NEW YORK (AP) — Faced with 20,000 coronavirus deaths and counting, the nation’s nursing homes are pushing back against a potential flood of lawsuits with a sweeping lobbying effort to get states to grant them emergency protection from claims of inadequate care.

At least 15 states have enacted laws or governors’ orders that explicitly or apparently provide nursing homes and long-term care facilities some protection from lawsuits arising from the crisis. And in the case of New York, which leads the nation in deaths in such facilities, a lobbying group wrote the first draft of a measure that apparently makes it the only state with specific protection from both civil lawsuits and criminal prosecution.

Now the industry is forging ahead with a campaign to get other states on board with a simple argument: This was an unprecedented crisis and nursing homes should not be liable for events beyond their control, such as shortages of protective equipment and testing, shifting directives from authorities, and sicknesses that have decimated staffs.

“As our care providers make these difficult decisions, they need to know they will not be prosecuted or persecuted,” read a letter sent this month from several major hospital and nursing home groups to their next big goal, California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom has yet to make a decision. Other states in their sights include Florida, Pennsylvania and Missouri.

Watchdogs, patient advocates and lawyers argue that immunity orders are misguided. At a time when the crisis is laying bare such chronic industry problems as staffing shortages and poor infection control, they say legal liability is the last safety net to keep facilities accountable.

They also contend nursing homes are taking advantage of the crisis to protect their bottom lines. Almost 70% of the nation’s more than 15,000 nursing homes are run by for-profit companies, and hundreds have been bought and sold in recent years by private-equity firms.

“What you’re really looking at is an industry that always wanted immunity and now has the opportunity to ask for it under the cloak of saying, ‘Let’s protect our heroes,’” said Mike Dark, an attorney for California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform.

“This has very little to do with the hard work being done by health care providers,” he said, “and everything to do with protecting the financial interests of these big operators.”

Nowhere have the industry’s efforts played out more starkly than in New York, which has about a fifth of the nation’s known nursing home and long-term care deaths and has had at least seven facilities with outbreaks of 40 deaths or more, including one home in Manhattan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0e8c1c97df30f81321fdc114437f268f">that reported&nbsp;</a>

New York’s immunity law signed by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo was drafted by the Greater New York Hospital Association, an influential lobbying group for both hospitals and nursing homes that donated more than $1 million to the state Democratic Party in 2018 and has pumped more than $7 million into lobbying over the past three years.

While the law covering both hospital and nursing care workers doesn’t cover intentional misconduct, gross negligence and other such acts, it makes clear those exceptions don’t include “decisions resulting from a resource or staffing shortage.”

Cuomo’s administration said the measure was a necessary part of getting the state’s entire health care apparatus to work together to respond to the crisis.

“It was a decision made on the merits to help ensure we had every available resource to save lives,” said Rich Azzopardi, a senior advisor to Cuomo. “Suggesting any other motivation is simply grotesque.”

Nationally, the lobbying effort is being led by the American Health Care Association, which represents nearly all of the nation’s nursing homes and has spent $23 million on lobbying efforts in the past six years.

Other states that have emergency immunity measures are Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts; Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Nevada, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Their provisions vary but largely apply to injuries, deaths and care decisions, sometimes even to property damage. But there are limitations: Most make exceptions for gross negligence and willful misconduct, and they generally apply only during the emergency.

Toby Edelman of the Center for Medicare Advocacy is troubled that homes are getting legal protections while family members aren’t being allowed to visit and routine government inspections have been scaled back.

“Nobody is looking at what’s happening,” she said, adding that immunity declarations could make even gross or willful negligence suits harder since homes could argue any deficiencies were somehow tied to the pandemic.

“Everything can’t be blamed on COVID-19. Other things can happen that are terrible,” she said. “Just to say we’re in this pandemic so anything goes, that seems too far.”

Among the situations for which lawyers say nursing homes should be held to account: Homes that flouted federal guidelines to screen workers, cut off visitations and end group activities; those that failed to inform residents and relatives of an outbreak; those that disregarded test results; and homes like one in California, where at least a dozen employees did not show up for work for two straight days,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/55f8d0158d97de75cf138a6ba8198204">prompting residents to be evacuated</a>.

“Just because you have a pandemic doesn’t mean you give a pass on people exercising common sense,” said Dr. Roderick Edmond, an Atlanta lawyer representing families suing over COVID-19 deaths in an assisted-living facility.

“If you take the power of suing away from the families, then anything goes,” said Stella Kazantzas whose husband died in a Massachusetts nursing home with the same owners as the home hit by the nation’s first such outbreak near Seattle, which killed 43 people.

“They already knew in Washington how quickly this would spread,” she said. “They should have taken extreme measures, sensible measures. And they were not taken.”

While the federal government has yet to release numbers on how the coronavirus has ravaged the industry, The Associated Press has been keeping its own tally based on state health departments and media reports, finding 20,058 deaths in nursing homes and long-term care facilities nationwide.

All the new immunity laws notwithstanding, there is a potential wave of lawsuits coming. Illinois lawyer Steven Levin said he’s received dozens of calls from people considering suing homes over the outbreak. Florida lawyer Michael Brevda said his firm gets 10 to 20 calls a day. And a lawyer in Massachusetts said he’s gotten maybe 70 from families with relatives at homes struck by the virus.

“We’re getting inundated,” said David Hoey, whose practice near Boston has been suing homes for 25 years. “They’re grieving and they’re confused. … ‘My loved one just died from COVID. What can I do?’”

American Health Care Association CEO Mark Parkinson said the notion of lawyers gearing up for lawsuits in the “middle of a battle to save the elderly” is “pathetic” and doesn’t consider the hardships nursing home workers have endured.

“The second-guessing of people after a tragedy, if those people did the best that they could under the circumstances, is just wrong,” said Jim Cobb, the New Orleans attorney who successfully defended nursing home owners charged in the deaths of 35 residents who drowned in Hurricane Katrina.

“There’s a lot to be said for someone acting in good faith in the face of a natural disaster and state of emergency, and they should have criminal immunity.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585657534018.png" alt="Life Care Center of Burlington, Kansas reported dozens of coronavirus infections among residents and staff. One resident with the virus was the 10th&nbsp; reported death in Kansas from the virus. Google image" />
 <figcaption>Life Care Center of Burlington, Kansas reported dozens of coronavirus infections among residents and staff. One resident with the virus was the 10th&nbsp; reported death in Kansas from the virus. Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Faced with 20,000 coronavirus deaths and counting, the nation’s nursing homes are pushing back against a potential flood of lawsuits with a sweeping lobbying effort to get states to grant them emergency protection from claims of inadequate care.At least 15 states have enacted laws or governors’ orders that explicitly or apparently provide nursing homes and long-term care facilities some protection from lawsuits arising from the crisis. And in the case of New York, which leads the nation in deaths in such facilities, a lobbying group wrote the first draft of a measure that apparently makes it the only state with specific protection from both civil lawsuits and criminal prosecution.Now the industry is forging ahead with a campaign to get other states on board with a simple argument: This was an unprecedented crisis and nursing homes should not be liable for events beyond their control, such as shortages of protective equipment and testing, shifting directives from authorities, and sicknesses that have decimated staffs.“As our care providers make these difficult decisions, they need to know they will not be prosecuted or persecuted,” read a letter sent this month from several major hospital and nursing home groups to their next big goal, California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom has yet to make a decision. Other states in their sights include Florida, Pennsylvania and Missouri.Watchdogs, patient advocates and lawyers argue that immunity orders are misguided. At a time when the crisis is laying bare such chronic industry problems as staffing shortages and poor infection control, they say legal liability is the last safety net to keep facilities accountable.They also contend nursing homes are taking advantage of the crisis to protect their bottom lines. Almost 70% of the nation’s more than 15,000 nursing homes are run by for-profit companies, and hundreds have been bought and sold in recent years by private-equity firms.“What you’re really looking at is an industry that always wanted immunity and now has the opportunity to ask for it under the cloak of saying, ‘Let’s protect our heroes,’” said Mike Dark, an attorney for California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform.“This has very little to do with the hard work being done by health care providers,” he said, “and everything to do with protecting the financial interests of these big operators.”Nowhere have the industry’s efforts played out more starkly than in New York, which has about a fifth of the nation’s known nursing home and long-term care deaths and has had at least seven facilities with outbreaks of 40 deaths or more, including one home in Manhattan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0e8c1c97df30f81321fdc114437f268f">that reported&nbsp;</a>New York’s immunity law signed by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo was drafted by the Greater New York Hospital Association, an influential lobbying group for both hospitals and nursing homes that donated more than $1 million to the state Democratic Party in 2018 and has pumped more than $7 million into lobbying over the past three years.While the law covering both hospital and nursing care workers doesn’t cover intentional misconduct, gross negligence and other such acts, it makes clear those exceptions don’t include “decisions resulting from a resource or staffing shortage.”Cuomo’s administration said the measure was a necessary part of getting the state’s entire health care apparatus to work together to respond to the crisis.“It was a decision made on the merits to help ensure we had every available resource to save lives,” said Rich Azzopardi, a senior advisor to Cuomo. “Suggesting any other motivation is simply grotesque.”Nationally, the lobbying effort is being led by the American Health Care Association, which represents nearly all of the nation’s nursing homes and has spent $23 million on lobbying efforts in the past six years.Other states that have emergency immunity measures are Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts; Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Nevada, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.Their provisions vary but largely apply to injuries, deaths and care decisions, sometimes even to property damage. But there are limitations: Most make exceptions for gross negligence and willful misconduct, and they generally apply only during the emergency.Toby Edelman of the Center for Medicare Advocacy is troubled that homes are getting legal protections while family members aren’t being allowed to visit and routine government inspections have been scaled back.“Nobody is looking at what’s happening,” she said, adding that immunity declarations could make even gross or willful negligence suits harder since homes could argue any deficiencies were somehow tied to the pandemic.“Everything can’t be blamed on COVID-19. Other things can happen that are terrible,” she said. “Just to say we’re in this pandemic so anything goes, that seems too far.”Among the situations for which lawyers say nursing homes should be held to account: Homes that flouted federal guidelines to screen workers, cut off visitations and end group activities; those that failed to inform residents and relatives of an outbreak; those that disregarded test results; and homes like one in California, where at least a dozen employees did not show up for work for two straight days,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/55f8d0158d97de75cf138a6ba8198204">prompting residents to be evacuated</a>.“Just because you have a pandemic doesn’t mean you give a pass on people exercising common sense,” said Dr. Roderick Edmond, an Atlanta lawyer representing families suing over COVID-19 deaths in an assisted-living facility.“If you take the power of suing away from the families, then anything goes,” said Stella Kazantzas whose husband died in a Massachusetts nursing home with the same owners as the home hit by the nation’s first such outbreak near Seattle, which killed 43 people.“They already knew in Washington how quickly this would spread,” she said. “They should have taken extreme measures, sensible measures. And they were not taken.”While the federal government has yet to release numbers on how the coronavirus has ravaged the industry, The Associated Press has been keeping its own tally based on state health departments and media reports, finding 20,058 deaths in nursing homes and long-term care facilities nationwide.All the new immunity laws notwithstanding, there is a potential wave of lawsuits coming. Illinois lawyer Steven Levin said he’s received dozens of calls from people considering suing homes over the outbreak. Florida lawyer Michael Brevda said his firm gets 10 to 20 calls a day. And a lawyer in Massachusetts said he’s gotten maybe 70 from families with relatives at homes struck by the virus.“We’re getting inundated,” said David Hoey, whose practice near Boston has been suing homes for 25 years. “They’re grieving and they’re confused. … ‘My loved one just died from COVID. What can I do?’”American Health Care Association CEO Mark Parkinson said the notion of lawyers gearing up for lawsuits in the “middle of a battle to save the elderly” is “pathetic” and doesn’t consider the hardships nursing home workers have endured.“The second-guessing of people after a tragedy, if those people did the best that they could under the circumstances, is just wrong,” said Jim Cobb, the New Orleans attorney who successfully defended nursing home owners charged in the deaths of 35 residents who drowned in Hurricane Katrina.“There’s a lot to be said for someone acting in good faith in the face of a natural disaster and state of emergency, and they should have criminal immunity.”

Faced with 20,000 dead, care homes seek shield from lawsuits

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on drug distribution allegations.&nbsp;

Just after 8:30 a.m. Friday, the Wichita Police Department Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team executed a search warrant at a room at the Afton Motel, 855 South Broadway, regarding an ongoing narcotics investigation, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Police located 32-year-old Sterling Flemming inside and arrested him&nbsp; without further incident.&nbsp; During the investigation, officers recovered crack cocaine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a handgun, ammunition, and cash.

He is being held on requested charges that include&nbsp;possession of narcotics with the intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana with the intent to sell.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588364728529.png" alt="Flemming photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Flemming photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on drug distribution allegations.&nbsp;Just after 8:30 a.m. Friday, the Wichita Police Department Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team executed a search warrant at a room at the Afton Motel, 855 South Broadway, regarding an ongoing narcotics investigation, according to officer Charley Davidson.Police located 32-year-old Sterling Flemming inside and arrested him&nbsp; without further incident.&nbsp; During the investigation, officers recovered crack cocaine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a handgun, ammunition, and cash.He is being held on requested charges that include&nbsp;possession of narcotics with the intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana with the intent to sell.

SWAT team helps arrest alleged Kan. drug dealer

For millions of people around the world dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, sleep brings no relief.

The horrors of COVID-19, and the surreal and frightening ways it has upended daily life, are infecting dreams and exposing feelings of fear, loss, isolation and grief that transcend culture, language and national boundaries.

Everyone from a college teacher in Pakistan to a mall cashier in Canada to an Episcopalian priest in Florida is confronting the same daytime demon. Each is waking up in a sweat in the dead of night.

Experts say humanity has rarely experienced “collective dreaming” on such a broad scale in recorded history — and certainly never while also being able to share those nightmares in real time.

“It’s that alarming feeling of when you wake up and think, ‘Thank heavens I woke up,’” said Holly Smith, an elementary school librarian in Detroit. “Once it hits your dreams, you think, ‘Great, now I can’t even escape there.’”

The psychological toll is staggering, particularly for health care workers whose dreams show similarities to those of combat veterans and 9/11 responders, said Deirdre Barrett, a Harvard University professor who is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B8S75CN" target="_blank">surveying</a>&nbsp;COVID dreamers worldwide. She has collected 6,000 dream samples from about 2,400 people.

So many people are sharing accounts of dreams online that there’s a Twitter account dedicated to gathering them in a virtual library under the handle “I Dream of COVID.”

“As far as I know, no one has dream samples from the flu pandemic of 1918 — and that would probably be the most comparable thing,” said Barrett, who has studied the dreams of 9/11 survivors and British prisoners of war in World War II. “Now we just all have our smartphones by our bed, so you can just reach over and speak it or type it down. Recording our dreams has never been easier.”

The dreams are also exposing what is bothering us the most about the pandemic. The themes seem universal.

Dreams of a safe place suddenly overtaken by the virus speak to contagion’s terrifying invisibility, says Cathy Caruth, a professor at Cornell University who has studied trauma for 30 years. Pandemic dreams, she says, are reminiscent of the experience of Hiroshima survivors, who worried about invisible radiation exposure, and also of some nightmares described by Vietnam veterans.

“They seem to be in part about things that are hard to grasp, what it means that anybody can be a threat and you can be a threat to everybody,” Caruth said.

Episcopalian priest Mary Alice Mathison dreamed 500 people showed up for a funeral in her church and wouldn’t go home. Other dreams underscore that no one knows how the pandemic will end. In those, the dreamer wakes with a start before learning how it turned out.

Ashley Trevino is still trying to process one terrifying dream. The 24-year-old barista is out of work due to the pandemic and was spooked when officials announced the first COVID-19 death in her central Texas county.

A few days later, she dreamed she and her girlfriend were in line to enter a dark, metal warehouse where they’d be injected with the new coronavirus by government workers wearing Hazmat suits. Fluorescent lights in the parking lot cast an eerie glow as she watched her partner get the shot and gasp for breath. Then she got the shot, too.

“I watched her kind of collapse against the wall and while I was trying to fight the effects of it and not pass out myself, I was like ... ‘Is she dead now?’”

Trevino woke up whimpering. She immediately felt an impulse to share her nightmare with someone — anyone — and tweeted it to the world from her bed.

In Pakistan’s Punjab province, a college literature teacher described dreaming she was one of only 100 people left on the planet who didn’t have COVID-19. The infected population had gained political control and was chasing the uninfected “so the world would become the same for everyone,” said Roha Rafiq, 28.

Rafiq is terrified for her elderly father, who insists on going to prayers every day despite a cough and a stay-at-home order. “I think,” she said in a Twitter direct message, “this anxiety has given me this dream.”

According to Barrett, many people dream they are sick with COVID-19 or of being overcome by what seem to be stand-ins for the virus: swarms of bugs, slithering worms, witches, grasshoppers with fangs. Others dream of being in crowded public places without a mask or proper social distancing.

Still others dream of losing control. In one such dream, the dreamer was held down by infected people who coughed on her. In another, the dreamer came across bands of people shooting at random strangers.

Most are lower-level anxiety dreams, not trauma-induced nightmares. But that changes dramatically for frontline health workers, Barrett says.

“The health care providers are the ones who look like a trauma population. They are having flat-out nightmares that reenact the things they’re experiencing and … they all have the theme that ‘I am responsible for saving this person’s life and I’m not succeeding and this person is about to die,’” she said.

“And when they dream about their child or parent getting it, for the care providers there’s always the next step in the dream where they realize ... ‘I gave it to them.’”

Even the simple, unadorned dreams — far from the drama of the ICU — seem poignant right now. Some people dream of getting a hug, attending a party, getting a haircut, going to the library.

Lauren Nickols, 30, an avid reader, stocked up on library books before Ohio’s stay-at-home order. Now her supply is running low. She recently dreamed her dresser was piled with books. She found the dream reassuring, but a reminder of the mundane things that have been lost.

“I guess it’s a bit of a sense of shared community, but it’s also really sad that we’re all missing things. It really shows you all the things you do without realizing it,” she says. “And now that you can’t, it’s a shock to the system.”

By GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated PressFor millions of people around the world dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, sleep brings no relief.The horrors of COVID-19, and the surreal and frightening ways it has upended daily life, are infecting dreams and exposing feelings of fear, loss, isolation and grief that transcend culture, language and national boundaries.Everyone from a college teacher in Pakistan to a mall cashier in Canada to an Episcopalian priest in Florida is confronting the same daytime demon. Each is waking up in a sweat in the dead of night.Experts say humanity has rarely experienced “collective dreaming” on such a broad scale in recorded history — and certainly never while also being able to share those nightmares in real time.“It’s that alarming feeling of when you wake up and think, ‘Thank heavens I woke up,’” said Holly Smith, an elementary school librarian in Detroit. “Once it hits your dreams, you think, ‘Great, now I can’t even escape there.’”The psychological toll is staggering, particularly for health care workers whose dreams show similarities to those of combat veterans and 9/11 responders, said Deirdre Barrett, a Harvard University professor who is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B8S75CN" target="_blank">surveying</a>&nbsp;COVID dreamers worldwide. She has collected 6,000 dream samples from about 2,400 people.So many people are sharing accounts of dreams online that there’s a Twitter account dedicated to gathering them in a virtual library under the handle “I Dream of COVID.”“As far as I know, no one has dream samples from the flu pandemic of 1918 — and that would probably be the most comparable thing,” said Barrett, who has studied the dreams of 9/11 survivors and British prisoners of war in World War II. “Now we just all have our smartphones by our bed, so you can just reach over and speak it or type it down. Recording our dreams has never been easier.”The dreams are also exposing what is bothering us the most about the pandemic. The themes seem universal.Dreams of a safe place suddenly overtaken by the virus speak to contagion’s terrifying invisibility, says Cathy Caruth, a professor at Cornell University who has studied trauma for 30 years. Pandemic dreams, she says, are reminiscent of the experience of Hiroshima survivors, who worried about invisible radiation exposure, and also of some nightmares described by Vietnam veterans.“They seem to be in part about things that are hard to grasp, what it means that anybody can be a threat and you can be a threat to everybody,” Caruth said.Episcopalian priest Mary Alice Mathison dreamed 500 people showed up for a funeral in her church and wouldn’t go home. Other dreams underscore that no one knows how the pandemic will end. In those, the dreamer wakes with a start before learning how it turned out.Ashley Trevino is still trying to process one terrifying dream. The 24-year-old barista is out of work due to the pandemic and was spooked when officials announced the first COVID-19 death in her central Texas county.A few days later, she dreamed she and her girlfriend were in line to enter a dark, metal warehouse where they’d be injected with the new coronavirus by government workers wearing Hazmat suits. Fluorescent lights in the parking lot cast an eerie glow as she watched her partner get the shot and gasp for breath. Then she got the shot, too.“I watched her kind of collapse against the wall and while I was trying to fight the effects of it and not pass out myself, I was like ... ‘Is she dead now?’”Trevino woke up whimpering. She immediately felt an impulse to share her nightmare with someone — anyone — and tweeted it to the world from her bed.In Pakistan’s Punjab province, a college literature teacher described dreaming she was one of only 100 people left on the planet who didn’t have COVID-19. The infected population had gained political control and was chasing the uninfected “so the world would become the same for everyone,” said Roha Rafiq, 28.Rafiq is terrified for her elderly father, who insists on going to prayers every day despite a cough and a stay-at-home order. “I think,” she said in a Twitter direct message, “this anxiety has given me this dream.”According to Barrett, many people dream they are sick with COVID-19 or of being overcome by what seem to be stand-ins for the virus: swarms of bugs, slithering worms, witches, grasshoppers with fangs. Others dream of being in crowded public places without a mask or proper social distancing.Still others dream of losing control. In one such dream, the dreamer was held down by infected people who coughed on her. In another, the dreamer came across bands of people shooting at random strangers.Most are lower-level anxiety dreams, not trauma-induced nightmares. But that changes dramatically for frontline health workers, Barrett says.“The health care providers are the ones who look like a trauma population. They are having flat-out nightmares that reenact the things they’re experiencing and … they all have the theme that ‘I am responsible for saving this person’s life and I’m not succeeding and this person is about to die,’” she said.“And when they dream about their child or parent getting it, for the care providers there’s always the next step in the dream where they realize ... ‘I gave it to them.’”Even the simple, unadorned dreams — far from the drama of the ICU — seem poignant right now. Some people dream of getting a hug, attending a party, getting a haircut, going to the library.Lauren Nickols, 30, an avid reader, stocked up on library books before Ohio’s stay-at-home order. Now her supply is running low. She recently dreamed her dresser was piled with books. She found the dream reassuring, but a reminder of the mundane things that have been lost.“I guess it’s a bit of a sense of shared community, but it’s also really sad that we’re all missing things. It really shows you all the things you do without realizing it,” she says. “And now that you can’t, it’s a shock to the system.”

`Infecting our dreams': Pandemic sabotages sleep worldwide

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have made an arrest.

&nbsp;Just after 10:00p.m. Thursday, deputies responded to a vehicle burglary that had just occurred in the 3500 block of SE 2nd Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Shayna Anderson.

The reporting party was able to give a detailed description of the suspect's vehicle.

 Approximately one hour later a deputy stopped a vehicle matching that description at SE 2nd Terrace and High Street in Topeka. 

The deputy located a stolen item inside and arrested Erick M. Weems Jr., 25, of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on the requested charges of burglary and driving with a suspended license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588446054044.png" alt="Weems photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Weems photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have made an arrest.&nbsp;Just after 10:00p.m. Thursday, deputies responded to a vehicle burglary that had just occurred in the 3500 block of SE 2nd Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Shayna Anderson.The reporting party was able to give a detailed description of the suspect's vehicle. Approximately one hour later a deputy stopped a vehicle matching that description at SE 2nd Terrace and High Street in Topeka. The deputy located a stolen item inside and arrested Erick M. Weems Jr., 25, of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on the requested charges of burglary and driving with a suspended license.

Sheriff: Kansas burglary suspect had stolen items in vehicle

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (AP) — One Missouri man died and three others were injured when a boat exploded at the Lake of the Ozarks.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Shawn Carroll, 53, of Richmond Heights, died in the explosion Saturday afternoon at the Ridgeview Marina. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two other men were hospitalized with serious injuries and a third suffered minor injuries.

The patrol said the boat exploded after it had been fueled and the engines were restarted.

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (AP) — One Missouri man died and three others were injured when a boat exploded at the Lake of the Ozarks.The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Shawn Carroll, 53, of Richmond Heights, died in the explosion Saturday afternoon at the Ridgeview Marina. He was pronounced dead at the scene.Two other men were hospitalized with serious injuries and a third suffered minor injuries.The patrol said the boat exploded after it had been fueled and the engines were restarted.

Boat explosion at Lake of The Ozarks leaves 1 dead, 3 hurt

By STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/coronavirus-leaves-kansas-international-students-tough-choice-stay-or-go">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — The coronavirus has left Kansas’ 
international college students with a choice: Stay in the United States,
 even if it hurts them financially, or leave and risk not being allowed 
back into the United States.

Either choice is tough for some of 
the more than 9,000 students, because nobody knows what campus life and 
global travel will look like come August when the next academic year 
starts up.

“If students have to find a way to fend themselves for
 a couple months, that’s one thing,” said Dick Startz, a professor of 
economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “But they 
don’t know if it’s a couple months or through the end of the summer or 
what’s going to happen in the fall.”

Those that stay in the U.S. 
face strict restrictions when it comes to getting a job to pay for an 
unplanned, expensive summer. Plus, they don’t have the same financial 
lifeline, like stimulus and unemployment checks, that domestic students 
do. Leaving means dealing with closed borders, canceled flights and the 
possibility of not being able to re-enter the U.S. in the fall.

Jinwen Liu’s family 
wants him back in China. The liberal arts student at Wichita State 
University might not get another chance to see his grandfather, whose 
health has worsened after a car accident in March.

But Liu worries about leaving the United States in the middle of a global pandemic.

“I don’t know what to do because family matters,” Liu said. “But now it seems like it is not a smart move to go back.”

Wichita
 State and Fort Hays State recommended students stay for several 
reasons: Students could get stuck overseas with expired visas as long as
 U.S. consulates remain closed. Travel restrictions may keep 
international students from returning to the United States. There’s also
 the health risk of flying during a pandemic and exposing family members
 to the virus.

“We really advised them against travel,” said 
Carol Solko-Olliff, director of international student services at Fort 
Hays State. “We tried to outline all of those reasons for students.”

But many students had no choice between staying and going. India <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/coronavirus-travel-restrictions-border-shutdowns-country-200318091505922.html" target="_blank">closed its borders</a>. Many airlines <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-airlines-factbox/factbox-airlines-suspend-flights-due-to-coronavirus-outbreak-idUSKBN20W350" target="_blank">stopped flights to China</a>. Students say flights to other countries have been canceled, too.

Hana
 Shahin is a Ph.D. candidate at Wichita State. She said the coronavirus 
forced her to change her plans to fly home to Egypt over the summer.

It’s
 exhausting being far from her family, she said, and the culture she 
described as more communal than the United States — where cooking meals 
for a stressed friend is common and not met with confusion.

“I’m 
all alone here and going home is really the only rejuvenating time of 
the year when I can get some energy,” Shahin said. “Not being able to go
 back home — it’s heartbreaking.”

She recently bought a plane 
ticket home for December; she did not want to deal with the stress of 
worrying about whether her flight would get canceled.

International
 students don’t have to tell their university when they leave the 
country, leaving schools with a vague idea of what choices they made. 
Wichita State University estimates that the majority of its nearly 1,200
 international students have stayed in the country. Kansas State said 
most of its more than 1,400 students had stayed as of April 24.

Colleges
 are also still deciding whether it’s practical to open in the fall. If 
classes stay online instead of in-person, spotty internet service in 
some countries would make remote learning difficult — not to mention the
 13-hour time difference for students in Malaysia. And returning for 
in-person lessons could mean students would have to quarantine and miss 
at least two weeks of classes.

Nizam Uddin was a few 
months away from graduating with a doctorate in mechanical engineering 
from Wichita State. But the university closed campus and its labs, which
 made conducting the experiment he needs to finish impossible.

He’ll
 have to wait until the fall semester to earn his Ph.D. That’s an 
additional six months in the country with extra expenses he wasn’t 
counting on —and not just tuition. The U.S. is more expensive than life 
in his home country of Bangladesh.

“Staying six months more is a huge cost,” Uddin said.

International
 students won’t receive the $1,200 federal stimulus checks. And stimulus
 grants specifically directed to in-need college students must go to 
domestic students.

“I don’t qualify for that support,” Uddin said, “but I need that, to be honest.”

Kansas
 universities, including Wichita State, have been using their own 
emergency funds to help international students, but those grants usually
 cap out at a few hundred dollars. Uddin called the help insufficient.

Some
 families have sent their international students money, but the economic
 toll of the coronavirus shutdown is apparent in other countries as 
well. And a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/20/investing/strong-dollar-coronavirus/index.html" target="_blank">strong U.S. dollar</a> makes exchanging currency costly.

“Even
 if our parents have to send us money it’s way expensive,” said Avantika
 Ramekar, a student from India enrolled at K-State. “So that has added a
 little bit to our stress.”

While getting a job could help, 
that’s not an option for most international students. Their visas 
restrict them from working off-campus, and many lost on-campus jobs when
 things shut down. K-State will pay student workers who were laid off 
until May 16.

And like many domestic students, international 
students are concerned about social isolation and the quality of online 
lessons. Many already had plans to stay in the United States over the 
summer and are disappointed that their American excursions may now be 
restricted to their dorm rooms.

Doris Udenze, a Fort Hays State 
student from Nigeria, says she’s the only person in her residence hall. 
But she’s enjoying the quiet and taking the time to learn the piano 
without any judgmental ears nearby.

“That’s the fun part,” Udenze said. “I can play as loud as I want without anyone complaining.”

Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for KMUW and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/stevebisaha?lang=en">@stevebisaha</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588348546827.png" alt=" International students at Wichita State University attend a welcome party. Ming Chang Chay / For Wichita State University" />
 <figcaption> International students at Wichita State University attend a welcome party. Ming Chang Chay / For Wichita State University</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/coronavirus-leaves-kansas-international-students-tough-choice-stay-or-go">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — The coronavirus has left Kansas’ 
international college students with a choice: Stay in the United States,
 even if it hurts them financially, or leave and risk not being allowed 
back into the United States.Either choice is tough for some of 
the more than 9,000 students, because nobody knows what campus life and 
global travel will look like come August when the next academic year 
starts up.“If students have to find a way to fend themselves for
 a couple months, that’s one thing,” said Dick Startz, a professor of 
economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “But they 
don’t know if it’s a couple months or through the end of the summer or 
what’s going to happen in the fall.”Those that stay in the U.S. 
face strict restrictions when it comes to getting a job to pay for an 
unplanned, expensive summer. Plus, they don’t have the same financial 
lifeline, like stimulus and unemployment checks, that domestic students 
do. Leaving means dealing with closed borders, canceled flights and the 
possibility of not being able to re-enter the U.S. in the fall.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588348608421.jpeg" alt=" International students attend orientation at Wichita State University. Credit Ming Chang Chay / Wichita State University" />
 <figcaption> International students attend orientation at Wichita State University. Credit Ming Chang Chay / Wichita State University</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Leave at your own risk</h2>Jinwen Liu’s family 
wants him back in China. The liberal arts student at Wichita State 
University might not get another chance to see his grandfather, whose 
health has worsened after a car accident in March.But Liu worries about leaving the United States in the middle of a global pandemic.“I don’t know what to do because family matters,” Liu said. “But now it seems like it is not a smart move to go back.”Wichita
 State and Fort Hays State recommended students stay for several 
reasons: Students could get stuck overseas with expired visas as long as
 U.S. consulates remain closed. Travel restrictions may keep 
international students from returning to the United States. There’s also
 the health risk of flying during a pandemic and exposing family members
 to the virus.“We really advised them against travel,” said 
Carol Solko-Olliff, director of international student services at Fort 
Hays State. “We tried to outline all of those reasons for students.”But many students had no choice between staying and going. India <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/coronavirus-travel-restrictions-border-shutdowns-country-200318091505922.html" target="_blank">closed its borders</a>. Many airlines <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-airlines-factbox/factbox-airlines-suspend-flights-due-to-coronavirus-outbreak-idUSKBN20W350" target="_blank">stopped flights to China</a>. Students say flights to other countries have been canceled, too.Hana
 Shahin is a Ph.D. candidate at Wichita State. She said the coronavirus 
forced her to change her plans to fly home to Egypt over the summer.It’s
 exhausting being far from her family, she said, and the culture she 
described as more communal than the United States — where cooking meals 
for a stressed friend is common and not met with confusion.“I’m 
all alone here and going home is really the only rejuvenating time of 
the year when I can get some energy,” Shahin said. “Not being able to go
 back home — it’s heartbreaking.”She recently bought a plane 
ticket home for December; she did not want to deal with the stress of 
worrying about whether her flight would get canceled.International
 students don’t have to tell their university when they leave the 
country, leaving schools with a vague idea of what choices they made. 
Wichita State University estimates that the majority of its nearly 1,200
 international students have stayed in the country. Kansas State said 
most of its more than 1,400 students had stayed as of April 24.Colleges
 are also still deciding whether it’s practical to open in the fall. If 
classes stay online instead of in-person, spotty internet service in 
some countries would make remote learning difficult — not to mention the
 13-hour time difference for students in Malaysia. And returning for 
in-person lessons could mean students would have to quarantine and miss 
at least two weeks of classes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588348638504.jpeg" alt=" International students attend orientation at Wichita State University. Credit Ming Chang Chay / For Wichita State University" />
 <figcaption> International students attend orientation at Wichita State University. Credit Ming Chang Chay / For Wichita State University</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>What it costs to stay</h2>Nizam Uddin was a few 
months away from graduating with a doctorate in mechanical engineering 
from Wichita State. But the university closed campus and its labs, which
 made conducting the experiment he needs to finish impossible.He’ll
 have to wait until the fall semester to earn his Ph.D. That’s an 
additional six months in the country with extra expenses he wasn’t 
counting on —and not just tuition. The U.S. is more expensive than life 
in his home country of Bangladesh.“Staying six months more is a huge cost,” Uddin said.International
 students won’t receive the $1,200 federal stimulus checks. And stimulus
 grants specifically directed to in-need college students must go to 
domestic students.“I don’t qualify for that support,” Uddin said, “but I need that, to be honest.”Kansas
 universities, including Wichita State, have been using their own 
emergency funds to help international students, but those grants usually
 cap out at a few hundred dollars. Uddin called the help insufficient.Some
 families have sent their international students money, but the economic
 toll of the coronavirus shutdown is apparent in other countries as 
well. And a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/20/investing/strong-dollar-coronavirus/index.html" target="_blank">strong U.S. dollar</a> makes exchanging currency costly.“Even
 if our parents have to send us money it’s way expensive,” said Avantika
 Ramekar, a student from India enrolled at K-State. “So that has added a
 little bit to our stress.”While getting a job could help, 
that’s not an option for most international students. Their visas 
restrict them from working off-campus, and many lost on-campus jobs when
 things shut down. K-State will pay student workers who were laid off 
until May 16.And like many domestic students, international 
students are concerned about social isolation and the quality of online 
lessons. Many already had plans to stay in the United States over the 
summer and are disappointed that their American excursions may now be 
restricted to their dorm rooms.Doris Udenze, a Fort Hays State 
student from Nigeria, says she’s the only person in her residence hall. 
But she’s enjoying the quiet and taking the time to learn the piano 
without any judgmental ears nearby.“That’s the fun part,” Udenze said. “I can play as loud as I want without anyone complaining.”Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for KMUW and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/stevebisaha?lang=en">@stevebisaha</a>.

Virus leaves Kansas’ international students with tough choice

DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — A 16-year-old boy is in custody after he led authorities on a chase through several counties in a stolen school bus. 

Ford County authorities say they were notified Saturday about the bus being stolen out of Cheney in Sedgwick County. 

Sheriff Bill Carr says the driver evaded deputies for several miles, driving west on and off county roads and Highway 54. The driver eventually stopped and surrendered near Kingsdown in Ford County. 

Carr says the teenager was a runaway from another county.&nbsp;

DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — A 16-year-old boy is in custody after he led authorities on a chase through several counties in a stolen school bus. Ford County authorities say they were notified Saturday about the bus being stolen out of Cheney in Sedgwick County. Sheriff Bill Carr says the driver evaded deputies for several miles, driving west on and off county roads and Highway 54. The driver eventually stopped and surrendered near Kingsdown in Ford County. Carr says the teenager was a runaway from another county.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Kan. teen arrested after chase in stolen school bus

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 284 to a total of 5030, the state health department reported Sunday 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 284 to a total of 5030, the state health department reported Sunday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 134<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/2020/5/1588526177376.png" alt="Sunday May 3, 2020 KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Sunday May 3, 2020 KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Joe Biden overwhelmingly won a Democratic presidential primary in Kansas conducted exclusively by mail balloting by the state party because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The former vice president had been expected to prevail and capture a majority of the state’s delegates to the Democrats’ national nominating commission. He captured 77% of Saturday's vote. Vermont Sen. 

Bernie Sanders was still in the race when the Kansas party began mailing ballots at the end of March, but he suspended his campaign and endorsed Biden. The primary determined how 39 of the state’s 45 national convention delegates would be allocated. The remaining six are party leaders.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583675671957.png" alt="Biden during a campaign stop in Kansas City-photo courtesy Biden for President" />
 <figcaption>Biden during a campaign stop in Kansas City-photo courtesy Biden for President</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Joe Biden overwhelmingly won a Democratic presidential primary in Kansas conducted exclusively by mail balloting by the state party because of the coronavirus pandemic. The former vice president had been expected to prevail and capture a majority of the state’s delegates to the Democrats’ national nominating commission. He captured 77% of Saturday's vote. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was still in the race when the Kansas party began mailing ballots at the end of March, but he suspended his campaign and endorsed Biden. The primary determined how 39 of the state’s 45 national convention delegates would be allocated. The remaining six are party leaders.

Biden wins Kansas primary conducted with all-mail balloting

WASHINGTON (AP) — At greater risk from COVID-19, some seniors now face added anxiety due to delays obtaining Medicare coverage.

Advocates for older people say the main problem involves certain applications for Medicare’s “Part B” coverage for outpatient care. It stems from the closure of local Social Security offices in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the coronavirus pandemic</a>.

Part B is particularly important these days because it covers lab tests, like ones for the coronavirus.

Social Security handles eligibility determinations for Medicare, and while many issues can still be resolved online, some require personal attention. That can now entail hold times of 90 minutes or more to reach Social Security on its national 800 number, according to the agency’s website.

Even in normal times, signing up for Part B could be tricky for people who worked past age 65 and kept their workplace coverage. People need to apply separately for the outpatient coverage, and provide Social Security with documentation of their employer policy, to avoid hefty late-enrollment penalties.

Fred Riccardi, president of the advocacy group Medicare Rights Center, said an already cumbersome process has been exacerbated by the pandemic shutdown, raising the risk that some seniors will fall into a coverage gap or end up owing penalties.

“We are concerned that people who are eligible will go without coverage due to unnecessary administrative barriers and the lack of information from federal agencies,” said Riccardi. “The problem is serious.”

His organization is among groups asking Congress to hold seniors harmless from Medicare application problems during the coronavirus emergency. It’s unclear how many are affected.

Social Security declined several interview requests and instead sent The Associated Press written responses to questions. The agency said it has seen an increase in requests for Part B enrollment because of older workers losing job-based coverage.

Social Security said it worked with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to waive certain signature requirements for Part B forms during the pandemic and has set up a dedicated fax number to receive applications.

Social Security gets credit for trying, said Leslie Fried of the National Council on Aging, but that “I don’t know anyone who has a fax machine anymore.”

With the economy shedding millions of jobs, older workers going from employer coverage to Medicare can find themselves in a holding pattern.

Carol Berul of Sacramento, California, retired from state government on Feb. 1. She said she’s still trying to figure out what happened to her Medicare Part B application, which she mailed in January. In her early 70s, Berul said she’s worried her health could be jeopardized by bogged-down paperwork. She has an immune system disorder triggered by a medication that she once took.

“I’ve been avoiding going anywhere,” she said.

Berul said she’s faced hold times of more than an hour trying to call Social Security. When she finally got through, she learned the agency had no record of her Part B application. She resubmitted it.

Berul said Social Security employees she’s talked with have been helpful and empathetic but “with all the people working from home trying to get information from point to point, it’s like a pyramid, and they haven’t connected all the dots.”

For John Breithart of Grand Haven, Michigan, it was a different Medicare issue but a similar experience.

Breithart, who works for an oil and gas delivery company, turns 65 this year and becomes eligible for Medicare’s Part A inpatient coverage.

He’s covered through this wife’s retiree health plan and earlier this month the insurer sent him a letter saying he’d be kicked off if he didn’t provide a Medicare number.

Breithart started calling Social Security. He said on one occasion he was on hold for an hour and 52 minutes. Another time a returned call fell through and the case worker didn’t leave a callback number.

The logjam finally broke after he contacted his two U.S. senators. Social Security confirmed that his Medicare application had been approved. Breithart quickly called Medicare. After asking a litany of questions, an agent read him his Medicare number over the phone. He was able to complete the relay to his wife’s insurer.

“You don’t think of people who don’t have health insurance when you’ve had it all your life,” said Breithart. “Then you get ready to retire and someone says you need a number you don’t have, and it gets stressful.”

Social Security said the pandemic did lead lead to much longer telephone holds, but its latest weekly average was down to 45 minutes, depending on when a person calls and whether others are trying at the same time. Agency employees have been able to continue to serve the public by teleworking.

According to Webster Phillips, a policy expert with the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, wait times before the pandemic averaged around 20 minutes. Social Security has an option to leave your number for a callback.

Natalie Kean, a lawyer with the advocacy group Justice in Aging, said, “Going through the normal channels is just going to be slow, and it’s not responsive to the increased need right now.”

On Capitol Hill, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee said the committee is trying to assess what’s going on.

“Seniors should not be penalized for disruptions in service due to the crisis,” Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., said in a statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587590671442.png" alt="Sema Verma&nbsp;Administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Sema Verma&nbsp;Administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — At greater risk from COVID-19, some seniors now face added anxiety due to delays obtaining Medicare coverage.Advocates for older people say the main problem involves certain applications for Medicare’s “Part B” coverage for outpatient care. It stems from the closure of local Social Security offices in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the coronavirus pandemic</a>.Part B is particularly important these days because it covers lab tests, like ones for the coronavirus.Social Security handles eligibility determinations for Medicare, and while many issues can still be resolved online, some require personal attention. That can now entail hold times of 90 minutes or more to reach Social Security on its national 800 number, according to the agency’s website.Even in normal times, signing up for Part B could be tricky for people who worked past age 65 and kept their workplace coverage. People need to apply separately for the outpatient coverage, and provide Social Security with documentation of their employer policy, to avoid hefty late-enrollment penalties.Fred Riccardi, president of the advocacy group Medicare Rights Center, said an already cumbersome process has been exacerbated by the pandemic shutdown, raising the risk that some seniors will fall into a coverage gap or end up owing penalties.“We are concerned that people who are eligible will go without coverage due to unnecessary administrative barriers and the lack of information from federal agencies,” said Riccardi. “The problem is serious.”His organization is among groups asking Congress to hold seniors harmless from Medicare application problems during the coronavirus emergency. It’s unclear how many are affected.Social Security declined several interview requests and instead sent The Associated Press written responses to questions. The agency said it has seen an increase in requests for Part B enrollment because of older workers losing job-based coverage.Social Security said it worked with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to waive certain signature requirements for Part B forms during the pandemic and has set up a dedicated fax number to receive applications.Social Security gets credit for trying, said Leslie Fried of the National Council on Aging, but that “I don’t know anyone who has a fax machine anymore.”With the economy shedding millions of jobs, older workers going from employer coverage to Medicare can find themselves in a holding pattern.Carol Berul of Sacramento, California, retired from state government on Feb. 1. She said she’s still trying to figure out what happened to her Medicare Part B application, which she mailed in January. In her early 70s, Berul said she’s worried her health could be jeopardized by bogged-down paperwork. She has an immune system disorder triggered by a medication that she once took.“I’ve been avoiding going anywhere,” she said.Berul said she’s faced hold times of more than an hour trying to call Social Security. When she finally got through, she learned the agency had no record of her Part B application. She resubmitted it.Berul said Social Security employees she’s talked with have been helpful and empathetic but “with all the people working from home trying to get information from point to point, it’s like a pyramid, and they haven’t connected all the dots.”For John Breithart of Grand Haven, Michigan, it was a different Medicare issue but a similar experience.Breithart, who works for an oil and gas delivery company, turns 65 this year and becomes eligible for Medicare’s Part A inpatient coverage.He’s covered through this wife’s retiree health plan and earlier this month the insurer sent him a letter saying he’d be kicked off if he didn’t provide a Medicare number.Breithart started calling Social Security. He said on one occasion he was on hold for an hour and 52 minutes. Another time a returned call fell through and the case worker didn’t leave a callback number.The logjam finally broke after he contacted his two U.S. senators. Social Security confirmed that his Medicare application had been approved. Breithart quickly called Medicare. After asking a litany of questions, an agent read him his Medicare number over the phone. He was able to complete the relay to his wife’s insurer.“You don’t think of people who don’t have health insurance when you’ve had it all your life,” said Breithart. “Then you get ready to retire and someone says you need a number you don’t have, and it gets stressful.”Social Security said the pandemic did lead lead to much longer telephone holds, but its latest weekly average was down to 45 minutes, depending on when a person calls and whether others are trying at the same time. Agency employees have been able to continue to serve the public by teleworking.According to Webster Phillips, a policy expert with the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, wait times before the pandemic averaged around 20 minutes. Social Security has an option to leave your number for a callback.Natalie Kean, a lawyer with the advocacy group Justice in Aging, said, “Going through the normal channels is just going to be slow, and it’s not responsive to the increased need right now.”On Capitol Hill, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee said the committee is trying to assess what’s going on.“Seniors should not be penalized for disruptions in service due to the crisis,” Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., said in a statement.

Medicare applications raise anxiety for seniors in pandemic

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — As many Kansas shops and restaurants prepare to reopen for the first time since the coronavirus shutdown, the owners of bars, salons and some other types of businesses are wondering why they must still keep their doors closed.

Gov. Laura Kelly is lifting a statewide stay-at-home order effective Monday as part of a gradual step to reopen the state’s economy, allowing certain nonessential businesses, including dine-in restaurants and retail shops, to open. But her plan prohibits bars, gyms, theaters, barbershops, hair and nail salons or state-owned casinos from opening until at least May 18.

Eric Fisher employs 100 hairdressers in Wichita. He recently opened a fourth salon in downtown Wichita and said “it just breaks my heart” to see it sit idle. He wonders why Kelly’s order allows dentists to operate, but not salons.

“My people want to get back to work,” he said. “Work dignifies you.”

He added: “It’s not healthy to sit home — it’s just not — unless you have things to do, and I think we’ve all run out of those.”

The Democratic governor has been under pressure from the Republican-controlled Legislature to lift restrictions in the wake of a surge of claims for unemployment benefits and expectations of a sharp drop in state revenue.

Kelly, in an interview with The Associated Press, defended her decision to leave out some businesses in the initial reopening phase.

“It’s not something we did lightly,” Kelly said. “We had multiple conversations with all different kinds of industry sectors, including the barbers and cosmetologists. There are other types of businesses where close physical contact is necessary in order to perform the service. We wanted to err on the side of caution with that and not put folks in that situation where they could not that keep that social distancing.”

Heather Kuder, who operates a small fitness center in Carbondale, near Topeka, said she has always made sure that the strength-training machines, free weights and cardio equipment were sanitized, even before the pandemic. Because the center is in a small town, complying with social distancing guidelines would not be a problem, she said.

Kuder said businesses should be allowed to work with local officials to develop a plan to operate safely. Besides, she noted, consumers will avoid any businesses that aren’t taking the proper precautions.

“That would force business owners to do a good job, because people will make decisions with their feet,” she said.

The reopening doesn’t apply to Kansas’ two largest counties, which are both in suburban Kansas City. Johnson and Wyandotte counties each issued stay-at-home orders through May 10. Those two counties together account for about three-quarters of the state’s coronavirus-related deaths.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough 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, including pneumonia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588352329083.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly during her televised address Thursday night" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly during her televised address Thursday night</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — As many Kansas shops and restaurants prepare to reopen for the first time since the coronavirus shutdown, the owners of bars, salons and some other types of businesses are wondering why they must still keep their doors closed.Gov. Laura Kelly is lifting a statewide stay-at-home order effective Monday as part of a gradual step to reopen the state’s economy, allowing certain nonessential businesses, including dine-in restaurants and retail shops, to open. But her plan prohibits bars, gyms, theaters, barbershops, hair and nail salons or state-owned casinos from opening until at least May 18.Eric Fisher employs 100 hairdressers in Wichita. He recently opened a fourth salon in downtown Wichita and said “it just breaks my heart” to see it sit idle. He wonders why Kelly’s order allows dentists to operate, but not salons.“My people want to get back to work,” he said. “Work dignifies you.”He added: “It’s not healthy to sit home — it’s just not — unless you have things to do, and I think we’ve all run out of those.”The Democratic governor has been under pressure from the Republican-controlled Legislature to lift restrictions in the wake of a surge of claims for unemployment benefits and expectations of a sharp drop in state revenue.Kelly, in an interview with The Associated Press, defended her decision to leave out some businesses in the initial reopening phase.“It’s not something we did lightly,” Kelly said. “We had multiple conversations with all different kinds of industry sectors, including the barbers and cosmetologists. There are other types of businesses where close physical contact is necessary in order to perform the service. We wanted to err on the side of caution with that and not put folks in that situation where they could not that keep that social distancing.”Heather Kuder, who operates a small fitness center in Carbondale, near Topeka, said she has always made sure that the strength-training machines, free weights and cardio equipment were sanitized, even before the pandemic. Because the center is in a small town, complying with social distancing guidelines would not be a problem, she said.Kuder said businesses should be allowed to work with local officials to develop a plan to operate safely. Besides, she noted, consumers will avoid any businesses that aren’t taking the proper precautions.“That would force business owners to do a good job, because people will make decisions with their feet,” she said.The reopening doesn’t apply to Kansas’ two largest counties, which are both in suburban Kansas City. Johnson and Wyandotte counties each issued stay-at-home orders through May 10. Those two counties together account for about three-quarters of the state’s coronavirus-related deaths.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough 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, including pneumonia.___

Kansas salons and gyms wonder why they can't reopen, too

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man in connection with another violent attack.

Just before 7 p.m.&nbsp; Thursday, officers responded to an area hospital regarding an assault report, according to officer Charley Davidson.

 Upon arrival, officers contacted a 25-year-old woman who had extensive injuries to her face and neck.&nbsp; She was treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation revealed, the woman had been battered and strangled to the point of unconsciousness multiple times over several days at her home in the 2200 block of East Lockwood in Wichita, by her boyfriend identified as 27-year-old Nathan Rowe.&nbsp; 

A family member brought her to the hospital, according to Davidson.&nbsp;

Police located Rowe Friday and arrested him without incident.&nbsp; He was booked into jail for this incident and two other separate domestic violence investigations from March, involving the same victim.

He faces requested charges of domestic battery, aggravated domestic battery strangulation, and aggravated domestic battery, stemming from multiple domestic violence battery, aggravated battery and strangulation investigations.

If you know of someone in a dangerous domestic relationship resources are available, please reach out to one of&nbsp; the following resources 911; Harbor House Domestic Violence Shelter, 620-263-6000 or The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588362216507.png" alt="Rowe from an earlier arrest in Sumner Co." />
 <figcaption>Rowe from an earlier arrest in Sumner Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man in connection with another violent attack.Just before 7 p.m.&nbsp; Thursday, officers responded to an area hospital regarding an assault report, according to officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers contacted a 25-year-old woman who had extensive injuries to her face and neck.&nbsp; She was treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.The investigation revealed, the woman had been battered and strangled to the point of unconsciousness multiple times over several days at her home in the 2200 block of East Lockwood in Wichita, by her boyfriend identified as 27-year-old Nathan Rowe.&nbsp; A family member brought her to the hospital, according to Davidson.&nbsp;Police located Rowe Friday and arrested him without incident.&nbsp; He was booked into jail for this incident and two other separate domestic violence investigations from March, involving the same victim.He faces requested charges of domestic battery, aggravated domestic battery strangulation, and aggravated domestic battery, stemming from multiple domestic violence battery, aggravated battery and strangulation investigations.If you know of someone in a dangerous domestic relationship resources are available, please reach out to one of&nbsp; the following resources 911; Harbor House Domestic Violence Shelter, 620-263-6000 or The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

Kansas man arrested for violent attack on woman

JEFFERSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 2p.m. Saturday in Jefferson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Mark Shughart, 52, Topeka, was westbound at 3522 U.S. 24 behind a 1997 GMC 5500 driven by Harrell, Terry Harrell, 64, Ottawa. 

The motorcycle rear-ended the pickup as it was attempting&nbsp; to turn into a gas station..

Shughart was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Barnett Funeral Home.&nbsp; EMS transported a passenger on the motorcycle Carla&nbsp;Bushjost, 56, Jefferson City, MO. to a Topeka Hospital.

Harrell was not injured. The occupants of the motorcycle were not wearing helmets, according to the KHP.

JEFFERSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 2p.m. Saturday in Jefferson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Mark Shughart, 52, Topeka, was westbound at 3522 U.S. 24 behind a 1997 GMC 5500 driven by Harrell, Terry Harrell, 64, Ottawa. The motorcycle rear-ended the pickup as it was attempting&nbsp; to turn into a gas station..Shughart was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Barnett Funeral Home.&nbsp; EMS transported a passenger on the motorcycle Carla&nbsp;Bushjost, 56, Jefferson City, MO. to a Topeka Hospital.Harrell was not injured. The occupants of the motorcycle were not wearing helmets, according to the KHP.

Kan. man dies, woman hospitalized after motorcycle crash

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a drive by shooting.

Just after 7:00 p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a disturbance with weapons at Maple and Mclean in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler. 

Two men in the area led an officer to a shooting victim in a passerby’s vehicle. 

The victim was a 20-year-old mn who had a gunshot wound to his right leg. 

He was transported by EMS to a local hospital with a non-life threatening injury.

The 20-year-old and two 19-year-old men reported they were walking east along Maple Street when two men in a red four-door vehicle approached them at the intersection of Sycamore and Maple and pointed guns at them. 

The victims ran and shots were fired striking the 20-year-old once. He was the only one injured.

Police do not believe this is a random incident and have not reported an arrest.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a drive by shooting.Just after 7:00 p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a disturbance with weapons at Maple and Mclean in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler. Two men in the area led an officer to a shooting victim in a passerby’s vehicle. The victim was a 20-year-old mn who had a gunshot wound to his right leg. He was transported by EMS to a local hospital with a non-life threatening injury.The 20-year-old and two 19-year-old men reported they were walking east along Maple Street when two men in a red four-door vehicle approached them at the intersection of Sycamore and Maple and pointed guns at them. The victims ran and shots were fired striking the 20-year-old once. He was the only one injured.Police do not believe this is a random incident and have not reported an arrest.

Police: 20-year-old Kan. man wounded in drive-by shooting

TOPEKA—Chief Justice Marla Luckert Friday evening issued six new administrative orders to provide updated direction to state courts and court users as the state slowly reopens following a plan
 outlined by the governor Thursday evening.

“These orders continue some of the strategies put in place at the beginning of this pandemic response and provide updated guidance for gradually reopening state courts, according to
 the framework announced by Governor Kelly,” said Chief Justice Luckert. “This approach reflects our commitment to protecting public health, and the health of our employees and judicial officers, while we increase the number and types of service we are
 able to deliver to the people of Kansas.”

<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETF3HgrLgDMShq-I2cPXEINI" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-044</a>: Reissuing Administrative Order 2020-PR-36 under Governor’s April 30, 2020, State of Disaster Emergency Declaration

This order suspends deadlines, time standards, and other applicable speedy trial provisions in municipal courts that have been closed by the COVID-19 pandemic and establishes that they
 will remain suspended until the court reopens and can reasonably place cases on its calendar or until further order. It also authorizes using two-way telephonic or electronic audio-visual communication in court proceedings to the extent they are permitted
 by the United States and Kansas Constitutions.

<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETGxkZlOwJ9IeKS5dCWo62CU" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-045</a>: Authorizing Two-Way Audio-Visual Communication in Any CourtProceeding

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576879254086.png" alt="Kansas supreme court" />
 <figcaption>Kansas supreme court</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA—Chief Justice Marla Luckert Friday evening issued six new administrative orders to provide updated direction to state courts and court users as the state slowly reopens following a plan
 outlined by the governor Thursday evening.“These orders continue some of the strategies put in place at the beginning of this pandemic response and provide updated guidance for gradually reopening state courts, according to
 the framework announced by Governor Kelly,” said Chief Justice Luckert. “This approach reflects our commitment to protecting public health, and the health of our employees and judicial officers, while we increase the number and types of service we are
 able to deliver to the people of Kansas.”<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETF3HgrLgDMShq-I2cPXEINI" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-044</a>: Reissuing Administrative Order 2020-PR-36 under Governor’s April 30, 2020, State of Disaster Emergency DeclarationThis order suspends deadlines, time standards, and other applicable speedy trial provisions in municipal courts that have been closed by the COVID-19 pandemic and establishes that they
 will remain suspended until the court reopens and can reasonably place cases on its calendar or until further order. It also authorizes using two-way telephonic or electronic audio-visual communication in court proceedings to the extent they are permitted
 by the United States and Kansas Constitutions.<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETGxkZlOwJ9IeKS5dCWo62CU" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-045</a>: Authorizing Two-Way Audio-Visual Communication in Any CourtProceedingIn this order, the chief justice authorizes courts to use two-way audio-visual communication to replace in-person judicial proceedings to protect the health and safety of court users,
 staff, and judicial officers.The remote proceeding must be consistent with the United States and Kansas Constitutions, allow for confidential communication between counsel and a party or witness, and be reviewable
 by the public contemporaneously or soon after.<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETMQBeYJmNb2rupmaq0iI9jw" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-046</a>: Suspending Deadlines and Time Limitations Under K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 22-3402In this order, the chief justice suspends deadlines and time limitations to bring defendants to trial under authority granted her by House Substitute for Senate Bill 102, which took
 effect on its <a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETHgjDclCwXnUUYSsIowd6G4" target="_blank">
March 19, 2020, publication in the Kansas Register</a>.<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETKCSAHsnLBKXbWs8xkxTpFc" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-047</a>: Suspending Deadlines and Time Limitations in Judicial ProceedingsIn this order, the chief justice suspends statutes of limitations and statutory time standards regarding the conduct or processing of judicial proceedings under authority granted her
 by House Substitute for Senate Bill 102, which became law March 19.The order allows for a district or appellate judge, or hearing officer, to exempt a case from the suspension of a statutory or other deadline, as long as it does not involve a matter
 covered by the governor’s Executive Order 20-10, which temporarily prohibits certain foreclosures and evictions.<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETCSQ1s_eyIqQ3djICkJw5Rs" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-048</a>: Order Relating to District Court Operations in Counties Not Affected by a Stay-at-Home Order or Subject to a Directive Closing a County Courthouse or Other Judicial OfficeThis order applies to court operations in cities and counties in which no local stay-at-home order is in place now or after such a stay-at-home order is lifted.It directs the chief judge of the judicial district to work with the local public health official to verify that all appropriate measures are taken to protect the health and safety of the public, court
 users, court staff, and judicial officers. It also includes instructions for staffing the court.<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETHrvIkB3ajoyZoE_cAJyaAQ" target="_blank">Administrative
 Order 2020-PR-049</a>: Relating to District Court Operations in Counties Affected by a Stay-at-Home Order or Subject to a Directive Closing a County Courthouse or Other Judicial OfficeThis order acknowledges that county officials, in response to local public health conditions, may impose more stringent restrictions than those issued by the governor and that these
 restrictions may affect courthouses, judicial officers, and court staff. Should that occur, the court covered by a local public health order will continue to perform essential functions as outlined. Nonessential functions may also be performed as resources
 and circumstances allow.Essential functionsState courts have been operating in a limited capacity since March 18 under earlier Supreme Court orders issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Courts initially were restricted
 to only essential functions, but they were later permitted to perform additional functions, to the extent local resources and circumstances allowed.Essential functions generally include:<ol>
 <li>determining probable cause for persons arrested without a warrant;</li><li>first appearances;</li><li>bond hearings;</li><li>warrants for adults and juveniles;</li><li>juvenile detention hearings;</li><li>care and treatment emergency orders;</li><li>protection from abuse and protection from stalking temporary orders;</li><li>child in need of care hearings and orders;</li><li>commitment of sexually violent predators; and</li><li>isolation and quarantine hearings and orders.</li>
 </ol>Many courts, including the Supreme Court, have been carrying out their duties through remote hearings involving videoconferencing technology.For a complete list of judicial branch actions to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7OQb2btLAon7mhUPJUGETJY1fba_jQVMP7-5nL5HZLc" target="_blank">Kansas
 Courts Response to COVID-19</a>.News Release<figure>
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