By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/26/kansas-prepares-to-spend-52-million-to-broaden-covid-19-testing-get-quicker-results/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura 
Kelly’s administration moved closer Monday to awarding $52 million in 
contracts broadening the reach of COVID-19 testing and slashing time 
required to get results as coronavirus cut a wider path through rural 
counties previously shielded during the pandemic.

The third round of federal
 CARES Act aid would follow at least $34 million previously dedicated to
 testing people exhibiting symptoms or considered part of a cluster 
outbreak in Kansas. Under the strategy endorsed by Kelly and a 
bipartisan group of state legislators, the state plans to begin routine 
testing of people without symptoms. Another goal is to screen 
communities to block spread of the virus, especially in nursing homes 
and schools.

The new plan will weave 
together capabilities of public and private laboratories and add the 
expertise of nearly two dozen bidders, including 10 bidders from Kansas,
 capable of reinforcing the state’s transportation, communications and 
testing capacity, said Marci Nielsen, special adviser to the governor on
 development of a coordinated testing program.

It’s possible the new contractors could be publicly announced Wednesday, she said, depending on whether contracts were signed.

“Obviously,” Nielsen said,
 “COVID-19 continues to impact Kansans very negatively and the 
importance of testing cannot be overstated. We wanted to move away from 
sort of the haphazard ‘Who’s testing where?’ and better coordinate our 
efforts.”

Lyle Butler, chairman of 
the governor’s Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas task force, 
works to monitor nearly $1 billion in coronavirus aid.

He said getting more 
testing underway would save lives. He said the state was about five 
months behind where it should have been in terms of testing capacity. 
The coronavirus funding allocated by Congress and President Donald Trump
 must be spent by Dec. 30.

So far, there have been 
547,200 negative tests and 78,600 positive tests in Kansas for COVID-19.
 At least 3,600 residents of the state have been hospitalized and 975 
fatalities have been documented by the Kansas Department of Health and 
Environment.

Kelly, a Democrat who has 
tangled with Republicans since March on COVID-19 policy, intends to meet
 privately with House and Senate leaders Tuesday to discuss spread of 
the virus into counties without a mask mandate.

Since the governor issued 
her most recent mask order in July, local officials in 80 of 105 
counties still decline to remove barriers to enforcing the edict. New 
research at the University of Kansas indicates masks helped flatten the 
curve of coronavirus infection in counties abiding by Kelly’s order, but
 counties without a mask rule witnesses an escalation in infection.

Senate Majority Leader Jim
 Denning, an Overland Park Republican and member of the SPARK executive 
committee, said there was at least $30 million in additional federal 
funding that could be used to continue with expanded testing into 
January.

He also secured an 
assurance the state’s expansion of testing would feature the simple 
saliva test and wouldn’t be limited to the intrusive nasal swab test.

“The deep swab is a 
nonstarter,” Denning said. “A human being’s only going to have that once
 voluntarily. They do not repeat that test ever.”

Butler, the coronavirus 
task force chairman appointed by Kelly, said the new round of state 
contracts should be crafted to require contractors to guarantee test 
results within 48 hours. There has been criticism of delays of a week or
 so in securing test results in Kansas.

“If we do these things and
 it takes of three, five, seven days — which is what it was in the past —
 it doesn’t really do us any good,” he said.

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/2020/10/1603807396960.png" alt="Lyle Butler, chairman of Gov. Laura Kelly's task force working with federal COVID-19 aid, said Kansas should have dramatically expanded testing statewide as far back as five months ago. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Lyle Butler, chairman of Gov. Laura Kelly's task force working with federal COVID-19 aid, said Kansas should have dramatically expanded testing statewide as far back as five months ago. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/26/kansas-prepares-to-spend-52-million-to-broaden-covid-19-testing-get-quicker-results/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura 
Kelly’s administration moved closer Monday to awarding $52 million in 
contracts broadening the reach of COVID-19 testing and slashing time 
required to get results as coronavirus cut a wider path through rural 
counties previously shielded during the pandemic.The third round of federal
 CARES Act aid would follow at least $34 million previously dedicated to
 testing people exhibiting symptoms or considered part of a cluster 
outbreak in Kansas. Under the strategy endorsed by Kelly and a 
bipartisan group of state legislators, the state plans to begin routine 
testing of people without symptoms. Another goal is to screen 
communities to block spread of the virus, especially in nursing homes 
and schools.The new plan will weave 
together capabilities of public and private laboratories and add the 
expertise of nearly two dozen bidders, including 10 bidders from Kansas,
 capable of reinforcing the state’s transportation, communications and 
testing capacity, said Marci Nielsen, special adviser to the governor on
 development of a coordinated testing program.It’s possible the new contractors could be publicly announced Wednesday, she said, depending on whether contracts were signed.“Obviously,” Nielsen said,
 “COVID-19 continues to impact Kansans very negatively and the 
importance of testing cannot be overstated. We wanted to move away from 
sort of the haphazard ‘Who’s testing where?’ and better coordinate our 
efforts.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603807449892.jpeg" alt="The Kansas task force appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly to work on allocation of nearly $1 billion in federal CARES Act funding is moving ahead with a plan to spend more than $50 million to expand COVID-19 testing statewide. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas task force appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly to work on allocation of nearly $1 billion in federal CARES Act funding is moving ahead with a plan to spend more than $50 million to expand COVID-19 testing statewide. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Lyle Butler, chairman of 
the governor’s Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas task force, 
works to monitor nearly $1 billion in coronavirus aid.He said getting more 
testing underway would save lives. He said the state was about five 
months behind where it should have been in terms of testing capacity. 
The coronavirus funding allocated by Congress and President Donald Trump
 must be spent by Dec. 30.So far, there have been 
547,200 negative tests and 78,600 positive tests in Kansas for COVID-19.
 At least 3,600 residents of the state have been hospitalized and 975 
fatalities have been documented by the Kansas Department of Health and 
Environment.Kelly, a Democrat who has 
tangled with Republicans since March on COVID-19 policy, intends to meet
 privately with House and Senate leaders Tuesday to discuss spread of 
the virus into counties without a mask mandate.Since the governor issued 
her most recent mask order in July, local officials in 80 of 105 
counties still decline to remove barriers to enforcing the edict. New 
research at the University of Kansas indicates masks helped flatten the 
curve of coronavirus infection in counties abiding by Kelly’s order, but
 counties without a mask rule witnesses an escalation in infection.Senate Majority Leader Jim
 Denning, an Overland Park Republican and member of the SPARK executive 
committee, said there was at least $30 million in additional federal 
funding that could be used to continue with expanded testing into 
January.He also secured an 
assurance the state’s expansion of testing would feature the simple 
saliva test and wouldn’t be limited to the intrusive nasal swab test.“The deep swab is a 
nonstarter,” Denning said. “A human being’s only going to have that once
 voluntarily. They do not repeat that test ever.”Butler, the coronavirus 
task force chairman appointed by Kelly, said the new round of state 
contracts should be crafted to require contractors to guarantee test 
results within 48 hours. There has been criticism of delays of a week or
 so in securing test results in Kansas.“If we do these things and
 it takes of three, five, seven days — which is what it was in the past —
 it doesn’t really do us any good,” he said.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. prepares to spend $52M to broaden COVID-19 testing, get quicker results

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A staffer on Republican Roger Marshall’s campaign for an open U.S. Senate seat in Kansas has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Marshall’s campaign confirmed Tuesday that the staffer tested positive last week after experiencing mild symptoms and self-quarantining. Marshall chief of staff Brent Robertson said in a statement that the unnamed staffer was exposed to the virus at a “personal” event and hasn’t had contact with the candidate Marshall since before that event.

Marshall’s comments and actions during the coronavirus pandemic have become a major issue in his race against Democrat Barbara Bollier.

He was a long-time obstetrician before he began representing a central and western Kansas district in Congress in 2017, and she is a retired anesthesiologist and Kansas City-area state senator. He has said during campaign stops that the U.S. is making progress in containing COVID-19 and he has sometimes appeared before unmasked supporters. Bollier has accused him of ignoring science.

“Out of an abundance of caution, Dr. Marshall regularly tests and continues to be negative,” Robertson said.

Bollier spokeswoman Alexandra De Luca&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article246745936.html" target="_blank">told The Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;that Bollier will get tested quickly because she and Marshall had a debate last week. She called on The Marshall campaign to release more information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598724501047.png" alt="Photo courtesy Rep. Roger Marshall campaign" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Rep. Roger Marshall campaign</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A staffer on Republican Roger Marshall’s campaign for an open U.S. Senate seat in Kansas has tested positive for the coronavirus.Marshall’s campaign confirmed Tuesday that the staffer tested positive last week after experiencing mild symptoms and self-quarantining. Marshall chief of staff Brent Robertson said in a statement that the unnamed staffer was exposed to the virus at a “personal” event and hasn’t had contact with the candidate Marshall since before that event.Marshall’s comments and actions during the coronavirus pandemic have become a major issue in his race against Democrat Barbara Bollier.He was a long-time obstetrician before he began representing a central and western Kansas district in Congress in 2017, and she is a retired anesthesiologist and Kansas City-area state senator. He has said during campaign stops that the U.S. is making progress in containing COVID-19 and he has sometimes appeared before unmasked supporters. Bollier has accused him of ignoring science.“Out of an abundance of caution, Dr. Marshall regularly tests and continues to be negative,” Robertson said.Bollier spokeswoman Alexandra De Luca&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article246745936.html" target="_blank">told The Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;that Bollier will get tested quickly because she and Marshall had a debate last week. She called on The Marshall campaign to release more information.

Staffer for Marshall in Kan. Senate race has COVID-19

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids and Republican challenger Amanda Adkins on Monday sought to portray each other as too extreme to represent a heavily suburban Kansas City area swing district as they debated how to respond to the coronavirus and calls for police reform.

<a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/4star-politics-livestreaming-debate-rep-sharice-davids-amanda-adkins-face-off-in-kansas-3rd-district/?fbclid=IwAR1QD8uYMPYsOkMj67Af9nGYALuMzhAMh_TPwbRhFvan4uq7FF6-rirKumM">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the debate

Davids repeatedly tried linking Adkins to former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback while Adkins attempted to connect Davids to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the hour-long debate that was put on by “4Star Politics,” a joint effort of The Kansas City Star and WDAF-TV.

Adkins, a former Kansas Republican Party chairwoman, worked as the chairwoman of the Children’s Cabinet in the administration of Brownback, who was unpopular when he left office early in 2018 for an ambassador’s post. Brownback had championed a nationally notorious tax-cutting experiment that created persistent budget problems.

Adkins, a former executive for the medical computer systems firm Cerner Corp., said Davids voted with Pelosi more than 90% of the time and accused Pelosi of getting in the way of another round of coronavirus relief.

“The Democratic leaders here in this region have really been part of a shutdown culture," Adkins said. “They have shut down our businesses, our economy and our schools, and I think we need a very different leadership. Our businesses in particular have just been devastated."

Davids contended that a healthy economy requires healthy people, adding that Republicans such as President Donald Trump have been flouting health guidelines on masks. She said slowing down the virus is “one way we can help get our economy back up and going."

Davids unseated four-term GOP Rep. Kevin Yoder in 2018, gaining national attention as the nation's first Native American and openly LGBTQ candidate. The district’s voter registration leans Republican, but Davids has benefited from the dissatisfaction of suburban voters with Trump.

Davids said the country is having a long-overdue discussion about racial justice. She said that while she supports providing resources for police equipment and training, she also believes there should be “accountability and transparency." She said she supported the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act, which would ban police use of stranglehold maneuvers and end qualified immunity for officers, among other reforms.

Adkins has attended pro-police “Back the Blue" events and signed a pledge never to defund police, which a terms its supporters use to describe shifting money from law enforcement agencies to other efforts. Adkins said she believes there should be grants for body ca

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603805144229.png" alt="Monday night's virtual debate in the race for Kansas 3rd congressional district-image courtesy Fox4 Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Monday night's virtual debate in the race for Kansas 3rd congressional district-image courtesy Fox4 Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids and Republican challenger Amanda Adkins on Monday sought to portray each other as too extreme to represent a heavily suburban Kansas City area swing district as they debated how to respond to the coronavirus and calls for police reform.<a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/4star-politics-livestreaming-debate-rep-sharice-davids-amanda-adkins-face-off-in-kansas-3rd-district/?fbclid=IwAR1QD8uYMPYsOkMj67Af9nGYALuMzhAMh_TPwbRhFvan4uq7FF6-rirKumM">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the debateDavids repeatedly tried linking Adkins to former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback while Adkins attempted to connect Davids to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the hour-long debate that was put on by “4Star Politics,” a joint effort of The Kansas City Star and WDAF-TV.Adkins, a former Kansas Republican Party chairwoman, worked as the chairwoman of the Children’s Cabinet in the administration of Brownback, who was unpopular when he left office early in 2018 for an ambassador’s post. Brownback had championed a nationally notorious tax-cutting experiment that created persistent budget problems.Adkins, a former executive for the medical computer systems firm Cerner Corp., said Davids voted with Pelosi more than 90% of the time and accused Pelosi of getting in the way of another round of coronavirus relief.“The Democratic leaders here in this region have really been part of a shutdown culture," Adkins said. “They have shut down our businesses, our economy and our schools, and I think we need a very different leadership. Our businesses in particular have just been devastated."Davids contended that a healthy economy requires healthy people, adding that Republicans such as President Donald Trump have been flouting health guidelines on masks. She said slowing down the virus is “one way we can help get our economy back up and going."Davids unseated four-term GOP Rep. Kevin Yoder in 2018, gaining national attention as the nation's first Native American and openly LGBTQ candidate. The district’s voter registration leans Republican, but Davids has benefited from the dissatisfaction of suburban voters with Trump.Davids said the country is having a long-overdue discussion about racial justice. She said that while she supports providing resources for police equipment and training, she also believes there should be “accountability and transparency." She said she supported the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act, which would ban police use of stranglehold maneuvers and end qualified immunity for officers, among other reforms.Adkins has attended pro-police “Back the Blue" events and signed a pledge never to defund police, which a terms its supporters use to describe shifting money from law enforcement agencies to other efforts. Adkins said she believes there should be grants for body ca

🎥  Candidates trade shots in debate for Kan. House seat

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/25/university-of-kansas-research-county-mask-mandates-stall-major-rise-in-covid-19/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Researchers at 
the University of Kansas report counties with mask mandates thwarted 
significant escalation in transmission of COVID-19 and counties 
operating without a requirement people wear a face covering suffered 
steady infection rate increases.

Elected county government 
leaders in 80 Kansas counties rejected the order issued in July by Gov. 
Laura Kelly mandating every Kansas resident to wear a mask in public 
places where 6 feet of social distancing couldn’t be maintained. Four 
Kansas counties stopped short of rebuking the governor, choosing to 
decline to enforce Kelly’s mask order.

Twenty-one counties in 
Kansas maintain a mask mandate, including Sedgwick County, which adopted
 the rule in September after the virus flared in southcentral Kansas. 
Sedgwick was among 11 counties to belatedly come on board with a mask 
edict.

Donna Ginther, a 
distinguished professor of economics and director of KU’s Institute for 
Policy and Social Research, said research showed Kansas counties with a 
mask mandate could expect seven fewer cases per day for every 100,000 
people.

Adherence to the 
governor’s mask mandate in Johnson County is associated with 6.5 to 8.5 
fewer cases per day for every 100,000 population, she said.

“Cases in counties with a 
mask mandate stopped increasing. They didn’t go away. They stopped 
increasing,” Ginther said. “And, cases in counties without a mandate, 
starting in mid-August, just kind of went crazy.”

The KU researchers 
demonstrated Kansas counties without the mask order experienced a surge 
in coronavirus infection rates that climbed from about 10 cases per 
100,0000 in July to nearly 40 cases per 100,000 in October. The number 
of cases for counties covered by the mask order plateaued since July at 
around 20 cases per 100,000.

COVID-19 can be spread 
through exposure to virus-containing respiratory droplets exhaled by a 
person. Transmission is most likely to occur when someone is within 6 
feet of the virus carrier.

Kelly said recently the 
rising coronavirus caseloads in Kansas prompted her to suggest 
negotiations with Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and 
Senate on a new statewide mask directive. She said the conversations 
should occur prior to the Nov. 3 election and acknowledged some GOP 
legislators might have a tough time selling a statewide order.

As of Friday, the Kansas 
Department of Health and Environment reported 76,230 cases of 
coronavirus the state. In addition, there had been 3,584 
hospitalizations and 975 deaths from COVID-19.

Non-pharmaceutical public 
health interventions espoused by Kelly, including stay-at-home orders, 
testing and contact tracing, limits on mass gatherings and wearing of 
masks, had a mixed reception from the public and elected officials in 
the state’s 105 counties in Kansas. There is no approved vaccine against
 COVID-19 and few pharmaceutical options for treatment of the 
coronavirus.

“Some people think that 
government is a problem. But when an international crisis like COVID-19 
takes place, we look to government for solutions,” Ginther said.

A new article by 
researchers at the University of Washington published in the journal 
Nature Medicine estimated a near-universal adherence to mask wearing 
throughout the United States could save 130,000 lives by the end of 
February.

Christopher Murray, 
director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at UW, said a
 modeling study showed 510,000 Americans could be lost in the next four 
months to the pandemic.

However, the researchers 
said 129,000 of those lives could be saved if 95% of the population in 
each state consistently wore a mask when in public.

Eric Hargan, deputy 
secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said 
during a visit Friday to University of Kansas Health System in Kansas 
City, Kan., that simple public health precautions were necessary to 
bridge the gap to development of an effective vaccine and new therapy 
responsible to COVID-19.

When asked about the 
perspective of HHS officials on mask wearing, Hargan said the 
administration of President Donald Trump didn’t have authority to compel
 state and local health officials to impose a mask mandate.

“We don’t actually have 
the kind of power that I think people might imagine we have interms of 
requiring a mask across the entire country,” Hargan said.

Trump has shown disdain 
for people wearing a mask. He frequently avoided wearing a mask before 
and after the White House announced the president tested positive for 
COVID-19 in early October.

A pair of prominent 
doctors at the University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City, 
Kansas, said wearing a mask was among the best preventative measures 
available. Physicians Dana Hawkinson and Steve Stites said masks, social
 distancing, hand washing and limiting exposure to potentially infected 
people to no more than 15 minutes were good strategies.

“We know that cases are 
going up. Hospitalizations follow cases. Mortality follows 
hospitalizations,” said Hawkinson, medical director of infection 
prevention and control at KU Health System. “Just have a mask on.”

Stites, chief medical 
officer at KU Health Systems, said mask skeptics should take advantage 
of freezing weather to experiment with how far their breath cloud 
traveled outside when wearing and not wearing a mask.

“Go outside. Take a deep 
breath. Blow out,” he said. “Put your mask on. Do the same thing. Now, 
tell me, where’s your breath cloud? Where does it go when you put a mask
 on?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603807569639.png" alt="Kansas politicians have different attitudes about wearing masks to prevent spread of COVID-19. At this Oct. 4 event in El Dorado, Rep. Will Carpenter, left, chose not to wear a mask, while Attorney General Derek Schmidt, center, Kansas House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes wore a mask. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas politicians have different attitudes about wearing masks to prevent spread of COVID-19. At this Oct. 4 event in El Dorado, Rep. Will Carpenter, left, chose not to wear a mask, while Attorney General Derek Schmidt, center, Kansas House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes wore a mask. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/25/university-of-kansas-research-county-mask-mandates-stall-major-rise-in-covid-19/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Researchers at 
the University of Kansas report counties with mask mandates thwarted 
significant escalation in transmission of COVID-19 and counties 
operating without a requirement people wear a face covering suffered 
steady infection rate increases.Elected county government 
leaders in 80 Kansas counties rejected the order issued in July by Gov. 
Laura Kelly mandating every Kansas resident to wear a mask in public 
places where 6 feet of social distancing couldn’t be maintained. Four 
Kansas counties stopped short of rebuking the governor, choosing to 
decline to enforce Kelly’s mask order.Twenty-one counties in 
Kansas maintain a mask mandate, including Sedgwick County, which adopted
 the rule in September after the virus flared in southcentral Kansas. 
Sedgwick was among 11 counties to belatedly come on board with a mask 
edict.Donna Ginther, a 
distinguished professor of economics and director of KU’s Institute for 
Policy and Social Research, said research showed Kansas counties with a 
mask mandate could expect seven fewer cases per day for every 100,000 
people.Adherence to the 
governor’s mask mandate in Johnson County is associated with 6.5 to 8.5 
fewer cases per day for every 100,000 population, she said.“Cases in counties with a 
mask mandate stopped increasing. They didn’t go away. They stopped 
increasing,” Ginther said. “And, cases in counties without a mandate, 
starting in mid-August, just kind of went crazy.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603807616970.jpeg" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly said the ongoing growth of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and fatalities tied to COVID-19 inspired her to propose talks with leaders of the Kansas Legislature to determine if a compromise statewide mask mandate could be found. Three-fourths of Kansas counties rejected her July mask mandate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly said the ongoing growth of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and fatalities tied to COVID-19 inspired her to propose talks with leaders of the Kansas Legislature to determine if a compromise statewide mask mandate could be found. Three-fourths of Kansas counties rejected her July mask mandate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The KU researchers 
demonstrated Kansas counties without the mask order experienced a surge 
in coronavirus infection rates that climbed from about 10 cases per 
100,0000 in July to nearly 40 cases per 100,000 in October. The number 
of cases for counties covered by the mask order plateaued since July at 
around 20 cases per 100,000.COVID-19 can be spread 
through exposure to virus-containing respiratory droplets exhaled by a 
person. Transmission is most likely to occur when someone is within 6 
feet of the virus carrier.Kelly said recently the 
rising coronavirus caseloads in Kansas prompted her to suggest 
negotiations with Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and 
Senate on a new statewide mask directive. She said the conversations 
should occur prior to the Nov. 3 election and acknowledged some GOP 
legislators might have a tough time selling a statewide order.As of Friday, the Kansas 
Department of Health and Environment reported 76,230 cases of 
coronavirus the state. In addition, there had been 3,584 
hospitalizations and 975 deaths from COVID-19.Non-pharmaceutical public 
health interventions espoused by Kelly, including stay-at-home orders, 
testing and contact tracing, limits on mass gatherings and wearing of 
masks, had a mixed reception from the public and elected officials in 
the state’s 105 counties in Kansas. There is no approved vaccine against
 COVID-19 and few pharmaceutical options for treatment of the 
coronavirus.“Some people think that 
government is a problem. But when an international crisis like COVID-19 
takes place, we look to government for solutions,” Ginther said.<h2>UW: Masks save lives</h2>A new article by 
researchers at the University of Washington published in the journal 
Nature Medicine estimated a near-universal adherence to mask wearing 
throughout the United States could save 130,000 lives by the end of 
February.Christopher Murray, 
director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at UW, said a
 modeling study showed 510,000 Americans could be lost in the next four 
months to the pandemic.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603807645928.jpeg" alt="Eric Hargan, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said during a visit to Kansas City, Kansas, the administration of President Donald Trump didn’t have the authority to order state and local officials to enforce a national mask mandate. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Eric Hargan, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said during a visit to Kansas City, Kansas, the administration of President Donald Trump didn’t have the authority to order state and local officials to enforce a national mask mandate. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>However, the researchers 
said 129,000 of those lives could be saved if 95% of the population in 
each state consistently wore a mask when in public.Eric Hargan, deputy 
secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said 
during a visit Friday to University of Kansas Health System in Kansas 
City, Kan., that simple public health precautions were necessary to 
bridge the gap to development of an effective vaccine and new therapy 
responsible to COVID-19.When asked about the 
perspective of HHS officials on mask wearing, Hargan said the 
administration of President Donald Trump didn’t have authority to compel
 state and local health officials to impose a mask mandate.“We don’t actually have 
the kind of power that I think people might imagine we have interms of 
requiring a mask across the entire country,” Hargan said.Trump has shown disdain 
for people wearing a mask. He frequently avoided wearing a mask before 
and after the White House announced the president tested positive for 
COVID-19 in early October.<h2>KU doctors’ view</h2>A pair of prominent 
doctors at the University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City, 
Kansas, said wearing a mask was among the best preventative measures 
available. Physicians Dana Hawkinson and Steve Stites said masks, social
 distancing, hand washing and limiting exposure to potentially infected 
people to no more than 15 minutes were good strategies.“We know that cases are 
going up. Hospitalizations follow cases. Mortality follows 
hospitalizations,” said Hawkinson, medical director of infection 
prevention and control at KU Health System. “Just have a mask on.”Stites, chief medical 
officer at KU Health Systems, said mask skeptics should take advantage 
of freezing weather to experiment with how far their breath cloud 
traveled outside when wearing and not wearing a mask.“Go outside. Take a deep 
breath. Blow out,” he said. “Put your mask on. Do the same thing. Now, 
tell me, where’s your breath cloud? Where does it go when you put a mask
 on?”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;

KU research: County mask mandates stall major rise in COVID-19

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is siding with Republicans to prevent counting mailed ballots that are received after Election Day.

In a 5-3 order, the justices on Monday refused to reinstate a lower court order that called for mailed ballots in Wisconsin to be counted if they are received up to six days after the Nov. 3 election. A federal appeals court had already put that order on hold.

The three liberal justices dissented from the order that the court issued just before the Senate started voting on Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination.

Chief Justice John Roberts last week joined the liberals to preserve a Pennsylvania state court order extending the absentee ballot deadline but voted the other way in the Wisconsin case, which has moved through federal courts.

“Different bodies of law and different precedents govern these two situations and require, in these particular circumstances, that we allow the modification of election rules in Pennsylvania but not Wisconsin,” Roberts wrote.

Democrats argued that the flood of absentee ballots and other challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic makes it necessary to extend the period in which ballots can be counted. Wisconsin is one of the nation’s hot spots for COVID-19, with hospitals treating a record high number of patients with the disease.

Republicans opposed the extension, saying that voters have plenty of opportunities to cast their ballots by the close of polls on Election Day and that the rules should not be changed so close to the election.

Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler responded to the ruling by pledging Democrats would be “dialing up a huge voter education campaign” to prod roughly 360,000 people who hadn’t yet returned absentee ballots to hand-deliver them by 8 p.m. on Election Day, or to vote in person.

State Republican Party Chairman Andrew Hitt praised the ruling.

“Absentee voting in Wisconsin is extremely easy and hundreds of thousands of people have done it already — last-minute attempts to change election laws only cause more voter confusion and erode the integrity of our elections,” he said in a statement.

The justices often say nothing, or very little, about the reasons for their votes in these emergency cases, but on Monday, four justices wrote opinions totaling 35 pages to lay out their competing rationales.

“As the COVID pandemic rages, the Court has failed to adequately protect the Nation’s voters,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote in a dissent that noted the state allowed the six-day extension for primary voting in April and that roughly 80,000 ballots were received after the day of the primary election.

Justice Neil Gorsuch acknowledged the complications the pandemic adds to voting, but defended the court’s action.

“No one doubts that conducting a national election amid a pandemic poses serious challenges. But none of that means individual judges may improvise with their own election rules in place of those the people’s representatives have adopted,” Gorsuch wrote.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh also wrote an opinion concurring in the order.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602937208880.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is siding with Republicans to prevent counting mailed ballots that are received after Election Day.In a 5-3 order, the justices on Monday refused to reinstate a lower court order that called for mailed ballots in Wisconsin to be counted if they are received up to six days after the Nov. 3 election. A federal appeals court had already put that order on hold.The three liberal justices dissented from the order that the court issued just before the Senate started voting on Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination.Chief Justice John Roberts last week joined the liberals to preserve a Pennsylvania state court order extending the absentee ballot deadline but voted the other way in the Wisconsin case, which has moved through federal courts.“Different bodies of law and different precedents govern these two situations and require, in these particular circumstances, that we allow the modification of election rules in Pennsylvania but not Wisconsin,” Roberts wrote.Democrats argued that the flood of absentee ballots and other challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic makes it necessary to extend the period in which ballots can be counted. Wisconsin is one of the nation’s hot spots for COVID-19, with hospitals treating a record high number of patients with the disease.Republicans opposed the extension, saying that voters have plenty of opportunities to cast their ballots by the close of polls on Election Day and that the rules should not be changed so close to the election.Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler responded to the ruling by pledging Democrats would be “dialing up a huge voter education campaign” to prod roughly 360,000 people who hadn’t yet returned absentee ballots to hand-deliver them by 8 p.m. on Election Day, or to vote in person.State Republican Party Chairman Andrew Hitt praised the ruling.“Absentee voting in Wisconsin is extremely easy and hundreds of thousands of people have done it already — last-minute attempts to change election laws only cause more voter confusion and erode the integrity of our elections,” he said in a statement.The justices often say nothing, or very little, about the reasons for their votes in these emergency cases, but on Monday, four justices wrote opinions totaling 35 pages to lay out their competing rationales.“As the COVID pandemic rages, the Court has failed to adequately protect the Nation’s voters,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote in a dissent that noted the state allowed the six-day extension for primary voting in April and that roughly 80,000 ballots were received after the day of the primary election.Justice Neil Gorsuch acknowledged the complications the pandemic adds to voting, but defended the court’s action.“No one doubts that conducting a national election amid a pandemic poses serious challenges. But none of that means individual judges may improvise with their own election rules in place of those the people’s representatives have adopted,” Gorsuch wrote.Justice Brett Kavanaugh also wrote an opinion concurring in the order.

Supreme Court makes important absentee ballot deadline ruling

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Homicide police are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found in a home in Kansas City, Kansas. 

Police say family members of the woman found her body on Monday afternoon and called authorities. Arriving officers found a woman in her late 30s dead inside the home and say it appeared foul play had been involved in her death. 

Police did not release the victim's name or indicate how she had died. Detectives are investigating her death as a homicide and have asked anyone with information about her death to call police or the the TIPS Hotline.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Homicide police are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found in a home in Kansas City, Kansas. Police say family members of the woman found her body on Monday afternoon and called authorities. Arriving officers found a woman in her late 30s dead inside the home and say it appeared foul play had been involved in her death. Police did not release the victim's name or indicate how she had died. Detectives are investigating her death as a homicide and have asked anyone with information about her death to call police or the the TIPS Hotline.

Police: Kansas woman's death a homicide

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas on Monday reported new seven-day records for new coronavirus cases and COVID-19-related hospitalizations as Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly prepared to meet with the Republican-controlled Legislature’s leaders following her call for a statewide mask mandate.

The state averaged 815 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases for the seven days ending Monday, the first time the figure exceeded 800 cases since the pandemic reached Kansas in March. The record, based on state Department of Health and Environment data, was 6.2% higher than previous high of 768 cases a day for the seven days ending Friday.

The state also averaged 32 new COVID-19-related hospitalizations for the seven days ending Monday. The previous high was 31 for the seven days ending Friday.

Kelly planned to meet with legislative leaders Tuesday by Zoom. She said last week that she wanted a bipartisan, statewide mask mandate. Kelly issued a statewide mandate July 2, but state law allowed most counties to opt out.

The state health department said Kansas had 2,446 new coronavirus cases since Friday, bringing the total to 78,676. There were 62 additional hospitalizations, bringing the total to 3,646.

The state reported only one new COVID-19-related death, for a pandemic total of 976.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas on Monday reported new seven-day records for new coronavirus cases and COVID-19-related hospitalizations as Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly prepared to meet with the Republican-controlled Legislature’s leaders following her call for a statewide mask mandate.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603731923091.png" alt="Monday Oct. 26, 2020, KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday Oct. 26, 2020, KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The state averaged 815 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases for the seven days ending Monday, the first time the figure exceeded 800 cases since the pandemic reached Kansas in March. The record, based on state Department of Health and Environment data, was 6.2% higher than previous high of 768 cases a day for the seven days ending Friday.The state also averaged 32 new COVID-19-related hospitalizations for the seven days ending Monday. The previous high was 31 for the seven days ending Friday.Kelly planned to meet with legislative leaders Tuesday by Zoom. She said last week that she wanted a bipartisan, statewide mask mandate. Kelly issued a statewide mandate July 2, but state law allowed most counties to opt out.The state health department said Kansas had 2,446 new coronavirus cases since Friday, bringing the total to 78,676. There were 62 additional hospitalizations, bringing the total to 3,646.The state reported only one new COVID-19-related death, for a pandemic total of 976.___

Governor to meet with leaders on statewide mask mandate

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?477418-1/justice-amy-coney-barrett-swearing-ceremony-white-house&amp;live">Click here </a>to watch a replay of the swearing in ceremony.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court&nbsp;</a>late Monday by a deeply divided Senate, with Republicans overpowering Democrats to install President Donald Trump’s nominee days before the election and secure a likely conservative court majority for years to come.

Trump’s choice to fill the vacancy of the late liberal icon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ruth-bader-ginsburg">Ruth Bader Ginsburg&nbsp;</a>potentially opens a new era of rulings on abortion, the Affordable Care Act and even his own election. Democrats were unable to stop the outcome, Trump’s third justice on the court, as Republicans race to reshape the judiciary.

Barrett, 48, will be able to start work Tuesday, her lifetime appointment as the 115th justice solidifying the court’s rightward tilt.

“This is a momentous day for America,” Trump said at a primetime swearing-in event on the South Lawn at the White House. Justice Clarence Thomas administered the Constitutional Oath to Barrett before a crowd of about 200.

Barrett told those gathered that she believes “it is the job of a judge to resist her policy preferences.” She vowed, “I will do my job without any fear or favor.”

Monday’s vote was the closest high court confirmation ever to a presidential election, and the first in modern times with no support from the minority party. The spiking COVID-19 crisis has hung over the proceedings. Vice President Mike Pence declined to preside at the Senate unless his tie-breaking vote was needed after Democrats asked him to stay away when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-michael-pence-941dfeccc8cc315872796af20f6c3e16">his aides tested positive for COVID-19.</a>&nbsp;The vote was 52-48, and Pence’s vote was not necessary.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?477226-1/us-senate-votes-judge-amy-coney-barrett-nomination-supreme-court&amp;live=">Click here&nbsp;</a>to watch a replay of the vote in the U.S. Senate

“Voting to confirm this nominee should make every single senator proud,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, fending off “outlandish” criticism in a lengthy speech. During a rare weekend session he declared that Barrett’s opponents “won’t be able to do much about this for a long time to come.”

Barrett, a federal appeals court judge from Indiana, is expected to take the judicial oath administered by Chief Justice John Roberts in a private ceremony Tuesday at the court to begin participating in proceedings.

Underscoring the political divide during the pandemic, the Republican senators, most wearing masks, sat in their seats as is tradition for landmark votes, and applauded the outcome, with fist-bumps. Democratic senators emptied their side, heeding party leadership’s advice to not linger in the chamber. A Rose Garden event with Trump to announce Barrett’s nomination last month ended up spreading the virus, including to some GOP senators who have since returned from quarantine.

Pence’s presence would have been expected for a high-profile moment. But Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and his leadership team said it would not only violate virus guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “it would also be a violation of common decency and courtesy.”

Democrats argued for weeks that the vote was being improperly rushed and insisted during an all-night Sunday session it should be up to the winner of the Nov. 3 election to name the nominee.

Speaking near midnight Sunday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called the vote “illegitimate” and “the last gasp of a desperate party.”

Several matters are awaiting decision just a week before Election Day, and Barrett could be a decisive vote in Republican appeals of orders extending the deadlines for absentee ballots in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

The justices also are weighing Trump’s emergency plea for the court to prevent the Manhattan District Attorney from acquiring his tax returns. And on Nov. 10, the court is expected to hear the Trump-backed challenge to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-us-supreme-court-amy-coney-barrett-archive-courts-25cdbb056a83aa506af5c5b42943dbf6">Obama-era Affordable Care Act</a>. Just before the Senate voted, the court sided with Republicans in refusing to extend the deadline for absentee ballots in Wisconsin.

Trump has said he wanted to swiftly install a ninth justice to resolve election disputes and is hopeful the justices will end the health law known as “Obamacare.”

In a statement, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden tied Barrett’s nomination to the court to the Republican effort to pull down the Affordable Care Act. He called her confirmation “rushed and unprecedented” and a stark reminder to Americans that “your vote matters.”

During several days of public testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Barrett was careful not to disclose how she would rule on any such cases.

She presented herself as a neutral arbiter and suggested, “It’s not the law of Amy.” But her writings against abortion and a ruling on “Obamacare” show a deeply conservative thinker.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, praised the mother of seven as a role model for conservative women. “This is historic,” Graham said.

Republicans focused on her Catholic faith, criticizing earlier Democratic questions about her beliefs. Graham called Barrett “unabashedly pro-life.”

At the start of Trump’s presidency, McConnell engineered a Senate rules change to allow confirmation by a majority of the 100 senators, rather than the 60-vote threshold traditionally needed to advance high court nominees over objections. That was an escalation of a rules change Democrats put in place to advance other court and administrative nominees under President Barack Obama.

Republicans are taking a political plunge days from the Nov. 3 election with the presidency and their Senate majority at stake.

Only one Republican — Sen. Susan Collins, who is in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-legislature-senate-elections-susan-collins-campaigns-453d818e16924ad800c559b2cb5b50ba">tight reelection fight in Maine</a>&nbsp;— voted against the nominee, not over any direct assessment of Barrett. Rather, Collins said, “I do not think it is fair nor consistent to have a Senate confirmation vote prior to the election.”

Trump and his Republican allies had hoped for a campaign boost, in much the way Trump generated excitement among conservatives and evangelical Christians in 2016 over a court vacancy. That year, McConnell refused to allow the Senate to consider then-President Barack Obama’s choice to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia, arguing the new president should decide.

Most other Republicans facing tough races embraced the nominee who clerked for the late Scalia to bolster their standing with conservatives. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said in a speech Monday that Barrett will “go down in history as one of the great justices.”

But it’s not clear the extraordinary effort to install the new justice over such opposition in a heated election year will pay political rewards to the GOP.

Demonstrations for and against the nominee have been more muted at the Capitol under coronavirus restrictions.

Democrats were unified against Barrett. While two Democratic senators voted to confirm Barrett in 2017 after Trump nominated the Notre Dame Law School professor to the appellate court, none voted to confirm her to the high court.

In a display of party priorities, California Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, returned to Washington from the campaign trail to join colleagues with a no vote.

No other Supreme Court justice has been confirmed on a recorded vote with no support from the minority party in at least 150 years, according to information provided by the Senate Historical Office.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided Senate is set to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, giving the country a ninth justice Monday as Republicans overpower Democratic opposition to secure President Donald Trump’s nominee the week before Election Day.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?477277-1/us-senate-debates-votes-amy-coney-barrett-nomination-supreme-court">CLICK here to </a>watch the debate and vote that begins 11a.m. CDT

Democratic leaders asked Vice President Mike Pence to stay away from presiding over her Senate confirmation due to potential health risks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-michael-pence-941dfeccc8cc315872796af20f6c3e16">his aides tested positive for COVID-19</a>. But although Pence isn’t needed to break a tie, the vote would present a dramatic opportunity for him to preside over confirmation of Trump’s third Supreme Court justice.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and his leadership team wrote that not only would Pence’s presence violate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, “it would also be a violation of common decency and courtesy.”

But Senate Republicans control the chamber and Barrett’s confirmation isn’t in doubt.

The 48-year-old Barrett would secure a conservative court majority for the foreseeable future, potentially opening a new era of rulings on abortion, gay marriage and the Affordable Care Act. A case against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-us-supreme-court-amy-coney-barrett-archive-courts-25cdbb056a83aa506af5c5b42943dbf6">the Obama-era health law</a>&nbsp;is scheduled to be heard Nov. 10.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell scoffed at the “apocalyptic” warnings from critics that the judicial branch was becoming mired in partisan politics as he defended its transformation under his watch.

“This is something to be really proud of and feel good about,” the Republican leader said Sunday during a rare weekend session.

McConnell said that unlike legislative actions that can be undone by new presidents or lawmakers, “they won’t be able to do much about this for a long time to come.”

Schumer, of New York, said the Trump administration’s drive to install Barrett during the coronavirus crisis shows “the Republican Party is willing to ignore the pandemic in order to rush this nominee forward.”

To underscore the potential health risks, Schumer urged his colleagues Sunday not to linger in the chamber but “cast your votes quickly and from a safe distance.” Some GOP senators tested positive for the coronavirus following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-pandemics-archive-d28390683347580d33c56fbce16d6358">a Rose Garden event with Trump to announce Barrett’s nomination</a>, but they have since said they have been cleared by their doctors from quarantine. Pence’s office said the vice president tested negative for the virus on Monday.

The confirmation was expected to be the first of a Supreme Court nominee so close to a presidential election. It’s also one of the first high court nominees in recent memory receiving no support from the minority party, a pivot from not long ago when a president’s picks often won wide support.

Barrett presented herself in public testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee as a neutral arbiter and suggested, “It’s not the law of Amy.” But her writings against abortion and a ruling on “Obamacare” show a deeply conservative thinker. She was expected to be seated quickly on the high court.

“She’s a conservative woman who embraces her faith. She’s unabashedly pro-life, but she’s not going to apply ‘the law of Amy’ to all of us,” the Judiciary Committee chairman, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on Fox News Channel.

At the start of Trump’s presidency, McConnell engineered a Senate rules change to allow confirmation by a majority of the 100 senators, rather than the 60-vote threshold traditionally needed to advance high court nominees over objections. It was escalation of a rules change Democrats put in place to advance other court and administrative nominees under President Barack Obama.

On Sunday, the Senate voted 51-48 to begin to bring the process to a vote as senators, mostly Democrats, pulled an all-night session for the final 30 hours of often heated debate. Two Republicans, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, voted against advancing the nominee, and all Democrats who voted were opposed. California Sen. Kamala Harris, the vice presidential nominee, missed the vote while campaigning in Michigan.

Monday’s final tally was expected to grow by one after Murkowski announced her support for the nominee, even as she decried filling the seat in the midst of a heated race for the White House. Murkowski said Saturday she would vote against the procedural steps but ultimately join GOP colleagues in confirming Barrett.

“While I oppose the process that has led us to this point, I do not hold it against her,” Murkowski said.

Collins, who faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-legislature-senate-elections-susan-collins-campaigns-453d818e16924ad800c559b2cb5b50ba">a tight reelection fight in Maine</a>, remains the only Republican expected to vote against Trump’s nominee. “My vote does not reflect any conclusion that I have reached about Judge Barrett’s qualifications to serve,” Collins said. “I do not think it is fair nor consistent to have a Senate confirmation vote prior to the election.”

By pushing for Barrett’s ascension so close to the Nov. 3 election, Trump and his Republican allies are counting on a campaign boost, in much the way they believe McConnell’s refusal to allow the Senate to consider Obama’s nominee in February 2016 created excitement for Trump among conservatives and evangelical Christians eager for a Republican president to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia.

Barrett was a professor at Notre Dame Law School when she was tapped by Trump in 2017 for an appeals court opening. Two Democrats joined at that time to confirm her, but none is expected to vote for her now.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603761587516.png" alt="Justice Amy Coney Barret sworn in immediately after her confirmation vote Monday night during a White House Ceremony-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Justice Amy Coney Barret sworn in immediately after her confirmation vote Monday night during a White House Ceremony-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?477418-1/justice-amy-coney-barrett-swearing-ceremony-white-house&amp;live">Click here </a>to watch a replay of the swearing in ceremony.WASHINGTON (AP) — Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court&nbsp;</a>late Monday by a deeply divided Senate, with Republicans overpowering Democrats to install President Donald Trump’s nominee days before the election and secure a likely conservative court majority for years to come.Trump’s choice to fill the vacancy of the late liberal icon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ruth-bader-ginsburg">Ruth Bader Ginsburg&nbsp;</a>potentially opens a new era of rulings on abortion, the Affordable Care Act and even his own election. Democrats were unable to stop the outcome, Trump’s third justice on the court, as Republicans race to reshape the judiciary.Barrett, 48, will be able to start work Tuesday, her lifetime appointment as the 115th justice solidifying the court’s rightward tilt.“This is a momentous day for America,” Trump said at a primetime swearing-in event on the South Lawn at the White House. Justice Clarence Thomas administered the Constitutional Oath to Barrett before a crowd of about 200.Barrett told those gathered that she believes “it is the job of a judge to resist her policy preferences.” She vowed, “I will do my job without any fear or favor.”Monday’s vote was the closest high court confirmation ever to a presidential election, and the first in modern times with no support from the minority party. The spiking COVID-19 crisis has hung over the proceedings. Vice President Mike Pence declined to preside at the Senate unless his tie-breaking vote was needed after Democrats asked him to stay away when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-michael-pence-941dfeccc8cc315872796af20f6c3e16">his aides tested positive for COVID-19.</a>&nbsp;The vote was 52-48, and Pence’s vote was not necessary.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603757515291.png" alt="Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley read the result of Monday night's vote and then GOP Senators stood and cheered the successful outcome.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley read the result of Monday night's vote and then GOP Senators stood and cheered the successful outcome.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?477226-1/us-senate-votes-judge-amy-coney-barrett-nomination-supreme-court&amp;live=">Click here&nbsp;</a>to watch a replay of the vote in the U.S. Senate“Voting to confirm this nominee should make every single senator proud,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, fending off “outlandish” criticism in a lengthy speech. During a rare weekend session he declared that Barrett’s opponents “won’t be able to do much about this for a long time to come.”Barrett, a federal appeals court judge from Indiana, is expected to take the judicial oath administered by Chief Justice John Roberts in a private ceremony Tuesday at the court to begin participating in proceedings.Underscoring the political divide during the pandemic, the Republican senators, most wearing masks, sat in their seats as is tradition for landmark votes, and applauded the outcome, with fist-bumps. Democratic senators emptied their side, heeding party leadership’s advice to not linger in the chamber. A Rose Garden event with Trump to announce Barrett’s nomination last month ended up spreading the virus, including to some GOP senators who have since returned from quarantine.Pence’s presence would have been expected for a high-profile moment. But Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and his leadership team said it would not only violate virus guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “it would also be a violation of common decency and courtesy.”Democrats argued for weeks that the vote was being improperly rushed and insisted during an all-night Sunday session it should be up to the winner of the Nov. 3 election to name the nominee.Speaking near midnight Sunday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called the vote “illegitimate” and “the last gasp of a desperate party.”Several matters are awaiting decision just a week before Election Day, and Barrett could be a decisive vote in Republican appeals of orders extending the deadlines for absentee ballots in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.The justices also are weighing Trump’s emergency plea for the court to prevent the Manhattan District Attorney from acquiring his tax returns. And on Nov. 10, the court is expected to hear the Trump-backed challenge to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-us-supreme-court-amy-coney-barrett-archive-courts-25cdbb056a83aa506af5c5b42943dbf6">Obama-era Affordable Care Act</a>. Just before the Senate voted, the court sided with Republicans in refusing to extend the deadline for absentee ballots in Wisconsin.Trump has said he wanted to swiftly install a ninth justice to resolve election disputes and is hopeful the justices will end the health law known as “Obamacare.”In a statement, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden tied Barrett’s nomination to the court to the Republican effort to pull down the Affordable Care Act. He called her confirmation “rushed and unprecedented” and a stark reminder to Americans that “your vote matters.”During several days of public testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Barrett was careful not to disclose how she would rule on any such cases.She presented herself as a neutral arbiter and suggested, “It’s not the law of Amy.” But her writings against abortion and a ruling on “Obamacare” show a deeply conservative thinker.Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, praised the mother of seven as a role model for conservative women. “This is historic,” Graham said.Republicans focused on her Catholic faith, criticizing earlier Democratic questions about her beliefs. Graham called Barrett “unabashedly pro-life.”At the start of Trump’s presidency, McConnell engineered a Senate rules change to allow confirmation by a majority of the 100 senators, rather than the 60-vote threshold traditionally needed to advance high court nominees over objections. That was an escalation of a rules change Democrats put in place to advance other court and administrative nominees under President Barack Obama.Republicans are taking a political plunge days from the Nov. 3 election with the presidency and their Senate majority at stake.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603757163341.png" alt="Senators approved the nomination by a vote of 52-48-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Senators approved the nomination by a vote of 52-48-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Only one Republican — Sen. Susan Collins, who is in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-legislature-senate-elections-susan-collins-campaigns-453d818e16924ad800c559b2cb5b50ba">tight reelection fight in Maine</a>&nbsp;— voted against the nominee, not over any direct assessment of Barrett. Rather, Collins said, “I do not think it is fair nor consistent to have a Senate confirmation vote prior to the election.”Trump and his Republican allies had hoped for a campaign boost, in much the way Trump generated excitement among conservatives and evangelical Christians in 2016 over a court vacancy. That year, McConnell refused to allow the Senate to consider then-President Barack Obama’s choice to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia, arguing the new president should decide.Most other Republicans facing tough races embraced the nominee who clerked for the late Scalia to bolster their standing with conservatives. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said in a speech Monday that Barrett will “go down in history as one of the great justices.”But it’s not clear the extraordinary effort to install the new justice over such opposition in a heated election year will pay political rewards to the GOP.Demonstrations for and against the nominee have been more muted at the Capitol under coronavirus restrictions.Democrats were unified against Barrett. While two Democratic senators voted to confirm Barrett in 2017 after Trump nominated the Notre Dame Law School professor to the appellate court, none voted to confirm her to the high court.In a display of party priorities, California Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, returned to Washington from the campaign trail to join colleagues with a no vote.No other Supreme Court justice has been confirmed on a recorded vote with no support from the minority party in at least 150 years, according to information provided by the Senate Historical Office.___---------WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided Senate is set to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, giving the country a ninth justice Monday as Republicans overpower Democratic opposition to secure President Donald Trump’s nominee the week before Election Day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602594243403.png" alt="Judge Barrett during day two of her U.S. Senate Confirmation hearing-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Judge Barrett during day two of her U.S. Senate Confirmation hearing-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?477277-1/us-senate-debates-votes-amy-coney-barrett-nomination-supreme-court">CLICK here to </a>watch the debate and vote that begins 11a.m. CDTDemocratic leaders asked Vice President Mike Pence to stay away from presiding over her Senate confirmation due to potential health risks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-michael-pence-941dfeccc8cc315872796af20f6c3e16">his aides tested positive for COVID-19</a>. But although Pence isn’t needed to break a tie, the vote would present a dramatic opportunity for him to preside over confirmation of Trump’s third Supreme Court justice.Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and his leadership team wrote that not only would Pence’s presence violate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, “it would also be a violation of common decency and courtesy.”But Senate Republicans control the chamber and Barrett’s confirmation isn’t in doubt.The 48-year-old Barrett would secure a conservative court majority for the foreseeable future, potentially opening a new era of rulings on abortion, gay marriage and the Affordable Care Act. A case against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-us-supreme-court-amy-coney-barrett-archive-courts-25cdbb056a83aa506af5c5b42943dbf6">the Obama-era health law</a>&nbsp;is scheduled to be heard Nov. 10.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell scoffed at the “apocalyptic” warnings from critics that the judicial branch was becoming mired in partisan politics as he defended its transformation under his watch.“This is something to be really proud of and feel good about,” the Republican leader said Sunday during a rare weekend session.McConnell said that unlike legislative actions that can be undone by new presidents or lawmakers, “they won’t be able to do much about this for a long time to come.”Schumer, of New York, said the Trump administration’s drive to install Barrett during the coronavirus crisis shows “the Republican Party is willing to ignore the pandemic in order to rush this nominee forward.”To underscore the potential health risks, Schumer urged his colleagues Sunday not to linger in the chamber but “cast your votes quickly and from a safe distance.” Some GOP senators tested positive for the coronavirus following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-pandemics-archive-d28390683347580d33c56fbce16d6358">a Rose Garden event with Trump to announce Barrett’s nomination</a>, but they have since said they have been cleared by their doctors from quarantine. Pence’s office said the vice president tested negative for the virus on Monday.The confirmation was expected to be the first of a Supreme Court nominee so close to a presidential election. It’s also one of the first high court nominees in recent memory receiving no support from the minority party, a pivot from not long ago when a president’s picks often won wide support.Barrett presented herself in public testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee as a neutral arbiter and suggested, “It’s not the law of Amy.” But her writings against abortion and a ruling on “Obamacare” show a deeply conservative thinker. She was expected to be seated quickly on the high court.“She’s a conservative woman who embraces her faith. She’s unabashedly pro-life, but she’s not going to apply ‘the law of Amy’ to all of us,” the Judiciary Committee chairman, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on Fox News Channel.At the start of Trump’s presidency, McConnell engineered a Senate rules change to allow confirmation by a majority of the 100 senators, rather than the 60-vote threshold traditionally needed to advance high court nominees over objections. It was escalation of a rules change Democrats put in place to advance other court and administrative nominees under President Barack Obama.On Sunday, the Senate voted 51-48 to begin to bring the process to a vote as senators, mostly Democrats, pulled an all-night session for the final 30 hours of often heated debate. Two Republicans, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, voted against advancing the nominee, and all Democrats who voted were opposed. California Sen. Kamala Harris, the vice presidential nominee, missed the vote while campaigning in Michigan.Monday’s final tally was expected to grow by one after Murkowski announced her support for the nominee, even as she decried filling the seat in the midst of a heated race for the White House. Murkowski said Saturday she would vote against the procedural steps but ultimately join GOP colleagues in confirming Barrett.“While I oppose the process that has led us to this point, I do not hold it against her,” Murkowski said.Collins, who faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-legislature-senate-elections-susan-collins-campaigns-453d818e16924ad800c559b2cb5b50ba">a tight reelection fight in Maine</a>, remains the only Republican expected to vote against Trump’s nominee. “My vote does not reflect any conclusion that I have reached about Judge Barrett’s qualifications to serve,” Collins said. “I do not think it is fair nor consistent to have a Senate confirmation vote prior to the election.”By pushing for Barrett’s ascension so close to the Nov. 3 election, Trump and his Republican allies are counting on a campaign boost, in much the way they believe McConnell’s refusal to allow the Senate to consider Obama’s nominee in February 2016 created excitement for Trump among conservatives and evangelical Christians eager for a Republican president to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia.Barrett was a professor at Notre Dame Law School when she was tapped by Trump in 2017 for an appeals court opening. Two Democrats joined at that time to confirm her, but none is expected to vote for her now.___

🎥  Barrett confirmed, takes oath, begins work at Supreme Court

HARVEY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Monday in Harvey County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford F250 driven by Brandon Michael&nbsp;Albert, 33, Goddard, was eastbound on on U.S. 50 just west of Emma Creek Road.&nbsp;

The pickup rear-ended a 2009 Kia Spectra driven by Wanda S. Ivy, 47, Newton, who was traveling at a slow rate of speed due to weather conditions. The pickup rolled multiple times ejecting Albert.&nbsp;

Albert was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the Sedgwick County Forensic Center.&nbsp; EMS transported Ivy to a Wichita Hospital. Albert was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

HARVEY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Monday in Harvey County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford F250 driven by Brandon Michael&nbsp;Albert, 33, Goddard, was eastbound on on U.S. 50 just west of Emma Creek Road.&nbsp;The pickup rear-ended a 2009 Kia Spectra driven by Wanda S. Ivy, 47, Newton, who was traveling at a slow rate of speed due to weather conditions. The pickup rolled multiple times ejecting Albert.&nbsp;Albert was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the Sedgwick County Forensic Center.&nbsp; EMS transported Ivy to a Wichita Hospital. Albert was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kan. man dies after being ejected in rear-end crash

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A woman who was charged with filing a false rape report while at the University of Kansas is suing the city of Lawrence, several police officers and the university. 

The woman reported to Lawrence police in September 2018 that she was assaulted by a Kansas student but decided she did not want to press charges. 

She was charged in 2019 with filing a false rape report but those charges were later dismissed. The woman contends in her federal lawsuit that Lawrence police were poorly trained and did not conduct an unbiased investigation of her complaints. She also alleges the university didn't investigate her complaints about the alleged perpetrator before the assault.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603747976563.png" alt="Douglas County Court House -google image" />
 <figcaption>Douglas County Court House -google image</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A woman who was charged with filing a false rape report while at the University of Kansas is suing the city of Lawrence, several police officers and the university. The woman reported to Lawrence police in September 2018 that she was assaulted by a Kansas student but decided she did not want to press charges. She was charged in 2019 with filing a false rape report but those charges were later dismissed. The woman contends in her federal lawsuit that Lawrence police were poorly trained and did not conduct an unbiased investigation of her complaints. She also alleges the university didn't investigate her complaints about the alleged perpetrator before the assault.

Woman charged with making false rape report at KU files lawsuit

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly today encouraged Kansans to participate in the sixth KANSASWORKS Statewide Virtual Job Fair, which begins tomorrow, October 27 and will continue through Thursday, October 29. The virtual fair will allow job seekers to easily live chat with employers from across the state through computers and mobile devices. KANSASWORKS has organized four virtual job fairs in 2020, with three additional virtual fairs planned later this year. <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.WEdh7JVGGLnyjCI-YmzECEP0_FMGy8JYXS4Cr3dKCjw/s/1303160919/br/87436030573-l" target="_blank">Click here to register for the Virtual Job Fair.</a>

“COVID-19 continues to be an obstacle for the normal job fair system, but KANSASWORKS is creative and continues to do important work for Kansas,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “I encourage all job-seekers in our state to visit this and future Virtual Job Fairs to find opportunities in their area.” The Department of Commerce, in partnership with the Local Workforce Development Boards, moved its statewide job fairs online this year to eliminate public health risks associated with mass gatherings, and as a way to continue to provide job opportunities and maintain a ready workforce for Kansas businesses. “These virtual fairs are producing real results for job seekers and employers in every region,”&nbsp;Secretary of Commerce David Toland said.&nbsp;“We remain committed to economic growth and recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that means helping Kansans find meaningful, rewarding employment opportunities in our state.” Registration is now required for each virtual event. If job seekers have previously attended a Virtual Job Fair, they are required to re-register for this event with the link provided above. The fifth virtual fair in September attracted participation from 180 employers and 1,003 jobseekers from across the state. As concerns for Kansans' health and safety remain high due to COVID-19, the Department of Commerce will maintain the Virtual Job Fair system for the remainder of 2020. The final fair of the year will be December 8-9. Beginning with this virtual fair, job seekers can now upload their most recent resume to their Virtual Job Fair account. If you require assistance, please contact your local workforce center at (877) 509-6757 to schedule an appointment.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly today encouraged Kansans to participate in the sixth KANSASWORKS Statewide Virtual Job Fair, which begins tomorrow, October 27 and will continue through Thursday, October 29. The virtual fair will allow job seekers to easily live chat with employers from across the state through computers and mobile devices. KANSASWORKS has organized four virtual job fairs in 2020, with three additional virtual fairs planned later this year. <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.WEdh7JVGGLnyjCI-YmzECEP0_FMGy8JYXS4Cr3dKCjw/s/1303160919/br/87436030573-l" target="_blank">Click here to register for the Virtual Job Fair.</a>“COVID-19 continues to be an obstacle for the normal job fair system, but KANSASWORKS is creative and continues to do important work for Kansas,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “I encourage all job-seekers in our state to visit this and future Virtual Job Fairs to find opportunities in their area.” The Department of Commerce, in partnership with the Local Workforce Development Boards, moved its statewide job fairs online this year to eliminate public health risks associated with mass gatherings, and as a way to continue to provide job opportunities and maintain a ready workforce for Kansas businesses. “These virtual fairs are producing real results for job seekers and employers in every region,”&nbsp;Secretary of Commerce David Toland said.&nbsp;“We remain committed to economic growth and recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that means helping Kansans find meaningful, rewarding employment opportunities in our state.” Registration is now required for each virtual event. If job seekers have previously attended a Virtual Job Fair, they are required to re-register for this event with the link provided above. The fifth virtual fair in September attracted participation from 180 employers and 1,003 jobseekers from across the state. As concerns for Kansans' health and safety remain high due to COVID-19, the Department of Commerce will maintain the Virtual Job Fair system for the remainder of 2020. The final fair of the year will be December 8-9. Beginning with this virtual fair, job seekers can now upload their most recent resume to their Virtual Job Fair account. If you require assistance, please contact your local workforce center at (877) 509-6757 to schedule an appointment.

Statewide virtual job fair begins Tuesday

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas City man pleaded guilty to a charge of distributing heroin, which could send him to federal prison for 12 years, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

&nbsp;Titus Sanders, 23, Kansas City pleaded guilty to one count of distributing heroin.

&nbsp;According to court records, the investigation began when Westwood, Kan., police were called to a Walmart where they found a man suffering from a drug overdose. He was found with a syringe containing heroin. The man was hospitalized and later died.

Investigators found evidence on the victim’s cellphone that he had purchased heroin from Sanders.&nbsp; Sentencing is set for Jan. 13.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603136845368.png" alt="Sanders photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Sanders photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas City man pleaded guilty to a charge of distributing heroin, which could send him to federal prison for 12 years, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.&nbsp;Titus Sanders, 23, Kansas City pleaded guilty to one count of distributing heroin.&nbsp;According to court records, the investigation began when Westwood, Kan., police were called to a Walmart where they found a man suffering from a drug overdose. He was found with a syringe containing heroin. The man was hospitalized and later died.Investigators found evidence on the victim’s cellphone that he had purchased heroin from Sanders.&nbsp; Sentencing is set for Jan. 13.

Suspect sold heroin in Kan. to man who died from overdose

HUTCHINSON— The appeal hearing for a Hutchinson teen sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for killing his mother and sister in a fire is scheduled before the Kansas Supreme Court this week. The hearing is set for Tuesday at 11 a.m., according to a the Kansas <a href="https://www.kscourts.org/Newsroom/News-Releases/News/2020-News-Releases/October-2020/Thirteen-district-judges-to-sit-with-Kansas-Suprem">Judicial Branch web site.</a>

Samuel Vonachen, now 21-year-old, was tried as an adult and convicted of two counts of first-degree murder. He was convicted&nbsp; of setting fire to the family home in September of 2013. While his father got out of the home, his mother and sister were trapped upstairs.&nbsp;

Police found Vonachen walking toward the house, smelling of gasoline. After interrogation, he admitted to burning down the house. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, and one count of aggravated arson. The district court granted the state's motion to certify Vonachen as an adult. The jury rejected numerous claims of mental disease or defect and convicted him on all counts. He is not eligible for parole until 2039.

The defense motion before the Supreme Court states that Vonachen's rights were violated due to the state's abolishment of the insanity defense. The motion also states that Vonachen's admission to police should have been suppressed and that admission of the defendant's private writings in the trial should not have been allowed.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603309186370.jpeg" alt="Vonachen-photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Vonachen-photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON— The appeal hearing for a Hutchinson teen sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for killing his mother and sister in a fire is scheduled before the Kansas Supreme Court this week. The hearing is set for Tuesday at 11 a.m., according to a the Kansas <a href="https://www.kscourts.org/Newsroom/News-Releases/News/2020-News-Releases/October-2020/Thirteen-district-judges-to-sit-with-Kansas-Suprem">Judicial Branch web site.</a>Samuel Vonachen, now 21-year-old, was tried as an adult and convicted of two counts of first-degree murder. He was convicted&nbsp; of setting fire to the family home in September of 2013. While his father got out of the home, his mother and sister were trapped upstairs.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603572045433.png" alt="The Vonahen home at 4 E. 19th Avenue in Hutchinson following the deadly fire" />
 <figcaption>The Vonahen home at 4 E. 19th Avenue in Hutchinson following the deadly fire</figcaption>
 </figure>Police found Vonachen walking toward the house, smelling of gasoline. After interrogation, he admitted to burning down the house. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, and one count of aggravated arson. The district court granted the state's motion to certify Vonachen as an adult. The jury rejected numerous claims of mental disease or defect and convicted him on all counts. He is not eligible for parole until 2039.The defense motion before the Supreme Court states that Vonachen's rights were violated due to the state's abolishment of the insanity defense. The motion also states that Vonachen's admission to police should have been suppressed and that admission of the defendant's private writings in the trial should not have been allowed.&nbsp;

Kan. court to review conviction for setting deadly fire

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A man accused of abducting his two daughters from a Kansas home where their two brothers were killed has been going through a divorce with the children’s mother, authorities said Monday.

Maj. James Sherley, of the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Department, said 40-year-old Donny Jackson and his wife are estranged and that he had “on-again, off-again access to the children.”

The investigation began at around 1:30 p.m. Saturday after one of the siblings didn’t show up for a soccer game, leading the children’s mother and paternal grandmother to go to Jackson’s home in Leavenworth, which is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City, Kansas. The bodies of 14-year-old Logan Jackson and 12-year-old Austin Jackson were then found — one by the family and the other by law enforcement. Sherley declined to release the cause of death or comment on motive.

An Amber Alert was issued for their younger sisters, 3-year-old Aven Jackson and 7-year-old Nora Jackson. A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper spotted the girls with Jackson after pulling over his car near Kansas’ border with Oklahoma for a traffic infraction shortly before the discovery of the boys’ bodies. That helped law enforcement expand the Amber Alert, which Sherley said worked “flawlessly” and led to a flood of tips.

Jackson was arrested later that night near Erick, Oklahoma. The girls were taken from him unharmed and were returned to their mother over the weekend. Sherley said he didn’t know where Jackson was headed.

Jackson is jailed in Oklahoma while awaiting extradition to Kansas. Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said he is waiting for the investigation to be complete before making a charging decision. He said he didn’t know whether Jackson had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Marisa Clausen, who <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-for-tara-and-the-jackson-girls">created a GoFundMe </a>account to support the children’s mother, whom she identified as Tara Jackson, declined an interview request and asked that the family be given privacy, The Wichita Eagle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article246706991.html" target="_blank">reports</a>. She didn’t immediately reply to a message from The Associated Press.

The next status hearing in the couple’s divorce had been scheduled for Nov. 12, court records show.

The Jackson girls have been recovered and the suspect detained, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol located the suspect vehicle near Erick, Oklahoma.&nbsp; Troopers detained Donny Jackson and the kids were recovered.&nbsp;

Authorities released no additional details.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—Authorities issued an Amber Alert Saturday afternoon for two girls in Kansas.

The KBI is looking for 7-year-old Nora Jackson and 3-year-old Aven Jackson. They were last seen in the 14900 block of Hillside Road in Leavenworth.

The 911 call that began this incident was made by an adult that discovered the homicide scene, so the actual time of the abduction and homicide is unknown, according to the KBI.

At 4:30pm, we learned that the Kansas Highway Patrol made an unrelated car stop on the suspect’s vehicle on Highway 169 near the OK border today at approximately 12:35 p.m.  The abducted children were in the vehicle.  It is now believed Jackson may be traveling in Oklahoma, Texas or Arkansas.

At 5:05p.m., the Arkansas State Police agreed to launch an Arkansas AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery of the abducted children, due to the proximal sighting at the OK / KS border.

Nora has blonde-brown shoulder-length hair, a slender build and blue or hazel eyes. It's unknown what she was last seen wearing. Aven also has blonde hair, blue eyes and a slender build.

Just after 1p.m. Saturday, the Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office responded to a call in the 14900 block of Hillside and deputies located a two deceased boys in a home and the girls were mising, according to a media release.

The girls' father, Donny Jackson, is suspected in the abduction. Donny Jackson, 40, is 5-foot-11 and weighs 190 pounds. He has long brown hair with a slight red color and blue eyes. He also has a full beard.&nbsp;

There is no known direction of travel, but&nbsp; Jackson drives a black 2008 Honda Accord with Kansas license 266MXB.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603742787603.png" alt="GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A man accused of abducting his two daughters from a Kansas home where their two brothers were killed has been going through a divorce with the children’s mother, authorities said Monday.Maj. James Sherley, of the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Department, said 40-year-old Donny Jackson and his wife are estranged and that he had “on-again, off-again access to the children.”The investigation began at around 1:30 p.m. Saturday after one of the siblings didn’t show up for a soccer game, leading the children’s mother and paternal grandmother to go to Jackson’s home in Leavenworth, which is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City, Kansas. The bodies of 14-year-old Logan Jackson and 12-year-old Austin Jackson were then found — one by the family and the other by law enforcement. Sherley declined to release the cause of death or comment on motive.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603573521812.png" alt="Aven and Nora Jackson" />
 <figcaption>Aven and Nora Jackson</figcaption>
 </figure>An Amber Alert was issued for their younger sisters, 3-year-old Aven Jackson and 7-year-old Nora Jackson. A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper spotted the girls with Jackson after pulling over his car near Kansas’ border with Oklahoma for a traffic infraction shortly before the discovery of the boys’ bodies. That helped law enforcement expand the Amber Alert, which Sherley said worked “flawlessly” and led to a flood of tips.Jackson was arrested later that night near Erick, Oklahoma. The girls were taken from him unharmed and were returned to their mother over the weekend. Sherley said he didn’t know where Jackson was headed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603712471699.png" alt="Donny Jackson photo Beckham County, OK., Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Donny Jackson photo Beckham County, OK., Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Jackson is jailed in Oklahoma while awaiting extradition to Kansas. Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said he is waiting for the investigation to be complete before making a charging decision. He said he didn’t know whether Jackson had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.Marisa Clausen, who <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-for-tara-and-the-jackson-girls">created a GoFundMe </a>account to support the children’s mother, whom she identified as Tara Jackson, declined an interview request and asked that the family be given privacy, The Wichita Eagle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article246706991.html" target="_blank">reports</a>. She didn’t immediately reply to a message from The Associated Press.The next status hearing in the couple’s divorce had been scheduled for Nov. 12, court records show.---------The Jackson girls have been recovered and the suspect detained, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.The Oklahoma Highway Patrol located the suspect vehicle near Erick, Oklahoma.&nbsp; Troopers detained Donny Jackson and the kids were recovered.&nbsp;Authorities released no additional details.--------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603573521812.png" alt="Aven and Nora Jackson" />
 <figcaption>Aven and Nora Jackson</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—Authorities issued an Amber Alert Saturday afternoon for two girls in Kansas.The KBI is looking for 7-year-old Nora Jackson and 3-year-old Aven Jackson. They were last seen in the 14900 block of Hillside Road in Leavenworth.The 911 call that began this incident was made by an adult that discovered the homicide scene, so the actual time of the abduction and homicide is unknown, according to the KBI.At 4:30pm, we learned that the Kansas Highway Patrol made an unrelated car stop on the suspect’s vehicle on Highway 169 near the OK border today at approximately 12:35 p.m. The abducted children were in the vehicle. It is now believed Jackson may be traveling in Oklahoma, Texas or Arkansas.At 5:05p.m., the Arkansas State Police agreed to launch an Arkansas AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery of the abducted children, due to the proximal sighting at the OK / KS border.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603572994719.png" alt="Aven Jackson" />
 <figcaption>Aven Jackson</figcaption>
 </figure>Nora has blonde-brown shoulder-length hair, a slender build and blue or hazel eyes. It's unknown what she was last seen wearing. Aven also has blonde hair, blue eyes and a slender build.Just after 1p.m. Saturday, the Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office responded to a call in the 14900 block of Hillside and deputies located a two deceased boys in a home and the girls were mising, according to a media release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603573485901.png" alt="Donny Jackson" />
 <figcaption>Donny Jackson</figcaption>
 </figure>The girls' father, Donny Jackson, is suspected in the abduction. Donny Jackson, 40, is 5-foot-11 and weighs 190 pounds. He has long brown hair with a slight red color and blue eyes. He also has a full beard.&nbsp;There is no known direction of travel, but&nbsp; Jackson drives a black 2008 Honda Accord with Kansas license 266MXB.

Father in Kansas Amber Alert remains in Oklahoma jail

WICHITA– Frederick “Freddy” L. Simon, co-founder and namesake of Freddy’s Frozen Custard &amp; Steakburgers® died on Sunday, according to a statement from the company.

Along with his sons Bill &amp; Randy, and Bill’s business partner Scott Redler, he opened the first Freddy’s Frozen Custard &amp; Steakburgers® restaurant in 2002 in Wichita.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603744401086.png" alt="Freddy Simon -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Freddy Simon -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA– Frederick “Freddy” L. Simon, co-founder and namesake of Freddy’s Frozen Custard &amp; Steakburgers® died on Sunday, according to a statement from the company.Along with his sons Bill &amp; Randy, and Bill’s business partner Scott Redler, he opened the first Freddy’s Frozen Custard &amp; Steakburgers® restaurant in 2002 in Wichita.&nbsp; The quick service concept not only bears his name, but also includes his family values and patriotic service to his country as the foundation of the brand.The youngest of nine children, <a href="https://freddysusa.com/about/">Freddy grew</a> up on a farm near Colwich, Kansas. He joined the U.S. Army infantry in 1943 and was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. While serving in the Pacific during World War II, Freddy earned the Purple Heart for injuries sustained, as well as a Bronze Star for valor and was awarded other ribbons and medals for his service to his country. After being honorably discharged from duty, he returned home and attended Wichita University under the GI Bill. In 1947, Freddy married Norma Jean Kerschen while earning a degree in Accounting. Together they started a family and raised six children (five sons and one daughter). He spent 55 years with the same company in the hospitality industry before starting Freddy’s. He was a friend and trusted business partner to restaurant owners and operators across the state. In his retirement, Freddy generously gave his time and resources to many military and charitable organizations.Freddy was an avid hunter and sportsman, but his greatest joy was his family. Every family gathering and all other interactions in Freddy’s life provided him the opportunity to offer an encouraging word, share relatable stories of days gone by and give hugs.