TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 496to a total of 47,410 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 495, an increase of 10.

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 496to a total of 47,410 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 495, an increase of 10.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599671229159.png" alt="Wednesday Sept. 9, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Sept. 9, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate prepared to vote this week on a trimmed-down Republican coronavirus relief package, though it only has a slim chance of passage in the face of Democrats’ insistence for more sweeping aid.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released the approximately $500 billion measure on Tuesday as senators returned to Washington for an abbreviated pre-election session, but hopes were dimming for another coronavirus relief bill — or much else.

Republicans struggling to retain their Senate majority this fall have been divided, with some GOP senators in close races anxious to respond further to the pandemic, even as conservatives are tiring of all the spending and passing legislation in concert with liberal House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

McConnell called the package “a targeted proposal that focuses on several of the most urgent aspects of this crisis, the issues where bipartisanship should be especially possible.” They included school aid, new money for vaccines and testing, and a second round of the popular Paycheck Protection Program for smaller businesses.

Democrats demanded a far larger bill, including hundreds of billions of dollars for state and local governments, more generous jobless benefits, and help for renters and homeowners, along with other provisions in the House Democrats’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3c1ea3456f7d906dabf3ed336f6c1ad0">$3.5 billion relief bill</a>&nbsp;that passed in May.

“Get real, Mitch McConnell,” Pelosi said during a Bloomberg interview. “It’s only a ‘check the box’ so that some of his endangered Republican senators can go home and say, ‘Well, see, I tried.’ But it isn’t trying. It is not even an attempt to do the right thing.”

Republican senators such as Susan Collins of Maine are eager to show constituents they are continuing to work to ease the pandemic’s disastrous impact on jobs, businesses and health. But many Senate Republicans are resisting more spending, and the scaled-back bill is roughly half the size of a measure McConnell unveiled earlier this summer.

McConnell’s move Tuesday would clear the way for a Thursday test vote in which Democrats were sure to block the legislation. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement that the bill “doesn’t come close to addressing the problems and is headed nowhere.”

McConnell’s bill would provide $105 billion to help schools reopen, enact a shield against lawsuits for businesses and others that are powering ahead to reopen, create a scaled-back $300-per-week supplemental jobless benefit, and write off $10 billion in earlier debt at the U.S. Postal Service. There’s $31 billion for a coronavirus vaccine, $16 billion for virus testing and $15 billion to help child care providers reopen. There is additionally $20 billion for farmers.

The package will also include a school choice initiative sought by Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz and others that would provide a tax break, for two years, for people who donate to nonprofit organizations offering private school scholarships.

It would also provide for a $258 billion second round of paycheck protection subsidies.

But it won’t contain another round of $1,200 direct payments going out under President Donald Trump’s name and the new $300 weekly jobless benefit would expire just after Christmas, on Dec. 27. The GOP bill also lacks funding for election security that lawmakers from both parties have supported.

At least one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, said Tuesday he would oppose the bill, refusing new spending that piles on debt. It’s a sign of the troubles McConnell has faced in crafting a bill his own party would support.

Pelosi, D-Calif., continues to demand a package totaling $2.2 trillion, and while Trump’s negotiators have signaled a willingness to inch further in her direction, a significant gap remains.

Talks between top Democrats and the Trump administration broke off last month and remain off track, with the bipartisan unity that drove almost $3 trillion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2099a53bb8adf2def7ee7329ea322f9d">COVID-19 rescue legislation into law</a>&nbsp;this spring replaced by toxic partisanship and a return to Washington dysfunction.

Expectations in July and August that a fifth bipartisan pandemic response bill would eventually be birthed despite increased obstacles has been replaced by genuine pessimism. Recent COVID-related conversations among key players have led to nothing.

Democrats seem secure in their political position, with Trump and several Senate GOP incumbents lagging in the polls. Trump is seeking to sideline the pandemic as a campaign issue, and Republicans aren’t interested in a deal on Democratic terms — even as needs like school aid enjoy widespread support.

Poisonous relationships among key leaders like Pelosi and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows give little reason for confidence about overcoming obstacles on the cost, scope and details of a potential relief bill. Pelosi recently referred to Meadows as “whatever his name is,” while the Meadows-run White House during a press briefing ran a video loop of Pelosi’s controversial visit to a San Francisco hair salon.

The relationship between Pelosi and her preferred negotiating partner, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, is civil but isn’t generating much in the way of results, other than a promise to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2c635b4e14e17ec6db0b13dfb089aa8c">avoid a government shutdown</a>&nbsp;at the end of the month by keeping a government-wide temporary spending bill free of controversy. That measure is likely to keep the government running into December. It’s likely to contain a bunch of lower-profile steps, such as an extension of the federal flood insurance program and a temporary reauthorization of spending from the highway trust fund.

But if talks continue to falter, there’s little to keep lawmakers in Washington long, particularly with the election fast approaching.

One Republican in leadership, Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, said he was “disappointed” they had not reached agreement sooner. “On all of this money, the longer we wait the less effective it is, whether it’s money for elections — which particularly have one day that’s the target — or money for back to school,” said Blunt.

The Senate returned Tuesday to resume its diet of judicial and administration nominations. The House doesn’t come back until Sept. 14 for a schedule laden with lower-profile measures such as clean-energy legislation and a bill to decriminalize marijuana. Some Democrats are expected to continue to take advantage of remote voting and may not return to Washington at all.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599653805831.png" alt="Members of the U.S. Senate discuss the legislation Tuesday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Members of the U.S. Senate discuss the legislation Tuesday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate prepared to vote this week on a trimmed-down Republican coronavirus relief package, though it only has a slim chance of passage in the face of Democrats’ insistence for more sweeping aid.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released the approximately $500 billion measure on Tuesday as senators returned to Washington for an abbreviated pre-election session, but hopes were dimming for another coronavirus relief bill — or much else.Republicans struggling to retain their Senate majority this fall have been divided, with some GOP senators in close races anxious to respond further to the pandemic, even as conservatives are tiring of all the spending and passing legislation in concert with liberal House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.McConnell called the package “a targeted proposal that focuses on several of the most urgent aspects of this crisis, the issues where bipartisanship should be especially possible.” They included school aid, new money for vaccines and testing, and a second round of the popular Paycheck Protection Program for smaller businesses.Democrats demanded a far larger bill, including hundreds of billions of dollars for state and local governments, more generous jobless benefits, and help for renters and homeowners, along with other provisions in the House Democrats’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3c1ea3456f7d906dabf3ed336f6c1ad0">$3.5 billion relief bill</a>&nbsp;that passed in May.“Get real, Mitch McConnell,” Pelosi said during a Bloomberg interview. “It’s only a ‘check the box’ so that some of his endangered Republican senators can go home and say, ‘Well, see, I tried.’ But it isn’t trying. It is not even an attempt to do the right thing.”Republican senators such as Susan Collins of Maine are eager to show constituents they are continuing to work to ease the pandemic’s disastrous impact on jobs, businesses and health. But many Senate Republicans are resisting more spending, and the scaled-back bill is roughly half the size of a measure McConnell unveiled earlier this summer.McConnell’s move Tuesday would clear the way for a Thursday test vote in which Democrats were sure to block the legislation. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement that the bill “doesn’t come close to addressing the problems and is headed nowhere.”McConnell’s bill would provide $105 billion to help schools reopen, enact a shield against lawsuits for businesses and others that are powering ahead to reopen, create a scaled-back $300-per-week supplemental jobless benefit, and write off $10 billion in earlier debt at the U.S. Postal Service. There’s $31 billion for a coronavirus vaccine, $16 billion for virus testing and $15 billion to help child care providers reopen. There is additionally $20 billion for farmers.The package will also include a school choice initiative sought by Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz and others that would provide a tax break, for two years, for people who donate to nonprofit organizations offering private school scholarships.It would also provide for a $258 billion second round of paycheck protection subsidies.But it won’t contain another round of $1,200 direct payments going out under President Donald Trump’s name and the new $300 weekly jobless benefit would expire just after Christmas, on Dec. 27. The GOP bill also lacks funding for election security that lawmakers from both parties have supported.At least one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, said Tuesday he would oppose the bill, refusing new spending that piles on debt. It’s a sign of the troubles McConnell has faced in crafting a bill his own party would support.Pelosi, D-Calif., continues to demand a package totaling $2.2 trillion, and while Trump’s negotiators have signaled a willingness to inch further in her direction, a significant gap remains.Talks between top Democrats and the Trump administration broke off last month and remain off track, with the bipartisan unity that drove almost $3 trillion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2099a53bb8adf2def7ee7329ea322f9d">COVID-19 rescue legislation into law</a>&nbsp;this spring replaced by toxic partisanship and a return to Washington dysfunction.Expectations in July and August that a fifth bipartisan pandemic response bill would eventually be birthed despite increased obstacles has been replaced by genuine pessimism. Recent COVID-related conversations among key players have led to nothing.Democrats seem secure in their political position, with Trump and several Senate GOP incumbents lagging in the polls. Trump is seeking to sideline the pandemic as a campaign issue, and Republicans aren’t interested in a deal on Democratic terms — even as needs like school aid enjoy widespread support.Poisonous relationships among key leaders like Pelosi and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows give little reason for confidence about overcoming obstacles on the cost, scope and details of a potential relief bill. Pelosi recently referred to Meadows as “whatever his name is,” while the Meadows-run White House during a press briefing ran a video loop of Pelosi’s controversial visit to a San Francisco hair salon.The relationship between Pelosi and her preferred negotiating partner, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, is civil but isn’t generating much in the way of results, other than a promise to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2c635b4e14e17ec6db0b13dfb089aa8c">avoid a government shutdown</a>&nbsp;at the end of the month by keeping a government-wide temporary spending bill free of controversy. That measure is likely to keep the government running into December. It’s likely to contain a bunch of lower-profile steps, such as an extension of the federal flood insurance program and a temporary reauthorization of spending from the highway trust fund.But if talks continue to falter, there’s little to keep lawmakers in Washington long, particularly with the election fast approaching.One Republican in leadership, Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, said he was “disappointed” they had not reached agreement sooner. “On all of this money, the longer we wait the less effective it is, whether it’s money for elections — which particularly have one day that’s the target — or money for back to school,” said Blunt.The Senate returned Tuesday to resume its diet of judicial and administration nominations. The House doesn’t come back until Sept. 14 for a schedule laden with lower-profile measures such as clean-energy legislation and a bill to decriminalize marijuana. Some Democrats are expected to continue to take advantage of remote voting and may not return to Washington at all.

Senate to vote on trimmed-down virus relief package

BY BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-school-bus-equation-complicated-coronavirus-and-social-distancing">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — A standard school bus can hold as 
many as 72 students, as long as you pack them in three to a bench. That 
just isn’t possible during a pandemic.

And according to Wichita 
Public Schools Transportation Director Lisa Riveros, following the 
6-foot social distancing recommendation would “reduce it down to as many
 as 10, 11, 12 passengers.”

Count
 busing among the numerous challenges Kansas school districts are facing
 as they head back to school this week. Some can’t find enough drivers. 
Others aren’t in the position to add more buses or routes. That’s left 
districts looking to do everything they can to reduce the number of kids
 they have to transport.

Last year, before the coronavirus changed everything, the Wichita district had more than 16,000 students ride the bus.

Riveros
 said it started the year with about 3,000 students, because only 
elementary schools are starting the year with in-person classes. The 
district also saw many families enroll in remote learning, which offsets
 the reduced bus capacity.

And because the district already used a
 staggered schedule (one bus does three separate routes at different 
times for elementary, junior high and high school), she doesn’t expect 
to need more buses if the older students ever go back to in-person 
classes.

“Our hope is to do it with what we have,” she said.

While
 the district will spread students out as much as possible on a bus, 
Riveros said there are other ways to keep people safe. Siblings will sit
 together, buses will be loaded back to front, and masks are required.

It’s also purchased a new <a href="https://zoono.com/pages/corona-virus">disinfecta</a><a href="https://zoono.com/pages/corona-virus" target="_blank">nt known as Zoono 71</a>
 to spray inside the buses. It’s supposed to create a microscopic 
barrier that adheres to surfaces and physically ruptures virus cells, 
like COVID-19. Once sprayed, the surface coating lasts for a couple of 
weeks.

While the new disinfectant might make people feel safer, it’s probably not that important. According to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s0522-cdc-updates-covid-transmission.html#:~:text=Based%20on%20data%20from%20lab,the%20main%20way%20the%20virus" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>, the coronavirus is mainly spread through close person-to-person contact or respiratory droplets, not from surfaces.

Just
 northwest of Wichita, the small school district of Maize has a hard 
time finding interested and qualified drivers in a normal year. Add in a
 couple of retirements and general challenges from COVID-19, and 
Superintendent Chad Higgins said it’s even harder.

“More buses 
and more bus routes really isn’t an option because it’s the drivers,” he
 said. “It doesn’t matter how many buses you have if you don’t have 
anyone to drive them.”

Maize’s problem is threefold: It can’t add
 buses or routes, each bus carries fewer students and routes need to be 
as short as possible.

Ultimately, Higgins said he decided to 
reduce the number of students who ride buses by limiting eligibility to 
those who live more than 2.5 miles away. He also asked parents in that 
group to drive their students to school if possible. Most parents, he 
said, have been understanding.

Limiting eligibility wasn’t even 
the district’s first choice, though. It considered having one school bus
 do multiple routes to the elementary schools, before moving on to kids 
in the older grades. But that would have had some students at the school
 building well before class started, and the district doesn’t have the 
staff to watch that many kids so early.

“One solution will cause another problem,” Higgins said. “And that’s really been the whole story of this opening schools saga.”

Brian
 Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for 
KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a>
 or email him at grimmett@kmuw.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/2020/9/1599658948250.png" alt=" A First Student school bus in Wichita pulls up to pick up a waiting student. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> A First Student school bus in Wichita pulls up to pick up a waiting student. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>BY BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-school-bus-equation-complicated-coronavirus-and-social-distancing">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — A standard school bus can hold as 
many as 72 students, as long as you pack them in three to a bench. That 
just isn’t possible during a pandemic.And according to Wichita 
Public Schools Transportation Director Lisa Riveros, following the 
6-foot social distancing recommendation would “reduce it down to as many
 as 10, 11, 12 passengers.”Count
 busing among the numerous challenges Kansas school districts are facing
 as they head back to school this week. Some can’t find enough drivers. 
Others aren’t in the position to add more buses or routes. That’s left 
districts looking to do everything they can to reduce the number of kids
 they have to transport.Busing in an urban districtLast year, before the coronavirus changed everything, the Wichita district had more than 16,000 students ride the bus.Riveros
 said it started the year with about 3,000 students, because only 
elementary schools are starting the year with in-person classes. The 
district also saw many families enroll in remote learning, which offsets
 the reduced bus capacity.And because the district already used a
 staggered schedule (one bus does three separate routes at different 
times for elementary, junior high and high school), she doesn’t expect 
to need more buses if the older students ever go back to in-person 
classes.“Our hope is to do it with what we have,” she said.While
 the district will spread students out as much as possible on a bus, 
Riveros said there are other ways to keep people safe. Siblings will sit
 together, buses will be loaded back to front, and masks are required.It’s also purchased a new <a href="https://zoono.com/pages/corona-virus">disinfecta</a><a href="https://zoono.com/pages/corona-virus" target="_blank">nt known as Zoono 71</a>
 to spray inside the buses. It’s supposed to create a microscopic 
barrier that adheres to surfaces and physically ruptures virus cells, 
like COVID-19. Once sprayed, the surface coating lasts for a couple of 
weeks.While the new disinfectant might make people feel safer, it’s probably not that important. According to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s0522-cdc-updates-covid-transmission.html#:~:text=Based%20on%20data%20from%20lab,the%20main%20way%20the%20virus" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>, the coronavirus is mainly spread through close person-to-person contact or respiratory droplets, not from surfaces.Busing in a rural areaJust
 northwest of Wichita, the small school district of Maize has a hard 
time finding interested and qualified drivers in a normal year. Add in a
 couple of retirements and general challenges from COVID-19, and 
Superintendent Chad Higgins said it’s even harder.“More buses 
and more bus routes really isn’t an option because it’s the drivers,” he
 said. “It doesn’t matter how many buses you have if you don’t have 
anyone to drive them.”Maize’s problem is threefold: It can’t add
 buses or routes, each bus carries fewer students and routes need to be 
as short as possible.Ultimately, Higgins said he decided to 
reduce the number of students who ride buses by limiting eligibility to 
those who live more than 2.5 miles away. He also asked parents in that 
group to drive their students to school if possible. Most parents, he 
said, have been understanding.Limiting eligibility wasn’t even 
the district’s first choice, though. It considered having one school bus
 do multiple routes to the elementary schools, before moving on to kids 
in the older grades. But that would have had some students at the school
 building well before class started, and the district doesn’t have the 
staff to watch that many kids so early.“One solution will cause another problem,” Higgins said. “And that’s really been the whole story of this opening schools saga.”Brian
 Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for 
KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a>
 or email him at grimmett@kmuw.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.

Kan. school bus equation complicated by virus, social distancing

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A far-right Norwegian lawmaker said Wednesday that he has nominated U.S. President Donald Trump for <a href="https://www.nobelpeaceprize.org/">the Nobel Peace Prize</a> for his efforts in the Middle East.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament for the far-right Progress Party, said Trump should be considered because of his work “for a peace agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel which opens up for possible peace in the Middle East.”

“No matter how Trump acts at home and what he says at press conferences, he has absolutely a chance at getting the Nobel Peace Prize,” Tybring-Gjedde, told The Associated Press.

He said he nominated Trump on Wednesday, adding that “Donald Trump meets the criteria” for<a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/"> the Nobel Peace Prize</a>.

Tybring-Gjedde was also one of two Norwegian lawmakers who nominated Trump for the peace prize in 2018 for his efforts to bring reconciliation between North and South Korea.

Any national lawmaker can nominate someone for the<a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/"> Nobel Peace Prize.</a>

The process of considering candidates and awarding the prize is done in Norway, in contrast to the other Nobel Prizes, which are awarded in neighboring Sweden. Nominations must be sent to the Norwegian Nobel Committee by Feb. 1.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee doesn’t publicly comment on nominees. Under its rules, the information is required to be kept secret for 50 years.

“It is now to hope that the Nobel Committee is able to consider what Trump has achieved internationally and that it does not stumble in established prejudice against the US President,” Tybring-Gjedde said in a Facebook post.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597334632566.png" alt="President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House August 13 to announce the United Arab Emirates and Israel agreed to establish full diplomatic ties as part of a deal to halt the annexation of occupied land sought by the Palestinians for their future state.- Photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House August 13 to announce the United Arab Emirates and Israel agreed to establish full diplomatic ties as part of a deal to halt the annexation of occupied land sought by the Palestinians for their future state.- Photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A far-right Norwegian lawmaker said Wednesday that he has nominated U.S. President Donald Trump for <a href="https://www.nobelpeaceprize.org/">the Nobel Peace Prize</a> for his efforts in the Middle East.Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament for the far-right Progress Party, said Trump should be considered because of his work “for a peace agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel which opens up for possible peace in the Middle East.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you! <a href="https://t.co/S2kgsPh77l">https://t.co/S2kgsPh77l</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1303678141173575680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“No matter how Trump acts at home and what he says at press conferences, he has absolutely a chance at getting the Nobel Peace Prize,” Tybring-Gjedde, told The Associated Press.He said he nominated Trump on Wednesday, adding that “Donald Trump meets the criteria” for<a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/"> the Nobel Peace Prize</a>.Tybring-Gjedde was also one of two Norwegian lawmakers who nominated Trump for the peace prize in 2018 for his efforts to bring reconciliation between North and South Korea.Any national lawmaker can nominate someone for the<a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/"> Nobel Peace Prize.</a>The process of considering candidates and awarding the prize is done in Norway, in contrast to the other Nobel Prizes, which are awarded in neighboring Sweden. Nominations must be sent to the Norwegian Nobel Committee by Feb. 1.The Norwegian Nobel Committee doesn’t publicly comment on nominees. Under its rules, the information is required to be kept secret for 50 years.“It is now to hope that the Nobel Committee is able to consider what Trump has achieved internationally and that it does not stumble in established prejudice against the US President,” Tybring-Gjedde said in a Facebook post.

President Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

WICHITA —Despite over 100 who attended and spoke out against masks during Tuesday's <a href="https://wichitaks.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&amp;clip_id=3989">9-hour council meeting</a>, the Wichita&nbsp;City Council&nbsp; voted to extend the existing mask order until October 21.

The ordinance is in line with Sedgwick County’s order that begins September 9.

The Council also voted to lift the mandate prior to October 21 if the rate of virus&nbsp;positive percentage falls below 5 percent in Wichita.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County local health officer Dr. Gerald Minns signed a new emergency public health order Thursday, according to a media release from the county. It will take effect Sept. 9 and remain in effect until midnight Oct. 21. 

Residents are sill required to wear masks or face coverings in public spaces. Children age 5 or younger are not required to wear masks. Masks with valves or vents are not allowed.

The order adopts Phase 2 of the Governor's Ad Astra Plan which allows groups of up to 15 people that must be located 6 feet away from other groups.

Businesses will be required to continue operating at 50 percent of the fire code occupancy and close to the public at 11p.m.

Minns will continue to review and monitor COVID-19 trends in the community and will consider lifting restrictions when trends move in a positive direction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599649734872.png" alt="Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple answers questions during the 9 hour council meeting -image courtesy city of Wichita." />
 <figcaption>Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple answers questions during the 9 hour council meeting -image courtesy city of Wichita.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA —Despite over 100 who attended and spoke out against masks during Tuesday's <a href="https://wichitaks.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&amp;clip_id=3989">9-hour council meeting</a>, the Wichita&nbsp;City Council&nbsp; voted to extend the existing mask order until October 21. The ordinance is in line with Sedgwick County’s order that begins September 9.The Council also voted to lift the mandate prior to October 21 if the rate of virus&nbsp;positive percentage falls below 5 percent in Wichita.&nbsp;-----------SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County local health officer Dr. Gerald Minns signed a new emergency public health order Thursday, according to a media release from the county. It will take effect Sept. 9 and remain in effect until midnight Oct. 21. Residents are sill required to wear masks or face coverings in public spaces. Children age 5 or younger are not required to wear masks. Masks with valves or vents are not allowed.The order adopts Phase 2 of the Governor's Ad Astra Plan which allows groups of up to 15 people that must be located 6 feet away from other groups.Businesses will be required to continue operating at 50 percent of the fire code occupancy and close to the public at 11p.m.Minns will continue to review and monitor COVID-19 trends in the community and will consider lifting restrictions when trends move in a positive direction.

After 9-hour meeting, Wichita votes to extend mask mandate 

Late-stage studies of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate are on temporary hold while the company investigates whether a recipient’s “potentially unexplained” illness is a side effect of the shot.

In a statement issued Tuesday evening, the company said its “standard review process triggered a pause to vaccination to allow review of safety data.”

AstraZeneca didn’t reveal any information about the possible side effect except to call it “a potentially unexplained illness.” The health news site STAT first reported the pause in testing, saying the possible side effect occurred in the United Kingdom.

An AstraZeneca spokesperson confirmed the pause in vaccinations covers studies in the U.S. and other countries. Late last month, AstraZeneca began recruiting 30,000 people in the U.S. for its largest study of the vaccine. It also is testing the vaccine, developed by Oxford University, in thousands of people in Britain, and in smaller studies in Brazil and South Africa.

Two other vaccines are in huge, final-stage tests in the United States, one made by Moderna Inc. and the other by Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech. Those two vaccines work differently than AstraZeneca’s, and the studies already have recruited about two-thirds of the needed volunteers.

Temporary holds of large medical studies aren’t unusual, and investigating any serious or unexpected reaction is a mandatory part of safety testing. AstraZeneca pointed out that it’s possible the problem could be a coincidence; illnesses of all sorts could arise in studies of thousands of people.

“We are working to expedite the review of the single event to minimize any potential impact on the trial timeline,” the company statement said.

It’s likely the unexplained illness was serious enough to require hospitalization and not a mild side effect such as fever or muscle pain, said Deborah Fuller, a University of Washington researcher who is working on a different COVID-19 vaccine that has not yet started human testing.

“This is not something to be alarmed about,” Fuller said. Instead, it’s reassuring that the company is pausing the study to figure out what’s happening and carefully monitoring the health of study participants.

Dr. Ashish Jha of Brown University said via Twitter that the significance of the interruption was unclear but that he was “still optimistic” that an effective vaccine will be found in the coming months.

“But optimism isn’t evidence,” he wrote. “Let’s let science drive this process.”

Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University in New York, tweeted that the illness may be unrelated to the vaccine, “but the important part is that this is why we do trials before rolling out a vaccine to the general public.”

During the third and final stage of testing, researchers look for any signs of possible side effects that may have gone undetected in earlier patient research. Because of their large size, the studies are considered the most important study phase for picking up less common side effects and establishing safety.

The trials also assess effectiveness by tracking who gets sick and who doesn’t between patients getting the vaccine and those receiving a dummy shot.

The development came&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/91f3c0d94fd9e9bcb645110c7d2e05a0">the same day</a>&nbsp;that AstraZeneca and eight other drugmakers issued an unusual pledge, vowing to uphold the highest ethical and scientific standards in developing their vaccines.

The announcement follows worries that President Donald Trump will pressure the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve a vaccine before it’s proven to be safe and effective.

The U.S. has invested billions of dollars in efforts to quickly develop multiple vaccines against COVID-19. But public fears that a vaccine is unsafe or ineffective could be disastrous, derailing the effort to vaccinate millions of Americans.

Representatives for the FDA did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday evening.

AstraZeneca’s U.S.-traded shares fell more than 6% in after-hours trading following reports of the trial being paused.

By LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated PressLate-stage studies of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate are on temporary hold while the company investigates whether a recipient’s “potentially unexplained” illness is a side effect of the shot.In a statement issued Tuesday evening, the company said its “standard review process triggered a pause to vaccination to allow review of safety data.”AstraZeneca didn’t reveal any information about the possible side effect except to call it “a potentially unexplained illness.” The health news site STAT first reported the pause in testing, saying the possible side effect occurred in the United Kingdom.An AstraZeneca spokesperson confirmed the pause in vaccinations covers studies in the U.S. and other countries. Late last month, AstraZeneca began recruiting 30,000 people in the U.S. for its largest study of the vaccine. It also is testing the vaccine, developed by Oxford University, in thousands of people in Britain, and in smaller studies in Brazil and South Africa.Two other vaccines are in huge, final-stage tests in the United States, one made by Moderna Inc. and the other by Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech. Those two vaccines work differently than AstraZeneca’s, and the studies already have recruited about two-thirds of the needed volunteers.Temporary holds of large medical studies aren’t unusual, and investigating any serious or unexpected reaction is a mandatory part of safety testing. AstraZeneca pointed out that it’s possible the problem could be a coincidence; illnesses of all sorts could arise in studies of thousands of people.“We are working to expedite the review of the single event to minimize any potential impact on the trial timeline,” the company statement said.It’s likely the unexplained illness was serious enough to require hospitalization and not a mild side effect such as fever or muscle pain, said Deborah Fuller, a University of Washington researcher who is working on a different COVID-19 vaccine that has not yet started human testing.“This is not something to be alarmed about,” Fuller said. Instead, it’s reassuring that the company is pausing the study to figure out what’s happening and carefully monitoring the health of study participants.Dr. Ashish Jha of Brown University said via Twitter that the significance of the interruption was unclear but that he was “still optimistic” that an effective vaccine will be found in the coming months.“But optimism isn’t evidence,” he wrote. “Let’s let science drive this process.”Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University in New York, tweeted that the illness may be unrelated to the vaccine, “but the important part is that this is why we do trials before rolling out a vaccine to the general public.”During the third and final stage of testing, researchers look for any signs of possible side effects that may have gone undetected in earlier patient research. Because of their large size, the studies are considered the most important study phase for picking up less common side effects and establishing safety.The trials also assess effectiveness by tracking who gets sick and who doesn’t between patients getting the vaccine and those receiving a dummy shot.The development came&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/91f3c0d94fd9e9bcb645110c7d2e05a0">the same day</a>&nbsp;that AstraZeneca and eight other drugmakers issued an unusual pledge, vowing to uphold the highest ethical and scientific standards in developing their vaccines.The announcement follows worries that President Donald Trump will pressure the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve a vaccine before it’s proven to be safe and effective.The U.S. has invested billions of dollars in efforts to quickly develop multiple vaccines against COVID-19. But public fears that a vaccine is unsafe or ineffective could be disastrous, derailing the effort to vaccinate millions of Americans.Representatives for the FDA did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday evening.AstraZeneca’s U.S.-traded shares fell more than 6% in after-hours trading following reports of the trial being paused.___

Late stage COVID-19 vaccine study paused after illness

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on parole on new charges after an arrest.

Just after 9p.m. Monday, a Deputy from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office preformed a traffic stop on a blue Ford Explorer sport for illegal tags, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

 After a short investigation, the driver identified as Adam Laney 44, of Coffeyville was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of anabolic steroids as well as other traffic offenses. Formal charges will be decided by the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office.

&nbsp;“There is no such thing as a routine traffic stop," said Wade. "This deputy recognized an illegal tag and this small detail led to the removal a large quantity of drugs off the street.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599599087320.png" alt="Laney has previous convictions for theft, burglary and unlawful attempt to manufacture a controlled substance, according to the Kansas Dpt. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Laney has previous convictions for theft, burglary and unlawful attempt to manufacture a controlled substance, according to the Kansas Dpt. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on parole on new charges after an arrest.Just after 9p.m. Monday, a Deputy from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office preformed a traffic stop on a blue Ford Explorer sport for illegal tags, according to Sheriff Ron Wade. After a short investigation, the driver identified as Adam Laney 44, of Coffeyville was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of anabolic steroids as well as other traffic offenses. Formal charges will be decided by the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;“There is no such thing as a routine traffic stop," said Wade. "This deputy recognized an illegal tag and this small detail led to the removal a large quantity of drugs off the street.”

Kan. deputy finds felon driving SUV with illegal tags

RENO COUNTY—A Salina man was injured in an industrial accident Tuesday in Reno County.

Just before 2p.m. deputies along with fire and EMS were dispatched to the bridge at 69th Avenue and Nickerson Road for a report of an injury that occurred at the construction site, according to a media release from the Reno County Sheriff's Department.

 Upon arrival Deputies made contact with Gonzalo Chavez, 42, Salina. He lying on his back, in the sand near the river. Deputies were told that a crane loaded with 4,000 pounds of sheet pile was approximately 6 feet off the ground. 

The crane operator accidentally took his foot off the crane brake which caused the load to fall on top of Chavez.

The crane operator then lifted the sheet pile off of Chavez while other employees rendered aid. EMS and fire arrived and treated Chavez. EMS&nbsp; transported him to Hutchinson Airport and he was flown to an area hospital for additional treatment. 

RENO COUNTY—A Salina man was injured in an industrial accident Tuesday in Reno County.Just before 2p.m. deputies along with fire and EMS were dispatched to the bridge at 69th Avenue and Nickerson Road for a report of an injury that occurred at the construction site, according to a media release from the Reno County Sheriff's Department. Upon arrival Deputies made contact with Gonzalo Chavez, 42, Salina. He lying on his back, in the sand near the river. Deputies were told that a crane loaded with 4,000 pounds of sheet pile was approximately 6 feet off the ground. The crane operator accidentally took his foot off the crane brake which caused the load to fall on top of Chavez.The crane operator then lifted the sheet pile off of Chavez while other employees rendered aid. EMS and fire arrived and treated Chavez. EMS&nbsp; transported him to Hutchinson Airport and he was flown to an area hospital for additional treatment.

Kansas man airlifted to hospital after construction accident

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect wanted in connection with an Illinois robbery case.

Just after 4:30p.m. Monday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Chevy Impala in the 5600 block of SW Topeka Boulevard, according to deputy Shayna Anderson.

&nbsp;During the investigation, a K9 unit was deployed and narcotics were located inside the vehicle. The passenger identified as Trejon R. Raimey-Kirtdoll, 25, of Topeka was placed into custody and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges including possession of methamphetamine. He also had a misdemeanor warrant out of the City of Topeka and a felony warrant for robbery out of St. Clair County, Illinois, according to Anderson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599596134999.png" alt="Raimey-Kirtdoll photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Raimey-Kirtdoll photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect wanted in connection with an Illinois robbery case.Just after 4:30p.m. Monday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Chevy Impala in the 5600 block of SW Topeka Boulevard, according to deputy Shayna Anderson.&nbsp;During the investigation, a K9 unit was deployed and narcotics were located inside the vehicle. The passenger identified as Trejon R. Raimey-Kirtdoll, 25, of Topeka was placed into custody and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges including possession of methamphetamine. He also had a misdemeanor warrant out of the City of Topeka and a felony warrant for robbery out of St. Clair County, Illinois, according to Anderson.

Illinois robbery suspect captured after Kan. traffic stop

TOPEKA —After 53 years of serving the state of Kansas and its students, Deputy Commissioner Dale Dennis is retiring effective Sept. 30, 2020, according to a media release from the Kansas State Department of Education.

Dennis joined the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) as a state school finance administrator in 1967. He was named deputy commissioner in 1976 and has served as interim commissioner of education four times since July 1995.

In his role as deputy commissioner of fiscal and administrative services, Dennis supervises the administration of about $5 billion in state and federal funds that flow through KSDE to unified school districts and nonpublic schools. He also has for many years served as liaison for KSDE and the Kansas State Board of Education to the Kansas Legislature and the governor.

“Dale has been a relentless advocate for Kansas schools, teachers and students for more than five decades. Generations of Kansas children are better off – and will be better off – because of his work,” Gov. Laura Kelly said. “I’m inspired by his 53 years of distinguished service, and while he may be retiring, I know that his commitment to our public schools will continue. I offer Dale my sincerest congratulations and best wishes for a pleasant retirement.”

Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson is the 11th&nbsp;commissioner Dennis has served under.

“It is rare that someone like Dale Dennis comes along,” Watson said. “He has dedicated 53 years of his life to helping others and giving back to the students, educators and citizens of Kansas – he has done so with honor and integrity. I’ve enjoyed working with Dale for the past five years, and his passion, dedication and love for serving others will truly be missed.”

Superintendents across the state will miss having Dennis as a resource, said Dr. Steve Carlin, superintendent of Garden City Unified School District 457.

“He’s an icon,” Carlin said. “He’s an invaluable resource and is so helpful to superintendents and districts. We are fortunate to have a state department and people like Dale here to help us. That makes my job as a superintendent so much easier. No matter what corner of the state you’re in or how big or small a district is, he’s an advocate for public education. Dale is the gold standard.”

Dennis learned the importance of hard work and dedication as a young boy growing up in Mapleton, where his father operated a gas station. His father instilled a strong work ethic in Dennis.

“I’ve tried to be as helpful as possible,” Dennis said of his career. “If you can make a difference and help a school district – which will help students – it’s all about that. It’s about making a difference.”

Dennis graduated from Blue Mound High School and received three degrees from Pittsburg State University – a bachelor’s degree in business education in 1959, a master’s in business education and school administration in 1966, and an education specialist degree in school administration in 1983.

Prior to joining KSDE, Dennis was a teacher at the same high school where he graduated, Blue Mound, from 1959-1960 and 1961-1965, taking a step out of the classroom for one year to serve in the Army National Guard. He worked as a principal at LaCygne High School from 1965-1967.

Dennis has won numerous awards during his lifetime, including the Kansas Association of School Business Officials’ Distinguished Service Award, which the agency later named the Dale Dennis Distinguished Service Award. He also was named a 2019 Kansans of the Year by the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas.

Dennis and his wife, Laurie, have two sons, Darren and Damon, and three grandsons.

Dr. Craig Neuenswander, who currently serves as the director of School Finance, will step into Dennis’ position.

Neuenswander joined KSDE in July 2011. He began his educational career in 1982 as a junior high school math teacher in Dewey, Oklahoma. He moved to serve as principal at Riley County High School in 1988, and served in that capacity until 1994, when he was named superintendent of Riley County USD 378. He also was superintendent at Iola Unified School District 257 and worked as an adjunct instructor at Pittsburg State University.

Neuenswander received his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Kansas, his master’s in school administration from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and his doctorate in school administration from Kansas State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599607640545.png" alt="Dennis photo KSDE" />
 <figcaption>Dennis photo KSDE</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —After 53 years of serving the state of Kansas and its students, Deputy Commissioner Dale Dennis is retiring effective Sept. 30, 2020, according to a media release from the Kansas State Department of Education.Dennis joined the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) as a state school finance administrator in 1967. He was named deputy commissioner in 1976 and has served as interim commissioner of education four times since July 1995.In his role as deputy commissioner of fiscal and administrative services, Dennis supervises the administration of about $5 billion in state and federal funds that flow through KSDE to unified school districts and nonpublic schools. He also has for many years served as liaison for KSDE and the Kansas State Board of Education to the Kansas Legislature and the governor.“Dale has been a relentless advocate for Kansas schools, teachers and students for more than five decades. Generations of Kansas children are better off – and will be better off – because of his work,” Gov. Laura Kelly said. “I’m inspired by his 53 years of distinguished service, and while he may be retiring, I know that his commitment to our public schools will continue. I offer Dale my sincerest congratulations and best wishes for a pleasant retirement.”Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson is the 11th&nbsp;commissioner Dennis has served under.“It is rare that someone like Dale Dennis comes along,” Watson said. “He has dedicated 53 years of his life to helping others and giving back to the students, educators and citizens of Kansas – he has done so with honor and integrity. I’ve enjoyed working with Dale for the past five years, and his passion, dedication and love for serving others will truly be missed.”Superintendents across the state will miss having Dennis as a resource, said Dr. Steve Carlin, superintendent of Garden City Unified School District 457.“He’s an icon,” Carlin said. “He’s an invaluable resource and is so helpful to superintendents and districts. We are fortunate to have a state department and people like Dale here to help us. That makes my job as a superintendent so much easier. No matter what corner of the state you’re in or how big or small a district is, he’s an advocate for public education. Dale is the gold standard.”Dennis learned the importance of hard work and dedication as a young boy growing up in Mapleton, where his father operated a gas station. His father instilled a strong work ethic in Dennis.“I’ve tried to be as helpful as possible,” Dennis said of his career. “If you can make a difference and help a school district – which will help students – it’s all about that. It’s about making a difference.”Dennis graduated from Blue Mound High School and received three degrees from Pittsburg State University – a bachelor’s degree in business education in 1959, a master’s in business education and school administration in 1966, and an education specialist degree in school administration in 1983.Prior to joining KSDE, Dennis was a teacher at the same high school where he graduated, Blue Mound, from 1959-1960 and 1961-1965, taking a step out of the classroom for one year to serve in the Army National Guard. He worked as a principal at LaCygne High School from 1965-1967.Dennis has won numerous awards during his lifetime, including the Kansas Association of School Business Officials’ Distinguished Service Award, which the agency later named the Dale Dennis Distinguished Service Award. He also was named a 2019 Kansans of the Year by the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas.Dennis and his wife, Laurie, have two sons, Darren and Damon, and three grandsons.Dr. Craig Neuenswander, who currently serves as the director of School Finance, will step into Dennis’ position.Neuenswander joined KSDE in July 2011. He began his educational career in 1982 as a junior high school math teacher in Dewey, Oklahoma. He moved to serve as principal at Riley County High School in 1988, and served in that capacity until 1994, when he was named superintendent of Riley County USD 378. He also was superintendent at Iola Unified School District 257 and worked as an adjunct instructor at Pittsburg State University.Neuenswander received his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Kansas, his master’s in school administration from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and his doctorate in school administration from Kansas State University.

An institution in Kan. school finance retiring after 53-years

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Students and teachers facing an already challenging new school year dealt with technology issues as more Kansas school districts reopened Tuesday with many students working online.

In Olathe, service was interrupted Tuesday morning when nearly 50,000 users on separate devices tried to log on to the district’s online teaching system that is designed for 30,000 students, school officials said.

The district’s middle and high school students were using only remote learning, while elementary students started with a hybrid of online and in-person classes.

The district had previously increased its bandwidth. After more servers were added, the disruption was cleared by mid-morning Tuesday, said spokesman Cody Kennedy, who declined to speculate on why traffic on the system was so unexpectedly heavy.

In Wichita, where students in sixth through 12th grades were only online and elementary students started with the hybrid model, the district had enough devices for online students but still needed hotspots for some of them, Superintendent Alicia Thompson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwch.com/2020/09/08/wichita-public-schools-launches-helpline-for-myremote-learning/" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;KAKE-TV.

The district had reserved about 3,500 hotspots and by Tuesday morning had passed out about 5,300, said Thompson, and will continue to provide them as they become available.

On Monday, Gov. Laura Kelly expressed concern the number of confirmed coronavirus cases would soar as more schools reopen.

State health officials said as of Friday, colleges accounted for 27 coronavirus outbreaks and 420 cases, but no deaths. Five school clusters have resulted in 39 cases and no deaths, according to the latest numbers available.

Kelly also said she planned to seek renewal of a state COVID-19 emergency declaration, which is set to expire next week.

Under a compromise with the Republican-led Legislature reached in June the State Finance Council must approve such extensions.

Kelly noted the state continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases, with 1,694 more confirmed cases reported Monday, along with four deaths.

“We still have an emergency here,” Kelly said. “Just because Sept. 15 comes does not mean that the emergency is going to go away. It is absolutely imperative that we extend the declaration.”

The order prevent interruptions in disaster response and many contend it ensures federal relief funds continue to flow.

Some Republican lawmakers argue the guidance from the federal government indicates a declaration isn’t necessary to get that aid.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599600091452.png" alt="Photo courtesy Newton High School" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Newton High School</figcaption>
 </figure>OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Students and teachers facing an already challenging new school year dealt with technology issues as more Kansas school districts reopened Tuesday with many students working online.In Olathe, service was interrupted Tuesday morning when nearly 50,000 users on separate devices tried to log on to the district’s online teaching system that is designed for 30,000 students, school officials said.The district’s middle and high school students were using only remote learning, while elementary students started with a hybrid of online and in-person classes.The district had previously increased its bandwidth. After more servers were added, the disruption was cleared by mid-morning Tuesday, said spokesman Cody Kennedy, who declined to speculate on why traffic on the system was so unexpectedly heavy.In Wichita, where students in sixth through 12th grades were only online and elementary students started with the hybrid model, the district had enough devices for online students but still needed hotspots for some of them, Superintendent Alicia Thompson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwch.com/2020/09/08/wichita-public-schools-launches-helpline-for-myremote-learning/" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;KAKE-TV.The district had reserved about 3,500 hotspots and by Tuesday morning had passed out about 5,300, said Thompson, and will continue to provide them as they become available.On Monday, Gov. Laura Kelly expressed concern the number of confirmed coronavirus cases would soar as more schools reopen.State health officials said as of Friday, colleges accounted for 27 coronavirus outbreaks and 420 cases, but no deaths. Five school clusters have resulted in 39 cases and no deaths, according to the latest numbers available.Kelly also said she planned to seek renewal of a state COVID-19 emergency declaration, which is set to expire next week.Under a compromise with the Republican-led Legislature reached in June the State Finance Council must approve such extensions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599498341078.png" alt="Monday Sept. 7, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday Sept. 7, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Kelly noted the state continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases, with 1,694 more confirmed cases reported Monday, along with four deaths.“We still have an emergency here,” Kelly said. “Just because Sept. 15 comes does not mean that the emergency is going to go away. It is absolutely imperative that we extend the declaration.”The order prevent interruptions in disaster response and many contend it ensures federal relief funds continue to flow.Some Republican lawmakers argue the guidance from the federal government indicates a declaration isn’t necessary to get that aid.

Some technology issues as more Kansas schools begin classes

KINGMAN COUNTY —A deputy with the Kingman County Sheriff's Department died in an accident Monday.

According to a social media report from the sheriff's department 57-year-old deputy Marion Guy Williams was working in his back yard and was accidentally electrocuted.&nbsp;

He was an 8 year veteran of the Kingman County Sheriff’s Office. He is survived by his wife Juanita, a son, daughter and two step-children, according to Livingston Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Friday at the Kingman Christian Church.

Authorities released no additional details.

KINGMAN COUNTY —A deputy with the Kingman County Sheriff's Department died in an accident Monday.According to a social media report from the sheriff's department 57-year-old deputy Marion Guy Williams was working in his back yard and was accidentally electrocuted.&nbsp;He was an 8 year veteran of the Kingman County Sheriff’s Office. He is survived by his wife Juanita, a son, daughter and two step-children, according to Livingston Funeral Home.Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Friday at the Kingman Christian Church.Authorities released no additional details.

Kansas deputy dies in back yard accident

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hit and run accident and asking the public for assistance to locate a vehicle.

Just before 7a.m. Tuesday, an a police officer was in the area of the intersection of 3rd and Mary Street in Garden City when she was told about an accident that had just occurred involving a child on a bicycle, according to&nbsp;Sergeant Lana Urteaga.

Witnesses said a ten year-old-boy was riding his bicycle on the north sidewalk of 300 east Mary Street when he was struck by a red, unknown make passenger car as he attempted to ride his bike across the street. The passenger car fled the area and did not stop to render aid. 

The boy sustained minor injuries and was treated on scene by Finney County EMS. The child was released to family members, according to Urteaga.

The Garden City Police Department is requesting assistance from the community. If you witnessed this incident or have information related to this incident, you should call the Garden City Police Department (620) 276-1300.&nbsp;

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hit and run accident and asking the public for assistance to locate a vehicle.Just before 7a.m. Tuesday, an a police officer was in the area of the intersection of 3rd and Mary Street in Garden City when she was told about an accident that had just occurred involving a child on a bicycle, according to&nbsp;Sergeant Lana Urteaga.Witnesses said a ten year-old-boy was riding his bicycle on the north sidewalk of 300 east Mary Street when he was struck by a red, unknown make passenger car as he attempted to ride his bike across the street. The passenger car fled the area and did not stop to render aid. The boy sustained minor injuries and was treated on scene by Finney County EMS. The child was released to family members, according to Urteaga.The Garden City Police Department is requesting assistance from the community. If you witnessed this incident or have information related to this incident, you should call the Garden City Police Department (620) 276-1300.&nbsp;

Police: 10-year-old SW Kan. boy injured after hit and run

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly announced Tuesday her administration’s grant application for FEMA’s Lost Wages Assistance program (LWA) received federal approval and an award of $63 million to assist Kansans who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I appreciate the Federal Emergency Management Agency for its quick response to my administration’s application, and for making these funds available to those who need them throughout our state and nation,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“We will work to distribute these dollars as quickly and efficiently as possible to keep Kansas families in their homes and food on their tables.&nbsp; However, it is still critically important for Congress to create a coherent strategy and act on a long-term solution for those who have found themselves unable to work due to the pandemic’s impact on our economy.”

“The LWA program’s $63 million will deliver much needed benefits to Kansans who are out of work,”&nbsp;Acting Secretary of Labor Ryan Wright said.&nbsp;“However, this program is not a permanent solution, and during these difficult times we implore Congress to come together and act to fund permanent unemployment solutions for all individuals and families in need across the country.”

The program is limited in scope and, due to federal restrictions, will only be available to those who are receiving at least $100 in unemployment benefits. The implementation of the LWA program will take several weeks to execute, and the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) estimates that claimants will begin receiving benefits no sooner than late September.&nbsp;

Unlike the $600 a week Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program that expired in July, a claimant must self-certify her or his unemployment or partial unemployment is due to disruptions caused by COVID-19. For those who are eligible, payments will be retroactive to the week ending Aug. 1, and will remain in effect until FEMA terminates the program.

On Aug. 8, President Donald Trump issued an executive memorandum authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to expend up to $44 billion from its Disaster Relief Fund to provide lost wage assistance to Americans receiving unemployment benefits.

Governor Kelly proposed the $400 option for LWA as a way to get additional money into the hands of unemployed Kansans. On Sept. 2, the SPARK Taskforce agreed to the proposal and to spending $63 million in CARES Act funds to assist Kansans. On Sept. 3, legislative leaders on the State Finance Council (SFC) rejected the proposal. In response, Kelly ordered KDOL to apply for the $300 option. The reduced amount will not require SPARK or SFC approval to implement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599592706555.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly during her Labor Day press conference" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly during her Labor Day press conference</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly announced Tuesday her administration’s grant application for FEMA’s Lost Wages Assistance program (LWA) received federal approval and an award of $63 million to assist Kansans who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.“I appreciate the Federal Emergency Management Agency for its quick response to my administration’s application, and for making these funds available to those who need them throughout our state and nation,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“We will work to distribute these dollars as quickly and efficiently as possible to keep Kansas families in their homes and food on their tables.&nbsp; However, it is still critically important for Congress to create a coherent strategy and act on a long-term solution for those who have found themselves unable to work due to the pandemic’s impact on our economy.”“The LWA program’s $63 million will deliver much needed benefits to Kansans who are out of work,”&nbsp;Acting Secretary of Labor Ryan Wright said.&nbsp;“However, this program is not a permanent solution, and during these difficult times we implore Congress to come together and act to fund permanent unemployment solutions for all individuals and families in need across the country.”The program is limited in scope and, due to federal restrictions, will only be available to those who are receiving at least $100 in unemployment benefits. The implementation of the LWA program will take several weeks to execute, and the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) estimates that claimants will begin receiving benefits no sooner than late September.&nbsp;Unlike the $600 a week Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program that expired in July, a claimant must self-certify her or his unemployment or partial unemployment is due to disruptions caused by COVID-19. For those who are eligible, payments will be retroactive to the week ending Aug. 1, and will remain in effect until FEMA terminates the program.On Aug. 8, President Donald Trump issued an executive memorandum authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to expend up to $44 billion from its Disaster Relief Fund to provide lost wage assistance to Americans receiving unemployment benefits.Governor Kelly proposed the $400 option for LWA as a way to get additional money into the hands of unemployed Kansans. On Sept. 2, the SPARK Taskforce agreed to the proposal and to spending $63 million in CARES Act funds to assist Kansans. On Sept. 3, legislative leaders on the State Finance Council (SFC) rejected the proposal. In response, Kelly ordered KDOL to apply for the $300 option. The reduced amount will not require SPARK or SFC approval to implement.

Kansas to receive $63 million in FEMA unemployment funds

Examination ‘incomplete,’ but exposes transparency shortcomings

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/05/kansas-audit-peels-away-thin-layers-of-publicly-financed-lobbying/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — School districts,
 cities and counties in Kansas each invested about $250,000 last year in
 public tax dollars for deployment of registered lobbyists to influence 
the state’s political process.

Sixty-three of the state’s
 550 registered lobbyists reported receiving public funding from state 
agencies, local governments or associations tied to government 
activities. This cadre of lobbyists disclosed this universe of clients 
bankrolled by taxpayers paid them nearly $1.3 million in tax dollars 
during 2019.

The Legislature’s division
 of post audit says the assessment of lobbying with publicly funding was
 “incomplete” due to limitations of state lobbying law and of 
requirements to disclose information.

Only registered lobbyists 
are compelled to report receipt of public funds, which means people 
performing federal lobbying weren’t included in auditors’ calculations. 
State employees, judicial staff and advisory council members are exempt 
from registering as lobbyists, even if they are responsible for 
promoting or opposing legislative action as a part of their job.

“A fiscal officer for a 
state agency advocating for their budget at a legislative hearing is 
lobbying, but does not have to register as a lobbyist,” said Megan 
Flanders, a senior auditor with Legislative Post Audit. “If a state 
agency hired an outside contractor to lobby for the agency budget at a 
legislative hearing, that person would need to register.”

In addition, the audit 
says “no one has a full picture” of lobbying in Kansas because required 
reporting doesn’t include spending by state and local governments making
 use of private funds or donations.

Kansas lobbyists also 
self-report amounts of public funding they are paid, the audit said. The
 analysis said 110 of about 1,500 reports required of these Kansas 
lobbyists weren’t filed by the time auditors poured through documents 
earlier this year.

“There is no penalty in statute for not filing public funds reports, which makes it difficult to enforce,” Flanders said.

The auditing division also
 examined the amount of tax dollars spent by state and local governments
 on fees and dues to professional associations and how much recipients 
of those payments devoted to lobbying activities.

Although only 936 of 3,800
 state and local government entities responded to the auditors’ request 
for information, the survey found $11 million was spent on fees and dues
 during the 2019 fiscal year. About $5 million of that total went to 
associations that lobby to some extent at the state or federal level, 
auditors concluded.

Sen. Dennis Pyle, the 
Hiawatha Republican who requested the audit of tax-funded lobbying, said
 the 25% response rate was disappointing. He also recognized there is no
 state law requiring agencies, organizations or businesses to respond 
when contacted by Legislative Post Audit.

“How are we to have confidence in the report?” Pyle said. “There is a question mark.”

In all, 20 associations disclosed receiving more than $100,000 in membership fees and dues during the year assessed.

The auditors said Kansas 
Association of School Boards, which has a regular lobbying presence at 
the Capitol, was paid $1.39 million during the 2019 fiscal year by 
school districts.

Other top recipients of 
fees that perform lobbying included League of Kansas Municipalities, 
$656,000; Unified School Administrators of Kansas, $210,000; Education 
Advisory Board: Education Technology Services, $204,000; Schools for 
Fair Funding, $201,000; and Kansas Municipal Utilities, $201,000.

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599574312019.png" alt="State Sen. Dennis Pyle, a Hiawatha Republican, says he's disappointed a study on tax-funded lobbying conducted by the Legislative Division of Post Audit elicited responses from only 25% of 3,800 agencies surveyed. The audit revealed government agencies performing lobbying gathering $5 million in fees and dues in fiscal year 2019. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Dennis Pyle, a Hiawatha Republican, says he's disappointed a study on tax-funded lobbying conducted by the Legislative Division of Post Audit elicited responses from only 25% of 3,800 agencies surveyed. The audit revealed government agencies performing lobbying gathering $5 million in fees and dues in fiscal year 2019. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Examination ‘incomplete,’ but exposes transparency shortcomings</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/05/kansas-audit-peels-away-thin-layers-of-publicly-financed-lobbying/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — School districts,
 cities and counties in Kansas each invested about $250,000 last year in
 public tax dollars for deployment of registered lobbyists to influence 
the state’s political process.Sixty-three of the state’s
 550 registered lobbyists reported receiving public funding from state 
agencies, local governments or associations tied to government 
activities. This cadre of lobbyists disclosed this universe of clients 
bankrolled by taxpayers paid them nearly $1.3 million in tax dollars 
during 2019.The Legislature’s division
 of post audit says the assessment of lobbying with publicly funding was
 “incomplete” due to limitations of state lobbying law and of 
requirements to disclose information.Only registered lobbyists 
are compelled to report receipt of public funds, which means people 
performing federal lobbying weren’t included in auditors’ calculations. 
State employees, judicial staff and advisory council members are exempt 
from registering as lobbyists, even if they are responsible for 
promoting or opposing legislative action as a part of their job.“A fiscal officer for a 
state agency advocating for their budget at a legislative hearing is 
lobbying, but does not have to register as a lobbyist,” said Megan 
Flanders, a senior auditor with Legislative Post Audit. “If a state 
agency hired an outside contractor to lobby for the agency budget at a 
legislative hearing, that person would need to register.”In addition, the audit 
says “no one has a full picture” of lobbying in Kansas because required 
reporting doesn’t include spending by state and local governments making
 use of private funds or donations.Kansas lobbyists also 
self-report amounts of public funding they are paid, the audit said. The
 analysis said 110 of about 1,500 reports required of these Kansas 
lobbyists weren’t filed by the time auditors poured through documents 
earlier this year.“There is no penalty in statute for not filing public funds reports, which makes it difficult to enforce,” Flanders said.The auditing division also
 examined the amount of tax dollars spent by state and local governments
 on fees and dues to professional associations and how much recipients 
of those payments devoted to lobbying activities.Although only 936 of 3,800
 state and local government entities responded to the auditors’ request 
for information, the survey found $11 million was spent on fees and dues
 during the 2019 fiscal year. About $5 million of that total went to 
associations that lobby to some extent at the state or federal level, 
auditors concluded.Sen. Dennis Pyle, the 
Hiawatha Republican who requested the audit of tax-funded lobbying, said
 the 25% response rate was disappointing. He also recognized there is no
 state law requiring agencies, organizations or businesses to respond 
when contacted by Legislative Post Audit.“How are we to have confidence in the report?” Pyle said. “There is a question mark.”In all, 20 associations disclosed receiving more than $100,000 in membership fees and dues during the year assessed.The auditors said Kansas 
Association of School Boards, which has a regular lobbying presence at 
the Capitol, was paid $1.39 million during the 2019 fiscal year by 
school districts.Other top recipients of 
fees that perform lobbying included League of Kansas Municipalities, 
$656,000; Unified School Administrators of Kansas, $210,000; Education 
Advisory Board: Education Technology Services, $204,000; Schools for 
Fair Funding, $201,000; and Kansas Municipal Utilities, $201,000.Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

Kan. audit peels away thin layers of publicly financed lobbying

NEW YORK (AP) — The former American League President Gene Budig has died. His death <a href="https://www.milb.com/charleston/news/dr-budig-story">was announced Tuesday</a> by the commissioner’s office and the Charleston RiverDogs, a minor league team he co-owned. No cause was given.

Budig brought an academic pedigree to the job of AL president, and he was the last one to hold the post.&nbsp; He was on the job from 1994 until 2000 when owners abolished the position of league presidents. 

Budig was the chancellor at the University <a href="https://kuhistory.ku.edu/articles/budig-bat">Kansas (1980-94) </a>and president at West Virginia (77-81) and Illinois State(73-77.)

He also was a newspaper reporter, governor’s assistant, major general in the Nebraska Air National Guard and a teacher at Princeton. Gene Budig was 81 years old.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599583678276.png" alt="Gene Budig -photo courtesy <a href="https://kuhistory.ku.edu/articles/budig-bat">University of Kansa</a>s" />
 <figcaption>Gene Budig -photo courtesy <a href="https://kuhistory.ku.edu/articles/budig-bat">University of Kansa</a>s</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The former American League President Gene Budig has died. His death <a href="https://www.milb.com/charleston/news/dr-budig-story">was announced Tuesday</a> by the commissioner’s office and the Charleston RiverDogs, a minor league team he co-owned. No cause was given. Budig brought an academic pedigree to the job of AL president, and he was the last one to hold the post.&nbsp; He was on the job from 1994 until 2000 when owners abolished the position of league presidents. Budig was the chancellor at the University <a href="https://kuhistory.ku.edu/articles/budig-bat">Kansas (1980-94) </a>and president at West Virginia (77-81) and Illinois State(73-77.) He also was a newspaper reporter, governor’s assistant, major general in the Nebraska Air National Guard and a teacher at Princeton. Gene Budig was 81 years old.

Former KU chancellor who ran American League dies at 81

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged domestic violence.

Just after 8 a.m. Monday, a 38-year-old woman contacted officers at the Patrol West Police station in Wichita. She had visible injuries and reported a domestic violence situation involving 39-year-old Christopher Tucker, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Investigators learned&nbsp; the woman arrived home from work at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Sunday. Tucker was hiding in her garage, got into her vehicle, strangled her, and forced her to drive to a location in northeast Wichita.&nbsp;

Tucker then forced her back to her residence, where he refused to let her leave and then forced her to drive to a residence in the 600 block of South Elizabeth in Wichita where he bound her and still refused to let her leave.&nbsp; 

On Monday morning, Tucker cut her loose, and she was able to escape and run from the home.

The investigation also revealed the woman had been awarded custody of their 10-year-old son.&nbsp; Police also learned Tucker was hiding the boy's location.

 Through diligent investigation, officers located the boy along with Tucker at a residence in the 1700 block of West University.&nbsp; Officers arrested Tucker without incident. He is being held&nbsp;on requested charges of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, aggravated domestic battery, threats, aggravated burglary, violation of a protection from abuse order, aggravated interference with parental custody, and outstanding warrants, according to Davidson.

The boy was placed into the custody of his mother.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599577673649.png" alt="Tucker-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Tucker-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged domestic violence.Just after 8 a.m. Monday, a 38-year-old woman contacted officers at the Patrol West Police station in Wichita. She had visible injuries and reported a domestic violence situation involving 39-year-old Christopher Tucker, according to officer Charley Davidson.Investigators learned&nbsp; the woman arrived home from work at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Sunday. Tucker was hiding in her garage, got into her vehicle, strangled her, and forced her to drive to a location in northeast Wichita.&nbsp;Tucker then forced her back to her residence, where he refused to let her leave and then forced her to drive to a residence in the 600 block of South Elizabeth in Wichita where he bound her and still refused to let her leave.&nbsp; On Monday morning, Tucker cut her loose, and she was able to escape and run from the home.The investigation also revealed the woman had been awarded custody of their 10-year-old son.&nbsp; Police also learned Tucker was hiding the boy's location. Through diligent investigation, officers located the boy along with Tucker at a residence in the 1700 block of West University.&nbsp; Officers arrested Tucker without incident. He is being held&nbsp;on requested charges of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, aggravated domestic battery, threats, aggravated burglary, violation of a protection from abuse order, aggravated interference with parental custody, and outstanding warrants, according to Davidson.The boy was placed into the custody of his mother.The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;