TOPEKA, Kansas – Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) Secretary Jeff Zmuda announced Tuesday that one staff member at the Topeka Correctional Facility (TCF) died on Saturday, July 25, due to complications from COVID-19.

This is the third staff death related to the virus with the first two being at the Lansing Correctional Facility, according to a media release from the KDOC.

Richard Rose, 74, had more than 17 years of dedicated service to the KDOC. He served as a Facility Maintenance Supervisor, spending most of his time offsite.

“We extend our deepest sympathy to Richard’s family and to those who served alongside him for so many years,” Zmuda said. “The KDOC family is a tight-knit group and these deaths, and those of our residents, have been extremely difficult.”

The KDOC Peer Support Team will be available for any staff members who need additional support in dealing with this loss.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed the lives of too many hard-working Kansans,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Richard was a dedicated public servant and I extend my condolences to both his family, friends, and those who worked alongside him.”

<a>The Topeka Correctional Facility is Kansas’ only all-female prison with a capacity of 948. The facility houses minimum, medium, special management and maximum custody residents.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595973192627.png" alt="Richard Rose" />
 <figcaption>Richard Rose</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kansas – Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) Secretary Jeff Zmuda announced Tuesday that one staff member at the Topeka Correctional Facility (TCF) died on Saturday, July 25, due to complications from COVID-19.This is the third staff death related to the virus with the first two being at the Lansing Correctional Facility, according to a media release from the KDOC.Richard Rose, 74, had more than 17 years of dedicated service to the KDOC. He served as a Facility Maintenance Supervisor, spending most of his time offsite.“We extend our deepest sympathy to Richard’s family and to those who served alongside him for so many years,” Zmuda said. “The KDOC family is a tight-knit group and these deaths, and those of our residents, have been extremely difficult.”The KDOC Peer Support Team will be available for any staff members who need additional support in dealing with this loss.“The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed the lives of too many hard-working Kansans,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Richard was a dedicated public servant and I extend my condolences to both his family, friends, and those who worked alongside him.”<a>The Topeka Correctional Facility is Kansas’ only all-female prison with a capacity of 948. The facility houses minimum, medium, special management and maximum custody residents.</a>

3rd Kansas Dept. of Corrections employee dies from  coronavirus

WICHITA—After a second inmate tested positive last week for coronavirus at the Sedgwick County Jail, an additional 22 have now tested positive for the virus, according to Colonel Brian White.

Currently 27 inmates are still quarantined under the guidance of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the jail's onsite medical vendor to insure they remain symptom free. The jail has just over 1400 inmates as of Tuesday, according to White.

The quarantined inmates either have already tested negative or results are still pending. 23 inmates are in medical isolation due to testing positive or presumed to be possibly positive while we await results.

Since the COVID-19 testing began, a total number of 24 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility.

All of the staff members tested last week had negative test results.

WICHITA —The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office was notified Wednesday that a second inmate has tested positive for COVID19, according to Lt. Tim Myers.&nbsp; This case is not related to the previous case reported on July 20.

This inmate reported he was sick on July 18. The inmate was immediately placed in quarantine pending the results of the COVID19 test.&nbsp; The inmate was tested by the contracted medical provider of the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on July 20, 2020, because he was symptomatic.&nbsp;&nbsp; The inmate was informed of the positive results today and was instructed to quarantine at home prior to being released from the Sedgwick County Detention Facility.

We contacted the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for their recommendations in regards to further testing for staff and inmates.&nbsp; Based on their advice, the contracted medical provider will offer testing to 12 staff members and 49 inmates that had possible contact with the inmate.&nbsp; 

Forty-seven inmates will be quarantined until they are medically cleared.&nbsp; Two inmates who reported symptoms of COVID19 today were placed in isolation.&nbsp;

Three inmates were released from the Sedgwick County Detention Facility prior to the inmate receiving the positive test results.&nbsp; KDHE will be contacting those individuals.&nbsp;

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office will also be contacting judges, members of the DA’s office, and defense attorneys about the positive test result.&nbsp;

Jail staff is continuing to maintain sanitization standards to take care of&nbsp; staff and inmates which include issuing extra soap, and having disinfectant available as needed, according to Myers.

All staff members have been issued masks to wear, and all inmates have been issued face coverings for the last several months.&nbsp; We also have a full medical staff on site. Additionally we have employed a contractor to sterilize the facility.

If more inmates need to be quarantined or isolated, we already have an established plan to minimize further exposure to staff and inmates.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595954982785.png" alt="Colonel Brian White answers questions during Tuesday's press briefing. He is in charge of the Sedgwick County Detention Facility." />
 <figcaption>Colonel Brian White answers questions during Tuesday's press briefing. He is in charge of the Sedgwick County Detention Facility.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA—After a second inmate tested positive last week for coronavirus at the Sedgwick County Jail, an additional 22 have now tested positive for the virus, according to Colonel Brian White.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSedgwickCountySheriff%2Fvideos%2F208664303880940%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Currently 27 inmates are still quarantined under the guidance of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the jail's onsite medical vendor to insure they remain symptom free. The jail has just over 1400 inmates as of Tuesday, according to White.The quarantined inmates either have already tested negative or results are still pending. 23 inmates are in medical isolation due to testing positive or presumed to be possibly positive while we await results.Since the COVID-19 testing began, a total number of 24 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility.All of the staff members tested last week had negative test results.---------------WICHITA —The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office was notified Wednesday that a second inmate has tested positive for COVID19, according to Lt. Tim Myers.&nbsp; This case is not related to the previous case reported on July 20.This inmate reported he was sick on July 18. The inmate was immediately placed in quarantine pending the results of the COVID19 test.&nbsp; The inmate was tested by the contracted medical provider of the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on July 20, 2020, because he was symptomatic.&nbsp;&nbsp; The inmate was informed of the positive results today and was instructed to quarantine at home prior to being released from the Sedgwick County Detention Facility.We contacted the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for their recommendations in regards to further testing for staff and inmates.&nbsp; Based on their advice, the contracted medical provider will offer testing to 12 staff members and 49 inmates that had possible contact with the inmate.&nbsp; Forty-seven inmates will be quarantined until they are medically cleared.&nbsp; Two inmates who reported symptoms of COVID19 today were placed in isolation.&nbsp;Three inmates were released from the Sedgwick County Detention Facility prior to the inmate receiving the positive test results.&nbsp; KDHE will be contacting those individuals.&nbsp;The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office will also be contacting judges, members of the DA’s office, and defense attorneys about the positive test result.&nbsp;Jail staff is continuing to maintain sanitization standards to take care of&nbsp; staff and inmates which include issuing extra soap, and having disinfectant available as needed, according to Myers.All staff members have been issued masks to wear, and all inmates have been issued face coverings for the last several months.&nbsp; We also have a full medical staff on site. Additionally we have employed a contractor to sterilize the facility.If more inmates need to be quarantined or isolated, we already have an established plan to minimize further exposure to staff and inmates.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎥 23 inmates in medical isolation for virus at Kansas jail

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting at a business in Wichita continue their search for a suspect and have asked&nbsp; the public for help to identify the person captured on security cameras.

Just after 9p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at the Auto Zone in the in the 900 Block of South Oliver in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.

Upon arrival, police discovered store employee 40-year-old Nicholas Blue dead of a gunshot&nbsp; wound.

The investigation revealed an unknown suspect entered the business, pulled out a handgun and shot Blue. There were two other employees in the business at the time, in other parts of the store, and no customers.

The store was open for business at the time of the shooting, according to Stephens.

Police have not determined a motive for the shooting and on Monday afternoon released a security camera image of the alleged suspect.

If you know the identity of this suspect or saw anyone wearing the pictured clothing, please call 911, WPD detectives at 316-268-4407, or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 immediately. This

The individual should be considered armed and dangerous.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting at a business in Wichita have released the identity of the victim and are asking the public for help to identify a suspect captured on security cameras.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a business in Wichita.

Upon arrival, police discovered the body of a 40-year-old male employee dead of a gunshot&nbsp; wound.

 "All we know now is that an unknown suspect entered the store. I was there last night and it is a very large building.&nbsp; The suspect entered the business, shot the employee and left. The other employees were in a back room at the time of the shooting."

Police have not determined a motive for the shooting and are working to identify a suspect.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595873499101.png" alt="Security camera image courtesy Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image courtesy Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting at a business in Wichita continue their search for a suspect and have asked&nbsp; the public for help to identify the person captured on security cameras.Just after 9p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at the Auto Zone in the in the 900 Block of South Oliver in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.Upon arrival, police discovered store employee 40-year-old Nicholas Blue dead of a gunshot&nbsp; wound.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595856779122.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation late Sunday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation late Sunday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The investigation revealed an unknown suspect entered the business, pulled out a handgun and shot Blue. There were two other employees in the business at the time, in other parts of the store, and no customers.The store was open for business at the time of the shooting, according to Stephens.Police have not determined a motive for the shooting and on Monday afternoon released a security camera image of the alleged suspect.If you know the identity of this suspect or saw anyone wearing the pictured clothing, please call 911, WPD detectives at 316-268-4407, or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 immediately. ThisThe individual should be considered armed and dangerous.---------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting at a business in Wichita have released the identity of the victim and are asking the public for help to identify a suspect captured on security cameras.Just after 9p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at the Auto Zone in the in the 900 Block of South Oliver in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.Upon arrival, police discovered store employee 40-year-old Nicholas Blue dead of a gunshot&nbsp; wound.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595856779122.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation late Sunday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation late Sunday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The investigation revealed an unknown suspect entered the business, pulled out a handgun and shot Blue. There were two other employees in the business at the time, in other parts of the store, and no customers.The store was open for business at the time of the shooting, according to Stephens.Police have not determined a motive for the shooting and on Monday afternoon released a security camera image of the alleged suspect.If you know the identity of this suspect or saw anyone wearing the pictured clothing, please call 911, WPD detectives at 316-268-4407, or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 immediately. ThisThe individual should be considered armed and dangerous.---------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a business in Wichita.Just after 9p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at the Auto Zone in the in the 900 Block of South Oliver in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.Upon arrival, police discovered the body of a 40-year-old male employee dead of a gunshot&nbsp; wound.The store was open for business at the time of the shooting, according to Stephens. "All we know now is that an unknown suspect entered the store. I was there last night and it is a very large building.&nbsp; The suspect entered the business, shot the employee and left. The other employees were in a back room at the time of the shooting."Police have not determined a motive for the shooting and are working to identify a suspect.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Search continues for suspect who shot, killed Kan. auto parts store employee

SEDGWICK COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities are investigating three armed robberies that occurred&nbsp; within an hour of one another late Sunday in Wichita.

Just after 10 p.m. Sunday two suspects described as black men in their 20s entered a business in the 1300 block of N. Oliver. The suspects had guns, demanded cash, took the cash and fled on foot, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp;

Just before 11p.m. police responded to a robbery in the 2000 Block of South Oliver. Employees reported an armed robbery similar to the first. At 11:20p.m. a business in the 1500 Block of East Pawnee reported the same type of armed robbery. 

There were no injuries in these robberies, according to Davidson.

SEDGWICK COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities are investigating three armed robberies that occurred&nbsp; within an hour of one another late Sunday in Wichita.Just after 10 p.m. Sunday two suspects described as black men in their 20s entered a business in the 1300 block of N. Oliver. The suspects had guns, demanded cash, took the cash and fled on foot, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp;Just before 11p.m. police responded to a robbery in the 2000 Block of South Oliver. Employees reported an armed robbery similar to the first. At 11:20p.m. a business in the 1500 Block of East Pawnee reported the same type of armed robbery. There were no injuries in these robberies, according to Davidson.

Police investigate 3 Kan. armed robberies within an hour

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/28/new-kansas-privacy-law-crimps-contact-tracing-for-covid-19/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Shawnee 
County Health Department took the extraordinary step of issuing a public
 health advisory July 7 warning travelers COVID-19 cases had been linked
 to the restrooms and food court at an Interstate 70 service area.

Given the steady flow of 
humanity through the rest stop east of Topeka from July 2 to July 4, it 
would have been futile to attempt contact tracing of people who entered a
 building open to eastbound and westbound motorists on the Turnpike. The
 next-best option was to issue a news release pinpointing the problem 
area.

“While the risk is most 
likely low for infection, it is not zero, and individuals should contact
 their health care provider if they begin to exhibit any symptoms,” 
warned Gianfranco Pezzino, the county’s health officer.

During the COVID-19 
crisis, health departments in Kansas demonstrated a preference for not 
identifying by name the 325 known clusters of COVID-19 tied to 7,500 
cases of infection and 235 deaths. The majority of outbreaks confirmed 
in nursing homes, meatpacking plants and other locations were disclosed 
to the public without revealing the specific company or organization.

However, a change in state
 law curtailing person-to-person tracing of the virus may prevent the 
state’s 105 county health departments and the Kansas Department of 
Health and Environment from maintaining that level of anonymity. The 
duty of health agencies to inform people potentially exposed could be 
transformed into blunt news releases pinpointing the source of exposure.

The state law taking 
effect Friday and expiring May 1, 2021, will restrict the ability of 
government agencies to engage in contact tracing, a core disease control
 measure used worldwide since the 1930s. It will become more difficult 
in Kansas to identify those who came in close contact with infected 
persons, warn them of potential exposure, and advise them to monitor 
themselves for symptoms or to quarantine in an effort to reduce the 
reproductive rate of the virus.

Under House Bill 2016, 
passed by a bipartisan majority of the Kansas Legislature and signed by 
Gov. Laura Kelly in June, an individual’s participation in contact 
tracing will become voluntary. Agencies performing tracing will be 
prohibited from deriving the identity of individuals and information on 
movement of people from cellphones. A county or state agency cannot 
require a third party, such as an employer, to collect that information 
on people. Individuals hired to do contact tracing must take an oath 
that they understand the law. Violation of the law is a misdemeanor tied
 to a fine of $500 and a month in jail.

“The language passed in HB
 2016 will undoubtedly slow our ability to do contact tracing and stop 
the spread of COVID-19 at a time when we are classified by the White 
House as a red zone for infections and spread,” said KDHE secretary Lee 
Norman.

Attorney General Derek 
Schmidt recommended the language in the bill protecting Kansans from 
invasion of privacy through contact tracing. He said the capacity of 
government to rely on technology to track Kansans had moved far beyond 
pencil-and-paper techniques deployed by ancestors during the 1918-19 
flu.

He said the state’s 
Contact Tracing Privacy Act, believed to have been the first of its kind
 in the United States, is designed to protect individual civil liberties
 as county health departments and KDHE work to restrain the virus.

“We believe these were 
sensible solutions to put guardrails in place so Kansans would have the 
necessary confidence in contact tracing programs to be willing to 
participate voluntarily, knowing that their personal information would 
be protected,” Schmidt said.

He said government 
assurances akin to “trust us, we’re here to help” would provide little 
comfort to people concerned about government intrusion in their lives. 
While perhaps promising from a public health standpoint, he said, 
unrestricted contact tracing appeared “disturbingly Orwellian and at 
least deserves pause for further study before government may undertake 
it.”

COVID-19 has infected 
26,172 and killed 335 in Kansas since March. KDHE said the state 
recorded 1,063 additional positive tests and nine more fatalities from 
Friday to Monday.

Schmidt said the effort to
 bring Kansas law in line with the digital age produced a statute that 
wisely declared no person in Kansas could be required to participate or 
be forbidden from taking part in contact tracing. The law says 
information gathered through legitimate contact tracing must be kept 
confidential and securely destroyed when no longer needed for the 
pandemic.

Individuals who work as 
contact tracers are required to receive training and affirm their 
understanding of privacy and civil liberties protections in state law. 
KDHE is responsible for development detailed rules and regulations on 
what may be gathered, but that has yet to be completed.

“Rather than lecture and 
scold Kansans, our approach is to persuade, empower and reassure,” 
Schmidt said. “Kansans themselves bear the personal responsibility to 
choose our path forward by freely participating, or not, in ongoing 
efforts to track and contain the virus. We value both science and 
freedom, trusting in individuals more than government.”

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/2020/7/1595955350925.jpeg" alt="Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, says a law passed during the Legislature's special session will make it more difficult for health officers to perform contact tracing to identify people in jeopardy of contracting COVID-19. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, says a law passed during the Legislature's special session will make it more difficult for health officers to perform contact tracing to identify people in jeopardy of contracting COVID-19. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/28/new-kansas-privacy-law-crimps-contact-tracing-for-covid-19/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Shawnee 
County Health Department took the extraordinary step of issuing a public
 health advisory July 7 warning travelers COVID-19 cases had been linked
 to the restrooms and food court at an Interstate 70 service area.Given the steady flow of 
humanity through the rest stop east of Topeka from July 2 to July 4, it 
would have been futile to attempt contact tracing of people who entered a
 building open to eastbound and westbound motorists on the Turnpike. The
 next-best option was to issue a news release pinpointing the problem 
area.“While the risk is most 
likely low for infection, it is not zero, and individuals should contact
 their health care provider if they begin to exhibit any symptoms,” 
warned Gianfranco Pezzino, the county’s health officer.During the COVID-19 
crisis, health departments in Kansas demonstrated a preference for not 
identifying by name the 325 known clusters of COVID-19 tied to 7,500 
cases of infection and 235 deaths. The majority of outbreaks confirmed 
in nursing homes, meatpacking plants and other locations were disclosed 
to the public without revealing the specific company or organization.However, a change in state
 law curtailing person-to-person tracing of the virus may prevent the 
state’s 105 county health departments and the Kansas Department of 
Health and Environment from maintaining that level of anonymity. The 
duty of health agencies to inform people potentially exposed could be 
transformed into blunt news releases pinpointing the source of exposure.The state law taking 
effect Friday and expiring May 1, 2021, will restrict the ability of 
government agencies to engage in contact tracing, a core disease control
 measure used worldwide since the 1930s. It will become more difficult 
in Kansas to identify those who came in close contact with infected 
persons, warn them of potential exposure, and advise them to monitor 
themselves for symptoms or to quarantine in an effort to reduce the 
reproductive rate of the virus.Under House Bill 2016, 
passed by a bipartisan majority of the Kansas Legislature and signed by 
Gov. Laura Kelly in June, an individual’s participation in contact 
tracing will become voluntary. Agencies performing tracing will be 
prohibited from deriving the identity of individuals and information on 
movement of people from cellphones. A county or state agency cannot 
require a third party, such as an employer, to collect that information 
on people. Individuals hired to do contact tracing must take an oath 
that they understand the law. Violation of the law is a misdemeanor tied
 to a fine of $500 and a month in jail.“The language passed in HB
 2016 will undoubtedly slow our ability to do contact tracing and stop 
the spread of COVID-19 at a time when we are classified by the White 
House as a red zone for infections and spread,” said KDHE secretary Lee 
Norman.Attorney General Derek 
Schmidt recommended the language in the bill protecting Kansans from 
invasion of privacy through contact tracing. He said the capacity of 
government to rely on technology to track Kansans had moved far beyond 
pencil-and-paper techniques deployed by ancestors during the 1918-19 
flu.He said the state’s 
Contact Tracing Privacy Act, believed to have been the first of its kind
 in the United States, is designed to protect individual civil liberties
 as county health departments and KDHE work to restrain the virus.“We believe these were 
sensible solutions to put guardrails in place so Kansans would have the 
necessary confidence in contact tracing programs to be willing to 
participate voluntarily, knowing that their personal information would 
be protected,” Schmidt said.He said government 
assurances akin to “trust us, we’re here to help” would provide little 
comfort to people concerned about government intrusion in their lives. 
While perhaps promising from a public health standpoint, he said, 
unrestricted contact tracing appeared “disturbingly Orwellian and at 
least deserves pause for further study before government may undertake 
it.”COVID-19 has infected 
26,172 and killed 335 in Kansas since March. KDHE said the state 
recorded 1,063 additional positive tests and nine more fatalities from 
Friday to Monday.Schmidt said the effort to
 bring Kansas law in line with the digital age produced a statute that 
wisely declared no person in Kansas could be required to participate or 
be forbidden from taking part in contact tracing. The law says 
information gathered through legitimate contact tracing must be kept 
confidential and securely destroyed when no longer needed for the 
pandemic.Individuals who work as 
contact tracers are required to receive training and affirm their 
understanding of privacy and civil liberties protections in state law. 
KDHE is responsible for development detailed rules and regulations on 
what may be gathered, but that has yet to be completed.“Rather than lecture and 
scold Kansans, our approach is to persuade, empower and reassure,” 
Schmidt said. “Kansans themselves bear the personal responsibility to 
choose our path forward by freely participating, or not, in ongoing 
efforts to track and contain the virus. We value both science and 
freedom, trusting in individuals more than government.”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;

New Kansas privacy law crimps contact tracing for COVID-19

HARVEY COUNTY —Authorities investigating Monday's fatal train, tractor accident have identified the victim as&nbsp;21-year-old Taylor Koehn of Halstead.

According to the Harvey County Sheriff's office, Koehn was driving a farm tractor pulling disc equipment southbound on South River Park Road, crossing the railroad tracks at Southwest 24th Street four miles east of Burrton.&nbsp;

The tractor was struck by an oncoming train engine at the railroad tracks. Koehn was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;

Authorities opened the rail line early Tuesday morning, according to BNSF.&nbsp;

HARVEY COUNTY—&nbsp; A 21-year-old man died when a train&nbsp; hit a farm tractor just before 3:30p.m. Monday in rural Harvey

According to the Harvey County Sheriff, a farm tractor was pulling disc equipment southbound on South River Park Road, crossing the railroad tracks at Southwest 24th Street four miles east of Burrton.&nbsp; 

The tractor was struck by an oncoming train engine at the railroad tracks. The 21-year-old driver of the tractor was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;

The intersection will be closed to traffic for an undetermined amount of time, according to the sheriff's office. Identification of the victim will be released pending notification to the family.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595891389856.png" alt="First responders on the scene of Monday's fatal accident" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of Monday's fatal accident</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —Authorities investigating Monday's fatal train, tractor accident have identified the victim as&nbsp;21-year-old Taylor Koehn of Halstead.According to the Harvey County Sheriff's office, Koehn was driving a farm tractor pulling disc equipment southbound on South River Park Road, crossing the railroad tracks at Southwest 24th Street four miles east of Burrton.&nbsp;The tractor was struck by an oncoming train engine at the railroad tracks. Koehn was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Authorities opened the rail line early Tuesday morning, according to BNSF.&nbsp;----------HARVEY COUNTY—&nbsp; A 21-year-old man died when a train&nbsp; hit a farm tractor just before 3:30p.m. Monday in rural HarveyAccording to the Harvey County Sheriff, a farm tractor was pulling disc equipment southbound on South River Park Road, crossing the railroad tracks at Southwest 24th Street four miles east of Burrton.&nbsp; The tractor was struck by an oncoming train engine at the railroad tracks. The 21-year-old driver of the tractor was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595893033834.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The intersection will be closed to traffic for an undetermined amount of time, according to the sheriff's office. Identification of the victim will be released pending notification to the family.

Sheriff IDs Kan. man who died after train, farm tractor accident

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/25/kansas-refugee-programs-struggle-as-funding-resettlements-dwindle/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Samuel Dermas Habtemariam 
came to Wichita as a refugee of the East African country Eritrea with a 
PhD in teaching English in a foreign language, but even with such 
relevant education, he needed help navigating unfamiliar terrain.

Habtemariam, a doctoral 
student at the University of Kansas, came to the United States after 
spending 10 years in Ethiopia, where he sought asylum from the 
totalitarian government of Eritrea. <a href="https://saintfrancisministries.org/migration-ministries/">Saint Francis Migration Ministries</a> helped him make the transition.

“Someone from Saint 
Francis was there to greet me when I got off the plane,” Habtemariam 
said. “They helped me get connected to the University of Kansas to earn 
my second PhD. These services were critical to my immersion here.”

Resettlement programs 
across the country, however, are feeling pressure as they provide these 
essential services. Major cuts to the number of refugees admitted to the
 United States reduced funding to the agencies, and COVID-19 further 
limited the migration of refugees.

Like Habtemariam, every 
refugee who enters the country goes through a resettlement agency. 
Refugees are expected to be self-sufficient within 90 days of arrival, 
and these agencies assist in easing what Habtemariam calls the 
“honeymoon period.”

Saint Francis Ministries is one of a small handful of organizations with a refugee resettlement program in Kansas.

“We manage all medical 
screening when the refugees first arrive, offer help with job 
applications, helping them overcome the language barrier,” said Yeni 
Telles, director of International Ministries USA, which oversees Saint 
Francis refugee programs in Kansas. “It could be something as small as 
them having a piece of mail that they don’t understand and we help make 
sure they understand it or aren’t scammed.”

In December 2019, however, Saint Francis suspended its resettlement program after <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-determination-refugee-admissions-fiscal-year-2020/">President Donald Trump’s September 2019 recommendation</a>
 to lower the limit on refugees admitted for the 2020 fiscal year to 
18,000 — down from a previous record low of 30,000 in 2019. The cap was 
set at 85,000 during President Barack Obama’s final year in office.

“Unfortunately, this year 
we have not been able to resettle due to all these national changes,” 
Telles said. “There is a lot of uncertainty and concern about what will 
happen next. Will they reduce the program and the funding little by 
little?”

Resettlement agencies 
receive funding on a per refugee basis, and numbers in Kansas have 
decreased from 914 refugees resettled in 2016 to just 88 so far this 
year. As a result, many organizations are struggling to pay for office 
space, staff wages and resources with a reduced budget.

The decrease in funding forced <a href="https://catholiccharitiesks.org/">Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas</a>
 to cut back from five caseworkers to one. The International Rescue 
Committee closed its office in Garden City in 2018, moving much of its 
caseload to Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas as funding dwindled.

Debbie Snapp, executive director of <a href="https://catholiccharitiesswks.org/">Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas</a>, said the number of refugees coming into southwest Kansas has declined from 100 refugees per year to around 20 now.

“It’s absolutely a major concern that we are losing funding for that program,” Snapp said.

When the COVID-19 pandemic
 became widespread in March, countries shut their borders and the United
 Nations halted refugee resettlements.

By suspending its settlement services in December, Saint Francis was prepared for a freeze.

“We are putting those 
resources toward our programs aiding refugees already in the state of 
Kansas,” said Angela Smith, vice president of international programs for
 Saint Francis Ministries. “Things may get a bit smoother after 90 days,
 but we stay in touch up to five years down the line because it can 
still be quite bumpy.”

Smith said the door is still open to resuming resettlements if funding improves.

“Our hope is eventually we
 will return to resettling, but that depends on the number of refugees 
the federal government decides to allow in, and how many are coming to 
Wichita,” Smith said.

With <a href="https://www.wrapsnet.org/admissions-and-arrivals/">resettlement numbers</a>
 trending down and COVID-19 still threatening the United States, the 
future of these services remains unclear. Resettlement agencies will get
 some clarity this fall when Trump is expected to announce a new figure 
for fiscal year 2021, which begins Oct. 1.

If the cap on refugees 
continues to decrease as it has in recent years — 110,000 in 2017, 
45,000 in 2018 — more agencies like Saint Francis will need to halt 
resettlement programs.

“The refugee resettlement 
is such an important part of a humanitarian worldview that the United 
States was always welcoming to refugees and what they bring to our 
communities,” Snapp said. “We’re still hopeful we will return to having a
 good flow of refugee resettlements in southwest Kansas.”

Without the dedicated care
 from Saint Francis, Habtemariam said, he would have struggled at times.
 He believes losing these programs would be detrimental to the care of 
refugees.

“It can be a big culture 
shock moving to America, and most of all a lot of anxiety,” Habtemariam 
said. “How do you shop? How do you navigate? And refugees also need a 
lot of care for the trauma we may have, which requires special 
consideration. Agencies like Saint Francis are essential in keeping us 
from becoming overwhelmed.”

Noah Taborda started his journalism career in public radio at KBIA in Columbia, Missouri, covering local government and producing an episode of the podcast Show Me The State while earning his bachelor’s degree in radio broadcasting at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.&nbsp;Noah then made a short move to Kansas City, Missouri, to work at KCUR as an intern on the talk show Central Standard and then in the newsroom, reporting on daily news and feature stories.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595880312554.jpeg" alt="Samuel Dermas Habtemariam, a refugee from Eritrea, is a doctoral student at the University of Kansas. Resettlement agencies that help individuals like Habtemariam are strained by major cuts to the number of refugees being admitted to the United States and the COVID-19 pandemic. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Samuel Dermas Habtemariam, a refugee from Eritrea, is a doctoral student at the University of Kansas. Resettlement agencies that help individuals like Habtemariam are strained by major cuts to the number of refugees being admitted to the United States and the COVID-19 pandemic. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/25/kansas-refugee-programs-struggle-as-funding-resettlements-dwindle/">Kansas Reflector</a>Samuel Dermas Habtemariam 
came to Wichita as a refugee of the East African country Eritrea with a 
PhD in teaching English in a foreign language, but even with such 
relevant education, he needed help navigating unfamiliar terrain.Habtemariam, a doctoral 
student at the University of Kansas, came to the United States after 
spending 10 years in Ethiopia, where he sought asylum from the 
totalitarian government of Eritrea. <a href="https://saintfrancisministries.org/migration-ministries/">Saint Francis Migration Ministries</a> helped him make the transition.“Someone from Saint 
Francis was there to greet me when I got off the plane,” Habtemariam 
said. “They helped me get connected to the University of Kansas to earn 
my second PhD. These services were critical to my immersion here.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595880368307.jpeg" alt="Yeni Telles, director of International Ministries USA for Saint Francis Ministries, speaks about her immigration story at World Refugee Day in June. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Yeni Telles, director of International Ministries USA for Saint Francis Ministries, speaks about her immigration story at World Refugee Day in June. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Resettlement programs 
across the country, however, are feeling pressure as they provide these 
essential services. Major cuts to the number of refugees admitted to the
 United States reduced funding to the agencies, and COVID-19 further 
limited the migration of refugees.Like Habtemariam, every 
refugee who enters the country goes through a resettlement agency. 
Refugees are expected to be self-sufficient within 90 days of arrival, 
and these agencies assist in easing what Habtemariam calls the 
“honeymoon period.”Saint Francis Ministries is one of a small handful of organizations with a refugee resettlement program in Kansas.“We manage all medical 
screening when the refugees first arrive, offer help with job 
applications, helping them overcome the language barrier,” said Yeni 
Telles, director of International Ministries USA, which oversees Saint 
Francis refugee programs in Kansas. “It could be something as small as 
them having a piece of mail that they don’t understand and we help make 
sure they understand it or aren’t scammed.”In December 2019, however, Saint Francis suspended its resettlement program after <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-determination-refugee-admissions-fiscal-year-2020/">President Donald Trump’s September 2019 recommendation</a>
 to lower the limit on refugees admitted for the 2020 fiscal year to 
18,000 — down from a previous record low of 30,000 in 2019. The cap was 
set at 85,000 during President Barack Obama’s final year in office.“Unfortunately, this year 
we have not been able to resettle due to all these national changes,” 
Telles said. “There is a lot of uncertainty and concern about what will 
happen next. Will they reduce the program and the funding little by 
little?”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595880403691.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Resettlement agencies 
receive funding on a per refugee basis, and numbers in Kansas have 
decreased from 914 refugees resettled in 2016 to just 88 so far this 
year. As a result, many organizations are struggling to pay for office 
space, staff wages and resources with a reduced budget.The decrease in funding forced <a href="https://catholiccharitiesks.org/">Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas</a>
 to cut back from five caseworkers to one. The International Rescue 
Committee closed its office in Garden City in 2018, moving much of its 
caseload to Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas as funding dwindled.Debbie Snapp, executive director of <a href="https://catholiccharitiesswks.org/">Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas</a>, said the number of refugees coming into southwest Kansas has declined from 100 refugees per year to around 20 now.“It’s absolutely a major concern that we are losing funding for that program,” Snapp said.When the COVID-19 pandemic
 became widespread in March, countries shut their borders and the United
 Nations halted refugee resettlements.By suspending its settlement services in December, Saint Francis was prepared for a freeze.“We are putting those 
resources toward our programs aiding refugees already in the state of 
Kansas,” said Angela Smith, vice president of international programs for
 Saint Francis Ministries. “Things may get a bit smoother after 90 days,
 but we stay in touch up to five years down the line because it can 
still be quite bumpy.”Smith said the door is still open to resuming resettlements if funding improves.“Our hope is eventually we
 will return to resettling, but that depends on the number of refugees 
the federal government decides to allow in, and how many are coming to 
Wichita,” Smith said.With <a href="https://www.wrapsnet.org/admissions-and-arrivals/">resettlement numbers</a>
 trending down and COVID-19 still threatening the United States, the 
future of these services remains unclear. Resettlement agencies will get
 some clarity this fall when Trump is expected to announce a new figure 
for fiscal year 2021, which begins Oct. 1.If the cap on refugees 
continues to decrease as it has in recent years — 110,000 in 2017, 
45,000 in 2018 — more agencies like Saint Francis will need to halt 
resettlement programs.“The refugee resettlement 
is such an important part of a humanitarian worldview that the United 
States was always welcoming to refugees and what they bring to our 
communities,” Snapp said. “We’re still hopeful we will return to having a
 good flow of refugee resettlements in southwest Kansas.”Without the dedicated care
 from Saint Francis, Habtemariam said, he would have struggled at times.
 He believes losing these programs would be detrimental to the care of 
refugees.“It can be a big culture 
shock moving to America, and most of all a lot of anxiety,” Habtemariam 
said. “How do you shop? How do you navigate? And refugees also need a 
lot of care for the trauma we may have, which requires special 
consideration. Agencies like Saint Francis are essential in keeping us 
from becoming overwhelmed.”Noah Taborda started his journalism career in public radio at KBIA in Columbia, Missouri, covering local government and producing an episode of the podcast Show Me The State while earning his bachelor’s degree in radio broadcasting at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.&nbsp;Noah then made a short move to Kansas City, Missouri, to work at KCUR as an intern on the talk show Central Standard and then in the newsroom, reporting on daily news and feature stories.

Kansas refugee programs struggle as funding, resettlements dwindle

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday that she is considering recommending that Kansas counties shut down bars again and limit public gatherings to 15 people in hopes of reversing a resurgence in reported coronavirus cases that is making the state’s previous work to check it “for naught.”

Kelly said she will push next week to close bars and lower the limit on gatherings from 45 people if the state doesn’t get the spread of the novel coronavirus under better control.

The Democratic governor can issue orders calling for statewide restrictions, but the state’s 105 counties are allowed to opt out of her directives under&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020s/b2020s/measures/documents/summary_hb_2016_2020special" target="_blank">a law</a>&nbsp;enacted last month as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/56291b90279c36bafb21087cdc845c8a">a compromise&nbsp;</a>between her and the Republican-controlled Legislature. Top GOP lawmakers have been critical of Kelly’s handling of the pandemic, arguing that it’s inappropriate for her to impose “one size fits all” measures on a state where the number of infections per 1,000 residents varies widely.

Kelly said during a Statehouse news conference that she doesn’t want to “go backwards” on reopening the state’s economy after she locked it down for five weeks, from late March until early June. But she said, “We can and we must do better.”

“We have seen, both in Kansas and then certainly across the country, that people have really gotten a little bit apathetic about maintaining social distance and avoiding mass gatherings,” Kelly said.

The state Department of Health and Environment reported Monday that Kansas had an additional 1,063 coronavirus cases since Friday, up 4.2% to 26,172.

For the seven days ending Monday, the state reported an average of 405 new cases a day, lower than the pandemic’s peak of 479 a day for the seven days ending July 17. But until late June, the previous peak had been 251 for the seven days ending May 8, about 62% lower than Monday’s figure.

The KDHE also says that the median age for people infected in Kansas is now 37, down from 52 on March 24, which was less than three weeks after the state’s first reported case.

Kansas also reported another nine COVID-19-related deaths since Friday, increasing the total by 2.8% to 335. The state had 28 new reported deaths during the seven days ending Monday, an average of 4.0 a day for a new high mark since June 1.

Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a5e30a0ec7a5943ada9f03af22ee1970">lifted statewide restrictions&nbsp;</a>on businesses and public gatherings on May 26 in favor of giving counties guidance after weeks of criticism from GOP lawmakers that she was moving too slowly to reopen the coronavirus-battered economy. She issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200702093130003.pdf" target="_blank">an order</a>&nbsp;July 2 calling for people to wear masks in public and at their workplaces, but many counties opted out.

She also sought to delay the reopening of public and private K-12 schools for three weeks from mid-August until after Labor Day after she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8e5672095558ab92d7505f2a06f9a9b9">closed school buildings in mid-March</a>&nbsp;for the rest of the last school year. But state law also required her to get the approval of the Republican-controlled State Board of Education, and its 5-5 vote last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6a64799654f6a9ccb944299898f8d367">killed her order</a>&nbsp;and left reopening decisions to the state’s 286 local school boards.

“I think about all of the hard work that Kansans did beginning in March, and it seems like a lot of that work was for naught,” Kelly said Monday.

Meanwhile, a local health official on Monday ordered public schools in the Kansas City, Kansas, area not to reopen their buildings until after Labor Day.

Dr. Allen Greiner, Wyandotte County’s chief medical officer, said he issued the order to give the county’s four school districts more time to prepare for a safe reopening of their buildings. The order allows the districts to offer online classes.

Wichita, the district with the most students in Kansas, has delayed the reopening of fall classes until after Labor Day, as have two other large districts, Blue Valley and Shawnee Mission in Johnson County, south of Wyandotte County.

The Wyandotte County districts have nearly 34,000 students, and Greiner’s decision means that in-person classes won’t start until after Labor Day for about 26% of the state’s 519,000 public school students.

Educators acknowledge that in-person instruction is generally better for students and online classes and that children benefit from interacting with each other.

But Dr. Beth Oller, a family physician in Stockton in northwest Kansas, said she didn’t see a downside to waiting to reopen schools until after Labor Day.

Her home of Rooks County, with about 5,000 residents has seen its reported coronavirus cases almost double since July 1, from eight to 14. To the south, Ellis County has seen cases jump from 21 to 115, while to the north, Phillips County, has gone from three to 41 cases because of a nursing-home outbreak.

Oller said she worries that the state will see cases increase again when schools reopen, just as it did when businesses reopened.

“It hasn’t worked out real well,” said Oller, the mother of four young children. “I don’t know why people think this is going to be different.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595883975231.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly during Monday's news conference in Topeka" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly during Monday's news conference in Topeka</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday that she is considering recommending that Kansas counties shut down bars again and limit public gatherings to 15 people in hopes of reversing a resurgence in reported coronavirus cases that is making the state’s previous work to check it “for naught.”Kelly said she will push next week to close bars and lower the limit on gatherings from 45 people if the state doesn’t get the spread of the novel coronavirus under better control.The Democratic governor can issue orders calling for statewide restrictions, but the state’s 105 counties are allowed to opt out of her directives under&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020s/b2020s/measures/documents/summary_hb_2016_2020special" target="_blank">a law</a>&nbsp;enacted last month as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/56291b90279c36bafb21087cdc845c8a">a compromise&nbsp;</a>between her and the Republican-controlled Legislature. Top GOP lawmakers have been critical of Kelly’s handling of the pandemic, arguing that it’s inappropriate for her to impose “one size fits all” measures on a state where the number of infections per 1,000 residents varies widely.Kelly said during a Statehouse news conference that she doesn’t want to “go backwards” on reopening the state’s economy after she locked it down for five weeks, from late March until early June. But she said, “We can and we must do better.”“We have seen, both in Kansas and then certainly across the country, that people have really gotten a little bit apathetic about maintaining social distance and avoiding mass gatherings,” Kelly said.The state Department of Health and Environment reported Monday that Kansas had an additional 1,063 coronavirus cases since Friday, up 4.2% to 26,172.For the seven days ending Monday, the state reported an average of 405 new cases a day, lower than the pandemic’s peak of 479 a day for the seven days ending July 17. But until late June, the previous peak had been 251 for the seven days ending May 8, about 62% lower than Monday’s figure.The KDHE also says that the median age for people infected in Kansas is now 37, down from 52 on March 24, which was less than three weeks after the state’s first reported case.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595870703940.png" alt="July 27, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>July 27, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas also reported another nine COVID-19-related deaths since Friday, increasing the total by 2.8% to 335. The state had 28 new reported deaths during the seven days ending Monday, an average of 4.0 a day for a new high mark since June 1.Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a5e30a0ec7a5943ada9f03af22ee1970">lifted statewide restrictions&nbsp;</a>on businesses and public gatherings on May 26 in favor of giving counties guidance after weeks of criticism from GOP lawmakers that she was moving too slowly to reopen the coronavirus-battered economy. She issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200702093130003.pdf" target="_blank">an order</a>&nbsp;July 2 calling for people to wear masks in public and at their workplaces, but many counties opted out.She also sought to delay the reopening of public and private K-12 schools for three weeks from mid-August until after Labor Day after she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8e5672095558ab92d7505f2a06f9a9b9">closed school buildings in mid-March</a>&nbsp;for the rest of the last school year. But state law also required her to get the approval of the Republican-controlled State Board of Education, and its 5-5 vote last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6a64799654f6a9ccb944299898f8d367">killed her order</a>&nbsp;and left reopening decisions to the state’s 286 local school boards.“I think about all of the hard work that Kansans did beginning in March, and it seems like a lot of that work was for naught,” Kelly said Monday.Meanwhile, a local health official on Monday ordered public schools in the Kansas City, Kansas, area not to reopen their buildings until after Labor Day.Dr. Allen Greiner, Wyandotte County’s chief medical officer, said he issued the order to give the county’s four school districts more time to prepare for a safe reopening of their buildings. The order allows the districts to offer online classes.Wichita, the district with the most students in Kansas, has delayed the reopening of fall classes until after Labor Day, as have two other large districts, Blue Valley and Shawnee Mission in Johnson County, south of Wyandotte County.The Wyandotte County districts have nearly 34,000 students, and Greiner’s decision means that in-person classes won’t start until after Labor Day for about 26% of the state’s 519,000 public school students.Educators acknowledge that in-person instruction is generally better for students and online classes and that children benefit from interacting with each other.But Dr. Beth Oller, a family physician in Stockton in northwest Kansas, said she didn’t see a downside to waiting to reopen schools until after Labor Day.Her home of Rooks County, with about 5,000 residents has seen its reported coronavirus cases almost double since July 1, from eight to 14. To the south, Ellis County has seen cases jump from 21 to 115, while to the north, Phillips County, has gone from three to 41 cases because of a nursing-home outbreak.Oller said she worries that the state will see cases increase again when schools reopen, just as it did when businesses reopened.“It hasn’t worked out real well,” said Oller, the mother of four young children. “I don’t know why people think this is going to be different.”____

Kansas governor could push counties to shut down bars again

WASHINGTON (AP) — Unemployment assistance, eviction protections and other relief for millions of Americans are at stake as White House officials launch negotiations with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">coronavirus&nbsp;</a>aid package that’s teetering in Congress ahead of looming deadlines.

While Senate Republicans struggled to roll out their own $1 trillion proposal, Pelosi implored the White House and GOP lawmakers to stop the infighting and come to the negotiating table with Democrats. Aid runs out Friday for a $600 weekly jobless benefit that Democrats call a lifeline for out-of-work Americans. Republicans want to slash it to $200 a week, saying that the federal bump is too generous on top of state benefits and is discouraging employees from returning to work.

With the virus death toll climbing and 4.2 million infections nationwide, both parties are eager for a deal. There is widespread agreement that more money is needed for virus testing, to help schools prepare to open in the fall and to shore up small businesses. Voters are assessing their handling of the virus crisis before the November election, and President Donald Trump’s standing is at one of the lowest points of his term, according to a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/43a096bc2bcf376de04b696c5143ee99">AP-NORC poll.</a>

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows worked through the weekend on the GOP proposal and agreed to meet with Pelosi and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer at the speaker’s office late Monday for talks.

The Republicans come to the negotiating table hobbled by infighting and delays. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he wanted to hit “pause” on new spending after Congress approved a sweeping $2.2 trillion relief package in March. But Pelosi, D-Calif., took the opposite approach, swiftly passing a&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/:%20https://apnews.com/55887a1d2b734020c8dae29004f087d6" target="_blank">$3 trillion effort</a>&nbsp;with robust Democratic support. In the intervening months, the crisis deepened.

McConnell, flanked by top GOP chairs Monday at the Capitol, unveiled his long-awaited proposal. It provides some $105 billion to schools and colleges, the K-12 funds tilted toward campuses that reopen with in-person learning. There’s more money for virus testing, $15 billion for child care centers and benefits for businesses, including a fresh round of loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, tax breaks and a sweeping liability shield from COVID-19-related lawsuits.

The Republican proposal would also provide another round of $1,200 direct payments based on the same formula from the earlier aid bill. People making $75,000 or less would receive the full amount, with the benefit phased out for those earning above $99,000, or double for married couples filing joint taxes.

It also provides $1.7 billion for a new FBI headquarters in Washington, a non-pandemic-related expense that’s a top priority of the president but not of lawmakers or McConnell. Trump’s hotel is across the street from it on Pennsylvania Avenue.

“Senate Republicans have offered another bold framework to help our nation,” McConnell said. He called it a starting point in talks.

But conservative Republicans quickly broke ranks on McConnell’s plan, arguing the spending was too much and priorities misplaced. Half the Republican senators could vote against the bill, some warned, and their opposition leaves McConnell heading into negotiations with Pelosi without the full force of the Senate majority behind him.

“The focus of this legislation is wrong,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, one of the bill’s most vocal opponents, told reporters at the Capitol. “Our priority, our objective, should be restarting the economy.”

As bipartisan talks unfold, the White House is now suggesting a narrower relief package may be all that’s possible with Friday’s approaching deadlines.

Mnuchin and Meadows, in appearances Sunday, cited unemployment benefits, money to help schools reopen, tax credits to keep people from losing their jobs and lawsuit protections for schools and businesses as priorities for quick relief.

“We can move very quickly with the Democrats on these issues,” Mnuchin said.

Pelosi has resisted tackling a relief package in piecemeal fashion, arguing that broader aid is needed for Americans. She panned the Trump administration’s desire to reduce the $600 weekly unemployment aid to ensure no more than 70% of prepandemic wages.

“Children are hungry, families cannot pay the rent, unemployment is expiring and the Republicans want to pause again and go piecemeal,” Pelosi said.

“We have stood ready to negotiate for more than two months,” she said. She urged them to come to her office “and get the job done.”

The $600 weekly jobless benefits boost, approved as part of the March aid package, officially expires July 31, but because of the way states process unemployment payments, the cutoff was effectively Saturday.

Under the GOP proposal, the jobless boost would be reduced to $200 a week for two months through September and phased out to a new system that ensures no more than 70% of an employee’s previous pay. States could request an additional two months, if needed, to make the transition.

Democrats pointed to an assessment from economist Mark Zandi, who called it a “poor policy choice.” Zandi said that if the GOP proposal became law, nearly 1 million jobs would be lost by year’s end and the unemployment rate, now above 11%, would climb more than half a percentage point.

Economists widely see&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/h%20unemployment%20still%20at%20a%20high%2011.1%%20and%20hiring%20potentially%20slowing%20in%20July,%20the%20economy%20is%20likely%20to%20weaken%20further%20without%20more%20government%20aid,%20economists%20say." target="_blank">signs of trouble in the economy</a>, which showed an uptick in the spring as some states eased stay-home orders and businesses reopened, but it now faces fresh turmoil with a prolonged virus crisis as states clamp down again.

Friday is also the end of a federal eviction moratorium on millions of rental units that the White House said it wants to extend in some fashion.

At the same time, budget watchers are wary of the rising debt load as Washington piles on unprecedented sums in trying to contain the pandemic and economic fallout.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595939268890.png" alt="Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and top GOP chairs including Missouri Senator Roy Blunt at the Capitol Monday -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and top GOP chairs including Missouri Senator Roy Blunt at the Capitol Monday -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Unemployment assistance, eviction protections and other relief for millions of Americans are at stake as White House officials launch negotiations with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">coronavirus&nbsp;</a>aid package that’s teetering in Congress ahead of looming deadlines.While Senate Republicans struggled to roll out their own $1 trillion proposal, Pelosi implored the White House and GOP lawmakers to stop the infighting and come to the negotiating table with Democrats. Aid runs out Friday for a $600 weekly jobless benefit that Democrats call a lifeline for out-of-work Americans. Republicans want to slash it to $200 a week, saying that the federal bump is too generous on top of state benefits and is discouraging employees from returning to work.“Time is running out,” Pelosi said.With the virus death toll climbing and 4.2 million infections nationwide, both parties are eager for a deal. There is widespread agreement that more money is needed for virus testing, to help schools prepare to open in the fall and to shore up small businesses. Voters are assessing their handling of the virus crisis before the November election, and President Donald Trump’s standing is at one of the lowest points of his term, according to a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/43a096bc2bcf376de04b696c5143ee99">AP-NORC poll.</a>Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows worked through the weekend on the GOP proposal and agreed to meet with Pelosi and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer at the speaker’s office late Monday for talks.The Republicans come to the negotiating table hobbled by infighting and delays. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he wanted to hit “pause” on new spending after Congress approved a sweeping $2.2 trillion relief package in March. But Pelosi, D-Calif., took the opposite approach, swiftly passing a&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/:%20https://apnews.com/55887a1d2b734020c8dae29004f087d6" target="_blank">$3 trillion effort</a>&nbsp;with robust Democratic support. In the intervening months, the crisis deepened.McConnell, flanked by top GOP chairs Monday at the Capitol, unveiled his long-awaited proposal. It provides some $105 billion to schools and colleges, the K-12 funds tilted toward campuses that reopen with in-person learning. There’s more money for virus testing, $15 billion for child care centers and benefits for businesses, including a fresh round of loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, tax breaks and a sweeping liability shield from COVID-19-related lawsuits.The Republican proposal would also provide another round of $1,200 direct payments based on the same formula from the earlier aid bill. People making $75,000 or less would receive the full amount, with the benefit phased out for those earning above $99,000, or double for married couples filing joint taxes.It also provides $1.7 billion for a new FBI headquarters in Washington, a non-pandemic-related expense that’s a top priority of the president but not of lawmakers or McConnell. Trump’s hotel is across the street from it on Pennsylvania Avenue.“Senate Republicans have offered another bold framework to help our nation,” McConnell said. He called it a starting point in talks.But conservative Republicans quickly broke ranks on McConnell’s plan, arguing the spending was too much and priorities misplaced. Half the Republican senators could vote against the bill, some warned, and their opposition leaves McConnell heading into negotiations with Pelosi without the full force of the Senate majority behind him.“The focus of this legislation is wrong,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, one of the bill’s most vocal opponents, told reporters at the Capitol. “Our priority, our objective, should be restarting the economy.”As bipartisan talks unfold, the White House is now suggesting a narrower relief package may be all that’s possible with Friday’s approaching deadlines.Mnuchin and Meadows, in appearances Sunday, cited unemployment benefits, money to help schools reopen, tax credits to keep people from losing their jobs and lawsuit protections for schools and businesses as priorities for quick relief.“We can move very quickly with the Democrats on these issues,” Mnuchin said.Pelosi has resisted tackling a relief package in piecemeal fashion, arguing that broader aid is needed for Americans. She panned the Trump administration’s desire to reduce the $600 weekly unemployment aid to ensure no more than 70% of prepandemic wages.“Children are hungry, families cannot pay the rent, unemployment is expiring and the Republicans want to pause again and go piecemeal,” Pelosi said.“We have stood ready to negotiate for more than two months,” she said. She urged them to come to her office “and get the job done.”The $600 weekly jobless benefits boost, approved as part of the March aid package, officially expires July 31, but because of the way states process unemployment payments, the cutoff was effectively Saturday.Under the GOP proposal, the jobless boost would be reduced to $200 a week for two months through September and phased out to a new system that ensures no more than 70% of an employee’s previous pay. States could request an additional two months, if needed, to make the transition.Democrats pointed to an assessment from economist Mark Zandi, who called it a “poor policy choice.” Zandi said that if the GOP proposal became law, nearly 1 million jobs would be lost by year’s end and the unemployment rate, now above 11%, would climb more than half a percentage point.Economists widely see&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/h%20unemployment%20still%20at%20a%20high%2011.1%%20and%20hiring%20potentially%20slowing%20in%20July,%20the%20economy%20is%20likely%20to%20weaken%20further%20without%20more%20government%20aid,%20economists%20say." target="_blank">signs of trouble in the economy</a>, which showed an uptick in the spring as some states eased stay-home orders and businesses reopened, but it now faces fresh turmoil with a prolonged virus crisis as states clamp down again.Friday is also the end of a federal eviction moratorium on millions of rental units that the White House said it wants to extend in some fashion.At the same time, budget watchers are wary of the rising debt load as Washington piles on unprecedented sums in trying to contain the pandemic and economic fallout.

Virus relief negotiations: GOP slashes jobless aid

KANSAS CITY (AP) — FBI agents in Kansas City as part of new controversial federal crime fighting effort assisted police in the arrest of a homicide suspect.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Missouri praised the apprehension of 44-year-old Joel Roseberry as “good work" in a&nbsp;<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/da77f87aed8a6d461abf4f9380c0d44e/FBI%20agents%20in%20Kansas%20City%20as%20part%20of%20new%20federal%20crime%20fighting%20effort%20assisted%20police%20in%20the%20arrest%20of%20a%20homicide%20suspect.%20The%20U.S.%20Attorney%E2%80%99s%20Office%20in%20the%20Western%20District%20of%20Missouri%20praised%20the%20apprehension%20of%2044-year-old%20Joel%20Roseberry%20as%20%E2%80%9Cgood%20work%22%20in%20a%20tweet%20Monday.%20He%20is%20jailed%20on%20$200,000%20bond%20on%20charges%20of%20second-degree%20murder,%20armed%20criminal%20action%20and%20evidence%20tampering%20in%20the%20March%201%20fatal%20shooting%20of%2028-year-old%20Frederick%20Outley%20outside%20of%20a%20convenience%20store.%20No%20attorney%20is%20listed%20for%20him%20in%20online%20court%20records.">tweet</a>&nbsp;Monday. He is jailed on $200,000 bond on charges of second-degree murder, armed criminal action and evidence tampering in the March 1 fatal shooting of 28-year-old Frederick Outley outside of a convenience store. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.

It is the first known murder charge connected to Operation LeGend, which is named after a 4-year-old boy named LeGend Taliferro, who was fatally shot while sleeping in his bed in Kansas City

Last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the operation’s first arrest was a man charged with being an unlawful drug user in possession of firearms, which prompted some community leaders to question its efficacy.

Don Ledford, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kansas City, said Monday his office considers Roseberry’s arrest as part of Operation LeGend because federal agents assisted in his apprehension.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595932884061.png" alt="Roseberry-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Roseberry-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — FBI agents in Kansas City as part of new controversial federal crime fighting effort assisted police in the arrest of a homicide suspect.The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Missouri praised the apprehension of 44-year-old Joel Roseberry as “good work" in a&nbsp;<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/da77f87aed8a6d461abf4f9380c0d44e/FBI%20agents%20in%20Kansas%20City%20as%20part%20of%20new%20federal%20crime%20fighting%20effort%20assisted%20police%20in%20the%20arrest%20of%20a%20homicide%20suspect.%20The%20U.S.%20Attorney%E2%80%99s%20Office%20in%20the%20Western%20District%20of%20Missouri%20praised%20the%20apprehension%20of%2044-year-old%20Joel%20Roseberry%20as%20%E2%80%9Cgood%20work%22%20in%20a%20tweet%20Monday.%20He%20is%20jailed%20on%20$200,000%20bond%20on%20charges%20of%20second-degree%20murder,%20armed%20criminal%20action%20and%20evidence%20tampering%20in%20the%20March%201%20fatal%20shooting%20of%2028-year-old%20Frederick%20Outley%20outside%20of%20a%20convenience%20store.%20No%20attorney%20is%20listed%20for%20him%20in%20online%20court%20records.">tweet</a>&nbsp;Monday. He is jailed on $200,000 bond on charges of second-degree murder, armed criminal action and evidence tampering in the March 1 fatal shooting of 28-year-old Frederick Outley outside of a convenience store. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.It is the first known murder charge connected to Operation LeGend, which is named after a 4-year-old boy named LeGend Taliferro, who was fatally shot while sleeping in his bed in Kansas CityLast week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the operation’s first arrest was a man charged with being an unlawful drug user in possession of firearms, which prompted some community leaders to question its efficacy.Don Ledford, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kansas City, said Monday his office considers Roseberry’s arrest as part of Operation LeGend because federal agents assisted in his apprehension.

Murder suspect arrested in Kansas City through new federal crime sweep 

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

Just after 5:30p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp;a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Pontiac Grand Prix in the 2700 block of SW Topeka Boulevard in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 During the investigation, a K9 unit was deployed and narcotics were located inside the vehicle. 

Deputies arrested Derek S. Frakes, 34,&nbsp; and Drew M. Reeves, 31, both of Hiawatha and booked them into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

Frakes is being held on requested charged of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, no vehicle liability insurance, operating a vehicle without registration and failure to wear a seat belt. Reeves is being held on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598558485015.png" alt="Frakes has 2 previous drug convictions in Atchison County, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Frakes has 2 previous drug convictions in Atchison County, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just after 5:30p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp;a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Pontiac Grand Prix in the 2700 block of SW Topeka Boulevard in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, a K9 unit was deployed and narcotics were located inside the vehicle. Deputies arrested Derek S. Frakes, 34,&nbsp; and Drew M. Reeves, 31, both of Hiawatha and booked them into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598558522155.png" alt="Reeves" />
 <figcaption>Reeves</figcaption>
 </figure>Frakes is being held on requested charged of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, no vehicle liability insurance, operating a vehicle without registration and failure to wear a seat belt. Reeves is being held on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Christian.

Sheriff's K9 helps send Kansas felon back to jail

BARBER COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are investigating after a Medicine Lodge woman was found dead Monday afternoon, according to a media release from the KBI.

The Medicine Lodge Police Department requested KBI assistance at approximately 2 p.m. on Monday, July 27. Special agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded.

Just before 1:50 p.m., a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge. 

EMS, the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office responded. EMS pronounced her dead at the scene.

Preliminary information leads investigators to believe Foulkrod’s death was a homicide. An autopsy will be conducted Tuesday.

BARBER COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are investigating after a Medicine Lodge woman was found dead Monday afternoon, according to a media release from the KBI.The Medicine Lodge Police Department requested KBI assistance at approximately 2 p.m. on Monday, July 27. Special agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded.Just before 1:50 p.m., a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge. EMS, the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office responded. EMS pronounced her dead at the scene.Preliminary information leads investigators to believe Foulkrod’s death was a homicide. An autopsy will be conducted Tuesday.

KBI: Woman's death in Medicine Lodge a homicide

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A 3-year-old Kansas girl whose remains were found earlier this month was covered in bruises and died of a brain bleed, investigators said.

The remains of Olivia Ann Jansen of Kansas City, Kansas, were discovered after her father, Howard Jansen III, reported her missing. The 29-year-old father and his 33-year-old girlfriend, Jacqulyn Kirkpatrick, have since been charged with felony murder and other crimes.

Her grandparents have said they had raised concerns about her safety with child protective services.

A probable cause affidavit filed in the criminal case, says the father reported the girl’s disappearance at 8:30 a.m. on July 10, saying he had seen her sleeping on a couch at 6 p.m. the night before.

Her body was found in a shallow grave in a wooded area on the same day she was reported missing.

Court papers said she was badly injured and it would have been apparent to anyone that saw her that she suffered great physical abuse. Her face, arms and legs were covered in bruises.

She also had a small cut on the back of her head, and an autopsy revealed significant bleeding on the back of her brain, which caused her death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594403105823.png" alt="Olivia Jansen " />
 <figcaption>Olivia Jansen </figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A 3-year-old Kansas girl whose remains were found earlier this month was covered in bruises and died of a brain bleed, investigators said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594468009097.png" alt="Jansen-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Jansen-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The remains of Olivia Ann Jansen of Kansas City, Kansas, were discovered after her father, Howard Jansen III, reported her missing. The 29-year-old father and his 33-year-old girlfriend, Jacqulyn Kirkpatrick, have since been charged with felony murder and other crimes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594490776368.png" alt="Kirkpatrick-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Kirkpatrick-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Her grandparents have said they had raised concerns about her safety with child protective services.A probable cause affidavit filed in the criminal case, says the father reported the girl’s disappearance at 8:30 a.m. on July 10, saying he had seen her sleeping on a couch at 6 p.m. the night before.Her body was found in a shallow grave in a wooded area on the same day she was reported missing.Court papers said she was badly injured and it would have been apparent to anyone that saw her that she suffered great physical abuse. Her face, arms and legs were covered in bruises.She also had a small cut on the back of her head, and an autopsy revealed significant bleeding on the back of her brain, which caused her death.

Affidavit: Body of 3-year-old Kansas girl covered in bruises

Kobach says ‘president is being pushed in multiple directions’

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/27/kris-kobach-not-banking-on-trump-endorsement-in-u-s-senate-race/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Republican Kris 
Kobach says he won’t be counting on a last-minute endorsement from 
President Donald Trump to bolster his campaign to capture the Republican
 nomination for U.S. Senate.

Trump’s decision to 
embrace Kobach rather than Gov. Jeff Colyer in the August 2018 
gubernatorial primary proved influential in that contest narrowly won by
 Kobach. It came in the form of a brief Twitter post declaring Kobach a 
“fantastic guy” who has “my full and total endorsement.”

Kobach went on to lose the
 general election to Democrat Laura Kelly, which has given rise to the 
view of Kobach as a hardcore conservative unwilling or incapable of 
moving to the center after the primary to broaden his appeal with 
moderate Republicans, independents and Democrats. It is part of the 
calculus of influential Republicans who have embraced U.S. Rep. Roger 
Marshall in the Aug. 4 primary race that includes wealthy plumber Bob 
Hamilton and retired NFL player Dave Lindstrom. They are competing to be
 the GOP nominee for the seat to be vacated by retirement of U.S. Sen. 
Pat Roberts.

“Recognizing that the 
president has, you know, different forces pushing on him I haven’t asked
 him to endorse me,” Kobach said on <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/podcast/kris-kobach-warns-gop-voters-not-to-be-fooled-by-general-election-oddsmakers/">the Kansas Reflector podcast</a>. “The president is being pushed in multiple directions.”

Kobach missed out on the 
endorsement of Kansans for Life’s political action committee, which 
supported Kobach in the past. KFL chose to put its weight behind 
Marshall, the western Kansas congressman.

“They decided to play 
politics and basically become oddsmakers and say, ‘Well, we think that 
your probability of winning the general election might be slightly less 
than Roger Marshall,’ ” Kobach said. ” ‘So, we’re not going to make an 
endorsement based on pro-life credentials. We’re going to make an 
endorsement based on, you know, reading the tea leaves.’ ”

He warned GOP voters not 
to be fooled into believing Kansas was on a path to elect the first 
Democrat to the U.S. Senate since the 1930s. State Sen. Barbara Bollier,
 a retired physician with fundraising prowess, is the presumptive 
Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.

Kobach, a former law 
professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, served as Kansas 
secretary of state from 2011 to 2019. He said his accomplishments in 
that office included establishment of Kansas laws mandating proof of 
citizenship to register to vote and requiring voters present photograph 
identification to cast ballots. The citizenship statute was <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20180618/judge-sides-with-aclu-in-voter-registration-fight-orders-kobach-to-go-to-school">struck down as unconstitutional</a>.

If elected to the U.S. 
Senate, he promised to serve as Trump’s point person on immigration 
policy and the expansion of border wall with Mexico.

Kobach said he would show 
Republicans in Washington, D.C., how to slash federal spending. For 
example, Kobach said, he would target the National Endowment for the 
Arts, because the organization throws money at “things that have a very 
left-wing political content to them.”

He promised to expose 
covert moderates nominated to federal courts and to help confirm 
conservatives invested in the right to bear arms, religious freedom and 
restraint of abortion.

“There aren’t that many 
people in the U.S. Senate who have the expertise to really grill a 
judge: Is this judge really who he says he is? Or, is this judge trying 
to conceal something?” Kobach said.

He praised Trump’s 
handling of COVID-19 and criticized Kansas’ governor for exceeding her 
legal authority during the pandemic. Trump wisely limited travel from 
China and Europe to the United States, he said. At the same time, Kelly 
issued orders closing schools, forcing people to stay at home and 
limiting church attendance. Kelly stumbled again by issuing a statewide 
mask order in violation of a law signed in June, he said.

“She does not have the 
authority in that statute to mandate the wearing of masks,” Kobach said.
 “I think that’ll end up in court as well.”

Kobach said he wears a 
mask if in close proximity to people outside his family for an extended 
period of time, such as an airline flight. The issue of masks 
illustrates a difference between the Republican and Democratic parties, 
he said.

“Conservatives like me, we
 favor liberty. We favor responsibility,” Kobach said. “If you and I are
 going to be in a room, we have to make a decision: Are we going to wear
 a mask or not? But that should be our own free choice based on the 
information we have. And we should take responsibility for whatever 
happens.

“The left, throughout this
 whole pandemic, has always taken the approach of heavy-handed 
government control,” he said. “It’s been a real interesting unmasking, 
if you will, of the parties because you see how the Republicans have 
consistently been for liberty and responsibility. The Democrats have 
been for government control.”

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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595880140752.jpeg" alt="U.S. Senate candidate Kris Kobach says on the Kansas Reflector podcast that he doesn't expect a repeat of the 2018 Twitter endorsement he received from President Donald Trump. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Senate candidate Kris Kobach says on the Kansas Reflector podcast that he doesn't expect a repeat of the 2018 Twitter endorsement he received from President Donald Trump. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kobach says ‘president is being pushed in multiple directions’</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/27/kris-kobach-not-banking-on-trump-endorsement-in-u-s-senate-race/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Republican Kris 
Kobach says he won’t be counting on a last-minute endorsement from 
President Donald Trump to bolster his campaign to capture the Republican
 nomination for U.S. Senate.Trump’s decision to 
embrace Kobach rather than Gov. Jeff Colyer in the August 2018 
gubernatorial primary proved influential in that contest narrowly won by
 Kobach. It came in the form of a brief Twitter post declaring Kobach a 
“fantastic guy” who has “my full and total endorsement.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kris Kobach, a strong and early supporter of mine, is running for Governor of the Great State of Kansas. He is a fantastic guy who loves his State and our Country - he will be a GREAT Governor and has my full &amp; total Endorsement! Strong on Crime, Border &amp; Military. VOTE TUESDAY!&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1026495277824401408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>Kobach went on to lose the
 general election to Democrat Laura Kelly, which has given rise to the 
view of Kobach as a hardcore conservative unwilling or incapable of 
moving to the center after the primary to broaden his appeal with 
moderate Republicans, independents and Democrats. It is part of the 
calculus of influential Republicans who have embraced U.S. Rep. Roger 
Marshall in the Aug. 4 primary race that includes wealthy plumber Bob 
Hamilton and retired NFL player Dave Lindstrom. They are competing to be
 the GOP nominee for the seat to be vacated by retirement of U.S. Sen. 
Pat Roberts.“Recognizing that the 
president has, you know, different forces pushing on him I haven’t asked
 him to endorse me,” Kobach said on <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/podcast/kris-kobach-warns-gop-voters-not-to-be-fooled-by-general-election-oddsmakers/">the Kansas Reflector podcast</a>. “The president is being pushed in multiple directions.”<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/864020773&color=%232b7fb4&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast" title="Reflector Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Reflector Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast/kobach-gop-voters-general-election-odds" title="Kris Kobach warns GOP voters not to be fooled by general election oddsmakers" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Kris Kobach warns GOP voters not to be fooled by general election oddsmakers</a></div></div>Kobach missed out on the 
endorsement of Kansans for Life’s political action committee, which 
supported Kobach in the past. KFL chose to put its weight behind 
Marshall, the western Kansas congressman.“They decided to play 
politics and basically become oddsmakers and say, ‘Well, we think that 
your probability of winning the general election might be slightly less 
than Roger Marshall,’ ” Kobach said. ” ‘So, we’re not going to make an 
endorsement based on pro-life credentials. We’re going to make an 
endorsement based on, you know, reading the tea leaves.’ ”He warned GOP voters not 
to be fooled into believing Kansas was on a path to elect the first 
Democrat to the U.S. Senate since the 1930s. State Sen. Barbara Bollier,
 a retired physician with fundraising prowess, is the presumptive 
Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.Kobach, a former law 
professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, served as Kansas 
secretary of state from 2011 to 2019. He said his accomplishments in 
that office included establishment of Kansas laws mandating proof of 
citizenship to register to vote and requiring voters present photograph 
identification to cast ballots. The citizenship statute was <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20180618/judge-sides-with-aclu-in-voter-registration-fight-orders-kobach-to-go-to-school">struck down as unconstitutional</a>.If elected to the U.S. 
Senate, he promised to serve as Trump’s point person on immigration 
policy and the expansion of border wall with Mexico.Kobach said he would show 
Republicans in Washington, D.C., how to slash federal spending. For 
example, Kobach said, he would target the National Endowment for the 
Arts, because the organization throws money at “things that have a very 
left-wing political content to them.”He promised to expose 
covert moderates nominated to federal courts and to help confirm 
conservatives invested in the right to bear arms, religious freedom and 
restraint of abortion.“There aren’t that many 
people in the U.S. Senate who have the expertise to really grill a 
judge: Is this judge really who he says he is? Or, is this judge trying 
to conceal something?” Kobach said.He praised Trump’s 
handling of COVID-19 and criticized Kansas’ governor for exceeding her 
legal authority during the pandemic. Trump wisely limited travel from 
China and Europe to the United States, he said. At the same time, Kelly 
issued orders closing schools, forcing people to stay at home and 
limiting church attendance. Kelly stumbled again by issuing a statewide 
mask order in violation of a law signed in June, he said.“She does not have the 
authority in that statute to mandate the wearing of masks,” Kobach said.
 “I think that’ll end up in court as well.”Kobach said he wears a 
mask if in close proximity to people outside his family for an extended 
period of time, such as an airline flight. The issue of masks 
illustrates a difference between the Republican and Democratic parties, 
he said.“Conservatives like me, we
 favor liberty. We favor responsibility,” Kobach said. “If you and I are
 going to be in a room, we have to make a decision: Are we going to wear
 a mask or not? But that should be our own free choice based on the 
information we have. And we should take responsibility for whatever 
happens.“The left, throughout this
 whole pandemic, has always taken the approach of heavy-handed 
government control,” he said. “It’s been a real interesting unmasking, 
if you will, of the parties because you see how the Republicans have 
consistently been for liberty and responsibility. The Democrats have 
been for government control.”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.