SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on new drug charges.

Just before 12:30 a.m. Monday, deputies made contact with Madison M. Scharff, 24, of Topeka, who was a passenger in a vehicle the 300 block of NE 35th Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 During the investigation, deputies located narcotics and drug paraphernalia. They arrested Scharff and booked her into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600807369031.png" alt="Scharff has recent arrests in Lyon, Mitchell and Saline County, according to online jail records. - photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Scharff has recent arrests in Lyon, Mitchell and Saline County, according to online jail records. - photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on new drug charges.Just before 12:30 a.m. Monday, deputies made contact with Madison M. Scharff, 24, of Topeka, who was a passenger in a vehicle the 300 block of NE 35th Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, deputies located narcotics and drug paraphernalia. They arrested Scharff and booked her into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine.

Kansas woman back in jail after deputies find drugs in car

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah said Tuesday he supports voting to fill the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ruth-bader-ginsburg">Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s&nbsp;</a>seat on the Supreme Court, all but ensuring President Donald Trump has the backing to push his choice to confirmation over Democratic objections that it’s too close to the November election.

Romney told reporters that it is not “written in the stars” that the court will have a liberal bent and that with Trump’s nominee — still to be announced — it will become more conservative.

Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and the Democrats would need four GOP defections to block consideration. Two Republicans have said they oppose taking up a nomination at this time, but no others are in sight.

“If the nominee reaches the Senate floor, I intend to vote based upon their qualifications,” Romney said. Even if he and the other two should eventually vote against Trump’s nominee, Vice President Mike Pence could break a 50-50 tie in Trump’s favor.

Trump is planning to announce his choice to replace the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ruth-bader-ginsburg">Ginsburg</a>&nbsp;on Saturday, setting off one of the quickest confirmation processes in modern times, with early voting for the presidential election is already underway in several states.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declined to provide scheduling information as he opened the chamber Tuesday, but he is set to meet privately with GOP senators at their campaign headquarters to assess next steps.

Conservative senators are pushing for a swift vote before Nov. 3. The Senate Judiciary chairman who will shepherd the nomination through the chamber said Republicans have the support they need for confirmation.

“The nominee is going to be supported by every Republican in the Judiciary Committee,” Chairman Lindsey Graham told Fox News late Monday. “We’ve got the votes to confirm the justice on the floor of the Senate before the election and that’s what’s coming.”

The president met with conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett at the White House on Monday and told reporters he would interview&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a10e2a9e06dbaec42c21fc70763bdc96" target="_blank">other candidates&nbsp;</a>and might meet with Judge Barbara Lagoa when he travels to Florida later this week. Conversations in the White House and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office have been increasingly focused on Barrett and Lagoa, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private deliberations.

Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber and can confirm a justice by a simple majority.

Romney would not say whether he supports Barrett or any particular candidate. But he acknowledged the court will shift to become more conservative.

“I recognize that we, we may have a court which has more of a conservative bent than it’s had over the last few decades,” Romney told reporters on Capitol Hill. “But my liberal friends have over many decades gotten very used to the idea of having a liberal court. And that’s not written in the stars.”

Democrats point to hypocrisy in Republicans trying to rush through a pick so close to the election after McConnell led the GOP in refusing to vote on a nominee of President Barack Obama in February 2016, long before that year’s election.

Romney dismissed that argument, saying “it was not unfair” of Republicans to refuse to consider Obama’s choice of Merrick Garland.

Barrett has long been favored by conservatives, and those familiar with the process said interest inside the White House seemed to be waning for Lagoa amid concerns by some that she did not have a proven record as a conservative jurist. Lagoa has been pushed by some aides who tout her political advantages of being Hispanic and hailing from the key political battleground state of Florida.

Barrett, 48, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, was a strong contender for the seat that eventually went to Brett Kavanaugh in 2018. At the time, Trump told confidants he was “saving” Barrett for Ginsburg’s seat.

Before joining the 7th Circuit, she had made her mark in law primarily as an academic at the University of Notre Dame, where she received a law degree and later began teaching at age 30. She clerked at the Supreme Court for conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, worked at the Miller, Cassidy, Larroca &amp; Lewin law firm in Washington, D.C., then returned to Notre Dame.

Barrett has long expressed sympathy with a mode of interpreting the Constitution called originalism, in which justices try to decipher original meanings of texts in deciding cases. Many liberals say that approach doesn’t allow the Constitution to change with the times.

Trump has said he would choose a woman, and he admitted that politics may play a role. He gave a nod to another election battleground state, Michigan, and White House officials confirmed he was referring to Joan Larsen, a federal appeals court judge there.

The president also indicated that Allison Jones Rushing, a 38-year-old appellate judge from North Carolina, is on his short list. His team is also actively considering Kate Todd, the White House deputy counsel who has never been a judge but was a clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas.

Democrats, led by presidential nominee Joe Biden, are protesting the Republicans’ rush to replace Ginsburg, saying voters should speak first, on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2020">Election Day</a>, and the winner of the White House should fill the vacancy. Biden was appealing to GOP senators to “uphold your constitutional duty, your conscience” and wait until after the election.

Trump dismissed those arguments, telling TV’s “Fox &amp; Friends” on Monday, “I think that would be good for the Republican Party, and I think it would be good for everybody to get it over with.”

The mounting clash over the vacant seat — when to fill it and with whom — injects new turbulence in the presidential campaign with the nation still reeling from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">coronavirus pandemic&nbsp;</a>that has killed nearly 200,000 Americans, left millions unemployed and heightened partisan tensions and anger.

Trump said he’s also considering one of his own lawyers. Kate Comerford Todd is a deputy White House counsel, helping navigate Trump’s White House through a thicket of legal issues. Todd was viewed as the favorite of White House lawyers, but there were concerns that the confirmation process would not be as smooth for a first-time jurist. Lawyers who have worked with her say she would be an excellent choice.

Ginsburg, 87, died Friday of metastatic pancreatic cancer. She will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol this week, the first woman ever accorded that honor. First, her casket is to be on view midweek on the steps of the high court.

With just over a month before the election, McConnell said the Senate has “more than sufficient time.”

No nominee has won confirmation so quickly since Sandra Day O’Connor — with no opposition from either party — became the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court in 1981.

Both sides are mobilizing for a wrenching confirmation fight punctuated by crucial issues before the court — healthcare, abortion access and even the potential outcome of the coming presidential election. Some protesters showed up early Monday morning outside the homes of key GOP senators.

At a Trump rally later Monday in Ohio, people chanted, “Fill the seat!”

Four Republicans could halt a quick confirmation and Trump criticized Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska for opposing a vote before elections. The president warned they would be “very badly hurt” by voters.

Others, including GOP Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Cory Gardner of Colorado, declined to join in opposing the president’s plan.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer objected to what he called McConnell’s “utterly craven” pursuit of Supreme Court confirmation under current circumstances, warning it would shatter Senate norms. “It’s enough to make your head explode,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600787944246.png" alt="Utah&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?wromney">Senator Mitt Romney</a>&nbsp;released a statement Tuesday saying he supports a vote on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/organization/?137322/President-Trump">President Trump</a>’s nominee to replace the late&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?ruthginsburg">Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg</a>.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Utah&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?wromney">Senator Mitt Romney</a>&nbsp;released a statement Tuesday saying he supports a vote on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/organization/?137322/President-Trump">President Trump</a>’s nominee to replace the late&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?ruthginsburg">Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg</a>.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah said Tuesday he supports voting to fill the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ruth-bader-ginsburg">Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s&nbsp;</a>seat on the Supreme Court, all but ensuring President Donald Trump has the backing to push his choice to confirmation over Democratic objections that it’s too close to the November election.Romney told reporters that it is not “written in the stars” that the court will have a liberal bent and that with Trump’s nominee — still to be announced — it will become more conservative.Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and the Democrats would need four GOP defections to block consideration. Two Republicans have said they oppose taking up a nomination at this time, but no others are in sight.“If the nominee reaches the Senate floor, I intend to vote based upon their qualifications,” Romney said. Even if he and the other two should eventually vote against Trump’s nominee, Vice President Mike Pence could break a 50-50 tie in Trump’s favor.Trump is planning to announce his choice to replace the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ruth-bader-ginsburg">Ginsburg</a>&nbsp;on Saturday, setting off one of the quickest confirmation processes in modern times, with early voting for the presidential election is already underway in several states.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declined to provide scheduling information as he opened the chamber Tuesday, but he is set to meet privately with GOP senators at their campaign headquarters to assess next steps.Conservative senators are pushing for a swift vote before Nov. 3. The Senate Judiciary chairman who will shepherd the nomination through the chamber said Republicans have the support they need for confirmation.“The nominee is going to be supported by every Republican in the Judiciary Committee,” Chairman Lindsey Graham told Fox News late Monday. “We’ve got the votes to confirm the justice on the floor of the Senate before the election and that’s what’s coming.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600719986656.png" alt="Amy Coney Barrett-during her 7th Circuit Court confirmation hearing -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Amy Coney Barrett-during her 7th Circuit Court confirmation hearing -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The president met with conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett at the White House on Monday and told reporters he would interview&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a10e2a9e06dbaec42c21fc70763bdc96" target="_blank">other candidates&nbsp;</a>and might meet with Judge Barbara Lagoa when he travels to Florida later this week. Conversations in the White House and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office have been increasingly focused on Barrett and Lagoa, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private deliberations.Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber and can confirm a justice by a simple majority.Romney would not say whether he supports Barrett or any particular candidate. But he acknowledged the court will shift to become more conservative.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600719922422.png" alt="Barbara Lagoa -photo courtesy Florida Supreme&nbsp; Court" />
 <figcaption>Barbara Lagoa -photo courtesy Florida Supreme&nbsp; Court</figcaption>
 </figure>“I recognize that we, we may have a court which has more of a conservative bent than it’s had over the last few decades,” Romney told reporters on Capitol Hill. “But my liberal friends have over many decades gotten very used to the idea of having a liberal court. And that’s not written in the stars.”Democrats point to hypocrisy in Republicans trying to rush through a pick so close to the election after McConnell led the GOP in refusing to vote on a nominee of President Barack Obama in February 2016, long before that year’s election.Romney dismissed that argument, saying “it was not unfair” of Republicans to refuse to consider Obama’s choice of Merrick Garland.Barrett has long been favored by conservatives, and those familiar with the process said interest inside the White House seemed to be waning for Lagoa amid concerns by some that she did not have a proven record as a conservative jurist. Lagoa has been pushed by some aides who tout her political advantages of being Hispanic and hailing from the key political battleground state of Florida.Barrett, 48, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, was a strong contender for the seat that eventually went to Brett Kavanaugh in 2018. At the time, Trump told confidants he was “saving” Barrett for Ginsburg’s seat.Before joining the 7th Circuit, she had made her mark in law primarily as an academic at the University of Notre Dame, where she received a law degree and later began teaching at age 30. She clerked at the Supreme Court for conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, worked at the Miller, Cassidy, Larroca &amp; Lewin law firm in Washington, D.C., then returned to Notre Dame.Barrett has long expressed sympathy with a mode of interpreting the Constitution called originalism, in which justices try to decipher original meanings of texts in deciding cases. Many liberals say that approach doesn’t allow the Constitution to change with the times.Trump has said he would choose a woman, and he admitted that politics may play a role. He gave a nod to another election battleground state, Michigan, and White House officials confirmed he was referring to Joan Larsen, a federal appeals court judge there.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600778856835.png" alt="Allison Jones Rushing-photo Courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Allison Jones Rushing-photo Courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The president also indicated that Allison Jones Rushing, a 38-year-old appellate judge from North Carolina, is on his short list. His team is also actively considering Kate Todd, the White House deputy counsel who has never been a judge but was a clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas.Democrats, led by presidential nominee Joe Biden, are protesting the Republicans’ rush to replace Ginsburg, saying voters should speak first, on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2020">Election Day</a>, and the winner of the White House should fill the vacancy. Biden was appealing to GOP senators to “uphold your constitutional duty, your conscience” and wait until after the election.Trump dismissed those arguments, telling TV’s “Fox &amp; Friends” on Monday, “I think that would be good for the Republican Party, and I think it would be good for everybody to get it over with.”The mounting clash over the vacant seat — when to fill it and with whom — injects new turbulence in the presidential campaign with the nation still reeling from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">coronavirus pandemic&nbsp;</a>that has killed nearly 200,000 Americans, left millions unemployed and heightened partisan tensions and anger.Trump said he’s also considering one of his own lawyers. Kate Comerford Todd is a deputy White House counsel, helping navigate Trump’s White House through a thicket of legal issues. Todd was viewed as the favorite of White House lawyers, but there were concerns that the confirmation process would not be as smooth for a first-time jurist. Lawyers who have worked with her say she would be an excellent choice.Ginsburg, 87, died Friday of metastatic pancreatic cancer. She will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol this week, the first woman ever accorded that honor. First, her casket is to be on view midweek on the steps of the high court.With just over a month before the election, McConnell said the Senate has “more than sufficient time.”No nominee has won confirmation so quickly since Sandra Day O’Connor — with no opposition from either party — became the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court in 1981.Both sides are mobilizing for a wrenching confirmation fight punctuated by crucial issues before the court — healthcare, abortion access and even the potential outcome of the coming presidential election. Some protesters showed up early Monday morning outside the homes of key GOP senators.At a Trump rally later Monday in Ohio, people chanted, “Fill the seat!”Four Republicans could halt a quick confirmation and Trump criticized Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska for opposing a vote before elections. The president warned they would be “very badly hurt” by voters.Others, including GOP Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Cory Gardner of Colorado, declined to join in opposing the president’s plan.Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer objected to what he called McConnell’s “utterly craven” pursuit of Supreme Court confirmation under current circumstances, warning it would shatter Senate norms. “It’s enough to make your head explode,” he said.

GOP has votes to confirm next Supreme Court justice 

WICHITA– A Kansas&nbsp; man pleaded guilty Tuesday to an armed robbery at a convenience store in Newton, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Jorge Correa, 25, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. In his plea, Correa admitted that on Feb. 4, 2020, he and two co-defendants robbed the EZ Trip at 100 S. Main in Newton.

 Correa had a military style rifle. The clerk gave them cash, but Correa demanded more. While the clerk was getting money from her purse, Correa fired several shots that hit the ceiling, aisle displays and an ATM machine.

 Both Correa and Montes were armed when they entered the store before 6 a.m. Feb. 4.

Investigators used surveillance footage to identify a license tag number of the getaway vehicle. After a high speed pursuit, the Kansas Highway Patrol arrested the three defendants. Urias was driving. Montes was wearing a red hoodie and sitting in the front passenger seat. Correa was sitting in the back seat with a rifle.

Co-defendant&nbsp;Rico Montes&nbsp;is set for a change of plea hearing Sept. 30. Co-defendant&nbsp;Jeremiah Urias&nbsp;is set for a change of plea hearing Sept. 28.

Correa is set for sentencing Dec. 8. He could face a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. McAllister commended the FBI, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Newton Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600809470070.png" alt="Law enforcement on the scene of the crash and arrest on Magnolia in Salina -photo courtesy KHP" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement on the scene of the crash and arrest on Magnolia in Salina -photo courtesy KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA– A Kansas&nbsp; man pleaded guilty Tuesday to an armed robbery at a convenience store in Newton, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.Jorge Correa, 25, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. In his plea, Correa admitted that on Feb. 4, 2020, he and two co-defendants robbed the EZ Trip at 100 S. Main in Newton.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581099764567.png" alt="Correa -photo Harvey Co." />
 <figcaption>Correa -photo Harvey Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Correa had a military style rifle. The clerk gave them cash, but Correa demanded more. While the clerk was getting money from her purse, Correa fired several shots that hit the ceiling, aisle displays and an ATM machine. Both Correa and Montes were armed when they entered the store before 6 a.m. Feb. 4.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600809125735.png" alt="Montes" />
 <figcaption>Montes</figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators used surveillance footage to identify a license tag number of the getaway vehicle. After a high speed pursuit, the Kansas Highway Patrol arrested the three defendants. Urias was driving. Montes was wearing a red hoodie and sitting in the front passenger seat. Correa was sitting in the back seat with a rifle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581099636176.png" alt="Urias photo Harvey Co. " />
 <figcaption>Urias photo Harvey Co. </figcaption>
 </figure>Co-defendant&nbsp;Rico Montes&nbsp;is set for a change of plea hearing Sept. 30. Co-defendant&nbsp;Jeremiah Urias&nbsp;is set for a change of plea hearing Sept. 28.Correa is set for sentencing Dec. 8. He could face a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. McAllister commended the FBI, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Newton Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.

Kan. man admits he fired shots  in Newton armed robbery

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — More Kansas schools have ended in-person classes and canceled sports because of coronavirus exposure and team quarantines.

Both Haysville and Derby have quarantined their high school football teams, but Derby still plans to hold Friday night’s game.

Chanute has canceled football games, but is continuing in-person classes against the recommendation of the state’s reopening guide.

The school board in Atwood overruled the superintendent’s decision to move classes to remote learning before reversing course.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is expected to identify active coronavirus clusters on Wednesday, including outbreaks at schools and on sports teams.

Gov. Laura Kelly has said she feared large outbreaks of COVID-19 as children return to school, sports practices resume and college students return to campuses.

In Abilene, Superintendent Greg Brown said in a statement Monday that all classes will be remote for two weeks after four adults tested positive and another four who are sick await test results.

“Please understand this is absolutely the last thing we want to do,” Brown said. “We understand how important it is to have our students in school, receiving a first-rate educational experience, but COVID-19 has struck our teachers and support staff significantly.”

In El Dorado, the high school soccer team is in quarantine after a potential exposure and soccer games have been postponed. In Winfield, the high school volleyball team that had practices and matches suspended after two student-athletes tested positive.

Fort Scott, Independence and Chanute in southeast Kansas canceled football for two weeks, the newspaper reported.

Preschool students at Roosevelt Elementary in Arkansas City on Friday were banned from in-person classes for two weeks after someone tested positive. Earlier that same week, Arkansas City school officials announced a class at Frances Willard Elementary had in-person classes suspended for 14 days.

In Johnson County, some parents are objecting after health officials urged more than 100 people who had contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 at an elementary school in Overland Park to quarantine for 14 days.

State health officials reported on Monday 53,959 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 600 deaths since the pandemic began — an increase of 1,674 cases and four deaths over the weekend.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — More Kansas schools have ended in-person classes and canceled sports because of coronavirus exposure and team quarantines.Both Haysville and Derby have quarantined their high school football teams, but Derby still plans to hold Friday night’s game.Chanute has canceled football games, but is continuing in-person classes against the recommendation of the state’s reopening guide.The school board in Atwood overruled the superintendent’s decision to move classes to remote learning before reversing course.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is expected to identify active coronavirus clusters on Wednesday, including outbreaks at schools and on sports teams.Gov. Laura Kelly has said she feared large outbreaks of COVID-19 as children return to school, sports practices resume and college students return to campuses.In Abilene, Superintendent Greg Brown said in a statement Monday that all classes will be remote for two weeks after four adults tested positive and another four who are sick await test results.“Please understand this is absolutely the last thing we want to do,” Brown said. “We understand how important it is to have our students in school, receiving a first-rate educational experience, but COVID-19 has struck our teachers and support staff significantly.”In El Dorado, the high school soccer team is in quarantine after a potential exposure and soccer games have been postponed. In Winfield, the high school volleyball team that had practices and matches suspended after two student-athletes tested positive.Fort Scott, Independence and Chanute in southeast Kansas canceled football for two weeks, the newspaper reported.Preschool students at Roosevelt Elementary in Arkansas City on Friday were banned from in-person classes for two weeks after someone tested positive. Earlier that same week, Arkansas City school officials announced a class at Frances Willard Elementary had in-person classes suspended for 14 days.In Johnson County, some parents are objecting after health officials urged more than 100 people who had contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 at an elementary school in Overland Park to quarantine for 14 days.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600708052188.png" alt="Sept. 21, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Sept. 21, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>State health officials reported on Monday 53,959 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 600 deaths since the pandemic began — an increase of 1,674 cases and four deaths over the weekend.

More Kansas schools ending in-person classes, sports

By SARAH JANE TRIBBLE <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-09-22/rural-hospitals-in-kansas-and-elsewhere-are-looking-at-federal-coronavirus-loans-skeptically">Kansas News Service</a>

David Usher, chief financial officer for a 12-bed rural hospital in western Kansas, is sitting on $1.7 million he's scared to spend.

The
 money lent from the federal government is meant to help hospitals and 
other health care providers weather the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet some 
hospital administrators have called it a payday loan program that is now
 brutally due for repayment at a time when the institutions still need 
help.

Coronavirus cases have "picked up recently and it's quite 
worrying," says Usher, who is the chief financial officer for Edwards 
County Medical Center in Kinsley, Kansas. He would like to use the 
federal loan money to build a negative-pressure room. Such rooms are a 
common and effective tool for keeping contagious patients apart from 
those in the rest of the hospital.

But he's not sure it's safe to spend that cash. Officially, the total repayment of the loan
 is due this month. Otherwise, according to the loan's terms, federal 
regulators will stop reimbursing the hospitals for Medicare patients' 
treatments until the loan is repaid in full.

When will the creditor come calling?

The
 federal Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services has not yet begun 
trying to recoup its investment, with the coronavirus still affecting 
communities nationwide, but hospital leaders fear it may come calling for repayment any day now.

Hospital
 leaders across the country say there has been no communication from CMS
 on whether or when it will adjust the repayment deadline. A CMS 
spokesperson did not respond to our questions by publishing time.

"It's
 great having the money," Usher says. "But if I don't know how much I 
get to keep, I don't get to spend the money wisely and effectively on 
the facility."

Usher took out the loan from Medicare's Accelerated
 and Advance Payments program. The program, which existed long before 
the pandemic, was generally used sparingly by hospitals when they were 
faced with emergencies such as hurricanes or tornadoes. It was expanded 
for use during the coronavirus pandemic — part of billions approved <a href="https://khn.org/news/amid-coronavirus-distress-wealthy-hospitals-hoard-millions/" target="_blank">in federal relief funds</a> for health care providers this spring.

A
 full repayment of a hospital's loan is technically due 120 days after 
it was received. If it is not paid, Medicare will stop reimbursing 
claims until it recoups the money it is owed — a point spelled out in 
the program's rules. Medicare reimburses nearly <a href="https://data.cdc.gov/Administrative/Provider-Relief-Fund-Accelerated-and-Advance-Payme/v2pi-w3up" target="_blank">$60 billion in payments</a> to health care providers nationwide under Medicare's Part A program, which makes payments to hospitals.

More
 than 65% of the nation's small, rural hospitals — many of which were 
operating at a deficit before the pandemic — jumped at the Medicare 
loans when the pandemic hit because they were the first funds available, says <a href="https://www.ruralhealthweb.org/about-nrha/staff-directory" target="_blank">Maggie Elehwany</a>, former vice president of government affairs for the National Rural Health Association.

CMS halted new loan applications to the program at the end of April.

"The
 pandemic has simply gone on longer than anyone anticipated back in 
March," says Joanna Hiatt Kim, vice president of payment policy and 
analysis for the American Hospital Association. The trade association <a href="https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2020/07/cms-urged-to-delay-repayment-of-accelerated-payments-letter-7-29-20.pdf" target="_blank">sent a letter</a> to CMS in late July asking for a delay in the recoupment.

On
 Monday, the House Appropriations Committee included partial relief for 
all hospitals in a new government funding plan. The committee's proposal
 would extend the start of the repayment period for hospitals and the 
amount of time they are allowed to take to repay.

The <a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/Continuing%20Appropriations%202021%20Extensions%202020%20Summary.pdf" target="_blank">continuing resolution</a>
 that includes this language about relief for hospitals (among many, 
many other things) is still being hammered out, though it does face its 
own deadline: It must be approved by the House and the Senate within the
 next nine days or the federal government faces a shutdown.

"Still in the middle of this crisis"

Tom Nickels, executive vice president at the AHA, says his organization appreciates the House committee's effort to address the loans in the new bill, but full forgiveness of the loans is still needed.

Sen.
 Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, has called for changes to the
 loan repayment period for months and said Monday "our work is far from 
over."

"We are still in the middle of this crisis — from both health and economic standpoints," Shaheen says.

Meanwhile,
 hospital administrators like Peter Wright are holding their breath, 
waiting to see if, in order to settle the debt, Medicare will stop 
making payments to hospitals, even as the facilities continue to grapple
 with the coronavirus in their communities.

"The feds, if you owe 
them money, they just take it," says Wright, who oversees two small 
hospitals for Central Maine Healthcare in Bridgton, Maine. He says his 
health care system took the money because "we had no other choice; it 
was a cash flow issue."

For many hospitals, Medicare payments make
 up 40% or more of their revenue. Not being reimbursed by Medicare would
 be crippling — akin to a household losing nearly half its income.

"We have no idea what we're going to do if we have to pay it back as quickly as they say," Wright says.

In
 rural Kentucky, hospital executive Sheila Currans says she "vacillated"
 for about a week or so, trying to decide whether to tap the loan 
program for her hospital — she knew it would have to be repaid and 
worried that could prove difficult.

"It was a desperate time," 
says Currans, chief executive of Harrison Memorial Hospital in 
Cynthiana, Ky. In early March her hospital was the first in the state to
 treat a COVID-19 patient, she says.

The hospital immediately quarantined dozens of staff members at the time and
 shut down elective procedures. Once COVID-19 was confirmed in the 
community, there was a "horrible fear" among residents of getting 
infected, Currans says, and that kept people from seeking outpatient 
care as well.

"Through March and April and most of May, I was in a
 complete spiral," Currans says, and by the end of April her hospital 
was losing millions of dollars. To cope with the pandemic, she 
furloughed staff and turned one wing of the hospital into a "cough 
clinic" to be used exclusively by patients whose symptoms suggested they
 might be infected with the coronavirus.

Currans says the hospital
 is still seeing cases of COVID-19 show up, but other patients are 
beginning to return for services, too, such as at the outpatient 
clinics.

In terms of the hospital's finances, "it's still not a 
wonderful time," Currans says, adding that the Medicare loan and other 
support from the federal government "helped us — at least for now — 
survive it."

She's hoping the repayment demand will be pushed back to 2021 or, perhaps, the loan will be forgiven.

"I know it's a pipe dream," Currans says. "But this has been a historic event."

<a href="https://khn.org/" target="_blank">Kaiser Health News</a> is a nonprofit, independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, and is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

Sarah Jane Tribble spent more than a year and a half <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/khn.org/news/tag/no-mercy/__;!!Iwwt!Bq6oM4K2JC4j2urJjlZnjh7wtAM_dzduY7xXFLXAOdeinR9h2LJlUEZHTNUhtg$" target="_blank">reporting</a>
 on a Kansas town that lost its only hospital. This month, KHN and St. 
Louis Public Radio will launch "Where It Hurts," a podcast exploring the
 often painful cracks growing in America's health system. You can listen
 to Episode 1 of the podcast's first season, "<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-it-hurts/id1529977695__;!!Iwwt!Bq6oM4K2JC4j2urJjlZnjh7wtAM_dzduY7xXFLXAOdeinR9h2LJlUEZCVurJdQ$" target="_blank">No Mercy</a>," on Sept. 29.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600800818154.png" alt="The hospital in this central Kansas town is nervous about taking a loan from the federal government to help pay for COVID-19 expenses. Scott Canon / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>The hospital in this central Kansas town is nervous about taking a loan from the federal government to help pay for COVID-19 expenses. Scott Canon / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By SARAH JANE TRIBBLE <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-09-22/rural-hospitals-in-kansas-and-elsewhere-are-looking-at-federal-coronavirus-loans-skeptically">Kansas News Service</a>David Usher, chief financial officer for a 12-bed rural hospital in western Kansas, is sitting on $1.7 million he's scared to spend.The
 money lent from the federal government is meant to help hospitals and 
other health care providers weather the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet some 
hospital administrators have called it a payday loan program that is now
 brutally due for repayment at a time when the institutions still need 
help.Coronavirus cases have "picked up recently and it's quite 
worrying," says Usher, who is the chief financial officer for Edwards 
County Medical Center in Kinsley, Kansas. He would like to use the 
federal loan money to build a negative-pressure room. Such rooms are a 
common and effective tool for keeping contagious patients apart from 
those in the rest of the hospital.But he's not sure it's safe to spend that cash. Officially, the total repayment of the loan
 is due this month. Otherwise, according to the loan's terms, federal 
regulators will stop reimbursing the hospitals for Medicare patients' 
treatments until the loan is repaid in full.When will the creditor come calling?The
 federal Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services has not yet begun 
trying to recoup its investment, with the coronavirus still affecting 
communities nationwide, but hospital leaders fear it may come calling for repayment any day now.Hospital
 leaders across the country say there has been no communication from CMS
 on whether or when it will adjust the repayment deadline. A CMS 
spokesperson did not respond to our questions by publishing time."It's
 great having the money," Usher says. "But if I don't know how much I 
get to keep, I don't get to spend the money wisely and effectively on 
the facility."Usher took out the loan from Medicare's Accelerated
 and Advance Payments program. The program, which existed long before 
the pandemic, was generally used sparingly by hospitals when they were 
faced with emergencies such as hurricanes or tornadoes. It was expanded 
for use during the coronavirus pandemic — part of billions approved <a href="https://khn.org/news/amid-coronavirus-distress-wealthy-hospitals-hoard-millions/" target="_blank">in federal relief funds</a> for health care providers this spring.A
 full repayment of a hospital's loan is technically due 120 days after 
it was received. If it is not paid, Medicare will stop reimbursing 
claims until it recoups the money it is owed — a point spelled out in 
the program's rules. Medicare reimburses nearly <a href="https://data.cdc.gov/Administrative/Provider-Relief-Fund-Accelerated-and-Advance-Payme/v2pi-w3up" target="_blank">$60 billion in payments</a> to health care providers nationwide under Medicare's Part A program, which makes payments to hospitals.More
 than 65% of the nation's small, rural hospitals — many of which were 
operating at a deficit before the pandemic — jumped at the Medicare 
loans when the pandemic hit because they were the first funds available, says <a href="https://www.ruralhealthweb.org/about-nrha/staff-directory" target="_blank">Maggie Elehwany</a>, former vice president of government affairs for the National Rural Health Association.CMS halted new loan applications to the program at the end of April."The
 pandemic has simply gone on longer than anyone anticipated back in 
March," says Joanna Hiatt Kim, vice president of payment policy and 
analysis for the American Hospital Association. The trade association <a href="https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2020/07/cms-urged-to-delay-repayment-of-accelerated-payments-letter-7-29-20.pdf" target="_blank">sent a letter</a> to CMS in late July asking for a delay in the recoupment.On
 Monday, the House Appropriations Committee included partial relief for 
all hospitals in a new government funding plan. The committee's proposal
 would extend the start of the repayment period for hospitals and the 
amount of time they are allowed to take to repay.The <a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/Continuing%20Appropriations%202021%20Extensions%202020%20Summary.pdf" target="_blank">continuing resolution</a>
 that includes this language about relief for hospitals (among many, 
many other things) is still being hammered out, though it does face its 
own deadline: It must be approved by the House and the Senate within the
 next nine days or the federal government faces a shutdown."Still in the middle of this crisis"Tom Nickels, executive vice president at the AHA, says his organization appreciates the House committee's effort to address the loans in the new bill, but full forgiveness of the loans is still needed.Sen.
 Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, has called for changes to the
 loan repayment period for months and said Monday "our work is far from 
over.""We are still in the middle of this crisis — from both health and economic standpoints," Shaheen says.Meanwhile,
 hospital administrators like Peter Wright are holding their breath, 
waiting to see if, in order to settle the debt, Medicare will stop 
making payments to hospitals, even as the facilities continue to grapple
 with the coronavirus in their communities."The feds, if you owe 
them money, they just take it," says Wright, who oversees two small 
hospitals for Central Maine Healthcare in Bridgton, Maine. He says his 
health care system took the money because "we had no other choice; it 
was a cash flow issue."For many hospitals, Medicare payments make
 up 40% or more of their revenue. Not being reimbursed by Medicare would
 be crippling — akin to a household losing nearly half its income."We have no idea what we're going to do if we have to pay it back as quickly as they say," Wright says.In
 rural Kentucky, hospital executive Sheila Currans says she "vacillated"
 for about a week or so, trying to decide whether to tap the loan 
program for her hospital — she knew it would have to be repaid and 
worried that could prove difficult."It was a desperate time," 
says Currans, chief executive of Harrison Memorial Hospital in 
Cynthiana, Ky. In early March her hospital was the first in the state to
 treat a COVID-19 patient, she says.The hospital immediately quarantined dozens of staff members at the time and
 shut down elective procedures. Once COVID-19 was confirmed in the 
community, there was a "horrible fear" among residents of getting 
infected, Currans says, and that kept people from seeking outpatient 
care as well."Through March and April and most of May, I was in a
 complete spiral," Currans says, and by the end of April her hospital 
was losing millions of dollars. To cope with the pandemic, she 
furloughed staff and turned one wing of the hospital into a "cough 
clinic" to be used exclusively by patients whose symptoms suggested they
 might be infected with the coronavirus.Currans says the hospital
 is still seeing cases of COVID-19 show up, but other patients are 
beginning to return for services, too, such as at the outpatient 
clinics.In terms of the hospital's finances, "it's still not a 
wonderful time," Currans says, adding that the Medicare loan and other 
support from the federal government "helped us — at least for now — 
survive it."She's hoping the repayment demand will be pushed back to 2021 or, perhaps, the loan will be forgiven."I know it's a pipe dream," Currans says. "But this has been a historic event."<a href="https://khn.org/" target="_blank">Kaiser Health News</a> is a nonprofit, independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, and is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.Sarah Jane Tribble spent more than a year and a half <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/khn.org/news/tag/no-mercy/__;!!Iwwt!Bq6oM4K2JC4j2urJjlZnjh7wtAM_dzduY7xXFLXAOdeinR9h2LJlUEZHTNUhtg$" target="_blank">reporting</a>
 on a Kansas town that lost its only hospital. This month, KHN and St. 
Louis Public Radio will launch "Where It Hurts," a podcast exploring the
 often painful cracks growing in America's health system. You can listen
 to Episode 1 of the podcast's first season, "<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-it-hurts/id1529977695__;!!Iwwt!Bq6oM4K2JC4j2urJjlZnjh7wtAM_dzduY7xXFLXAOdeinR9h2LJlUEZCVurJdQ$" target="_blank">No Mercy</a>," on Sept. 29.

Rural hospitals in Kan. looking at federal coronavirus loans skeptically

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a criminal homicide that occurred Tuesday morning.

Just before 3:30 a.m., police responded to a check shots call in the 500 block of North Edwards in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.

Upon arrival, officers located an unresponsive male victim in a white SUV who had been shot in his upper body. Fire and EMS arrived on scene and attempted life-saving measures, but the man died on the scene. 

Police also contacted a female acquaintance at the scene but have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600798039296.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation early Tuesday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation early Tuesday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a criminal homicide that occurred Tuesday morning.Just before 3:30 a.m., police responded to a check shots call in the 500 block of North Edwards in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.Upon arrival, officers located an unresponsive male victim in a white SUV who had been shot in his upper body. Fire and EMS arrived on scene and attempted life-saving measures, but the man died on the scene. Police also contacted a female acquaintance at the scene but have not reported an arrest.

Police: Man dead after shooting at Kansas home

SALINA&nbsp; —A Kansas man was killed Monday afternoon when he was struck by an SUV near Oakdale Park in Salina.

According to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester, Just after 4:30p.m. Monday, a 2015 GMC Acadia driven by Gary Hindman, 82, Salina,&nbsp;had just turned westbound onto the 600 Block of Oakdale Drive from South Oakdale Avenue when Hindman reportedly became light headed and dizzy and possibly blacked out.

The Acadia struck a 1992 Nissan Frontier pickup that was parked on Oakdale Drive and James Price, 91, Salina who was standing in the street next to the pickup.

The accident remains under investigation.&nbsp; A medical condition may have been a contributing factor to the accident,&nbsp;according to Forrester.

SALINA&nbsp; —A Kansas man was killed Monday afternoon when he was struck by an SUV near Oakdale Park in Salina.According to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester, Just after 4:30p.m. Monday, a 2015 GMC Acadia driven by Gary Hindman, 82, Salina,&nbsp;had just turned westbound onto the 600 Block of Oakdale Drive from South Oakdale Avenue when Hindman reportedly became light headed and dizzy and possibly blacked out.The Acadia struck a 1992 Nissan Frontier pickup that was parked on Oakdale Drive and James Price, 91, Salina who was standing in the street next to the pickup.The accident remains under investigation.&nbsp; A medical condition may have been a contributing factor to the accident,&nbsp;according to Forrester.

Police 91-year-old Salina man dies in pedestrian crash

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

Just after noon. Saturday, police responded to a shooting call at an apartment complex located in the 2500 block of West Wildwood Lane in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.

Upon arrival, officers learned that a physical disturbance broke out between a suspect idenfified as 21-year-old Roberto Rodriguez&nbsp; and a 20-year-old male over a property dispute. 

Rodriguez left and returned with a firearm and shot at the 20-year-old. The 20-year-old was not struck or injured and&nbsp; then retrieved a gun and returned fire. Rodriguez ran from the apartment.

Police located Rodriguez in a nearby apartment building and arrested him. He had a gunshot wound to his foot. He was taken to a hospital where he was treated and released.

&nbsp;Rodriguez is being held on requested charges of aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a firearm, according to Wheeler.

The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600712917861.png" alt="RODRIGUEZ photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>RODRIGUEZ photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend shooting and have made an arrest.Just after noon. Saturday, police responded to a shooting call at an apartment complex located in the 2500 block of West Wildwood Lane in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.Upon arrival, officers learned that a physical disturbance broke out between a suspect idenfified as 21-year-old Roberto Rodriguez&nbsp; and a 20-year-old male over a property dispute. Rodriguez left and returned with a firearm and shot at the 20-year-old. The 20-year-old was not struck or injured and&nbsp; then retrieved a gun and returned fire. Rodriguez ran from the apartment.Police located Rodriguez in a nearby apartment building and arrested him. He had a gunshot wound to his foot. He was taken to a hospital where he was treated and released.&nbsp;Rodriguez is being held on requested charges of aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a firearm, according to Wheeler.The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Kan. shooting suspect taken from hospital to jail

TOPEKA (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday she is increasingly concerned the state does not have the infrastructure and policies in place to stop a continuing increase in confirmed cases of the coronavirus

On Monday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 53,959 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 600 deaths since the pandemic began. That’s an increase of 1,674 cases and four deaths over the weekend.

The governor said the state has consistently confirmed an average of about 500 new cases per day in the recent weeks, particularly as schools are reopening, sports have resumed and flu season is quickly approaching.

“We knew this was coming, we knew we could prepare for it but because we failed to implement a coherent, coordinated mask policy, because we have taken an ineffective, patchwork approach to our COVID-19 response, cases and deaths continue to rise,” she said.

Early in the pandemic, Kelly issued statewide mandates to wear masks and close some businesses but the GOP-led Legislature pushed back and passed a law that requires a Republican-majority council to approve the governor’s emergency executive orders. That led to allowing counties to decide individually if they would follow the orders.

That lack of a coherent, statewide response to the coronavirus — along with Kansas Republican leaders’ refusal to expand Medicaid — endangers residents’ lives and is a factor that companies consider when deciding whether to move to Kansas, she said.

“We must provide prospective employers with certainty that their employees and their families will have access to affordable health care,” she said. “Our state path to economic growth is dependent upon healthy Kansans.”

The county health department said the positive case involved a person at Timber Creek Elementary School in the Blue Valley district, but they did not say if a student or staff member was infected.

In Johnson County, health officials urged more than 100 people who had contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 at an elementary school in Overland Park to quarantine for 14 days, but some parents are objecting to the recommendation.

The department sent a letter Saturday to Blue Valley Superintendent Tonya Merrigan, urging affected individuals to abide by the quarantine.

Sanmi Areola, county health director, said on Monday that the 14-day quarantine is the appropriate action to contain the spread, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article245891520.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.

Elementary students returned to a mix of remote and in-person schooling in Blue Valley on Sept. 9. The district currently plans to bring elementary students back to in-person classes full time on Oct. 5.

Several parents who want to return now to full-time, in-person classes protested at the school Sunday. Christine White, a pediatrician who has frequently called for schools to reopen, hosted the rally.

She said in a Facebook post that the quarantine was a “massive overreaction.”

“Please understand that if we let this action by the health department and school go unchecked and we let them slide, then they will know we have a breaking point where we will just lay down and accept the crumbs of an education for our children,” she wrote.

TOPEKA (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday she is increasingly concerned the state does not have the infrastructure and policies in place to stop a continuing increase in confirmed cases of the coronavirus<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F375702983819963%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>On Monday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 53,959 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 600 deaths since the pandemic began. That’s an increase of 1,674 cases and four deaths over the weekend.The governor said the state has consistently confirmed an average of about 500 new cases per day in the recent weeks, particularly as schools are reopening, sports have resumed and flu season is quickly approaching.“We knew this was coming, we knew we could prepare for it but because we failed to implement a coherent, coordinated mask policy, because we have taken an ineffective, patchwork approach to our COVID-19 response, cases and deaths continue to rise,” she said.Early in the pandemic, Kelly issued statewide mandates to wear masks and close some businesses but the GOP-led Legislature pushed back and passed a law that requires a Republican-majority council to approve the governor’s emergency executive orders. That led to allowing counties to decide individually if they would follow the orders.That lack of a coherent, statewide response to the coronavirus — along with Kansas Republican leaders’ refusal to expand Medicaid — endangers residents’ lives and is a factor that companies consider when deciding whether to move to Kansas, she said.“We must provide prospective employers with certainty that their employees and their families will have access to affordable health care,” she said. “Our state path to economic growth is dependent upon healthy Kansans.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600708052188.png" alt="Sept. 21, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Sept. 21, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The county health department said the positive case involved a person at Timber Creek Elementary School in the Blue Valley district, but they did not say if a student or staff member was infected.In Johnson County, health officials urged more than 100 people who had contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 at an elementary school in Overland Park to quarantine for 14 days, but some parents are objecting to the recommendation.The department sent a letter Saturday to Blue Valley Superintendent Tonya Merrigan, urging affected individuals to abide by the quarantine.Sanmi Areola, county health director, said on Monday that the 14-day quarantine is the appropriate action to contain the spread, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article245891520.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.Elementary students returned to a mix of remote and in-person schooling in Blue Valley on Sept. 9. The district currently plans to bring elementary students back to in-person classes full time on Oct. 5.Several parents who want to return now to full-time, in-person classes protested at the school Sunday. Christine White, a pediatrician who has frequently called for schools to reopen, hosted the rally.She said in a Facebook post that the quarantine was a “massive overreaction.”“Please understand that if we let this action by the health department and school go unchecked and we let them slide, then they will know we have a breaking point where we will just lay down and accept the crumbs of an education for our children,” she wrote.----------

🎥  Governor concerned about state's response to coronavirus

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas declared Monday that he supports replacing the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on U.S. Supreme Court this year.

<a href="https://twitter.com/SenPatRoberts/status/1308132980393730051" target="_blank">Roberts tweeted</a>&nbsp;that the Senate has an obligation under the U.S. Constitution to fill high court vacancies. Fellow Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran already has said he supports Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s plan to move head with consideration of a nominee from President Donald Trump.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/086441a07762d054b836251a309b3df7">said Monday&nbsp;</a>that he plans to nominate a replacement for the late liberal justice by the end of the week. Trump also has said his choice will be a woman.

Many Democrats have argued that the vacancy shouldn’t be filled until next year, after the presidential election and next inauguration.

Like other Republicans in 2016, Roberts opposed a vote before the presidential election on Democratic President Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to the court after conservative Justice Antonin Scalia’s death.

But Roberts noted that this year, both the Senate and the White House are controlled by Republicans. He said that in 17 previous cases, nominees were confirmed in an election year when one party controlled both.

“The Senate precedent is clear to support filling this vacancy this year,” Roberts tweeted.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas declared Monday that he supports replacing the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on U.S. Supreme Court this year.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenPatRoberts/status/1308132980393730051" target="_blank">Roberts tweeted</a>&nbsp;that the Senate has an obligation under the U.S. Constitution to fill high court vacancies. Fellow Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran already has said he supports Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s plan to move head with consideration of a nominee from President Donald Trump.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/086441a07762d054b836251a309b3df7">said Monday&nbsp;</a>that he plans to nominate a replacement for the late liberal justice by the end of the week. Trump also has said his choice will be a woman.Many Democrats have argued that the vacancy shouldn’t be filled until next year, after the presidential election and next inauguration.Like other Republicans in 2016, Roberts opposed a vote before the presidential election on Democratic President Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to the court after conservative Justice Antonin Scalia’s death.But Roberts noted that this year, both the Senate and the White House are controlled by Republicans. He said that in 17 previous cases, nominees were confirmed in an election year when one party controlled both.“The Senate precedent is clear to support filling this vacancy this year,” Roberts tweeted.

Roberts, Moran support Trump  filling Ginsburg vacancy this year

LAWRENCE — A new book by University of Kansas faculty member Kelly Kindscher and three co-authors is the first published compilation of traditional plant uses of the Arikara Tribe. The work, "Sahnish (Arikara) Ethnobotany," serves as a regional ethnobotany of the Arikara, one of the most influential tribes on the Northern Great Plains.

Kindscher, lead author and ethnobotanist, is a professor in the Environmental Studies Program and a senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey. Michael Yellow Bird, co-author and former director of KU’s Indigenous Studies Program, is professor and dean of the faculty of social work at the University of Manitoba and an Arikara tribal member.

“The importance of this book cannot be overstated,” Yellow Bird said. “It provides compelling evidence of the traditional plant knowledge of the Arikara people, illuminates an important period in the history of the tribe and helps to restore an understanding of the Arikara ethnobotany that will be beneficial to ethnobotanists and members of the tribe.” &nbsp;

The book documents the use of 106 species from 31 plant families, based primarily on the work of Melvin Gilmore, who recorded Arikara ethnobotany from 1916 to 1935. Gilmore interviewed elders for their stories and accounts of traditional plant use, collected material goods and wrote a draft manuscript but was not able to complete it due to debilitating illness.

Fortunately, his field notes, manuscripts and papers were archived, and they form the core of the new book. Gilmore’s detailed description is augmented with historical accounts of the Arikara gleaned from the journals of Great Plains explorers — Lewis and Clark, John Bradbury, Pierre Tabeau and others. Additional plant uses and nomenclature are based on the field notes of linguist Douglas Parks, who carried out detailed documentation of the tribe’s language from 1970 through 2001.

“It was exciting to know that Gilmore had studied the Arikara’s plant uses in the 1920s and 1930s,” Kindscher said. “The elders he visited with had memories that went back to the old ways and the times when they lived traditionally along the Missouri River and gathered wild plants for important uses.

“It was delightful to work with the manuscripts, notes and material goods, and to see all the details he recorded. The objects he collected and archived at the Smithsonian Institution, such as chokecherry pounders, dried juneberries, and reed mats bring the ethnobotany back to life.”

Although based on these historical sources, the new work features updated modern botanical nomenclature, contemporary spelling and interpretation of Arikara plant names, as well as color photographs and range maps of each species.

Kindscher collected and assembled the historical Gilmore materials. Co-author Logan Sutton contributed the Arikara spellings and linguistic analyses. Michael Yellow Bird and Loren Yellow Bird, who are brothers, provided the cultural context. The book is Kindscher’s fourth on human uses of wild plants.

Sutton is a research associate with the American Indian Studies Research Institute at Indiana University and language material developer with the Culture and Language Department of the MHA Nation. He served as primary curator of the Arikara language dictionary database under Douglas Parks and, since 2015, has served as an Arikara language consultant. He lives on the Fort Berthold Reservation.

Loren Yellow&nbsp;Bird Sr.&nbsp;is an&nbsp;Arikara historian, traditionalist and&nbsp;member of the&nbsp;Sahnish (Arikara) Nation.&nbsp;He has served as a subject matter expert in several articles and film documentaries and was&nbsp;the technical adviser for the&nbsp;2016&nbsp;Oscar-winning film “The Revenant,” where he advised actor Leonardo DiCaprio and director Alejandro Gonzalez&nbsp;Iñárritu. He has been active with the MHA Nation in helping to identify historical locations of uncovered human remains and has worked to help facilitate recovery and traditional burial practices of the Sahnish.

The new book was published by the Society for Ethnobiology, which also, through a grant, is providing copies to Arikara youths on the reservation.The Kansas Biological Survey was established at KU in 1911. It houses a diverse group of ecological research and remote sensing/GIS programs. The survey also manages the 3,700-acre KU Field Station, established in 1947; it offers sites for faculty and student study in the sciences, arts, humanities and professional schools.

<figure>
 <img src="https://news.ku.edu/sites/news.ku.edu/files/images/general/2020_news/september/Arikara-Ethnobotany-Cover_v1.jpg" alt="A new book by University of Kansas faculty member Kelly Kindscher and three co-authors, "Sahnish (Arikara) Ethnobotany,"&nbsp; is the first published compilation of traditional plant uses of the Arikara Tribe.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>A new book by University of Kansas faculty member Kelly Kindscher and three co-authors, "Sahnish (Arikara) Ethnobotany,"&nbsp; is the first published compilation of traditional plant uses of the Arikara Tribe.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KU News ServiceLAWRENCE — A new book by University of Kansas faculty member Kelly Kindscher and three co-authors is the first published compilation of traditional plant uses of the Arikara Tribe. The work, "Sahnish (Arikara) Ethnobotany," serves as a regional ethnobotany of the Arikara, one of the most influential tribes on the Northern Great Plains.Kindscher, lead author and ethnobotanist, is a professor in the Environmental Studies Program and a senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey. Michael Yellow Bird, co-author and former director of KU’s Indigenous Studies Program, is professor and dean of the faculty of social work at the University of Manitoba and an Arikara tribal member.“The importance of this book cannot be overstated,” Yellow Bird said. “It provides compelling evidence of the traditional plant knowledge of the Arikara people, illuminates an important period in the history of the tribe and helps to restore an understanding of the Arikara ethnobotany that will be beneficial to ethnobotanists and members of the tribe.” &nbsp;The book documents the use of 106 species from 31 plant families, based primarily on the work of Melvin Gilmore, who recorded Arikara ethnobotany from 1916 to 1935. Gilmore interviewed elders for their stories and accounts of traditional plant use, collected material goods and wrote a draft manuscript but was not able to complete it due to debilitating illness.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600699159594.jpeg" alt="Melvin Gilmore" />
 <figcaption>Melvin Gilmore</figcaption>
 </figure>Fortunately, his field notes, manuscripts and papers were archived, and they form the core of the new book. Gilmore’s detailed description is augmented with historical accounts of the Arikara gleaned from the journals of Great Plains explorers — Lewis and Clark, John Bradbury, Pierre Tabeau and others. Additional plant uses and nomenclature are based on the field notes of linguist Douglas Parks, who carried out detailed documentation of the tribe’s language from 1970 through 2001.“It was exciting to know that Gilmore had studied the Arikara’s plant uses in the 1920s and 1930s,” Kindscher said. “The elders he visited with had memories that went back to the old ways and the times when they lived traditionally along the Missouri River and gathered wild plants for important uses.“It was delightful to work with the manuscripts, notes and material goods, and to see all the details he recorded. The objects he collected and archived at the Smithsonian Institution, such as chokecherry pounders, dried juneberries, and reed mats bring the ethnobotany back to life.”Although based on these historical sources, the new work features updated modern botanical nomenclature, contemporary spelling and interpretation of Arikara plant names, as well as color photographs and range maps of each species.Kindscher collected and assembled the historical Gilmore materials. Co-author Logan Sutton contributed the Arikara spellings and linguistic analyses. Michael Yellow Bird and Loren Yellow Bird, who are brothers, provided the cultural context. The book is Kindscher’s fourth on human uses of wild plants.Sutton is a research associate with the American Indian Studies Research Institute at Indiana University and language material developer with the Culture and Language Department of the MHA Nation. He served as primary curator of the Arikara language dictionary database under Douglas Parks and, since 2015, has served as an Arikara language consultant. He lives on the Fort Berthold Reservation.Loren Yellow&nbsp;Bird Sr.&nbsp;is an&nbsp;Arikara historian, traditionalist and&nbsp;member of the&nbsp;Sahnish (Arikara) Nation.&nbsp;He has served as a subject matter expert in several articles and film documentaries and was&nbsp;the technical adviser for the&nbsp;2016&nbsp;Oscar-winning film “The Revenant,” where he advised actor Leonardo DiCaprio and director Alejandro Gonzalez&nbsp;Iñárritu. He has been active with the MHA Nation in helping to identify historical locations of uncovered human remains and has worked to help facilitate recovery and traditional burial practices of the Sahnish.The new book was published by the Society for Ethnobiology, which also, through a grant, is providing copies to Arikara youths on the reservation.The Kansas Biological Survey was established at KU in 1911. It houses a diverse group of ecological research and remote sensing/GIS programs. The survey also manages the 3,700-acre KU Field Station, established in 1947; it offers sites for faculty and student study in the sciences, arts, humanities and professional schools.

KU prof helps write compilation of plant uses influential tribe

NEW YORK (AP) — The top U.S. public health agency stirred confusion by posting — and then taking down — an apparent change in its position on how easily the coronavirus can spread from person to person through the air.

But officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say their position has not really changed and that the post last week on the agency’s website was an error that has been taken down.

It was “an honest mistake” that happened when a draft update was posted before going through a full editing and approval process, said Dr. Jay Butler, the CDC’s deputy director for infectious diseases.

The post suggested that the agency believes the virus can hang in the air and spread over an extended distance. But the agency continues to believe larger and heavier droplets that come from coughing or sneezing are the primary means of transmission, Butler said.

Most CDC guidance about social distancing is built around that idea, saying that about 6 feet is a safe buffer between people who are not wearing masks.

In interviews, CDC officials have acknowledged growing evidence that the virus can sometimes be transmitted on even smaller, aerosolized particles or droplets that spread over a wider area. Certain case clusters have been tied to events in which the virus appeared to have spread through the air in, for example, a choir practice. But such incidents did not appear to be common.

Public health experts urge people to wear masks, which can stop or reduce contact with both larger droplets and aerosolized particles.

But for months, agency officials said little about aerosolized particles. So when the CDC quietly posted an update Friday that discussed the particles in more detail, the agency’s position appeared to have changed. The post said the virus can remain suspended in the air and drift more than 6 feet. It also emphasized the importance of indoor ventilation and seemed to describe the coronavirus as the kind of germ that can spread widely through the air.

The post caused widespread discussion in public health circles because of its implications. It could mean, for example, that hospitals might have to place infected people in rooms that are specially designed to prevent air from flowing to other parts of the hospital.

But the CDC is not advising any changes in how far people stay away from each other, how they are housed at hospitals or other measures, Butler said.

The CDC has come under attack for past revisions of guidance during the pandemic, some of which were driven by political pressure by the Trump administration.

Butler said there was no external political pressure behind the change in this instance. “This was an internal issue,. And we’re working hard to address it and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.

In a statement released Monday, the CDC said the revisions to the “How COVID-19 Spreads” page happened “without appropriate in-house technical review.”

“We are reviewing our process and tightening criteria for review of all guidance and updates before they are posted to the CDC website,” the statement said.

At least one expert said the episode could further chip away at public confidence in the CDC.

“The consistent inconsistency in this administration’s guidance on COVID-19 has severely compromised the nation’s trust in our public health agencies,” said Dr. Howard Koh, a Harvard University public health professor who was a high-ranking official in the Department of Health and Human Services during the Obama administration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600453488360.png" alt="CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield during testimony before a congressional committee last week in Washington -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield during testimony before a congressional committee last week in Washington -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The top U.S. public health agency stirred confusion by posting — and then taking down — an apparent change in its position on how easily the coronavirus can spread from person to person through the air.But officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say their position has not really changed and that the post last week on the agency’s website was an error that has been taken down.It was “an honest mistake” that happened when a draft update was posted before going through a full editing and approval process, said Dr. Jay Butler, the CDC’s deputy director for infectious diseases.The post suggested that the agency believes the virus can hang in the air and spread over an extended distance. But the agency continues to believe larger and heavier droplets that come from coughing or sneezing are the primary means of transmission, Butler said.Most CDC guidance about social distancing is built around that idea, saying that about 6 feet is a safe buffer between people who are not wearing masks.In interviews, CDC officials have acknowledged growing evidence that the virus can sometimes be transmitted on even smaller, aerosolized particles or droplets that spread over a wider area. Certain case clusters have been tied to events in which the virus appeared to have spread through the air in, for example, a choir practice. But such incidents did not appear to be common.Public health experts urge people to wear masks, which can stop or reduce contact with both larger droplets and aerosolized particles.But for months, agency officials said little about aerosolized particles. So when the CDC quietly posted an update Friday that discussed the particles in more detail, the agency’s position appeared to have changed. The post said the virus can remain suspended in the air and drift more than 6 feet. It also emphasized the importance of indoor ventilation and seemed to describe the coronavirus as the kind of germ that can spread widely through the air.The post caused widespread discussion in public health circles because of its implications. It could mean, for example, that hospitals might have to place infected people in rooms that are specially designed to prevent air from flowing to other parts of the hospital.But the CDC is not advising any changes in how far people stay away from each other, how they are housed at hospitals or other measures, Butler said.The CDC has come under attack for past revisions of guidance during the pandemic, some of which were driven by political pressure by the Trump administration.Butler said there was no external political pressure behind the change in this instance. “This was an internal issue,. And we’re working hard to address it and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.In a statement released Monday, the CDC said the revisions to the “How COVID-19 Spreads” page happened “without appropriate in-house technical review.”“We are reviewing our process and tightening criteria for review of all guidance and updates before they are posted to the CDC website,” the statement said.At least one expert said the episode could further chip away at public confidence in the CDC.“The consistent inconsistency in this administration’s guidance on COVID-19 has severely compromised the nation’s trust in our public health agencies,” said Dr. Howard Koh, a Harvard University public health professor who was a high-ranking official in the Department of Health and Human Services during the Obama administration.

CDC changes, then retracts, web posting on how virus spreads

ALLEN COUNTY–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Iola Police Department, and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a death that occurred Monday in Iola, Kan, according to a media release from the KBI.

At approximately 2:10 p.m. Monday, the Iola Police Department received a 911 call from a citizen reporting a fight at 621 S. Washington Avenue in Iola.

 Officers responded to the house where they found 34-year-old Jamie D. Martin, of Iola, lying in the driveway. Martin was unresponsive, so officers began life-saving measures.

EMS responded and then transported Martin to the Allen County Regional Hospital. Martin was pronounced deceased at the hospital just before 3 p.m. Monday.

ALLEN COUNTY–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Iola Police Department, and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a death that occurred Monday in Iola, Kan, according to a media release from the KBI.At approximately 2:10 p.m. Monday, the Iola Police Department received a 911 call from a citizen reporting a fight at 621 S. Washington Avenue in Iola. Officers responded to the house where they found 34-year-old Jamie D. Martin, of Iola, lying in the driveway. Martin was unresponsive, so officers began life-saving measures.EMS responded and then transported Martin to the Allen County Regional Hospital. Martin was pronounced deceased at the hospital just before 3 p.m. Monday.

KBI: Man found after reported fight at Kan. home has died

WICHTA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty Monday to drug and gun charges, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Luis M. Hernandez, 40, Wichita, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of firearms by an alien unlawfully in the United States.

According to court documents, investigators found 20 pounds of methamphetamine and 11 firearms when they served a search warrant at Hernandez’s residence in the 300 block of North Seneca in Wichita.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 16. He could face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million on the conspiracy count and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600721416546.png" alt="Hernandez is being held in Harvey County" />
 <figcaption>Hernandez is being held in Harvey County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHTA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty Monday to drug and gun charges, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.Luis M. Hernandez, 40, Wichita, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of firearms by an alien unlawfully in the United States.According to court documents, investigators found 20 pounds of methamphetamine and 11 firearms when they served a search warrant at Hernandez’s residence in the 300 block of North Seneca in Wichita.Sentencing is set for Dec. 16. He could face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million on the conspiracy count and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge.&nbsp;

Police found 20 pounds of meth, 11 guns at Kan. home

WASHINGTON (AP) — A woman suspected of sending an envelope containing the poison ricin, which was addressed to the White House, has been arrested at the New York-Canada border and is also suspected of sending similar poisoned envelopes to law enforcement agencies in Texas, officials said Monday.

The letter had been intercepted earlier this week before it reached the White House. The woman was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Peace Bridge border crossing near Buffalo and is expected to face federal charges, three law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.

Her name was not immediately released, but the woman was expected to appear in federal court in Buffalo on Tuesday.

The letter addressed to the White House appeared to have originated in Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have said. It was intercepted at a government facility that screens mail addressed to the White House and President Donald Trump and a preliminary investigation indicated it tested positive for ricin, according to the officials.

Envelopes containing ricin were also mailed to law enforcement agencies in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, according to another law enforcement official. The official did not say which agencies were sent the envelopes but said they are believed to have been mailed by the same person who sent one to the White House.

The officials were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

One of the envelopes was sent to the police in Mission, Texas, said Investigator Art Flores, a spokesman for the border community’s police department. He said no one was hurt and that the envelope was in law enforcement’s custody. He declined to comment further.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Quebec confirmed Monday there is a police investigation taking place on a street in St-Hubert, Quebec, related to the contaminated letter sent to the White House.

The home is connected to the woman who was arrested at the border and although authorities have yet to determine whether she actually lived in the house, “there is a clear link between her and this residence,” Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cpl. Charles Poirier said.

There have been several prior instances in which U.S. officials have been targeted with ricin sent through the mail.

A Navy veteran was arrested in 2018 and confessed to sending envelopes to Trump and members of his administration that contained the substance from which ricin is derived. The letters were intercepted, and no one was hurt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600717467163.png" alt="RCMP officers in St. Hubert, Canada, prepare to enter an apartment complex in connection with the mailing of ricin to President Trump -photo courtesy Royal Canadian Mounted Police" />
 <figcaption>RCMP officers in St. Hubert, Canada, prepare to enter an apartment complex in connection with the mailing of ricin to President Trump -photo courtesy Royal Canadian Mounted Police</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A woman suspected of sending an envelope containing the poison ricin, which was addressed to the White House, has been arrested at the New York-Canada border and is also suspected of sending similar poisoned envelopes to law enforcement agencies in Texas, officials said Monday.The letter had been intercepted earlier this week before it reached the White House. The woman was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Peace Bridge border crossing near Buffalo and is expected to face federal charges, three law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600717415635.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Royal Canadian Mounted Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Royal Canadian Mounted Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Her name was not immediately released, but the woman was expected to appear in federal court in Buffalo on Tuesday.The letter addressed to the White House appeared to have originated in Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have said. It was intercepted at a government facility that screens mail addressed to the White House and President Donald Trump and a preliminary investigation indicated it tested positive for ricin, according to the officials.Envelopes containing ricin were also mailed to law enforcement agencies in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, according to another law enforcement official. The official did not say which agencies were sent the envelopes but said they are believed to have been mailed by the same person who sent one to the White House.The officials were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.One of the envelopes was sent to the police in Mission, Texas, said Investigator Art Flores, a spokesman for the border community’s police department. He said no one was hurt and that the envelope was in law enforcement’s custody. He declined to comment further.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Quebec confirmed Monday there is a police investigation taking place on a street in St-Hubert, Quebec, related to the contaminated letter sent to the White House.The home is connected to the woman who was arrested at the border and although authorities have yet to determine whether she actually lived in the house, “there is a clear link between her and this residence,” Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cpl. Charles Poirier said.There have been several prior instances in which U.S. officials have been targeted with ricin sent through the mail.A Navy veteran was arrested in 2018 and confessed to sending envelopes to Trump and members of his administration that contained the substance from which ricin is derived. The letters were intercepted, and no one was hurt.In 2014, a Mississippi man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after sending letters dusted with ricin to President Barack Obama and other officials.--------------WASHINGTON (AP) — A woman suspected of sending an envelope containing the poison ricin, which was addressed to White House, has been arrested at the New York-Canada border, three law enforcement officials told The Associated Press on Sunday.The letter had been intercepted earlier this week before it reached the White House. The woman was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Peace Bridge border crossing near Buffalo and is expected to face federal charges, the officials said. Her name was not immediately released.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600542646061.png" alt="President Trump speaking to reporters late Friday about the passing of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?ruthginsburg">Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg</a>. -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump speaking to reporters late Friday about the passing of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?ruthginsburg">Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg</a>. -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The letter addressed to the White House appeared to have originated in Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have said. It was intercepted at a government facility that screens mail addressed to the White House and President Donald Trump and a preliminary investigation indicated it tested positive for ricin, according to the officials.The officials were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.There have been several prior instances in which U.S. officials have been targeted with ricin sent through the mail.A Navy veteran was arrested in 2018 and confessed to sending envelopes to Trump and members of his administration that contained the substance from which ricin is derived. The letters were intercepted, and no one was hurt.In 2014, a Mississippi man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after sending letters dusted with ricin to President Barack Obama and other officials.-------WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials intercepted an envelope addressed to the White House that contained the poison ricin, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Saturday.The letter was intercepted at a government facility that screens mail addressed to the White House and President Donald Trump, the official said. A preliminary investigation indicated it tested positive for ricin, a poison found naturally in castor beans, the official said.The official was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.Federal investigators were working to determine where the enveloped originated and who mailed it. The FBI, the Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were leading the investigation.In a statement, the FBI said agents were working to investigate “a suspicious letter received at a U.S. government mail facility” and that there is “no known threat to public safety.”A Navy veteran was arrested in 2018 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/07af3b2712054edfbf0290d6db3e6313/Utah-vet-confessed-to-sending-ricin-envelopes,-officials-say">confessed to sending envelopes</a>&nbsp;to Trump and members of his administration that contained the substance from which ricin is derived.Authorities said the man, William Clyde Allen III, sent the envelopes with ground castor beans to the president, FBI Director Christopher Wray, along with then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, then-CIA Director Gina Haspel, Adm. John Richardson, who at the time was the Navy’s top officer, and then-Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson. The letters were intercepted, and no one was hurt.In 2014, a Mississippi man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after sending letters dusted with ricin to President Barack Obama and other officials.