KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas law that prohibits electioneering within a 250-foot buffer zone of a polling location is constitutional and does not infringe on the First Amendment, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter dismissed the lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas against Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt and the Johnson County election commissioner.

In her ruling, Teeter cited a U.S. Supreme Court decision, Burson v. Freemen, that rejected a challenge to a similar Tennessee statute. The nation’s highest court found that a buffer zone at polling places was necessary to protect the fundamental right “of an election free from the taint of intimidation and fraud.”

Teeter noted the Kansas electioneering has also stood unchallenged for nearly 60 years, and that all 50 states have similar laws.

“I appreciate Judge Teeter’s ruling that the Constitution permits, and history and common sense favor, these sorts of laws that preserve the right to vote and ensure the integrity of Kansas elections,” Schmidt said in a news release. “These laws permit all eligible voters to make their voices heard without intimidation, which goes to the heart and soul of our democratic process.”

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas law that prohibits electioneering within a 250-foot buffer zone of a polling location is constitutional and does not infringe on the First Amendment, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter dismissed the lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas against Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt and the Johnson County election commissioner.In her ruling, Teeter cited a U.S. Supreme Court decision, Burson v. Freemen, that rejected a challenge to a similar Tennessee statute. The nation’s highest court found that a buffer zone at polling places was necessary to protect the fundamental right “of an election free from the taint of intimidation and fraud.”Teeter noted the Kansas electioneering has also stood unchallenged for nearly 60 years, and that all 50 states have similar laws.“I appreciate Judge Teeter’s ruling that the Constitution permits, and history and common sense favor, these sorts of laws that preserve the right to vote and ensure the integrity of Kansas elections,” Schmidt said in a news release. “These laws permit all eligible voters to make their voices heard without intimidation, which goes to the heart and soul of our democratic process.”

Judge rules Kansas polling site buffer zone constitutional

SHAWNEE COUNTY–Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on numerous charges after a a crash.

Just before 2a.m. Wednesday, sheriff's deputies responded to report&nbsp;of a single vehicle rollover accident in the 7200 block of NW U.S. 75 Highway, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 Upon arrival, deputies found two individuals trapped inside a&nbsp; 2007 Chevrolet Trail Blazer in the ditch. Soldier Township Fire Department assisted in extricating both occupants.

American Medical Response transported both occupants including a&nbsp;38-year-old female passenger to the University of Kansas Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries, according to Christian.

During the investigation, deputies discovered that the driver, Christopher J. Clay, 42, of Topeka, had a felony warrant for his arrest out of Shawnee County. Clay, a convicted felon, was also in possession of a firearm. 

Clay is facing requested charges of driving under the influence (DUI), aggravated battery, driving while suspended and improper driving &nbsp;on a laned-roadway, failure to wear a seat belt and felon in possession of a firearm, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602154898981.png" alt="Clay photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Clay photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY–Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on numerous charges after a a crash.Just before 2a.m. Wednesday, sheriff's deputies responded to report&nbsp;of a single vehicle rollover accident in the 7200 block of NW U.S. 75 Highway, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Upon arrival, deputies found two individuals trapped inside a&nbsp; 2007 Chevrolet Trail Blazer in the ditch. Soldier Township Fire Department assisted in extricating both occupants.American Medical Response transported both occupants including a&nbsp;38-year-old female passenger to the University of Kansas Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries, according to Christian.During the investigation, deputies discovered that the driver, Christopher J. Clay, 42, of Topeka, had a felony warrant for his arrest out of Shawnee County. Clay, a convicted felon, was also in possession of a firearm. Clay is facing requested charges of driving under the influence (DUI), aggravated battery, driving while suspended and improper driving &nbsp;on a laned-roadway, failure to wear a seat belt and felon in possession of a firearm, according to Christian.------

Wanted Kan. felon injured, arrested after violent rollover crash

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican legislators signed off Wednesday on Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s request to extend a state of emergency for the coronavirus pandemic as the state set another record for COVID-19-related hospitalizations.

Eight leaders of the GOP-controlled Legislature, six of them Republicans, quickly and unanimously approved Kelly’s plan to extend the state of emergency until Nov. 15. Under a law enacted in June, top lawmakers must consider an extension once a month, and without their approval, the state of emergency would have expired Oct. 15, possibly hindering the ability of the state to move supplies and personnel around.

Wednesday’s meeting was in sharp contrast to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-kansas-virus-outbreak-topeka-archive-9436c3901c2eaaf3ae46d1763804bed9">a contentious one last month,</a>&nbsp;when top Republican leaders extracted a public promise from Kelly not to try to close businesses statewide again as she did in the spring. GOP leaders and the governor have been at odds for months over her handling of the pandemic and have forced her to accept local control over mandating mask-wearing, reopening schools and restricting businesses and public gatherings.

The state Department of Health and Environment reported that had another 1,244 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases since Monday, an increase of 2%, to bring the pandemic total to 63,952. The state averaged 600 new cases a day during the seven-day period ending Wednesday.

“It’s really time that we need to work to unite together as people. We need to fight this virus and not fight with each other,” Dr. Lee Norman, the head of the state health department, said during a Statehouse news conference. “The number of cases being hospitalized is increasing. It’s because we’re having so many more total cases.”

The health department also reported 85 new coronavirus-related hospitalizations since Monday, an increase of 2.8% for a pandemic total of 3,121. The state averaged 29.14 new hospitalizations a day for the seven days ending Wednesday, nearly 11% higher than the previous record of 26.29 for the seven days ending Monday.

Hospitalizations represent about 4.9% of the reported cases, and that percentage has fallen over time after being as high as 25% during the first weeks after the pandemic reached Kansas in early March.

The record for the rolling seven-day average for new hospitalizations comes as state braces for the worst of its annual flu season this winter. Norman acknowledged the possibility that this year’s flu season will light, partly because the coronavirus has prompted more mask wearing but expressed concern about dealing both with COVID-19 and the flu.

“Both the flu and COVID-19 will be spreading this fall,” Norman said. “Our hospital resources are going to be strained this fall and winter.”

COVID-19-related deaths have continued to represent about 1.1% of total cases. The state health department reported another 17 since Monday, to bring the total for the pandemic to 723.

Nine of the 10 counties seeing the largest increase in confirmed and probable cases during the past two weeks were rural counties in central or western Kansas with fewer than 7,200 residents.

Six were in northwest Kansas, led by Rawlins County, one of the last two in the state to report its first case. There, the number of cases increased from 20 to 67 in two weeks, or by 18.58 cases for every 1,000 residents. That’s more than six times state’s increase over the past two weeks was 3.0 cases per 1,000 residents.

“That’s the nature of community spread,” Norman said. “When there are weddings and funerals and schools, and extra-curricular activities, that’s exactly how it spreads.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602120875975.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during Monday's COVID-19 new conference in Topeka" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during Monday's COVID-19 new conference in Topeka</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican legislators signed off Wednesday on Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s request to extend a state of emergency for the coronavirus pandemic as the state set another record for COVID-19-related hospitalizations.Eight leaders of the GOP-controlled Legislature, six of them Republicans, quickly and unanimously approved Kelly’s plan to extend the state of emergency until Nov. 15. Under a law enacted in June, top lawmakers must consider an extension once a month, and without their approval, the state of emergency would have expired Oct. 15, possibly hindering the ability of the state to move supplies and personnel around.Wednesday’s meeting was in sharp contrast to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-kansas-virus-outbreak-topeka-archive-9436c3901c2eaaf3ae46d1763804bed9">a contentious one last month,</a>&nbsp;when top Republican leaders extracted a public promise from Kelly not to try to close businesses statewide again as she did in the spring. GOP leaders and the governor have been at odds for months over her handling of the pandemic and have forced her to accept local control over mandating mask-wearing, reopening schools and restricting businesses and public gatherings.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602090349295.png" alt="Wednesday Oct. 7, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Oct. 7, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The state Department of Health and Environment reported that had another 1,244 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases since Monday, an increase of 2%, to bring the pandemic total to 63,952. The state averaged 600 new cases a day during the seven-day period ending Wednesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602153042124.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman responds to questions during his Wednesday press briefing in Topeka." />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman responds to questions during his Wednesday press briefing in Topeka.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKDHEnews%2Fvideos%2F346905849722977%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>“It’s really time that we need to work to unite together as people. We need to fight this virus and not fight with each other,” Dr. Lee Norman, the head of the state health department, said during a Statehouse news conference. “The number of cases being hospitalized is increasing. It’s because we’re having so many more total cases.”The health department also reported 85 new coronavirus-related hospitalizations since Monday, an increase of 2.8% for a pandemic total of 3,121. The state averaged 29.14 new hospitalizations a day for the seven days ending Wednesday, nearly 11% higher than the previous record of 26.29 for the seven days ending Monday.Hospitalizations represent about 4.9% of the reported cases, and that percentage has fallen over time after being as high as 25% during the first weeks after the pandemic reached Kansas in early March.The record for the rolling seven-day average for new hospitalizations comes as state braces for the worst of its annual flu season this winter. Norman acknowledged the possibility that this year’s flu season will light, partly because the coronavirus has prompted more mask wearing but expressed concern about dealing both with COVID-19 and the flu.“Both the flu and COVID-19 will be spreading this fall,” Norman said. “Our hospital resources are going to be strained this fall and winter.”COVID-19-related deaths have continued to represent about 1.1% of total cases. The state health department reported another 17 since Monday, to bring the total for the pandemic to 723.Nine of the 10 counties seeing the largest increase in confirmed and probable cases during the past two weeks were rural counties in central or western Kansas with fewer than 7,200 residents.Six were in northwest Kansas, led by Rawlins County, one of the last two in the state to report its first case. There, the number of cases increased from 20 to 67 in two weeks, or by 18.58 cases for every 1,000 residents. That’s more than six times state’s increase over the past two weeks was 3.0 cases per 1,000 residents.“That’s the nature of community spread,” Norman said. “When there are weddings and funerals and schools, and extra-curricular activities, that’s exactly how it spreads.”___

🎥  State of emergency extended as virus hospitalizations spike

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Trading barbs through plexiglass shields, Republican Mike Pence and Democrat Kamala Harris turned the only vice presidential debate of 2020 into a dissection of the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with Harris labeling it “the greatest failure of any presidential administration.”

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/debates/">CLICK here</a>&nbsp;to watch the debate replay

Pence, who leads the president’s coronavirus task force, acknowledged that “our nation’s gone through a very challenging time this year,” yet vigorously defended the administration’s overall response to a pandemic that has killed 210,000 Americans.

The meeting, which was far more civil than last week’s chaotic faceoff between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, unfolded against an outbreak of coronavirus now hitting the highest levels of the U.S. government. Trump spent three days at the hospital before returning to the White House on Monday, and more than a dozen White House and Pentagon officials are also infected, forcing even more into quarantine.

With less than four weeks before Election Day, the debate was one of the final opportunities for Trump and Pence to reset a contest that could be slipping away. They’re hoping to move the campaign’s focus away from the virus, but the president’s infection — and his downplaying of the consequences — are making that challenging.

Trump and Biden are scheduled to debate again on Oct. 15, though the status of that meeting is unclear. The president has said he wants to attend, but Biden says it shouldn’t move forward if Trump still has coronavirus.

Republicans desperately want to cast the race as a choice between two candidates fighting to move the country in vastly different directions. Biden and Harris, they say, would pursue a far-left agenda bordering on socialism; the Democrats say Trump’s administration will stoke racial and other divides, torpedo health care for people who aren’t wealthy and otherwise undercut national strength.

Harris, 55, made history by becoming the first Black woman to stand on a vice presidential debate stage. She condemned the police killings of Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and George Floyd in Minnesota and spoke about the protests against racial injustice in policing that followed, which Trump has portrayed as “riots” as he calls for law-and-order.

“We are never going to condone violence but we must always fight for the values that we hold dear,” Harris said. “I’m a former career prosecutor. I know what I’m talking about. Bad cops are bad for good cops.”

Pence, 61, said his heart breaks for Taylor’s family but he trusts the U.S. justice system. He called it “remarkable” that Harris, as a former attorney general and prosecutor, would question the grand jury’s decision in the case not to charge an officer with killing her.

He also pushed back against the existence of systemic racism in police departments and rejected the idea that law enforcement officers have a bias against minorities.

“I want everyone to know who puts on the uniform of law enforcement every day, President Trump and I stand with you,” Pence said. “We don’t have to choose between supporting law enforcement, proving public safety and supporting our African American neighbors.”

The candidates also clashed on taxes -- or specifically, Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns four years after repeatedly promising to do so. The New York Times reported last month that the president pays very little personal income tax but owes hundreds of millions of dollars in debt.

“It’d be really good to know who the president owes money to,” Harris said.

“The one thing we know about Joe, he puts it all out there. He is honest, he is forthright,” she added. “Donald Trump, on the other hand, has been about covering up everything.”

Pence defended Trump as a job creator who has paid more than his fair share of taxes and shifted toward Biden: “On Day One, Joe Biden’s going to raise your taxes.”

Both candidates sidestepped difficult questions at times.

Pence refused to say whether climate change was an existential threat or whether Trump would accept the election results should he lose, while Harris declined to say whether Biden would push to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court.

But so long as the coronavirus is ravaging the White House and killing several hundred Americans each day, the campaign will almost certainly be a referendum on the Trump administration’s inability to control the pandemic, which Republicans have sought to downplay or ignore altogether for several months.

Pence’s effort to focus on other topics was undercut by the mere fact that the candidates and moderator were separated by plexiglass shields, seated more than 12 feet apart and facing a crowd of masked audience members who faced expulsion if they removed their face coverings. The candidates on stage revealed test results earlier in the day proving they were not infected.

While the audience was forced to wear face masks throughout, second lady Karen Pence removed her mask as she joined her husband on stage at the end of the debate.

Though the night was about Pence and Harris, the men at the top of the ticket also made their presence known.

Trump released a video just three hours before the debate calling his diagnosis “a blessing in disguise” because it shed light on an experimental antibody combination that he credited for his improved condition — though neither he nor his doctors have a way of knowing whether the drug had that effect.

He tweeted several times during the debate, offering this assessment at one point: “Mike Pence is doing GREAT! She is a gaffe machine.”

Biden too kept a stream of tweets going; he posted his plans for confronting the virus, shared clips from the debate exchanges and praised Harris, who he said “is showing the American people why I chose her as my running mate.”

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Separated by plexiglass barriers, Republican Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic challenger Kamala Harris on Wednesday night sparred over the Trump administration’s handling of the pandemic.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/debates/">CLICK here</a>&nbsp;to watch the debate or a replay

Harris condemned the Republican president’s leadership of the worst public health crisis in a century as “the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country.” She also declared she would not take a vaccine if President Donald Trump endorsed it without the backing of medical professionals.

Pence, who leads the president’s coronavirus task force, acknowledged that “our nation’s gone through a very challenging time this year.”

But he added, “I want the American people to know, from the very first day, President Trump has put the health of America first,” Pence said, promising millions of doses of a yet-to-be-announced treatment before the end of the year.

He also condemned Harris’ skepticism of Trump’s bragging about vaccines-to-be: “Senator, I ask you: Stop playing politics with peoples’ lives.”

There were heated exchanges early on, but overall it was a far more respectful affair than the opening presidential debate eight days earlier. While Trump was the aggressor then, butting in and almost yelling, Pence demonstrated the discipline and Midwestern folksy style he is known for.

The candidates debated in an auditorium where any guest who refused to wear a face mask was to be asked to leave, an extraordinary backdrop for the only vice presidential debate of 2020.

Ultimately, the prime-time meeting was a chance for voters to decide whether Pence or Harris, a U.S. senator from California, is ready to assume the duties of the presidency before the end of the next term. It’s hardly a theoretical question: President Donald Trump, 74, is recovering from the coronavirus, and 77-year-old Joe Biden has not been infected but would be the oldest president ever.

For those reasons and more, the debate at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City shaped up as the most meaningful vice presidential debate in recent memory. It came at a precarious moment for the Republicans in particular, with growing concern that Trump’s position is weakening as more than a dozen senior officials across the White House, the Pentagon and inside his campaign are infected with the virus or in quarantine.

Trailing in polls, Trump and Pence have no time to lose; Election Day is less than four weeks away, and millions of Americans are already casting ballots.

Before Harris said a word, she made history by becoming the first Black woman to stand on a vice presidential debate stage. The night offered her a prime opportunity to energize would-be voters who have shown only modest excitement about Biden, a lifelong politician with a mixed record on race and criminal justice, particularly in his early years in the Senate.

Harris, 55, is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother. She is also a former prosecutor whose pointed questioning of Trump’s appointees and court nominees helped make her a Democratic star.

Pence is a 61-year-old former Indiana governor and ex-radio host, an evangelical Christian known for his folksy charm and unwavering loyalty to Trump. And while he is Trump’s biggest public defender, the vice president does not share the president’s brash tone or undisciplined style.

While the debate covered a range of topics, the virus was at the forefront.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The stage in Utah has been set with all the trappings of a modern political debate: Red, white and blue carpets, a backdrop of the Declaration of Independence — and plexiglass.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/debates/">CLICK here</a>&nbsp;to watch the debate 8p.m. CDT

The clear partitions that will divide Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris in Wednesday’s vice presidential debate in Salt Lake City are a late addition that serve as a clear reminder that the coronavirus pandemic rages on less than a month before the Nov. 3 election. The two candidates will sit in desks spaced more than 12 feet (3.7 meters) apart, and each desk will have a partition on the side facing the other candidate.

The partitions caused a stir: Harris’ team requested they be used after President Donald Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19 shortly after his first presidential debate against Democrat Joe Biden. Pence’s team, meanwhile, insisted they were not medically necessary, an objection that came as Trump returned to the White House. The Trump campaign is trying to move past the virus despite the president’s own diagnosis.

Other reminders that these are not normal times for a vice presidential debate: 20 chairs for guests are spaced roughly 6 feet (1.8 meters) apart in the debate hall, a performing arts center on the University of Utah campus. Additional guests will be seated in traditional theater seats, though they will have to sit spaced apart. Everyone will be required to wear a mask. Even the network TV cameras have plexiglass wrapping on the sides and back.

But the moderator, Susan Page of USA Today, does not. The existence of barriers between Harris and Pence — but not between the candidates and Page — serves as a visual cue from Democrats that sharing the stage with Pence is the primary concern.

Both Harris and Pence tested negative for the virus on Tuesday, their respective teams said. A number of members of the Trump administration are continuing to test positive.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602120146783.png" alt="Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic challenger Kamala Harris image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic challenger Kamala Harris image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Trading barbs through plexiglass shields, Republican Mike Pence and Democrat Kamala Harris turned the only vice presidential debate of 2020 into a dissection of the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with Harris labeling it “the greatest failure of any presidential administration.”<a href="https://www.c-span.org/debates/">CLICK here</a>&nbsp;to watch the debate replayPence, who leads the president’s coronavirus task force, acknowledged that “our nation’s gone through a very challenging time this year,” yet vigorously defended the administration’s overall response to a pandemic that has killed 210,000 Americans.The meeting, which was far more civil than last week’s chaotic faceoff between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, unfolded against an outbreak of coronavirus now hitting the highest levels of the U.S. government. Trump spent three days at the hospital before returning to the White House on Monday, and more than a dozen White House and Pentagon officials are also infected, forcing even more into quarantine.With less than four weeks before Election Day, the debate was one of the final opportunities for Trump and Pence to reset a contest that could be slipping away. They’re hoping to move the campaign’s focus away from the virus, but the president’s infection — and his downplaying of the consequences — are making that challenging.Trump and Biden are scheduled to debate again on Oct. 15, though the status of that meeting is unclear. The president has said he wants to attend, but Biden says it shouldn’t move forward if Trump still has coronavirus.Republicans desperately want to cast the race as a choice between two candidates fighting to move the country in vastly different directions. Biden and Harris, they say, would pursue a far-left agenda bordering on socialism; the Democrats say Trump’s administration will stoke racial and other divides, torpedo health care for people who aren’t wealthy and otherwise undercut national strength.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a>, you made us all proud tonight.&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1314034535890378752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Harris, 55, made history by becoming the first Black woman to stand on a vice presidential debate stage. She condemned the police killings of Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and George Floyd in Minnesota and spoke about the protests against racial injustice in policing that followed, which Trump has portrayed as “riots” as he calls for law-and-order.“We are never going to condone violence but we must always fight for the values that we hold dear,” Harris said. “I’m a former career prosecutor. I know what I’m talking about. Bad cops are bad for good cops.”Pence, 61, said his heart breaks for Taylor’s family but he trusts the U.S. justice system. He called it “remarkable” that Harris, as a former attorney general and prosecutor, would question the grand jury’s decision in the case not to charge an officer with killing her.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Mike Pence WON BIG!&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1314037081392525312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>He also pushed back against the existence of systemic racism in police departments and rejected the idea that law enforcement officers have a bias against minorities.“I want everyone to know who puts on the uniform of law enforcement every day, President Trump and I stand with you,” Pence said. “We don’t have to choose between supporting law enforcement, proving public safety and supporting our African American neighbors.”The candidates also clashed on taxes -- or specifically, Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns four years after repeatedly promising to do so. The New York Times reported last month that the president pays very little personal income tax but owes hundreds of millions of dollars in debt.“It’d be really good to know who the president owes money to,” Harris said.“The one thing we know about Joe, he puts it all out there. He is honest, he is forthright,” she added. “Donald Trump, on the other hand, has been about covering up everything.”Pence defended Trump as a job creator who has paid more than his fair share of taxes and shifted toward Biden: “On Day One, Joe Biden’s going to raise your taxes.”Both candidates sidestepped difficult questions at times.Pence refused to say whether climate change was an existential threat or whether Trump would accept the election results should he lose, while Harris declined to say whether Biden would push to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court.But so long as the coronavirus is ravaging the White House and killing several hundred Americans each day, the campaign will almost certainly be a referendum on the Trump administration’s inability to control the pandemic, which Republicans have sought to downplay or ignore altogether for several months.Pence’s effort to focus on other topics was undercut by the mere fact that the candidates and moderator were separated by plexiglass shields, seated more than 12 feet apart and facing a crowd of masked audience members who faced expulsion if they removed their face coverings. The candidates on stage revealed test results earlier in the day proving they were not infected.While the audience was forced to wear face masks throughout, second lady Karen Pence removed her mask as she joined her husband on stage at the end of the debate.Though the night was about Pence and Harris, the men at the top of the ticket also made their presence known.Trump released a video just three hours before the debate calling his diagnosis “a blessing in disguise” because it shed light on an experimental antibody combination that he credited for his improved condition — though neither he nor his doctors have a way of knowing whether the drug had that effect.He tweeted several times during the debate, offering this assessment at one point: “Mike Pence is doing GREAT! She is a gaffe machine.”Biden too kept a stream of tweets going; he posted his plans for confronting the virus, shared clips from the debate exchanges and praised Harris, who he said “is showing the American people why I chose her as my running mate.”___SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Separated by plexiglass barriers, Republican Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic challenger Kamala Harris on Wednesday night sparred over the Trump administration’s handling of the pandemic.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/debates/">CLICK here</a>&nbsp;to watch the debate or a replayHarris condemned the Republican president’s leadership of the worst public health crisis in a century as “the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country.” She also declared she would not take a vaccine if President Donald Trump endorsed it without the backing of medical professionals.Pence, who leads the president’s coronavirus task force, acknowledged that “our nation’s gone through a very challenging time this year.”But he added, “I want the American people to know, from the very first day, President Trump has put the health of America first,” Pence said, promising millions of doses of a yet-to-be-announced treatment before the end of the year.He also condemned Harris’ skepticism of Trump’s bragging about vaccines-to-be: “Senator, I ask you: Stop playing politics with peoples’ lives.”There were heated exchanges early on, but overall it was a far more respectful affair than the opening presidential debate eight days earlier. While Trump was the aggressor then, butting in and almost yelling, Pence demonstrated the discipline and Midwestern folksy style he is known for.The candidates debated in an auditorium where any guest who refused to wear a face mask was to be asked to leave, an extraordinary backdrop for the only vice presidential debate of 2020.Ultimately, the prime-time meeting was a chance for voters to decide whether Pence or Harris, a U.S. senator from California, is ready to assume the duties of the presidency before the end of the next term. It’s hardly a theoretical question: President Donald Trump, 74, is recovering from the coronavirus, and 77-year-old Joe Biden has not been infected but would be the oldest president ever.For those reasons and more, the debate at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City shaped up as the most meaningful vice presidential debate in recent memory. It came at a precarious moment for the Republicans in particular, with growing concern that Trump’s position is weakening as more than a dozen senior officials across the White House, the Pentagon and inside his campaign are infected with the virus or in quarantine.Trailing in polls, Trump and Pence have no time to lose; Election Day is less than four weeks away, and millions of Americans are already casting ballots.Before Harris said a word, she made history by becoming the first Black woman to stand on a vice presidential debate stage. The night offered her a prime opportunity to energize would-be voters who have shown only modest excitement about Biden, a lifelong politician with a mixed record on race and criminal justice, particularly in his early years in the Senate.Harris, 55, is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother. She is also a former prosecutor whose pointed questioning of Trump’s appointees and court nominees helped make her a Democratic star.Pence is a 61-year-old former Indiana governor and ex-radio host, an evangelical Christian known for his folksy charm and unwavering loyalty to Trump. And while he is Trump’s biggest public defender, the vice president does not share the president’s brash tone or undisciplined style.While the debate covered a range of topics, the virus was at the forefront.--------------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602106746915.png" alt="Photo courtesy University of Utah" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy University of Utah</figcaption>
 </figure>SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The stage in Utah has been set with all the trappings of a modern political debate: Red, white and blue carpets, a backdrop of the Declaration of Independence — and plexiglass.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/debates/">CLICK here</a>&nbsp;to watch the debate 8p.m. CDTThe clear partitions that will divide Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris in Wednesday’s vice presidential debate in Salt Lake City are a late addition that serve as a clear reminder that the coronavirus pandemic rages on less than a month before the Nov. 3 election. The two candidates will sit in desks spaced more than 12 feet (3.7 meters) apart, and each desk will have a partition on the side facing the other candidate.The partitions caused a stir: Harris’ team requested they be used after President Donald Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19 shortly after his first presidential debate against Democrat Joe Biden. Pence’s team, meanwhile, insisted they were not medically necessary, an objection that came as Trump returned to the White House. The Trump campaign is trying to move past the virus despite the president’s own diagnosis.Other reminders that these are not normal times for a vice presidential debate: 20 chairs for guests are spaced roughly 6 feet (1.8 meters) apart in the debate hall, a performing arts center on the University of Utah campus. Additional guests will be seated in traditional theater seats, though they will have to sit spaced apart. Everyone will be required to wear a mask. Even the network TV cameras have plexiglass wrapping on the sides and back.But the moderator, Susan Page of USA Today, does not. The existence of barriers between Harris and Pence — but not between the candidates and Page — serves as a visual cue from Democrats that sharing the stage with Pence is the primary concern.Both Harris and Pence tested negative for the virus on Tuesday, their respective teams said. A number of members of the Trump administration are continuing to test positive.

 🎥 VP debate: Pence, Harris face off through plexiglass

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect in connection with alleged human trafficking involving a 17-year-old victim.

On September 29, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol received information from a concerned citizen regarding the possible human trafficking and sexual exploitation of a child, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the evening hours Monday, detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division of the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and multiple law enforcement officers with the Kansas Highway Patrol apprehended David D. Spears, 51, Osawatomie, who&nbsp; attempted to meet with a 17-year-old child at a local motel.&nbsp;

Officers arrested Spears and booked him on requested charges of aggravated human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of a child, according to Christian.

Police also arrested a 17-year-old boy from Topeka on requested charges of commercial sexual exploitation for transporting the victim.

The victim was placed into police protective custody.

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. (SNSO) – Sheriff Brian C. Hill announces a 51-year-old male from

Osawatomie is in custody and facing two felony charges after traveling to Topeka to meet an

On September 29, 2020, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol

received information from a concerned citizen regarding the possible human trafficking and sexual

exploitation of a child. During the evening hours of October 5, 2020, detectives with the Criminal

Investigations Division of the Sheriff’s Office and multiple law enforcement officers with the

Kansas Highway Patrol apprehended one male subject that attempted to meet up with a 17-yearold child at a local motel. The victim was placed into police protective custody.

David D. Spears (51) of Osawatomie was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County

Department of Corrections and charged with two felonies, aggravated human trafficking and

commercial sexual exploitation of a child. A 17-year-old male from Topeka was also arrested and

charged with commercial sexual exploitation for transporting the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602001340452.png" alt="Spears photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Spears photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect in connection with alleged human trafficking involving a 17-year-old victim.On September 29, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol received information from a concerned citizen regarding the possible human trafficking and sexual exploitation of a child, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the evening hours Monday, detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division of the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and multiple law enforcement officers with the Kansas Highway Patrol apprehended David D. Spears, 51, Osawatomie, who&nbsp; attempted to meet with a 17-year-old child at a local motel.&nbsp;Officers arrested Spears and booked him on requested charges of aggravated human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of a child, according to Christian.Police also arrested a 17-year-old boy from Topeka on requested charges of commercial sexual exploitation for transporting the victim.The victim was placed into police protective custody.------SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. (SNSO) – Sheriff Brian C. Hill announces a 51-year-old male fromOsawatomie is in custody and facing two felony charges after traveling to Topeka to meet anunderage child yesterday evening.On September 29, 2020, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrolreceived information from a concerned citizen regarding the possible human trafficking and sexualexploitation of a child. During the evening hours of October 5, 2020, detectives with the CriminalInvestigations Division of the Sheriff’s Office and multiple law enforcement officers with theKansas Highway Patrol apprehended one male subject that attempted to meet up with a 17-yearold child at a local motel. The victim was placed into police protective custody.David D. Spears (51) of Osawatomie was arrested and booked into the Shawnee CountyDepartment of Corrections and charged with two felonies, aggravated human trafficking andcommercial sexual exploitation of a child. A 17-year-old male from Topeka was also arrested andcharged with commercial sexual exploitation for transporting the victim.This investigation is ongoing.

Sheriff: Kansas man attempted to meet teen at motel 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — <a href="https://kcsjcatholic.org/pastoral-letter-preparing-to-vote/">The bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph</a> in Missouri is urging parishioners to vote for candidates who are anti-abortion, which some critics contend amounts to an endorsement of Republican candidates.

<a href="https://kcsjcatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/preparing-to-vote.pdf">In a letter dated Sept. 14,</a> Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. does not endorse a political party or specific candidates. But he says Catholic voters “would do well to weigh a candidate’s position on each of these essential God-given rights that government has a duty to protect, beginning with the right to life.”

Several people posted social media comments suggesting the letter was political campaigning, which violates the principle of the separation of church and state. Others suggested Catholic voters need to consider several issues, not just abortion.

Cynthia Spaeth, a member of the Visitation Parish in Kansas City, said she thought the letter was an endorsement of President Donald Trump.

“I think people should follow the spirit and the letter of the law and he’s not allowed to make endorsements and maintain his tax exemption,” Spaeth said. “So just on that basis it was offensive."

Johnston told KCUR he was only urging parishioners to vote with their conscience.

“And so I mainly wanted to begin there, to review some of the basic, fundamental understanding of what a conscience is and how do you properly form it," he said. "And if you get that right, people then can follow that and make a good decision.”

The letter conforms with the position of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who said in a letter last year that abortion is of “preeminent priority” to the church.

It also follows other Catholic leaders who have written similar letters.

Two weeks ago, Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik urged his parishioners to vote with their conscience based on church teachings.

In September, the Rev. James Altman, a parish priest in La Crosse, Wisconsin, declared in a YouTube video that “you cannot be Catholic and be a Democrat.” La Crosse Bishop William Callahan criticized Altman for entangling the church in scandal.

Roman Catholic voters are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-ruth-bader-ginsburg-pennsylvania-immigration-a3c8a26a15cfbe0d2eb5df225490f960">an important voting bloc</a>&nbsp;in this year’s election, and both parties are appealing for their votes based on their faith. Roman Catholics have voted for the winner in nine out of the last 10 presidential elections.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is a practicing Catholic but he has been criticized by some his support of abortion rights. Trump, who identifies as Presbyterian, rarely attends church and critics say his stance on other social issues conflict with Catholic teachings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602096966976.png" alt="Image courtesy Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — <a href="https://kcsjcatholic.org/pastoral-letter-preparing-to-vote/">The bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph</a> in Missouri is urging parishioners to vote for candidates who are anti-abortion, which some critics contend amounts to an endorsement of Republican candidates.<a href="https://kcsjcatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/preparing-to-vote.pdf">In a letter dated Sept. 14,</a> Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. does not endorse a political party or specific candidates. But he says Catholic voters “would do well to weigh a candidate’s position on each of these essential God-given rights that government has a duty to protect, beginning with the right to life.”Several people posted social media comments suggesting the letter was political campaigning, which violates the principle of the separation of church and state. Others suggested Catholic voters need to consider several issues, not just abortion.Cynthia Spaeth, a member of the Visitation Parish in Kansas City, said she thought the letter was an endorsement of President Donald Trump.“I think people should follow the spirit and the letter of the law and he’s not allowed to make endorsements and maintain his tax exemption,” Spaeth said. “So just on that basis it was offensive."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602097049588.png" alt="Bishop Johnson photo courtesy Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph" />
 <figcaption>Bishop Johnson photo courtesy Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph</figcaption>
 </figure>Johnston told KCUR he was only urging parishioners to vote with their conscience.“And so I mainly wanted to begin there, to review some of the basic, fundamental understanding of what a conscience is and how do you properly form it," he said. "And if you get that right, people then can follow that and make a good decision.”The letter conforms with the position of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who said in a letter last year that abortion is of “preeminent priority” to the church.It also follows other Catholic leaders who have written similar letters.Two weeks ago, Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik urged his parishioners to vote with their conscience based on church teachings.In September, the Rev. James Altman, a parish priest in La Crosse, Wisconsin, declared in a YouTube video that “you cannot be Catholic and be a Democrat.” La Crosse Bishop William Callahan criticized Altman for entangling the church in scandal.Roman Catholic voters are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-ruth-bader-ginsburg-pennsylvania-immigration-a3c8a26a15cfbe0d2eb5df225490f960">an important voting bloc</a>&nbsp;in this year’s election, and both parties are appealing for their votes based on their faith. Roman Catholics have voted for the winner in nine out of the last 10 presidential elections.Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is a practicing Catholic but he has been criticized by some his support of abortion rights. Trump, who identifies as Presbyterian, rarely attends church and critics say his stance on other social issues conflict with Catholic teachings.

Catholic bishop in Kansas City criticized for letter on voting

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender was charged Tuesday with rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 7 p.m. Sept. 22, police were dispatched to a sexual assault case in the 800 block of South Sylvan in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

Upon arrival, a 48-year-old female victim, told police she was walking in the area of Lincoln and Oliver when a suspect later identified as 34-year-old Darrius Johnson approached and grabbed her, forcing her into his Toyota Camry.

Johnson drove the victim to a separate location and sexually assaulted her. Johnson then drove the victim back to Lincoln and Oliver where she was released. Through the investigation and examination of evidence, Johnson was determined to have been involved in the attack. 

Police arrested Johnson October 1, in the 2100 block of South White Oak in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Johnson has a previous felony conviction in 2010 for attempted aggravated sexual battery where victim is overcome by force or fear, according to the KBI offender registry.

At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bond for a separate alleged sex crime, according to Cruz.

Johnson is being held on a&nbsp; bond of $350,000. Attorneys in the case will discuss it on October 22, according to the district attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601842042015.png" alt="Johnson photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender was charged Tuesday with rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 7 p.m. Sept. 22, police were dispatched to a sexual assault case in the 800 block of South Sylvan in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.Upon arrival, a 48-year-old female victim, told police she was walking in the area of Lincoln and Oliver when a suspect later identified as 34-year-old Darrius Johnson approached and grabbed her, forcing her into his Toyota Camry.Johnson drove the victim to a separate location and sexually assaulted her. Johnson then drove the victim back to Lincoln and Oliver where she was released. Through the investigation and examination of evidence, Johnson was determined to have been involved in the attack. Police arrested Johnson October 1, in the 2100 block of South White Oak in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601904705441.png" alt="Johnson-photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Johnson-photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>Johnson has a previous felony conviction in 2010 for attempted aggravated sexual battery where victim is overcome by force or fear, according to the KBI offender registry.At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bond for a separate alleged sex crime, according to Cruz.Johnson is being held on a&nbsp; bond of $350,000. Attorneys in the case will discuss it on October 22, according to the district attorney.

Kansas sex offender charged with rape, kidnapping 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is crediting an experimental drug treatment with helping his recovery from COVID-19 and suggesting his diagnosis could be a “blessing in disguise” for the nation’s battle against the pandemic — even though there is no way for the president or his doctors to know whether the drug had any effect. 

In a new White House video posted Wednesday evening, Trump says his illness has shed light on an experimental antibody cocktail that he credits for his improved condition. He promises to swiftly get the drugs approved for use — and distribute it for free — even though he does not have the power to order that himself.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s physician says the president had been symptom-free for 24 hours and his vital signs have remained stable and in normal range.

Dr. Scott Conley, in a memo, also wrote that Trump, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 five days ago, told him “I feel great!”

Conley didn't detail which medications the president was taking. He says the president has not required any supplemental oxygen since returning to the White House late Monday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is crediting an experimental drug treatment with helping his recovery from COVID-19 and suggesting his diagnosis could be a “blessing in disguise” for the nation’s battle against the pandemic — even though there is no way for the president or his doctors to know whether the drug had any effect. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT! <a href="https://t.co/uhLIcknAjT">pic.twitter.com/uhLIcknAjT</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1313959702104023047?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a new White House video posted Wednesday evening, Trump says his illness has shed light on an experimental antibody cocktail that he credits for his improved condition. He promises to swiftly get the drugs approved for use — and distribute it for free — even though he does not have the power to order that himself.WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s physician says the president had been symptom-free for 24 hours and his vital signs have remained stable and in normal range.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602093409827.png" alt="Courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Dr. Scott Conley, in a memo, also wrote that Trump, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 five days ago, told him “I feel great!”Conley didn't detail which medications the president was taking. He says the president has not required any supplemental oxygen since returning to the White House late Monday.

 🎥  President: Experimental treatment helped his recovery

HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man arrested in January for a 2017 shooting and robbery waived his right to a preliminary hearing and entered guilty pleas to lesser charges.

Maique Rodriguez-Faudoa was charged with attempted first degree murder in the May 2017 shooting of his uncle, Jesus Faudoa.&nbsp; Police found Faudoa shot multiple times at a home in the 700 block of E. 7th Avenue in Hutchinson.&nbsp;

Rodriguez Faudoa then took the victim's cell phone and pickup

Despite his injuries Faudoa was able to recover.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, Rodriguez-Faudoa pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and robbery.&nbsp; &nbsp;Sentencing is set for November 4.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602102069124.jpeg" alt="Rodriguez-Faudoa&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Rodriguez-Faudoa&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man arrested in January for a 2017 shooting and robbery waived his right to a preliminary hearing and entered guilty pleas to lesser charges.Maique Rodriguez-Faudoa was charged with attempted first degree murder in the May 2017 shooting of his uncle, Jesus Faudoa.&nbsp; Police found Faudoa shot multiple times at a home in the 700 block of E. 7th Avenue in Hutchinson.&nbsp;Rodriguez Faudoa then took the victim's cell phone and pickupDespite his injuries Faudoa was able to recover.&nbsp;On Wednesday, Rodriguez-Faudoa pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and robbery.&nbsp; &nbsp;Sentencing is set for November 4.

Kan. man enters plea deal in 2017 shooting of his uncle

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) held a press briefing Wednesday on COVID-19.

Among the topics, he discussed the upcoming flu season and the importance of getting a flu shot shot.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1,244 to a total of 63,952 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 723, an increase of 17.

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

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) held a press briefing Wednesday on COVID-19.Among the topics, he discussed the upcoming flu season and the importance of getting a flu shot shot.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKDHEnews%2Fvideos%2F346905849722977%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 number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1,244 to a total of 63,952 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 723, an increase of 17.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602090349295.png" alt="Wednesday October 7, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday October 7, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1,244 to a total of 63,952 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 723, an increase of 17.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602090349295.png" alt="Wednesday October 7, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday October 7, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

 🎥 Dr. Norman on increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations 

BARTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident Tuesday evening after a crash into the fire department building in Ellinwood.

According to police, a 2005 Chevy Silverado 2500 driven by&nbsp; Dustin Lee Jahay, 35, Ellinwood, was  westbound in the 100 block of West Santa Fe in Ellinwood, left the roadway, struck the east wall of the Fire Department and caught fire. Jahay was trapped in the pickup.&nbsp;

First responders were able to extinguish the fire and extricated Jahay from the vehicle. An air ambulance transported him to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.

The Fire Department's south building and numerous vehicles within the fire department were damaged.

Authorities have not released a dollar estimate on damage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602100276586.jpeg" alt="Tuesday evening crash in Ellinwood" />
 <figcaption>Tuesday evening crash in Ellinwood</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident Tuesday evening after a crash into the fire department building in Ellinwood.According to police, a 2005 Chevy Silverado 2500 driven by&nbsp; Dustin Lee Jahay, 35, Ellinwood, was westbound in the 100 block of West Santa Fe in Ellinwood, left the roadway, struck the east wall of the Fire Department and caught fire. Jahay was trapped in the pickup.&nbsp;First responders were able to extinguish the fire and extricated Jahay from the vehicle. An air ambulance transported him to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.The Fire Department's south building and numerous vehicles within the fire department were damaged.Authorities have not released a dollar estimate on damage.

Kan. man airlifted to hospital after crash into fire station

By STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/it-not-sustainable-kansas-online-teachers-are-overworked-and-quitting">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — Less than a week into the new 
school year, the warning came: The school district’s COVID-19 learning 
plan expected too much from teachers.

“It’s unsustainable,” Greg
 Jones, a representative for the Kansas National Education Association, 
told the Wichita school board. “We don’t think that things can continue 
as they are.”

Public
 schools in Kansas are asking a lot from remote teachers this year. They
 must figure out how to shift their lessons online — without the wiggle 
room granted in the spring. Teachers need to learn new technology. 
Students need help getting their new computers and tablets working, too.

All that must happen while teaching twice as many kids to compensate for the split between in-person and online classes.

Some
 educators warn that they can’t do right by students — or their own 
families — under the current conditions. Unions said teachers are 
already leaving.

“It’s becoming such an overwhelming challenge 
that many teachers are resigning early,” said Marcus Baltzell, the 
spokesperson for the Kansas National Education Association. “Many are 
just outright quitting.”

In Sarah Westbury’s 10 years of teaching, she says she’s never worked this hard.

“It’s honestly not best practice for our students,” she said.

Westbury
 teaches fourth and fifth grade — remotely this year — at Franklin 
Elementary in Wichita. Tech problems have plagued her classes since the 
start of the school year. Students keep getting booted off 
district-provided internet devices. Some kids had never opened a laptop 
before. Teachers still battle with the Microsoft Teams platform.

While
 the tech problems are taking longer than expected to get over, 
educators expect them to get better. Inflated online class sizes are a 
more stubborn issue.

Wichita Public Schools says about 15 
students is the ideal number for a class doing the normal number of 
in-person lessons. But Westbury has nearly 40 kids in one class, which 
she has managed as tiny squares crammed into a computer screen.

In
 Wichita, elementary students were allowed to sign up for in-person 
classes. Middle school and high school students must learn online for 
now. The district needs more teachers for in-person classes to keep them
 small enough to leave room for social distancing. That means the few 
teachers available for online lessons must take on more students, often 
twice the norm.

And those students could come from different 
grades. Westbury teaches both fourth- and fifth-grade students at the 
same time. Some lessons crossover between the grades. Yet as the year 
goes on, what those students are supposed to learn drifts farther and 
farther apart.

Between the class size, the different tech needs 
of each student and teaching two grades at once, Westbury does not 
believe she or other teachers can deliver what’s best for students.

“Lord knows, we’re trying,” Westbury said. “But we definitely can’t sustain this with the staffing that we have.”

They’ve
 made improvements since the spring’s sudden move to remote classes. But
 despite having a summer to prepare, districts didn’t mandate teacher 
training until about <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-teachers-will-get-little-required-training-how-run-classrooms-online" target="_blank">a week before the first day of classes</a>.

Districts
 like Wichita that delayed their start until after Labor Day had more 
time to train teachers for the new school year. But many teachers didn’t
 know if they would be teaching online until just before the first day 
of classes. That left them unsure if they should be spending their 
training time on online classes or if they should focus on in-person 
learning.

On Friday, Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson 
said remote teaching is not sustainable for the rest of the school year 
because the quality just doesn’t match a physical classroom. He 
suggested schools look to outside facilities like hotels and old 
shopping malls to let more students learn in-person while staying six 
feet apart.

Watson said that also requires finding more teachers.
 That includes recruiting retired teachers and making principals take on
 classroom duty.

“Everyone is going to need to be a teacher again,” Watson told the Kansas Association of School Boards. “All hands on deck.”

Kimberly Howard, the president of United Teachers of Wichita, warns of declining mental health of teachers.

“We
 keep telling them you got to take care of yourself,” Howard said. 
“There’s got to be self care and things just might not get done.”

Some teachers are deciding the job’s not worth the stress.

The
 Kansas National Education Association reports it’s getting weekly news 
from its offices across the state of teachers resigning. That’s despite 
many Kansas school districts<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-teachers-could-owe-their-schools-thousands-if-they-quit-over-coronavirus-concerns" target="_blank"> fining teachers thousands of dollars for quitting</a> outside of a specific summer window.

Wichita
 Public Schools administrators acknowledge this is a tough year for 
teachers, but they say they’re working on providing more support for 
teachers.

“We want to support anyone that feels that there’s too 
much on their plate to accomplish what it is they want to accomplish,” 
said Gil Alvarez, assistant principal of secondary schools for Wichita 
Public Schools. “We’re feeling the same change, anxiety from our levels 
as well.”

Some in-person teachers say they’re just happy to be back in the classroom, especially after the online spring struggles.

“My
 stress level is much less being in this building than it was teaching 
from home,” said Rae Lauxman, a preschool teacher at Shaner Early 
Learning Academy in Topeka.

Shaner Early Learning Academy 
Principal La Manda Broyles said the district’s summer preparations let 
the school avoid increasing the workload for in-person teachers.

“We are educating kids in the same way we did last year,” Broyles said.

Circle
 Public Schools, just northeast of Wichita, also said that its teachers 
face more pressure now than in the past. But the district doesn’t have 
the same online classroom size problems that large districts like 
Wichita do.

Despite in-person generally being easier for teachers
 than the online option, some educators at Lawrence Public Schools 
protested Monday the decisions to switch from all remote classes to a 
hybrid model. Members of the Paraeducators Union of Lawrence argued the 
district isn’t being transparent about how to hold physical classes 
safely.

Westbury, the fourth- and fifth-grade teacher in Wichita,
 said she enjoys the challenge of figuring out the tech side of online 
learning. But the long hours have her worried she’ll reach breaking 
point this year.

Westbury said that if remote teachers don’t get 
more help, more will resign before the end of the year. And she might be
 one of them.

“When I start missing out on doctor’s appointments 
and football games and things like that — that’s when I have to say no,”
 Westbury said. “My family comes first.”

Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/stevebisaha">@SteveBisaha</a> or email him at bisaha@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602083986927.png" alt="Chris Neal / Kansas News Service " />
 <figcaption>Chris Neal / Kansas News Service </figcaption>
 </figure>By STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/it-not-sustainable-kansas-online-teachers-are-overworked-and-quitting">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — Less than a week into the new 
school year, the warning came: The school district’s COVID-19 learning 
plan expected too much from teachers.“It’s unsustainable,” Greg
 Jones, a representative for the Kansas National Education Association, 
told the Wichita school board. “We don’t think that things can continue 
as they are.”Public
 schools in Kansas are asking a lot from remote teachers this year. They
 must figure out how to shift their lessons online — without the wiggle 
room granted in the spring. Teachers need to learn new technology. 
Students need help getting their new computers and tablets working, too.All that must happen while teaching twice as many kids to compensate for the split between in-person and online classes.Some
 educators warn that they can’t do right by students — or their own 
families — under the current conditions. Unions said teachers are 
already leaving.“It’s becoming such an overwhelming challenge 
that many teachers are resigning early,” said Marcus Baltzell, the 
spokesperson for the Kansas National Education Association. “Many are 
just outright quitting.”<h2>Overworked</h2>In Sarah Westbury’s 10 years of teaching, she says she’s never worked this hard.“It’s honestly not best practice for our students,” she said.Westbury
 teaches fourth and fifth grade — remotely this year — at Franklin 
Elementary in Wichita. Tech problems have plagued her classes since the 
start of the school year. Students keep getting booted off 
district-provided internet devices. Some kids had never opened a laptop 
before. Teachers still battle with the Microsoft Teams platform.While
 the tech problems are taking longer than expected to get over, 
educators expect them to get better. Inflated online class sizes are a 
more stubborn issue.Wichita Public Schools says about 15 
students is the ideal number for a class doing the normal number of 
in-person lessons. But Westbury has nearly 40 kids in one class, which 
she has managed as tiny squares crammed into a computer screen.In
 Wichita, elementary students were allowed to sign up for in-person 
classes. Middle school and high school students must learn online for 
now. The district needs more teachers for in-person classes to keep them
 small enough to leave room for social distancing. That means the few 
teachers available for online lessons must take on more students, often 
twice the norm.And those students could come from different 
grades. Westbury teaches both fourth- and fifth-grade students at the 
same time. Some lessons crossover between the grades. Yet as the year 
goes on, what those students are supposed to learn drifts farther and 
farther apart.Between the class size, the different tech needs 
of each student and teaching two grades at once, Westbury does not 
believe she or other teachers can deliver what’s best for students.“Lord knows, we’re trying,” Westbury said. “But we definitely can’t sustain this with the staffing that we have.”They’ve
 made improvements since the spring’s sudden move to remote classes. But
 despite having a summer to prepare, districts didn’t mandate teacher 
training until about <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-teachers-will-get-little-required-training-how-run-classrooms-online" target="_blank">a week before the first day of classes</a>.Districts
 like Wichita that delayed their start until after Labor Day had more 
time to train teachers for the new school year. But many teachers didn’t
 know if they would be teaching online until just before the first day 
of classes. That left them unsure if they should be spending their 
training time on online classes or if they should focus on in-person 
learning.On Friday, Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson 
said remote teaching is not sustainable for the rest of the school year 
because the quality just doesn’t match a physical classroom. He 
suggested schools look to outside facilities like hotels and old 
shopping malls to let more students learn in-person while staying six 
feet apart.Watson said that also requires finding more teachers.
 That includes recruiting retired teachers and making principals take on
 classroom duty.“Everyone is going to need to be a teacher again,” Watson told the Kansas Association of School Boards. “All hands on deck.”<h2>Breaking point</h2>Kimberly Howard, the president of United Teachers of Wichita, warns of declining mental health of teachers.“We
 keep telling them you got to take care of yourself,” Howard said. 
“There’s got to be self care and things just might not get done.”Some teachers are deciding the job’s not worth the stress.The
 Kansas National Education Association reports it’s getting weekly news 
from its offices across the state of teachers resigning. That’s despite 
many Kansas school districts<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-teachers-could-owe-their-schools-thousands-if-they-quit-over-coronavirus-concerns" target="_blank"> fining teachers thousands of dollars for quitting</a> outside of a specific summer window.Wichita
 Public Schools administrators acknowledge this is a tough year for 
teachers, but they say they’re working on providing more support for 
teachers.“We want to support anyone that feels that there’s too 
much on their plate to accomplish what it is they want to accomplish,” 
said Gil Alvarez, assistant principal of secondary schools for Wichita 
Public Schools. “We’re feeling the same change, anxiety from our levels 
as well.”Some in-person teachers say they’re just happy to be back in the classroom, especially after the online spring struggles.“My
 stress level is much less being in this building than it was teaching 
from home,” said Rae Lauxman, a preschool teacher at Shaner Early 
Learning Academy in Topeka.Shaner Early Learning Academy 
Principal La Manda Broyles said the district’s summer preparations let 
the school avoid increasing the workload for in-person teachers.“We are educating kids in the same way we did last year,” Broyles said.Circle
 Public Schools, just northeast of Wichita, also said that its teachers 
face more pressure now than in the past. But the district doesn’t have 
the same online classroom size problems that large districts like 
Wichita do.Despite in-person generally being easier for teachers
 than the online option, some educators at Lawrence Public Schools 
protested Monday the decisions to switch from all remote classes to a 
hybrid model. Members of the Paraeducators Union of Lawrence argued the 
district isn’t being transparent about how to hold physical classes 
safely.Westbury, the fourth- and fifth-grade teacher in Wichita,
 said she enjoys the challenge of figuring out the tech side of online 
learning. But the long hours have her worried she’ll reach breaking 
point this year.Westbury said that if remote teachers don’t get 
more help, more will resign before the end of the year. And she might be
 one of them.“When I start missing out on doctor’s appointments 
and football games and things like that — that’s when I have to say no,”
 Westbury said. “My family comes first.”Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/stevebisaha">@SteveBisaha</a> or email him at bisaha@kmuw.org.

'Not sustainable': Kansas' online teachers overworked, quitting

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday tried to salvage a few priority items lost in the rubble of COVID-19 relief talks that he had himself blown up, pressing for $1,200 stimulus checks and a new wave of aid for airlines and other businesses hard hit by the pandemic. But it was not clear whether he might be able to undo the self-inflicted political damage so close to the election.

In a barrage of tweets, Trump pressed for passage of these chunks of assistance, an about-face from his abrupt and puzzling move on Tuesday afternoon to abandon talks with a longtime rival, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The California Democrat has rejected such piecemeal entreaties all along.

Trump’s tweets amounted to him demanding his way in negotiations that he himself had ended. Trump, who absorbed much political heat for abandoning the talks, is the steward of an economy whose continued recovery may hinge on significant new steps such as pandemic unemployment benefits. His tweets seemed to move the financial markets into positive territory, though it was far from certain whether they would impress voters demanding more relief.

He called on Congress to send him a “Stand Alone Bill for Stimulus Checks ($1,200)” — a reference to a preelection batch of direct payments to most Americans that had been a central piece of negotiations between Pelosi and the White House.

“I am ready to sign right now. Are you listening Nancy?” Trump said on Twitter Tuesday evening. He also urged Congress to immediately approve $25 billion for airlines and $135 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses.

The stock market fell precipitously after Trump pulled the plug on the talks but was recovering Wednesday after he floated the idea of piecemeal aid.

Trump’s decision to scuttle talks between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Pelosi came after the president was briefed on the landscape for the negotiations — and on the blowback that any Pelosi-Mnuchin deal probably would have received from his GOP allies in Congress.

“It became very obvious over the last couple of days that a comprehensive bill was just going to get to a point where it didn’t have really much Republican support at all,” White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Wednesday on Fox News. “It was more of a Democrat-led bill, which would have been problematic, more so in the Senate than in the House.”

Pelosi told reporters that “all the president wants is his name on a check” for direct aid payments.

The unexpected turn could be a blow to Trump’s reelection prospects and comes as his administration and campaign are in turmoil. Trump is quarantining in the White House with a case of the coronavirus, and the latest batch of opinion polls shows him significantly behind Democrat Joe Biden with the election four weeks away.

Trump’s withdrawal from the talks came immediately after he spoke with the GOP leaders in Congress, Many Republican senators had signaled they would not be willing to go along with any measure that topped $1 trillion, and GOP aides had been privately dismissive of the prospects for a deal. Any Pelosi-sponsored agreement of close to $2 trillion raised the potential of a GOP revolt if such a plan came to a vote.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday tried to salvage a few priority items lost in the rubble of COVID-19 relief talks that he had himself blown up, pressing for $1,200 stimulus checks and a new wave of aid for airlines and other businesses hard hit by the pandemic. But it was not clear whether he might be able to undo the self-inflicted political damage so close to the election.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Move Fast, I Am Waiting To Sign! <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerPelosi</a> <a href="https://t.co/RYBeWWuPC2">https://t.co/RYBeWWuPC2</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1313829415730786305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a barrage of tweets, Trump pressed for passage of these chunks of assistance, an about-face from his abrupt and puzzling move on Tuesday afternoon to abandon talks with a longtime rival, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The California Democrat has rejected such piecemeal entreaties all along.Trump’s tweets amounted to him demanding his way in negotiations that he himself had ended. Trump, who absorbed much political heat for abandoning the talks, is the steward of an economy whose continued recovery may hinge on significant new steps such as pandemic unemployment benefits. His tweets seemed to move the financial markets into positive territory, though it was far from certain whether they would impress voters demanding more relief.He called on Congress to send him a “Stand Alone Bill for Stimulus Checks ($1,200)” — a reference to a preelection batch of direct payments to most Americans that had been a central piece of negotiations between Pelosi and the White House.“I am ready to sign right now. Are you listening Nancy?” Trump said on Twitter Tuesday evening. He also urged Congress to immediately approve $25 billion for airlines and $135 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses.The stock market fell precipitously after Trump pulled the plug on the talks but was recovering Wednesday after he floated the idea of piecemeal aid.Trump’s decision to scuttle talks between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Pelosi came after the president was briefed on the landscape for the negotiations — and on the blowback that any Pelosi-Mnuchin deal probably would have received from his GOP allies in Congress.“It became very obvious over the last couple of days that a comprehensive bill was just going to get to a point where it didn’t have really much Republican support at all,” White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Wednesday on Fox News. “It was more of a Democrat-led bill, which would have been problematic, more so in the Senate than in the House.”Pelosi told reporters that “all the president wants is his name on a check” for direct aid payments.The unexpected turn could be a blow to Trump’s reelection prospects and comes as his administration and campaign are in turmoil. Trump is quarantining in the White House with a case of the coronavirus, and the latest batch of opinion polls shows him significantly behind Democrat Joe Biden with the election four weeks away.Trump’s withdrawal from the talks came immediately after he spoke with the GOP leaders in Congress, Many Republican senators had signaled they would not be willing to go along with any measure that topped $1 trillion, and GOP aides had been privately dismissive of the prospects for a deal. Any Pelosi-sponsored agreement of close to $2 trillion raised the potential of a GOP revolt if such a plan came to a vote.Pelosi and Mnuchin talked briefly on Wednesday morning about the chances for a stand-alone airline rescue, Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill tweeted. Pelosi directed Mnuchin to a measure she had attempted to pass on Friday on short notice under fast-track procedures, but only after Democrats made a number of changes Republicans did not like.The talks have been troubled from their start in July and never appeared to close in on an agreement both sides could embrace.Pelosi had been demanding a host of Democratic wins on food aid, unemployment benefits, help for renters and homeowners, and aid to state and local governments. Republicans charged she was dragging the talks to deny Trump a political victory before the Nov. 3 election.Early rounds of virus aid passed by overwhelming margins as the economy went into lockdown in March. After that, Trump and many of his GOP allies focused on loosening social and economic restrictions as the key to recovery instead of more taxpayer-funded help.Still, the decision to halt negotiations now could be politically perilous. While the stock market has clawed much of its way back after cratering in the early weeks of the crisis, unemployment stands at 7.9%, and the nearly 10 million jobs that remain lost since the start of the pandemic exceed the number that the nation shed during the entire 2008-09 Great Recession.The economy has recovered more quickly than most economists had expected, largely because of the aid Congress approved in a $2 trillion package in March. The $1,200 stimulus checks, supplemental $600 unemployment benefits each week, and aid to small businesses boosted household incomes and enabled many low-income Americans to pay bills and rent and maintain their overall spending, according to data from Opportunity Insights.But the recovery has slowed and certain sectors such as restaurants, hotels, theaters and airlines remain in bad shape, shedding jobs and risking permanent realignment. Without more stimulus, economists expect growth will slow significantly in the final three months of the year.“You’re going to see quite a significant drag on growth,” said Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, a consulting firm. It “would really risk a double-dip recession.”WASHINGTON —Despite instructing aides to stop negotiating on a new round of COVID-19 relief until after the election, President Trump used social media late Tuesday to suggest he might reconsider.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Move Fast, I Am Waiting To Sign! <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerPelosi</a> <a href="https://t.co/RYBeWWuPC2">https://t.co/RYBeWWuPC2</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1313829415730786305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Stocks dropped suddenly on Wall Street after Trump ordered a stop to negotiations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average swung instantly from a gain of about 200 points to a loss of about 300 points on Tuesday.---------WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he has instructed aides to stop negotiating on another round of COVID-19 relief until after the election.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Nancy Pelosi is asking for $2.4 Trillion Dollars to bailout poorly run, high crime, Democrat States, money that is in no way related to COVID-19. We made a very generous offer of $1.6 Trillion Dollars and, as usual, she is not negotiating in good faith. I am rejecting their...&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1313551794623127552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump tweeted that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was “not negotiating in good faith” and said he’s asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to direct all his focus before the election into confirming his U.S. Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett.“I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business,” Trump tweeted.Last week, the White House said it was backing a $400 per week pandemic jobless benefit and dangled the possibility of a COVID-19 relief bill of $1.6 trillion. But that offer was rejected by Pelosi.Trump broke off talks after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned earlier Tuesday that the economic recovery remains fragile seven months into coronavirus pandemic without further economic stimulus.Stocks dropped suddenly on Wall Street after Trump ordered a stop to negotiations.The Dow Jones Industrial Average swung instantly from a gain of about 200 points to a loss of about 300 points.Powell, in remarks before the National Association for Business Economics, made clear that too little support “would lead to a weak recovery, creating unnecessary hardship for households and businesses.”