By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/01/election-day-game-plan-paramount-for-kansas-voters-amid-pandemic-record-turnout/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — To minimize Election Day hiccups, voting rights advocates in Kansas 
are strongly encouraging voters to make a game plan before heading to 
the polls Tuesday.

Amid
 a pandemic and record voter turnout, the 2020 general election will 
look and feel a little different in Kansas than in years past. Voters 
will be greeted by a socially distanced setup and an expected record 
turnout.

More
 than 1,350,000 people will vote in this year’s general election, 
according to estimates by the Office of the Kansas Secretary of State. 
That would be an increase of more than 100,000 from any previous 
election.

These
 factors could lead to longer lines and added confusion to a 
sometimes-complex voting process, making a plan to vote much more 
crucial, said Teresa Briggs, co-president of the League of Women Voters 
of Kansas.

“We
 want to make voters feel empowered, which is going to primarily be 
going to the polls, knowing what is going to be on their ballot and 
having an idea of who they are going to vote for,” Briggs said. “That 
will make the process quicker and more efficient.”

With
 many changes to the usual voting routine, a game plan — and possibly a 
backup plan — is necessary to avoid any voting pitfalls and to prepare 
if things do not go so smoothly.

While
 the expected turnout percentage, 70%, is not a record, the total number
 of voters expected, both on Election Day and in advance, would be. As 
of Oct. 31, more than 711,664 Kansans had cast an advanced ballot by 
mail or in person.

Of
 the by-mail ballots sent out, 393,486 have been returned — a 77% return
 rate. During primary elections, the return rate was 83%, so tens of 
thousands more ballots are expected to be counted before the Nov. 6 
deadline.

Despite these advanced voting numbers, Briggs is encouraging voters to arrive at the polls prepared for anything.

“We’re
 just encouraging people to just plan for the worst-case scenario that 
they are going to be there in line for several hours,” Briggs said. “So 
if they need a folding chair, if they need water or if they are going to
 need medication, take it with you, because you don’t want to have to 
step out of that line to go do something else.”

Valeria
 Espadas Ibarra, community mobilizer for El Centro in Wyandotte County, 
has been telling voters she has spoken with to expect long lines as well
 but feels voters should not be discouraged if the line appears long.

“I
 do expect that wait time to be a little bit longer Nov. 3,” Espadas 
Ibarra said. “Don’t be discouraged. Most polling places are saying that 
even if there is a long line, they will move quickly. You won’t have to 
stay in line for more than 20 or 30 minutes if advanced voting is any 
indication.”

Lines
 will be longer but not because there are more people in them, said 
Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab. He said voters are being asked 
to social distance, which often makes the line appear larger than it is.

In
 addition to the socially distanced line, polling locations and workers 
have been outfitted with plexiglass shields, protective screens and 
distanced voting booths.&nbsp;

Although
 voters should not be turned away from a polling location if they do not
 wear a mask, Schwab strongly encouraged those voting in person to do 
so.

“We
 encourage folks to follow your county guidelines and stay healthy,” 
Schwab said. “It’s just a few minutes. If it’s uncomfortable and you 
don’t want to do it just wear it, get it over with and then go on about 
your life.”

Besides
 long lines, concerns over voter intimidation or suppression are front 
in center in many voting rights advocates’ minds, including Nadine 
Johnson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of 
Kansas.

A
 recent Supreme Court case upheld a Kansas law prohibiting 
electioneering within 250 feet of a polling site, but in an election 
season that coincides with a fight for racial justice, a pandemic and an
 economic crisis, the ACLU has its eyes peeled for any violations of the
 statute, Johnson said.

“We’ve
 been preparing for any instances of electioneering,” Johnson said. 
“Voters should be aware that there is that kind of buffer there, which 
hopefully will alleviate any concerns about people showing up at the 
polls and trying to pressure voters.”

If
 voters do feel pressured, they can call the ACLU’s election protection 
hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE. Staff will be on hand to address any concerns 
in several languages, including Spanish, Arabic and Mandarin.

Johnson also echoed Briggs in asking voters to arrive prepared at the polls. She said the <a href="https://www.aclukansas.org/en">ACLU of Kansas website</a> can be used as a one-stop election hub to prepare.

“We
 are really hoping folks will have time to prepare to vote and call the 
hotline if they have any issues or concerns,” Johnson said. “Just know 
that we are really trying to prepare for every scenario.”

To
 help prepare for several scenarios, here are a few answers to some 
important questions you should be asking before Election Day.

What do you need to do before Election Day?

Your game plan is key, and the best ones are developed well before Election Day.

The
 first thing experts suggest is tracking down your voting location. Amid
 the pandemic, some counties have had to consolidate or change locations
 because of the need for social distancing.&nbsp;

That means some Kansas voters may not be voting in the same locations as in previous years. At the League of Women Voters’ <a href="https://www.vote411.org/" target="_blank">Vote411</a> website, Kansans can double-check polling locations.

Other
 considerations include transportation to and from the polls, what you 
may need in line and, maybe most importantly, what is on your ballot. 
Advocates encouraged voters to get familiarized with ballot layout and 
candidates before they cast a ballot.

You can&nbsp;<a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview" target="_blank">preview your ballot here</a>.

What should I bring with me to the polling location?

If
 there is one thing to make sure you bring to the polls, it is a form of
 valid identification. Kansas law requires voters to present a 
government-issued photo ID before casting a ballot.

Valid
 forms of ID include a driver’s license, a U.S. Passport or U.S. 
Military ID. Students may use a school ID card from any accredited 
post-secondary education institution in Kansas.

If
 someone forgets their ID, they can still cast a ballot provisionally. 
It is then up to the voter to provide the county elections office with a
 valid form of ID as soon as possible to make sure the vote counts.

The
 Secretary of State’s office has also encouraged voters to bring masks 
with them. Advocates encouraged additional items for health and safety, 
like hand sanitizer and wipes for any common touchpoints.

What can I expect at the polling site on Election Day?

Polls open at 7 a.m. and 
close at 7 p.m. Tuesday. If you are in line by the time poll locations 
close, you are legally allowed to vote.

Lines
 will almost certainly appear long, but do not be discouraged. Those in 
line will be social distanced, which may make the wait look longer than 
it is.

Once
 it is your turn to vote, you will be given a pen by poll workers. One 
end will have a stylus if you choose to vote electronically, and the 
writing end will be for those casting a paper ballot.

Pens will not be reused, so consider it a keepsake from the 2020 election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604337062106.png" alt="More than 642,000 Kansas voters have already cast their ballot. On Tuesday, voters can expect socially distanced lines and booths at their polling locations. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>More than 642,000 Kansas voters have already cast their ballot. On Tuesday, voters can expect socially distanced lines and booths at their polling locations. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/01/election-day-game-plan-paramount-for-kansas-voters-amid-pandemic-record-turnout/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — To minimize Election Day hiccups, voting rights advocates in Kansas 
are strongly encouraging voters to make a game plan before heading to 
the polls Tuesday.Amid
 a pandemic and record voter turnout, the 2020 general election will 
look and feel a little different in Kansas than in years past. Voters 
will be greeted by a socially distanced setup and an expected record 
turnout.More
 than 1,350,000 people will vote in this year’s general election, 
according to estimates by the Office of the Kansas Secretary of State. 
That would be an increase of more than 100,000 from any previous 
election.These
 factors could lead to longer lines and added confusion to a 
sometimes-complex voting process, making a plan to vote much more 
crucial, said Teresa Briggs, co-president of the League of Women Voters 
of Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604337109391.jpeg" alt="Teresa Briggs, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Kansas, said she wants voters to feel empowered, “knowing what is going to be on their ballot and having an idea of who they are going to vote for,” to help speed the process. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Teresa Briggs, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Kansas, said she wants voters to feel empowered, “knowing what is going to be on their ballot and having an idea of who they are going to vote for,” to help speed the process. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“We
 want to make voters feel empowered, which is going to primarily be 
going to the polls, knowing what is going to be on their ballot and 
having an idea of who they are going to vote for,” Briggs said. “That 
will make the process quicker and more efficient.”With
 many changes to the usual voting routine, a game plan — and possibly a 
backup plan — is necessary to avoid any voting pitfalls and to prepare 
if things do not go so smoothly.While
 the expected turnout percentage, 70%, is not a record, the total number
 of voters expected, both on Election Day and in advance, would be. As 
of Oct. 31, more than 711,664 Kansans had cast an advanced ballot by 
mail or in person.Of
 the by-mail ballots sent out, 393,486 have been returned — a 77% return
 rate. During primary elections, the return rate was 83%, so tens of 
thousands more ballots are expected to be counted before the Nov. 6 
deadline.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604337139981.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Despite these advanced voting numbers, Briggs is encouraging voters to arrive at the polls prepared for anything.“We’re
 just encouraging people to just plan for the worst-case scenario that 
they are going to be there in line for several hours,” Briggs said. “So 
if they need a folding chair, if they need water or if they are going to
 need medication, take it with you, because you don’t want to have to 
step out of that line to go do something else.”Valeria
 Espadas Ibarra, community mobilizer for El Centro in Wyandotte County, 
has been telling voters she has spoken with to expect long lines as well
 but feels voters should not be discouraged if the line appears long.“I
 do expect that wait time to be a little bit longer Nov. 3,” Espadas 
Ibarra said. “Don’t be discouraged. Most polling places are saying that 
even if there is a long line, they will move quickly. You won’t have to 
stay in line for more than 20 or 30 minutes if advanced voting is any 
indication.”Lines
 will be longer but not because there are more people in them, said 
Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab. He said voters are being asked 
to social distance, which often makes the line appear larger than it is.In
 addition to the socially distanced line, polling locations and workers 
have been outfitted with plexiglass shields, protective screens and 
distanced voting booths.&nbsp;Although
 voters should not be turned away from a polling location if they do not
 wear a mask, Schwab strongly encouraged those voting in person to do 
so.“We
 encourage folks to follow your county guidelines and stay healthy,” 
Schwab said. “It’s just a few minutes. If it’s uncomfortable and you 
don’t want to do it just wear it, get it over with and then go on about 
your life.”Besides
 long lines, concerns over voter intimidation or suppression are front 
in center in many voting rights advocates’ minds, including Nadine 
Johnson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of 
Kansas.A
 recent Supreme Court case upheld a Kansas law prohibiting 
electioneering within 250 feet of a polling site, but in an election 
season that coincides with a fight for racial justice, a pandemic and an
 economic crisis, the ACLU has its eyes peeled for any violations of the
 statute, Johnson said.“We’ve
 been preparing for any instances of electioneering,” Johnson said. 
“Voters should be aware that there is that kind of buffer there, which 
hopefully will alleviate any concerns about people showing up at the 
polls and trying to pressure voters.”If
 voters do feel pressured, they can call the ACLU’s election protection 
hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE. Staff will be on hand to address any concerns 
in several languages, including Spanish, Arabic and Mandarin.Johnson also echoed Briggs in asking voters to arrive prepared at the polls. She said the <a href="https://www.aclukansas.org/en">ACLU of Kansas website</a> can be used as a one-stop election hub to prepare.“We
 are really hoping folks will have time to prepare to vote and call the 
hotline if they have any issues or concerns,” Johnson said. “Just know 
that we are really trying to prepare for every scenario.”To
 help prepare for several scenarios, here are a few answers to some 
important questions you should be asking before Election Day.What do you need to do before Election Day?Your game plan is key, and the best ones are developed well before Election Day.The
 first thing experts suggest is tracking down your voting location. Amid
 the pandemic, some counties have had to consolidate or change locations
 because of the need for social distancing.&nbsp;That means some Kansas voters may not be voting in the same locations as in previous years. At the League of Women Voters’ <a href="https://www.vote411.org/" target="_blank">Vote411</a> website, Kansans can double-check polling locations.Other
 considerations include transportation to and from the polls, what you 
may need in line and, maybe most importantly, what is on your ballot. 
Advocates encouraged voters to get familiarized with ballot layout and 
candidates before they cast a ballot.You can&nbsp;<a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview" target="_blank">preview your ballot here</a>.What should I bring with me to the polling location?If
 there is one thing to make sure you bring to the polls, it is a form of
 valid identification. Kansas law requires voters to present a 
government-issued photo ID before casting a ballot.Valid
 forms of ID include a driver’s license, a U.S. Passport or U.S. 
Military ID. Students may use a school ID card from any accredited 
post-secondary education institution in Kansas.If
 someone forgets their ID, they can still cast a ballot provisionally. 
It is then up to the voter to provide the county elections office with a
 valid form of ID as soon as possible to make sure the vote counts.The
 Secretary of State’s office has also encouraged voters to bring masks 
with them. Advocates encouraged additional items for health and safety, 
like hand sanitizer and wipes for any common touchpoints.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604337179358.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>What can I expect at the polling site on Election Day?Polls open at 7 a.m. and 
close at 7 p.m. Tuesday. If you are in line by the time poll locations 
close, you are legally allowed to vote.Lines
 will almost certainly appear long, but do not be discouraged. Those in 
line will be social distanced, which may make the wait look longer than 
it is.Once
 it is your turn to vote, you will be given a pen by poll workers. One 
end will have a stylus if you choose to vote electronically, and the 
writing end will be for those casting a paper ballot.Pens will not be reused, so consider it a keepsake from the 2020 election.

Election Day game plan paramount for Kan. voters amid pandemic, record turnout

SEWARD COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 9a.m. Monday in Seward County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Dodge truck driven by Brian K. Tatman, 52, Sublette, was northbound on U.S. 83 one mile north of Liberal.

&nbsp;The truck traveled left of center and struck a 2012 Peterbilt semi driven by Ismael W.&nbsp; Armendariz-Garcia, 27, Mexico, head-on.&nbsp;

Tatman was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Miller Funeral Home.&nbsp;Armendariz-Garcia was not injured. Tatman was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

SEWARD COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 9a.m. Monday in Seward County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Dodge truck driven by Brian K. Tatman, 52, Sublette, was northbound on U.S. 83 one mile north of Liberal.&nbsp;The truck traveled left of center and struck a 2012 Peterbilt semi driven by Ismael W.&nbsp; Armendariz-Garcia, 27, Mexico, head-on.&nbsp;Tatman was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Miller Funeral Home.&nbsp;Armendariz-Garcia was not injured. Tatman was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after head-on semi crash

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Five of the six states with the nation’s lowest unemployment rates are in the Midwest, have Republican governors and have almost no restrictions intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The governors say their decisions not to impose harsher restrictions are paying off with fewer business closures and more hiring reflected in the strong jobless numbers. But economists say it’s not so simple. Although businesses that are struggling during the pandemic can benefit when governors opt not to require masks or limit in-door gatherings, other factors may play an even bigger role in producing such low unemployment rates.

And those same rules that could initially help the states’ economies also are blamed for their leading the nation in coronavirus infection rates, raising questions about whether their hands-off approach is sustainable. North Dakota and South Dakota have the most cases per capita in the U.S., and Nebraska and Iowa aren’t far behind.

“If hospitalization and death rates increase, then you have a motivation by politicians to close the economy down. That would be very deadly and push unemployment rates back up,” said Ernie Goss, an economist at Creighton University in Omaha.

For now, though, those Midwestern states have a lock atop the unemployment rankings, far below the national average rate for September of 7.9%. Nebraska leads the nation with a 3.5% unemployment rate, followed by South Dakota, Vermont, North Dakota, Iowa and Missouri.

Most of the Midwestern governors imposed some restrictions last spring, but they were among the first to ease them, arguing that they needed to balance efforts to slow the virus’ spread with the need for a robust economy.

“I’ve got to believe that if you shut down harder, you’re going to see a more severe impact to your industries and the longer you’re shut down, the harder it’s going to be for those industries to rebound,” Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts told the Associated Press.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, who tested positive for COVID-19 last month, has touted a balanced approach to coping with the pandemic. And Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds urged residents not to let the virus dominate their lives.

In South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem said: “There’s consequences to what we’ve seen happen in other states — that shutting down businesses, stopping people’s way of life has some devastating impacts. We’re taking a very balanced approach.”

In contrast, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, has worked aggressively to tamp down the virus, including closing some businesses in the spring and imposing a mask mandate. Vermont now has one of the nation’s lowest COVID-19 infection rates along with the third-lowest unemployment rate.

Like the Midwestern states, Vermont is largely rural with industries that weren’t hurt as badly by the pandemic.

Economists say that’s not a coincidence, noting that states dominated by agriculture and some kinds of manufacturing were able to operate closer to normal and managed to bounce back more quickly. That contrasts with states that rely on tourism, such as California, Nevada and Hawaii, which have the nation’s highest unemployment rates.

“The economy of a rural state has a different structure, so more of the people work in industries that wouldn’t really be disrupted by a need for social distancing like agriculture,” said Eric Thompson, who leads the Bureau of Business Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The Midwestern states already had ultra-low unemployment rates before the pandemic, and they benefitted early on from a lack of population density, with plenty of wide-open spaces and few major cities where it would be harder to avoid catching the virus. More recently, though, many of those rural areas have seen some of the nation’s highest virus rates.

Even in industries like meatpacking that initially were devastated by workers catching COVID-19, the companies have managed to make changes that have allowed their operations to nearly return to normal.

Thompson said a lack of restrictions may have been most important in the spring. At the height of the shutdowns in April, Nebraska’s unemployment rate peaked at 8.7%, which was slightly more than half the national rate of 14.7% at that time.

Nathan Kauffman, Omaha branch executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, said fewer businesses closed in these states because many of them are in what are considered essential industries.

Ricketts agreed that Nebraska’s mix of industries played a significant role in helping the state’s economy.

“The kinds of things that we’re strong in are agriculture, manufacturing, finance and technology. You’ve just got industries that are not going to be as impacted by a pandemic,” Ricketts said.

But even if business has remained better in these states, that doesn’t mean they have been completely spared. Restaurants, hotels and other types of businesses are still struggling because people remain wary of resuming their normal shopping patterns, and those economic costs could rise amid spikes in virus rates.

Despite the low unemployment figures, all of the states now have fewer jobs than before the pandemic hit. Nationally, the economy has regained only about half of the 22 million jobs that were lost.

Still, many Midwestern business owners and leaders say they appreciate their governors’ lighter touch.

In Rapid City, South Dakota, Black Hills Bagels never had to close because the wholesale side of its operation continued providing products to grocery stores, and its retail store turned to drive-thru and delivery options, owner Debra Jensen said. It even had trouble hiring the workers it needed this year because unemployment remained so low.

“I’m just happy that the state and the folks in South Dakota made the right decisions to make sure our economy didn’t just bottom out,” Jensen said.

Arik Spencer, president and CEO of the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce, said he doesn’t think shutting down the economy is the right approach, but every state is trying to help the economy while managing the virus.

“We hope that with the thoughtful approach of decisionmakers here in North Dakota, we’re poised to recover quickly. But if there was a silver bullet for recovery, every state in the country would be utilizing that right now,” Spencer said.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Five of the six states with the nation’s lowest unemployment rates are in the Midwest, have Republican governors and have almost no restrictions intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus.The governors say their decisions not to impose harsher restrictions are paying off with fewer business closures and more hiring reflected in the strong jobless numbers. But economists say it’s not so simple. Although businesses that are struggling during the pandemic can benefit when governors opt not to require masks or limit in-door gatherings, other factors may play an even bigger role in producing such low unemployment rates.And those same rules that could initially help the states’ economies also are blamed for their leading the nation in coronavirus infection rates, raising questions about whether their hands-off approach is sustainable. North Dakota and South Dakota have the most cases per capita in the U.S., and Nebraska and Iowa aren’t far behind.“If hospitalization and death rates increase, then you have a motivation by politicians to close the economy down. That would be very deadly and push unemployment rates back up,” said Ernie Goss, an economist at Creighton University in Omaha.For now, though, those Midwestern states have a lock atop the unemployment rankings, far below the national average rate for September of 7.9%. Nebraska leads the nation with a 3.5% unemployment rate, followed by South Dakota, Vermont, North Dakota, Iowa and Missouri.Most of the Midwestern governors imposed some restrictions last spring, but they were among the first to ease them, arguing that they needed to balance efforts to slow the virus’ spread with the need for a robust economy.“I’ve got to believe that if you shut down harder, you’re going to see a more severe impact to your industries and the longer you’re shut down, the harder it’s going to be for those industries to rebound,” Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts told the Associated Press.Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, who tested positive for COVID-19 last month, has touted a balanced approach to coping with the pandemic. And Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds urged residents not to let the virus dominate their lives.In South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem said: “There’s consequences to what we’ve seen happen in other states — that shutting down businesses, stopping people’s way of life has some devastating impacts. We’re taking a very balanced approach.”In contrast, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, has worked aggressively to tamp down the virus, including closing some businesses in the spring and imposing a mask mandate. Vermont now has one of the nation’s lowest COVID-19 infection rates along with the third-lowest unemployment rate.Like the Midwestern states, Vermont is largely rural with industries that weren’t hurt as badly by the pandemic.Economists say that’s not a coincidence, noting that states dominated by agriculture and some kinds of manufacturing were able to operate closer to normal and managed to bounce back more quickly. That contrasts with states that rely on tourism, such as California, Nevada and Hawaii, which have the nation’s highest unemployment rates.“The economy of a rural state has a different structure, so more of the people work in industries that wouldn’t really be disrupted by a need for social distancing like agriculture,” said Eric Thompson, who leads the Bureau of Business Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.The Midwestern states already had ultra-low unemployment rates before the pandemic, and they benefitted early on from a lack of population density, with plenty of wide-open spaces and few major cities where it would be harder to avoid catching the virus. More recently, though, many of those rural areas have seen some of the nation’s highest virus rates.Even in industries like meatpacking that initially were devastated by workers catching COVID-19, the companies have managed to make changes that have allowed their operations to nearly return to normal.Thompson said a lack of restrictions may have been most important in the spring. At the height of the shutdowns in April, Nebraska’s unemployment rate peaked at 8.7%, which was slightly more than half the national rate of 14.7% at that time.Nathan Kauffman, Omaha branch executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, said fewer businesses closed in these states because many of them are in what are considered essential industries.Ricketts agreed that Nebraska’s mix of industries played a significant role in helping the state’s economy.“The kinds of things that we’re strong in are agriculture, manufacturing, finance and technology. You’ve just got industries that are not going to be as impacted by a pandemic,” Ricketts said.But even if business has remained better in these states, that doesn’t mean they have been completely spared. Restaurants, hotels and other types of businesses are still struggling because people remain wary of resuming their normal shopping patterns, and those economic costs could rise amid spikes in virus rates.Despite the low unemployment figures, all of the states now have fewer jobs than before the pandemic hit. Nationally, the economy has regained only about half of the 22 million jobs that were lost.Still, many Midwestern business owners and leaders say they appreciate their governors’ lighter touch.In Rapid City, South Dakota, Black Hills Bagels never had to close because the wholesale side of its operation continued providing products to grocery stores, and its retail store turned to drive-thru and delivery options, owner Debra Jensen said. It even had trouble hiring the workers it needed this year because unemployment remained so low.“I’m just happy that the state and the folks in South Dakota made the right decisions to make sure our economy didn’t just bottom out,” Jensen said.Arik Spencer, president and CEO of the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce, said he doesn’t think shutting down the economy is the right approach, but every state is trying to help the economy while managing the virus.“We hope that with the thoughtful approach of decisionmakers here in North Dakota, we’re poised to recover quickly. But if there was a silver bullet for recovery, every state in the country would be utilizing that right now,” Spencer said.___

Midwest states with few virus rules have low unemployment

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting in Barton County.

Just after 2:30p.m. October 30,&nbsp; sheriff’s deputies responded to 30 SE. 10th Rd., Red Barn Pet Products after a subject at that location had been struck by gunfire, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Upon arrival officers contacted Eria Pando who stated she was standing near the guard shack when she heard the report from a gunshot to the south. At the same time, she heard a bullet ricochet off a metal surface and felt a sharp pain in her leg. The bullet then fell to the ground and was later recovered by Sheriff’s deputies.

Pando received a slight laceration to the calf from the round. She received first aid from personnel at the facility and declined further medical treatment.

Deputies immediately searched the area for someone shooting to the south of the facility but were unable to locate anyone. The round was jacketed and appears to have come from a larger caliber rifle.

The Sheriff’s Office urges anyone engaged in shooting activities to practice standard safety precautions and know where your bullet is going to stop. Causing injury or death to another person may result in criminal or civil litigation

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting in Barton County.Just after 2:30p.m. October 30,&nbsp; sheriff’s deputies responded to 30 SE. 10th Rd., Red Barn Pet Products after a subject at that location had been struck by gunfire, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir.Upon arrival officers contacted Eria Pando who stated she was standing near the guard shack when she heard the report from a gunshot to the south. At the same time, she heard a bullet ricochet off a metal surface and felt a sharp pain in her leg. The bullet then fell to the ground and was later recovered by Sheriff’s deputies.Pando received a slight laceration to the calf from the round. She received first aid from personnel at the facility and declined further medical treatment.Deputies immediately searched the area for someone shooting to the south of the facility but were unable to locate anyone. The round was jacketed and appears to have come from a larger caliber rifle.The Sheriff’s Office urges anyone engaged in shooting activities to practice standard safety precautions and know where your bullet is going to stop. Causing injury or death to another person may result in criminal or civil litigation

Sheriff: Kan. woman wounded by stray bullet

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend accident have identified the victim as&nbsp;&nbsp;57-year-old Cary L. Stephens of Lawrence, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Just before 1:30a.m. Sunday, the Shawnee County Emergency

Communications Center received a report of a suspicious vehicle in the 5000 block of SE 53rd Street. Upon arrival, deputies determined a blue 2015 Toyota Camry was traveling eastbound on SE 53rd Street. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. The driver&nbsp;identified as Stephens was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The accident is still under investigation.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend accident have identified the victim as&nbsp;&nbsp;57-year-old Cary L. Stephens of Lawrence, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Just before 1:30a.m. Sunday, the Shawnee County EmergencyCommunications Center received a report of a suspicious vehicle in the 5000 block of SE 53rd Street. Upon arrival, deputies determined a blue 2015 Toyota Camry was traveling eastbound on SE 53rd Street. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. The driver&nbsp;identified as Stephens was pronounced deceased at the scene.The accident is still under investigation.

Sheriff IDs Kan. man who died after car crash into tree

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State of Kansas continues to see revenue growth over the same month of the last fiscal year. October's total tax receipts were $596.6 million, an 11.7% or $62.6 million increase over the estimate. That is 7.9%, or $43.6 million, more than October of Fiscal Year 2020, according to a media release from the Kansas Dept. of Revenue.

"As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact Kansans and threaten our state's economic uncertainty, Congress must pass an economic relief bill,"&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;"While the positive revenue trends are encouraging, the future of this revenue growth will be tied to the support we get from Washington and to every Kansas community using the tools we know work to slow the spread of COVID-19."

Individual income tax collections were $283.6 million, a 9.1%, or $23.6 million, increase from the estimate. That is 9.1%, or $23.6 million, more than collected in October of FY 2020. Corporate income tax collections were 74.0%, or $11.1 million, more than estimated with $26.1 million collected. That is a 0.5%, or $138,011, decrease from last October.

Retail sales tax collections were up $13.0 million from the estimate with $211.0 million collected. Those collections are 5.1%, or $10.2 million, more than the same month last fiscal year. Compensating use tax collections were $50.7 million. That is a double-digit growth of 30.0%, or $11.7 million, more than the estimate. Those collections were also 21.6% more than the previous October.

"This revenue growth, while unmistakably positive, has to continuously be assessed against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty it causes for the economy going into the winter months,"&nbsp;Kansas Department of Revenue Secretary Mark Burghart said.

The Consensus Revenue Estimating Group meets Friday, November 6, to discuss the economic outlook of the state and the State General Fund. The Consensus Revenue Estimating Group is made up of representatives of the Division of the Budget, Department of Revenue, Legislative Research Department, and one consulting economist each from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State of Kansas continues to see revenue growth over the same month of the last fiscal year. October's total tax receipts were $596.6 million, an 11.7% or $62.6 million increase over the estimate. That is 7.9%, or $43.6 million, more than October of Fiscal Year 2020, according to a media release from the Kansas Dept. of Revenue."As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact Kansans and threaten our state's economic uncertainty, Congress must pass an economic relief bill,"&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;"While the positive revenue trends are encouraging, the future of this revenue growth will be tied to the support we get from Washington and to every Kansas community using the tools we know work to slow the spread of COVID-19."Individual income tax collections were $283.6 million, a 9.1%, or $23.6 million, increase from the estimate. That is 9.1%, or $23.6 million, more than collected in October of FY 2020. Corporate income tax collections were 74.0%, or $11.1 million, more than estimated with $26.1 million collected. That is a 0.5%, or $138,011, decrease from last October.Retail sales tax collections were up $13.0 million from the estimate with $211.0 million collected. Those collections are 5.1%, or $10.2 million, more than the same month last fiscal year. Compensating use tax collections were $50.7 million. That is a double-digit growth of 30.0%, or $11.7 million, more than the estimate. Those collections were also 21.6% more than the previous October."This revenue growth, while unmistakably positive, has to continuously be assessed against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty it causes for the economy going into the winter months,"&nbsp;Kansas Department of Revenue Secretary Mark Burghart said.The Consensus Revenue Estimating Group meets Friday, November 6, to discuss the economic outlook of the state and the State General Fund. The Consensus Revenue Estimating Group is made up of representatives of the Division of the Budget, Department of Revenue, Legislative Research Department, and one consulting economist each from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University.

Kan. October total tax revenues 11.9% over estimates

BY SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/02/topeka-men-fire-guns-at-five-teenagers-shooting-three-in-possible-confrontation-over-trump-signs/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Police say they 
are sorting through new information from witnesses about what happened 
Saturday night when two men apparently fired a handgun and rifle at a 
group of five teenagers, possibly in a confrontation over Donald Trump 
yard signs.

Three of the juveniles suffered gunshot wounds. None was considered to be life-threatening.

Incident reports filed by 
Topeka Police Officer Justin Good identify the men as Robert Sinner, 39,
 and Justin Sinner, 34. The names of five juveniles ranging in age from 
15 to 17 are redacted.

A man who answered the phone for a number listed for both men ended the call from Kansas Reflector without comment.

The officer filed separate
 reports reflecting conflicting allegations following the shooting at 
11:10 p.m. Saturday. One report lists the Sinners as victims of 
aggravated assault with a motor vehicle. The other report lists three of
 the children, ages 15, 16 and 17, as victims of aggravated battery. All
 five, including an additional 15- and 16-year-old, are listed as 
victims of criminal discharge of a handgun and rifle.

Early reports from police 
said one of the men shot three of the kids because he believed they were
 stealing his Donald Trump yard signs. One of the kids was found in a 
crashed vehicle suffering from serious wounds. Two more gunshot victims 
arrived at the hospital.

Gretchen Spiker, spokeswoman for TPD, wouldn’t say Monday what role, if any, the Trump signs may have played.

“The investigation into 
the circumstances surrounding this incident remains very active,” Spiker
 said. “With less than 48 hours into the investigation, detectives 
continue to conduct interviews with involved parties and witnesses. New 
information continues to be forthcoming.”

Spiker said no arrests 
have been made, but that arrests could be forthcoming. She asked for the
 community’s patience as investigators try to determine the facts of the
 case.

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/2020/11/1604237650206.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation Saturday&nbsp; -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation Saturday&nbsp; -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>BY SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/02/topeka-men-fire-guns-at-five-teenagers-shooting-three-in-possible-confrontation-over-trump-signs/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Police say they 
are sorting through new information from witnesses about what happened 
Saturday night when two men apparently fired a handgun and rifle at a 
group of five teenagers, possibly in a confrontation over Donald Trump 
yard signs.Three of the juveniles suffered gunshot wounds. None was considered to be life-threatening.Incident reports filed by 
Topeka Police Officer Justin Good identify the men as Robert Sinner, 39,
 and Justin Sinner, 34. The names of five juveniles ranging in age from 
15 to 17 are redacted.A man who answered the phone for a number listed for both men ended the call from Kansas Reflector without comment.The officer filed separate
 reports reflecting conflicting allegations following the shooting at 
11:10 p.m. Saturday. One report lists the Sinners as victims of 
aggravated assault with a motor vehicle. The other report lists three of
 the children, ages 15, 16 and 17, as victims of aggravated battery. All
 five, including an additional 15- and 16-year-old, are listed as 
victims of criminal discharge of a handgun and rifle.Early reports from police 
said one of the men shot three of the kids because he believed they were
 stealing his Donald Trump yard signs. One of the kids was found in a 
crashed vehicle suffering from serious wounds. Two more gunshot victims 
arrived at the hospital.Gretchen Spiker, spokeswoman for TPD, wouldn’t say Monday what role, if any, the Trump signs may have played.“The investigation into 
the circumstances surrounding this incident remains very active,” Spiker
 said. “With less than 48 hours into the investigation, detectives 
continue to conduct interviews with involved parties and witnesses. New 
information continues to be forthcoming.”Spiker said no arrests 
have been made, but that arrests could be forthcoming. She asked for the
 community’s patience as investigators try to determine the facts of the
 case.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.

Police investigate shooting in possible confrontation over Trump signs

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 4,046to a total of 89,227 the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 1046, an increase of 17.

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 4,046to a total of 89,227 the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 1046, an increase of 17.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604340751169.png" alt="Monday Nov. 2, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday Nov. 2, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of fire that critically injured a&nbsp; woman.

Just after 1:30a.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;responded to a fire at an apartment complex at 2925 SW Maupin Lane in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.

Upon arrival, fire crews reported no smoke or flames visible. Firefighters made entry to the building and found the fire had already been extinguished.&nbsp;

They also located a 55-year-old woman in the apartment with injuries sustained from the fire, according to Harrison.

American Medical Response transported her to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The fire started in a single unit of the apartment building. The estimated dollar loss – $100.00; all of which is associated with contents loss, according to Harrison.&nbsp; Authorities did not release the victim's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604339705525.png" alt="The fire started in apartment #105 early Monday -photo courtesy WIBW-TV" />
 <figcaption>The fire started in apartment #105 early Monday -photo courtesy WIBW-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of fire that critically injured a&nbsp; woman.Just after 1:30a.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;responded to a fire at an apartment complex at 2925 SW Maupin Lane in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.Upon arrival, fire crews reported no smoke or flames visible. Firefighters made entry to the building and found the fire had already been extinguished.&nbsp;They also located a 55-year-old woman in the apartment with injuries sustained from the fire, according to Harrison.American Medical Response transported her to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.The fire started in a single unit of the apartment building. The estimated dollar loss – $100.00; all of which is associated with contents loss, according to Harrison.&nbsp; Authorities did not release the victim's name.

Fire Marshal:  Kan. woman critically injured in fire

ROME (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Francis’ comments on gay civil unions were taken out of context in a documentary that spliced together parts of an old interview, but still confirmed Francis’ belief that gay couples should enjoy legal protections.

The Vatican secretariat of state issued guidance to ambassadors to explain the uproar that Francis’ comments created following the Oct. 21 premiere of the film “Francesco,” at the Rome Film Festival. The Vatican nuncio to Mexico, Archbishop Franco Coppola, posted the unsigned guidance on his Facebook page Sunday.

In it, the Vatican confirmed that Francis was referring to his position in 2010 when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires and strongly opposed moves to allow same-sex marriage. Instead, he favored extending legal protections to gay couples under what is understood in Argentina as a civil union law.

While Francis was known to have taken that position privately, he had never articulated his support while as pope. As a result, the comments made headlines, primarily because the Vatican’s doctrine office in 2003 issued a document prohibiting such endorsement. The document, signed by Francis’ predecessor as pope, says the church’s support for gay people “cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions.”

The recent uproar gained even more attention because it turned out director Evgeny Afineevsky misled journalists by claiming Francis had made the comments to him in a new interview. A week before the premiere, when he was asked about the civil union comments, Afineevsky told The Associated Press that he had two on-camera interviews with the pope. In comments to journalists after the premiere, he claimed that the civil union footage came from an interview with the pope with a translator present.

It turned out, Francis’ comments were apparently taken from a May 2019 interview with Mexican broadcaster Televisa that were never broadcast. The Vatican hasn’t confirmed or denied reports by sources in Mexico that the Vatican cut the quote from the footage it provided to Televisa after the interview, which was filmed with Vatican cameras.

Afineevsky apparently was given access to the original, uncut footage in the Vatican archives.

The guidance issued by the secretariat of state doesn’t address the issue of the cut quote or that it came from the Televisa interview. It says only that it was from a 2019 interview and that the comments used in the documentary spliced together parts of two different responses in a way that removed crucial context.

“More than a year ago, during an interview, Pope Francis answered two different questions at two different times that, in the aforementioned documentary, were edited and published as a single answer without proper contextualization, which has led to confusion,” said the guidance posted by Coppola.

In the film, Afineevsky recounts the story of Andrea Rubera, a married gay Catholic who wrote Francis asking for his advice about bringing into the church his three young children with his husband.

It was an anguished question, given that the Catholic Church teaches that gay people must be treated with dignity and respect but that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” The church also holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman, and as a result, gay marriage is unacceptable.

In the end, Rubera recounts how Francis urged him to approach his parish transparently and bring the children up in the faith, which he did. After the anecdote ends, the film cuts to Francis’ comments from the Televisa interview.

“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,” Francis said. “You can’t kick someone out of a family, nor make their life miserable for this. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.”

Francis’ comments about gays having the right to be in a family referred to parents with gay children, and the need for them to not kick their children out or discriminate against them, the Vatican guidance said.

Francis was not endorsing the right of gay couples to adopt children, even though the placement of the quote right after Rubera told his story made it seem that Francis was.

The pope’s comments about gay civil unions came from a different part of the Televisa interview and included several caveats that were not included in the film.

In the Televisa interview, Francis made clear he was explaining his position about the unique case in Buenos Aires 10 years ago, as opposed to Rubera’s situation or gay marriage as a whole.

In the Televisa interview, Francis also insisted that he always maintained Catholic doctrine and said there was an “incongruity” for the Catholic Church as far as “homosexual marriage” is concerned.

The Televisa footage is available online, and includes an awkward cut right after Francis spoke about the “incongruity” of homosexual marriage. Presumably, that is where he segued into his position as archbishop in favoring extending legal protections to gay couples.

Neither the Vatican nor Afineevsky have responded to repeated questions about the cut quote or its origin.

The Vatican guidance insists that Francis wasn’t contradicting church doctrine. But it doesn’t explain how his support for extending Argentine legal protections to gay couples in 2010 could be squared with the 2003 document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which says “the principles of respect and non-discrimination cannot be invoked to support legal recognition of homosexual unions.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603292366279.png" alt="Pope Francis enters the House chamber ahead of an address to a joint session of Congress in 2015- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Pope Francis enters the House chamber ahead of an address to a joint session of Congress in 2015- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Francis’ comments on gay civil unions were taken out of context in a documentary that spliced together parts of an old interview, but still confirmed Francis’ belief that gay couples should enjoy legal protections.The Vatican secretariat of state issued guidance to ambassadors to explain the uproar that Francis’ comments created following the Oct. 21 premiere of the film “Francesco,” at the Rome Film Festival. The Vatican nuncio to Mexico, Archbishop Franco Coppola, posted the unsigned guidance on his Facebook page Sunday.In it, the Vatican confirmed that Francis was referring to his position in 2010 when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires and strongly opposed moves to allow same-sex marriage. Instead, he favored extending legal protections to gay couples under what is understood in Argentina as a civil union law.While Francis was known to have taken that position privately, he had never articulated his support while as pope. As a result, the comments made headlines, primarily because the Vatican’s doctrine office in 2003 issued a document prohibiting such endorsement. The document, signed by Francis’ predecessor as pope, says the church’s support for gay people “cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions.”The recent uproar gained even more attention because it turned out director Evgeny Afineevsky misled journalists by claiming Francis had made the comments to him in a new interview. A week before the premiere, when he was asked about the civil union comments, Afineevsky told The Associated Press that he had two on-camera interviews with the pope. In comments to journalists after the premiere, he claimed that the civil union footage came from an interview with the pope with a translator present.It turned out, Francis’ comments were apparently taken from a May 2019 interview with Mexican broadcaster Televisa that were never broadcast. The Vatican hasn’t confirmed or denied reports by sources in Mexico that the Vatican cut the quote from the footage it provided to Televisa after the interview, which was filmed with Vatican cameras.Afineevsky apparently was given access to the original, uncut footage in the Vatican archives.The guidance issued by the secretariat of state doesn’t address the issue of the cut quote or that it came from the Televisa interview. It says only that it was from a 2019 interview and that the comments used in the documentary spliced together parts of two different responses in a way that removed crucial context.“More than a year ago, during an interview, Pope Francis answered two different questions at two different times that, in the aforementioned documentary, were edited and published as a single answer without proper contextualization, which has led to confusion,” said the guidance posted by Coppola.In the film, Afineevsky recounts the story of Andrea Rubera, a married gay Catholic who wrote Francis asking for his advice about bringing into the church his three young children with his husband.It was an anguished question, given that the Catholic Church teaches that gay people must be treated with dignity and respect but that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” The church also holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman, and as a result, gay marriage is unacceptable.In the end, Rubera recounts how Francis urged him to approach his parish transparently and bring the children up in the faith, which he did. After the anecdote ends, the film cuts to Francis’ comments from the Televisa interview.“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,” Francis said. “You can’t kick someone out of a family, nor make their life miserable for this. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.”Francis’ comments about gays having the right to be in a family referred to parents with gay children, and the need for them to not kick their children out or discriminate against them, the Vatican guidance said.Francis was not endorsing the right of gay couples to adopt children, even though the placement of the quote right after Rubera told his story made it seem that Francis was.The pope’s comments about gay civil unions came from a different part of the Televisa interview and included several caveats that were not included in the film.In the Televisa interview, Francis made clear he was explaining his position about the unique case in Buenos Aires 10 years ago, as opposed to Rubera’s situation or gay marriage as a whole.In the Televisa interview, Francis also insisted that he always maintained Catholic doctrine and said there was an “incongruity” for the Catholic Church as far as “homosexual marriage” is concerned.The documentary eliminated that context.The Televisa footage is available online, and includes an awkward cut right after Francis spoke about the “incongruity” of homosexual marriage. Presumably, that is where he segued into his position as archbishop in favoring extending legal protections to gay couples.Neither the Vatican nor Afineevsky have responded to repeated questions about the cut quote or its origin.The Vatican guidance insists that Francis wasn’t contradicting church doctrine. But it doesn’t explain how his support for extending Argentine legal protections to gay couples in 2010 could be squared with the 2003 document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which says “the principles of respect and non-discrimination cannot be invoked to support legal recognition of homosexual unions.”

Vatican explains pope's comments on gay civil unions

BARTON COUNTY—A Kansas man with a long history of crime had his probation revoked on Friday, according to a media release from Barton County Attorney.

&nbsp;District Court Judge Carey Hipp revoked 31-year-old Richard Musil’s probation in two cases and ordered him to serve his sentences of 69 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Musil was originally sentenced on Oct. 8, 2019. After waiving his rights to a preliminary hearing, a jury trial, and to appeal, Musil entered guilty pleas and was granted probation.

After a hearing on the allegations that Musil had violated the terms of his probation, Barton County Attorney Levi Morris argued to the Court that Musil had violated his probation, that he had committed a new offense on probation, and asked the Court to revoke his probation and send him to prison.

After hearing the arguments of Musil’s Attorney, Don Anderson, the Court found that Musil had violated his probation in several instances, that he had committed a new offense while on probation, and the Court revoked his probation and ordered him to serve his underlying sentences.

Musil has over two dozen convictions that include battery, violation of a protection order issued from abuse, aiding a felon and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604333837433.png" alt="Musil-photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Musil-photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—A Kansas man with a long history of crime had his probation revoked on Friday, according to a media release from Barton County Attorney.&nbsp;District Court Judge Carey Hipp revoked 31-year-old Richard Musil’s probation in two cases and ordered him to serve his sentences of 69 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections.Musil was originally sentenced on Oct. 8, 2019. After waiving his rights to a preliminary hearing, a jury trial, and to appeal, Musil entered guilty pleas and was granted probation.After a hearing on the allegations that Musil had violated the terms of his probation, Barton County Attorney Levi Morris argued to the Court that Musil had violated his probation, that he had committed a new offense on probation, and asked the Court to revoke his probation and send him to prison.After hearing the arguments of Musil’s Attorney, Don Anderson, the Court found that Musil had violated his probation in several instances, that he had committed a new offense while on probation, and the Court revoked his probation and ordered him to serve his underlying sentences.Musil has over two dozen convictions that include battery, violation of a protection order issued from abuse, aiding a felon and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Judge: Kan. felon violated probation, must return to prison

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced the launch of the online investment dashboard to show how the $1.034 billion in Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) are being spent across Kansas.

“My administration has always prioritized transparency and accountability when it comes to serving Kansans. That’s what good governance is about,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“Kansans deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent and this online tool makes that information easily accessible to all.”

Kansans can view the investment dashboard directly by clicking <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/covid-data/">here </a>or by visiting the Office of Recovery website by <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/spark-recovery-office/">clicking here </a>and selecting the Investment Dashboard tab.

The dashboard shows the $1.034 billion in federal CARES Act investments approved by the Governor’s SPARK taskforce and State Finance Council. The dashboard allows users to view investments based on how the funds will be used or by location served. For example, users can view all the investments that have strengthened public health, or they can learn how much funding their counties have received.

Through the SPARK process, approximately $400 million was distributed to Kansans counties directly to address their local needs. The remaining funds are being administered by statewide organizations to provide Kansans programs and services. The dashboard shows how all these funds are being invested. Not all funds have been spent yet, and the dashboard will continue to be updated as more dollars are invested.

“These investments are having positive impact all across Kansas and through this dashboard Kansans can see how these dollars are being used to serve them,”&nbsp;Executive Director Julie Lorenz said. “Kansas is one of a few states providing this level of transparency and accountability to its citizens.”

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced the launch of the online investment dashboard to show how the $1.034 billion in Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) are being spent across Kansas.“My administration has always prioritized transparency and accountability when it comes to serving Kansans. That’s what good governance is about,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“Kansans deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent and this online tool makes that information easily accessible to all.”Kansans can view the investment dashboard directly by clicking <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/covid-data/">here </a>or by visiting the Office of Recovery website by <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/spark-recovery-office/">clicking here </a>and selecting the Investment Dashboard tab.The dashboard shows the $1.034 billion in federal CARES Act investments approved by the Governor’s SPARK taskforce and State Finance Council. The dashboard allows users to view investments based on how the funds will be used or by location served. For example, users can view all the investments that have strengthened public health, or they can learn how much funding their counties have received.Through the SPARK process, approximately $400 million was distributed to Kansans counties directly to address their local needs. The remaining funds are being administered by statewide organizations to provide Kansans programs and services. The dashboard shows how all these funds are being invested. Not all funds have been spent yet, and the dashboard will continue to be updated as more dollars are invested.“These investments are having positive impact all across Kansas and through this dashboard Kansans can see how these dollars are being used to serve them,”&nbsp;Executive Director Julie Lorenz said. “Kansas is one of a few states providing this level of transparency and accountability to its citizens.”

New website shows where $1B in virus relief spent in Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of business burglaries and have a suspect in custody.

On&nbsp;&nbsp;October 30, Federal Marshals, with assistance of Topeka Police took Samuel Zweig, 27, into custody after a standoff, according to&nbsp;LT Shane Hilton.

Officers brought Zweig to the Law Enforcement Center to be questioned for several crimes he was suspected of committing.

After questioning, Zweig was booked into jail on requested charges in connection with four separate downtown business burglaries including: Hero Wireless, 103 SE 10th Street; Burglary, Theft, Criminal Damage to Property

Clayton Financial, 720 S. Kansas Avenue; Burglary, Theft

Clayton Financial, 716 S. Kansas Avenue; Burglary, Theft, Criminal Damage to Property and Evergy Plaza, 630 S. Kansas Avenue; Burglary, Theft, Felony Criminal Damage

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604315610554.png" alt="Zweig-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Zweig-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of business burglaries and have a suspect in custody.On&nbsp;&nbsp;October 30, Federal Marshals, with assistance of Topeka Police took Samuel Zweig, 27, into custody after a standoff, according to&nbsp;LT Shane Hilton.Officers brought Zweig to the Law Enforcement Center to be questioned for several crimes he was suspected of committing.After questioning, Zweig was booked into jail on requested charges in connection with four separate downtown business burglaries including: Hero Wireless, 103 SE 10th Street; Burglary, Theft, Criminal Damage to PropertyClayton Financial, 720 S. Kansas Avenue; Burglary, TheftClayton Financial, 716 S. Kansas Avenue; Burglary, Theft, Criminal Damage to Property and Evergy Plaza, 630 S. Kansas Avenue; Burglary, Theft, Felony Criminal Damage

Federal marshals catch suspect in 4 Kan. business burglaries

By LAURA OLSON &amp; ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/30/where-kansas-fits-in-the-struggle-for-control-of-the-u-s-senate/">Kansas Reflector</a>

WASHINGTON
 — Democrats have a shot at winning the White House, capturing the 
Senate majority and keeping their hold on the House — an election result
 that could dramatically shift the policy agenda away from the gridlock 
that’s gripped the nation’s capital for years.

In
 the Senate, the clearest route to that outcome is through flipping 
GOP-held seats in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and either Iowa or North 
Carolina, according to experts who track Senate races. But even 
Republican-held seats in ruby-red states like Georgia, South Carolina 
and Montana have grown surprisingly competitive in the final weeks 
before the election, and close results could mean a delayed final 
verdict on the Senate majority.

In Kansas, where Democrats haven’t won a U.S. Senate seat since 1932, the <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/12/u-s-senate-candidate-barbara-bollier-raises-kansas-record-13-5-million-in-third-quarter/">most expensive Senate race</a>
 in the state’s history is unfolding over the open seat created by the 
retirement of Republican Sen. Pat Roberts. Polls have shown GOP U.S. 
Rep. Roger Marshall either tied with or narrowly leading state Sen. 
Barbara Bollier, a moderate former Republican who switched parties in 
2018.

Democratic
 presidential nominee Joe Biden is maintaining leads in the national 
popular vote as well as in battleground states, polls show. If Biden 
wins, the former vice president is all but guaranteed to be working with
 a Democratic House. And if Democrats flip the Senate as well, they 
would have the votes in Congress to push through to the Oval Office 
their most pressing priority — broad economic relief for Americans, 
businesses and state and local governments struggling amid the pandemic.

The
 key for the party is the Senate, where Republicans control 53 seats to 
Democrats’ 45, along with two independents who caucus with Democrats.

Democrats
 need four more seats, or just three if Biden claims the White House, 
since the vice president would break any ties on the Senate floor. A 
change in the majority now appears possible — though by no means certain
 — after a year of multiple crises: the coronavirus pandemic, widespread
 protests over racial injustice and an economic collapse.

“There
 was a path (for Democrats) at the beginning of the year, but it was a 
very narrow one,” said Jessica Taylor, who analyzes Senate races for the
 nonpartisan Cook Political Report. “Democrats were able to expand the 
map.”

While
 Democrats are expected to lose a seat in Alabama, the party is 
defending far fewer competitive seats than the GOP is. And President 
Donald Trump’s struggles in public polls as he defends his record 
fighting the virus have not helped down-ballot Republicans.

Democrats
 also have benefited from a tsunami of campaign cash, outraising 
Republican incumbents in nearly every competitive race, with outside 
groups on pace to break election-spending records.

Republicans
 have used the prospect of a Democratic-controlled Washington to raise 
money in the party’s final push to hold on to the Senate, warning that 
Democrats will unleash a flurry of expensive policies embraced by their 
most progressive members.

Democrats
 say the most pressing item on their agenda would be to approve a new 
COVID-19 relief deal after fruitless negotiations that stretched on for 
months between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury secretary Steve 
Mnuchin. But the party’s moderate and liberal wings also would have to 
come to agreement on a range of issues, from campaign finance reform to 
health care to climate change, to produce legislation that is signed 
into law.

For
 Democrats, the weakest spot on the Senate map is Alabama, where Sen. 
Doug Jones is expected to lose to Republican Tommy Tuberville, former 
head football coach at Auburn University.&nbsp;

Jones
 won a special election in 2017 in the state where Republicans have 
dominated statewide office for years, but he has trailed in the 
re-election race against Tuberville, who is making his first run for 
public office.

The
 only other incumbent Democratic senator facing a serious challenge is 
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, who leads Republican challenger John James — a
 businessman and Iraq War veteran — by an average of nearly 7 percentage
 points in polls tracked by Real Clear Politics. National projections 
rate the race as leaning toward Peters, who is in his first Senate 
term.&nbsp;

In
 Minnesota, Democratic Sen. Tina Smith’s re-election race against 
Republican former congressman Jason Lewis has been rated as likely or 
solidly Democratic by national analysts. Some recent polls have 
suggested a tighter contest there for Smith, who was appointed to the 
Senate in 2018 to replace Sen. Al Franken, though the race has not 
attracted the significant outside spending seen elsewhere.

Another
 reelection race where Democrats are predicted to hold a seat is in 
Virginia. Sen. Mark Warner is expected to be elected to his third term 
against Republican Daniel Gade.

Analysts
 say Democrats head into Nov. 3 all but assured of gaining two GOP 
seats: one in Arizona, held by Sen. Martha McSally, and the Colorado 
seat represented by Sen. Cory Gardner.

Gardner
 won his first term narrowly in 2014, and has faced a tough re-election 
in a state that has trended away from Republicans in recent years. His 
Democratic challenger is John Hickenlooper, the moderate former governor
 who also sought the presidential nomination this year, and who has led 
by high single digits in recent polls.

McSally,
 a former military pilot, was appointed to fill the open Senate seat 
after losing a bid for Arizona’s other Senate seat in 2018. She now 
trails former astronaut Mark Kelly in a historically red state where 
Biden also leads Trump in the polls.

The
 next most endangered Republican senator is Susan Collins, of Maine, who
 is the only remaining GOP member of Congress from New England. Collins,
 a four-term moderate senator, has drawn the ire of Democrats after 
voting to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh two years ago. 
She’s being challenged by Sara Gideon, the Democratic speaker of the 
Maine state House.

Wins
 in those three states and a loss in Alabama would mean Democrats would 
need to flip at least one more state, and two if the party doesn’t win 
the White House.&nbsp;

“In
 all likelihood, Senate control may come down to Iowa and North 
Carolina,” said Kyle Kondik, an analyst at the University of Virginia 
Center for Politics.&nbsp;

In
 North Carolina, the Senate race already has become the most expensive 
in U.S. history. In the final weeks, the election has been rocked by an 
infidelity scandal, with Democrat Cal Cunningham admitting he exchanged 
sexually suggestive texts with a woman who is not his wife. Cunningham, 
an Army reservist, has kept a low public profile since those text 
messages and allegations of a second extramarital affair surfaced 
earlier this month.&nbsp;

Polls have tightened since those revelations, with Cunningham and first-term Sen. Thom Tillis statistically tied in <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-senate-poll/north-carolina-u-s-senate-race-a-dead-heat-democrat-leads-in-michigan-reuters-ipsos-poll-idUSKBN27C2XI">the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll</a>.
 Tillis has embraced Trump in the race, and voted to confirm Supreme 
Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Tillis was among those who tested 
positive for COVID-19 after attending Barrett’s announcement ceremony at
 the White House.

And in Iowa, it’s a close race between Republican incumbent Joni Ernst and Democrat Theresa
 Greenfield. It’s also the most expensive race Iowa has ever seen and 
the second-most expensive Senate race in the country, with more than 
$200 million spent by the candidates and outside groups, according to 
Advertising Analytics, which tracks political spending.

Ernst,
 the first woman to represent Iowa in Congress, has struggled to keep 
ahead in the polls and outraise her challenger. Greenfield raised more 
than $47.5 million, nearly double that of Ernst, who raised $24 
million.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Even with record campaign spending, neither candidate has a clear lead: Mid-October polls from <a href="https://emersonpolling.reportablenews.com/pr/iowa-2020-trump-holds-narrow-lead-over-biden">Emerson College</a> and the New York Times/Siena College <a href="https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/ia101820-crosstabs/1eff04c308f3dcb1/full.pdf">found</a> the two candidates separated by one percentage point.

In
 an increasingly competitive Georgia, an unusual scenario is playing 
out, with both Senate seats being filled at the same time — and the 
outcome of both races is unlikely to be clear for weeks, potentially 
leaving the Senate majority in limbo.&nbsp;

One
 of Georgia’s Senate races is a special election among Republican Sen. 
Kelly Loeffler, who was appointed after Sen. Johnny Isakson stepped down
 last year; Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Collins; and Democrat Raphael 
Warnock.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1604086469655.png" alt="U.S. Senate candidate Roger Marshall, a Republican seeking to replace retiring U.S. Pat Roberts, hasn't reported third-quarter fundraising results but generated $2.6 million in the first and second quarters of 2020. Democratic nominee Barbara Bollier reported $19.5 million in donations in the first, second and third quarters. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Senate candidate Roger Marshall, a Republican seeking to replace retiring U.S. Pat Roberts, hasn't reported third-quarter fundraising results but generated $2.6 million in the first and second quarters of 2020. Democratic nominee Barbara Bollier reported $19.5 million in donations in the first, second and third quarters. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURA OLSON &amp; ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/30/where-kansas-fits-in-the-struggle-for-control-of-the-u-s-senate/">Kansas Reflector</a>WASHINGTON
 — Democrats have a shot at winning the White House, capturing the 
Senate majority and keeping their hold on the House — an election result
 that could dramatically shift the policy agenda away from the gridlock 
that’s gripped the nation’s capital for years.In
 the Senate, the clearest route to that outcome is through flipping 
GOP-held seats in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and either Iowa or North 
Carolina, according to experts who track Senate races. But even 
Republican-held seats in ruby-red states like Georgia, South Carolina 
and Montana have grown surprisingly competitive in the final weeks 
before the election, and close results could mean a delayed final 
verdict on the Senate majority.In Kansas, where Democrats haven’t won a U.S. Senate seat since 1932, the <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/12/u-s-senate-candidate-barbara-bollier-raises-kansas-record-13-5-million-in-third-quarter/">most expensive Senate race</a>
 in the state’s history is unfolding over the open seat created by the 
retirement of Republican Sen. Pat Roberts. Polls have shown GOP U.S. 
Rep. Roger Marshall either tied with or narrowly leading state Sen. 
Barbara Bollier, a moderate former Republican who switched parties in 
2018.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1604086532586.png" alt="Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Barbara Bollier reported raising $13.5 million in the third quarter for the largest single-quarter fundraising total of any candidate in Kansas history. She is running for the open seat in Kansas against GOP nominee Roger Marshall. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Barbara Bollier reported raising $13.5 million in the third quarter for the largest single-quarter fundraising total of any candidate in Kansas history. She is running for the open seat in Kansas against GOP nominee Roger Marshall. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Democratic
 presidential nominee Joe Biden is maintaining leads in the national 
popular vote as well as in battleground states, polls show. If Biden 
wins, the former vice president is all but guaranteed to be working with
 a Democratic House. And if Democrats flip the Senate as well, they 
would have the votes in Congress to push through to the Oval Office 
their most pressing priority — broad economic relief for Americans, 
businesses and state and local governments struggling amid the pandemic.The
 key for the party is the Senate, where Republicans control 53 seats to 
Democrats’ 45, along with two independents who caucus with Democrats.Democrats
 need four more seats, or just three if Biden claims the White House, 
since the vice president would break any ties on the Senate floor. A 
change in the majority now appears possible — though by no means certain
 — after a year of multiple crises: the coronavirus pandemic, widespread
 protests over racial injustice and an economic collapse.“There
 was a path (for Democrats) at the beginning of the year, but it was a 
very narrow one,” said Jessica Taylor, who analyzes Senate races for the
 nonpartisan Cook Political Report. “Democrats were able to expand the 
map.”While
 Democrats are expected to lose a seat in Alabama, the party is 
defending far fewer competitive seats than the GOP is. And President 
Donald Trump’s struggles in public polls as he defends his record 
fighting the virus have not helped down-ballot Republicans.Democrats
 also have benefited from a tsunami of campaign cash, outraising 
Republican incumbents in nearly every competitive race, with outside 
groups on pace to break election-spending records.Republicans
 have used the prospect of a Democratic-controlled Washington to raise 
money in the party’s final push to hold on to the Senate, warning that 
Democrats will unleash a flurry of expensive policies embraced by their 
most progressive members.Democrats
 say the most pressing item on their agenda would be to approve a new 
COVID-19 relief deal after fruitless negotiations that stretched on for 
months between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury secretary Steve 
Mnuchin. But the party’s moderate and liberal wings also would have to 
come to agreement on a range of issues, from campaign finance reform to 
health care to climate change, to produce legislation that is signed 
into law.<h2>Few states where Dems are on defense</h2>For
 Democrats, the weakest spot on the Senate map is Alabama, where Sen. 
Doug Jones is expected to lose to Republican Tommy Tuberville, former 
head football coach at Auburn University.&nbsp;Jones
 won a special election in 2017 in the state where Republicans have 
dominated statewide office for years, but he has trailed in the 
re-election race against Tuberville, who is making his first run for 
public office.The
 only other incumbent Democratic senator facing a serious challenge is 
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, who leads Republican challenger John James — a
 businessman and Iraq War veteran — by an average of nearly 7 percentage
 points in polls tracked by Real Clear Politics. National projections 
rate the race as leaning toward Peters, who is in his first Senate 
term.&nbsp;In
 Minnesota, Democratic Sen. Tina Smith’s re-election race against 
Republican former congressman Jason Lewis has been rated as likely or 
solidly Democratic by national analysts. Some recent polls have 
suggested a tighter contest there for Smith, who was appointed to the 
Senate in 2018 to replace Sen. Al Franken, though the race has not 
attracted the significant outside spending seen elsewhere.Another
 reelection race where Democrats are predicted to hold a seat is in 
Virginia. Sen. Mark Warner is expected to be elected to his third term 
against Republican Daniel Gade.<h2>Likely and potential Dem pickups</h2>Analysts
 say Democrats head into Nov. 3 all but assured of gaining two GOP 
seats: one in Arizona, held by Sen. Martha McSally, and the Colorado 
seat represented by Sen. Cory Gardner.Gardner
 won his first term narrowly in 2014, and has faced a tough re-election 
in a state that has trended away from Republicans in recent years. His 
Democratic challenger is John Hickenlooper, the moderate former governor
 who also sought the presidential nomination this year, and who has led 
by high single digits in recent polls.McSally,
 a former military pilot, was appointed to fill the open Senate seat 
after losing a bid for Arizona’s other Senate seat in 2018. She now 
trails former astronaut Mark Kelly in a historically red state where 
Biden also leads Trump in the polls.The
 next most endangered Republican senator is Susan Collins, of Maine, who
 is the only remaining GOP member of Congress from New England. Collins,
 a four-term moderate senator, has drawn the ire of Democrats after 
voting to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh two years ago. 
She’s being challenged by Sara Gideon, the Democratic speaker of the 
Maine state House.Wins
 in those three states and a loss in Alabama would mean Democrats would 
need to flip at least one more state, and two if the party doesn’t win 
the White House.&nbsp;“In
 all likelihood, Senate control may come down to Iowa and North 
Carolina,” said Kyle Kondik, an analyst at the University of Virginia 
Center for Politics.&nbsp;In
 North Carolina, the Senate race already has become the most expensive 
in U.S. history. In the final weeks, the election has been rocked by an 
infidelity scandal, with Democrat Cal Cunningham admitting he exchanged 
sexually suggestive texts with a woman who is not his wife. Cunningham, 
an Army reservist, has kept a low public profile since those text 
messages and allegations of a second extramarital affair surfaced 
earlier this month.&nbsp;Polls have tightened since those revelations, with Cunningham and first-term Sen. Thom Tillis statistically tied in <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-senate-poll/north-carolina-u-s-senate-race-a-dead-heat-democrat-leads-in-michigan-reuters-ipsos-poll-idUSKBN27C2XI">the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll</a>.
 Tillis has embraced Trump in the race, and voted to confirm Supreme 
Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Tillis was among those who tested 
positive for COVID-19 after attending Barrett’s announcement ceremony at
 the White House.And in Iowa, it’s a close race between Republican incumbent Joni Ernst and Democrat Theresa
 Greenfield. It’s also the most expensive race Iowa has ever seen and 
the second-most expensive Senate race in the country, with more than 
$200 million spent by the candidates and outside groups, according to 
Advertising Analytics, which tracks political spending.Ernst,
 the first woman to represent Iowa in Congress, has struggled to keep 
ahead in the polls and outraise her challenger. Greenfield raised more 
than $47.5 million, nearly double that of Ernst, who raised $24 
million.&nbsp;&nbsp;Even with record campaign spending, neither candidate has a clear lead: Mid-October polls from <a href="https://emersonpolling.reportablenews.com/pr/iowa-2020-trump-holds-narrow-lead-over-biden">Emerson College</a> and the New York Times/Siena College <a href="https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/ia101820-crosstabs/1eff04c308f3dcb1/full.pdf">found</a> the two candidates separated by one percentage point.<h2>On the watch list: GOP strongholds&nbsp;</h2>In
 an increasingly competitive Georgia, an unusual scenario is playing 
out, with both Senate seats being filled at the same time — and the 
outcome of both races is unlikely to be clear for weeks, potentially 
leaving the Senate majority in limbo.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1604086565135.png" alt="Long lines during Georgia’s June 9 primary were in part attributed to experienced older poll workers backing out due to coronavirus worries. But the state has also closed 214 polling places since 2012. (John McCosh/Georgia Recorder)" />
 <figcaption>Long lines during Georgia’s June 9 primary were in part attributed to experienced older poll workers backing out due to coronavirus worries. But the state has also closed 214 polling places since 2012. (John McCosh/Georgia Recorder)</figcaption>
 </figure>One
 of Georgia’s Senate races is a special election among Republican Sen. 
Kelly Loeffler, who was appointed after Sen. Johnny Isakson stepped down
 last year; Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Collins; and Democrat Raphael 
Warnock.&nbsp;The
 other is a reelection race for Republican Sen. David Perdue, who is 
being challenged by Jon Ossoff, a former investigative journalist who 
ran unsuccessfully for a suburban Atlanta congressional seat in 2017.&nbsp;In
 either race, if no candidate wins 50% of the vote, a runoff election 
will be held on Jan. 5 between the top two candidates. In a Monmouth 
University <a href="https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-institute/reports/monmouthpoll_ga_102820/">poll</a>
 released this week on Georgia’s special election, Warnock was leading 
with 41% of registered voters, and the two Republicans were in a close 
battle for what’s likely to be the second spot in a runoff: Loeffler at 
21% and Collins at 18%.In
 the Perdue-Ossoff race, that Monmouth poll gave the Democrat a slight 
edge of between 1 and 3 percentage points, depending on the voter 
turnout.A
 Senate race that Republicans never expected to be a problem is the 
contest in South Carolina, where Sen. Lindsey Graham is fighting to keep
 his seat from Democratic candidate Jamie Harrison, who has shattered 
fundraising records, bringing in $57 million in the final quarter of the
 race.&nbsp;&nbsp;Graham’s
 close relationship with the president and his vocal support to confirm 
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh — he also presided over the 
Barrett confirmation as Judiciary Committee chairman — have made him a 
target for Democrats. Harrison has campaigned on ushering a “new South” 
away from the Jim Crow era.&nbsp;The latest <a href="https://surveyresearch-ecu.reportablenews.com/pr/ecu-poll-of-south-carolina-graham-with-a-narrow-lead-over-harrison-among-likely-voters-trump-ahead-of-biden-as-election-day-nears">poll</a> from East Carolina University gave Graham a slim edge over Harrison, 49% to 47%.If Harrison wins, South Carolina would be the first state with two Black senators — one Democrat and one Republican.&nbsp;Another
 surprise has been Montana, a state Trump won by 20 points in 2016 and 
where incumbent GOP Sen. Steve Daines of Montana is narrowly leading 
Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock. Recent polls have Daines ahead by an 
average of 3 percentage points.&nbsp;While
 Texas is now rated as a toss-up state for the presidential election, 
the Senate race is still a tougher lift for Democrats. Republican 
incumbent John Cornyn is leading his Democratic challenger, MJ Hegar, by
 an average of 8 percentage points, according to Real Clear Politics.However, there are several red states where Republicans expect to keep their Senate seats. In
 Louisiana, incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy is predicted to win more than 
50% of the vote, which a candidate is required to have to avoid a runoff
 election, against his Democratic opponents Adrian Perkins and Antoine 
Pierce. And in Tennessee, Bill Hagerty, a former economic adviser to 
President George H.W. Bush, is favored to beat Senate Democratic 
candidate Marquita Bradshaw in the contest for the open seat that has 
been held by Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander, according to an <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-election-forecast/senate/tennessee/">analysis</a> by FiveThirtyEight.<h2>What’s next if the Senate flips?</h2>If
 Democrats are successful in picking up the Senate, their first agenda 
item would be passing a coronavirus relief bill. Attempts to pass 
another big stimulus package in response to the pandemic have been 
blocked by the Republican majority, which has sought a much smaller aid 
bill than what House Democrats have been negotiating with the White 
House.&nbsp;Biden
 also has pointed to pandemic response efforts — such as more money for 
testing and vaccine distribution — as a top priority.But
 other policy issues are sure to follow, said Lisa Gilbert, executive 
vice president for Public Citizen, a progressive advocacy group and 
think tank. Those are likely to include tackling climate change and 
passing sweeping campaign finance reform and anti-corruption 
legislation, which Democrats have said will be a top legislative package
 if they control the Senate, House and win the presidency.“I
 think across the board, the volume of agenda items is large and I think
 we’re gonna be hoping that lawmakers are up to the task of taking 
(legislation) up quickly,” Gilbert said.During the final presidential debate, <a href="https://www.azmirror.com/2020/10/22/biden-in-final-debate-vows-an-immigration-overhaul-in-his-first-100-days-as-president/">Biden pledged </a>that he would send Congress an immigration bill on day one, and work with lawmakers on creating a pathway to citizenship.&nbsp;There’s
 also an urgency around health care, with a legal challenge to the 2010 
Affordable Care Act set to be argued at the Supreme Court, just days 
after the election. Congress could pass a quick-fix bill resolving the 
immediate legal question before the court, ending the threat of millions
 of Americans losing coverage if the justices overturn the law entirely.But
 how else to use the political capital of full Democratic control? The 
last time a Democratic president came into office was when the 
Affordable Care Act was wrestled into law.&nbsp;Amid
 a pandemic and a pent-up energy in Congress to make headway, the 
approach may be to maximize effort across a number of intertwined issues
 rather than to focus on one signature policy initiative, said Mara 
Rudman, executive vice president for policy at the Center for American 
Progress, a liberal think tank.“More
 is better in the time that we are in,” Rudman said. “There are a number
 of different pressing needs and a reason to go big, for the country, on
 those needs.”Even
 with a Democratic majority in the Senate, sweeping action may be 
challenging as the party grapples with how to reach agreement among its 
moderate and liberal lawmakers on big proposals, a replay of the fight 
in the presidential primaries that ended with Biden the victor.“A
 lot of these Democrats that are poised to win are not going to be 
progressives. They’re running as pragmatists,” Taylor said.&nbsp;Laura covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.&nbsp;Ariana Figueroa covers the nation's capital for States Newsroom, a network of state-based nonprofit news outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.