By DOROTHY BARNETT <a href="http://www.climateandenergy.org/">Climate + Energy Project</a>

With 110,000 jobless 
Kansans, it’s more important than ever for policymakers and Gov. Laura 
Kelly to address rising electricity costs while also protecting our 
health and environment.

Technology has enabled 
homeowners and businesses to improve the efficiency of their electric 
systems to lower their utility costs and energy usage, but Kansas 
policies prevent too many people from taking advantage of these 
opportunities.

While our neighbors in 
other states enjoy a menu of options related to energy efficiency 
programs, solar panel installations on homes and businesses, and 
electric vehicle integration, Kansas has failed to advance policies that
 enable these choices. This hurts everyone who pays for electricity.

That’s why the Climate + Energy Project has long advocated for a state energy plan, ideally facilitated from the <a href="https://kcc.ks.gov/kansas-energy-office">State Energy Office</a>.

In more than 40 states, 
state energy plans have been created to capitalize on energy as a key 
resource and area of strategic importance to these states’ economies and
 economic development efforts. The rapidly changing energy sector is, 
and will continue to be, a challenge for policymakers if we don’t plan 
for its future now.

How is Kansas preparing to
 use our state’s sunshine resource? We have more sunny days here than in
 Florida, yet less than 1% of our energy is produced by the sun. We’ve 
made significant strides in integrating wind in our energy mix — what’s 
next?

What role does energy 
efficiency play in our energy future, especially as our Missouri 
neighbors capitalize on energy efficiency programs supported by their 
regulatory agency, while in Kansas, Evergy has not filed a new <a href="https://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx/S20160406164954.pdf?Id=eb9da91f-0a53-4a50-b894-f549ba3929ae">portfolio of efficiency programs</a> for more than four years?

How can we expect to 
recruit and retain businesses when electricity prices have increased by 
more than 70% over a decade in some parts of the state?

There are definitely things we can do. The first step is to craft a plan.

A plan that prioritizes 
advanced energy and conservation would address energy supply and demand 
challenges, ensure more reliable and affordable energy, determine 
potential ways to minimize costs and maximize production benefits, while
 also supporting economic development.

Further, it would identify
 and design a pathway for a prosperous and resilient future using Kansas
 resources, infrastructure and workforce talent to promote economic 
competitiveness and a healthy environment. Simply put, this leads to job
 creation.

Energy use and generation 
are profoundly changing, and if we’re going to give Kansans the 
opportunity to take advantage of emerging technologies, have greater 
control over the cost of their electricity, and ensure we’re providing 
competitive energy options to schools, hospitals and businesses, we must
 embrace the rapidly changing energy transition.

Failure to plan for this 
change only weakens our economic competitiveness. Kansas can’t afford to
 keep playing defense on energy.

Earlier this year, in <a href="https://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx/S20200108144309.pdf?Id=1a3a31e5-e38d-4445-aada-1cd0170a7b85">a study commissioned by the legislature</a>,
 London Economics Inc. included the establishment of a state energy plan
 as one of the top priorities the state should embark on to help achieve
 regionally competitive electricity rates over time.

Over the past two years, the <a href="http://www.climateandenergy.org/">Climate + Energy Project</a>
 has gathered information about state energy plans from national 
experts, including the Building Performance Association, Midwest Energy 
Efficiency Alliance and the National Association of State Energy 
Officials.

We have met with experts 
who’ve created different plans to learn from their pitfalls and 
successes. We’ve shared information and received input from our 
environmental, clean energy, conservation, agriculture and faith 
partners, along with the <a href="http://curb.kansas.gov/">Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board</a>, to discuss and gather support for a Kansas energy plan.

We support a plan because 
we think it’s essential to review the studies commissioned by the 
Legislature to understand how our bills came to be the highest in the 
region over a decade.

There is broad interest in
 a state energy plan for Kansas and potentially widespread divergence in
 the plan’s shape. That’s why the Legislature needs to commit to a 
robust stakeholder engagement process, including public comment. Ongoing
 engagement around implementation and measurements of success annually 
are necessary.

There’s no question that a wide-ranging collaboration among stakeholders to plan for our energy future is important. <a href="http://www.climateandenergy.org/">Sign up for our mailing list</a>&nbsp;to stay up to date on opportunities to support a state energy plan.

We urge policymakers and the governor to waste no time convening stakeholders to begin the planning process.

Dorothy Barnett is executive director of the <a href="http://www.climateandenergy.org/">Climate + Energy Project</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597343830225.jpeg" alt="Kansans held a climate rally on WEALTH (Water, Energy, Air, Land, Transportation and Health) Day at the Kansas Capitol in February 2020. (Submitted by the Climate + Energy Project to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansans held a climate rally on WEALTH (Water, Energy, Air, Land, Transportation and Health) Day at the Kansas Capitol in February 2020. (Submitted by the Climate + Energy Project to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DOROTHY BARNETT <a href="http://www.climateandenergy.org/">Climate + Energy Project</a>With 110,000 jobless 
Kansans, it’s more important than ever for policymakers and Gov. Laura 
Kelly to address rising electricity costs while also protecting our 
health and environment.Technology has enabled 
homeowners and businesses to improve the efficiency of their electric 
systems to lower their utility costs and energy usage, but Kansas 
policies prevent too many people from taking advantage of these 
opportunities.While our neighbors in 
other states enjoy a menu of options related to energy efficiency 
programs, solar panel installations on homes and businesses, and 
electric vehicle integration, Kansas has failed to advance policies that
 enable these choices. This hurts everyone who pays for electricity.That’s why the Climate + Energy Project has long advocated for a state energy plan, ideally facilitated from the <a href="https://kcc.ks.gov/kansas-energy-office">State Energy Office</a>.In more than 40 states, 
state energy plans have been created to capitalize on energy as a key 
resource and area of strategic importance to these states’ economies and
 economic development efforts. The rapidly changing energy sector is, 
and will continue to be, a challenge for policymakers if we don’t plan 
for its future now.How is Kansas preparing to
 use our state’s sunshine resource? We have more sunny days here than in
 Florida, yet less than 1% of our energy is produced by the sun. We’ve 
made significant strides in integrating wind in our energy mix — what’s 
next?What role does energy 
efficiency play in our energy future, especially as our Missouri 
neighbors capitalize on energy efficiency programs supported by their 
regulatory agency, while in Kansas, Evergy has not filed a new <a href="https://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx/S20160406164954.pdf?Id=eb9da91f-0a53-4a50-b894-f549ba3929ae">portfolio of efficiency programs</a> for more than four years?How can we expect to 
recruit and retain businesses when electricity prices have increased by 
more than 70% over a decade in some parts of the state?There are definitely things we can do. The first step is to craft a plan.A plan that prioritizes 
advanced energy and conservation would address energy supply and demand 
challenges, ensure more reliable and affordable energy, determine 
potential ways to minimize costs and maximize production benefits, while
 also supporting economic development.Further, it would identify
 and design a pathway for a prosperous and resilient future using Kansas
 resources, infrastructure and workforce talent to promote economic 
competitiveness and a healthy environment. Simply put, this leads to job
 creation.Energy use and generation 
are profoundly changing, and if we’re going to give Kansans the 
opportunity to take advantage of emerging technologies, have greater 
control over the cost of their electricity, and ensure we’re providing 
competitive energy options to schools, hospitals and businesses, we must
 embrace the rapidly changing energy transition.Failure to plan for this 
change only weakens our economic competitiveness. Kansas can’t afford to
 keep playing defense on energy.Earlier this year, in <a href="https://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx/S20200108144309.pdf?Id=1a3a31e5-e38d-4445-aada-1cd0170a7b85">a study commissioned by the legislature</a>,
 London Economics Inc. included the establishment of a state energy plan
 as one of the top priorities the state should embark on to help achieve
 regionally competitive electricity rates over time.Over the past two years, the <a href="http://www.climateandenergy.org/">Climate + Energy Project</a>
 has gathered information about state energy plans from national 
experts, including the Building Performance Association, Midwest Energy 
Efficiency Alliance and the National Association of State Energy 
Officials.We have met with experts 
who’ve created different plans to learn from their pitfalls and 
successes. We’ve shared information and received input from our 
environmental, clean energy, conservation, agriculture and faith 
partners, along with the <a href="http://curb.kansas.gov/">Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board</a>, to discuss and gather support for a Kansas energy plan.We support a plan because 
we think it’s essential to review the studies commissioned by the 
Legislature to understand how our bills came to be the highest in the 
region over a decade.And now it’s time to take action.There is broad interest in
 a state energy plan for Kansas and potentially widespread divergence in
 the plan’s shape. That’s why the Legislature needs to commit to a 
robust stakeholder engagement process, including public comment. Ongoing
 engagement around implementation and measurements of success annually 
are necessary.There’s no question that a wide-ranging collaboration among stakeholders to plan for our energy future is important. <a href="http://www.climateandenergy.org/">Sign up for our mailing list</a>&nbsp;to stay up to date on opportunities to support a state energy plan.We urge policymakers and the governor to waste no time convening stakeholders to begin the planning process.Dorothy Barnett is executive director of the <a href="http://www.climateandenergy.org/">Climate + Energy Project</a>.

OPINION: Kansas doesn’t have an energy plan. It needs one.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates and Israel have agreed to establish full diplomatic ties as part of a deal to halt the annexation of occupied land sought by the Palestinians for their future state.

The announcement makes the UAE the first Gulf Arab state to do so and only the third Arab nation to have active diplomatic ties to Israel.

Trump tweeted a statement from the countries, acknowledging the deal. He then told reporters in the Oval Office that it was “a truly historic moment.”

“Now that the ice has been broken I expect more Arab and Muslim countries will follow the United Arab Emirates,” he said.

The recognition grants a rare diplomatic win to Trump ahead of the November election as his efforts to see an end to the war in Afghanistan have yet to come to fruition while efforts to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians have made no headway. Israel and the UAE also have been among Trump’s closest foreign allies.

For Israel, the announcement comes after years of boasting by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his government enjoys closer ties to Arab nations than publicly acknowledged. 

Netanyahu said the announcement has ushered in a “new era” in Israel’s relations with the Arab world.&nbsp;

Netanyahu has sought to build settlements on lands sought by the Palestinians and embraced a Trump proposal that would allow him to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank while granting Palestinians limited autonomy in other areas.

For the UAE, home to skyscraper-studded Dubai and the rolling, oil-rich sand dunes of Abu Dhabi, it further burnishes its international campaign to be seen as a beacon of tolerance in the Middle East despite being governed by autocratic rulers. It also puts the UAE out first in a regional recognition race among neighboring Gulf Arab states.

And for the Palestinians, who long have relied on Arab backing in their struggle for independence, the announcement marked both a win and setback. While Thursday’s deal halts Israeli annexation plans, the Palestinians have repeatedly urged Arab governments not to normalize relations with Israel until a peace agreement establishing an independent Palestinian state is reached.

“Israel got rewarded for not declaring openly what it’s been doing to Palestine illegally &amp; persistently since the beginning of the occupation,” senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi wrote on Twitter. She also said the UAE has come forward with its “secret dealings/normalization with Israel.”

“Please don’t do us a favor. We are nobody’s fig leaf!” she wrote.

The militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, called the deal by the Emiratis “a stabbing in the back of our people.”

The joint statement from the U.S., the UAE and Israel said delegations would meet in the coming weeks to sign deals on direct flights, security, telecommunications, energy, tourism and health care. The two countries also will partner on fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

“Opening direct ties between two of the Middle East’s most dynamic societies and advanced economics will transform the region by spurring economic growth, enhancing technological innovation and forging closer people-to-people relations,” said the statement by Trump, Netanyahu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the day-to-day ruler of the UAE. It said the leaders had a three-way call discussing the deal.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised the deal.

“This is a remarkable achievement for two of the world’s most forward leaning, technologically advanced states, and reflects their shared regional vision of an economically integrated region,” he said in a statement. “It also illustrates their commitment to confronting common threats, as small — but strong — nations.”

He added: “Blessed are the peacemakers. Mabruk and Mazal Tov.”

Netanyahu tweeted an Israeli flag with a short message in Hebrew: “Historic Day.”

Among Arab nations, only Egypt and Jordan have active diplomatic ties with Israel. Egypt made a peace deal with Israel in 1979, followed by Jordan in 1994. Mauritania recognized Israel in 1999, but later ended relations in 2009 over the Israel’s war in Gaza at the time.

In addition to Trump, the main U.S. mediators for agreement were the president’s senior advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner, special Mideast envoy Avi Berkowitz and David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel.

The UAE is a U.S.-allied federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula. Formed in 1971, the country like other Arab nations at the time did not recognize Israel over its occupation of land home to the Palestinians.

“Arab oil is not dearer than Arab blood,” the UAE’s founding ruler, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, once pronounced when agreeing to an oil boycott over U.S. military support to Israel in the 1973 Mideast war.

The UAE relied on white-collar Palestinians in creating its nation. Over time, it maintained its stance that Israel allow the creation of a Palestinian state on land it seized in the 1967 war.

But in recent years, ties between Gulf Arab nations and Israel have quietly grown, in part over their shared enmity of Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Prince Mohammed also shares Israel’s distrust of Islamist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and the militant group Hamas that holds the Gaza Strip.

The UAE’s state-run WAM news agency acknowledged the deal, framing it as not just a move that helps the UAE and Israel, but one that also carries benefits for the Palestinians. Top Emirati official Anwar Gargash said the move dealt a “death blow” to moves by Israel to annex Palestinian lands.

It remains unclear what prompted Israel and the UAE to make the announcement now. In June, the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the U.S. warned in an Israeli newspaper op-ed that Israel’s planned annexing the Jordan Valley and other parts of the occupied West Bank would “upend” Israel’s efforts to improve ties with Arab nations.

The agreement gives Netanyahu a domestic boost at a time when Israel’s shaky coalition government is plagued by infighting and facing the possibility of early elections in the coming months. Netanyahu has seen his popularity plummet as the country grapples with a renewed coronavirus outbreak and skyrocketing unemployment as the result of earlier lockdown measures.

Netanyahu also delivered a valuable diplomatic achievement to his good friend, Trump, ahead of U.S. elections.

Still, by dropping the annexation plan Netanyahu may be hedging his bets ahead of a possible change in the White House. Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has made clear that he would oppose any moves by Israel to unilaterally redraw the Mideast map and annex lands sought by the Palestinians.

Netanyahu also risked criticism inside his own hard-line Likud Party, whose members strongly supported annexation. Netanyahu appears to be betting that Likud members — and the small, but influential settler movement — will agree the peace agreement delivers more benefits than unilateral annexation. Opinion polls have shown that annexation is not a high priority for the vast majority of the Israeli public.

Abandoning its annexation plan changes little on the ground. Israel already holds overall control of the West Bank and continues to expand its settlements there, while granting the Palestinians autonomy in a series of disconnected enclaves. Some 500,000 Israelis now live in the rapidly expanding West Bank settlements.

Next year, Israel will take part in the UAE’s delayed Expo 2020, the world’s fair being hosted by Dubai. A secret synagogue also draws practicing Jews in Dubai. The UAE also has announced plans to build the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, which will house a mosque, a church and a synagogue.

Israelis traveling with Western passports routinely enter the UAE without a problem, though one still can’t make a phone call between the two countries. Israelis also work in Dubai’s gold and diamond trade as well.

Emirati officials also have allowed Israeli officials to visit and the Israeli national anthem was played after an athlete won gold in an Abu Dhabi judo tournament. Israel also has a small mission representing its interests at the International Renewable Energy Agency in Abu Dhabi.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597334632566.png" alt="President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday morning.&nbsp;White House senior adviser Jared Kushner is at right. The President said&nbsp;that the United Arab Emirates and Israel have agreed to establish full diplomatic ties as part of a deal to halt the annexation of occupied land sought by the Palestinians for their future state.- Photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday morning.&nbsp;White House senior adviser Jared Kushner is at right. The President said&nbsp;that the United Arab Emirates and Israel have agreed to establish full diplomatic ties as part of a deal to halt the annexation of occupied land sought by the Palestinians for their future state.- Photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates and Israel have agreed to establish full diplomatic ties as part of a deal to halt the annexation of occupied land sought by the Palestinians for their future state.The announcement makes the UAE the first Gulf Arab state to do so and only the third Arab nation to have active diplomatic ties to Israel.Trump tweeted a statement from the countries, acknowledging the deal. He then told reporters in the Oval Office that it was “a truly historic moment.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Joint Statement of the United States, the State of Israel, and the United Arab Emirates <a href="https://t.co/oVyjLxf0jd">pic.twitter.com/oVyjLxf0jd</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1293922803419353088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Now that the ice has been broken I expect more Arab and Muslim countries will follow the United Arab Emirates,” he said.The recognition grants a rare diplomatic win to Trump ahead of the November election as his efforts to see an end to the war in Afghanistan have yet to come to fruition while efforts to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians have made no headway. Israel and the UAE also have been among Trump’s closest foreign allies.For Israel, the announcement comes after years of boasting by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his government enjoys closer ties to Arab nations than publicly acknowledged. Netanyahu said the announcement has ushered in a “new era” in Israel’s relations with the Arab world.&nbsp;Netanyahu has sought to build settlements on lands sought by the Palestinians and embraced a Trump proposal that would allow him to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank while granting Palestinians limited autonomy in other areas.For the UAE, home to skyscraper-studded Dubai and the rolling, oil-rich sand dunes of Abu Dhabi, it further burnishes its international campaign to be seen as a beacon of tolerance in the Middle East despite being governed by autocratic rulers. It also puts the UAE out first in a regional recognition race among neighboring Gulf Arab states.And for the Palestinians, who long have relied on Arab backing in their struggle for independence, the announcement marked both a win and setback. While Thursday’s deal halts Israeli annexation plans, the Palestinians have repeatedly urged Arab governments not to normalize relations with Israel until a peace agreement establishing an independent Palestinian state is reached.“Israel got rewarded for not declaring openly what it’s been doing to Palestine illegally &amp; persistently since the beginning of the occupation,” senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi wrote on Twitter. She also said the UAE has come forward with its “secret dealings/normalization with Israel.”“Please don’t do us a favor. We are nobody’s fig leaf!” she wrote.The militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, called the deal by the Emiratis “a stabbing in the back of our people.”The joint statement from the U.S., the UAE and Israel said delegations would meet in the coming weeks to sign deals on direct flights, security, telecommunications, energy, tourism and health care. The two countries also will partner on fighting the coronavirus pandemic.“Opening direct ties between two of the Middle East’s most dynamic societies and advanced economics will transform the region by spurring economic growth, enhancing technological innovation and forging closer people-to-people relations,” said the statement by Trump, Netanyahu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the day-to-day ruler of the UAE. It said the leaders had a three-way call discussing the deal.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised the deal.“This is a remarkable achievement for two of the world’s most forward leaning, technologically advanced states, and reflects their shared regional vision of an economically integrated region,” he said in a statement. “It also illustrates their commitment to confronting common threats, as small — but strong — nations.”He added: “Blessed are the peacemakers. Mabruk and Mazal Tov.”Netanyahu tweeted an Israeli flag with a short message in Hebrew: “Historic Day.”Among Arab nations, only Egypt and Jordan have active diplomatic ties with Israel. Egypt made a peace deal with Israel in 1979, followed by Jordan in 1994. Mauritania recognized Israel in 1999, but later ended relations in 2009 over the Israel’s war in Gaza at the time.In addition to Trump, the main U.S. mediators for agreement were the president’s senior advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner, special Mideast envoy Avi Berkowitz and David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel.The UAE is a U.S.-allied federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula. Formed in 1971, the country like other Arab nations at the time did not recognize Israel over its occupation of land home to the Palestinians.“Arab oil is not dearer than Arab blood,” the UAE’s founding ruler, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, once pronounced when agreeing to an oil boycott over U.S. military support to Israel in the 1973 Mideast war.The UAE relied on white-collar Palestinians in creating its nation. Over time, it maintained its stance that Israel allow the creation of a Palestinian state on land it seized in the 1967 war.But in recent years, ties between Gulf Arab nations and Israel have quietly grown, in part over their shared enmity of Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Prince Mohammed also shares Israel’s distrust of Islamist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and the militant group Hamas that holds the Gaza Strip.The UAE’s state-run WAM news agency acknowledged the deal, framing it as not just a move that helps the UAE and Israel, but one that also carries benefits for the Palestinians. Top Emirati official Anwar Gargash said the move dealt a “death blow” to moves by Israel to annex Palestinian lands.It remains unclear what prompted Israel and the UAE to make the announcement now. In June, the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the U.S. warned in an Israeli newspaper op-ed that Israel’s planned annexing the Jordan Valley and other parts of the occupied West Bank would “upend” Israel’s efforts to improve ties with Arab nations.The agreement gives Netanyahu a domestic boost at a time when Israel’s shaky coalition government is plagued by infighting and facing the possibility of early elections in the coming months. Netanyahu has seen his popularity plummet as the country grapples with a renewed coronavirus outbreak and skyrocketing unemployment as the result of earlier lockdown measures.Netanyahu also delivered a valuable diplomatic achievement to his good friend, Trump, ahead of U.S. elections.Still, by dropping the annexation plan Netanyahu may be hedging his bets ahead of a possible change in the White House. Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has made clear that he would oppose any moves by Israel to unilaterally redraw the Mideast map and annex lands sought by the Palestinians.Netanyahu also risked criticism inside his own hard-line Likud Party, whose members strongly supported annexation. Netanyahu appears to be betting that Likud members — and the small, but influential settler movement — will agree the peace agreement delivers more benefits than unilateral annexation. Opinion polls have shown that annexation is not a high priority for the vast majority of the Israeli public.Abandoning its annexation plan changes little on the ground. Israel already holds overall control of the West Bank and continues to expand its settlements there, while granting the Palestinians autonomy in a series of disconnected enclaves. Some 500,000 Israelis now live in the rapidly expanding West Bank settlements.Next year, Israel will take part in the UAE’s delayed Expo 2020, the world’s fair being hosted by Dubai. A secret synagogue also draws practicing Jews in Dubai. The UAE also has announced plans to build the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, which will house a mosque, a church and a synagogue.Israelis traveling with Western passports routinely enter the UAE without a problem, though one still can’t make a phone call between the two countries. Israelis also work in Dubai’s gold and diamond trade as well.Emirati officials also have allowed Israeli officials to visit and the Israeli national anthem was played after an athlete won gold in an Abu Dhabi judo tournament. Israel also has a small mission representing its interests at the International Renewable Energy Agency in Abu Dhabi.___

Trump helps Israel, UAE reach 'historic peace deal'

By
NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>


HUTCHINSON —&nbsp;Washburn University political scientist Bob Beatty sees a 
potential opportunity for the Kansas Democratic Party if Republican 
State Treasurer Jake LaTurner wins the Second District seat in Congress 
in November and his office is left vacant.

"The State Treasurer 
job, I looked it up, has been a feeder for people that want to go on to 
higher office," Beatty said. "Going back to Joan Finney from back in the
 day, who went on to become Kansas governor. The treasurer after her, 
Sally Thompson ran for Senate, Tim Shallenburger ran for governor, Lynn 
Jenkins ran for the U.S. House, Ron Estes ran for the U.S. House and now
 Jake LaTurner. It's almost expected that if you're a State Treasurer, 
that really the job is a placeholder and you should be moving on to 
somewhere else."

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly would get the 
opportunity to appoint someone to the seat and Beatty argues that it's 
an important appointment for the future of the Party.

"Find a Jake
 LaTurner," Beatty said. "Find a Democrat who is ambitious, talented, 
can obviously do the job as State Treasurer, but also is savvy in 
campaigning and in fundraising and can possibly win an election."

A
 couple of young Democrats who might fit that bill are LaTurner's 
opponent in the Second District race, Topeka mayor Michelle De La Isla 
and Wichita mayor Brandon Whipple.

"They really need to be looking
 for somebody who can win an election and not just be a placeholder in 
the seat," Beatty said. "It's tough for Democrats. I would argue, they 
don't need to use this to reward somebody for long years of service. 
That person's not going to win in the next election."

This could 
all be an academic exercise though, as the race between LaTurner and De 
La Isla is too close to call according to the latest polling immediately
 following his primary win.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597324661682.jpeg" alt="Bob Beatty" />
 <figcaption>Bob Beatty</figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>
HUTCHINSON —&nbsp;Washburn University political scientist Bob Beatty sees a 
potential opportunity for the Kansas Democratic Party if Republican 
State Treasurer Jake LaTurner wins the Second District seat in Congress 
in November and his office is left vacant."The State Treasurer 
job, I looked it up, has been a feeder for people that want to go on to 
higher office," Beatty said. "Going back to Joan Finney from back in the
 day, who went on to become Kansas governor. The treasurer after her, 
Sally Thompson ran for Senate, Tim Shallenburger ran for governor, Lynn 
Jenkins ran for the U.S. House, Ron Estes ran for the U.S. House and now
 Jake LaTurner. It's almost expected that if you're a State Treasurer, 
that really the job is a placeholder and you should be moving on to 
somewhere else."Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly would get the 
opportunity to appoint someone to the seat and Beatty argues that it's 
an important appointment for the future of the Party."Find a Jake
 LaTurner," Beatty said. "Find a Democrat who is ambitious, talented, 
can obviously do the job as State Treasurer, but also is savvy in 
campaigning and in fundraising and can possibly win an election."A
 couple of young Democrats who might fit that bill are LaTurner's 
opponent in the Second District race, Topeka mayor Michelle De La Isla 
and Wichita mayor Brandon Whipple."They really need to be looking
 for somebody who can win an election and not just be a placeholder in 
the seat," Beatty said. "It's tough for Democrats. I would argue, they 
don't need to use this to reward somebody for long years of service. 
That person's not going to win in the next election."This could 
all be an academic exercise though, as the race between LaTurner and De 
La Isla is too close to call according to the latest polling immediately
 following his primary win.

Beatty: State Treasurer vacancy an opportunity for Democrats

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday allowed the Education Department to move forward with new rules governing how schools and universities respond to complaints of sexual assault.

The rules, which take effect Friday, expand the rights of the accused, narrow the definition of sexual harassment and reduce the scope of cases that schools are required to investigate, among other changes.

In a suit challenging the rules, attorneys general from 17 states and the District of Columbia argued that the policy would block schools from investigating certain sexual abuse complaints and would discourage students from reporting assaults.

“As a result, fewer sexual harassment complaints will be filed, and schools will be less well equipped to protect their students’ safety and rid their programs and activities of the pernicious effects of sex discrimination,” the suit said.

But U.S. District Judge Carl. J. Nichols rejected those arguments.

“Plaintiffs are free to investigate and punish as violations of their codes of conduct or of state law behavior that does not meet the new definition of sexual harassment under the Final Rule,”&nbsp;<a href="https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2020cv1468-97" target="_blank">Nichols wrote.</a>

He also turned aside an argument that the rules would bring heavy costs for schools and limit their ability to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Court recognizes the obvious seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he wrote. “In fact, for these and other reasons, a later effective date might have been a preferable policy decision.”

Still, he said, the Education Department took the pandemic into account when it issued the new rules, and schools have long known that a new policy would be coming.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said the ruling is “yet another victory for students and reaffirms that students’ rights under Title IX go hand in hand with basic American principles of fairness and due process.”

DeVos issued her policy May 6 after rescinding earlier guidelines from the Obama administration in 2017. Victims’ advocates say the 2017 rules forced colleges to confront sexual abuse after ignoring it for years. But DeVos has said the guidelines turned campus disciplinary panels into “kangaroo courts” that were too quick to punish accused students.

DeVos’ rules, which carry the weight of law, tell schools how to implement Title IX, the 1972 law barring discrimination based on sex in education.

Under her overhaul, the definition of sexual harassment is narrowed to “unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive” that it denies a person access to a school’s education programs or activity.

The policy will now require colleges to investigate claims only if they’re reported to certain officials, and schools can be held accountable for mishandling complaints only if they acted with “deliberate indifference.” Opponents also took exception with a provision allowing students to question one another through representatives at live hearings.

DeVos on Wednesday said the rules require schools to “to act in meaningful ways to support survivors of sexual misconduct without sacrificing important safeguards to protect free speech and provide all students with a transparent, reliable process.”

The case challenging the rules was led by attorneys general in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and California, with backing from a total of 17 states and the District of Columbia.

The California and Pennsylvania attorneys general didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

The challenge was supported by the American Council on Education, an association of university presidents, along with 24 other higher education organizations. In a June legal brief, the groups said the policy ordered a “sea change” for colleges but gave them less than three months to implement it.

“In the best of times, that deadline would be unreasonable. But in light of the extraordinary burdens that have been placed on American colleges and universities in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic, that August 14 implementation deadline is problematic in the extreme,” the groups wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597268489165.png" alt="Education Secretary Betsy Devos speaking at the Kids First: Getting America's Children Back to School event Wednesday at the White House-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Education Secretary Betsy Devos speaking at the Kids First: Getting America's Children Back to School event Wednesday at the White House-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday allowed the Education Department to move forward with new rules governing how schools and universities respond to complaints of sexual assault.The rules, which take effect Friday, expand the rights of the accused, narrow the definition of sexual harassment and reduce the scope of cases that schools are required to investigate, among other changes.In a suit challenging the rules, attorneys general from 17 states and the District of Columbia argued that the policy would block schools from investigating certain sexual abuse complaints and would discourage students from reporting assaults.“As a result, fewer sexual harassment complaints will be filed, and schools will be less well equipped to protect their students’ safety and rid their programs and activities of the pernicious effects of sex discrimination,” the suit said.But U.S. District Judge Carl. J. Nichols rejected those arguments.“Plaintiffs are free to investigate and punish as violations of their codes of conduct or of state law behavior that does not meet the new definition of sexual harassment under the Final Rule,”&nbsp;<a href="https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2020cv1468-97" target="_blank">Nichols wrote.</a>He also turned aside an argument that the rules would bring heavy costs for schools and limit their ability to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.“The Court recognizes the obvious seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he wrote. “In fact, for these and other reasons, a later effective date might have been a preferable policy decision.”Still, he said, the Education Department took the pandemic into account when it issued the new rules, and schools have long known that a new policy would be coming.Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said the ruling is “yet another victory for students and reaffirms that students’ rights under Title IX go hand in hand with basic American principles of fairness and due process.”DeVos issued her policy May 6 after rescinding earlier guidelines from the Obama administration in 2017. Victims’ advocates say the 2017 rules forced colleges to confront sexual abuse after ignoring it for years. But DeVos has said the guidelines turned campus disciplinary panels into “kangaroo courts” that were too quick to punish accused students.DeVos’ rules, which carry the weight of law, tell schools how to implement Title IX, the 1972 law barring discrimination based on sex in education.Under her overhaul, the definition of sexual harassment is narrowed to “unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive” that it denies a person access to a school’s education programs or activity.The policy will now require colleges to investigate claims only if they’re reported to certain officials, and schools can be held accountable for mishandling complaints only if they acted with “deliberate indifference.” Opponents also took exception with a provision allowing students to question one another through representatives at live hearings.DeVos on Wednesday said the rules require schools to “to act in meaningful ways to support survivors of sexual misconduct without sacrificing important safeguards to protect free speech and provide all students with a transparent, reliable process.”The case challenging the rules was led by attorneys general in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and California, with backing from a total of 17 states and the District of Columbia.The California and Pennsylvania attorneys general didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.The challenge was supported by the American Council on Education, an association of university presidents, along with 24 other higher education organizations. In a June legal brief, the groups said the policy ordered a “sea change” for colleges but gave them less than three months to implement it.“In the best of times, that deadline would be unreasonable. But in light of the extraordinary burdens that have been placed on American colleges and universities in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic, that August 14 implementation deadline is problematic in the extreme,” the groups wrote.—

Federal judge refuses to block campus sexual assault rules

SALINA —Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., announced&nbsp; a $53 million expansion project for its Salina operation.

Linda Salem, president and CEO of Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., announced the expansion&nbsp; during a Thursday morning news conference attended by state and local government officials and Great Plains employees.

The company founded in 1976 will expand into the Signify/Phillips Lighting plant on South Ninth Street in Salina. 

Signify also announced Thursday that it is closing its Salina manufacturing facility in the second quarter of 2021.

The expansion will add approximately 130 new manufacturing jobs in Salina, according to Salem. Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., has become a leader in the manufacturing of agricultural implements for tillage, seeding, and planting in the United States, as well as a leading producer of dirt working, turf maintenance, material handling, and landscaping equipment, according to the company web site.&nbsp;

Now a Kubota Company,&nbsp;Great Plains comprises five divisions:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.greatplainsag.com/">Great Plains Ag</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.greatplainsint.com/">Great Plains International</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.landpride.com/">Land Pride</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gpacfinance.com/">Great Plains Acceptance Corporation (GPAC)</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gptrucking.com/">Great Plains Trucking</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597329351592.jpeg" alt="Linda Salem, president and CEO of Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., announced the expansion Thursday morning." />
 <figcaption>Linda Salem, president and CEO of Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., announced the expansion Thursday morning.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA —Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., announced&nbsp; a $53 million expansion project for its Salina operation.Linda Salem, president and CEO of Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., announced the expansion&nbsp; during a Thursday morning news conference attended by state and local government officials and Great Plains employees.The company founded in 1976 will expand into the Signify/Phillips Lighting plant on South Ninth Street in Salina. Signify also announced Thursday that it is closing its Salina manufacturing facility in the second quarter of 2021.The expansion will add approximately 130 new manufacturing jobs in Salina, according to Salem. Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., has become a leader in the manufacturing of agricultural implements for tillage, seeding, and planting in the United States, as well as a leading producer of dirt working, turf maintenance, material handling, and landscaping equipment, according to the company web site.&nbsp;Now a Kubota Company,&nbsp;Great Plains comprises five divisions:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.greatplainsag.com/">Great Plains Ag</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.greatplainsint.com/">Great Plains International</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.landpride.com/">Land Pride</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gpacfinance.com/">Great Plains Acceptance Corporation (GPAC)</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gptrucking.com/">Great Plains Trucking</a>.

Great Plains expansion will bring 130 new jobs to Salina

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Public health officials in three Kansas counties say a new state law is hurting their efforts to trace the contacts of people infected with COVID-19 by making it easier for them to refuse to cooperate.

Public health departments often rely on employers to find out who has been in close contact with those infected, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.khi.org/policy/article/HATC-special-edition-summary-of-HB2016" target="_blank">the coronavirus law</a>&nbsp;that was approved in June says “third parties,” such as employers and event hosts, must get consent from those who tested positive for COVID-19 and close contacts in order to share their information to public health agencies.

“Our disease investigators hold confidentiality to the utmost importance,” said Adrienne Byrne, director of the Sedgwick County Health Department in Wichita. “So I’m not sure what all went behind that bill, but it has not been good for public health because being able to do contact tracing helps us identify people that might turn positive and get them out of circulation to help stop the spread of the disease.”

Kansas reported Wednesday that its confirmed and probable coronavirus cases were over 32,500, up more than 6,000 over the past two weeks.

While lawmakers deliberated the coronavirus response bill in June, Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt&nbsp;<a href="https://ag.ks.gov/media-center/news-releases/2020-news-releases/2020/06/01/ag-derek-schmidt-recommends-legislature-enact-law-during-special-session-to-regulate-contact-tracing" target="_blank">recommended</a>&nbsp;that they include “a legal framework″ for protecting privacy and civil liberties. Schmidt spokesman John Milburn said in an email to the Associated Press that “the alternative to voluntary contact tracing is government-compelled contact tracing.”

“We do not believe Kansans should be threatened with government-imposed penalties if they decline to disclose with whom they associate or where they have been, at least not without judicial supervision,” he said.

The law passed after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3a112f6630e3e1f48b7eafc1481ea3e6">weeks of dispute&nbsp;</a>between Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and top Republicans over her handling of the pandemic. Contact tracers and case investigators who violate the law can be charged with a class C misdemeanor.

“If we have to go in and try to get consent, it really just slows the whole process down,” Dr. Lee Norman, the state’s top public health official, said this week.

Coronavirus outbreaks in Wyandotte County have most commonly occurred at workplaces, said Elizabeth Groenweghe, the county health department’s chief epidemiologist.

The new law will “make it a bit more challenging to do the contact tracing in the workplace and help the workplace identify who needs to be quarantined, which could impact and perpetuate outbreaks within the workplace,” Groenweghe said.

The law also prevents people infected with COVID-19 and close contacts from being “compelled to participate in” contact tracing. Contact tracers and case investigators are now required to read a statement — or create their own version of it — informing recent close contacts that cooperating with health officials is voluntary, Kansas Department of Health and Environment spokeswoman Kristi Zears said in an email.

Elizabeth Holzschuh, a Johnson County epidemiologist, said she thinks the statement makes it easier for people to decline to participate.

“I think that in particular with a disease such as this, where the implications are so great at this moment in time, in the middle of a pandemic, I certainly think that greater participation would help us slow transmission,” Holzschuh said.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Public health officials in three Kansas counties say a new state law is hurting their efforts to trace the contacts of people infected with COVID-19 by making it easier for them to refuse to cooperate.Public health departments often rely on employers to find out who has been in close contact with those infected, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.khi.org/policy/article/HATC-special-edition-summary-of-HB2016" target="_blank">the coronavirus law</a>&nbsp;that was approved in June says “third parties,” such as employers and event hosts, must get consent from those who tested positive for COVID-19 and close contacts in order to share their information to public health agencies.“Our disease investigators hold confidentiality to the utmost importance,” said Adrienne Byrne, director of the Sedgwick County Health Department in Wichita. “So I’m not sure what all went behind that bill, but it has not been good for public health because being able to do contact tracing helps us identify people that might turn positive and get them out of circulation to help stop the spread of the disease.”Kansas reported Wednesday that its confirmed and probable coronavirus cases were over 32,500, up more than 6,000 over the past two weeks.While lawmakers deliberated the coronavirus response bill in June, Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt&nbsp;<a href="https://ag.ks.gov/media-center/news-releases/2020-news-releases/2020/06/01/ag-derek-schmidt-recommends-legislature-enact-law-during-special-session-to-regulate-contact-tracing" target="_blank">recommended</a>&nbsp;that they include “a legal framework″ for protecting privacy and civil liberties. Schmidt spokesman John Milburn said in an email to the Associated Press that “the alternative to voluntary contact tracing is government-compelled contact tracing.”“We do not believe Kansans should be threatened with government-imposed penalties if they decline to disclose with whom they associate or where they have been, at least not without judicial supervision,” he said.The law passed after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3a112f6630e3e1f48b7eafc1481ea3e6">weeks of dispute&nbsp;</a>between Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and top Republicans over her handling of the pandemic. Contact tracers and case investigators who violate the law can be charged with a class C misdemeanor.“If we have to go in and try to get consent, it really just slows the whole process down,” Dr. Lee Norman, the state’s top public health official, said this week.Coronavirus outbreaks in Wyandotte County have most commonly occurred at workplaces, said Elizabeth Groenweghe, the county health department’s chief epidemiologist.The new law will “make it a bit more challenging to do the contact tracing in the workplace and help the workplace identify who needs to be quarantined, which could impact and perpetuate outbreaks within the workplace,” Groenweghe said.The law also prevents people infected with COVID-19 and close contacts from being “compelled to participate in” contact tracing. Contact tracers and case investigators are now required to read a statement — or create their own version of it — informing recent close contacts that cooperating with health officials is voluntary, Kansas Department of Health and Environment spokeswoman Kristi Zears said in an email.Elizabeth Holzschuh, a Johnson County epidemiologist, said she thinks the statement makes it easier for people to decline to participate.“I think that in particular with a disease such as this, where the implications are so great at this moment in time, in the middle of a pandemic, I certainly think that greater participation would help us slow transmission,” Holzschuh said.___

Kansas officials say new COVID-19 law hurts contact tracing

LAWRENCE —A 6-year-old Kansas boy injured in a shooting August 5 in Lawrence remains hospitalized but is improving.

His aunt established a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/tayshawn-is-a-fighter">GoFundMe</a> page to assist the family following the accident. On Wednesday, she reported doctors moved him from intensive care.

Doctors removed the tubes from his mouth on Monday and for the first time since the accident he was able to say, "hi mom."&nbsp;

Just after 9:30p.m. August 5, police responded to report of a medical emergency at a residence in the 700 Block of West 25th Street in Lawrence, according to police spokesperson Patrick Compton

First responders found the boy suffering from a gunshot wound and immediately began rendering aid. EMS transported him to a hospital in critical condition.

Authorities continue the investigation of the incident&nbsp; but do not believe foul play was involved. Police have not released additional details.

LAWRENCE — The 6-year-old boy injured in a shooting in Lawrence remains hospitalized in critical condition, according to police spokesperson Patrick Compton late Thursday afternoon.

Just after 9:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a medical emergency at a residence in the 700 Block of West 25th Street in Lawrence, according to police spokesperson Patrick Compton

First responders found the boy suffering from a gunshot wound and immediately began rendering aid. EMS transported him to a hospital, according to Compton.

Authorities continue the investigation of the incident&nbsp; but&nbsp;police do not currently believe foul play was involved.

LAWRENCE —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a child to the hospital in Lawrence.

First responders found a boy suffering from a gunshot wound and immediately began rendering aid. EMS transported him to a hospital with serious injuries, according to Compton.

Police did not release the child's age or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597321578203.png" alt="Tyshawn -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Tyshawn -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE —A 6-year-old Kansas boy injured in a shooting August 5 in Lawrence remains hospitalized but is improving.His aunt established a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/tayshawn-is-a-fighter">GoFundMe</a> page to assist the family following the accident. On Wednesday, she reported doctors moved him from intensive care.Doctors removed the tubes from his mouth on Monday and for the first time since the accident he was able to say, "hi mom."&nbsp;Just after 9:30p.m. August 5, police responded to report of a medical emergency at a residence in the 700 Block of West 25th Street in Lawrence, according to police spokesperson Patrick ComptonFirst responders found the boy suffering from a gunshot wound and immediately began rendering aid. EMS transported him to a hospital in critical condition.Authorities continue the investigation of the incident&nbsp; but do not believe foul play was involved. Police have not released additional details.--------LAWRENCE — The 6-year-old boy injured in a shooting in Lawrence remains hospitalized in critical condition, according to police spokesperson Patrick Compton late Thursday afternoon.Just after 9:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a medical emergency at a residence in the 700 Block of West 25th Street in Lawrence, according to police spokesperson Patrick ComptonFirst responders found the boy suffering from a gunshot wound and immediately began rendering aid. EMS transported him to a hospital, according to Compton.Authorities continue the investigation of the incident&nbsp; but&nbsp;police do not currently believe foul play was involved.----------LAWRENCE —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a child to the hospital in Lawrence.Just after 9:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a medical emergency at a residence in the 700 Block of West 25th Street in Lawrence, according to police spokesperson Patrick ComptonFirst responders found a boy suffering from a gunshot wound and immediately began rendering aid. EMS transported him to a hospital with serious injuries, according to Compton.Police did not release the child's age or additional details.

6-year-old Kan. boy remains hospitalized after shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans counting on emergency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak">coronavirus aid&nbsp;</a>from Washington may have to wait until fall.

Negotiations over a new virus relief package have all but ended, with the White House and congressional leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/767b6140f1b456a9db44eb6ca6512435">far apart&nbsp;</a>on the size, scope and approach for shoring up households, re-opening schools and launching a national strategy to contain the virus.

President Donald Trump’s top negotiator, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, tried to revive stalled talks Wednesday, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the “overture,” saying the Trump administration is still refusing to meet them halfway. Congressional Republicans are largely sitting out the talks.

“The White House is not budging,” Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement.

With the House and Senate essentially closed, and lawmakers on call to return with 24-hours notice, hopes for a swift compromise have dwindled. Instead, the politics of blame have taken hold, as the parties head into August focused on the presidential nominating conventions and lawmakers’ own reelection campaigns.

Trump said the Democrats are “holding the American people hostage.”

All indications are talks will not resume in full until Congress resumes in September, despite the mounting death toll, surpassing 161,000 in the U.S., and more than 5 million people infected.

For Americans, that means the end of a $600 weekly unemployment benefit that has expired, as has a federal ban on evictions.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9282728e7dac47d8809264e1fb9c0598">Schools&nbsp;</a>hoping for cash from the federal government to help provide safety measures are left empty handed. States and cities staring down red ink with the shattered economy have few options.

Trump’s executive actions appeared to provide a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f67dd310113355f4effe13dfcf4ac3b8">temporary reprieve</a>, offering $300 in jobless benefits and some other aid. But it could take weeks for those programs to ramp up, and the help is far slimmer than what Congress was considering. More than 20 million Americans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/833d91877e2f0fa913c5258978a9e83c">risk evictions</a>, and more are out of work.

Mnuchin and White House chief of staff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/39a57f0a4a784bff3fc0bf5ae7a89e67">Mark Meadows&nbsp;</a>briefed GOP senators privately on Wednesday. But congressional Republicans, who have left the negotiating largely to Democrats, seem satisfied there is enough money still available from previous aid packages, for now.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell put in motion the procedural steps to recess, possibly Thursday. The House is already gone.

Because McConnell has such cool support from his ranks for any bill, Democrats are trying to push the White House to go bold. They want to maintain the $600 jobless benefit and provide nearly $1 trillion to the states and cities, nonstarters for the White House.

While there is some common ground over $100 billion for schools and new funds for virus testing, Democrats also want other emergency funds that Trump rejects, including to shore up the U.S. Postal Service and election security ahead of the November election.

“Democrats have compromised,” Pelosi and Schumer said, noting that they dropped their initial $3 trillion-plus proposal by $1 trillion and expect Trump’s team to raise its $1 trillion offer by a similar amount to $2 trillion. “However, it is clear that the Administration still does not grasp the magnitude of the problems that American families are facing.”

Their joint statement said Mnuchin made an “overture” to meet. The treasury secretary called the Democratic leaders on Wednesday, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private call.

The Democrats said they are waiting for the White House to put a new offer on the table. “We have again made clear to the Administration that we are willing to resume negotiations once they start to take this process seriously.”

But Mnuchin shot back with his own statement, saying, “The Democrats have no interest in negotiating.”

Mnuchin said Pelosi’s statement was “not an accurate reflection of our conversation. She made clear that she was unwilling to meet to continue negotiations unless we agreed in advance to her proposal, costing at least $2 trillion.”

McConnell said the American people need help and “are not done fighting this virus.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596833441262.png" alt="“The White House is not budging,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi&nbsp; said in a joint statement with Chuck Schumer." />
 <figcaption>“The White House is not budging,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi&nbsp; said in a joint statement with Chuck Schumer.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans counting on emergency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak">coronavirus aid&nbsp;</a>from Washington may have to wait until fall.Negotiations over a new virus relief package have all but ended, with the White House and congressional leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/767b6140f1b456a9db44eb6ca6512435">far apart&nbsp;</a>on the size, scope and approach for shoring up households, re-opening schools and launching a national strategy to contain the virus.President Donald Trump’s top negotiator, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, tried to revive stalled talks Wednesday, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the “overture,” saying the Trump administration is still refusing to meet them halfway. Congressional Republicans are largely sitting out the talks.“The White House is not budging,” Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement.With the House and Senate essentially closed, and lawmakers on call to return with 24-hours notice, hopes for a swift compromise have dwindled. Instead, the politics of blame have taken hold, as the parties head into August focused on the presidential nominating conventions and lawmakers’ own reelection campaigns.Trump said the Democrats are “holding the American people hostage.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596920175615.png" alt="President Trump signed executive orders Saturday for a payroll tax cut, eviction protection and additional $400 of unemployment aid -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump signed executive orders Saturday for a payroll tax cut, eviction protection and additional $400 of unemployment aid -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>All indications are talks will not resume in full until Congress resumes in September, despite the mounting death toll, surpassing 161,000 in the U.S., and more than 5 million people infected.For Americans, that means the end of a $600 weekly unemployment benefit that has expired, as has a federal ban on evictions.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9282728e7dac47d8809264e1fb9c0598">Schools&nbsp;</a>hoping for cash from the federal government to help provide safety measures are left empty handed. States and cities staring down red ink with the shattered economy have few options.Trump’s executive actions appeared to provide a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f67dd310113355f4effe13dfcf4ac3b8">temporary reprieve</a>, offering $300 in jobless benefits and some other aid. But it could take weeks for those programs to ramp up, and the help is far slimmer than what Congress was considering. More than 20 million Americans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/833d91877e2f0fa913c5258978a9e83c">risk evictions</a>, and more are out of work.Mnuchin and White House chief of staff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/39a57f0a4a784bff3fc0bf5ae7a89e67">Mark Meadows&nbsp;</a>briefed GOP senators privately on Wednesday. But congressional Republicans, who have left the negotiating largely to Democrats, seem satisfied there is enough money still available from previous aid packages, for now.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell put in motion the procedural steps to recess, possibly Thursday. The House is already gone.Because McConnell has such cool support from his ranks for any bill, Democrats are trying to push the White House to go bold. They want to maintain the $600 jobless benefit and provide nearly $1 trillion to the states and cities, nonstarters for the White House.While there is some common ground over $100 billion for schools and new funds for virus testing, Democrats also want other emergency funds that Trump rejects, including to shore up the U.S. Postal Service and election security ahead of the November election.“Democrats have compromised,” Pelosi and Schumer said, noting that they dropped their initial $3 trillion-plus proposal by $1 trillion and expect Trump’s team to raise its $1 trillion offer by a similar amount to $2 trillion. “However, it is clear that the Administration still does not grasp the magnitude of the problems that American families are facing.”Their joint statement said Mnuchin made an “overture” to meet. The treasury secretary called the Democratic leaders on Wednesday, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private call.The Democrats said they are waiting for the White House to put a new offer on the table. “We have again made clear to the Administration that we are willing to resume negotiations once they start to take this process seriously.”But Mnuchin shot back with his own statement, saying, “The Democrats have no interest in negotiating.”Mnuchin said Pelosi’s statement was “not an accurate reflection of our conversation. She made clear that she was unwilling to meet to continue negotiations unless we agreed in advance to her proposal, costing at least $2 trillion.”McConnell said the American people need help and “are not done fighting this virus.”___

For Americans waiting on virus aid, no new relief in sight

Wichita – Police are investigating illegal protest activities in Wichita and are asking the public for help in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WichitaPolice/">identifying the</a>&nbsp; individuals&nbsp; at demonstrations that occurred on July 30 and 31.

The charges include Multiple counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, Multiple counts of harassing contact, Multiple counts of vandalism. Multiple counts of battery and multiple counts of rioting.

Last week, police reported making four arrests for illegal activity during protests.

If you know the identification of any of these individual call WPD detectives at 316-268-4407, Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111, or email detective Anna Hoyt at ahoyt@wichita.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597272122493.png" alt="Photos courtesy Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Wichita – Police are investigating illegal protest activities in Wichita and are asking the public for help in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WichitaPolice/">identifying the</a>&nbsp; individuals&nbsp; at demonstrations that occurred on July 30 and 31.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597272172428.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The charges include Multiple counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, Multiple counts of harassing contact, Multiple counts of vandalism. Multiple counts of battery and multiple counts of rioting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597272202605.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Last week, police reported making four arrests for illegal activity during protests.If you know the identification of any of these individual call WPD detectives at 316-268-4407, Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111, or email detective Anna Hoyt at ahoyt@wichita.gov.

Police want to ID suspects for illegal protest activity in Wichita

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The founder of a Kansas City-area youth soccer club has pleaded guilty to a sex crime involving a teen player and will be sentenced next month.

Jason Cummins, 37, pleaded guilty in Johnson County District Court last month to attempted aggravated indecent liberties with a child between the ages of 14 and 16.&nbsp; He also registered as a sex offender.

Investigators said Cummins targeted a girl on one of his teams whom he had coached since she was 9. Among other things, police said, Cummins inappropriately touched her, forced her to sit on his lap and sent her inappropriate texts.

Cummins founded the soccer club Arson FC in 2014, putting together boys, girls and coed teams. Since his guilty plea, he’s turned operation of the club over to his wife, the Star said.

Cummins’s attorney, Scott Toth, said Cummins showed “poor judgment” in his interactions with the teen.

“Jason accepted responsibility quickly and decisively, and that indicates that he is remorseful and wants to move on with his life," Toth said.

But the teen's family says Cummins and hit wife have been telling team members and their families that the victim is lying, leading other teens to badger the victim and accuse her of lying about the former coach.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597269232186.png" alt="Cummins photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Cummins photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — The founder of a Kansas City-area youth soccer club has pleaded guilty to a sex crime involving a teen player and will be sentenced next month.Jason Cummins, 37, pleaded guilty in Johnson County District Court last month to attempted aggravated indecent liberties with a child between the ages of 14 and 16.&nbsp; He also registered as a sex offender.Investigators said Cummins targeted a girl on one of his teams whom he had coached since she was 9. Among other things, police said, Cummins inappropriately touched her, forced her to sit on his lap and sent her inappropriate texts.Cummins founded the soccer club Arson FC in 2014, putting together boys, girls and coed teams. Since his guilty plea, he’s turned operation of the club over to his wife, the Star said.Cummins’s attorney, Scott Toth, said Cummins showed “poor judgment” in his interactions with the teen.“Jason accepted responsibility quickly and decisively, and that indicates that he is remorseful and wants to move on with his life," Toth said.But the teen's family says Cummins and hit wife have been telling team members and their families that the victim is lying, leading other teens to badger the victim and accuse her of lying about the former coach.

KC youth soccer club founder pleads guilty to sex crime

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republicans are likely to stress Kansas Rep. Roger Marshall’s service on the House Agriculture Committee as he runs for the Senate.

The two-term GOP congressman for western and central Kansas who sometimes calls himself “the only candidate who can sort heifers from steers” is treating his agriculture background as as a major asset in his race against Democrat nominee Barbara Bollier. They’re both doctors, but she grew up in the Kansas City suburbs, while he describes himself as a “fifth-generation farm kid” after starting life on a farm outside El Dorado in south-central Kansas.

Marshall and Bollier are running for the seat held by retiring four-term GOP Sen. Pat Roberts. He has served as Senate Agriculture Committee chairman since 2015, is a former House Agriculture Committee chairman and has been a key player on farm legislation for decades. Kansas agriculture groups put a premium on the state being represented on both committees.

Kelly Arnold, a former Kansas Republican Party chairman, said Tuesday that Marshall’s agriculture background is “obviously going to be pushed” during the campaign.

“This is one of the strong points that Roger Marshall has,” Arnold said.

Marshall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6646c990bce8bd3d93e2722015de87f0">won the GOP primary</a>&nbsp;comfortably over Kris Kobach, a former Kansas secretary of state and polarizing conservative known for advocating restrictive immigration policies. Marshall had endorsements from the Kansas Farm Bureau and the Kansas Livestock Association.

Farm groups’ support was crucial to Marshall in 2016 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2672bddfba71409caf2a7e171f074cfb">he ousted</a>&nbsp;conservative tea-party Rep. Tim Huelskamp during the GOP primary. Marshall is an obstetrician and Huelskamp was a farmer and rancher, but Huelskamp had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2885d5c77ae84233801402a7bb577abf">alienated agriculture groups</a>&nbsp;by getting booted from the House Agriculture Committee in 2012, costing Kansas a seat for the first time in nearly a century. Huelskamp had clashed with then-House Speaker John Boehner.

Marshall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c153fdbdb7c3455e84189f4c146d3d07/Kansas-regains-seat-on-House-agricultural-committee">immediately received a seat</a>&nbsp;on the House Agriculture Committee after taking office in 2017. He said after winning the Senate primary last week that it’s “vitally important” for Kansas to have a seat on the Senate committee and Bollier is “not qualified.”

“She wouldn’t know the difference between milo and soybeans,” Marshall said.

Bollier, a retired anesthesiologist, is a state senator who represents leafy and affluent suburbs in Johnson County, the state’s most populous county. Her father was an anesthesiologist and her mother, a nurse, but Bollier said in a post-primary interview that her father did own land near Chillicothe, Missouri, that he had farmed — growing soybeans — before it later became wetlands.

Bollier’s latest television spot features her with former GOP Rep. Tom Moxley on his Council Grove ranch, with him wearing a cowboy hat.

“I have served in the state Legislature for 11 years and have spent every year hearing about the needs of our agriculture community and voting for them,” she said. “I look forward to on that ag committee in Washington.”

And Kansas Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley, of Topeka, said while Marshall’s agriculture background gives him a popular message in western Kansas, he’s not sure the issue plays as well in urban areas. He also said her message of bringing bipartisanship to Washington will resonate.

Political scientist Bob Beatty, of Washburn University in Topeka, said Marshall’s agriculture background is positive and will helps some voters feel more comfortable with him. But he also noted half of the state’s 1.85 million registered voters live in its five most populous counties.

“The farm credential in Kansas is more cultural than just pure votes,” Beatty said. “It’s been waning over the years, but it still has symbolic power.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597245429364.png" alt="Rep. Roger Marshall during a stop in southeast Kansas -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Roger Marshall during a stop in southeast Kansas -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republicans are likely to stress Kansas Rep. Roger Marshall’s service on the House Agriculture Committee as he runs for the Senate.The two-term GOP congressman for western and central Kansas who sometimes calls himself “the only candidate who can sort heifers from steers” is treating his agriculture background as as a major asset in his race against Democrat nominee Barbara Bollier. They’re both doctors, but she grew up in the Kansas City suburbs, while he describes himself as a “fifth-generation farm kid” after starting life on a farm outside El Dorado in south-central Kansas.Marshall and Bollier are running for the seat held by retiring four-term GOP Sen. Pat Roberts. He has served as Senate Agriculture Committee chairman since 2015, is a former House Agriculture Committee chairman and has been a key player on farm legislation for decades. Kansas agriculture groups put a premium on the state being represented on both committees.Kelly Arnold, a former Kansas Republican Party chairman, said Tuesday that Marshall’s agriculture background is “obviously going to be pushed” during the campaign.“This is one of the strong points that Roger Marshall has,” Arnold said.Marshall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6646c990bce8bd3d93e2722015de87f0">won the GOP primary</a>&nbsp;comfortably over Kris Kobach, a former Kansas secretary of state and polarizing conservative known for advocating restrictive immigration policies. Marshall had endorsements from the Kansas Farm Bureau and the Kansas Livestock Association.Farm groups’ support was crucial to Marshall in 2016 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2672bddfba71409caf2a7e171f074cfb">he ousted</a>&nbsp;conservative tea-party Rep. Tim Huelskamp during the GOP primary. Marshall is an obstetrician and Huelskamp was a farmer and rancher, but Huelskamp had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2885d5c77ae84233801402a7bb577abf">alienated agriculture groups</a>&nbsp;by getting booted from the House Agriculture Committee in 2012, costing Kansas a seat for the first time in nearly a century. Huelskamp had clashed with then-House Speaker John Boehner.Marshall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c153fdbdb7c3455e84189f4c146d3d07/Kansas-regains-seat-on-House-agricultural-committee">immediately received a seat</a>&nbsp;on the House Agriculture Committee after taking office in 2017. He said after winning the Senate primary last week that it’s “vitally important” for Kansas to have a seat on the Senate committee and Bollier is “not qualified.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596590340401.png" alt="State Senator Barbara Bollier" />
 <figcaption>State Senator Barbara Bollier</figcaption>
 </figure>“She wouldn’t know the difference between milo and soybeans,” Marshall said.Bollier, a retired anesthesiologist, is a state senator who represents leafy and affluent suburbs in Johnson County, the state’s most populous county. Her father was an anesthesiologist and her mother, a nurse, but Bollier said in a post-primary interview that her father did own land near Chillicothe, Missouri, that he had farmed — growing soybeans — before it later became wetlands.Bollier’s latest television spot features her with former GOP Rep. Tom Moxley on his Council Grove ranch, with him wearing a cowboy hat.“I have served in the state Legislature for 11 years and have spent every year hearing about the needs of our agriculture community and voting for them,” she said. “I look forward to on that ag committee in Washington.”And Kansas Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley, of Topeka, said while Marshall’s agriculture background gives him a popular message in western Kansas, he’s not sure the issue plays as well in urban areas. He also said her message of bringing bipartisanship to Washington will resonate.Political scientist Bob Beatty, of Washburn University in Topeka, said Marshall’s agriculture background is positive and will helps some voters feel more comfortable with him. But he also noted half of the state’s 1.85 million registered voters live in its five most populous counties.“The farm credential in Kansas is more cultural than just pure votes,” Beatty said. “It’s been waning over the years, but it still has symbolic power.”___

Farm ties key for GOP, Rep. Marshall in Kan. Senate race

TOPEKA — The Health Department in Shawnee County has identified a COVID-19 case linked to&nbsp;Mid-American Baseball Tournament&nbsp;games held on Aug. 2, 2020 at Washburn University, according to a media release.

Anyone who attended any of the games held that day is at risk for potential exposure and should self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days from the date of attendance. 

Individuals are recommended to contact their primary care provider IF they develop any of the following symptoms: fever of 100.4 F or higher, chills, rigors,&nbsp; myalgia (muscle pain or aches),&nbsp; malaise,&nbsp; headache, sore throat, lower respiratory illness (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing),&nbsp; new olfactory and taste disorders, diarrhea, congestion or runny nose and nausea or vomiting

“It is important to remember that appropriate social distancing and masks need to be used at sporting events, even those held outdoors.” said Linda Ochs Shawnee County Health Department Director. “We encourage any individuals to contact their healthcare provider if they begin to exhibit any symptoms related to COVID-19”.

As a reminder, human coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19 are most commonly spread through coughing and sneezing, personal contact like shaking hands, and touching a surface with the virus and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. There are simple steps everyone can take to help prevent spreading them:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stay home when you are sick and only leave home for essential items.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

TOPEKA — The Health Department in Shawnee County has identified a COVID-19 case linked to&nbsp;Mid-American Baseball Tournament&nbsp;games held on Aug. 2, 2020 at Washburn University, according to a media release.Anyone who attended any of the games held that day is at risk for potential exposure and should self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days from the date of attendance. Individuals are recommended to contact their primary care provider IF they develop any of the following symptoms: fever of 100.4 F or higher, chills, rigors,&nbsp; myalgia (muscle pain or aches),&nbsp; malaise,&nbsp; headache, sore throat, lower respiratory illness (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing),&nbsp; new olfactory and taste disorders, diarrhea, congestion or runny nose and nausea or vomiting“It is important to remember that appropriate social distancing and masks need to be used at sporting events, even those held outdoors.” said Linda Ochs Shawnee County Health Department Director. “We encourage any individuals to contact their healthcare provider if they begin to exhibit any symptoms related to COVID-19”.As a reminder, human coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19 are most commonly spread through coughing and sneezing, personal contact like shaking hands, and touching a surface with the virus and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. There are simple steps everyone can take to help prevent spreading them:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid close contact with people who are sick.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stay home when you are sick and only leave home for essential items.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Officials link COVID-19 to baseball tournament in Kansas

LINDSBORG – The Bethany College Board of Directors announced Wednesday, that by unanimous decision, Dr. Elizabeth Mauch has been appointed to lead Bethany College as its 15th president, according to a media release.

Mauch has served as the interim president since July of 2019 and is the first woman to be appointed to serve at Bethany College as president.

"Dr. Mauch's tenacious work ethic and her commitment to transparency and openness make her the obvious choice to lead us through these trying times and into a bright future,” said Roper DeGarmo, chair of the board of directors.

Plans for a formal celebration will be made at a later date.

Mauch came to Bethany College as the vice president of academic affairs. Prior to that, she served as the dean of the college of education at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania from 2012 to May of 2017 and before that was professor of mathematics and interim dean from 2009 to 2012. In May of 2018, the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board selected Mauch for a Fulbright award to Poland. In June 2019, Mauch went to Lodz University of Technology in Lodz, Poland and taught STEM faculty techniques of flipped classrooms, how to use these techniques for the types of learners educated at Lodz University of Technology, and the best methods for assisting them in understanding STEM subjects.

The Fulbright award was an extension of her research interest in the recruitment and retention of students in STEM disciplines. Her research in this subject began as an undergraduate at Moravian College where she completed an honor’s project on cooperative learning in mathematics education under the direction of Dr. Robert Mayer. While at Bloomsburg University, she continued her study as she led the Math &amp; Science Resource Center. She broadened the vision of the center and enhanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics educational experiences with STEM summer campus for local 5th through 12th grade students, and research-based training and development programs for local STEM subject teachers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597267726401.jpeg" alt="Elizabeth Mauch&nbsp;Photo by Jim Turner, courtesy Bethany College" />
 <figcaption>Elizabeth Mauch&nbsp;Photo by Jim Turner, courtesy Bethany College</figcaption>
 </figure>LINDSBORG – The Bethany College Board of Directors announced Wednesday, that by unanimous decision, Dr. Elizabeth Mauch has been appointed to lead Bethany College as its 15th president, according to a media release.Mauch has served as the interim president since July of 2019 and is the first woman to be appointed to serve at Bethany College as president."Dr. Mauch's tenacious work ethic and her commitment to transparency and openness make her the obvious choice to lead us through these trying times and into a bright future,” said Roper DeGarmo, chair of the board of directors.Plans for a formal celebration will be made at a later date.Mauch came to Bethany College as the vice president of academic affairs. Prior to that, she served as the dean of the college of education at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania from 2012 to May of 2017 and before that was professor of mathematics and interim dean from 2009 to 2012. In May of 2018, the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board selected Mauch for a Fulbright award to Poland. In June 2019, Mauch went to Lodz University of Technology in Lodz, Poland and taught STEM faculty techniques of flipped classrooms, how to use these techniques for the types of learners educated at Lodz University of Technology, and the best methods for assisting them in understanding STEM subjects.The Fulbright award was an extension of her research interest in the recruitment and retention of students in STEM disciplines. Her research in this subject began as an undergraduate at Moravian College where she completed an honor’s project on cooperative learning in mathematics education under the direction of Dr. Robert Mayer. While at Bloomsburg University, she continued her study as she led the Math &amp; Science Resource Center. She broadened the vision of the center and enhanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics educational experiences with STEM summer campus for local 5th through 12th grade students, and research-based training and development programs for local STEM subject teachers.During her time as dean of the college of education at Bloomsburg University, she was able to work collaboratively with university faculty, regional school districts, superintendents, local politicians, and area business leaders to extend the initiatives she started as director of the Math &amp; Science Center. Starting as the STEM Magnet Program, her efforts led to what is now known as the Regional STEM Education Center. Mauch also customized a mathematics program with school districts and industry in the rural central Pennsylvania region, creating a successful rural STEM model. One of her most significant responsibilities as dean was to provide fiscal leadership in the on-going operations of the various programs. She worked to secure sustainable funding from regional businesses through a Pennsylvania tax program known as the Educational Incentive Tax Credit system, secured sustainable funding from Bloomsburg University and obtained grants for innovative new programming.“I am humbled to have been asked to serve as the 15th President of Bethany College. Even though we are entering a semester with many unknowns, I am excited about the future of Bethany College,” Mauch said.Mauch is currently focused on the upcoming Higher Learning Commission visit that will happen in February of 2021 and maintaining a safe and healthy campus for the upcoming semester.