TOPEKA—Chief Justice Marla Luckert Friday evening issued six new administrative orders to provide updated direction to state courts and court users as the state slowly reopens following a plan
 outlined by the governor Thursday evening.

“These orders continue some of the strategies put in place at the beginning of this pandemic response and provide updated guidance for gradually reopening state courts, according to
 the framework announced by Governor Kelly,” said Chief Justice Luckert. “This approach reflects our commitment to protecting public health, and the health of our employees and judicial officers, while we increase the number and types of service we are
 able to deliver to the people of Kansas.”

<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETF3HgrLgDMShq-I2cPXEINI" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-044</a>: Reissuing Administrative Order 2020-PR-36 under Governor’s April 30, 2020, State of Disaster Emergency Declaration

This order suspends deadlines, time standards, and other applicable speedy trial provisions in municipal courts that have been closed by the COVID-19 pandemic and establishes that they
 will remain suspended until the court reopens and can reasonably place cases on its calendar or until further order. It also authorizes using two-way telephonic or electronic audio-visual communication in court proceedings to the extent they are permitted
 by the United States and Kansas Constitutions.

<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETGxkZlOwJ9IeKS5dCWo62CU" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-045</a>: Authorizing Two-Way Audio-Visual Communication in Any CourtProceeding

In this order, the chief justice authorizes courts to use two-way audio-visual communication to replace in-person judicial proceedings to protect the health and safety of court users,
 staff, and judicial officers.

The remote proceeding must be consistent with the United States and Kansas Constitutions, allow for confidential communication between counsel and a party or witness, and be reviewable
 by the public contemporaneously or soon after.

<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETMQBeYJmNb2rupmaq0iI9jw" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-046</a>: Suspending Deadlines and Time Limitations Under K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 22-3402

In this order, the chief justice suspends deadlines and time limitations to bring defendants to trial under authority granted her by House Substitute for Senate Bill 102, which took
 effect on its <a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETHgjDclCwXnUUYSsIowd6G4" target="_blank">
March 19, 2020, publication in the Kansas Register</a>.

<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETKCSAHsnLBKXbWs8xkxTpFc" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-047</a>: Suspending Deadlines and Time Limitations in Judicial Proceedings

In this order, the chief justice suspends statutes of limitations and statutory time standards regarding the conduct or processing of judicial proceedings under authority granted her
 by House Substitute for Senate Bill 102, which became law March 19.

The order allows for a district or appellate judge, or hearing officer, to exempt a case from the suspension of a statutory or other deadline, as long as it does not involve a matter
 covered by the governor’s Executive Order 20-10, which temporarily prohibits certain foreclosures and evictions.

<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETCSQ1s_eyIqQ3djICkJw5Rs" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-048</a>: Order Relating to District Court Operations in Counties Not Affected by a Stay-at-Home Order or Subject to a Directive Closing a County Courthouse or Other Judicial Office

This order applies to court operations in cities and counties in which no local stay-at-home order is in place now or after such a stay-at-home order is lifted.

It directs the chief judge of the judicial district to work with the local public health official to verify that all appropriate measures are taken to protect the health and safety of the public, court
 users, court staff, and judicial officers. It also includes instructions for staffing the court.

<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETHrvIkB3ajoyZoE_cAJyaAQ" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-049</a>: Relating to District Court Operations in Counties Affected by a Stay-at-Home Order or Subject to a Directive Closing a County Courthouse or Other Judicial Office

This order acknowledges that county officials, in response to local public health conditions, may impose more stringent restrictions than those issued by the governor and that these
 restrictions may affect courthouses, judicial officers, and court staff. Should that occur, the court covered by a local public health order will continue to perform essential functions as outlined. Nonessential functions may also be performed as resources
 and circumstances allow.

State courts have been operating in a limited capacity since March 18 under earlier Supreme Court orders issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Courts initially were restricted
 to only essential functions, but they were later permitted to perform additional functions, to the extent local resources and circumstances allowed.

Many courts, including the Supreme Court, have been carrying out their duties through remote hearings involving videoconferencing technology.

For a complete list of judicial branch actions to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETJY1fba_jQVMP7-5nL5HZLc" target="_blank">Kansas
 Courts Response to COVID-19</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576879254086.png" alt="Kansas supreme court" />
 <figcaption>Kansas supreme court</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA—Chief Justice Marla Luckert Friday evening issued six new administrative orders to provide updated direction to state courts and court users as the state slowly reopens following a plan
 outlined by the governor Thursday evening.“These orders continue some of the strategies put in place at the beginning of this pandemic response and provide updated guidance for gradually reopening state courts, according to
 the framework announced by Governor Kelly,” said Chief Justice Luckert. “This approach reflects our commitment to protecting public health, and the health of our employees and judicial officers, while we increase the number and types of service we are
 able to deliver to the people of Kansas.”<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETF3HgrLgDMShq-I2cPXEINI" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-044</a>: Reissuing Administrative Order 2020-PR-36 under Governor’s April 30, 2020, State of Disaster Emergency DeclarationThis order suspends deadlines, time standards, and other applicable speedy trial provisions in municipal courts that have been closed by the COVID-19 pandemic and establishes that they
 will remain suspended until the court reopens and can reasonably place cases on its calendar or until further order. It also authorizes using two-way telephonic or electronic audio-visual communication in court proceedings to the extent they are permitted
 by the United States and Kansas Constitutions.<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETGxkZlOwJ9IeKS5dCWo62CU" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-045</a>: Authorizing Two-Way Audio-Visual Communication in Any CourtProceedingIn this order, the chief justice authorizes courts to use two-way audio-visual communication to replace in-person judicial proceedings to protect the health and safety of court users,
 staff, and judicial officers.The remote proceeding must be consistent with the United States and Kansas Constitutions, allow for confidential communication between counsel and a party or witness, and be reviewable
 by the public contemporaneously or soon after.<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETMQBeYJmNb2rupmaq0iI9jw" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-046</a>: Suspending Deadlines and Time Limitations Under K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 22-3402In this order, the chief justice suspends deadlines and time limitations to bring defendants to trial under authority granted her by House Substitute for Senate Bill 102, which took
 effect on its <a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETHgjDclCwXnUUYSsIowd6G4" target="_blank">
March 19, 2020, publication in the Kansas Register</a>.<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETKCSAHsnLBKXbWs8xkxTpFc" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-047</a>: Suspending Deadlines and Time Limitations in Judicial ProceedingsIn this order, the chief justice suspends statutes of limitations and statutory time standards regarding the conduct or processing of judicial proceedings under authority granted her
 by House Substitute for Senate Bill 102, which became law March 19.The order allows for a district or appellate judge, or hearing officer, to exempt a case from the suspension of a statutory or other deadline, as long as it does not involve a matter
 covered by the governor’s Executive Order 20-10, which temporarily prohibits certain foreclosures and evictions.<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETCSQ1s_eyIqQ3djICkJw5Rs" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-048</a>: Order Relating to District Court Operations in Counties Not Affected by a Stay-at-Home Order or Subject to a Directive Closing a County Courthouse or Other Judicial OfficeThis order applies to court operations in cities and counties in which no local stay-at-home order is in place now or after such a stay-at-home order is lifted.It directs the chief judge of the judicial district to work with the local public health official to verify that all appropriate measures are taken to protect the health and safety of the public, court
 users, court staff, and judicial officers. It also includes instructions for staffing the court.<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETHrvIkB3ajoyZoE_cAJyaAQ" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-049</a>: Relating to District Court Operations in Counties Affected by a Stay-at-Home Order or Subject to a Directive Closing a County Courthouse or Other Judicial OfficeThis order acknowledges that county officials, in response to local public health conditions, may impose more stringent restrictions than those issued by the governor and that these
 restrictions may affect courthouses, judicial officers, and court staff. Should that occur, the court covered by a local public health order will continue to perform essential functions as outlined. Nonessential functions may also be performed as resources
 and circumstances allow.Essential functionsState courts have been operating in a limited capacity since March 18 under earlier Supreme Court orders issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Courts initially were restricted
 to only essential functions, but they were later permitted to perform additional functions, to the extent local resources and circumstances allowed.Essential functions generally include:<ol>
 <li>determining probable cause for persons arrested without a warrant;</li><li>first appearances;</li><li>bond hearings;</li><li>warrants for adults and juveniles;</li><li>juvenile detention hearings;</li><li>care and treatment emergency orders;</li><li>protection from abuse and protection from stalking temporary orders;</li><li>child in need of care hearings and orders;</li><li>commitment of sexually violent predators; and</li><li>isolation and quarantine hearings and orders.</li>
 </ol>Many courts, including the Supreme Court, have been carrying out their duties through remote hearings involving videoconferencing technology.For a complete list of judicial branch actions to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETJY1fba_jQVMP7-5nL5HZLc" target="_blank">Kansas
 Courts Response to COVID-19</a>.News Release<figure>
 <img src="" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

New administrative orders for courts as Kan. plans to reopen

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Signs Friday that several big meatpacking plants will soon reopen might appear to support President Donald Trump’s assertion that he had “solved their problems” in keeping grocery stores’ coolers stocked during the coronavirus crisis. But the reality isn’t likely to be so easy.

Though meatpackers have been moving to shift operations to make employees less vulnerable to coronavirus infection, they still have a workforce depleted by illness, with at least 4,900 employees nationwide infected. Many others may be unwilling to risk entering plants that have been rife with infections. Even plants that keep the production lines moving will have to do so more slowly, renewing concerns about whether Americans can count on seeing as much meat as they’re used to.

A Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in South Dakota where more than 850 workers tested positive will partially reopen Monday after shuttering for more than two weeks, a union that represents plant workers said Friday. And Arkansas-based Tyson Foods said its Logansport, Indiana, pork processing plant where nearly 900 employees tested positive will also resume “limited production” on Monday.

“We toured the plant and feel the additional measures implemented will allow employees to work safely, while continuing to follow (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines and recommendations,” Dori Ditty, the health officer for the county where the Tyson plant is located, said in a statement.

As Trump touted his executive order on Wednesday that requires meat plants to stay open, he suggested it would solve the breakdown in the food supply chain that threatens the availability of meat in grocery stores while farmers face the prospect of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/56df9f1cd2686b67750b653fa2462bb0">euthanizing hundreds of thousands of healthy pigs.</a>

“We solved their problems,” the president said Wednesday after getting off a call with meatpacking executives. “We unblocked some of the bottlenecks.”

But the clearing of those “bottlenecks” depends on thousands of people who work physically-demanding jobs that must be performed by hand and can take weeks to learn. In the latest sign of the strain on workers, Missouri health officials said Friday that nearly 300 employees at a Triumph Foods pork plant in St. Joseph have tested positive for the virus.

“I think it’s ridiculous that (Agriculture Secretary) Sonny Perdue can think all of a sudden he can wave a magic wand and all of a sudden these plants are going to operate at capacity,” said Mark Lauritsen, who directs the meatpackers division at the United Food and Commercial Workers union.

According to a CDC report released Friday, more than 4,900 workers at meat and poultry processing facilities have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, including 20 who died. The illnesses occurred among 130,000 workers at 115 facilities in 19 states, according to the CDC. Some states didn’t provide data, so the actual count is believed to be higher.

The researchers said plant workers may be at risk for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/26bf8fc20f2873d9701fd2ea95f87be4">a number of reasons</a>, including difficulties with physical distancing and hygiene and crowded living and transportation conditions. They suggested that disinfection be enhanced and that workers get regular screening for the virus, more space from co-workers and training materials in their native languages.

The United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents roughly 80% of beef and pork workers and 33% of poultry workers nationwide, has appealed to governors for help enforcing worker safety rules. They also want to get rid of waivers that allow some plants to operate at faster speeds.

With so many employees staying home because they are sick or worried about getting sick, many plants are operating only at half capacity, according to Lauritsen.

Smithfield Foods asked about 250 employees to report to its Sioux Falls plant on Monday to staff two departments — ground seasoned pork and night cleanup, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers union local.

The Virginia-based company asked that employees who are sick or who might be more susceptible to severe illness and death from the virus — those over age 60 or who have existing health problems — to stay home, according to the union. For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

Smithfield Foods said in a statement welcoming Trump’s order that it should make for easier access to protective equipment and testing. It is not clear how that will happen. Hospitals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/829280426e49dfdf7f2cb1be4b0cfe05">have struggled to source protective equipment&nbsp;</a>from private manufacturers, and access to testing is handled on a state-by-state basis.

Some states have set up special testing sites near meatpacking plants, including one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/164741cc07478fa6cede94a17fa36300">announced Friday</a>&nbsp;by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan.

All of this puts considerable strain on a supply chain that only has a few days to slaughter animals, process them and deliver meat to market, according to Katie Wowak, a University of Notre Dame professor who researches food supply chains.

“There’s thin margins in the food industry anyways,” she said. “When you add something like this, it can really cripple entities.”

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Signs Friday that several big meatpacking plants will soon reopen might appear to support President Donald Trump’s assertion that he had “solved their problems” in keeping grocery stores’ coolers stocked during the coronavirus crisis. But the reality isn’t likely to be so easy.Though meatpackers have been moving to shift operations to make employees less vulnerable to coronavirus infection, they still have a workforce depleted by illness, with at least 4,900 employees nationwide infected. Many others may be unwilling to risk entering plants that have been rife with infections. Even plants that keep the production lines moving will have to do so more slowly, renewing concerns about whether Americans can count on seeing as much meat as they’re used to.A Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in South Dakota where more than 850 workers tested positive will partially reopen Monday after shuttering for more than two weeks, a union that represents plant workers said Friday. And Arkansas-based Tyson Foods said its Logansport, Indiana, pork processing plant where nearly 900 employees tested positive will also resume “limited production” on Monday.“We toured the plant and feel the additional measures implemented will allow employees to work safely, while continuing to follow (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines and recommendations,” Dori Ditty, the health officer for the county where the Tyson plant is located, said in a statement.As Trump touted his executive order on Wednesday that requires meat plants to stay open, he suggested it would solve the breakdown in the food supply chain that threatens the availability of meat in grocery stores while farmers face the prospect of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/56df9f1cd2686b67750b653fa2462bb0">euthanizing hundreds of thousands of healthy pigs.</a>“We solved their problems,” the president said Wednesday after getting off a call with meatpacking executives. “We unblocked some of the bottlenecks.”But the clearing of those “bottlenecks” depends on thousands of people who work physically-demanding jobs that must be performed by hand and can take weeks to learn. In the latest sign of the strain on workers, Missouri health officials said Friday that nearly 300 employees at a Triumph Foods pork plant in St. Joseph have tested positive for the virus.“I think it’s ridiculous that (Agriculture Secretary) Sonny Perdue can think all of a sudden he can wave a magic wand and all of a sudden these plants are going to operate at capacity,” said Mark Lauritsen, who directs the meatpackers division at the United Food and Commercial Workers union.According to a CDC report released Friday, more than 4,900 workers at meat and poultry processing facilities have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, including 20 who died. The illnesses occurred among 130,000 workers at 115 facilities in 19 states, according to the CDC. Some states didn’t provide data, so the actual count is believed to be higher.The researchers said plant workers may be at risk for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/26bf8fc20f2873d9701fd2ea95f87be4">a number of reasons</a>, including difficulties with physical distancing and hygiene and crowded living and transportation conditions. They suggested that disinfection be enhanced and that workers get regular screening for the virus, more space from co-workers and training materials in their native languages.The United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents roughly 80% of beef and pork workers and 33% of poultry workers nationwide, has appealed to governors for help enforcing worker safety rules. They also want to get rid of waivers that allow some plants to operate at faster speeds.With so many employees staying home because they are sick or worried about getting sick, many plants are operating only at half capacity, according to Lauritsen.Smithfield Foods asked about 250 employees to report to its Sioux Falls plant on Monday to staff two departments — ground seasoned pork and night cleanup, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers union local.The Virginia-based company asked that employees who are sick or who might be more susceptible to severe illness and death from the virus — those over age 60 or who have existing health problems — to stay home, according to the union. For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.Smithfield Foods said in a statement welcoming Trump’s order that it should make for easier access to protective equipment and testing. It is not clear how that will happen. Hospitals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/829280426e49dfdf7f2cb1be4b0cfe05">have struggled to source protective equipment&nbsp;</a>from private manufacturers, and access to testing is handled on a state-by-state basis.Some states have set up special testing sites near meatpacking plants, including one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/164741cc07478fa6cede94a17fa36300">announced Friday</a>&nbsp;by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan.All of this puts considerable strain on a supply chain that only has a few days to slaughter animals, process them and deliver meat to market, according to Katie Wowak, a University of Notre Dame professor who researches food supply chains.“There’s thin margins in the food industry anyways,” she said. “When you add something like this, it can really cripple entities.”

Some meat plants reopen, but Trump order may not be cure-all

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 297 to a total of 4746, the state health department reported Saturday afternoon.&nbsp;

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 297 to a total of 4746, the state health department reported Saturday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 131<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588443066989.png" alt="Saturday May, 2, 2020 KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Saturday May, 2, 2020 KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas will open its campuses for in-person classes in the fall after the shutdown caused by the coronavirus.

The university said Friday that in-person classes will resume “in some capacity” for the fall semester.

“Reconnecting with each other in person and rebuilding our community is what we’ve looked forward to for months,” KU Chancellor Douglas Girod and Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer said in a note to the campus community.

KU closed to in-person classes in March. Last month, the university announced it would continue with all classes online for the summer semester.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas will open its campuses for in-person classes in the fall after the shutdown caused by the coronavirus.The university said Friday that in-person classes will resume “in some capacity” for the fall semester.“Reconnecting with each other in person and rebuilding our community is what we’ve looked forward to for months,” KU Chancellor Douglas Girod and Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer said in a note to the campus community.KU closed to in-person classes in March. Last month, the university announced it would continue with all classes online for the summer semester.

KU to reopen for in-person classes in the fall

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Democrats hope vote counting from Saturday’s party-run presidential primary goes smoothly to show that the state can rely far more heavily on mail ballots later this year.

Top Democrats anticipate former Vice President Joe Biden will prevail in Kansas’ voting and capture a majority of national convention delegates, given that other candidates, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a147af575395dd355937d16d2ece72b5">Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders,</a>&nbsp;have suspended their campaigns and endorsed him. Voting began in late March, with Sanders on the ballot, along with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and an option to remain uncommitted.

State Chairwoman Vicki Hiatt said voters returned about 140,000 ballots by mid-week after the party mailed them to more than 400,000 registered voters.

The turnout already is more than three times the 39,000 votes cast in 2016 caucuses won handily by Sanders over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. About 156,000 votes were cast in the 2018 Democratic primary for governor.

Democrats had planned to set up polling places across the state but concluded the sites would be too risky during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I think that is the trend, that we’re going to see a real focus on mail balloting,” Hiatt said, adding there’s urgency for moving to mail ballots “just for safety reasons.”

The presidential primary also features ranked-choice voting, in which voters can choose more than one option and rank them. Candidates who fail to get 15% of the vote in the first round will have their votes redistributed to voters’ second choices in a second round of counting, and the process will continue until all remaining candidates have at least 15%.

The results will allocate 39 of Kansas’ 45 delegates to Democrats’ national presidential nominating convention. The other six are party leaders.

Kansas’ next election is its Aug. 4 primary, and state law prevents it from being done exclusively through mail balloting. However, the law also allows voters to request mail ballots for any reason, and Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, is encouraging people to ask for them, spokeswoman Katie Koupal said.

Some Democrats have long argued for greater use of mail balloting as a way to boost turnout, but some Republicans remain wary, suggesting it would not be as secure.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587385328985.png" alt="Kansas 2020 presidential primary ballot" />
 <figcaption>Kansas 2020 presidential primary ballot</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Democrats hope vote counting from Saturday’s party-run presidential primary goes smoothly to show that the state can rely far more heavily on mail ballots later this year.Top Democrats anticipate former Vice President Joe Biden will prevail in Kansas’ voting and capture a majority of national convention delegates, given that other candidates, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a147af575395dd355937d16d2ece72b5">Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders,</a>&nbsp;have suspended their campaigns and endorsed him. Voting began in late March, with Sanders on the ballot, along with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and an option to remain uncommitted.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today is <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/2020Primary?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#2020Primary</a> Election Day in Kansas! Any ballot received today by the KDP will be counted. Results will be released within 48 hours after the final ballot has been tabulated. Stay tuned for more info on our social media and website! 🌻 🌻 <a href="https://t.co/KrVVUm8M9G">pic.twitter.com/KrVVUm8M9G</a>&mdash; Kansas Dems (@KansasDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/KansasDems/status/1256618441676554240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>State Chairwoman Vicki Hiatt said voters returned about 140,000 ballots by mid-week after the party mailed them to more than 400,000 registered voters.The turnout already is more than three times the 39,000 votes cast in 2016 caucuses won handily by Sanders over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. About 156,000 votes were cast in the 2018 Democratic primary for governor.Democrats had planned to set up polling places across the state but concluded the sites would be too risky during the coronavirus pandemic.“I think that is the trend, that we’re going to see a real focus on mail balloting,” Hiatt said, adding there’s urgency for moving to mail ballots “just for safety reasons.”The presidential primary also features ranked-choice voting, in which voters can choose more than one option and rank them. Candidates who fail to get 15% of the vote in the first round will have their votes redistributed to voters’ second choices in a second round of counting, and the process will continue until all remaining candidates have at least 15%.The results will allocate 39 of Kansas’ 45 delegates to Democrats’ national presidential nominating convention. The other six are party leaders.Kansas’ next election is its Aug. 4 primary, and state law prevents it from being done exclusively through mail balloting. However, the law also allows voters to request mail ballots for any reason, and Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, is encouraging people to ask for them, spokeswoman Katie Koupal said.Some Democrats have long argued for greater use of mail balloting as a way to boost turnout, but some Republicans remain wary, suggesting it would not be as secure.

Kansas Democrats hope primary encourages balloting by mail

ATLANTA (AP) — Some of the millions of American workers laid off because of the coronavirus are beginning to face a tough choice — return to work and risk infection, or stay home and risk losing unemployment payments.

The decision is most pressing in states where governors have started allowing businesses such as restaurants to reopen with social-distancing restrictions.

Tyler Price, 26, was called back to his job at Del Frisco’s Grille in the Nashville suburb of Brentwood. Tennessee allowed restaurants to open dining rooms at 50% capacity, with servers wearing masks and being tested for fever.

But Price, who has yet to receive any unemployment benefits, is wrestling with what do. He said he is “highly susceptible” to respiratory illness and was hospitalized with pneumonia as a child.

“I know what it feels like to be in a hospital, to be drowning in your own lungs,” said Price, who moved in with his mother near St. Louis after getting laid off. “It’s horrifying. It’s terrible. I don’t want to find myself there.”

He said waiting tables “is impossible to do under social distancing guidelines,” and he would prefer to draw unemployment payments.

On Thursday, the Labor Department reported that the business shutdowns and stay-at-home orders caused by the pandemic have led 30 million Americans to file for unemployment insurance, or roughly 1 of every 6 workers.

The design of the unemployment system adds to the pressure. If an employer calls back laid-off workers, they must report to work or are likely to lose their benefits.

That’s because unemployment insurance is designed to tide people over until they can get back to a job, said Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst with the National Employment Law Project in New York.

“An unemployed worker cannot refuse suitable work and still continue to collect unemployment insurance,” Evermore said. “Presumably, the job you used to have is suitable.”

Fear of getting sick or worries that an employer isn’t providing adequate infection protection are generally not reasons someone can file for benefits. The latter concern is getting more complicated because some businesses are lobbying to keep employees and customers from suing them over coronavirus transmission.

Lacey Ward, a hairstylist in Omaha, Nebraska, filed for unemployment benefits in mid-March and is still waiting for the first payment. She’s been forced to drain her family’s savings and feels increasing pressure to return to work. Still, she is worried that Gov. Pete Ricketts’ decision to let salons reopen Monday could put her, her husband and two young sons at risk.

Ward, 38, said she would prefer to collect unemployment until the risk from the virus subsides and it’s clearer whether she can offer services like shampooing. She co-owns the salon but makes money only off her own clients.

“I would rather be safe than sorry,” Ward said. “We are not an essential field. I haven’t had my hair done in three or four months at this point. But what does it matter? Who are people seeing?”

Ward said she’s so concerned about spreading the virus that she plans to change clothes and wash her hair before she returns home.

“We’re playing with fire, physically touching another person,” she said.

Some workers are ready to go back. Kathryn Marsilli, 33, is a manager and server at The Collins Quarter restaurant in Savannah, Georgia.

She knows she may make less at work because of reduced business and would like a way for those with fears of the virus to stay home. But she said she wants to go back out of loyalty to the owner and because she’s not interested in trying to maximize her unemployment benefits.

“My future where I work is more important to me than trying to get what I can now,” Marsilli said.

Other workers may be tempted to hold on to unemployment. Especially in some low-wage regions, laid-off workers may receive more money with the state benefit and the additional $600 a week provided by Congress than they were on the job. The federal boost ends July 31.

Georgia labor officials are trying to balance the needs of business owners with the genuine concerns of workers. State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said he’s telling businesses that are easing into reopening and don’t need all their employees to call in those who are willing to work and leave the others to the unemployment system.

Georgia also is allowing people to earn up to $300 a week before it begins to eat into their state unemployment benefit, meaning workers could earn more than $1,200 a week in total.

“It was a way we could get more people back to work at reduced hours,” Butler said. “Otherwise, why would you go back to work at all?”

Jennifer Holliday is a manager at a restaurant in Oklahoma City called Zio’s Italian Kitchen, which plans to reopen its dining room Friday. She said getting furloughed employees to return has been difficult. Many are not returning her phone calls or messages.

“There are some who want to just ride it out (until July) and take the unemployment,” Holliday said. “They don’t even have to apply” for other jobs.

ATLANTA (AP) — Some of the millions of American workers laid off because of the coronavirus are beginning to face a tough choice — return to work and risk infection, or stay home and risk losing unemployment payments.The decision is most pressing in states where governors have started allowing businesses such as restaurants to reopen with social-distancing restrictions.Tyler Price, 26, was called back to his job at Del Frisco’s Grille in the Nashville suburb of Brentwood. Tennessee allowed restaurants to open dining rooms at 50% capacity, with servers wearing masks and being tested for fever.But Price, who has yet to receive any unemployment benefits, is wrestling with what do. He said he is “highly susceptible” to respiratory illness and was hospitalized with pneumonia as a child.“I know what it feels like to be in a hospital, to be drowning in your own lungs,” said Price, who moved in with his mother near St. Louis after getting laid off. “It’s horrifying. It’s terrible. I don’t want to find myself there.”He said waiting tables “is impossible to do under social distancing guidelines,” and he would prefer to draw unemployment payments.On Thursday, the Labor Department reported that the business shutdowns and stay-at-home orders caused by the pandemic have led 30 million Americans to file for unemployment insurance, or roughly 1 of every 6 workers.The design of the unemployment system adds to the pressure. If an employer calls back laid-off workers, they must report to work or are likely to lose their benefits.That’s because unemployment insurance is designed to tide people over until they can get back to a job, said Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst with the National Employment Law Project in New York.“An unemployed worker cannot refuse suitable work and still continue to collect unemployment insurance,” Evermore said. “Presumably, the job you used to have is suitable.”Fear of getting sick or worries that an employer isn’t providing adequate infection protection are generally not reasons someone can file for benefits. The latter concern is getting more complicated because some businesses are lobbying to keep employees and customers from suing them over coronavirus transmission.Lacey Ward, a hairstylist in Omaha, Nebraska, filed for unemployment benefits in mid-March and is still waiting for the first payment. She’s been forced to drain her family’s savings and feels increasing pressure to return to work. Still, she is worried that Gov. Pete Ricketts’ decision to let salons reopen Monday could put her, her husband and two young sons at risk.Ward, 38, said she would prefer to collect unemployment until the risk from the virus subsides and it’s clearer whether she can offer services like shampooing. She co-owns the salon but makes money only off her own clients.“I would rather be safe than sorry,” Ward said. “We are not an essential field. I haven’t had my hair done in three or four months at this point. But what does it matter? Who are people seeing?”Ward said she’s so concerned about spreading the virus that she plans to change clothes and wash her hair before she returns home.“We’re playing with fire, physically touching another person,” she said.Some workers are ready to go back. Kathryn Marsilli, 33, is a manager and server at The Collins Quarter restaurant in Savannah, Georgia.She knows she may make less at work because of reduced business and would like a way for those with fears of the virus to stay home. But she said she wants to go back out of loyalty to the owner and because she’s not interested in trying to maximize her unemployment benefits.“My future where I work is more important to me than trying to get what I can now,” Marsilli said.Other workers may be tempted to hold on to unemployment. Especially in some low-wage regions, laid-off workers may receive more money with the state benefit and the additional $600 a week provided by Congress than they were on the job. The federal boost ends July 31.Georgia labor officials are trying to balance the needs of business owners with the genuine concerns of workers. State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said he’s telling businesses that are easing into reopening and don’t need all their employees to call in those who are willing to work and leave the others to the unemployment system.Georgia also is allowing people to earn up to $300 a week before it begins to eat into their state unemployment benefit, meaning workers could earn more than $1,200 a week in total.“It was a way we could get more people back to work at reduced hours,” Butler said. “Otherwise, why would you go back to work at all?”Jennifer Holliday is a manager at a restaurant in Oklahoma City called Zio’s Italian Kitchen, which plans to reopen its dining room Friday. She said getting furloughed employees to return has been difficult. Many are not returning her phone calls or messages.“There are some who want to just ride it out (until July) and take the unemployment,” Holliday said. “They don’t even have to apply” for other jobs.___

Workers must risk infection or losing unemployment payments

An oil pump jack in Kansas. Scott Canon / Kansas News Service

By BRIAN GRIMMETT<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/these-kansas-counties-relied-heavily-oil-then-bottom-fell-out">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — The coronavirus shutdown killed oil prices. That could be a killer for local governments in large swaths of Kansas, places long addicted to the tax money that’s been lost as companies stop pumping crude from the ground.

In some parts of Kansas, counties depend on revenue tied to oil production to cover as much as a fourth of the local property taxes.

With no rebound in prices in a world suddenly awash in a glut of oil, those counties find themselves scrambling to raise taxes elsewhere, slash their budgets, or both.

<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/">Ellis County</a>&nbsp;in western Kansas produces more oil than anywhere else in the state. The industry is a key component of its economy, providing income for producers and landowners, while also propping up a wide range of businesses meant to support the industry and those who work in it.

“We have banks out here that will struggle. We have retailers, like myself, that will struggle,” said Dustin Roths, Ellis County Commissioner and owner of a local jewelry store. “Our best customers sometimes are in these industries.”

It’s also a significant source of revenue for the county government. Before the coronavirus and collapse of oil prices, the county expected to get about $1 million in tax revenue from the value of oil in the ground.

With&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/20/838521862/free-falling-oil-prices-keep-diving-as-demand-disappears">prices this past week hovering around $5 a barrel or less</a>, Roths expects those tax dollars driven by oil prices to fall by half.

The revenue from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/DocumentCenter/View/3058/2019-Budget-Document">oil is about 5% of the county’s annual budget</a>. While Roths said the county is doing everything it can to make sure it doesn’t have to lay people off, the shortfall will at least mean a reduction in some services.

“We just kind of have to hold the line,” he said. “We’re not going to be able to make the investments in road infrastructure that we would have liked to.”

The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kgs.ku.edu/PRS/petro/interactive.html">Kansas Geological Survey</a>&nbsp;says eight counties (Barton, Ellis, Finney, Haskell, Ness, Rooks, Russell and Stafford) produced more than 1.5 million barrels of oil in 2018. It’s those counties likely to be hit hardest.

The significant drop in oil prices is<a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/04/22/842095406/episode-993-negative-oil">&nbsp;largely due to a severe drop in demand for oil because of the coronavirus, and too much production coming from Saudi Arabia and Russia</a>. Remember Economics 101? When you’ve got too much supply and very little demand, the price of what you’re selling is going to bottom out.

“When it costs us more to produce the oil or get it out of the ground than it’s being offered to buy it for, we have no choice but to … basically close up shop,” said Will Darrah, a Wichita-based oil and gas producer.

With wells turned off, there’s nothing to sell. And if there’s nothing to sell, then that means no royalty payments. The Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association expects those payments to drop by $400 million.

“Royalty payments (don’t go) just to oil and gas people,” said Ed Cross, KIOGA president. “That’s to landowners, and colleges, and other folks that have royalty interests."

He said the prospect of any kind of rebound in prices by the end of the year is also starting to look grim. It would take a huge surge in demand to even bring prices back up to $30 a barrel. Since the last price collapse in 2014, oil in Kansas has hovered around $50 a barrel. And that’s not likely to happen as states only gradually reopen the economy.

“You’re talking at least a couple of years before we get to where we were in January of this year,” Cross said.

Even when prices begin to rebound to a point when pumping oil will be worth it again, turning a well back on isn’t as easy as just flipping a switch.

“You just don’t go back out there 30, 60 days later and turn that well on to get production back to the level it was previously,” said Mike Reed, CEO of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sunriseoilfieldsupply.com/">Sunrise Oilfield Supply</a>.

Wells and the equipment that run them will need to be checked for safety, serviced and in some cases replaced. And that can only happen if there’s still companies and technicians left in the industry.

While low oil prices are bad for the industry and the local economies that rely on it, Kansas consumers can take advantage of low gas prices (if they have anywhere to go). AAA calculates the&nbsp;<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">average price at the pump in Kansas</a>&nbsp;right now is $1.48 a gallon compared to $2.68 a gallon a year ago.

“It almost hurts us to pump gas that cheap,” Roths said. “Because we know how many people around here it hurts.”

Brian Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a>&nbsp;or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588254817951.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>An oil pump jack in Kansas. Scott Canon / Kansas News ServiceBy BRIAN GRIMMETT<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/these-kansas-counties-relied-heavily-oil-then-bottom-fell-out">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — The coronavirus shutdown killed oil prices. That could be a killer for local governments in large swaths of Kansas, places long addicted to the tax money that’s been lost as companies stop pumping crude from the ground.In some parts of Kansas, counties depend on revenue tied to oil production to cover as much as a fourth of the local property taxes.With no rebound in prices in a world suddenly awash in a glut of oil, those counties find themselves scrambling to raise taxes elsewhere, slash their budgets, or both.<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/">Ellis County</a>&nbsp;in western Kansas produces more oil than anywhere else in the state. The industry is a key component of its economy, providing income for producers and landowners, while also propping up a wide range of businesses meant to support the industry and those who work in it.“We have banks out here that will struggle. We have retailers, like myself, that will struggle,” said Dustin Roths, Ellis County Commissioner and owner of a local jewelry store. “Our best customers sometimes are in these industries.”It’s also a significant source of revenue for the county government. Before the coronavirus and collapse of oil prices, the county expected to get about $1 million in tax revenue from the value of oil in the ground.With&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/20/838521862/free-falling-oil-prices-keep-diving-as-demand-disappears">prices this past week hovering around $5 a barrel or less</a>, Roths expects those tax dollars driven by oil prices to fall by half.The revenue from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/DocumentCenter/View/3058/2019-Budget-Document">oil is about 5% of the county’s annual budget</a>. While Roths said the county is doing everything it can to make sure it doesn’t have to lay people off, the shortfall will at least mean a reduction in some services.“We just kind of have to hold the line,” he said. “We’re not going to be able to make the investments in road infrastructure that we would have liked to.”The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kgs.ku.edu/PRS/petro/interactive.html">Kansas Geological Survey</a>&nbsp;says eight counties (Barton, Ellis, Finney, Haskell, Ness, Rooks, Russell and Stafford) produced more than 1.5 million barrels of oil in 2018. It’s those counties likely to be hit hardest.The significant drop in oil prices is<a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/04/22/842095406/episode-993-negative-oil">&nbsp;largely due to a severe drop in demand for oil because of the coronavirus, and too much production coming from Saudi Arabia and Russia</a>. Remember Economics 101? When you’ve got too much supply and very little demand, the price of what you’re selling is going to bottom out.“When it costs us more to produce the oil or get it out of the ground than it’s being offered to buy it for, we have no choice but to … basically close up shop,” said Will Darrah, a Wichita-based oil and gas producer.With wells turned off, there’s nothing to sell. And if there’s nothing to sell, then that means no royalty payments. The Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association expects those payments to drop by $400 million.“Royalty payments (don’t go) just to oil and gas people,” said Ed Cross, KIOGA president. “That’s to landowners, and colleges, and other folks that have royalty interests."He said the prospect of any kind of rebound in prices by the end of the year is also starting to look grim. It would take a huge surge in demand to even bring prices back up to $30 a barrel. Since the last price collapse in 2014, oil in Kansas has hovered around $50 a barrel. And that’s not likely to happen as states only gradually reopen the economy.“You’re talking at least a couple of years before we get to where we were in January of this year,” Cross said.Even when prices begin to rebound to a point when pumping oil will be worth it again, turning a well back on isn’t as easy as just flipping a switch.“You just don’t go back out there 30, 60 days later and turn that well on to get production back to the level it was previously,” said Mike Reed, CEO of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sunriseoilfieldsupply.com/">Sunrise Oilfield Supply</a>.Wells and the equipment that run them will need to be checked for safety, serviced and in some cases replaced. And that can only happen if there’s still companies and technicians left in the industry.While low oil prices are bad for the industry and the local economies that rely on it, Kansas consumers can take advantage of low gas prices (if they have anywhere to go). AAA calculates the&nbsp;<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">average price at the pump in Kansas</a>&nbsp;right now is $1.48 a gallon compared to $2.68 a gallon a year ago.“It almost hurts us to pump gas that cheap,” Roths said. “Because we know how many people around here it hurts.”Brian Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a>&nbsp;or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

Bottom falls out for Kansas counties reliant upon oil production

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas began releasing inmates this week as a way to check the spread of coronavirus in its prison system, but stopped when an outbreak mushroomed and created a danger of returning infected offenders to their communities, Gov. Laura Kelly said Friday.

Kelly said during an Associated Press interview that the Department of Corrections released only six inmates and put them under house arrest for the rest of their sentences. But confirmed coronavirus cases at the Lansing Correctional Facility outside Kansas City have skyrocketed among inmates and staff, and the prison is under quarantine.

“We got the testing results at Lansing and realized that we had some other work to do before we could let anybody else go,” Kelly said. The Department of Corrections said none of the six released were from Lansing.

Problems at the prison didn’t prevent Kelly from promising to lift a statewide stay-at-home order as planned at midnight Sunday or outlining&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/abd6bb1cfc4f6349d94f853f04b12bcb">a plan</a>&nbsp;to gradually reopen the state’s coronavirus-battered economy by June 15, starting with restaurants and many other businesses Monday. However, her economic plan frustrated some business owners, who won’t be allowed to reopen until at least May 18 while others can.

The state saw a 5% jump in confirmed coronavirus cases Friday, an increase of 221, to 4,449. It recorded a single new COVID-19-related death to make the state’s tally 130 since early March.

Kelly and Dr. Lee Norman, the state’s top public health administrator, said Friday that Kansas expects to receive some 60,000 testing kits from the federal government in May, a key factor in her decision to reopen the state.

The slowdown in economic activity is hitting the state budget. A new fiscal forecast issued less than two weeks ago projects Kansas will see its tax revenues drop 7.8% in the current budget year that began in July 2019. Tax collections in April suggested the new projections are on the mark: The state collected $578 million in taxes for the month, roughly what the new, more pessimistic fiscal forecast projected.

Dr. Drew Miller, a family physician in Lakin in southwest Kansas, said he still will advise people to stay home as much as possible. He said became comfortable with Kelly’s reopening plan as he reviewed it.

“It’s more conservative than what I thought it would be,” Miller said.

Kelly loosened restrictions on religious gatherings that prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1ec624a15ae111e72a20dd6818d64451">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;by two churches and their pastors. A legal group representing them, Alliance Defending Freedom, announced plans to drop the lawsuit Friday.

But the disparate treatment of different businesses inspired criticism from some business owners. While restaurants can reopen Monday with social distancing and other restrictions, bars, gyms, fitness centers, hair salons and barbershops, among others, have to wait another two weeks at least.

Nathan Hunt, a retired Army platoon sergeant and combat veteran, said he can open his martial arts academy in Junction City safely. He said he can limit class sizes, clean his business thoroughly and put marks on his mats to keep students apart.

“I know how to corral the kittens,” Hunt said. “I don’t need another mom to tell me how to run my business safely.”

The outbreak at the Lansing prison is problematic for the state because 164 inmates living in a single dormitory-style housing unit tested positive without showing any symptoms. Department of Corrections spokeswoman Rebecca Witte said 253 inmates at Lansing have tested positive and two have died. Eighty-six employees — about 21% of the staff — have tested positive as well.

The state plans to test roughly 2,000 Lansing inmates and staff this weekend, Norman said.

There also are infections among either staff or inmates in four other correctional facilities, although they are much smaller, the agency said.

Kelly has faced pressure from inmates’ families and an American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas state-court lawsuit to release some inmates.

The ACLU accused the department in a statement of “delay in addressing the very real threat posed by COVID-19 to the incarcerated, to corrections staff, and to the community.”

Kelly said other inmates “on the list” for being released early and put under house arrest “really are victims of the pandemic.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588352329083.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during her televised address on Thursday" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during her televised address on Thursday</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas began releasing inmates this week as a way to check the spread of coronavirus in its prison system, but stopped when an outbreak mushroomed and created a danger of returning infected offenders to their communities, Gov. Laura Kelly said Friday.Kelly said during an Associated Press interview that the Department of Corrections released only six inmates and put them under house arrest for the rest of their sentences. But confirmed coronavirus cases at the Lansing Correctional Facility outside Kansas City have skyrocketed among inmates and staff, and the prison is under quarantine.“We got the testing results at Lansing and realized that we had some other work to do before we could let anybody else go,” Kelly said. The Department of Corrections said none of the six released were from Lansing.Problems at the prison didn’t prevent Kelly from promising to lift a statewide stay-at-home order as planned at midnight Sunday or outlining&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/abd6bb1cfc4f6349d94f853f04b12bcb">a plan</a>&nbsp;to gradually reopen the state’s coronavirus-battered economy by June 15, starting with restaurants and many other businesses Monday. However, her economic plan frustrated some business owners, who won’t be allowed to reopen until at least May 18 while others can.The state saw a 5% jump in confirmed coronavirus cases Friday, an increase of 221, to 4,449. It recorded a single new COVID-19-related death to make the state’s tally 130 since early March.Kelly and Dr. Lee Norman, the state’s top public health administrator, said Friday that Kansas expects to receive some 60,000 testing kits from the federal government in May, a key factor in her decision to reopen the state.The slowdown in economic activity is hitting the state budget. A new fiscal forecast issued less than two weeks ago projects Kansas will see its tax revenues drop 7.8% in the current budget year that began in July 2019. Tax collections in April suggested the new projections are on the mark: The state collected $578 million in taxes for the month, roughly what the new, more pessimistic fiscal forecast projected.Dr. Drew Miller, a family physician in Lakin in southwest Kansas, said he still will advise people to stay home as much as possible. He said became comfortable with Kelly’s reopening plan as he reviewed it.“It’s more conservative than what I thought it would be,” Miller said.Kelly loosened restrictions on religious gatherings that prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1ec624a15ae111e72a20dd6818d64451">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;by two churches and their pastors. A legal group representing them, Alliance Defending Freedom, announced plans to drop the lawsuit Friday.But the disparate treatment of different businesses inspired criticism from some business owners. While restaurants can reopen Monday with social distancing and other restrictions, bars, gyms, fitness centers, hair salons and barbershops, among others, have to wait another two weeks at least.Nathan Hunt, a retired Army platoon sergeant and combat veteran, said he can open his martial arts academy in Junction City safely. He said he can limit class sizes, clean his business thoroughly and put marks on his mats to keep students apart.“I know how to corral the kittens,” Hunt said. “I don’t need another mom to tell me how to run my business safely.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586514248901.png" alt="Two inmates at the Lansing Prison have died as a result of the virus." />
 <figcaption>Two inmates at the Lansing Prison have died as a result of the virus.</figcaption>
 </figure>The outbreak at the Lansing prison is problematic for the state because 164 inmates living in a single dormitory-style housing unit tested positive without showing any symptoms. Department of Corrections spokeswoman Rebecca Witte said 253 inmates at Lansing have tested positive and two have died. Eighty-six employees — about 21% of the staff — have tested positive as well.The state plans to test roughly 2,000 Lansing inmates and staff this weekend, Norman said.There also are infections among either staff or inmates in four other correctional facilities, although they are much smaller, the agency said.Kelly has faced pressure from inmates’ families and an American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas state-court lawsuit to release some inmates.The ACLU accused the department in a statement of “delay in addressing the very real threat posed by COVID-19 to the incarcerated, to corrections staff, and to the community.”Kelly said other inmates “on the list” for being released early and put under house arrest “really are victims of the pandemic.”___

Coronavirus outbreak prompts Kansas to stop prison releases

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Aircraft parts maker Spirit AeroSystems announced Friday that it would lay off 1,450 employees because demand for new airplanes has plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic.

An email sent to employees Friday says Boeing and Airbus reported their first-quarter financial reports this week and indicated there would be a decline in demand for new airplanes. Spirit is a supplier of parts for both companies.

“All indications right now tell us this lower demand for new commercial airplanes is likely to last for several years,” president and CEO Tom Gentile said in the email.

Affected employees in Wichita will start leaving on May 15 but some “may be asked to work during this 60 day period to provide cross training.” Employees working on the defense side will not be affected.

The email says there will be smaller reductions later this month at other Spirit sites in the U.S.

Spirit announced layoffs of about 2,800 employees earlier this year as a result of the Boeing 737 Max being grounded after two fatal flights. It also offered voluntary layoffs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/acc1c04b3d6ffb8ea60197ad57e8b4f0">Thursday</a>.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Aircraft parts maker Spirit AeroSystems announced Friday that it would lay off 1,450 employees because demand for new airplanes has plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic.An email sent to employees Friday says Boeing and Airbus reported their first-quarter financial reports this week and indicated there would be a decline in demand for new airplanes. Spirit is a supplier of parts for both companies.“All indications right now tell us this lower demand for new commercial airplanes is likely to last for several years,” president and CEO Tom Gentile said in the email.Affected employees in Wichita will start leaving on May 15 but some “may be asked to work during this 60 day period to provide cross training.” Employees working on the defense side will not be affected.The email says there will be smaller reductions later this month at other Spirit sites in the U.S.Spirit announced layoffs of about 2,800 employees earlier this year as a result of the Boeing 737 Max being grounded after two fatal flights. It also offered voluntary layoffs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/acc1c04b3d6ffb8ea60197ad57e8b4f0">Thursday</a>.

Kan. aircraft parts maker to lay off of 1,450 employees

SHAWNEE COUNTY– A total of four teens were arrested Thursday following an incident at the Days Inn in Topeka.

Just after noon Thursday, officers from the Topeka Police Department responded to the Days Inn, 1510 SW Wanamaker Road on a report of three persons who were possibly unresponsive in a room at the motel, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.

Officers made contact with a total of five people who were responsive, but were showing possible signs of impairment. 

Medical personnel arrived on scene and all five individuals were medically cleared.

Upon further investigation, a total of four teens are facing&nbsp; charges including a 17-year-old boy who was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Juvenile Detention Center on the following charges Possession of stolen property Criminal carry of a weapon and Criminal damage.

A 16-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Juvenile Intake for a Misdemeanor warrant

A 17-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Juvenile Intake on the requested charges of Obstruction and 3 misdemeanor warrants.

A 17-year-old girl was arrested and taken to Juvenile Intake for an alleged Probation violation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588349695065.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY– A total of four teens were arrested Thursday following an incident at the Days Inn in Topeka.Just after noon Thursday, officers from the Topeka Police Department responded to the Days Inn, 1510 SW Wanamaker Road on a report of three persons who were possibly unresponsive in a room at the motel, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.Officers made contact with a total of five people who were responsive, but were showing possible signs of impairment. Medical personnel arrived on scene and all five individuals were medically cleared.Upon further investigation, a total of four teens are facing&nbsp; charges including a 17-year-old boy who was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Juvenile Detention Center on the following charges Possession of stolen property Criminal carry of a weapon and Criminal damage.A 16-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Juvenile Intake for a Misdemeanor warrantA 17-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Juvenile Intake on the requested charges of Obstruction and 3 misdemeanor warrants.A 17-year-old girl was arrested and taken to Juvenile Intake for an alleged Probation violation.

Police: Kan. teens reported unresponsive in motel, arrested

TOPEKA, Kansas – Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) Secretary Jeff Zmuda announced Friday that one staff member working at El Dorado Correctional Facility (EDCF) tested positive for COVID-19. 

This is the fifth KDOC facility with confirmed cases, including Lansing Correctional Facility, Wichita Work Release Facility, Topeka Correctional Facility and Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex.

The staff member is a male over the age of 30. In order to protect the identity of the staff member, no other information will be released.

The KDOC has been in consultation with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on next steps to address these circumstances. As a result of that consultation with KDHE, the following steps are being implemented immediately:

“As with our other facilities, at El Dorado we have coordinated our response with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment,” Zmuda said. “The expertise and support of KDHE is invaluable as we address the challenges that this virus presents.”

The 1,955 bed El Dorado Correctional Facility opened in 1991 and was expanded in 1995 and 2001. The facility is designed for&nbsp;maximum- and medium-custody residents and to serve as the Reception and Diagnostic Unit (RDU) for all adult males sentenced to KDOC. In RDU, residents receive orientation and are assigned to a custody classification, appropriate programs and a permanent housing assignment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588370358515.png" alt="El Dorado Correctional Facility -photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>El Dorado Correctional Facility -photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kansas – Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) Secretary Jeff Zmuda announced Friday that one staff member working at El Dorado Correctional Facility (EDCF) tested positive for COVID-19. This is the fifth KDOC facility with confirmed cases, including Lansing Correctional Facility, Wichita Work Release Facility, Topeka Correctional Facility and Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex.The staff member is a male over the age of 30. In order to protect the identity of the staff member, no other information will be released.The KDOC has been in consultation with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on next steps to address these circumstances. As a result of that consultation with KDHE, the following steps are being implemented immediately:<ol>
 <li>KDHE conducted contact tracing to determine who among our staff and residents have been in close contact with this individual</li><li>The Butler County Health Department conducted contact tracing to identify anyone outside of EDCF who may have been in close contact with this individual and will notify those persons</li><li>KDOC will remain diligent in monitoring other staff and residents for symptoms</li>
 </ol>“As with our other facilities, at El Dorado we have coordinated our response with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment,” Zmuda said. “The expertise and support of KDHE is invaluable as we address the challenges that this virus presents.”The 1,955 bed El Dorado Correctional Facility opened in 1991 and was expanded in 1995 and 2001. The facility is designed for&nbsp;maximum- and medium-custody residents and to serve as the Reception and Diagnostic Unit (RDU) for all adult males sentenced to KDOC. In RDU, residents receive orientation and are assigned to a custody classification, appropriate programs and a permanent housing assignment.

5th Kansas correctional facility reports case of coronavirus

O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Nearly 300 workers at a northwestern Missouri pork processing plant have tested positive for the coronavirus, state health officials said Friday.

The Triumph Foods plant in St. Joseph is the latest of several meat plants around the country to see huge spikes in confirmed cases of the virus.

Missouri’s health department oversaw testing this week of more than 2,300 asymptomatic workers at the plant. Dr. Randall Williams, director of the department, said in an interview that results for the first 1,625 asymptomatic workers showed that 259 tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Thirty-six others previously tested positive.

Results are still pending for 709 workers.

The infected workers are being told to self-isolate, and efforts are underway to determine who they've had contact with. But Williams is not recommending closure of the plant.

“We think the work they do is incredibly valuable, and these are asymptomatic employees,” Williams said. “So we feel like by working with our normal public health epidemiological case tracing, we can isolate and quarantine these patients.”

Meat plants often employ hundreds of people working next to each other, which can help facilitate the virus' spread.

But Williams said it’s uncertain where the St. Joseph workers contracted the virus.

“It’s very reasonable they may have gotten it not from work but from where they live, who they live with,” Williams said.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order this week requiring meatpacking plants to stay open amid the coronavirus crisis after more than 20 plants suspended operations under pressure from local authorities and their own workers.

Gov. Mike Parson’s stay-at-home order ends Sunday, and businesses can reopen with some restrictions starting Monday. Members of the St. Joseph City Council met Thursday night and decided to allow the city to reopen despite the Triumph Foods outbreak, city spokeswoman Mary Robertson said.

The risk of outbreaks at places like prisons, nursing homes and meat plants prompted Missouri to begin what Williams calls a “boxed-in” approach to testing. Under the plan, when a potential hot spot is determined, the state tests everyone.

Williams said Missouri now has the ability to perform more than 50,000 tests per week, thanks to a strong focus on expanding testing that includes partnering with private companies.

“Other states haven't done that, but we have,” Williams said. "We have greatly built up a very purposeful capacity to test.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588361396379.jpeg" alt="Northwest Missouri Health Services testing site/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Northwest Missouri Health Services testing site/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Nearly 300 workers at a northwestern Missouri pork processing plant have tested positive for the coronavirus, state health officials said Friday.The Triumph Foods plant in St. Joseph is the latest of several meat plants around the country to see huge spikes in confirmed cases of the virus.Missouri’s health department oversaw testing this week of more than 2,300 asymptomatic workers at the plant. Dr. Randall Williams, director of the department, said in an interview that results for the first 1,625 asymptomatic workers showed that 259 tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Thirty-six others previously tested positive.Results are still pending for 709 workers.The infected workers are being told to self-isolate, and efforts are underway to determine who they've had contact with. But Williams is not recommending closure of the plant.“We think the work they do is incredibly valuable, and these are asymptomatic employees,” Williams said. “So we feel like by working with our normal public health epidemiological case tracing, we can isolate and quarantine these patients.”Meat plants often employ hundreds of people working next to each other, which can help facilitate the virus' spread.But Williams said it’s uncertain where the St. Joseph workers contracted the virus.“It’s very reasonable they may have gotten it not from work but from where they live, who they live with,” Williams said.President Donald Trump issued an executive order this week requiring meatpacking plants to stay open amid the coronavirus crisis after more than 20 plants suspended operations under pressure from local authorities and their own workers.Gov. Mike Parson’s stay-at-home order ends Sunday, and businesses can reopen with some restrictions starting Monday. Members of the St. Joseph City Council met Thursday night and decided to allow the city to reopen despite the Triumph Foods outbreak, city spokeswoman Mary Robertson said.The risk of outbreaks at places like prisons, nursing homes and meat plants prompted Missouri to begin what Williams calls a “boxed-in” approach to testing. Under the plan, when a potential hot spot is determined, the state tests everyone.Williams said Missouri now has the ability to perform more than 50,000 tests per week, thanks to a strong focus on expanding testing that includes partnering with private companies.“Other states haven't done that, but we have,” Williams said. "We have greatly built up a very purposeful capacity to test.”

Nearly 300 workers have virus at NW Missouri pork plant

KANSAS CITY, KAN. -&nbsp;U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister is asking anyone who has witnessed or experienced sexual harassment by a landlord, property manager, maintenance worker or anyone with control over housing to report that conduct to the Department of Justice.

“COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted the ability of many people to pay rent on time and has increased housing insecurity,” McAllister said. “Nationally, there have been reports of housing providers trying to exploit the crisis to sexually harass tenants. Sexual harassment in housing is illegal, and we stand ready to investigate such allegations and pursue enforcement actions where appropriate.”

McAllister said his office will work closely with state and local partners to identify incidents of sexual harassment in housing.

The Justice Department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/sexual-harassment-housing-initiative" target="_blank">Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative</a>&nbsp;is an effort to combat sexual harassment in housing led by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorney offices across the country. The goal of the initiative is to address sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing.

Launched in 2017, the initiative has&nbsp;filed lawsuits across the county alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing and recovered millions of dollars in damages for harassment victims.&nbsp;The Justice Department’s investigations frequently uncover sexual harassment that has been ongoing for years. Many individuals do not know that being sexually harassed by a housing provider can violate federal law or that the Department of Justice may be able to help.

The Department of Justice, through the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney offices, enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act.

The Department encourages anyone who has experienced sexual harassment in housing, or knows someone who has, to contact the Civil Rights Division by calling (844) 380-6178 or emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:fairhousing@usdoj.gov" target="_blank">fairhousing@usdoj.gov</a>.

McAllister said complaint forms also are available on his office’s web site at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/page/file/1111731/download" target="_blank">https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/page/file/1111731/download</a>.&nbsp;Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Taylor is the Civil Rights Coordinator for McAllister’s office (913-551-6730).

More information about civil rights enforcement in Kansas is available&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/civil-rights" target="_blank">https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/civil-rights</a>

Individuals may also file a complaint alleging harassment or discrimination in housing with the Department of Housing and Urban Development through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint" target="_blank">HUD’s website</a>&nbsp;or by calling (800) 669-9777.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. -&nbsp;U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister is asking anyone who has witnessed or experienced sexual harassment by a landlord, property manager, maintenance worker or anyone with control over housing to report that conduct to the Department of Justice.“COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted the ability of many people to pay rent on time and has increased housing insecurity,” McAllister said. “Nationally, there have been reports of housing providers trying to exploit the crisis to sexually harass tenants. Sexual harassment in housing is illegal, and we stand ready to investigate such allegations and pursue enforcement actions where appropriate.”McAllister said his office will work closely with state and local partners to identify incidents of sexual harassment in housing.The Justice Department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/sexual-harassment-housing-initiative" target="_blank">Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative</a>&nbsp;is an effort to combat sexual harassment in housing led by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorney offices across the country. The goal of the initiative is to address sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing.Launched in 2017, the initiative has&nbsp;filed lawsuits across the county alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing and recovered millions of dollars in damages for harassment victims.&nbsp;The Justice Department’s investigations frequently uncover sexual harassment that has been ongoing for years. Many individuals do not know that being sexually harassed by a housing provider can violate federal law or that the Department of Justice may be able to help.The Department of Justice, through the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney offices, enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act.The Department encourages anyone who has experienced sexual harassment in housing, or knows someone who has, to contact the Civil Rights Division by calling (844) 380-6178 or emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:fairhousing@usdoj.gov" target="_blank">fairhousing@usdoj.gov</a>.McAllister said complaint forms also are available on his office’s web site at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/page/file/1111731/download" target="_blank">https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/page/file/1111731/download</a>.&nbsp;Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Taylor is the Civil Rights Coordinator for McAllister’s office (913-551-6730).More information about civil rights enforcement in Kansas is available&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/civil-rights" target="_blank">https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/civil-rights</a>Individuals may also file a complaint alleging harassment or discrimination in housing with the Department of Housing and Urban Development through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint" target="_blank">HUD’s website</a>&nbsp;or by calling (800) 669-9777.

U.S. Attorney: Be alert for sex harassment in housing during pandemic

TOPEKA - As predicted, the State of Kansas saw a decrease in total tax collections when compared to April of Fiscal Year 2019. These reductions are largely due to announced tax date extensions, which gave relief to Kansans while moving collections into the Fiscal Year 2021, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.

On April 20, the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group, comprised of the Department of Revenue, Division of Budget, Kansas Legislative Research Department, and economists from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University, met to review the fall estimates and make revisions. These revisions take into consideration the changes in tax deadlines, consumer purchasing behaviors, and employer withholdings.

The state's total tax collections for April were $578.1 million. Compared to April last fiscal year that is down $610.7 million or 51.4%. However, the state is in line with the revised estimates as those collections are 0.10% or $360,655 more than the estimate.

Individual income tax collections were $282.5 million; $1.2 million or 0.4% more than the new estimate. Corporate income tax collections were $37.8 million; 2.3% or $888,372 below the estimate.

Retail sales tax collections were $184.1 million; $2.3 million or 1.2% below the estimate. Compensating use tax collections were 2.4% higher than estimated with $41.5 million collected.

TOPEKA - As predicted, the State of Kansas saw a decrease in total tax collections when compared to April of Fiscal Year 2019. These reductions are largely due to announced tax date extensions, which gave relief to Kansans while moving collections into the Fiscal Year 2021, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.On April 20, the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group, comprised of the Department of Revenue, Division of Budget, Kansas Legislative Research Department, and economists from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University, met to review the fall estimates and make revisions. These revisions take into consideration the changes in tax deadlines, consumer purchasing behaviors, and employer withholdings.The state's total tax collections for April were $578.1 million. Compared to April last fiscal year that is down $610.7 million or 51.4%. However, the state is in line with the revised estimates as those collections are 0.10% or $360,655 more than the estimate.Individual income tax collections were $282.5 million; $1.2 million or 0.4% more than the new estimate. Corporate income tax collections were $37.8 million; 2.3% or $888,372 below the estimate.Retail sales tax collections were $184.1 million; $2.3 million or 1.2% below the estimate. Compensating use tax collections were 2.4% higher than estimated with $41.5 million collected.

Kansas tax collections down 51.4% compared to last April

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Some Kansas business owners were frustrated Friday by Gov. Laura Kelly’s plan to gradually reopen the state’s coronavirus-battered economy because they won’t be able to open their doors again Monday while others can.

Kelly is letting a statewide stay-at-home order expire at midnight Sunday and allowing restaurants and many other businesses to reopen if they observe social distancing and take other steps against the spread of the novel coronavirus. But bars, restaurants, gyms, barbershops and hair salons are won’t be able to reopen until at least May 18.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588289593495.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly during Thursday's night's televised address" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly during Thursday's night's televised address</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Some Kansas business owners were frustrated Friday by Gov. Laura Kelly’s plan to gradually reopen the state’s coronavirus-battered economy because they won’t be able to open their doors again Monday while others can.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588351991326.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kelly is letting a statewide stay-at-home order expire at midnight Sunday and allowing restaurants and many other businesses to reopen if they observe social distancing and take other steps against the spread of the novel coronavirus. But bars, restaurants, gyms, barbershops and hair salons are won’t be able to reopen until at least May 18.Nathan Hunt owns a martial arts academy in Junction City and says he can observe social distancing, keep classes small and disinfect his premises to operate safely. The retired Army platoon sergeant and combat veteran said it’s “insulting” that the state won’t trust him to reopen safely while big box retail stores are operating.But family physician Drew Miller of Lakin in southwest Kansas said state and local officials should continue to be cautious and was surprised and pleased that Kelly’s plan struck him as conservative. He said he will still advise people to stay home as much as possible.Kelly’s plan still allows local officials to impose stricter rules.