SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a series of burglaries in Salina have four suspects in custody. 

The Saline County Sheriff's office had received 14 reports of vehicles being entered and, in many cases, items being stolen, that spanned a time period from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, according to&nbsp;Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

Additionally, a vehicle was stolen from Hedville early Monday morning and was located at approximately 8 a.m. Monday when a Salina Police officer attempted to pull it over near the Rodeway Inn and Suites, 3932 South Ninth Street.

Keyshawn Edwards, 23, Saline, is being held on requested charges of burglary of a non-residential building, Four counts of burglary of a motor vehicle, six counts of theft and one count of criminal trespassing.

Hewitt is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;burglary of a non-residential building, Four counts of burglary of a motor vehicle, five counts of theft, one count of criminal tressspassing, one count of possession of methamphetamine and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Richard Anderson, 40, of Salina, who was found hiding in a maintenance closet at the Rodeway Inn, was arrested on active warrants.

Brady Maxwell, 31, of Salina, was arrested on active warrants and a requested charge of obstruction.

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a series of burglaries in Salina have four suspects in custody. The Saline County Sheriff's office had received 14 reports of vehicles being entered and, in many cases, items being stolen, that spanned a time period from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, according to&nbsp;Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.Additionally, a vehicle was stolen from Hedville early Monday morning and was located at approximately 8 a.m. Monday when a Salina Police officer attempted to pull it over near the Rodeway Inn and Suites, 3932 South Ninth Street.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604421983008.jpeg" alt="Edwards photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Edwards photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>Keyshawn Edwards, 23, Saline, is being held on requested charges of burglary of a non-residential building, Four counts of burglary of a motor vehicle, six counts of theft and one count of criminal trespassing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604422456933.jpeg" alt="Hewitt-photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Hewitt-photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hewitt is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;burglary of a non-residential building, Four counts of burglary of a motor vehicle, five counts of theft, one count of criminal tressspassing, one count of possession of methamphetamine and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604422075582.jpeg" alt="Anderson photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Anderson photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Richard Anderson, 40, of Salina, who was found hiding in a maintenance closet at the Rodeway Inn, was arrested on active warrants.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604422231061.jpeg" alt="Maxwell photo Saline County." />
 <figcaption>Maxwell photo Saline County.</figcaption>
 </figure>Brady Maxwell, 31, of Salina, was arrested on active warrants and a requested charge of obstruction..

Sheriff: 4 Kansas suspects jailed for series of burglaries

By STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/past-recessions-led-more-kansans-community-colleges-not-time">Kansas News Service</a>

Kansas community colleges should be having a good year.

No 
crowded, germy dorms. Most of their students don’t need to travel. Plus,
 community colleges are cheaper and normally thrive in a bad economy.

Instead, they actually lost students. Enrollment <a href="https://www.kansasregents.org/resources/Fall_2020_Preliminary_Enrollment.pdf" target="_blank">fell more than 14% this fall</a>. That’s causing the experts who track the industry to wonder about past assumptions.

“I
 thought the effect of COVID would be to increase community college 
enrollments,” said Richard Vedder, a distinguished professor of 
economics emeritus at Ohio University. “I completely misjudged.”

Now
 two months into the school year, colleges and experts point to a few 
reasons why community colleges are having such a bad year.

Students
 just don’t like online classes. A survey conducted by the Strada 
Education Network found more than 70% of students said online 
instruction <a href="https://www.stradaeducation.org/publicviewpoint/#latest" target="_blank">hurt their ability to learn</a>. Yet the coronavirus has made them a necessity.

Community
 colleges aren’t the only schools shifting much of their classes online.
 Universities have done the same. Yet their enrollment only fell 3.5%.

It
 could come down to quality issues — or at least a perception of them. 
Fairly or not, community colleges suffer a reputation as off-brand 
higher education. That combined with online class concerns could be 
keeping students away.

“They have an image problem,” Vedder said. “It’s one that is not easily rectified.”

A
 large chunk of the enrollment numbers at several Kansas community 
colleges comes from high school students. School districts and community
 colleges often partner up to let high schoolers earn college credit. 
Johnson County Community College says about one in five of its students 
during a normal year are high schoolers.

That became a problem 
when public school districts in Johnson County delayed reopenings until 
after Labor Day. Closed schools meant high schoolers weren’t taking 
college courses either.

While JCCC’s enrollment fell more than 
24% this fall, the college blames most of that drop on school districts’
 late start. Enrollment has been steadily climbing back up now that high
 schoolers are back in class.

That doesn’t explain the steep drop
 at every college — some just don’t have that many high school students 
while others pull from districts that didn’t delay reopening.

Still,
 that means by the end of the semester, JCCC’s 24% drop will more likely
 be around 7% — still much worse than the universities, but it beats 
losing nearly a quarter of your students.

“It’s a big scenario 
difference,” said Andy Bowne, the president of JCCC. “If our revenue was
 24% off, we’d be having very different conversations than what we’re 
having today.”

For
 years, higher education officials in Kansas blamed dwindling enrollment
 on a good economy. Usually, it takes the economy going south to get 
people rushing to community colleges for retraining. That’s what 
happened after the 2008 recession.

But 2020 isn’t following the standard recession playbook.

“They’ll
 say things like, ‘Well, you know, I just decided I would wait,’” said 
Kimberly Krull, the president at Butler County Community College. “‘I’m 
just kind of deciding to wait to see what happens.’”

Kansans don’t know if their jobs will return when a coronavirus vaccine becomes widely available.

So
 thousands of would-be students are waiting, saving their time and money
 for when the economy — and their prospects in it — become clearer.

Community
 colleges attract a different crowd than the universities. The students 
tend to be older. They’re working on their degrees part time. They 
usually have less money.

And they’re more likely to have <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/business/coronavirus-recession-equality/" target="_blank">seriously suffered</a> from this recession.

It’s
 not just that traditional community college students can no longer 
afford tuition. They’re also dealing with other complications brought on
 by the pandemic.

If they have children, they must help their 
kids with their own COVID-disrupted education. They might be the only 
ones who can take care of family members affected by, or vulnerable to, 
the virus. Kansans that can’t afford a quality computer or internet 
connection won’t bother with an online class.

“A basic online 
class assumes someone is going to have a computer,” said Will Doyle, a 
professor of public policy at Vanderbilt University. “That’s a big 
assumption.”

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604342048189.png" alt="Stephan Bisaha / Kansas News Service " />
 <figcaption>Stephan Bisaha / Kansas News Service </figcaption>
 </figure>By STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/past-recessions-led-more-kansans-community-colleges-not-time">Kansas News Service</a>Kansas community colleges should be having a good year.No 
crowded, germy dorms. Most of their students don’t need to travel. Plus,
 community colleges are cheaper and normally thrive in a bad economy.Instead, they actually lost students. Enrollment <a href="https://www.kansasregents.org/resources/Fall_2020_Preliminary_Enrollment.pdf" target="_blank">fell more than 14% this fall</a>. That’s causing the experts who track the industry to wonder about past assumptions.“I
 thought the effect of COVID would be to increase community college 
enrollments,” said Richard Vedder, a distinguished professor of 
economics emeritus at Ohio University. “I completely misjudged.”Now
 two months into the school year, colleges and experts point to a few 
reasons why community colleges are having such a bad year.<h2>Online classes</h2>Students
 just don’t like online classes. A survey conducted by the Strada 
Education Network found more than 70% of students said online 
instruction <a href="https://www.stradaeducation.org/publicviewpoint/#latest" target="_blank">hurt their ability to learn</a>. Yet the coronavirus has made them a necessity.Community
 colleges aren’t the only schools shifting much of their classes online.
 Universities have done the same. Yet their enrollment only fell 3.5%.It
 could come down to quality issues — or at least a perception of them. 
Fairly or not, community colleges suffer a reputation as off-brand 
higher education. That combined with online class concerns could be 
keeping students away.“They have an image problem,” Vedder said. “It’s one that is not easily rectified.”<h2>School’s out</h2>A
 large chunk of the enrollment numbers at several Kansas community 
colleges comes from high school students. School districts and community
 colleges often partner up to let high schoolers earn college credit. 
Johnson County Community College says about one in five of its students 
during a normal year are high schoolers.That became a problem 
when public school districts in Johnson County delayed reopenings until 
after Labor Day. Closed schools meant high schoolers weren’t taking 
college courses either.While JCCC’s enrollment fell more than 
24% this fall, the college blames most of that drop on school districts’
 late start. Enrollment has been steadily climbing back up now that high
 schoolers are back in class.That doesn’t explain the steep drop
 at every college — some just don’t have that many high school students 
while others pull from districts that didn’t delay reopening.Still,
 that means by the end of the semester, JCCC’s 24% drop will more likely
 be around 7% — still much worse than the universities, but it beats 
losing nearly a quarter of your students.“It’s a big scenario 
difference,” said Andy Bowne, the president of JCCC. “If our revenue was
 24% off, we’d be having very different conversations than what we’re 
having today.”<h2>A different kind of recession</h2>For
 years, higher education officials in Kansas blamed dwindling enrollment
 on a good economy. Usually, it takes the economy going south to get 
people rushing to community colleges for retraining. That’s what 
happened after the 2008 recession.But 2020 isn’t following the standard recession playbook.“They’ll
 say things like, ‘Well, you know, I just decided I would wait,’” said 
Kimberly Krull, the president at Butler County Community College. “‘I’m 
just kind of deciding to wait to see what happens.’”Kansans don’t know if their jobs will return when a coronavirus vaccine becomes widely available.So
 thousands of would-be students are waiting, saving their time and money
 for when the economy — and their prospects in it — become clearer.<h2>Uneven pain</h2>Community
 colleges attract a different crowd than the universities. The students 
tend to be older. They’re working on their degrees part time. They 
usually have less money.And they’re more likely to have <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/business/coronavirus-recession-equality/" target="_blank">seriously suffered</a> from this recession.It’s
 not just that traditional community college students can no longer 
afford tuition. They’re also dealing with other complications brought on
 by the pandemic.If they have children, they must help their 
kids with their own COVID-disrupted education. They might be the only 
ones who can take care of family members affected by, or vulnerable to, 
the virus. Kansans that can’t afford a quality computer or internet 
connection won’t bother with an online class.“A basic online 
class assumes someone is going to have a computer,” said Will Doyle, a 
professor of public policy at Vanderbilt University. “That’s a big 
assumption.”Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/stevebisaha">@SteveBisaha</a> or email him at bisaha@kmuw.org.

Past recessions led more Kansans to community colleges, but not this time

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Democratic candidate who admitted to circulating revenge porn and who was charged at the age of 14 with threatening to shoot a high school student has won a state House seat in Kansas.

Aaron Coleman was the only candidate on the ballot in his Kansas City, Kansas, district in Tuesday’s election, but he faced the veteran state lawmaker whom he defeated in the Democratic primary and a Republican candidate who ran as write-ins.

Unofficial election results showed 3,496 votes for Coleman and 2,013 total write-in votes. The local Board of Canvassers is scheduled to meet Nov. 16 to review provisional ballots cast by voters whose eligibility wasn’t certain.

Wyandotte County Election Commissioner Bruce Newby said it’s “very rare” for all write-in votes to go to a single candidate. Newby said he doesn’t have a countywide count of provisional ballots yet, but that there would almost certainly not be enough in Coleman’s district to change the result. About 3,000 ballots mailed to voters countywide had yet to arrive, but Newby said it’s likely that only several hundred will arrive by Friday’s deadline. Even if all of them arrived on time, he said, only a fraction would be for Coleman’s district.

“Quite honestly, there’s no hope there,” Newby said of overcoming Coleman’s victory.

Coleman tweeted Wednesday that a “victory of the working class” in the district was “almost certain.” He did not immediately return cellphone and text messages seeking comment Thursday.

Touting a liberal platform, the 20-year-old Coleman defeated Democratic Rep. Stan Frownfelter by 14 votes in the primary.

Coleman was charged in May 2015 with a felony count of making a criminal threat but later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of harassment. The state Democratic Party disowned Coleman in August, and spokeswoman Reeves Oyster pointed Thursday to a statement from Chairwoman Vicki Hiatt calling Coleman “unfit to serve” in the Legislature.

He acknowledged in a June post on Facebook that allegations of revenge porn and harassing middle school girls online were true but called them the actions of a “sick and troubled 14-year-old boy.” The state Democratic Party disowned Coleman in August when an ex-girlfriend accused him of being physically abusive to her in late December.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604624233968.png" alt="Aaron Coleman courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Aaron Coleman courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Democratic candidate who admitted to circulating revenge porn and who was charged at the age of 14 with threatening to shoot a high school student has won a state House seat in Kansas.Aaron Coleman was the only candidate on the ballot in his Kansas City, Kansas, district in Tuesday’s election, but he faced the veteran state lawmaker whom he defeated in the Democratic primary and a Republican candidate who ran as write-ins.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Laura Kelly is unfit to serve in the governor&#39;s office. <a href="https://t.co/Kq73mU6ujQ">https://t.co/Kq73mU6ujQ</a>&mdash; Rep.-elect Aaron Coleman 🌹 (@Aaron4KS37) <a href="https://twitter.com/Aaron4KS37/status/1324511717297131524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Unofficial election results showed 3,496 votes for Coleman and 2,013 total write-in votes. The local Board of Canvassers is scheduled to meet Nov. 16 to review provisional ballots cast by voters whose eligibility wasn’t certain.Wyandotte County Election Commissioner Bruce Newby said it’s “very rare” for all write-in votes to go to a single candidate. Newby said he doesn’t have a countywide count of provisional ballots yet, but that there would almost certainly not be enough in Coleman’s district to change the result. About 3,000 ballots mailed to voters countywide had yet to arrive, but Newby said it’s likely that only several hundred will arrive by Friday’s deadline. Even if all of them arrived on time, he said, only a fraction would be for Coleman’s district.“Quite honestly, there’s no hope there,” Newby said of overcoming Coleman’s victory.Coleman tweeted Wednesday that a “victory of the working class” in the district was “almost certain.” He did not immediately return cellphone and text messages seeking comment Thursday.Touting a liberal platform, the 20-year-old Coleman defeated Democratic Rep. Stan Frownfelter by 14 votes in the primary.Coleman was charged in May 2015 with a felony count of making a criminal threat but later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of harassment. The state Democratic Party disowned Coleman in August, and spokeswoman Reeves Oyster pointed Thursday to a statement from Chairwoman Vicki Hiatt calling Coleman “unfit to serve” in the Legislature.He acknowledged in a June post on Facebook that allegations of revenge porn and harassing middle school girls online were true but called them the actions of a “sick and troubled 14-year-old boy.” The state Democratic Party disowned Coleman in August when an ex-girlfriend accused him of being physically abusive to her in late December.___

Kansas candidate behind revenge porn wins state House seat

Biden-Trump counting presses ahead 2 days after Election Day

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A retired firefighter who charged with threatening to kidnap and kill the mayor of Wichita because he was upset about the city’s mask ordinance is scheduled for another court appearance Thursday afternoon, according to the district attorney's office.

Meredith Dowty, 59, Wichita, was charged with three counts of criminal threat.

Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple said he had been read text messages received by another city official that threatened his life.

The mayor says the suspect talked about tyranny in the messages and was upset about the mask mandates and not being able to see his mother because of COVID-19 restrictions on elderly homes.

In Kansas, criminal threat is a level 9 felony which means, depending on his criminal record, it’s possible Mr. Dowty could receive anywhere from probation to 17 months in prison on each count, if he’s convicted, according to the district attorney.

Dowty is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A retired firefighter unhappy with the city of Wichita's mask mandate who was arrested Friday for threatening to kidnap and kill the mayor made his first court appearance Tuesday.

Meredith Dowty, 59, Wichita, was charged with three counts of criminal threat, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple said he had been read text messages received by another city official that asked about the mayor’s address and threatened his life.

He <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18723930">remains jailed on a $50,000 bond </a>and is scheduled to return to court November 5.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602897809399.png" alt="Meredith Dowty-photo Sedgwick County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Meredith Dowty-photo Sedgwick County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A retired firefighter who charged with threatening to kidnap and kill the mayor of Wichita because he was upset about the city’s mask ordinance is scheduled for another court appearance Thursday afternoon, according to the district attorney's office.Meredith Dowty, 59, Wichita, was charged with three counts of criminal threat.Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple said he had been read text messages received by another city official that threatened his life.The mayor says the suspect talked about tyranny in the messages and was upset about the mask mandates and not being able to see his mother because of COVID-19 restrictions on elderly homes.In Kansas, criminal threat is a level 9 felony which means, depending on his criminal record, it’s possible Mr. Dowty could receive anywhere from probation to 17 months in prison on each count, if he’s convicted, according to the district attorney.Dowty is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.-----SEDGWICK COUNTY —A retired firefighter unhappy with the city of Wichita's mask mandate who was arrested Friday for threatening to kidnap and kill the mayor made his first court appearance Tuesday.Meredith Dowty, 59, Wichita, was charged with three counts of criminal threat, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple said he had been read text messages received by another city official that asked about the mayor’s address and threatened his life.The mayor says the suspect talked about tyranny in the messages and was upset about the mask mandates and not being able to see his mother because of COVID-19 restrictions on elderly homes.In Kansas, criminal threat is a level 9 felony which means, depending on his criminal record, it’s possible Mr. Dowty could receive anywhere from probation to 17 months in prison on each count, if he’s convicted, according to the district attorney.He <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18723930">remains jailed on a $50,000 bond </a>and is scheduled to return to court November 5.---------

Kan. man charged in threat over masks due back in court

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man who was in the traffic lanes of Interstate 35 was hit and killed by a vehicle early Thursday, police there said.

The incident happened around 1:45 a.m. Thursday in the northbound lanes of the interstate where it runs beneath the Independence Avenue overpass, police said. The man was either walking along or trying to cross the traffic lanes of the interstate when he was hit by a semitrailer truck, according to police.

Police said the truck diver was unsure whether he had hit something, so turned around and went back to the scene, where the victim was found dead. The man's name was not immediately released.

The death marked the 93rd traffic fatality of the year, compared with 62 by the same time in 2019, according to police.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man who was in the traffic lanes of Interstate 35 was hit and killed by a vehicle early Thursday, police there said.The incident happened around 1:45 a.m. Thursday in the northbound lanes of the interstate where it runs beneath the Independence Avenue overpass, police said. The man was either walking along or trying to cross the traffic lanes of the interstate when he was hit by a semitrailer truck, according to police.Police said the truck diver was unsure whether he had hit something, so turned around and went back to the scene, where the victim was found dead. The man's name was not immediately released.The death marked the 93rd traffic fatality of the year, compared with 62 by the same time in 2019, according to police.

Police: Man walking on I-35 in Kansas City struck, killed

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.

Just before 3a.m. Tuesday, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office observed a silver Ford Escape at the intersection of NW 25th&nbsp;Street and NW Button Road, according to deputy Abigail Christian.

A silver Ford Escape was reported earlier as suspicious in the Cherry Creek subdivision. 

The driver later identified as Travis L. Quillin, 39, of Topeka, was recognized by the deputy and known to have a suspended driver’s license.&nbsp; 

The deputy conducted a traffic stop and arrested Quillin on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, suspended driver’s license, and habitual violator, according to Christian.&nbsp; In addition,&nbsp; Quillin had two misdemeanor warrants from the City of Topeka.&nbsp; &nbsp;He also had a previous drug conviction and had been out of prison since July 2019, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604423635220.png" alt="Quillin photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Quillin photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.Just before 3a.m. Tuesday, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office observed a silver Ford Escape at the intersection of NW 25th&nbsp;Street and NW Button Road, according to deputy Abigail Christian.A silver Ford Escape was reported earlier as suspicious in the Cherry Creek subdivision. The driver later identified as Travis L. Quillin, 39, of Topeka, was recognized by the deputy and known to have a suspended driver’s license.&nbsp; The deputy conducted a traffic stop and arrested Quillin on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, suspended driver’s license, and habitual violator, according to Christian.&nbsp; In addition,&nbsp; Quillin had two misdemeanor warrants from the City of Topeka.&nbsp; &nbsp;He also had a previous drug conviction and had been out of prison since July 2019, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Sheriff: Report of suspicious car leads to wanted Kan. felon

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police in Kansas City, Kansas, are investigating that city's latest homicide. Police say officers were called around 12:30 a.m. Thursday to a home near Terrace Street and Leavenworth Road for a report of a disturbance. 

Arriving officers found a man inside dead from a a gunshot wound. Police have not released the man's name or given details about what may have led up to the shooting. 

Police say a suspect in the shooting was also inside the home and was arrested. The death marked the city's 50th homicide this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604584883648.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Thursday photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Thursday photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police in Kansas City, Kansas, are investigating that city's latest homicide. Police say officers were called around 12:30 a.m. Thursday to a home near Terrace Street and Leavenworth Road for a report of a disturbance. Arriving officers found a man inside dead from a a gunshot wound. Police have not released the man's name or given details about what may have led up to the shooting. Police say a suspect in the shooting was also inside the home and was arrested. The death marked the city's 50th homicide this year.

Police investigate 50th homicide of 2020 in Kansas City, Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Several dozen hospitals serving Kansas patients reported Wednesday that they expect to deal with staffing shortages over the next week as the state continues to report an average of well over 1,000 new coronavirus cases a day.

The Wichita area’s two major health systems said Wednesday that almost 150 coronavirus patients were hospitalized, their highest numbers since the pandemic began. The Ascension Via Christi system is trying to bring about 60 nurses from outside Kansas into the state to help with staffing, and it has converted space into two new units for COVID-19 patients.

A surge in cases even prompted public health officials and the local Chamber of Commerce in Reno County in south-central Kansas to launch a 10-day campaign to be more diligent in following the county’s mask mandate and following other public health recommendations, such as observing social distancing and avoiding gatherings.

The state Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday added 2,988 confirmed and probable cases to the state’s count since Monday, a 3.3% increase that brought the pandemic total to 92,215. The state averaged 1,453 new cases a day for the seven days ending Wednesday — not a record, but still more than double than the rolling seven-day averages reported a month ago.

Public health officials say Kansas is seeing such large numbers of new cases because too many people aren’t wearing masks in public, aren’t social distancing and aren’t avoiding gatherings. They contend that people are letting their guard down at family events such as parties, weddings and baby showers.

“When I see people without a mask, that’s what breaks my heart,” said Jenifer Phelps, nurse manager in a 20-bed Via Christi unit for coronavirus patients in Wichita. “So when I see that, the first thing in my mind is, ‘Well, we’re going to be — the unit’s probably going to be full next week.’”

In northeast Kansas, the Douglas County health department said it has seen a “concerning” trend of people “not staying home while awaiting a COVID-19 test result.”

The state health department reported five active clusters of five or more cases within the past two weeks tied to private events, including a wedding in Riley County and a wedding reception in Leavenworth County. It also reported five clusters in schools, including an outbreak involving five students at Newton High School.

Debra Teufel, president and CEO of the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce said the community previously focused on reopening businesses safely, then on economic recovery.

“Now, everyone recognizes that if numbers continue to rise, there’s a risk that we could have to go back into some sort of stay-at-home order,” Teufel said.

The state averaged 33 new hospitalizations a day for the seven days ending Wednesday. The state health department reported 91 new hospitalizations since Monday, bringing the total to 3,984 since the pandemic reached Kansas in early March.

“We also saw increasing problems for urban hospitals this week,” Gov. Laura Kelly said during a Statehouse news conference Wednesday.

The state also reported an additional 41 deaths since Monday, to bring the pandemic total to 1,087. Kansas averaged 11 additional deaths a day for the seven days ending Wednesday.

The Kansas Hospital Association surveyed 143 hospitals that serve Kansas patients, including some on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. Forty-three of them, or 30%, said they expected to deal with staffing shortages within the next week.

“You might have have a physical bed or a physical ventilator, but you have to have the staff to be able to staff that,” said association spokeswoman Cindy Samuelson.

Robert Freelove, chief medical officer of the Salina Regional Health Center, said his hospital had 11 active COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday afternoon. The hospital has designated 29 out of about 35 negative pressure rooms for COVID-19 patients and can accept up to 44 coronavirus patients. The hospital can accept up to 16 critically ill COVID-19 patients, Freelove said.

But the Salina health center, with a nursing staff of about 600, is about 50 nurses short of full staff. Freelove said the shortage is “a little high,” compared to before the pandemic.

“Certainly things are more stressful,” Freelove said. “I don’t know if we’ve lost anybody necessarily because of COVID, but certainly being a healthcare provider is a lot more difficult now than it was pre-pandemic.”

Phelps said caring for coronavirus patients can be both physically and emotionally draining. She said it sometimes requires one nurse for some patients — and it takes a team of a half-dozen staffers when a doctors want to turn patients from their backs to their stomachs so that they can breathe more easily.

She said nurses’ 12 1/2-hour shifts now typically begin with a prayer with a hospital chaplain. Phelps said a few weeks ago, a patient told her, “I’m just not going to beat this.”

“After leaving his room, I just cried, and then I of course didn’t want others to see me cry, but I couldn’t wipe my face, because I can’t touch my face,” she said. ___

This story has been corrected to show that Robert Freelove’s title with the Salina Regional Health Center, is chief medical officer, not chief executive officer.

By JOHN HANNA and ANDY TSUBASA FIELDTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Several dozen hospitals serving Kansas patients reported Wednesday that they expect to deal with staffing shortages over the next week as the state continues to report an average of well over 1,000 new coronavirus cases a day.The Wichita area’s two major health systems said Wednesday that almost 150 coronavirus patients were hospitalized, their highest numbers since the pandemic began. The Ascension Via Christi system is trying to bring about 60 nurses from outside Kansas into the state to help with staffing, and it has converted space into two new units for COVID-19 patients.A surge in cases even prompted public health officials and the local Chamber of Commerce in Reno County in south-central Kansas to launch a 10-day campaign to be more diligent in following the county’s mask mandate and following other public health recommendations, such as observing social distancing and avoiding gatherings.The state Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday added 2,988 confirmed and probable cases to the state’s count since Monday, a 3.3% increase that brought the pandemic total to 92,215. The state averaged 1,453 new cases a day for the seven days ending Wednesday — not a record, but still more than double than the rolling seven-day averages reported a month ago.Public health officials say Kansas is seeing such large numbers of new cases because too many people aren’t wearing masks in public, aren’t social distancing and aren’t avoiding gatherings. They contend that people are letting their guard down at family events such as parties, weddings and baby showers.“When I see people without a mask, that’s what breaks my heart,” said Jenifer Phelps, nurse manager in a 20-bed Via Christi unit for coronavirus patients in Wichita. “So when I see that, the first thing in my mind is, ‘Well, we’re going to be — the unit’s probably going to be full next week.’”In northeast Kansas, the Douglas County health department said it has seen a “concerning” trend of people “not staying home while awaiting a COVID-19 test result.”The state health department reported five active clusters of five or more cases within the past two weeks tied to private events, including a wedding in Riley County and a wedding reception in Leavenworth County. It also reported five clusters in schools, including an outbreak involving five students at Newton High School.Debra Teufel, president and CEO of the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce said the community previously focused on reopening businesses safely, then on economic recovery.“Now, everyone recognizes that if numbers continue to rise, there’s a risk that we could have to go back into some sort of stay-at-home order,” Teufel said.The state averaged 33 new hospitalizations a day for the seven days ending Wednesday. The state health department reported 91 new hospitalizations since Monday, bringing the total to 3,984 since the pandemic reached Kansas in early March.“We also saw increasing problems for urban hospitals this week,” Gov. Laura Kelly said during a Statehouse news conference Wednesday.The state also reported an additional 41 deaths since Monday, to bring the pandemic total to 1,087. Kansas averaged 11 additional deaths a day for the seven days ending Wednesday.The Kansas Hospital Association surveyed 143 hospitals that serve Kansas patients, including some on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. Forty-three of them, or 30%, said they expected to deal with staffing shortages within the next week.“You might have have a physical bed or a physical ventilator, but you have to have the staff to be able to staff that,” said association spokeswoman Cindy Samuelson.Robert Freelove, chief medical officer of the Salina Regional Health Center, said his hospital had 11 active COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday afternoon. The hospital has designated 29 out of about 35 negative pressure rooms for COVID-19 patients and can accept up to 44 coronavirus patients. The hospital can accept up to 16 critically ill COVID-19 patients, Freelove said.But the Salina health center, with a nursing staff of about 600, is about 50 nurses short of full staff. Freelove said the shortage is “a little high,” compared to before the pandemic.“Certainly things are more stressful,” Freelove said. “I don’t know if we’ve lost anybody necessarily because of COVID, but certainly being a healthcare provider is a lot more difficult now than it was pre-pandemic.”Phelps said caring for coronavirus patients can be both physically and emotionally draining. She said it sometimes requires one nurse for some patients — and it takes a team of a half-dozen staffers when a doctors want to turn patients from their backs to their stomachs so that they can breathe more easily.She said nurses’ 12 1/2-hour shifts now typically begin with a prayer with a hospital chaplain. Phelps said a few weeks ago, a patient told her, “I’m just not going to beat this.”“After leaving his room, I just cried, and then I of course didn’t want others to see me cry, but I couldn’t wipe my face, because I can’t touch my face,” she said. ___This story has been corrected to show that Robert Freelove’s title with the Salina Regional Health Center, is chief medical officer, not chief executive officer.___

Hospitals serving Kansas stressed as coronavirus cases rise

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City nightclub where two people died and 15 people were injured in a shooting in January has lost its liquor license after city officials said it was the scene of continuing violence.

The Kansas City Liquor Control Board voted Wednesday to revoke the liquor license of 9ine Ultra Lounge, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article246962472.html">reported</a>.

Raeven Parks, 25, died&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d2f19c481503aff9f98b1aba324a894c">on Jan. 19</a>&nbsp;when a man fired into a line of people waiting to get into the club as the city celebrated the Kansas City Chiefs getting into the Super Bowl. A security guard shot and killed the gunman, Jahron Swift.

The club closed for several months but the violence continued when it reopened. On Aug. 30, four people were shot in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2e476fcee4d17da01f4cfa0ab29f5ba6">an argument</a>&nbsp;that started inside the club and involved several shooters.

Jim Ready, manager of the city’s regulated industries, said the club never provided proper security, which led to the violence, thefts and assaults.

The club's owner did not submit forms needed for the club to retain its license and did not attend Wednesday's meeting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598814744716.png" alt="Scene of the January shooting photo courtesy KSHB TV" />
 <figcaption>Scene of the January shooting photo courtesy KSHB TV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City nightclub where two people died and 15 people were injured in a shooting in January has lost its liquor license after city officials said it was the scene of continuing violence.The Kansas City Liquor Control Board voted Wednesday to revoke the liquor license of 9ine Ultra Lounge, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article246962472.html">reported</a>.Raeven Parks, 25, died&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d2f19c481503aff9f98b1aba324a894c">on Jan. 19</a>&nbsp;when a man fired into a line of people waiting to get into the club as the city celebrated the Kansas City Chiefs getting into the Super Bowl. A security guard shot and killed the gunman, Jahron Swift.The club closed for several months but the violence continued when it reopened. On Aug. 30, four people were shot in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2e476fcee4d17da01f4cfa0ab29f5ba6">an argument</a>&nbsp;that started inside the club and involved several shooters.Jim Ready, manager of the city’s regulated industries, said the club never provided proper security, which led to the violence, thefts and assaults.The club's owner did not submit forms needed for the club to retain its license and did not attend Wednesday's meeting.

Kansas City club with violent record loses liquor license

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man arrested for an alleged&nbsp;violent attack on woman made his first court appearance Monday.

Kenton Grubbs, &nbsp;40 of Wichita, was charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery, 2 counts of aggravated domestic battery, aggravated assault, 3 counts of criminal threat, interference with law enforcement, and a misdemeanor count of battery of a law enforcement officer, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

Just after 11a.m. Oct. 28, police responded to an assault call at a residence in the 11300 block of East Lewis in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with a 64-year-old woman who was injured.&nbsp; EMS transported the woman to an area hospital for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injures.&nbsp;

The investigation revealed an argument began between the woman and her boyfriend identified as 40-year-old Kenton Grubbs.&nbsp; 

During the argument, Grubbs strangled her multiple times, struck her with a baseball bat multiple times, battered and threatened her, according to Davidson.

Police contacted Grubbs at the scene and he battered an officer while being arrested.

He remains jailed on a bond of $150,000, according to the district attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603990295790.png" alt="Grubbs photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Grubbs photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man arrested for an alleged&nbsp;violent attack on woman made his first court appearance Monday.Kenton Grubbs, &nbsp;40 of Wichita, was charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery, 2 counts of aggravated domestic battery, aggravated assault, 3 counts of criminal threat, interference with law enforcement, and a misdemeanor count of battery of a law enforcement officer, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.Just after 11a.m. Oct. 28, police responded to an assault call at a residence in the 11300 block of East Lewis in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.Upon arrival, officers made contact with a 64-year-old woman who was injured.&nbsp; EMS transported the woman to an area hospital for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injures.&nbsp;The investigation revealed an argument began between the woman and her boyfriend identified as 40-year-old Kenton Grubbs.&nbsp; During the argument, Grubbs strangled her multiple times, struck her with a baseball bat multiple times, battered and threatened her, according to Davidson.Police contacted Grubbs at the scene and he battered an officer while being arrested.He remains jailed on a bond of $150,000, according to the district attorney.

Kansas man charged for baseball bat attack on woman

NEOSHO COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 5a.m. Wednesday in Neosho County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Chevy Silverado driven by Jacob Logan Abercrombie, 39, Broken Arrow, OK., was north bound on U.S. 169 one half mile north of Douglas Road.&nbsp;

The pickup drifted off the roadway to the left. The driver&nbsp; overcorrected. The pickup traveled back onto U.S. 169 to the left, overturned and came to a stop in a field.

Abercrombie was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Countryside Funeral Home. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

NEOSHO COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 5a.m. Wednesday in Neosho County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Chevy Silverado driven by Jacob Logan Abercrombie, 39, Broken Arrow, OK., was north bound on U.S. 169 one half mile north of Douglas Road.&nbsp;The pickup drifted off the roadway to the left. The driver&nbsp; overcorrected. The pickup traveled back onto U.S. 169 to the left, overturned and came to a stop in a field.Abercrombie was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Countryside Funeral Home. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Driver dies after pickup overturns on Kansas highway

GOP candidate sits nearly 850 votes ahead of longest-serving legislator in Kansas history

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/04/kloos-ill-fated-campaign-for-governor-guides-shocking-senate-run-against-icon-hensley/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Republican Rick Kloos’ confidence began growing two weeks ago that a majority of voters in the 19th
 District were willing to turn away from Democratic Sen. Anthony 
Hensley, the longest serving member of the Kansas Legislature in state 
history.

Kloos understood why 
reasonable folks could be skeptical. Hensley has served in the 
Legislature for more than four decades and had led Senate Democrats for a
 quarter century. Kloos, with his son Nathaniel as his running mate, had
 finished last with 0.6% of the vote in their audacious independent 
campaign for governor in 2018.

“A lot of people have 
looked to him as kind of an icon in this district because of his strong 
base,” Kloos said during a Topeka coffee-shop interview Wednesday. “I 
don’t think people thought this was doable. But the last two weeks, I 
had a sense we were winning. Even among Democrats, I heard ‘term limits’
 come out.”

On Tuesday, voters in the 
Senate district spread over Topeka and eastern Shawnee County, western 
Douglas County and all of Osage County responded in concrete terms to 
Kloos. With totals unofficial and ballots still to count, Kloos leads 
with 15,676 votes to Hensley’s 14,827.

Hensley carved a 
2,200-vote advantage in Shawnee County, but Kloos outran Hensley by 
nearly 3,000 votes in Osage County — a county in which 71% of voters 
chose President Donald Trump over Democrat Joe Biden. In Douglas County,
 Hensley and Kloos essentially tied at 1,600 votes each.

Bottom line, for now: Kloos is up by 849.

Hensley said he wasn’t 
prepared to concede the race until all votes were tabulated, including 
provisional votes and advance ballots still arriving by mail at election
 offices in the three counties.

“We will be waiting until 
every vote has been counted,” the senator said Wednesday. “As such, I 
have not conceded. We will know the official counts and the final say of
 the people of Senate District 19 on November 16.”

Hensley, a retired Topeka 
public school teacher, said he was grateful for expressions of support 
for his family. He also said that “serving the people of Senate District
 19, and Kansas, has been one of the greatest joys of my life.”

Kloos said he was doubtful there were enough uncounted votes for Hensley to make up the deficit and alter the outcome.

Kloos, who helped found a 
Topeka community thrift shop called God’s Store House, generated 
controversy during the campaign by including a reference to God’s Store 
House on more than 100 large campaign signs scattered throughout the 
district.

Questions were raised 
about a nonprofit organization’s name being a featured on a political 
candidate’s advertising. Kloos said the name God’s Store House wasn’t 
trademarked and the unusual appendage was allowed by the Kansas 
Governmental Ethics Commission. He said it was his wife’s idea to add it
 to the signs.

“A third of my signs were 
in Democrat yards,” Kloos said. “That’s because they made a connection 
with what I’d been doing in the community with God’s Store House. That 
was powerful. I shared with people who I am.”

“People want to know that you’ve been doing something. It’s not so much what you’re going to do, but what have you been doing.”

Kloos said he drew upon 
his experience running for Kansas governor two years ago, a campaign in 
which he finished far behind the four other candidates in the contest 
won by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly over Republican Kris Kobach, 
independent Greg Orman, Libertarian Jeff Caldwell and Kloos. He 
attracted more than twice the votes for Senate than he did for governor.

“The governor’s race, 
obviously, I reflect on because that was my boot camp. From that I 
learned strategy and how important it was to listen to people,” Kloos 
said.

He said the Senate 
campaign had what his run for governor lacked: A meaningful ground game.
 He went door to door and spoke directly to residents in the diverse 
Senate district with a voter registration ranging from 32% Republican to
 30% Democrat and 28% independent.

“That was our strategy,” Kloos said. “We knocked on thousands of doors. Hundreds and hundreds of conversations.”

He didn’t surrender urban 
areas to Hensley, and conducted three meet-and-greet events with music 
and food in the Highland Park, Oakland and East Topeka neighborhoods. 
The gatherings were more social than political and served as an 
opportunity to engage with Democrats and independents in Topeka.

“In this district, they’re just not policy driven as much as they are that we want to put a face to the name,” Kloos said.

Kloos said there was no 
avalanche of early endorsements and financial support from conservative 
organizations pushing their special-interest agenda. He assumed it was 
because most didn’t think it possible to dislodge Hensley. Kloos said 
his opposition to abortion did attract attention of Kansans for Life. 
Hensley had at least three times the campaign budget, Kloos said, but 
“our social media plan was really good.”

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604523843742.png" alt="Topeka Republican Rick Kloos leads by more than 800 votes in the Kansas Senate race against Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, the longest serving member of the Kansas Legislature in state history. Kloos, left, stands Wednesday next to his controversial campaign sign with his son, Nathaniel. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Topeka Republican Rick Kloos leads by more than 800 votes in the Kansas Senate race against Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, the longest serving member of the Kansas Legislature in state history. Kloos, left, stands Wednesday next to his controversial campaign sign with his son, Nathaniel. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>GOP candidate sits nearly 850 votes ahead of longest-serving legislator in Kansas history</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/04/kloos-ill-fated-campaign-for-governor-guides-shocking-senate-run-against-icon-hensley/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Republican Rick Kloos’ confidence began growing two weeks ago that a majority of voters in the 19th
 District were willing to turn away from Democratic Sen. Anthony 
Hensley, the longest serving member of the Kansas Legislature in state 
history.Kloos understood why 
reasonable folks could be skeptical. Hensley has served in the 
Legislature for more than four decades and had led Senate Democrats for a
 quarter century. Kloos, with his son Nathaniel as his running mate, had
 finished last with 0.6% of the vote in their audacious independent 
campaign for governor in 2018.“A lot of people have 
looked to him as kind of an icon in this district because of his strong 
base,” Kloos said during a Topeka coffee-shop interview Wednesday. “I 
don’t think people thought this was doable. But the last two weeks, I 
had a sense we were winning. Even among Democrats, I heard ‘term limits’
 come out.”On Tuesday, voters in the 
Senate district spread over Topeka and eastern Shawnee County, western 
Douglas County and all of Osage County responded in concrete terms to 
Kloos. With totals unofficial and ballots still to count, Kloos leads 
with 15,676 votes to Hensley’s 14,827.Hensley carved a 
2,200-vote advantage in Shawnee County, but Kloos outran Hensley by 
nearly 3,000 votes in Osage County — a county in which 71% of voters 
chose President Donald Trump over Democrat Joe Biden. In Douglas County,
 Hensley and Kloos essentially tied at 1,600 votes each.Bottom line, for now: Kloos is up by 849.Hensley said he wasn’t 
prepared to concede the race until all votes were tabulated, including 
provisional votes and advance ballots still arriving by mail at election
 offices in the three counties.“We will be waiting until 
every vote has been counted,” the senator said Wednesday. “As such, I 
have not conceded. We will know the official counts and the final say of
 the people of Senate District 19 on November 16.”Hensley, a retired Topeka 
public school teacher, said he was grateful for expressions of support 
for his family. He also said that “serving the people of Senate District
 19, and Kansas, has been one of the greatest joys of my life.”Kloos said he was doubtful there were enough uncounted votes for Hensley to make up the deficit and alter the outcome.Kloos, who helped found a 
Topeka community thrift shop called God’s Store House, generated 
controversy during the campaign by including a reference to God’s Store 
House on more than 100 large campaign signs scattered throughout the 
district.Questions were raised 
about a nonprofit organization’s name being a featured on a political 
candidate’s advertising. Kloos said the name God’s Store House wasn’t 
trademarked and the unusual appendage was allowed by the Kansas 
Governmental Ethics Commission. He said it was his wife’s idea to add it
 to the signs.“A third of my signs were 
in Democrat yards,” Kloos said. “That’s because they made a connection 
with what I’d been doing in the community with God’s Store House. That 
was powerful. I shared with people who I am.”“People want to know that you’ve been doing something. It’s not so much what you’re going to do, but what have you been doing.”Kloos said he drew upon 
his experience running for Kansas governor two years ago, a campaign in 
which he finished far behind the four other candidates in the contest 
won by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly over Republican Kris Kobach, 
independent Greg Orman, Libertarian Jeff Caldwell and Kloos. He 
attracted more than twice the votes for Senate than he did for governor.“The governor’s race, 
obviously, I reflect on because that was my boot camp. From that I 
learned strategy and how important it was to listen to people,” Kloos 
said.He said the Senate 
campaign had what his run for governor lacked: A meaningful ground game.
 He went door to door and spoke directly to residents in the diverse 
Senate district with a voter registration ranging from 32% Republican to
 30% Democrat and 28% independent.“That was our strategy,” Kloos said. “We knocked on thousands of doors. Hundreds and hundreds of conversations.”He didn’t surrender urban 
areas to Hensley, and conducted three meet-and-greet events with music 
and food in the Highland Park, Oakland and East Topeka neighborhoods. 
The gatherings were more social than political and served as an 
opportunity to engage with Democrats and independents in Topeka.“In this district, they’re just not policy driven as much as they are that we want to put a face to the name,” Kloos said.Kloos said there was no 
avalanche of early endorsements and financial support from conservative 
organizations pushing their special-interest agenda. He assumed it was 
because most didn’t think it possible to dislodge Hensley. Kloos said 
his opposition to abortion did attract attention of Kansans for Life. 
Hensley had at least three times the campaign budget, Kloos said, but 
“our social media plan was really good.”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.

Ill-fated campaign for Kan. governor guides shocking run against icon Hensley

TOPEKA –Governor Laura Kelly will hold a press conference at 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 4, to give an update regarding COVID-19 in Kansas.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 2,988 to a total of 92,215 the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 1087, an increase of 41.

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

TOPEKA –Governor Laura Kelly will hold a press conference at 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 4, to give an update regarding COVID-19 in Kansas.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F2690697114578564%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 2,988 to a total of 92,215 the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 1087, an increase of 41.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604516785972.png" alt="Wednesday Nov. 4, 2020, KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Nov. 4, 2020, KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

 🎥  Gov. on election results, COVID-19 in Kansas

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a Tuesday arrest.

Just after 11p.m, a patrol officer noticed a northbound 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe in the 200 block of South College Avenue in Salina with no tail lights on, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

The officer attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle at the intersection of Iron Avenue and College Avenue. The driver later identified as 43-year-old Shane Garrett,&nbsp; continued northbound on College Avenue.

 At that point, the officer initiated a pursuit of the vehicle, which turned east on West Ash Street, north on North 13th Street, and east on Park Street before pulling into a driveway in the 700 block of Park Street.

&nbsp;Garrett exited the Tahoe, disobeyed commands from the officer, and entered the residence. A short time later, however, Garrett exited the residence and was taken into custody, according to Forester.

Garrett had warrants for a probation violation, for possession of opiates and three other misdemeanor charges out of Saline County District Court and three fail to appear warrants out of Salina Municipal Court.

Garrett was booked on charges of Felony interference with law enforcement, Misdemeanor flee and elude, Driving while suspended, Not stopping at a stop sign, Illegal tag displayed and Operating a motor vehicle without operable tail lamps.

He has three previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections and had been out of prison since August 2019.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604501209323.jpeg" alt="Shane Garrett -photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Shane Garrett -photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a Tuesday arrest.Just after 11p.m, a patrol officer noticed a northbound 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe in the 200 block of South College Avenue in Salina with no tail lights on, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.The officer attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle at the intersection of Iron Avenue and College Avenue. The driver later identified as 43-year-old Shane Garrett,&nbsp; continued northbound on College Avenue. At that point, the officer initiated a pursuit of the vehicle, which turned east on West Ash Street, north on North 13th Street, and east on Park Street before pulling into a driveway in the 700 block of Park Street.&nbsp;Garrett exited the Tahoe, disobeyed commands from the officer, and entered the residence. A short time later, however, Garrett exited the residence and was taken into custody, according to Forester.Garrett had warrants for a probation violation, for possession of opiates and three other misdemeanor charges out of Saline County District Court and three fail to appear warrants out of Salina Municipal Court.Garrett was booked on charges of Felony interference with law enforcement, Misdemeanor flee and elude, Driving while suspended, Not stopping at a stop sign, Illegal tag displayed and Operating a motor vehicle without operable tail lamps.He has three previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections and had been out of prison since August 2019.

Wanted Kan. felon back in jail after traffic stop, chase

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling more than 375,000 Explorer SUVs in the U.S. and Canada to fix a suspension problem that has caused 13 crashes.

The recall covers SUVs from the 2013 through 2017 model years built at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant from Sept. 4, 2012 to Jan. 25, 2017. They were sold or registered 22 states and six Canadian provinces where salt is used to clear roads during the winter.

The automaker said Wednesday that in places where corrosion is common, the rear toe links can fracture, reducing steering control. A toe link provides more weight on the rear tires so they stay firmly on the ground.

Six people have been hurt in the crashes, the company said.

Dealers will inspect the suspension and replace parts if necessary. Customers will be notified starting the week of Nov. 30.

States included in the recall are Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin plus Washington, D.C. Also included are the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling more than 375,000 Explorer SUVs in the U.S. and Canada to fix a suspension problem that has caused 13 crashes.The recall covers SUVs from the 2013 through 2017 model years built at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant from Sept. 4, 2012 to Jan. 25, 2017. They were sold or registered 22 states and six Canadian provinces where salt is used to clear roads during the winter.The automaker said Wednesday that in places where corrosion is common, the rear toe links can fracture, reducing steering control. A toe link provides more weight on the rear tires so they stay firmly on the ground.Six people have been hurt in the crashes, the company said.Dealers will inspect the suspension and replace parts if necessary. Customers will be notified starting the week of Nov. 30.States included in the recall are Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin plus Washington, D.C. Also included are the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.

Ford recalls over 375K Explorers to fix suspension problem

HARVEY COUNTY —The Harvey County Health Department, in conjunction with Newton Public Schools, has confirmed a cluster of COVID-19 cases at Newton High School.

The cluster includes five positive active COVID-19 cases and they are students, according to a media release.

 The Health Department is investigating if there is any known connected source of exposure.

The individuals that are positive for COVID-19 are in home isolation. Those that are close contacts of the individuals have been notified and are in quarantine.

“We take this very seriously,” said USD 373 Superintendent Fred Van Ranken. “We work with the Health Department to conduct contact tracing, and will continue to implement plans to keep our students and staff safe.”

Newton High School has been and is currently in its hybrid learning model through Nov. 13.

USD 373 has taken several safety precautions in its buildings to prevent the spread of COVID19, including a face mask requirement, additional and routine cleaning of high-touch areas, temperature checks, social distancing when possible and hybrid and remote learning.

“We have worked closely with the Newton High School leadership to quickly identify the close contacts of the positive cases to have those individuals quarantine,” said Harvey County Health

Department Director Lynnette Redington. “The school district has been and continues to be in consistent communication with the Health Department as the district implements comprehensive strategies to promote safe learning environments for students and staff.”

The cluster will be considered active until there are 28 consecutive days – two incubation periods – without positive cases. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599600091452.png" alt="Photo courtesy Newton High School" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Newton High School</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —The Harvey County Health Department, in conjunction with Newton Public Schools, has confirmed a cluster of COVID-19 cases at Newton High School.The cluster includes five positive active COVID-19 cases and they are students, according to a media release. The Health Department is investigating if there is any known connected source of exposure.The individuals that are positive for COVID-19 are in home isolation. Those that are close contacts of the individuals have been notified and are in quarantine.“We take this very seriously,” said USD 373 Superintendent Fred Van Ranken. “We work with the Health Department to conduct contact tracing, and will continue to implement plans to keep our students and staff safe.”Newton High School has been and is currently in its hybrid learning model through Nov. 13.USD 373 has taken several safety precautions in its buildings to prevent the spread of COVID19, including a face mask requirement, additional and routine cleaning of high-touch areas, temperature checks, social distancing when possible and hybrid and remote learning.“We have worked closely with the Newton High School leadership to quickly identify the close contacts of the positive cases to have those individuals quarantine,” said Harvey County HealthDepartment Director Lynnette Redington. “The school district has been and continues to be in consistent communication with the Health Department as the district implements comprehensive strategies to promote safe learning environments for students and staff.”The cluster will be considered active until there are 28 consecutive days – two incubation periods – without positive cases.

Health official: COVID-19 cluster at Kan. high school

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former Wichita band teacher will serve as the first transgender state lawmaker in Kansas. Unofficial results from Tuesday's election show 57-year-old Democrat Stephanie Byers of Wichita defeated Republican Cyndi Howerton and will represent a legislative district that includes parts of Wichita. 

Byers said throughout the campaign that being transgender is only part of her identity, and she plans to focus on issues such as health care. But she acknowledged her election gives hope to the transgender community, particularly in deeply conservative Kansas. Before Tuesday's election, there were four other transgender people serving in state legislatures in the U.S.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596823813701.png" alt="Photo courtesy Byers for Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Byers for Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former Wichita band teacher will serve as the first transgender state lawmaker in Kansas. Unofficial results from Tuesday's election show 57-year-old Democrat Stephanie Byers of Wichita defeated Republican Cyndi Howerton and will represent a legislative district that includes parts of Wichita. Byers said throughout the campaign that being transgender is only part of her identity, and she plans to focus on issues such as health care. But she acknowledged her election gives hope to the transgender community, particularly in deeply conservative Kansas. Before Tuesday's election, there were four other transgender people serving in state legislatures in the U.S.

Kansas elects first transgender state lawmaker

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 2,988 to a total of 92,215 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 2,988 to a total of 92,215 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 1087, an increase of 41.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604516785972.png" alt="Wednesday Nov. 4, 2020, KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Nov. 4, 2020, KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and have identified the victim as 80-year-old James Kaminsky of Wichita.

Just after 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to an injury accident in the 1600 block of North Parkridge Street in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.&nbsp; 

Upon arrival, police located Kaminsky in the roadway with critical injuries.&nbsp; EMS transported him to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.

The investigation revealed that Kaminsky was crossing the road to his residence and was struck by a white pick-up truck traveling south on North Parkridge.&nbsp; The driver did not stop and fled from the scene.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and have identified the victim as 80-year-old James Kaminsky of Wichita.Just after 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to an injury accident in the 1600 block of North Parkridge Street in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.&nbsp; Upon arrival, police located Kaminsky in the roadway with critical injuries.&nbsp; EMS transported him to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.The investigation revealed that Kaminsky was crossing the road to his residence and was struck by a white pick-up truck traveling south on North Parkridge.&nbsp; The driver did not stop and fled from the scene.A person of interest has been identified in the accident, and the investigation is ongoing.&nbsp; Alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the incident.The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;