A technician at Viracor Eurofins examines a virus sample- photo&nbsp;VIRACOR EUROFINS

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A clinical lab in Missouri says it has developed a test for the novel coronavirus that is more than 99% accurate.

KCUR reports that Viracor Eurofins in Lee's Summit claims it is capable of performing more than 1,000 tests per day and returning results the same day.

Officials say the test would allow for expanding testing to patients who don't currently meet the eligibility criteria for public laboratory testing established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Company Vice President Steve Kleiboecker said the test is performed with chemicals and reagents — compounds used to detect other substances. That allows it to be performed quickly.

The test has yet to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration but the company is certified by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, which sets standards for clinical lab testing. The certification allows the lab to proceed with tests and then send data to the FDA for review.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has allowed testing to begin. State of Kansas health officials said they welcomed the additional testing capabilities.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584468619442.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A technician at Viracor Eurofins examines a virus sample- photo&nbsp;VIRACOR EUROFINSKANSAS CITY (AP) — A clinical lab in Missouri says it has developed a test for the novel coronavirus that is more than 99% accurate.KCUR reports that Viracor Eurofins in Lee's Summit claims it is capable of performing more than 1,000 tests per day and returning results the same day.Officials say the test would allow for expanding testing to patients who don't currently meet the eligibility criteria for public laboratory testing established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Company Vice President Steve Kleiboecker said the test is performed with chemicals and reagents — compounds used to detect other substances. That allows it to be performed quickly.The test has yet to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration but the company is certified by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, which sets standards for clinical lab testing. The certification allows the lab to proceed with tests and then send data to the FDA for review.The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has allowed testing to begin. State of Kansas health officials said they welcomed the additional testing capabilities.

KC-area lab says it has developed rapid test for coronavirus

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man who surreptitiously took lewd photos of young children and young women has been sentenced to prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

On Friday, Judge Kevin O’Connor sentenced James Dayvault, 30 of Wichita, to 57 months in prison. 

In November, the judge, found Dayvault guilty of one count of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of lewd and lascivious behavior, one count of breach of privacy and one count of attempted breach of privacy.

A neighbor reported seeing Dayvault following young children and photographing them. During the investigation, police recovered photos on his cell phone that included pornographic images of children and images taken up women’s skirts at various locations in the city including a local church and department store parking lot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584393130389.png" alt="Dayvault photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Dayvault photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man who surreptitiously took lewd photos of young children and young women has been sentenced to prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.On Friday, Judge Kevin O’Connor sentenced James Dayvault, 30 of Wichita, to 57 months in prison. In November, the judge, found Dayvault guilty of one count of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of lewd and lascivious behavior, one count of breach of privacy and one count of attempted breach of privacy.A neighbor reported seeing Dayvault following young children and photographing them. During the investigation, police recovered photos on his cell phone that included pornographic images of children and images taken up women’s skirts at various locations in the city including a local church and department store parking lot.

Kansas man who took photos up women's skirts sentenced 

Topeka – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,&nbsp;KANSASWORKS Workforce Centers will be taking actions to reduce contact and maintain social distancing as directed by the Centers for Disease Control, according to a media release from the agency.

KANSASWORKS Workforce Centers will remain open, but with limited services to the public. Individuals should call (877) 509-6757 to ensure their local Workforce Center location is open to in-person visits prior to arriving. Previously scheduled appointments for essential services will still occur unless otherwise indicated. All non-essential services will be provided via telephone, email or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kansasworks.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cfc174a471c0d4261d33d08d7ca7fdcd0%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637200522864925978&amp;sdata=VY7YftGL75ZtdSyDzhXJfGScdQCaizz6fRACVzbtvzo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kansasworks.com</a>.

The Public Access Computer area will be closed to the public until further notice.&nbsp;All workshops, large meetings and job fairs through April 5, 2020, have been cancelled. They will be rescheduled at a later date in accordance with direction from state and local officials.&nbsp;This includes testing and meetings for the Youth Employment Program, Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Rapid Response.

Any Kansan needing employment or reemployment services can call (877) 509-6757 to schedule a time to speak to a representative. Messages should include the individual’s name, phone number and email address. Calls will be returned in the order they are received. Services may also be accessed via the live chat function at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kansasworks.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cfc174a471c0d4261d33d08d7ca7fdcd0%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637200522864925978&amp;sdata=VY7YftGL75ZtdSyDzhXJfGScdQCaizz6fRACVzbtvzo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kansasworks.com</a>. &nbsp;

Individuals enrolled in the Dislocated Worker program will be contacted by a case manager by March 20 to arrange for paperwork to be completed and submitted via email.

Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA)

Individuals participating in the RESEA program should contact (877) 509-6757.&nbsp;When leaving a voicemail message, individuals should be sure to include their full name and phone number for a return call. Individuals who have an assigned case manager should also include their case manager’s name in the message. RESEA staff will return calls as soon as possible.&nbsp;

TAA meetings scheduled for March 30-31 in the Wichita Community have been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.&nbsp; Please contact Tonya Carlson at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:tonya.carlson@ks.gov">tonya.carlson@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;if you have questions.

All job fairs scheduled through April 5, 2020, including the Statewide Job Fair on April 2, have been canceled. Please call (877) 509-6757 with any questions.

Employers in need of Rapid Response Layoff Assistance should contact Shelly Thompson at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Shelly.Thompson@ks.gov">Shelly.Thompson@ks.gov</a>.

Additional guidance from the Department of Labor on emergency Unemployment Insurance Filings related to COVID-19 can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dol.ks.gov%2Fcovid19response&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cfc174a471c0d4261d33d08d7ca7fdcd0%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637200522864935889&amp;sdata=G2BkFeClXiJpmgYZhQ67he5uQQIDj4hN6WL8Eghcj0o%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.dol.ks.gov/covid19response</a>.

The Kansas Department of Commerce is working closely with the Kansas Department of Emergency Management (KDEM) to complete the required steps for requesting an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Declaration. Additional information is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kansascommerce.gov%2Fabout-us%2Fsba-coronavirus-assistance-resources%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cfc174a471c0d4261d33d08d7ca7fdcd0%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637200522864935889&amp;sdata=u8WQehewNPFwKg4sU1T5DM7QO5iZgDhBQzt2OooLabM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kansascommerce.gov/about-us/sba-coronavirus-assistance-resources/</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584456916835.png" alt="Kansasworks" />
 <figcaption>Kansasworks</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,&nbsp;KANSASWORKS Workforce Centers will be taking actions to reduce contact and maintain social distancing as directed by the Centers for Disease Control, according to a media release from the agency.KANSASWORKS Workforce Centers will remain open, but with limited services to the public. Individuals should call (877) 509-6757 to ensure their local Workforce Center location is open to in-person visits prior to arriving. Previously scheduled appointments for essential services will still occur unless otherwise indicated. All non-essential services will be provided via telephone, email or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kansasworks.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cfc174a471c0d4261d33d08d7ca7fdcd0%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637200522864925978&amp;sdata=VY7YftGL75ZtdSyDzhXJfGScdQCaizz6fRACVzbtvzo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kansasworks.com</a>.The Public Access Computer area will be closed to the public until further notice.&nbsp;All workshops, large meetings and job fairs through April 5, 2020, have been cancelled. They will be rescheduled at a later date in accordance with direction from state and local officials.&nbsp;This includes testing and meetings for the Youth Employment Program, Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Rapid Response.Any Kansan needing employment or reemployment services can call (877) 509-6757 to schedule a time to speak to a representative. Messages should include the individual’s name, phone number and email address. Calls will be returned in the order they are received. Services may also be accessed via the live chat function at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kansasworks.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cfc174a471c0d4261d33d08d7ca7fdcd0%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637200522864925978&amp;sdata=VY7YftGL75ZtdSyDzhXJfGScdQCaizz6fRACVzbtvzo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kansasworks.com</a>. &nbsp;Individual program updates are below.Dislocated WorkerIndividuals enrolled in the Dislocated Worker program will be contacted by a case manager by March 20 to arrange for paperwork to be completed and submitted via email.Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA)Individuals participating in the RESEA program should contact (877) 509-6757.&nbsp;When leaving a voicemail message, individuals should be sure to include their full name and phone number for a return call. Individuals who have an assigned case manager should also include their case manager’s name in the message. RESEA staff will return calls as soon as possible.&nbsp;Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)TAA meetings scheduled for March 30-31 in the Wichita Community have been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.&nbsp; Please contact Tonya Carlson at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:tonya.carlson@ks.gov">tonya.carlson@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;if you have questions.Employer Services<ol>
 <li>Job Fairs</li>
 </ol>All job fairs scheduled through April 5, 2020, including the Statewide Job Fair on April 2, have been canceled. Please call (877) 509-6757 with any questions.<ol>
 <li>Rapid Response</li>
 </ol>Employers in need of Rapid Response Layoff Assistance should contact Shelly Thompson at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Shelly.Thompson@ks.gov">Shelly.Thompson@ks.gov</a>.Additional guidance from the Department of Labor on emergency Unemployment Insurance Filings related to COVID-19 can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dol.ks.gov%2Fcovid19response&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cfc174a471c0d4261d33d08d7ca7fdcd0%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637200522864935889&amp;sdata=G2BkFeClXiJpmgYZhQ67he5uQQIDj4hN6WL8Eghcj0o%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.dol.ks.gov/covid19response</a>.<ol>
 <li>Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan</li>
 </ol>The Kansas Department of Commerce is working closely with the Kansas Department of Emergency Management (KDEM) to complete the required steps for requesting an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Declaration. Additional information is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kansascommerce.gov%2Fabout-us%2Fsba-coronavirus-assistance-resources%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cfc174a471c0d4261d33d08d7ca7fdcd0%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637200522864935889&amp;sdata=u8WQehewNPFwKg4sU1T5DM7QO5iZgDhBQzt2OooLabM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kansascommerce.gov/about-us/sba-coronavirus-assistance-resources/</a>.

Kansasworks makes changes at centers, cancels job fairs

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas on Monday banned public gatherings of 50 or more people for the next two months, but officials in the Kansas City area imposed a stricter rule and ordered some businesses to close over the next two weeks in hopes of limiting the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly also blocked utilities in her state from cutting off services until mid-April and warned that the coronavirus pandemic may force additional statewide restrictions.

Kelly stopped short of ordering bars, restaurants, gyms or other businesses to close, as governors in other states have. Her executive orders also came the same day that President Donald Trump's administration said people should avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 over the next 15 days.

Officials in the Kansas City area immediately took the new guidance from Trump's administration to heart. In Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri&nbsp;and Johnson and Wyandotte County, Kansas, they ordered the closing of restaurants, bars, taverns, clubs and movie theaters from Tuesday through April 1, with the exception of drive-through, pickup and delivery services. They also banned public gatherings of more than 10 people, although they exempted government, religious and private business activities.

“I don't think that we are finished putting in place strategies to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus," Kelly said during a Statehouse news conference.

Kelly and Kansas' education commissioner recommended that schools remain closed this week, and state universities have started moving to online classes. The Kansas Supreme Court canceled oral arguments on cases it had scheduled for later this month.

Kansas has seen one COVID-19-related death, of a man in his 70s who was a resident of a Kansas City, Kansas, nursing home. Public health officials have confirmed 11 cases so far, and all but two of them have been in the state's portion of the Kansas City area.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the vast majority recover. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The Legislature is pursuing measures to give public schools more flexibility to cancel in-person classes and to allow courts to extend deadlines for trials and filing lawsuits if they are forced to close.

State officials also announced new guidelines calling for nursing homes, to restrict visitors and cancel group activities and dining. The ban on utility disconnections runs through April 15 and includes electricity, water, natural gas and telecommunications companies.

Kelly's order on public gatherings is in line with guidance issued Sunday night by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But on Monday, Trump announced the stricter guidelines for the short-term.

“The smaller, the safer. I think we just need to follow that," said Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer for the University of Kansas Health System. “Don't wait on the government to tell you to do it.”

Kelly said she did not order business closings because many Kansas enterprises already have taken steps to limit crowd sizes.

While the one death occurred in Wyandotte County, eight of the state's 11 coronavirus cases are from Johnson County, the state's most populous county, home to affluent and sprawling Kansas City suburbs. Lee Norman, the state's secretary of health and environment said the last three people infected there had contact with another infected person, demonstrating the need for social distancing.

But officials had some good news: 85 staff and other residents at the home linked to the state's one COVID-19 related death have all tested negative for coronavirus, said Dr. Allen Greiner, Wyandotte County's health officer. He said another 20 tests are pending, involving people who had contact with the deceased man.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584451007631.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>BY JOHN HANNA,&nbsp;Associated PressTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas on Monday banned public gatherings of 50 or more people for the next two months, but officials in the Kansas City area imposed a stricter rule and ordered some businesses to close over the next two weeks in hopes of limiting the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly also blocked utilities in her state from cutting off services until mid-April and warned that the coronavirus pandemic may force additional statewide restrictions.Kelly stopped short of ordering bars, restaurants, gyms or other businesses to close, as governors in other states have. Her executive orders also came the same day that President Donald Trump's administration said people should avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 over the next 15 days.Officials in the Kansas City area immediately took the new guidance from Trump's administration to heart. In Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri&nbsp;and Johnson and Wyandotte County, Kansas, they ordered the closing of restaurants, bars, taverns, clubs and movie theaters from Tuesday through April 1, with the exception of drive-through, pickup and delivery services. They also banned public gatherings of more than 10 people, although they exempted government, religious and private business activities.“I don't think that we are finished putting in place strategies to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus," Kelly said during a Statehouse news conference.Kelly and Kansas' education commissioner recommended that schools remain closed this week, and state universities have started moving to online classes. The Kansas Supreme Court canceled oral arguments on cases it had scheduled for later this month.Kansas has seen one COVID-19-related death, of a man in his 70s who was a resident of a Kansas City, Kansas, nursing home. Public health officials have confirmed 11 cases so far, and all but two of them have been in the state's portion of the Kansas City area.For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the vast majority recover. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.The Legislature is pursuing measures to give public schools more flexibility to cancel in-person classes and to allow courts to extend deadlines for trials and filing lawsuits if they are forced to close.State officials also announced new guidelines calling for nursing homes, to restrict visitors and cancel group activities and dining. The ban on utility disconnections runs through April 15 and includes electricity, water, natural gas and telecommunications companies.Kelly's order on public gatherings is in line with guidance issued Sunday night by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But on Monday, Trump announced the stricter guidelines for the short-term.“The smaller, the safer. I think we just need to follow that," said Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer for the University of Kansas Health System. “Don't wait on the government to tell you to do it.”Kelly said she did not order business closings because many Kansas enterprises already have taken steps to limit crowd sizes.While the one death occurred in Wyandotte County, eight of the state's 11 coronavirus cases are from Johnson County, the state's most populous county, home to affluent and sprawling Kansas City suburbs. Lee Norman, the state's secretary of health and environment said the last three people infected there had contact with another infected person, demonstrating the need for social distancing.But officials had some good news: 85 staff and other residents at the home linked to the state's one COVID-19 related death have all tested negative for coronavirus, said Dr. Allen Greiner, Wyandotte County's health officer. He said another 20 tests are pending, involving people who had contact with the deceased man.___

Kansas City restaurants, bars, theaters close until April 1 

WASHINGTON —The United States implemented dramatic new restrictions on Americans going out in public and 7 million people in the San Francisco area were put on a near-total lockdown to control the coronavirus emergency that has walloped the global economy.

Not everyone was adhering to the clampdowns, however.

On the same day that the Trump administration called on Americans to not gather in groups of more than 10 people and urged older people to stay home, Arizona, Florida and Illinois went ahead with plans to hold presidential primaries Tuesday. Ohio called off its primary just hours before polls were to open.

Beaches on Florida’s Gulf coast near Tampa stayed open, including one that was was flooded with spring breakers. Gov. Ron Desantis said he would leave it up to communities whether to restrict access to beaches.

“It’s not probably advisable to have spring break gatherings” but that people in small groups at the beach is probably OK, he said. “I think the communities can work that out.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, praised the federal government’s response as he took only limited action amid the outbreak. Unlike other governors of heavily populated states, Abbott has not made explicit calls for limiting mass gatherings.

“This is not a time to panic,” he said. “It’s not as if we have never been through this before. We’ve been through this many, many times.”

The comments came on the same day that the number of infections in the U.S. climbed to nearly 4,500, with at least 81 deaths, two-thirds of them in hard-hit Washington state. Worldwide, more than 7,100 have died.

With the U.S. economy shuddering to a near-halt, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted nearly 3,000 points, or 13%, its biggest one-day percentage loss since the Black Monday crash of 1987.

The rapid work stoppage had Americans fretting about their jobs and their savings, threatened to overwhelm unemployment benefit programs, and heightened fears the country could plunge into a recession.

The decision to move ahead with primaries ran counter to stern new guidelines put in place by the Trump administration.

Over the next half month, Americans should not gather in groups of more than 10 people, schooling should be at home and discretionary travel and social visits should be avoided.

The president for the first time acknowledged that the pandemic may send the economy into a recession and suggested that the nation may be dealing with the virus until “July or August.”

Elections officials in Arizona, Florida and Illinois said they were taking precautions to make sure voters could safely cast their ballots, despite widening calls for people to avoid going in public. A handful of other states already postponed their elections.

Growing public unease over the coronavirus spread was causing disruptions to polling places in some states before they even opened.

In Pasco County, Florida, the number of poll workers dropping out surged from 20 last week to more than 150 by Monday after a case of coronavirus was confirmed in the county.

“It’s a skeleton crew at a lot of locations,” said Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux. “We are at the honest end of the rope in terms of who I can grab and who I can get trained and get deployed.”

In Illinois, counties were moving polling places out of nursing homes, offering ballot drop-off options for jittery voters and scrambling to find replacements for poll workers canceling at the last minute.

Chicago elections officials worked late Monday to find replacements for 168 polling sites.

And the city elections commission was begging healthy people to volunteer to work at the polls amid a “tsumani” of cancellations.

“Please, please heed our call and volunteer,” said Marisel Hernandez, the commission’s chair. “Help us.”

Meanwhile, millions of Americans were holed up at home, with many thrown out of work until further notice as the list of businesses forced to close across the U.S. extended to restaurants, bars, gyms and casinos.

Officials in six San Francisco Bay Area counties issued a “shelter in place” order affecting nearly 7 million people, requiring most residents to stay inside and venture out only for food, medicine or exercise for three weeks — the most drastic measure taken yet in the U.S. to curb the spread of the virus.

“I know today’s order is a radical step. It has to be. We need to act now, all of us,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Health Department.

Health officials, politicians and business leaders are talking about “social distancing” and “flattening the curve,” or encouraging people to avoid others to slow the spread of the virus and keep U.S. hospitals from being overwhelmed with a sudden deluge of patients.

Most people who come down with the disease have relatively mild symptoms, but it can be deadly for some, especially the elderly and those with underlying health problems. Most people infected with the virus recover in a matter of weeks.

The shutdowns touched every corner of the country: blackjack dealers in Las Vegas, theme park workers in Orlando, Florida, restaurant and bar employees nationwide, and winery workers in California. At least eight states called on all bars and restaurants to close at least part of the day.

The economy appears to be decelerating at a much faster pace than during the 2008 financial meltdown.

“This is like an avalanche. It’s all happening at once,” said Heidi Shierholz, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute. “And no one knows how long it’s going to last.”

On the other side of the ledger, Amazon announced it wants to add 100,000 workers to deliver packages amid a surge in online orders from people unable or unwilling to set foot in stores. And gun sales soared in many places as fear took hold.

“I’ve never seen it like this,” said Ed Turner, who owns Ed’s Public Safety in Stockbridge, Georgia. “This is self-preservation. This is panic. This is ‘I won’t be able to protect my family from the hordes and the walking dead.’”

With schools closed for tens of millions of children across the country, parents began using lesson plans that included flash cards, online learning, dog walks and creativity sessions. Many did this while juggling work conference calls, emails and memos. Others scrambled to find child care.

Nationwide, many restaurants were restricted to takeout or delivery only.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584387309958.png" alt="President Trump with new CDC recommendations released during Monday's coronavirus task force media briefing- Image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump with new CDC recommendations released during Monday's coronavirus task force media briefing- Image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —The United States implemented dramatic new restrictions on Americans going out in public and 7 million people in the San Francisco area were put on a near-total lockdown to control the coronavirus emergency that has walloped the global economy.Not everyone was adhering to the clampdowns, however.On the same day that the Trump administration called on Americans to not gather in groups of more than 10 people and urged older people to stay home, Arizona, Florida and Illinois went ahead with plans to hold presidential primaries Tuesday. Ohio called off its primary just hours before polls were to open.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584441861411.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Beaches on Florida’s Gulf coast near Tampa stayed open, including one that was was flooded with spring breakers. Gov. Ron Desantis said he would leave it up to communities whether to restrict access to beaches.“It’s not probably advisable to have spring break gatherings” but that people in small groups at the beach is probably OK, he said. “I think the communities can work that out.”Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, praised the federal government’s response as he took only limited action amid the outbreak. Unlike other governors of heavily populated states, Abbott has not made explicit calls for limiting mass gatherings.“This is not a time to panic,” he said. “It’s not as if we have never been through this before. We’ve been through this many, many times.”The comments came on the same day that the number of infections in the U.S. climbed to nearly 4,500, with at least 81 deaths, two-thirds of them in hard-hit Washington state. Worldwide, more than 7,100 have died.With the U.S. economy shuddering to a near-halt, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted nearly 3,000 points, or 13%, its biggest one-day percentage loss since the Black Monday crash of 1987.The rapid work stoppage had Americans fretting about their jobs and their savings, threatened to overwhelm unemployment benefit programs, and heightened fears the country could plunge into a recession.The decision to move ahead with primaries ran counter to stern new guidelines put in place by the Trump administration.Over the next half month, Americans should not gather in groups of more than 10 people, schooling should be at home and discretionary travel and social visits should be avoided.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584441724320.png" alt="CDC" />
 <figcaption>CDC</figcaption>
 </figure>The president for the first time acknowledged that the pandemic may send the economy into a recession and suggested that the nation may be dealing with the virus until “July or August.”Elections officials in Arizona, Florida and Illinois said they were taking precautions to make sure voters could safely cast their ballots, despite widening calls for people to avoid going in public. A handful of other states already postponed their elections.Growing public unease over the coronavirus spread was causing disruptions to polling places in some states before they even opened.In Pasco County, Florida, the number of poll workers dropping out surged from 20 last week to more than 150 by Monday after a case of coronavirus was confirmed in the county.“It’s a skeleton crew at a lot of locations,” said Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux. “We are at the honest end of the rope in terms of who I can grab and who I can get trained and get deployed.”In Illinois, counties were moving polling places out of nursing homes, offering ballot drop-off options for jittery voters and scrambling to find replacements for poll workers canceling at the last minute.Chicago elections officials worked late Monday to find replacements for 168 polling sites.And the city elections commission was begging healthy people to volunteer to work at the polls amid a “tsumani” of cancellations.“Please, please heed our call and volunteer,” said Marisel Hernandez, the commission’s chair. “Help us.”Meanwhile, millions of Americans were holed up at home, with many thrown out of work until further notice as the list of businesses forced to close across the U.S. extended to restaurants, bars, gyms and casinos.Officials in six San Francisco Bay Area counties issued a “shelter in place” order affecting nearly 7 million people, requiring most residents to stay inside and venture out only for food, medicine or exercise for three weeks — the most drastic measure taken yet in the U.S. to curb the spread of the virus.“I know today’s order is a radical step. It has to be. We need to act now, all of us,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Health Department.Health officials, politicians and business leaders are talking about “social distancing” and “flattening the curve,” or encouraging people to avoid others to slow the spread of the virus and keep U.S. hospitals from being overwhelmed with a sudden deluge of patients.Most people who come down with the disease have relatively mild symptoms, but it can be deadly for some, especially the elderly and those with underlying health problems. Most people infected with the virus recover in a matter of weeks.The shutdowns touched every corner of the country: blackjack dealers in Las Vegas, theme park workers in Orlando, Florida, restaurant and bar employees nationwide, and winery workers in California. At least eight states called on all bars and restaurants to close at least part of the day.The economy appears to be decelerating at a much faster pace than during the 2008 financial meltdown.“This is like an avalanche. It’s all happening at once,” said Heidi Shierholz, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute. “And no one knows how long it’s going to last.”On the other side of the ledger, Amazon announced it wants to add 100,000 workers to deliver packages amid a surge in online orders from people unable or unwilling to set foot in stores. And gun sales soared in many places as fear took hold.“I’ve never seen it like this,” said Ed Turner, who owns Ed’s Public Safety in Stockbridge, Georgia. “This is self-preservation. This is panic. This is ‘I won’t be able to protect my family from the hordes and the walking dead.’”With schools closed for tens of millions of children across the country, parents began using lesson plans that included flash cards, online learning, dog walks and creativity sessions. Many did this while juggling work conference calls, emails and memos. Others scrambled to find child care.Nationwide, many restaurants were restricted to takeout or delivery only.

Government issues historic restrictions amid virus outbreak

Roth photo Kansas Department of Corrections

WABAUNSEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities have take a wanted Kansas felon who skipped sentencing hearing two weeks ago into custody.

On March 3, the Wabaunsee County Sheriff asked the public for help to locate 34-year-old Amy Jean Roth.

&nbsp;In additional to the felony sentencing, she is also a person of interest in a burglary and theft from a home where firearms were taken, according to the sheriff's department.

On Monday, the sheriff's office reported her arrest but did not released details on her capture.

&nbsp;Roth has previous convictions for theft and forgery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583273765884.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Roth photo Kansas Department of CorrectionsWABAUNSEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities have take a wanted Kansas felon who skipped sentencing hearing two weeks ago into custody.On March 3, the Wabaunsee County Sheriff asked the public for help to locate 34-year-old Amy Jean Roth.&nbsp;In additional to the felony sentencing, she is also a person of interest in a burglary and theft from a home where firearms were taken, according to the sheriff's department.On Monday, the sheriff's office reported her arrest but did not released details on her capture.&nbsp;Roth has previous convictions for theft and forgery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Sheriff: Kan. woman who skipped felony sentencing is in custody

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators rushed Monday to draft a plan for funding state government after June, launch a new state transportation program and wrap up a few other loose ends so they could take an early and longer-than-usual spring break in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature were looking to pass a basic, annual state budget and a program for improving the state’s highway system by the middle of the week. Some lawmakers also were pushing for passage of a bill that would allow college athletes in Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a890d7881e75f0b8180c6965774d6314">to hire agents and sign endorsement deals&nbsp;</a>if 15 other states allow it.

“If we have to leave, then we’ve got the big stuff done,” said House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican. “It gives us a whole lot of, really more, stability for the state and everybody.”

But lawmakers would abandon for now&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a437c260e6c2148f30e65cef0b6fbcf7">a proposed anti-abortion amendment&nbsp;</a>to the state constitution that GOP leaders have described as their top priority and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f5cf2666dc8dbd4b88e1f313e28a655d">a bipartisan plan</a>&nbsp;for expanding the state’s Medicaid program that Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, other Democrats and some Republicans want.

Their intense push began the same day Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/90881e25d6e359716cd09bf4206ef6e0">banned public gatherings of 50 or more&nbsp;</a>people to help check the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. She and top legislators already have restricted access to the Statehouse to people who have business before the Legislature, canceling tours and public events.

“I’d like them to wrap up their work and go home,” Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said when asked how the new ban on public gatherings might apply to lawmakers. “And it’ll be a moot issue.”

Kansas has seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/61c63fc718f716b9194fb3e3304ffccc">one COVID-19-related death,</a>&nbsp;and public health officials have confirmed 11 cases, most of them in the Kansas City area.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the new coronavirus can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. But for most, it causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the vast majority recover.

Lawmakers had planned to stay in session through April 3, then take their annual spring break and return April 27 to wrap up business for the year.

They must pass a budget for state government to continue operating once the next fiscal year begins in July, but most of that work typically is done before the spring break. The total state budget is likely to approach $20 billion, but GOP leaders said they’re looking to strip out any disputed spending to get a bill through by Wednesday.

Kansas in 2019 finished a 10-year plan for improving and maintaining its transportation system after regularly siphoning off funds for highway projects to patch budget holes. Kelly has proposed a new program using the existing promised resources, with new projects chosen every two years, rather than once a decade.

But lawmakers disagree about the details. The Senate approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/documents/supp_note_sb375_01_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;Monday on a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/vote_view/je_20200316190044_375403/" target="_blank">37-2</a>&nbsp;vote, while&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/documents/supp_note_sb173_01_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a rival plan&nbsp;</a>cleared the House,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/vote_view/je_20200316192103_595180/" target="_blank">103-16.&nbsp;</a>Lawmakers will have to reconcile the differences.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/documents/supp_note_sb474_01_0000.pdf" target="_blank">The bill on college athletes</a>&nbsp;is a response to California passing the nation’s first law last year to allow them to cash in. Some legislators fear that if Kansas does not act, its collegiate sports programs will have trouble recruiting, particularly the storied University of Kansas men’s basketball program and the nationally competitive Kansas State University football program.

The Senate approved the bill,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/vote_view/je_20200316190217_472137/" target="_blank">35-4,</a>&nbsp;sending the measure to the House.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators rushed Monday to draft a plan for funding state government after June, launch a new state transportation program and wrap up a few other loose ends so they could take an early and longer-than-usual spring break in response to the coronavirus pandemic.Top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature were looking to pass a basic, annual state budget and a program for improving the state’s highway system by the middle of the week. Some lawmakers also were pushing for passage of a bill that would allow college athletes in Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a890d7881e75f0b8180c6965774d6314">to hire agents and sign endorsement deals&nbsp;</a>if 15 other states allow it.“If we have to leave, then we’ve got the big stuff done,” said House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican. “It gives us a whole lot of, really more, stability for the state and everybody.”But lawmakers would abandon for now&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a437c260e6c2148f30e65cef0b6fbcf7">a proposed anti-abortion amendment&nbsp;</a>to the state constitution that GOP leaders have described as their top priority and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f5cf2666dc8dbd4b88e1f313e28a655d">a bipartisan plan</a>&nbsp;for expanding the state’s Medicaid program that Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, other Democrats and some Republicans want.Their intense push began the same day Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/90881e25d6e359716cd09bf4206ef6e0">banned public gatherings of 50 or more&nbsp;</a>people to help check the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. She and top legislators already have restricted access to the Statehouse to people who have business before the Legislature, canceling tours and public events.“I’d like them to wrap up their work and go home,” Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said when asked how the new ban on public gatherings might apply to lawmakers. “And it’ll be a moot issue.”Kansas has seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/61c63fc718f716b9194fb3e3304ffccc">one COVID-19-related death,</a>&nbsp;and public health officials have confirmed 11 cases, most of them in the Kansas City area.For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the new coronavirus can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. But for most, it causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the vast majority recover.Lawmakers had planned to stay in session through April 3, then take their annual spring break and return April 27 to wrap up business for the year.They must pass a budget for state government to continue operating once the next fiscal year begins in July, but most of that work typically is done before the spring break. The total state budget is likely to approach $20 billion, but GOP leaders said they’re looking to strip out any disputed spending to get a bill through by Wednesday.Kansas in 2019 finished a 10-year plan for improving and maintaining its transportation system after regularly siphoning off funds for highway projects to patch budget holes. Kelly has proposed a new program using the existing promised resources, with new projects chosen every two years, rather than once a decade.But lawmakers disagree about the details. The Senate approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/documents/supp_note_sb375_01_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;Monday on a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/vote_view/je_20200316190044_375403/" target="_blank">37-2</a>&nbsp;vote, while&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/documents/supp_note_sb173_01_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a rival plan&nbsp;</a>cleared the House,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/vote_view/je_20200316192103_595180/" target="_blank">103-16.&nbsp;</a>Lawmakers will have to reconcile the differences.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/documents/supp_note_sb474_01_0000.pdf" target="_blank">The bill on college athletes</a>&nbsp;is a response to California passing the nation’s first law last year to allow them to cash in. Some legislators fear that if Kansas does not act, its collegiate sports programs will have trouble recruiting, particularly the storied University of Kansas men’s basketball program and the nationally competitive Kansas State University football program.The Senate approved the bill,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/vote_view/je_20200316190217_472137/" target="_blank">35-4,</a>&nbsp;sending the measure to the House.___

Kansas lawmakers rush to finish budget, transportation plan

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A man fired randomly from his vehicle several times while driving through a southwest Missouri city before eventually crashing into a convenience store, where he walked inside, opened fire and left five people dead, including a police officer and himself, police said Monday.

The dead from Sunday night's shooting include a store employee and two men who were in the store, police said. A second officer was injured, along with another person.

The gunman's motives remain unclear, Springfield police Chief Paul Williams said at a news conference, where his voice broke as he described his officers' actions.

Williams said police received reports of “multiple shooting calls throughout the city” late Sunday starting in the south and moving north through the city's east side.

"In essence we had a roving active shooter moving from the south side of the city up," Williams said.

As officers were responding to those calls, witnesses reported a vehicle crashed into a Kum &amp; Go. gas station and convenience store, and the gunman walked inside and began shooting customers and employees, Williams said.

The Kansas City Star reported that the gunman opened fire from inside the store as police arrived, with officers taking cover behind vehicles and shields.

“Advise everybody arriving on the scene, the shooter is shooting out the window,” one officer can be heard saying on audio captured by the online website Broadcastify.com, The Star reported. “The officer shot from inside the store outside. Take cover behind vehicles.”

The first two officers who arrived were shot. Other officers pulled the injured officers from the store and then went inside, finding three people dead. The gunman also died, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot, Williams said. Police identified the shooter as 31-year-old Joaquin S. Roman of Springfield.

Officer Christopher Walsh, 32, was shot and killed as he tried to rescue a victim, Williams said. He was with the Springfield police for 3 1/2 years, was an Army veteran and was active in the Army reserves.

Walsh, a Springfield native, is survived by a wife and daughter.

“Chris died a hero, rushing in without regard to his own safety to protect members of his community. His courageous actions serve as an example to us all,” Wiliams said in a news release.

Police identified the three other men who died as 57-year-old Troy D. Rapp, who was employed by Kum-N-Go, 46-year-old Shannon R. Perkins, who was employed by WCA Waste Corporation, and 22-year-old store customer Matthew J. Hicks-Morris. All were from Springfield.

Officer Josiah Overton, whose injuries are not life-threatening, has been with Springfield police for two years, he said.

“Both officers showed significant bravery and were heroic in their actions,” Williams said.

“There are no word to express the shock and sorrow many of us are feeling,” Kum &amp; Go spokesman Aeriel Rubin said, adding “We remain grateful for the courage of our first responders and will do our utmost to support the investigation going forward.”

A Springfield woman said the man fired at her as she was driving home from work about 11:30 p.m. Casey Parrish said the man was driving in front of her and everything seemed normal until she heard what she thought at first was a blown tire. Then she saw muzzle flashes from from the driver's side of the car in front of her, The Springfield News-Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2020/03/16/springfield-shooting-woman-describes-shot-highway-65-kum-go-missouri/5059011002/">reported</a>.

Parrish said she did nothing to provoke the shooting and the gunman was driving normally until just before the shots started. He fired seven or eight shots as his car was swerving but her car was not hit. Parrish said she slowed down and the suspect eventually turned off of Highway 65 away from her. When she called 911, she was told officers were investigating similar reports from other locations.

Williams said it was too early to comment on the impact the shooting had on his department.

“We're still investigating multiple crime scenes and dealing with grieving the loss of one of our own,” he said.

GREENE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the officer and three other victims.

Just before 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Springfield Police Officers were dispatched to the area of Battlefield Road and Lone Pine Avenue regarding a shooting, according to a media release.

While en route, multiple shooting calls were received, including one at 2100 S Ingram Mill and another at Sunshine and Hwy 65. A final call came in at 11:43 and officers were dispatched to the Kum &amp; Go located at 2885 E Chestnut Expressway regarding another shooting. Callers&nbsp;reported a vehicle crashing at the scene and an armed suspect entering the store and shooting customers and employees.

When officers arrived the suspect began firing at them from inside the Kum-N-Go, fatally wounding Officer Chris Walsh and injuring Officer Josiah Overton.

Other responding officers arrived and made entry into the store where they found the suspect deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officers also discovered three other deceased victims and one critically wounded subject at the Kum-N-Go. All victims appear to have been shot by the suspect.

The suspect has been identified as Joaquin S. Roman, a 31-year-old male from Springfield. Next of kin notifications have been made.

Detectives continue to investigate and are asking anyone who has information about this incident to contact the Springfield Police Department.

Detectives continue to investigate and are asking anyone who has information about this incident to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS (8477).

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Police say five people are dead and two others are injured after a shooting at a gas station in Springfield, Missouri. 

Police Chief Paul Williams said Monday morning the dead include a Springfield police officer, three citizens and the gunman. Williams said police began receiving reports of someone firing shots from a car late Sunday. The car eventually crashed into a Kum &amp; Go gas station and convenience store. Williams said the gunman entered the store and began shooting. 

Two officers who arrived first were shot as they entered the store. One died and the other suffered non-life threatening injuries. Other officers who entered the store found three people and the gunman dead.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584359410423.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Monday -<a href="https://www.ozarksfirst.com/local-news/local-news-local-news/spd-working-officer-involved-shooting/">photo courtesy KOLR TV</a>" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Monday -<a href="https://www.ozarksfirst.com/local-news/local-news-local-news/spd-working-officer-involved-shooting/">photo courtesy KOLR TV</a></figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A man fired randomly from his vehicle several times while driving through a southwest Missouri city before eventually crashing into a convenience store, where he walked inside, opened fire and left five people dead, including a police officer and himself, police said Monday.The dead from Sunday night's shooting include a store employee and two men who were in the store, police said. A second officer was injured, along with another person.The gunman's motives remain unclear, Springfield police Chief Paul Williams said at a news conference, where his voice broke as he described his officers' actions.Williams said police received reports of “multiple shooting calls throughout the city” late Sunday starting in the south and moving north through the city's east side."In essence we had a roving active shooter moving from the south side of the city up," Williams said.As officers were responding to those calls, witnesses reported a vehicle crashed into a Kum &amp; Go. gas station and convenience store, and the gunman walked inside and began shooting customers and employees, Williams said.The Kansas City Star reported that the gunman opened fire from inside the store as police arrived, with officers taking cover behind vehicles and shields.“Advise everybody arriving on the scene, the shooter is shooting out the window,” one officer can be heard saying on audio captured by the online website Broadcastify.com, The Star reported. “The officer shot from inside the store outside. Take cover behind vehicles.”The first two officers who arrived were shot. Other officers pulled the injured officers from the store and then went inside, finding three people dead. The gunman also died, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot, Williams said. Police identified the shooter as 31-year-old Joaquin S. Roman of Springfield.Officer Christopher Walsh, 32, was shot and killed as he tried to rescue a victim, Williams said. He was with the Springfield police for 3 1/2 years, was an Army veteran and was active in the Army reserves.Walsh, a Springfield native, is survived by a wife and daughter.“Chris died a hero, rushing in without regard to his own safety to protect members of his community. His courageous actions serve as an example to us all,” Wiliams said in a news release.Police identified the three other men who died as 57-year-old Troy D. Rapp, who was employed by Kum-N-Go, 46-year-old Shannon R. Perkins, who was employed by WCA Waste Corporation, and 22-year-old store customer Matthew J. Hicks-Morris. All were from Springfield.Officer Josiah Overton, whose injuries are not life-threatening, has been with Springfield police for two years, he said.“Both officers showed significant bravery and were heroic in their actions,” Williams said.“There are no word to express the shock and sorrow many of us are feeling,” Kum &amp; Go spokesman Aeriel Rubin said, adding “We remain grateful for the courage of our first responders and will do our utmost to support the investigation going forward.”A Springfield woman said the man fired at her as she was driving home from work about 11:30 p.m. Casey Parrish said the man was driving in front of her and everything seemed normal until she heard what she thought at first was a blown tire. Then she saw muzzle flashes from from the driver's side of the car in front of her, The Springfield News-Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2020/03/16/springfield-shooting-woman-describes-shot-highway-65-kum-go-missouri/5059011002/">reported</a>.Parrish said she did nothing to provoke the shooting and the gunman was driving normally until just before the shots started. He fired seven or eight shots as his car was swerving but her car was not hit. Parrish said she slowed down and the suspect eventually turned off of Highway 65 away from her. When she called 911, she was told officers were investigating similar reports from other locations."It was so surreal," Parrish said.Williams said it was too early to comment on the impact the shooting had on his department.“We're still investigating multiple crime scenes and dealing with grieving the loss of one of our own,” he said.GREENE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the officer and three other victims.Just before 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Springfield Police Officers were dispatched to the area of Battlefield Road and Lone Pine Avenue regarding a shooting, according to a media release.While en route, multiple shooting calls were received, including one at 2100 S Ingram Mill and another at Sunshine and Hwy 65. A final call came in at 11:43 and officers were dispatched to the Kum &amp; Go located at 2885 E Chestnut Expressway regarding another shooting. Callers&nbsp;reported a vehicle crashing at the scene and an armed suspect entering the store and shooting customers and employees.When officers arrived the suspect began firing at them from inside the Kum-N-Go, fatally wounding Officer Chris Walsh and injuring Officer Josiah Overton.Other responding officers arrived and made entry into the store where they found the suspect deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officers also discovered three other deceased victims and one critically wounded subject at the Kum-N-Go. All victims appear to have been shot by the suspect.The suspect has been identified as Joaquin S. Roman, a 31-year-old male from Springfield. Next of kin notifications have been made.Detectives continue to investigate and are asking anyone who has information about this incident to contact the Springfield Police Department.--------GREENE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the officer and three other victims.Just before 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Springfield Police Officers were dispatched to the area of Battlefield Road and Lone Pine Avenue regarding a shooting, according to a media release.While en route, multiple shooting calls were received, including one at 2100 S Ingram Mill and another at Sunshine and Hwy 65. A final call came in at 11:43 and officers were dispatched to the Kum &amp; Go located at 2885 E Chestnut Expressway regarding another shooting. Callers&nbsp;reported a vehicle crashing at the scene and an armed suspect entering the store and shooting customers and employees.When officers arrived the suspect began firing at them from inside the Kum-N-Go, fatally wounding Officer Chris Walsh and injuring Officer Josiah Overton.Other responding officers arrived and made entry into the store where they found the suspect deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officers also discovered three other deceased victims and one critically wounded subject at the Kum-N-Go. All victims appear to have been shot by the suspect.The suspect has been identified as Joaquin S. Roman, a 31-year-old male from Springfield. Next of kin notifications have been made.Detectives continue to investigate and are asking anyone who has information about this incident to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS (8477).------------SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Police say five people are dead and two others are injured after a shooting at a gas station in Springfield, Missouri. Police Chief Paul Williams said Monday morning the dead include a Springfield police officer, three citizens and the gunman. Williams said police began receiving reports of someone firing shots from a car late Sunday. The car eventually crashed into a Kum &amp; Go gas station and convenience store. Williams said the gunman entered the store and began shooting. Two officers who arrived first were shot as they entered the store. One died and the other suffered non-life threatening injuries. Other officers who entered the store found three people and the gunman dead.

The Latest: 5 dead, including officer in Missouri shooting

LENEXA - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing an expanded list of EPA-registered disinfectant products that have qualified for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that
causes COVID-19. 

The list contains nearly 200 additional products—including 40 new products that went through the agency’s expedited review process. 

The agency also made key enhancements to the web-based list to improve its usefulness.

“During this pandemic, it’s important that people can easily find the information they’re looking for when choosing and using a surface disinfectant,”&nbsp;said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler.&nbsp;

“With this expanded
list, EPA is making sure Americans have greater access to as many effective and approved surface disinfectant products as possible and that they have the information at their fingertips to use them effectively.”

While disinfectant products on this list have not been tested specifically against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, they are expected to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 because they have been tested and proven effective
on either a harder-to-kill virus or against another human coronavirus similar to SARS-CoV-2.

The product list has also been updated to include the product’s active ingredient and the amount of time the surface should remain wet to be effective against the given pathogen.

To make the list more consumer friendly, information in the table is now sortable, searchable and printable, and can be easily viewed on a mobile device.

These additions make it easier for consumers to find surface disinfectants and instructions for using them effectively against SARS-CoV-2.

&nbsp;View the list of EPA-registered<a href="https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2"> disinfectant products here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1563804610898.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>EPALENEXA - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing an expanded list of EPA-registered disinfectant products that have qualified for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that
causes COVID-19. The list contains nearly 200 additional products—including 40 new products that went through the agency’s expedited review process. The agency also made key enhancements to the web-based list to improve its usefulness.“During this pandemic, it’s important that people can easily find the information they’re looking for when choosing and using a surface disinfectant,”&nbsp;said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler.&nbsp;“With this expanded
list, EPA is making sure Americans have greater access to as many effective and approved surface disinfectant products as possible and that they have the information at their fingertips to use them effectively.”While disinfectant products on this list have not been tested specifically against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, they are expected to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 because they have been tested and proven effective
on either a harder-to-kill virus or against another human coronavirus similar to SARS-CoV-2.The product list has also been updated to include the product’s active ingredient and the amount of time the surface should remain wet to be effective against the given pathogen.To make the list more consumer friendly, information in the table is now sortable, searchable and printable, and can be easily viewed on a mobile device.These additions make it easier for consumers to find surface disinfectants and instructions for using them effectively against SARS-CoV-2.&nbsp;View the list of EPA-registered<a href="https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2"> disinfectant products here.</a>

EPA expands COVID-19 disinfectant list

SEATTLE (AP) — U.S. researchers gave the first shots in a first test of an experimental coronavirus vaccine Monday, leading off a worldwide hunt for protection even as the pandemic surges.

With careful jabs in the arms of four healthy volunteers, scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute in Seattle began an anxiously awaited first-stage study of a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed in record time after the new virus exploded out of China and fanned out across the globe.

“We’re team coronavirus now,” Kaiser Permanente study leader Dr. Lisa Jackson said on the eve of the experiment. “Everyone wants to do what they can in this emergency.”

The Associated Press observed as the study’s first participant, an operations manager at a small tech company, received the injection in an exam room.

“We all feel so helpless. This is an amazing opportunity for me to do something,” Jennifer Haller, 43, of Seattle said before getting vaccinated. Her two teenagers “think it's cool” that she's taking part in the study.

After the injection, she left the exam room with a big smile: “I'm feeling great."

Three others were next in line for a test that will ultimately give 45 volunteers two doses, a month apart.

Neal Browning, 46, of Bothell, Washington, is a Microsoft network engineer who says his young daughters are proud he volunteered.

“Every parent wants their children to look up to them,” he said. But he’s told them not to brag to their friends. “It’s other people, too. It’s not just Dad out there.”

Monday’s milestone marked just the beginning of a series of studies in people needed to prove whether the shots are safe and could work. Even if the research goes well, a vaccine would not be available for widespread use for 12 to 18 months, said Dr. Anthony Fauci of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Still, finding a vaccine “is an urgent public health priority,” Fauci said in a statement Monday. The new study “is an important first step toward achieving that goal.”

This vaccine candidate, code-named mRNA-1273, was developed by the NIH and Massachusetts-based biotechnology company Moderna Inc. There’s no chance participants could get infected because the shots do not contain the coronavirus itself.

It’s not the only potential vaccine in the pipeline. Dozens of research groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine against COVID-19. Another candidate, made by Inovio Pharmaceuticals, is expected to begin its own safety study next month in the U.S., China and South Korea.

The Seattle experiment got underway days after the World Health Organization declared the new virus outbreak a pandemic because of its rapid global spread, which has infected more than 169,000 people and killed more than 6,500.

COVID-19 has upended the world’s social and economic fabric since China first identified the virus in January, with broad regions shuttering schools and businesses, restricting travel, canceling entertainment and sporting events, and encouraging people to stay away from each other.

Starting what scientists call a first-in-humans study is a momentous occasion for scientists, but Jackson described her team’s mood as “subdued.” They’ve been working around-the-clock readying the research in a part of the U.S. struck early and hard by the virus.

Still, “going from not even knowing that this virus was out there ... to have any vaccine” in testing in about two months is unprecedented, Jackson told the AP.

Some of the study’s carefully chosen healthy volunteers, ages 18 to 55, will get higher dosages than others to test how strong the inoculations should be. Scientists will check for any side effects and draw blood samples to test if the vaccine is revving up the immune system, looking for encouraging clues like the NIH earlier found in vaccinated mice.

“We don’t know whether this vaccine will induce an immune response or whether it will be safe. That’s why we’re doing a trial,” Jackson stressed. “It’s not at the stage where it would be possible or prudent to give it to the general population.”

Most of the vaccine research under way globally targets a protein aptly named “spike” that studs the surface of the new coronavirus and lets it invade human cells. Block that protein and people cannot get infected.

Researchers at the NIH copied the section of the virus’ genetic code that contains the instructions for cells to create the spike protein. Moderna encased that “messenger RNA” into a vaccine.

The idea: The body will become a mini-factory, producing some harmless spike protein. When the immune system spots the foreign protein, it will make antibodies to attack — and be primed to react quickly if the person later encounters the real virus.

That’s a much faster way of producing a vaccine than the traditional approach of growing virus in the lab and preparing shots from either killed or weakened versions of it.

But because vaccines are given to millions of healthy people, it takes time to test them in large enough numbers to spot an uncommon side effect, cautioned Dr. Nelson Michael of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, which is developing a different vaccine candidate.

“The science can go very quickly but, first, do no harm, right?” he told reporters last week.

The Seattle research institute is part of a government network that tests all kinds of vaccines and was chosen for the coronavirus vaccine study before COVID-19 began spreading widely in Washington state.

Kaiser Permanente screened dozens of people, looking for those who have no chronic health problems and are not currently sick. Researchers are not checking whether would-be volunteers already had a mild case of COVID-19 before deciding if they are eligible.

If some did, scientists will be able to tell by the number of antibodies in their pre-vaccination blood test and account for that, Jackson said. Participants will be paid $100 for each clinic visit in the study.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A clinical trial evaluating a vaccine designed to protect against the new coronavirus will begin Monday, according to a government official.

The first participant in the trial will receive the experimental vaccine on Monday, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the trial has not been publicly announced yet. The National Institutes of Health is funding the trial, which is taking place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle, the official said.

Public health officials say it will take a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential vaccine.

Testing will begin with 45 young, healthy volunteers with different doses of shots co-developed by NIH and Moderna Inc. There’s no chance participants could get infected from the shots, because they don’t contain the virus itself. The goal is purely to check that the vaccines show no worrisome side effects, setting the stage for larger tests.

Dozens of research groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine as COVID-19 cases continue to grow. Importantly, they’re pursuing different types of vaccines — shots developed from new technologies that not only are faster to produce than traditional inoculations but might prove more potent. Some researchers even aim for temporary vaccines, such as shots that might guard people’s health a month or two at a time while longer-lasting protection is developed.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The worldwide outbreak has sickened more than 156,000 people and left more than 5,800 dead. The death toll in the United States is more than 50, while infections neared 3,000 across 49 states and the District of Columbia.

The vast majority of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three weeks to six weeks to recover.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579661439404.jpeg" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE (AP) — U.S. researchers gave the first shots in a first test of an experimental coronavirus vaccine Monday, leading off a worldwide hunt for protection even as the pandemic surges.With careful jabs in the arms of four healthy volunteers, scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute in Seattle began an anxiously awaited first-stage study of a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed in record time after the new virus exploded out of China and fanned out across the globe.“We’re team coronavirus now,” Kaiser Permanente study leader Dr. Lisa Jackson said on the eve of the experiment. “Everyone wants to do what they can in this emergency.”The Associated Press observed as the study’s first participant, an operations manager at a small tech company, received the injection in an exam room.“We all feel so helpless. This is an amazing opportunity for me to do something,” Jennifer Haller, 43, of Seattle said before getting vaccinated. Her two teenagers “think it's cool” that she's taking part in the study.After the injection, she left the exam room with a big smile: “I'm feeling great."Three others were next in line for a test that will ultimately give 45 volunteers two doses, a month apart.Neal Browning, 46, of Bothell, Washington, is a Microsoft network engineer who says his young daughters are proud he volunteered.“Every parent wants their children to look up to them,” he said. But he’s told them not to brag to their friends. “It’s other people, too. It’s not just Dad out there.”Monday’s milestone marked just the beginning of a series of studies in people needed to prove whether the shots are safe and could work. Even if the research goes well, a vaccine would not be available for widespread use for 12 to 18 months, said Dr. Anthony Fauci of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.Still, finding a vaccine “is an urgent public health priority,” Fauci said in a statement Monday. The new study “is an important first step toward achieving that goal.”This vaccine candidate, code-named mRNA-1273, was developed by the NIH and Massachusetts-based biotechnology company Moderna Inc. There’s no chance participants could get infected because the shots do not contain the coronavirus itself.It’s not the only potential vaccine in the pipeline. Dozens of research groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine against COVID-19. Another candidate, made by Inovio Pharmaceuticals, is expected to begin its own safety study next month in the U.S., China and South Korea.The Seattle experiment got underway days after the World Health Organization declared the new virus outbreak a pandemic because of its rapid global spread, which has infected more than 169,000 people and killed more than 6,500.COVID-19 has upended the world’s social and economic fabric since China first identified the virus in January, with broad regions shuttering schools and businesses, restricting travel, canceling entertainment and sporting events, and encouraging people to stay away from each other.Starting what scientists call a first-in-humans study is a momentous occasion for scientists, but Jackson described her team’s mood as “subdued.” They’ve been working around-the-clock readying the research in a part of the U.S. struck early and hard by the virus.Still, “going from not even knowing that this virus was out there ... to have any vaccine” in testing in about two months is unprecedented, Jackson told the AP.Some of the study’s carefully chosen healthy volunteers, ages 18 to 55, will get higher dosages than others to test how strong the inoculations should be. Scientists will check for any side effects and draw blood samples to test if the vaccine is revving up the immune system, looking for encouraging clues like the NIH earlier found in vaccinated mice.“We don’t know whether this vaccine will induce an immune response or whether it will be safe. That’s why we’re doing a trial,” Jackson stressed. “It’s not at the stage where it would be possible or prudent to give it to the general population.”Most of the vaccine research under way globally targets a protein aptly named “spike” that studs the surface of the new coronavirus and lets it invade human cells. Block that protein and people cannot get infected.Researchers at the NIH copied the section of the virus’ genetic code that contains the instructions for cells to create the spike protein. Moderna encased that “messenger RNA” into a vaccine.The idea: The body will become a mini-factory, producing some harmless spike protein. When the immune system spots the foreign protein, it will make antibodies to attack — and be primed to react quickly if the person later encounters the real virus.That’s a much faster way of producing a vaccine than the traditional approach of growing virus in the lab and preparing shots from either killed or weakened versions of it.But because vaccines are given to millions of healthy people, it takes time to test them in large enough numbers to spot an uncommon side effect, cautioned Dr. Nelson Michael of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, which is developing a different vaccine candidate.“The science can go very quickly but, first, do no harm, right?” he told reporters last week.The Seattle research institute is part of a government network that tests all kinds of vaccines and was chosen for the coronavirus vaccine study before COVID-19 began spreading widely in Washington state.Kaiser Permanente screened dozens of people, looking for those who have no chronic health problems and are not currently sick. Researchers are not checking whether would-be volunteers already had a mild case of COVID-19 before deciding if they are eligible.If some did, scientists will be able to tell by the number of antibodies in their pre-vaccination blood test and account for that, Jackson said. Participants will be paid $100 for each clinic visit in the study.--------WASHINGTON (AP) — A clinical trial evaluating a vaccine designed to protect against the new coronavirus will begin Monday, according to a government official.The first participant in the trial will receive the experimental vaccine on Monday, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the trial has not been publicly announced yet. The National Institutes of Health is funding the trial, which is taking place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle, the official said.Public health officials say it will take a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential vaccine.Testing will begin with 45 young, healthy volunteers with different doses of shots co-developed by NIH and Moderna Inc. There’s no chance participants could get infected from the shots, because they don’t contain the virus itself. The goal is purely to check that the vaccines show no worrisome side effects, setting the stage for larger tests.Dozens of research groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine as COVID-19 cases continue to grow. Importantly, they’re pursuing different types of vaccines — shots developed from new technologies that not only are faster to produce than traditional inoculations but might prove more potent. Some researchers even aim for temporary vaccines, such as shots that might guard people’s health a month or two at a time while longer-lasting protection is developed.For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The worldwide outbreak has sickened more than 156,000 people and left more than 5,800 dead. The death toll in the United States is more than 50, while infections neared 3,000 across 49 states and the District of Columbia.The vast majority of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three weeks to six weeks to recover.___

 Coronavirus vaccine test opens with first doses

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has banned public gatherings of 50 or more people for the next two months and blocked utilities from cutting off services until mid-April.

Gov. Laura Kelly warned Monday that the coronavirus pandemic may force additional restrictions to contain its spread. Kelly stopped short of ordering bars, restaurants, gyms or other businesses from closing, as governors in other states have done. 

Her executive orders also came the same day that President Donald Trump's administration said people should avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 over the next 15 days. Kansas has seen one COVID-19 related death and confirmed 11 coronavirus cases.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584396255246.png" alt="Dr. Lee Norman and Governor Kelly during Monday's press conference" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Lee Norman and Governor Kelly during Monday's press conference</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has banned public gatherings of 50 or more people for the next two months and blocked utilities from cutting off services until mid-April.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F209628907013943%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>Gov. Laura Kelly warned Monday that the coronavirus pandemic may force additional restrictions to contain its spread. Kelly stopped short of ordering bars, restaurants, gyms or other businesses from closing, as governors in other states have done. Her executive orders also came the same day that President Donald Trump's administration said people should avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 over the next 15 days. Kansas has seen one COVID-19 related death and confirmed 11 coronavirus cases.&nbsp;

🎥 Kansas bans gatherings of 50 or more, bars utility shutoffs

COWLEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged child sex crime and have a suspect in custody.

On March 10, the Arkansas City police department’s investigations division began conducting an ongoing sexual abuse investigation in response to several incidents reported including the alleged rape of two juveniles females who are younger than 14, according to a media release from police.

Since then, numerous interviews were conducted with all parties involved and multiple pieces of evidence were collected for forensic examination.

Through the course of the investigation, police determined they had sufficient evidence to take 32-year-old Bobby Dean Jones of Arkansas City into custody as a suspect in the case. Jones is being held on on a $250,000 bond on requested charges that include two felony counts of rape by sexual intercourse with a child younger than 14 years old.

He is expected to make a first court appearance later this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584125040013.png" alt="Bobby D. Jones photo Cowley Co." />
 <figcaption>Bobby D. Jones photo Cowley Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged child sex crime and have a suspect in custody.On March 10, the Arkansas City police department’s investigations division began conducting an ongoing sexual abuse investigation in response to several incidents reported including the alleged rape of two juveniles females who are younger than 14, according to a media release from police.Since then, numerous interviews were conducted with all parties involved and multiple pieces of evidence were collected for forensic examination.Through the course of the investigation, police determined they had sufficient evidence to take 32-year-old Bobby Dean Jones of Arkansas City into custody as a suspect in the case. Jones is being held on on a $250,000 bond on requested charges that include two felony counts of rape by sexual intercourse with a child younger than 14 years old.He is expected to make a first court appearance later this week.

Kansas child rape suspect awaits first court appearance

RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities on Monday identified the man who died in an accident just after 9:30p.m. March 11 in Riley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Honda Civic driven by Madelline I. Haynes, 22, Junction City, was&nbsp; westbound on Fort Riley Blvd at 15th street when a pedestrian identified as&nbsp;Francisco J. Nevarrez-Arrellano, 61, Manhattan, entered the road from the north.&nbsp; The Honda struck Nevarrez-Arrellano.

RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities on Monday identified the man who died in an accident just after 9:30p.m. March 11 in Riley County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Honda Civic driven by Madelline I. Haynes, 22, Junction City, was&nbsp; westbound on Fort Riley Blvd at 15th street when a pedestrian identified as&nbsp;Francisco J. Nevarrez-Arrellano, 61, Manhattan, entered the road from the north.&nbsp; The Honda struck Nevarrez-Arrellano.He was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home.&nbsp;The KHP reported they were unable to locate a next of kin for Nevarrez-Arrellano.-------RILEY COUNTY— The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal accident that occurred just before 9:30p.m. Wednesday in Riley County.A vehicle was westbound on Fort Riley Blvd at 15th street when a pedestrian entered the road from the north. The vehicle&nbsp; struck the pedestrian. The KHP released no additional details early Thursday.Check the post for additional details as they become available.RILEY COUNTY— The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal accident that occurred just before 9:30p.m. Wednesday in Riley County.A vehicle was westbound on Fort Riley Blvd at 15th street when a pedestrian entered the road from the north. The vehicle&nbsp; struck the pedestrian. The KHP released no additional details early Thursday.Check the post for additional details as they become available.