TOPEKA, Kansas – Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) Secretary Jeff Zmuda announced Thursday that one resident at the Norton Correctional Facility’s (NCF) Stockton Satellite Facility tested positive for COVID-19, according to a media release from the KDOC.

This is the eighth KDOC facility with a confirmed case, with the first cases reported at Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF), Wichita Work Release Facility, Topeka Correctional Facility, Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex, El Dorado Correctional Facility, Ellsworth Correctional Facility and Hutchinson Correctional Facility.

The resident at NCF is a male over the age of 30. In order to protect the identity of the person, no other information will be released. Mandatory mask protocol for staff and residents was implemented on July 3.

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

“As positive COVID-19 cases in Kansas continue to rise toward record levels, family members are undoubtedly worried about their loved ones in our prison system,” Zmuda said. “All of our residents are important to us and we will work diligently to ensure their continued health and wellbeing.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589397055792.png" alt="KDOC Secretary Jeff Zmuda during a press briefing with the governor in March" />
 <figcaption>KDOC Secretary Jeff Zmuda during a press briefing with the governor in March</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kansas – Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) Secretary Jeff Zmuda announced Thursday that one resident at the Norton Correctional Facility’s (NCF) Stockton Satellite Facility tested positive for COVID-19, according to a media release from the KDOC.This is the eighth KDOC facility with a confirmed case, with the first cases reported at Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF), Wichita Work Release Facility, Topeka Correctional Facility, Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex, El Dorado Correctional Facility, Ellsworth Correctional Facility and Hutchinson Correctional Facility.The resident at NCF is a male over the age of 30. In order to protect the identity of the person, no other information will be released. Mandatory mask protocol for staff and residents was implemented on July 3.The KDOC has been in consultation with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on next steps to address these circumstances. As a result of that consultation with KDHE, the following steps were implemented:<ul>
 <li>The East Unit, consisting of 96 men, will quarantine in place for a minimum of 14 days</li><li>Testing of the entire living unit and staff will be conducted</li><li>Contact tracing was conducted to determine who among our staff and residents have been in close contact with this individual</li><li>KDOC will remain diligent in monitoring other staff and residents for symptoms</li>
 </ul>“As positive COVID-19 cases in Kansas continue to rise toward record levels, family members are undoubtedly worried about their loved ones in our prison system,” Zmuda said. “All of our residents are important to us and we will work diligently to ensure their continued health and wellbeing.”

Eighth Kansas correctional facility reports inmate with coronavirus

By SHERMAN SMITH &amp; TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/23/medical-experts-dispute-claims-by-kansas-board-of-education-member/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas State Board of Education member Michelle Dombrosky confronted health secretary Lee Norman <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/22/kansas-board-of-education-blocks-gov-laura-kellys-plan-to-delay-k-12-classes/">during Wednesday’s meeting</a>
 to ask why his advice — to delay the start of school for three weeks — 
conflicts with the opinion of other medical experts in the state.

The board member from Olathe identified Children’s Mercy Hospital, the Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics,
 the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians and the University of Kansas 
Medical Center as organizations that offered this advice: “Get the kids 
back in school.”

None of those 
organizations expressed support or opposition before Wednesday’s meeting
 regarding Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order, which would have delayed 
in-person instruction and activities at public and private K-12 schools 
until after Labor Day. Dombrosky opposed the governor’s order, which 
fell one vote short of approval as the state board voted 5-5.

“I’m just looking at 
Children’s Mercy. I’m just looking at pediatrics. And there’s a lot of 
them saying get the kids back in school,” Dombrosky said. “We should be 
listening to the doctors, not the politicians.”

Dombrosky didn’t respond 
to an email asking her to clarify her remarks. Medical experts, 
including Norman, agree that placing children in public schools is good 
for their well-being. The question is when is it safe to do so.

“You don’t have to 
convince me or other public health officials,” said Norman, secretary of
 the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “We very well 
recognize there are many things other than education — there are 
benefits for mental health and nutrition, all sorts of things. The 
motivation is absolutely to get kids back into school. No question about
 it. Just want to make sure it’s done safely.”

Kelly proposed the delay 
in response to a surge in coronavirus cases in some areas of the state. 
Board members who opposed the order preferred to give control to local 
school boards who can decide whether COVID-19 poses a threat in their 
area.

Lisa Augustine, 
spokeswoman for Children’s Mercy Hospital, said “the decision to resume 
in-person schooling should be made by the local school and school system
 in conjunction with the local health department.” However, Children’s 
Mercy didn’t share any advice with board members, Augustine said.

Other organizations more directly refuted Dombrosky’s comments.

Chad
 Johanning, president of the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians, said 
the organization supports physically reopening schools but only when it 
can be done safely. The organization has not counseled members of the board of education, he said.

“Delaying reopening and 
affirming the governor’s order during this recent increase in COVID 
cases will support the safe reopening of our schools,” Johanning said. 
“It is unfortunate that the AAFP position on reopening school is being 
spun politically to meet a political goal.”

Jill Chadwick, a 
spokeswoman for the University of Kansas Health System, said Dombrosky 
misunderstood or took out of context any statements made by the medical 
network’s experts.

“It needs to be made 
clear,” Chadwick said. “The University of Kansas Health System has not 
and will not take a position on the governor’s executive order.”

Mel Hudelson, executive director of Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics,
 said decisions about when to return to classrooms should be guided by 
public health agencies rather than politics. KAAP supports the efforts 
of KDHE, the agency led by Norman.

“Public health experts 
should tell us when the time is best to safely open school buildings, 
and educators and administrators should shape how we do it,” Hudelson 
said. “These decisions should take into account the spread of COVID-19 
in the state and the ability of school districts to adapt to make 
in-person learning safe.”

Thousands of public 
comments were submitted to the state Board of Education in advance of 
the vote. The written comments included insight of two Wichita-area 
pediatricians who endorsed Kelly’s recommendation to put off school for 
three weeks.

Paul Teran, a member of 
the pediatrics department at the KU School of Medicine in Wichita, said 
opening schools to 500,000 students and thousands of educators in August
 would be unwise.

“Delaying school reopening
 until after Labor Day will allow public health officials to have a 
better understanding of the viral transmission in our state and also 
give schools more time to prepare and implement measures that will 
improve student and staff safety,” Teran said.

“It is very important that
 we get our students back into the school setting as soon as we can,” 
said Stephanie Kuhlmann, an associate professor of pediatrics at KU 
School of Medicine who practices medicine at Wesley Children’s Hospital 
in Wichita. “However, it is even more important that our students return
 to school in the safest manner and environment as possible.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595520945214.png" alt="Health secretary Lee Norman outlines the growing number of COVID-19 infections in Kansas during a news conference last week in which Gov. Laura Kelly announced her order to keep schools closed until after Labor Day. On Wednesday, Norman told board members that schools can't be safe islands in unsafe communities. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Health secretary Lee Norman outlines the growing number of COVID-19 infections in Kansas during a news conference last week in which Gov. Laura Kelly announced her order to keep schools closed until after Labor Day. On Wednesday, Norman told board members that schools can't be safe islands in unsafe communities. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH &amp; TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/23/medical-experts-dispute-claims-by-kansas-board-of-education-member/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas State Board of Education member Michelle Dombrosky confronted health secretary Lee Norman <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/22/kansas-board-of-education-blocks-gov-laura-kellys-plan-to-delay-k-12-classes/">during Wednesday’s meeting</a>
 to ask why his advice — to delay the start of school for three weeks — 
conflicts with the opinion of other medical experts in the state.The board member from Olathe identified Children’s Mercy Hospital, the Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics,
 the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians and the University of Kansas 
Medical Center as organizations that offered this advice: “Get the kids 
back in school.”None of those 
organizations expressed support or opposition before Wednesday’s meeting
 regarding Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order, which would have delayed 
in-person instruction and activities at public and private K-12 schools 
until after Labor Day. Dombrosky opposed the governor’s order, which 
fell one vote short of approval as the state board voted 5-5.“I’m just looking at 
Children’s Mercy. I’m just looking at pediatrics. And there’s a lot of 
them saying get the kids back in school,” Dombrosky said. “We should be 
listening to the doctors, not the politicians.”Dombrosky didn’t respond 
to an email asking her to clarify her remarks. Medical experts, 
including Norman, agree that placing children in public schools is good 
for their well-being. The question is when is it safe to do so.“You don’t have to 
convince me or other public health officials,” said Norman, secretary of
 the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “We very well 
recognize there are many things other than education — there are 
benefits for mental health and nutrition, all sorts of things. The 
motivation is absolutely to get kids back into school. No question about
 it. Just want to make sure it’s done safely.”Kelly proposed the delay 
in response to a surge in coronavirus cases in some areas of the state. 
Board members who opposed the order preferred to give control to local 
school boards who can decide whether COVID-19 poses a threat in their 
area.Lisa Augustine, 
spokeswoman for Children’s Mercy Hospital, said “the decision to resume 
in-person schooling should be made by the local school and school system
 in conjunction with the local health department.” However, Children’s 
Mercy didn’t share any advice with board members, Augustine said.Other organizations more directly refuted Dombrosky’s comments.Chad
 Johanning, president of the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians, said 
the organization supports physically reopening schools but only when it 
can be done safely. The organization has not counseled members of the board of education, he said.“Delaying reopening and 
affirming the governor’s order during this recent increase in COVID 
cases will support the safe reopening of our schools,” Johanning said. 
“It is unfortunate that the AAFP position on reopening school is being 
spun politically to meet a political goal.”Jill Chadwick, a 
spokeswoman for the University of Kansas Health System, said Dombrosky 
misunderstood or took out of context any statements made by the medical 
network’s experts.“It needs to be made 
clear,” Chadwick said. “The University of Kansas Health System has not 
and will not take a position on the governor’s executive order.”Mel Hudelson, executive director of Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics,
 said decisions about when to return to classrooms should be guided by 
public health agencies rather than politics. KAAP supports the efforts 
of KDHE, the agency led by Norman.“Public health experts 
should tell us when the time is best to safely open school buildings, 
and educators and administrators should shape how we do it,” Hudelson 
said. “These decisions should take into account the spread of COVID-19 
in the state and the ability of school districts to adapt to make 
in-person learning safe.”Thousands of public 
comments were submitted to the state Board of Education in advance of 
the vote. The written comments included insight of two Wichita-area 
pediatricians who endorsed Kelly’s recommendation to put off school for 
three weeks.Paul Teran, a member of 
the pediatrics department at the KU School of Medicine in Wichita, said 
opening schools to 500,000 students and thousands of educators in August
 would be unwise.“Delaying school reopening
 until after Labor Day will allow public health officials to have a 
better understanding of the viral transmission in our state and also 
give schools more time to prepare and implement measures that will 
improve student and staff safety,” Teran said.“It is very important that
 we get our students back into the school setting as soon as we can,” 
said Stephanie Kuhlmann, an associate professor of pediatrics at KU 
School of Medicine who practices medicine at Wesley Children’s Hospital 
in Wichita. “However, it is even more important that our students return
 to school in the safest manner and environment as possible.”

Medical experts dispute claims by Kansas Board of Education member

TOPEKA&nbsp;-&nbsp; Majors&nbsp;Scott Harrington&nbsp;and&nbsp;Josh Kellerman&nbsp;are no longer employed with the Kansas Highway Patrol, according to a media release from the governor's office.

 The staff changes are part of Superintendent Colonel Herman Jones’ efforts to make the Kansas Highway Patrol as effective as possible in achieving the agency’s mission.

“Since my appointment last year, I have prioritized building a culture and a structure within our agency that will help our troopers best serve the people of Kansas,” Colonel Jones said. “I’m confident that the Kansas Highway Patrol will continue to grow stronger as an organization and improve our ability to carry out our mission.”&nbsp;

As a result of Governor Kelly’s and Colonel Jones’s commitment to a successful and transparent Kansas Highway Patrol, the Governor also released summaries of an internal and an independent investigation into complaints against Colonel Jones. The first investigation was conducted by the Department of Administration. The firm of Fisher, Patterson, Sayler &amp; Smith, LLP was then retained to conduct a thorough and independent investigation, to ensure a review of the complaints that was separate from the Kelly Administration.

The investigation conducted by the Department of Administration provided an assessment, rather than a judgement of the accusations. The independent investigation, which was concluded this week, found the complaints of sexual harassment against Colonel Jones were unsubstantiated.

“My administration has a responsibility to make sure the agency and leadership are living up to the values that Kansans expect,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The Kansas Highway Patrol is our state’s premiere law enforcement agency, and they have a responsibility to meet the standard that comes with this position. While my confidence in the men and women who make up our force of troopers has never wavered, there is no question that there were cultural issues and a lack of accountability that go back years. I believed when I appointed him, that Colonel Jones was the right man for the job and my belief has been reaffirmed.&nbsp; He has my full support.”

Three primary complaints regarding Colonel Jones were raised and investigated. In order to protect the identities and privacy of the complainants in the investigation, who are valued employees still serving at the Kansas Highway Patrol, the investigations have been summarized below.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595516989688.png" alt="Colonel Herman Jones-photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Colonel Herman Jones-photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;-&nbsp; Majors&nbsp;Scott Harrington&nbsp;and&nbsp;Josh Kellerman&nbsp;are no longer employed with the Kansas Highway Patrol, according to a media release from the governor's office. The staff changes are part of Superintendent Colonel Herman Jones’ efforts to make the Kansas Highway Patrol as effective as possible in achieving the agency’s mission.“Since my appointment last year, I have prioritized building a culture and a structure within our agency that will help our troopers best serve the people of Kansas,” Colonel Jones said. “I’m confident that the Kansas Highway Patrol will continue to grow stronger as an organization and improve our ability to carry out our mission.”&nbsp;As a result of Governor Kelly’s and Colonel Jones’s commitment to a successful and transparent Kansas Highway Patrol, the Governor also released summaries of an internal and an independent investigation into complaints against Colonel Jones. The first investigation was conducted by the Department of Administration. The firm of Fisher, Patterson, Sayler &amp; Smith, LLP was then retained to conduct a thorough and independent investigation, to ensure a review of the complaints that was separate from the Kelly Administration.The investigation conducted by the Department of Administration provided an assessment, rather than a judgement of the accusations. The independent investigation, which was concluded this week, found the complaints of sexual harassment against Colonel Jones were unsubstantiated.“My administration has a responsibility to make sure the agency and leadership are living up to the values that Kansans expect,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The Kansas Highway Patrol is our state’s premiere law enforcement agency, and they have a responsibility to meet the standard that comes with this position. While my confidence in the men and women who make up our force of troopers has never wavered, there is no question that there were cultural issues and a lack of accountability that go back years. I believed when I appointed him, that Colonel Jones was the right man for the job and my belief has been reaffirmed.&nbsp; He has my full support.”Three primary complaints regarding Colonel Jones were raised and investigated. In order to protect the identities and privacy of the complainants in the investigation, who are valued employees still serving at the Kansas Highway Patrol, the investigations have been summarized below.&nbsp;<ol>
 <li>Complaints of sexual harassment in the form of unwanted/unwelcome physical contact and verbal comments.</li><li>These complaints were raised by three KHP employees and generally alleged that Colonel Jones greeted the employees by slapping their backs, shaking their hands, patting their shoulders, hugging, standing close to the employee, and sometimes making awkward comments that were not of a sexual nature.</li><li>Investigators interviewed the complainants, other witnesses, and Colonel Jones. The employees did not allege that the physical contact or comments were of a sexual nature. Colonel Jones was interviewed and indicated that he did not know the physical nature of the greetings made the employees uncomfortable and would avoid such contact in the future.</li><li>The investigation exonerates Col. Jones with respect to the complaints of sexual harassment/discrimination.</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Complaints of misuse of a state aircraft.</li><li>Another complaint alleged that Colonel Jones misused a state aircraft for his family to travel on vacation.</li><li>Investigators interviewed witnesses, obtained flight logs, and interviewed Colonel Jones.</li><li>The investigation determined that Colonel Jones has used a state aircraft only twice. In Spring 2019 he flew to Pratt for a funeral of a law enforcement officer in Greensburg and flew back to Wichita for a graduation ceremony. This was state business and an appropriate use of the aircraft. Colonel Jones also used a state aircraft in July 2019 to return early from a vacation in Eagle, Colorado, so that he could attend a Governor’s Cabinet meeting. The vacation had been scheduled and paid for long before Colonel Jones was appointed KHP Superintendent, and the Governor’s Cabinet meeting was mandatory for all Cabinet members. Colonel Jones left his vacation several days early to return to work and none of his family accompanied him on the flight. This was also an appropriate use of the aircraft for state business.</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Complaint of gender discrimination.</li><li>Another complaint involved a KHP employee arising from a number of unrelated administrative actions. The employee did not initially feel any of the actions were motivated by gender discrimination. The employee raised the issue to Human Resources after another employee suggested an action may have been the result of gender bias.</li><li>The investigators interviewed the employee, Colonel Jones, and other witnesses.</li><li>The investigation determined Colonel Jones’ administrative actions and decisions were not motivated by gender discrimination but were instead consistent with various KHP policy and accountability priorities.</li>
 </ol>

Top 2 KHP Troopers terminated, Superintendent investigated 

SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in Wellington and have one suspect in custody.

A 1:43p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 800 block of East 16th Street in Wellington, according Police Captain Paul Nefzger.

Upon arrival officers found the victim who had been shot in the chest. He died at the scene.

According to Nefzger, investigators determined two vehicle&nbsp; westbound on 16th Street when someone in a car shot at the pickup and hitting the victim.&nbsp;

After visiting with witnesses, police had one suspect in custody Wednesday evening, according to Nefzger. Charges against the suspect are expected Thursday.&nbsp; Walter Edward Taylor, 21, is being held without bond on a requested charge of second-degree murder, according to online jail records in Sumner County.

Officers continue to question others and have received videos from citizens to assist with the investigation, according to Nefzger.

Anyone who may have additional information is encouraged to contact police in Wellington.

Nefzger did not released the victim's name late Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595470296475.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation in Wellington photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation in Wellington photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in Wellington and have one suspect in custody.A 1:43p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 800 block of East 16th Street in Wellington, according Police Captain Paul Nefzger.Upon arrival officers found the victim who had been shot in the chest. He died at the scene.According to Nefzger, investigators determined two vehicle&nbsp; westbound on 16th Street when someone in a car shot at the pickup and hitting the victim.&nbsp;After visiting with witnesses, police had one suspect in custody Wednesday evening, according to Nefzger. Charges against the suspect are expected Thursday.&nbsp; Walter Edward Taylor, 21, is being held without bond on a requested charge of second-degree murder, according to online jail records in Sumner County.Officers continue to question others and have received videos from citizens to assist with the investigation, according to Nefzger.Anyone who may have additional information is encouraged to contact police in Wellington.Nefzger did not released the victim's name late Wednesday.

Police: 1 suspect in custody after fatal Kansas drive-by shooting 

By ALLISON WINTER <a href="http://n">Kansas Reflector</a>

Leaders of the companies 
working on some of the top candidates for COVID-19 vaccines predict they
 should have shots available by early 2021 but said they will rely on 
the federal government to determine how to distribute them.

The heads of five 
biopharmaceutical companies with promising vaccine candidates told 
members of Congress on Tuesday they think they will be able to produce a
 safe and effective vaccine by next year.

“Unfortunately, today the 
pandemic is far ahead of us, but we in the biopharmaceutical industry 
are closing in faster than we ever imagined possible,” said Julie 
Gerberding, a vice president and chief patient officer at Merck.

Gerberding, the former 
director of the Centers for Disease Control from 2002-2009, said there 
has been no political pressure to lower standards to speed up the 
vaccine and she was “relieved” by the rigor of the Food and Drug 
Administration’s guidelines for COVID-19 vaccine development.

“Speed is important but we
 will not compromise careful scientific efficacy, quality and above all 
safety as we evaluate the candidates, despite the emergency we all 
feel,” Gerberding said.

Lawmakers heard from the 
vaccine developers at a virtual hearing in the House Energy &amp; 
Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Colorado Democrat
 Diane DeGette, the chairwoman of the committee, said the updates on 
vaccine development is a “rare bit of good news in a harrowing time.”

Six months into the 
national public health crisis, she told the panel, COVID-19 case numbers
 continue to climb at a staggering rate and more than 140,000 Americans 
have died from the disease.

“As long as the Trump 
administration continues to shirk their responsibility to lead a 
coordinated national response effort, sickness and deaths are going to 
continue to mount,” DeGette said. “It is also clear we are not going to 
be able to contain this without a rapid and robust deployment of public 
health measures and medical countermeasures, including a safe and 
effective vaccine.”

The hearing came as 
President Donald Trump shifted his tone on the virus Tuesday, telling 
reporters it would “probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets 
better,” <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-coronavirus-will-get-worse-briefing/2020/07/21/2e224734-cb63-11ea-b0e3-d55bda07d66a_story.html">according to the&nbsp;Washington Post</a>. The United States has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world.

In Kansas, health officials have recorded 23,000 infections and 307 deaths from the illness. The state Board of Education was <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/21/kansas-board-of-education-to-vote-on-gov-laura-kellys-plan-to-delay-school-opening/">expected to vote Wednesday morning</a>
 on Gov. Laura Kelly’s orders to delay in-person instruction in public 
schools and require daily temperature checks and the wearing of masks 
inside schools when they open.

There is a massive 
worldwide effort to develop vaccines and treatment for COVID-19. There 
are more than 660 unique compounds in various stages of development, 
including 173 vaccine candidates, 196 antivirals and 292 treatments, 
according to Gerberding.

The United States already has invested nearly $2.3 billion in the effort to find a vaccine.

The five companies that 
testified before House lawmakers Tuesday have each had promising 
responses in early trials for their vaccines. Several, including 
AstraZeneca and Moderna, have begun to test the vaccines on humans and 
published positive results. They both found creation of COVID antibodies
 and a T-cell immune response that could help fend off future 
infections.

“Everybody knows time is 
of the essence in the search for a vaccine and obviously everybody wants
 one as quickly as possible, but we need to make sure it is going to be 
safe and effective,” DeGette said.

She asked the medical executives for a “quick and honest assessment” on the likelihood of success and timeline for the vaccines.

Most said they expect to 
have millions of doses available by 2021, depending on the success of 
their phase three trials. The first two trials of vaccines focus 
primarily on smaller groups of volunteers that are healthy. Phase three 
will branch out to test tens of thousands of volunteers representing a 
spectrum of ages, races and risk groups.

The executives testifying before DeGette’s committee were largely optimistic.

“We have a line of sight 
on a clear, critical path to be able to deliver up to 100 million 
vaccines on a commercial scale in 2020 and up to a billion in 2021,” 
said John Young, chief business officer for Pfizer, the only company at 
the hearing that did not take federal research money. “There are 
encouraging early signs but there is much work left to do.”

Once a vaccine is 
approved, there remains the question of how to get it to the people that
 need it. Each of the company executives said they would rely on the 
government to allocate and distribute the vaccines — an approach that 
concerned some Democrats.

“The availability of 
ancillary supplies for a vaccine will require coordination. … Past 
supply failures by this administration make me wary,” said Rep. Paul 
Tonko (D-NY).

Rep. Jan Schakowsky 
(D-Ill.) asked each company if they would make their vaccine available 
at cost. Most replies were in the negative.

“We will not sell it at 
cost, no ma’am,” said Moderna president Stephen Hoge. Moderna received 
$480 million from the U.S. government to help speed its research on a 
vaccine.

Gerberding said Merck also would not offer its vaccine at cost.

Mene Pangalos, executive 
vice president at AstraZeneca, said under the terms of its agreement 
with the U.S. government his company would offer the first 300 million 
doses to the government without making a profit. And Johnson &amp; 
Johnson’s head of clinical development, Macaya Douoguih, said it plans 
to offer the vaccine at a “not for profit price during the emergency 
pandemic.”

John Young, chief business
 officer at Pfizer, said his company would charge a price “consistent 
with the urgent global health emergency” during the pandemic.

Trump has promised a 
vaccine by the end of the year, also raising concerns among some 
Democrats that his administration would rush to approve one. But company
 executives said there has been no political pressure to speed up a 
vaccine and compromise safety or efficacy.

“The FDA is not loosening any standards,” Gerberding said.

Rep. John Sarbanes, a Democrat who represents Maryland’s 3rd District, was skeptical.

“There is a tension 
between safety and speed,” Sarbanes said. “Tell me why it is you are 
able to move so fast without sacrificing safety, when we lay that 
against what the normal procedures would be?”

Company executives replied
 that their unusually fast timelines for vaccine development are a 
result of collaboration, extra funding for research, and prioritization 
from the FDA, including clear guidelines ahead of time on what will be 
needed for approval.

AstraZeneca’s Pangalos 
said the global nature of the vaccine creates many backstops. His 
company this week published a new study that shows promising early 
findings on its vaccine candidate.

“Remember this is going to
 be a vaccine that is going to be used globally, so every regulatory 
authority is going to have a view on the safety and efficacy of our 
vaccine,” Pangalos said.

He said the FDA’s guidelines “do not lower standards in any way.”

FDA released detailed 
guidance at the end of June detailing what would be necessary for a 
vaccine to be approved. One requirement is that it must be at least 50% 
effective at preventing COVID-19 infections.

Allison Winter is a Washington, D.C., correspondent for States Newsroom, a network of state-based nonprofit news outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.

By ALLISON WINTER <a href="http://n">Kansas Reflector</a>Leaders of the companies 
working on some of the top candidates for COVID-19 vaccines predict they
 should have shots available by early 2021 but said they will rely on 
the federal government to determine how to distribute them.The heads of five 
biopharmaceutical companies with promising vaccine candidates told 
members of Congress on Tuesday they think they will be able to produce a
 safe and effective vaccine by next year.“Unfortunately, today the 
pandemic is far ahead of us, but we in the biopharmaceutical industry 
are closing in faster than we ever imagined possible,” said Julie 
Gerberding, a vice president and chief patient officer at Merck.Gerberding, the former 
director of the Centers for Disease Control from 2002-2009, said there 
has been no political pressure to lower standards to speed up the 
vaccine and she was “relieved” by the rigor of the Food and Drug 
Administration’s guidelines for COVID-19 vaccine development.“Speed is important but we
 will not compromise careful scientific efficacy, quality and above all 
safety as we evaluate the candidates, despite the emergency we all 
feel,” Gerberding said.Lawmakers heard from the 
vaccine developers at a virtual hearing in the House Energy &amp; 
Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Colorado Democrat
 Diane DeGette, the chairwoman of the committee, said the updates on 
vaccine development is a “rare bit of good news in a harrowing time.”Six months into the 
national public health crisis, she told the panel, COVID-19 case numbers
 continue to climb at a staggering rate and more than 140,000 Americans 
have died from the disease.“As long as the Trump 
administration continues to shirk their responsibility to lead a 
coordinated national response effort, sickness and deaths are going to 
continue to mount,” DeGette said. “It is also clear we are not going to 
be able to contain this without a rapid and robust deployment of public 
health measures and medical countermeasures, including a safe and 
effective vaccine.”The hearing came as 
President Donald Trump shifted his tone on the virus Tuesday, telling 
reporters it would “probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets 
better,” <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-coronavirus-will-get-worse-briefing/2020/07/21/2e224734-cb63-11ea-b0e3-d55bda07d66a_story.html">according to the&nbsp;Washington Post</a>. The United States has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world.In Kansas, health officials have recorded 23,000 infections and 307 deaths from the illness. The state Board of Education was <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/21/kansas-board-of-education-to-vote-on-gov-laura-kellys-plan-to-delay-school-opening/">expected to vote Wednesday morning</a>
 on Gov. Laura Kelly’s orders to delay in-person instruction in public 
schools and require daily temperature checks and the wearing of masks 
inside schools when they open.‘Encouraging, early signs’There is a massive 
worldwide effort to develop vaccines and treatment for COVID-19. There 
are more than 660 unique compounds in various stages of development, 
including 173 vaccine candidates, 196 antivirals and 292 treatments, 
according to Gerberding.The United States already has invested nearly $2.3 billion in the effort to find a vaccine.The five companies that 
testified before House lawmakers Tuesday have each had promising 
responses in early trials for their vaccines. Several, including 
AstraZeneca and Moderna, have begun to test the vaccines on humans and 
published positive results. They both found creation of COVID antibodies
 and a T-cell immune response that could help fend off future 
infections.“Everybody knows time is 
of the essence in the search for a vaccine and obviously everybody wants
 one as quickly as possible, but we need to make sure it is going to be 
safe and effective,” DeGette said.She asked the medical executives for a “quick and honest assessment” on the likelihood of success and timeline for the vaccines.Most said they expect to 
have millions of doses available by 2021, depending on the success of 
their phase three trials. The first two trials of vaccines focus 
primarily on smaller groups of volunteers that are healthy. Phase three 
will branch out to test tens of thousands of volunteers representing a 
spectrum of ages, races and risk groups.The executives testifying before DeGette’s committee were largely optimistic.“We have a line of sight 
on a clear, critical path to be able to deliver up to 100 million 
vaccines on a commercial scale in 2020 and up to a billion in 2021,” 
said John Young, chief business officer for Pfizer, the only company at 
the hearing that did not take federal research money. “There are 
encouraging early signs but there is much work left to do.”Once a vaccine is 
approved, there remains the question of how to get it to the people that
 need it. Each of the company executives said they would rely on the 
government to allocate and distribute the vaccines — an approach that 
concerned some Democrats.“The availability of 
ancillary supplies for a vaccine will require coordination. … Past 
supply failures by this administration make me wary,” said Rep. Paul 
Tonko (D-NY).Rep. Jan Schakowsky 
(D-Ill.) asked each company if they would make their vaccine available 
at cost. Most replies were in the negative.“We will not sell it at 
cost, no ma’am,” said Moderna president Stephen Hoge. Moderna received 
$480 million from the U.S. government to help speed its research on a 
vaccine.Gerberding said Merck also would not offer its vaccine at cost.Mene Pangalos, executive 
vice president at AstraZeneca, said under the terms of its agreement 
with the U.S. government his company would offer the first 300 million 
doses to the government without making a profit. And Johnson &amp; 
Johnson’s head of clinical development, Macaya Douoguih, said it plans 
to offer the vaccine at a “not for profit price during the emergency 
pandemic.”John Young, chief business
 officer at Pfizer, said his company would charge a price “consistent 
with the urgent global health emergency” during the pandemic.‘Not loosening any standards’Trump has promised a 
vaccine by the end of the year, also raising concerns among some 
Democrats that his administration would rush to approve one. But company
 executives said there has been no political pressure to speed up a 
vaccine and compromise safety or efficacy.“The FDA is not loosening any standards,” Gerberding said.Rep. John Sarbanes, a Democrat who represents Maryland’s 3rd District, was skeptical.“There is a tension 
between safety and speed,” Sarbanes said. “Tell me why it is you are 
able to move so fast without sacrificing safety, when we lay that 
against what the normal procedures would be?”Company executives replied
 that their unusually fast timelines for vaccine development are a 
result of collaboration, extra funding for research, and prioritization 
from the FDA, including clear guidelines ahead of time on what will be 
needed for approval.AstraZeneca’s Pangalos 
said the global nature of the vaccine creates many backstops. His 
company this week published a new study that shows promising early 
findings on its vaccine candidate.“Remember this is going to
 be a vaccine that is going to be used globally, so every regulatory 
authority is going to have a view on the safety and efficacy of our 
vaccine,” Pangalos said.He said the FDA’s guidelines “do not lower standards in any way.”FDA released detailed 
guidance at the end of June detailing what would be necessary for a 
vaccine to be approved. One requirement is that it must be at least 50% 
effective at preventing COVID-19 infections.Allison Winter is a Washington, D.C., correspondent for States Newsroom, a network of state-based nonprofit news outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.

Vaccine makers deny political pressure in race for safe, effective shot

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a man to the hospital with serious injuries.&nbsp;

Just after 2:20 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 5100 Block of E. Harry in Wichita for a shooting call, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers located a 32-year-old man who had a gunshot wound to his face. He was transported to a local hospital, where he remains with a serious but non-life-threatening injury.

The investigation revealed that the victim was in the area, and a disturbance ensued between him and a known male suspect. 

The suspect fired a gun during the disturbance, striking the victim in the face. The suspect left the area in a vehicle and has not been located.

This was not a random incident, and investigators are working to locate the suspect, according to Davidson.

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a man to the hospital with serious injuries.&nbsp;Just after 2:20 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 5100 Block of E. Harry in Wichita for a shooting call, according to officer Charley Davidson.Upon arrival, officers located a 32-year-old man who had a gunshot wound to his face. He was transported to a local hospital, where he remains with a serious but non-life-threatening injury.The investigation revealed that the victim was in the area, and a disturbance ensued between him and a known male suspect. The suspect fired a gun during the disturbance, striking the victim in the face. The suspect left the area in a vehicle and has not been located.This was not a random incident, and investigators are working to locate the suspect, according to Davidson.

Police: 32-year-old Kansas man shot in the face

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City man has been charged in the fatal shooting of a pregnant woman who was pushing a baby stroller.

Jovon Burrell, 19, was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 20-year-old Diamon Eichlburger, She was killed Monday at a convenience store in east Kansas City.

Burrell told police a passenger in his car, whom he didn't know, shot Eichlburger and he didn't know why, the Jackson County prosecutor's office said Wednesday.

Eichlburger’s boyfriend told police they were leaving the store with a 1-year-old child when a car stopped and someone inside asked, "Ain’t you Diamon?”

When Eichlburger said yes, someone in the car began shooting, prosecutors said. The child was not injured. Eichlburger’s boyfriend told police she was four months pregnant.

Burrell acknowledged writing a post on Facebook after the shooting that ended with “she dead she dead,” and panned between the crime scene and a gun on someone's lap. But he said the post was a coincidence and not related to Eichlburger’s death, according to the court documents.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said more charges against Burrell or others are possible as the investigation continues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595470452421.png" alt="Burrell" />
 <figcaption>Burrell</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City man has been charged in the fatal shooting of a pregnant woman who was pushing a baby stroller.Jovon Burrell, 19, was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 20-year-old Diamon Eichlburger, She was killed Monday at a convenience store in east Kansas City.Burrell told police a passenger in his car, whom he didn't know, shot Eichlburger and he didn't know why, the Jackson County prosecutor's office said Wednesday.Eichlburger’s boyfriend told police they were leaving the store with a 1-year-old child when a car stopped and someone inside asked, "Ain’t you Diamon?”When Eichlburger said yes, someone in the car began shooting, prosecutors said. The child was not injured. Eichlburger’s boyfriend told police she was four months pregnant.Burrell acknowledged writing a post on Facebook after the shooting that ended with “she dead she dead,” and panned between the crime scene and a gun on someone's lap. But he said the post was a coincidence and not related to Eichlburger’s death, according to the court documents.Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said more charges against Burrell or others are possible as the investigation continues.

Kansas City man charged in shooting death of pregnant woman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595499501642.png" alt="Sedgwick County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Sedgwick County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA —The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office was notified Wednesday that a second inmate has tested positive for COVID19, according to Lt. Tim Myers.&nbsp; This case is not related to the previous case reported on July 20.This inmate reported he was sick on July 18. The inmate was immediately placed in quarantine pending the results of the COVID19 test.&nbsp; The inmate was tested by the contracted medical provider of the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on July 20, 2020, because he was symptomatic.&nbsp;&nbsp; The inmate was informed of the positive results today and was instructed to quarantine at home prior to being released from the Sedgwick County Detention Facility.We contacted the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for their recommendations in regards to further testing for staff and inmates.&nbsp; Based on their advice, the contracted medical provider will offer testing to 12 staff members and 49 inmates that had possible contact with the inmate.&nbsp; Forty-seven inmates will be quarantined until they are medically cleared.&nbsp; Two inmates who reported symptoms of COVID19 today were placed in isolation.&nbsp;Three inmates were released from the Sedgwick County Detention Facility prior to the inmate receiving the positive test results.&nbsp; KDHE will be contacting those individuals.&nbsp;The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office will also be contacting judges, members of the DA’s office, and defense attorneys about the positive test result.&nbsp;Jail staff is continuing to maintain sanitization standards to take care of&nbsp; staff and inmates which include issuing extra soap, and having disinfectant available as needed, according to Myers.All staff members have been issued masks to wear, and all inmates have been issued face coverings for the last several months.&nbsp; We also have a full medical staff on site. Additionally we have employed a contractor to sterilize the facility.If more inmates need to be quarantined or isolated, we already have an established plan to minimize further exposure to staff and inmates.&nbsp;&nbsp;

2nd inmate this week with coronavirus at Kan. county jail

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A massive federal operation underway in Kansas City that targets violent crime has been largely welcomed by law enforcement and state officials, while some civil rights organizations are strongly opposed to having federal agents involved in solving local crimes.

Under the federal effort — dubbed Operation Legend after 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was fatally shot while sleeping in his bed in Kansas City — 225 federal agents from the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined 400 agents already working and living in the Kansas City area.

Federal officials have said the operation will not mirror one in Portland, Oregon, where the actions of federal officers outside the U.S. courthouse — hailed by President Donald Trump, but done without local consent — have resulted in clashes between protesters and camouflaged, unidentified agents.

The agents in Kansas City will investigate homicides, shootings and violent crime in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies, officials say.

“Operation Legend has no relationship whatsoever to protests, marches and demonstrations,” said Don Ledford, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office for the western district of Missouri. “That is not their intent, that is not their function. There will be no Homeland Security agents as part of this operation. These are investigative law enforcement agencies.”

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said he supports the operation as long as it adheres to those goals and does not expand federal agents' responsibilities in the city.

Lucas expressed frustration Wednesday with the language Trump and U.S. Attorney William Barr used while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/eaa951c352353133c0ea95c12fa05781">announcing an expansion&nbsp;</a>of the program into other cities. Trump tied the violence in some Democratic-controlled U.S. cities to a recent effort to defund or dismantle police departments.

Lucas said no data supported Trump's arguments, which he said was aimed at heightening racial tension and dividing the country as part of the president's reelection campaign. Lucas said he wanted to find justice for gunshot victims.

"To get that justice, you don't have to actually claim that cities are failures and to get that justice you don't have to make our community part of a political ploy in an election year,” Lucas said.

Federal officials will not say when agents started arriving in Kansas City for Operation Legend, but it was announced at a news conference in Washington on July 8.

Kansas City was chosen for the federal operation in part because of an increase in homicides and shootings in recent months, Ledford said. Local police statistics show the city has had 106 homicides as of Sunday, up from 79 at this time a year ago.

Before agents were sent to Kansas City, U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison contacted the governor's office. In a July 7, letter to Garrison, Republican Gov. Michael Parson wrote that such assistance with combating violent crime was “greatly welcomed.”

Lucas noted that Barr said Wednesday that 200 arrests have already been made in Kansas City, although the U.S. attorney's office in Kansas City has announced only one — a gun violation not related to a homicide.

Lucas said he has no information about the 200 arrests. He said city officials and the public should get more information about what the program is actually doing.

The mayor stressed that he wants federal help to solve violent crimes, homicides and long-term criminal problems, but does not want the program's resources diverted to other crimes just to inflate arrest numbers and “add more people to jail.”

The Kansas City Police Department and the state attorney general's office both said they support the effort.

"We are all committed to lowering violent crime and bringing justice to the families of those victims of violent crime,” said city police spokesman Jacob Becchina.

Several civil rights organizations in the area have criticized the operation, arguing that minority residents who already don't trust local officers will be even less likely to cooperate with federal agents.

Gwendolyn Grant, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, said she doubts the federal officers will be used only to help solve crimes and reduced violence.

“Certainly we want these unsolved crimes addressed, we want safe communities, we just disagree on pathway to get there. Who doesn’t want safe, livable communities?" she said.

“We want it stopped, but we don’t believe this is the way to get it done. It’s just going to create more violence, and our fear is a lot of that will be dealt with by law enforcement that we don’t trust.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595499833946.png" alt="President Trump recognized the family of LeGend Taliferro's during Wednesday's event at the White House." />
 <figcaption>President Trump recognized the family of LeGend Taliferro's during Wednesday's event at the White House.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A massive federal operation underway in Kansas City that targets violent crime has been largely welcomed by law enforcement and state officials, while some civil rights organizations are strongly opposed to having federal agents involved in solving local crimes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595354920053.png" alt="LeGend Taliferro photo U.S. Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>LeGend Taliferro photo U.S. Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>Under the federal effort — dubbed Operation Legend after 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was fatally shot while sleeping in his bed in Kansas City — 225 federal agents from the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined 400 agents already working and living in the Kansas City area.Federal officials have said the operation will not mirror one in Portland, Oregon, where the actions of federal officers outside the U.S. courthouse — hailed by President Donald Trump, but done without local consent — have resulted in clashes between protesters and camouflaged, unidentified agents.The agents in Kansas City will investigate homicides, shootings and violent crime in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies, officials say.“Operation Legend has no relationship whatsoever to protests, marches and demonstrations,” said Don Ledford, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office for the western district of Missouri. “That is not their intent, that is not their function. There will be no Homeland Security agents as part of this operation. These are investigative law enforcement agencies.”Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said he supports the operation as long as it adheres to those goals and does not expand federal agents' responsibilities in the city.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595499749808.png" alt="Attorney General William Barr&nbsp;said Wednesday that 200 arrests have already been made in Kansas City-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Attorney General William Barr&nbsp;said Wednesday that 200 arrests have already been made in Kansas City-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Lucas expressed frustration Wednesday with the language Trump and U.S. Attorney William Barr used while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/eaa951c352353133c0ea95c12fa05781">announcing an expansion&nbsp;</a>of the program into other cities. Trump tied the violence in some Democratic-controlled U.S. cities to a recent effort to defund or dismantle police departments.Lucas said no data supported Trump's arguments, which he said was aimed at heightening racial tension and dividing the country as part of the president's reelection campaign. Lucas said he wanted to find justice for gunshot victims."To get that justice, you don't have to actually claim that cities are failures and to get that justice you don't have to make our community part of a political ploy in an election year,” Lucas said.Federal officials will not say when agents started arriving in Kansas City for Operation Legend, but it was announced at a news conference in Washington on July 8.Kansas City was chosen for the federal operation in part because of an increase in homicides and shootings in recent months, Ledford said. Local police statistics show the city has had 106 homicides as of Sunday, up from 79 at this time a year ago.Before agents were sent to Kansas City, U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison contacted the governor's office. In a July 7, letter to Garrison, Republican Gov. Michael Parson wrote that such assistance with combating violent crime was “greatly welcomed.”Lucas noted that Barr said Wednesday that 200 arrests have already been made in Kansas City, although the U.S. attorney's office in Kansas City has announced only one — a gun violation not related to a homicide.Lucas said he has no information about the 200 arrests. He said city officials and the public should get more information about what the program is actually doing.The mayor stressed that he wants federal help to solve violent crimes, homicides and long-term criminal problems, but does not want the program's resources diverted to other crimes just to inflate arrest numbers and “add more people to jail.”The Kansas City Police Department and the state attorney general's office both said they support the effort."We are all committed to lowering violent crime and bringing justice to the families of those victims of violent crime,” said city police spokesman Jacob Becchina.Several civil rights organizations in the area have criticized the operation, arguing that minority residents who already don't trust local officers will be even less likely to cooperate with federal agents.Gwendolyn Grant, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, said she doubts the federal officers will be used only to help solve crimes and reduced violence.“Certainly we want these unsolved crimes addressed, we want safe communities, we just disagree on pathway to get there. Who doesn’t want safe, livable communities?" she said.“We want it stopped, but we don’t believe this is the way to get it done. It’s just going to create more violence, and our fear is a lot of that will be dealt with by law enforcement that we don’t trust.”___

Feds: 200 arrests in Kansas City violent crime sweep

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have exhumed the body of a Black man who died in 2004 in Kansas as federal officials continue to investigate the death as a possible hate crime. The body of Alonzo Brooks was exhumed from a Topeka cemetery on Tuesday. 

Brooks was 23 when he disappeared after attending a party in La Cynge, Kansas, in May 2004. His family later found his body in a creek near where the party was held. 

The FBI reopened the investigation in 2019 and in June of this year offered a $100,000 reward for information. 

His family said new information has come in since the case was featured recently on a national crime show.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591908849400.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have exhumed the body of a Black man who died in 2004 in Kansas as federal officials continue to investigate the death as a possible hate crime. The body of Alonzo Brooks was exhumed from a Topeka cemetery on Tuesday. Brooks was 23 when he disappeared after attending a party in La Cynge, Kansas, in May 2004. His family later found his body in a creek near where the party was held. The FBI reopened the investigation in 2019 and in June of this year offered a $100,000 reward for information. His family said new information has come in since the case was featured recently on a national crime show.

FBI: Body of Kansas man who died in 2004 exhumed 

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Restaurants won’t have to close early in Kansas’ largest city and bars won’t be shut down as long as a local health officer wanted because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Commissioners in Sedgwick County, home to Wichita, voted 4-1 on Wednesday to make an order from County Health Officer and Dr. Garold Minns less restrictive before the directive takes effect Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article244411602.html" target="_blank">The Wichita Eagle reported.</a>

Minns’ initial order shut bars down except for carryout and curbside service until Sept. 9. The county commission said the shutdown will last three weeks less, until Aug. 21.

The health officer also announced Tuesday that he would order restaurants to close at 10 p.m. and then directed them to close at 12:01 a.m. if they serve alcohol. The county commission removed the restriction on restaurants entirely.

Minns also sought to drop the limit on public gatherings from 45 people to 15. The county commission said larger gatherings are allowed in venues that can hold 2,000 or more people if groups of 15 can keep at least 6 feet apart.

Commissioner Michael O’Donnell still voted against the less restrictive measure. He said it is putting bar and nightclub employees out of work when they still have bills to pay.

Wichita, Kan. (AP) — A local public health official plans to close bars and restrict restaurant hours in the state’s largest city and the surrounding area until after Labor Day because of a surge in reported coronavirus cases over the past six weeks that’s been far worse than the state’s spike.

Dr. Garold Minns, Sedgwick County’s health officer, told county commissioners Tuesday that he will issue an order to close bars and nightclubs until Sept. 9 and direct restaurants to close at 10 p.m. He said he also plans to drop the limit on public gatherings from 45 to 15 and prohibit fairs, parades and festivals.

Minns issued an order two weeks ago requiring people to wear masks in public places after the county commission initially resisted a mandate.

The commission can change or overrule Minns’ order on bars, restaurants and public gatherings at a meeting Wednesday.

The state health department said Sedgwick County had 3,162 reported novel coronavirus cases as of Monday, a 362% increase from the 684 cases it had on June 10, when the state saw the growth in new cases bottom out after a spike in early May.

During the same period, the state saw its reported number of cases rise 115% to 23,334.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Restaurants won’t have to close early in Kansas’ largest city and bars won’t be shut down as long as a local health officer wanted because of the coronavirus pandemic.Commissioners in Sedgwick County, home to Wichita, voted 4-1 on Wednesday to make an order from County Health Officer and Dr. Garold Minns less restrictive before the directive takes effect Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article244411602.html" target="_blank">The Wichita Eagle reported.</a>Minns’ initial order shut bars down except for carryout and curbside service until Sept. 9. The county commission said the shutdown will last three weeks less, until Aug. 21.The health officer also announced Tuesday that he would order restaurants to close at 10 p.m. and then directed them to close at 12:01 a.m. if they serve alcohol. The county commission removed the restriction on restaurants entirely.Minns also sought to drop the limit on public gatherings from 45 people to 15. The county commission said larger gatherings are allowed in venues that can hold 2,000 or more people if groups of 15 can keep at least 6 feet apart.Commissioner Michael O’Donnell still voted against the less restrictive measure. He said it is putting bar and nightclub employees out of work when they still have bills to pay.Wichita, Kan. (AP) — A local public health official plans to close bars and restrict restaurant hours in the state’s largest city and the surrounding area until after Labor Day because of a surge in reported coronavirus cases over the past six weeks that’s been far worse than the state’s spike.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsedgwickcounty%2Fvideos%2F898830083940081%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>Dr. Garold Minns, Sedgwick County’s health officer, told county commissioners Tuesday that he will issue an order to close bars and nightclubs until Sept. 9 and direct restaurants to close at 10 p.m. He said he also plans to drop the limit on public gatherings from 45 to 15 and prohibit fairs, parades and festivals.Minns issued an order two weeks ago requiring people to wear masks in public places after the county commission initially resisted a mandate.The commission can change or overrule Minns’ order on bars, restaurants and public gatherings at a meeting Wednesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595264533467.png" alt="July 20, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>July 20, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The state health department said Sedgwick County had 3,162 reported novel coronavirus cases as of Monday, a 362% increase from the 684 cases it had on June 10, when the state saw the growth in new cases bottom out after a spike in early May.During the same period, the state saw its reported number of cases rise 115% to 23,334.

Update: County commission shortens shutdown of bars in Wichita area

SHAWNEE COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman on numerous drug charges following an investigation.&nbsp;

&nbsp;On Tuesday, police served a narcotics search warrant in the 2800 SE Wisconsin, in Topeka, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith. 

As a result of the investigation, police arrested 61-year-old Linda Faidley and booked her into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp;Cultivation of Marijuana, Distribution of Marijuana within a 1000 feet of a school and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595415748695.png" alt="Faidley photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Faidley photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman on numerous drug charges following an investigation.&nbsp;&nbsp;On Tuesday, police served a narcotics search warrant in the 2800 SE Wisconsin, in Topeka, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith. As a result of the investigation, police arrested 61-year-old Linda Faidley and booked her into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp;Cultivation of Marijuana, Distribution of Marijuana within a 1000 feet of a school and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Police: Kansas woman was growing marijuana near school

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug and other charges after a traffic stop

Just after 5p.m. July 17, a police officer conducted a traffic stop in the 2700 block of 10th Street in Great Bend for an equipment violation on a 2006 Hyundai Elantra, according to a media release from police.

During the stop, Police Service Dog, Menta was deployed and conducted a free air sniff around the exterior of the vehicle and indicated to the presence of illegal narcotics. 

A search of the vehicle was conducted, and an amount of controlled substances including marijuana, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia were located. 

Police arrested 23-year-old Sabrina Carr and 21-year-old Joshua Carey and transported to the Barton County Jail.

Carr also provided a false name and was booked for interference with law enforcement.&nbsp; Both Carr and Carey were booked on multiple outstanding warrants.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595447931069.png" alt="Carey photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Carey photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug and other charges after a traffic stopJust after 5p.m. July 17, a police officer conducted a traffic stop in the 2700 block of 10th Street in Great Bend for an equipment violation on a 2006 Hyundai Elantra, according to a media release from police.During the stop, Police Service Dog, Menta was deployed and conducted a free air sniff around the exterior of the vehicle and indicated to the presence of illegal narcotics. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and an amount of controlled substances including marijuana, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia were located. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595447889863.png" alt="Carr-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Carr-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Police arrested 23-year-old Sabrina Carr and 21-year-old Joshua Carey and transported to the Barton County Jail.Carr also provided a false name and was booked for interference with law enforcement.&nbsp; Both Carr and Carey were booked on multiple outstanding warrants.&nbsp;

Kansas woman gave police fake name during traffic stop

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/21/gov-laura-kelly-shields-core-government-services-as-covid-19-rocks-kansas-economy/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Democratic Gov. 
Laura Kelly said the Kansas economy’s emergence from COVID-19 depends on
 sober responses to the public health nightmare, record unemployment and
 inevitable declines in tax revenue.

She said the answer wasn’t
 to recklessly throw open doors to business activity nor starve core 
state government services, such as education or transportation. That was
 the strategy of GOP Gov. Sam Brownback after implementing massive 
income tax cuts in 2012 that failed to deliver promised job expansion 
but was blamed for years of revenue shortfalls, budget problems and 
lackluster economic growth.

“I’m trying to avoid that 
as much as possible because this will end, you know, and I want us to be
 positioned as best as possible,” Kelly said on the Kansas Reflector 
podcast. “There’s no doubt that deep cuts to our economic drivers would 
not only stall us out but send us backwards.”

In her initial round of 
budget adjustments necessitated by an estimated two-year, $1.2 billion 
pandemic-inspired budget crater, the governor said her intent was to 
shield education, transportation and health sectors of state government.
 She said the situation reinforced her belief that it was wise to veto 
two tax-cut bills in 2019, because holding that cash in reserve helped 
cover about $600 million of the problem. The governor recommended the 
state rely on delayed payment on debts, use of federal COVID funding and
 a series of one-time cuts to balance the current fiscal year’s budget.

The governor also 
appointed a task force to guide distribution to cities, counties and 
businesses of more than $1 billion in federal aid tied to the pandemic. 
The idea is to cover local government expenditures on COVID-19 and 
transition to public-private partnerships designed to address ongoing 
health challenges.

New eco-devo plan 
David Toland, secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce, joined 
Kelly on the podcast and said the state’s economic challenges ought not 
be underestimated. There’s no question, he said, there’s a lot of Kansas
 families who are suffering and that certain business sectors have been 
hit hard by the pandemic.

“The first thing we have 
to do is be clear-eyed about the economic realities that we’re facing 
right now,” Toland said. “One of those is that some of the jobs that 
have disappeared are gone forever.”

He said the commerce 
department was nearly finished with crafting the state’s first 
comprehensive economic development plan in more than 30 years. The 
Framework for Growth will make the case Kansas must focus on developing 
personnel talent, expansion of broadband services and opportunities to 
invest in businesses engaged in advanced manufacturing, animal health, 
and logistics and distribution.

The economic plan has been
 modified due to the pandemic, Toland said. The virus’ impact on 
business illustrated the value of having flexible manufacturers, 
especially in the health sector, capable of pivoting to emerging demand 
for goods required by COVID-19. The state also should plow deeper into 
potential growth of e-commerce throughout the state, he said. It’s 
important to take advantage of Kansas’ central location and highway 
network to bolster logistics and distribution operations, he said.

The COVID-19 scourge has 
so far infected 22,000 and killed 300 in Kansas, based on reports from 
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Testing has revealed 
COVID-19 cases in 102 of the state’s 105 counties, but three-fourths are
 concentrated in a dozen counties.

Kelly said the Kansas 
Department of Labor’s antiquated computer network failed to handle the 
rapid surge of more than 200,000 new filers for unemployment and led to 
significant delays in processing claims.

Labor Secretary Delia 
Garcia resigned in June after millions of dollars in duplicate payments 
were mistakenly sent to jobless Kansans. The consulting firm Accenture 
was hired by the governor to help the labor department improve training 
of call-center employees and speed response times. An automated element 
added to the mix featured the robotic “Amelia” answering frequently 
asked questions about unemployment benefits.

“We’re working very, very 
hard on that,” the governor said. “I do want to say that with … all the 
problems that we’ve had, we still have been taking care of over 200,000 
Kansans and pushed out over $1.2 billion in unemployment benefits 
throughout the state. It’s been wild and crazy.”

House Speaker Ron Ryckman,
 an Olathe Republican, said the governor ought to reconsider her veto of
 legislation that would have earmarked $60 million in idle state funds 
for loans to small businesses and of a scholarship program designed to 
help Kansans enroll in technical skill college programs with workplace 
demand.

He said careful 
implementation of the state’s new highway construction program should be
 a key force in economic development for years.

The Kansas House formed a 
special committee to complete by January a set of policy and program 
recommendations for the state’s economic recovery from COVID-19. It will
 examine taxation, business financing, regulatory issues and operations 
at the state departments of commerce and labor, he said.

“There’s a lot of work to 
be done to make sure the Kansas economy rebounds post-COVID at a pace 
that keeps the doors open for our local businesses and ag producers,” 
said Rep. Blaine Finch, R-Ottawa. “This allows us to … identify where 
the gaps are and to make sure the federal stimulus dollars coming to 
Kansas are being used to jumpstart the economy.”

House Minority Leader Tom 
Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said recovery from the pandemic would be 
aided by retention of the 26-week unemployment benefit that was passed 
this year as the virus spread across the country. He said state 
lawmakers should reduce the 6.5 percent sales tax on groceries to help 
families purchase essentials.

A $5 million business loan
 program operated by the state commerce department should be expanded 
after applications outstripped available cash, Sawyer said.

“The money went really fast. Reopening something like that will open up money for small businesses,” Sawyer said.

Chandler Burrows, a 
Republican from Rolla who is running against incumbent Republican Rep. 
Marty Long in the most southwestern district of Kansas, said the state’s
 economy has been “severely mismanaged for several decades.” Because of 
the pandemic, the state is facing a massive unemployment problem, 
Burrows said, and Kelly’s response has been “low intensity.”

He proposed abandoning the
 fiscal responsibility of a balanced budget and instead take on more 
debt — like a big corporation might do — to invest in the state’s 
future. During a recession, he said, government needs to address 
unemployment, make sure businesses don’t shut their doors and make sure 
people don’t lose their homes.

“I’m talking about either 
assisting private businesses with helping people get back to work or a 
public works program,” Burrows said, “and you know there’s a lot of work
 that needs to be done in our state — making sure there’s high speed 
internet for every county in Kansas, basic maintenance stuff, 
beautification projects that we could put people back to work on. Not on
 a permanent basis, but until the economy’s in good enough shape where 
the private sector can pick up the rest of that slack.”

He is concerned his fellow Republicans will pursue another option during next year’s legislative session.

“There’s an alternate 
theory on how to handle the recession, which is pretty much just let the
 recovery take its course,” Burrows said. “And that sort of aligns more 
into the orthodox Republicans ideas. I just think that if we actually do
 something like that, it will be an absolute disaster for our state. We 
can’t afford to let the recession take its course. We need to actively 
intervene and do some hands-on management of the economy to get us 
through the situation.”

Kelly was denounced by 
Republican lawmakers for being the first governor to order an end to 
in-person K-12 school instruction in March. She was criticized for a 
statewide stay-at-home order also implemented to slow spread of 
COVID-19, which skeptics claimed unnecessarily contributed to economic 
disruption as “nonessential” workers were prevented from working. Her 
order to limit mass gatherings in churches was challenged in court.

The governor said she 
appreciated the weight of her decisions on 3 million Kansans, but was 
unapologetic about her desire to put public health above other 
considerations.

“Whenever you’re making 
decisions that impact everybody’s life, it’s huge. So we, from the very 
beginning, decided to rely on science and our public health experts to 
help guide us through this,” Kelly said.

She said the Legislature 
made some “very bad decisions” that handcuffed her ability to fight the 
spread of COVID-19. The onus of those decisions was eventually 
transferred to county health officials and county commissioners. Since 
that transition, the number of positive COVID-19 cases has escalated.

She said 14 years as a Topeka state senator helped her develop a thick skin to second guessing of decisions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595447686752.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly prepares for a podcast recording at Kansas Reflector's office. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly prepares for a podcast recording at Kansas Reflector's office. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/21/gov-laura-kelly-shields-core-government-services-as-covid-19-rocks-kansas-economy/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Democratic Gov. 
Laura Kelly said the Kansas economy’s emergence from COVID-19 depends on
 sober responses to the public health nightmare, record unemployment and
 inevitable declines in tax revenue.She said the answer wasn’t
 to recklessly throw open doors to business activity nor starve core 
state government services, such as education or transportation. That was
 the strategy of GOP Gov. Sam Brownback after implementing massive 
income tax cuts in 2012 that failed to deliver promised job expansion 
but was blamed for years of revenue shortfalls, budget problems and 
lackluster economic growth.“I’m trying to avoid that 
as much as possible because this will end, you know, and I want us to be
 positioned as best as possible,” Kelly said on the Kansas Reflector 
podcast. “There’s no doubt that deep cuts to our economic drivers would 
not only stall us out but send us backwards.”<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/859117765&color=%232b7fb4&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast" title="Reflector Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Reflector Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast/kansas-gov-laura-kelly-commerce-secretary-david-tolland-plan-recovery-from-covid-19" title="Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, commerce secretary David Tolland plan recovery from COVID-19" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, commerce secretary David Tolland plan recovery from COVID-19</a></div></div>In her initial round of 
budget adjustments necessitated by an estimated two-year, $1.2 billion 
pandemic-inspired budget crater, the governor said her intent was to 
shield education, transportation and health sectors of state government.
 She said the situation reinforced her belief that it was wise to veto 
two tax-cut bills in 2019, because holding that cash in reserve helped 
cover about $600 million of the problem. The governor recommended the 
state rely on delayed payment on debts, use of federal COVID funding and
 a series of one-time cuts to balance the current fiscal year’s budget.The governor also 
appointed a task force to guide distribution to cities, counties and 
businesses of more than $1 billion in federal aid tied to the pandemic. 
The idea is to cover local government expenditures on COVID-19 and 
transition to public-private partnerships designed to address ongoing 
health challenges.New eco-devo plan 
David Toland, secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce, joined 
Kelly on the podcast and said the state’s economic challenges ought not 
be underestimated. There’s no question, he said, there’s a lot of Kansas
 families who are suffering and that certain business sectors have been 
hit hard by the pandemic.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595447806480.jpeg" alt="Kansas Secretary of Commerce David Toland says during the Kansas Reflector podcast the state’s economy is hurting from the COVID-19 pandemic and must invest in job growth in advanced manufacturing, animal health, logistics and distribution, and broadband services to bolster the economy. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Secretary of Commerce David Toland says during the Kansas Reflector podcast the state’s economy is hurting from the COVID-19 pandemic and must invest in job growth in advanced manufacturing, animal health, logistics and distribution, and broadband services to bolster the economy. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“The first thing we have 
to do is be clear-eyed about the economic realities that we’re facing 
right now,” Toland said. “One of those is that some of the jobs that 
have disappeared are gone forever.”He said the commerce 
department was nearly finished with crafting the state’s first 
comprehensive economic development plan in more than 30 years. The 
Framework for Growth will make the case Kansas must focus on developing 
personnel talent, expansion of broadband services and opportunities to 
invest in businesses engaged in advanced manufacturing, animal health, 
and logistics and distribution.The economic plan has been
 modified due to the pandemic, Toland said. The virus’ impact on 
business illustrated the value of having flexible manufacturers, 
especially in the health sector, capable of pivoting to emerging demand 
for goods required by COVID-19. The state also should plow deeper into 
potential growth of e-commerce throughout the state, he said. It’s 
important to take advantage of Kansas’ central location and highway 
network to bolster logistics and distribution operations, he said.The COVID-19 scourge has 
so far infected 22,000 and killed 300 in Kansas, based on reports from 
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Testing has revealed 
COVID-19 cases in 102 of the state’s 105 counties, but three-fourths are
 concentrated in a dozen counties.Kelly said the Kansas 
Department of Labor’s antiquated computer network failed to handle the 
rapid surge of more than 200,000 new filers for unemployment and led to 
significant delays in processing claims.Labor Secretary Delia 
Garcia resigned in June after millions of dollars in duplicate payments 
were mistakenly sent to jobless Kansans. The consulting firm Accenture 
was hired by the governor to help the labor department improve training 
of call-center employees and speed response times. An automated element 
added to the mix featured the robotic “Amelia” answering frequently 
asked questions about unemployment benefits.“We’re working very, very 
hard on that,” the governor said. “I do want to say that with … all the 
problems that we’ve had, we still have been taking care of over 200,000 
Kansans and pushed out over $1.2 billion in unemployment benefits 
throughout the state. It’s been wild and crazy.”Other ideasHouse Speaker Ron Ryckman,
 an Olathe Republican, said the governor ought to reconsider her veto of
 legislation that would have earmarked $60 million in idle state funds 
for loans to small businesses and of a scholarship program designed to 
help Kansans enroll in technical skill college programs with workplace 
demand.He said careful 
implementation of the state’s new highway construction program should be
 a key force in economic development for years.The Kansas House formed a 
special committee to complete by January a set of policy and program 
recommendations for the state’s economic recovery from COVID-19. It will
 examine taxation, business financing, regulatory issues and operations 
at the state departments of commerce and labor, he said.“There’s a lot of work to 
be done to make sure the Kansas economy rebounds post-COVID at a pace 
that keeps the doors open for our local businesses and ag producers,” 
said Rep. Blaine Finch, R-Ottawa. “This allows us to … identify where 
the gaps are and to make sure the federal stimulus dollars coming to 
Kansas are being used to jumpstart the economy.”House Minority Leader Tom 
Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said recovery from the pandemic would be 
aided by retention of the 26-week unemployment benefit that was passed 
this year as the virus spread across the country. He said state 
lawmakers should reduce the 6.5 percent sales tax on groceries to help 
families purchase essentials.A $5 million business loan
 program operated by the state commerce department should be expanded 
after applications outstripped available cash, Sawyer said.“The money went really fast. Reopening something like that will open up money for small businesses,” Sawyer said.An alternativeChandler Burrows, a 
Republican from Rolla who is running against incumbent Republican Rep. 
Marty Long in the most southwestern district of Kansas, said the state’s
 economy has been “severely mismanaged for several decades.” Because of 
the pandemic, the state is facing a massive unemployment problem, 
Burrows said, and Kelly’s response has been “low intensity.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595447839321.jpeg" alt="Chandler Burrows, a Rolla resident who is running in a Republican primary race for a seat in the Kansas House, says the state needs to be more aggressive in addressing unemployment in the wake of the pandemic. (Submitted by Chandler Burrows to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Chandler Burrows, a Rolla resident who is running in a Republican primary race for a seat in the Kansas House, says the state needs to be more aggressive in addressing unemployment in the wake of the pandemic. (Submitted by Chandler Burrows to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>He proposed abandoning the
 fiscal responsibility of a balanced budget and instead take on more 
debt — like a big corporation might do — to invest in the state’s 
future. During a recession, he said, government needs to address 
unemployment, make sure businesses don’t shut their doors and make sure 
people don’t lose their homes.“I’m talking about either 
assisting private businesses with helping people get back to work or a 
public works program,” Burrows said, “and you know there’s a lot of work
 that needs to be done in our state — making sure there’s high speed 
internet for every county in Kansas, basic maintenance stuff, 
beautification projects that we could put people back to work on. Not on
 a permanent basis, but until the economy’s in good enough shape where 
the private sector can pick up the rest of that slack.”He is concerned his fellow Republicans will pursue another option during next year’s legislative session.“There’s an alternate 
theory on how to handle the recession, which is pretty much just let the
 recovery take its course,” Burrows said. “And that sort of aligns more 
into the orthodox Republicans ideas. I just think that if we actually do
 something like that, it will be an absolute disaster for our state. We 
can’t afford to let the recession take its course. We need to actively 
intervene and do some hands-on management of the economy to get us 
through the situation.”The criticismKelly was denounced by 
Republican lawmakers for being the first governor to order an end to 
in-person K-12 school instruction in March. She was criticized for a 
statewide stay-at-home order also implemented to slow spread of 
COVID-19, which skeptics claimed unnecessarily contributed to economic 
disruption as “nonessential” workers were prevented from working. Her 
order to limit mass gatherings in churches was challenged in court.The governor said she 
appreciated the weight of her decisions on 3 million Kansans, but was 
unapologetic about her desire to put public health above other 
considerations.“Whenever you’re making 
decisions that impact everybody’s life, it’s huge. So we, from the very 
beginning, decided to rely on science and our public health experts to 
help guide us through this,” Kelly said.She said the Legislature 
made some “very bad decisions” that handcuffed her ability to fight the 
spread of COVID-19. The onus of those decisions was eventually 
transferred to county health officials and county commissioners. Since 
that transition, the number of positive COVID-19 cases has escalated.She said 14 years as a Topeka state senator helped her develop a thick skin to second guessing of decisions.“I’m also the mother of 
two girls,” the governor said. “I’m used to a lot of back talk and have 
figured out how to deal with that over the years.”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;