TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum has broken again with fellow Kansas Republicans to support Democrat Barbara Bollier for the seat Kassebaum once held.

Kassebaum said in a statement Thursday that Bollier shares her belief in working with members of both parties and Bollier’s election would be a “positive step” toward bipartisanship in Washington.

Kassebaum also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b61cf81d8b0e4137a606038b7a6b2e82">endorsed Democrat Laura Kelly</a>&nbsp;in the 2018 Kansas governor’s race.

Republican nominee Roger Marshall’s campaign manager, Eric Pahls, pointed to the two-term western and central Kansas congressman’s endorsements from retiring GOP Sen. Pat Roberts and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, the 1996 GOP nominee for president. Roberts holds Kassebaum’s former seat. Also Thursday, Former Senator Sheila Frahm, who succeeded Bob Dole in the U.S. Senate, served as Kansas' Lt. Governor, and was the first female state Senate Majority Leader announced her endorsement for Marshall.&nbsp; She is from Colby.

“This Kassebaum endorsement comes as no surprise, as she has endorsed only Democrats in recent elections,” Pahls said in a statement.

Bollier called the 88-year-old Kassebaum a mentor. Bollier, a Kansas City-area state senator, was a moderate Republican before switching parties at the end of 2018.

Kassebaum served in the Senate from 1979 until 1997 and was among the state’s most popular officials. Her father was Kansas Gov. Alf Landon, the 1936 GOP presidential nominee, and she is the widow of former Tennessee Sen. and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600361238465.png" alt="Former Senator Nancy Kassebaum received the Dole Leadership Prize in 2016-photo courtesy Robert Dole Institute. She also endorsed Laura Kelly in the 2018 race for governor." />
 <figcaption>Former Senator Nancy Kassebaum received the Dole Leadership Prize in 2016-photo courtesy Robert Dole Institute. She also endorsed Laura Kelly in the 2018 race for governor.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum has broken again with fellow Kansas Republicans to support Democrat Barbara Bollier for the seat Kassebaum once held.Kassebaum said in a statement Thursday that Bollier shares her belief in working with members of both parties and Bollier’s election would be a “positive step” toward bipartisanship in Washington.Kassebaum also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b61cf81d8b0e4137a606038b7a6b2e82">endorsed Democrat Laura Kelly</a>&nbsp;in the 2018 Kansas governor’s race.Republican nominee Roger Marshall’s campaign manager, Eric Pahls, pointed to the two-term western and central Kansas congressman’s endorsements from retiring GOP Sen. Pat Roberts and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, the 1996 GOP nominee for president. Roberts holds Kassebaum’s former seat. Also Thursday, Former Senator Sheila Frahm, who succeeded Bob Dole in the U.S. Senate, served as Kansas' Lt. Governor, and was the first female state Senate Majority Leader announced her endorsement for Marshall.&nbsp; She is from Colby.“This Kassebaum endorsement comes as no surprise, as she has endorsed only Democrats in recent elections,” Pahls said in a statement.Bollier called the 88-year-old Kassebaum a mentor. Bollier, a Kansas City-area state senator, was a moderate Republican before switching parties at the end of 2018.Kassebaum served in the Senate from 1979 until 1997 and was among the state’s most popular officials. Her father was Kansas Gov. Alf Landon, the 1936 GOP presidential nominee, and she is the widow of former Tennessee Sen. and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker.___

U.S. Senate candidates get big endorsements in Kan. race

The Salina Police Department reported Thursday that Jack Rex Mildfelt, the Salina man reported missing a week ago, has been located unharmed.

In a statement, the Salina Police Department wrote, "Jack Rex Mildfelt has been located unharmed. The Salina Police Department would like to thank the public for all of the tips received regarding Mr. Mildfelt."

Mildfelt was reported missing on Sept. 10 and was last seen in Salina on the afternoon of Sept. 3.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599772381818.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Salina Police Department reported Thursday that Jack Rex Mildfelt, the Salina man reported missing a week ago, has been located unharmed.In a statement, the Salina Police Department wrote, "Jack Rex Mildfelt has been located unharmed. The Salina Police Department would like to thank the public for all of the tips received regarding Mr. Mildfelt."Mildfelt was reported missing on Sept. 10 and was last seen in Salina on the afternoon of Sept. 3.

Police: Missing 52-year-old Kan. man found safe

PHILLIPS COUNTY - The cause of a car fire in Phillipsburg Thursday morning is under investigation.

An exploding vape pen is believed responsible for the fire in a Chevy Cobalt that occurred near the middle school in the 600 Block of 7th Street, according to Deputy Charles Radabaugh.

The fire started in or near the driver's purse.&nbsp; She reportedly uses a vape pen, according to Radabaugh.

"The vape pen uses a rechargeable lithium battery and when a malfunction occurs, it can be catastrophic." In this case, the car is a total loss, according to Radabaugh.&nbsp; &nbsp;There were no injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600366510079.png" alt="Photo courtesy Phillips County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Phillips County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILLIPS COUNTY - The cause of a car fire in Phillipsburg Thursday morning is under investigation.An exploding vape pen is believed responsible for the fire in a Chevy Cobalt that occurred near the middle school in the 600 Block of 7th Street, according to Deputy Charles Radabaugh.The fire started in or near the driver's purse.&nbsp; She reportedly uses a vape pen, according to Radabaugh."The vape pen uses a rechargeable lithium battery and when a malfunction occurs, it can be catastrophic." In this case, the car is a total loss, according to Radabaugh.&nbsp; &nbsp;There were no injuries.

Sheriff: Exploding vape pen blamed for Kan. car fire

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Health Department has directed 10 people to quarantine after potential exposure to COVID-19 at the Kansas City Chiefs’ game on Thursday, Sept. 10, at Arrowhead Stadium, according to a media release.

<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1446/16">The health department’s</a> disease investigation team quickly activated and reached out through many channels to identify and then contact the 10 people who had close contact with the individual.

Everyone has been notified and is under quarantine. Chiefs’ staff and contacts responded swiftly to investigators’ questions and provided crucial information, so all exposures could be identified.

The individual watched from their group's box and tested positive the day after the game.&nbsp;

“I want to remind everyone that COVID-19 is anywhere and everywhere. While we’re all tired of it, frustrated and even angry at how it has altered and stricken our lives and livelihoods, we must continue to think of those who have not and will not survive it,” said Dr. Rex Archer, Kansas City health director.&nbsp;

“We still don’t understand why it strikes some so viciously while others have only mild symptoms. If you have an existing or prior health condition such as cancer, diabetes, heart or lung disease, or if you’re older than 65, you should not be taking unnecessary risks like being in large crowds. We hope those around you aren’t taking those risks either and possibly bringing the virus home to you.”&nbsp;

The Kansas City Health Department urges the public and businesses to continue to work quickly with the department and disease investigators to minimize the spread of COVID-19.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600360409565.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Health Department has directed 10 people to quarantine after potential exposure to COVID-19 at the Kansas City Chiefs’ game on Thursday, Sept. 10, at Arrowhead Stadium, according to a media release.<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1446/16">The health department’s</a> disease investigation team quickly activated and reached out through many channels to identify and then contact the 10 people who had close contact with the individual.Everyone has been notified and is under quarantine. Chiefs’ staff and contacts responded swiftly to investigators’ questions and provided crucial information, so all exposures could be identified.The individual watched from their group's box and tested positive the day after the game.&nbsp;“I want to remind everyone that COVID-19 is anywhere and everywhere. While we’re all tired of it, frustrated and even angry at how it has altered and stricken our lives and livelihoods, we must continue to think of those who have not and will not survive it,” said Dr. Rex Archer, Kansas City health director.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Statement on COVID-19 positive fan.<a href="https://t.co/S3ACCQdN8F">https://t.co/S3ACCQdN8F</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1306635335892455428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We still don’t understand why it strikes some so viciously while others have only mild symptoms. If you have an existing or prior health condition such as cancer, diabetes, heart or lung disease, or if you’re older than 65, you should not be taking unnecessary risks like being in large crowds. We hope those around you aren’t taking those risks either and possibly bringing the virus home to you.”&nbsp;The Kansas City Health Department urges the public and businesses to continue to work quickly with the department and disease investigators to minimize the spread of COVID-19.&nbsp;

10 Chiefs fans to quarantine after COVID-19 exposure at game

HUTCHINSON— A Hutchinson Correctional Facility employee is facing numerous counts of attempting to smuggle contraband into the prison.&nbsp;

Twenty-two-year-old Zachary Wood of Newton faces eight different counts in an effort to smuggle K-2 into the facility. He’s being held on a bond of $100,000. 

Wood faces three counts of conspiracy, three counts of using a communication device to distribute drugs, one count of drug distribution and one count of trafficking contraband into a correctional facility.

According to the complaint, Wood is accused of using three different women to bring the synthetic marijuana into the facility over a period of two months.

One of those three, 48-year-old Esther Davis, was taken into custody on Tuesday on a charge of trafficking contraband. She is currently free on bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600357864536.jpeg" alt="Wood photo Reno County" />
 <figcaption>Wood photo Reno County</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON— A Hutchinson Correctional Facility employee is facing numerous counts of attempting to smuggle contraband into the prison.&nbsp;Twenty-two-year-old Zachary Wood of Newton faces eight different counts in an effort to smuggle K-2 into the facility. He’s being held on a bond of $100,000. Wood faces three counts of conspiracy, three counts of using a communication device to distribute drugs, one count of drug distribution and one count of trafficking contraband into a correctional facility.According to the complaint, Wood is accused of using three different women to bring the synthetic marijuana into the facility over a period of two months.One of those three, 48-year-old Esther Davis, was taken into custody on Tuesday on a charge of trafficking contraband. She is currently free on bond.

Employee allegedly tried to smuggle K2 into Kan. prison

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court seemed worried Wednesday about the proper roles of the Legislature and courts as it wrestled with whether a state statute that prohibits lawsuits based on “wrongful birth” claims is constitutional.

Justices heard oral arguments via Zoom on whether the parents of a disabled child have a right to a trial on their malpractice claims. A lower appeals court had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/01c03eebf83e41cba11b30bec802f8cc">earlier held that the statute</a>&nbsp;— signed into law by then-Gov. Sam Brownback in 2013— protects physicians from malpractice suits if they fail to provide information about fetal abnormalities that might cause the mother to get an abortion.

The parents’ attorney, Lynn Johnson, argued the case was an action for the recovery of damages for negligent injury under common law that had evolved based on advances of technology and a recognition of a woman’s reproductive rights.

“So the Legislature cannot — simply because it doesn’t like abortion — simply cannot step in and deprive these folks and others similarly situated of their right to remedy ... by a trial by jury of whether the doctor was negligent and whether that negligence ultimately caused their monetary damages,” Johnson said.

<a href="https://kscourts-my.sharepoint.com/personal/taylorl_kscourts_org/Documents/Tillman%20Case/117439PetReview.pdf" target="_blank">Alysia Tillman gave birth&nbsp;</a>in May 2014 to a baby girl with a severe brain abnormality that left her permanently disabled and unable to ever perform “activities of daily living.” Months before the birth, the doctor performed an ultrasound and told the parents it showed a healthy female fetus.

In their petition to the state’s highest court, Tillman and the baby’s father argued that they would have chosen to terminate the pregnancy had they received an accurate interpretation of the ultrasound. The child was diagnosed with a rare birth defect called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/all-disorders/schizencephaly-information-page" target="_blank">schizencephaly</a>,

Tillman and Storm Fleetwood sued their doctor, claiming Dr. Katherine Goodpasture’s failure to make a correct diagnosis denied them the right to make an informed decision on whether to end the pregnancy. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt subsequently intervened in the case to defend the statute.

The doctor’s attorney, Jacob Peterson told the court that this is something entirely different than a traditional negligence lawsuit, saying “it seems somewhat crass and somewhat wrong” to try to award damages because “the result is the existence of this child, this living being.”

Peterson contended the parents wanted to have specific child, they just didn’t want to have the specific fetus that was in the womb.

“That does implicate certain matters of public policy as the Kansas Legislature has articulated on numerous times they believe that, and the people of Kansas believe, that life begins at conception,” he said.

Kansas Deputy Solicitor General Brant Laue also argued the legislative branch has the primary authority to determine what injuries are compensated.

The court took the matter under advisement after listening to the arguments.

Besides Kansas, a dozen other states have similar laws: Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports reproductive rights.

The Guttmacher Institute contends these laws are part of “the anti-abortion strategy.”

“False and misleading information is a long-standing strategy employed by abortion opponents, whether it is through a wrongful life statute or through state-mandated abortion counseling, they have the same goal of denying full information to patients as a way to force the continuation of a pregnancy,” Elizabeth Nash, a public policy associate at Guttmacher, said in an email.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600358645442.png" alt="Members of the Kansas Supreme Court during a Thursday Sept. 17, hearing" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Kansas Supreme Court during a Thursday Sept. 17, hearing</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROXANA HEGEMANBELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court seemed worried Wednesday about the proper roles of the Legislature and courts as it wrestled with whether a state statute that prohibits lawsuits based on “wrongful birth” claims is constitutional.Justices heard oral arguments via Zoom on whether the parents of a disabled child have a right to a trial on their malpractice claims. A lower appeals court had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/01c03eebf83e41cba11b30bec802f8cc">earlier held that the statute</a>&nbsp;— signed into law by then-Gov. Sam Brownback in 2013— protects physicians from malpractice suits if they fail to provide information about fetal abnormalities that might cause the mother to get an abortion.The parents’ attorney, Lynn Johnson, argued the case was an action for the recovery of damages for negligent injury under common law that had evolved based on advances of technology and a recognition of a woman’s reproductive rights.“So the Legislature cannot — simply because it doesn’t like abortion — simply cannot step in and deprive these folks and others similarly situated of their right to remedy ... by a trial by jury of whether the doctor was negligent and whether that negligence ultimately caused their monetary damages,” Johnson said.<a href="https://kscourts-my.sharepoint.com/personal/taylorl_kscourts_org/Documents/Tillman%20Case/117439PetReview.pdf" target="_blank">Alysia Tillman gave birth&nbsp;</a>in May 2014 to a baby girl with a severe brain abnormality that left her permanently disabled and unable to ever perform “activities of daily living.” Months before the birth, the doctor performed an ultrasound and told the parents it showed a healthy female fetus.In their petition to the state’s highest court, Tillman and the baby’s father argued that they would have chosen to terminate the pregnancy had they received an accurate interpretation of the ultrasound. The child was diagnosed with a rare birth defect called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/all-disorders/schizencephaly-information-page" target="_blank">schizencephaly</a>,Tillman and Storm Fleetwood sued their doctor, claiming Dr. Katherine Goodpasture’s failure to make a correct diagnosis denied them the right to make an informed decision on whether to end the pregnancy. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt subsequently intervened in the case to defend the statute.The doctor’s attorney, Jacob Peterson told the court that this is something entirely different than a traditional negligence lawsuit, saying “it seems somewhat crass and somewhat wrong” to try to award damages because “the result is the existence of this child, this living being.”Peterson contended the parents wanted to have specific child, they just didn’t want to have the specific fetus that was in the womb.“That does implicate certain matters of public policy as the Kansas Legislature has articulated on numerous times they believe that, and the people of Kansas believe, that life begins at conception,” he said.Kansas Deputy Solicitor General Brant Laue also argued the legislative branch has the primary authority to determine what injuries are compensated.The court took the matter under advisement after listening to the arguments.Besides Kansas, a dozen other states have similar laws: Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports reproductive rights.The Guttmacher Institute contends these laws are part of “the anti-abortion strategy.”“False and misleading information is a long-standing strategy employed by abortion opponents, whether it is through a wrongful life statute or through state-mandated abortion counseling, they have the same goal of denying full information to patients as a way to force the continuation of a pregnancy,” Elizabeth Nash, a public policy associate at Guttmacher, said in an email.

Kansas court hears arguments over “wrongful birth” law

TOPEKA —A Kansas man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas on federal child pornography charges, according to Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division late Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1317426/download">Click here</a> to read the indictment

The three-count indictment charged Jeffrey Pierce, 40, a basketball&nbsp;<a href="https://shs.seamanschools.org/athletics/winter/boys_basketball/coaching_staff/jeff_pierce">coach at Seaman High&nbsp;</a>School, with producing and possessing child pornography. &nbsp;Pierce is alleged to have solicited sexually explicit images and videos from minor victims.

Using social networking platforms, Pierce would contact his victims while pretending to be a teenage girl, according to the FBI.

 He would then solicit explicit photos or videos from the juvenile victims. Pierce used the following user/vanity names when contacting his victims through Instagram, Snapchat, KiK, and Grinder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599184633467.png" alt="Pierce photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Pierce photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —A Kansas man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas on federal child pornography charges, according to Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division late Wednesday.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1317426/download">Click here</a> to read the indictmentThe three-count indictment charged Jeffrey Pierce, 40, a basketball&nbsp;<a href="https://shs.seamanschools.org/athletics/winter/boys_basketball/coaching_staff/jeff_pierce">coach at Seaman High&nbsp;</a>School, with producing and possessing child pornography. &nbsp;Pierce is alleged to have solicited sexually explicit images and videos from minor victims.Using social networking platforms, Pierce would contact his victims while pretending to be a teenage girl, according to the FBI.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599081222209.png" alt="Coach Pierce -photo courtesy Seaman USD 345" />
 <figcaption>Coach Pierce -photo courtesy Seaman USD 345</figcaption>
 </figure> He would then solicit explicit photos or videos from the juvenile victims. Pierce used the following user/vanity names when contacting his victims through Instagram, Snapchat, KiK, and Grinder.

Federal grand jury indicts Kan. high school coach

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Roger Marshall is using out-of-context clips from Democrat Barbara Bollier’s ads in a television spot in which his campaign argues that she’s trying to hide liberal views from voters, suggesting the GOP doesn’t have the race for an open U.S. Senate seat locked down yet in normally safe Kansas.

Bollier’s campaign and two Kansas political scientists argued Wednesday that&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1302977421986103296" target="_blank">Marshall’s ad</a>&nbsp;is misleading because it uses video snippets of Bollier in attacking her for opposing abortion restrictions and for supporting gun control measures when she was speaking about other topics. Marshall has been running the ad online and statewide since Labor Day weekend.

Marshall campaign manager Eric Pahls said the ad is not deceptive because it opens with a narrator asking, “How would it sound if Barbara Bollier’s ads actually matched her liberal record?” Pahls said viewers are “smart enough to understand what they’re watching.”

But Bob Beatty, a Washburn University of Topeka political scientist, said his review of about 1,200 state political ads dating back more than 50 years indicates that Marshall’s move is a new tactic for Kansas.

“Of course it’s manipulative,” he said. Later, he added about viewers, “The vast majority aren’t really going to tune in to a narrator at the beginning.”

Marshall is a two-term congressman for western and central Kansas and his ad is part of a broader effort by Republicans to undercut attempts by Bollier, a Kansas City-area state senator, to attract moderate GOP and independent voters after switching to the Democratic Party at the end of 2018.

Republicans already face tough races in other states in trying to keep their 53-47 Senate majority, and a competitive race in Kansas would complicate their efforts. The GOP hasn’t lost a Senate race in Kansas since 1932, but Bollier has proven to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/244be255c21df39bb3a67d1b363ac5cf">an unusually strong fundraiser.</a>

University of Kansas political scientist Patrick Miller called the Marshall ad “arguably slimy.”

“This says that you’re in a close race and that you’re really desperate to get out of it,” he said.

Republicans are attacking Bollier for her strong support of abortion rights, which led her to vote against new abortion restrictions during her decade-plus in the Legislature. One recent GOP political action committee mailer calling her a “liberal extremist” on the issue.

The Marshall ad criticizes Bollier for voting against 2015 legislation to ban a common second-trimester procedure designated in the measure as “dismemberment” abortion, with a clip of Bollier saying, “That’s what I believe in my heart.” The clip comes from Bollier’s October 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X8P0s_4_lo&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">announcement video</a>&nbsp;and followed her call for bipartisanship in Washington.

The Marshall ad also cites a 2014 statement from Bollier to a local newspaper about gun issues to suggest she supports a ban on guns, with a clip of her saying, “I’ll work to ban them nationwide.”

Bollier spokeswoman Alexandra De Luca called that section of the ad “particularly egregious.” Bollier’s statement expressed support for background checks for all gun purchases and allowing cities and counties to enact their own gun restrictions. Bollier backed limits on the types of guns available to the public “specifically” when it comes to large-capacity ammunition magazines. The video snippet of Bollier is from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_jh5U9W-aQ&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">a July ad</a>&nbsp;in which she promises to work to ban surprise medical bills.

“His campaign doesn’t want to engage with Barbara directly on the issues in an honest manner and so they put words in her mouth and create a fictional Barbara, quite literally, that they run ads on,” De Luca said.

Pahls said if the Marshall campaign wanted to be “sneaky” it would have omitted the narrator’s introduction and the ad is “not hiding anything.”

“They’re unable to refute any of the substance of the ad, so they’re attacking style,” he said in a text to The Associated Press.

By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Roger Marshall is using out-of-context clips from Democrat Barbara Bollier’s ads in a television spot in which his campaign argues that she’s trying to hide liberal views from voters, suggesting the GOP doesn’t have the race for an open U.S. Senate seat locked down yet in normally safe Kansas.Bollier’s campaign and two Kansas political scientists argued Wednesday that&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1302977421986103296" target="_blank">Marshall’s ad</a>&nbsp;is misleading because it uses video snippets of Bollier in attacking her for opposing abortion restrictions and for supporting gun control measures when she was speaking about other topics. Marshall has been running the ad online and statewide since Labor Day weekend.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨BRAND NEW: How would it sound if Barbara Bollier&#39;s ads actually matched her liberal record? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kssen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kssen</a> <a href="https://t.co/KffwRifuen">pic.twitter.com/KffwRifuen</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1302977421986103296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Marshall campaign manager Eric Pahls said the ad is not deceptive because it opens with a narrator asking, “How would it sound if Barbara Bollier’s ads actually matched her liberal record?” Pahls said viewers are “smart enough to understand what they’re watching.”But Bob Beatty, a Washburn University of Topeka political scientist, said his review of about 1,200 state political ads dating back more than 50 years indicates that Marshall’s move is a new tactic for Kansas.“Of course it’s manipulative,” he said. Later, he added about viewers, “The vast majority aren’t really going to tune in to a narrator at the beginning.”Marshall is a two-term congressman for western and central Kansas and his ad is part of a broader effort by Republicans to undercut attempts by Bollier, a Kansas City-area state senator, to attract moderate GOP and independent voters after switching to the Democratic Party at the end of 2018.Republicans already face tough races in other states in trying to keep their 53-47 Senate majority, and a competitive race in Kansas would complicate their efforts. The GOP hasn’t lost a Senate race in Kansas since 1932, but Bollier has proven to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/244be255c21df39bb3a67d1b363ac5cf">an unusually strong fundraiser.</a>University of Kansas political scientist Patrick Miller called the Marshall ad “arguably slimy.”“This says that you’re in a close race and that you’re really desperate to get out of it,” he said.Republicans are attacking Bollier for her strong support of abortion rights, which led her to vote against new abortion restrictions during her decade-plus in the Legislature. One recent GOP political action committee mailer calling her a “liberal extremist” on the issue.The Marshall ad criticizes Bollier for voting against 2015 legislation to ban a common second-trimester procedure designated in the measure as “dismemberment” abortion, with a clip of Bollier saying, “That’s what I believe in my heart.” The clip comes from Bollier’s October 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X8P0s_4_lo&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">announcement video</a>&nbsp;and followed her call for bipartisanship in Washington.The Marshall ad also cites a 2014 statement from Bollier to a local newspaper about gun issues to suggest she supports a ban on guns, with a clip of her saying, “I’ll work to ban them nationwide.”Bollier spokeswoman Alexandra De Luca called that section of the ad “particularly egregious.” Bollier’s statement expressed support for background checks for all gun purchases and allowing cities and counties to enact their own gun restrictions. Bollier backed limits on the types of guns available to the public “specifically” when it comes to large-capacity ammunition magazines. The video snippet of Bollier is from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_jh5U9W-aQ&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">a July ad</a>&nbsp;in which she promises to work to ban surprise medical bills.“His campaign doesn’t want to engage with Barbara directly on the issues in an honest manner and so they put words in her mouth and create a fictional Barbara, quite literally, that they run ads on,” De Luca said.Pahls said if the Marshall campaign wanted to be “sneaky” it would have omitted the narrator’s introduction and the ad is “not hiding anything.”“They’re unable to refute any of the substance of the ad, so they’re attacking style,” he said in a text to The Associated Press.___

🎥 Kan. Republican's Senate ad relies on out-of-context clips

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials are considering spending $50 million to dramatically ramp up testing of people who aren't showing obvious signs of the coronavirus.

A state task force this week backed Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman’s recommendation to use the federal stimulus money on testing at schools, workplaces and other sites. The goal is to catch coronavirus in people who haven’t even realized they’re carrying it, KCUR&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-09-11/how-kansas-could-spend-tens-of-millions-to-test-asymptomatic-people-for-coronavirus">reports.</a>

Some of the testing would be done at Wichita State University, where a new not-for-profit lab is gearing up to churn out hundreds of thousands of tests by the end of the year.

“I know that sounds like a lot,” said Tonya Witherspoon, Wichita State’s vice president of industry engagement, “but we think several labs in the state need to be able to do that much — or more.”

Kansas has so far focused most of its energy on people who know either that they are ill or that they have had direct exposure to a confirmed outbreak. But experts say positivity rates should drop when a state or city goes beyond testing these groups of people who are most likely to be sick.

Right now, about 15% of Kansans who get the test find out they have COVID-19. By Johns Hopkins University’s calculations, that puts it among the states with the highest rates of new positives.

On Wednesday, Kansas health officials reported 971 new cases since Monday, for a total of 50,870 across the state. Kansas also had 52 new deaths, raising that number to 586 since the pandemic began.

Norman said at a news conference that 37 of the new deaths were added through a review of death certificates. But that still meant 15 had occurred since Monday, a higher than normal number.

“We are getting to a very sensitive point in time as we talked about during Labor Day with universities, colleges and schools starting back again, athletics those sorts of things,” Norman said. “People are starting to mass gather again in ways that we didn’t see as much of over the summer when people were more dispersed out. As the overall number count goes up, we are going to have more deaths.”

The positive cases include 841 at the University of Kansas, where house parties near campus are raising alarms.

After a debate during the Lawrence City Commission meeting Tuesday, a majority of the commissioners said they were interested in at least considering an ordinance that would make it a municipal offense to violate local health orders designed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the Lawrence Journal-World&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/city-government/2020/sep/16/city-leaders-express-interest-in-creating-ordinance-that-would-make-disregarding-health-orders-a-municipal-offense/">reports</a>.

City Attorney Toni Wheeler said the offense would be a misdemeanor that could be prosecuted in municipal court. Violators could face a fine of no more than $500, up to 30 days in jail or both.

However, Vice Mayor Brad Finkeldei and Mayor Jennifer Ananda said they were not sure that creating a municipal ordinance would be the best approach, and that perhaps stronger disciplinary action from the university, such as bans from campus, mandatory quarantines or suspensions, would be more effective.

Meanwhile, Gov. Laura Kelly hosted a discussion with rural hospital administrators on Wednesday where she urged them to “exert pressure” on lawmakers to support a proposal to expand Medicaid in Kansas.

In the discussion, Harold Courtois, CEO for the Memorial Health System in Abilene, said his organization is worried about running out of personal protective equipment, particularly medical N95 respirators, known as N95 masks, ahead of the flu season.

“My fear is that during the influenza season, where everybody appears to have COVID -- whether it’s influenza or not -- PPE is going to become scarce and be very difficult to acquire again,” Courtois said. “It just doesn’t seem like we see a lot of PPE unless you’re willing to pay enormous prices. There’s still price gouging going on every week

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600340563243.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman during his press conference on Wednesday" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman during his press conference on Wednesday</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials are considering spending $50 million to dramatically ramp up testing of people who aren't showing obvious signs of the coronavirus.A state task force this week backed Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman’s recommendation to use the federal stimulus money on testing at schools, workplaces and other sites. The goal is to catch coronavirus in people who haven’t even realized they’re carrying it, KCUR&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-09-11/how-kansas-could-spend-tens-of-millions-to-test-asymptomatic-people-for-coronavirus">reports.</a>Some of the testing would be done at Wichita State University, where a new not-for-profit lab is gearing up to churn out hundreds of thousands of tests by the end of the year.“I know that sounds like a lot,” said Tonya Witherspoon, Wichita State’s vice president of industry engagement, “but we think several labs in the state need to be able to do that much — or more.”Kansas has so far focused most of its energy on people who know either that they are ill or that they have had direct exposure to a confirmed outbreak. But experts say positivity rates should drop when a state or city goes beyond testing these groups of people who are most likely to be sick.Right now, about 15% of Kansans who get the test find out they have COVID-19. By Johns Hopkins University’s calculations, that puts it among the states with the highest rates of new positives.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600277925237.png" alt="Sept. 16, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Sept. 16, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, Kansas health officials reported 971 new cases since Monday, for a total of 50,870 across the state. Kansas also had 52 new deaths, raising that number to 586 since the pandemic began.Norman said at a news conference that 37 of the new deaths were added through a review of death certificates. But that still meant 15 had occurred since Monday, a higher than normal number.“We are getting to a very sensitive point in time as we talked about during Labor Day with universities, colleges and schools starting back again, athletics those sorts of things,” Norman said. “People are starting to mass gather again in ways that we didn’t see as much of over the summer when people were more dispersed out. As the overall number count goes up, we are going to have more deaths.”The positive cases include 841 at the University of Kansas, where house parties near campus are raising alarms.After a debate during the Lawrence City Commission meeting Tuesday, a majority of the commissioners said they were interested in at least considering an ordinance that would make it a municipal offense to violate local health orders designed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the Lawrence Journal-World&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/city-government/2020/sep/16/city-leaders-express-interest-in-creating-ordinance-that-would-make-disregarding-health-orders-a-municipal-offense/">reports</a>.City Attorney Toni Wheeler said the offense would be a misdemeanor that could be prosecuted in municipal court. Violators could face a fine of no more than $500, up to 30 days in jail or both.However, Vice Mayor Brad Finkeldei and Mayor Jennifer Ananda said they were not sure that creating a municipal ordinance would be the best approach, and that perhaps stronger disciplinary action from the university, such as bans from campus, mandatory quarantines or suspensions, would be more effective.Meanwhile, Gov. Laura Kelly hosted a discussion with rural hospital administrators on Wednesday where she urged them to “exert pressure” on lawmakers to support a proposal to expand Medicaid in Kansas.In the discussion, Harold Courtois, CEO for the Memorial Health System in Abilene, said his organization is worried about running out of personal protective equipment, particularly medical N95 respirators, known as N95 masks, ahead of the flu season.“My fear is that during the influenza season, where everybody appears to have COVID -- whether it’s influenza or not -- PPE is going to become scarce and be very difficult to acquire again,” Courtois said. “It just doesn’t seem like we see a lot of PPE unless you’re willing to pay enormous prices. There’s still price gouging going on every week

Plan calls for more testing of Kansans without virus symptoms

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — After more than a year of discussion, Lawrence city officials have approved a nondiscrimination ordinance that governs treatment of immigrants in the country illegally, and oversees how police interact with those immigrants.

<a href="https://lawrenceks.org/live/">Click here </a>to watch the meeting

<a href="https://lawrenceks.org/live/">Tuesday’s vote by the Lawrence City</a> Commission comes after more than a year of discussion of police and city interaction with immigrants, prompted by the advocacy group Sanctuary Alliance.

The nondiscrimination ordinance, among other things, prohibits the city from considering immigration status or collecting immigration-related information when providing city services.

On Tuesday, the commission approved two additional provisions that require police to notify the public when the department becomes aware of certain federal immigration activities in Lawrence. The public also must be notified if the police department changes to its policy that generally limits police cooperation with federal immigration agents for noncriminal matters.

“This has been a labor of love for so many people in our community,” Mayor Jennifer Ananda said after the ordinance was finalized Tuesday. “It has been a wonderful facilitation by our city attorney and certainly drafting this has been, I think, a real example of our community coming together.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600340240192.png" alt="Lawrence virtual city commission meeting on Tuesday&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Lawrence virtual city commission meeting on Tuesday&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — After more than a year of discussion, Lawrence city officials have approved a nondiscrimination ordinance that governs treatment of immigrants in the country illegally, and oversees how police interact with those immigrants.<a href="https://lawrenceks.org/live/">Click here </a>to watch the meeting<a href="https://lawrenceks.org/live/">Tuesday’s vote by the Lawrence City</a> Commission comes after more than a year of discussion of police and city interaction with immigrants, prompted by the advocacy group Sanctuary Alliance.The nondiscrimination ordinance, among other things, prohibits the city from considering immigration status or collecting immigration-related information when providing city services.On Tuesday, the commission approved two additional provisions that require police to notify the public when the department becomes aware of certain federal immigration activities in Lawrence. The public also must be notified if the police department changes to its policy that generally limits police cooperation with federal immigration agents for noncriminal matters.“This has been a labor of love for so many people in our community,” Mayor Jennifer Ananda said after the ordinance was finalized Tuesday. “It has been a wonderful facilitation by our city attorney and certainly drafting this has been, I think, a real example of our community coming together.”

Lawrence OKs protections for immigrants in country illegally

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

Just before midnight Wednesday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Polaris Magnum 4-wheeler in the 2300 block of NE Calhoun Bluff Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

The driver identified as Randy D. Clelland, 60, of Topeka, was placed into custody and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a misdemeanor warrant through Shawnee County and is facing requested charges of&nbsp;possession of methamphetamine and a traffic violation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600288860092.png" alt="Clelland photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Clelland photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just before midnight Wednesday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Polaris Magnum 4-wheeler in the 2300 block of NE Calhoun Bluff Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.The driver identified as Randy D. Clelland, 60, of Topeka, was placed into custody and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a misdemeanor warrant through Shawnee County and is facing requested charges of&nbsp;possession of methamphetamine and a traffic violation.

Sheriff: Kansas man on ATV was transporting meth

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Three Kansas City Council members boycotted a committee meeting Wednesday because Mayor Quinton Lucas has not removed another council member as leader of the committee for what they called racist and unethical behavior.

<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/city-officials/city-council-members">Council members</a> Kevin O’Neill, Melissa Robinson and Eric Bunch boycotted the meeting over a dispute with <a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/city-officials/city-council-members/councilwoman-teresa-loar">Councilwoman Teresa Loar</a>, who is white, after comments she made to Robinson, who is Black, in July. The boycott meant the committee did not have a quorum and could not meet.

A coalition of civil rights groups and the three council members have previously asked Lucas to remove Loar as chairwoman of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Operations Committee.

They said Lucas had made several verbal commitments to remove Loar but had not done so.

The mayor’s spokeswoman, Morgan Said, said he had committed only to evaluating a “change in committee structure” and that the evaluation was still underway.

In July, Robinson opposed a resolution proposed by Loar regarding the city’s animal control operations.

After Robinson spoke, Loar said “That was a very nice speech someone wrote you, Miss Robinson.”

Robinson replied that she had a Master of Business Administration degree and didn’t need anyone to write for her. When she told Loar not to question her intellect, Loar responded with a mocking physical gesture that included a neck roll and shimmy that Robinson and others considered racist, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article244511087.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.

Loar said Wednesday that she had apologized three times to Robinson and taken implicit bias training after Lucas asked her to do so.

Loar said the council members’ actions were more about a dispute over selecting bidders for work on the new single terminal at Kansas City International Airport than about racism.

In a letter sent to Lucas in August, the three council members objected to Loar’s behavior during negotiations over the bidding process.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600285856803.png" alt="Second District Councilwoman Teresa Loar-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Second District Councilwoman Teresa Loar-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Three Kansas City Council members boycotted a committee meeting Wednesday because Mayor Quinton Lucas has not removed another council member as leader of the committee for what they called racist and unethical behavior.<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/city-officials/city-council-members">Council members</a> Kevin O’Neill, Melissa Robinson and Eric Bunch boycotted the meeting over a dispute with <a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/city-officials/city-council-members/councilwoman-teresa-loar">Councilwoman Teresa Loar</a>, who is white, after comments she made to Robinson, who is Black, in July. The boycott meant the committee did not have a quorum and could not meet.A coalition of civil rights groups and the three council members have previously asked Lucas to remove Loar as chairwoman of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Operations Committee.They said Lucas had made several verbal commitments to remove Loar but had not done so.The mayor’s spokeswoman, Morgan Said, said he had committed only to evaluating a “change in committee structure” and that the evaluation was still underway.In July, Robinson opposed a resolution proposed by Loar regarding the city’s animal control operations.After Robinson spoke, Loar said “That was a very nice speech someone wrote you, Miss Robinson.”Robinson replied that she had a Master of Business Administration degree and didn’t need anyone to write for her. When she told Loar not to question her intellect, Loar responded with a mocking physical gesture that included a neck roll and shimmy that Robinson and others considered racist, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article244511087.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.Loar said Wednesday that she had apologized three times to Robinson and taken implicit bias training after Lucas asked her to do so.Loar said the council members’ actions were more about a dispute over selecting bidders for work on the new single terminal at Kansas City International Airport than about racism.In a letter sent to Lucas in August, the three council members objected to Loar’s behavior during negotiations over the bidding process.

3 Kansas City Council members boycott committee meeting

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Wichita Police Department Sergeant Maurice Mitchell has been charged with one count of misdemeanor battery by the City of Wichita Municipal Court, according to police spokesperson officer Charley Davidson.

Mitchell was placed on unpaid administrative leave on Tuesday, pending the outcome of criminal proceedings and an internal review.

The charges stem from a previous incident between himself and a coworker during a training exercise.&nbsp; No physical injuries occurred.

The Wichita Police Department will review the incident to determine if department policies were violated after the completion of the criminal proceedings.

WPD requested the assistance of the Goddard Police Department to investigate the incident, and an outside prosecutor reviewed the case to ensure transparency and avoid conflicts of interest.

WPD officials received confirmation of the charges on Tuesday.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Wichita Police Department Sergeant Maurice Mitchell has been charged with one count of misdemeanor battery by the City of Wichita Municipal Court, according to police spokesperson officer Charley Davidson.Mitchell was placed on unpaid administrative leave on Tuesday, pending the outcome of criminal proceedings and an internal review.The charges stem from a previous incident between himself and a coworker during a training exercise.&nbsp; No physical injuries occurred.The Wichita Police Department will review the incident to determine if department policies were violated after the completion of the criminal proceedings.WPD requested the assistance of the Goddard Police Department to investigate the incident, and an outside prosecutor reviewed the case to ensure transparency and avoid conflicts of interest.WPD officials received confirmation of the charges on Tuesday.

Kan. police sergeant charged with battery involving coworker

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government outlined a sweeping plan Wednesday to make vaccines for COVID-19 available for free to all Americans, assuming a safe and effective shot is developed, even as top health officials faced questions about political interference with virus information reaching the public.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/strategy-for-distributing-covid-19-vaccine.pdf" target="_blank">report to Congress</a>&nbsp;and an accompanying&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-managers/downloads/COVID-19-Vaccination-Program-Interim_Playbook.pdf" target="_blank">“playbook” for states and localities,</a>&nbsp;federal health agencies and the Defense Department sketched out complex plans for a vaccination campaign to begin gradually in January or even late this year, eventually ramping up to reach any American who wants a shot. The Pentagon would be involved with the distribution of vaccines, but civilian health workers would be the ones giving shots.

The whole enterprise faces remaining skepticism. Only about half of Americans said they’d get vaccinated in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dacdc8bc428dd4df6511bfa259cfec44">an Associated Press-NORC poll taken in May.&nbsp;</a>Since then, questions have only mounted about whether the government is trying to rush treatments and vaccines to help President Donald Trump’s reelection chances.

On Wednesday, the Health and Human Services Department announced that political appointee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bc1d25c72728fce624831e523e7fc678">Michael Caputo would take a leave of absence</a>. The news followed revelations that the senior communications official had tried to gain editorial control over scientific publications on COVID-19 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which he contended were hurting the Trump administration.

The director of the CDC, Dr. Robert Redfield, responding Wednesday before Senate lawmakers, rejected questions over whether the government’s timeline for states to be ready for a vaccine by Nov. 1 was politically motivated.

Redfield told the Senate Appropriations Committee that the “scientific integrity” of his agency’s output “has not been compromised and it will not be compromised under my watch.”

He said he was “deeply saddened” by Caputo’s accusations that CDC staff were working as a “resistance unit” against the administration.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the committee’s top Democrat, said political interference had damaged public trust in the government’s health information .

“The Trump administration needs to leave the science to the scientists immediately,” Murray said.

Although Trump asserted Tuesday that a vaccine could be three to four weeks away, Redfield, made clear to Congress that any version available this year would be in “very limited supply.” The shot wouldn’t be broadly available to most of the U.S. population until the summer of 2021, he estimated.

Trump’s press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, quickly repeated the president’s version at the White House: “We do believe that it will be widely available by the end of the year.”

As for the planned vaccine campaign, the CDC playbook for states says it is “much larger in scope and complexity than seasonal influenza or other previous outbreak-related vaccination responses.” Redfield said that his agency will be working with state health officials to execute the vaccination plan in coming days.

— For most vaccines, people will need two doses, 21 to 28 days apart. Double-dose vaccines will have to come from the same drugmaker. There could be several vaccines from different manufacturers approved and available.

— Vaccination of the U.S. population won’t be a sprint but a marathon. Initially there may be a limited supply of vaccines, and the focus will be on protecting health workers, other essential employees, and people in vulnerable groups. “Early in (the) COVID-19 vaccination program there may be a limited supply of vaccine and vaccine efforts may focus on those critical to the response, providing direct care and maintaining societal functions, as well as those at highest risk for developing severe illness,” Redfield said. A second and third phase would expand vaccination to the entire population.

— The vaccine itself will be free of charge, thanks to billions of dollars in taxpayer funding approved by Congress and allocated by the Trump administration. The goal is that patients won’t be separately charged for administration of their shots, and officials say they are working to ensure that’s the case for all Medicare recipients and uninsured people as well those covered by insurance at their jobs.

— States and local communities will need to devise precise plans for receiving and locally distributing vaccines, some of which will require special handling such as refrigeration or freezing. States and cities have a month to submit plans.

— A massive information technology effort will be needed to track who is getting which vaccines and when, and the key challenge involves getting multiple public and private databases to link with each other.

Some of the broad components of the federal plan have already been discussed, but Wednesday’s reports attempt to put the key details into a comprehensive framework. Distribution is under the umbrella of Operation Warp Speed, a White House-backed initiative to have vaccines ready to ship in 24 hours from when a version is given emergency use approval by the Food and Drug Administration. Several formulations are undergoing final trials.

However, public skepticism remains. Of the Americans who said in the May AP poll that they wouldn’t get vaccinated, the overwhelming majority said they were worried about safety. To effectively protect the nation from the coronavirus, experts say 70% to 90% of Americans must either be vaccinated or have their own immunity from fighting off COVID-19.

Before the Republican National Convention in August, the FDA granted authorization for treatment of COVID-19 patients with plasma from people who have recovered, even though some government scientists were not convinced the clinical evidence was sufficiently strong.

As public confidence in health agencies has taken a beating, Trump administration officials have been forced to play defense.

“We are working closely with our state and local public health partners ... to ensure that Americans can receive the vaccine as soon as possible and vaccinate with confidence,” HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement Wednesday. “Americans should know that the vaccine development process is being driven completely by science and the data.”

That could be a tough sell. In the AP poll, 1 in 5 Americans said they would not get a coronavirus vaccine, and 31% said they were unsure.

“We’re dealing in a world of great uncertainty,” said Paul Mango, a top HHS official working on the vaccine plan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600265279122.png" alt="Photo courtesy AstraZeneca" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy AstraZeneca</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The government outlined a sweeping plan Wednesday to make vaccines for COVID-19 available for free to all Americans, assuming a safe and effective shot is developed, even as top health officials faced questions about political interference with virus information reaching the public.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/strategy-for-distributing-covid-19-vaccine.pdf" target="_blank">report to Congress</a>&nbsp;and an accompanying&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-managers/downloads/COVID-19-Vaccination-Program-Interim_Playbook.pdf" target="_blank">“playbook” for states and localities,</a>&nbsp;federal health agencies and the Defense Department sketched out complex plans for a vaccination campaign to begin gradually in January or even late this year, eventually ramping up to reach any American who wants a shot. The Pentagon would be involved with the distribution of vaccines, but civilian health workers would be the ones giving shots.The whole enterprise faces remaining skepticism. Only about half of Americans said they’d get vaccinated in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dacdc8bc428dd4df6511bfa259cfec44">an Associated Press-NORC poll taken in May.&nbsp;</a>Since then, questions have only mounted about whether the government is trying to rush treatments and vaccines to help President Donald Trump’s reelection chances.On Wednesday, the Health and Human Services Department announced that political appointee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bc1d25c72728fce624831e523e7fc678">Michael Caputo would take a leave of absence</a>. The news followed revelations that the senior communications official had tried to gain editorial control over scientific publications on COVID-19 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which he contended were hurting the Trump administration.The director of the CDC, Dr. Robert Redfield, responding Wednesday before Senate lawmakers, rejected questions over whether the government’s timeline for states to be ready for a vaccine by Nov. 1 was politically motivated.Redfield told the Senate Appropriations Committee that the “scientific integrity” of his agency’s output “has not been compromised and it will not be compromised under my watch.”He said he was “deeply saddened” by Caputo’s accusations that CDC staff were working as a “resistance unit” against the administration.Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the committee’s top Democrat, said political interference had damaged public trust in the government’s health information .“The Trump administration needs to leave the science to the scientists immediately,” Murray said.Although Trump asserted Tuesday that a vaccine could be three to four weeks away, Redfield, made clear to Congress that any version available this year would be in “very limited supply.” The shot wouldn’t be broadly available to most of the U.S. population until the summer of 2021, he estimated.Trump’s press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, quickly repeated the president’s version at the White House: “We do believe that it will be widely available by the end of the year.”As for the planned vaccine campaign, the CDC playbook for states says it is “much larger in scope and complexity than seasonal influenza or other previous outbreak-related vaccination responses.” Redfield said that his agency will be working with state health officials to execute the vaccination plan in coming days.Among the highlights of the plan:— For most vaccines, people will need two doses, 21 to 28 days apart. Double-dose vaccines will have to come from the same drugmaker. There could be several vaccines from different manufacturers approved and available.— Vaccination of the U.S. population won’t be a sprint but a marathon. Initially there may be a limited supply of vaccines, and the focus will be on protecting health workers, other essential employees, and people in vulnerable groups. “Early in (the) COVID-19 vaccination program there may be a limited supply of vaccine and vaccine efforts may focus on those critical to the response, providing direct care and maintaining societal functions, as well as those at highest risk for developing severe illness,” Redfield said. A second and third phase would expand vaccination to the entire population.— The vaccine itself will be free of charge, thanks to billions of dollars in taxpayer funding approved by Congress and allocated by the Trump administration. The goal is that patients won’t be separately charged for administration of their shots, and officials say they are working to ensure that’s the case for all Medicare recipients and uninsured people as well those covered by insurance at their jobs.— States and local communities will need to devise precise plans for receiving and locally distributing vaccines, some of which will require special handling such as refrigeration or freezing. States and cities have a month to submit plans.— A massive information technology effort will be needed to track who is getting which vaccines and when, and the key challenge involves getting multiple public and private databases to link with each other.Some of the broad components of the federal plan have already been discussed, but Wednesday’s reports attempt to put the key details into a comprehensive framework. Distribution is under the umbrella of Operation Warp Speed, a White House-backed initiative to have vaccines ready to ship in 24 hours from when a version is given emergency use approval by the Food and Drug Administration. Several formulations are undergoing final trials.However, public skepticism remains. Of the Americans who said in the May AP poll that they wouldn’t get vaccinated, the overwhelming majority said they were worried about safety. To effectively protect the nation from the coronavirus, experts say 70% to 90% of Americans must either be vaccinated or have their own immunity from fighting off COVID-19.Before the Republican National Convention in August, the FDA granted authorization for treatment of COVID-19 patients with plasma from people who have recovered, even though some government scientists were not convinced the clinical evidence was sufficiently strong.As public confidence in health agencies has taken a beating, Trump administration officials have been forced to play defense.“We are working closely with our state and local public health partners ... to ensure that Americans can receive the vaccine as soon as possible and vaccinate with confidence,” HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement Wednesday. “Americans should know that the vaccine development process is being driven completely by science and the data.”That could be a tough sell. In the AP poll, 1 in 5 Americans said they would not get a coronavirus vaccine, and 31% said they were unsure.“We’re dealing in a world of great uncertainty,” said Paul Mango, a top HHS official working on the vaccine plan.

US outlines sweeping plan to provide free COVID-19 vaccines

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Tuesday shooting that left one man dead and two injured and arrested 21-year-old Terry Wallace.&nbsp;

Just before 9a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting call in the 1100 block of North Ash in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers contacted a man who had been shot.&nbsp; He was transported to an area hospital where he died.&nbsp; Two other 18-year-old men involved in the incident also arrived at the hospital who had been shot. They remain hospitalized, according to police Captain Jason Stephens,

Investigators have learned that four individuals had a prearranged meeting set for the residence on North Ash. There was a disagreement during the meeting that led to shots being fired, according to Stephens.

Some of the individuals do have gang connections, according Stephens but police do no know the motive for the shooting.

Wallace is being held on requested charges of first-degree murder, according to <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20057690">online jail records.</a>

This is the third fatal shooting in Wichita in four days and the 38th criminal homicide in 2020, according to Stephens. There were 35 criminal homicides in 2019.

A 17-year-old and a 22-year-old died in separate shootings over the weekend in Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600257007493.png" alt="Terry Wallace photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Terry Wallace photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Tuesday shooting that left one man dead and two injured and arrested 21-year-old Terry Wallace.&nbsp;Just before 9a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting call in the 1100 block of North Ash in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.Upon arrival, officers contacted a man who had been shot.&nbsp; He was transported to an area hospital where he died.&nbsp; Two other 18-year-old men involved in the incident also arrived at the hospital who had been shot. They remain hospitalized, according to police Captain Jason Stephens,<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600181821911.png" alt="Investigators on the scene of the shooting Tuesday morning -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Investigators on the scene of the shooting Tuesday morning -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators have learned that four individuals had a prearranged meeting set for the residence on North Ash. There was a disagreement during the meeting that led to shots being fired, according to Stephens.Some of the individuals do have gang connections, according Stephens but police do no know the motive for the shooting.Wallace is being held on requested charges of first-degree murder, according to <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20057690">online jail records.</a>This is the third fatal shooting in Wichita in four days and the 38th criminal homicide in 2020, according to Stephens. There were 35 criminal homicides in 2019.A 17-year-old and a 22-year-old died in separate shootings over the weekend in Wichita.

Suspect jailed in Wichita's 38th criminal homicide in 2020

Tests show more than 50,000 Kansans with virus, fatalities rise to 586

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/16/kansas-bankers-wary-of-covid-19-surge-in-foreclosures-evictions-in-early-2021/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Community banking
 executives advised Kansas legislators Wednesday to be aware of 
potential for dramatic escalation in business and residential 
foreclosures or evictions in early 2021 unless the federal government 
delivers a new COVID-19 stimulus package.

Injecting businesses with 
federal disaster assistance and the state’s ban on foreclosures and 
evictions built up a reservoir of economic peril that may be unleashed 
during the first quarter of next year absent a fresh government bailout,
 banking officials told a joint House and Senate committee working on 
economic recovery recommendations.

“Be aware of the concerns 
of your counties and your cities,” said Blake Heid, president of First 
Option Bank, a Paola community bank. “They anticipate, if there will be 
problems, seeing issues start to arise with December tax payments. Banks
 would know first or second quarter of next year if past dues start to 
rise.”

Brad Yaeger, president and
 chief executive officer of Legacy Bank in Wichita, said actions by the 
Federal Reserve to funnel cash into the economy and multiple rounds of 
stimulus packages, including larger unemployment checks and access to 
business loans, helped companies and individuals make loan payments 
during the pandemic.

“However,” he said, “some 
of them have only a little gas left in the tank. Each city has a 
different need depending on the industries that drive their economies, 
but a little tax relief on real estate taxes and income taxes may be 
warranted if a vaccine does not get approved by year end.”

The two banks funded a 
combined $59 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans designed by 
Congress to help struggling businesses make payroll and keep people off 
unemployment. Together, these Kansas banks issued more than 900 PPP 
loans that averaged about $65,000 each. Legacy Bank’s smallest loan was 
for $129 and the largest for $2 million.

“PPP loans were lifelines for many of these businesses and kept them from closing their doors permanently,” Yaeger said.

Kyle Kessler, executive 
director of the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of 
Kansas, said the 26 licensed community facilities providing behavioral 
health services across Kansas must grapple with anxiety and depression 
resulting from job losses during the pandemic.

In a Kansas survey, he 
said, the percentage of people who know someone suffering from mental 
health issues has risen 9 points since last year.

However, he said the 
state’s safety-net clinics have reported a reduction in the number of 
new patients compared to this time last year.

“Some believe a whiplash 
effect may occur where the system will see a significantly high number 
of new patients in a short amount of time when people feel safer to seek
 treatment in person,” Kessler said.

He recommended the 
Legislature consider requiring the Kansas Department of Health and 
Environment begin approving Medicaid-financed therapy without the 
patient physically present at a clinic. It’s a useful tool for helping 
youth and others enrolled in Medicaid while their parents, foster 
parents or other caregivers aren’t part of the program, he said.

Derek Schmidt, the 
attorney general for Kansas, suggested the House and Senate committee 
work on revising the Kansas Emergency Management Act to make it a more 
effective tool during a “widespread, long-lasting sometimes highly 
intrusive government response to disasters such as the pandemic that 
affects the state unevenly.”

He said limits imposed by 
Gov. Laura Kelly regarding closure of businesses and limits on in-person
 gatherings proved to be a blunt instrument. Those steps did little to 
contain the public health crisis, the attorney general said, but fueled 
the economic crisis.

“Even now, the hangover 
from those earlier, centrally ordered statewide lock downs, and the fear
 they will return, continues to stir debate and foster uncertainty in 
our state,” Schmidt said.

Kelly has said repeatedly 
it wasn’t her intention to again direct businesses to close in an 
attempt to restrain spread of the virus. It was a pledge that helped 
convinced Republican leaders in the Legislature to concur last week with
 the governor’s request to extend the state’s emergency disaster 
declaration.

So far, KDHE reports, 
there have been 50,870 positive tests for the virus, 2,516 
hospitalizations and 586 fatalities in Kansas since March.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600281548411.png" alt="Brad Yaeger, president of Legacy Bank in Wichita, says federal stimulus money has helped most businesses and individuals make loan payments, but pressure to foreclose or evict people will rise in early 2021 with action by Congress on a new package. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Brad Yaeger, president of Legacy Bank in Wichita, says federal stimulus money has helped most businesses and individuals make loan payments, but pressure to foreclose or evict people will rise in early 2021 with action by Congress on a new package. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Tests show more than 50,000 Kansans with virus, fatalities rise to 586</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/16/kansas-bankers-wary-of-covid-19-surge-in-foreclosures-evictions-in-early-2021/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Community banking
 executives advised Kansas legislators Wednesday to be aware of 
potential for dramatic escalation in business and residential 
foreclosures or evictions in early 2021 unless the federal government 
delivers a new COVID-19 stimulus package.Injecting businesses with 
federal disaster assistance and the state’s ban on foreclosures and 
evictions built up a reservoir of economic peril that may be unleashed 
during the first quarter of next year absent a fresh government bailout,
 banking officials told a joint House and Senate committee working on 
economic recovery recommendations.“Be aware of the concerns 
of your counties and your cities,” said Blake Heid, president of First 
Option Bank, a Paola community bank. “They anticipate, if there will be 
problems, seeing issues start to arise with December tax payments. Banks
 would know first or second quarter of next year if past dues start to 
rise.”Brad Yaeger, president and
 chief executive officer of Legacy Bank in Wichita, said actions by the 
Federal Reserve to funnel cash into the economy and multiple rounds of 
stimulus packages, including larger unemployment checks and access to 
business loans, helped companies and individuals make loan payments 
during the pandemic.“However,” he said, “some 
of them have only a little gas left in the tank. Each city has a 
different need depending on the industries that drive their economies, 
but a little tax relief on real estate taxes and income taxes may be 
warranted if a vaccine does not get approved by year end.”The two banks funded a 
combined $59 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans designed by 
Congress to help struggling businesses make payroll and keep people off 
unemployment. Together, these Kansas banks issued more than 900 PPP 
loans that averaged about $65,000 each. Legacy Bank’s smallest loan was 
for $129 and the largest for $2 million.“PPP loans were lifelines for many of these businesses and kept them from closing their doors permanently,” Yaeger said.Kyle Kessler, executive 
director of the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of 
Kansas, said the 26 licensed community facilities providing behavioral 
health services across Kansas must grapple with anxiety and depression 
resulting from job losses during the pandemic.In a Kansas survey, he 
said, the percentage of people who know someone suffering from mental 
health issues has risen 9 points since last year.However, he said the 
state’s safety-net clinics have reported a reduction in the number of 
new patients compared to this time last year.“Some believe a whiplash 
effect may occur where the system will see a significantly high number 
of new patients in a short amount of time when people feel safer to seek
 treatment in person,” Kessler said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600281606326.jpeg" alt="Kyle Kessler, executive director of the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas, are worried about a surge in patients once people become more comfortable seeking in-person treatment for anxiety and depression. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kyle Kessler, executive director of the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas, are worried about a surge in patients once people become more comfortable seeking in-person treatment for anxiety and depression. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>He recommended the 
Legislature consider requiring the Kansas Department of Health and 
Environment begin approving Medicaid-financed therapy without the 
patient physically present at a clinic. It’s a useful tool for helping 
youth and others enrolled in Medicaid while their parents, foster 
parents or other caregivers aren’t part of the program, he said.Derek Schmidt, the 
attorney general for Kansas, suggested the House and Senate committee 
work on revising the Kansas Emergency Management Act to make it a more 
effective tool during a “widespread, long-lasting sometimes highly 
intrusive government response to disasters such as the pandemic that 
affects the state unevenly.”He said limits imposed by 
Gov. Laura Kelly regarding closure of businesses and limits on in-person
 gatherings proved to be a blunt instrument. Those steps did little to 
contain the public health crisis, the attorney general said, but fueled 
the economic crisis.“Even now, the hangover 
from those earlier, centrally ordered statewide lock downs, and the fear
 they will return, continues to stir debate and foster uncertainty in 
our state,” Schmidt said.Kelly has said repeatedly 
it wasn’t her intention to again direct businesses to close in an 
attempt to restrain spread of the virus. It was a pledge that helped 
convinced Republican leaders in the Legislature to concur last week with
 the governor’s request to extend the state’s emergency disaster 
declaration.So far, KDHE reports, 
there have been 50,870 positive tests for the virus, 2,516 
hospitalizations and 586 fatalities in Kansas since March.Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

Kan. bankers wary of COVID-19 surge in foreclosures, evictions in early 2021

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) held a press briefing Wednesday on COVID-19.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 971 to a total of 50,870 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 586, an increase of 52.

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

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) held a press briefing Wednesday on COVID-19.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKDHEnews%2Fvideos%2F1976642482472236%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>&nbsp;The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 971 to a total of 50,870 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 586, an increase of 52.<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/2020/9/1600277925237.png" alt="Sept. 16, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Sept. 16, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥 Dr. Lee Norman on increase in virus deaths in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly is holding a virtual discussion&nbsp; with rural hospital administrators from across Kansas Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp; She wants to learn how their hospitals have handled the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a media release from Kelly's office.

The governor will be joined by representatives of the Kansas Hosptial Association, Graham County Hospital, Memorial Health System, Goodland Regional Medical Center, Smith County Memorial Hospital and Southwest Medical Center.

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly is holding a virtual discussion&nbsp; with rural hospital administrators from across Kansas Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp; She wants to learn how their hospitals have handled the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a media release from Kelly's office.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F328691774912009%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The governor will be joined by representatives of the Kansas Hosptial Association, Graham County Hospital, Memorial Health System, Goodland Regional Medical Center, Smith County Memorial Hospital and Southwest Medical Center.

🎥  Gov. holds virtual discussion with rural hospital administrators

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/15/kansas-draws-privacy-line-to-exclude-some-businesses-from-covid-19-cluster-report/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura 
Kelly’s administration has rejected an open records request by Kansas 
Reflector seeking the name and location of businesses connected to 
COVID-19 outbreaks of fewer than 20 infections.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment last week began <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/09/kansas-names-businesses-schools-churches-long-term-care-facilities-with-covid-19-outbreaks/" target="_blank">selectively identifying active clusters of COVID-19 cases</a>
 with five or more infections for a wide range of locations, but decided
 it would only disclose the location of private businesses that have 20 
or more cases.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600281228447.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly says businesses in Kansas "have done a great job of opening in a safe manner." Her administration is shielding those with clusters of less than 20 COVID-19 infections from public disclosure. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly says businesses in Kansas "have done a great job of opening in a safe manner." Her administration is shielding those with clusters of less than 20 COVID-19 infections from public disclosure. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/15/kansas-draws-privacy-line-to-exclude-some-businesses-from-covid-19-cluster-report/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura 
Kelly’s administration has rejected an open records request by Kansas 
Reflector seeking the name and location of businesses connected to 
COVID-19 outbreaks of fewer than 20 infections.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment last week began <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/09/kansas-names-businesses-schools-churches-long-term-care-facilities-with-covid-19-outbreaks/" target="_blank">selectively identifying active clusters of COVID-19 cases</a>
 with five or more infections for a wide range of locations, but decided
 it would only disclose the location of private businesses that have 20 
or more cases.KDHE cited a “personal 
privacy” exemption in state law in rejecting the request to identify all
 businesses, and the governor’s office said the identity of businesses 
with up to 19 infections will remain secret because they are not public 
entities. The administration wouldn’t explain why personal privacy is a 
concern for business but not a concern for sports teams, fraternities, 
rallies, hospitals, churches or other locations that are named.The policy to shield 
businesses from public scrutiny is inconsistent with the message from 
health secretary Lee Norman, who says people should have information 
that allows them to make decisions about personal health and safety.The agency began naming 
locations, Norman said during last week’s news briefing, “to empower 
Kansans to be more proactive about assessing their own personal risks. 
Am I putting myself at risk to go here or to go there?”Some private businesses, 
including an optometrist in Colby associated with seven cases, are 
identified by KDHE because they fall under other categories. The risk 
associated with other businesses is kept secret.“Our businesses actually 
by and large have done a great job of opening in a safe manner,” Kelly 
said during her Monday news briefing at the Capitol. “We have had no 
known outbreaks in any of our hair salons, our barber shops, even in our
 restaurants. It’s working. Our bars — another story.”KDHE combines bars and 
restaurants into a single category. Since the beginning of the pandemic,
 outbreaks at 14 bars and restaurants were responsible for 272 
infections.An additional 153 
outbreaks, with seven deaths and 1,159 cases, have been connected to 
private businesses. Those figures don’t include the 19 deaths and 3,470 
cases attributed to outbreaks at meatpacking plants.“In terms of choosing the 
numbers five and 20, there is a natural dividing line when we looked at 
the number of active cases,” said Lauren Fitzgerald, a spokeswoman for 
the governor. “As an example, if we disclosed every outbreak with two 
cases, that would be 95% of the outbreaks. If we increased it to five, 
this dropped to 50%. We saw a similar natural breaking point at 20 for 
businesses.”KDHE denied the request 
for businesses below the “breaking point.” An attorney for the agency 
cited an exemption in the Kansas Open Records Act that allows government
 agencies to withhold public information “of a personal nature where the
 public disclosure thereof would constitute a clearly unwarranted 
invasion of personal privacy.”Ron Keefover, president of
 the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government, said it was 
difficult to understand how the personal privacy exemption could be 
applied to records about businesses.“After all,” Keefover 
said, “no one is seeking the names, Social Security numbers, or other 
identifiers of anyone with COVID-19. Rather, the statistical information
 is sought to educate and inform the public about locations that may 
have resulted in the infections. We ask: Why is it not an invasion of 
privacy to release locations involving 20 or more infections, but it is 
so for businesses with fewer than that number? That simply doesn’t make 
sense.”Keefover also wondered why
 the disclosure of COVID-19 outbreaks at businesses would be different 
from the disclosure of restaurant inspections, which are handled by KDHE
 and made available to the public.“If we can find out if 
someone smokes in the food preparation, surely we should be able to know
 if a cook or other employee has contracted a life-threatening 
infectious disease,” Keefover said.Kansas Reflector has filed
 a complaint with the Kansas Attorney General’s office, which has the 
authority to investigate alleged violations of the Kansas Open Records 
Act.As of Monday, eight 
private businesses were connected to enough infections to make the 
public cluster list. They include meatpacking plants in southwest Kansas
 and Simmons Pet Food in Emporia. The Amazon Fulfillment Center in 
Kansas City is listed with 42 cases.“Nothing is more important
 than safety of our teams,” said Maria Boschetti, a spokeswoman for 
Amazon. “We’ve invested over $800 million in the first half of this year
 implementing 150 significant process changes on COVID-19 safety 
measures by purchasing items like masks, hand sanitizer, thermal 
cameras, thermometers, sanitizing wipes, gloves, additional handwashing 
stations, and adding disinfectant spraying in buildings, procuring COVID
 testing supplies, and additional janitorial teams.”Businesses have pressured 
the Kelly administration to avoid the disclosure of any information 
relating to COVID-19 outbreaks. Alan Cobb, president and CEO of the 
Kansas Chamber, said businesses are adhering to recommendations from the
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which include closing to 
allow employees to quarantine and time for extra cleaning.Cobb said it was “near 
impossible to trust the data shared by KDHE,” which could be tainted 
with “false reports and misrepresentation of the actual facts.”“KDHE is linking cases 
that are ‘associated’ with a business without providing any clear 
definition to what ‘associated’ means, nor is it explaining how it is 
determined that the business is the source of a virus outbreak,” Cobb 
said.He said the chamber has 
heard from businesses of all sizes that are concerned about the negative
 impact of being placed on the public cluster list.Norman, the KDHE 
secretary, said “we don’t want anything we do to be anti-commerce or 
anti-business, but also we want people to be safe.”KDHE’s figures show 534 
people have died from COVID-19 in Kansas, and 49,899 have been infected.
 Those numbers include a spike of 23 deaths between Friday and Monday. 
The total number of deaths has increased by 88 in two weeks — the same 
amount recorded for all of August.Norman said the most common complaint he has received has been the decision to keep information about outbreaks secret.“I’ve commonly been asked,
 ‘Can we have the information so we can make informed decisions for 
ourselves and our loved ones?’ ” Norman said.Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature. He spent 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal, where he started on the copy desk, then oversaw digital operations, was the managing editor and reported from the Statehouse.