Federal health officials say an outbreak of salmonella infecting nearly 400 people in more than 30 states has been linked to red onions, and identified a California company as the likely source.

The Food and Drug Administration said<a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-newport-red-onions-july-2020#:~:text=Product%20Recall-,Thomson%20International%2C%20Inc.%20has%20notified%20FDA%20that%20it%20will%20be,onions%20from%20Thomson%20International%2C%20Inc."> in a statement</a>&nbsp;that Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, has notified the food agency that it will be recalling all varieties of onions that could have come in contact with potentially contaminated red onions because of the risk of cross-contamination.

This recall would include red, white, yellow, and sweet onions from Thomson International, the agency said.

Thomson couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that Salmonella Newport has sickened 396 people and landed nearly 60 in the hospital. There have been no deaths linked to the outbreak, which was first identified July 10 and has since grown. The agency says the illnesses began between mid-June and mid-July.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is also investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Newport illnesses that have a genetic fingerprint closely related to the U.S. outbreak, that agency said Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596321000836.png" alt="image FDA" />
 <figcaption>image FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO, Associated PressFederal health officials say an outbreak of salmonella infecting nearly 400 people in more than 30 states has been linked to red onions, and identified a California company as the likely source.The Food and Drug Administration said<a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-newport-red-onions-july-2020#:~:text=Product%20Recall-,Thomson%20International%2C%20Inc.%20has%20notified%20FDA%20that%20it%20will%20be,onions%20from%20Thomson%20International%2C%20Inc."> in a statement</a>&nbsp;that Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, has notified the food agency that it will be recalling all varieties of onions that could have come in contact with potentially contaminated red onions because of the risk of cross-contamination.This recall would include red, white, yellow, and sweet onions from Thomson International, the agency said.Thomson couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that Salmonella Newport has sickened 396 people and landed nearly 60 in the hospital. There have been no deaths linked to the outbreak, which was first identified July 10 and has since grown. The agency says the illnesses began between mid-June and mid-July.The Public Health Agency of Canada is also investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Newport illnesses that have a genetic fingerprint closely related to the U.S. outbreak, that agency said Thursday.___

Health officials link US salmonella outbreak to red onions

OSBORNE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a death that occurred Friday in Osborne.

Just after 10:30p.m. Friday, the Osborne Police Department was notified of a shooting that occurred on Washington Street in Osborne,&nbsp; according to a facebook announcement posted by the department Saturday.

"A deceased individual was located in the residence and the scene was secured for processing," the department said.

The Osborne County Sheriff's Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation were assisting in the investigation.

The name of the victim has not been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596324701606.jpeg" alt="KBI on the scene of the investigation -photo Osborne Police" />
 <figcaption>KBI on the scene of the investigation -photo Osborne Police</figcaption>
 </figure>OSBORNE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a death that occurred Friday in Osborne.Just after 10:30p.m. Friday, the Osborne Police Department was notified of a shooting that occurred on Washington Street in Osborne,&nbsp; according to a facebook announcement posted by the department Saturday."A deceased individual was located in the residence and the scene was secured for processing," the department said.The Osborne County Sheriff's Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation were assisting in the investigation.The name of the victim has not been released.

Police: Shooting death under investigation in Osborne

GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas community college has reached a settlement with the New Jersey family of a football player who died of heatstroke after team conditioning drills in 2018.

Details of the settlement reached between Garden City Community College and the family of Braeden Bradforth, of Newton, New Jersey, were not released. The college said in a news release late Friday that a court recently approved the settlement.

Bradforth, a 315-pound defensive lineman, died after being found unconscious in an alley outside his dormitory after the first day of football conditioning on Aug. 1, 2018. He was 19 years old.

An independent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4660086d9a0c4147ac7256dc30a74cbd">investigation</a>&nbsp;strongly criticized the school, saying a serious lack of oversight caused a chain of events that led to Bradforth’s death. Investigators noted that the coaching staff didn’t consider if Bradforth was properly acclimated to working out in summer temperatures at a higher altitude than he was used to in New Jersey.

<a href="https://apnews.com/30ff72c661c44b22860a792bec3d9a41">E-mails</a>&nbsp;obtained by The Associated Press last year indicated that 25 minutes elapsed between when an assistant coach was called to Bradforth’s side and paramedics arrived. The assistant coach called the head coach before summoning medical help.

The college hired the independent investigators under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/62817a10fe554801aa03e489fc4b4688">pressure&nbsp;</a>from Bradforth’s family and New Jersey’s congressional delegation.

College President Ryan Ruda said in a news release Friday the school has made several changes to its facilities, procedures and protocols in response to Bradforth’s death and the investigation’s findings.

“We continue to extend our deepest condolences to Braeden’s family and friends — there is no comparison to the grief and sorrow they have experienced over the last two years,” Ruda said. “It is the hope of college leaders, including myself, that the settlement will offer some respite to Braeden’s loved ones who have suffered the most from his untimely passing.”

The changes at the school include renovating and updating athletic training facilities, creating a sports medicine advisory team that meets monthly to discuss topics concerning the safety of athletes, and drafting plans to respond to medical and emergency needs.

Other improvements include the hiring of a third full-time athletic trainer and a new strength and conditioning coach, the start of player welfare checks and the modification of practice times because of heat. All coaching staff also are required to take annual first aid and CPR training.

Two attorneys for the family didn’t immediately reply to messages left Saturday at their offices.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573757028473.png" alt="Braeden Bradforth with his mother -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Braeden Bradforth with his mother -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas community college has reached a settlement with the New Jersey family of a football player who died of heatstroke after team conditioning drills in 2018.Details of the settlement reached between Garden City Community College and the family of Braeden Bradforth, of Newton, New Jersey, were not released. The college said in a news release late Friday that a court recently approved the settlement.Bradforth, a 315-pound defensive lineman, died after being found unconscious in an alley outside his dormitory after the first day of football conditioning on Aug. 1, 2018. He was 19 years old.An independent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4660086d9a0c4147ac7256dc30a74cbd">investigation</a>&nbsp;strongly criticized the school, saying a serious lack of oversight caused a chain of events that led to Bradforth’s death. Investigators noted that the coaching staff didn’t consider if Bradforth was properly acclimated to working out in summer temperatures at a higher altitude than he was used to in New Jersey.<a href="https://apnews.com/30ff72c661c44b22860a792bec3d9a41">E-mails</a>&nbsp;obtained by The Associated Press last year indicated that 25 minutes elapsed between when an assistant coach was called to Bradforth’s side and paramedics arrived. The assistant coach called the head coach before summoning medical help.The college hired the independent investigators under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/62817a10fe554801aa03e489fc4b4688">pressure&nbsp;</a>from Bradforth’s family and New Jersey’s congressional delegation.College President Ryan Ruda said in a news release Friday the school has made several changes to its facilities, procedures and protocols in response to Bradforth’s death and the investigation’s findings.“We continue to extend our deepest condolences to Braeden’s family and friends — there is no comparison to the grief and sorrow they have experienced over the last two years,” Ruda said. “It is the hope of college leaders, including myself, that the settlement will offer some respite to Braeden’s loved ones who have suffered the most from his untimely passing.”The changes at the school include renovating and updating athletic training facilities, creating a sports medicine advisory team that meets monthly to discuss topics concerning the safety of athletes, and drafting plans to respond to medical and emergency needs.Other improvements include the hiring of a third full-time athletic trainer and a new strength and conditioning coach, the start of player welfare checks and the modification of practice times because of heat. All coaching staff also are required to take annual first aid and CPR training.Two attorneys for the family didn’t immediately reply to messages left Saturday at their offices.

Settlement reached in death of football player in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man accused in the fatal shooting at a business in Wichita made his first court appearance Friday.

Lamontae Lucas, 18, of Wichita, is charged with second-degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Investigators have determined that just after 9p.m. Sunday July 26, Lucas entered the Auto Zone store in the in the 900 Block of South Oliver in Wichita in an attempt to commit robbery, according to Police Captain Jason Stephens.

While in the store, Lucas shot and killed employee 40-year-old Nicholas Blue and then fled on foot.

Through community response to the security camera image of the suspect entering the store and diligent police work officers were able make the arrest.

Just before 10:30p.m. Tuesday, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20067128">police booked&nbsp; Lucas</a>&nbsp;a on a requested charge of First-Degree Murder, according Stephens.

&nbsp;Police have not released details on whether Lucas was involved in three other armed robberies in area on the same night.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The individual should be considered armed and dangerous.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596032625997.png" alt="Lucas photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Lucas photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man accused in the fatal shooting at a business in Wichita made his first court appearance Friday.Lamontae Lucas, 18, of Wichita, is charged with second-degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Investigators have determined that just after 9p.m. Sunday July 26, Lucas entered the Auto Zone store in the in the 900 Block of South Oliver in Wichita in an attempt to commit robbery, according to Police Captain Jason Stephens.While in the store, Lucas shot and killed employee 40-year-old Nicholas Blue and then fled on foot.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595873499101.png" alt="Security camera image courtesy Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image courtesy Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Through community response to the security camera image of the suspect entering the store and diligent police work officers were able make the arrest.Just before 10:30p.m. Tuesday, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20067128">police booked&nbsp; Lucas</a>&nbsp;a on a requested charge of First-Degree Murder, according Stephens.&nbsp;Police have not released details on whether Lucas was involved in three other armed robberies in area on the same night.&nbsp;&nbsp;---------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting at a business in Wichita continue their search for a suspect and have asked&nbsp; the public for help to identify the person captured on security cameras.Just after 9p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at the Auto Zone in the in the 900 Block of South Oliver in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.Upon arrival, police discovered store employee 40-year-old Nicholas Blue dead of a gunshot&nbsp; wound.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595856779122.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation late Sunday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation late Sunday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The investigation revealed an unknown suspect entered the business, pulled out a handgun and shot Blue. There were two other employees in the business at the time, in other parts of the store, and no customers.The store was open for business at the time of the shooting, according to Stephens.Police have not determined a motive for the shooting and on Monday afternoon released a security camera image of the alleged suspect.If you know the identity of this suspect or saw anyone wearing the pictured clothing, please call 911, WPD detectives at 316-268-4407, or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 immediately. ThisThe individual should be considered armed and dangerous.---------

Charges filed in fatal shooting of Kan. auto parts store employee

HOLTON, Kan. (AP) — Two employees at a rural county clerk’s office in Jackson County have come down with COVID-19, forcing its other two employees to quarantine just days before the primary election. 

Jackson County Clerk Kathy Mick has COVID-19. Mick says members of the Jackson County Elections Board are filling in to ensure the county's election goes forward Tuesday. 

The Kansas Secretary of State’s office said Friday it is unaware of any other election office in Kansas whose staff has been quarantined. The secretary of state’s office has told local officials that individuals cannot be turned away from voting for not wearing a mask.&nbsp;

HOLTON, Kan. (AP) — Two employees at a rural county clerk’s office in Jackson County have come down with COVID-19, forcing its other two employees to quarantine just days before the primary election. Jackson County Clerk Kathy Mick has COVID-19. Mick says members of the Jackson County Elections Board are filling in to ensure the county's election goes forward Tuesday. The Kansas Secretary of State’s office said Friday it is unaware of any other election office in Kansas whose staff has been quarantined. The secretary of state’s office has told local officials that individuals cannot be turned away from voting for not wearing a mask.&nbsp;

Kan. county clerk workers quarantined days before election

By MITZI E. MCFATRICH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/30/kansans-in-care-facilities-have-a-right-to-visitors-its-time-to-give-them-a-voice/">Kansas Advocates for Better Care</a>

We see the images — older 
adults in beds and wheelchairs, separated by windows from family members
 holding signs with messages of encouragement and love. We share the 
sadness of countless elders dying alone without the comfort of family, 
denied essential human contact and human rights at a time when these 
matter the most.

In March, the federal 
Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services blocked visitation to 
residents of nursing facilities except “for certain compassionate care 
situations” at the “end of life.” Kansas followed suit for other adult 
care facilities. Sadly, many facilities misinterpreted this to mean only at the very end after a person had slipped into non-responsiveness; other facilities simply didn’t allow family in at all.

Unlike the rest of us, 
adults in nursing homes have no say in how or when they will see family 
and friends or gather for a meal. Their legal rights, while not formally
 suspended, are suspended in practice by the policies and 
decision-making protocols issued by government agencies managing the 
pandemic.

For 45 years, <a href="https://www.kabc.org/">Kansas Advocates for Better Care</a>
 has been helping elders and families advocate for their rights, find 
better care, and stop abuse in long-term care. Each year we respond to 
thousands of people who need help, training and resources.

There is understandable 
fear about opening up. Older adults with chronic conditions living in 
close quarters are at higher risk and feel the impacts more harshly. But
 there is injury too from continuous isolation. Falls and confusion, 
weight loss, depression and anxiety all have risen with isolation.

In hindsight, we see what 
older residents and families have long known: Visits literally save 
lives. Not only do friends and family offer elders the social connection
 and emotional support we all need, they serve as essential monitors of 
care.

There is not always agreement about the way forward.

Emma, who has lived in a 
Kansas care facility for five years, was not even able to visit with 
friends who lived in the same facility. Depressed after months-long 
isolation with no end to restrictions in sight and no say in facility 
policies, she left to stay with family in a nearby state.

Kathy, meanwhile, is 
grateful for the maximum restrictions in her husband’s nursing home. 
Alarmed by COVID-19’s upward surge, she supports the restrictions, 
believing it is more important than ever to protect vulnerable&nbsp;elders.

So we must 
wrestle with competing imperatives of well-being. Older adults bearing 
the brunt of COVID-19 in nursing homes have legal and civil rights, yet 
current government guidance leaves decision-making to local health 
departments and facilities, with no requirement to seek input from the 
adults who reside within.

Safe visitation during 
COVID-19 is a complex but not unsolvable puzzle. Some of the basics are:
 adequate staff to provide care and assist elders in visiting with loved
 ones by phone, video, in a designated indoor room or outdoors; clear 
protocols for infection control; education, screening and logging of 
visitors just as is done with staff and elders; use of masks and 
appropriate protective equipment; disinfecting surfaces between visits.

Prior to the pandemic, few
 facilities operated at safe staffing levels of just over four hours of 
daily care for each resident, and inspectors found that 77% of Kansas 
facilities were not complying with standard infection control practices.
 The COVID-19 crisis underscores how understaffing dangerously increases
 the workload for nurse aides.

We are all living in ways 
unthinkable prior to this pandemic. But we are not living without choice
 or voice, nor should adults in long-term care facilities be asked to do
 so.

By law, every facility has
 a resident council. These resident councils could be surveyed for their
 input. Kansas Advocates for Better Care has asked the Kansas Department
 of Aging and Disability Services to direct local health departments and
 individual facilities to seek the input of residents (or, for those 
without capacity, their legal representative).

We have also requested 
that when state agencies are meeting with hospital and facility 
providers to define policies, resident voices be present through 
consumer legal or resident advocates such as the <a href="https://ombudsman.ks.gov/about-us/about-our-program">Kansas Long-Term Care Ombudsman</a>.

It is time to recognize 
and restore residents’ right to essential visitors. As Kansas defines 
its path to reopening, government must engage with elders and learn what
 they believe are reasonable steps to address their well-being and 
safety.

Mitzi E. McFatrich is the executive director of <a href="https://www.kabc.org/">Kansas Advocates for Better Care</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596208023148.jpeg" alt="Linda Mason, left, has frequently advocated on her mother’s behalf after encountering issues in nursing facilities. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>Linda Mason, left, has frequently advocated on her mother’s behalf after encountering issues in nursing facilities. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MITZI E. MCFATRICH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/30/kansans-in-care-facilities-have-a-right-to-visitors-its-time-to-give-them-a-voice/">Kansas Advocates for Better Care</a>We see the images — older 
adults in beds and wheelchairs, separated by windows from family members
 holding signs with messages of encouragement and love. We share the 
sadness of countless elders dying alone without the comfort of family, 
denied essential human contact and human rights at a time when these 
matter the most.In March, the federal 
Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services blocked visitation to 
residents of nursing facilities except “for certain compassionate care 
situations” at the “end of life.” Kansas followed suit for other adult 
care facilities. Sadly, many facilities misinterpreted this to mean only at the very end after a person had slipped into non-responsiveness; other facilities simply didn’t allow family in at all.Unlike the rest of us, 
adults in nursing homes have no say in how or when they will see family 
and friends or gather for a meal. Their legal rights, while not formally
 suspended, are suspended in practice by the policies and 
decision-making protocols issued by government agencies managing the 
pandemic.For 45 years, <a href="https://www.kabc.org/">Kansas Advocates for Better Care</a>
 has been helping elders and families advocate for their rights, find 
better care, and stop abuse in long-term care. Each year we respond to 
thousands of people who need help, training and resources.There is understandable 
fear about opening up. Older adults with chronic conditions living in 
close quarters are at higher risk and feel the impacts more harshly. But
 there is injury too from continuous isolation. Falls and confusion, 
weight loss, depression and anxiety all have risen with isolation.In hindsight, we see what 
older residents and families have long known: Visits literally save 
lives. Not only do friends and family offer elders the social connection
 and emotional support we all need, they serve as essential monitors of 
care.There is not always agreement about the way forward.Emma, who has lived in a 
Kansas care facility for five years, was not even able to visit with 
friends who lived in the same facility. Depressed after months-long 
isolation with no end to restrictions in sight and no say in facility 
policies, she left to stay with family in a nearby state.Kathy, meanwhile, is 
grateful for the maximum restrictions in her husband’s nursing home. 
Alarmed by COVID-19’s upward surge, she supports the restrictions, 
believing it is more important than ever to protect vulnerable&nbsp;elders.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596208090048.jpeg" alt="A woman named Brenda, who has engaged with Kansas Advocates for Better Care, submitted this photo of her mother." />
 <figcaption>A woman named Brenda, who has engaged with Kansas Advocates for Better Care, submitted this photo of her mother.</figcaption>
 </figure>So we must 
wrestle with competing imperatives of well-being. Older adults bearing 
the brunt of COVID-19 in nursing homes have legal and civil rights, yet 
current government guidance leaves decision-making to local health 
departments and facilities, with no requirement to seek input from the 
adults who reside within.Safe visitation during 
COVID-19 is a complex but not unsolvable puzzle. Some of the basics are:
 adequate staff to provide care and assist elders in visiting with loved
 ones by phone, video, in a designated indoor room or outdoors; clear 
protocols for infection control; education, screening and logging of 
visitors just as is done with staff and elders; use of masks and 
appropriate protective equipment; disinfecting surfaces between visits.Prior to the pandemic, few
 facilities operated at safe staffing levels of just over four hours of 
daily care for each resident, and inspectors found that 77% of Kansas 
facilities were not complying with standard infection control practices.
 The COVID-19 crisis underscores how understaffing dangerously increases
 the workload for nurse aides.We are all living in ways 
unthinkable prior to this pandemic. But we are not living without choice
 or voice, nor should adults in long-term care facilities be asked to do
 so.By law, every facility has
 a resident council. These resident councils could be surveyed for their
 input. Kansas Advocates for Better Care has asked the Kansas Department
 of Aging and Disability Services to direct local health departments and
 individual facilities to seek the input of residents (or, for those 
without capacity, their legal representative).We have also requested 
that when state agencies are meeting with hospital and facility 
providers to define policies, resident voices be present through 
consumer legal or resident advocates such as the <a href="https://ombudsman.ks.gov/about-us/about-our-program">Kansas Long-Term Care Ombudsman</a>.It is time to recognize 
and restore residents’ right to essential visitors. As Kansas defines 
its path to reopening, government must engage with elders and learn what
 they believe are reasonable steps to address their well-being and 
safety.Mitzi E. McFatrich is the executive director of <a href="https://www.kabc.org/">Kansas Advocates for Better Care</a>.

OPINION: Kansans in care facilities have a right to visitors

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Seven people, including an Alaska state lawmaker, died Friday when two small airplanes collided in midair near the airport in Soldotna, a small community on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula.

Alaska State Troopers said state Rep. Gary Knopp, 67, of Kenai was the sole occupant of one plane. The other plane was flown by a local pilot, and carried a guide from Kansas and four people from South Carolina.

“This is an unfathomable tragedy for multiple families today,” Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner Amanda Price said. “Troopers and partner agencies have worked together diligently at the scene and have reached out to next of kin to notify them of this heartbreaking incident.”

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the fatal accident, which occurred just before 8:30 a.m.

Rita Geller, who works at a golf course near the airport, said she started running when she heard the planes hit, and watched one fall to the ground,

“I ran to more of a clearing and basically saw it explode,” she told the Anchorage Daily News. “The engine, things were flying off of it. I didn’t see the second plane, but I saw a lot of debris flying around. It was horrific. It was just like 9/11.”

Troopers say six of the seven people were pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident. The seventh person died while being transported to a hospital.

Besides Knopp, troopers identified the other six people killed as pilot Gregory Bell, 57, of Soldotna; <a href="https://www.gobeyondthebend.com/?fbclid=IwAR147u_srG7VtR1WuCONERGJ6eKZTaGndLSKFEdV2Qxc1AAt0Z6rtfiVYv8">guide David Rogers, 40, </a>of Kansas; and Caleb Hulsey, 26; Heather Hulsey, 25; Mackay Hulsey, 24, and Kirstin Wright, 23, all of South Carolina.

Bell was one of the owners of High Adventure Air Charter in Soldotna, which offers bear viewing adventures, fishing and hunting trips and glacier tours, according to its website.

A person who answered the at the charter business Friday afternoon said the company had no comment.

“We live in a small, tight community here in the Central Peninsula. When I heard the horrific sounds of a plane crash this morning, which occurred very close to my home, I knew there was a high probability it involved someone we knew well,” state Sen. Peter Micciche said in a statement.

“I have known Gary Knopp and Greg Bell for most of my life. Gary has served the Kenai Peninsula community for decades. I have flown with Greg and never felt to be in better, more safety-focused hands while in the air. We are reeling from the loss to our community,” he said.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered U.S. and state flags to be lowered to half-staff and to remain in that position of honor for Knopp until sunset Monday.

“The first lady and I wish to express our heartfelt condolences to Rep. Knopp’s family as they mourn his untimely passing,” Dunleavy said in a statement. “Throughout his 42 years on the Kenai Peninsula, Gary became well known as an avid outdoorsman, a skilled pilot, and a dedicated public servant. His presence will no doubt be missed by those he faithfully served.”

House Speaker Bryce Edgmon of Dillingham said he was shocked and devastated upon hearing of Knopp’s death. “Gary was a one-of-a-kind leader and a true Alaskan who worked tirelessly for his district in the Legislature. He will be missed by many.”

Senate President Cathy Giessel, a Republican from Anchorage, called it “a heart-breaking tragedy. More than a legislator, Gary Knopp was a husband, father, son, brother, grandfather, and friend. He will be tremendously missed.”

The Federal Aviation Administration initially said the two planes involved were a single-engine de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver and a twin-engine Piper Aztec, However, the FAA later said it did not believe the second plane was a Piper Aztec, but it had not yet confirmed the make and model of the airplane involved.

The NTSB later tweeted the second plane was a Piper PA-12.

The two planes collided approximately 2 miles northeast of the Soldotna Airport, the FAA statement said after crash.

The FAA sent two investigators to the crash site, which is about 150 miles (241 kilometres) southwest of Anchorage.

Knopp, a Republican, left the House GOP caucus and served in a coalition of Democrats, independents and GOP lawmakers that comprised the House Majority. That left the remaining House Republicans in the minority.

Knopp faced two Republican challengers in the Aug. 18 primary. A message sent to the state Division of Elections to see if Knopp’s name would remain on the ballot was not immediately returned.

Knopp was first elected to the state House in 2016, and served for years before that on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly.

He was born in Whitefish, Montana, and moved to Alaska in 1979. He eventually settled in Kenai and worked as a general contractor.

His hobbies included flying , diving, hunting, golfing “and enjoying life in general at home on the Peninsula,” according to his legislative biography.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596282267021.png" alt="Crash scene photo by&nbsp;Angela Krenzien courtesy&nbsp;KTVA&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Crash scene photo by&nbsp;Angela Krenzien courtesy&nbsp;KTVA&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Seven people, including an Alaska state lawmaker, died Friday when two small airplanes collided in midair near the airport in Soldotna, a small community on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula.Alaska State Troopers said state Rep. Gary Knopp, 67, of Kenai was the sole occupant of one plane. The other plane was flown by a local pilot, and carried a guide from Kansas and four people from South Carolina.“This is an unfathomable tragedy for multiple families today,” Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner Amanda Price said. “Troopers and partner agencies have worked together diligently at the scene and have reached out to next of kin to notify them of this heartbreaking incident.”The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the fatal accident, which occurred just before 8:30 a.m.Rita Geller, who works at a golf course near the airport, said she started running when she heard the planes hit, and watched one fall to the ground,“I ran to more of a clearing and basically saw it explode,” she told the Anchorage Daily News. “The engine, things were flying off of it. I didn’t see the second plane, but I saw a lot of debris flying around. It was horrific. It was just like 9/11.”Troopers say six of the seven people were pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident. The seventh person died while being transported to a hospital.Besides Knopp, troopers identified the other six people killed as pilot Gregory Bell, 57, of Soldotna; <a href="https://www.gobeyondthebend.com/?fbclid=IwAR147u_srG7VtR1WuCONERGJ6eKZTaGndLSKFEdV2Qxc1AAt0Z6rtfiVYv8">guide David Rogers, 40, </a>of Kansas; and Caleb Hulsey, 26; Heather Hulsey, 25; Mackay Hulsey, 24, and Kirstin Wright, 23, all of South Carolina.Bell was one of the owners of High Adventure Air Charter in Soldotna, which offers bear viewing adventures, fishing and hunting trips and glacier tours, according to its website.A person who answered the at the charter business Friday afternoon said the company had no comment.“We live in a small, tight community here in the Central Peninsula. When I heard the horrific sounds of a plane crash this morning, which occurred very close to my home, I knew there was a high probability it involved someone we knew well,” state Sen. Peter Micciche said in a statement.“I have known Gary Knopp and Greg Bell for most of my life. Gary has served the Kenai Peninsula community for decades. I have flown with Greg and never felt to be in better, more safety-focused hands while in the air. We are reeling from the loss to our community,” he said.Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered U.S. and state flags to be lowered to half-staff and to remain in that position of honor for Knopp until sunset Monday.“The first lady and I wish to express our heartfelt condolences to Rep. Knopp’s family as they mourn his untimely passing,” Dunleavy said in a statement. “Throughout his 42 years on the Kenai Peninsula, Gary became well known as an avid outdoorsman, a skilled pilot, and a dedicated public servant. His presence will no doubt be missed by those he faithfully served.”House Speaker Bryce Edgmon of Dillingham said he was shocked and devastated upon hearing of Knopp’s death. “Gary was a one-of-a-kind leader and a true Alaskan who worked tirelessly for his district in the Legislature. He will be missed by many.”Senate President Cathy Giessel, a Republican from Anchorage, called it “a heart-breaking tragedy. More than a legislator, Gary Knopp was a husband, father, son, brother, grandfather, and friend. He will be tremendously missed.”The Federal Aviation Administration initially said the two planes involved were a single-engine de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver and a twin-engine Piper Aztec, However, the FAA later said it did not believe the second plane was a Piper Aztec, but it had not yet confirmed the make and model of the airplane involved.The NTSB later tweeted the second plane was a Piper PA-12.The two planes collided approximately 2 miles northeast of the Soldotna Airport, the FAA statement said after crash.The FAA sent two investigators to the crash site, which is about 150 miles (241 kilometres) southwest of Anchorage.Knopp, a Republican, left the House GOP caucus and served in a coalition of Democrats, independents and GOP lawmakers that comprised the House Majority. That left the remaining House Republicans in the minority.Knopp faced two Republican challengers in the Aug. 18 primary. A message sent to the state Division of Elections to see if Knopp’s name would remain on the ballot was not immediately returned.Knopp was first elected to the state House in 2016, and served for years before that on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly.He was born in Whitefish, Montana, and moved to Alaska in 1979. He eventually settled in Kenai and worked as a general contractor.His hobbies included flying , diving, hunting, golfing “and enjoying life in general at home on the Peninsula,” according to his legislative biography.

Midair collision kills 7 in Alaska including guide from Kansas

Many left jobless by the crisis are already behind on payments. And the arrival of August brings new anxieties. A supplemental $600 in weekly federal unemployment benefits that helped many pay their bills is set to expire as July ends, with Congress bogged down in disagreement over a new round of aid.

Also set to end, unless lawmakers intervene, is a federal moratorium on evictions that has shielded millions of renters — though some Americans remain protected by similar state and local actions.

The Associated Press reconnected with renters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6665117bf47b47667635b9e6a65b1dd5">first interviewed</a>&nbsp;ahead of their April payments. Four months later, some have returned to work. One saw her church step in to cover her rent. Some found landlords willing to negotiate, while others are still looking for relief.

Sakai Harrison moved to New York to try to make it as a personal trainer and designer - but his gym shuttered early in the pandemic, and after weeks of struggling to both pay the rent and put food in his fridge, he knew what he had to do.

He moved back to Georgia for greater stability.

In May, he left his Brooklyn apartment and its $1,595 monthly rent for Atlanta. When the first of the month rolls around, his new place costs about $400 less - and it’s larger.

“This is the biggest silver lining I’ve ever seen,” he said.

He’s training with a few one-on-one clients, and he’s launched a boot camp with a dozen more.

This week, he met four of them at a park, where they did lunging squats, pull-ups, and a military-like crawl. Harrison then led them into a gym for dumbbell exercises. They didn’t wear masks for virus protection - Harrison says they take precautions, but pointed out that the state doesn’t mandate face coverings.

Harrison modeled the proper form and pace, corrected the men when needed, and gently teased when they tired or slowed down. Some shot barbs back, and Harrison smiled.

He’s charging clients slightly less than he got at Blink Fitness in New York, but that amount’s helping him develop an apparel brand. He’s taking orders for a line of shoes, T-shirts and hats.

Barring another shutdown, Harrison said, “I’ll be fine.”

--- Aaron Morrison, New York, and Ron Harris, Atlanta

Eli Oderberg of Denver remains out of work.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/736cb9bad85ca35b0589466d331d7a51">He lost his job</a>&nbsp;at a Colorado energy company in a wave of mid-April layoffs sparked by the pandemic’s economic fallout.

Oderberg, 36, once worked on apps to track spills and leaks. Now he receives unemployment benefits as he sends out resumes and interviews for new jobs. He said he’s been a runner-up for several positions but hasn’t been hired.

Oderberg and his wife, Katie, have been making their mortgage payments. She’s on unemployment after losing her retail job. She’s also pregnant, and the couple fears running out of money after the baby arrives. They also have a 5-year-old daughter.

“I’m trying to get a good balance so I can enjoy my family,” he said. “And I keep reminding myself there are a lot of people in a much worse situation.”

Financial challenges keep piling up for Roushaunda Williams months after she lost her job of nearly 20 years tending bar at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel in downtown Chicago.

Potential reopening dates for the hotel have been pushed back, Williams said, and hospitality jobs remain scarce. She anticipates being unable to pay her $1,900 rent by September — especially if Congress doesn’t reauthorize the weekly $600 in additional unemployment aid as part of a new relief package.

Williams, 52, said she asked the management company that owns her apartment for a rent reduction or other help. So far, she’s been told her rent will just accrue if she can’t pay.

The Illinois governor recently extended a moratorium on evictions into August. Still, Williams worries about debt piling up while she’s unemployed.

“I’ve exhausted my savings,” she said. “So I don’t have a safety net at all now.”

Jas Wheeler once hoped to ride out the pandemic and return to work at a Vermont bakery. Not anymore.

Wheeler, 30, is immunocompromised and fears going back to the bakery would increase risk of infection. The former social worker started working at a small grocery store that pays less but allows more room for social distancing.

Wheeler took the gig in anticipation of losing the $600 weekly unemployment aid. That money ensured Wheeler and their wife, Lucy, could afford their $850 monthly mortgage payment.

The couple closed on their house in Vergennes the same day Wheeler was laid off in March. Wheeler’s wife kept her jobs, but money remains tight. They’ve sold a car and are growing some food.

“The unemployment without the enhanced benefit is not enough to live on at all,” Wheeler said. “We’re broke.”

Though the pandemic took away Itza Sanchez’s two incomes, it has strengthened her faith. The mother of two says the generosity of her Richmond, Virginia, church has saved them from hunger and eviction.

Sanchez fell behind on rent when she stopped selling homemade tamales and collecting scrap metal over fears of contracting the virus. By mid-July, she owed about $950 in unpaid rent. That’s when Sanchez got a notice to vacate the mobile home where her family lives.

She was spared when her church sent $800 directly to the landlord.

Now she’s trying to scrape together $460 for August’s rent. She gets food donations from church. The school system delivers lunches for her children, 11 and 7.

An immigrant from Honduras, Sanchez isn’t eligible for unemployment benefits.

“In this crisis we have moments of anguish, and one feels desperate, Sanchez said.

For Andrea Larson, life took an unexpectedly good turn.

She lost her sommelier job in mid-March, when restaurants closed in Nashville, Tennessee. She was just getting by on unemployment, but worried about choosing between losing benefits or going back to an unsafe restaurant job.

Then a former boss offered her a spot at a new restaurant - the White Limozeen, named in tribute to a Dolly Parton song and decorated in over-the-top kitsch.

While Larson still fears the virus, she appreciates that her employer “spent a lot of money to make sure people are extremely safe.”

At her duplex, a plumbing disaster forced her to live in a construction zone for a couple of months. But she counts that as luck: She didn’t have to pay rent.

Jade Brooks and her family have counted on an eviction moratorium in Massachusetts to get them through the pandemic. Still, 22-year-old Brooks worries: How long will it last?

Brooks’ mother hasn’t found find full-time work since losing her insurance-company job. And Brooks doesn’t get paid enough as a hospital switchboard operator to cover rent — recently raised to $2,075 monthly — for their two-bedroom Boston apartment.

Her family had an August eviction hearing scheduled in court after they refused to pay the $265 increase. Then the governor extended the eviction ban until mid-October, giving temporary relief.

“It kind of gave me extra hope to figure things out, instead of jumping into the fire,” said Brooks, who lives with her mother and an 8-year-old cousin.

Brooks hopes the extra time gives her mom a chance to find work, and perhaps they’ll negotiate a new lease rather than go to court.

After two months of missing payments as part of a “rent strike,” Neal Miller and his housemates heard from their landlord.

To their surprise, he agreed to reduce the monthly $1,500 rent for their home on Chicago’s West Side. Miller’s share is now $150, down from $400.

Miller, 38, said his landlord gave the impression that he’d prefer some income from the house over nothing at all.

Miller’s last stable job was as an adjunct professor at Loyola University. During the pandemic, he’s patched together odd jobs — dissertation editing, bookkeeping for a psychiatrist’s office.

He said lower rent cuts the pressure: “We are definitely in a unique situation by the response we got.”

Tnia Morgan’s family has grown by one since the pandemic upended their lives. The birth of a grandson, her youngest daughter’s first child, June 25 was a rare blessing during a spring and summer otherwise filled with stress.

“I love his smell. I love his smile. I love everything about him,” said Morgan, who shares a townhouse in Baltimore County, Maryland, with her newborn grandson, her daughter and a nephew.

She needed something to celebrate. Her income plummeted after she lost her hotel banquet-hall job in March. Bills pile up monthly.

Four rent checks have come due since then. Morgan’s landlord lets her pay what she can. She estimates that’s been nearly half what she’s owed since April.

Food stamps help feed her family. She says she’s tried in vain to sign up for unemployment benefits. Her only income comes from working for a food delivery service.

“It’s not much,” she said, “but it’s better than not having anything.”

- Michael Kunzelman, Silver Spring, Maryland

Ruqayyah Bailey has lost much of her independence and wants to get her life back on track.

Bailey, 31, has autism. Until March, she lived in her own apartment, worked part time as a cashier at a St. Louis cafe, and attended college.

The coronavirus tossed all that structure out the window. Bailey could no longer get the one-on-one tutoring that helped her thrive in college. The cafe closed. With no money coming in, she moved back in with her mother.

The cafe reopened in June, but Bailey now works just four hours a week. She’s signed up for seven hours of college classes but isn’t sure she’ll get tutoring. She uses savings to pay bills and worries about losing her weekly $600 in extra aid.

“I am completely stressed,” Bailey said. “I don’t know how to pay my bills. I’m not sure how I’m going to able to get back into my apartment.”

Jason W. Still spent nearly three months without work before he went back to cooking at a high-end restaurant in Spokane, Washington.

Still, 30, returned to the kitchen at Clover when it reopened in early June. Before then, his wife’s job in Washington’s legal marijuana industry and Still’s unemployment checks helped assure they never missed a rent payment.

Still is back to working 40 hours a week. But he wonders whether that’ll last, as COVID-19 infections surge in the U.S.

“It’s terrifying to me to be in a service industry that can just shut down again at any time,” he said.

Tinisha Dixon scraped money together to cover her $1,115 monthly rent for April and May. Since then, she’s been unable to pay.

Dixon, 26, shares a downtown Atlanta apartment with her partner and their five children. Before that, Dixon was homeless. Now she worries daily about her family ending up on the street.

Dixon’s partner works as a security guard, but reduced hours have shrunk his earnings to about $800 a month. Dixon said she worked briefly at a coronavirus testing site outside the city, but relying on her partner for rides interfered with his job.

Before the pandemic, Dixon says, her landlord had begun taking legal steps to evict them.

“I’m pretty overwhelmed trying to get everything situated, not knowing how long I can hold out here,” she said.

By RUSS BYNUM, Associated PressMany left jobless by the crisis are already behind on payments. And the arrival of August brings new anxieties. A supplemental $600 in weekly federal unemployment benefits that helped many pay their bills is set to expire as July ends, with Congress bogged down in disagreement over a new round of aid.Also set to end, unless lawmakers intervene, is a federal moratorium on evictions that has shielded millions of renters — though some Americans remain protected by similar state and local actions.The Associated Press reconnected with renters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6665117bf47b47667635b9e6a65b1dd5">first interviewed</a>&nbsp;ahead of their April payments. Four months later, some have returned to work. One saw her church step in to cover her rent. Some found landlords willing to negotiate, while others are still looking for relief.Sakai Harrison moved to New York to try to make it as a personal trainer and designer - but his gym shuttered early in the pandemic, and after weeks of struggling to both pay the rent and put food in his fridge, he knew what he had to do.He moved back to Georgia for greater stability.In May, he left his Brooklyn apartment and its $1,595 monthly rent for Atlanta. When the first of the month rolls around, his new place costs about $400 less - and it’s larger.“This is the biggest silver lining I’ve ever seen,” he said.He’s training with a few one-on-one clients, and he’s launched a boot camp with a dozen more.This week, he met four of them at a park, where they did lunging squats, pull-ups, and a military-like crawl. Harrison then led them into a gym for dumbbell exercises. They didn’t wear masks for virus protection - Harrison says they take precautions, but pointed out that the state doesn’t mandate face coverings.Harrison modeled the proper form and pace, corrected the men when needed, and gently teased when they tired or slowed down. Some shot barbs back, and Harrison smiled.He’s charging clients slightly less than he got at Blink Fitness in New York, but that amount’s helping him develop an apparel brand. He’s taking orders for a line of shoes, T-shirts and hats.Barring another shutdown, Harrison said, “I’ll be fine.”--- Aaron Morrison, New York, and Ron Harris, AtlantaEli Oderberg of Denver remains out of work.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/736cb9bad85ca35b0589466d331d7a51">He lost his job</a>&nbsp;at a Colorado energy company in a wave of mid-April layoffs sparked by the pandemic’s economic fallout.Oderberg, 36, once worked on apps to track spills and leaks. Now he receives unemployment benefits as he sends out resumes and interviews for new jobs. He said he’s been a runner-up for several positions but hasn’t been hired.Oderberg and his wife, Katie, have been making their mortgage payments. She’s on unemployment after losing her retail job. She’s also pregnant, and the couple fears running out of money after the baby arrives. They also have a 5-year-old daughter.“I’m trying to get a good balance so I can enjoy my family,” he said. “And I keep reminding myself there are a lot of people in a much worse situation.”- Anita Snow, Phoenix___Financial challenges keep piling up for Roushaunda Williams months after she lost her job of nearly 20 years tending bar at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel in downtown Chicago.Potential reopening dates for the hotel have been pushed back, Williams said, and hospitality jobs remain scarce. She anticipates being unable to pay her $1,900 rent by September — especially if Congress doesn’t reauthorize the weekly $600 in additional unemployment aid as part of a new relief package.Williams, 52, said she asked the management company that owns her apartment for a rent reduction or other help. So far, she’s been told her rent will just accrue if she can’t pay.The Illinois governor recently extended a moratorium on evictions into August. Still, Williams worries about debt piling up while she’s unemployed.“I’ve exhausted my savings,” she said. “So I don’t have a safety net at all now.”- Kathleen Foody, Chicago___Jas Wheeler once hoped to ride out the pandemic and return to work at a Vermont bakery. Not anymore.Wheeler, 30, is immunocompromised and fears going back to the bakery would increase risk of infection. The former social worker started working at a small grocery store that pays less but allows more room for social distancing.Wheeler took the gig in anticipation of losing the $600 weekly unemployment aid. That money ensured Wheeler and their wife, Lucy, could afford their $850 monthly mortgage payment.The couple closed on their house in Vergennes the same day Wheeler was laid off in March. Wheeler’s wife kept her jobs, but money remains tight. They’ve sold a car and are growing some food.“The unemployment without the enhanced benefit is not enough to live on at all,” Wheeler said. “We’re broke.”- Michael Casey, Boston___Though the pandemic took away Itza Sanchez’s two incomes, it has strengthened her faith. The mother of two says the generosity of her Richmond, Virginia, church has saved them from hunger and eviction.Sanchez fell behind on rent when she stopped selling homemade tamales and collecting scrap metal over fears of contracting the virus. By mid-July, she owed about $950 in unpaid rent. That’s when Sanchez got a notice to vacate the mobile home where her family lives.She was spared when her church sent $800 directly to the landlord.Now she’s trying to scrape together $460 for August’s rent. She gets food donations from church. The school system delivers lunches for her children, 11 and 7.An immigrant from Honduras, Sanchez isn’t eligible for unemployment benefits.“In this crisis we have moments of anguish, and one feels desperate, Sanchez said.“But I have been blessed so far.”- Regina Garcia Cano, Washington___For Andrea Larson, life took an unexpectedly good turn.She lost her sommelier job in mid-March, when restaurants closed in Nashville, Tennessee. She was just getting by on unemployment, but worried about choosing between losing benefits or going back to an unsafe restaurant job.Then a former boss offered her a spot at a new restaurant - the White Limozeen, named in tribute to a Dolly Parton song and decorated in over-the-top kitsch.While Larson still fears the virus, she appreciates that her employer “spent a lot of money to make sure people are extremely safe.”At her duplex, a plumbing disaster forced her to live in a construction zone for a couple of months. But she counts that as luck: She didn’t have to pay rent.- Travis Loller, Nashville, Tennessee___Jade Brooks and her family have counted on an eviction moratorium in Massachusetts to get them through the pandemic. Still, 22-year-old Brooks worries: How long will it last?Brooks’ mother hasn’t found find full-time work since losing her insurance-company job. And Brooks doesn’t get paid enough as a hospital switchboard operator to cover rent — recently raised to $2,075 monthly — for their two-bedroom Boston apartment.Her family had an August eviction hearing scheduled in court after they refused to pay the $265 increase. Then the governor extended the eviction ban until mid-October, giving temporary relief.“It kind of gave me extra hope to figure things out, instead of jumping into the fire,” said Brooks, who lives with her mother and an 8-year-old cousin.Brooks hopes the extra time gives her mom a chance to find work, and perhaps they’ll negotiate a new lease rather than go to court.- Michael Casey, Boston___After two months of missing payments as part of a “rent strike,” Neal Miller and his housemates heard from their landlord.To their surprise, he agreed to reduce the monthly $1,500 rent for their home on Chicago’s West Side. Miller’s share is now $150, down from $400.Miller, 38, said his landlord gave the impression that he’d prefer some income from the house over nothing at all.Miller’s last stable job was as an adjunct professor at Loyola University. During the pandemic, he’s patched together odd jobs — dissertation editing, bookkeeping for a psychiatrist’s office.He said lower rent cuts the pressure: “We are definitely in a unique situation by the response we got.”- Kathleen Foody, Chicago___Tnia Morgan’s family has grown by one since the pandemic upended their lives. The birth of a grandson, her youngest daughter’s first child, June 25 was a rare blessing during a spring and summer otherwise filled with stress.“I love his smell. I love his smile. I love everything about him,” said Morgan, who shares a townhouse in Baltimore County, Maryland, with her newborn grandson, her daughter and a nephew.She needed something to celebrate. Her income plummeted after she lost her hotel banquet-hall job in March. Bills pile up monthly.Four rent checks have come due since then. Morgan’s landlord lets her pay what she can. She estimates that’s been nearly half what she’s owed since April.Food stamps help feed her family. She says she’s tried in vain to sign up for unemployment benefits. Her only income comes from working for a food delivery service.“It’s not much,” she said, “but it’s better than not having anything.”- Michael Kunzelman, Silver Spring, Maryland___Ruqayyah Bailey has lost much of her independence and wants to get her life back on track.Bailey, 31, has autism. Until March, she lived in her own apartment, worked part time as a cashier at a St. Louis cafe, and attended college.The coronavirus tossed all that structure out the window. Bailey could no longer get the one-on-one tutoring that helped her thrive in college. The cafe closed. With no money coming in, she moved back in with her mother.The cafe reopened in June, but Bailey now works just four hours a week. She’s signed up for seven hours of college classes but isn’t sure she’ll get tutoring. She uses savings to pay bills and worries about losing her weekly $600 in extra aid.“I am completely stressed,” Bailey said. “I don’t know how to pay my bills. I’m not sure how I’m going to able to get back into my apartment.”- Jim Salter, St. Louis___Jason W. Still spent nearly three months without work before he went back to cooking at a high-end restaurant in Spokane, Washington.Still, 30, returned to the kitchen at Clover when it reopened in early June. Before then, his wife’s job in Washington’s legal marijuana industry and Still’s unemployment checks helped assure they never missed a rent payment.Still is back to working 40 hours a week. But he wonders whether that’ll last, as COVID-19 infections surge in the U.S.“It’s terrifying to me to be in a service industry that can just shut down again at any time,” he said.- Anita Snow, Phoenix___Tinisha Dixon scraped money together to cover her $1,115 monthly rent for April and May. Since then, she’s been unable to pay.Dixon, 26, shares a downtown Atlanta apartment with her partner and their five children. Before that, Dixon was homeless. Now she worries daily about her family ending up on the street.Dixon’s partner works as a security guard, but reduced hours have shrunk his earnings to about $800 a month. Dixon said she worked briefly at a coronavirus testing site outside the city, but relying on her partner for rides interfered with his job.Before the pandemic, Dixon says, her landlord had begun taking legal steps to evict them.“I’m pretty overwhelmed trying to get everything situated, not knowing how long I can hold out here,” she said.- Sudhin Thanawala, Atlanta___

Rent's due, again: Monthly anxieties deepen as aid falls off

WICHITA —The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office was notified Thursday&nbsp; that another inmate had tested positive for COVID19, according to Lt. Tim Myers. This case is not related to the previous cases.&nbsp;

This inmate reported he was sick on Monday, was immediately placed in medical isolation pending the results of the COVID19 test.&nbsp; The inmate was also tested by the contracted medical provider of the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on Monday because he was symptomatic.&nbsp;&nbsp; 

The inmate was released from custody prior to officials receiving the positive test results on Thursday, according to Myers.

Based on the advice from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, our contracted medical provider will offer testing to 27 staff members and 78 inmates that had possible contact with the inmate.&nbsp; 

Seventy-six inmates will be quarantined until they are medically cleared.&nbsp; Two inmates that were symptomatic were already tested and placed in medical isolation.

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

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

Officials at the jail are continuing to maintain sanitization standards to take care of our staff and inmates which include issuing extra soap, and having disinfectant available as needed.&nbsp; All staff members have been issued masks to wear, and all inmates have been issued face coverings for the last several months.&nbsp; We also have a full medical staff on site.

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

WICHITA —The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office was notified Thursday&nbsp; that another inmate had tested positive for COVID19, according to Lt. Tim Myers. This case is not related to the previous cases.&nbsp;This inmate reported he was sick on Monday, was immediately placed in medical isolation pending the results of the COVID19 test.&nbsp; The inmate was also tested by the contracted medical provider of the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on Monday because he was symptomatic.&nbsp;&nbsp; The inmate was released from custody prior to officials receiving the positive test results on Thursday, according to Myers.Based on the advice from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, our contracted medical provider will offer testing to 27 staff members and 78 inmates that had possible contact with the inmate.&nbsp; Seventy-six inmates will be quarantined until they are medically cleared.&nbsp; Two inmates that were symptomatic were already tested and placed in medical isolation.Four inmates were released from the Sedgwick County Detention Facility prior to the inmate receiving the positive test results.&nbsp; KDHE will be contacting those individuals.&nbsp;The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office will also be contacting judges, members of the DA’s office, and defense attorneys about the positive test result.&nbsp;Officials at the jail are continuing to maintain sanitization standards to take care of our staff and inmates which include issuing extra soap, and having disinfectant available as needed.&nbsp; All staff members have been issued masks to wear, and all inmates have been issued face coverings for the last several months.&nbsp; We also have a full medical staff on site.If more inmates need to be quarantined or isolated, we already have an established plan to minimize further exposure to staff and inmates.

Judges, others on alert after Kan. inmate tests positive for virus

SEDGWICK —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal motel room shooting have arrested four suspects.

Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police responded to a shooting at the Scotsman Hotel, 5922 W. Kellogg in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located 40-year-old William Pottorff with multiple gunshot wounds to his body.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp; 

Shortly after arriving on the scene, a 23-year-old man arrived at an area hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and in critical condition.&nbsp; He remains hospitalized.

The investigation revealed, a woman has been staying at the motel for approximately one month and was being visited by Pottorff, who is an acquaintance,&nbsp;according to Captain Stephens.

While in the room, the 23-year-old man and four others later identified as 23-year-old Braxton Cooley, 23-year-old&nbsp; Akakia&nbsp;Farbes, 23-year-old Koby Fisher all of Wichita and 43-year-old Eugene Donnald of O’Fallon, Illinois, forced themselves into the room, and a physical altercation ensued between Pottorff and the 23-year-old shooting suspect.

During the physical altercation, both men pulled out handguns, and there was an exchange of gunfire, leading to Pottorff’s fatal injuries and the 23-year-old’s critical injuries.

The 23-year-old was then taken to the area hospital by Cooley, Farbes, Donald, Fisher, and an additional person that was in a vehicle during the incident.

Following the investigation, police arrested Cooley, Farbes, Fisher and Donnald&nbsp; on requested charges of felony murder and aggravated burglary, according to Stephens.

 Police have not released the identity of the 23-year-old in the hospital.

SEDGWICK —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 40-year-old William Pottorff.

Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting at the Scottsman Inn, 5922 West Kellogg in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Captain Jason Stephens.

When officers arrived, they found Pottorf dead inside one of the motel rooms. He had been staying there with a woman who had rented the room, according to Stephens.

Shortly after police were sent to the motel, officers learned that a 23-year-old man had arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound. Investigators were able to determine that he was involved in this incident at the motel. He remains in critical condition, according to Stephens.

Through interviews and evidence, police learned that the 23-year-old had been at the motel with four other men. They forcibly entered Pottorf's room.&nbsp; A disturbance occurred between the 23-year-old and Pottorf, according to Captain Stephens. Both brandished firearms and there was exchange of gunfire.

Police were continuing to conduct interviews in the case, according to Stephens.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596146101791.png" alt="Cooley photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Cooley photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal motel room shooting have arrested four suspects.Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police responded to a shooting at the Scotsman Hotel, 5922 W. Kellogg in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located 40-year-old William Pottorff with multiple gunshot wounds to his body.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp; <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596107513157.png" alt="Police on the scene of the fatal shooting investigation early Thursday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the fatal shooting investigation early Thursday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Shortly after arriving on the scene, a 23-year-old man arrived at an area hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and in critical condition.&nbsp; He remains hospitalized.The investigation revealed, a woman has been staying at the motel for approximately one month and was being visited by Pottorff, who is an acquaintance,&nbsp;according to Captain Stephens.While in the room, the 23-year-old man and four others later identified as 23-year-old Braxton Cooley, 23-year-old&nbsp; Akakia&nbsp;Farbes, 23-year-old Koby Fisher all of Wichita and 43-year-old Eugene Donnald of O’Fallon, Illinois, forced themselves into the room, and a physical altercation ensued between Pottorff and the 23-year-old shooting suspect.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596159011888.png" alt="Farbes photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Farbes photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the physical altercation, both men pulled out handguns, and there was an exchange of gunfire, leading to Pottorff’s fatal injuries and the 23-year-old’s critical injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596146211661.png" alt="Fisher photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Fisher photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The 23-year-old was then taken to the area hospital by Cooley, Farbes, Donald, Fisher, and an additional person that was in a vehicle during the incident.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596206388150.png" alt="Donnald- photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Donnald- photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Following the investigation, police arrested Cooley, Farbes, Fisher and Donnald&nbsp; on requested charges of felony murder and aggravated burglary, according to Stephens. Police have not released the identity of the 23-year-old in the hospital.-------------SEDGWICK —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 40-year-old William Pottorff.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596107513157.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Thursday photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Thursday photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting at the Scottsman Inn, 5922 West Kellogg in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Captain Jason Stephens.When officers arrived, they found Pottorf dead inside one of the motel rooms. He had been staying there with a woman who had rented the room, according to Stephens.Shortly after police were sent to the motel, officers learned that a 23-year-old man had arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound. Investigators were able to determine that he was involved in this incident at the motel. He remains in critical condition, according to Stephens.Through interviews and evidence, police learned that the 23-year-old had been at the motel with four other men. They forcibly entered Pottorf's room.&nbsp; A disturbance occurred between the 23-year-old and Pottorf, according to Captain Stephens. Both brandished firearms and there was exchange of gunfire.Police were continuing to conduct interviews in the case, according to Stephens.

4 remain jailed for role in fatal Kansas motel gun fight

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House and its GOP allies appear to be retreating from their opposition to a $600-per-week supplemental unemployment benefit that has propped up the economy and family budgets but is expiring Friday.

President Donald Trump is eager to extend the benefit, undercutting his GOP allies on Capitol Hill who have spent considerable effort devising an alternative that could unite Republicans.

The unemployment insurance is a principal element as talks continue on a COVID-19 relief bill, which is expected to grow considerably from a $1 trillion-plus GOP draft released this week. Top Democrats announced a meeting with administration representatives for Saturday morning after Thursday night talks at the Capitol failed to produce a breakthrough.

The two sides took their case to the media Friday morning, with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows speaking to reporters on short notice at the exact moment House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared at her weekly news conference.

Meadows accused Democrats of refusing to negotiate, saying Trump has instructed him to be “aggressive and forward-leaning” in trying to extend the supplemental jobless benefit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596190785092.png" alt="President Trump during Thursday Coronavirus Task Force briefing-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump during Thursday Coronavirus Task Force briefing-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House and its GOP allies appear to be retreating from their opposition to a $600-per-week supplemental unemployment benefit that has propped up the economy and family budgets but is expiring Friday.President Donald Trump is eager to extend the benefit, undercutting his GOP allies on Capitol Hill who have spent considerable effort devising an alternative that could unite Republicans.The unemployment insurance is a principal element as talks continue on a COVID-19 relief bill, which is expected to grow considerably from a $1 trillion-plus GOP draft released this week. Top Democrats announced a meeting with administration representatives for Saturday morning after Thursday night talks at the Capitol failed to produce a breakthrough.The two sides took their case to the media Friday morning, with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows speaking to reporters on short notice at the exact moment House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared at her weekly news conference.Meadows accused Democrats of refusing to negotiate, saying Trump has instructed him to be “aggressive and forward-leaning” in trying to extend the supplemental jobless benefit.“Democrats have made zero offers over the last three days,” said Meadows, an inexperienced negotiator and former tea party lawmaker. He said Democrats are “willing to play politics” and are acting like they “hold all the cards.”The White House on Thursday offered a one-week extension of the $600 weekly unemployment benefit, top Democrats said, but Pelosi rejected it, saying it needs to be addressed as part of a far more sweeping bill that would deliver aid to state and local governments, help for the poor and funding for schools and colleges to address the pandemic. Without action, the unemployment benefit runs out Friday — and both the House and Senate have left Washington.“Clearly they did not understand the gravity of the situation,” Pelosi said. She said a short-term extension only makes sense if the two sides are close to a deal.“Why don’t we just get the job done?” she asked.An aide familiar with the talks said Pelosi rejected an administration offer of a four-month extension of the benefit at $400 per week, combined with additional provisions for particularly hard-hit businesses and a shield against lawsuits for businesses, schools and other entities that reopen as the pandemic continues to rage. The aide wasn’t supposed to divulge contents of the talks and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.Pelosi, brimming with confidence, offered a tutorial on negotiating Friday.“There are two things to remember. One is the person you’re negotiating with has to want something” for the American people, Pelosi said. “And they have to know you will walk” if you don’t get a good enough agreement.Republicans in the Senate had been fighting to trim back the $600 jobless benefit in the next coronavirus package, but their resolve weakened as the expiration of the popular benefit neared — and as Trump undercut their position by signaling he wants to keep the full $600 benefit for now.“We want a temporary extension of enhanced unemployment benefits,” Trump said at the White House on Thursday. “This will provide a critical bridge for Americans who lost their jobs to the pandemic through no fault of their own.”On Friday, Trump took to Twitter to explicitly endorse extending the $600 payment and criticizing top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer.“Very disappointed in @SenSchumer for blocking the temporary extension of the $600 unemployment benefits. The Do Nothing Democrats are more interested in playing politics than in helping our deserving people,” Trump tweeted.There continues to be agreement among Washington’s top power players that Congress must pass further relief in the coming days and weeks.“Do we want to continue to come to an agreement? Absolutely,” Schumer said. “But it’s got to meet the gravity of the problem.”Democrats hold a strong negotiating hand — exploiting GOP divisions over whether more aid is even needed — and they are expected to deliver a necessary trove of votes.Both sides say the talks have not produced much progress, but they could be nearing a critical phase over the weekend and into next week. The pending COVID-19 rescue bill, the fifth since the pandemic has struck, is likely the last one before the November election.Republicans controlling the Senate have kept the relief measure on “pause” in a strategy aimed at reducing its price tag. But as the pandemic has worsened in past weeks — and as fractures inside the GOP have eroded the party’s negotiating position — Republicans have displayed some greater flexibility.“The Democrats are playing for Nov. 3, and we’re playing for the good of the people. It is a disgrace that they are not negotiating,” Trump said Friday. “I think it’s a bad political game. I think it hurts them.”Also at issue in the negotiations is an almost $1 trillion Democratic demand for funding for state and local governments, a second $1,200 direct payment to most American adults, more than $100 billion to help schools reopen and a liability shield measure that is essential to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.Meadows played a role in killing an increase in food aid during talks on a $2 trillion relief bill in March, but Democrats are pressing hard for a boost in food stamp benefits. Republicans added $20 billion for agribusinesses but nothing for greater food stamp benefits.“Traditionally we’ve had a partnership between farms and families, and they’ve consistently broken that,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee.-------WASHINGTON (AP) — With aid expiring, the White House offered a short-term extension Thursday of a $600 weekly unemployment benefit that has helped keep families and the economy afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Democrats rejected it, saying President Donald Trump’s team failed to grasp the severity of the crisis.Democratic leaders panned the idea in late-night talks at the Capitol, opting to keep the pressure on for a more sweeping bill that would deliver aid to state and local governments, help for the poor and funding for schools and colleges to address the pandemic. Without action, the benefit runs out Friday.“They want to do one small thing that won’t solve the problem,” said top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer after meeting with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.“We have to have a bill, but they just don’t realize how big it has to be,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.Republicans have been fighting to trim back the $600 jobless benefit in the next coronavirus package, but their resolve weakened with the looming expiration of the popular benefit — and as Trump indicated that he supports keeping the full $600 benefit for now.“We want a temporary extension of enhanced unemployment benefits,” Trump said at the White House. “This will provide a critical bridge for Americans who lost their jobs to the pandemic through no fault of their own.”He added: “It has to be substantial.”During the two-hour meeting at the Capitol, Trump’s team offered a weeklong extension. But Democrats have so far rejected a piecemeal approach, saying the next relief bill needs to move as a complete package. The sides agreed to talk again Friday and into the weekend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596146036048.png" alt="Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sent members of U.S. Senate home Thursday. photo courtesy office of Majority Leader" />
 <figcaption>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sent members of U.S. Senate home Thursday. photo courtesy office of Majority Leader</figcaption>
 </figure>Before Trump spoke, top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell adjourned the chamber for the weekend while taking a procedural step that could allow voting on a potential compromise next week. Negotiators for the first time this week reported at least some progress.“On certain issues we made progress. On certain issues we’re still very far apart,” Mnuchin said after the two-hour meeting in Pelosi’s office. “The speaker and Sen. Schumer said — and we feel the same way — that it is our objective to try to reach an agreement that’s good for the American people.”There continues to be agreement among Washington’s top power players that Congress must pass further relief in the coming days and weeks.Trump is eager for another round of relief, and it’s also a priority for GOP allies like McConnell, as well as Pelosi and Schumer, D-N.Y. Democrats hold a strong negotiating hand — exploiting GOP divisions over whether more aid is even needed — and they are expected to deliver a necessary trove of votes.Raising the stakes, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c1878e580f5acd2c0305e5236c4e3197">bleak government report released Thursday</a>&nbsp;said the economy shrank at a 33% annualized rate in the second quarter of the year, a stark reminder of the economic damage afflicting the country as lawmakers debate the size and scope of new relief.“This jarring news should compel Congress to move swiftly to provide targeted and temporary assistance to unemployed Americans, employers, and state and local governments, and liability protections for businesses who follow public health guidelines,” said Neal Bradley of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the powerful business group.But bipartisan talks have yet to reach a serious, productive phase. Democrats are playing hardball, insisting on a package that’s far larger than the $1 trillion-plus measure unveiled by McConnell on Monday. Thursday brought more tit-for-tat.“They won’t engage. Period,” McConnell said as he opened the Senate. “The Democrats are saying, my way or the highway.”Pelosi and McConnell have an extensive history, however. They often find ways to reach deals, though the process involves intense maneuvering and plenty of cross words.McConnell showed a willingness in recent days to consider some Democratic priorities, like additional food aid. He and Trump have made plain they are intent on getting a bill.Schumer continued his daily fusillade against McConnell and Republicans controlling the Senate, noting that McConnell “refuses to go in the room” and join the talks in person, instead transferring ownership of the talks to Meadows, along with Mnuchin, who has been a key architect of previous accords.In another signal that Republicans are willing to yield on the $600 jobless benefit, Arizona Republican Martha McSally, who is facing a tough reelection race this fall, offered a one-week extension of the benefit on the Senate floor. Schumer blocked the move.Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/66df0c4edea8b2d26ffe0c5057b23949">stark differences remain</a>&nbsp;between the $3 trillion proposal from Democrats and $1 trillion counter from Republicans. Money for states and cities is a crucial dividing line as local governments plead for help to shore up budgets and prevent deeper layoffs as they incur COVID-19 costs and lost tax revenue in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/08c609b6bbc516e709211c7e7d984969">shutdown economies</a>.It’s clear that Democrats are trying to push an advantage in the negotiations because Republicans are so split over the prospect of additional government spending and jobless benefits. Among the issues sure to gather momentum is a Democratic demand for a 15% increase in food stamp benefits.Trump appears worried about the expiration of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/10e879ce6a528445ca150455f8456c04">$600 unemployment benefit&nbsp;</a>boost as well as an expiring federal eviction moratorium on millions of rental units, potentially sending households into devastating turmoil.---------WASHINGTON (AP) — A deadlocked Senate on Thursday exited Washington for the weekend without acting to extend a $600 per-week expanded jobless benefit that has helped keep both families and the economy afloat as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the country.Friday’s expiration of the $600 jobless benefit sent Republicans controlling the Senate scrambling to respond. Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell made a procedural move to make it easier to reach a potential compromise next week that would extend the bonus unemployment benefit while talks on a broader COVID relief measure grind on.“We’re so far apart on a longer-term deal right now, that even if we said ‘yes’ to a longer-term deal you could (have) weeks of negotiation without getting to common ground,” said White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.But Democrats have so far rejected this piecemeal approach, saying the next relief bill needs to move as a complete package. Any short-term jobless benefits extension of less than $600 per week is likely to be a non-starter with them.&nbsp;Talks on the relief bill are at a standstill with few reasons for optimism despite sweeping agreement among Washington’s top power players that Congress must pass further relief in coming days and weeks.President Donald Trump is eager for another bill, and it’s also a priority for GOP allies like McConnell, as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer. Democrats hold a strong negotiating hand, with Republicans badly divided over their own proposal.Raising the stakes, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c1878e580f5acd2c0305e5236c4e3197">bleak government report released Thursday</a>said the economy shrank at a 33% annualized rate in the second quarter of the year, a stark reminder of the economic damage afflicting the country as lawmakers debate the size and scope of new relief.&nbsp;“This jarring news should compel Congress to move swiftly to provide targeted and temporary assistance to unemployed Americans, employers, and state and local governments, and liability protections for businesses who follow public health guidelines,” said Neal Bradley of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the powerful business group.But bipartisan talks have yet to reach a serious, productive phase. Democrats are playing hardball, insisting on a package that’s far larger than the $1 trillion-plus measure unveiled by McConnell on Monday. Thursday brought more tit-for-tat.“They won’t engage. Period,” McConnell said as he opened the Senate. “The Democrats are saying, my way or the highway.”&nbsp;In an interview late Wednesday, he showed a willingness to consider some Democratic priorities, like additional food aid. He also said extending the additional jobless benefits was urgent and made clear that he’s standing behind Trump.“The economy does need more help. We have divided government. We have to talk to each other,” McConnell said on the PBS NewsHour. “And we have to try to get an outcome.”Schumer continued his daily fusillade against McConnell and Republicans controlling the Senate, noting that McConnell “refuses to go in the room” and join the talks in person, instead transferring ownership of the talks to Meadows, along with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who has been a key architect of previous accords.“We’re trying to negotiate,” Schumer said. “Who’s holding things up?”In an earlier piece of legislative theater, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., sought unanimous stand-alone Senate approval of a conservative GOP plan to sharply cut back the $600 per week unemployment benefit to $200, saying that the current amount discourages people from returning to work. Democrats countered with a plan to extend the $600 benefit through January. Both ideas predictably failed, as did an effort by Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., to extend the $600 benefit for just one week.Meanwhile, in-person talks were briefly on hold as Pelosi traveled to Atlanta for the funeral of Rep. John Lewis, the civil rights icon. Pelosi’s office announced a meeting for Thursday night.Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/66df0c4edea8b2d26ffe0c5057b23949">stark differences remain</a>&nbsp;between the $3 trillion proposal from Democrats and $1 trillion counter from Republicans. Money for states and cities is a crucial dividing line as local governments plead for help to shore up budgets and prevent deeper layoffs as they incur COVID-19 costs and lost tax revenue in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/08c609b6bbc516e709211c7e7d984969">shutdown economies</a>.Democrats proposed nearly $1 trillion for the local governments, but Trump and Republicans are resisting sending the states and cities more cash. Instead, the GOP offers states flexibility to use $150 billion previously allotted for the virus on other needs.&nbsp;It’s clear that Democrats are trying to push an advantage in the negotiations because Republicans are so split over the prospect of additional government spending. Among the issues sure to gather momentum is a Democratic demand for a 15% increase in food stamp benefits — an idea that could gain more momentum as a counter to reduced unemployment checks.Trump has dismissed the GOP bill as “semi-irrelevant” since it leaves out so many Democratic items.Trump appears worried about the expiration of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/10e879ce6a528445ca150455f8456c04">$600 unemployment benefit&nbsp;</a>boost as well as an expiring federal eviction moratorium on millions of rental units, potentially sending households into devastating turmoil.&nbsp;Trump has bristled at one provision of the GOP bill — he said his GOP allies should “go back to school and learn” after they balked at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6c50a1b700fa4f8227d6777c00076a76">$1.7 billion for FBI headquarters</a>. Trump wants the FBI’s central building to remain in Washington, across the street from his Trump International Hotel. If the FBI moved its headquarters, the site would become prime real estate for a competing hotel.&nbsp;McConnell has rejected the FBI funding request — added to a $300 billion-plus appropriations package in private talks between Meadows and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala. — since it is unrelated to virus relief.&nbsp;