WASHINGTON (AP) — Confirmation hearings for&nbsp;Supreme Court&nbsp;nominee Amy Coney Barrett are set to begin as a divided Senate charges ahead on President Donald Trump’s pick to replace the late&nbsp;Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg&nbsp;and cement a conservative court majority before&nbsp;Election Day.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?476315-1/supreme-court-nominee-amy-coney-barrett-confirmation-hearing-day-1">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch day one of the confirmation hearing 8a.m.CDT

Barrett, a federal appeals court judge, will tell the Senate Judiciary Committee that she is “forever grateful” for Ginsburg’s trailblazing path as a woman. But she is resolved to maintain the perspective of her own mentor, the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia and “apply the law as written,” according to her&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/7224757-Barrett-Opening-Statement.html" target="_blank">prepared opening remarks</a>&nbsp;for the hearings, which start Monday as the country is in the grips of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">coronavirus&nbsp;</a>pandemic.

“Courts are not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life,” Barrett says in the remarks, which The Associated Press obtained.

Republicans, who control the Senate, are moving at a breakneck pace to seat Barrett before the Nov. 3 election to secure Trump’s pick and hear a high-profile challenge to the Affordable Care Act and any election-related challenges.

Democrats are trying in vain to delay the fast-track confirmation by raising fresh concerns about the safety of meeting during the pandemic after two GOP senators on the panel tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., have not said if they will attend in person. Lee’s spokesman said the senator is symptom-free but would be making a decision on whether to attend Monday morning, per his doctor’s orders. A spokesman for Tillis did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Both tested positive 10 days ago.

Key Democrats are staying away. California Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee and a committee member, plans to participate remotely from her Senate office due to coronavirus concerns, her spokesman said Sunday.

The committee released a letter from the Architect of the Capitol on Sunday that says the hearing room has been set up in consultation with the Office of Attending Physician with appropriate distance between seats and air ventilation systems that meet or exceed industry standards.

“We’re going to work safely,” said the committee’s chairman,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-donald-trump-confirmation-hearings-jaime-harrison-44d1f3004a4e98a12bb7b94ed3ecae66">Sen. Lindsey Graham</a>, R-S.C., on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.” He said he took a coronavirus test last week and is “negative.”

Trump chose the 48-year-old judge after the death last month of Ginsburg, a liberal icon. It’s the opportunity to entrench a conservative majority on the court for years to come with his third justice.

Outside groups are pushing Democrats to make a strong case against what they call an illegitimate confirmation, when people are already voting in some states, saying the winner of the presidency should make the pick. No Supreme Court justice has ever been confirmed so close to a presidential contest.

“The public is with them that this shouldn’t happen before the election,” said Brian Fallon, executive director of Demand Justice, which advocates against right-leaning nominees.

The country will get an extended look at Barrett over the next three days in hearings like none other during the heated election environment and the pandemic limiting public access.

Faith and family punctuate her testimony, and she said would bring “a few new perspectives” as the first mother of school-age children on the nine-member court.

Barrett says she uses her children as a test when deciding cases, asking herself how she would view the decision if one of her children were the party she was ruling against.

“Even though I would not like the result, would I understand that the decision was fairly reasoned and grounded in the law?” she says in the prepared remarks.

A Catholic, she says she believes in the “power of prayer.” Barrett’s religious views and past leadership role in a Catholic faith community pose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ruth-bader-ginsburg-amy-coney-barrett-dianne-feinstein-judiciary-2aaf6821079ac0c5c6fe50699ad745ba">a challenge&nbsp;</a>for Democrats as they try to probe her judicial approach to abortion, gay marriage and other social issues without veering into inappropriate questions of her faith.

Ordinarily, Barrett would get to show off her family and seven children. But the White House event announcing her nomination, in which most of the audience did not wear masks, has been labeled a “superspreader” for the coronavirus.

More than two dozen people linked to the Sept. 26 Rose Garden event, including the two GOP senators, have contracted COVID-19 since then. Barrett and her family went maskless at the event. She and her husband, Jesse, tested positive for the virus earlier this year and recovered, two administration officials have said.

Democrats already were enraged that Republicans are moving so quickly having refused to consider President Barack Obama nominee in February 2016, well before that year’s election.

Barrett is the most openly anti-abortion Supreme Court nominee in decades and her vote could provide a majority to restrict if not overturn abortion rights. Democrats have made clear that they will press Barrett on health care, abortion and other issues where her vote could push the court further to the right.

Republicans will highlight Barrett’s belief in sticking to the text of laws and the original meaning of constitutional provisions, both Scalia trademarks as well.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602507946003.png" alt="Judge Amy Coney Barrett listens to opening statements during day 1 of her confirmation hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Judge Amy Coney Barrett listens to opening statements during day 1 of her confirmation hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Confirmation hearings for&nbsp;Supreme Court&nbsp;nominee Amy Coney Barrett are set to begin as a divided Senate charges ahead on President Donald Trump’s pick to replace the late&nbsp;Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg&nbsp;and cement a conservative court majority before&nbsp;Election Day.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?476315-1/supreme-court-nominee-amy-coney-barrett-confirmation-hearing-day-1">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch day one of the confirmation hearing 8a.m.CDTBarrett, a federal appeals court judge, will tell the Senate Judiciary Committee that she is “forever grateful” for Ginsburg’s trailblazing path as a woman. But she is resolved to maintain the perspective of her own mentor, the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia and “apply the law as written,” according to her&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/7224757-Barrett-Opening-Statement.html" target="_blank">prepared opening remarks</a>&nbsp;for the hearings, which start Monday as the country is in the grips of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">coronavirus&nbsp;</a>pandemic.“Courts are not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life,” Barrett says in the remarks, which The Associated Press obtained.Republicans, who control the Senate, are moving at a breakneck pace to seat Barrett before the Nov. 3 election to secure Trump’s pick and hear a high-profile challenge to the Affordable Care Act and any election-related challenges.Democrats are trying in vain to delay the fast-track confirmation by raising fresh concerns about the safety of meeting during the pandemic after two GOP senators on the panel tested positive for the novel coronavirus.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602508448677.png" alt="Judge Barrett's husband and her children attending the confirmation hearing -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Judge Barrett's husband and her children attending the confirmation hearing -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., have not said if they will attend in person. Lee’s spokesman said the senator is symptom-free but would be making a decision on whether to attend Monday morning, per his doctor’s orders. A spokesman for Tillis did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Both tested positive 10 days ago.Key Democrats are staying away. California Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee and a committee member, plans to participate remotely from her Senate office due to coronavirus concerns, her spokesman said Sunday.The committee released a letter from the Architect of the Capitol on Sunday that says the hearing room has been set up in consultation with the Office of Attending Physician with appropriate distance between seats and air ventilation systems that meet or exceed industry standards.“We’re going to work safely,” said the committee’s chairman,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-donald-trump-confirmation-hearings-jaime-harrison-44d1f3004a4e98a12bb7b94ed3ecae66">Sen. Lindsey Graham</a>, R-S.C., on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.” He said he took a coronavirus test last week and is “negative.”Trump chose the 48-year-old judge after the death last month of Ginsburg, a liberal icon. It’s the opportunity to entrench a conservative majority on the court for years to come with his third justice.Outside groups are pushing Democrats to make a strong case against what they call an illegitimate confirmation, when people are already voting in some states, saying the winner of the presidency should make the pick. No Supreme Court justice has ever been confirmed so close to a presidential contest.“The public is with them that this shouldn’t happen before the election,” said Brian Fallon, executive director of Demand Justice, which advocates against right-leaning nominees.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601169417695.png" alt="Judge Amy Coney Barrett on the day President Trump introduced her during a Rose Garden Ceremony -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Judge Amy Coney Barrett on the day President Trump introduced her during a Rose Garden Ceremony -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>The country will get an extended look at Barrett over the next three days in hearings like none other during the heated election environment and the pandemic limiting public access.Faith and family punctuate her testimony, and she said would bring “a few new perspectives” as the first mother of school-age children on the nine-member court.Barrett says she uses her children as a test when deciding cases, asking herself how she would view the decision if one of her children were the party she was ruling against.“Even though I would not like the result, would I understand that the decision was fairly reasoned and grounded in the law?” she says in the prepared remarks.A Catholic, she says she believes in the “power of prayer.” Barrett’s religious views and past leadership role in a Catholic faith community pose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ruth-bader-ginsburg-amy-coney-barrett-dianne-feinstein-judiciary-2aaf6821079ac0c5c6fe50699ad745ba">a challenge&nbsp;</a>for Democrats as they try to probe her judicial approach to abortion, gay marriage and other social issues without veering into inappropriate questions of her faith.Ordinarily, Barrett would get to show off her family and seven children. But the White House event announcing her nomination, in which most of the audience did not wear masks, has been labeled a “superspreader” for the coronavirus.More than two dozen people linked to the Sept. 26 Rose Garden event, including the two GOP senators, have contracted COVID-19 since then. Barrett and her family went maskless at the event. She and her husband, Jesse, tested positive for the virus earlier this year and recovered, two administration officials have said.Democrats already were enraged that Republicans are moving so quickly having refused to consider President Barack Obama nominee in February 2016, well before that year’s election.Barrett is the most openly anti-abortion Supreme Court nominee in decades and her vote could provide a majority to restrict if not overturn abortion rights. Democrats have made clear that they will press Barrett on health care, abortion and other issues where her vote could push the court further to the right.Republicans will highlight Barrett’s belief in sticking to the text of laws and the original meaning of constitutional provisions, both Scalia trademarks as well.___

🎥 Supreme Court nominee Barrett faces Senate despite virus

JOHNSON COUNTY —Authorities have identified three who died in a weekend crash after a train struck their vehicle in Johnson County.

Troy Hamlin, 40, Brent Moroney, 37, both of Overland Park and Kevin Corbin, 40, of Stillwell, died in the crash just after 6:30p.m. Saturday at a private property crossing&nbsp; where there were no lights or bars in the 16600 Block of Mission Road, according to the Johnson County Sheriff's Department. 

A fourth occupant in the Jeep remained in critical condition late Sunday.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Three people were killed and another critically injured when their Jeep was struck by a train in Kansas. 

Johnson County sheriff’s deputies were called 6:30 p.m. Saturday to the tracks where a Jeep was hit by the train.

Also responding were police officers from Overland Park. The Johnson County sheriff's office says the tracks were on private property where there were no lights or bars. All the victims were adults.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Authorities have identified three who died in a weekend crash after a train struck their vehicle in Johnson County.Troy Hamlin, 40, Brent Moroney, 37, both of Overland Park and Kevin Corbin, 40, of Stillwell, died in the crash just after 6:30p.m. Saturday at a private property crossing&nbsp; where there were no lights or bars in the 16600 Block of Mission Road, according to the Johnson County Sheriff's Department. A fourth occupant in the Jeep remained in critical condition late Sunday.-----------KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Three people were killed and another critically injured when their Jeep was struck by a train in Kansas. Johnson County sheriff’s deputies were called 6:30 p.m. Saturday to the tracks where a Jeep was hit by the train.Also responding were police officers from Overland Park. The Johnson County sheriff's office says the tracks were on private property where there were no lights or bars. All the victims were adults.

Sheriff IDs 3 killed  in Kansas train collision

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Nearly $50 million in funding for COVID testing is still moving through the state’s bidding system more than three weeks after Kansas legislators approved the spending, state officials say.

At the state Legislative Budget Committee meeting this past week, Sen. Carolyn McGinn expressed frustration that Wichita State University, which has completed necessary paperwork and has labs ready to process tests, doesn’t have a go-ahead from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Marci Nielsen, a special advisor to Gov. Laura Kelly, told lawmakers that state regulations allow time for potential testing organizations to submit proposals for government funding. Decisions on which organizations will receive the money will not be made until later this month.

Nielsen said that while the Wichita State proposal could be accepted, the state needs to meet the requirement of ensuring a “unified strategy” is in place.

In an email Friday, a KDHE spokeswoman said the request for proposals would end on Oct. 21. She did not have a timeline for when supplies would be distributed.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Nearly $50 million in funding for COVID testing is still moving through the state’s bidding system more than three weeks after Kansas legislators approved the spending, state officials say.At the state Legislative Budget Committee meeting this past week, Sen. Carolyn McGinn expressed frustration that Wichita State University, which has completed necessary paperwork and has labs ready to process tests, doesn’t have a go-ahead from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.Marci Nielsen, a special advisor to Gov. Laura Kelly, told lawmakers that state regulations allow time for potential testing organizations to submit proposals for government funding. Decisions on which organizations will receive the money will not be made until later this month.Nielsen said that while the Wichita State proposal could be accepted, the state needs to meet the requirement of ensuring a “unified strategy” is in place.In an email Friday, a KDHE spokeswoman said the request for proposals would end on Oct. 21. She did not have a timeline for when supplies would be distributed.

Bidding rules hold up $50M in Kan. COVID testing funds

&nbsp;KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A married couple was sentenced to federal prison for being part of a drug ring that distributed methamphetamine from Mexico in the Kansas City metro area, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Marlon Gutierrez, 41, Kansas City, Kan., was sentenced to 260 months in federal prison.&nbsp;Karen Ortega, 43, Kansas City, Kan., was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison. Previously, co-defendant&nbsp;Edelfonso Gonzalez-Gonzalez&nbsp;was sentenced to 30 years.

Gutierrez and Ortega pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

In their pleas, they admitted they rented a house from co-defendant&nbsp;Gonzalez-Gonzalez&nbsp;in the 3000 block of North 34th Street in Kansas City, Kan. They lived there with Ortega’s minor children. One condition of renting the house was to monitor the property including a detached garage where the traffickers stored narcotics. Gutierrez, who was a drug courier for Gonzalez-Gonzalez, had a key to the garage. When investigators served a search warrant at the residence they found approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.8 pounds of heroin and more than $230,000 in cash.

&nbsp;In her plea, Ortega admitted federal investigators had her under surveillance when she met another conspirator in a Wal-Mart parking lot at 10824 Parallel Parkway and sold almost two pounds of methamphetamine for $4,500.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602081497859.png" alt="Ortega-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Ortega-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A married couple was sentenced to federal prison for being part of a drug ring that distributed methamphetamine from Mexico in the Kansas City metro area, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.Marlon Gutierrez, 41, Kansas City, Kan., was sentenced to 260 months in federal prison.&nbsp;Karen Ortega, 43, Kansas City, Kan., was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison. Previously, co-defendant&nbsp;Edelfonso Gonzalez-Gonzalez&nbsp;was sentenced to 30 years.Gutierrez and Ortega pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.In their pleas, they admitted they rented a house from co-defendant&nbsp;Gonzalez-Gonzalez&nbsp;in the 3000 block of North 34th Street in Kansas City, Kan. They lived there with Ortega’s minor children. One condition of renting the house was to monitor the property including a detached garage where the traffickers stored narcotics. Gutierrez, who was a drug courier for Gonzalez-Gonzalez, had a key to the garage. When investigators served a search warrant at the residence they found approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.8 pounds of heroin and more than $230,000 in cash.&nbsp;In her plea, Ortega admitted federal investigators had her under surveillance when she met another conspirator in a Wal-Mart parking lot at 10824 Parallel Parkway and sold almost two pounds of methamphetamine for $4,500.

Kan. woman admits selling meth in Walmart parking lot

OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent attack and have a suspect in custody.

On Friday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a local hospital regarding a patient who was receiving care from a battery that happened in Scranton, Kansas area, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

 An investigator was dispatched to the hospital to speak to the victim.

Just before noon Friday, a Scranton Police Officer observed the suspect identified as 37-year-old Tommy Lee Marshall driving around the community.

 Scranton Police Officers made contact with Marshall and detained him for investigators.

Sheriff's deputies arrested Marshall and transported to the Osage County Jail. He is being held on requested charges of aggravated battery, criminal damage, criminal restraint, and a Shawnee County Warrant. He is being held on a $750,000 bond, according to Wells.

Formal charges will be submitted to the Osage County Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602355357246.png" alt="Marshall-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Marshall-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent attack and have a suspect in custody.On Friday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a local hospital regarding a patient who was receiving care from a battery that happened in Scranton, Kansas area, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. An investigator was dispatched to the hospital to speak to the victim.Just before noon Friday, a Scranton Police Officer observed the suspect identified as 37-year-old Tommy Lee Marshall driving around the community. Scranton Police Officers made contact with Marshall and detained him for investigators.Sheriff's deputies arrested Marshall and transported to the Osage County Jail. He is being held on requested charges of aggravated battery, criminal damage, criminal restraint, and a Shawnee County Warrant. He is being held on a $750,000 bond, according to Wells.Formal charges will be submitted to the Osage County Attorney’s Office.

Battery victim's statement at Kan. hospital leads to arrest

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The husband of a man who died after he tried to hang himself in a police holding cell in Kansas City has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners.

Police said Terry “TJ” Farmer was taken to a hospital twice while in police custody on suspicion of drunken driving. He was in a coma until he died on Dec. 31. His death was ruled a suicide.

His husband, Bradley Farmer, alleged in a federal wrongful death lawsuit that officers at the police station in northern Kansas City did not provide proper medical care for Terry Farmer, who they knew was suicidal.

Terry Farmer used a metal telephone cord to try and hang himself while he was in a holding cell. Video surveillance shows he hung on the cord for nearly 12 minutes before detention workers entered the holding cell.

Police spokesman Sgt. Jacob Becchina called Terry Farmer's death a tragedy but said police could not comment on the lawsuit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602344464046.png" alt="Bradley and TJ Farmer photo courtesy Newcomer White Funeral Chapel" />
 <figcaption>Bradley and TJ Farmer photo courtesy Newcomer White Funeral Chapel</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — The husband of a man who died after he tried to hang himself in a police holding cell in Kansas City has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners.Police said Terry “TJ” Farmer was taken to a hospital twice while in police custody on suspicion of drunken driving. He was in a coma until he died on Dec. 31. His death was ruled a suicide.His husband, Bradley Farmer, alleged in a federal wrongful death lawsuit that officers at the police station in northern Kansas City did not provide proper medical care for Terry Farmer, who they knew was suicidal.Terry Farmer used a metal telephone cord to try and hang himself while he was in a holding cell. Video surveillance shows he hung on the cord for nearly 12 minutes before detention workers entered the holding cell.Police spokesman Sgt. Jacob Becchina called Terry Farmer's death a tragedy but said police could not comment on the lawsuit.

Lawsuit filed over man's death after arrest in Kansas City

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and have made an arrest.

Just before 12:30a.m. Thursday, police responded to a disturbance with a weapon call at a business in the 9400 block of East Harry in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with a 20-year-old woman who reported meeting with Crawford Anderson, 20, Wichita, at the location. 

During the meeting, Anderson entered her car, pointed a handgun at her, and demanded property.

Anderson took the property and then fled from the vehicle on foot. No one was injured, according to Davidson.

Through the investigation, it was learned the preplanned meeting involved an illegal drug transaction, and Anderson was determined to be involved. Officers located him Thursday afternoon in the 9400 block of East Harry, and he was arrested without incident. He was booked on requested charges of aggravated robbery.

Some of the property taken in the robbery was recovered, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602244481252.png" alt="Anderson photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Anderson photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and have made an arrest.Just before 12:30a.m. Thursday, police responded to a disturbance with a weapon call at a business in the 9400 block of East Harry in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.Upon arrival, officers made contact with a 20-year-old woman who reported meeting with Crawford Anderson, 20, Wichita, at the location. During the meeting, Anderson entered her car, pointed a handgun at her, and demanded property.Anderson took the property and then fled from the vehicle on foot. No one was injured, according to Davidson.Through the investigation, it was learned the preplanned meeting involved an illegal drug transaction, and Anderson was determined to be involved. Officers located him Thursday afternoon in the 9400 block of East Harry, and he was arrested without incident. He was booked on requested charges of aggravated robbery.Some of the property taken in the robbery was recovered, according to Davidson.

Police: Kan. man robbed woman during drug deal

Home sales across the state will fall slightly next year according to the 2021 Kansas
                        Housing Forecast series published by the Wichita State University Center for Real
                        Estate.
                     

“Housing demand remains incredibly strong, despite the job losses due to the pandemic,”
                        said Stan Longhofer, director of the WSU Center for Real Estate. “Inventories of homes
                        available for sale, however, are at historic lows across all prices of homes, limiting
                        the number of transactions that occur.”
                     

The 2021 Kansas Housing Markets Forecast Series reviews current housing market conditions
                        in the major markets across the state – including Kansas City, Lawrence, Manhattan,
                        Topeka and Wichita – and forecasts housing market activity through the end of 2021.
                        The series also includes Housing Outlooks for 22 smaller markets across the state.
                     

Copies of all the forecast and outlook publications in the series can be found at
 <a href="http://www.wichita.edu/realestate" target="_blank">www.wichita.edu/realestate. </a>

Highlights of the 2021 forecast include the following:

For more information and a copy of each of the publications in the 2021 Kansas Housing
 Markets Forecast Series, go to <a href="http://www.wichita.edu/realestate" target="_blank">www.wichita.edu/realestate</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602253464826.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tierra Mallorca on Unsplash" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tierra Mallorca on Unsplash</figcaption>
 </figure>Wichita State UniversityHome sales across the state will fall slightly next year according to the 2021 Kansas
 Housing Forecast series published by the Wichita State University Center for Real
 Estate.
 “Housing demand remains incredibly strong, despite the job losses due to the pandemic,”
 said Stan Longhofer, director of the WSU Center for Real Estate. “Inventories of homes
 available for sale, however, are at historic lows across all prices of homes, limiting
 the number of transactions that occur.”
 The 2021 Kansas Housing Markets Forecast Series reviews current housing market conditions
 in the major markets across the state – including Kansas City, Lawrence, Manhattan,
 Topeka and Wichita – and forecasts housing market activity through the end of 2021.
 The series also includes Housing Outlooks for 22 smaller markets across the state.
 Copies of all the forecast and outlook publications in the series can be found at
 <a href="http://www.wichita.edu/realestate" target="_blank">www.wichita.edu/realestate. </a><h2>Highlights of the 2021 forecast include the following:</h2><h2>Kansas Statewide Forecast</h2><ul>
 <li>Home sales – Job losses due to the pandemic have done little to diminish the demand for homes
 across the state, but tight inventories will limit home sales growth. Sales across
 the state should end the year up 1 percent at 41,470 units. Sales are expected to
 fall to 40,940 units in 2021 as the ongoing effects of the recession is felt across
 the state.
 </li><li>Construction – Single-family permits are expected to rise by 12.1 percent to 5,420 units this
 year in response to strong demand and a lack of supply of homes available for sale.
 Permits will rise another 21.6 percent to 6,590 units in 2021, with most of the gains
 being seen in the Kansas City area.
 </li><li>Home prices – Continuing tight inventories are causing existing home prices to rise at a healthy
 pace across the state. Typical home values are projected to end the year up 4.8 percent,
 followed by another 5.7 percent increase in 2021.
 </li>
 </ul><h2>Kansas City Forecast</h2><ul>
 <li>Home sales – Demand remains strong in all market segments, but historically tight inventories
 are limiting the number of closings. Kansas City area home sales are forecasted to
 end the year down 1 percent at 39,500 units. Sales are expected to fall another 1.1
 percent to 39,080 units in 2021 as continuing unemployment begins to curtail demand.
 </li><li>Construction – After a drop-off in 2019, new home construction in the Kansas City metropolitan
 area has picked up again this year. Total single-family permitting activity should
 end the year up 15.2 percent at 5,560 units. Permits are expected to rise another
 26.7 percent to 7,045 units in 2021 as limited inventories and strong home price appreciation
 fuel further single-family construction.
 </li><li>Home prices – Kansas City home values are increasing rapidly in the face of strong demand and
 tight inventories. Typical home prices in the Kansas City area are expected to rise
 by 6 percent this year followed by another 6.5 percent increase in 2021.
 </li>
 </ul><h2>Lawrence Forecast</h2><ul>
 <li>Home sales – Demand remains strong in all market segments and the only thing holding back closings
 seems to be the lack of inventory. Home sales in the Lawrence metropolitan area are
 expected to rise by 1.1 percent this year to 1,500 units and then remain flat in 2021
 as continuing unemployment begins to curtail demand.
 </li><li>Construction – New home construction has strengthened this year in response to strong demand and
 tight inventories. Single-family permits in the Lawrence metropolitan area are expected
 to end the year up 41 percent at 265 units before falling back to 205 units in 2021.
 </li><li>Home prices – Lawrence home prices continue to appreciate in the face of strong demand and tight
 inventories. Lawrence metropolitan area home values are projected to rise by 4.1 percent
 this year followed by another 3.9 percent gain in 2021.
 </li>
 </ul><h2>Manhattan Forecast</h2><ul>
 <li>Home sales – Demand remains strong in all market segments and homes that were once passed over
 by buyers are now selling quickly. Home sales in the Manhattan metropolitan area are
 on pace to rise by 16.6 percent this year, ending at 1,790 units. Sales activity should
 remain nearly as strong in 2021, falling only slightly to 1,780 units.
 </li><li>Construction – New home construction across the Manhattan metropolitan area continues to be hampered
 by high construction costs and a limited number of buildable lots in the most desirable
 areas. Single-family permitting activity is forecasted to fall by 14.3 percent to
 210 units this year, followed by a 7.1 percent gain to 225 units in 2021.
 </li><li>Home prices – Average home price appreciation across the Manhattan metropolitan area remains
 fairly modest despite the strong demand across most market segments. Manhattan home
 values are expected to rise by 3.5 percent this year followed by another 3.7 percent
 gain in 2021.
 </li>
 </ul><h2>Topeka Forecast</h2><ul>
 <li>Home sales – Demand remains strong in all market segments, with only historically tight inventories
 holding back sales growth. Home sales in the Topeka area are expected to end the year
 up 3.9 percent at 3,250 units before dropping 3.1 percent to 3,150 units in 2021 as
 continuing unemployment begins to curtail demand.
 </li><li>Construction – Tight inventories combined with several years of healthy home price appreciation
 are finally beginning to spur new home construction growth in the Topeka area. Total
 single-family building permits should rise by 22.5 percent to 305 units this year
 followed by another 9.8 percent increase to 335 units in 2021.
 </li><li>Home prices – Inventories are historically tight across all market segments. As a result, Topeka
 area home values are projected to rise by 4 percent this year followed by another
 4.1 percent increase in 2021.
 </li>
 </ul><h2>Wichita Forecast</h2><ul>
 <li>Home sales – Demand remains strong in all market segments, but historically tight inventories
 are limiting the number of closings. Wichita area home sales are expected to end the
 year down 0.2 percent at 10,790 units. Sales are forecasted to fall another 2.4 percent
 to 10,530 units in 2021 as continuing unemployment begins to curtail demand.
 </li><li>Construction – The tight inventories combined with several years of healthy home price appreciation
 are finally beginning to spur new home construction growth in the Wichita area. Single-family
 building permits are forecasted to rise by 12.5 percent this year to 1,205 units.
 Permitting activity should drop slightly in 2021, but at 1,125 units it will still
 be the second strongest year for new home construction since 2009.
 </li><li>Home prices – Home price appreciation in the Wichita area continues to accelerate in the face
 of strong demand and tight inventories. Wichita home values are projected to rise
 by 6.6 percent this year followed by another 5.6 percent increase in 2021.
 </li>
 </ul>For more information and a copy of each of the publications in the 2021 Kansas Housing
 Markets Forecast Series, go to <a href="http://www.wichita.edu/realestate" target="_blank">www.wichita.edu/realestate</a>

Forecast: Home prices across Kansas expected to rise

HUTCHINSON -&nbsp;<a href="http://em.networkforgood.com/ls/click?upn=VAGGw4zHikj3d-2F5242H3ZmesqCgfe0o08nsGY0YsscrSiPeRC9bodnAz5tPeEj2BjjwfRJ08inZ6VEdKUnyO55LY9s0HEReAjo-2F2H4PcbbGZOzOVgoyDWXiY3lTowcLIhI9h_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fkYjQYxOKtjzzlxkbH2xKIjk-2BrXsgM4FnDosYFpko9OfkW0VouXw8Nw4DF22ufpwVDBSmQxB5bLcwNPIg05Zu3c7o6IYZRB639LLfoT1EU14et5kCTTZU12bbogoYZrPyhLro-2BoPAXZiLZv-2FDCIWgbFmSttGs1NVhTH0tBF-2FcVc4Mp1FBi63EksidsHGqYXB2OFMwSPkf8rPgeWybNvy7R3iHO0envksMH2hqvD-2F-2Bm8oT7gKJr2NLivVP0w21coKguezVMsSAlgpetoQ0DN1yvCOTjLMPAjU6oa-2FsDtKoFzhks8rgszbUeg-2FbZEC9EJDg-3D" target="_blank">The RE-AMP Network</a>&nbsp;seeks to equitably eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in the Midwest by 2050 through collective strategy and collaboration on climate solutions in the Midwest.&nbsp;

Kansas environmental and social justice organizations worked together to nominate Kansas for inclusion into the RE-AMP Network.&nbsp; Participation in the Network will provide a greater platform for collaboration and professional development on climate and energy issues for Kansas organizations.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Kansas has a proud history of agriculture, and a robust wind and growing solar industry. Their clean energy sources and contributions in agriculture will undoubtedly accelerate progress toward our North Star goal of equitably eliminating greenhouse gas emissions in the Midwest by 2050,” explained The RE-AMP Network’s Chief Network Officer, Melissa Gavin.&nbsp;

 “But perhaps the biggest asset they bring to the Network is people. People who are seeing the challenges of climate change and who are developing responses based on their unique circumstances and experiences. People who see the value of working with their community within and outside of Kansas to do something that is bigger than themselves. People who are deeply committed to collaboration and working with other Midwesterners to address our shared goals.”

Kansas’ nomination to the RE-AMP Network was facilitated by the&nbsp;<a href="http://em.networkforgood.com/ls/click?upn=d9K6ASy0zzX96vUyeY2s4MBmryRorNmM1vwcELsFBIY7rfO2eThiFiIuFVqk5Pz7Fy2y_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fkYjQYxOKtjzzlxkbH2xKIjk-2BrXsgM4FnDosYFpko9OfkW0VouXw8Nw4DF22ufpwVDBSmQxB5bLcwNPIg05Zu3c7o6IYZRB639LLfoT1EU14et5kCTTZU12bbogoYZrPw30jMirU6q7wg10kMlRyUk5iGEupNQ0EDaP3crlgc4EjGc6mry7t96hGTJfz6LN614UExUcC-2FsNDX6u9cIJVs-2FBzMFBQ19yqciJpFR9iAnJECeOfGcTrN40pz-2BukFh8Xoyf24P0SctTJLKTaSpyC02D5zBPMy0UvuUdCDboRqSKGbuBRlYgKApBR9OCLGIjwQ-3D" target="_blank">Climate + Energy Project</a>&nbsp;(CEP) with support from the&nbsp;<a href="http://em.networkforgood.com/ls/click?upn=VAGGw4zHikj3d-2F5242H3ZmwQMhbfDq81NIpX-2F9S7duVipVbRFLqZ3o8xSNRTLfOLV-Yw_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fkYjQYxOKtjzzlxkbH2xKIjk-2BrXsgM4FnDosYFpko9OfkW0VouXw8Nw4DF22ufpwVDBSmQxB5bLcwNPIg05Zu3c7o6IYZRB639LLfoT1EU14et5kCTTZU12bbogoYZrPzvgtbJcLa3iBBOtW8HzRjMn-2BMyG-2FJj3FSz6z1J8BiZVs8KGo5mKuosk1ZfCUlje9kCQs0DnS-2F4f9r97oew8fCyS1TjAmOIc0ImmUbfSM8NKqPoZdPLS-2BX3UsMCGOWrOuCXRZguz-2Bu3syTzMHTSF5HBj8emBBhYR10ACTmkHiRwcFsszWgRV9Eh-2B9bvmt3g6Cc-3D" target="_blank">Kansas Rural Center</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://em.networkforgood.com/ls/click?upn=VAGGw4zHikj3d-2F5242H3ZpgAt50wnAaoz-2Bnlx11NJc4lc4LOvUF7OXo9Wxz8TMGh9E2y_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fkYjQYxOKtjzzlxkbH2xKIjk-2BrXsgM4FnDosYFpko9OfkW0VouXw8Nw4DF22ufpwVDBSmQxB5bLcwNPIg05Zu3c7o6IYZRB639LLfoT1EU14et5kCTTZU12bbogoYZrPz-2FIjenSMGmo-2Fo2asB7HoycEFn4Dinyt9GikMzUwQTJzFNx0-2FCcK135wP-2BoM5YZSmop9Q22mCU0fO6PR03zpx-2FDnrTWBUTme4Wxvl4jmyBJqco3ATxDqCYiiLf6Hdd-2BJsJgSIihljrxN8GBos82-2FyCMP0qaKRqOd2epqTQ2JAl04w4emjjwU9S8O-2B7zay09ulk-3D" target="_blank">Kansas Interfaith Action</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://em.networkforgood.com/ls/click?upn=VAGGw4zHikj3d-2F5242H3ZiX7U0k8IZP66gIDfH1SrXHoy0dySKspr9dO7P6uo92OAgEk_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fkYjQYxOKtjzzlxkbH2xKIjk-2BrXsgM4FnDosYFpko9OfkW0VouXw8Nw4DF22ufpwVDBSmQxB5bLcwNPIg05Zu3c7o6IYZRB639LLfoT1EU14et5kCTTZU12bbogoYZrPwt-2Bduk9-2FIv3UFi-2B5sxbKrY0aQoN07CSNU2zECJSfueV4TWE1qxPH4CFtYVTvJlI2KMaFQH-2FuPHTf9vU6FKax9R9ci4NEtIXd0al4N08XCRZMUZUFXshlHTf2whudXH-2FBUofpkRzLJilH65s9b7cV4mvCe3mB5G5Nb9K-2BfjZ-2FE0W2UzDcgdXxzVQ2542uQCcWs-3D" target="_blank">Kansas Sierra Club</a>, and the&nbsp;<a href="http://em.networkforgood.com/ls/click?upn=VAGGw4zHikj3d-2F5242H3ZuRiXCbNefxnCQyN9UcN-2FMk-3D3ynA_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fkYjQYxOKtjzzlxkbH2xKIjk-2BrXsgM4FnDosYFpko9OfkW0VouXw8Nw4DF22ufpwVDBSmQxB5bLcwNPIg05Zu3c7o6IYZRB639LLfoT1EU14et5kCTTZU12bbogoYZrPyzf3dGXZSEimsPoNjs8Ru2FS3fCQrXmP0Y1VqNBgiztZSKHLXoCQQnhJaHdWCynmCo7rB-2B-2BaqomhPTR7YGLjnDT2uGqzHUEbI3-2BWyn9BusSYhi9NYPqlJQijr-2Fr2L2mxUVuix2B6Wf-2Bbrq1mbe-2BpvmmdA4TARZCtw5sR1fXOXzDLXYIcBFqtaAjTbh2hWvop4-3D" target="_blank">Kansas Natural Resources Council</a>.&nbsp;

CEP Assistant Director Rachel Myslivy explains, “Participation in the RE-AMP Network has transformed how we do the work, resulting in increased collaboration, an expanded focus on equity, and a systems approach to the complex issues facing Kansans today.&nbsp; Kansas’ inclusion as a full RE-AMP state will open these opportunities to other environmental and social justice organizations across the state.”&nbsp;

Since 2017, CEP has facilitated the Kansas WEALTH project which&nbsp; convenes leading environmental organizations to collaboratively identify opportunities to reduce climate risks and increase community resilience.&nbsp; Reducing climate risks positively impacts our state’s Water, Energy, Air, Land, Transportation, and Health (WEALTH).&nbsp; Through the WEALTH project, participating organizations work together toward a common goal of more focused strategies for resilient and healthy communities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Our WEALTH coalition has been working on renewable energy and climate action in Kansas for the past several years. Now that Kansas is a RE-AMP state, we will be linked to other, similar states doing similar work.&nbsp; Additionally, the hard-earned wisdom and experience we have gained will be of great benefit to organizations doing work elsewhere in the region,” said Rabbi Moti Rieber, Kansas Interfaith Action.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Joining the RE-AMP Network provides greater opportunities to expand the goals of the WEALTH project to include more organizations working to equitably eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in the Midwest.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Climate and energy issues and weather extremes will greatly influence the future of farming and food in Kansas, and the health of rural communities.&nbsp; There is clear opportunity through the RE-AMP network to focus dialogue on a vision for the future and how we address the challenges our communities face through adapting to climate change and adopting renewable energy today for a better tomorrow,”&nbsp; said Natalie Fullerton, Kansas Rural Center.

Kansas joins existing RE-AMP states of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.&nbsp;

 For more information or to learn how to join the RE-AMP Network, email takeaction@climateandenergy.org.

The Climate + Energy Project builds resilience in Kansas through equitable clean energy solutions and climate action.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602866300044.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CEPHUTCHINSON -&nbsp;<a href="http://em.networkforgood.com/ls/click?upn=VAGGw4zHikj3d-2F5242H3ZmesqCgfe0o08nsGY0YsscrSiPeRC9bodnAz5tPeEj2BjjwfRJ08inZ6VEdKUnyO55LY9s0HEReAjo-2F2H4PcbbGZOzOVgoyDWXiY3lTowcLIhI9h_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fkYjQYxOKtjzzlxkbH2xKIjk-2BrXsgM4FnDosYFpko9OfkW0VouXw8Nw4DF22ufpwVDBSmQxB5bLcwNPIg05Zu3c7o6IYZRB639LLfoT1EU14et5kCTTZU12bbogoYZrPyhLro-2BoPAXZiLZv-2FDCIWgbFmSttGs1NVhTH0tBF-2FcVc4Mp1FBi63EksidsHGqYXB2OFMwSPkf8rPgeWybNvy7R3iHO0envksMH2hqvD-2F-2Bm8oT7gKJr2NLivVP0w21coKguezVMsSAlgpetoQ0DN1yvCOTjLMPAjU6oa-2FsDtKoFzhks8rgszbUeg-2FbZEC9EJDg-3D" target="_blank">The RE-AMP Network</a>&nbsp;seeks to equitably eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in the Midwest by 2050 through collective strategy and collaboration on climate solutions in the Midwest.&nbsp; Kansas environmental and social justice organizations worked together to nominate Kansas for inclusion into the RE-AMP Network.&nbsp; Participation in the Network will provide a greater platform for collaboration and professional development on climate and energy issues for Kansas organizations.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Kansas has a proud history of agriculture, and a robust wind and growing solar industry. Their clean energy sources and contributions in agriculture will undoubtedly accelerate progress toward our North Star goal of equitably eliminating greenhouse gas emissions in the Midwest by 2050,” explained The RE-AMP Network’s Chief Network Officer, Melissa Gavin.&nbsp; “But perhaps the biggest asset they bring to the Network is people. People who are seeing the challenges of climate change and who are developing responses based on their unique circumstances and experiences. People who see the value of working with their community within and outside of Kansas to do something that is bigger than themselves. People who are deeply committed to collaboration and working with other Midwesterners to address our shared goals.”Kansas’ nomination to the RE-AMP Network was facilitated by the&nbsp;<a href="http://em.networkforgood.com/ls/click?upn=d9K6ASy0zzX96vUyeY2s4MBmryRorNmM1vwcELsFBIY7rfO2eThiFiIuFVqk5Pz7Fy2y_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fkYjQYxOKtjzzlxkbH2xKIjk-2BrXsgM4FnDosYFpko9OfkW0VouXw8Nw4DF22ufpwVDBSmQxB5bLcwNPIg05Zu3c7o6IYZRB639LLfoT1EU14et5kCTTZU12bbogoYZrPw30jMirU6q7wg10kMlRyUk5iGEupNQ0EDaP3crlgc4EjGc6mry7t96hGTJfz6LN614UExUcC-2FsNDX6u9cIJVs-2FBzMFBQ19yqciJpFR9iAnJECeOfGcTrN40pz-2BukFh8Xoyf24P0SctTJLKTaSpyC02D5zBPMy0UvuUdCDboRqSKGbuBRlYgKApBR9OCLGIjwQ-3D" target="_blank">Climate + Energy Project</a>&nbsp;(CEP) with support from the&nbsp;<a href="http://em.networkforgood.com/ls/click?upn=VAGGw4zHikj3d-2F5242H3ZmwQMhbfDq81NIpX-2F9S7duVipVbRFLqZ3o8xSNRTLfOLV-Yw_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fkYjQYxOKtjzzlxkbH2xKIjk-2BrXsgM4FnDosYFpko9OfkW0VouXw8Nw4DF22ufpwVDBSmQxB5bLcwNPIg05Zu3c7o6IYZRB639LLfoT1EU14et5kCTTZU12bbogoYZrPzvgtbJcLa3iBBOtW8HzRjMn-2BMyG-2FJj3FSz6z1J8BiZVs8KGo5mKuosk1ZfCUlje9kCQs0DnS-2F4f9r97oew8fCyS1TjAmOIc0ImmUbfSM8NKqPoZdPLS-2BX3UsMCGOWrOuCXRZguz-2Bu3syTzMHTSF5HBj8emBBhYR10ACTmkHiRwcFsszWgRV9Eh-2B9bvmt3g6Cc-3D" target="_blank">Kansas Rural Center</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://em.networkforgood.com/ls/click?upn=VAGGw4zHikj3d-2F5242H3ZpgAt50wnAaoz-2Bnlx11NJc4lc4LOvUF7OXo9Wxz8TMGh9E2y_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fkYjQYxOKtjzzlxkbH2xKIjk-2BrXsgM4FnDosYFpko9OfkW0VouXw8Nw4DF22ufpwVDBSmQxB5bLcwNPIg05Zu3c7o6IYZRB639LLfoT1EU14et5kCTTZU12bbogoYZrPz-2FIjenSMGmo-2Fo2asB7HoycEFn4Dinyt9GikMzUwQTJzFNx0-2FCcK135wP-2BoM5YZSmop9Q22mCU0fO6PR03zpx-2FDnrTWBUTme4Wxvl4jmyBJqco3ATxDqCYiiLf6Hdd-2BJsJgSIihljrxN8GBos82-2FyCMP0qaKRqOd2epqTQ2JAl04w4emjjwU9S8O-2B7zay09ulk-3D" target="_blank">Kansas Interfaith Action</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://em.networkforgood.com/ls/click?upn=VAGGw4zHikj3d-2F5242H3ZiX7U0k8IZP66gIDfH1SrXHoy0dySKspr9dO7P6uo92OAgEk_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fkYjQYxOKtjzzlxkbH2xKIjk-2BrXsgM4FnDosYFpko9OfkW0VouXw8Nw4DF22ufpwVDBSmQxB5bLcwNPIg05Zu3c7o6IYZRB639LLfoT1EU14et5kCTTZU12bbogoYZrPwt-2Bduk9-2FIv3UFi-2B5sxbKrY0aQoN07CSNU2zECJSfueV4TWE1qxPH4CFtYVTvJlI2KMaFQH-2FuPHTf9vU6FKax9R9ci4NEtIXd0al4N08XCRZMUZUFXshlHTf2whudXH-2FBUofpkRzLJilH65s9b7cV4mvCe3mB5G5Nb9K-2BfjZ-2FE0W2UzDcgdXxzVQ2542uQCcWs-3D" target="_blank">Kansas Sierra Club</a>, and the&nbsp;<a href="http://em.networkforgood.com/ls/click?upn=VAGGw4zHikj3d-2F5242H3ZuRiXCbNefxnCQyN9UcN-2FMk-3D3ynA_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fkYjQYxOKtjzzlxkbH2xKIjk-2BrXsgM4FnDosYFpko9OfkW0VouXw8Nw4DF22ufpwVDBSmQxB5bLcwNPIg05Zu3c7o6IYZRB639LLfoT1EU14et5kCTTZU12bbogoYZrPyzf3dGXZSEimsPoNjs8Ru2FS3fCQrXmP0Y1VqNBgiztZSKHLXoCQQnhJaHdWCynmCo7rB-2B-2BaqomhPTR7YGLjnDT2uGqzHUEbI3-2BWyn9BusSYhi9NYPqlJQijr-2Fr2L2mxUVuix2B6Wf-2Bbrq1mbe-2BpvmmdA4TARZCtw5sR1fXOXzDLXYIcBFqtaAjTbh2hWvop4-3D" target="_blank">Kansas Natural Resources Council</a>.&nbsp;CEP Assistant Director Rachel Myslivy explains, “Participation in the RE-AMP Network has transformed how we do the work, resulting in increased collaboration, an expanded focus on equity, and a systems approach to the complex issues facing Kansans today.&nbsp; Kansas’ inclusion as a full RE-AMP state will open these opportunities to other environmental and social justice organizations across the state.”&nbsp;Since 2017, CEP has facilitated the Kansas WEALTH project which&nbsp; convenes leading environmental organizations to collaboratively identify opportunities to reduce climate risks and increase community resilience.&nbsp; Reducing climate risks positively impacts our state’s Water, Energy, Air, Land, Transportation, and Health (WEALTH).&nbsp; Through the WEALTH project, participating organizations work together toward a common goal of more focused strategies for resilient and healthy communities.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our WEALTH coalition has been working on renewable energy and climate action in Kansas for the past several years. Now that Kansas is a RE-AMP state, we will be linked to other, similar states doing similar work.&nbsp; Additionally, the hard-earned wisdom and experience we have gained will be of great benefit to organizations doing work elsewhere in the region,” said Rabbi Moti Rieber, Kansas Interfaith Action.&nbsp;&nbsp;Joining the RE-AMP Network provides greater opportunities to expand the goals of the WEALTH project to include more organizations working to equitably eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in the Midwest.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Climate and energy issues and weather extremes will greatly influence the future of farming and food in Kansas, and the health of rural communities.&nbsp; There is clear opportunity through the RE-AMP network to focus dialogue on a vision for the future and how we address the challenges our communities face through adapting to climate change and adopting renewable energy today for a better tomorrow,”&nbsp; said Natalie Fullerton, Kansas Rural Center.Kansas joins existing RE-AMP states of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.&nbsp; For more information or to learn how to join the RE-AMP Network, email takeaction@climateandenergy.org.The Climate + Energy Project builds resilience in Kansas through equitable clean energy solutions and climate action.

Kansas joins the RE-AMP Network

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Sunday morning shooting in Topeka.

Just after 12:15 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a report of a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Garfield Avenue in Topeka, according to Lt. Matt Danielson.

Officers arrived in the area and found two adult victims who had sustained gunshot wounds.

EMS transported one victim to a Topeka hospital with life threatening injuries, while the other was transported with serious but non-life threatening injuries, according to Dalielson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602420880556.png" alt="Police at the scene of the Sunday morning investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the Sunday morning investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Sunday morning shooting in Topeka.Just after 12:15 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a report of a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Garfield Avenue in Topeka, according to Lt. Matt Danielson.Officers arrived in the area and found two adult victims who had sustained gunshot wounds.EMS transported one victim to a Topeka hospital with life threatening injuries, while the other was transported with serious but non-life threatening injuries, according to Dalielson.Police released no additional details.

2 hospitalized after shooting at Kansas home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House doctor said that President Donald Trump was no longer at risk of transmitting the coronavirus but did not say explicitly whether Trump had tested negative for it. The diagnosis came as the president prepared to resume campaign rallies and other activities.

In a memo released Saturday night by the White House, Navy Cmdr. Dr. Sean Conley said Trump met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for safely discontinuing isolation and that by “currently recognized standards” he was no longer considered a transmission risk.

The memo did not declare Trump had tested negative for the virus. But sensitive lab tests — like the PCR test cited in the doctor’s statements — detect virus in swab samples taken from the nose and throat. Dr. William Morice, who oversees laboratories at the Mayo Clinic, said earlier this week that using the PCR tests, the president’s medical team could hypothetically measure and track the amount of virus in samples over time and watch the viral load go down.

Some medical experts had been skeptical that Trump could be declared free of the risk of transmitting the virus so early in the course of his illness. Just 10 days since an initial diagnosis of infection, there was no way to know for certain that someone was no longer contagious, they said.

Dr. Albert Ko, an infectious disease specialist and department chairman at the Yale School of Public Health, said Saturday night that the White House appeared to be following CDC guidelines for when it is appropriate to end isolation after mild to moderate cases of COVID-19.

But Ko cautioned that those who have had severe cases of the diseases should isolate for 20 days. He noted that Trump was treated with the steroid dexamethasone, which is normally reserved for patients with severe COVID.

Ko added that White House had issued “convoluted” statements about Trump’s health that left many questions unanswered, including whether the president ever had pneumonia.

CDC guidelines note that most people do not require testing to decide when they can be around others. Ko said people who have had COVID-19 can continue to test positive for weeks or longer after they are no longer infectious.

The memo stated that Trump had reached day 10 from the onset of symptoms, had been free of fever for well over 24 hours, and that all symptoms had improved.

Saskia Popescu, an infectious disease epidemiologist at George Mason University, said the tight time frame laid out by the White House made it appear that “they’re really just pushing to get him out of isolation” and back to campaigning.

The memo followed Trump’s first public appearance since returning to the White House after being treated for the coronavirus at a military hospital. Hundreds of people gathered Saturday afternoon on the South Lawn for a Trump address on his support for law enforcement from a White House balcony.

Trump took off a mask moments after he emerged on the balcony to address the crowd on the lawn below, his first step back onto the public stage with just more than three weeks to go until Election Day. He flouted, once more, the safety recommendations of his own government just days after acknowledging that he was on the brink of “bad things" from the virus and claiming that his bout with the illness brought him a better understanding of it.

His return was a brief one. With bandages visible on his hands, likely from an intravenous injection, Trump spoke for 18 minutes, far less than his normal hour-plus rallies. He appeared healthy, if perhaps a little hoarse, as he delivered what was, for all intents and purposes, a short version of his campaign speech despite the executive mansion setting.

Though the gathering was billed as an official event, Trump offered no policy proposals and instead delivered the usual attacks on Democrat Joe Biden while praising law enforcement to supporters, most of whom wore masks while few adhered to social distancing guidelines.

“I’m feeling great,” said Trump, who said he was thankful for their good wishes and prayers as he recovered. He then declared that the pandemic, which has killed more than 210,000 Americans, was “disappearing” even though he is still recovering from the virus.

In either an act of defiance or simply tempting fate, officials organized the crowd just steps from the Rose Garden, where exactly two weeks ago the president held another large gathering to formally announce his nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. That event is now being eyed as a possible COVID-19 superspreader as more than two dozen people in attendance have contracted the virus.

Trump had hoped to hold campaign rallies this weekend but settled for the White House event. But even as his health remained unclear, he planned to ramp up his travel with a rally in Florida on Monday, followed by trips to Pennsylvania and Iowa on subsequent days.

Security was stepped up around the White House before the event, which was called a “peaceful protest for law &amp; order” and predominantly attended by Black and Latino supporters. Police and the Secret Service closed surrounding streets to vehicles and shut down Lafayette Square, the park near the White House that has long been a gathering place for public protest.

As questions linger about his health — and Democratic opponent Joe Biden steps up his own campaigning — Trump has more frequently called into radio and TV programs to speak with conservative interviewers, hoping to make up for lost time.

Biden's campaign said he again tested negative on Saturday for COVID-19. Biden was potentially exposed to the coronavirus during his Sept. 29 debate with Trump, who announced his positive diagnosis barely 48 hours after the debate.

The president had not been seen in public — other than in White House-produced videos — since his return five days ago from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he received experimental treatments for the coronavirus.

On Saturday, all attendees were required to bring masks or were provided with them, and were given temperature checks and asked to fill out a brief questionnaire. Some in the crowd removed their mask to listen to Trump.

Trump's Monday event in Sanford, Florida, what he's described as a “BIG RALLY," was originally scheduled to be held on Oct. 2, the day after he tested positive. Ahead of his Saturday event, Trump used Twitter to share news articles about problems with mail-in ballots in New Jersey, Ohio and Texas. Trump has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims that universal mail-in voting is beset by widespread fraud.

Trump's return to public activity came as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious-disease expert, cautioned the White House again to avoid large-scale gatherings of people without masks.

Fauci said of the Barrett event in an interview with The Associated Press, “I was not surprised to see a superspreader event given the circumstances." That means “crowded, congregate setting, not wearing masks. It is not surprising to see an outbreak," he said.

District of Columbia virus restrictions prohibit outdoor gatherings larger than 50 people, although that rule has not been strictly enforced. Masks are mandatory outdoors for most people, but the regulations don’t apply on federal land, and the Trump White House has openly flouted them for months.

Confined to the White House as he recovers, Trump spent sizable chunks of the past few days making the rounds of friendly conservative media, calling in to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday night and spending two hours live on air with radio host Rush Limbaugh on Friday in what his campaign billed as a “radio rally.”

Holding court on his reelection battle, his fight against the coronavirus and revived negotiations with Democrats to pass an economic stimulus bill, Trump made a direct appeal to his base of loyal supporters, whom he needs to turn out to the polls in droves.

In a Friday night interview on Fox's Tucker Carlson's show, Trump was asked if he has been retested for COVID-19. “I have been retested, and I haven’t even found out numbers or anything yet. But I've been retested, and I know I’m at either the bottom of the scale or free," he said.

White House officials, however, have declined to answer when Trump last tested negative for the virus before his diagnosis or release detailed information about lung scans taken while Trump was hospitalized.

While reports of reinfection in COVID-19 victims are rare, the CDC recommends that even people who recover from the disease continue to wear masks, stay distanced and follow other precautions. It was unclear if Trump, who has refused mask wearing in most settings, would abide by that guidance as he resumes his campaign.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602428635792.png" alt="President Trump speaking Saturday from the White House&nbsp; balcony at a peaceful protest for law and order-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump speaking Saturday from the White House&nbsp; balcony at a peaceful protest for law and order-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House doctor said that President Donald Trump was no longer at risk of transmitting the coronavirus but did not say explicitly whether Trump had tested negative for it. The diagnosis came as the president prepared to resume campaign rallies and other activities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602428312557.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In a memo released Saturday night by the White House, Navy Cmdr. Dr. Sean Conley said Trump met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for safely discontinuing isolation and that by “currently recognized standards” he was no longer considered a transmission risk.The memo did not declare Trump had tested negative for the virus. But sensitive lab tests — like the PCR test cited in the doctor’s statements — detect virus in swab samples taken from the nose and throat. Dr. William Morice, who oversees laboratories at the Mayo Clinic, said earlier this week that using the PCR tests, the president’s medical team could hypothetically measure and track the amount of virus in samples over time and watch the viral load go down.Some medical experts had been skeptical that Trump could be declared free of the risk of transmitting the virus so early in the course of his illness. Just 10 days since an initial diagnosis of infection, there was no way to know for certain that someone was no longer contagious, they said.Dr. Albert Ko, an infectious disease specialist and department chairman at the Yale School of Public Health, said Saturday night that the White House appeared to be following CDC guidelines for when it is appropriate to end isolation after mild to moderate cases of COVID-19.But Ko cautioned that those who have had severe cases of the diseases should isolate for 20 days. He noted that Trump was treated with the steroid dexamethasone, which is normally reserved for patients with severe COVID.Ko added that White House had issued “convoluted” statements about Trump’s health that left many questions unanswered, including whether the president ever had pneumonia.CDC guidelines note that most people do not require testing to decide when they can be around others. Ko said people who have had COVID-19 can continue to test positive for weeks or longer after they are no longer infectious.The memo stated that Trump had reached day 10 from the onset of symptoms, had been free of fever for well over 24 hours, and that all symptoms had improved.Saskia Popescu, an infectious disease epidemiologist at George Mason University, said the tight time frame laid out by the White House made it appear that “they’re really just pushing to get him out of isolation” and back to campaigning.The memo followed Trump’s first public appearance since returning to the White House after being treated for the coronavirus at a military hospital. Hundreds of people gathered Saturday afternoon on the South Lawn for a Trump address on his support for law enforcement from a White House balcony.Trump took off a mask moments after he emerged on the balcony to address the crowd on the lawn below, his first step back onto the public stage with just more than three weeks to go until Election Day. He flouted, once more, the safety recommendations of his own government just days after acknowledging that he was on the brink of “bad things" from the virus and claiming that his bout with the illness brought him a better understanding of it.His return was a brief one. With bandages visible on his hands, likely from an intravenous injection, Trump spoke for 18 minutes, far less than his normal hour-plus rallies. He appeared healthy, if perhaps a little hoarse, as he delivered what was, for all intents and purposes, a short version of his campaign speech despite the executive mansion setting.Though the gathering was billed as an official event, Trump offered no policy proposals and instead delivered the usual attacks on Democrat Joe Biden while praising law enforcement to supporters, most of whom wore masks while few adhered to social distancing guidelines.“I’m feeling great,” said Trump, who said he was thankful for their good wishes and prayers as he recovered. He then declared that the pandemic, which has killed more than 210,000 Americans, was “disappearing” even though he is still recovering from the virus.In either an act of defiance or simply tempting fate, officials organized the crowd just steps from the Rose Garden, where exactly two weeks ago the president held another large gathering to formally announce his nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. That event is now being eyed as a possible COVID-19 superspreader as more than two dozen people in attendance have contracted the virus.Trump had hoped to hold campaign rallies this weekend but settled for the White House event. But even as his health remained unclear, he planned to ramp up his travel with a rally in Florida on Monday, followed by trips to Pennsylvania and Iowa on subsequent days.Security was stepped up around the White House before the event, which was called a “peaceful protest for law &amp; order” and predominantly attended by Black and Latino supporters. Police and the Secret Service closed surrounding streets to vehicles and shut down Lafayette Square, the park near the White House that has long been a gathering place for public protest.As questions linger about his health — and Democratic opponent Joe Biden steps up his own campaigning — Trump has more frequently called into radio and TV programs to speak with conservative interviewers, hoping to make up for lost time.Biden's campaign said he again tested negative on Saturday for COVID-19. Biden was potentially exposed to the coronavirus during his Sept. 29 debate with Trump, who announced his positive diagnosis barely 48 hours after the debate.The president had not been seen in public — other than in White House-produced videos — since his return five days ago from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he received experimental treatments for the coronavirus.On Saturday, all attendees were required to bring masks or were provided with them, and were given temperature checks and asked to fill out a brief questionnaire. Some in the crowd removed their mask to listen to Trump.Trump's Monday event in Sanford, Florida, what he's described as a “BIG RALLY," was originally scheduled to be held on Oct. 2, the day after he tested positive. Ahead of his Saturday event, Trump used Twitter to share news articles about problems with mail-in ballots in New Jersey, Ohio and Texas. Trump has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims that universal mail-in voting is beset by widespread fraud.Trump's return to public activity came as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious-disease expert, cautioned the White House again to avoid large-scale gatherings of people without masks.Fauci said of the Barrett event in an interview with The Associated Press, “I was not surprised to see a superspreader event given the circumstances." That means “crowded, congregate setting, not wearing masks. It is not surprising to see an outbreak," he said.District of Columbia virus restrictions prohibit outdoor gatherings larger than 50 people, although that rule has not been strictly enforced. Masks are mandatory outdoors for most people, but the regulations don’t apply on federal land, and the Trump White House has openly flouted them for months.Confined to the White House as he recovers, Trump spent sizable chunks of the past few days making the rounds of friendly conservative media, calling in to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday night and spending two hours live on air with radio host Rush Limbaugh on Friday in what his campaign billed as a “radio rally.”Holding court on his reelection battle, his fight against the coronavirus and revived negotiations with Democrats to pass an economic stimulus bill, Trump made a direct appeal to his base of loyal supporters, whom he needs to turn out to the polls in droves.In a Friday night interview on Fox's Tucker Carlson's show, Trump was asked if he has been retested for COVID-19. “I have been retested, and I haven’t even found out numbers or anything yet. But I've been retested, and I know I’m at either the bottom of the scale or free," he said.White House officials, however, have declined to answer when Trump last tested negative for the virus before his diagnosis or release detailed information about lung scans taken while Trump was hospitalized.While reports of reinfection in COVID-19 victims are rare, the CDC recommends that even people who recover from the disease continue to wear masks, stay distanced and follow other precautions. It was unclear if Trump, who has refused mask wearing in most settings, would abide by that guidance as he resumes his campaign.

Doctor: President won’t transmit virus, ready for active schedule

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/10/kansas-ers-burdened-by-worsening-mental-health-crisis-overflow-from-state-hospitals/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Emergency rooms 
across Kansas are seeing an increase in people with behavioral and 
mental health issues seeking care amid the pandemic, and the medical 
facilities lack necessary resources or staff dedicated to serving these 
patients.

Many of them are awaiting 
an open bed at Osawatomie State Hospital or Larned State Hospital, both 
inpatient psychiatric facilities operated by the Kansas Department for 
Aging and Disability Services.

When the pandemic began, 
Osawatomie State Hospital reduced capacity from 60 to 44 to allow staff 
and other residents to implement social distancing guidelines and to 
ensure separate housing to monitor COVID-19 symptoms in new admissions.

Larned State Hospital 
followed suit in May when beds were reduced from 90 to 72 to allow for 
single occupancy amid concerns the disease would spread quickly if a 
patient were to test positive.

In August, capacity was 
raised back to 60 beds at Osawatomie, but Larned remains at 72 beds. 
Some patients have found themselves housed in the emergency room for 
days at a time while hospital staff look for an open bed at an inpatient
 facility.

“Most mental health 
patients in western Kansas already get taken care of by ER staff,” said 
Jenny Niblock, chief clinical officer for Citizens Health in Colby, 
which has struggled with overflow since Larned reduced capacity. “These 
are family practice physicians that also need to take care of every 
other patient that might come into the ER, so there isn’t the staff to 
dedicate to sitting with these patients and taking care of them 
long-term.”

Since the pandemic began 
in March, hospitals across the state have reported higher numbers of 
patients seeking behavioral health treatment, as well as an increase in 
the severity of psychiatric cases. With reduced capacity at state 
hospitals, issues already present with mental health treatment have been
 exacerbated.

As of Sept. 14, an 
estimated 32.5% of Kansans are experiencing symptoms of an anxiety 
disorder or depressive disorder, according to a<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/mental-health.htm"> survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics</a>.

The same survey shows 31.1% of Kansans did not get the care needed or had their care delayed amid the pandemic.

This delay in service, at 
least for Citizens Health, could be in part because many inpatient 
facilities require a COVID-19 test before they accept a patient, Niblock
 said. While Larned does not require a COVID-19 test, many inpatient 
facilities do.

However, Niblock said, 
rural hospitals like hers do not have access to rapid testing. As a 
result, the Colby-based medical center often must hold patients for 24 
to 48 hours while they await the test result.

Even if the test comes 
back negative, finding a bed can be difficult for rural facilities like 
Citizens Health, where the nearest inpatient facility is a two-hour 
drive away and the nearest outpatient facility is three hours away.

“Rural mental health 
patients already have a huge disparity in access to mental health 
inpatient and outpatient services,” Niblock said. “If all beds are full,
 we may need to look as far as five hours away for the necessary care.”

The overflow of behavioral health patients camped in ERs is not limited to rural Kansas.

Lauren Lucht, executive 
director of behavioral and mental health for The University of Kansas 
Health System, said its Kansas City emergency department has seen an 
uptick in acute presentation of patients in need of psychiatric care.

Since the pandemic began, both their Marillac Campus and Strawberry Hill inpatient units have been full, Lucht said.

“COVID-19 has brought on 
an increase in stressors, anxiety, social isolation, depression and 
substance use,” Lucht said. “All of these things have contributed to an 
increase in patients presenting to our ED for admission to one of our 
inpatient facilities or for an emergency hold until a patient is 
accepted into a state hospital bed.”

Making things worse, 
community supports for mental health patients have dwindled during the 
pandemic, Lucht said. She said this has made post-discharge placement 
back into the community with adequate outpatient services more difficult
 than ever.

In response to the growing
 need for services and the shortfall of beds needed to accommodate 
patients, KU Health System has partnered with KDADS to discuss how to 
rectify the issues.

Cara Sloan-Ramos, 
spokeswoman for KDADS, said the department has adapted quickly to delays
 caused by reduced capacity. She added the need across Kansas 
communities for inpatient psychiatric treatment is on KDADS’ radar.

“KDADS continues to work 
to use the additional funds recommended by the governor and approved by 
the Legislature to add capacity at OSH, expand the use of regional 
diversion beds and eventually lift the moratorium on voluntary 
admissions at OSH,” Sloan-Ramos said.

Patients needing a bed at 
OSH often end up at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, said Derek Hurst, 
director of the integrated crisis team for Lawrence Memorial Hospital 
Health.

Since the pandemic began, 
Hurst has seen an increase in the length of stay and severity of cases 
for people waiting for a bed at OSH. Hurst’s focus is on preventative 
services.

The Lawrence hospital 
created an integrated crisis team to help reduce the utilization of 
state hospitals. Staff help connect patients with services before they 
require a stay at either state hospital, something Hurst said is 
necessary to mitigate the<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/05/kansas-mental-health-crisis-exacerbated-by-rising-stress-worker-pay-disparity/"> state’s mental health crisis</a>.

“The state hospital system
 has been stressed for a long time and needs some revitalization, but 
also throwing a bunch of money at a hospital is not going to solve the 
problem,” Hurst said. “What helps solve that problem is prevention, and 
the way to do that is making sure you have robust programs and funding 
at mental health and behavioral health services in your community.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602352002677.png" alt="With reduced capacity at state hospitals and stricter regulations, emergency room staff at Citizens Health have struggled with psychiatric patient overflow in addition to regular patients. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>With reduced capacity at state hospitals and stricter regulations, emergency room staff at Citizens Health have struggled with psychiatric patient overflow in addition to regular patients. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/10/kansas-ers-burdened-by-worsening-mental-health-crisis-overflow-from-state-hospitals/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Emergency rooms 
across Kansas are seeing an increase in people with behavioral and 
mental health issues seeking care amid the pandemic, and the medical 
facilities lack necessary resources or staff dedicated to serving these 
patients.Many of them are awaiting 
an open bed at Osawatomie State Hospital or Larned State Hospital, both 
inpatient psychiatric facilities operated by the Kansas Department for 
Aging and Disability Services.When the pandemic began, 
Osawatomie State Hospital reduced capacity from 60 to 44 to allow staff 
and other residents to implement social distancing guidelines and to 
ensure separate housing to monitor COVID-19 symptoms in new admissions.Larned State Hospital 
followed suit in May when beds were reduced from 90 to 72 to allow for 
single occupancy amid concerns the disease would spread quickly if a 
patient were to test positive.In August, capacity was 
raised back to 60 beds at Osawatomie, but Larned remains at 72 beds. 
Some patients have found themselves housed in the emergency room for 
days at a time while hospital staff look for an open bed at an inpatient
 facility.“Most mental health 
patients in western Kansas already get taken care of by ER staff,” said 
Jenny Niblock, chief clinical officer for Citizens Health in Colby, 
which has struggled with overflow since Larned reduced capacity. “These 
are family practice physicians that also need to take care of every 
other patient that might come into the ER, so there isn’t the staff to 
dedicate to sitting with these patients and taking care of them 
long-term.”Since the pandemic began 
in March, hospitals across the state have reported higher numbers of 
patients seeking behavioral health treatment, as well as an increase in 
the severity of psychiatric cases. With reduced capacity at state 
hospitals, issues already present with mental health treatment have been
 exacerbated.As of Sept. 14, an 
estimated 32.5% of Kansans are experiencing symptoms of an anxiety 
disorder or depressive disorder, according to a<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/mental-health.htm"> survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics</a>.The same survey shows 31.1% of Kansans did not get the care needed or had their care delayed amid the pandemic.This delay in service, at 
least for Citizens Health, could be in part because many inpatient 
facilities require a COVID-19 test before they accept a patient, Niblock
 said. While Larned does not require a COVID-19 test, many inpatient 
facilities do.However, Niblock said, 
rural hospitals like hers do not have access to rapid testing. As a 
result, the Colby-based medical center often must hold patients for 24 
to 48 hours while they await the test result.Even if the test comes 
back negative, finding a bed can be difficult for rural facilities like 
Citizens Health, where the nearest inpatient facility is a two-hour 
drive away and the nearest outpatient facility is three hours away.“Rural mental health 
patients already have a huge disparity in access to mental health 
inpatient and outpatient services,” Niblock said. “If all beds are full,
 we may need to look as far as five hours away for the necessary care.”The overflow of behavioral health patients camped in ERs is not limited to rural Kansas.Lauren Lucht, executive 
director of behavioral and mental health for The University of Kansas 
Health System, said its Kansas City emergency department has seen an 
uptick in acute presentation of patients in need of psychiatric care.Since the pandemic began, both their Marillac Campus and Strawberry Hill inpatient units have been full, Lucht said.“COVID-19 has brought on 
an increase in stressors, anxiety, social isolation, depression and 
substance use,” Lucht said. “All of these things have contributed to an 
increase in patients presenting to our ED for admission to one of our 
inpatient facilities or for an emergency hold until a patient is 
accepted into a state hospital bed.”Making things worse, 
community supports for mental health patients have dwindled during the 
pandemic, Lucht said. She said this has made post-discharge placement 
back into the community with adequate outpatient services more difficult
 than ever.In response to the growing
 need for services and the shortfall of beds needed to accommodate 
patients, KU Health System has partnered with KDADS to discuss how to 
rectify the issues.Cara Sloan-Ramos, 
spokeswoman for KDADS, said the department has adapted quickly to delays
 caused by reduced capacity. She added the need across Kansas 
communities for inpatient psychiatric treatment is on KDADS’ radar.“KDADS continues to work 
to use the additional funds recommended by the governor and approved by 
the Legislature to add capacity at OSH, expand the use of regional 
diversion beds and eventually lift the moratorium on voluntary 
admissions at OSH,” Sloan-Ramos said.Patients needing a bed at 
OSH often end up at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, said Derek Hurst, 
director of the integrated crisis team for Lawrence Memorial Hospital 
Health.Since the pandemic began, 
Hurst has seen an increase in the length of stay and severity of cases 
for people waiting for a bed at OSH. Hurst’s focus is on preventative 
services.The Lawrence hospital 
created an integrated crisis team to help reduce the utilization of 
state hospitals. Staff help connect patients with services before they 
require a stay at either state hospital, something Hurst said is 
necessary to mitigate the<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/05/kansas-mental-health-crisis-exacerbated-by-rising-stress-worker-pay-disparity/"> state’s mental health crisis</a>.“The state hospital system
 has been stressed for a long time and needs some revitalization, but 
also throwing a bunch of money at a hospital is not going to solve the 
problem,” Hurst said. “What helps solve that problem is prevention, and 
the way to do that is making sure you have robust programs and funding 
at mental health and behavioral health services in your community.”

Kansas ERs burdened by worsening mental health crisis

JEFFERSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 5p.m. Saturday in Jefferson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1993 Toyota Camry driven by Nicholas Reeb, 23, Topeka, was southbound on Kansas 4 just south south of southeast 62nd street.

The car left the roadway to the right and the driver overcorrected to the left. The car then left the road on the east side ditch of the highway and struck multiple trees on the way down.

Reeb was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

JEFFERSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 5p.m. Saturday in Jefferson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1993 Toyota Camry driven by Nicholas Reeb, 23, Topeka, was southbound on Kansas 4 just south south of southeast 62nd street.The car left the roadway to the right and the driver overcorrected to the left. The car then left the road on the east side ditch of the highway and struck multiple trees on the way down.Reeb was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after car crash into trees

TOPEKA —A fire blamed on power cords did considerable damage to a home on Saturday in Topeka.

Just after noon Saturday, fire crews&nbsp;responded to the fire in a home at 1216 NW Harrison, according to&nbsp; Fire Marshal Todd Harrison. When the arrived, crews found smoke coming from the single-story wood home.&nbsp; All occupants of the residence were able&nbsp;to escape prior to fire department’s arrival. 

Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire.

An investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Investigation&nbsp; unit determined the origin and cause of the fire associated with power cords.

The estimated dollar loss - $41,610.00; of which $31,610.00 is associated with structural loss and $10,000.00 is associated with content loss. Working smoke detectors were not located within the structure of fire origin.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602419992116.png" alt="Saturday afternoon fire in Topeka-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Saturday afternoon fire in Topeka-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —A fire blamed on power cords did considerable damage to a home on Saturday in Topeka.Just after noon Saturday, fire crews&nbsp;responded to the fire in a home at 1216 NW Harrison, according to&nbsp; Fire Marshal Todd Harrison. When the arrived, crews found smoke coming from the single-story wood home.&nbsp; All occupants of the residence were able&nbsp;to escape prior to fire department’s arrival. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire.An investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Investigation&nbsp; unit determined the origin and cause of the fire associated with power cords.The estimated dollar loss - $41,610.00; of which $31,610.00 is associated with structural loss and $10,000.00 is associated with content loss. Working smoke detectors were not located within the structure of fire origin.

Fire Marshal: Kan. house fire caused $41K damage; No smoke detectors

BROWN COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Ford Taurus driven by Billy M. Archie, 41, Lake, Mississippi, was being pursued by law enforcement eastbound on Kansas 20 and 5th Avenue in Horton.

The Taurus rear-ended a 2017 Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp;Mohr, Jay E. Mohr, 57, Platte City, Missouri

EMS transported Archie and a passenger Bridgette A. Mercasdo, 24, San Antonio, Texas, to the hospital in Hiawatha. Mohr was not injured.&nbsp; All three were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.&nbsp; Authorities have not released details on what prompted the chase.

BROWN COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Ford Taurus driven by Billy M. Archie, 41, Lake, Mississippi, was being pursued by law enforcement eastbound on Kansas 20 and 5th Avenue in Horton.The Taurus rear-ended a 2017 Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp;Mohr, Jay E. Mohr, 57, Platte City, MissouriEMS transported Archie and a passenger Bridgette A. Mercasdo, 24, San Antonio, Texas, to the hospital in Hiawatha. Mohr was not injured.&nbsp; All three were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.&nbsp; Authorities have not released details on what prompted the chase.

2 hospitalized after rear-end crash during Kan. chase

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors have charged a man in the fatal stabbing of another man last weekend in Kansas City, Kansas, as well as for a police chase the suspect is accused of instigating. 

Gerald Chatman, 40, Kansas City, Kansas, has been charged in Wyandotte County District Court with second-degree murder and fleeing law enforcement charges. 

He is accused of fatally stabbing 45-year-old Thompson Stephenson on Saturday before fleeing. Officers called to the scene found Stephenson in the grass suffering from stab wounds. He was taken to a hospital where he later died. Police say Chatman fled the scene and was arrested after a car chase that involved the Kansas Highway Patrol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602256654106.png" alt="Chatman" />
 <figcaption>Chatman</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors have charged a man in the fatal stabbing of another man last weekend in Kansas City, Kansas, as well as for a police chase the suspect is accused of instigating. Gerald Chatman, 40, Kansas City, Kansas, has been charged in Wyandotte County District Court with second-degree murder and fleeing law enforcement charges. He is accused of fatally stabbing 45-year-old Thompson Stephenson on Saturday before fleeing. Officers called to the scene found Stephenson in the grass suffering from stab wounds. He was taken to a hospital where he later died. Police say Chatman fled the scene and was arrested after a car chase that involved the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Kan. man charged for fatal stabbing after KHP chase

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man is suing a over a crash that killed his wife, three of his children and his stepdaughter.

Jeffrey Williams, of Viola, is seeking more than $75,000 in damages in the wrongful death lawsuit filed this month against Andrew Specht and his employer, Wellington-based L.B. White Trucking Inc, The Wichita Eagle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article246342700.html" target="_blank">reports.</a>

The suit alleges that Specht was driving a tractor-trailer loaded with grain at a “reckless speed” on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-accidents-archive-2be1a0673ba38c6819971ce3433c3fcd">Sept. 25</a>&nbsp;when he ran a stop sign and slammed into the sport utility vehicle in which Williams’ family was riding in southwest Sedgwick County. The impact instantly killed 32-year-old Jessica Noel, 10-year-old Anaiah Brady, 4-year-old Jeffrey Thompson III and 4-month-old Hank Thompson. A fourth child, 23-month-old Mack Thompson, died later at a hospital.

The paternal grandparents of Anaiah Brady, whose biological father died in 2012, filed their own wrongful death lawsuit last month.

The trucking company’s owner, Ronald White, previously called the crash “a tragedy” but hasn’t commented on the lawsuits.

Williams’ attorney, Joseph Fried, said in an email that Williams is “fighting to just breathe right now and be the best father he can be for his sole surviving daughter.” He said the family’s dog also died in the crash.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601087662644.png" alt="Fatal crash scene photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Fatal crash scene photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man is suing a over a crash that killed his wife, three of his children and his stepdaughter.Jeffrey Williams, of Viola, is seeking more than $75,000 in damages in the wrongful death lawsuit filed this month against Andrew Specht and his employer, Wellington-based L.B. White Trucking Inc, The Wichita Eagle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article246342700.html" target="_blank">reports.</a>The suit alleges that Specht was driving a tractor-trailer loaded with grain at a “reckless speed” on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-accidents-archive-2be1a0673ba38c6819971ce3433c3fcd">Sept. 25</a>&nbsp;when he ran a stop sign and slammed into the sport utility vehicle in which Williams’ family was riding in southwest Sedgwick County. The impact instantly killed 32-year-old Jessica Noel, 10-year-old Anaiah Brady, 4-year-old Jeffrey Thompson III and 4-month-old Hank Thompson. A fourth child, 23-month-old Mack Thompson, died later at a hospital.The paternal grandparents of Anaiah Brady, whose biological father died in 2012, filed their own wrongful death lawsuit last month.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601304945425.png" alt="Jessica Noel and her children photo courtesy GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Jessica Noel and her children photo courtesy GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>The trucking company’s owner, Ronald White, previously called the crash “a tragedy” but hasn’t commented on the lawsuits.Williams’ attorney, Joseph Fried, said in an email that Williams is “fighting to just breathe right now and be the best father he can be for his sole surviving daughter.” He said the family’s dog also died in the crash.

Kansas man sues over crash that kills wife, 4 children

STAFFORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9a.m. Saturday in Stafford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Pontiac Vibe driven by&nbsp; Michiel&nbsp;De Jongh, 25, Saint John, was&nbsp;

southbound on NW 30th Avenue and did not stop at the stop sign for U.S. 50.

An eastbound 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Heather Renee Smith-Arensman, 45, Kinsley, struck the Pontiac. Both vehicles came to rest in the southbound ditch.

De Jongh was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Minnis Chapel. EMS transported&nbsp;Smith-Arensman and a passenger Taylor&nbsp;Arensman, 10, Kinsley, to the Stafford County Hospital.&nbsp;De Jongh was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

STAFFORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9a.m. Saturday in Stafford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Pontiac Vibe driven by&nbsp; Michiel&nbsp;De Jongh, 25, Saint John, was&nbsp;southbound on NW 30th Avenue and did not stop at the stop sign for U.S. 50.An eastbound 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Heather Renee Smith-Arensman, 45, Kinsley, struck the Pontiac. Both vehicles came to rest in the southbound ditch.De Jongh was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Minnis Chapel. EMS transported&nbsp;Smith-Arensman and a passenger Taylor&nbsp;Arensman, 10, Kinsley, to the Stafford County Hospital.&nbsp;De Jongh was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.