also. So, the fear of the unknown and 
not knowing if it would get better or the next day I was going to end up
 on a ventilator.”COVID-19 risks are 
amplified for immunosuppressed breast cancer patients, and women 
nationwide are opting out of coming in for mammograms for fear of 
contracting the virus. This leaves women at risk of developing advanced 
breast cancer.Those already diagnosed, 
like Rawley, often must cease treatment that suppresses their immune 
system. Rawley, for example, was asked to hold her medication from her 
COVID-19 diagnosis until she was clinically improving.“COVID-19 infection this 
year has been a big hurdle in the cancer world to deal with because, as 
we know, cancer doesn’t stop for COVID,” said Lauren Nye, Rawley’s 
medical oncologist at the University of Kansas Health System. “We’ve had
 to figure out ways to continue on treatments and to continue our 
screening and still take care of our patients.”Nye said altering 
treatment is often necessary so as not to put patients at further risk, 
but this can complicate their outcome. While telehealth is an option, 
she said coming into the clinic for cancer treatment is still one of the
 safest courses of action.A concerning trend amid 
COVID-19, however, is curbing the number of patients receiving 
treatment. Since the pandemic began, there has been a 50% drop in the 
number of breast cancer diagnoses across the country.Jamie Wagner, chief of the
 Breast Surgery Division at KU Health System, said this is not because 
there is less breast cancer, but rather because of a fear of contracting
 COVID-19 driving people to put off breast cancer screening.“What that then leads to 
is women finding it at more advanced stages, and that’s when they’re 
finally coming in versus what that screening mammogram would have 
otherwise picked up at an early stage,” Wagner said. “That dramatically 
changes the breast cancer treatment that we then can offer patients, and
 a lot of times it’s much, much more significant types of treatments 
they are having to receive.”Wagner said the number of 
diagnoses did rise in October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but not 
enough to offset the decrease amid the pandemic. She said women should 
still come in for a yearly screening and that they should not be worried
 about contracting coronavirus.Patients are spaced out in
 waiting rooms, equipment is sterilized, and all technicians and 
physicians are using appropriate personal protective equipment. Online 
scheduling also allows increased flexibility and reduced chance of virus
 transmission.“We’ve really settled on 
very good procedures. We have very good PPE stores now. There are masks 
available, and there is eye protection,” said Dana Hawkinson, medical 
director of infection prevention and control at KU Health System. “It’s 
all geared toward keeping the patients safe from each other, keeping the
 patient safe from the health care workers and keeping the health care 
workers safe from each other as well.”

COVID-19 presents new dangers for women battling cancer, skipping exams

WICHITA – A man who led police on a high speed chase with a young child in the car has been sentenced. 

On Tuesday, District Judge Stephen Ternes sentenced Lametrius Turner, 20 of Wichita, to 16 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

On February 5th during a police traffic stop near Market and Mt. Vernon in Wichita, Turner drove away from an officer as she walked up to Turner's car. 

During a chase with several officers, Turner ran stop signs and red lights and threw a gun out of the car. 

The car stopped in the 2500 block of W. Wildwood, and Turner ran on foot. Police found him lying on the floor of a nearby apartment.

After Turner's arrest, a two year old child wearing a seatbelt was found in the backseat of the car. Turner's girlfriend was also in the car. She later told police that during the chase, she told Turner he should stop the car and run on foot so she and her child would be safe.

On October 10, Turner pled guilty to flee and elude and endangering a child. Turner had one 2019 conviction in Sedgwick County for criminal possession of a weapon by a felon. On January 21, he was placed on parole. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580923967576.png" alt="Lametrius Turner photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Lametrius Turner photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA – A man who led police on a high speed chase with a young child in the car has been sentenced. On Tuesday, District Judge Stephen Ternes sentenced Lametrius Turner, 20 of Wichita, to 16 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.On February 5th during a police traffic stop near Market and Mt. Vernon in Wichita, Turner drove away from an officer as she walked up to Turner's car. During a chase with several officers, Turner ran stop signs and red lights and threw a gun out of the car. The car stopped in the 2500 block of W. Wildwood, and Turner ran on foot. Police found him lying on the floor of a nearby apartment.After Turner's arrest, a two year old child wearing a seatbelt was found in the backseat of the car. Turner's girlfriend was also in the car. She later told police that during the chase, she told Turner he should stop the car and run on foot so she and her child would be safe.On October 10, Turner pled guilty to flee and elude and endangering a child. Turner had one 2019 conviction in Sedgwick County for criminal possession of a weapon by a felon. On January 21, he was placed on parole.

Kan. man sentenced for police chase with child in car

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 5672 to a total of 109,225 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 1215, an increase of 34

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 5672 to a total of 109,225 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 1215, an increase of 34<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605118953246.png" alt="Wednesday Nov. 11, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Nov. 11, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY –&nbsp;The Salina Police Department reported that 68-year-old Knute Willison was located safe this morning in Topeka. The statewide silver alert has been canceled.

SALINE COUNTY&nbsp;-&nbsp;The Salina Police Department requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a man missing from Salina.&nbsp;

The whereabouts of 68-year-old Knute Willison are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.

Willison has been missing since Nov. 4. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, a camo jacket, jeans, and a gold, square pinky ring. Willison is possibly driving a silver Saturn Aura with Kansas Tag 936KVN. The vehicle was last seen on Nov. 5, traveling east on I-70 near Junction City.&nbsp;

He is a white male, 6 ft. tall, and weighing approximately 235 pounds. He has gray hair and brown eyes. Willison suffers from schizophrenia and dementia. He does not have his medication.

If you locate Willison, or have information about his whereabouts, please immediately contact the Salina Police Department at 785-826-7210.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605092519984.png" alt="Willison-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Willison-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY –&nbsp;The Salina Police Department reported that 68-year-old Knute Willison was located safe this morning in Topeka. The statewide silver alert has been canceled.--------SALINE COUNTY&nbsp;-&nbsp;The Salina Police Department requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a man missing from Salina.&nbsp;The whereabouts of 68-year-old Knute Willison are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.Willison has been missing since Nov. 4. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, a camo jacket, jeans, and a gold, square pinky ring. Willison is possibly driving a silver Saturn Aura with Kansas Tag 936KVN. The vehicle was last seen on Nov. 5, traveling east on I-70 near Junction City.&nbsp;He is a white male, 6 ft. tall, and weighing approximately 235 pounds. He has gray hair and brown eyes. Willison suffers from schizophrenia and dementia. He does not have his medication.If you locate Willison, or have information about his whereabouts, please immediately contact the Salina Police Department at 785-826-7210.

KBI cancels Silver Alert; Salina man found safe

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Jackson County plans to place signs on two statues of Andrew Jackson to note that the former president owned slaves and approved a law that forced thousands of Native Americans from their land.

County voters last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-courts-native-americans-independence-3126e7fd96137ef38989a482d68a1c98">rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposal to remove the statues from in front of courthouses in Kansas City and Independence.

County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said Friday her office will pay for signs to add to provide context to Jackson's history. The signs, with an estimated cost of $4,000, will be in place in the next few weeks, weather permitting.

The county approved the signs last year before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7a5fe24adf325bf1766c5988864184f2">push</a>&nbsp;to remove the statues but they were delayed by budget constraints and racial injustice demonstrations that roiled the country earlier this year, Baker said.

“My hope is that we were a little ahead of the curve on this issue, and people might find him in a proper historical context,” Baker said, “and maybe those who voted for its removal might be relieved to see some language there.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593276153738.png" alt="Protesters used spray paint on the statues in June -photo courtesy KSHB-TV" />
 <figcaption>Protesters used spray paint on the statues in June -photo courtesy KSHB-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Jackson County plans to place signs on two statues of Andrew Jackson to note that the former president owned slaves and approved a law that forced thousands of Native Americans from their land.County voters last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-courts-native-americans-independence-3126e7fd96137ef38989a482d68a1c98">rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposal to remove the statues from in front of courthouses in Kansas City and Independence.County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said Friday her office will pay for signs to add to provide context to Jackson's history. The signs, with an estimated cost of $4,000, will be in place in the next few weeks, weather permitting.The county approved the signs last year before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7a5fe24adf325bf1766c5988864184f2">push</a>&nbsp;to remove the statues but they were delayed by budget constraints and racial injustice demonstrations that roiled the country earlier this year, Baker said.“My hope is that we were a little ahead of the curve on this issue, and people might find him in a proper historical context,” Baker said, “and maybe those who voted for its removal might be relieved to see some language there.”

Controversial statues in Kansas City will get context signs

By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/10/biden-wants-mask-mandates-nationwide-we-can-save-tens-of-thousands-of-lives/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON
 — President-elect Joe Biden’s coronavirus response plan seeks to put a 
national mask mandate in place by calling on all governors to require 
face coverings in their states.

It is a move that public health experts say could dramatically reduce the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths.

But
 putting wider mask laws in place would be difficult if not impossible, 
given the resistance already in many states. On the federal level, 
Congress has shown little interest in mask requirements, and an 
executive order from Biden requiring face masks would be legally shaky, 
according to <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10530?utm_source=STAT+Newsletters&amp;utm_campaign=32190c42d7-dc_diagnosis_COPY_02&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_8cab1d7961-32190c42d7-124972617">an analysis from the Congressional Research Service.</a>

In his public remarks and <a href="https://buildbackbetter.com/priorities/covid-19/">on his transition website</a>,
 Biden has said his approach would be to urge governors and mayors to 
enact their own mandates that residents wear a mask when around people 
who aren’t from their household. Biden, who regularly wears a mask, 
intends to begin reaching out to governors as soon as this week to begin
 his personal-persuasion campaign, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-the-press/blog/meet-press-blog-latest-news-analysis-data-driving-political-discussion-n988541/ncrd1247067#blogHeader">according to NBC News</a>.&nbsp;

A
 majority of states already have mask mandates. But Biden would have 
limited authority to convince skeptical, Republican-led states to 
implement such a requirement if they haven’t done so, with U.S. cases 
now topping 10 million.

In
 his first public remarks after Saturday’s victory speech, Biden 
repeatedly urged Americans to wear a face mask, describing the action as
 “a way to start pulling the country together.”

“It
 doesn’t matter who you voted for, where you stood before Election Day. 
It doesn’t matter your party, your point of view,” Biden said during a 
news conference Monday in Delaware. “We can save tens of thousands of 
lives if everyone would just wear a mask for the next few months. Not 
Democrat or Republican lives, American lives.”

According to <a href="https://www.nga.org/coronavirus-face-covering-policy/">tracking data from the National Governors Association</a>, 34 states already require wearing a face covering in public.

The
 NGA says those without statewide mask mandates are: Alaska, Arizona, 
Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New 
Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, 
Tennessee and Wyoming.

Most of those states have recommended that residents wear a mask, but officials declined to require them to do so.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly 
issued a mask mandate in early July, but most counties initially opted 
out. As deaths and infections surge across Kansas, especially in rural 
areas without mask mandates, <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/28/kansas-gov-laura-kelly-legislators-agree-to-work-with-counties-on-mask-mandate/">Kelly said she would consider calling lawmakers into a special session</a> if Republican leaders are unable to help her convince more communities to adopt restrictions.

Other
 states without an overall mandate do require masks in specific limited 
settings: Arizona requires masks at gyms and for employees at 
barbershops, and South Carolina requires them in state government 
offices.

Cities
 or counties in some states without a mask mandate have enacted their 
own requirements in the absence of rules from their state governments.

Those
 local rules have made a difference in some states. Infections, 
hospitalizations and other key indicators began dropping in Arizona this
 summer after GOP Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his ban on cities and counties 
imposing mask mandates, <a href="https://www.azmirror.com/2020/11/10/arizona-sees-big-jump-in-covid-cases-most-since-mid-july/">according to the Arizona Mirror.&nbsp;</a>

Biden had pointed to Arizona as a cautionary tale last month, singling out <a href="https://www.azmirror.com/2020/11/10/arizona-sees-big-jump-in-covid-cases-most-since-mid-july/">the state’s early-summer spike in cases</a>, among the worst outbreaks in the country.&nbsp;

“Just
 look at what happened in Arizona. Republican governor initially tried 
to bar local governments from implementing mask mandates in their 
communities,” Biden said during an Oct. 23 press conference, <a href="https://ktar.com/story/3647102/biden-calls-out-arizonas-ducey-for-not-having-statewide-mask-mandate/">according to Arizona television station KTAR</a>. “In June, Arizona got hit with a surge of cases. Hospitals were flooded. The state health system was overwhelmed.”

Ducey responded to Biden’s criticism with <a href="https://twitter.com/dougducey/status/1319737677109837824">a thread of Twitter posts</a>
 defending his administration’s approach to face masks, arguing that its
 focus has been on “compliance and public health education.”

“We
 have promoted mask use and common sense. Masks work,” Ducey tweeted. 
“Today we see masks worn statewide in nearly every setting as part of 
reopening guidelines.”

Other governors also have taken steps that hindered local attempts to require mask wearing.&nbsp;

Georgia
 Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance 
Bottoms,a Democrat, in part over the city’s mask requirement, <a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2020/08/18/you-might-not-be-able-to-fight-city-hall-if-theres-a-mask-sign-at-the-entrance/">the Georgia Recorder reported</a>. Kemp later <a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2020/08/19/kemp-pandemics-politics-to-blame-for-white-house-covid-19-report/">reversed course</a> to allow limited local mask rules.&nbsp;

When
 Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis fully reopened the state in 
September, his order undermined the ability of local governments to 
enforce their mask ordinances by suspending any fines or penalties 
assessed for non-compliance, <a href="https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2020/09/25/desantis-declares-florida-open-reopens-restaurants-but-leaves-room-for-local-limits/">according to the Florida Phoenix</a>.

Iowa
 Gov. Kim Reynolds has declined to require masks, even as the White 
House coronavirus task force encouraged her to do so. Reynolds has said 
she trusts Iowans to act responsibly, and that a mandate would be 
unenforceable, <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2020/11/05/with-infections-and-deaths-surging-reynolds-says-election-validates-her-covid-19-response/">according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>.&nbsp;

In Missouri, GOP Gov. Mike Parson has resisted calls for a statewide mask mandate, <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/white-house-recommends-missouri-reduce-restaurant-capacity-urges-residents-to-wear-masks/">the Missouri Independent has reported</a>.
 Parson, who tested positive for COVID-19 this fall, has dismissed the 
notion of requiring masks in certain regions of the state to stem rising
 case counts, even as the White House task force and state hospital 
administrators have urged stronger action.

A
 spokeswoman for Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, told a state 
television station this week that the governor’s position on a statewide
 mask mandate will not change under a Biden administration.

“The
 governor’s position has been pretty clear on statewide mandates, and 
that position remains the same regardless of who is in the White House,”
 Lee spokeswoman Gillum Ferguson <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/tennessee-governor-wont-change-position-on-mask-mandate-regardless-of-whos-president-donald-trump-joe-biden-john-cooper-bill-lee-coronavirus">told WZTV in Nashville</a>.

Absent action from additional states, Biden could make a few limited changes: He has<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-biden-masks/biden-says-he-would-if-elected-mandate-masks-in-interstate-transportation-idUSKBN2782P6"> said</a> he would require mask-wearing in all federal buildings and all interstate transportation.&nbsp;

Beyond that, existing federal laws offer few avenues to a national mandate.&nbsp;

The
 most relevant federal statute appears to be the Public Health Service 
Act, which authorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to 
quarantine people and goods entering the country, <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10530?utm_source=STAT+Newsletters&amp;utm_campaign=32190c42d7-dc_diagnosis_COPY_02&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_8cab1d7961-32190c42d7-124972617">according to the Congressional Research Service</a>, but it’s not clear that authority could be extended to a nationwide mandate on face masks.

Laura covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections, and campaign finance.

By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/10/biden-wants-mask-mandates-nationwide-we-can-save-tens-of-thousands-of-lives/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON
 — President-elect Joe Biden’s coronavirus response plan seeks to put a 
national mask mandate in place by calling on all governors to require 
face coverings in their states.It is a move that public health experts say could dramatically reduce the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths.But
 putting wider mask laws in place would be difficult if not impossible, 
given the resistance already in many states. On the federal level, 
Congress has shown little interest in mask requirements, and an 
executive order from Biden requiring face masks would be legally shaky, 
according to <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10530?utm_source=STAT+Newsletters&amp;utm_campaign=32190c42d7-dc_diagnosis_COPY_02&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_8cab1d7961-32190c42d7-124972617">an analysis from the Congressional Research Service.</a>In his public remarks and <a href="https://buildbackbetter.com/priorities/covid-19/">on his transition website</a>,
 Biden has said his approach would be to urge governors and mayors to 
enact their own mandates that residents wear a mask when around people 
who aren’t from their household. Biden, who regularly wears a mask, 
intends to begin reaching out to governors as soon as this week to begin
 his personal-persuasion campaign, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-the-press/blog/meet-press-blog-latest-news-analysis-data-driving-political-discussion-n988541/ncrd1247067#blogHeader">according to NBC News</a>.&nbsp;A
 majority of states already have mask mandates. But Biden would have 
limited authority to convince skeptical, Republican-led states to 
implement such a requirement if they haven’t done so, with U.S. cases 
now topping 10 million.In
 his first public remarks after Saturday’s victory speech, Biden 
repeatedly urged Americans to wear a face mask, describing the action as
 “a way to start pulling the country together.”“It
 doesn’t matter who you voted for, where you stood before Election Day. 
It doesn’t matter your party, your point of view,” Biden said during a 
news conference Monday in Delaware. “We can save tens of thousands of 
lives if everyone would just wear a mask for the next few months. Not 
Democrat or Republican lives, American lives.”According to <a href="https://www.nga.org/coronavirus-face-covering-policy/">tracking data from the National Governors Association</a>, 34 states already require wearing a face covering in public.The
 NGA says those without statewide mask mandates are: Alaska, Arizona, 
Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New 
Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, 
Tennessee and Wyoming.Most of those states have recommended that residents wear a mask, but officials declined to require them to do so.Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly 
issued a mask mandate in early July, but most counties initially opted 
out. As deaths and infections surge across Kansas, especially in rural 
areas without mask mandates, <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/28/kansas-gov-laura-kelly-legislators-agree-to-work-with-counties-on-mask-mandate/">Kelly said she would consider calling lawmakers into a special session</a> if Republican leaders are unable to help her convince more communities to adopt restrictions.Other
 states without an overall mandate do require masks in specific limited 
settings: Arizona requires masks at gyms and for employees at 
barbershops, and South Carolina requires them in state government 
offices.Cities
 or counties in some states without a mask mandate have enacted their 
own requirements in the absence of rules from their state governments.Those
 local rules have made a difference in some states. Infections, 
hospitalizations and other key indicators began dropping in Arizona this
 summer after GOP Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his ban on cities and counties 
imposing mask mandates, <a href="https://www.azmirror.com/2020/11/10/arizona-sees-big-jump-in-covid-cases-most-since-mid-july/">according to the Arizona Mirror.&nbsp;</a>Biden had pointed to Arizona as a cautionary tale last month, singling out <a href="https://www.azmirror.com/2020/11/10/arizona-sees-big-jump-in-covid-cases-most-since-mid-july/">the state’s early-summer spike in cases</a>, among the worst outbreaks in the country.&nbsp;“Just
 look at what happened in Arizona. Republican governor initially tried 
to bar local governments from implementing mask mandates in their 
communities,” Biden said during an Oct. 23 press conference, <a href="https://ktar.com/story/3647102/biden-calls-out-arizonas-ducey-for-not-having-statewide-mask-mandate/">according to Arizona television station KTAR</a>. “In June, Arizona got hit with a surge of cases. Hospitals were flooded. The state health system was overwhelmed.”Ducey responded to Biden’s criticism with <a href="https://twitter.com/dougducey/status/1319737677109837824">a thread of Twitter posts</a>
 defending his administration’s approach to face masks, arguing that its
 focus has been on “compliance and public health education.”“We
 have promoted mask use and common sense. Masks work,” Ducey tweeted. 
“Today we see masks worn statewide in nearly every setting as part of 
reopening guidelines.”Other governors also have taken steps that hindered local attempts to require mask wearing.&nbsp;Georgia
 Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance 
Bottoms,a Democrat, in part over the city’s mask requirement, <a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2020/08/18/you-might-not-be-able-to-fight-city-hall-if-theres-a-mask-sign-at-the-entrance/">the Georgia Recorder reported</a>. Kemp later <a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2020/08/19/kemp-pandemics-politics-to-blame-for-white-house-covid-19-report/">reversed course</a> to allow limited local mask rules.&nbsp;When
 Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis fully reopened the state in 
September, his order undermined the ability of local governments to 
enforce their mask ordinances by suspending any fines or penalties 
assessed for non-compliance, <a href="https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2020/09/25/desantis-declares-florida-open-reopens-restaurants-but-leaves-room-for-local-limits/">according to the Florida Phoenix</a>.Iowa
 Gov. Kim Reynolds has declined to require masks, even as the White 
House coronavirus task force encouraged her to do so. Reynolds has said 
she trusts Iowans to act responsibly, and that a mandate would be 
unenforceable, <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2020/11/05/with-infections-and-deaths-surging-reynolds-says-election-validates-her-covid-19-response/">according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>.&nbsp;In Missouri, GOP Gov. Mike Parson has resisted calls for a statewide mask mandate, <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/white-house-recommends-missouri-reduce-restaurant-capacity-urges-residents-to-wear-masks/">the Missouri Independent has reported</a>.
 Parson, who tested positive for COVID-19 this fall, has dismissed the 
notion of requiring masks in certain regions of the state to stem rising
 case counts, even as the White House task force and state hospital 
administrators have urged stronger action.A
 spokeswoman for Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, told a state 
television station this week that the governor’s position on a statewide
 mask mandate will not change under a Biden administration.“The
 governor’s position has been pretty clear on statewide mandates, and 
that position remains the same regardless of who is in the White House,”
 Lee spokeswoman Gillum Ferguson <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/tennessee-governor-wont-change-position-on-mask-mandate-regardless-of-whos-president-donald-trump-joe-biden-john-cooper-bill-lee-coronavirus">told WZTV in Nashville</a>.Absent action from additional states, Biden could make a few limited changes: He has<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-biden-masks/biden-says-he-would-if-elected-mandate-masks-in-interstate-transportation-idUSKBN2782P6"> said</a> he would require mask-wearing in all federal buildings and all interstate transportation.&nbsp;Beyond that, existing federal laws offer few avenues to a national mandate.&nbsp;The
 most relevant federal statute appears to be the Public Health Service 
Act, which authorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to 
quarantine people and goods entering the country, <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10530?utm_source=STAT+Newsletters&amp;utm_campaign=32190c42d7-dc_diagnosis_COPY_02&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_8cab1d7961-32190c42d7-124972617">according to the Congressional Research Service</a>, but it’s not clear that authority could be extended to a nationwide mandate on face masks.Laura covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections, and campaign finance.

Biden wants mask mandates nationwide: ‘We can save tens of thousands of lives’

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City man who caused a fatal collision while fleeing from police has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder, the Jackson County Prosecutor's office said.

Miguel Ayala, 33, also pleaded guilty Monday to resisting arrest and driving while intoxicated.

Prosecutors said Ayala fled from police on Feb. 19 after a woman reported that he tried to hit her with his car. During the chase, he went through an intersection and hit another vehicle.

The driver of that car, 38-year-old Rebecca White of Raytown, and her 3-year-old daughter, were seriously injured. White later&nbsp;died&nbsp;from her injuries.

Court documents indicate Ayala had a blood-alcohol content of .347 after the crash and said he was too drunk to remember what happened.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582544919743.png" alt="Ayala-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Ayala-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City man who caused a fatal collision while fleeing from police has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder, the Jackson County Prosecutor's office said.Miguel Ayala, 33, also pleaded guilty Monday to resisting arrest and driving while intoxicated.Prosecutors said Ayala fled from police on Feb. 19 after a woman reported that he tried to hit her with his car. During the chase, he went through an intersection and hit another vehicle.The driver of that car, 38-year-old Rebecca White of Raytown, and her 3-year-old daughter, were seriously injured. White later&nbsp;died&nbsp;from her injuries.Court documents indicate Ayala had a blood-alcohol content of .347 after the crash and said he was too drunk to remember what happened.

Fatal KC crash during chase killed mother of 3-year-old

By LUKE X. MARTIN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/history/2020-11-09/the-countrys-first-vice-president-of-color-was-a-native-american-from-the-kansas-territory">Kansas News Service</a>

When Vice President-elect Kamala Harris takes the oath of office on 
Jan. 20, she will be the first woman, first South Asian and first 
African American to fill the role. 

But she won't be the first person of color.

That title belongs to a Kansan — Charles Curtis, member of the Kaw Nation and President Herbert Hoover's vice president.

Curtis
 was born in 1860 in Topeka while Kansas was still a territory, and he 
spent his early years living in both white and Native American 
communities.

His mother, Ellen Pappan, was one-quarter Kaw, and 
was the great granddaughter of White Plume, a chief who offered 
assistance to the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804, according to <a href="https://www.senate.gov/about/officers-staff/vice-president/VP_Charles_Curtis.htm" target="_blank">Curtis' U.S. Senate biography</a>. Pappan died when her son was 3 years old.

His
 father, Orren Curtis, a white man, fought in the Civil War and had a 
reputation for drinking. He was eventually dishonorably discharged from 
the Union Army and court martialed for killing three prisoners.

"He's
 always remarrying, divorcing, gone fishing, gone to the army, and he's 
just gone," says Kansas historian Deb Goodrich, who is working on a book
 about Curtis' life. 

Before he spoke English, Curtis learned 
French and Kansa from his mother and her parents, whom he lived with on a
 Kaw reservation in Council Grove, Kansas, after her death. Despite the 
harsh conditions there, Curtis loved life on the reservation.

But Kansas was in turmoil. It was just emerging from the Bleeding Kansas era, and <a href="https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/plains-wars/14570" target="_blank">the Plains Indian Wars</a> were in full bloom, says Goodrich.

In
 1873, the Kaw were forced to move from Kansas to what is now Oklahoma, 
and Curtis had a choice to make: Go south with his maternal grandparents
 or return to Topeka and live with his father's parents. 

The 
decision, Goodrich says, was largely made for him: Go back to Topeka, 
get an education, and make something of yourself, his grandmother told 
him.

"I took her splendid advice and the next morning as the 
wagons pulled out for the south, bound for Indian Territory, I mounted 
my pony and with my belongings in a flour sack, returned to Topeka and 
school," Curtis said later, according to his Senate biography. "No man 
or boy ever received better advice, it was the turning point in my 
life."

Back in Topeka, Curtis worked hard and studied hard, and 
the political proclivities of his fraternal grandmother began to rub off
 on him, according to Goodrich.

"His Grandmother Curtis was 
described as a staunch Methodist and a staunch Republican, and they 
weren't sure which one was the strongest," Goodrich says. "They had a 
big family and she brought a lot of votes to the table."

By 1881, 
Curtis had been admitted to the Kansas Bar and began practicing in 
Topeka. Three years later, at the age of 24, he was elected Shawnee 
County attorney, where he took a hard line enforcing the state's 
prohibition laws.

Reflecting on a political tour he took with 
Curtis in 1891, journalist William Allen White said he'd never met 
anyone who could charm a hostile audience as effectively. White also 
noted Curtis' way of remembering all the Republicans in each town, using
 a little book that he filled with all their names.

Curtis made the jump to national politics in 1893, winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and serving seven terms.

As a Congressman, he crafted and navigated <a href="https://nativeheritageproject.com/2013/08/17/the-curtis-act-of-1898/" target="_blank">the Curtis Act of 1898</a> through Congress and into law. It was his most lasting legacy as a lawmaker, according to Goodrich.

"The
 Curtis Act, unfortunately, was a death knell to the tribal sovereignty 
for many of the American Indian tribes," she says. "And I don't think 
that Curtis meant it that way, but he also believed in assimilation, 
because this is how he had survived."

The law abolished tribal governments, broke up communal lands and allowed members of <a href="https://www.cherokeeheritage.org/cherokeeheritagegenealogy-html/dawes-commission/" target="_blank">the Dawes Commission</a> in Washington, but not tribes themselves, to determine who was and who was not a tribal member.

"It's
 one of those ironies that Natives were not considered citizens and that
 dissolving the tribal sovereignty was a step in making them U.S. 
citizens," Goodrich says. "And that's just one of the great tragedies of
 our republic."

Curtis served two terms in the U.S. Senate, first 
appointed to the post by the Kansas Legislature in 1907 and serving 
until 1913, when Democrats took control of the Statehouse.

With 
the passage of the 17th Amendment, which allowed voters to elect 
Senators directly, Curtis was sent back to Washington in 1915 and he 
served 14 more years.

While in the Senate, Curtis served as Senate
 president pro tempore, minority whip and Republican majority leader. He
 also led the Senate floor debate for the 19th Amendment, which granted 
women the right to vote.

"He definitely championed women's 
suffrage, and he was very proud of that,"  Goodrich says. "And one of 
the Washington correspondents famously said, 'Charlie can never be 
accused of being a progressive, but the feminists considered him their 
friend.'"

Idaho Sen. William Borah called him "a great reconciler,
 a walking political encyclopedia and one of the best political poker 
players in America."

It would be more than 63 years before another Native American, Colorado's <a href="https://www.congress.gov/member/ben-campbell/C000077?searchResultViewType=expanded" target="_blank">Ben Nighthorse Campbell</a>, served as U.S. Senator after Curtis resigned in 1929 to become vice president.

Though Curtis had long held presidential ambitions and worked hard 
behind the scenes to make it happen, his rise to the upper echelons of 
the executive branch was ultimately unsatisfying.

At the 
Republican National Convention in 1928 at Kansas City's Convention Hall,
 Curtis was paired up with Hoover. It was on odd pairing, considering 
the two had been at odds since at least 1918, when Hoover had campaigned
 for Democratic candidates.

That tension extended through their 
time in the White House, although Curtis spent little time there, 
according to Goodrich, and largely neutered his ability to get anything 
done.

"The joke at the time was that if Curtis wanted to go to the
 White House, he would have had to buy a ticket on one of the tours," 
she says.

The Hoover-Curtis ticket lost its reelection bid in 
1932, three years into the Great Depression, to Democrats Franklin 
Roosevelt and John Nance Garner.

Having been been fully ensconced 
in Washington's political scene for decades, Curtis stayed there after 
his term ended and practiced law. He died of a heart attack in 1936 and 
was buried at the Topeka Cemetery.

"I do think that Charles Curtis
 has mostly been forgotten," Goodrich says. "I think part of that is he 
was in an administration as vice president that people wanted to 
forget."

Not everyone, though, wants to forget. In 1993, Donald and Nova Cottrell purchased Curtis' former home in Topeka.

"It was actually slated to be demolished by the city because nobody was interested in purchasing the building," <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?325370-1/charles-curtis-house" target="_blank">Nova Cottrell told C-SPAN in 2015</a>.

The <a href="http://www.vpcharlescurtis.net/ksstudies/chome.html" target="_blank">Charles Curtis House Museum</a>, at 1101 SW Topeka Blvd. in Topeka, is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Luke X. Martin is a reporter focusing on race, culture and ethnicity for KCUR 89.3. Contact him at luke@kcur.org or on Twitter, @lukexmartin.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605018233401.png" alt="Charles Curtis with a Native American in 1929. Harris &amp; Ewing / Library of Congress, Prints &amp; Photographs Division" />
 <figcaption>Charles Curtis with a Native American in 1929. Harris &amp; Ewing / Library of Congress, Prints &amp; Photographs Division</figcaption>
 </figure>By LUKE X. MARTIN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/history/2020-11-09/the-countrys-first-vice-president-of-color-was-a-native-american-from-the-kansas-territory">Kansas News Service</a>When Vice President-elect Kamala Harris takes the oath of office on 
Jan. 20, she will be the first woman, first South Asian and first 
African American to fill the role. But she won't be the first person of color.That title belongs to a Kansan — Charles Curtis, member of the Kaw Nation and President Herbert Hoover's vice president.Curtis
 was born in 1860 in Topeka while Kansas was still a territory, and he 
spent his early years living in both white and Native American 
communities.His mother, Ellen Pappan, was one-quarter Kaw, and 
was the great granddaughter of White Plume, a chief who offered 
assistance to the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804, according to <a href="https://www.senate.gov/about/officers-staff/vice-president/VP_Charles_Curtis.htm" target="_blank">Curtis' U.S. Senate biography</a>. Pappan died when her son was 3 years old.His
 father, Orren Curtis, a white man, fought in the Civil War and had a 
reputation for drinking. He was eventually dishonorably discharged from 
the Union Army and court martialed for killing three prisoners."He's
 always remarrying, divorcing, gone fishing, gone to the army, and he's 
just gone," says Kansas historian Deb Goodrich, who is working on a book
 about Curtis' life. Before he spoke English, Curtis learned 
French and Kansa from his mother and her parents, whom he lived with on a
 Kaw reservation in Council Grove, Kansas, after her death. Despite the 
harsh conditions there, Curtis loved life on the reservation.But Kansas was in turmoil. It was just emerging from the Bleeding Kansas era, and <a href="https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/plains-wars/14570" target="_blank">the Plains Indian Wars</a> were in full bloom, says Goodrich.In
 1873, the Kaw were forced to move from Kansas to what is now Oklahoma, 
and Curtis had a choice to make: Go south with his maternal grandparents
 or return to Topeka and live with his father's parents. The 
decision, Goodrich says, was largely made for him: Go back to Topeka, 
get an education, and make something of yourself, his grandmother told 
him."I took her splendid advice and the next morning as the 
wagons pulled out for the south, bound for Indian Territory, I mounted 
my pony and with my belongings in a flour sack, returned to Topeka and 
school," Curtis said later, according to his Senate biography. "No man 
or boy ever received better advice, it was the turning point in my 
life."Back in Topeka, Curtis worked hard and studied hard, and 
the political proclivities of his fraternal grandmother began to rub off
 on him, according to Goodrich."His Grandmother Curtis was 
described as a staunch Methodist and a staunch Republican, and they 
weren't sure which one was the strongest," Goodrich says. "They had a 
big family and she brought a lot of votes to the table."By 1881, 
Curtis had been admitted to the Kansas Bar and began practicing in 
Topeka. Three years later, at the age of 24, he was elected Shawnee 
County attorney, where he took a hard line enforcing the state's 
prohibition laws.Reflecting on a political tour he took with 
Curtis in 1891, journalist William Allen White said he'd never met 
anyone who could charm a hostile audience as effectively. White also 
noted Curtis' way of remembering all the Republicans in each town, using
 a little book that he filled with all their names.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605018314760.png" alt="Charles Curtis throws a baseball in this 1932 photograph. Harris &amp; Ewing" />
 <figcaption>Charles Curtis throws a baseball in this 1932 photograph. Harris &amp; Ewing</figcaption>
 </figure>Curtis made the jump to national politics in 1893, winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and serving seven terms.As a Congressman, he crafted and navigated <a href="https://nativeheritageproject.com/2013/08/17/the-curtis-act-of-1898/" target="_blank">the Curtis Act of 1898</a> through Congress and into law. It was his most lasting legacy as a lawmaker, according to Goodrich."The
 Curtis Act, unfortunately, was a death knell to the tribal sovereignty 
for many of the American Indian tribes," she says. "And I don't think 
that Curtis meant it that way, but he also believed in assimilation, 
because this is how he had survived."The law abolished tribal governments, broke up communal lands and allowed members of <a href="https://www.cherokeeheritage.org/cherokeeheritagegenealogy-html/dawes-commission/" target="_blank">the Dawes Commission</a> in Washington, but not tribes themselves, to determine who was and who was not a tribal member."It's
 one of those ironies that Natives were not considered citizens and that
 dissolving the tribal sovereignty was a step in making them U.S. 
citizens," Goodrich says. "And that's just one of the great tragedies of
 our republic."Curtis served two terms in the U.S. Senate, first 
appointed to the post by the Kansas Legislature in 1907 and serving 
until 1913, when Democrats took control of the Statehouse.With 
the passage of the 17th Amendment, which allowed voters to elect 
Senators directly, Curtis was sent back to Washington in 1915 and he 
served 14 more years.While in the Senate, Curtis served as Senate
 president pro tempore, minority whip and Republican majority leader. He
 also led the Senate floor debate for the 19th Amendment, which granted 
women the right to vote."He definitely championed women's 
suffrage, and he was very proud of that," Goodrich says. "And one of 
the Washington correspondents famously said, 'Charlie can never be 
accused of being a progressive, but the feminists considered him their 
friend.'"Idaho Sen. William Borah called him "a great reconciler,
 a walking political encyclopedia and one of the best political poker 
players in America."It would be more than 63 years before another Native American, Colorado's <a href="https://www.congress.gov/member/ben-campbell/C000077?searchResultViewType=expanded" target="_blank">Ben Nighthorse Campbell</a>, served as U.S. Senator after Curtis resigned in 1929 to become vice president.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605018369999.png" alt="Charles Curtis, left, with Herbert Hoover in 1928. Harris &amp; Ewing" />
 <figcaption>Charles Curtis, left, with Herbert Hoover in 1928. Harris &amp; Ewing</figcaption>
 </figure>Though Curtis had long held presidential ambitions and worked hard 
behind the scenes to make it happen, his rise to the upper echelons of 
the executive branch was ultimately unsatisfying.At the 
Republican National Convention in 1928 at Kansas City's Convention Hall,
 Curtis was paired up with Hoover. It was on odd pairing, considering 
the two had been at odds since at least 1918, when Hoover had campaigned
 for Democratic candidates.That tension extended through their 
time in the White House, although Curtis spent little time there, 
according to Goodrich, and largely neutered his ability to get anything 
done."The joke at the time was that if Curtis wanted to go to the
 White House, he would have had to buy a ticket on one of the tours," 
she says.The Hoover-Curtis ticket lost its reelection bid in 
1932, three years into the Great Depression, to Democrats Franklin 
Roosevelt and John Nance Garner.Having been been fully ensconced 
in Washington's political scene for decades, Curtis stayed there after 
his term ended and practiced law. He died of a heart attack in 1936 and 
was buried at the Topeka Cemetery."I do think that Charles Curtis
 has mostly been forgotten," Goodrich says. "I think part of that is he 
was in an administration as vice president that people wanted to 
forget."Not everyone, though, wants to forget. In 1993, Donald and Nova Cottrell purchased Curtis' former home in Topeka."It was actually slated to be demolished by the city because nobody was interested in purchasing the building," <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?325370-1/charles-curtis-house" target="_blank">Nova Cottrell told C-SPAN in 2015</a>.The <a href="http://www.vpcharlescurtis.net/ksstudies/chome.html" target="_blank">Charles Curtis House Museum</a>, at 1101 SW Topeka Blvd. in Topeka, is now on the National Register of Historic Places.Luke X. Martin is a reporter focusing on race, culture and ethnicity for KCUR 89.3. Contact him at luke@kcur.org or on Twitter, @lukexmartin.&nbsp;

Country's first VP of color was a Native American from the Kan. Territory

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ largest public school district has scrapped plans to allow its middle and high school students to attend some in-person classes and three counties have imposed new restrictions inspired by the coronavirus pandemic.

The moves by local officials come as the state works to expand its overall testing capacity so under a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-kansas-topeka-11efe27daef82d812ff6344b6a5b3199">“unified” statewide strategy</a>&nbsp;announced by Gov. Laura Kelly in late September.&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Governor-Slides.pdf" target="_blank">The strategy</a>&nbsp;calls for regular testing of at-risk populations, including first responders, prison inmates, nursing home residents and K-12 students and staff, as well as more aggressive testing in virus hotspots. The state plans to spend at least $53 million in federal coronavirus relief funds on contracts with private laboratories.

But Kelly said Tuesday during a Statehouse news conference: “It won’t work if people are not abiding by the other safety protocols, particularly wearing masks and avoiding large gatherings.”

Kansas is seeing its largest numbers of new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases since the pandemic reached the state in early March. The state health department is now reporting more than 103,000 cases and 1,181 deaths, and it averaged 2,047 new cases day for the seven days ending Monday. Public health officials say people aren’t wearing masks enough and are letting their guard down at gatherings, including family events such as birthday parties and baby showers.

In Wichita, the state’s largest city, the local school board decided Monday that middle and high school students will continue to take classes remotely until the end of the current semester. The district had planned to allow them to have in-person classes twice a week, starting this week.

Elementary school students will continue with the in-person or remote learning that they selected at enrollment, said spokeswoman Susan Arensman.

The Wichita district, with about 47,000 students, had 229 staff members and 154 students test positive for COVID-19 from Aug. 1, through Friday, according to its website. The district also posted that it has 567 employees in active quarantines.

In Sedgwick County, the health officer issued an order limiting mass gatherings to 100 people or 50% of a venue’s capacity, aiming it at businesses such as bars, restaurants and health clubs. The county commission let it stand.

In neighboring Harvey County, the all-Republican County Commission on Tuesday limited gatherings to 45 people. The county saw its cases rise 83% in two weeks, from 572 on Oct. 26 to 1,048 on Monday, according to state health department data.

Both Sedgwick and Harvey counties mask mandates, but Harvey County Commission Chairman Randy Hague said some people have been ignoring its rule. He said when he goes to a store, about a third of the people inside are not wearing a mask.

“There are a lot of nonbelievers, there are a lot of anti-maskers and, you know, until you change their beliefs in all this, it is going to be hard to make a big swing in the numbers,” Hague said.

Kelly, a Democrat, issued an order requiring people statewide to wear masks in public, but a state law allowed Kansas’ 105 counties to opt out, and most did.

In Jefferson County in northeast Kansas, the all-GOP County Commission approved a mask mandate Monday after having opted out of Kelly’s mandate in July. In carrying the state in this year’s election, President Donald Trump won Harvey, Jefferson and Sedgwick counties by comfortable margins.

Crystal VanHoutan, director of Jefferson County’s health department, said the county has seen a spike in active cases since Halloween. The total number rose to 398 by Monday, according to state health department data.

“The message that I want people to understand is this is not over, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better,” she said. “We need to continue to stay vigilant.”

But Magee Dailey, manager at a farm supply store in the Jefferson County seat of Oskaloosa, said she’s worried about losing customers if she enforces the local mask mandate. A sign at the front door has told customers that the store doesn’t require people to wear masks unless they are sick.

“Most of the time, our customers will tell us that they come to us because we don’t require a mask,” Dailey said.

Dailey described herself as “anti-mask” and said she avoids businesses requiring them, though she would “cooperate if needed.”

“I totally understand the ones who do need to wear masks if they have underlying conditions or anything like that, but it is so hard to breathe in those masks,” she said. “I could not work daily if I had to wear one all day long.”

But Kelly said she expects more counties to impose new restrictions.

“They’re losing people right and left,” she said.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ largest public school district has scrapped plans to allow its middle and high school students to attend some in-person classes and three counties have imposed new restrictions inspired by the coronavirus pandemic.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F417109765963617%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The moves by local officials come as the state works to expand its overall testing capacity so under a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-kansas-topeka-11efe27daef82d812ff6344b6a5b3199">“unified” statewide strategy</a>&nbsp;announced by Gov. Laura Kelly in late September.&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Governor-Slides.pdf" target="_blank">The strategy</a>&nbsp;calls for regular testing of at-risk populations, including first responders, prison inmates, nursing home residents and K-12 students and staff, as well as more aggressive testing in virus hotspots. The state plans to spend at least $53 million in federal coronavirus relief funds on contracts with private laboratories.But Kelly said Tuesday during a Statehouse news conference: “It won’t work if people are not abiding by the other safety protocols, particularly wearing masks and avoiding large gatherings.”Kansas is seeing its largest numbers of new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases since the pandemic reached the state in early March. The state health department is now reporting more than 103,000 cases and 1,181 deaths, and it averaged 2,047 new cases day for the seven days ending Monday. Public health officials say people aren’t wearing masks enough and are letting their guard down at gatherings, including family events such as birthday parties and baby showers.In Wichita, the state’s largest city, the local school board decided Monday that middle and high school students will continue to take classes remotely until the end of the current semester. The district had planned to allow them to have in-person classes twice a week, starting this week.Elementary school students will continue with the in-person or remote learning that they selected at enrollment, said spokeswoman Susan Arensman.The Wichita district, with about 47,000 students, had 229 staff members and 154 students test positive for COVID-19 from Aug. 1, through Friday, according to its website. The district also posted that it has 567 employees in active quarantines.In Sedgwick County, the health officer issued an order limiting mass gatherings to 100 people or 50% of a venue’s capacity, aiming it at businesses such as bars, restaurants and health clubs. The county commission let it stand.In neighboring Harvey County, the all-Republican County Commission on Tuesday limited gatherings to 45 people. The county saw its cases rise 83% in two weeks, from 572 on Oct. 26 to 1,048 on Monday, according to state health department data.Both Sedgwick and Harvey counties mask mandates, but Harvey County Commission Chairman Randy Hague said some people have been ignoring its rule. He said when he goes to a store, about a third of the people inside are not wearing a mask.“There are a lot of nonbelievers, there are a lot of anti-maskers and, you know, until you change their beliefs in all this, it is going to be hard to make a big swing in the numbers,” Hague said.Kelly, a Democrat, issued an order requiring people statewide to wear masks in public, but a state law allowed Kansas’ 105 counties to opt out, and most did.In Jefferson County in northeast Kansas, the all-GOP County Commission approved a mask mandate Monday after having opted out of Kelly’s mandate in July. In carrying the state in this year’s election, President Donald Trump won Harvey, Jefferson and Sedgwick counties by comfortable margins.Crystal VanHoutan, director of Jefferson County’s health department, said the county has seen a spike in active cases since Halloween. The total number rose to 398 by Monday, according to state health department data.“The message that I want people to understand is this is not over, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better,” she said. “We need to continue to stay vigilant.”But Magee Dailey, manager at a farm supply store in the Jefferson County seat of Oskaloosa, said she’s worried about losing customers if she enforces the local mask mandate. A sign at the front door has told customers that the store doesn’t require people to wear masks unless they are sick.“Most of the time, our customers will tell us that they come to us because we don’t require a mask,” Dailey said.Dailey described herself as “anti-mask” and said she avoids businesses requiring them, though she would “cooperate if needed.”“I totally understand the ones who do need to wear masks if they have underlying conditions or anything like that, but it is so hard to breathe in those masks,” she said. “I could not work daily if I had to wear one all day long.”But Kelly said she expects more counties to impose new restrictions.“They’re losing people right and left,” she said.___TOPEKA&nbsp;–Governor Laura Kelly held a press conference Wednesday afternoon to give an update regarding COVID-19 in Kansas. She opened the conference congratulating President-elect Joe Biden.KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman also addressed the issues facing hospitals as virus cases continue to increase.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F417109765963617%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Kansas has reported another record seven-day spike in coronavirus cases to push the state past 100,000 as officials wrestle with getting more residents to wear masks. The state health department on Monday added 5,920 new confirmed and probable cases to the state’s tally since Friday, bringing the total to 103,553 since the pandemic began. The state averaged 2,047 new cases a day for the seven days ending Monday.