Kansas City – A prior sex offender in Carthage, Missouri, who impregnated a 14-year-old victim, was sentenced in federal court for the sexual exploitation of a child, according to the United State's Attorney's office.

Victor Alfonso Vasquez, 33, was sentenced June 25 by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 33 years and nine months in federal prison without parole.

On Dec. 16, 2019, Vasquez pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a child. Vasquez is a prior sex offender with prior felony convictions for statutory rape and statutory sodomy. This federal crime was committed a few months after his release from state prison.

The investigation began when the 14-year-old victim, identified in court documents as “Jane Doe,” visited a health clinic for a pregnancy test, which indicated she was more than eight weeks pregnant. The victim told investigators she met Vasquez while playing a game on her cell phone when she was 13 years old. Vasquez then began contacting her via Facebook Messenger. They also exchanged sexually explicit images via SnapChat. During their online relationship, Vasquez discussed having a sexual relationship with Jane Doe, and he discussed physically meeting her to have sex.

On Jan. 19, 2018, Jane Doe lied to her mother at Vasquez’s direction and asked her mother to drop her off at a friend’s house. Her mother actually dropped her off at Vasquez’s residence, when Vasquez began a physical relationship with the child victim that lasted for several months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592945403061.png" alt="Vasquez photo Missouri Sex Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Vasquez photo Missouri Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas City – A prior sex offender in Carthage, Missouri, who impregnated a 14-year-old victim, was sentenced in federal court for the sexual exploitation of a child, according to the United State's Attorney's office.Victor Alfonso Vasquez, 33, was sentenced June 25 by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 33 years and nine months in federal prison without parole.On Dec. 16, 2019, Vasquez pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a child. Vasquez is a prior sex offender with prior felony convictions for statutory rape and statutory sodomy. This federal crime was committed a few months after his release from state prison.The investigation began when the 14-year-old victim, identified in court documents as “Jane Doe,” visited a health clinic for a pregnancy test, which indicated she was more than eight weeks pregnant. The victim told investigators she met Vasquez while playing a game on her cell phone when she was 13 years old. Vasquez then began contacting her via Facebook Messenger. They also exchanged sexually explicit images via SnapChat. During their online relationship, Vasquez discussed having a sexual relationship with Jane Doe, and he discussed physically meeting her to have sex.On Jan. 19, 2018, Jane Doe lied to her mother at Vasquez’s direction and asked her mother to drop her off at a friend’s house. Her mother actually dropped her off at Vasquez’s residence, when Vasquez began a physical relationship with the child victim that lasted for several months.

14-year-old victim met sex offender playing game on cell phone

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State football players say they will boycott all team activities until administrators create a policy that would allow a student to be expelled for “openly racist, threatening or disrespectful actions.”

The move that most players announced Saturday on social media follows a tweet by a student about the death of George Floyd that prompted outrage on campus.

“We are demanding that Kansas State University put a policy in place that allows a student to be dismissed for displaying openly racist, threatening or disrespectful actions toward a student or groups of students,” the players said in the letter they posted. “We have resolved that we cannot play, practice or meet until these demands are heard and actions taken. We love Kansas State, but we must stand together and protect all students moving forward.”

On Thursday, one month after Floyd, a Black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on his neck for nearly eight minutes, student Jaden McNeil tweeted, “Congratulations to George Floyd on being drug free for an entire month!”

University officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9cbc7e6f1ea966a3ed52b19adbeee4ff">have said they are exploring their options</a>&nbsp;for action after the tweet. University President Richard Myers said Friday that “divisive statements do not represent for the values of our university.”

McNeil describes himself as the founder of a conservative group called America First Students, which Kansas State says is not currently registered on the campus because of a lack of membership. America First Students had already drawn the ire of students for past statements made by McNeil.

McNeil has previously said America First Students is a “mainstream, Christian, conservative organization that supports President Donald Trump.”

The statement from football players Saturday came a day after a pair of Kansas State basketball players and a handful of football players threatened a boycott if the university didn’t take action. A number of college athletes around the country&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0499502808a6b4cfd68bf082928a59ec">have used their influence to push for social justice</a>&nbsp;since Floyd’s death.

Kansas State football players aren’t currently participating in any practices or workouts because team activities were suspended earlier this month after a coronavirus outbreak within the team. Summer workouts are expected to resume July 13.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State football players say they will boycott all team activities until administrators create a policy that would allow a student to be expelled for “openly racist, threatening or disrespectful actions.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are all Wildcats <a href="https://twitter.com/KState?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KState</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrideMonth?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrideMonth</a> <a href="https://t.co/bQl7x5aRFO">pic.twitter.com/bQl7x5aRFO</a>&mdash; K-State Athletics (@kstatesports) <a href="https://twitter.com/kstatesports/status/1277229333082341377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The move that most players announced Saturday on social media follows a tweet by a student about the death of George Floyd that prompted outrage on campus.“We are demanding that Kansas State University put a policy in place that allows a student to be dismissed for displaying openly racist, threatening or disrespectful actions toward a student or groups of students,” the players said in the letter they posted. “We have resolved that we cannot play, practice or meet until these demands are heard and actions taken. We love Kansas State, but we must stand together and protect all students moving forward.”On Thursday, one month after Floyd, a Black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on his neck for nearly eight minutes, student Jaden McNeil tweeted, “Congratulations to George Floyd on being drug free for an entire month!”University officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9cbc7e6f1ea966a3ed52b19adbeee4ff">have said they are exploring their options</a>&nbsp;for action after the tweet. University President Richard Myers said Friday that “divisive statements do not represent for the values of our university.”McNeil describes himself as the founder of a conservative group called America First Students, which Kansas State says is not currently registered on the campus because of a lack of membership. America First Students had already drawn the ire of students for past statements made by McNeil.McNeil has previously said America First Students is a “mainstream, Christian, conservative organization that supports President Donald Trump.”The statement from football players Saturday came a day after a pair of Kansas State basketball players and a handful of football players threatened a boycott if the university didn’t take action. A number of college athletes around the country&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0499502808a6b4cfd68bf082928a59ec">have used their influence to push for social justice</a>&nbsp;since Floyd’s death.Kansas State football players aren’t currently participating in any practices or workouts because team activities were suspended earlier this month after a coronavirus outbreak within the team. Summer workouts are expected to resume July 13.

K-State players announce boycott after student's Floyd tweet

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and after asking the public for help with information have made an arrest.

Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police responded to a shooting in a parking lot in the 900 block of West Central in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located the 19-year-old man who had a gunshot wound to his body. Officers also found multiple shell casings.&nbsp; EMS transported the victim to an area hospital for medical treatment. He remains hospitalized in serious condition.

The investigation revealed the 19-year-old and a friend were in the small parking area on the north side of The Keeper of the Plains parking lot in Wichita when a disturbance ensued with a suspect identified as&nbsp;21-year-old Larry Triplett, III of Wichita.

Triplett pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking the victim and a silver Chrysler 200 vehicle belonging to the victim’s friend.&nbsp; Triplett then took property from the victim and fled with the other individuals.

Late Thursday, Triplet was arrested without incident with the assistance of Kansas Highway Patrol during a vehicle stop on the Kansas Turnpike near Cassoday, according to officer Kevin Wheeler. He is being held on a bond of $750,000 on requested charges of aggravated battery, aggravated assault, aggravated robbery and failure to comply, according to online jail records.

If any community members have video or photos of this incident, they can upload them at the following link:&nbsp;<a href="https://wichitapd.evidence.com/axon/citizen/public/20c038118" target="_blank">https://wichitapd.evidence.com/axon/citizen/public/20c038118</a>

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and asking the public for help with information.&nbsp;

Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police responded to a shooting in a parking lot in the 900 Block of West Central in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

At the scene, officers located a 19-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his body. EMS transported him to a local hospital for treatment.

During the investigation, police determined the 19-year-old and a friend were in the small parking area on the north side of The Keeper of the Plains when a disturbance occurred with a male suspect, according to Davidson.&nbsp;

The suspect pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots which struck the victim and also a vehicle owned by the victim's friend.

The victim also reported the suspect took property from him and then fled with other individuals who were in the area.&nbsp; During the investigation, police also recovered multiple shell casings.

Authorities do not believe this is a random incident, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593188114068.png" alt="Triplett" />
 <figcaption>Triplett</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and after asking the public for help with information have made an arrest.Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police responded to a shooting in a parking lot in the 900 block of West Central in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located the 19-year-old man who had a gunshot wound to his body. Officers also found multiple shell casings.&nbsp; EMS transported the victim to an area hospital for medical treatment. He remains hospitalized in serious condition.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593103931771.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation early Thursday photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation early Thursday photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The investigation revealed the 19-year-old and a friend were in the small parking area on the north side of The Keeper of the Plains parking lot in Wichita when a disturbance ensued with a suspect identified as&nbsp;21-year-old Larry Triplett, III of Wichita.Triplett pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking the victim and a silver Chrysler 200 vehicle belonging to the victim’s friend.&nbsp; Triplett then took property from the victim and fled with the other individuals.Late Thursday, Triplet was arrested without incident with the assistance of Kansas Highway Patrol during a vehicle stop on the Kansas Turnpike near Cassoday, according to officer Kevin Wheeler. He is being held on a bond of $750,000 on requested charges of aggravated battery, aggravated assault, aggravated robbery and failure to comply, according to online jail records.If any community members have video or photos of this incident, they can upload them at the following link:&nbsp;<a href="https://wichitapd.evidence.com/axon/citizen/public/20c038118" target="_blank">https://wichitapd.evidence.com/axon/citizen/public/20c038118</a>------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and asking the public for help with information.&nbsp;Just before 1a.m. Thursday, police responded to a shooting in a parking lot in the 900 Block of West Central in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.At the scene, officers located a 19-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his body. EMS transported him to a local hospital for treatment.During the investigation, police determined the 19-year-old and a friend were in the small parking area on the north side of The Keeper of the Plains when a disturbance occurred with a male suspect, according to Davidson.&nbsp;The suspect pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots which struck the victim and also a vehicle owned by the victim's friend.The victim also reported the suspect took property from him and then fled with other individuals who were in the area.&nbsp; During the investigation, police also recovered multiple shell casings.Authorities do not believe this is a random incident, according to Davidson.

21-year-old shooting suspect captured during Kan. Turnpike traffic stop

By ANNE KNIGGENDORF <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2020-06-20/this-big-cat-sanctuary-in-kansas-wants-you-to-know-its-nothing-like-tiger-king">Kansas News Service</a>

The Netflix show "<a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81115994" target="_blank">Tiger King</a>"
 caught the attention of millions of viewers back in March. The “murder,
 mayhem and madness” suggested in its subtitle collided in a human train
 wreck of a drama — but it got Steve Klein’s attention for a different 
reason.

Klein is the board president and resident curator at <a href="https://www.saveoursiberians.org/" target="_blank">Cedar Cove Feline Conservation and Education Center</a> in Louisburg, Kansas. A variety of 28 predators are in his and about 20 volunteers' care.

He can rattle off their species and names, but says his ability to remember them all isn’t about having a great memory.

“When they become family, it becomes easier — but it’s a big family,” Klein says.

Klein
 has volunteered — now full-time for an annual stipend of $12,000 — at 
Cedar Cove for 20 years. The mission of the center is to care for 
animals and to educate the public about the importance of keystone 
species within the global ecosystem.

He says humans are demanding 
too much of the ecosystem for just one species, taking more than our 
share. And animals are paying the price.

“Now, why are we so 
concerned about the animals? Because these animals are literally the key
 to the health of these environments and ecosystems that they occupy,” 
Klein says. “They’re not just apex predators, more importantly they’re 
called keystone species."

He illustrates the idea with what 
happened at Yellowstone Park when wolves were removed. The population of
 grazing animals grew until it destroyed the balance of the park by 
eating up everything that birds, pollinators, and insects needed for 
food or habitat. Balance was eventually regained after two seven-wolf 
packs were reintroduced to the park in 1995.

Klein talks to the 
cats, wild dogs, and fox as if they were his own — and in a way they 
are, because none of them can be released in the wild. Each one has a 
fairly tragic backstory, some worse than others, but all ending in 
needing a new home.

The oldest resident is Voodoo, a 19-year-old African Spotted Leopard.
 Klein greets him like he might any buddy: “Voodoo man!” and then makes a
 deep woofing sound, as if speaking a leopard language.

When the 
big cat approaches the tall security fence, Klein says, “He came from a 
domestic situation. A couple purchased him to be a house pet.” Before 
Voodoo was even six months old, the people thought better of their 
decision.

“He’s going to come over for a belly rub," Klein says. 
The big cat flops on his back and as Klein pets him through the fence, 
Voodoo growls and makes a sound like a thunderous purr.

In 
reflecting on "Tiger King," Klein says, “These animals are so 
mesmerizing, it’s hard not to see them being as sensational as you want 
to see them being.”

But, he says, the show wasn’t actually about 
the animals at all. “The people involved weren’t doing anything to help 
the animals; it was all to exploit the animals,” Klein says. “It wasn’t 
to make their lives better in captivity or to try to further the 
survival of the species in the wild.”

Delcianna Winders is the director of the animal law litigation clinic at <a href="https://law.lclark.edu/" target="_blank">Lewis and Clark Law School</a>
 in Portland, Oregon. She knew about Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, the 
main characters in "Tiger King," long before most people did.

She draws a sharp distinction between the show’s warring facilities — Baskin’s is accredited by the <a href="https://www.sanctuaryfederation.org/" target="_blank">Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries</a>
 and Joe Exotic’s is not. She says GFAS is the gold standard for the 
business, but only 15 facilities in the entire nation are certified.

At
 least 100 other places call themselves sanctuaries, refuges, or havens,
 including Cedar Cove. Without that accreditation, Winders says the 
businesses fall into a grey area; to stay open, they need to be 
inspected by the department of agriculture, local game warden, or some 
other governing body.

However, Winders says, “when you get into 
more nuanced things like adequate space, adequate veterinary care, 
that’s really hard for a lay person to know and to assess, and that’s 
where the third party accreditation like GFAS comes in.”

The 
popularity of "Tiger King" has gotten the public talking more about the 
well-being of big cats, which Winders is glad about. But, she knows the 
average viewer still isn’t quite sure what type of place is okay to 
support and what isn’t — both Baskin’s and Joe Exotic’s businesses were 
thriving.

“There are some clear red flags. Breeding animals is 
absolutely a red flag,” Winders says. “Another red flag is allowing 
public interaction with animals because that seeds, basically, a puppy 
mill operation where they’re constantly breeding animals to have some 
that are small enough for public encounters.”

She’s read reports about Cedar Cove and notes that it doesn’t engage in those bad practices.

Klein
 and Winders agree that these animals don’t belong in captivity, but 
until people stop breeding wild animals, they’ll continue to need safe 
places to live out their lives. According to the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/tiger#:~:text=An%20estimated%203%2C900%20tigers%20remain,crisis%20and%20declining%20in%20number." target="_blank">World Wildlife Federation</a>, only 3,900 tigers exist in the wild.

Winders
 says that more than that live in the backyards and basements of 
America— estimates say as many as 20,000 tigers may live this way. 
“Because of lack of regulation, we actually have no idea," she says.

Klein says, “We are a sanctuary to give these animals the best possible lives we can with the means at hand.”

And
 what he asks of the animals in return is to hold an audience captive 
long enough that a Cedar Cove guide has time to explain how and why the 
animals are in cages in the first place, and why that’s a tragedy.

Anne Kniggendorf writes about arts and culture for KCUR. Follow her on Twitter, @annekniggendorf.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593011043239.png" alt="Steve Klein sits with Clarence the tiger at Cedar Cove. Klein is the board president, resident curator, and one of the only people allowed this close to the animals. Courtesy photos" />
 <figcaption>Steve Klein sits with Clarence the tiger at Cedar Cove. Klein is the board president, resident curator, and one of the only people allowed this close to the animals. Courtesy photos</figcaption>
 </figure>By ANNE KNIGGENDORF <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2020-06-20/this-big-cat-sanctuary-in-kansas-wants-you-to-know-its-nothing-like-tiger-king">Kansas News Service</a>The Netflix show "<a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81115994" target="_blank">Tiger King</a>"
 caught the attention of millions of viewers back in March. The “murder,
 mayhem and madness” suggested in its subtitle collided in a human train
 wreck of a drama — but it got Steve Klein’s attention for a different 
reason.Klein is the board president and resident curator at <a href="https://www.saveoursiberians.org/" target="_blank">Cedar Cove Feline Conservation and Education Center</a> in Louisburg, Kansas. A variety of 28 predators are in his and about 20 volunteers' care.He can rattle off their species and names, but says his ability to remember them all isn’t about having a great memory.“When they become family, it becomes easier — but it’s a big family,” Klein says.Klein
 has volunteered — now full-time for an annual stipend of $12,000 — at 
Cedar Cove for 20 years. The mission of the center is to care for 
animals and to educate the public about the importance of keystone 
species within the global ecosystem.He says humans are demanding 
too much of the ecosystem for just one species, taking more than our 
share. And animals are paying the price.“Now, why are we so 
concerned about the animals? Because these animals are literally the key
 to the health of these environments and ecosystems that they occupy,” 
Klein says. “They’re not just apex predators, more importantly they’re 
called keystone species."He illustrates the idea with what 
happened at Yellowstone Park when wolves were removed. The population of
 grazing animals grew until it destroyed the balance of the park by 
eating up everything that birds, pollinators, and insects needed for 
food or habitat. Balance was eventually regained after two seven-wolf 
packs were reintroduced to the park in 1995.Klein talks to the 
cats, wild dogs, and fox as if they were his own — and in a way they 
are, because none of them can be released in the wild. Each one has a 
fairly tragic backstory, some worse than others, but all ending in 
needing a new home.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593011143737.png" alt="Voodoo is a 19-year-old African Spotted Leopard at Cedar Cove." />
 <figcaption>Voodoo is a 19-year-old African Spotted Leopard at Cedar Cove.</figcaption>
 </figure>The oldest resident is Voodoo, a 19-year-old African Spotted Leopard.
 Klein greets him like he might any buddy: “Voodoo man!” and then makes a
 deep woofing sound, as if speaking a leopard language.When the 
big cat approaches the tall security fence, Klein says, “He came from a 
domestic situation. A couple purchased him to be a house pet.” Before 
Voodoo was even six months old, the people thought better of their 
decision.“He’s going to come over for a belly rub," Klein says. 
The big cat flops on his back and as Klein pets him through the fence, 
Voodoo growls and makes a sound like a thunderous purr.In 
reflecting on "Tiger King," Klein says, “These animals are so 
mesmerizing, it’s hard not to see them being as sensational as you want 
to see them being.”But, he says, the show wasn’t actually about 
the animals at all. “The people involved weren’t doing anything to help 
the animals; it was all to exploit the animals,” Klein says. “It wasn’t 
to make their lives better in captivity or to try to further the 
survival of the species in the wild.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593011183034.png" alt="Olivia is a white Bengal sub-species who's lived at Cedar Cove since she was 6 months old. She's 5 now." />
 <figcaption>Olivia is a white Bengal sub-species who's lived at Cedar Cove since she was 6 months old. She's 5 now.</figcaption>
 </figure>Delcianna Winders is the director of the animal law litigation clinic at <a href="https://law.lclark.edu/" target="_blank">Lewis and Clark Law School</a>
 in Portland, Oregon. She knew about Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, the 
main characters in "Tiger King," long before most people did.She draws a sharp distinction between the show’s warring facilities — Baskin’s is accredited by the <a href="https://www.sanctuaryfederation.org/" target="_blank">Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries</a>
 and Joe Exotic’s is not. She says GFAS is the gold standard for the 
business, but only 15 facilities in the entire nation are certified.At
 least 100 other places call themselves sanctuaries, refuges, or havens,
 including Cedar Cove. Without that accreditation, Winders says the 
businesses fall into a grey area; to stay open, they need to be 
inspected by the department of agriculture, local game warden, or some 
other governing body.However, Winders says, “when you get into 
more nuanced things like adequate space, adequate veterinary care, 
that’s really hard for a lay person to know and to assess, and that’s 
where the third party accreditation like GFAS comes in.”The 
popularity of "Tiger King" has gotten the public talking more about the 
well-being of big cats, which Winders is glad about. But, she knows the 
average viewer still isn’t quite sure what type of place is okay to 
support and what isn’t — both Baskin’s and Joe Exotic’s businesses were 
thriving.“There are some clear red flags. Breeding animals is 
absolutely a red flag,” Winders says. “Another red flag is allowing 
public interaction with animals because that seeds, basically, a puppy 
mill operation where they’re constantly breeding animals to have some 
that are small enough for public encounters.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593011289866.png" alt="In 1983, Steve Klein had his first encounter with a tiger at a drug store in Ames, Iowa. Now, he says, he looks back in horror at that experience." />
 <figcaption>In 1983, Steve Klein had his first encounter with a tiger at a drug store in Ames, Iowa. Now, he says, he looks back in horror at that experience.</figcaption>
 </figure>She’s read reports about Cedar Cove and notes that it doesn’t engage in those bad practices.Klein
 and Winders agree that these animals don’t belong in captivity, but 
until people stop breeding wild animals, they’ll continue to need safe 
places to live out their lives. According to the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/tiger#:~:text=An%20estimated%203%2C900%20tigers%20remain,crisis%20and%20declining%20in%20number." target="_blank">World Wildlife Federation</a>, only 3,900 tigers exist in the wild.Winders
 says that more than that live in the backyards and basements of 
America— estimates say as many as 20,000 tigers may live this way. 
“Because of lack of regulation, we actually have no idea," she says.Klein says, “We are a sanctuary to give these animals the best possible lives we can with the means at hand.”And
 what he asks of the animals in return is to hold an audience captive 
long enough that a Cedar Cove guide has time to explain how and why the 
animals are in cages in the first place, and why that’s a tragedy.Anne Kniggendorf writes about arts and culture for KCUR. Follow her on Twitter, @annekniggendorf.&nbsp;

Big cat sanctuary wants you to know it's nothing like 'Tiger King' 

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The families of three workers who died after contracting the coronavirus in an Iowa meat plant outbreak sued Tyson Foods and its top executives Thursday, saying the company knowingly put employees at risk and lied to keep them on the job.

The lawsuit alleges that Tyson officials were aware the virus was spreading at the Waterloo pork processing plant by late March or early April but kept that information from employees and the public.

As the outbreak grew, the company failed to implement safety measures, allowed some sick and exposed employees to remain on the production line, and falsely assured workers and the public that the plant was safe, the suit alleges.

“Tyson intended by these false representations to deceive workers in the Waterloo facility ... and to induce them to continue working despite the uncontrolled COVID-19 outbreak at the plant and the health risks associated with working,” according to the lawsuit, which was filed in Black Hawk County district court.

Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson said the company was saddened by the deaths and that its “top priority is the health and safety of our workers.” He said Tyson has implemented safety measures that meet or exceed federal guidelines.

Meatpacking plants have been hot spots for coronavirus because of their crowded conditions, prompting several to temporarily close. Thousands of workers have become infected and several dozen have died.

The largest union representing meatpacking workers said Thursday that more than 14,000 employees at unionized plants have been infected with coronavirus and 65 have died.

Meat companies including Smithfield Foods and JBS USA and retailers such as Amazon and Walmart have been sued by the families of workers who died from coronavirus. But the lawsuit filed Thursday against Tyson may be the first involving multiple victims at one workplace during the pandemic, according to news reports.

Last week, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ef42ce21d3fb912aff41ec3c0f7f7db2">signed a bill&nbsp;</a>into law shielding businesses and health care providers from legal claims from people exposed to the virus, retroactive to Jan. 1. But the law has exceptions for injuries that result in hospitalization and death, and appears unlikely to block the case from moving forward.

The lawsuit seeks damages for the estates of employees Sedika Buljic, 58, who died on April 18; Reberiano Garcia, 60, who died on April 23; and Jose Ayala, Jr., 44,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c15eb40611c58487eec10b5977db1861">who died on May 25</a>. Waterloo attorneys Tom Frerichs and John Rausch and the Spence Law Firm in Wyoming are representing the families.

At least two other Waterloo workers have died after contracting the virus, which infected more than 1,000 of the plant’s 2,800 workers and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6de2477c31301e779ea13d43ef0f2262">devastated the broader community</a>.

With illnesses mounting, Tyson refused calls from local leaders to close the plant for several days and lobbied the governor to keep it open, the suit alleges. The county sheriff. who visited the plant April 10, has said he was shaken by seeing workers in crowded conditions without face coverings and pressed Tyson to close.

The plant is Tyson’s largest pork facility and can process around 20,000 hogs per day.

Iowa’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspected the plant April 20 in response to complaints, and said earlier this month it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/336ad340b0a01f9ab870aef1a32785f2">found no violations</a>. The plant closed two days after the inspection before reopening with new safety measures in early May.

In addition to damages for pain and suffering and loss of income, the lawsuit seeks punitive damages to punish Tyson for an “incorrigible, willful and wanton disregard for workplace safety” and to send a message to other companies.

The lawsuit names the company as well as Chairman John H. Tyson, CEO Noel White, spokeswoman Liz Croston, and several other executives and plant supervisors. Its claims include gross negligence and fraudulent misrepresentation.

John H. Tyson asserted in a newspaper ad in April that the “food supply chain is breaking” due to plant closures and warned that customers would see meat shortages at grocery stores.

The lawsuit claims those warnings were exaggerated and notes that Tyson’s pork exports to China, including some from the Waterloo plant, increased significantly that month.

The lawsuit makes an explosive claim that Tyson has denied previously: that the company allowed workers and subcontractors from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/aae879e7be6f5def46f140e95a8bb6fb">another Iowa plant</a>&nbsp;that had closed due to a coronavirus outbreak to begin working in Waterloo in April.

Plant supervisors told employees that their sick coworkers had the flu and warned them not to discuss coronavirus at work, the suit alleges. One man who vomited while on the production line was allowed to keep working, it claims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589997771819.png" alt="Photo courtesy Tyson Foods" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Tyson Foods</figcaption>
 </figure>IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The families of three workers who died after contracting the coronavirus in an Iowa meat plant outbreak sued Tyson Foods and its top executives Thursday, saying the company knowingly put employees at risk and lied to keep them on the job.The lawsuit alleges that Tyson officials were aware the virus was spreading at the Waterloo pork processing plant by late March or early April but kept that information from employees and the public.As the outbreak grew, the company failed to implement safety measures, allowed some sick and exposed employees to remain on the production line, and falsely assured workers and the public that the plant was safe, the suit alleges.“Tyson intended by these false representations to deceive workers in the Waterloo facility ... and to induce them to continue working despite the uncontrolled COVID-19 outbreak at the plant and the health risks associated with working,” according to the lawsuit, which was filed in Black Hawk County district court.Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson said the company was saddened by the deaths and that its “top priority is the health and safety of our workers.” He said Tyson has implemented safety measures that meet or exceed federal guidelines.Meatpacking plants have been hot spots for coronavirus because of their crowded conditions, prompting several to temporarily close. Thousands of workers have become infected and several dozen have died.The largest union representing meatpacking workers said Thursday that more than 14,000 employees at unionized plants have been infected with coronavirus and 65 have died.Meat companies including Smithfield Foods and JBS USA and retailers such as Amazon and Walmart have been sued by the families of workers who died from coronavirus. But the lawsuit filed Thursday against Tyson may be the first involving multiple victims at one workplace during the pandemic, according to news reports.Last week, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ef42ce21d3fb912aff41ec3c0f7f7db2">signed a bill&nbsp;</a>into law shielding businesses and health care providers from legal claims from people exposed to the virus, retroactive to Jan. 1. But the law has exceptions for injuries that result in hospitalization and death, and appears unlikely to block the case from moving forward.The lawsuit seeks damages for the estates of employees Sedika Buljic, 58, who died on April 18; Reberiano Garcia, 60, who died on April 23; and Jose Ayala, Jr., 44,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c15eb40611c58487eec10b5977db1861">who died on May 25</a>. Waterloo attorneys Tom Frerichs and John Rausch and the Spence Law Firm in Wyoming are representing the families.At least two other Waterloo workers have died after contracting the virus, which infected more than 1,000 of the plant’s 2,800 workers and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6de2477c31301e779ea13d43ef0f2262">devastated the broader community</a>.ADVERTISEMENTWith illnesses mounting, Tyson refused calls from local leaders to close the plant for several days and lobbied the governor to keep it open, the suit alleges. The county sheriff. who visited the plant April 10, has said he was shaken by seeing workers in crowded conditions without face coverings and pressed Tyson to close.The plant is Tyson’s largest pork facility and can process around 20,000 hogs per day.Iowa’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspected the plant April 20 in response to complaints, and said earlier this month it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/336ad340b0a01f9ab870aef1a32785f2">found no violations</a>. The plant closed two days after the inspection before reopening with new safety measures in early May.In addition to damages for pain and suffering and loss of income, the lawsuit seeks punitive damages to punish Tyson for an “incorrigible, willful and wanton disregard for workplace safety” and to send a message to other companies.The lawsuit names the company as well as Chairman John H. Tyson, CEO Noel White, spokeswoman Liz Croston, and several other executives and plant supervisors. Its claims include gross negligence and fraudulent misrepresentation.John H. Tyson asserted in a newspaper ad in April that the “food supply chain is breaking” due to plant closures and warned that customers would see meat shortages at grocery stores.The lawsuit claims those warnings were exaggerated and notes that Tyson’s pork exports to China, including some from the Waterloo plant, increased significantly that month.The lawsuit makes an explosive claim that Tyson has denied previously: that the company allowed workers and subcontractors from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/aae879e7be6f5def46f140e95a8bb6fb">another Iowa plant</a>&nbsp;that had closed due to a coronavirus outbreak to begin working in Waterloo in April.Plant supervisors told employees that their sick coworkers had the flu and warned them not to discuss coronavirus at work, the suit alleges. One man who vomited while on the production line was allowed to keep working, it claims.

Families of 3 deceased workers sue Tyson over virus outbreak

By NADYA FAULX <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/confederate-monuments-come-down-across-us-wichita-memorial-comes-question">Kansas News Service</a>

In 2016, a monument honoring both Union and Confederate Civil War veterans was erected in Wichita's Veterans Memorial Park.

The <a href="http://wichitaveteransmemorialpark.com/portfolio_page/reconciliation-memorial/" target="_blank">Reconciliation Memorial</a>
 replaced a Confederate flag that was taken down the year before 
following a deadly shooting at an African Methodist Episcopal church in 
South Carolina.

"I'm assuming that was a compromise on behalf of 
those who were opposed to the flag," said City Council member Brandon 
Johnson, "and then those who were supportive of the flag and the 
Confederacy."

Johnson — who was elected to the council in 2017 — 
was part of the group that pushed the Wichita Park Board to remove the 
flag, which had been flown at the U.S. Bicentennial Flag Pavilion since 
1976.

The new monument was approved during the same meeting.&nbsp;

Two
 sides of the obelisk honor all Union and Confederate veterans in "the 
war between the states." Another side bears the inscription "honoring 
Confederate dead" at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.:

"The intent of this memorial is to bring folks together and reconcile their differences," <a href="https://www.wichita.gov/ParkandRec/Boards/ParkBoardAgendasMinutes/2015-11-09%20PB%20Minutes.pdf" target="_blank">minutes from the Park Board's Nov. 9, 2015, meeting read</a>.

Now, as Confederate memorials <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/06/15/876962140/times-are-changing-as-tolerance-weakens-for-confederate-monuments" target="_blank">are taken down in cities across the country</a>,
 the monument could face new scrutiny. Johnson said he doesn't agree 
with the monument being a part of Veterans Memorial Park, but he said 
any effort to remove the monument now would have to come from the public
 — not city leaders.

"Last time, it was citizen-led, not 
elected-led," he said. "Citizens really pushed to remove the Confederate
 flag. ... I would say if citizens do the same now and really push for 
probably removing that, then it would probably go back to the Park 
Board."

The city owns Veterans Memorial Park, but it's managed by
 a nonprofit board. KMUW has reached out to the board but has not yet 
received a response.

There's been some discussion on social media
 about the monument, but "at this point I haven't been notified of any 
official actions for that," Johnson said.

"I think people would 
be rightfully upset by it and rightfully energized to try to push to 
remove it," he said. "Kansas was not a confederate state."

Nadya Faulx is KMUW's Digital News Editor and Reporter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593110717246.png" alt=" The Reconciliation Memorial in Wichita's Veterans Memorial Park. Hugo Phan / KMUW" />
 <figcaption> The Reconciliation Memorial in Wichita's Veterans Memorial Park. Hugo Phan / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>By NADYA FAULX <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/confederate-monuments-come-down-across-us-wichita-memorial-comes-question">Kansas News Service</a>In 2016, a monument honoring both Union and Confederate Civil War veterans was erected in Wichita's Veterans Memorial Park.The <a href="http://wichitaveteransmemorialpark.com/portfolio_page/reconciliation-memorial/" target="_blank">Reconciliation Memorial</a>
 replaced a Confederate flag that was taken down the year before 
following a deadly shooting at an African Methodist Episcopal church in 
South Carolina."I'm assuming that was a compromise on behalf of 
those who were opposed to the flag," said City Council member Brandon 
Johnson, "and then those who were supportive of the flag and the 
Confederacy."Johnson — who was elected to the council in 2017 — 
was part of the group that pushed the Wichita Park Board to remove the 
flag, which had been flown at the U.S. Bicentennial Flag Pavilion since 
1976.The new monument was approved during the same meeting.&nbsp;Two
 sides of the obelisk honor all Union and Confederate veterans in "the 
war between the states." Another side bears the inscription "honoring 
Confederate dead" at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593110841481.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"The intent of this memorial is to bring folks together and reconcile their differences," <a href="https://www.wichita.gov/ParkandRec/Boards/ParkBoardAgendasMinutes/2015-11-09%20PB%20Minutes.pdf" target="_blank">minutes from the Park Board's Nov. 9, 2015, meeting read</a>.Now, as Confederate memorials <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/06/15/876962140/times-are-changing-as-tolerance-weakens-for-confederate-monuments" target="_blank">are taken down in cities across the country</a>,
 the monument could face new scrutiny. Johnson said he doesn't agree 
with the monument being a part of Veterans Memorial Park, but he said 
any effort to remove the monument now would have to come from the public
 — not city leaders."Last time, it was citizen-led, not 
elected-led," he said. "Citizens really pushed to remove the Confederate
 flag. ... I would say if citizens do the same now and really push for 
probably removing that, then it would probably go back to the Park 
Board."The city owns Veterans Memorial Park, but it's managed by
 a nonprofit board. KMUW has reached out to the board but has not yet 
received a response.There's been some discussion on social media
 about the monument, but "at this point I haven't been notified of any 
official actions for that," Johnson said."I think people would 
be rightfully upset by it and rightfully energized to try to push to 
remove it," he said. "Kansas was not a confederate state."Nadya Faulx is KMUW's Digital News Editor and Reporter.

As monuments come down, Wichita memorial in question

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service’s famous motto — “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers” — is being tested like never before, by challenges that go well beyond the weather.

The coronavirus has devastated its finances. The Trump administration may attach big strings to bailouts.

The agency’s responsibilities, meanwhile, are mounting. A dramatic shift in many states to voting by mail is intended to protect voters from spreading the virus at polling places. But it’s also making more work for post offices and contributing to delays in determining election winners.

Election results have been delayed this week in Kentucky and New York because both states were overwhelmed by huge increases in mail ballots.

“What we don’t need is more chaos in the chaos,” said Wendy Fields, executive director of the voting rights advocacy group The Democracy Initiative.

President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f0a5b003db26dbb19778bcdcb45f9a3f">opposes expanding voting by mail</a>, asserting it will trigger fraud, even though there’s no evidence that will happen. Trump and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b0bbd1a30fbbe1a1ebb0398564f19a58">many of his administration’s leading voices</a>&nbsp;frequently vote absentee themselves.

The president has also called the Postal Service “a joke” and says package shipping rates should be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2cff123b2d74265794c63c0d57755a0c">at least four times higher</a>&nbsp;for heavy users such as Amazon. But shipping packages is a main revenue generator, and critics say Trump is merely looking to punish Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in retaliation for unflattering coverage in The Washington Post, which the billionaire owns.

Trump has acknowledged larger political calculations are at work, tweeting that expanding vote by mail will “LEAD TO THE END OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY.” His Democratic rival, Joe Biden, has suggested that Trump’s opposition to absentee voting and criticism of the Postal Service may help the incumbent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a6ecf1870e2512ab2d43d2e54d724fb9">“steal”</a>&nbsp;the election.

Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union, which represents 200,000-plus employees, said the administration is “shamefully trying to use the crisis to carry out an agenda” of privatization, which would ultimately “break up the Postal Service and sell it.”

Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos, a Democrat, said “our democracy depends on a reliable post office.”

“Midelection year is not the time to see changes in the dependability of the Postal Service, especially during a year when our country is experiencing a pandemic and health crisis, which will dramatically increase the necessity of voting by mail,” he said.

The Postal Service predates the United States. It was created by the Second Continental Congress in July 1775, and Benjamin Franklin was the first postmaster general.

Unlike its private competitors, the Postal Service cannot refuse to make costly deliveries to especially hard-to-reach addresses. Still, much of its budgetary concerns stem from a 2006 law requiring the agency to fully fund retiree health benefits for the next 75 years.

It normally operates without taxpayer funds. During the pandemic, however, it lost $4.5 billion in the 2020 budget year’s second quarter. Congress approved a $10 billion line of credit for the agency as part of an economic rescue package in March. Since then, though, the Postal Service and the Treasury Department have had discussions about requirements to extend those loans.

Neither side will say publicly what’s being negotiated, but Trump has made his feelings clear. A 2018 Treasury task force also recommended the Postal Service increase package rates and cut labor costs. A second coronavirus aid package passed in May by the Democratic-controlled House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4628f478512f7eb301f878e51ede1266">includes $25 billion</a>&nbsp;in direct aid for the Postal Service, but the GOP-majority Senate hasn’t approved its own version.

More than 3,420 of the Postal Service’s 630,00-plus employees have tested positive for COVID-19, and some have died. While package deliveries have increased as Americans stay home, mail volumes plummeted — as much as 30%, according to the American Postal Workers Union.

In April, then-Postmaster General Megan Brennan said the agency could be out of money by Sept. 30. Louis DeJoy, a North Carolina businessman and GOP fundraiser who’s donated to Trump, recently succeeded Brennan.

Postal Service spokesperson David Partenheimer said more recent trends “indicate that our 2020 financial performance will be better than our early scenarios predicted,” though he said much remains uncertain.

“Our current financial condition is not going to impact our ability to deliver election and political mail this year,” Partenheimer said.

But Condos, who was president of the National Association of Secretaries of State from July 2018 to July 2019, fears keeping such a promise could force the Postal Service to cut back on routine services, which may see voting materials prioritized over regular mail. The pressure is also on because absentee ballots for overseas military members are sent 45 days before Election Day — or Sept. 18, which is less than three months away.

“This whole idea that we have until November to decide, we really don’t,” Condos said.

The Postal Service consistently ranks as the nation’s favorite federal agency. Pew Research Center polling in March found that 91% of Americans said they had a favorable view of it. Congressional Democrats are clamoring to “save the post office,” and Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are among those proposing boosting Postal Service profits by having it expand into banking services, which it provided for decades until the 1960s.

Rural Republicans such as Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, have also called for defending the agency. Still, some conservatives say tying its funding to Election Day jitters is a partisan ploy.

“It’s just casting seeds of doubt on the legitimacy of the outcome,” said Republican Tom Ridge, a former Pennsylvania governor who heads VoteSafe, a bipartisan group working with state and local officials to expand and strengthen vote-by-mail options. “It’s very sad, it’s very disappointing, it’s very troubling.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service’s famous motto — “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers” — is being tested like never before, by challenges that go well beyond the weather.The coronavirus has devastated its finances. The Trump administration may attach big strings to bailouts.The agency’s responsibilities, meanwhile, are mounting. A dramatic shift in many states to voting by mail is intended to protect voters from spreading the virus at polling places. But it’s also making more work for post offices and contributing to delays in determining election winners.Election results have been delayed this week in Kentucky and New York because both states were overwhelmed by huge increases in mail ballots.“What we don’t need is more chaos in the chaos,” said Wendy Fields, executive director of the voting rights advocacy group The Democracy Initiative.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591973573667.png" alt="President Trump has called the Postal Service a Joke -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Trump has called the Postal Service a Joke -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f0a5b003db26dbb19778bcdcb45f9a3f">opposes expanding voting by mail</a>, asserting it will trigger fraud, even though there’s no evidence that will happen. Trump and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b0bbd1a30fbbe1a1ebb0398564f19a58">many of his administration’s leading voices</a>&nbsp;frequently vote absentee themselves.The president has also called the Postal Service “a joke” and says package shipping rates should be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2cff123b2d74265794c63c0d57755a0c">at least four times higher</a>&nbsp;for heavy users such as Amazon. But shipping packages is a main revenue generator, and critics say Trump is merely looking to punish Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in retaliation for unflattering coverage in The Washington Post, which the billionaire owns.Trump has acknowledged larger political calculations are at work, tweeting that expanding vote by mail will “LEAD TO THE END OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY.” His Democratic rival, Joe Biden, has suggested that Trump’s opposition to absentee voting and criticism of the Postal Service may help the incumbent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a6ecf1870e2512ab2d43d2e54d724fb9">“steal”</a>&nbsp;the election.Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union, which represents 200,000-plus employees, said the administration is “shamefully trying to use the crisis to carry out an agenda” of privatization, which would ultimately “break up the Postal Service and sell it.”Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos, a Democrat, said “our democracy depends on a reliable post office.”“Midelection year is not the time to see changes in the dependability of the Postal Service, especially during a year when our country is experiencing a pandemic and health crisis, which will dramatically increase the necessity of voting by mail,” he said.The Postal Service predates the United States. It was created by the Second Continental Congress in July 1775, and Benjamin Franklin was the first postmaster general.Unlike its private competitors, the Postal Service cannot refuse to make costly deliveries to especially hard-to-reach addresses. Still, much of its budgetary concerns stem from a 2006 law requiring the agency to fully fund retiree health benefits for the next 75 years.It normally operates without taxpayer funds. During the pandemic, however, it lost $4.5 billion in the 2020 budget year’s second quarter. Congress approved a $10 billion line of credit for the agency as part of an economic rescue package in March. Since then, though, the Postal Service and the Treasury Department have had discussions about requirements to extend those loans.Neither side will say publicly what’s being negotiated, but Trump has made his feelings clear. A 2018 Treasury task force also recommended the Postal Service increase package rates and cut labor costs. A second coronavirus aid package passed in May by the Democratic-controlled House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4628f478512f7eb301f878e51ede1266">includes $25 billion</a>&nbsp;in direct aid for the Postal Service, but the GOP-majority Senate hasn’t approved its own version.More than 3,420 of the Postal Service’s 630,00-plus employees have tested positive for COVID-19, and some have died. While package deliveries have increased as Americans stay home, mail volumes plummeted — as much as 30%, according to the American Postal Workers Union.In April, then-Postmaster General Megan Brennan said the agency could be out of money by Sept. 30. Louis DeJoy, a North Carolina businessman and GOP fundraiser who’s donated to Trump, recently succeeded Brennan.Postal Service spokesperson David Partenheimer said more recent trends “indicate that our 2020 financial performance will be better than our early scenarios predicted,” though he said much remains uncertain.“Our current financial condition is not going to impact our ability to deliver election and political mail this year,” Partenheimer said.But Condos, who was president of the National Association of Secretaries of State from July 2018 to July 2019, fears keeping such a promise could force the Postal Service to cut back on routine services, which may see voting materials prioritized over regular mail. The pressure is also on because absentee ballots for overseas military members are sent 45 days before Election Day — or Sept. 18, which is less than three months away.“This whole idea that we have until November to decide, we really don’t,” Condos said.The Postal Service consistently ranks as the nation’s favorite federal agency. Pew Research Center polling in March found that 91% of Americans said they had a favorable view of it. Congressional Democrats are clamoring to “save the post office,” and Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are among those proposing boosting Postal Service profits by having it expand into banking services, which it provided for decades until the 1960s.Rural Republicans such as Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, have also called for defending the agency. Still, some conservatives say tying its funding to Election Day jitters is a partisan ploy.“It’s just casting seeds of doubt on the legitimacy of the outcome,” said Republican Tom Ridge, a former Pennsylvania governor who heads VoteSafe, a bipartisan group working with state and local officials to expand and strengthen vote-by-mail options. “It’s very sad, it’s very disappointing, it’s very troubling.”___

Mail-in ballots thrust Postal Service into presidential race

WICHITA, KAN. – A Nevada man has been sentenced in Wichita for trying to kill two men. 

&nbsp;District Judge Bruce Brown sentenced Cardell Turner, 52, of Las Vegas, to 837 months in prison. A jury found Turner guilty of attempted first degree murder, attempted second degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On August 14, 2018, Turner drove up next to two men in the 2500 block of S. Greenwood, pointed a handgun at them, and pulled the trigger several times. The gun did not fire. 

During the trial last August in Judge Brown's courtroom, evidence showed Turner was hired by a man to drive from Nevada to Wichita and murder a man who lived on Greenwood. Testimony at trial revealed that Turner's handgun misfired because the wrong ammunition was in the gun.

The man who allegedly hired Turner is in prison in another state, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593110982799.png" alt="Turner -photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Turner -photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A Nevada man has been sentenced in Wichita for trying to kill two men. &nbsp;District Judge Bruce Brown sentenced Cardell Turner, 52, of Las Vegas, to 837 months in prison. A jury found Turner guilty of attempted first degree murder, attempted second degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On August 14, 2018, Turner drove up next to two men in the 2500 block of S. Greenwood, pointed a handgun at them, and pulled the trigger several times. The gun did not fire. During the trial last August in Judge Brown's courtroom, evidence showed Turner was hired by a man to drive from Nevada to Wichita and murder a man who lived on Greenwood. Testimony at trial revealed that Turner's handgun misfired because the wrong ammunition was in the gun.The man who allegedly hired Turner is in prison in another state, according to the district attorney's office.

Hitman sentenced for attempted murder of 2 Kansas men

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas City-area man charged with randomly shooting into traffic last month on a bridge that connects Kansas and Missouri fired 15 rounds from a handgun before retrieving an AR-15-style rifle from his car and shooting at least 23 more rounds, according to court records.

A criminal affidavit released Friday in the case against 37-year-old Joseph Westrem describes the May 27&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/faced1d4c0c7810d7866121ff8356b90">shooting&nbsp;</a>that ended with a Fort Leavenworth soldier hitting Westrem with his truck to stop him.

No one was killed. One person was taken to a hospital after being struck with gunfire.

Westrem, of the Platte County, Missouri, town of Houston Lake, is charged with attempted first-degree murder and other counts, including aggravated child endangerment because children were among those inside the vehicles that came under fire on the Centennial Bridge near Fort Leavenworth.

Master Sgt. David Royer, who hit Westrem with his truck, told police that he saw Westrem retrieve the gun and “believed the man was actively trying to kill people on the bridge.”

Another witness, who was working on the bridge to direct traffic, told police he heard gunfire and began to tell people to drive away as he ran away. The sign he had been using to direct traffic was found by detectives with bullet holes in it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593292814171.png" alt="Westrem" />
 <figcaption>Westrem</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas City-area man charged with randomly shooting into traffic last month on a bridge that connects Kansas and Missouri fired 15 rounds from a handgun before retrieving an AR-15-style rifle from his car and shooting at least 23 more rounds, according to court records.A criminal affidavit released Friday in the case against 37-year-old Joseph Westrem describes the May 27&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/faced1d4c0c7810d7866121ff8356b90">shooting&nbsp;</a>that ended with a Fort Leavenworth soldier hitting Westrem with his truck to stop him.No one was killed. One person was taken to a hospital after being struck with gunfire.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590616966651.png" alt="Incident on the bridge photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Incident on the bridge photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>Westrem, of the Platte County, Missouri, town of Houston Lake, is charged with attempted first-degree murder and other counts, including aggravated child endangerment because children were among those inside the vehicles that came under fire on the Centennial Bridge near Fort Leavenworth.Master Sgt. David Royer, who hit Westrem with his truck, told police that he saw Westrem retrieve the gun and “believed the man was actively trying to kill people on the bridge.”Another witness, who was working on the bridge to direct traffic, told police he heard gunfire and began to tell people to drive away as he ran away. The sign he had been using to direct traffic was found by detectives with bullet holes in it.

Man charged in Kan. bridge shooting fired with handgun, AR-15

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Jackson County Executive Frank White plans to ask county officials to remove statues of Andrew Jackson that stand in front of two county courthouses.

White issued a statement about the statues late Thursday, shortly after two men were arrested when the Jackson statue in front of the county courthouse in Kansas City was vandalized.

The statue was spray-painted with expletives and the words “Slave Owner.” The vandalism comes as statues of historic figures have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/810a6cb13ce6cdbde5b534661c5f2da6">defaced and torn down&nbsp;</a>across the country during demonstrations against racial injustice.

People who come to the courthouses in Kansas City and Independence are greeted by statues honoring a man who was a slave owner, opposed abolishing slavery and forced thousands of Native Americans off their land so white settlers could move in, White said.

“As long as these statues remain, our words about fairness, justice and equality will continue to ring hollow for many we serve,” White said.

White plans to ask the Jackson County Legislature to form a committee and hold public hearings to discuss removing the statues.

“I welcome the opportunity to work with the Legislature and fellow elected officials to find a better home for these statues where their history can be put into the appropriate context for us to learn from, but I am convinced that home is not in front of our courthouses,” White said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593276153738.png" alt="photo courtesy KSHB TV" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy KSHB TV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Jackson County Executive Frank White plans to ask county officials to remove statues of Andrew Jackson that stand in front of two county courthouses.White issued a statement about the statues late Thursday, shortly after two men were arrested when the Jackson statue in front of the county courthouse in Kansas City was vandalized.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1568842075232.png" alt="Jackson County Executive Frank White" />
 <figcaption>Jackson County Executive Frank White</figcaption>
 </figure>The statue was spray-painted with expletives and the words “Slave Owner.” The vandalism comes as statues of historic figures have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/810a6cb13ce6cdbde5b534661c5f2da6">defaced and torn down&nbsp;</a>across the country during demonstrations against racial injustice.People who come to the courthouses in Kansas City and Independence are greeted by statues honoring a man who was a slave owner, opposed abolishing slavery and forced thousands of Native Americans off their land so white settlers could move in, White said.“As long as these statues remain, our words about fairness, justice and equality will continue to ring hollow for many we serve,” White said.White plans to ask the Jackson County Legislature to form a committee and hold public hearings to discuss removing the statues.“I welcome the opportunity to work with the Legislature and fellow elected officials to find a better home for these statues where their history can be put into the appropriate context for us to learn from, but I am convinced that home is not in front of our courthouses,” White said.

County leader wants Jackson statues removed from courthouses

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigatating a fatal accident in Pottawatomie County

Just after 8:30p.m. Friday, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reference to an injury accident in the area of Oak Grove Road and Bigelow Road in rural Olsburg Pottawatomie County, according to Sheriff&nbsp;Shane Jager.

Upon Deputies arrival at the scene, they found a single vehicle accident involving a UTV on Bigelow Road. 

The driver of the UTV was pronounced dead at the scene and a passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries. 

The incident remains under investigation. 

Pottawatomie County EMS, Olsburg Fire Department and Kansas Highway Patrol assisted in this investigation. Authorities released no additional details.

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigatating a fatal accident in Pottawatomie CountyJust after 8:30p.m. Friday, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reference to an injury accident in the area of Oak Grove Road and Bigelow Road in rural Olsburg Pottawatomie County, according to Sheriff&nbsp;Shane Jager.Upon Deputies arrival at the scene, they found a single vehicle accident involving a UTV on Bigelow Road. The driver of the UTV was pronounced dead at the scene and a passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The incident remains under investigation. Pottawatomie County EMS, Olsburg Fire Department and Kansas Highway Patrol assisted in this investigation. Authorities released no additional details.

Sheriff: 1 dead, 1 injured after Kansas UTV accident

By PEGGY LOWE <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-23/wyandotte-county-da-says-task-force-snub-wasnt-racist-but-hes-still-fighting-good-old-boy-traditions">Kansas News Service</a>

Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree, the first 
African-American district attorney ever elected in Kansas, said Tuesday 
that he was shocked to learn he was the only law enforcement official 
left off a newly-formed county police community board.

He doesn’t 
think the move by Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor David Alvey was racist, but
 Dupree said he and Alvey certainly have different philosophies.

“I
 do not believe that the mayor intended, nor had any ill will on not 
putting me on there, specifically concerning my race,” Dupree told <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-06-23/wyandotte-county-district-attorney-america-what-went-wrong" target="_blank">KCUR’s “Up To Date.”</a>

Dupree
 said he commended Alvey for doing something amid ongoing calls for 
police reform and social justice locally and around the nation, but he 
hopes the task force will communicate with him moving forward.

“Because
 as the chief law enforcement official in the county, it’s my ball 
park,” he said. “And so we’re going to have to deal with the criminal 
justice systemic racism issues.”

Alvey <a href="https://www.wycokck.org/News-and-Events/News/Wyco-Task-Force-on-Community-and-Police-Relations.aspx" target="_blank">announced the Task Force on Community and Police Relations</a>
 on June 8, saying he wanted to “advance the dialogue” between African 
American and Hispanic communities and law enforcement in the county.

The
 10-member task force includes Kansas City, Kansas, Interim Police Chief
 Michael York and Wyandotte County Sheriff Don Ash, who are both white. 
The panel is co-chaired by Alvey, who is white, and Wyandotte County 
Commissioner Harold Johnson, who is black.

Alvey defended his 
decision on Tuesday, saying he created the commission to host 
conversations between the community and law enforcement. There are four 
people of color on the commission so the community will be 
well-represented, he said.

“This in no way excludes the voice of 
the district attorney or the things he wants to advocate for,” Alvey 
said. “In fact, it just actually preserves his ability to advocate for 
those things.”

York and Ash will be able to hear stories about 
interactions with police from the community and then they are in the 
position to take immediate action on changing things, Alvey said. 

Dupree will soon be asked to speak to the task force, Alvey said.

Since
 taking over the district attorney’s office in 2017, Dupree said he’s 
been trying to change the “good old boy traditions,” like passing a 
noose around the office when a prosecutor’s case went to a hung jury. 
That showed a lack of “cultural education,” Dupree said, so he 
instituted implicit bias training.

“I'm an advocate for getting 
rid of those good old boy traditions, those good old boy thought 
processes and making sure that justice and our constitutional rights 
apply to every person, regardless of race and ethnicity,” he said.

Former DA Jerome Gorman didn't return a call seeking comment. 

Dupree
 recently renamed his Conviction Integrity Unit to the Community 
Integrity Unit, saying he wanted complaints from the entire community. 

Dupree <a href="https://www.kcur.org/community/2017-11-10/prosecutor-wants-probe-of-kck-detective-in-wrongful-conviction" target="_blank">announced the unit in 2017</a>,
 after Lamonte McIntyre was exonerated. McIntyre spent 23 years in 
prison after being framed for murder by Kansas City, Kansas, police 
officer Roger Golubski.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is looking into the case.

In March, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-03-03/judge-allows-wrongfully-convicted-lamonte-mcintyres-civil-case-against-wyandotte-county-to-proceed" target="_blank">a federal judge allowed a case</a>
 filed by McIntyre and his mother to proceed. The state of Kansas 
awarded McIntyre $1.55 million earlier this year for his wrongful 
imprisonment.

At least one case has come from the unit, Dupree said. Olin P. Coones, a Kansas City, Kansas, man, is also seeking <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article239945523.html" target="_blank">his 2009 murder conviction overturned.</a>

Peggy Lowe is a veteran investigative reporter based at KCUR, NPR’s member station in Kansas City. She also serves as a correspondent for Marketplace, public media’s national business show.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593011484204.png" alt="About 200 people showed up at a Black Lives Matter protest on May 31 in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, and prayed for peace. Laura Ziegler / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>About 200 people showed up at a Black Lives Matter protest on May 31 in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, and prayed for peace. Laura Ziegler / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By PEGGY LOWE <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-23/wyandotte-county-da-says-task-force-snub-wasnt-racist-but-hes-still-fighting-good-old-boy-traditions">Kansas News Service</a>Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree, the first 
African-American district attorney ever elected in Kansas, said Tuesday 
that he was shocked to learn he was the only law enforcement official 
left off a newly-formed county police community board.He doesn’t 
think the move by Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor David Alvey was racist, but
 Dupree said he and Alvey certainly have different philosophies.“I
 do not believe that the mayor intended, nor had any ill will on not 
putting me on there, specifically concerning my race,” Dupree told <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-06-23/wyandotte-county-district-attorney-america-what-went-wrong" target="_blank">KCUR’s “Up To Date.”</a> Dupree
 said he commended Alvey for doing something amid ongoing calls for 
police reform and social justice locally and around the nation, but he 
hopes the task force will communicate with him moving forward.“Because
 as the chief law enforcement official in the county, it’s my ball 
park,” he said. “And so we’re going to have to deal with the criminal 
justice systemic racism issues.”Alvey <a href="https://www.wycokck.org/News-and-Events/News/Wyco-Task-Force-on-Community-and-Police-Relations.aspx" target="_blank">announced the Task Force on Community and Police Relations</a>
 on June 8, saying he wanted to “advance the dialogue” between African 
American and Hispanic communities and law enforcement in the county.The
 10-member task force includes Kansas City, Kansas, Interim Police Chief
 Michael York and Wyandotte County Sheriff Don Ash, who are both white. 
The panel is co-chaired by Alvey, who is white, and Wyandotte County 
Commissioner Harold Johnson, who is black.Alvey defended his 
decision on Tuesday, saying he created the commission to host 
conversations between the community and law enforcement. There are four 
people of color on the commission so the community will be 
well-represented, he said.“This in no way excludes the voice of 
the district attorney or the things he wants to advocate for,” Alvey 
said. “In fact, it just actually preserves his ability to advocate for 
those things.”York and Ash will be able to hear stories about 
interactions with police from the community and then they are in the 
position to take immediate action on changing things, Alvey said. Dupree will soon be asked to speak to the task force, Alvey said.Since
 taking over the district attorney’s office in 2017, Dupree said he’s 
been trying to change the “good old boy traditions,” like passing a 
noose around the office when a prosecutor’s case went to a hung jury. 
That showed a lack of “cultural education,” Dupree said, so he 
instituted implicit bias training.“I'm an advocate for getting 
rid of those good old boy traditions, those good old boy thought 
processes and making sure that justice and our constitutional rights 
apply to every person, regardless of race and ethnicity,” he said.Former DA Jerome Gorman didn't return a call seeking comment. Dupree
 recently renamed his Conviction Integrity Unit to the Community 
Integrity Unit, saying he wanted complaints from the entire community. Dupree <a href="https://www.kcur.org/community/2017-11-10/prosecutor-wants-probe-of-kck-detective-in-wrongful-conviction" target="_blank">announced the unit in 2017</a>,
 after Lamonte McIntyre was exonerated. McIntyre spent 23 years in 
prison after being framed for murder by Kansas City, Kansas, police 
officer Roger Golubski. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is looking into the case.In March, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-03-03/judge-allows-wrongfully-convicted-lamonte-mcintyres-civil-case-against-wyandotte-county-to-proceed" target="_blank">a federal judge allowed a case</a>
 filed by McIntyre and his mother to proceed. The state of Kansas 
awarded McIntyre $1.55 million earlier this year for his wrongful 
imprisonment.At least one case has come from the unit, Dupree said. Olin P. Coones, a Kansas City, Kansas, man, is also seeking <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article239945523.html" target="_blank">his 2009 murder conviction overturned.</a>Peggy Lowe is a veteran investigative reporter based at KCUR, NPR’s member station in Kansas City. She also serves as a correspondent for Marketplace, public media’s national business show.&nbsp;

Wyandotte Co. DA says he’s still fighting ‘good old boy traditions’

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two people were killed and a third person was critically inured early Saturday when a car crashed into a Kansas City building.

Police said in a news release that a witness reported seeing a Ford Mustang and another vehicle speed past around 2 a.m. before the driver of the Mustang lost control. The Mustang then went off the road and into the building.

The driver and a passenger in the back seat were pronounced dead at the scene. A front seat passenger was transported to a hospital with critical injuries.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two people were killed and a third person was critically inured early Saturday when a car crashed into a Kansas City building.Police said in a news release that a witness reported seeing a Ford Mustang and another vehicle speed past around 2 a.m. before the driver of the Mustang lost control. The Mustang then went off the road and into the building.The driver and a passenger in the back seat were pronounced dead at the scene. A front seat passenger was transported to a hospital with critical injuries.

Police: 2 killed when car crashes into Kansas City building

Washington (AP) —Governors in places seeing huge spikes in coronavirus infections often cite statewide data to assure the public they have plenty of hospital capacity to survive the onslaught, even as the states routinely miss the critical benchmarks to guide their pandemic response.

Public health officials and experts say the heavy reliance on statewide hospital data is a misleading and sometimes irresponsible metric to justify keeping a state open or holding back on imposing new limits.

That is because statewide statistics can be deceiving, especially in large states where individual hospitals can be in crisis mode even while the overall capacity numbers look OK.

Thomas LaVeist, dean of the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, said basing pandemic and reopening policy on statewide hospital bed capacity ”is incredibly irresponsible.”

“To cherry-pick hospital capacity and to use that one metric without the context of number of cases, number of deaths, is shocking,” LaVeist said.

The issue of hospital capacity has gained urgency across the nation this week as Florida, Texas, California, Arizona and other states reported skyrocketing case numbers. Governors have repeatedly invoked hospital capacity in arguing against new business restrictions, though the dynamic began to shift Friday when Texas and Florida clamped down on bars amid an increasingly dire situation with COVID-19.

At the first White House coronavirus briefing nearly two months Friday, Vice President Mike Pence also cited hospitalizations in discussing the outlook for the pandemic.

Two months ago, Pence said 15% of patients were being hospitalized. Now it’s about 5%. That means the health care system is better positioned to cope with a resurgence in cases, he says.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas jumped by 568, fueled in part by outbreaks in sports practices and tournaments. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Friday that there were now 13,538 cases, up 4.3% from Wednesday and 12% from last Friday. The state also reported three more deaths, bringing the total to 264 since the pandemic began in early March.&nbsp;

In Texas, the state health department’s website on Thursday showed 12,951 available beds, 1,320 available ICU beds, and 5,850 available ventilators. What it doesn’t break down is how bleak the situation is in some particular places, including Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city. Hospital beds in Houston are filling so fast that Texas Children’s Hospital is starting to treat adult patients, and 97% of ICU beds at Texas Medical Center were in use.

In Miami, Homestead Hospital confirmed Tuesday it was at capacity. The hospital was transferring patients to other hospitals and preparing to convert regular beds to beds for ICU and acute care patients, if needed.

In Arizona, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has declined to impose new restrictions on business activity or a stay-at-home order, repeatedly citing ample capacity in the state’s hospitals as the reason he is comfortable staying open.

“That’s what’s most important when there’s a rise in cases,” Ducey said earlier this month.

Ducey has condemned as “misinformation” the notion that hospital space is running short, even as state data shows that 85% of Arizona’s hospital beds are occupied. Arizona has about 2,500 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

At the same time, the state is badly missing the mark on the benchmarks established by the White House task force to guide the reopening of the economy, with 23 percent of COVID-19 tests coming back positive in the past week in Arizona.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593204436609.png" alt="Vice President Mike Pence and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speak during a briefing with members of the Coronavirus Task Force at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, Friday" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Mike Pence and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speak during a briefing with members of the Coronavirus Task Force at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, Friday</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM SALTER and LINDSEY TANNERWashington (AP) —Governors in places seeing huge spikes in coronavirus infections often cite statewide data to assure the public they have plenty of hospital capacity to survive the onslaught, even as the states routinely miss the critical benchmarks to guide their pandemic response.Public health officials and experts say the heavy reliance on statewide hospital data is a misleading and sometimes irresponsible metric to justify keeping a state open or holding back on imposing new limits.That is because statewide statistics can be deceiving, especially in large states where individual hospitals can be in crisis mode even while the overall capacity numbers look OK.Thomas LaVeist, dean of the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, said basing pandemic and reopening policy on statewide hospital bed capacity ”is incredibly irresponsible.”“To cherry-pick hospital capacity and to use that one metric without the context of number of cases, number of deaths, is shocking,” LaVeist said.The issue of hospital capacity has gained urgency across the nation this week as Florida, Texas, California, Arizona and other states reported skyrocketing case numbers. Governors have repeatedly invoked hospital capacity in arguing against new business restrictions, though the dynamic began to shift Friday when Texas and Florida clamped down on bars amid an increasingly dire situation with COVID-19.At the first White House coronavirus briefing nearly two months Friday, Vice President Mike Pence also cited hospitalizations in discussing the outlook for the pandemic.Two months ago, Pence said 15% of patients were being hospitalized. Now it’s about 5%. That means the health care system is better positioned to cope with a resurgence in cases, he says.The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas jumped by 568, fueled in part by outbreaks in sports practices and tournaments. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Friday that there were now 13,538 cases, up 4.3% from Wednesday and 12% from last Friday. The state also reported three more deaths, bringing the total to 264 since the pandemic began in early March.&nbsp;In Texas, the state health department’s website on Thursday showed 12,951 available beds, 1,320 available ICU beds, and 5,850 available ventilators. What it doesn’t break down is how bleak the situation is in some particular places, including Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city. Hospital beds in Houston are filling so fast that Texas Children’s Hospital is starting to treat adult patients, and 97% of ICU beds at Texas Medical Center were in use.In Miami, Homestead Hospital confirmed Tuesday it was at capacity. The hospital was transferring patients to other hospitals and preparing to convert regular beds to beds for ICU and acute care patients, if needed.In Arizona, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has declined to impose new restrictions on business activity or a stay-at-home order, repeatedly citing ample capacity in the state’s hospitals as the reason he is comfortable staying open.“That’s what’s most important when there’s a rise in cases,” Ducey said earlier this month.Ducey has condemned as “misinformation” the notion that hospital space is running short, even as state data shows that 85% of Arizona’s hospital beds are occupied. Arizona has about 2,500 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.At the same time, the state is badly missing the mark on the benchmarks established by the White House task force to guide the reopening of the economy, with 23 percent of COVID-19 tests coming back positive in the past week in Arizona.The task force does not include statewide hospitalizations as part of its criteria that states are supposed to meet before reopening. Those criteria include a downward trajectory of cases within a two-week period. They also specify that hospitals should have enough intensive care unit capacity to treat a surge in patients and should have a robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers, including virus antibody testing.Dr. Joseph Gerald, associate professor of public health policy and management at the University of Arizona, said that if the trend continues, cases will likely exceed statewide hospital bed capacity within the next several weeks.California has broken several of its own daily records for the number of positive tests and hospitalizations have risen by more than 30 percent in the past two weeks. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has sounded an upbeat tone in recent days about hospital capacity but changed his tune somewhat on Friday, saying he wants a Southern California county that borders Mexico to consider a stay-home order again.Dr. Colleen Kraft, associate chief medical officer at Emory Hospital in Atlanta and a member of Georgia’s coronavirus task force, said regional hospital bed capacity would be a better metric than statewide capacity. She lamented that the pandemic has seemingly devolved into a “political situation.”“As someone who came into medicine to serve people, it’s difficult to watch,” Kraft said.Robyn Gershon, a professor and public health expert at New York University, called using statewide hospital bed capacity to guide policy “completely unethical.”’’It’s unethical to say let’s just go about our business and by the way, we can handle the overflow,” Gershon said. “A better measure is the 14-day and seven-day case infection rate. That’s what’s telling us what’s going on right now.”—-