TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Kansas pushed Wednesday to greatly limit Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s power to keep businesses closed during the coronavirus pandemic and give the GOP-controlled Legislature’s leaders the final say over how federal coronavirus relief funds are spent.

GOP members of the Senate Judiciary Committee included the measures in a bill that the full Senate expects to consider Thursday, when the Legislature is scheduled for one, final day in session this year. Republicans tied their proposals to two must-have measures for Kelly — a formal ratification of Kelly’s previous coronavirus orders and an extension of state of emergency that she declared so that she could legally exercise broad powers.

A dispute between the Democratic governor and Republican legislative leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5e209a4b50d4e80632e9613458d31b7c">has grown increasingly bitter</a>&nbsp;over who controls the reopening of the state’s economy and the spending of coronavirus aid. Many GOP lawmakers contend Kelly is moving too slowly to reopen on the economy and dislike that her plan for lifting restrictions in phases between now and late June treats different kinds of businesses differently.

Republicans’ proposal would allow Kelly to close businesses only for a total of 15 days during the pandemic. After those 15 days, the health officers in each of the state’s 105 counties would decide whether businesses remained closed, subject to the approval of local county commissions. Because many Kansas businesses already have been shuttered longer than 15 days, it wasn’t immediately clear whether county officials could step immediately if the measure becomes law.

“One size doesn’t fit all,” said state Sen. Eric Rucker, a conservative Topeka Republican who drafted the language on business closings. “The overarching cry that we hear is the long-lasting — possibly lasting decades into the future — damage that has been caused economically.”

The bill cleared the Judiciary Committee on an 8-2 party-line vote, with only Republicans voting yes.

Kansas Republicans acted on the same day Kelly and GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas met with President Donald Trump, who said both had “done a fantastic job.”

Kelly joins Democratic governors in other states, most notably Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, in facing a backlash from Republican legislators over their actions to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Sen. David Haley, a Kansas City Democrat, said he’s concerned about limiting the governor’s to impose statewide restrictions because someone could travel between counties and “become a carrier.”

“This virus does not respect geo-political boundaries,” Haley said.

Kelly’s existing state of emergency will remain in place only through Monday, Memorial Day. Kelly has acknowledged that she may be forced to accept limits on her power to get lawmakers to extend the state of emergency — or watch her 30 coronavirus-related orders expire. Her top lawyer and legislators concede it’s an open question whether Kelly has the authority to keep issuing new declarations for the same emergency.

The bill also would give the Legislature’s top seven leaders, five of them Republicans, the final say over how $1.25 billion in coronavirus relief funds are spent after a review by a joint House-Senate budget committee.

Kelly appointed a 20-member task force to oversee the distribution of the money and help her manage the reopening of the state’s economy, and five legislators are members, including three Republicans. She and other Democrats argue that the task force will provide adequate oversight.

And Republican Sen. Randall Hardy of Salina worried that an extra layer of oversight could unnecessarily delay much-needed funds to cities and counties to cover their coronavirus costs.

But many GOP lawmakers argue that the Legislature has the duty to oversee how the aid is spent, just as it approves an annual state budget.

Without legislative oversight, the governor could decide how the funds are spent “on her sole authority,” said Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, a Kansas City-area Republican who is serving on Kelly’s task force.

“It’s just really a safety check,” Denning said of legislative oversight.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590058732968.png" alt="Members of the Kansas Senate worked late Wednesday in advance of Thursday's final day of the legislative session -photo courtesy Senate President Susan Wagle" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Kansas Senate worked late Wednesday in advance of Thursday's final day of the legislative session -photo courtesy Senate President Susan Wagle</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Kansas pushed Wednesday to greatly limit Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s power to keep businesses closed during the coronavirus pandemic and give the GOP-controlled Legislature’s leaders the final say over how federal coronavirus relief funds are spent.GOP members of the Senate Judiciary Committee included the measures in a bill that the full Senate expects to consider Thursday, when the Legislature is scheduled for one, final day in session this year. Republicans tied their proposals to two must-have measures for Kelly — a formal ratification of Kelly’s previous coronavirus orders and an extension of state of emergency that she declared so that she could legally exercise broad powers.A dispute between the Democratic governor and Republican legislative leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5e209a4b50d4e80632e9613458d31b7c">has grown increasingly bitter</a>&nbsp;over who controls the reopening of the state’s economy and the spending of coronavirus aid. Many GOP lawmakers contend Kelly is moving too slowly to reopen on the economy and dislike that her plan for lifting restrictions in phases between now and late June treats different kinds of businesses differently.Republicans’ proposal would allow Kelly to close businesses only for a total of 15 days during the pandemic. After those 15 days, the health officers in each of the state’s 105 counties would decide whether businesses remained closed, subject to the approval of local county commissions. Because many Kansas businesses already have been shuttered longer than 15 days, it wasn’t immediately clear whether county officials could step immediately if the measure becomes law.“One size doesn’t fit all,” said state Sen. Eric Rucker, a conservative Topeka Republican who drafted the language on business closings. “The overarching cry that we hear is the long-lasting — possibly lasting decades into the future — damage that has been caused economically.”The bill cleared the Judiciary Committee on an 8-2 party-line vote, with only Republicans voting yes.Kansas Republicans acted on the same day Kelly and GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas met with President Donald Trump, who said both had “done a fantastic job.”Kelly joins Democratic governors in other states, most notably Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, in facing a backlash from Republican legislators over their actions to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.Sen. David Haley, a Kansas City Democrat, said he’s concerned about limiting the governor’s to impose statewide restrictions because someone could travel between counties and “become a carrier.”“This virus does not respect geo-political boundaries,” Haley said.Kelly’s existing state of emergency will remain in place only through Monday, Memorial Day. Kelly has acknowledged that she may be forced to accept limits on her power to get lawmakers to extend the state of emergency — or watch her 30 coronavirus-related orders expire. Her top lawyer and legislators concede it’s an open question whether Kelly has the authority to keep issuing new declarations for the same emergency.The bill also would give the Legislature’s top seven leaders, five of them Republicans, the final say over how $1.25 billion in coronavirus relief funds are spent after a review by a joint House-Senate budget committee.Kelly appointed a 20-member task force to oversee the distribution of the money and help her manage the reopening of the state’s economy, and five legislators are members, including three Republicans. She and other Democrats argue that the task force will provide adequate oversight.And Republican Sen. Randall Hardy of Salina worried that an extra layer of oversight could unnecessarily delay much-needed funds to cities and counties to cover their coronavirus costs.But many GOP lawmakers argue that the Legislature has the duty to oversee how the aid is spent, just as it approves an annual state budget.Without legislative oversight, the governor could decide how the funds are spent “on her sole authority,” said Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, a Kansas City-area Republican who is serving on Kelly’s task force.“It’s just really a safety check,” Denning said of legislative oversight.___

GOP plan would keep Kansas governor from closing businesses

WASHINGTON —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly met with President Trump Wednesday afternoon to discus the state’s phased reopening, statewide virus testing strategy and much more.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?472315-1/president-trump-meeting-governors-arkansas-kansas">Click here to watch</a> a portion of Governor Kelly's visit with the President.

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and&nbsp; Response Coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force Dr.&nbsp; Debra Birx also attended the meeting.

Trump said both governors have done "a fantastic job.”&nbsp;

"I know Laura will speak her mind and so will some of the others and if she was unhappy she'd be letting you know it," the President said.

"We've done a really great job. We've gotten along great with the democrat governors."

Before leaving Topeka, Kelly said the President understands that state and local governments need assistance well beyond stimulus three, the Cares Act, that will allow states to pay the bills for COVID-19 but will not allow states to cover any of the revenue losses that both the state government and local entities are experiencing.&nbsp;

Kelly is expected to share more about her visit with the President during her Thursday afternoon press conference.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590011287498.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly and President Trump during Wednesday afternoon's meeting in the White House Cabinet Room -image scourtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly and President Trump during Wednesday afternoon's meeting in the White House Cabinet Room -image scourtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly met with President Trump Wednesday afternoon to discus the state’s phased reopening, statewide virus testing strategy and much more.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?472315-1/president-trump-meeting-governors-arkansas-kansas">Click here to watch</a> a portion of Governor Kelly's visit with the President.Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and&nbsp; Response Coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force Dr.&nbsp; Debra Birx also attended the meeting.Trump said both governors have done "a fantastic job.”&nbsp;"I know Laura will speak her mind and so will some of the others and if she was unhappy she'd be letting you know it," the President said."We've done a really great job. We've gotten along great with the democrat governors."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590012624852.png" alt="President Trump with a message board to show Governor Kelly what the Feds have done for Kansas during the pandemic providing 108, 332,082 surgical and exam gloves, 341,262 eye and face shields, 6,975,130 N95 masks and 1,714, 626 isolation and surgical gowns." />
 <figcaption>President Trump with a message board to show Governor Kelly what the Feds have done for Kansas during the pandemic providing 108, 332,082 surgical and exam gloves, 341,262 eye and face shields, 6,975,130 N95 masks and 1,714, 626 isolation and surgical gowns.</figcaption>
 </figure>Before leaving Topeka, Kelly said the President understands that state and local governments need assistance well beyond stimulus three, the Cares Act, that will allow states to pay the bills for COVID-19 but will not allow states to cover any of the revenue losses that both the state government and local entities are experiencing.&nbsp;Kelly is expected to share more about her visit with the President during her Thursday afternoon press conference.

🎥 Governor Kelly meets with President at the White House

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas softened its quarantine guidelines for meatpacking plants after industry executives repeatedly pushed state officials to allow employees who were potentially exposed to the coronavirus to keep working, text messages and emails show.

The Kansas City Star&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article242852011.html" target="_blank">reported that they obtained</a>&nbsp;messages through an open records request showing that executives at Tyson and National Beef pushed Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam to advocate more-lenient federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

Beam told The Associated Press on Wednesday that his role was to “emphasize internally” in Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration that there would be major problems with the nation’s food supply if the plants shut down. Beam worked for the Kansas Livestock Association for 38 years before becoming agriculture secretary in 2019.

“It was a balancing act, and I basically was feeding that into the mix,” he said.

The Star reported that in an April 20 text to Beam, National Beef Chief Operating Officer Terry Wilkerson noted that two meatpacking plants elsewhere in the U.S. were shutting down.

“The sooner we get the CDC new guidance in place the better,” he wrote.

Ruth Bradley, manager of state and local government relations at Tyson, texted Beam on April 15 saying that because of a higher rate of absenteeism among workers, Tyson wanted to follow CDC guidelines allowing workers without symptoms to still work if they wear a mask.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment updated its guidelines on May 2 to allow meatpacking employees who have come into close contact with positive cases to stay on the job as long as they showed no symptoms and took precautions. It previously advised contacts to quarantine for two weeks.

Kansas, which processes more than a quarter of the nation’s beef, has had nearly 2,000 people infected with COVID-19 from outbreaks linked to the state’s meatpacking plants and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1125/Historical---May-18?bidId=" target="_blank">six people have died</a>. With the exception of a Johnsonville plant in Holton, large processors have stayed open in Kansas throughout the pandemic, although operating at a reduced capacity.

During a news conference Tuesday, Kelly pointed “proudly” to plants continuing to operate.

Beam wrote in an April 21 email to Will Lawrence, Kelly’s chief of staff, that it appeared Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Lee Norman, who has been leading the state’s pandemic health response, was “not wanting to defer” to the less restrictive federal guidance.

Beam said he wanted Lawrence to know the issue was “brewing,” adding, “I sense National Beef, and others, would like to have a response fairly soon.”

Two days later, Beam texted meatpacking contacts that he would be calling “regarding a POSSIBLE path for letting close contacts return to work.”

Beam told the AP that his relationship with Norman remained “cordial” and that the health department changed its guidance after a CDC team physically reviewed Kansas plants. Beam said the final decision was the health department’s.

Health department spokeswoman Ashley Jones-Wisner said in a statement that before the new guidance was issued, conversations among her agency, the Department of Agriculture and the companies occurred regularly as the state tracked “how each plant was doing.”

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 28 directing meatpacking plants to stay open.

“Our concern was, and remains, public health protections within the parameters outlined by the federal government,” Jones-Wisner said.

National Beef Chief Financial Officer Simon McGee requested in an email to Beam that Kelly’s office speak to the union representing workers at the company’s Dodge City plant about the “special responsibility” of meatpacking employees.

Company spokesman Keith Welty said in a statement that the company’s focus throughout the pandemic has been protecting “the health, wellness and safety of our employees.”

Tyson spokeswoman Liz Croston said Tuesday that the company “will not ask anyone to work in our plants unless we are confident that it is safe.” She said correspondence with state officials “reflects our interest in the consistent application of federal safety guidance.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589997636847.png" alt="Photo courtesy Tyson Foods" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Tyson Foods</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas softened its quarantine guidelines for meatpacking plants after industry executives repeatedly pushed state officials to allow employees who were potentially exposed to the coronavirus to keep working, text messages and emails show.The Kansas City Star&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article242852011.html" target="_blank">reported that they obtained</a>&nbsp;messages through an open records request showing that executives at Tyson and National Beef pushed Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam to advocate more-lenient federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.Beam told The Associated Press on Wednesday that his role was to “emphasize internally” in Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration that there would be major problems with the nation’s food supply if the plants shut down. Beam worked for the Kansas Livestock Association for 38 years before becoming agriculture secretary in 2019.“It was a balancing act, and I basically was feeding that into the mix,” he said.The Star reported that in an April 20 text to Beam, National Beef Chief Operating Officer Terry Wilkerson noted that two meatpacking plants elsewhere in the U.S. were shutting down.“The sooner we get the CDC new guidance in place the better,” he wrote.Ruth Bradley, manager of state and local government relations at Tyson, texted Beam on April 15 saying that because of a higher rate of absenteeism among workers, Tyson wanted to follow CDC guidelines allowing workers without symptoms to still work if they wear a mask.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589997771819.png" alt="Photo courtesy Tyson Foods" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Tyson Foods</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment updated its guidelines on May 2 to allow meatpacking employees who have come into close contact with positive cases to stay on the job as long as they showed no symptoms and took precautions. It previously advised contacts to quarantine for two weeks.Kansas, which processes more than a quarter of the nation’s beef, has had nearly 2,000 people infected with COVID-19 from outbreaks linked to the state’s meatpacking plants and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1125/Historical---May-18?bidId=" target="_blank">six people have died</a>. With the exception of a Johnsonville plant in Holton, large processors have stayed open in Kansas throughout the pandemic, although operating at a reduced capacity.During a news conference Tuesday, Kelly pointed “proudly” to plants continuing to operate.Beam wrote in an April 21 email to Will Lawrence, Kelly’s chief of staff, that it appeared Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Lee Norman, who has been leading the state’s pandemic health response, was “not wanting to defer” to the less restrictive federal guidance.Beam said he wanted Lawrence to know the issue was “brewing,” adding, “I sense National Beef, and others, would like to have a response fairly soon.”Two days later, Beam texted meatpacking contacts that he would be calling “regarding a POSSIBLE path for letting close contacts return to work.”Beam told the AP that his relationship with Norman remained “cordial” and that the health department changed its guidance after a CDC team physically reviewed Kansas plants. Beam said the final decision was the health department’s.Health department spokeswoman Ashley Jones-Wisner said in a statement that before the new guidance was issued, conversations among her agency, the Department of Agriculture and the companies occurred regularly as the state tracked “how each plant was doing.”President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 28 directing meatpacking plants to stay open.“Our concern was, and remains, public health protections within the parameters outlined by the federal government,” Jones-Wisner said.National Beef Chief Financial Officer Simon McGee requested in an email to Beam that Kelly’s office speak to the union representing workers at the company’s Dodge City plant about the “special responsibility” of meatpacking employees.Company spokesman Keith Welty said in a statement that the company’s focus throughout the pandemic has been protecting “the health, wellness and safety of our employees.”Tyson spokeswoman Liz Croston said Tuesday that the company “will not ask anyone to work in our plants unless we are confident that it is safe.” She said correspondence with state officials “reflects our interest in the consistent application of federal safety guidance.”

Kansas policy lets exposed meatpacking workers stay on job

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 199 since Monday to a total of 8539, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

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

Note: The KDHE Coronavirus in Kansas report is now released Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 199 since Monday to a total of 8539, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 178.<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/2020/5/1589994474429.png" alt="May 20, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>May 20, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Note: The KDHE Coronavirus in Kansas report is now released Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A battle in Kansas between the Democratic governor and Republican-controlled Legislature over reopening the economy has grown increasingly bitter, clouded by election year politics present and past.

Gov. Laura Kelly has joined Democratic colleagues in other states including Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in facing a GOP backlash over actions designed to contain the coronavirus pandemic. In Kansas, many Republican lawmakers expect to pass a measure to curb the governor’s power in emergencies when the Legislature convenes Thursday for a final day in session this year. That would force Kelly to choose between accepting their limits or having the state’s current state of emergency expire.

Republicans are taking cues from aggrieved business owners, but Kelly’s biggest legislative critic also is running for the U.S. Senate and struggling to get traction in a crowded field. Many GOP lawmakers say they have been ignored, and Kelly’s taking charge in the pandemic irks some Republicans who still see her 2018 election win&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d1213da380e246029994c86001179d2b">as a fluke.</a>

Kelly promised a bipartisan approach to governing when she took office in January 2019, but she has clashed at times with top Republicans. Many GOP lawmakers refuse to concede that her election meant a new direction for a state Republicans had nearly complete control over before she crashed their party..

“A conservative Republican leadership sees a Democratic governor and it wants to hit her like a pinata,” said Rabbi Moti Rieber, executive director of Kansas Interfaith Action, an alliance of Jewish and mainline Christian congregations that has given Kelly good marks for her handling of the pandemic.

Ahead of Thursday’s last legislative day, Kansas House and Senate committees have heard testimony questioning Kelly’s handling of the pandemic. Committees expect to approve bills aimed at reining in the broad power state law gives a governor in emergencies, with Republicans arguing in favor of legislative oversight and more local decision-making.

The same laws that give Kelly broad powers in emergency required her to ask lawmakers to extend her disaster declaration to keep those powers in force.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/617a7ab4c2482e737df041ac8f4e4368">Republican lawmakers last week&nbsp;</a>extended her current declaration only through Monday, Memorial Day, even though she had asked them to keep it in place until mid-June. Kelly acknowledged Tuesday that she is likely boxed in if GOP lawmakers attach conditions to extending her declaration.

But Kelly insisted Tuesday that she’s focused only on public health and economic issues.

“I really have put on, sort of, visual and audio blinders,” she said during a Statehouse news conference.

Republicans said they’re looking to check the governor’s power so that people’s constitutional rights are not violated and that they’re responding to desperate pleas jobless workers and owners of shuttered businesses.

A survey last week from the University of Chicago Divinity School and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that 71% of Americans favored requiring people to stay in their homes except for essential errands. But GOP lawmakers in Kansas see that as a general sentiment reflecting people’s concerns about getting infected.

“If you look at their behavior, they’re packing Wal-Mart. They’re packing Lowe’s. It’s springtime. They want the kids back in sports. They want the kids back in schools,” said Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican. “We need to create a safe environment for Kansans and put them back to work.”

Wagle has been a vocal critic of Kelly since Kelly took office, and she’s ramped up her criticism during the pandemic, even suggesting last week that the governor had become a “dictator.” Wagle also is running for an open U.S. Senate seat and is seen as badly trailing the leading contenders.

There’s also little doubt that a quicker reopening plays well with President Donald Trump’s political base in a state that Trump carried in 2016 by nearly 21 percentage points.

But legislative elections this year also are part of the backdrop. Republicans hope to keep their super-majorities in both chambers, making it easier for them to thwart Kelly’s initiatives ahead of the 2022 governor’s race.

And some Republicans, particularly conservatives, still feel a sting from her 2018 victory over hard-right GOP Secretary of State Kris Kobach and independent candidate Greg Orman. Kelly fell short of 50% of the vote and won a relative handful of the state’s 105 counties, though they included the five most populous ones.

Conservatives have questioned whether Kelly has a political mandate that justifies orders to close schools and businesses statewide.

“She was elected by nine counties with 48% of the vote, so I think there’s a legitimate concern,” said Sen. Dennis Pyle, a conservative Republican from the state’s far northeast corner. “People want a check on the governor’s powers.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589923907349.png" alt="Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly answered questions during a Tuesday news conference in Topeka." />
 <figcaption>Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly answered questions during a Tuesday news conference in Topeka.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A battle in Kansas between the Democratic governor and Republican-controlled Legislature over reopening the economy has grown increasingly bitter, clouded by election year politics present and past.Gov. Laura Kelly has joined Democratic colleagues in other states including Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in facing a GOP backlash over actions designed to contain the coronavirus pandemic. In Kansas, many Republican lawmakers expect to pass a measure to curb the governor’s power in emergencies when the Legislature convenes Thursday for a final day in session this year. That would force Kelly to choose between accepting their limits or having the state’s current state of emergency expire.Republicans are taking cues from aggrieved business owners, but Kelly’s biggest legislative critic also is running for the U.S. Senate and struggling to get traction in a crowded field. Many GOP lawmakers say they have been ignored, and Kelly’s taking charge in the pandemic irks some Republicans who still see her 2018 election win&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d1213da380e246029994c86001179d2b">as a fluke.</a>Kelly promised a bipartisan approach to governing when she took office in January 2019, but she has clashed at times with top Republicans. Many GOP lawmakers refuse to concede that her election meant a new direction for a state Republicans had nearly complete control over before she crashed their party..“A conservative Republican leadership sees a Democratic governor and it wants to hit her like a pinata,” said Rabbi Moti Rieber, executive director of Kansas Interfaith Action, an alliance of Jewish and mainline Christian congregations that has given Kelly good marks for her handling of the pandemic.Ahead of Thursday’s last legislative day, Kansas House and Senate committees have heard testimony questioning Kelly’s handling of the pandemic. Committees expect to approve bills aimed at reining in the broad power state law gives a governor in emergencies, with Republicans arguing in favor of legislative oversight and more local decision-making.The same laws that give Kelly broad powers in emergency required her to ask lawmakers to extend her disaster declaration to keep those powers in force.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/617a7ab4c2482e737df041ac8f4e4368">Republican lawmakers last week&nbsp;</a>extended her current declaration only through Monday, Memorial Day, even though she had asked them to keep it in place until mid-June. Kelly acknowledged Tuesday that she is likely boxed in if GOP lawmakers attach conditions to extending her declaration.But Kelly insisted Tuesday that she’s focused only on public health and economic issues.“I really have put on, sort of, visual and audio blinders,” she said during a Statehouse news conference.Republicans said they’re looking to check the governor’s power so that people’s constitutional rights are not violated and that they’re responding to desperate pleas jobless workers and owners of shuttered businesses.A survey last week from the University of Chicago Divinity School and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that 71% of Americans favored requiring people to stay in their homes except for essential errands. But GOP lawmakers in Kansas see that as a general sentiment reflecting people’s concerns about getting infected.“If you look at their behavior, they’re packing Wal-Mart. They’re packing Lowe’s. It’s springtime. They want the kids back in sports. They want the kids back in schools,” said Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican. “We need to create a safe environment for Kansans and put them back to work.”Wagle has been a vocal critic of Kelly since Kelly took office, and she’s ramped up her criticism during the pandemic, even suggesting last week that the governor had become a “dictator.” Wagle also is running for an open U.S. Senate seat and is seen as badly trailing the leading contenders.There’s also little doubt that a quicker reopening plays well with President Donald Trump’s political base in a state that Trump carried in 2016 by nearly 21 percentage points.But legislative elections this year also are part of the backdrop. Republicans hope to keep their super-majorities in both chambers, making it easier for them to thwart Kelly’s initiatives ahead of the 2022 governor’s race.And some Republicans, particularly conservatives, still feel a sting from her 2018 victory over hard-right GOP Secretary of State Kris Kobach and independent candidate Greg Orman. Kelly fell short of 50% of the vote and won a relative handful of the state’s 105 counties, though they included the five most populous ones.Conservatives have questioned whether Kelly has a political mandate that justifies orders to close schools and businesses statewide.“She was elected by nine counties with 48% of the vote, so I think there’s a legitimate concern,” said Sen. Dennis Pyle, a conservative Republican from the state’s far northeast corner. “People want a check on the governor’s powers.”___

Battle over how quickly Kansas reopens increasingly bitter

More results from the drive-thru COVID-19 testing clinic in St. Joseph over the weekend show 14 more positive cases.

According to a press release from the City of St. Joseph, results are back&nbsp;for 1,351 tests so far, with a cumulative total of 23 positive cases of the coronavirus for Buchanan County. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5ec2eed3eb7f1705360542b3">Almost 1,600 were tested</a> at the clinic Saturday and Sunday at Mosaic Life Care.

The remaining 242 tests results will be shared when available.

Staff from Mosaic Life Care is handling notification to those that test positive and the St. Joseph Health Department is handling contact tracing of those positive cases.

More results from the drive-thru COVID-19 testing clinic in St. Joseph over the weekend show 14 more positive cases.According to a press release from the City of St. Joseph, results are back&nbsp;for 1,351 tests so far, with a cumulative total of 23 positive cases of the coronavirus for Buchanan County. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5ec2eed3eb7f1705360542b3">Almost 1,600 were tested</a> at the clinic Saturday and Sunday at Mosaic Life Care.The remaining 242 tests results will be shared when available.Staff from Mosaic Life Care is handling notification to those that test positive and the St. Joseph Health Department is handling contact tracing of those positive cases.

More drive-thru clinic results show 23 total positive cases so far

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly discussed the latest updates on the coronavirus battle in Kansas prior to her meeting with President Trump at the White House on Wednesday. 

The governor opened her press conference admitting she did get her hair cut. She also reported that the state will move into a modified phase&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.ks.gov/ad-astra-a-plan-to-reopen-kansas/">2 reopening plan&nbsp;</a>on Friday.&nbsp;

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly will sign Executive Order 20-34, which moves Kansas into Phase 2 of “Ad Astra: A Plan to Reopen Kansas.” Phase 2 will be modified to include data-driven restrictions necessary to prevent community transmission of COVID-19.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, all of my administration’s decision-making regarding our reopening efforts has been driven by data – not dates,” Kelly said. “Because of the great work Kansans and businesses have done to keep others safe, data now indicate we are seeing a more consistent decline in hospitalizations, COVID-19-related deaths and a consistent decrease in disease spread. This puts our state in a position to safely move into a modified version of Phase 2.

“I would like to be clear – moving forward in Kansas’ reopening plan does not mean that COVID-19 no longer threatens our communities. Modifying Phase 2 to keep some restrictions allows us to reopen Kansas’ economy as quickly and safely as possible, while exercising necessary caution to keep Kansans healthy.”&nbsp;

Under Phase 2, the following, unless they are repurposed for use in an essential function under the Kansas Essential Function Framework, shall remain closed to the public:

The Governor will evaluate the state’s disease spread, testing rates, death rates, hospitalizations, ability of state and local public health authorities to contain outbreaks and conduct contact tracing, and personal protective equipment availability when determining if the state should move to the next “Phase.” Regardless of phase, the State Health Officer retains the authority to impose additional public health interventions in any area that contains an emergent and significant public health risk.

Throughout all phases, Kansans should continue to adhere to hygiene and social distancing protocols, including:

Kelly’s&nbsp;“<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcovid.ks.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F05%2FReopen-Kansas-Framework-v6.2-5.19.20.pdf&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C82a285842daa485cbb8308d7fc2d9c02%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637255145120326699&amp;sdata=ZHuQRYwH%2Bs7JwNHcpE7Ip9ufHI0YZjNATdstRj%2FZpWI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Ad Astra: A Plan to Reopen Kansas</a>,” is available in full at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcovid.ks.gov%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C82a285842daa485cbb8308d7fc2d9c02%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637255145120326699&amp;sdata=WDY7WPGuBHGjahol20fJGfflBylyhPBTLYlAVIxg%2B54%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">covid.ks.gov</a>, in addition to industry-specific guidance for Kansas businesses.

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly discussed the latest updates on the coronavirus battle in Kansas prior to her meeting with President Trump at the White House on Wednesday. The governor opened her press conference admitting she did get her hair cut. She also reported that the state will move into a modified phase&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.ks.gov/ad-astra-a-plan-to-reopen-kansas/">2 reopening plan&nbsp;</a>on Friday.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F171065194317593%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly will sign Executive Order 20-34, which moves Kansas into Phase 2 of “Ad Astra: A Plan to Reopen Kansas.” Phase 2 will be modified to include data-driven restrictions necessary to prevent community transmission of COVID-19.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589916379219.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, all of my administration’s decision-making regarding our reopening efforts has been driven by data – not dates,” Kelly said. “Because of the great work Kansans and businesses have done to keep others safe, data now indicate we are seeing a more consistent decline in hospitalizations, COVID-19-related deaths and a consistent decrease in disease spread. This puts our state in a position to safely move into a modified version of Phase 2.“I would like to be clear – moving forward in Kansas’ reopening plan does not mean that COVID-19 no longer threatens our communities. Modifying Phase 2 to keep some restrictions allows us to reopen Kansas’ economy as quickly and safely as possible, while exercising necessary caution to keep Kansans healthy.”&nbsp;Key changes to Phase 2:<ol>
 <li>Mass gatherings of more than&nbsp;15&nbsp;individuals will be prohibited;</li><li>All businesses and activities slated to open during Phase 2 will be allowed, with the exception of bars, night clubs and swimming pools. These will be moved to Phase 3;</li><li>Businesses and activities that will be allowed to open in Phase 2 include:</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Recreational organized sports facilities, tournaments and practices will be allowed to begin on Friday, May 22, and must adhere to social distancing requirements and follow Parks and Recs guidelines, which can be found on&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcovid.ks.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F05%2FKRPA-Support-Guidelines-5.19.20.pdf&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C82a285842daa485cbb8308d7fc2d9c02%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637255145120316739&amp;sdata=r%2Fd6Im3DzGCYELjfaZ3XFuOFam6JmrGuti3iiL2iE6s%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">covid.ks.gov</a>;</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Community Centers will be allowed to open, except for indoor and outdoor swimming pools;</li><li>Indoor leisure spaces such as arcades, trampoline parks, theaters, museums and bowling allies will be allowed to open on May 22;</li><li>State-owned-and-operated casinos will be allowed to open once their re-opening plan has been approved by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment;</li><li>In-person group exercise classes will be allowed to begin with groups of no more than 15 at a time. Locker rooms remain closed except for restroom facilities;</li><li>Everything opened in Phase 1 and Phase 1.5 remains open pursuant to the restrictions outlined in Executive Order 20-34.</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Phase 2 will last until Sunday, June 7, assuming the current trends continue. Phase 3 is expected to begin on Monday, June 8, with mass gatherings of more than 45 individuals prohibited.</li>
 </ol>Under Phase 2, the following, unless they are repurposed for use in an essential function under the Kansas Essential Function Framework, shall remain closed to the public:<ol>
 <li>Bars and night clubs, excluding curbside and carryout services;</li><li>Outdoor and indoor large entertainment venues with capacity of 2,000 or more;</li><li>Fairs, festivals, carnivals, parades;</li><li>Swimming pools (other than backyard pools);</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Summer camps (with the exception of licensed childcare facilities).</li>
 </ol>The Governor will evaluate the state’s disease spread, testing rates, death rates, hospitalizations, ability of state and local public health authorities to contain outbreaks and conduct contact tracing, and personal protective equipment availability when determining if the state should move to the next “Phase.” Regardless of phase, the State Health Officer retains the authority to impose additional public health interventions in any area that contains an emergent and significant public health risk.Throughout all phases, Kansans should continue to adhere to hygiene and social distancing protocols, including:<ol>
 <li>Washing hands frequently, while avoiding contact with one’s face;</li><li>Remaining home when sick or running a fever;</li><li>Following isolation and quarantine orders issued by state or local health officers;</li><li>Wearing a cloth face mask when in public;</li><li>Working remotely, if possible.</li>
 </ol>Kelly’s&nbsp;“<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcovid.ks.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F05%2FReopen-Kansas-Framework-v6.2-5.19.20.pdf&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C82a285842daa485cbb8308d7fc2d9c02%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637255145120326699&amp;sdata=ZHuQRYwH%2Bs7JwNHcpE7Ip9ufHI0YZjNATdstRj%2FZpWI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Ad Astra: A Plan to Reopen Kansas</a>,” is available in full at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcovid.ks.gov%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C82a285842daa485cbb8308d7fc2d9c02%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637255145120326699&amp;sdata=WDY7WPGuBHGjahol20fJGfflBylyhPBTLYlAVIxg%2B54%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">covid.ks.gov</a>, in addition to industry-specific guidance for Kansas businesses.

🎥  Kansas will move into modified Phase 2 reopening Friday

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing the gravest U.S. economic crisis in decades, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell offered U.S. Senators contrasting views Tuesday of what the government’s most urgent priority should be.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPDl_xETXoI">Click here to watch&nbsp;</a>Senator Moran's turn at questioning Mnuchin and Powell.

Striking a theme frequently pushed by President Donald Trump, Mnuchin warned that prolonged business shutdowns would pose long-term threats to the economy, from widespread bankruptcies for small businesses to long-term unemployment for millions of Americans.

“There is risk of permanent damage,” Mnuchin said.

Powell, by contrast, stressed, as he has in recent weeks, that the nation is gripped by an economic shock “without modern precedent” and that Congress must consider providing further financial aid soon to support states, localities, businesses and individuals to prevent an even deeper recession.

“What Congress has done to date has been remarkably timely and forceful,” Powell said. “But we need to step back and ask, ’Is it enough?”

Their points of emphasis reflect the contours of a debate occurring across the country, among individuals, business people and political leaders, about when and under what circumstances the economy should reopen and what further help the government can or should provide.

Mnuchin and Powell offered their views at an oversight hearing of the Senate Banking Committee at which members of both parties questioned them about when their agencies will distribute more of the emergency aid that Congress provided in late March to struggling small businesses and households.

Powell said that a highly anticipated lending program the Fed is creating for small businesses should be operating by the end of the month. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0abbc3e930e7d8cff7da05bbd7921ee2">in a turnaround</a>, Mnuchin said the Treasury is now prepared to absorb some losses in that program, which is funded by Treasury. Doing so could enable the Fed to take on further risk with the program and help more struggling companies.

During the hearing, Mnuchin clashed sharply with Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts over the administration’s support for a phased reopening of the economy and over its reluctance to require that all companies that receive government aid keep their workers on the payroll.

Brown charged that the Trump administration was risking the lives of lower-income workers by supporting reopening efforts and was doing so simply to boost financial markets. He asserted that the administration hasn’t done enough to protect front-line workers — by, for example, ramping up viral testing — even as most states start allowing restaurants, stores and gyms to reopen.

“The administration wants to put more workers at risk to boost the stock market,” Brown said.

“Your characterization is unfair,” Mnuchin responded.

The hearing was the first in a planned series of quarterly oversight sessions focused on spending programs authorized in the $2 trillion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20200409a.htm">federal relief package</a>&nbsp;that is overseen by the Treasury Department and Fed. They include the $660 billion small business lending facility, known as the paycheck protection program, as well as $46 billion in grants to airlines and $454 billion to support the Fed’s lending.

The Fed announced in March that it would set up the Main Street Lending Program, which will provide up to $600 billion in loans to medium-sized businesses that are too large to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program. The Treasury has provided $75 billion, drawn from the $454 billion set aside by Congress, to cover any losses from the Main Street program.

Mnuchin said that under some scenarios the Treasury could lose some or all of that $75 billion.

“Our intention is that we intend to take some losses,” he said.

The Fed has also said it will buy debt issued by state and local governments, which are facing plummeting revenues as the viral outbreak has eliminated tens of millions of jobs and slashed income tax and sales tax revenue. At the same time, states and cities are facing much higher health care costs.

Yet the Fed’s program will make it easier for governments to borrow in the municipal bond market. Powell, under questioning, said that states might need more direct help from the federal government to avoid laying off workers, with the unemployment rate, at 14.7%, already the highest since the Great Depression.

Mnuchin came under sharp questioning from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who charged that he wasn’t doing enough to force companies that receive aid from the Main Street Lending program, as well as other aid provided by the Fed and Treasury, to keep workers on their payrolls.

The senator pressed Mnuchin to ensure that the loans include that requirement. When Mnuchin declined to commit to that change, Warren said, “You’re boosting your Wall Street buddies.”

Mnuchin told Warren that the legislation providing the funds includes restrictions on top executive pay and on company dividends and stock buybacks.

Mnuchin said in prepared testimony that so far, the paycheck program has processed more than 4.2 million loans for over $530 billion “to keep tens of millions of hardworking Americans on the payroll.” The loans need not be repaid as long as the borrowing business uses 75% of the money to cover workers’ paychecks.

But many small companies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/380b07b9292ea7ae4d382f091d99bf10">say the terms are too onerous</a>. To have the loans forgiven, they must rehire all their employees within eight weeks of receiving the funds, even if they have little business or work for them to do. These companies argue that they might have to lay off their workers again at the end of the eight weeks — and may have little money left to help ramp up when business does return.

Mnuchin, pressed about those issues and about opening the loan program to more nonprofits, said his department was considering making changes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will likely come under tough questioning from senators Tuesday about a small business lending program included in the government’s $2 trillion relief package.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?472163-1/fed-reserve-chair-powell-treasury-secretary-mnuchin-testify-cares-act-coronavirus-relief-bill&amp;live">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;Tuesday's hearing that started at 9a.m. CDT

Lawmakers from both parties have criticized the Payroll Protection Program, which initially provided $349 billion in forgivable loans to small companies but has been plagued by a host of problems.

Many businesses were unable to get loans before the initial funding was exhausted. A second round of loans faced computer processing delays and a number of publicly traded companies ended up receiving money that Mnuchin demanded be paid back to the government.

<a href="https://www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Mnuchin%20Testimony%205-19-201.pdf">Click here to read</a> Treasury Secretary Mnuchin's opening statement.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A small, overlooked federal agency is shouldering a massive relief effort for the nation’s small businesses and their workers left reeling by the pandemic.

The Small Business Administration has committed to auditing every sizable emergency loan it approves.

But six weeks after the $600 billion-plus program was launched, the agency has yet to make public the recipients of taxpayer aid.

A signature piece of Congress’ multitrillion-dollar pandemic rescue, the unprecedented lending program is targeted to help small employers stay afloat and preserve jobs in a cratering economy losing tens of millions of them.

“Our swift action supported or saved 30 million American jobs at least,” President Donald Trump said at a White House event on small business late last month with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza.

Managing the program fell to the SBA, an agency with some 3,200 employees and an $819 million annual budget that’s one-tenth the size of the Commerce Department’s. On at least two occasions last month, the SBA’s computer system slowed under the crush of loan applications, creating a bottleneck. The agency says it has processed 4.2 million loans for some $530 billion in awards.

The need for a detailed public accounting of the small-business relief program is amplified by controversy over how it has unfolded since early April. It’s important as a way for the public to know whether the program is working as Congress intended.

Several hundred publicly traded companies received hundreds of millions of the low-interest, potentially forgivable loans. They tapped the federal aid despite their likely ability to get the money from private financial sources. Some had market values well over $100 million, and many had executives earning millions annually.

On its website, the SBA says it “is becoming more transparent, participatory and collaborative through open government.” It cites, among other things, its Freedom of Information Act program and improvements to online services.

So far, the agency has only provided general information, such as the total amounts of loans awarded in a given time period.

With huge amounts of money flying out the government’s door in a crisis, full public disclosure can help prevent fraud and improper spending, says Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis and expert in government ethics.

Otherwise, “the risks to taxpayers are greater,” Clark said. “I would think the SBA would be proactive in making information public.”

Asked by news organizations for information on the companies receiving loans and when it might be provided, the SBA has said it’s too consumed now by the urgent effort of helping small businesses through the economic downturn. It says specific loan data may be released sometime “in the near future.”

“At this time, the agency is focusing its efforts on assisting small businesses during this unprecedented disruption to the economy,” the SBA says. “The agency recognizes the need to balance the interests of transparency with the privacy and confidentiality issues release of loan information raises.”

The loans made to big deep-pocketed companies in the Paycheck Protection Program meant that less money was available for smaller businesses. Publicly shamed, big corporations, including national restaurant chains Shake Shack, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Potbelly Sandwich Shop, said they would return their loans.

It was news reports of big companies receiving loans that sparked the public outcry. The Associated Press and several other news organizations combed through voluminous filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission to unearth public companies that had received PPP loans. The SBA did not make the information public.

That may be surprising because, until now, the SBA has regularly released information on businesses that have borrowed under its main lending program, the so-called 7(a) program.

In fact, the loan application for the Paycheck Protection Program includes this notice to potential borrowers: Under the Freedom of Information Act and with certain exceptions, the SBA “must supply information reflected in agency files and records to a person requesting it.”

Several news organizations, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, have sued the SBA in federal court over its not having released the loan data despite several FOIA requests. They accuse the agency of violating the FOIA law. The SBA has declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Amid the public outcry, Mnuchin recently threatened criminal prosecution and warned companies they must return the money if they falsely certified that they needed federal aid to operate and couldn’t get it elsewhere. SBA set a deadline of Monday for companies with improperly received loans to return the money without penalty.

But last week, SBA issued revised guidance indicating that criminal action won’t be pursued if companies found to have falsely certified their needs return the money.

Elsewhere in the government, the Treasury Department recently released an accounting of its emergency lending program for airlines and air cargo carriers under the pandemic relief legislation.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589905117701.png" alt="As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Jerry Moran attended the virtual hearing&nbsp; with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell " />
 <figcaption>As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Jerry Moran attended the virtual hearing&nbsp; with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing the gravest U.S. economic crisis in decades, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell offered U.S. Senators contrasting views Tuesday of what the government’s most urgent priority should be.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPDl_xETXoI">Click here to watch&nbsp;</a>Senator Moran's turn at questioning Mnuchin and Powell.Striking a theme frequently pushed by President Donald Trump, Mnuchin warned that prolonged business shutdowns would pose long-term threats to the economy, from widespread bankruptcies for small businesses to long-term unemployment for millions of Americans.“There is risk of permanent damage,” Mnuchin said.Powell, by contrast, stressed, as he has in recent weeks, that the nation is gripped by an economic shock “without modern precedent” and that Congress must consider providing further financial aid soon to support states, localities, businesses and individuals to prevent an even deeper recession.“What Congress has done to date has been remarkably timely and forceful,” Powell said. “But we need to step back and ask, ’Is it enough?”Their points of emphasis reflect the contours of a debate occurring across the country, among individuals, business people and political leaders, about when and under what circumstances the economy should reopen and what further help the government can or should provide.Mnuchin and Powell offered their views at an oversight hearing of the Senate Banking Committee at which members of both parties questioned them about when their agencies will distribute more of the emergency aid that Congress provided in late March to struggling small businesses and households.Powell said that a highly anticipated lending program the Fed is creating for small businesses should be operating by the end of the month. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0abbc3e930e7d8cff7da05bbd7921ee2">in a turnaround</a>, Mnuchin said the Treasury is now prepared to absorb some losses in that program, which is funded by Treasury. Doing so could enable the Fed to take on further risk with the program and help more struggling companies.During the hearing, Mnuchin clashed sharply with Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts over the administration’s support for a phased reopening of the economy and over its reluctance to require that all companies that receive government aid keep their workers on the payroll.Brown charged that the Trump administration was risking the lives of lower-income workers by supporting reopening efforts and was doing so simply to boost financial markets. He asserted that the administration hasn’t done enough to protect front-line workers — by, for example, ramping up viral testing — even as most states start allowing restaurants, stores and gyms to reopen.“The administration wants to put more workers at risk to boost the stock market,” Brown said.“Your characterization is unfair,” Mnuchin responded.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589897693671.png" alt="Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during Tuesday's virtual Senate Banking Committee hearing" />
 <figcaption>Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during Tuesday's virtual Senate Banking Committee hearing</figcaption>
 </figure>The hearing was the first in a planned series of quarterly oversight sessions focused on spending programs authorized in the $2 trillion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20200409a.htm">federal relief package</a>&nbsp;that is overseen by the Treasury Department and Fed. They include the $660 billion small business lending facility, known as the paycheck protection program, as well as $46 billion in grants to airlines and $454 billion to support the Fed’s lending.The Fed announced in March that it would set up the Main Street Lending Program, which will provide up to $600 billion in loans to medium-sized businesses that are too large to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program. The Treasury has provided $75 billion, drawn from the $454 billion set aside by Congress, to cover any losses from the Main Street program.Mnuchin said that under some scenarios the Treasury could lose some or all of that $75 billion.“Our intention is that we intend to take some losses,” he said.The Fed has also said it will buy debt issued by state and local governments, which are facing plummeting revenues as the viral outbreak has eliminated tens of millions of jobs and slashed income tax and sales tax revenue. At the same time, states and cities are facing much higher health care costs.Yet the Fed’s program will make it easier for governments to borrow in the municipal bond market. Powell, under questioning, said that states might need more direct help from the federal government to avoid laying off workers, with the unemployment rate, at 14.7%, already the highest since the Great Depression.Mnuchin came under sharp questioning from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who charged that he wasn’t doing enough to force companies that receive aid from the Main Street Lending program, as well as other aid provided by the Fed and Treasury, to keep workers on their payrolls.The senator pressed Mnuchin to ensure that the loans include that requirement. When Mnuchin declined to commit to that change, Warren said, “You’re boosting your Wall Street buddies.”Mnuchin told Warren that the legislation providing the funds includes restrictions on top executive pay and on company dividends and stock buybacks.Mnuchin said in prepared testimony that so far, the paycheck program has processed more than 4.2 million loans for over $530 billion “to keep tens of millions of hardworking Americans on the payroll.” The loans need not be repaid as long as the borrowing business uses 75% of the money to cover workers’ paychecks.But many small companies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/380b07b9292ea7ae4d382f091d99bf10">say the terms are too onerous</a>. To have the loans forgiven, they must rehire all their employees within eight weeks of receiving the funds, even if they have little business or work for them to do. These companies argue that they might have to lay off their workers again at the end of the eight weeks — and may have little money left to help ramp up when business does return.Mnuchin, pressed about those issues and about opening the loan program to more nonprofits, said his department was considering making changes.---------WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will likely come under tough questioning from senators Tuesday about a small business lending program included in the government’s $2 trillion relief package.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?472163-1/fed-reserve-chair-powell-treasury-secretary-mnuchin-testify-cares-act-coronavirus-relief-bill&amp;live">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;Tuesday's hearing that started at 9a.m. CDTLawmakers from both parties have criticized the Payroll Protection Program, which initially provided $349 billion in forgivable loans to small companies but has been plagued by a host of problems.Many businesses were unable to get loans before the initial funding was exhausted. A second round of loans faced computer processing delays and a number of publicly traded companies ended up receiving money that Mnuchin demanded be paid back to the government.<a href="https://www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Mnuchin%20Testimony%205-19-201.pdf">Click here to read</a> Treasury Secretary Mnuchin's opening statement.---------WASHINGTON (AP) — A small, overlooked federal agency is shouldering a massive relief effort for the nation’s small businesses and their workers left reeling by the pandemic.The Small Business Administration has committed to auditing every sizable emergency loan it approves.But six weeks after the $600 billion-plus program was launched, the agency has yet to make public the recipients of taxpayer aid.A signature piece of Congress’ multitrillion-dollar pandemic rescue, the unprecedented lending program is targeted to help small employers stay afloat and preserve jobs in a cratering economy losing tens of millions of them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584462219509.png" alt="President Trump listens to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during a Coronavirus Task Force meeting last month. -Image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump listens to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during a Coronavirus Task Force meeting last month. -Image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>“Our swift action supported or saved 30 million American jobs at least,” President Donald Trump said at a White House event on small business late last month with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza.Managing the program fell to the SBA, an agency with some 3,200 employees and an $819 million annual budget that’s one-tenth the size of the Commerce Department’s. On at least two occasions last month, the SBA’s computer system slowed under the crush of loan applications, creating a bottleneck. The agency says it has processed 4.2 million loans for some $530 billion in awards.The need for a detailed public accounting of the small-business relief program is amplified by controversy over how it has unfolded since early April. It’s important as a way for the public to know whether the program is working as Congress intended.Several hundred publicly traded companies received hundreds of millions of the low-interest, potentially forgivable loans. They tapped the federal aid despite their likely ability to get the money from private financial sources. Some had market values well over $100 million, and many had executives earning millions annually.On its website, the SBA says it “is becoming more transparent, participatory and collaborative through open government.” It cites, among other things, its Freedom of Information Act program and improvements to online services.So far, the agency has only provided general information, such as the total amounts of loans awarded in a given time period.With huge amounts of money flying out the government’s door in a crisis, full public disclosure can help prevent fraud and improper spending, says Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis and expert in government ethics.Otherwise, “the risks to taxpayers are greater,” Clark said. “I would think the SBA would be proactive in making information public.”Asked by news organizations for information on the companies receiving loans and when it might be provided, the SBA has said it’s too consumed now by the urgent effort of helping small businesses through the economic downturn. It says specific loan data may be released sometime “in the near future.”“At this time, the agency is focusing its efforts on assisting small businesses during this unprecedented disruption to the economy,” the SBA says. “The agency recognizes the need to balance the interests of transparency with the privacy and confidentiality issues release of loan information raises.”The loans made to big deep-pocketed companies in the Paycheck Protection Program meant that less money was available for smaller businesses. Publicly shamed, big corporations, including national restaurant chains Shake Shack, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Potbelly Sandwich Shop, said they would return their loans.It was news reports of big companies receiving loans that sparked the public outcry. The Associated Press and several other news organizations combed through voluminous filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission to unearth public companies that had received PPP loans. The SBA did not make the information public.That may be surprising because, until now, the SBA has regularly released information on businesses that have borrowed under its main lending program, the so-called 7(a) program.In fact, the loan application for the Paycheck Protection Program includes this notice to potential borrowers: Under the Freedom of Information Act and with certain exceptions, the SBA “must supply information reflected in agency files and records to a person requesting it.”Several news organizations, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, have sued the SBA in federal court over its not having released the loan data despite several FOIA requests. They accuse the agency of violating the FOIA law. The SBA has declined to comment on the lawsuit.Amid the public outcry, Mnuchin recently threatened criminal prosecution and warned companies they must return the money if they falsely certified that they needed federal aid to operate and couldn’t get it elsewhere. SBA set a deadline of Monday for companies with improperly received loans to return the money without penalty.But last week, SBA issued revised guidance indicating that criminal action won’t be pursued if companies found to have falsely certified their needs return the money.Elsewhere in the government, the Treasury Department recently released an accounting of its emergency lending program for airlines and air cargo carriers under the pandemic relief legislation.&nbsp;

🎥 Who got what? Moran questions small-business virus relief effort

The Andrew County Health Department will be offering a drive-thru COVID-19 testing event on Friday.&nbsp;

Andrew County currently has 17 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with five reported as recovered.&nbsp;

Jayne White is the Communicable Disease Nurse at the Andrew County Health Department. White says the health department has been wanting to do community testing for awhile.

"Andrew County is a neighboring community with Buchanan County so, with the increases in cases there, while our number is still low, we have seen a significant increase in the last week, week and a half,” White says. “So (we're) just trying to get a better pulse on what’s going on exactly in our community and if we’re seeing a community outbreak or community spread problem or if this is just kind of to be expected."

White says anyone can get tested even if they don’t have symptoms.

"Any of our high risk populations, especially the folks that feel they could have potentially been exposed or have those kind of situations where they are a high risk for exposure, even if they’re asymptomatic,” White says. “Obviously, if you’re having symptoms at all we encourage those folks to get signed up so we can test them and find out what’s going on. But it’s ultimately open to anybody within the community, we just want to get a good picture of our community and what’s going on and what our case volume really looks like."

White says as of Monday evening, a little over 100 people were signed up for the 150 tests available. White adds, if all the spots are filled, they will plan another testing event. 

The drive-thru testing will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday. Pre-registration is required. For more information visit <a href="http://www.andrewcountyhealth.com/index.php/resources/news/570-covid-pr-5-15-20">andrewcountyhealth.com</a>.

The event is being conducted by the health department along with Mosaic Life Care-Maryville, Northwest Health Services, the National Guard and community volunteers.

by Sarah ThomackSt. Joseph PostThe Andrew County Health Department will be offering a drive-thru COVID-19 testing event on Friday.&nbsp;Andrew County currently has 17 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with five reported as recovered.&nbsp;Jayne White is the Communicable Disease Nurse at the Andrew County Health Department. White says the health department has been wanting to do community testing for awhile."Andrew County is a neighboring community with Buchanan County so, with the increases in cases there, while our number is still low, we have seen a significant increase in the last week, week and a half,” White says. “So (we're) just trying to get a better pulse on what’s going on exactly in our community and if we’re seeing a community outbreak or community spread problem or if this is just kind of to be expected."White says anyone can get tested even if they don’t have symptoms."Any of our high risk populations, especially the folks that feel they could have potentially been exposed or have those kind of situations where they are a high risk for exposure, even if they’re asymptomatic,” White says. “Obviously, if you’re having symptoms at all we encourage those folks to get signed up so we can test them and find out what’s going on. But it’s ultimately open to anybody within the community, we just want to get a good picture of our community and what’s going on and what our case volume really looks like."White says as of Monday evening, a little over 100 people were signed up for the 150 tests available. White adds, if all the spots are filled, they will plan another testing event. The drive-thru testing will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday. Pre-registration is required. For more information visit <a href="http://www.andrewcountyhealth.com/index.php/resources/news/570-covid-pr-5-15-20">andrewcountyhealth.com</a>.The event is being conducted by the health department along with Mosaic Life Care-Maryville, Northwest Health Services, the National Guard and community volunteers.

Andrew Co. hosting drive-thru COVID-19 testing to get better idea of local cases

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — The family of an 88-year-old man who died in a COVID-19 outbreak at a suburban Kansas City nursing home has sued.

The wrongful death suit that was filed Monday on behalf of the family of Gordan Grohman alleges that the staff at Brighton Gardens in Prairie Village, Kansas, failed to separate residents with COVID-19 symptoms from those without the virus. Grohman died May 1.

It’s the first such suit against the facility, where there have been 76 positive cases and 14 deaths.

“This is not just a failure of one employee, one nurse or anything like that,” said attorney Rachel Stahle.

Similar suits have been filed against Riverbend Post Acute Rehabilitation, a Kansas City, Kansas, facility that is the site of 132 cases and 36 deaths.

A call to Brighton Gardens by KCUR seeking comment wasn’t immediately returned.

State officials reported 8,340 cases Monday, up by 454 from Friday, and 173 deaths. Johns Hopkins University reported 195 deaths.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589905440854.png" alt="Brighton Gardens Senior Living Center in Prairie Village, Kansas- google image" />
 <figcaption>Brighton Gardens Senior Living Center in Prairie Village, Kansas- google image</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — The family of an 88-year-old man who died in a COVID-19 outbreak at a suburban Kansas City nursing home has sued.The wrongful death suit that was filed Monday on behalf of the family of Gordan Grohman alleges that the staff at Brighton Gardens in Prairie Village, Kansas, failed to separate residents with COVID-19 symptoms from those without the virus. Grohman died May 1.It’s the first such suit against the facility, where there have been 76 positive cases and 14 deaths.“This is not just a failure of one employee, one nurse or anything like that,” said attorney Rachel Stahle.Similar suits have been filed against Riverbend Post Acute Rehabilitation, a Kansas City, Kansas, facility that is the site of 132 cases and 36 deaths.A call to Brighton Gardens by KCUR seeking comment wasn’t immediately returned.State officials reported 8,340 cases Monday, up by 454 from Friday, and 173 deaths. Johns Hopkins University reported 195 deaths.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.

Suit filed against Kansas nursing home with 14 virus deaths

JOHNSON COUNTY — Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, announced Monday it has received a contract from the U.S. government to provide highly specialized viral transport media (VTM) for COVID-19 sample collection. 

According to a media release, the VTM is used during collection of patient samples for proper transport to laboratories that can test for the presence of the virus.

To ensure accuracy of COVID-19 test results, VTM must be manufactured and dispensed into tubes in an aseptic environment.&nbsp;Thermo Fisher&nbsp;currently produces VTM at its site in&nbsp;Lenexa, Kansas, which meets this requirement, and has ramped production from 50,000 to more than one million VTM-filled tubes per week.

Given the significant demand for COVID-19 testing and associated sample collection,&nbsp;Thermo Fisher&nbsp;will expand capacity in&nbsp;Lenexa&nbsp;with a new&nbsp;$40 million&nbsp;facility dedicated to VTM production and quality control. The added capacity and increased efficiencies will allow the company to scale production to more than eight million VTM-filled tubes per week.

The company plans to complete the new&nbsp;Lenexa&nbsp;facility in Q3 and expects that it will create approximately 300 new full-time jobs.

"Our production ramp-up in&nbsp;Lenexa&nbsp;has been impressive and our employees deserve recognition for their ingenuity and dedication to making this happen,"&nbsp;said&nbsp;Marc N. Casper, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "We have a proven blueprint for high-quality VTM production in&nbsp;Lenexa&nbsp;and look forward to bringing significant new capacity&nbsp;on line&nbsp;as quickly as possible to continue the necessary testing ramp-up in the U.S."

Casper added, "We're proud of our role in helping customers to battle the pandemic. With our leading scale and depth of capabilities,&nbsp;Thermo Fisher&nbsp;can support virtually every aspect of the COVID-19 response, which demonstrates what it means to be the world leader in serving science."

JOHNSON COUNTY — Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, announced Monday it has received a contract from the U.S. government to provide highly specialized viral transport media (VTM) for COVID-19 sample collection. According to a media release, the VTM is used during collection of patient samples for proper transport to laboratories that can test for the presence of the virus.To ensure accuracy of COVID-19 test results, VTM must be manufactured and dispensed into tubes in an aseptic environment.&nbsp;Thermo Fisher&nbsp;currently produces VTM at its site in&nbsp;Lenexa, Kansas, which meets this requirement, and has ramped production from 50,000 to more than one million VTM-filled tubes per week.Given the significant demand for COVID-19 testing and associated sample collection,&nbsp;Thermo Fisher&nbsp;will expand capacity in&nbsp;Lenexa&nbsp;with a new&nbsp;$40 million&nbsp;facility dedicated to VTM production and quality control. The added capacity and increased efficiencies will allow the company to scale production to more than eight million VTM-filled tubes per week.The company plans to complete the new&nbsp;Lenexa&nbsp;facility in Q3 and expects that it will create approximately 300 new full-time jobs."Our production ramp-up in&nbsp;Lenexa&nbsp;has been impressive and our employees deserve recognition for their ingenuity and dedication to making this happen,"&nbsp;said&nbsp;Marc N. Casper, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "We have a proven blueprint for high-quality VTM production in&nbsp;Lenexa&nbsp;and look forward to bringing significant new capacity&nbsp;on line&nbsp;as quickly as possible to continue the necessary testing ramp-up in the U.S."Casper added, "We're proud of our role in helping customers to battle the pandemic. With our leading scale and depth of capabilities,&nbsp;Thermo Fisher&nbsp;can support virtually every aspect of the COVID-19 response, which demonstrates what it means to be the world leader in serving science."

Facility in Kan. will create 300 jobs, help COVID-19 testing 

TOPEKA —Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment is updating the state's battle against coronavirus.

Governor Kelly is not attending Monday's briefing due to a scheduling conflict.

&nbsp;The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 454 since Friday to a total of 8340, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp; Coronavirus deaths were reported at 173.

TOPEKA —Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment is updating the state's battle against coronavirus.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F3313868611956554%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Governor Kelly is not attending Monday's briefing due to a scheduling conflict.&nbsp;The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 454 since Friday to a total of 8340, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp; Coronavirus deaths were reported at 173.

🎥 KDHE Secretary updates battle against coronavirus

Buchanan County COVID-19 cases have topped 500 as the county has
become one of the hot spots for coronavirus cases in Missouri.

Buchanan County and St. Joseph City health officials report
501 COVID-19 cases; 460 confirmed and 41 probable. There have been two deaths
attributed to Buchanan County. State health officials, who have slightly
different criteria, count 505 cases in Buchanan County. Buchanan County cases
spiked after the mass testing at Triumph Foods.

Mosaic Life Care has tested 3,864 people in its network with
194 testing positive for the coronavirus. Thirteen of those testing positive
have been hospitalized in St. Joseph with one hospitalized in Albany. Mosaic is
awaiting results from 40 tests.

The Mosaic count released Monday morning does not include the free testing from this past weekend in which Mosaic tested 1,593 people total; 834 on Saturday and 759 on Sunday. Results from those tests will be released later.

The St. Louis area reports the most coronavirus cases in
Missouri, by far.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports 1,573
COVID-19 cases in St. Louis with 4,140 cases in St. Louis County, Missouri’s
largest county with nearly one million residents. Neighboring St. Charles
County has 688 cases.

Kansas City has 895 cases, according to state health
officials. Jackson County has 446 cases. Clay County records 114 cases with
Platte County reporting 52 cases.

Greene County, which includes Springfield, reports 96 cases
while Boone County, the home of Columbia, has 104 cases.

There remain counties in Missouri which have not recorded any coronavirus cases, including four in northern Missouri. The northwest,
north-central Missouri counties of Mercer, Grundy, and Putnam have yet to
record a case of COVID-19. Knox County in northeast Missouri reports no cases at this time.

Saline County, a smaller county in central Missouri which has
a meatpacking plant, reports 246 cases. Moniteau County, also in central
Missouri with a meatpacking plant, reports 44 cases.

This story has been updated to correct a mistake when first published.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostBuchanan County COVID-19 cases have topped 500 as the county has
become one of the hot spots for coronavirus cases in Missouri.Buchanan County and St. Joseph City health officials report
501 COVID-19 cases; 460 confirmed and 41 probable. There have been two deaths
attributed to Buchanan County. State health officials, who have slightly
different criteria, count 505 cases in Buchanan County. Buchanan County cases
spiked after the mass testing at Triumph Foods.Mosaic Life Care has tested 3,864 people in its network with
194 testing positive for the coronavirus. Thirteen of those testing positive
have been hospitalized in St. Joseph with one hospitalized in Albany. Mosaic is
awaiting results from 40 tests.The Mosaic count released Monday morning does not include the free testing from this past weekend in which Mosaic tested 1,593 people total; 834 on Saturday and 759 on Sunday. Results from those tests will be released later.The St. Louis area reports the most coronavirus cases in
Missouri, by far.The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports 1,573
COVID-19 cases in St. Louis with 4,140 cases in St. Louis County, Missouri’s
largest county with nearly one million residents. Neighboring St. Charles
County has 688 cases.Kansas City has 895 cases, according to state health
officials. Jackson County has 446 cases. Clay County records 114 cases with
Platte County reporting 52 cases.Greene County, which includes Springfield, reports 96 cases
while Boone County, the home of Columbia, has 104 cases.There remain counties in Missouri which have not recorded any coronavirus cases, including four in northern Missouri. The northwest,
north-central Missouri counties of Mercer, Grundy, and Putnam have yet to
record a case of COVID-19. Knox County in northeast Missouri reports no cases at this time.Saline County, a smaller county in central Missouri which has
a meatpacking plant, reports 246 cases. Moniteau County, also in central
Missouri with a meatpacking plant, reports 44 cases.This story has been updated to correct a mistake when first published.

Buchanan County tops 500 COVID-19 cases; one of Missouri's hot spots

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — FedEx has confirmed that workers from its facility in the Kansas City suburb of Olathe have tested positive for COVID-19.

A spokesperson from FedEx Ground said in a statement Friday that it was working cooperatively with county health officials and offering voluntary COVID-19 testing to employees and vendors at the facility.

The positive tests are considered to be the first cluster of coronavirus cases tied to a workplace in Johnson County, which announced nine cases in the cluster Thursday without identifying the name of the affected business.

FedEx said it has been providing hand soap, disinfecting wipes, masks, latex gloves and hand sanitizer to employees. It said it has also implemented temperature checks, symptom screenings and changes to its process to allow for social distancing.

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — FedEx has confirmed that workers from its facility in the Kansas City suburb of Olathe have tested positive for COVID-19.A spokesperson from FedEx Ground said in a statement Friday that it was working cooperatively with county health officials and offering voluntary COVID-19 testing to employees and vendors at the facility.The positive tests are considered to be the first cluster of coronavirus cases tied to a workplace in Johnson County, which announced nine cases in the cluster Thursday without identifying the name of the affected business.FedEx said it has been providing hand soap, disinfecting wipes, masks, latex gloves and hand sanitizer to employees. It said it has also implemented temperature checks, symptom screenings and changes to its process to allow for social distancing.

Coronavirus Update