TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 505 to a total of 12,970, the state health department reported Wednesday 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 505 to a total of 12,970, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 261<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/2020/6/1593018195991.png" alt="Wednesday June 24, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday June 24, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

SALINE COUNTY —A six year-old Kansas boy was injured in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Tuesday in Saline County.

The boy ran from a driveway in the 100 Block of South Simpson Road and into the side of northbound 2008 Honda Odyssey, according to&nbsp; Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

A southbound vehicle had just missed hitting the boy, according to the sheriff.

EMS transported the boy to the hospital in Salina for treatment of a broken leg.&nbsp; The driver was not cited, according to Soldan.

SALINE COUNTY —A six year-old Kansas boy was injured in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Tuesday in Saline County.The boy ran from a driveway in the 100 Block of South Simpson Road and into the side of northbound 2008 Honda Odyssey, according to&nbsp; Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.A southbound vehicle had just missed hitting the boy, according to the sheriff.EMS transported the boy to the hospital in Salina for treatment of a broken leg.&nbsp; The driver was not cited, according to Soldan.

Kan. boy hospitalized after running into moving vehicle

By JODI FORTINO <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2020-06-23/when-schools-reopen-this-fall-students-and-staff-in-wyandotte-county-may-be-required-to-wear-face-masks-to-ward-off-coronavirus">Kansas News Service</a>

Wyandotte County health officials are considering a new set of safety
 guidelines for students returning to campus in the the fall.

School
 districts across the county, in partnership with the Unified Government
 Public Health Department, released guidance this week for K-12, and 
higher education facilities to follow for the 2020-2021 school year.

Dr.
 Allen Greiner, Chief Medical Officer with the UG, says the department 
came up with the guidelines in response to feedback from educators 
wanting to get students back in the classroom.

“We must work to 
strike a balance between protecting the immediate health of our 
community members by reducing the spread of COVID-19, while providing 
quality education, which we know has longer-term health impacts on 
individuals and our community as a whole,” said Greiner.

In March,
 Kansas' public schools were the first in the nation to close statewide 
in light of the spread of COVID-19. Charles Foust, the Superintendent of
 Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools, told KCUR at the time that the 
transition to virtual learning didn’t come easy to some students and 
parents.

“Parents, at that point, were being told that you're 
going to be a teacher and I think that provided some anxiety. However, 
we knew that safety was the first measure that we wanted to take into 
place,” said Foust.

The Unified Government Public Health 
Department is also erring on the side of caution and has extended Phase 3
 of its reopening plan until at least July 6. Since the department does 
not know what phase the county will be in when the school year starts, 
it says the guidelines are open to change.

“We could find 
ourselves at different reopening phases over the course of the school 
year. This additional guidance will help our schools keep their 
students, faculty, and staff as safe as possible, no matter what 
reopening phase we are in,” said Dr. Erin Corriveau, the UG's Deputy 
Medical Officer.

The newly released Education ReStart WyCo Plan 
will cover social distancing standards for each reopening phase, from 
Stay At Home, to Phases 1-3, to Phase Out. The health department has 
released examples of Phase 3 guidelines for Wyandotte County education 
facilities.

While
 the use of face masks is only a recommendation right now, the UG health
 department says it may end up being requiring them if deemed necessary.

“Data
 we are seeing from other countries shows an increased risk of the virus
 spreading in schools when masks aren’t worn. Some countries had to 
close schools again as a result. Wearing masks will give us a better 
chance of keeping schools open for longer,” said Corriveau.

More information and updates on Wyandotte County’s Education ReStart program will be made available <a href="http://wycokck.org/COVID-19" target="_blank">on the county’s website.</a>

Jodi Fortino is a newsroom intern for KCUR.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593010869739.png" alt="Students in Kansas, like these at Washington High School in Kansas City, Kansas, were the first in the nation to be put under statewide stay-at-home orders when Gov. Laura Kelly closed schools in March. Elle Moxley / KCUR" />
 <figcaption>Students in Kansas, like these at Washington High School in Kansas City, Kansas, were the first in the nation to be put under statewide stay-at-home orders when Gov. Laura Kelly closed schools in March. Elle Moxley / KCUR</figcaption>
 </figure>By JODI FORTINO <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2020-06-23/when-schools-reopen-this-fall-students-and-staff-in-wyandotte-county-may-be-required-to-wear-face-masks-to-ward-off-coronavirus">Kansas News Service</a>Wyandotte County health officials are considering a new set of safety
 guidelines for students returning to campus in the the fall.School
 districts across the county, in partnership with the Unified Government
 Public Health Department, released guidance this week for K-12, and 
higher education facilities to follow for the 2020-2021 school year.Dr.
 Allen Greiner, Chief Medical Officer with the UG, says the department 
came up with the guidelines in response to feedback from educators 
wanting to get students back in the classroom.“We must work to 
strike a balance between protecting the immediate health of our 
community members by reducing the spread of COVID-19, while providing 
quality education, which we know has longer-term health impacts on 
individuals and our community as a whole,” said Greiner.In March,
 Kansas' public schools were the first in the nation to close statewide 
in light of the spread of COVID-19. Charles Foust, the Superintendent of
 Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools, told KCUR at the time that the 
transition to virtual learning didn’t come easy to some students and 
parents.“Parents, at that point, were being told that you're 
going to be a teacher and I think that provided some anxiety. However, 
we knew that safety was the first measure that we wanted to take into 
place,” said Foust.The Unified Government Public Health 
Department is also erring on the side of caution and has extended Phase 3
 of its reopening plan until at least July 6. Since the department does 
not know what phase the county will be in when the school year starts, 
it says the guidelines are open to change.“We could find 
ourselves at different reopening phases over the course of the school 
year. This additional guidance will help our schools keep their 
students, faculty, and staff as safe as possible, no matter what 
reopening phase we are in,” said Dr. Erin Corriveau, the UG's Deputy 
Medical Officer.The newly released Education ReStart WyCo Plan 
will cover social distancing standards for each reopening phase, from 
Stay At Home, to Phases 1-3, to Phase Out. The health department has 
released examples of Phase 3 guidelines for Wyandotte County education 
facilities.For early childhood care and education:<ul>
 <li>Children who live with those who are senior-aged or immunocompromised should not be in child care, if possible.</li><li>Children should be cared for in rooms of 25 or fewer with the same caregiver and group of children each day</li><li>Staff and children aged two or older may wear face coverings</li>
 </ul>For K-12 schools:<ul>
 <li>Parents and guardians can choose for their child not to return to school, and online options should be offered, when possible.</li><li>Schools will reopen at normal capacity for instruction and activities.</li><li>Student
 athletics may resume within Kansas State High Schools Activities 
Association guidelines. (A high school athlete in south-central Kansas 
tested positive for COVID-19 this week.)</li><li>Each grade level will share lunch and recess time and limit interaction with other grade levels.</li><li>Masks or face coverings are recommended for employees, visitors, and students.</li>
 </ul>For higher education facilities: <ul>
 <li>Most education will continue virtually, but hands-on learning will be offered with social distancing to alternate students.</li><li>Workspaces and common areas will be adjusted to maintain 6-foot social distancing.</li><li>Employees, students, and visitors are encouraged to wear masks or face coverings at all times.</li>
 </ul>While
 the use of face masks is only a recommendation right now, the UG health
 department says it may end up being requiring them if deemed necessary.“Data
 we are seeing from other countries shows an increased risk of the virus
 spreading in schools when masks aren’t worn. Some countries had to 
close schools again as a result. Wearing masks will give us a better 
chance of keeping schools open for longer,” said Corriveau.More information and updates on Wyandotte County’s Education ReStart program will be made available <a href="http://wycokck.org/COVID-19" target="_blank">on the county’s website.</a>Jodi Fortino is a newsroom intern for KCUR.&nbsp;

Facemasks may be required for Wyandotte Co. students, staff

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Authorities have charged a Columbia man with the death of another man whose body was found burned beyond recognition at a Kansas City homeless camp earlier this year.

Mark Salisbury, 41, has been charged with second-degree murder and other counts in the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Derrick Wallace.

Police found Wallace’s burned body near East Ninth Street and Hardesty Avenue on Feb. 2 and soon determined Wallace had been shot and killed four or five days earlier at a different location.

Salisbury was arrested after he told two people he was involved in killing Wallace, prosecutors said. Court documents say one of two handguns police found in Salisbury’s apartment was determined through lab analysis to be the gun used in Wallace's shooting.

Police detectives say Salisbury told investigators he believed Wallace had sexually assaulted one of Salisbury's relatives. Salisbury said he and another person had intended to scare Wallace into leaving the area, detectives recounted, but ended up killing him..

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593008687233.png" alt="Salisbury-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Salisbury-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Authorities have charged a Columbia man with the death of another man whose body was found burned beyond recognition at a Kansas City homeless camp earlier this year.Mark Salisbury, 41, has been charged with second-degree murder and other counts in the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Derrick Wallace.Police found Wallace’s burned body near East Ninth Street and Hardesty Avenue on Feb. 2 and soon determined Wallace had been shot and killed four or five days earlier at a different location.Salisbury was arrested after he told two people he was involved in killing Wallace, prosecutors said. Court documents say one of two handguns police found in Salisbury’s apartment was determined through lab analysis to be the gun used in Wallace's shooting.Police detectives say Salisbury told investigators he believed Wallace had sexually assaulted one of Salisbury's relatives. Salisbury said he and another person had intended to scare Wallace into leaving the area, detectives recounted, but ended up killing him..

Man charged after burned body found in KC homeless camp

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s call for another round of stimulus checks to most taxpayers is getting a lukewarm endorsement from his GOP allies on Capitol Hill, but it’s emerging as an early area of potential agreement with Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the next coronavirus bill.

In a fractured Washington, that could be a foundation of a winning coalition as lawmakers inch toward talks on the fifth, and possibly final, coronavirus relief measure before November’s elections.

Trump told an interviewer Monday that he supports another round of direct economic stimulus payments similar to the $1,200 checks issued to most individuals earlier this year.

“Yeah, we are,” Trump told a correspondent for Scripps television stations. “We will be doing another stimulus package. It’ll be very good. It’ll be very generous.”

On Tuesday, neither Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — the lead White House negotiator on the first package — nor Trump’s GOP allies raced to endorse the idea.

“As we’ve said before, we’re talking about a bunch of different ideas that we may need to do in another bill,” Mnuchin said after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans where the topic received little discussion. “We’re going to take our time and make sure that we’re thoughtful. Whatever we do, it will be much more targeted, much more focused on jobs.”

Congress passed the first round of checks nearly unanimously in March as part of a coronavirus response bill, at a cost of almost $300 billion. Both parties said the aid was essential as coronavirus lockdowns brought the economy to a near standstill. The jobless rate is still high at almost 15% nationwide, though retail sales have rebounded.

House Democrats are fully onboard with another round, having included direct payments in a more than $3 trillion measure that they pushed through the House in May. But views in the GOP are more mixed, despite Trump’s support.

“He’s always wanted a second round of stimulus checks, and probably for good reason,” said Sen. Ken Cramer, R-N.D., who mostly endorsed the idea. “What we do next in addition to something like that should be very targeted, very specific to restarting, really restarting the economy. ... I think direct contribution installments to individuals could be a nice, a nice stimulus.”

Skeptics of direct stimulus payments say they are not targeted enough, but they have an undeniable political appeal, especially with the elections less than five months away.

Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has made it clear that he does not want negotiations with Democrats and Pelosi on another COVID-19 response bill to begin until next month.

Negotiations on the legislation are also likely to center on providing another round of aid to states and local governments and extending unemployment benefits — though not the $600 per week supplement enacted in March.

“My preference would be to extend unemployment insurance, but to do that in a more limited way, and a more targeted way,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who also wants adjustments to payroll subsidies for businesses and aid to states and local governments seeking help with their ballooning budget deficits.

Most Republicans know that Trump’s posture means it’s likely a cinch that another round of direct payments will make it into the upcoming bill, despite their reservations. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., discounted a reporter’s suggestion that there’s “pretty strong skepticism” by Republicans toward another set of stimulus checks.

“I don’t think it got to the point you can say that,” Blunt said.

Several Republicans, however, said they want to tighten eligibility for the stimulus payments to try to control costs.

“But we need targeted tailoring of any kind of stimulus measures if we really want to get it to the people who are hurting the most,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593001408779.png" alt="President Donald Trump spoke with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday. Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Donald Trump spoke with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday. Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s call for another round of stimulus checks to most taxpayers is getting a lukewarm endorsement from his GOP allies on Capitol Hill, but it’s emerging as an early area of potential agreement with Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the next coronavirus bill.In a fractured Washington, that could be a foundation of a winning coalition as lawmakers inch toward talks on the fifth, and possibly final, coronavirus relief measure before November’s elections.Trump told an interviewer Monday that he supports another round of direct economic stimulus payments similar to the $1,200 checks issued to most individuals earlier this year.“Yeah, we are,” Trump told a correspondent for Scripps television stations. “We will be doing another stimulus package. It’ll be very good. It’ll be very generous.”On Tuesday, neither Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — the lead White House negotiator on the first package — nor Trump’s GOP allies raced to endorse the idea.“As we’ve said before, we’re talking about a bunch of different ideas that we may need to do in another bill,” Mnuchin said after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans where the topic received little discussion. “We’re going to take our time and make sure that we’re thoughtful. Whatever we do, it will be much more targeted, much more focused on jobs.”Congress passed the first round of checks nearly unanimously in March as part of a coronavirus response bill, at a cost of almost $300 billion. Both parties said the aid was essential as coronavirus lockdowns brought the economy to a near standstill. The jobless rate is still high at almost 15% nationwide, though retail sales have rebounded.House Democrats are fully onboard with another round, having included direct payments in a more than $3 trillion measure that they pushed through the House in May. But views in the GOP are more mixed, despite Trump’s support.“He’s always wanted a second round of stimulus checks, and probably for good reason,” said Sen. Ken Cramer, R-N.D., who mostly endorsed the idea. “What we do next in addition to something like that should be very targeted, very specific to restarting, really restarting the economy. ... I think direct contribution installments to individuals could be a nice, a nice stimulus.”Skeptics of direct stimulus payments say they are not targeted enough, but they have an undeniable political appeal, especially with the elections less than five months away.Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has made it clear that he does not want negotiations with Democrats and Pelosi on another COVID-19 response bill to begin until next month.Negotiations on the legislation are also likely to center on providing another round of aid to states and local governments and extending unemployment benefits — though not the $600 per week supplement enacted in March.“My preference would be to extend unemployment insurance, but to do that in a more limited way, and a more targeted way,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who also wants adjustments to payroll subsidies for businesses and aid to states and local governments seeking help with their ballooning budget deficits.Most Republicans know that Trump’s posture means it’s likely a cinch that another round of direct payments will make it into the upcoming bill, despite their reservations. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., discounted a reporter’s suggestion that there’s “pretty strong skepticism” by Republicans toward another set of stimulus checks.“I don’t think it got to the point you can say that,” Blunt said.Several Republicans, however, said they want to tighten eligibility for the stimulus payments to try to control costs.“But we need targeted tailoring of any kind of stimulus measures if we really want to get it to the people who are hurting the most,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Debate continues on sending another virus stimulus check

WASHINGTON (AP) — The next few weeks are critical to tamping down a disturbing coronavirus surge, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress on Tuesday — issuing a plea for people to avoid crowds and wear masks.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch a replay of the testimony

Fauci and other top health officials also said they have not been asked to slow down virus testing, in contrast to Trump’s claim last weekend that he had ordered fewer tests be performed because they were uncovering too many infections. Trump said earlier Tuesday that he wasn’t kidding when he made that remark.

“We will be doing more testing,” Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, pledged to a House committee conducting oversight of the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic.

The leading public health officials spent more than five hours testifying before the committee at a fraught moment, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.

Fauci told lawmakers he understands the pent-up desire to get back to normal as the U.S. begins emerging from months of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But that has “to be a gradual step-by-step process and not throwing caution to the wind,” he said.

“Plan A, don’t go in a crowd. Plan B, if you do, make sure you wear a mask,” Fauci said.

Troubling surges worsened Tuesday in several states, with Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas setting single-day records for new coronavirus cases, and some governors saying they’ll consider reinstating restrictions or delaying plans to ease up in order to help slow the spread of the virus.

Arizona, where Trump was headed for a speech at a Phoenix megachurch, reported a new daily record of nearly 3,600 additional coronavirus infections Tuesday. Arizona emerged as a COVID-19 hot spot after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his stay-home orders in mid-May. Last week he allowed cities and counties to require masks in public places and many have done so.

Texas surpassed 5,000 new cases for a single day for the first time — just days after it eclipsed 4,000 new cases for the first time — as America’s largest pediatric hospital began taking adult patients to free up bed space in Houston. The infection rate in Texas has doubled since late May. And Nevada surpassed a record one-day increase for the fourth time in the past eight days. Other states also were experiencing worrisome surges, including Louisiana, Utah and South Carolina.

Another worrisome trend: an increase in infections among young adults. Fauci said while COVID-19 tends to be less severe in younger people, some of them do get very sick and even die. And younger people also may be more likely to show no symptoms yet still spread the virus.

If people say, “’I’m young, I’m healthy, who cares’ — you should care, not only for yourself but for the impact you might have” on sickening someone more vulnerable, Fauci said.

About 2.3 million Americans have been infected and some 120,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia asked if Fauci regretted that the American public wasn’t urged sooner to wear face masks, and then interrupted before the visibly annoyed scientist finished answering.

Fauci said he didn’t regret the change in recommendations. Early in the pandemic there was a “paucity of equipment” for health workers “who put themselves daily in harm’s way” and “we did not want to divert” those scarce supplies, he said.

Scientists eventually recommended the general public use cloth masks, after they better understood that people with no symptoms could be spreading the virus —

Trump, meanwhile, doubled down on testing claims that have public health experts appalled, tweeting Tuesday:

“Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country, and ever expanding. With smaller testing we would show fewer cases! “

Less testing in fact means more infections going undetected. The U.S. was slow in ramping up and currently is testing about 500,000 people a day. Many experts say to control the spread of the virus, it should be testing 900,000 or more.

Brett Giroir, a Health and Human Services assistant secretary, told lawmakers Tuesday the next step is testing patient samples in large batches to stretch limited supplies, which would expand U.S. screening between fivefold and tenfold.

Instead of testing each person individually, health workers would pool samples from 50, 100 or more people from the same office or school, for example. A negative result would clear everyone, while a positive would require each person to be individually re-tested.

And Dr. Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, added that it’s now recommended for workers in nursing homes — hard-hit by the virus — to be tested weekly.

As for the anxiously awaited vaccine, Fauci said he believes “it will be when and not if” it arrives, and he’s “cautiously optimistic” that some vaccine could be available at the end of the year.

More than a dozen vaccine candidates are in various stages of testing around the globe, and the U.S. next month is poised to begin the largest study — in 30,000 people — to get the needed proof that one really works. Meanwhile, countries, including the U.S. under a program called “Operation Warp Speed,” are beginning to stockpile millions of doses of different shots, in hopes at least some will prove usable.

Health officials assured lawmakers Tuesday that there won’t be shortcuts on safety.

“We absolutely must maintain regulatory independence and make the right decision for the American people based on the science and the data,” said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn.

Democrats blasted Trump for confusing the public with erroneous statements — from testing to masks to unproven treatments — and ignoring the public health experts’ advice.

“It costs lives,” Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida said of Trump’s false claims. She urged the public health specialists to do more to counter the president: “We really expect you to be more outspoken.”

Pushed on whether schools should reopen in August and September, Redfield insisted that will vary not just by state but by school district, depending on how many infections are in a particular area.

“Many jurisdictions will be reopening schools,” and CDC will soon issue some guidelines to help, he said.

Fauci noted that schools should tailor their decisions to local conditions, saying some might need few restrictions and others more. He offered the same advice to colleges, saying they should assume some students will get infected and that there must be ways to keep them and their classmates safe.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s top infectious disease expert told a House committee on Tuesday he believes “it will be when and not if” there will be a COVID-19 vaccine and that he remains “cautiously optimistic” that some will be ready at the end of the year.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a> to watch a replay of the testimony

Dr. Anthony Fauci has returned to Capitol Hill at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1b92ce21f8ddf7eefb634b92fee38fed">fraught moment</a>&nbsp;in the nation’s pandemic response, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.

Fauci was testifying along with the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Since Fauci’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e64f20bbacb7d48d15e1d76339220486">last appearance at a high-profile hearing</a>&nbsp;more than a month ago, the U.S. has been emerging from weeks of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But it’s being done in an uneven way, with some states far less cautious than others. A trio of states with Republican governors who are bullish on reopening — Arizona, Florida and Texas — are among those seeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/feb4c26d9364497cf82ee7c0c1b1b3d5">worrisome increases in cases</a>.

Last week, Vice President Mike Pence published an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal saying the administration’s efforts have strengthened the nation’s ability to counter the virus and should be “a cause for celebration.”

Then Trump said at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1a59b4efe97f2249d414ae4f0b3c6495">his weekend rally in Tulsa</a>&nbsp;that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing, because too many positive cases are turning up. Many rally goers did not wear masks, and for some that was an act of defiance against what they see as government intrusion. White House officials later tried to walk back Trump’s comment on testing, suggesting it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey said during Tuesday’s hearing that Trump’s testing comment at the rally “was an extremely reckless action, and unfortunately it continues the president’s pattern of ignoring the advice of his own public health experts.”

Trump, departing the White House for a visit to Arizona on Tuesday, played down those comments, saying under his administration the U.S. is doing more testing than any other country. Trump’s trip includes a rally at a megachurch.

Fauci has recently warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f401d034122b820a89773432cbf51152">the U.S. is still in the first wave</a>&nbsp;of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing. And, in a recent ABC News interview, he said political demonstrations such as protests against racial injustice are “risky” to all involved. Asked if that applied to Trump rallies, he said it did. Fauci continues to recognize widespread testing as critical for catching clusters of COVID-19 cases before they turn into full outbreaks in a given community.

About 2.3 million Americans have been sickened in the pandemic, and some 120,000 have died,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">according to data from Johns Hopkins University</a>.

Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is joined by CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, FDA chief Dr. Stephen Hahn and the head of the U.S. Public Health Service, Adm. Brett Giroir.

Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing. But he gained notoriety after a whistleblower complaint flagged him for trying to push&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fbe485717c9a74e6d6c48aee7d208ae">a malaria drug touted by Trump</a>&nbsp;to treat COVID-19 without conclusive scientific evidence. The FDA has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/33f67f8aa5ef2280215087f8e5364017">withdrawn its emergency use authorization</a>&nbsp;for hydroxychloroquine.

“There have been a lot of unfortunate missteps in the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pallone said. “As communities across the country ease social distancing guidance and reopen their economies, it is critically important that both the administration and Congress remain focused on containing the spread of the coronavirus and providing the resources and support Americans need during this time of crisis.”

There is still no vaccine for COVID-19, and there are no treatments specifically developed for the disease, although the antiviral drug remdesivir has been shown to help some patients, as well as a steroid called dexamethasone, and plasma from patients who have recovered.

Since Fauci last testified, hospital physicians have become more skilled in treating coronavirus patients with the techniques and medications at their disposal. The U.S. continues to ramp up testing, with some 27.5 million Americans, or more than 8% of the population, tested thus far. But most communities still lack enough health workers trained in doing contact tracing, the work of identifying people who have had interactions with an infected person. That could make it more difficult to tamp down emerging outbreaks.

The Energy and Commerce Committee has oversight over drugs and vaccines, among other facets of the U.S. health care system. Committee Democrats have been harshly critical of the administration. However, not all Republicans have lined up to defend the White House. Some GOP members were growing concerned early in the year that the administration wasn’t doing enough to prepare.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592928665531.png" alt="Dr. Anthony Fauci prior to his testimony on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Anthony Fauci prior to his testimony on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The next few weeks are critical to tamping down a disturbing coronavirus surge, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress on Tuesday — issuing a plea for people to avoid crowds and wear masks.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch a replay of the testimonyFauci and other top health officials also said they have not been asked to slow down virus testing, in contrast to Trump’s claim last weekend that he had ordered fewer tests be performed because they were uncovering too many infections. Trump said earlier Tuesday that he wasn’t kidding when he made that remark.“We will be doing more testing,” Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, pledged to a House committee conducting oversight of the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic.The leading public health officials spent more than five hours testifying before the committee at a fraught moment, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.Fauci told lawmakers he understands the pent-up desire to get back to normal as the U.S. begins emerging from months of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But that has “to be a gradual step-by-step process and not throwing caution to the wind,” he said.“Plan A, don’t go in a crowd. Plan B, if you do, make sure you wear a mask,” Fauci said.Troubling surges worsened Tuesday in several states, with Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas setting single-day records for new coronavirus cases, and some governors saying they’ll consider reinstating restrictions or delaying plans to ease up in order to help slow the spread of the virus.Arizona, where Trump was headed for a speech at a Phoenix megachurch, reported a new daily record of nearly 3,600 additional coronavirus infections Tuesday. Arizona emerged as a COVID-19 hot spot after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his stay-home orders in mid-May. Last week he allowed cities and counties to require masks in public places and many have done so.Texas surpassed 5,000 new cases for a single day for the first time — just days after it eclipsed 4,000 new cases for the first time — as America’s largest pediatric hospital began taking adult patients to free up bed space in Houston. The infection rate in Texas has doubled since late May. And Nevada surpassed a record one-day increase for the fourth time in the past eight days. Other states also were experiencing worrisome surges, including Louisiana, Utah and South Carolina.Another worrisome trend: an increase in infections among young adults. Fauci said while COVID-19 tends to be less severe in younger people, some of them do get very sick and even die. And younger people also may be more likely to show no symptoms yet still spread the virus.If people say, “’I’m young, I’m healthy, who cares’ — you should care, not only for yourself but for the impact you might have” on sickening someone more vulnerable, Fauci said.About 2.3 million Americans have been infected and some 120,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia asked if Fauci regretted that the American public wasn’t urged sooner to wear face masks, and then interrupted before the visibly annoyed scientist finished answering.Fauci said he didn’t regret the change in recommendations. Early in the pandemic there was a “paucity of equipment” for health workers “who put themselves daily in harm’s way” and “we did not want to divert” those scarce supplies, he said.Scientists eventually recommended the general public use cloth masks, after they better understood that people with no symptoms could be spreading the virus —Trump, meanwhile, doubled down on testing claims that have public health experts appalled, tweeting Tuesday:“Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country, and ever expanding. With smaller testing we would show fewer cases! “Less testing in fact means more infections going undetected. The U.S. was slow in ramping up and currently is testing about 500,000 people a day. Many experts say to control the spread of the virus, it should be testing 900,000 or more.Brett Giroir, a Health and Human Services assistant secretary, told lawmakers Tuesday the next step is testing patient samples in large batches to stretch limited supplies, which would expand U.S. screening between fivefold and tenfold.Instead of testing each person individually, health workers would pool samples from 50, 100 or more people from the same office or school, for example. A negative result would clear everyone, while a positive would require each person to be individually re-tested.And Dr. Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, added that it’s now recommended for workers in nursing homes — hard-hit by the virus — to be tested weekly.As for the anxiously awaited vaccine, Fauci said he believes “it will be when and not if” it arrives, and he’s “cautiously optimistic” that some vaccine could be available at the end of the year.More than a dozen vaccine candidates are in various stages of testing around the globe, and the U.S. next month is poised to begin the largest study — in 30,000 people — to get the needed proof that one really works. Meanwhile, countries, including the U.S. under a program called “Operation Warp Speed,” are beginning to stockpile millions of doses of different shots, in hopes at least some will prove usable.Health officials assured lawmakers Tuesday that there won’t be shortcuts on safety.“We absolutely must maintain regulatory independence and make the right decision for the American people based on the science and the data,” said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn.Democrats blasted Trump for confusing the public with erroneous statements — from testing to masks to unproven treatments — and ignoring the public health experts’ advice.“It costs lives,” Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida said of Trump’s false claims. She urged the public health specialists to do more to counter the president: “We really expect you to be more outspoken.”Pushed on whether schools should reopen in August and September, Redfield insisted that will vary not just by state but by school district, depending on how many infections are in a particular area.“Many jurisdictions will be reopening schools,” and CDC will soon issue some guidelines to help, he said.Fauci noted that schools should tailor their decisions to local conditions, saying some might need few restrictions and others more. He offered the same advice to colleges, saying they should assume some students will get infected and that there must be ways to keep them and their classmates safe.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s top infectious disease expert told a House committee on Tuesday he believes “it will be when and not if” there will be a COVID-19 vaccine and that he remains “cautiously optimistic” that some will be ready at the end of the year.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a> to watch a replay of the testimonyDr. Anthony Fauci has returned to Capitol Hill at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1b92ce21f8ddf7eefb634b92fee38fed">fraught moment</a>&nbsp;in the nation’s pandemic response, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.Fauci was testifying along with the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services.Since Fauci’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e64f20bbacb7d48d15e1d76339220486">last appearance at a high-profile hearing</a>&nbsp;more than a month ago, the U.S. has been emerging from weeks of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But it’s being done in an uneven way, with some states far less cautious than others. A trio of states with Republican governors who are bullish on reopening — Arizona, Florida and Texas — are among those seeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/feb4c26d9364497cf82ee7c0c1b1b3d5">worrisome increases in cases</a>.Last week, Vice President Mike Pence published an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal saying the administration’s efforts have strengthened the nation’s ability to counter the virus and should be “a cause for celebration.”Then Trump said at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1a59b4efe97f2249d414ae4f0b3c6495">his weekend rally in Tulsa</a>&nbsp;that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing, because too many positive cases are turning up. Many rally goers did not wear masks, and for some that was an act of defiance against what they see as government intrusion. White House officials later tried to walk back Trump’s comment on testing, suggesting it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey said during Tuesday’s hearing that Trump’s testing comment at the rally “was an extremely reckless action, and unfortunately it continues the president’s pattern of ignoring the advice of his own public health experts.”Trump, departing the White House for a visit to Arizona on Tuesday, played down those comments, saying under his administration the U.S. is doing more testing than any other country. Trump’s trip includes a rally at a megachurch.Fauci has recently warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f401d034122b820a89773432cbf51152">the U.S. is still in the first wave</a>&nbsp;of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing. And, in a recent ABC News interview, he said political demonstrations such as protests against racial injustice are “risky” to all involved. Asked if that applied to Trump rallies, he said it did. Fauci continues to recognize widespread testing as critical for catching clusters of COVID-19 cases before they turn into full outbreaks in a given community.About 2.3 million Americans have been sickened in the pandemic, and some 120,000 have died,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">according to data from Johns Hopkins University</a>.Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is joined by CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, FDA chief Dr. Stephen Hahn and the head of the U.S. Public Health Service, Adm. Brett Giroir.Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing. But he gained notoriety after a whistleblower complaint flagged him for trying to push&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fbe485717c9a74e6d6c48aee7d208ae">a malaria drug touted by Trump</a>&nbsp;to treat COVID-19 without conclusive scientific evidence. The FDA has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/33f67f8aa5ef2280215087f8e5364017">withdrawn its emergency use authorization</a>&nbsp;for hydroxychloroquine.“There have been a lot of unfortunate missteps in the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pallone said. “As communities across the country ease social distancing guidance and reopen their economies, it is critically important that both the administration and Congress remain focused on containing the spread of the coronavirus and providing the resources and support Americans need during this time of crisis.”There is still no vaccine for COVID-19, and there are no treatments specifically developed for the disease, although the antiviral drug remdesivir has been shown to help some patients, as well as a steroid called dexamethasone, and plasma from patients who have recovered.Since Fauci last testified, hospital physicians have become more skilled in treating coronavirus patients with the techniques and medications at their disposal. The U.S. continues to ramp up testing, with some 27.5 million Americans, or more than 8% of the population, tested thus far. But most communities still lack enough health workers trained in doing contact tracing, the work of identifying people who have had interactions with an infected person. That could make it more difficult to tamp down emerging outbreaks.The Energy and Commerce Committee has oversight over drugs and vaccines, among other facets of the U.S. health care system. Committee Democrats have been harshly critical of the administration. However, not all Republicans have lined up to defend the White House. Some GOP members were growing concerned early in the year that the administration wasn’t doing enough to prepare.

🎥 Fauci: Next few weeks critical to tamping down virus spikes

RENO COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of the Wednesday morning house fire in Hutchinson.

Just before 2a.m. fire crews were dispatched for a report of a structure fire at 710 West 23rd Street in Hutchinson, according to Fire Chief Steven Beer.

Upon arrival, first on scene units reported a working fire in a brick framed ranch style home with flames coming out from windows and door on the front of the home. 

Crews were informed that all occupants were accounted for, however, two cats were unaccounted for. Crews performed an aggressive fire attack along with search and rescue efforts in order to quickly locate the missing animals. Fire crews were able to locate the two cats; both died in the fire.

Fire crews were able to bring the fire under control quickly, but not before it did extensive damage to the structure. The home is deemed inhabitable at this time.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592992412314.jpeg" alt="Two pets died in the Wednesday morning house fire -photo Hutchinson Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Two pets died in the Wednesday morning house fire -photo Hutchinson Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of the Wednesday morning house fire in Hutchinson.Just before 2a.m. fire crews were dispatched for a report of a structure fire at 710 West 23rd Street in Hutchinson, according to Fire Chief Steven Beer.Upon arrival, first on scene units reported a working fire in a brick framed ranch style home with flames coming out from windows and door on the front of the home. Crews were informed that all occupants were accounted for, however, two cats were unaccounted for. Crews performed an aggressive fire attack along with search and rescue efforts in order to quickly locate the missing animals. Fire crews were able to locate the two cats; both died in the fire.Fire crews were able to bring the fire under control quickly, but not before it did extensive damage to the structure. The home is deemed inhabitable at this time.&nbsp;

2 residents escape, pets die in Kansas house fire 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A suspended Kansas City police detective pleaded not guilty Tuesday in the fatal shooting of a Black man who was killed while sitting in his truck in his garage.

Eric J. DeValkenaere, 41, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97ef60a6995d4052c96f00f7d23a9cf2">indicted</a>&nbsp;by a grand jury last week with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the Dec. 3 killing of Cameron Lamb, 26.

DeValkenaere remains free after posting a $30,000 bond. His next hearing is scheduled for July 30, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article243733377.html">reported</a>.

According to court records, DeValkenaere and another officer were investigating an earlier disturbance between two vehicles when they went into Lamb's backyard. DeValkenaere said he shot Lamb, who was still in his truck after backing it into the garage, after Lamb pointed a gun at the other officer.

Lamb's family and other activists have questioned the police account. And Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said her office was “stymied” by the police department’s refusal to provide a probable cause statement to prosecutors.

Police said Lamb's left arm was hanging out of the truck and a gun was found on the ground beneath his hand.

Lamb is right-handed and he did not have full use of his left hand as a result of an injury sustained in 2015, according to prosecutors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592994941014.png" alt="DeValkenaere-photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>DeValkenaere-photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A suspended Kansas City police detective pleaded not guilty Tuesday in the fatal shooting of a Black man who was killed while sitting in his truck in his garage.Eric J. DeValkenaere, 41, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97ef60a6995d4052c96f00f7d23a9cf2">indicted</a>&nbsp;by a grand jury last week with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the Dec. 3 killing of Cameron Lamb, 26.DeValkenaere remains free after posting a $30,000 bond. His next hearing is scheduled for July 30, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article243733377.html">reported</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592995037957.png" alt="Police on the scene of the December shooting investigation photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the December shooting investigation photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>According to court records, DeValkenaere and another officer were investigating an earlier disturbance between two vehicles when they went into Lamb's backyard. DeValkenaere said he shot Lamb, who was still in his truck after backing it into the garage, after Lamb pointed a gun at the other officer.Lamb's family and other activists have questioned the police account. And Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said her office was “stymied” by the police department’s refusal to provide a probable cause statement to prosecutors.Police said Lamb's left arm was hanging out of the truck and a gun was found on the ground beneath his hand.Lamb is right-handed and he did not have full use of his left hand as a result of an injury sustained in 2015, according to prosecutors.

Kansas City officer pleads not guilty in black man's death

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a motel shooting in Wichita.

Just after 1 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting call at the Afton Motel, 855 S. Broadway, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers located a 26-year-old man, a 25-year-old woman, and a 60-year-old man who all had sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.&nbsp; They were all taken to an area hospital for medical treatment.

The investigation revealed the three victims heard shots being fired outside of the motel, and when they exited their rooms, they were shot.

Investigators are currently working to determine all the circumstances of what occurred in this incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592920957498.png" alt="Police on the scene of the Tuesday morning investigation photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the Tuesday morning investigation photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a motel shooting in Wichita.Just after 1 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting call at the Afton Motel, 855 S. Broadway, according to officer Charley Davidson.Upon arrival, officers located a 26-year-old man, a 25-year-old woman, and a 60-year-old man who all had sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.&nbsp; They were all taken to an area hospital for medical treatment.The investigation revealed the three victims heard shots being fired outside of the motel, and when they exited their rooms, they were shot.Investigators are currently working to determine all the circumstances of what occurred in this incident.

Police: 3 shot outside their rooms at Kansas motel

TOPEKA – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatality crash that occurred early Monday morning involving a reported stolen vehicle and have identified the victim as 20-year-old&nbsp; Ricardo J. Rodriguez of Topeka.

Just after 4:15 a.m., officers responded to the 300 block of SE Lawrence Street on a report of an aggravated robbery, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.

The victim stated that two unknown men stole their vehicle, described as a black Kia.&nbsp; During the robbery, one of the suspects reportedly displayed a handgun.

At around 5:20 a.m. an officer was in the area of SE 21st Street and SE Indiana Avenue when witnessed the stolen vehicle being driven at a high rate of speed. The officer activated their lights and siren and the driver did not stop. 

The officer lost sight of the vehicle and ended the attempted car stop by shutting off his vehicle’s lights and siren.

A separate officer was at the intersection of SE 21st Street and SE Adams Street when he observed the stolen vehicle being driven at a high rate of speed. A few seconds later, the officer witnessed the driver of the stolen vehicle lose control, crashing into another vehicle, described as a dark colored pickup truck.

Police were not in pursuit of the stolen vehicle at the time of the crash.

The single occupant of the pickup truck received minor injuries in the crash. They were treated at the scene and released. The driver of the stolen vehicle and one of the passengers were transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. One occupant Ricardo J. Rodriguez, 20, Topeka,&nbsp; was pronounced deceased at the scene by American Medical Response.

 The investigation determined that Rodriguez was not involved in the aggravated robbery earlier Monday, according to Koenen.

TOPEKA – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatality crash that occurred early Monday morning involving a reported stolen vehicle.

The single occupant of the pickup truck received minor injuries in the crash. They were treated at the scene and released. The driver of the stolen vehicle and one of the passengers were transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. One occupant of the stolen vehicle was pronounced deceased at the scene by American Medical Response.

The identities of the injured and deceased are being withheld until proper next of kin notifications are made. 

SE 21st St. from SE Adams St. to SE Lakewood Blvd. remained closed while officers investigated. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592853159396.png" alt="Police at the scene of the fatal crash early Monday -photo courtesy WIBW-TV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the fatal crash early Monday -photo courtesy WIBW-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatality crash that occurred early Monday morning involving a reported stolen vehicle and have identified the victim as 20-year-old&nbsp; Ricardo J. Rodriguez of Topeka.Just after 4:15 a.m., officers responded to the 300 block of SE Lawrence Street on a report of an aggravated robbery, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.The victim stated that two unknown men stole their vehicle, described as a black Kia.&nbsp; During the robbery, one of the suspects reportedly displayed a handgun.At around 5:20 a.m. an officer was in the area of SE 21st Street and SE Indiana Avenue when witnessed the stolen vehicle being driven at a high rate of speed. The officer activated their lights and siren and the driver did not stop. The officer lost sight of the vehicle and ended the attempted car stop by shutting off his vehicle’s lights and siren.A separate officer was at the intersection of SE 21st Street and SE Adams Street when he observed the stolen vehicle being driven at a high rate of speed. A few seconds later, the officer witnessed the driver of the stolen vehicle lose control, crashing into another vehicle, described as a dark colored pickup truck.Police were not in pursuit of the stolen vehicle at the time of the crash.The single occupant of the pickup truck received minor injuries in the crash. They were treated at the scene and released. The driver of the stolen vehicle and one of the passengers were transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. One occupant Ricardo J. Rodriguez, 20, Topeka,&nbsp; was pronounced deceased at the scene by American Medical Response. The investigation determined that Rodriguez was not involved in the aggravated robbery earlier Monday, according to Koenen.--------TOPEKA – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatality crash that occurred early Monday morning involving a reported stolen vehicle.Just after 4:15 a.m., officers responded to the 300 block of SE Lawrence Street on a report of an aggravated robbery, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.The victim stated that two unknown men stole their vehicle, described as a black Kia.&nbsp; During the robbery, one of the suspects reportedly displayed a handgun.At around 5:20 a.m. an officer was in the area of SE 21st Street and SE Indiana Avenue when witnessed the stolen vehicle being driven at a high rate of speed. The officer activated their lights and siren and the driver did not stop. The officer lost sight of the vehicle and ended the attempted car stop by shutting off his vehicle’s lights and siren.A separate officer was at the intersection of SE 21st Street and SE Adams Street when he observed the stolen vehicle being driven at a high rate of speed. A few seconds later, the officer witnessed the driver of the stolen vehicle lose control, crashing into another vehicle, described as a dark colored pickup truck.Police were not in pursuit of the stolen vehicle at the time of the crash.The single occupant of the pickup truck received minor injuries in the crash. They were treated at the scene and released. The driver of the stolen vehicle and one of the passengers were transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. One occupant of the stolen vehicle was pronounced deceased at the scene by American Medical Response.The identities of the injured and deceased are being withheld until proper next of kin notifications are made. SE 21st St. from SE Adams St. to SE Lakewood Blvd. remained closed while officers investigated.

Police ID Kan. man who died after crash in stolen car

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration has recalled bagged salad distributed to a dozen Midwestern states by Hy-Vee, Aldi and Jewel-Osco grocery stores after 122 people in seven states were sickened.  Nineteen have been hospitalized. 

The salad mix is contaminated with cyclospora, a parasite that can cause severe diarrhea. The salad mix is packaged as Hy-Vee Brand Garden Salads, Jewel-Osco Signature Farms Brand Garden Salads ALDI Little Salad Bar Brand Garden Salads. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the most people sickened are in Iowa with 54 and Illinois with 30. Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin also have reported illnesses.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of&nbsp;Cyclospora&nbsp;illnesses potentially linked to ALDI Little Salad Bar Brand Garden Salad from ALDI grocery stores, Hy-Vee Brand Garden Salad from Hy-Vee grocery stores, and Signature Farms Brand Garden Salad from Jewel-Osco, according to a media release.

Although <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-cyclospora-bagged-salads-june-2020#:~:text=The%20FDA%2C%20along%20with%20CDC,%2C%20red%20cabbage%2C%20and%20carrots.">the investigation is ongoing</a>, CDC’s analysis of epidemiologic information indicates that these bagged salads from ALDI, Hy-Vee and Jewel-Osco grocery stores are a likely cause of the illnesses. FDA has initiated a traceback investigation to determine supplier and distributor information to find the cause and source of the outbreak.

FDA is in the beginning stages of this investigation and there may be additional retailers and products impacted by this outbreak.&nbsp; The FDA reported a 76 illnesses and 16 hospitalizations through Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592824600150.png" alt="Don’t eat ALDI, Hy-Vee, or Jewel-Osco store brand bagged salads labeled as ‘garden salads’ and sold in six mid-western states including Kansas and Missouri" />
 <figcaption>Don’t eat ALDI, Hy-Vee, or Jewel-Osco store brand bagged salads labeled as ‘garden salads’ and sold in six mid-western states including Kansas and Missouri</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration has recalled bagged salad distributed to a dozen Midwestern states by Hy-Vee, Aldi and Jewel-Osco grocery stores after 122 people in seven states were sickened. Nineteen have been hospitalized. The salad mix is contaminated with cyclospora, a parasite that can cause severe diarrhea. The salad mix is packaged as Hy-Vee Brand Garden Salads, Jewel-Osco Signature Farms Brand Garden Salads ALDI Little Salad Bar Brand Garden Salads. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the most people sickened are in Iowa with 54 and Illinois with 30. Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin also have reported illnesses.-------WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of&nbsp;Cyclospora&nbsp;illnesses potentially linked to ALDI Little Salad Bar Brand Garden Salad from ALDI grocery stores, Hy-Vee Brand Garden Salad from Hy-Vee grocery stores, and Signature Farms Brand Garden Salad from Jewel-Osco, according to a media release.Although <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-cyclospora-bagged-salads-june-2020#:~:text=The%20FDA%2C%20along%20with%20CDC,%2C%20red%20cabbage%2C%20and%20carrots.">the investigation is ongoing</a>, CDC’s analysis of epidemiologic information indicates that these bagged salads from ALDI, Hy-Vee and Jewel-Osco grocery stores are a likely cause of the illnesses. FDA has initiated a traceback investigation to determine supplier and distributor information to find the cause and source of the outbreak.FDA is in the beginning stages of this investigation and there may be additional retailers and products impacted by this outbreak.&nbsp; The FDA reported a 76 illnesses and 16 hospitalizations through Sunday.

Update: Bagged salad sickens more than 100 in 7 states

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Five family members and a longtime friend had been driving for nearly 20 hours last week when they were killed in a fiery head-on crash in Kansas less than an hour from their destination, relatives have said.

Their car collided with another vehicle Thursday evening on the Kansas 10 bypass. The driver of the second vehicle was seriously hurt, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities have not explained how the crash happened.

Relatives said the victims were 29-year-old Anico Kirk; her three daughters, 11-year-old Yamel Kirk, 9-year-old Umariel Lee and 4-year-old Nah’Liyah Cay; Kirk’s brother, 27-year-old Maurice Ross; and longtime family friend 49-year-old Felecia Harvey.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Friends have established a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/car-accident-claims-6-lives?sharetype=teams&amp;member=4744960&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&amp;rcid=3e5513fa320147d0b81a89204bfe6317&amp;fbclid=IwAR0arJRmhQJrdvaJ9e3uMwrO-54fmkmtkvbMPdxALr8EWEr9b_BN_O819AA">GoFundMe account</a> to assist loved ones.

Tony Kirk said the six were headed from Lakeland, Florida, to Topeka, Kansas. He is the uncle of Anico Kirk and Maurice Ross.

Anico Kirk moved to Florida from Topeka about a year ago and had recently returned to school to get her license as a hairdresser and makeup artist. Ross and Harvey flew from Topeka to Florida to visit, and Harvey was helping to look after the girls as they drove across the country to visit family, Tony Kirk said.

Tony Kirk described his niece’s daughters as “phenomenal young ladies.”

DOUGLAS COUNTY— Six people died in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Thursday in Douglas County.

A Ford Fusion and a GMC passenger vehicle were involved in a head-on collision and fire on&nbsp;40 Highway/S. Lawrence Trafficway, just west of 59 Highway, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fire consumed the Fusion and the six occupants died at the scene.

The GMC was partially burned. EMS transported the female driver to a hospital with serious injuries, according to the sheriff's department.

The Kansas Department of Transportation temporarily closed the road in both directions between the 27th Street intersection and U.S. 59, a stretch of two-lane highway with no median.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Authorities released no additional information Friday morning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592938383350.png" alt="photo courtesy GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Five family members and a longtime friend had been driving for nearly 20 hours last week when they were killed in a fiery head-on crash in Kansas less than an hour from their destination, relatives have said.Their car collided with another vehicle Thursday evening on the Kansas 10 bypass. The driver of the second vehicle was seriously hurt, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities have not explained how the crash happened.Relatives said the victims were 29-year-old Anico Kirk; her three daughters, 11-year-old Yamel Kirk, 9-year-old Umariel Lee and 4-year-old Nah’Liyah Cay; Kirk’s brother, 27-year-old Maurice Ross; and longtime family friend 49-year-old Felecia Harvey.&nbsp;&nbsp;Friends have established a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/car-accident-claims-6-lives?sharetype=teams&amp;member=4744960&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&amp;rcid=3e5513fa320147d0b81a89204bfe6317&amp;fbclid=IwAR0arJRmhQJrdvaJ9e3uMwrO-54fmkmtkvbMPdxALr8EWEr9b_BN_O819AA">GoFundMe account</a> to assist loved ones.Tony Kirk said the six were headed from Lakeland, Florida, to Topeka, Kansas. He is the uncle of Anico Kirk and Maurice Ross.Anico Kirk moved to Florida from Topeka about a year ago and had recently returned to school to get her license as a hairdresser and makeup artist. Ross and Harvey flew from Topeka to Florida to visit, and Harvey was helping to look after the girls as they drove across the country to visit family, Tony Kirk said.Tony Kirk described his niece’s daughters as “phenomenal young ladies.”----------DOUGLAS COUNTY— Six people died in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Thursday in Douglas County.A Ford Fusion and a GMC passenger vehicle were involved in a head-on collision and fire on&nbsp;40 Highway/S. Lawrence Trafficway, just west of 59 Highway, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fire consumed the Fusion and the six occupants died at the scene.The GMC was partially burned. EMS transported the female driver to a hospital with serious injuries, according to the sheriff's department.The Kansas Department of Transportation temporarily closed the road in both directions between the 27th Street intersection and U.S. 59, a stretch of two-lane highway with no median.&nbsp; &nbsp;Authorities released no additional information Friday morning.

6 killed in Kansas crash were finishing cross-country drive

GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP) — A local prosecutor who was the son of one of Roger Marshall’s business partners helped the future western Kansas congressman and U.S. Senate candidate reduce a misdemeanor reckless driving conviction in 2008 to a conviction for a less serious traffic infraction.

The reckless driving charge against Marshall, a Great Bend obstetrician, arose from a May 2008 confrontation with another man who owns land near a hospital and surgical center in which Marshall has an ownership stake,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article243602707.html" target="_blank">The Kansas City Star reports.&nbsp;</a>The other man, Randy Suchy, accused Marshall of hitting him with his pickup after an inspection of flooding, while Marshall denied any contact.

The case arose briefly as an issue when Marshall first ran successfully for Congress in 2016. With Marshall now seeking the GOP nomination for an open U.S. Senate seat, his main opponent in the Aug. 4 primary, former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article243709882.html" target="_blank">has called on him</a>&nbsp;to release a sealed affidavit in the case that details why prosecutors believe they had probable cause to charge Marshall with reckless driving. Marshall’s camp has not done so.

Marshall initially was charged with both battery and reckless driving, both misdemeanors, but the county attorney’s office dropped the battery charge. Marshall negotiated with prosecutors and pleaded no contest to the reckless driving charge. District Judge Don Alvord sentenced Marshall to five days in jail but suspended the sentence, imposed a $150 fine and ordered him to pay $75 in court costs.

The formal court record of the plea and sentence dated Dec. 11, 2008, was signed by Marshall, his attorney, Assistant County Attorney Carey Fleske and the judge. Then, on Dec. 24, 2008, Fleske asked another district judge, Mike Keeley, to issue an order normally used to correct the court record to change the charge to a traffic infraction, failure to exercise due care in regards to a pedestrian, with a $45 fine. Keeley approved the request.

Fleske, now a Kansas City-area defense attorney, is the son of Leonard T. Fleske, a Great Bend orthopedic surgeon who in 2000 founded a surgical center with Marshall and other physicians. Business records show Marshall and a living trust named for the elder Fleske’s wife both had ownership stakes of 9.4 percent at the time of the 2008 case.

Carey Fleske said his father’s connection didn’t influence the case. Marshall spokesman Eric Pahls also dismissed the connection as irrelevant, saying in a statement that when someone has lived in a rural Kansas town for three decades as Marshall has, “you’re going to know most everyone.”

Keeley recalled in an interview that he had been told by the county attorney’s office and Marshall’s defense attorney that the intent had been for him to plead to the lesser charge but “it got typed up the other way.”

Suchy also filed a lawsuit against Marshall in 2009 over the incident, but they settled that case out of court on undisclosed terms.

“I don’t hold any hard feelings or grudges. It’s all water under the bridge,” Suchy said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580740365629.jpeg" alt=" After last month's debate, U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall talks with a voter from Olathe. Credit Jim McLean / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> After last month's debate, U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall talks with a voter from Olathe. Credit Jim McLean / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP) — A local prosecutor who was the son of one of Roger Marshall’s business partners helped the future western Kansas congressman and U.S. Senate candidate reduce a misdemeanor reckless driving conviction in 2008 to a conviction for a less serious traffic infraction.The reckless driving charge against Marshall, a Great Bend obstetrician, arose from a May 2008 confrontation with another man who owns land near a hospital and surgical center in which Marshall has an ownership stake,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article243602707.html" target="_blank">The Kansas City Star reports.&nbsp;</a>The other man, Randy Suchy, accused Marshall of hitting him with his pickup after an inspection of flooding, while Marshall denied any contact.The case arose briefly as an issue when Marshall first ran successfully for Congress in 2016. With Marshall now seeking the GOP nomination for an open U.S. Senate seat, his main opponent in the Aug. 4 primary, former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article243709882.html" target="_blank">has called on him</a>&nbsp;to release a sealed affidavit in the case that details why prosecutors believe they had probable cause to charge Marshall with reckless driving. Marshall’s camp has not done so.Marshall initially was charged with both battery and reckless driving, both misdemeanors, but the county attorney’s office dropped the battery charge. Marshall negotiated with prosecutors and pleaded no contest to the reckless driving charge. District Judge Don Alvord sentenced Marshall to five days in jail but suspended the sentence, imposed a $150 fine and ordered him to pay $75 in court costs.The formal court record of the plea and sentence dated Dec. 11, 2008, was signed by Marshall, his attorney, Assistant County Attorney Carey Fleske and the judge. Then, on Dec. 24, 2008, Fleske asked another district judge, Mike Keeley, to issue an order normally used to correct the court record to change the charge to a traffic infraction, failure to exercise due care in regards to a pedestrian, with a $45 fine. Keeley approved the request.Fleske, now a Kansas City-area defense attorney, is the son of Leonard T. Fleske, a Great Bend orthopedic surgeon who in 2000 founded a surgical center with Marshall and other physicians. Business records show Marshall and a living trust named for the elder Fleske’s wife both had ownership stakes of 9.4 percent at the time of the 2008 case.Carey Fleske said his father’s connection didn’t influence the case. Marshall spokesman Eric Pahls also dismissed the connection as irrelevant, saying in a statement that when someone has lived in a rural Kansas town for three decades as Marshall has, “you’re going to know most everyone.”Keeley recalled in an interview that he had been told by the county attorney’s office and Marshall’s defense attorney that the intent had been for him to plead to the lesser charge but “it got typed up the other way.”Suchy also filed a lawsuit against Marshall in 2009 over the incident, but they settled that case out of court on undisclosed terms.“I don’t hold any hard feelings or grudges. It’s all water under the bridge,” Suchy said.

Report: Partner's son helped reduce charge for future Rep. Marshall

Two people have been arrested after explosive materials were found in a home in Hays.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/160d50e4-2e1b-471e-b959-305d7d77524f">After Hays Police Officers were dispatched to the 300 block of West 11th on Sunday for a disturbance, a search warrant was executed for drug-related items. During the search, explosive materials were found in the home.</a>

The Kansas&nbsp;Highway Patrol’s Hazardous Devices Unit was called to the scene and disposed of the material off-site early Monday afternoon.

On Tuesday, Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler identified two suspects from the home that had been detained during the investigation. He confirmed the materials were explosive in nature, but declined to identify the material.

Shon Howard Mathwich, 41, Hays, was arrested on suspicion of criminal use of explosives, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Amy Elizabeth Grove, 39, Hays, was&nbsp;arrested on suspicion of criminal use of explosives, drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

Grove was convicted in 2016 of drug possession in Barton County.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation also assisted in the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592848116577.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostTwo people have been arrested after explosive materials were found in a home in Hays.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/160d50e4-2e1b-471e-b959-305d7d77524f">After Hays Police Officers were dispatched to the 300 block of West 11th on Sunday for a disturbance, a search warrant was executed for drug-related items. During the search, explosive materials were found in the home.</a>The Kansas&nbsp;Highway Patrol’s Hazardous Devices Unit was called to the scene and disposed of the material off-site early Monday afternoon.On Tuesday, Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler identified two suspects from the home that had been detained during the investigation. He confirmed the materials were explosive in nature, but declined to identify the material.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592938114104.png" alt="Mathwich" />
 <figcaption>Mathwich</figcaption>
 </figure>Shon Howard Mathwich, 41, Hays, was arrested on suspicion of criminal use of explosives, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.Amy Elizabeth Grove, 39, Hays, was&nbsp;arrested on suspicion of criminal use of explosives, drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592938132114.png" alt="Grove" />
 <figcaption>Grove</figcaption>
 </figure>Grove was convicted in 2016 of drug possession in Barton County.The Kansas Bureau of Investigation also assisted in the investigation.

Two arrests after explosive materials found in Hays home

By JIM MCLEAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-22/more-kansans-are-asking-for-mail-ballots-while-officials-work-to-make-polling-places-pandemic-safe">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — Facing the prospect of standing in line at 
polling places amid the coronavirus pandemic, requests from Kansans for 
mail ballots continue to come in at a record clip.

As of June 17, 
more than 142,000 Kansans had filed applications for advance ballots for
 the Aug. 4 primary. That far exceeds the 54,000 requested at the same 
point in the last presidential election year.

Kansas Secretary of 
State Scott Schwab said the jump reflects worries about in-person 
voting, but he’s not willing to heed calls from state Democratic Party 
officials to switch to all-mail elections.

That would create “massive voter confusion,” said Schwab, a Republican preparing to oversee his first statewide election.

Five states — Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington —<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/all-mail-elections.aspx" target="_blank"> conduct all elections by mail</a>. Other states may do so this year to prevent a surge in coronavirus cases.

Kansas
 Democrats conducted their May 2 presidential primary entirely by mail. 
They considered it such a success that State Party Chair Vicki Hiatt 
said Schwab should use a similar process for this year’s primary and 
general elections rather than putting “a whole lot of money into making 
provisions for safety.”

Schwab has the authority to alter 
elections. But he said he can only do so in emergencies that make it 
“impossible” for people to vote in person.

The threat posed by the
 coronavirus, Schwab said, doesn’t rise to that level, especially given 
the steps he and the state’s 105 county clerks are taking to make 
polling places safer.

They’re installing plexiglass shields at 
voter registration tables and stocking every polling place with masks, 
gloves and hand sanitizer. They’re also providing disposable styluses so
 that people don’t have to actually touch the screens of voting 
machines.

“We’re doing everything on our end to make it safe for voters,” Schwab said.

The state got $4.6 million in federal pandemic relief to pay for the modifications.

Harvey
 County Clerk Rick Piepho is worried that the volunteers he counts on to
 staff the county’s 12 polling places - many of them retirees - might 
also be reluctant to show up this year.

“Most of them are going to be in those higher-risk age groups,” Piepho said.

Piepho
 said those he’s talked to as he begins his recruiting push for the 
primary are relieved “that we’re putting in protections for them.”

President Donald Trump strongly opposes large-scale mail-in voting. He’s threatened <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/499269-trump-escalates-fight-against-mail-in-voting" target="_blank">to withhold federal funding</a>
 from states seeking to expand it. Several times in recent months, he 
has said that such an expansion would invite widespread fraud.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592925847894.png" alt="A worker at Bizwanger Glass in Topeka making plexiglass shields to protect voters and poll workers from the coronavirus. Jim McLean / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>A worker at Bizwanger Glass in Topeka making plexiglass shields to protect voters and poll workers from the coronavirus. Jim McLean / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM MCLEAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-22/more-kansans-are-asking-for-mail-ballots-while-officials-work-to-make-polling-places-pandemic-safe">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — Facing the prospect of standing in line at 
polling places amid the coronavirus pandemic, requests from Kansans for 
mail ballots continue to come in at a record clip.As of June 17, 
more than 142,000 Kansans had filed applications for advance ballots for
 the Aug. 4 primary. That far exceeds the 54,000 requested at the same 
point in the last presidential election year.Kansas Secretary of 
State Scott Schwab said the jump reflects worries about in-person 
voting, but he’s not willing to heed calls from state Democratic Party 
officials to switch to all-mail elections.That would create “massive voter confusion,” said Schwab, a Republican preparing to oversee his first statewide election.Five states — Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington —<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/all-mail-elections.aspx" target="_blank"> conduct all elections by mail</a>. Other states may do so this year to prevent a surge in coronavirus cases.Kansas
 Democrats conducted their May 2 presidential primary entirely by mail. 
They considered it such a success that State Party Chair Vicki Hiatt 
said Schwab should use a similar process for this year’s primary and 
general elections rather than putting “a whole lot of money into making 
provisions for safety.”Schwab has the authority to alter 
elections. But he said he can only do so in emergencies that make it 
“impossible” for people to vote in person.The threat posed by the
 coronavirus, Schwab said, doesn’t rise to that level, especially given 
the steps he and the state’s 105 county clerks are taking to make 
polling places safer.They’re installing plexiglass shields at 
voter registration tables and stocking every polling place with masks, 
gloves and hand sanitizer. They’re also providing disposable styluses so
 that people don’t have to actually touch the screens of voting 
machines.“We’re doing everything on our end to make it safe for voters,” Schwab said.The state got $4.6 million in federal pandemic relief to pay for the modifications.Harvey
 County Clerk Rick Piepho is worried that the volunteers he counts on to
 staff the county’s 12 polling places - many of them retirees - might 
also be reluctant to show up this year.“Most of them are going to be in those higher-risk age groups,” Piepho said.Piepho
 said those he’s talked to as he begins his recruiting push for the 
primary are relieved “that we’re putting in protections for them.”<h2>Ballot security</h2>President Donald Trump strongly opposes large-scale mail-in voting. He’s threatened <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/499269-trump-escalates-fight-against-mail-in-voting" target="_blank">to withhold federal funding</a>
 from states seeking to expand it. Several times in recent months, he 
has said that such an expansion would invite widespread fraud.At a
 White House press conference in early April, Trump called advance 
voting “a terrible thing” that would result in “thousands and thousands 
of people sitting in somebody’s living room singing ballots all over the
 place.”Experts say while fraud is more of a problem in mail elections than in-person voting,<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/07/829323152/fact-check-is-mail-ballot-fraud-as-rampant-as-president-trump-says-it-is" target="_blank"> it is still rare.</a>Schwab
 represents the conservative wing of his party. But he differs with 
Trump, saying mail-in elections don’t pose a serious fraud risk and that
 vote cheating, in general, is highly uncommon.“That doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen,” he said. “But it’s very rare. And normally when people attempt it, they get caught.”Kansas,
 Schwab said, has taken several specific steps to protect the security 
of mail-in ballots, including the implementation earlier this year of an
 online tracking system.“It allows you to track your ballot to its destination,” Schwab said.In
 addition, he said, many county election offices have secure drop boxes.
 Those allow voters to hand-deliver their ballots rather than handing 
them over to a third party to deliver in bulk.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592925926746.png" alt="Kansas voters can cast advance ballots at their county election office or deliver their mail ballots. Stephen Koranda photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas voters can cast advance ballots at their county election office or deliver their mail ballots. Stephen Koranda photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Piepho, the Harvey County clerk, said the advance-voting process 
includes several safeguards. For one thing, he said, officials 
scrutinize the signatures on incoming ballots to make sure they match 
those on the applications.“We check it to make sure it’s the same person,” Piepho said.<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-09/kansans-reveal-their-coronavirus-anxieties-from-money-to-health-to-loneliness" target="_blank">A poll released this month by the Kansas News Service</a>
 found nearly half of the people in the state think voting by mail is 
safe. And that it should be encouraged. But nearly a fourth disagreed. 
Notably, Democrats were far more in favor of mail voting than 
Republicans.<h2>Voters eager but nervous</h2>A divisive 
presidential impeachment trial, disputes over how government entities at
 all levels responded to the pandemic and recent protests that exposed 
the racial divide over police tactics have upped the stakes in this 
year’s election.In Kansas, the potential<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-23/the-kansas-republican-senate-candidates-debated-over-whos-best-to-work-with-trump" target="_blank"> for a competitive race for a U.S. Senate</a> seat that Republicans have owned since the Great Depression is adding to those stakes.The jump in advance ballot requests, Schwab said, could indicate that Kansas voters will turn out in higher numbers this year. "It's one of many indicators," he said.The latest registration totals may be another signal. As of June 1, more than 1.8 million Kansans had registered to vote, an increase of more than 100,000 from June of 2016.It’s risky to draw too many conclusions, Schwab said, but those numbers suggest Kansas voters are engaged. The
 number of registered Democrats has gone up to 468,805, compared to 
425,879 four years ago. Republicans continue to hold a sizeable 
advantage with a registration total of 804,552. That’s up from 766,923 
in June of 2016.Meanwhile, the number of unaffiliated voters declined slightly to 553,673 from 534,035 in 2016.Jim McLean is the senior correspondent for the Kansas News Service. You can reach him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jmcleanks" target="_blank">@jmcleanks</a> or email jim@kcur.org.