WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. unemployment rate hit 14.7% in April, the highest rate since the Great Depression, as 20.5 million jobs vanished in the worst monthly loss on record. The figures are stark evidence of the damage the coronavirus has done to a now-shattered economy.

The losses reflect what has become a severe recession caused by sudden business shutdowns in nearly every industry. Almost all the job growth achieved during the 11-year recovery from the Great Recession has now been lost in one month.

The collapse of the job market has occurred with stunning speed. As recently as February, the unemployment rate was a five-decade low of 3.5%, and employers had added jobs for a record 113 months. In March, the unemployment rate was just 4.4%

The government’s report Friday noted that many people who lost jobs in April but didn’t look for another one weren’t even counted in the unemployment rate. The impact of those losses was reflected in the drop in the proportion of working-age Americans who have jobs: Just 51.3%, the lowest on record.

In addition to the millions of newly unemployed, 5.1 million others had their hours reduced in April. That trend, too, means less income and less spending, perpetuating the economic downturn. A measure of what’s called underemployment — which counts the unemployed plus full-time workers who were reduced to part-time work — reached 22.8%, a record high.

Though some businesses are beginning to reopen in certain states, factories, hotels, restaurants, resorts, sporting venues, movie theaters and many small businesses are still largely shuttered. As companies have laid off tens of millions, lives have been upended across the country.

One of the newly unemployed, Sara Barnard, 24, of St. Louis, has lost three jobs: A floor manager at a pub and restaurant, a bartender at a small downtown tavern and the occasional stand-up comedian. Her main job was at McGurk’s, an Irish pub and restaurant near downtown that closed days before St. Patrick’s Day. She had worked there continually since high school.

McGurk’s tried selling food curbside, Barnard said, but it was costing more to keep the place open than the money that was coming in. Around that time, the bar where she worked closed, and comedy jobs ended when social distancing requirements forced clubs to close.

McGurk’s is a St. Louis landmark, and Barnard expects it to rebound quickly once it reopens. She just doesn’t know when.

Job losses and pay cuts are ranging across the world. Unemployment in the 19-country eurozone is expected to surpass 10% in coming months as more people are laid off. That figure is expected to remain lower than the U.S. unemployment rate. But it doesn’t count many people who either are furloughed or whose hours are cut but who receive most of their wages from government assistance.

In France, about half the private-sector workforce is on a government paid-leave program whereby they receive up to 84% of their net salary. In Germany, 3 million workers are supported in a similar system, with the government paying up to 60% of their net pay.

In the five weeks covered by the U.S. jobs report for April, 26.5 million people applied for unemployment benefits.

The job loss reported Friday was a smaller figure because the two are measured differently: The government calculates job losses by surveying businesses and households. It’s a net figure that also counts the hiring that some companies, like Amazon and many grocery stores, have done. By contrast, total jobless claims are a measure of just the layoff side of the equation.

For the United States, a key question is where the job market goes from here. Applications for unemployment aid, while high, have declined for five straight weeks, a sign that the worst of the layoffs has passed. Still, few economists expect a rapid turnaround.

The Congressional Budget Office has forecast that the unemployment rate will still be 9.5% by the end of next year. A paper by economists at the San Francisco Federal Reserve estimates that under an optimistic scenario that assumes shutdowns are lifted quickly, the unemployment rate could fall back to about 4% by mid-2021.

But if shutdowns recur and hiring revives more slowly, the jobless rate could remain in double-digits until the end of 2021, the San Francisco Fed economists predict.

Raj Chetty, a Harvard economist, is tracking real-time data on the economy, including consumer spending, small business hiring and job postings. Chetty noted the economy’s health will hinge on when the viral outbreak has subsided enough that most Americans will feel comfortable returning to restaurants, bars, movie theaters and shops.

The data suggests that many small businesses are holding on in hopes that spending and the economy will rebound soon, he said. Small business payrolls have fallen sharply but have leveled off in recent weeks. And job postings haven’t dropped nearly as much as total jobs have. But it’s unclear how much longer those trends will persist.

“There’s only so long you can hold out,” Chetty said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584974379276.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. unemployment rate hit 14.7% in April, the highest rate since the Great Depression, as 20.5 million jobs vanished in the worst monthly loss on record. The figures are stark evidence of the damage the coronavirus has done to a now-shattered economy.The losses reflect what has become a severe recession caused by sudden business shutdowns in nearly every industry. Almost all the job growth achieved during the 11-year recovery from the Great Recession has now been lost in one month.The collapse of the job market has occurred with stunning speed. As recently as February, the unemployment rate was a five-decade low of 3.5%, and employers had added jobs for a record 113 months. In March, the unemployment rate was just 4.4%The government’s report Friday noted that many people who lost jobs in April but didn’t look for another one weren’t even counted in the unemployment rate. The impact of those losses was reflected in the drop in the proportion of working-age Americans who have jobs: Just 51.3%, the lowest on record.In addition to the millions of newly unemployed, 5.1 million others had their hours reduced in April. That trend, too, means less income and less spending, perpetuating the economic downturn. A measure of what’s called underemployment — which counts the unemployed plus full-time workers who were reduced to part-time work — reached 22.8%, a record high.Though some businesses are beginning to reopen in certain states, factories, hotels, restaurants, resorts, sporting venues, movie theaters and many small businesses are still largely shuttered. As companies have laid off tens of millions, lives have been upended across the country.One of the newly unemployed, Sara Barnard, 24, of St. Louis, has lost three jobs: A floor manager at a pub and restaurant, a bartender at a small downtown tavern and the occasional stand-up comedian. Her main job was at McGurk’s, an Irish pub and restaurant near downtown that closed days before St. Patrick’s Day. She had worked there continually since high school.McGurk’s tried selling food curbside, Barnard said, but it was costing more to keep the place open than the money that was coming in. Around that time, the bar where she worked closed, and comedy jobs ended when social distancing requirements forced clubs to close.McGurk’s is a St. Louis landmark, and Barnard expects it to rebound quickly once it reopens. She just doesn’t know when.Job losses and pay cuts are ranging across the world. Unemployment in the 19-country eurozone is expected to surpass 10% in coming months as more people are laid off. That figure is expected to remain lower than the U.S. unemployment rate. But it doesn’t count many people who either are furloughed or whose hours are cut but who receive most of their wages from government assistance.In France, about half the private-sector workforce is on a government paid-leave program whereby they receive up to 84% of their net salary. In Germany, 3 million workers are supported in a similar system, with the government paying up to 60% of their net pay.In the five weeks covered by the U.S. jobs report for April, 26.5 million people applied for unemployment benefits.The job loss reported Friday was a smaller figure because the two are measured differently: The government calculates job losses by surveying businesses and households. It’s a net figure that also counts the hiring that some companies, like Amazon and many grocery stores, have done. By contrast, total jobless claims are a measure of just the layoff side of the equation.For the United States, a key question is where the job market goes from here. Applications for unemployment aid, while high, have declined for five straight weeks, a sign that the worst of the layoffs has passed. Still, few economists expect a rapid turnaround.The Congressional Budget Office has forecast that the unemployment rate will still be 9.5% by the end of next year. A paper by economists at the San Francisco Federal Reserve estimates that under an optimistic scenario that assumes shutdowns are lifted quickly, the unemployment rate could fall back to about 4% by mid-2021.But if shutdowns recur and hiring revives more slowly, the jobless rate could remain in double-digits until the end of 2021, the San Francisco Fed economists predict.Raj Chetty, a Harvard economist, is tracking real-time data on the economy, including consumer spending, small business hiring and job postings. Chetty noted the economy’s health will hinge on when the viral outbreak has subsided enough that most Americans will feel comfortable returning to restaurants, bars, movie theaters and shops.The data suggests that many small businesses are holding on in hopes that spending and the economy will rebound soon, he said. Small business payrolls have fallen sharply but have leveled off in recent weeks. And job postings haven’t dropped nearly as much as total jobs have. But it’s unclear how much longer those trends will persist.“There’s only so long you can hold out,” Chetty said.

Jobless rate spikes to 14.7%, highest since Great Depression

Topeka,&nbsp;Kan.&nbsp;–The Shawnee County Health Department (SCHD) has identified some COVID-19 cases linked to the Topeka Service Area on the I-70 Turnpike located at mile marker 188 (just East of Topeka, according to a media relase.

The exposure is specifically designated to the food court and restrooms of the facility. This facility houses a food court which includes the following restaurants: Dunkin Donuts, Hardees, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. The facility is accessible going east and westbound on the I-70 Turnpike.

People who have traveled to food court or used the restrooms of this facility after April 23rd&nbsp;are recommended to contact their primary care provider IF they develop any of the following symptoms within 14 days from the date of their visit fever of 100.4 F or higher,&nbsp;chills, rigors, myalgia (muscle pain or aches, malaise,&nbsp;&nbsp;headache, sore throat, lower respiratory illness (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing) new olfactory and taste disorders, diarrhea

The facility will remain closed while it is sanitized.

Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino, Shawnee County Health Officer stated, ”While the risk of anyone being infected with coronavirus during a visit at the Turnpike food court is probably very low, it is not zero. We think that the public should know that information and should share it with their healthcare provider if they become sick.”

This investigation is being conducted by the Shawnee County Health Department in collaboration with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Kansas Turnpike Authority.

As a reminder, human coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19 are most commonly spread through coughing and sneezing, personal contact like shaking hands, and touching a surface with the virus and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. There are simple steps everyone can take to help prevent spreading them:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stay home when you are sick and only leave home for essential items.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588891583149.png" alt="Topeka Service area on I-70 Google image" />
 <figcaption>Topeka Service area on I-70 Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka,&nbsp;Kan.&nbsp;–The Shawnee County Health Department (SCHD) has identified some COVID-19 cases linked to the Topeka Service Area on the I-70 Turnpike located at mile marker 188 (just East of Topeka, according to a media relase.The exposure is specifically designated to the food court and restrooms of the facility. This facility houses a food court which includes the following restaurants: Dunkin Donuts, Hardees, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. The facility is accessible going east and westbound on the I-70 Turnpike.People who have traveled to food court or used the restrooms of this facility after April 23rd&nbsp;are recommended to contact their primary care provider IF they develop any of the following symptoms within 14 days from the date of their visit fever of 100.4 F or higher,&nbsp;chills, rigors, myalgia (muscle pain or aches, malaise,&nbsp;&nbsp;headache, sore throat, lower respiratory illness (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing) new olfactory and taste disorders, diarrheaThe facility will remain closed while it is sanitized.Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino, Shawnee County Health Officer stated, ”While the risk of anyone being infected with coronavirus during a visit at the Turnpike food court is probably very low, it is not zero. We think that the public should know that information and should share it with their healthcare provider if they become sick.”This investigation is being conducted by the Shawnee County Health Department in collaboration with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Kansas Turnpike Authority.As a reminder, human coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19 are most commonly spread through coughing and sneezing, personal contact like shaking hands, and touching a surface with the virus and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. There are simple steps everyone can take to help prevent spreading them:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid close contact with people who are sick.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stay home when you are sick and only leave home for essential items.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Coronavirus cases identified at I-70 service area food court

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite a massive effort, the nation faces “truly daunting” challenges to deploy millions of coronavirus tests to safely re-open the economy, the head of the National Institutes of Health told lawmakers Thursday.

NIH Director Francis Collins told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee that government and private industry have launched a $2.5 billion, taxpayer-funded effort to develop, manufacture and distribute technology capable of accurately testing millions of people a week by the end of the summer or the fall, before the annual flu season.

<a href="https://apnews.com/64a594728f6e36480ee38cc1502436cc">Widespread availability of testing is seen as critical</a>&nbsp;to reopening the economy because it would allow public health officials to identify and contain a rebound of the virus. It remains a high bar to clear.

“I must tell you, senators, that this is a stretch goal that goes well beyond what most experts think will be possible,” Collins said. “I have encountered some stunned expressions when describing these goals and this timetable to knowledgeable individuals. The scientific and logistical challenges are truly daunting.”

Nonetheless, Collins said “the track record of American ingenuity” gives him optimism. More than three months into the epidemic, the lack of testing is widely acknowledged as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c335958b1f8f6a37b19b421bc7759722">central failing in the nation’s response</a>.

The issue has dogged the White House for weeks. President Donald Trump takes credit for the fact that testing has ramped up dramatically since the early days of the outbreak, when a test from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ran into numerous problems.

But sometimes he also seems uneasy about testing.

“We do, by far, the most testing,” he told reporters on Wednesday. “If we did very little testing, we wouldn’t have the most cases. So, in a way, by doing all of this testing, we make ourselves look bad.”

The U.S. is currently testing more than a million people a week for COVID-19 and White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Deborah Birx has said that weekly number should rise to 2 million or 2.5 million by the middle of June.

But some experts say a million tests per day are needed, or more.

“To test every nursing home, and every prison, everyone in an operating room, and some entire classes and campuses and factories, teams at sports events, and to give those tests more than once, we will need millions more tests,” agreed committee chairman Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. “This demand will only grow as the country goes back to work.”

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the ranking Democrat on the panel, put the blame on Trump for persistent problems with testing.

“The problem isn’t a lack of innovation—it’s a lack of national leadership, and a plan from the White House. “And when it comes to testing, this administration has had no map, and no one at the wheel.”

Congress provided NIH with $1.5 billion to develop tests. To help private industry quickly produce and distribute tests that meet NIH standards, lawmakers gave another $1 billion to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. Known as BARDA, that agency is under scrutiny after its director alleged he was ousted for opposing widespread use of a a malaria drug promoted by Trump to treat coronavirus patients.

Collins said the goal is to have highly accurate tests that can provide quick results at the “point-of-care,” such as a doctor’s office or a community health clinic. A special effort is being made to expand testing in minority communities that have taken the brunt of virus deaths.

Many of the currently available tests require processing by a central laboratory to get results. Medical technology giant Abbott already has a point-of-care test available. But Collins said there’s a limited supply of the machines, and that they can sometimes fail to detect a patient who is positive. He said Abbott is working to improve its test, but that he thinks NIH might be able to do better.

NIH has set up what Collins calls a “shark tank” process to quickly identify promising technologies, and test them. Within the agency, the initiative is formally called Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics, or RADx. It was launched just last week.

NIH scientists, along with their counterparts in industry and academia, are looking into tests that can use different types of samples, from nasal swabs, saliva, blood, or exhaled breath.

They’re also looking at antigen tests, a form of rapid test that can detect active infection. With time and effort such tests can be modified to be done at home, Collins said, but accuracy has traditionally been a problem.

NIH has received more than 1,000 applications putting forth different ideas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588938823679.png" alt="NIH Director Francis Collins during Senate testimony Thursday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>NIH Director Francis Collins during Senate testimony Thursday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite a massive effort, the nation faces “truly daunting” challenges to deploy millions of coronavirus tests to safely re-open the economy, the head of the National Institutes of Health told lawmakers Thursday.NIH Director Francis Collins told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee that government and private industry have launched a $2.5 billion, taxpayer-funded effort to develop, manufacture and distribute technology capable of accurately testing millions of people a week by the end of the summer or the fall, before the annual flu season.<a href="https://apnews.com/64a594728f6e36480ee38cc1502436cc">Widespread availability of testing is seen as critical</a>&nbsp;to reopening the economy because it would allow public health officials to identify and contain a rebound of the virus. It remains a high bar to clear.“I must tell you, senators, that this is a stretch goal that goes well beyond what most experts think will be possible,” Collins said. “I have encountered some stunned expressions when describing these goals and this timetable to knowledgeable individuals. The scientific and logistical challenges are truly daunting.”Nonetheless, Collins said “the track record of American ingenuity” gives him optimism. More than three months into the epidemic, the lack of testing is widely acknowledged as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c335958b1f8f6a37b19b421bc7759722">central failing in the nation’s response</a>.The issue has dogged the White House for weeks. President Donald Trump takes credit for the fact that testing has ramped up dramatically since the early days of the outbreak, when a test from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ran into numerous problems.But sometimes he also seems uneasy about testing.“We do, by far, the most testing,” he told reporters on Wednesday. “If we did very little testing, we wouldn’t have the most cases. So, in a way, by doing all of this testing, we make ourselves look bad.”The U.S. is currently testing more than a million people a week for COVID-19 and White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Deborah Birx has said that weekly number should rise to 2 million or 2.5 million by the middle of June.But some experts say a million tests per day are needed, or more.“To test every nursing home, and every prison, everyone in an operating room, and some entire classes and campuses and factories, teams at sports events, and to give those tests more than once, we will need millions more tests,” agreed committee chairman Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. “This demand will only grow as the country goes back to work.”Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the ranking Democrat on the panel, put the blame on Trump for persistent problems with testing.“The problem isn’t a lack of innovation—it’s a lack of national leadership, and a plan from the White House. “And when it comes to testing, this administration has had no map, and no one at the wheel.”Congress provided NIH with $1.5 billion to develop tests. To help private industry quickly produce and distribute tests that meet NIH standards, lawmakers gave another $1 billion to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. Known as BARDA, that agency is under scrutiny after its director alleged he was ousted for opposing widespread use of a a malaria drug promoted by Trump to treat coronavirus patients.Collins said the goal is to have highly accurate tests that can provide quick results at the “point-of-care,” such as a doctor’s office or a community health clinic. A special effort is being made to expand testing in minority communities that have taken the brunt of virus deaths.Many of the currently available tests require processing by a central laboratory to get results. Medical technology giant Abbott already has a point-of-care test available. But Collins said there’s a limited supply of the machines, and that they can sometimes fail to detect a patient who is positive. He said Abbott is working to improve its test, but that he thinks NIH might be able to do better.NIH has set up what Collins calls a “shark tank” process to quickly identify promising technologies, and test them. Within the agency, the initiative is formally called Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics, or RADx. It was launched just last week.NIH scientists, along with their counterparts in industry and academia, are looking into tests that can use different types of samples, from nasal swabs, saliva, blood, or exhaled breath.They’re also looking at antigen tests, a form of rapid test that can detect active infection. With time and effort such tests can be modified to be done at home, Collins said, but accuracy has traditionally been a problem.NIH has received more than 1,000 applications putting forth different ideas.___

US faces 'truly daunting' challenges on needed COVID tests

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have made two arrests.

Just before 2 p.m. Wednesday, police were doing follow-up in an effort to locate 21-year-old Terrell Sanders, who was wanted regarding an aggravated burglary and robbery from a person investigation that occurred in late March, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Offices observed Sanders getting into the driver’s side of a Maroon Dodge Ram 1500 at apartments in the 3500 block of North Inwood in Wichita and 18-year-old Darius Washington getting into the passenger side.

Officers attempted to stop the truck.&nbsp; Sanders refused to stop, accelerated, and fled from officers. As Sanders fled, he struck a WPD patrol vehicle, causing minor damage and no injuries. 

A traffic purist ensued. During the pursuit, Sanders struck two vehicles occupied by only drivers in the area of 30th and Woodlawn. No one was injured in the collisions. 

After Sanders struck the vehicles, he continued to flee from officers in the truck. In the area of the 2000 block of North Woodlawn, Sanders fled from the truck on foot. 

Officers arrested him after a short foot pursuit. He is being held on requested charges of flee and elude police, two counts of hit and run, two counts of aggravated burglary, robbery from a person, domestic battery, simple battery, multiple traffic charges, and an outstanding warrant.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Washington was contacted in the truck and arrested on a charge of marijuana possession.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Sanders has previously been arrested and convicted on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588883120607.png" alt="Sanders" />
 <figcaption>Sanders</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have made two arrests.Just before 2 p.m. Wednesday, police were doing follow-up in an effort to locate 21-year-old Terrell Sanders, who was wanted regarding an aggravated burglary and robbery from a person investigation that occurred in late March, according to officer Charley Davidson.Offices observed Sanders getting into the driver’s side of a Maroon Dodge Ram 1500 at apartments in the 3500 block of North Inwood in Wichita and 18-year-old Darius Washington getting into the passenger side.Officers attempted to stop the truck.&nbsp; Sanders refused to stop, accelerated, and fled from officers. As Sanders fled, he struck a WPD patrol vehicle, causing minor damage and no injuries. A traffic purist ensued. During the pursuit, Sanders struck two vehicles occupied by only drivers in the area of 30th and Woodlawn. No one was injured in the collisions. After Sanders struck the vehicles, he continued to flee from officers in the truck. In the area of the 2000 block of North Woodlawn, Sanders fled from the truck on foot. Officers arrested him after a short foot pursuit. He is being held on requested charges of flee and elude police, two counts of hit and run, two counts of aggravated burglary, robbery from a person, domestic battery, simple battery, multiple traffic charges, and an outstanding warrant.&nbsp;&nbsp;Washington was contacted in the truck and arrested on a charge of marijuana possession.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sanders has previously been arrested and convicted on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon.

Kan. burglary suspect crashes into police car during chase

BOURBON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Thursday in Bourbon County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1996 Kenworth semi driven by Hugo Herrera&nbsp;Aguilar, 58, Springdale, Arkansas, was southbound U.S. 69. just north of Third Street in Fort Scott.

The semi struck the median curb, rotated 180 degrees counter clockwise as it crossed U.S. 69 Highway and struck the Pedestrian Catwalk.&nbsp;

Aguilar was transported to the hospital in Fort Scott where he died.

EMS transported a passengerNori M.&nbsp;Santizo-Alvarez, 57, Springdale, Arkansas, to Via Christi.&nbsp; Aguilar was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

BOURBON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Thursday in Bourbon County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1996 Kenworth semi driven by Hugo Herrera&nbsp;Aguilar, 58, Springdale, Arkansas, was southbound U.S. 69. just north of Third Street in Fort Scott.The semi struck the median curb, rotated 180 degrees counter clockwise as it crossed U.S. 69 Highway and struck the Pedestrian Catwalk.&nbsp;Aguilar was transported to the hospital in Fort Scott where he died.EMS transported a passengerNori M.&nbsp;Santizo-Alvarez, 57, Springdale, Arkansas, to Via Christi.&nbsp; Aguilar was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Driver dead after semi crash on Kansas highway

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Crews working to finish fixing levees busted in last year’s deluge are getting some help from the weather.

“Between the flows in the river today and the conditions in our reservoirs, we are in much better shape than we were the first of May a year ago,” said John Remus, who leads the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s Missouri River Basin Water Management Division, during a call Thursday with elected officials and other river stakeholders.

The flooding last spring along the Missouri River and its tributaries inundated thousands of acres of farmland in parts of Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri.

Among 61 levees approved for repair in an area spanning from Rulo, Nebraska, to the mouth of Mississippi River, about half have been restored to the height they were before the flooding. Upstream of Rulo, all but one levee has been restored to pre-flood height, although seeding and grading hasn’t been finished.

Forecasters had warned earlier this year that with the ground saturated and significant snowpack to the north, there was a high risk of flooding. But conditions have been drier over the last few month. That has helped, although the soil remains wetter than usual.

National Weather Service hydrologist Kevin Low said the chance of flooding is still 10% to 30% higher than normal in an area that includes parts of South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588889816065.png" alt="Contractors in East Bottoms in Jackson County, Missouri - moving rock from barge to riverside and moving dirt [rock] to repair damage from 2019 flooding -photo courtesy Army Corp of Engineers" />
 <figcaption>Contractors in East Bottoms in Jackson County, Missouri - moving rock from barge to riverside and moving dirt [rock] to repair damage from 2019 flooding -photo courtesy Army Corp of Engineers</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Crews working to finish fixing levees busted in last year’s deluge are getting some help from the weather.“Between the flows in the river today and the conditions in our reservoirs, we are in much better shape than we were the first of May a year ago,” said John Remus, who leads the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s Missouri River Basin Water Management Division, during a call Thursday with elected officials and other river stakeholders.The flooding last spring along the Missouri River and its tributaries inundated thousands of acres of farmland in parts of Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri.Among 61 levees approved for repair in an area spanning from Rulo, Nebraska, to the mouth of Mississippi River, about half have been restored to the height they were before the flooding. Upstream of Rulo, all but one levee has been restored to pre-flood height, although seeding and grading hasn’t been finished.Forecasters had warned earlier this year that with the ground saturated and significant snowpack to the north, there was a high risk of flooding. But conditions have been drier over the last few month. That has helped, although the soil remains wetter than usual.National Weather Service hydrologist Kevin Low said the chance of flooding is still 10% to 30% higher than normal in an area that includes parts of South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri.

Missouri River flood risk down as levee repairs proceed

Kansas City (AP) — A Kansas City-area firefighter who suffered a medical emergency while responding to a fire call has died.

The city of Independence said the firefighter died Thursday. The name of the firefighter has not been released.

A news release from the city said a residential fire was reported around 1 p.m. and firefighters from four stations responded. One of the arriving firefighters reported shortness of breath and stayed in the truck while others responded to the fire that was determined to be an illegal open burn.

Crews returned to the truck and found the firefighter unresponsive. The firefighter was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Kansas City (AP) — A Kansas City-area firefighter who suffered a medical emergency while responding to a fire call has died.The city of Independence said the firefighter died Thursday. The name of the firefighter has not been released.A news release from the city said a residential fire was reported around 1 p.m. and firefighters from four stations responded. One of the arriving firefighters reported shortness of breath and stayed in the truck while others responded to the fire that was determined to be an illegal open burn.Crews returned to the truck and found the firefighter unresponsive. The firefighter was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

KC-area firefighter dies; became ill during fire call

BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged child sex abuse at a day care and have made an arrest.

On May 03, the El Dorado Police Department took a report regarding past sexual abuse that occurred approximately 5 years ago at EduCare Daycare Center on the Butler Community College Campus in El Dorado, according to police.

 During the course of this investigation police arrested&nbsp;an employee of the daycare facility identified as 31-year-old Brett Martin, on requested charges of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child. 

Martin is no longer listed on <a href="https://www.butlercc.edu/info/201137/educare-center-learning-lab/139/contact-educare">the school's website</a> as the daycare's assistant director.

According to police, Martin was involved in multiple community organization where he came&nbsp;into contact with children.

Police said this is a great reminder to have a conversation with your children regarding sexual abuse. For help with starting this conversation with your children please utilize&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SCARF-Sunlight-Childrens-Advocacy-Rights-Foundation-109172132828/?__tn__=K-R&amp;eid=ARDvO1VRkXC3XDjH8Jm7gGiGytWmP6TmPIn8lUssVgUz4jlkj7WDAcBSpOEkVX6n_cRGfvVMIatDFNgs&amp;fref=mentions&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBuMbO0_egIB_lDjk88T3BOY02r7s_KJq7uDVcCWRH6dia72rMN9bjpIzo0AXAmIJzRCeo0OR0PA9HEXSNH-U4NA_NVOq4wWSbvaTUoo9YxNGiwu2Rq0V8AocrLSVrx03OdT6-tdrgSewgNJsteMWSxyIo2TuOR-9aSU9xWJOjHr2UiCINs_zDvrKjZoqLlLdTP55iTi6WN1S3w1ppKEbX8xjX6qsFkpPBXYZ_JdGXV7NQXUa6mmg1JnWFnBWo4nDgsEAdO2kgGZva9RB0HiVMQJR-B-3HG5zg-dgwQeLwJ0PUSpGyTR7-fugpN-mDN1oWyqguF2TA3MYhRAIVRcqzEtg">SCARF - Sunlight Children's Advocacy &amp; Rights Foundation</a>&nbsp;which can be reached at 316-313-4107.

If you have information regarding the on-going investigation or believe your child is a victim of sexual abuse please contact Detective Kayla Gatz at 316-322-4498 or e-mail at Kgatz@eldoks.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588879537465.png" alt="Martin / photo Butler County" />
 <figcaption>Martin / photo Butler County</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged child sex abuse at a day care and have made an arrest.On May 03, the El Dorado Police Department took a report regarding past sexual abuse that occurred approximately 5 years ago at EduCare Daycare Center on the Butler Community College Campus in El Dorado, according to police. During the course of this investigation police arrested&nbsp;an employee of the daycare facility identified as 31-year-old Brett Martin, on requested charges of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child. Martin is no longer listed on <a href="https://www.butlercc.edu/info/201137/educare-center-learning-lab/139/contact-educare">the school's website</a> as the daycare's assistant director.According to police, Martin was involved in multiple community organization where he came&nbsp;into contact with children.Police said this is a great reminder to have a conversation with your children regarding sexual abuse. For help with starting this conversation with your children please utilize&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SCARF-Sunlight-Childrens-Advocacy-Rights-Foundation-109172132828/?__tn__=K-R&amp;eid=ARDvO1VRkXC3XDjH8Jm7gGiGytWmP6TmPIn8lUssVgUz4jlkj7WDAcBSpOEkVX6n_cRGfvVMIatDFNgs&amp;fref=mentions&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBuMbO0_egIB_lDjk88T3BOY02r7s_KJq7uDVcCWRH6dia72rMN9bjpIzo0AXAmIJzRCeo0OR0PA9HEXSNH-U4NA_NVOq4wWSbvaTUoo9YxNGiwu2Rq0V8AocrLSVrx03OdT6-tdrgSewgNJsteMWSxyIo2TuOR-9aSU9xWJOjHr2UiCINs_zDvrKjZoqLlLdTP55iTi6WN1S3w1ppKEbX8xjX6qsFkpPBXYZ_JdGXV7NQXUa6mmg1JnWFnBWo4nDgsEAdO2kgGZva9RB0HiVMQJR-B-3HG5zg-dgwQeLwJ0PUSpGyTR7-fugpN-mDN1oWyqguF2TA3MYhRAIVRcqzEtg">SCARF - Sunlight Children's Advocacy &amp; Rights Foundation</a>&nbsp;which can be reached at 316-313-4107.If you have information regarding the on-going investigation or believe your child is a victim of sexual abuse please contact Detective Kayla Gatz at 316-322-4498 or e-mail at Kgatz@eldoks.com.

Kan. college daycare employee accused of child sex crimes

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Drive-by shootings are up sharply in Wichita so far this year, and Police Chief Gordon Ramsay believes boredom stemming from the coronavirus lockdown is partly to blame.

Ramsay spoke in a Facebook video Tuesday. Ramsay says drive-by shootings are up 82% compared to the five-year average. There were 36 drive-by shootings between Jan. 1 and May 3, compared with the five-year average of 19.8.

Ramsay said that many of the shootings involved young people, and he noted that with recreational centers closed and many restaurants closed, many youths have a lot of idle time. He also cited an uptick in crimes like vandalism and domestic assault.

Homicides also are up. Wichita has had 18 killings so far this year, 58% above the five-year average of 11.4.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586790756899.png" alt="Police on the scene of a fatal drive-by shooting on April 13-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of a fatal drive-by shooting on April 13-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Drive-by shootings are up sharply in Wichita so far this year, and Police Chief Gordon Ramsay believes boredom stemming from the coronavirus lockdown is partly to blame.Ramsay spoke in a Facebook video Tuesday. Ramsay says drive-by shootings are up 82% compared to the five-year average. There were 36 drive-by shootings between Jan. 1 and May 3, compared with the five-year average of 19.8.Ramsay said that many of the shootings involved young people, and he noted that with recreational centers closed and many restaurants closed, many youths have a lot of idle time. He also cited an uptick in crimes like vandalism and domestic assault.Homicides also are up. Wichita has had 18 killings so far this year, 58% above the five-year average of 11.4.

Coronavirus cited in spike in Wichita drive-by shootings

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Legislature will focus on the fallout from the coronavirus when it reconvenes for a single day later this month to wrap up the 2020 session, a leading lawmaker said.

A panel of legislative leaders on Wednesday decided that lawmakers will return May 21. The truncated session is aimed at limiting exposure to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

House Speaker Ron Ryckman, a Republican from Olathe, told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20200506/kansas-legislature-to-return-for-one-day-to-finalize-work-with-focus-on-covid-19" target="_blank">Topeka Capital-Journal</a>&nbsp;that it appears no vote will take place on a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion. Ryckman said expansion of Medicaid will likely be discussed, but “we really need to work on what’s a want versus a need.”

Many issues had to be put aside when lawmakers were forced to vacate in mid-March as the pandemic began to worsen.

“There’s really nothing off the table, but we do want to focus on things that are in response to COVID-19,” Ryckman said of the upcoming session.

The virus and the steps taken to slow its spread have devastated the economy. There were 16,416 more Kansas workers who filed initial unemployment claims last week, up dramatically from 2,054 during the same week a year ago but down from the 27,663 new claims from two weeks ago, according to data from the Kansas Department of Labor.

The University of Kansas announced Wednesday that it plans to hold its tuition rates flat next school year to help ease students’ financial struggles caused by the pandemic.

“From our perspective, it is not tenable to ask students to pay more for a KU education when so many of them are managing financial challenges,” Chancellor Douglas Girod and two other university leaders said in a campus message.

The number of confirmed cases in Kansas climbed by 410 on Thursday, to 6,144, though the actual number of cases is thought to be higher because of limited testing and because people can be infected without feeling ill.

Kansas’ COVID-19 death toll rose by three, to 147, according to the state’s count.

Much of the rise comes efforts to test meatpacking workers and all of the inmates at the state’s largest prison, which is in Lansing. With 80% of testing completed on 1,716 inmates, 609 are positive, with 520 of them showing no symptoms and three deaths. Eighty-eight workers also are infected, and an effort to test all staff is expected to begin this week, said Rebecca Witte, the corrections department spokeswoman.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Legislature will focus on issues related to the coronavirus when it reconvenes for a single day later this month to wrap up the 2020 session, a leading lawmaker said.

House Speaker Ron Ryckman, a Republican from Olathe said that it appears no vote will take place on a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion. Ryckman said expansion of Medicaid will likely be discussed, but “we really need to work on what’a want versus a need.”

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.

The number of confirmed cases in Kansas reached 5,734 on Wednesday, up 276 from Tuesday. The actual number of cases is thought to be higher because of limited testing and because people can be infected without feeling ill.

Reported COVID-19-related deaths increased by seven to 144, according to the state’s count.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578920363819.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Legislature will focus on the fallout from the coronavirus when it reconvenes for a single day later this month to wrap up the 2020 session, a leading lawmaker said.A panel of legislative leaders on Wednesday decided that lawmakers will return May 21. The truncated session is aimed at limiting exposure to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;With just one day on the Senate floor to secure legislative oversight, pass critical property tax relief bills and help the unemployed in Kansas, Senate leadership met this morning to create a detailed and efficient committee agenda.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/JUqSdQ4sdy">pic.twitter.com/JUqSdQ4sdy</a>&mdash; Jim Denning (@JimDenning4KS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimDenning4KS/status/1258473610664173568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>House Speaker Ron Ryckman, a Republican from Olathe, told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20200506/kansas-legislature-to-return-for-one-day-to-finalize-work-with-focus-on-covid-19" target="_blank">Topeka Capital-Journal</a>&nbsp;that it appears no vote will take place on a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion. Ryckman said expansion of Medicaid will likely be discussed, but “we really need to work on what’s a want versus a need.”Many issues had to be put aside when lawmakers were forced to vacate in mid-March as the pandemic began to worsen.“There’s really nothing off the table, but we do want to focus on things that are in response to COVID-19,” Ryckman said of the upcoming session.The virus and the steps taken to slow its spread have devastated the economy. There were 16,416 more Kansas workers who filed initial unemployment claims last week, up dramatically from 2,054 during the same week a year ago but down from the 27,663 new claims from two weeks ago, according to data from the Kansas Department of Labor.The University of Kansas announced Wednesday that it plans to hold its tuition rates flat next school year to help ease students’ financial struggles caused by the pandemic.“From our perspective, it is not tenable to ask students to pay more for a KU education when so many of them are managing financial challenges,” Chancellor Douglas Girod and two other university leaders said in a campus message.The number of confirmed cases in Kansas climbed by 410 on Thursday, to 6,144, though the actual number of cases is thought to be higher because of limited testing and because people can be infected without feeling ill.Kansas’ COVID-19 death toll rose by three, to 147, according to the state’s count.Much of the rise comes efforts to test meatpacking workers and all of the inmates at the state’s largest prison, which is in Lansing. With 80% of testing completed on 1,716 inmates, 609 are positive, with 520 of them showing no symptoms and three deaths. Eighty-eight workers also are infected, and an effort to test all staff is expected to begin this week, said Rebecca Witte, the corrections department spokeswoman.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.___TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Legislature will focus on issues related to the coronavirus when it reconvenes for a single day later this month to wrap up the 2020 session, a leading lawmaker said.A panel of legislative leaders on Wednesday decided that lawmakers will return May 21. The truncated session is aimed at limiting exposure to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.House Speaker Ron Ryckman, a Republican from Olathe said that it appears no vote will take place on a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion. Ryckman said expansion of Medicaid will likely be discussed, but “we really need to work on what’a want versus a need.”Many issues had to be put aside when lawmakers were forced to vacate in mid-March as the pandemic began to worsen.“There’s really nothing off the table, but we do want to focus on things that are in response to COVID-19,” Ryckman said of the upcoming session.For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.The number of confirmed cases in Kansas reached 5,734 on Wednesday, up 276 from Tuesday. The actual number of cases is thought to be higher because of limited testing and because people can be infected without feeling ill.Reported COVID-19-related deaths increased by seven to 144, according to the state’s count.

Kansas Legislature to return for 1-day virus-focused talks

Sports like football and soccer could go by the wayside in the fall if virus is still spreading. 

By ERICA HUNZINGER <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-07/kansas-high-school-athletes-can-start-working-out-june-1-but-fall-sports-arent-a-sure-thing">Kansas News Service</a>

High schools across Kansas expect school to open this fall, and with 
that may come Friday night football. Yet sports during a pandemic could 
look different.

The Kansas State High School Activities Association has issued <a href="http://www.kshsaa.org/Public/pdf/SummerGuidelines.pdf" target="_blank">new guidelines</a>
 on how teams can get in shape this summer starting June 1 — insisting 
on social distancing rules and gathering restrictions that would apply 
even in high-contact sports.

That’s when things could get interesting: How do football and soccer work in the time of COVID-19?

“We
 wouldn’t be able to play a football game if there is still an 
expectation of social distancing,” said the association’s executive 
director, Bill Faflick.

Official team practices can’t start until 
Aug. 17. He said the association has looked at things like taking 
temperatures, but, ultimately, it’s about what schools will do come the 
fall. 

If there is in-person instruction, he said, “then we’re 
going to feel a whole lot more comfortable having after-school 
activities, because it’s like a classroom.

“If school doesn’t 
resume in that face-to-face manner, then I’m not so sure what our 
activities will look like — whether it will be we don’t do anything or 
these are the activities where we can still maintain (social 
distancing).”

The new guidelines, which were adopted May 1 in a 
48-22 video-call vote by the association’s board of directors, comes as 
Kansas has started reopening businesses and establishments in phases.

Under
 the guidelines, schools can restart summer athletic programs like 
strength training and conditioning work on June 1. And programs need 
approval from county health departments.

“Everybody’s going to be 
different,” said Michelle Olson, the principal at Bishop Ward High 
School in Kansas City, Kansas. “We know it.”

Plus, there’s “an 
absolute expectation” for schools to socially distance as sports 
activities ramp up, Faflick said. “You cannot conduct an activity where 
you cannot maintain social distancing.”

Spring sports — as well as
 the final rounds of the state basketball tournament, which Faflick said
 was a “six-figure loss” of gate receipts alone — were canceled this 
year when Gov. Laura Kelly moved all school instruction online in 
mid-March to slow the spread of the coronavirus. And some cheerleading 
and dance camps have been canceled this summer because social distancing
 is not possible.

About 40 high schoolers play sports in the St. 
Francis Community School District in far northwest Kansas. Principal 
Dave Morrow voted for the recommendations. As a KSHSAA board member, he 
represents all seven schools in the <a href="http://www.kshsaa.org/Public/General/LeagueInfo.cfm?LgNo=KSL0034" target="_blank">Northwest Kansas League</a>.

“KSHSAA
 is doing whatever (it) can to give schools and the athletes that 
participate in them as much liberty as they can under the governor’s 
guidelines,” he said. “They’re kind of using those as the starting point
 for everything that we try to schedule, and allow coaches in all of our
 schools to schedule things.”

Faflick said that summer 
participation is voluntary for students and for school districts, and 
programs can only be held if local health officials feel it's safe.

That
 might not be a problem for the St. Francis district. Cheyenne County 
has just two cases of COVID-19. But Morrow said there was some 
discussion that smaller schools in bigger metro areas will be at a 
disadvantage when competition starts up.

Many of the state’s 
biggest counties also have significant numbers of COVID-19 cases, which 
means health departments could require schools to hold off conditioning 
and training for a couple of weeks beyond June 1. But not every school 
in those counties is in the same division, meaning smaller schools in 
more rural areas — where there are typically fewer cases — could start 
working out June 1.

Faflick said schools across the state already 
have built-in inequities, like the number of coaches and the types of 
facilities that vary from district to district.

The resumption of 
some sports activities gives an “opportunity for kids to both physically
 and mentally reconnect with the activities that have been set aside for
 the past nine weeks,” Faflich said. The published guidelines also call 
for gradually ramping up activity to lower the chance of injury.

“This
 has been difficult for the students to not only have to stay at home, 
but they’ve lost their spring season and many of them are anxious to get
 back into something,” Olson said. She voted for the June 1 start date 
and said more than half of her 305 students play sports or are involved 
in some kind of KSHSAA-governed activity.

Her school is in 
Wyandotte County, which has the most COVID-19 cases in Kansas, and some 
students are from neighboring Johnson County, another early hot spot.

Kansas
 high schoolers appear not to be getting COVID-19 to the extent that 
other age groups are, though testing for the virus in Kansas is really 
only being done if symptoms are showing. Kansas Department of Health and
 Education <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">statistics show</a> 10- to 17-year-olds make up just 2.5% of positive cases and 18- to 24-year-olds are 11.4% of cases.

But teenagers can be vectors for the virus, spreading it to more susceptible populations.

“We
 do not want to sacrifice student safety or fan safety or parent safety 
in any way just so that we can have sports,” said Morrow, the principal 
from far northwest Kansas.

Phase Three of Kelly’s <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Reopen-Kansas-Framework-043020.3.pdf" target="_blank">reopening plan</a>
 tentatively begins June 1, and opens up gatherings to as many as 90 
people as long as there is still 6 feet between each person.

Olson
 said officials at Bishop Ward plan to do most athletic training 
activities outside and “limit the number of students in the weight room 
at a time.”

Kelly’s final phase, which starts no sooner than June 
15, lifts all restrictions on the number of people who can be in one 
space at a time, though social distancing rules will remain in place.

Erica Hunzinger is the news editor for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ehunzinger" target="_blank">@ehunzinger</a> or email her at erica@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588884584499.png" alt="One of the last games of the Kansas 6A high school basketball state tournament was played March 12 at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita. All school activities ended shortly thereafter because of the coronavirus. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>One of the last games of the Kansas 6A high school basketball state tournament was played March 12 at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita. All school activities ended shortly thereafter because of the coronavirus. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Sports like football and soccer could go by the wayside in the fall if virus is still spreading. </h2>By ERICA HUNZINGER <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-07/kansas-high-school-athletes-can-start-working-out-june-1-but-fall-sports-arent-a-sure-thing">Kansas News Service</a>High schools across Kansas expect school to open this fall, and with 
that may come Friday night football. Yet sports during a pandemic could 
look different.The Kansas State High School Activities Association has issued <a href="http://www.kshsaa.org/Public/pdf/SummerGuidelines.pdf" target="_blank">new guidelines</a>
 on how teams can get in shape this summer starting June 1 — insisting 
on social distancing rules and gathering restrictions that would apply 
even in high-contact sports.That’s when things could get interesting: How do football and soccer work in the time of COVID-19?“We
 wouldn’t be able to play a football game if there is still an 
expectation of social distancing,” said the association’s executive 
director, Bill Faflick.Official team practices can’t start until 
Aug. 17. He said the association has looked at things like taking 
temperatures, but, ultimately, it’s about what schools will do come the 
fall. If there is in-person instruction, he said, “then we’re 
going to feel a whole lot more comfortable having after-school 
activities, because it’s like a classroom.“If school doesn’t 
resume in that face-to-face manner, then I’m not so sure what our 
activities will look like — whether it will be we don’t do anything or 
these are the activities where we can still maintain (social 
distancing).”The new guidelines, which were adopted May 1 in a 
48-22 video-call vote by the association’s board of directors, comes as 
Kansas has started reopening businesses and establishments in phases.Under
 the guidelines, schools can restart summer athletic programs like 
strength training and conditioning work on June 1. And programs need 
approval from county health departments.“Everybody’s going to be 
different,” said Michelle Olson, the principal at Bishop Ward High 
School in Kansas City, Kansas. “We know it.”Plus, there’s “an 
absolute expectation” for schools to socially distance as sports 
activities ramp up, Faflick said. “You cannot conduct an activity where 
you cannot maintain social distancing.”Spring sports — as well as
 the final rounds of the state basketball tournament, which Faflick said
 was a “six-figure loss” of gate receipts alone — were canceled this 
year when Gov. Laura Kelly moved all school instruction online in 
mid-March to slow the spread of the coronavirus. And some cheerleading 
and dance camps have been canceled this summer because social distancing
 is not possible.About 40 high schoolers play sports in the St. 
Francis Community School District in far northwest Kansas. Principal 
Dave Morrow voted for the recommendations. As a KSHSAA board member, he 
represents all seven schools in the <a href="http://www.kshsaa.org/Public/General/LeagueInfo.cfm?LgNo=KSL0034" target="_blank">Northwest Kansas League</a>.“KSHSAA
 is doing whatever (it) can to give schools and the athletes that 
participate in them as much liberty as they can under the governor’s 
guidelines,” he said. “They’re kind of using those as the starting point
 for everything that we try to schedule, and allow coaches in all of our
 schools to schedule things.”Faflick said that summer 
participation is voluntary for students and for school districts, and 
programs can only be held if local health officials feel it's safe.That
 might not be a problem for the St. Francis district. Cheyenne County 
has just two cases of COVID-19. But Morrow said there was some 
discussion that smaller schools in bigger metro areas will be at a 
disadvantage when competition starts up.Many of the state’s 
biggest counties also have significant numbers of COVID-19 cases, which 
means health departments could require schools to hold off conditioning 
and training for a couple of weeks beyond June 1. But not every school 
in those counties is in the same division, meaning smaller schools in 
more rural areas — where there are typically fewer cases — could start 
working out June 1.Faflick said schools across the state already 
have built-in inequities, like the number of coaches and the types of 
facilities that vary from district to district.The resumption of 
some sports activities gives an “opportunity for kids to both physically
 and mentally reconnect with the activities that have been set aside for
 the past nine weeks,” Faflich said. The published guidelines also call 
for gradually ramping up activity to lower the chance of injury.“This
 has been difficult for the students to not only have to stay at home, 
but they’ve lost their spring season and many of them are anxious to get
 back into something,” Olson said. She voted for the June 1 start date 
and said more than half of her 305 students play sports or are involved 
in some kind of KSHSAA-governed activity.Her school is in 
Wyandotte County, which has the most COVID-19 cases in Kansas, and some 
students are from neighboring Johnson County, another early hot spot.Kansas
 high schoolers appear not to be getting COVID-19 to the extent that 
other age groups are, though testing for the virus in Kansas is really 
only being done if symptoms are showing. Kansas Department of Health and
 Education <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">statistics show</a> 10- to 17-year-olds make up just 2.5% of positive cases and 18- to 24-year-olds are 11.4% of cases.But teenagers can be vectors for the virus, spreading it to more susceptible populations.“We
 do not want to sacrifice student safety or fan safety or parent safety 
in any way just so that we can have sports,” said Morrow, the principal 
from far northwest Kansas.Phase Three of Kelly’s <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Reopen-Kansas-Framework-043020.3.pdf" target="_blank">reopening plan</a>
 tentatively begins June 1, and opens up gatherings to as many as 90 
people as long as there is still 6 feet between each person.Olson
 said officials at Bishop Ward plan to do most athletic training 
activities outside and “limit the number of students in the weight room 
at a time.”Kelly’s final phase, which starts no sooner than June 
15, lifts all restrictions on the number of people who can be in one 
space at a time, though social distancing rules will remain in place.Erica Hunzinger is the news editor for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ehunzinger" target="_blank">@ehunzinger</a> or email her at erica@kcur.org.

Athletes can work out soon, but fall sports in Kan. aren't a sure thing 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A member of the military serving as one of President Donald Trump’s valets has tested positive for the coronavirus, the White House said Thursday. It said Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have since tested negative for the virus and “remain in good health.”

It marked the latest coronavirus scare for the president, and the first known instance where a person who has come in close proximity to the president has tested positive since several people present at his private Florida club were diagnosed with COVID-19 in early March. The person tested positive on Wednesday, the White House said.

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement, “We were recently notified by the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus."

He added, "The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health.”

A person familiar with the matter said the member of the military who tested positive was one of the president’s valets. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

The White House instituted safety protocols nearly two months ago, including frequent temperature checks. Last month it began administering rapid COVID-19 tests to all those in close proximity to the president, with staffers being tested about once a week.

Several valets cater to the president and his guests at the White House, both in the West Wing and in the White House residence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588878905265.png" alt="President Trump outside the Oval Office Thursday-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump outside the Oval Office Thursday-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A member of the military serving as one of President Donald Trump’s valets has tested positive for the coronavirus, the White House said Thursday. It said Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have since tested negative for the virus and “remain in good health.”It marked the latest coronavirus scare for the president, and the first known instance where a person who has come in close proximity to the president has tested positive since several people present at his private Florida club were diagnosed with COVID-19 in early March. The person tested positive on Wednesday, the White House said.White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement, “We were recently notified by the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus."He added, "The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health.”A person familiar with the matter said the member of the military who tested positive was one of the president’s valets. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.The White House instituted safety protocols nearly two months ago, including frequent temperature checks. Last month it began administering rapid COVID-19 tests to all those in close proximity to the president, with staffers being tested about once a week.Several valets cater to the president and his guests at the White House, both in the West Wing and in the White House residence.

Trump valet has coronavirus; president again tests negative

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Investigators from multiple states were looking Thursday into whether a long-haul trucker from Iowa who's implicated in at least three women's slayings in the 1990s could be responsible for other unsolved homicides.

Officers arrested Clark Perry Baldwin, 58, in Waterloo on Wednesday after new DNA evidence allegedly tied him to three women whose bodies were dumped in Wyoming and Tennessee. Court documents allege that he also raped and choked a woman in Texas in 1991.

Detectives with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are “looking at any connections” that Baldwin may have to cold cases from that era, special agent Mike Krapfl said. He said other agencies were scrutinizing Baldwin given that he traveled the country.

“Obviously there are several cases that need to be followed up on,” Krapfl said.

One case of interest is the 1992 death of Tammy Jo Zywicki, 21, an Iowa college student who was last seen after her car broke down on an Illinois highway. A man driving a semitrailer was seen near her vehicle. Zywicki’s body was found in rural Missouri.

In Wyoming, Baldwin is charged in the deaths of two women whose bodies were found in 1992 roughly 400 miles apart. Investigators never identified the women, nicknaming them “Bitter Creek Betty” and “I-90 Jane Doe.” In Tennessee, Baldwin is charged with two counts of murder in the 1991 killing of a 32-year-old pregnant woman from Topping, Virginia, Pamela McCall, and her fetus.

Another involves Rhonda Knutson, 22, a truck stop convenience store clerk in northern Iowa who was bludgeoned to death during an overnight shift in 1992. Investigators have released sketches of two men who were in the store, including one trucker. Baldwin lived in nearby Nashua, Iowa.

A Tennessee crime lab developed a DNA profile of the suspect in McCall's death last year after a cold case investigator submitted evidence for analysis. A check in a national database matched the profile to one that had been developed years earlier linking the two Wyoming deaths.

Investigators zeroed in on Baldwin after finding DNA in commercial genealogy databases of someone related to the suspect’s profile, court documents say. Last month in Waterloo, the FBI secretly collected DNA from Baldwin’s trash and a shopping cart he used at Walmart and testing revealed that it was a match.

Tennessee District Attorney General Brent Cooper praised investigators for “bringing this serial killer to justice.”

“I'm also very happy to be able to give Rose McCall's mother a chance to see justice for her daughter's and granddaughter's murders,” he said. “As she put it in a recent phone call, ‘At least I have a grave to visit, some moms don’t even that.'"

A similar allegation of violence against Baldwin also helped investigators make their case.

Court documents say that Baldwin allegedly raped a female hitchhiker from Kansas in Wheeler County, Texas, at gunpoint in his truck in 1991. The 21-year-old woman told police that Baldwin struck her on the head, bound her hands and mouth and tried to choke her to death. He allegedly admitted to the assault but was released pending grand jury proceedings. Ultimately, he wasn't prosecuted.

Baldwin, who has previously lived in Nashua, Iowa, and Springfield, Missouri, was a cross-country truck driver for Marten Transport.

Baldwin's name also surfaced during a 1992 homicide investigation in Iowa. His ex-wife told police then that Baldwin once bragged about “killing a girl out west by strangulation and throwing her out of his truck,” court documents say.

In 1997, Secret Service agents raided Baldwin’s apartment in Springfield, Missouri, after learning he was making counterfeit U.S. currency on a personal computer. He and two female associates were indicted on counterfeiting charges. Baldwin was sentenced to 18 months in prison and released in 1999.

Baldwin is being held at the Black Hawk County jail pending extradition proceedings to Tennessee.

The charges stunned Jazz Baldwin, 32, of New Hampton, Iowa, who said she learned two years ago that Baldwin was her father after he purchased a DNA test kit. The two had been in contact over Facebook since then, she said.

“I heard rumors about his ‘possible crimes’ but always thought they were bogus,” she wrote in a Facebook message. “Murder was NOT on the list of things we thought he had done and gotten away with.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588859053162.png" alt="Baldwin photo Black Hawk Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Baldwin photo Black Hawk Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Investigators from multiple states were looking Thursday into whether a long-haul trucker from Iowa who's implicated in at least three women's slayings in the 1990s could be responsible for other unsolved homicides.Officers arrested Clark Perry Baldwin, 58, in Waterloo on Wednesday after new DNA evidence allegedly tied him to three women whose bodies were dumped in Wyoming and Tennessee. Court documents allege that he also raped and choked a woman in Texas in 1991.Detectives with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are “looking at any connections” that Baldwin may have to cold cases from that era, special agent Mike Krapfl said. He said other agencies were scrutinizing Baldwin given that he traveled the country.“Obviously there are several cases that need to be followed up on,” Krapfl said.One case of interest is the 1992 death of Tammy Jo Zywicki, 21, an Iowa college student who was last seen after her car broke down on an Illinois highway. A man driving a semitrailer was seen near her vehicle. Zywicki’s body was found in rural Missouri.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588849072314.png" alt="Pamela McCall was 24 weeks pregnant at the time of her murder, according to Brent Cooper, district attorney of Tennessee's 22nd Judicial District -photos courtesy The District Attorney's office" />
 <figcaption>Pamela McCall was 24 weeks pregnant at the time of her murder, according to Brent Cooper, district attorney of Tennessee's 22nd Judicial District -photos courtesy The District Attorney's office</figcaption>
 </figure>In Wyoming, Baldwin is charged in the deaths of two women whose bodies were found in 1992 roughly 400 miles apart. Investigators never identified the women, nicknaming them “Bitter Creek Betty” and “I-90 Jane Doe.” In Tennessee, Baldwin is charged with two counts of murder in the 1991 killing of a 32-year-old pregnant woman from Topping, Virginia, Pamela McCall, and her fetus.Another involves Rhonda Knutson, 22, a truck stop convenience store clerk in northern Iowa who was bludgeoned to death during an overnight shift in 1992. Investigators have released sketches of two men who were in the store, including one trucker. Baldwin lived in nearby Nashua, Iowa.A Tennessee crime lab developed a DNA profile of the suspect in McCall's death last year after a cold case investigator submitted evidence for analysis. A check in a national database matched the profile to one that had been developed years earlier linking the two Wyoming deaths.Investigators zeroed in on Baldwin after finding DNA in commercial genealogy databases of someone related to the suspect’s profile, court documents say. Last month in Waterloo, the FBI secretly collected DNA from Baldwin’s trash and a shopping cart he used at Walmart and testing revealed that it was a match.Tennessee District Attorney General Brent Cooper praised investigators for “bringing this serial killer to justice.”“I'm also very happy to be able to give Rose McCall's mother a chance to see justice for her daughter's and granddaughter's murders,” he said. “As she put it in a recent phone call, ‘At least I have a grave to visit, some moms don’t even that.'"A similar allegation of violence against Baldwin also helped investigators make their case.Court documents say that Baldwin allegedly raped a female hitchhiker from Kansas in Wheeler County, Texas, at gunpoint in his truck in 1991. The 21-year-old woman told police that Baldwin struck her on the head, bound her hands and mouth and tried to choke her to death. He allegedly admitted to the assault but was released pending grand jury proceedings. Ultimately, he wasn't prosecuted.Baldwin, who has previously lived in Nashua, Iowa, and Springfield, Missouri, was a cross-country truck driver for Marten Transport.Baldwin's name also surfaced during a 1992 homicide investigation in Iowa. His ex-wife told police then that Baldwin once bragged about “killing a girl out west by strangulation and throwing her out of his truck,” court documents say.In 1997, Secret Service agents raided Baldwin’s apartment in Springfield, Missouri, after learning he was making counterfeit U.S. currency on a personal computer. He and two female associates were indicted on counterfeiting charges. Baldwin was sentenced to 18 months in prison and released in 1999.Baldwin is being held at the Black Hawk County jail pending extradition proceedings to Tennessee.The charges stunned Jazz Baldwin, 32, of New Hampton, Iowa, who said she learned two years ago that Baldwin was her father after he purchased a DNA test kit. The two had been in contact over Facebook since then, she said.“I heard rumors about his ‘possible crimes’ but always thought they were bogus,” she wrote in a Facebook message. “Murder was NOT on the list of things we thought he had done and gotten away with.”__

Trucker charged in serial killings faces scrutiny in Kansas, nationwide

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 410 to a total of 6144, the state health department reported Thursday afternoon.&nbsp;

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 410 to a total of 6144, the state health department reported Thursday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 147<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588871949092.png" alt="May 7, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>May 7, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A set of detailed documents created by the nation’s top disease investigators meant to give step-by-step advice to local leaders deciding when and how to reopen public places such as mass transit, day care centers and restaurants during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the still-raging pandemic</a>&nbsp;has been shelved by the Trump administration.

The 17-page report by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team, titled “Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework,” was researched and written to help faith leaders, business owners, educators and state and local officials as they begin to reopen.

It was supposed to be published last Friday, but agency scientists were told the guidance “would never see the light of day,” according to a CDC official. The official was not authorized to talk to reporters and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

The AP obtained a copy from a second federal official who was not authorized to release it. The guidance was described in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2a1cf36c0ad1ae31938351f6f74abe28">AP stories</a>&nbsp;last week, prior to the White House decision to shelve it.

The Trump administration has been closely controlling the release of guidance and information during the pandemic spurred by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak">a new coronavirus that scientists are still trying to understand</a>, with the president himself leading&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/969eafc8f5cb01e9b3e8fe941b3264eb">freewheeling daily briefings</a>&nbsp;until last week.

Traditionally, it’s been the CDC’s role to give the public and local officials guidance and science-based information during public health crises. During this one, however, the CDC has not had a regular, pandemic-related news briefing in nearly two months. CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield has been a member of the White House coronavirus task force, but largely absent from public appearances.

The dearth of real-time, public information from the nation’s experts has struck many current and former government health officials as dangerous.

“CDC has always been the public health agency Americans turn to in a time of crisis,” said Dr. Howard Koh, a Harvard professor and former health official in the Obama administration during the H1N1 swine flu pandemic in 2009. “The standard in a crisis is to turn to them for the latest data and latest guidance and the latest press briefing. That has not occurred, and everyone sees that.”

The Trump administration has instead sought to put the onus on states to handle COVID-19 response. This approach to managing the pandemic has been reflected in President Donald Trump’s public statements, from the assertion that he isn’t responsible for the country’s lackluster early testing efforts, to his description last week of the federal government’s role as a “supplier of last resort” for states in need of testing aid.

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany echoed that at a briefing Wednesday. “We’ve consulted individually with states, but as I said, it’s (a) governor-led effort. It’s a state-led effort on ... which the federal government will consult. And we do so each and every day.”

The rejected reopening guidance was described by one of the federal officials as a touchstone document that was to be used as a blueprint for other groups inside the CDC who are creating the same type of instructional materials for other facilities.

The guidance contained detailed advice for making site-specific decisions related to reopening schools, restaurants, summer camps, churches, day care centers and other institutions. It had been widely shared within CDC, and included detailed “decision trees,” flow charts to be used by local officials to think through different scenarios. One page of the document can be found on the CDC website via search engines, but it did not appear to be linked to any other CDC pages.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588847256361.png" alt="President Trump, Vice President Pence listen to Dr. Anthony Fauci during the April 13 Coronavirus Task Force briefing&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Trump, Vice President Pence listen to Dr. Anthony Fauci during the April 13 Coronavirus Task Force briefing&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A set of detailed documents created by the nation’s top disease investigators meant to give step-by-step advice to local leaders deciding when and how to reopen public places such as mass transit, day care centers and restaurants during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the still-raging pandemic</a>&nbsp;has been shelved by the Trump administration.The 17-page report by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team, titled “Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework,” was researched and written to help faith leaders, business owners, educators and state and local officials as they begin to reopen.It was supposed to be published last Friday, but agency scientists were told the guidance “would never see the light of day,” according to a CDC official. The official was not authorized to talk to reporters and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.The AP obtained a copy from a second federal official who was not authorized to release it. The guidance was described in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2a1cf36c0ad1ae31938351f6f74abe28">AP stories</a>&nbsp;last week, prior to the White House decision to shelve it.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587086887250.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Trump administration has been closely controlling the release of guidance and information during the pandemic spurred by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak">a new coronavirus that scientists are still trying to understand</a>, with the president himself leading&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/969eafc8f5cb01e9b3e8fe941b3264eb">freewheeling daily briefings</a>&nbsp;until last week.Traditionally, it’s been the CDC’s role to give the public and local officials guidance and science-based information during public health crises. During this one, however, the CDC has not had a regular, pandemic-related news briefing in nearly two months. CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield has been a member of the White House coronavirus task force, but largely absent from public appearances.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586391131314.png" alt="Dr. Robert Redfield, Director of the CDC during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing in April" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Robert Redfield, Director of the CDC during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing in April</figcaption>
 </figure>The dearth of real-time, public information from the nation’s experts has struck many current and former government health officials as dangerous.“CDC has always been the public health agency Americans turn to in a time of crisis,” said Dr. Howard Koh, a Harvard professor and former health official in the Obama administration during the H1N1 swine flu pandemic in 2009. “The standard in a crisis is to turn to them for the latest data and latest guidance and the latest press briefing. That has not occurred, and everyone sees that.”The Trump administration has instead sought to put the onus on states to handle COVID-19 response. This approach to managing the pandemic has been reflected in President Donald Trump’s public statements, from the assertion that he isn’t responsible for the country’s lackluster early testing efforts, to his description last week of the federal government’s role as a “supplier of last resort” for states in need of testing aid.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588846780251.png" alt="Kayleigh McEnany addressed the issue at Wednesday's press briefing -White House image&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kayleigh McEnany addressed the issue at Wednesday's press briefing -White House image&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany echoed that at a briefing Wednesday. “We’ve consulted individually with states, but as I said, it’s (a) governor-led effort. It’s a state-led effort on ... which the federal government will consult. And we do so each and every day.”The rejected reopening guidance was described by one of the federal officials as a touchstone document that was to be used as a blueprint for other groups inside the CDC who are creating the same type of instructional materials for other facilities.The guidance contained detailed advice for making site-specific decisions related to reopening schools, restaurants, summer camps, churches, day care centers and other institutions. It had been widely shared within CDC, and included detailed “decision trees,” flow charts to be used by local officials to think through different scenarios. One page of the document can be found on the CDC website via search engines, but it did not appear to be linked to any other CDC pages.Some of the report’s suggestions already appear on federal websites. But the guidance offered specific, tailored recommendations for reopening in one place.For example, the report suggested restaurants and bars should install sneeze guards at cash registers and avoid having buffets, salad bars and drink stations. Similar tips appear on the CDC’s site and a Food and Drug Administration page.But the shelved report also said that as restaurants start seating diners again, they should space tables at least 6 feet apart and try to use phone app technology to alert a patron when their table is ready to avoid touching and use of “buzzers.” That’s not on the CDC’s site now.“You can say that restaurants can open and you need to follow social distancing guidelines. But restaurants want to know, ‘What does that look like?’ States would like more guidance,” said Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.The White House’s own “Opening Up America Again” guidelines released last month were more vague than the CDC’s unpublished report. They instructed state and local governments to reopen in accordance with federal and local “regulations and guidance,” and to monitor employees for symptoms of COVID-19. The White House guidance also included advice developed earlier in the pandemic that remains important like social distancing and encouraging working from home.A person close to the White House’s coronavirus task force said the CDC documents were never cleared by CDC leadership for public release. The person said that White House officials don’t want to offer detailed guidance for how specific sectors can reopen, calling it a “slippery slope” because the virus is affecting various parts of the country differently.CDC is hearing daily from state and county health departments looking for scientifically valid information with which to make informed decisions.Still, behind the scenes, CDC scientists like those who produced the guidance for “Opening Up America Again″ are working to get information to local governments. The agency still employs hundreds of the world’s most respected epidemiologists and doctors, who in times of crisis are looked to for their expertise, said former CDC director Tom Frieden. People have clicked on the CDC’s coronavirus website more than 1.2 billion times.States that directly reach out to the CDC can tap guidance that’s been prepared, but that the White House has not released yet.“I don’t think that any state feels that the CDC is deficient. It’s just the process of getting stuff out,” Plescia said.___