RUSSELL COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a burglary have tracked down a third suspect after a two day manhunt.

On Thursday morning deputies located and arrested Curtis Klein of Gorham in the area of 186th and Land Road north of Russell. Klein ran from law enforcement during an arrest of two other suspects on Wednesday.

Just after 11:30p.m. Tuesday, deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 19100 Block of Decker Road in Bunker Hill in reference to a burglary in progress, according to sheriff Fred Whitman.

At the residence, deputies observed a black Chevy pickup leaving the scene. Deputies attempted to contact the occupants in the pickup who drove into a large pasture.

At that time, additional Russell County deputies, KHP troopers and K9 officers arrived to help look for the pickup. Authorities found it crashed in a ravine, according to Whitman. No individuals were near the vehicle.

Just after 8a.m. Wednesday, Russell County Deputies and KHP trooper were searching the area when they located 3 individuals. They questioned two of the men about the burglary and took them into custody. The third suspect later identified as Curtis Klein ran from the officers, crossed the Saline River and into open country and was found Thursday.

Deputies booked Klein on the same requested charges as Richard Wayne Hogan, 43, and John Wayne King of Great Bend Burglary, Theft and Interference with law enforcement, according to Whitman.

RUSSELL COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary, have two suspects in custody and continue to search for a third suspect.

Just after 8a.m. Wednesday, Russell County Deputies and KHP trooper were searching the area when they located 3 individuals. They questioned two of the men about the burglary and took them into custody. A third suspect later identified as Curtis Klein of Gorham ran from the officers, crossed the Saline River and into open country.

Deputies booked Richard Wayne Hogan, 43, and John Wayne King of Great Bend on requested charges of Burglary, Theft and Interference with law enforcement, according to Whitman.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596056928567.png" alt="Hogan-photo Russell County" />
 <figcaption>Hogan-photo Russell County</figcaption>
 </figure>RUSSELL COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a burglary have tracked down a third suspect after a two day manhunt.On Thursday morning deputies located and arrested Curtis Klein of Gorham in the area of 186th and Land Road north of Russell. Klein ran from law enforcement during an arrest of two other suspects on Wednesday.Just after 11:30p.m. Tuesday, deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 19100 Block of Decker Road in Bunker Hill in reference to a burglary in progress, according to sheriff Fred Whitman.At the residence, deputies observed a black Chevy pickup leaving the scene. Deputies attempted to contact the occupants in the pickup who drove into a large pasture.At that time, additional Russell County deputies, KHP troopers and K9 officers arrived to help look for the pickup. Authorities found it crashed in a ravine, according to Whitman. No individuals were near the vehicle.Just after 8a.m. Wednesday, Russell County Deputies and KHP trooper were searching the area when they located 3 individuals. They questioned two of the men about the burglary and took them into custody. The third suspect later identified as Curtis Klein ran from the officers, crossed the Saline River and into open country and was found Thursday.Deputies booked Klein on the same requested charges as Richard Wayne Hogan, 43, and John Wayne King of Great Bend Burglary, Theft and Interference with law enforcement, according to Whitman.-----RUSSELL COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary, have two suspects in custody and continue to search for a third suspect.Just after 11:30p.m. Tuesday, deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 19100 Block of Decker Road in Bunker Hill in reference to a burglary in progress, according to sheriff Fred Whitman.At the residence, deputies observed a black Chevy pickup leaving the scene. Deputies attempted to contact the occupants in the pickup who drove into a large pasture.At that time, additional Russell County deputies, KHP troopers and K9 officers arrived to help look for the pickup. Authorities found it crashed in a ravine, according to Whitman. No individuals were near the vehicle.Just after 8a.m. Wednesday, Russell County Deputies and KHP trooper were searching the area when they located 3 individuals. They questioned two of the men about the burglary and took them into custody. A third suspect later identified as Curtis Klein of Gorham ran from the officers, crossed the Saline River and into open country.Deputies booked Richard Wayne Hogan, 43, and John Wayne King of Great Bend on requested charges of Burglary, Theft and Interference with law enforcement, according to Whitman.

3rd Kan. burglary suspect captured after chase, crash

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A super PAC supporting conservative Kris Kobach’s campaign for an open U.S. Senate seat from Kansas has sent out a mailer accusing his chief rival in the Republican primary of performing abortions.

The claim against Rep. Roger Marshall, an OB-GYN endorsed by major anti-abortion groups, is based on a tweet by a Kansas woman whose social media posts have often accused the congressman of hypocrisy on abortion rights.

Free Forever PAC, a group almost entirely funded by California billionaire Peter Thiel, paid for the mailer sent out just days before the Aug. 4 primary in Kansas. Thiel is a longtime Kobach ally who has steered $850,000 to the PAC

Marshall’s campaign and Kansans for Life, the state’s leading anti-abortion group, decried the mailer as a smear. The medical procedure that Shonita Swank of Hoisington claims she underwent to remove an ectopic pregnancy does not constitute an abortion, they said.

An ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, can be life-threatening to the woman if not treated. Many anti-abortion groups, including National Right to Life and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, draw a distinction between the procedure and abortion.

“This is, without question, the most pathetic and low political lie we have ever seen. This patient, by her own public admission, had a tragic ectopic pregnancy, and Dr. Marshall literally saved her life. Dr. Marshall has never participated in an abortion,” said Eric Pahls, Marshall’s campaign manager.

Kobach’s campaign said it had no involvement with the mailers, but it called Swank’s claims in the tweet a “troubling accusation against Roger Marshall that needs to be answered.”

Swank said she doesn’t like the super PAC using her tweet in the mailer, but she doesn’t feel there is anything she can do about it. Swank said her criticism stems from frustration about her treatment and what she views as Marshall’s hypocrisy on abortion.

The mailers attacking Marshall follow ads&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article244047247.html" target="_blank">from Plains PAC</a>&nbsp;that attacked Kobach for his support of abortion rights in 2000 when he was a candidate for the Legislature. Kobach has said he changed his position after becoming a father.

The Plains PAC is run by C.J. Grover, a former staffer of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt. The group has also launched attack ads targeting Kobach’s campaign for paying a white nationalist last year.

The GOP hasn’t lost a Senate race in Kansas since 1932, but Republicans are worried that could change if Kobach wins the nomination because it could turn off party moderates and independents. The Democratic nominee likely will be state Sen. Barbara Bollier, a retired Kansas City anesthesiologist and former moderate Republican who switched parties at the end of 2018.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596127389539.png" alt="The mailer sent by the Kobach campaign" />
 <figcaption>The mailer sent by the Kobach campaign</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A super PAC supporting conservative Kris Kobach’s campaign for an open U.S. Senate seat from Kansas has sent out a mailer accusing his chief rival in the Republican primary of performing abortions.The claim against Rep. Roger Marshall, an OB-GYN endorsed by major anti-abortion groups, is based on a tweet by a Kansas woman whose social media posts have often accused the congressman of hypocrisy on abortion rights.Free Forever PAC, a group almost entirely funded by California billionaire Peter Thiel, paid for the mailer sent out just days before the Aug. 4 primary in Kansas. Thiel is a longtime Kobach ally who has steered $850,000 to the PACMarshall’s campaign and Kansans for Life, the state’s leading anti-abortion group, decried the mailer as a smear. The medical procedure that Shonita Swank of Hoisington claims she underwent to remove an ectopic pregnancy does not constitute an abortion, they said.An ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, can be life-threatening to the woman if not treated. Many anti-abortion groups, including National Right to Life and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, draw a distinction between the procedure and abortion.“This is, without question, the most pathetic and low political lie we have ever seen. This patient, by her own public admission, had a tragic ectopic pregnancy, and Dr. Marshall literally saved her life. Dr. Marshall has never participated in an abortion,” said Eric Pahls, Marshall’s campaign manager.Kobach’s campaign said it had no involvement with the mailers, but it called Swank’s claims in the tweet a “troubling accusation against Roger Marshall that needs to be answered.”Swank said she doesn’t like the super PAC using her tweet in the mailer, but she doesn’t feel there is anything she can do about it. Swank said her criticism stems from frustration about her treatment and what she views as Marshall’s hypocrisy on abortion.The mailers attacking Marshall follow ads&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article244047247.html" target="_blank">from Plains PAC</a>&nbsp;that attacked Kobach for his support of abortion rights in 2000 when he was a candidate for the Legislature. Kobach has said he changed his position after becoming a father.The Plains PAC is run by C.J. Grover, a former staffer of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt. The group has also launched attack ads targeting Kobach’s campaign for paying a white nationalist last year.The GOP hasn’t lost a Senate race in Kansas since 1932, but Republicans are worried that could change if Kobach wins the nomination because it could turn off party moderates and independents. The Democratic nominee likely will be state Sen. Barbara Bollier, a retired Kansas City anesthesiologist and former moderate Republican who switched parties at the end of 2018.

Kan. congressman decries mailer accusing him of performing abortions

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.

The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.

Experts worry the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, whose death toll in the U.S. hit 150,000 Wednesday, by far the highest in the world, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Over a half-million people have died in the rest of the world.

Hard-hit Florida reported 216 deaths, breaking the single-day record it set a day earlier. Texas confirmed 313 additional deaths, pushing its total to 6,190, while South Carolina’s death toll passed 1,500 this week, more than doubling over the past month. In Georgia, hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 1.

“It is a real challenge in terms of trying to get the message to the public about what they can really do to protect themselves and what the facts are behind the problem,” said Michael Osterholm, head of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

He said the fear is that “people are putting themselves in harm’s way because they don’t believe the virus is something they have to deal with.”

Rather than fade away in the face of new evidence, the claims have flourished, fed by mixed messages from officials, transmitted by social media, amplified by leaders like Trump and mutating when confronted with contradictory facts.

“You don’t need masks. There is a cure,” Dr. Stella Immanuel promised in a video that promoted hydroxychloroquine. “You don’t need people to be locked down.”

The truth: Federal regulators last month revoked their authorization of the drug as an emergency treatment amid growing evidence it doesn’t work and can have deadly side effects. Even if it were effective, it wouldn’t negate the need for masks and other measures to contain the outbreak.

None of that stopped Trump, who has repeatedly praised the drug, from retweeting the video. Twitter and Facebook began removing the video Monday for violating policies on COVID-19 misinformation, but it had already been seen more than 20 million times.

Many of the claims in Immanuel’s video are widely disputed by medical experts. She has made even more bizarre pronouncements in the past, saying that cysts, fibroids and some other conditions can be caused by having sex with demons, that McDonald’s and Pokemon promote witchcraft, that alien DNA is used in medical treatments, and that half-human “reptilians” work in the government.

Other baseless theories and hoaxes have alleged that the virus isn’t real or that it’s a bioweapon created by the U.S. or its adversaries. One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4ac3679b6f39e8bd2561c1c8eeafd855">hoax&nbsp;</a>from the outbreak’s early months claimed new 5G towers were spreading the virus through microwaves. Another popular story held that Microsoft founder Bill Gates plans to use COVID-19 vaccines to implant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3287934e9316b008e2a6c7735b7b01df">microchips&nbsp;</a>in all 7 billion people on the planet.

Then there are the political theories — that doctors, journalists and federal officials are conspiring to lie about the threat of the virus to hurt Trump politically.

Social media has amplified the claims and helped believers find each other. The flood of misinformation has posed a challenge for Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, which have found themselves accused of censorship for taking down virus misinformation.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was questioned about Immanuel’s video during an often-contentious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/25a4d18ae3989402f0ad23f38d8cfa23">congressional hearing</a>&nbsp;Wednesday.

“We did take it down because it violates our policies,” Zuckerberg said.

U.S. Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat leading the hearing, responded by noting that 20 million people saw the video before Facebook acted.

“Doesn’t that suggest that your platform is so big, that even with the right policies in place, you can’t contain deadly content?” Cicilline asked Zuckerberg.

It wasn’t the first video containing misinformation about the virus, and experts say it’s not likely to be the last.

A professionally made 26-minute video that alleges the government’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, manufactured the virus and shipped it to China was watched more than 8 million times before the platforms took action. The video, titled “Plandemic,” also warned that masks could make you sick — the false claim Facebook cited when it removed the video down from its site.

Judy Mikovits, the discredited doctor behind “Plandemic,” had been set to appear on the show “America This Week” on the Sinclair Broadcast Group. But the company, which operates TV stations in 81 U.S. markets,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/36c9e59603c007df13702c0dc4095c7d">canned&nbsp;</a>the segment, saying it was “not appropriate” to air.

This week, U.S. government officials speaking on condition of anonymity cited what they said was a clear link between Russian intelligence and websites with stories designed to spread disinformation on the coronavirus in the West. Russian officials rejected the accusations.

Of all the bizarre and myriad claims about the virus, those regarding masks are proving to be among the most stubborn.

New York City resident Carlos Lopez said he wears a mask when required to do so but doesn’t believe it is necessary.

“They’re politicizing it as a tool,” he said. “I think it’s more to try to get Trump to lose. It’s more a scare tactic.”

He is in the minority. A recent AP/NORC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9126a38ef22c244f9ca18f9584061f8d">poll</a>&nbsp;said 3 in 4 Americans — Democrats and Republicans alike — support a national mask mandate.

Still, mask skeptics are a vocal minority and have come together to create social media pages where many false claims about mask safety are shared. Facebook has removed some of the pages — such as the group Unmasking America!, which had nearly 10,000 members — but others remain.

Early in the pandemic, medical authorities themselves were the source of much confusion regarding masks. In February, officials like the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1233725785283932160" target="_blank">U.S. surgeon general</a>&nbsp;urged Americans not to stockpile masks because they were needed by medical personnel and might not be effective in everyday situations.

Public health officials changed their tune when it became apparent that the virus could spread among people showing no symptoms.

Yet Trump remained reluctant to use a mask, mocked his rival Joe Biden for wearing one and suggested people might be covering their faces just to hurt him politically. He did an abrupt about-face this month, claiming that he had always supported masks — then later retweeted Immanuel’s video against masks.

The mixed signals hurt, Fauci acknowledged in an interview with NPR this month.

“The message early on became confusing,” he said.

Many of the claims around masks allege harmful effects, such as blocked oxygen flow or even a greater chance of infection. The claims have been widely debunked by doctors.

Dr. Maitiu O Tuathail of Ireland grew so concerned about mask misinformation he posted an online video of himself comfortably wearing a mask while measuring his oxygen levels. The video has been viewed more than 20 million times.

“While face masks don’t lower your oxygen levels. COVID definitely does,” he warned.

Yet trusted medical authorities are often being dismissed by those who say requiring people to wear masks is a step toward authoritarianism.

“Unless you make a stand, you will be wearing a mask for the rest of your life,” tweeted Simon Dolan, a British businessman who has sued the government over its COVID-19 restrictions.

Trump’s reluctant, ambivalent and late embrace of masks hasn’t convinced some of his strongest supporters, who have concocted ever more elaborate theories to explain his change of heart. Some say he was actually speaking in code and doesn’t really support masks.

O Tuathail witnessed just how unshakable COVID-19 misinformation can be when, after broadcasting his video, he received emails from people who said he cheated or didn’t wear the mask long enough to feel the negative effects.

That’s not surprising, according to University of Central Florida psychology professor Chrysalis Wright, who studies misinformation. She said conspiracy theory believers often engage in mental gymnastics to make their beliefs conform with reality.

“People only want to hear what they already think they know,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596107178939.png" alt="Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during his testimony before a congressional committee Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during his testimony before a congressional committee Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.Experts worry the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, whose death toll in the U.S. hit 150,000 Wednesday, by far the highest in the world, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Over a half-million people have died in the rest of the world.Hard-hit Florida reported 216 deaths, breaking the single-day record it set a day earlier. Texas confirmed 313 additional deaths, pushing its total to 6,190, while South Carolina’s death toll passed 1,500 this week, more than doubling over the past month. In Georgia, hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 1.“It is a real challenge in terms of trying to get the message to the public about what they can really do to protect themselves and what the facts are behind the problem,” said Michael Osterholm, head of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.He said the fear is that “people are putting themselves in harm’s way because they don’t believe the virus is something they have to deal with.”Rather than fade away in the face of new evidence, the claims have flourished, fed by mixed messages from officials, transmitted by social media, amplified by leaders like Trump and mutating when confronted with contradictory facts.“You don’t need masks. There is a cure,” Dr. Stella Immanuel promised in a video that promoted hydroxychloroquine. “You don’t need people to be locked down.”The truth: Federal regulators last month revoked their authorization of the drug as an emergency treatment amid growing evidence it doesn’t work and can have deadly side effects. Even if it were effective, it wouldn’t negate the need for masks and other measures to contain the outbreak.None of that stopped Trump, who has repeatedly praised the drug, from retweeting the video. Twitter and Facebook began removing the video Monday for violating policies on COVID-19 misinformation, but it had already been seen more than 20 million times.Many of the claims in Immanuel’s video are widely disputed by medical experts. She has made even more bizarre pronouncements in the past, saying that cysts, fibroids and some other conditions can be caused by having sex with demons, that McDonald’s and Pokemon promote witchcraft, that alien DNA is used in medical treatments, and that half-human “reptilians” work in the government.Other baseless theories and hoaxes have alleged that the virus isn’t real or that it’s a bioweapon created by the U.S. or its adversaries. One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4ac3679b6f39e8bd2561c1c8eeafd855">hoax&nbsp;</a>from the outbreak’s early months claimed new 5G towers were spreading the virus through microwaves. Another popular story held that Microsoft founder Bill Gates plans to use COVID-19 vaccines to implant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3287934e9316b008e2a6c7735b7b01df">microchips&nbsp;</a>in all 7 billion people on the planet.Then there are the political theories — that doctors, journalists and federal officials are conspiring to lie about the threat of the virus to hurt Trump politically.Social media has amplified the claims and helped believers find each other. The flood of misinformation has posed a challenge for Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, which have found themselves accused of censorship for taking down virus misinformation.Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was questioned about Immanuel’s video during an often-contentious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/25a4d18ae3989402f0ad23f38d8cfa23">congressional hearing</a>&nbsp;Wednesday.“We did take it down because it violates our policies,” Zuckerberg said.U.S. Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat leading the hearing, responded by noting that 20 million people saw the video before Facebook acted.“Doesn’t that suggest that your platform is so big, that even with the right policies in place, you can’t contain deadly content?” Cicilline asked Zuckerberg.It wasn’t the first video containing misinformation about the virus, and experts say it’s not likely to be the last.A professionally made 26-minute video that alleges the government’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, manufactured the virus and shipped it to China was watched more than 8 million times before the platforms took action. The video, titled “Plandemic,” also warned that masks could make you sick — the false claim Facebook cited when it removed the video down from its site.Judy Mikovits, the discredited doctor behind “Plandemic,” had been set to appear on the show “America This Week” on the Sinclair Broadcast Group. But the company, which operates TV stations in 81 U.S. markets,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/36c9e59603c007df13702c0dc4095c7d">canned&nbsp;</a>the segment, saying it was “not appropriate” to air.This week, U.S. government officials speaking on condition of anonymity cited what they said was a clear link between Russian intelligence and websites with stories designed to spread disinformation on the coronavirus in the West. Russian officials rejected the accusations.Of all the bizarre and myriad claims about the virus, those regarding masks are proving to be among the most stubborn.New York City resident Carlos Lopez said he wears a mask when required to do so but doesn’t believe it is necessary.“They’re politicizing it as a tool,” he said. “I think it’s more to try to get Trump to lose. It’s more a scare tactic.”He is in the minority. A recent AP/NORC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9126a38ef22c244f9ca18f9584061f8d">poll</a>&nbsp;said 3 in 4 Americans — Democrats and Republicans alike — support a national mask mandate.Still, mask skeptics are a vocal minority and have come together to create social media pages where many false claims about mask safety are shared. Facebook has removed some of the pages — such as the group Unmasking America!, which had nearly 10,000 members — but others remain.Early in the pandemic, medical authorities themselves were the source of much confusion regarding masks. In February, officials like the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1233725785283932160" target="_blank">U.S. surgeon general</a>&nbsp;urged Americans not to stockpile masks because they were needed by medical personnel and might not be effective in everyday situations.Public health officials changed their tune when it became apparent that the virus could spread among people showing no symptoms.Yet Trump remained reluctant to use a mask, mocked his rival Joe Biden for wearing one and suggested people might be covering their faces just to hurt him politically. He did an abrupt about-face this month, claiming that he had always supported masks — then later retweeted Immanuel’s video against masks.The mixed signals hurt, Fauci acknowledged in an interview with NPR this month.“The message early on became confusing,” he said.Many of the claims around masks allege harmful effects, such as blocked oxygen flow or even a greater chance of infection. The claims have been widely debunked by doctors.Dr. Maitiu O Tuathail of Ireland grew so concerned about mask misinformation he posted an online video of himself comfortably wearing a mask while measuring his oxygen levels. The video has been viewed more than 20 million times.“While face masks don’t lower your oxygen levels. COVID definitely does,” he warned.Yet trusted medical authorities are often being dismissed by those who say requiring people to wear masks is a step toward authoritarianism.“Unless you make a stand, you will be wearing a mask for the rest of your life,” tweeted Simon Dolan, a British businessman who has sued the government over its COVID-19 restrictions.Trump’s reluctant, ambivalent and late embrace of masks hasn’t convinced some of his strongest supporters, who have concocted ever more elaborate theories to explain his change of heart. Some say he was actually speaking in code and doesn’t really support masks.O Tuathail witnessed just how unshakable COVID-19 misinformation can be when, after broadcasting his video, he received emails from people who said he cheated or didn’t wear the mask long enough to feel the negative effects.That’s not surprising, according to University of Central Florida psychology professor Chrysalis Wright, who studies misinformation. She said conspiracy theory believers often engage in mental gymnastics to make their beliefs conform with reality.“People only want to hear what they already think they know,” she said.___

Misinformation on coronavirus is proving highly contagious

SEDGWICK —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 40-year-old William Pottorff.

Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting at the Scottsman Inn, 5922 West Kellogg in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Captain Jason Stephens.

When officers arrived, they found Pottorf dead inside one of the motel rooms. He had been staying there with a woman who had rented the room, according to Stephens.

Shortly after police were sent to the motel, officers learned that a 23-year-old man had arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound. Investigators were able to determine that he was involved in this incident at the motel. He remains in critical condition, according to Stephens.

Through interviews and evidence, police learned that the 23-year-old had been at the motel with four other men. They forcibly entered Pottorf's room.&nbsp; A disturbance occurred between the 23-year-old and Pottorf, according to Captain Stephens. Both brandished firearms and there was exchange of gunfire.

Police were continuing to conduct interviews in the case, according to Stephens.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596107513157.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Thursday photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Thursday photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 40-year-old William Pottorff.Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting at the Scottsman Inn, 5922 West Kellogg in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Captain Jason Stephens.When officers arrived, they found Pottorf dead inside one of the motel rooms. He had been staying there with a woman who had rented the room, according to Stephens.Shortly after police were sent to the motel, officers learned that a 23-year-old man had arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound. Investigators were able to determine that he was involved in this incident at the motel. He remains in critical condition, according to Stephens.Through interviews and evidence, police learned that the 23-year-old had been at the motel with four other men. They forcibly entered Pottorf's room.&nbsp; A disturbance occurred between the 23-year-old and Pottorf, according to Captain Stephens. Both brandished firearms and there was exchange of gunfire.Police were continuing to conduct interviews in the case, according to Stephens.

Police investigate fatal Kansas motel room gun battle

By DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-29/ku-med-and-childrens-mercy-to-lead-clinical-trials-of-promising-covid-19-vaccine">Kansas News Service</a>

A COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical 
giant AstraZeneca will be tested locally as part of a clinical trial 
seeking to enroll 30,000 participants nationwide.

The University 
of Kansas Medical Center and Children’s Mercy Hospital will lead the 
local effort, which calls for the recruitment of 1,500 participants in 
Kansas and Missouri.

Known as AZD1222, the vaccine generated an immune response in a study of 1,077 patients, according to interim results <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31604-4/fulltext" target="_blank">published in The Lancet</a> medical journal on July 20.

More
 than 100 COVID-19 vaccines are currently in development, but AZD1222 
has been one of the first to move into large-scale clinical trials. 

The
 data published in The Lancet showed that the vaccine caused a variety 
of side effects in 60% of the participants. But those side effects — 
including fever, headaches, muscle aches and fatigue — were deemed mild 
or moderate.

“This vaccine is very exciting,” said Dr. Mario 
Castro, a pulmonologist with the KU School of Medicine. “There’s been so
 much thrown at this coronavirus in terms of treatment and prevention, 
and we ultimately know that the best strategy for this virus is a 
vaccine.”

Castro and Dr. Barbara Pahud, an infectious disease 
specialist at Chidren’s Mercy, will serve as co-principal investigators 
for the local trials.

AZD1222 is entering Phase 3 of clinical 
trials, meaning the vaccine — having cleared earlier stages of 
investigation — is given to thousands of people to see how many become 
infected compared with volunteers who receive a placebo. 

The 
Phase 3 trials are expected to begin in mid- or late August. 
Participants must be over the age of 18 and considered to be at high 
risk of coming into contact with the novel coronavirus that causes 
COVID-19. The participants will be randomized; two out of three will get
 the vaccine and the rest will get a placebo.

According to <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/phase-3-clinical-trial-investigational-vaccine-covid-19-begins" target="_blank">the National Institutes of Health</a>,
 Phase 3 clinical trials for another vaccine under development by 
Moderna Inc., a biotechnology company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have 
also begun across the country. Like the AZD1222 trials, those trials are
 expected to enroll approximately 30,000 adult volunteers nationwide.

The
 Washington University School of Medicine and the St. Louis University 
Center for Vaccine Development are leading regional clinical trials for 
the Moderna vaccine.

That vaccine, which has also shown promise, 
uses messenger RNA, or mRNA, to prompt cells to make a fragment of the 
virus, which primes the immune system to attack if it encounters the 
real coronavirus.

By contrast, AZD1222 uses a genetically 
engineered virus taken from chimpanzees that carries a gene for one 
protein in the coronavirus. The virus is inserted into patients’ cells, 
causing them to manufacture that protein, which in turn triggers an 
immune response.

"Safety is our No. 1 priority," said Pahud of 
Children's Mercy Hospital. "I would not offer this vaccine if I were not
 ready to take it myself." 

People wanting to be considered for 
the AZD1222 clinical trial and receive the vaccine can register using 
the Coronavirus Prevention Network website or by calling 913-574-3006 in
 Kansas City, 316-293-1833 in Wichita.

Dan Margolies is senior reporter and editor at KCUR. He can be reached by email at dan@kcur.org or on Twitter @DanMargolies.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/10/1571089976044.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-29/ku-med-and-childrens-mercy-to-lead-clinical-trials-of-promising-covid-19-vaccine">Kansas News Service</a>A COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical 
giant AstraZeneca will be tested locally as part of a clinical trial 
seeking to enroll 30,000 participants nationwide.The University 
of Kansas Medical Center and Children’s Mercy Hospital will lead the 
local effort, which calls for the recruitment of 1,500 participants in 
Kansas and Missouri.Known as AZD1222, the vaccine generated an immune response in a study of 1,077 patients, according to interim results <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31604-4/fulltext" target="_blank">published in The Lancet</a> medical journal on July 20.More
 than 100 COVID-19 vaccines are currently in development, but AZD1222 
has been one of the first to move into large-scale clinical trials. The
 data published in The Lancet showed that the vaccine caused a variety 
of side effects in 60% of the participants. But those side effects — 
including fever, headaches, muscle aches and fatigue — were deemed mild 
or moderate.“This vaccine is very exciting,” said Dr. Mario 
Castro, a pulmonologist with the KU School of Medicine. “There’s been so
 much thrown at this coronavirus in terms of treatment and prevention, 
and we ultimately know that the best strategy for this virus is a 
vaccine.”Castro and Dr. Barbara Pahud, an infectious disease 
specialist at Chidren’s Mercy, will serve as co-principal investigators 
for the local trials.AZD1222 is entering Phase 3 of clinical 
trials, meaning the vaccine — having cleared earlier stages of 
investigation — is given to thousands of people to see how many become 
infected compared with volunteers who receive a placebo. The 
Phase 3 trials are expected to begin in mid- or late August. 
Participants must be over the age of 18 and considered to be at high 
risk of coming into contact with the novel coronavirus that causes 
COVID-19. The participants will be randomized; two out of three will get
 the vaccine and the rest will get a placebo.According to <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/phase-3-clinical-trial-investigational-vaccine-covid-19-begins" target="_blank">the National Institutes of Health</a>,
 Phase 3 clinical trials for another vaccine under development by 
Moderna Inc., a biotechnology company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have 
also begun across the country. Like the AZD1222 trials, those trials are
 expected to enroll approximately 30,000 adult volunteers nationwide.The
 Washington University School of Medicine and the St. Louis University 
Center for Vaccine Development are leading regional clinical trials for 
the Moderna vaccine.That vaccine, which has also shown promise, 
uses messenger RNA, or mRNA, to prompt cells to make a fragment of the 
virus, which primes the immune system to attack if it encounters the 
real coronavirus.By contrast, AZD1222 uses a genetically 
engineered virus taken from chimpanzees that carries a gene for one 
protein in the coronavirus. The virus is inserted into patients’ cells, 
causing them to manufacture that protein, which in turn triggers an 
immune response."Safety is our No. 1 priority," said Pahud of 
Children's Mercy Hospital. "I would not offer this vaccine if I were not
 ready to take it myself." People wanting to be considered for 
the AZD1222 clinical trial and receive the vaccine can register using 
the Coronavirus Prevention Network website or by calling 913-574-3006 in
 Kansas City, 316-293-1833 in Wichita.Dan Margolies is senior reporter and editor at KCUR. He can be reached by email at dan@kcur.org or on Twitter @DanMargolies.&nbsp;

KU Med, Children’s Mercy to lead clinical trials of promising COVID-19 vaccine

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/30/a-lot-of-anger-kansas-authorities-on-alert-for-threats-to-health-officers/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Department
 of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman says he is used to 
“looking over my shoulder,” behavior the lieutenant colonel in the 
Kansas Army National Guard learned while serving as senior medical 
commander in a combat zone.

Norman again finds himself under threat of attack.

Public health officials 
across the the country are being threatened by the residents they are 
trying to protect while managing the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kansas 
Adjutant General’s office, which oversees emergency preparedness for the
 state, informed Norman’s staff this week that general threats were 
being made.

Law enforcement in Kansas 
are monitoring potential and perceived threats, said Ashley 
Jones-Wisner, senior director for public affairs at KDHE. Norman said at
 least one county health officer in Kansas has enlisted 24-hour 
protection.

Norman said there haven’t been any direct threats against his life, “but there’s a lot of anger out there.”

“There are a lot of people
 that are getting punchy,” Norman said. “I think it’s out there kind of 
in the level of the theoretical. I try to always be situational.”

Gov. Laura Kelly has 
issued a litany of executive orders, based on advice from Norman, to 
mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Kansas. The response to those orders —
 including recent efforts to require residents to wear masks in public 
and delay the start of public schools — has grown increasingly hostile 
and politically charged.

“We have to take any and 
all threats seriously,” Kelly said. “My administration, our agencies and
 law enforcement will continue to be in coordination to ensure the 
safety of state and local employees. It’s more important than ever that 
elected officials stick to using public health data and science, and 
keep politics out of the conversation around COVID-19.”

KDHE for the first time on
 Wednesday enlisted Kansas Highway Patrol officers to attend a news 
briefing delivered by Norman. Reporters now are being asked to RSVP and 
show credentials when they arrive.

Norman’s agency reported 
the addition of 698 cases of COVID-19 and 14 new deaths in Kansas over a
 48-hour period this week. He said health officials in Kansas were 
monitoring active clusters connected to bars and restaurants, religious 
gatherings, meat packing plants, group homes, long-term care facilities,
 and private businesses.

In total, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">KDHE has recorded</a> 26,870 cases, 1,700 hospitalizations and 349 deaths since the first case in Kansas was discovered in early March.

KDHE enlisted Susan 
Voorhees, a Topeka psychologist, to join Norman at Wednesday’s briefing 
and address the anxiety parents and children are feeling as they <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/29/local-control-takes-shape-as-school-districts-across-kansas-plan-for-reopening/">prepare to return to school</a>.

That anxiety is fueled by 
uncertainty over when and how in-person instruction will resume, health 
risks, mandated precautions, screen time, seeing friends and job 
security. Voorhees said the best thing parents can do is talk to their 
kids about these worries and let them ask questions.

“We know that anxiety is 
like the monster under the bed,” Voorhees said. “It hides in the dark. 
It hides in the areas where we don’t talk about things, where we just 
let our minds go and wander and imagine — lying in bed at night, 
wondering about what’s going to happen tomorrow or what we heard on the 
news.”

Norman said he had 
witnessed first-hand the mental stress of the months-long pandemic. 
Managing the state’s response, Norman said, reminded him of his 
deployment in 2017-18 to the Middle East, where he was responsible for 
the health of 12,000 troops.

The secretary credited his
 colleagues at the health agency for providing a good support network 
for him and each other over the past five months.

“I feel great,” Norman said. “I really do. But it’s not because it’s been easy sledding.”

Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature. He spent 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal, where he started on the copy desk, then oversaw digital operations, was the managing editor and reported from the Statehouse. A lifelong Kansan, he graduated from Emporia State University in 2004 as a Shepherd Scholar with a degree in English.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596129008049.jpeg" alt="Lee Norman says he views the threats against public health officers like him as theoretical, "but there's a lot of anger out there." (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Lee Norman says he views the threats against public health officers like him as theoretical, "but there's a lot of anger out there." (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/30/a-lot-of-anger-kansas-authorities-on-alert-for-threats-to-health-officers/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Department
 of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman says he is used to 
“looking over my shoulder,” behavior the lieutenant colonel in the 
Kansas Army National Guard learned while serving as senior medical 
commander in a combat zone.Norman again finds himself under threat of attack.Public health officials 
across the the country are being threatened by the residents they are 
trying to protect while managing the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kansas 
Adjutant General’s office, which oversees emergency preparedness for the
 state, informed Norman’s staff this week that general threats were 
being made.Law enforcement in Kansas 
are monitoring potential and perceived threats, said Ashley 
Jones-Wisner, senior director for public affairs at KDHE. Norman said at
 least one county health officer in Kansas has enlisted 24-hour 
protection.Norman said there haven’t been any direct threats against his life, “but there’s a lot of anger out there.”“There are a lot of people
 that are getting punchy,” Norman said. “I think it’s out there kind of 
in the level of the theoretical. I try to always be situational.”Gov. Laura Kelly has 
issued a litany of executive orders, based on advice from Norman, to 
mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Kansas. The response to those orders —
 including recent efforts to require residents to wear masks in public 
and delay the start of public schools — has grown increasingly hostile 
and politically charged.“We have to take any and 
all threats seriously,” Kelly said. “My administration, our agencies and
 law enforcement will continue to be in coordination to ensure the 
safety of state and local employees. It’s more important than ever that 
elected officials stick to using public health data and science, and 
keep politics out of the conversation around COVID-19.”KDHE for the first time on
 Wednesday enlisted Kansas Highway Patrol officers to attend a news 
briefing delivered by Norman. Reporters now are being asked to RSVP and 
show credentials when they arrive.Norman’s agency reported 
the addition of 698 cases of COVID-19 and 14 new deaths in Kansas over a
 48-hour period this week. He said health officials in Kansas were 
monitoring active clusters connected to bars and restaurants, religious 
gatherings, meat packing plants, group homes, long-term care facilities,
 and private businesses.In total, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">KDHE has recorded</a> 26,870 cases, 1,700 hospitalizations and 349 deaths since the first case in Kansas was discovered in early March.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596129066955.jpeg" alt="Susan Voorhees, a Topeka psychologist, says parents should talk to their children about the anxiety they feel about going back to school. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Susan Voorhees, a Topeka psychologist, says parents should talk to their children about the anxiety they feel about going back to school. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>KDHE enlisted Susan 
Voorhees, a Topeka psychologist, to join Norman at Wednesday’s briefing 
and address the anxiety parents and children are feeling as they <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/29/local-control-takes-shape-as-school-districts-across-kansas-plan-for-reopening/">prepare to return to school</a>.That anxiety is fueled by 
uncertainty over when and how in-person instruction will resume, health 
risks, mandated precautions, screen time, seeing friends and job 
security. Voorhees said the best thing parents can do is talk to their 
kids about these worries and let them ask questions.“We know that anxiety is 
like the monster under the bed,” Voorhees said. “It hides in the dark. 
It hides in the areas where we don’t talk about things, where we just 
let our minds go and wander and imagine — lying in bed at night, 
wondering about what’s going to happen tomorrow or what we heard on the 
news.”Norman said he had 
witnessed first-hand the mental stress of the months-long pandemic. 
Managing the state’s response, Norman said, reminded him of his 
deployment in 2017-18 to the Middle East, where he was responsible for 
the health of 12,000 troops.The secretary credited his
 colleagues at the health agency for providing a good support network 
for him and each other over the past five months.“I feel great,” Norman said. “I really do. But it’s not because it’s been easy sledding.”Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature. He spent 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal, where he started on the copy desk, then oversaw digital operations, was the managing editor and reported from the Statehouse. A lifelong Kansan, he graduated from Emporia State University in 2004 as a Shepherd Scholar with a degree in English.

‘A lot of anger’: Kan. authorities on alert for threats to health officers

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspects on drug charges after police executed two search warrants Wednesday in Great Bend.

The first search warrant was served just after 10a.m. at 404 Plum Street, according to a media release.

 Shawna Contrerez, age 31, was located inside the residence and arrested on a requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of stolen property.

The second search warrant was executed at 1014 ½ Stone Street, Great Bend. During the search of the residence marijuana, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia were located and seized.

Police arrested Ashley Robertson, 26, on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. They also arrested Jacob Parks, 40, on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and felon in possession of a weapon.

Later Wednesday, police located Robert Crawford, age 28, in the area of 27th and Morton Street in Great Bend. Police arrested him on requested charges of&nbsp; distribution of methamphetamine associated with the search warrants which were executed earlier in the morning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596123679251.png" alt="Shawna Contrerez" />
 <figcaption>Shawna Contrerez</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspects on drug charges after police executed two search warrants Wednesday in Great Bend.The first search warrant was served just after 10a.m. at 404 Plum Street, according to a media release. Shawna Contrerez, age 31, was located inside the residence and arrested on a requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of stolen property.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596123714402.png" alt="Ashley Robertson" />
 <figcaption>Ashley Robertson</figcaption>
 </figure>The second search warrant was executed at 1014 ½ Stone Street, Great Bend. During the search of the residence marijuana, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia were located and seized.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596123738714.png" alt="Jacob Parks" />
 <figcaption>Jacob Parks</figcaption>
 </figure>Police arrested Ashley Robertson, 26, on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. They also arrested Jacob Parks, 40, on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and felon in possession of a weapon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596123755338.png" alt="Crawford" />
 <figcaption>Crawford</figcaption>
 </figure>Later Wednesday, police located Robert Crawford, age 28, in the area of 27th and Morton Street in Great Bend. Police arrested him on requested charges of&nbsp; distribution of methamphetamine associated with the search warrants which were executed earlier in the morning.

Police make 4 arrests after drug bust at Kansas home

ATLANTA (AP) — Herman Cain, former Republican presidential candidate and former CEO of a major pizza chain who went on to become an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, has died of complications from the coronavirus. He was 74.

A post on Cain’s Twitter account on Thursday announced the death. Cain had been ill with the virus for several weeks. It’s not clear when or where he was infected, but he was hospitalized less than two weeks after attending Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June. Cain had been co-chair of Black Voices for Trump.

“We knew when he was first hospitalized with COVID-19 that this was going to be a rough fight,” read an article posted on the Twitter account. “He had trouble breathing and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. We all prayed that the initial meds they gave him would get his breathing back to normal, but it became clear pretty quickly that he was in for a battle.”

Cain, who had hoped to become the first Black to win the GOP nomination, was initially considered a long-shot candidate. His bid was propelled forward in September 2011 when he won a straw poll vote in Florida, instantly becoming an alternative candidate for Republican voters concerned that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was not conservative enough.

But Cain struggled to respond to accusations that he had sexually harassed several women and — in a video that went viral on the Internet — rambled uncomfortably when asked whether he supported or opposed President Barack Obama’s policies in Libya. There were also gaffes on abortion and torture that led Cain’s critics to question whether he was ready for the White House.

Just as Cain started surging in the polls, Politico reported that the National Restaurant Association paid settlements to two former employees who claimed Cain sexually harassed them while he was CEO and president of the lobbying group from 1996 to 1999. Another woman, Sharon Bialek, said that Cain, an acquaintance, groped her in a car in July 1997 after they’d had dinner in Washington. Bialek, who was then unemployed, said she had contacted Cain seeking job advice.

Cain said he could not remember Bialek and denied sexually harassing anyone.

“I don’t even know who this woman is,” Cain said during a news conference in Arizona that he called to quell the controversy. “I tried to remember if I recognized her and I didn’t.”

Polls in the weeks afterward showed Cain’s popularity had slipped considerably.

Cain honed his speaking skills in the corporate world, then hosted a radio talk show in Atlanta that introduced his political views and up-by-the-bootstraps life story to many Tea Party supporters and other conservatives.

But he repeatedly fumbled under the scrutiny that follows a front-runner for the presidency. He gave a rambling response when asked by the editorial board of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel whether he supported or opposed Obama’s policies in Libya. The videotaped interview went viral on the internet.

He first ventured into national politics in 1994 when he publicly challenged President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, on his proposal to force employers to buy health insurance for their employees. “For many, many businesses like mine, the cost of your plan is simply a cost that will cause us to eliminate jobs,” Cain told Clinton. “What will I tell those people whose jobs I will have to eliminate?”

Afterward, the restaurant industry used Cain as a spokesman as it campaigned against Clinton’s plan, which ultimately failed.

Cain served as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City from 1992 to 1996. His colleagues said they believed he left the nonpartisan board so he could be more active politically.

“We were already among ourselves as directors having discussions and kidding him about running for president,” said Jo Marie Dancik, who served on the board with Cain. “We were serious. He laughed it off at that point. I think it was probably the first time he had every really considered.”

Cain moved back to his native Georgia and in 2004 ran for U.S. Senate as a Republican. He lost to Rep. Johnny Isakson in the primary.

Less than two years later, Cain was diagnosed with late-stage cancer in his colon that had spread to his liver. He recovered and later said he believed his survival showed that God had other plans for him. He credited God with persuading him to run for president after Obama, a Democrat, took office in early 2009.

“That’s when I prayed and prayed and prayed. I’m a man of faith — I’ve had to do a lot of praying for this one,” Cain told an audience of young Republicans in Atlanta. “More praying than I’ve ever done before in my life. And when I finally realized that it was God saying that this is what I needed to do, I was like Moses. ‘You’ve got the wrong man, Lord. Are you sure?’”

Cain projected a self-confident image that at times bordered on arrogance. He referred to himself in the third person. His motivations speaking company was named T.H.E. New Voice Inc. The acronym stood for The Hermanator Experience.

His run for the presidency was unlikely, considering his origins. Born in the segregated South, Cain joked that his family was so poor it was “po.” His father worked three jobs as a janitor, barber and chauffeur, while his mother was a servant. He graduated from Morehouse College, a historically black college for men in Atlanta, received a master’s degree from Purdue University and worked as a civilian mathematician in the U.S. Navy.

While it was a good job, Cain said his ambitions were in the corporate world. He wanted to be president of “something ... somewhere,” he later wrote.

He worked first for Coca-Cola, became a vice president with Pillsbury, then was appointed to run its struggling Burger King unit in the Philadelphia area. His success prompted Pillsbury officials to ask Cain to take over its floundering Godfather’s Pizza chain. Cain said he returned the franchise to profitability. One of his strategies was shuttering under-performing stores.

Cain is survived by his wife, Gloria Etchison, their children and grandchildren.

The centerpiece of Cain’s campaign was his 9-9-9 plan, which would have replaced the current tax code with a 9% tax on personal and corporate income and a 9% national sales tax. Cain said the plan’s simplicity would stimulate the economy by giving investors certainty. A Baptist preacher who made money giving motivational speeches, Cain had a talent for selling his ideas to conservative audiences with a straightforward style.

“If 10% is good enough for God, 9% ought to be good enough for the federal government,” he told crowds.

Acknowledging Cain's death in a tweet Thursday, Romney wrote, “Saddened that Herman Cain—a formidable champion of business, politics and policy—has lost his battle with Covid. St. Peter will soon hear ‘999!’ Keep up the fight, my friend.”

<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herman_Cain_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg">Cover photo by Gage Skidmore</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596123749903.png" alt="Herman Cain speaking at a fundraiser in Richmond, Virginia on October 17, 2011. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herman_Cain_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg">Photo by Gage Skidmore</a>" />
 <figcaption>Herman Cain speaking at a fundraiser in Richmond, Virginia on October 17, 2011. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herman_Cain_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg">Photo by Gage Skidmore</a></figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Herman Cain, former Republican presidential candidate and former CEO of a major pizza chain who went on to become an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, has died of complications from the coronavirus. He was 74.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">You&#39;re never ready for the kind of news we are grappling with this morning. But we have no choice but to seek and find God&#39;s strength and comfort to deal... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HermanCain?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HermanCain</a> <a href="https://t.co/BtOgoLVqKz">https://t.co/BtOgoLVqKz</a>&mdash; Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) <a href="https://twitter.com/THEHermanCain/status/1288843301722890240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A post on Cain’s Twitter account on Thursday announced the death. Cain had been ill with the virus for several weeks. It’s not clear when or where he was infected, but he was hospitalized less than two weeks after attending Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June. Cain had been co-chair of Black Voices for Trump.“We knew when he was first hospitalized with COVID-19 that this was going to be a rough fight,” read an article posted on the Twitter account. “He had trouble breathing and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. We all prayed that the initial meds they gave him would get his breathing back to normal, but it became clear pretty quickly that he was in for a battle.”Cain, who had hoped to become the first Black to win the GOP nomination, was initially considered a long-shot candidate. His bid was propelled forward in September 2011 when he won a straw poll vote in Florida, instantly becoming an alternative candidate for Republican voters concerned that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was not conservative enough.But Cain struggled to respond to accusations that he had sexually harassed several women and — in a video that went viral on the Internet — rambled uncomfortably when asked whether he supported or opposed President Barack Obama’s policies in Libya. There were also gaffes on abortion and torture that led Cain’s critics to question whether he was ready for the White House.Just as Cain started surging in the polls, Politico reported that the National Restaurant Association paid settlements to two former employees who claimed Cain sexually harassed them while he was CEO and president of the lobbying group from 1996 to 1999. Another woman, Sharon Bialek, said that Cain, an acquaintance, groped her in a car in July 1997 after they’d had dinner in Washington. Bialek, who was then unemployed, said she had contacted Cain seeking job advice.Cain said he could not remember Bialek and denied sexually harassing anyone.“I don’t even know who this woman is,” Cain said during a news conference in Arizona that he called to quell the controversy. “I tried to remember if I recognized her and I didn’t.”Polls in the weeks afterward showed Cain’s popularity had slipped considerably.Cain honed his speaking skills in the corporate world, then hosted a radio talk show in Atlanta that introduced his political views and up-by-the-bootstraps life story to many Tea Party supporters and other conservatives.But he repeatedly fumbled under the scrutiny that follows a front-runner for the presidency. He gave a rambling response when asked by the editorial board of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel whether he supported or opposed Obama’s policies in Libya. The videotaped interview went viral on the internet.He first ventured into national politics in 1994 when he publicly challenged President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, on his proposal to force employers to buy health insurance for their employees. “For many, many businesses like mine, the cost of your plan is simply a cost that will cause us to eliminate jobs,” Cain told Clinton. “What will I tell those people whose jobs I will have to eliminate?”Afterward, the restaurant industry used Cain as a spokesman as it campaigned against Clinton’s plan, which ultimately failed.Cain served as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City from 1992 to 1996. His colleagues said they believed he left the nonpartisan board so he could be more active politically.“We were already among ourselves as directors having discussions and kidding him about running for president,” said Jo Marie Dancik, who served on the board with Cain. “We were serious. He laughed it off at that point. I think it was probably the first time he had every really considered.”Cain moved back to his native Georgia and in 2004 ran for U.S. Senate as a Republican. He lost to Rep. Johnny Isakson in the primary.Less than two years later, Cain was diagnosed with late-stage cancer in his colon that had spread to his liver. He recovered and later said he believed his survival showed that God had other plans for him. He credited God with persuading him to run for president after Obama, a Democrat, took office in early 2009.“That’s when I prayed and prayed and prayed. I’m a man of faith — I’ve had to do a lot of praying for this one,” Cain told an audience of young Republicans in Atlanta. “More praying than I’ve ever done before in my life. And when I finally realized that it was God saying that this is what I needed to do, I was like Moses. ‘You’ve got the wrong man, Lord. Are you sure?’”Cain projected a self-confident image that at times bordered on arrogance. He referred to himself in the third person. His motivations speaking company was named T.H.E. New Voice Inc. The acronym stood for The Hermanator Experience.His run for the presidency was unlikely, considering his origins. Born in the segregated South, Cain joked that his family was so poor it was “po.” His father worked three jobs as a janitor, barber and chauffeur, while his mother was a servant. He graduated from Morehouse College, a historically black college for men in Atlanta, received a master’s degree from Purdue University and worked as a civilian mathematician in the U.S. Navy.While it was a good job, Cain said his ambitions were in the corporate world. He wanted to be president of “something ... somewhere,” he later wrote.He worked first for Coca-Cola, became a vice president with Pillsbury, then was appointed to run its struggling Burger King unit in the Philadelphia area. His success prompted Pillsbury officials to ask Cain to take over its floundering Godfather’s Pizza chain. Cain said he returned the franchise to profitability. One of his strategies was shuttering under-performing stores.Cain is survived by his wife, Gloria Etchison, their children and grandchildren.The centerpiece of Cain’s campaign was his 9-9-9 plan, which would have replaced the current tax code with a 9% tax on personal and corporate income and a 9% national sales tax. Cain said the plan’s simplicity would stimulate the economy by giving investors certainty. A Baptist preacher who made money giving motivational speeches, Cain had a talent for selling his ideas to conservative audiences with a straightforward style.“If 10% is good enough for God, 9% ought to be good enough for the federal government,” he told crowds.Acknowledging Cain's death in a tweet Thursday, Romney wrote, “Saddened that Herman Cain—a formidable champion of business, politics and policy—has lost his battle with Covid. St. Peter will soon hear ‘999!’ Keep up the fight, my friend.”<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herman_Cain_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg">Cover photo by Gage Skidmore</a>

Herman Cain dies at 74 after battling COVID-19

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas felon accused of shooting a man in the face during an a disturbance made his first court appearance&nbsp; Tuesday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

Terrell Parker, 30, Wichita, was formally charted with attempted 1st degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

Just after 2:30 a.m. July 22, police responded to the 5100 block of E. Harry for a shooting call, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers located a 32-year-old man who had a gunshot wound to his face. He was transported to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation revealed that the 32-year-old victim was in the area, and a disturbance ensued between him and Parker. 

Parker fired a gun during the disturbance, striking the 32-year-old.

On July 24, police arrested Parker and booked him&nbsp; into the Sedgwick County Jail.

Parker has been arrested and convicted on additional charges that include aggravated battery and possession of drugs, according to officer Paul Cruz.

He remains <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=387511">in custody on a $250,000 bond,</a> according to online jail records.

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a man to the hospital with serious injuries.&nbsp;

Just after 2:20 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 5100 Block of E. Harry in Wichita for a shooting call, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers located a 32-year-old man who had a gunshot wound to his face. He was transported to a local hospital, where he remains with a serious but non-life-threatening injury.

The investigation revealed that the victim was in the area, and a disturbance ensued between him and a known male suspect. 

The suspect fired a gun during the disturbance, striking the victim in the face. The suspect left the area in a vehicle and has not been located.

This was not a random incident, and investigators are working to locate the suspect, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595775677152.png" alt="Parker photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Parker photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas felon accused of shooting a man in the face during an a disturbance made his first court appearance&nbsp; Tuesday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.Terrell Parker, 30, Wichita, was formally charted with attempted 1st degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.Just after 2:30 a.m. July 22, police responded to the 5100 block of E. Harry for a shooting call, according to officer Charley Davidson.Upon arrival, officers located a 32-year-old man who had a gunshot wound to his face. He was transported to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.The investigation revealed that the 32-year-old victim was in the area, and a disturbance ensued between him and Parker. Parker fired a gun during the disturbance, striking the 32-year-old.On July 24, police arrested Parker and booked him&nbsp; into the Sedgwick County Jail.Parker has been arrested and convicted on additional charges that include aggravated battery and possession of drugs, according to officer Paul Cruz.He remains <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=387511">in custody on a $250,000 bond,</a> according to online jail records.--------SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a man to the hospital with serious injuries.&nbsp;Just after 2:20 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 5100 Block of E. Harry in Wichita for a shooting call, according to officer Charley Davidson.Upon arrival, officers located a 32-year-old man who had a gunshot wound to his face. He was transported to a local hospital, where he remains with a serious but non-life-threatening injury.The investigation revealed that the victim was in the area, and a disturbance ensued between him and a known male suspect. The suspect fired a gun during the disturbance, striking the victim in the face. The suspect left the area in a vehicle and has not been located.This was not a random incident, and investigators are working to locate the suspect, according to Davidson.

Suspect who shot Kan. man in the face charged with attempted-murder

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/29/kansas-officials-endorse-expenditure-of-254-million-in-federal-covid-19-aid/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly 
and legislators on the State Finance Council unanimously voted Wednesday
 to earmark $254 million in federal COVID-19 aid for investment in 
public health, economic development and education initiatives to help 
the state deal with the pandemic.

The money was drawn from 
$1.2 billion allocated by Congress to Kansas for coronavirus response 
and recovery initiatives. An initial $400 million was previously 
appropriated by the State Finance Council to the 105 counties based on a
 formula related to population density and COVID-19 infection rates. 
State officials are facing a Dec. 30 deadline to spend the federal money
 or return it to the treasury.

“There is some urgency to get these spending levels approved,” Kelly said.

Several Republicans on the
 State Finance Council objected to elements of this second-phase 
proposal offered by the Kelly administration. They complained there was 
too little time to evaluate the financial strategy and not enough detail
 on expenditures to fairly evaluate a plan that was designed to push 
$314 million into the state’s economy as quickly as possible.

“I know we can do better than this in helping us make decisions,” said House Speaker Ron Ryckman, R-Olathe. “It’s frustrating.”

However, Senate Majority 
Leader Jim Denning, R-Overland Park, said the broad question of spending
 the $254 million for economic development, education and public health,
 and $60 million more on broadband improvements, should be endorsed by 
the council promptly so administration officials could expedite transfer
 of cash to businesses and organizations in desperate need of relief.

The State Finance Council 
concluded the debate by voting to devote $100 million to public health 
priorities, including $38 million for nursing homes, $20 million for 
state laboratory and contact tracing work, $12.5 million for community 
health facilities and $12.5 million for mental health grants.

The education components 
provide $55 million to public universities, $9.4 million to public 
community and technical colleges and $10 million for early childhood 
programs. In addition, the council agreed to authorize development of 
grant programs to offer $61 million to small businesses, $9 million to 
food producers and $8.1 million for information technology training and 
job placement.

House Majority Leader Dan 
Hawkins, R-Wichita, argued persuasively to delay action on a 
recommendation to set aside $60 million for upgrade of broadband 
services across the state. He said a joint House and Senate budget 
committee should be given the opportunity Monday to vet the economic 
development investments in internet access before a vote of the State 
Finance Council.

“This is a huge piece,” 
said Rep. Troy Waymaster, a Bunker Hill Republican and chairman of the 
House budget committee. “Who are we going to partner with? I’m still not
 seeing a plan.”

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596116669717.jpeg" alt="Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, R-Overland Park, argued to approve $314 million in federal COVID-19 aid for education, business and health initiatives rather than postpone a decision as requested from other GOP legislators. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, R-Overland Park, argued to approve $314 million in federal COVID-19 aid for education, business and health initiatives rather than postpone a decision as requested from other GOP legislators. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/29/kansas-officials-endorse-expenditure-of-254-million-in-federal-covid-19-aid/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly 
and legislators on the State Finance Council unanimously voted Wednesday
 to earmark $254 million in federal COVID-19 aid for investment in 
public health, economic development and education initiatives to help 
the state deal with the pandemic.The money was drawn from 
$1.2 billion allocated by Congress to Kansas for coronavirus response 
and recovery initiatives. An initial $400 million was previously 
appropriated by the State Finance Council to the 105 counties based on a
 formula related to population density and COVID-19 infection rates. 
State officials are facing a Dec. 30 deadline to spend the federal money
 or return it to the treasury.“There is some urgency to get these spending levels approved,” Kelly said.Several Republicans on the
 State Finance Council objected to elements of this second-phase 
proposal offered by the Kelly administration. They complained there was 
too little time to evaluate the financial strategy and not enough detail
 on expenditures to fairly evaluate a plan that was designed to push 
$314 million into the state’s economy as quickly as possible.“I know we can do better than this in helping us make decisions,” said House Speaker Ron Ryckman, R-Olathe. “It’s frustrating.”However, Senate Majority 
Leader Jim Denning, R-Overland Park, said the broad question of spending
 the $254 million for economic development, education and public health,
 and $60 million more on broadband improvements, should be endorsed by 
the council promptly so administration officials could expedite transfer
 of cash to businesses and organizations in desperate need of relief.The State Finance Council 
concluded the debate by voting to devote $100 million to public health 
priorities, including $38 million for nursing homes, $20 million for 
state laboratory and contact tracing work, $12.5 million for community 
health facilities and $12.5 million for mental health grants.The education components 
provide $55 million to public universities, $9.4 million to public 
community and technical colleges and $10 million for early childhood 
programs. In addition, the council agreed to authorize development of 
grant programs to offer $61 million to small businesses, $9 million to 
food producers and $8.1 million for information technology training and 
job placement.House Majority Leader Dan 
Hawkins, R-Wichita, argued persuasively to delay action on a 
recommendation to set aside $60 million for upgrade of broadband 
services across the state. He said a joint House and Senate budget 
committee should be given the opportunity Monday to vet the economic 
development investments in internet access before a vote of the State 
Finance Council.“This is a huge piece,” 
said Rep. Troy Waymaster, a Bunker Hill Republican and chairman of the 
House budget committee. “Who are we going to partner with? I’m still not
 seeing a plan.”Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

Kan. officials endorse expenditure of $254M in federal COVID-19 aid

SHAWNEE COUNTY — After asking the public for assistance in locating a person of interest in a July shooting investigation, police have made an arrest.

On Wednesday, police arrested 35-year-old&nbsp;Michael D. Shadoan in the 1500 block of SE 10th street in Topeka, according to Police Lieutenant John Trimble.&nbsp;

Just before 6:30 a.m. on July 16, police were dispatched to the 600 block of SW Taylor Street on a report of shooting. Upon arrival, officers located 55-year-old Michael L. Brown of Topeka suffering from life-threatening injuries believed to be associated with the shooting, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.

Throughout the course of the investigation information was developed indicating that Michael D. Shadoan, 35 of Topeka was a person of interest in the shooting.&nbsp; 

Shadoan is being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a requested charges of Aggravated Battery.

He has previous convictions for burglary, aggravated failure to appear and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Correctons.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a person of interest in a July shooting investigation.

Throughout the course of the investigation information was developed indicating that Michael D. Shadoan, 35 of Topeka is a person of interest in the shooting.&nbsp; Shadoan has previous convictions for burglary, aggravated failure to appear and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Correctons.

If you see Shadoan, please do not attempt to apprehend him yourself. Call 911 immediately.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595932253972.png" alt=" Shadoan photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption> Shadoan photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — After asking the public for assistance in locating a person of interest in a July shooting investigation, police have made an arrest.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594907101067.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation July 16-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation July 16-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, police arrested 35-year-old&nbsp;Michael D. Shadoan in the 1500 block of SE 10th street in Topeka, according to Police Lieutenant John Trimble.&nbsp;Just before 6:30 a.m. on July 16, police were dispatched to the 600 block of SW Taylor Street on a report of shooting. Upon arrival, officers located 55-year-old Michael L. Brown of Topeka suffering from life-threatening injuries believed to be associated with the shooting, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.Throughout the course of the investigation information was developed indicating that Michael D. Shadoan, 35 of Topeka was a person of interest in the shooting.&nbsp; Shadoan is being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a requested charges of Aggravated Battery.He has previous convictions for burglary, aggravated failure to appear and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Correctons.----------SHAWNEE COUNTY — Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a person of interest in a July shooting investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594907101067.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation July 16-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation July 16-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 6:30 a.m. on July 16, police were dispatched to the 600 block of SW Taylor Street on a report of shooting. Upon arrival, officers located 55-year-old Michael L. Brown of Topeka suffering from life-threatening injuries believed to be associated with the shooting, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.Throughout the course of the investigation information was developed indicating that Michael D. Shadoan, 35 of Topeka is a person of interest in the shooting.&nbsp; Shadoan has previous convictions for burglary, aggravated failure to appear and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Correctons.If you see Shadoan, please do not attempt to apprehend him yourself. Call 911 immediately.&nbsp;

Update: Police capture wanted Kan. felon for shooting

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The biggest, most sophisticated Mars rover ever built — a car-size vehicle bristling with cameras, microphones, drills and lasers — blasted off Thursday as part of an ambitious, long-range project to bring the first Martian rock samples back to Earth to be analyzed for evidence of ancient life.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21X5lGlDOfg&amp;feature=emb_logo">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the launch

NASA’s Perseverance rode a mighty Atlas V rocket into the morning sky in the world’s third and final Mars launch of the summer. China and the United Arab Emirates got a head start last week, but all three missions should reach the red planet in February after a journey of seven months and 300 million miles (480 million kilometers).

The plutonium-powered, six-wheeled rover will drill down and collect tiny geological specimens that will be brought home in about 2031 in a sort of interplanetary relay race involving multiple spacecraft and countries. The overall cost: more than $8 billion.

In addition to addressing the life-on-Mars question, the mission will yield lessons that could pave the way for the arrival of astronauts as early as the 2030s.

“There’s a reason we call the robot Perseverance. Because going to Mars is hard,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said just before liftoff. “It is always hard. It’s never been easy. In this case, it’s harder than ever before because we’re doing it in the midst of a pandemic.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596110942258.png" alt="NASA Mars Rover weighs about 2,260 pounds including a robotic arm&nbsp;with a 99-pound turret at the end. It is about 10 feet long (not including the arm), 9 feet wide and 7 feet tall with&nbsp;with a robotic arm that is about 7 feet long-image courtesy NASA&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>NASA Mars Rover weighs about 2,260 pounds including a robotic arm&nbsp;with a 99-pound turret at the end. It is about 10 feet long (not including the arm), 9 feet wide and 7 feet tall with&nbsp;with a robotic arm that is about 7 feet long-image courtesy NASA&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The biggest, most sophisticated Mars rover ever built — a car-size vehicle bristling with cameras, microphones, drills and lasers — blasted off Thursday as part of an ambitious, long-range project to bring the first Martian rock samples back to Earth to be analyzed for evidence of ancient life.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596110726328.png" alt="Successful Thursday morning launch image courtesy NASA" />
 <figcaption>Successful Thursday morning launch image courtesy NASA</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21X5lGlDOfg&amp;feature=emb_logo">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the launchNASA’s Perseverance rode a mighty Atlas V rocket into the morning sky in the world’s third and final Mars launch of the summer. China and the United Arab Emirates got a head start last week, but all three missions should reach the red planet in February after a journey of seven months and 300 million miles (480 million kilometers).The plutonium-powered, six-wheeled rover will drill down and collect tiny geological specimens that will be brought home in about 2031 in a sort of interplanetary relay race involving multiple spacecraft and countries. The overall cost: more than $8 billion.In addition to addressing the life-on-Mars question, the mission will yield lessons that could pave the way for the arrival of astronauts as early as the 2030s.“There’s a reason we call the robot Perseverance. Because going to Mars is hard,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said just before liftoff. “It is always hard. It’s never been easy. In this case, it’s harder than ever before because we’re doing it in the midst of a pandemic.”The U.S., the only country to safely put a spacecraft on Mars, is seeking its ninth successful landing on the planet, which has proved to be the Bermuda Triangle of space exploration, with more than half of the world's missions there burning up, crashing or otherwise ending in failure.China is sending both a rover an orbiter. The UAE, a newcomer to outer space, has an orbiter en route.It’s the biggest stampede to Mars in spacefaring history. The opportunity to fly between Earth and Mars comes around only once every 26 months when the planets are on the same side of the sun and about as close as they can get.Launch controllers wore masks and sat spaced apart at the Cape Canaveral control center because of the coronavirus outbreak, which kept hundreds of scientists and other team members away from Perseverance’s liftoff.“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” said Alex Mather, the 13-year-old Virginia schoolboy who proposed the name Perseverance in a NASA competition and traveled to Cape Canaveral for the launch.If all goes well, the rover will descend to the Martian surface on Feb. 18, 2021, in what NASA calls seven minutes of terror, in which the craft goes from 12,000 mph (19,300 kph) to a complete stop, with no human intervention whatsoever. It is carrying 25 cameras and a pair of microphones that will enable Earthlings to vicariously tag along.Perseverance will aim for treacherous unexplored territory: Jezero Crater, a dusty expanse riddled with boulders, cliffs, dunes and possibly rocks bearing signs of microbes from what was once a lake more than 3 billion years ago. The rover will store half-ounce (15-gram) rock samples in dozens of super-sterilized titanium tubes.It also will release a mini helicopter that will attempt the first powered flight on another planet, and test out other technology to prepare the way for future astronauts, including equipment for extracting oxygen from Mars' thin carbon-dioxide atmosphere.The plan is for NASA and the European Space Agency to launch a dune buggy in 2026 to fetch the rock samples, along with a rocket ship that will put the specimens into orbit around Mars. Then another spacecraft will capture the orbiting samples and bring them home.Samples actually brought home from Mars, not drawn from meteorites discovered on Earth, have long been considered “the Holy Grail of Mars science,” according to NASA’s original and now-retired Mars czar, Scott Hubbard.To definitively answer the profound question of whether life exists — or ever existed — beyond Earth, the samples must be analyzed by the best electron microscopes and other instruments, far too big to fit on a spacecraft, he said.“I’ve wanted to know if there was life elsewhere in the universe since I was 9 years old. That was more than 60 years ago,” the 71-year-old Hubbard said from his Northern&nbsp;California&nbsp;cabin. “But just maybe, I’ll live to see the fingerprints of life come back from Mars in one of those rock samples.”Said Bridenstine: "There is nothing better than bringing samples back to Earth where we can put them in a lab and we can apply every element of technology against those samples to make determinations as to whether or not there was, at one time, life on the surface of Mars.”Two other NASA landers are also operating on Mars: 2018′s InSight and 2012′s Curiosity rover. Six other spacecraft are exploring the planet from orbit: three from the U.S., two from Europe and one from India.___