By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/how-coronavirus-testing-works-if-you-live-kansas#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA, Kansas — In many parts of Kansas, people not sick enough for hospitalization still can’t find out if they have COVID-19.

Doctor’s
 offices and hospitals say access to coronavirus testing has improved in
 Kansas, but still remains out of reach for many people.

A clinic runs out of <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/covid-19-swab-tests-unpleasant-illustration-1495322" target="_blank">swabs</a> to collect patient samples. A vendor postpones delivery of testing equipment. A private lab becomes backlogged.

Ascension Via Christi Health in Wichita is among hospitals trying to buy <a href="https://abbott.mediaroom.com/2020-03-27-Abbott-Launches-Molecular-Point-of-Care-Test-to-Detect-Novel-Coronavirus-in-as-Little-as-Five-Minutes" target="_blank">new 5- to 15-minute tests</a>
 that received a temporary emergency greenlight from the U.S. Food and 
Drug Administration. But the best the system of hospitals and clinics 
can do for now is get in line, so it has contacted its suppliers.

“We have the equipment,” chief nursing officer Carla Yost said in an email, “but we do not have the test kits.”

For
 now, she says, those kits are heading to areas where the outbreak is 
more acute. So Ascension Via Christi is sending samples to its lab in 
Tulsa. Getting results takes about a day and a half.

“We have couriers running routes to and from our Kansas hospitals multiple times a day,” Yost said. “Seven days a week.”

As of last week, more than 6,500 Kansans had been tested for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/updated-regularly-what-kansans-need-know-about-covid-19-coronavirus#stream/0" target="_blank">More than 550</a> had tested positive. The state has a <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/kdhe.epidemiology#!/vizhome/COVID-19Data_15851817634470/KSCOVID-19CaseData" target="_blank">dashboard</a> that lets you explore how many people have been tested in each county.

Some doctors are raising concerns about <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/02/nation/how-accurate-are-coronavirus-tests-doctors-raise-concern-about-false-negative-results/" target="_blank">false negatives</a>
 — tests that suggest someone doesn’t have the virus when they are 
infected — and encouraging people with coronavirus symptoms who test 
negative to stay home anyway.

Congress passed a law <a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/" target="_blank">requiring most</a>&nbsp;health plans to cover COVID-19 testing for now without cost to the patient. But patients could get bills anyway, <a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/" target="_blank">Kaiser Family Foundation says</a>.

Americans
 often end up at an emergency room outside their insurance network, or 
sometimes go to an in-network hospital or clinic only to find out later 
that the facility used out-of-network labs or staff. Patients might also
 get charged for other services in conjunction with their COVID-19 
tests, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/19/health/coronavirus-tests-bills.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a> reported.

Uninsured
 people and people with low-quality health insurance should get the 
tests for free, too, under the same federal law, but that will take some
 legwork on the state's part. The Kansas News Service is seeking more 
information from Gov. Laura Kelly's office about what uninsured Kansans 
should do if they receive a bill in the meantime.&nbsp;

As for coronavirus treatment, many insurers may cover it, but <a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/" target="_blank">they don’t have to</a>.
 On Friday, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas announced it would waive 
copays and deductibles for COVID-19 treatment for the next 60 days for 
plans fully under its control. (In other cases, employers will have the 
final say.)&nbsp;

At
 the state lab in Topeka, coronavirus testing took several hours at 
first. Staff worked 16-hour shifts, health secretary Lee Norman has 
said, but still got through fewer than 200 samples a day.

Last weekend, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment received <a href="https://perkinelmer-appliedgenomics.com/home/products/new-coronavirus-2019-ncov-nucleic-acid-detection-kit/" target="_blank">equipment</a> to ramp up to between 700 and 1,000 samples a day. State officials hope to get as many as 64,000 test kits soon.

Kansas has also ordered equipment and supplies for <a href="https://www.cepheid.com/coronavirus" target="_blank">45-minute test</a><a href="https://www.cepheid.com/coronavirus">s</a> and expects to receive that in the next few weeks.

Yet the specialized nose and throat swabs needed for collecting patient samples are in short supply here and elsewhere.

Private labs, local health agencies and hospitals in Kansas

Some hospitals have purchased testing equipment and kits, too. St Luke’s Health System in the Kansas City area <a href="https://diagnostics.roche.com/us/en/products/params/cobas-sars-cov-2-test.html" target="_blank">set up in-house testing</a> that cut wait time from a few days to hours. The University of Kansas Health System has had <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eEDjrQRAog&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">similar success</a>.

But
 vendors can’t move fast enough to meet demand. Stormont Vail Hospital 
in Topeka expected to receive testing equipment early this week — then 
its supplier pushed back the delivery date to later in the month.

“We
 find that vendors will say that we've been ‘reprioritized’” for various
 coronavirus-related supplies, Stormont CEO Robert Kenagy said. “It's 
very difficult to get vendors to commit.”

For now, many clinics 
and hospitals use external labs. At least four such labs are processing 
tests for Kansas clinics and hospitals.

Community Health Center 
of Southeast Kansas uses a company with lab sites in Lenexa and St. 
Louis. As of this week, the center had plenty of supplies to gather 
patient samples, but getting back results was taking five to seven days,
 vice president Christi Keating said.

As of April 1, private labs had identified about 75% of known COVID-19 cases in Kansas.

The state lab may sometimes be a faster option, but limited resources have forced Kansas to limit who it tests.

Clinics and hospitals can send samples to the state lab only for patients that <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/toolkit/COVID-19_Testing_Priorities_3-22.20.pdf" target="_blank">fit certain criteria</a>,
 such as health care workers or nursing home residents with coronavirus 
symptoms. Samples from other patients go to private labs.

What about those drive-through testing sites?

Sites such as <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/covid-19-testing-limited-kansas-city-so-dont-expect-get-one-without-doctors-order#stream/0" target="_blank">this one</a> in Wyandotte County where patients can pull up and give a sample to a waiting health worker are springing up across the state.

So
 far these are not places to show up unannounced. You’ll need approval 
and an appointment through a health care provider first. Criteria vary 
by provider, and some <a href="https://www.saintlukeskc.org/about/news/saint-lukes-news-three-covid-19-drive-thru-testing-sites-set-qualifying-saint-lukes" target="_blank">post them on their websites</a>.

Whether
 to order the test in the first place remains up to your health care 
provider. Because of the testing bottleneck, the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention recommends prioritizing some patients over 
others, but <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/priority-testing-patients.pdf" target="_blank">its guidelines</a> aren’t binding.

If
 your symptoms aren’t serious, your doctor or nurse practitioner may 
simply ask you to stay home, care for yourself and call if you get 
worse. Most people test negative for COVID-19, and most cases of it are 
mild. Research from other countries suggests about 1 in 5 patients get 
sick enough to need hospitalization.

“It would be nice if we had 
as many COVID-19 tests as we do influenza tests, but it’s not there,” 
said Jim Zauche, a doctor at Garden City’s St. Catherine Hospital.

His
 hospital is focusing on testing people sick enough for hospitalization.
 So for Finney County residents with milder symptoms, he recommends 
calling the public health department or your doctor before showing up at
 the ER in search of a test.

The CDC has a list of coronavirus symptoms and a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html" target="_blank">self-check tool</a> to help people decide when to seek medical care.

What about tests for people without symptoms?

The question of whether to push for <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/covid-19-coronavirus-testing-paradox-united-states" target="_blank">broader testing</a> remains a matter of debate, with some experts arguing the U.S. shouldn’t ignore people with few or no symptoms.

Kansas
 ultimately wants to launch population studies that include seemingly 
healthy people, to better understand how common the virus is in 
different areas, pinpoint hotspots and stop the spread. Johnson County 
has plans for <a href="https://www.kmbc.com/article/johnson-county-board-of-commissioners-oks-additional-covid-19-testing/31984155" target="_blank">a similar effort</a>.

Officials were hopeful this week that enough test kits would come through to help the state achieve that.

“It will allow us to change our thinking,” Norman said. “Until that time, social distancing is the name of the game.”

A Yale University medical professor is among those <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/well/live/coronavirus-symptoms-tests-false-negative.html" target="_blank">urging caution</a>
 among people told they don’t have the coronavirus, and warning of a 
potentially significant rate of people testing negative despite having 
the illness.

KU Health System has double-tested 34 patients so far to check accuracy, and got the same results in each round of testing.

But
 the problem of false negatives may have less to do with the actual test
 and more to do with sample collection, which often involves inserting 
an uncomfortable swab very deep into a person’s nose. That makes 
training medical workers vital, or all bets are off.

“You’re 
putting … the swab back to about where your ear is,” KU infectious 
disease specialist Dana Hawkinson said. “If you have a nice nurse who 
doesn’t want to hurt you, that could be a problem because the sampling 
may not be good.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586272128141.jpeg" alt=" Drive-through testing sites are popping up across Kansas, but don't show up without an appointment. J. Schafer / Kansas Public Radio" />
 <figcaption> Drive-through testing sites are popping up across Kansas, but don't show up without an appointment. J. Schafer / Kansas Public Radio</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/how-coronavirus-testing-works-if-you-live-kansas#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA, Kansas — In many parts of Kansas, people not sick enough for hospitalization still can’t find out if they have COVID-19.Doctor’s
 offices and hospitals say access to coronavirus testing has improved in
 Kansas, but still remains out of reach for many people.A clinic runs out of <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/covid-19-swab-tests-unpleasant-illustration-1495322" target="_blank">swabs</a> to collect patient samples. A vendor postpones delivery of testing equipment. A private lab becomes backlogged.Ascension Via Christi Health in Wichita is among hospitals trying to buy <a href="https://abbott.mediaroom.com/2020-03-27-Abbott-Launches-Molecular-Point-of-Care-Test-to-Detect-Novel-Coronavirus-in-as-Little-as-Five-Minutes" target="_blank">new 5- to 15-minute tests</a>
 that received a temporary emergency greenlight from the U.S. Food and 
Drug Administration. But the best the system of hospitals and clinics 
can do for now is get in line, so it has contacted its suppliers.“We have the equipment,” chief nursing officer Carla Yost said in an email, “but we do not have the test kits.”For
 now, she says, those kits are heading to areas where the outbreak is 
more acute. So Ascension Via Christi is sending samples to its lab in 
Tulsa. Getting results takes about a day and a half.“We have couriers running routes to and from our Kansas hospitals multiple times a day,” Yost said. “Seven days a week.”As of last week, more than 6,500 Kansans had been tested for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/updated-regularly-what-kansans-need-know-about-covid-19-coronavirus#stream/0" target="_blank">More than 550</a> had tested positive. The state has a <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/kdhe.epidemiology#!/vizhome/COVID-19Data_15851817634470/KSCOVID-19CaseData" target="_blank">dashboard</a> that lets you explore how many people have been tested in each county.Some doctors are raising concerns about <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/02/nation/how-accurate-are-coronavirus-tests-doctors-raise-concern-about-false-negative-results/" target="_blank">false negatives</a>
 — tests that suggest someone doesn’t have the virus when they are 
infected — and encouraging people with coronavirus symptoms who test 
negative to stay home anyway.<h2>Is testing free?</h2>Congress passed a law <a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/" target="_blank">requiring most</a>&nbsp;health plans to cover COVID-19 testing for now without cost to the patient. But patients could get bills anyway, <a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/" target="_blank">Kaiser Family Foundation says</a>.Americans
 often end up at an emergency room outside their insurance network, or 
sometimes go to an in-network hospital or clinic only to find out later 
that the facility used out-of-network labs or staff. Patients might also
 get charged for other services in conjunction with their COVID-19 
tests, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/19/health/coronavirus-tests-bills.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a> reported.Uninsured
 people and people with low-quality health insurance should get the 
tests for free, too, under the same federal law, but that will take some
 legwork on the state's part. The Kansas News Service is seeking more 
information from Gov. Laura Kelly's office about what uninsured Kansans 
should do if they receive a bill in the meantime.&nbsp;As for coronavirus treatment, many insurers may cover it, but <a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/" target="_blank">they don’t have to</a>.
 On Friday, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas announced it would waive 
copays and deductibles for COVID-19 treatment for the next 60 days for 
plans fully under its control. (In other cases, employers will have the 
final say.)&nbsp;<h2>How much testing does Kansas do?</h2>At
 the state lab in Topeka, coronavirus testing took several hours at 
first. Staff worked 16-hour shifts, health secretary Lee Norman has 
said, but still got through fewer than 200 samples a day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586272211245.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Last weekend, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment received <a href="https://perkinelmer-appliedgenomics.com/home/products/new-coronavirus-2019-ncov-nucleic-acid-detection-kit/" target="_blank">equipment</a> to ramp up to between 700 and 1,000 samples a day. State officials hope to get as many as 64,000 test kits soon.Kansas has also ordered equipment and supplies for <a href="https://www.cepheid.com/coronavirus" target="_blank">45-minute test</a><a href="https://www.cepheid.com/coronavirus">s</a> and expects to receive that in the next few weeks.Yet the specialized nose and throat swabs needed for collecting patient samples are in short supply here and elsewhere.<h2>Private labs, local health agencies and hospitals in Kansas</h2>Some hospitals have purchased testing equipment and kits, too. St Luke’s Health System in the Kansas City area <a href="https://diagnostics.roche.com/us/en/products/params/cobas-sars-cov-2-test.html" target="_blank">set up in-house testing</a> that cut wait time from a few days to hours. The University of Kansas Health System has had <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eEDjrQRAog&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">similar success</a>.But
 vendors can’t move fast enough to meet demand. Stormont Vail Hospital 
in Topeka expected to receive testing equipment early this week — then 
its supplier pushed back the delivery date to later in the month.“We
 find that vendors will say that we've been ‘reprioritized’” for various
 coronavirus-related supplies, Stormont CEO Robert Kenagy said. “It's 
very difficult to get vendors to commit.”For now, many clinics 
and hospitals use external labs. At least four such labs are processing 
tests for Kansas clinics and hospitals.Community Health Center 
of Southeast Kansas uses a company with lab sites in Lenexa and St. 
Louis. As of this week, the center had plenty of supplies to gather 
patient samples, but getting back results was taking five to seven days,
 vice president Christi Keating said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586272249249.jpeg" alt=" View from a patient's car while waiting for testing. Credit Submitted" />
 <figcaption> View from a patient's car while waiting for testing. Credit Submitted</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Who gets tested through which lab?</h2>As of April 1, private labs had identified about 75% of known COVID-19 cases in Kansas.The state lab may sometimes be a faster option, but limited resources have forced Kansas to limit who it tests.Clinics and hospitals can send samples to the state lab only for patients that <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/toolkit/COVID-19_Testing_Priorities_3-22.20.pdf" target="_blank">fit certain criteria</a>,
 such as health care workers or nursing home residents with coronavirus 
symptoms. Samples from other patients go to private labs.<h2>What about those drive-through testing sites?</h2>Sites such as <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/covid-19-testing-limited-kansas-city-so-dont-expect-get-one-without-doctors-order#stream/0" target="_blank">this one</a> in Wyandotte County where patients can pull up and give a sample to a waiting health worker are springing up across the state.So
 far these are not places to show up unannounced. You’ll need approval 
and an appointment through a health care provider first. Criteria vary 
by provider, and some <a href="https://www.saintlukeskc.org/about/news/saint-lukes-news-three-covid-19-drive-thru-testing-sites-set-qualifying-saint-lukes" target="_blank">post them on their websites</a>.<h2>Who can get tested?</h2>Whether
 to order the test in the first place remains up to your health care 
provider. Because of the testing bottleneck, the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention recommends prioritizing some patients over 
others, but <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/priority-testing-patients.pdf" target="_blank">its guidelines</a> aren’t binding.If
 your symptoms aren’t serious, your doctor or nurse practitioner may 
simply ask you to stay home, care for yourself and call if you get 
worse. Most people test negative for COVID-19, and most cases of it are 
mild. Research from other countries suggests about 1 in 5 patients get 
sick enough to need hospitalization.“It would be nice if we had 
as many COVID-19 tests as we do influenza tests, but it’s not there,” 
said Jim Zauche, a doctor at Garden City’s St. Catherine Hospital.His
 hospital is focusing on testing people sick enough for hospitalization.
 So for Finney County residents with milder symptoms, he recommends 
calling the public health department or your doctor before showing up at
 the ER in search of a test.The CDC has a list of coronavirus symptoms and a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html" target="_blank">self-check tool</a> to help people decide when to seek medical care.<h2>What about tests for people without symptoms?</h2>The question of whether to push for <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/covid-19-coronavirus-testing-paradox-united-states" target="_blank">broader testing</a> remains a matter of debate, with some experts arguing the U.S. shouldn’t ignore people with few or no symptoms.Kansas
 ultimately wants to launch population studies that include seemingly 
healthy people, to better understand how common the virus is in 
different areas, pinpoint hotspots and stop the spread. Johnson County 
has plans for <a href="https://www.kmbc.com/article/johnson-county-board-of-commissioners-oks-additional-covid-19-testing/31984155" target="_blank">a similar effort</a>.Officials were hopeful this week that enough test kits would come through to help the state achieve that.“It will allow us to change our thinking,” Norman said. “Until that time, social distancing is the name of the game.”<h2>What about false negatives?</h2>A Yale University medical professor is among those <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/well/live/coronavirus-symptoms-tests-false-negative.html" target="_blank">urging caution</a>
 among people told they don’t have the coronavirus, and warning of a 
potentially significant rate of people testing negative despite having 
the illness.KU Health System has double-tested 34 patients so far to check accuracy, and got the same results in each round of testing.But
 the problem of false negatives may have less to do with the actual test
 and more to do with sample collection, which often involves inserting 
an uncomfortable swab very deep into a person’s nose. That makes 
training medical workers vital, or all bets are off.“You’re 
putting … the swab back to about where your ear is,” KU infectious 
disease specialist Dana Hawkinson said. “If you have a nice nurse who 
doesn’t want to hurt you, that could be a problem because the sampling 
may not be good.”Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

This is how coronavirus testing works if you live in Kansas 

By JIM MCLEAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/jobs-topeka-diner-so-many-across-kansas-might-not-survive-covid-19#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — Set apart from its fast-food 
neighbors by a vintage neon sign that speaks of another era, the Hanover
 Pancake House sits a few short blocks from the Kansas Statehouse. It’s 
been a Capital mainstay for more than 50 years.

But today, like most dine-in restaurants across the state, it’s closed because of the coronavirus.

Those
 closures have thrown tens of thousands of Kansans out of work and 
deprived hundreds of thousands more the comfort of friends in familiar 
places.

When owner Scott Albrecht shut it down on March 20, he told his 32 employees that he hoped to re-open in a matter of weeks.

Anything longer than two or three weeks, Albrecht said, “and I’ll need some help.”

The
 challenges facing Albrecht and his displaced workers confront thousands
 of other businesses across the state. They all will need state and 
federal lifelines to survive the crisis.&nbsp;

For Marsha 
Dighera-Neria, surviving after losing her job at the Pancake House meant
 getting unemployment checks as quickly as possible.&nbsp;

In just the last two weeks,<a href="https://klic.dol.ks.gov/admin/gsipub/htmlarea/uploads/UI%20Weekly%20Review.pdf" target="_blank"> 79,353 Kansans filed initial unemployment claims.</a>That’s a record.

The unprecedented surge in claims has <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-sees-1000-surge-jobless-claims-covid-19-derails-economy" target="_blank">overwhelmed the Kansas Department of Labor,</a> which is averaging more than 200,000 calls a day.&nbsp;

Hospitality workers — a category that includes hotel workers and those employed by Kansas’ <a href="https://www.restaurant.org/Downloads/PDFs/State-Statistics/kansas.pdf" target="_blank">more than 5,000 bars and restaurants </a>— account for nearly 20% of the new unemployment claims.

Dighera-Neria
 beat the rush by filing right after finishing her final shift. She 
expects to recieve $146 a week until she goes back to work.

“That’s about half of what I was making at the restaurant,” she said.

A federal relief plan aimed to minimize the impact of 
coronavirus-driven shutdowns to the economy will deliver another $600 a 
week to suddenly jobless workers like Dighera-Neria. But it could be 
weeks before those benefits start arriving.

Stuck at home, Dighera-Neria and the other waitresses check in with one other almost every day by phone or on Facebook.

“We all have to take care of each other and that’s what us girls are trying to do,” said Marsha Dighera-Neria.

Some, she said, are handling the uncertainty “better than others.”

“It’s hard,” she said, “when you don’t know how long this is going to go on.”

So
 they worry together about whether the restaurant will survive and how 
the customers they’ve grown accustomed to seeing every day are getting 
by.

“Some people really depend on coming in,” Dighera-Neria said.
 “Elderly people, you know. It’s human contact and now there is none.”

Restaurants
 across the country lost $25 billion in March, according to the National
 Restaurant Association. Thousands of the restaurants closed now will 
never reopen.

Albrecht acknowledges that the restaurant he 
inherited from his father in 1999 could be among those shuttered for 
good if the health crisis persists for months. But for now, he’s laying 
the groundwork to reopen by applying for a Small Business Administration
 loan that he won’t have to repay if he hires everyone back.&nbsp;

“It’s going to be the shot in the arm we need to open back up,” he said.&nbsp;

The relief bill recently passed by Congress contains $350 billion for the<a href="https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program-ppp" target="_blank"> Paycheck Protection Program.</a>
 Small business owners must go through their local banks to obtain the 
loans. However, bankers across the country say they’re not ready to 
handle the anticipated volume of applications. They also say federal 
officials <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/paycheck-protection-program-202113050.html" target="_blank">haven’t provided them with detailed instructions </a>on how to run the program.

Albrecht said he caught his banker unaware when he called earlier this week to start the process.&nbsp;

“I was surprised he hadn’t heard anything yet,” Albrecht said.&nbsp;

Once
 the administrative problems are fixed, Albrecht hopes to get about 
$100,000 to cover ongoing expenses. Everything from rent — about $5,000 a
 month — to utility bills and maintenance to keep the restaurant’s water
 softening system, freezers and ice machines working.

“Those things add up real quickly,” he said.

On the day he closed, Albrecht said he had enough cash on hand to pay
 his employees, but he didn’t have enough to cover the roughly $15,000 
he owed the federal and state governments in withholding and sales 
taxes.

He had set that money aside, but he spent it on emergency repairs to an oven and the restaurant’s main freezer.

“Had
 I known this (coronavirus) disaster was going to be happening, I could 
have held those checks and paid them a little later,” he said. “But I 
had no idea we were going to be this drastically affected.”

With
 so many Kansas businesses struggling, state officials know that a 
reckoning is coming. Tax collections that had met or exceeded estimates 
every month for the last two years fell short in March.

Though 
they totaled only $8.6 million less than the expected $523 million, Gov.
 Laura Kelly is bracing for steeper drops in the months ahead.

“We know we’re going to be taking a huge hit in our revenues,” Kelly said in a news conference.

By
 the time Albrecht shut the restaurant down, he was also starting to 
fall behind on payments to the distributors who supplied him with bread,
 eggs, bacon, coffee and other diner staples.

With hundreds of thousands of restaurants across the country in similar straits, those companies are also suffering.

Sysco,
 one of Albrecht’s suppliers, is replacing fresh meat and produce with 
frozen fare to cut back on costs. It’s also laying off workers in 
droves. The person who handled Albrecht’s account for the last dozen 
years was among the casualties.

“He was a 12-year veteran of the company,” Albrecht said, and “a good guy.”

The ripple effects of Hanover’s closure are evident in other ways.

Mack
 Smith is the kind of hail-fellow-well-met you’ll find among Capitol 
insiders. He and a half dozen others have met for breakfast at the 
Pancake House nearly every weekday for years. They eat, read newspapers 
and talk about politics, sports, music, movie trivia.

“We have a 
blast,” Smith said. “We have our regular waitresses on certain days. 
It’s quite a relationship that’s developed through the years.”

Smith misses starting each day with “my buddies,” but said he also thinks about the people who have served him over the years.

“I worry about how they’re going to feed the people they love,” he said. “It’s just scary as heck.”

Jim
 McLean is the senior correspondent for the Kansas News Service is a 
collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public 
Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy. You can reach him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/jmcleanks" target="_blank">@jmcleanks</a>&nbsp;or email jim@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586270635012.jpeg" alt=" Scott Albrecht surveys his empty Topeka restaurant after closing because of the coronavirus. Jim McLean / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Scott Albrecht surveys his empty Topeka restaurant after closing because of the coronavirus. Jim McLean / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM MCLEAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/jobs-topeka-diner-so-many-across-kansas-might-not-survive-covid-19#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — Set apart from its fast-food 
neighbors by a vintage neon sign that speaks of another era, the Hanover
 Pancake House sits a few short blocks from the Kansas Statehouse. It’s 
been a Capital mainstay for more than 50 years.But today, like most dine-in restaurants across the state, it’s closed because of the coronavirus.Those
 closures have thrown tens of thousands of Kansans out of work and 
deprived hundreds of thousands more the comfort of friends in familiar 
places.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586270686953.jpeg" alt=" A couple of blocks from the Kansas Statehouse, the Hanover Pancake House has been a popular breakfast spot for more than 50 years. Credit Jim McLean / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> A couple of blocks from the Kansas Statehouse, the Hanover Pancake House has been a popular breakfast spot for more than 50 years. Credit Jim McLean / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>When owner Scott Albrecht shut it down on March 20, he told his 32 employees that he hoped to re-open in a matter of weeks.Anything longer than two or three weeks, Albrecht said, “and I’ll need some help.”<h2>Restaurants in peril&nbsp;</h2>The
 challenges facing Albrecht and his displaced workers confront thousands
 of other businesses across the state. They all will need state and 
federal lifelines to survive the crisis.&nbsp;For Marsha 
Dighera-Neria, surviving after losing her job at the Pancake House meant
 getting unemployment checks as quickly as possible.&nbsp;In just the last two weeks,<a href="https://klic.dol.ks.gov/admin/gsipub/htmlarea/uploads/UI%20Weekly%20Review.pdf" target="_blank"> 79,353 Kansans filed initial unemployment claims.</a>That’s a record.The unprecedented surge in claims has <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-sees-1000-surge-jobless-claims-covid-19-derails-economy" target="_blank">overwhelmed the Kansas Department of Labor,</a> which is averaging more than 200,000 calls a day.&nbsp;Hospitality workers — a category that includes hotel workers and those employed by Kansas’ <a href="https://www.restaurant.org/Downloads/PDFs/State-Statistics/kansas.pdf" target="_blank">more than 5,000 bars and restaurants </a>— account for nearly 20% of the new unemployment claims.Dighera-Neria
 beat the rush by filing right after finishing her final shift. She 
expects to recieve $146 a week until she goes back to work.“That’s about half of what I was making at the restaurant,” she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586270718414.jpeg" alt=" Marsha Dighera-Neria is drawing unemployment, but she wants to get back to work at the restaurant. Credit Jim McLean / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Marsha Dighera-Neria is drawing unemployment, but she wants to get back to work at the restaurant. Credit Jim McLean / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>A federal relief plan aimed to minimize the impact of 
coronavirus-driven shutdowns to the economy will deliver another $600 a 
week to suddenly jobless workers like Dighera-Neria. But it could be 
weeks before those benefits start arriving.Stuck at home, Dighera-Neria and the other waitresses check in with one other almost every day by phone or on Facebook.“We all have to take care of each other and that’s what us girls are trying to do,” said Marsha Dighera-Neria.Some, she said, are handling the uncertainty “better than others.”“It’s hard,” she said, “when you don’t know how long this is going to go on.”So
 they worry together about whether the restaurant will survive and how 
the customers they’ve grown accustomed to seeing every day are getting 
by.“Some people really depend on coming in,” Dighera-Neria said.
 “Elderly people, you know. It’s human contact and now there is none.”<h2>Saving the diner</h2>Restaurants
 across the country lost $25 billion in March, according to the National
 Restaurant Association. Thousands of the restaurants closed now will 
never reopen.Albrecht acknowledges that the restaurant he 
inherited from his father in 1999 could be among those shuttered for 
good if the health crisis persists for months. But for now, he’s laying 
the groundwork to reopen by applying for a Small Business Administration
 loan that he won’t have to repay if he hires everyone back.&nbsp;“It’s going to be the shot in the arm we need to open back up,” he said.&nbsp;The relief bill recently passed by Congress contains $350 billion for the<a href="https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program-ppp" target="_blank"> Paycheck Protection Program.</a>
 Small business owners must go through their local banks to obtain the 
loans. However, bankers across the country say they’re not ready to 
handle the anticipated volume of applications. They also say federal 
officials <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/paycheck-protection-program-202113050.html" target="_blank">haven’t provided them with detailed instructions </a>on how to run the program.Albrecht said he caught his banker unaware when he called earlier this week to start the process.&nbsp;“I was surprised he hadn’t heard anything yet,” Albrecht said.&nbsp;Once
 the administrative problems are fixed, Albrecht hopes to get about 
$100,000 to cover ongoing expenses. Everything from rent — about $5,000 a
 month — to utility bills and maintenance to keep the restaurant’s water
 softening system, freezers and ice machines working.“Those things add up real quickly,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586270743442.jpeg" alt=" Topeka's Hanover Pancake House is one of thousands of Kansas restaurants shut down due to the coronavirus. Credit Jim McLean / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Topeka's Hanover Pancake House is one of thousands of Kansas restaurants shut down due to the coronavirus. Credit Jim McLean / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>On the day he closed, Albrecht said he had enough cash on hand to pay
 his employees, but he didn’t have enough to cover the roughly $15,000 
he owed the federal and state governments in withholding and sales 
taxes.He had set that money aside, but he spent it on emergency repairs to an oven and the restaurant’s main freezer.“Had
 I known this (coronavirus) disaster was going to be happening, I could 
have held those checks and paid them a little later,” he said. “But I 
had no idea we were going to be this drastically affected.”<h2>Ripple effects</h2>With
 so many Kansas businesses struggling, state officials know that a 
reckoning is coming. Tax collections that had met or exceeded estimates 
every month for the last two years fell short in March.Though 
they totaled only $8.6 million less than the expected $523 million, Gov.
 Laura Kelly is bracing for steeper drops in the months ahead.“We know we’re going to be taking a huge hit in our revenues,” Kelly said in a news conference.By
 the time Albrecht shut the restaurant down, he was also starting to 
fall behind on payments to the distributors who supplied him with bread,
 eggs, bacon, coffee and other diner staples.With hundreds of thousands of restaurants across the country in similar straits, those companies are also suffering.Sysco,
 one of Albrecht’s suppliers, is replacing fresh meat and produce with 
frozen fare to cut back on costs. It’s also laying off workers in 
droves. The person who handled Albrecht’s account for the last dozen 
years was among the casualties.“He was a 12-year veteran of the company,” Albrecht said, and “a good guy.”The ripple effects of Hanover’s closure are evident in other ways.Mack
 Smith is the kind of hail-fellow-well-met you’ll find among Capitol 
insiders. He and a half dozen others have met for breakfast at the 
Pancake House nearly every weekday for years. They eat, read newspapers 
and talk about politics, sports, music, movie trivia.“We have a 
blast,” Smith said. “We have our regular waitresses on certain days. 
It’s quite a relationship that’s developed through the years.”Smith misses starting each day with “my buddies,” but said he also thinks about the people who have served him over the years.“I worry about how they’re going to feed the people they love,” he said. “It’s just scary as heck.”Jim
 McLean is the senior correspondent for the Kansas News Service is a 
collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public 
Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy. You can reach him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/jmcleanks" target="_blank">@jmcleanks</a>&nbsp;or email jim@kcur.org.

Restaurant owners wonder if they can survive COVID-19 

By Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press&nbsp;

The first national data on COVID-19 in U.S. children suggest that while the illness usually isn’t severe in kids, some do get sick enough to require hospital treatment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Monday shows that fever, cough and shortness of breath were the most common symptoms in kids, but they occurred less often than in adults. The findings mostly echo reports from China about how the new coronavirus affects children.

The report included nearly 150,000 laboratory-confirmed U.S. cases in adults and children from Feb. 12 through April 2. About 2,500 of them, or almost 2%, were children. While most kids didn’t become severely ill, three youngsters died.

About 1 in 5 infected children were hospitalized versus 1 in 3 adults. Cases were more common in older children and teens but serious illness appeared to be more common in infants. Cases were slightly more common in boys than girls.

The authors cautioned that many details were missing from pediatric cases, so the report should be considered preliminary.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a few weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including life-threatening pneumonia.

Confirmed U.S. cases top 340,000 with more than 10,000 reported deaths. Globally, there have been more than 1.3 million confirmed cases, and more than 70,000 reported deaths.

The report authors stressed that because people without symptoms, including children, are likely playing a role in transmitting the virus, “social distancing and everyday preventive measures”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html" target="_blank">are recommended&nbsp;</a>for all ages.

Dr. Larry Kociolek, an infectious disease specialist at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, said the report should reassure parents and health care workers that children are less likely than adults to get very sick from the new virus. But that can pose a challenge, he said, because “patients with milder illness are less likely to quarantine themselves and may be at similar risk of transmitting.”

Authorities need to take that into account when considering when to lift social distancing policies and reopen schools, Kociolek said.

By Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press&nbsp;The first national data on COVID-19 in U.S. children suggest that while the illness usually isn’t severe in kids, some do get sick enough to require hospital treatment.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Monday shows that fever, cough and shortness of breath were the most common symptoms in kids, but they occurred less often than in adults. The findings mostly echo reports from China about how the new coronavirus affects children.The report included nearly 150,000 laboratory-confirmed U.S. cases in adults and children from Feb. 12 through April 2. About 2,500 of them, or almost 2%, were children. While most kids didn’t become severely ill, three youngsters died.About 1 in 5 infected children were hospitalized versus 1 in 3 adults. Cases were more common in older children and teens but serious illness appeared to be more common in infants. Cases were slightly more common in boys than girls.The authors cautioned that many details were missing from pediatric cases, so the report should be considered preliminary.For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a few weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including life-threatening pneumonia.Confirmed U.S. cases top 340,000 with more than 10,000 reported deaths. Globally, there have been more than 1.3 million confirmed cases, and more than 70,000 reported deaths.The report authors stressed that because people without symptoms, including children, are likely playing a role in transmitting the virus, “social distancing and everyday preventive measures”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html" target="_blank">are recommended&nbsp;</a>for all ages.Dr. Larry Kociolek, an infectious disease specialist at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, said the report should reassure parents and health care workers that children are less likely than adults to get very sick from the new virus. But that can pose a challenge, he said, because “patients with milder illness are less likely to quarantine themselves and may be at similar risk of transmitting.”Authorities need to take that into account when considering when to lift social distancing policies and reopen schools, Kociolek said.___

Virus is mostly mild and rarely fatal for US kids, data show

PITTSBURG, KAN. (AP) —&nbsp;A Pittsburg man was arrested after he called authorities to say he had fatally shot his father, authorities said.

Crawford County Sheriff Danny Smith said Michael Woodson, 29, called the department Sunday night to say he had shot his father at their home.

He was waiting outside when deputies arrived and was arrested without incident, The Joplin Globe reported.

Deputies found David M. Buckley, 53, dead inside the home. The two men were the only ones at the house when the shooting occurred.

Smith declined to say how many times the father had been shot or with what type of gun.

Investigators are still trying to determine a motive for the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586254458610.png" alt="Woodson-photo Crawford County" />
 <figcaption>Woodson-photo Crawford County</figcaption>
 </figure>PITTSBURG, KAN. (AP) —&nbsp;A Pittsburg man was arrested after he called authorities to say he had fatally shot his father, authorities said.Crawford County Sheriff Danny Smith said Michael Woodson, 29, called the department Sunday night to say he had shot his father at their home.He was waiting outside when deputies arrived and was arrested without incident, The Joplin Globe reported.Deputies found David M. Buckley, 53, dead inside the home. The two men were the only ones at the house when the shooting occurred.Smith declined to say how many times the father had been shot or with what type of gun.Investigators are still trying to determine a motive for the shooting.

Kansas man arrested after father is fatally shot

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Public Schools has suspended its free meal distribution program for students after a food service worker helping with the effort tested positive for COVID-19, district officials said.

The district announced the suspension Monday, the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/coronavirus/article241807981.html">reported</a>. Officials gave no timeline for when the program might resume, but suggested families go to the Harvesters Community Food Network website to locate food pantries and mobile distribution sites.

“This was not an easy decision,” district spokesman Ray Weikal said. “We understand that many of our families depend on school meals to help meet the nutritional needs of their children.”

It was the second case of coronavirus among the district’s food service workers. Weeks ago, a worker who was out of town at the time tested positive.

Most school districts in the Kansas City area launched grab-and-go food pickup programs when the spread of coronavirus closed schools. The programs were meant to help ensure children in at-risk homes were getting enough to eat. But several of the free meal distribution programs have been interrupted as the spread of the virus has grown, including those at Tonganoxie, Kansas, and Raytown. Raytown resumed its service this week.

Kansas City school officials said they will update plans based on guidance from public health authorities.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Public Schools has suspended its free meal distribution program for students after a food service worker helping with the effort tested positive for COVID-19, district officials said.The district announced the suspension Monday, the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/coronavirus/article241807981.html">reported</a>. Officials gave no timeline for when the program might resume, but suggested families go to the Harvesters Community Food Network website to locate food pantries and mobile distribution sites.“This was not an easy decision,” district spokesman Ray Weikal said. “We understand that many of our families depend on school meals to help meet the nutritional needs of their children.”It was the second case of coronavirus among the district’s food service workers. Weeks ago, a worker who was out of town at the time tested positive.Most school districts in the Kansas City area launched grab-and-go food pickup programs when the spread of coronavirus closed schools. The programs were meant to help ensure children in at-risk homes were getting enough to eat. But several of the free meal distribution programs have been interrupted as the spread of the virus has grown, including those at Tonganoxie, Kansas, and Raytown. Raytown resumed its service this week.Kansas City school officials said they will update plans based on guidance from public health authorities.

Kansas City public schools suspends free meals amid outbreak

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve said Monday it will support the government’s $349 billion small business lending program, which had a rocky start Friday.

The Fed said that it will buy loans that banks make to small businesses as part of the program, which is being carried out by banks and the Small Business Administration and was set up under the $2.2 trillion economic&nbsp;relief package.

The loans can be forgiven if they are spent on payroll, to encourage firms to keep paying their employees or rehire workers they may have recently laid off.

By purchasing the loans, the Fed would create an incentive for the banks to engage in more lending. Buying the loans should free up more cash for banks to lend. Otherwise, when banks make a loan, they are typically required to hold some cash in reserve in the case of default.

The Fed’s&nbsp;two-sentence announcement&nbsp;said further details will be provided this week.

Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, an advisory firm that works with medium-sized companies, said the Fed’s move is intended to encourage more banks to participate because many are reluctant to lend to small companies.

“This should help ... reverse risk aversion among potential lenders to provide bridge financing for small firms that otherwise would likely not survive the first phase of the crisis,” Brusuelas said.

The Independent Community Bankers of America,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.icba.org/docs/default-source/icba/advocacy-documents/letters-to-regulators/icba-recommendations-for-success-of-paycheck-protection-program.pdf?sfvrsn=73bc2b17_0&amp;utm_source=informz&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=informz&amp;_zs=MJ2Gb&amp;_zl=4OL32" target="_blank">in a letter Saturday</a>, urged Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to work with the Fed to set up a purchase program for the small business loans. By taking loans off bank balance sheets, they argued that it would make it easier for smaller banks to participate.

“This program should not be limited by the balance sheet capacity of participating lenders,” Rebecca Romero Rainey, CEO of the ICBA, said in the letter.

It could potentially help some larger banks as well. Wells Fargo said it did $10 billion in loan applications over the weekend, the maximum the bank was allowed to do. Because of the bank’s prior scandals, Wells Fargo is under restraints from the Federal Reserve on how many loans it can hold on its books.

The Fed is also expected to launch a program that would aid states and cities by buying municipal bonds. The rescue package approved last month directed Mnuchin to support such an effort as part of the $454 billion the legislation provided the Treasury to backstop the Fed’s efforts to support the banking system and economy.

In a phone call with the nation’s governors Monday, Mnuchin said the Trump administration is working with the Fed to roll out a new “state funding facility” to let make it easier for state governments to borrow money, according to audio of the call obtained by The Associated Press.

“We know many of you are going to need to borrow additional funds and to the extent that you can’t tap the markets, we will be setting up a funding facility with the Fed,” he said.

Mnuchin also said he expects the stimulus payments to individuals to start being sent out by the end of next week and the aid to states to be distributed by April 24th.

Many smaller banks have complained that they have had trouble accessing the lending program, according to the ICBA.

But Mnuchin told the governors that the “SBA program (is) up and running. Very successful.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586199586420.png" alt="Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell" />
 <figcaption>Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve said Monday it will support the government’s $349 billion small business lending program, which had a rocky start Friday.The Fed said that it will buy loans that banks make to small businesses as part of the program, which is being carried out by banks and the Small Business Administration and was set up under the $2.2 trillion economic&nbsp;relief package.The loans can be forgiven if they are spent on payroll, to encourage firms to keep paying their employees or rehire workers they may have recently laid off.By purchasing the loans, the Fed would create an incentive for the banks to engage in more lending. Buying the loans should free up more cash for banks to lend. Otherwise, when banks make a loan, they are typically required to hold some cash in reserve in the case of default.The Fed’s&nbsp;two-sentence announcement&nbsp;said further details will be provided this week.Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, an advisory firm that works with medium-sized companies, said the Fed’s move is intended to encourage more banks to participate because many are reluctant to lend to small companies.“This should help ... reverse risk aversion among potential lenders to provide bridge financing for small firms that otherwise would likely not survive the first phase of the crisis,” Brusuelas said.The Independent Community Bankers of America,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.icba.org/docs/default-source/icba/advocacy-documents/letters-to-regulators/icba-recommendations-for-success-of-paycheck-protection-program.pdf?sfvrsn=73bc2b17_0&amp;utm_source=informz&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=informz&amp;_zs=MJ2Gb&amp;_zl=4OL32" target="_blank">in a letter Saturday</a>, urged Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to work with the Fed to set up a purchase program for the small business loans. By taking loans off bank balance sheets, they argued that it would make it easier for smaller banks to participate.“This program should not be limited by the balance sheet capacity of participating lenders,” Rebecca Romero Rainey, CEO of the ICBA, said in the letter.It could potentially help some larger banks as well. Wells Fargo said it did $10 billion in loan applications over the weekend, the maximum the bank was allowed to do. Because of the bank’s prior scandals, Wells Fargo is under restraints from the Federal Reserve on how many loans it can hold on its books.The Fed is also expected to launch a program that would aid states and cities by buying municipal bonds. The rescue package approved last month directed Mnuchin to support such an effort as part of the $454 billion the legislation provided the Treasury to backstop the Fed’s efforts to support the banking system and economy.In a phone call with the nation’s governors Monday, Mnuchin said the Trump administration is working with the Fed to roll out a new “state funding facility” to let make it easier for state governments to borrow money, according to audio of the call obtained by The Associated Press.“We know many of you are going to need to borrow additional funds and to the extent that you can’t tap the markets, we will be setting up a funding facility with the Fed,” he said.Mnuchin also said he expects the stimulus payments to individuals to start being sent out by the end of next week and the aid to states to be distributed by April 24th.Many smaller banks have complained that they have had trouble accessing the lending program, according to the ICBA.But Mnuchin told the governors that the “SBA program (is) up and running. Very successful.”__

Federal Reserve to smooth lending to small businesses amid pandemic

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese has added a 25th name to its list of clergy credibily accused of sexual abuse of minors.

The diocese said <a href="https://kcsjcatholic.org/2020/04/notice-of-credible-allegation/">on its website Sunday</a> that allegations against the late Rev. Peter Clement Vatter were substantiated by the diocesan ombudsman, the diocese’s independent review board and Bishop James V. Johnston Jr.

Vatter was pastor at Immaculate Conception Parish in Moberly in the late 1940s when the abuse occurred. The parish was renamed St. Pius X Parish in 1955. Vatter died on Nov. 29, 1950.

In September, the diocese released a list of 24 priests it said had been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor from 1956 to the present.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese has added a 25th name to its list of clergy credibily accused of sexual abuse of minors.The diocese said <a href="https://kcsjcatholic.org/2020/04/notice-of-credible-allegation/">on its website Sunday</a> that allegations against the late Rev. Peter Clement Vatter were substantiated by the diocesan ombudsman, the diocese’s independent review board and Bishop James V. Johnston Jr.Vatter was pastor at Immaculate Conception Parish in Moberly in the late 1940s when the abuse occurred. The parish was renamed St. Pius X Parish in 1955. Vatter died on Nov. 29, 1950.In September, the diocese released a list of 24 priests it said had been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor from 1956 to the present.

Kansas City- St. Joseph adds priest's name to abuser list

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The pastor of a local church took time Monday evening to ask motorists to pay tribute to the doctors, nurses, staff and patients at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Patrons and others filled up the parking lot flashing their car lights and honking horns in support.

The Rev. David Dubovich of Park Place Christian Church in Hutchinson led a group of his congregation and others to the main parking lot at Hutch Regional in an effort to say "thanks" to Hutch Regional staff and COVID-19 patients under treatment at the hospital.

Dubovich dubbed the event "Lighting Up Our Community."

“The hospital staff has to be working a lot of hours and this has to be stressful for them working in an unknown situation,” Dubovich said. “This is to support the staff and (show) the hospital that we’re thinking of them and praying for them.”

Hospital spokesperson Richard Shank echoed Dubovich’s comments and said this is a positive event during difficult times.

“I think for patients and staff need words of encouragement and this is a great example during a unique situation,” Shank said. “We’re seeing a lot of these unique events throughout the country and I’m glad we’ve got several of them in Hutchinson.”

While in their cars, all who attended also took time to pray for those at the hospital.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586221945835.jpeg" alt="Motorists gather in the parking lot at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center to thank doctors, nurses and staff, as well as show support of patients at HRMC in what was called Lighting Up Our Community. The event was spearheaded by The Rev. David Dubovich of Park Place Christian Church." />
 <figcaption>Motorists gather in the parking lot at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center to thank doctors, nurses and staff, as well as show support of patients at HRMC in what was called Lighting Up Our Community. The event was spearheaded by The Rev. David Dubovich of Park Place Christian Church.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The pastor of a local church took time Monday evening to ask motorists to pay tribute to the doctors, nurses, staff and patients at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Patrons and others filled up the parking lot flashing their car lights and honking horns in support.The Rev. David Dubovich of Park Place Christian Church in Hutchinson led a group of his congregation and others to the main parking lot at Hutch Regional in an effort to say "thanks" to Hutch Regional staff and COVID-19 patients under treatment at the hospital.Dubovich dubbed the event "Lighting Up Our Community."“The hospital staff has to be working a lot of hours and this has to be stressful for them working in an unknown situation,” Dubovich said. “This is to support the staff and (show) the hospital that we’re thinking of them and praying for them.”Hospital spokesperson Richard Shank echoed Dubovich’s comments and said this is a positive event during difficult times.“I think for patients and staff need words of encouragement and this is a great example during a unique situation,” Shank said. “We’re seeing a lot of these unique events throughout the country and I’m glad we’ve got several of them in Hutchinson.”While in their cars, all who attended also took time to pray for those at the hospital.

Community gathers to pray for staff at Hutchinson hospital

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered Kansas felon new sex crime charges.

Just before 3:30 p.m., March 23rd, officers responded to a rape report that occurred in the 200 block of North Topeka in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

 Through the investigation, officers learned&nbsp; 70-year-old Donald Thompson arrived at the Lord’s Diner and contacted a 47-year-old woman. Thompson and the victim left the location and walked back to Thompson’s apartment, where she was sexually assaulted.&nbsp;

Police arrested Thompson of Wichita on a requested charge of rape.

The case was presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office, who charged Thompson.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a bond of $200,000, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20065873">according to online jail records.</a>&nbsp; He has previous convictions for rape in Arkansas, according to the KBI offender registry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586203630556.png" alt="Thompson photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Thompson photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered Kansas felon new sex crime charges.Just before 3:30 p.m., March 23rd, officers responded to a rape report that occurred in the 200 block of North Topeka in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz. Through the investigation, officers learned&nbsp; 70-year-old Donald Thompson arrived at the Lord’s Diner and contacted a 47-year-old woman. Thompson and the victim left the location and walked back to Thompson’s apartment, where she was sexually assaulted.&nbsp;Police arrested Thompson of Wichita on a requested charge of rape.The case was presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office, who charged Thompson.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a bond of $200,000, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20065873">according to online jail records.</a>&nbsp; He has previous convictions for rape in Arkansas, according to the KBI offender registry.

70-year-old Kan. sex offender arrested for alleged rape

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced Monday that three staff members and one resident at Parsons State Hospital and Training Center (PSHTC) have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week, according to a media release from the agency.

 These are the first confirmed positive cases at any of the four state hospitals.

All three staff are female and over 25 years of age. The resident has been moved to an on-grounds location being used as an isolation unit. To protect their identity.

KDADS and PSHTC staff, including the hospital’s medical director, have been in consultation with Kansas Department for Health and Environment (KDHE) officials and Labette and Crawford County officials about guidance and next steps to address these circumstances.

As added precaution and given new guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, surgical masks were distributed to all staff on Saturday, April 4. Staff in all areas of the hospital will wear masks when social distancing is difficult. Staff and resident temperatures have been taken once daily since March 20. Beginning today, temperatures will be taken twice daily.&nbsp;

“With the continued support and dedication of our hospital staff along with the leadership of KDHE and Governor Kelly, we are prepared to continue to provide a safe and healthy environment for all residents in our state hospitals,” Secretary Howard said. “These circumstances, while uncertain, highlight more than ever our commitment to patient care.”

PSHTC, opened in 1903 as a state hospital for epileptics, was renamed Parsons State Hospital and Training Center in 1957 and is one of two residential treatment, training and care facilities operated by the State of Kansas to serve individuals with intellectual disabilities. The hospital occupies 43 buildings on 163 acres.

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced Monday that three staff members and one resident at Parsons State Hospital and Training Center (PSHTC) have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week, according to a media release from the agency. These are the first confirmed positive cases at any of the four state hospitals.All three staff are female and over 25 years of age. The resident has been moved to an on-grounds location being used as an isolation unit. To protect their identity.KDADS and PSHTC staff, including the hospital’s medical director, have been in consultation with Kansas Department for Health and Environment (KDHE) officials and Labette and Crawford County officials about guidance and next steps to address these circumstances.As added precaution and given new guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, surgical masks were distributed to all staff on Saturday, April 4. Staff in all areas of the hospital will wear masks when social distancing is difficult. Staff and resident temperatures have been taken once daily since March 20. Beginning today, temperatures will be taken twice daily.&nbsp;“With the continued support and dedication of our hospital staff along with the leadership of KDHE and Governor Kelly, we are prepared to continue to provide a safe and healthy environment for all residents in our state hospitals,” Secretary Howard said. “These circumstances, while uncertain, highlight more than ever our commitment to patient care.”PSHTC, opened in 1903 as a state hospital for epileptics, was renamed Parsons State Hospital and Training Center in 1957 and is one of two residential treatment, training and care facilities operated by the State of Kansas to serve individuals with intellectual disabilities. The hospital occupies 43 buildings on 163 acres.

Staff members, patient have coronavirus at State Hospital

PHOENIX (AP) — Yvonne Knight, who has respiratory problems that make her especially vulnerable in the coronavirus pandemic, can’t buy groceries online with her food stamps — even though each trip to the store is now a risky endeavor.

Going out to buy food terrifies the 38-year-old woman with cerebral palsy, but she is one of millions of people who receive food aid through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that can’t be used in flexible ways.

“Every time I go out, I put myself at risk — and other people,” said Knight, who lives in Erie, Pennsylvania. “I’m so terrified when people come up to me now. I don’t want to go out to the store.”

Buying groceries online — which many Americans are doing to drastically reduce how often they leave their homes — is only open to SNAP recipients in six U.S. states, and Pennsylvania is not one of them.

Now, state governments and food security activists across the country are imploring the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make the program more flexible and easier to access at a time when so many people are losing their jobs and turning to the government for support.

The calls have even come from conservative states where lawmakers have tried to reduce or limit food aid.

In Arizona, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has asked the agency to waive interview requirements for applicants, allow families to purchase hot meals, waive work requirements for some and enact other changes that would help families deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic.

Ashley St. Thomas, the public policy manager for the Arizona Food Bank Network, lauded the governor’s request, adding that relaxing requirements that program recipients prove they are working at least some hours each month is “critical right now” — especially as millions get laid off and jobs dry up for people who work in the informal or gig economies.

Amanda Siebe, a 35-year-old who lives in Hillsboro, Oregon, suffers from a chronic pain condition and has a compromised immune system, so she tries to avoid leaving the house.

But she struggles to stretch her SNAP benefit — $194 a month — in normal times, and she would love to have more cash now to be able to buy larger food quantities to limit grocery trips.

“We need food that will not only last the whole month but give us a little bit to stock up so we can get ahead without having to worry what’s gonna happen in the future,” Siebe said. “Especially because the majority of us cannot leave the house very often.”

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and can lead to death — meaning those people need to take special precautions.

The increased need for food aid and calls to make it more flexible come directly on the heels of a stalled Trump administration attempt to purge an estimated 700,000 people from SNAP rolls. The changes would have taken away states’ ability to waive a rule that able-bodied adults without dependents show a certain number of hours worked per month. A court blocked the changes, and the USDA vowed to appeal.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue now says he’s undecided and notes that the congressional virus relief package contains a blanket waiver on the work requirement — though the agency seems likely to revisit the issue in calmer times.

For now, with large parts of the economy shuttered, state governments are clamoring to expand the recipient ranks and cut the red tape.

In Pennsylvania, where Knight lives, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday asked the agency to waive several requirements. He urged the federal government to expand a pilot program launched in New York and Washington state that allows people to use their debit-style benefit cards to order online groceries. Amazon and Walmart now accept SNAP payments online in Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington and New York, where ShopRite also accepts the payments. In Alabama, Wright’s Markets, Inc. accepts the online payments.

In Missouri, the state’s social services department requested and was granted waivers to extend SNAP certifications by six months so that people won’t be kicked out of the program during the pandemic.

Food security advocates recommend the government go further, giving states blanket latitude to adjust their programs.

That would allow states to expand their beneficiary ranks with minimal paperwork, said Ellen Vollinger, legal director for the Food Research and Action Center.

“One can imagine a set of waivers that are so common that every state would benefit,” she said.

Among the specific changes she recommends: eliminating the personal interview that precedes a recipient’s entry into the program — as Arizona’s governor requested — and allowing a recipient’s status in the program to automatically renew without paperwork.

The built-in flexibility of the program has proved vital in natural disasters that devastated individual cities or regions — and activists argue that SNAP benefits could be one of the core instruments used to help Americans endure a pandemic hitting the whole country at once.

“The benefits turn over quickly in the economy. They get spent,” Vollinger said.

PHOENIX (AP) — Yvonne Knight, who has respiratory problems that make her especially vulnerable in the coronavirus pandemic, can’t buy groceries online with her food stamps — even though each trip to the store is now a risky endeavor.Going out to buy food terrifies the 38-year-old woman with cerebral palsy, but she is one of millions of people who receive food aid through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that can’t be used in flexible ways.“Every time I go out, I put myself at risk — and other people,” said Knight, who lives in Erie, Pennsylvania. “I’m so terrified when people come up to me now. I don’t want to go out to the store.”Buying groceries online — which many Americans are doing to drastically reduce how often they leave their homes — is only open to SNAP recipients in six U.S. states, and Pennsylvania is not one of them.Now, state governments and food security activists across the country are imploring the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make the program more flexible and easier to access at a time when so many people are losing their jobs and turning to the government for support.The calls have even come from conservative states where lawmakers have tried to reduce or limit food aid.In Arizona, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has asked the agency to waive interview requirements for applicants, allow families to purchase hot meals, waive work requirements for some and enact other changes that would help families deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic.Ashley St. Thomas, the public policy manager for the Arizona Food Bank Network, lauded the governor’s request, adding that relaxing requirements that program recipients prove they are working at least some hours each month is “critical right now” — especially as millions get laid off and jobs dry up for people who work in the informal or gig economies.Amanda Siebe, a 35-year-old who lives in Hillsboro, Oregon, suffers from a chronic pain condition and has a compromised immune system, so she tries to avoid leaving the house.But she struggles to stretch her SNAP benefit — $194 a month — in normal times, and she would love to have more cash now to be able to buy larger food quantities to limit grocery trips.“We need food that will not only last the whole month but give us a little bit to stock up so we can get ahead without having to worry what’s gonna happen in the future,” Siebe said. “Especially because the majority of us cannot leave the house very often.”For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and can lead to death — meaning those people need to take special precautions.The increased need for food aid and calls to make it more flexible come directly on the heels of a stalled Trump administration attempt to purge an estimated 700,000 people from SNAP rolls. The changes would have taken away states’ ability to waive a rule that able-bodied adults without dependents show a certain number of hours worked per month. A court blocked the changes, and the USDA vowed to appeal.Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue now says he’s undecided and notes that the congressional virus relief package contains a blanket waiver on the work requirement — though the agency seems likely to revisit the issue in calmer times.For now, with large parts of the economy shuttered, state governments are clamoring to expand the recipient ranks and cut the red tape.In Pennsylvania, where Knight lives, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday asked the agency to waive several requirements. He urged the federal government to expand a pilot program launched in New York and Washington state that allows people to use their debit-style benefit cards to order online groceries. Amazon and Walmart now accept SNAP payments online in Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington and New York, where ShopRite also accepts the payments. In Alabama, Wright’s Markets, Inc. accepts the online payments.In Missouri, the state’s social services department requested and was granted waivers to extend SNAP certifications by six months so that people won’t be kicked out of the program during the pandemic.Food security advocates recommend the government go further, giving states blanket latitude to adjust their programs.That would allow states to expand their beneficiary ranks with minimal paperwork, said Ellen Vollinger, legal director for the Food Research and Action Center.“One can imagine a set of waivers that are so common that every state would benefit,” she said.Among the specific changes she recommends: eliminating the personal interview that precedes a recipient’s entry into the program — as Arizona’s governor requested — and allowing a recipient’s status in the program to automatically renew without paperwork.The built-in flexibility of the program has proved vital in natural disasters that devastated individual cities or regions — and activists argue that SNAP benefits could be one of the core instruments used to help Americans endure a pandemic hitting the whole country at once.“The benefits turn over quickly in the economy. They get spent,” Vollinger said.___

Governors plead for food stamp flexibility amid pandemic

TOPEKA (AP) —Gov. Laura Kelly says officials are scouring the state to find supplies to help frontline workers treating people with the coronavirus. 

The governor said Monday that Kansas should finish distributing supplies it received from a federal national stockpile by Tuesday. But she noted Kansas has not received any of the millions of supplies it has requested from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

That comes on a day when Kansas reported confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 845, nearly 100 more than on Sunday, with 25 deaths. Health Director Dr. Lee Norman said he expects the increases to continue, in part because more testing is being done.&nbsp;&nbsp;

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman held a 40 minute press briefing Monday afternoon.

In addition to providing an update on the state's fight against coronavirus and their challenge to receive protective equipment and other supplies from the federal government, they answered dozens of questions.

TOPEKA (AP) —Gov. Laura Kelly says officials are scouring the state to find supplies to help frontline workers treating people with the coronavirus. <div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F641538899757747%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The governor said Monday that Kansas should finish distributing supplies it received from a federal national stockpile by Tuesday. But she noted Kansas has not received any of the millions of supplies it has requested from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. That comes on a day when Kansas reported confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 845, nearly 100 more than on Sunday, with 25 deaths. Health Director Dr. Lee Norman said he expects the increases to continue, in part because more testing is being done.&nbsp;&nbsp;-------TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman held a 40 minute press briefing Monday afternoon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586200254131.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman during Monday's press briefing" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman during Monday's press briefing</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition to providing an update on the state's fight against coronavirus and their challenge to receive protective equipment and other supplies from the federal government, they answered dozens of questions.Kansas is reporting nearly 100 more cases of the coronavirus, with 25 deaths. Health officials said 845 cases have been confirmed as of Monday morning, up from 747 cases on Sunday.&nbsp;