TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 297 to a total of 4746, the state health department reported Saturday afternoon.&nbsp;

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 297 to a total of 4746, the state health department reported Saturday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 131<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588443066989.png" alt="Saturday May, 2, 2020 KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Saturday May, 2, 2020 KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas will open its campuses for in-person classes in the fall after the shutdown caused by the coronavirus.

The university said Friday that in-person classes will resume “in some capacity” for the fall semester.

“Reconnecting with each other in person and rebuilding our community is what we’ve looked forward to for months,” KU Chancellor Douglas Girod and Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer said in a note to the campus community.

KU closed to in-person classes in March. Last month, the university announced it would continue with all classes online for the summer semester.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas will open its campuses for in-person classes in the fall after the shutdown caused by the coronavirus.The university said Friday that in-person classes will resume “in some capacity” for the fall semester.“Reconnecting with each other in person and rebuilding our community is what we’ve looked forward to for months,” KU Chancellor Douglas Girod and Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer said in a note to the campus community.KU closed to in-person classes in March. Last month, the university announced it would continue with all classes online for the summer semester.

KU to reopen for in-person classes in the fall

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Democrats hope vote counting from Saturday’s party-run presidential primary goes smoothly to show that the state can rely far more heavily on mail ballots later this year.

Top Democrats anticipate former Vice President Joe Biden will prevail in Kansas’ voting and capture a majority of national convention delegates, given that other candidates, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a147af575395dd355937d16d2ece72b5">Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders,</a>&nbsp;have suspended their campaigns and endorsed him. Voting began in late March, with Sanders on the ballot, along with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and an option to remain uncommitted.

State Chairwoman Vicki Hiatt said voters returned about 140,000 ballots by mid-week after the party mailed them to more than 400,000 registered voters.

The turnout already is more than three times the 39,000 votes cast in 2016 caucuses won handily by Sanders over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. About 156,000 votes were cast in the 2018 Democratic primary for governor.

Democrats had planned to set up polling places across the state but concluded the sites would be too risky during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I think that is the trend, that we’re going to see a real focus on mail balloting,” Hiatt said, adding there’s urgency for moving to mail ballots “just for safety reasons.”

The presidential primary also features ranked-choice voting, in which voters can choose more than one option and rank them. Candidates who fail to get 15% of the vote in the first round will have their votes redistributed to voters’ second choices in a second round of counting, and the process will continue until all remaining candidates have at least 15%.

The results will allocate 39 of Kansas’ 45 delegates to Democrats’ national presidential nominating convention. The other six are party leaders.

Kansas’ next election is its Aug. 4 primary, and state law prevents it from being done exclusively through mail balloting. However, the law also allows voters to request mail ballots for any reason, and Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, is encouraging people to ask for them, spokeswoman Katie Koupal said.

Some Democrats have long argued for greater use of mail balloting as a way to boost turnout, but some Republicans remain wary, suggesting it would not be as secure.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587385328985.png" alt="Kansas 2020 presidential primary ballot" />
 <figcaption>Kansas 2020 presidential primary ballot</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Democrats hope vote counting from Saturday’s party-run presidential primary goes smoothly to show that the state can rely far more heavily on mail ballots later this year.Top Democrats anticipate former Vice President Joe Biden will prevail in Kansas’ voting and capture a majority of national convention delegates, given that other candidates, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a147af575395dd355937d16d2ece72b5">Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders,</a>&nbsp;have suspended their campaigns and endorsed him. Voting began in late March, with Sanders on the ballot, along with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and an option to remain uncommitted.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today is <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/2020Primary?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#2020Primary</a> Election Day in Kansas! Any ballot received today by the KDP will be counted. Results will be released within 48 hours after the final ballot has been tabulated. Stay tuned for more info on our social media and website! 🌻 🌻 <a href="https://t.co/KrVVUm8M9G">pic.twitter.com/KrVVUm8M9G</a>&mdash; Kansas Dems (@KansasDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/KansasDems/status/1256618441676554240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>State Chairwoman Vicki Hiatt said voters returned about 140,000 ballots by mid-week after the party mailed them to more than 400,000 registered voters.The turnout already is more than three times the 39,000 votes cast in 2016 caucuses won handily by Sanders over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. About 156,000 votes were cast in the 2018 Democratic primary for governor.Democrats had planned to set up polling places across the state but concluded the sites would be too risky during the coronavirus pandemic.“I think that is the trend, that we’re going to see a real focus on mail balloting,” Hiatt said, adding there’s urgency for moving to mail ballots “just for safety reasons.”The presidential primary also features ranked-choice voting, in which voters can choose more than one option and rank them. Candidates who fail to get 15% of the vote in the first round will have their votes redistributed to voters’ second choices in a second round of counting, and the process will continue until all remaining candidates have at least 15%.The results will allocate 39 of Kansas’ 45 delegates to Democrats’ national presidential nominating convention. The other six are party leaders.Kansas’ next election is its Aug. 4 primary, and state law prevents it from being done exclusively through mail balloting. However, the law also allows voters to request mail ballots for any reason, and Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, is encouraging people to ask for them, spokeswoman Katie Koupal said.Some Democrats have long argued for greater use of mail balloting as a way to boost turnout, but some Republicans remain wary, suggesting it would not be as secure.

Kansas Democrats hope primary encourages balloting by mail

ATLANTA (AP) — Some of the millions of American workers laid off because of the coronavirus are beginning to face a tough choice — return to work and risk infection, or stay home and risk losing unemployment payments.

The decision is most pressing in states where governors have started allowing businesses such as restaurants to reopen with social-distancing restrictions.

Tyler Price, 26, was called back to his job at Del Frisco’s Grille in the Nashville suburb of Brentwood. Tennessee allowed restaurants to open dining rooms at 50% capacity, with servers wearing masks and being tested for fever.

But Price, who has yet to receive any unemployment benefits, is wrestling with what do. He said he is “highly susceptible” to respiratory illness and was hospitalized with pneumonia as a child.

“I know what it feels like to be in a hospital, to be drowning in your own lungs,” said Price, who moved in with his mother near St. Louis after getting laid off. “It’s horrifying. It’s terrible. I don’t want to find myself there.”

He said waiting tables “is impossible to do under social distancing guidelines,” and he would prefer to draw unemployment payments.

On Thursday, the Labor Department reported that the business shutdowns and stay-at-home orders caused by the pandemic have led 30 million Americans to file for unemployment insurance, or roughly 1 of every 6 workers.

The design of the unemployment system adds to the pressure. If an employer calls back laid-off workers, they must report to work or are likely to lose their benefits.

That’s because unemployment insurance is designed to tide people over until they can get back to a job, said Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst with the National Employment Law Project in New York.

“An unemployed worker cannot refuse suitable work and still continue to collect unemployment insurance,” Evermore said. “Presumably, the job you used to have is suitable.”

Fear of getting sick or worries that an employer isn’t providing adequate infection protection are generally not reasons someone can file for benefits. The latter concern is getting more complicated because some businesses are lobbying to keep employees and customers from suing them over coronavirus transmission.

Lacey Ward, a hairstylist in Omaha, Nebraska, filed for unemployment benefits in mid-March and is still waiting for the first payment. She’s been forced to drain her family’s savings and feels increasing pressure to return to work. Still, she is worried that Gov. Pete Ricketts’ decision to let salons reopen Monday could put her, her husband and two young sons at risk.

Ward, 38, said she would prefer to collect unemployment until the risk from the virus subsides and it’s clearer whether she can offer services like shampooing. She co-owns the salon but makes money only off her own clients.

“I would rather be safe than sorry,” Ward said. “We are not an essential field. I haven’t had my hair done in three or four months at this point. But what does it matter? Who are people seeing?”

Ward said she’s so concerned about spreading the virus that she plans to change clothes and wash her hair before she returns home.

“We’re playing with fire, physically touching another person,” she said.

Some workers are ready to go back. Kathryn Marsilli, 33, is a manager and server at The Collins Quarter restaurant in Savannah, Georgia.

She knows she may make less at work because of reduced business and would like a way for those with fears of the virus to stay home. But she said she wants to go back out of loyalty to the owner and because she’s not interested in trying to maximize her unemployment benefits.

“My future where I work is more important to me than trying to get what I can now,” Marsilli said.

Other workers may be tempted to hold on to unemployment. Especially in some low-wage regions, laid-off workers may receive more money with the state benefit and the additional $600 a week provided by Congress than they were on the job. The federal boost ends July 31.

Georgia labor officials are trying to balance the needs of business owners with the genuine concerns of workers. State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said he’s telling businesses that are easing into reopening and don’t need all their employees to call in those who are willing to work and leave the others to the unemployment system.

Georgia also is allowing people to earn up to $300 a week before it begins to eat into their state unemployment benefit, meaning workers could earn more than $1,200 a week in total.

“It was a way we could get more people back to work at reduced hours,” Butler said. “Otherwise, why would you go back to work at all?”

Jennifer Holliday is a manager at a restaurant in Oklahoma City called Zio’s Italian Kitchen, which plans to reopen its dining room Friday. She said getting furloughed employees to return has been difficult. Many are not returning her phone calls or messages.

“There are some who want to just ride it out (until July) and take the unemployment,” Holliday said. “They don’t even have to apply” for other jobs.

ATLANTA (AP) — Some of the millions of American workers laid off because of the coronavirus are beginning to face a tough choice — return to work and risk infection, or stay home and risk losing unemployment payments.The decision is most pressing in states where governors have started allowing businesses such as restaurants to reopen with social-distancing restrictions.Tyler Price, 26, was called back to his job at Del Frisco’s Grille in the Nashville suburb of Brentwood. Tennessee allowed restaurants to open dining rooms at 50% capacity, with servers wearing masks and being tested for fever.But Price, who has yet to receive any unemployment benefits, is wrestling with what do. He said he is “highly susceptible” to respiratory illness and was hospitalized with pneumonia as a child.“I know what it feels like to be in a hospital, to be drowning in your own lungs,” said Price, who moved in with his mother near St. Louis after getting laid off. “It’s horrifying. It’s terrible. I don’t want to find myself there.”He said waiting tables “is impossible to do under social distancing guidelines,” and he would prefer to draw unemployment payments.On Thursday, the Labor Department reported that the business shutdowns and stay-at-home orders caused by the pandemic have led 30 million Americans to file for unemployment insurance, or roughly 1 of every 6 workers.The design of the unemployment system adds to the pressure. If an employer calls back laid-off workers, they must report to work or are likely to lose their benefits.That’s because unemployment insurance is designed to tide people over until they can get back to a job, said Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst with the National Employment Law Project in New York.“An unemployed worker cannot refuse suitable work and still continue to collect unemployment insurance,” Evermore said. “Presumably, the job you used to have is suitable.”Fear of getting sick or worries that an employer isn’t providing adequate infection protection are generally not reasons someone can file for benefits. The latter concern is getting more complicated because some businesses are lobbying to keep employees and customers from suing them over coronavirus transmission.Lacey Ward, a hairstylist in Omaha, Nebraska, filed for unemployment benefits in mid-March and is still waiting for the first payment. She’s been forced to drain her family’s savings and feels increasing pressure to return to work. Still, she is worried that Gov. Pete Ricketts’ decision to let salons reopen Monday could put her, her husband and two young sons at risk.Ward, 38, said she would prefer to collect unemployment until the risk from the virus subsides and it’s clearer whether she can offer services like shampooing. She co-owns the salon but makes money only off her own clients.“I would rather be safe than sorry,” Ward said. “We are not an essential field. I haven’t had my hair done in three or four months at this point. But what does it matter? Who are people seeing?”Ward said she’s so concerned about spreading the virus that she plans to change clothes and wash her hair before she returns home.“We’re playing with fire, physically touching another person,” she said.Some workers are ready to go back. Kathryn Marsilli, 33, is a manager and server at The Collins Quarter restaurant in Savannah, Georgia.She knows she may make less at work because of reduced business and would like a way for those with fears of the virus to stay home. But she said she wants to go back out of loyalty to the owner and because she’s not interested in trying to maximize her unemployment benefits.“My future where I work is more important to me than trying to get what I can now,” Marsilli said.Other workers may be tempted to hold on to unemployment. Especially in some low-wage regions, laid-off workers may receive more money with the state benefit and the additional $600 a week provided by Congress than they were on the job. The federal boost ends July 31.Georgia labor officials are trying to balance the needs of business owners with the genuine concerns of workers. State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said he’s telling businesses that are easing into reopening and don’t need all their employees to call in those who are willing to work and leave the others to the unemployment system.Georgia also is allowing people to earn up to $300 a week before it begins to eat into their state unemployment benefit, meaning workers could earn more than $1,200 a week in total.“It was a way we could get more people back to work at reduced hours,” Butler said. “Otherwise, why would you go back to work at all?”Jennifer Holliday is a manager at a restaurant in Oklahoma City called Zio’s Italian Kitchen, which plans to reopen its dining room Friday. She said getting furloughed employees to return has been difficult. Many are not returning her phone calls or messages.“There are some who want to just ride it out (until July) and take the unemployment,” Holliday said. “They don’t even have to apply” for other jobs.___

Workers must risk infection or losing unemployment payments

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas began releasing inmates this week as a way to check the spread of coronavirus in its prison system, but stopped when an outbreak mushroomed and created a danger of returning infected offenders to their communities, Gov. Laura Kelly said Friday.

Kelly said during an Associated Press interview that the Department of Corrections released only six inmates and put them under house arrest for the rest of their sentences. But confirmed coronavirus cases at the Lansing Correctional Facility outside Kansas City have skyrocketed among inmates and staff, and the prison is under quarantine.

“We got the testing results at Lansing and realized that we had some other work to do before we could let anybody else go,” Kelly said. The Department of Corrections said none of the six released were from Lansing.

Problems at the prison didn’t prevent Kelly from promising to lift a statewide stay-at-home order as planned at midnight Sunday or outlining&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/abd6bb1cfc4f6349d94f853f04b12bcb">a plan</a>&nbsp;to gradually reopen the state’s coronavirus-battered economy by June 15, starting with restaurants and many other businesses Monday. However, her economic plan frustrated some business owners, who won’t be allowed to reopen until at least May 18 while others can.

The state saw a 5% jump in confirmed coronavirus cases Friday, an increase of 221, to 4,449. It recorded a single new COVID-19-related death to make the state’s tally 130 since early March.

Kelly and Dr. Lee Norman, the state’s top public health administrator, said Friday that Kansas expects to receive some 60,000 testing kits from the federal government in May, a key factor in her decision to reopen the state.

The slowdown in economic activity is hitting the state budget. A new fiscal forecast issued less than two weeks ago projects Kansas will see its tax revenues drop 7.8% in the current budget year that began in July 2019. Tax collections in April suggested the new projections are on the mark: The state collected $578 million in taxes for the month, roughly what the new, more pessimistic fiscal forecast projected.

Dr. Drew Miller, a family physician in Lakin in southwest Kansas, said he still will advise people to stay home as much as possible. He said became comfortable with Kelly’s reopening plan as he reviewed it.

“It’s more conservative than what I thought it would be,” Miller said.

Kelly loosened restrictions on religious gatherings that prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1ec624a15ae111e72a20dd6818d64451">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;by two churches and their pastors. A legal group representing them, Alliance Defending Freedom, announced plans to drop the lawsuit Friday.

But the disparate treatment of different businesses inspired criticism from some business owners. While restaurants can reopen Monday with social distancing and other restrictions, bars, gyms, fitness centers, hair salons and barbershops, among others, have to wait another two weeks at least.

Nathan Hunt, a retired Army platoon sergeant and combat veteran, said he can open his martial arts academy in Junction City safely. He said he can limit class sizes, clean his business thoroughly and put marks on his mats to keep students apart.

“I know how to corral the kittens,” Hunt said. “I don’t need another mom to tell me how to run my business safely.”

The outbreak at the Lansing prison is problematic for the state because 164 inmates living in a single dormitory-style housing unit tested positive without showing any symptoms. Department of Corrections spokeswoman Rebecca Witte said 253 inmates at Lansing have tested positive and two have died. Eighty-six employees — about 21% of the staff — have tested positive as well.

The state plans to test roughly 2,000 Lansing inmates and staff this weekend, Norman said.

There also are infections among either staff or inmates in four other correctional facilities, although they are much smaller, the agency said.

Kelly has faced pressure from inmates’ families and an American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas state-court lawsuit to release some inmates.

The ACLU accused the department in a statement of “delay in addressing the very real threat posed by COVID-19 to the incarcerated, to corrections staff, and to the community.”

Kelly said other inmates “on the list” for being released early and put under house arrest “really are victims of the pandemic.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588352329083.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during her televised address on Thursday" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during her televised address on Thursday</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas began releasing inmates this week as a way to check the spread of coronavirus in its prison system, but stopped when an outbreak mushroomed and created a danger of returning infected offenders to their communities, Gov. Laura Kelly said Friday.Kelly said during an Associated Press interview that the Department of Corrections released only six inmates and put them under house arrest for the rest of their sentences. But confirmed coronavirus cases at the Lansing Correctional Facility outside Kansas City have skyrocketed among inmates and staff, and the prison is under quarantine.“We got the testing results at Lansing and realized that we had some other work to do before we could let anybody else go,” Kelly said. The Department of Corrections said none of the six released were from Lansing.Problems at the prison didn’t prevent Kelly from promising to lift a statewide stay-at-home order as planned at midnight Sunday or outlining&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/abd6bb1cfc4f6349d94f853f04b12bcb">a plan</a>&nbsp;to gradually reopen the state’s coronavirus-battered economy by June 15, starting with restaurants and many other businesses Monday. However, her economic plan frustrated some business owners, who won’t be allowed to reopen until at least May 18 while others can.The state saw a 5% jump in confirmed coronavirus cases Friday, an increase of 221, to 4,449. It recorded a single new COVID-19-related death to make the state’s tally 130 since early March.Kelly and Dr. Lee Norman, the state’s top public health administrator, said Friday that Kansas expects to receive some 60,000 testing kits from the federal government in May, a key factor in her decision to reopen the state.The slowdown in economic activity is hitting the state budget. A new fiscal forecast issued less than two weeks ago projects Kansas will see its tax revenues drop 7.8% in the current budget year that began in July 2019. Tax collections in April suggested the new projections are on the mark: The state collected $578 million in taxes for the month, roughly what the new, more pessimistic fiscal forecast projected.Dr. Drew Miller, a family physician in Lakin in southwest Kansas, said he still will advise people to stay home as much as possible. He said became comfortable with Kelly’s reopening plan as he reviewed it.“It’s more conservative than what I thought it would be,” Miller said.Kelly loosened restrictions on religious gatherings that prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1ec624a15ae111e72a20dd6818d64451">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;by two churches and their pastors. A legal group representing them, Alliance Defending Freedom, announced plans to drop the lawsuit Friday.But the disparate treatment of different businesses inspired criticism from some business owners. While restaurants can reopen Monday with social distancing and other restrictions, bars, gyms, fitness centers, hair salons and barbershops, among others, have to wait another two weeks at least.Nathan Hunt, a retired Army platoon sergeant and combat veteran, said he can open his martial arts academy in Junction City safely. He said he can limit class sizes, clean his business thoroughly and put marks on his mats to keep students apart.“I know how to corral the kittens,” Hunt said. “I don’t need another mom to tell me how to run my business safely.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586514248901.png" alt="Two inmates at the Lansing Prison have died as a result of the virus." />
 <figcaption>Two inmates at the Lansing Prison have died as a result of the virus.</figcaption>
 </figure>The outbreak at the Lansing prison is problematic for the state because 164 inmates living in a single dormitory-style housing unit tested positive without showing any symptoms. Department of Corrections spokeswoman Rebecca Witte said 253 inmates at Lansing have tested positive and two have died. Eighty-six employees — about 21% of the staff — have tested positive as well.The state plans to test roughly 2,000 Lansing inmates and staff this weekend, Norman said.There also are infections among either staff or inmates in four other correctional facilities, although they are much smaller, the agency said.Kelly has faced pressure from inmates’ families and an American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas state-court lawsuit to release some inmates.The ACLU accused the department in a statement of “delay in addressing the very real threat posed by COVID-19 to the incarcerated, to corrections staff, and to the community.”Kelly said other inmates “on the list” for being released early and put under house arrest “really are victims of the pandemic.”___

Coronavirus outbreak prompts Kansas to stop prison releases

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Aircraft parts maker Spirit AeroSystems announced Friday that it would lay off 1,450 employees because demand for new airplanes has plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic.

An email sent to employees Friday says Boeing and Airbus reported their first-quarter financial reports this week and indicated there would be a decline in demand for new airplanes. Spirit is a supplier of parts for both companies.

“All indications right now tell us this lower demand for new commercial airplanes is likely to last for several years,” president and CEO Tom Gentile said in the email.

Affected employees in Wichita will start leaving on May 15 but some “may be asked to work during this 60 day period to provide cross training.” Employees working on the defense side will not be affected.

The email says there will be smaller reductions later this month at other Spirit sites in the U.S.

Spirit announced layoffs of about 2,800 employees earlier this year as a result of the Boeing 737 Max being grounded after two fatal flights. It also offered voluntary layoffs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/acc1c04b3d6ffb8ea60197ad57e8b4f0">Thursday</a>.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Aircraft parts maker Spirit AeroSystems announced Friday that it would lay off 1,450 employees because demand for new airplanes has plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic.An email sent to employees Friday says Boeing and Airbus reported their first-quarter financial reports this week and indicated there would be a decline in demand for new airplanes. Spirit is a supplier of parts for both companies.“All indications right now tell us this lower demand for new commercial airplanes is likely to last for several years,” president and CEO Tom Gentile said in the email.Affected employees in Wichita will start leaving on May 15 but some “may be asked to work during this 60 day period to provide cross training.” Employees working on the defense side will not be affected.The email says there will be smaller reductions later this month at other Spirit sites in the U.S.Spirit announced layoffs of about 2,800 employees earlier this year as a result of the Boeing 737 Max being grounded after two fatal flights. It also offered voluntary layoffs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/acc1c04b3d6ffb8ea60197ad57e8b4f0">Thursday</a>.

Kan. aircraft parts maker to lay off of 1,450 employees

SHAWNEE COUNTY– A total of four teens were arrested Thursday following an incident at the Days Inn in Topeka.

Just after noon Thursday, officers from the Topeka Police Department responded to the Days Inn, 1510 SW Wanamaker Road on a report of three persons who were possibly unresponsive in a room at the motel, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.

Officers made contact with a total of five people who were responsive, but were showing possible signs of impairment. 

Medical personnel arrived on scene and all five individuals were medically cleared.

Upon further investigation, a total of four teens are facing&nbsp; charges including a 17-year-old boy who was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Juvenile Detention Center on the following charges Possession of stolen property Criminal carry of a weapon and Criminal damage.

A 16-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Juvenile Intake for a Misdemeanor warrant

A 17-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Juvenile Intake on the requested charges of Obstruction and 3 misdemeanor warrants.

A 17-year-old girl was arrested and taken to Juvenile Intake for an alleged Probation violation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588349695065.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY– A total of four teens were arrested Thursday following an incident at the Days Inn in Topeka.Just after noon Thursday, officers from the Topeka Police Department responded to the Days Inn, 1510 SW Wanamaker Road on a report of three persons who were possibly unresponsive in a room at the motel, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.Officers made contact with a total of five people who were responsive, but were showing possible signs of impairment. Medical personnel arrived on scene and all five individuals were medically cleared.Upon further investigation, a total of four teens are facing&nbsp; charges including a 17-year-old boy who was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Juvenile Detention Center on the following charges Possession of stolen property Criminal carry of a weapon and Criminal damage.A 16-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Juvenile Intake for a Misdemeanor warrantA 17-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Juvenile Intake on the requested charges of Obstruction and 3 misdemeanor warrants.A 17-year-old girl was arrested and taken to Juvenile Intake for an alleged Probation violation.

Police: Kan. teens reported unresponsive in motel, arrested

TOPEKA, Kansas – Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) Secretary Jeff Zmuda announced Friday that one staff member working at El Dorado Correctional Facility (EDCF) tested positive for COVID-19. 

This is the fifth KDOC facility with confirmed cases, including Lansing Correctional Facility, Wichita Work Release Facility, Topeka Correctional Facility and Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex.

The staff member is a male over the age of 30. In order to protect the identity of the staff member, no other information will be released.

The KDOC has been in consultation with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on next steps to address these circumstances. As a result of that consultation with KDHE, the following steps are being implemented immediately:

“As with our other facilities, at El Dorado we have coordinated our response with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment,” Zmuda said. “The expertise and support of KDHE is invaluable as we address the challenges that this virus presents.”

The 1,955 bed El Dorado Correctional Facility opened in 1991 and was expanded in 1995 and 2001. The facility is designed for&nbsp;maximum- and medium-custody residents and to serve as the Reception and Diagnostic Unit (RDU) for all adult males sentenced to KDOC. In RDU, residents receive orientation and are assigned to a custody classification, appropriate programs and a permanent housing assignment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588370358515.png" alt="El Dorado Correctional Facility -photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>El Dorado Correctional Facility -photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kansas – Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) Secretary Jeff Zmuda announced Friday that one staff member working at El Dorado Correctional Facility (EDCF) tested positive for COVID-19. This is the fifth KDOC facility with confirmed cases, including Lansing Correctional Facility, Wichita Work Release Facility, Topeka Correctional Facility and Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex.The staff member is a male over the age of 30. In order to protect the identity of the staff member, no other information will be released.The KDOC has been in consultation with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on next steps to address these circumstances. As a result of that consultation with KDHE, the following steps are being implemented immediately:<ol>
 <li>KDHE conducted contact tracing to determine who among our staff and residents have been in close contact with this individual</li><li>The Butler County Health Department conducted contact tracing to identify anyone outside of EDCF who may have been in close contact with this individual and will notify those persons</li><li>KDOC will remain diligent in monitoring other staff and residents for symptoms</li>
 </ol>“As with our other facilities, at El Dorado we have coordinated our response with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment,” Zmuda said. “The expertise and support of KDHE is invaluable as we address the challenges that this virus presents.”The 1,955 bed El Dorado Correctional Facility opened in 1991 and was expanded in 1995 and 2001. The facility is designed for&nbsp;maximum- and medium-custody residents and to serve as the Reception and Diagnostic Unit (RDU) for all adult males sentenced to KDOC. In RDU, residents receive orientation and are assigned to a custody classification, appropriate programs and a permanent housing assignment.

5th Kansas correctional facility reports case of coronavirus

O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Nearly 300 workers at a northwestern Missouri pork processing plant have tested positive for the coronavirus, state health officials said Friday.

The Triumph Foods plant in St. Joseph is the latest of several meat plants around the country to see huge spikes in confirmed cases of the virus.

Missouri’s health department oversaw testing this week of more than 2,300 asymptomatic workers at the plant. Dr. Randall Williams, director of the department, said in an interview that results for the first 1,625 asymptomatic workers showed that 259 tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Thirty-six others previously tested positive.

Results are still pending for 709 workers.

The infected workers are being told to self-isolate, and efforts are underway to determine who they've had contact with. But Williams is not recommending closure of the plant.

“We think the work they do is incredibly valuable, and these are asymptomatic employees,” Williams said. “So we feel like by working with our normal public health epidemiological case tracing, we can isolate and quarantine these patients.”

Meat plants often employ hundreds of people working next to each other, which can help facilitate the virus' spread.

But Williams said it’s uncertain where the St. Joseph workers contracted the virus.

“It’s very reasonable they may have gotten it not from work but from where they live, who they live with,” Williams said.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order this week requiring meatpacking plants to stay open amid the coronavirus crisis after more than 20 plants suspended operations under pressure from local authorities and their own workers.

Gov. Mike Parson’s stay-at-home order ends Sunday, and businesses can reopen with some restrictions starting Monday. Members of the St. Joseph City Council met Thursday night and decided to allow the city to reopen despite the Triumph Foods outbreak, city spokeswoman Mary Robertson said.

The risk of outbreaks at places like prisons, nursing homes and meat plants prompted Missouri to begin what Williams calls a “boxed-in” approach to testing. Under the plan, when a potential hot spot is determined, the state tests everyone.

Williams said Missouri now has the ability to perform more than 50,000 tests per week, thanks to a strong focus on expanding testing that includes partnering with private companies.

“Other states haven't done that, but we have,” Williams said. "We have greatly built up a very purposeful capacity to test.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588361396379.jpeg" alt="Northwest Missouri Health Services testing site/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Northwest Missouri Health Services testing site/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Nearly 300 workers at a northwestern Missouri pork processing plant have tested positive for the coronavirus, state health officials said Friday.The Triumph Foods plant in St. Joseph is the latest of several meat plants around the country to see huge spikes in confirmed cases of the virus.Missouri’s health department oversaw testing this week of more than 2,300 asymptomatic workers at the plant. Dr. Randall Williams, director of the department, said in an interview that results for the first 1,625 asymptomatic workers showed that 259 tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Thirty-six others previously tested positive.Results are still pending for 709 workers.The infected workers are being told to self-isolate, and efforts are underway to determine who they've had contact with. But Williams is not recommending closure of the plant.“We think the work they do is incredibly valuable, and these are asymptomatic employees,” Williams said. “So we feel like by working with our normal public health epidemiological case tracing, we can isolate and quarantine these patients.”Meat plants often employ hundreds of people working next to each other, which can help facilitate the virus' spread.But Williams said it’s uncertain where the St. Joseph workers contracted the virus.“It’s very reasonable they may have gotten it not from work but from where they live, who they live with,” Williams said.President Donald Trump issued an executive order this week requiring meatpacking plants to stay open amid the coronavirus crisis after more than 20 plants suspended operations under pressure from local authorities and their own workers.Gov. Mike Parson’s stay-at-home order ends Sunday, and businesses can reopen with some restrictions starting Monday. Members of the St. Joseph City Council met Thursday night and decided to allow the city to reopen despite the Triumph Foods outbreak, city spokeswoman Mary Robertson said.The risk of outbreaks at places like prisons, nursing homes and meat plants prompted Missouri to begin what Williams calls a “boxed-in” approach to testing. Under the plan, when a potential hot spot is determined, the state tests everyone.Williams said Missouri now has the ability to perform more than 50,000 tests per week, thanks to a strong focus on expanding testing that includes partnering with private companies.“Other states haven't done that, but we have,” Williams said. "We have greatly built up a very purposeful capacity to test.”

Nearly 300 workers have virus at NW Missouri pork plant

KANSAS CITY, KAN. -&nbsp;U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister is asking anyone who has witnessed or experienced sexual harassment by a landlord, property manager, maintenance worker or anyone with control over housing to report that conduct to the Department of Justice.

“COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted the ability of many people to pay rent on time and has increased housing insecurity,” McAllister said. “Nationally, there have been reports of housing providers trying to exploit the crisis to sexually harass tenants. Sexual harassment in housing is illegal, and we stand ready to investigate such allegations and pursue enforcement actions where appropriate.”

McAllister said his office will work closely with state and local partners to identify incidents of sexual harassment in housing.

The Justice Department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/sexual-harassment-housing-initiative" target="_blank">Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative</a>&nbsp;is an effort to combat sexual harassment in housing led by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorney offices across the country. The goal of the initiative is to address sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing.

Launched in 2017, the initiative has&nbsp;filed lawsuits across the county alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing and recovered millions of dollars in damages for harassment victims.&nbsp;The Justice Department’s investigations frequently uncover sexual harassment that has been ongoing for years. Many individuals do not know that being sexually harassed by a housing provider can violate federal law or that the Department of Justice may be able to help.

The Department of Justice, through the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney offices, enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act.

The Department encourages anyone who has experienced sexual harassment in housing, or knows someone who has, to contact the Civil Rights Division by calling (844) 380-6178 or emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:fairhousing@usdoj.gov" target="_blank">fairhousing@usdoj.gov</a>.

McAllister said complaint forms also are available on his office’s web site at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/page/file/1111731/download" target="_blank">https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/page/file/1111731/download</a>.&nbsp;Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Taylor is the Civil Rights Coordinator for McAllister’s office (913-551-6730).

More information about civil rights enforcement in Kansas is available&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/civil-rights" target="_blank">https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/civil-rights</a>

Individuals may also file a complaint alleging harassment or discrimination in housing with the Department of Housing and Urban Development through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint" target="_blank">HUD’s website</a>&nbsp;or by calling (800) 669-9777.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. -&nbsp;U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister is asking anyone who has witnessed or experienced sexual harassment by a landlord, property manager, maintenance worker or anyone with control over housing to report that conduct to the Department of Justice.“COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted the ability of many people to pay rent on time and has increased housing insecurity,” McAllister said. “Nationally, there have been reports of housing providers trying to exploit the crisis to sexually harass tenants. Sexual harassment in housing is illegal, and we stand ready to investigate such allegations and pursue enforcement actions where appropriate.”McAllister said his office will work closely with state and local partners to identify incidents of sexual harassment in housing.The Justice Department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/sexual-harassment-housing-initiative" target="_blank">Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative</a>&nbsp;is an effort to combat sexual harassment in housing led by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorney offices across the country. The goal of the initiative is to address sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing.Launched in 2017, the initiative has&nbsp;filed lawsuits across the county alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing and recovered millions of dollars in damages for harassment victims.&nbsp;The Justice Department’s investigations frequently uncover sexual harassment that has been ongoing for years. Many individuals do not know that being sexually harassed by a housing provider can violate federal law or that the Department of Justice may be able to help.The Department of Justice, through the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney offices, enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act.The Department encourages anyone who has experienced sexual harassment in housing, or knows someone who has, to contact the Civil Rights Division by calling (844) 380-6178 or emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:fairhousing@usdoj.gov" target="_blank">fairhousing@usdoj.gov</a>.McAllister said complaint forms also are available on his office’s web site at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/page/file/1111731/download" target="_blank">https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/page/file/1111731/download</a>.&nbsp;Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Taylor is the Civil Rights Coordinator for McAllister’s office (913-551-6730).More information about civil rights enforcement in Kansas is available&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/civil-rights" target="_blank">https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/civil-rights</a>Individuals may also file a complaint alleging harassment or discrimination in housing with the Department of Housing and Urban Development through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint" target="_blank">HUD’s website</a>&nbsp;or by calling (800) 669-9777.

U.S. Attorney: Be alert for sex harassment in housing during pandemic

TOPEKA - As predicted, the State of Kansas saw a decrease in total tax collections when compared to April of Fiscal Year 2019. These reductions are largely due to announced tax date extensions, which gave relief to Kansans while moving collections into the Fiscal Year 2021, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.

On April 20, the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group, comprised of the Department of Revenue, Division of Budget, Kansas Legislative Research Department, and economists from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University, met to review the fall estimates and make revisions. These revisions take into consideration the changes in tax deadlines, consumer purchasing behaviors, and employer withholdings.

The state's total tax collections for April were $578.1 million. Compared to April last fiscal year that is down $610.7 million or 51.4%. However, the state is in line with the revised estimates as those collections are 0.10% or $360,655 more than the estimate.

Individual income tax collections were $282.5 million; $1.2 million or 0.4% more than the new estimate. Corporate income tax collections were $37.8 million; 2.3% or $888,372 below the estimate.

Retail sales tax collections were $184.1 million; $2.3 million or 1.2% below the estimate. Compensating use tax collections were 2.4% higher than estimated with $41.5 million collected.

TOPEKA - As predicted, the State of Kansas saw a decrease in total tax collections when compared to April of Fiscal Year 2019. These reductions are largely due to announced tax date extensions, which gave relief to Kansans while moving collections into the Fiscal Year 2021, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.On April 20, the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group, comprised of the Department of Revenue, Division of Budget, Kansas Legislative Research Department, and economists from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University, met to review the fall estimates and make revisions. These revisions take into consideration the changes in tax deadlines, consumer purchasing behaviors, and employer withholdings.The state's total tax collections for April were $578.1 million. Compared to April last fiscal year that is down $610.7 million or 51.4%. However, the state is in line with the revised estimates as those collections are 0.10% or $360,655 more than the estimate.Individual income tax collections were $282.5 million; $1.2 million or 0.4% more than the new estimate. Corporate income tax collections were $37.8 million; 2.3% or $888,372 below the estimate.Retail sales tax collections were $184.1 million; $2.3 million or 1.2% below the estimate. Compensating use tax collections were 2.4% higher than estimated with $41.5 million collected.

Kansas tax collections down 51.4% compared to last April

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Some Kansas business owners were frustrated Friday by Gov. Laura Kelly’s plan to gradually reopen the state’s coronavirus-battered economy because they won’t be able to open their doors again Monday while others can.

Kelly is letting a statewide stay-at-home order expire at midnight Sunday and allowing restaurants and many other businesses to reopen if they observe social distancing and take other steps against the spread of the novel coronavirus. But bars, restaurants, gyms, barbershops and hair salons are won’t be able to reopen until at least May 18.

Nathan Hunt owns a martial arts academy in Junction City and says he can observe social distancing, keep classes small and disinfect his premises to operate safely. The retired Army platoon sergeant and combat veteran said it’s “insulting” that the state won’t trust him to reopen safely while big box retail stores are operating.

But family physician Drew Miller of Lakin in southwest Kansas said state and local officials should continue to be cautious and was surprised and pleased that Kelly’s plan struck him as conservative. He said he will still advise people to stay home as much as possible.

Kelly’s plan still allows local officials to impose stricter rules.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588289593495.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly during Thursday's night's televised address" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly during Thursday's night's televised address</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Some Kansas business owners were frustrated Friday by Gov. Laura Kelly’s plan to gradually reopen the state’s coronavirus-battered economy because they won’t be able to open their doors again Monday while others can.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588351991326.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kelly is letting a statewide stay-at-home order expire at midnight Sunday and allowing restaurants and many other businesses to reopen if they observe social distancing and take other steps against the spread of the novel coronavirus. But bars, restaurants, gyms, barbershops and hair salons are won’t be able to reopen until at least May 18.Nathan Hunt owns a martial arts academy in Junction City and says he can observe social distancing, keep classes small and disinfect his premises to operate safely. The retired Army platoon sergeant and combat veteran said it’s “insulting” that the state won’t trust him to reopen safely while big box retail stores are operating.But family physician Drew Miller of Lakin in southwest Kansas said state and local officials should continue to be cautious and was surprised and pleased that Kelly’s plan struck him as conservative. He said he will still advise people to stay home as much as possible.Kelly’s plan still allows local officials to impose stricter rules.

Kansas business owners upset by governor's reopening plan

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 211 to a total of 4449, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 211 to a total of 4449, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 130<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588352805938.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

CHICAGO (AP) — A sharply worded ruling by a federal appeals court in Chicago on Thursday said the Trump administration policy of threatening to withhold grant money from so-called sanctuary cities to force them to comply with its more stringent immigration policies violates separation-of-powers provisions enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also said a freeze of that policy should extend nationwide, rejecting arguments by U.S. Department of Justice lawyers that if an injunction were OKed in the case it should only apply to the city of Chicago.

Broad executive-branch powers on immigration matters don’t include withholding money allocated by the legislative branch to pressure cities and states to comply with an executive-branch policy, said Judge Ilana Rovner, who authored&nbsp;<a href="http://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/rssExec.pl?Submit=Display&amp;Path=Y2020/D04-30/C:18-2885:J:Rovner:aut:T:fnOp:N:2508993:S:0" target="_blank">the 95-page ruling</a>.

“Such a concentration of power,” she said, “would allow tyranny to flourish, and our system of government is wisely set up by the Founders to foreclose such a danger.”

She added: “The separation of powers is a foundation of our government, not a formality to be swept aside on the path to achieving goals that the executive branch deems worthy. … The (grant) conditions imposed here are an executive usurpation of the power of the purse.”

One of the three judges on the panel, Daniel Manion, concurred with the bulk of the ruling. But he said in a separate opinion that he disagreed with approval of a nationwide injunction, saying that “broad, sweeping relief of such nature is rarely appropriate.”

Congress established the main grant at issue, called a Byrne JAG grant, to help local law enforcement buy equipment, including body cameras and bulletproof vests. But Judge Rovner wrote that the Trump administration was wielding the grant “as a hammer to further a completely different policy of the executive branch — presenting a city such as Chicago with the stark choice of forfeiting the funds or undermining its own law enforcement effectiveness.”

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot described being thrilled by the ruling in the litigation that stretches back to Donald Trump’s first year as president.

“When I got the news from our corporation counsel earlier this morning, I let out a cheer,” Lightfoot told reporters. She added: “This is a great victory, not only for Chicago, but for our immigrant and refugee communities everywhere in the country.”

Then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel initiated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d8ba6d877f3242ab9b3eae1459525fcf/Chicago-files-federal-lawsuit-over-sanctuary-cities-threat">the legal action in 2017</a>&nbsp;against the U.S. Department of Justice, which oversees the grants, over the tying of grants to compliance with U.S. immigration law as the Trump administration wants it enforced.

Other cities who opted to similarly limit their cooperation with federal immigration agents also filed lawsuits against the department. Several cases are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f2a328bfa091de9f59b34deee463e2fc">still playing out</a>&nbsp;around the country.

Jeff Sessions was U.S. attorney general when Chicago sued in 2017, decrying what he called in the wake of the lawsuit what he called “open hostility” to enforcing immigration laws. His successor, William Barr, has defended the administration policy just as vigorously.

The suit focused on conditions on Chicago and other cities for grants, which included that they share immigration-status records with U.S. agencies and provide federal agents unfettered access to jails that might hold immigrants without proper documentation.

A Justice Department spokesman declined comment Thursday. The department would have the option of appealing the 7th Circuit decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. Lightfoot said the city “will be right there with them” if the department goes to the nation’s highest court.

Chicago’s sanctuary policies date back to the mid-1980s and successive city councils have confirmed or expanded the protections.

The city has prohibited police from providing federal immigration and customs officials access to people in police custody, unless they are wanted on a criminal warrant or have serious criminal convictions. Local police are also barred from allowing the federal agents use their facilities for interviews or investigations and from responding to agency inquiries about a person’s custody status or release date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588347675953.png" alt="Sanctuary cities map courtesy <a href="https://cis.org/">Center for Immigration Studies</a>" />
 <figcaption>Sanctuary cities map courtesy <a href="https://cis.org/">Center for Immigration Studies</a></figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — A sharply worded ruling by a federal appeals court in Chicago on Thursday said the Trump administration policy of threatening to withhold grant money from so-called sanctuary cities to force them to comply with its more stringent immigration policies violates separation-of-powers provisions enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also said a freeze of that policy should extend nationwide, rejecting arguments by U.S. Department of Justice lawyers that if an injunction were OKed in the case it should only apply to the city of Chicago.Broad executive-branch powers on immigration matters don’t include withholding money allocated by the legislative branch to pressure cities and states to comply with an executive-branch policy, said Judge Ilana Rovner, who authored&nbsp;<a href="http://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/rssExec.pl?Submit=Display&amp;Path=Y2020/D04-30/C:18-2885:J:Rovner:aut:T:fnOp:N:2508993:S:0" target="_blank">the 95-page ruling</a>.“Such a concentration of power,” she said, “would allow tyranny to flourish, and our system of government is wisely set up by the Founders to foreclose such a danger.”She added: “The separation of powers is a foundation of our government, not a formality to be swept aside on the path to achieving goals that the executive branch deems worthy. … The (grant) conditions imposed here are an executive usurpation of the power of the purse.”One of the three judges on the panel, Daniel Manion, concurred with the bulk of the ruling. But he said in a separate opinion that he disagreed with approval of a nationwide injunction, saying that “broad, sweeping relief of such nature is rarely appropriate.”Congress established the main grant at issue, called a Byrne JAG grant, to help local law enforcement buy equipment, including body cameras and bulletproof vests. But Judge Rovner wrote that the Trump administration was wielding the grant “as a hammer to further a completely different policy of the executive branch — presenting a city such as Chicago with the stark choice of forfeiting the funds or undermining its own law enforcement effectiveness.”Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot described being thrilled by the ruling in the litigation that stretches back to Donald Trump’s first year as president.“When I got the news from our corporation counsel earlier this morning, I let out a cheer,” Lightfoot told reporters. She added: “This is a great victory, not only for Chicago, but for our immigrant and refugee communities everywhere in the country.”Then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel initiated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d8ba6d877f3242ab9b3eae1459525fcf/Chicago-files-federal-lawsuit-over-sanctuary-cities-threat">the legal action in 2017</a>&nbsp;against the U.S. Department of Justice, which oversees the grants, over the tying of grants to compliance with U.S. immigration law as the Trump administration wants it enforced.Other cities who opted to similarly limit their cooperation with federal immigration agents also filed lawsuits against the department. Several cases are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f2a328bfa091de9f59b34deee463e2fc">still playing out</a>&nbsp;around the country.Jeff Sessions was U.S. attorney general when Chicago sued in 2017, decrying what he called in the wake of the lawsuit what he called “open hostility” to enforcing immigration laws. His successor, William Barr, has defended the administration policy just as vigorously.The suit focused on conditions on Chicago and other cities for grants, which included that they share immigration-status records with U.S. agencies and provide federal agents unfettered access to jails that might hold immigrants without proper documentation.A Justice Department spokesman declined comment Thursday. The department would have the option of appealing the 7th Circuit decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. Lightfoot said the city “will be right there with them” if the department goes to the nation’s highest court.Chicago’s sanctuary policies date back to the mid-1980s and successive city councils have confirmed or expanded the protections.The city has prohibited police from providing federal immigration and customs officials access to people in police custody, unless they are wanted on a criminal warrant or have serious criminal convictions. Local police are also barred from allowing the federal agents use their facilities for interviews or investigations and from responding to agency inquiries about a person’s custody status or release date.__

Court nixes policy of tying federal grants to immigration enforcement

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the April 23 shooting death of a 37-year-old Kansas man have arrested a third suspect.

On April 24, police released information to the community to help locate 28-year-old Jesse Sweeney, Bobbie Williams-Cox, and William Moore regarding the investigation.&nbsp; 

Just after 4 p.m. on Thursday, an alert citizen called 911 reporting seeing Sweeney at an apartment complex in the 200 block of North Topeka in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers attempted to contact Sweeney at an apartment, and he fled out a window onto the fire escape and onto a separate floor of the apartments.

Police covered off the area, located Sweeney, and arrested him without further incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He is being held on requested charges that include aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, use of a deadly weapon, contempt of court and failure to appear. He is being held on bonds totaling $258,500, according to online jail records.

On Tuesday, Bobbie Williams, 36, was&nbsp; charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of her boyfriend Blake Mayes, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorey.

She and William Moore, 51, were also charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault when they&nbsp;&nbsp;made first appearances in court.

Police investigators say the shooting happened after a disturbance occurred between Mayes, Williams and Sweeney.&nbsp;

Police arrested Moore in Wichita and Williams in the Topeka area last weekend.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Sweeney has previously been arrested and convicted of charges of possession of narcotic drugs, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588334948493.png" alt="Sweeney " />
 <figcaption>Sweeney </figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the April 23 shooting death of a 37-year-old Kansas man have arrested a third suspect.On April 24, police released information to the community to help locate 28-year-old Jesse Sweeney, Bobbie Williams-Cox, and William Moore regarding the investigation.&nbsp; Just after 4 p.m. on Thursday, an alert citizen called 911 reporting seeing Sweeney at an apartment complex in the 200 block of North Topeka in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers attempted to contact Sweeney at an apartment, and he fled out a window onto the fire escape and onto a separate floor of the apartments.Police covered off the area, located Sweeney, and arrested him without further incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;He is being held on requested charges that include aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, use of a deadly weapon, contempt of court and failure to appear. He is being held on bonds totaling $258,500, according to online jail records.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587900733026.png" alt="Williams remains jailed on a $150,ooo bond- photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Williams remains jailed on a $150,ooo bond- photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>On Tuesday, Bobbie Williams, 36, was&nbsp; charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of her boyfriend Blake Mayes, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorey.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587856746805.png" alt="Moore photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Moore photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>She and William Moore, 51, were also charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault when they&nbsp;&nbsp;made first appearances in court.Police investigators say the shooting happened after a disturbance occurred between Mayes, Williams and Sweeney.&nbsp;Police arrested Moore in Wichita and Williams in the Topeka area last weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sweeney has previously been arrested and convicted of charges of possession of narcotic drugs, according to Davidson.

Police arrest 3rd suspect in murder of Kan. woman's boyfriend

O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) — The world’s largest pork producer told a judge in Missouri on Thursday that it was working as quickly as it can to comply with federal guidelines that seek to slow the spread of the coronavirus but that it needs some flexibility in an industry where people typically work side by side.

The comments from a lawyer for Smithfield Foods came as a judge weighed whether to issue a mandatory injunction requiring a rural Missouri meat plant to abide by federal guidelines. The lawsuit, filed by a worker identified only as Jane Doe, accuses the Virginia-based company of not doing enough to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/26bf8fc20f2873d9701fd2ea95f87be4">protect workers.</a>

The worker’s attorney, David Muraskin, told the judge that the pork processing plant in Milan, Missouri, is not requiring workers to stand 6 feet apart, is using “small, flimsy” plexiglass to separate workers in break rooms, and is not performing adequate testing for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

The hearing came as the state health department revealed that 92 asymptomatic workers at another pork plant had tested positive for the virus. The health department this week tested more than 2,200 workers at Triumph Foods in St. Joseph, where 34 employees with symptoms had previously tested positive. The agency so far has results for 707 workers, with results for 1,500 others still pending. The plant remains open.

“Having this important information will now allow those individuals, who have not been showing symptoms, to self-isolate,” the company said in a statement. “This is good for our workforce, their families and our community.”

Also Thursday, Tyson Foods announced that it was closing a massive beef processing plant in Nebraska from Friday to Monday for deep cleaning after hundreds of people in surrounding communities tested positive for the virus.

President Donald Trump issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fb38a5a53ac1a92039bc0a4b545b19d7">an executive order</a>&nbsp;this week requiring meatpacking plants to stay open amid the coronavirus crisis after more than 20 plants&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/cb9fd324e9e3276dd56075a78223b7bb">suspended operations</a>&nbsp;under pressure from local authorities and their own workers. The order was widely seen as giving processors protection from liability for workers who become sick on the job, and it came soon after the Missouri lawsuit against Smithfield Foods.

U.S. District Judge Greg Kays offered no timetable Thursday on when he would issue a ruling in the Missouri case. Kays earlier issued a preliminary order telling Smithfield to follow guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Milan is in a remote area of northern Missouri. While hundreds of meat plant workers across the country have tested positive for the coronavirus, Sullivan County, where Milan is located, has no confirmed cases, according to the state health department. But Muraskin said the “risk of harm” merits the injunction.

During the court hearing, Muraskin also cited concerns that Smithfield is paying sick leave only to workers who have tested positive for the virus and are quarantined, while CDC guidance calls for workers with symptoms to stay home.

“They believe they can pick and choose which CDC guidelines to follow,” Muraskin said.

Smithfield attorney Alexandra Cunningham told the judge that the company is doing everything it can to protect workers, consistent with OSHA and CDC guidelines. But she said addressing issues like social distancing “requires a level of judgment” that has some flexibility.

“We are doing what we can as fast as we can,” Cunningham said.

Tyson Foods’ decision to suspend operations at its Dakota City, Nebraska, beef plant followed a surge of coronavirus cases in the area, including in nearby Sioux City, Iowa. Tyson previously disclosed that some of the plant’s 4,300 workers had tested positive for the virus, but it has not said how many. The Arkansas-based company said it was screening Dakota City employees for the virus this week with the help of the Nebraska National Guard.

In Kansas, four counties with packing plants — Seward, Ford, Finney and Lyon — are in the top five of the state’s 105 counties in terms of number of confirmed coronavirus cases per capita. But U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall said that after a recent visit to some plants, he believes they are safe. He said he found that workers had adequate protective equipment, were using it properly and were keeping their distance from each other.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587045646390.png" alt="Image courtesy Smithfield" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Smithfield</figcaption>
 </figure>O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) — The world’s largest pork producer told a judge in Missouri on Thursday that it was working as quickly as it can to comply with federal guidelines that seek to slow the spread of the coronavirus but that it needs some flexibility in an industry where people typically work side by side.The comments from a lawyer for Smithfield Foods came as a judge weighed whether to issue a mandatory injunction requiring a rural Missouri meat plant to abide by federal guidelines. The lawsuit, filed by a worker identified only as Jane Doe, accuses the Virginia-based company of not doing enough to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/26bf8fc20f2873d9701fd2ea95f87be4">protect workers.</a>The worker’s attorney, David Muraskin, told the judge that the pork processing plant in Milan, Missouri, is not requiring workers to stand 6 feet apart, is using “small, flimsy” plexiglass to separate workers in break rooms, and is not performing adequate testing for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.The hearing came as the state health department revealed that 92 asymptomatic workers at another pork plant had tested positive for the virus. The health department this week tested more than 2,200 workers at Triumph Foods in St. Joseph, where 34 employees with symptoms had previously tested positive. The agency so far has results for 707 workers, with results for 1,500 others still pending. The plant remains open.“Having this important information will now allow those individuals, who have not been showing symptoms, to self-isolate,” the company said in a statement. “This is good for our workforce, their families and our community.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588259947500.png" alt="Entrance to the Tyson Plant in Dakota City, NE -Google image" />
 <figcaption>Entrance to the Tyson Plant in Dakota City, NE -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>Also Thursday, Tyson Foods announced that it was closing a massive beef processing plant in Nebraska from Friday to Monday for deep cleaning after hundreds of people in surrounding communities tested positive for the virus.President Donald Trump issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fb38a5a53ac1a92039bc0a4b545b19d7">an executive order</a>&nbsp;this week requiring meatpacking plants to stay open amid the coronavirus crisis after more than 20 plants&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/cb9fd324e9e3276dd56075a78223b7bb">suspended operations</a>&nbsp;under pressure from local authorities and their own workers. The order was widely seen as giving processors protection from liability for workers who become sick on the job, and it came soon after the Missouri lawsuit against Smithfield Foods.U.S. District Judge Greg Kays offered no timetable Thursday on when he would issue a ruling in the Missouri case. Kays earlier issued a preliminary order telling Smithfield to follow guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Milan is in a remote area of northern Missouri. While hundreds of meat plant workers across the country have tested positive for the coronavirus, Sullivan County, where Milan is located, has no confirmed cases, according to the state health department. But Muraskin said the “risk of harm” merits the injunction.During the court hearing, Muraskin also cited concerns that Smithfield is paying sick leave only to workers who have tested positive for the virus and are quarantined, while CDC guidance calls for workers with symptoms to stay home.“They believe they can pick and choose which CDC guidelines to follow,” Muraskin said.Smithfield attorney Alexandra Cunningham told the judge that the company is doing everything it can to protect workers, consistent with OSHA and CDC guidelines. But she said addressing issues like social distancing “requires a level of judgment” that has some flexibility.“We are doing what we can as fast as we can,” Cunningham said.Tyson Foods’ decision to suspend operations at its Dakota City, Nebraska, beef plant followed a surge of coronavirus cases in the area, including in nearby Sioux City, Iowa. Tyson previously disclosed that some of the plant’s 4,300 workers had tested positive for the virus, but it has not said how many. The Arkansas-based company said it was screening Dakota City employees for the virus this week with the help of the Nebraska National Guard.In Kansas, four counties with packing plants — Seward, Ford, Finney and Lyon — are in the top five of the state’s 105 counties in terms of number of confirmed coronavirus cases per capita. But U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall said that after a recent visit to some plants, he believes they are safe. He said he found that workers had adequate protective equipment, were using it properly and were keeping their distance from each other.___

Pork producer says it needs flexibility on virus guidelines

TOPEKA–Law enforcement authorities  investigating a fatal shooting that resulted in the death of two Kansas men is being investigated as a possible self-defense homicide.

The investigation into the death of&nbsp;36-year-old Zennie L. Vasser Jr., whose body was found Wednesday in the 1300 block of SE Locust Street in Topeka, and the shooting death of 37-year-old Mark A Edwards, that occurred late Tuesday in the 1400 block of SE 14th Street in Topeka are connected and stemmed from the same incident, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.

The preliminary investigation indicates Vasser Jr. fired a weapon, striking Edwards. A witness to that incident is believed to have fired a weapon in self-defense striking Vasser Jr. 

This is believed to be an isolated incident and police are not looking for additional suspects. This marks the 7th homicide in the City of Topeka in 2020.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal shooting were alerted to a second death near the original crime scene.

Just before 11:30p.m. Tuesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center began receiving reports of guns shots in the area of the 1400 Block SE 14th in Topeka, according to&nbsp;Police Lieutenant Jerry Monasmith.&nbsp; 

At the scene, officers located 37-year-old Mark Edwards suffering from life-threatening injuries and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Just after 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a call from a citizen who stated that they located a deceased person in the 1300 block of SE Locust Street in Topeka, in the area of the crime scene of Tuesday's homicide investigation, according to police spokesperson&nbsp;Gretchen Koenen.

Officers and medical personnel arrived on scene and&nbsp;identified the victim as 36-year-old Zennie L. Vasser Jr. 

He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; The Shawnee County Coroner’s Office is conducting their investigation to determine the cause of death. Topeka Police are investigating whether or not these deaths are connected. 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 37-year-old Mark Edwards of Topeka, according to Police Lieutenant Jerry Monasmith.

Just before 11:30p.m. Tuesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center began&nbsp;receiving reports of guns shots in the area of the 1400 Block SE 14th in Topeka, according to Monasmith. 

At the scene, officers&nbsp;located Edwards suffering from life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police released no additional information early Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588242119337.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation Wednesday photo by Phil Anderson <a href="https://www.wibw.com/content/news/One-shot-Tuesday-night-in-east-Topeka-570034481.html">courtesy WIBW TV</a>" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation Wednesday photo by Phil Anderson <a href="https://www.wibw.com/content/news/One-shot-Tuesday-night-in-east-Topeka-570034481.html">courtesy WIBW TV</a></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA–Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting that resulted in the death of two Kansas men is being investigated as a possible self-defense homicide.The investigation into the death of&nbsp;36-year-old Zennie L. Vasser Jr., whose body was found Wednesday in the 1300 block of SE Locust Street in Topeka, and the shooting death of 37-year-old Mark A Edwards, that occurred late Tuesday in the 1400 block of SE 14th Street in Topeka are connected and stemmed from the same incident, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.The preliminary investigation indicates Vasser Jr. fired a weapon, striking Edwards. A witness to that incident is believed to have fired a weapon in self-defense striking Vasser Jr. This is believed to be an isolated incident and police are not looking for additional suspects. This marks the 7th homicide in the City of Topeka in 2020.--------SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal shooting were alerted to a second death near the original crime scene.Just before 11:30p.m. Tuesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center began receiving reports of guns shots in the area of the 1400 Block SE 14th in Topeka, according to&nbsp;Police Lieutenant Jerry Monasmith.&nbsp; At the scene, officers located 37-year-old Mark Edwards suffering from life-threatening injuries and he was pronounced dead at the scene.Just after 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a call from a citizen who stated that they located a deceased person in the 1300 block of SE Locust Street in Topeka, in the area of the crime scene of Tuesday's homicide investigation, according to police spokesperson&nbsp;Gretchen Koenen.Officers and medical personnel arrived on scene and&nbsp;identified the victim as 36-year-old Zennie L. Vasser Jr. He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; The Shawnee County Coroner’s Office is conducting their investigation to determine the cause of death. Topeka Police are investigating whether or not these deaths are connected. -------------SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 37-year-old Mark Edwards of Topeka, according to Police Lieutenant Jerry Monasmith.Just before 11:30p.m. Tuesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center began&nbsp;receiving reports of guns shots in the area of the 1400 Block SE 14th in Topeka, according to Monasmith. At the scene, officers&nbsp;located Edwards suffering from life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.Police released no additional information early Wednesday.