WICHITA —Starting Saturday, Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple, members of<a href="https://www.wichita.gov/Council/Pages/default.aspx"> the City Council </a>and some City staff including City Manager Layton are in quarantine for 2 weeks after Council Member Brandon Johnson tested positive for COVID-19, according to a social media report from the city of&nbsp; Wichita.

The Mayor, Council and affected staff will not be able to return to City Hall until approximately November 18 (plus or minus a day or two depending upon the possible contact date for each of those affected).

The City continues to strongly urge all Wichita residents and City employees to practice safe social distancing whenever possible, to wear face masks when distancing isn't possible, limit public exposure and to wash hands frequently.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604782452293.png" alt="Wichita City Council during their meeting Nov. 3" />
 <figcaption>Wichita City Council during their meeting Nov. 3</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA —Starting Saturday, Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple, members of<a href="https://www.wichita.gov/Council/Pages/default.aspx"> the City Council </a>and some City staff including City Manager Layton are in quarantine for 2 weeks after Council Member Brandon Johnson tested positive for COVID-19, according to a social media report from the city of&nbsp; Wichita.The Mayor, Council and affected staff will not be able to return to City Hall until approximately November 18 (plus or minus a day or two depending upon the possible contact date for each of those affected).The City continues to strongly urge all Wichita residents and City employees to practice safe social distancing whenever possible, to wear face masks when distancing isn't possible, limit public exposure and to wash hands frequently.

Wichita Mayor, City Council in quarantine due to virus

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court issued two decisions Friday with far-reaching implications for same-sex couples, finding that parenting intentions at the moment of a child’s birth are critical to establishing parental rights.

Both cases involved birth mothers who conceived through artificial insemination and were fighting petitions by their former same-sex partners to establish parentage after their romantic relationships had fallen apart. In both cases, the women had not married and they did not have written or oral co-parenting agreements.

The court found that under the Kansas Parentage Act a woman needs only to show that she acknowledged maternity at the time of the child’s birth and show evidence that the birth mother consented at that time to share the care, custody and control of the child.

The cases — one from Butler County and the other from Crawford County — were sent back down to the lower courts for further proceedings consistent with the rulings.

“The court must avoid giving either party a veto after the arrangement has been put in place and into effect at the time of the child’s birth,” the state Supreme Court said. “Allowing unilateral action by either party to thwart the maternity of the other after a child has arrived and vital bonds with both have begun to form is unacceptable.”

Provisions in the Kansas Parentage Act support the idea that it is at the moment of birth when state law deems a child to have either one parent or two, the court said.

The court stopped short of requiring a formal contractual arrangement, but said a demand that each individual makes up her mind at the time of birth incentivizes stability for the child. It likened it to the existence of premeditation when a trigger is pulled, saying the evidence of what is in the mind of the person pulling it may come from words and actions before, during and after the event.

In dissenting opinions, Judge Caleb Stegall wrote that rulings issued by the majority on Friday suggest that a person’s legal status as a parent can be brought into existence by a mere declaration of circumstantial evidence of an intent to share.

“But children are not cookies, and sharing is far too elusive a concept on which to establish such bedrock relationships as those which exist between parents and their children,” Stegall wrote.

Stegall said if the legislative branch does not agree with the court’s interpretation of the Kansas Parentage Act, it has “a constitutional obligation to act.”

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court issued two decisions Friday with far-reaching implications for same-sex couples, finding that parenting intentions at the moment of a child’s birth are critical to establishing parental rights.Both cases involved birth mothers who conceived through artificial insemination and were fighting petitions by their former same-sex partners to establish parentage after their romantic relationships had fallen apart. In both cases, the women had not married and they did not have written or oral co-parenting agreements.The court found that under the Kansas Parentage Act a woman needs only to show that she acknowledged maternity at the time of the child’s birth and show evidence that the birth mother consented at that time to share the care, custody and control of the child.The cases — one from Butler County and the other from Crawford County — were sent back down to the lower courts for further proceedings consistent with the rulings.“The court must avoid giving either party a veto after the arrangement has been put in place and into effect at the time of the child’s birth,” the state Supreme Court said. “Allowing unilateral action by either party to thwart the maternity of the other after a child has arrived and vital bonds with both have begun to form is unacceptable.”Provisions in the Kansas Parentage Act support the idea that it is at the moment of birth when state law deems a child to have either one parent or two, the court said.The court stopped short of requiring a formal contractual arrangement, but said a demand that each individual makes up her mind at the time of birth incentivizes stability for the child. It likened it to the existence of premeditation when a trigger is pulled, saying the evidence of what is in the mind of the person pulling it may come from words and actions before, during and after the event.In dissenting opinions, Judge Caleb Stegall wrote that rulings issued by the majority on Friday suggest that a person’s legal status as a parent can be brought into existence by a mere declaration of circumstantial evidence of an intent to share.“But children are not cookies, and sharing is far too elusive a concept on which to establish such bedrock relationships as those which exist between parents and their children,” Stegall wrote.Stegall said if the legislative branch does not agree with the court’s interpretation of the Kansas Parentage Act, it has “a constitutional obligation to act.”

Kansas court expands parental rights of same-sex couples

HUTCHINSON —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged sex crime involving a juvenile and have made an arrest.

Just after 12:30 p.m. Friday, members of the Hutchinson Police Department Special Operations and Investigations Bureau completed their investigation, according to a media release and arrested 37-year-old Dylan Carey on requested charges Indecent Solicitation of a child, Sexual Exploitation of a Child, and Electronic Solicitation.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for aggravated battery and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp; He was released from prison in July.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604761509795.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged sex crime involving a juvenile and have made an arrest.Just after 12:30 p.m. Friday, members of the Hutchinson Police Department Special Operations and Investigations Bureau completed their investigation, according to a media release and arrested 37-year-old Dylan Carey on requested charges Indecent Solicitation of a child, Sexual Exploitation of a Child, and Electronic Solicitation.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for aggravated battery and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp; He was released from prison in July.

Kan. man out of prison 4-months jailed for alleged child sex crime

By CELAI LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-11-06/while-the-coronavirus-pandemic-rages-on-kansas-families-flock-to-get-their-flu-shots">Kansas News Service</a>

This year, nurses in southeast Kansas are taking a NASCAR-style approach in the race against the flu.

Imagine
 a pit crew, said Lori Rexwinkle, head of nursing at a community health 
center that serves 10 counties. Except instead of speed-swapping tires, 
this team vaccinates passengers. Got a van full of kids? Just pull it on
 up.

“We had several different nurses going out to the vehicle at the same time,” Rexwinkle said. “Parents appreciated that.”

Offering
 drive-thrus this season helped Community Health Center of Southeast 
Kansas vaccinate about 9,000 people, more than twice as many people by 
late October as it did a year earlier.

Across the state, clinics 
and drug stores say they’re giving far more flu shots than in years 
past. Families are eager for the shots in a year when they’ve been 
trying to hide out from a deadly pandemic.

It’s a bright spot at an otherwise dark time for Kansas health care. Over
 the past month, the state saw a steep jump in COVID-19 
hospitalizations. Some hospitals shut down elective surgeries again or 
ran out of intensive care beds.

If fewer Kansans get the flu than 
usual, that would save doctors, nurses, supplies and hospital beds for 
patients with the more aggressive and deadlier COVID-19.

“There’s 
going to be a lot of confusion” this winter, said Bethanie McDowell. She
 directs infection prevention at the Salina Regional Health Center. “‘Do
 I have the flu? Do I have COVID?’ So it’s really important this year 
that we do get those flu shots.”

Normally four or five out of 10 Kansans get the flu shot, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/reportshtml/trends/index.html" target="_blank">the CDC</a> estimates. (The same is true of Americans overall.)

But health officials see signs that this year looks different. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ordered <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/cdc-director-push-vaccinate-65-americans-against-flu" target="_blank">nearly 9 million extra doses</a> this year.

<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/09/25/flu-shots-covid-19-pandemic-demand/" target="_blank">Big pharmacy chains</a>
 also stocked up. CVS Health surveyed consumers months ago and found 
most expected to get the shot, and to do it earlier in the flu season 
than years past.

“We are prepared to administer 18 million flu shots this flu season, which is twice last season,” a spokesman said in an email.

Some
 nurses and pharmacists fielded a barrage of calls starting late in the 
summer. People wondered when the shot would become available — and where
 to get it. Local employers and agencies asked about holding mini flu 
clinics.

The demand ate through Konza Prairie Community Health 
Center’s stock by mid-October. It typically buys 400 to 600 doses of 
vaccine each season for its communities in Manhattan and Junction City 
and uses those up over the course of several months.

“We have already gone through that amount,” CEO Lee Wolf said, “and have ordered more.”

In Wyandotte County, Vibrant Health community clinics gave 500 flu shots last month, compared to 200 in October 2019.

In
 Wichita, Guadalupe Clinic gave 300 of the shots at a recent community 
event compared to 190 a year earlier. It turned away another 40 to 50 
people.

And in Salina, at an early-October flu shot clinic, 300 more children got shots than the previous year.

It’s
 possible Kansans who normally get the shot simply want it earlier this 
time. Or, the vaccine rate could go up this year. Either way, more 
people getting the shot earlier has benefits. Medical experts recommend 
it before prime flu season hits because it can take <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flu/in-depth/flu-shots/art-20048000" target="_blank">a couple of weeks</a> for the body to mount its defenses.

Annie
 Shelton is a pharmacist in charge of flu vaccine stock and distribution
 for the University of Kansas Health System. If demand increases 
significantly this year, the health system should be able to handle it. 
It has enough doses on hand to vaccinate nearly 60,000 people — about 
30% more than last year.

“We’re also, like everyone else in the nation, on waitlists with our manufacturers,” she said, in case more is needed.

Far from waning, the coronavirus has fed off of people’s impatience with social distancing. The situation is precarious.

In southeast Kansas, The <a href="https://www.morningsun.net/news/20201013/county-health-officials-consider-policy-changes-as-area-hospitals-reach-capacity" target="_blank">Pittsburg Morning Sun</a>
 reported in mid-October that the local hospital stopped elective care 
to handle a coronavirus surge and that facilities across the Missouri 
border in Joplin had run out of beds.

A few weeks later, hospitals in <a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/coronavirus/article246924192.html" target="_blank">Wichita</a> and <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-10-30/western-kansas-is-full-of-coronavirus-hot-spots-tying-up-icu-beds" target="_blank">Garden City</a> said their ICU beds were full.

Last week, the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, opened up an <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2020-10-30/hospitals-have-less-capacity-than-missouris-covid-19-website-shows-federal-data-indicate" target="_blank">overflow ICU</a>.
 And Johnson County health officials reported the most new cases they’d 
seen in a single day. They attribute the ongoing spike to people 
crowding restaurants and bars and mingling at “football watch parties, 
birthday parties, camps, weddings and church events.”

This week, Stormont Vail Health in Topeka and the <a href="https://www.medicalnewsnetwork.org/NewsNetwork/DocTalk/C/Coronavirus%20Media%20Briefing%20Wednesday%2011-4-20" target="_blank">KU Health System</a> said they’re seeing their highest numbers so far of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">COVID-19 hospitalizations</a> climbed sharply in October, as reported by hospitals to the state.

On
 an average day back in April, when the state was locked down, 104 
people were in the hospital with coronavirus. By May, that climbed to 
196 people on an average day. Here’s what has happened since:

In recent days, the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients has topped 550.

The southern hemisphere saw a very <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/08/26/906323250/from-the-global-south-hints-that-u-s-may-be-spared-flu-on-top-of-covid-19" target="_blank">mild flu season</a>
 this year. That could reflect some combination of the social distancing
 — including the closing of schools and workplaces — and expanded flu 
vaccination efforts spurred by COVID-19.

The virus that causes COVID-19 hits more people harder than the flu does, but the flu still kills <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html#:~:text=CDC%20estimates%20that%20influenza%20has,61%2C000%20deaths%20annually%20since%202010." target="_blank">tens of thousands</a> of Americans each year — upwards of 50,000 during bad flu seasons — and hospitalizes hundreds of thousands.

Symptoms of the two diseases may appear similar, but coronavirus tends to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/flu-vs-covid19.htm" target="_blank">incubate longer</a> and people who contract it appear to be more contagious (at least among adults) and for longer than those who pick up the flu.

The <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flu/in-depth/flu-shots/art-20048000" target="_blank">vaccine</a>
 doesn’t guarantee you won’t get sick. Rather, it cuts your risk of 
coming down with the flu or getting a bad case of it. And because 
they’re not made with live viruses, you <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm" target="_blank">can’t get the flu from a flu shot</a>.

Dana Hawkinson heads infection prevention for the KU Health System and cares for COVID-19 patients.

A bad bout of the flu can not only cause lung damage, he said. It can saddle patients with other problems.

“We know that you’re at very high risk of getting a secondary bacterial pneumonia,” he said. “Typically that is staph or strep.”

The last thing you’d want at that point is to deal with COVID-19, too.

“It could be,” he said, “very difficult to recover.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a> or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604672592841.png" alt="A person gets their flu shot at a vaccine drive-through in the Kansas City area last month. Drive-throughs like this are a popular way to get a flu shot amid the coronavirus pandemic. Carlos Moreno/KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>A person gets their flu shot at a vaccine drive-through in the Kansas City area last month. Drive-throughs like this are a popular way to get a flu shot amid the coronavirus pandemic. Carlos Moreno/KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELAI LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-11-06/while-the-coronavirus-pandemic-rages-on-kansas-families-flock-to-get-their-flu-shots">Kansas News Service</a>This year, nurses in southeast Kansas are taking a NASCAR-style approach in the race against the flu.Imagine
 a pit crew, said Lori Rexwinkle, head of nursing at a community health 
center that serves 10 counties. Except instead of speed-swapping tires, 
this team vaccinates passengers. Got a van full of kids? Just pull it on
 up.“We had several different nurses going out to the vehicle at the same time,” Rexwinkle said. “Parents appreciated that.”Offering
 drive-thrus this season helped Community Health Center of Southeast 
Kansas vaccinate about 9,000 people, more than twice as many people by 
late October as it did a year earlier.Across the state, clinics 
and drug stores say they’re giving far more flu shots than in years 
past. Families are eager for the shots in a year when they’ve been 
trying to hide out from a deadly pandemic.It’s a bright spot at an otherwise dark time for Kansas health care. Over
 the past month, the state saw a steep jump in COVID-19 
hospitalizations. Some hospitals shut down elective surgeries again or 
ran out of intensive care beds.If fewer Kansans get the flu than 
usual, that would save doctors, nurses, supplies and hospital beds for 
patients with the more aggressive and deadlier COVID-19.“There’s 
going to be a lot of confusion” this winter, said Bethanie McDowell. She
 directs infection prevention at the Salina Regional Health Center. “‘Do
 I have the flu? Do I have COVID?’ So it’s really important this year 
that we do get those flu shots.”<h2>Bucking the trend?</h2>Normally four or five out of 10 Kansans get the flu shot, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/reportshtml/trends/index.html" target="_blank">the CDC</a> estimates. (The same is true of Americans overall.)But health officials see signs that this year looks different. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ordered <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/cdc-director-push-vaccinate-65-americans-against-flu" target="_blank">nearly 9 million extra doses</a> this year.<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/09/25/flu-shots-covid-19-pandemic-demand/" target="_blank">Big pharmacy chains</a>
 also stocked up. CVS Health surveyed consumers months ago and found 
most expected to get the shot, and to do it earlier in the flu season 
than years past.“We are prepared to administer 18 million flu shots this flu season, which is twice last season,” a spokesman said in an email.Some
 nurses and pharmacists fielded a barrage of calls starting late in the 
summer. People wondered when the shot would become available — and where
 to get it. Local employers and agencies asked about holding mini flu 
clinics.The demand ate through Konza Prairie Community Health 
Center’s stock by mid-October. It typically buys 400 to 600 doses of 
vaccine each season for its communities in Manhattan and Junction City 
and uses those up over the course of several months.“We have already gone through that amount,” CEO Lee Wolf said, “and have ordered more.”In Wyandotte County, Vibrant Health community clinics gave 500 flu shots last month, compared to 200 in October 2019.In
 Wichita, Guadalupe Clinic gave 300 of the shots at a recent community 
event compared to 190 a year earlier. It turned away another 40 to 50 
people.And in Salina, at an early-October flu shot clinic, 300 more children got shots than the previous year.It’s
 possible Kansans who normally get the shot simply want it earlier this 
time. Or, the vaccine rate could go up this year. Either way, more 
people getting the shot earlier has benefits. Medical experts recommend 
it before prime flu season hits because it can take <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flu/in-depth/flu-shots/art-20048000" target="_blank">a couple of weeks</a> for the body to mount its defenses.Annie
 Shelton is a pharmacist in charge of flu vaccine stock and distribution
 for the University of Kansas Health System. If demand increases 
significantly this year, the health system should be able to handle it. 
It has enough doses on hand to vaccinate nearly 60,000 people — about 
30% more than last year.“We’re also, like everyone else in the nation, on waitlists with our manufacturers,” she said, in case more is needed.<h2>The COVID-19 surge</h2>Far from waning, the coronavirus has fed off of people’s impatience with social distancing. The situation is precarious.In southeast Kansas, The <a href="https://www.morningsun.net/news/20201013/county-health-officials-consider-policy-changes-as-area-hospitals-reach-capacity" target="_blank">Pittsburg Morning Sun</a>
 reported in mid-October that the local hospital stopped elective care 
to handle a coronavirus surge and that facilities across the Missouri 
border in Joplin had run out of beds.A few weeks later, hospitals in <a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/coronavirus/article246924192.html" target="_blank">Wichita</a> and <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-10-30/western-kansas-is-full-of-coronavirus-hot-spots-tying-up-icu-beds" target="_blank">Garden City</a> said their ICU beds were full.Last week, the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, opened up an <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2020-10-30/hospitals-have-less-capacity-than-missouris-covid-19-website-shows-federal-data-indicate" target="_blank">overflow ICU</a>.
 And Johnson County health officials reported the most new cases they’d 
seen in a single day. They attribute the ongoing spike to people 
crowding restaurants and bars and mingling at “football watch parties, 
birthday parties, camps, weddings and church events.”This week, Stormont Vail Health in Topeka and the <a href="https://www.medicalnewsnetwork.org/NewsNetwork/DocTalk/C/Coronavirus%20Media%20Briefing%20Wednesday%2011-4-20" target="_blank">KU Health System</a> said they’re seeing their highest numbers so far of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">COVID-19 hospitalizations</a> climbed sharply in October, as reported by hospitals to the state.On
 an average day back in April, when the state was locked down, 104 
people were in the hospital with coronavirus. By May, that climbed to 
196 people on an average day. Here’s what has happened since:<ul>
 <li>On an average day in June, 170 people</li><li>On an average day in July, 275 people</li><li>On an average day in August, 287 people</li><li>On an average day in September, 304 people</li><li>On an average day in October, 445</li>
 </ul>In recent days, the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients has topped 550.<h2>Flu is still dangerous</h2>The southern hemisphere saw a very <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/08/26/906323250/from-the-global-south-hints-that-u-s-may-be-spared-flu-on-top-of-covid-19" target="_blank">mild flu season</a>
 this year. That could reflect some combination of the social distancing
 — including the closing of schools and workplaces — and expanded flu 
vaccination efforts spurred by COVID-19.The virus that causes COVID-19 hits more people harder than the flu does, but the flu still kills <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html#:~:text=CDC%20estimates%20that%20influenza%20has,61%2C000%20deaths%20annually%20since%202010." target="_blank">tens of thousands</a> of Americans each year — upwards of 50,000 during bad flu seasons — and hospitalizes hundreds of thousands.Symptoms of the two diseases may appear similar, but coronavirus tends to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/flu-vs-covid19.htm" target="_blank">incubate longer</a> and people who contract it appear to be more contagious (at least among adults) and for longer than those who pick up the flu.The <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flu/in-depth/flu-shots/art-20048000" target="_blank">vaccine</a>
 doesn’t guarantee you won’t get sick. Rather, it cuts your risk of 
coming down with the flu or getting a bad case of it. And because 
they’re not made with live viruses, you <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm" target="_blank">can’t get the flu from a flu shot</a>.Dana Hawkinson heads infection prevention for the KU Health System and cares for COVID-19 patients.A bad bout of the flu can not only cause lung damage, he said. It can saddle patients with other problems.“We know that you’re at very high risk of getting a secondary bacterial pneumonia,” he said. “Typically that is staph or strep.”The last thing you’d want at that point is to deal with COVID-19, too.“It could be,” he said, “very difficult to recover.”Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a> or email her at celia@kcur.org.

Amid pandemic, Kansas families flock to get their flu shots

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1:30 Friday in Shawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 GMC Envoy driven by Janice Staerkel, 72, Hoyt, was northbound on U.S. 75 from U.S. 24 Westbound in the right lane. Vehicle two, non contact, was in the left lane. Vehicle two attempted to change lanes to the right. 

The driver swerved to avoid a 2016 GMC Sierra driven by Kristin Haskell, 29, Lawrence, in the left lane attempting to change lanes to the right.

Staerkel&nbsp; lost control of the Envoy. The SUV left the roadway to the right and overturned multiple times. Staerkel was pronounced dead at the scene.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1:30 Friday in Shawnee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 GMC Envoy driven by Janice Staerkel, 72, Hoyt, was northbound on U.S. 75 from U.S. 24 Westbound in the right lane. Vehicle two, non contact, was in the left lane. Vehicle two attempted to change lanes to the right. The driver swerved to avoid a 2016 GMC Sierra driven by Kristin Haskell, 29, Lawrence, in the left lane attempting to change lanes to the right.Staerkel&nbsp; lost control of the Envoy. The SUV left the roadway to the right and overturned multiple times. Staerkel was pronounced dead at the scene.

Kansas woman dies after SUV rollover crash

CLARK COUNTY–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the Friday afternoon death of an Ashland teen.

At approximately 3:05 p.m., the Clark County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call requesting assistance after a female subject was shot, according to a media release.

Deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and EMS responded to&nbsp;302 Highland Ave., in&nbsp;Ashland, Kan. Upon arrival, they found a 13-year-old female suffering from a gunshot wound.

The teen was transported to a local area hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.

The shooting occurred while the 13-year-old was at a friend’s house along with four other juveniles.

USD 220 in Ashland reported on their social media page that "several students were involved in an accident resulting in one of the students being taken to the hospital, unfortunately she passed away from her injury."

Ashland High School was open for students, staff, and families to gather beginning at 5:00p.m. Friday.&nbsp; Counseling support was available for anyone who needed it during this difficult time.&nbsp;

CLARK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a student in southwest Kansas.

Just before 4p.m. Friday, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation responded to a request by the the Clark County Sheriff’s Office in investigate the death of female subject in Ashland, according to KBI spokesperson Melissa Underwood.

KBI agents and the crime scene response team responded.

Ashland High School was open for students, staff, and families to gather beginning at 5:00p.m. Friday.&nbsp; Counseling support was available for anyone who needed it during this difficult time. The KBI is expected to release additional details late Friday or Saturday, according to Underwood.

CLARK COUNTY–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the Friday afternoon death of an Ashland teen.At approximately 3:05 p.m., the Clark County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call requesting assistance after a female subject was shot, according to a media release.Deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and EMS responded to&nbsp;302 Highland Ave., in&nbsp;Ashland, Kan. Upon arrival, they found a 13-year-old female suffering from a gunshot wound.The teen was transported to a local area hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.The shooting occurred while the 13-year-old was at a friend’s house along with four other juveniles.USD 220 in Ashland reported on their social media page that "several students were involved in an accident resulting in one of the students being taken to the hospital, unfortunately she passed away from her injury."Ashland High School was open for students, staff, and families to gather beginning at 5:00p.m. Friday.&nbsp; Counseling support was available for anyone who needed it during this difficult time.&nbsp;------CLARK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a student in southwest Kansas.Just before 4p.m. Friday, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation responded to a request by the the Clark County Sheriff’s Office in investigate the death of female subject in Ashland, according to KBI spokesperson Melissa Underwood.KBI agents and the crime scene response team responded.USD 220 in Ashland reported on their social media page that "several students were involved in an accident resulting in one of the students being taken to the hospital, unfortunately she passed away from her injury."Ashland High School was open for students, staff, and families to gather beginning at 5:00p.m. Friday.&nbsp; Counseling support was available for anyone who needed it during this difficult time. The KBI is expected to release additional details late Friday or Saturday, according to Underwood.

Update: KBI investigates shooting death of SW Kan. girl

WASHINGTON (AP) — Four days after the election, the U.S. presidential race hovered in suspended animation Saturday as the long, exacting work of counting votes brought Democrat Joe Biden ever closer to a victory over President Donald Trump.

The delay in producing a verdict can be attributed to high turnout, a massive number of mail-in ballots and slim margins between the candidates. Biden held leads in Pennsylvania, Nevada and Georgia, putting him in an ever-stronger position to capture the 270 Electoral College votes needed to take the White House.

There was intense focus on Pennsylvania, where Biden led Trump by more than 28,000 votes, and Nevada, where Biden was up by about 22,000. The prolonged wait added to the anxiety of a nation facing historic challenges, including the surging coronavirus pandemic and deep political polarization.

When Biden addressed the nation Friday night near his home in Wilmington, Delaware, he acknowledged the sluggish pace of the count “can be numbing.” But he added: “Never forget the tallies aren’t just numbers: They represent votes and voters.”

He expressed confidence that victory ultimately would be his. “The numbers tell us a clear and convincing story: We’re going to win this race,” the former vice president said.

Standing alongside running mate Kamala Harris, Biden wasn’t able to give the acceptance speech at that time that his aides had hoped. But he hit notes of unity, seemingly aimed at cooling the temperature of a heated, divided nation.

“We have to remember the purpose of our politics isn’t total unrelenting, unending warfare,” he said. “No, the purpose of our politics, the work of our nation, isn’t to fan the flames of conflict, but to solve problems, to guarantee justice, to give everybody a fair shot.”

Trump stayed in the White House and out of sight as the results gradually expanded Biden’s lead in must-win Pennsylvania. In the West Wing, televisions had remained tuned to the news amid trappings of normalcy on Friday, as reporters lined up for coronavirus tests and outdoor crews worked on the North Lawn on a mild, muggy fall day.

Trump’s campaign was mostly quiet. It was a dramatic difference from earlier in the week, when officials vocally projected confidence and held news conferences announcing litigation in key states. But his inner circle was touched once again by the coronavirus.

Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, contracted the virus, according to two senior White House officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss private matters. Several other members of the White House staff and Trump’s campaign team also tested positive.

Trump’s handling of the pandemic has been the defining issue of the campaign. The president, first lady Melania Trump and several other people in Trump’s orbit have fallen ill and recovered.

A few states remained in play in the race: Georgia and North Carolina were still too early to call, along with Pennsylvania and Nevada. In all four states the margins between Trump and Biden were too narrow and the number of ballots left to be counted too great for The Associated Press to declare a winner.

The uncertainty left Americans across the nation glued to their TVs and smartphones, checking for updates to a vote count that, for many, appeared to inch along.

The delays — and the reasons — varied from state to state. In Pennsylvania, officials were not allowed to begin processing mail-in ballots until Election Day under state law. In Nevada, there were a number of provisional ballots cast by voters who registered on Election Day, and officials had to verify their eligibility. Recounts could be triggered in both Pennsylvania and Georgia.

With his path to reelection appearing to greatly narrow, Trump was testing how far he could go in using the trappings of presidential power to undermine confidence in the vote.

He took to Twitter late Friday to pledge further legal action, tweeting that “Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also. Legal proceedings are just now beginning!”

Trump did claim that he won late on Election Night. He also tweeted that he had “such a big lead in all of these states late into election night, only to see the leads miraculously disappear as the days went by,” although it was well known that votes cast before Tuesday were still being legally counted.

The uncertainty carried a hint of danger in some places.

Pro-Trump protesters — some of them openly carrying rifles and handguns — rallied outside vote-tabulation centers in a few cities Friday, responding to Trump’s groundless accusations that the Democrats were trying to “steal” the White House. Roughly 100 Trump supporters gathered for a third straight day in front of the elections center in Phoenix, where hundreds of workers were processing and counting ballots.

Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan, a potential presidential hopeful who has often criticized Trump, said there was “no defense” for Trump comments “undermining our Democratic process. America is counting the votes, and we must respect the results as we always have before.”

But others who are rumored to be considering a White House run of their own in four years aligned themselves with the incumbent, including Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who tweeted support for Trump’s claims, writing that “If last 24 hours have made anything clear, it’s that we need new election integrity laws NOW.”

Trump’s campaign has engaged in a flurry of legal activity across the battleground states.

On Friday evening, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito approved a GOP request ordering county boards to comply with Pennsylvania state guidance to keep the late ballots separate from those received before or on Election Day. Alito, however, did not direct election officials to stop counting the ballots, as the Republicans had also sought.

But judges in Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania quickly swatted down other legal action. A federal judge who was asked to stop vote counts in Philadelphia instead forced the two sides to reach an agreement without an order over the number of observers allowed.

This year a record 103 million Americans voted early, opting to avoid waiting in long lines at polling locations during the pandemic. With counting still continuing in some states, Biden had already received more than 74 million votes, more than any presidential candidate before him. More than 236,000 Americans have died during the coronavirus pandemic, nearly 10 million have been infected and millions of jobs have been lost.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Joe Biden was on the cusp of winning the presidency on Friday as he opened up narrow leads over President Donald Trump in the critical battlegrounds of Georgia and Pennsylvania.

Those put Biden in a stronger position to capture the 270 Electoral College votes needed to take the White House. The winner will lead a country facing a historic set of challenges, including a surging pandemic and deep political polarization.

The focus on Pennsylvania, where Biden led Trump by more than 9,000 votes, and Georgia, where Biden led by more than 1,500, came as Americans entered a third full day after the election without knowing who will lead them for the next four years. The prolonged process added to the anxiety of a nation whose racial and cultural divides were inflamed during the heated campaign.

Biden was at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, as the vote count continued and aides said he would address the nation in primetime. Trump stayed in the White House and out of sight, as more results trickled in, expanding Biden’s lead in must-win Pennsylvania. In the West Wing, televisions remained tuned to the news amid trappings of normalcy, as reporters lined up for coronavirus tests and outdoor crews worked on the North Lawn on a mild, muggy fall day.

Trump’s campaign, meanwhile, was quiet -- a dramatic difference from the day before, when it held a morning conference call projecting confidence and held a flurry of hastily arranged press conferences announcing litigation in key states.

With his pathway to reelection appearing to greatly narrow, Trump was testing how far he could go in using the trappings of presidential power to undermine confidence in the vote.

On Thursday, he advanced unsupported accusations of voter fraud to falsely argue that his rival was trying to seize power in an extraordinary effort by a sitting American president to sow doubt about the democratic process.

“This is a case when they are trying to steal an election, they are trying to rig an election,” Trump said from the podium of the White House briefing room.

He took to Twitter late Friday to pledge further legal action, tweeting “Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also. Legal proceedings are just now beginning!”

Biden spent Thursday trying to ease tensions and project a more traditional image of presidential leadership. After participating in a coronavirus briefing, he declared that “each ballot must be counted.”

“I ask everyone to stay calm. The process is working,” Biden said. “It is the will of the voters. No one, not anyone else who chooses the president of the United States of America.”

Trump showed no sign of giving up and was was back on Twitter around 2:30 a.m. Friday, insisting the “U.S. Supreme Court should decide!”

Trump’s erroneous claims about the integrity of the election challenged Republicans now faced with the choice of whether to break with a president who, though his grip on his office grew tenuous, commanded sky-high approval ratings from rank-and-file members of the GOP. That was especially true for those who are eyeing presidential runs of their own in 2024.

Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan, a potential presidential hopeful who has often criticized Trump, said unequivocally: “There is no defense for the President’s comments tonight undermining our Democratic process. America is counting the votes, and we must respect the results as we always have before.”

Trump’s campaign engaged in a flurry of legal activity, saying it would seek a recount in Wisconsin and had filed lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia.

But judges in the three states quickly swatted down legal action. A federal judge who was asked to stop vote counts in Philadelphia instead forced the two sides to reach an agreement without an order over the number of observers allowed.

“Really, can’t we be responsible adults here and reach an agreement?” an exasperated U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond said during an emergency hearing Thursday evening. “The whole thing could (soon) be moot.”

In Pennsylvania, officials had not been allowed to process mail-in ballots until Election Day under state law, and those votes went heavily in Biden’s favor.

Mail ballots from across the state were overwhelmingly breaking in Biden’s direction. A final vote total may not be clear for days because the use of mail-in ballots, which take more time to process, has surged as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Trump campaign said it was confident the president would ultimately pull out a victory in Arizona, where votes were also still being counted, including in Maricopa County, the state’s most populous area. The AP has declared Biden the winner in Arizona and said Thursday that it was monitoring the vote count as it proceeded.

“The Associated Press continues to watch and analyze vote count results from Arizona as they come in,” said Sally Buzbee, AP’s executive editor. “We will follow the facts in all cases.”

Trump’s campaign was lodging legal challenges in several states, though he faced long odds. He would have to win multiple suits in multiple states in order to stop vote counts, since more than one state was undeclared.

Some of the Trump team’s lawsuits only demand better access for campaign observers to locations where ballots are being processed and counted. A judge in Georgia dismissed the campaign’s suit there less than 12 hours after it was filed. And a Michigan judge dismissed a Trump lawsuit over whether enough GOP challengers had access to handling of absentee ballots

Biden attorney Bob Bauer said the suits were legally “meritless.” Their only purpose, he said “is to create an opportunity for them to message falsely about what’s taking place in the electoral process.”

Biden was at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, as the vote count continued and aides said he would address the nation in primetime. Trump remained in the White House residence as more results trickled in, expanding Biden’s lead in must-win Pennsylvania. In the West Wing, televisions remained tuned to the news amid trappings of normalcy, as reporters lined up for coronavirus tests and outdoor crews worked on the North Lawn on a mild, muggy fall day.

Trump’s campaign engaged in a flurry of legal activity to try to improve the Republican president’s chances, saying it would seek a recount in Wisconsin and file lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia.

Judges in Georgia and Michigan quickly dismissed Trump campaign lawsuits there on Thursday.

In Pennsylvania, officials were not allowed to process mail-in ballots until Election Day under state law. It’s a form of voting that has skewed heavily in Biden’s favor after Trump spent months claiming without proof that voting by mail would lead to widespread voter fraud.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Joe Biden has overtaken President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania and Georgia. The election hinges on the outcome of tight contests in those key battleground states. 

The new results Friday come as Trump is trying to undermine confidence in this week’s election. With his pathway to reelection appearing to shrink, Trump advanced unsupported accusations of voter fraud Thursday to falsely argue Biden was trying to seize power. 

It amounted to an extraordinary effort by a sitting American president to sow doubt about the democratic process. Trump's remarks also prompted a rebuke from some fellow Republicans, particularly those looking to steer the party in a different direction in a post-Trump era.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is testing how far he can go in using the trappings of presidential power to undermine confidence in this week’s election against Joe Biden, as the Democrat gained ground in tight contests in some key battleground states.

With his pathway to re-election appearing to shrink, Trump on Thursday advanced unsupported accusations of voter fraud to falsely argue that his rival was trying to seize power. It amounted to an extraordinary effort by a sitting American president to sow doubt about the democratic process.

The president’s remarks deepened a sense of anxiety in the U.S. as Americans enter their third full day after the election without knowing who would serve as president for the next four years. His statements also prompted a rebuke from some Republicans, particularly those looking to steer the party in a different direction in a post-Trump era.

Neither candidate has reached the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House. But Biden eclipsed Trump in Wisconsin and Michigan, two crucial Midwestern battleground states, overtook the president in Georgia and was inching closer to doing the same in Pennsylvania, where votes were still be counted.

It was unclear when a national winner would be determined after a long, bitter campaign dominated by the coronavirus and its effects on Americans and the national economy. The U.S. on Wednesday set another record for daily confirmed cases as several states posted all-time highs. The pandemic has killed more than 233,000 people in the United States.

Biden’s victories in the upper Midwest put him in a strong position, but Trump showed no sign of giving up. He was back on Twitter around 2:30 a.m. Friday, insisting the “U.S. Supreme Court should decide!”

It could take several more days for the vote count to conclude and a clear winner to emerge. With millions of ballots yet to be tabulated, Biden already had received more than 73 million votes, the most in history.

Trump’s erroneous claims about the integrity of the election challenged Republicans now faced with the choice of whether to break with a president who, though his grip on his office grew tenuous, commanded sky-high approval ratings from rank-and-file members of the GOP.

Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan, a potential 2024 presidential hopeful who has often criticized Trump, said unequivocally: “There is no defense for the President’s comments tonight undermining our Democratic process. America is counting the votes, and we must respect the results as we always have before.”

Trump’s campaign engaged in a flurry of legal activity to try to improve the Republican president’s chances, requesting a recount in Wisconsin and filing lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia.

Suspended animation: Count drags on as Biden nears victory

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City man has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for killing a Christian missionary from China and wounding two others while high on PCP.

Curtrail Hudson, 20, was sentenced Thursday in Jackson County Circuit Court, the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article247006287.html">reported</a>. A jury found Hudson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6617e027fb01fc40b70928ae76704dfa">guilty&nbsp;</a>in February of second-degree murder and five other charges in the April 2018 shooting that killed 38-year-old Xindong Hao.

Hao arrived in the city with his wife and four young children shortly before the shooting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/202e492475224211bdd485fc5bba60cc">to join fellow missionaries</a>&nbsp;at the International House of Prayer. The evangelical group’s headquarters is near the scene of the shooting. Investigators have said Hao was walking when he encountered Hudson, then 18, who was randomly shooting at people. Two other people were wounded before Hudson was arrested.

Hudson told police he believed Hao was an accomplice of another man he’d been arguing with moments before.

Hudson's defense attorney had argued at trial that Hudson had smoked a marijuana cigarette without knowing it had been dipped in PCP and was “in a state of psychosis" when the shooting occurred.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581455902609.png" alt="Hudson photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Hudson photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City man has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for killing a Christian missionary from China and wounding two others while high on PCP.Curtrail Hudson, 20, was sentenced Thursday in Jackson County Circuit Court, the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article247006287.html">reported</a>. A jury found Hudson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6617e027fb01fc40b70928ae76704dfa">guilty&nbsp;</a>in February of second-degree murder and five other charges in the April 2018 shooting that killed 38-year-old Xindong Hao.Hao arrived in the city with his wife and four young children shortly before the shooting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/202e492475224211bdd485fc5bba60cc">to join fellow missionaries</a>&nbsp;at the International House of Prayer. The evangelical group’s headquarters is near the scene of the shooting. Investigators have said Hao was walking when he encountered Hudson, then 18, who was randomly shooting at people. Two other people were wounded before Hudson was arrested.Hudson told police he believed Hao was an accomplice of another man he’d been arguing with moments before.Hudson's defense attorney had argued at trial that Hudson had smoked a marijuana cigarette without knowing it had been dipped in PCP and was “in a state of psychosis" when the shooting occurred.

Kansas City man sentenced in death of missionary from China

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/06/hospitals-near-breaking-point-as-covid-19-patients-multiply/">Kansas Reflector</a>

As Steve Stites, the chief
 medical officer for the University of Kansas Health System, tried to 
get the message out Friday that hospital resources are more scarce than 
previously thought, he began to pound his desk.

Kansas City area hospitals
 are approaching the point where they will have to choose they provide 
care to, he said, because there isn’t enough staff to care for the 
continuously rising number of COVID-19 patients. Hospitals have had to 
refuse transfers of COVID-19 patients from the state’s rural areas, he 
said, which also have run out of space.

“At our institution, now, 
COVID is the leading admission diagnosis,” Stites said. “I mean, a year 
ago, there was nothing. And now it is the leading reason to come in the 
hospital.”

He began to emphasis his 
words with the drumming of his fist: “Not cancer, not heart attack, not 
heart failure, not COPD or emphysema. The No. 1 reason is COVID. Well, 
that’s a big change for us. And we’re headed right smack into the cold 
and other flu season, etc. We know this is always when hospital capacity
 is stretched. It’s not unusual for us to be full this time of the year.
 But now we’ve got 10 to 15% more patients from just one disease.”

Health officials from 
private and public entities, local and state, have struggled for months 
to get more of the public to take preventative measures seriously. The 
consequences are dire.

The Kansas Department for 
Health and Environment on Friday said 79 deaths and 5,418 new infections
 had been reported since its last update, two days ago.

KDHE’s online dashboard 
shows 33% of intensive care unit beds remain available across the state,
 including 36% in Kansas City. But health officials say the actual 
number of available beds is much lower because hospitals lack the staff 
to care for more patients.

At one point this week, 
there were 32 empty ICU beds at 11 Kansas City area hospitals, but KU 
Health said the number that could actually be staffed was just 22. 
Stites said within the KU Health System there were 277 patients 
hospitalized for COVID-19 as of Monday. By Friday, the number was 318 
“and climbing.”

Hospital officials are 
looking to delay surgeries and extend workloads for nurses in 
anticipation that the pandemic will continue to get exponentially worse.

David Wild, vice president
 of performance improvement for KU Health, said it wasn’t clear how long
 it would take before hospitals no longer have the resources to treat 
new patients.

“Is it tomorrow? No, I don’t think so,” Wild said. “Could it be? Well, maybe. But it’s more likely weeks.”

In a separate briefing, 
Shawnee County health officials sounded similar alarms about 
overstressed hospitals and uncontrolled community transmission of 
COVID-19.

Gianfranco Pezzino, the 
Shawnee County health officer, said the past two weeks have been the 
worst of the pandemic to date. Last week, the county saw a 70.4% 
increase in cases and the percent that tested positive nearly doubled, 
from 5.4% to 10.7%, exceeding all previous marks. There were so many new
 cases, health officials are unable to do contact tracing for some of 
them. Of the new infections, health officials have no idea how 82% 
acquired their infections.

Topeka hospitals were at 81.7% capacity, Pezzino said, but actual space was far less because of staffing limitations.

“I can tell you today 
there was a hospital with only one ICU bed available,” Pezzino said. “I 
don’t know you, but that gives me chills. It’s just like being one car 
wreck away on I-70 from a major crisis, because you don’t have ICU beds 
or acute care beds to put patients.”

He stressed the importance
 to consider not just mass gatherings but a multitude of other ways the 
virus is commonly spread: sleepovers, birthday parties, weddings, 
funerals, Halloween, family reunions, tailgate parties, car shows, 
business meetings, trade conventions, sports events.

“You get the idea,” he 
said. “Every situation that brings two or three people, or you know a 
certain number of people, together is a risk for the transmission.”

He said he wouldn’t be surprised if the numbers continue to get worse, and that “it doesn’t need to be like this.”

“It will depend in large 
part, once again, on the extent to which his community and its leaders 
are willing to make some more sacrifices now to prevent more problems in
 the future,” Pezzino said.

Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604690551401.png" alt="Steve Stites, the chief medical officer for the University of Kansas Health System, says the number of COVID-19 patients who need to be hospitalized has increased exponentially, putting hospitals in the Kansas City area in danger of not being able to treat patients. (Screenshot from virtual news briefing/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Steve Stites, the chief medical officer for the University of Kansas Health System, says the number of COVID-19 patients who need to be hospitalized has increased exponentially, putting hospitals in the Kansas City area in danger of not being able to treat patients. (Screenshot from virtual news briefing/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/06/hospitals-near-breaking-point-as-covid-19-patients-multiply/">Kansas Reflector</a>As Steve Stites, the chief
 medical officer for the University of Kansas Health System, tried to 
get the message out Friday that hospital resources are more scarce than 
previously thought, he began to pound his desk.Kansas City area hospitals
 are approaching the point where they will have to choose they provide 
care to, he said, because there isn’t enough staff to care for the 
continuously rising number of COVID-19 patients. Hospitals have had to 
refuse transfers of COVID-19 patients from the state’s rural areas, he 
said, which also have run out of space.“At our institution, now, 
COVID is the leading admission diagnosis,” Stites said. “I mean, a year 
ago, there was nothing. And now it is the leading reason to come in the 
hospital.”He began to emphasis his 
words with the drumming of his fist: “Not cancer, not heart attack, not 
heart failure, not COPD or emphysema. The No. 1 reason is COVID. Well, 
that’s a big change for us. And we’re headed right smack into the cold 
and other flu season, etc. We know this is always when hospital capacity
 is stretched. It’s not unusual for us to be full this time of the year.
 But now we’ve got 10 to 15% more patients from just one disease.”Health officials from 
private and public entities, local and state, have struggled for months 
to get more of the public to take preventative measures seriously. The 
consequences are dire.The Kansas Department for 
Health and Environment on Friday said 79 deaths and 5,418 new infections
 had been reported since its last update, two days ago.KDHE’s online dashboard 
shows 33% of intensive care unit beds remain available across the state,
 including 36% in Kansas City. But health officials say the actual 
number of available beds is much lower because hospitals lack the staff 
to care for more patients.At one point this week, 
there were 32 empty ICU beds at 11 Kansas City area hospitals, but KU 
Health said the number that could actually be staffed was just 22. 
Stites said within the KU Health System there were 277 patients 
hospitalized for COVID-19 as of Monday. By Friday, the number was 318 
“and climbing.”Hospital officials are 
looking to delay surgeries and extend workloads for nurses in 
anticipation that the pandemic will continue to get exponentially worse.David Wild, vice president
 of performance improvement for KU Health, said it wasn’t clear how long
 it would take before hospitals no longer have the resources to treat 
new patients.“Is it tomorrow? No, I don’t think so,” Wild said. “Could it be? Well, maybe. But it’s more likely weeks.”In a separate briefing, 
Shawnee County health officials sounded similar alarms about 
overstressed hospitals and uncontrolled community transmission of 
COVID-19.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604690610487.png" alt="Gianfranco Pezzino, the Shawnee County health officer, said the potential for the pandemic to worsen depends on the community’s willingness to make some sacrifices. (Screenshot from virtual briefing/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gianfranco Pezzino, the Shawnee County health officer, said the potential for the pandemic to worsen depends on the community’s willingness to make some sacrifices. (Screenshot from virtual briefing/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Gianfranco Pezzino, the 
Shawnee County health officer, said the past two weeks have been the 
worst of the pandemic to date. Last week, the county saw a 70.4% 
increase in cases and the percent that tested positive nearly doubled, 
from 5.4% to 10.7%, exceeding all previous marks. There were so many new
 cases, health officials are unable to do contact tracing for some of 
them. Of the new infections, health officials have no idea how 82% 
acquired their infections.Topeka hospitals were at 81.7% capacity, Pezzino said, but actual space was far less because of staffing limitations.“I can tell you today 
there was a hospital with only one ICU bed available,” Pezzino said. “I 
don’t know you, but that gives me chills. It’s just like being one car 
wreck away on I-70 from a major crisis, because you don’t have ICU beds 
or acute care beds to put patients.”He stressed the importance
 to consider not just mass gatherings but a multitude of other ways the 
virus is commonly spread: sleepovers, birthday parties, weddings, 
funerals, Halloween, family reunions, tailgate parties, car shows, 
business meetings, trade conventions, sports events.“You get the idea,” he 
said. “Every situation that brings two or three people, or you know a 
certain number of people, together is a risk for the transmission.”He said he wouldn’t be surprised if the numbers continue to get worse, and that “it doesn’t need to be like this.”“It will depend in large 
part, once again, on the extent to which his community and its leaders 
are willing to make some more sacrifices now to prevent more problems in
 the future,” Pezzino said.Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature.

Kan. hospitals near breaking point as COVID-19 patients multiply

KANSAS CITY (AP) — One man died after being stabbed in northwestern Kansas City, and another man was arrested, police said.

The stabbing happened around 1 p.m. Thursday, police said in a news release. Officers called to the scene on Gardner Avenue found a man suffering from stab wounds. The man was rushed to an area hospital, where he died hours later, police said.

Officers arrested a person suspected in the stabbing, police said. Police did not release the names of the victim or the person arrested and did not give details on what may have led to the stabbing.

Data kept by the Kansas City Star say the death marked the city's 162nd homicide this year. That compares with 126 homicides recorded in Kansas City by this time last year.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — One man died after being stabbed in northwestern Kansas City, and another man was arrested, police said.The stabbing happened around 1 p.m. Thursday, police said in a news release. Officers called to the scene on Gardner Avenue found a man suffering from stab wounds. The man was rushed to an area hospital, where he died hours later, police said.Officers arrested a person suspected in the stabbing, police said. Police did not release the names of the victim or the person arrested and did not give details on what may have led to the stabbing.Data kept by the Kansas City Star say the death marked the city's 162nd homicide this year. That compares with 126 homicides recorded in Kansas City by this time last year.

Kansas City Police: Man stabbed to death, another arrested

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A suspect arrested for the Oct. 21 fatal shooting at a youth football game in Wichita made his first court appearance Wednesday.

Maurice Hall, 26,&nbsp;of Garland, Texas, is charged with 1st degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon for the shooting death of 31-year-old Marquell Nolen of Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

On November 3, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, police arrested Hall without incident Tuesday during a vehicle stop at South Main Street and East Kellogg in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.&nbsp;

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, officers responded to an unknown call for police at the Stryker Sports Complex, located at 2999 N. Greenwich.&nbsp; Upon officers arriving, they heard multiple gunshots, and while on the scene, Nolen arrived at an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.&nbsp;

The investigation revealed Nolen was at the Sports Complex, and a verbal argument ensued between him and Hall on the west side of the stadium bleachers.&nbsp; During the argument, Hall pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking Nolen.&nbsp; Nolen was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle by two individuals with him at the Sports Complex, and Hall fled on foot.&nbsp; No one else was injured.

The incident was not random, and Hall and Nolen were known to each other.&nbsp; Additionally, the incident was not related to games being played or officiated.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the Oct. 21 fatal shooting at a youth football game in Wichita have made an arrest.

On Tuesday morning, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, police arrested 26-year-old Maurice Hall without incident Tuesday during a vehicle stop at South Main Street and East Kellogg, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.

Hall was wanted in connection to the shooting death of 31-year-old Marquell Nolen of Wichita.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a youth football game and requesting assistance in locating 23-year-old Maurice Hall of Garland, Texas.

Hall is wanted in connection to fatal Oct. 21, shooting at the Stryker Sports Complex, 2999 N. Greenwich Road in Wichita that killed 31-year-old Marquell Nolen of Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, officers responded to an unknown call for police at the Sports Complex.&nbsp; Upon officers arriving, they heard multiple gunshots, and while on the scene, Nolen arrived at an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.&nbsp;

This was not a random incident, and Hall and Nolen were known to each other.&nbsp; Additionally, the incident was not related to games being played or officiated.&nbsp;

Through the examination of evidence, tips provided to Crime Stoppers, and tips provided to WPD from the community, investigators learned of Hall’s involvement in the shooting, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604494416890.png" alt="Hall photo Sedgwick County booking photo" />
 <figcaption>Hall photo Sedgwick County booking photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A suspect arrested for the Oct. 21 fatal shooting at a youth football game in Wichita made his first court appearance Wednesday.Maurice Hall, 26,&nbsp;of Garland, Texas, is charged with 1st degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon for the shooting death of 31-year-old Marquell Nolen of Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.On November 3, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, police arrested Hall without incident Tuesday during a vehicle stop at South Main Street and East Kellogg in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603385886052.png" alt="Suspect image courtesy Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Suspect image courtesy Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, officers responded to an unknown call for police at the Stryker Sports Complex, located at 2999 N. Greenwich.&nbsp; Upon officers arriving, they heard multiple gunshots, and while on the scene, Nolen arrived at an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.&nbsp;The investigation revealed Nolen was at the Sports Complex, and a verbal argument ensued between him and Hall on the west side of the stadium bleachers.&nbsp; During the argument, Hall pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking Nolen.&nbsp; Nolen was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle by two individuals with him at the Sports Complex, and Hall fled on foot.&nbsp; No one else was injured.The incident was not random, and Hall and Nolen were known to each other.&nbsp; Additionally, the incident was not related to games being played or officiated.&nbsp;--------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the Oct. 21 fatal shooting at a youth football game in Wichita have made an arrest.On Tuesday morning, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, police arrested 26-year-old Maurice Hall without incident Tuesday during a vehicle stop at South Main Street and East Kellogg, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.Hall was wanted in connection to the shooting death of 31-year-old Marquell Nolen of Wichita.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603385886052.png" alt="Suspect image courtesy Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Suspect image courtesy Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, officers responded to an unknown call for police at the Stryker Sports Complex, located at 2999 N. Greenwich.&nbsp; Upon officers arriving, they heard multiple gunshots, and while on the scene, Nolen arrived at an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.&nbsp;The investigation revealed Nolen was at the Sports Complex, and a verbal argument ensued between him and Hall on the west side of the stadium bleachers.&nbsp; During the argument, Hall pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking Nolen.&nbsp; Nolen was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle by two individuals with him at the Sports Complex, and Hall fled on foot.&nbsp; No one else was injured.The incident was not random, and Hall and Nolen were known to each other.&nbsp; Additionally, the incident was not related to games being played or officiated.&nbsp;--------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a youth football game and requesting assistance in locating 23-year-old Maurice Hall of Garland, Texas.Hall is wanted in connection to fatal Oct. 21, shooting at the Stryker Sports Complex, 2999 N. Greenwich Road in Wichita that killed 31-year-old Marquell Nolen of Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603385886052.png" alt="Suspect at the scene of the Oct. 21 shooting photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Suspect at the scene of the Oct. 21 shooting photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, officers responded to an unknown call for police at the Sports Complex.&nbsp; Upon officers arriving, they heard multiple gunshots, and while on the scene, Nolen arrived at an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.&nbsp;The investigation revealed Nolen was at the Sports Complex, and a verbal argument ensued between him and Hall on the west side of the stadium bleachers.&nbsp; During the argument, Hall pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking Nolen.&nbsp; Nolen was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle by two individuals with him at the Sports Complex, and Hall fled on foot.&nbsp; No one else was injured.This was not a random incident, and Hall and Nolen were known to each other.&nbsp; Additionally, the incident was not related to games being played or officiated.&nbsp;Through the examination of evidence, tips provided to Crime Stoppers, and tips provided to WPD from the community, investigators learned of Hall’s involvement in the shooting, according to Davidson.