MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Worried relatives are demanding that Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly release some inmates to allow for better social distancing to control the spread of the coronavirus in prisons, the corrections department said Wednesday, as an outbreak at one facility grew to 150 cases.

Seventy-five members of staff at the Lansing Correction Facility have tested positive, amounting to 18% of the prison’s workforce, according to data posted on the Kansas Department of Corrections’ website. Fifteen of them have recovered and returned to work. In addition, 75 inmates are sick, and one of them — an unidentified man serving a sentence for first-degree murder — died over the weekend. The sickened include two inmates who were moved to Lansing from a work-release facility in Wichita after they tested positive.

Two inmates and one staffer at the women’s prison in Topeka also tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Kelly has said repeatedly that efforts are underway to identify inmates who are close to finishing their sentences and could be released early. She said Monday that an announcement would come this week.

Corrections spokeswoman Rebecca Witte said the department has received hundreds of calls from family members and friends inquiring about Kelly’s plan and “pleading the case for their loved one” to be released. Kelly has indicated that the number of inmates subject to early release won’t be large and that it isn’t possible to assess each inmate for eligibility on a case-by-case basis, Witte said.

“We realize that everyone in our system is someone’s sibling, someone’s child someones parent,” Witte said. “And all of those people want their loved ones home with them.”

Prisons nationally have been hit hard by the virus. The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas has filed a lawsuit seeking the release of vulnerable inmates, contending it would not only prevent harm to vulnerable inmates, but would also reduce prison populations to ensure proper social distancing and reduce transmission of the virus to the remaining inmates.

The department isn’t able to test all inmates, Witte said. Inmates at two of the state’s prisons are making masks for other inmates to wear.

Kelly announced Wednesday that she would release her plan for reopening the state’s economy on Thursday evening. The state of emergency will run out on Friday and her stay-at-home order, which was imposed to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the general population, runs out at midnight on Sunday.

Kansas reported one additional COVID-19-related death Wednesday to bring the state’s total to 125. The state had 3,738 people who have tested positive, up 247 from Tuesday. The actual number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest that people can be infected without feeling sick.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, or death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588193586788.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman during Wednesday press conference" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman during Wednesday press conference</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Worried relatives are demanding that Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly release some inmates to allow for better social distancing to control the spread of the coronavirus in prisons, the corrections department said Wednesday, as an outbreak at one facility grew to 150 cases.Seventy-five members of staff at the Lansing Correction Facility have tested positive, amounting to 18% of the prison’s workforce, according to data posted on the Kansas Department of Corrections’ website. Fifteen of them have recovered and returned to work. In addition, 75 inmates are sick, and one of them — an unidentified man serving a sentence for first-degree murder — died over the weekend. The sickened include two inmates who were moved to Lansing from a work-release facility in Wichita after they tested positive.Two inmates and one staffer at the women’s prison in Topeka also tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588193753416.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly responded to questions about inmates during her press conference on Wednesday." />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly responded to questions about inmates during her press conference on Wednesday.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kelly has said repeatedly that efforts are underway to identify inmates who are close to finishing their sentences and could be released early. She said Monday that an announcement would come this week.Corrections spokeswoman Rebecca Witte said the department has received hundreds of calls from family members and friends inquiring about Kelly’s plan and “pleading the case for their loved one” to be released. Kelly has indicated that the number of inmates subject to early release won’t be large and that it isn’t possible to assess each inmate for eligibility on a case-by-case basis, Witte said.“We realize that everyone in our system is someone’s sibling, someone’s child someones parent,” Witte said. “And all of those people want their loved ones home with them.”Prisons nationally have been hit hard by the virus. The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas has filed a lawsuit seeking the release of vulnerable inmates, contending it would not only prevent harm to vulnerable inmates, but would also reduce prison populations to ensure proper social distancing and reduce transmission of the virus to the remaining inmates.The department isn’t able to test all inmates, Witte said. Inmates at two of the state’s prisons are making masks for other inmates to wear.Kelly announced Wednesday that she would release her plan for reopening the state’s economy on Thursday evening. The state of emergency will run out on Friday and her stay-at-home order, which was imposed to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the general population, runs out at midnight on Sunday.Kansas reported one additional COVID-19-related death Wednesday to bring the state’s total to 125. The state had 3,738 people who have tested positive, up 247 from Tuesday. The actual number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest that people can be infected without feeling sick.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, or death.

Prison infections up with early release announcement coming

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor, football coach Chris Klieman and basketball coach Bruce Weber have agreed to salary reductions along with every athletic department employee making more than $100,000 annually. 

The cuts are meant to help deal with a budget crunch brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Taylor said in a statement that the salary reductions will begin with the new fiscal year starting July 1. Klieman and Weber agreed to 13% reductions, employees who make more than $150,000 will have 10% cuts and those making more than $100,000 will have 5% cuts.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor, football coach Chris Klieman and basketball coach Bruce Weber have agreed to salary reductions along with every athletic department employee making more than $100,000 annually. The cuts are meant to help deal with a budget crunch brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Taylor said in a statement that the salary reductions will begin with the new fiscal year starting July 1. Klieman and Weber agreed to 13% reductions, employees who make more than $150,000 will have 10% cuts and those making more than $100,000 will have 5% cuts.

K-State salary, athletic department cuts to save $3.5M

A federal appeals court says it is unconstitutional for Kansas to require proof of citizenship to vote.

By JIM MCLEAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-29/federal-appeals-court-says-kansas-cant-demand-proof-of-citizenship-from-voters">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas law requiring people to prove they
 are U.S. citizens before registering to vote is unconstitutional, a 
federal court has ruled.

<a href="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/51/85/da9ad0de4c2a924a7f6ba7cea65c/10thcircuit.Ruling.042920.pdf" target="_blank">The decision</a> handed down Wednesday by the 10th
 Circuit Court of Appeals means that no proof of citizenship is needed 
ahead of this year’s August primary and November general elections.

It
 stymies an effort by the state to reinstate the law, which a lower 
court overturned in 2016 in response to a challenge filed by the 
American Civil Liberties Union.

“This decision safeguarding the 
rights of over 30,000 Kansas voters — including our clients — to 
participate in the 2020 upcoming elections free from unconstitutional 
burdens is a victory for democracy in Kansas,” ACLU of Kansas Executive 
Director Nadine Johnson.

Kansas lawmakers passed the 
proof-of-citizenship law in 2013 at the urging of former Kansas 
Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who at the time was building a national 
reputation for his efforts to combat what he claimed was pervasive voter
 fraud.

Later, as the leader of President Donald Trump’s 
now-defunct voter fraud commission, Kobach repeated the president’s 
unsubstantiated claim that millions of undocumented immigrants illegally
 voted in the 2016 election.

The appeals court said in its ruling 
that voter fraud isn’t a significant problem in Kansas. Between 1999 and
 2013, a total of 39 non-citizens living in Kansas registered to vote, 
mostly due to administrative mistakes. At the time, that was 0.002% of 
the state’s more than 1.76 million registered voters.

The panel 
also said that both Kobach and his successor, current Kansas Secretary 
of State Scott Schwab, “failed to show that a substantial number of 
non-citizens registered to vote.”

The relatively few cases of 
fraud, the justices said, don’t justify the burden the law imposed on 
the 31,089 voters who had their registration applications canceled or 
suspended between 2013 and 2016.

Schwab, a Republican elected in 
2018, issued a one-sentence statement Wednesday, saying his office was 
“thoroughly reviewing” the ruling and conferring with Kansas Attorney 
General Derek Schmidt on “how to move forward.”

Kobach, who is running for the GOP nomination for a U.S. Senate seat, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Dale
 Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, urged Schwab to “turn
 the page on Kris Kobach’s sorry legacy of voter suppression” by not 
appealing the ruling.

Jim McLean is the senior correspondent 
for the Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public 
Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social 
determinants of health and their connection to public policy. You can 
reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks or email jim@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588187805638.png" alt="Kris Kobach urged for the passage of the law several years ago when he was Kansas' secretary of state. Scott Canon / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Kris Kobach urged for the passage of the law several years ago when he was Kansas' secretary of state. Scott Canon / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A federal appeals court says it is unconstitutional for Kansas to require proof of citizenship to vote.</h2>By JIM MCLEAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-29/federal-appeals-court-says-kansas-cant-demand-proof-of-citizenship-from-voters">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas law requiring people to prove they
 are U.S. citizens before registering to vote is unconstitutional, a 
federal court has ruled.<a href="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/51/85/da9ad0de4c2a924a7f6ba7cea65c/10thcircuit.Ruling.042920.pdf" target="_blank">The decision</a> handed down Wednesday by the 10th
 Circuit Court of Appeals means that no proof of citizenship is needed 
ahead of this year’s August primary and November general elections.It
 stymies an effort by the state to reinstate the law, which a lower 
court overturned in 2016 in response to a challenge filed by the 
American Civil Liberties Union.“This decision safeguarding the 
rights of over 30,000 Kansas voters — including our clients — to 
participate in the 2020 upcoming elections free from unconstitutional 
burdens is a victory for democracy in Kansas,” ACLU of Kansas Executive 
Director Nadine Johnson.Kansas lawmakers passed the 
proof-of-citizenship law in 2013 at the urging of former Kansas 
Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who at the time was building a national 
reputation for his efforts to combat what he claimed was pervasive voter
 fraud.Later, as the leader of President Donald Trump’s 
now-defunct voter fraud commission, Kobach repeated the president’s 
unsubstantiated claim that millions of undocumented immigrants illegally
 voted in the 2016 election.The appeals court said in its ruling 
that voter fraud isn’t a significant problem in Kansas. Between 1999 and
 2013, a total of 39 non-citizens living in Kansas registered to vote, 
mostly due to administrative mistakes. At the time, that was 0.002% of 
the state’s more than 1.76 million registered voters.The panel 
also said that both Kobach and his successor, current Kansas Secretary 
of State Scott Schwab, “failed to show that a substantial number of 
non-citizens registered to vote.”The relatively few cases of 
fraud, the justices said, don’t justify the burden the law imposed on 
the 31,089 voters who had their registration applications canceled or 
suspended between 2013 and 2016.Schwab, a Republican elected in 
2018, issued a one-sentence statement Wednesday, saying his office was 
“thoroughly reviewing” the ruling and conferring with Kansas Attorney 
General Derek Schmidt on “how to move forward.”Kobach, who is running for the GOP nomination for a U.S. Senate seat, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.Dale
 Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, urged Schwab to “turn
 the page on Kris Kobach’s sorry legacy of voter suppression” by not 
appealing the ruling.Jim McLean is the senior correspondent 
for the Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public 
Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social 
determinants of health and their connection to public policy. You can 
reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks or email jim@kcur.org.

Federal court: Kan. can't demand proof of citizenship from voters

TOPEKA —Governor Laura Kelly opened her Wednesday news briefing saying she will a sign new emergency declaration on Thursday that will last through May 13.

The emergency disaster declaration was set to expire May 1.

The State Finance Council can then extend it for 30 days and the Kansas legislature would have to extend it beyond that, according to the governor. &nbsp;The stay-at-home order will end Sunday.

The governor will reveal her plans for re-opening the state at 6:30p.m. Thursday.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 247 to a total of 3738, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 125.

TOPEKA —Governor Laura Kelly opened her Wednesday news briefing saying she will a sign new emergency declaration on Thursday that will last through May 13.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F239470833798464%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The emergency disaster declaration was set to expire May 1.The State Finance Council can then extend it for 30 days and the Kansas legislature would have to extend it beyond that, according to the governor. &nbsp;The stay-at-home order will end Sunday.The governor will reveal her plans for re-opening the state at 6:30p.m. Thursday.The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 247 to a total of 3738, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 125.

🎥 Kan. governor will sign new emergency declaration

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal traffic crash and have made an arrest.

Just before 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to an injury accident at Kellogg and Rock Road, according to officer Charley Davidson. 

Upon arrival, officers located 70-year-old Donald Hall of Wichita in critical condition and pinned inside of his vehicle.&nbsp; 

Wichita Fire Department crews removed Hall from the vehicle &nbsp;and he was pronounced deceased on the scene, according to Davidson. &nbsp;Hall was a longtime Wichita radio host and Wichita State University basketball announcer, according to Hall’s employer, Entercom Communications.

The investigation revealed a 2000 Lincoln driven by Ray Watkins, 43, Wichita, was southbound on Rock Road and collided with an eastbound 2012 Lincoln that had exited onto Kellogg Drive to turn north on Rock Road.

It appears at this time that Watkins ran a red light before colliding with Hall, according to Davidson.

Based on evidence found in Watkins’ vehicle and on his person, alcohol, and drugs are believed to be a factor in the accident. &nbsp;

Watkins was contacted at the scene with minor injuries and was arrested without incident on requested charges of 2nd-degree murder, according to Davidson.

Watkins has been previously arrested and convicted of a charge of aggravated robbery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

“This is a very sad and tragic case,” Chief Gordon Ramsay said.&nbsp; “Don was a big part of the Wichita community for many years. He will be missed.&nbsp; WPD continues its thoughts and prayers for the Hall family and all those affected by this unfortunate incident.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588158119316.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the fatal crash -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the fatal crash -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal traffic crash and have made an arrest.Just before 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to an injury accident at Kellogg and Rock Road, according to officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers located 70-year-old Donald Hall of Wichita in critical condition and pinned inside of his vehicle.&nbsp; Wichita Fire Department crews removed Hall from the vehicle &nbsp;and he was pronounced deceased on the scene, according to Davidson. &nbsp;Hall was a longtime Wichita radio host and Wichita State University basketball announcer, according to Hall’s employer, Entercom Communications.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588182421819.png" alt="Watkins photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Watkins photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>The investigation revealed a 2000 Lincoln driven by Ray Watkins, 43, Wichita, was southbound on Rock Road and collided with an eastbound 2012 Lincoln that had exited onto Kellogg Drive to turn north on Rock Road.It appears at this time that Watkins ran a red light before colliding with Hall, according to Davidson.Based on evidence found in Watkins’ vehicle and on his person, alcohol, and drugs are believed to be a factor in the accident. &nbsp;Watkins was contacted at the scene with minor injuries and was arrested without incident on requested charges of 2nd-degree murder, according to Davidson.Watkins has been previously arrested and convicted of a charge of aggravated robbery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.“This is a very sad and tragic case,” Chief Gordon Ramsay said.&nbsp; “Don was a big part of the Wichita community for many years. He will be missed.&nbsp; WPD continues its thoughts and prayers for the Hall family and all those affected by this unfortunate incident.”

Police: Driver arrested for murder after Kansas crash

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas Wednesday—in consultation with Kansas City Health Department Director Rex Archer, M.D.—announced Kansas City’s phased reopening plan.

Beginning May 15, all Kansas City businesses will be able to open, subject to a “10/10/10 Rule.”

The 10/10/10 Rule specifies that all non-essential Kansas City businesses must limit the number of customers allowed in their establishment at one time to no more than&nbsp;10 percent of building occupancy&nbsp;or&nbsp;10 people&nbsp;(whichever is larger, and record the names, contact information, and approximate entry/exit time of all customers who are on premises and seated for more than&nbsp;10 minutes. Establishments such as grocery stores, medical and dental offices, pharmacies, and other essential businesses are not subject to the 10/10/10 Rule.

Gyms, museums, bars and in-person restaurant dining will open with additional Health Department guidance on May 15 to best protect workers and patrons.

“More important than moving quickly is moving carefully and responsibly, and the steps we’re taking today allow our businesses to return to productivity while keeping their workers and customers safe,” said Mayor Lucas.

Based on public health guidance, non-essential businesses that are not open to the public will be permitted to open one week from today, subject to social distancing guidance. Religious gatherings – including weddings and funerals – of 10 people inside and 50 people outside can resume on the same date, provided social distancing is maintained and event organizers record the names and contact information of all attendees. In the interest of public health and subject to City Order, any Kansas Citian who does not yet feel safe returning to a non-essential workplace cannot be compelled by their employer to return prior to May 15.

<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/coronavirus-covid-19-kcmo-information-and-response/reopen">Read answers to FAQ</a>.

Kansas Citians interested in signing up for text updates from the City of Kansas City regarding COVID-19 should text COVIDKC to 888-777. For more information, visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/?splash=https%3a%2f%2fcdc.gov%2fcoronavirus&amp;____isexternal=true" target="_blank">CDC website</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/coronavirus">kcmo.gov/coronavirus</a>. You may also call the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services hotline at 877-435-8411 for questions regarding COVID-19 in Missouri

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588182496457.png" alt="Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas removes his face mask just before addressing the media at noon Wednesday." />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas removes his face mask just before addressing the media at noon Wednesday.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas Wednesday—in consultation with Kansas City Health Department Director Rex Archer, M.D.—announced Kansas City’s phased reopening plan.Beginning May 15, all Kansas City businesses will be able to open, subject to a “10/10/10 Rule.”<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fquinton.lucas%2Fvideos%2F1151259411893077%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588183540198.png" alt="Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>The 10/10/10 Rule specifies that all non-essential Kansas City businesses must limit the number of customers allowed in their establishment at one time to no more than&nbsp;10 percent of building occupancy&nbsp;or&nbsp;10 people&nbsp;(whichever is larger, and record the names, contact information, and approximate entry/exit time of all customers who are on premises and seated for more than&nbsp;10 minutes. Establishments such as grocery stores, medical and dental offices, pharmacies, and other essential businesses are not subject to the 10/10/10 Rule.Gyms, museums, bars and in-person restaurant dining will open with additional Health Department guidance on May 15 to best protect workers and patrons.“More important than moving quickly is moving carefully and responsibly, and the steps we’re taking today allow our businesses to return to productivity while keeping their workers and customers safe,” said Mayor Lucas.Based on public health guidance, non-essential businesses that are not open to the public will be permitted to open one week from today, subject to social distancing guidance. Religious gatherings – including weddings and funerals – of 10 people inside and 50 people outside can resume on the same date, provided social distancing is maintained and event organizers record the names and contact information of all attendees. In the interest of public health and subject to City Order, any Kansas Citian who does not yet feel safe returning to a non-essential workplace cannot be compelled by their employer to return prior to May 15.<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/coronavirus-covid-19-kcmo-information-and-response/reopen">Read answers to FAQ</a>.Kansas Citians interested in signing up for text updates from the City of Kansas City regarding COVID-19 should text COVIDKC to 888-777. For more information, visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/?splash=https%3a%2f%2fcdc.gov%2fcoronavirus&amp;____isexternal=true" target="_blank">CDC website</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/coronavirus">kcmo.gov/coronavirus</a>. You may also call the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services hotline at 877-435-8411 for questions regarding COVID-19 in Missouri

🎥 Kansas City announces plan for reopening city

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 247 to a total of 3738, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.

<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 247 to a total of 3738, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.Coronavirus deaths were reported at 125<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/2020/4/1588179482243.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

By
NICK GOSNELL, Hutch Post


HUTCHINSON — 
To say Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti is 
frustrated by the fact that four reported positive COVID-19 cases from 
Tuesday are as the result of one person who was supposed to voluntarily 
quarantine not doing so is the apex of understatement.

"We're 
still waiting on a few tests associated potentially with this vector," 
Baldetti said. "I'm more concerned with the actions of non-compliance 
and adherence by this particular individual and the ramifications of 
those actions than I am the third-tier downstream spread potentially."

Reno
 County District Attorney Keith Schroeder responded to the hypothetical 
of such a person infecting someone who was eventually hospitalized or 
worse. Statutes written for things like HIV spread don't really apply 
here.

"The normal statute that deals with exposing another to a 
life-threatening communicable disease wouldn't apply in this situation,"
 Schroeder said. "That only applies to transmission by either sex or 
donation of blood or by hypodermic syringes. We'll have to look at the 
facts to determine exactly what we could do."

The concern is that even a few acts of non-compliance could set the county way back in its reopening timeline.

"At
 the doorstep of a potential reopening plan, whether that be a 
state-driven plan or a locally enforced plan, regardless, the success of
 any plan that is put forth is predicated on each and every individual,"
 Baldetti said. "Whether it's a business owner, an employee, a 
proprietor, a lay individual, each one of us, each one of 61,000 and 
some odd Reno County constituents has a part to play."

The county had 72 tests outstanding in total as of Wednesday morning.

By
NICK GOSNELL, Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON — 
To say Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti is 
frustrated by the fact that four reported positive COVID-19 cases from 
Tuesday are as the result of one person who was supposed to voluntarily 
quarantine not doing so is the apex of understatement."We're 
still waiting on a few tests associated potentially with this vector," 
Baldetti said. "I'm more concerned with the actions of non-compliance 
and adherence by this particular individual and the ramifications of 
those actions than I am the third-tier downstream spread potentially."Reno
 County District Attorney Keith Schroeder responded to the hypothetical 
of such a person infecting someone who was eventually hospitalized or 
worse. Statutes written for things like HIV spread don't really apply 
here."The normal statute that deals with exposing another to a 
life-threatening communicable disease wouldn't apply in this situation,"
 Schroeder said. "That only applies to transmission by either sex or 
donation of blood or by hypodermic syringes. We'll have to look at the 
facts to determine exactly what we could do."The concern is that even a few acts of non-compliance could set the county way back in its reopening timeline."At
 the doorstep of a potential reopening plan, whether that be a 
state-driven plan or a locally enforced plan, regardless, the success of
 any plan that is put forth is predicated on each and every individual,"
 Baldetti said. "Whether it's a business owner, an employee, a 
proprietor, a lay individual, each one of us, each one of 61,000 and 
some odd Reno County constituents has a part to play."The county had 72 tests outstanding in total as of Wednesday morning.

Reno Co.: One 'non-compliant' resident infected four others

As the neighboring states of 
Missouri and Colorado begin to lift restrictions, the governor of Kansas
 is making plans to do the same. But it's unlikely to be business as 
usual with the coronavirus still sticking around.

By ERICA HUNZINGER &amp; ALEX SMITH <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-28/what-kansas-might-do-to-reopen-after-the-coronavirus-shut-it-down">Kansas News Service</a>

After six weeks of asking Kansans to stay at home, Gov. Laura Kelly 
is expected to announce Thursday that the state will start to reopen for
 businesses and some public gatherings on May 4.

Even if people 
can travel at-will and previously non-essential retailers can open their
 doors, the governor likely will leave some restrictions in place and 
maybe enact new rules.

Other states that have started reviving 
their economies amid record unemployment claims will stick with social 
distancing measures. And Kelly said earlier this week that control over 
stay-at-home orders will return to the county level to keep COVID-19 
clusters from growing.

“I’m confident that our … public health 
officials are keeping a close eye on what’s going on in their 
communities,” Kelly said this week, “and that as we lift up the 
statewide (order, they will superimpose other restrictions if they feel
 that’s necessary to protect their folks.”

The ability to test for
 the virus and trace the path of the virus — two things both Kelly and 
the head of the state health department head said are needed to reopen —
 remain sorely lacking. Kansas, at times, has <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-04-20/kansas-ranks-lowest-in-coronavirus-testing-which-could-make-it-harder-to-reopen-economy" target="_blank">ranked last in the U.S.</a> for testing during the pandemic.

“If
 you are only testing a small portion of the people who may have the 
virus, then you don’t really know what’s going on with the virus,” said 
Josh Michaud, an infectious disease expert with the Kaiser Family 
Foundation.

About one in 1,000 Kansans have tested positive for 
COVID-19 so far. While the rates of infection statewide seem to be 
slowing in the most populous counties of Wyandotte, Johnson and 
Sedgwick, the rate of transmission in western Kansas has dramatically 
spiked in three counties with meatpacking plants. Ford and Seward 
counties are home to just a fraction of the population you’d see in 
Kansas’ suburban and urban counties, but the two rank in the top 5 
counties for the raw number of confirmed coronavirus cases.

But 
Kelly and state health secretary Lee Norman said this week that 
hospitalizations and deaths are going down. They also said the metrics 
are lining up to the point that they’re “comfortable” with starting to 
reopen the state. Plus, the testing rate in Kansas has increased from 
4,765 during the first full week of April to 7,523 last week.

“We 
will, without question, continue to see an uptick in the total number of
 cases as we do more testing,” Norman said. “That’s going to be a 
challenge in how to communicate that to people, because it looks like 
things are getting worse than the case count, but it’s not in reality.”

Kansas officials haven’t 
provided many details yet on what the recovery plan will look like for 
businesses or residents, though a filing <a href="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/40/75/8e866c7542e5ba19527ae1d9be66/042520-churchsettlement.pdf" target="_blank">in a federal case over the weekend</a> noted that the new restrictions “will be significantly less restrictive than those currently in place.”

The National Governors Association provided <a href="http://nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/NGA-Report.pdf" target="_blank">a list </a>of 10 steps that state leaders should take. Georgia, South Carolina and Mississippi already have reopened.

Closer to Kansas, Missouri will lift its statewide stay-at-home order on May 4, but things will resume in <a href="https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/missouri-reopen-businesses-next-week-local-rules-still-apply#stream/0" target="_blank">“gradual” and “strategic”</a> phases. The <a href="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/d2/cd/bf4334024839828f9e835141f121/missouri.Reopen.Phase1.pdf" target="_blank">initial stage</a>
 lets businesses open if the 6-foot social distancing recommendation can
 be followed “in most cases,” as well as taking other measures like 
occupancy limits and split shifts to protect employees and patrons. 
Missouri also will not restrict the number of people who can gather as 
long as “necessary precautions” and social distancing happen.

On Friday, <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/health/2020/04/27/coronavirus-covid-19-update-iowa-gov-kim-reynolds-daily-briefing-shutdown-reopening-state-plan/3031798001/" target="_blank">Iowa will let businesses</a>
 in nearly 80% of its counties start operating again. The counties must 
have fewer or no new cases of COVID-19 over two weeks. Restaurants, 
gyms, stores and libraries can let in 50% of usual capacity.

There
 will be no restrictions on religious gatherings in Iowa as long as they
 follow social distancing and health guidelines, but events are limited 
to 10 or fewer people. Kelly similarly had restricted religious 
services, an executive order that was upheld by the state Supreme Court.
 But she was sued in federal court by two Baptist churches in April, <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-gov-kelly-strikes-court-deal-churches-hints-easing-coronavirus-shutdown" target="_blank">and recently compromised </a>by promising a new executive order allowing large gatherings.

Colorado will phase things more slowly under a <a href="https://www.cpr.org/2020/04/26/as-colorado-stay-at-home-order-expires-polis-issues-new-rules-for-what-can-open-what-cant/" target="_blank">“Safer At Home”</a>
 doctrine, which still doesn’t allow more than 10 people to gather at a 
time. Colorado started allowing curbside pickups at retail stores 
earlier this week, and will let in-person shopping starting Friday. Up 
to half of an organization’s staff can work together starting May 4, but
 businesses must screen workers for symptoms if they have more than 50 
employees at any location.

Colorado counties can extend 
stay-at-home orders, which Kelly said will happen in Kansas, too. The 
stay-at-home order in Kansas City, Missouri, lasts through May 15. <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-27/faq-when-and-how-cities-and-counties-in-missouri-and-kansas-will-reopen" target="_blank">Johnson and Wyandotte counties</a> are expected to follow Kansas’ apparent lead and lift them on May 4.

<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/sedgwick-county-ready-reopen-business-and-health-leaders-disagree" target="_blank">Sedgwick County leaders</a> are debating what’s best for Wichita — the state’s biggest city — and its surrounding communities.

Wichita
 Regional Chamber of Commerce board chair Junetta Everett wrote to the 
county commissioners, saying they were “encouraged by the data” and that
 decisions “can be smart and safe while still addressing the critical 
challenges businesses and workers are facing right now.”

But the 
Medical Society of Sedgwick County wants commissioners to extend the 
stay-at-home order locally through at least May 10 because the county 
hasn’t “demonstrated a robust program of testing” and isn’t on the 
downslope of cases.

“Though our cases are not increasing 
exponentially,” the panel wrote to the commission, “it is unknown 
whether the peak has occurred in Sedgwick County.”

Widespread testing for the 
coronavirus is a major component of reopening guidance from the White 
House and epidemiologists across the country and the world.

Kelly 
said testing “is the only way that we can safely reopen our economy.” 
Kansas State University announced this week it would test any student or
 staff or faculty member with symptoms or exposure to someone with a 
confirmed case of the virus. Norman said that Kansas has the ability to 
test everyone who is symptomatic.

The World Health Organization 
recommends testing enough people until 10% or fewer of tests are 
positive. Twelve percent of Kansas’ coronavirus tests are coming back 
positive, a figure that’s slowly increased during April, according to 
data from <a href="https://covidtracking.com/" target="_blank">The COVID Tracking Project</a>. (Kansas is lower than the 19% positive national test rate.)

A new study from <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/04/27/coronavirus-many-states-short-of-testing-levels-needed-for-safe-reopening/" target="_blank">Harvard researchers</a>
 says Kansas needs to test 265 more people daily by Friday in order to 
have solid data on the spread of COVID-19. The Harvard researchers said 
their testing goals were shaped in part by what might be possible, 
rather than ideal.

Without tests, Michaud with the Kaiser Family 
Foundation said, Kansas could be blindsided by another increase in cases
 and forced to restart dramatic efforts to mitigate the impact of the 
virus.

“You might not even realize that there’s an increase going 
on until it’s very far along, ” he said. “We’d be back to square one.”

Experts,
 including Norman at one time, have been interested in tracking 
antibodies — essentially how many people have been infected. The New 
York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/26/health/can-antibody-tests-help-end-the-coronavirus-pandemic.html" target="_blank">reported</a>
 antibody tests can be inaccurate and it’s not clear whether having the 
antibodies means you’re immune to the coronavirus. The World Health 
Organization has advised against relying on antibody tests to make 
reopening decisions, and <a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/qa-on-covid-19-antibody-tests/" target="_blank">the tests </a>aren’t widely available.

A
 more helpful measure is contact tracing. That entails teams of people 
identifying new cases, finding who those testing positive have been in 
contact with. Then, the system would put people in isolation who either 
contracted the virus or were exposed to it.

Norman said this week 
that people are being trained to do contact tracing in Lyon, Ford, 
Finney and Seward counties. The last three are the epicenter of <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/update-coronavirus-clusters-grow-rapidly-three-western-kansas-meatpacking-counties" target="_blank">both the Kansas beef-processing industry and major COVID-19 clusters</a>. The state said more than 350 cases have been confirmed in meatpacking facilities.

However, <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/04/28/846736937/we-asked-all-50-states-about-their-contact-tracing-capacity-heres-what-we-learne" target="_blank">an analysis by NPR</a>
 shows Kansas currently doesn’t have enough people to meet the need for 
contact tracing. Kansas is hoping to deploy 400 people overall — 
including some volunteers. That would equal 14 contact tracers per 
100,000 residents, though public health recommendations call ideally for
 30 per 100,000 people.

Crystal Watson of Johns Hopkins Center for
 Health Security told NPR that states “shouldn’t undershoot” contact 
tracing, noting that putting money toward the practice will help control
 COVID-19 and reduce further economic impacts.

Kansas News Service health reporter Celia Llopis-Jepsen and KMUW reporter Nadya Faulx contributed to this report.Alex Smith is a health reporter for KCUR 89.3 in Kansas City.&nbsp;Erica Hunzinger is the news editor of the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ehunzinger" target="_blank">@ehunzinger</a> or email her at erica@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588175688546.png" alt="A health care worker at a drive-through coronavirus testing center in April in Garden City. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>A health care worker at a drive-through coronavirus testing center in April in Garden City. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>As the neighboring states of 
Missouri and Colorado begin to lift restrictions, the governor of Kansas
 is making plans to do the same. But it's unlikely to be business as 
usual with the coronavirus still sticking around.</h2>By ERICA HUNZINGER &amp; ALEX SMITH <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-28/what-kansas-might-do-to-reopen-after-the-coronavirus-shut-it-down">Kansas News Service</a>After six weeks of asking Kansans to stay at home, Gov. Laura Kelly 
is expected to announce Thursday that the state will start to reopen for
 businesses and some public gatherings on May 4.Even if people 
can travel at-will and previously non-essential retailers can open their
 doors, the governor likely will leave some restrictions in place and 
maybe enact new rules.Other states that have started reviving 
their economies amid record unemployment claims will stick with social 
distancing measures. And Kelly said earlier this week that control over 
stay-at-home orders will return to the county level to keep COVID-19 
clusters from growing.“I’m confident that our … public health 
officials are keeping a close eye on what’s going on in their 
communities,” Kelly said this week, “and that as we lift up the 
statewide (order, they will superimpose other restrictions if they feel
 that’s necessary to protect their folks.”The ability to test for
 the virus and trace the path of the virus — two things both Kelly and 
the head of the state health department head said are needed to reopen —
 remain sorely lacking. Kansas, at times, has <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-04-20/kansas-ranks-lowest-in-coronavirus-testing-which-could-make-it-harder-to-reopen-economy" target="_blank">ranked last in the U.S.</a> for testing during the pandemic. “If
 you are only testing a small portion of the people who may have the 
virus, then you don’t really know what’s going on with the virus,” said 
Josh Michaud, an infectious disease expert with the Kaiser Family 
Foundation.About one in 1,000 Kansans have tested positive for 
COVID-19 so far. While the rates of infection statewide seem to be 
slowing in the most populous counties of Wyandotte, Johnson and 
Sedgwick, the rate of transmission in western Kansas has dramatically 
spiked in three counties with meatpacking plants. Ford and Seward 
counties are home to just a fraction of the population you’d see in 
Kansas’ suburban and urban counties, but the two rank in the top 5 
counties for the raw number of confirmed coronavirus cases.But 
Kelly and state health secretary Lee Norman said this week that 
hospitalizations and deaths are going down. They also said the metrics 
are lining up to the point that they’re “comfortable” with starting to 
reopen the state. Plus, the testing rate in Kansas has increased from 
4,765 during the first full week of April to 7,523 last week.“We 
will, without question, continue to see an uptick in the total number of
 cases as we do more testing,” Norman said. “That’s going to be a 
challenge in how to communicate that to people, because it looks like 
things are getting worse than the case count, but it’s not in reality.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588175773427.png" alt="Most businesses will be able to reopen once Kansas lifts the stay-at-home restriction, though it’s not clear whether concert venues like The Bottleneck in Lawrence will be included. Erica Hunzinger photo" />
 <figcaption>Most businesses will be able to reopen once Kansas lifts the stay-at-home restriction, though it’s not clear whether concert venues like The Bottleneck in Lawrence will be included. Erica Hunzinger photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The view from other states</h2>Kansas officials haven’t 
provided many details yet on what the recovery plan will look like for 
businesses or residents, though a filing <a href="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/40/75/8e866c7542e5ba19527ae1d9be66/042520-churchsettlement.pdf" target="_blank">in a federal case over the weekend</a> noted that the new restrictions “will be significantly less restrictive than those currently in place.”The National Governors Association provided <a href="http://nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/NGA-Report.pdf" target="_blank">a list </a>of 10 steps that state leaders should take. Georgia, South Carolina and Mississippi already have reopened.Closer to Kansas, Missouri will lift its statewide stay-at-home order on May 4, but things will resume in <a href="https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/missouri-reopen-businesses-next-week-local-rules-still-apply#stream/0" target="_blank">“gradual” and “strategic”</a> phases. The <a href="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/d2/cd/bf4334024839828f9e835141f121/missouri.Reopen.Phase1.pdf" target="_blank">initial stage</a>
 lets businesses open if the 6-foot social distancing recommendation can
 be followed “in most cases,” as well as taking other measures like 
occupancy limits and split shifts to protect employees and patrons. 
Missouri also will not restrict the number of people who can gather as 
long as “necessary precautions” and social distancing happen.On Friday, <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/health/2020/04/27/coronavirus-covid-19-update-iowa-gov-kim-reynolds-daily-briefing-shutdown-reopening-state-plan/3031798001/" target="_blank">Iowa will let businesses</a>
 in nearly 80% of its counties start operating again. The counties must 
have fewer or no new cases of COVID-19 over two weeks. Restaurants, 
gyms, stores and libraries can let in 50% of usual capacity.There
 will be no restrictions on religious gatherings in Iowa as long as they
 follow social distancing and health guidelines, but events are limited 
to 10 or fewer people. Kelly similarly had restricted religious 
services, an executive order that was upheld by the state Supreme Court.
 But she was sued in federal court by two Baptist churches in April, <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-gov-kelly-strikes-court-deal-churches-hints-easing-coronavirus-shutdown" target="_blank">and recently compromised </a>by promising a new executive order allowing large gatherings.Colorado will phase things more slowly under a <a href="https://www.cpr.org/2020/04/26/as-colorado-stay-at-home-order-expires-polis-issues-new-rules-for-what-can-open-what-cant/" target="_blank">“Safer At Home”</a>
 doctrine, which still doesn’t allow more than 10 people to gather at a 
time. Colorado started allowing curbside pickups at retail stores 
earlier this week, and will let in-person shopping starting Friday. Up 
to half of an organization’s staff can work together starting May 4, but
 businesses must screen workers for symptoms if they have more than 50 
employees at any location.Colorado counties can extend 
stay-at-home orders, which Kelly said will happen in Kansas, too. The 
stay-at-home order in Kansas City, Missouri, lasts through May 15. <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-27/faq-when-and-how-cities-and-counties-in-missouri-and-kansas-will-reopen" target="_blank">Johnson and Wyandotte counties</a> are expected to follow Kansas’ apparent lead and lift them on May 4.<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/sedgwick-county-ready-reopen-business-and-health-leaders-disagree" target="_blank">Sedgwick County leaders</a> are debating what’s best for Wichita — the state’s biggest city — and its surrounding communities.Wichita
 Regional Chamber of Commerce board chair Junetta Everett wrote to the 
county commissioners, saying they were “encouraged by the data” and that
 decisions “can be smart and safe while still addressing the critical 
challenges businesses and workers are facing right now.”But the 
Medical Society of Sedgwick County wants commissioners to extend the 
stay-at-home order locally through at least May 10 because the county 
hasn’t “demonstrated a robust program of testing” and isn’t on the 
downslope of cases.“Though our cases are not increasing 
exponentially,” the panel wrote to the commission, “it is unknown 
whether the peak has occurred in Sedgwick County.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588175813028.png" alt="Kansas officials say anyone who has symptoms can be tested.&nbsp;Nomin Ujiyediin photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas officials say anyone who has symptoms can be tested.&nbsp;Nomin Ujiyediin photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Testing and tracing</h2>Widespread testing for the 
coronavirus is a major component of reopening guidance from the White 
House and epidemiologists across the country and the world.Kelly 
said testing “is the only way that we can safely reopen our economy.” 
Kansas State University announced this week it would test any student or
 staff or faculty member with symptoms or exposure to someone with a 
confirmed case of the virus. Norman said that Kansas has the ability to 
test everyone who is symptomatic.The World Health Organization 
recommends testing enough people until 10% or fewer of tests are 
positive. Twelve percent of Kansas’ coronavirus tests are coming back 
positive, a figure that’s slowly increased during April, according to 
data from <a href="https://covidtracking.com/" target="_blank">The COVID Tracking Project</a>. (Kansas is lower than the 19% positive national test rate.)A new study from <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/04/27/coronavirus-many-states-short-of-testing-levels-needed-for-safe-reopening/" target="_blank">Harvard researchers</a>
 says Kansas needs to test 265 more people daily by Friday in order to 
have solid data on the spread of COVID-19. The Harvard researchers said 
their testing goals were shaped in part by what might be possible, 
rather than ideal.Without tests, Michaud with the Kaiser Family 
Foundation said, Kansas could be blindsided by another increase in cases
 and forced to restart dramatic efforts to mitigate the impact of the 
virus.“You might not even realize that there’s an increase going 
on until it’s very far along, ” he said. “We’d be back to square one.”Experts,
 including Norman at one time, have been interested in tracking 
antibodies — essentially how many people have been infected. The New 
York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/26/health/can-antibody-tests-help-end-the-coronavirus-pandemic.html" target="_blank">reported</a>
 antibody tests can be inaccurate and it’s not clear whether having the 
antibodies means you’re immune to the coronavirus. The World Health 
Organization has advised against relying on antibody tests to make 
reopening decisions, and <a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/qa-on-covid-19-antibody-tests/" target="_blank">the tests </a>aren’t widely available.A
 more helpful measure is contact tracing. That entails teams of people 
identifying new cases, finding who those testing positive have been in 
contact with. Then, the system would put people in isolation who either 
contracted the virus or were exposed to it.Norman said this week 
that people are being trained to do contact tracing in Lyon, Ford, 
Finney and Seward counties. The last three are the epicenter of <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/update-coronavirus-clusters-grow-rapidly-three-western-kansas-meatpacking-counties" target="_blank">both the Kansas beef-processing industry and major COVID-19 clusters</a>. The state said more than 350 cases have been confirmed in meatpacking facilities.However, <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/04/28/846736937/we-asked-all-50-states-about-their-contact-tracing-capacity-heres-what-we-learne" target="_blank">an analysis by NPR</a>
 shows Kansas currently doesn’t have enough people to meet the need for 
contact tracing. Kansas is hoping to deploy 400 people overall — 
including some volunteers. That would equal 14 contact tracers per 
100,000 residents, though public health recommendations call ideally for
 30 per 100,000 people.Crystal Watson of Johns Hopkins Center for
 Health Security told NPR that states “shouldn’t undershoot” contact 
tracing, noting that putting money toward the practice will help control
 COVID-19 and reduce further economic impacts.Kansas News Service health reporter Celia Llopis-Jepsen and KMUW reporter Nadya Faulx contributed to this report.Alex Smith is a health reporter for KCUR 89.3 in Kansas City.&nbsp;Erica Hunzinger is the news editor of the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ehunzinger" target="_blank">@ehunzinger</a> or email her at erica@kcur.org.

What Kansas might do to reopen after coronavirus shut it down 

NEW YORK (AP) — Everyone wants to know: When, oh when, will it go back to normal?&nbsp;

As some governors across the United States begin to ease restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus, hopes are soaring that life as Americans knew it might be returning. But plans emerging in many states indicate that “normal” is still a long way off.

White House adviser Dr. Deborah Birx says social distancing will be with Americans through the summer. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards warns of a “different way of life” until there is a widely available vaccine — maybe not until next year. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says: “There is no return to yesterday in life.”

From the beginning, the pandemic forced impossible choices: physical health or mental health? Economic well-being or medical safety? Most states joined the world and turned the dial down hard, closing shops and restaurants, factories and schools. Asking people to largely keep to their homes. Now, the dial is beginning to inch in the opposite direction. 

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly's stay-at-home order ends Sunday at 11:59p.m. She is expected to reveal more of her plan to open the economy later this week.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson released details on his 'Show-me-Strong recovery plan last week.&nbsp;All businesses can open starting May 4, as long as the social distancing guidelines outlined in the state's reopening order are followed.

In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp is pushing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7bf69c10b514dad22bbd35cacca2c04d">one of the most aggressive reopening plans&nbsp;</a>in the United States. Barbershops, gyms and nail salons were allowed to reopen Friday, and dine-in restaurant service and movie screenings were freed to resume Monday — despite warnings that, without sufficient testing, the state could see a surge in infections.

Even there, though, life was far from normal. Patrons went to restaurants with X’s on some tables, chatted across the room to one another and gave orders to servers whose faces were covered by masks.

In Alaska, restaurants are keeping logs with every customer’s name and phone number — in case they’re needed for contact tracing.&nbsp;

Draft guidance for reopening from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2b232361992c4118f9cfce84b48f7879">provided more evidence&nbsp;</a>that “normal” would not be on the menu — at restaurants or anywhere else. No break rooms for employees and no field trips for school children, the guidelines recommended. Children should eat in their classrooms, and congregants should stay 6 feet apart in church.&nbsp;

In Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan laid out a phased reopening. First small shops could open, and some outdoor recreation could resume, then perhaps restaurants and bars. Phase three, which the administration cautions it has no realistic time frame for reaching, would allow larger social gatherings and high-capacity bars, restaurants and entertainment venues could reopen.

You know — the stuff that two months ago might have just been called “city life.”

Even with strict rules in place, it’s a delicate dance, as Dennis McKinley learned this weekend. He had planned to open two of the three branches of his restaurant, The Original Hot Dog Factory, for dine-in service in the Atlanta area. He reversed himself Monday after getting about 40 calls from politicians, community leaders and customers urging him to keep diners out.

“Ultimately, The Original Hot Dog Factory can’t make it without the community’s support, so I felt it was important to hold back and wait,” McKinley said.

What he calls community support, economists might refer to as confidence. Economies run on that, especially the American one, in which consumer spending accounts for 70% of all activity. When people are scared or times uncertain, they tend not to shell out.

“After an initial pop to growth, when businesses do reopen, it’s going to be a slog until there’s a vaccine,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. “I think there’s going to be a lot of cautious people and therefore a lot of cautious businesses.”&nbsp;

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and lead to death. And while many point to a vaccine as the surest path to normal, public health experts see another way that’s no less daunting: millions more tests, 100,000 or more health workers to track and isolate those exposed to COVID-19, and a seamless data network to coordinate the effort.

The U.S. is far from implementing this. So in the absence of a vaccine or other reassuring measures — and in the face of a threat that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e4e17c01b216bda73ee5735efa69eb54">is largely invisible&nbsp;</a>— how will Americans believe that it’s safe to go out again?

“You know when a flood is there and when it’s gone,” says Steven Taylor, a professor at the University of British Columbia who wrote “The Psychology of Pandemics.” He predicts confidence will return when people see others hugging, shaking hands and crowding into elevators — and not getting sick.

While Taylor believes most people will bounce back quickly, he notes that some calamities like the Great Depression have caused lasting changes to habits.&nbsp;

What will fade and what will survive after the coronavirus? Friday nights in restaurants where the tables are just a few inches apart, jostling for space in sweaty nightclubs, a peck-on-the-cheek hello? What about sleepaway camp and freshmen bunking together in dorms and the ever-shrinking seats in economy class?

Historian Francis Bremer can’t help but wonder whether the new normal will ever mean an end to “doing history from my dining room.” Like many others, the professor emeritus of history at Pennsylvania’s Millersville University has found that much can be done from a distance — in his case, through the rapidly expanding online availability of historical documents.&nbsp;

Clues lie in places that are weeks, even months ahead of the United States in this global experience.

In China, where the virus emerged late last year, people proven healthy can generally move around within their own cities now — tracked by mobile apps and monitored with temperature checks in public. Germany&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/44336d671fc0592be0003aae2165d0fe">has seen far fewer deaths than many of its European neighbors</a>, but life remains curtailed: While it allowed smaller shops to reopen last week, it stuck to strict social-distancing guidelines and continued widely requiring face masks in public.

As spring blooms, Americans look to a whole new set of activities they hope they won’t be barred from. Californians&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b3bf80cdcb04019b4220d42f7dcb66b2">flooded beaches and river fronts&nbsp;</a>this past weekend as temperatures soared, prompting warnings that they might lose the few privileges they have.

But in Pennsylvania, the dial is turning the other way. Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a990e6b7c53f46cc62d2823d11f73a27">he would lift some restrictions&nbsp;</a>on outdoor recreation. Not just because the virus was starting to be contained, but also because people simply needed it.

“As the weather warms and daylight lengthens,” Wolf said, “enjoying time outdoors is an important way to manage stress.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586725126011.png" alt="Dr. Deborah Birx serves as the Trump Administration's Coronavirus Response Coordinator-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Deborah Birx serves as the Trump Administration's Coronavirus Response Coordinator-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Everyone wants to know: When, oh when, will it go back to normal?&nbsp;As some governors across the United States begin to ease restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus, hopes are soaring that life as Americans knew it might be returning. But plans emerging in many states indicate that “normal” is still a long way off.White House adviser Dr. Deborah Birx says social distancing will be with Americans through the summer. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards warns of a “different way of life” until there is a widely available vaccine — maybe not until next year. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says: “There is no return to yesterday in life.”From the beginning, the pandemic forced impossible choices: physical health or mental health? Economic well-being or medical safety? Most states joined the world and turned the dial down hard, closing shops and restaurants, factories and schools. Asking people to largely keep to their homes. Now, the dial is beginning to inch in the opposite direction. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586440392187.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly cancelled her daily press briefing Tuesday afternoon as she works on her plan to reopen the state." />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly cancelled her daily press briefing Tuesday afternoon as she works on her plan to reopen the state.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly's stay-at-home order ends Sunday at 11:59p.m. She is expected to reveal more of her plan to open the economy later this week.Missouri Governor Mike Parson released details on his 'Show-me-Strong recovery plan last week.&nbsp;All businesses can open starting May 4, as long as the social distancing guidelines outlined in the state's reopening order are followed.In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp is pushing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7bf69c10b514dad22bbd35cacca2c04d">one of the most aggressive reopening plans&nbsp;</a>in the United States. Barbershops, gyms and nail salons were allowed to reopen Friday, and dine-in restaurant service and movie screenings were freed to resume Monday — despite warnings that, without sufficient testing, the state could see a surge in infections.Even there, though, life was far from normal. Patrons went to restaurants with X’s on some tables, chatted across the room to one another and gave orders to servers whose faces were covered by masks.In Alaska, restaurants are keeping logs with every customer’s name and phone number — in case they’re needed for contact tracing.&nbsp;Draft guidance for reopening from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2b232361992c4118f9cfce84b48f7879">provided more evidence&nbsp;</a>that “normal” would not be on the menu — at restaurants or anywhere else. No break rooms for employees and no field trips for school children, the guidelines recommended. Children should eat in their classrooms, and congregants should stay 6 feet apart in church.&nbsp;In Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan laid out a phased reopening. First small shops could open, and some outdoor recreation could resume, then perhaps restaurants and bars. Phase three, which the administration cautions it has no realistic time frame for reaching, would allow larger social gatherings and high-capacity bars, restaurants and entertainment venues could reopen.You know — the stuff that two months ago might have just been called “city life.”Even with strict rules in place, it’s a delicate dance, as Dennis McKinley learned this weekend. He had planned to open two of the three branches of his restaurant, The Original Hot Dog Factory, for dine-in service in the Atlanta area. He reversed himself Monday after getting about 40 calls from politicians, community leaders and customers urging him to keep diners out.“Ultimately, The Original Hot Dog Factory can’t make it without the community’s support, so I felt it was important to hold back and wait,” McKinley said.What he calls community support, economists might refer to as confidence. Economies run on that, especially the American one, in which consumer spending accounts for 70% of all activity. When people are scared or times uncertain, they tend not to shell out.“After an initial pop to growth, when businesses do reopen, it’s going to be a slog until there’s a vaccine,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. “I think there’s going to be a lot of cautious people and therefore a lot of cautious businesses.”&nbsp;For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and lead to death. And while many point to a vaccine as the surest path to normal, public health experts see another way that’s no less daunting: millions more tests, 100,000 or more health workers to track and isolate those exposed to COVID-19, and a seamless data network to coordinate the effort.The U.S. is far from implementing this. So in the absence of a vaccine or other reassuring measures — and in the face of a threat that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e4e17c01b216bda73ee5735efa69eb54">is largely invisible&nbsp;</a>— how will Americans believe that it’s safe to go out again?“You know when a flood is there and when it’s gone,” says Steven Taylor, a professor at the University of British Columbia who wrote “The Psychology of Pandemics.” He predicts confidence will return when people see others hugging, shaking hands and crowding into elevators — and not getting sick.While Taylor believes most people will bounce back quickly, he notes that some calamities like the Great Depression have caused lasting changes to habits.&nbsp;What will fade and what will survive after the coronavirus? Friday nights in restaurants where the tables are just a few inches apart, jostling for space in sweaty nightclubs, a peck-on-the-cheek hello? What about sleepaway camp and freshmen bunking together in dorms and the ever-shrinking seats in economy class?Historian Francis Bremer can’t help but wonder whether the new normal will ever mean an end to “doing history from my dining room.” Like many others, the professor emeritus of history at Pennsylvania’s Millersville University has found that much can be done from a distance — in his case, through the rapidly expanding online availability of historical documents.&nbsp;Clues lie in places that are weeks, even months ahead of the United States in this global experience.In China, where the virus emerged late last year, people proven healthy can generally move around within their own cities now — tracked by mobile apps and monitored with temperature checks in public. Germany&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/44336d671fc0592be0003aae2165d0fe">has seen far fewer deaths than many of its European neighbors</a>, but life remains curtailed: While it allowed smaller shops to reopen last week, it stuck to strict social-distancing guidelines and continued widely requiring face masks in public.As spring blooms, Americans look to a whole new set of activities they hope they won’t be barred from. Californians&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b3bf80cdcb04019b4220d42f7dcb66b2">flooded beaches and river fronts&nbsp;</a>this past weekend as temperatures soared, prompting warnings that they might lose the few privileges they have.But in Pennsylvania, the dial is turning the other way. Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a990e6b7c53f46cc62d2823d11f73a27">he would lift some restrictions&nbsp;</a>on outdoor recreation. Not just because the virus was starting to be contained, but also because people simply needed it.“As the weather warms and daylight lengthens,” Wolf said, “enjoying time outdoors is an important way to manage stress.”

The US reopening is coming, but 'normal' is still a ways off

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas has announced that 40 of its top-paid employees, including its chancellor, will take temporary 10% pay cuts to help cushion the financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

KU Chancellor Douglas Girod announced the cuts in a letter this week. The letter said he, the chancellor’s cabinet, vice provosts, deans and department heads will take the salary reduction for six months.

The cuts will generate $853,000 in savings for the university, Girod said, and the money will be redeployed for urgent needs.

Also taking the 10% pay cut are head men’s basketball coach Bill Self, head football coach Les Miles and Athletic Director Jeff Long.

Girod said in his letter that KU’s losses in the wake of the pandemic are expected to be in the tens of millions of dollars.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583199779683.png" alt="KU Chancellor Doug Girod -photo courtesy University of Kansas" />
 <figcaption>KU Chancellor Doug Girod -photo courtesy University of Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas has announced that 40 of its top-paid employees, including its chancellor, will take temporary 10% pay cuts to help cushion the financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak.KU Chancellor Douglas Girod announced the cuts in a letter this week. The letter said he, the chancellor’s cabinet, vice provosts, deans and department heads will take the salary reduction for six months.The cuts will generate $853,000 in savings for the university, Girod said, and the money will be redeployed for urgent needs.Also taking the 10% pay cut are head men’s basketball coach Bill Self, head football coach Les Miles and Athletic Director Jeff Long.Girod said in his letter that KU’s losses in the wake of the pandemic are expected to be in the tens of millions of dollars.

40 KU leaders to take 10% pay cuts in wake of pandemic

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas woman has been charged in the deadly shooting of her boyfriend, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On Tuesday, Bobbie Williams, 36, was&nbsp; charged with second-degree murder in the April 23 death of Blake Mayes. 

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

&nbsp;Police investigators say the shooting happened after a disturbance occurred between Mayes, Williams and another acquaintance identified as 28-year-old Jesse Sweeney of Wichita, in connection with the shooting.

Police are asking the public for help locating Sweeney.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587900733026.png" alt="Williams" />
 <figcaption>Williams</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas woman has been charged in the deadly shooting of her boyfriend, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On Tuesday, Bobbie Williams, 36, was&nbsp; charged with second-degree murder in the April 23 death of Blake Mayes. <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.&nbsp;Police investigators say the shooting happened after a disturbance occurred between Mayes, Williams and another acquaintance identified as 28-year-old Jesse Sweeney of Wichita, in connection with the shooting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587762685888.png" alt="Sweeney" />
 <figcaption>Sweeney</figcaption>
 </figure>Police are asking the public for help locating Sweeney.Police arrested Moore in Wichita and Williams in the Topeka area over the weekend.&nbsp;

Kan. woman charged in deadly shooting of her boyfriend 

NEW YORK (AP) — The government says it has approved an additional $50 billion in loans to small businesses, although banks are complaining that a bottleneck at the Small Business Administration is severely slowing the process.

Banking industry groups said Tuesday that the SBA’s loan processing system is still unable to handle the heavy volume of loan applications from business owners trying to get aid under the Paychceck Protection Program, part of the government’s $2 trillion coronavirus rescue package.

“Today is just another slow, frustrating slog for getting PPP loans through,” said Paul Merski, a vice president at the Independent Community Bankers of America.

The government’s small business loan program was replenished with $310 billion and started taking applications again Monday. Without addressing any glitches, President Donald Trump said at a press conference with small business owners Tuesday that twice as many users had accessed the SBA’s processing system as on any day during the first round of funding, during which about 1.7 million loans totaling $349 billion were approved.

At Bank of America, which submitted 184,000 applications by Monday morning and has tried sending in another 48,000 since then, only 1,000 have beeen approved, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the process.

Tuesday afternoon the SBA said about 476,000 loans had been approved totaling more than $52 billion. Trump said most of the loans approved were for smaller amounts, an indication that loans were going to smaller companies. The average loan during the first round of funding was $206,000.

The loans are aimed at helping small businesses retain workers or rehire those who they laid off in response to the virus outbreak. Any money from the loan used toward payroll will be forgiven. Restaurants, retailers, gyms and other businesses were forced to shut down to try to contain the virus’s spread, and other companies have seen a steep drop in revenue as customers stayed home or cut back their spending.

The SBA did not immediately respond for a request for comment Tuesday on the delays. But in a memo the agency sent to banks at midday Tuesday and obtained by The Associated Press, the SBA said it would stop banks from using a system that automatically submits applications into the agency’s ETran system. Without that system, “the loan processing system will be more reliable, accessible and equitable for all businesses,” the memo said.

At some banks, the change means having to manually submit the applications, a much slower process, said Nick Simpson, a spokesman for the Consumer Bankers Association. Others are able to submit applications in batches of more than 5,000, but it wasn’t known how or when the SBA would process them, he said.

The $349 billion first round of funding was exhausted in less than two weeks. In this round, banks have reported that they were being allowed to submit only 350 applications an hour, if that many. Meanwhile, they have thousands on hand.

“I don’t know of any bank who’s reaching 350 per hour,” said Richard Hunt, president of the Consumer Bankers Association. He said there appeared to be technical issues at the SBA similar to ones that held up processing early in the first round of funding.

PNC Financial said it has submitted 55,000 loan applications since the program reopened Monday. In a statement, the bank said that given the overall volume of applications, “it is quite possible that not every qualified applicant will receive loan proceeds under the PPP.”

The Treasury, which oversees the loan program, has come under criticism for allowing large public companies to obtain loans, some of which have been returned. Speaking at the Tuesday press conference, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said any loans approved for more than $2 million would be subject to an SBA review.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586986967714.png" alt="This closed thrift store is one of thousands of business shuttered across Kansas.&nbsp; Photo by Jim McLean, Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>This closed thrift store is one of thousands of business shuttered across Kansas.&nbsp; Photo by Jim McLean, Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The government says it has approved an additional $50 billion in loans to small businesses, although banks are complaining that a bottleneck at the Small Business Administration is severely slowing the process.Banking industry groups said Tuesday that the SBA’s loan processing system is still unable to handle the heavy volume of loan applications from business owners trying to get aid under the Paychceck Protection Program, part of the government’s $2 trillion coronavirus rescue package.“Today is just another slow, frustrating slog for getting PPP loans through,” said Paul Merski, a vice president at the Independent Community Bankers of America.The government’s small business loan program was replenished with $310 billion and started taking applications again Monday. Without addressing any glitches, President Donald Trump said at a press conference with small business owners Tuesday that twice as many users had accessed the SBA’s processing system as on any day during the first round of funding, during which about 1.7 million loans totaling $349 billion were approved.At Bank of America, which submitted 184,000 applications by Monday morning and has tried sending in another 48,000 since then, only 1,000 have beeen approved, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the process.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588075781384.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tuesday afternoon the SBA said about 476,000 loans had been approved totaling more than $52 billion. Trump said most of the loans approved were for smaller amounts, an indication that loans were going to smaller companies. The average loan during the first round of funding was $206,000.The loans are aimed at helping small businesses retain workers or rehire those who they laid off in response to the virus outbreak. Any money from the loan used toward payroll will be forgiven. Restaurants, retailers, gyms and other businesses were forced to shut down to try to contain the virus’s spread, and other companies have seen a steep drop in revenue as customers stayed home or cut back their spending.The SBA did not immediately respond for a request for comment Tuesday on the delays. But in a memo the agency sent to banks at midday Tuesday and obtained by The Associated Press, the SBA said it would stop banks from using a system that automatically submits applications into the agency’s ETran system. Without that system, “the loan processing system will be more reliable, accessible and equitable for all businesses,” the memo said.At some banks, the change means having to manually submit the applications, a much slower process, said Nick Simpson, a spokesman for the Consumer Bankers Association. Others are able to submit applications in batches of more than 5,000, but it wasn’t known how or when the SBA would process them, he said.The $349 billion first round of funding was exhausted in less than two weeks. In this round, banks have reported that they were being allowed to submit only 350 applications an hour, if that many. Meanwhile, they have thousands on hand.“I don’t know of any bank who’s reaching 350 per hour,” said Richard Hunt, president of the Consumer Bankers Association. He said there appeared to be technical issues at the SBA similar to ones that held up processing early in the first round of funding.PNC Financial said it has submitted 55,000 loan applications since the program reopened Monday. In a statement, the bank said that given the overall volume of applications, “it is quite possible that not every qualified applicant will receive loan proceeds under the PPP.”The Treasury, which oversees the loan program, has come under criticism for allowing large public companies to obtain loans, some of which have been returned. Speaking at the Tuesday press conference, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said any loans approved for more than $2 million would be subject to an SBA review.

Gov't OKs $50B in small biz loans, banks complain of snags

LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A duck boat sinking on a Missouri lake that killed 17 people two summers ago likely would not have happened if the U.S. Coast Guard had followed recommendations to improve the safety of such tourist attractions, federal safety regulators said Tuesday.

The National Transportation Safety Board released the findings of its investigation into the July 2018 tragedy,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/60b99441d63a48428b5dd79bbc37c75a">when a Ride the Ducks vehicle sank during a severe and sudden storm on Table Rock Lake</a>&nbsp;near Branson.

If the Coast Guard had followed recommendations for small passenger boats that the NTSB made after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97b6da0d8d814fbaad1516a3dacf25ef">a similar boat sank</a>&nbsp;in Arkansas in 1999, killing 13 people, the Missouri boat “likely would not have sunk,” said Brian Young, an NTSB accident investigator.

Young also said the agency’s staff believes Ride the Ducks should have suspended water operations that day because of the severe weather forecast.

Among the files released Tuesday was a letter the NTSB received from the Coast Guard agreeing that canopies and side curtains should be removed from amphibious tour vehicles known as stretch duck boats.

NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said at a telephone news conference that although the Coast Guard's recommendations don't have the force of a regulation, he's “very optimistic” the agency is committed to improving small passenger boat safety. Duck boats should not be allowed to operate again until the recommendations are fully implemented, he said.

The NTSB said one probable cause of the accident included the decision by Ripley Entertainment Inc., which purchased the Ride the Ducks attraction in 2017, to operate the lake tours despite a severe thunderstorm warning. The vessel flooded through an air intake hatch on the bow that was not weather tight.

It also blamed the Coast Guard's failure to require sufficient buoyancy in amphibious vehicles, and its failure to address emergency exits on such vehicles with fixed canopies that contributed to the sinking and loss of life. The findings echoed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5f33ee0e1e93469daadd5f3da6bf649d">an NTSB report&nbsp;</a>released in November.

The April 15 letter from Daniel Abel, vice admiral of the Coast Guard, said the Guard agreed with an NTSB recommendation to remove canopies, side curtains and associated framing from the duck boats to improve passengers' chances of escape during emergencies.

The Coast Guard has issued a Marine Safety Information Bulletin, the first step in the process.

Ripley Entertainment has settled 31 lawsuits filed by survivors or relatives of those who died. The dead included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e9ea37df0760459ba5ace5fff07e8779">nine members of one family</a>&nbsp;from Indianapolis. Other victims were from Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas.

Spokeswoman Suzanne Smagala-Potts said Ripley Entertainment would review the NTSB report and that Ride the Ducks fully cooperated with the federal investigation.

"We remain dedicated to working with the community of Branson, and continuing our support of all those who were impacted by the accident,” Smagala-Potts said.

Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators interviewed duck boat Capt. Scott McKee the day after the accident. McKee said he took the boat into the water because radar indicated the storm was far away, but it quickly turned from calm to turbulent.

NTSB members were unable to interview McKee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97a50539272942bd9306a5937dc81cfb">because of ongoing criminal investigations</a>. McKee, of Verona, is charged with 17 counts of misconduct, negligence or inattention to duty.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/06f0918ee1904bd797d5089dabb84b70">Two Ripley executives&nbsp;</a>are also charged with misconduct and neglect.

Marcel Muise, marine accident investigator, told board members that it appeared McKee didn't have the information he needed to make a proper decision about going onto the lake. He noted that the lake was clear when McKee arrived, and the three other duck boats on the water indicated there was no cause for concern.

Some NTSB board members were skeptical, saying the National Weather Service issued the storm report in plenty of time to stop the boat from going in the water.

Ripley suspended operations of the boats after the accident and it remains unclear if they will ever return to the lake.

Robert Mongeluzzi, whose firm represents nearly two dozen people who were aboard the boat, commended the NTSB findings and said it supports the victims’ calls to prevent duck boats from ever being used again.

“Duck boats are death traps which, when flooded, become sinking coffins,” Mongeluzzi said. “The Coast Guard and duck boat industry have the blood of these Branson victims on their hands for continuing to ignore the warnings. Hopefully this time, they will listen.”

LIBERTY, Mo. -- The U.S. Coast Guard agrees that canopies and side curtains should be removed from amphibious tour vehicles known as stretch duck boats, according to documents released Tuesday following an investigation into a deadly accident two summers ago on a Missouri lake.

The National Transportation Safety Board released the findings of its investigation into the July 2018 tragedy, when a Ride the Ducks vehicle sank during a severe and sudden storm on Table Rock Lake near Branson, killing 17 of the 31 people on board.

Included among the documents released by the NTSB was a letter dated April 15 in which Daniel Abel, vice admiral of the Coast Guard, said the Guard agreed with an NTSB recommendation to modify vehicles like the one that sank in Missouri.

“The removal of canopies, side curtains, and associated framing from the DUKW fleet would improve emergency egress,” the report stated. The Coast Guard said it would issue a Marine Safety Information Bulletin, the first step in the process.

During a virtual meeting Tuesday, the NTSB repeated criticism of the Coast Guard that it issued in November, saying the agency had ignored its recommendations to improve the boats since a duck boat accident in Arkansas killed 13 people in 1999. The board said it has repeatedly urged the Coast Guard to require that the boats be upgraded to stay afloat when flooded, and to remove barriers to escape, such as canopies.

The boat's owner, Ripley Entertainment, has settled 31 lawsuits filed by survivors or relatives of those who died. The dead included nine members of one family from Indianapolis. Other victims were from Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas.

Two Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators interviewed duck boat Capt. Scott McKee the day after the accident. McKee said radar indicated the storm was “quite a ways away,” so he took the boat into the water, but it quickly turned from calm to turbulent.

“I never expected it to get this rough,” McKee said. “Never had any — I’ve never seen it get that rough.”

McKee said he didn’t have time to tell passengers to don life jackets. He found himself in the water, struggling to survive, and someone saved him by pulling him onto the Branson Belle, another tourist boat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573695624494.png" alt="Photo courtesy NTSB" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy NTSB</figcaption>
 </figure>LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A duck boat sinking on a Missouri lake that killed 17 people two summers ago likely would not have happened if the U.S. Coast Guard had followed recommendations to improve the safety of such tourist attractions, federal safety regulators said Tuesday.The National Transportation Safety Board released the findings of its investigation into the July 2018 tragedy,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/60b99441d63a48428b5dd79bbc37c75a">when a Ride the Ducks vehicle sank during a severe and sudden storm on Table Rock Lake</a>&nbsp;near Branson.If the Coast Guard had followed recommendations for small passenger boats that the NTSB made after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97b6da0d8d814fbaad1516a3dacf25ef">a similar boat sank</a>&nbsp;in Arkansas in 1999, killing 13 people, the Missouri boat “likely would not have sunk,” said Brian Young, an NTSB accident investigator.Young also said the agency’s staff believes Ride the Ducks should have suspended water operations that day because of the severe weather forecast.Among the files released Tuesday was a letter the NTSB received from the Coast Guard agreeing that canopies and side curtains should be removed from amphibious tour vehicles known as stretch duck boats.NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said at a telephone news conference that although the Coast Guard's recommendations don't have the force of a regulation, he's “very optimistic” the agency is committed to improving small passenger boat safety. Duck boats should not be allowed to operate again until the recommendations are fully implemented, he said.The NTSB said one probable cause of the accident included the decision by Ripley Entertainment Inc., which purchased the Ride the Ducks attraction in 2017, to operate the lake tours despite a severe thunderstorm warning. The vessel flooded through an air intake hatch on the bow that was not weather tight.It also blamed the Coast Guard's failure to require sufficient buoyancy in amphibious vehicles, and its failure to address emergency exits on such vehicles with fixed canopies that contributed to the sinking and loss of life. The findings echoed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5f33ee0e1e93469daadd5f3da6bf649d">an NTSB report&nbsp;</a>released in November.The April 15 letter from Daniel Abel, vice admiral of the Coast Guard, said the Guard agreed with an NTSB recommendation to remove canopies, side curtains and associated framing from the duck boats to improve passengers' chances of escape during emergencies.The Coast Guard has issued a Marine Safety Information Bulletin, the first step in the process.Ripley Entertainment has settled 31 lawsuits filed by survivors or relatives of those who died. The dead included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e9ea37df0760459ba5ace5fff07e8779">nine members of one family</a>&nbsp;from Indianapolis. Other victims were from Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas.Spokeswoman Suzanne Smagala-Potts said Ripley Entertainment would review the NTSB report and that Ride the Ducks fully cooperated with the federal investigation."We remain dedicated to working with the community of Branson, and continuing our support of all those who were impacted by the accident,” Smagala-Potts said.Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators interviewed duck boat Capt. Scott McKee the day after the accident. McKee said he took the boat into the water because radar indicated the storm was far away, but it quickly turned from calm to turbulent.NTSB members were unable to interview McKee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97a50539272942bd9306a5937dc81cfb">because of ongoing criminal investigations</a>. McKee, of Verona, is charged with 17 counts of misconduct, negligence or inattention to duty.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/06f0918ee1904bd797d5089dabb84b70">Two Ripley executives&nbsp;</a>are also charged with misconduct and neglect.Marcel Muise, marine accident investigator, told board members that it appeared McKee didn't have the information he needed to make a proper decision about going onto the lake. He noted that the lake was clear when McKee arrived, and the three other duck boats on the water indicated there was no cause for concern.Some NTSB board members were skeptical, saying the National Weather Service issued the storm report in plenty of time to stop the boat from going in the water.Ripley suspended operations of the boats after the accident and it remains unclear if they will ever return to the lake.Robert Mongeluzzi, whose firm represents nearly two dozen people who were aboard the boat, commended the NTSB findings and said it supports the victims’ calls to prevent duck boats from ever being used again.“Duck boats are death traps which, when flooded, become sinking coffins,” Mongeluzzi said. “The Coast Guard and duck boat industry have the blood of these Branson victims on their hands for continuing to ignore the warnings. Hopefully this time, they will listen.”___-----LIBERTY, Mo. -- The U.S. Coast Guard agrees that canopies and side curtains should be removed from amphibious tour vehicles known as stretch duck boats, according to documents released Tuesday following an investigation into a deadly accident two summers ago on a Missouri lake.The National Transportation Safety Board released the findings of its investigation into the July 2018 tragedy, when a Ride the Ducks vehicle sank during a severe and sudden storm on Table Rock Lake near Branson, killing 17 of the 31 people on board.Included among the documents released by the NTSB was a letter dated April 15 in which Daniel Abel, vice admiral of the Coast Guard, said the Guard agreed with an NTSB recommendation to modify vehicles like the one that sank in Missouri.“The removal of canopies, side curtains, and associated framing from the DUKW fleet would improve emergency egress,” the report stated. The Coast Guard said it would issue a Marine Safety Information Bulletin, the first step in the process.During a virtual meeting Tuesday, the NTSB repeated criticism of the Coast Guard that it issued in November, saying the agency had ignored its recommendations to improve the boats since a duck boat accident in Arkansas killed 13 people in 1999. The board said it has repeatedly urged the Coast Guard to require that the boats be upgraded to stay afloat when flooded, and to remove barriers to escape, such as canopies.The boat's owner, Ripley Entertainment, has settled 31 lawsuits filed by survivors or relatives of those who died. The dead included nine members of one family from Indianapolis. Other victims were from Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas.Two Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators interviewed duck boat Capt. Scott McKee the day after the accident. McKee said radar indicated the storm was “quite a ways away,” so he took the boat into the water, but it quickly turned from calm to turbulent.“I never expected it to get this rough,” McKee said. “Never had any — I’ve never seen it get that rough.”McKee said he didn’t have time to tell passengers to don life jackets. He found himself in the water, struggling to survive, and someone saved him by pulling him onto the Branson Belle, another tourist boat.NTSB members said they hadn't been able to interview McKee because of ongoing criminal investigations. McKee, of Verona, is charged with 17 counts of misconduct, negligence or inattention to duty. Two Ripley executives are also charged with misconduct and neglect.Police say McKee didn't tell passengers to don life jackets or help them abandon ship, even after water started swamping the boat.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1563393605763.png" alt="Rescue crews at the scene of the Duck boat accident -photo courtesy KYTV" />
 <figcaption>Rescue crews at the scene of the Duck boat accident -photo courtesy KYTV</figcaption>
 </figure>The NTSB acknowledged in its report that more duck boat passengers would have died if they had been wearing life jackets, because the flotation devices would have forced passengers upward and trapped them against the canopy, when they needed to swim downward to get into the water. They acknowledged that conflicts with general guidance to always wear life jackets on boats.According to the NTSB report, the weather service had issued severe storm warnings with sufficient time to stop the boat, known as Stretch Duck 7, from going in the water. Investigators couldn't determine if McKee saw an email warning about the upcoming storm before going into the water.Witnesses on the Branson Belle recalled the harrowing moments as the duck boat sank, with people suddenly swimming for their lives.Deckhand Elijah Romero said he could see the waves overwhelming the boat."And as soon as the windows in the back of the boat dropped below the water line on the stern, the whole thing went down in 10 seconds, it was gone,” Romero told investigators. “The whole thing was under water, and we could see people floating in the water.”NTSB investigators said quick action by Branson Belle passengers and staff saved lives.The refurbished amphibious duck boats were a major tourist attraction in Branson for nearly 50 years, and Ripley purchased the attraction in 2017. The boats started out on land and then entered the water for a brief tour around the lake. Ripley suspended operations of the boats after the accident and it remains unclear if they will ever return to the lake.------------LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — Nearly two years after 17 people died when a tourist boat sank on a Missouri lake, federal transportation safety investigators on Tuesday will release the results of an investigation into the tragedy.<a href="https://apnews.com/444b6898aca3450eb6ac718f0bf9460f">The National Transportation Safety Board has been investigating</a>&nbsp;what caused the Ride the Ducks vehicle to sink at Table Rock Lake near Branson,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/60b99441d63a48428b5dd79bbc37c75a">killing 17</a>&nbsp;of the 31 people on board. The boat, known as Stretch Duck 7, was unable to make it back to shore when a severe storm hit in July 2018.The boat's owner, Ripley Entertainment, has settled 31 lawsuits filed by survivors or relatives of those who died. The dead included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e9ea37df0760459ba5ace5fff07e8779">nine members of one family</a>&nbsp;from Indianapolis. Other victims were from Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas.The refurbished amphibious duck boats were a major tourist attraction in Branson for nearly 50 years, and Ripley purchased the attraction in 2017. The boats started out on land and then entered the water for a brief tour around the lake. Ripley suspended operations of the boats after the accident and it remains unclear if they will ever return to the lake.In November, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5f33ee0e1e93469daadd5f3da6bf649d">NTSB criticized the U.S. Coast Guard</a>&nbsp;for ignoring its recommendations to improve the boats since a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97b6da0d8d814fbaad1516a3dacf25ef">duck boat accident in Arkansas</a>&nbsp;killed 13 people in 1999. The board said it has repeatedly urged the Coast Guard to require that the boats be upgraded to better stay afloat when flooded, and to remove barriers to escape, such as canopies.That report found that a fixed canopy and closed side curtain on the Branson boat prevented passengers from escaping and likely caused more deaths.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97a50539272942bd9306a5937dc81cfb">boat’s captain</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/06f0918ee1904bd797d5089dabb84b70">two company executives</a>&nbsp;were indicted after the sinking. Curtis Lanham, the general manager at Ride the Ducks Branson, and Charles Baltzell, the operations supervisor, are charged with misconduct and neglect.The boat's captain, Kenneth Scott McVee, of Verona, is charged with 17 counts of misconduct, negligence or inattention to duty. Investigators contend he did not tell the boat's passengers to don life jackets or help them abandon ship even after water started swamping the boat.