SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a string of business burglaries and have made an arrest.

On Friday night, police located 36-year-old&nbsp;Travis L. Russell of Topeka in the 2800 block of SE  Topeka Blvd, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.&nbsp;

Officers brought Russell into the Law Enforcement Center for questioning. As a result of the investigation, Russell was arrested for burglarizing 5 businesses over 9 days including&nbsp;Vern’s Liquor in the 3700 block of SW Gage Blvd, 29th St. Quick Stop in the 3100 block of SW 29th St. and Schendel Lawn and Landscape in the 4700 block of SW 6th Ave. on April 2.&nbsp;Great Life Golf in 900 block of SE 29th St. on April 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;Highland Crest Laundromat in the 400 block of SE 29th St. on April 10.

Russell is being held on the requested charges Criminal use of a financial card, Theft, Burglary, Criminal damage to property and Possession of stolen property, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586724419726.png" alt="Russell photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Russell photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a string of business burglaries and have made an arrest.On Friday night, police located 36-year-old&nbsp;Travis L. Russell of Topeka in the 2800 block of SE Topeka Blvd, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.&nbsp;Officers brought Russell into the Law Enforcement Center for questioning. As a result of the investigation, Russell was arrested for burglarizing 5 businesses over 9 days including&nbsp;Vern’s Liquor in the 3700 block of SW Gage Blvd, 29th St. Quick Stop in the 3100 block of SW 29th St. and Schendel Lawn and Landscape in the 4700 block of SW 6th Ave. on April 2.&nbsp;Great Life Golf in 900 block of SE 29th St. on April 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;Highland Crest Laundromat in the 400 block of SE 29th St. on April 10.Russell is being held on the requested charges Criminal use of a financial card, Theft, Burglary, Criminal damage to property and Possession of stolen property, according to Christian.

Kan. man jailed for 5 business burglaries in 9 days

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 3,300 deaths nationwide have been linked to coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, an alarming rise in just the past two weeks, according to the latest count by The Associated Press.

Because the federal government has not been releasing a count of its own, the AP has kept its own running tally based on media reports and state health departments. The latest count of at least 3,321 deaths is up from about 450 deaths just 10 days ago.

But the true toll among the 1 million mostly frail and elderly people who live in such facilities is likely much higher, experts say, because most state counts don’t include those who died without ever being tested for COVID-19.

Outbreaks in just the past few weeks have included one at a nursing home in suburban Richmond that has killed 40 and infected more than 100, another at nursing home in central Indiana that has killed 24 and infected 16, and one at a veteran’s home in Holyoke, Mass., that has killed 37, infected 76 and prompted a federal investigation. This comes weeks after an outbreak at a nursing home in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland that has so far claimed 43 lives.

And those are just the outbreaks we know about. Most states provide only total numbers of nursing home deaths and don’t give details of specific outbreaks. Notable among them is the nation’s leader, New York, which accounts for 1,880 nursing home deaths out of about 96,000 total residents but has so far declined to detail specific outbreaks, citing privacy concerns.

Experts say nursing home deaths may keep climbing because of chronic staffing shortages that have been made worse by the coronavirus crisis, a shortage of protective supplies and a continued lack of available testing.

And the deaths have skyrocketed despite steps taken by the federal government in mid-March to bar visitors, cease all group activities, and require that every worker be screened for fever or respiratory symptoms at every shift.

But an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/78e495c299d67e60d45729352f2c0d44">AP report&nbsp;</a>earlier this month found that infections were continuing to find their way into nursing homes because such screenings didn’t catch people who were infected but asymptomatic. Several large outbreaks were blamed on such spreaders, including infected health workers who worked at several different nursing home facilities.

This past week, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that regulates nursing homes issued recommendations urging nursing homes to use separate staffing teams for residents, and to designate separate facilities within nursing homes to keep COVID-19 positive residents away from those who have tested negative.

Dr. Deborah Birx, who leads the White House coronavirus response, suggested this past week that as more COVID-19 tests become available, nursing homes should be a top priority.

“We need to really ensure that nursing homes have sentinel surveillance. And what do I mean by that? That we’re actively testing in nursing homes, both the residents and the workers, at all times,” Birx said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585657534018.png" alt="Life Care Center of Burlington, Kansas is linked to multiple coronavirus cases and deaths, according to the KDHE- Google image" />
 <figcaption>Life Care Center of Burlington, Kansas is linked to multiple coronavirus cases and deaths, according to the KDHE- Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — More than 3,300 deaths nationwide have been linked to coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, an alarming rise in just the past two weeks, according to the latest count by The Associated Press.Because the federal government has not been releasing a count of its own, the AP has kept its own running tally based on media reports and state health departments. The latest count of at least 3,321 deaths is up from about 450 deaths just 10 days ago.But the true toll among the 1 million mostly frail and elderly people who live in such facilities is likely much higher, experts say, because most state counts don’t include those who died without ever being tested for COVID-19.Outbreaks in just the past few weeks have included one at a nursing home in suburban Richmond that has killed 40 and infected more than 100, another at nursing home in central Indiana that has killed 24 and infected 16, and one at a veteran’s home in Holyoke, Mass., that has killed 37, infected 76 and prompted a federal investigation. This comes weeks after an outbreak at a nursing home in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland that has so far claimed 43 lives.And those are just the outbreaks we know about. Most states provide only total numbers of nursing home deaths and don’t give details of specific outbreaks. Notable among them is the nation’s leader, New York, which accounts for 1,880 nursing home deaths out of about 96,000 total residents but has so far declined to detail specific outbreaks, citing privacy concerns.Experts say nursing home deaths may keep climbing because of chronic staffing shortages that have been made worse by the coronavirus crisis, a shortage of protective supplies and a continued lack of available testing.And the deaths have skyrocketed despite steps taken by the federal government in mid-March to bar visitors, cease all group activities, and require that every worker be screened for fever or respiratory symptoms at every shift.But an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/78e495c299d67e60d45729352f2c0d44">AP report&nbsp;</a>earlier this month found that infections were continuing to find their way into nursing homes because such screenings didn’t catch people who were infected but asymptomatic. Several large outbreaks were blamed on such spreaders, including infected health workers who worked at several different nursing home facilities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586725126011.png" alt="Dr. Deborah Birx leads the White House coronavirus response team-White House image" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Deborah Birx leads the White House coronavirus response team-White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>This past week, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that regulates nursing homes issued recommendations urging nursing homes to use separate staffing teams for residents, and to designate separate facilities within nursing homes to keep COVID-19 positive residents away from those who have tested negative.Dr. Deborah Birx, who leads the White House coronavirus response, suggested this past week that as more COVID-19 tests become available, nursing homes should be a top priority.“We need to really ensure that nursing homes have sentinel surveillance. And what do I mean by that? That we’re actively testing in nursing homes, both the residents and the workers, at all times,” Birx said.

Nursing home virus deaths soar past 3,300 in alarming surge

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — When Denise Romero was laid off four weeks ago from her job as a waitress at a family-owned restaurant in Wichita, she had little choice but to scramble to find some other way to put food on the table amid the coronavirus outbreak that’s putting record numbers of Kansans out of work.

Even though Romero had worked at the restaurant for a year and a half, the 28-year-old single mother does not qualify for unemployment insurance because she came to the United States from Mexico as a tourist and does not have a work visa. Her father is an American citizen and she has been trying to get her U.S. citizenship.

“I need a hustle. I need to go out there and make my money any type of a way that I can,” Romero said, adding that she has been cleaning houses and mowing lawns for people who are trying to help her out.

At a time when Kansas is struggling to keep up with an avalanche of unemployment claims, even those record numbers do not capture the full extent of job losses in the state.

Some people do not qualify for unemployment benefits and others choose to find temporary work to tide them over until businesses reopen. And many others simply cannot get through to the overwhelmed Kansas Department of Labor, where the 43-year-old mainframe computer cannot keep up with claims and telephone lines are jammed with frustrated callers.

Last week&nbsp;<a href="https://klic.dol.ks.gov/admin/gsipub/htmlarea/uploads/UI%20Weekly%20Review.pdf" target="_blank">50,345 new unemployment claims</a>&nbsp;were filed in Kansas, compared to 1,405 claims for the the same week a year ago. Those new claims come on the heels of 55,428 new claims the week before, according to labor department figures.

Earlier this week, Gov. Laura Kelly told reporters the unemployment division shattered a “grim new record,” receiving 1.6 million calls in a single day.

On Thursday, the governor said state officials had deployed 78 employees from other agencies to help staff Department of Labor phone lines, with a second wave of staff on the way. Kelly also announced that the department has launched a new phone system.

“Disconnects and busy signals will inevitably happen, but the new phone system combined with our new staff capacity should ensure callers are connected with experts at the Department of Labor in a more timely fashion so that their claims can be processed,” she said.

The governor acknowledged one of the problems stems from a “horrendously outdated” unemployment insurance mainframe computer. She said the state has been working to see if it can use federal stimulus money to upgrade the technology.

Greg Zuercher doesn’t plan to claim his unemployment benefits after losing his job last month at the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, where he worked as a blackjack dealer for the past three years.

“I am not one of those guys. I am not a government relief guy unless it is the absolutely last option,” the 62-year-old Wichita man said. “I am just not the kind of guy to go do that. I’ve applied at Walmart, believe it or not, and I think I’ll get hired there fairly soon to be a stocker.”

Zuercher, an Army veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, is unmarried, has no children and no mortgage. He has been living on his military pension since losing his job.

“I am not frustrated or bitter. I just take it as, ‘oh well, my job wasn’t critical,’ so I knew it was going to end,” he said. “I knew we would be laid off temporarily while this thing is going on. I am just a realist.”

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — When Denise Romero was laid off four weeks ago from her job as a waitress at a family-owned restaurant in Wichita, she had little choice but to scramble to find some other way to put food on the table amid the coronavirus outbreak that’s putting record numbers of Kansans out of work.Even though Romero had worked at the restaurant for a year and a half, the 28-year-old single mother does not qualify for unemployment insurance because she came to the United States from Mexico as a tourist and does not have a work visa. Her father is an American citizen and she has been trying to get her U.S. citizenship.“I need a hustle. I need to go out there and make my money any type of a way that I can,” Romero said, adding that she has been cleaning houses and mowing lawns for people who are trying to help her out.At a time when Kansas is struggling to keep up with an avalanche of unemployment claims, even those record numbers do not capture the full extent of job losses in the state.Some people do not qualify for unemployment benefits and others choose to find temporary work to tide them over until businesses reopen. And many others simply cannot get through to the overwhelmed Kansas Department of Labor, where the 43-year-old mainframe computer cannot keep up with claims and telephone lines are jammed with frustrated callers.Last week&nbsp;<a href="https://klic.dol.ks.gov/admin/gsipub/htmlarea/uploads/UI%20Weekly%20Review.pdf" target="_blank">50,345 new unemployment claims</a>&nbsp;were filed in Kansas, compared to 1,405 claims for the the same week a year ago. Those new claims come on the heels of 55,428 new claims the week before, according to labor department figures.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586465261139.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during a virus press conference last week" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during a virus press conference last week</figcaption>
 </figure>Earlier this week, Gov. Laura Kelly told reporters the unemployment division shattered a “grim new record,” receiving 1.6 million calls in a single day.On Thursday, the governor said state officials had deployed 78 employees from other agencies to help staff Department of Labor phone lines, with a second wave of staff on the way. Kelly also announced that the department has launched a new phone system.“Disconnects and busy signals will inevitably happen, but the new phone system combined with our new staff capacity should ensure callers are connected with experts at the Department of Labor in a more timely fashion so that their claims can be processed,” she said.The governor acknowledged one of the problems stems from a “horrendously outdated” unemployment insurance mainframe computer. She said the state has been working to see if it can use federal stimulus money to upgrade the technology.Greg Zuercher doesn’t plan to claim his unemployment benefits after losing his job last month at the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, where he worked as a blackjack dealer for the past three years.“I am not one of those guys. I am not a government relief guy unless it is the absolutely last option,” the 62-year-old Wichita man said. “I am just not the kind of guy to go do that. I’ve applied at Walmart, believe it or not, and I think I’ll get hired there fairly soon to be a stocker.”Zuercher, an Army veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, is unmarried, has no children and no mortgage. He has been living on his military pension since losing his job.“I am not frustrated or bitter. I just take it as, ‘oh well, my job wasn’t critical,’ so I knew it was going to end,” he said. “I knew we would be laid off temporarily while this thing is going on. I am just a realist.”

Kansas unemployment numbers don't show the full picture

HUTCHINSON — It was 50 years ago today that the world held its breath as three astronauts began a harrowing journey back to earth after an explosion aboard Apollo 13 crippled their spacecraft.

The Odyssey as the Apollo 13 spacecraft was named is certainly the centerpiece of the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson. A planned celebration for the 50th anniversary of that mission was postponed due to COVID-19. Cosmosphere President Jim Remar says the spacecraft is something they take great pride in.

“It is something that I think that all of us who work at the Cosmosphere and all of the citizens of Hutchinson take great pride in,” Remar said. “One of the icons in American space flight resides right here.”

The 50th anniversary celebration with the two remaining Apollo 13 astronauts and flight crew was postponed earlier this month due to the pandemic. Remar says they look forward to celebrating the event later this year.

“We look forward to opening our doors back up and welcoming visitors to see the Odyssey as well as one of the most significant collections of space artifacts anywhere in the world.”

Until then the museum is presenting a long line of virtual and video programing reliving the flight of Apollo 13.

“We’re providing some virtual opportunities and activities,” Remar said. “We’ll be rolling out over the course of the week virtual activities and podcasts and presentations all honoring the mission and the anniversary. And then look forward to the gathering of astronauts, mission control and flight directors back here to Hutchinson later this year.”

Certainly, the celebration is close to the heart of the astronauts. In a recent interview, Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell who has been to the Cosmosphere numerous times, said he was disappointed by the postponement of the celebration saying he wanted to go back to Hutchinson and say goodbye to his spacecraft.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586606769906.jpeg" alt="Apollo 13 on display at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson" />
 <figcaption>Apollo 13 on display at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson</figcaption>
 </figure>HutchPostHUTCHINSON — It was 50 years ago today that the world held its breath as three astronauts began a harrowing journey back to earth after an explosion aboard Apollo 13 crippled their spacecraft.The Odyssey as the Apollo 13 spacecraft was named is certainly the centerpiece of the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson. A planned celebration for the 50th anniversary of that mission was postponed due to COVID-19. Cosmosphere President Jim Remar says the spacecraft is something they take great pride in.“It is something that I think that all of us who work at the Cosmosphere and all of the citizens of Hutchinson take great pride in,” Remar said. “One of the icons in American space flight resides right here.”The 50th anniversary celebration with the two remaining Apollo 13 astronauts and flight crew was postponed earlier this month due to the pandemic. Remar says they look forward to celebrating the event later this year.“We look forward to opening our doors back up and welcoming visitors to see the Odyssey as well as one of the most significant collections of space artifacts anywhere in the world.”Until then the museum is presenting a long line of virtual and video programing reliving the flight of Apollo 13.“We’re providing some virtual opportunities and activities,” Remar said. “We’ll be rolling out over the course of the week virtual activities and podcasts and presentations all honoring the mission and the anniversary. And then look forward to the gathering of astronauts, mission control and flight directors back here to Hutchinson later this year.”Certainly, the celebration is close to the heart of the astronauts. In a recent interview, Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell who has been to the Cosmosphere numerous times, said he was disappointed by the postponement of the celebration saying he wanted to go back to Hutchinson and say goodbye to his spacecraft.

Explosion that crippled Apollo 13 was 50 years ago today

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A major California labor union that claimed to have discovered a stockpile of 39 million masks for health care workers fighting the coronavirus was duped in an elaborate scam uncovered by FBI investigators, according to a newspaper report Sunday.

Investigators stumbled onto the scheme while looking into whether they could intercept the masks for the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Defense Production Act, the U.S. attorney’s office said Friday.

The federal government has been quietly seizing supplies across the country as the outbreak spreads. But in this case, there was no warehouse, and there were no masks to seize, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-04-11/coronavirus-seiu-masks-fraud-fbi" target="_blank">Los Angeles Times</a>&nbsp;reported.

U.S. Attorney Scott Brady told the Times that investigators tracked the tip back to a Pittsburgh businessman, who said he had been working with the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West to secure millions of masks.

The businessman had been using WhatsApp to connect with a broker in Australia and a supplier in Kuwait, who are both now the target of a federal investigation, Brady said.

The union, known as SEIU, and the Pittsburgh businessman are not under investigation and both appear to be among a string of middlemen who were fooled, Brady said.

“There are opportunists who are looking for any victim,” he said.

The promise of 39 million masks was first made public March 26, when the union announced it had found the stockpile after 48 hours of frantic phone calls pursuing leads on potential suppliers. The announcement by the union was widely covered by major media outlets and listed several hospital systems and government agencies as buyers.

Behind the scenes, the deal quickly unraveled. Buyers said they failed to receive reliable information about where they could inspect the shipments.

At one point, the Australian broker told the middleman in Pittsburgh that 2 million masks were located in a warehouse in Georgia and that the product had been inspected by a particular certification company.

That, Brady said, “was also part of the ruse.”

No money was exchanged in the attempts to finalize a deal, according to Brady.

Experts in the global supply chain say dubious brokers and suppliers have flooded the market with suspect offers, creating an atmosphere of confusion and distrust just as hospitals are trying to stock up on the gear doctors and nurses need to protect themselves from the virus.

Steve Trossman, spokesman for SEIU-UHW, told the Times that union officials had been trying to find equipment for members, and the group had no financial interest in any transactions.

“As far as we knew, he had legitimate masks,” Trossman said of the supplier, “and the people who were going to purchase those masks were going to fully vet it and check it out and do their due diligence.”

Brady said federal investigators had reason to suspect the arrangement. The 39 million masks were advertised as N95 masks from 3M, the largest U.S.-based manufacturer. But 3M told federal investigators it manufactured only 20 million such masks last year, making that large of a stockpile unlikely unless the product was counterfeit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586739551363.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A major California labor union that claimed to have discovered a stockpile of 39 million masks for health care workers fighting the coronavirus was duped in an elaborate scam uncovered by FBI investigators, according to a newspaper report Sunday.Investigators stumbled onto the scheme while looking into whether they could intercept the masks for the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Defense Production Act, the U.S. attorney’s office said Friday.The federal government has been quietly seizing supplies across the country as the outbreak spreads. But in this case, there was no warehouse, and there were no masks to seize, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-04-11/coronavirus-seiu-masks-fraud-fbi" target="_blank">Los Angeles Times</a>&nbsp;reported.U.S. Attorney Scott Brady told the Times that investigators tracked the tip back to a Pittsburgh businessman, who said he had been working with the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West to secure millions of masks.The businessman had been using WhatsApp to connect with a broker in Australia and a supplier in Kuwait, who are both now the target of a federal investigation, Brady said.The union, known as SEIU, and the Pittsburgh businessman are not under investigation and both appear to be among a string of middlemen who were fooled, Brady said.“There are opportunists who are looking for any victim,” he said.The promise of 39 million masks was first made public March 26, when the union announced it had found the stockpile after 48 hours of frantic phone calls pursuing leads on potential suppliers. The announcement by the union was widely covered by major media outlets and listed several hospital systems and government agencies as buyers.Behind the scenes, the deal quickly unraveled. Buyers said they failed to receive reliable information about where they could inspect the shipments.At one point, the Australian broker told the middleman in Pittsburgh that 2 million masks were located in a warehouse in Georgia and that the product had been inspected by a particular certification company.That, Brady said, “was also part of the ruse.”No money was exchanged in the attempts to finalize a deal, according to Brady.Experts in the global supply chain say dubious brokers and suppliers have flooded the market with suspect offers, creating an atmosphere of confusion and distrust just as hospitals are trying to stock up on the gear doctors and nurses need to protect themselves from the virus.Steve Trossman, spokesman for SEIU-UHW, told the Times that union officials had been trying to find equipment for members, and the group had no financial interest in any transactions.“As far as we knew, he had legitimate masks,” Trossman said of the supplier, “and the people who were going to purchase those masks were going to fully vet it and check it out and do their due diligence.”Brady said federal investigators had reason to suspect the arrangement. The 39 million masks were advertised as N95 masks from 3M, the largest U.S.-based manufacturer. But 3M told federal investigators it manufactured only 20 million such masks last year, making that large of a stockpile unlikely unless the product was counterfeit.

Scam report: Stockpile of 39 million masks exposed as fake

JACKSON COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect following a high-speed chase.

&nbsp;A sheriff’s deputy and a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper allegedly measured the speed of a southbound Chrysler Sebring near 142nd and U.S. 75 at speeds in excess of 100 mph, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The driver later identified as&nbsp;Harold Jesse Sheffield II, 54,&nbsp; Topeka, allegedly attempted to elude law enforcement when a pursuit ensued. 

The vehicle came to a stop approximately ½ mile west of US Highway 75 on 110th Road. 

Authorities arrested Sheffield and found a substance believed to be methamphetamine and an opened alcoholic container in the vehicle, according to Morse. 

&nbsp;Sheffield was booked into the Jackson County Jail for fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, possession of methamphetamine, driving while suspended, and transporting and open container. Sheffield also had 3 outstanding Jackson County warrants and 1 Shawnee County warrant, according to Morse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586773669470.png" alt="Sheffield photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Sheffield photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect following a high-speed chase.&nbsp;A sheriff’s deputy and a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper allegedly measured the speed of a southbound Chrysler Sebring near 142nd and U.S. 75 at speeds in excess of 100 mph, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The driver later identified as&nbsp;Harold Jesse Sheffield II, 54,&nbsp; Topeka, allegedly attempted to elude law enforcement when a pursuit ensued. The vehicle came to a stop approximately ½ mile west of US Highway 75 on 110th Road. Authorities arrested Sheffield and found a substance believed to be methamphetamine and an opened alcoholic container in the vehicle, according to Morse. &nbsp;Sheffield was booked into the Jackson County Jail for fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, possession of methamphetamine, driving while suspended, and transporting and open container. Sheffield also had 3 outstanding Jackson County warrants and 1 Shawnee County warrant, according to Morse.

Sheriff: Kan. man was driving 100mph with open alcohol container

WICHITA, KAN. – A woman was sentenced to prison Thursday for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Judge Dave Dahl sentenced Sonja May, 38, of Wichita, to 68 months in prison. 

In July of 2017, police found the meth in May's purse during a traffic stop in the 1400 block of S. Seneca in Wichita. on July 29.

May was sentenced during a video connection from the Sedgwick County&nbsp; Jail. 

On March 30, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges and court personnel began handling probation violations, first appearances, and sentencings by video connection.

Prosecutors login from the DA Library on the second floor of the Sedgwick County Courthouse. Defendants are not taken to the Courthouse, and stay in the County Jail during these hearings. 

All jury trials and other hearings have been suspended until further notice from the Kansas Supreme Court. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586470980587.png" alt="May photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>May photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A woman was sentenced to prison Thursday for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Judge Dave Dahl sentenced Sonja May, 38, of Wichita, to 68 months in prison. In July of 2017, police found the meth in May's purse during a traffic stop in the 1400 block of S. Seneca in Wichita. on July 29.May was sentenced during a video connection from the Sedgwick County&nbsp; Jail. On March 30, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges and court personnel began handling probation violations, first appearances, and sentencings by video connection.Prosecutors login from the DA Library on the second floor of the Sedgwick County Courthouse. Defendants are not taken to the Courthouse, and stay in the County Jail during these hearings. All jury trials and other hearings have been suspended until further notice from the Kansas Supreme Court.

Police found meth in Kansas woman's purse

BOSTON (AP) — Courthouses shuttered. Thousands of trials on hold. Legal deadlines pushed.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;has crippled the U.S. legal system, creating constitutional dilemmas as the accused miss their days in court. The public health crisis could build a legal backlog that overwhelms courts across the country, leaving some defendants behind bars longer, and forcing prosecutors to decide which cases to pursue and which to let slide.

“Everybody is scrambling. Nobody really knows how to handle this,” said Claudia Lagos, a criminal defense attorney in Boston.

Judges from California to Maine have postponed trials and nearly all in-person hearings to keep crowds from packing courthouses. Trials that were underway — like the high-profile case against multimillionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/467ac61d7ea434c1de2ee387d58a2ec4">real estate heir Robert Durst</a>&nbsp;— have been halted. Some chief judges have suspended grand juries, rendering new indictments impossible. Other have allowed them to sit, though six feet apart.

Prosecutors may have to abandon some low-level cases to keep people from flooding into the legal system.

Many judges are holding hearings by phone or video chat to keep all cases from grinding to a halt. Other courts are stymied by outdated technology. The clerk for the the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Molly Dwyer, likened the logistical challenges to “building the bike as we ride it.”

Judges have asked for emergency powers to delay trials longer than the law generally allows and extend key deadlines, like when a defendant must initially appear in court.

That could keep people locked up longer, exposing them to unsafe jail conditions, and violate their constitutional right to a speedy trial, defense lawyers say.

“We shouldn’t be creating mechanisms in the current crisis to keep people in jail longer. The jails are just tinderboxes waiting for the virus to take off,” said Jeff Chorney, deputy public defender in Alameda County, California. Courts there now have seven days instead of 48 hours to hold arraignments, during which a defendant is often appointed a lawyer and can enter a plea.

The pandemic has shuttered nearly every aspect of everyday life as the death toll mounts and more states impose strict stay-at-home orders.&nbsp;There are nearly 600,000 cases and more than 21,000 deaths in the U.S., according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.

Still, coast-to-coast disruptions of the courts system are unprecedented.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina forced courts in New Orleans to temporarily close. The suspension of legal deadlines after the natural disaster left thousands languishing behind bars for months without formal charges, attorneys say. Lawyers there fear a repeat.

“On a regular day, without a crisis like Katrina and COVID, you can imagine people getting lost in a system like this,” said Alanah Odoms Hebert, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana. “There will be a lot folks who fall through the cracks.”

No civil litigation is getting done. U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger in Chicago chafed at a recent request for an emergency order barring the alleged misuse of elf and unicorn drawings. “The world,” he said, “is facing a real emergency. (The) plaintiff is not.”

The COVID-19 disruptions are causing widespread confusion with prosecutors and defense attorneys as they struggle to file documents, get matters heard in courthouses operating on skeleton crews and share information with jailed clients while maintaining social distancing.

Lawyers for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6676f7ebfc7c454baace1eaeca501501">Elizabeth Holmes</a>, head of the blood-testing startup Theranos scheduled to be tried this summer for allegedly defrauding investors, asked a California federal judge to also exempt them from the orders. They said the restrictions made witness preparation and serving subpoenas difficult. The judge refused.

Attorneys are wary of visiting their clients in jails for fear of contracting the virus or spreading it behind bars. They rely on phone calls, which in some places are recorded, limiting what they can say.

“You have to sort of chose between your safety and your client’s safety ... or their constitutional rights. It’s a really impossible situation,” said William Isenberg, a Boston defense attorney.

The haphazard operations could lead defendants to later challenge convictions, even if their lawyers did the best they could during the virus-related tumult.

Courthouse chaos may worsen when the shutdowns end, as judges try to return to old cases while fielding a burst in new cases. A flood of lawsuits linked to COVID-19 will add to the logjam.

“The courts are looking down the barrel of a real serious bottleneck,” said Jonathan Smith, executive director of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. “I don’t think anybody has figured out what they’re going to do.”

Crime victims are also forced to wait. In Minnesota, the virus has postponed the federal trial of an Illinois militia leader accused of being the ringleader in the 2017 pipe bombing of a Minnesota mosque.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d15a219d119ea92bad722771e7923722">Michael Hari’s trial</a>&nbsp;was already postponed once. Now it’s scheduled for late July.

Mohamed Omar, executive director of the mosque, said community members want to see quick justice, but that he understands the need for a delay.

“The safety of our community and those that are vulnerable are more important to us now more than any other thing,” he said. “This is bigger than all of us.”

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in a few weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.

BOSTON (AP) — Courthouses shuttered. Thousands of trials on hold. Legal deadlines pushed.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;has crippled the U.S. legal system, creating constitutional dilemmas as the accused miss their days in court. The public health crisis could build a legal backlog that overwhelms courts across the country, leaving some defendants behind bars longer, and forcing prosecutors to decide which cases to pursue and which to let slide.“Everybody is scrambling. Nobody really knows how to handle this,” said Claudia Lagos, a criminal defense attorney in Boston.Judges from California to Maine have postponed trials and nearly all in-person hearings to keep crowds from packing courthouses. Trials that were underway — like the high-profile case against multimillionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/467ac61d7ea434c1de2ee387d58a2ec4">real estate heir Robert Durst</a>&nbsp;— have been halted. Some chief judges have suspended grand juries, rendering new indictments impossible. Other have allowed them to sit, though six feet apart.Prosecutors may have to abandon some low-level cases to keep people from flooding into the legal system.Many judges are holding hearings by phone or video chat to keep all cases from grinding to a halt. Other courts are stymied by outdated technology. The clerk for the the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Molly Dwyer, likened the logistical challenges to “building the bike as we ride it.”Judges have asked for emergency powers to delay trials longer than the law generally allows and extend key deadlines, like when a defendant must initially appear in court.That could keep people locked up longer, exposing them to unsafe jail conditions, and violate their constitutional right to a speedy trial, defense lawyers say.“We shouldn’t be creating mechanisms in the current crisis to keep people in jail longer. The jails are just tinderboxes waiting for the virus to take off,” said Jeff Chorney, deputy public defender in Alameda County, California. Courts there now have seven days instead of 48 hours to hold arraignments, during which a defendant is often appointed a lawyer and can enter a plea.The pandemic has shuttered nearly every aspect of everyday life as the death toll mounts and more states impose strict stay-at-home orders.&nbsp;There are nearly 600,000 cases and more than 21,000 deaths in the U.S., according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.Still, coast-to-coast disruptions of the courts system are unprecedented.In 2005, Hurricane Katrina forced courts in New Orleans to temporarily close. The suspension of legal deadlines after the natural disaster left thousands languishing behind bars for months without formal charges, attorneys say. Lawyers there fear a repeat.“On a regular day, without a crisis like Katrina and COVID, you can imagine people getting lost in a system like this,” said Alanah Odoms Hebert, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana. “There will be a lot folks who fall through the cracks.”No civil litigation is getting done. U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger in Chicago chafed at a recent request for an emergency order barring the alleged misuse of elf and unicorn drawings. “The world,” he said, “is facing a real emergency. (The) plaintiff is not.”The COVID-19 disruptions are causing widespread confusion with prosecutors and defense attorneys as they struggle to file documents, get matters heard in courthouses operating on skeleton crews and share information with jailed clients while maintaining social distancing.Lawyers for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6676f7ebfc7c454baace1eaeca501501">Elizabeth Holmes</a>, head of the blood-testing startup Theranos scheduled to be tried this summer for allegedly defrauding investors, asked a California federal judge to also exempt them from the orders. They said the restrictions made witness preparation and serving subpoenas difficult. The judge refused.Attorneys are wary of visiting their clients in jails for fear of contracting the virus or spreading it behind bars. They rely on phone calls, which in some places are recorded, limiting what they can say.“You have to sort of chose between your safety and your client’s safety ... or their constitutional rights. It’s a really impossible situation,” said William Isenberg, a Boston defense attorney.The haphazard operations could lead defendants to later challenge convictions, even if their lawyers did the best they could during the virus-related tumult.Courthouse chaos may worsen when the shutdowns end, as judges try to return to old cases while fielding a burst in new cases. A flood of lawsuits linked to COVID-19 will add to the logjam.“The courts are looking down the barrel of a real serious bottleneck,” said Jonathan Smith, executive director of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. “I don’t think anybody has figured out what they’re going to do.”Crime victims are also forced to wait. In Minnesota, the virus has postponed the federal trial of an Illinois militia leader accused of being the ringleader in the 2017 pipe bombing of a Minnesota mosque.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d15a219d119ea92bad722771e7923722">Michael Hari’s trial</a>&nbsp;was already postponed once. Now it’s scheduled for late July.Mohamed Omar, executive director of the mosque, said community members want to see quick justice, but that he understands the need for a delay.“The safety of our community and those that are vulnerable are more important to us now more than any other thing,” he said. “This is bigger than all of us.”For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in a few weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.____

Justice delayed: Virus crisis upends courts system across US

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) —A state Supreme Court ruling means Kansas religious services were limited to 10 people or fewer on Easter, typically the busiest day for Christian church attendance.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Sunday said she was “forced” to include places of worship in her bans on gatherings of more than 10 people amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“My top priority has always been the safety and well-being of all Kansans,” Kelly said in a statement.

A Republican-dominated legislative panel tried to overturn Kelly’s executive order banning larger religious and funeral services. But the state Supreme Court on Saturday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9cc005f93f1daa0edd5fcfbc581351e5">ruled</a>&nbsp;in Kelly’s favor.

At least one church defied Kelly’s order Sunday. Pastor Aaron Harris of Calvary Baptist Church in Junction City said about 21 people attended his Easter service in a church that usually seats 300.

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state grew Sunday by 69, to 1,337. Kansas also reported another death, bringing the total to 56.

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.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) —A state Supreme Court ruling means Kansas religious services were limited to 10 people or fewer on Easter, typically the busiest day for Christian church attendance.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Sunday said she was “forced” to include places of worship in her bans on gatherings of more than 10 people amid the coronavirus pandemic.“My top priority has always been the safety and well-being of all Kansans,” Kelly said in a statement.A Republican-dominated legislative panel tried to overturn Kelly’s executive order banning larger religious and funeral services. But the state Supreme Court on Saturday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9cc005f93f1daa0edd5fcfbc581351e5">ruled</a>&nbsp;in Kelly’s favor.At least one church defied Kelly’s order Sunday. Pastor Aaron Harris of Calvary Baptist Church in Junction City said about 21 people attended his Easter service in a church that usually seats 300.The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state grew Sunday by 69, to 1,337. Kansas also reported another death, bringing the total to 56.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.

Easter services limited in Kansas amid virus outbreak

WASHINGTON (AP) — Unable to strike a deal alone, the Trump administration and congressional leaders appear poised to launch new bipartisan talks on a fresh coronavirus aid package with hopes for action soon.

Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said he spoke Friday to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and the Trump administration has agreed to pursue bipartisan House-Senate negotiations to replenish a $350 billion “paycheck protection” program for businesses that's being depleted.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a separate call with Mnuchin recommended the joint talks so Congress “can move expeditiously” past the logjam.

"We’ll have to do that again at some point," acknowledged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after this week's failed votes. “There’ll be additional discussions.”

The developments come a day after Democrats stifled an attempt by Senate McConnell, R-Ky., to rush a $250 billion infusion into the business program — just in its infancy and beset with hiccups as it starts up — by a voice vote.

McConnell then blocked Democrats' demands to add an additional $250 billion for states and hospitals.

The stalemate hit as the nation's jobless soared past 16 million.

Congress is in an unprecedented situation in which convening either chamber to do business as the nation is locked down by the coronavirus pandemic. That means legislation has to advance by consensus, without roll call votes.

Both parties support the paycheck program that funnels forgivable loans for shops to make payroll during the shutdown. Treasury says the program will soon run out of cash.

But Democrats say they want safeguards to ensure lending reaches all eligible businesses, including those that do not have established credit relationships with banks such as minority-owned firms.

Pelosi told Mnuchin the busines program “must not solidify the disparity in access to capital faced by many small businesses,” her spokesman Drew Hammill said Friday.

Pelosi and Schumer are pressing to add funding for health care providers such as hospitals, as well as further funding for cash-poor state and local governments.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586553459852.png" alt="President Trump prepares to open Friday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing- White House image" />
 <figcaption>President Trump prepares to open Friday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing- White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Unable to strike a deal alone, the Trump administration and congressional leaders appear poised to launch new bipartisan talks on a fresh coronavirus aid package with hopes for action soon.Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said he spoke Friday to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and the Trump administration has agreed to pursue bipartisan House-Senate negotiations to replenish a $350 billion “paycheck protection” program for businesses that's being depleted.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a separate call with Mnuchin recommended the joint talks so Congress “can move expeditiously” past the logjam."We’ll have to do that again at some point," acknowledged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after this week's failed votes. “There’ll be additional discussions.”The developments come a day after Democrats stifled an attempt by Senate McConnell, R-Ky., to rush a $250 billion infusion into the business program — just in its infancy and beset with hiccups as it starts up — by a voice vote.McConnell then blocked Democrats' demands to add an additional $250 billion for states and hospitals.The stalemate hit as the nation's jobless soared past 16 million.Congress is in an unprecedented situation in which convening either chamber to do business as the nation is locked down by the coronavirus pandemic. That means legislation has to advance by consensus, without roll call votes.Both parties support the paycheck program that funnels forgivable loans for shops to make payroll during the shutdown. Treasury says the program will soon run out of cash.But Democrats say they want safeguards to ensure lending reaches all eligible businesses, including those that do not have established credit relationships with banks such as minority-owned firms.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586430124072.png" alt="Treasury Secretary Mnuchin during a meeting this week -White House image." />
 <figcaption>Treasury Secretary Mnuchin during a meeting this week -White House image.</figcaption>
 </figure>Pelosi told Mnuchin the busines program “must not solidify the disparity in access to capital faced by many small businesses,” her spokesman Drew Hammill said Friday.Pelosi and Schumer are pressing to add funding for health care providers such as hospitals, as well as further funding for cash-poor state and local governments.

Trump, Congress hope to act this week on new virus aid bill

The Kansas Department of Health released the latest coronavirus numbers Sunday afternoon.

<a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/kdhe.epidemiology#!/vizhome/COVID-19Data_15851817634470/KSCOVID-19CaseData">Click here</a> for additional details

The Kansas Department of Health released the latest coronavirus numbers Sunday afternoon.<a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/kdhe.epidemiology#!/vizhome/COVID-19Data_15851817634470/KSCOVID-19CaseData">Click here</a> for additional details<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586712177193.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — No military bugler sounded “Taps” for Raymond Boler, a soldier for nearly 40 years.

No honor guard stood among the white marble headstones of Leavenworth National Cemetery on a recent Monday to fire the three-volley salute he had hoped would see him to his final rest.

It was not a uniformed soldier who presented his widow, his partner for 57 years, with the American flag, folded in a triangle, from a grateful nation.

“One of the guys at the office, a VA person at the cemetery office, he presented me with the flag, and that was it,” Francina Boler told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article241804306.html">The Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;on the afternoon after her husband, 72, was buried. “I’m really upset, but what can I do? The whole world’s got things going on. … We didn’t have a choice.”

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration, which runs 142 cemeteries across the county, felt it had little choice, either, in the face of the spreading COVID-19 pandemic.

In keeping with social distancing recommendations by the federal Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention, the administration has since March 23 limited the number of people allowed to attend funerals at Leavenworth and other national cemeteries to 10 or fewer. Buglers and honor guards and “committal” services have been suspended until the contagion passes.

“Typically, what happens at our cemeteries is that families are given about a half-hour to have a committal ceremony at a committal shelter,” said Les’ Melnyk, a spokesman for the cemetery administration in Washington, D.C.

In normal times, if a family requests it, a bugler from one of the military branches or from a veterans service organization will play taps. A flag will be folded and presented. A rifle detail will fire a three-round volley.

“All of that we have had to discontinue,” Melnyk said.

Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, one of some 20 post cemeteries run by the U.S. Army as opposed to the VA, has curtailed some rituals but continues offering “Taps” and rifle salutes and pall bearers.

“We are taking precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of our service members, civilian personnel and funeral attendees,”Charles Alexander Jr., the superintendent at Arlington, said in a website press statement. He said the cemetery is taking guidance from the CDC and Department of Defense.

The bodies or cremated remains of some 4.9 million veterans and their family members are interred in national cemeteries. Melnyk said about 500 funerals occur daily.

Raymond Boler wanted to be among them, having served in uniform for more than half of his life. Born on Sept. 5, 1947, in Independence, he graduated from Blue Springs High School in 1965 and soon joined the U.S. Air Force and served during the Vietnam War from 1966 to 1970 and later in the active reserves.

Afterward he would serve in the Missouri Army National Guard for 30 years and gain notoriety when, at age 60, he served in Kosovo in 2008 and 2009.

Francine Boler said she and her future husband began dating when she was 15 and he was 17.

“He was a man who knew what he wanted in life, which included me, thank goodness,” she said this week. “I’m still in shock that he’s gone.”

Over the course of his life, Boler, nicknamed “Racer Ray”, because of his love of snow skiing and water skiing, would serve as a pharmaceuticals representative. He sold real estate. He had two children and eight grandchildren.

For 11 years he drove the same school bus in the Blue Valley School district, with a U.S. Army emblem on his dashboard.

Then in June, before his 72nd birthday, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

“We just found it by accident,” his wife said. Two surgeries followed. Eventually, he would be paralyzed along his left side and need a wheelchair. It all happened faster than anyone anticipated.

Boler died at his Olathe home on March 30. By then, Francina Boler knew that her husband would not get the honor guard she wanted because of the spreading coronavirus. The cemetery rules had changed.

To honor him, the family held a drive-by memorial. Her husband’s casket, draped with the American flag, was set up outside their church, the Overland Park Church of Christ.

A table with this photos, medals and ribbons was set up alongside. Over one hour, more than 100 cars drove by to pay him respect.

“We kind of made it up,” Francina Boler said. A friend, she said, videotaped every passing car.

“He was a strong person, likable, humble,” Francina Boler said.

At Leavenworth and other national cemeteries, families, in lieu of the military ceremony, are given a different opportunity.

“What we got that nobody else gets is that we watched the interment, which is pretty hard, let me tell you,” she said.

Melnyk said that once the threat of the coronavirus pandemic passes, all families such as Boler’s will be given the opportunity to have the full military ceremony at a later date, if that so choose.

“We get to go back at some time,” Francina Boler said, “but it’s kind of after the fact.”

Melnyk said it is never too late to honor those who served their country.

“I think every one of our veterans is important,” he said. “Honestly, they all deserve that. And their families deserve that. We will get to that point again. For families that have had to bury a veteran now, they will have that opportunity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586693590148.png" alt="Raymond Boler photo courtesy B<a href="https://obittree.com/obituary/us/kansas/gardner/bruce-funeral-home-inc/raymond-boler/4147195/">ruce Funeral Home</a>" />
 <figcaption>Raymond Boler photo courtesy B<a href="https://obittree.com/obituary/us/kansas/gardner/bruce-funeral-home-inc/raymond-boler/4147195/">ruce Funeral Home</a></figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — No military bugler sounded “Taps” for Raymond Boler, a soldier for nearly 40 years.No honor guard stood among the white marble headstones of Leavenworth National Cemetery on a recent Monday to fire the three-volley salute he had hoped would see him to his final rest.It was not a uniformed soldier who presented his widow, his partner for 57 years, with the American flag, folded in a triangle, from a grateful nation.“One of the guys at the office, a VA person at the cemetery office, he presented me with the flag, and that was it,” Francina Boler told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article241804306.html">The Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;on the afternoon after her husband, 72, was buried. “I’m really upset, but what can I do? The whole world’s got things going on. … We didn’t have a choice.”The Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration, which runs 142 cemeteries across the county, felt it had little choice, either, in the face of the spreading COVID-19 pandemic.In keeping with social distancing recommendations by the federal Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention, the administration has since March 23 limited the number of people allowed to attend funerals at Leavenworth and other national cemeteries to 10 or fewer. Buglers and honor guards and “committal” services have been suspended until the contagion passes.“Typically, what happens at our cemeteries is that families are given about a half-hour to have a committal ceremony at a committal shelter,” said Les’ Melnyk, a spokesman for the cemetery administration in Washington, D.C.In normal times, if a family requests it, a bugler from one of the military branches or from a veterans service organization will play taps. A flag will be folded and presented. A rifle detail will fire a three-round volley.“All of that we have had to discontinue,” Melnyk said.Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, one of some 20 post cemeteries run by the U.S. Army as opposed to the VA, has curtailed some rituals but continues offering “Taps” and rifle salutes and pall bearers.“We are taking precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of our service members, civilian personnel and funeral attendees,”Charles Alexander Jr., the superintendent at Arlington, said in a website press statement. He said the cemetery is taking guidance from the CDC and Department of Defense.The bodies or cremated remains of some 4.9 million veterans and their family members are interred in national cemeteries. Melnyk said about 500 funerals occur daily.Raymond Boler wanted to be among them, having served in uniform for more than half of his life. Born on Sept. 5, 1947, in Independence, he graduated from Blue Springs High School in 1965 and soon joined the U.S. Air Force and served during the Vietnam War from 1966 to 1970 and later in the active reserves.Afterward he would serve in the Missouri Army National Guard for 30 years and gain notoriety when, at age 60, he served in Kosovo in 2008 and 2009.Francine Boler said she and her future husband began dating when she was 15 and he was 17.“He was a man who knew what he wanted in life, which included me, thank goodness,” she said this week. “I’m still in shock that he’s gone.”Over the course of his life, Boler, nicknamed “Racer Ray”, because of his love of snow skiing and water skiing, would serve as a pharmaceuticals representative. He sold real estate. He had two children and eight grandchildren.For 11 years he drove the same school bus in the Blue Valley School district, with a U.S. Army emblem on his dashboard.Then in June, before his 72nd birthday, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor.“We just found it by accident,” his wife said. Two surgeries followed. Eventually, he would be paralyzed along his left side and need a wheelchair. It all happened faster than anyone anticipated.Boler died at his Olathe home on March 30. By then, Francina Boler knew that her husband would not get the honor guard she wanted because of the spreading coronavirus. The cemetery rules had changed.“I tried to tell him,” she said.To honor him, the family held a drive-by memorial. Her husband’s casket, draped with the American flag, was set up outside their church, the Overland Park Church of Christ.A table with this photos, medals and ribbons was set up alongside. Over one hour, more than 100 cars drove by to pay him respect.“We kind of made it up,” Francina Boler said. A friend, she said, videotaped every passing car.“He was a strong person, likable, humble,” Francina Boler said.At Leavenworth and other national cemeteries, families, in lieu of the military ceremony, are given a different opportunity.“What we got that nobody else gets is that we watched the interment, which is pretty hard, let me tell you,” she said.Melnyk said that once the threat of the coronavirus pandemic passes, all families such as Boler’s will be given the opportunity to have the full military ceremony at a later date, if that so choose.“We get to go back at some time,” Francina Boler said, “but it’s kind of after the fact.”Melnyk said it is never too late to honor those who served their country.“I think every one of our veterans is important,” he said. “Honestly, they all deserve that. And their families deserve that. We will get to that point again. For families that have had to bury a veteran now, they will have that opportunity.“That is a promise we’ve made.”

Veteran laid to rest at Kansas cemetery amid virus outbreak

KANSAS CITY (AP) — As each day brings the United States closer to peak severe weather season, Tornado Alley residents are facing a difficult question: Is it better to take on a twister outside a community shelter or to face the possibility of contracting the new coronavirus inside one?

So far, sheltering from deadly weather appears to be taking precedent over staying away from a potentially deadly disease, but not for everyone.

In north Alabama, where powerful tornadoes killed dozens in recent years, a little more than 700 people showed up at three shelters — a turnout that was actually larger than usual, due to especially dire storm predictions — when potentially dangerous weather threatened the Tennessee Valley in late March.

Two of the shelters were located in schools, where workers urged people to stay 6 feet apart in accordance with pandemic rules about social distancing, said Decatur Police Chief Nate Allen. They also asked whether anyone felt ill, and people who said they did were directed to an isolation room near an exterior door.

"They were pretty honest about it," Allen said. One elderly couple who were concerned about both disease and twisters locked themselves in a teachers lounge, he said.

No one was hurt in the storms, and Allen said authorities haven't heard of any health problems linked to the sheltering, which lasted about an hour.

But the need for shelters and people's concerns about going to them during a historic pandemic will surely arise again soon. Forecasters said there was a chance of powerful storms in Texas on Thursday, and severe weather including tornadoes could threaten the South from Louisiana to Georgia on Easter Sunday.

April through June is peak tornado season in the United States, which averaged about 1,250 tornadoes annually in the decade ending in 2010, according to statistics from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.

The Plains, the Midwest and the Southeast are particularly vulnerable, with a six-state region including Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas most likely to get hit by strong twisters, the records show.

Emergency planners, health officials and forecasters are generally advising people to take their chances with the virus when a tornado is headed their way.

"We should not let fear of the coronavirus blind us to the danger of an imminent tornado," Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said in a statement. “If you have to seek refuge in a community shelter, try to practice social distancing and other precautions as much as possible to minimize your risk.”

The National Weather Service and the Alabama Department of Public Health put it more bluntly in a joint statement as severe weather approached last month while virus worries were growing.

“If a warning is issued for your area, you are more likely to be affected by the tornado than the virus,” it said.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Home health worker Flora Thomas would rather take her chances with a twister than the new coronavirus, even though a monster tornado in 2011 killed more than 50 people, badly damaged her home and shattered her Tuscaloosa neighborhood, where there are still more empty lots than rebuilt homes.

“I'm more worried about the virus. I would stay home,” Thomas said. Christopher Hood, who lives nearby, agrees.

“Packed in with a bunch of other people in a shelter? I wouldn't want to be in that position right now,” said Hood.

In southeastern Mississippi last week, residents didn't have a choice about what to do. Within moments of the first warning, a tornado tore an 8-mile-long (13-kilometer-long) path of destruction through the area, with homes ripped apart and sheds flying through the air, said George County Emergency Management Director Nancy Smith.

“There was no time to think about opening shelters,” Smith said.

Tornado season eventually gives way to hurricane season, which begins June 1, and officials along the coast already are considering what to do should a tropical storm system draw near while the region is still under lockdown because of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

In Panama City, Florida, which was devastated by Hurricane Michael in October 2018, emergency services director Frankie Lumm said he plans to open more shelters than usual and have more rooms in each than he typically does, to allow for social distancing.

But even that won't be simple: The area is still low on shelters because schools are still being rebuilt after Michael, he said, and providing staffing for additional shelters could be a challenge during a pandemic.

“The rock meets a hard place if I begin to have a hurricane while this is still in full mode,” Lumm said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580157520345.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — As each day brings the United States closer to peak severe weather season, Tornado Alley residents are facing a difficult question: Is it better to take on a twister outside a community shelter or to face the possibility of contracting the new coronavirus inside one?So far, sheltering from deadly weather appears to be taking precedent over staying away from a potentially deadly disease, but not for everyone.In north Alabama, where powerful tornadoes killed dozens in recent years, a little more than 700 people showed up at three shelters — a turnout that was actually larger than usual, due to especially dire storm predictions — when potentially dangerous weather threatened the Tennessee Valley in late March.Two of the shelters were located in schools, where workers urged people to stay 6 feet apart in accordance with pandemic rules about social distancing, said Decatur Police Chief Nate Allen. They also asked whether anyone felt ill, and people who said they did were directed to an isolation room near an exterior door."They were pretty honest about it," Allen said. One elderly couple who were concerned about both disease and twisters locked themselves in a teachers lounge, he said.No one was hurt in the storms, and Allen said authorities haven't heard of any health problems linked to the sheltering, which lasted about an hour.But the need for shelters and people's concerns about going to them during a historic pandemic will surely arise again soon. Forecasters said there was a chance of powerful storms in Texas on Thursday, and severe weather including tornadoes could threaten the South from Louisiana to Georgia on Easter Sunday.April through June is peak tornado season in the United States, which averaged about 1,250 tornadoes annually in the decade ending in 2010, according to statistics from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.The Plains, the Midwest and the Southeast are particularly vulnerable, with a six-state region including Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas most likely to get hit by strong twisters, the records show.Emergency planners, health officials and forecasters are generally advising people to take their chances with the virus when a tornado is headed their way.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586199723314.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly during a press conference Wednesday in Topeka" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly during a press conference Wednesday in Topeka</figcaption>
 </figure>"We should not let fear of the coronavirus blind us to the danger of an imminent tornado," Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said in a statement. “If you have to seek refuge in a community shelter, try to practice social distancing and other precautions as much as possible to minimize your risk.”The National Weather Service and the Alabama Department of Public Health put it more bluntly in a joint statement as severe weather approached last month while virus worries were growing.“If a warning is issued for your area, you are more likely to be affected by the tornado than the virus,” it said.For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.Home health worker Flora Thomas would rather take her chances with a twister than the new coronavirus, even though a monster tornado in 2011 killed more than 50 people, badly damaged her home and shattered her Tuscaloosa neighborhood, where there are still more empty lots than rebuilt homes.“I'm more worried about the virus. I would stay home,” Thomas said. Christopher Hood, who lives nearby, agrees.“Packed in with a bunch of other people in a shelter? I wouldn't want to be in that position right now,” said Hood.In southeastern Mississippi last week, residents didn't have a choice about what to do. Within moments of the first warning, a tornado tore an 8-mile-long (13-kilometer-long) path of destruction through the area, with homes ripped apart and sheds flying through the air, said George County Emergency Management Director Nancy Smith.“There was no time to think about opening shelters,” Smith said.Tornado season eventually gives way to hurricane season, which begins June 1, and officials along the coast already are considering what to do should a tropical storm system draw near while the region is still under lockdown because of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.In Panama City, Florida, which was devastated by Hurricane Michael in October 2018, emergency services director Frankie Lumm said he plans to open more shelters than usual and have more rooms in each than he typically does, to allow for social distancing.But even that won't be simple: The area is still low on shelters because schools are still being rebuilt after Michael, he said, and providing staffing for additional shelters could be a challenge during a pandemic.“The rock meets a hard place if I begin to have a hurricane while this is still in full mode,” Lumm said.___

Tornado or virus? Pandemic means tough sheltering decisions

TOPEKA —The Kansas Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC) was not authorized to revoke Executive Order 20-18. The governor's order, which prohibits mass gatherings of more than 10 people – including church services and funerals -- remains in effect.

<a href="https://www.kscourts.org/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/High%20Interest%20Cases/Kelly%20v%20LCC/122765Opinion.pdf?ext=.pdf">Click here t</a>o read the opinion

During oral arguments on Saturday morning, an attorney for Governor Kelly told the state Supreme Court that a Republican-dominated legislative panel exceeded its authority when it overturned the Democratic governor’s executive order banning religious and funeral services of more than 10 people during the coronavirus pandemic.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhnQYvyZXgY&amp;feature=youtu.be">Click here to watch</a> the oral arguments

The hearing, which was the court’s first conducted completely via video conferencing, came one day before Easter, which is typically the busiest day on the Christian calendar in terms of church attendance.

In a statement late Saturday evening, Governor Kelly said, “My top priority has always been the safety and well-being of all Kansans,” Kelly said. “I know this pandemic is extremely hard for everyone. Each<a></a>&nbsp;unprecedented action I’ve been forced to make in recent weeks has been taken in close consultation with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, the Attorney General, legislators and key stakeholders. That process will continue.

“Most other states, at the urging of the White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have taken similar steps to protect Americans to slow the spread of COVID-19,” the Governor said.

The decision comes as the Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced Saturday an additional 102 confirmed cases and five deaths, bringing the state’s total to 1,268 confirmed cases and 55 deaths across 61 counties.

“I want to thank the Supreme Court for its expedited review under difficult circumstances,” Kelly said, referring to the Supreme Court meeting for the first time in the court’s history by video conference. “Our response to this unprecedented pandemic has necessitated that even our most fundamental institutions find alternative methods that preserve public health.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586614513860.png" alt="View of the oral arguments conducted via video conference Saturday morning." />
 <figcaption>View of the oral arguments conducted via video conference Saturday morning.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —The Kansas Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC) was not authorized to revoke Executive Order 20-18. The governor's order, which prohibits mass gatherings of more than 10 people – including church services and funerals -- remains in effect.<a href="https://www.kscourts.org/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/High%20Interest%20Cases/Kelly%20v%20LCC/122765Opinion.pdf?ext=.pdf">Click here t</a>o read the opinionDuring oral arguments on Saturday morning, an attorney for Governor Kelly told the state Supreme Court that a Republican-dominated legislative panel exceeded its authority when it overturned the Democratic governor’s executive order banning religious and funeral services of more than 10 people during the coronavirus pandemic.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Read House leadership’s response to tonight’s Kansas Supreme Court ruling:<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/whj6oJ3Wgs">pic.twitter.com/whj6oJ3Wgs</a>&mdash; Speaker Ryckman (@RonRyckman) <a href="https://twitter.com/RonRyckman/status/1249167473158520833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhnQYvyZXgY&amp;feature=youtu.be">Click here to watch</a> the oral argumentsThe hearing, which was the court’s first conducted completely via video conferencing, came one day before Easter, which is typically the busiest day on the Christian calendar in terms of church attendance.In a statement late Saturday evening, Governor Kelly said, “My top priority has always been the safety and well-being of all Kansans,” Kelly said. “I know this pandemic is extremely hard for everyone. Each<a></a>&nbsp;unprecedented action I’ve been forced to make in recent weeks has been taken in close consultation with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, the Attorney General, legislators and key stakeholders. That process will continue.“Most other states, at the urging of the White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have taken similar steps to protect Americans to slow the spread of COVID-19,” the Governor said.The decision comes as the Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced Saturday an additional 102 confirmed cases and five deaths, bringing the state’s total to 1,268 confirmed cases and 55 deaths across 61 counties.“I want to thank the Supreme Court for its expedited review under difficult circumstances,” Kelly said, referring to the Supreme Court meeting for the first time in the court’s history by video conference. “Our response to this unprecedented pandemic has necessitated that even our most fundamental institutions find alternative methods that preserve public health.”The ruling held that the seven-member LCC lacked authority to revoke Executive Order 20-18 and that the LCC’s ability to exercise such authority is controlled by the Kansas Emergency Management Act.“Today’s ruling does not change my commitment to maintaining open lines of communication and collaboration with the Legislature. The only way to get through this is by working with—not against—each other in a bipartisan fashion.”<figure>
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