LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — At least 147 University of Kansas employees are taking an early retirement buyout this year as the school looks to cut costs amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer said in a message to faculty and staff members Wednesday that unit leaders across campus have asked to fill roughly 20% of the positions that will be vacated through the program. But she said discussions about which positions will be filled are ongoing, and many of the roles will remain vacant.

The university announced the buyout program in June because of anticipated enrollment drops that ultimately weren’t as large as officials feared. To qualify, employees must meet certain criteria, such as being at least 62 years old and serving 10 years or longer at the university or another Kansas state agency. The buyout amounts to a lump-sum cash payment of $100,000 or an employee’s fiscal year 2021 budgeted base salary, whichever is lower.

The university last offered a similar buyout program in 2018, but it wasn’t an option for staff. This year, the bulk of the buyout participants are staff, with 134 submitting retirement notices through the program. Just 13 faculty have done so

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — At least 147 University of Kansas employees are taking an early retirement buyout this year as the school looks to cut costs amid the coronavirus pandemic.Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer said in a message to faculty and staff members Wednesday that unit leaders across campus have asked to fill roughly 20% of the positions that will be vacated through the program. But she said discussions about which positions will be filled are ongoing, and many of the roles will remain vacant.The university announced the buyout program in June because of anticipated enrollment drops that ultimately weren’t as large as officials feared. To qualify, employees must meet certain criteria, such as being at least 62 years old and serving 10 years or longer at the university or another Kansas state agency. The buyout amounts to a lump-sum cash payment of $100,000 or an employee’s fiscal year 2021 budgeted base salary, whichever is lower.The university last offered a similar buyout program in 2018, but it wasn’t an option for staff. This year, the bulk of the buyout participants are staff, with 134 submitting retirement notices through the program. Just 13 faculty have done so

At least 147 KU employees take buyout

BARRY COUNTY, Mo. — One person died in an accident just after 7 p.m. Tuesday in Barry County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford Taurus driven by Shirley L. Bell, 59, Anthony, Kansas, was southbound on Highway 39 in Jenkins, Missouri.

The car crossed the center line and struck a northbound 2006 Lincoln Zephyr driven by Jereme D. Fenley, 35, Shell Knob, Missouri, head-on.

Bell was pronounced dead at the scene. An air ambulance transported Fenley and a 14-year-old boy in the Taurus to Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Bell was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

BARRY COUNTY, Mo. — One person died in an accident just after 7 p.m. Tuesday in Barry County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford Taurus driven by Shirley L. Bell, 59, Anthony, Kansas, was southbound on Highway 39 in Jenkins, Missouri.The car crossed the center line and struck a northbound 2006 Lincoln Zephyr driven by Jereme D. Fenley, 35, Shell Knob, Missouri, head-on.Bell was pronounced dead at the scene. An air ambulance transported Fenley and a 14-year-old boy in the Taurus to Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Bell was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Kansas woman dies, 2 hospitalized after head-on crash

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police in Kansas City have identified a man whose badly decomposed body was found in a wooded area of Swope Park. Police say the body is that of 62-year-old Ronnie Lawrence. 

Officers were called to the area around 7 p.m. Monday, and a person at the scene led officers to the body, which was located just off a road. Police say the body was in an advanced state of decomposition, but that investigators were able to determine he had suffered significant trauma. 

Police have ruled the death a homicide. Police have not yet released a cause of death.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City are investigating the death of a person whose badly decomposed body was found in a wooded area of Swope Park. Police say officers were called to the area around 7 p.m. Monday, and a person at the scene led officers to the body, which was located just off a road. 

Police say the body was in an advanced state of decomposition, but that investigators were able to determine that the victim had suffered significant trauma. 

Police are treating the death as a homicide. Police say an autopsy will need to determine the cause of death. The victim has not yet been identified.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602592338729.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation Monday night -photo courtesy KMBC TV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation Monday night -photo courtesy KMBC TV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police in Kansas City have identified a man whose badly decomposed body was found in a wooded area of Swope Park. Police say the body is that of 62-year-old Ronnie Lawrence. Officers were called to the area around 7 p.m. Monday, and a person at the scene led officers to the body, which was located just off a road. Police say the body was in an advanced state of decomposition, but that investigators were able to determine he had suffered significant trauma. Police have ruled the death a homicide. Police have not yet released a cause of death.KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City are investigating the death of a person whose badly decomposed body was found in a wooded area of Swope Park. Police say officers were called to the area around 7 p.m. Monday, and a person at the scene led officers to the body, which was located just off a road. Police say the body was in an advanced state of decomposition, but that investigators were able to determine that the victim had suffered significant trauma. Police are treating the death as a homicide. Police say an autopsy will need to determine the cause of death. The victim has not yet been identified.

Homicide: KC police ID body found in wooded area

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1293 to a total of 69,155 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 838, an increase of 67.

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1293 to a total of 69,155 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 838, an increase of 67.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602697422873.png" alt="Wednesday October 14, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday October 14, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

NEW YORK — NBC News agreed to put President Donald Trump before voters in a town hall event on Thursday after the president submitted to an independent coronavirus test with the results reviewed by Dr. Anthony Fauci.

The announcement Wednesday sets up dueling town halls with Democratic opponent Joe Biden on a night the two candidates were supposed to meet for their second debate. Biden is appearing on a similar town hall event in Philadelphia, televised by ABC.

NBC said Trump would be at least 12 feet from moderator Savannah Guthrie and the audience.

Trump, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 2 and spent three days at the Walter Reed military hospital, took a coronavirus test Tuesday administered by the National Institutes of Health, NBC said.

Both NIH clinical director Dr. Clifford Lane and Fauci reviewed Trump’s medical records and said they had a high degree of confidence that the president is “not shedding infectious virus.”

Trump's ability to reach a national television audience on Thursday was in part dependent on Fauci, who had expressed anger at the Trump campaign in recent days for using one of his statements in a campaign ad. The coronavirus task force member said a quote used in the campaign ad was taken out of context.

A formal matchup between the Republican president and Biden that was scheduled for Thursday in Miami by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debate was canceled. In light of the president’s infection, the commission shifted the format to a virtual meeting, and Trump declined to participate.

Both town halls will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern, but Biden will have the last word. The ABC event, moderated by George Stephanopoulos, will last 90 minutes with an additional half hour of analysis. Trump's town hall on NBC is scheduled for an hour.

In addition to preventing viewers from getting a side-by-side comparison of the two men, the dueling events will likely be seen by far fewer people.

The first debate between the two men last month was watched by an estimated 73.1 million people, the Nielsen company said.

An estimated 6.7 million people saw Biden at an NBC News-sponsored town hall last week. Like the Trump event on Thursday will be, it was simulcast on MSNBC, CNBC and streamed online.

Trump's town hall with Stephanopoulos on Sept. 15 was seen by 3.8 million people, Nielsen said.

Thursday’s Trump town hall on NBC will be held outdoors at the Perez Art Museum in Miami. Audience members will be socially distanced, required to wear a mask and submit to a temperature check before entering the venue, NBC said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601463580987.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK — NBC News agreed to put President Donald Trump before voters in a town hall event on Thursday after the president submitted to an independent coronavirus test with the results reviewed by Dr. Anthony Fauci.The announcement Wednesday sets up dueling town halls with Democratic opponent Joe Biden on a night the two candidates were supposed to meet for their second debate. Biden is appearing on a similar town hall event in Philadelphia, televised by ABC.NBC said Trump would be at least 12 feet from moderator Savannah Guthrie and the audience.Trump, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 2 and spent three days at the Walter Reed military hospital, took a coronavirus test Tuesday administered by the National Institutes of Health, NBC said.Both NIH clinical director Dr. Clifford Lane and Fauci reviewed Trump’s medical records and said they had a high degree of confidence that the president is “not shedding infectious virus.”Trump's ability to reach a national television audience on Thursday was in part dependent on Fauci, who had expressed anger at the Trump campaign in recent days for using one of his statements in a campaign ad. The coronavirus task force member said a quote used in the campaign ad was taken out of context.A formal matchup between the Republican president and Biden that was scheduled for Thursday in Miami by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debate was canceled. In light of the president’s infection, the commission shifted the format to a virtual meeting, and Trump declined to participate.Both town halls will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern, but Biden will have the last word. The ABC event, moderated by George Stephanopoulos, will last 90 minutes with an additional half hour of analysis. Trump's town hall on NBC is scheduled for an hour.In addition to preventing viewers from getting a side-by-side comparison of the two men, the dueling events will likely be seen by far fewer people.The first debate between the two men last month was watched by an estimated 73.1 million people, the Nielsen company said.An estimated 6.7 million people saw Biden at an NBC News-sponsored town hall last week. Like the Trump event on Thursday will be, it was simulcast on MSNBC, CNBC and streamed online.Trump's town hall with Stephanopoulos on Sept. 15 was seen by 3.8 million people, Nielsen said.Thursday’s Trump town hall on NBC will be held outdoors at the Perez Art Museum in Miami. Audience members will be socially distanced, required to wear a mask and submit to a temperature check before entering the venue, NBC said.

Trump, Biden to hold dueling town halls after canceled debate

WASHINGTON (AP) —Independent monitors have paused enrollment in a study testing the COVID-19 antiviral drug remdesivir plus an experimental antibody therapy being developed by Eli Lilly that’s similar to a treatment President Donald Trump recently received.

Lilly confirmed Tuesday that the study had been paused “out of an abundance of caution” and said safety is its top concern. The company would not say more about what led to this step.

The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which sponsors the study, would not immediately comment.

Antibodies are proteins the body makes when an infection occurs; they attach to a virus and help it be eliminated. The experimental drugs are concentrated versions of one or two specific antibodies that worked best against the coronavirus in lab and animal tests.

<a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04501978?term=ACTIV-3&amp;draw=2&amp;rank=1" target="_blank">This study</a>&nbsp;was testing a single antibody that Lilly is developing with the Canadian company AbCellera. Trump received an experimental two-antibody combo drug from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Lilly and Regeneron have asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to grant emergency use authorization for their drugs for COVID-19 while late-stage studies continue.

The paused study, called ACTIV-3, started in August and aims to enroll 10,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the United States, Denmark and Singapore. All are given remdesivir, which has been authorized in the U.S. as an emergency treatment for COVID-19, plus either the Lilly antibody or a placebo.

The main goals are reducing the need for extra oxygen and time to recovery. Deaths, relief of symptoms and other measures also are being tracked. All of the drugs are given through an IV.

Such pauses are not uncommon in long clinical studies. Unlike a study hold imposed by government regulators, a pause is initiated by the sponsor of the drug trial and often can be quickly resolved.

The pause in the Lilly study comes a day after a temporary halt to enrollment in a coronavirus vaccine study. Johnson &amp; Johnson executives said Tuesday that it will be a few days before they know more about an unexplained illness in one participant that caused a pause in its late-stage vaccine study. Johnson &amp; Johnson isn’t disclosing the nature of the illness.

“It may have nothing to do with the vaccine,” said Mathai Mammen, head of research and development for Janssen, Johnson &amp; Johnson’s medicine development business.

Mammen said the company doesn’t know yet whether the ill participant received the experimental vaccine or a dummy shot. He says Johnson &amp; Johnson gave information on the case to the independent monitoring board overseeing the safety of patients in the study, as the research protocol requires. It will recommend next steps.

The study of the one-dose vaccine will include up to 60,000 people from multiple countries. The company expects to complete enrollment in the study in two or three months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602636110217.png" alt="photo courtesy Eli Lilly" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Eli Lilly</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Independent monitors have paused enrollment in a study testing the COVID-19 antiviral drug remdesivir plus an experimental antibody therapy being developed by Eli Lilly that’s similar to a treatment President Donald Trump recently received.Lilly confirmed Tuesday that the study had been paused “out of an abundance of caution” and said safety is its top concern. The company would not say more about what led to this step.The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which sponsors the study, would not immediately comment.Antibodies are proteins the body makes when an infection occurs; they attach to a virus and help it be eliminated. The experimental drugs are concentrated versions of one or two specific antibodies that worked best against the coronavirus in lab and animal tests.<a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04501978?term=ACTIV-3&amp;draw=2&amp;rank=1" target="_blank">This study</a>&nbsp;was testing a single antibody that Lilly is developing with the Canadian company AbCellera. Trump received an experimental two-antibody combo drug from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.Lilly and Regeneron have asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to grant emergency use authorization for their drugs for COVID-19 while late-stage studies continue.The paused study, called ACTIV-3, started in August and aims to enroll 10,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the United States, Denmark and Singapore. All are given remdesivir, which has been authorized in the U.S. as an emergency treatment for COVID-19, plus either the Lilly antibody or a placebo.The main goals are reducing the need for extra oxygen and time to recovery. Deaths, relief of symptoms and other measures also are being tracked. All of the drugs are given through an IV.Such pauses are not uncommon in long clinical studies. Unlike a study hold imposed by government regulators, a pause is initiated by the sponsor of the drug trial and often can be quickly resolved.The pause in the Lilly study comes a day after a temporary halt to enrollment in a coronavirus vaccine study. Johnson &amp; Johnson executives said Tuesday that it will be a few days before they know more about an unexplained illness in one participant that caused a pause in its late-stage vaccine study. Johnson &amp; Johnson isn’t disclosing the nature of the illness.“It may have nothing to do with the vaccine,” said Mathai Mammen, head of research and development for Janssen, Johnson &amp; Johnson’s medicine development business.ADVERTISEMENTMammen said the company doesn’t know yet whether the ill participant received the experimental vaccine or a dummy shot. He says Johnson &amp; Johnson gave information on the case to the independent monitoring board overseeing the safety of patients in the study, as the research protocol requires. It will recommend next steps.The study of the one-dose vaccine will include up to 60,000 people from multiple countries. The company expects to complete enrollment in the study in two or three months.

Possible safety issue spurs pause of COVID-19 antibody study

BARTON COUNTY&nbsp; —One person died in an accident just before 8p.m. Tuesday in Great Bend.

According to Great Bend Police, a 2006 Big D motorcycle driven by Daniel McKay, 69, was eastbound on Broadway Avenue and struck a large dog that was running north across the roadway. The impact ejected McKay from the motorcycle.

EMS transported him to the hospital in Great Bend where he died, according to police.

Authorities also found the dog dead in the roadway. Police have been in contact with the dog's owner.

McKay was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. This case remains under investigation by the Great Bend Police Department.

BARTON COUNTY&nbsp; —One person died in an accident just before 8p.m. Tuesday in Great Bend.According to Great Bend Police, a 2006 Big D motorcycle driven by Daniel McKay, 69, was eastbound on Broadway Avenue and struck a large dog that was running north across the roadway. The impact ejected McKay from the motorcycle.EMS transported him to the hospital in Great Bend where he died, according to police.Authorities also found the dog dead in the roadway. Police have been in contact with the dog's owner.McKay was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. This case remains under investigation by the Great Bend Police Department.

Kansas man dies after motorcycle strikes dog

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Tuesday that she doesn’t plan to have the state health department use its power to manage disease outbreaks by shutting down businesses or imposing other restrictions in local coronavirus hot spots.

The Democratic governor’s statement went further than a public promise she made last month to top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature not to issue orders to close businesses statewide, as she did in the spring. She said that although the state will work with local officials in areas with big outbreaks to help them check the spread of the virus, it won’t dictate the steps they’ll take.

Kelly and Republican lawmakers were at odds for weeks over her handling of the pandemic, with GOP leaders preferring to let local officials set the rules for businesses, public gatherings and the reopening of K-12 schools. The Legislature forced her to accept local control of most of those decisions, and Kelly said Tuesday during a Statehouse news conference that she wants to keep businesses open.

“A much more effective way is to have the local buy-in,” Kelly said. “The better way to do it rather than using the hammer is to continue to work closely with local officials, local public health officials.”

As of Monday, Kansas had had nearly 68,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 771 deaths from the disease since the start of the pandemic, according to the state Department of Health and Environment.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020s/b2020s/statute/065_000_0000_chapter/065_001_0000_article/065_001_0028_section/065_001_0028_k/" target="_blank">Kansas law</a>&nbsp;gives the state health department’s top administrator the authority to issue orders “as may be medically necessary and reasonable” to control “diseases injurious to the public health,” including by quarantining individuals. The health department’s head, Dr. Lee Norman, said last week that Kansas was “losing the battle” to check the coronavirus.

The governor offered a more optimistic assessment, saying Kansas can slow the virus, just as it appeared to do from late May to mid-June, before the average number of new daily cases began rising again, eventually to record levels.

“I’m not going to micromanage the counties,” Kelly said.

Kelly kept a statewide stay-at-home order this spring that stayed in effect for five weeks, then set statewide restrictions on businesses and public gatherings for another month, through Memorial Day in May. She also issued a statewide order in July requiring people to wear masks in public, though state law allowed counties to opt out.

Meanwhile, in Lawrence, the public school district modified its plans to move from online classes to having students attend in person part of the week because of concerns expressed by teachers and other staff.

The district plans to have its high school students attend in-person classes only one day a week, instead of the two days that were initially planned,&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/schools/2020/oct/12/lawrence-high-schools-to-use-different-hybrid-learning-model-because-concerns-over-long-class-periods-classroom-transitions/" target="_blank">the Lawrence Journal-World reported.</a>&nbsp;Students in lower grades will have in-person classes two days a week, but the school board decided late Monday to delay that until Nov. 9 for elementary schools.

By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Tuesday that she doesn’t plan to have the state health department use its power to manage disease outbreaks by shutting down businesses or imposing other restrictions in local coronavirus hot spots.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F2772924946299136%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The Democratic governor’s statement went further than a public promise she made last month to top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature not to issue orders to close businesses statewide, as she did in the spring. She said that although the state will work with local officials in areas with big outbreaks to help them check the spread of the virus, it won’t dictate the steps they’ll take.Kelly and Republican lawmakers were at odds for weeks over her handling of the pandemic, with GOP leaders preferring to let local officials set the rules for businesses, public gatherings and the reopening of K-12 schools. The Legislature forced her to accept local control of most of those decisions, and Kelly said Tuesday during a Statehouse news conference that she wants to keep businesses open.“A much more effective way is to have the local buy-in,” Kelly said. “The better way to do it rather than using the hammer is to continue to work closely with local officials, local public health officials.”As of Monday, Kansas had had nearly 68,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 771 deaths from the disease since the start of the pandemic, according to the state Department of Health and Environment.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020s/b2020s/statute/065_000_0000_chapter/065_001_0000_article/065_001_0028_section/065_001_0028_k/" target="_blank">Kansas law</a>&nbsp;gives the state health department’s top administrator the authority to issue orders “as may be medically necessary and reasonable” to control “diseases injurious to the public health,” including by quarantining individuals. The health department’s head, Dr. Lee Norman, said last week that Kansas was “losing the battle” to check the coronavirus.The governor offered a more optimistic assessment, saying Kansas can slow the virus, just as it appeared to do from late May to mid-June, before the average number of new daily cases began rising again, eventually to record levels.“I’m not going to micromanage the counties,” Kelly said.Kelly kept a statewide stay-at-home order this spring that stayed in effect for five weeks, then set statewide restrictions on businesses and public gatherings for another month, through Memorial Day in May. She also issued a statewide order in July requiring people to wear masks in public, though state law allowed counties to opt out.Meanwhile, in Lawrence, the public school district modified its plans to move from online classes to having students attend in person part of the week because of concerns expressed by teachers and other staff.The district plans to have its high school students attend in-person classes only one day a week, instead of the two days that were initially planned,&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/schools/2020/oct/12/lawrence-high-schools-to-use-different-hybrid-learning-model-because-concerns-over-long-class-periods-classroom-transitions/" target="_blank">the Lawrence Journal-World reported.</a>&nbsp;Students in lower grades will have in-person classes two days a week, but the school board decided late Monday to delay that until Nov. 9 for elementary schools.

🎥 Governor: Kan. won’t jump into local COVID-19 hot spots

POMONA, KAN. (AP) — The body of a man was pulled from Pomona Lake in east-central Kansas earlier this week, officials there said.

The body of Floyd Moehlman, 70, of Pomona, was found Monday evening after officials received reports of a capsized boat at the lake.

The Osage County Sheriff’s Office said deputies, medics and firefighters arrived at the lake around 6:30 p.m., where a boat had capsized near the Carbolyn Park boat ramp, and soon found Moehlman’s body. He was declared dead at the scene.

POMONA, KAN. (AP) — The body of a man was pulled from Pomona Lake in east-central Kansas earlier this week, officials there said.The body of Floyd Moehlman, 70, of Pomona, was found Monday evening after officials received reports of a capsized boat at the lake.The Osage County Sheriff’s Office said deputies, medics and firefighters arrived at the lake around 6:30 p.m., where a boat had capsized near the Carbolyn Park boat ramp, and soon found Moehlman’s body. He was declared dead at the scene.

Sheriff: Body of 70-year-old man found in Kan. lake

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man who federal prosecutors say they suspect in a Missouri decapitation killing was sentenced Tuesday to 35 years in prison for stalking Kansas massage parlor workers in an unrelated case.

Senior U.S. District Judge Gary Fenner told 69-year-old Robert Gross that his history of violence was “extremely disturbing” in sentencing him for the stalking and firearms charges.

Although he has not been charged with homicide, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jess Michaelsen said Gross had long been suspected in the August 2016 killing of Ying Li whose body was found inside her burning Kansas City apartment. Federal law allows prosecutors to present information about uncharged crimes at sentencing.

Kansas City homicide detective Alane Booth said their investigation led them to conclude that Gross decapitated Li after he received a massage and had sex with her. Li was stabbed 18 times and her killer also cut off her fingers.

“This armed and dangerous criminal, with a history of stalking and violence toward women, will spend the rest of his life in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison.

Defense attorney John P. O’Connor declined to comment after the hearing, which lasted just under four hours.

In May 2019, Gross was found guilty on eight of the 10 charges that included stalking women who worked at massage parlors in Johnson County and in Lawrence. He was also convicted of possessing guns as a convicted felon and other firearms violations. Gross was acquitted on two counts of stalking.

Video played to jurors at trial showed Gross walking around a Lawrence massage parlor in 2017, at times naked, while berating a worker. The women told police their cars were keyed, screws drilled into their tires and their windows smashed out.

Just before he announced the sentencing, Fenner asked Gross if he wanted to say anything. After speaking briefly with O’Connor, Gross said “Your honor I choose not to make a comment at this time.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602638545264.png" alt="Robert Gross-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Robert Gross-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man who federal prosecutors say they suspect in a Missouri decapitation killing was sentenced Tuesday to 35 years in prison for stalking Kansas massage parlor workers in an unrelated case.Senior U.S. District Judge Gary Fenner told 69-year-old Robert Gross that his history of violence was “extremely disturbing” in sentencing him for the stalking and firearms charges.Although he has not been charged with homicide, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jess Michaelsen said Gross had long been suspected in the August 2016 killing of Ying Li whose body was found inside her burning Kansas City apartment. Federal law allows prosecutors to present information about uncharged crimes at sentencing.Kansas City homicide detective Alane Booth said their investigation led them to conclude that Gross decapitated Li after he received a massage and had sex with her. Li was stabbed 18 times and her killer also cut off her fingers.“This armed and dangerous criminal, with a history of stalking and violence toward women, will spend the rest of his life in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison.Defense attorney John P. O’Connor declined to comment after the hearing, which lasted just under four hours.In May 2019, Gross was found guilty on eight of the 10 charges that included stalking women who worked at massage parlors in Johnson County and in Lawrence. He was also convicted of possessing guns as a convicted felon and other firearms violations. Gross was acquitted on two counts of stalking.Video played to jurors at trial showed Gross walking around a Lawrence massage parlor in 2017, at times naked, while berating a worker. The women told police their cars were keyed, screws drilled into their tires and their windows smashed out.Just before he announced the sentencing, Fenner asked Gross if he wanted to say anything. After speaking briefly with O’Connor, Gross said “Your honor I choose not to make a comment at this time.”

Murder suspect sentenced for stalking Kan. massage parlor workers

Kansas GOP denounces Davids’ attack ad linking Adkins to Brownback

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/13/democrat-de-la-isla-pounces-on-laturner-ad-as-what-people-hate-about-dc-politics/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Republican 
congressional candidate Jake LaTurner’s campaign put a commercial into 
wide circulation that contains murky video of Topeka Mayor Michelle De 
La Isla participating in a street protest with the voiceover falsely 
telling potential voters she worked to defund the capital city’s police 
department.

De Le Isla, the Democratic
 candidate in the 2nd District and the Topeka mayor since 2018, did take
 part in a peaceful march with Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran and 
supporters of Black Lives Matter following the May 25 death of George 
Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

She did take to the 
streets carrying a cardboard sign decorated with a single word: JUSTICE.
 While pausing in downtown Topeka, she did kneel with the police chief 
and others.

Topeka has not, despite 
claims underlying LaTurner’s campaign commercial, defunded the police 
department at the behest of De La Isla or anyone else. In fact, the 
Topeka City Council with backing from De La Isla as a council member and
 mayor elevated the department’s budget since 2017 by $5 million to 
surpass the $40 million mark.

Political distortions 
contained in LaTurner’s commercial are accentuated by selective editing 
of remarks by De La Isla during an August 18 news conference in which 
she pleaded with the public to avoid toxic rhetoric and asked the 
diverse community to work together to rebuild trust, said Stephanie 
Houghton, campaign manager for De La Isla.

“False attack ads like 
this are exactly what people hate about Washington-style politics,” 
Houghton said. “Kansans are looking for someone who will focus on work 
across the aisle to bridge the partisan divide and get to work on our 
toughest challenges.”

The LaTurner campaign 
declined to comment Monday on the commercial released this month into 
four media markets serving the 25-county district extending from 
Nebraska to Oklahoma. In August, LaTurner campaign spokeswoman Kara 
Zeyer told the Kansas Reflector that De La Isla had marched in support 
of the controversial movement to “defund the police.”

The attack ad from 
LaTurner, who is the Kansas state treasurer, opened with a statement by 
LaTurner that he officially approved the message. The voiceover then 
claimed De La Isla “doesn’t just talk about defunding the police, she 
does it.”

LaTurner’s commercial 
described De La Isla as a “radical” and showed her walking in a crowded 
street with protesters. The ad pivoted to a one of De La Isla’s news 
conferences in Topeka in which she spoke about the harm of racial 
discrimination and erosion of public trust as well as her appreciation 
for law enforcement’s effort to keep people safe.

The part of the ad drawing
 upon the words of De La Isla but spliced together to make a misleading 
connection between Topeka and police budget cuts, says: “Defunding the 
police … what it means is what the city of Topeka has already been 
doing.”

Condensing of her remarks 
and the splicing of video became more evident after repeated watching of
 the commercial. De La Isla’s campaign provided audio and video of the 
24-minute news conference, which was attended by Topeka’s police chief 
and city manager.

At this gathering with 
reporters, her campaign said, the mayor never indicated she endorsed a 
plan to defund Topeka law enforcement. Her remarks about what Topeka had
 been doing was related to the city’s participation since June 2018 in a
 U.S. Department of Justice program called Strengthening Police and 
Community Partnerships. It engages local law enforcement professionals 
and community leaders in dialogue to identify issues and solve problems 
collectively.

De La Isla also referenced
 at the news conference a July article in the Topeka Capital-Journal 
that fueled confusion about whether the city might limit funding to the 
police.

“It’s often way too easy 
to choose a side,” De La Isla told reporters. “I ask all of you not to 
feed into the division and please do not continue sharing 
misinformation. We do this by coming together. There is no one saying we
 will shut down our police department.”

The Kansas Republican 
Party remains disturbed by a commercial authorized by U.S. Rep. Sharice 
Davids, a Democrat in the 3rd District, that made use of an ad released 
by GOP congressional nominee Amanda Adkins. It makes the point that 
Adkins spent years as advisor, campaign manager and appointee to Sam 
Brownback while he served in the U.S. Senate and as Kansas governor.

Shannon Golden, executive 
director of the Kansas GOP, said Davids declined to debate Adkins and 
preferred to hide behind misleading television ads. Golden also linked 
Davids to California U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of 
the U.S. House.

“Sharice Davids and Nancy Pelosi know they can’t beat Amanda&nbsp;Adkins
 on her own merits, so they’ve resorted to distorting her words and 
trying to make this campaign about past politicians no longer on the 
ballot,” Golden said.

The 30-second ad from the 
Davids campaign opened with tape from the commercial put out by Adkins. 
In that spot, Adkins introduced herself as a wife, businesswoman and 
conservative.

“Stop there,” the 
voiceover said. “Amanda Adkins forgot one thing. Her 20 years as top 
adviser to Sam Brownback. In Washington and Topeka, helping pass tax 
cuts for corporations, paid for with cuts to Kansas schools and the 
childrens’ trust fund.”

The commercial flips back 
to Adkin’s ad, but her comment was reduced to the fragment “our children
 deserve better.” The problem was that Adkins, when referencing 
children, wasn’t referring to Brownback. The core of Adkins’ ad 
portrayed Washington politics as a disaster and border security as a 
disgrace. It accused Democrats, journalists and the COVID-19 pandemic, 
in that order, of destroying the economy. In relation to those 
non-Brownback points, Adkins did say Kansas children deserved better 
political representation.

“Adkins is right,” the voiceover concluded. “Better than her and Brownback.”

The Davids campaign ran the Adkins-Brownback commercial until the beginning of October.

“Amanda Adkins can try to 
downplay her decades-long career as a top advisor to Sam Brownback all 
she wants, but unfortunately for her their disastrous record of gutting 
funding for public schools and decimating the state’s budget speaks for 
itself,” said Johanna Warshaw, a campaign spokeswoman for Davids.

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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602625647347.png" alt="Second District Democratic congressional candidate Michelle De La Isla's participation in a Topeka march has been used by GOP nominee Jake LaTurner in a commercial that falsely depicts her as an advocate for defunding the Topeka Police Department. To De La Isla's left in the front row is Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>Second District Democratic congressional candidate Michelle De La Isla's participation in a Topeka march has been used by GOP nominee Jake LaTurner in a commercial that falsely depicts her as an advocate for defunding the Topeka Police Department. To De La Isla's left in the front row is Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas GOP denounces Davids’ attack ad linking Adkins to Brownback</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/13/democrat-de-la-isla-pounces-on-laturner-ad-as-what-people-hate-about-dc-politics/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Republican 
congressional candidate Jake LaTurner’s campaign put a commercial into 
wide circulation that contains murky video of Topeka Mayor Michelle De 
La Isla participating in a street protest with the voiceover falsely 
telling potential voters she worked to defund the capital city’s police 
department.De Le Isla, the Democratic
 candidate in the 2nd District and the Topeka mayor since 2018, did take
 part in a peaceful march with Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran and 
supporters of Black Lives Matter following the May 25 death of George 
Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.She did take to the 
streets carrying a cardboard sign decorated with a single word: JUSTICE.
 While pausing in downtown Topeka, she did kneel with the police chief 
and others.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602625712822.jpeg" alt="Kansas State Treasurer Jake LaTurner, the Republican nominee for U.S. House in the 2nd District, is running an ad that incorrectly claims Democrat Michelle De La Isla had worked to defund the Topeka Police Department. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Treasurer Jake LaTurner, the Republican nominee for U.S. House in the 2nd District, is running an ad that incorrectly claims Democrat Michelle De La Isla had worked to defund the Topeka Police Department. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka has not, despite 
claims underlying LaTurner’s campaign commercial, defunded the police 
department at the behest of De La Isla or anyone else. In fact, the 
Topeka City Council with backing from De La Isla as a council member and
 mayor elevated the department’s budget since 2017 by $5 million to 
surpass the $40 million mark.Political distortions 
contained in LaTurner’s commercial are accentuated by selective editing 
of remarks by De La Isla during an August 18 news conference in which 
she pleaded with the public to avoid toxic rhetoric and asked the 
diverse community to work together to rebuild trust, said Stephanie 
Houghton, campaign manager for De La Isla.“False attack ads like 
this are exactly what people hate about Washington-style politics,” 
Houghton said. “Kansans are looking for someone who will focus on work 
across the aisle to bridge the partisan divide and get to work on our 
toughest challenges.”<h2>LaTurner’s no comment</h2>The LaTurner campaign 
declined to comment Monday on the commercial released this month into 
four media markets serving the 25-county district extending from 
Nebraska to Oklahoma. In August, LaTurner campaign spokeswoman Kara 
Zeyer told the Kansas Reflector that De La Isla had marched in support 
of the controversial movement to “defund the police.”The attack ad from 
LaTurner, who is the Kansas state treasurer, opened with a statement by 
LaTurner that he officially approved the message. The voiceover then 
claimed De La Isla “doesn’t just talk about defunding the police, she 
does it.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602625745415.jpeg" alt="Michelle De La Isla, the mayor of Topeka and the Democratic nominee in the 2nd District race for U.S. House, takes a knee during with Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran. Her opponent, GOP nominee Jake LaTurner, says in an ad De La Isla has worked to defund the police department. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>Michelle De La Isla, the mayor of Topeka and the Democratic nominee in the 2nd District race for U.S. House, takes a knee during with Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran. Her opponent, GOP nominee Jake LaTurner, says in an ad De La Isla has worked to defund the police department. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>LaTurner’s commercial 
described De La Isla as a “radical” and showed her walking in a crowded 
street with protesters. The ad pivoted to a one of De La Isla’s news 
conferences in Topeka in which she spoke about the harm of racial 
discrimination and erosion of public trust as well as her appreciation 
for law enforcement’s effort to keep people safe.The part of the ad drawing
 upon the words of De La Isla but spliced together to make a misleading 
connection between Topeka and police budget cuts, says: “Defunding the 
police … what it means is what the city of Topeka has already been 
doing.”Condensing of her remarks 
and the splicing of video became more evident after repeated watching of
 the commercial. De La Isla’s campaign provided audio and video of the 
24-minute news conference, which was attended by Topeka’s police chief 
and city manager.At this gathering with 
reporters, her campaign said, the mayor never indicated she endorsed a 
plan to defund Topeka law enforcement. Her remarks about what Topeka had
 been doing was related to the city’s participation since June 2018 in a
 U.S. Department of Justice program called Strengthening Police and 
Community Partnerships. It engages local law enforcement professionals 
and community leaders in dialogue to identify issues and solve problems 
collectively.De La Isla also referenced
 at the news conference a July article in the Topeka Capital-Journal 
that fueled confusion about whether the city might limit funding to the 
police.“It’s often way too easy 
to choose a side,” De La Isla told reporters. “I ask all of you not to 
feed into the division and please do not continue sharing 
misinformation. We do this by coming together. There is no one saying we
 will shut down our police department.”<h2>Davids’ attack on Adkins</h2>The Kansas Republican 
Party remains disturbed by a commercial authorized by U.S. Rep. Sharice 
Davids, a Democrat in the 3rd District, that made use of an ad released 
by GOP congressional nominee Amanda Adkins. It makes the point that 
Adkins spent years as advisor, campaign manager and appointee to Sam 
Brownback while he served in the U.S. Senate and as Kansas governor.Shannon Golden, executive 
director of the Kansas GOP, said Davids declined to debate Adkins and 
preferred to hide behind misleading television ads. Golden also linked 
Davids to California U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of 
the U.S. House.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602625785091.jpeg" alt="The Kansas Republican Party says Amanda Adkins, who is trying to oust Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids in the 3rd District, is unfairly treated in a Davids ad linking Adkins to former Gov. Sam Brownback. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Republican Party says Amanda Adkins, who is trying to oust Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids in the 3rd District, is unfairly treated in a Davids ad linking Adkins to former Gov. Sam Brownback. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“Sharice Davids and Nancy Pelosi know they can’t beat Amanda&nbsp;Adkins
 on her own merits, so they’ve resorted to distorting her words and 
trying to make this campaign about past politicians no longer on the 
ballot,” Golden said.The 30-second ad from the 
Davids campaign opened with tape from the commercial put out by Adkins. 
In that spot, Adkins introduced herself as a wife, businesswoman and 
conservative.Then, Davids’ voiceover interrupts.“Stop there,” the 
voiceover said. “Amanda Adkins forgot one thing. Her 20 years as top 
adviser to Sam Brownback. In Washington and Topeka, helping pass tax 
cuts for corporations, paid for with cuts to Kansas schools and the 
childrens’ trust fund.”The commercial flips back 
to Adkin’s ad, but her comment was reduced to the fragment “our children
 deserve better.” The problem was that Adkins, when referencing 
children, wasn’t referring to Brownback. The core of Adkins’ ad 
portrayed Washington politics as a disaster and border security as a 
disgrace. It accused Democrats, journalists and the COVID-19 pandemic, 
in that order, of destroying the economy. In relation to those 
non-Brownback points, Adkins did say Kansas children deserved better 
political representation.“Adkins is right,” the voiceover concluded. “Better than her and Brownback.”The Davids campaign ran the Adkins-Brownback commercial until the beginning of October.“Amanda Adkins can try to 
downplay her decades-long career as a top advisor to Sam Brownback all 
she wants, but unfortunately for her their disastrous record of gutting 
funding for public schools and decimating the state’s budget speaks for 
itself,” said Johanna Warshaw, a campaign spokeswoman for Davids.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.

Kan. candidate: LaTurner ad as ‘what people hate’ about DC politics

HUTCHINSON — David Tobias has resigned as interim general manager of the Kansas State Fair.

Tobias made the announcement at the Tuesday fair board meeting in Hutchinson. He said after much consideration, he decided to accept a new, compelling opportunity in the area.

“This has been a difficult decision for me,” Tobias said. “I’ve enjoyed the relationships and accomplishments I have made during the past 10 years at the Kansas State Fair, but I am looking forward to the new challenges in my next endeavor.”

Tobias served as interim general manager for the past three months, stepping in after the resignation of Robin Jennison in July.

The 43-year-old Tobias joined the Fair in 2011 and has held several positions during his tenure, most recently director of operations and human resources. No interim general manager has been named at this time. A committee of the fair board will be interviewing candidates over the next few weeks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595343899179.jpeg" alt="David Tobias -photo courtesy Kansas State Fair" />
 <figcaption>David Tobias -photo courtesy Kansas State Fair</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON — David Tobias has resigned as interim general manager of the Kansas State Fair.Tobias made the announcement at the Tuesday fair board meeting in Hutchinson. He said after much consideration, he decided to accept a new, compelling opportunity in the area.“This has been a difficult decision for me,” Tobias said. “I’ve enjoyed the relationships and accomplishments I have made during the past 10 years at the Kansas State Fair, but I am looking forward to the new challenges in my next endeavor.”Tobias served as interim general manager for the past three months, stepping in after the resignation of Robin Jennison in July.The 43-year-old Tobias joined the Fair in 2011 and has held several positions during his tenure, most recently director of operations and human resources. No interim general manager has been named at this time. A committee of the fair board will be interviewing candidates over the next few weeks.

Kansas State Fair interim general manager resigns 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have arrested 61-year-old Thomas Harris.

Just after 1p.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting call at apartments in the 2700 block of South St. Francis in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

The victim identified as 68-year-old Troy Harris reportedly walked down the stairs of the apartment complex and called 911 to report he had been shot.

EMS found him in the complex parking lot and transported him to a nearby hospital with life threatening injuries and he later died, according to Davidson.&nbsp;

Investigators learned that Thomas Harris was inside his apartment and his brother Troy was there.&nbsp; There was a dispute between them, according to Davidson. During the argument, Thomas fired multiple shots at his brother and then fled the apartment complex.

Police located and arrested him Monday night. Harris is being held on requested charges of 2nd degree murder and possession a firearm by a felon, according to Davidson.&nbsp; Harris, who had only been in Wichita a short time has previous felony convictions, according to Davidson.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.

The victim, a man in his late 60s reportedly walked down the stairs of the apartment complex and called 911 to report he had been shot.

EMS transported him to a nearby hospital with life threatening injuries where he later died, according to Davidson.&nbsp;It is not believed to be a random incident.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602602777451.png" alt="Harris-photo Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>Harris-photo Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have arrested 61-year-old Thomas Harris.Just after 1p.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting call at apartments in the 2700 block of South St. Francis in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.The victim identified as 68-year-old Troy Harris reportedly walked down the stairs of the apartment complex and called 911 to report he had been shot.EMS found him in the complex parking lot and transported him to a nearby hospital with life threatening injuries and he later died, according to Davidson.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602543491190.png" alt="Police a the scene of the fatal shooting investigation Monday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police a the scene of the fatal shooting investigation Monday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators learned that Thomas Harris was inside his apartment and his brother Troy was there.&nbsp; There was a dispute between them, according to Davidson. During the argument, Thomas fired multiple shots at his brother and then fled the apartment complex.Police located and arrested him Monday night. Harris is being held on requested charges of 2nd degree murder and possession a firearm by a felon, according to Davidson.&nbsp; Harris, who had only been in Wichita a short time has previous felony convictions, according to Davidson.---------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.Just after 1p.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting call at apartments in the 2700 block of South St. Francis in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.The victim, a man in his late 60s reportedly walked down the stairs of the apartment complex and called 911 to report he had been shot.EMS transported him to a nearby hospital with life threatening injuries where he later died, according to Davidson.&nbsp;It is not believed to be a random incident.&nbsp;

Police: Kan. man fatally shot brother during argument 

WASHINGTON (AP)—The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday stopped the once-a-decade head count of every U.S. resident from continuing through the end of October.

President Donald Trump’s administration had asked the nation’s high court to suspend a district court’s order permitting the 2020 census to continue through the end of the month. The Trump administration argued that the head count needed to end immediately so the U.S. Census Bureau had enough time to crunch the numbers before a congressionally mandated year-end deadline for turning in figures used for deciding how many congressional seats each state gets.

A coalition of local governments and civil rights groups had sued the Trump administration, arguing that minorities and others in hard-to-count communities would be missed if the count ended early. They said the census schedule was cut short to accommodate a July order from Trump that would exclude people in the country illegally from the numbers used to decide how many congressional seats each state gets.

Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented.

“Moreover, meeting the deadline at the expense of the accuracy of the census is not a cost worth paying, especially when the Government has failed to show why it could not bear the lesser cost of expending more resources to meet the deadline or continuing its prior efforts to seek an extension from Congress,” Sotomayor wrote.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California sided with the plaintiffs and issued an injunction which suspended a Sept. 30 deadline for finishing the 2020 census and a Dec. 31 deadline for submitting numbers used to determine how many congressional seats each state gets — a process known as apportionment. That caused the deadlines to revert back to a previous Census Bureau plan that had field operations ending Oct. 31 and the reporting of apportionment figures at the end of April 2021.

When the Census Bureau, and the Commerce Department, which oversees the statistical agency, picked an Oct. 5 end date, Koh struck that down too, accusing officials of “lurching from one hasty, unexplained plan to the next ... and undermining the credibility of the Census Bureau and the 2020 Census.”

An appellate court panel upheld Koh’s order allowing the census to continue through October but struck down the part that suspended the Dec. 31 deadline for turning in apportionment numbers. The panel of three appellate judges said that just because the year-end deadline is impossible to meet doesn’t mean the court should require the Census Bureau to miss it.

With plans for the count hampered by the pandemic, the Census Bureau in April had proposed extending the deadline for finishing the count from the end of July to the end of October and pushing the apportionment deadline from Dec. 31 to next April. The proposal to extend the apportionment deadline passed the Democratic-controlled House, but the Republican-controlled Senate didn’t take up the request. Then, in late July and early August, bureau officials shortened the count schedule by a month so that it would finish at the end of September.

The Republicans’ inaction coincided with a July order from Trump directing the Census Bureau to have the apportionment count exclude people who are in the country illegally. The order was later ruled unlawful by a panel of three district judges in New York, but the Trump administration is appealing that case to the Supreme Court.

By sticking to the Dec. 31 deadline, control of the apportionment count would remain in the hands of the Trump administration no matter who wins the presidential election next month.

WASHINGTON (AP)—The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday stopped the once-a-decade head count of every U.S. resident from continuing through the end of October.President Donald Trump’s administration had asked the nation’s high court to suspend a district court’s order permitting the 2020 census to continue through the end of the month. The Trump administration argued that the head count needed to end immediately so the U.S. Census Bureau had enough time to crunch the numbers before a congressionally mandated year-end deadline for turning in figures used for deciding how many congressional seats each state gets.A coalition of local governments and civil rights groups had sued the Trump administration, arguing that minorities and others in hard-to-count communities would be missed if the count ended early. They said the census schedule was cut short to accommodate a July order from Trump that would exclude people in the country illegally from the numbers used to decide how many congressional seats each state gets.Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented.“Moreover, meeting the deadline at the expense of the accuracy of the census is not a cost worth paying, especially when the Government has failed to show why it could not bear the lesser cost of expending more resources to meet the deadline or continuing its prior efforts to seek an extension from Congress,” Sotomayor wrote.Last month, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California sided with the plaintiffs and issued an injunction which suspended a Sept. 30 deadline for finishing the 2020 census and a Dec. 31 deadline for submitting numbers used to determine how many congressional seats each state gets — a process known as apportionment. That caused the deadlines to revert back to a previous Census Bureau plan that had field operations ending Oct. 31 and the reporting of apportionment figures at the end of April 2021.When the Census Bureau, and the Commerce Department, which oversees the statistical agency, picked an Oct. 5 end date, Koh struck that down too, accusing officials of “lurching from one hasty, unexplained plan to the next ... and undermining the credibility of the Census Bureau and the 2020 Census.”An appellate court panel upheld Koh’s order allowing the census to continue through October but struck down the part that suspended the Dec. 31 deadline for turning in apportionment numbers. The panel of three appellate judges said that just because the year-end deadline is impossible to meet doesn’t mean the court should require the Census Bureau to miss it.ADVERTISEMENTWith plans for the count hampered by the pandemic, the Census Bureau in April had proposed extending the deadline for finishing the count from the end of July to the end of October and pushing the apportionment deadline from Dec. 31 to next April. The proposal to extend the apportionment deadline passed the Democratic-controlled House, but the Republican-controlled Senate didn’t take up the request. Then, in late July and early August, bureau officials shortened the count schedule by a month so that it would finish at the end of September.The Republicans’ inaction coincided with a July order from Trump directing the Census Bureau to have the apportionment count exclude people who are in the country illegally. The order was later ruled unlawful by a panel of three district judges in New York, but the Trump administration is appealing that case to the Supreme Court.By sticking to the Dec. 31 deadline, control of the apportionment count would remain in the hands of the Trump administration no matter who wins the presidential election next month.

Supreme Court halts census in latest twist of 2020 count

HUTCHINSON— Interim Health Officer Karen Hammersmith announced Tuesday that she would be putting through a health order to limit mass gatherings to 100 people, with an exception for businesses that employ more than 100 people and outdoor events where social distancing can be maintained.

Reno County commission chair Ron Sellers implored the community again to wear masks, wash hands and practice social distancing, as did Commissioner Ron Hirst.

"We're not going to arrest you for not masking," Sellers said. "Don't you just do some things for the good of others? Don't I have a community obligation to do the right thing to help others? That's what we heard from the superintendents is, help the kids stay in school. How hard is it to help to control the spread? I just think that we can do a little bit more and help this percentage that we've got reverse itself."

[Pursuant to K.S.A. 65-119 and K.S.A. 65-202]

This Emergency Public Health Order is effective the 14th day of October, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus disease COVID 19 pandemic in Reno County, Kansas pursuant to the authority of K.S.A. 65-119 and K.S.A. 65-202 and other applicable laws and regulations.

WHEREAS, the local Health Officer is authorized and required, pursuant to K.S.A. 65-119 and K.S.A. 65-202 to immediately exercise and maintain supervision over known or suspected cases of any infectious or contagious disease during its continuance, and to issue orders seeing that all such cases are properly handled and that the provisions of the Kansas public health laws as to isolation, quarantine and disinfection are duly enforced; and

WHEREAS, the local Health Officer is appointed by the Board of County Commissioners and is authorized to prohibit public gatherings when necessary for the control of any and all infectious diseases, pursuant to K.S.A 65-119; and

WHEREAS, on May 26, 2020, the Governor of the State of Kansas declared a STATE OF DISASTER PROCLAMATION in order “to protect Kansas from the economic consequences of COVID-19 and the imminent threat of future outbreaks” and issued Executive Order 20-52 on

July 2, 2020, a statewide Order pertaining to the wearing of masks or other face coverings, which Proclamation and Order have been extended and remain in effect; and

WHEREAS, as of October 12, 2020 there have occurred in Reno County seven (7) confirmed deaths from COVID-19, 1446 positive cases, 321 current active positive cases, 58 total COVID-19 admissions to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center and 29 total admissions to its Intensive Care Unit; and

WHEREAS, in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Reno County Local Health Officer, all recommend implementation of community mitigation strategies to increase containment of the virus, including restricting large gatherings and social distancing in smaller gatherings; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED by the Interim Local Health Officer, pursuant to the above authorities, that:

1. Effective at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14th, 2020 all public or private mass gatherings as defined below, are prohibited within the border of Reno County.

a. The phrase “mass gathering” as used in this order means any planned or spontaneous, indoor and outdoor, public or private event or convening that will bring together or is likely to bring together 100 or more people in a confined or enclosed space at the same time.

b. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, mass gatherings at auditoriums, theaters, movie theaters, museums, arenas, conference rooms, meeting halls, exhibition centers, taverns, health and fitness centers, recreation centers, and licensed pools.

2. The following activities or facilities are exempt from the prohibition of this order:

a. Operations of the United States Government;

i. Military and National Guard facilities

b. Religious gatherings, as long as attendees engage in appropriate social distancing;

c. Public, private, or charter schools for instructional purposes;

d. Any facility being used as part of a government or community response to a natural disaster;

e. Public buildings where large numbers of people are present but are generally not within 6 ft. of one another for more than 10 minutes;

f. Public and private businesses that employ more than 100 people; provided, reasonable efforts must be made to social distance by 6 feet in work and break areas.

h. Shopping malls and other retail establishments where large numbers of people are present but are generally not within 6 ft. of one another for more than 10 minutes;

i. Arenas where large numbers of people are present but are generally not within 6 ft. of one another for more than 10 minutes, and are able to maintain social distancing when seated by more than 6 ft. when not seated with their family units;

j. Outdoor stadiums where large numbers of people are present but are generally not within 6 feet of one another for more than 10 minutes and are able to social distance when seated by more than 6 ft. when not seated with their family units.

3. Businesses are encouraged to comply with the Governor’s mask and face covering mandate.

This Order shall become effective as of 12:01 A.M. on October 14, 2020 and shall remain in effect until amended or rescinded. This Order may be modified as circumstances dictate.

HUTCHINSON— Interim Health Officer Karen Hammersmith announced Tuesday that she would be putting through a health order to limit mass gatherings to 100 people, with an exception for businesses that employ more than 100 people and outdoor events where social distancing can be maintained.Reno County commission chair Ron Sellers implored the community again to wear masks, wash hands and practice social distancing, as did Commissioner Ron Hirst."We're not going to arrest you for not masking," Sellers said. "Don't you just do some things for the good of others? Don't I have a community obligation to do the right thing to help others? That's what we heard from the superintendents is, help the kids stay in school. How hard is it to help to control the spread? I just think that we can do a little bit more and help this percentage that we've got reverse itself."Below is the text of the Order...HEALTH ORDER #20-03[Pursuant to K.S.A. 65-119 and K.S.A. 65-202]This Emergency Public Health Order is effective the 14th day of October, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus disease COVID 19 pandemic in Reno County, Kansas pursuant to the authority of K.S.A. 65-119 and K.S.A. 65-202 and other applicable laws and regulations.WHEREAS, the local Health Officer is authorized and required, pursuant to K.S.A. 65-119 and K.S.A. 65-202 to immediately exercise and maintain supervision over known or suspected cases of any infectious or contagious disease during its continuance, and to issue orders seeing that all such cases are properly handled and that the provisions of the Kansas public health laws as to isolation, quarantine and disinfection are duly enforced; andWHEREAS, the local Health Officer is appointed by the Board of County Commissioners and is authorized to prohibit public gatherings when necessary for the control of any and all infectious diseases, pursuant to K.S.A 65-119; andWHEREAS, on May 26, 2020, the Governor of the State of Kansas declared a STATE OF DISASTER PROCLAMATION in order “to protect Kansas from the economic consequences of COVID-19 and the imminent threat of future outbreaks” and issued Executive Order 20-52 onJuly 2, 2020, a statewide Order pertaining to the wearing of masks or other face coverings, which Proclamation and Order have been extended and remain in effect; andWHEREAS, as of October 12, 2020 there have occurred in Reno County seven (7) confirmed deaths from COVID-19, 1446 positive cases, 321 current active positive cases, 58 total COVID-19 admissions to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center and 29 total admissions to its Intensive Care Unit; andWHEREAS, in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Reno County Local Health Officer, all recommend implementation of community mitigation strategies to increase containment of the virus, including restricting large gatherings and social distancing in smaller gatherings; andNOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED by the Interim Local Health Officer, pursuant to the above authorities, that:1. Effective at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14th, 2020 all public or private mass gatherings as defined below, are prohibited within the border of Reno County.a. The phrase “mass gathering” as used in this order means any planned or spontaneous, indoor and outdoor, public or private event or convening that will bring together or is likely to bring together 100 or more people in a confined or enclosed space at the same time.b. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, mass gatherings at auditoriums, theaters, movie theaters, museums, arenas, conference rooms, meeting halls, exhibition centers, taverns, health and fitness centers, recreation centers, and licensed pools.2. The following activities or facilities are exempt from the prohibition of this order:a. Operations of the United States Government;i. Military and National Guard facilitiesii. Department of Correctionsiti. Law Enforcementiv. Polling Placesb. Religious gatherings, as long as attendees engage in appropriate social distancing;c. Public, private, or charter schools for instructional purposes;d. Any facility being used as part of a government or community response to a natural disaster;e. Public buildings where large numbers of people are present but are generally not within 6 ft. of one another for more than 10 minutes;f. Public and private businesses that employ more than 100 people; provided, reasonable efforts must be made to social distance by 6 feet in work and break areas.g. Hospitals and medical facilities;i. Long Term Care facilitiesii. Assisted Livingh. Shopping malls and other retail establishments where large numbers of people are present but are generally not within 6 ft. of one another for more than 10 minutes;i. Arenas where large numbers of people are present but are generally not within 6 ft. of one another for more than 10 minutes, and are able to maintain social distancing when seated by more than 6 ft. when not seated with their family units;j. Outdoor stadiums where large numbers of people are present but are generally not within 6 feet of one another for more than 10 minutes and are able to social distance when seated by more than 6 ft. when not seated with their family units.3. Businesses are encouraged to comply with the Governor’s mask and face covering mandate.This Order shall become effective as of 12:01 A.M. on October 14, 2020 and shall remain in effect until amended or rescinded. This Order may be modified as circumstances dictate.

New public-health order limits mass gatherings in Reno Co.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Prosecutors are asking the Missouri State Highway Patrol to investigate the police shooting of an unarmed Black man in Kansas City.

Mike Mansur, a spokesman for the Jackson County, Missouri, prosecutor’s office, said Tuesday that Kansas City police recently submitted the findings from their investigation into the shooting of Donnie Sanders. But Mansur said prosecutors still wanted an outside agency involved, even though Sanders was killed in March, before the patrol began to investigate Kansas City police shootings.

“It is clear, I am guessing, why we don't want people investigating themselves, so we need to make sure we have the best investigation that we can have," Mansur said.

Police said at the time that Sanders raised his arms “as though he had a weapon" as he ran away from a traffic stop. An officer then ordered him to get on the ground and fired when Sanders didn’t follow the commands, police said.

One of Sanders’ sisters, Reshonda Sanders, said her brother had been released from the hospital just one day earlier after undergoing hernia surgery. “We knew he was in intense pain," she said, suggesting he may have been moving slowly. He was 47.

Kansas City Police spokesman Capt. David Jackson said the department is not naming the officer because no charges have been filed. He declined to comment further, saying police have an agreement with the prosecutor not to comment on active cases.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Prosecutors are asking the Missouri State Highway Patrol to investigate the police shooting of an unarmed Black man in Kansas City.Mike Mansur, a spokesman for the Jackson County, Missouri, prosecutor’s office, said Tuesday that Kansas City police recently submitted the findings from their investigation into the shooting of Donnie Sanders. But Mansur said prosecutors still wanted an outside agency involved, even though Sanders was killed in March, before the patrol began to investigate Kansas City police shootings.“It is clear, I am guessing, why we don't want people investigating themselves, so we need to make sure we have the best investigation that we can have," Mansur said.Police said at the time that Sanders raised his arms “as though he had a weapon" as he ran away from a traffic stop. An officer then ordered him to get on the ground and fired when Sanders didn’t follow the commands, police said.One of Sanders’ sisters, Reshonda Sanders, said her brother had been released from the hospital just one day earlier after undergoing hernia surgery. “We knew he was in intense pain," she said, suggesting he may have been moving slowly. He was 47.Kansas City Police spokesman Capt. David Jackson said the department is not naming the officer because no charges have been filed. He declined to comment further, saying police have an agreement with the prosecutor not to comment on active cases.

Patrol asked to investigate shooting of unarmed Black man

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly held a press conference Tuesday to give an update regarding COVID-19 in Kansas.

She said Kansas has officially joined a group of 5 states, 21 municipalities, and 2 Native American tribes participating in the bipartisan Rockefeller Foundation COVID-19 Testing Solutions Group. 

By participating in this group, Kansas will create a strong web of COVID-19 testing information that stretches across the country, strengthen our efforts to remain up-to-date on best testing practices, and provide them to our communities across Kansas.

Kansas recorded another record spike in COVID-19 cases and saw an average of 736 new cases for the seven days ending Monday, or 9.8% higher than the previous record of 671 set for the seven days ending Friday.

Since Friday, the state added 2,055 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases, an increase of 3.1%, to bring the total for the pandemic to 67,862. The number of COVID-19-related deaths increased by eight to 771.

The actual number of cases is thought to be much higher because people can be infected without feeling ill or they may have only minor symptoms, and because of a lack of testing, particularly early in the pandemic.

Among the cases, health officials are blaming 100 outbreaks on K-12 schools, colleges and athletics, with 1,452 infections. Rural areas that were initially spared have been adding cases steadily.

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly held a press conference Tuesday to give an update regarding COVID-19 in Kansas.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F2772924946299136%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>She said Kansas has officially joined a group of 5 states, 21 municipalities, and 2 Native American tribes participating in the bipartisan Rockefeller Foundation COVID-19 Testing Solutions Group. By participating in this group, Kansas will create a strong web of COVID-19 testing information that stretches across the country, strengthen our efforts to remain up-to-date on best testing practices, and provide them to our communities across Kansas.Kansas recorded another record spike in COVID-19 cases and saw an average of 736 new cases for the seven days ending Monday, or 9.8% higher than the previous record of 671 set for the seven days ending Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602525409637.png" alt="Monday Oct. 12, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday Oct. 12, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Since Friday, the state added 2,055 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases, an increase of 3.1%, to bring the total for the pandemic to 67,862. The number of COVID-19-related deaths increased by eight to 771.The actual number of cases is thought to be much higher because people can be infected without feeling ill or they may have only minor symptoms, and because of a lack of testing, particularly early in the pandemic.Among the cases, health officials are blaming 100 outbreaks on K-12 schools, colleges and athletics, with 1,452 infections. Rural areas that were initially spared have been adding cases steadily.

🎥 Governor details unified virus testing strategy

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-donald-trump-confirmation-hearings-health-63a2f915b62cf3281f66e80fea9c20e1">the Senate confirmation hearings</a>&nbsp;for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett (all times local):

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/?476316/supreme-court-nominee-amy-coney-barrett-confirmation-hearing-day-2&amp;live">CLICK here</a>&nbsp;to watch day 2 of the confirmation hearing that began at 8a.m. CDT

The second day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett is finished after nearly 12 hours.

GOP senators are moving at a breakneck pace to confirm Barrett ahead of the Nov. 3 election. President Donald Trump nominated her just days after the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Sept. 18.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602594185937.png" alt="On Tuesday, Senate Judiciary Committee members began questioning Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett. -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>On Tuesday, Senate Judiciary Committee members began questioning Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett. -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-donald-trump-confirmation-hearings-health-63a2f915b62cf3281f66e80fea9c20e1">the Senate confirmation hearings</a>&nbsp;for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett (all times local):<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/?476316/supreme-court-nominee-amy-coney-barrett-confirmation-hearing-day-2&amp;live">CLICK here</a>&nbsp;to watch day 2 of the confirmation hearing that began at 8a.m. CDTThe second day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett is finished after nearly 12 hours.GOP senators are moving at a breakneck pace to confirm Barrett ahead of the Nov. 3 election. President Donald Trump nominated her just days after the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Sept. 18.Barrett told Senate Judiciary Committee members she could not say whether she’d rule to overturn the Affordable Care Act if it came before the court, or what she would do on other major culture-war issues like abortion or same-sex marriage. She said she would first need to read the litigation and confer with her colleagues before she could make any decisions.One of Democrats’ biggest fears is that Barrett’s all-but-certain confirmation by the Republican-controlled Senate would create a 6-3 conservative majority on the court that could well overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.She will be questioned again Wednesday.Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett says she doesn’t consider the high court’s Roe v. Wade decision on abortion a “super-precedent” that can’t be overruled.Barrett said the court’s 1973 ruling that affirmed the right to abortion isn’t in the same category as the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which declared segregated public schools unconstitutional.Barrett said in an exchange with Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar that the Roe decision does not have the same secure place in the law as Brown v. Board of Education.Barrett says no one talks about overturning the Brown decision. But she says all the questions she’s gotten in her confirmation hearing about her views of abortion “indicates Roe doesn’t fall in that category.” She says it’s “not a case that’s universally accepted.”President Donald Trump has said he would appoint justices who would overturn a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion. Democrats worry that the court could have enough anti-abortion justices to threaten abortion rights if Barrett is confirmed.--------WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;nominee Amy Coney Barrett is facing senators’ questions over her approach to health care, legal precedent and even the presidential election during a second day of confirmation hearings on track to lock in a conservative court majority for years to come.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/?476316/supreme-court-nominee-amy-coney-barrett-confirmation-hearing-day-2&amp;live">CLICK here</a> to watch day 2 of the confirmation hearing that began at 8a.m. CDTThe mood is likely to shift to a more confrontational tone as Barrett, an appellate court judge with very little trial court experience, is grilled in 30-minute segments Tuesday by Democrats gravely opposed to President Donald Trump’s nominee, yet virtually powerless to stop her rise. Republicans are rushing her to confirmation before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2020">Election Day</a>.“This should not be President Trump’s judge,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Democrats say the winner of the presidential election should choose the nominee.“This should be your judge,” she said.Barrett presented her approach to the law as conservative and fair on Monday at the start of fast-tracked confirmation hearings. Democrats cast her as a threat to Americans’ health care coverage during the coronavirus pandemic.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602594320998.png" alt="Judge Barrett's family sitting near her on Tuesday morning -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Judge Barrett's family sitting near her on Tuesday morning -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>With her husband and six of their seven children behind her in a hearing room off-limits to the public and altered for COVID-19 risks, Barrett delivered views at odds with the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ruth-bader-ginsburg">Ruth Bader Ginsburg</a>, the liberal icon whose seat Trump nominated her to fill, laying out a judicial philosophy she has likened to that of her conservative mentor, the late Justice Antonin Scalia.“Courts are not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life,” declared the 48-year-old federal appeals court judge, removing the protective mask she wore most of the day to read from a prepared statement.Americans “deserve an independent Supreme Court that interprets our Constitution and laws as they are written,” Barrett told the committee.The Senate, led by Trump’s Republican allies, is pushing Barrett’s nomination to a quick vote before Nov. 3, and ahead of the the latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act, which the Supreme Court is to hear a week after the election.Republicans also hope to seat Barrett quickly enough to hear any legal challenges after the election. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut was among several Democrats demanding that Barrett pledge not to take part in any election case. She has made no such commitment.Ginsburg’s legacy was felt throughout the hearing, with some Democrats wearing lapel pins with her likeness. Barrett also praised the liberal icon, saying she was “forever grateful” for Ginsburg’s trailblazing path as a woman on the court.Yet Sen. Kamala Harris of California, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s running mate, warned that Barrett’s nomination puts in jeopardy everything Ginsburg fought to protect.Testifying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-donald-trump-pandemics-confirmation-hearings-d7642721666d8660a30e0c451499064e">from her office because of the pandemic</a>, Harris said that the court is “often the last refuge for equal justice” and that not only health care but voting rights, workers’ rights, abortion rights and the very idea of justice are at stake.Barring a dramatic development, Republicans appear to have the votes to confirm Barrett to a lifetime seat on the Supreme Court, and they spent their time portraying her as a thoughtful judge with impeccable credentials. She would be Trump’s third justice.“She is a slam dunk” based on her qualifications, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the committee chairman, told reporters late in the day. Barrett received the highest rating — “well-qualified” — from the American Bar Association, though she is the first nominee since Clarence Thomas who did not receive a unanimous assessment.Underscoring the Republicans’ confidence, Graham set an initial committee vote on the nomination for Thursday, even before the last day of hearings wrapped, which would allow final approval by the panel for one week later and a vote for confirmation by the full Senate on Oct. 26.One after another, Democrats sought Monday to tie her nomination to the upcoming Obama-era health care case.Republicans lambasted Democrats for attacking Barrett’s Catholic religion, although none actually did.Some senators took part remotely, after two committee Republicans, Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, tested positive for the novel coronavirus 10 days ago.Lee was present in the hearing room, bearing a doctor’s note saying he didn’t need to remain isolated. Tillis took part remotely, but his spokesman said he also was free of symptoms.Protesters rallied outside the Senate buildings with the hearing room largely closed to the public.The start of the four-day hearings followed a White House event announcing her nomination just over two weeks ago, in which most of the audience did not wear masks. The event has been labeled a “superspreader” for the virus.More than two dozen people linked to the Sept. 26 Rose Garden event, including the two GOP senators, have contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. Barrett and her family went maskless at the event. She and her husband, Jesse, tested positive for the virus earlier this year and recovered, administration officials have said.Democrats already were enraged that Republicans are moving so quickly, having refused to consider President Barack Obama’s nominee after Scalia’s death in February 2016, well before that year’s election.___