WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Monday, a stunning move on the heels of Trump’s failed reelection bid.

Presidents who win reelection often replace Cabinet members, including the secretary of defense, but losing presidents have kept their Pentagon chiefs in place until Inauguration Day to preserve stability in the name of national security.

Trump announced the news in a tweet, saying that “effective immediately” Christopher Miller, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, will serve as acting secretary, sidestepping the department’s No.2-ranking official, Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist.

“Chris will do a GREAT job!” Trump tweeted. “Mark Esper has been terminated. I would like to thank him for his service.”

Esper’s strained relationship with Trump came close to collapse last summer during civil unrest that triggered a debate within the administration over the proper role of the military in combatting domestic unrest. Esper’s opposition to using active duty troops to help quell protests in Washington, D.C., infuriated Trump, and led to wide speculation that the defense chief was prepared to quit if faced with such an issue again.

Officials familiar with internal discussions say Esper has been ready to resign for months, and as rumblings about Trump’s unhappiness with him have grown, he’s taken additional steps to prepare to step down.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585777681665.png" alt="Defense Secretary Mark Esper gave a presentation during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing in April-White House image" />
 <figcaption>Defense Secretary Mark Esper gave a presentation during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing in April-White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Monday, a stunning move on the heels of Trump’s failed reelection bid.Presidents who win reelection often replace Cabinet members, including the secretary of defense, but losing presidents have kept their Pentagon chiefs in place until Inauguration Day to preserve stability in the name of national security.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am pleased to announce that Christopher C. Miller, the highly respected Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (unanimously confirmed by the Senate), will be Acting Secretary of Defense, effective immediately..&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1325859406349799424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump announced the news in a tweet, saying that “effective immediately” Christopher Miller, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, will serve as acting secretary, sidestepping the department’s No.2-ranking official, Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist.“Chris will do a GREAT job!” Trump tweeted. “Mark Esper has been terminated. I would like to thank him for his service.”Esper’s strained relationship with Trump came close to collapse last summer during civil unrest that triggered a debate within the administration over the proper role of the military in combatting domestic unrest. Esper’s opposition to using active duty troops to help quell protests in Washington, D.C., infuriated Trump, and led to wide speculation that the defense chief was prepared to quit if faced with such an issue again.Officials familiar with internal discussions say Esper has been ready to resign for months, and as rumblings about Trump’s unhappiness with him have grown, he’s taken additional steps to prepare to step down.

Trump fires Pentagon chief over long running dispute 

TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 5,920 to a total of 103,553 the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 1,181, an increase of 15

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

TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 5,920 to a total of 103,553 the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 1,181, an increase of 15<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604945394564.png" alt="Monday Nov. 9, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday Nov. 9, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an&nbsp;alleged attempted break-in at a north Salina motel late Sunday night.

Just before midnight, officers were dispatched for the report of a robbery in progress at the Budget King Motel, 809 North Broadway. The suspect was described by the victims as a Hispanic male wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, brown pants, and carrying a brown long gun, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester. The victims advised the officers that the suspect had attempted to break into the office area of the motel.

Officer arrived and located a a suspect later identified as Juan Bustamante-Espinoza, 27, of Salina, wearing clothing that matched the description.

After a brief struggle, officers arrested Bustamante-Espinoza and later located a gun matching the description provided by the victims and some missing hand tools that were taken from the motel office area in the suspect's vehicle and room.

Bustamante-Espinoza is being held on requested charges of aggravated burglary, interference with law enforcement, theft, damage to property, criminal use of a weapon and battery of a law enforcement officer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604933859743.jpeg" alt="Juan Bustamante-Espinoza-&nbsp;Photo Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Juan Bustamante-Espinoza-&nbsp;Photo Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an&nbsp;alleged attempted break-in at a north Salina motel late Sunday night.Just before midnight, officers were dispatched for the report of a robbery in progress at the Budget King Motel, 809 North Broadway. The suspect was described by the victims as a Hispanic male wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, brown pants, and carrying a brown long gun, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester. The victims advised the officers that the suspect had attempted to break into the office area of the motel.Officer arrived and located a a suspect later identified as Juan Bustamante-Espinoza, 27, of Salina, wearing clothing that matched the description.After a brief struggle, officers arrested Bustamante-Espinoza and later located a gun matching the description provided by the victims and some missing hand tools that were taken from the motel office area in the suspect's vehicle and room.Bustamante-Espinoza is being held on requested charges of aggravated burglary, interference with law enforcement, theft, damage to property, criminal use of a weapon and battery of a law enforcement officer.

Police: Kan. man carried long gun during motel burglary

HUTCHINSON— Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, 1701 East 23rd Avenue, put up a tent outside the emergency department over the weekend.

"This is a triage tent or a mass casualty tent that we keep, and many hospitals have them, for extra square footage in case they need more capability," said Chuck Welch with the hospital. "If there's any sort of a natural disaster, or in this case, we just need extra square footage to hold, maybe, extra visitors. If we go to extended restrictions at the hospital, to where we're not allowing visitors in the hospital any more, family members may bring in somebody to the ED and this may be a warm spot for them to sit and wait outside the hospital, rather than having to sit in their car."

The hospital is actively considering further restrictions on visitors due to the COVID caseload.

"We're talking about that every day," Welch said. "As the caseload, as the COVID caseload continues to go up and we have to pull nursing resources and respiratory care and staffing resources from other areas to take care of our COVID patients, that becomes more and more of a consideration."

The numbers are just getting to be too much for the staff they have.

"At one point over the weekend, we had 41 positive COVID cases in the hospital," Welch said. "To say that we are stretched at this point would be an understatement. We are scrambling to try to find staff. Today, we are at 33 positive COVID patients."

The number of intubated and ventilated patients fluctuate anywhere from six to ten and change multiple times a day as people come on and off of that treatment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604931880070.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By NICK GOSNELLHutch PostHUTCHINSON— Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, 1701 East 23rd Avenue, put up a tent outside the emergency department over the weekend."This is a triage tent or a mass casualty tent that we keep, and many hospitals have them, for extra square footage in case they need more capability," said Chuck Welch with the hospital. "If there's any sort of a natural disaster, or in this case, we just need extra square footage to hold, maybe, extra visitors. If we go to extended restrictions at the hospital, to where we're not allowing visitors in the hospital any more, family members may bring in somebody to the ED and this may be a warm spot for them to sit and wait outside the hospital, rather than having to sit in their car."The hospital is actively considering further restrictions on visitors due to the COVID caseload."We're talking about that every day," Welch said. "As the caseload, as the COVID caseload continues to go up and we have to pull nursing resources and respiratory care and staffing resources from other areas to take care of our COVID patients, that becomes more and more of a consideration."The numbers are just getting to be too much for the staff they have."At one point over the weekend, we had 41 positive COVID cases in the hospital," Welch said. "To say that we are stretched at this point would be an understatement. We are scrambling to try to find staff. Today, we are at 33 positive COVID patients."The number of intubated and ventilated patients fluctuate anywhere from six to ten and change multiple times a day as people come on and off of that treatment.

Virus battle: Triage tent up at Hutchinson Medical Center

By LINDA A. JOHNSON and LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated Press

Pfizer says an early peek at its vaccine data suggests the shots may be 90% effective at preventing COVID-19, indicating the <a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/hot-topics/albert_bourla_discusses_covid_19_vaccine_efficacy_results?fbclid=IwAR1LWpPBNMRWu0cBPZTjTqhB3YEXQHkVwqTGGDsX8P3QmXwa3V_e9NXORVU">company is on track l</a>ater this month to file an emergency use application with U.S. regulators.

Monday’s announcement doesn’t mean a vaccine is imminent: This interim analysis, from an independent data monitoring board, looked at 94 infections recorded so far in a study that has enrolled nearly 44,000 people in the U.S. and five other countries.

Pfizer Inc. did not provide any more details about those cases, and cautioned the initial protection rate might change by the time the study ends. Even revealing such early data is highly unusual.

“We’re in a position potentially to be able to offer some hope,” Dr. Bill Gruber, Pfizer’s senior vice president of clinical development, told The Associated Press. “We’re very encouraged.”

Authorities have stressed it’s unlikely any vaccine will arrive much before the end of the year, and limited initial supplies will be rationed.

The shots made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech are among 10 possible vaccine candidates in late-stage testing around the world — four of them so far in huge studies in the U.S. Another U.S. company, Moderna Inc., also has said it hopes to be able to file an application with the Food and Drug Administration later this month.

Volunteers in the final-stage studies, and the researchers, don’t know who received the real vaccine or a dummy shot. But a week after their second required dose, Pfizer’s study began counting the number who developed COVID-19 symptoms and were confirmed to have the coronavirus.

Because the study hasn’t ended, Gruber couldn’t say how many in each group had infections. Doing the math, that would mean almost all the infections counted so far had to have occurred in people who got the dummy shots.

Pfizer doesn’t plan to stop its study until it records 164 infections among all the volunteers, a number that the FDA has agreed is enough to tell how well the vaccine is working. The agency has made clear that any vaccine must be at least 50% effective.

No participant so far has become severely ill, Gruber said. Nor could he provide a breakdown of how many of the infections had occurred in older people, who are at highest risk from COVID-19.

Participants were tested only if they developed symptoms, leaving unanswered whether vaccinated people could get infected but show no symptoms and unknowingly spread the virus.

FDA has required that U.S. vaccine candidates be studied in at least 30,000 people. In addition to adequate numbers of older adults, those studies must also include other groups at high risk, including minorities and people with chronic health problems.

And it told companies they must track half their participants for side effects for at least two months, the time period when problems typically crop up. Pfizer expects to reach that milestone later this month, but said Monday no serious safety concerns have been reported.

Because the pandemic is still raging, manufacturers hope to seek permission from governments around the world for emergency use of their vaccines while additional testing continues — allowing them to get to market faster than normal but raising concerns about how much scientists will know about the shots.

The FDA’s scientific advisers last month said they worry that allowing emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine could damage confidence in the shots and make it harder to ever find out how well they really work. Those advisers said it’s critical these massive studies are allowed to run to completion.

By LINDA A. JOHNSON and LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated PressPfizer says an early peek at its vaccine data suggests the shots may be 90% effective at preventing COVID-19, indicating the <a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/hot-topics/albert_bourla_discusses_covid_19_vaccine_efficacy_results?fbclid=IwAR1LWpPBNMRWu0cBPZTjTqhB3YEXQHkVwqTGGDsX8P3QmXwa3V_e9NXORVU">company is on track l</a>ater this month to file an emergency use application with U.S. regulators.Monday’s announcement doesn’t mean a vaccine is imminent: This interim analysis, from an independent data monitoring board, looked at 94 infections recorded so far in a study that has enrolled nearly 44,000 people in the U.S. and five other countries.Pfizer Inc. did not provide any more details about those cases, and cautioned the initial protection rate might change by the time the study ends. Even revealing such early data is highly unusual.“We’re in a position potentially to be able to offer some hope,” Dr. Bill Gruber, Pfizer’s senior vice president of clinical development, told The Associated Press. “We’re very encouraged.”Authorities have stressed it’s unlikely any vaccine will arrive much before the end of the year, and limited initial supplies will be rationed.The shots made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech are among 10 possible vaccine candidates in late-stage testing around the world — four of them so far in huge studies in the U.S. Another U.S. company, Moderna Inc., also has said it hopes to be able to file an application with the Food and Drug Administration later this month.Volunteers in the final-stage studies, and the researchers, don’t know who received the real vaccine or a dummy shot. But a week after their second required dose, Pfizer’s study began counting the number who developed COVID-19 symptoms and were confirmed to have the coronavirus.Because the study hasn’t ended, Gruber couldn’t say how many in each group had infections. Doing the math, that would mean almost all the infections counted so far had to have occurred in people who got the dummy shots.Pfizer doesn’t plan to stop its study until it records 164 infections among all the volunteers, a number that the FDA has agreed is enough to tell how well the vaccine is working. The agency has made clear that any vaccine must be at least 50% effective.No participant so far has become severely ill, Gruber said. Nor could he provide a breakdown of how many of the infections had occurred in older people, who are at highest risk from COVID-19.Participants were tested only if they developed symptoms, leaving unanswered whether vaccinated people could get infected but show no symptoms and unknowingly spread the virus.FDA has required that U.S. vaccine candidates be studied in at least 30,000 people. In addition to adequate numbers of older adults, those studies must also include other groups at high risk, including minorities and people with chronic health problems.And it told companies they must track half their participants for side effects for at least two months, the time period when problems typically crop up. Pfizer expects to reach that milestone later this month, but said Monday no serious safety concerns have been reported.Because the pandemic is still raging, manufacturers hope to seek permission from governments around the world for emergency use of their vaccines while additional testing continues — allowing them to get to market faster than normal but raising concerns about how much scientists will know about the shots.The FDA’s scientific advisers last month said they worry that allowing emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine could damage confidence in the shots and make it harder to ever find out how well they really work. Those advisers said it’s critical these massive studies are allowed to run to completion.___

Pfizer: Early data signals COVID-19 vaccine effective

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been charged with shooting three teenagers he believed stole Donald Trump campaign signs.

Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said Robert Sinner, 39, turned himself into police Saturday and is being held on $75,000 bond. Sinner is charged with criminal discharge of a firearm and two counts of aggravated battery in connection with the Oct. 31 incident in Topeka.

One of the teenagers involved in the incident has been charged with aggravated assault because prosecutors say Jose Garcia tried to hit Sinner with the car he was driving.

Police have said the shooting happened after Sinner confronted the teens because he believed they had previously stolen Trump campaign signs.

When officers responded to the shooting on Halloween, they found Robert Sinner and Justin Sinner, 34, armed with guns. A few blocks away, a silver Acura was found wrecked and abandoned.

One of the teens was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Two juveniles with gunshot wounds went to a local hospital on their own.

Topeka Police have said three teenagers, ages 15, 16, and 17 were involved in the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604237650206.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been charged with shooting three teenagers he believed stole Donald Trump campaign signs.Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said Robert Sinner, 39, turned himself into police Saturday and is being held on $75,000 bond. Sinner is charged with criminal discharge of a firearm and two counts of aggravated battery in connection with the Oct. 31 incident in Topeka.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604878531510.png" alt="Sinner photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Sinner photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>One of the teenagers involved in the incident has been charged with aggravated assault because prosecutors say Jose Garcia tried to hit Sinner with the car he was driving.Police have said the shooting happened after Sinner confronted the teens because he believed they had previously stolen Trump campaign signs.When officers responded to the shooting on Halloween, they found Robert Sinner and Justin Sinner, 34, armed with guns. A few blocks away, a silver Acura was found wrecked and abandoned.One of the teens was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Two juveniles with gunshot wounds went to a local hospital on their own.Topeka Police have said three teenagers, ages 15, 16, and 17 were involved in the incident.

Kan. man charged with shooting teens he thought stole Trump signs

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite Trump administration efforts to erect a protective shield around nursing homes, coronavirus cases are surging within facilities in states hard hit by the latest onslaught of COVID-19.

An analysis of federal data from 20 states for The Associated Press finds that new weekly cases among residents rose nearly four-fold from the end of May to late October, from 1,083 to 4,274. Resident deaths more than doubled, from 318 a week to 699, according to the study by University of Chicago health researchers Rebecca Gorges and Tamara Konetzka.

Equally concerning, weekly cases among nursing home staff in surge states more than quadrupled, from 855 the week ending May 31, to 4,050 the week ending Oct. 25. That rings alarms because infected staffers not yet showing symptoms are seen as the most likely way the virus gets into facilities. When those unwitting staffers test positive, they are sidelined from caring for residents, raising pressures on remaining staff.

The administration has allocated $5 billion to nursing homes, shipped nearly 14,000 fast-test machines with a goal of supplying every facility and tried to shore up stocks of protective equipment. But the data call into question the broader White House game plan, one that pushes states to reopen while maintaining that vulnerable people can be cocooned, even if the virus rebounds around them.

“Trying to protect nursing home residents without controlling community spread is a losing battle,” said Konetzka, a nationally recognized expert on long-term care. “Someone has to care for vulnerable nursing home residents, and those caregivers move in and out of the nursing home daily, providing an easy pathway for the virus to enter.”

The nation is setting records for coronavirus cases heading into cold weather season when many experts expect the virus will be harder to contain. The seven-day rolling average for daily new cases stood at nearly 104,000 on Saturday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities account for about 1% of the U.S. population, but represent 40% of COVID-19 deaths, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

In Fort Dodge, a manufacturing and transportation center in north-central Iowa, Julie Thorson said she knew she was in for a bad week when several employees at the Friendship Haven nursing home tested positive last Monday. As president of the senior living community, Thorson contacted the county health department. “They were basically not surprised because they’re seeing it all over the county,” she said.

Residents also started testing positive. The facility had 11 new cases among residents, as of Friday.

“I was thinking all night what’s worse, to have it hit and not know what you are getting into, or to prepare, prepare, and prepare, and then have it hit,” she said.

Responding to the study findings, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a statement saying that “the bottom line is that the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on nursing homes is complex and multifactorial.”

The agency noted different ways the administration has worked to help nursing homes and said its focus now was on ensuring that residents and staff would “immediately” have access to a vaccine once approved. But it also added that facilities “bear the primary responsibility for keeping their residents safe.”

“Many times, the likely causes of nursing home outbreaks are simply nursing homes failing to comply with basic infection control rules,” the statement said.

But Konetzka said her research has shown that nursing home quality has no significant effect on cases and deaths once community spread is factored in. “It’s not like the high-quality facilities have figured out how to do things better,” she said. Other academic experts have reached similar conclusions.

Highly rated by Medicare, St. Paul Elder Services in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, has had 72 COVID-19 cases among residents and 74 among staff, according to its Facebook page. The first case among residents was Aug. 19, and 15 have died, said the facility’s president, Sondra Norder.

“The outcomes are really not much different here than they were in New York back earlier in the pandemic,” Norder said. “It’s been called the perfect killing machine of the elderly, especially those who live in congregate settings.” Kaukauna is a small city about 100 miles north of Milwaukee.

The study, based on data reported by nursing homes to the government, also raised other concerns:

— For the week ending Oct. 25, about 1 in 6 nursing homes in surge states did not report having tested staff the prior week. Government requirements call for staff testing at least weekly in areas where the virus is spreading.

— During the same period, nearly 1 in 5 nursing homes reported shortages of basic protective supplies such as masks and gowns.

— Nearly 1 in 4 facilities reported a nurse staffing shortage.

Most of the states in the study are in the middle and northern tiers of the country.

The Commons, a senior living community in Enid, Oklahoma, that includes a nursing home, is in a coronavirus hotspot. The oil and gas hub has a positive rate approaching 18%. A local mask mandate has twice been shot down, said Steven Walkingstick, CEO of The Commons.

“From my standpoint, a mandate unfortunately is needed,” said Walkingstick. “I don’t want the government involved, but evidence has shown we are not going to do this voluntarily.”

Walkingstick said he believes the U.S. has gotten better at saving the lives of COVID-19 patients, but not at keeping the virus out of nursing homes.

Thorson, head of the Fort Dodge facility, said it takes a lot of effort to try to keep the virus out, and it’s demoralizing to see it break through.

“Don’t forget about us, because we are still here, doing the best we can in rural areas,” she said.

The 20 states analyzed in the study were Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. They were selected because they’re now seeing their highest hospitalization rates for COVID-19.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite Trump administration efforts to erect a protective shield around nursing homes, coronavirus cases are surging within facilities in states hard hit by the latest onslaught of COVID-19.An analysis of federal data from 20 states for The Associated Press finds that new weekly cases among residents rose nearly four-fold from the end of May to late October, from 1,083 to 4,274. Resident deaths more than doubled, from 318 a week to 699, according to the study by University of Chicago health researchers Rebecca Gorges and Tamara Konetzka.Equally concerning, weekly cases among nursing home staff in surge states more than quadrupled, from 855 the week ending May 31, to 4,050 the week ending Oct. 25. That rings alarms because infected staffers not yet showing symptoms are seen as the most likely way the virus gets into facilities. When those unwitting staffers test positive, they are sidelined from caring for residents, raising pressures on remaining staff.The administration has allocated $5 billion to nursing homes, shipped nearly 14,000 fast-test machines with a goal of supplying every facility and tried to shore up stocks of protective equipment. But the data call into question the broader White House game plan, one that pushes states to reopen while maintaining that vulnerable people can be cocooned, even if the virus rebounds around them.“Trying to protect nursing home residents without controlling community spread is a losing battle,” said Konetzka, a nationally recognized expert on long-term care. “Someone has to care for vulnerable nursing home residents, and those caregivers move in and out of the nursing home daily, providing an easy pathway for the virus to enter.”The nation is setting records for coronavirus cases heading into cold weather season when many experts expect the virus will be harder to contain. The seven-day rolling average for daily new cases stood at nearly 104,000 on Saturday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities account for about 1% of the U.S. population, but represent 40% of COVID-19 deaths, according to the COVID Tracking Project.In Fort Dodge, a manufacturing and transportation center in north-central Iowa, Julie Thorson said she knew she was in for a bad week when several employees at the Friendship Haven nursing home tested positive last Monday. As president of the senior living community, Thorson contacted the county health department. “They were basically not surprised because they’re seeing it all over the county,” she said.Residents also started testing positive. The facility had 11 new cases among residents, as of Friday.“I was thinking all night what’s worse, to have it hit and not know what you are getting into, or to prepare, prepare, and prepare, and then have it hit,” she said.Responding to the study findings, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a statement saying that “the bottom line is that the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on nursing homes is complex and multifactorial.”The agency noted different ways the administration has worked to help nursing homes and said its focus now was on ensuring that residents and staff would “immediately” have access to a vaccine once approved. But it also added that facilities “bear the primary responsibility for keeping their residents safe.”“Many times, the likely causes of nursing home outbreaks are simply nursing homes failing to comply with basic infection control rules,” the statement said.But Konetzka said her research has shown that nursing home quality has no significant effect on cases and deaths once community spread is factored in. “It’s not like the high-quality facilities have figured out how to do things better,” she said. Other academic experts have reached similar conclusions.Highly rated by Medicare, St. Paul Elder Services in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, has had 72 COVID-19 cases among residents and 74 among staff, according to its Facebook page. The first case among residents was Aug. 19, and 15 have died, said the facility’s president, Sondra Norder.“The outcomes are really not much different here than they were in New York back earlier in the pandemic,” Norder said. “It’s been called the perfect killing machine of the elderly, especially those who live in congregate settings.” Kaukauna is a small city about 100 miles north of Milwaukee.The study, based on data reported by nursing homes to the government, also raised other concerns:— For the week ending Oct. 25, about 1 in 6 nursing homes in surge states did not report having tested staff the prior week. Government requirements call for staff testing at least weekly in areas where the virus is spreading.— During the same period, nearly 1 in 5 nursing homes reported shortages of basic protective supplies such as masks and gowns.— Nearly 1 in 4 facilities reported a nurse staffing shortage.Most of the states in the study are in the middle and northern tiers of the country.The Commons, a senior living community in Enid, Oklahoma, that includes a nursing home, is in a coronavirus hotspot. The oil and gas hub has a positive rate approaching 18%. A local mask mandate has twice been shot down, said Steven Walkingstick, CEO of The Commons.“From my standpoint, a mandate unfortunately is needed,” said Walkingstick. “I don’t want the government involved, but evidence has shown we are not going to do this voluntarily.”Walkingstick said he believes the U.S. has gotten better at saving the lives of COVID-19 patients, but not at keeping the virus out of nursing homes.Thorson, head of the Fort Dodge facility, said it takes a lot of effort to try to keep the virus out, and it’s demoralizing to see it break through.“Don’t forget about us, because we are still here, doing the best we can in rural areas,” she said.The 20 states analyzed in the study were Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. They were selected because they’re now seeing their highest hospitalization rates for COVID-19.

Nursing home COVID-19 cases rise four-fold in surge states

By A.J. DOME <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/07/conservation-project-aims-to-restore-ogallala-aquifer-through-naturally-occurring-landforms/">Kansas Reflector</a>

The future of water 
availability in western Kansas is receiving support from a 
multimillion-dollar project aimed at using existing land formations to 
recharge a major underground water source.

Final details of the 
Groundwater Recharge and Sustainability Project, or GRASP, are being 
worked out within the offices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 
Natural Resources Conservation Service. Earlier this year the project 
received an injection of $1.4 million from NRCS, and another $1.5 
million from multiple partnering conservation organizations, including 
the Playa Lakes Joint Venture and Ducks Unlimited.

The plan calls for the 
restoration and enhancement of playas — natural wetlands that dot the 
state. There are more than 22,000 playa lakes in Kansas, with 85% of 
that playa acreage in cropland. The remaining 15% are part of natural 
grasslands, with the average size of a playa being 3.7 acres.

“If you didn’t know what 
you were looking at, you wouldn’t think there was something there,” said
 Matt Smith, the conservation delivery manager for Playa Lakes Joint 
Venture. “Wetlands on the high plains are a source of groundwater 
recharge. All western Kansas water issues make these important.”

Smith said his 
organization’s idea was to restore those wetlands, especially near 
municipal and domestic water wells, allowing water to trickle down and 
recharge those wells and the depleting Ogallala Aquifer. The GRASP 
project will help landowners and ag producers with voluntary efforts to 
restore those playas, as well as improve their irrigation systems, 
reduce pumping, retire old wells, and help transition toward dryland 
crop systems where applicable.

“It depends on the 
situation — some folks understand what’s coming and see this is 
obviously an unsustainable use of water in some areas,” Smith said. 
“They see that something has to change.”

The project is focused on 
Wichita and Greeley counties, which have seen a rapid decline in water 
availability. The two counties combined have about 600 playas. Smith 
said the depth of the aquifer varies in different locations but 
estimates some parts of these counties could experience water issues 
within 10 to 50 years.

According to the Kansas 
Water Office’s State of the Resource Report from August 2018, from the 
years of 2007 to 2016, water measurements taken across 158 wells in the 
Upper Smoky Hill region by the Kansas Geological Survey and the state 
Department of Agriculture’s Division of Water Resources showed an 
average groundwater level decline each year of 0.60 inches, with a 
10-year cumulative decline of nearly six feet.

“Water is our most vital 
resource,” said Katie Patterson-Ingels, communications director for the 
Kansas Water Office. “Water and our Kansas economy are directly linked.”

Patterson-Ingels said the 
KWO learned during public input for the Kansas Water Vision that most 
Kansans do not understand where their water comes from.

“Water is a finite 
resource, and without planning and action we will no longer be able to 
meet our state’s current water needs, let alone state growth,” 
Patterson-Ingels said.

Abe Lollar, a biologist 
with Ducks Unlimited, said his organization has provided $100,000 of 
financial support, and another $50,000 for technical assistance toward 
GRASP. The technical aspects involve Lollar providing education and 
outreach to local landowners and ag producers on the details of the 
project and its potential benefits. The $100,000 will be put toward the 
purchase of native prairie shortgrass seed, which Lollar said runs from 
$150 to $200 per acre.

“It’s not the cheapest 
seed mix in the world,” said Lollar. “The mixes are so expensive because
 it’s hard to get some of these annual plants that have high seed 
production in the mix.”

Lollar said the seed mixes
 are a necessary part of the playa restoration process. The planted 
grass buffer acts like a natural water filter. Rainwater from 
surrounding fields runs into the playa and carries sediment and 
contaminants with it. The shortgrass will stop much of the sediment from
 entering the playa and improve the quality of the water entering the 
aquifer. It will also provide habitat and a food source for birds and 
pollinators.

“A healthy, functioning 
playa would be one with little sediment on the bottom, no pit, and 
surrounded by that native shortgrass buffer,” Lollar said.

Before any seed is 
planted, conservationists will go look at the soil in the playa region 
and take samples to determine how much sediment has built up along the 
bottom of the playa. Too much sediment could interfere with the 
shrinking and swelling of the clay layer, acting like a cork and keeping
 water from trickling down through fissures in the ground. Lollar said a
 good playa lake has a bottom comprised of clay soil, and more than four
 inches of sediment would make the playa too shallow, therefore limiting
 how much water it could hold — and how much water filters down into the
 aquifer.

Lollar said restored 
playas have the best recharge value, and the recharge process takes 
longer than depletion, as nature cannot keep up with the amount of water
 being pulled by irrigation.

“There’s a lot of 
different factors in how long it takes to restore a playa,” Lollar said.
 “A fast turnaround in western Kansas would be three years. A key factor
 in the final restoration is getting that native grass to take hold and 
grow. It could take several years, start to finish.”

Lollar said one does not want to rush Mother Nature when it comes to providing water for future generations.

“We only have one Planet Earth, why wouldn’t you want to take care of it?” Lollar said.

A <a href="https://playasworkforkansas.com/2020/10/29/free-playa-lake-workshop-and-tour/">workshop on playa lakes</a>
 is being held Jan. 12 and 13 at the Northwest Kansas Technical College 
in Goodland. The event is free for landowners and tenants interested in 
learning more about the benefits of playas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604849981560.png" alt="About 22,000 playas dot the landscape in western Kansas, with 85% of playa acres located in cropland. In this dry landscape, playas are the main source of water for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds, as well as resident prairie birds. (Playa Lakes Joint Venture)" />
 <figcaption>About 22,000 playas dot the landscape in western Kansas, with 85% of playa acres located in cropland. In this dry landscape, playas are the main source of water for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds, as well as resident prairie birds. (Playa Lakes Joint Venture)</figcaption>
 </figure>By A.J. DOME <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/07/conservation-project-aims-to-restore-ogallala-aquifer-through-naturally-occurring-landforms/">Kansas Reflector</a>The future of water 
availability in western Kansas is receiving support from a 
multimillion-dollar project aimed at using existing land formations to 
recharge a major underground water source.Final details of the 
Groundwater Recharge and Sustainability Project, or GRASP, are being 
worked out within the offices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 
Natural Resources Conservation Service. Earlier this year the project 
received an injection of $1.4 million from NRCS, and another $1.5 
million from multiple partnering conservation organizations, including 
the Playa Lakes Joint Venture and Ducks Unlimited.The plan calls for the 
restoration and enhancement of playas — natural wetlands that dot the 
state. There are more than 22,000 playa lakes in Kansas, with 85% of 
that playa acreage in cropland. The remaining 15% are part of natural 
grasslands, with the average size of a playa being 3.7 acres.“If you didn’t know what 
you were looking at, you wouldn’t think there was something there,” said
 Matt Smith, the conservation delivery manager for Playa Lakes Joint 
Venture. “Wetlands on the high plains are a source of groundwater 
recharge. All western Kansas water issues make these important.”Smith said his 
organization’s idea was to restore those wetlands, especially near 
municipal and domestic water wells, allowing water to trickle down and 
recharge those wells and the depleting Ogallala Aquifer. The GRASP 
project will help landowners and ag producers with voluntary efforts to 
restore those playas, as well as improve their irrigation systems, 
reduce pumping, retire old wells, and help transition toward dryland 
crop systems where applicable.“It depends on the 
situation — some folks understand what’s coming and see this is 
obviously an unsustainable use of water in some areas,” Smith said. 
“They see that something has to change.”The project is focused on 
Wichita and Greeley counties, which have seen a rapid decline in water 
availability. The two counties combined have about 600 playas. Smith 
said the depth of the aquifer varies in different locations but 
estimates some parts of these counties could experience water issues 
within 10 to 50 years.According to the Kansas 
Water Office’s State of the Resource Report from August 2018, from the 
years of 2007 to 2016, water measurements taken across 158 wells in the 
Upper Smoky Hill region by the Kansas Geological Survey and the state 
Department of Agriculture’s Division of Water Resources showed an 
average groundwater level decline each year of 0.60 inches, with a 
10-year cumulative decline of nearly six feet.“Water is our most vital 
resource,” said Katie Patterson-Ingels, communications director for the 
Kansas Water Office. “Water and our Kansas economy are directly linked.”Patterson-Ingels said the 
KWO learned during public input for the Kansas Water Vision that most 
Kansans do not understand where their water comes from.“Water is a finite 
resource, and without planning and action we will no longer be able to 
meet our state’s current water needs, let alone state growth,” 
Patterson-Ingels said.Abe Lollar, a biologist 
with Ducks Unlimited, said his organization has provided $100,000 of 
financial support, and another $50,000 for technical assistance toward 
GRASP. The technical aspects involve Lollar providing education and 
outreach to local landowners and ag producers on the details of the 
project and its potential benefits. The $100,000 will be put toward the 
purchase of native prairie shortgrass seed, which Lollar said runs from 
$150 to $200 per acre.“It’s not the cheapest 
seed mix in the world,” said Lollar. “The mixes are so expensive because
 it’s hard to get some of these annual plants that have high seed 
production in the mix.”Lollar said the seed mixes
 are a necessary part of the playa restoration process. The planted 
grass buffer acts like a natural water filter. Rainwater from 
surrounding fields runs into the playa and carries sediment and 
contaminants with it. The shortgrass will stop much of the sediment from
 entering the playa and improve the quality of the water entering the 
aquifer. It will also provide habitat and a food source for birds and 
pollinators.“A healthy, functioning 
playa would be one with little sediment on the bottom, no pit, and 
surrounded by that native shortgrass buffer,” Lollar said.Before any seed is 
planted, conservationists will go look at the soil in the playa region 
and take samples to determine how much sediment has built up along the 
bottom of the playa. Too much sediment could interfere with the 
shrinking and swelling of the clay layer, acting like a cork and keeping
 water from trickling down through fissures in the ground. Lollar said a
 good playa lake has a bottom comprised of clay soil, and more than four
 inches of sediment would make the playa too shallow, therefore limiting
 how much water it could hold — and how much water filters down into the
 aquifer.Lollar said restored 
playas have the best recharge value, and the recharge process takes 
longer than depletion, as nature cannot keep up with the amount of water
 being pulled by irrigation.“There’s a lot of 
different factors in how long it takes to restore a playa,” Lollar said.
 “A fast turnaround in western Kansas would be three years. A key factor
 in the final restoration is getting that native grass to take hold and 
grow. It could take several years, start to finish.”Lollar said one does not want to rush Mother Nature when it comes to providing water for future generations.“We only have one Planet Earth, why wouldn’t you want to take care of it?” Lollar said.A <a href="https://playasworkforkansas.com/2020/10/29/free-playa-lake-workshop-and-tour/">workshop on playa lakes</a>
 is being held Jan. 12 and 13 at the Northwest Kansas Technical College 
in Goodland. The event is free for landowners and tenants interested in 
learning more about the benefits of playas.

Project aims to restore Ogallala Aquifer through naturally occurring landforms

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man convicted of aggravated sexual battery; intentional touching is charged with failure to register as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, according to the United State's Attorney.

Jorge Aaron Valdez-Torres, 27, Wichita, is alleged to have committed the crime from May 2018 to July 2020 in Sedgwick County.&nbsp; The Kansas Department of Corrections issued a warrant for his arrest in August.

If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604521610174.png" alt="Valdez-Torres -photo Cherokee Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Valdez-Torres -photo Cherokee Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man convicted of aggravated sexual battery; intentional touching is charged with failure to register as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, according to the United State's Attorney.Jorge Aaron Valdez-Torres, 27, Wichita, is alleged to have committed the crime from May 2018 to July 2020 in Sedgwick County.&nbsp; The Kansas Department of Corrections issued a warrant for his arrest in August.If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated.&nbsp;

Kansas felon failed to register as a sex offender 

TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man was sentenced to five years in federal prison for driving a getaway car during a robbery, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Justin Alexander McClelland, 33, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting a commercial robbery. In his plea, McClelland admitted he drove a co-defendant to a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant where the co-defendant committed the robbery. Then McClelland drove the co-defendant away from the robbery.

Co-defendant&nbsp;Joshua Musgraves, 27, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to robbery and is set for sentencing Jan. 25.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604454100503.png" alt=" McClelland photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption> McClelland photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man was sentenced to five years in federal prison for driving a getaway car during a robbery, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.Justin Alexander McClelland, 33, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting a commercial robbery. In his plea, McClelland admitted he drove a co-defendant to a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant where the co-defendant committed the robbery. Then McClelland drove the co-defendant away from the robbery.Co-defendant&nbsp;Joshua Musgraves, 27, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to robbery and is set for sentencing Jan. 25.

Kan. man admits role in Kentucky Fried Chicken robbery

HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man whose short sentence was overturned by the court of appeals will be back in court Thursday to be resentenced.

Taylor Lukone was given the two-year sentence for a conviction of reckless second-degree murder in the death of 51-year-old Jose Lopez.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Lukone intentionally rammed Lopez with a car after a confrontation between the two. Lopez was taken to a Wichita hospital and died days later.

The case went to the Supreme Court who refused to address the case thus sending it back to Reno County.

Lukone got the unexpected break from what could have been an 11-year sentence when Judge Trish Rose granted her own departure in the case going against the plea agreement from both the state and the defense. Rose said Lukone’s lack of criminal history and his age as reasons for the 99-month departure.

The Court of Appeals stated that the extent of Rose’s departure was not proportionate to the severity level of Lukone's crimes. As a result, Rose’s 99-month departure was outside the framework of the legal standards and statutory limitations placed on it by the KSGA grid. Thus, this constituted an abuse of discretion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603362145099.png" alt="Lukone-photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Lukone-photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man whose short sentence was overturned by the court of appeals will be back in court Thursday to be resentenced.Taylor Lukone was given the two-year sentence for a conviction of reckless second-degree murder in the death of 51-year-old Jose Lopez.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lukone intentionally rammed Lopez with a car after a confrontation between the two. Lopez was taken to a Wichita hospital and died days later.The case went to the Supreme Court who refused to address the case thus sending it back to Reno County.Lukone got the unexpected break from what could have been an 11-year sentence when Judge Trish Rose granted her own departure in the case going against the plea agreement from both the state and the defense. Rose said Lukone’s lack of criminal history and his age as reasons for the 99-month departure.The Court of Appeals stated that the extent of Rose’s departure was not proportionate to the severity level of Lukone's crimes. As a result, Rose’s 99-month departure was outside the framework of the legal standards and statutory limitations placed on it by the KSGA grid. Thus, this constituted an abuse of discretion.Thursdays sentencing is set for 3 p.m.

Resentencing set for Kan. man who killed bicycle rider

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/05/u-s-mint-releases-new-coin-honoring-kansas-tallgrass-prairie-national-preserve/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The U.S. Mint on Thursday <a href="https://catalog.usmint.gov/tallgrass-prairie-national-preserve-2020-quarter-3-coin-set-20AH.html?cgid=america-the-beautiful-quarters#cm_mmc=infosite-_-coin%2520medal%2520page-_-tallgrass%2520prairie-_-america%2520the%2520beautiful%2520quarters&amp;_ga=2.74277650.1202101115.1604590620-1142356447.1604590620&amp;start=1">released a new coin set</a>
 honoring Kansas’ Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, the only site 
within the National Park Service dedicated to the natural history of the
 tallgrass prairie.

The quarters feature a 
regal fritillary butterfly against a backdrop of bluestem and Indian 
grass — both of which are native to the national preserve — on the 
reverse of the coin.

Randy Bilbeisi, 
superintendent of the preserve, which is north of Strong City, said the 
U.S. Mint chose the preserve from five qualifying areas in Kansas.

“Tallgrass prairie being 
selected as a site for coins representing America’s beauty is very 
important to us,” Bilbeisi said. “It’s huge to see the regal fritillary,
 an important pollinator here, and the bluestem representing the prairie
 on the coin.”

The coin, which is now available for purchase, is the penultimate release of the <a href="https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/library/america-the-beautiful-quarters">America the Beautiful Quarters Program</a> launched in 2010. The program will conclude with a final coin to be issued in 2021.

When finished, the program
 will include 56 quarter-dollar coins depicting national parks or other 
national sites in each state or territory and the District of Columbia.

“These programs hold real 
value in helping Americans of all ages, especially our children, learn 
more about U.S. history, geography and culture highlighting national 
parks and sites throughout the country,” said Edmund Moy, former 
director of the Mint, during the unveiling of the quarter program.

<a href="https://www.nps.gov/tapr/index.htm">Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve</a>,
 selected to represent Kansas in the collection, supports a variety of 
grasses, flowers and animals in a tallgrass prairie ecosystem. The 
preserve currently occupies about 11,000 acres in the Flint Hills, the 
largest expanse of tallgrass prairie left in North America.

At its peak, this ecosystem covered 170 million acres of land across the continent.

The national preserve, 
established in 1996, also aims to protect the region’s ranching history.
 Cattle still graze in some areas of the park.

Bilbeisi said he hopes the coin will bring more attention and interest to endangered ecosystems.

“What we are about is 
education and preservation,” Bilbeisi said. “The more attention 
tallgrass prairie gets, the more schools that will be interested to 
learn about this fragile ecosystem. So there is a lot of pride that 
comes with being one of 56 quarters printed.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604673375385.png" alt="The reverse side of a newly released quarter features a regal fritillary butterfly against a backdrop of bluestem and Indian grass — both of which are native to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. (U.S. Mint)" />
 <figcaption>The reverse side of a newly released quarter features a regal fritillary butterfly against a backdrop of bluestem and Indian grass — both of which are native to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. (U.S. Mint)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/05/u-s-mint-releases-new-coin-honoring-kansas-tallgrass-prairie-national-preserve/">Kansas Reflector</a> TOPEKA — The U.S. Mint on Thursday <a href="https://catalog.usmint.gov/tallgrass-prairie-national-preserve-2020-quarter-3-coin-set-20AH.html?cgid=america-the-beautiful-quarters#cm_mmc=infosite-_-coin%2520medal%2520page-_-tallgrass%2520prairie-_-america%2520the%2520beautiful%2520quarters&amp;_ga=2.74277650.1202101115.1604590620-1142356447.1604590620&amp;start=1">released a new coin set</a>
 honoring Kansas’ Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, the only site 
within the National Park Service dedicated to the natural history of the
 tallgrass prairie.The quarters feature a 
regal fritillary butterfly against a backdrop of bluestem and Indian 
grass — both of which are native to the national preserve — on the 
reverse of the coin.Randy Bilbeisi, 
superintendent of the preserve, which is north of Strong City, said the 
U.S. Mint chose the preserve from five qualifying areas in Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604673442335.png" alt="Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve occupies about 11,000 acres in the Flint Hills and is the largest expanse of tallgrass prairie left in North America. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve occupies about 11,000 acres in the Flint Hills and is the largest expanse of tallgrass prairie left in North America. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“Tallgrass prairie being 
selected as a site for coins representing America’s beauty is very 
important to us,” Bilbeisi said. “It’s huge to see the regal fritillary,
 an important pollinator here, and the bluestem representing the prairie
 on the coin.”The coin, which is now available for purchase, is the penultimate release of the <a href="https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/library/america-the-beautiful-quarters">America the Beautiful Quarters Program</a> launched in 2010. The program will conclude with a final coin to be issued in 2021.When finished, the program
 will include 56 quarter-dollar coins depicting national parks or other 
national sites in each state or territory and the District of Columbia.“These programs hold real 
value in helping Americans of all ages, especially our children, learn 
more about U.S. history, geography and culture highlighting national 
parks and sites throughout the country,” said Edmund Moy, former 
director of the Mint, during the unveiling of the quarter program.<a href="https://www.nps.gov/tapr/index.htm">Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve</a>,
 selected to represent Kansas in the collection, supports a variety of 
grasses, flowers and animals in a tallgrass prairie ecosystem. The 
preserve currently occupies about 11,000 acres in the Flint Hills, the 
largest expanse of tallgrass prairie left in North America.At its peak, this ecosystem covered 170 million acres of land across the continent.The national preserve, 
established in 1996, also aims to protect the region’s ranching history.
 Cattle still graze in some areas of the park.Bilbeisi said he hopes the coin will bring more attention and interest to endangered ecosystems.“What we are about is 
education and preservation,” Bilbeisi said. “The more attention 
tallgrass prairie gets, the more schools that will be interested to 
learn about this fragile ecosystem. So there is a lot of pride that 
comes with being one of 56 quarters printed.”

U.S. Mint releases coin honoring Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

A nationwide push to relax drug laws took a significant step forward Tuesday as five more states legalized marijuana for adults and voters made Oregon the first state to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of street drugs such as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.

The drug measures were among 120 proposed state laws and constitutional amendments that were on the ballot in 32 states. They touched on an array of issues that have roiled politics in recent years — voting rights, racial inequalities, abortion, taxes and education, to name a few.

But none directly dealt with the dominant theme of 2020 — the coronavirus pandemic. That’s because the process to put measures on the ballot began, in most cases, before the virus surged to the forefront.

The Oregon drug initiative will allow people arrested with small amounts of hard drugs to avoid going to trial, and possible jail time, by paying a $100 fine and attending an addiction recovery program. The treatment centers will be funded by revenues from legalized marijuana, which was approved in Oregon several years ago.

“Today’s victory is a landmark declaration that the time has come to stop criminalizing people for drug use,” said Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, which backed the measure.

The proposal was endorsed by the Oregon Democratic Party, as well as some nurses and physician associations. The Oregon Republican Party had denounced the drug decriminalization measure as radical, and some prosecutors called it reckless.

Oregon voters also approved a measure making the state the first to legalize the therapeutic use of psychedelic mushrooms.

Voters in New Jersey and Arizona approved measures legalizing marijuana for adults age 21 and older. In New Jersey, the Legislature now will have to pass another measure setting up the new marijuana marketplace. The Arizona measure also allows people convicted of certain marijuana crimes to seek expungement of their records. The passage of the measure signaled a change of attitudes, after Arizona voters narrowly defeated a legal pot proposal in 2016.

South Dakota on Tuesday became the first state where voters authorized both recreational marijuana and medical marijuana via two separate initiatives in the same election. The legalization of recreational marijuana was approved by voters in Montana, and medical marijuana won approval in Mississippi.

A decade ago, recreational marijuana was illegal in all 50 states. Voters allowed it in Colorado and Washington in 2012, sparking a movement that already included 11 states and Washington, D.C., heading into Tuesday’s elections. Supporters hope additional victories, especially in conservative states, could build pressure for Congress to legalize marijuana nationwide.

Two states considered anti-abortion amendments with different results.

Louisiana voters passed a measure asserting there is no state constitutional right to abortion — something that could come into play if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

In Colorado, by contrast, voters defeated a measure to prohibit abortions after 22 weeks unless the pregnant woman’s life is endangered. Previous Colorado ballot initiatives to limit abortion also failed in 2008, 2010 and 2014.

Several states considered measures affecting voting rights.

Virginia voters passed a constitutional amendment taking power away from members of the Democratic-led Legislature to draw voting districts for themselves and members of Congress based on census results. It instead will create a bipartisan commission of lawmakers and citizens to develop a redistricting plan that the Legislature could approve or reject, but not change.

Virginia is the sixth state in the past two general election cycles to pass measures intended to prevent gerrymandering — a process in which politicians draw voting districts to benefit themselves or their political parties.

Voters in Missouri, who passed a redistricting reform measure in 2018, decided Tuesday to roll back key parts of it before it could be used next year. They passed a measure placed on the ballot by the Republican-led Legislature to repeal a nationally unique model that would have used a nonpartisan demographer to draw state House and Senate districts to achieve “partisan fairness” and “competitiveness.” The measure instead returns those duties to bipartisan commissions and drops “partisan fairness” and “competitiveness” to the end of the priority list.

In Florida, voters approved a measure gradually increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. The measure puts Florida in line with at least seven other states — California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York — and Washington, D.C., which already have enacted laws to gradually boost the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

In Mississippi, voters approved a proposal for a new state flag with a magnolia design. The vote came after legislators in June ended the use of a flag bearing a Confederate battle emblem. In Rhode Island, whose official name is “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,” a proposal was leading to eliminate the final three words, which some say evoke a legacy of slavery.

Tax proposals were on the ballot in more than a dozen states. Tobacco tax hikes passed in Colorado and Oregon. Colorado voters also approved a slight income tax cut. Proposals to charge higher income taxes on the wealthy were trailing in Illinois but leading in Arizona, where the new revenue would fund pay raises for teachers and other school personnel. A California property tax increase on businesses remained close.

In California, Uber, Lyft and other app-based ride-hailing and delivery services prevailed in their expensive fight to keep drivers classified as independent contractors. The ballot initiative pitted the powerhouses of the so-called gig economy, including DoorDash, Postmates and Instacart, against labor unions. It was the most expensive California ballot measure ever — more than $220 million was spent, most by the gig companies.

The measure creates an exemption to a state law that would have made drivers eligible for benefits that come with being company employees. San Francisco-based Uber and Lyft had threatened to pull out of California if they lost.

Among the many California ballot proposals was one to repeal a 1996 initiative that prohibits affirmative action programs granting preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in public employment, education or contracting. It was trailing in the polls.

By DAVID A. LIEB, Associated PressA nationwide push to relax drug laws took a significant step forward Tuesday as five more states legalized marijuana for adults and voters made Oregon the first state to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of street drugs such as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.The drug measures were among 120 proposed state laws and constitutional amendments that were on the ballot in 32 states. They touched on an array of issues that have roiled politics in recent years — voting rights, racial inequalities, abortion, taxes and education, to name a few.But none directly dealt with the dominant theme of 2020 — the coronavirus pandemic. That’s because the process to put measures on the ballot began, in most cases, before the virus surged to the forefront.The Oregon drug initiative will allow people arrested with small amounts of hard drugs to avoid going to trial, and possible jail time, by paying a $100 fine and attending an addiction recovery program. The treatment centers will be funded by revenues from legalized marijuana, which was approved in Oregon several years ago.“Today’s victory is a landmark declaration that the time has come to stop criminalizing people for drug use,” said Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, which backed the measure.The proposal was endorsed by the Oregon Democratic Party, as well as some nurses and physician associations. The Oregon Republican Party had denounced the drug decriminalization measure as radical, and some prosecutors called it reckless.Oregon voters also approved a measure making the state the first to legalize the therapeutic use of psychedelic mushrooms.Voters in New Jersey and Arizona approved measures legalizing marijuana for adults age 21 and older. In New Jersey, the Legislature now will have to pass another measure setting up the new marijuana marketplace. The Arizona measure also allows people convicted of certain marijuana crimes to seek expungement of their records. The passage of the measure signaled a change of attitudes, after Arizona voters narrowly defeated a legal pot proposal in 2016.South Dakota on Tuesday became the first state where voters authorized both recreational marijuana and medical marijuana via two separate initiatives in the same election. The legalization of recreational marijuana was approved by voters in Montana, and medical marijuana won approval in Mississippi.A decade ago, recreational marijuana was illegal in all 50 states. Voters allowed it in Colorado and Washington in 2012, sparking a movement that already included 11 states and Washington, D.C., heading into Tuesday’s elections. Supporters hope additional victories, especially in conservative states, could build pressure for Congress to legalize marijuana nationwide.Two states considered anti-abortion amendments with different results.Louisiana voters passed a measure asserting there is no state constitutional right to abortion — something that could come into play if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.In Colorado, by contrast, voters defeated a measure to prohibit abortions after 22 weeks unless the pregnant woman’s life is endangered. Previous Colorado ballot initiatives to limit abortion also failed in 2008, 2010 and 2014.Several states considered measures affecting voting rights.Virginia voters passed a constitutional amendment taking power away from members of the Democratic-led Legislature to draw voting districts for themselves and members of Congress based on census results. It instead will create a bipartisan commission of lawmakers and citizens to develop a redistricting plan that the Legislature could approve or reject, but not change.Virginia is the sixth state in the past two general election cycles to pass measures intended to prevent gerrymandering — a process in which politicians draw voting districts to benefit themselves or their political parties.Voters in Missouri, who passed a redistricting reform measure in 2018, decided Tuesday to roll back key parts of it before it could be used next year. They passed a measure placed on the ballot by the Republican-led Legislature to repeal a nationally unique model that would have used a nonpartisan demographer to draw state House and Senate districts to achieve “partisan fairness” and “competitiveness.” The measure instead returns those duties to bipartisan commissions and drops “partisan fairness” and “competitiveness” to the end of the priority list.In Florida, voters approved a measure gradually increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. The measure puts Florida in line with at least seven other states — California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York — and Washington, D.C., which already have enacted laws to gradually boost the minimum wage to $15 an hour.In Mississippi, voters approved a proposal for a new state flag with a magnolia design. The vote came after legislators in June ended the use of a flag bearing a Confederate battle emblem. In Rhode Island, whose official name is “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,” a proposal was leading to eliminate the final three words, which some say evoke a legacy of slavery.Tax proposals were on the ballot in more than a dozen states. Tobacco tax hikes passed in Colorado and Oregon. Colorado voters also approved a slight income tax cut. Proposals to charge higher income taxes on the wealthy were trailing in Illinois but leading in Arizona, where the new revenue would fund pay raises for teachers and other school personnel. A California property tax increase on businesses remained close.In California, Uber, Lyft and other app-based ride-hailing and delivery services prevailed in their expensive fight to keep drivers classified as independent contractors. The ballot initiative pitted the powerhouses of the so-called gig economy, including DoorDash, Postmates and Instacart, against labor unions. It was the most expensive California ballot measure ever — more than $220 million was spent, most by the gig companies.The measure creates an exemption to a state law that would have made drivers eligible for benefits that come with being company employees. San Francisco-based Uber and Lyft had threatened to pull out of California if they lost.Among the many California ballot proposals was one to repeal a 1996 initiative that prohibits affirmative action programs granting preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in public employment, education or contracting. It was trailing in the polls.___

America's drug war on the brink; states vote to relax drug laws 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek has died after battling pancreatic cancer for nearly two years. “Jeopardy!” studio Sony says Trebek died at home early Sunday with family and friends surrounding him. He was 80.

Trebek presided over the beloved quiz show for more than 30 years. He was a master of the format, engaging in friendly banter with contestants and appearing genuinely pleased when they answered correctly. He was also able to move the game along in a brisk no-nonsense fashion whenever people struggled for answers.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek has died after battling pancreatic cancer for nearly two years. “Jeopardy!” studio Sony says Trebek died at home early Sunday with family and friends surrounding him. He was 80.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex. <a href="https://t.co/Yk2a90CHIM">pic.twitter.com/Yk2a90CHIM</a>&mdash; Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jeopardy/status/1325490106329751553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trebek presided over the beloved quiz show for more than 30 years. He was a master of the format, engaging in friendly banter with contestants and appearing genuinely pleased when they answered correctly. He was also able to move the game along in a brisk no-nonsense fashion whenever people struggled for answers.

Alex Trebek, long-running ‘Jeopardy!’ host, dies at 80

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police said a teenage driver was fatally shot Sunday morning in Kansas City, Kansas. The shooting was discovered after the victim’s vehicle crashed into a parked vehicle around 6 a.m. Sunday. 

The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department said the driver, who was in his late teens, was shot while he was driving in eastern Kansas City, Kansas. 

The victim wasn’t immediately identified and no arrests were reported Sunday morning. The Kansas City Star reports that this shooting was the 47th homicide of the year in Kansas City, Kansas. At the same time last year, 28 homicides had been reported in the city.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police said a teenage driver was fatally shot Sunday morning in Kansas City, Kansas. The shooting was discovered after the victim’s vehicle crashed into a parked vehicle around 6 a.m. Sunday. The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department said the driver, who was in his late teens, was shot while he was driving in eastern Kansas City, Kansas. The victim wasn’t immediately identified and no arrests were reported Sunday morning. The Kansas City Star reports that this shooting was the 47th homicide of the year in Kansas City, Kansas. At the same time last year, 28 homicides had been reported in the city.

Teen fatally shot while driving in Kansas City, Kansas

KANSAS CITY (AP) —U.S. voters went to the polls starkly divided on how they see President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. But in places where the virus is most rampant now, Trump enjoyed enormous support.

An Associated Press analysis reveals that in 376 counties with the highest number of new cases per capita, the overwhelming majority — 93% of those counties — went for Trump, a rate above other less severely hit areas.

Most were rural counties in Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Wisconsin — the kinds of areas that often have lower rates of adherence to social distancing, mask-wearing and other public health measures, and have been a focal point for much of the latest surge in cases.

Taking note of the contrast, state health officials are pausing for a moment of introspection. Even as they worry about rising numbers of hospitalizations and deaths, they hope to reframe their messages and aim for a reset on public sentiment now that the election is over.

“Public health officials need to step back, listen to and understand the people who aren’t taking the same stance” on mask-wearing and other control measures, said Dr. Marcus Plescia of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

“I think there’s the potential for things to get less charged and divisive,” he said, adding that there’s a chance a retooled public health message might unify Americans around lowering case counts so hospitals won’t get swamped during the winter months.

The electoral divide comes amid an explosion in cases and hospitalizations in the U.S. and globally.

The U.S. broke another record in the 7-day rolling average for daily new cases, hitting nearly 90,000. The tally for new cases Thursday was on track for another day above 100,000, with massive numbers reported all around the country, including a combined nearly 25,000 in Texas, Illinois and Florida. Iowa and Indiana each reported more than 4,000 cases as well.

The AP’s analysis was limited to counties in which at least 95% of precincts had reported results, and grouped counties into six categories based on the rates of COVID-19 cases they’d experienced per 100,000 residents.

Polling, too, shows voters who split on Republican Trump vs. Democrat Joe Biden differed on whether the pandemic is under control.

Thirty-six percent of Trump voters described the pandemic as completely or mostly under control, and another 47% said it was somewhat under control, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of more than 110,000 voters conducted for the AP by NORC at the University of Chicago. Meanwhile, 82% of Biden voters said the pandemic is not at all under control.

The pandemic was considered at least somewhat under control by slim majorities of voters in many red states, including Alabama (60%), Missouri (54%), Mississippi (58%), Kentucky (55%), Texas (55%), Tennessee (56%) and South Carolina (56%).

In Wisconsin, where the virus surged just before the election, 57% said the pandemic was not under control. In Washington state, where the virus is more in control now compared to earlier in the year, 55% said the same. Voters in New York and New Hampshire, where the virus is more controlled now after early surges, were roughly divided in their assessments, similar to voters nationwide.

Trump voters interviewed by AP reporters said they value individual freedom and believed the president was doing as well as anyone could in response to the coronavirus.

Michaela Lane, a 25-year-old Republican, dropped her ballot off last week at a polling site at an outdoor mall in Phoenix. She cast her vote for Trump.

“I feel like the most important issue facing the country as a whole is liberty at large,” Lane said. “Infringing on people’s freedom, government overrule, government overreach, chaos in a lot of issues currently going on and just giving people back their rights.”

About half of Trump voters called the economy and jobs the top issue facing the nation, roughly twice the percentage who named the pandemic, according to VoteCast. By contrast, a majority of Biden voters — about 6 in 10 — said the pandemic was the most important issue.

In Madison, Wisconsin, Eric Engstrom, a 31-year-old investment analyst and his wife, Gwen, voted absentee by mail in early October.

Trump’s failure to control the pandemic sealed his vote for Biden, Engstrom said, calling the coronavirus the most immediate threat the nation faces. He and his wife are expecting their first child, a girl, in January and fear “the potential of one of us or both of us being sick when the baby is born,” he said.

Engstrom called Trump’s response to the virus abysmal. “If there was any chance that I was going to vote for Trump, it was eliminated because of the pandemic,” he said.

The political temperature has added to the stress of public health officials, Plescia said. “Our biggest concern is how long can they sustain this pace?” he said.

Since the start of the pandemic, 74 state and local public health officials in 31 states have resigned, retired or been fired, according to an ongoing analysis by AP and Kaiser Health News.

As the election mood dissipates, rising hospitalizations amid colder weather create “a really pivotal moment” in the pandemic, said Sema Sgaier, executive director of the Surgo Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that worked with Harvard University-affiliated Ariadne Labs to develop a tool for estimating vaccine needs in states.

“We really need to get our act together. When I say ‘we’ I mean collectively,” Sgaier said. Finding common ground may become easier if one of more of the vaccine candidates proves safe and effective and gains government approval, she said.

“The vaccine provides the reset button,” Sgaier said.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —U.S. voters went to the polls starkly divided on how they see President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. But in places where the virus is most rampant now, Trump enjoyed enormous support.An Associated Press analysis reveals that in 376 counties with the highest number of new cases per capita, the overwhelming majority — 93% of those counties — went for Trump, a rate above other less severely hit areas.Most were rural counties in Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Wisconsin — the kinds of areas that often have lower rates of adherence to social distancing, mask-wearing and other public health measures, and have been a focal point for much of the latest surge in cases.Taking note of the contrast, state health officials are pausing for a moment of introspection. Even as they worry about rising numbers of hospitalizations and deaths, they hope to reframe their messages and aim for a reset on public sentiment now that the election is over.“Public health officials need to step back, listen to and understand the people who aren’t taking the same stance” on mask-wearing and other control measures, said Dr. Marcus Plescia of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.“I think there’s the potential for things to get less charged and divisive,” he said, adding that there’s a chance a retooled public health message might unify Americans around lowering case counts so hospitals won’t get swamped during the winter months.The electoral divide comes amid an explosion in cases and hospitalizations in the U.S. and globally.The U.S. broke another record in the 7-day rolling average for daily new cases, hitting nearly 90,000. The tally for new cases Thursday was on track for another day above 100,000, with massive numbers reported all around the country, including a combined nearly 25,000 in Texas, Illinois and Florida. Iowa and Indiana each reported more than 4,000 cases as well.The AP’s analysis was limited to counties in which at least 95% of precincts had reported results, and grouped counties into six categories based on the rates of COVID-19 cases they’d experienced per 100,000 residents.Polling, too, shows voters who split on Republican Trump vs. Democrat Joe Biden differed on whether the pandemic is under control.Thirty-six percent of Trump voters described the pandemic as completely or mostly under control, and another 47% said it was somewhat under control, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of more than 110,000 voters conducted for the AP by NORC at the University of Chicago. Meanwhile, 82% of Biden voters said the pandemic is not at all under control.The pandemic was considered at least somewhat under control by slim majorities of voters in many red states, including Alabama (60%), Missouri (54%), Mississippi (58%), Kentucky (55%), Texas (55%), Tennessee (56%) and South Carolina (56%).In Wisconsin, where the virus surged just before the election, 57% said the pandemic was not under control. In Washington state, where the virus is more in control now compared to earlier in the year, 55% said the same. Voters in New York and New Hampshire, where the virus is more controlled now after early surges, were roughly divided in their assessments, similar to voters nationwide.Trump voters interviewed by AP reporters said they value individual freedom and believed the president was doing as well as anyone could in response to the coronavirus.Michaela Lane, a 25-year-old Republican, dropped her ballot off last week at a polling site at an outdoor mall in Phoenix. She cast her vote for Trump.“I feel like the most important issue facing the country as a whole is liberty at large,” Lane said. “Infringing on people’s freedom, government overrule, government overreach, chaos in a lot of issues currently going on and just giving people back their rights.”About half of Trump voters called the economy and jobs the top issue facing the nation, roughly twice the percentage who named the pandemic, according to VoteCast. By contrast, a majority of Biden voters — about 6 in 10 — said the pandemic was the most important issue.In Madison, Wisconsin, Eric Engstrom, a 31-year-old investment analyst and his wife, Gwen, voted absentee by mail in early October.Trump’s failure to control the pandemic sealed his vote for Biden, Engstrom said, calling the coronavirus the most immediate threat the nation faces. He and his wife are expecting their first child, a girl, in January and fear “the potential of one of us or both of us being sick when the baby is born,” he said.Engstrom called Trump’s response to the virus abysmal. “If there was any chance that I was going to vote for Trump, it was eliminated because of the pandemic,” he said.The political temperature has added to the stress of public health officials, Plescia said. “Our biggest concern is how long can they sustain this pace?” he said.Since the start of the pandemic, 74 state and local public health officials in 31 states have resigned, retired or been fired, according to an ongoing analysis by AP and Kaiser Health News.As the election mood dissipates, rising hospitalizations amid colder weather create “a really pivotal moment” in the pandemic, said Sema Sgaier, executive director of the Surgo Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that worked with Harvard University-affiliated Ariadne Labs to develop a tool for estimating vaccine needs in states.“We really need to get our act together. When I say ‘we’ I mean collectively,” Sgaier said. Finding common ground may become easier if one of more of the vaccine candidates proves safe and effective and gains government approval, she said.“The vaccine provides the reset button,” Sgaier said.Dr. Anthony Fauci may be another unifying force. According to VoteCast, 73% of voters nationwide approve of the way Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been handling the pandemic.Even among Trump voters, 53% approve of Fauci’s performance. About 9 in 10 Biden voters approve.___