By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/kdhe-secretary-warns-of-lethal-brew-yearns-for-mask-mandate-says-schools-not-yet-safe/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Bars and house 
parties are an antidote of choice among Kansans laboring with 
coronavirus frustration and willing to rub shoulders with friends or 
strangers.

Lee Norman, secretary of 
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said on the Kansas 
Reflector podcast these boozy environments also harbor perils of 
COVID-19 for anyone rejecting advice to social distance, wash hands and 
wear a mask.

“They just immerse in 
virus when they do that,” Norman said. “There’s usually music. When 
people speak loudly, there’s airborne droplets. And they’re very close 
to each other. It is absolutely a lethal brew.”

Norman said he was 
distressed only 15 of the state’s 105 counties embraced Gov. Laura 
Kelly’s recommendation of a mask mandate. The public health value of 
requiring people to cover their mouth and nose when in public has been 
undermined by government officials who discounted potential of the virus
 or viewed government edicts as infringement of individual liberties.

“I would love to see a 
mask&nbsp;mandate,” Norman said. “People can be outside and not&nbsp;have a mask 
on, if they’re distanced and they’re walking in a park or those kind of 
things. When you can’t control your environment, and you’re getting 
anywhere close to people, put a mask on.”

He said the state’s K-12 
education system and the colleges and universities weren’t prepared to 
resume in-person instruction in August.

Some local school boards 
decided to delay opening until after Labor Day in September, but the 
Kansas Board of Education rejected the governor’s proposal to hold off 
until Sept. 9. Kelly argued school districts needed more time to prepare
 for an educational environment invaded by COVID-19.

“The reason for that was 
pretty obvious. The number of cases is going up and, quite honestly, to 
make a safe environment for K through 12, or for that matter, higher ed.
 We’re not there yet,” the secretary said.

Norman said controversial 
decisions by the governor to close schools to in-person teaching in 
March and to issue a shelter-in-place directive in April were the two 
factors early in the pandemic that had a beneficial influence on spread 
of the virus.

The governor’s phased plan
 for reopening the state’s economy was initiated in May but subsequently
 derailed by the Kansas Legislature. It was anchored in health-related 
metrics that took into account needs of businesses to resume operations,
 he said.

“I’ve been a chief medical
 officer at very large health systems, and I know the importance of the 
bottom line. It’s always been top of mind.&nbsp;I don’t ever make 
recommendations in a vacuum,” Norman said. “And&nbsp;that’s true with schools
 as well. Schools are much more than just teaching and learning. It’s 
about socialization, nutrition, mental health.”

So far, the virus has been
 confirmed as a contributing factor in the death of 380 people and 
hospitalization of 1,875 individuals in Kansas. There have been 30,638 
positive tests and 285,874 negative tests for the virus across the 
state.

Here’s the top dozen 
counties of confirmed infections: Johnson, 5,637; Wyandotte, 4,961; 
Sedgwick, 4,935; Ford, 2,161; Finney, 1,706; Shawnee, 1,522; 
Leavenworth, 1,487, Seward, 1,144; Douglas, 717; and Lyon, 668, Riley, 
438; and Crawford, 395.

Norman, who has faced 
criticism from elected politicians and a skeptical public, said he 
continued to worry that not enough Kansans took COVID-19 seriously.

“We can’t make people take
 it seriously. Rules help,” he said. “I think what’s going to happen is 
that people are going to get ground down and will either say, ‘I guess 
we have to take this seriously and I’m going to personally be 
responsible for myself and maybe my family members.’ Or, are they the 
other? They can just say, ‘Heck with it. Let’s just throw open the 
doors. I’m done.’ "

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597071808051.jpeg" alt="Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman says during a recording of the Kansas Reflector podcast that he would prefer mask mandates to curtail the spread of COVID-19. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman says during a recording of the Kansas Reflector podcast that he would prefer mask mandates to curtail the spread of COVID-19. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/873134704&color=%232b7fb4&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast" title="Reflector Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Reflector Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast/health-secretary-lee-norman-yearns-for-mask-mandate" title="Health secretary Lee Norman warns of &#x27;lethal brew&#x27;" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Health secretary Lee Norman warns of &#x27;lethal brew&#x27;</a></div></div>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/kdhe-secretary-warns-of-lethal-brew-yearns-for-mask-mandate-says-schools-not-yet-safe/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Bars and house 
parties are an antidote of choice among Kansans laboring with 
coronavirus frustration and willing to rub shoulders with friends or 
strangers.Lee Norman, secretary of 
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said on the Kansas 
Reflector podcast these boozy environments also harbor perils of 
COVID-19 for anyone rejecting advice to social distance, wash hands and 
wear a mask.“They just immerse in 
virus when they do that,” Norman said. “There’s usually music. When 
people speak loudly, there’s airborne droplets. And they’re very close 
to each other. It is absolutely a lethal brew.”Norman said he was 
distressed only 15 of the state’s 105 counties embraced Gov. Laura 
Kelly’s recommendation of a mask mandate. The public health value of 
requiring people to cover their mouth and nose when in public has been 
undermined by government officials who discounted potential of the virus
 or viewed government edicts as infringement of individual liberties.“I would love to see a 
mask&nbsp;mandate,” Norman said. “People can be outside and not&nbsp;have a mask 
on, if they’re distanced and they’re walking in a park or those kind of 
things. When you can’t control your environment, and you’re getting 
anywhere close to people, put a mask on.”He said the state’s K-12 
education system and the colleges and universities weren’t prepared to 
resume in-person instruction in August.Some local school boards 
decided to delay opening until after Labor Day in September, but the 
Kansas Board of Education rejected the governor’s proposal to hold off 
until Sept. 9. Kelly argued school districts needed more time to prepare
 for an educational environment invaded by COVID-19.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597072174250.jpeg" alt="Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman sketches a chart showing a midsummer resurgence of infections in Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman sketches a chart showing a midsummer resurgence of infections in Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“The reason for that was 
pretty obvious. The number of cases is going up and, quite honestly, to 
make a safe environment for K through 12, or for that matter, higher ed.
 We’re not there yet,” the secretary said.Norman said controversial 
decisions by the governor to close schools to in-person teaching in 
March and to issue a shelter-in-place directive in April were the two 
factors early in the pandemic that had a beneficial influence on spread 
of the virus.The governor’s phased plan
 for reopening the state’s economy was initiated in May but subsequently
 derailed by the Kansas Legislature. It was anchored in health-related 
metrics that took into account needs of businesses to resume operations,
 he said.“I’ve been a chief medical
 officer at very large health systems, and I know the importance of the 
bottom line. It’s always been top of mind.&nbsp;I don’t ever make 
recommendations in a vacuum,” Norman said. “And&nbsp;that’s true with schools
 as well. Schools are much more than just teaching and learning. It’s 
about socialization, nutrition, mental health.”So far, the virus has been
 confirmed as a contributing factor in the death of 380 people and 
hospitalization of 1,875 individuals in Kansas. There have been 30,638 
positive tests and 285,874 negative tests for the virus across the 
state.Here’s the top dozen 
counties of confirmed infections: Johnson, 5,637; Wyandotte, 4,961; 
Sedgwick, 4,935; Ford, 2,161; Finney, 1,706; Shawnee, 1,522; 
Leavenworth, 1,487, Seward, 1,144; Douglas, 717; and Lyon, 668, Riley, 
438; and Crawford, 395.Norman, who has faced 
criticism from elected politicians and a skeptical public, said he 
continued to worry that not enough Kansans took COVID-19 seriously.“We can’t make people take
 it seriously. Rules help,” he said. “I think what’s going to happen is 
that people are going to get ground down and will either say, ‘I guess 
we have to take this seriously and I’m going to personally be 
responsible for myself and maybe my family members.’ Or, are they the 
other? They can just say, ‘Heck with it. Let’s just throw open the 
doors. I’m done.’ "Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

🎙 KDHE secretary warns of ‘lethal brew,’ says schools not yet safe

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City responded to six homicides in the city over the weekend, including the latest Sunday evening on the city’s west side.

Officers found a man with gunshot wounds in the parking lot of Tony Aguirre Community Center, police said. The victim died at a hospital. Earlier Sunday, officers found a woman dead in a home near Ward Parkway. Police did not detail how she was killed.

Minutes before the woman was discovered, police were called to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of the Kansas City Zoo, and early Sunday morning, man in his 20s was fatally shot inside a home.

Saturday evening, two unresponsive men with gunshot wounds were found in the backyard of a home in the Sterling Gardens neighborhood. Both were declared dead at the scene, police said.

Kansas City police are getting help investigating the deaths from federal agents with Operation Legend, a federal anti-crime program meant to assist city police in high-crime areas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597068055533.png" alt="Police on the scene of one homicide investigation in the 8100 block of Ward Parkway Plaza.-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of one homicide investigation in the 8100 block of Ward Parkway Plaza.-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City responded to six homicides in the city over the weekend, including the latest Sunday evening on the city’s west side.Officers found a man with gunshot wounds in the parking lot of Tony Aguirre Community Center, police said. The victim died at a hospital. Earlier Sunday, officers found a woman dead in a home near Ward Parkway. Police did not detail how she was killed.Minutes before the woman was discovered, police were called to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of the Kansas City Zoo, and early Sunday morning, man in his 20s was fatally shot inside a home.Saturday evening, two unresponsive men with gunshot wounds were found in the backyard of a home in the Sterling Gardens neighborhood. Both were declared dead at the scene, police said.Kansas City police are getting help investigating the deaths from federal agents with Operation Legend, a federal anti-crime program meant to assist city police in high-crime areas.

Kansas City police respond to 6 homicides over weekend

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — Whether President Donald Trump has the constitutional authority to extend federal unemployment benefits by executive order remains unclear. Equally up in the air is whether states, which are necessary partners in Trump’s plan to bypass Congress, will sign on.

Trump announced an executive order Saturday that extends additional unemployment payments of up to $400 a week to help cushion the economic fallout of the pandemic. Congress had approved payments of $600 a week at the outset of the coronavirus outbreak, but those benefits expired Aug. 1 and Congress has been unable to agree on an extension. Many Republicans have expressed concern that a $600 weekly benefit, on top of existing state benefits, gives people an incentive to stay unemployed.

But under Trump’s plan, the $400 a week requires a state to commit to providing $100.

Many states are already facing budget crunches caused by the pandemic. Asked at a news conference how many governors had signed on to participate, Trump answered: “If they don’t, they don’t. That’s up to them.”

Trump expressed a different view on Sunday night, following a day of state officials questioning how they could afford even $100 per person in additional weekly payments. He told reporters as he returned to Washington that states could make application to have the federal government provide all or part of the $400 payments. Decisions would be made state by state, he said.

Several state officials questioned how Trump’s initial proposal would work and often expressed doubt that they could afford to participate at the level Trump initially set without using federal funds.

Aubrey Layne, secretary of finance for Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, said in a phone interview Sunday he believes it would be feasible for Virginia to participate in such a program if states are allowed to use money that’s been allocated to them under the already passed CARES Act. He said his preliminary understanding is that states can do so, but he and others are waiting to see the rules published.

The better solution, Layne said, would be for Congress to pass legislation.

“It’s ludicrous to me that Congress can’t get together on this,” he said. “I think it would have been better for the president to use his influence in those negotiations, rather than standing on the sideline and then riding in like a shining knight.”

Details about the program were confused on Sunday — and that was even before Trump’s declaration that states could ask the federal government to pay all or part of the $400 week payments.

On CNN’s “State of the Nation” White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said conflicting things about whether the federal money was contingent on an additional contribution from the states. Initially Kudlow said that “for an extra $100, we will lever it up. We will pay three-quarters, and the states will pay 25 percent.” In the same interview, though, he later said that “at a minimum, we will put in 300 bucks ... but I think all they (the states) have to do is put up an extra dollar, and we will be able to throw in the extra $100.”

A clarifying statement from the White House said the “funds will be available for those who qualify by, among other things, receiving $100/week of existing assistance and certify that they have lost their jobs due to COVID-19.”

Several advocacy groups that follow the issue, though, said it’s clear the way the executive order is structured that the federal money will be contingent on states making a 25 percent contribution.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, called the plan “an impossibility.”

“I don’t know if the president is genuine in thinking the executive order is a resolution or if this is just a tactic in the negotiation,” Cuomo said. “But this is irreconcilable for the state. And I expect this is just a chapter in the book of Washington COVID mismanagement.”

In Connecticut, Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that the plan would cost his state $500 million to provide that benefit for the rest of the year, and called Trump’s plan “not a good idea.”

“I could take that money from testing — I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Lamont said.

On CNN, Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine praised Trump for issuing the order.

“He’s trying to do something. He’s trying to move the ball forward,” DeWine said.

Still, he was noncommittal about whether Ohio would participate.

“We’re looking at it right now to see whether we can do this,” he said.

Christina Stephens, a spokeswoman for Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said: “Right now we are reviewing the President’s order to determine exactly what the impact to the state would be.”

In Maryland, Michael Ricci, spokesman for Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, said in an email that “we will wait on new guidance from US Department of Labor before looking at any (unemployment insurance) changes.”

In Minnesota, Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove said his agency is “awaiting further guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor.”

Nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians are relying on that additional unemployment to pay their bills and put food on the table.

Kevin Hensil, a spokesman for Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, said “reducing the benefit by a third will make it harder for families to get by and it places a larger financial burden on states.” He said state officials are studying the impact of the cuts.

And in Michigan, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a press release that Trump “cut federal funding for unemployed workers and is requiring states that are facing severe holes in our budgets to provide 25% of the funding.”

On ABC”s “This Week,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called it “an unworkable plan.

“Most states will take months to implement it, because it’s brand new. It’s sort of put together with spit and paste. And many states, because they have to chip in $100, and they don’t have money, won’t do it,” Schumer said.

Many states struggled to adjust outdated computer systems to accommodate the $600 payment, which along with the massive influx of new claims resulted in long delays in providing benefits. Reprogramming the computers again to accommodate the new amount could result in similar glitches.

On ABC, Kudlow said that many of those outdated systems have since been upgraded.

“I don’t think there will be a huge delay. Labor Department has been working with the states. The states are the ones that process the federal benefits before. So, I don’t see any reason why it would be all that difficult,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596920175615.png" alt="President Trump announcing the effort to bypass Congress and extend federal unemployment benefits by executive order -photo courtesy White House.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Trump announcing the effort to bypass Congress and extend federal unemployment benefits by executive order -photo courtesy White House.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — Whether President Donald Trump has the constitutional authority to extend federal unemployment benefits by executive order remains unclear. Equally up in the air is whether states, which are necessary partners in Trump’s plan to bypass Congress, will sign on.Trump announced an executive order Saturday that extends additional unemployment payments of up to $400 a week to help cushion the economic fallout of the pandemic. Congress had approved payments of $600 a week at the outset of the coronavirus outbreak, but those benefits expired Aug. 1 and Congress has been unable to agree on an extension. Many Republicans have expressed concern that a $600 weekly benefit, on top of existing state benefits, gives people an incentive to stay unemployed.But under Trump’s plan, the $400 a week requires a state to commit to providing $100.Many states are already facing budget crunches caused by the pandemic. Asked at a news conference how many governors had signed on to participate, Trump answered: “If they don’t, they don’t. That’s up to them.”Trump expressed a different view on Sunday night, following a day of state officials questioning how they could afford even $100 per person in additional weekly payments. He told reporters as he returned to Washington that states could make application to have the federal government provide all or part of the $400 payments. Decisions would be made state by state, he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596920200204.png" alt="President Trump signed the order Saturday afternoon -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump signed the order Saturday afternoon -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Several state officials questioned how Trump’s initial proposal would work and often expressed doubt that they could afford to participate at the level Trump initially set without using federal funds.Aubrey Layne, secretary of finance for Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, said in a phone interview Sunday he believes it would be feasible for Virginia to participate in such a program if states are allowed to use money that’s been allocated to them under the already passed CARES Act. He said his preliminary understanding is that states can do so, but he and others are waiting to see the rules published.The better solution, Layne said, would be for Congress to pass legislation.“It’s ludicrous to me that Congress can’t get together on this,” he said. “I think it would have been better for the president to use his influence in those negotiations, rather than standing on the sideline and then riding in like a shining knight.”Details about the program were confused on Sunday — and that was even before Trump’s declaration that states could ask the federal government to pay all or part of the $400 week payments.On CNN’s “State of the Nation” White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said conflicting things about whether the federal money was contingent on an additional contribution from the states. Initially Kudlow said that “for an extra $100, we will lever it up. We will pay three-quarters, and the states will pay 25 percent.” In the same interview, though, he later said that “at a minimum, we will put in 300 bucks ... but I think all they (the states) have to do is put up an extra dollar, and we will be able to throw in the extra $100.”A clarifying statement from the White House said the “funds will be available for those who qualify by, among other things, receiving $100/week of existing assistance and certify that they have lost their jobs due to COVID-19.”Several advocacy groups that follow the issue, though, said it’s clear the way the executive order is structured that the federal money will be contingent on states making a 25 percent contribution.New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, called the plan “an impossibility.”“I don’t know if the president is genuine in thinking the executive order is a resolution or if this is just a tactic in the negotiation,” Cuomo said. “But this is irreconcilable for the state. And I expect this is just a chapter in the book of Washington COVID mismanagement.”In Connecticut, Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that the plan would cost his state $500 million to provide that benefit for the rest of the year, and called Trump’s plan “not a good idea.”“I could take that money from testing — I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Lamont said.On CNN, Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine praised Trump for issuing the order.“He’s trying to do something. He’s trying to move the ball forward,” DeWine said.Still, he was noncommittal about whether Ohio would participate.“We’re looking at it right now to see whether we can do this,” he said.Christina Stephens, a spokeswoman for Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said: “Right now we are reviewing the President’s order to determine exactly what the impact to the state would be.”In Maryland, Michael Ricci, spokesman for Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, said in an email that “we will wait on new guidance from US Department of Labor before looking at any (unemployment insurance) changes.”In Minnesota, Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove said his agency is “awaiting further guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor.”Nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians are relying on that additional unemployment to pay their bills and put food on the table.Kevin Hensil, a spokesman for Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, said “reducing the benefit by a third will make it harder for families to get by and it places a larger financial burden on states.” He said state officials are studying the impact of the cuts.And in Michigan, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a press release that Trump “cut federal funding for unemployed workers and is requiring states that are facing severe holes in our budgets to provide 25% of the funding.”On ABC”s “This Week,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called it “an unworkable plan.“Most states will take months to implement it, because it’s brand new. It’s sort of put together with spit and paste. And many states, because they have to chip in $100, and they don’t have money, won’t do it,” Schumer said.Many states struggled to adjust outdated computer systems to accommodate the $600 payment, which along with the massive influx of new claims resulted in long delays in providing benefits. Reprogramming the computers again to accommodate the new amount could result in similar glitches.On ABC, Kudlow said that many of those outdated systems have since been upgraded.“I don’t think there will be a huge delay. Labor Department has been working with the states. The states are the ones that process the federal benefits before. So, I don’t see any reason why it would be all that difficult,” he said.___

States on hook for billions under Trump's unemployment plan

WARRENSBURG, Mo (AP) — Two Warrensburg men have been charged in shooting at a large birthday party that left one woman dead and two other people injured.

Evan Lanigan, 25, and Christian Harrison, 28, were each charged Wednesday in the Aug. 1 shooting at a Warrensburg home that killed 18-year-old Maliyah Lakey, of Warrensburg.

Harrison was charged with second-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm, three counts of unlawful use of a weapon and two counts each of first-degree assault and armed criminal action.

Lanigan was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree assault and second-degree assault and two counts each of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. Both were being held without bond.

Witnesses told police the shooting occurred after Lanigan pulled a gun during an argument with Harrison, leading to a large fight.

Lakey, who was shot in the back, was found in an alley near the house, police said. A 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old female were treated at area hospitals for gunshot wounds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597054525680.png" alt="Harrison-photo Johnson CO." />
 <figcaption>Harrison-photo Johnson CO.</figcaption>
 </figure>WARRENSBURG, Mo (AP) — Two Warrensburg men have been charged in shooting at a large birthday party that left one woman dead and two other people injured.Evan Lanigan, 25, and Christian Harrison, 28, were each charged Wednesday in the Aug. 1 shooting at a Warrensburg home that killed 18-year-old Maliyah Lakey, of Warrensburg.Harrison was charged with second-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm, three counts of unlawful use of a weapon and two counts each of first-degree assault and armed criminal action.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597054472968.png" alt="Lanigan photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Lanigan photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Lanigan was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree assault and second-degree assault and two counts each of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. Both were being held without bond.Witnesses told police the shooting occurred after Lanigan pulled a gun during an argument with Harrison, leading to a large fight.Lakey, who was shot in the back, was found in an alley near the house, police said. A 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old female were treated at area hospitals for gunshot wounds.

2 Mo. men charged in fatal shooting at birthday party

STONE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 3:30a.m. Sunday in Stone County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported an unknown vehicle traveling on MO 413 two miles south of Galena struck a pedestrian identified as Brandon C. Small, 43, Reed Springs, who was apparently walking in the road.

Small was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the Stone County Coroner.

STONE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 3:30a.m. Sunday in Stone County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported an unknown vehicle traveling on MO 413 two miles south of Galena struck a pedestrian identified as Brandon C. Small, 43, Reed Springs, who was apparently walking in the road.Small was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the Stone County Coroner.The MSHP released no additional details.

MSHP IDs Missouri man struck and killed on highway

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. (AP) - Authorities were busy Sunday working to recapture two chimpanzees that escaped from a sanctuary in eastern Missouri. 

&nbsp;Both of the&nbsp; two escaped chimps had been tranquilized by Sunday evening, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's department.&nbsp;

Deputies and animal control personnel along with staff at the Critter Lane Petting Zoo had established a perimeter to catch the chimps.

Sheriff’s office spokesman Grant Bissell said the plan was to tranquilize the chimps and then return them to the sanctuary that is about 35 miles southwest of St. Louis near the town of Festus. Bissell said one of these same chimpanzees escaped from the sanctuary just a few weeks ago.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. (AP) - Authorities were busy Sunday working to recapture two chimpanzees that escaped from a sanctuary in eastern Missouri. &nbsp;Both of the&nbsp; two escaped chimps had been tranquilized by Sunday evening, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's department.&nbsp;Deputies and animal control personnel along with staff at the Critter Lane Petting Zoo had established a perimeter to catch the chimps.Sheriff’s office spokesman Grant Bissell said the plan was to tranquilize the chimps and then return them to the sanctuary that is about 35 miles southwest of St. Louis near the town of Festus. Bissell said one of these same chimpanzees escaped from the sanctuary just a few weeks ago.

Authorities capture 2 escaped chimpanzees from Mo. zoo

SUGAR CREEK, Mo. (AP) — A body was found Sunday in the Missouri River in a small western Missouri city.

The Sugar Creek Police Department was called to La Benite Park around 8:30 a.m. Sunday after someone reported finding a corpse in the river. Sugar Creek is about 15 miles northeast of Kansas City, Missouri.

Police helped recover the body from the river.

The victim's identity and cause of death were not immediately released Sunday afternoon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597024130101.png" alt="Police tape at La Benite Park -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police tape at La Benite Park -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>SUGAR CREEK, Mo. (AP) — A body was found Sunday in the Missouri River in a small western Missouri city.The Sugar Creek Police Department was called to La Benite Park around 8:30 a.m. Sunday after someone reported finding a corpse in the river. Sugar Creek is about 15 miles northeast of Kansas City, Missouri.Police helped recover the body from the river.The victim's identity and cause of death were not immediately released Sunday afternoon.

Body found in river in Western Missouri 

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services appreciated the patience from the public as their teams&nbsp; worked diligently over the weekend to migrate data from the old disease surveillance system to a new system.&nbsp; The agency did not release a report Saturday and did provide numbers late Sunday.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services appreciated the patience from the public as their teams&nbsp; worked diligently over the weekend to migrate data from the old disease surveillance system to a new system.&nbsp; The agency did not release a report Saturday and did provide numbers late Sunday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">📊 COVID-19 update for August 9: - 58,927 confirmed positive patients. - 1,307 Missourians lost to COVID-19. - 475 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. - 4 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours. - 11.5%: 7 day percent positive of PCR tested individuals.&mdash; Mo Health &amp; Sr Srvcs (@HealthyLivingMo) <a href="https://twitter.com/HealthyLivingMo/status/1292619522478940162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Due to technology upgrades in process internally, the update for today, August 8, has been delayed.&mdash; Mo Health &amp; Sr Srvcs (@HealthyLivingMo) <a href="https://twitter.com/HealthyLivingMo/status/1292182272054042625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Agency provides delayed report on virus in Missouri

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The operator of a privately run federal prison in Kansas and its phone provider have agreed to pay $3.7 million to settle a lawsuit filed by attorneys who alleged that calls with their clients at the facility were illegally recorded.

CoreCivic, which runs the Leavenworth Detention Center, and its phone provider, Securus Technologies, agreed to pay the money into a fund that will be distributed among attorneys who had in-person or phone communications intercepted.

A judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri approved the agreement. The settlement comes a year after the companies agreed to pay $1.6 million to current and former detainees who made similar allegations.

CoreCivic told the newspaper in an email that the company maintains that there was no wrongdoing on the part of its company or its employees.

“We’ve worked hard with all parties to resolve this issue in a professional and courteous manner,” CoreCivic spokeswoman Amanda Gilchrist said.

The attorneys for the plaintiffs and Securus Technologies did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Attorneys who had their in-person clients visits or phone calls intercepted or recorded will be entitled to up to $10,000 in compensation under the terms of the settlement. Those who had both in person and phone communications intercepted will be entitled to up to $20,000.

David Johnson and Adam Crane, the named litigants who sued in 2016, will each be awarded $25,000. Just under $1.3 million will be set aside for attorneys fees.

The rest of the money will be donated to Legal Aid of Western Missouri and Kansas Legal Services.

Last year, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson held the U.S. attorney’s office in Kansas in contempt of court, finding it willfully violated court orders during an independent investigation of the systemic practice. The judge also found that some federal prosecutors improperly listened to recorded communications between inmates and their attorneys.

More than a hundred criminal defendants have filed petitions seeking to get their sentences vacated or indictments dismissed. Those proceedings are ongoing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1566842526567.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — The operator of a privately run federal prison in Kansas and its phone provider have agreed to pay $3.7 million to settle a lawsuit filed by attorneys who alleged that calls with their clients at the facility were illegally recorded.CoreCivic, which runs the Leavenworth Detention Center, and its phone provider, Securus Technologies, agreed to pay the money into a fund that will be distributed among attorneys who had in-person or phone communications intercepted.A judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri approved the agreement. The settlement comes a year after the companies agreed to pay $1.6 million to current and former detainees who made similar allegations.CoreCivic told the newspaper in an email that the company maintains that there was no wrongdoing on the part of its company or its employees.“We’ve worked hard with all parties to resolve this issue in a professional and courteous manner,” CoreCivic spokeswoman Amanda Gilchrist said.The attorneys for the plaintiffs and Securus Technologies did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Attorneys who had their in-person clients visits or phone calls intercepted or recorded will be entitled to up to $10,000 in compensation under the terms of the settlement. Those who had both in person and phone communications intercepted will be entitled to up to $20,000.David Johnson and Adam Crane, the named litigants who sued in 2016, will each be awarded $25,000. Just under $1.3 million will be set aside for attorneys fees.The rest of the money will be donated to Legal Aid of Western Missouri and Kansas Legal Services.Last year, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson held the U.S. attorney’s office in Kansas in contempt of court, finding it willfully violated court orders during an independent investigation of the systemic practice. The judge also found that some federal prosecutors improperly listened to recorded communications between inmates and their attorneys.More than a hundred criminal defendants have filed petitions seeking to get their sentences vacated or indictments dismissed. Those proceedings are ongoing.

Kan. prison operator to pay for illegally recorded phone calls

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A retired music teacher would become the first openly transgender member of the deeply conservative Kansas Legislature if she’s elected from a Democratic-leaning district she’s expected to win.

<a href="https://victoryfund.org/candidate/stephanie-byers/">Stephanie Byers, of Wichita,</a> would join the ranks of other transgender people who have served in legislatures in other states, including four who currently hold such office.

Byers, who advanced to the general election after running unopposed in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, “shattered a long-standing political barrier in Kansas,” said Annise Parker, president and chief executive officer of the advocacy group&nbsp;<a href="https://victoryfund.org/" target="_blank">LGBTQ Victory Fund.</a>

“At a time when trans people are targeted with hateful policies and legislation by the Trump administration and in so many state legislatures, Stephanie’s race is a powerful reminder of where our country is headed,” Parker said.

Although Kansas is a heavily Republican state, the 57-year-old Byers noted that she’s is running for an open seat in a district that voted for President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

“As far as Kansas being ready to elect a transgender person, it is kind of about time,” Byers said.

She faces Republican Cyndi Howerton for the seat being vacated by state Rep. Jim Ward, a former Kansas House minority leader who is running for the state Senate.

Byers has “a good shot” of winning, Ward said. While a few voters in the district might have an issue with her being a transgender woman, most people really just care about what a candidate is going to do to improve their lives, he said.

Byers acknowledged that there is some “notoriety” to being a transgender candidate.

“For me, it’s just one aspect of who I am. It is not everything,” Byers said. “It is brought up quite often — usually by people in the media — because, you know, otherwise I would just be one more Democrat running for office.”

Byers, who retired last year after a 32-year career as a teacher, said her passion for education spurred her to run for the Legislature to protect school funding. The political novice also wants to expand Medicaid in Kansas after watching her oldest son and his family struggle to afford health insurance.

“If you look at her campaign, she is very clear what she is about: She is not a spokesperson for the LGBTQ community, she is an advocate for her constituents on things like education and access to health care,” Parker said.

“But we understand that she will also have a broader role just by her presence in fighting back against anti-LGBTQ and particularly anti-trans legislation,” Parker said. “And she will be a role model and an inspiration to queer youth in the state.”

There are currently&nbsp;<a href="https://outforamerica.org/?office-level=State%20Legislature&amp;gender-identity=Transgender%20man%2CTransgender%20woman" target="_blank">four openly transgender people serving&nbsp;</a>in state Legislatures: Danica Roem in Virginia, Lisa Bunker and Gerri Cannon in New Hampshire, and Brianna Titone in Colorado.

“What we have seen as an organization is that putting one LGBTQ member in a state legislature makes a difference in terms of the tenor of the conversation and the types of conversations that happen, but it doesn’t necessarily change the outcome,” Parker said.

The far right has shown a willingness to target the transgender community, from the Trump Administration banning them from military service to state legislators putting forward bathroom access bills, she added.

“It is harder to say hateful, discriminatory things when you have to sit next to somebody in a committee hearing that is the target of your remarks,” Parker said.

Byers was teaching band and orchestra at Wichita High School North when, in August 2014, she publicly, as she put it, “presented as my authentic self” to students and staff. She called the support in the building incredible.

On that first day of class, she sat down with her students and told them: “Here’s the deal, you used to refer to me as Mr. Byers. Now it is Ms. Byers. And most of you just call Byers without any type of salutation and that still works. So now lets talk about what my goals are for class this year.”

“And that was it and everybody went, ‘Oh, OK’ and went with it,” Byers said. “I think there is much more acceptance for people who are trans on a one-to-one basis than what there is when you start looking at large groups of people, when you start looking at political platforms.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596824087253.png" alt="Photo courtesy Byers for Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Byers for Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROXANA HEGEMANBELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A retired music teacher would become the first openly transgender member of the deeply conservative Kansas Legislature if she’s elected from a Democratic-leaning district she’s expected to win.<a href="https://victoryfund.org/candidate/stephanie-byers/">Stephanie Byers, of Wichita,</a> would join the ranks of other transgender people who have served in legislatures in other states, including four who currently hold such office.Byers, who advanced to the general election after running unopposed in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, “shattered a long-standing political barrier in Kansas,” said Annise Parker, president and chief executive officer of the advocacy group&nbsp;<a href="https://victoryfund.org/" target="_blank">LGBTQ Victory Fund.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596823813701.png" alt="Stephanie Byers-photo courtesy LGBTQ Victory Fund" />
 <figcaption>Stephanie Byers-photo courtesy LGBTQ Victory Fund</figcaption>
 </figure>“At a time when trans people are targeted with hateful policies and legislation by the Trump administration and in so many state legislatures, Stephanie’s race is a powerful reminder of where our country is headed,” Parker said.Although Kansas is a heavily Republican state, the 57-year-old Byers noted that she’s is running for an open seat in a district that voted for President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.“As far as Kansas being ready to elect a transgender person, it is kind of about time,” Byers said.She faces Republican Cyndi Howerton for the seat being vacated by state Rep. Jim Ward, a former Kansas House minority leader who is running for the state Senate.Byers has “a good shot” of winning, Ward said. While a few voters in the district might have an issue with her being a transgender woman, most people really just care about what a candidate is going to do to improve their lives, he said.Byers acknowledged that there is some “notoriety” to being a transgender candidate.“For me, it’s just one aspect of who I am. It is not everything,” Byers said. “It is brought up quite often — usually by people in the media — because, you know, otherwise I would just be one more Democrat running for office.”Byers, who retired last year after a 32-year career as a teacher, said her passion for education spurred her to run for the Legislature to protect school funding. The political novice also wants to expand Medicaid in Kansas after watching her oldest son and his family struggle to afford health insurance.“If you look at her campaign, she is very clear what she is about: She is not a spokesperson for the LGBTQ community, she is an advocate for her constituents on things like education and access to health care,” Parker said.“But we understand that she will also have a broader role just by her presence in fighting back against anti-LGBTQ and particularly anti-trans legislation,” Parker said. “And she will be a role model and an inspiration to queer youth in the state.”There are currently&nbsp;<a href="https://outforamerica.org/?office-level=State%20Legislature&amp;gender-identity=Transgender%20man%2CTransgender%20woman" target="_blank">four openly transgender people serving&nbsp;</a>in state Legislatures: Danica Roem in Virginia, Lisa Bunker and Gerri Cannon in New Hampshire, and Brianna Titone in Colorado.“What we have seen as an organization is that putting one LGBTQ member in a state legislature makes a difference in terms of the tenor of the conversation and the types of conversations that happen, but it doesn’t necessarily change the outcome,” Parker said.The far right has shown a willingness to target the transgender community, from the Trump Administration banning them from military service to state legislators putting forward bathroom access bills, she added.“It is harder to say hateful, discriminatory things when you have to sit next to somebody in a committee hearing that is the target of your remarks,” Parker said.Byers was teaching band and orchestra at Wichita High School North when, in August 2014, she publicly, as she put it, “presented as my authentic self” to students and staff. She called the support in the building incredible.On that first day of class, she sat down with her students and told them: “Here’s the deal, you used to refer to me as Mr. Byers. Now it is Ms. Byers. And most of you just call Byers without any type of salutation and that still works. So now lets talk about what my goals are for class this year.”“And that was it and everybody went, ‘Oh, OK’ and went with it,” Byers said. “I think there is much more acceptance for people who are trans on a one-to-one basis than what there is when you start looking at large groups of people, when you start looking at political platforms.”

Kansas poised to elect its first openly transgender lawmaker

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the deaths of two men found with gunshot wounds in a backyard in southeast Kansas City, Missouri.

The shooting was reported around 6 p.m. Saturday, Kansas City Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jake Becchina said. When officers arrived, they were directed to a backyard where the two men with gunshot wounds were found.

The two men were given aid, but they died at the scene of the shooting, Becchina said.

Detectives are trying to locate any witnesses and determine whether the men lived at the home where they were found.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the deaths of two men found with gunshot wounds in a backyard in southeast Kansas City, Missouri.The shooting was reported around 6 p.m. Saturday, Kansas City Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jake Becchina said. When officers arrived, they were directed to a backyard where the two men with gunshot wounds were found.The two men were given aid, but they died at the scene of the shooting, Becchina said.Detectives are trying to locate any witnesses and determine whether the men lived at the home where they were found.

2 men die after being found shot in Kansas City backyard

NEW YORK (AP) — The check has arrived and beleaguered restaurant owners across America are looking down on their empty wallets.

Government coronavirus loans in the spring helped eating establishments rehire laid-off employees and ride out the pandemic’s initial surge and wave of shutdown orders.

But that Paycheck Protection Program money has now been spent at many restaurants, leaving them in the same precarious position they were in during outbreak’s early days: Thousands of restaurants are being forced to close down again on mandates from state and local officials combating the virus’s resurgence, particularly in the South and West.

And even in parts of the country where the outbreak appears contained, restaurants’ revenue is far below normal because social distancing requirements — and wary diners — mean fewer tables, fewer customers and limited hours.

John Pepper used a PPP loan to pay employees and reopen four of his eight Boloco restaurants when Massachusetts lifted its shutdown order in early May. But with the money spent and business at the restaurants down as much as 70%, Pepper had to again close two locations. The staff of 125 he had before the virus outbreak is down to 50.

“A lot of this is out of our hands at this point,” Pepper says. “At this moment, I don’t see getting my full payroll back.”

Congress failed to reach an agreement on another relief bill that potentially could have provided more help for small businesses, but even with more loan or grant money, restaurants will remain at the mercy of the virus that has decimated their business.

The virus’s resurgence has prompted officials in California, Texas, Florida and other states to order restaurants shut again. In the Northeast and other parts of the country where infection rates appear more stable, no one expects limits on inside dining to be lifted anytime soon.

Restaurants generally have a low profit margin, between 5% and 6%, and they achieve that only if they have a full house virtually every day, says Sean Kennedy, executive vice president for the trade group National Restaurant Association. They also tend to have only about two weeks of cash on hand, making them highly vulnerable when their sales are down.

“They aren’t designed to have an on-off switch. They’re designed to be used seven days a week, 14 to 15 hours a day at 100% of capacity,” Kennedy says.

Gerry Cea was forced to shut his Miami restaurant, Cafe Prima Pasta, from March into May when the outbreak first began. Now, he has again closed the dining room as local officials try to contain the virus; the Miami/Dade area is one of Florida’s hit hardest by the virus.

Cea is still able to serve customers outside, but the intense South Florida heat and frequent summer rains are limiting him to about 40 diners a night instead of the hundreds he served before the pandemic hit. And Cea is mindful that the peak hurricane season is still to come.

“With the PPP money we received, we were able to pay 48 employees but that has run out now, so we are left with very few alternatives” for funding, Cea says. He’s hoping for more help from the government, even if it’s a loan that must be repaid.

In the meantime, Cea says, “the only reason we are pretty much surviving is because we own the building,” he says.

The pandemic has devastated an industry that expected to have nearly $900 billion in sales this year. Before the outbreak, the Labor Department counted 12 million workers in restaurants and bars, and nearly two-thirds worked at small businesses with fewer than 500 workers. In April, employment in restaurants and bars of all sizes had been cut by nearly half as establishments across the country were closed.

Restaurants were among the small businesses the Paycheck Protection Program was intended to help, but some owners say it was of limited use.

The program so far has given about $42 billion in loans to restaurants, bars and lodging companies. But many restaurants burned through loans quickly because the original terms of the program required them to use the money within eight weeks in order to get loan forgiveness. Many establishments couldn’t reopen but paid staffers not to work anyway. Then when they reopened with revenue limited by social distancing, they couldn’t afford their full payrolls. Congress changed the spending requirement to 24 weeks in early June, but that was too late for many restaurants.

It’s not yet known what small business help will be in any upcoming relief package, although Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has mentioned the possibility that small businesses with big revenue declines could get a second PPP loan.

But restaurants need a long-term solution that addresses their particular needs, Kennedy says. For example, allowing families that get food stamp assistance to use their benefits in restaurants.

“We’re going to be limping along or shutting down altogether” without long-term help, Kennedy says.

Stephanie Williams still hasn’t fully reopened two of her Bennu Coffee shops in Austin, Texas, and continues to operate with curbside service and delivery only; a third location that opened over the weekend does have socially distanced seating. Williams has spent the PPP money she got in early May — she had recalled furloughed workers but with revenue at one store down by half and the other by nearly two-thirds, Williams had to let 20 staffers go again.

“We assumed at the end of eight weeks, this will be over. But here in Texas, things are drastically worse than when we shut down in March,” Williams says. Like other states where the virus is resurgent, Texas saw cases increase after it ended shutdown orders in early May.

Even in areas where the virus appears stable and restaurants can have inside dining, they’re struggling. Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, a Columbus, Ohio, restaurant and brewery, has had to close its dining room and return to takeout and delivery, having used its PPP money and not having enough revenue due to social distancing.

“What the PPP did was put us in a position where we brought people back before we had enough business to support them,” co-founder Bob Szuter says. He’s trying to figure out new ways to bring in revenue, focusing more on the brewery side of the business until it’s safe to have a full dining room.

Jason Brauner’s restaurant, Bourbon Bistro, exhausted its PPP loan, is operating at 50% of capacity and not making enough to cover its expenses. Brauner is worried that the virus’s resurgence will force the Louisville, Kentucky, establishment to close; he had shut completely for two weeks in March before switching to curbside service and then gradually reopened. He’s paid his full staff throughout.

Brauner is hoping to get a grant from the city and he’d welcome another PPP loan. A separate economic injury disaster loan from the SBA give him some breathing room, but also presents a dilemma. Like many restaurant owners, Brauner worries about carrying long-term debt when the future is uncertain.

“I’m almost tempted to give it back,” he says. “We just have to see how it all plays out.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586444648763.png" alt="Small carry out pizza restaurant in Topeka is among those working to stay open." />
 <figcaption>Small carry out pizza restaurant in Topeka is among those working to stay open.</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The check has arrived and beleaguered restaurant owners across America are looking down on their empty wallets.Government coronavirus loans in the spring helped eating establishments rehire laid-off employees and ride out the pandemic’s initial surge and wave of shutdown orders.But that Paycheck Protection Program money has now been spent at many restaurants, leaving them in the same precarious position they were in during outbreak’s early days: Thousands of restaurants are being forced to close down again on mandates from state and local officials combating the virus’s resurgence, particularly in the South and West.And even in parts of the country where the outbreak appears contained, restaurants’ revenue is far below normal because social distancing requirements — and wary diners — mean fewer tables, fewer customers and limited hours.John Pepper used a PPP loan to pay employees and reopen four of his eight Boloco restaurants when Massachusetts lifted its shutdown order in early May. But with the money spent and business at the restaurants down as much as 70%, Pepper had to again close two locations. The staff of 125 he had before the virus outbreak is down to 50.“A lot of this is out of our hands at this point,” Pepper says. “At this moment, I don’t see getting my full payroll back.”Congress failed to reach an agreement on another relief bill that potentially could have provided more help for small businesses, but even with more loan or grant money, restaurants will remain at the mercy of the virus that has decimated their business.The virus’s resurgence has prompted officials in California, Texas, Florida and other states to order restaurants shut again. In the Northeast and other parts of the country where infection rates appear more stable, no one expects limits on inside dining to be lifted anytime soon.Restaurants generally have a low profit margin, between 5% and 6%, and they achieve that only if they have a full house virtually every day, says Sean Kennedy, executive vice president for the trade group National Restaurant Association. They also tend to have only about two weeks of cash on hand, making them highly vulnerable when their sales are down.“They aren’t designed to have an on-off switch. They’re designed to be used seven days a week, 14 to 15 hours a day at 100% of capacity,” Kennedy says.Gerry Cea was forced to shut his Miami restaurant, Cafe Prima Pasta, from March into May when the outbreak first began. Now, he has again closed the dining room as local officials try to contain the virus; the Miami/Dade area is one of Florida’s hit hardest by the virus.Cea is still able to serve customers outside, but the intense South Florida heat and frequent summer rains are limiting him to about 40 diners a night instead of the hundreds he served before the pandemic hit. And Cea is mindful that the peak hurricane season is still to come.“With the PPP money we received, we were able to pay 48 employees but that has run out now, so we are left with very few alternatives” for funding, Cea says. He’s hoping for more help from the government, even if it’s a loan that must be repaid.In the meantime, Cea says, “the only reason we are pretty much surviving is because we own the building,” he says.The pandemic has devastated an industry that expected to have nearly $900 billion in sales this year. Before the outbreak, the Labor Department counted 12 million workers in restaurants and bars, and nearly two-thirds worked at small businesses with fewer than 500 workers. In April, employment in restaurants and bars of all sizes had been cut by nearly half as establishments across the country were closed.Restaurants were among the small businesses the Paycheck Protection Program was intended to help, but some owners say it was of limited use.The program so far has given about $42 billion in loans to restaurants, bars and lodging companies. But many restaurants burned through loans quickly because the original terms of the program required them to use the money within eight weeks in order to get loan forgiveness. Many establishments couldn’t reopen but paid staffers not to work anyway. Then when they reopened with revenue limited by social distancing, they couldn’t afford their full payrolls. Congress changed the spending requirement to 24 weeks in early June, but that was too late for many restaurants.It’s not yet known what small business help will be in any upcoming relief package, although Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has mentioned the possibility that small businesses with big revenue declines could get a second PPP loan.But restaurants need a long-term solution that addresses their particular needs, Kennedy says. For example, allowing families that get food stamp assistance to use their benefits in restaurants.“We’re going to be limping along or shutting down altogether” without long-term help, Kennedy says.Stephanie Williams still hasn’t fully reopened two of her Bennu Coffee shops in Austin, Texas, and continues to operate with curbside service and delivery only; a third location that opened over the weekend does have socially distanced seating. Williams has spent the PPP money she got in early May — she had recalled furloughed workers but with revenue at one store down by half and the other by nearly two-thirds, Williams had to let 20 staffers go again.“We assumed at the end of eight weeks, this will be over. But here in Texas, things are drastically worse than when we shut down in March,” Williams says. Like other states where the virus is resurgent, Texas saw cases increase after it ended shutdown orders in early May.Even in areas where the virus appears stable and restaurants can have inside dining, they’re struggling. Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, a Columbus, Ohio, restaurant and brewery, has had to close its dining room and return to takeout and delivery, having used its PPP money and not having enough revenue due to social distancing.“What the PPP did was put us in a position where we brought people back before we had enough business to support them,” co-founder Bob Szuter says. He’s trying to figure out new ways to bring in revenue, focusing more on the brewery side of the business until it’s safe to have a full dining room.Jason Brauner’s restaurant, Bourbon Bistro, exhausted its PPP loan, is operating at 50% of capacity and not making enough to cover its expenses. Brauner is worried that the virus’s resurgence will force the Louisville, Kentucky, establishment to close; he had shut completely for two weeks in March before switching to curbside service and then gradually reopened. He’s paid his full staff throughout.Brauner is hoping to get a grant from the city and he’d welcome another PPP loan. A separate economic injury disaster loan from the SBA give him some breathing room, but also presents a dilemma. Like many restaurant owners, Brauner worries about carrying long-term debt when the future is uncertain.“I’m almost tempted to give it back,” he says. “We just have to see how it all plays out.”

With loan money gone, restaurants are at mercy of virus

MORGAN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11p.m. Saturday in Morgan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Mazda Miata driven by Dillon M. Sola, 23, Gravois Mills, was southbound on MO 5 just north of Santa Fe Road.

The vehicle traveled off the road, struck an embankment, overturned and the driver was ejected.

Sola was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Kidwell Garber Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

MORGAN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11p.m. Saturday in Morgan County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Mazda Miata driven by Dillon M. Sola, 23, Gravois Mills, was southbound on MO 5 just north of Santa Fe Road.The vehicle traveled off the road, struck an embankment, overturned and the driver was ejected.Sola was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Kidwell Garber Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man dies after being ejected in crash

LAWRENCE — University of Kansas researchers studying what they call “digital homelessness” have received an additional grant to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Americans who don’t have easy access to the internet.

Before the pandemic, people without their own devices or internet access often used local libraries to obtain those services, but many of those locations have been closed or greatly reduced their access during quarantine lockdowns.

“The folks we’re focused on don’t have a ‘digital home,’” said Bill Staples, principal investigator on the project, professor emeritus of sociology and director of the&nbsp;<a href="http://ipsr.ku.edu/SSRC/">Surveillance Studies Research Cente</a>r. “That is, their computing lives are resource-limited, transient, less private and more vulnerable to digital threats than those who own computers and access the web through broadband at their residences. When libraries closed, they were locked out of a digital life most of us take for granted.”

Staples and his colleagues want to find out how — and if — people experiencing digital homelessness are coping.

“There’s anecdotal information about libraries pumping Wi-Fi out into the parking lots,” he said. “Some libraries are helping, but we need to take a systematic look at what is going on.”

The research team is led by Staples; Perry Alexander, AT&amp;T Foundation Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering &amp; Computer Science and director of the&nbsp;<a href="http://ittc-research.ku.edu/">Information and Telecommunication Technology Center</a>; and Drew Davidson, assistant professor of electrical engineering &amp; computer science.

These KU scholars had already been&nbsp;<a href="https://news.ku.edu/2020/04/07/grant-will-fund-research-safeguard-public-internet-users">awarded a grant</a>&nbsp;from the National Science Foundation titled “Safeguarding and Enhancing the Experience of Public Internet Users,” funded through NSF’s Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace program. The two-year, $516,000 grant will support research about how people who use public internet resources — like libraries — navigate the internet and what security threats they face.

NSF has now awarded the team an additional Rapid Response Research grant of $200,000 to look at how the pandemic has affected such users.

“We’re trying to get a before, during and after snapshot” of how the issue has evolved with the onset of the pandemic, Staples said.

As much as 30% of the American population lacks adequate broadband access at home. Researchers say this digital divide results from — and contributes to — widening economic inequality.&nbsp;

“I think this is an understudied population, and as such is a population that hasn’t been fully considered in the computing landscape,” Davidson said. “There’s an assumption as our lives move online that everybody can keep up, and that’s not the case. It’s important because the need is so great.”

“These people are digitally marginalized, socially and economically disadvantaged in a society in which internet has become a needed utility,” Staples said. “They cannot simply ‘work from home’ or e-learn new skills, nor can their children shift to ‘distance learning’ as millions have been asked to do. It’s like trying to get by without electricity in your house. It makes their lives that much more difficult and challenging.”

The new study will have three points of data collection. Users at the Lawrence Public Library, which has restored limited access to its computer lab, will be surveyed and some interviewed about their experiences. The researchers will also send an online survey to a representative sample of library directors across the United States to collect information on library policies and practices during the pandemic. Finally, team members will compile related stories from news sources around the country to capture what journalists have found out about was has been happening in their communities.&nbsp;

The team’s ultimate goal is to offer new tools to public internet users when they access the internet, including development of a device the team calls PUPS — public user privacy and security. The device is an isolated, portable, virtual computing environment on a USB stick, designed to provide a “digital home” to users, giving them a functional, seamless computing experience from one session and device to the next. There may be nontechnical solutions available as well, as researchers examine the contours of the issue more closely from both an engineering and a sociological perspective.

“I’m really happy we have this multidisciplinary team,” Davidson said. “I think there’s a lot of good that can be done.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://ipsr.ku.edu/">Institute for Policy &amp; Social Research</a>’s staff assisted with development of this proposal and will manage this grant.

More information and results can be found at the project's&nbsp;<a href="https://ittc.ku.edu/padlock/dh">website</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596486373395.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KU News ServiceLAWRENCE — University of Kansas researchers studying what they call “digital homelessness” have received an additional grant to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Americans who don’t have easy access to the internet.Before the pandemic, people without their own devices or internet access often used local libraries to obtain those services, but many of those locations have been closed or greatly reduced their access during quarantine lockdowns.“The folks we’re focused on don’t have a ‘digital home,’” said Bill Staples, principal investigator on the project, professor emeritus of sociology and director of the&nbsp;<a href="http://ipsr.ku.edu/SSRC/">Surveillance Studies Research Cente</a>r. “That is, their computing lives are resource-limited, transient, less private and more vulnerable to digital threats than those who own computers and access the web through broadband at their residences. When libraries closed, they were locked out of a digital life most of us take for granted.”Staples and his colleagues want to find out how — and if — people experiencing digital homelessness are coping.“There’s anecdotal information about libraries pumping Wi-Fi out into the parking lots,” he said. “Some libraries are helping, but we need to take a systematic look at what is going on.”The research team is led by Staples; Perry Alexander, AT&amp;T Foundation Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering &amp; Computer Science and director of the&nbsp;<a href="http://ittc-research.ku.edu/">Information and Telecommunication Technology Center</a>; and Drew Davidson, assistant professor of electrical engineering &amp; computer science.These KU scholars had already been&nbsp;<a href="https://news.ku.edu/2020/04/07/grant-will-fund-research-safeguard-public-internet-users">awarded a grant</a>&nbsp;from the National Science Foundation titled “Safeguarding and Enhancing the Experience of Public Internet Users,” funded through NSF’s Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace program. The two-year, $516,000 grant will support research about how people who use public internet resources — like libraries — navigate the internet and what security threats they face.NSF has now awarded the team an additional Rapid Response Research grant of $200,000 to look at how the pandemic has affected such users.“We’re trying to get a before, during and after snapshot” of how the issue has evolved with the onset of the pandemic, Staples said.As much as 30% of the American population lacks adequate broadband access at home. Researchers say this digital divide results from — and contributes to — widening economic inequality.&nbsp;“I think this is an understudied population, and as such is a population that hasn’t been fully considered in the computing landscape,” Davidson said. “There’s an assumption as our lives move online that everybody can keep up, and that’s not the case. It’s important because the need is so great.”“These people are digitally marginalized, socially and economically disadvantaged in a society in which internet has become a needed utility,” Staples said. “They cannot simply ‘work from home’ or e-learn new skills, nor can their children shift to ‘distance learning’ as millions have been asked to do. It’s like trying to get by without electricity in your house. It makes their lives that much more difficult and challenging.”The new study will have three points of data collection. Users at the Lawrence Public Library, which has restored limited access to its computer lab, will be surveyed and some interviewed about their experiences. The researchers will also send an online survey to a representative sample of library directors across the United States to collect information on library policies and practices during the pandemic. Finally, team members will compile related stories from news sources around the country to capture what journalists have found out about was has been happening in their communities.&nbsp;The team’s ultimate goal is to offer new tools to public internet users when they access the internet, including development of a device the team calls PUPS — public user privacy and security. The device is an isolated, portable, virtual computing environment on a USB stick, designed to provide a “digital home” to users, giving them a functional, seamless computing experience from one session and device to the next. There may be nontechnical solutions available as well, as researchers examine the contours of the issue more closely from both an engineering and a sociological perspective.“I’m really happy we have this multidisciplinary team,” Davidson said. “I think there’s a lot of good that can be done.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://ipsr.ku.edu/">Institute for Policy &amp; Social Research</a>’s staff assisted with development of this proposal and will manage this grant.More information and results can be found at the project's&nbsp;<a href="https://ittc.ku.edu/padlock/dh">website</a>.&nbsp;

KU studying how pandemic affects Americans without easy access to the internet

KANSAS CITY – U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison announced Friday that 59 additional arrests have been made in the past week by local and federal law enforcement officers in Operation LeGend, for a total of 156 arrests since the start of the operation, according to the United State's Attorney.

Among those arrested since Aug. 1, new federal charges have been filed against six defendants, for a total of 17 new federal cases in Operation LeGend. All of the new federal defendants were charged with firearms-related crimes. Four of the six new defendants were charged with being felons in possession of firearms. One defendant was charged with heroin trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm. One defendant was charged with participating in a conspiracy to commit armed robberies at several local businesses.

Among the remaining 53 arrests in the past week, 35 were fugitives with either state or federal warrants for their arrest. The remaining 18 non-fugitive arrests were referred for prosecution in state court. Seven arrests were for homicides, for a total of 12 homicide arrests under Operation LeGend. Other offenses cited in the arrests included assault (including non-fatal shootings), drug trafficking, illegally possessing firearms, robbery, bank robbery, child molestation, sexual assault, possessing stolen property and possessing stolen firearms.

In addition to the arrests, in the past week agents and officers seized 17 firearms (for a total of 52 firearms seized during Operation LeGend); a number of stolen vehicles and motorcycles; 210 THC cartridges; quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana; and $52,000.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is not able to track cases that are referred for prosecution in state court. The following defendants have been charged in federal court in the past week:

Terrell L. Releford, felon in possession of a firearm; Dustin M. Jordan, felon in possession of a firearm; Zackory Phillips, felon in possession of a firearm; Travis J. Pipes, heroin trafficking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime; Dylan Pruett, felon in possession of a firearm; Chase M. Murphy, armed robbery conspiracy, armed robbery, brandishing firearms during a crime of violence.

Monty Ray, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm; Steven Younce, felon in possession of a firearm, meth trafficking, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime; Daniel Briscoe, methamphetamine trafficking, heroin trafficking; Leamandreal Dorsey, felon in possession of a firearm; Shannon Walz, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition; Maricela Lozano, carjacking, using a firearm during a crime of violence; Gary Dorch, felon in possession of a firearm; Patricia Nelson, felon in possession of a firearm; Bobby Lynn King, felon in possession of a firearm; Logan Tanner Laws, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm; Michael Glen Zeigers, felon in possession of a firearm; Nelson, King, Laws, and Zeigers are co-defendants also charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, money laundering, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Operation LeGend Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596922533411.png" alt="A group of local pastors met with U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison this week at United Believers Community Church to discuss Operation LeGend-photo United State's Attorney" />
 <figcaption>A group of local pastors met with U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison this week at United Believers Community Church to discuss Operation LeGend-photo United State's Attorney</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison announced Friday that 59 additional arrests have been made in the past week by local and federal law enforcement officers in Operation LeGend, for a total of 156 arrests since the start of the operation, according to the United State's Attorney.Among those arrested since Aug. 1, new federal charges have been filed against six defendants, for a total of 17 new federal cases in Operation LeGend. All of the new federal defendants were charged with firearms-related crimes. Four of the six new defendants were charged with being felons in possession of firearms. One defendant was charged with heroin trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm. One defendant was charged with participating in a conspiracy to commit armed robberies at several local businesses.Among the remaining 53 arrests in the past week, 35 were fugitives with either state or federal warrants for their arrest. The remaining 18 non-fugitive arrests were referred for prosecution in state court. Seven arrests were for homicides, for a total of 12 homicide arrests under Operation LeGend. Other offenses cited in the arrests included assault (including non-fatal shootings), drug trafficking, illegally possessing firearms, robbery, bank robbery, child molestation, sexual assault, possessing stolen property and possessing stolen firearms.In addition to the arrests, in the past week agents and officers seized 17 firearms (for a total of 52 firearms seized during Operation LeGend); a number of stolen vehicles and motorcycles; 210 THC cartridges; quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana; and $52,000.The U.S. Attorney’s Office is not able to track cases that are referred for prosecution in state court. The following defendants have been charged in federal court in the past week:Terrell L. Releford, felon in possession of a firearm; Dustin M. Jordan, felon in possession of a firearm; Zackory Phillips, felon in possession of a firearm; Travis J. Pipes, heroin trafficking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime; Dylan Pruett, felon in possession of a firearm; Chase M. Murphy, armed robbery conspiracy, armed robbery, brandishing firearms during a crime of violence.Previously reported federal defendants:Monty Ray, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm; Steven Younce, felon in possession of a firearm, meth trafficking, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime; Daniel Briscoe, methamphetamine trafficking, heroin trafficking; Leamandreal Dorsey, felon in possession of a firearm; Shannon Walz, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition; Maricela Lozano, carjacking, using a firearm during a crime of violence; Gary Dorch, felon in possession of a firearm; Patricia Nelson, felon in possession of a firearm; Bobby Lynn King, felon in possession of a firearm; Logan Tanner Laws, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm; Michael Glen Zeigers, felon in possession of a firearm; Nelson, King, Laws, and Zeigers are co-defendants also charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, money laundering, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Operation LeGend Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

59 more arrests, including 7 murder suspects in KC crime sweep

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A Carthage man has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a man at a storage unit in Joplin in December.

Mason S. Roach, 24, is accused of killing Jonathan Powell, 36, at the storage unit in west Joplin. He was also charged Friday with armed criminal action. Roach was being held in the Ottawa County Jail in Miami, Oklahoma, on unrelated charges.

On the night of the shooting, Roach forced a witness to go with him to the storage unit, according to a probable cause statement. The woman told police Roach was upset because he found messages between her and Powell. Her relationship to the two men was not disclosed in the statement.

Powell was outside the storage unit when Roach and the woman arrived. Roach shot Powell three times as he walked to the car, according to the statement.

Powell allegedly told three people in the month before he was arrested that he killed Powell, according to the statement.

Online court records do not name an attorney for Roach.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596903944894.png" alt="Roach photo Joplin PD" />
 <figcaption>Roach photo Joplin PD</figcaption>
 </figure>JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A Carthage man has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a man at a storage unit in Joplin in December.Mason S. Roach, 24, is accused of killing Jonathan Powell, 36, at the storage unit in west Joplin. He was also charged Friday with armed criminal action. Roach was being held in the Ottawa County Jail in Miami, Oklahoma, on unrelated charges.On the night of the shooting, Roach forced a witness to go with him to the storage unit, according to a probable cause statement. The woman told police Roach was upset because he found messages between her and Powell. Her relationship to the two men was not disclosed in the statement.Powell was outside the storage unit when Roach and the woman arrived. Roach shot Powell three times as he walked to the car, according to the statement.Powell allegedly told three people in the month before he was arrested that he killed Powell, according to the statement.Online court records do not name an attorney for Roach.